Happy Mail!

I am so late in posting this, but I received this amazing package last week from Jami at Crazy Daisy Creations! First of all, look at that gorgeous card! The rest of the package is full of ladybugs! Jami went to Hawaii a little while ago and brought back these stamps for me because they had ladybugs on them! How adorable! She actually let me in on a little secret. . .her mother-in-law Pam from Stamping With Serendipity actually got a couple of the stamps when she went to Hawaii and gave them to Jami to give to me. Pam also found that fabulous ladybug magnet! I would LOVE to put that on my car if I weren't afraid it would get stolen! LOL Isn't this the sweetest package? I was just floored that they thought of me. Thank you Jami and Pam! You are the best! I just LOVE my package and really appreciate your thoughtfulness! Big HUGS!

You Make My Day!

I received the You Make My Day Award from Samantha at Fun With Paper and Diane at My Little Stampin' Spot. WOW, thank you guys! Not to be redundant, but it makes MY day that I make your day! LOL So many of you make my day. I love it when you stop by and especially when you say hello! It's nice to know you're out there! :) I'm supposed to award this to people who make my day, but the list is TOO long! If you're reading this, then you KNOW you make my day because you've stopped by for a visit. Thanks for taking time to stop by and Make My Day!

Beate Weekend Sketch #43

I cannot believe it's Friday already. This week went by SO quickly! Here's my card for Beate's Weekend Sketch. I LOVE this background stamp from the Stampin' Up catalog. I love it because you don't have to color it in if you don't want to. It's great just stamped in one color for a quick card. I chose to use my Wonder Watercolor Crayons to color it in though. I added some Stickles too. The flower has a really pretty sparkle! I don't know if I've mentioned it before, but my favorite Stampin' Up color has always been Really Rust. I just LOVE it. I like a lot of the other colors too (In Colors and Earth Elements especially), but Really Rust is one of my easy choices since it just works for me. Be sure and check out what Beate, Cambria, Jenn, Laurie, Lori, Mary Jo and Sharon have come up with for today's challenge. I'm sure they will all be beautiful!


Don't forget about the Prettie Pajama Party tonight at 8pm EST at Paper Pretties. . .three new stamps sets, three challenges and LOTS of fun! Hope to see you there! SUPPLIES USED: Stamps- From the Garden, Full of Life (SU); Paper- Really Rust, Whisper White (SU) Cocoa (DCWV); Ink- Really Rust; Accessories- ticket corner punch, slit punch, Wonder Watercolor Crayons (SU), rust satin ribbon (May Arts), Stardust Stickles, Copper Stickles

Verve Inspiration Challenge

If you haven't checked the Verve Visual blog lately, head on over! There's a challenge going on and you could WIN!

Make a card or project using the pillow photo as inspiration, and link it to this post by Midnight (Mountain time) on April 22nd for a chance to win. If you have any Verve Visual stamps, please use them, but it's not a requirement. The winner will receive $15 in Verve Bucks to spend at the Verve store. Sound like fun? Keep checking the Verve blog for the Design Team members' takes on the challenge.

Real Glorious Navy

This was for this week's Color Challenge on SCS, Real Glorious Navy, to use Real Red, Glorious Green and Night of Navy. This was a tough one because I don't usually go for this color combination. . .but that's why they call it a challenge, right? The set is called Rainy Day Friends and will be available this Friday at Paper Pretties! I would LOVE to have you join in our Prettie Pajama Party starting at 8pm EST on Friday! I have 3 challenges for you. . .one at the top of each hour. It's LOTS of fun and there are prizes! If you'd like more details, you can find them HERE. Hope you can make it! Thanks for stopping by! SUPPLIES USED: Stamps- Rainy Day Friends (Paper Pretties); Ink- Basic Black (SU); Paper- Real Red, Glorious Green, Whisper White (SU), Navy (DCWV); Accessories- large oval punch, red polka dot organdy ribbon, Water Dew Drops (The Robin's Nest), ticket corner punch, Real Red, Glorious Green, Night of Navy, Blush Blossom, Apricot Appeal markers (SU)

Prettie Wednesday

Two weeks ago, I issued a challenge to the Prettie Girls to watercolor. No fancy markers, just ink and an Aquapainter or watercolor brush. Here is my card for the challenge. This card should have already been on the way to Danielle, but I'm late! Sorry Danielle! Speaking of Danielle, she has joined us on the Paper Pretties Design Team! How cool is that? I'm very excited because her creations are always amazing! Welcome, Danielle!

This set is called Simply Special. It's one of the three new sets Paper Pretties will be releasing Friday night during our Prettie Pajama Party! That's right! Come join us for our Pajama Party at 8pm EST. I host the party and have three challenges for you! One gets posted at the top of each hour starting at 8pm EST. You have an hour to create and post each challenge submission. Sound like fun? It really IS a lot of fun and there are even prizes! So, if you've never attended one of our PJ parties before, why don't you give it a try? All you need to do is sign up with a username and password and then look for the release party thread in the forums! Hope to see you there! Thanks for stopping by! SUPPLIES USED: Stamps- Simply Special (Paper Pretties); Paper- Garden Collection (Webster Pages); Ink- Burnt Umber (Palette), River Rock (SU); Accessories- Nestabilities scallop circle and plain circle, paper piercer, Cuttlebug Floral Fantasy folder, Wonder Watercolor Crayons (SU), Water Dew Drops (The Robin's Nest), Aquapainter, cream organdy ribbon (Darice)

Be Inspired #8

When Beate sent me this week's inspiration challenge, I just LOVED it. That dress is so funky! (in a good way) I decided to use So Saffron, Soft Sky, Pumpkin Pie, Basic Black and Whisper White to make this card. The sets I used were Pick a Petal, Warm Words and Sweet Shapes. The first thing I did was stamp the petal from Pick a Petal six times and cut them out. I stamped the matching center and cut off part of the circle to make it more like the flower center on the dress. Once I arranged the petals the way I liked them, I mounted the flower to the card with dimensionals. I added some grosgrain ribbon for a stem and faux stitching along the bottom part of the card using my white gel pen. After I added the white brads, the card needed something up at the top. I tried different embellishments, but nothing worked for me. Then I decided that a butterfly goes with a flower, so that might work. I stamped the butterfly from Sweet Shapes in Versamark ink and heat embossed it with white embossing powder. I stamped and embossed it again on vellum cardstock and cut that one out. I bent the wings back a bit to give the "flying" effect and mounted it on top of the butterfly I stamped on the card. It gave just the touch I was looking for. Be sure and check out what Beate, Dawn McVey, Silke Ledlow and Susan Roberts came up with for today. Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day! SUPPLIES USED: Stamps- Pick a Petal, Warm Words, Sweet Shapes (SU); Paper- So Saffron, Pumpkin Pie, Soft Sky, Basic Black (SU), vellum; Ink- Onyx Black (Versafine), Versamark; Accessories- white embossing powder, moss grosgrain, white brads (Oriental Trading), paper piercer, white gel pen

Let Your Light Shine

Yesterday, the son of friends of ours was making his First Communion. Using my stamps from Verve Visual, I tried to make this card as boyish as possible but still fit the occasion. Maybe the scallops across the bottom pushed it over that line, but it looked so "nekkid" without something. Actually, I started this card embossing the cross in white on the front inside the Nestabilities embossed oval. It was looking too plain, so I ran the card back through my Cuttlebug to cut out that oval and ended up stamping and embossing the cross in gold on the inside of the card so it would show through the window. Funny how you start out doing one thing and in order to "save" your card, it ends up being completely different. I'm just happy I didn't have to trash the whole thing. Thanks for stopping by today! SUPPLIES USED: Stamps- Easter Elegance, Swirly Stars (Verve Visual); Paper- white (Georgia-Pacific), gold (DCWV Metallic Stack); Ink- Versamark; Accessories- gold embossing powder, gold brads (Making Memories), oval Nestabilities (Spellbinders)

Here Comes the Bride

Another challenge I haven't done in a while is Jen's Sketch For You To Try. I got out my She's All That set and my Luxury Stack from Die Cut With a View and made this. You can't really see in the picture, put the paper is pearlized and looks so elegant in real life. The card base and mattes of the card are River Rock cardstock. The sentiment (which is very subtle) is stamped in River Rock ink. It makes such a nice wedding card if you're looking for a color other than white or ivory. Stop by and check out Jen's sketch. Give it a try! Thanks for stopping by today! Have a wonderful Sunday! SUPPLIES USED: Stamps- She's All That (SU); Paper- Luxury Stack (DCWV), River Rock (SU), Pearlized white (Paper Accents); Ink- Wheat (VersaMagic), River Rock (SU); Accessories- pearl brads, cream organdy ribbon (Darice)

Lily and Tweet Mojo

It has been such a long time since I've done Julee's Mojo Monday Challenge. I was determined to do it today since TWO kids were napping at the same time. . .that's a record! :) When Pink Cat Studio released their Lily and Tweet and Dress Up Lily sets, I got them right away. I just LOVE them and loved everything the Design Team had done with them, those enablers! LOL I especially loved these stamps from the Lily and Tweet set. I think it's the performer in me that's attracted to sets like this. So showy and fabulous! I ran the scalloped circle through my Xyron, attached the image circle and then poured pink chunky glitter over the edges. I applied some glue on the boa and added glitter there too. I almost used the "glamorous" sentiment, but I thought I could use the "thank you" more. Don't you love it when you use stamps that have been sitting there uninked? I know it makes me feel better! LOL Have a great day! SUPPLIES USED: Stamps- Lily and Tweet (Pink Cat Studio); Paper- Regal Rose, Rose Red, Whisper White, Basic Black (SU); Ink- Black Onyx (Versafine); Accessories- Swiss Dots Cuttlebug folder, Mega circle punch, Giga scallop circle punch,Regal Rose, Rose Red, Apricot Appeal markers (SU), wide rose grosgrain (SU), rhinestone brads (Darice), Chunky Sprinkles glitter (SU)