1st Birthday

I never realized how many birthdays are in my family during the month of July until this past weekend when I went shopping for them all!!  Of course, one of them is my nephew who is turning one next week (so I've never had him to think about before).  He was born the day before his Daddy's birthday, sweet, huh?

 I just love this little truck!  I'm so glad I finally ended up with a nephew because he's the only little boy in my life right now.  And that means I have a reason to buy all those really cute "boy" stamps. :)  Here is the sentiment on the inside:

Challenges:

The Paper Shelter #212--use some circles

Creative Inspirations #322--let's color

Tuesday Throwdown #255--tic tac toe (I used the stamp, enamel dots, die cuts row)

Fashionable Stamping #101--All about Men (a little guy counts, right)

Wags n' Whiskers #158--birthday

YNS #18--sketch

Sister Act Card Challenge #114--anything goes
Craftin' Desert Divas--birthday
Vintage Stamping Challenge--travel

Supplies:
Stamps: YNS "Keep on Trucking"; PTI "Big Birthday Wishes" sentiments; Sweet n' Sassy Stamps "Celebrating Milestones" number 1
Dies: Spellbinders "Classic Circles, large" and "Standard scalloped Circles, large"; MFT "Blueprints 13"; PTI "By the Numbers" large #1
YNS gumdrops

So glad there's you

I can't believe that it is already my third challenge with the Repeat Impressions Rock Star Team over on The House That Stamps Built challenge blog.  This week we have two fabulous photos for you to by inspired by.  Here they are:

         

You can be inspired by either one and let me tell you that there is so much to be inspired by in them.  Can you guess what inspired my card?  : )

I started out by stamping my hot air balloon, then stamped it on a post it note and cute it out to use as a mask.  After I put my mask on the image, I stamped the clouds.  I also made masks for them and then sponged on blue ink to create the sky.  Removed the masks and colored up the balloon.  The doily wasn't actually large enough to put behind the tags, so I cut it in half and attached it to the back of the tags with about 1/2 inch gab.  The crocheted lace hides the gap on the top and you'd never know.  It's just a great way to stretch (ha, that was a good one) the uses of your dies.

Now, it's time to hop on over to the challenge blog and see how the rest of the DT interpreted this challenge.

Challenges:
Creative Fingers #87--anything goes
Viva La Verve July week 2--sketch


Crafty Catz #287--summertime
Sister Act Card Challenge #114--anything goes
Creative Craft Cottage #43--Layer it up
Top Tip Tuesday--summer fun
A Gem of a Challenge #148--Red, white, & blue
Frosted Designs--Red, white & blue plus something old AND something new (the stamps are brand new and everything else is old; specially that doily die)
Vintage Stamping Challenge--travel
Crafting Musketeers #27--anything goes
Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps--anything goes

Supplies:
Stamps: Repeat Impressions "9113-K. Hot Air Balloon", "3403-F. Clouds", and I'm so glad there's you sentiment
Dies: MFT "Blueprints 13"; Spellbinders "Floral Doily Motifs"

The Magic

ACK!!  It's the middle of July already!!  That means it's time for our mid-month inspiration on the Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra blog.  It's Anything Goes (Christmas related, of course) all month long.  This is an awesome way to get a jump on those Christmas cards.  Here is my card:

The challenge from Mark's Finest Papers is to heat emboss your image in white on colored card stock and then highlight with the same color ink.  It is very subtle, but I highlighted the "presents" banner in the sentiment and added some ink to the presents on the bottom.  You can see it a little better in this next photo.

See how the banner and the presents are a little darker than the rest of the card stock?  Thanks for stopping by!  And if you haven't gotten started on those Christmas cards; it's time!

Challenges:
Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps--anything goes
Sweet Stamps #230--Traditional Christmas colors
Come And Get It--Christmas in July
Sweet Stampin--Christmas in July
Mark's Finest Papers #270--white emboss on colored card stock; highlight with same color ink
Sketch Saturday #369--sketch (I turned it on it's side so I could create the corset look)

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #237--Deck the Halls (presents, bows)
Verve Diva Inspiration Challenge--sensational stripes
Cas-ual Chic #1--embossing
Sister Act Card Challenge #114--anything goes
Crafty Calendar Challenge--Christmas in July
Craft Dee Bow-Z--anything goes with handmade bow
One Sweet Challenge--Christmas in July
Christmas Cards All Year 'Round--Dots & stripes
Sparkles Christmas Challenge#54--use ribbon, lace or twine

Supplies:
Stamps: Verve "Peace on Earth" and "Borderline"
Dies: Sweet n' Sassy snowflake die

#happy birthday

I've had this Smartphone die for a couple months now and finally got to use it!!  Isn't it cute?  After putting it together, I realized the dark purple and the dark gray combo makes it a little hard to see the detail of the phone.  I made this for a young friend of mine that is turning 17.  So what do 17 year-old-girls like?  Smartphones!  And this one also happens to like making cupcakes (so do I!), so I combined both together to create this really fun card.  I used the same cupcake set to create the border down the right hand side AND the "patterned paper" on the left side.

Challenges:
Inspiration Destination #41--anything goes
Penny's Paper Challenge #235--anything goes
Inky Impressions #217--use 2 or more dies
Fab n' Funky #267--inspired by a song (mine is Happy Birthday)
Word Art #191--anything goes with uplifting sentiment
Creative Craft Cottage #43--Layer it up
Tuesday Throwdown #252--no patterned paper
Loves Rubberstamps #159--anything goes
Die Cuttin' Divas #223--sketch

Make it Monday #217--creating your own custom stamped borders
Craftin' Desert Divas--birthday
Jo's Scrap Shack #95--anything goes
V's Sweet Ideas--Celebrate
Crafting By Designs July challenge--anything goes
YNS #17--sketch or color combo (I used the color combo)


Supplies:
Stamps: PTI "Baker's Dozen"; MFT "Friend Request" sentiments; JustRite Stampers star background
Dies: MFT "Blueprints 13" and "Smartphone"
YNS Gumdrops

A Happy Hello

Happy Wednesday, Everyone!  It's time for another challenge from The House That Stamps Built.  This week is a Designer's Choice Challenge from the fabulous Patti: White Plus one other color.

Here is my card:

 It turned out a bit more shabby chic than I first planned, but I love the final result.   I started out by partially inking up the music background stamp and stamping it onto the stitched panel, then I lightly sponged the edges to distress them a bit.  I also sponged the edges of the embossed panel.  For the circle, I used some frantage embossing powder to create some dimension (I just learned how to do this the right way and am sooo excited!).  The butterfly was stamped in Versamark on vellum and then embossed with white embossing powder.  I fussy cut the butterfly and then colored on the back with the aqua ink and popped it up with pop dots.
Now it's time to head on over to the challenge blog and see what the rest of the DT has done with this challenge.  And remember, if you like any of the stamps I used, I have a 10% discount code over on the left hand side of this blog.
(And on a side note, Cas-ual Fridays Stamps is starting a new challenge blog: Cas-ual Chic and it's all about adding layers and "stuff" to your projects.  First challenge starts July 10th)

Challenges:
Creative Craft Cottage #43--Layer it Up!
Clear It Out--theme: anything goes, Stash: anything goes
Tuesday Throwdown #252--no patterned paper
Loves Rubberstamps #159--anything goes
Mojo Monday #405--sketch

Jo's Scrap Shack #95--anything goes
Crafty Catz #286--anything goes
Sister Act Card Challenge #113--anything goes
If You Give a Crafter A Cookie #22--photo inspiration (I went with the blue and white and my frantage is like the sprinkles)

C.R.A.F.T. #318--embossing
Scrapper's Delight #46--anything goes
Crafting with an Attitude--anything goes
Card Mania Challenge #70--anything goes
Dragons Lair Challenge--shabby chic

Supplies:
Stamps: Repeat Impressions "6806W--Sheet Music", "9717W--Happy Hello" and "9001W--Butterfly (lg)"
Dies/embossing folders: Spellbinders "Fleur Di Lis Squares" and "Standard Circles, large"; MFT "Blueprints 13"
PTI "Aqua Mist" cardstock and ink

Wishing you a

Merry Christmas in July!!  Today begins another challenge from Love To Scrap! Challenge Blog: It's a Triple Play.  That means you have to use 3 of any kind of embellishment (be creative, you'll find lots of triples if you try) and please make sure you have stamping (either rubber/clear or digital) somewhere on your project.  The three sponsors for our challenge are:

Karleigh Sue Designs

Pickled Potporri

Bugaboo Digi Stamps

I got to work with an image from Bugaboo Stamps and I chose this adorable Little Penguin Winter, hence the Christmas card.

 With the 4th of July holiday just past, I felt in a patriotic mood and went with the red, white and blue color scheme.  I think it's a bit unexpected and fresh for Christmas, don't you.  For my triple play, I have 3 flowers, three brads, three pearls and three types of embellishments: ribbon, flower, pearls.
Here is the inside of the card with the remainder of the sentiment:

Challenges:
Jo's Scrap Shack #95--anything goes
Crafty Catz #286--anything goes
Sister Act Card Challenge #113--anything goes
Brown Sugar Challenge #153--red, white and blue
Frosted Designs--red, white & blue with a twist: something old AND Something new (pretty much everything on the card is old, the new is the Zip Dry glue that I used to adhere everything.  It was the very first time I had used it and I think I really like it; it holds well and didn't wrinkle at all)
Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Wonderful Wednesday--anything goes
Aud Sentiments #135--animal(s) plus a sentiment
Little Miss Muffet #115--red, white & blue
CraftDee Bow Z--anything goes with handmade bow
Cards Galore--stamps or Digi
Sparkles Christmas Challenge #54--use ribbon, lace or twine
Penny's Paper #234--anything goes
Addicted to Stamps #151--anything goes
Mod Squad--Patterned Paper
Crafty Creations #292--red, white and/or blue
Creative Inspirations #320--sketch

Shopping Our Stash #208--baubles, buttons & bows
Crafty Calendar Challenge--Christmas in July
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #236--add a sentiment
Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge #87--make it floral
A Gem of a Challenge #148--red, white & blue
Hiding In My Craft Room--red, white and blue with a twist: Christmas in July
East Wind Challenge #34--patriotic--include country colors
Come and Get It--anything goes with flowers

Supplies:
Stamps: Bugaboo Digi Stamps "Little Penguin Winter"; Verve "Merry & Bright" sentiment and snowflakes inside
Dies: Spellbinders "Layered Poinsettias" and "Standard Circles, large"

Let Your Dreams Fly

Let me just start off this post with a giant "Squeel!!"  A few weeks ago, I was contacted by Wendy Wyman--the owner/artist of Repeat Impressions Stamps.  She wanted me to join her DT and, obviously, I said YES!  I mean, what an honor to be asked to design with her images.  Thanks, Wendy!!  So, today is my first challenge with the rest of the awesome DT ladies at The House That Stamps Built challenge blog.  This challenge is very fitting for the upcoming holidays: Red, White & Blue.  Here's my card:

I actually stamped off the plane image twice before stamping it on the circle panel so that I could overlap the sentiment a bit.  I think it gives a bit more of a vintage look to go with the papers.
Make sure you hop on over to the blog to see what the rest of the ladies have done.  I'm sure you will not be disappointed.  I'm supposed to have some badges over on the left hand side of my blog for you, but I haven't had the chance to add them yet.  One is for 10% of your purchase from Repeat Impressions!  Awesome deal, so if you're interested check back later.  I should have them up by tomorrow at the latest.  Edited to add: the badges are all up over on the left hand side.  Make sure you check out the shop.  Thanks for stopping by.

Challenges:
Crafty Cardmakers #141--sentiment
Eureka Stamps #147--red, white & blue
One Stitch At A Time #240--red, white & blue
Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Wonderful Wednesday--anything goes
Jo's Scrap Shack--red, white & blue
As You See It #93--sketch

Sister Act Card Challenge #112--anything goes
 Cute Card Thursday #279--stars and/or stripes
DRS Designs #180--Oh, my stars!
Art Impressions #162--red, white & blue
Tuesday Throwdown #251--It's in the stars
Die Cuttin' Divas #222--anything goes



Supplies:
Stamps: Repeat Impressions "Bi-plane silhouette" and "Dreams Take Flight"
Papers: Pink Paisley "Declaration" digi papers
Dies: Spellbinders "Standard Circles, large"; Verve "Flag It" center banner; MFT "Blueprints 13" two outer banners