Time Out Challenge #23 - Theme Week: Valentine's Day

Hello friends!  It's time for another Time Out challenge.  This week is our theme challenge.  The theme is Valentine's Day with a twist to use hearts.  Not too difficult to do with Valentine's Day!

I just purchased this Taylored Expressions die from my LSS this weekend.  I just love the partial heart with the border.  I cut it from some retired SU paper and used a polka dot piece from the same paper pack.  I aligned everything to the right just like the heart in the die.  You can't tell, but I added some Wink of Stella shimmer to some of the dots.  I also added some gold hearts.  The word die was cut five times and stacked.  I covered it with more Wink of Stella and Glossy Accents.

 

We have STAMPlorations sponsoring us this week, so there are prizes involved in playing our challenge this week.  Here's the deets:

1. Twist with us (use hearts) and we will do a random draw.  The winner will get a $15 voucher for the store.
2. Comment on Shery's post at STAMPlorations for this challenge and we will do a random draw .  The winner will get a stencil pack from STAMPlorations.

 

We also have a guest joining us this week...Valentyna (perfect name for our challenge too!).

 

You can see more from the design team on the Time Out blog.

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Recipe

Paper:  Love Letter (SU retired), real red, black

Accessories:  Part of My Heart (Taylored Expressions), Wet Paint Cuts (PTI), gold hearts, Glossy Accents, Wink of Stella



Just Us Girls #262 - Trend Week

Happy Columbus Day weekend!  I have Monday off and I'm planning on going to a craft show at Letchworth State Park here in NY state.  They have a really great one all weekend, and I like going on Monday because it's not as crowded.  I'm going to take my niece, Maria, with me too so it will be a nice day.

 

So this week is Trend Week over at Just Us Girls and Sue T. chose the ombre technique.  Love this one!  On a sad note, Sue T. is stepping down as a designer at JUGs.  We will certainly miss her, but understand life comes first!  Best wishes to you my friend!

 

I used Gelatos on a piece of watercolor paper in blue, green, and lime green.  Then I added water.  The blue and the green look splotchy.  I don't know why because I used the smooth side of the paper.  Oh well, I think it looks cool.  Then I die cut it with the plate.  To keep the same texture of the paper, I die cue just the rectangle once again from the watercolor paper and stamped the sentiment.  I colored it with lime green and blue copic markers and added enamel dots.  The die cut was adhered to a piece of pattern paper. 

 

You can see more from the design team and our Guest Designer on these blogs.

 

JUGs blog

Cheryl Rowley

Chris Dring

Ina Grehan

Maria Levine

Nancy Leppek

Sharyn Polesel

Sue Trembeth

Sue VanDeVusse

Vicki Dutcher

 Wanda Cullen, Guest Designer

 

Thanks for visiting today!

 

Recipe

Stamps:  Big Bold Birthday, Taylored Expressions

Paper:  Tim Holtz watercolor paper, Recollections white, Lime Rickey (Basic Grey)

Ink: Versafine onyx black, Gelatos:  blueberry, green tea, margarita

Accessories:  Party Banner cutting plate (TE), enamel dots

 



Just Us Girls #261 - Word Week

Hello!  This week is Word Week over at Just Us Girls, and the word is Celebrate.  It's an appropriate word also because we have something to celebrate over at JUGs.  We have two new designers joining us!  Please welcome Chris Dring and Ina Grehan to the team!

 

Now on to the card!  I just purchased this cover plate die from Taylored Expressions and thought it would be a good one to use for the celebrate word.  It's a really cool die because the frame, balloons and strings are all attached.  You get two single balloons also, which is what I used for the mustard, blue and green balloons.  The background is something new I learned from the current Online Card Classes.  It's done with copic markers and was super easy to create.  I felt the sentiment could be used for a birthday or any special day.

 

I chose my colors from the Fusion Challenge.

 

 

Please stop by these blogs to see more inspiration.  We also have a new Guest Designer this month!

 

JUGs blog

Cheryl Rowley

Chris Dring

Ina Grehan

Maria Levine

Nancy Leppek

Sharyn Polesel

Sue Trembeth

Sue VanDeVusse

Vicki Dutcher

Wanda Cullen, Guest Designer

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Recipe

Stamps: Big Bold Birthday (TE)

Paper:  Vintage cream, chocolate chip, brocade blue, more mustard, garden green

Ink:  Memento rich cocoa, copics (B00, B0000)

Accessories:  Up, Up & Away cutting plate (TE), enamel dots, signo white gel pen

 



Papercraft Star Challenge #164

The crafting bug has bitten me!  I woke up early and went right to my craft room to make another card.  I was looking at my Feedly account and came across this Papercraft Star Challenge that someone else had entered.  It's new to me and I loved their inspiration photo and ideas.

 

One of the suggestions Papercraft Star mentioned was a fall door.  I've had these doors in my stash for a long time and never used them.  It is a die cut exclusively available at my local stamp store Buffalo Stamps and Stuff.  They come with the die cut and screen.  There are quite a few in the pack and are very reasonably priced.  (I think you could contact them to purchase some.)  This one was white and I distressed it with some distress inks.  The wreath is from the Sunflower Wreath stamp set by Taylored Expressions.  I used the die to cut it out from watercolor paper so I could use Distress Markers to color it.  I added a bee and more sunflowers as well as stickles to make it shimmer.  The base of the card was run through a woodgrain impression plate for some texture.

 

I hope you are enjoying your autumn.  It's raining here today, but I don't mind.  It's all part of the experience, right? 

 

Thanks for stopping by again.  I have another post here which I hope you'll stop by and see.  Enjoy your Sunday!

 

Recipe

Stamps:  Sunflower Wreath (Taylored Expressions), Mailbox Greetings (Papertrey Ink)

Paper:  Soft suede, watercolor paper

Ink:  Distress markers, tea dye and wild honey distress inks, black archival ink

Accessories:  Screen door die kit (Buffalo Stamps and Stuff), wreath die (Taylored Expressions), woodgrain impression plate, crystal, star dust and red stickles, dimensionals, scor-tape

 



Just Us Girls #181 - Photo Inspiration

Hi everyone!  I'm excited about the card I made for this week's Just Us Girls Photo Inspiration challenge.  Andrea chose these great photos for our inspiration, and I took the colors from it for my inspiration.  I've also been taking the Pattern Play classes from Online Card Classes this week.  I love these classes that these girls do.  I think I've taken every one of their classes.  They are chock full of techniques and great ideas and tips. 

Here are the inspiration photos for the challenge.

So here's the card I made for this week's challenge.  I totally CASED Kristina Werner's sample card from the class, but it was just so pretty I just had to CASE it!  The "quilted" panel was all made from strips of paper placed on the diagonal and adhered together.  I used Basic Grey's Hopscotch paper pad.  It was pretty close to the colors in the inspiration photos.  The tea cups are from Taylored Expressions called Tea-riffic.  They were cut with the die that came with the set and colored with copic markers.  I added some Star Dust Stickles for some sparkle.  Kristina added her image on a piece of vellum so the quilted pattern can show through.  I don't use vellum enough, so I used it as well.  It was cut with a Spellbinder's die.  The sentiment is from PTI's Simple Little Things and was stamped in brown ink on a WPlus9 flag die.  I added some heart bling to finish it off.  The ivory cardstock was run through PTI's linen plate (hard to see) and it was all mounted on Blushing Bride carstock.  I just love this card! 

 

Ok, so I've told you why I was excited about this post, now I have to tell you why I've been dreading this post.  This will be Andrea's last challenge with us as a JUGS DT member.  She has decided to step down due to a busy life.  I am honestly sad to see her go as she is one of the sweetest people have had the privilege of knowing in this crafting industry.  My best wishes go out to her!

 

The JUGS DT has some great inspiration for you this week.  Stop by these blogs and see for yourself!

 

JUGs blog

Andrea Matthews

Elise Durenberger

Maria Levine

Marisa Ritzen

Tangii Crain

Vicki Dutcher

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Recipe

Stamps:  Tea-riffic (Taylored Expressions), Simple Little Things (PTI limited edition)

Paper:  Vintage cream, blushing bride, vellum, Hopscotch (Basic Grey)

Ink:  Memento tuxedo black and rich cocoa, copic markers

Accessories:  Spellbinder's die, linen plate (PTI), WPlus9 flag dies, heart bling, Star Dust Stickles, dimensionals

 

Hope Your Birthday Rocks!

Happy Sunday!  Our neighbors' son had a birthday last week and his party is today.  I made this card for him.  Kevin turned 15 this year!  I cannot believe how the time has flown since he was a little boy.  But time does go on.  I thought this would be a good teen boy card.  The stamp set I used is You're My Hero from Taylored Expressions.   I remember buying this set because part of the proceeds of the sale of this set were going to a charity.  Loved that!  I pulled out my new paper pad from October Afternoon called Sasparilla.  Love the patterns in this and again, I thought they worked well for a teen boy card.

I used the July sketch from Sketch for You to Try.  I haven't played with these sketches for a while.  So nice to be able to play this month.

Now here's Kevin's card from last year that I never posted.  I thought I had, but didn't.  How did that happen?  All these products are from My Time Made Easy.  The image is the Got Game digital stamp set and was colored using GIMP.  I added the "14" on his shirt (for his age then) and the "T" on his cap.  He was entering high school last year and that is the first initial of his school.  The paper is called Pop Some Fun digital paper.  The sentiment is from the acrylic set called Keep Strong.  I added the red star in place of the "o".

That's it from me for today!  Hope you have a great day and thanks for stopping by!

 

Just Us Girls #136 - Technique Challenge

Happy Saturday!  Any Mother's Day plans this weekend?  I'm taking my mom shopping today for some clothes she wants.  Always easier when you buy them what they want!

Today begins a new challenge from Just Us Girls, and our very talented and creative Lynn is our hostess for the technique challenge.  She has chosen generation stamping.  That's where you ink up your stamp once and continue stamping to get lighter colors.  Gina K just did a video on this technique the other day that you can see here.

So here's what I came up with.  I chose this butterfly from Discover Your Wings stamp set from Taylored Expressions.  I stamped it in Old Olive and just continued stamping two more times and got these two other lovely colors from one inking.  The sentiment was stamped in Chocolate Chip.  I added some brown pearls and mounted the circle on a chocolate scalloped circle.  The dp is called Madeline from Prima.  I punched the doily scalloped border and added some twine and button.

The sketch is from this week's Deconstructed Sketches.  Loved this one!

You can see more samples using the generation stamping technique at these blogs.

JUGs blog

Andrea Matthews

Dana Gustafson

Elise Durenberger

Lynn Mangan

Maria Levine

Vicki Dutcher

Thanks for stopping by today!  I hope to see your creations over at our JUGs blog!

February Calendar

Wow!  February 1st!  This month came awfully quick!  But that means it's time for another  calendar challenge with some of my friends.  I have been using Taylored Expressions calendars and I found that TE is sponsoring a calendar challenge over on SCS.  So I decided to use some TE stamps with my calendar as well.  I found a card in the TE gallery by Taylor using this set called Love Everywhere and I just fell in love with it.  So I sort of cased her card.  I love the dog in this set...reminds me of my Lizzie when she's playing.  Some of the hearts and the bench are up on dimensionals.  I also used some Star Dust Stickles to add some sparkle.  The sentiment and heart stamp around the "14" are from Verve.  The sets are Hundred Hearts and Sweet Valentine.  I love the red and chocolate.  Makes me think of red roses and delicious chocolates!

Here are the links to my friends who are also posting calendars this month.  Please stop by and leave them some love.

Christine

Julie

Tangii

Danni

Thanks for stopping by today! 

Just Us Girls - 3D Christmas Challenge

Hi everyone! Did you see my new blog header? I asked Heather Rolin (who owns Individual Blog Banners) to update my blog header and signature for the holidays, and she did a fab job! It looks so festive! Thanks Heather!

Today is Saturday (woohoo!!) and it's time for another Just Us Girls challenge. Kristin has challenged us to add a 3D holiday embellishment to our projects! I had the perfect embellishment for my card.

I bought this set from Taylored Expressions last month called Merry Little Cocktail and found Christmas wine charms I had never used. So I created my card around it! The sketch is from Taylored Expressions from last week, too. I used SU's Jolly Holiday dp and paired it with Old Olive and Vintage Cream cardstock. The ribbon is old olive taffeta. I added red and star dust stickles to the image, green glitter dots, and the tree charm with some baker's twine. Very simple card to do...not much coloring! Love it!

Want more inspiration? Head on over to the JUGs blog and see the amazing projects the DT and our featured designer, Cheryl Rowley, did this week! This is Cheryl's last with us already...where has the time gone? Stop by their blogs to leave some much deserved love!

On a personal note, I'm picking my new Dodge Journey up this morning! I was ready for something different after having 5 minivans! I'm really excited because I've never had power locks and windows on any of my cars! My hubby never wanted them because he was afraid they'd break and be a pain to fix. (And his best friend is a mechanic...go figure!!) It's black, which I know will be a challenge to keep clean, especially in our weather up north. But, I've always wanted a black card! So I'll be tooling around town today having fun!

Thanks for stopping by and listening to my rambling! Have a great weekend!

Taylored Expressions Blast from the Past Blog Hop

Hi everyone! Today I'm participating in the first ever Taylored Expressions Blast from the Past blog hop! I've always loved Taylor's sketches and thought this would be fun to do! We are hopping cards made with TE stamps released prior to this year. At the bottom of my post are all the players, so you can the lineup. You should have come from Jane Weaver's blog and you'll go to Rosie Hughes' blog next.

We were given a sketch to follow as an option, and I LOVE sketches, so I used it! I changed it up a bit.I used an image from A Year of Sweets 2 and the sentiment is from A Year of Sweets Sentiments.I started with this great paper from We R Memory Keepers called Hippity Hoppity (perfect for a blog hop)! I took my colors from the dp to color the image. (I think I added too much pink to the cuppie's head!) The butterfly is on a small dimensional, and I added the yellow prima flower and button strung with floss. I stamped the sentiment on the dp, added some star dust stickles, and was done! I'm sending this to my friend who has had some bad luck recently and I want her to know I'm thinking of her.

So now you need to continue on the hop. I have all the participants listed below. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your hop!

Valentine Color Throwdown

If you are checking to see if you won my blog candy, the winner is posted on the original post here. Good luck!

Wow, the Color Throwdown colors for this week are fabulous...Pink Pirouette, Chocolate Chip, and Riding Hood Red! I couldn't wait to make this card! I chose to use these fat little cupcakes from Taylored Expressions. It's called A Year of Sweets and this is set one of four. This is actually a larger stamp with more images on it (a cupid, some clouds and three hearts), but I only wanted these fat little cuppies that barely fit into my Labels One die! So cute though, don't you think? They are colored with copics (I wish I would have left off the dots on their cheeks!), and I ysed some round bling for the cherries and placed a heart bling between them. I used SU's Bella Rose dp since it had all three colors of the challenge in it. And how about that ribbon? I just picked it up today at Michael's. I knew the colors of the challenge and could not pass up this one (and two others similar to it!)! I had to have it for this card! I used the slot punch to punch a hole just beneath the sentiment and tied the ribbon with the stylized silver hardware thingy (don't remember what it's official name is) through the slot. The sketch is from today's sketch challenge on SCS found here. On the inside, I cut another shape with the largest Labels One die in Pink Pirouette and used the sentiment from Verve's Hundred Hearts in Riding Hood Red. That's all for today, folks! Thanks for stopping by and starting year two of blogging with me!

Recipe

Stamps: A Year of Sweets (Taylored Expressions), Limitless Labels (PTI), Hundred Hearts (Verve)

Paper: PTI white, pink pirouette, chocolate chip, Bella Rose dp

Ink: Adirondack black, riding hood red, copic markers

Accessories: Labels One nesties, American Crafts ribbon, stylized hardware, slot punch, bling, dimensionals