Beer Friday!

Last weekend I got to hang out at Archiver's for a mini retreat - it was GREAT, lots of time making cards and chatting with some new friends. Made me happy. :-) I sell cards locally at Old Koenig Engraving & Gifts - they carry a lot of beer steins and pub glasses, so my friend (the owner) has been asking me to make beer-themed cards for the store. Sooooo, that was my focus last weekend! Here's the first one:


The beer mugs are made with an old Stampin' Up set, "Treat Yourself" - they are supposed to be coffee mugs, but I figure color them yellow and add a little Liquid Applique foam, and you've got beer! I'll probably be posting beer cards for the next several Fridays, so if you don't like looking at them, you might want to avoid me on Fridays. But otherwise - cheers!

Have a great weekend!

• Stamps: Treat Yourself from Stampin' Up, Menswear from Flourishes (sentiment)
• Paper: white, red, blue, DP from Fancy Pants Designs
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic markers
• Accessories: Liquid Applique, button, linen thread, rickrack (CTMH), machine stitching

From Courtney's Closet #60 - an inspiration challenge

Remember long, long ago on a blog far, far away... well ok not far away, THIS BLOG... there used to be a weekly challenge where my sweet daughter became blog fodder as I made a card based on one of her outfits?? Wellllllll... the time has come for From Courtney's Closet to make a return! I realize there are about a zillion blog challenges out there these days, so I don't really expect a bunch of you to play along - I'm just doing this because *I* think it's loads of fun. BUT... you know I'd be thrilled if you did join me!! So without further ado, here's today's card:


It was inspired by Courtney's Easter dress this year. It pretty much feels at home on this blog. Gee, can you tell what my favorite colors are? hee hee When I saw this new Hero Arts Rose Background stamp, I *knew* it was the perfect stamp to match this dress! Oops, I still haven't SHOWN you the dress. Here it is - and of course Courtney is riding on a pony, because isn't that what everyone does in their best Easter dress??


Here's a shot of the back of the dress - I adore the bow, so of course I had to incorporate that into my card.


Can you believe how much bigger my little bug is compared to the last time I shared a photo of her for card inspiration?? Time is a-flyin'! Courtney turned two in February. TWO!! She's pretty much potty trained (except at night) and she's talking up a storm these days. She's silly as can be and cracks herself up all the time. She adores her big brother and wants to be doing whatever he's doing. Sigh. She makes her mama proud! So now you're all caught up with the goings-on of Miss Courtney. Time to make a card!! I hope you'll join me. If you do, leave a link below so I can check it out! And if you don't? No worries, I'll still be back next week with another Courtney-inspired creation to amuse myself. hee hee

Happy Stamping!

• Stamps: CG179 Rose Background from Hero Arts
• Paper: Neenah white, SU green & gold
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic markers
• Accessories: PTI scallop border die, Iridescent Gold Glimmer Mist (spritzed over flower panel), pearls, satin ribbon (Mike's, by the yard)

Sending Smiles

Today I have a quick & easy card to share with you using the Hero Arts Big & Small Flowers set. Kinda clean & simple for me, but I kinda like it.

The sentiment is from Mini Messages - I just freehand cut out the little banner.

And that's all she wrote. But come back tomorrow - an old blog feature a few of you have been asking for will be making a return........ :-)

• Stamps: CL374 Big & Small Flowers, CL307 Mini Messages from Hero Arts
• Paper: Kraft, White
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic markers
• Accessories: Cuttlebug Swiss Dots Embossing Folder

Texas Tuesday

Howdy y'all! I warned you last week that I was fixin' to turn Tuesday into Texas Tuesday here on my little ol' blog, and by golly if I'm not back for another Texasy post! But here's a bit of exciting news - a few of my fellow Texas stampers loved the idea too, so they are going to be joining me!! This week Betty is playing along, so be sure to check out her Texas-inspired creation! Then going forward we are going to be having Texas Tuesday posts on the first and third Tuesday each month, and TWO MORE of my favorite Texas gals will be playing too! Can I just say - YEEHAW!! And just for fun - if you feel at all inspired to play along with us, please do! Send me a link via comment on a Texas Tuesday post, and on the fourth Tuesday each month I'll share a little Cowgirl Roundup! Well, I say "cowgirl" - but please note that cowboys are more than welcome to play too! :-)

This week I am inspired by bluebonnets. I did a crop at Archiver's this past weekend, and one of the demos was an amazing idea by Marci - she took Hero Arts paper flowers, Glimmer Misted them and arranged them into a bluebonnet shape!! I completely SQUEALED when I saw it, and had to give it a try...


Marci had used three shades of blue Glimmer Mist on hers, which looked amazing - but I was too cheap to invest in that much blue Glimmer Mist! So instead I used two shades of blue Copics to color the flowers, and then spritzed with the sparkly gold mist that I already owned. Bluebonnets have a bit of white in them, so I added some pearls. This doesn't look exactly like a bluebonnet, but it gives the impression of a bluebonnet, I'd say. Actually, for those of you who aren't familiar with bluebonnets, here's what they look like:


Every spring us Texans take our kids, our pets, our cars - whatever we love - and plop them in the bluebonnets for a photo. It's required that you behave like this if you are a Texan. Truly. This year I didn't get a super great bluebonnet photo, because Courtney felt the need to make her "I'm not smiling for a photo and you can't make me" face in nearly every shot.


Her big brother Carter got pretty frustrated with her lack of cooperation.


In the end, this was my favorite shot - no smiling faces, but a sweet moment between brother and sister.


We had a really great display of bluebonnets this year, but now they are fading, which makes me sad. But, I know they'll be back next year! And until then, I'll just have to make lots of bluebonnet cards to keep me happy! :-)

See ya next week with another Texas Tuesday creation!

• Stamps: Deadbeat Designs
• Paper: Archiver's (green), Hero Arts (kraft)
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic markers
• Accessories: Hero Arts paper flowers, Glimmer Mist, pearls, velvet ribbon, Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder, machine stitching

MFT Monday & a winner...

Happy Monday! First I want to thank you for all the wonderful comments over the weekend - yay! I also want to thank Sara again for adding numbers to my comments, which is completely genius and makes giveaways so much easier... which brings me to the most important business of the morning, announcing the winner of my Blogiversary celebration. I used random.org to choose #44 - Yvette K! Congratulations Yvette, please send me an email (click on my name under my photo) and we'll work out the details of your prize. :-)

Next up, a card with some of my MFT goodies. I completely failed at doing all the MFT posting I was planning to do last week after being honored as a Fabulous Friend, so for the next few weeks I'm going to do an "MFT Monday" to try and make up for it a little.


I used the fabby "Lovin' from the Oven" set, which I happen to adore. I chose this Melody Ross patterned paper because I thought it had a kitcheny feel to it. Then I realized I also had the houndstooth Cuttlebug folder - perfect! I don't put big ol' flowers on my cards all that often (except the ones I made a while back!) but this Prima was just too darn pretty to resist. The layout for the card was Jen's latest Sketch For You To Try:

Thanks for stopping by today!


Like this card? Find it in my Etsy shop.

• Stamps: Lovin' from the Oven from My Favorite Things
• Paper: Cardstock (PTI, Stampin' Up), Patterned Paper (Melody Ross)
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic markers
• Accessories: Prima flower, May Arts ribbon, Cuttlebug Houndstooth folder, machine stitching

I am a paleontologist...

...that's who I am, that's who I am, that's who I am! I don't suppose any of you are familiar with They Might Be Giants' awesome educational CD for kids, "Here Comes Science", are you? My brother bought it for my kids, and I cannot tell you enough how great I think it is. Because of the songs on this CD, my four year old now knows all of the planets in the solar system, including the dwarf plants and "a bunch of other stuff", he often discusses whether things are liquid, solid or gas (although sometimes it comes out like "Mommy if you give me REALLY hot milk, I will have gas." Hmm.) and he knows all about the blood traveling through his body and the job of the white blood cells (they are soldiers who fight infectious germs, of course!). I am pretty sure I knew none of this at four. And the best part - MOMMY LIKES THE SONGS TOO!! It's actually not torture to have to listen to it in the car. Again. And again...

So anywho, I've been thinking I really need to make some cards inspired by They Might Be Giants and their awesome CD, so here is the first one - inspired by "I Am a Paleontologist".


Of course it never mentions anything in the song about riding on a see-saw with a dinosaur, but whatever - details!! This adorable image is one of Hambo's digis, which I love ever so much (and own a zillion to prove it!). I made this card at a crop - yes, I brought my sewing machine, but I had to sew standing up, so my stitches are even more crooked than usual, ack! The color scheme came about because I was playing along with this week's Color Throwdown, for this first time in about a trillion years or so...
Carter loved the paleontologist song so much we had to go out in search of dinosaur bones to dig for ourselves! Luckily the Austin Nature & Science Center has an awesome sandpit with "fossils" hidden for the kids to discover.

I love diggin' in the dirt
With just a pick and brush
Finding fossils is my aim
So I'm never in a rush
'Cause the treasures that I seek
Are rare and ancient things
Like Velociraptor's jaw
Or Archaeopteryx's wings

And because I know you all want to hear it now, here's the song that inspired this post - "I Am a Paleontologist" by They Might Be Giants.

Hooray for Science!

• Stamps: CL184 Thoughtful Messages and Dino See-Saw digi image by Tim Hunter
• Paper: Kraft, Always Amethyst, Sage Shadow, Bordering Blue from Stampin' Up
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Ranger Distress Ink (Black Soot), Copic markers, Black Glaze pen
• Accessories: Cuttlebug Swiss Dots, buttons, linen thread, machine stitching

(And don't forget about my Blogiversary giveaway HERE!)

BREAKING NEWS!!

We interrupt this Blogiversary Celebration to bring you a bit of breaking news... I AM NOW OFFICIALLY A PUBLISHED STAMPER!!! Squeal! I was already having a great evening - I did a crop tonight at Archiver's, and will be back there tomorrow as well (and of course "crop" means "cardmaking marathon" in my book!). I stopped for the mail on my way home, and much to my surprise and delight was the Summer 2010 issue of RubberStampMadness magazine!!
If you happen to have a copy yourself, check out page 51! I submitted a card for their "Dragons & Unicorns" article using a dragon image from my favorite FireCracker Designs by Pamela set, She Dreams. I'm completely on cloud 9 now that I've seen my name in print - what a thrill! :-)

Thanks for humoring me while I spewed my excitement out here into Blogland, hee hee.

Happy Stamping,


(And don't forget to scroll down or click HERE to enter my Blogiversary drawing, yay!)

Happy 3rd Birthday, li'l blog o' mine!

So yesterday I asked you to pretend it was Tuesday. Today I'd like you to pretend it's April 18. Can you work with me on this?? One of these days I'll get my blogging groove back and post things when I intend to, but until then I need you to play make-believe with me. Ok so we're all in agreement it's April 18, right?

WOOHOO!!! Today is my blogiversary!!! I started this little blog on a complete whim three years ago today. Little did I know that three years later I'd still be calling it home - granted, a rather sporadic home in recent months, but even so - it's been a pretty big part of my world these last few years and has brought opportunities and friendships I never imagined when I started it late one night, so I figure some attention must be paid! (Plus it's a fun lure to get you to check out my new Extreme Home Makeover - Blog Edition, yay!)

So first I made my blog a birthday card:


I broke out my fun new monster set from Hero Arts. Carter (my 4yr old) was in my stamp cave with me while I was finishing up this card, and I have to say it's probably the most excited I've seen him about a stamp. "Mommy those are MONSTERS!" and as I was attaching the googly eyes "Mommy you're such a great artist!". Awww. Love my little sugarsnap. But I digress, back to the card. I played along with 2 Sketches 4 You, I think perhaps for my first time ever? I don't know why exactly but their sketches always intimidate me. I guess maybe because they are all so stinkin' talented over there! Here's the sketch:


Some details that aren't really showing up in the photo - the balloon & hat are both paper pieced & popped up, and the balloon is coated with Glossy Accents. And a little trick I always use on cards with creatures - his eyes are colored over with my black Glaze pen. IRL it just makes him look more "alive" with his shining eyes. :-)

Ok and now what you really came here to check out - the part of my celebration that's really worth celebrating! I'd like to give one commenter a $25 Shopping Spree to my favorite stamp company, Hero Arts!

Just leave a comment, whatever you'd like, by Sunday April 25 at midnight CST. I'll post the winner Monday morning.

And a GREAT BIG THANKS to those of you who've been here with me for the long haul - I appreciate your friendship and support so much!! Oh and you newbies ain't half bad either! :-)

Happy Stamping!

• Stamps: CL391 Monster Fun and CL288 Scallop Borders
• Paper: red, turquoise, bright green, white cardstock; DP from Hobby Lobby
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic markers, Sakura Glaze pen
  
• Accessories: Spellbinders Labels One dies, Glossy Accents, Stickles, ribbon from Michael's, clip, googly eyes, machine stitching

Happy Earth Day!

(This is my second post today, scroll down to see my latest Cinema Saturday creation!)

I've been wanting to try today's technique for months now, and figured Earth Day would be the perfect time to finally do it! Back when I was lucky enough to be part of Pamela's team, she shared a technique on one of our FireCracker blog hops that I thought was SO COOL. She used a woodburner to go over an image stamped on a cork coaster!! I've had some coasters sitting around the house for ages - it seemed rather fitting to finally repurpose them for my Earth Day card!

I began by stamping this Hero Arts tree image onto my cork coaster using StazOn ink. This is what it looked like while I waited for my woodburner to heat up:


I then slowly traced over the stamped image with the woodburner. I'm sure I didn't trace all of the branches completely right, it was sort of a branch-burning-free-for-all, but in the end it turned out pretty good. This technique needs to be done with a somewhat simple stamp - if there's too much detail it will just get lost. After I was done burning, I inked up the coaster with various Distress inks, and then mounted it on a card. I used the "take good care" message as a reminder that we should "take good care" of the trees and our lovely planet. I've had the woodburner for ages - I bought it when I *thought* I was going to start making decorated gourds, but that never happened. So it feels good to finally be putting it to use!

And speaking of feeling good - I feel good about being associated with Hero Arts after reading a little more about their history and business practices - check it out HERE! (You may also want to leave a comment over there... just sayin'...) :-)

Happy Stampy Earth Day!

• Stamps: K5255 Three Winter Trees, CG125 Friend Definition, CL307 Mini Messages from Hero Arts
• Paper: Brown, teal, marigold
• Ink: Black StazOn, Versamark, Distress Inks (Crushed Olive, Forest Moss, Broken China, Faded Jeans, Spiced Marmalade, Vintage Photo, Brushed Corduroy, Walnut Stain)
• Accessories & Tools: Woodburner, slit punch, machine stitching, satin ribbon

Texas Tuesday meets Oklahoma!

I need to ask a favor. Will you please pretend that I posted this on Tuesday? Thank you. I have a new feature I've been trying to start for a while now called Texas Tuesday. Every Tuesday I will feature cards with a Texas theme, or created with stamps by Texas companies, or whatever I'm feelin' is good 'n' Texasy that day! What d'ya'll think, sound good? Disclaimer: when I say "every" Tuesday - that actually means every Tuesday that I've gotten around to stamping something Texasy to post............! But without further ado, here is my first Texas Tuesday (on Thursday) card:


It was created with stamps from my two favorite Texas-stamp-making-peeps: the image is from Deadbeat Designs, and the message is Texana Designs. The card is nice and Texasy, yes? Well no, it's supposed to be Oklahoma-y, so since we've already been pretending, let's pretend those gals are Sooners, not Texans, k? I made this card to play along with this week's Cinema Saturday Challenge, which you've probably guessed by now is Oklahoma!


I was so happy when I saw the selection this week - Oklahoma! has always been one of my favorite musicals. It's just so happy (well, except when Poor Jud is Dead, of course!). I remember as a kid, probably no more than five years old, riding my bike at my Grandpa's farm and going full speed down a hill singing out "OH WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MORNING, OH WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY!!". Good stuff.

The rule for the challenge this week was to use gingham (and might I add, paper-piecing those gingham shirts was a bit of a PITA!). I chose that red ruffly ribbon because another of my favorite Oklahoma! songs is "Surrey With The Fringe On Top" - I had no fringe but this was as close as I could get. The sketch is this week's Mojo Monday challenge:

Now before I go, I have to share something that I just discovered this week. I don't think it's possible for me to love Hugh Jackman any more than I do after watching this!! Total swoon.

Thanks for stopping by!

• Stamps: N-260 3 Cowgirls from Deadbeat Designs, message from Texana Designs
• Paper: Hero Arts Kraft notecard, SU red, GP white, Making Memories DP
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
• Accessories: Prismacolor pencils, slit punch, MM ribbon, machine stitching, buttons

Kim thinks I'm fabulous!!

Today I'm so excited and honored to be featured over on the MFT blog! Yay! Go and check it out HERE. I plan to post cards throughout the week created with the sets I've collected over the past few years, but first I thought I'd take you on a little trip down memory lane of cards gone by...

First up, a little sweetie I made with the adorable Cupcake Flopsey.


Next is one I made with the set I HAD TO HAVE as soon as I saw it, Serenity Now. This card makes me feel so much more relaxed when I look at it - HEE!


I absolutely adore Flopsey reading his books - every good bunny has Watership Down in his stack!


And finally a very oldie but goodie from the very first MFT set I ever bought! You'd have to have followed my blog for a LONG time to remember this one. So I'm guessing nobody remembers it. :-) I believe this set has since been retired, since Who's That Girl gave up her coffee in favor of tea. Or wine. Or the occasional chocolates!


Thanks for joining me on my little blast from the past! And it would be really fantastic if you came back to visit again soon, I'll have more MFT goodies to share! Thanks again Kim for the feature, I happen to think you are pretty darn fabulous too!

All the cool kids are doing it...

I have a confession to make and it may cause many of you stampers to think I'm completely nuts. I get excited about really geeky things. But I don't mean tech geeky - I couldn't care less about an iPad - but when I see a stamp set with sentiments like "Analytical Chemistry - All the cool kids are doing it" my Want Monster comes out growling and my paypal account takes a beating!! So here's my first creation with my newly acquired Chemistry and Chem. 101 sets from There She Goes:


Although I adore ALL of the geeky sentiments in Chem. 101, I started with this particular one because my brother especially liked it - he works for a company that does online science homework for schools and universities - and it is perfect for his coworker - she is running their analytical chemistry homework project, and she's finding that the cool kids are actually *not* so keen on analytical chem at the moment, hee hee. So maybe this would brighten her day a bit.

For the layout of the card I played along with the Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge #109.


The circles reminded me of bubbles coming off the foaming beaker in the image, so I used bubble-like clear buttons for three of them. I put black brads through the button holes, which kinda messes up the bubble effect but looked better for my brother than the big black bows I originally tied on them. HA! I also added a little liquid applique to the top of the bubbling beaker.


I love these stamps - I'm warning you now, there will be more chem-geekery coming soon on my blog... hee hee!

Thanks for stopping by today!

• Stamps: Chemistry & Chemistry 101 from There She Goes
• Paper: SU Pacific Point, Basic Black, GP white, unknown DP
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic markers
• Accessories: Marvy circle punch, SU scallop border punch, Hero Arts clear buttons, CTMH black mini brads, Pink Paislee tape, liquid applique

Spread Sunshine

I used some leftovers on today's card - I have a few fabric flowers left from when I made this card, and thought they might look fun with the stem of one of my Hero Arts Curly Flowers.


I decided to try sewing around curves on this card - don't look too closely, it's quite a mess! HA! I used a sentiment from one of my all-time favorite Hero sets, Anytime Messages.

And just a quick plug - I listed a bunch of my Stampin' Up sets I'm selling HERE. Take a look & let me know if you see any you can't live without!

Thanks for stopping by today!

• Stamps: CG136 Curly Flowers and CL129 Anytime Messages from Hero Arts
• Paper: Stampin' Up Kraft, Bazzill textured paper, white
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic markers
• Accessories: Spellbinders die, Corner Chomper, Janome Sew Mini, fabric, foam dots

Cinema Saturday - UP!

Hi stampy friends! I'm so excited to be making my first blog post on my pretty new blog! What do you think of my new digs?? I am soooo in love. I've been working with the fabulous Sara Williams to get my blog tweaked into a more clean & simple design. She has done such a fabby job!! Make sure to click through all the pages & see what's what. As I get back into the posting groove I'll need to attempt to get people to visit me again (Helllooooo? Is there anyone out there anymore???) so I'll be having an Extreme Blog Makeover + 3 Year Blogiversary celebration very soon!

But for now, let's just look at a card, shall we?


I had said in January that my "new year's resolution" was to play ALL the Cinema Saturday challenges this year. *AHEM* It's now mid-April and THIS IS MY FIRST ONE!! Ugh, that is such a crime against humanity, I tell ya!!! This is my favorite challenge in all of blogland, I have missed it so much! So this week's movie was Up!


The rule for this week was to use balloons on the card - this cutie little Greeting Farm pig was the most Up-like stamp I had, so I went with it. And the movie is about an adventure right? So I thought the "It's Your Turn" sentiment from the set sorta fit.

I also played along with this week's Mojo Monday challenge, another of my favorites!! YAY!


I cut the grass using my Martha Stewart fringe scissors. You know about these, right? They are the coolest things ever!

It felt good to be back in the stamp room last night! I truly hope to make regular appearances there from here on out...! Thanks for stopping by today!

• Stamps: Fly Away from The Greeting Farm
  
• Paper: Ballet Blue, Kraft from Stampin' Up, white paper, Reminisce DP
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic markers
• Accessories: Corner Chomper, SU scallop border punch, embroidery floss, Diamond Stickles, Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder, brads, Glossy Accents

Coming Soon!!

Hi all!

Just wanted to pop in and let you know that my blog makeover is sooooo close to going live!! I'm planning some festivities for once it does - yes, I will have some goodies to share! Yay! So bear with me - I *am* going to start blogging regularly again soon, I swear! :-) I also have an exciting little guest gig coming up soon, can't wait to share that with you. So - I better get busy stamping!!

Oh and just a little fyi - I posted a bunch of stuff in my Etsy shop, in case you'd like to take a peek, the link is HERE.

Thanks for stopping by - I miss you all!