Just Us Girls Challenge #5

Well, here I am on a Saturday getting to play along with the JUGS challenge with my sweet friend Kristin (who I'm going to meet next Friday at Stamping Around along with another of my wonderful friends, LeAnne!) The JUGS challenge for today is to create a holiday card that showcases a photo! After you create a card, link it on the JUGS blog to Mr. Linky. Then, send an email to the Just Us Girls email address (located in the left sidebar on the blog) with a link to your card and you will receive the digital stamp and sentiment set shown below, courtesy of Kristin! Yes, Kristin drew that fabulous lamp post and created the two sentiment verses as a special treat for everyone who plays the JUGS challenge today! (you can click on the photo for a close-up!)

Now why, you might ask, am I playing along today, too? I'm not a member of the JUGS team but I did end up getting to take part in the freebie you'll receive today if you play along! Awhile back, I sent Kristin a card and she went crazy over my handwriting. Now mind you, I see my handwriting everyday... it's just my writing, and has never seemed to be anything special to me. But she loved it, and wanted to use if for this set! So, you see that "Happy Holidays" in the set, and on my card below? Yep... that's my writing! :) So I hope you'll play along today so you can get this free digi set! I think it'd be pretty darn cool to see some cards out their in blogland with my writing on them!

Stop over at the JUGS blog to see what their super-talented designers came up with using this wonderful digi-stamp set, and go get busy creating!

I am off to my friend Beth's house today to get busy cutting cardstock for my class next week at Stamping Around in Allentown, Pennsylvania! Beth and I will be hitting the road next Friday morning for the event, and I am so excited to get to meet so many new people!

Have a great weekend!

Stamps: Happy Holidays digital stamp set

Cardstock: green, black (Bazzill), designer paper (Making Memories)

Inks: marker (Copic)

Accessories: Nestabilities tags (Spellbinders), ribbon (craft supply).

(photograph courtesy of Google images... photographer unknown)

An Award

My sweet blogging friend and fellow Paper Craft Planet Super Nova, Kim Burmeister received this award from a friend on her blog. It said she was supposed to pass it on to some other bloggers, and while I was reading and enjoying her answers to the questions I started thinking "oh, I hope she picks me... these are fun!" and she did! So thanks for the fun, Kim! Here goes...

The Rules are:

1. You can only use ONE word!!!
2. Pass this along to 5 of your favorite bloggers!
3. Alert them that you have given them this award!
4. HAVE FUN!!!
***************
Just ONE word...let's see if I can do it!

1. Where is your cell phone? desk
2. Your hair? perfect
3. Your mother? loving
4. Your father? unique
5. Your fave food? chocolate
6. Your dream last night? work-related
7. Your fave drink? pop
8. Your dream/goal? eternity
9. What room are you in? office
10. Your hobby? papercrafts
11. Your fear? many
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Ohio
13. Where you were last night? church
14. Something that you aren't? skinny
15. Muffins? yummy
16. Wish List Item? laptop
17. Where did you grow up? Napoleon
18. Last thing you did? lunch
19. What are you wearing? clothes
20. Your TV? dusty
21. Your Pets? hairy!
22. Friends? blessings
23. Your Life? blessed
24. Your Mood? happy
25. Missing Someone? no
26. Vehicle? Chevrolet
27. Something your not wearing? socks
28. Your fave store? TOYRIFIX
29. Your fave color? orange
30. Last time you laughed? today
31. Last time you cried? yesterday
32. Your best friend? Mom
33. One place that I go to over and over? bed
34. One person who emails regularly? Bar
35. Fave place to eat? Applebee's
36. Facebook? youbetcha'!

I'm supposed to pass this on to five of my favorite bloggers. I'm taking liberty and picking a few more than five of my awesome blogging friends and usual daily stops (well, they're daily unless I'm way behind in blog reading!)..........

1. Bar

2. Kristin

3. LeAnne

4. Broni

5. Cathy

6. Danielle

7. Juliana

8. Ida

9. Rachel

10. Wendy

Thanks for picking me, Kim! This one was fun to do!

Happy weekend!

Stamp Simply #111 - Accordian Fold

Here we are again at another Friday (thank God!) and it's time for another Stamp Simply challenge from Sharon Johnson! Today Sharon has challenged us to create a 3-panel accordian card! We're taking it easy today with just three panels. Your accordian can be as large or as small as you like. It can serve as a unique card, or as table decor... anything goes! Stop back at this post of mine from the Just Rite Font blog hop for the long accordian card I made last month!

For my card, I cut a piece of Very Vanilla card stock 3" x 6" and scored at 2" and 4". Then I used my cutting mat to measure and cut off the top corners for the tag shape. I cut the mats for each panel 1/8" smaller than the previous panel for layering with Core'dinations cardstock and papers from the Jolly by Golly mini deck.

Then I turned to my It's a Snow Day stamp set from Chicken Girl Design so I could have this cute penguin and polar bear having a little snowball fight! They're both popped up with dimensional adhesive and I used some Marvy Liquid Applique with a little glitter sprinkled on for their hats.

Stop at Sharon's blog to see her incredible accordian card, and then stop and see what my Stamp Simply sisters have created to inspire you!

Barbara * Julie * Barb

Janine * Deb * AJ

Jenny * Amy

Time for the weekly shout out... TGIF!!! But while you're celebrating the arrival of the weekend, would you please join me in saying a prayer for the Martin family from our church? We were priviledged to know Dave Martin for a short time at our new church. Yesterday he lost his battle with cancer, but has won the ultimate prize and is rejoicing in Heaven with the Lord. Please keep his wife Rhonda and sons Calvin and Joel in your prayers, please!

Stamps: It's a Snow Day (Chicken Girl Design from i{heart}papers

Cardstock: Very Vanilla (Stampin' Up!), teal green (Core'dinations), white (Neenah), designer paper (Jolly by Golly from Cosmo Cricket)

Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), markers (Copic)

Accessories: snowflake brads (Making Memories), eyelets (We R Memory Keepers), Liquid Applique (Marvy), ribbon (craft supply).

Color Throwdown #66

LeAnne is our hostess this week for Color Throwdown #66. LeAnne likes to try to kill me by using blue all the time! ;) It's not necessarily my least favorite color, but it is a color I struggle to use. But that's what a challenge is, right? So here's what I came up with, using the Sketch for You to Try from Jen's blog.

I'm keeping this post short and sweet because it's late, I'm exhausted, and kinda' at my wit's end. Please be sure to stop by the Throwdown blog for all the challenge details, and visit the other designers' blogs for inspiration...

LeAnne * Broni * Cathy

Barbara * Danielle * Lisa

Many thanks to Lisa Kind for being our Guest Designer for October! It's been fun to have her share her designs, and get to know her better! Stay tuned for next month's Guest Designer! She's gonna' giddyup onto the Throwdown in a big way!

Happy stamping!

Stamps: Fall Trilogy (Rubbernecker)

Cardstock: blue (unknown), Rich Razzleberry, Elegant Eggplant, Confetti White (Stampin' Up!)

Inks: Bordering Blue, Elegant Eggplant (Stampin' Up!)

Accessories: ribbon (Stampin' Up!), Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder (ProvoCraft).

Featured Stamper, Rachel!

The Sweetest of the Hope Stamps Sweeties is the Featured Stamper today over at Splitcoaststampers! Big congrats to Rachel for being chosen this week! I found this card in Rachel's gallery and CASE'd it with the new Rubbernecker Snowflakes & Stardust stamp set to create this card.

The Sage cardstock on the card base was embossed with a Spellbinders Impressabilities die that I just got at the store called Snowflakes. (I have to say... maybe these things work better in a Wizard instead of a Cuttlebug? I'm not totally impressed... pun intended, with the embossing. I get much better results from my Cuttlebug folders!) I spritzed the Sage cardstock with Pearl Ex mixed in water for extra shimmer, too. The red snowflake designer paper is from the Cosmo Cricket mini deck, Jolly by Golly (available at Hope Stamps Eternal).

I stamped the swirly trees in Handsome Hunter and Sage Shadow inks on Stampin' Up! shimmery white cardstock. After those inks were completely dry, I stamped the snowflakes and stars using Brilliance Rocket Red ink, then embossed with clear embossing powder. I cut the tree out with Nestabilities, then sponged more Sage Shadow ink around the edges before removing from the die. For a finishing touch, I added this great new chunky shard glass glitter I just got called Diamond Dust. The photo really didn't capture how much sparkle and shimmer there is on this image, though!

While I was playing around with new Rubbernecker stamps, I also made this quick card using the new Fall Trilogy stamp set, and did an emboss resist with the leaves on glossy cardstock. The leaves were stamped with an old Kaleidacolor ink pad, and clear embossed. Then I brayered Scattered Straw and Tea Dye distress inks over it before cutting out with the Nestabilities.
The leaves inside were stamped with Versamark over the sentiment.
I'm hoping and praying that my coming week is one hundred times better than last week! I hope your week gets off to a great start! Thanks for stopping by!

Christmas card

Stamps: Snowflakes & Stardust (Rubbernecker)
Cardstock: red (Core'dinations), Handsome Hunter, Sage Shadow, Shimmer White (Stampin' Up!), designer paper (Cosmo Cricket-Jolly by Golly)

Inks: Handsome Hunter, Sage Shadow (Stampin' Up!), Brilliance Rocket Red (Tsukineko)

Accessories: Impressabilities Snowflake die, Nestabilities (Spellbinders), chunky glitter (Diamond Dust), felt snowflake, brad (Creative Impressions), snowflake punch (Martha Stewart), rick rack (May Arts).

Fall Leaves card

Stamps: Fall Trilogy (Rubbernecker)

Cardstock: Always Artichoke, Ruby Red, Natural Ivory, Glossy (Stampin' Up!), tan (Core'dinations)

Inks: Harvest Kaleidacolor, Versafine Onyx Black, Versamark (Tsukineko), Tea Dye, Scattered Straw distress inks (Ranger)

Accessories: Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder (ProvoCraft), button (Stampin' Up!), brads (Making Memories), ribbon (craft supply).

Cupcake Inspiration #30 - Bubble Bath

You can't deny... these cupcakes are seriously Halloween appropriate with all that CANDY! Don't you just love these bright colors? Guess what? My good friend (and Toyrifix customer) Beth found these cupcakes online, and sent the photo to me. I forwarded it to Rachel at Hope Stamps Eternal and she liked it so much, it's today's challenge! (woo hoo to Beth!) So c'mon... join the Hope Stamps Sweeties and create something inspired by these bright colorful cupcakes!

I want to get a few more cards made with Halloween images I have picked up this Fall, so I just had to use this new stamp I just got! When I saw this in the Impression Obsession catalog, I just had to have it! What else does a tired witch do after a long day of broomstick riding, cackling, casting spells, and causing mayhem but take a nice long bubble bath? Doesn't she look cozy? I went with the brightest colors I could for this card, including using that cheerfully bright Bella Blvd. paper in my design. That paper, along with a bunch of other great Bella Blvd. papers is available at Hope Stamps Eternal. I also used some Crystal Stickles on the bubbles, and the Zva black pearl swirl in the corner, both products also being available at HSE.
See what the other Sweeties have created to inspire you today and take some time to play along!

Rachel * Jessica * Colleen

Kelli * Bonnie * Michelle

Carolina * Natalie * Ida (guest Sweetie)

I hope you're having a great weekend! THANK YOU for stopping by! I appreciate your comments very much!

Stamps: Spa Day (Impression Obsession)

Cardstock: Kiwi Kiss, Melon Mambo (Stampin' Up!), purple (Core'dinations), white (Neenah), designer paper (Bella Blvd.)

Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukinko), Dusty Concord, Milled Lavendar distress inks (Ranger), markers (Copic)
Accessories: Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Stickles (Ranger), pearls (Zva), ribbon (craft supply).

Happy Birthday, Susanna!

There's a birthday on the Planet today... the Paper Craft Planet, that is... and we want YOU to join us in celebration! Susanna Boyd, our fearless leader is celebrating her birthday today! Susanna does a TON of behind the scenes work at PCP and we appreciate it so much, so the Super Novas wanted to make sure she feels extra special today!

In honor of Susanna's birthday, how would you like some gifts? Sound good? All you have to do is create a birthday card! Upload your card to the gallery at Paper Craft Planet and be sure to tag your photo with SB2009. Uploads must be in place by 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday, October 25th. All the cards will be pulled into a special album, and some random numbers will be drawn to win some prizes! And we've got some nice prizes too, donated by some pretty generous companies...

7kidscollegefund - a High Hopes stamp and a Memory Box 8 pack of cards and envelopes

Hope Stamps Eternal - a Basic Grey "June Bug" prize package

Gina K Designs - Sweetest Blessings stamp set

Clear & Simple Stamps - $25 gift certificate

i{heart}papers - 3 Chicken Girl Design stamp sets

Kitchen Sink Stamps - Happy Birthday, Cupcake and Swirly Hearts and Stars stamp sets

Molly Stamps - stamp set of the winners choice

For my card, I decided to use this adorable Gingersnap stamp from C.C. Designs at All that Scraps. I just adore these cutie-patooties and couldn't resist this little sweetie offering a toast to Susanna for her birthday! I paired my image with this great Bella Blvd. paper from Hope Stamps Eternal. I just love the bright colors in those stripes, and they match the new In Colors from Stampin' Up! really well, too!

So, be sure to stop by Paper Craft Planet and check out this discussion in the forum for all the details regarding Susanna's birthday celebration! Then take some time to create a birthday card for Susanna! And if you really want to mail it to her, just send me a quick email and I'll get you her address!

Thanks for stopping by today and leavin' me some comment love! I appreciate your visits so much!

Stamps: Gingersnaps Celebrate! (CC Designs from All that Scraps)

Cardstock: Summer Sunrise (Papertrey Ink), Bermuda Bay, Melon Mambo (Stampin' Up!), white (Neenah), designer paper (Bella Blvd.)

Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), Marigold Morning (Stampin' Up!), markers (Copic)

Accessories: Nestabilities (Spellbinders), ribbon (Stampin' Up!), brads (Doodlebug), flower (Prima), double dot scalloped border (Martha Stewart).

Color Throwdown #65 with Stamping Bella

I'm so excited for the Color Throwdown this week because we're being sponsored by one of my most favorites companies, Stamping Bella! Be sure to stop by the Throwdown blog to check out the details, including how you can be eligible to win $25 in Bella Bucks!

Danielle is our hostess this week and her colors were inspired by that hot summer item, Lemonade paper from Basic Grey! I however, forgot that she mentioned that and dug through my stash of papers until I ran across this October Afternoon paper with the same colors! I was thrilled to find this, and along with Mercy's Tuesday Sketch #44 for my layout I am totally happy with how my card turned out!
Had to finish the inside, too (of course!)
My Throwdown sisters have rocked this color challenge with the awesome stamps we received from Emily at Stamping Bella, so please be sure to visit their blogs and leave some love!

Danielle * LeAnne * Broni * Cathy

Barbara * Lisa, October Guest Designer

I hope you'll make time to play along! Thanks for stopping by! (And a special shout hello to my ladies from stamp class last night.... see, I wasn't too tired to get my card done!)

Stamps: Javabellas (Stamping Bella), sentiment (My Favorite Things)

Cardstock: Purely Pomegranate, Taken with Teal, Certainly Celery (Stampin' Up!), white (Neenah), designer paper (October Afternoon)
Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black (Tsukineko), markers (Copic), Cool Caribbean (Stampin' Up!)

Accessories: brads (Bo Bunny), ribbon (Stampin' Up!), Nestabilities (Spellbinders).

Cupcake Inspiration #29 - Witchly Wishes

Well, I'm a little late to the party this week, but I'm finally getting around to the Hope Stamps Eternal Cupcake Inspiration challenge #29! Whadya' think of these cupcakes? Aren't they adorable? Years ago, my Mom had a witch she had made... sewed all her clothes, and I believe her body was made from pantyhose stuffed with poly-fil. She was SO cute in her black cape and hat, and had a cute Fall-patterned dress. She even had a broom my Mom made to fly on, and she hung from the light fixture in our kitchen every year. As kids, my sister and I named her Grizelda, and that is exactly what I was reminded of when I saw these cupcakes!

For my card, I used this cute with from my new Rubbernecker Halloween set #2, and I added some Basic Grey Eerie paper (available at Hope Stamps Eternal) for a little extra color. The layout for my card comes from the Weekend Sketch Challenge #102.
The buckle on her hat, and her buttons and shoes are all sparkly from some Spica glitter pens, and I used the Spiderweb Cuttlebug embossing folder for the black strip of cardstock.
See what the other Sweeties cooked up for you this week, inspired by these cute cupcakes, and make time to play along!

Rachel * Kelli * Bonnie

Carolina * Michelle

Jessica * Natalie

I hope you had a great weekend! Mine was restful, and full of blessings!

Stamps: Witch and sentiment (Rubbernecker Halloween set #2)

Cardstock: Black OP, Kraft (Bazzill), Really Rust (Stampin' Up!), cream (Neenah), designer paper (Eerie by Basic Grey)
Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), Black Soot, Vintage Photo, Antique Linen distress inks (Ranger), markers (Copic)
Accessories: Spiderweb Cuttlebug embossing folder (ProvoCraft), silver brads (Making Memories), button (Stampin' Up!), Nestabilities (Spellbinders), ribbon (craft supply).

Bath & Body Birthday

Kaylie has a birthday party for a friend to go to later today, and asked if I could do a little something with this Bath & Body Works stuff she bought for a gift, so I just put both bottles into a big cello bag, and tied it shut. The tag is made from an old favorite Hero Arts stamp, and cut out with Nestablities.

Hope you're having a great weekend!

Chicken Girl New Release and Stamp Simply #109

It's time for another new release from Chicken Girl Design at i {heart} papers! Today, Kate is releasing two new sets perfect for all your Christmas and winter cardmaking! The one I'm showing you today is called It's a Snow Day, and last Friday I showed you a sneak peek from the other set, Just Skating By. These sets are adorably illustrated by Jannie Ho! Did you know that Jannie is a well-known children's book illustrator? Check out her website to see her darling illustrations!

Today is also another Stamp Simply challenge, and today it's all about Gate Fold cards! A Gate Fold is a card that folds in from each side, meeting in the middle so it opens like.... a gate! Your opening can be off center if you like... the folds don't have to be symmetrical as you'll see from Sharon's beautiful example.

I cut a piece of cardstock 4 1/4" by 11" for my card base. Then I used my Scor-Pal to score my fold lines. I lined the short side up at the 1 1/2" line, then scored at 4 1/4". The I flipped my cardstock end-to-end and repeated. Basically my cardstock is scored 2 3/4" from each end.

This fun polar bear from the It's a Snow Day stamp set, some new, yummalicious paper from Bo Bunny, and the sentiment stamped inside completed my card!
Stop and see what my Stamp Simply sisters have created for this challenge!

Barbara * Julie * Janine * Jenny

AJ * Deb * Barb * Amy

And see what the other Chicken Girls have to show you today with the new stamp sets!

Kate * Judy * Kendra

Loretta * Lori * Merry

Shannon * Natasha * Shelly

It's becoming a ritual... say it with me, girls! TGIF!!! And a 3-day weekend for me! Woot!

Have a GREAT day!

Stamps: It's a Snow Day (Chicken Girl Design from i {heart] papers)
Cardstock: Baja Breeze, Riding Hood Red, Chocolate Chip (Stampin' Up!), white (Neenah), designer paper (Bo Bunny)

Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko)

Accessories: Nestabilities (Spellbinders), scalloped border punch (EK Success), rick rack, snowball pom-pom (craft supply).