Stamp By Step Challenge

Cheryl over at Stamp-By-Step is holding her very first card challenge and the winner's prize is AWESOME!!! Head over HERE for the challenge rules and then PLAY ALONG! You have until Sunday, OCTOBER 4th to join in on the fun!!!

A Vintage Thank-You ...

I found a new sketch challenge (yippee!!) over on the Carol's Sketch Fun blog and thought I'd give it a try. I got a little "off" on the sketch (I sketched it out myself on a piece of paper & didn't do a very good job obviously) but I still like the outcome.

This designer paper is by The Paper Studio and I just LOVE it! I think this pattern is what they call "toille". My other papers are Robin Hood Red, Basic Black and Whisper White.

My image is from a 4 image cube by B Line Designs and I've used SU watercolor pencils/blender pen for my coloring. My sentiment is by Stampendous and the metal dots are by Colorbok. I've used Nestabilities to diecut my main image and dimensional tape to pop it up.

This was a fun challenge and I'll be checking back in next week to see what Carol has to offer. Hope you enjoyed my creation! Happy Day!!

PCP Crafty Secrets Challenge - 061409

Time for another Crafty Secrets Challenge over on Papercraft Planet. Today's challenge was based on the old saying "Mind your P's and Q's"! Well, we're leaving out the Q's but your challenge today is to see how many things you can use/do on your project/card that begin with the letter "P".

For my card I chose to use the Crafty Secrets Sew Special set. Here is a list of the "P" items I have used:

• Pink cardstock & designer paper


• Purple cardstock


• Pearls


• Pin Cushion (image)


• Prima Flowers


• Pattern (image)


• Pin (decorative)


• Paper Piecing and


• Paper Piercing

The base card is SU Pink Pirouette and the designer paper is Crafty Secrets Classic. I stamped the "pattern" image over the designer paper using SU Eggplant Envy ink then embossed. The "boo-stee-a" was stamped onto a scrap of Crafty Secrets designer paper then paper pieced onto the stand. (see closeup) I couldn't decide what color "boo-stee-a" I wanted to I stamped & cut several ... then decided to use them all! The heart brad in the middle of my purple Prima flowers came from the $1 bin at Target. The is faux paper piercing on the dp and true paper piercing on the pink panel. My purple ribbon came from Hobby Lobby and the pearls are The Paper Studio. I stamped the pin cushion directly onto the pink pierced paper then used an American Crafts gold glitter pen to accent it. Did you notice the decorative Pin?? I think that's about all the "P's" I can come up with.

If you want to have some fun ... and maybe challenge yourself a bit ... why not join in on the fun! You only need ONE Crafty Secrets product to qualify to play (afterall, it is the Crafty Secrets Group Challenge, LOL). Remember when you upload your creation to include the TAG (keyword) of HVCS061409. Hope to see you there!!

Thanks for stopping by my blog today and here's wishing you a wonderful, creative day!!

A NEW WEEKLY CHALLEGE ...

Loving Crafty Secrets products as I do, I have volunteered to do a weekly challenge on Sunday's over on the Crafty Secrets Group of Papercraft Planet. If you are a member of PCP and have ANY Crafty Secrets products ... please come join in on the fun! Periodically there will be an RAK attached as an extra bonus!!!

Today I've challenged everyone to a 1,2,3 challenge. That means 1-main image, 2-different papers and 3-embellishments. Fun huh!!

For my card I have use one of the Crafty Secrets "Summer" cotton scraps as my main image. In order to be able to distress it, I have scanned & printed the original cotton scrap. My two papers consist of Crafty Secrets "Earthy" designer paper and SU Old Olive cardstock. I've used the Martha Stewart Arch Trellis border punch on the edge of the old olive panel. My base card is SU Blue Bayou. And for my embellishments I've used Offray satin ribbon, Prima flowers with brad centers and Dew Drops.

Hope you enjoyed my card and please, come play the challenge with us!! Happy Stampin'!!!!

CCEE Challenge

Now that my "Picnic" area is all planted and mulched ... I can take the time to catch up on a couple of challenges. This past week's CCEE Stampers Challenge was to use specialty type papers. I recently purchased the DCWV LaCreme matstack from JoAnn's and there are some wonderful flocked papers in this pack and that's what I decided to use today.

The feel of this luscious paper reminds me of the old wallpapers of yester year. I tried to expose as much of the designer paper as possible so I just used one focus image from the Stampin' Up Travel Sketchbook set (which I believe is retired). After stamping the image with Versafine Black, I overlayed with Versamark and 3 coats of UTEE to acquire the cracked glass technique that I thought went well with this image. After cutting my image with Fiskars decal scissors, I've double matted it with glossy black and very vanilla cardstock. I used Ranger Vintage Photo and a sponge to edge both the matting on my image and my base card. The ribbon is from May Arts and the large brad are Making Memories.

For those of you who would like a closer view of the cracked glass technique, I am adding a closer photo. You can also click on the image for an even closer look. I like this technique with old world images ... just seems they should go together. HERE is a link for those interested in learning how to do the cracked glass technique.

Hope you enjoyed this creation. Thanks CCEE ladies for the challenge and opportunity to make myself use these beautiful papers. If you're anything like me, I have TONS of designer paper that I will probably never use because it's just too pretty to cut into but of course I just "had to have it".

Hope you're having a wonderful Memorial Day Weeked!!!! Till next time ... thanks for stopping by!

A "2fer" Challenge ...

Happy Morning All!!

Today I have posted a Crafty Secrets challenge over on the Papercraft Planet website. Why not come along and play ... there's even going to be an RAK involved!!!

I've asked the ladies to create a card using this week's Sketch Challenge on PCP along with their favorite Crafty Secrets products. Here I've made my base card of Very Vanilla cardstock with a panel of Crafty Secrets Classic designer paper which was sponged on the edges using Ranger Antique Linen ink and over stamped using the floral image from the Crafty Secrets Garden Girls stamp set in Purely Pomegranate ink ... then matted with Basic Black. My main image panel is from the new Crafty Secrets Garden Creative Scraps. I've simply used the SU double stitched Purely Pomegranate grosgrain ribbon with the background panel of Purely Pomegranate cardstock. Both have been matted with Basic Black. The flowers have been punched using a 3-flower SU punch (retired) with centers of Dew Drops.

This was a Fun, Easy card to create ... I hope you like it!! Have a WONDERFUL Sunday!!

CSSC63 Crafty Secrets Challenge

Hello my friends ... sorry I have been MIA. Mark & I enjoyed a 3 day weekend at home before admitting him to the Cleveland Clinic today. So, there wasn't much stamping done but I was able to get a card completed for today's Crafty Secrets Forum Challenge over on SCS. Carla (Stargirl on SCS) was our hostess this week and she has asked us to use Heartwarming Vintage Bling.

I have been hoarding this K&Co. designer paper for a long time and decided to use it for this challenge. I stamped my Crafty Secrets (Glamour Girls) image directly onto the designer paper, detail clear embossed it and colored it in using Gelly Roll Glitter Pens. My dp panel is matted with Eggplant cardstock and I've also used a scrap of the same cardstock for my Darice pink satin ribbon panel. My base card is Pink Pirouette as are the Martha Stewart Butterflies and SU photo corners. I've used Liquid Pearls on the butterflies and The Paper Studio pearl strips on the photo corners. I used a Creative Memories fine tipped black marker to do the faux stitching around the edge of my designer paper panel.

Thanks for stopping by!!

Crafty Secrets "Touch of Metal" Challenge

Morning all,

Today's challenge over on the Crafty Secrets forum of SCS is to use "metal" on you card/project. This is not something I use a lot of and LoriLynn certainly had some great ideas (other than actual metal) for you to incorporate into your card. You can read some of her awesome ideas HERE. Why not come play along ... we have great fun each and every week.

My base card here is a premade A-6 ivory card purchased at Michael's. I have used Crafty Secrets EARTHY designer paper matted with SU soft sky cardstock as my base. The image is from the Crafty Secrets "Birds & Botanical" images & journaling booklet. I have distressed my main image panels and sponged with Ranger Antique Linen ink. I have also spritzed my journalling panel with Iridescent Memories Mist and Tim Holtz walnut stain. My Touch of Metal are the metal flower brads used in the upper & lower corners which I purchased from Hobby Lobby and are by The Paper Studio. There are 6 in a pack and I have been hoarding them ... until today!!! I've also used a metal clasp and brushed brass brads by Making Memories. For a touch of sparkle, I've used gold Stickles for the flower centers on my main image.

Going to be a long day here at the Cleveland Clinic I'm afraid ... but that's okay .. we're one more day closer to Mark being healthy again! Thank you all for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers.

Crafty Secrets Challenge #58

I'm late with today's Crafty Secrets challenge card but that's okay ... I was helping out a friend!

Today's challenge is hosted by LoriLynn and what a fun challenge. We were to use NUMBERS somewhere on our creation. Lori gave us an entire list of ideas which were a big help. There are numbers on images that you don't always notice!! For instance, how many places do you see numbers on my card??? (click for a closer look if you'd like)

My image is from the Crafty Secrets (Summertime) booklet ... background paper is from Crafty Secrets (Earthy) paper pack and the "Campbell Kid" image advertising today's special is from the Crafty Secrets (Little Chef) stamp set. The only other supplies used are the red gingham ribbon from Michaels, SU watercolor pencils for coloring and dimensional tape.

Well ... did you find them all??? There are numbers on both Guest Checks, 4 Star Cafe sign, 99 cent special sign, and numbers here - there - and everywhere on the background paper. What a fun challenge ... why not come play along ... you'll have a GREAT time!! Thanks for stopping by today ... happy tomorrow!!

Papercraft Planet CS Challenge w/RAK

I am hosting a challenge over on Papercraft Planet in the Crafty Secrets Group starting tomorrow (2/16/09) and it will run through the end of the month (2/28/09). You can also find the challenge details listed on the EVENTS tab of PCP and it will also be highlighted on the Homepage Newsletter on Monday (2/16).


If you haven't checkout Papercraft Planet ... you really should take a look. Tons of fun Groups to join, Color Challenges, Sketch Challenges, tutorials, product sales ads ... and the list goes on!!! I'll make it easy for you to check out ... just click HERE to see the mainpage and then you can "go from there".


The theme for this challenge is SPRINGTIME! Sandy Redburn (owner of Crafty Secrets) is offering up some awesome products for the RAK. We're talking goodies like Clear Art Stamps, Image Booklets ... WOW, how generous is that!!! The only stipulation is that you MUST use Crafty Secrets/Heartwarming Vintage/Clear Art Stamps somewhere on your SPRINGTIME card or project and when uploading to your PCP photo gallery, use HVCS021609 as your TAG. I'm anxious to see all the entries!!

On my sample card, I have used designer paper from two Crafty Secrets Paper Packs ... EARTHY and RADIANT. My main image is from the Crafty Secrets Homespun Cotton Scraps. These images are actually printed onto cotton fabric and are so cool to work with!! The cardstock I've used today are SU Gable Green, Garden Green and Whisper White. My sentiment is from Close to my Heart. The embellishments I've used are dew drops, rafia, Offray grosgrain ribbon, flower antique button, sewing machine stitching and Nestabilities.

Thanks for stopping by today. Please check out the challenge & the new Papercraft Planet. I guarantee you won't be disappointed!!