Anniversary RAK from Amy Johnson

A few postings back I showed you the card I sent to Amy Johnson for her birthday this past Friday. Mark & I celebrated our 14th anniversary on the same day so, Amy & I agreed to send cards to each other and share them with you all on our blogs. Here is the card she sent ... Isn't it cute!! Amy & I both love the vintage images and turns out we both used our Crafty Secrets vintage products to make our cards ... GREAT minds think alike!!

Isn't this world of stamping a wonderful place to meet AWESOME people! I know I have more ONLINE friends than I do personal friends!! Thanks my friend ...

A 27¢ (U.S.) Challenge

WOW ... Day 1 was so much fun! Are you ready for Day 2 of the Stamp Simply Celebration over on Sharon Johnson's blog ? Today it's MY turn to extend a holiday idea/project out to all of you!! There are a few other "fun events" for today too, be sure to check out the Party Central tab for more information.

With the economy as it is today, why not save a little cash on your holiday greetings by sending a POSTCARD versus a full size card this year?? The cost is only twenty-seven (27) cents (U.S.) and you can still provide your friends/family with that “work-of-art” they have come to expect from you in your holiday cards. So, if you’re up to the challenge, here’s all you have to do:

1) Legal postcard size is 4” x 6”.

2) Create your design on one side using inks, pencils, chalks, markers … even glitter or stickles is allowed. (It must remain a single layer … no dimension allowed … will not make it through the postage machine.)

3) The opposite side is for your correspondence/address. The post office does NOT require you have it stamped “Post Card … This side is for the address only” … although, they DO have to easily distinguish your address from your correspondence greeting.

4) Again, postage is only 27¢ (U.S.) and is affixed in the upper right corner on the addressee side.

So … what do you think?? Are you up to the challenge??

To help get you started, here are a few samples. You can find even more awesome samples made by a few other members of the CELEBRATION gang ... please check them out and join in on the fun.

Cathy Tidwell's sample found HERE. (Cathy may or maynot be able to participate. Her little 2 year old grandson is in the hospital ... please say a prayer for this little guy!)

Janine Orchard's sample found HERE.

Dee Jackson's sample found HERE.

Heather Telford's sample found HERE.

Leslie Miller - HERE

LeAnne Pugliese - HERE

Remember, ANYONE may participate in these challanges and all the fun events, blogger or not!!! If you upload to your Blog, please provide a link to your entry back on this post. You are also encouraged to upload your projects over at Splitcoast. If you do upload at Splitcoast, PLEASE KEYWORD all Splitcoast uploads for this event SSC08 (Stamp Simply Celebrates! 2008). If you upload at any other online gallery, just make sure to link back here so I can find your entry!!! Have fun!!!

Stamp Simply Celebration HAS BEGUN!!

Today is the 1st of several fun filled days over on Sharon Johnson's blog and you are all invited!!! Sharon has set up a TAB on her blog (called THIS IS PARTY CENTRAL) where you can go to see what is scheduled for each day of this celebration! The tab is located in the top right corner above her banner picture ... or you can click on the word TAB above to get you there. Keep in mind, this is a guideline of what's to come ... but won't be activated until the actual day of the event.

Anyone can play ANY of the challenges by ANY of the hostesses during our 12 days of Stamp Simply Celebrates!!! You DO NOT have to have a Blog to play — uploading your project to SCS (Splitcoaststampers.com) is not only permissible, but HIGHLY ENCOURAGED. When doing so, use the KEYWORD SSC08. Thanks!

FIRST up is Janine Orchard- 2bKrafty with a COOKIE RECIPE EXCHANGE!!


We were to choose our favorite cookie recipe ... bake them up ... then package them up nice & pretty! Please check out Janine's blog for all the details. (She has even more fun up her sleeve than what I've told you here!!! )


Here is my contribution! My daughter makes all the "fancy" holiday cookies ... I make the old favorite "Chocolate Chip". I have put a little twist to the recipe though ... I've added "Macadamia" nuts & some "white chocolate" morsels along with the chocolate morsels in my recipe. Otherwise, it's the recipe on the Nestle's Toll House morsels bag. My gift box is 6 x 6 x 2 and I've used my new JustRite (Christmas Stamp Ensemble) to help me decorate the lid. I also used a snowflake stamp by Inkadinkado stamped with Versamark and a little diamond Stickles for the sparkly centers. I thought it would be nice if I had a little matching candy box made from clear acetate to go along with the cookie package. If you'd like more details, just leave me a comment and I'll get that information to you!

Don't forget to check out the samples made by a few other members of the CHALLENGE gang:

Jennifer Buck - The Buck Stamps Here
Deb Saaranen - Dream In Color
AJ Otto - The Willow Garden
Barb Schram - Explore. Dream. Discover
Jerri Jimenez - A Touch of Grace
LeAnne - Wee Inklings

ALSO ...

Sharon Johnson - No Time To Stamp? - Has a BLOG CANDY offering today that would be JustRite for anyone!


Thanks so much for stopping by! Please come back tomorrow when it's MY turn -- you won't want to miss it!!

Stamp Simply #63 - Give Thanks!

Here is my card for Sharon Johnson's Stamp Simply Challenge - Give Thanks! I had several different Kinkade images stamped waiting to be colored and thought this one was perfect just as it was! I added the Thank You using India Ink Black (since the image is on glossy white paper) then cut the image out using my SU Bigz Top Note diecut and mounted it onto glossy black for the matting. The bg paper is from a SU print pack and I outlined it using a Creative Memories round black marker and paper pierced the upper corners. Add a few brads and my card was complete.

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog! I am so far behind on my google reader but I promise to get caught up on all your blogs this coming week.

Don't forget to watch for Sharon Johnson's STAMP SIMPLY CELEBRATION starting tomorrow! There is going to be so much to see and do ... you won't want to miss a single day!! Lots of wonderful holiday ideas, recipes, games, challenges and much, much more!! And I'll be doing my part in these festivities too ... see you at the party!!

Featured Stamper Dawn *flowergal36*

I was so thrilled to see that Dawn (flowergal36) was chosen as today's Featured Stamper over on SCS. I've never met Dawn in person but she has been so supportive of me throughout Mark's cancer that I consider her a friend in deed! She never leaves a comment on one of my cards that she doesn't include a statement of encouragement or ask how Mark is doing!

HERE is the card I chose from Dawn's gallery to case. I'm quite happy with the outcome of this card. I rarely think to make "winter" cards ... always go right for the Christmas images! Hope you like it too! Thanks for stopping by!

It's Almost CELEBRATION time!!

Have you heard??? The incredibly talented Sharon Johnson (Stamp Simply Guru) hit the 1 million milestone on her blog counter this past week! As a way of saying thanks to all her loyal followers, she has asked her very talented design team and a few others (me included) to help her (behind the scenes) to set up what she's calling a STAMP SIMPLY CELEBRATION!

You MUST check this out ... you will me amazed at all the fun, cool things that are planned!! The fun begins on Monday, December 1st and will run for 12 days!! Each day offering new projects, blog candy, challenges ... WOW !!! So, be sure to check out Sharon's blog bright & early Monday morning to get in on the fun and prizes!!

How Blessed!!

Hello All! What a wonderful Thanksgiving DH & I had with "the kids". We only have one daughter, SIL, 2-grandkids, so we refer to them as "our kids". The day was PERFECT!! The kids walked in just as we were carving the turkey and ready to eat!! We finished eating when my granddaughter (Morgan) said "Nanna, you didn't take any pictures!" So I handed her the camera and told her to try and capture the day as best she could at this point! (There are several more photos that I'm not showing here ... Mo wasn't familiar with my camera and some came out a bit blurry)

As you can see the turkey isn't as pretty as it was prior to everyone digging in ... but the desert table was still in tact. DH searched the TV for something we could all watch until time for the Dallas game (kids like Dallas ... we're Steeler fans) to come on. He found "Alvin & the Chipmunks movie" on HBO on demand and it was so cute! We all enjoyed it and had some good laughs!! We also found time to play a couple rounds of RACKO with the kids ... by the look on Morgan's face, she's loosing again. Brother, Jonathan is very competitive and won the previous game!!

How blessed we are to have the loving family we have and the food bounty in front of us! Praise the Lord!!

Happy Birthday Amy!!!

Today is Amy Johnson's birthday as well as MY ANNIVERSARY!! A few weeks back Amy had made mention of her birthday being on the 28th so I contacted her and we agreed to send each other cards for our occassions and post them on our blogs ... I know, call us crazy but we thought it was a fun idea!!! Check out Amy's blog and give her a little birthday love. She is VERY crafty and has some really cool project to share!!





Here is the card I sent to Amy. We both enjoy Crafty Secrets products so that is what I chose to use for her card! Isn't this image adorable ... when's the last time you baked a cake while wearing a dress??? The bg paper is also Crafty Secrets (radiant pack) and the image is from their (girlfriends) booklet. This paper is reversible (love that) so I cut a scrap piece and stamped the sentiment (by Impression Obsession) on the polka dotted side.

I'm not real sure how OLD Amy is today (and you don't ask a lady her age), otherwise I would have inserted a number and answered the question proposed!! Age doesn't matter anyways ... it's how you feel and how you live your life that counts! I have never met Amy in person but hopefully someday I'll have that opportunity but until then, I'm so happy she has become "one of my many" online friends!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMY ... Have Fun Today!!!

Thanksgiving Blessings!

Here is probably the only post I'll have for today!! Many more Thanksgiving preparations to be done today (i.e. pies) so I'd better not dilly dally or we won't have anything on the table tomorrow besides paper & ink!! LOL

Had to combine challenges today (saving time you know). This card represents the sketch challenge over on SCS as well as the Color Throwdown challenge. My main image is actually a "cotton scrap image" by Crafty Secrets. If you've never used these, you really should give them a try ... they are awesome! I will worn you however, they are addicting!! These real cotton images really give a card a warm, homey feeling!! The flowers are Prima and the "fuzzy" brad is by Petaloo. The ribbon is Hobby Lobby grosgrain and I've scalloped the edge of the main image using the new SU scallop edge border punch. Please check out these two awesome challenges ... you won't regret it!!

We here in the Pavlick household wish you all a HAPPY THANKSGIVING! We have so much to be thankful for this year. With DH's cancer "slowing down" and his eye surgery such a success, we have been totally blessed!! Thanks for stopping by!!

OH YEA, just wanted to give you a heads up on an amazing, upcoming Celebration! Sharon Johnson has reached a 1M milestone and has a huge STAMP SIMPLY CELEBRATION planned starting December 1st. There will be TONS of ideas, challenges, blog candy, and much, much more throughout this celebration which will run the first two weeks of December. You don't want to miss this!!!! MORE INFO TO COME!!

Crafty Secrets Challenge #44

Here is my card for today's Crafty Secrets challenge over on the SCS forum, hosted by Joanne (angelnorth). Joanne has requested a DIY Christmas - a Christmas or winter holiday project BUT NO Christmas/winter stamps or image booklets. These are FORBIDDEN ITEMS.





We can use: any other CS stamp set, non-Christmas papers, punches, die cut or premade embellishments (including snowflakes, gift packages, stars, etc.,) and ribbon, buttons, lace, etc.

The holidays always mean cooking & baking so that is what I based my card around. As you all know, I am a huge fan of Crafty Secrets products and I just received some awesome items from Sandy Redburn (thanks Sandy) which I couldn't wait to use! These "little people" are from the What's Cooking Sticker Pack (aren't they adorable ...). The background paper is from the CS Earthy design paper pack. Isn't it beautiful?? It's two sided and how convenient that it was red on one side and green on the other!!! I decided to "create a kitchen" using a Basic Grey Ambrosia scrap for the floor and another CS Earthy piece for the kitchen wall. The wallpaper border was created from the CS Kitchen Classics set. The accents are felt snowflakes by Creative Impressions and I used a touch of gold Stickles for a bit of sparkle.

Thanks for stopping by! Now I really must get some work done around here if I'm every going to be ready for company on Thursday! Hope to see you later!

Cuttlebug Challenge

Here is a card for the Papercraft Planet Cuttlebug Challenge #3 - Fall/thanksgiving theme. Your card must have an embossed background or border! I chose the Cuttlebug "thanks" embossing folder for my background and the new Cuttlebug diecut/embossing folder "maple leaf" for my card. The bg paper is made using glossy white cs and brayering with Kaleidocolor - autumn leaves. The ribbon is Hobby Lobby grosgrain and the "blessings" sentiment is from the SU set "country blessings". An easy card to make yet I think a card that "says it all!"

Thanks for stopping by!!

Color Challenge on Papercraft Planet

I know, you all must think I'm a "challenge junkie" ... right??? OKAY ... I admit it ... I AM!!! But what fun and what a great way to get your creative juices flowing!!!

Here is a card for "yet another" challenge. This one is sponsored by Treehouse Stamps - Ashley Bowen over on Papercraft Planet. The colors today are: vanilla, chocolate chip, cameo coral, and robin hood red. Never in a million years would I have put these colors together and it took me a little while to get this worked out, but I'm very happy with the results. What are your thoughts??

The card consists pretty much of only these four colors, punched and layerd. The punches used here are Martha Stewart doily lace punch and the branch punch. The only stamping is this cute image by Crafty Secrets (vintage christmas set) and I colored it with SU watercolor pencils and a blender pen. I did add a little liquid applique to the furry accents on her coat & hat.

Hope you like it ... all comments are welcome!! Have a great day!! I'd better go get my work done... OH GOODNESS, look at the time ... I'll definately have to speed clean today!!! Happy Stamping All!!

Papercraft Planet sketch challenge

Have you been to the Planet yet? What are you waiting for?? There is ALL TYPES of paper crafting fun going on over there and you are missing it!!!

Here is my card for a sketch challenge posted by my friend Tammy Hershberger. This sketch is perfect for those "hurry up" cards you need to get done and still packs a "WOW"!!

The base card is Whisper White cardstock and the designer paper is by Anna Griffin. The matting is Basic Black cardstock and I've used my scallop ovals by Nestabilities for my main image. The image is by Paper Bag Studios and the sentiment by Inkadinkado. I have stamped both of these with Versamark Dazzle (champagne) and embossed with gold sparkle embossing powder. A few dots around the black scallop matting with a gold Pilot marker and this card is complete!!

Thanks for taking a peek and jump on over to the planet and check it out! You won't be sorry!!

DT December Collection

Here are my December submissions for the design team of Stampin' D'amour. This month I altered an address/telephone book, made a "used for anything" card and an ATC.

Don't ask me why, but this month I decided to use PINK as my base color. If you would like more detail on any of these items, just let me know ... otherwise, I won't bore you with the details.

Please do, however, check out Stampin' D'Amour's boutique for some awesome vintage (as well as other styles) products. The papers and ribbons are luscious!! Scroll down and check out the black lace used on my featured stamper card! This lace is wonderful and reasonably priced too!! Thanks for stopping by ... see you later ... lots of Thanksgiving prep yet to be done ... better get to it!!

OCC Sketch Challenge

Happy Sunday All!!

Here is my card for yesterday's Our Creative Corner sketch challenge. I really like this Stampin' Up "A Wish for Peace" stamp set and it seems every time I use it I ink it up in green ... what's up with that??? I bet it would be beautiful in gold too ... have to try that!! Anyways ... what do you think??

This card is A6 in size and the base card is white. I have used duplex hunter green/ivory cs for my matting base. The designer paper is by Making Memories (snowflake) and as it is reversable, I have used the polka dotted side as a 3rd matting on my main image. I have used diamond Stickles to add a little sparkle of "snow" as well as shimmer to the tree. (see closeup) The main image and the peace dove are popped up using dimensional tape. The ink I used is Versafine Olympia Green and after distressing the main image, I sponged the edges with the same ink.

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog ... hope you are having a wonderful, restful weekend!! I just finished my cranberry relish for Thursday now I have to go get my pie dough prepared and refrigerated. Afterall, there is stamping to be done in amongst the Thanksgiving stuff, LOL!!

Featured Stamper #94 - EBETHNEU

Here is my card for the Featured Stamper challenge over on SCS. Today's stamper is Elizabeth (EBETHNEU) and HERE is her card I chose to case.

I followed the same basic layout as Elizabeth but I changed up the colors and theme. This card is A-6 in size which gives you a little more room for creativity!! I've used Basic Grey (ambrosia) designer paper for my background , corners, and scalloped matting. The black lace was purchased from Stampin' D'Amour and I've been itching to use it on something! This owl images is from Inkadinkado and the felt snowflake is Creative Impressions.

Thanks for popping in for a look at my work and I appreciate all your comments ... really makes my day when I hear what you have to say!!! Thanks

Christmas Party Favors

As promised, here are a couple photos (you can click on the image for a larger view) of the ornaments I made for my girlfriend, Lona's upcoming Company Christmas Party.

The images were stamped onto acetate which I cut in circles using my Creative Memories cutting system (worked GREAT). Some are silouettes and others are colored in using permanent markers. I used diamond Stickles to add a little "snowflake" sparkle to each one before inserting into the "flat" round ornaments. The ornaments were purchased at Michaels but I know you can find them various places. To insert the acetate circle, I put a small hole on the top of the acetate using a 1/16" hole punch, ran a small piece of thread, cording ... whatever you have like that ... rolled it up from the side and inserted it through the ornament top. Once inserted, it pops back open and the cording is hung over the top of the ornament opening until you have put the hanging top back on ... then cut off any additional cording/thread which is hanging on the outside of the ornament. Ta Dah!!

I made 44 of these ornaments (and a few extras for myself) and will deliver them to my friend tomorrow ... sure hope she likes them!! Thanks for stopping by ...

Stamp Simply #62

Another blog challenge entry!

This one is for one of my favorites!! Sharon Johnson's Stamp Simply challenge! Today we are to Write It On Ribbon ... how cool is that!!

This was certainly an "easy peasy like dopey & sneezie" card.

The base card is real red cs which I have stamped with a snowflake stamp by AMuse using Brillance Ice Blue ink. The ribbon is satin ribbon from Hobby Lobby which I have stamped my AMuse sentiment "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" using Stazon black ink. My main image is by Great Impressions colored using prisma pencils ... stamped with Versafine black onto an oval cut using my Nestabilities scallop ovals. I used an ordinary hole punch to make the holes around the scallop. Added a few diamond stickles and liquid applique and card complete!! Like I said, very EASY PEASY!!

Thanks so much for stopping in! I love sharing my work with you all!! Hope you enjoy it too!!

Fall Card with a View

What a fun card to make today for a challenge over on Michelle Rodgers blog. You are to make a FALL card with a VIEW. (I almost messed up and made it Christmas, ooops).

I had a piece of clear acetate laying on my worktable left over from doing Christmas ornaments for my girlfriends holiday party so thought that would work perfectly for my "window". (photos of ornaments coming soon) I used an EKSuccess Photo Pen to draw the pane lines on it before attaching it to the back of the inside front flap of my card. The image is by Inkadinkado and after coloring it using my Prisma pencils, I attached it over top of the acetate piece on the inside front flap of my card. That left me room for a message inside the card. This card base is actually another scrap I had laying around which I had to rerun through the cuttlebug with a larger scallop oval to accommodate my image. A little sponging around the outside edge of this river rock card, using Ranger vintage photo distress ink and after adding my sentiment ... card complete. Hope you like it! Thanks for stopping!!

Cuttlebugged Acetate

I've inked on acetate and cuttlebugged on vellum ... but never cuttlebugged on acetate! So, I thought I'd give it a try and was thrilled with the results. I'm sure there are many others out there who have done this but I guess I just never paid close enough attention. Doesn't this look awesome!! How quick and easy too!!

Card details are as follows: Base card is Real Red cardstock. The acetate is actually a card which I've trimmed down a bit after running through the Cuttlebug. I adhered the acetate card to the cardstock with white Making Memories brads which double as centers to snowflakes. I've run a piece of Hobby Lobby ribbon around and under the acetate card and adhered inside. After ribbon and brads were in place, I used a white cs insert to hide my mechanics on the inside of my card. The circle is cut using my Nestabilities, the image is from Crafty Secrets - Vintage Christmas and was colored slightly using Creative Memories fine tipped markers. The red dots around the scallop edge was done using a Real Red ZIG marker. The faux stitching was done using a white Gelly Roll pen.

A very quick/easy card that could display a variety of main images!! So, what's your thoughts. I think I'll try using the "textile" embossing folder next ... might make for a unique wedding card. As always, thanks so much for stopping by and I always enjoy hearing what you have to say so feel free to leave a comment.