SSDS - Sparkle Challenge & DT Call

Hi everyone! I wanted to let you know that this is my last post as a DT for Scrap, Stamp and Doodle Saturday challenge blog. I have had a great 6 months with these gals but I'm stepping down now. Thanks girls for a great ride! There are a few spots open now for their DT so they are having a DT call. Link at bottom of post for details on DT call. But now on to this weeks challenge at SSDS. What you need to do for this weeks challenge is to create a project with sparkle and shine.

Here is what I came up with for it. I used TGF Anya stamp and colored it with Copics. To make the sparkle I used a Gelly Roll Stardust pen. I colored in the guitar and I probably should have just outlined it. It lost definitition with it all sparkly but hindsight and all that. ; )

Our sponsor this week is Digi Stamp Characters. Be sure to stop by her etsy shop, Digi Stamp Characters! The winner will receive 3 digis of their choice!
Check out SSDS for the other DTs sparkle creations and enter your own sparkle creation. Now on to the DT call info. SSDS is looking for at least 4 more ladies to add to the team. Check out all the details right HERE. This is a fun group and I highly recommend you try out for it.

SSDS - So Charmed

At Scrap, Stamp and Doodle Saturday challenge blog is a fun challenge this week. The challenge is to use a charm on a card. I love the look of charms but rarely if ever have I used them myself. I didn't want to go out and buy a charm so I looked in my stash of broken and old jewelry to see what I could find. Here is what I came up with for the challenge.

Be sure to check out SSDS to see what the other DT's made and to get in on the challenge. Our sponsor for this week is Ellephantastic Cards & Crafts.

Helpful tip that I bet you didn't know...

First let me tell you that this has absolutely nothing to do with scrapbooking or crafts in any way. But I bet you will find this helpful. Ever been in a rental or borrowed car and not know which side the gas tank was on? What about the first few times you fill up your brand new car. You pull in the gas station and strain to look out both side mirrors to try and see the gas tank? Well guess what?? You can usually tell which side the gas tank is on by looking at the gas gauge. There’s an arrow or it says right or left.

What?? I didn't know that, did you? My husband shared that with me last night and I thought it was such a revelation that I had to share with everyone else too. I told Eric that if everyone read the manual that actually came with their car they would know that too. But what does anyone ever use the manual for except maybe to figure out how to set the clock or radio. : )

SSDS - Sketch Challenge

At Scrap, Stamp and Doodle Saturday challenge even with the blog hop going on we are still having a challenge for the week. This week is a sketch challenge.

Tiddly Inks is the sponsor this week and I used one of their designs for my card.

I colored the image in Copics and used the sketch (below).

You have several chances to win from SSDS. Get in on the blog hop and do the challenge for this week. Check out the images you can win from Tiddly Inks on the SSDS blog and what the other DT's did with the sketch also.

SSDS - Love is in the Air - Blog Hop

Welcome to SSDS's Love is in the Air Blog Hop! You should have just come here from Lisa Vaughan. If you didn't you need to start at Scrap, Stamp and Doodle Saturday challenge blog so you can get in on all the fun and prizes.

For my "Love is in the Air" theme, I made a card for my MIL's birthday. Her birthday is on Valentine's day.

3 Prizes Up for Grabs:

* For someone who leaves a comment on every blog in the hop.

* For a new follower of SSDS.
* For someone who completes the sketch (below) by the end of the hop.

Thanks for stopping by on the hop and your next stop on the hop is Cheri Graves. Don't forget to leave a comment if you want to get in on one of the prizes. : )

SSDS - Valentines with a Twist...No Red

Love is in the air... oh no, wait not yet. hehe That is our blog hop coming up next weekend. See my blinkie on the top right hand side of the blog. Be sure to join us for some love, fun and prizes. This weeks' challenge at Scrap, Stamp & Doodle Saturday is also about Valentines but with a twist. The twist is to create a Valentine without using any red.

My camera is not working so I had to scan my project so it looks a little funny. What the real bummer is about my camera not working is that is stopped working the day we got 6" of snow. I was so pretty outside and the kids played in it but I didn't get any pics. : (

I used a Magnolia image and colored it with Copics. I can't remember the line of papers I used.
I went ahead a decorated a little bit on the inside of the card because I wanted to add the sentiment that I printed out. It says "Sending you the sweetest thoughts on this special day". A great card for a friend. Now let's see if I ever get it mailed out. : P

See what our other DTs did for the project and also join in on the challenge at SSDS. This weeks sponsor is Michelle Perkett Studio. She is a wonderful artist and she turns her art into digital stamps. Be sure to check out her Etsy Shop, her art is almost magical.

A Sweet Blog Award

I received this sweet blog award from one of my sweet online friends Kathy - Stitchy. Stitchy is starting a new challenge blog called One Stitch at a Time. The grand opening for the blog is on February 14th, so be sure to go check out my friends new blog and her assortment of digi stamps that she offers.

Now I'm suppose to name 10 things that make me happy.
1. Hearing my children laugh.
2. Laying on a beach.
3. Scrapping - of course!
4. Vegging out and watching tv.
5. Hanging out with my girlfriends.
6. Shopping - retail therapy ; )
7. Organizing just about anything.
8. Eating a really good dessert. Yummm
9. My online friends. : )
10. The Twilight books, movies and Edward. Sigh.....

I have such sweet online friends that several of them had already rec'd this award like Boni and Micki. Hugs to you girls!

The award goes to:
Christine - a good friend I met on CafeMom and ended up meeting in person too.
Michelle Zindorf - she does the most beautiful cards and I was able to take one of her classes last fall and loved it. She is super busy doing tutorials for her blog and going around the country teaching classes so she may not have time to pass on the award but she deserves it all the same.
Kristy - Also a CafeMom friend, fellow DT member at one time and now she has opened her own online digi store called Some Odd Girl
I guess that is all for now but I have many more online buddies. Divas of the Digis -- I'm talking about you. : )

SSDS - Anything goes

The challenge at Stamp, Scrap and Doodle Saturday challenge is well basically anything you want to make. My Favorite Things is our sponsor for this week and they were so kind give the design team a digital stamp of our choice to use on our project. I choose the Digi Kit - The Boo Crew to work with for my project. I know it's way past Halloween and a long time before it comes around again but I wanted it anyway. This year in our neighborhood someone started the "Booing" the houses and it was a lot of fun. I'm sure this will become a tradition, so I thought I would make this door hanger for us to put out after we have been booed.

I'll might try and laminate this since it will be on the outside to protect it from the elements.

Go to SSDS and check out what else our other DT's made this week and enter your own project for a chance to win from this week's sponsor, My Favorite Things.

SSDS - Spring Card

Last week Austin had strep then this week the stomache bug. It's so hard to watch your kids be sick and you can't fix it. : ( It's Saturday morning and Austin is feeling much better today. Kids sure bounce back quicker than us adults.

Ok so this week at Scrap, Stamp and Doodle Saturday challenge blog is a very easy challenge. Just make a Spring themed card. We've had fog the last week or so and rain today so thinking about spring is nice. My card is a 3x3 that I ended up using in a swap. The patterned paper is from Sassafrass.

See the other DT's creations over at SSDS and then enter your own spring card. This week's sponsor is Revidevi and if you are the winner you have your choice of one of her digi stamp sets.

SSDS - Celebration Card

I've been without my computer for too long. Finally it's back and working great. Had 9 viruses, 30 malware or spyware and 1 root something or other removed. There are some really bored people out there just creating crap to put on our computers to make it difficult on us. Ok so make a virus that you can steal a bazillion dollars with, I get that, but just to cause people you don't even know problems. UGH!! I think a lot of them are young, immature teenagers just getting their kicks out of it because they CAN do it. Ok, sorry, I'm off my soap box now.

This week's challenge at Scrap, Stamp and Doodle Saturday challenge is to make a card for a celebration. It can be birthday, new baby, wedding, new home or what else you may be celebrating. Our sponsor this week is Sweet Pea Stamps and they were very generous and gave the DT stamps to use for the this challenge. This image and the sentiment are both from Sweet Pea Stamps.
I colored the image with Copics and I think this may be the first time I have colored and entire image including the backgroud. I will say though don't use Quick Quotes chalk ink if you are going to use Copics to color. I wasn't even thinking when I did it and as soon as I started coloring I noticed it bleeding. I didn't go back and redo them but hopefully covered up or fixed all the areas where it bleed or smeared. Oh yeah she's got some dark smoldering eyes there doesn't she? : ) Well that was another case of me just going over board.
I ended up coloring over all the sentiment only because it looked a little smeared anyways. Then I colored the background of that because the white just stood out too much. I should have just stamped the sentiment on a colored piece of paper but I had already put my stamp, pad and cleaner away and didn't want to get it out again. I know, wow, I was kind of lazy on this one wasn't I? : O
Go check out SSDS challenge and what all our fabby DT's made for this. Also if you participate in this challenge, which come on, this one is easy, you will be up for a prize from our sponsor Sweet Pea Stamps.

SSDS - Use a Picture Challenge (Twilight)

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and a fun New Years! It's still almost hard to believe that it's 2010!!! I remember when it turned 1999 and thinking WOW it's 1999 just like in Prince's song! Then we had the 2000 computer scare and everyone thought the whole computer world would shut down because of the date. Now it's 2010!

I don't usually make new year's resolutions but this year I did. I have resloved to declutter my ENTIRE house. I mean everything!!! In every room, closet, cabinet, drawer and even in the attic and the garage. My closet, master bath, Austin's room, kitchen cabinets and pantry are all done. I've already taken several boxes to the Good Will store and thrown out several bags of junk and trash. The other thing I'm doing is making my own planner and trying to keep a daily schedule in hopes of staying more organized and use my time wisely and effeciently. We'll see how that goes. Ok sooooooo now how does this all relate to Scrap, Stamp and Doodle Saturday challenge? Oh it does because for this week's challenge you are to use a photograph on a card. Well, I fudged a little and used a couple of photos on the cover of my planner instead of a card. ; )
Since this picture was taken I have added more to the front cover and have finished the back cover and both inside covers. I have pictures but on my other computer which I am having trouble with once again. Getting blue screen with message on it, twice tonight. : O So once I have it up and running again I'll post the updated pics and hopefully finish the project soon.

Check out SSDS for the this weeks challenge and see what our other DT's did for the challenge. This weeks sponsor is Phindy's Place Etsy shop. She has some adorable digital images.

Michelle Zindorff Brayer Class

I got the chance last month to do one of Michelle Zindorff's brayer classes in Moore, OK. I live in Broken Arrow near Tulsa about 2 hours from Moore but my sister lives in Moore. It worked out that the weekend I was going to my sisters was the same weekend Michelle was having one of her classes there. It was only about 2 or 3 miles from where my sister lives. I was able to get in at the last minute to her beginner but all the advanced classes were full.

The class I took was on Sunday morning. It just so happened that there were only 3 of us in the class. Michelle said that it was very unusual for a class not to fill up. I'm guessing it was because it was on a Sunday morning and Oklahoma is in the Bible belt so probably everyone was a churh. Which is where I would have been if Ihad been a home. : ) The other 2 ladies that were in the class were also from Tulsa. Having such a small class meant Michelle could just sit there at the end of the table and not have to stand and walk around to everyone. We got individualized attention and she had 3 giveaways which meant we each got one. What we got were her demo cards that she made or the class. So I have an original Michelle Zindorff picture. : ) I may have to frame it and hang it in my craft room.

So here are the cards that I made in class. This is the order that we made them.
Not bad, huh? It's basically learning the technique that Michelle has perfected in using the brayer. Now I need to practice, practice and practice some more.On this second card I ended up having some black smudges on it so that is why the birds are there. Michelle didn't have birds on hers. The birds looked bette then the smudges. ; )
Now as of yet I have not tried to make any more using her techniques but I really hope to VERY soon. Michelle called me the "Whimpy Stamper"! Well, I kind of was too. After just a short time of using the brayer my arm/shoulder was hurting. I asked if we would be sore from this and she looked at me kind of funny and said "No". I asked the other 2 girls if it hurt them and they said no also. So that is where I got the label "Whimpy Stamper". My shoulder has been hurting for a long time when I do activities that move my arm back and forth like that. I finally went to the doctor just yesterday and she thinks it's my rotater cuff. I got a steriod shot in my arm, some anti-inflamatories to take every day and a couple of excerices to do to strengthen the rotater cuff. I go back to the doctor in about 4 weeks. I hope this helps because it has really intereffered with me doing thing. Cooking, cleaning and even scrapping hurts so I knew it was time to do something.

It's Christmas Eve and I wanted to wish everyone a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

SSDS - Sketch Challenge

At Stamp, Scrap & Doodle Saturday blog this week is a sketch challenge. Because of the Christmas holiday this week's challenge will be open for 2 weeks. All you have to do is follow the sketch and make your card. This is my take on the sketch. I used Copics to color the image and I think the paper is Bo Bunny but not 100% sure. I used Dew Drops on the bottom edge.

Here is the sketch to use for the challenge. It was designed by our very own DT - Carlie.

You have 2 weeks for the challenge so go on over to SSDS and check out what the other DTs did and enter your own card. The sponsor for this week's challenge is Paper Temptress.

SSDS - Shaped Card Challenge (Ornament Card)

Not that you probably missed me but I was unable to participate in last week's challenge over at Stamp, Scrap and Doodle Saturday challenge blog. My computer got a nasty virus and my hubby took it in but just for the "free" cleaning and didn't clean the virus off. It's really strange when I try to Google something it gives me the list of sites to check and then when I check them it gets hijacked and goes to these weird places. Anywho, enough about my computer problems let's get on with the challenge this week at SSDS. The challenge is to create a shaped card any shape except square or rectangle.
I will show you what I did that worked first then I'll move on to the diaster. : O I made an ornament card.
This wasn't my intention. At first it was going to just be a round card or roundish. There had to be a flat side where the back could stay attached. So what I did was take my very old Creative Memories circle cutters system and cut a large circle on a folded piece of white cardstock. I hung the circle pattern over the cut edge of the paper so there would be an area that stayed together. I hope that makes sense. I didn't take a pic of what I'm talking about. Then I cut the smaller size circle in red and layered it on top.

I had already colored the image (Lilly from The Pink Cat Studio) with Copics. Added the background paper and sentiment then went to put it on the card. It ended up fitting better having the opening at the top. When I held it that way I thought hey that looks like an ornament. So I made it into an ornament.
I had this golden yellow paper that already had a scalloped edge so I just cut it off to make the top of the ornament. Then I took 2 circle punches and punched out what looks kind of like the ring to hold the hanger and attached it to the back of the card. I think I did pretty good considering I changed plans in the middle of making the card. : )

Now on to my diaster! I had printed out a ginerbread and snowman digi to the far right of my page then folded it in half and cut it out. It looks ok but I could tell I should have used thicker paper. I colored it with Copics and then added white Liquid Applique to make it look like fluffy white trim. So this doesn't look too bad right?

Well open up the card and see the diaster inside!!! ICKY!! Of course, Copics bleed through so why wouldn't you see this on the inside then the back side of the card I tried to outline to make it look better and well as you can see that didn't work.

I'll probably just cut off the back and use the front on another card. Here is the snowman I made and cut out but didn't end up coloring. The concept is good but my execution didn't quite make it.

Now back to the challenge over at SSDS, go over and check out what cool shaped cards the other DT's made then go make one yourself and enter it in the challenge. The winner this week will receive some goodies from Victoria Case who is sponsoring our challenge.

Baby card and Gift

I've had people ask me many times if I sell the stuff I make and the answer has always been no. Well I finally decided I'm going to start selling some of my things and take specific orders. I already have sold some cards and have an order for some Christmas cards and I'm making 2 scrapbook albums for Christmas gifts. I may have gotten in over my head on those but I'll let you know when I'm done.

This is a card and paper bag album for a baby gift. I made it for the lady who cuts my hair. It's for one of her customers and in exchange she will give me credit towards the services she gives me. I'm also going to be doing a scrapbook album for a trip she is going to be taking.

This is only the second paper bag album I've made but I enjoy doing these. I think they are fun and pretty easy to make. All the paper in this project and for the card is from Fancy Pants, it's called "Little Sprout".

She knew the baby was going to be a boy so when I found some pink in the paper I tried to cover it up. Like with the brown flower at the bottom. Yes you can use flowers on boy's pages, especially when they are babies. It may get harder as they get older but when they are young, go for it.

I just used 2 paper bags for this ablum so that made for 2 opening that I had for pull out tabs.

I used ribbon to connect the bags together instead of rings because it made it less bulky and that way she could toss it in her purse for a take along brag book.

I have thought about opening an Etsy shop to sell my cards but I just don't know if I want to deal with shipping or not. I like doing thing local so there is no shipping involved. Who knows maybe I can make enough to support my own scrapping addiction. ; )

SSDS - Christmas Card Challenge

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! To continue with the holiday spirit this weeks challenge at Stamp, Scrap and Doodle Saturday challenge blog is to make a Christmas themed card.

I did a card that was very easy to make. I bought some of these vintage looking gift tags after Christmas last year on major clearance. All I did was stamp the sentiment at the bottom of it and double matted it. I used some Dew Drops to cover the little whole where the string was, added some patterened paper, a flower and some ribbon and that's it.

Now if you plan on making any Christmas cards at all you might as well do one this week and enter it in the challenge at SSDS. The Cutting Cafe is sponsoring our challenge once again this week so if you are the lucky winner you will be receiving some goodies from their store. Be sure to check out all the other Christmas cards that our DT's did also.

Kaitlyn and the Possibilites!

My daughter, Kaitlyn on the first day of school this year. She is 9 years old, is in third grade and has Down sydrome. This has absolutely nothing to do with scrapping or stamping but everything to do with my life. I just watched this video and had to share it. It's about 25 minutes long so be prepared if you are going to watch. This may give you just a little insight into my life some of the joys of having a child with special needs. Oh it has it's challenges too and kids with DS aren't all happy go lucky like people think they are but this video shows a very positive aspect of DS.

SSDS - Flower Pot Card

There is a fun challenge going on at Scrap, Stamp and Dooodle Saturday challenge blog. It's to make a Flower Pot card. It really isn't hard to make at all. HERE is a tutorial on how to make them.I did not do a good job on the pictures. I should have put this on a white background since there is so much brown in the card. I would have retaken the pictures but I already mailed the card out to my neice for her birthday.
I put a little notch at the bottom on the card pull out and slipped a gift card in there. You should really give this card a try. It's easy but yet impressive when it's done. Also go check out SSDS and see what the other DT's did with their flower pot cards. This week's challenge winner will win some digi images from Dustin Pike's Doodle Dragon Designs.

New Moon!!!

I am so excited about New Moon! I have never been this obsessed or ga-ga over any movie, book or character before. I feel like a teeny bopper I'm so giddy. I just found out about this Twilight stamp set and HAD to have it. Paid probably waaaay too much for it but I could not resist. I've hear this is rare and hard to find and the store I bought this from said it was their last one and they wouldn't have any more. So this was meant to be for me. : )

I'm not going to the midnight movie but have plans to go on Sunday with some friends. I don't like watching movies in crowded theaters and plus midnight is too late for this old lady. hehehe In case you haven't seen the extended preview for New Moon check this out.
This is a music video for Shattered but this song is not on the New Moon soundtrack. I know because I already bought it. : ) But it's a good song and there are some scenes in this I hadn't seen before.


I liked this. hehe I enjoy watching parodies of Twilight and New Moon. Did you see SNL do the "Franks" instead of the Cullens? Too funny!

D-IC Sketch Challenge

The challenge this week at Digital-Ink Co. challenge blog is a sketch from Card Patterns.

The images on this are from it's call the Thank You Sentiment pack. Does this look familiar? This was part of the same images I also used the same paper which is from DCWV - LaCreme.

I pop dotted the image and sentiment on top. I used some of these ribbon beads I had to make it look like a ladies hand this time. I wanted to add a ring but couldn't get it to look right. This was so easy because there is no coloring well I did color in the butterfly but that didn't take long at all.

Try your hand (oops sorry - no pun intended hehehe) at this sketch. Check it out at D-IC Challenge Blog and see what our other creative designers did too. As always the winner will something special from Digital-Ink Co.