My Guest Designer-Week 1: Cathy Tidwell

Today I'm sharing the first project Cathy sent me as my Guest Designer for "Little Tees" this month. I was at CHA when the email came through and I had to call everyone over to see the screen, I was doing a happy dance over how many things she added (both from the set and a few things she free-handed) to make it her own! (well, not her own shirt, she's definitely not pregnant, but a shirt she made LOL!!) Her baby "bump" shading is right on the money and "to die for" cute!!! I love the little button baby brads she added at the neck.
While writing this post I also noticed a few details I'd never seen before, I as so busy enjoying the first details that popped out at me I guess!! (So you really must click the pic to see everything) :) When I first saw this card, the cool white stripes she drew to accent the bottom and sleeves leaped out at me, but I missed the little "XL" at the bottom, hee hee! She also has score lines on two opposite corners, looks sooo good with the brad in the middle and the piercing in the other corners frames it all up and accents the diagonal of that stinking cute "baby on board" sign she made!! I love it!!

Cathy is such an inspiration, I've really enjoyed getting to know more about her through our emails getting ready for her designer spot posts. You simply must check out her blog and SCS gallery, she puts so much time and thought and detail into each of her creations. What makes them even more amazing: would you believe she's only recently started making cards?? (this year?! and already gotten published? hip hip hurray!) and would you believe she is almost legally blind?? I'm serious, she almost lost her eyesight from a tumor and has no peripheral vision, only what she can see in front of her(which is necessary for cardmaking!) what a blessing she is able to see and do this work she loves and share her talent and creativity with all of us!! I'm so excited about the art she is making!

Cathy has another card for you today on her blog, let's go see! :)

More Flowers for Daisy

Here's a little flower garden I made with "Flowers for Daisy" and a piece of 12x12 DCWV CS, cut at 5.5" and scored at 4", 8", and 10". I used a sheet of gorgeous striped paper from the Basic Grey "Two Scoops" pack, I love using vertical stripes topped with stamped flowers like a row of stems. The flowers were stamped in Basic Brown, masked, colored with Copics and cut(after I stamped them and then realized with my design plan I was going to have to cut around each petal I thought I'd lost my mind*, but it really didn't take that long, don't be scared!! LOL). "You're in my prayers" peeps out from the flowers...
and when fully opened, you also have a bible verse from the set and another place to write your message. Edited to Add: Nancy P asked if the verse is on the back of the card, YES. I decided to put a white layer on the back because I liked the look of pressing the whole thing flat like a piece of stationary. and seeing the alternating white and DP mats. :) (You can also flip it over and write a novel on the green inside if you wish LOL!)
The flowers mounted on the edge of the front fold hide the white space when closed.
Thanks so much to everyone who has already emailed for Daisy's addy! (Keep it up!) The winner of the new sneak peek 6x6 designer paper pad is Suzanne Dean. (I might have to take some pics of this purty, puuuurty paper before I pop it in the mail so the rest of you can see, as I said, Gina Kwill be carrying it! :) Congrats, Suzanne please send me your addy!

*for a split second I considered just sending it to Barb along with a return SASE and begging her to send back to me, cut like she only she can!! ;) (I didn't, wouldnt' have, now THAT would have been lazy!)

Divalicious!!

I made this little white tee about a week ago, it was sitting in a pile of shirts I'd made waiting to be turned into a card, so when I picked up this one today, I was inspired by my little stamped shades hanging from the collar and thought I should do something a little different! Although they don't look quite like her blinged out (Chanel!) sunglasses, I made this to send to Kim from My Favorite Things who was sweet enough to let me tag along with her design team gals half the weekend at CHA, I so appreciated that! (She's really got style!)

The lenses are SU! Basic Gray CS rubbed with the silver Metallic Rub On Paste, doesn't it look just like metallic paper now? And this way you can control how much shimmery it is and shade as well, I was really happy with the effect.
I added some adhesive rhinetones to the corners and then used my Silver Copic Spica for the stamped glasses lenses and drew in the the tiny bling there to match my larger card. "Diva" and the swirly star flourish, both from the "Little Tees" set are embossed in silver. I also added a little warm grey 20% Prismacolor to make it a little curvier, what do you think?

I actually was on top of things and made a pattern for you by tracing my peices after cutting them! I just free cut them out of a folded A@ size piece of CS, so this will fit in a regular size envy. You may want to try to cut your own to making them a little fatter or narrower to fit your personal sunglass style, here I was going for a shape similar to my stamp. TIP: To get them symmetrical, when you cut a piece off one side, let's say the bottom right corner, take the scrap, flip it and then lay it on the other side and cut around that for a mirror image Again I'm going to try to figure out how to attach it as a word document, if not, you might just find it in the Gina K SCS forum (I'll link it if I do), okay?

Please don't forget to email about Daisy's addy if you'd like to send her a RAK, the prize drawing is tomorrow, thanks!!

U Go Girl!

I wish I'd had all my new Basic Grey DP when my stamps first came, but I couldn't wait!! So this one uses my DCWV Spring Mat stack for both the shirt and background. I just love piecing with this image, since the sleeves are bold you get both a solid and a pattern in just one step when you stamp on designer paper!

I cut out my shirt and mounted it on a white circle Nestie and then on a Bashful Blue scalloped Nestie, to look like a flower from the DP. The little Cuttlebug flower die with the white brad in the middle is just a "smaller version" and provided the one little embellishment I wanted. It came out so cheerful, it just makes me happy looking at it! I thought I'd do something a little different and have the ribbon run under and through the T-shirt sleeves, it emphasizes the greeting it a bit more.

Other supplies are SU!, 5/8" ribbon and CS in Certainly Celery, Chocolate Chip ink and CS.

Wednesday I'll be announcing the candy winner from my RAK request for Daisy! Also, you could possibly win this card AND a "Little Tees" set by donating to the flood relief non-raffle on SCS. Thousands dollars have already been raised, you can check out all the prizes donated here. Please check it out!

Strawberry Sweet

Dontcha just want to bite into these berries?? They are from the new "Free with Three" set "Summer Harvest" from Gina K Designs.

I colored the image with Copics, and as I've done a couple times before, accidentally grabbed an aqua that was darker than I'd intended for my shadow! Oh well, just makes it look that much more vivid , right?? ;) I just love these colors together. (For a great strawberry recipe, see this post!) There are lots of terrific greetings in this set, but I'm going to wait until I decide who I'll send it to and add one on a tag then.

The dotted Cuttlebug folder is a heavenly with strawberries! I rubbed a little white craft ink on my embossed Real Red CS. Using this same embossing on the white CS looks like some beautiful white table cloth. the scallops on the mat add sweetness, and the Kelly Panacci zig zag stamp around the edges give it a homespun feel.

Have a great day! (If you didn't get a chance to check in this weekend, please read my RAK post for Daisy!)

Tee in a Tin

How fun would it be to present a little necklace while showing the recipient how gorgeous it will look when she's wearing it? Dress up your tee with a real piece of bling she can wear any time!

The jewelry card and tin label were made with my "What's in Your Tin? 1" set. Sentiment stamps are also from the "Little Tees" set, I snipped the "have a nice day" apart so I could fill in "super" "birthday" and stack them to fit in 1 1/4" circle punch. After adhering your shirt to the card(slightly offset here to make room for "birthday" but you can also fit it by angling it, make a slit just above each shoulder and thread your necklace though. I found this little charm and ball chain at Hobby Lobby, I chose this little painter's palette it to remind my friend what a fabulous artist she is. :)

Is this paper not the most gorgeous thing ever?! I used a floral page of Basic Grey "Sultry" for my shirt and top and bottom of my tin, and a pink distressed page from the same pack for the mat on the necklace card.

If you like the proportions of this card and the idea of tucking some little cards away in a tin, you might consider joining the swap Joanne is coordinating in the Gina K SCS forum, details here! Groups have filled up fast, but if there's enough interest (and you beg!)I'm sure Joanne can work something out (if not now then another round later maybe)! ;)

If you missed yesterday's post, please scroll down to read about my RAK request for Daisy! :)

Flowers for Daisy: Let's Make Her Day!

When I got out my sheet of "Flowers for Daisy" to trim, I noticed the vase image and verse were the perfect proportions for a bookmark and already lined up, this was so easy to create! I love putting flowers on bookmarks, it is so pretty to have a your ribbon marker double as a stem and I love the idea of tucking away a flower in a book to save for later... :)

After stamping my image and greeting, plus one more daisy on white cardstock, all colored with Copics, I decided I wanted to have the top be an inverted triangle to mirror the one on the table top. I stamped my daisy above my focal point and then trimmed around the flower up to the point in the center.
Then I made a hole through the top with my Cropodile that would be covered by my cut out daisy I glued the white daisy over my tied ribbon and then used one of my little Kelly Pannaci stamp borders on the bottom, filling in the scallops with white gel pen and them trimming around them with scalloped scissors. The white with Summer Sun CS and the daisies are just like a breath of fresh air!
I sent this bookmark to Asela's friend Daisy, you can read more about her and the set here. Would you like to send her some of your own "paper flowers"? Email me for her address, and you will be entered to win a gorgeous pad of 6x6 Designer Paper (doublesided!) from a brand new company we discovered at CHA! (ooh ahh!!) Your card does not have to be made with this set or using flowers, just whatever you would like to share with her to lift her up! I will announce a winner on Wednesday, July 30th on my blog (but feel free to keep senidng cards after that date please!) so please be sure to check back to see who won, I will be posting another special card using the set that day.

Thank you so much for supporting this set and Asela and Daisy, you are making a difference!

PS Jessica is doing her first blog candy, be sure to go check it out, ends Monday!

Finding a Cure

Great party last night everybody!! All Gina K Designs new releases are now available for purchase, check 'em out!

As I said before I designed "Little Tees" several months ago, but when I was putting the final touches on it before we sent it to the platers (trying to cram just a few more things in!!) I realized I had a perfect opportunity to include a looped ribbon! (thank goodness for "the last minute", right??) Whether you stamp this image on a shirt or use it on its own, you can show your loved ones your support in their particular cause by simply changing up the color. (Had to start with a pink one...) For a list of different cause ribbons and their colors check this terrific link. If it's a cause, it HAS a color!!

I'm frustrated by how this card is photographing, I don't know why the pinks all look so different!! :( Anyway, I wanted to use an oval with this shirt to go around the elbows, but instead of matting it on a rectangle, this is actually a cut out window! I used my Nestabilities to cut it out then chose a scalloped oval that was slightly bigger so it would fall through. The ribbon (which I just HAD to use to go with my stamped image) wraps around the card but is sandwiched in between the white oval and pink one so you don't see where the ends meet. Covering most of the window this way also allows you to write behind it inside. The "love" stamp is also from this set and the font coordinates with several sets Gina K has released the past several months :)

Speaking of "ribbons", check back for a special post and RAK request for Daisy and a special project using the new "Flowers For Daisy" set, you could win some candy!

Have a great weekend! :)

Pajama Time!

HEL-LO, where did those pajama bottoms come from??? Oh wait, it's just the shirt from "Little Tees" again! (I did a peek of this at our release party last night and lots of inquiring minds wanted to know how I did it! so I had to show this one today) The proportions* and smaller waist makes the perfect bend for the "knees" and a wider flared leg at the bottom, how great did that work out (not planned, completely got lucky!!) :)


Sorry this next pic is blurry(I've been having trouble getting my camera to focus on smaller things lately!) but you can see my stamped shirt, bisected with a line down the middle and straight up from the armpit(hee hee!) to the shoulder. Cut out and mount just under the bottom of the other shirt for a snuggly pair of pjs! I think these would make adorable get well cards or "you deserve a break" cards for any girl who loves her jammies...
Here's the card again, this time photographed with a black background, just trying that out , I think with some cards it looks really cool that way, what do you think? The heart and "love U" is from the same "Little Tees" set and the Relax and "it's all good..." are from "You are my Sunshine", see how the font matches the "love" stamp? If you have more Gina K sets you probably already know we have a lot of sets to dip into with this font so you can mix and match!
Paper, ribbon and corner punch is SU! Heart tags are Cuttlebug dies.

Have a fabulous weekend!

*Annapurna just had to point out that my legs were too short at the party, but I disagree, it's just a long shirt, the waistband is right under the U, (who has a waist to tuck a shirt into anymore LOL! not me!! I love you Annapurna!!)

Sneak Peek: Little Tees!*

I'm a T-shirt girl.** Don't get me wrong, I love to dress up when I have an opportunity, but I like to be comfortable as well as express myself with a shirt with attitude! I can't tell you how many times I've been inspired to draw something based on a shirt I see when I'm out running errands or the way some funny thing on someone else's shirt can lift my spirits. (Or putting on just the right one can make me feel super sassy!) Vintage, funky, silly, serious, solid, pretty, concert, school, faded (some I've had for over 20 years and will never part with!), I've got some of everything, and they're all "ME" LOL! It's fun to put something on that reflects your mood for the day, and I think it's time to go wild with some stamps that can do the same, don't you??

I came up with the idea for "Little Tees" before my first stamps came out, it has been the hardest one to wait for, but it's finally here(you can order this tonight at 10 PM CST and see the whole set during the release party(plus more samples with it)! I think my "Tip Sheet" for this set is up to 3 PAGES now, there is no end to the number of techniques you can apply and combinations you can create with these 3 tees, and 34 images and greetings. I've tried to give you all the basics and more (that I could get on one sheet!), but also think of these shirts like blank canvasses that allow you to express your individuality, (just like our shirts do!) using any other favorite stamp images or greetings from your collection! Go to town decorating them with all your glitters, bling, puff paint, gel pens and Spicas, rub ons, EPs, it's like a having your own personal tee shirt shop! After I got my set trimmed I'd stamped out and decorated about 10 shirts in no time, it's SO fast and fun! (and a little addictive) AND, you'll see they don't always have to be T-shirts! ;) (You can also skip the shirt when you want and just use the images and greetings alone, of course) Expect to see a different one popping up on my blog daily LOL!

I chose to share this sample with you first because I LOVE how the sleeves of this one ringer tee can be linked with another when you cut them out! They are popped up on dimensionals with the hanger stamped behind them. (I liked my hatpin trick and colors so much on the card I made for Rupa's set last month I had to CASE myself a bit for this one!) If the black looks gray on the "MISS U" shirt (aren't these varsity letters GREAT??), it's the light reflecting off the Sakura glaze I added with my pen on everything, makes them looks like real iron-ons hee!! Every thing you see on this card comes from this set. (how many different images do YOU think I used?) ;) I made this card before CHA, but now that I'm back it's definitely making me think of all my new/old buddies I spend time with, just being ourselves...we'll be friends forever :)


Hope you're as excited about this set as I am, now I'm off to check out all the other sneak peeks made with this set (a few I've seen, most I haven't!) one of which from my guest deisnger this month Cathy Tidwell and an additional guest Jody Morrow, wait til you see! A complete list of the links is on Gina K's blog where she is also giving away this set to one person who leaves a comment, be sure to throw your name in the hat! See you tonight at the the par-tay! (hmm, what shaell I wear??) ;)

* Naming the set, I had several ideas floating around, but in the end, "Little Tees" (get it, "tease"??!) won me over!! It's sassy, no?


**When I was little about the coolest thing I could do was going to the mall and getting a t-shirt made with my name on it in fuzzy letters and a glittery butterfly or the like! Do you have a favorite T-shirt (now, or a memory of one you wanted to wear just about every day growing up?) Please tell me about it here!

PS Did you know that sneaky Joanne Basile leaked a sample with the set Tuesday in the SCS gallery?! Almost 400 people have viewed it now, were you one of them??? LOL!

Sneak Peek: Whatever Floats Your Boat!

"When there's a will, there's a way!"
When I saw Rupa's adorable new skateboarding turtle, I had to get him moving right away! I decided I'd start with this pull card. The Pumpkin Pie CS is scored in half opening on the left, with a nestie oval (a nice, "turtley" shape) cut out the front to frame my image, and attached with Scor-Pal tape on the sides to make a pocket.
The pumpkin layer was looking a little flat so I stamped the "Hang in There!' all across in Versamark and added some dashed lines, also going horizontal to go with the motion (and it made me think of dashed line on a road) The image is colored with Koh-i-noor and OMS, and Sakura glaze pen gives shine and dimension to the shell and wheels(and toenails!) I also used my Clear Spica on the skateboard to make it glittery. (The little "whoosh" I added is from my "Jumping for Joy" set) The shadow is my warm gray 20% Prismaoclor marker.
When you pull it out, " Anything is possible" is revealed on a layer of Garden Green CS I ran through the Cuttlebug with my Tiny Mesh folder after stamping. I just LOVE this green textured oval to finish the project, again, very turtley! The big silver eyelet and notched half circle for the pull is fun with the skateboard wheels, I love how nicely that punch frames up the end of the board as you pull it out...

I hope you liked this card, you will enjoy the other determined animals in the "Whatever Floats Your Boat"* set! It will be available for purchase on Thursday night at 10PM CST, please come check it out and our other fabulous new sets during our release party, 7-9 in the Gina K Forum!

*Did I say "boat"? no boat on this card... hmmm, that might be a clue :)

CHA Recovery!

It will probably take me a month to recap everything I saw and took pics of at CHA, so expect it to come in dribs and drabs (mixed in cards from all our new release sets this month!!) and hopefully you won't have already seen it on everyone else's blogs by then ( I don't think you will) I still need to take a pic of the PILE of stuff I brought back, tons of Make & takes, freebies, samples, etc!!
First: Tim Holz. I get now why he's such a big deal (not that I thought he wasn't a big deal before, but just didn't know much about him besides the name, and that I love his scissors (the handles are designed for his big guy hands, ha ha!). Really talented, had almost all the ladies swooning(I didn't have a pic taken with him, like some people!! ;) The demos of all his products were very enlightening, and I'm excited to say Gina K will be carrying several in the store!!! :) here he is about to put some of the new Designer Stickles they debuted (new colors and bigger, chunky glitter)
The next few pics show his "Grungeboard" which I'd heard about but didn't understand how it was different from chipboard, check it out! It feels and bends like leather, springs back, doesn't crease, but it's made from paper! AMAZING!
And look how fine the detail is of that scroll, can you imagine trying to pop that out of chipboard? (it would bend or break...) All the pages of this altered album use it. The butterfly was heated and then molded with his fingers to keep the shape after it cooled, soooooooooo coooooooool
Look soft and pliable, like cloth! I'm sold! I want it all!!! So yeah, I've joined his fan club!! (My husband was looking at the pics of the ladies crowding around him and asked me, "Is that what women like? Crafty men?" "Yes, dear, I replied, "that's why I married you." He doesn't stamp, but he builds, gardens, ...) :)
This following pic shows my favorite little tool of the show,a little finger mounted cutter from Fiskars, of the show, so simple but WOW! (If you read my blog you know I get out a Hobby blade/craft knife for a lot of projects, but it's not very ergonomic) this thing is terrific, zip, zip, zip around this piece of MDF, a perfect cut, no sanding, fast and comfortable (They showed this at Winter CHA so I am 6 months behind but they DID have a new version they debuted at this show that slides on your finger like this but swivels so you can make curvy lines, very cool!! and each less than 10 bucks!!

I also got to play with the Big Bite by Cropodile on this same project. Gotta have this now, too (sigh) My regualr one could have reached in far enough for this, but I love the table mount design and being able to adjust it to punch several inches into your project when needed.
Here is my finished book, isn't it adorable?? I can put in some of my favorite CHA pics. These papers and embellishments are all from Kaiser(that scroll is wood, inked with black), I wasn't familiar with them before but I took tons of pics of projects in their space, I'll be back with more later...
These lanterns covered with a sheet of DP on each side inspires me to head over to IKEA!!
Here are the first few of MANY "me & my peeps" pics...

Gina K and me*, right after finally meeting!! Getting to spend 3 days her was worth the plane ticket alone, she was all I knew she'd be and more! Me and Joanne: I love this girl! She cracks me UP! She was every bit as nice as I thought she'd be, but why was I thinking she'd be a little on the quiet side?? (I think she needs a little caption under her avatar "I only look sweet and innocent!" ;) (just kidding, Joanne, you are very sweet LOL!!)
Me and one of my biggest stamping crushes, Debbie Olson. I watched her color for about 10 minutes at the Copic table before she looked up and saw me, I got a little misty eyed while doing so, thinking about how long I've admired her work, our time on the Dirty Dozen and all the help she has given me over the years. She is as humble as she is talented.
Me and Diana Crick, creator of the Scor-Pal (I also got to meet Valerie Stangle who was working their booth) This pic isn't quite as exciting as SOME you will soon be seeing of Diana on another blog(!) but I was so excited to meet her and even more excited by all the Scor-Pal stuff I walked away with! She was so generous when I explained how much I love her product and enjoy creating projects for my blog with it, she offered me some things I didn't yet have (score! hee hee) and will be mailing me even more! PLUS, she gave me some extra things I can give away here as candy, does that excite YOU?! Coming soon!
Although the pressure's on, it is really fun to come back and have these sneak peeks and a release party planned right away, the excitement just doesn't end! Good thing for ME I got tons of stamping done before I left but I'll be scrambling to catch up on posting and email because the kids are really needing me after being on, but I'll somehow make it work! More to come!

*I'm scrunching down because in the first 15 minutes after meeting her, I'd already heard 15 people exclaim to her," "You're so SHORT!!" Enough already, she knows, I think! (okay, I was one of 'em! actually I think I kept this to myself, it wasn't that much of a surprise to me, as I'd read this about her earlier, played it cool ;)) but doesn't she look so HAPPY here being the tall one?? (I noticed it is one of the only pics she's smiling with teeth!) Unfortunately I forgot to get a pic of the two of us with me fully extended to my towering height(5'4 3/4"), doh!!

Back in a Flash!

Quickly, plane waas delayed, got back from CHA late, couldn't tear myself away from the family to come blog, catching up on this and emails, back with CHA pics and stuff SOON, hurrying I promise!!

PS I'm not on the sneak peek line up for Asela's beautiful new set (but I have something fabulous to share using it during our release party for you! :) Gina K has a peek and a LONG list of others for you to see, check em out!!!
(I AM on the preview line up tomorrow hee hee!!) :)

Take a quote, Leave a quote

"You can learn more about a person from one hour of play than you can a whole year of conversation." ~Plato



What a guy, truer words never spoken! :) (I think this is why we stampers "bond for life" at swaps LOL!) :) I read this quote for the first time on a chalkboard at the Austin Children's Museum last week, you like?



Have a great quote for me? One you've newly discovered or an old favorite? please leave it here! :) I'll be home in a few hours with CHA scoop!!! Thanks for waiting!! :)

A Bit o' News...

In five years of stamping, other than submitting to a few SU! contests early on when I was a demo (with no results) I'd never made an effort before to get my cards published. It had always been a bit of a fantasy to see my name alongside of a card in a magazine, but I knew it would be a lot of work/luck to be chosen. Among so many submissions, the odds of being chosen seemed like finding a needle in haystack! Once I began designing my own stamps, though, I realized there was definitely a lot of value in getting a card using my images in front of a bigger audience via a national publication, and that*, along with reading about the success of my fellow stampers (from both our design team AND our faithful and talented customers!), was the incentive I needed to take the plunge! I'm so happy to report I got an email from "Cardmaker" last week that my submission using "Just So Hippy" (my very first set!) and "Hip Hop Accessories" will be in their March issue! ( on the newstands in February 2009) Hip hip hurray!!! (little bow, blush)

This got me to thinking: I'd be so thrilled to see more samples with my images in print, know what I mean? Can you help me out??? I'll be your BEST FRIEND!!!**

Cuddles and Hugs,
Melanie :)

* that, AND finding out it's not just to see your name in print or get a free copy of the magazine, they pay for these things!! :-O

**Hope this provides a little extra incentive to see what you can do with them and add to your list of your publications (or get the list started like I am!) hee hee!! ;)


PS It had also been difficult for me to decide which cards I'd want to submit, taste are so different, what i felt was my best work among five smaples I made might not be someone's elses first choice. TIP: I think I was successful getting accepted with what I submitted because I chose a card that was simple to explain and for any stamper to recreate. As I look through my basket now at some of the crazy things I've made for this blog (!) while some of them are unique ideas, they just involve too much work/would be difficult to explain in one papragraph in a magazine all the steps without having pics for each step, so these I'm probably going to pass on. Hope this helps if you're trying to figure out what to send as well, although I am no expert on getting published, just starting out obviously, but sometimes simple is best!! it worked for me!(this time, LOL! :)

Catdidit again!(& short CHA Update!)

I didn't make this either! (I was too busy trimming my new stamps for our next release! (with my beloved Tim Holz scissors!!)) Cathy Tidwell sent it to me the other day, surprise!

BAM!! Don't these colors just knock you over and make you say "WOW"! Typically the Bold Bright are too bright for me (with the exception of my beloved Real RED) unless I put them with colors from another family to tone them down, but I am really diggin' it with Yoyo Yellow and Lovely Lilac here! (those are the colors, right, Cathy?) I think it's her layout and terrific coloring though, as well as the way she balanced the amount of each color that made it work. I love how she painted the little shadow to go all the way to the tips of their shaking tails, too cute! And I thought this really tight crisscross pattern she created with her Scor-Pal, resembling a cool snakeskin (without being creepy), is terrific, I've seen and used this crisscross scoring design before, but never scored this close together, it's such a different look!

I also love how she photographed this and "Zack" against a black background, no shadows and the colors really pop!

Have some "Cuddles and Hugs" you want to show me (or cards with my other stamps?) I really want to see them and need help getting my blogrolls updated with all the sightings, please email me or leave links so I don't miss a one, which I'm sure I am right now! For example, I was completely unfamiliar with Suzanne, Sarah, and Theresa's work before this last contest challenge(my other top picks had entered and gotten mentions before), and WOW! what a treat their projects were, and their blogs were just fabulous when I went over there to feast on more! Again, please, please, please participate in my contests (and submit for the next Gina K Designs Guest design Team Call, it's coming up!) if you like my stamps and would be interested in getting more of them FREE! (I have some sets coming out that I have been on pins and needles to release for months and they are going to completely surprise you!!) I know you can do it!!!

I'm writing from Jessica's computer in the hotel room, Gina K is in the shower! (The thing we hear most often yesterday whil walking around? "You're so little!! (to Gina K) She is just as delightful as you would imagine.) We are getting ready for our second day at CHA! The highlights as you can imagine have been hanging out with two of them, but also a cupcake reception last night for Splitcoast where I get my picture taken with a bazillion Dirty Dozen Alumni and other "names you know", followed by a pizza and wine tasting party inside the cutest little mom & pop stamp store(afterhours!) that Kim from My Favorite Things graicously invited us to(they carry her stamp line) Then of couse we were up til thewe hours tlkign stamps, it was like a good old fashiond slumber pty minus the popcorn! With most of the intros out of the way now, today I am on a MISSION to get lots of pics of new product to share with you!! Will be back with lots of pics once I can get everything uploaed! Please pray for my feet that hey don't give out before I hit every booth and come back with the goods LOL!

Have a great day!

More Hugs from Joanne

I love, love, LOVE this little trifold card from Joanne!! It is so sweet how the oval cut out frames up the koalas, then when you open it they are sitting on a larger framed oval inside, so sweet! She used one of the Spellbinders Ribbon slide tags for the greeting and SU 5/8" ivory grosgrain, DP is, ummm, Joanne? (I'll ask her, in person!! at CHA, wheeeeeeeeee!)

I am currently either soaring through the sky,(smoldering on the ground?? please nooooo!!), or yukking it up with lots of my favorite stampers I never in a million years thought I'd be lucky enough to meet, let alone in one big paper crafting paradise!!! More later, hugs!!!

Basic Grey Bonanza!!!

My Basic Grey order arrived today from Gina K!! Here it is!!! (Euphoria was sold out at the time) :(

Oooh, the papers are all soooooo pretty!!! Here is my fave of all, (it's from "Sultry") I think I'm just going to stick the sheet in a frame I love it so much!! (don't worry that still leaves me one sheet for crafting! ;)

And check this out all you "Just So Hippy" and "Cuddles and Hugs" lovers(okay, Hip Hop too!)!!: the "Sugared" pack has 2 sheets of this adorable paper with flamingos and big and little giraffes!!!! I had no idea these were in this one when I bought it, too cuuuuuuuuuuuute!!
okay, I'm leaving in about 12 hours for CHA! I won't have a laptop, but GINA will, so maybe I'll be typing at ya from there! I'll be taking lots of pics, taking lots of notes, and coming back with lots of ideas for you!!! I have a couple posts saved up, too, just in case ;)

My Guest Designer: Week 4

The best way to say "I love you" is always with FLOWERS and CHOCOLATE!!! (IMHO)

I love how Jessie brought this paper to life with her layered olive flowers (Petaloo) and brown brads, don't they just burst off the card?? Layering the two colors of scalloped mats in olive and brown too made for a great match. I really like this sketch, too, having the four quadrants of DP instead of just one background piece adds interest and really draw you into the image.



So about those brown brads?? You may have noticed I've started using big white brads now also (so I can be like Jessie), and then yesterday she had to go and email me this card with big BROWN brads! SO of course I need them! ( NOW!!!) Luckily, I remembered one of the reasons I convinced myself to go ahead and invest in Copics in some strategically selected colors: to custom color match my white embellishments! Yup, I found a little pack of white brads* at Hobby Lobby *sorry I don't know the brand I had to rip the sticker off to get the container open but I can see from the back of the box I got 50 of them for $2.47 last week I'm happy with, so I will be doing my best to fake it until I score some more! Brads are especially easy to alter because you can hold onto the prongs while you color. So far I've found some colors have a tendency to look streakier than others, and some look better with a couple coats to get it even, whereas others seem ot look better with just one coat. (I'll come back with my findings and some pics, kay?) Be sure to check to make sure it's dry before you put it on your card. Pull out the embossing gun to speed things up if your embellishment is particularly slick and not drying as fast as you would like.



She also used the SU! Chocolate Tafetta ribbon, and DCVW Retro Stack DP, and half of one of my favorite greetings from this set (wild thing) "I think i love you". Thanks Jessie, you've done a fabulous job as my guest designer, now please go enjoy her last"official" guest spot before she turns over "the crown" to Cathy Tidwell next week!! ( but I'm hoping and praying it's not the last "Cuddles and Hugs" card you'll see from Jessie! ;)



*sorry, I don't know the brand, I had to rip the sticker off to get the container open but I can see from the back of the box I got 50 of them for $2.47 , the tops are slightly wider than 1/4"...

Tu-Tu CUTE!

I love that Rupa gave us a long dress to work with in "Retro Boutique"! With a black pen and some scissors, you easily can alter it a million different ways, here I made a quick little tutu for a birthday ballerina across the street. :)

Stamp your dress and free hand in a little scalloped or straight edge with your pen. Color, cut and paste, that's it!
I used my Koh i Noor and Odorless Mineral Spirits to color, Stardust pen for accents and the hanger, and Prismacolor Warm Gray 20% marker to shadow.) I finished the card with the swiss Dotted CB folder, SU! pink tafetta and white brads I got at Hobby Lobby. The greeting is from the same set.

I have another fun cut with this image coming soon, it has been sitting on my desk for TWO weeks, I just can't decide on the right sketch for the card LOL!! A 3D project coming soon, too, with Asela's set, and Jessie's guest spot tomorrow!!

Back to stamping now for the next release, TTYL!!!!! (I finished 5 more cards!!)

(BTW, wouldn't that look pretty, too, to have used the whole dress above before I cut it(if I'd stamped the whole thing, that is!), with that little pink top layer?? :)

(haha, I just said "pretty, too, to"! get it, tutu?! I crack myself up!) ;)

You're Outstanding!

Have you ever seen just TWO flamingos LOL?! They're always in groups of about 100 in any zoo or photo I've seen so I thought it would be fun to do a little masking* and spotlighting to make just one special pair stand out from the crowd(they are also popped up on dimensionals).
At first I was going to make just a single layer card and leave the other birds black and white, but that looked funny, so I added some layers and made the rest of the birds a paler pink. The puddle is from "Just So Hoppy"...

Short post today as I am super busy getting ready for CHA AND my new rubber for our next release came yesterday!! Yippee!!! Do you wanna see it early???

HEE hee, made you look! That's what's left from ALL the sets! (This was my first release to get to use my Tim Holtz scissors on several sets at once, last month the scissors came after I got my sets so I'd just practiced with them on scrap rubber. I have to tell you, after trimming a few sets, I had to stop for a moment and ponder what "might have been" if I'd gotten these a few years ago(while staring at my poor, ugly right hand!!) oh well, onward and upward, I have them NOW and they are FABULOUS! :)

BTW Have you heard the Gina K Designs release will be on the 24th this month ?(next Thursday) I am so freaking excited to reveal my new set!!! Sneak peeks start next Tuesday! (I made 9 cards last night!! But none I can show yet, :( So, I have no CLUE what I'll share tomorrow since I'm so busy playing with the new top secret stuff, but I'll come up with something for you!) and be sure to come back this Thursday for my last week with Jessica as my Guest Designer!!!

*If you've never masked, just stamp your image on scratch paper and cut out. Then cover each of your stamped images and then stamp another one overlapping and remove the mask. Be sure to save this mask for other projects!

Window Shopping Trifold-Pieced Acetate Tutorial

When I first saw this set I knew I wanted to create a window shopping card with a cut out and acetate layer. This paper piecing turned out really cool, wait and see! (Sorry I don't have better pics, this project was difficult to photograph) But when I started making it I realized I'd need to add another layer if I wanted to be able to write in and not have that show through...
So I turned it into a trifold by putting two A2 size cards together. When you open it, the greeting under the purses is revealed...

followed up by another greeting on a colorful background with another little pieced purse!
For this project you need:
1 8 1/2" x 11" sheet of CS, scored at 5 1/2" across, then cut lengthwise at 4 1/4"(yields two horizontal A2 cards)
1 piece CS 5 1/4" x 4" ( for the window)

largest size Nestabilitie Classic Rectangle die

Cut out the rectangle window through both the single piece of CS (which you will also emboss) and the folded card (the one opening on the right).

scraps in 2 colors for piecing the purses
1 piece acetate 4 3/4" x 3 1/2" (not shown in the pic below)
Black StazOn
Stamp the purses across the middle of the acetate sheet and on 2 colors of DP. Cut out two purses in each color, but not the handles(they're too small to worry about).


Adhere the purses on top of the stamped acetate image (details of the stamped images on DP facing you) with clear glue. Adhere acetate over window on folded card, then cover with the single cut and embossed mat. (Stamp a greeting on your other card (opening left) that will show through underneath the purses. Line these up with your gridline block like I did here) The details WILL show up on the back since the image shows through the acetate, and they will be in a different pattern because of the double-sided DP! "Magic"! ;)
Stamp a greeting and add one of your remaining pieced purses on 1 piece DP 5 1/4" x 4" (to line inside) Open the card and glue the left inside to the BACK of the right side of your other card. The stamped outside flap will cover the DP.

Isn't that fun?? If you try your own pieced acetate trifold, please link here or use the keyword MMPAT so I can come check it out! :) Have a great day!