It's time for a "Blast from the Past" with Taylored Expressions!

This month, Taylored Expressions is hosting a customer Blog Hop to feature stamps from the past releases! How fun!  Along with that, because September's theme is Birthday/Birth Day and Taylor, herself,  was due somewhere around today, we are also going with BABYcards!!! Turns out that little "Madelyn Grace" decided to make an early entrance and was born September 13th!  Congratulations,Taylor and family!

I have chosen the Apothacary Shelf for several reasons. First, I absolutely love the many options there are to decorate this little shelf! Anything you can put on a real shelf or mantle, you can add to this tiny sweetie!  Actually, it's not all that small! The length is a whole 4 inches long, and leaves plenty of room for sweet, tiny embellishments.  Taylored Expressions also has a wonderful stamp set of jars made especially for this shelf to make it uber simple to use!
Secondly, and sadly, it's the only Taylored Expressions stamp I have SO FAR!  I plan to expand my collection very soon! LOL!

Here's my card:

I didn't know if Taylor was having a Boy or a Girl, but a dear friends' daughter is expecting a little boy soon, so I decided to spell out BOY with the tiny little baby block beads I had on hand.  My DH thought the blingy chandelier too "girly" for a boy, but I explained that when it comes to newborns and new Mother's, there's never enough of the sweet, sweet bling!

The tiny crocheted doily is from Close To My Heart! They recently had a sale on some of their items, and I grabbed a few of these little darlins!

I can not resist popping out those little drawers! On the last card I made using this stamp,
(See it at    http://scrapnsurprise.blogspot.com/2011/08/flourish-challenge.html  )
 I only popped out one drawer to make it stand out. I love the way stamping these twice and popping them out makes the card that much more 3D!

Hope you enjoyed seeing this stamp "pop up" again!  I know I loved pulling it back out!

The supplies used were :
Papers; Martha Stewart, "It's a Boy"
Bling; Recollections
Doily;CTMH
Rub-on Stickers; K & Company
Clothespin; Darice

This card is entered over at The Pink Elephant ( Photo Inspiration, Crocheted doily, baby theme, etc)

JUST FOR FUN!

I made this second card just because I was having so much fun with the first!

Again, I used the Apothecary Shelf and, as you can see,

this stamp is so versatile!  You can go romantic, juvenile, or spooky!

Please check out the rest of the Hop partcipants! I know they all have some delightful new ideas for these terrific stamps!

Blog Hop Tomorrow!

Don't forget!

Tomorrow is the Taylored Expressions "Blast from the Past" Blog Hop!

Yours truly will be on that list and there are tons of ideas and techniques to be gathered from this terrific group of ladies!

Join us!

Card and a Half Challenge #5

Boy, when you realize you forgot your Brother-in-Law's birthday, it's pretty embarrassing! Especially when you're known as the family card-maker!  I made several cards last week, and the week before that, and for the last year...  I should have, at any time, made him his card!  All I can say is, "I'm sorry."  Not being big card-senders themselves, I'm sure he and my sister will forgive me.

So, I went online last night and found this great sketch challenge to get me kick started!
I find it so difficult to make "guy" cards!

Here's what I came up with...

I felt that just to say "Happy Belated Birthday" wasn't enough.

I needed to plead forgiveness!  LOL!

(The inside has even more pleading...)

The paper clip is the "recycled" item used, along with another one inside the card.

Perhaps by using the bingo markers, I'll remember that date next year!

This card will be entered in the sketch challenge at: Card and a Half

This is my first time entering the challenge on their blog, and I suggest you check them out. It's a great little blog that has a growing following and some fantastic sponsors.

I am also entering this card at the "Use a recycled item" challenge at "Do more with less". 

Thanks, Lynn and Yvonne!

Prima Perfection!

Have you seen the newest products from Prima?  Oh my goodness! Too many wonderful goodies to even list! My favorites have to be the gorgeous Resin pieces!  Go here to see what I mean and you, too, may win some of this goodness!

http://prima.typepad.com/prima/2011/09/september-bap-ppp.html

GO NOW!  oooohhhhh....too pretty.......

Weekly Waltzing Mouse Challenge!

This week's Waltzing Mouse sketch challenge was such a simple one, yet left so many options... sometimes it's just easier to have fewer decisions to make!  LOL!

I love the whole western look of the Vintage Labels #18, this particular one reminding me always of a cowboy's belt buckle.

I have used it several times and always loved the outcome!

And the fact that it is made to work with the Spellbinder's Labels #18 is fantastic!

Easy Peasy!

Here's a close-up of the heat-embossed "buckle".

I chose to make it girly so that I could send it to any one of my gal friends

out here in Arizona who knows well the term,

"Cowgirl Up!"

Also, entered into TEXTURE challenge at "Do You Stack Up?"
and the weekly challenge at Kraft Journal!

Pretty Woman Revisited!

I love the movie "Pretty Woman", (who doesn't) and whenever I see a dress, shoes, or outfit with red on white or white on red polka dots, I fondly remember that movie.

While browsing through an old issue of Papercrafts the other day,

I came across the pattern for a shoe.

Not just any shoe, but this fabulous heel. 

So I grabbed my DCWV paper and decided to go VINTAGE!

First I constructed the adorable shoe!

IF I were younger, and IF I were so inclined to dress up enough to wear heels,

this is the shoe I would want to wear!

Rather "Jimmy Choo" looking, don't you agree?

The bow I made months ago and it was just waiting for the perfect project!

I needed a card to go with the adorable little 3D gift, so I decided to go with a
SQUARE card this time.

I love my new Cricut cartridge, "Art Philosophy", which is only available through your Close To My Heart representatives.  It cost a bit more than others, but comes with

three terrific stamps sets, and many of the shapes we all really love. 

No, I'm not a  CTMH rep, nor do I get any kickback,

but I can direct you to a very sweet gal if you need one!

I was able to  cut out the black outline frame in seconds on my Cricut!

Sorry, but because of there being more than one object to focus on

and my camera SUCKING,

I wasn't able to get a really clear picture.

Here's the inside of the card:

My fingers aren't working very well today (even WITH the Lyrica) and I slipped and fumbled with the shoe stamp, so you'll see a bit of a blur on the card.

Yes, it always happens when you have your entire project almost finished!

Supplies:

Papers; DCWV, "Lady Couture" Stack

Stamps; Skipping Stones Designs, "Shoes"

Twine; On-A-Cord from Hobby Lobby

This cute card/gift set will be entered into the challenges at:

Simon Says Stamps (More than one fold)

The Pink Elephant (Vintage)
Do You Stack Up? (Texture)

Paper Sundaes (Finishing Touches)

For a Dear Friend...

I have a longtime friend who has been having difficulties "health wise", and as many of us have done, gotten jerked around by the medical field long enough.  She is undergoing surgery on the 16th and having a hysterectomy. I must admit, there have many times I had wished I could just go in and have everything that WAS or COULD cause problems later removed.
But now that she's actually scheduled, it's pretty worrisome.  I will be on pins and needles (oh, don't say needles!) on that day until I hear she's ok and nothing serious was found.
I hope my card makes her feel a bit better and she'll know I'm here for her, even if it is 1500 miles away! If she needs me, I can be on a plane in hours.

This card was made for the Verve "SENDING SOME SUNSHINE" challenge to encourage everyone to actually SEND their cards out.   I must admit, about half of mine are earmarked for someone before I even finish them.  I do have a few "Sympathy" cards put aside for those unforeseeable times... and a "Get Well" or two...

I love the way the little added pearl makes the cameo look so elegant!

Supplies used: 
Paper; K & Co.
Stamps: Verve, "Kindred Spirits"
Momento Ink, Recollections pearls, Helmar 450 Adhesive
Cameo purchased online.

For this card, I also used the inspiration from the sketch challenge at
Card Positioning Systems. This is the first time I've been to the blog,
and they have a great  Design Team and wonderful sketches!  I believe the prize this week is a Unity Stamp set! How cool would that be?  I really need sentiment sets!

Flashback Fridays is at it again!

This has become one of my favorite blogs!  Flashback Friday Challenges has issued the new challenge for this week.  I have been going through all of my old files looking at my earlier projects and, I have to tell you, it isn't always the pleasant experience you may think it is.  As I'm cruising down
Memory Lane, I'm thinking, "My goodness, what was I thinking?" or "I should have definately done that differently!"

Anyway, this week's challenge is "First Fall Card".
Not only was the card very simple, but my photography was horrible.  I had no backdrop set up or lighting issues solved. Just shoot and post! 
So, yes, the card isn't the best but it's not as bad as it looks in the picture!  I ended up sending about a dozen out to family...

I hope that I have improved over the last two years...

Falling Leaves....

This card is simple, yes. But I wish you could see the glittery shine on those leaves!

I just couldn't get the light right so that you could see the glimmer!

The leaves were stamped and hand cut, then spritzed with Glimmer Mist. 

They are so sparkly IRL!   I curled the edges to look more real.

The red trim is machine stitched onto the card,

along with the stitching to add a bit of drama.

Supplies Used:
Stamps (Leaves and sentiment), Skipping Stones, "Everyday Blessings"
Nestabilities: Labels Nine
Tattered Angels, "Jingle Bells Glimmer Mist"

Entered in the sketch challenge at Skipping Stones Designs

And at the DYSU- DoYouStackUp Challenge Blog!

(Texture)

Waltzing into Fall!

I am trying so very hard to get into the spirit of  Fall and "Trick or Treat", but when the temperatures here are looming way over 100, it's really difficult. But I'm also reading that most of the country is experiencing above average temperatures, so I feel a bit better as I sit here in Phoenix sweating my you-know-what off!

I loved the sketch over at Waltzing Mouse this week, and had to make it a Fall card! I've been dying to use these little pumpkins that come with the

"Bountiful Baskets Additions" set, but decided to go without the basket this time.

Feeling cooler already.....

OK, now I think I'm really ready for Halloween and pumpkin pie, and candy corn....

I love that the Spellbinders Labels Eighteen and the coordinating

Vintage Labels 18 from Waltzing Mouse are so easy to work with!

I used my new Cosmo Cricket, "Odds and Ends" paper pack,

a bit of embossing and inking, a few black pearls from Recollections,

and some jute twine and done!  I wanted to add some natural texture that the "garden" could be growing in...and it was so much easier to stamp the pumpkins onto

pattern paper than to color with the Copics today (hands just not cooporating).

Thanks for looking today! It would REALLY make my day if you left a comment!

This card has been entered in the challenge at

Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge

Waltzing Mouse, "Tag, you're it!"

I don't make tags very often. The canvas just seems so very small. What can you possibly do on a tag? Well, I have been cruising through some of my favorite designers and they do some magnificent things on a tiny little 3 1/2 x 4 1/2 tag! I'm thinking, I can do this... The only thing that seems even more difficult would be ATC cards (no, I don't get that at all!)

Waltzing Mouse threw this challenge out there this week, so I felt obligated to at least try!

So, I pulled out the few sentiments I have from WM, and decided to go with a TAG ON A card that I needed to make anyway. Sometimes friends go way above and beyond to be there for you when all they probably want to say is, "Get over it!"   This is for one of those times when my friend should have said, "Chill-ax, man, Life's way too short".  I don't deserve such great friends!

The pattern paper is 7 Gypsies, Avignon pack, the "post card' was cut from the Cosmo Cricket, " Love Notes" Journaling cards.  My tiny little bike stamp is MME, Lost and Found, Portabella Road. And the Eiffle Tower image is TPC, Travel World. I don't think I left a stone unturned in my scrap room!  The sentiment is from "Rescue Remedies Additions".  I've really gotten my use out of that one!

I recently picked up some fantastic ruffles and trims when I went to California for my brief vacay. That wholesale store was amazing!  The epoxy flowers are my newest Ebay find.  A bit of machine stitching and seam binding, and done!  For someone who doesn't do tags, I kind of like it!

I could sure use some more Waltzing Mouse stamps, especially more sentiments. I'm really limited when it comes to WORDS! So wish me luck!

This is to be entered in the Waltzing Mouse sketch challenge this week!

I love Taylored Expressions!

The entire shelf is popped out so it sits away from the card.

I also popped out oneof the little drawers to make it appear to be open and added

eyelet rings for the pulls.  I have a prettier piece of gold chain or tiny pearls that I will add for the "jewelry".

This is to be entered at the challenge for Taylored Expressions, for their birthday celebration!  It is actually going to be my mom's birthday card in October.

Great friends....

For a gal who I've known for almost 30 years....

I black heat-embossed the stamped background pattern behind the shoes...

...a little Stickles and rhinestones made the poms "pop"!  And the shoes were stamped on and the circles cut from SEI glitter paper.  The DCWV Mod-Retro pattern paper was perfect for two old friends!

I used the sketch from Skipping Stones Designs this week:

To old times...

Check this guy out!

I just stumbled upon Drew's blog today, and if you haven't seen what this young man is up to, you need to!

http://www.scrappyhappiness.com/
He has created a business out of his love and admiration for the Cricut machine and all things scrappy!  He has an Etsy shop (well, two actually) and stays on top of what's hot in the scrapbook world!  His projects are amazing, and puts some of us (I'm talking about me, you know) to shame with his knowledge and creativity!
On top of that, he's generous!  He is having a blog candy giveaway to celebrate his getting over 1,000 followers!  1,ooo!  I was thrilled when I hit 50 last month! He's on several Design Teams and has started a blog for Kids & Teenagers.  Ok, so I am going on a bit.  But, come on...this kid's got what it takes to be a huge success in the business world!  So check out his blog.  Enter for the candy, and maybe buy a kit or two to help finance his way to Paris for a school trip.  Since I've got more time than money right now, I figured I could best help by passing the word along!

Wouldn't it be great if all of our youth were spending their time doing things like this?
Way to go, Drew!

"Fairy" big thanks!

I have made and posted this card in several colors now, and always get a great response! I think everyone loves this darling little fairy image! She's been a redhead, a brunette, and now a blonde!

She's adorable, and it gives an excuse to get out my Stickles for her wings!
This one I made for the challenge over at Do You Stack Up? ( A Thank You card)

Sew many projects....-

sew little time!

Seems I go from nothing to do and bored, to "when am I going to fit all this in?!"  But now that the Summer is in full swing here in Arizona, there's nothing to do outside but watch the catcus sweat in the heat!

I was recently "gifted" some luscious little Doodlebug kits, and am in the process of putting some projects together.

Here's my little card I want to send to a friend who really needs to go on a shopping spree with me. 

The stamping on the paper doily was easy and fun! I simply cut out a circle that fit inside the center of the doily, and used that to mask the outside.  Since these are somewhat "waxy", they also tend to not take the ink very well. So after stamping my image, I clear heat-embossed it to insure it doesn't smear. It made the image shine a bit and has the appearance of magazine print. 
What a fun and simple little card. It was made much easier by the fact that the kit came with so many cute embellies and pretty paper.  There will be more projects coming out of those kits, for sure!

This adorable card will be entered in challenges at:
Sassy Lil' Sketches (Sketch challenge , August Week 3)
Fab n Funky (Stitch'in time)
StampsRus Challenge (Anything Goes)

Skipping Stones- Down to the wire!

I was cruising through my emails and going back through my favorite blog spots and found the Skipping Stones challenge that I had missed while on vacation!  Well, with only a few hours to go, I had to sit down and put together a card.  Now what to do....hmmm...

I have a dear friend who loves dragonflies.  I will save this card for her for when she needs a comforting word.
The Skipping Stones #89 sketch is:

I changed it up so that the frame-in-frames weren't mere squares.  I used a mat from the DCWV stack, Immortal Love. 
Check out the challenge and their wonderful stamps! Love them!  They are also celebrating the tail end of their Blog for Boobies.  Great cause and a sale!

Butterflies !

I love all of the butterfly stamps, papers, buttons, and other embellishments that are popular now!  I especially love these little lacey ones that you can get for almost nothing! They go on a card or layout so easily!  I always keep a stash of cards made up to send out "just because" and this is a version of one of my favorites.

It now incorporates all of the elements that I like. Lace, ribbon, buttons, bling... The two patterned papers are some old stash that I've had around, so I can't really say who's it is. 

And because this card is being entered in the Flourishes and Paperplay challenges, I need to explain that the large rhinestone "bling" on the flower is indeed a button. It is an old vintage one that I cut from an old garment and saved. I included a picture so that you can see the back of the metal button.  Cool, eh?  They don't make buttons like this anymore! 

Wish I had a hundred more! 

Challenges entered:

Timeless Tuesday Challenge - Flourishes

(Include a button, lace, and ribbon)

Card Makin' Mamas (PINK)

Paperplay Challenges

Have a great rest of the weekend!

FLASHBACKS!

This week we have TWO flashback challenges! I love this because it forces you to go back through all of those good and BAD projects that you've created over the past, and take a really honest look at them. I resisted the temptation to delete a few because of challenges like this one at Flashback Fridays blog site to post your FIRST gift card holder.

Had it not been for keeping this photo of a gift card holder that I was not thrilled with, I would have had no entry at all!   I don't send many gift cards, so the need simply isn't there. 

I DID, on this occasion however, have no idea what to get this friend and his wife for his birthday, so this was the solution. Not one of my "prettiest" cards, but it got the job done.   I made this back in February of this year.  I haven't been cardmaking all that long, so my collection isn't very extensive!  I see these gals who have been at it for 20 years and admire their talent and persistance!

The second "flashback  challenge" is at Moving Along With the Times.

They ask that you choose a project from the past that means something to YOU. Maybe your favorite, or the first, or just one that you especially recall

making for whatever reason.

I chose my New Year's Resolution calender.







This, I have always said, was my most prized project! I put this together back in December of 2009, and it took me the better part of a weekend to assemble the Kaisercraft shadow box.  The fun part was deciding on my theme and decorating it! Everyone had done the Christmas Advent thing, so I wanted to be different.

I really wanted it to reflect how I felt about some changes that were going on, or about to go on, in my life. We were moving out of my dream house that I had spent several years decorating and making it perfect, I was not working, and I had started on hormone therapy (I know, too much information! LOL!)  Let's just say that I had no idea, really, what direction things were going. But I had grand plans.

Things have gone well. We are very happy and my health has improved in some areas. Still working on others.... getting old ... well, just leave it to say, sucks.

So, these are my flashback moments. Both positive and not. But they caused me to pause, which is what these things are designed to do.

Thanks to "Moving Along" and "Flashback Fridays" for encouraging us to do so.



2 Precious!

My little "Yorkie/shih tzu is so adorable, I look at her and think, "How can SO much cute be in such a little package?" She is my constant companion when I'm here at home.

Lizzy turned 5 this year, and I can still recall the day we brought her home at only 5 weeks! She weighed just over a pound! 

Like I said, just too darn precious!

This layout will be entered over at Quick Quotes, Use a Number Challenge!

Thanks, Rhonda, for the heads up! 

Today I aspire to be....

Tara Orr!

As some of you know, I occasionally like to post about someone I admire in the scrap world. I have tooted the horn many times for Sarah Parker and Ashley Newell, among others. Today I HAVE to throw a word out there for Tara! If you aren't familiar with her magnificant scrapbook pages, you are in for a treat!

Tara layers so much goodness onto one sheet of cardstock, you can almost FEEL the textures and goodness coming over the screen!  Just look!

This picture was lifted from the Graphic 45 Gallery, so the quality isn't perfect. If you want to see all of Tara's projects, go to her website at:

http://eachmoment-onlyonce.blogspot.com/

I promise you, you won't be disappointed!  And even better, Tara is having a giveaway on her blog!  So many goodies!  One of us could end up being able to scrap with those scrumptious embellies and stamps that she uses!  And you all know how much I love the bling and the flowers, and the stamps, and the labels, and...well, it goes on and on...

Go check her out!