New Year's Resolution

Makeup 4 the Weekend - M4TW55 Black, White & Silver
SCS Free 4 All - F4A45 Celebrate those Resolutions

Wow! I can't believe it's been two weeks since I've posted anything here. Did anyone miss me in all the hustle and bustle of Christmas and New Years? {smile} It was a good break spending extra time with my boys and their December activities. And unfortunately it was also a time of illness - we all took turns being sick with this sore throat congestion thing. I was the last one come down with it starting on Christmas Eve and I lost my voice for a few days too! Needless to say, it was a rather low-key and {quiet} Christmas.

Anyhow, I'm not one to typically make New Year's Resolutions. I like to start fresh each day and don't think of the New Year as a time to start over with anything. But Dawn Mercedes challenged us on Splitcoast to make a card to go with our New Year's Resolution for 2011 and that got me thinking. I guess if I were to "resolve" anything, it would be to keep things in proper perspective. It's easy, especially this time of year, to get caught up in the busy-ness of things that are temporary and not eternal. I like this verse from Isaiah 40:8 that reminds me of that.

For my card I embossed the grass and flower in silver to go along with the verse that I embossed in black. Then it was a simple matter of layering and adding a silver bow. I didn't want to overshadow the meaning of the verse with fanciful doo-dads, KWIM?

Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog today. I appreciate each and every one of you that I get to interact with on-line and I wish you all the beary best for a Happy New Year!

Stamps: Believe Scripture and Faith Hope Love by Paper Makeup Stamps
Paper: Basic Black, Silver, Shimmery White
Ink: Colorbox Pigment Black, Versamark
Accessories: Black EP, Silver EP, Silver Ribbon

Verve Butterfly

Flutterby Wednesday - FBW135 Open Challenge
SCS Clean and Simple - CAS97 Sketch

This week is another Open Challenge at Flutterby Wednesday - anything goes as long as you have a butterfly, fairy or angel on your creation! {grin} This is also our last challenge for the year 2010. We'll kick off 2011 with a fun blog hop on January 5th, so be watching! {wink}

There will be a DT call starting this week, running through the 29th. It will be on a separate post on the Flutterby Wednesday blog from the challenge post. We are looking for 2-3 new members to join our fluttery team.

We would also like to give Kristie a warm welcome back to the team and a fond farewell to Erin who has done a fabulous job as our December guest designer.

And now for my card this week. It's pretty basic and easy to figure out, I think. That gorgeous butterfly is from Verve's Beautiful Kindess set. I embossed and watercolored it to match the designer paper from SEI that I used. It's a 4-1/4" square card based on a sketch from this week's CAS Challenge at Splitcoast.

Thanks for fluttering by today and I wish you all the beary best!



Stamps: Beautiful Kindess by Verve Stamps
Paper: Naturals White, Cranberry Crisp, SEI DP
Ink: Cranberry Crisp, Groovy Guava, Versamark
Accessories: Black EP, Circle Nesties, Bow Easy, Grosgrain Ribbon

Dazzling Butterflies

Flutterby Wednesday - FBW134 Open Challenge
SCS Clean and Simple - CAS96 Bows
SCS Color Challenge - CC300 and CC22

This week at Flutterby Wednesday we have another Open Challenge - just make sure you use a fairy, butterfly or angel on your creation and you're good to go! {grin}

My card actually has no stamping! I used the butterfly embossing folder from the Once Upon a Princess set by Cuttlebug. Then I colored butterflies with Pretty in Pink and Pink Passion markers. And, in my humble opinion, everything looks better with Dazzling Diamonds glitter, so out came the 2-way glue pen and my butterflies were quickly glitterfied! {LOL}

Thanks for fluttering by today!

Paper: Whisper White, Pretty in Pink, Pink Passion
Markers: Pretty in Pink, Pink Passion
Accessories: 2-way glue pen, Once Upon a Princess Cuttlebug Embossing Folder, Pink Gingham Ribbon, Bow Easy, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter

Claire with Nutcracker

Welcome to my stop on Paper Makeup Stamps December Fan Blog Hop! You should have arrived here from Lindsy's Blog. If you didn't, you'll want to make yourself comfy and start at the beginning with the PMS Blog where you'll find a full list of participants. We have lots of beautiful winter and holiday creations for your viewing pleasure AND you'll want to comment all along the way. {wink} One lucky commenter will be drawn to win a grab bag of PMS stamp goodies. Comments will close on December 14th.

And now for my card! I just had the pleasure of watching my niece dance in The Nutcracker on Saturday night and I was inspired to use the Claire Fairy and Nutcracker stamps on my card. The sentiment is the freebie you get with any PMS order while supplies last.

I chose this designer paper from Echo Park Merry Christmas because I love the music from the ballet. It's kind of hard to see, but I embossed the edge of the DP with gold ink and powder. Claire is colored with prismacolor pencils and baby oil. Stickles give her sparkly wings. Then I embossed the full size Nutcracker in gold and cut him out for an accent, because of the life-size one that Claire sees in her dream sequence.

Thanks for hopping by today and your next stop is Lisa McKinney!

Stamps: Claire Fairy, Nutcracker and Seasons Greetings by Paper Makeup Stamps
Paper: Cherry Cobler, Gold, Pure Luxury White, Echo Park Merry Christmas DP
Ink: Colorbox Gold Pigment, Memento Rich Cocoa
Accessories: Gold EP, Diamonds Stickles, Dimensionals, SU! Oval Punches, Long Rectangle Nesties, Prismacolor Pencils, Baby Oil, Ribbon
Challenges: F4A41 Nutcracker Suite

Blue Snowflakes and Chocolate

How's that for a title? {LOL} Here are a couple of challenge cards that I just realized I never posted on my blog! That's what happens when my son and hubby get sick and life gets turned upside down - oy!

First up is my Blue Snowflakes card. The snowflakes are from Snow Happy and the little 'thank you' is from Little Moments by Paper Makeup Stamps. I made this one for the SCS Featured Stamper Challenge FS199 from krischir's Wish Big card.

Next is my chocolate card featuring the Hershey monster from Paper Makeup Stamps. I used a sketch from CAS93 and the color brown for WT297. That perfect sentiment is from the So Sweet Set that's on sale at the PMS store right now.

And speaking of sales.... have you seen the December Grab Bags at the PMS Store yet? There is an amazing amount of rubber for low prices to be had and in all different categories - monsters, fairies, moody girls, critters, sentiments AND a huge variety bag too! Then on top of that, Paper Makeup Stamps is giving away FREE SHIPPING this month too! You can read all the details on the PMS Blog.

Thanks for visiting today and I wish you all the beary best!

Sweet & Sunny

Flutterby Wednesday - FBW133 Open Challenge
The Sweet Stop - SSS84

It's the first Wednesday of the month and that means Flutterby Wednesday has a sponsor - Karber Digital Images! The digi stamp that I have used on today's card is called Sunny Fairy. I flipped her before printing because I wanted Sunny facing the opening of the card instead of the folded side. Then I colored her with prismacolor pencils & baby oil and added lots of Crystal Stickles her wings. {grin} The sentiment is from the set So Sweet Cocoa by Sweet & Sassy Stamps. I followed this week's sketch from The Sweet Stop for my layout.

Thanks for fluttering by! I hope you'll get inky and take the time to play along at Flutterby Wednesday this week.



Stamps: Digi Stamp Sunny Fairy by Karber Digital Images, So Sweet Cocoa by Sweet & Sassy Stamps
Paper: Retired SU! DP, Basic Black, White
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Printer Ink
Accessories: MS Ribbon, Crystal Stickles, Circle Nesties, SU! Modern Label Punch, Dimensionals

Thankful Butterflies

Flutterby Wednesday - FBW132 Thank You Card
Splitcoast Clean & Simple - CAS94 Sponging
Splitcoast Color Combo - CC298 Cherry Cobbler, Chocolate Chip, Crumb Cake

This week we are creating Thank You cards with your butterfly, fairy or angel at Flutterby Wednesday! I used the Martha Stewart Glassene Butterfly Punch to make a template and sponge these three butterflies in the colors from the SCS color challenge. I love how speckled the butterflies look with the sponging technique. {grin}

The sentiment is from Everyday Thanks by Paper Makeup Stamps. Then I used the Swiss Dots Embossing Folder and my Scor-Pal to add some texture, tied some kraft ribbon on and voila! A quick & easy thank you card!

And now it's time for me to thank you for fluttering by today! Hope you join us at Flutterby Wednesday this week!



Stamps: Everyday Thanks from Paper Makeup Stamps
Paper: Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White
Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Chocolate Chip, Crumb Cake
Accessories: Cuttlebug Swiss Dots EF, MS Glassene Butterfly Punch, SU! Kraft Ribbon, Scor-Pal, Sponge

Sister Wish

Splitcoast CAS - CASwinter10CR

Well, I made it into the semi-finals for the Clean & Simple DT competition with my What If Christmas card. How fun is that?! {grin} You should check out all the talent displayed in the cards that were entered - Amazing!

The challenge for the next round is to make a holiday/birthday CAS card for a family member using their title (mother, husband, son, etc.) I chose to make a birthday card for my sister. Birthdays make me think of wishes and wishes make me think of dandelions! So, this Dandy Wishes set seemed like the perfect choice.

Purple is my sister's favorite color. I started off by printing the word "Sister" in Elegant Eggplant (Gabriola font) on a sheet of white cardstock. There's this great SU! Color Value Chart that I found on Splitcoast where you can look up how to customize any SU! color you want to use for printing.

I made an oval template with a piece of scrap paper and an oval nestie. The dandelion silhouette is stamped in black Stazon with amethyst, lavender and eggplant inks sponged around it. 'Make a Wish' is stamped in Elegant Eggplant.

And that's it! As always, thanks for visiting and I wish you the beary best!



Stamps: Dandy Wishes by Paper Makeup Stamps
Paper: Whisper White, Elegant Eggplant
Ink: Stazon Black, Almost Amethyst, Lavender Lace, Elegant Eggplant
Accesories: Oval Nesties, Sponge, Eggplant Grosgrain Ribbon, Printer

What if Christmas

Splitcoast CAS - CASwinter10KJ

I based this card on the CAS challenge to make a holiday card with some ribbon and bling. I love this quote by the Grinch from Dr. Seuss! It's one of our must-watch movies every Christmas! Here's a close-up so you can read it better.

The word art is embossed with versamark and real red ink. I used a Labels Seventeen Nestie to cut out the saying, trimmed around it with scissors and reattached it on a red panel that I had put behind the window. It gives the saying a recessed border around it. I like how well the red pops against the kraft paper.

Thanks for visiting and I wish you all the beary best!

Stamps: What If Christmas...Grinch Quote by Paper Makeup Stamps
Paper: Real Red, Crumb Cake
Ink: Versamark, Real Red
Accessories: SU! Ribbon, Labels Seventeen Nestie, MS Border Punch, Red Gem, Clear EP

Butterfly with Carnation

Flutterby Wednesday - FBW131
Splitcoast Color Challenge - CC297

This week's Flutterby Wednesday challenge is an open one - anything goes as long as you use a butterfly, fairy or angel on your card. And there is a bonus sketch that Danni put together {see below} that I used on my card. The colors Baja Breeze, Perfect Plum and Pear Pizazz come from the color challenge at Splitcoast.

I love all the rounded corners on Danni's sketch! The designer paper is from SU! Green Tea. I embossed the image from Ladybugs and Carnations by Mark's Finest Papers, then colored it in with an aquapainter and ink.

Thanks for fluttering by today and I wish you all the beary best!

Stamps: Ladybugs and Carnations by Mark's Finest Papers
Paper: Baja Breeze, Perfect Plum, Watercolor Paper
Ink: Colorbox Black Pigment, Memento Tuxedo Black, Perfect Plum, Pale Plum, Baja Breeze, Pear Pizazz
Accessories: Corner Rounder Punch, Circle Nesties, Black EP, Aquapainter

Roaring Rex

Today we are having a SURPRISE blog hop for our fellow Makeup Artist Ginger to celebrate the upcoming arrival of her baby boy. If you arrived here from Katie's blog you're on the right track. If not, you can head on over to the PMS Blog and start from the beginning.

Having two sons myself, I know how popular dinosaurs are with little boys. I just {heart} this sentiment from Dino Essentials that I paired with Rex who looks like he loves to roar, doesn't he? Congratulations on your expected baby boy, Ginger!

Now it's time to hop on over to Lisa Kind's blog for some more baby goodness! Thanks for stopping by and I wish you all the beary best!



Stamps: Dino Essentials and Rex by Paper Makeup Stamps
Paper: Basic Grey Archaic, Always Artichoke, Basic Black, Textured White
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Cuttlebug Embossing Folder, Oval Nestie, Prismacolor Pencils
Challenges: Splitcoast Sketch SC306

Claire's Window

This week's Flutterby Wednesday challenge is to make a Window Card with your butterfly, fairy or angel. I have used the Claire Fairy from Paper Makeup Stamps. We enjoy watching my niece dance in The Nutcracker every year and I just couldn't wait to get this stamp inky! {grin} Below is a pic of the inside. I'll probably flip this card over and sign on the back - I just couldn't make myself crop Claire on my first card using her, haha.

Thanks for fluttering by today! I look forward to seeing what style Window Card you create for this week's FBW Challenge!

Stamps: Claire Fairy and Embrace the Magic by Paper Makeup Stamps

Paper: Real Red, Watercolor Paper, Basic Grey Jovial DP

Ink: Stazon Black, Real Red, Barely Banana, More Mustard, Creamy Caramel, Blush Blossom, Pink Pirouette, Baja Breeze, Going Gray

Accessories: Aquapainter, Circle Nesties, Lacey Circle Nesties, Corner Tab Punch, Large Oval Punch, SU! Ribbon, Dimensional Tape, Stickles
Challenge: FBW130 Window Card

Moody for Holly

Welcome! You're making great progress through the blog hop - only four more stops to go! You should have arrived here from Christi's Altered Ambitions. If not, you'll want to start at the beginning so you don't miss any fabulous samples from our Makeup Artists. AND don't forget that you can collect letters along the way to spell out a discount code for 15% off the new release {yay!}


Here's my card featuring Moody for Holly. I just love how her hair frames her face in a festive way. That sweet sentiment is also from this month's release. {wink}

Tonight is our release party in the PMS Forum starting at 9pm EST. There's always lots of fun chatter and I heard we'll be giving away more at this party than ever before! {cheer} You've gotta love prizes!

Here is your next letter for your discount code and it's time to hop on over to Maria's blog and see what fun creation she has made for you.

Thanks for hopping by and I wish you all the beary best!



Stamps: Moody for Holly and It's Christmas by Paper Makeup Stamps
Paper: SU! Ski Slope DP, Watercolor Paper, Chocolate Chip
Ink: Colorbox Black Pigment, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip, Real Red, Old Olive, Baja Breeze, Blush Blossom
Accessories: Kiwi Kiss Ribbon, SU! Markers, Aquapainter, Black EP, Circle Nesties
Challenges: SCS Sketch Challenge SC304

Peace

Mojo Monday - MOJO163

Here's a quick card using Nature's Song from Paper Makeup Stamps and the Mojo Monday sketch. I colored the image with markers and used paper from Basic Grey Jovial.

Thanks for stopping by and I wish you all the beary best!



Stamps: Nature's Song by Paper Makeup Stamps
Paper: Red Riding Hood, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, Naturals Ivory, Basic Grey Jovial
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Accessories: SU! Markers, Long Rectangle Nesties, Labels One Nesties, Riding Hood Red Ribbon, Dimensional Tape

Got Milk?

Here I am with a second sneak peek for Paper Makeup Stamps November release! Have you been checking the PMS blog this week? There's lots of eye candy to see AND ways to win some free rubber! {wink} Now onto today's card.....

Check out this cute, but desperate, gingerbread man! Can you see the fear in his eyes? {LOL} I could not resist typing "Got Milk?" and printing it off my computer to go with him. {giggle} I know if I had a tall glass of cold milk, the rest of this gingerbread man would disappear quickly, KWIM? He's part of the new Christmas Cheer set illustrated by our very own Shaela Odd.

Remember that Release Day is tomorrow, November 7th! We'll start with an all-day blog hop at 7am EST, followed the Release Party in the PMS forum from 9-11pm EST. Hope to see you there!

Thanks for stopping by and I wish you all the beary best!

Stamps: Christmas Cheer by Paper Makeup Stamps
Paper: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Whisper White, SU! retired DP
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Circle Punches, Sizzix Lines & Dots Embossing Folder, White Gel Pen, Dimensionals, Black Marker, Printer
Challenges: SCS Sketch Challenge: SC305

Curvy Cookies

Raise the Bar - #43 Curves
Sweet Stop Sketch - SSS80

Today's challenge at Raise the Bar is curves and I was invited to be a guest Bar-Tender and play along! {grin} I've been in a chocolate chip cookie mood, so I pulled out the set called So Sweet by Paper Makeup Stamps. The cookies were embossed on watercolor paper and colored in with an aquapainter and ink.

For my layout I used this week's Sweet Stop Sketch, changing the squares to circles. The polka dotted chocolate paper is from October Afternoon and I used a MFT die for the jumbo scallops.

Thanks for stopping by and I wish you all the beary best!

Stamps: So Sweet by Paper Makeup Stamps

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Ruby Red, October Afternoon DP, Watercolor Paper

Ink: Colorbox Pigment Black, Crumb Cake, Close to Cocoa, Versamark, Chocolate Chip

Accessories: Black EP, Clear EP, Aquapainter, SU! Ribbon, MFT Jumbo Scallop Die, Circle Nesties

Scooter Chloe

Sparkle Creations - SCRSC17 Sketch
Mercy's Tuesday Sketch - MTSC98
Raise the Bar - #42 Go, Go, Go (Vehicles)
Sentimental Sundays - #27 Birthdays

I had so much fun using Mercy's sketch yesterday that I wanted to make another card with it. Mercy is a guest designer at Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps this month and her sketch is doing double duty for SCRS challenge too.

I embossed Scooter Chloe on watercolor paper and colored her in with an aquapainter and ink. I thought with the presents that she is carrying, Chlole would be a perfect choice for a birthday card. The sentiment is from the Birthday Cheer set by Paper Makeup Stamps. Papers are from Cosmo Cricket.

Thanks for stopping by today and I wish you all the beary best!



Stamps: Scooter Chloe by Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps and Birthday Cheer by Paper Makeup Stamps
Paper: Cosmo Cricket Material Girl, Cosmo Cricket Garden Variety, Watercolor Paper, Basic Black
Ink: Colorbox Pigment Black, Pear Pizazz, Ruby Red, Barely Banana, Marina Mist, Blush Blossom, Close to Cocoa, Going Gray, Basic Gray
Accessories: Black EP, Button, Linen Thread, Glue Dots, Aquapainter, Scissors

Wise Men

*For my Flutterby Wednesday post, please scroll down*

Today begins the sneak peeks for Paper Makeup Stamps November's Release and we are starting with Word Art. Be sure to check out all the fabulous samples that the Makeup Artists have created for you at the PMS Blog, as well as ways to win some free rubber! {wink}

For my card I got to thinking about the Wise Men and how one of the gifts they brought was gold. I thought the Beaded Oval Nestabilities from Spellbinders would make a beautiful gold frame and it reminds me of a crown. The crossed ribbon in the background reminds me of a gift. The word art stamp itself was embossed in gold on shimmery white cardstock and the star filled in with a yellow spica glitter pen.

Remember that there will be more sneak peeks this week and more ways to win some new stamps! Then on the 7th, we will have our release party in the PMS forum from 9-11pm EST. We hope you'll join us for some chatter and fun that night!

Thanks for stopping by and I wish you all the beary best!

Stamps: Wise Men word art by Paper Makeup Stamps

Paper: Bashful Blue, Gold, Shimmery White

Ink: Colorbox Pigment Gold

Accessories: Gold EP, Oval Nesties, Beaded Ovals Nesties, Martha Stewart Corner Punch, Corner Rounder Punch, Blue gems, SU! ribbon, yellow atyou spica glitter pen

In Style Butterfly

Flutterby Wednesday - FBW#129 Open Challenge
Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge - MTSC98

This week is another open challenge at Flutterby Wednesday - anything goes for your creation as long as it has a butterfly, fairy or angel on it.

And we have a sponsor this week. Be sure to check out In Style Stamps! I have used their Butterfly digi stamp on my card today.

I used Mercy's Tuesday Sketch for my layout and I've just gotta say that I completely {heart} how my cards turn out when I use one of Mercy's sketches! I think I'm becoming a sketch addict, LOL. It's just so nice to not have to overthink about the layout when I make a card, KWIM?

Papers are from Cosmo Cricket and SU! I decided that I wanted a totally sparkly and shimmery butterfly. I colored it in with atyou spica glitter pens. Below is a close-up of all that glittery goodness. {wink}

Thanks for fluttering by today and I hope to see your creation at Flutterby Wednesday this week!



Stamps: Butterfly digi stamp by In Style Stamps
Paper: Basic Black, Neenah Solar White, Cosmo Cricket Material Girl, Cosmo Cricket Garden Variety, SU! Delicate Dots
Ink: Printer
Accessories: Atyou Spica Glitter Pens, SU! Ribbons, Button, Glue Dots

Flutterby Colors

Flutterby Wednesday - FBW128 Orange, Purple and Black
SCS Sketch Challenge - SC304
Creative Cottage - #26 Embossing
Raise the Bar - #41 Orange, Purple and Black

This week's Flutterby Challenge is to use the colors Orange, Purple and Black with your butterfly, fairy or angel on your project. I embossed this large stamp from Butterfly Garden by Unity Stamps on watercolor paper. Then I used an aquapainter and ink to add color. The sentiment is from an Ippity Stamps set called Just Wanted to Say.

Thanks for stopping by and have a fluttery day!



Stamps: Butteryfly Garden by Unity Stamps and Just Wanted to Say by Ippity Stamps
Paper: Basic Black, Watercolor Paper, DP from My Mind's Eye
Ink: Colorbox Pigment Black, Blush Blossom, Pumpkin Pie, Elegant Eggplant, Lavender Lace, Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Circle Nesties, Gems, Dimensional Tape, Black EP, Aquapainter

Flutter By Wednesday #127

Hey everyone! It's time for Flutter By Wednesday again and this week is an open challenge. Anything goes as long as you have a Butterfly, Fairy or Angel on your creation.

Life has been full with celebrating my son's 13th birthday. We surprised him with a trip to Great Wolf Lodge and had so much family fun this weekend. His cousins, aunt and uncle were able to join us too. Then it's been back to reality with lots of school projects and homework, plus my body's dragging from a cold virus that's hit me this week. But never fear, I plan to get inky very soon and have some fluttery goodness to share with you yet. {wink}