happy blogoversary to me!

Update: I used random.org which selected Claudia, who wrote: "Happy Blogaversary! I like to see the sketch right on your blog - thanks for doing it that way! Also, thanks for the chance to win!" so I'll be in touch w Claudia this weekend!

Hi folkes! It's my blogoversary so that means blog candy for you! I worked a bit of OT today and hurried home to take a pic of my blog candy only to have my camera die on me ... sigh ... so I tried my best to pull a few pics together in PhotoShop (and I'm NOT by any means an expert in the software, LOL!), so bear with me here!

Want a copy of the latest Stamp It! CARDS mag, a Happy Days Inkadinkado stamp set, and an assortment of studio g stamps (of which a few are pictured here)? I'm polling to help me make up my mind on something ... You see, I'm hooked on sketches and generally include a link to the sketch itself. This past month I've included a small pic of the sketch with my card which I've linked to the sketch info. Which do you prefer? That's it! I'm interested in your thoughts on the subject.

I'll draw a random number from the posts this Saturday and post the winner then (if you include your e-mail or link to your blog which includes your e-mail, I'll contact you via e-mail as well)! If I don't hear from the winner within 48 hrs, I'll draw another.

Thanx for playing!

my stampin' club fav

My fav project of last night's stampin' club meeting was my first completed project of the evening - this STINKIN' CUTE post-it note & pen holder using (mainly) SU's Just Buzzin' By stamp set with "a note for you" from another as yet undetermined set. We'd made post-it holders in the past and I've a "just a note" stamp that I've meant to use to make more post-it holders, but this project includes a gel mini pen inserted in the built-in tab holder. The bee at left is popped up using dimensionals. I've a buddy at work whose Dad kept bees and sold honey who'll probably be on the receiving end of this little beauty, but I HAD to take a pic (or scan, that is ... I still need to replace my defunct camera) of it for my blog first!

If you're interested in following along and making some, check out Dawn's Stamping Studio's video here.

spring issue S&CT

One mag I look forward to reading cover to cover has released its spring issue and they offer a PDF version online - Scrapbook & Cards Today. Click on the picture at left to access it or visit here! Enter for a chance at some uber cool blog candy while you stop by, and wish them a happy 3rd birthday!

RAK St Pat's card

A St Pat's card from my buddy Pat (of Jarbeau's Prints - link at right). I'd had this at work and just took down and switched my St Pat's things to put up Easter. Pat always seems to find the CUTEST stickers 'n embellishments - I'm LOVIN' this leprechaun!

See ya Friday, Pat - maybe lunch and most definitely scrappin' club later!

mom 'n me class

I went to a scrappy class at my LSS tonite where the lovely and talented Maria led us in making this uber cute mini photo album. I'd picked up these same papers last month and used 'em in a card (here) for my buddy Pat's daughter, and I have enuff left over for another card so this may be a matching card and Mother's Day present ... and it's SO STINKIN' CUTE that practically everybody in the class wanted to make another! It's from some new dies the gals at CAM have in stock and everything was cut for us, so it was a breeze to put together! Thanx, Maria - I'm LOVIN' it!

We used 4 different shaped dies and covered them in 2-sided Debbie Mumm DP which had matching stickers. We placed the stickers on cardstock for extra strenght, cut them out, and inserted them thruout the album, mostly popped up using dimensionals. There are pockets and matchy tags thruout ... it's just darlin'!

My camera has died ... and so the picture's a scan, which is what I'll have to resort to using 'til we break down and go shopping for another camera. First we have to research the heck outta what's available on the market. And, I'm hooked on the folkes at Consumer Reports ... research ... research ... research! We don't make any major purchases quickly - just ask me how long we've been talking about replacing our car! sigh ...

countdown - 1 day

G'mornin'! I'd intended to get scrappy yesterday and post addt'l items being added to blog candy booty over the weekend but was sidelined by a wicked cold late last week. I've been taking sinus and cough meds and they make me feel a bit loops. All I did this weekend was watch movies or golf and stay bundled up. I'm on the mend now ... just in time to return to work, eh?!

Here's a stamp set I'm adding to the blogoversary booty - a celebratory set from the kind folkes at Inkadinkado called Happy Days! Want it in time for Easter cards?

first Easter card

My first Easter card of the season! I got the oak leaf punch using a Mike's 40% off coupon a couple weeks ago and hadn't used it yet. I'd purchased it thinking it'd make good carrot greenery (and I'm hooked on leaves, remember!), and had this Easter-y DP left from last year. Had you seen the two bunnies cartoon distributed in the last couple years via e-mail? I'd intended to make a card using 'em and finally got to it! Dunno who's the recipient yet ... someone who shares my warped sense of humor tho'!

stamps: A Muse Artstamps' Chocolate Bunny, Rubber Stampede's mirror image stamp; paper: Reminisce's Easter Ribbons DP, Mrs Grossman's sage embossed crinkle cardstock, SU's Whisper White cardstock; ink: PC-generated; tools: unknown circle and MS oak leaf punches

love grows

I love trees and leaves, and have to restrain myself sometimes from picking up yet another stamp in the genre, but HAD to grab this one! This card's for my DH, to celebrate spring FINALLY arriving here in mid-Michigan. It's mostly cloudy today and the temps are in the mid-30's but it's here ... I KNOW, 'cuz my Mom called me the other day to report that her crocuses have started blooming. Both my Mom and my late MIL have had crocuses in their gardens. I generally consider their arrival a first sign of spring. That, plus on a walk around the neighborhood last weekend, my DH and I spotted a couple robins! Thanx, Amy, for the sketch!










stamps: Unity Stamp Co's Itsy Bitsy Giggles, Love Grows; paper: SU's Kiwi Kiss designer series paper patterns DP, Kiwi Kiss and Whisper White cardstocks; ink: StazOn's Jet Black; accessories: SU's Kiwi Kiss satin ribbon

happy anniv hungry caterpillar

Omigosh! How could I let March 20th slide past without noting the 40th anniversary of The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle?! One of more than 70 picture books written for children, it was a fav of my sons when they were little. Happy Anniversary, hungry caterpillar!

welcome spring!

I had to remind myself this a.m. that, even tho' the thermostat read 19 degrees fahrenheit, it IS the first day of spring! whoo hoo!

In honor of spring I'm wearing pastel today ... mind you, it's a pastel blue sweater, but it IS pastel! I'm in awe of some of the clean simple lines of cards at the amuse blog (Julie, you ROCK!) and every now and then feel the pull to try creating a simple card - hence today's one! Ive always loved queens anne's lace and recently got this stamp (part of a mini 2-pc set) from Unity Stamp Co. To make the flowers stand out against the white cardstock, I colored them in a soft pink but touched 'em up with the white opaque pen. The sentiment's PC-generated but this flower set comes with a script sentiment that reads "feel the joy," which I'll use on the inside.

We're enjoying a cloudless blue sky today and it's supposed to get into the 40's here by mid-day. I've some flex time this week so I'll be soaking up some of those rays this afternoon out of doors! Hope you enjoy YOUR first day of spring too!

stamps: Unity Stamp Co's feel the joy; paper: SU's whisper white cardstock; ink: Inkssentials' white opaque pen, Tri-C watercolor markers; accessories: unknown lilac dotted swiss ribbon

happy b'day Mike

One of my lunch buddies is celebrating a birthday today so I made this simple masculine card for him - it's got the kewlest designer cardstock paisley pattern on the front, and the inside is stamped
"HAPPY birthday
wish big
(mini cupcake pic)" - easy peasy! Trip down memory lane ... this was the first PAPERTREYink stamp set I'd ever purchased!

stamps: PAPERTREYink's paper tray, SU's short and sweet; paper: SU's To the Nines Specialty, Whisper White cardstock; ink: ColorBox Antique Pewter; accessories: unknown lt blue ribbon

countdown - 6 days

Here's some clear studio g stamps to add to my blog candy booty. I'd started buying them at Mike's a few years ago and have since bought a few complete sets. In doing so, I've ended up with some duplicates and thought they'd make blog candy fodder. Want them? Stop back next week, folkes!

Want to buy these dollar stamps by the set? Keep your eyes open for when SheetLoad ShortCuts offers another set - you may want to sign up to receive updates when they update their blog.

can you guess how old?

A gal I work with, Beth, along with her sibs will be taking her Mom out to a show and casino for her upcoming birthday and asked if I'd be interested in making a card for her. Well, it sounded like an inchie opportunity to me and is inspired by this card. I figured I could find a slot machine embellie at my LSS and a Lion King pic on the Internet ... and I had these cute cupcake stamps at home itching to be inked. So, I stopped by my LSS and picked up some new DP, and the rest, as they say, was history. I also ended up signing up for a "Mom & Me" mini photo book while I was there - just doin' my part to support the local economy!

I brought some work home but never got to that ... instead I stamped and made a quick green meal for St. Pat's Day. Tonight we opted for green eggs and ham (breakfast is my fav meal and I occasionally make breakfast-y meals for supper). I'd originally planned on reubens but realized we didn't have any Thousand Island, and was too lazy to venture out again, so punted!

stamps: Inkadinkado's Birthday Cupcake, Stampendous' Hey There Cupcake; paper: My Mind'e Eye Dreamy2 DP, A1's Natural White and Colormates' Medium Autumn Red cardstock; ink: StazOn's Jet Black, Tri-C Watercolor markers; accessories: pink ribbon, metal accent, iridescent ice on cupcake frosting

g'nite now - thanx for stopping by!

countdown - 8 days

My blogoversary's in 8 days and the latest special edition Stamp It! CARDS mag will be part of the booty. It's a nice addition to anyone's library, and filled with designer tips and techniques. I'll be adding additional items as the day grows nearer, but I've gotta run now - the youngest son is bugging me for the PC now (timed post - isn't modern technology wonderful?!)! Catch ya later!

Iris Folding, anyone?

Another St. Pat's day card, this one's my first attempt at the Iris Folding technique. To make a long story short, I'd signed up for a class held this past Wednesday with a couple friends. We'd planned on making it a Gal's Day Out, were to meet another (supposedly) non-crafty friend in Frankenmuth for lunch, then lollygag about 'til the mid-afternoon class. I ended up having to work (boo! hiss!) and sent the (supposedly) non-crafty friend in my place - as the class fee was non-refundable. Well, my buds were sweeties and played on the sympathies of the instructor, and brought back a set of the class supplies for me! Awww ... (yeah, I could hear ya!) ...

Now, these AREN'T the class supplies. They made a flower and a cute l'il Easter chick as projects, using strips of wrapping paper. And I may have blown the actual technique as I didn't actually FOLD the strips of paper I used ... it was SU's DP and much heavier a weight than the wrapping paper and I didn't want to test my abilities by trying to fold the paper! BUT it's my first time, so be kind, okay?! I used a Marvy full heart punch to make a shamrock pattern, just tracing around the heart 3x and using a craft knife to cut out the shape on some white cardstock I had on hand. Then I laid the open section down on a triangle iris template I'd downloaded (here - hint: it prints well in landscape mode) and cut some strips of complementing DP into strips ... and the rest, as they say, is history! Thanx, LaurenM, for the kewl mytimess27 sketch!

stamps: studio g's series 26; paper: SU's Kiwi Kiss designer series paper patterns DP and cardstock, white cardstock on hand; ink: Brilliance Moonlight White, StazOn's Jet Black; accessories: SU's Kiwi Kiss ribbon, Marvy full heart punch, EK Success tab punch, dimensionals

think green march 17

Two studio g stamps and a bunch of strips of my latest fav color DP - kiwi green - and there's another St Patrick's Day card! Good thing, 'cuz these have gotta hit the mail real soon! Think green March 17 - it rhymes! Shades of green's the ATSDTC40 challenge this weekend which is great timing, I think, and it's the color of the river in Chicago which gets dyed green annually the Saturday before St Pat's Day - wonder whether Beth saw it?

Today's been a golf and movie kinda day - I watched The Changeling this a.m. (creeped me out but it was good - a ***), golf followed by Diminished Capacity (****) this afternoon, and was just flicking thru channels this evening and spotted PS I Love You (****) which I'm only partially watching as I upload this. It's only got another 15-20 minutes to play and then it's time to hit the hay. Here's wishing you a t'riffic weekend!

stamps: studio g's series 26; paper: SU's Kiwi Kiss patterns designer series paper, Kiwi Kiss, Vellum, Whisper White cardstocks; ink: StazOn's Jet Black

best fishes

The queen of clean is leaving our floor at work - Leane's been our custodian for ages and Friday's her last day w us. Next week she'll be reporting to work in another building on campus. We took a collection and I made this card to accompany her Bath & Body Works gift card that we'll give to her tomorrow. All the departments on the 5th floor where I work are bringing in appetizers and desserts tomorrow to send her off in style. We're gaining a nice guy but it's still strange thinking we won't be seeing Leigh on a daily basis unless we go work out! We wish you the best, Leigh! This one's based on Jen's SFYTT sketch challenge and Tammy's Color Throwdown.

stamps: Savvy Stamps' Tall Grass, SU's Very Punny; paper: My Mind's Eye 29th Street Market DP, SU's Elegant Eggplant, Tempting Turquoise, Vellum cardstocks; ink: SU's Elegant Eggplant, Tempting Turquoise; accessories: Prima daisies, Panacea decorative accents

wanna win a FLIP Ultra?

Can you guess which color I would pick (well, they didn't have purple and brite green's my next fav ... RIGHT)?! Blog trolling this a.m. I checked in at Jan's and she noted the kind folkes at Any Lucky Day are joining forces w the kind folkes at Flip Video in making one lucky person the winner of this uber cool little video camera! Check it out here!

pullin' out all the scraps

I was cleaning this weekend for a family get-together and found some scraps from a CAM make-'n-take that I never put together (sometimes the parts are t'riffic but the project doesn't appeal to me ... or sometimes the project's a 12x12 page and I'm in the mood for cards ... what can I say?!). Well, the already inked sentiment and top mini patterned paper was with the ribbon, a couple of big brads, and a shimmery made-to-look aged hinge die. I love this sentiment and have it in a large vinyl print to mount in my to-be-set-up stamp area!

I pulled the first 3 pieces and went looking for matching cardstock and voila! Easy Peasy! Now, WHO had a challenge to use scraps this past weekend?! sigh ... It works for SCS's LSC210 challenge, anyway, and is based on Stamps and Smiles' SASSC5 sketch challenge!

stamps: dunno; paper: Cosmo Cricket's Fleuriste DP, Bazzill cardstock (dunno name, was to match BasicGrey's Stella Ruby DP), dunno tiny DP; ink: dunno ... tho' I really like the smudged ink used on the main panel ... must check into that!, accessories: unknown ribbon

heartfelt thanx, kw-style

My son's family b'day party is this weekend and I'm kicking out some thank-you cards in advance (Pat, are you shocked? read on ...). I've always loved the "heartfelt" script of this set and picked it up used last year. This week's Kristina Werner color inspiration challenge #44 inspired this card - to use chocolate chip, pink pirouette (or pretty in pink), close to cocoa, and whisper white. It's a quick card tonight - I used a 2-stamp set and stamped the flower outline in Versamark over the close to cocoa base, then matted the flower stamp on chocolate chip, added the ribbon and lace, and affixed it to the card. Easy peasy!


We made choco chip cranberry muffins for a bake sale at Geoff's school tomorrow. They've got more than their fair share of chocolate chips in 'em - hopefully folkes like that, LOL! I'm taking the day off to prepare for his party around the house but hope to take in his basketball game about noon too. So much to do, so little time, y'know?! Here's wishing you a t'riffic weekend!

stamps: SU's Heartfelt Thanks; paper: SU's Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White; ink: SU's Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Pretty in Pink; accessories: unknown dotted organdy ribbon, Martha Stewart's lace doily border punch

Shout Out To SheetLoad

This month's Sheetload of Cards is now available and they're offering blog candy again! This month some lucky stamper is going to be able to choose from one of two Fiskar's border punches. Interested?

See the March '09 issue at this post (in a new landscape format this month), and enjoy! You know me - it's all about the sketches!

in my Easter basket ...

Isn't that the beginning of an Easter song's refrain? No, it's bonnet, isn't it?! Well, CLOSE! Here's another couple projects from last weekend's stampin' get-together - a basket (looks pretty empty now, LOL!) and matching card. The basket's a simple 3x3 square panel folded in thirds, then cut at the ends to fold the paper into a basket shape. The last of the candy disappeared this morning!

Updated to add: Want to make your own basket? There's a video available here that you can follow along!

I'd found the DP earlier in a prior CTMH catty but just now when ready to upload the pic wasn't able to locate it. Ever have days like this?! sigh ... and my youngest son needs the PC (timed post - he's really gonna be done w homework before midnight - honest!) so I'm outta here! See ya later, alligators!

what a pear!

I flexed some time from work and got together w my buddy Claud to stamp this afternoon, where we reviewed how to make these 3D cards. I'd made an egg-shaped one this past weekend in a stampin get-together w friends, and thought this SU DP featuring pears would lend itself nicely to using a pear QuicKutz die I have. It ended up being almost a perfect fit to the pears in the DP - how kewl is that?!

This card's based on another Verve forum sketch - VLVFeb01 - which I just became acquainted with this past week. I'll be a regular follower from now on, that's for sure! For the uninitiated, just a quick "heads up" to let you know that Verve Stamps posts a new challenge each week on their Splitcoaststampers forum. If you upload a sketch for all the challenges for the month you're entered into a drawing for a copy of each stamp set released that next month!


stamps: n/a (PC-generated inside sentiment); paper: SU's Good Morning Sunshine DP, Old Olive, Summer Sun and Whisper White cardstocks; ink: PC, SU's Old Olive; accessories: eyelets (from a past eyelet share at Hedgehog Ink - if you visit, tell Heidi that Sue sent ya and she should give me a finder's fee discount, LOL!), May Arts ribbons

lucky enuff 2b Irish

I don't make all that many St Pat's Day cards, but loved this sketch and thought I'd make use of this kewl plaid DP that I got in a recent DP share. I stamped a repeating shamrock image on the green cardstock using the complementing blue ink, so it doesn't actually meet the requirements of the SCS Viva la Verve forum challenge. I'd not read the requirement that it also needed to be a monochromatic card, and didn't add the top circle piece, so let's just agree that this one's loosely based on Viva la Verve's VLVFeb03 sketch challenge. The two top panels are popped up using dimensionals.



stamps: studio g's series 26; paper: SU's Prestwick DP, Garden Green and Night of Navy cardstocks; ink: SU's Garden Green; accessories: CTMH's Outdoor Denim organdy ribbon, dimensionals

happy b'day Jack

Today's my brother Jack's b'day. I timed a Hallmark e-card to arrive in time; this one'll just have to wing it and arrive late to my favorite older brother who lives in California! I won some Just Johanna Odd Bird Planet stamps from Christine of Scrap Time blog fame a while ago - including this sweet owl - and purchased the owl DP in a SU DP share from Linda of Linda Stamps / Where The Rubber Meets The Road blog fame. The layout's based on - you guessed it - a sketch challenge, LOL! This one's FTL31, pictured below:



These are new folkes to me, and I'm adding their link in my "challenging blogs - visit for sketches" list so I can become a frequent visitor. I think I'll try adding a mini picture rather than just link to sketches from now on ... time'll tell ...

stamps: Just Johanna's owl, studio g's sentiment; paper: SU's Good Morning Sunshine DP, Bashful Blue and Brilliant Blue cardstocks; ink: SU's Brilliant Blue; accessories: unknown ribbon

CAM make-'n-take

Hi folkes! Just a quick note to share Saturday's make -'n- take card. I dropped my youngest off at school so he could put in some time working on a project and had some errands to run in the area so I stopped by to see what the weekly make -'n- take project was. Pictured at left, all paper and stamps supplied by store, and I didn't check into what they were. We mainly chatted, stamped, supported the local economy, and went our separate ways. FWIW, I don't recall whether I'd ever stamped images on a ribbon before. How 'bout you?

I've started collecting items for my blogoversary blog candy give-away ... my, how time flies when you're having fun, eh?! Today I added the latest ed of Stamp It! CARDS to the mix.