Haute Tote Gift Set

Here we are at the last day of September, I can hardly believe it!  This has been one of the busiest months for me with Operation Write Home's birthday celebration and all the fun design teams I'm on as well as family and friends.  I'm looking forward to October with hopefully a little cooler weather here in Arizona and life slowing to a little quieter pace for me.  One can hope right?!  1

My project today is a gift bag I made using a tutorial and pattern that I bought from Adela Rossol of Creations by AR.  It has SVG files with it too, but my Quickutz Silhouette takes a different type of file so I cut it out with scissors.   One day I will figure out how to get my Silhouette machine to cut it out for me maybe after I get that silly computer it's attached to working for me the way it's supposed to!

Can you tell I used Papertrey Ink Razzberry Fizz Mix patterned paper and Razzberry Fizz card stock?

I filled the little bag with some of my In Style Stamps design team cards from September so I could  give it as a gift.

Here's a photo of the bag and coordinating In Style Stamps Maggie card you saw the other day.  She's available as a digital image at the In Style Stamps Store.

Challenges: 
Digi Doodle Shop's Best - 3 D
Create With Connie & Mary - Anything But A Card

Thank You!

I have another thank you card to share with you today, this is Violet from In Style Stamps.

My two youngest kids are both in beginning band and my daughter wants to learn to play the violin.  She's playing the flute right now and her brother has started out with the required recorder and hopes to graduate to the Saxophone.  I chose this In Style Stamps image thinking of my daughter Jenny and she loves it!  I think one day it will make a nice thank you card for our friend Mr. Woody their band teacher, it's going in my stash.

Violet is colored with Copic markers and cut out with Spellbinders dies and the thank you sentiment is punched with Stampin' Up! circle punches, the patterned paper is from the Basic Grey Kioshi paper pad and the dark green organdy ribbon from my thousand yard stash.  The purple card stock is Plum Pudding by Papertrey Ink. 

Challenges:
Digital Tuesday - Thank You - Give Thanks

Princess For A Day

It's challenge day again over at Michelle Perkett Studio!  

This week's challenge is to make a card or project that's girlie with bling.  

For my card I used Princess For A Day by Michelle Perkett Studio and had lots of fun coloring her and adding Stampin' Up! Crystal Effects with SU Dazzling Diamonds glitter to her flowers and crown.  Then  I made a glittered strip on my card using Scor-Tape and Sparkle & Sprinkle Impulsive Purple glitter.   I made the card layout using a Stampin' Up! Top Note die, Spellbinders Oval dies and Stampin' Up! Oval punches along with a Papertrey Ink "birthday wishes" stamp.  

I hope you'll join in the challenge fun with us at Michelle Perkett Studio this week!  If you don't have any Michelle Perkett Studio digital images there are freebies at CDAC, PCP and SNR Card Universe and there are so many cute images for sale in Michelle's Etsy store!
Challenges:
Pile It On - Cute & Charming
Creative Craft Challenge - Glamour Puss
Tuesday Throwdown - Punches
Tellen's Place - Bling

A Crowded Mash - Monster Mash

When I saw these feet Tracey drew I had to giggle!  This digital image is called "A Crowded Mash" and it's one of the new Not So Scary Halloween images at The Stamping Boutique.  

I colored them with Copic markers and used a real simple sketch I'd seen on Stamp T.V. along with a Michael's $1 bin Trick Or Treat stamp from last year.  

My card is also one of the samples on the Stamps R Us challenge blog this week, their challenge is Halloween cards if you'd like to play along!

One more photo to share with you today!  My friend Dagmar gave me a couple of card trees and this one is filled with a bunch of cards I made this month using The Stamping Boutique images.  It's kind of fun to see all the cards I've been working on all at the same time.  I'm actually kind of amazed by how many there are!
Challenges:
All Sorts Challenges - Plain & Simple
Incy Wincy - Anything Goes
Craft Your Passion - Clean & Simple

Witch Marci by La La Land Crafts

So what did you think about the La La Land Crafts Halloween/Super Hero Release? Aren't they just the cutest stamps ever? I love them all and I'm having so much fun coloring them with my Copic markers!

If you picked up some of these cuties or any La La Land Crafts images, don't forgot to share your beautiful cards with us at our CUSTOMER GALLERY! Each month, we have a random winner selected from the gallery to win a prize! Who knows, the lucky winner might be you!

For my card today I used Witch Marci she's a new release drawn by the very talented Irina at La La Land Crafts.  I colored her with Copic markers to match the patterned paper.  Her dress looks black but it's actually purple!    I also used a Silver Copic Spica pen for the buckles on her hat and shoes.  She's cut out with a Spellbinder's die and my card layout is a Mojo Monday sketch from back in August that I really liked.

Witch Marci is one of the wonderful stamps in the Marci Halloween line at  La La Land Crafts!  This cute Halloween line was released just this last week, if you haven't seen it yet run to the La La Land Crafts store because you really don't want to miss these cuties!
Challenges:
Speedy The Cat & Friends - A Pumpkin On Your Card

Have You Met Thomas?

I'd like to introduce you to Thomas today, he's a digital image by Michelle Perkett and he's also a freebie at Crafter's Digital Art Center, Paper Craft Planet and SNR Card Universe for the members of the Michelle Perkett Studio groups on these networks.

We have a "Tag You're It" challenge going on this week at the Michelle Perkett Studio challenge blog and I made my card to support the challenge.  I had to do a quick fix after I had finished my card to make my "thank you" into a tag, as an after thought I added the red brad so it looked more like a tag.  

Thomas is colored with Copic markers and I used my Report Card paper pack.  When I saw Thomas' sweater I could see the argyle from the paper pack in it so I just had to...  I only had a small scrap of the argyle paper left too.  I applied Stampin' Up! Crystal Effects to the apple.  

I think this will be a great thank you card for my son's 4th grade teacher.  I asked if she'd like her class to do Operation Write Home Any Hero coloring pages this month and she thought it was a wonderful idea, so much so she has 2 other classes joining her.  I can't wait to see them all!

Challenges:
Treehouse Thursday - For The Teacher
Craftalicious Challenge - Thank You
Stampin' For The Weekend - Tag It

Thinking Of You

Our In Style Stamps design team is having blog hop today!  It starts at In Style Stamps here.

For my card/project today uses In Style Stamps Firefly Chloe.

My first photo is of my completed card front.  It measures 6" x 6", I used Memory Box Blackbird papers and kept my layout as clean and simple as possible to showcase Firefly Chloe and this gorgeous fall themed paper.  She's colored with Copic markers and you'll see a list of marker colors in one of the photos to come.  I used Stampin' Up! Crystal Effects on the jar of firefly's Chloe is holding to give it some shine and to make it look real.  To make the border strip I used the Stampin' Up! Spiral Border punch.

This is a photo of my card front again after I added it to my Copic coloring book.   The only difference is a pull tab at the top of the card.

This photo shows what's under the card front on the pull tab.  If you'd like to see the front of my Copic Coloring Book and read more about it, you can find it here and here.

I'd also like to tell you about a great product I got to try out courtesy of In Style Stamps.  Our design team was given a few different Glue Arts products this month to try out.  A Glue Arts Glue Glider Pro and a couple of other packages of Glue Arts adhesives.  They're really nice and work quite well.  Below is a photo of a box of cards going out at the end of the month to Operation Write Home.  There are close to 300 cards in the box, my friend Dagmar and I had an Operation Write Home card making party in honor of Operation Write Home's birthday this month.  The point of this story is to tell you we used the Glue Arts Glue Glider Pro to put all these cards together and the ones that were falling apart back together!  

Both Dagmar and I are former Stampin' Up! demonstrators so our party consisted of taking all of Dagmar's card fronts from swaps, conventions and just samples over the years and attach them to card bodies and stamp the backs with the OWH stamp.  I have more cards and Any Hero coloring pages to add to our box before the end of the month.  You can win a Glue Arts goodie pack by leaving comments for each blog post this release week on the In Style Stamps blog!

Did you know In Style Stamps is featuring Operation Write Home with a special challenge and FREE digital stamp this week?  You only have a couple of days left to enter into the challenge so go check it out! 

Your next stop on this blog hop is the wonderfully talented Kerry!

Don't forget to leave comments on each of the blogs on the hop and vote at the In Style Stamps blog for a chance to win an In Style Stamps goodie bag valued at $25.00!
 
Challenges:
Stamp Something - Fall Colors

In Style Stamps Mail Box Love

Tomorrow is the big day for new releases at In Style Stamps!

I used the In Style Stamps digital image Mailbox Love for my card today.   The image is colored with Copic markers and I used Basic Grey Urban Prairie paper with it as well as an old Stampin' Up! 6 x 6 pad that I can't remember how or when I got it.  The sentiment was a freebie I picked up from Fred She Said Designs a few weeks ago.  I used the Spellbinders circle and pinking circle dies and the scalloped border is a die from MFT Stamps.  

I really like this In Style Stamps image and this it will be fun to use over and over.

Cards for Operation Write Home comes to mind for this image.

Challenges:
Charisma Cards - Anything Goes
Thoughtful Thursdays - Use A Digi

Halloween Marci Blog Hop

Our La La Land Crafts design team is having a blog hop in honor of the Halloween Marci release!

If you arrived here from Eva's blog you're on the right track, if not start here at Everything Paper Crafts.

My card today used Pumpkin Marci, I just love coloring these fun images!  Pumpkin Marci is colored with Copic markers and the layout is something that I just kind of came up with as I went along.  The spider came with the patterned paper package that I bought on clearance last year and she's cut out with a Spellbinder's die.  I'm going to keep my post short today because there's a lot of Marci goodness for you to see!

There will be blog hop candy for one lucky winner so don't forget to leave a comment at each stop so you'll have one more chance to win!   I hope you're having a great time!

Your next stop on this hop is the wonderfully talented Jana!

Challenges:
Ann's Creative Nook - Halloween
Gingerloft Challenges - Happy Haunting
Stamps r Us - Halloween
Creative Card Crew - Autumn/Fall
Scrap Creations - Fall
Everybody Art Challenge - Autumn
Anything Goes Challenge - Cute
Mad For Markers - Use A Digital Image

Put On Your Party Dress!

My project today is for the Michelle Perkett Studio challenge that starts today, the challenge is called "Tag Your It".

I used one of Michelle's newest digital images called Put On Your Party Dress.  I colored the cute dress with Copic markers and used a Spellbinders Oval die to cut the frame in my rectangle, then I used one of my corner rounder punches.

For the patterned paper I used the phrase "put on your party dress" copying and pasting it into my word document and then printing the sheet of card stock.  Next I cut it to the size I wanted and background stamped it with my old favorite Stampin' Up! Victorian Lace stamp using Papertrey Ink's perfect match Palette Plum Pudding ink.  Try saying that fast a few times!  I also used the SU background stamp on the Plum Pudding card stock.  At the top of the tag I used part of the inside of the oval I cut out of the frame and added some ribbons from my stash and the black half pearls.


I hope you'll join us for this weeks challenge at Michelle Perkett Studio it runs from today, September 21 to next Monday, September 27th.  There will be a prize drawing by random.org for a free digital image of your choice from Michelle's Etsy store on Monday the 27th.

And... in case you didn't know it there's a new freebie for members of Crafter's Digital Art Center, Paper Craft Planet and SNR Card Universe Michelle Perkett Studio group members and he's really cute!
 

Challenges:

The Stamp Man - Distressing
Digital Tuesday - All About The Girls
A Spoon Full Of Sugar - Anything Goes
ABC Challenge - D is for Distressing

Harvest Blessings

I've been saving this card for a few weeks now, I was going to post it this last Saturday for the Digi Day The Stamping Boutique was doing on Paper Craft Planet but....  I was playing with the Candy Land Winter release images and posted those instead.  So many awesome images so little time!  

I just love this scare crow image from The Stamping Boutique, Tracey did a fabulous job with it!  It's a cute scene and fun to color,  I used Copic markers and tried to keep my layout simple to showcase my image.  The "Harvest Blessings" is a computer generated sentiment using one of the cool fonts I've found in my travels around the internet. 

I hope you have some time today to enjoy doing the things you love!

Challenges:
Paper Sundaes - Fall/Halloween Colors
Paper Playtime - Autumn 
Pollycraft - Autumn Colors 

Cheerleader Marci

I'd like to share my Cheerleader Marci card with you today!  Have you had a chance to go by La La Land Crafts and check out the new Marci line of stamps?!  This Cheerleader Marci is one of them!

My card today was inspired by a cute little girl named Lexi, she's my husbands granddaughter.  Lexi is 7 years old and a cheerleader.   She had a game to cheer for Saturday and after her game she visited with us.  I told her how inspired I was by her cheer outfit and asked her lots of questions about the colors of her pom poms, shoes, socks, etc.  The trim on her cheer outfit was silver metallic and she said her pom poms had light blue and silver metallic streamers.  

For my card I used Stampin' Up! Brocade Blue  and Silver metallic card stocks along with Carnival Navy and Neenah White.  Marci is colored with Copic markers, B91, B93, B95 and B97 went really well with the SU Brocade Blue.  I also used the Copic Spica Silver glitter pen on her trim and in her pom poms.  The Happy Birthday sentiment is computer generated so I could make it personal.

Be sure to check back here later in the week, there's more La La Land Crafts fun coming...

The Stamping Boutique Candy Land Release Day!

It's release day at The Stamping Boutique!!  The new Candy Land line is available today!!

We have a lot going on today with The Stamping Boutique, I'll tell you more about that in a moment.

I'd like to tell you about my card first.  This was such a fun card to make, I printed the ginger bread man so it would it inside the Spellbinders die and colored it with Copic markers.  I printed the Candy Land peppermint candies borders after I moved them as close together as I could as a jpg file in my Microsoft Publisher program.  That's another story!  Colored them and cut out one of the extras, applied Stampin' Up! Crystal Effects just for fun and put all the elements together.  The Sizzix large embossed dots remind me of Legos on the green card stock.  It's so nice to be using this I believe "Gamma Green" Astrobrights card stock, I have a ream I need to use up before it's old and brittle.  I even have matching envelopes, I think I should make some more of these for Christmas cards this year!! 

And now... for some more fun The Stamping Boutique news!

The Stamping Boutique Digi Image Day on Paper Craft Planet!
We at the Stamping Boutique have decided to try something new on Paper Craft Planet with you all...how does a digital image day sound to you? This will be our very first time doing this with Paper Craft Planet and we are super excited, so excited that Tracey has been working hard to put together an awesome winter image release just in time for our first digi day with you all.

Think back to when you were little...what was your favorite game? I"m not talking about computer games or video games...I'm talking about good old fashion family night fun board games. I ask this question because not only because this is the theme for our very first digi image day but also because the theme for the image release is Candy Land Winter. I know I have you interested now....you've only seen a couple of sneak peaks here this week, wait till you see the other fabulous images she has come up with!  You will have to join us to see for yourself. One lucky winner will actually win the entire release so be sure to take a look at the details below and mark your calendars. Here are the details:

The Stamping Boutique Digi Image Day
Theme: Game Night (Candy Land Winter)
Where: on Paper Craft Planet at The Stamping Boutique group page
When: September 18th, Saturday
Time: 2PM to 4PM
What to Bring: your crafting supplies
What will be supplied: free new release images, lots of great chatter and prizes
How to join in the fun: become a member of The Stamping Boutique group on Paper Craft Planet, on the digi image day we will have a discussion set up for us to chat and set the challenges so when you're there please  stop by and say hello and we'll know your ready to play!

  We are super excited about this and hope that you all will join us for the fun. You are going to LOVE this new set of images from Tracey. We will be doing 3 challenges and playing 1 game...so you have 4 chances to win some awesome prizes from The Stamping Boutique.

See you later today on Paper Craft Planet!

Polly, Dolly & William

Happy Saturday, have you met Polly, Dolly & William yet?!  Aren't they cute?!

This is another one of those fun Michelle Perkett Studio images that I just love!  I colored Polly, Dolly & William with Copic markers and cut them out carefully with a Stampin' Up! Top Note die.  I cut a second Top Note die to mat my first layer.  The card is a tri fold with lots of room inside for writing a letter.  I had in mind sending it to Operation Write Home when I was making it.

Here's a photo of the inside:

There's still a few days left to enter into the challenge to make birthday cards for Operation Write Home at the Michelle Perkett Studio challenge blog, I hope you'll come over and play along!

Challenges:
The Secret Crafter - Anything Goes
Totally Gorjuss - Wild Thing (an animal on your card)

Day 2 Sneak Peak TSB Candy Land!

I have another Candy Land sneak peak for you today from The Stamping Boutique!

This Candy Land image is called Lane, isn't she pretty?!  Tracey has done a wonderful job with these digital images!  They are so fun to color too!!

"Lane" (I think that's what I'll name her) was colored with Copic markers, she's so pretty I thought keeping my card clean and simple would be the best way to show her off.  I did add Stampin' Up! Crystal Effects to the candies and sprinkled a little Stampin' Up! Dazzling Diamonds on top. 

I hope you enjoyed my The Stamping Boutique Candy Land sneak peak!  

They will be in The Stamping Boutique store tomorrow!

Challenges:
Aly's Sunday Challenge - Sparkle & Glitter 
Die Cut Dreams - Sweet Little Girl 
My Time To Craft - Jeweled 
For Fun Challenges - Glitter & Glitz 
Phindy's Place - OWH Christmas

Candyland Sneak Peaks!!

I have a fun sneak peak for you today from The Stamping Boutique!  

I'd like to introduce you to the new Candy Land line at The Stamping Boutique, this digital image is a Candy Land Game Piece.  How cute is that?!  When I saw this gingerbread man I knew I had to have him!!  He's colored with Copic markers as are the peppermint candies, I forgot to mention the peppermint candies are a coordinating border digital image.  I love having extra elements to work with, kind of like a rubber stamp set!  I prefer digital images though, I like being able to re size them and copy and paste them all over a page to make my own designer papers. 

I also used a Cuttlebug Candy Cane Stripe embossing folder, Spellbinder's circles dies and an acrylic stamp from the Papertrey Ink Signature Christmas set and black half pearls for his eyes. 

The release date for the Candy Land line at The Stamping Boutique is Saturday, September 18th!

I hope you enjoyed my sneak peak!

Challenges: 
Cowgirl Up - Christmas cards for soldiers
Sentimental Sunday's - Christmas Cards for Operation Write Home  
(with sentiment on the front of your card) 
Die Cut Dreams - Children's Christmas 
Fussy & Fancy Challenge - Christmas Colors 
Pile It On! - Christmas, Birthday or Anniversary for Operation Write Home 

Birthday Wishes

Irina's new Marci line was released yesterday at La La Land Crafts!

Did you get a chance to go and see all the cute Marci rubber stamps she's come out with?!

There are more coming soon but that's all I can tell you for now!

For my card today I used Birthday Marci and Basic Grey Kioshi paper.  I just love her little panda bear!  Instead of using black for my panda I used a darker brown and like the way it looks with these Basic Grey papers.  My layout is SC283 from Splitcoaststampers, I haven't used one of their sketches for quite awhile!  The flower is a Papertrey Ink die that I cut several layers of flowers and put them together and bent and scrunched until I was somewhat happy with it.  The ovals are Stampin' Up! punches as is the photo corner. 

Not So Scary Halloween Monsters

Have you seen the cute new Halloween images Tracey has just put in the store at The Stamping Boutique?!  They are totally cute!  I just finished a card with her Halloween Monster and had to share it with you!  The monster's three eyes made me think of the "googlie eyes" challenge Sandy issued several days ago at Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps so I just had to make this one up first!  

I colored the Halloween Monster with Copic markers, he has a slight skin condition because I was having a hard time blending YG000 with YG11, but that's not unusual for monsters right?  I just happened to have three eyeballs in my stash and I gave him dazzling teeth with Stampin' Up! Crystal Effects.  I wanted to add some Stampin' Up! Dazzling Diamonds glitter to his teeth but I would then have glitter everywhere and for Operation Write Home that's a big no no.  My birthday sentiment is computer generated, I was thinking of my kids and I think they'd squeal with delight if they got this for a birthday card! 

I hope you enjoyed this little peak at a new release from The Stamping Boutique!  I'll be making up some more cards with the other Halloween images soon! 

Challenges:

Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps - Birthday Cards

Kah-Wink-E-Dink - Birthday Cards for OWH

Pile It On! - Birthday Cards for OWH

OWH Stars & Stamps - Googlie Eyes
Creative Belli Blog - Embellishments that start with a "B"
The Creative Cottage - Birthday Boy
Scrap Creations - Gotta Go Digi

In Style Stamps Inspiration Challenge

It's our In Style Stamps Inspiration Challenge today, and this month we've been challenged to:
Tell us what your favorite childrens book is and make a card/project based on it.

I used Janice from In Style Stamps, she comes as a digital image and you can find her here.

Here's my inspiration photo.  

My youngest children are 9 and 10 now so I had to think about this one, at this stage of life they have Goosebumps books from the library, text books and music books for practicing their flute and recorder.  They read to me out of the reading text books and I just love looking at the graphics to see how the images are colored and shaded as I listen.  Sick huh?  

I actually talked with them about this challenge and they brought me their old Zachary's Zoo book.  We loved sitting and reading that one together not so very long ago.  I had to study it for awhile before the card formed in my mind.  Below is what I came up with.

The simplest thing for me to do was use as many of the colors from the cover of the book as I could.  

Zachary is kind of in a canopy of tropical leaves so I used an old Close To My Heart stamp set for my leaves and even cut out a set of them to hang down over Janice just a little.  The Stampin' Up! Top Note die with the oval cut out is to give the illusion that she's in the jungle too.  I used a Quickutz die for leaves to make the tropical flower down in the right corner and added some tiny red rhinestones to it and I noticed the colorful toucan in the upper left middle of the book cover so I thought a purple butterfly would work okay there. 

I can't wait to go see what our other In Style Stamps design team mates have made!

You can join in the fun at the In Style Stamps Inspiration Challenge too!  Click the link above and it will take you there.

Just William

I feel like I should explain my "Just William" blog post title.  The digital image I used for my card is called Polly, Dolly & William by Michelle Perkett Studio.  I'd printed two copies and after using the first one on another card I had "just William" left over and didn't want him to go to waste, he's too cute!

I colored William with Copic markers and cut him out, my layout was a sketch but I don't remember where from now and my other computer is giving me a hard time.  

I thought William would make a perfect birthday card for Operation Write Home.  I didn't use a Happy Birthday sentiment on my card front because there was already text on the background paper and he's holding a gift.  Michelle Perkett Studio is featuring Operation Write Home this week on our challenge blog!  

I hope you'll stop by today and check out our Michelle Perkett Studio challenge!

Challenges:
Kah-Wink-E-Dink - Birthday cards for Operation Write Home

A Sneak Peak From In Style Stamps!

In Style Stamps has new stamps and digital images being released September 24th!

My card today is a sneak peak of one of their digital images called Mailbox Love.  When I saw this image I immediately thought of Operation Write Home, what a great image to use on some of the cards I'd like to make for the troops!  

The layout for my card is Mercy Kerin's sketch challenge #90 at her Lord Have Mercy blog.  The patterned papers are from the  Basic Grey Offbeat paper pad.  I colored the image with Copic markers and matted it on an additional piece of Offbeat patterned paper and a scalloped circle in white.  The "love you" sentiment is a from a Flourishes tag set, I added a button with embroidery floss to my Spellbinder's tag after touching it up with my BG 72 Copic marker, it's attached with SU Crystal Effects for lasting hold.  I also added three white half pearls to finish my card.  

I hope you enjoyed my In Style Stamps sneak peak!  Be sure to visit the In Style Stamps blog to see all of our new release image sneak peaks.

Challenges:
Bah! Humbug! - Your favorite Medium - Copics & Digi stamps
Southern Girls Challenge - Anything Goes
Gingerloft Challenges - Anything Goes
Stamping  Scrapping Central - Anything Goes

Miss You

My card today uses a The Stamping Boutique image called If The Shoe Fits.  I colored it with Copic markers, the red shoes are R32, R35 and R37.  The "miss you" sentiment is from a set by Flourishes and my layout is a sketch from Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps awhile back.

My post is going to be a quick one today!  I have some The Stamping Boutique sneak peaks to share with you a little later this week.  I can't wait to show you the new images Tracey is releasing!   

You're going to love them!!
Challenges: 
Paper Playtime - Variety
Daisy Doodles - Keep It Simple 

Sweet Dreams Marci

My card today features La La Land Crafts Sweet Dreams Marci, isn’t she the cutest?!

She’s colored with Copic markers to match the Basic Grey Offbeat paper.  The layout for my card is sketch #107 from Clean & Simple Stamping, the flowers and scalloped die are made by Papertrey Ink, the “smile” sentiment is made by Verve Visual and it’s on a Spellbinder’s tag die.  Clean and simple!

Sweet Dreams Marci will be available on September 15th along with 4 other Marci's in RUBBER! However, you can purchase the digital images of Cheerleader Marci and Marci with Rose at the Online Store now!

For my lucky readers who  live in Northern California, you can join the fun at one or 

both of our Trunk Shows!!!

 For more details about the trunk shows please see the La La Land Crafts blog.

Challenges:

Clean & Simple Stamping - Sketch #107
Totally Gorjuss - Flowers

Happy Birthday Sweetie!

I can't believe it's the weekend again already, the Labor Day holiday has made me feel behind all week.  

My card today uses a new digital image from Michelle Perkett Studio called Happy Birthday Sweetie.  It was really fun to color with my Copic markers and then I had a hard time figuring out how to put it on a card.  

As you can see, I managed.  Clean and simple sometimes looks odd and I think that's what is happening for me here, I feel like - "isn't there something more I could do..." for this one. 

The bright yellow patterned paper is from the DeLovely paper pad and the thin pink ribbon is part of the 1300 yards of ribbon I won at CHA in January.

I'd like to remind you of a couple of challenges too!  Michelle Perkett Studio has a "Stitch It Up" challenge with a nice digital image prize and Stamps R Us has a "Make a Birthday Card For a Child" challenge featuring Operation Write Home you can play along in.

Have a nice weekend ~

The Stamping Boutique Blog Hop

We're hoppin... blog hopping that is with The Stamping Boutique in remembrance of September 11th and in honor of Operation Write Home's first birthday.  If you are hopping with us you should have arrived here from Jenn's blog.  If you'd like to start at the beginning you can start here.

In remembrance of September 11th I made a couple of "Any Hero" cards that I'll send to Operation Write Home with my regular package I send each month.  If you're interested in finding out more about Operation Write Home and how you can help make cards for our nations hero's I added a link in their name for you.  The Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps blog has challenges, prizes and fun stuff going on all this month to celebrate their first birthday so you'll want to visit there too!

For my card above I used a digital freebie Numbers 6:24-26 from Fred She Said Designs and the ribbon digi stamp from The Stamping Boutique.  Speaking of freebies you can find The Stamping Boutique's ribbon as a freebie here.  The papers I used were scraps that were beside my paper trimmer.  The yellow panel is from the DeLovely paper pad.  I printed both images, colored the ribbon with Copic markers, cut circles with Spellbinders dies and arranged and rearranged the elements until I liked what I saw.  The black strip of card stock has been embossed with the Scor-Pal Scor Bug, it's hard to see in the photo.

I thought the bible verse Numbers 6:24-26 along with the yellow ribbon was perfect for my Any Hero card.  I hope whomever receives my card is blessed by it.

My second card also uses the Yellow Ribbon from The Stamping Boutique.  I was looking at the entries for the Operation Write Home Midweek Throwdown challenge and Pat has a card that totally inspired me.  I just had to make a card like hers, so card two is C.A.S.E.ing Pat!

The layout is sketch challenge #90 from Mercy Kerin's blog Lord Have Mercy!   I did see it on her challenge blog and thought, hmmm I like that.  Then I saw how Pat had made it into a card and wow!  It's one of those sketches that I've made three times now with different images and papers. 

So... as you might know this card is also one of my favorite color combination's, red, white, blue and kraft!  I added punched yellow stars to tie the yellow ribbon into it.  I also added Stampin' Up! Crystal Effects to the stars to give them some shine and depth.  The "hero" sentiment is from a Verve Visual stamp set, I masked everything but the "hero" word before I stamped it, it's cut out with a Spellbinder's tag die.  The circle and pinking circle are also Spellbinder's dies.

Your next stop on our The Stamping Boutique blog hop is the wonderfully talented Jenn!

Just in case you get lost along the way in this hop I've listed the participants links below:


Heaven Sent - Collette
Christy's Zany Creations - Christy
Two Ladybugs - Debbie
Petit train va loin - Genevieve
All About The Lowers - April
Hestia Helper - Stacie
Live Love Laugh Create - Lorie
Card Making Bird - Marie
Jen Loves To Stamps - Jenn R.
She's Gone Stampin - Jan
Create With Me - Jen McGee
Colouring Our World -  Amanda

Challenges:
Frosted Designs - Quotes
Operation Write Home The Hero Blog - Any Hero Cards
Create 4 Fun - Red, White & Blue
Our Daily Bread Designs - Sparkle
Sweet Stampin' Challenge - Just A Note
My Sheri Crafts - Thinking Of You

The Windows Are Done!

Do you remember this?  It seems like a long time ago but it really wasn't.

What you're seeing is the first day of being under construction at our house in mid July.  We've been working on replacing windows with new energy efficient ones through out the house.  

The kids thought tearing the drywall off the walls was fun.

Ohh, the mess...

The job has been done for a couple of weeks now but I've been waiting on the window blinds before taking photos of the finished project.  

When we started this project we had only one living room window.

We added two windows to this wall in the living room.  

It's such a blessing not to live in a dark cave anymore! 

I'll see you Saturday.  I'm working on several upcoming sneak peaks and other stuff that needs my attention so I'm taking Friday off from blogging (here) this week.  I hope you enjoyed seeing the finished construction project at our house.  

You're Too Kind

It's color challenge day at In Style Stamps!  

Below is our inspiration photo, I hope you'll join us at In Style Stamps for this color challenge, you have the chance of winning In Style Stamps prizes for your entry!  Click on the link and it will take you to all the details about the color challenge!

I didn't realize it until I looked around our house one day but I LOVE the fall color palette!  Strangely enough if you go room to room you'll see mostly all the same fall color scheme, it was totally unplanned and I thought I had an eclectic mix of stuff.  Guess not...

My card today was so fun to make, I chose Lizzie from In Style Stamps to work with, she comes as a rubber stamp as well as digital for us that like instant gratification.  Lizzie is colored with Copic markers and my layout was a sketch but isn't recognizable as the sketch anymore.  You'll notice I didn't use any patterned paper for this card, I used a Hero Arts background stamp on the green panel, a Cuttlebug embossing folder on the SU Summer Sun panel and a SU punch on the Kraft panel.  The tag is a Spellbinders die and the sentiment is from Verve Visual, I added a thin scrap of Brick Red card stock through the hole in the tag to look like ribbon and the flower is a Papertrey Ink die I've been dying to have!  

Be sure to stop by the In Style Stamps blog to see all of the other wonderful inspiration our design team ladies have for you today and join in the fun ~

And... be sure to check in at Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps today for the Midweek Throwdown Challenge - Thank You Cards With A Fall Theme and of course all the other challenges going on this month for our birthday celebration!

In Style Stamps will be featuring Operation Write Home September 19th, that's all I can say for now...  

you won't want to miss that challenge either!!

Challenges:
Totally Stampalicious - Paper Flowers
Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps - Fall Themed Thank You
Tuesday Throwdown - Celebrate Fall
Fab & Funky - What 'eva
Gingersnap Creations - Punches
Stamp & Create - Flowers

Hugs & Kisses

I just love this new Hugs & Kisses digital image by Michelle Perkett Studio!  I think it's going to be perfect for cards for Operation Write Home, I can't think of anyone who wouldn't want to receive hugs and kisses from their deployed loved ones.

I colored the three kisses with Copic markers E59, E57 & E55 and was quite happy with the way they came out.  I'm not used to using the darker colors and of course I used BG10 & BG0000 so I'd have mint chocolate hugs and kisses!

For such a cute image I kept my card clean and simple adding a little embossing and faux stitching and a couple of Dew Drops.  The faux stitching was easier than I thought around the Spellbinders Oval after I'd embossed it.  I need to remember that for future reference! 

I have to mention the challenge at Michelle Perkett Studio that starts today too!  The challenge is to make a card using a Michelle Perkett Studio image and use faux stitching! 

Challenges:

Michelle Perkett Studio - Faux Stitching

The Secret Crafter - Clean & Simple

Always Playing With Paper - Clean & Simple

Cowgirl Up - Anything Goes
Crafty Card Makers - Clean & Simple

Party Time

I"m loving all the new Halloween and Fall digital images and stamps that I've been coming across lately, I'm having a hard time keeping up with them all because I want to color every single one!  My card today uses a new release from The Stamping Boutique called Halloween Journal.  

I re-sized it to fit my largest Spellbinders Circles die and colored it with Copic markers.  I unintentionally tried the tip to tip blending technique when I touched the tip of my palest blue marker onto the brown I'd already colored, oops.   The patterned paper was bought on clearance last year, I'm working on using up some of that hoarded patterned paper I've accumulated over the years. 

I hope you've had a wonderful holiday weekend!  I'm keeping my post quick today, I have a couple of kids home from school, have a nice holiday!

Introducing LLLC Rose Marci

I'd like to introduce you to Rose Marci today, isn't she pretty?!  She's one of the new rubber stamps in the La La Land Crafts Marci line that will be released September 15th.  If you like instant gratification you can buy her and Cheerleader Marci as a digital image for a limited time here.  

I had the pleasure of coloring Marci with Copic markers.  She's cut out with a Spellbinders die and I kept my layout simple using De Lovely patterned papers and black half pearls. 

Have you bought any of these cute digis yet?! If so, we'd LOVE to see what you're making with them in our  CUSTOMER GALLERY on the blog so please come by and visit and share your cuties with us! You could be our monthly winning customer!! 

Just a couple of reminders--- La La Land Crafts is showcasing one new stamp in the Marci/Luka line each week and making it available for purchase as a digi... for ONE WEEK ONLY. Then, they will reappear on September 15th as rubber stamps!!

and... to make room for the arrival of our new stamp line we've decided to have a Storewide 25% OFF Sale on ALL of our previous designs*!!!! Stop by La-La Land Crafts store today to stock up on some of your favorite Lala, Rosie and of course Animals!!! This is a great deal especially when combined with our FREE Shipping on orders over $50!! *sale price will be reflected in your Shopping Cart*digis excluded

I hope you've been enjoying all the sneak peeks!

Challenges:

Stampin With The Dragon - The Eyes Have It
Gingerloft Challenge - Anything Goes