Digital Tuesday Challenge #13: Summertime

This week at the Digital Tuesday Challenge the theme is summertime! We are sponsored this week by Dustin Pike and our winner will get their choice of 3 images from his vast array!

My card today includes one of those images, the minute I saw these little bird cooling his jets in this birdbath I knew I wanted to use him... and with the heat wave going on right now for a good part of the nation I thought he was looking very cool and comfortable!

I decided to keep this a CAS card and use some bolder colors on it. My scalloped edges are the apron lace punch by fiskars that I cut down and added to each side of my image. I also added a small, black rhinestone to the end of my sentiment. The embossed background is by my Cuttlebug Bubbles Folder. Thanks so much for joining me today and I can't wait to see what YOU come up with!
Recipe:

• Stamps: Digital Image by Dustin Pike, Sentiment by Studio G
• Papers: Scraps
• Other: Edge Punch Apron Lace by Fiskars, Embossed Background Bubbles by Cuttlebug, Copics, Rhinestone

Stamptacular Sunday Challenge: You PARTY Animal!

This week on the Stamptacular Sunday Challenge the theme is PARTY ANIMAL!
For this challenge your projects must include at least one animal. Let's try to get wild and crazy with this challenge and make something out of the ordinary...you know, something that fits the "Party Animal" theme! Can't wait to see what you come up with!

So here's my version of a party animal...well...maybe this is an "after the party" animal! LOL... Anyway, I decided to do another cake, but this time instead of a wedding cake, I decided to do a birthday cake, I embossed my layers on the cake with my cuttlebug folder and I pop dotted the last two off the card for just a hint of dimension, I added some ribbon and some punchie flowers with rhinestones...hope you enjoy and thanks for looking today! Recipe is below:

Recipe:

• Stamps: House Mouse, Studio G
• Punch: EK Succes (flower), Nestabilities (oval and scalloped oval)
• Other: Copics, Pop dots, rhinestones, cuttlebug embossing folder swirls.
  

Dustin Pike Release: DINO's!!!!!

Ok, my mojo went on vacation with this card, don't know where it went (probably melted in the heat and humidity yesterday!), this is my 2nd attempt and at midnight I just went with the flow...or what I had left...LOL

YESTERDAY Dustin Pike gave his freebie, which was the dino background (com.plete with a volcano...very cool!) and today we have the dino's to go with it! I love the brontosaurus here, but be sure to check out his blog, he's also got the "raptor" and a "stegos" (OK, I'm NOT typing in their fully names, but you get the idea!) and a Pterodactyl! So if you have a dino loving person, this would be the perfect set to get!

Here's the recipe for my card, thanks for visiting...my mojo should be returning sometime soon! LOL...

Recipe:

• Stamp: Dino by Dustin Pike, Sentiment by Hero Arts
• Paper: DCWV
• Other: Copics, Martha Stewart Fern Punch, Square Punch by CM, Buttons by Foofala and satin ribbon

Digital Tuesday Challenge #12 - Use Your Scraps!

You know it, I know it...if you're a paper crafter you've got bits and scraps of paper laying everywhere...just the nature of the beast! So this week on the Digital Tuesday Challenge's is to use up your paper scraps (and a digital image). My entire card is made out of my scraps stash, except for the digital image (Susie Squirrel with Dandelions by Digital Stamp Oasis). The paper flower is actually left over crepe paper that I fan folded (it's a 16" length that I doubled over to 8" and then fan folded), then I secured the middle with some floral wire. Was piece of cake easy, I recycled and I think it turned out pretty cute too...

Recipe:

• Stamp: Digital Stamp Oasis, Studio G Sentiment
• Paper: DP (Doodlebug I think), SU Chocolate Chip, Yellow unknown
• Other: Crepe Paper, Button, Rhinestone, Nestabilities Circle and Scalloped Circle, Fiskars Threading Water Punch, Copics, Glue Dots
  
  
  

Such a Worthy Cause...

Lauren Meader is championing a cause to honor little Ethan Weiman. Ethan, just 4 years old, recently lost his battle with cancer. I followed this family on their blog because they were always doing something "western", riding Ethan's horse (donated by the Make a Wish foundation), going to rodeo's...so obviously this caught my eye and his mom had great paper crafting projects, so between the stamping, she'd share her ups and downs with Ethan's cancer battle.

ANYWAY, Lauren Meader got together with Pink Cat Studio and made up some adorable cowboy/horse images in digi-stamp form to honor little Ethan. All proceeds from the digi stamp set will go to the Make a Wish foundation and Lauren is holding a contest for the projects made with Ethan's digi stamp set, this winner will receive a $25 gift certificate...

Here are the links in case you missed them:

Ethan Weiman's Story
Lauren Meader's Contest
Pink Cat Studio (where you can purchase the digi-stamps)

I've got my downloads purchased (although I'm waiting on Paypal for release...LOL)...and my project in my mind...what a fantastic thing to do and I love that all the proceeds go to Make a Wish...Help if you can...let's make a difference in another child's life!

-Paula

Stamptacular Sunday Challenge: Red, White, Blue and a Star too!

This week at the Stamptacular Sunday Challenge is the theme Red, White, Blue and a Star too! This week our sponsor is our very own, Donna, one of the DT from Stamptacular Sunday!

So after much thinking, I decided to do a star box (tutorial here). This box was really easy to put together and if you look at my straight on picture you'll see why it got it's name...it looks like a star! This is a pretty tall box 7 1/2" tall to be exact and lots of fun to make! I did a bit of sponging around the edges to antique it a bit, but other than that it's pretty straight forward, the "confetti" behind the little Sam is bits of mylar streamers that I cut up... Thanks for looking, recipe is below and be sure to check out the rest of the DT's creations, lots of fun stuff this week!

Recipe:

• Stamps: All by Stampendous Patriotic Pair
• Paper: dp The Paper Studio, Cardstock all from my stash (and YES I HAVE A HUGE stash! LOL)
• Ink: Memento black, Tim Holtz Antique Photo
• Other: Scor-Pal, Copics, String, Streamers, Sponge

Dustin Pike Release Day: Planetary Party Favor

Captain's Log, star date 06.17.09. This is Captain Paula speaking...

(ok, I couldn't resist...LOL...my mom was and still is a Trekkie! LOL...a little rubbed off)

It's release day at the Doodle Dragon Studio (aka Dustin Pike) and if you nabbed yesterdays FREEBIE Moon background, today you've got some fun space images to go with it!

Who can resist this dragon in a space ship? Not me...but I've had this little circle box in my head For.EVAH! So I decided that the dragon in his space ship would look fantastic flying by it!

Isn't he cute? I altered the little sign just a bit, it comes blank so you can fill it in with whatever sentiment you want, so I added my "Party Fun" and the arrow and printed it and the Space Dragon off...then colored both with Copics, cut them out and put some Stickles on them and set aside to dry... Now let's make the box:

Planetary Party Favor
Needed:

• 2 - 4"X4" Glossy Photo Paper
• 1 - 2 1/2" X 6" Strip of Cardstock
• Brayer
• Inks
• Nestabilities Circles
• Scor Pal
• Double Stick Tape
• Scissors

Instructions:

1. Brayer the 2 pieces of Glossy Photo Paper and place aside until dry
2. After they have dried, using the largest Nestabilities Circle Die, cut out a circle from each
3. Place aside
4. Get your 6" Cardstock, place it on your scor pal so that the long edge is to your left, and score at 1/2" and 2" (this is a 1/2" in on each side)
5. Now take your scissors and cut little slits TOO the score line but not beyond it (what we are doing is make this so we can ease it around the circle), do this on both edges.
6. Place double stick tape down both edges.
7. Get your planet out and flip over to the wrong side.
8. Now bend your tabs in, so that the double stick tape adhears to the planet and all you see from the edge is a folded edge.

See SUPER EASY! I will say that this favor is just a touch rollie when you place something in it, so you might want to cut the bottom of your circle so it sits flat on the table before you add the strip of paper making it a box.

These are really quick to make and I could see doing a dozen of these easily in an evening.

Thanks for joining me today...be sure to check out Dustin Pike's new images, so absolutely adorable! Check below for the recipe:

Recipe:

• Stamp: Digi Stamps by Dustin Pike
• Ink: Marvy Uchida
• Paper: Photo Glossy Paper, White Cardstock
• Other: Nestabilities Circle, Scor Pal, Stickles, Pop Dots

It's FREEBIE Day and Dustin Pike

Have you seen the latest images from Dustin Pike? He's making BACKGROUNDS to go with some of his images...how cool is that? And today, you can pick up a NEW BACKGROUND FOR FREE! It's a "hint" on stuff to be released tomorrow....

I don't have a sneak peak for you yet...it's drying on my counter top...but it's al.most. fin.ished!

Digital Tuesday Challenge #11: Hoppin' Hang in There

This weeks challenge at the Digital Tuesday Challenge is to use Brown, Blue and BLING on your card! I decided to use this adorable frog from Dustin Pike this week...I've been coveting this frog for awhile, but had no real good reason to use him...until now!

Our sponsor this week is The Doodle Palace, you should go check out their digi-images, such cuteness! One lucky winner will be winning a few images from them... they also have plenty of masculine images that would be PERFECT for Father's Day cards! Thanks for joining me today, be sure to check out all the spectacular creations by the Digital Tuesday Challenge DT!

Recipe:

• Digital Image: Dustin Pike
• Stamp: Studio G (sentiment)
• Paper: Kraft by SU, all other are scraps
• Dies: Nestabilities Rectangle and Scallop Rectangle
• Other: Copics, Twine, Stickles

Stamptacular Sunday Challenge: Father's Day

This week the challenge on the Stamptacular Sunday Challenge is Father's Day! So I decided to do a brayered card, I actually forgot how much fun brayering can be. Now since I don't have any "glossy" paper just laying around, I did what I could on glossy photo paper that you run through your inkjet printer...and I'm pretty happy with how it turned out! Hope you enjoy, be sure to check out the rest of the dt's creations...lots of neat stuff this week!
Recipe:
Stamps: Paper Trey Ink With Sympathy
Ink: Marvey Uchida and Memento
Other: Satin ribbon, Circle Punch and Cuttlebug Swiss Dots Embossing Folder

A Fun Frilled "Hello"

I decided to join the Fun Frilled Blog Challenge this week (they were the very kind challenge blog that sent me the $300 Just Rite prize package...umm...WOW!)... anyway, the theme is SUMMER!

So I decided to go with Summery colors, bright yellow, red and green! That speaks summer to me. I used this adorable image, Susie Squirrel by Digital Stamp Oasis, isn't she just the cutest? She was colored in Copics and layered.

Do you like my flower? It's my own creation, it's felt RIC RAC! I didn't have anything embellishmenty I thought was appropriate for this card (in the color I wanted), but I had ric rac...so I made this flower...what I did was punch a circular piece of cardstock, stick a glue dot in the middle and formed my flower around it...I then topped it with a buttom...super easy and I'm thrilled with the result. I've had this ric rac for.ever. and I'm so glad I found a use for it!

Thanks for joining me today! Recipe below...
Recipe:

Stamp: Susie Squirrel by Digital Stamp Oasis, Sentiment by Studio G

Paper: dp by Paper Studio

Other: ric rac, ribbon, Nestabilities Rectangle and Rectangular Scallop, button by Foofala, postage edged scissors

Happy Hump Day!

Can you belive it's Wednesday already? Me neither, time is FLYING by this week, I've been extra busy...dh is at a horse show without me and I've been doing some MAJOR household purging... I hope to get it all done before he comes back home!

Here's a sneak peek of tomorrow's Dustin Pike releases (and psst...don't forget today is FREEBIE WEDNESDAY! There's a lot offered today, so be sure to check it out)...

I just loved this humpback whale...isn't he just the coolest? I have to admit that I had too go to ask.com to make sure I colored him in correctly...he's actually supposed to be a DARK grey, but I wanted to go just a touch lighter... When I went to ask.com and saw a few pictures of this wonderful whale, they had a few photos of them underwater and the underwater shots were soooo beautiful, I wanted to recreate it in my card...

So I tried my hand at brayering (and you'll be seeing a little more of this from me soon)...and I think I got the look I was trying to achieve, some light shining through, underwater...I'm pretty happy with the result!

So here's the shortened instructional version:

• Brayer water on glossy cardstock (psst, I used glossy photo paper), let dry, cut out with Nestabilities Circle, place on Labels 3 Nestabilities and outline in Stickles, let dry
• Print, color, cut out Humpback Whale and pop dot on brayered circle
• Add rhinestones to corner of Labels 3 and for bubbles above the whale, place aside
• Run aqua paper through Cuttlebug Bubbles embossing folder, sponge outside edges, layer on black cardstock
• Stamp "Happy", "Hump", and "day" on aqua paper and punch out with circle punches, sponge edges, added highlights with white gel pen
• Place whale on card, and layer and add Happy Hump day bubbles with a few rhinestones...

Thanks for joining me today, hope you enjoy!

Recipe:

• Stamps: Humpback Whale by Dustin Pike, Happy and Day by Studio G, hump by alpha set by Studio G
• Ink: Marvy Uchida Dye ink for brayering and sponging, Memento for words
• Paper: Glossy for brayers, rest from stash
• Dies/Punches: Nestabilities Circle and Label 3, Circle punches (EK Success)
• Other: Cuttlebug Bubbles Die, Rhinestones, Stickles, Pop Dots, Brayer, Sponges, White Gel Pen

Digital Tuesday Challenge: Boxes and Bags

Well it's time for a Digital Tuesday Challenge and this weeks challenge is Boxes and Bags, sponsored by My Graphico and this weeks winner will win an entire digi-stamp set of their choice...pretty nifty!
I decided to make a little pizza box (tutorial found here), this one used up some scraps I had laying around...the blue from my monster card and the green and pink were just laying around! I just love it when I can "recycle" (big grin!). My image is from CC Designs and it's another one of the Gingersnaps from the Let's Celebrate set...I love how she's sitting on a cupcake...too cute!

I colored her in with Copics and then I highlighted her with a white gel pen. I added stickles to my cupcake and then layered her on my Nestabilities Labels 3, tied my ribbon and stamped my sentiment...I also added little brads in the corners for a finishing touch. This was easy peasy and would be perfect for some little gift like chocolate or nail polish or..well you can think of something I'm sure. Thanks for dropping by today and I hope you play along!

Recipe:

• Stamps: Digi Set by CC Designs Gingersnaps Let's Celebrate, HOTP Happy Thoughts
• Paper: Scraps
• Other: Nestabilities Labels 3 and Circle, Ribbon, Brads, Stickles

Stamptacular Sunday Challenge: One for the Boys

Ahhh, I have my computer back again...don't ya just HATE computer problems? Me too...so sorry I'm a little late posting this week, couldn't be helped....

The Stamptacular Sunday Challenge is week is "One for the Boys"... a card/project for the man or boy in your life. So since the man in my life is primarily a cowboy, I thought he'd appreciate a masculine card.

The stamp used is by Stampin' Up, but was given to me w/o a name on the set...so sorry about that... I stamped it in brown in and layered it with my Nestabilities Label 1 dies.... I texturized to make it look like tooled leather with my Textiles Cuttlebug folder. The hat with the bandana is actually a button and a little ribbon and I wrapped the ribbon with a bit of my "barbed" wire. I then took my paper piercer and pierced the edges in a random fashion for an interesting effect.

My barbed wire is actually rusty ol' floral wire I've had laying around for who knows how many years (ah c'mon...you can't tell me you don't hoard SOME.THING! LOL)... I twisted to pieces of wire together and then wrapped little bits of wire around that to create the barbed wire effect.

Hope you enjoy, recipe is below...thanks for joining me today!

Recipe:

• Stamp: Stampin' Up Wild Wild West (thanks Ellie!)
• Ink: Tim Holtz Antique Photo
• Paper: Daisy D's Flea Market Floral (background), MME 29th Street Market (stars), SU Chocolate chip
• Other: Ribbon by Big Lots, Floral Wire, Piercing Bug, Nestabilities Labels 1, Cuttlebug Embossing Folder Textiles

ME.NEED.COFFEE!!!!!!!!!!

Hello there in blogland...don't think I have forgotten about you...the last of our out of town visitors left yesterday and we're trying to get back into the "routine" of things...we've had out of town visitors for almost a straight month...I ADORE visiting with them, but it just upsets our normal routine and I'm ready to get back to "normal" (maybe we could just convince them to move here)...LOL... ANYWAY....

It's Dustin Pike RELEASE DAY! I chose the monster obviously...and I figured this is what I look like when I go through caffeine withdrawls! LOL... ME. NEED. COFFEE!!!!!

The minute I saw this image I was drawn to it...I just love a cute, scary monster and he fills the bill.... I also knew what I wanted him to do, jump off the card at you... This card was difficult for me to photo...not because of any technical issues...it's missing embellishments... this is so "not me"...but I didn't want to distract from the monster jumping out at you! ... so here's the deets on the card.

I printed my monster 2X and colored both images and then cut out the hands and head. I then determined the square size of my monster and cut the black cs just a hair larger (1/2" all the way around)...I then found the middle of my black cardstock, made a little slit to get my tearing started and tore to the corners (but not through). I then laid my intact monster down and laid my new torn frame over that. I glued it all down then I added the head and hands with pop dots... I think he came out pretty well...no recipe today...it's pretty much all there...LOL...

Sentimental Possibilities:

M.E. N.E.E.D. C.O.F.F.E.E. (or chocolate or...)

Kids driving you insane?

Have a Monster Good Birthday!

Thanks for the Monster Good Time!

We're going to scare up some fun .... Joey's having a birthday party....

It's a pms kind of week....

Turning 50 can be scary!

Be nice...or I'll let you play with my new pet...

Digital Tuesday Challenge #9: A Sketch

It's Tuesday again and this week at the Digital Tuesday Challenge there is an adorable sketch for you to try by our own dt member, Jenn! Our sponsor this week is Digital Stamp Oasis, and the winner will get their choice of 3 images! Pretty cool, huh?

I knew the minute I saw this paper that it would go PERFECTLY with my Gingersnaps Celebrate image! Isn't she just the cutest? She was colored in with Copics, cut out with my Nestabilities Label 1 and then her legs cut out and pop dotted again for a little 3-D effect. I also included a ribbon and a swizzle stick with two olives (green beads with a red Copic dot for olives). I KNEW this sketch was perfect for my card because it required...well...OLIVES...LOL... big ones too! They were made with my Nestabilities Ovals and a small circle punch. I completed my card with my sentiment.. (and this was inspired by one of my good internet friends...Mamichelle...thanks Shell!)

One MARTINI

Two MARTINI

Three MARTINI

FLOOR!

Yes, that would be me, 1/2 way through the 2nd Martini (FLOOR!)...I'm not exactly known for my liquor drinking skills...LOL.. Anyway, hope you enjoy and thanks for looking today...below are pictures and the recipe...

Recipe:

• Stamp: Digital Stamped Image by CC Designs Gingersnaps Celebrate
• Paper: Creative Imaginations Martini, Cardstock by CTMH
• Dies: Nestabilities Oval, Label 1, Small Circle Punch (unknown)
• Other: Ribbon by ACC, Green Jewelry Beads, Jewelry Pin, Pop Dots, White Paint Pen, Sentiment computer generated