Hodge-Podge Hip Hop!

Happy Thursday everyone! Today is extra special because my baby turns 4 today! (Happy Birthday, Emery!!!) So... as you're reading this, we're out celebrating!

I want to share an amazingly wonderful stamp set that was released today by Unity! This is the 'customer kit' that everyone had a chance to vote on during the past several weeks -- and has been named 'Hodge-Podge of Happiness'. This set is just packed full of the cutest stamps!!! Good work, customers! :)

If I had to pick a favorite image out of this kit, it would have to be this crafty tree by Tanis. If you look closely, the tree is blooming with buttons and other cutesy goodness. I paired this image with some fun Sassafras paper & the layout is from this week's CPS sketch.

And... here is another one of my favorites! Isn't this pie just delish? ;) The sentiment that comes with it is just as cute. The fun 'pie' paper is from Webster's Pages. The 'hand-towel' paper that I used to stamp the pie on is from Sassafras. And yes. I couldn't resist a bit of denim. :) This pair of tiny jeans from my son has been very handy! The layout for this card is from 2Sketches4You.

Now... make your way to the next stop on the Unity Blog Hop! The beautiful, the wonderful, the fabulous.....

***KIMBER***

A New Sketch, More Unity Fun & Blog Candy!!!

Hey everyone! I have a lot to share with you today! This is my last week as a Guest Designer for Unity... and I'm going out with a bang! Unity is celebrating it's 1st Birthday, & it's going to be a FUN week for you Unity fans!!! :) There are challenges and sneak peeks every day. Today's challenge comes from by friend, Jen Buck! Create a Unity project using the colors: Baja Breeze, So Saffron, Ruby Red & Kraft. Well.... my Stampin' Up days are long gone, so I had to substitute with some PTI & Core'dinations. You will definitely want to participate in the challenges because there will be HUGE prizes given away!!! Read more on the Unity Blog!


With school's end being only a few short weeks away, I wanted to make a card for Eli's teacher, thanking her for making this year SO wonderful for all of us! I used Unity's 'School Rock Star' set along with the apple from the 'Mix Up of Cuteness' set. The gingham ribbon is from Sharon's Ribbon Shop.


Here is the same apple image etched into a glass votive holder that I found at the Dollar Store. You can find great instructions for this technique HERE on Splitcoast. I would recommend leaving the etching solution on for much longer though (I left mine on for 25 minutes). Otherwise, you'll barely get any effect at all.


And.... here is this week's 2 Sketches 4 You sketch of the week!

This week's sponsor was Norsk Stempelblad. (Say that 3 times fast.)


I have to say, these images were way out of my comfort zone... but it was a good stretch of my creative skills. ;) I have one of these sets to give away this week to one of my readers. So... if you would like to have the stamp set above, please let me know in your comment. (US readers only, please.)
I used papers from SEI's Oasis line & a sentiment from Stampendous' Sassy Silhouettes set for my card.

Have a great week!!!

Monday Mania

Wow! I can't believe it's Monday already! (I think I say this every week.) I've got a fun new sketch to show you from 2 Sketches 4 You & a little more Unity goodness too. Angela will have a project of mine posted on the Unity Blog today too, so make sure to check over there if you'd like to see more. :)

First up... here is this week's sketch by Laura!

Our sponsor this week (Wicked Princess) gave us some beautiful Bittersweet paper and cute little stamps from Technique Tuesday to work with... along with some fun Pixie Stix glitter from Pink Paislee (LOVE this stuff!). I added a chipboard heart from Cosmo Cricket & gave it some color with some Distress Stickles by Ranger.

And... here's a card I made using these fun butterfly flowers from Unity's April Kit. I stamped them onto some fun newsprint ("Norm's News" by October Afternoon) and added Kaiser pearls to the centers. The sentiment is from the "Thank You Words" kit. I REALLY love this set! It seems like half of the cards I send out are "thank you" themed. The red floral paper is by Lilly Bee ("Paris" - French Couture line) & the brown scalloped paper is from the Lemon Grass line by Crate Paper, called "Brown Sugar".

Thanks for coming to visit today! I've got some fun news to share soon too! I can't wait to spill the beans! :)

2 Sketches 4 You - 1st Birthday

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a wonderful Easter! I have 2 posts for today, so make sure to scroll through if you'd like to see more. :)

Today's 2 Sketches 4 You sketch is sponsored by DeNami Design. Make sure to play along this week to win some great Nami stamps of your own! Here's this week's layout:

I love this sketch! It's nice and simple... and something I could see myself coming back to over & over. Today, I used some fun Sassafras paper backed by dark denim fabric. You can buy this style of denim at your local fabric store and it's really inexpensive! I bought it for a sewing project and had some scraps... so I thought I'd use it in place of cardstock on my project today.
The number "1" is actually the letter "i" (dot omitted) from my pack of buck naked chipboard alpha buttons from Cosmo Cricket. I covered it in bright yellow glitter and tied a strip of denim in the button holes. The sentiment is by DeNami. Make sure to check out the 2 Sketches blog today to see what fun projects the other designers came up with this week! :)

Going Retro

Wow! I have a lot to share with you today! I've been going craft happy this weekend and finally got a few things finished that have been floating around in my mind for awhile. :) So... I have a lot to say, and hopefully you'll make it through to the end. :) I also have another fun project that will be on Angela's Unity blog today & I'd love for you to check it out too. :)

So.... I told you in an earlier post about how I purchased this fun kit from Scrap In Style that was full of 'vintage' themed products. As soon as I opened my box, I saw this shade of green and I knew I had to make a project for my friend, Libby. If you saw her kitchen... you would know how perfectly it fits her. She's got an awesome retro green fridge (maybe from the 50's???) and vintage accessories tucked everywhere.

I began by covering a Cosmo Cricket blackboard memory box with "Libby-like" papers (Urban Prairie BG, Graphic 45, and authentic OLD newsprint). I covered the newsprint with a clear acrylic sheet first to protect it... and everything was Modge Podged in place.
The monogram "L" is from Cosmo Cricket (Alpha-Buttons), painted with Juniper acrylic pant (Ranger), and then faux stitched with a fine tipped pen. I stamped the little birdie from Unity's Birdie Inspiration kit in the corner (I thought the "L" looked like his flight pattern). The fun Pom Pom trim and vintage buttons were part of my SIS kit too.

And... below is a what the box looks like opened up. I used the scalloped frame from the Birdie Inspiration set on the inside lid and then stamped the little teapot from Unity's Mix Up of Cuteness inside.

I thought this vintage fabric would be cute on a tea towel for her kitchen... so I traced the monogram letter and sewed it in place. (The fabric and the ric rack also came from my SIS kit.)

Are you still with me? ;) I HAD to make a coordinating card to go with my gift and decided to try out this week's 2 Sketches 4 You layout:

I used several of the same elements to make this 'Fancy Fold' card. (The sentiment is from Unity's April KOM set and the frame is the same image that was stamped on the inside of my box.)


When you untie the bow, the card opens up to look like this:

These cards are easy to make! Let me give you a quick tutorial using my Mini Scor-It tool:

When making a score line, it is important that you lay your card face down on the mat. In other words, the side you score should be the INSIDE of the card. Then simply start your tool in the notch above where your paper lays and start your score. This will keep your cardstock from cracking when you fold it.




From this point, you'll just adhere patterned paper on top of the ribbon and decorate the other two panels. Fold your card, tie & trim your ribbon. :) Let me know if you have any questions.... and bless you if you actually made it this far in my post! Have a great Monday!!!

The Simple Life

And no... I'm not talking Paris Hilton here. ;) It's time for a new sketch from 2 Sketches 4 You!


I have to say... I was really happy with this card. I looked at the sketch & then at this felt sticker set that I had sitting on my desk... and the whole thing came together in about 5 minutes. I don't think I've ever made a card that fast that I liked. It was a good feeling. :)

These felt goodies (the flowers, the scalloped border, & the diamond embellishments) are from the 'Together' line by Chatter Box. The sentiment is by Unity (in the Simple Pleasures kit).

Make sure to play along with the 2 Sketches team! There are always fun prizes and a lot of inspiration!

It's Sketch Time!!!

Edited to Post: (I just saw this coupon from our sponsor this week!)

DeNami Designs is also offering a special 10% coupon code exclusive to 2S4Y readers!
The Code:
March2S4Y
The expiration is 3/30/09
the discount is good for anything on the website :)

It's Monday!!!! And you know what that means! It's time for another great sketch from 2 Sketches 4 You! Here is this week's sketch by Laura:


This weeks sponsor is DeNami Design. DeNami is a great Rubber Stamp and accessories company! They have beautiful stamps with coordinating paper and other goodies. And... the winner of this week's sketch will win a prize package full of great stuff! Make sure you check out the 2 Sketches site for all of the details!

Here is my card based off of this week's sketch! I got some fun Pink Paislee paper and stickers from Michelle at Paper Addiction and had to try them out. YUM-O! I also used DeNami's Birthday Cake & Happy Birthday stamps. :)

Thanks for Being You!

Wow! It's been one of those weeks! Monday snuck up on me and I just realized that I needed to work on my card for this week's sketch from 2 Sketches 4 You! This week, Kazan came up with this fun sketch:


And... here's what I came up with:

I LOVE Kim Hughes' latest set called Forest Friendzy! Aren't these images adorable?!? Make sure to check out all of the designer's cards! I can't wait to see what they came up with! And... I'd love for you to join in the fun and try the sketch out for yourself! There are always goodies to be won on the 2S4Y site! :)

Grace Girls & a New Sketch!

It's hard to believe that another week has flown by! This is this week's sketch from 2 Sketches 4 You!!!

We were lucky enough to be sponsored this week by an awesome stamp company - Starving Artistamps!!! I really love their images (especially the Doodle Factory line) and was so excited to get to ink up this image from the Grace Girls set! The bold lines in the image makes it so fun to color!

I used some fun paper from the Friendly Forest line by Colorbok. (I found this at Michaels on SALE!!!) To make the ruffle at the top, I just cut a thin strip of paper, wet it slightly, and then gathered it together. Then, I sewed the bottom edge to secure it in place and sandwiched it between my card front and base. (I kind of like this little technique! I used it on the card in my previous post too.) :)

I hope you can find time to play along with the sketch challenge! It's always a lot of fun & usually a weekly prize is given out to one of the participants. Make sure you check out what the other designers have come up with! Their blog links can be found on the left column of my blog.

Happy Monday! :)

Retail Therapy!

Well... it's Monday! And you know what that means! (Besides having to go back to work. Bleck!) There's a new sketch posted on the 2 Sketches 4 You blog!!! This week, it was Kazan's turn to sketch it out!


I was SUPER excited to open up my box and see who our newest sponsor was this week! We got to play with some great Teresa Collins paper with our new mini Scor-it!!!! How cool is that?!? I can't wait for you to see what the other girls came up with!

I've never used a Scor-it board before, but it really makes a great impression. I think it would be perfect for when I like to use the embossed score lines as part of my design. I chose the cute pink Teresa Collins Crush folder as my main piece for my project. (I sealed the sides so that I could fit a little gift card inside.) Fun, huh? :)

I finally found a store that had these Miss Anya stamps in stock. I think they are sooo cute and really fun to color! I've been hoarding these little Amy Butler purse embellishment stickers for awhile too and was glad I broke into them. :)

Stamps:
- Miss Anya (the Greeting Farm)
- Say Charge (MFT)
Ink:
- Tuxedo Black Memento (Tsukineko)
- Snow Cap inkpad (Papertrey Ink)
Cardstock:
- PTI
Printed Paper:
- "Crush" Noteworthy (Teresa Collins)
Accessories:
- Amy Butler Sola Purses (K & Co.)
- Plastic Flowers Love (Heidi Grace Designs)
- Copic black multi-liner
- Copic Markers
- Black Diamond Stickles (Ranger)
- Long Rectangle Nestabilities die (Spellbinders)
Tools:
- Sewing machine without thread

Coffee on the Brain

As I'm sitting here getting ready to write my next post, I realized that this is the second 'coffee' themed card I've made in a row. And... I just looked over to see my ginormous latte that I made this morning sitting on my desk... glaring at me. I always do my blurfing in the morning (blog surfing) over a cup and noticed that Elzybell's has a new coffee release. I'm surrounded! Yikes! :)

Well... happy Monday again! Today's 2 Sketches 4 You layout comes from Laura!

This week, we have another awesome sponsor!!! Creative Cuts & More sent us a few goodies to try out! Their store is packed full of die-cut boxes, cards, and embellishments! I decided to try out one of their Antique Elegance frames & Gate Fold Crescent acetate cards.

Having most of my card pre-cut made this a breeze to whip together! Instead of using the belly band that came with the acetate card, I used a couple of Basic Grey magnets for my closure. The striped paper is by Scenic Route (Laurel Collection).

Isn't this coffee cup image adorable? It's part of the Confection Affection line that I found at Eclectic Paperie. All of the images are really cute! (She's colored in with a few Copic markers.)


Alright. I think I've tempted you enough. :) Now... go get a cuppa and join in on the sketch! It's a great way to start the week!

Monday, Monday!!!

I always need something to motivate me in the mornings to wake up. Sometimes it's something big and exciting... but usually it's something small. My conversation in my head usually goes something like this... "Ooh! If you wake up now, you can try that new shampoo you bought yesterday." It's dumb, but it usually works. BUT... now - I have a lot of motivation on Monday mornings because that's the day when 2 Sketches 4 You posts a new sketch and inspiration from my fellow designers. :) Besides the main sketch, a DT member will also post a bonus sketch of their own. I guess I drew the short straw, because I got to be the first to come up with a sketch. ;) Please be kind. I've never drawn up an "official sketch" before.


And... here is my card:

I've had this Spring Trees set on my desk for a couple of weeks and finally got a chance to ink it up. AND... my Jenni Bowlin Farmer's Wife goodies arrived, so I had to pair Kim & Jenni again. (I introduced them a few posts back) ;)

I wish my photo was a little better. I am SO ready for some sunshine around here! If you look closely at the top right corner, you'll see a little denim tag that I made using my son's worn-out jeans. The tree tops were paper pieced using the cover of my 4x4 Jenni Bowlin paper pack. (See below) They were just the right size!


The main purple panel that frames my tree trio is one of the Farmer's Wife Journaling cards. I use to despise the color purple... but this shade is really growing on me. :)

I hope you play along with me with the sketch! Make sure to go to the 2S4Y blog today and see the main sketch, along with all of the DT's beautiful cards!

Have a great Monday!!! :)