Monday, April 11, 2011
To the Best Husband!
Two years ago, I was blessed to marry my best friend! I really can say, that I have never regretted it for even one second. Besides being one of the sweetest men that has ever walked on this earth - I have to say how amazing it is that I can completely be myself around him. We can laugh together, cry together , dream together and we will grow old together. Every day my life is better because of you! Richard, I love you will all of my heart!
Now that everyone has shared my sentimental day, I'll tell you a little bit about my card. I wanted to enter this in the JustRite challenge - which was a color challenge. And, in all of my tons of designer paper, I just didn't have anything that fit the bill. So, I used my Parisian Anthology papers from Pink Paislee, and Glimmer Misted them to match the challenge. Then, I used some of Faber-Castell's gelatos to stamp the small flowers onto my background paper. The stamp is from JustRite's Fancy Labels set. I also used the gelatos to add more intense or contrasting colors around the resist designs. My sentiment is from Baroque Nested Frames and Sentiments. Finally, I got to use one of JustRite's exclusive Spellbinders die, Nested Sentiments to cut my frame and photo corners.
Thanks for looking!
Challenges:
JustRite: Photo Inspiration
Stamp and Show: Distressing
Simon Says: Spring colors
Sketch Saturday: sketch
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Belles n Whistles Blog Hop Winner
Edited: I never heard from my first winner, so I redrew Beate Johns - I've already heard back from her so the Fairy Fond Thoughts will be heading her way. Congratulations Beate!
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Chapel Road Stamps Inspiration
Tonight was really a night for experimenting in my studio, and I came up with this canvas tag. I cut it from my bolt of canvas using the Tim Holtz tag die. Then the fun began. The center panel image is from Chapel Road's da Vinci Botanicals - and was stamped using Staz-on ink. I had just gotten the new Faber- Castell Gelatos - and I used them to color the images. To fill in the background, I used Faber-Castell's Big Brush pen - and then misted the whole thing with water. This let my colors spread out in cool watercolor effects. For the tag base, I colored it with Glimmer Mist. Then I sewed the flower panel to the tag base. I used stamps from the Fern set to overstamp the two pieces of fabric. I colored the Gelatos directly to the stamp, misted it with water and stamped. I wrote Spring on the side of the tag, and added some embellishments. For the final touch, I sprayed the floral image with Helmar Vellum adhesive and sprinkled it with a light dusting of glitter. I love getting to play with new goodies! I think I will keep working on some of these techniques much more.Challenges:
Simon Says Stamp and Show: Anything But a Card
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
It's Hip to be Square!

At Flower Soft, we are challenging you to be square (a square card at least!) If you would like to play along, just be sure to add your entry at SCS and add the keyword FSC26.
It was really fun making these stems of flowers for my card. I used the FS wires, added the glue and sprinkled original FS in lavender, violet and pale green over it. The vase is a topper from the Summer Glass Vases - and I just cut it out. The scalloped oval is from the Lavender Paper Craft kit - and was cut using the matching large scalloped ovals nestability.
This is such an easy challenge - just be sure to add any Flower Soft product to be eligible for an awesome prize.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
The Beary Scrap's April Sketch
We have another great sketch for you at the Beary Scrap! I found a really cool technique using embossing powders and copics and wanted to try it out. It's the Copics Glimmer technique and was really fun and different. For my papers, I used Basic Grey's Curio. The stamps were from Tim Holtz. Also, I made the flower using Tim's Tattered Florals die from Sizzix.We hope you will play along with us!
Challenges:
Copic Creations: your favorite copic technique
Crop Stop: Shine On
Friday, April 1, 2011
In Case you Missed it...
Scrapbook News and Review
May 2011 Call Descriptions
Deadline: April 12, 2011
Scrapbooking Strut Your Stuff
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Strut Your Stuff: In each issue of Scrapbook News and Review Magazine, we spotlight scrapbook pages of any style and genre. We're currently looking for pages in traditional paper scrapbooking that feature a clearly defined style such as Clean and Simple, Dark and Industrial, Eclectic and Freestyle, Romance and Pretty Chic, Whimsical or Fantasy, and others just ripe for the picking.
Please Note: This is for paper scrapbookers only. There is a separate call for digital scrapbookers.
Father’s Day: While every day should be Father's Day, it’s wonderful to express our love and gratitude on our pages. Even though this call is named Father’s Day, we’re also looking for layouts that honor fathers or men in your lives who have taken on a mentoring or fatherly role in your life.
Masking/Other Tape: Whether as an accent or the base of a great technique, we’re looking for layouts that use masking and other tapes in fun, embellishing ways.
Military: In honor of the American holiday, Memorial Day, this call is all about layouts that either pay tribute and honor our fallen heroes or give our enlisted service men and women the props and credit they deserve!
One Word Titles - Imagine: One world really can speak volumes and in this new continuing series, we’ll feature a new word each month. This month, we want to see pages with “Imagine” on them. The topic/subject can be anything you like, but must pertain to the word of the month.
Pets: They’re the unsung heroes of our family and they need their moment in the limelight. Pages can be of any topic/subject, all that matters is that they reflect your cute little cuddly wuddlies. All pets are eligible, no matter how small or large.
Scrap Your Stash - Photo Corners & Photo Turns: Each month, we’ll dig deep into our collective stashes for a popular or once-trendy product. For this call, please only submit layout that feature photo corners and/or photo turns.
Sketch: Please create a layout of any subject or theme based on the following sketch:
Using Arrows on Your Layouts: It doesn’t matter how you get there – a punch, die-cuts, hand cut from cardstock or patterned paper or even your photos -- we want to see layouts featuring using arrows in some way or another.
Wedding: We want to see a variety of wedding layouts ranging from the traditional clean and elegant to eclectic and full of energy. If your photos were taken by a professional photographer, please make sure to give them credit.
Cards
Buttons: They’re a great way to liven up and add dimension to our cards. What’s your favorite way to use them? Send in your cards using buttons, and the more the merrier!
Father’s Day: While every day should be Father’s Day, it’s wonderful to express our love and gratitude on our cards. Even though this call is named Father’s Day, we’re also looking for cards that can be sent to the men in your lives who have taken on a mentoring or fatherly role in your life.
Flowers: You know the old adage: April showers bring May flowers, so why should be any different? Flowers are perfect for adding color, texture and a touch of something special and submissions including handmade flowers or unusual flower techniques will get extra special consideration.
Let’s Get Together/Have Lunch/Party: Who doesn’t love an invite to lunch or a party or just to hang out? Make someone’s day and make a card that extends an invitation to have a good time with someone you love.
Shapes – Arrows: Cards can either be shaped as an arrow or have arrows prominently displayed on them, but submissions must include an arrow on them and be the focal point of your card.
Sketch: Any theme will do. Just put your best foot forward by using the following sketch to create a card:
Strut Your Stuff: We're currently looking for cards and stamped projects that feature any topic or theme. The sky’s the limit on this one!
Wedding: Wedding season will soon be upon us and love is always a fabulous reason to celebrate. For this call, we’re looking for a variety of wedding themes including invitations, announcements, shower/party invites, congratulations and so on.
Stamping
Foreign Languages and Images: You can either use text from another language or a national landmark or a piece of art from a far flung country, just something isn’t your native tongue or local to you.
Rain and Weather Elements: Spring often ushers in a wide scope of weather conditions, but rainy days and notable elements such as clouds and wind are most on our radar. What will you do with them?
Stamping calls are not limited to just cards. You can submit stamping projects of any type.
Digital
Glitter and Bling: Make your pages sparkle and show us your digital or hybrid layouts that feature glitter or bling. Go on, distract us with something shiny!
Pieces and Parts: Forget the head shots and group portraits – change up your photo compositions by zooming in or creatively cropping to show those wonderful little details. From Grandma’s hands to sweet baby toes to the beautiful smile of a significant other, we want to see digital or hybrid layouts showcasing all those lovely pieces and parts.
Stitches: Great for attaching items, stitches are a fun way to add a finishing touch to your projects. Straight stitches, zigzags or messy stitching, we’re looking for digital or hybrid layouts with stitching – no sewing machine necessary!
Whimsical: Whimsical is defined as playfully quaint or fanciful, especially in an appealing and amusing way. Characterized by artful extractions, fantastical scenes and realistic elements, whimsical layouts are certainly works of art. Show us your whimsical digital or hybrid layouts.
Digital Scrapbooking Strut Your Stuff
Digital Strut Your Stuff: In each issue of Scrapbook News and Review Magazine, we spotlight scrapbook pages of any style and genre. We're currently looking for pages in digital scrapbooking that feature a clearly defined style such as Clean and Simple, Dark and Industrial, Eclectic and Freestyle, Romance and Pretty Chic, Whimsical or Fantasy, and others just ripe for the picking.
Please Note: This call is for digital scrapbookers only.
Mixed Media
Arches – Secret Garden:Let’s take a stroll through the garden. What hidden treasures will we find? Come share your secrets with us!
Artist Trading Cards – Poetry: For this call, all submissions must include poetry as the focal theme, but can be on any theme or subject.
Artist Trading Cards – Strut Your Stuff: Grab your 15 minutes of fame and can send in ATC’s featuring any theme, style or color scheme.
Inchies – Canvas: The possibilities are endless with canvas as the background. You can use canvas in any fashion and with any theme or color scheme, but your inchies must be ON canvas.
Altered Art – Strut Your Stuff: We’re trying something new this month. If you enjoy working on altered art projects, then now is your time to shine. Please send in altered art pieces featuring any theme, subject or style. Just get crafty with it!
Mini Albums – Strut Your Stuff: The rules are the same as with the altered art call. Anything goes!
Please Note: All mixed media calls are for artists of all styles and categories including traditional paper, hybrid or digital.
Using Your Cricut
Cartridge – Songbird: Create projects of any kind or style that predominately features cut-outs from the Songbird cartridge.
Lovely Letters: Submit projects that feature letters and sentiments cut using the Cricut machine.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
The Beary Scrap - Spring and Ribbons

You have a few more days to enter the Beary Scrap's Spring Challenge - if you haven't done so yet. To wrap up the last few days of the challenge, we decided to add some ribbons to the mix.
Kimm has gotten so many wonderful new 6 x 6 designer pads in - and today, I have used Prima's Annalee collection. I added ribbons from May Arts and My Mind's eye. My stamp is from Heartfelt Creations, and I cut the frame using Spellbinder's Labels 2. The image was colored with Copics, and then I painted a light coat of Stickles over that.
Our new challenge will be posted on Friday, so mark your calendars to come back and play!
Challenges:
Friday Sketchers: sketch
Simon Says: Mother's Day/ Girlie
Mark's Finest Papers: Dry and Heat Embossing, with a pop
Monday, March 28, 2011
Belles n Whistles New Challenge!
It's time for a new challenge at Belles n Whistles - and today was my turn to host the challenge. Since I'm a sucker for anything shiny, I chose Glitter as the theme. You have two weeks to play along - you can use any Elisabeth Bell image ( not just the BnW images).For my sparkly card, I used Princess Tales. I think she will be the Belle of the Ball, all dressed up in her glittery outfit!
Please take a look at the rest of the DT's wonderful creations!
Challenges:
Waltzing Mouse: Sketch
Simon Says: Girly
Friday, March 25, 2011
Chapel Road Challenge

The last Friday of every month is the Chapel Road challenge. So today starts our new challenge - to use edge punches and the colour blue! Easy peasy, right?
Let me tell you about my card.
1. I stamped the sentiment from the Butterfly Angle set onto a light blue cardstock. Then I cut it using the Fleur de lis Squares from Spellbinders.
2. Next I cut a plain square frame from darker blue cardstock, and glued it on top of my Fleur de Lis frame.
3. On the same darker blue cardstock, I stamped in blue - so it is a tone on tone effect - the Butterfly Background. I framed this with the Fleur de Lis Rectangle - going back to the light blue.
4. I stamped a large butterfly from the Butterfly Angle set, cut it out, colored it with Smooch inks and shaped it to make it more realistic.
5. I just added ribbon and pearls to complete the card.
We would love for you to come play along with us!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Flower Soft- Furry Friends Challenge
Do you love Flower Soft? Would you like a chance to win your choice of 4 pots of the fluffy goodness? Then, why not play along with our newest challenge - Furry Friends. Entries must be uploaded to the SCS gallery and use at least one Flower Soft product (Flower Soft, toppers, stamps) to be eligible to win. Please use the keyword FSC25 and flowersoft (one word) when uploading to the Splitcoast Gallery so we can find your project.The prize this week – Winners choice – 4 colors of Flower Soft!
Entries will be accepted for the challenge until Midnight CT on March 31st. The winner’s card will be featured on the Flower Soft blog on April 1st!
For my card, I used the Charlie's Ark Sepia Card Toppers: Plant Pot Pals. I added a little color to it with my Copics. For the final finishing touch, I added a little Russet Red Flower Soft to the centers of my flowers. I just got my paper in the mail yesterday from the Beary Scrap. It is the very cute Springtime Collection from Echo Park.
We would love for you to play along with us!
Challenges:
Fussy and Fancy: sketch
