Hand Stamped Sentiments Challenge #67: Theme Challenge

Hello and Happy Tuesday! Time for another new challenge over at Hand Stamped Sentiments! This week we are having some fun with ideas for gift-giving. The challenge is to create a 3-D project with a coordinating card, for ANY occasion. We hope you will join in the fun this week and play along! :)

My project had a very specific theme...can you tell what it is? Haha! I was actually being very proactive in making a gift for an upcoming occasion. I have a friend who just loves anything and everything "cherry-themed"! I picked up a small gift recently, with her in mind and found an awesome tutorial for creating the gift box from Erica Cerwin at Pink Buckaroo Designs. Click HERE to go directly to the tutorial page. (Thank you SO much, Erica for sharing this great idea!)

So, what does the box hold? A coordinating candle that matches the theme perfectly. I picked up the candles at Bath and Body Works and they were an absolute steal. Pair them with Erica's cute box and you have a sweet gift! If you can't find these particular candles, you could always use the box for a votive candle or even some chocolates (just skip the punched piece added to the inside). There are lots of possibilities. 

I repeated the elements from the box onto the matching card and added the sentiment to the decorated inside: 

Thanks for stopping by! Be sure to check out what the rest of the Design Team has created over at the Hand Stamped Sentiments blog. We hope you will play along! Have a HAPPY day! :)


Stampin' Up! Supply List: 
Stamps: Tart & Tangy, Crazy for Cupcakes (sentiment inside box) and Sincere Salutations (sentiment inside card) 
Ink: Basic Black Classic ink
Paper: Summer Picnic DSP (ret.), Real Red, Bashful Blue and Whisper White card stock
Accessories: 2 3/8" Scalloped Circle punch, 1 3/4" Circle punch, Circle Scissor Plus, Scallop Edge Border punch, 1 3/4" x 7/8" Oval punch, Scalloped Oval punch, White 5/8" Satin ribbon, Crystal Effects, Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Old Olive & Real Red Stampin' Write Markers, Signo Uni-Ball White Gel pen, Basic Rhinestones, Stampin' Dimensionals and Sticky Strip
Non-SU! Accessories: scoring tool and baker's twine

Paper Players Challenge #46-A Color Challenge

Hello and Happy Mother's Day to all the fabulous Mama's out there! 

Especially MY Mom, who deserves a special shout-out today! :) 

It's time for another new challenge over at The Paper Players. This week the lovely Ann is our hostess and we are using the color combo of Early Espresso, Not Quite Navy and Cherry Cobbler. You can also throw in your choice of a neutral, like Crumb Cake or Very Vanilla, to add to the mix. We sure hope you will play along with us! 

These colors are so perfect for a masculine-themed card so I went for a Father's Day theme. (Make's perfect sense on Mother's Day, right? Ok, maybe not...) While digging through my stamps, I realized two things: I do not have a lot of "guy" stamps and I tend to over-use the ones I DO have. Then I remembered the motorcycle digital download available in My Digital Studio.  This is my first hybrid creation using MDS and let me just say, I absolutely LOVE the program. I was able to size my cycles perfectly, change the colors to match and print 'em out...all with a few simple clicks! I also love that you can re-size images to fit your project. Click HERE to learn more about MDS. 

I wanted to "rough" the card up a bit so I sponged all of the card stock edges with Early Espresso ink and used the Color Spritzer tool on the main image. (There is something about an "Ann Challenge" and that tool, that just go hand-in-hand...Haha!) A little twine and some metal brads finished it all off. 


The inside of the card was also created in MDS. I didn't have any sentiment stamps that seemed to "fit" so I just typed one up. The inside of the card took less then 3 minutes from "start to print", which is pretty cool. I think I will be using MDS much more often! :)

I hope you enjoyed my Father's Day creation using The Paper Player's color combo. Please stop on over to the site and see what the rest of the Design Team has created for your inspiration. We would love it if you would play along this week, too! :) Have a great rest of your day!


Stampin' Up! Supply List: 
Stamps: Plane and Simple (front sentiment, ret.) 
Digital Images: Motorcycle 
Ink: Early Espresso Classic ink
Paper: Early Espresso, Not Quite Navy, Cherry Cobbler and Very Vanilla card stock
Accessories: Square Lattice Embossong Folder, Modern Label punch, Word Window punch, Colr Spritzer tool, Crumb Cake Stampin' Write marker, sponges, Stampin' Dimensionals and silver brads

Fabulous Florets Wedding Ensemble at Craft Project Central

Are you getting married soon or know someone that is?  This great projects includes instructions for a Save the Date card, Invitation, RSVP card, Directions inserts, and Guest Book pages!  This project and the templates can easily be changed for other party themes like birthdays, showers, etc.!

This great project comes to you designed by Sonya!

To get the instructions and templates for this project, just subscribe to May at 

Craft Project Central! 

Peach, Poppy & Pear Cupcakes

Hello there! It is finally the weekend! Whoop whoop! (This post was scheduled for early this morning and Blogger didn't cooperate with me again...sigh!) I have to share that yesterday was also my sweet husband's birthday! No, this is NOT his birthday card...I don't think sparkly cupcakes are quite his "thing". :) I have a fun weekend planned for him though, shared with some GREAT friends. My card today was inspired by two challenges that I have not played with in a VERY long time. First up, I just LOVE the fabulous color combo from Pals Paper Arts this week: 

I combined those colors with this sketch from the Tuesday Morning Sketch Challenge:

I had it in my mind that I wanted to use the Crazy for Cupcakes stamp set for this card. I got the image stamped and colored then just couldn't figure out what to do with it. The circles on the bottom of the sketch really threw me for a loop. I attempted about 5 different border punches but nothing seemed to click.Then, I ran some Poppy Parade card stock through the Crimper (to mimic the bottoms of the cupcakes) and punched some circles. A few of them are popped up to add a little dimension. The cupcakes were decorated with some sparkle then topped off with dabs of Crystal Effects on the cherries. 

I also sponged some Poppy Parade ink on the Pear Pizzazz card stock and the banner sentiment. Finally, here is the inside of the card: 

Thanks for stopping by for a visit! Enjoy your day today! :) 

Stampin' Up Supply List: 
Stamps: Crazy for Cupcakes and Create a Cupcake (sentiment, ret.) 
ink: Basic Black and Poppy Parade Classic ink
Paper: In Color DSP paper pack (hostess, level 1), Poppy Parade, Pear Pizzazz, Peach Parfait and Whisper White card stock
Accessories: Dazzling Diamonds glitter, Crystal Effects, 1/2" Circle punch, Paper Crimper, Scallop Border punch, Poppy Parade Stampin' Write Marker, Pear Pizzazz Stampin' Write Marker, Peach Parfait Stampin' Write Marker, Poppy Parade 1/2" Stitched Poly Ribbon, Double Circle punch (ret.) and Stampin' Dimensionals

Cookie Box & Card at Craft Project Central

Cookies are a great little gift or favor for any occasion – birthdays, showers, weddings and more!  Why not package them to make them extra special?  This quick and easy box can be used for any occasion – you’ll be surprised at how often you use it!  This project is also a great class or club project!

This great project comes to you from Carrie Gaskin , one of the new designers for the month of May! (Click her name to visit her blog!) 

To get the instructions for this fun project, just subscribe to May at 

Craft Project Central!

Have a great day! 

Hand Stamped Sentiments Challenge #66: Color Splash

Hello and Happy Terrific Tuesday to you! Hope you are enjoying your day so far. It's time for another fun, weekly challenge over at Hand Stamped Sentiments. This week we are having some fun with a fabulous "Color Splash" challenge. Please check it out and play along! 

I knew what stamp set I wanted to use, but needed a little help putting it all together. I hopped on over to the Mojo Monday blog for some inspiration. How great is this sketch with all the layers and shapes?  :)

I used one of my favorite stamp sets, Kimono Kids, for the main image. (Click HERE for another card with this set) I just think this little gal is adorable and I really like all the details on her kimono. So sweet! 

There is a LOT of sparkle on this one! I got a little carried away, haha! Total bling count: 21...23 if you include the tiny pearls in the little gal's hair. As if that wasn't enough, I "smooched" the textured background with some Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz. I can't get enough of the Smooch. It's such an easy way to add some pizazz to any project. All of the supplies used are listed at the end of the post. 

 Finally, here is the dressed-up inside of the card, perfect for a handwritten note:

What do you think? I hope you will join us this week at Hand Stamped Sentiments with your color creation. If you need some inspiration for Mother's Day cards, be sure to check out all of the beautiful entries from last week's challenge, too. Thanks for stopping by to visit and I hope you enjoy the rest of your day today! :) 

Stampin' Up! Supply List:
Stamps: Kimono Kids and You're a Gem (sentiment, ret.)
Ink: Basic Black Classic ink
Papers: Pretty in Pink Patterned DSP, Delicate Dots DSP (SAB, ret.), Pretty in Pink, Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery and Whisper White card stock
Accessories: 1 3/4" x 7/8" Oval punch, 1 3/8" x 5/8" Oval punch, 2 3/8" Scalloped Circle punch, Circle Scissors Plus, Paper Crimper, Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz, Basic Rhinestones, Basic Pearls, Silver Elastic cord (ret.) and Stampin' Dimensionals
Non SU! accessories:  alcohol based markers, white ribbon and floral border punch

Strength and Hope Note Card Portfolio at Craft Project Central

It's the first project for the month of May over at Craft Project Central! With this great project you can make a difference while you create! This beautiful note card portfolio is great to have on hand for quick notes and it also makes a good gift for someone whose life has been touched by Breast Cancer. Best of all, when you purchase the stamp set used to create this portfolio you’ll be contributing to a FABULOUS cause, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

**This gorgeous project comes to you designed by Julie!**

To get the instructions for this project, just subscribe to May! 

 This set is part of Stampin' Up!'s Making a Difference Program and $2 from the sale of each set or digital kit is being donated to Breast Cancer Research Foundation 

(Find out more about BCRF here)

To get more information on obtaining the Strength and Hope stamp set and/or digital kit a part of Stampin’ Up!’s Making a Difference program, be sure to contact your Stampin’ Up! demonstrator!

Guest Designer at A La Card Monkey

Hi there! I am really excited to share that I was asked to be a Guest Designer this week over at A La Card Monkey. I was picked as a "Challenge Princess" two weeks ago and that is one of the fabulous perks that come with the "title". How fun is that? This week the theme is all about the furry friends! Simply use an animal, ANY animal, with the sketch below and play along. 

My card started out as a kitty card. As I was searching through my patterned papers, I just couldn't find anything that was really "working" for the feline theme. I found this retired Tall Tales DSP and loved the color combo. 


What goes better with trees then MONKEYS? Haha! I thought it was fitting for the challenge, too. I embossed these little fellas then colored in their faces, bellies and cheeks. The tree branches were made from the 2-Step Bird punch. After I cut and glued the Old Olive "leaves" I thought I would add a little dimension to them by adding some flocking. (I have a ton of this "Flower S---" stuff and never seem to use it!)  I made a huge mess PLUS the cat got into it...yup, took a little break from making the card to get the carpet cleaner out. Gah!! I really like the effect, though. 

I actually made this card for a special, little gal who is having a birthday this month. She really loves animals, so I hope this one is a hit. I used some retired rub-on's for the sentiments. I really liked that I could cut them up to place them exactly how I wanted them. I completely messed up the inside sentiment, though. It was SUPPOSED to say "Let's Celebrate!" but the "Celebrate!" got stuck to my finger in the process of adhering "Let's". No problem, I just found another rub on and made it work. :) 

There you have it! I hope you will ink up your CRITTER stamps this week and play along at A La Card Monkey. Thanks so much for stopping by today! Until next time...


Stampin' Up! Supply List: 
Stamps: Fox and Friends 
Ink: Chocolate Chip Craft ink and Crumb Cake Classic ink (for sponging around the edges)
Paper: Tall Tales DSP (ret.), Chocolate Chip, Rose Red, Old Olive and Whisper White card stock
Accessories: Clear Embossing powder, Chocolate Chip 5/8" Grosgrain ribbon (ret.), Square Lattice Embossing folder, 1" Circle punch, 1 1/4" Circle punch, Scallop Trim Border punch, Linen Thread, 2-Step XL Bird punch, Circle Scissors Plus, Glass Mat, Sponges, Hobby Blade, Cutting Mat, Multi-Purpose Liquid Glue, Stampin' Dimensionals, Basic Rhinestones, Chat Room rub-ons (ret.) and Chit Chat rub-ons (ret.) 
Non SU! Accessories: alcohol based markers, glitter glue and green flocking

Paper Players Challenge #45-A Theme Challenge

Hello there and Happy Sunday to you! Thank you to everyone for all of your sweet emails and comments over the past week while I took a little "creative vacation". It's time for another fun, weekly challenge over at The Paper Players! The lovely LeAnne is our hostess this week and she has cooked up a super-springy theme challenge to play along with: 

SO perfect for Spring, eh? Although here in south Texas our temps have been in the mid-90's for a few weeks now. So, I decided to play with some fun, summer colors for this one. I was pretty excited to break out the new Melon Mambo and Tangerine Tango Embossing Powders from the Summer Mini Catalog. Pretty much, ANYTHING in Melon Mambo is a must-have for me. :) I love that color!! 

I used the One of a Kind stamp set for my Mother's Day bouquet. As I was typing this up, I realized that the set is actually retired. I was completely convinced this set was still current...whoops! I made the "vase" by using the ornament punch, snipping off the point at the bottom of the "ornament". I know this isn't a new technique, but I still think it's really fun. Finally, I added some bling to finish things off! Let's face it, everything is better when it sparkles!

 As always, I decorated the inside of the card, with the extra scraps from the front:

Thanks for stopping by today. Please leave me a comment to say hello before you leave. I can't wait to stop by and visit everyone to see what y'all have been up to over the past week, too. I hope you will play along with us at The Paper Players with our "Birds, Bees, Flowers and Trees" theme. The deadline to link up is Friday, May 6th at midnight. Have a very HAPPY day! :) 

Stampin' Up! Supply List: 
Stamps: One of a Kind (ret.) and Teeny Tiny Wishes (sentiment) 
Ink: Versamark
Paper: Ice Cream Parlor DSP (Sale-A-Bration, ret.), Melon Mambo, Wild Wasabi and Whisper White card stock
Accessories: Boho Blossoms punch, Word Window punch, Modern Label punch, Blossom Petals XL punch (leaves), 1" Circle punch, 1 1/4" Circle punch, Scallop Edge Border punch, Ornament XL punch, Basic Rhinestones, Melon Mambo Embossing powder (from Summer Mini catalog), Tangerine Tango Embossing powder (from Summer Mini catalog), Paper Crimper, Bone Folder, Stampin Dimensionals and Melon Mambo Polka Dot ribbon (ret.) 
Non-SU! Accessories: green embroidery floss and rectangle/scallop rectangle die cut

Floral Pop-Up Gift Card Holder at Craft Project Central

Why give a gift card in a plain old envelope when you can present it in this beautiful pop-up card?  This pop-up gift card holder template can be adapted for any holiday or occasion.  Just change the greeting and make several for your kids’ teachers to show your appreciation at the end of the school year, which is coming up soon for many!

This beautiful pop-up gift card holder project comes to you designed by the fabulous, Kim Score. To get the instructions for this great project, that you’ll use over and over again, just subscribe to April at Craft Project Central!

I'm also really excited to share that I was asked be a guest designer (once again) for the month of May at CPC!  :) Thanks for stopping by today! 

Thanks for Caring...The Lost Post

Hi there and Happy Friday to you! I am taking a small "creative hiatus" this week, but I wanted to share a quick post of two cards I made LAST week. I thought I had this one scheduled last Friday and there is was, sitting in "draft" status. Grrr...Blogger! 

These cards were made from the same design, just using different color combos. The first one uses the Thanks for Caring stamp set, Vintage Wallpaper DSP, Rose Red Seam Binding and Framed Tulips Embossing Folder (sponged with Very Vanilla ink) from the Occasions Mini Catalog. Tomorrow is the last day to order from that catalog, by the way. :) 

The second card uses a lot of the same items, along with the Paisley Petals DSP, which is going to be in the *brand new* catalog which launches in July. Tomorrow is also the LAST day to take advantage of the promotion to get it BEFORE it launches. If you order $20 in SU! product, you will be able to purchase this paper (for $9.95) before it is available in the new catalog. This paper is gorgeous! At our monthly demo meeting this week, Minnie put together some awesome projects for us and now, I love it even MORE!  Thanks for the awesome inspiration, Minnie! :) 

Of course, I dressed up the "inside's" of both cards with the scraps: 

Thanks for stopping by today and I'm sorry I have been SO absent this week. Lots going on here and I just needed to take a short "break". I hope you all had a great week out there! Until next time....

Have a HAPPY day! :) 

Bustier Favor Box and Card at Craft Project Central

Here is a cute little box that would make great favors for a bridal shower!  Use the matching card as a cute bridal shower invite!  Or change up the theme and colors and use it for other types of parties.  The possibilities are endless when you change the colors, embossing folders and more! 

This cute project comes to you designed by Marisol!

To get the instructions for this project, just subscribe to April at Craft Project Central!