Favorite Occasion at AYLI

Welcome back to my blog everyone! For the next 2 weeks, we are looking for one of your "favorite occasions and why" over at As You Like It challenge blog....come and check it out:

 

The sponsor of this challenge is

Bunny Zoe
£10.00

This fortnight's challenge theme is to showcase a project using 
your Favourite Occasion (& why).

 

You MUST explain WHY it is your favourite.

 

I have always loved a good birthday party!! Now that my kids are older and don't have parties, I thoroughly enjoy all my nieces and nephews parties when I can go...I love their excitement, energy and of course the scrumptious cupcakes/cakes and spending time with family....this cute set is from Your Next Stamp - perfect for birthday celebrations!

Come on over to the As You Like It challenge blog HERE and see what other favorite occasions are happening with the rest of my talented co-members!! Link up your favorite for us as well! Cheers!

Twisted Tuesday {Pink as All Outdoors!}

Happy "Twisted Tuesday!"

Are you all ready for another amazing challenge for the next couple weeks?

Awesome...the challenge over at Twisted Tuesday Challenges this week is extra special to our wonderful leader, Melina, as it is her daughter's birthday and she wants to celebrate with some of her girls' favorite things:

The challenge for the next couple weeks is: PINK AS ALL OUTDOORS!

Her daughter loves PINK (so create something with PINK on it) and she loves to be outside - so the TWIST this week is to show us outdoor stuff as well.

Here's my card for this week's challenge:

We have a new sponsor this month:

http://www.stampandcreate.com

I am entering my card into the following challenges as well:

Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes Birthday
One Crazy Stamper - August Birthday Challenge

 Thanks for stopping in today and I do hope you get some time to come and get crafty with us girls over at Twisted Tuesday Challenges!! Happy crafting!!

A Saturday 3-in-1 with DD, OCS and Seize the Birthday!

Happy Saturday PEEPS! Are you ready for a new color challenge? This week at Dynamic Duos, we're showing off this GORGEOUS color combination with the Dessert Option of EMBOSSING:

I decided to dig out my favorite embossing folders and a new stamp set I ordered from Reverse Confetti a couple weeks ago, called "Celebrate Cake" and whip up a birthday card for another very special lady in my life who I don't see very often - she is like a Mom to me and I miss her dearly! Bon Bon, we need to get together soon and craft with Tamie and possibly Leanne too! :) What a hoot that would be!! I know you will probably see this before your card, but I sure hope you have a wonderful day - you deserve it! xoxoxoxo

This color combination is one of my ultimate favorites! I love light blue/black together - it has such WOW factor, in my opinion! Then, you add some wonderful textures like the embossing folders offer and POW! An explosive POP of awesomeness :D Yep, that's a "Lori word" ;)

I am also entering this card into the following challenges:

One Crazy Stamper - Birthdays
Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes Birthday

I hope you can find some time to sit, enjoy a java or tea, and come get crafty with us over at Dynamic Duos...here is the list of Design Team Members and all their glorious creations:

The Dynamic Duos Challenge Blog

Alison Barclay

Anne Marie Hile

Debbie Henderson

Hayley Kew

Janet Bagnall

Janet Zeppa

Michelle Williams

Susie Wittwer

Tara Bourgoin

Tracey McNeely

Dynamic Duos #63 {Monochromatic} & Seize The Birthday

Welcome back to another challenge post from Dynamic Duos! This week we have a monochromatic scheme for y'all to get crafty with:

At first, this combination threw me off...took a bit of "thinking" and trying a few different techniques before I came up with this one:

Stamps: Mosaic Madness - Stampin' Up! and Birthday Greetings - Paper Smooches
Ink: Garden Green and Pear Pizzazz
Paper: Very Vanilla, Garden Green and Pear Pizzazz
Accessories: Spellbinders, large pearl, Martha Stewart border punch, dimensionals, Mosaic embossing folder

I am entering this card into Seize The Birthday -  July Linky Party

Please feel free to stop by and say hello to the rest of the Dynamic Ladies! 

Alison Barclay / Debbie Henderson/ Janet Bagnall/ Janet Zeppa / Lori Turner / Michelle Williams / Susie Wittwer / Tracey McNeely / Tara Bourgoin / Lesley Croghan (Challenge Creator) / Anne Marie Hile (Challenge Manager)

Gettin' in Shape with Totally Stampalicious!!

Hi all! The challenge over at Totally Stampalicious this week is "GET IN SHAPE! Create a card in any shape EXCEPT a square or rectangle!" I decided to dig through my stash and I came across my Stampin' Up! Scallop Circle die to create my card base....

I then went digging through all my wonderful Totally Stampalicious stamp sets and came across this cute patootie - Sweet Birthday Kids to use on my card front...hope you enjoy him as much as I did coloring him and bringing him to life! :)

Stamps: Sweet Birthday Kids - Totally Stampalicious
Paper: Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, Lime Twist DP - MME
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Versafine Onyx Black
Accessories: SU Scallop Circle die, Spellbinders, Copic Markers, pearls, SU Modern Label punch, dimensionals

Now, hop on over to the Totally Stampalicious Challenge Blog - HERE - to see all the wonderfully different shaped cards the rest of the DREAM TEAM has created for you! Ciao!

4 Crafty Chicks #80 - Sketch Challenge

Welcome back to 4 Crafty Chicks Thursday!

This week, Melissa has a wonderful sketch for us all to play along with:

I also found this color combo from The Color Throwdown and incorporated my new papers from Echo Park:

And here is the card I created using this week's sketch:

Stamps: Birthday Phrases (Verve)
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Real Red, Whisper White, Lucky Limeade, Splash DP (Echo Park)
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Stacking Stars Die-Namics (MFT), Modern Label Punch, Word Window Punch, Dimensionals, pearls, scallop edge punch

I am entering my card into the following challenges:

Pile it On - Seeing Spots or Stripes!
Divas by Design - Favorite Things (I used my favorite scallop border punch from SU!)
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
Crafty Creations - Stripes
Polka Doodles - Polka Dots, Stripes or both
Lollipop Crafts - Clean and Simple

Thanks for the awesome CAS sketch, Melissa! I really enjoyed this one - I usually have difficulty making this type of card, but this one came together in less than 15 minutes! Love that!

Be sure to check out the rest of the DT's work over at the 4 Crafty Chicks Challenge Blog and link up your creation so that we can leave you some lovin' too! Happy crafting!

Using Textures at Totally Stampalicious!

Happy Totally Stampalicious Monday to you all! This week the gals have issued a "TEXTURES" challenge...we want to see any sort of texture on your projects - fabric, embossing etc. 

For my card I used Stella Birthday - this gal cracks me up every time I "stamp her to life." For my "texture," I dry embossed the brown panel behind Stella and added some green/white baker's twine. She makes me smile - and I hope I made you smile too :)

Stamps: Stella Birthday (Totally Stampalicious)
Ink: Early Espresso, Momento Tuxedo Black
Paper: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Whisper White, Offbeat (Basic Grey)
Accessories: Copic Markers, Swiss Dots EF; oval punches, bakers twine, dimensionals

Please be sure to hop on over to the Totally Stampalicious Challenge Blog and play along with us this week - we'd love to see what you come up with for this week! Happy crafting!

Getting Colorful at 4 Crafty Chicks!

Good morning! Welcome back to my blog :) Today, our wonderful Leanne is our "hostess-with-the-mostess" over at 4 Crafty Chicks and she has given us this wonderful color swatch to work with:

for my card this week, I decided to go very CAS...I was running behind on time and deadlines, so this is the awesome sketch I used from Clean and Simple Stamping:

Stamps: Occasional Quotes (SU!)
Ink: Early Espresso
Paper: Sahara Sand, Early Espresso, Riding Hood Red, Marina Mist
Accessories: word window punch, modern label punch, star punches, marker, dimensionals, diamond embossing folder, pearls

Thanks so much for stopping in today! I hope you take some time to check out the other 3 Chicks' blogs - their links are on the right, and to participate in this week's challenge! Happy crafting!

Pokin' a Little Fun at 4 Crafty Chicks!

Good morning!! Welcome back....are you ready for another challenge from 4 Crafty Chicks? I am the "hostess-with-the-mostess" this week and I'm issuing a FABBY challenge for y'all to try :) This week, I want to see PINS on your projects (can be push pins, safety pins, stick pins...etc.) 

This is my card using a gorgeous stick pin made by my wonderful, talented friend, Leanne! She gave me a bag of 4 pins in my Christmas goodie bag! Thanks again girlie! xoxoox

Stamps: CC Designs, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper: Bravo Burgundy, Whisper White, Blush DP (MME)
Ink: Tuxedo Black Memento
Accessories: Copic markers, word window punch, modern label punch, Spellbinders, button, ribbon, bakers twine, dimensionals, pearls, push pin


Be sure to hop on over to the challenge blog HERE to link up your card, scrapbook page, 3D altered item, etc..I cannot wait to see the wonderful creations using PINS! For more awesome inspiration, check out the other 3 Chicks cards - links are on my right hand side bar! CHEERS!!!

4 CCC#66 Happy Birthday!

Happy Thursday crafty PEEPS! Miss Leanne is our "hostess-with-the-mostess" this week over at 4 Crafty Chicks and she has issued a "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" challenge (it's her birthday this month, don'tchya know?!?) to all of you! It can be a card, scrapbook page, 3D project...the list is endless!

For my card, I decided to dig out some neglected Verve-a-liciousness and found a card on their gallery to CASE. Thank you to Jackie Pedro, for the awesome idea! When I came across her gorgeous card, I immediately thought of my beautiful daughter, who's birthday is at the end of December...so this one is for her:

Stamps: Bloom & Grow, Love Deepens (Verve), Stitchery Doo (SP & Co.); Paper: Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Life of The Party DP (Lime Twist); Ink: Chocolate Chip, Lucky Limeade, Poppy Parade; Accessories: Verve dies, nestablilties, brad, dimensionals, sponge

This month, we have a new Guest Designer, Dee, so be sure to check out her wonderful creation along with the other 3 Chicks HERE....we'd love to have you join us this week so dig out those birthday stamps, pictures, pennants, balloons, candles, cakes or whatever you've got to make a birthday project for us! Happy crafting!

Happy Birthday - Halloween Style

Happy Monday everyone! How was everyone's weekend? Mine was absolutely incredible - I got to go with my gym buddy, Melissa, to Banff as she ran in the Melissa's 10K Run!!! There is just something so majestic, breath-taking  and calming about the Rocky Mountains...she ran a phenomenal race and I'm so very, very proud of her!! Someday, I'm *hoping* to run along side her!

 Alright - onto this week's business! Megan has issued a very pretty color combination for y'all this week :) When I first saw it, I was going to do a Halloween card. However, I do not "do" Halloween much around here so I decided to try and make a different kind of card....it still screams "Halloween" to me but I really like how it turned out and I'm *SURE* that there are people out there who have a birthday on Halloween, RIGHT!?!? *giggle*

Stamps: Perfectly Penned; Paper: Basic Black, Calypso Coral, Old Olive, Whisper White, Ink: Versafine Onyx Black; Accessories: flowers, black taffeta ribbon, pearls, vintage wallpaper embossing folder, paper piercer, felt pen, martha leaf punch, glue dots, brads

Be sure to check out the rest of the PPC Design Team's wonderful creations using these colors HERE and take some time to play along! Happy crafting!

Happy Birthday to the Girls!!!

Hello everyone! Are you ready for another challenge? Totally Stampalicious wants to see some birthday cards for GIRLS :) I knew right away which stamp set I was grabbing when I saw what was on the challenge board ... Sweet Birthday Kids! I used the cute color combination from Scrapmaster's Paradise for my card:

Stamps: Sweet Birthday Kids (T/S); Paper: Crumb Cake, Regal Rose, Very Vanilla, Garden Party DP by imaginisce, Crumb Cake DSP; Ink: Momento Black; Accessories: scallop edge trim punch, button, bakers twine, copics, dimensionals, finial press EF

Please take some time to head over to the Totally Stampalicious challenge blog for some more wonderful creations by our super talented Design Team! Click HERE.....

I cannot wait to see what girlie birthday cards come of this challenge - be sure to link yours up!!! Totally Stampalicious is now on FACEBOOK! Click HERE to be directed to our page and click LIKE! 

See you tomorrow for PPC and SPCC! Happy crafting!

Picture Perfect Creations meets Diva Coffee Break

Welcome back on this fine Monday morning! I hope your weekend was a good one - mine was! I went to see Maroon 5 and Train on Saturday night with an awesome group of ladies, and WOOOWEEEE!...what a great concert! If you ever get a chance to go and see these groups, by all means - DO SO!

OK..now onto this week's challenge at Picture Perfect Creations....as you can see above, Megan has put together a very soft, and subtle color palette for you this week. I really enjoy these colors together and I decided to use an older Diva Coffee Break Challenge sketch for my card:

I altered the bottom of the sketch a wee bit because I wanted to show off this gorgeous Wisteria ribbon! I hope you get a chance to grab a coffee, tea, hot chocolate or maybe even some apple cider and come get crafty with us this week! Please be sure to check out what the rest of the Design Team has created just for your inspiration. Their links are on my right-hand sidebar.

See you in a couple hours for another challenge from Samantha at Scrapmaster's Paradise.....

Anything Goes at Totally Stampalicious!

Welcome back to another week at Totally Stampalicious! This week's challenge is ANYTHING GOES so the possibilities are absolutely ENDLESS! I decided to ink up Birthday Gus for my Dad as his birthday was the end of August and I still hadn't made him a card *head hung low.* I know he will get a kick out of him!

Please check out the rest of the creations that the super-talented Design Team has created just for YOU by clicking HERE. Take some time and get inky with us as we'd love to see what you come up with for this challenge - it's always fun to go through all the creations and see all the talent and ideas!

See you tomorrow for another installment from both SPCC and PPC! Happy crafting!

Sketchy Things are Happenin' at 4 Crafty Chicks!

Happy Thursday PEEPS! By now I am assuming everyone's kids are back in school and you are all back into some sort of routine...It is very strange for me as my kids were homeschooled for the past 2 years and the house seems very empty now. It is nice to have some quiet time - I have a lot of organizing and purging to do in my basement and craft room! :)

A HUGE thanks go out to all who participated in our 1st Anniversary Blog Hop last week! What gorgeous entries we had to pick from...the winner of my blog candy was chosen at Random.org and it was #14....Stamping Sam!!! Congratulations! Please email me HERE with your mailing address so I can get your prize out to you ASAP!

Another HUGE congratulations to our 3 Guest Designers!! I cannot wait to get to know you and work along side you for the next few months! :)

OK...enough jibber-jabber hey?! Are you ready for another challenge from 4 Crafty Chicks? This week's hostess is Melissa and she's issuing the following SKETCH challenge:

....for my card, I decided to use mostly patterned paper and very little stamping - only the tagged sentiment (from a new birthday set, Happiest Birthday)! I really wanted to put something on top of the big "open" orange circle, but I left it alone! Yay! I really, really enjoyed this sketch Melissa, thanks!

Stamps: Happiest Birthday Wishes; Paper: Early Espresso, Whisper White, Pumpkin Pie, Lime Twist "Fly a Kite" DSP; Ink: markers, choc chip (sponging); Accessories: Nestabilities, tag punches, markers, pears, espresso ribbon, dimensionals, sponge dauber

I am entering my card into the following challenges:

Fresh Brewed Blog - "Something New" (stamp and designer paper)
Ladybug Crafts - Anything Goes
Little Red Wagon - Die Cuts

I sure hope you get a chance to play along with us this week! Melissa's sketch is a riot! Please click HERE to see what awesome creations the rest of the Chicks came up with for you....happy crafting!

SPCC #116

Welcome back! Here is the color challenge over at Scrapmaster's Paradise this week:

For my card, I decided to go to my favorite from SP & Co. - Flourishee! This stamp set is so bold and rich and works for so many different occasions!

Stamps: Flourishee, Lovely Labels (Sp & Co.); Paper: Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla, Pumpkin Pie, Real Red, Pumpkin Pie and Cherry Cobbler DSP; Ink: Cherry Cobbler; Accessories: scallop trim border punch, pearls, nestabilities, dimensionals, large oval punch

Thanks for stopping in today - please be sure to check out the rest of the Design Team's contributions HERE...and link up YOUR creation so we can come and visit your blog! Happy crafting!

SPCC #115 - Happy Birthday!

Welcome back! Scrapmaster's Paradise color combo for this week was totally screamin' BOY to me as soon as I saw it - this is what I came up with:

I am linking my card to these challenges:

Crazy 4 Challenges - male themed cards

Challenge up your Life - something for the men

Send a Smile 4 Kids - punches/die cuts

PaperCrafting Journey - Anything Goes

Craft Us Crazy - Anything Goes

Aud Sentiments - Anything Goes

Ellaphantastic Challenges: Add some layers

A Spoonful of Sugar - Birthdays

I hope you find some time to come and play with us at SPCC...Click HERE for more inspiration from our wonderful Design Team! Happy crafting!

Sketch Challenge at 4 Crafty Chicks!

Happy Thursday! This week Leanne is our hostess-with-the-mostess over at 4 Crafty Chicks and she is giving us all an awesome SKETCH challenge! I cracked out some new goodies from the new 2011-2012 Idea Book and Catalog and got to work:


I used the new Pennant Parade stamp set, Pennant Punch and Just Add Cake DSP from the new catty and it was a fun time creating with them all! I hope you all have time to sit and use Leanne's sketch to create something wonderful this week! Be sure to check out the other Chicks' blogs - links are on the right hand side of my blog. Then, please link your card, scrapbook page or 3D item HERE.

PPC-CC#64 - Wish Big!

Happy Monday! This week's color combo from Picture Perfect Creations is a warm, soothing combo...I saw "boy" when I first saw this combination and it just so happened that I had a NEW stamp I could use for it! This La-La-Land Crafts stamp fit the bill perfectly:

Stamps: La-La-Land Crafts, Pennant Parade; Paper: Whisper White, Pacific Point, Cherry Cobbler, Peach Parfait, Soft Suede DSP; Ink: Momento Black; Accessories: markers, star punch, spiral note punch, circle punches, dimensionals, twine, pearls

Thank you very much for stopping in today - be sure to play along with us and link your card HERE for us to leave you some lovin'....stay tuned for another color challenge from Scrapmaster's Paradise!

Color Dare #106 - CASE'ing Mary Brown

Good Wednesday morning everyone in Bloggerland :) Riley from the Color Dare has issued us a bright, cheery combo for our mid-week challenge: Pear Pizzazz, Peach Parfait and Real Red.

I was snooping around on some blogs one night and came across Mary Brown's wonderful gallery of cards and I decided to CASE this card: CLICK HERE....

Isn't it super cute and simple!?! I really love the floral fusion flowers - it was easy, peesy to make and super quick! Gotta love that sometimes when we are in a hurry! Please be sure to hop on over to the Color Dare challenge blog to see the rest of the wonderful creations the rest of the Design Team created just for you...I hope you get some time to play with these gorgeous colors this week! Take care!