It's my day on "The Crop"!!! To celebrate, I have some blog candy to give away!

For those of you unfamiliar with, The Crop, it is the blog of Crop Chocolate, one of the company's that I design for.  Today, I am the featured designer.  For the complete instructions, details, and such, you'll find all that on The Crop. 

Our theme this month is "Grandmother's Quilt".  I don't know if my grandmother was ever too much of a quilter, but she did make a baby blanket for me that I still have and cherish.  I love quilts -- especially the patterns, so I used the theme to my advantage and went searching for quilt patterns I could turn into card patterns.  Here is what I found:

I started with circles.  Using a bone folder, I turned down each edge to make a square on 9 circles.  I arranged these into a pattern to look, hopefully, like a quilt.  The papers are My Mind's Eye On the Sunny Side. The base is Echo Park Splash.  The wonderful stick pin is from the Pincque Peacock.  The sentiment is a Unity Stamp. The ribbon is from Ribbon Carousel.

I made the card again in another color scheme to show how different it looks:

 

This second card uses Echo Park 6x6 This & That Charming Paper, Close To My Heart desert sand cardstock for the base, antique white crinkle ribbon from the 3 Girl Jam Store, and a Unity stamp.

And, the last card I made for this month's Grandmother's quilt project is a Silhouette cut file.  It's called a Wedding Ring card and is designed by Lori Whitlock.  Here's the link, if you have a Silhouette. http://www.silhouetteonlinestore.com/?page=view-shape&id=31873

This last card uses Traditions 6x6 papers, American Crafts white cardstock, Carta Bella Kraft cardstock for the base, and a Close To My Heart stamp set, "For My Friend".  There is some My Mind's Eye twine on this one, also.

I'm having a busy week on my blog this week -- today's post, yesterday's post, a  New colors hop with 3 Girl Jam tomorrow,  May 1, a project on the 3 Girl Jam Challenge Blog and this blog on Thursday, May 2,  another hop with my art journal buddies May 3-5, and a post for All That Stickles using Icicle Stickles on Saturday, May 4.. To celebrate all this crafty madness, I'm giving away some blog candy. I have a couple Pincque Peacock pins from my friend Jessica, a 6x6 paper pad, a Close To My Heart stamp set, some twine, and some miscellaneous bling.  It's good stuff!  To be eligible to win, please follow my blog, and leave a comment on today's post. To increase your chances, also leave a comment on "The Crop" today, then come back here tomorrow for the 3 Girl Jam blog hop and comment again.  Increase your chances even more by coming back on Friday for the Mixed Up Media Hop.  I'll choose the winner early next week. Once I recover from all the inspiration of this week!

Snail Mail

A sad, sad thing has happened.  My favorite place to buy scrapbooking supplies, and one of my favorite places to hang out on the internet, cropchocolate.com, is closing their online business at the end of May.  I just found out yesterday.  I feel like a piece of me is being left behind as well.  I have been a part of the CC community since the company began in 2009 and have made many friends on the site.  We're brainstorming ways to keep the friendships going. When their online business ends, so does my design team assignment.  I spent Saturday working on my next assignment for them.  It's no longer needed.  So it goes.  With that in mind, I'm hoping to get on a new team or two, to fill the gap, and mend this slightly broken scrappy heart of mine.  I've put out some feelers, and I'm hoping for results.  One of the possibilities that I'm very excited about is with a Challenge blog!  I love challenges!  Everyone at Crop Chocolate can tell you that I've entered every single week of challenges there.  I've never won one (it's why I don't gamble.  The winner is chosen from a hat -- literally), but I've entered every week of their 60 challenges ever offered.  Stuck On Us Sketches Challenges is adding some team members, including members for a new die cut challenge.  YES!  I would SO LOVE to be on that TEAM!  With my Silhouette, my 3 Cricuts, more cartridges than I can admit to, a Bigshot and a Grand Calibur and lots and lots of cutting dies, I'm set!  I rushed home from work today and whipped up this card, just to enter it in the challenge and let the powers that be see my style.  Here it is.  I hope you like it!

The challenge theme this time is crustaceans.  My scientist husband says, "yes, a snail qualifies as a crustacean."  I cleared it with him before I launched into the card.  I used a Lifestyle Crafts cutting die to make the window in the front of the card, and then a smaller one to stamp the snail on.  I mounted the snail on an adhesive spring (CTMH), to make it even more fun for the recipient when they open the envelope. The cardstock is Close To My Heart.  DP is Authentique Fresh 6x6 Collection.  The Snail stamp and sentiment are from the Unity Feb, 2009 Kit of the Month. I colored the snail with Copic markers, then used a little Creative Inspirations paints in Fairy Dust to give it a little lustre.  It shows up better IRL.

I have some blog candy I'm giving away this week in celebration of a very busy week of blogging for me.  I have a tutorial and post on The Crop Tuesday, April 30, and a post here on my blog, a blog hop with my 3 Girl Jam DT sisters on Wednesday celebrating the release of some gorgeous new ribbon colors and a SALE!, a blog post on the 3 Girl Jam challenge blog on Thursday, and a post here on this blog,  another blog hop on Friday with some art journal peeps.  We're the Mixed Media Mix Up, or the Mixed Up Media Girls, or something like that.  It's Friday-Sunday -- tons of fun, and I have a post here on Saturday for All That Stickles using Icicle Stickles.  So, to celebrate all this inspiration, I'm giving away a 6x6 paper pad, some Pincque Peacock stick pins, some twine, Stickles, miscellaneous bling, and some ribbon.  To be eligible to win, follow my blog and comment on this post, then come back each day this week and comment again to increase your chances of winning.  I'll announce the winner early next week when I've recovered from all this scrappy mojo.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Stuck on You Sketches -- die cut crustaceans
Simon Says Stamp -- anything goes
Sister Act Card Challenges -- anything goes
Creative Inspirations Paints -- anything goes
Great Impressions Stamps -- Pastel Colors &/or Polka Dots
D.L. Art -- anything goes

Thanks you so much for visiting my blog! I love your comments.

For Mom and Friends With Flair

I had the afternoon off and spent it making cards.  I made this card with the Trendy Twine April challenge in mind.  I'm entering it in Crop Chocolate's challenge this week, too -- a neutral color and twine, plus I used the sketch from cardabilities blog so I'll enter it there and a couple of other Mother's Day and Spring challenges.  Also, Color Me Creative is having their 3rd birthday celebration.  I broke out the Copics so I could participate in their first challenge  of the weekend. Here's my afternoon's work...

I got some Trendy Twine in the mail yesterday.  I have to tell you, it's my newest addiction!  I bought the Spring Mini and just had to break it out of the package.  It's soooo pretty.  I used all three colors on this card -- limeade, tickled pink, and lemon tart. I want more, LOL.  The papers are all Carta Bella.  The base is Kraft.  Everything you can see is So Noted 6x6.  I used dies by Spellbinders and Lifestyle crafts.  The flower stamp was stamped twice -- once on the circle, then again on Cryogen paper, colored with Copic markers, painted with peach Creative Inspirations paint to give it some shimmer, and fussy cut.  It is a Unity Stamp, "Best Things Just Happen".  The MOM banner was made with a Making Memories Dilly Dally clear stamp set.  And, I probably don't have to tell you, I made it for my mother-in-law for Mother's Day.  Hopefully, she won't read my blog before then!

I already linked up once for Friends With Flair, but since this is a Unity stamp, I'll link again.

I'm entering this in the following challenges:

Trendy Twine's Monthly Challenge
Color Me Creative's birthday Bash -- Celebrate Something
Crop Chocolate's Twine and neutral challenge
Really Reasonable Ribbon -- Mother's Day plus Ribbon (or trim)
Raisin Boat Challenge #10 -- Mother's Day
Cardabilities Sketch #73
Sister Act Card Challenges
Simon Says Stamp -- Anything Goes
Creative Inspirations Paints -- Anything Goes
Ribbon Carousel -- Showers and Flowers challenge
Great Impressions Stamps -- Pastel Colors &/or Polka Dots
D.L. Art Thankful Thursday -- Mother's Day Challenge
2 Creative Chicks -- Mother's Day Challenge

Time for a New Challenge and of course, Friends With Flair!

Happy Friday, everyone!  After a long, long, long winter here in NW Wisconsin, temperatures are predicted to make it into the 60's for the first time since October over the weekend. 

 I CAN'T W-A-I-T!!!

 

3 Girl Jam's newest challenge starts today and runs through May 9th.  It's a particularly fun one because it's sponsored by both 3 Girl Jam AND Trendy Twine.  So, I used both 3 Girl Jam ribbon and Trendy Twine on this first card. 

 

 

 

I used ribbon from the Spooky bundle in the 3 Girl Jam Store and Trendy Twine on the candles and on the punched paper star. I used the Unity Itty Bitty stamp set, "Candle, Stars & Birthday Wishes", and October Afternoon Cake Walk paper.  I colored some of the candles using Close to My Heart re-inkers and a water brush. There are some fussy cut stars on the twine candles.

 

I'll give you a close up of the candles so you can see the twine a little better...

 

 

I used a glitter pen on the candle wicks and the one star I didn't fussy cut.  Here's a close up of the ribbon with the star.  Isn't it yummy?

 

 

I wanted to share this next card with my Unity FWF peeps, too.  I made it a couple week's ago and didn't post it last week.  If I don't post it soon, I'll forget!

I painted the image with Creative Inspiration Paints.

 

 

Isn't that house adorable?  I love it!  I made this for a co-worker after a get together at her house.  I used the Unity Itty Bitty "Thanks for Visiting" and Unity's "Insta-live, love, dream" for the polaroid image. The sentiment is from a retired Close To My Heart set. I used Echo Park card stock and Yellow and Turquoise Stickles.  There's some Trendy Twine on this card, too.

I used the following Creative Inspirations Paints on the scene:  Mocha Latte, Tickled Pink, Sky Blue, Evergreen, Sapphire, Turquoise, Sunshine, Peach, Winter Frost, Fuchsia and Tanzanite.

 

 

I'm entering these cards in the following challenges:

 

Creative Inspirations Paints -- Anything Goes challenge

Simon Says Stamp -- Anything Goes

Get Inky! Challenge  -- Bring on the bling

Sister Act Card Challenge -- Anything Goes

Ribbon Carousel -- Showers and Flowers

Great Impressions Stamps -- Pastel Colors &/or Polka dots

D.L. Art Thankful Thursday Linky Party -- Anything Goes

 

 3 Girl Jam is having a hop on May 1, showing some {GORGEOUS} new ribbon colors.  You're going to want to check out the inspiration and the ribbon.  The hop will start here at the 3 Girl Jam blog.  And, next Friday, May 3, I and other FWF peeps will be participating in an art journal hop called Media Mix Up. That hop will start here, at Maria's blog.

 

Have a great weekend!

 

Please link up your anything goes with ribbon creations here:

 





A card and a winner! And maybe spring!

We had 5 inches of snow last night, but it got to 45 degrees today and melted quite a bit of it.  I'm hoping this was the LAST snow of the season.  No more snow until DECEMBER! We've had all we can handle here!
 
OK.  I got that out of my system.  I feel better.  Remember the baby blog hop that started Sunday, April 21, with the All That Stickles design team?  I promised to announce the winner of my blog candy on Wednesday, so I will.  But first, I have a card to show you.  I made it for a couple of challenges, including Crop Chocolate's weekly challenge.  This week's theme is to use ribbon and a button.  Here's the card I made:

I made it using this sketch from Sunday Sketch and Stamp --

As you can see, I followed it pretty closely.  I designed my own background paper (the monthly challenge on the Sweet Stamps blog) using the Unity stamp, "With her own Wings". The crocus stamp is a Flourishes "Year of Stamps" (January), and the sentiment is from the Unity April 2013 Kit of the Month. I used Echo Park cardstock throughout the card, a Theresa Collins Spring Fling button, and some silk ribbon that I won from May Arts. The crocus were dusted with a little Creative Inspirations paint in Fairy Dust to add some shimmer.

And now, I think I've told you enough about my card.  It's time to tell you the winner of my blog candy.  There will be a package with Stickles, a 6x6 paper pad, a stamp set, some bling, and some ribbon.  Now, let's see who gets it.

I used random.org to choose the winner.  And it is RUTH!! 

Ruth said: "The gift card bag is so cute, with all the sparkly stickles on it. And, the treat boxes are great! Love it all!"  Thanks for the kind words, Ruth.  I'll be in touch and will get your goodies sent out to you.

Thanks to everyone who hopped!  There will be another hop with the All That Stickles design team the 3rd Sunday in May.

CropChocolate.com is hosting some scrapbooking fun in honor National Scrapbooking Day. There will be 7 challenges from May 2-May 9, with prizes awarded on May 10. Come join in on the fun!

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Sweet Stamps monthly challenge -- make your own background paper
sundaysketchandstamp.blogspot.com -- sketch challenge
Ribbon Carousel's Showers and Flowers challenge
MarkerPop -- April Showers --springy
D.L. Art Thankful Thursday Linky party -- Anything Goes
Creative Inspirations Paint -- Spring Colors
Sister Act Card Challenge -- Anything Goes
Great Impressions Stamps -- Pastel Colors &/or Polka Dots

Thanks for stopping by, and again, congratulations to Ruth!

All That Stickles Baby Blog Hop! Let's hop to it!!

Welcome to the Baby Blog Hop brought to you by the All that Stickles design team!

Bring on the bouncing babies! It's time for a Baby Blog Hop filled with all sorts of cute, fun, and of course, sparkly, baby themed projects!

If you've come from Chaz's blog, you're in the right place! If you've just come across the hop and would like to start at the beginning, please visit  the All That Stickles blog.

I've got a couple different projects to share with you for this hop.  First, I have to tell you that, being too old for babies, and having no grandchildren, I don't often need baby gifts.  When I do, it's usually for a baby shower, or I need a gift bag for a gift certificate.  This first project is a bag I made to hold a gift card.  Every new mom needs $ to buy baby supplies, right?

 

 

This bag is from the 3 Girl Jam Store.  It is one of the State Line bags.  I dyed it a pastel, baby pink, then stamped it with a Unity stamp, "Could I Be Any Cuter?".  I used Baby Blue Stickles and Spun Sugar Distress Stickles on this side of the bag.  And now for the other side:

 

Again, I used the same stamp set by Unity.  Stickle colors used on the rainbow were:  Spun Sugar Distress Stickles, Tumbled Glass Distress Stickles, Milled Lavender Distress Stickles, and Crushed Olive Distress Stickles.  Both images were stamped with Stazon Black ink.

And, here's a close up of the stamped and Stickled images:

 

 

And, for baby showers, I like to make favor boxes.  Here's several I made using the my Silhouette.

 This first one, a baby buggy, features Yellow Stickles.  I cut it out using Echo Park card stock.

 

This second box, a onesie, uses Turquoise Stickles and Echo Park card stock. And, the last project I have to show you, a teddy bear favor box, uses Spun Sugar Distress Stickles on the ears and feet, and again, Echo Park cardstock.

 

 

There are TWO chances for you to win blog candy!  I have some blog candy to give away.  To win my blog candy, please follow my blog and leave a comment on this post.  I will announce the winner Wednesday, April 24th.  There is also blog candy to be won for those who are a follower of All that Stickles  blog and leave a comment on every stop of the hop! Winners will be announced Wednesday April 24th at All that Stickles.

Scrappy Moms

1 Stamp Set of Winner's Choice

Pinque Peacock

Handmade Stick Pins or 1 Set of Handmade Fabric Covered Buttons

Digital Delights by Louby Loo
$5 Gift Certificate

Fresh Brewed Designs

$6 Voucher

Bugaboo Stamps

10 Digis of Winner's Choice

Your next stop is the lovely and talented Karen! I'm so glad I'm ahead of her, 'cause she's going to amaze you with her talent! Now, hop on over.

Here's the complete lineup:

All that Stickles

Ashley
Tonya
Melanie

Cynthia
Cathy

Chas
Julie
Karen
Ann

Thanks for hopping! :)

Baby Blue and Sparkly!

Hello, All That Stickles fans!  I have a couple of boxes on the All That Stickles blog today.  I wanted to show them here on my blog, too, and give you a few more details about them and a couple more close up picture, too.

 

These boxes feature Baby Blue Stickles -- the current color for the linky party.  Use it on your projects, and link up with us! 

The above box, cut from a Silhouette file, uses Cosmo Cricket paper, Trendy Twine, Studio Calico butterflies, and a Close To My Heart wood shape, inked with Tim Holtz Peacock Feathers ink.  The Baby Blue Stickles line the wings of the butterflies.

The next box uses the same Silhouette file, Echo Park Sweet Day paper,  a butterfly punch decorated with Stickles in Baby Blue and Yellow, and ribbon from Really Reasonable ribbon.

 

Don't forget to link up your Baby Blue Stickles creations.  You have through April 26th!  There are great prizes this month!

 

And, come back tomorrow for the All That Stickles Baby Blog Hop.  The whole team will be showing our creations.  They'll be glittery, of course.  And, I know there'll be some blog candy to win, too!

A Special Card for a Special Friend

Good morning everyone, I hope you have had a good week.  I have a card featured on the 3 Girl Jam blog today, using 3 Girl Jam Baby Girl Pink crinkle ribbon and I wanted to show it to you and tell you the story behind it. 

I have a good friend who recently celebrated a birthday.  She is a very special lady -- one of those people who will do anything for you, and through the years, has.  So, I wanted to make a card that would show her that she was special to me.  I took a lot of time to color and design this card, and when she opened it, she was thrilled.  I accomplished what I set out to do.  I always love it when people say, "Did you MAKE this?"  Yeah.  I love that.

My friend, Roxie, is a classy lady, so this Unity stamp, Maggie Girl, worked so well for her. This stamp is really big, so I made the card 6 1/2 x 5.  I used October Afternoon Cakewalk papers, and matched my Copic colors to the papers.  There's a couple Close To My Heart Kraft border strips and CTMH wood buttons, along with some Trendy Twine.  I used some Fuchsia Creative Inspirations paint on the bow of the package and a Spellbinders ribbon slide where the sentiment is stamped.  There's some Liquid Glass on the wine glass to make it look a little more realistic.

Here's a couple closeups of the different ways I used the ribbon.

and...

And, there you have it. I hope you enjoyed it, too!

Come back on Sunday for the All That Stickles Baby Blog Hop -- there'll be blog candy and great inspiration!

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Creative Inspirations Paints -- Spring Colors
MarkerPop -- April Showers (springy)
Unity -- Friends With Flair

April {snow} Showers for 3 Girl Jam & FWF

The next challenge on the 3 Girl Jam Challenge blog is April Showers with Ribbon (anything rain, water, umbrellas, etc).  I made two cards today that fit that theme.  Since they both have a little Unity Co. stamping on them, I'm sharing them with my Friends With Flair, also.  And, it's most appropriate, because we've been having April showers all week.  It just so happens that they've been snow showers the last couple days.  Everyone is getting quite tired of the snow.  It's April, and we've yet to hit 50 degrees.  They are still ice fishing for goodness sake!  We should have the kayaks in the water by now!

OK, enough about the weather.  On to the new challenge that I hope you will all participate in! Here's my card that's on the 3 Girl Jam challenge blog today.  I just love this image! And, it features Baby Boy Blue ribbon from the Baby Bundle found in the 3 Girl Jam store.

The image is a Penny Black stamp, "Sunshine in the Rain".  The sentiment is a Unity Itty Bitty called, (can you guess?)  "Hello my friend".  I stamped the image with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored it with Copic markers.  I used Echo Park Dots and Stripes papers.  Because the image is quite large, I made the card 6 1/2x 5.  I used a Spellbinder Labels 8 die. The card base is Cranberry cardstock from Close To My Heart. There's also some Mellow Yellow Creative Inspirations paint on the duck and some  Glossy Accents added to the raindrops.

Here's a close up of the ribbon/button treatment..

The button is also from the 3 Girl Jam Store.  It's one of the vintage buttons. I thread a small piece of the Baby Boy Blue crinkle ribbon through the button, and topped it with some Trendy Twine.

The second card, also appropriate for April Showers, is mostly Unity.  It's one of the Angie Girl stamps, "Lizzie Girl".  This one is featuring the gorgeous Aqua Splash ribbon from the 3GJ Store.

Isn't she gorgeous?  I wish I could look that stylish out in the rain or snow!  I'm loving her boots! And that puddle of ribbon she's standing in!  I colored her with Copic markers again.  The umbrella is dotted with Yellow Stickles.  Her jacket is buttoned with Black Diamond Stickles. The April Showers sentiment is from a retired Close To My Heart Word Puzzle April stamp set.  I used Echo Park For The Record 2 Documented 6x6 papers on this card. I used a Viva Décor Glitter pen on the raindrops.

I'm entering these cards in the following challenges:
Great Impressions Stamps -- pastel colors &/or polka dots challenge
Sweet Stamps -- more than one stamped image
Ribbon Carousel -- showers & flowers
Really Reasonable Ribbon -- Buttons & Bows
Raisinboat -- Spring/Easter
Markerpop -- Anything Goes (with Copic markers)
Sister Act Card Challenge -- Anything Goes
Creative Inspirations -- Inspired by Spring Colors
Simon Says Stamp -- April Showers &/or Flowers

There you have it, all the inspiration I can muster on a snowy/rainy day in NW Wisconsin.  If you've got your own rain/water/splash images -- with ribbon, please join our 3 Girl Jam challenge.  You have until April 25 to join in the fun and win some beautiful ribbon and a chance to be a guest designer for 3 Girl Jam.

Stickles make Embossing better. Of course!

Happy Tuesday, everyone!  I have a tutorial on the All That Stickles blog today.  It's about using Stickles with embossing.  Specifically, using Stickles with embossing folders.  I'll spare you the details, 'cause if that's what you want, just go here!  I do, though, want to show you the finished cards and tell you the products used on them.  I want to give credit where credit is due and all that!

This card uses October Afternoon Ducks in a Row 12x12 papers, a digi stamp from Fresh Brewed Stamps, the "spring fever" sentiment is a Unity stamp set, Lizzie Girl (one of the Angie Girl stamps), twine from My Mind's Eye Kraft Fun Day collection Happy Day twine, Close To My Heart watercolor pencils, Yellow Stickles, Turquoise Stickles, a flower from Close To My Heart that I painted with Creative Inspirations bright yellow paint and Yellow Stickles, and Close To My Heart Juniper card stock.

And, the second card, also using a digi stamp from Fresh Brewed Stamps...

It has paper from October Afternoon's Woodland Park collection, yellow card stock from my stash, the image was colored with Copic markers, I used Trendy Twine and Yellow Stickles on here, and some bling from my stash also.

I'm entering these in:
Creative Inspirations Spring colors challenge
MarkerPop challenge -- Anything Goes (Copic markers)
Raisinboat challenge -- Easter/Spring
Sister Act challenge -- anything goes
Crafty Creations -- flowers or fairies

Thanks for stopping by today!  I always love to read your sweet comments.

Life is Good!

I've known it for several weeks now, but today is the day that I can finally spill the beans, or in this case, let the Stickles out of the bottle!  I am now on the All That Stickles design team!  Woohoo!  How fun is that?  We have bi-weekly linky parties featuring a Stickles color of the week (currently yellow) with some awesome sponsors and weekly tutorials by the design team members.  We also have an active Facebook page and Pinterest page.  I tell ya, we're a happening team, and I'm very proud to be a part of it all!  In honor of the big announcement, I made this card...

I made this card because, well, life IS good. And being on the All That Stickles design team is one of the things that makes life good for me.  I'm excited about the challenge of taking on a new team and seeing where my crafting will take me next.  A girl has to have bling in her life, so why not Stickles?  In case someone reading this blog is unfamiliar with Stickles, it is glitter glue.  I believe there are over 50 colors, with some new ones just being introduced.  I've never been a fan of glitter -- it's way to messy, but Stickles glitter glue -- I love this stuff!  It's the finishing touch many a project needs.  Oh yeah!  Here's a close up so you can really see the sparkle.  I used both Yellow Stickles and Turquoise Stickles on this card.

And here's the rest of the supplies I used:  Fancy Pants Hopscotch 12x12 papers, sky card stock -- Close to My Heart, a Wild Rose Studio, Milton and Co stamp for the main design.  Sentiment stamp is Close To My Heart. Yellow Stickles, Turquoise Stickles, corner rounder to make the scallop border, corner edger, daffodil 3 Girl Jam crinkle ribbon, Studio Calico Mister Huey's color mist in Opaque White.  Copic markers in the following colors: E30, E31, E33, E35, E55, E57, E59, Y00, Y02, Y06, B00, B02, B05.

I'm excited about my term on this design team!  I'll have a tutorial on the All That Stickles blog on Tuesday, April 9.  I'd be honored if you'd check out what I have to show you about embossing and Stickling.  They're a great combination!  See you then!  And, of course, join the current yellow linky party.  It's fun and there are some great prizes to win!

Another Friday, another Friends With Flair

Happy Friday, everyone!  The best part of my Fridays has turned out to be Friends with Flair.  I love our little Unity community and the friendships I have made.  I've been linking up with FWF for about a year now and don't like to miss a single Friday.  There's so much talent here -- and inspiration!

 

I did my usual 2-for-1 card making style again this week. I made a card, then modified it slightly, and made another almost identical one.

 

My niece turns 20 today.  Cards with teddy bears and pink bunnies just don't cut it anymore. I wanted a card that would "speak" to her.  So, what better way to reach a twenty year old than with a card with a cell phone theme?  

 

It uses the Unity stamp set, Modern Chit Chat.  I thought it was perfect for a young lady.  Tell me one young person that age that isn't attached to their phone!  I tried a new-to-me technique on the screen of the phone.  I ironed wax paper inbetween two pieces of glossy cardstock after I'd crinkled the wax paper up into a ball, then straightened it out again. I found a tutorial for it on Splitcoast Stampers.  You can find the link here.  It is very easy to do, once you find your iron and dust it off, LOL.  I inked the glossy cardstock with Tim Holtz distress ink in Broken China. The background papers are Fancy Pants Hopscotch.  I just love this collection.  I have about 2 inches left of this paper.  I've used it more than any collection I've ever purchased.  I used some Studio Calico spray ink in Calico White on the brown background, used a corner rounder to make a scallop, cut a notch to make a banner, and added some Stickles on the heart and some Mark Richards bling.  I hope she likes her card!

Then, I made a couple minor variations and sent this one to my BFF:

She and I do more texting and messaging than actual conversing.  Occasionally we'll email, but usually from our phones. So, you don't have to be a 20-something woman to be attached to your phone.  It happens at 40-something and 50-something, too.  Mine's next to my bed when I sleep at night.  Am I the only one so attached to my phone?  Please tell me I'm not!

There is still plenty of snow in my yard, but there are signs of spring:  robins, bluebirds, sandhill cranes, great blue herons, red-winged blackbirds, and geese have all returned to the neighborhood.  Three sandhill cranes were standing on the ice on the lake across the road from where I live this morning.  They looked like they were waiting.  Waiting for spring like the rest of us...

I'm linking this up with the following challenges:

Sweet Stamps monthly challenge -- wax paper resist
Friends With Flair
Simon Says Stamp -- Happy Birthday challenge
Sister Act Challenge #1

Think Spring -- with kites and pastel colors

Happy Thursday, everyone!  Spring is not coming early here in Wisconsin.  It was 18 degrees this morning, soaring all the way to 33 degrees by late afternoon, with a stiff NW wind.  I'm finding spring inspiration other ways, like by crafting spring themed projects!

I made this bag for the pastel colors and ribbon challenge at 3 Girl Jam.  You can find it on their challenge blog today here.  I used one of the great Stateline bags available in the 3 Girl Jam store.  It also features 3 Girl Jam crinkle ribbon in Goblin Green from the Spooky bundle.

 

 

I wanted the bag to look pastel colored, so I dyed it pink.  Here's a short tutorial on how I did it. 

 

First, I gathered my supplies.  I used a Ziploc bag, a re-inker (in this case, it was a Close To My Heart cranberry re-inker, but any will do), rubber gloves if you don't want your hands turning colors, & cold water).

 



 

Then, I added a few drops of re-inker to the water in the Ziploc bag.

 

 

The amount of drops you add will effect how bright the bag becomes.  I added about 5 drops because I wanted a pastel look.

 

Then, add the bag to the colored water.

 

 

Swish it around with your hand (or gloved hand).

 

 

If the bag is brighter than you like, you can rinse it with cold water early on in the process.  Once it starts to dry, though, the color won't come out.

 

 

Then, let the bag air dry.  I leave it overnight.

And, here's a closeup of the stamped image.  It is a Unity stamp from the March Kit of the Month.  I love kites -- they take me back to childhood and spring.  I colored this one with Copic markers.

 

 

This muslin bag from Stateline is the perfect size for a gift card. I'm using it to hold a gift certificate for her birthday present.

 

Please join the pastel colors and ribbon challenge on the 3 Girl Jam challenge blog by linking up with us.  Or, I'm making it really easy on you and you can just link up below.  There's great prizes to be had.  See the post on today's challenge blog for details.

 

 





Giveaway winner!

I started a giveaway last week, knowing I had some duplicate Stickles.  I also have a Unity Itty Bitty stamp set, a 6x6 paper pad, and some embellishments to go in the blog candy.  I used two posts -- the Tuesday "Snow Angel" 2-page layout post, and Friday's 3 Girl Jam/Friends with Flair post.  Using random.org to first pick which post to choose the winner from, then using it again to pick the winning comment, I have chosen the winner of the blog candy.  But first, I want to show you a picture.

 

This is Sophie, the nursing home dog who comes home with me at night.  This picture was on the cover of the March newsletter. On this day after Easter, I thought it would be a good one to post!  She left the bunny ears on just long enough to get the picture taken.

OK.  Now, for the winner.

It's April Fool's Day, but I'm not fooling, the winner is:

Feistycrafter!!

Congrats, Tina!  I'll be in touch to get your address to send you your package.