Doughnuts

Good Morning!

You are just in time for the end of summer sale today at MyGrafico!  That means that everything at Lindsay's Stamp Stuff is on sale!

When I found this freebie sentiment (Create with TLC), I knew I had the perfect image to go along with it.  It's a big chocolate donut from the set Sweet Treats 2 by Lindsay's Stamp Stuff.  I added glossy effects to for the icing and some flower soft as a stand in for sprinkles. Can't you just taste it in your mind?  I could really go for one right now, along with a steaming cup of coffee!

Here is a peek at the other goodies in this set which is 40% off!

Thanks for stopping by to visit and have a sweet day!

Challenges for this card:

Creative Card Crew-Anything Goes

Party Time Tuesday-Anything Goes

Heart Song Inspirations-Anything Goes

Make it Monday-Anything Goes

Details not listed above-Paper: The Paper Company, My Minds Eye, Markers: Copic, Chalk: Stampin' Up!, Lace and gems from my supplies.

Back to School

Hi Everyone,

Well, my youngest niece is moving in this weekend to her dorm for her freshman year in college, so I decided to get a jump on the card that will be in her care package.  Now I just need to get stuff for the actual package :)

This Teacher Tools image from DRS Designs with its elementary school look was a great throwback image for the card today.  I chose primary colors for the color palette, which echos the theme of the stamp itself and the Lines O Plenty made a great textured background. Since I liked the apple in the image, I chose to do the spotlight technique, and really highlighted it by adding some Stickles.

I completed it with the Vertical Thinking of You stamped in black.

Would you like a chance at winning a voucher to the DRS Designs store?  They are the sponsor this week at Card Patterns, and all you have to do it link up your card using the sketch below for your chance to win.

Need some inspiration to get started?  Stop by the DRS Designs Blog and see my card using this sketch!

Have a great day!

Challenges for this card:

Fashionable Stamping Challenge-Ribbon or Lace

Scrappy Frogs-Bling

Sentimental Sundays-Back to School

All Sorts-Back to School

Fairy Tale-Back to School

Flowerete-School

Poodles Parlour-Anything Goes

Show and Tell-Anything Goes

Stamp Something-Back to School

Stempelsonnen-The Fruit is Ripe

Totally Papercrafts-Back to School

Aud Sentiments-Anything Goes

Digi Doodle-Anything Goes

Paper Crafting Journey-Anything Goes

Paper Play-Back to School

Sassy Studio-Back to School

Stamp Insanity-Back to School

Paper Issues-Learning Curve

Details not listed above-Paper: The Paper Company, Ink: Memento, Stampin' Up!, Punch: EK Success, Markers: Copic, Embossing Folder: Cuttlebug, Gems from my supplies.

Checking In

Hey All!

I'm just quickly checking in today.  I wanted to make sure that if you participated in the Autumn Inspirations Blog Hop that you check out the post today at the Sparkle and Sprinkle Blog.  Were you one of the prize winners?  I don't want you to miss out :)

Also, Rod took some vacation days, so I was still out of my blogging/commenting routine this week.  We have had fun goofing off though...

We saw Crazy Stupid Love.  Definitely crazy that we went and paid money for that stupid movie and we sure did not love it.  Don't worry if you liked it....I think we are, once again, in the minority. (I did see The Help with my book club a couple of weeks ago and liked it very much.)

We went to Amish country (about 1 1/2 south of Cleveland) and spent the day visiting The Warther Museum, shopping, visiting wineries, and eating too much ice cream.

Finally (this has been on our must go to list forever) went to Momocho and ate gobs of creatively made guacamole because it was soooooooo gooooood! We had no business ordering entrees after this, but hey, it was vacation!

I read Bossy Pants.  Quick and entertaining read.

Took the nieces out to lunch at Tinkers Creek Tavern because they have the best outdoor patio around here.  Sadly we were chased inside by swarms of crazed bees.

Had to cancel the appointment that I made for me and the nieces to get pedicures, because the overpriced and pretentious salon was rude to me. 

The day we were supposed to come, they call to tell me they cannot accommodate all 3 of us due to the construction that was started at the salon.  (Did they not know this when I made the appt.?)  They said they could, however do a "Spa" pedicure for an extra $30, but we still would not be able to have them done at the same time, we would have to rotate out of the chair.  Huh? 

Yes, I would love to pay MORE money for the experience of being inconvenienced. 

We are also off to Blossom for the Cleveland Orchestra and to picnic this weekend too. 

I will sneak in a photo of a card.  I didn't make it.  I will call her my cousin-in-law who lives in Philly, and she said I inspired her to make a card!  Me??? I know, right? And she sent me these photos:

I hope she doesn't mind me showing them off, but how cute is this???  There is no way my first card looked like anything this good.  She is an artist though, you should see her fab paintings.  Anyway, if she keeps this up, I will have to retire from showing you my pathetic offerings...lol! 

Thanks for stopping by!

Autumn Blog Hop

Hi Everyone,

The day is finally here...Woo Hoo!

Welcome to the Sparkle and Sprinkle Autumn Inspirations Blog hop!  We are showing off all kinds of autumn goodies on our cards today, so I hope that you can hop along with us and be inspired to create something for one of the prettiest seasons of the year.

Now, if you arrived from the Sparkle and Sprinkle blog you are good to go.  If not, start there for all the details on the prizes you could win by leaving comments along the way, and that's also where you will find the winners from the blog hop announced on Saturday August 27th!

OK! On to my cards full of glittery goodness :)

 

For the first card I used this Small Pumpkin Stack (1284-228B) stamp from the set Harvest Pumpkins (228).  I love the art work of this stamp.  And because it's so beautifully drawn, it was a dream to color.  Trust me when I say, it was so easy to make it look this good.  My kinda stamp!  I used the Sparkle and Sprinkle Sticker Paper (99558) for my bold glittery stripes along with the following colors of glitter:

Autumn Medley(G1013)

Azetec Gold(G1006)

Burnt Orange(G1105)

Did I mention that I love pumpkins that aren't carved with jack o lantern faces?  I like those too, but when they aren't carved, they work for fall, Halloween and Thanksgiving.  Here I used the Happy Thanksgiving (3484-410B) stamp found in the Autumn Swirl (410) set.  Full card details can be found by clicking here.

I decided to use patterned paper for my next card along with the Faith (3283-410B) sentiment which I embossed in Burgundy (EP117).  Since it mentioned acorns, I used the Swirly Acorn (3286-410B) from the same set for an embellishment.  Sticker paper was used for the glitter behind it and 1/4" Tear-iffic Tape (SAT01) was used to created the glitter stripes.  That's also what is holding both of these cards together too. Again, full details on this card can be found by clicking here.

Did I mention that many of these autumn themed items are on special for 15% off this month at Sparkle and Sprinkle?  Gotta love a great deal! 

Next up on the hop is Dawn Thomas, and I know you will be inspired by what she has to show off today!

Below is the entire blog list in case you get lost....Thanks for visiting!

SNS Home Blog
Karin Martin (You Are Here)
Dawn Thomas
Marie Berquist
 Eleanor Jenkins
Barbara Bruder
 Linda Loew
Jill Jacobsen
Julie Zippel
Patti White
Shona Erlenborn
Donna Ellis

Challenges for these cards:
Clear it Out-Glitter
Kaboodle Doodle-Ribbon
PollyCraft-Autumn

Favor Cake and a Card

Hi Everyone,

Here are my party favors that I promised to show off.  You can see the party details in yesterday's post. It was a great day filled with laughter, and family and friends. I love a good party!

The favor cake I made for the party was filled with silver Hershey Kisses. Sorry for the not great photo, but I was in a rush when I realized I never took a pic.

Here is a side shot of the individual slice...

Unfortunately my cake stand would only hold 20, so I had to round out the favors by making bags with toppers due to space constraints.

I sent the top of the slice through my Cuttlebug and embossed it with swirls. The ribbon was a pretty silver like grey and the flowers were from the craft store.

While I was in the middle of making these, Lindsay came out with a SVG Printable Cake Box Favors set herself.  Now you can make one too!  Gotta love Lindsay's Stamp Stuff!

Also, the week before the party, my cousin had tickets to the Cleveland Orchestra that he couldn't use, so he gifted them to us.  (I love thoughtful family and friends, don't you?)  Well, we had a wonderful time sitting in amazing seats and attending a dessert reception afterward, so I had to send a special thank you note.  I used a coffee image freebie from a long time ago, that was offered on Lindsay's personal blog The Frugal Crafter to make my card. 

This freebie coordinates with the set Coffee Talk too.  Check it out:

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out everything at Lindsay's Stamp Stuff at MyGrafico!

Thanks for the visit today.

 Challenges for the Card:

Paper Playtime-Anything Goes

Stamps R Us-Anything Goes

Designed to Delight: Anything Goes

Digis with Attitude-Anything Goes

Poodles Parlour-Anything Goes

Stamp Something-Thank You

Details not listed above:

Cake:

Paper: The Paper Company, Ribbon: Dollar Tree, Flowers: Darice

Card:

Paper: My Minds Eye, The Paper Company, Stamps: PTI, Markers: Copic, Punch: Stampin' Up!, Ribbon, Lace & Gems from my supplies.

Back to Blog Land

Hi Everyone,

Well, I'm finally back in blog land.  Last Saturday I held a suprise 25th anniversary party for my sister in law.  It was an idea hatched by my nieces, but they are 18 and 21, so obviously they couldn't do it on their own.  I wish I could tell you how much planning went into this, how much time and effort it took to make invites and favors, borrow tables, chairs, coolers, set up and decorate, shop, prepare food, clean up, return said borrowed items....And on and on and on....I'm tired just typing this, but all well worth it.  We had so much food that the extended family came back the next day to eat again.  I also told everyone to bring take out containers with them for leftovers.  Guess what?  There is STILL food left over.  It's the neverending party...lol!  What I'm trying to say, is that I had to put myself in exhile from the Internet or I wouldn't have been able to pull it off. 

Anyway, my brother-in-law is the picture taker of the family, so needless to say I was a very poor substitute.  My photos could not be more lame.  Seriously, this looks like a total borefest from these photos, but I can only work with what I have, right?  So here goes....

Here are Sally and Tony after they settled in and got over the shock.  

Here they are coming in the door.  The best is they had NO IDEA! It was great when Tony called that afternoon to say that he had bought a Led Zepplin box set and could we listen to it around the bonfire when they came over.

This is one of those great photos of mine that I just mentioned...

And some random shots of family and friends who you don't know...

Aunt Effie and Aunt Sue.  (But here real name is Betty...I just found this out a couple of years ago too.  Funny.)

Us with the girls.  Why we are not together in the photo I have no idea.

Love that Julianne had to switch sides in the next photo, because it shows off the shoulder bow better that way ;) 

Julianne also brought over an extra bag of clothes for her parents to change into because, "Who knows what they could be wearing when they come over!"  It didn't matter and they never did change :)

Elaine and Jim. 

The Freddrix's!  You can sort of see the tulle and flowers I used to decorate the gazebo in these next few photos.

They were her bridesmaids :)

Cousin Jeff.  Closed down the party with us :)

Enjoying the wedding album.

Mike and Pam.

Tony's mom Lorena is the first one to look for coffee :)

My mother-in-law Marge and Tony's nieces playing games in the backgound.

The cake from Cakes by Nadine....Delish and pretty too!

Cutting the cake.

Smashing the cake.

Wearing the cake.

Are you still awake?  That's it.  I promise. 

I will be back with photos of the favors tomorrow, and the Sparkle and Sprinkle blog hop is on Thursday.  Woo hoo, finally some crafty posts!  If you can't wait until then, it's my day to post over at the DRS Designs blog, so you can check out my card over there.

Oh, and I tried to make the rounds to your blogs last night, but Blogger, or my laptop or gremlins, would only let my comment here and there.  It was so weird.  I will try again later today, but for now I'm off to cut my grass, get an oil change and wash my filthy car :)

I heart you all!

Autumn is a Second Spring

Hi Everyone,

I'm showing off another fall themed card today to get you excited about the Autumn Inspirations Blog Hop next week for Sparkle and Sprinkle.

Mark you calender and get excited because this month all Autumn themed stamps are 15% off!

I used one of my favorite embossing folders for the background of my card and I used one of the lovely sentiments from the Autumn Swirl set to make a little sign.  The sentiment reminded me of something you would see on a piece of holiday decor, so I decided to make it into something that resembled that.  I stamped in a rainbow ink pad to get the multicolored effect and added the Swirly Oak and Swirly Maple leaves embossed in the following colors:

Forest Green (EP282)

Jack O Lantern (EP405)

Burgundy (EP117)

Thanks for visiting today and I look forward to showing you some glittery beauties next week!

Enjoy the day :)

Challenges for this card:

Try it on Tuesday-Anything Goes

Make It Monday-Anything Goes

The Kraft Journal-Anything Goes with Kraft

Paper Playtime-Anything Goes

All details for my card can be found here.

Peppermint Patty Purse

Hi Everyone,

It's rare that I post anything other than cards with my DRS Designs stamps.  Today is an exception...Yay!  I was playing around with ideas for party favors, and inspired by my own nugget purses that I made here, I decided to update the idea for use with a Peppermint Patty.  :) :) :)

Anyway, I used my favorite Polka Dot background stamp ( I swear I could use that on everything I make...It's just great!) and one of the unique stamps sold by DRS Designs named Flourish Ribbon Slide. I stamped it, embossed it with gold powder to simulate a clasp and then cut it out.  Isn't is cool?  I think these would make a great shower, or birthday party favor don't you?

Here is a closer look.  All I did extra was round the corners of the fold over part. 

Here are some other details if you want to make it for yourself.

Cut paper to 5 1/4" x 2 1/4"

Score at 1" & 3".

Make handle with a scrap piece of matching paper. 

Secure everything with glue dots.

Super easy! 

OK, I have a busy week.  Forgive me for not coming to visit and enjoy the dwindling summer days :)

Challenges for this project:

Hooked on Crafts-Sweet Treats

Paper Playtime-Anything Goes

Crafty Pad-Cute and Girly

One Stitch at a Time-Anything Goes

AllSorts-Anything but a Card

Stampin for the Weekend-Spots n Dots

Details not listed above-Paper: The Paper Company, Ink: Stampin Up!, Versamark, Embossing Powder: Rubber Stampede, Ribbon from my supplies.

Hambo Hop for Monica's Birthday

Hi Everyone,

I'm so excited to participate in a Surprise Birthday Hop for Monica Hunter! Monica is the owner of Hambo Stamps and tomorrow is her birthday. A few of us got together and decided to throw a little surprise party for her, and we would like you to join us! If you arrived here via Dina Kowal's blog, you are in the right place. Otherwise, start at the beginning with Jenn Cochren's blog so you don't miss out on any party fun. Every birthday has to have presents, and this one has one for you! One random hopper that completes the hop will receive a Hambo Birthday surprise! The winner will be announced at the Hambo Hoedown on Wednesday, August 17th.

For my card I inked up those darling little Party Chicks and the sentiment was a perfect fit.  Don't they look like they are ready to party?  I love those hats almost as much as their little faces :) 

Now I'm talking directly to you Monica, take a good look at that little paper rose in the corner, because I don't think it will look quite as good when it arrives by snail mail...lol. 

Now, on to Isabelle Mung's blog.

 

Happy birthday Monica and everyone have a wonderful weekend!

Birthday hop list:

Jenn Cochran


Beverly Cole

Leslie Hanna

Libby Hickson

Dina Kowal

Karin Martin

Isabelle Mung

Paula Riley

Nora Anne Robinson

Judy Rozema

Bonnie Sharp

Marcie Sharp

Lisa Spangler

Challenges for this card:
A Spoonful of Sugar-Birthday
Anything Goes Challenge-Birthday/Celebrations
Crazy Amigo-Anything Goes
Tuesday Throwdown-Birthdays
Make My Monday-Birds or Bugs
Victorine Originals-Birthday
Whimsy Inspirations-Ribbons and Bows

Details not listed above-Paper: The Paper Company, Basic Grey, Nestabilities, Punches:EK Success, Markers: Copic, Ribbon, brad and flower from my supplies.

Cupcake Challenge

Hi Everyone,

DRS Designs is the sponsor this week over at Cupcake Inspirations, so play along for your chance to win a $10.00 voucher to the store

I have to admit, the inspiration photo was a bit intimidating to me.  Wow, those are some big, bold colors right?  Well, I chose not to chicken out and decided the clean and simple route was best for me.  I must say I was very pleased.

See?

I used the brown, fuchsia and teal colors and even the flower inspiration on top of the cupcake for my birthday card.  I just sent out 3 b-day cards this weekend, so it's nice to keep up on my supply of them :)

Here are the stamps I used:

Interlocking Flower Background

Polka Dot Background

Brush Birthday Greeting

Hope you decide to take the challenge...Good Luck!

Other challenges for this card:

Birthday Sundaes-Birthday and sentiment

Kenny K's Krafty Girls-Bright, Summer colors

Sentimental Sundays-Flower and Sentiment

Catch the Bug-Anything Goes

Craft Your Days Away-Birthday

Crafty Calender-Hot August Colors

Raise the Bar-Anything Goes

Stampin for the Weekend-Spots n Dots

Victorine Originals-Birthday

Details not listed above- Paper: The Paper Company, Ink, Punch & Chalk: Stampin' Up!, Nesties, Ribbon and brads from my supplies.

Mulching Thank You

Hi Everyone!

Let me start off by sharing that there is a sale this weekend at MyGrafico.  That means that everything there, and at Lindsay's Stamp Stuff is 40% off!

If you read my blog, you know that I mulched my yard this week.  I know it's late in the season, and I totally was going to blow it off for this year, but plans changed and we are throwing a party. (More on that at a later date.)  Sooooo, I needed to make my sad yard semi presentable.  As I was sweating and laboring with the shovel and wheel barrow, over walks my neighbor and says," I'll help you finish."  What? Noooooo! It is seriously one of the worst jobs in the world, but he insisted and I had no choice but to let him help.  He said, "You should look at yourself!  You look like you are going to die. If I don't help you now, I will have to help you by calling 911."  Nice.

So, inspired by the cute card that Cheryl made here, I made my own card as a thank you for them using the gal from Grow Green.  Cheryl said she wished she looked this cute when gardening, but in my mind, this IS how I look.  Not the dirty freak in mismatched clothes that I really am ;)

I used these awesome new papers from Lindsay's Stamp Stuff called Mod Summer for my background and paper piecing.  Love the fun colors and patterns! Remember they are currently on sale too.

Want more ideas for projects with these papers? Lindsay has a project on her blog too...check it out here!

Well, thanks for stopping by this weekend and hope you are enjoying some time in the sun!

Challenges for this card;

Playdate Cafe-Color challenge

Sentimental Sundays-Garden Party

Craft Us Crazy-Anything Goes

Pixi Dust-Anything Goes

Sassy Studio-Use a sentiment

Clear it Out-Summer

Tuesday Throwdown-Summer

Fresh Brewed Designs-Hot image or Hot Colors

Craft Garden-Bold, Bright Loud colors

Woodware USA-Anything Goes

MyGrafico-Anything Goes

Details not listed above-Paper:  The Paper Company, Markers: Copic, Ink: Memento, Punches: Stampin' Up, EK Success, Gel Pen, Buttons: American Crafts, Twine: Martha Stewart.

Autumn Card and a Cat Tale

Hi Everyone,

Well, I'm on my last day of sick cat duty.  Woo Hoo!   My sister in law and family fly back home from vacation, and I will be picking them up from the airport.  While I do this, my mother in law will pack up the cat and takes it back home to greet it's loving family.  I'm thrilled to have given my last insulin shot and antibiotic to Tiger.  (Named after the dog in the Brady Bunch, by the way.  I think that's so funny!)  I'm also happy never to go back to that vet again. (3 times in 6 days...UGH!) Between sick cat duty twice a day, cleaning and doing laundry for my dad and spreading mulch in my awful looking yard, this week held little fun. So, TGIF!

Now on to crafty business...Yay!

While I hate to see summer start to wind down, I do love fall here in Ohio.  We have a wonderful park system and the variety of trees make for a spectacular show of color. That's what inspired my card today made with stamps from Sparkle and Sprinkle and lucky for you, it's one of the sets that is on special this month!  In fact, all Halloween and Thanksgiving images are 15% off.  The set is named Autumn Swirl and I stamped the Swirly Maple in Versamark and sprinkled it with Clear Detail embossing powder before heat setting it.  Then I pulled out some leaf brads from my supplies and added them to simulate leaves falling from the tree.

I wanted to show off some of the colored embossing powders carried in the Sparkle and Sprinkle store, so I stamped the Swirly Maple Leaf  in Versamark again, 4 separate times and used the following embossing powders in Autumn colors:

BullFrog (EP404)

Buttercup (EP389)

Jack O Lantern (EP405)

Burgundy (EP117)

Everything is held together with 1/4" Tear-ific Tape.  I like it so much more than that red sticky tape.  Why?  Because you can actually tear it, and not have to fumble with scissors and try and cut it. Totally user friendly, really!

I love the sentiment too (Loveliest Smile), so fitting to use with the multicolored leaves; fall is the last hurrah of the year.  Now, if I could just make it last longer and make winter a tiny bit shorter, all would be well :)

Thanks for the visit and hope all is well in your world!

Challenges for this card;

Cooking it up with Katie-Recipe-Old, New & Favorite Technique

Crafts and Me-Anything Goes

For Fun Challenges-Anything Goes

Kelly's Kids-Anything Goes

Crazy Amigo-Anything Goes

Paper Take Weekly-Anything Goes and Metal

Craft Your Passion-Anything Goes

HLSC Challenge-Anything Goes

Details not listed above-Paper: The Paper Company, Unknown source, Ink: Stampin' Up!, Punches:EK Success

Merry Christmas

Hi Everyone,

I know it's August, so I'm a bit late for the Christmas in July theme, but DRS Designs is the sponsor over at the Card Patterns blog, so I thought I would take this opportunity to add to my stash of holiday cards.  If you want a chance at winning a voucher to the DRS Designs store all you have to do is link up a card and play along too. 

Here is the sketch:

My card uses the following stamps:

Holly Background (Stamped and colored with Copics.)

4 in 1 Snowflakes

Polka Dot Background (Heat embossed in white)

Holly 3" Giga Oval (coordinates with the Giga Punch, or in my case Nestablities)

Small Merry Christmas

I did a traditional red and green color combo and I love how well the backgound stamps worked for this sketch challenge.

Thanks for visiting today and I only have a million more Christmas cards to go...lol!

Challenges for this card:

Crafty Creations-Christmas

Little Red Wagon-Heat Embossing

PaperCraft Star-Anything Goes

Paper Shelter-Anything Goes

Craft Us Crazy-Christmas

Crafty Sentiments-Polka Dots

Digi Doodle Shop-Anything Goes

Sassy Studio-Christmas

Crafty Catz-Christmas

Fussy & Fancy-Christmas

Christmas Inspirations-Anything goes

Come and Get It-Anything Goes

Crafty Ho's-Anything Goes

Sweet Stampin'-Chrismas

Details not listed above-Paper: The Paper Company, Ink: Stampin' Up!, Memento Tuxedo Black, Stickles, Stickers: EK Success, Embossing powder: Sparkle and Sprinkle,  Ribbon from my supplies.