Wood Veneer Challenge

Playing along again this week with the Create Blog Challenge, this week's challenge is to use the ever so popular wood veneer on your card.  I have quite a bit of wood veneer, but always seem to forget to add it or I don't have exactly what I need...figures!

But it one of the little bowls were all of these little, teeny, tiny bits of it and I thought the would make the perfect confetti for my card!

So here is my take on the challenge!

Love it!  The paper and embellishments are Pink Paislee's Hey Kid, a couple little Doodlebug enamel dots, Maya Road Cording and a mixture of wood veneer!

Happy Friday!  Enjoy your weekend!

The Return Of Gold

Gold is back in the scrapbooking and card making world.  It is everywhere...gold sequins, gold glitter, vellum with gold...yep, it's everywhere!

Practical Scrappers has tons of inspiration to share with you.

You will run right out and buy some gold embellishments or dig through your stash to find some gold to create with today!

Here is the card I made....

Created with the Crate Paper Maggie Holmes line, Flea Market. Ephemera pieces from the line, some vellum and a few gold sequins all come together!  Love the splashes gold!

Make sure to check out Practical Scrappers for more gold inspiration!

linking to Paper Issues The World Is A Circle Link Up Party

Explore with Baggage Claim

I am up on the Quick Quotes Blog today!  Love this layout and this new line!

I have a layout to share with Quick Quote's new Baggage Claim collection and one of the new Powder Puff Chalking Inks, Caribbean Blue.  There are 12 new gorgeous colors in the Powder Puff Chalking Inks.  You can check them out here.

I had so much fun playing with Baggage Claim, it is such a versatile line, you would think by the name it would be just from travel...but I created a fun boy page with it.

I love how this page turned out...I adore the teals and corals in the line, and they are two of my favorite colors.  I was so inspired by a page I saw a couple months in the online magazine Jot, that I pinned it. You can see the pin here. Then Quick Quotes came out with the line and I instantly knew I wanted to use the a large globe and use some of the fun elements in this collection to create the layering style she used.    

I actually painted with the Caribbean Blue Chalking Ink, you can see it behind the chevrons and again on the top and bottom of the page.  I simply wet a small paint brush and dabbed  it into the ink pad.  The result is a fabulous paint like look.  Easy to do and easy to apply.  There is just so much you can do with these chalking inks.

Quick Quote Supplies

Baggage Claim 100

Baggage Claim 200

Baggage Claim 300

Baggage Claim 400

Baggage Claim 700

Baggage Claim 800

Baggage Claim Die Cut Stickers

Baggage Claim Chipboard

Caribbean blue Powder Puff Ink

Java Powder Puff Ink

linking to Paper Issues The World is a Circle Link Party

Exciting News

Still in a bit of disbelief to see my name on the list for

 Guest Designers for Jillibean Soup!

I was excited to check their announcement on Friday to see which of my rock star designer friends made the team and lots of them did!  But when I continued scrolling down I was in shock that my name was listed as a Guest Designer along with more of my amazing designer friends.

I threw in application for their call, just because I promised myself I would apply more often this year and I adore their products.  Didn't think anything would really come of it as their are so many amazing designers applying for the same spot!

Yep, total shock to see my name listed here!

Congrats to all!

So excited to see what this year brings for Jillibean Soup!

Create Blog Challenge; Shaped Cards

Finally up with a new post, it's been a long crazy week...but I had a chance to play along with one of Paige's challenges over at the Create Blog from Northridge Publishing.  So glad that Paige is back with these challenges...it helps to have a challenge and they  encourage me to step out of the box a bit.  The challenge this week was to create a shaped card.  Here is my take!

A Super Hero splat card for a little guys birthday this week!  So fun, I hope he loves it.  I used a Silhouette file to create the card an older line from Pebbles filled with super hero fun!

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your weekend!

3-D Scenes with Samantha Walker's Bendy Cards

I have a post up on the Samantha Walker Blog today!

 Sharing one of Samantha's bendy cards with you.  I chose the Sloped Bendy Card for my project.  These are just so fun, you can create amazing, fun 3-D scenes so easily and then they fold flat so you can mail them with ease!

First, I cut my sloped bendy card out of navy card stock, I kept it the original size.  Next, I cut all the pieces for the caravan camper.  I reduced the size to 80%, and you can see how arranged it on my mat.  If you have nice sticky mat, it easy to layer different colors of card stock and get all of your pieces cut at once.  I inked all the edges of my camper with Ranger Vintage Photo Distress Ink, and then assembled it.  I added black bling for a little more accent and a blue brad for the hub cap.  I used a scallop border punch to create the red curtain you see on the window of the camper!

Next, cut the sun and clouds. Ooops! I forgot how much I reduced these, but by looking at the screen shot you can get an idea for the sizes.  The swirl part of the clouds was cut out of the same navy card stock as the base. Ink the edges of the sun. Then assemble your sun and clouds, a glue pen comes in handy for adhering the swirls to the cloud bases.  I added a bit of pen work to the sun just to make it pop a bit more.

After I had everything put together, I adhered the pieces to the sloped bendy card with scor-tape! 

Next, up was creating a sentiment for the inside of the card and Samantha had the perfect one in her Silhouette store...

Not All Who Wander Are Lost.  It is actually a vinyl quote, but I was able to scale it down to the size I needed and add the colors that I need to match my card. I found it easier to use the fill colors when I left it the original size.  Then reduce it to the size you need.  

Send it your printer and make sure to add registration marks.  I kind of cheated, so that I didn't have to go in an add all the do not cut lines...I simply printed the sentiment, then added the notebook paper cut, centered it and then removed the saying so that it just cut the notebook piece.  Sometimes, that is just easier then going in clicking no cut lines.  I always seem to miss one somewhere along the line and have to start over...lol.  After I added the sentiment to the inside of the card, I added a few little embellishments!

Thanks for joining us today and we would love to see what you create with Samantha Walker's Bendy Cards...there are so many to choose from..complete with envelopes and boxes.  Follow the link below to see all of the files!

Samantha Walker's Silhouette Files

Click on the picture and it will take you right to the file in the Silhouette Store!

Supplies

Samantha Walker's Carta Bella Rough and Tumble Collection

Bazzill Dotted Swiss Card Stock Salt & Pepper

Admiral and Vanilla Bazzill Card Stock

American Crafts Brad

Want 2 Scrap Black Rhinestones

Doodlebug Sunshine Sprinkles

Twinery Twine

Zig Black Pen
Ranger Vintage Photo Distress Ink
EK Success Glue Pen
EK Success Scallop Border Punch
Stampin' Up 3 Heart Punch
Scor-tape
Notebook Journaling Cards

linking to Paper Issue's Pitch Perfect

Inspiration Elevator Reveal

(If you are looking for the Samantha Walker Blog Hop, it is two posts below and the Practical Scrapper's Blog Hop is one post below.)


You may recall that the purpose of this challenge group is to take our scrapbooking to the next level, to stretch our creative process and to grow as artists by embracing challenges that make us think, work and extend ourselves. You can view all of the challenges our Inspiration Elevator Blog, here. We are thrilled to welcome back Audrey Yeager this month as a guest designer. Audrey recently came into ownership of My Scraps & More online store, and has graciously offered a prize this month! Read on to find out how you could win!

Our challenge this month comes from the very talented Michelle Hernandez. Here's how she expressed this month's challenge:
"Inspiration Elevator Challenge February- Phoenix Rising.
I'm going through one of the toughest times of my life right now. Huge changes, dashed expectations, embarrassing set backs- it's all overwhelming, all the time. I have the love and support of my family and my health- so it could be worst but still - it sucks.
My challenge for February:
Tell a story visually or through your journaling that speaks to your greatest challenge and most importantly how you dug yourself out. This should be a celebration of your faith, personal resilience and/or creativity. A story you'd like to tell your kids, grandkids or yourself when things get rough. "

Michelle's challenge sparked something very different for me...I decided to start an art journal...something I have never done before.  I have been inspired by the Inspiration Elevator team and some of their art journaling pages, just never really felt the need to start one.  But with the challenge and some personal things that are going on in my life...I decided it was time to start.  My pages are simple and they really don't compare to some of my team mates work and others that I have seen, but I am happy with them..they are me and my style!  I will turn to this journal often, this year.  My daughter already loves it and wants me to have the whole book completed by the time she goes to college so that she can take it with her...ha!...we shall see!  I now have a place I can write little journaling bits and inspiration to myself...thank you Michelle!

Here is the hop order to continue on;

Michelle Hernandez

Ann Jobes

Laura Whitaker

Lisa Moen

Cathy Harper (you are here)

Lisa Spiegel

Joanne Burton

Jodi Wilton

Guest designer: Audrey Yeager

And Audrey also has a great sale going on at

 My Scraps and More...she has tons of new products coming in this week and is sharing the code with our Inspiration Elevator fans to save 30% off your entire purchase.  

The code is:  ILOVEMYSCRAP30

The code is good from Friday until Sunday at Midnight!

2/14 to 2/16

Here are some of the new lines she has coming in!  So exciting!

American Crafts Amy Tan Plus One and Dear Lizzy Daydreamer, Crate Paper Oh Darling, Boys Rule, Styleboard, Studio Calico Lemon Lush and Wanderlust; October Afternoon Daily Flash (Snapshots, girl Talk, ALL Boy), Echo Park Mini Themes and Splendid Sunshine; MME Now & Then, Chalk Studio 2, and Record It.

And she ships to Canada..flat rate of $15.95!

We would LOVE to see you take up Michelle's challenge this month, so if you do, please share it at our linkup on the Inspiration Elevator blog.
So, how do you win Audrey's prize? It's simple - leave a comment! Audrey will choose one random comment from one random blog to win the $15 gift certificate to My Scraps & More. Thanks so much, Audrey!

linking to Paper Issues Pitch Perfect

Practical Scrapper's Scrapping our Stash Valentine Hop

(If you are looking for the Samantha Walker Blog Hop, it is one post below.)

Scrapping our Stash: Practical Scrappers Blog Hop

Welcome to the Practical Scrappers Blog Hop 

where we are Scrapping our Stash.

This month we are focusing on scrapping our Valentine's stash, or at least stash that has to do with love.  I never realized how much Valentine's stash I had until I started working on this project!  We are thrilled to have Kiwi Lane Designs sponsoring this month!  

Kiwi Lane Designs creates templates that help take the frustration out of scrapbooking!  And one lucky winner today will get a border set and an accessory set from Kiwi Lane.  We are big fans of Kiwi Lane Designs and in fact have several members of our design team who either currently or in the past have been a part of their design team!  Details on how you can win this prize are at the bottom of this post!

  We recognize that this is a huge list for the blog hop and would love for you to visit as many as you can...but we are not making that mandatory to qualify for the prize here.  That said, many of the designers are offering prizes of their own so I do recommend seeing what you can get in on :).

Here is my layout to share with you, created from my stash of Bella Blvd. Kiss me!

This is the very first photo I scrapped of this little man and with those eyes and those perfectly pouty lips, I have been scrapping him for 5 years now.  I have scrapped this photo of him numerous times, but when I saw the "he stole my heart" file on the Silhouette store, I knew I had to scrap it one more time!  He stole my heart with this photo and now, I continue to scrap him, his brother and precious little sister.  They are all this dang cute!  And as always, a huge thank you to Leah for sharing them  with me!
I have a prize to give away (open to US residents only). Just leave a comment and become a follower or let me know you are already following, that will get you entered to win!

The prize consists of a 6x6 paper pad of Doodlebug's Sweetheart collection, matching Doodlebug twine, Cupid's Arrow and Endless Love Washi Tape, Lady Bug and Cupcake Doilies, Mini Love Notes!  Leave a comment by Sunday the 16th!  I will draw a winner on Monday!

Now off you go, continuing on to
 Nicole Laha's Blog!

Practical Scrappers Blog Hop List

Practical Scrappers

Krissy Clark

Christine Meyer

Kim Ryden

Patty Selah

Charity Hotrum

Lissa Mitchell

Jennifer Haggerty

Alison Day

Bobbi Smith

Michelle Johns

Cathy Harper (you are here)

Nicole Laha

Lanette Erickson

Majken Pullin

Erin Morehouse

Lisa Peeples

Claude Campeau

Wendy Coffman

Lee-Anne Thornton

Now, how to get in on that prize! You can do any or all of the following for up to three entries! 

1) Become a follower here or

2) Become a fan on our facebook page or

3) Become a fan on the Kiwi Lane facebook page and make sure to tell them we sent ya!

Leave us a comment so that we know what you did!  This contest will close at 11:59 pm CST on Sunday, the 16th.

Samantha Walker Creative Team February Blog Hop

Welcome to the Samantha Walker Creative Team Blog Hop for February.  Our theme this month in "Love."  You should have arrived here from Diana Fisher's Blog.

You can enter to win this

 Spellbinders' Butterfly Garden Grand Impressabilities by leaving a comment by Sunday 2/16 at 11:59 MDT in order to be eligible for the free SVG/Silhouette file as well.

To enter, just leave a comment on Samantha's Blog during Wednesday 2/12 until 2/16.

For additional entries:

1. Receive an additional entry for commenting on each of the other blog in the blog hop.

2.  Follow Samantha Walker's blog.

3.  Follow her on Facebook.

4.  Sign up for an e-mail subscription to Samantha's blog and you will automatically receive a link to a free SVG cutting file that you can download and use of your personal electronic cutter.  If you are already a subscriber, just enter in your information in the secure form on Samantha's blog.  The free files will be e-mailed next week!

To receive the additional entries and the free files, mention in your comment on Samantha's blog that you have done so!

The winner of the Spellbinder's Impressabilities will be announced on Monday, 2/17 on Samantha Walker's Facebook Page.

Here is the free SVG/Silhouette file~love this!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And here is my project to share with you. Yep, I know Diana Fisher and I had the same idea...what can I tell you but great minds think alike! I love the colors she chose for her milk bottle and card!
I fell in love with these little milk bottles in the Target Dollar Spot and instantly knew that I wanted to add some of Samantha Walker's heart files to them.  They did have some designs already on them, but with a little vinegar and warm water, the designs washed right off.  I cut two hearts of each design.  That way I have an extra already cut, if I goof one up.  The hearts are 2 1/4 inches tall by 2 1/2 inches wide!  Even with all the detail in the hearts, they cut with ease!  After I applied the vinyl, I cut some pinwheels and flowers, in all different sizes.  I used 3 different color of American Crafts Glitter Paper.  I layered pinwheels and flowers then added them to some fun straws that I had.  A little twine, a few buttons and they were done.  They are the perfect addition to my Valentine mantel!  

Here are a couple screen shots of the hearts and the various shapes of the flowers and pinwheels that I used. 

Clicking on each photo below will take you right to the file on the Silhouette Store!

Thanks so much for joining us today, your next stop is

 Nicole Stark's blog!

Practical Scrapper's February Card Sketches

Valentine's Day is just around the corner...are you all set?

In case, you are still working on some cards...there are two great sketches up at Practical Scrappers!  You will certainly find some inspiration over there!

I chose a sketch from the amazing Christine Meyers...how fun is this sketch?!  Love it!

 Here is what I came up..using some Doodlebug Sweetheart collection papers and stickers..along with the perfect Silhouette cut file from Jamie Cripps!

You can click on the photo below and it will take you right to the file on the Silhouette Store!

Thanks for stopping by an enjoy your day!

Simple Stories Daily Grind Layouts

Happy Monday everyone!  Sharing a couple of layouts with the fun collections from Simple Stories...Daily Grind.  I will be teaching this class in Pierre this upcoming weekend...and just thought I would share 3 of the 6 we will be creating!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you all had a creative weekend!
Paper Issues Link Party

Valentine's Inspiration with Rough n Tumble

 I am sharing a fun layout today created for 
Practical Scrapper's Valentine theme today and it uses a couple

 Samantha Walker Silhouette files and her

 Carta Bella Rough & Tumble collection.

I cut the LOVE block out of the All Smiles paper and then backed it with Bazzill Dotted Swiss Pepper Card Stock. Then I cut part of the heart pennant flags with the same card stock.  You can see in the picture below how I lined them up to size them to get the look I wanted.  Next, I cut the red hearts using the Wild Words paper.  I used two red hearts on the two pennants that overlap the photo, they are actually stitched through the middle, which make it easier to layer over the photo!  

I love the over sized effect of the Love block and pennants..very eye catching!  You can click on the pictures of the files below and it will take you right to the files on the Silhouette Store.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your weekend!
For more inspiration check out Samantha Walker's Blog!

More Dear Lizzy & The Scrapbooking Studio

Couple more projects to share with you, created with American Crafts Dear Lizzy Polka Dot Party for The Scrapbooking Studio!

You can find this collection here!

Just a simple card created with awesome Thickers and Die cuts from the collection!

 And the frame was a pin that inspired me on Pinterest.  You can find the original pin here.  I used a wood Ikea mirror to create mine!

The originals were created by Katie Ehmann and you can find the tutorial here.  The only thing I did differently was cover the edges with washi tape! 

Love this collection...bright, summery colors to warm me up!

Dear Lizzy and The Scrapbooking Studio

Sharing a couple of layouts that I created for

 The Scrapbooking Studio.  I thought they would be perfect to post today, as it is a balmy -4 degrees here today.  Hoping that just by looking at these, that it warms me up.  So tired of winter!

Both layouts were created with

American Craft's Dear Lizzy Polka Dot Party!

Thanks Casey for sharing these amazing photos with me!

Thanks for stopping by and stay warm!