Don't hate me for my WOW!

Here is today's Word of the Week!  This challenge will be challenging, yes!

fire-cured:  cured over open fires in direct contact with the smoke

I'll have the fire extinguisher ready!  Both here (if you link your blog post) or at Splitcoaststampers if you use the keyword "WOW06".

Here is my card:

The edges of my gingham panels are "faux fire-cured" using distress inks!  I didn't want to torch the edges with a match after making them!  Plus... those cute punched-tin candle images from The Saltbox Studio have mini flames!  This card also uses Roxie's sketch of the week at SCS, and I squeezed this in for MariLynn's "Mothermark Miss You" challenge as she is away from her tea parties for a little while.  Thinking of you, Cindy!

It's Beginning...

...to look a lot like Christmas!

I really love making any Christmas/winter cards!  Today's Featured Stamper at Splitcoast was a friend of mine, Nancyruth Levine!  For the challenge, you are to take a card of Nancyruth's and change at least 2 things.  I chose to case this card seen here:

Peace on Earth, by Nancyruth

I kept the general theme, and I also used decorative paper by SEI, just used a different sheet from the Alpine Frost Collection.  Changed the layout a bit, and added this cute sentiment from the Ric Rac Circle set by Pink Persimmon.  Made the moon and snowy ground by sponging around a circle punch and wavy piece of paper, then removing it.  Added lots of Crystal Snow by Stampendous.

Nancyruth is someone who participates regularly in the challenges at SCS, and she makes the most wonderful cards!  Whenever I see her cards, I think that she just stamps with PURE JOY...and I get the feeling!

Pajama Squid Inspired

Betcha that got your attention, didn't it?!  Today's Inspiration Challenge at Splitcoast was to be inspired by a website found by yours truly out in the land of Internet....The Pajama Squid....a delightful little online store with the cutest whimsical clothing, toys, and books for children!

I chose to be inspired by this Ollie the Owl pillow by KLT: Works.

And I didn't have to look far into my stamp stash...I was so excited to use my stamps by Pink Persimmon!

This card features the Wise Old Owl set and the Vintage Greetings set.  I also used the Ticking Stripe Backgrounder from Cornish Heritage Farms, because it made me think of the website design with the cute striped background and black buttons around the title!

Papertrey Ink September Blog Hop!

I am very excited to be participating in my FIRST Papertrey Ink Blog Hop!  The theme for September was to recycle part of the PTI packaging used to get the stamps to your house.  I chose the tissue paper that each stamp set is lovingly wrapped in, and did the Faux Silk Technique which I am currently obsessed with!  Nichole did the BEST tutorial on her own blog awhile ago, which can be found here:

Faux Silk Technique by Nichole Heady

Supply List:
Stamps:  PTI Guide Lines I, sentiment from PTI Vintage Picnic Baskets, Linen bg (retired SU)
Cardstock:  all PTI white, black, Summer Sunrise, kraft
Other:  tissue paper, glue stick, black and orange rhinestones, Tim Holtz distress inks, Diamond Stickles, Scor-It Board (also did grid technique on pumpkin piece), twine, scalloped edge scissors, circle punch, gingham ribbon, sponge daubers, sandpaper to distress edges

Happy Harvest to you all!  Thanks so much for stopping by!
Kelly Schirmer

Pink Persimmon Blog Candy Winner

The new winner of the Pink Persimmon blog candy is #83,  Jen Scull! 

Please contact me VERY SOON with your snail mail address so that you can get your stamp set.
And a short postscript...to all players in a blog challenge, please remember to leave an email address or some way to contact you so that you don't miss out on your candy!

Pink Persimmon Blog Candy

The Pink Persimmon Blog Candy winner was Lee Anne (comment #96), but we have yet to get in touch with each other.  If anyone knows Lee Anne or her email address, drop her a note that says "Hurry, Lee Anne!"  I so want her to get her blog candy, but if I do not hear from her by Friday at 8:00 AM PST (11:00 AM EST), I will have to submit a new name to Pink Persimmon.  My email address is schirmcat@frontiernet.net, if anyone would like to drop me a note!

WOW #5!

Time for another Word of the Week Challenge.  I have been terrible at making samples, and so promised to get one done...and I did, this afternoon!  It is a double WOW, as I combined WOW #4 and #5 together.  "So to the dictionary we go!"...(I shouted that in my best "Let's go to the videotape!" voice...that's a famous sportscaster's line right?)

hobnob: 1. To drink sociably  2.  to associate familiarly

(That word makes me want to say it over and over again...someone should write a song with that word as the chorus!  It would be very catchy.....have fun!)

I made this fancy dress with a template from Stampington Magazine's website and Bo Bunny paper.  I figured it was the perfect evening wear for "hobnobbing" with the elite at a charity event!  I also decided to expend my supply of Kaiser Chocolate Pearls and make an elegant necklace.  I LOVE my Kaiser pearls and tend to just keep them in the package and stare at them!  Seriously, they are only $2.00 for a set, and I treat them like they are REAL!  The sentiment, and the jewels on the belt, are from Pink Persimmon's You're a Jewel set, and the floral background was made with 2 stamps from Pink Persimmon's Flower Garden set.

Be sure to upload your challenge creations to Splitcoast using the keyword "WOW05" or link your blog post back here in the comments section!

BLOG CANDY WINNER!

The winner of the Pink Persimmon blog candy using the Random.org Number Generator is #96.....

Lee Anne! 

Lee Anne contact me with your email address or snail mail address so that your stamp set can be sent out sooooon!  Congratulations and thanks again for playing along!

WOW....I'm Late!

I almost forgot my WOW, hee!

Thanks to everyone for all of the comments regarding Pink Persimmon...they mean so much, and I LOVE reading every single one!

Now on to the Word of the Week Challenge....while the WOW should be "tardy", this is the word that Mr. Dictionary brought me to...

expend: 1) to pay out; spend  2) to consume by use; use up

Ohhh the possibilities!  I'll be back with a sample later...can't wait to see what you come up with!  Use the keyword WOW04 at Splitcoast, or you can link your blog post here in my comments section. 

Don't expend too much energy coming up with your card now, ya hear?!

The BIG time!

I have been keeping a SECRET, and now I can finally let everyone know! 

I have been asked to be on my very FIRST Creative Team by
Pink Persimmon!

It all started when I saw a card featuring the set "Little Red Wagon" on Splitcoaststampers.  I KNEW immediately that the set had to be MINE!  After receiving the set in the mail, I started to stamp with it and instantly fell in love...

I started following their blog, and when I saw the call for Creative Team applications, I decided to apply!  Imagine my surprise and glee when I got a call from Darcy McNairy, co-owner of Pink Persimmon with her sister, Judi Anderson.  I jumped up and down, and then JUMPED over to my computer to email YESSSSS!

I am very blessed to be on a Creative Team with some VERY experienced (FAMOUS!) stampers in the industry...Linda Beeson, Kimberly Crawford, Julie Detlef, Samantha Sibbet, and Kristie Larsen.  Please be sure to visit their blogs to be WOWED by some fabulous creativity!

So how about a little contest to celebrate this very special FIRST occasion for me?!  Leave a comment below by Saturday, September 19th (8:00 AM, PST) telling me which stamp set at Pink Persimmon is your favorite?  I will choose a name randomly from the comments, and that person will win a free stamp set!
 (EEK, my first BLOG CANDY, too!)

I can't wait to show you all some fun creations in the coming months, and am so excited to meet many new friends through this wonderful opportunity!  Thank you Darcy and Judi!

B-ooot!

That's one boo plus a hoot, hee!
For Hero Club Blog Challenge...to use the colors black, pumpkin, kiwi, and purple.  I got to use my new Core-dinations Black Magic paper, too...and I actually USED it on the day that I bought it, which is almost a first for me!  I put it through my Cuttlebug with the Swiss Dots folder, then sanded it...the core that shows through is ORANGE...isn't it the coolest?!

Hello, Autumn

For Card Positioning Systems Blog sketch challenge.  I had these OLD SU sets out for another challenge, and decided to put them to use some more!

Stamps:  Pindot Plaid wheel, Little Somethings from SU

Sentiment from PTI First Fruits

Gingham backgrounder from Cornish Heritage Farms

and LOTS of Tim Holtz Distress Ink!

BOO!

This was one of the cards that I submitted for The Birthday Bash Challenges at Taylored Expressions.  I submitted it for the stitching category, and I WON a prize!  This card was inspired by the little ghosty treat bag in Denise's Challenge Photo seen here:

My Mom would never have believed that I could win a stitched ANYTHING challenge, hee!  She was an expert seamstress, so none of her daughters really ever needed to learn how to sew.  One time, I had to bring a sweatshirt project home to finish in 7th grade.  While I was asleep, she ripped off the sleeves and fixed them because they were so crooked...she just couldn't help herself!  I think she had to write a note to my home-ec teacher that it was all her fault (and that I did not ASK for that kind of "help") so that I didn't fail the project.  It was OBVIOUS that the sweatshirt did not leave the Middle School looking that GOOD!

Moxie Fab Toaster

Cathy is having a challenge at her fab Moxie Fab World...to make a card featuring a household item!  I made this card for VSN, but thought that it would fit perfectly with her theme!

Paper:  Cosmo Cricket Early Bird, PTI kraft base
Accessories:  Robin's Nest Dew Drops, hemp cord, paper piercer

Red is for Wagon!

For Ways to Use it Challenge at Splitcoast...to "rev" up a card with some RED!  How could I not choose the Little Red Wagon set from Pink Persimmon?!  The wagon is filled with some sparkly roses bouquets and I added some sparkle to the barrette in her hair to match!

Supplies:
Stamps:  Little Red Wagon by Pink Persimmon
Paper:  PTI White and Aqua Mist, Core-dinations red, Cosmo Cricket Early Bird decorative paper
Ink:  Stazon black, Martha Stewart watercolor markers
Other:  Martha Stewart doily punch, Stickles, waterbrush, clear button from Autumn Leaves, circle punch, gingham ribbon
Technique:  paper-piecing

Word of the Week #3!

A fine dose of W's this week...it IS Wednesday, and it IS the Word of the Week challenge...so off we go...Note:  This is the word that my finger landed on!

windstorm:  A storm marked by high wind with little or no precipitation.

HEE!  This is such a funny one! 

Here is my sample...."It's a Twistah, It's a Twistah!"

Inspired by Plaid

Yesterday's Challenge over at Splitcoaststampers was the Inspiration Challenge.  This week, we were to be inspired by the handbags at Moyna!  I chose the bag seen (follow the link) here:

Moyna Bag

Here is my card:

I used the Plaid Scrapblock from Cornish Heritage Farms with Walnut Stain ink, then highlighted with Inkessentials white gel pen.  Used Heidi Grace set for flowers, stamped on PTI Kraft paper with PTI Fresh Snow ink, then highlighted with white Crystal Lace Stickles!  Sentiment from The Saltbox Studio. 

I want that bag to show up in my mailbox....maybe I'll make this card out to myself, and present myself with the matching bag for my birthday (only have to wait to open it until December, hee!)

Taylored Expressions Birthday Party!

Visit Taylored Expressions to celebrate a birthday...one year old!  Challenges and prizes...and cupcakes?!  Who could ask for more?

 Note:  Taylor did say that you can use ANY stamps when playing the challenges.

Pearly Pineapple

For Dawn McVey's Raspberry Suite Color Challenge:

Used pineapple from Papertrey Ink's First Fruits, and sentiment from Vintage Picnic Basket Additions.  Also for my own WOW challenge this week...that's Word of the Week!  This week the word was "impearl"...so I gussied up that pineapple with White Opal Liquid Pearls!

Supplies:
Stamp Sets:  First Fruits and Vintage Picnic Baskets from PTI, Open Plaid Backgrounder from Cornish Heritage Farms
Cardstock:  PTI Dark Chocolate, Summer Sunrise, and Kraft.  Cream in an old folder...I ran out of PTI Vintage Cream!
Ink:  Chocolate Chip, SU, Vintage Cream, PTI
Accessories:  hemp cord, White Opal Liquid Pearls, mini gold brads, scalloped punch, ultra fine clear embossing powder

WOW Wednesday, Take 2!

Welcome back to another WOW challenge...that's Word of the Week!  I grabbed my worn dictionary, opened a page, zig-zagged about, and found today's word...and it's SUCH a fun one!

impearl:  to form into pearls; also, to form of or adorn with pearls

How excited was I at this random word...you KNOW I love me my bottle of White Opal Liquid Pearls!  Maybe I'll get crazy and use my Platinum ones instead...or maybe BOTH, squee!  Remember to use the keyword WOW02 if you are uploading to Splitcoaststampers.com, or provide a link to your blog/post here in my comments section so everyone will be able to see the beautiful creations you come up with this week.  Remember, play ANY time and there are no rules, just your intrepretation of the WOW!

I will be back later today with my sample.  It is Kindergarten Eve here, and I have to be sure to get to bed, so that we can all be up on time for the bus.  Eva was not nervous at all, until today, which has put my anxiety straight through the roof!  We went to orientation today, and I think she now understands what Kindergarten means...new teacher, new classroom, new classmates.  She cried tonight and said that she really missed Mrs. Zhe, her preschool teacher, and that she wanted a cool playhouse in her class like last year.  I am sure she will be fine, but I will be sooo happy to see her smiling face tomorrow when she comes home!