Cammie's Heart to Heart

Today is a very special day for card-making bloggers!  Cammie King is hosting a "Heart to Heart" card drive on her blog seen here:

Heart to Heart Card Drive

She is honoring her late grandmother who suffered from Alzheimer's Disease.  She is hosting a card drive for caregivers, the people who give of their time and compassion selflessly, 24 hours a day, whether in homes, skilled nursing facilities, or hospitals.  As if that isn't nice enough, Cammie has some SERIOUS blog candy up for grabs...over $1000 worth from companies, stampers, and magazines like PaperCrafts, Kim Hughes, Eclectic Paperie, My Favorite Things, etc., etc., ETC!  All you have to do to enter the prize drawing is...

1.  Make a card for a caregiver of a person with Alzheimer's Disease.
2.  Send it.
3.  Link a picture of the card you sent to Cammie's blog post, and include the name of 3 of the companies and 2 of the individual stampers that are sponsoring the Heart to Heart Card Drive

THAT'S IT!

Cindy Motherway is hosting a special Teapot Tuesday this week with the Destination Station for all cards going to caregivers of people with Alzheimer's Disease.  I found a special someone at Splitcoaststampers to send this card to.  Visit HERE to join the Tea Party FUN!  Both Cindy and Cammie have links on their blogs if you need addresses of caregivers and organizations!

Happy Heart to Heart Day, Cammie...we appreciate YOU!

Papertrey Ink Blog Hop

It's time for another blog hop with Papertrey Ink!  This month we were to be inspired by another stamper...whether it be a technique that was used or their style. 

Each week at Splitcoaststampers, two stampers are honored.  Anne Ryan chooses the "Queen for the Day" on Friday, a stamper that participates in weekly challenges but who is gracious with comments on others' cards.  On Sunday, Beth Silaika hosts the Featured Stamper challenge, showcasing a stamper with style! 

For each challenge, you "case" the stamper by choosing a card in his/her gallery, and changing at least 2 things about the original card.  It is SUCH a great learning experience!  I find that I may be loving a stamp set, and am having a hard time with a layout.  That's how these cards came about...

This week's "Queen for the Day" is Carla Suto!   Here is her card.  She used the cracked glass technique on a gate fold card with a lovely little garland image.  So I used the same technique with my wreaths.  The technique is listed in the Resources section of SCS along with so many other great ideas ("Almost everything I ever learned about stamping, I learned from Splitcoast"!)

I thought it would be perfect to make the panels like Carla's, but turn them into a sketch on a regular card.  I was also inspired by Betsy Veldman's door card during the countdown week.  I didn't have Wreath for All Seasons yesterday, so I made this one with Rustic Branches (and a background stamp from Hero Arts) using Carla's card as inspiration...

So now I have 2 great cards inspired by 2 great stampers!  Stop and see who's featured every week at SCS...you'll learn so much!  Thanks so much for stopping by on the hop!

Supplies (card 1):  Wreath for All Seasons and "autumn" from First Fruits, PTI; kraft and Vintage Cream cardstock, Tim Holtz Distress inks, Memento Paris Dusk ink, Vintage Cream ink, Stazon Timber Brown ink,Versamark ink and clear embossing powder, PTI Woodgrain Impression plate, scalloped square punch, ribbon (dollar bin someplace!)

Supplies (card 2):  Rustic Branches, PTI, (Linen background, retired SU, pine bough background, Hero Arts), Vintage Cream and kraft cardstock, PTI, Tim Holtz Distress inks, Distressed Stickes, Versamark and Clear embossing powder, scalloped square punch, ribbon (dollar bin JoAnn's!)

A Holiday Head Start

This week for the "Ways to Use it" challenge at Splitcoaststampers, we were to get a "holiday head start"!  I chose to make a gift tag.  I used the holly image from PTI's Holiday Button Bits, and the NEW Musical Backgrounds set from Waltzingmouse Stamps...sooo cool (and realistic, huh?!)  The top was made by using a portion of PTI's Mat Stack 2 and a hole punch.  One tag down...but how many to go???

Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge #15

Another fun sketch drawn up by Claire Brennan at Waltzingmouse Stamps Sketch Blog this week!  Here it is:

Here is my card with the sketch:

I used the sweater knit from Waltzingmouse Stamps' Faux Fun, and the rest are images from WMS Sewing Box Christmas (mitten, big snowflake, little snowflakes, sentiment).  I had 4 sweater panels across the middle but for some reason I stamped two shades of green right next to each other (??) so it looks like one big green one!  I stamped the sweater knit in various colors for the mitten and in sage for the big snowflake.  I then paper-pieced the centers and popped them up on dimensionals.

Waltzingmouse Halloween Blog Waltz!

It's time for another Blog Waltz with Waltzingmouse Stamps!  The theme this month is Halloween!

Oh how I love that little witch!  This card has your traditional Halloween color scheme of gold, black, blue, and sage green (HUH?!).  The background is made with the lace strip from Faux Fun stamped in Versamagic Sage ink on PTI Harvest Gold cardstock.  I then distressed the edges with Tim Holtz Black Distress ink.  Made the center lace panel with sage ink on black cardstock.  Stamped sentiment, bats, and Witch Wanda from Midnight Feast.  I paper-pieced Wanda's apron so it would be white, and added Stickles.  The bats are spiffed up with Glossy Accents.  Made the spooky midnight sky by sponging Stormy Sky and Chipped Sapphire Distress inks, stamping the stars in PTI Fresh Snow ink, and then putting Stickles on a few here and there. 

I used quite a few things on this card!  As I walked away to go get my camera, I came back and REALLY took notice of this...the wrath that Wanda left on my kitchen table...

This is what my table looked like after that ONE card.  Can you even imagine how it would look if I did another one??  Now everybody please lie to me and tell me your crafty space looks the same...

Sometimes?  Anyone? 

Hee...and Happy Halloweeny!

Sew Tragic!

This card is for Waltzingmouse Stamps Sketch Challenge #14 seen here:

So I got out Waltzingmouse Stamps' Sewing Box Christmas stamp set, then decided to try out my sewing machine on a card (only my second attempt).  I broke the needle after 2 practice panels.  Jason even came in to help me put one back in.  Then the bobbin was a mess.  I managed to eek out 3 zigzag panels on this card before packing it back up....PLEASE DO NOT ENLARGE THIS PHOTO, heeeee! 

I loved Claire's sketch, so carried on with my "sewing theme" (how could I throw out the tree after I used FIFTEEN rhinestones on it...that WOULD be tragic!!)  I stamped the background on kraft paper using the open circle from Papertrey Ink's Polka Dot Basics.  I then filled them in with the snowflake image from WMS Sewing Box Christmas.  Thanks sewwww much for looking, giggle!

A Two For Sunday!

Lots of people being honored today at Splitcoaststampers!

First up is Die Cue Diva aka Terri, who is the Featured Stamper of the week!  I chose to case THIS awesome card of Terri's!

Oh how I love that card of Terri's!  I used the same color scheme and layout.  Made the wreath with PTI's Rustic Branches and the bottom with PTI's Guide Lines!

Next up is the Queen for the Day!  Anne Ryan is the "Queen for the Day" challenge creator and weekly hostess.  Each week she chooses a Queen...a stamper at Splitcoaststampers who participates often in challenges, but ALSO leaves comments on everyone else's cards.  This week Anne was called away for a family emergency, so Cathy Bomgardner (aka Mutnik) decided to crown the Queen of Queens herself!  So I cased THIS card of Anne's!

Used PTI's Holiday Button Bits and the Gingham Backgrounder from Cornish Heritage Farms.  Anne's favorite color is black.  She said that everything in her house is black except for the walls, hee!  She regularly pokes fun at all of her cards, and noted that the person receiving her black Christmas card was in for a surprise!  She also calls me "Avon Lady" (Anne is from Rochester, NY, so she is familiar with my town AVON!).  I joked that she keeps sending me money for make-up, and I keep using it to buy stamps!!

Stop on over to Splitcoaststampers today and visit Terri's and Anne's galleries...you'll be glad that you did!

It's a Boo for All!

Okay, I am not the biggest fan of Halloween.  It's all my Mom's fault!  She said she hated Halloween, but then always made me the best costumes...go figure.  I think it was that she hated the pressure that she put on herself around Halloween!  I find that I do that to myself, trying to make Eva and Claire costumes (ps...I can't sew), when I should just let them be whatever they want and march straight to Walmart and buy them!

But something changed this year, and I am finding that I am loving so many Halloween stamp sets out there, there might be a turn around in my Halloween attitude!  The stamps on this card are from Waltzingmouse Stamps' Midnight Feast...so much fun to "play" with!  This card is for the "Friday Free for All" Challenge at Splitcoaststampers...we were to use Wendy's sketch, and for bonus points, you could only use stamps included in 1 set! 

I stamped the witches, bats, and "BOO" sentiment in Versamark (clear, watermark) ink onto PTI's Vintage Cream cardstock, and then embossed them with clear embossing powder.  I then sponged over the images with Tim Holtz Distress inks in Black Soot and Vintage Photo, and the images magically appear...spooktacular good fun!

Pink Persimmon + Plaid Products = PERFECT

Today my project featuring Pink Persimmon stamps and PLAID Folk Art Paints is being featured at Pink Persimmon's blog!  Hop over HERE to see the photo tutorial showing you how to make this:

Don't forget to answer the "Question of the Day" at the end of the blog post at Pink Persimmon to be entered into the Plaid prize package giveaway for today!

Special thanks to my great-nephew Owen for appearing in my project :) !

Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge #13

Here is this week's sketch at the Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge Blog:

Stamped ornament and sentiment from WMS Sewing Box: Christmas on October Afternoon decorative paper, then used the Very Vintage Labels One and Pic-Nic Patterns stamp sets to make the backgrounds.  The green is the reverse side of the October Afternoon paper I used for the ornament.  There is a little "hook" made from copper wire at the top, rhinestones, and gingham ribbon to finish off the ornament! 

Witch Wanda's Sweetie Pouch

I have found my favorite template of all time!  It is called a "Sweetie Pouch" and is designed by Claire Brennan.  It is the EASIEST little thing to make...and it is FREE!  Visit the Waltzingmouse Stamp Store HERE and look for it under the "Freebies" section! 

I made mine using Papertrey Ink's Orange Zest cardstock.  I stamped a piece of white cardstock using PTI's "A Little Argyle" set for the inside, and then stamped a star from WMS "Midnight Feast" at the intersections.  I also used the witch from "Midnight Feast" with Brilliance Black ink, punched it out with a 1.75 circle punch, then attached it to a Mat Stack 2 die cut (PTI).  A few buttons and some orange Divine Twine, and I now have the cutest Halloween gift to give...after I fill it with some spooky treats, of course!

PLAID and Pink Persimmon!

Next week beginning on Monday, September 6th, it is PLAID week at Pink Persimmon!  Not as in "plaid" prints and fabrics but as in awesome PLAID Products, which you can see featured on their blog, Paint me Plaid! 

Each day next week, a Pink Persimmon Creative Team Member will be featuring a project combining products from PLAID and Pink Persimmon stamps.  I've had a sneak peek at them all, and they are fabulous! 

Each day check Pink Persimmon's Blog for the full tutorial for each project.  Then, answer the "question of the day" at the end of the post to be entered into the PLAID prize giveaway...which includes an assortment of fabulous prizes ...for each day...for a total of 7 days!  That means 7 prize giveaways!  And you can enter all 7 times!! 

The feature begins on Monday, September 6th and extends through Sunday, September 12th.  Don't forget to come back and see my project on Friday, September 10th, and I'll tell you why I am MAD for PLAID!!

Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge #12

I couldn't resist playing the Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge this week, even though I should've been writing reports (my family members are totally rolling their eyes right now!). 

Papertrey Ink's Friendship Jar Fall Fillers and Waltzingmouse Stamps Midnight Feast were a perfect combo for making some scary Witch's Brew.  The jar is made with PTI stamps, and the potion that is escaping is made with WMS Midnight Feast.  Used flourishes from Unity Stamps.  I used stickles at only the top of the jar so it looked effervescent and bubbly!

I took some liberty with Claire's sketch, and turned it on it's side, then made the card longer at the top.  It's still the sketch, right?  Can you see it?  I am sorry, I just couldn't contain all those bats flying out the top, hee!

New Pink Persimmon Stamps...a sale...and prize giveaway info!

New stamps debuted this week at Pink Persimmon!  This card features an adorable pumpkin from the new set Vintage Pumpkins created by Peggy Jo Ackley.  I also used the Journaling Ticket image, and a sentiment from Sweet Greetings and decorative paper from Cloud Nine (with sparkly candy corn!)

The other set just released is the adorable Holiday Favors, also designed by Peggy Jo Ackley.  It perfectly coordinates with the new 2x2 Truffle Boxes which will soon be released in the store.  It features fun images of a Santa, clown, baby, and angel, as well as other fun decorations to add some fun to favor boxes of any kind. 

Speaking of Christmas, Pink Persimmon is having a sale on all of it's holiday stamp sets, including
 Little Christmas Cottage, Holly Wreath, and Santa's Sleigh.

Annnnnd....there is a Pink Persimmon prize giveaway being hosted by PaperCrafters Corner!
1.  First, visit Pink Persimmon and check out all of the stamp sets. 
2.  Then click on this link to go straight to PaperCrafters Corner, and write the name of your favorite Pink Persimmon stamp set in the comments section. 

You will be entered into the prize drawing to win the 2 newly released sets, Vintage Pumpkins and Holiday Favors!   Hurry, as the chance to enter ends on Saturday, September 5th at midnight EST!  Good luck!