I Love You...JUGS 31 45

***I have 3 posts today-please continue to scroll up or down-Thanks :)***
Hi Cyber Friends! Time again for a sketch challenge with Just Us Girls. This week Maria has challenged us to create a card OR in celebration of National Scrapbooking Day, a scrapbook layout, using this awesome sketch! ***Spellbinders™ is having a contest in celebration of National Scrapbooking Day - be sure to visit their blog HERE for COMPLETE info*** Beth created a wonderful LO for inspiration :) If you would like to see this card, please be sure to pick up the October 2010 issue of CARDS Magazine :) YAHOOO!!!

I hope you come join the fun with Just Us Girls & our May Featured Designer: LeAnne & our Special Guest Designer: Teresa Kline.
***Just Us Girls is currently have a DT calling! - if any of you are interested - please see the Just Us Girls site for COMPLETE details!***

Here is my interpretation of Maria's fabulous sketch:

I recently found these gorgeous ornate Pink Paislee Artisan Elements at my favorite LSS. They are really fun to work with because you can ink them up, spray them with Glimmer Mist or leave them as is! I chose to sponge on a lil' distressing ink around the edges. The beautiful sentiment is one of many featured in the Waltzingmouse Sweethearts set.

I have given my hands a try at making fan fold/accordian flowers lately & have been very pleased with the outcome :) What do you think? Do you make these?

The Prima Butterfly Pebble made for a wonderful centerpiece :)
For complete details, please visit the Just Us Girls challenge site & be sure to visit ALL the DT girls (found on my side bar) as well as LeAnne! Once you have your project photographed, be sure to go to Just Us Girls and post a direct link to your project on our site. If you upload to on online gallery, please be sure to label your project as JUGS31.
Deadline to be considered for the weekly "Chic of the Week" will be 9:00 PM EST on Thursday, May 8th. Our Inlinkz tool will also close at that time. Our top pick "Chic of the Week" will be announced on Friday morning following the deadline.
Supplies Used:
Stamps: Waltzingmouse Sweethearts
Paper: K&Company, Prima, Papertrey Ink
Ink: Ranger, Tsukineko
Other: Spellbinders™ Nestabilities S4-116 Standard Circles Small, S4-138 Petite Ovals Large, W-001 The Wizard, Pink Paislee Artisan Elements, Prima Pebble, Creative Impressions Bling, Scrapbooking-Adhesives, Glue Dots, ribbon from stash, Husqvarna sewing machine

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Hello there...More MTME May Release 22

***I have 3 posts today - Please continue to scroll up-Thanks :)***

Hello there! Here to share a card made with a few My Time Made Easy, LLC stamps from the May Release. Lauren & ALL the MTME DT members will be sharing their awesome creations today as well. Please be sure to stop by each of their sites to see what they have been up to :)

This card features 2 fun stamps: 1 from the MTME © Paper Pattern Pieces & 1 from the © Sensational Sentiments. BOTH sets contain so many images, it was difficult to choose which ones to use (sigh).

First I inked up & stamped the circular floral image then the sentiment. That is one feature I love about clear stamps, is the ability to exactly where you are going to place the image - takes out the guess work!

That is all I have to share - hope you like what you see here today? Thanks for looking - Be Sweet! I will be back on Monday, May 3rd to share another MTME project :)

Supplies Used:
Stamps: My Time Made Easy © Paper Pattern Pieces, © Sensational Sentiments
Paper: My Mind's Eye, Papertrey Ink
Ink: Ranger, Tsukineko
Other: Spellbinders™ Nestabilities S4-172 Small Pinking Circles, S4-116 Standard Circles Small, S4-243 Ric Rac Diamond Borderabilities Petite, Husqvarna sewing machine, Cuttlebug embossing folder, ribbon & button from stash

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For the butterflies...PDCC27 56

***I have 2 posts today, if you are looking for my MTME post, please continue to scroll down - Thanks :)***
Hi Everyone! This week, I chose the colors for the Play Date Cafe Creativity Challenge #27, PDCC27. I found these darling little bird feeders in the gift shop at the Carlsbad Flower Fields & photographed them for inspiration :)Here is my interpretation of these colors:This is my first time creating with beautiful Melissa Frances DP & I am hooked! Can't you hear my wallet screaming???? :) I used one of my favorite background stamps from Rubber Stampede - Music Background to create the strip of music paper.

After stamping & cutting out the birdcage, I dressed it up with 3 of my favorite things - a bow, button & butterfly :)

I stenciled this lil' Spellbinders™ Flying Beauty using SU Bashful Blue ink then popped a pearl right in the center.

I hope you can join along with this week's creativity challenge. After you have made your project, please head on over to The Play Date Cafe & link your post. If you post your creations in an on-line gallery, please label it PDCC27. Be sure to see what all The Play Date Cafe DT girls have created, (on my side bar) & our Guest Designer, Jen Tapler to share with you for inspiration! I hope you are able to join along with this week's challenge.

Supplies Used:

Stamps: MTME Just For You, Hero Arts Birdcage, Rubber Stampede Music Background

Paper: Melissa Frances, SU, PTI

Ink: SU, Memento, Ranger, Copic

Other: Spellbinders™ Shapeabilities Flying Beauties S4- 123, Fiskars scissors, Creative Impressions ribbon, pearl, lace & button from stash

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Crafty Girls Trendy Tool Tote...MTME May Release 40

****I have 2 posts today - if you are looking for my Play Date Cafe post, please continue to scroll up****Thanks :)

Hi Everyone! It's time to share some new My Time Made Easy products that will be available May 1st at the MTME web store! Lauren & Pam will be sharing some amazing projects today as well - be sure to visit their blogs :) I would like to welcome Silke Ledlow to the MTME DT :) For those of you who missed yesterday's post, HERE, this will be my last release as a MTME DT member, as I am stepping down.

Here is my take on the the © Trendy Tool Tote template:
I have visions of this darling lil' tote template filled with such a variety of items for various occasions & holidays! As you can see in the photo, this template, when made at the original size, easily holds 3 plastic storage containers found at your local craft store. I filled the jars with yummy buttons to share with a crafty friend :)

(Note: you can rotate this image 360 degrees by doing the following... Within the photo, click and drag your mouse pointer to the left or right to spin the box! You can also use the left and right arrows on your keyboard or use the left and right arrows icons. You can also zoom in or out to get a better view of the box by using the (+) and (-) icons. Lastly, you can simply press the Play icon (circular arrow) to rotate the box automatically. Give it a try!)

I showcased this beautiful, elegant sentiment from the © Sensational Sentiments set front & center! This set contains so many gorgeous & versatile stamps!

Lauren requested that I feature the © Puckered Up Patterns set. I inked up one of the many images from this set to stamp the subtle background on the tag. After stamping the background, I made a tag using a Spellbinders™ Labels Eight die template. I stamped on a few different sizes of the stem images from the © Sensational Stems set, then made the button flower garden :) I pulled out one of my favorite sentiments sets, © Just For You & inked up the From me to you image.

That's all I have today! Please stop by to see what both Lauren & Pam have created to share with you! Surely some pure eye candy :) Thanks for looking!

Supplies Used:

My Time Made Easy © Trendy Tool Tote Template

Stamps: My Time Made Easy © Sensational Stems, Sensational Sentiments, Puckered Up Patterns, Just For You

Paper: My Mind's Eye, PTI, SU

Ink: Memento, SU

Other: Spellbinders ™ Nstabilities S4-230 Labels Six, S5-019 Labels Eight, S4-250 Big Scalloped Circles Small, W-001 The Wizzard, S4-142 Long Classic Rectangles, buttons, twine & ribbon from stash, Husqvarna sewing machine

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Thank You 38

Hi Everyone! I would like to take this time to thank Lauren for the amazing opportunity to be one of the designers for My Time Made Easy, LLC. Upon the completion of the May release, I am stepping down from the MTME DT. Many thanks & best wishes to Lauren & ALL the girls on the MTME DT :) I had such a great time creating with Lauren's products & it has been such an honor & pleasure to create alongside the uber talented MTME DT :)

I chose to feature a butterfly on this card because Lauren has a special affection for butterflies :)

For sketch inspiration, I played along with Kazan's fun sketch #51 at 2Sketches4You.

Thanks for looking! I will be back tomorrow to share a My Time Made Easy May release peek :)

Ingredients Used:

Stamps: MTME Just For You

Paper: K&Company, PTI

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Other: Spellbinders™ S5-014 Mega Nestabilities Small Deckled Mega Rectangles, S4-144 Long Classic Rectangles Small, S3-038 Shapeabilities Butterflies, S4-144 Petite Ovals Small

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Memories...JUGS30 49

Hi Everyone! I hope you are ready to think "outside of a card" because it is time again for a template challenge with Just Us Girls! This week I am Hostessing the JUGS30 template challenge & Lauren, Owner/Designer of the fabulous My Time Made Easy LLC products is sponsoring the challenge! Lauren has graciously given all of the JUGS Design Team girls the MTME © Pucker Up template that will be released May 1st! Please feel free to use ANY template that you have on hand! We would love to see a MTME template but if you don't own one, you can find a FREE MTME one - click HERE or visit the Splitcoaststampers Resource site - click HERE. I hope you come join the fun with Just Us Girls & our April Featured Designer: Sue! Thank you so much Sue for joining along with Just Us Girls as our Featured Designer :) Lauren will be giving away to ONE lucky participant, a FREE MTME template! You must play to win :)

Here is my ©Pucker Up sample:

I did not stamp a thing to make this project! I trimmed a Prima chipboard label to the desired size, then layered it on top a piece of cs cut from the Spellbinders ™ Large Deckled Mega Rectangle Mega Nestabilitie™.

I stitched on a lil' piece of lace & added a button to the label.

These butterfly embellishments were super easy to make :) I layered 2 butterflies cut from the ™ Flying Beauties set, inked the edges & adhered together then placed a pearl in the center of each.

That's all I have for today! :) Be Sweet!

For all the juicy details, please visit the Just Us Girls challenge site & be sure to visit ALL the DT girls (found on my side bar) as well as Sue! Once you have your project photographed, be sure to go to Just Us Girls and post a direct link to your project on our site. If you upload to on online gallery, please be sure to label your project as JUGS30.

Deadline to be considered for the weekly "Chic of the Week" will be 9:00 PM EST on Thursday, April 29th. Our Inlinkz tool will also close at that time. Our top pick "Chic of the Week" will be announced on Friday morning following the deadline.

Ingredients Used:

Template: My Time Made Easy Pretty Packaging © Pucker Up

Paper: Prima DP, Donna Salazar DP, cream cs

Ink: Ranger distressing ink

Other: Spellbinders ™ S5-015 Large Deckled Mega Rectangles, S4-124 Flying Beauties, Prima flower, ribbon, button, pearls & twine from stash.

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Thanks...PDCC26 53

Hi Friends :) Hope you are all having a wonderful week! This week Julie chose these beautiful jewelry findings to refer to for color inspiration. Mod Podge Rocks is sponsoring this week's challenge, please be sure to visit The Play Date Cafe for all the juicy details!
Here is my interpretation of these colors:
I learned so much at the Spellbinder's DT Retreat over the past week, I figured I better practice some of these techniques that are new to me. Embossing Spellbinders ™ Premium Craft Foil & stenciling to name a few! The Gina K. of Gina K. Designs happens to be featuring the Spellbinders ™ Impressabilities on her site HERE showcasing their use in several videos! Be sure to check these out!

I stenciled the butterfly, flowers & tag embellishments using a sponge dauber. Such an easy technique yet produces such stunning results!

In this bird's eye pic you can really see how wonderfully the foil looks when sanded revealing the silver "under coating" & how the decorative embossing really stands out on the butterfly when stenciled. I would love to know if you have ever tried either of these techniques? Would you be interested in learning how? Thanks for looking! Be Sweet!

I hope you can join along with this week's creativity challenge. After you have made your project, please head on over to The Play Date Cafe & link your post. If you post your creations in an on-line gallery, please label it PDCC26. Be sure to see what all The Play Date Cafe DT girls have created, (on my side bar) & our Guest Designer, Jen Tapler to share with you for inspiration! I hope you are able to join along with this week's challenge.

Supplies Used:

Paper: Spellbinders ™ Premium Craft Foil Copper, My Mind's Eye Lush Hip & Luxurious Basics: Blue Floral Paper, Blue Diamonds Paper, Worldwin Paper Treasures Kraft, white cs

Ink: Jo-Ann Craft Essentials rub on, Stampin Up Soft Sky, Creamy Caramel

Other: Spellbinders ™ Impressabilities I2-1002 Butterfly, Shapeabilities S4-234 Ribbon Tag Trio Two, S4-123 Flying Beauties, S4-200 Flower Bouquet Borderabilities S4-243 Ric Rac Diamond Border Petites, Husqvarna sewing machine, pearls, buttons & twine from stash

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Love... 31

Hi Everyone! Last week, I was away at the Spellbinders Retreat - Oh my gosh! It was an amazing experience! I met the entire Spellbinders crew & DT. Everyone was so friendly & kind. We learned so many new techniques & brushed up on some familiar ones. I am looking forward to sharing my Spellbinders journey with all of you :)

Awhile back in January, Beate at SCS asked me to write a tutorial on how to make a tissue paper flower for SCS!!! Oh my gosh - Of course - I was more than honored & happy to! Please visit SCS HERE to view the tutorial & feel free to let me know what you think :)

I made this Love card showcasing the tissue paper flower featured in the tutorial.

The fun polka dotted ornate frame image that you see here behind the tissue paper flower is one of many amazing stamps from the Gina K. Designs Lovely Labels set.

The set is full of several different images that fit perfectly with various Spellbinders dies! A match made in my stamping Heaven :)

I used a Cuttlebug embossing folder to create the uppermost layer, a scrap of DP from K&Company for the middle layer & a snippit from the Vintage Valentine DP for the bottom layer. To give the tissue paper flower an aged/distressed look, I used a sponge dauber to apply Ranger Vintage Photo ink.

That is all I have for today - Thanks for looking! Be Sweet!

Stamps: Gina K. Designs Lovely Labels

Paper: tissue paper, K&Company DP, white & aqua cs,

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Ranger Vintage Photo

Other: Spellbinders™ # S4-233 Labels Nine, # S4-190 Labels Four, # S4-136 Classic Heart, # S4-137 Classic Scalloped Heart, # S4-109 Flower Creations Three, Offray ribbon, Making Memories hardware, EK Success border punch

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New Challenge Blog...Guest Designer! 33

Hi Everyone! Here to share with all of you some very exciting news - Today kicks off the beginning of a new weekly challenge blog named City Crafter Challenge managed by Kirsty Lim. My dear, sweet friend Heather, who is a Designer on the challenge team has invited me to be the very 1st Guest Designer for this weeks challenge, CCCB1, which happens to be a Cupcake theme :) Thank you so much Kirsty for this special opportunity to kick off the beginning of your new adventure & Heather for thinking of me :)

Here is my Happy Birthday card:

This card was quite simple to make :) To make the background, all I did was emboss a piece of cs, punch & ink the edges then stitch on a few strips of Basic Grey DP. I layered the cupcake image atop a Spellbinders ™ Nestabilities S4-114 Standard Circles Large, S4-124 Classic Scalloped Circles Large using a few various Copic markers, stitched on a button & sprinkled on some Pixie Dust :) Well not really Pixie Dust rather, Melissa Frances Mica flakes, which creates such an amazing effect!

If you have never used Melissa Frances's Mica flakes, you don't know what you are missing! They are super light, stick very easily & have an amazing effect! That's all for today. Thanks for stopping by & taking a peek :) Be Sweet!

For COMPLETE details, please be sure to visit City Crafter Challenge & be sure to visit ALL the DT's sites as well! Once you have your card photographed, be sure to go to City Crafter Challenge and post a direct link to your project on the site. If you upload to on online gallery, please be sure to label your project as CCCB1.

Ingredients Used:

Stamps: Papertrey Ink

Paper: Basic Grey, Papertrey Ink

Ink: Copic Markers, Memento, Ranger

Other: Spellbinders ™ Nestabilities S4-114 Standard Circles Large, S4-124 Classic Scalloped Circles Large, Melissa Frances Mica flakes, Cuttlebug Embossing Folder, Offray ribbon, button from stash

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Happy Birthday Lisa!...JUGS29 47

Hi Everyone! This week, Just Us Girls is not only offering a Color challenge hosted by Maria however, there we are including a special twist :) We are celebrating JUGS DT member, Lisa's birthday :) so, if you play along, please feel free to use these pretty pastels to make a Birthday Card! Please hop on over to Lisa's blog & wish her a Happy Birthday :)Here is Lisa's Happy Birthday card:

Lisa lives in my hometown - Buffalo, NY! Small world :) Spring is probably in full blossom in that neck of the woods which made me think of sending Lisa a basket of flowers from my stamp garden :)

I used the SU Watercolor Garden Mini's set and stamped away! My dear friend Heather pointed me in the right direction for this gorgeous ribbon :) She always makes the most beautiful cards!

Hope you enjoy your SPECIAL day Lisa :)

For all the juicy details, please visit the Just Us Girls challenge site & be sure to visit ALL the DT girls (found on my side bar) as well as Sue! Please don't forget to wish Lisa a Happy Birthday! :) Once you have your card photographed, be sure to go to Just Us Girls and post a direct link to your project on our site. If you upload to on online gallery, please be sure to label your project as JUGS29.

Deadline to be considered for the weekly "Chic of the Week" will be 9:00 PM EST on Thursday, April 22nd. Our Inlinkz tool will also close at that time. Our top pick "Chic of the Week" will be announced on Friday morning following the deadline.

Ingredients Used:

Stamps: Basket by Judith, SU

Paper: K&Company DP, PTI, SU

Ink: Memento, SU, Ranger, Copic markers

Other: Spellbinders: # S4-189 Labels Three, # S4-190 Labels Four, #S4-171 Nested Butterflies, EK Success punch, Prima flower, Cuttlebug embossing folder, brads from stash

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Just a Splash...PDCC25 43

Hi Everyone! Time for another Creativity Challenge at The Play Date Cafe. This week Sarah chose the splash of colors & this photo to hopefully get you inspired to play along with the PDCC25 challenge:

Here is my take:

I tried to stay true to the challenge & just use a splash of orange - what better way than to plant a Prima rose? :)

I stamped the background image using the Music Background stamp from Rubber Stampede. The lil' sheet of music was stamped using a Prima stamp that my DH surprised me with :) I simply stamped that image, then using a Fiskars scissors trimmed around the edges to give it a decorative border.

Thanks so much for looking! Be Sweet!

I hope you can join along with this week's creativity challenge. After you have made your project, please head on over to The Play Date Cafe & link your post. If you post your creations in an on-line gallery, please label it PDCC25. Be sure to see what all The Play Date Cafe DT girls have created, (on my side bar) to share with you for inspiration! I hope you are able to join along with this week's challenge.

Ingredients Used:

Stamps: SU', Prima, Rubber Stampede

Paper: Gina K. Luxury cs, SU'

Ink: Memento, Ranger

Other: Spellbinders: # S4-112 Classic Ovals Small, Fiskars scissors & punch, Prima flower, Offray ribbon

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A "Yummy" scrapped LO...Just Us Girls Technique Challenge 39

Hi Crafty Friends :) Are you ready to get scrappy with Just Us Girls? For this week's, Technique challenge, JUGS28, Alicia has challenged us to create a scrapped layout using her fun sketch!

Here's my take:

These photos were taken at the San Diego Wild Animal Park Summer of 2008! We took a tour of the "Serengeti", where we had the most awesome opportunity to feed the Rhinos sweet potatoes!
I fashioned a BIG We R Memory Keepers word eyelet right in the center of a flower made using an EK Success punch.

I like to stitch my buttons into place! Secures things right where you want them!

These animals are magnificent gentle giants! Their tongues are huge & they lift their upper lip when you reach towards them with the treats! If you ever go to San Diego, CA this is one place you will surely want to visit! We even spent a night in a tent & watched the animals graze at night! It is called "Roar & Snore!" Would love to know if you have ever visited the SD Wild Animal Park? Be Sweet!

I was thrilled that Alicia chose a scrapped challenge! Great motivation to get my Summer trip of 2008 completed-Thanks Alicia :) One out of MANY pages to go :) LOL

For all the juicy details, please visit the Just Us Girls challenge site & be sure to visit ALL the DT girls (found on my side bar) as well as Sue! Once you have your scrapped page photographed, be sure to go to Just Us Girls and post a direct link to your project on our site. If you upload to on online gallery, please be sure to label your project as JUGS28.

Deadline to be considered for the weekly "Chic of the Week" will be 9:00 PM EST on Thursday, April 15th. Our Inlinkz tool will also close at that time. Our top pick "Chic of the Week" will be announced on Friday morning following the deadline.

Ingredients Used: Paper: Heidi Grace DP, Stampin' Up Whisper White, Bazzill Other: Spellbinders: S4-124 Classic Scalloped Circles Large, S4-125 Classic Scalloped Circles Small, S4-115 Petite Scalloped Circles Large, S4-117 Petite Scalloped Circles Small, S4-114 Standard Large Circles, EK Success flower & border punches, We R Memory Keepers eyelet, Husqvarna sewing machine, Sizzix alphabet dies, buttons & brads from stash

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