CFC102: Thanks for your service

Hello, and happy Friday!  I hope everybody has had a great week and is ready for the holiday weekend (at least in the US).  I, for one, could use a 3-day weekend.  And in honor of this commemoration, we're having a special challenge at CAS-ual Fridays!  Check it:

CFC102: Red, white & blue

Incorporate red, white, and blue into your clean and simple project.

And the sponsor for this week's challenge is the fabulous Simon Says Stamp.  The winner will receive a $25 gift certificate to spend in the store!

While it wasn't specifically part of the challenge to create something patriotic or fit for military personnel, my mind went straight to the Paper Smooches Circle of Honor stamp set, and I couldn't NOT go that route. And now for the paper yummies:

First I stamped the sentiment using two different colors of Memento ink and some masking, then placed the stars around the sentiment in a diagonal cascading pattern.  I offset the star outline and stamped it in the opposite ink color for a fun look, then placed a rhinestone in the center of each one.  Here is a close-up:

I hope you have a safe and sound holiday weekend, and I hope you'll play along with this challenge!  You have until next Thursday at noon EST to do so.  Thanks so much for looking!

Supplies: card stock: Stampin' Up!; stamps: Paper Smooches; inks: Tsukineko; rhinestones: Hampton Art; corner rounder: We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper

CFC98 - Hello

Happy Friday to all!  I'm here today with a fun new challenge from CAS-ual Fridays!  Check it:

CFC98: Use glitter on your clean and simple project

And the sponsor for this week's challenge is the wonderful Simon Says Stamp.  The winner will receive a $25 gift certificate to spend in the Simon store.  Awesome!

For this week's card, I used one color of Stickles glitter glue over three different colored inks to create this paper yummy:

I started by stamping the solid butterfly from the Paper Smooches Flap Happy set in three different colors of Memento ink.  Then I added the dotted "trail" and the antennae in the same ink color.  I stamped the sentiment in black ink, then applied Diamond Stickles over the trails and the butterflies.  Diamond has got to be my favorite color of Stickles, because it takes on the color of whatever is underneath it and is very versatile.  Here's a close-up:

I hope you'll play along with this week's challenge.  You have until next Thursday at noon EST to do so.  Thanks so much for looking!

Supplies: card stock: Recollections (black), Stampin' Up (white); stamps: Paper Smooches; inks: Tsukineko; glitter glue: Ranger; corner rounder: We R Memory Keepers

CFC92 - Irish you a magical day!

Happy Friday!  Can you believe it's already March?!?  Wow...time does fly when you're having fun!  And speaking of fun, I'm here today with a new challenge from CAS-ual Fridays!

CFC92: Wallpaper

Stamp your own background for your clean and simple project

And our sponsor this week is the fabulous Ellen Hutson!  The winner of this week's challenge will receive a $25 gift certificate to spend here.  Awesome, right?

So since it is March, I chose to make a card to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, and I knew the perfect stamps to use to make the background for this paper yummy:

For this card, I went straight to the A Magical Spring stamp set from Paper Smooches.  I knew the shamrock would make the perfect stamped background, and how could I resist that leprechaun?!?  I stamped and colored his skin, hat, clover, and shoes on some Copic X-Press Blending card stock, then paper-pieced his clothing and hair with some cute patterned papers.  I added some gold Stickles to his buckles and bow tie.  I fussy-cut around him, and stood him on the flag-cut sentiment panel. Here's a close-up:

Heehee.  He makes me happy!  I hope you'll play along with this week's challenge.  You have until next Thursday at noon EST to do so.  Thanks so much for looking!

Supplies: card base: The Paper Studio; card stock: Copic X-Press Blending Cardstock; patterned papers: Lily Bee Design, Doodlebug; stamps: Paper Smooches; markers: Copic, Prismacolor; ink: Tsukineko; glitter glue: Stickles by Ranger

CFC87 - Sunshine, peace & hope

Happy Friday!  I hope your week was wonderful! I'm here today with a card that I'm just giddy over, and it's my card for this week's CAS-ual Fridays challenge:

CFC87: Make your mark

Use markers on your clean and simple project

And this week's sponsor is Crafter's Companion, who is offering up an awesome Spectrum Noir markers prize package!

So for this challenge, I wanted to use one of the cutest stamps (in my opinion) that Paper Smooches makes.  I'd never used this particular stamp, but I think it's absolutely PERFECT for a spring time card, and also to send well wishes to a friend who's been going through a rough patch.  And now for the paper yummies:

I stamped the adorable lion and lamb stamp from the Eco-Friendly stamp set on white cardstock, colored it in with Copic markers, and fussy-cut it out.  I thought the lion looked so contented, as if the sun was shining down on him and his little lamb buddy.  So, on the white cardstock panel, I embossed a square Nestabilities die to create a frame.  I masked off the area outside the square, and stamped the sunshine in the upper left corner of the square.  With my Copics, I colored in the sunshine, then colored in the rest of the square to create a "sky".  I used a stamp from the Needle Little Love set to create the stitching around the edges of the frame.  The "wishing you sunshine" sentiment is from Eco-Friendly, and I added the "peace" and "hope" from the Joyful Greetings set. The big ampersand is from the We Connect set, and I stamped it in a shade of ink just slightly darker than the sky background.  Here's a close-up:

I hope you'll make your mark on this week's CAS-ual Fridays challenge!  You have until next Thursday at noon EST to play along!  Thanks so much for looking!

I'm also playing along with the inaugural Muse Card Club challenge.  My card was inspired by Amy Kolling's beautiful card at the Muse blog this week.  I loved her layout (I just reversed it on my card), the embossed square, and the fresh spring feel.

Supplies: cardstock: Copic X-Press Blending Cardstock; patterned paper: Echo Park; stamps: Paper Smooches (Eco-Friendly, Needle Little Love, Joyful Greetings, We Connect); inks: Tsukineko (Memento Tuxedo Black, Tangelo), Hero Arts (Soft Pool); markers: Copic; square die: Nestabilities by Spellbinders; die-cutting/embossing machine: Cuttlebug by Provocraft

Paper Smooches Sneak Peeks

Happy Friday!  For this week's CAS-ual Fridays post, click here or scroll down.

If you're here for a Paper Smooches sneak peek, you've found the right place!  Thanks so much for hopping over!  I am over the moon excited that Kim invited me to help sneak peek her new product release!!!  Here are the deets:

Paper Smooches is showing off their CHA release during the entire month of January.  37 designers are participating along with the PS DT, so there will be a ton for projects to inspire you this month.  Paper Smooches is known for their fun and whimsical hand-drawn stamps.  They decided that it was time to broaden their product line to include DIES and wood mount stamps!  

I have a project to share using NEW PS product that releases on February 1, 2013 at www.papersmoochesstamps.com along with many retail stores around the globe.

You will find a new blog link (or two) to follow every day in January at the PS Blog. 

Paper Smooches is giving away $500 worth of product!  Hidden on FIVE of the participating blogs is a prize package worth $100 each. The prize includes a variety of stamp sets, wood mounts and dies.  Comment on as many blogs as you can to increase your chances to be one of the five winners.

Deadline is January 30^th – winners will be announced on the PS Blog on January 31^st.

The product I'm giving you a sneaky peek of is one of Kim's new dies, Prickly Bloom.  I've used it to create these paper yummies:

The large flower shape is the Prickly Bloom die.  I cut it from some fun polka-dot paper, then added some stamped stitching from the Santa Paws stamp set. For the stem, I used the clothesline from the Pip Squeaks set (which is also where the little heart is from), and the leaves are from Daisies & Paisleys.  The sentiment is from Flap Happy.  I stitched around the edges of a Ranger kraft tag, then added the stamping and die cut.  Here are some other views:

I also made a second card using the Prickly Bloom die:

On this card, I wanted to use the die cut as a stand-alone focal point, without the stem and leaves.  Again, I die-cut it from some patterned paper, but then used Copic markers to add some shading.  Then I scored each "petal" from the tip to the center and folded them upward.  I stamped and fussy-cut a butterfly from the Flap Happy stamp set for the center of the Prickly Bloom.  I created the sentiment using the We Connect set, and stamped it in white ink.  I also created the stamped scalloped edge using a solid circle stamp from Hullabaloo.  Here are some other views of this sweet card:

Thanks SO MUCH for looking!  I am honored to be a part of this sneak peek blog hop.  Have a great day!

Card 1
Supplies: card base: Recollections; patterned papers: Basic Grey; tag: Ranger; stamps, die: Paper Smooches; ink: Tsukineko (Memento Tuxedo Black); sewing machine: Kenmore; quilting thread: Americana; seam binding: Hug Snug; baker's twine: Divine Twine

Card 2
Supplies: card base, rhinestones: The Paper Studio; card stock: The Paper Studio (kraft), Georgia Pacific (white); patterned papers: Basic Grey; stamps, die: Paper Smooches; ink: Joann Craft Essentials (white), TPC Studio (blue); markers: Copic; seam binding: Hug Snug  

CFC84 - Thanks

Hello, and happy Friday!  I'm back with this week's CAS-ual Fridays challenge, and I think you'll really find this to be quite a timely challenge: 

Yep, the challenge is to create a thank you card.  Perfect, right?  With Christmas just behind us, who doesn't need a thank you card (or 10?)?  And the wonderful sponsor for this week's challenge is Ellen Hutson. 

Not only will the winner receive gift certificate to spend in the store, she'll also win a guest designer spot at the CAS-ual Fridays blog!  YAY!  And now for the paper yummies:

For this card, I wanted to paper-piece the butterfly and have a layer whose wings I could pop up.  So I stamped the butterfly image 3 times: once on the background (where the blue and gray papers meet), and twice on the yellow patterned paper. I fussy-cut the two yellow patterned butterflies, then adhered one of them flat onto the background.  With the second yellow butterfly, I placed adhesive only on the "body", not the wings.  I adhered the body of the second on top of the first, then folded the wings upward.

I lightly penciled in a "trail", then machine-stitched over the top with yellow thread:

I added some bling to the butterfly body, and along the trail down to the sentiment:

I really enjoyed making this card!  I hope you'll find the time to play along with this week's challenge.  You have until next Thursday at noon EST to do so!  Thanks so much for looking!

I'm also playing along here:
Paper Smooches SPARKS challenge - Anything Goes


Supplies: card base: The Paper Studio; patterned papers: My Mind's Eye; stamps: Paper Smooches (Flap Happy, Simply Said); ink: Tsukineko (Memento London Fog); rhinestones: The Paper Studio; sewing machine: Kenmore; quilting thread: Americana

CFC82 - Sorry!

Happy Friday to all!  I'm back with this week's CAS-ual Fridays challenge:

CFC82: Use creative scoring on your clean and simple project

And the sponsor for this challenge is none other than Scor-Pal!  The winner of this week's challenge will receive her very own Scor-Buddy!  Yayness!

I love the look of decorative/creative scoring on cards, I just wish I could remember to use it more often!  For this challenge, I racked my brain trying to think of clever ways to incorporate scoring, but nothing was clicking.  Then I decided to put to paper a card idea I've been mulling over in my head, and it hit me!  And now for the paper yummy:

So, this card was inspired by the little game piece stamp from the Paper Smooches Knick Knacks set.  It looks just like the game piece from the board game "Sorry!".  So I stamped it in each of the four colors from the game, then created the word "Sorry!" using the Alphadot stamp set.  Then I used my Scor-Pal to create a grid pattern around the edges of the card, to simulate a game board.  I added some Glossy Accents to the game pieces to finish off the card:

How will you even the score?  You have until next Thursday at noon EST to play along with this week's challenge, and I hope you do!  Thanks for looking!

Supplies: card stock: Stampin' Up! (white), Recollections (black); stamps: Paper Smooches; inks: TPC Studio (red, blue, yellow, green), Tsukineko (black); Glossy Accents: Ranger; scoring board: Scor-Pal

CFC81 - Believe

Happy Friday!  I hope everybody has had a wonderful week.  I'm here today with the super-fun CAS-ual Fridays challenge for this week!  Here it is:

CFC81: Knotty or nice

Incorporate knots into your clean and simple project

And since it's the first challenge of the month, that means we're sponsored by the fabulous Simon Says Stamp!  But not only will the winner of this challenge receive a gift certificate to spend in their store, she will also be a future guest designer at the CAS-ual Fridays challenge blog!

So, onto the challenge.  I really had a hard time deciding how I wanted to incorporate knots onto my card.  I kept thinking about the knots in a wood grain pattern, but wasn't sure if that would count.  So I decided I would learn how to make French knots to use on this paper yummy:

I used this tutorial, which was great and super easy to follow.  I used the All Yule Need stamp set from Paper Smooches to stamp and paper-piece the tree and star.  I made the French knot "ornaments" using red embroidery floss.  I cut the December calendar from the Simple Stories Handmade Holiday 6x6 pad, and stamped the "believe" from the Paper Smooches Christmas Sampler set under the numbers.  I stamped a star over the 25.  Here's a close-up of the knots and calendar:

We'd love to have you play along with this week's challenge!  You have until next Thursday at noon EST to get knotty with us.  Thanks for looking!

Supplies: corrugated card base: Recollections; patterned papers: Simple Stories (red plaid, calendar), Lawn Fawn (green chevron for tree, yellow for star), Echo Park (tree trunk); stamps: Paper Smooches; ink: Ranger (Tim Holtz Distressing Ink in Frayed Burlap); embroidery floss: DMC

CFC77 - Go to your happy place

Hello, and happy Friday!  I'm back today with this week's challenge from CAS-ual Fridays!  YAY!  Here it is:

CFC77: Snips, snails & puppy dog tails

Create a clean and simple card for a boy (any type of masculine)

And the sponsor for this week's challenge is the wonderful Simon Says Stamp!  The winner of this challenge will not only receive a gift certificate to the Simon Says Stamp store, but will also win a future guest designer spot at CAS-ual Fridays!

And now for the paper yummies:

For my card, I used the professor from the Paper Smooches Smarty Pants stamp set, along with the luggage, tropical drink, and sentiment from Get Outta Town.  I paper-pieced parts of the image, and colored in the rest with Copic markers.  Here are a couple of close-ups:

Hee hee.  I love that guy!!!  I hope you will create a card for a boy and play along with this week's challenge!  You have until next Thursday at noon EST to do so.  Thanks so much for looking!

CFC74 - Baked with love

Happy Friday!  I hope everybody has had a wonderful week.  I am on my six day break from work until next Tuesday, so I've got no complaints!  I'm here today with this week's CAS-ual Fridays challenge:

CFC74: Put your {heart} into it

Use hearts in your clean and simple project.

And our sponsor this week is i {heart} papers:

The winner of this week's challenge will receive a gift certificate to spend in the i {heart} papers store.  They carry a ton of cute products, and even some exclusive stamp lines.  That is where I bought my first ever Paper Smooches stamp set back in January of this year.  Needless to say, I was hooked.  Nine months and 46 Paper Smooches sets later (LOL! But seriously...), I created this paper yummy:

So just like I've been playing around with the teacher from the Paper Smooches Smarty Pants set, I've also been experimenting (pun intended!) with the mad scientist from the Great Chemistry set.  I replaced his rubber glove with the oven mitt from the Yummers set, and paper-pieced it.  And it cracks me up!  Then I put the heart-shaped pie (iced sugar cookie?) in his mitt.  I colored him and the pie with Copic markers.  I stamped the sentiment onto the gingham paper (from Lily Bee Design), and paper-pieced the little {heart}.  The pink and blue patterned papers are Pebbles Inc., as is the floral oven mitt.  I scored a line along the top, bottom, and left side of the card.  Here's a closer look at the sentiment:

And here's a close-up of the scientist-turned-pastry chef:

Tee hee.  I love that guy!  I hope you will play along this week, and put your {heart} into it!  You have until next Thursday at noon EST to join in the fun.  Also, don't forget about the HUGE announcement that will be made at the CAS-ual Fridays blog.  And if you put this special button on your blog and link up to the CAS-ual Fridays post, you could win an AWESOME prize!

Thanks so much for looking!

Supplies: cardstock: Copic X-press It Blending Card; patterned papers: Pebbles Inc. (blue, pink, floral), Lily Bee Design (yellow); stamps: Paper Smooches (Great Chemistry, Yummers); ink: Tsukineko (Memento Tuxedo Black); markers: Copic; corner rounder: We R Memory Keepers; scoring tool: Martha Stewart Crafts Scoring Board

World Cardmaking Day, Take 2

Hello again!  I'm back with the second card I made yesterday to celebrate World Cardmaking Day.  This is the card that has me absolutely GIDDY!!!  I played along with the Paper Smooches Blog, and for this card, I followed the sketch that Kim posted (from Operation Write Home).  Here's the sketch:

I've been playing with the teacher stamp from the Smarty Pants set, exchanging the pointer in his hand for other various objects.  Well, I found that the candy cane from the All Yule Need set fits quite well is his little hand, and the hat from the Chilly Chums set looks pretty darn cute on his head too!  I don't know what it is about this card, but I think it may be one of my favorites...ever.  And now for the paper yummies:

So, I changed the sketch ever so slightly by making that center panel a little bit smaller.  I just couldn't bear to cover those plaid and candy cane striped patterned papers!  I love 'em so hard!  I stamped and colored the guy, then paper-pieced his tie.  I gave him the hat and the candy cane, which look so stinkin' cute with a little Stickles on them.  I stamped a sentiment from the All Yule Need set, and added some machine stitching.  Here are some other views:

I would love to remake this card a bunch of times using different patterned papers...maybe tomorrow!

Thanks so much for looking!

I'm playing along here:
Paper Smooches World Cardmaking Day challenge
Simon Says Stamp Celebrates World Cardmaking Day

Supplies: cardstock: The Paper Studio; patterned papers: Lawn Fawn (yellow), My Mind's Eye (red), Authentique (green); stamps: Paper Smooches (Smarty Pants, All Yule Need, Chilly Chums); ink: Tsukineko (Memento Tuxedo Black); markers: Copic; glitter glue: Ranger (Diamond Stickles); corner rounder: We R Memory Keepers; sewing machine: Kenmore; quilting thread: Americana