It's Your Birthday

It's your birthday.  Starla, it's your birthday!! 

 Did you come by way of Gina's fabulous blog?  If not you will want to start back at Vicki's blog so you won't miss any of the hop.  Starla is having a bog hop to celebrate her birthday, her 1 year blogaversary, and her belated celebration of 100 followers to her blog.  She has asked a group of blogger buddies to join in the hop and help her celebrate.  I was happy to be asked and happy to hop along with Starla and this great group of crafters.  What Starla doesn't know is that Guylou has created a special image just for Starla.  Starla loves everything fairies and so she has requested that we all use a fairy image.  So happy birthday Starla, what's better than to have an image named after you. 

 Now you will want to check out the rest of the hop.  Your next stop along the way is Tracy's blog.   If you leave a comment on all the stops along the way I know that Starla has some great blog candy for the winners.  If you get lost along the way here are the participants. 

Vicki

Cely

Charlene

Lynn

Sara

Gina

                      Brenda ~ you are here

Tracy

Kim

Guylou

Starla

FALL Recipe Challenge

This is my favorite time of the year.  I love when the green leaves are changing colors; from green to yellow, to orange and even red.  I just see God's masterpiece everywhere I look.  It amazes me how many colors of green that He created and then how those greens can change to other colors.  Amazing.  Over at Guylou's Inimitability Gina has brought us a real challenge this month.  She challenges us to make a FALL project.

F-Fabric

A-Amber

L-Lace

L-Leaves

I took G's image Thanksgiving Goodies and printed it on fabric.  I took a piece of cream fabric, used my ATG to apply adhesive to my cardstock and attached the fabric and then ran it through my printer.  I worked really well.  I used some AMBER colored thread to make a border and then pulled the threads from the edges.  I then sewed it to the other material, added some leaves, added the backing and sewed a border.  It really is more square than my pic looks!!

This really is a fun little project for some easy Fall decorating.  I hope you will head on over and check out the other FALL projects by my teamies.  There is some fabulous inspiration on the challenge blog. 

I also know that we are having a design team call right now, so if you would like to be a part of this fabulous team check out the deets on how to apply.

Happy Birthday Guylou!!! Surprise!!

Welcome to the Surprise Birthday Party of our friend and digital artist, Guylou.  Today is her birthday and she is such a SPECIAL lady that we just wanted to share it with everyone.  I have been a friend to Guylou for about 5 years now and feel so blessed to have her as a part of my life.  She is Uber~talented and just a sweetheart.  We, her design team and friends have decided to honor her with a blog hop for her birthday.  I am so excited to be the beginning of this hop with a card using one of her earlier images.

Bernadette is from her Retro Ladies line.  She is a very elegant lady, just like Guylou!!! 

OK, now we know that you like to find an awesome RAK at the end of a blog hop, so Gina has graciously provided an amazing prize (one pack of 4 copic multiliners, one pack of 2 stardust pens, a black memento ink pad, and a $5 gift card to Guylou's Inimitability) for one winner that will be chosen by Random.org at the end of this hop. 

 You will have from now until Sunday

 October 16th at 11:59 PM EST to complete the hop, leaving comments on all blogs along the way and ending at Guylou's blog to wish her a happy birthday. 

You will want to head on over to Carmen's blog now and see what she has created to wish G (as we call her) a very Happy Birthday.

And if you happen to get lost along the way here is a list to get you to all the stops.

Brenda ~ You are here

Carmen 

Kim 

Sara 

Tracy 

Trina 

Gina

Guylou ~aka the birthday girl!

The Deets of my card:

I used some of my favorite Echo Park paper from the "For the Record" collection. I thought it fit will with this image.  Happy Birthday comes from the AmyR Elegant Greetings stamp set.

Thank you ~ You're a Star Challenge

It is time for another challenge over at Guylou's inimitability.   Our Challenge for the next two weeks is to make a thank you card with a twist.  The twist is there must be a star on it somewhere.  Whether it be an embellishment, a stamp, a digistamp, or the paper that you use we are looking for a star somewhere on your project.  For my card I used Breakfast.

This image reminded me of the red and white enamelware that you can still find at antique stores.  The paper is from DCWV kitchen stack.  It reminded me of a shabby chic table cloth. 

The star that I used is a button on the sheer ribbon bow and the Thanks sentiment that I got from the Cutting Cafe.   It is from the same file I used earlier this week called With Gratitude.  I cut it out with a small circle nestie and threaded some brown twine through it.  And of course the copics I used for this project:

Now don't forget to check out the other design team inspirations over on the Challenge Blog.  I hope you can find some time to join with us on this challenge. We always have so much to be thankful for!!

You have until 10:00pm on September 29th to link your project to the InLinkz at the end of this post. Please make sure your project matches the requirements before you link it. 

Back to School Challenge

It is that time of the year again. The children are getting ready to go back to school (if they are not already) and we are happy to have a Back to School challenge at Guylou's Inimitability. Guylou is our host this time around. She is challenging you to make a project with a school theme and make sure there is an apple somewhere on your project.  Ok, I can not believe that I do not have an apple in my scraproom that looks like a store, so I used an image that has an apple on it!! I used Teacher Leah.   Make sure that you check her out in the store because I cut out the image with a circle cutter and the image is much larger than I show!  I am happy to say that I am not sending anyone back to school at this time!!!

I love this sentiment stamp from Tim Holtz and thought that it went well with the kiddo's and teens and of course some adults heading back to school.  I inked everything with Tim Holtz distress ink in Walnut including the seam ribbon.

Make sure you head over and see the fabulous creations by the design team.  And don't forget that Guylou is having a 50% off sale this weekend in honor of our Labor Day.  

Prize

A random winner will be selected from all the qualifying entries. Please make sure you follow our Challenge Guidelines listed on the left. The winner will be awarded a $5 gift certificate from Guylou's Inimitability Store and will also be invited to be a Guest Designer on an upcoming challenge.

You will have until September 15th, 10:00 pm (EST or click here to find out the corresponding time where you are) to enter your cards or projects here. One entry per participant, please. Be sure to add the link to your entry and not your whole blog as this makes it much easier on the team to find your creations. Thanks for participating!

Sketch Challenge at Guylou's Inimitability

It is time for another challenge over at Guylou's Inimitability.  What is your favorite challenge?  I think the easiest challenge for me is a sketch challenge. I however take sketches pretty literally so they are easy.  Carmen provided a fabulous sketch for us for this challenge.  I used Leah and Bra on my card today. It comes with the sentiment.  I think this is an awesome image for someone battling breast cancer or just a great image for a girlfriend card.

Isn't this gorgeous paper? I love this kit.  Who doesn't love anything pink? It is pretty much a perfect color!!  The paper is from Making Memories.  I found it on clearance at M's one day for like $2.  I bought 3.  Of course I did, I am obsessive like that! Why get one on a bargain when you can buy 3!!   

For my inking I used CTMH's Tulip ink.  Love that color. It matched this paper perfectly.  You know I need to show you the inside, right?!

Now, do you think you can follow a sketch?  If you can you should join us over at Guylou's.   The random winner will receive not only a gift certificate to the store but also an invite to be a guest designer on an upcoming challenge.  This challenge will go until September 1st.  I will let you check out the sketch over at G's!

  Let me see if I can add this to some challenges now.

Craft us Crazy has Anything Goes.  And woot woot for a top 3 in last weeks challenge!!
Paper~Crafting Journey has anything goes.

Guylou's Inimitability Recipe Challenge

It is time for another Challenge over at Guylou's Inimitability Challenge Blog.  Our challenge for the next 2 weeks  is a recipe challenge brought to us by Kim.  Kim's recipe consists of:

1 ribbon

2 design papers

3 or more pieces of bling.

I think I really like this type of a challenge. I hope you do too!

I chose to use Leah with Watermelon on my card. 

I used some my mind's eye paper, fancy pants pins, wild orchid crafts flower.  The ribbon is from my stash.  The sentiments were computer generated.  Of course I used my spellbinders in my Grand Calibur. 

Hop on over to the Challenge to check out the design teams fabulous projects. 

You will have until July 28th at 10 PM EST to complete your project.  

Stars and Stripes

Do you ever have something in mind for a challenge and then when that doesn't work out you just lose your mojo?  I had the perfect paper picked out for today's challenge over at Guylou's Inimitability.  After I colored up my image I could not get that paper to work for it.  I pulled out some My Mind's Eye paper and a sentiment from CTMH and made it work.  I love this image called Leah at the beach.  If you can't tell I love Leah.  Now you are probably wanting to know where my stripes are aren't you?  Well, I decided since it just wasn't working out that the stripes were on the towel.  Or the waves.  Or perhaps the beach ball or umbrella.  You pick! :)

The star paper is from My Mind's Eye, but the waves are from Echo Park.  I think this was the first time I used these blues.  B-23,26,28 and Y-11,13,15. Reds used were R-21,22,24,27.  I decided to cut my image out and pop dot it.

I don't know about you but as we Celebrate this weekend I am thankful for a lot.  Happy Canada Day to all my friends and family in Canada.  And Happy 4th to all my friends and family here in the United States. 

Now, I hope you will join us in the challenge.  And I hope you can find the perfect paper for your stars and stripes project!!  You should check out the other design team creations to see what fabulous projects they have come up with.  Now the challenge is open until July 14th at 10PM EST.

Monochromatic Challenge at Guylou's Inimitability

Monochromatic? When I have so many fabulous copic colors?  And so many lovely My Mind's Eye papers?  Well then, I broke out of a box with this challenge, because not only did I do a monochromatic card, I also didn't use any MME papers!  I told you it was coming!!  For this card I used some Jenni Bowlin  and some Making Memories papers.  Now then, if I am using my copics, the only color I could really use for this challenge HAD to be browns, or in Copic talk Earth tones.  :)   For this card I used Mark and Louise are expecting.  I found it hard to not only color one person with the same tones but two?  Luckily there is a wide spectrum in this color family!!

I did a double fold card for this challenge and used somewhat masculine papers.  This card is for a co-worker having a little boy so I thought that the masculine papers would work OK.

These type of cards are so hard to photograph.    So I added a clip to the top just to get a good picture.

The sentiment is from a little Studio G set.  And the crib is an iCling stamp.  Just one of the things I picked up this weekend on my trip to the craft store.  And check out that gorgeous twine I added.
Now the details of the challenge.  Make it Monochromatic and link it up at Guylou's Challenge Blog.  This challenge is going to run until June 16th.   That is lots of time for you to play along with us.  Now head on over and see all the fabulous projects by the design team.

There you go, all earth tones!!  

As you know, Guylou always has prizes for our winners of her fabulous Digi designs, well this challenge we have another sponsor.  

Through The Craftroom Door is offering a one year PDF subscription.  How fun is that?!!

As always, thanks for stopping by and I hope to see you playing this week.

Brings May Flowers

Last month we had a challenge over at Guylou's Inimitability that was April Showers.  So are you ready for the follow up challenge...........Brings May Flowers?  I am.  Any challenge that lets me add some flowers to my creation is a perfect challenge.  We ask that you use prima type flowers.  Mine are actually from the Recollections line at Michaels.   We also have a color palette for you to use.  Here are your inspiration colors.

I love, love, love these colors!!!  Can I say first of all though, that we are still having showers in Oregon.  Every time I start to complain about the weather I try to remind myself that I am not being flooded out, or wiped away by tornadoes or a tsunami and I am grateful again!!!  I really would though like to have a few days of warmth. :)  I wanted to play again with one of Guylou's newest releases, Leah drinking a cup of Java.  You all know I love my coffee!!  There is nothing like sitting out on the deck on a summer morning with a cup of coffee.

I really just enjoyed coloring up this image.  I played with clouds and grass with this technique for the first time.  You can find this fabulous technique on Dana's Blog.  She has several fabulous tutorials.

I have to say, I really enjoyed using these purples.  Anyone hazard a guess on the papers? Yup, that DP is from My Mind's Eye.  You would think that is all I own!!! The purple paper is Coredinations.
Here is a look at all the Copic Colors I used on this card.

Do you want to see a peak at the inside?  I really haven't done much, just used the flip side of the paper I used on the front.

I hope you will make your way over to the challenge blog and join in with us.  The challenge begins now and ends June 2nd at 10PM EST.  The winner will be awarded 2 digi stamps of your choice and be invited back as a guest design team member in a future challenge.  

As always, I wish I cup put on a pot of coffee and sit and chat with you. Or better yet, color some!!!

I am adding this card to the challenge over at Stampin B's.  The challenge is to create a spring scene. 

A Day Late and a Dollar Short

Remember that saying? Am I aging myself?  Well, I am a day late to this weeks Challenge over at Guylou's Inimitability.   Excuses, excuses.. Well, I really thought I could get this done in time.  Last Friday I had my 3rd surgery in  less than 5 months and it seems that this one took the most out of me. I have only left the house to walk around the block a few times and my one appointment to the doctor.  So, that is my excuse! I got my image of Jace colored earlier this week and just couldn't get myself into my craft room to put this card together until yesterday.  But I did get it done!!
Today's challenge was hosted by our very own Tracy.  Her inspiration colors are as follows:

Great colors.  There is a twist though, Tracy challenged us to use something that we found around the house, something unconventional.  I found a copper washer thingy.  Not quite the washer but the flatter piece that goes on the other side. You know what I mean!!  I forgot the black! But I did use a deep Brown in its place!  Maybe I should have just given up!!!  Anyways, here is my card for todays challenge.

Yeah, this card is really not like what I usually do, but I really had fun coloring this image. I think it is an awesome image for so many things.  Hope you will join us in the challenge. It will really make you think outside the box!!  I know it did me!

So glad you stopped by today.  Tomorrow is Easter, what an amazing holiday. Time to remember what our Lord and Savior has done for us. I hope that you all enjoy your time with family and friends, and eggs, and chocolate and take the time to reflect on what the day really means. I know I will!

I See Dots Challenge

Our challenge this week is all about polkadots!! We challenge you to use polkadots on your project.


The winner will be awarded a digistamp of her choice from Guylou's Inimitability Store and will also be invited to be a Guest Designer on an upcoming challenge and will get another GI digistamp to make a card or project along the DT.

The  Design Team got to play with the feature digistamp  called "Cat & Fish". "Cat & Fish" is a fun image that can be used for all kind of cat lover projects.

I used several different mediums on my card this week.  I used an irridecent medium on the fishbowl which was fun. I used some glossy accents, really thick on my goldfish to give them dimension.  So, I was almost done with my card when I had a disaster.  You know the one, the one where you drop the black ink pad on the card!!!  Yeah, that one.  I had it cut out with a nestie, but had to cut out the image in order to salvage it. Thank goodness I didn't drop it on the image itself, I just hate wasting my copic ink!!!

The sentiment is from AmyR at All That Scraps.  Love all those sentiments!  I didn't get the best pictures this time, but I will show you a close up of the "water"

Isn't that cool?  I have the perfect coworker to share this card with.  She is a cat lover.  I am sure you know someone that is purrfect for this image! LOL

I hope you can find some time to play along.  The challenge will run through March 31st.  And don't forget your dots!!!  Mine is in the paper.  I seemed to cover most of them up though!

Thanks again for stopping by, I love visitors!!!

Outlawz Tuesday Color Challenge

It is time for another Tuesday Color Challenge at the Outlawz.  What color do you think of when you think of March?  Why, green of course.  Bet you thought we might have some kind of shamrock for our inspiration photo, didn't you?  Nope, none of that for us girls.  Jenn picked out this fabulous picture of Green Candies.  You know I am addicted to sugar!! This bowl looks like one I would dive right into.  Instead, lets dive into the colors and find some inspiration for your projects.

This month our challenge is being sponsored by Guylou over at Guylou's Inimitability.  I used Leah.  I am really wanting to see some spring around here!!  Even with the lousy weather we have had lately there have been some daffodils peaking out.  They are for sure the first sign of Spring in the Willamette Valley.  And Leah looks like she has been out digging in her garden and cutting a few flowers for the vase on the table!!

The Challenge is to use at least 3 colors of green and the twist is to use glitter. 

I put my glitter on my hat band and on the daffodils.  I added a little bling to the sentiment.  This stamp is one of the first I bought years ago. And one that I kept with all the clean outs as well!!  The papers are from My Mind's Eye.

I hope you will head on over to the Outlawz and enter the color challenge this week. Did I meantion that there will be one winner of a $50 gift certificate from Oozak in the month of March as well?  Definitely worth playing along.

Thanks for stopping by today.  Don't forget to check out my other post today. 

Guylou's Inimitability Sketch Challenge

Wow, did we ever have a huge response to Guylou's Anything Goes Challenge.  Almost too many!! LOL.
Did you know that March is Reading month?  It is said that babies as young as 9 months of age have the ability to read.  That is incredible to me.  I think it is perfect since it was just Dr Seuss birthday and many children begin with those fabulous books.  In todays world of technology there are so many different avenues of reading.  So many of you have the kindle, or you download it to your phone.  I recently added Kindle for the laptop and read a book on my computer.  I think that is just crazy!!! But then again, I remember the Atari. Guess I am dating myself!!
This week in honor of reading month the design team is creating using Marysse or Caroline.  We were given a fabulous sketch to follow by Carmen.

I chose to use Marysse for my card.  I had these nesties that are shaped like a book and chose to use those on my card.  So once again I worked around my paper for my colors and design.  I had to dig around in my stash because I wanted paper with words on it.  I have no idea who this paper is from, I have definitely had it forever.  

I have to say, this many layers had me concerned but I like the finished product!!!  I added glossy accents to her book to give it dimension and make it more realistic.

I hope you will find your way over to the Challenge Blog and follow along with us using Carmen's sketch.

This challenge ends March 17th at 10:00PM EST.  I hope you will take the time to read the rules to the challenge.  The last one found several participants not following the rules.  The winner will be given 1 digi of her choice plus another to play along with us in a future challenge as guest design team member.  If you don't have any of G's images head on over to the store there is something for everyone or head on over to CDAC where there is often a freebie!!

As always, thanks for stopping by today.  Hope to see you again soon!!

Anything Goes Challenge at Guylou's Inimitability

What's not to love about an Anything Goes Challenge?  The Challenge over at Guylou's Inimitability is Anything Goes.  We had some fabulous entries to the last challenge.  I hope you can find your way over to Guylou's site and join in this challenge.  The challenges go on for 2 weeks so you have plenty of time to get your creations done.
 Guylou's Inimitability Design Team got to play with the feature digistamps called "Phillip" and "Molly". "Phillip" and "Molly" are hard working people in an industry that is not always appreciative of their service. Next time you go to a restaurant, please take a moment to thank your waitress and send a good word to the cook, that will make their day.
I chose to work with Molly.  I took the colors for my card from this peach colored card.  I really haven't played much with this color.  I actually used some reds for the peachy color on this card.

Do you ever have your project done and then you start adding stuff you shouldn't have.  Well last minute I added glitter to her cake and well, I shouldn't have.  It looks fine IRL, but to photograph it, nope, doesn't really work!!  I think any musical paper looks good with a birthday card, you know, there is usually some singing going on.  I also used my CC Designs Tag it and Rubber Stamp set to cut the flowers. I used some white ink to soften the edges of the flowers.  The stamp is from AmyR Sassy Sentiments set.

You will have until March 3rd, 10:00 pm (EST or click here to find out the corresponding time where you are) to enter your cards or projects here. Be sure to add the link to your entry and not your whole blog as this makes it much easier on the team to find your creations.

As always, thank you for stopping by my blog, today instead of putting on a pot of coffee, I suggest we go out to my favorite coffee shop, where we can be served by one of these great wait persons!!

Giddy Up Partners......... It's time for a Showdown

Have you headed on over to the Outlawz this week?  We are having a party!  Head on over to the main page and read the rules.  There are so many awesome prizes up for grabs this week. But hey, I am here to talk about my challenge!!  I am on the Tuesday Color Challenge Team and we are running with the western them this week.  Check out our inspiration picture for today.

How perfect is that for a western theme.  OK, now onto my card.  I had fun with this awesome image from Guylou's Inimitability.  Meet Cowboy Chuck.  How cute is he!!  He reminds me of my time growing up on the farm in Northern Alberta.  My brother Stephen once roped a chair when he was on the back of our horse, you should have seen that horse go crazy.  The rope was tied to the horn of the saddle so the poor horse thought something was chasing it as the chair bounced behind it.  It looked funny, but gosh it was scary. So this little guy Chuck reminds me of my brother.  I gave him blonde hair like my brother had.  

I have to say, I had a lot of fun creating this card.  This paper is a pack I have had from Close To My Heart.  The word Celebrate was actually on one of the papers.  

And a view of the inside.

The prizes up for grabs in the Tuesday Challenge include 

1st Place - $15- Gift Certificate

Whimsy Stamps

2nd Place - $12- Gift Certificate

A Day For Daisies

3rd Place - $10 Gift Certificate

Guylou's Inimitability

 

I hope you will head on over and check out all the Challenges this week.  And have some fun partying with the Outlawz!

I Heart You!!!

Did you know that February is Heart Month?  Makes perfect sense to me!!  Everywhere I look this month I see hearts!!  In honor of Heart Month our challenge over at Guylou's Inimitability will be "hearts". There has to be at least 1 heart on your project for this challenge.  Guylou recently added a new free digi image over at CDAC when she hit 500 members to her group.  There is a free image at her store when you become a follower.  She has added several new Heart themed images that would be perfect for this challenge, including the featured image that we are playing with today!  This image is so versatile!  I used a stamp from All That Scraps to sit on this awesome Love Seat image.  That is where my hearts are.  On that  Love seat!   And that sentiment from AmyR has some hearts.

Don't you just love this paper?  It is from My Minds Eye.  It is actually a Valentine line.  I have to say I love this lamp next to the Love Seat, it was fun adding some "light" shining out.

I hope you will hop on over and enter our challenge.

The winner will be awarded a digi image of your choice as well as be invited to be a guest designer on a future challenge and receive the feature image free for that challenge.  You will have until February 17th at  10:00 PM Est.  There is also some fabulous inspiration over there from Guylou's Design Team.  And Guylou has added some information for you over there for Heart month.
As always, thanks for stopping by today.  I have some fun stuff to share with you in the next few days so I hope you will stop back on by again!!

Guylou's Inimitability New Years Anything Goes Challenge

Happy New Year!!!  We are having a New Challenge over at Guylou's.  It is the first challenge of the new year. And it is Anything goes.  I find those the easiest! You can pretty much do whatever you want!!!  We were all given an image named Angela.  She is a pretty modern lady I think! Riding a scooter, in a dress!!!!
This will be the first of many challenges this year and I really hope that you will play along. This challenge will run from right now, January 6th until January 20th at 10 PM Eastern time. Not Pacific like me!! LOL, I have made those kind of mistakes before!  I had no idea what to do with a scooter, so it was a Challenge for me!!  Hey that is what this is called, right?  So here is what I came up with!  I would ride a cool turquoise scooter like that!

You know I like to show more than one shot! :)

So with a new year and new challenges we have some new rules to follow. You will have more than 1 way to enter this challenge.

Entries will count as follows:

1. You can enter any project in the theme of the challenge and it will count for one entry.
2. If your project includes a Guylou's Inimitability digistamp, it will count for two entries.
3. If your project includes the feature digistamp for that challenge, it will count for three entries.

And of course there are prizes.  You can win the image of your choice from G's store.  Plus you will get to join us in a future challenge and receive the featured digi image as well! Come on, what's stopping you?

I used my fave pinks, R-81,83,85,89 and turquoise BG-72,75,78, and C-0,01,03,05,07,

As always thanks so much for stopping by my blog. Wish I could put on a pot of coffee or tea to share with you.