Thursday, December 08, 2011

White Christmas

Image:  Stamping Bella
Here's a little White Christmas card for today! : )  I used the Card Patterns sketch, the "Tis the Season" theme from Creative Card Crew, and Winged Things from Dutch Dare.  Cute Card Thursday is Anything Goes... I think I'll enter it there, too! : )

I watercolored my image with Tombows and used a couple of different embossing folders for the white background.

Thanks for stopping by!

Tricia

Sweetness!


I have a few cards that I've shared on SplitCoast that haven't made it to my blog yet.  I made this one a few days ago for a few challenges and just found out the it made the Fab 4 at Play Date Cafe.  What an honor!!  You can find this sweet little image at Whimsy and Stars.  So cute and easy to color!   The sentiment is from a Sweet n Sassy Christmas set.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Tricia

Tuesday, December 06, 2011

Hot Cocoa, Anyone?


I must say that I hope the recipient of this card isn't afraid of mice! : )  I watercolored Henry Mouse (Whiff of Joy) with Tombow markers, and followed the Card Positioning Systems sketch for my layout. The oval is from a Tabs and Tags die set by Clear Dollar.  It is the perfect size for the Studio G sentiment .. one of my very favorites!

Have a happy day!

Tricia

Monday, December 05, 2011

Brrr!!


Here's a busy little card for the MFT Wednesday Sketch Challenge from last week.  I am enchanted with this little bear!  I had to play with the little scallop die, too.  I see many more dies from MFT in my future!  The are easy to use and so classy!   Have you been hopping through the MFT gals' blogs looking at all the new goodies?  I'm looking forward to the release party tomorrow night!!

Blessings!

Tricia

Saturday, December 03, 2011

Tag! You're It!


Sometimes when you're giving a present (especially if the economy has taken a bite out of your gift-giving budget!) you can made a great impression just by adding some pizzaz to your wrapping.  So I was thrilled when I saw the tag challenge for this month's Guest DT spot at My Favorite Things.  First, I have to let you in on a secret.  I've wanted this set FOREVER because of the adorable little Bunny Bottom sticking out of the cup.  OK, so I would *scream* if there actually WAS a bunny in my cup - but isn't it just the cutest thing ever?????  OK, done with the rabbit trail (grin!).  Back to the tag...

I didn't exactly have a template for the tag.  I found the width that I wanted for the tea bag to fit inside and then I cut the top with the Nesties Label 5 die to make it pretty.  I cut the top of my DP with the die, too, and then trimmed it down to the embossed line, so it would be a tiny bit smaller than the backing.  I added some stitching and sponging, and then attached it to the backing.  I colored my adorable Tea for Two stamp with copics and cut it out.  It's attached over the ribbon with pop-dots.  When that was done, I used Scor-Tape to tape the sides of my tag together and to attach my sentiment (which I cut out with the Die-Namics File Tab - LOVE!) to the side.  I tied my ribbons together with some silver cord threaded with jingle bells and attached a tag hanger to the top with a staple.

Here's a close-up.  Tell me - how can you not love a face like that!!

Here's some more info on this month's release...


**  You can attend the New Release Party on December 6th from 8-10 PM EST HERE in the MFT forum, where you can enjoy fun, games, and PRIZES!

** The MFT release, including all new stamp sets and Die-namics, is on December 6 at 10 PM EST. You'll find all the newest products HERE at release time.

**The guest designer contest is ON! Check out the forum for details on how YOU can win $200 in stamp sets and Die-namics, and play along with the MFT Design Team for a month.

If you'd like to see all the teasers for today, please click on over to the MFT Blog. Be sure to leave comments as you go for the chance to win one of 2, $10 gift certificates given away daily. The winners will be posted on December 6 just before the release party, on the MFT blog.


Thanks so much for stopping by!!

Blessings,

Tricia

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

New Image!

I'm sneaking in under the wire for the Play Date Cafe color challenge using this sweet little angel that will be released tomorrow at Whimsy and Stars.  My sketch is from Sweet Sunday Sketches.  I colored my little gal with Copics and then cut out just her top half with a scalloped circle nestie.  The little hearts are the "From the Heart" die from Verve and the border punch is Recollections from Michaels.  The sentiment is Flourishes.  Do you recognize that ribbon?  It's been retired from SU for years!  Yay for using your stash!!! : )

Thanks for stopping by today!

Tricia

Monday, November 28, 2011

Mojo Joy

My Mojo Monday and Verve Diva Dare entry uses Verve's Better with You and Sip and Savor sets.


I used a little piece of flocked SU paper for the cup and the piece of snowflake.  "Joy" is part of the sentiment "Java Joy" from the Better With You set.  The snowflakes are from SU's Season of Joy.  I used a bit of Stardust pen highlights on and beneath the cup.  I've entered this in the Dutch Dare, Crazy4Challenges and Paper Sundaes Challenges.

Blessings!

Tricia

Stamping on a Budget

Hello everyone!

No cards to share right at the moment, but I wanted to leave a link to a series that I did back in 2008, as I had a question the other day about how to get started in stamping.  If you click on the link you'll get the whole series... but backwards... so you might want to scroll down and start at the beginning.  I'm going to reread through it again, too, cuz I'll definitely be on a stamping budget this year!

Stamping on a Budget

Blessings!

Tricia

Saturday, November 19, 2011

A few more cards to share!

Hello everyone!  Here are a number of cards that I've shared on SplitCoast but not here!!

First, a tag made with the giraffe from the Verve set "To the Moon" and the Santa hat from a TAC set...



Next, I was honored to be chosen as a "cut above" card on the Paper Players challenge blog with the birthday card that I made with Heather Ellis' snowman digi.  I just love coloring this digi!



Then some winter fun with Whimsy and Stars and a sentiment from Verve...


And, finally, a bright and cheery birthday card using another of my favorite Whimsy and Stars images and the Verve Small Phrases set.



Thanks for stopping by today!!! : )

Tricia

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Holiday Planner


The Verve Get Your Diva On Challenge for this month was to make something inspired by this photo...


Looks Christmas-y, huh?? : )

I've had a project in the back of my mind for awhile now and this was the extra push I needed.  Presenting........ my holiday planner!



Here's a close up of some of the details... They're hard to see because it's hard to get a clear picture of an 8.5" x 11" planner!  I used the frame from To the Moon and cut it out with a nestie, then I punched a square in the middle with my 3/4" square punch and folded back the edged to make a little frame.  The hearts are from the "From the Heart" die set and the mittens are from the Winter Mittens set.    Would you like to see my inside pages???


Some of you may not know that I own a Christian day planner business called GraceWorks.  Along with our full line of classic and petite size pages, binders and accessories, we also carry the Home Journal - an 8.5" x 11" option with downloadable pages, made to fit in a 3-ring binder.  I decided to do some "research and development" and make some personalized pages for my planner and I chose to only print November and December pages.  That way I can concentrate on the holiday season!

Here's the monthly calendar, with some font changes and made into a two page per month, rather than one page per month...  You'll see some monthly "to do's" take from our "Monthly Home Blessings" download on the side...


 Next comes a personalized version of our Weekly Home Journal page, listing all my weekly housekeeping chores, and giving me plenty of space to keep up with my other responsibilities...
(Notice the tabs on the side?  The monthly calendar is printed on GP #110 cardstock from Wal-Mart, rather than the standard text weight paper that the rest is printed on, so I stapled on tabs to each month so I could flip to them easily.  The last brown tab is for the weekly planning pages and is stapled to another cardstock divider.)


Here's a look at the Weekly Calendar with a spot for Menus.  No changes from the original here!


And here's a brand new page just for me!  I hate trying to keep up with every challenge out there, I'd rather pick a few and try to do them as I can.  So... I picked out a number of challenges for each day and listed them here for the week, with a blank column next to them for sketches and other info.  If I run out of room, the page across from this is notepaper! : )


I also made a pocket on one of the front divider sheets, so I can keep receipts and bills handy throughout the season.  I gave it a chipboard back (the front is decorated chipboard as well) and a crystal clear acetate cover, then took it to town with me today and had them bind it at Staples.  

I LOVE IT!  I love the fact that it is not too bulky and that there is plenty of room for me to write - especially all those lists of Christmas presents I'm supposed to be working on.  I love being able to fold it back on itself and I love the pretty cover!  I can make a new cover for each season and print the pages in sections, making changes along the way.  Yippee!! : )

Here's the cover again...



Thanks for looking!! Blessings!

Tricia

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Challenges & More Challenges

I don't know if I've ever made a card with so many challenges in mind!  I made myself a list of some of the challenges that I'd really like to watch over the next year.  The list at Feline Playful is overwhelming to me!  I even made myself a tracking sheet to keep track of them.  I think there are about 30 of them??  Anyway, I colored this sweet Whimsy and Stars digi (Paper Sundaes Challenge!) with copics, and then I started putting it together with the Sweet Sunday Sketch.  I used kraft, a winter image, ribbon, pearls and layers for the Catered Crop, and made a thank you card for Sentimental Sundays.  I used a punch (MS Snowflake) and a die from Clear Dollar for the Stamptacular Sunday Challenge.  Digital Tuesday wanted a digital Christmas image... check!, and Creative Card Crew was also looking for a Thankful theme.  Whew!  That's a lot of challenges for me!!!!!   : )  I only had about 20 minutes to pull the card together after I was done coloring, so it's fairly straightforward.  I do like the little tag die from CDS that I used.  It worked perfectly with the sweet sentiment from Verve.

PS...  I actually used the colors from the Paper Player challenge, but I can't enter it because you can only use 3 challenges on one of their cards.  That's ok.  It was great inspiration!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Tricia

Friday, November 11, 2011

A few cards to share!

Here are a few Verve cards that I made this week for different challenges...



Thanks for stopping by!

Wednesday, November 09, 2011

Winter Wishes


I had a lot of fun playing with this week's Mojo Monday sketch and my new Winter Mittens set.  I pulled out some houndstooth digi dp from The Angel Company and the burgundy circle is from a Paper Studio mat pack.  I used an older TAC definition stamp on the tag and then stamped over it with sentiments from Winter Mittens.  The mittens were colored with copics and then cut out and popped up.  Flowers are from Prima.

Thanks so much for stopping by!!

Blessings,

Tricia

Thursday, November 03, 2011

Cute and Cuddly...sort of


I'm not exactly sure whether an adorable snowman is considered cuddly... but doesn't he look like it??  This is a sweet digi image by Heather Ellis from her DigistampCharacters Etsy shop.  I used the MFT Wednesday Sketch for the layout and the colours from ColourQ - #109.  The theme is from Digital Tuesday - ... cute and cuddly!  Sentiment - Verve.  Papers are from my stash - sorry I'm not sure what they are - and the snowflake is a combo of a Martha Stewart Punch and a Nesties Snowflake die.


Here's the ColourQ palette... There's orange on his nose! :)


Thanks so much for stopping by!

Tricia

Last Day!

Mabelle is giving away this adorable freebie to members of the Whimsy and Stars FaceBook group!  Today's the last day, though, so hurry!  It will be for sale in the shop on Friday!

Sketch:  Mojo Monday
Papers:  Stampin Up
Coloring:  Copics

Wednesday, November 02, 2011

Tuesday, November 01, 2011

Still Seeking




Hello again!

I have another sweet little Whimsy and Stars image colored up for you today.  This time I used a sentiment from the Angel Company that fit perfectly in my oval punch. It's a sentiment that is a little overused during the holidays, I think - but it really does have a good message.  Do you consider yourself wise?  Are you truly intent on seeking Jesus Christ during this upcoming holiday season - and every day?  Are you honoring Him in your thoughts, in what you watch on TV, in the things you buy, in the way you respond to your husband and children?  Are you studying His Word to become more like Him?    Have you come to Him in repentance for your sins and accepted the forgiveness He has to offer?  Is your greatest desire to seek to glorify God?  Who knew that little sentiment could mean so much???

I can't believe that we are already in November!  I think I need to do another fall card or two before it slips away!

Blessings!

Tricia


Thursday, October 27, 2011

Too Much Fun!


I was able to play with my Verve "To the Moon" set again today.  It makes me smile. : )

Have a good day!

Tricia

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Thoughts of You


I was able to take just a few minutes to make a card, so I dug through my patterned paper and found this sheet with the pretty colors of the Ribbon Reel challenge...


and little flowers that reminded me of snowflakes.  I colored my digi image from Whimsy and Stars with Copics and then stamped a Verve sentiment and cut it out with a Labels die.  Last week on OWH TV, Sandy mentioned that there were sketches on the Stars and Stamps blog, so I picked sketch #1 and used that as my jumping off point.  I'm also entering this in the Hope You Can Cling To Challenge on SCS to use pink, ribbon, and a friendship theme.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Blessings!

Tricia

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Warm Wishes


Isn't this a cute giraffe???  I was blessed to win a stamp set of my choice from Verve from the last Mojo Monday contest and I chose this adorable "To the Moon" set... which reminds me that I need want to go play with it some more. : )  There are a number of little animals and the little smile is separate, so you can give them tons of expression!! : )

Thanks for stopping by!

Tricia


Thursday, October 20, 2011

OWH Blog Hop Today!!!



Welcome to my stop on the OWH Fundraiser Blog Hop!  If you've come from Connie's blog you're in the right place!!  If not, you'll want to hop back there and start from the beginning!  We all have lots of inspiration ready for you using the OWH fundraiser sets that are available right now through KnK Designs!

Here's a little info on OWH and our hop today!

* Operation Write Home is a not-for-profit organization that collects and sends handmade greeting cards to American soldiers for their use in keeping touch with their families back home. During the holidays they send extra cards, and they figure that their holiday shipping costs will be over $13,000... can you imagine???

* Over the next few weeks, K 'n K Designs will be selling 7 new digi sets designed exclusively for this cause.  Katlyn, of K 'n K Designs has teamed up with digital artist, Deedee Anderson, to offer 7 sets that are available for just $2 each, or in various value bundles (e.g. get them all for just $10!), with all proceeds (minus Paypal fees) donated to Operation Write Home. Each "set" includes an image and some greetings, in both Jpeg an PNG file formats, all in a zip file.

* The sets can be purchased at the K 'n K blog  from October 17th thru noon November 1st.
All purchases will be emailed out within 24 hours of payment clearance.

* Two lucky hoppers who comment along the way will win a digi prize pack from K 'n K Designs! (Be sure to check Deedee's blog on Monday to see if you have won!)

* Not a crafter or not interested in digital stamps?  Feel free to donate directly to OWH!  You can find more info on the OWH donation page here!

And here's my card...


using the sweet little Juniper Bunny "Sent with Love" set.  I followed the Mojo Monday sketch (for the most part!) and colored with copics.  The sentiment is from Verve.  

Now off you go to Davi's blog!  And don't forget to "hop" over to 
K 'n K Designs and pick up some sets for yourself!

Thanks for stopping by!!

Tricia


Wednesday, October 19, 2011

OWH Eagle Thank You

Have you helped out yet??  There's still time!! : )  Just click on the bunny in my sidebar for more info!!  Here's another of the sets that is available...


I made my card with a few challenges in mind.  First, I used the SCS Sketch, Then, the MidWeek Throwdown on the Stars and Stamps blog is to make a Thank You card for the Hero to send home, and Stampin B's has a challenge to use a bird, and the Scrappy Frogs Blog wants something that flies.

I used the Eagle set from the KnK Design OWH Fundraiser bundle and colored the eagle with copics.  The sentiment is from Verve's Circular Sayings.

Thanks for stopping by!

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Digi Release Day!


Yippee!  It's digi release day at Whimsy and Stars!!  Lots of cute winter and Christmas digis for your holiday card making - and don't forget the new rubber stamps!



My card today features the little gingerbread man and uses last week's Mojo Monday sketch. I colored the little gingerbread man with copics and the sentiment is from Verve.  It made me laugh. : )



Thanks for stopping by today!

Tricia

Monday, October 17, 2011

OWH Benefit!!



Hello friends!  Today is a special, special day because it kicks off a benefit for Operation Write Home!!  Operation Write Home collects handmade cards to send to the soldiers deployed overseas.  Some of them are Any Hero cards that we write in to say "thanks for serving!", but most of the cards are left blank so the soldiers can send them back to their families and friends stateside.  It's a fantastic organization!!  But, in order to send the thousands of cards that will go out during the holidays, they could really use some extra funds for shipping, and that is where two digi designers would like to help.  Katlyn, of KnK Designs has teamed up with Deedee Anderson to offer 7 digi sets that are perfect for your OWH cards - or any cards, for that matter!  All of the proceeds for these sets (minus the paypal fees, of course!) will be donated to OWH.  Every bit of it!  You can buy the sets separately or in a bundle - Go check out the KnK Designs blog for all the details!!


To whet your appetite... here's a card made with one of the KnK sets "Packed with Love".  OWH cards need to be standard sized (4.25" x 5.5"), have NO glitter, and no thick embellishments, so to add some fun, I made this card a gatefold card that open in the middle.


Isn't Kolar a sweetie??  He's giving his best!!  Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I hope you'll be able to swing by KnK Designs and see all the fun sets available.  Thank you for giving!!

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Trust


Just a quick post today!  It's week three of Viva La Verve at SCS in the Verve forum.  It was a hard sketch for me to follow, so I think I changed it a little.  I do love the Verve Plain Jane stamps, though!

Thursday, October 13, 2011

More Homemade Embellishments




Hello friends!

It's been a long day for me, even though it's only two in the afternoon!  I had a dentist appointment today and I don't like the dentist.  I can't have anesthetic so I simply had to rest and pray through getting my tooth filled, and my mouth really isn't very happy at the moment!

When I got home I thought stamping would be good for my throbbing mouth - don't know why exactly, but it sounded good!  Besides I had another idea for a homemade embellishment for the Get Your Diva on Challenge, and I wanted to use the MFT Wednesday Sketch, so I gathered up a few cupcake liners and went to work.  I stacked three liners together and cut them out with two small scalloped circle dies, then cut out the inside to the flower with a small snowflake nestie.  I crumpled it all up after putting a brad in the center and smoothed it out to make the flower.  The cute little leaves are from the Verve coffee set - "Better with You".  I think they are supposed to be used to decorate the cup, but aren't they adorable??  Then I added some fronds punched with a MS punch for some extra dimension.  My tag actually follows the layout of the Verve insert that you get with the Plain Jane stamps.  I love how it turned out!!!!  A few pearls later, it was all done.

I'm entering this in...

Verve GYDO Challenge - Homemade Embellishment
MFTWSC#41- Sketch
Stampin Sisters in Christ - Anything Goes
Tuesday Throwdown - Think Pink


Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Blessings!

Tricia

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Pink Elephants for a Cure


Splitcoast is having some ongoing challenges for the month of October featuring cancer awareness.  I wanted to participate in the Pink Critter challenge, and when the Get Your Diva challenge of making your own embellishments was announced I had a brainstorm... which can be good or bad depending on how the card turns out! : )  I remembered some yellow flannel that I had used in a quilt for my daughter and niece years ago and figured that I still had some left somewhere.  I was right!  I made a little blanket out of one of the patterns - using pinking shears and a little stitching and then made a moon from another pattern.  I watercolored Emery, the elephant, with Tombow markers, after stamping him on some heavy watercolor paper, and then I added a "Hope Ribbon" blanket tied with some embroidery floss.  The sentiment is from Verve's Many Blessings and is cut out with the Oval Label dies.  I added stars with my Stardust Glitter Pen and hills that I stitched on my sewing machine and embossed.  And that's about it!

Here's the completed card...


Thanks for stopping by today!

Blessings!

Tricia

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Viva La Verve and some fun news!!

I always thought this little guy was a bear... but today I think he's a dog.  Maybe because the sentiment shape reminds me of a dog bone??? : )  Anyway, this is the Viva La Verve sketch, week 2.  The dp is from Michaels, and the adorable little heart is the Verve From the heart die.  The fun twirly twine is Scrapper's Floss that I got from TAC when they were still in business.

Speaking of TAC and adorable... have you seen that Mabelle from Whimsy and Stars has released five stamp sets, some of which were her designs in the last TAC catalog???  I am SO excited!!  They are so reasonably priced, too!  I love her digis, but there's nothing quite like a rubber stamp. : )  Be sure to check out her Etsy shop here!!