Free For All Monday

It's a free for all Monday with the Friends of Speedy TV.  I have been wanting to start on some Christmas cards and also wanted to showcase some of the stamp sets that are on sale during the inventory sale at Mark's Finest Papers.  Get them while you can folks!!!  For my card, I borrowed this week's Fall To Layout from the clean and simple stamping blog.  It worked perfect for me to hang my ornament and highlight that fabulous font.  I'm still working in this years Hope You Can Cling To challenges.  I'm hoping that I get more done this year than last year, as it looks like I am not going to be able to finish.  This HYCCT challenge is hostessed by Wanda and is called Hang In There.  My hanging element is of course the gorgeous ornament that I have colored with some Copic markers.  I have been practicing in hopes of getting better with my markers.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Details  - Stamps:  Seasonal Poinsettia (MFP); Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, Pretty in Pink; Ink: Momento Tuxedo Black, Pretty in Pink, Old Olive; Accessories:  Snowburst ef, paper snips, stampin' dimensionals, Copic markers, silver cording.

Some Saturday Coloring

For such a long time, I have resisted coloring as it is not my strong suit.  Well, I suppose it is time I get right on over my issues with that.  Today, I played around with some colors that were not exactly in my comfort zone and I colored with them too!   Touch Twin Markers is currently hosting a color challenge.  The colors they have selected are Melon Yellow, Olive Green, Brick Brown and Rose Red.  I don't happen to have those markers from Touch Twin, so I went looking for something to substitute. I opted for Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, Close to Cocoa with Cherry Cobbler over it and Rose Red to match the Touch Twin colors.  They aren't perfect, but I think I have done the best I could. 

I went digging through my scraps for some Olive colored designer paper to back up my image and I found this polka dotted paper.  I have always thought it looked like snow so I went with it!

Thanks for stopping by!

Details - Stamps: Snow Much Fun; Paper: Watercolor paper, Rose Red, Bella Rose dsp; Ink: Momento Tuxedo Black, Rose Red, Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, Close to Coca, Cherry Cobbler, Bordering Blue; Accessories: Nestabilities, MM brads, stampin' dimensionals.



Hopping with Mark's Finest Papers

 Speedy the Cat at Mark's Finest Papers likes to get a head start on special Christmas gifts and memories for friends and family. He gathered the design team at Mark's Finest Papers to bring you 12 days of exciting paper crafting gift ideas to get that holiday mojo flowing. The hop runs for 12 consecutive days, starting October 17th! Begin your holiday hop at Speedy's home base, the Mark's Finest Papers blog and relax with a cup of eggnog (or sprig of catnip, your choice) as Speedy leads you though a short, daily hop. You'll find your holiday paper crafting ideas and supplies at Mark's Finest Papers.

Welcome to the 12 Days of Christmas Blog Hop! We have four samples each day for our hop! Please visit each of the following blogs for holiday inspiration! Start off tomorrow on the MFP Blog for more inspiration!

Pam

Patty

Carol

Dawn M





Here is the altered legal pad that I created for today's sample to be posted on Mark's Finest Paper's blog. I just love to make these notepads.  They are super easy and make great gifts!  Thanks for stopping by!  Make sure you check out what the other ladies have posted for your pleasure today!





Friends of Speedy Halloween or Harvest

This is my sample card for this week's Friends of Speedy TV challenge to make a Halloween or Harvest card.  I chose to make a harvest themed card.  I took the Greet the Day with Gerber stamp set and tried my very best to make them look like Mums.  My favorite Chrysanthemum is the rust colored type.  I adore them as they are just the perfect color for Fall.  For these flowers, I embossed with gold embossing powder and painted them with my ink and aqua painter.  It was quite fun and I got a few colors on the petals.  I also wanted to include a Hope You Can Cling To challenge as Mark's Finest Papers is sponsoring this great Splitcoast event.  This card is for Libby's Paint Your Heart Out challenge.  I'm thinking I qualify as I painted with my aqua painter.  I love doing that after I have embossed as the image then contains the paint for me.

I hope you stop by Speedy TV and play along.  Thanks for coming by and have a great day!

Details - Stamps: Greet the Day With Gerber (MFP); Paper: Watercolor paper, Soft Suede, Patterns Pack III; Ink: Versamark, Ruby Red, Really Rust, Old Olive, Summer Sun, Early Espresso; Accessories: Gold ep, heat tool, Nestabilities, aqua painter, stampin' dimensionals.

A Ways From Thursday

Well, Thursday came and went.  That meant we had a Ways To Use It challenge and Collette was our wonderful hostess.  She challenged folks to find a way to use faux tiles.  Here is what I came up with.  I really do love how it turned out.  I used color pencils to color this little scene and then cut it up.  I then painted crystal effects over the top of each little tile and let it dry.  Then I pieced it back together on some black card stock.  I love the sharp look of it!  I wanted to let the subtle coloring come through so I only used black and white for the rest of the card.

I hope you had a fabulous weekend.  I did.  I got to have a nice dinner with my hubby on Friday.  I was crafty on Saturday and saw my nephews, parents and grandparents today.  Good times!!

Details: Stamps: Floating Along (MFP); Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black; Ink: Momento Tuxedo Black; Accessories:  Top Note die, black gingham ribbon, crystal effects, paper snips, stampin' dimensionals, finial press ef.

Here's to the Weekend

I am so glad that I made it to the weekend.  This was a very long week and I'll bet that next week will feel just as long.  Sometimes the beginning of the school year can be ultra busy.  But....you didn't come here for that.  My card for today is for a couple of challenges.  First, Touch Twin Markers is challenging folks to color up some "florals.  You had better hurry, today is the last day of the challenge.  I finally summoned up enought courage to give my Copics a try and it's not half bad.  I'll have to practice coloring to achieve the beautiful blend that others can do, but I have to start somewhere.  Second, this is for Jessica's Hope You Can Cling To challenge to use pink ribbon.  I'm glad that she offered up an easy challenge so that I am one card closer to completing all the challenges.  It may not happen, but I have one more card to send now.

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you have a fun filled crafty weekend!

Details - Stamps: Echoes of Kindness, Kind and Caring Thoughts; Paper: Whisper White, Pretty in Pink, Pink Pirouette; Ink: Momento Tuxedo Black, Pink Pirouette; Accessories: Nestabilties, sponge dauber, argyle ef, pink satin ribon, stampin' dimensionals, glue dots, copics.

Friends of Speedy TV Challlenge 3

Good day!  Today's Friends of Speedy TV challenge is all about the Sweetest Day.  I was not familiar with this little holiday, so I had to look it up.  It seems the origins of the Sweetest Day began in Ohio in 1922 when one gentleman wanted to bring happiness to others less fortunate. Now, the sweetest day has evolved to a day to express romantic love and appreciation of friends.  I thought this card could really bring happiness to another and tied in the sweet theme pretty well!    My card is a pretty simple one with some embossing on my card base and some glitter on my cupcake.  A couple of rounded corners and some stampin' dimensionals finish it  off.

In other news, Mark's Finest Papers is bringing you a fabulous blog hop.  Today is the first of the 12 days of Christmas blog hop at the MFP blog. 

Start here

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a fabulous day!

Details - Stamps: Oh Boy, It's a Girl; Paper: Whisper White, Close to Cocoa, Pixie Pink, DCWV The Sweet Stack dp; Ink: Close to Cocoa; Accessories: Swiss Dot ef, Scalloped circle punch, 1 3/8" circle punch, MS cupcake punch, word window  punch, corner chomper, Xyron, Pink Paislee coconut glitter, stampin' dimensionals, pink spica pen.

My Beaded Butterfly

Yup, I beaded this one myself.  I'm a rookie when it comes to beading.  It's been kind of crazy around here this weekend.  When my hubby got home from camping, I had 4 projects started and 0 finished in my craft room.  I was able to complete 3 of them after he started playing with Sweet Pea.  This card was the first project I finished.  My beaded butterfly was the result of this month's Get Your Diva On challenge hosted by Diva Andrea.  After I finished my butterfly, which is felt and backed by some die cut tulle as well, I whipped up a super simple card to showcase the butterfly.  I did some vertical scoring and die cut a couple of circles.  I stamped my sentiment below my focal piece and called it done!

That's all for now.  Thanks for stopping by!

Details - Stamps: Fluttering By (Verve); Paper: Whisper White, Unknown pale green, vellum; Ink: Going Gray; Accessories: Flutterby die (Verve), white felt, white tulle, pastel beads, thin guage wire, Nestabilities, scor-tape, glue dots, stampin' dimensionsals, scor-pal.  

A Technique by Julie

Hello there and Happy Friday!  Indeed it has been a happy Friday for me.  I did have to work, but it was a non-student day so it was quite productive.  I got to take an honest to goodness lunch break today.  I am featuring a card today that I made for one of the noontime challenges during Flourishes release week.  This challenge was called Just Show Me.  Crafters were challenged to find a technique via the Flourishes blog and have a go at it.  I picked a technique offered by Julie Koerber.  It just so happens that Julie is the Featured Stamper this week on Splitcoaststampers.  Hooray for Julie!  I altered her technique just a bit.  I used my aqua painter instead of a blender pen to soften the color and then added a layer of vellum to soften it even more.

I am in for a fun Friday night with my girl tonight.  It's just the two of us and who know what kind of trouble we will get in!!!  Thanks for stopping by.

Details - Stamps: Fine Herbs (Flourishes); Paper: Very Vanilla, Pear Pizzazz, Watercolor paper, vellum; Ink: Pear Pizzazz, Old Olive; Accessories: Pear Pizzazz seam binding, embroidery floss, stampin' dimensionals, scor-tape, sponge dauber, Nestabilties, aqua painter.



Ways To Use Pink

Hello folks!  It's my Thursday to host the Ways To Use It challenge on Splitcoaststampers and I have chosen "pink" as our theme.  It's a most obvious choice, yet I had to do it!  I really adore this Memory Box paper and wanted to use a couple of pieces of it.  I worked in a Viva La Verve sketch and Teresa's Hope You Can Cling To challenge to include at least one heart on your card. 

I hope you will find a little bit of time to play along with me this week and help turn the Splitcoaststampers gallery pink!

Thanks for stopping by!

Details - Stamps: Blue Skies (Verve); Paper: Whisper White, Early Espresso, Pink Pirouette, MB Gossamer; Ink: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso; Accessories: Jotted Heart die (Verve), Nestabilities, 1/8" early espresso taffeta ribbon, white button, stampin' dimensionals, glue dots.

A Case of Amy

I had hoped to get this posted yesterday, but alas it didn't happen!  I was a wee bit too busy at work and then was more than happy to head out to girl's night for some super-yum chicken tacos and cupcakes!  The white wine was delish too!  Oops, I got a little carried away about my yesterday and forgot to mention this little old card I have pictured.  This is the card I mad for Verve September Diva Dare.  The challenge was to case-a diva and I let my girl pick the Diva.  She picked Amy Sheffer and I picked this card that Amy made.  I also worked in a Hope You Can Cling To challenge hostessed by Lori.  I used some gigantic bling by my own standards.

Thanks for stopping by!

Details - Stamps: Kind Words (Verve), Sunny Days (Verve); Paper: River Rock, Whisper White, Prima Annalee dp; Ink: River Rock, Old Olive, Early Espresso; Accessories: Top Note die, Nestabilities, Ivory Organdy, Pear Pizzazz seam binding, silver cording, BG button, SU rhinestone, stampin' dimensionals, glue dots, sponge dauber.

Another Monday with Friends

Good Monday morning and welcome to another Friends of Speedy TV challenge.  This week we are making Anniversary cards as our fearless Design Team coordinator celebrates nine years of marriage with her husband!  Congratulations Debbie!  For today's card I started off with Chupa's Sketchbook Saturday as I knew I wanted to work in  a flower and a sentiment.  The larger background is from my new letterpress plate.  I just inked it up with some Versamark ink and had a go with it.  I'm quite please with how it turned out.  I stamped my Gerbera on the vellum circle and turned it over to color it and remembered Lori's Hope You Can Cling To challenge to use the green, yellow and brown.  Quickly, I found a couple of markers that I liked and began to color. 

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you will make some time to play along with us this week at Speedy TV!

Details - Stamps: Greet The Day With Gerbera (MFP); Paper: Whisper White, Soft Suede, Certainly Celery, vellum; Ink: Soft Suede, Early Espresso, Versamark, Certainly Celery, So Saffron; Accessories: Fancy Fan Letterpress plate, M's celery satin ribbon, Wilton Doily, Ivory Organdy, stampin' dimensionals.

Looking Back

Wow, looking back I realize that I have only recently started making tags.  This is the oldest tag that I could find in my gallery.  It first appeared on my blog in March of 2010.  Since then, I have enjoyed many tags.  I don't seem to make them in advance.  I usually make them to coordinate with a gift.  You might wonder why I am posting a tag from 2010.  Well, I decided to play along with the Flashback Friday challenge this month and tags are it!  There is one amazing prize this month too!  You may want to check  it out!  There isn't anything too crazy about this tag.  I'm sure it was from an old SU tag sheet and I dressed it up with some scallop borders, patterned paper, vellum and TE flowers.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a fabulous rest of your weekend!

Details - Stamps: Leaves (Verve), Because of You (Verve); Paper: Whisper White, Regal Rose, Vellum, Print Pack dsp; Ink: StazOn Cotton White, Regal Rose; Accessories: Scallop edge punch, TE flowers and leaves, unknown pink satin ribbon, MM pink eyelet, crop-a-dile, J's thin white satin ribbon, Pretties kit, mini glue dots, scor-tape.

I'm Awake

Yep, I'm awake for Michelle's Ways To Use It challenge this morning.  And I do have my coffee in hand, but it's not very hot.  I'm not quite sure what that is all about but I'll fix it right quick.  Michelle's challenge today is called Pass Me a Hot Beverage, so I broke out my set called Morning Cup to get me going.  I chuckle every time I see that sentiment because it is just so true.  I went super simple with this card.  I grabbed a Kim Hughes sketch from here and away  I went.  I did a little coloring with water color pencils and blended it up a bit. 

It's time for me to finish my coffee and get showered to start my day at work!  I hope you all have a fabulous day and thanks for stopping by!

Details - Stamps: Morning Cup; Paper:  Whisper White, Basic Black, Night & Day Specialty; Ink: Early Espresso; Accessories: Water color pencils, blender pen, stampin' dimensionals.

Such a Sweet Boat

Isn't this a sweet little boat?  When I saw the colors from the current Touch Twin Marker challenge (Frost Blue, Mint Blue, Terra Cotta and Mahogany), I knew I would be finding a boy image to color!  When I saw the first sketch for October's Viva La Verve, it clicked.  I used the little boat to fit inside the circle and away I went.

The card is pretty simple in design.  I don't happen to have any Touch Twin Markers just yet, so I substituted some colors for what I do have.  I ended up using Soft Sky, Pool Party, Really Rust and Chocolate with a blender pen to make it all work.

Thanks for stopping by!

Details - Stamps: Text Objects (Verve); Paper:Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, Soft Sky, Afternoon Tea dsp; Ink: Soft Sky, Pool Party, Really Rust, Chocolate Chip; Accessories:Tiny Bubbles ef, scallop edge punch, thin chocolate satin ribbon, scor-tape, Kaisercraft chocolate pearls, stampin' dimensionals, circle punches. 

Friends of Speedy TV First Challenge

If you missed my announcement from Saturday, I am now a Friends of Speedy TV Design Team member.  We will be hostessing challenges each and every Monday.  Today's challenge is all about making masculine cards.  You can find it on Speedy TV.  

Now, if you are anything like me, masculine cards are not easy.  I tend to go with minimal layers and minimal embellishments.  I used browns on my card today.  Most of the card is self-explanatory, but I will elaborate on the main panel.  I stamped my background in Versmark ink and then heat set it.  Next, I punched a heart out of vellum, sponged the negative space with some more Versamark and heat set it.  Finally, I stamped my sentiment over the top of the whole thing.  A mat, some distressing, a string and a card base finish this off!

I hope you will check out the challenge and play along!  Thanks for stopping by! 

Details - Stamps: A Walk in the Woods (MFP), Brick Wall (MFP); Paper: Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, Crumb Cake; Ink: Versamark, Early Espresso; Accessories: heat tool, heart to heart punch, vellum, brown burlap string, glue dot, stampin' dimensionals.

Wacky Inspiration

Yes, that's right!  It's Angelina Ballerina and she is the inspiration for my card today.  Flourishes is hosting a World Card Making Day challenge to be inspired by the colors of your favorite animated character.  My daughter watches a good assortment of cartoons, but Angelina is one of the few I sit and watch with her. 

Onto my card...

I made another telescoping card after learning how to do it during the last VSN.  It's quite fun and easier than it looks.  I used a set that Julie Koerber just recently sent in a generous box of blog candy.  Pink just turned out perfect as today starts the Hope You Can Cling To challenges on Splitcoast Stampers.  This card meets Beate's criteria for a circle card (at least I think it does).

Thanks for stopping by!

Details - Stamps: Birthday Celebrations (Flourishes); Paper: Melon Mambo, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White; Ink: Momento Tuxedo Black, Melon Mambo, Pretty in Pink, Barely Banana, Bordering Blue; Accessories: Nestabilties, white organza ribbon, SU white brads.

Big Announcement: FOSTVDT

What...FOSTVDT?  That's short for Friends of Speedy TV Design Team.  The big announcement is that I am on the Friends of Speedy TV Design Team and I could not possibly be anymore excited!  I am in the company of some amazing designers.  Let me introduce you!  Just click on each designers name to be visit their blog ;)

Debbie Moran-FOSTVDT Coordinator
Melisa Waldorf
Kittie Caracciolo
Fran Gumprecht
Bonnie Ratzloff
Karen Wallace
Brenda O’Rear
DJ Rants
Karen Bradley

I hope you will join us for challenges and camaraderie over at Speedy TV!!!

This card is made for today's Speedy the Cat's Friends challenge to use polka dots.I have got polka dots on my elephant and behind my elephant.  Thanks for stopping by!

Details -  Stamps: Oh Boy, It's a Girl (MFP); Paper: Whisper White, unknown yellow, Ice Cream Parlor dsp; Ink: Basic Gray, Blushing Bride; Accessories:  Nestabilities, Seeing Spots ef, PTI linen&canvas impression plate, paper snips, stampin dimensionals, quickie glue pen, Sakura glaze pen.