Feelin' Ga-roovy!

Just a quick post today.  I wanted to get something in for this week's Chick Challenge and I like the color palette over at Scrapbooker's Paradise so VOILA!  Card!

Did I mention I HAVE to get myself a lightbox setup so I don't keep taking crooked pix on our deck railing?

Ingredients:
Stamps: (Groovy): Ippity

Ink: (Black Momento): Tsukineko

Paper: (Crumbcake, Whisper White): Stampin' Up, (Pocket Full of Posies): DCWV
Misc: (Yellow & Green Twines): Whisker Graphics, (Labels Die): Spellbinders, Copics

Challenges:
Southen Girls' Challenge #45: Diecuts or punches
Scrapbooker's Paradise Ponderings #68: 

Chick Challenge #32:

GIU Week Winner

First, I wanted to thank you all for stopping in this past week during my GIU festivities.  I really appreciated all of your comments through the week!  It was a lot of fun to try as much new stuff as I did- hopefully I keep doing some of that stretching. 

Second, have a remainder of a great holiday weekend those of you in the US, have a remainder of a great weekend everyone else.

Third, here's the winner of the Itty Bittys from Unity! 

Come on down Denise Bryant!  

You're the winner on the Jen's GIU Week show!  LOL!  Denise, if you could send me your email address, I'll pass it on to Unity. 

Again, many thanks all and have a great one!

Growing in Unity, Day FIVE

Well, we all made it to the end of the week!  Happy Friday!  I've got my final Growing in Unity card to share with you today.  Since it's also my Get Hippity with Ippity Challenge inspiration day, this card does double-duty.  The challenge this week is to make a project with flowers and a leaf.  We'd love to see you use your ippity and Unity stamps- it's not a necessity but it will get you an extra entry into the prize drawing!

I wasn't quite sure how I was going to make this one work but I REALLY like how it turned out.  Again, as with many of my GIU cards, I tried something that was almost new to me- brayering.  I did one other brayered card a few weeks ago and I just envisioned that look for this card.  I don't have any grey embossing powder but I knew I wanted the flower silhouettes to stand out against the leaves so I mixed some black, white and a bit of navy powder together and it worked pretty well.  While it's not a solid grey, I like the mottled look it has.

Don't forget to leave me a comment on this week's GIU posts!  I'll be picking a winner for those Itty Bitty's on Sunday- good luck!  Don't forget to check back on Monday to see if you won!  Thanks for letting me share my Unity/ippity cards with you this week!

Ingredients:
Stamps: (The Simple Things): ippity
Ink: (Summer Sun, Only Orange, Pumpkin Pie, Really Rust, Rose Red, Cranberry Crisp, Bravo Burgundy, Basic Black): Stampin' Up (Yeah, I really did use all of those), (VersaMark): Tsukineko
Paper: (Basic Black, Whisper White): Stampin' Up, (Orange DP): ? (received in a blog candy pack)
Misc: (Black & Navy EP): Joann's, (White EP): American Crafts Zing

Challenges:
Stamp, Scrap & Doodle Saturdays: Flowers
The Stamping Boutique: Wet Embossing

Growing in Unity, Day FOUR

Welcome to day four of my Growing in Unity week.  Again, I tried something new for this card, Twinkling H2O's this time.  I tried them for the first time a few weeks ago and HAD to have some.  While I wish I'd gotten some bolder colors, I know that I'll be buying more soon.  DRAT!  Another thing I want to buy!  ;)

I used the ever-fabulous set, "Now and Always" for this one.

Ingredients:
Stamps: (Now and Always): ippity, (Sentiment): Unity
Ink: (Basic Black): Stampin' Up, (Momento Black): Tsukineko
Paper: (Whisper White, Lavender Lace, Certainly Celery): Stampin' Up, (Water Color paper): Royal Langnickel, (DP): Unknown- received in a mixed pack
Misc: (Twinkling H2O's): Luminarte, (Embossing Folder): Sizzix

Challenges:
Stamp, Scrap & Doodle Saturdays: Flowers
Scrapbooker's Paradise #67:

While I'm not an ippity Chick, my friend Aletha Williams would love to help you out if you're interested in buying any ippity sets!

Growing in Unity, Day THREE

Good morning all!  To those who have been here, welcome back.  To those joining me from the Unity blog, welcome to my Growing in Unity week!  I'm so excited to have the chance to participate in GUI!  Don't forget to come back every day this week and leave a comment on each Growing in Unity post.  I'll pick one lucky commenter Sunday who will get their choice of two Unity Itty Bittys!
 
I knew when I saw Shimelle Laine's sketch and card over at American Crafts, I HAD to try it. 

While I love the look, it's a style I don't "do" and is definitely out of my comfort zone.  I still HAD to try it and actually wanted to even more for those reasons.  I couldn't narrow down which image I wanted to use so I made two cards.

The first features a lamp and sentiments from the ippity set, "shine shine shine."  I colored it with watercolor pencils

The second features the stars and sentiments from Unity's "Twinkle Twinkle" set.  The stars were double stamped to get a "shadow image" and the top one was paper-pieced.

Funny. I just realized that I was apparently on a repeating stamp-name kick when I did these. ;)

See you tomorrow!

Ingredients:
Stamps: (Shine): ippity, (Twinkle, Twinkle): Unity
Papers: (Complete Boy Collection): My Mind's Eye, (Home Collection): Deja View, (Bashful Blue, Whisper White): Stampin' Up, White photo paper
Ink: (Basic Brown, Basic Black, Whisper White): Stampin' Up, (Walnut Stain): Tim Holtz
Brads: Stampin' Up, Basic Grey, Making Memories
Misc: Watercolor pencils

While I'm not an ippity Chick, my friend Aletha Williams would love to help you out if you're interested in buying any ippity sets!

Growing in Unity, Day TWO

Morning all!  Welcome to day two of my Growing in Unity (GIU) week. At the end of the week, I'll draw a name from all of the comments and that poster will win 2 Itty Bitty stamps of their choice from Unity so don't forget to comment!


Today I went in a bit different direction than I usually go- I made a few mini cards.  I've been wanting to make some of these to stash in my son and husband's lunches, I just hadn't done it yet.

The first one I made two of and simply altered the color combination.  I wanted to use the "Nuts and Bolts" set and it's perfect for a mini card.

While it's a bit hard to see, the paper gears and the "you're #1" are all embossed.  What you really can't see, or smell, is that they're embossed with clear cherry and vanilla scented embossing powders.  I thought the 4yr old would really like that. 

The second card is quite a bit different.  I used some leftover acetate to make a window over the fish so I could put seaweed over him without having to fussy-cut it out.  Even I have limits to what I'll fussy cut! 

Ingredients:
  Nuts & Bolts cards:
    Stamps: (Nuts & Bolts, The Best): Unity
    Ink: (Encore Silver, Encore Gold): Tsukineko
    Paper: (Basic White, Mini cards): Stampin' Up
    Misc: (Vanilla, Cherry scented EP): Stampin' Up, (Gears & film ribbon): Tim Holtz, Watch parts
  Fish card:
    Stamps: (Fishy Philosophy): ippity
    Ink: (Black Staz-on): Tsukineko, (Tempting Turquoise): Stampin' Up
    Paper: (Whisper White mini card): Stampin' Up, (DP): ?
    Misc: (EP): Stampendous, Copics, Acetate

Challenges:
Southern Girls Challenge: #44: About the Boys

Growing in Unity, Day ONE

Morning all!  Sorry to have been dark all of this past week but between a sinus infection (better than the cracked tooth I THOUGHT I had- who knew they'd feel the same?!), a kid with out-of-control allergies, a planned vacation which turned into a cancelled vacation and a yard sale instead, and getting ready to post a project a day this week, I didn't get much in the way of posting done.  HOWEVER, this week I'll be posting a project using Unity and/or ippity stamps each day as part of my Growing in Unity (GIU) week.  At the end of the week, I'll draw a name from all of the comments and that poster will win 2 Itty Bitty stamps of their choice from Unity so don't forget to comment!

For today, I made a card using the "Brave Boots" Itty Bitty set.  This set was created with Melody Ross from the Brave Girls' Camp fame.  I think that's something I need to add to my bucket list actually- making it to a Brave Girls' Camp.

Don't forget to drop back by tomorrow to comment again- you may be the lucky winning commenter this week! 

Ingredients:
Stamps: (Brave Boots): Unity
Paper: (Cotton Bloom Stack): DCWV, (Very Vanilla): Stampin' Up
Ink: (Basic Brown, Basic Black): Stampin' Up, (Marmalade, Brick Red, Walnut Stain): Tim Holtz
Misc: (Pastels): Stampin' Up, Plastic stars

Joy card

I was invited to play along this week at A La Card Monkey and I did so happily.  I was a bit tight on time but thought I'd try something I don't usually do- popping pastels.  The challenge was a sketch + theme of "joy".

The time constraint meant that I didn't have a chance to mull it over much so I went a bit obvious on the "joy" portion of the challenge and that lead me into the colors and general look.

Ingredients:
Stamps: (Silhouette Song Bird): Unity
Ink: (Versamark): Tsukineko
Paper: (Very Vanilla, Red): Stampin' Up, (Christmas Magic): Little Yellow Bicycle
Misc: (Pastels): Stampin' Up

Challenges:
Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge: #72: Traditional Colors
Christmas Card Challenge #24: Older stamp
Unity Stamp Challenge: Stripes
Simon Says: Anything Goes

GHWI Sketch Challenge

Time for my Get Hippity with Ippity challenge inspiration piece.  This time around I used the fantabulous "Angie Girl, Dream with Your Heart" set for the sketch challenge.  This is the first time I used it and while I don't imagine I'll use it a lot because of the boyish-nature of most of my projects, I LOVE this set and knew I had to have it the minute I saw it.

Challenge sketch:

and my take:

Please join us for this two-week sketch challenge at Get Hippity with Ippity.  You don't have to use and ippity or Unity stamp for your project but you'll get an additional entry in the prize drawing if you do- just please leave us a comment of which set you included in your project if you do use ippity and/or Unity stamps.
For this and other ippity sets, please see Aletha William's website!

Ingredients:
Stamps: (Angie Girl, Dream with Your Heart): ippity
Ink: (Black Momento): Tsukineko, (Basic Black, Tempting Turquoise, Night of Navy): Stampin' Up
Paper: (Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White, Vellum): Stampin' Up, (Stomp): My Mind's Eye, (Barefoot & Bliss): BoBunny, (blue plaid): Cloud 9
Misc: (Orange Glitter Glue): Studio G, (Frosted Lace Stickles): Ranger

Challenges:
Simon Says Stamp: Favorite Stamp

Mother's Day Card, #2

Can I just say that my froo alarm started going off when I was making this one?

Ingredients:

All SU except for ribbon which is May Arts

Stamps: (Botanicals, Vintage Labels)

Paper: (Whisper White, Pattern Pack II)

Ink: (Basic Black, Regal Rose)

Challenges:
Paper Players #94: Mother's Day + pink, yellow, white

Simon Says Stamp: Favorite Stamp

Card Monkey #107: Sketch

Mother's Day Card, #1

Hmmmm.  Could be I'm running a bit late getting these together.  Could be.

I did this one based on the Unity Color Challenge and the Ippity Chick Sketch Challenge- they worked pretty darn well together.

Ingredients:
Stamps: (Angie Girl, The Best, sentiment): Unity
Ink: (Basic Black): Stampin' Up
Paper: (Very Vanilla, Basic Black, pink & green): Stampin' Up
Twine: Whisker Graphics

Challenges:
Unity Color Challenge: Pink, Green, Off-white
Ippity Chick Sketch Challenge:

Great grab-bag buy!

I stumbled on something the other day that I decided I'd try out- a grab bag buy.  Right now they're 2 for 1 so for $45 (+free shipping), I took a chance... glad I did.

There's a full box of AC papers, 2 scrap kits (each has ~8 sheets paper, stickers, embellishments, etc.), rub-ons, Thickers, ribbon, 2 jars of AC chipboard shapes (forgot those in the photo) 60-70 sheets of double-sided DP (pretty much all Sassafrass & Lily Bee Designs and MANY with a decorative bottom edge), 10 sheets cardstock, 7 12x12 sheets of stickers, a few smaller ones, about 8 5x12 sheets of alpha cardstock stickers, some small "candy dot" embellishments (think the real candy dots- they look just the same), and a few other small things.  While it's all a BIT girlier than I'd like, it's definitely worth it!  Plenty to use and great quality!

Face-paint boy

I made this layout for the Unity National Scrapbooking Day sketch challenge.  I love this sketch and it's perfect for these photos I've been wanting to get to paper.  Once my son had his first taste of face-painting (probably literally as well as figuratively), he was very into doing it again and again.
 

 
Recipe:

• Stamps: (Life Documented Banner, You're the Ticket): Unity
• Paper: (Summer Sun, Brocade Blue): Stampin' Up, (DP): Unknown- Joanns and grab bags
• Alphas: (Rubons): October Afternoon, (Felt Thickers): American Crafts
• Misc: (Buttons): Basic Grey, (Twine): Whisker Graphics, (Color Ready Craft Border): Close to My Heart, (Copper Glitter): Martha Stewart

 

 

Challenges:

• Basic Grey: Multi-font title
• PaperCrafting Planet: Use your stash (the paper has been here long enough that I no longer know what it is- I THINK the blue came from Joanns though I haven't a clue about the yellow circle.  The twine I've been trying to use.  The rubons I got over a year ago.  etc. etc.)
• Simon Says Stamp: Favorite stamp: I've been on a banner kick recently (now that it's starting to go out of vogue of course) and I love these little banner stamps!
• Shopping Our Stash: 3+ designer papers (Blue bkgrnd, Yellow circle, Blue matting paper.  Both blues also in banner)
• Unity: NSD Sketch

 

 

Last Minute Thank You Cards

So.  Some time earlier this evening I remembered that my son was supposed to make thank you cards for his preschool teachers for tomorrow- Teacher Appreciation Week.  Yeah.  I remembered right before dinner.  Needless to say THAT wasn't happening so I banged out 2 VERY quick/easy thank yous that he can write names on and sign in the morning.  Of course, I also just remembered that I need to make and mail two Mother's Day cards QUICKLY!  ugh!

Ingredients:
Paper, Stamps, Ink: Stampin' Up
Purple Flowers: Darice
Other Flowers, Felt, Button, Brad: Making Memories

A chocolate-faced boy

I've had these photos hanging around in my "scrap these" pile for a while now.  I finally did.

Ingredients:
Cardstock: Stampin' Up

Stamps: The Best: ippity

Misc: Delight Thickers, Twine

Challenges:
Crafty Steals: Use scraps.  The banners were made completely from my scraps files

Big Picture Classes: NSD #7: 3 concurrent colors from the spectrum: yellow, green, blue

Dino Mini-Golf

This is the final page to go with some layouts I did the other week in my scrapbooking frenzy.  While we were on one of those beach trips, we ATTEMPTED to take the munchkin to play putt-putt golf.  The pictures make it all look ok but the actual afternoon was rough.  Really rough.  I made sure the journalling reflected that.

Challenges:

Frosted Designs: No cardstock, only DP

Studio Calico: NSD 5+ photos

Cupcake Valentine

Yeah.  You read me right.  Valentine.  Part of National Scrapbooking Day was a challenge over at Little Yellow Bicycle to use one of their old lines on a project.  I have a bit of the Cupcake Love line from their Winter '10 release that I wanted to use.  I combined it with the challenge from Pumpkin Spice and a sketch from Shimelle Laine to get this:

Challenges:
Little Yellow Bicycle (product line at least as old as the Summer '11 release.)
Pumpkin Spice:( A card with blue, something round, at least 3 layers or 3 different papers)

The sketch I used:

The Mess

I've got quite a few projects due to various blogs and reasons this month, 5 during a week that we'll be travelling, so I'm trying to get a jump on them which means it's been a bit messy the past few days.  Time to clean up... so I can make a mess again this weekend for NSD!  LOL!

Simple Sunny ATC

This week's challenge over at Wicked Wednesday is "You are My Sunshine."  Truthfully, nothing really came to me this week for it but I thought I'd give it a last try today and then I remembered how much I like those big-beamed suns I've seen on so many layouts recently (I like big beams and I cannot lie!) so I tried it for the ATC.

Sorry for the odd camera angles.

I considered cutting the beams down to fit the edges of the card but I think I'll leave them and maybe incorporate the whole thing on a layout sometime.