Friday, June 29, 2012

Sketch Inspiration 326

Woohoo, I did it!  I completed a project with every Sketch Inspiration sketch from January - June.  This card uses the same birthday paper from My Mind's Eye that I used on the scrapbook pages.  I have now qualified for the celebration party at Cat's Creations Scrapbooks!


Thursday, June 28, 2012

Sketch Inspiration 320

This is really a continuation of yesterday's post - 2 more scrapbook pages using the same collection from My Mind's Eye to scrapbook Kaylie's 9th birthday celebration just with family.  I used Sketch Inspiration 320 for the page on the left and have just one more sketch to go to qualify for the party that Cat of Cat's Creations Scrapbooks will have for those of us who did every sketch from January - June!  Woohoo!





Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Sketch Inspiration 323

This Sketch Inspiration sketch just HAD to be made into a scrapbook page - it was just too hard to imagine this double layout as a card.  I need to catch up on Kaylie's scrapbook anyway, so this gave me a good excuse!

This layout made with My Mind's Eye papers and embellishments is about Kaylie's 9th birthday celebration at Red Lobster.  She loves their biscuits so much that we put a candle in a biscuit instead of a cake!  The pictures with Kaylie and me are some of my favorites, too.  You may even recognize the one of Kaylie and me as the photo I use on my profile.






Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Doodle Pantry | Vintage Bicycle

Here's one more Doodle Pantry image for you this month - can you believe how quickly June flew by?!  Why is it that summer vacation goes by faster than the months during the school year?  It's not fair!

This card uses the image and one of the sentiments from the Vintage Bicycle set along with some of my favorite paper - Teresa Collins Carolina Breeze collection.  I just think yellow and gray is such a classy color combination, don't you?


Monday, June 25, 2012

Sketch Inspiration 324

Here's another Sketch Inspiration card as I work frantically to catch up on the sketches before June 30 - LOL!  Nothing like waiting until the last minute, right?  (Yes, Mom, I thought I learned my lesson in 8th grade after working on that To Kill A Mockingbird project until VERY late at night - guess not!)

On this card I used all Stampin' Up products - when everything already coordinates so perfectly AND you have a sketch, the card just comes together that much easier.  Wouldn't you agree?!

Sunday, June 24, 2012

OWH Sketch | Doodle Pantry Quirky Possum

Well, this was all kind of a happy accident!  I was asked to make a sample for this OWH sketch but then found out Doodle Pantry was sponsoring...turns out I'm not only involved with Operation Write Home, but I'm on the Doodle Pantry Design Team, too.  So, you get two cards for the price of one: the card I originally made for the sketch sample and the one I made with Doodle Pantry's Quirky Possum set.

If you play along with this week's OWH Stars & Stamps Sunday Sketch Challenge, you could win 3 free Doodle Pantry images...hmmm, I bet you'll have a hard time deciding because they are ALL great!  Today is also the last day to join in the Doodle Pantry Digital Challenge 24 - all you have to do is make a card with a Doodle Pantry image and you win a free set just for entering.  What are you waiting for - the deadline is 8 PM Central/9 PM Eastern?! Go make a card and then send it to Operation Write Home!

Doodle Pantry image, sentiment and digi paper

Inkadinkadoo stamp

OWH Sketch

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Sketch Inspiration 325 | Basic Grey

Here I am trying to make it right under the wire for the Sketch Inspiration 325 deadline.  I was looking through my stamps and found a clear stamp that I think I won from the pinata at Cat's Creations Scrapbooks National Scrapbook Day Retreat over Cinco de Mayo this year.  Because it had a dog on it, I thought I would use my Basic Grey pet paper that I've had for a while.  I've got to catch up with my Sketch Inspiration sketches for Cat's contest by the end of the week, so you will see a few more this week!  LOL
The sentiment says, "You make me so happy...I could wag my tail"


Tuesday, June 19, 2012

ODBD Monthly OWH Challenge

Each month Our Daily Bread Designs sponsors a challenge at Operation Write Home.  This month the challenge is to make a shaped card.  I've been wanting to make a shaped card for a long time, so this was the kick in the butt I needed to actually sit down and do it - LOL!  I used Nestabilities dies, one of the Hero Arts OWH stamp sets called All the Time, and red rhinestones from Queen & Co.

Please consider making a card and entering it in the monthly challenge before June 30.  ODBD sponsors the shipping for up to 2 boxes each month for Operation Write Home if we have at least 50 people entered in the challenge.  Last month we made it by the skin of our teeth!  It's such an easy thing to do to show your support for our deployed troops (yes, they are still deployed and still need our support!) and you may even win a gift certificate to use in the ODBD store.

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Happy Father's Day!

I am lucky enough to have a dad and a step-dad.  I made and posted my card for my step-dad back on May 1 (click on the link to see the card details) because Doodle Pantry's May releases included the perfect bass fish image since he's a fisherman.  But, I thought I'd wait until the actual day to show you the card I made for my dad.  Now, don't get the wrong idea - I'm not saying he's a monkey and he rarely if ever wears a tie because he's been retired for quite a while, but I thought it was a cute "Father's Day" image from Dustin Pike.


For My Dad
For My Step-Dad

Friday, June 15, 2012

Doodle Pantry | SFYTT June Challenge

I've had this adorable pre-colored Doodle Pantry image sitting on my desk for over a month (it was a May new release) waiting to be made into a card.  I love the sentiment because it can be used for so many different occasions.  I had it in mind for a friend who has been battling cancer for a few years and NEVER gives up and is always positive!  Plus, the whole thing just reminds me of the movie Nemo - Dory telling Nemo to just keep swimming and Crush the sea turtle.  Gotta love this set for so many reasons!  Everything you see on this card, except for the solid cardstock, comes from the Doodle Pantry set called Baby Sea Turtle.  The shapes are all Nestabilities dies.

I'm also entering this card in the June Sketch For You To Try (SFYTT) challenge.  I just love Jen del Muro's sketches and all of the cards she makes. PLUS, she lives here in the Fort Worth metroplex!  You should check out her blog.

Don't forget the monthly Doodle Pantry Digital Challenge is still going until June 24 so you have 9 days to enter!  Everyone is a winner - you'll receive a the free set Kite Ants just for playing along - WOOHOO!


June SFYTT Sketch Challenge
Doodle Pantry-Baby Sea Turtle
Doodle Pantry-Kite Ants

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

SU You Crack Me Up & Merry Christmas

When I went to the BOGO Sale at my SU demonstrator Christi Beck's house at the beginning of the month, she pulled out all kinds of little samples that were free for the taking.  I picked up this cute image and sentiment that was mounted on the scalloped square thinking I could make a card out of it.  I just added some embossed cardstock and SU Baja Breeze pleated ribbon and voila - a finished card!

Here's another one using a Christmas tag that I snagged from the box.  All I did was add a cardstock base!  Both cards will go in my next box to Operation Write Home.  Thanks, Christi!

Monday, June 11, 2012

Sketch Inspiration 322 | Hero Arts

I wasn't really excited about this sketch when I saw it - I thought it was going to be hard to use it for a card.  But, then I got the idea to use a color blocking concept to make it work for me.  In the end, I really liked how it turned out.  The hardest part was fussy cutting my stars!!

This card uses Sketch Inspiration 322, Stampin' Up Twitterpated paper and Riding Hood Red cardstock and ink, and the Hero Arts Year Round Sentiments set made especially for Operation Write Home (proceeds from sales benefit OWH).




Saturday, June 9, 2012

Mojo Monday | Craft Your Passion

I have never played in the Mojo Monday sketch contests before, but I've used the sketches a lot.  I was also inspired by the Craft Your Passion Challenge to use a chevron pattern.  I love chevron patterns and even recently bought a Hero Arts background stamp with a chevron pattern but didn't use it for this challenge.  Instead, I used all paper and no stamps at all to create my card - I like to do that from time to time.


Card Supplies:
patterned paper and twine - My Mind's Eye Lime Twist: Happy Go Lucky collection
cardstock - Stampin' Up Rich Razzleberry and Old Olive
punches - Stampin' Up 1-3/8" circle, scalloped circle, scalloped border
dies - Cheery Lynn Designs button die

Friday, June 8, 2012

Sketch Inspiration 321 | Stampin' Up

Here I am again, back with another Sketch Inspiration challenge card.  As I warned you earlier in the week, I used Stampin' Up's Twitterpated DSP on all of these cards.  I love how this one has such a different feel than the card I posted Monday even though all of the paper is from the same collection!  This time I inked up a SU stamp set I haven't used very much yet.  It's called Elementary Elegance and the Curly Label punch coordinates perfectly with it.  I have seen cards like this with a little "window" of sorts and had been wanting to give it a try.  I like how it turned out, although I may have gone a little overboard with the pearls in the corner - LOL!

Card Supplies:
stamp - SU Elementary Elegance
patterned paper - SU Twitterpated
cardstock - SU Riding Hood Red and Baja Breeze
ink - SU Riding Hood Red
punch - SU Curly Label and circle punches (sorry, I forget what sizes I used)
ribbon - Really Reasonable Ribbon, December 2011 Ribbon Club assortment
stash - self-adhesive pearls purchased at Hobby Lobby


Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Doodle Pantry | USA Birdie

Today I have another Doodle Pantry June release card for you.  This time I've used the pre-colored image, sentiment and digi paper from the USA Birdie set.

If you haven't played along at the Doodle Pantry Digital Challenge yet, you will certainly want to head over there.  All you have to do is use a Doodle Pantry image (freebies can be found HERE) and you will automatically receive the Kite Ants set (I had the idea for this one!) just for playing PLUS be entered in the drawing to win a gift certificate to shop in the Doodle Pantry store.  If you'd rather just go shopping now (and who wouldn't?!), this month's free set with purchase is Bucket and Jug.  The challenge deadline is June 24, so you have plenty of time but don't procrastinate!  LOL

You still have a few days to save 35% at the Doodle Pantry store using the code SUMMERSALE - good until June 10 so HURRY!

I just want to point out to my friends Pam C. and Kittie F. that I successfully hand cut the ends of my banner all by myself - pretty straight, right?!  LOL


Card Supplies:
Doodle Pantry - USA Birdie set (pre-colored image, sentiment and digi paper)
Cuttlebug - stars embossing folder
Spellbinders - Nestabilities circle and star
Stash - ribbon that I may have picked up at Michael's a loooong time ago
OWH Stars & Stamps - Sketch #74

Monday, June 4, 2012

Sketch Inspiration 319 | Hero Arts

I *FINALLY* got all three OWH Hero Arts stamp sets this weekend - one I won in the Operation Write Home Memorial Day Blog Hop, another was gifted to me and I bought the third one!  So, when they arrived, I was just itching to ink them up.  So, I thought I would catch up on my Sketch Inspiration challenges.  Cat at Cat's Creations Scrapbooks in Mineral Wells, TX challenged us to play along with all of the Sketch Inspiration challenges.  As you know if you follow my blog, these sketches are designed for scrapbook layouts, but I use them to create cards - immediate gratification, you know!  In the coming week and a half, you will see more Sketch Inspiration cards.  I used Stampin' Up's Twitterpated paper collection on all of them.  I seem to do that when I sit down to catch up on these sketches.  If you recall, the cards I made in May to catch up all used Echo Park paper!

Supplies Used:
sketch - Sketch Inspiration 319
stamps - Hero Arts Right At Home
paper - Stampin' Up Twitterpated, Baja Breeze, Riding Hood Red and Blushing Bride
ink - SU Riding Hood Red
embellishments - Bazzill paper flowers and adhesive pearls
tools - We R Memory Keepers corner rounder

Friday, June 1, 2012

Doodle Pantry June Release | Longhorn Cattle

Today is my favorite day of the month - it's release day at Doodle Pantry!  As usual, Laurie has some really cute images, including those mischievous ants and a Quirky Elephant, as well as quite a few patriotic images.  Because I live in Texas and even own cattle (though they are Polled Hereford and not Longhorn), this new Longhorn image grabbed my attention right away.

I paired the new Longhorn image and sentiment from the Longhorn set with digital paper from the Texas set.  I colored my Longhorn with Copics and used SU Brocade blue ink to ink everything.  I'm still working through all of the OWH Stars & Stamps sketches - this is sketch #51.

At noon today, the monthly Doodle Pantry Digital Challenge begins.  Just for entering you will receive the free set Kite Ants (I had the idea for this one!) AND be entered to win a gift certificate to Doodle Pantry.  Also, the Bucket and Jug set will be free with purchase until June 24.  What are you waiting for?  Go check it all out!  It's so exciting!

NEWSFLASH!!! I just read in the Doodle Pantry newsletter that you can save 35% in the store from June 1-10 by using the code SUMMERSALE.  Laurie is so generous - you just HAVE to go shopping now!