Wednesday, May 30, 2012

May Stampin' Up Stamp Club

Here are the cards we made at this month's Stampin' Up Stamp Club with Christi Beck.  She's really good at getting me to do techniques I wouldn't do on my own: both cards have heat embossing on them!

The black, white and silver card with stars will be used as a graduation card for the daughter of our next door neighbors at the farm.  When they moved in, she was probably Kaylie's age...where have the years gone?!




Tuesday, May 29, 2012

OWH ODBD Challenge | Five Elements

FIRST, THE WINNERS OF MY MEMORIAL DAY BLOG HOP CANDY ARE:

1. Sherry Hickey
2. Donna Nuce

AND FOR BEING FOLLOWER #100 - Renee!

CONGRATULATIONS! 
PLEASE EMAIL YOUR MAILING ADDRESS TO: mallisonr at aol dot com

Wow, that's a lot of acronyms in my post title, isn't it?  Well, OWH is Operation Write Home - we make cards for the deployed troops to stay in touch with home.  And, ODBD is Our Daily Bread Designs - each month they sponsor a challenge at the OWH blog and if 50 people submit cards, then they sponsor the shipping costs for two boxes of cards to be mailed overseas AND give away prizes to their store, too! This month in honor of Cinco de Mayo, the challenge is to use 5 elements on your card.  Wow, I had to give this a lot of thought as my cards are usually pretty basic.

My 5 elements are:
1. Patterned paper from Teresa Collins Carolina Breeze 6x6 paper pad (I've been hoarding this because I just love the color combination!)
2. Stamps from Stampin' Up - Four Frames and the thank you from You're My Type
3. Stampin' Up Decorative Label punch
4. My Mind's Eye Kraft Funday twine
5. Bazzill self-adhesive jewels

Oops, I have more than 5 so it wasn't as hard as I thought after all:
6. Button from my stash
7. OWH Stars & Stamps sketch #45 (I'm still trying to work through all of them!)

The deadline for the OWH ODBD Challenge is June 1.  If you haven't submitted your card yet, please do!  As of May 28, there were only 44 submissions and mine will make 45 - just 5 more cards to get the shipping for the second box of cards sponsored!!!

Monday, May 28, 2012

Seems A Little Sketchy #14

This will be my last post for the Seems A Little Sketchy design team.  I am proud to say that I was a part of the inaugural design team for this wonderful challenge blog and will still try to play along whenever I can because I love a good sketch!  Life is just getting in the way of my crafting time - I'm sure many of you can relate, can't you?  Thank you, Jenn, for the opportunity to participate!

When I first saw this sketch, I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it, but I REALLY like how it turned out!  The image (Milton's Good Book digi) is from our sponsor Sweet 'n Sassy and the papers and pleated ribbon are from Stampin' Up.  I think what really makes this card special are the butterflies I added using the SU Sizzix Embosslit called Beautiful Wings.

You can follow the sketch and enter up to 3 different cards over the next two weeks for your chance to win!

What are you waiting for? GO GET SKETCHY WITH IT!


Saturday, May 26, 2012

OWH Memorial Day Bloghop | Doodle Pantry



Welcome to the OWH Memorial Day Bloghop!
(aka "The Mother of All Bloghops)
  
To view thumbnails of the other 140+ cards on the bloghop and skip around at your leisure, click HERE!  There are many well-known companies participating, so go check them out...you never know what kind of candy they may be giving away!!!!

This bloghop is all about Operation Write Home sketches which I absolutely LOVE to use!  
For the hop I used Sketch #33.  
There are over 120 sketches to choose from with a new one added every Sunday!


This image is from the Doodle Pantry set called Reel 'Em In.  The set includes 5 pre-colored and outline images, 6 sentiments and 3 digital patterned papers, all for just $3.25.  The digi paper on the card is from another Doodle Pantry set called Bass Fish.  Doodle Pantry hosts a challenge each month starting on the 1st and ending on the 24th, so check back soon for the next challenge where everyone receives a free digital stamp set just for playing along!

IF YOU ARE A FOLLOWER (Scroll down the side bar on the right to follow my blog!) AND YOU LEAVE A COMMENT ON THIS POST, YOU WILL BE ENTERED TO WIN BLOG CANDY USING RANDOM.ORG!  THE WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON MY BLOG ON TUESDAY, MAY 29 AT 8 AM (Central Time) - GOOD LUCK!



Thursday, May 24, 2012

Last Day of School | Doodle Pantry

Today is the last day of school for my daughter AND for me - I've been long-term substitute teaching since the middle of February!  This is the second year that I volunteered to collect donations from the parents for the end-of-year teacher gifts.  We give gift cards to the 4 classroom teachers as well as 14 "specials" teachers which includes library, music, art, computer, science, PE, foreign language and the guidance counselor.  So, at the scrapbooking retreat earlier this month, I made 18 identical cards using Doodle Pantry's School Sheep (pre-colored image), the School Time digi paper pack, and the OWH Stars & Stamps sketch #27.  It's not a fancy card, but when you have to make 18, simple is better!


DON'T FORGET - Today is the deadline for the monthly Doodle Pantry Digital Challenge 23.  Simply use a Doodle Pantry image and receive a free set just for playing along as well as a chance to win the challenge!

Monday, May 21, 2012

Doodle Pantry - Quirky Hen

Good morning!  I need to find a "use it" or "hoarder" challenge to enter this card into because I've hoarded this We R Memory Keepers Fiesta paper collection for over a year.  This is only the second time I've used it!  As soon as I saw the Quirky Hen image from Doodle Pantry this month, this paper jumped to mind because some of the pinatas are hens, so I thought it would work well together.  I used the outline version of the image and my Copic markers (see the photo below for the colors I used).

This card is my entry to the Sketches for You to Try monthly challenge for May (see the sketch below).  But, don't forget about the Doodle Pantry Digital Challenge also!  It's still running until May 24, that's this Thursday - so get moving to earn your free digital stamp set of Scuba Sheep just for playing along.  Everyone's a winner at Doodle Pantry!





Friday, May 18, 2012

Scrapbook Retreat Card #4 - the last one

Thanks for checking out my cards this week from the make n' take frenzy at the National Scrapbooking Day retreat earlier this month.  This is the last card from the retreat.  We used Tim Holtz distress inks and Impression Obsession stamps.  What I like about this look (we made one at the November retreat using a similar technique) is that it is very forgiving.  Images and inks are layered so much that defects can barely be detected!  :-)  Now that's my kind of stamping.  HA!

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Scrapbook Retreat Card #3

This was another card that was good for trying new techniques but will NOT be sent to OWH because there is nowhere to write!  We used a Tim Holtz die to cut the butterflies on the edge.  The first time I did it, I had the die turned backwards and had to start again.  The second time (what you see below), I had the die turned the right way, but didn't get it as close to the edge as I should have.  I might be willing to try this type of die on a card again though...it's a very elegant look, don't you think?  I love the bright colors they gave us to work with.  I almost forgot, the butterfly on the front wobbles, too!  I had never done that before and that was LOTS of fun.


Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Scrapbook Retreat Card #2

This card was different than anything I had ever made and will NOT be going to OWH as there is really nowhere at all to write on it.  It is an acrylic card!  Make n' takes are great for trying new things.  It's hard to see in the photo, but there is a top flap and a bottom flap that are held together with the button closure that we made.  Different, right?!

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Scrapbook Retreat Card #1

At the National Scrapbook Day retreat I attended earlier in May, we had a make n' take frenzy one night.  Several of the stations were cards which I love to make!  This week I will be posting those cards and here is the first:
This make n' take was hosted by Joey Otlo of Bazzill Papers.  Of course, all of the paper used (yes, even the patterned papers) are from Bazzill as well as the pleats, the pink bling and the Love & Hope sticker. Check out the link to her blog where you can buy her class kits.  I love her designs because they are simple but classy!

Monday, May 14, 2012

Seems A Little Sketchy #13

I hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day yesterday.  Today I have a card for you that is perfect for any sassy woman in your life, especially if she's from Texas!

For the Seems A Little Sketchy Challenge, I've used Dottie 2 Step from Bugaboo Stamps, a sentiment from Create with TLC and digi paper from Doodle Pantry to create this fun card following the sketch.  Remember, to enter all you have to do is follow the sketch.  Feel free to turn it, twist it or modify it as long as we can still recognize the basic elements of the sketch.  You have two weeks to submit up to three entries.  Our sponsor this time is Bugaboo Stamps, one of my favorites!

What are you waiting for?  GO GET SKETCHY WITH IT!


Friday, May 11, 2012

Sketch Inspiration 317 | Echo Park Pt. 3

This is the end of Sketch Inspiration week.  Just when I caught up, I fell behind again because a new challenge began last Sunday.  Maybe I can get it done in time to enter in the "real" challenge on Saturday night.  I'm doing these for the Cat's Creations Scrapbooks challenge to use all of the Sketch Inspiration sketches to get invited to a special event at the store - thank goodness we don't have to submit them on time for Cat's challenge!

I turned this sketch and used another SRM Sticker from my card making fairy!  LOL


Thursday, May 10, 2012

Sketch Inspiration 316 & 318 - A Scrapbook Layout

Oh my gosh, can you believe it?  I've never ever posted one of my scrapbook layouts on my blog before!  Because I was at the scrapbook retreat last weekend and trying to catch up on my Sketch Inspiration challenges, I decided to try to use a few for actual scrapbook pages.  I was working on Christmas 2011 photos.  These photos were taken at Pappadeaux's when my mom's cousins came for a visit just before Christmas.




Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Sketch Inspiration 315 | Echo Park Pt. 2

More Echo Park paper for Sketch Inspiration #315.  I am pennant/banner-challenged, so I decided to cheat and use some banner paper from the Echo Park 6x6 paper pad.  I fussy cut around the bottom edge of each strip so it would look more like a banner.  The sentiment is an SRM Sticker - someone gifted them to me at the retreat when I was away from my workspace.  I guess it was the card making angel!


Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Sketch Inspiration 314 | Echo Park - Pt. 1

At the scrapbook retreat this past weekend, I bought lots of 6x6 paper pads to make cards with.  This is one of my favorites that I bought.  It's by Echo Park and you will see it again and again this week!

This is Sketch Inspiration #314 and the sentiment stamp is by Stampin' Up.


Monday, May 7, 2012

Sketch Inspiration 313 | Doodle Pantry papers

Surprise, surprise, surprise, I have finally posted another Sketch Inspiration card!  Now, cardmakers, these are not your normal sketches - these are scrapbook sketches that I use for cards, so it's a bit of a challenge which I think is why I have fallen so far behind.  I have to REALLY dig deep to find the mojo for these designs! 

Okay, excuses aside, during my 4-day scrapbook retreat weekend I "caught up" on the Sketch Inspiration sketches - so I'm dubbing this week SKETCH INSPIRATION WEEK.  Enjoy!

All of the digital patterned paper is from Doodle Pantry from either the Cowboy Birdie set or the Western digi paper pack.  The zig zag is paper I punched with a border punch.  I used circle punches from Stampin' Up, square punches from Creative Memories and a Spellbinders circle die for the largest circle.  The bling is from Bazzill.  The sentiment is cut from a Hambo Stamps digi set called Camouflage Bear - the whole sentiment was "I miss you beary much."

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Be a Rebel for NSD!

In "celebration" of National Scrapbook Day/Weekend, our fearless leader Sandy decided to have a Rebel Challenge  - Make CARDS for our heroes instead of scrapbook pages.  Well, I guess I get the best of both worlds because right now I'm at a 4-day scrapbook retreat - I'm making and collecting cards for OWH AND catching up on my scrapbook pages and making mini albums, too!

So, being a Texan (not by birth myself but my mother is a Texan and I got here as fast as I could and produced a Texan offspring!) and the wife of a former Civil War reenactor, when you say "Rebel," I think Civil War which brings to mind BLUE and GRAY.  My challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to create a card using the colors BLUE and GRAY.  If it happens to be a masculine card, well, that's all the better!

I used the Rebel digi image from Hambo Stamps (a huge fan and big supporter of OWH, by the way) and the S&S Sketch #110 to create my card for you today.  I hope you like it and it inspires you to create some awesome BLUE and GRAY cards for our REBEL CHALLENGE!  And, if you follow me but not the OWH Stars & Stamps blog, click on the Be A Rebel badge on the right sidebar to check out the other challenges this weekend.

If you think this is fun, click on the Memorial Day SKETCH Blog Hop badge on the right sidebar to sign up for the mother of all blog hops!

I am sorry to say Mr. Linky doesn't like me :(  Please leave a link to your  blog post in the comment section* and we will  hop on over and leave you some love! 

Happy Stamping!

*Note: to see the cards made by other card makers just highlight their link, copy it, then paste it in your address bar and hit enter.





Wednesday, May 2, 2012

OWH Memorial Day SKETCH Blog Hop

Sign-ups are now open for the mother of all blog hops with Operation Write Home.  All you have to do is create a card using an Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps blog sketch and then prepare to hop your hiney off over Memorial Day weekend.  Be sure to take breaks to swim, bar-b-q and enjoy your family - your bottom will thank you and so will your overworked chair!  LOL

Click on the badge on the right side bar or click HERE to link to the sign-up page.  Be sure to sign up BEFORE the deadline on May 23.  Happy Hopping!

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Doodle Pantry May Release - Bass Fish

Today marks the Doodle Pantry new release date for May.  Release days are such an exciting day as we get to see Laurie's critters come to life.  There are some great ones, as usual, so be sure to check them out at the STORE.

Today also marks the beginning of a new Doodle Pantry Digital Challenge where EVERYONE is a winner just for participating.  Just use any Doodle Pantry image (not just a sentiment) to enter and this month you will receive the Scuba Sheep set.  How cute is this one?!
And, free with a purchase this month is a set of sentiments called Man Stuff - just in time for your Father's Day cards!  To make the deal even sweeter, Laurie is offering a second image free with purchase - Dizzy Dachsund.  Can you believe it?!

But, wait, that's not all!  (Don't I sound like I'm selling something on TV?!)  In honor of National Pet Week, Laurie has put together a digi grab bag of 14 animal image sets you can purchase from May 1-13 for 30% OFF!

And FINALLY, here is my Bass Fish Father's Day card for my step-father who LOVES to fish!  I used the pre-colored image and digi papers from the Bass Fish set and the sentiment from the Reel 'Em In set.  It's simple, but perfect for him - very manly, don't you think?!