InStyle Stamps Sneak Peek - Darla

Hi Friends! Hey today is a sneak peek of InStyles Stamps "Darla". . .whoohoo!! Look at Darla work! Gosh, I wish she could clean my house! LOL! Honestly, my house needs help . .well, actually I need help. I have so much to catch up on. . .it's not funny! Darla will be available for purchase on April 1st!!

Yesterday was my daughter's birthday and we were out for over 12 hours. . .primarily eating and shopping! Yup, can you imagine? My daughter bought a buttload of clothes. We told her she could buy whatever she wanted . ..well, nothing crazy but crazy enough to make her happy and she went straight for the clothes. I won't tell you how much money we spent because you'll think we're crazy. Well maybe not because I know we ladies can shop when it comes to clothes so you probably wouldn't be surprised.

Boy. . .did she shop or what! LOL! That's okay, we had fun and my daughter was extremely happy. We ate lunch at our favorite Hawaiian restaurant in Torrance, CA called "King's Hawaiian Bakery". It felt like we were back in Hawaii. It was YUMMY!

I'll post pictures tomorrow. . .

Anyway, just a little info about my card. I colored Darla with my Copic Markers and added a bit of SU Crystal Effects. . .you know the routine. LOL!

Nothing much else to say about this card. I need to go to bed so I'm going to cut it short. I'll chit-chat more tomorrow when I have more time to write!!

Hope you all have a fabulous Tuesday!

Card Details:

Stamps: InStyle Stamps Darla, SU Inspired by Nature

Paper: MME designer paper, SU Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue

Ink: Copic Markers

Accessories: Fiskar scallop scissors, grosgrain and satin ribbon, JoAnn heart brads

Christmas Stampin All Year Long Sketch Challenge #10

Hello Dear Friends!! This is going to be a really short post . . .I just needed to get this post published for this week's Christmas Stampin All Yearl Long Challenge #10! Be sure to stop by the blog and check out all the beautiful cards posted by our challenge divas aka design team!

Before I continue, I want to wish my beautiful sweet darling daughter "Happy Birthday". She turns 18 today! OMG! She's not exactly thrilled about it. . .she once told me that she's happy and wish she didn't have to grow up. Awww, makes me a little sad. . .she has been the greatest light in my life. She has been my inspiration, my sunshine, my hope for a brighter and happier tomorrow.

I'll explain all of it one day. . .we've experienced a lot together. . .but right now, I just want to say "I love you, sweet child"!!

Anyway, I wanted to get this post out because we're going to spend the day with my daughter. . .first, we're going to eat out at her most favorite restaurant in Orange County. . .an hour 1/2 drive (but it's all worth it), take her shopping (big time), then watch a movie. She wanted it low key so no fan fair for her.

Anyway, stop by Christmas Stampin All Year Long blog and check out the sketch challenge. Hope you all will play along this week!!

Have a glorious day, Everyone!!

Stampin Up Eastern Blooms

Hello Friends! Happy Sunday to you all! I hope you are having a great day. Gosh, I can't believe it's Sunday already and in a few days, it'll be April!

Just a short post today. . .not much chit-chat. I have my moments when I really don't have much to say! LOL! You may not believe it, but it's true. . .nothing is on my mind right now.

Believe it or not but this is the first time I've inked the Stampin Up Eastern Blooms and Thanks for Everything stamp sets. I have a lot of SU stamp sets that I've bought but yet to ink. . .some are close to a year old! Arggh!

Just a little info on my card. I had stamped the Easter Bloom flowers. . .gosh, I can't quite remember which color ink, then I again inked them with Versamark and heat embossed them with clear embossing powder. That's about it basically.

Anyway. . .tomorrow I may be more chatty. Not sure you read my chit-chatting on my blog but if you do, thank you. . .I do try to write like you're sitting in front of me and having a conversation . .LOL!! Wish you could talk back but I guess commenting is close to having a two way conversation!!

Have a great day everyone!!

Card Details:

Stamp sets: Stampin Up Eastern Blooms, Thanks for Everything

Paper: SU Pink Pirouette, Chocolate Chip

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Sakura gel pen

Accessories: Coluzzle Oval Template, Making Memories Clip, Making Memories Ribbon, SU Rhinestone Brads, SU Scallop Edge Punch

The Greeting Farm Alice Anya

Happy Saturday, Friends! Hey thank you to those who voted for my InStyle Stamps Blog Hop project yesterday and thank you for all your kind comments about my project. Through shameless self-promotion, I won! LOL! Yes, shameless. . .but hey, it got you to stop by and vote otherwise, you may not have even bothered to look! LOL! My husband thought I'm silly about this stuff . . .but he's happy that I'm having fun with it all!

There was a time when I had decreased my hours at my job and subsequently, quitting my job when we moved to California and literally, drove the man NUTZ! He always says that I have "boredom syndrome" which can be scary. My DH is the hang out at home sort of person and I'm not. . .I want to go somewhere all the time. I'm always wanting to do something. . my mind has to be constantly churning. I love crowds, noise, the city. . .I even don't mind traffic. My husband is the opposite.

Before crafting and blogging. . .I was seriously going out of my mind, bored and going bananas. Now, I don't need constant activity. . .blogging and crafting are enough to fill my time. LOL! That satisfies the balance of our family life. . .believe it or not, but the rest of my family are the "hang out at home" type and there was a time when I would endlessly drag everyone out to do something, it didn't matter what it was. So all of this blogging stuff makes everyone happy. . .to my family, they actually find it all amusing!

Anyway, again thank you for voting and commenting my project. I really do appreciate it.

Now to the Greeting Farm Anya. . .my girlfriend Anya was sitting in my computer (it's a digital stamp) for a while now and she was begging to be made into a card. I was like "okay, girlfriend. . .calm down". LOL!

Initially, I was going to draw the background but I got lazy and decided to use a designer paper to create a somewhat scenic background. The flowers on the dp were a bit large so it didn't quite work out as planned but that's okay.

I colored Anya with my Copic Markers and added a bit of Stickles to her hair. Nothing much else to say about this card.

Hey you Twilight fans. . .I saw the movie and I'm now reading the book. . .as much as I like the movie, I love the book even more. I'm almost done with the first book! It explains a lot of things and there's more dialogue between Edward and Bella that aren't in the movie. I love the dialogue between them when they're alone. Gosh, I love the "in love" feeling that these two characters feel for one another.

Initially, I didn't understand what all the hype was about, especially with "adults" considering the book is a "young" adult fiction (aka teenager) but I think it sort of takes you back to when you were at that age when you first fell in love with someone. That feeling that you would sacrifice everything for that person. . .yeah, that's the appeal I think of this book/movie series. I once thought that way until I grew up and realized, it's all silliness. LOL!

Oh by the way, we watched the "Reader" last night. . .if you watched it. . .what is the significance of the movie or the under pinning of the storyline because all of it were sort of pointless to me. LOL!

Anyway, if you were thinking of watching Twilight. . read the book too. You'll have a better understanding of the characters involved and the what and why that may be missing in the movie.

Well, hope you all have a wonderful Saturday.

Card Details:

Stamps: The Greeting Farm Anya Alice (digital stamp), Verve Stamps

Paper: Colorbok designer paper, SU Yo Yo Yellow, Bashful Blue

Ink: Copic Markers

Accessories: Making Memories Ribbon, Fiskar Cloud and scallop scissors, JoAnn brads, Prima flowers, Stickles, Paper cord, SU Ticket Corner Punch

InStyle Stamps Blog Hop

Hey Friends! Today is InStyle Stamps very first ever Blog Hop!! Before I begin with the details. . .I need your vote!! Stop by the InStyle Stamps Blog site to vote for my project! LOL! I will be your BFF if you vote for my project. . I get to win a prize if I win! Actually, be sure to visit the other designers project and vote for the one you like best!!

Here are the details to the blog hop:

Stop by InStyle Stamps Forum and chit-chat with the other designers and other participants. Further detail on the blog hop are on the forum.


Head to the InStyle Stamps Blog and vote for your favorite project. . .vote for mine! LOL! Actually. . .at my left sidebar under the InStyle Stamps banner, visit each designer's blog and vote which "altered project" you like best then return to the InStyle Stamp blog and vote for your favorite project. The winning designer will win a prize! The links to the DT blogs are also listed below.

In exchange for your vote , you will be automatically entered in a drawing for a prize so VOTE and visit the forum. Whoohoo!!

You can also enter to win the grand prize by playing "Meet the DT Trivia." You will need to collect the answers to a list of questions about the InStyle Stamps designer and email the answers to instylebloghop@aol.com by 10pm EST to enter. Good luck!!

Here are my answers to the "Meet the DT Trivia":

• What is your favorite color combination for crafting? Currently, brown/blue orblue/green
• 
  
  If you were stuck on a deserted island, and a box washed up on shore, what 5craft supplies would you most want to find inside? Stamps, designer papers, Scissors, Copic Markers, Stickles,


• What is your favorite coloring medium? Currently, Copic Markers.
• 
  
  What embellishment can you not live without? RibbonsWhat are your hobbies (other than papercrafting)? Drawing and sketching(charcoal)
• 
  
  What's your favorite spring time activity? Not sure. . .gardening?

• If you could visit any place in the world, where would you choose to go? China.. .I love the culture and history


• 
  
  When you were little, who was your favorite super hero and why? Captain Caveman!LOL! Not sure why. . .I just thought he was cute.


• 
  
  What is one item that you really should throw away, but probably never will? My old sweat pants. . .I love them because they're comfortable and I don't mind that they get dirty from ink or glue.


• 
  
  If you were an animal, what would you be? A cat. . .cats just do their own thing, don't require much attention, and they lounge around a lot.


• 
  
  If you could have an endless supply of any food item, what would you get? Dim sum

1. What is your favorite movie? Little Princess . . the remake.


2. 
   
   Who is your favorite actor/actress? Kate Winslet

• Do you have a pet? If so, what do you have? I have two dogs and 2 cats

• How did you first get introduced to stamping? I first saw cards at a gift shop and was told by the owner that they were created using rubber stamps. On Mother's Day 2004, as a gift my husband gave me my first stamp set as a present.
  
  

Just a little info on my project. I bought this photo flip stand at Goodwill for $2. Yup! Believe it or not but it's a used photo album stand. Not very pretty. LOL!

Why did I buy it? Well, I thought it would be a great item to alter. I always felt that if you're going to alter a project. . .why buy the item new if you're going to cover it up. I mean it doesn't make sense to buy an expensive new item if you're going to alter it.

You can't really tell in the photo but the front cover is made of glass. All I did was add the designer to the back of the front glass cover. I colored Yuki and Lilah and added them to the cover and the layout page.

Here is Yuki close up!! By the way Alexis is my daughter and the first page is a picture of my daughter; hence the title of the album cover. I only created one page so far but I'm planning to add more with time.

Anyway be sure to stop by the InStyle Stamps Blog and vote for your designer's project and the InStyle Stamps Forum to play in the blog hop!!

DT Blogs:

Virginia ISS Blog: http://instylestamps.com/blog/
Jennie http://www.stampawaytheday.blogspot.com/
Melissa http://mmedesigns.blogspot.com/
Maria http://www.stampininspirations.blogspot.com/
Sandy http://stampinsandy.blogspot.com/
Latrice http://www.latricemurphy.blogspot.com/
Shary http://www.shary-theothersideofme.blogspot.com/
Jennifer http://www.jensscrappypages.blogspot.com/
Kim http://www.craftsbykim.blogspot.com/
Risa: http://malieta-lifessimplepleasures.blogspot.com/
Joy http://daiseyfreak.blogspot.com/
Silke http://bastelzauberin-bastelzauberin.blogspot.com/
Taylor http://musingsofanaddict.wordpress.com/
Mary http://mycardz.wordpress.com/
Michelle http://www.donkeysmiles.blogspot.com/
Vicky http://vickygina.typepad.com/

Pink Cat Studio Sweet Pea Plate 2 and Dress Up Sweet Pea Release Day!!

Whoohoo! Let's celebrate!! It's Pink Cat Studio's Release Day for March's stamp sets: Sweet Pea Plat 2 and Dress Up Sweet Pea! You can now purchase the stamp sets at Pink Cat Studio! You gotta LOVE these awesome sets. . .aren't they stinkin' adorable or what!!

Be sure to stop by Pink Cat Studio blog and check out all the beautiful cards and projects that the design team created. . .you will surely get a whole lot of great ideas on what to create with these stamp sets!

Enjoy your day and Happy Stampin' and Creatin'!!!

InStyle Stamps Thankful Thursday Sketch Challenge

Hey Friends!! It's InStyle Stamps Thankful Thursday Sketch Challenge again! It was my turn to create a sketch this week! Be sure to stop by InStyle Stamps and check out the details of the challenge. . .there's a prize to be given out so be sure to play along.

You don't need to use an InStyle Stamps but if you have one, why not use it. Be sure to add a "thank you" type of sentiment to your card.

InStyle Stamps Blog Hop - Friday

Come and join InStyle Stamps Blog Hop this Friday from 11:30 am EST to 10pm EST. Chat it up on our blog hop thread on the InStyle forum that will open at 11:30 am EST. The blog hop itself will begin at noon with the DT revealing their fabulous projects that they have been slaving away all week on.

Come join the fun, and be on the look-out for contests to win some great prizes throughout the day! Plus, make sure to vote for your favorite DT member project, as well as play “Get to know our DT Trivia,” and be entered into our drawings for the grand prizes to be held at the end of the hop! Click Here for the Blog Hop.

Now to my card. . .I know. . .my card don't have a "thank you" sentiment. . .I had forgotten that I was suppose to use one.

I really had fun creating this card! I love this image. . .her name is Lilah! Isn't she cool or what. . .such a supah star!! LOL! I think I'm going to give this card to my daughter because she's "my supah star"!!

I colored Lilah with my Copic Markers and added a little bit of Stickles on her hair and her belt.









Hey. . .if I haven't commented your blog. . gosh, I've been busy catching up on a bunch of stuff. . .DT stuff, life stuff, everything stuff! I'll stop by when I have the chance. . .this week is sort of crazy busy! I usually have my routine in the mornings but we've been doing a lot of activities while my daughter is on spring break.


Anyway, stop by InStyle Stamps and play along in the challenge this week!!

Check out the samples created by the talented design team:

Michelle

Hope you all have a Thankful Thursday!!







Card Details:

Cards: Instyle Stamps Lilah, Verve stamps (sentiment)
Paper: Colorbok desigher paper, SU Bravo Burgundy, Cool Caribbean, Riding Hood Red
Ink: Copic Markers, Tim Holtz distressing ink
Accessories: Stickles Glitter, SU Large Star, Grosgrain Ribbon, Fiskar deckled scissors, Coluzzle Oval Template, JoAnn brads

Photo of the Day

Livestock Only

This was photo was taken the other day when me, my husband, and my daughter went out and hung out at a part of our town called "Old Town". Old Town Temecula is the original town or the actual town prior to it's major growth. The town still has a lot of the original buildings from the early 1800s. Anyway, this photo is of my daughter in a tub or bath tub that were used by livestock; hence, the sign you see in the picture. Only after I uploaded the photo, I realized my mistake of not taking a picture of the bath tub. I was focused on taking a picture of the sign that I forgot to add the tub in the photo.

Pink Cat Studio Sneak Peek Day 2 - CD Holder Mini Album Tutorial

Update: I added the printable version of the tutorials for both projects

Hey Friends! It's Pink Cat Studio sneak peek day #2! Whoohoo. Today we're showing you samples of "Sweet Pea Plate 2". Okay, this stamp set is the cutest! I'm not kidding! Both "Dress Up Sweat Pea" and "Sweet Pea Plate 2" are going to be released tomorrow so be sure to stop by Pink Cat Studio and check them out!

For this stamp set, I'll be showing two samples and two tutorials! Yipee.

This first sample is a CD Holder Mini Album. I created it for my daughter. I'm going to download all her photos and put them on a CD.

All together the album has 4 flaps (front and back), all together you can add at least 6 photos like I did.

As you can see the pages open up and reveal the next page.

This photo shows the mini album completely opened with the CD at center.

I decorated the CD label by stamping the Pink Cat Studio Sweat Pea images. The title of the CD suppose to say "Sweet Alexis" but I was such in a rush to take a photo of the project that I forgot to add my daughter's name.

With the tutorial below, if you want to print it, click on the drop menu that is labeled "More". It'll give you the option to print or you may save the tutorial on to your computer.

You may view a full page of the tutorial by clicking on the icon to the very top right corner. It'll open up a new window with the tutorial. If you just want to enlarge directly on the blog, click on the + button or the magnifying glass! Anyway, try the tutorial out when you have a chance!

Mini Purse Accordion Pocket Album

Okay, here is the second project using the Sweet Pea Plate 2 stamp set. This project is a Mini Accordion Pocket Album Purse. I had created the tutorial a few months ago on my other blog site. Unfortunately, I had a problem uploading the tutorial on to Scripd like I did with the first tutorial so in the mean time, you may find the tutorial of this project by clicking the link above. My plan is to upload the tutorial here some time today so be sure to return for the printable version of the tutorial.

As you can see the album opens up to reveal 3 pockets. On one side I adhered designer paper and the other side, I stamped the Sweat Pea images.

Inside the pockets are inserts that you can decorate and add your photos and journaling. I'm planning to send this mini album to someone so I didn't add photos to the album

Here is another view of the mini album opened up.

This is a close up of Sweet Pea.

Be sure to stop by the Pink Cat Studio blog site to check out the other fabulous creations by the design team.

With the tutorial below, if you want to print it, click on the drop menu that is labeled "More". It'll give you the option to print or you may save the tutorial on to your computer.

You may view a full page of the tutorial by clicking on the icon to the very top right corner. It'll open up a new window with the tutorial. If you just want to enlarge directly on the blog, click on the + button or the magnifying glass! Anyway, try the tutorial out when you have a chance!

Pink Cat Studio Sneak Peek Day 1 - Dress Up Sweet Pea

Hi Friends! It's sneak peek day at Pink Cat Studio! Whoohoo! There will be 2 stamp sets to be released this month. The first stamp set is the "Dress Up Sweet Pea" stamp set. Ooh, this stamp set is so fun because there's so many possibilities with all the different combinations you can create with this stamp set. The release date of this stamp set is on Thursday, March 26th!

Pink Cat Studio Contest

Who will be the next Cutie Patootie?? Leave a comment in the Pink Cat Studio blog post corresponding with this contest and tell Melissa who you think the next cutie patootie should be. It could be an animal or a human or something from out of this world? Anything goes so be as creative as you like :)This contest will end this Wednesday at midnight EST and the winner will be announced during the new release this Thursday. The winner will be selected randomly from everyone who enters and she will receive her choice of any PCS stamp set. I can't wait to her your suggestions!

Okay. . .this will be a long post because I have two cards and two sketches posted. I'll try not to bore you too much with my banter! LOL!

This first sample is a "baby boy" card. I tell ya'. . .I have the most difficult time creating boy cards but for once, I actually had no problem with this card. I think it's because "Sweet Pea" is so darn cute that you can't go wrong.

I actually used "scrapbook embellishments" for the sentiment, tags, and stars. It was much easier to use the scrapbook embellishments than to come up with my own "boy" design. LOL!! It's already challenging for me so the embellishments sort of helped with the design.

I colored my image with my Copic Markers and added a bit of Stickles to parts of the image.


Card Details:

Stamps: Pink Cat Studio "Dress Up Sweat Pea"

Paper: Colorbok designer paper, SU Close to Cocoa, Bashful Blue

Ink: Copic Markers

Accessories: Colorbok scrapbook embellishments, Stickles, Basic Basic Ribbon, Fiskar mini scallop scissors

Okay here is the girl version of "Dress Up Sweet Pea". See, I told you.. . .you can create different variations with this stamp set. If you visit the Pink Cat Studio blog site, you'll see the different combinations created by the rest of the design team. Go check it out!

I again colored the image with Copic Markers but rather than adding Stickles, I used SU Crystal Effects to parts of the image.

I had a lot of fun putting the two sneak peek cards together. It's like playing paper dolls.

Anyway. . .be sure to come back tomorrow and check out the 2 projects I created for the second new release by Pink Cat Studio. There will be 2 tutorials so be sure to visit my blog tomorrow!
Check out the fabulous work by the other design team members:

Sparkle Smith - March Guest Designer

Becky Carafa
Janna Hull
Jodi-Ann Lee
Lauren Meader
Lise Roy
Maria Bell
Mariska van der Veer
Nikki Fairbairn
Sarah Anderson
Vicki Garret

Card Details:

Stamps: Pink Cat Studio Dress Up Sweat Pea
Papers: DCWV Designer Paper, SU Rose Romance, Green Galore
Ink: Copic Markers, Sakura Gel Pen, SU Green Galore
Accessories: SU Hodge Podge Hardware, Making Memories Charmed Enamel, SU Crystal Effects, Coluzzle Heart Template, Fiskar Scallop Scissors, American Craft ribbon, SU Scallop Edge Punch