Ai Floral Frenzy Week Two

I was reading my various blogs subscriptions and read about Art Impressions' Floral Frenzy Week Two Challenge. http://artimpressionsstamps.blogspot.com/2013/07/challenge-113-floral-frenzy-week-two.html   I have many of the girlfriends stamp sets and I had colored a few of them while watching TV. But I hadn't used many of the images.

I used girlfriends at the Movies set with Graphic 45's cinema themed papers for my first card. I love the cinema papers and items. I got them at Tuesday Morning, buying several double-sided papers and the paper with the die cuts too. I added jewels and pearls as necklaces and earrings to the girlfriends. The Challenge was Floral so I had to have at least 5 flowers on the card. I added the  glittery, jeweled flowers along the bottom of the card and one to one of the girlfriends' hat.

My second Challenge card used this birthday set. I used DCWV papers from a 4x6" stack and from a 6x6" stack. The black numbered paper seemed too dark so I matted the image on some pink and purple papers, the colors of the girlfriends' dresses. I like the other sentiment that came with the set "Could I borrow some Weight Watchers points?" I added some rhinestone flowers and a bit of glaze pen around the candle flame. I used colored pencils to color the image. 

Now I check off an item on my summer list - entering a challenge. I haven't entered many challenges before other than adding my card for OWH Sunday sketches. 

Have a great Summer.

Sketch #178

Sketch #178

Wow, I got another sketch done and before the end of the month. Of course, I had to pull out a bunch of paper, embellishments and other items before I finally decided what I was going to do with this sketch. Maybe all the items will get put away later. 

Anyway, when I was traveling to VT with my older sister to see my little sister, we stopped at A.C.Moore. I found a few 6x6" pads on sale and several found their way into my shopping cart. I used several sheets of papers from DCWV Girl Frill set to make this card. I used AI stamp for the sentiment. I had a bunch of rhinestone stars and hearts in my stash. I did use several mats in this card as the sketch shows but I am always afraid to use lots of mats due to weight in mailing.

 

Sketch #164

Sketch #164

The sentiment is from AI, one of their valentine stamp set that was exclusive to Archiver's. The flowers are little balloon bits from the balloon border punch by EK Success and the black centers are a bunch of little bits from the film strip border punch by EK Success.

National Craft Month - March 18 - Love Art Impressions!

I LOOOOOOVE Art Impressions' stamps. I have a bunch of the Girlfriends set. The Girlfriends remind me of my friends at Table 7 - not looks but the love and friendship we have for each other. The Ai Girlfriends make me giggle as Table 7 does too. 

I purchased the Show the Love stamp set at Archiver's a few weeks ago. I had stamped and embossed a bunch of the images. I have been coloring them while Hubby flips around the TV channels, trying to find to find something to watch. (That drives me crazy! I get interested in a show, it goes to commercials, he flips to another show, and he forgets what show we were watching. Plus Hubby watches too much Pawn Stars, American Pickers, the trucks in ice, and such.) 

I colored the images with Tim Holtz Distress Markers. I like the brush ends but I'm hard on them. I left the Girlfriend in the paper white because I can't find a good skin color. If anyone has a favorite skin color, PLEASE let me know!! And I think that all markers are darker than the lid's color. I didn't use a sketch so I could fit all my pieces on the card. I used a piece of Graphic 45 paper - the black floral - and the pink patterned paper from the Dear Jane stack by DCWV and a dotted Swiss pink from Archiver's. I did most of the images' cards like this one but I made a few scrappy ones too. 

I matted the sentiments on scraps and added a few sticker hearts.

Show the Love stamp set -- Art Impressions (6101984)

I have more Girlfriends to stamp and color so I'll see you later.

National Craft Month - March 17 - Sketch #164

Sketch #164

Yeah! It's Sunday which means it is time for a new OWH Sketch for the week. I viewed the post on OWH's blog but didn't do it right away. I had to read the Sunday newspaper, pay a few bills, play a bit of Scrabble with my sister online, and finish up some laundry. While I did those things, I thought about the new sketch. I recently purchased some new paper stacks and decided on some papers from the stacks.

I used the new paper from the Dear Jane and the Everyday stacks by DCWV. This Sketch #164 used several pieces of paper in several different sizes. The sentiment is from Ai's Valentine set with the lady in the heart covered dress. I got the stamp set at Archiver's and haven't seen the set on Ai's online site. The flowers are made from bits punched from the new balloon punch and the black dots are from the filmstrip punch. 

The Sketch is done. With all the measuring, cutting, and matting, I got only a few cards almost done for this Sketch. I added these flowers on this card but. on the rest of the cards, I'll add some different ones.

National Craft Month - Fri. 3/8 and 3/9

Amazing how life goes along and you have nothing to do and then bam! you have too many things to get done and definitely not enough time. Friday and Saturday flew by without a crafty post so today's post will have to do.

Friday was scrapbook night at Archiver's with Table 7. Archiver's was quite busy that night. Most Fridays lately, we could push 2 tables together and have a half table each. But Friday night there was a full house so we had to remember how to use our 1/4 of a table. I stamped a bunch of images - the new girlfriends stamps by AI and some new Riley stamps from one of the $1 sale Stamper's Ink had in Feb.

Saturday morning, my Hubby helped me with a couple of my white storage cubes. One of the cubes was bowing and so the shelves were falling down. The cubes need to be tightly arranged next to each other to help the framing. Then we discovered that while the various store brands' cubes are probably manufactured by the same company, the cubes do not always line up right. We could not get two cubes to hook together with the white posts. Finally we set up six cubes closer to the wall and left a space between the new ones and the old ones. Then we added wooden shims in the gap. This is not an attractive way to fix my storage but we'll see if the shims help before I paint the shims or change to a big board. The shims are keeping the cubes straighter so that is the good news. I do need to rearrange some items and I'm not sure about the drawer units at the top but it is all good for now. I do need to do some purging and that would help quite a bit. I do have the biggest part of my supplies in my scrapbook room now, instead of the items being in the kitchen or the TV room. I keep a small basket of images to color in the TV room so while Hubby is flipping the channels, I can color. Happily!

Sketch #134

Sketch #134

 

I'm still working on the OWH list of sketches. Here's my take on #134.

I used a new stamp by Art Impressions that I purchased last time I was at Archiver's Table 7. I colored the bear with Tim Holtz's Distress Markers - a set of 4 markers. The blue heart paper and the red striped paper were also from Archiver's when they gave us page kits during the Scrap Manias. The paper said they were exclusive to Archiver's and they have been in the stash for a bit. I found some heart brads. The Hugs sentiment came with the bear. I punched a heart out of Brazzil Bling paper. I love this cutie little bear!! I liked this sketch and will probably use it again. I have lots of paper like the red that I bought that size. Actually, the bear is on precut paper too. 

I bought a lot of various sized paper in various colors from Hollo's Papercraft in Brunswick, OH. I haven't made a trip up there in a while because I have not used all the sizes/colors yet. Hollo's site is http://www.hollos.com/. Thankfully, it is a trip up there so I don't go very often. 

Now, I need to stamp the other new stamps I purchased - the Girlfriends sets. Yeah!!

Sketch #155

I didn't have an oval so I used my largest scalloped rectangle punch by Marvy to make the design for Sketch #155. I had stamped the guy at Archiver's at Table 7 on Friday. It is from Art Impressions. The embossed paper had been hiding on the shelf. The tools are from Micheal's and the "Hard at Work" from a sticker set from Hobby Lobby. I inked the embossed paper and added some Viva Pearl Pen on the Happy Birthday sign. The guy's head is popped up but not his body.

I didn't quite follow the design but it is pretty close.

New Girlfriends stamps by Art Impressions!!

Oh NO! New stamps!! New stamps are my downfall!! I like them too much!! And new Art Impressions' new Girlfriends have arrived at Archiver's!! I purchased a few of them with my coupons. I will have to use them soon and post them. The Girlfriends remind me of my girlfriends at Table 7, although my Girlfriends are smaller than AI's Girlfriends. 

So in the picture are several of the new Girlfriends sets. I purchased Show the Love Stamp Set, Valentine Bear Set, Pedal Pushers Set, and Stayin' Afloat Set plus I got a free stamp with a $20 or more purchase. The free one is Life - Bling it on! I wanted the Show the Love Stamp but they didn't have any on the peg at Archiver's so I bought the Valentine Bear for the bear stamp collcetions. Then the assistant manager found the Show the Love stamp so I had to get it since she went to all the trouble of looking for the stamp. There were 2-3 more sets that I'l have to purchase later. Right at the moment I can only think of the girlfriends are at the movies wearing 

3-D glasses. I have seen the Girlfriends in a hot air balloon too.

Top Ten (ah, Twelve) Cards of 2012 for OWH

 1. This one with the AE's girlfriends created lots of peals of laughter in the office as I gave a few of these to friends/coworkers. I used some numbered paper tape from the stash.

2. Truck is from Stamper's Best. I used the Martha Stewart punch that I finally found online.

3. This little monkey was in a contest on the We R Memory Keepers's site but I realized it too late to get the vote out for it. The sentiment is from Hobby Lobby and the monkey is from Michael's .

4. I did a pink girly version too of this birthday card. Clear stamp set on sale at Tuesday Morning.

5. I love this stamp! I think it is a Fiskars clear stamp. It reminds me of my son and my future DIL, who played French horns together in college orchestra.

6. I love Dearie Dolls!! This little cutie is one of hers! You can find her free digi stamps at http://deariedollsdigis.blog.com/ . I used some red, white, blue ribbon on this one and a cute little sentiment that I got a garage sale.

7. Another favorite of mine is Riley. Here he is Mailman Riley. Riley's home is at http://www.rileyandcompanyonline.com/home so check him out there. I used the red, white, blue bakers twine I found online and ordered 2 rolls of it for OWH cards. 

8. DCWV stacks are my downfall. I created this card from one of their Christmas stacks.

 9. I seem to collect bike stamps and finally used one for this card. My older son rides bikes in triathlons. I really like this stamp set from Hero Arts. It has another cute sentiment in the set too.

10. Arrggh! a pirate card!! The little hats were on clearance at Archiver's and the pirate paper was from a DCWV stack.

11. I love bears and this one is from a British set I bought on my trip to Russia on Spring Break. Enjoy life is from Stampin' Up sale at an expo.

12. This card is another one I sent to OWH and gave a few to coworkers/friends. They loved the sentiment from Create with TLC. She has daily freebie digi stamps at http://createwithtlc-createwithtlc.blogspot.com . The lettered paper was in a fall DCWV stack.

Ok, that's my Top Ten (Twelve) Cards of 2012. I had blogged about some of them and others were neglected in blog posting. 

Hope you enjoyed my cards.  Happy New Year!! Time to welcome in 2013!

My One Page Layout Entry

So, Archiver's is having a contest in each store. I took my entry down this afternoon to the Archiver's at Easton. Archiver's has the contest annually to get people pumped up about ScrapFest in the fall in the Mall of America. I have never had an entry before but I decided to do it this year. Archiver's is celebrating 10 years of business so your entry had to have 10 of something on the entry.

My entry celebrates all the Friday nights I spend at Archiver's, cropping with friends at Table 7. I have titled the page "10 Things Required for Scrapbook Friday Night at Archiver's". It has 10 wallet sized photos and 10 buttons. I used Bo Bunny Press Mama-razzi Collection, which included 3 papers, 3-D and chipboard stickers, and buttons. The photos include my Table 7 scrapbook friends,  Shutterfly package, a happy Archiver employee, an Art Impressions stamp, and more. If you are at Archiver's in Easton between July 21-26, 2012, please stop and vote for my entry!! Thanks!

Here's one of the journal blocks I put on the entry.

 I always tell people that they can find me almost

every Friday night atArchiver’s Table 7. I try to leave work on time on

Fridays so I can get to Archiver’s to scrapbook

or make cards. Sometimes I get lots of layouts

or cards done. Sometimes, I get a lot of chatting

and shopping and eating done. Whatever I create

or do at Archiver’s makes life good.

Archiver's has always felt like my "Cheers", the TV show about a bar in Boston, where everyone knows your name.

Cue "Cheers" theme song!

Making your way in the world today takes everything you've got. 
Taking a break from all your worries, sure would help a lot. 

Wouldn't you like to get away? 

Sometimes you want to go 
Where everybody knows your name, 
and they're always glad you came. 
You wanna be where you can see, 
our troubles are all the same 
You wanna be where everybody knows 
Your name. 

You wanna go where people know, 
people are all the same, 
You wanna go where everybody knows 
your name. 

Thanks for stopping by today!! Later!!

Few more Cards Today

No sketches were used for these cards. 

They just came about as I crafted.

I started these cards at the Retreat and didn't finish them. I did finally get the MS branch punch I wanted (ordered it from Joann's Online, surprisingly). I used the paper smooches green spritzer and got a bit carried away.

Art Impressions makes great stamps. This is one of their Girlfriends line. I found the Making Memories paper tape from a trip to Ollie's (a discount store like Big Lots but bigger) 

but it was hiding in my supplies for a bit.

 I colored the images with colored pencils. 

Inside the card says Happy Birthday.

 I only made a few of these so only a couple of them will be in the next OWH box.

Another pixie from the sticker sheet at Joann's. Yup, I like pink and green and this pixie is pink and green. I really like this card and wish I had gotten more of these pixies! Flowers are Michael's Recollections floral embellishments and I added pearls to the flowers. I had stamped the Happy Birthday from the Girlfriends' set above.

I need to get going to the crop so later for now.

Thanks for stopping by.

Better with wine!

I really like Art Impressions Stamps and I added a bit more to this page. The Girlfriends are at it again. This stamp is the Girlfriend Blend Set, which is the girlfriends stamp and  3 sentiments. I purchased my set at Archiver's with a coupon there. I stamped the Girlfriends on cream paper, using the black gold ink by Memento Dew Drop, and then I colored it with colored pencils. I added the sentiment from another set.about getting better with wine. There are actually 6 of us in Table 7 but the Girlfriends stamps do a good representation of us collectively.

There's a "nap" for that.

I couldn't resist this stamp the other night at Table 7 night. It is one of Art Impessions stamps (http://www.artimpressions.com) I purchased at Archiver's. I tried something new to me by fussy-cutting the stamped chair. I stamped and embossed the image on paper. Then I stamped the image on the green plaid scraps in my bag and cut out the recliner. I used some markers (Zig, and others in my crop bag) to color the rest of the image. The green plaid paper was double-sized so I flipped the paper to the other side and mounted the completed image on it. I used some green and white twine of my baker's twine stash on the mat. I stamped the sentiment and added it to the bottom of the mat. I need to add the finished design to a cardstock base.

I should be able to get the card to my dad before Father's Day.

Album of Amanda's Bridal Shower at Table 7

Table 7 had a bridal shower at Archiver's for Amanda last month. I got photos from the others and made an  8x8" album for her.  I used lots of pinks, bling, and some images I had. The album is cute but I wanted to share just a few layouts with you. The first two pages are a double layout, using stamps from Art Impressions' Girlfriends. I love the girlfriends as Table 7 can identify with the girlfriends sets. On this layout, I used the crop queen, coloring it with colored pencils. We are so used to rushing to Table 7 after work on Fridays so we can chat, vent, eat, and, oh, crop! We do look a bit like the Crop Queen but she brings less stuff than we do. LOL. I used the Enjoy life from Stampin' Up, that I bought at an Expo, where a Stampin' Up lady was selling some of her stamp sets. Archiver's had a stamp "I Love Archiver's" for a while but I'm not sure they still do or not. I had the image so I popped it on the page. The second page has the girlfriends "Picture Perfect" set. I used my Copic Markers on this image and I liked how it came out. I'm getting better with the shading but still can't use the blending pen. I stamped the saying from the same set. It says "We may not have it all together, but together we have it all." That is true with Table 7. I did use the Girlfriend Blend set on another layout but no photo of that. Hopefully, I'll get the image on a card soon.

Amanda got a pineapple cutter and, of course, a pineapple. I was at Hobby Lobby later the next week and found the cute pineapple stamp in the clearance aisle. I used my Zig markers on the stamp to get the two colors on the image before stamping it. Fortunately, I found 2 stamps so I can give it to Amanda and still have one myself. :) I loved the paper (can't remember who makes it) and I had some ribbon that matched it perfectly. The ribbon has gold threads in it and jazzed up the layout nicely.

This last layout has hearts and cake stamps from a set Sister got at Michael's for 90 cents! The bridal set was regularly $9.99 so she found a real deal! Teresa made the beautiful towel cake. It has 6 washcloths, 6 hand towels and 5 bath towels in it. She had one more bath towel next to the cake as it didn't fit in the cake.  She topped it with a pair of wine glasses with a bridal veil and tux on them. Very cute!! She made 2 diaper cakes a few weeks ago that had Disney characters on them.