Challenge #1 of the Labor Day Weekend VCMP 2013

I got the first challenge done!! It's from Nancy at 

http://brujahrose.blogspot.com/2013/08/labor-day-weekend-vcmp.html

I finally used the Fiskars medium hexagon punch I won at Achiver's a few weeks ago.

The card had to be a winter theme. I had purchased the hexagon patterned paper at Tuesday Morning and thought it would be fun to use the hexagon punch with the paper. I used a Hero Arts stamp from one of their Winter/Christmas tag sets. The little snowman is a sticker from Pat Catan's. The words were brads from Oriental Trading.

OWH Labor Day Weekend VCMP 2013 and Sketch #188

 I was home this past weekend but forgot about the Virtual Card Making Party for Labor Day Weekend 2013. :( I did get 3 of the challenges done for the weekend. Only 3 out of 8!

Here's Sketch #188 which was Challenge 5. I liked this Sketch and will likely use it again. The sentiment "I Miss You" is from a set of  Hero Arts, I think and the Love You circle stamp is from TPC Studio. The papers are a variety of DCWV stack papers. 

Marlene did the Sketch #188 at http://operationwritehome.org/sketch-challenge-188/

Sketch #187

Hubby was out of town last night so I had a bit of creative time after getting home late from work at the school office. The past few weeks have been so busy with the beginning of school and trying to organize my desk and have a new principal and a new secretary.

So, here's my take on Sketch #187.

I turned the Sketch #187 on its side. I used a 6x6" pad from DCWV Juniper Berry stack. I love this stack!! It has shiny papers instead of glittery ones. Love the blues.

The sentiment is an new stamp set Type by Hero Arts I got in the clearance aisle of Joann's. The set has Happy Birthday, just missing you, you're my type of friend in addition to a typewriter image. I added some silver nailheads to the card.

Sketch #182

It has been a busy summer with lots of traveling. I have been to Memphis, TN; southern Indiana for a retreat; 2 trips to hometown; Juneau, AK; Niagara Falls (both sides) and southern Vermont. I have one more trip to go on Nova Scotia with hubby's family. Then it is back to school in the school office.

I did have time between the trips and loading & unloading the suitcase to make a few sketches. Here's #182. I used a 6x6" pad I found on sale in Joann's. It was all birthday papers so the strips for this sketches were part of the paper I cut off to make the base. I made a bunch of cards, alternating the base with the strips. I cut 6 different designed papers. I inked a border design on the sentiment block and the base. The sentiment is from a Hero Arts set, I think.

Sketch #180

Sketch #180

 

I used We R Memory Keepers Mini 8 border punch. The patterned paper is just an odd piece from the stash and the cardstock is Brazzill papers I got on clearance at Pat Catan's.  I used two rectangles punches too. They are a little big for the card but the sentiment fit. The sentiment is from Good Friends by Hero Arts.

Sketch #144

Sketch #144

Another card while the rain and thunder crashed down yesterday. More 6x6" from one of the DCWV pads. Petaloo jeweled flowers and a sentiment by Hero Arts.

Sketch #172

Sketch #172

I used double sided papers from a 6x6" pad and I inked the edges with a aqua cat's eye ink pad. The camera is a stamp by Hero Arts with its own die cut metal. I created the sentiment on my computer before going to the June retreat. I added some pearls and jewels. 

Sketch #175

Sketch #175

I didn't think I would like this sketch as I don't do many inch squares on cards. But, I looked through some stamps I had hiding in a drawer and found this quartos set of stars and stripes by Hero Arts Stamps. I used some shimmer paper. I did mat the squares on 2 bigger mats and added a bit of ribbon. I left off the brads from the sketch.

Card making on Fri. and Sat.

I did get to go to Archiver's Table 7 on Friday night but late. My dog had some surgery on Thurs. and I had to wait to pick him up from the vet. He looks rather silly with the Elizabeth collar but he needs it.

Anyway, I had a request from my hubby that he needed some sympathy cards for work. He has kept a few of them in his desk and that supply was gone. So, Friday night, I started a bunch and finished them today.

Purple plaid paper was on sale at Michael's as was the Martha Stewart stamp set. I stamped the flower box and cut it out then pop-dotted on the white rectangle. The stamp set had a bunch of tiny flowers, birds, leaves, and butterflies. I used the stamp with 3 teeny tiny flowers and made my own lilac flowers. I got the color shading by inking the stamp once but stamping the image twice. The sentiment is from Hero Arts. I  had been carrying it to and from crop nights before I finally used it last night. 

This card was my favorite of the night.

The flowers are Hero Arts flowers I found at Archiver's last night. The banner is 2 pieces of scrap paper. The sentiment is from the same sympathy set by Hero Arts. The strips are a bit bold but somehow, I didn't have all the paper I needed the other night.

JilliBean double-sided paper and some scrap of burnt orange were used for this card. The flower is from the Hero Arts sympathy set and the tiny sentiment is from Inky Antics' Simple Sentiments set. I added a few gems.

This double-sized paper was from Archiver's but I don't remember the name of it. It has red and cream stripes on the other side, which I used too on another card. I used a bit of Queen & Co. washi tape and more of the Hero Arts flowers with some green pearls. The bits of green swirls are from the border punch I used on another card. The butterflies are from the Martha Stewart set.

The sentiment is from Inky Antics set.

I completed a stack of sympathy cards. I gave my hubby and my girlfriends a few each, and I'll take a few to school to have on hand. I don't like making sympathy cards so I make a bunch and just hang on to them.

 I made a few cards with scraps from Table 7's cropping. The girlfriends save the bits and strips for me throughout the evening and then I make a few cards for them, using the bits. Some strips are just big enough to stamp a sentiment  on while other pieces are big enough for a base. Thanks, girlfriends!!

National Craft Month - March 10 - Sketch #163

Arrrgh, Maties! Tis Sunday and time for another Sketch!

I didn't totally follow Sketch #163 as I didn't use the little squares but I did put 3 little elements there. I had purchased a set of pirate stickers at Michael's last weekend for $1 and they have been sitting on my table to be put away. I had gotten a set of unicorns/flowers too but they will have to wait for another time/sketch. Then I saw this morning's Sketch #163 and thought they would work well for this.

The paper is DCWV from a boy's stack but I don't remember the name of it. I used most of a roll of the washi tape by My Mind's Eye 8 roll set from Archiver's. I inked the edges of the 2 pirate papers with brown ink. I cut the plain brown paper in the 4.5 x 2.25" rectangle and tore and inked the edges in black. I also crumpled the paper a bit and inked the folds. I matted it on paper I got at Tuesday Morning. It is called Uptown Gold and it is a metallic but you can't see it very well in the photo. The 2 word stamps are by Hero Arts Crafts' Pirate stamp set., which is a set of 18 tiny stamps (about 1" square). I could have used them but I had the colorful stickers and used them instead. I got about 24 cards done and could make a few more with the bits and pieces. The pirate stickers are almost gone and I have a lot of fish left. The little words probably should have been stamped and matted but I was done before I didn't like it as stamped. I didn't add any ribbon (shock) since the card is  for a kid/a guy. 

Wow, I have Sketch #163 done for the week already. Now what other trouble can I get myself into?  It is so spring-like here. I have my new windows open and the dog is enjoying woofing at everyone walking/biking/running by our house. Have a great Sunday!!

National Craft Month - March 5 - new paper line and cameras

 I loved Mama-Razzi line Bo Bunny produced a few years ago. It was a little late for my kids' cross country season photos as they felt I was their mama-razzi by taking so more photos at the races. They had a saying if they felt I was taking too many photos and it was "Mom, this is not a scrapbook moment!"

Now Bo Bunny has expanded the Mama-Razzi line with Mama-Razzi2. It is wonderful!! Table 7 and I were drooling over the new items and filling our arms with the papers, stickers, and embellishments. Archiver's had the new items right up front for our shopping spree.

The first line had many sayings with mom in them. This line has more dad sayings. The colors are a bit brighter than the first line. The new line has even more cameras and such on the papers. Here's the 12x12" pack with papers, stickers, and more. I haven't get the 6x6" pack yet. Maybe the next time I'm at Archiver's.

Below are some of the papers. The line has the popular chervons and diamonds. 

I love the small stamp set. Oh, Snap!! and the camera are my favorites which I plan to use a lot.

The Mama-Razzi2 has a cute little album. It is shown with the papers peeking out to see the fun colors.

If you want to see more of the items of Mama-Razzi2, check out Bo Bunny's website at

http://bobunny.com/lightbox/mamarazzi.html .

More cameras!! These are by Hero Arts. The big camera stamp with the matching die is fun to easy. I stamped then cut the images out using my Cuttlebug. I haven't used the all-over camera stamp yet but I'm thinking to stamp it and then pop-dot the big diecut camera on the front.

 I'll let you know how the card turns out.

Another cute set is this one from Amy Tangerine I found at Archiver's. It has a little camera and a big Hello and they will make a great combo for an OWH card.

Trendy Tape by Queens & Co. was on sale at Archiver's this past weekend and all of Table 7 bought some of this design. We all fell in love with this. The filmstrip will be fun on any card. 

Check out the Jan/Feb 2013 issue of PaperCrafts Magazine starting on page 87. 

They have a cool article with lots of cards using all kinds of cameras and photographic sayings. 

Thanks for stopping by.

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!

Hero Arts 2013 Catalog Debut

Hero Arts is having a contest!

Their new 2013 catalog is on Dec. 14, 2012 an

 they are looking for photos from us to see how 

the stamps are debuted in stores. The contest starts Fri. Dec. 14, 2012 

and ends Wed. Jan. 2, 2013, with the winners announced on the blog in January. 

You take a photo of the new stamps debuting in your 

favorite store and send in your photo. 

You can enter the photo in a couple different ways.

 Here's Hero Arts' link.

http://heroarts.com/blogs/club/2012/12/13/its-a-2013-catalog-debut-photo-contest/?cp=all#comments

I was attending a Friday night Table 7 Crop at Archiver's at Easton on Dec. 14, 2012 and found their display of the new Hero Arts stamps. The new stamps were hanging on an endcap display. They didn't have many of the new stamps. They did have a promotion that if you bought $40+, you got the new catalog for free. I don't use a background stamp very often but I really liked the camera one so I bought that one. I bought another stamp but it wasn't a new one set. 

Of course, I enjoyed my new catalog when I got home. :)

I spent Sat. morning enjoying the Hero Arts' blog hop with the new 2013 Catalog stamps. 

So many ideas and great cards from the designers! It was fun.