New Challenge Blog: Pinspired Challenges

I know it has been quiet around here, but that is because I (along with several other fabulous ladies) have been working on a brand new challenge blog that will debut January 8, 2013!  Here is a little info about our new challenge site:

ABOUT US

Inspiration can be found everywhere on Pinterest.  From pins of gorgeous nails and fashion to totally WOW how-to and craft projects.  We love Pinterest and so decided to turn those amazing pins into an equally amazing challenge site!

PINSPIRED CHALLENGES TURNING PINS INTO PROJECTS!

Pinspired Challenges will open in 2013.  Our DT, or as we like to call them, "Pin Heads" have scoured Pinterest to bring you some amazing inspirational pins.  We will post a brand new challenge on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month. You will have until Thursday of the following week to link your entry onto the challenge post! That's 9 whole days to play along!!!! Inspirational photos are for you to interpret anyway you want! You can take from the colors, the style or the technique! Whatever floats your boat!! You can also feel free to make any kind of craft you want as well, whether its a card, layout or altered item!

THE DEETS 

• Share our inspiration photo on your blog and link back to the challenge site in your entry post.
• If you are uploading your entry thru another form (Flickr or Facebook), we ask that you tag the side and add a like to the challenge post.
• You can combine up to three other challenges with your entry.  
• Each challenge, three runners up will be chosen by the design team and win a "Pin Pal" badge for their blog!  A winner will also be chosen by the "Pin Heads"  (AKA Design Team) and will win not only a "Pin Perfect" badge for their blog, but also a prize from a sponsoring company! YES!!! PRIZES!!!!!!!!  

We have some AWESOME crafting companies sponsoring us throughout all of 2013, so you don't want to miss out on any of our challenges, just sayin'!!!!

Over the next month, we will be announcing and introducing you to our design team.   Our first design team member announcement can be found on our Pinspired blog today. Be sure to follow our blog so that you won't miss out on any of our challenges!  You can also follow us on facebook, pinterest, and twitter. 

(Though we love Pinterest and all the inspiration it has to offer, we are in no way affiliated with pinterest.com.)

Happy Halloween!

Have a fun and safe Halloween!!

 Good Morning!! It is time for another Paper Smooches Sparks Challenge!  This is my last one to participate in as a design team member.  My six month term is up and I have had a blast!  Kim is such a sweet person and Savannah has done a wonderful job coordinating everything for the Sparks team.  A new Sparks team was announced on Friday.  Be sure to check them out here and leave them some love!

This week is a Picture Perfect challenge, and below is the picture we are using as inspiration:

For my card I "turned" the picture on its side and  used branches instead of cooking utensils.  I then added the cardinal, a few ornaments, and a fun sentiment to make a Christmas card.  I made a simple square card and used several layers to mimic the mat and the frame from the inspiration picture.  I used Autumn Groves, Santa Paws, Christmas Sampler, and Hang Ups.

We would love for you to play along with this challenge.  To add you card to the running head on over to the  Paper Smooches Sparks blog.  The winner will receive a $30 store credit to the Paper Smooches online store!   But first, check out what the rest of the Sparks DT made for this challenge:

Savannah

Jackie 

Angeline 

Kimberly

Deasy Designs Farewell

In case you haven't heard, the Deasy Designs clear stamp store is closing after just a few short months in business.  The illustrator did not feel she could continue to design clear sets and keep up with her digital line. So it is with a heavy heart that the design team is saying farewell.  There are a few sets left in stock and they have been marked down to $13 each.  Here are a few cards that I already had made using Deasy Designs.  Enjoy...

Happy "Fall" Birthday

Good Morning!  Today I am blogging over on the Deasy Designs blog.  Pleas join me over there to see the fall birthday card I have created using Say Anything and Floral Fusion.

Paper Smooches Sparks Challenge: Designer Drafts

It's time for another Paper Smooches Sparks Designer Drafts Challenge!

Here is the sketch we are working with this week:

Several ideas and points of inspiration came together in the creation of this card.  First, the sketch itself-I knew I wanted to recreate the arrow somehow.  Then, when I found these decorative tapes by Scotch,  I knew they would be the perfect thing to use!  They are not washi tapes.  They are more like regular tape, but in fun colors and they are repositionable (very helpful when you are trying to make an arrow!).  Because the tapes are bright, almost neon colors, I thought this would make a fun teen card.   I added the lockers and note from Teen Routine and then used the thought bubble (He Said, She Said), and "What's Up" (Good Gab) to create a fun sentiment that goes along with the arrow theme. Do you remember writing notes in junior high and using arrows in place of the word up when asking "what's up"? I do!-Haha!  The thought bubble is popped up using dimensional adhesive, but because of the graphic element of the arrow and the bright colors, I kept the rest of the card pretty simple.  

What inspires you about this sketch?  We would love for you to play along with this challenge!  Make sure to stop by the Paper Smooches Sparks blog and show us what you make!  The winner of the challenge receives a $30 store credit to the Paper Smooches online store!  Also, be sure to check out what the rest of the design team made using this sketch:

Savannah

Kimberly

Jackie

Angeline

Hello There!

Good Morning!  Today I am blogging over on the Deasy Designs blog. Please join me over there and check out what I have made using the two newest sets released by Deasy Designs.  Here is a peek at the card I made:

Boo to You-On Sale!

The Boo to You stamp set by Deasy Designs is now $10 while supplies last.  While you're there, check out the two newest releases-Happy Winter and Say Anything!  All orders of $45 or more ship free!

Deasy Designs Release Day!

Release Day is here!!  Happy Winter and Say Anything are now available for purchase in the Deasy Designs online store!  All orders over $45 ship free!

For my release card, I combined the sets and made a snow globe shaker card.  The penguin and snowflake are from the Happy Winter set and the sentiment is from Say Anything.  I used my Cricut and the Doodlecharms cartridge to create the snow globe.  

Don't forget about the giveaway!! Deasy Designs is giving away one each of the new sets.  All you have to do is follow our blog, facebook page and/or twitter page and then be sure to leave a comment on the Deasy Designs blog and you could win!  You will have until Saturday, October 6/12 at 11:59PM EST to leave comments to be eligible to win.

Deasy Designs Reveal Post: Say Anything

Welcome to day two of the Deasy Designs reveal!  Today we are revealing the Say Anything stamp set.  This set along with Happy Winter will be available tonight at midnight EST in the Deasy Designs online store!  Say Anything is fabulous sentiment set that covers many occasions.   I also like that the sentiments come in different sizes and fonts. 

 For my card, I used pieces of 4 different sentiments from the set to make my own custom sentiment. The "you're stamp is from Floral Fusion.   Since this is a masculine card, I kept the rest of the card simple and added only minimal embellishments.  

Don't forget about the release giveaway!! All you have to do is follow our blog,  facebook and/or twitter page and then  leave a comment on the Deasy Designs blog for a chance to win this set!  You will have until Saturday, October 6th at 11:59PM EST to leave comments to be eligible to win.

Deasy Designs Reveal Post: Happy Winter

Welcome to our Happy Winter reveal post!  Deasy Designs is releasing two new clear stamp sets that will be available for purchase at midnight EST on Oct. 1st over at the Deasy Designs store.  Today we are revealing the Happy Winter stamp set.  Isn't it adorable?!  I love all the sweet, cuddly animals and the fun accessories in this set!

The polar bear is one of my favorite animals, so of course I chose to work with him first!  For my card, I paired him with the little cup of cocoa (another favorite of mine) and the "stay warm" sentiment.  The fun thing is that he doesn't just have to be a polar bear.  He can be any kind of bear you want depending on how you color him!   

Be sure to check back tomorrow for the full reveal of our other set!

Now, what's a reveal without a giveaway?!  All you have to do is follow our blog, facebook page and/or twitter page and then be sure to leave a comment on the Deasy Designs blog to be eligible to win this set!

Happy Birthday Laurel!

Today is the fabulous Laurel Beard's birthday!  To celebrate, some of Laurel's cyber friends have gotten together to wish her a happy day.  Lynnette Kaufman coordinated today's celebration and has a list of all those who are posting birthday wishes and cards for Laurel.  So head on over to Lynnette's blog and enjoy the party!  Also, don't forget to stop by Laurel's blog and wish her a happy birthday!

Laurel,  you are such a sweet and talented person.  I am happy to have the chance to work with you and to get to know you better.  Have a wonderful birthday!!

Supplies: 

Stamps-Floral Fusion by Deasy Designs

Happy Trails by PTI

Patterned Paper- Upcycle by Cosmo Cricket

Deasy Designs 'Tis the Season

Good Morning!  Today I am blogging over on the Deasy Designs blog.  Here is a peek at what I am sharing.  Please join me at the Deasy Designs blog to see the rest of this card!

Paper Smooches Sparks Picture Perfect Challenge

 It's time for another Picture Perfect challenge over on the Sparks challenge blog!

 Here is the photo we are using as inspiration for this challenge:  

 I was inspired by the colors (blue, green, black, white, and silver) and shapes in this picture. I used the silver adhesive pearls and the polka dot embossing to mimic the round shape of the apples, clock and base of the candlestick; and I rounded one corner of the card to mimic the white arch over the mirror.  Since the recessed area in the picture is blue surrounded by white, I chose to use a white card base and a blue panel to highlight the 3 shirts (from the Squeaky Clean set).  The "I'm impressed" sentiment is also from Squeaky Clean and the "dude" sentiment is from Word Salad.  

What about the photo inspires you?  We would love to have you play along with this challenge!  The winner  will receive a $30 credit to the Paper Smooches online store!   Also, be sure to check out what the other design team members created for this challenge:
Savannah
Kimberly
Jackie
Angeline

Liebster Award

A couple days ago, I received a comment from the super talented Audrey Tokach (Pink Ink Originals) letting me know she nominated me for the Liebster Award! I was excited to be nominated for this award, and especially to be nominated by Audrey.  I visit her blog almost every day and she makes some of the cutest, most amazing cards! Here is a little information about the award (to see who I nominated, scroll down to the bottom of this post):

ABOUT THE AWARD

This award was designed to be a blog award in the pay it forward fashion. Once you've been nominated, you award it to blogs that you like that have fewer than 200 followers, to encourage new visitors to visit these new blogs.

RULES FOR ACCEPTANCE

Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to their blog. Post the award onto your blog. Give the award to five bloggers who you appreciate that have fewer than 200 followers. Leave a comment on their blog letting them know that you have given them this awesome award!

PAY IT FORWARD
Here are the five blogs that I'm nominating. These ladies are fabulous! Go and check them out, they are definitely worth the visit. Better still, follow them then you won't miss out :) Get ready to be inspired!


Yainea-http://mypaperjourney.blogspot.com/
Joe Shien Shien-http://joeshienshien.blogspot.com/
Christiana Reuling-http://christygetscrafty.blogspot.com/
Katie Brooks-http://kbstamps.blogspot.com/
Samantha Mann-http://samsscrapcandy.blogspot.com/

Deasy Designs Sneak Peeks

Coming soon.......

Monster Mash

Good Morning!  I have another Halloween card to show you today using Boo to You by Deasy Designs!

For this card, I used the sweet, little witch.  When I first saw her, I thought she looked like she was dancing.  What music would she be dancing to?   The Monster Mash, of course!  You can find the song along with a cartoon video below if you would like to dance along, too!  When my son was in kindergarten, his class danced to the Monster Mash at their Halloween party.  They all wobbled around stiff-legged with their arms stretched out in front of them like the little witch below-so cute!

I paired my witch with some American Crafts patterned paper and made the sentiment using Claire's ABC's by Lawn Fawn.  It doesn't show up well in the first photo, but I added some Stickles in stardust around her body to give her a little sprakle.

And now for your viewing pleasure......

Paper Smooches Sparks: Designer Drafts

 Good morning!  It's time for another Designer Drafts challenge over on the Paper Smooches Sparks blog!

 Here is the sketch for this week's challenge:

 It's still a little early for it, but I decided to go with a Halloween theme for this card.  I used the owl and the branch from the Spookalicious stamp set and added the witch's hat and the sentiment from the Halloweenies set. I had originally planned to go with a more traditional Halloween color scheme, but when I came across this patterned paper (by We R Memory Keepers) in my stash, I decided to go with it.  I love this little owl and the zig zag pattern on his belly!

What comes to mind when you see this sketch?  We love to see what you come up with!  To enter the challenge, head on over to the Paper Smooches Sparks blog! Don't forget the winner gets a fabulous prize-a $30 credit to the Paper Smooches online store!  Also, be to sure to check what these talented ladies did with this sketch:

Savannah

Jackie

Angeline

Kim

Deasy Designs Showcase Week!

Good Morning!  Have you been enjoying the Deasy Designs Showcase Week?  Today I am showcasing both the 'Tis the Season and Boo to You sets. 

For my project today, I made a Christmas plaque.  (I was inspired by this card-scroll down to the bottom of her post to see it.)  I have made plaques like this before for different holidays and to give as gifts.  They are a fun piece of homemade decor, and they are super simple to make.   To make this Christmas scene, I used the reindeer from 'Tis the Season and the top of the house and the moon from Boo to You.  To get just a sliver of a moon, I stamped the full moon twice (in photo below) and then just cut out the portion that I wanted.

I even used the Our Heroes stamp set on this plaque!  I used one of the tiny stars from the set (stamped in Versamark Dazzle) to add a fun shimmery element to the night sky. 

 So, what do you think?  Do you like making homemade holiday decor?  What is your favorite piece?  I'd love to hear about it!

 Thank you for stopping by today and don't forget to check out what the other designers have made for Showcase Week over on the Deasy Designs blog!

Floral Fusion Mini Treat Bag

 Good Morning! Today I have a Mini Treat Bag to share with you that I dressed up with the Floral Fusion Stamp set by Deasy Designs. 

The rose in this set is the perfect size for the front of my treat bag .  I stamped the rose several times, colored each one and then cut them out.  I left one rose whole,

and then cut off certain petals from each remaining rose so that when they were layered on top of each other, the rose would be 3-D.  I finished off the bag with a few adhesive pearls and a sentiment tag.  Now it is ready to be filled with some Hershey's minitures!  I'm thinking dark chocolate-Yum!

 

Supplies:

Deasy Designs: Floral Fusion stamp set

Papertrey Ink: button, bag die, tag die and sentiment

Stampin' Up: ribbon