CAS-ual Fridays Challenge #26 - Lawn Fawn and Laura's Sketch

I must say, there are a lot of crafty people out there with some mad coloring skills, the gallery was beautiful last week :) This week we have a little something for all you sketch lovers out there. Check out this sketch by our Laura Davis...

Our sponsor this week is Lawn Fawn and they had supplied us with some yummy stamps back in July. Be sure to pop over to CAS-ual Fridays to check the fab prize package :)

For this week I used a stamp set that I haven't inked yet from Lawn Fawn...Lunar Lights.

I rummaged through my scrap squares and found this great little white and red pattern that's flocked, it has such a nice fuzzy feel :) I forgot how long my tassel was and ended up having to chop it off to fit the card, but that's okay, I think I kind of like it going off the edge.

The Girl Fridays can't wait to see what you come up with for Laura's sketch this week, so be sure to stop by CAS-ual Fridays and play along with us!

Shine Brightly

Cardstock: (whipser white, real red, basic black) Stampin' Up!

Patterned Paper: Stampin' Up!

Stamps: (Lunar Lights) Lawn Fawn

Ink: (tuxedo black) Memento, (real red) Stampin' Up!

Other: rhinestone

The Play Date Cafe Challenge #105

Lots of beautiful entries in last week's challenge and this week is another mellow color palette using the colors kraft, flesh and cadet blue, check out the yummy inspirational picture...

This week's sponsor is the Kraft Outlet, so be sure to pop over to the Play Date Cafe to check out the prize package.

I found this color combo a little challenging because the flesh color was throwing me off, so I went itty bitty in project size and made an ATC. A little stamping, some die cut buttons and a wee bit of linen thread to attach them, here's what I made...

The design team at the Play Date Cafe would love to have you play along with us this week, looking forward to see what you create :)

CAS-ual Fridays Challenge #25 - Just add color

I absolutely loved all the Hallowe'en projects last week, they were spook-tacular! This week at CAS-ual Fridays you'll have to dig out your color mediums whether it be crayons, inks, chalks, markers...whatever you love or have.

This week's sponsor is Clear and Simple Stamps and they were very generous in giving the Girl Fridays some yummy stamp sets to play with :) Not only is there a fab prize up for grabs, but also this bonus...

BONUS: Use the html code below to add the CSS blinkie to your side bar, and leave us a message with a link to your blog and we will randomly select (3) blogs featuring the CSS blinkie with the Limited Edition Crafty Bonus stamp set! {bonus closes Thursday 10.27.11 at midnight, EST}

BLINKIE HTML:


Okay my blinkie code doesn't seem to want to work on my post, so I'll direct you right over to CAS-ual Fridays to pick it up there...theirs definitely works :)



The stamp set we received was the Craft Room set and I absolutely LOVE it! It's so unique and there are so many fun elements in it. Here is what I came up with using the copic markers in the stamp set:

The Girl Fridays would love to have you stop on over to CAS-ual Fridays to play along with us this week and show us your CAS colored projects!

Play Date Cafe Challenge #104 - A little mellow

Guess what today is? The 2nd year ANNIVERSARY for the Play Date Cafe! Whoo-hoo! This week's color story is a contrast from last week...soft and mellow with the colors mauve, egg yolk and artichoke, check out the lovely color story board:

This week we have 3 sponsors, yup THREE! First we have Layers of Color with their beautiful art stamps

AND the Sweet Stamp Shop with their fun and cute stamp images 

AND The Twinery with their yummy, yummy baker's twine!

I've been making cards like crazy lately and my jewelry supplies have been long neglected, so I decided for this week's challenge to whip up a pair of simple earrings using Swarovski crystals in yellow and purple with some green pearls. Just a simple, straight drop earring with some silver beads in between.

The Play Date Cafe designers would love to have you celebrate with us for our 2nd anniversary! Be sure to stop by the cafe to see all the wonderful prizes to be won this week! We would love to see your creations in the gallery this week :)

Paper Smooches Sparks Challenge

I've never participated in a Paper Smooches Sparks Challenge, but when I saw the inspiration photo, I just had to give my idea a whirl :) Here is what the inspirational photo looks like:

I was inspired by the tomato shape, sewing, push pins, the color scheme and FABRIC! Here is what I came up with:

I paper pieced these little guys together except I used fabric. For the card base I hand stitched a cream colored piece of fabric and then stuck my little bunch of tomatoes onto the fabric panel. The sentiment is a mix of words from the Sentiment Sampler set. I wanted to incorporate some pincushions in there somewhere, so I made mini ones for stick pins using leftover fabric.  Here is a close up of the stick pins:

This card was so fun to make, I think I will be trying more fabric piecing in the future :)

Thanks for stopping by and happy stamping!

Julie

Celebrating with Market Street Stamps

So it's a celebration with Market Street Stamps this week for their 1 year anniversary...all...week...long :) Be sure to check back EVERY DAY to see what's going on! Have you moved into the Neighborhood yet? If you haven't moved in yet, you really should! It's Market Street bliss over there, with tons of ideas, forums, chats, etc., etc., etc.!

Also going on until October 19th is the Special Edition 1st Anniversary Block Party where you can win $600 worth of FREE STAMPS! All you have to do is load up your projects using Market Street Stamps. Here's what I made for some inspiration using the new stamp set "Sweet Spooks".

I hope you'll join us in all the fun this week, happy stamping!

Julie

CAS-ual Fridays Challenge #24- Spooky Spooky

Hello everyone! It was so wonderful to see all the support for Julie Ranae last week at CAS-ual Fridays, it was truly appreciated! Today's challenge is a spooky one, Hallowe'en with one little twist...

Yup you read it right not ONE speck of ORANGE! So let's see your haunting CAS creations with no orange.

Our sponsor this week is Clear Dollar Stamps so be sure to stop by the Break room to check out the prize!

I actually added layers to my card this time, which is a little different for me as I like minimal layers and wide open spaces. I felt my sentiment being the focal point and big and bold allowed be to add the layers while still keeping it CAS :)

My sentiment is actually a letterpress plate I got last year and although I didn't end up with much of an impression, it stamped really nice. It's hard to see, but the black layer behind it is a spider web embossing folder and at the last minute I decided to add the itty bitty spider with the big eyes. To get the thread I used some of the black bakers twine and untwisted the white from it and attached just the black thread by sewing it on.

The Girl Fridays can't wait to see your ghoulish goodies over at CAS-ual Fridays and there's plenty of spook-tacular inspiration for you to peek at!

Trick or Treat Card

Cardstock: (purple) Bazzill Basics; (kiwi kiss, basic black) Stampin' Up!

Ink: (Tuxedo Black) Memento

Ribbon: Ribbon Carousel

Rhinestones: Stampin' Up!

Embossing Folder: (spider web) Stampin' Up!

Letterpress Plate: (trick or treat) Stampin' Up!

The Play Date Cafe Challenge #103

Hello my crafting friends! So glad you are joining us again this week at the Play Date Cafe for another FAN-TABULOUS color story! Check out the colors of rust, storm and deep sea :

Our sponsor this week is Clear Dollar Stamps, be sure to pop on over to the Cafe to see what the prize is!

For my card this week I tried not use any other colors than the three in the color story, but I ended up using a  wee bit of black for the sentiment.

I chose the three colors in cardstock and then stamped background stamps on the cardstock in matching ink colors. Then I just randomly jut sections and pieced them back together on the card front. The sentiment was easy peasy, just used some leftover chipboard letters, inked them black and stuck em' on :)

Thanks for stopping by and the Play Date Cafe design team would love to see your take on this challenge over in the gallery :)

Dad Card

Cardstock: (Really Rust, Taken with Teal, Basic Gray) Stampin' Up!

Stamps: (Vintage Music, Vintage Notepad, Argyle) Market Street Stamps

Ink: (Really Rust, Taken with Teal, Basic Gray, Basic Black) Stampin' Up!

Other: chipboard letters

Hoot Hoot for Night Owls

Hello everyone! Today on the Market Street Stamps blog I'm sharing a card that features the stamp set Night Owls and some brayering. For the complete tutorial click here.

Thanks for stopping by and have great day!

Night Owl Card

Cardstock: (Peach Parfait, Elegant Eggplant, Early Espresso, Basic Black, Whisper White) Stampin' Up!

Stamps: (Night Owls) Market Street Stamps

Ink: (Peach Parfait, Rich Razzleberry, Elegant Eggplant) Stampin' Up!; (Tuxedo Black) Memento

Ribbon: (Rich Razzleberry) Stampin' Up!

Tools: brayer, sponge

Other: black marker, staple, foam mounts

Hallowe'en CARDS Challenge

Next to Christmas, I would have to say that Hallowe'en is my next favorite holiday to make a card for. I just love the rich colors for Hallowe'en, especially purples and blacks and I LOVE a hauntingly full moon :) The challenge for this week over at the CARDS blog is to create a Hallowe'en card. Here is what I made using purple and black and a big full moon:

The best part I like about this card is that it is all one layer, so it's perfect for mailing. I started off with a piece of white cardstock and cut out a circle from a post it note for the moon. Once I had the moon in place, I brayered Rich Razzleberry ink starting from the top all the way down to the bottom. Then I brayered Elegant Eggplant over top part way down, not covering the Rich Razzleberry completely from the top. Using another post it note, I ripped a ground edge and stuck that over the bottom half of my brayered piece. Then I took the bare trees from the stamp set Lovely as a Tree and stamp the trees randomly in black, varying the heights. For the ground, I flipped the ripped post it note so it was covering the sky and then sponged black ink on the bottom. When the ground dried, I put the post it note back over the ground and sponged some elegant eggplant along the horizon line and using teh same ink color I sponged some clouds across the moon. The edges of the panel were sponged with black and I used a black zig writer marker to draw in the bats. Final touch was stamping the sentiment with white Staz On ink. The sentiment wasn't white enough for me so I went back over it with a white gel pen. Here is a close up of the spooky scene:

Thanks for stopping by and hope you have a spook-tacular day!

Spooky Nights Card

Cardstock: (Basic Black, Elegant Eggplant, Whisper White) Stampin' Up!

Stamps: (Hallowe'en Frights, Lovely as a Tree) Stampin' Up!

Ink: (Rich Razzleberry, Elegant Eggplant, Basic Black); White Staz On

Tools: brayer, sponge

Other: post it note, black zig writer marker, foam mounts

Swimming for Katie Blog Hop & Fundraiser

Today I have another special blog hop for you and I hope you will swim along with us over the next three days to help out Katie and her family! Please read on for Katie's story...

From October 10-12 some of the best stampers are joining together to support and encourage our friend and fellow stamper, Katie Renz, who is currently battling inoperable gastric cancer.  If you're not familiar with her, Katie’s cancer story started just before Christmas last year.  This young, beautiful, healthy, vibrant mother of 3 with her infectious smile was suddenly diagnosed with an inoperable cancer, virtually overnight.  A few tummy aches and then stage 4 gastric cancer.  Her first post about it is here.  The idea of “Swimming for Katie” came from her recent post here.

This exclusive stamp used in my sample, designed by Becky Oehlers is available as a clear stamp, as well as a digis or a dig and SVG cut file.  100% of the profits go to Katie's fund to help her and her young family.  Her husband Kevin and her three young children need our help and support.  In addition to the Keep Swimming Octopus, Marianne Walker and True =D Doodle Designs both also donated digis that are for sale.  Direct donations are also being accepted.  Information central is HERE.  This is a permanent page that will stay active at i {heart} papers with current information and the full 3 day blog hop listing, as well as the donation button. 

Here are all the items available for sale.

Keep Swimming Octopus Peachy Clear stamp $5.50 with free shipping

Keep Swimming Octopus DIGIstamp $3.00 with instant download

Keep Swimming Octopus DIGIstamp with SVG cut file $3.50 with instant download

Keep Swimming Mermaid DIGIstamp $3.50 with instant download

Keep Swimming Ribbon Fish DIGIstamp and DIGIpapers $5.00 with instant download

I hope you will join me in supporting Katie through a purchase or donation.  The following is a list of everyone who has projects posted today.

AJ Otto

Beate 

Carolyn Mustopa

Dawn Burnworth

Deb Felts

Gretchen Belknap

Heather Jensen 

Jen del Muro

Julie Ranae

Kate - i {heart} papers

Kendra Wietstock

Lisa Johnson

Loretta Lock

Lori Tecler

Lynn Mercurio

Marianne Walker

Michele Gross

Stacy aka Twinshappy

Tracy Schultz

Debbie Olson

Cindy Lawrence

Cindy Haffner  

Julie Koerber

Christine Okken

Tammy Hershberger

Danielle Kennedy

Barbara Anders

Makiko Jones

Ashley N Newell

Shannan Teubner

Taylor Usry

Jen Tapler

Jenn Balcer

Jenny Chesnick

Jess Larsen

Jessica Knutsen

Jimmi Mayo

Joan Bardee

Joan Ervin

Julia Aston

Julie Ebersole

I hope you will be inspired by them and moved to purchase or donate.  If you would like to send Katie a card, her mailing address is:

Katie Renz

PO Box 5913

Bellingham, WA 98227-5913

Thank you!

Operation Julie's Smile

Hello Everyone! Boy do we have a fab blog hop for you this weekend! The Girl Fridays from CAS-ual Fridays along with 100's of other designers have joined together for this benefit blog hop titled Operation Julie's Smile. Here's the story...

The creative blogging community is coming together this weekend to help one of our friends, Julie Ranae. You may know her as the design team coordinator for many wonderful companies from bakers twine, die cuts, rubber stamps and more. What many people don't know about Julie Ranae is that she has had some pretty major dental surgeries in her lifetime due to medication she had to take as a child. It was in her plans to think about having all of her teeth replaced in the next 5 years, a decision that was pretty easy to plan out. But then it happened, she chipped her front teeth on a weekend a month ago. The dentist told her there was no way to save them and that his recommendation that she give in and have all her teeth removed soon, but for that day, they needed to get her front teeth done so her gums could begin to heal. He said he would

'work' out payments with her to have ALL this work done...but when she called to make her appointment for the first step of impressions, they told her the amount of money that was needed and that the 'payments' applied only to the two teeth that were extracted that day. Her husband Paul was with her and that too was his understanding as well. So this is how she has found herself in this situation...Needing at least $4000 to get started and another $3000 to finish the process...a total of $7000.

Nicole Rixon, owner of Sweet Stamp Shop put together this benefit after finding out about this situation and before Julie Ranae knew it, it took flight!

Because she is an event organizer by trade, she has taken on the job of organizing all the blogs in this hop as her way of 'working overtime' for what she needs, the same as if she were able to work overtime at an outside job to pay for the work to be done.

It is the goal of all of these generous friends and sponsors to help make this situation more do-able for our friend so that she can share a brand new smile with all of us soon.

If there is anything you can do to help with a financial donation, there is a donation button ready for you to click that you can find in the sidebar to the right. Any amount is appreciated and ALL DONATIONS will be eligible for prizes from our sponsor pool of over $2500! 

Yup you read that right, $2500 worth of prizes to be won and there are three ways you can win:

1. From blog comments left

2. From PayPal Donation list

3. For blog hop hosts

Now with a hop this HUGE, there is bound to be a break in the links somewhere, so if you find yourself lost along the way you can always stop by he Sweet Stamp Shop Blog for the complete list of blog hoppers and the prize list is there too.

Sooooo the CAS-ual Fridays challenge this week in relation to this blog hop is based on a quote.

Our sponsor this week is the Craft's Meow, who graciously supplied us with some stamps to play with.

I got the set Timless Tags and decided to pair these with the actual sentiment and some yummy twine.

If you're hopping along the right trail you should have came here from my teammate's blog, Dana Seymor and if you continue along you can hop on over to my other teammate's blog, Jinny Newlin. Make sure you leave a comment here so you have a chance at all the prizes up for grabs and if you can, please make a donation so we can help bring back a new smile for our friend :)We hope that you have fun hopping along and remember, you have all weekend to comment on blogs, so take your time!

Thanks for stopping by and happy hopping!

Play Date Cafe Challenge #102 with Stampotique

Moving right along in the color challenges we've now hit #102 over at the Play Date Cafe and what a WICKED color story this week :) Check it out:

Our sponsor this week is Stampotique and they supplied the design team with stamps to play with! Be sure to check out the Cafe to see what the prize package is :)

I had all the intentions of doing a Hallowe'en themed card with this color combo, but changed my mind and went with FLOWERS :) Here is what I came up with:

The design team has some great inspiration for you to take a gander at and and we would love to have you play along with us this week over at the Play Date Cafe!

Thinking of You Flowers

Cardstock: (Perfect Plum, Whisper White, Basic Black) Stampin' Up!

Stamps: (flower, thinking of you) Stampotique

Ink: (Pixie Pink, Gable Green, Perfect plum Basic Black) Stampin' Up!

Other: foam mounts

Playing with Paper Smooches...FINALLY!

Ever since the Paper Smooches stamp line launched, I've been buying sets here and there, but haven't really inked any of them. I've been..well...collecting them because they are just darn cute! Finally I had a reason to dig out a set I've been longing to try forever...Surf & Turf. My daughter wanted a birthday card for a friend that would hold a gift card and she wanted the card to MATCH the gift card. Well the gift card had a bunch of cartoon-y, cute fishes so here's what I made:

 I've been on a paper piecing kick and decided to create a little fishy scene with one fish saying the phrase "Glug bloop" lol. The gift card fits under the waves as the scene is a pocket. I stamped all the pieces on colored cardstock except for the fishes. They were stamped on white and colored in using copics. Here is a close up of the ocean floor.

 For the rocks, I used the top off a cupcake and candy apple from the "Sugar Rush" set. I outlined around all the pieces in the water with a blue copic marker to give it some extra dimension and added crystal effects to the bubbles and word bubble. The sentiment was printed off the computer using the font SNF Goody by Kim Hughes. Here's what the inside of the card looks like:

 For the inside, I printed the sentiment from the computer using the SNF Goody font again and then added a little fish.

Thanks for stopping by and taking a peek at my little fishy scene!

Fishy Gift Card Holder

Cardstock: (Cool Carribbean, Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White, Melon Mambo, Pear Pizazz, Basic Gray, Real Red, Crumb Cake, Pumpkin Pie) Stampin' Up!

Stamps: (Surf & Turf, Sugar Rush) Paper Smooches; (word bubble) Studio G

Ink: (Melon Mambo, Pear Pizzazz, Pumpkin Pie, Basic Gray, Tempting Turquoise) Stampin' Up!; (tuxedo black) Memento

Copics: B00 Frost Blue, B01 Mint Blue, B02 Robin's Egg Blue, V04 Lilac, V06 Lavender, R46 Strong Red, YG03 Yellow Green

Font: SNF Goody by Kim Hughes

Other: foam mounts