"Sweet Friend" Bake Shoppe

I recently came across a new blog: Denami Designs. They are having a sketch challenge this week, and this is my entry. I struggled with the colors of the card. First, I only used black, white, and hot pink. It needed something more, so I added the yellow cupcake wrappers. It STILL needed a little "oomph", so I changed the button (I had added a yellow button when I added the yellow wrappers) and added some aqua photo corners that I cut from cardstock. My original image and mat were rounded at the top, and it reminded me of a window, so I added the awning and turned my card into a bakery. I was so happy with the results!

Some fun links for you...

It's a quiet night here in the Thompson house. Everyone's watching movies, so I planted myself in the recliner with my laptop and did some stampy-surfing. (Sorry, honey, but "GI Joe" would not have been my movie choice tonight!)
I found some super-cute projects that I wanted to share:
Check out THESE adorable Easter treat boxes by Becky Roberts
How about a free online magazine for scrapping and cardmaking? Check THIS out.
Betsy Veldman shows how to make gorgeous die cut flowers from fabric, felt, even crepe paper HERE.
One of my favorite scrapgals ever, Erin Lincoln, shares some funky stamped flowers HERE, along with some adorable "frog in a jar" cards (trust me-these are a "must-see".)
Enjoy!

Get Sketchy Challenge #31

It's Friday, so that means it's time for another challenge at Get Sketchy! The sketch this week is very versatile-the design teams cards are all so different! Sometimes cards for boys are difficult, but when I saw this week's sketch, I knew I wanted to make a boyish card for a little buddy of mine.

I changed the sketch up a bit by using a chipboard flower as a gear instead of the star on the sketch. Also, the sketch shows the star being "chopped off" with the edge of the card-I chose to extend the gear beyond the edge. This cute little robot is cut from patterned paper by Recollections (available at Michael's.) First, I cut a circle containing the robot, then I cut just the head and body from another piece of the paper. I then adhered the head and body over the robot on the circle using foam squares. Super easy, and super cute!

Patterned papers from Recollections and SEI, cardstock from Bazzill, chipboard flowers (used as gears) by Fancy Pants Design, glitter brad from Imaginisce.

Welcome to the next stop on the Blog Hop!

If you weren't linked here from another blog, make sure you start HERE at the Get Sketchy blog-there are details about prizes, as well as this week's sketch and all of the design team's creations.

Today's card is based on Sketch #30 over at Get Sketchy and features stickers from SRM Stickers (who, BTW, are also sponsoring the blog hop and providing a fun prize!) I made my card base from black cardstock so that my colored banner would "pop" and be the focal point. I then made my pennants using small triangles cut from SEI's new "Happy Day" collection. I loved these papers-some are glossy, some are glittery, all are so cute and perfect for birthdays. I also used a die-cut from the same collection, and threaded black floss through the die-cut. The floss is held down to all of the pennants with brads. I added some doodling with black pen and finished the card with a sticker from SRM. Because these stickers are clear, I mounted the sticker on white cardstock before attaching it to my card. This is a great design to make in bulk not only because it's quick and easy, but also because it's not gender-specific. (Can you tell my brain is still in academic mode from my homework?!)

And for the fun part-as part of the Blog Hop, you need to pick up the next word in the Secret Sentence here:

(in a whispered voice: "Your word is...MAGAZINE...")

Don't forget to leave comments along the way! Get Sketchy is giving away a prize package to a lucky participant, and SRM and Scrap 'n Arts both have prizes, too!

Don't forget my little giveaway, too, from my previous post. I am giving away a copy of the March/April issue of Papercrafts magazine (complete with CD) to a random reader. Just leave a comment on any of my blog posts AND become a Follower and you will be entered to win!

Your next stop on the Blog Hop is the fabulous blog of Stephanie Muzzulin-enjoy!

Little Froggy "Hey"

As I was looking through my photos of of recent cards, I found this simple card that I made for a little buddy of mine, Mackenzie. He came to visit me a while ago, and he brought me some cookies that he had made, along with a letter that he had written to me about how school was going. (I'll be honest with you-it melted my heart. ) I mailed him this little card a few days later. It only took a few minutes to pull together because the frog (Hero Arts) was one that I had already stamped and colored.

My card base was a strip of simple circle paper (I love dots and geometric shapes because they can go for boys or girls) and a strip of textured cardstock. I covered the seam with a little bit of felt ribbon-the felt is more boyish than regular ribbon-which I attached with brads. I used some Heidi Swapp chipboard letter stickers for the sentiment and "sat" the little froggy on top. Super simple, but oh-so-cute, don't you think?

Easter card for Jellybean...

Maybe I'm dating myself, but have you ever said, "Know what I mean, Jellybean?" Well, I said this to my daughter a while ago and she looked at me like I had three heads. Her reply: "Um, not really, Lollipop." So our nicknames for eachother came to be-she is Jellybean and I am Lollipop. People probably look at the two of us like we each have three heads whenever we say these nicknames.

So that's the story behind this Easter card. I wanted to do something cute with the bunny, so I stamped him twice, cut him out and sandwiched a piece of white floss in between the two images. The other end of the floss is adhered behind the eggs and grass, so he can "hop" across the card (with a little help from Jellybean, of course.) The sentiment is personalized with her nickname-I just cut the "s" off the word "jellybeans". I'm not in the habit of cutting up my expensive stamps, but I don't mind cutting up my Studio G's. For a buck a set, if I really want the original sentiment, I will buy two packages. You could also use markers and just ink the part of the image that you want to stamp. I usually use a full-size black inkpad, though, so cutting the stamp was easier for me. (Yes, I am a WEE bit lazy.)

The bunny and the eggs-and-grass stamps are also from Studio G. To make the border, I simply masked the eggs-and-grass stamp and used it along the width of my paper. The sentiment and cloud are both by Hero Arts.

Don't forget the giveaway from my last post! Just leave a comment and become a follower of the blog-I am giving away a copy of the March/April issue of Papercrafts (which also includes a Tips & Tricks CD) to a random reader. Thanks for stopping by today!

Get Sketchy Challenge #29 and a Giveaway!

I have to tell you how excited I was when I checked out the Get Sketchy blog this morning. Today was the day that we Design Team newbies got to have our first cards featured. Check out the variety! I loved that although the designers all got the same images to work with, we all did something completely different. HERE is the link to this week's challenge, with all of the design team's cards.

To play along, simply make a card based on this week's sketch (#29). Take a digital photo of it, upload it to an online gallery (many are free-I like Flickr) and provide a link using the Mr. Linky feature at the bottom of the Get Sketchy post. It's easy-and if you have any problems, you can email me and I will walk you through it.

For my card, I used the digital image provided by The Stamping Boutique (this week's sponsor.) I gotta say, I was nervous when I saw this-I've never done anything digi before! It was super easy, though-I just inserted the jpeg into a word document and printed it. I chose to paper-piece my image instead of coloring it, so I used lots of coordinating scraps to piece my image. To paper-piece a digi image using scraps, simply print your image on regular computer paper. Then, use removable adhesive (or even Scotch tape) to adhere your scraps over the image. Run your paper through your printer again. Keep doing this until you have all of your images printed on the papers that you want. Then you can cut out the bits and pieces and adhere them all together to form the complete image. It's a great way to use up your scraps. Digi images are also budget-friendly because you can use them over and over.

All papers, buttons, and stickers are by SEI, chipboard arrow is from Fancy Pants Design, and ribbon is from American Crafts.

And for my giveaway! I recently was published for the first time in Papercrafts magazine. I received a complimentary copy of the magazine-which I am giving away to a lucky reader! To be entered in my drawing, simply leave a comment on my blog (or email me your comment if you're unsure of how to leave a comment directly on the blog) and become a Follower. Again, if you're unsure of how to do that, just email me and I will walk you through it. I will announce the winner on Friday, March 26th. So you have two weeks to leave a comment and become a Follower. Your comment can be on any post between now and Thursday, March 25th at midnight.

So glad you visited the blog today-be sure to check out all of the design team's creations at Get Sketchy!

Glittery Thank You card

One more thank you card to share. This one uses the Girl Friday paper collection by Cosmo Cricket. To mimic the butterfly shape in the paper, I trimmed the point off a chipboard heart from Technique Tuesday to house my sentiment. I then painted it with cream acrylic paint and sprinkled it with loose iridescent glitter. I popped some of the letter stickers (from Basic Grey) up with foam squares and added some Fruit Punch stickles to the ones that were popped. Adding the stickles helped to define the letters and make it easier to read, since they overlapped. I finished the card with pink iridescent ribbon from American Crafts. I was really pleased with the result! It's fun and feminine.

I just love the Playday Collection from SEI. Great, unusual colors. This picture doesn't really show the green background of the giraffe paper very well, but the paper, buttons and floss from Making Memories coordinated perfectly! I made this card for Ms. Darby and the sixth grade students at Mill Stream Elementary School in Norridgewock. They graciously let me pop in to observe some social studies and science lessons back in February. This was a fun card to make because of the colors and papers, and I though the flocked die cut "clip" was perfect for attaching a little note for the kids. All papers, buttons and die cuts by SEI, alpha rub-ons by Love, Elsie for KI Memories, floss by Making Memories.

Happy Easter card

I got an amazing deal on the Cosmo Cricket Girl Friday collection and I have been dying to make some cards with the new papers. They are perfect for spring! Here is an easter card that I made, combining the new papers with a little chickie image from Imaginisce. The sentiment is by Hero Arts. The image is paper-pieced, and I fussy-cut some butterflies from the paper to add here and there. My favorite part of this card, however, are the buttons. I raided my stash of buttons and used them behind the chick image. Because only half of the buttons are showing, they look like a 3D scalloped border. It was just the bit of "oomph" that the card needed.

Only 3 more days until the new Design Teams cards are featured at Get Sketchy! Be sure to check them out, along with the new sketch challenge, this Friday.

A late Valentine's Day share...

but I just had to show you all. This is my first time trying something "shabby chic." I was very pleased with the results, but let me tell you-IT TOOK FOREVER! I second guessed myself the whole time I was making it. I knew that when it was done, I wanted to give it to someone special who would appreciate it. I gave it to my mom and dad. They've been having a rough time of it for the past few months because of my dad's health issues, so I wanted to give them something special to let them know how much we all love them both.

I made the shape of the card by tracing a chipboard mini album by K & Co. The base of the card is made from Bo Bunny Double Dot cardstock, flourish background stamp (heat embossed on the red heart) by Hero Arts, brown flourish on text paper from Gel-a-Tins.

Can you stand another owl card?

You know me and my owls. Just love 'em. In a recent issue of Creating Keepsakes, someone shared a great idea for using the Leave it to Weaver border punch from Fiskars. The trick is to punch borders on two different colored strips. With one of the strips, cut off the edge of the paper right down the center of the punched cut-outs. Then layer this border over the whole one. Voila! A two-tone border that you can use with ribbon. So very clever! Here's my take on this technique. I also used buttons in a different way on this card-I stamped the owl image a few times and paper-pieced him. With one of the stamped images, I cut out just his eyes and mounted them on top of two side-by-side buttons. Gives him the big-eyed look. He's just too cute, don't you think?

All of the papers, flocked die-cuts, twill and buttons for this card are from SEI (Playground Collection) and the owl stamp is from Hero Arts.

Drumroll, please...

I've got some exciting news for you! I just found out earlier this week that I have been chosen to be part of the newest Design Team at Get Sketchy! I'm so excited because this is my first ever design team. Our first cards will be for Challenge #29, which will premier next Friday, the 12th. Please head over to Get Sketchy to see the other new team members and wish everyone good luck!