A Basic Grey Go-to Challenge

A little challenge of the Go-to Gals today. It's sort of like Iron Chef where we all make something with the same ingredients, except with knives, no timer, and no octopus {insert any other disgusting food product here}. This week's ingredient... Basic Grey. You know 'em. You love 'em. You may have partaken in a bi-annual tradition of beating what seems like a billion other women to their booth first thing on the first day of CHA so that you can place the Emma's Paperie order before it gets buried beneath all the orders of said billion other women. Oh, wait. That's just me. I'll give you a moment to picture it. There might be running involved. It's like Black Friday. But on crack. It's fairly hilarious. That's what I do for friends and Basic Grey, folks. That's dedication. Anyhow, that brings us to today's challenge project. Lookie there... a little shaker card... sort of. Lookie there... you open it up and...

the shaker is on the outside. The images that appear to be on the inside of the shaker on the inside of the card instead. Kinda different. I kinda love it. This idea came to me right when I saw those cutie pie snowman stickers from Basic Grey's Jovial collection. Their little smiley faces... they just kill me. Love 'em. The gift sticker was part of a sticker with 3 gifts... I just cut this one out, stamped the sentiment on it, and stuck it on. It's hidden behind the snow so it's a little surprise when you open the card. Love that. To make the faux shaker, I just made a clear transparency card like normal. I stuck the Snowball Fight paper inside the card and the stickers on top of that. I made the shaker layer by cutting another piece of transparency to fit, stitching it partially on, then sticking the mica flakes in and stitching it up. Pretty easy. Love the effect. For more Basic Grey goodness, check out the other Go-to Gals... Teri

Kim H

Maren

Betsy

Kim K Later, friends!

WCMD & 10MSPC

If my name was Robin I would say, "Holy lot of acronyms, Batman!" Totally. We all know what WCMD is... right? The day that that celebrates {nearly} everyone's favorite project. The day dedicated to all that is crafty and card-y. You know it. You love it. World Card Making Day. My fellow GTG's and I are celbrating all week over at the Paper Crafts Connection blog with all new cards and prizes to boot. Skip back to Friday's post to see Kim Kesti kick off the celebration and check out today's to see what Betsy has up her {beautifully layered, I'm sure} little sleeve. And... since we're kicking things off... it's only right that I post my own little card for today. Talk about a 10 minute scrap pile challenge card... this one was so quick I almost feel like I cheated. The patterned paper covered card was a reject from the last project and was, frankly, still on my table. {If a scrap never even makes it to the scrap pile, was it really a scrap to begin with? Deep thoughts...} I succumbed to the $1 stamps at Michael's earlier this week. Dude... I have to say... I really love this series. I don't typically go the $1 stamp route but I am totally digging the vintage images combined with the simple typewriter font in this little series. {These could be the $1 stamps that you actually put to use, people. They're wood mounts - not clear - if you go to hunt some down.} This turquoise-y green paper just seemed like the perfect background for one. The paper is from Basic Grey's Curio line in which all the fronts of the paper have this super cool, vintagey looking black border. This is one of the reverse sides, so I added a heavy black border with some ink to finish it out. I have to say... I kinda love it. Q & E. My fave. Later, friends!

Thank You...

for lots of things. For birthday wishes. Here and on Facebook. I read them all and enjoyed every minute of it. For being here. And listening to my crafty ramblings. I love coming here to my little crafty retreat and connecting with you guys. For commenting on Friday! Dude. There were a LOT of comments. Apparently people like winning things. Who knew? The comment winner from my blog who will receive their own brand spankin' new copy of Holiday Cards & More is... Mariana Grigsby who said... I love this project!!! I think Christmas cookies are my favorites! And, the winner of the big 'ol prize featured on the Paper Crafts Connection blog is... (from Ashley Cannon Newell’s blog): Laura – The Stampin’ Soldier who commented on Ashley Cannon Newell's blog (Sept. 17, 10:50 a.m.) Mariana, shoot me an email with your mailing address so I can get your copy of Holiday Cards & More sent out to you! And, since thank you is the theme of today's post... a little thank you card of mine that was posted over at the Emma's Paperie blog a few days ago...

The color challenge this month was black, white, and gold. Outside of my normal range, but I kind of love it!

Definitely more on the classy and elegant side than clean and simple. Even made the can-be-seen-everywhere-these-days scallop punch flowers myself.

Fancy, I know.

Props to me.

Added the Technique Tuesday sentiments because, let's get real, they go with everything, so why not this, too? And, can I just ask... do you check in over at the Emma's Paperie blog? Because, seriously... nearly every gosh darned day there is a new project up by the likes of Anabelle O'Malley... Melissa Phillips... Lisa Dorsey... special guest designers. Seriously, it's all good, all the time. And I get nothing for saying so. Check it out.

My Favorite...

A super quick 10 Minute Scrap Pile Challenge card for a super busy weekend...

I had the strip of Echo Park paper left over from an upcoming Emma's Paperie project and I thought it would look cute matched up with the little stamp from Dear Lizzie. I added a little "you are" segment and heart image from Technique Tuesday to finish it out. A sweet little card to stick into a gift bag or leave in a lunchbox or someone's Bible at church, etc. I squeezed in this card while we were busy celebrating the little guy who does this when I say it's time to take a shower... Apparently I should have been more specific. So what kind of cake do I make for the kid who walks around saying "I am Buzz Lightyear!" This kind, obviously... Complete with wooden floor, headboard and footboard made with icing covered cardboard, and rice krispie treat molded pillow (obviously, I've watched a fair amount of Ace of Cakes).

It's a good thing I like Toy Story, too, since we affectionately refer to Zeke as the little birthday stealer around here.

As in, he stole mine.

It's all right. I kinda like him.

Later, friends!

Paper Crafts Magazine Presents: The 12 Designers of Holiday Cards & More Blog Hop

So, have you seen it yet? I flipped through mine this week. I wanted to find a favorite of mine... a clear frame made from an acrylic stamp block. Seriously. I kinda dig it. (It has our Christmas card pic on it from last year, so if you've ever wondered why my life is kinda crazy, take a look at that one. It's classic. Zeke is paying about, oh, zero percent attention and is interested only in the gigantic lollipop I bribed him with.) Anyhow, I made the frame super bright and cheerful to echo how fun that day was. I'm looking at it on my mantle right now and it still makes me smile! Make sure you flip through the mag and let me know what you think of it! While you're flipping, you'll pass cards... gifts... home decor. What more could you want? How about more of it?! 12 of us gals are getting together today to bring you 12 MORE projects. Dude. It's your lucky day. Times 12. We each used one of the patterns available in the back of the issue. I used the pattern created by Vanessa Mehorn (it's based on her cutie pie Poinsettia Gift Bag on page 99). And dude... did you know that the patterns are available online, too? Totally free, totally easy to print out. Sweet! And this is what I came up with...

the perfect little home for one of our annual Christmas jams. (This year's version was recently made and perfected and let me just say... I give it 4 stars. On a 4 star scale. Or 5 stars on a 5 star scale. Whatever. It's good. But that's a post for another day...)

I don't know what it is about Christmas paper, but I don't tend to have a lot of it. So when thinking about this project, I decided to go totally off the beaten path and use a St.Patrick's themed collection (Lucky Me by Little Yellow Bicycle).

I thought the green patterned paper with the blue metallic accent strip would make for a sort of a ready made accent. I just trimmed off the word "Lucky" and the shamrock at the bottom and ta da... looks Christmas enough for me!

I used a little journaling tag to make a coordinating "card" to go inside the bag. I trimmed the bag down just enough so that the little pull tag sticks up... cute. Saves me the step of making an entire card, too. Love it.

My favorite part is the postage stamp image (Pink Paislee) Fits so perfectly over the little date image on the tag. Love the serendipity on that one.

There are 11 more brand new projects out there in blog land today...

Teri Anderson

Betsy Veldman

Kim Kesti

Maren Benedict

Anabelle O'Malley

Ashley Cannon Newell

Latisha Yoast

Heidi Van Laar

Sarah Martina Parker

Windy Robinson

Kimberly Crawford

And with a comment at each site you'll have 12 chances to win.

Win what, you say?

Oh, boy... it's big.

Big.

And Kelly has the pictures of it up at Paper Crafts Connection and Moxie Fab World, where if you leave comments there, that'll bring your total number of chances to win up to 14 in all.

Sweet. (All comments must be posted by midnight (MDT) on Sunday, Sept. 19. The grand prize winner will be announced on the Paper Crafts Connection blog on Tuesday, Sept. 21.) And... bonus... when you comment here, you'll be registered for the big prize, plus, we'll draw a winner right here on my blog and send a copy of Holiday Cards & More straight to your doorstep!

So, tell me... what's your favorite holiday treat? (I'm partial to mint M&M's and Starbuck's Caramel Apple Cider myself.)

Good luck!

Digitally Yours

Do you remember the part yesterday where I went all digital on you and made some digitally enhanced tags? The digital doesn't stop there. (Trust me... I know... 2 digital projects in 2 days... from ME... the sky is probably falling down somewhere due to me.) Head on over to Paper Crafts Connection for a super duper quick and easy digital Christmas card idea straight from Holiday Cards & More. I already stopped over there this morning. The comments being posted are all about tips on mass production and man, oh man, is that place like a treasure trove of knowledge. Check it out, leave a comment over there, and cross your fingers that you end up winning this... Yeah... Copic Spicas... those would add the *perfect* detail to a quick and easy holiday card. And you could probably even find said card in Holiday Cards & More. Bonus. Good luck!

Simple Sentiments Blog Hop

Morning, friends! It's about that time of year when I think, "Self... it's September... you should totally get a head start on all those handmade Christmas cards and tags." And it will be approximately 8 days before Christmas before I really get crackin' on that. But not this year. I mean it. Really. Or, at least, I'm trying to mean it. And I did get a jump on the tags. All thanks to this little beauty that showed up in my mailbox this week... There's a little gem of a page at the back of Holiday Cards & More called Simple Sentiments. And that page was apparently put there with the sole purpose of taking away the moment late on Christmas Eve when I realize, dude, I don't have a single gift tag made yet. (That's a problem for me... I have a certain affection for presents topped with ribbon and a handmade tag.) All it took was a click here and there to download the sentiments (they're free, too!), copy and paste my favorite into a little tag-erific sheet o' tags, a few trims on the cutter, and voila... 8 Christmas tags, all together in their cuteness. I added a little sparkly chalk around the flames and created a little tag handle with a file tab punch (SU) and some green cardstock. Super quick, super easy. (And lucky for me, they matched this oh so sweet baker's twine that I picked up here.) And once I finished them, I thought they would make a darned cute little gift for a crafty friend. Just tuck them away with a few rolls of twine and there you go... one gift down.

Look at me... gettin' a jump on the holiday to-do list.

And all of the Paper Crafts peeps are, too, so take a look...

Kim Hughes

Teri Anderson

Maren Benedict

Kim Kesti

Betsy Veldman

Susan & Brandy over at Paper Crafts Connection

(and I'm pretty sure there's a giveaway involving some sentiment stamps, too... I'm just sayin!) Later!

10MSPC

It's that time of year again... where routine reigns and schedule is supreme. I'm not a fan. I prefer summer. Trading school for swimming. Turkey sandwiches for ice cream sandwiches. I miss it already and it's not really even gone! We did start school today, though, so life has changed even if the weather hasn't. And so, my new mantra... This is one of my favorite quickies as of late. I borrowed some of Mom's Copics and was literally on my way out the door to return them when I thought to make a 10 minute card. No real blending, nothing fancy. Just a few swipes with each color to make some graduated stripes down the side. Love it. I'm not a fancy Copic-er, but I could see myself becoming a simple Copic-er. For stripes, if nothing else. I decided to give my much loved, much used TT sets a much deserved break and picked up some friends to live in the stamp drawer with them. Only their new friends don't visit the drawer too often yet since I'm using them on nearly everything lately. I *love* this sentiment. Because not every card giving occassion is all about gumdrops and smiley faces, right? And speaking of card giving occassions... I confessed on the Paper Crafts Facebook page last week that I am a card mailing slacker of the highest degree. So this card is headed out to the mailbox on the way to a friend who lives close enough to hand it off to, but who needs something unexpected in the mailbox for a little pick me up. Look at me... all productive and everything. Maybe it's the season, right? Care to join me in committing to actually MAIL something this week?

And ode to Kim Kesti...

on her birthday. Because she's turning 29 again, and you know a 29-again birthday calls for a celebration. And so, I present to you my ode to Kim...

This would be my attempt at a super modern, super unique, Kimesque creation. I made this a few weeks back, feeling as if Kim would like it as I was going along. I was going for different and unique and I think I got there. The saturated colors are Kimesque for sure and the modern feel is definitely a Kim quality. Yeah... I know... don't even say it... it totally isn't going to fit in any kind of envelope I've ever seen. Definitely a hand-delivery kind of project.

If I was going to go all-out-Kim on you, I'd need to skip the stamp and instead add a computer generated sentiment that is super snappy or punny, paired with the perfect retro modern image. Kim's cards are always happy, aren't they?

She's owned up to her special day over at her blog, so go wish her a Happy 29-again Day!

Much love to Kim... source of laughter, purveyor of sage advice, and always a faithful friend.