Catching up...

Ever sit down and realize how much time has gotten away from you? I reminded myself several times in the last two weeks, that I need to update my blog. Alas, I kept forgetting! Well, this time I decided that I was really going to do it! I'm going to sit down and get myself organized and update RIGHT NOW!! So here goes it:

I have had so many things going on in the last few weeks! I've turned 36 (Wow! Admitting that hurt less than I thought it would! :)). I opened four new swaps on SplitCoaststampers while swapping out two more! Annabella went back to preschool three days a week, and my mom has settled in here with us. I've been enjoying alot of QT with my mom and Annabella, shopping, learning the area, but most importantly we've all been doing ALOT of stamping together!

I've also been working on alot of challenges as of late! I love doing them! I recently completed this chipboard Stamping Purse for the MFT Idol Judge challenge to make something using a theme of 'Girl's Night Out'! It was great fun! First, I covered the chipboard pieces for the purse and assembled it, including adding ribbons handles! I masked the girls from the Meet me at the Cafe set, so they were stamping at the MFT Cafe! Next, I paper pieced their snazzy outfits, colored in a few deets, and double mounted them onto the outside of the chipboard purse. Finally, I added the contents for what I think is the perfect Girls (Stampin') Night Out!

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The Stampin' Purse contains two Annie LaPointe Flower stamps from MFT, markers, a mini acrylic block, Memento ink, MFT Perfect Panels, Primas, brads, die cuts, Ribbon, and several card blanks with matching envelopes! It's the perfect accessory for stampin' on the go! For those of you who know me...I ALWAYS have a project with me to 'play with' anytime! ;) I figure, why waste any valuable stampin' opportunity !?

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Seeing as I'm a diehard stamper as well as a serious shopaholic, I decided to indulge my habit and drove to Fayetteville, NC -which is an hour and a half away - to find the perfect supplies for my next challenge! See, I was reading Jody Lynn's blog (Confessions of a Ribbon Addict), when inspiration struck for my next MFT Challenge! The challenge was to use the bold, bright colors in a swatch of a painting that was featured on Splitcoaststampers. I combined several MFT sets to create this bagful of ribbon from the fictional Jody's Ribbon & Fabric shoppe!

I made the 'wood' storefront after watching a woodgraining tutorial by Gina K on Stamp TV. I used four different inks to create the woodgrain look, then sketched in the 'slats' before setting it aside to dry. I cut the window out from the white bag and adhered a piece of acetate to create the 'window'. Then I cut the storefront from my now dry faux wood cardstock.

The awning from Meet me at the Cafe was stamped with white Stazon onto SU black cs before cutting it out. I added the tiny white dots using my milk pen before attaching it to the bag above the window. I stamped out the girl from the Window Shopping set, as well as the pot of Chamomile on white cs, carefully colored them in and cut them out. I can't tell you how long it took to cut between each tiny leaf and flower in the pot of chamomile flowers - but I loved the result - so it was worth it! I made a tiny black chapeau to put atop my decidedly Parisian looking shopper's head. I freehand printed the store name and the ribbon sale signs and mounted them to the bag, before adding the final touch...the gorgeous ribbon I hunted down in Fayetteville! I was thrilled with the way it came out! What a fun gift...no?

I took a very short break from challenges to make a few swaps, including this Ketto card for my friend Michele's Ketto card swap on Splitcoaststampers. Michele & I knew each

other from when I lived in New Jersey, so I was delighted to get to participate in her swap. I used Wasabi Ketto, and origami paper to create this card. I paper pieced her kimono, Cuttlebugged the red background, and created a simple, geometric layout. Finally, I added some glinty, brushed metal touches to the clips in her hair with the spica pens I got from Michele for Christmas! I am so lucky to have her for a friend! And I was even luckier that she stopped by on her way home from vacation to pick them up from me personally! It was great to see her again! What a girl!

I found this MFT challenge impossible to resist! I needed to make a card using three different things: Paper Piecing, Paper Piercing, and Patterned Paper that was created using MFT stamps. I excitedly pulled out all the stops on this card, and laughed the entire time while creating it too!

I used the Bunnies chasing each other from the Easter set to make my background paper, and then colored one brown. I used the 'So I was thinking' set to create the main image of the sulky girl. I was particularly happy with my Copic coloring on her! (I think I'm finally improving -yesss!!) I mounted her on a paper pierced rectangle, and attached her to the card along with the popped up 'thought blurb'. I added the double strip of sheer burgundy ribbon,

which I chose specifically so you could see the patterned paper beneath it. Then I proceeded to work on the inside of the card.

I took a sentiment from Twisted Sentiments 2, for the inside caption. I then used Flopsey in a way that I'm sure MFT never intended...as a sexy, come hither bunny! I paper-pieced Flopsey into a red, glittery pair of hot pants, and heels! I decided to leave Flopsey's sequined, scarlet bra cast aside on the floor so there is no question what she is offering! I stamped an extra image of the girl from the front of the card, so I could paper piece her sexy eye onto Flopsey to add even more va va voom! I added matching glittery 'make up' to the front and inside girls using my Spica pens.

I decided to use the same materials and layout to complete a challenge as well as a swap for another good friend - DJ. 'Deej' recently opened a fun new swap featuring Riley and Sophie, the moose from Hanna Stamps! My mom and I practically squealed in delight to get to ink up our ever increasing Riley and Sophie collection! I used Ballerina Sophieto create this card for the swap. I colored her with my Copics, set her upon a nest of Nestabilitie'd Ovals, and mounted them onto a Cuttlebugged, pink, card blank. I added some coordinating ribbon from American Craft and double stacked some Primas and a brad to complete the card. But ...I wasn't satisfied with it like that, and was about to scrap the entire card. Until I added the tiny dotted trim on the white oval and the outer edge of the card. Then I decided to add tiny white accents with my milk pen on the burgundy oval. Finally, I glittered it all up - including the flower- with my clear stardust pen! I LOVE the way she came out! I'm so glad that DJ opened this swap! She ROCKS!

So when the challenge to create an invitation using any Hanna Stamp came out, at the same time I needed to make invitations for Annabella's First Ballet recital I figured the stars had finally aligned! I created the same card, with a few small changes! I eliminated the large stacked Primas, and the bold doted ribbon, and replaced them by threading in a fine, pinstriped, pink ribbon. I topped it with a computer generated sentiment, which I cut out with a scalloped Nestie, affixed to a scalloped oval disk of burgundy cs. I finished then with a mini Prima and a mini brad and the matching treatment as the main oval of tiny dots.

Another fun Hanna challenge was next on my list! I needed to make a card for a coworker or other pro. So I was again laughing maniacally when I chose a new professional to make a card for... a Stripper!
I used Busted Hanna, paper pieced her to eliminate her tie and to leave her shirt open to expose her...uhh...attributes. I inked a faux brick 'wall', & sketched in mortar marks. I double mounted a black 'window' & put glittering 'lights' around the edges of the 'glass'. I freehand wrote 'Girls! Girls! Girls! on the 'glass' & attached it to the 'wall' I put my paper pieced Stripper in front of the window, & added the double mounted sentiment. Then I glitzed & blinged up her outfit until I felt it befit a woman of her profession. Due to all of the glitter & bling it took me NINETEEN tries to get a picture! Hope you can imagine the super glittery outfit without being able to see it well in this picture!

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Another of the MFT Idol Challenges was to make a card using a floral set from MFT. I chose this new set, Spring Sprouts and made this fun, bright card for my daughter. This stamp set reminded me of my childhood as well as some of the cartoons, ads, and fashions of the 60's and 70's. Thus, I added the green CS 'grass', by folding over a strip and clipping the grass blades like I did way back in grade school. I added the faux stitching around the edge, popped up the sun and the sentiment and affixed a solid yellow button to the center of the sun for more dimension.




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This was another card I created for an MFT

challenge recently. I set about making a card using a LOT of texture. I stamped, colored and cut out Flopsey and the tree from the Tea with Flopsey set. I embossed the sky blue cardstock with the swirly pattern. I used ragged paper for the grass and added a bunch of petal soft and flocking for even more texture. Wrapping the flower sprigged ribbon around the grass panel, I affixed the green grass panel, along with the blue, cuttlebugged sky to the base of blue and green cardstock. Next, I attached Flopsey and the tree. I stamped the sentiment on a cloud shaped scrap of snowy white cardstock and put tiny dots all along the edges of the scallops. Finally, I used pop dots to attach the sentiment cloud to the sky.

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I created the next two cards for Wendy's Cookies, Cake, and Cupcake Swap on Splitcoaststampers. I'm looking forward to meeting her, and maybe even getting to stamp together sometime soon since we live pretty close to each other here in North Carolina! I have a third card spot in the swap, but accidentally deleted it from my camera before I could upload it tonight!


This card featuring Cake Riley by Hanna Stamps was a simple & easy card to create, despite all the layers I used. It is difficult to see how sparkly Riley & the cake are in this picture, but after coloring them in with my Copics, I also added shine with my Spica pens. The lovely brown DP is made by K & Co. My base/layering CS was from my good friend, Yoorah & is made by PaperTreyInk. The Prima added the perfect shiny touch. The satiny ribbon was part of a lovely Birthday gift from my friend Michele, & is made by May Arts. The Rick Rack ribbon is made by Offray. The sentiment is made by Stampin' Up.

For this cupcake card I used one of Studio G's newest stamps. I made the background print using a stamp made by Elzybells UK on beige Wausau cardstock. I used a bit more of the lovely ribbon gifted to me by Michele, because I felt it perfectly matched the SU Real Red base & the Lipstick Red cherry on the cupcake. I used Nesties to cut out the cupcake image before coloring it with Copics, & attaching it to a classic circle of Chocolate Chip. I put dots around the circle with my Galaxy milk pen. I also made the cherry shine with my red Spica pen.

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This is the last project I made and it
garnered me a top ten spot in the MFT Idol Judges competition this past week! I made this Gardening Journal using the Spring Sprouts set from MFT, along with some of Stampin' Up's new In Colors, DP by Frances Meyers, Nestabilities, & some coordinating ribbon by American Craft, and Offray. The pages inside the journal have sections for comments, seed calendars, planting info, gardening layouts, even a space to insert photos from your garden! Wouldn't you love to have one of these?
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Well! I'm amazed that you are still reading at this point! I know this has been a REALLY LONG entry on my blog, and truly appreciate your interest in what I've been up to. As a thank you, I have some blog candy that I will give to one of the people who comment on this entry in the next seven days. You can enter up to once a day for the next seven days, for a total of seven chances to win! Good Luck! Oh...and the blog candy? It's the Garden Journal pictured above of course!



Much love to all of you! Scrappy