A Prettie Sneak Peek!!

This is my second week as a guest designer for Paper Pretties and I am proud to say that we are having a Prettie Pajama Party on Friday night(April 11th) where three new stamp sets will be revealed!! The PJ party will be hosted on the Paper Pretties forum by the fabulous Charmaine Ikach. Starting at 8EST(7CST) she will post one challenge every hour for three hours. You will have 45minutes to complete your card and get it posted to the forum. It is sure to be lots of fun!! And just so you know, if you are a little intimidated by the whole challenge thing, just come hang out and chat with us, but we would love to have you there no matter what!! Visit Christie's blog for some more sneak peeks and more info about the party, challenges, rules, and PRIZES(woohoo!!)!! Be sure to visit the other Prettie Girls this week for some more sneak peeks!!

Charmaine, Christie, Jana, Jillian, Julie, Joanne, Danielle, Lesa, Linda, Colleen

On to my card!! I used Julee Tilman's mojo Monday sketch for this card as well as, the SCS color challenge for today(now come on, you KNOW I didn't pick those colors myself!!) I stamped the watering can from one of the new sets coming out on Friday with Black Stazon on Whisper White. I colored it in using my SU markers and aquapainter and then covered the whole thing with crystal effects. The paper is from the SU Prints Pack, and I have almost gone through the whole thing-the horror!! I was in a ribbon layering mood due to today's TLC challenge, so I used some wide red grosgrain, navy narrow organdy, and some white taffeta. I thought it needed a little something, so I added the brads to the top corners, the other three were part of the sketch.

stamps- Paper Pretties

paper- Real Red, Night of Navy, Glorious Green, Whisper White and Prints Pack

ink-Black Stazon

tools- SU markers, navy organdy, red grosgrain, white tafetta, crystal effects, white brads, Petalloo flowers

My second card, because let's face it, who needs sleep(LOL), was made using the color challenge and Beate's weekend sketch challenge. I always forget about that one til it is too late to get in her drawing, but I loved the sketch, so I wanted to try it. The main image is from the SU set Pun Fun and was colored in using my SU markers and Aquapainter. I then highlighted certain areas with my glitter pen. To make it shiny, I covered the whole image with crystal effects. I punched out the sentiment with my small oval punch, and layered it with an oval punched out with the large one(Night of Navy). I added the brads, and then thought it looked kind of dull, so I added the dots. I liked the way they looked on the Navy, so I did it on all the navy cardstock for this card. Cute huh!! For embellishments, I added the red gingham with some white taffeta, and some red brads. The image and layers were cut out using my Cuttlebug and Nesties. I got the image from my pal Jodi(kharmagirl) cause she is SOOOO sweet!!! Thanks Jodi!!

BTW: I need someone to send this too, so if you have a little guy having a birthday or one who has been sick and needs a pick me up, let me know, and I will get it right out!! I have sent out 8RAK's this week, and would love to keep going!!

stamps-Pun Fun

paper-Night of Navy, Real Red, Glorious Green, Whisper White, and Prints Pack

ink-Black Stazon

tools- SU markers, glitter pen, red gingham, crystal effects, white tafetta, red brads, Cuttlebug, Nesties

Layered Ribbon and a Sketch!!

Did you know that they have a sketch challenge for My Favorite Things?? Well, they do!!! It is hosted by Cindy Haffner and you can find all the details in the MFT members forum. I don't know about you, but I sometimes get overwhelmed by the amount of stuff I just had to have!! This sketch challenge helps me to get out my MFT stamps and actually use them!! I also wanted to participate in the technique lovers challenge which was to stack ribbon. Easy Peasy!! I started with this yummy paper from My Mind's Eye. I stamped the main image from my Ride em Cowgirl set on both sides of the my DP. I cut out the skirt on the printed side and the sky on the reverse side. I then colored in what was left with my SU markers. I put some crystal effects on the boots to make them shiny!! The rope is hemp twine rolled up and attached with a a glue dot. I layered it on Really Rust and Chocolate Chip. The bigger panel is Chocolate Chip and the reverse side of the DP. I added a row of brads down the side. The sentiment was stamped in Chocolate Chip on Very Vanilla and punched out with my small oval punch. I added two more brads, because lets face it, at this point, what are two more gonna hurt!! The rest is pretty easy to figure out!! I will saw that I distressed almost all the edges and sponged everything with Chocolate chip to soften the edges. Don't you just love that big flower!! It is a Bazil bling blossom, the rust colored one is from Petaloo and the flower brad is something I picked up at Archivers(and I have no idea who makes it, sorry!!)
That's it for me now!! I still haven't got my house in order from my weekend long party with my girls, and DH had me make chili last night for the guys at his work, so my kitchen is horrid!! Thanks for looking and have a great day!! Don't forget to read my last post and send an RAK to Faith and her Mom, they are in need of a boost!!
stamps-Ride em Cowgirl
paper- Chocolate Chip, Really Rust, Very Vanilla, My Mind's Eye
ink-Chocolate Chip
tools- SU markers, flower brads, Bazil bling blossoms, Petaloo flowers, vanilla wide grosgrain, chocolate tafetta, hemp twine, oval punched, crystal effects, pewter brads

What a Great Day!!!

A couple of days ago I made a card for the My Favorite Things guest designer challenge. I called it Out of the Box, because it was a stretch for me!! I loved what I had done, but it was way different from what I normally do. The contest was posted on Wednesday night, and the results were posted on Saturday, and to my surprise.......I WON!!!!!YAYYYYYY!!! I have since recieved some of the sweetest emails and pm's on SCS from people wishing me well and telling me how happy they are for me. I can't wait to recieve their next new release stamps and get to post with the fabulous design team. Thank you to all of you that took the time to send me a message and congratulate me. Your words of kindness and sincere well wishes mean so much to me!!

MOM!!! I did it!!!YAYYYYY!!!

On to the good stuff, a card for today's Featured Stamper Challenge. I had my two friends staying here this weekend with me and I wasn't able to stamp all day yesterday. I am so happy Spring is here(at least for now), but those girls ran me ragged. I called them my friends because they are not technically my nieces, one is my cousin-in-law and the other is my friend's daughter(who is also a cousin to my nieces but on the other side). They wanted to match, so I had to buy them new shirts that match(thank goodness for Wal-mart clearance racks!!) Here is a picture of them!! Anyway, this week's FS over on SCS is and amazing stamper named Kristi, aka Mommyluvs2stamp. She has a fabulous gallery and as soon as I saw this card, I knew what I wanted to do. Now, since this is a CASE, I did have to change it a little. I moved the sentiment up, added a bunch of layers(ya know how I love them), changed the colors and embellishments(added a bunch, cause ya know how I love them too!!). I tried to keep the same layout, and use the same images, but with the addition of all the layers, I had to move my sentiment. I made this card to send to Faith, aka Markie's Mom. If you have been around SCS, you have most likely seen her work. She has a huge fan base, including me, and a fantastic ability to tell stories. She posts one almost everyday on her blog, and usually they are hysterically funny. Here lately though, they haven't been so. Faith's mom was hospitialized recently with several things wrong with her, the worst being Luekemia. For all the details(which I haven't commited to memory because I have a hard time thinking about stuff like this), you can visit her blog. In the mean time, Faith has found out that she is not in remission anymore for Ovarian cancer and is having to under go treatment as well. I figure, if anyone can use a pick me up right now, it is Faith and her mom. Here is a link to the thread started by our FS hostess Beth requesting RAK's for Faith and her mom. If you read through it a little bit, Faith has posted her address. Please, join me in showering Faith and her Mom(and family) with love and support!!

stamps-Women Of Life by PTI

paper-Garden Green, Rose Red, So Saffron, Whisper White

ink-Garden Green, Rose Red and So Saffron

tools-clear dew drops, clear page pebbles, white brads, green organdy, pomegranate stitched ribbon, white tafetta, spiral clip

Inspiration Challenge

Saturday's inspiration challenge over on SCS is this unique bedding by Boodalee. I don't normally do this, but I am going to post a picture of the bedding so that you will see what I was inspired by. Now at first glance, you are gonna think I am so far out in left field it is ridiculous, but remember, it is inspirational, open to interpretation!!! At least that is what I keep telling myself. Do you see it yet...keep looking...there on the head board??? It's a little red moped!!! I don't have a moped stamp, but I automatically thought of the bicycle stamp from Time For You from SU. I colored it in with my markers and paired it with Soft Sky, Ruby Red, and Chocolate Chip. I am on a satin ribbon kick, so I added that on to. The sentiment is a rub on from SU. It was in the Love and Happiness rubons that were offered as a Sellabration set. My piercing looks a little wonky in the picture, but not so much in real life, oh well, what can you do!!! This may be one of the simplest cards that I have made in a long time, but I am so pleased with it!! Isn't that image the cutest!!
That is all for me now, I am exhausted and need to get some sleep before my nieces wake me up in the AM. Thanks for looking and for all your support!! Have a great day!!
stamps-Time For You
paper- Ruby Red, Chocolate Chip, Soft Sky DSP and CS, and Whisper White
ink-black stazon
tools-chocolate chip ribbon, rub ons, paper piercer, SU markers and prismacolor cool grey marker

Always in Pomegranate

Today's limited supplies challenge over on SCS was to make a card with only one color and white. No other colors allowed!! WOW, that's a tough one!!! My cousin-in-law Mallory was here last weekend(and will be back on Saturday) and she told me that she wanted me to make her a birthday card with hearts on it. I asked her what color and she said pink, do you think this will work!! I started with a Purely Pomegranate base and layered it with Pearlescent White that I just got from the Verve Visual store, and then another layer of Purely Pomegranate. On that layer I stamped the branch from the Always set in Versamark all around the edge and embossed it in white. I then stamped one heart from the Always set in PP on white and another with Versamark on PP and embossed it in white. I cut both of them out and layered them with dimensionals. I took some of my stylized silver hardware and embossed it in white. Other than that, it is pretty easy to figure out, but if you have any questions, feel free to ask!! Thanks for looking and have a great day!!

stamps-Always and Small Script

paper-Purely Pomegranate and Pearlescent White

ink-Purely Pomegranate and Versamark
tools-white brads, white EP, pomegranate satin ribbon, stylized silver hardware

Out of the Box

Well, not technically, but this is wayyyyy out of my box. I wanted to participate in the My Favorite Things guest designer contest, and decided to challenge myself personally too. The MFT challenge was to use a background stamp for something other than a background. I used the Filigree stamp from SU to create the wallpaper for my yoga girl. Cool, but very hard to cut out. My own personal challenge was to use this piece of DP that has been sitting next to my desk forever. I have all my DP in a 12x12 milk crate file holder thingy(very technical aren't I). So I pulled my colors from it. I used More Mustard(I haven't used that in years, literally), Ruby Red and Sage Shadow(gasppp!!). I stamped the yoga girl three times, once on vanilla, once on the DP(by BoBunny) and the final time on the wallpaper I created by stamping my background stamp in RR on MM. I cut out the shirt, and the wallpaper and paper pieced them, and then colored the rest of the image in. The Polka dot DP is from the SU Ginger Blossom pack and the ribbon at the bottom is from the SU Rustic Retreat ribbon original. I colored a white Heidi Swapp flower with my Sage Shadow marker and then added the sentiment panel. Well, I hope you like it, and I hope they do to. I am really pleased for two reasons-1. I used the dp I said I would 2. I used colors I never touch. Thanks for looking and have a great day!!

stamps-Serenity Now and Filigree

paper- More Mustard, Ruby Red, Sage Shadow, Very Vanilla, Ginger Blossom and Bo Bunny DP

ink-Ruby Red and Black Stazon

tools-SU markers, Rustic Retreat SURO, Earth Element Brads, Heidi Swapp flower, circle punches, scallop punch, word window punch

This second card is from Julie(jkstieber). I hang out with her in the Person Below Me thread over on SCS and the other day she was having a bad day, so I sent her a card to cheer her up. She sent me this one back to tell me thanks and that she was doing better!! Thanks Julie!!

My New Verve

I just got my first order from Verve Visual yesterday, and I was anxious to get started with their stamps. I have been admiring them from afar, and decided to jump in. If I had waited a few days I could have got a 15%discount, what a bummer!! Oh well, I still love what I got, even if it wasn't on sale!! VV is having a guest designer sketch challenge, so I knew as soon as I got my stamps that I wanted to participate. I am not crazy about this card, but I do like it. It is also for the Ways to Use it challenge over on SCS, which is to use rub ons on your card. The sentiment is my rub on, btw!! I used one of my favorite color combos-River Rock, Basic Black and Whisper White. I stamped the images from the VV set Serenity in River Rock then used the outline stamp in Versamark and embossed it with black embossing powder. I have had a nasty headache for a couple of days, so this was really hard for me to concentrate on, if you know what I mean. I think the rest is pretty easy to figure out, but if you do have questions about anything, don't hesitate to ask. I am gonna go find someone to send this too in the Need a Lift forum!! Have a great day and thanks for looking!!

stamps-Serenity

paper-Basic Black, River Rock, Whisper White, and Ginger Blossom DSP

ink-River Rock and Versamark

tools-black organdy, black brads, black ep, SU Love &Happiness Rub ons

RAK's and an Award

A wonderfully talented and special lady........Lee........has awarded me a VERY cool and awesome award!!! It is given to bloggers who share their art and creativity making their contribution to the blogging world. Here are the rules:
1. You pick five blogs that you consider deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also contribute to the blogging community, no matter what language.
2. Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.
3. Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and the link to the blog that has given her or him the award itself.
4. Award-winner and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of Arte y Pico blog, so everyone will know the origin of this award.

So in keeping with the rules, I am awarding this to my pals

1. Laura(she just got named to the Verve Visual design team, woohoo!!)

2. Carolina(she is so super sweet and talented!!)

3. Chat(she is AMAZINGLY talented and sweet to boot)

4. Linsey(one of the most supportive and sweet people I know)

5. Lee(cause you rock, what can I say!!)

6. Silke(I love her style and her fabulous use of color)

7. Lesa(she is my pal, and fellow guest designer for good reason, she ROCKS!!)

Well, now that we have established that I can't count(since when does 5=7??), onto my RAKS!! The first one comes from my pal Lesa. It is from the Bella swap hosted on the Paper Pretties forum. Isn't she cute!! I think I need to send this one to Lee!! Lesa is also one of the new guest designers with me at Paper Pretties and I am so excited to see what she comes up with!! I know it will be fun though!!! She is also the one of the reasons I got talked into going to Texas for a shoebox swap!! I am going to go see my brother while I am there too, but I am also excited to get to meet some of my stamping idols!! Truth be told, she is the reason why I went to the Paper Pretties release party, so without her, I wouldn't be guest designer!!

The second one comes from Christie Ortman, who hand picked me to be a guest designer and completely rocks my world!! Her coloring on this is UNBELIEVABLE!! The colors are so bright and vibrant, you should see it in person!! When I recieved Christie's email about being one of her guest designers, I was overjoyed. I had just talked to my mom that day about trying out for guest designer spots, so when I got her email, it felt so good!! It made me think about one(or many) of the Oprah shows where they talk about sending positive energy out into the world to get what you want. Maybe they are onto something!!

Last, is from Charmaine thanking me for sending her a card and for her MIL. Isn't it fabulous!! She is so incredibly talented and such a gifted stamper. I go to her blog daily for inspiration!! She has such a fun style, and is so talented it isn't any wonder so many people want her on their design teams!!

Well, that is all for now, thanks for looking and have a great day!!

Time for a Sketch

The first time I saw this little( and I do mean little, it is so tiny)bench on one of Beate's cards, I knew I had to have it. I tried to be strong and not order it, then Jodi(kharmagirl) and Carolina(craftycaro) posted the cutest cards with the bicycle from this set. I was hooked!! I immediately went to buy it, and as soon as I received it got it all mounted up and ready to use. That was weeks ago, and I am just now getting around to use it. Do any of you have that problem? Do you get to the point where you have so many options, it is hard to narrow down what you want to use. I think I tried 4 different versions of this sketch, before this card popped in my head( and thank goodness it did when it did, because I was about to give up and go to bed)!! I stamped the bench(tiny tiny) on a piece of Whisper White and colored it in with my SU markers and ink pads. I used my aquapainter to blend it, and then outlined the main image with a prismacolor cool grey marker. The paper is Afternoon Tea by SU and it is paired with Chocolate Chip, Always Artichoke, and Groovy Guava. I sponged all the edges with Chocolate Chip to soften it up. Me being me, I put silver brads all over it!! I used some of my beloved Chocolate Chip satin ribbon, since someone so generously pointed out to me that they have it in one of the SU ribbon original packs(it's sad that someone had to tell me that, I am a demo ya know). Well, that is it for now!! Thanks for looking and have a great day and remember, if you want to send Leanna an RAK, just email me or check out the Need a Lift forum on SCS!!

stamps-All Holidays and Time for You

paper- Chocolate Chip, Always Artichoke, Groovy Guava, Whisper White and Afternoon Tea DSP

ink-Black Stazon and Chocolate Chip

tools-stylized silver hardware, aquapainter, SU markers, prismacolor marker, chocolate chip satin ribbon

Color Me Embarrassed

I have never been so embarrassed, well, that's a bit of a stretch, but it has been awhile!!LOL If you read my 7 random facts you know that I hate to be wrong. Well imagine my surprise when I realized today that the color challenge card I made for last night, was WRONG!! Can you hear the challenge police coming to get me?LOL I was supposed to use Apricot Appeal, and for some reason, I used Pretty in Pink, duhhhhh. The only excuse I can come up with is that I was stamping at 2am, what more can you expect, really!! Some good did come of it though because as I was going through the gallery, I stumbled upon Cindy(mothermark)'s card. She had made it to send to a special little girl named Leanna. By now, I had realized my mistake in the color combo, so I decided I would redo the challenge and make a card for her. If you are interested in sending this special little girl an RAK, check out this thread in the Need a Lift forum on SCS. I am a huge fan(stalker) of the NAL forum because I try to send out atleast 5 cards a week to people I don't know, and who aren't expecting it(speaking of that, I need to get my butt to the PO). I like to send happy mail but I really love to send them to people that need a lift!! I had talked before about a RAK group, but really only had 6 or 7 people interested, so what I had thought about doing is posting a link to a certain thread once a week and all of you that are interested can contact me or the author of the thread and send the person in need a card. What do you think??? Also, I have quite the collection of addresses, and am not shy about asking for them, so if there is someone you want to RAK, let me know, and if I don't have the address, I will get it for you!!!(I've got connections)LOL

Anyway, onto my card!! I used this weeks color combo and Julee Tilman's mojo Monday sketch. I wanted to use my other stamps that I got in the mail from Paper Pretties yesterday, so I stamped the image from Cuddle Me on Whisper White with Black Stazon and colored it in with my SU markers. I went over the whole dress with Perfect Pearls to give it some shimmer. The rest is pretty easy to figure out!! Thanks for looking and have a great day!!

stamps-Cuddle Me by Paper Pretties

paper-Apricot Appeal, Cameo Coral, Creamy Carmel, Mellow Moss, Prints Pack and Whisper White

ink-Black Stazon

tools-Nesties, cuttlebug, swiss dots folder, white taffeta, aquapainter, perfect pearls, big white brads