Happy 4th!!

Okay, so I have a lot to show you and not much time. I stayed up to late, slept to late, and now I am late!!LOL

First of all, I know we just made our announcement for the new Paper Pretties Guest Designers, but we just couldn't leave well enough alone!! We decided to promote Jackie Rakoski(babitoons) from guest designer to Jr. Design Team member!! Jackie has been around since the beginning of paper pretties and has really flourished as a designer. We love her enthusiasm and watching her grow as a designer, so we wanted her to stick around just a little while longer(we have letting go issues, what can we say)!! Taking her place will be none other than Jackie Pedro(strappystamper)!! If you haven't been to Jackies blog, you gotta go, she is FABULOUS!! Jackie was recently at our Stampin in Your Jammies party and when Christie did a little research on her, she knew that is who she wanted to take Jackies R's place. So, besides a little name confusion, we are THRILLED to have her here with us. Be sure to blurf by BOTH of their blogs and leave them a little Prettie Love!!

So, the real reason you are here is some cards right? RIGHT!! I made these two cards for the recent release party over at Paper Pretties. At the party, Charmaine issued a challenge every hour for us, and since you know I love a challenge, you know I had to play!! My first card was for the first challenge which was a sketch challenge. I started with some yummy DSP from My Minds Eye, and drew my colors from there. I chose Chocolate Chip, Soft Sky and Pumpkin Pie(yummy right). I colored two of the trees from the Soakin Up the Sun set and cut one whole one out and just some palm leaves on the other and added them for some dimension. I added three brown brads and then wrapped the whole card with some hemp twine. The sun, which was part of the sketch, was punched out and sponged heavily and then the end was cut off. I added a sentiment at the bottom using my word window punch. I just love the sentiments from this set!! I believe one of the comments I got was, "Calgon, take me away"-I think she totally got it!!LOL!! By the way, the scene was made with my reinkers and aqua painter. I saw someone doe this once where they just brushed it on and left some white, looks so much more realistic. I think I need a little more practice, but you get the idea. I also cut a slit to hide the bottom of the tree and then distressed the edges of the main card for a weathered look.

This next card was made for the second challenge which was to use your school colors. Unfortunately, mine were Maroon and White, so I had to add a little black to soften the blow of the Burgandy!! I stamped Off To School Sophia on watercolor paper and used my SU markers to color her in. I used my marker to only use which part of the sentiment that I wanted and cut it out and layered it with the SU tag punches. I used the SU star punches to make the stars, which I sanded the edges on and added some silver brads to. There is a ton on here and I used the distressed stripes folder on the burgandy panel for some texture. I guess it could have been worse. My school colors could have been orange and blue like Jodi's!!LOL!!

Well that is it for me! I am going to leave you with two pictures that give new meaning to the words HOLY CARP!! Anyone who ever talks to me, knows that is what I say to sensor myself on SCS and while commenting, honestly, I know I learned it from someone there, just don't remember who!! Anyway, my nephew Jake called yesterday and asked if I could receive picture texts. Well, my phone is a RELIC and I can't but I can retrieve them through the internet. Imagine my surprise when I opened up my text. HOLY CARP!! Yes people that is what it is. My nephew caught it in the lake behind my sisters house. My BIL had to get in the boat and paddle Jake around while he wore this sucker down. Russell says at one point it was pulling the boat!! Can you believe the size of that thing!!

Hope you all have a happy and safe 4th of July!! Be safe!! Be sure to come back tomorrow for some FUN STUFF!!

Purrrrfect Friends

Hello again everyone!! Here I am in my second week of being Melanie's guest designer and I am still IN LOVE with this stamp set!!! I have used all the main images from her new Cuddles and Hugs set now, but I still have a ton of unused sentiments! She really gives you the most for your money!! I used this super cute image of the two kitties holding tails, aren't they sweet!!! I colored them in with my SU markers and aquapainter. I layered them with Close to Cocoa and So Saffron which were both cut out using my Nesties. I wanted it to look like a painting on a wall, so I used some Honey Pie pby Cosmo Cricket paper at the top and then put a piece of Close to Cocoa at the bottom that had been run through my Cuttlebug with the rough stripes folder. I added some silver brads in the corners, at the top, and at the last minute I decided to add some photo corners, which I am still not sure about, but I really love them so I left them! And you all know, I love my ribbon, so I put some on a spiral clip and around the center of the card. That is all for me for now!! Thanks so much for stopping by and a HUGE thanks to you Melanie for making me your Guest Designer, I am still so HONORED!!

Have a great day!!

stamps-Cuddles and Hugs

paper-Close To Cocoa, So Saffron, Very Vanilla, watercolor and Cosmo Cricket Honey Pie

ink-Black Stazon

tools-silver brad, SU markers, photo corners punch, aqua painter, Cuttlebug, nesties, rough stripes folder, spiral clip, all ribbon from SU

Okay I know...

I am totally in love with this stamp, but seriously, it is so super cute!! I saw one of the other Prettie Girls use Coopers sentiment with her and I LOVE IT!! Now THIS is totally me in the morning!!LOL!! I made this card using the sketch challenge on SCS, but I had to flip it on its end. I don't normally do that, but I really wanted to use this Bunny Slippers Sophia image I had colored last night. I just love purple!! My color combo is a new one on me, but I kinda like it. It is Lovely Lilac, So Saffron and Chocolate Chip, which just goes to show, you can make anything look good when you pair it with good old Chocolate Chip. LOL!! I added some brown American Crafts brads and some more polka dotted ribbon from Jody's share, and it was done!!(and not a spiral clip in sight, yep I am totally patting myself on the back) I had a ton of card stock left from the shoebox swap I went to this weekend, so be prepared to see lots of white Swiss dots around here!! Thanks for stopping by again, and I will see you all around!! Have a great day!!

stamps-Bunny Slippers and Look Out World by Paper Pretties

paper-Chocolate Chip, Lovely Lilac, So Saffron, and Whisper White

ink- Black Stazon

tools- circle punches, ribbon, SU markers, Cuttlebug, Swiss dots, aqua painter, brown brads

Circle, Circles, Circles

Man, what a PARTY last night over at Paper Pretties!! We are so excited, we actually crashed the server!! How awesome is that!!! LOL!! There were a ton of new faces and we are so happy that all of you took the time to join us? So, what did you all order, I am dying to know!! LOL!! Also, a big congrats to Lisa Helmts who won our Cutie Pie contest!! WOOHOO!! You go girl!! her card is on the front page of the Paper Pretties site so go check it out!!
Two weeks ago Danielle challenged all the Prettie Girls to make a card using circles. Thank goodness, because her last challenge was a masculine card and it almost killed us all!! I chose to use this months Stamp Of The Month Club set Bunny Slippers. If you didn’t get signed up before the first she won’t be available to the public until August. Trust me, if you haven’t signed up, you totally want to, next months stamp will be featured on my blog this week and it is too stinkin’ cute!! What I love about Christies SOTMC is that fact that you get your stamps before they are released, so anyone can feel like a part of the design team(so if you are curious what it feels like, this is a super awesome way to feel that!!). Anyway, back to my card. I colored my Bunny Slippers Sophia with my SU markers and aqua painter. I then cut her out using my circle Nesties and layered her with Close To Cocoa and Pretty In Pink. The DP has circles on it(right??) and is from the SU Berry Bliss pack. I then tied some YUMMY ribbon I got from a share with Jody Morrow. The sentiment is from the Paper Pretties set, One of Those Days, and I thought it would work perfect with Sophia. It was cut out with my key tag punch from SU and then layered on circles. This card is already on its way to Joni!! I am so proud I got it mailed out before Wed.!! LOL!! Next weeks challenge will be Christie schallenge to use green and white on a card. Julie is this weeks challenger, and I can’t WAIT to see what she has cooked up for us!! Be sure to blurf around and see what the other Prettie Girls(listed in my sidebar) have for you to look at, and if you wanna play along just leave me a link to your card!!! Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!!
Stamps-Bunny Slippers and One of Those Days
Paper-Close to Cocoa, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White and Berry Bliss
Ink-Black Stazon
Tools-SU markers, aqua painter, Cuttlebug, swiss dots, Circle nesties, circle punches, key tag punch, white brads

BTW-You should TOTALLY go over to Paper Pretties and sign up for the gallery, the cards from last nights party ROCKED!! If you do, be sure to leave them some love in the form of a comment!!

Soakin' Queen

It is really late, but when I saw today’s color challenge, I HAD to stay up and make something with it. Emily is celebrating the soon to be retiring in colors by featuring one in each color challenge up until they leave us for good, soooo sad!! In today’s challenge she actually picked two-Purely Pomegranate and Wild Wasabi, and paired them with Certainly Celery. I LOVE IT!!! Isn’t this Sophie cute?? This set is by Paper Prettiesand is called Soakin Up the Sun. It has some more super cute sayings and accessories besides what you see here. It is being released tonight(Tuesday July 1st) in the Paper Pretties forum at 7pm CST. Charmaine will be posting a challenge every hour and there will be prizes not to mention new stamps and some great conversation!! Be sure to join us, we would love to see you there!! For my card, I used last weeks sketch challenge which I loved. I stamped my Sophie on white cardstock with Black ink. I then used my markers, aqua painter and re-inkers to color her in. I added some glitter to the flower on her suit and colored her sunglasses, the dogs collar, and the straw with my silver pen. The circles were made with my circle nesties and I sponged the sky and sand on the smallest circle with Soft Sky for the sky and Creamy Carmel for the sand. I cut out Sophie, the dogs drink(isn’t that too funny), and Sophies slippers and glued them all on. I added some silver clips with ribbon on them and put some white brads in the four corners. The last thing I added was my sentiment, doesn’t it ROCK!! I sooo want to be her right now!! That’s it for me today, be sure to come to the Paper Pretties Stampin in Your Jammies party, it is sure to be a TON OF FUN!!
Stamps- Soakin Up The Sun
Paper- Purely Pomegranate, Wild Wasabi, Certainly Celery, Whisper White and DSP
Ink-Black Stazon, Soft Sky, Wild Wasabi, Purely Pomegranate and Creamy Carmel
Tools- spiral clips, ribbon, SU markers, aqua painter, white brads, silver pen, square punches

Bunny Slippers Sophia

Isn’t she just the cutest??? She is so me!!! I LOATHE mornings. When I wake up, I need about an hour before I am ready to talk and be talked to, before that, you might as well leave me alone because I’m not to friendly and I’m not very talkative. Unfortunately, my DH wakes up talking so mornings can get a little rough around here. I didn’t use to be like that, but for some reason, I wake up grouchy, and take my word(and my dh’s) the worst thing you can say to me is “Is someone grouchy today?”. It’s libel to get you hurt or at least screamed at!! LOL!! I colored my Bunny Slippers Sophia with my SU markers and aqua painter. The paper is from DCWV Nana’s Nursery Baby Girl stack(man that’s a mouth full). I added some white and pink taffeta as well as some celery. I really hope that Stampin’ Up comes out with more colors of this, I swear it is my favorite ribbon and since they have introduced it, I have used 4 rolls of the white taffeta!!! I tried to follow Julee Tilman’s Mojo Monday sketch, but Sophia was a little too tall, I just hope they don’t call the challenge police on me!! LOL!! For all you layer lovers out there, would you get a load of all these??? 16-that may be a new record!! LOL!! Plus, it wouldn’t be a card by me if it didn’t have some white brads on it, now would it!!
SOOOO, do you wanna know how you can get this stamp BEFORE it is released to the public?? I thought you would. Just go to the Paper Pretties home page and click the Stamp of The Month Club at the top. If you sign up before tonight at 11:59pm you will be able to get this stamp before it gets released next month!! How cool is that!!! Just be sure to tell them that Jessie sent you(or if you wanna put my blog name, I get credit for that too!! LOL!!). Since I have seen the next couple months worth of stamps, I can tell you honestly, that you TOTALLY wanna get in now because they just keep getting better from here, and seriously, can you get any cuter than Bunny Slippers Sophia???
Also, today is the last day to enter the Cutie Pie contest, so get those entries emailed to Christie@paperpretties.net by 8pmCST tonight!! Finally, don’t forget about the Paper Pretties release party on Tuesday night in the Paper Pretties forum. We hope to see you there!!
Stamps-Bunny Slippers Sophia
Paper- Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery, Whisper White, and Nana’s Nursery
Ink- Black Stazon
Tools-white and pink taffeta, celery grosgrain, white brads, corner punch, Su markers, aqua painter, circle punches.

FINALLY!!!!!

I couldn’t wait for this day to get here to FINALLY get to introduce you to the new Guest Designers for Paper Pretties. Christie and I are so proud of this group of girls and can’t wait to spend the next three months getting to know them and seeing what they can do. Wanna know who they are? I thought you would!! Starting today, our new Guest Designers are Carolina Buchting, Kirsten Dubosque, and Donna Baker. We also would like to welcome back Jackie Rakoski for another term as guest designer. Be sure to go check out there blogs to see what they have cooked up for Tuesday nights release and to congratulate them!! Also, on the Paper Pretties homepage you can find them in our guest room, so be sure to go read all about them!! Don’t forget: Paper Pretties is having a release party on Tuesday night in the Paper Pretties forum at 7pm CST. Charmaine will be posting a challenge every hour and you could win some great prizes. Also, we know you have bought them, why not use them to win free stamps?? That’s right I am talking about our Cutie Pie contest. You have until Monday night at 8pmCST to enter the contest. Just email a picture of your entries to Christie@paperpretties.net. The winner will receive all of this months releases for free, which includes this super cute stamp I used today. This stamp is called Off to School Sophia and it was the first of the Stamp of the Month club stamps. Be sure to sign up for the SOTMC at Paper Pretties too. You get your stamp a MONTH before it releases to the public. The July release is Bunny Slippers Sophia and she is TOO CUTE!! You have until 11:59 Monday night to sign up to get this super cute stamp before it releases(which won’t be until August so you better RUN NOW!!). Be sure to tell them that I sent you by either putting my blog or my name in the “where did you hear about us” line!!
Anyway, back to the card. I used my Off to School Sophia and stamped her with Black Stazon on watercolor paper. I colored her with my aqua painter and SU markers. I made this card as part of the Featured Stamper challenge over on SCS. This weeks featured stamper is Michele(chelemom) and she has a fantastic galleryand blog. I chose this cardof hers to CASE and only added a couple of brads to the bottom, I am so proud of myself!!LOL!! Be sure to stay tuned for more Prettie Peaks, and be sure to check out all the other Pretties blogs and our new designers!! Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!!
Stamps-Off to School
Paper-Real Red, Old Olive, Whisper White, Summer Picnic DSP and watercolor
Ink-Black Stazon
Tools-SU markers, aqua painter, silver brads, olive grosgrain, red gingham, swiss dots, Cuttlebug

Southern Illinois Card Frenzy

Okay, so I have a ton to tell you about today's swap. First of all, I finally got to meet Shirley(wannabcre8tive) and Jenn(jenn1203). It was awesome getting to meet the other two people that have kept our thread going on SCS. We were the ONLY three chatting everyday, and got to know each other really well!! Secondly, I WON the nametag contest, WOOOOHOOO!!! Go me!! I got this awesome gift package from Starlit Studio as my prize. Here is a picture of it all inside it's pretty tin. GORGEOUS!! Here is a picture of the loot inside!! It had scrabble pieces, Basic Grey magnetic snaps, 9 memory frames and a package of Memory Glass, heart and key charms, brads, red star Sakura glitter pen, white Inkssentials pen, key charms and a chest. Starlit Studios was one of the fabulous businesses that answered the call to donate to our swap and we couldn't be more thankful!!

Waiting at our station when we got into the room to set up our stations was a FULL SET of Rubbernecker stamps!! Do you see how stinkin cute my set is!! WOW!! I had no idea I was gonna get all this free loot, but seriously, it rocked!! Also at our station was a free stamp from Alotta Rubber Stamps and from Clear Dollar Stamps, which totally rocked!! And you see those cute little Peppermint patties, well, you won't find them here anymore, but they were awesome too!!LOL!! Also, one of the ladies(actually two for me) took the time to print out a coupon for a local scrapbook store that I had NEVER HEARD OF!!! How could they hide such a thing from me. To think, I was driving right past this little jewel on my way to Joanns and Hobby Lobby! I can't wait to go see what they have for me to spend too much money on!!LOL!! Thanks Trudy and Thala!! I totally need help being enabled!!

Next, between the entrie fees and all the donated stuff(Rubbernecker, My Favorite Things, I Brake For Stamps, Clear Dollar Stamps, Rubber Stamp Avenue, Alota Rubber Stamps, Starlit Studios, Carol Payne(SU demo), Christy Sullivan(The Angel Co. demo), and Thela Chestosky(SU)), everyone got a door prize, and some people got two. My friend that was supposed to go with me, had to back out at the last minute and the ladies that hosted the swap insisted on making sure she got her door prize, free set, and a card from everyone. I spent the last couple of hours working on cards for her because I got done early. Some of the ladies even went ahead and made theirs for her, and I couldn't thank them enough, it will mean so much to her!!

Lastly, here is a full picture of my card, I don't know what happened to the one from the last post, but it disappeared, so here it is. That's it for me now, thanks for stopping by!!

Show Off!!

Okay, so maybe I am starting to sound like a broken record, but I love Paper Pretties!! This is my second time using Wade E. Bug, and I gotta say, he gets cuter everytime!! I stamped him with Black Stazon on Whisper White and colored him in using my SU markers and aquapainter. I cut him and his layers out with my circle nestabilities. My layout follows Danielles sketch challenge from the Paper Pretties forum...yep we have challenges too!! Danielle hosts a challenge everyweek and there are prizes and everything, you really should check it out!! Anyway, the paper is from Imagine That and the colors are Only Orange and Green Galore. I added some white brads to every corner and some ribbon around the middle.

How would you like to own the super cute stamp from this post BEFORE it is even available to the public? I thought you would!! This is our July Stamp of The Month Club stamp over at Paper Pretties and you have until 11:59pm on the 30th to sign up for it!! She will not be released to the public until August 1st, so you better act now!! Be sure when filling out the subscription form that you tell them I sent you(either my name or my blog's name-whichever!!)!!!
And don't forget, Paper Pretties is having a "Stampin In Your Jammies" release party on July 1st in the Paper Pretties forum starting at 7pmCST. Our hostess with the mostest Charmaine will be issuing a challenge every hour and a winner will be picked from the entries!! Please join us for a fun night of conversation, stamping, and all around FUN!!
One more thing-be sure to enter our Cutie Pie contest. The winner will recieve all of this releases stamps for free!! Send your entries using your Paper Pretties stamps to Christie at christie@paperpretties.net by 8pmCST on the 30th. A winner will be chosen from the entries!!

Shoebox Swap

Tomorrow(Saturday) is my first ever Southern Illinois shoebox swap. I am so excited!! It is only 25mins. from my house which is way better than the last one I went to in Texas!!LOL!! I have to tell you, I had the hardest time designing a card for this swap. I don't know why, but the 10-15min. time limit really throws me. After being at the swap in Arlington, I learned by stamping with lots of other people, that everyone works at a different pace, and some things that I think are easy are really hard for others. I wanted to make my card as easy as possible, but it still be cute and worthy, ya know what I mean. So a few hours later, a VERY sore hand, and this is what I came up with. Did I mention they are having a name tag contest too? What do you think? I tried to make it look like a strawberry so it would match my card. I used my oval nesties to make it and can you believe I put 23brads on that sucker!! I swear I am hopeless!! For the card, I did everything but stamp the two strawberries and cut out the top of the green one. All they really have to do is put it all together and punch a lot of holes. Oh ya, they have to stamp the sentiment too. I am pleased with my card, but I don't know. I really wanted to put some crystal effects on the strawberry, but it would never have dried in the time limit!!

So, have you entered the Cutie Pie contest? You have until 8pmCST on Monday night, so you better get to it!! Did you sign up for the Stamp Of The Month Club? What you waiting for!! Go to the post below this for all the details and be sure to tell them I sent ya!!! Have a Prettie Day!!