My First DD/DDA Challenge!!

I am SO excited, today is my first time posting in the DD/DDA(Dirty Dozen/Dirty Dozen Alumni) challenge!! This months challenge is called Spook or Treat. The challenge was to make a card or treat holder with a Halloween theme. Also, you were to use googlie eyes on your project and the only restriction is that you were not allowed to use pumpkins. "This means no images with animals on pumpkins, holding pumpkins, thinking about pumpkins, growing pumpkins, going to their Mom's for pumpkins .... don't even think about it! No pumpkins!!"(that is a direct quote!!!) I decided, since it was also Celebrating My Favorite Things day(just thought I would let you know that if you do make a card for this, it is supposed to be Pink, Black and White to be entered for the prize...I always forget that part, LOL), that I was going to use my Monster Squad set. I paper pieced both the roof and the house with some Ghostly Greetings DSP from SU. I stamped the house again and cut out just the windows and the door and glued them on top. For the spaces between the railing and the scallop on the roof, I used my white gel pen. This sketch is also the MFT sketch from this past week( that I just now finally got time to do!!). I used my googlie eyes where I would have normally used brads and as the "O" in Trick OR Treat. Isn't it CUTE!!Well, that is it for me for now!! Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!! Check out the other girls creations right here!!

stamps-Monster Squad

ink- Black Stazon

paper- Old Olive, Basic Black, Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White and GhostlyGreetings DSP

tools-white gel pen, googlie eyes, Cuttlebug, Circle Nesties, circle punches from SU, ribbon from SU and Pink Hedgehog Paper Crafts

Wanna See My Cake?

Here is the diaper cake that I made for my stepmom to take to a shower as her gift!! I used a ton of Offray Baby Boy ribbon, SU buttons, silver brads, the blue DP's are from American Traditions Designs and the yellow DP is from the DCVW Baby Boy stack. The yellow ribbon is from Papertrey. The stars were made with my SU star punches. I used ribbon to tie the pacifiers around the bears legs. The ruffle at the bottom is quilt binding. The bear and pacifiers were purchased at Walmart. Isn't it CUTE!! My friend Susan gave me all the wonderful instructions to make these, so if you wanna make one of your own, here is the link to her tutorial!!

Featured Stamper Sunday

I have been playing in my craft room today, but not in the good way...yep, I have been cleaning. I still for the life of me can't figure out why I don't clean as I go...it would be so much easier, but I digress. I finally found the bottom, and after making a diaper cake for my step mom, Paula, to take to a shower, I got to work on my card for today's Featured Stamper challenge. Today's FS is Emily(Ink-E). I don't know that I had ever been to her fabulous gallery, but I am so happy I have now...she is super talented! I chose this card and got to work!! I wanted to use my SUPER CUTE new Snowmen For Peace set from Whipper Snapper. It was one of the new cling sets by Anna Wight released this month. I love it because you can stamp all of the pieces separate(scarf, hat, bird), which makes it so much easier to paper piece, plus it gives you a bunch more options for this cute little guy! The DSP on this card is from the SU mini catalog and is called Ski Slope; the ribbon is also featured in the mini catalog and is called Alpine. I colored what little bit of my snowman that I had to with my SU markers and added some white liquid applique to the bottom to make my snow. The ribbon on my spiral clip is from the SU big catalog(red taffeta and chocolate chip taffeta). Don't you just LOVE that sentiment?? It is so CUTE!!

Well, that is it for me now, I will post a picture of the cake I made soon!! Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!!

Some Birthday Rak's

Here are some fabulous cards I recieved in the mail for my birthday!! The first one is from Vera Schoeters. Vera and I are on the Great Swaps Girls together. Thanks so much Vera! My next card came from Jessica Diedrich, our newest Prettie Girl. Isn't it AWESOME!! Look at all the bling!! Finally, this last card came from Denise Marzec(peanutbee). Her coloring on here is GORGEOUS!! She also sent this to me to congratulate me on my DH and I's 4th anniversary and my joining the Dirty Dozen. Thanks Denise, you rock!!

And the WINNERS are....

SO are you ready for the winners!!!

I used Random.org to pick my winners..the first number listed will get the GRAND prize then the next two will get my other two prizes!! SO here we go!!

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:

62
26
119
Timestamp: 2008-10-18 05:29:19 UTC

So, the first prize goes to

Debbie/Phx AZ

Jessie my dear, dear girl. I have never and I mean never dreaded a birthday. I believe every year should be a wonderful celebration of our birth. I turned 50 two years ago and literally celebrated the whole month. I have learned with age the wisdom to know that it is better to be grateful for what we have as opposed to looking at what we do not. May you have many more birthdays (dreaded or not) and may God bless you always.Debbie/Phx AZ

Second Prize goes to:

Nina said...
I turned 58 on Oct 9 and my dear sister (7 years younger) commented that I'm almost 60!! So I pouted for a few minutes then decided there's nothing I can do about it -- plus it's still 2 years away!! Actually I've never worried about any birthdays. I've enjoyed every different phase of my life so far and expect (and hope) to continue enjoying. Don't dread birthdays --just have fun and look forward to what each new year brings. I'm pretty new to stamping -- took me a long time to find this joy!! So you never know what's around the corner. Happy Birthday and have a piece of cake for me!!
October 12, 2008 10:28 PM

And last, but not least, third prize goes to:

Karen B said...
Well, I remember when I was 39 and I was dreading my 40th birthday. I just wasn't ready to call myself forty and I kept telling everyone I wouldn't be 40. Well, my friends had a party for me and when it came time to celebrate, the person who put on the party thought I was turning 41!! (not 40). All my cards said "Happy 41st Birthday!!". I didn't even have to get used to being 40-- I was already 41!! It was funny though.Enjoy your days. Karen
October 17, 2008 10:22 PM

Congrats Debbie, Nina and Karen!! Email me as soon as you can so that I can get your goodies out to you!! Thank you so much girls for your comments, and to all of you out there that commented too!! I really appreciate hearing that I was not alone!! I promise, no more worrying about the whole birthday thing...atleast until next year!!

I am going to post pictures of what they won here at the bottom of the post. Not pictured with the Grand Prize is a BUNCH of ribbon from American Crafts!!

Inspiration Challenge

I really should be in bed, but when I saw today's Inspiration Challenge, I knew exactly what I wanted to do, and who I needed to send it to. This card is going out to a friend of mine who recently lost someone very close to her. I really dislike having to make sympathy cards, but they are a part of life, so I am slowly adjusting. This set by There She Goes really helps to make it easy. It is full of beautiful images and peaceful sentiments. I used this pillow as my inspiration, but used Kiwi Kiss instead of olive. I would lie to you and tell you I like Kiwi better, but it was already out, so I used it. Since this card is pretty self explanatory, I will leave the major details out. Thanks for stopping by again, and I am getting ready to pick the winners of my candy and head to bed!! Have a great day!!

Finally, I STAMPED!!

So, I haven't had the energy to stamp this week....I think is was the thought of the impending birthday and the stress from the release that had me so tired. I am hoping to be back to normal soon!! I kind of had to force this card, so I don't know that it is my BEST work, but I still like it. I made it for Beate's Weekend Sketch challenge as well as the SCS limited supplies challenge. The LSC was to use eyelets and one ribbon, blue, only one DP, and no tools. I used my Urban Garden DSP and paired it with Not Quite Navy and Kiwi Kiss. The image, from the SU Upsy Daisy set, was stamped once with Not Quite Navy and then again to create a shadow(I didn't reink it between times so that it was lighter). I added some silver eyelets to the corners of the card base and main image. The sentiment is from the There She Goes set, Here For You. This card is going to be going to my friend Vicky who lost her husband suddenly earlier this week. If you would like to send her a card, email me and I will get you her address. The ribbon is the new satin Kiwi Kiss ribbon and it is so YUMMY!! Okay, that is it for me now, I am off to try to stamp more and to get photos of my CANDY!! Thanks for stopping by and have a great night!!

Look....

at what the Prettie Girls have done!! They are throwing a virtual birthday party in my honor...what a bunch of sweeties!! Be sure to go around and check out their creations, and if you haven't signed up for my blog candy, better get to it!!

Charmaine
Christie
Danielle
Jackie P
Jackie R
Jessica D
Jillian
Joni
Jules

My Week Of FUNNNN!!

Okay ladies...I never got around to posting the picture of what I have for ya, but never fear, it is a good one!! I have decided, since this has been such a huge week for me that I will keep this open until midnight tonight, and then I am going to pick three winners, a grand prize and two runners up..one for each day of my wonderful week!! Stay tuned!!

ETA: So, I changed the title of my post, not because I am feeling better about my impending birthday, but because who can say it is a week of torture when you get to be a Dirty Girl!! OH, and by the way....I have now OFFICIALLY met all my stamping goals, wahooo!! Now to come up with some NEW goals!!

So, here lately, I haven't been feeling all that well. I get up in the mornings and it feels as if I have this HUGE weight on my chest. At first, I seriously thought I was sick, and then I realized the REAL reason why I was feeling this way......I turn 30 on Friday......GAGGGGGG!!!!
I have been complaining to anyone who will listen for WEEKS that I can't possibly be 30, that I would like to cancel my birthday due to lack of interest, but inevitably, it is coming. That's when my pal Jodi told me to think of the alternative. She told me to think of all the great things in my life, and not all the things I was worried about(you know, the economy, my inability to have kids, the fact that I haven't reached all my stamping goals) . So, why not celebrate in style, and share it with all of YOU!!!! So, in honor of this horrific occasion, and my upcoming anniversary, I am having a huge blog candy giveaway(my anniversary is the 16th, 4yrs..WOW!!)!! In order to be included in the give away, leave a comment on this post telling me about your most dreaded birthday(doesn't have to be your 30th, just your most dreaded up until this point in your life). The list of FABULOUS stuff you can win is still being compiled, but I will finish it tomorrow and take a picture for you all to see!! Thanks for playing and GOOD LUCK!!

I've Got a Dirty Little(okay huge) Secret!!

We interupt this regularly scheduled Prettie Wednesday post to share with you some breaking news...yours truly is a DIRTY GIRL!!!!WAHOOO!!! I FINALLY did it!! One month, and a few LONG days ago, Jenn Blacer herself called me to ask me if I would like to be a Dirty Girl. Once I quit crying and screaming(inside, not on the phone, who could scream at her, she is so sweet), I immediately said YES YES YES. I mean, seriously, who can say no to that?? So, I have been keeping this HUGE secret..which I will be honest, has been eating at me!! I am super excited to be sharing a "room" with the SUPER TALENTED Lisa Zappa(lzappa). Check her out at her blog, ShabbyChick Junk. Congrats roomie, what a ride!! Know what's funny, I had my "pick my name " contest on here, and the DAY after I posted it, Jenn called me!! To keep it a secret, I went ahead and picked a winner and had Jenn change it...but no offense, I will take Splicoast Dirty Dozen over the Layer Queen anyday!!

Okay, back to the business at hand!! Here is my card for Prettie Wednesday! Two weeks ago, Jodi(kharmagirl) challenged us to make a card using Chocolate Chip, Regal Rose and Pumpkin Pie. Lucky me, I had just ordered some Sweet Always paper from SU, and it worked perfectly for this challenge. I used the Look Who's Perky set, and I paper pieced my image. I then layered it with the challenge colors and did some piercing. The polka dotted layer is the reverse side of the paper I pieced with. I stamped my sentiment directly on it, and then layered it with some Chocolate Chip. What you can't see is that I did a TON of piercing, and then covered it all up...smart huh, NOT!! Anyway, the sketch is Beates' Weekend Sketch Challenge. I did add some ribbon to the side and my silver brads. Of course, what would a card be without my spiral clips, huh?? And to all of you that were worried, never fear, I found a place that sells them, and I ordered 100, wahoo!!!

So now I am pooped,and I am headed for bed. Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!! Be sure to check out the other Prettie Girls to see what they have been up to!! This weeks challenger is Jackie R., so I will be anxious to see what she has in store for us. Speaking of Prettie Girls...did you hear we have a new Prettie Girl!! Welcome Jessica Diedrich to our wonderful family!! She is super talented and sweet, and I can't wait to see what she can do!!

Julie Masse
Charmaine Ikach
Jillian Winters
Danielle Lounds
Jodi Collins
Jackie Rakoski

Jackie Pedro