Thursday, January 31, 2013

February SOTM Blog Hop


Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!  We will be featuring February's SOTM, which is called Home Sweet Home, an elegantly detailed set of 4 oversized sentiment stamps.  If you have come here from ANNETTE'S BLOG, you are on the right path!

This month we have 60+ Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM (and other great CTMH products) on their blogs. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!

This month I used a sketch from Retro Sketches to start my project. I chose only one color of cardstock (Whisper) and two inks (Whisper and Slate) to create this card. Inspired by the Moxie Fab World Stamp with a Home-made Stamp Challenge, I created three stamps of my own to support the lovely mixed font sentiment. I created a speckled background using burlap ribbon wrapped around a block, I stamped the studded border using a self adhesive Sparkle stuck to a block, and I stamped the base for the flower cluster using the filigree edge of the IKEA wastebaskets I keep on my Stamp Pad tables!
Can you believe that pretty filigree background texture came from a garbage can? I speckled the Art Philosophy flowers with the Burlap ribbon "stamp" before distressing them with my Slate Pigment Ink pad. I like to work over the petal of flat flowers with the back, rounded end of my piercing tool on the back of my piercing mat to give them curve and dimension when creating these layered flowers. Plus I used a bit of our new Slate Washi Tape in the background - I was so excited to see that in the new book!

I popped up a few of the lines of the sentiment stamp for more texture and interest. Here you can really see the burlap texture of that "stamp" I made. I found it easier to control the texture if I trimmed off the bound edges of the burlap and only used the center strip wrapped around my block. I'm linking this to the Heart 2 Heart All That Glitters challenge because the layered glitter button flower centers, which really brings the eye to the floral focal point on this card.

Now "Hop" on over to TERESA'S BLOG to see what cuteness she's been creating with her inky paws! Be sure to visit all the Consultants' Blogs to soak in the great crafting and SOTM ideas. Remember, this SOTM will be gone at the end of February.  Contact your CTMH Consultant (or click here) to see how you can get this stamp set for just $5!

Here are some other projects I have made using this Stamp of the Month!
Team Meeting Sneak Peek Card
Home Is...Card
Freshly Made Sneak Peek Card

And here's our first Friday Favorite Things giveaway of the new catalog! Check out the new catalog online and let me know which new paper packet is your favorite - I might be sending it to you next week!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for hoppin' by!

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Monday Listicles...almost

OK - I'm writing this listicles on Monday, but I can't post it until Wednesday 'cause I have too much to share this week. Stash over at Northwest Mommy has tasked us to write a list of 10 Things You Thought As A Child You Would Do/Be...

10 Things I Thought I Would Do/Be as a Child

1. Teacher - Becoming a teacher is pretty much the only career path I seriously considered. My decision was more about what KIND of teacher I'd be, which was a music teacher, for 5 years. I'm a five year burnout, folks...or I just figured out I could make more money as an admin at a big Tech company with sickeningly, amazingly, unable-to-believe-it reduction in work hours and no yard duty. Teaching in a classroom is totally awesome. A career as a specialist teacher in public schools...
Fresh out of college, engaged and ready to start my 1st year as a "real" teacher

2. Mother - which I am, currently, mom to three littles who occasionally make me long for the organized chaos of that aforementioned teaching career. But not often!
Preggo with number 3...and yes, we are done!

3. Independent - I had a picture of myself in my head, living in a little apartment with arched doorways, lots of plants on the patio and a cat or two. Quiet, independent, and nothing like my real life now.

4. Taller - I'm 5'1" if I stand up really really tall...and I don't do well in heels. Oh, well.
As a high school senior, second from the left, front row...in low heels. Still short.

5. Calmer - When I first started teaching I was super duper patient. Now, after 6 years of child induced sleep deprivation, not so much. I'm still trying though...

6. Slimmer - OK, I did hit a c cup in seventh grade (TMI? sorry...), but I was slim all the way through to college, despite what my preference for XL sweatshirts and baggy jeans may have indicated. I've lost thirty pounds and now I'm stuck. If you tell me to exercise I may have to poke you in the eye.

7. Baker - and now we are gluten free...I loved to bake even as a young girl, and my only regret about the gluten free thing is that Pinterest wasn't around when I was busy not achieving number 6!

8. Well rested - I used to hop out of bed early in the morning to putter about and wonder how my hubby could just literally sleep all day. Now we have three super early birds who get up every day between 4 and 5 in the morning, and I'd kill to have a reason to even bother owning an alarm clock. If they stay asleep until 5:30 it's a miracle.

9. Gardener - I have not one but two thumbs of black death. My husband calls new plants I bring home "victims". I am a terrible gardener who lives in the green luciousness of Oregon for Pete's sake and still can't grow zucchini. But I'm awesome at the farmer's market!
2005 Caribbean Cruise - also the year I found out I actually have curly hair. Who knew?
10. World Traveler - Well, I've been to Canada, and the Caribbean (on a cruise with CTMH). So I've got some work to do there. Although right now I'd probably spend so many hours sleeping and reading if I were on vacation for a week that I might as well book myself into a local motel next to one of our few fav gluten free eats and save some bucks. But someday...when I grow up...

I hope you'll check back on Friday for a special Friday Favorite Things Giveaway and Blog Hop!

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Tuesday Tips CASE

This week for Tuesday Tips I created a card for my team meeting swap using my favorite Honeycomb stamp set  and In The Background (both available in just a couple of days!!). I used the sketch from CAS(E) this Sketch, with a color inspiration from The Play Date Cafe.

My tip for today is that, while you won't find this super popular hexagon shape on my normal Cricut go-to's Art Philosophy or Artiste, if you dig into your stash you will find it on the much older cartridge Accent Essentials! I did these hexagons at 1 inch matted onto a 1 1/4" hexagon from Accent Essentials. I cut the sentiment on Artiste, and popped it up with itty bitty slivers of 3-D Foam tape.
 And since it's Tuesday tips, here's a little peek at my current Jamberry shields - I got my new Holiday shields in and I couldn't wait to put them on! I'm wearing a combo of Hugs and Kisses with Blooming Hearts in the newer thinner material and I love them! I was worried that the black ink I got all over my hands was stamping with would stain the Jams, but they just wiped clean! 
And here's a closer look at that Art Philosophy butterfly. I inked her up using a combo of Sweet Leaf and Topiary alcohol markers, then stamped the damask hexagon over each wing to add the texture. A swipe of black ink on the edges and a couple of sparkles and this butterfly was ready to soar!

Thanks for stopping by for Tuesday Tips!

Monday, January 28, 2013

Team Meeting Sneak Peek Card

Hooray! I'm so excited because today my team is coming over for our monthly Monday Motivations team meeting!We're going to be making this card, which I whipped up using the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches and the color combo from Color Throwdown.  I chose Spring Iris and Purple Sparkles, plus Sweet Leaf and New England Ivy for the leaves. I'm linking this to the Moxie Fab World Make Your Own Background Paper challenge, since this card is all built on one simple piece of Cardstock!

The stamp sets used are the February SOTM (coming soon!), In the Background, and a bit of Honeycomb (my favorite new set) which I used to give the smaller flower some texture. I stamped the background with that big sentiment, then sanded all over before applying the banner sentiment and flowers.

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Jamberry Sale!

Good morning, Stamping Friends! I tend to be a jump in with both feet kind of gal, and a collector of pretty things...so I might, maybe, possibly have collected quite a stash of Jams!  So I'm clearing out my stash of Jamberry shields to make room for the new catalog that's coming in March. 

I am busily stamping away in my StampPad today, so this sale will be first paid, first served, and while supplies last. Email me with your choices (or pic requests) and I will respond asap with a paypal invoice or the pics you need. Enjoy!

Jamberry Sheets - $10 and No shipping! 


Teal Butterfly
Purple Fishnet
Black Chevron
MultiColored Chevron
Blue Chevron
Colorful Polka Dot
Autumn Flowers
Modern Floral (Aqua, Sunflower, Navy)
Teal Criss Cross
Orange and Black Horizontal Stripe
Blue Hexagon
Red White and Blue Stars
Decorative Blue
Decorative Black
Decorative Red
Black Horizontal Stripe
Taupe Rose



Wednesday, January 23, 2013

MUSE Challenge #1

I love a good challenge blog, and I just joined this new one called MUSE, a Card Making Club. The idea is to create a project based on the inspiration card using only stuff from your stash. So when I got the first inspiration photo from MUSE I figured that a card for Princess P's tea party would be the perfect place to start. I used the photo as a sketch, matching my proportions to the original card. I'm also linking this card to Make It Monday on an Original Belle and to ABC Challenges - Birthday Cards.
I used some scraps from Pear and Partridge (sadly, sold out) along with a cuttlebug embossed panel from my red scrap bin. I added this green Cricut scroll from my bowl of random extra Cricut cuts. Am I the only one who does that? I cut a few extra just in case, then I end up with a bowl of extra Cricut cuts just hanging around waiting for just the right project. I also added some flowers I had gotten for like $1 somewhere, maybe Joanns...anyhow, forever ago. I covered the original not-so-pretty flower center with Stardust Glitter Glitz and Red sparkles. 

The whole card took me less than ten minutes, and Gabe could not wait to give it to Princess P at the party. My boys all dressed up for the party in their own ways - button up shirt (Gabe), Tie applique T-shirt with snappy colorblock cardigan (Ben), and sweater vest combo (Max). At least no one insisted on going dressed in their superhero jammies!

I get another box 'o new goodies tomorrow (hooray!!), so more sneak peeks will be coming soon!

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Tuesday Tips

Welcome to Tuesday Tips! I have to say that I'm in LOVE with the new Jamberry material - it's not just on a clear backing that makes sizing the shields to your nails easier, although that's great too.

The new material is thinner and now I'm not even heating them before applying! I just trim the shield in half, place it on my clean and prepped nail, apply a bit of heat from my heater to help smooth it out, trim and file. I am not needing to heat and reheat to smooth out the shields...and it's not like I thought the previous formulation was hard to apply, but these go on smooth as butter. I applied my test shields for this new minimal heat application on my pointer and ring fingers, and they lasted for a week with no lifting or bubbling! They would still be on my fingers only today I attended a Princess Teatime birthday party, so I needed something pink and girlie!
I chose the Pink and White Heart Collage with a Black Polka Accent nail. I know that my shields will last up to two weeks...but I find myself wanting to change them every week just so I can have the fun of changing up the design. I can't believe I'm seriously taking pics of my nails for y'all...but after a few months of Jams my nailbiting is history, and my cuticles are starting to look more smooth instead of chewed up and sad. 

Tomorrow I'll be back to share the birthday card I whipped up for Princess P's Birthday Tea Party!

Monday, January 21, 2013

Ten Things I found in my closet

Stasha over at the Good Life is asking a lot of me for the listicles this week - ten things I found in my closet. I'm not crazy enough to try to photograph the closets up here in my stamp room...of which there are two.  They are semi organized underneath the piles of stuff we crammed in there during a stash and dash cleaning streak many moons ago. Now I climb in and out amongst the stuff when I need something and wonder when I'll ever get enough time to make it right...mostly I try not to even look at that corner of the room while I'm busy midnight crafting and blogging. See how I cropped it out of the photo of my Stamp Pad? The closets/guest bed area are off to the left. It's a big room.


10 THINGS THAT DON'T BELONG IN MY CRAFT ROOM CLOSET(S)

1. A 98% built plastic marble track from last Christmas...let me clarify, Christmas 2011, that was missing a few clamps to finish building the final ramp. I wrote to the company and they sent replacements that took 2 months to arrive. Now I can't decide whether to try to figure out where I was in the crazy bazillion page assembly guide or secretly recycle the whole thing...

2. A plastic bucket filled with coloring books and random legos

3. Three comforters that do not fit the guest bed tucked in the corner of my stamp room

4. A box filled with plastic Halloween spiders

5. A Thomas pillow pet that we were going to give to Max for Christmas (this year!) and forgot

6. A Buzz Lightyear Operation game

7. The curtains and rods I purchased six months ago for the dining room that we've yet to hang up.

8. An entire set of Terry Goodkin TOR paperback books, ostensibly bought for hubby, but mostly likely to be read by me, since I'm a speed reader and will finish the whole series before he finishes book 1, which will disgust him and cause him to give up reading them at all so he can watch more episodes of Star Trek Enterprise on Hulu

9. A monitor for a desk top computer (which we do not own)

10. A big bubble mower shaped like Tow Mater that Max might be too tall for by the time it's warm enough in Oregon to use such an item. Can you use a bubble mower on concrete or decking? We don't exactly have a lawn to bubble mow...

Golly, ten is not a big enough number for this list for me...and I didn't even peek into my bedroom closet. Definitely feeling a purge coming on!

Home is...

Continuing on my Avonlea bender this week I whipped up this quick little card using the Deconstructed Sketch #85 and the Moxie Fab Tuesday Trigger as my inspiration. I am using the February SOTM again - I'm loving these great BIG sentiments! I'm also linking this up to the Old Back Porch 52 Card Pickup.
The blue/teal colors works well with the Avonlea paper, and I added the sentiment banner pop in honey to bring in a bit of that sunny yellow. I replaced the rectangle sentiment on the sketch with a swoopy Cricut Cut frame that echos the bedposts. I added gold/brass accents (like the nailheads on the bench) with my Gold Metallic Marker along the centers of the floral lines on the sentiment image.
I also thought that the sentiment was fitting, since that was a comfy cozy home pictured in the trigger. Here's wishing y'all sweet dreams!

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Monthly Memories Club Sneak Peek

I've been hard at work on my plans and sketches for my favorite CTMH activity every month. Monthly Memories club is the BEST deal around in scrapbooking! Where else can you take a class that completes 6 beautifully embellished scrapbook pages, includes dinner, and kits start at just $20? Plus, I must say, these giggling girls are just so much fun to scrap with every month! None of these items are available to purchase until February 1st, making this entire post a sneak peek, but I like for my club gals to know what's coming up for the next season so we can plan ahead. I am so excited I've filled almost an entire pad with ideas and sketches!

Want to join the fun? Contact me by 15th of any month to RSVP for the next month's Monthly Memories club. There's no monthly commitment or contract to sign - you choose the kits you want, in the month they are offered. I'd love to help you get your photos out of the box and onto the page, CTMH style - faster, simpler, easier...with glitter and bling!

To Go Kits available - Items as listed below in your choice of kit level can be shipped to your home for a small fee to complete whenever, wherever you choose. Full color instructions are included, of course!
Sample Artwork using For Always papers from CTMH catalog - the actual kit will make 6 double page layouts.
March 8th, For Always (pg 30-36) - Please order by February 15th
  • $20 Basic - X7165B For Always Papers, 2 Sheets White Daisy CS, X7165C Complements Stickease
  • $37 Basic+ - Basic kit listed above plus Z1811 For Always Assortment, (1/2) Z1821 Black Buttons, (1/2) X189 Black Shimmer Trim, Z1812 Small Sparkle Flourishes, Z1811 Black Sparkles
  • $45 I Want It All - G1055 WOTG (with Stamps, For Always Assortment, Black Sparkles) + X7165C  Complements StickEase+ (1/2) Z1821 Black Buttons, (1/2) X189 Black Shimmer Trim, Z1812 Small Sparkle Flourishes
Sample Artwork using Buzz and Bumble papers from CTMH catalog - the actual kit will make 6 double page layouts.
April 5th, Buzz and Bumble (pg 24-29) - Please order by March 15th
  • $21 Basic - X7164B Buzz and Bumble Papers, 2 Sheets Colonial White CS, Z1831 Buzz & Bumble Assortment
  • $32 Basic+ - Basic kit listed above plus Z1831 Buzz and Bumble Assortment, Z1753 Brown/Tan Sparkles, Z1830 (1/2)Brown Glitter Paper Assortment, Z1837 Wooden Mini Medley
  • $40 I Want It All - G1054 WOTG (with Stamps, Buzz and Bumble Assortment, Brown/Tan Sparkles) + Z1830 (1/2)Brown Glitter Paper Assortment, Z1837 Wooden Mini Medley
Sample Artwork using Later Sk8r papers from CTMH catalog - the actual kit will make 6 double page layouts.
May 3rd,  Later Sk8r (pg.44-49) - Please order by April 15th
  • $20 Basic - X7167B Later Sk8r Papers, 2 Sheets White Daisy CS, X7167C Complements StickEase
  • $33 Basic+ - Basic kit listed above plus Z1810 Later Sk8r Assortment, Z1806 Blue/Green Epoxy Bubbles, Z1817 Washi Tape
  • $40 I Want It All - G1057 WOTG (with Stamps, Later Sk8r assortment, Blue/Green epoxy bubbles) + X7167C  Complements StickEase+ Z1817 Washi Tape
Sample Artwork using Claire papers from CTMH catalog - the actual kit will make 6 double page layouts.
June 7th, Claire (pg 38-42) - Please order by May 15th
  • $20 Basic - X7166B Claire Papers, 2 Sheets White Daisy CS, X7166C Complements Canvas Shapes
  • $34 Basic+ - Basic kit listed above plus Z1813 Claire Assortment, Z1825 Keyboard Kraft Alphabet, Z1816 Artisian Studs
  • $40 I Want It All - G1053 WOTG (with Stamps, Claire Assortment, Keyboard Kraft Alphabet) + X7166C  Complements Canvas Shapes+ Z1816 Artisan Studs
Sample Artwork using Chantilly papers from CTMH catalog - the actual kit will make 6 double page layouts.
July 5th, Chantilly (Pg 16-21) - Please order by June 15th
  • $20 Basic - X7163B Chantilly Papers, 2 Sheets White Daisy CS, X7163C Complements Dimensional Elements
  • $33 Basic+ - Basic kit listed above plus Z1814 Chantilly Assortment, Z1807 Pink Glitter Gems, Z1826 Zipper Lace
  • $40 I Want It All - G1053 WOTG (with Stamps, Chantilly Assortment, Pink Glitter Gems) + X7163C  Complements Dimensional Elements+ Z1826 Zipper Lace
Sample Artwork using Surf's Up papers from CTMH catalog - the actual kit will make 6 double page layouts.
August 2nd, Surf's Up - Please order by July 15th
  • $20 Basic - X7168B Surf's Up Papers, 2 Sheets White Daisy CS, X7168C Complements StickEase
  • $34 Basic+ - Basic kit listed above plus Z1841 Surfs Up Assortment, Z1751 Clear Sparkle Assortment, Z1830 Brown/Tan Glitter Paper
  • $40 I Want It All - G1054 WOTG (with Stamps, Surf's Up Assortment, Clear Sparkles) + X7168 C Complements StickEase, Z1830 Brown/Tan Glitter Paper
Who else is ready to scrap now?

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

So RAD!

I'm back with one more sneak peek card for this week. This time I took inspiration from the Moxie Fab World Make a Card with a Window Challenge. I stamped the background with the chevron pattern from In The Background...love, love, LOVE how the patterns flow across the entire card front without having to line them up! I added some dotted lines here and there to the stamped background using my Silver Metallic felt tipped marker.

Then (using the color combo from the ColourQ Challenge #172) I stamped a band of Slate Cardstock using Cotton candy pigment ink, plus Honey, Slate, and Smoothie dye inks. The stamp set is another sneak peek called In Gear. I added a lot of penwork details using my Silver marker. Then I carefully cut a small hexagon shaped hole through the decorated card front to allow the inner stamping to shine through.
On the inside I stamped a layered design, and popped up the sentiment so it would stand up through the window more when the card is closed. That's it for sneak peeks for this week - I'm back to cutting owl kit orders and prepping for beach retreat. 

See ya on Friday to announce the winner of my Friday Favorite Things giveaway. 

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Tuesday Tips + Retro Sketches Card

Three days in a row, Stampin' Friends - there's just so much goodness to share this month! Today I have a card based on this week's sketch from Retro Sketches. I used the In The Background sneak peek set again, this time inked in Tulip and Saddle inks. I layered a Cricut Art Philosophy shape over the stamped border (from Pear and Partridge...only 16 more days until that's retired and gone...sniff). I stamped that sentiment block using the Whoo's Your Valentine special stamp set and popped it up with 3-D Foam tape. I lined up my Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder with the unstamped portion of the card and embossed only the bottom portion of the card. Red Glitter Gems, Bitty Sparkles, and Silver Metallic Pen were used to embellish the floral background stamping. I am gonna make a gob of these!

I'm linking this card to Make It Monday on An Original Belle - shoot over there to check out the cute craftiness!
Since today is Tuesday Tips, here's a shot of my current Jams. Since I'd replaced the pointers with the Grey Polka Dot sample of the new Jamberry thinner, even easier to stick on material, I figured I'd switch out the rest into a silver and gray theme using Diamond Dust Sparkle and Grey Plaid, a little more muted than the snowflakes my four year old kept complaining about...apparently he feels strongly that snowflake nails are only ok in December, lol.

If you need a sample, checkout my Facebook page for details in my post last Thursday on how to get yours. I loved the old Jamberry material, but this new stuff is fabulous! It heats up super fast and bonds to nails with much less smoothing and heat. I've updated my Application tutorial with extra tips now too!

Just a couple more days to enter my drawing for Friday Favorite Things this week - see ya back here soon!

Monday Listicles...10 Movies

It's Monday Listicles time, and I'm squeezing in a quick journaling post with this weeks topic, 10 Something about Movies. In our house I almost never have time to watch a movie anymore. Between Mom duties, Kid schedules, Housekeeping, Scratch Cooking, Crafting time, and Blogging, well...there's just not enough time. Maybe someday there will be a TV up in the stamp room, but even then I'd probably be watching old Gilmore Girls and Downton Abbey, since watching something new and paying attention to the craft on the table are not so much compatible...

So here's my list of the most loved kid movies in my house...since kid movies are about all that ever make it to the DVD player! My boys tend to perseverate on one movie at a time, and thankfully it is often the same movie, which helps to avoid the world is ending type temper tantrums over which movie to watch.

Disclaimer - my boys USUALLY only get one movie a day, right at the time I need to be cooking dinner, but occasionally when Mommy needs to finish a project for this blog.  That still adds up to 365+ movies a year, a number that would make me cry if they didn't also carry books with them everywhere they go, teach themselves to hang upside down for our "monkey bar", and craft at the kitchen table most every day. Judge if you like, but the ability to operate two cast iron skillets and an oven with (almost) no children underfoot is priceless!

10 Most Loved Kid Movies In My House

1. Thomas and the Magic Railroad - Seriously, Alec Baldwin? I mean, seriously? Have y'all seen this movie? I literally had to hide this disc because I cannot take one more viewing of this amazingly bad train movie, which of course means my boys love it without reason and would watch it 8 times in a row and ask for more. No Thomas Movie is gonna be nominated for, well, anything, ever, but this is the worst of the worst...and we own a bunch of them.

2. Bolt - If you'd ever told me that I would like a Miley Cyrus movie...however, for this one I can stand repeated viewings. Although it does leave me humming that song for days...'cause that home belongs to yoooouuu!

3. Kung Fu Panda - My lovely sister got my boys a box set of Kung Fu Panda 1 and 2. I thank her for my three year olds' tendency to run about screaming "I Po!" while making faux kung fu style poses that make him look like the world's most deranged Teletubby, since at home he's almost always dressed in zip up feetie style Buzz Lightyear jammies, occasionally with a pair of underpants on TOP of the jammies. Jack Black is funny though.

4. Toy Story - My three year old's current obsession. He will only wear Buzz or Woody jammies, preferably Buzz. I had to buy him multiple pairs because heaven forbid we reach bedtime and try to put normal pjs on the kid. You'd think we were trying to rip his fingernails out or something.

5. Toy Story 2 - Watched by said three year old mainly because his brothers cannot watch Toy Story original right now without whining that we've seen it a million times. Which we have (approximately), but I don't remind them that they used to be the same way...with the Magic Railroad... because heaven forbid they suddenly remember that movie exists, find it (though even finding their own shoes to put on when said shoes are on the floor right next to them is impossible), and force me to watch it again. And again. And again.

6. Toy Story 3 - I love this movie. Make me cry every single time at the end when Andy plays toys with Bonnie. It's missing in action - haven't been able to find it in forever. I will have to buy another copy soon, if only because this is the one movie that might budge my three year old from his current must-have-Toy-Story-1-every-single-day obsession, which is wearing thin with his brothers.

7. Cars 2 - We own no fewer than 8 different small Finn McMissile metal cars, plus 3-4 larger plastic versions that do various karate chop movements with wheels, hoods, whatever. It's still not enough to stop all three from arguing over who gets to play with Finn McMissile...I'm like, um, everyone can be Finn. Twice over! One for each hand AND one for your feet! My four year old was obsessed with becoming a spy for a while, but he can't master the art of not talking, wiggling, and being still necessary to sit in his dinner chair without falling out, so I'm going to assume that's not going to be realistic long term for him. "WHOOOOP! I'm spyyyying on you from the CLOSET!

8. Wall-E - I love how quiet the boys are when they watch this movie. After Wall-E we have some great discussions where they ask me lots of questions about why those people only eat food in shake form, recycling, and garbage. Ok, the older two - the three year old just wants to know when he gets to watch Toy Story 1 again. While wearing his Buzz jammies, which he unzips at the top occasionally to point out to me that he is nakey under his jammies, not dressed.

9. Tarzan - I think that Ben truly believes that Tarzan might be Diego all grown up. After a his obsession with Cars 2 tapered off he went though a stage where only Tarzan would do. There is probably a direct correlation between Ben's interest in all things Diego/Tarzan and the fact that we now own a pull up bar (otherwise knows as the Monkey Bar) installed in the play room door in a home where no one is buff or works out.

10. Nemo - Today we went to PetSmart, where they have an entire tank full of "Nemos" as Max was screeching while bouncing with joy. Ben looked at me disdainfully when I lifted Max for a closer look at the Nemos and scolded me, "Mom! You know those are clown fish, not Nemos." Thanks for the lesson, dear four year old. We always start it after the part where the mom gets eaten...my boys believe that the first line of the movie is "First day of school! First day of school!"

Bonus pick 
Babe - This is one of my favorite movies, and every now and then the munchkins will cave and allow me to choose Babe. Sometimes they fall asleep watching it (score!). I wish we had a little pig....or better yet, a sheepdog to keep my three little pigs in line! Laaa, la, la!

Got another post for you today (with artwork) in a bit!

Monday, January 14, 2013

CAS(E) this Sketch Play Date Card

Good morning! I'm back again with another new catalog sneak peek of a stamp set coming in February that I LOVE so much called In The Background. It's a set of three wide borders that reach across an entire standard sized card! I used just a piece of one of the borders here on this quick and simple card based on this sketch from CAS(E) This Sketch and using the Deep and Soulful color combo from Play Date Cafe. 
I inked the background image stamp in Sweet Leaf, then applied Twilight ink around the edges on the images before stamping it across the card base. I chose Card Chatter - Sympathy for the sentiment on this card. I hadn't purchased that set before the new catalog came...but this time it made an impression and I had to add it to my order! I added lots of Bitty Sparkles and detailed the stamped image using my Silver Metallic Marker to add shine to some of the dots and flower centers. I carefully applied Saddle ink on the edges of the card front and card base to help define the card without adding another layer.

Don't forget to enter my giveaway for the Avonlea Paper packet on Friday Favorite Things this week. See you back here tomorrow for another sneak peek!

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Freshly Made New Product Sneak Peek!

Hello, Stampin' Friends! If you follow me I've been teasing that I'm working with new products from the Spring catalog this weekend...and your first sneak peek is finally here! I used this sketch from Freshly Made Sketches and the Avonlea papers/colors for my card. Do you love those hexagons? They are from a new set that will be available starting in February called Honeycomb...as soon as I saw it, I knew it must be mine! I inked each hexagon in shades of Twilight, Slate, Whisper, and Sweet Leaf, then rolled them in Chocolate ink before stamping them down. I love being able to see right through my stamps for placement!  

I cut about an inch off the top edge of my Avonlea Paper (including the zip strip), flipped that around and used it to create the stripes across my card, with some help from Silver Shimmer Tape. I added a couple of buttons from the Blue Assortment, filled with Silver Glitter Glitz and topped with a medium sparkle.
That sentiment is a little sneak peek of the February SOTM too...with some selective inking and paper piecing. I inked just the top half of the sentiment for the front of the card. Using a post-it as a mask, I added the second half of the sentiment to the inside of the card, along with a few more hexagons for good measure. If you requested a free Jamberry sample from my Facebook page, it'll be coming to you this week - in one of these cards!

This week I'm giving away a packet of this lovely Avonlea paper, which was my Favorite packet from the Fall catalog (which ends January 31st). Enter to win below - good luck!!


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