pick me up...

Happy Friday!!!!

I'm featuring the Skipping Stones Design set:

Bras Volume #2

I was so thoroughly inspired by our Skipping Stones Guest Designer Mona's tut that she recently blogged.  I tend to paper piece stamped images so it is out-of-my comfort zone to do this much copic coloring on a card.  I used the musical background from Timeless Textures and distressed...a ton.  

Bras Volume #2

Timeless Textures

I used the current Waltzing Mouse Sketch:

I was also inspired by Yvonne Yam's Guest Blogger's Challenge by Tesa Broman, yup, a coloring challenge!

So, isn't it fun to see the Bras Volume #2 in a slightly non-cutesy card?

You have read this article copic / pti / skipping stones dt / Skipping Stones Feature Friday / stampin' up with the title stampin' up. You can bookmark this page URL https://playing-home.blogspot.com/2011/04/pick-me-up.html. Thanks!

the ghost of christmas present!

Hello Hello!

Although this card looks fairly simple, it took me forever to put it together...

My Jingle Belle's card for the week...

Guest Designer, Clare of miscanthus crafts issued a recipe:

1. white as a ghost

{ugh..I used ivory}

2. a present

{my whimsical present}

3. a bow or knot

{okay, brownie points...I have both}

4. a touch of traditional Christmas colors

{brown & red...those are traditional colors, right?!}

Gotta love embossing...I think it is a wonderful addition for a minimal cost....

I was inspired by the latest Cardabilities sketch:

You'll want to pop over the EAD Designs blog today!

Jenn's being crafty and she might have a 50% coupon code......

Woot Woot...half way through the work week!

You have read this article jingle belles / Making Memories / sizzix / stampin' up with the title stampin' up. You can bookmark this page URL https://playing-home.blogspot.com/2011/04/ghost-of-christmas-present.html. Thanks!

modern cameo and giftie set

Happy Friday!

I have a couple things to share with you today....

First up is a cameo card...

I picked up the Maya Road Mini Chipboard set from Ellen's....

The chippies have been painted with Adirondack Espresso and Lettuce paint dabbers.  I've had them for awhile and finally cracked them open.  I love the 'texture' that the acrylic paint gives the chipboard.  I added the Queen and Co pearls...I used the Hero Arts Music Background with memento rich cocoa ink.

I actually originally envisioned an ATC...but ended up mounting it onto the Stampin' Up Chocolate Chip Cardstock....  I love the contrast of the panels.

I was inspired by the CR84FN22:

Next up is a giftie set of mini 3 x 3 cards:

Seriously, Hambly paper just 'sings'...you really don't have to add much to them...

I did alter a tin for the cards...they will be packaged up with some glassine envies.

In the set there are 2 cards with embellies...

I decided to not make all the cards 'bumpy' in case the recipient wants to actually send them out without having to mess with extra postage!

The diecut and sentiments are a combo of 2 different PTI sets...

The stitching is a nice touch on such petite cards...

The set has been made especially for one of my friends.  We will be celebrating her belated birthday festivities soon.  She's a pretty clean & simple girl...so I kept the overall design specific to her.

I was inspired by the current Waltzing Mouse Sketch Challenge, Mini Cards:

I was also inspired by one of the new Moxie Fab World Challenges:

350 Cards & Gifts Week:  The Card Sets Challenge

I love that Cath says  to 'give away' your challenge set... I'm a prolific card maker but it takes me forever to send out or give my projects aways...what's up with that?!  I do have to admit that going to the post office is something I really dread...there is always a line but luckily the peeps at my local post office are super fun.  I welcome Cath's challenge....and thank you Cath:)  

**art**

Check it out....I had the boy take a pic of me with my phone...I'm standing in front of the Pike Place Market's Gum Wall.  

The kids and I spent the day yesterday like tourists...did a ton of walking in Downtown Seattle.  We brought along one of the kids' friends...tired her out:)  We toured the Olympic Sculpture Park...had lunch at the Spaghetti Factory...walked around the Pike Place Market...I may have had to come back home to take a power nap!

Last thing...

Pop on over to the Flashback Friday Challenge blog....a new challenge is UP now:)  We have a great new and fabbie Sponsor....Emily Keaton, my Flashback Friday 10.0 Guest Designer has picked an oh-so-fun challenge!!!!

You have read this article CR84FN / ellen hutson / hambly / hero arts / maya road / memento rich cocoa / paint / pti / stampin' up / waltzing mouse challenge with the title stampin' up. You can bookmark this page URL https://playing-home.blogspot.com/2011/04/modern-cameo-and-giftie-set.html. Thanks!

comet.

No, not the cleaner....the reindeer variety.

I had a ton of fun putting this card together...who can resist felt snowflakes?

You gotta love that A Muse sentiment!

I was inspired by the current Jingle Belles challenge:

Jingle Belles, Batman Smells

Our mission is to make a humorous holiday card...I want to think that my card is humorous but it isn't too humorous to have a cha-ching kind of christmas...the wallet starts to get a little slim & trim:)

I used this week's Clean & Simple sketch:

Just a reminder that my back-to-basics candy ends tonight at 11:59 pm PST...pop over to the Flashback Friday blog!

thanks for stoppin' by!!!!

You have read this article A Muse / ftl / jingle belles / stampin' up with the title stampin' up. You can bookmark this page URL https://playing-home.blogspot.com/2011/04/comet.html. Thanks!

thanks so much

Hello...Happy Saturday!

Welcome to another fun Card Patterns sketch and Sponsor!!!

This week we were able to play with Stampin' Up goodies from the wonderful Catherine Pooler, Stampin' Up Independent Demonstrator!

I'll let you take a peek at my card and then share the sketch:

All the papers are from Stampin' Up...aren't the colors wonderful together?  The sentiment is from Stampin' Up's "Three Little Words" set...personally, I don't think a girl can have too many sentiments!  I did a smidge of sewing but wanted to keep the overall design clean and crisp!

Check out this week's FAB sketch...I LOVE it!

The bloom is something that I received from my bloggie buddie Sherry...she hand made it from muslin..isn't it gorgeous?!

I hope that you play along with us...I'd love to see how the sketch inspires YOU!

**chit chat**

Well, I made it through my first week at work...whew...lots to take in but it is ALL so exciting...I've had some people ask so I thought I'd share that I'm in the Human Resources group for a design firm {interior/graphic/industrial} in Seattle...as you can imagine, it's thrilling to be a part of a creative industry!  Back in the day when I first started community college...I actually started off in an interior design program...oy, I was so young and not so motivated then...I ended up eventually just getting my credits to transfer to the University of Washington where in 2006 {long process...late bloomer...} I ended up with an Interdisciplinary Studies degree with a concentration in Psychology.

You have read this article card patterns Design Team / stampin' up with the title stampin' up. You can bookmark this page URL https://playing-home.blogspot.com/2011/04/thanks-so-much.html. Thanks!

happy (belated) birthday...

Happy Tuesday and welcome to the Skipping Stones Design Sketch challenge!

Here is my card for the day:

I had so much fun playing with the March release of Green Birthday!

Come on, who doesn't love cupcakes?!!!

Here is this week's sketch by our sketch artist, Heidi Blankenship:

You won't wanna miss the fabbie goodness from the other gals on the Skipping Stones Design Team:

Ann Kranitz

Barb Turpin

Brenda Weaver

Gladys Chia

Jennifer Ingle

Kandi Phillips

Tammie Beaton  

Wendy Jordan

Woot Woot for our March Guest Design Team, we've soooo enjoyed having them play with us this month...

Heidi Blankenship - Guest Sketch Artist

Lindsay Amrhein - Guest Designer

Michelle Gross -  Guest Designer

Vanessa Menhorn - Guest Designer

**chit chat**

Thanks sooo much for all the well wishes on my new job!  I had a terrific first day...everybody is super nice AND my friends from my previous employer sent me a fruit bouquet...soooooo SWEET!!!

cardstock:  stampin' up chocolate chip

paper:  hambly screenprints

stamps:  skipping stones design green birthday

ink:  memento rich cocoa

other:  vintage prima blooms, queen & co pearls, sassafras buttons

You have read this article hambly / skipping stones dt / stampin' up with the title stampin' up. You can bookmark this page URL https://playing-home.blogspot.com/2011/03/happy-belated-birthday.html. Thanks!

much appreciated...

Yesterday was absolutely glorious...it was in the low 60's...I tell you, living in the Pacific Northwest, we truly enjoy our sunny days:)  I had a lovely lunch at the Boat Street Cafe in Seattle with a fab group of gals...thanks girls!!!

I'm on a huge thank you mode...all the paper is Stampin' Up...the sentiment is from co-branding efforts of EAD Designs and Paper Smooches...it is from the Thank you Sentiments stickerz set!

I was so very inspired by the latest Waltzing Mouse sketch:

Purples aren't my normal color palette that I tend to work with....that's what the color challenges are for...to get you to work outside your comfort zone.  Check out the CR84FN Color Challenge:

Do you see the embossed polka dots on the lavender panel?  Well, thanks to debbie standard's challenge over at Yvonne Yam's blog, I did something different with the panel....

For the first time, I used the sanding block that I've had for a couple years...I sanded the embossed polkas:)  It definitely isn't as visible because I used Stampin' Up cardstock instead of Core’dination’s goodness, but you can tell a smidge:)  It's a technique that I hadn't used before, so that's pretty coolio....I'll be on the search for some Core'dination's:)

I'm the hostess over at EAD Designs today...would love it if you'd pop over there to see my project:)

**birthday shout out**

My little girl turns 16 today....time flies....quickly.

My greatest and happiest job is being a Momma...I love my kidlets more than they could ever know...

Come on back tomorrow for a fun Skipping Stones Design blog hop!

You have read this article CR84FN / ead / paper smooches / stampin' up / waltzing mouse challenge with the title stampin' up. You can bookmark this page URL https://playing-home.blogspot.com/2011/03/much-appreciated.html. Thanks!

doily flower

Stampin' Up So Saffron...such a pretty yellow...love it teamed up with PTI's Aqua mist..makes me think of spring!

I was inspired by the color challenge over at Jay Gee's Nook:

Such a divine color combo!

I was also inspired by Yvonne Yam's guest blogger, Michelle Bertuzzi...

I'm thrilled to be fab friends with both of these lovely ladies:)  Michelle's challenge is to create a project that is not your typical style.

So when you look at my card today...

Stitching - check!

fab colors - check!

patterned paper - Whoa...no patterned paper?!!!!

I'm a patterned paper-a-holic....so there you go...I said it out loud:)

I've been skimming through the ole google reader but have been slow on the commenting...work has me absolutely exhausted by the time I get home and typically I've been falling asleep before 8 pm!  Luckily I get 1/2 of my blog posts done over the weekend...today's card was an easy smeasy one for me to do and although I was tired last night, I wanted to be creative because it helps me unwind.  I've had that gorgeous Hero Arts Circle Lace stamp for awhile and hadn't inked it up...it was long over due!

recipe

cardstock:  stampin' up so saffron, pti aqua mist

stamp:  hero arts circle lace

ink:  pti aqua mist

misc:  vintage thread, misc seam binding ribbon, prima bloom

You have read this article hero arts / pti / stampin' up with the title stampin' up. You can bookmark this page URL https://playing-home.blogspot.com/2011/03/doily-flower.html. Thanks!

a warm hello...

Happy Wednesday!

Here's my card that I want to share with you:

Yup, it's another for the holiday stash!  Have you noticed that I've been playing with my CB alot lately?  I'm actually on the look out for some cool snowflakes and star dies...so enable away peeps.

No surprise that I'm inspired by the Jingle Belles challenge:

Well, or course I couldn't resist the color combo challenge by Guest JB'er Leslie! 

I love the latest FTL131 too:

**Disaster Relief Fund**

I'm a big fan of My Cute Stamps....I've had the pleasure of being on Holly's Design Team and getting to meet her too:)  I was thrilled to see her fundraising efforts:

My Cute Stamps will donate $7.99 (which is the retail price of this stamp) to the Japanese Disaster Relief for each Konnichiwa stamp set that is sold this week.

*Limited to Quantities in stock.

What a fun way to help out...I bought a bunch of sets:)

Thanks so much for stoppin' by!!!!

You have read this article A Muse / ftl / jingle belles / pti / sizzix / stampin' up with the title stampin' up. You can bookmark this page URL https://playing-home.blogspot.com/2011/03/warm-hello.html. Thanks!

hello friend...

Sunday already?

Well, the weekend is simply flying by...I had a Stampin' Up Party yesterday that was a ton of fun...{a big shout out to my caterers...costco and my kidlets...they set up everything for me!} then proceeded to have to go to the mall afterwards because I 'had' to make a return...my 30 day deadline was, yesterday...ugh.  So, last night I knew that I wouldn't have the time or energy to make a card, let alone slam together a blog post!

This morning I woke up and felt like being crafty so I decided to finish the project that I had started yesterday morning...

Alas, karma was trying to remind me that it is okay to not post...to skip a day...because I had to go to the photog studio {aka garage...the very COLD garage} 3 different times...obviously, the first time was to take the pics...the second time I noticed one of the pearls was missing {ugh}...the third time was to actually change up the backdrop because the seam binding ribbon was fading into my normal white backdrop...

I had challenged myself to use my lil cuttlebug as much as possible for this project:

1.  Scallop circle

2.  PTI blooms

3.  QK Retro Diamonds {did you know that it has 2 patterns depending on what side you end up using..good grief, I just figured that out this morning...}

4.  Nesties Label 4

My actual circle panel was done with my retro coluzzle.  

The kraft is PTI but all the other cardstock is Stampin' Up...

1.  bashful blue

2. so saffron

3. cameo coral

4. mellow moss

The sentiment is from the Paper Smooches Friendly Flowers set...the CHF polka dot backgrounder was inked with PTI Aqua Mist.

There's a smidge of The Twinery's Lemondrop {they have THEE sweetest names..}

My colors were inspired by the Moxie Fab World Oh So Lovely Tuesday Trigger

I was thrilled to see this trigger as I actually have it on one of my Pinterest boards...along with this other bouquet....love the look of the succulents in the arrangements...

I knew I wanted to use this week's Waltzing Mouse sketch:

Whew, there you go for a girl that was going to take the day off the ole blog...I know...I know...but when you're feeling the craft'ola'ness....you gotta go with it:)

You have read this article cornish heritage farms / moxie fab world / paper smooches / pti / quickutz / sizzix / stampin' up / waltzing mouse challenge with the title stampin' up. You can bookmark this page URL https://playing-home.blogspot.com/2011/03/hello-friend.html. Thanks!