December Blog Hop :: Reuse Repurpose Recycle

Papertrey Ink's monthly Blog Hop is tonight. Going on right now. This month's challenge is to recycle. Use something on a project that is recycling from the holiday.

So here is a little ornament that my mom received after participating in a local craft fair. It's a cute little trinket and she was kind enough to let me use it on this card. I did not bring a lot of items from my personal craft supply, but I like the result here. The Cuttlebug embossing adds something to an otherwise plain card.

Have fun blog hopping and thanks for Papertrey Ink for always hosting.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: Bazzill
dry embossing: Cuttlebug
Merry Christmas embellishment and ribbon: unknown

Go Challenge Yourself

Happy Holidays! It's the holiday season and nearly the start of a new year. So why not challenge yourself? In the crafty way. I know having 48 hours to prepare for Christmas or Kwanzaa or Hanukkah is a bit of challenge, but I want to be more selfish and focus on a challenge for you.

So over the next few days when things might calm down, sit in your craft area and think outside of the box.

Here are some resources to get you going ... and remember that even though some sites might be on hiatus for the holiday season, check the archives for something that will be new for you.

• The Papertrey Ink Blog Hop (December 26, 2008)
• 2 Sketches 4 You
• KWerner Design Color Inspiration Challenge
• fresh & fun
• One Pretty Thing
• Dish Cloth Aprons

That's all for now. Happy Holidays.

Holiday Wishes :: A Card for Multiple Challenges

This card fits the bill for three (3) challenges. You might be like "wow". But my lesson is learned here. From here on out, I will primarily do just one (1) or two (2) challenges at a time. Three sort of seems like a jack-of-all-trades, master of none. I think my card just looks so-so and that if I would have focus on two challenges I would have had a better result. And I actually wanted to add a fourth element: using the 'spotlight' stamp technique for 2Peas' final week of Stamp Camp.

The three (3) challenges being attempted:

1. Kristina Werner's Color Inspiration #33
   
2. Card Positioning Systems (CPS) card sketch #93
   
3. Hero Arts Make-It-In-Minutes Card Challenge

The biggest challenge was using the Color Inspiration colors: chocolate chip, pumpkin pie, taken w/teal, certainly celery and whisper white. The colors look good in the image, but not so easy to duplicate on a small canvas like a card.

I do like this week's CPS card sketch. Nice that I had the small embossing folders from Cuttlebug to add the snowflake. I do like the rhinestone at the snowflakes center. Nice touch. I like using sketches ... just one less thing to think about while card making.

And finally for the Hero Arts Challenge ... make a quick card. This was sort of quick in that I had a sketch and the colors and just had to coordinate, hence, the challenge.

I like the dry embossing on the horizontal strip. It's from the Cuttlebug heart die and embossing folders set. I just embossed half of the strip and then embossed the other half.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: Archivers, Bazzill and craft supply
patterned paper: K&Co.
dry embossing: Cuttlebug
stamp: Hero Arts
ink: VersaMark
embossing powder: Joann
rhinestone and felt: unknown
other: sewing

Cuttlebug Challenge :: week 2

This week's Cuttlebug Challenge is to create a card or project w/a Fall or Halloween theme. Well, this is certainly not my strong suit. I just don't get into either one. I don't even know if I will be handing out candy this year in my neighborhood (mostly because it would take a second job to purchase enough candy for all the revelers in my hood).

Anyway, I did manage to eek out a little something; something that I like too. I like that ink. It's VersaMagic's Pumpkin. How appropriate, right? Oh and I pulled out my See-D's stamps too to stamp out 'Fall'. I like those, but I just had not used them yet.


Make sure you hop on over to the Cuttlebug Challenge blog and get in on the action.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply
patterned paper: Basic Grey
stamps: Stampin Up! (happy); See-D's (Fall)
oval die cuts: Nestabilities
ink: VersaMagic
rick rack: Creative Impressions
dry embossing: Cuttlebug (various folders)
flowers: Bazzill
button: Joanns
twine: Darice
other: staples

Stamptoberfest @ 2Peas

Stamptoberfest (SOF) has begun over @ 2Peas. It's a week long stamping events w/lots and lots of challenges and lots of goodies to go along w/that. Just fun, fun, fun and at no cost.

I'm hosting one of the many challenges. It's the SOF Cuttlebug Challenge (incidentally, I had this planned prior to knowing about Trudi's blog Cuttlebug Challenge). As a matter of fact, I hosted a Cuttlebug Challenge for Worldwide Stamping Week (WSW) on 2Peas earlier this year in June.

Anyway, I have a like RAK (random act of kindess) for participants. I have some Studio G Holiday stamps as well as a stamp set from Martha Stewart. I may even throw in some other goodies. I'll finalize that on Monday or Tuesday and post a picture.

Oh, so what is the challenge? Just make a card or project using the Cuttlebug along w/stamping. Super simple, right? The deadline is Saturday, October 11, 2008. For all the details, check out my 2Peas blog.

Cuttlebug Challenge :: week 1

There's a new blog dedicated to the Cuttlebug and challenging you to do what you love to do - make projects using your favorite craft tool - the Cuttlebug.

Here is my submission for this week. The challenge was to use three different Cuttlebug folders. Stop by there and see what everyone is up to. And you have until next Wednesday to get in on the fun.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply
patterned paper: Basic Grey
dry embossing: Cuttlebug (various folders)
butterfly punch: Martha Stewart/EK Success
oval die cuts: Nestabilities
bling: unknown

Looking for a Challenge?

And not just any challenge, but a Cuttlebug Challenge? Well, Trudi is on it. She's crazy about the Cuttlebug and she realizes that she is not alone.

She recently put out a call for a design team and I responded. Lucky me, I'm one of eight, not including Trudi, who's on the Cuttlebug Challenge Design Team.

We'll be using the Cuttlebug in all sorts of ways. I typically just make cards, but this could get me out of my comfort zone every now and then.

Challenges will be posted weekly on Wednesday's.

This is good stuff. I am trying to contain my excitement, but why ...? Let the fun run wild, right?

Color Inspiration Challenge #23

I've seen a variety of color related challenges on the web. Sometimes I just peruse and think, how cool. Rarely do I get involved. But after I checked out last week's Color Inspiration Challenge on Kristina Werner's blog I wished I could have been a part of all the fun. I really like the way she displays the Top 10/20. It all looks so yummy.

So here I am a week later and in the mix. Yea. I went the simple route for this card. I have a burgundy card base. Then I matted some cardstock after running a piece through the Swiss Dots Cuttlebug folder. I took a strip of Basic Grey's Sugared, which seems to have many of the colors in this week's Color Inspiration Challenge: burgundy, chocolate, pumpkin, saffron and olive. So you can see, how simple.

Oh, I covered the chipboard flower w/Basic Grey patterned paper (from Lily Kate) and added a naked Bazzill button. Finally, I pulled out the heat gun and heat embossed the Hero Arts Happy Birthday stamp. Used an EK Success circle punch and adhered it to the card using some foam tape. That's it.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock and button: Bazzill
patterned paper: Basic Grey
chipboard flower: unknown
stamp: Hero Arts
embossing powder: Ranger
ink: VersaMark
circle punch: EK Success
dry embossing: Cuttlebug Swiss Dots

Wolrdwide Stamping Week Winner

I recently hosted my first challenge on Two Peas. It was nice to have sooooo many participants. The challenge was to use the Cuttlebug and stamping. Super simple and fun.

And the winner was: Gram-Pea!

I like the colors and the details and the creativity in this card.

I picked up a few items for the Random Act of Kindness (RAK) but I will pull it all together when I return home, not this week, but the following week. It will be worth the wait.

To see most of the other entries, for loads of inspiration, visit my TwoPeas blog.

Worldwide Stamping Week Challenge

Okay folks ... over on Two Peas there is a great deal of fun to be had (and lots of prizes too).

It is Worldwide Stamping Week (WSW). It's an event that was started by some of the Peas on the Stamping Board. There are a gazillion challenges - some w/RAKs (random acts of kindness) and others just encouraging stampers to be creative. Lots of fun.

So much fun, that I decided to host my very first challenge: The Cuttlebug MID-WEEK Challenge (from Wednesday, June 18, 2008 until Saturday, June 21, 2008).

For details head over to Two Peas. Sorry, but in order to participate you will need to follow the guidelines that are posted there. There is a RAK, though that has not yet been determined since I am traveling.

Oh, but for this challenge, you need to use your Cuttlebug along w/some stamping. I love the Cuttlebug embossing, but you could just use a Cuttlebug die. Way too much fun, huh?

I hope that you join in.

The 21 Day Challenge

The 21 Day Challenge that was administered by Rhonna Farrer on TwoPeas has come to an end. But boy was it fun and inspirational. It was nice to set a personal goal and to strive toward it by making it a part of my daily lifestyle; so that it becomes habit.

I did okay on my goal; I think it would have helped had I not decided to go on vacation midway through the challenge ...

At any rate, here's my completed 21 Day Challenge Quote Mini Book.

chipboard book: Maya Road
patterned paper: K and Co. (and some Basic Grey)
cardstock: Archiver's and craft supply
and lots and lots of embellishments

**note: I used the printer to print of the daily quotes; on some pages I even used PhotoShop to compose the entire quote

Butterflies

Here is a cute little card that I created based on a challenge on Ali Edwards' blog a few weeks ago. I have intentions on doing a larger version, but this was a quickie.

It was mostly easy. The hard part is lining up the butterfiles! Whew! And there are only eight here. But I like the concept. Just take the paper punch (the butterfly punch is from Martha Stewart; which is manufactured by EK Success) and punch away. And it is a good way to use up scraps too.

Love it.