LiaStampz Challenge #2--Birthday and DT Call

Well, it's Monday.  Mondays are definitely NOT my best friend, but I deal with them. :-p  Today, we have a brand NEW challenge for you at LiaStampz!  This week's challenge is all about birthdays.  I LOVE the digi that Lia & Laura sent me to use for this challenge!

The little mice on this card are SO cute (completely UNLIKE the mice we killed in our house a few weeks ago!!!)!  The sentiment is from LiaStampz also.  The patterned paper is from a 6x6 birthday paper pad I picked up a while back, but since I shared part of it as blog candy for my birthday I can't remember who makes it!  I colored my image with Fibracolor markers, and I stamped a present in the middle of the sentiment, then used white embossing powder and set it with my heat gun.

I'm also entering this card at The Sweetest Thing for the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge 132.  Here's the sketch they provided this week:

Wish me luck over there!

We'd love to see your birthday projects!  The rules for the LiaStampz challenges can be found here.  You've got two weeks to get those projects done and linked up.

We're ALSO having a DT Call!  One of our Design Team members has stepped down, and we're looking for someone to take her place!  You can find information about the DT Call here, and you've got until September 15 to get your application in.  Good luck, and happy scrapping!

Lasting Memories Challenge #53--Who or What Inspires You Most?

Happy Sunday, everyone!  For those of you who have followed me during my time on the Lasting Memories Design Team, I say a hearty THANK YOU!!!  Unfortunately, my time as a LM DT member has come to an end. :-(  It has been a WONDERFUL experience for me, as it was one of the first Design Teams I was privileged enough to be a member of, and I have truly enjoyed working with Karen and the rest of the team members.  I hope to be able to continue to play along with the challenges periodically!

For this week's challenge, we want to know who or what inspires you most.  Things have been crazy for me lately, and I've been a little under the weather the past few days, so here are a couple of past layouts of people who inspire me.  (I'd intended to complete a brand spankin' NEW layout for this week, but that hasn't happened yet!)

My husband, Adrian, and my oldest son, Kennedy, are probably more my inspiration than anyone else right now.  Adrian is always my sounding board for EVERYTHING, and he's my go-to guy when I need an opinion about my scrapbooking or card making!  Kennedy is my oldest son, but he'll always be my baby!  We have a very special bond, and I think he inspires me in ways I don't even realize right now.

Who or what inspires YOU???  There's a sketch on the Lasting Memories site this week that you're welcome to use for some EXTRA inspiration!  Be sure to link up your layout before Saturday evening, and don't forget about our DT Call!  If you're interested in being on the Lasting Memories Design Team, you MUST participate in every challenge for the month of August.  Be sure to put the "DT" label next to your name when linking up.  Good luck, and happy scrapping!

It's almost fall!!!

Is anyone else as ready for the fall season to get here as I am?!?  I KNOW everyone in the South is!  This year, I was REALLY glad to be living in sunny Southern California for the summer, since the South had that HORRID heat wave!  I AM looking forward to getting back to the South, though.  I've been away WAY too long, and I need the slower pace of life back.

Have you seen Bo Bunny's new Forever Fall line?  I absolutely LOOOOOVE the colors!!!!  I hadn't seen it until my friend Suzanne (Check out her blog at Scrap with Suzy!) put it on her scrapbook Wish List in our Yahoo group Scrappin' 'n' Chattin'.  My LSS, Ever After Scrapbooks, recently got this in stock, so I stopped by and picked up the 6x6 pad and a couple of 12x12 sheets to go along with it.  I picked one of the first sheets in the pad to create this card:

The base of the card was green cardstock from my stash, which I folded to make a 6x6 card, then I adhered one of the 6x6 sheets from the Bo Bunny Forever Fall pack to the front.  I stamped the flower stem on the right using Close To My Heart's Garden Green ink, and the stem is from CTMH's From Me to You stamp set (got both of these from my CTMH consultant, Heather!), both of which came in CTMH's From Me to You card kit.  The flowers and brad were from my stash, and I added Tim Holtz Distress Stickles in Scattered Straw to the yellow flower for a little bling.  The sentiment along the flower stem is from the We R Memory Keepers Banner stamp set, and the brown ribbon across the top is one I picked up at my LSS.  I finished off the card by distressing the edges with Color Box Cat's Eye ink in Chestnut Roan.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

--Kaboodle Doodles

--Make It Monday

--Paper Creations Ink

--Pollycraft Challenge

Thanks for visiting!  Happy scrapping!

My first "step card"!

As I'm trying to relish my last week of freedom before going back to school (I'm a teacher), I'm also trying to get in some crafty time each day.  My friend Suzanne (Check out her blog at Scrap with Suzy!) is a new Design Team member at The Digi Bistro, and their challenge this week is to create a step card.  Since I'd been wanting to make my oldest son Kennedy a back-to-school card ANYWAY, I thought this would be perfect for him!

I think Kennedy is REALLY going to like this card!  I used my Cricut Locker Talk cartridge to cut the images on the steps, and I used the Makin' the Grade cartridge for the lettering on the left.  I wrote the word "English" on the book, and I distressed the edges with Color Box Cat's Eye Blackbird ink.  Both pieces of ribbon were from my stash.  Suzanne provided a tutorial/directions link for a step card on her blog, and the link can be found here.

I'm entering this in the following challenges:
--The Crazy Challenge
--Creative Inspirations 

--The Digi Bistro

--Going Grey with Scrap-Creations

--Party Time Tuesday's

Have a great day!  Happy scrapping!

Lasting Memories Challenge #52--What's Your Secret?

Happy Sunday, everyone!  I would first like to extend my apologies for the lateness of my Lasting Memories post.  Things were a little crazy for me last week, and it just slipped up on me.  For this week's challenge at Lasting Memories, the theme is Secret Ideas.  How do you hide things on your layouts?  Here's my layout for this week.  Can you figure out where my secret is?

Since time got away from me this week, I pulled a layout from my stash.  I created this layout a few years ago for a class I took at a scrapbook store in Beaufort, South Carolina.  The class was "All About Me," and it focused on making a book that told things about ourselves.  We used each letter of the alphabet and had to choose a word that described something about us.  I chose to work in 8x8 format for this album, mainly because I'd never worked with it before.  I really liked it!  I figured out ways to add embellishments in a very small area.  So, have you figured out where I hid my journaling in this layout?

I adhered the mat with my picture only on three sides, so I was able to slide the journaling tag right in.  Once I put my layout in the page protector, I cut a small slit on the left side of the photo mat, so the journaling tag could be slid in and out as people wanted to read it.

How do you hide your journaling tags?  We'd LOVE to find out!  Be sure to link up your layouts to the Lasting Memories blog by Saturday, August 27, and don't forget about our DT Call, too!   All of our August challenges are open for the entire month, and you have to enter each one to be considered for the new DT.  Be sure to put "DT" next to your name when you link up!  Good luck, and happy scrapping!

Lia Stampz Blog Hop winners!

Thanks to everyone who hopped over during our first Lia Stampz blog hop this week!  We didn't have as many people as we'd hoped, so maybe we'll have to rethink a few things for next time.  Now, it's time to announce the WINNERS!!!  I used random.org to make the selections; unfortunately, I still don't have the hang of this screen shot-thing yet, so I'm not able to post a picture.

First, the winner of the Lia Stampz digital image is Ellis who said "Great card you've made! =) I love to color with promarkers, but I use watercolors too sometimes! =) Hugs, Elenor."

Second, the winner of my blog candy is alethea who said "Love your card! Nice and summery!! Wish it was here!! I am a new follower and look forward to see more of your beautiful creations!! Thanks for a chance to win! Hugs xx."

Congratulations to both of you!  Please contact me at proudusmcwife (at) gmail (dot) com to arrange for delivery of your prize!  Don't forget to check out our current challenge at Lia Stampz!  It runs through August 28!

It's a Boy (Card)!

I hope everyone enjoyed their Monday!  I'd planned to be crafty just about all day today, but I ended up having to do some things around the house first.  As a result, I didn't get to my craft desk until almost two o'clock. :-p  The main thing I wanted to get done today was to make a card to go along with our neighbor's baby gift.  After doing some blog searching for a good sketch, I found this one at Cupcake Craft Challenges:

I decided it was PERFECT for what I had in my stash, so this is the card I came up with:

I also added a piece of patterned paper and another sentiment on the inside to give the card a more polished look.  The crawling baby is a Cricut I received from my friend Suzanne (Thanks, Suz!) in a Cricut cut swap in the Yahoo group Scrappin' 'n' Chattin', and I adhered it with pop dots to add a little dimension to the card.  The ribbon, buttons, sentiment sticker, and patterned paper are all from my stash.  I'm entering the card in these challenges:

Cupcake Craft Challenges--Faberoony Sketcharoony
KB Cute Monday--#25 Babies
Make It Monday--#50
Paper Playtime--#53 Anything Goes
Pile It On--#33 Blue, blue, blue
Sparkles Forum Challenges--#18 One For The Boys
Stamps & fun = Creativity--#60 Monochrome

I hope everyone has a great week!  (If you haven't been through the Lia Stampz Blog Hop yet, please visit Laura's blog to get started!  We've got giveaways and blog candy!!!)  Happy scrapping!

Lia Stampz Blog Hop!!!

Hi, eVeryone!  Welcome to the first official blog hop for Lia Stampz!  Woohoo!  If you just happened upon my blog and haVen't started the hop yet, please Visit Laura's blog to get started.  We're here to showcase Lia and her quirky and fun stampz!  We're also starting a new challenge blog today, which will run twice a month, so don't forget to head over to the Lia Stampz blog and check it out.  Our first theme was to create a card with a charm on it.  Here's the card I came up with:

I think I picked up the charm at Michael's, and the sentiment and image are both from Lia Stampz.  The card sketch is from the 365 Cards blog, where I'm also entering this card. 

Now, if you're hopping along, you might be searching for clues to win the big prize on the Lia Stampz blog.  I hope you're finding what you're looking for!   Don't forget that if you want three entries for the main drawing you need to do the following:

1) comment on all blogs and leaVe a comment on Lia's with the secret word

2)  post the blinkie on your sidebar (comment a second time on Lia's stating you'Ve done so )

3) follow Lia Stampz on Facebook and get a third entry (don't forget to comment a third time!)
If you're the first one to leave a comment on Lia's blog, you'll win a $10 gift certificate to Lia Stampz!

But wait, there's more! :D

Who wants to win THIS yummy free digi?  

All you haVe to do is leaVe me a comment telling me what your favorite coloring medium is.  I'll use random.org to choose a winner and will post the winner on Thursday.  Don't forget, if you win this digi, you have to respect the Lia Stampz Terms of Use.  View it here. 

BUT WAIT!  THERE'S STILL MORE!!!  I'm also offering blog candy!  All you haVe to do is become a follower of my blog and leaVe me a comment letting me know you're a new follower.  If you're ALREADY a follower, you can still win!  Just let me know you're a follower somewhere in your comment.  THAT'S IT!  I'll draw a separate winner using random.org and will post the winner on Thursday.  I apologize for not haVing a picture of my blog candy right now, but I'm headed out to one of my favorite LSSs tomorrow and plan to pick up a few things.  I'll post a picture then!

You're almost done with the hop!  Your next stop is Jennie.  Thanks for stopping by!  HaVe fun! 

1. Laura

2. Mo

3. Heather

4. Cely 

5. Tina

6. Georgia

7. Sally

8. Ashley -->You're here

9. Jennie -->Next stop

10. Lia 

Lasting Memories Challenge #51--Try Something New

Happy Sunday, everyone!  For this week's challenge at Lasting Memories, we're simply asking you to try something new.  It can be a new style, technique, or product, but it should be something you've never tried before.  UNFORTUNATELY, I don't have a layout to show you today. :-(   My husband is retiring from the Marine Corps in the spring, and we were in pre-retirement classes all week last week, so I didn't have time to get my layout done.  I'm planning to have a crafty day all day today, though, so HOPEFULLY I'll have something to show you before long!

Don't forget that we ALSO have our DT call going on at Lasting Memories right now!  It lasts through the end of August, and you have to participate in all the monthly challenges to be considered for the DT.  As a result, all LM challenges for August will remain open for the entire month.  Be sure to get your layout linked up to the Lasting Memories site by Saturday evening to be considered for next week's Top 3!

I'll be participating in a blog hop that starts tomorrow, so please remember to check back in tomorrow for that!  Good luck at Lasting Memories this week, and happy scrapping!

Lasting Memories Challenge #50--Sketch with a Twist and DT Call!

My apologies for this posting late, everyone!  It was scheduled to post yesterday but didn't, for whatever reason.  GRRR!!!!!  

 Happy Sunday, everyone!  It's time for the next Lasting Memories challenge!  For this week's challenge, we're asking you to follow this sketch:

The twist is that we're also asking you to use BUTTONS on your layout--as many as you want!  Unfortunately, I don't have a layout to show you just quite yet. :-(  I was in San Diego all week at a Jostens yearbook workshop and haven't had the chance to get it finished.  Please keep checking back, though, because my plan is to get it done later today!

It's also time for a Design Team call!  If you're interested in being on the new DT for Lasting Memories, you MUST follow all the challenges for the month of August.  Please be sure to put "DT" next to your name, so we know you're interested.  The new DT will be chosen in early September, and your term will run through December.  I'm sad to say that the month of August will be my last as a member of the Lasting Memories Design Team.  It's been a WONDERFUL team to be on, and I have really enjoyed working with everyone!  Thanks to Karen and all the other wonderful members of the design team for a great two terms!

Now it's YOUR turn!  We'd love to see what you've got for us this week!  Be sure to follow the sketch (it must be recognizable) and include buttons!  Get your layouts linked up by next Saturday, August 12, to the Lasting Memories blog.  Good luck, and happy scrapping!

Cakes and Cupcakes Birthday Cards @ Birthday Sundaes!

This week's challenge at Birthday Sundaes is to include cakes or cupcakes on your card.  I have a friend having a birthday VERY soon, so this is going out to her.  I hope she likes it!

I included views on two different backgrounds, because I couldn't decide which one looked better!  I used the cards and layers features on my Cricut Sweet Treats cartridge to cut the card and elements before adhering them together.  I added some ribbon I found in my stash to the "icing" between the layers, as well as some rhinestones from Queen & Co.  I ATTEMPTED to use some red embossing powder to put some swirls on the "cherry," but it didn't come out so well. :-(  The sentiment on the front is from a stamp set from The Rubber Cafe.

You should hop over to Birthday Sundaes and check them out, if you haven't already.  I'm going to be a guest designer over there in a few weeks!  WOOHOO!!!!  I'm REALLY excited about that!  I'll post more info on that later.  I hope everyone has a great weekend!  Be sure to check back here tomorrow for the new Lasting Memories challenge and information about the DT call!  Happy scrapping!

Sketchy Thursdays 7.28 Sketch Challenge

It's been quite a while since I played along at Sketchy Thursdays.  When I sat down at my crafting desk today, I had three layouts I wanted to complete.  Luckily, I got them all done, thanks to sketches!  One of the sketches I chose to use was the one from Sketchy Thursdays.  Here's the sketch they posted this week:

I decided to use some pictures from my first visit to Boston, Massachusetts, in February of 2010 for this layout, so here's my take:

The background paper is a piece in a Boston scrapbook kit I purchased while in Boston, as is the picture of Fanueil Hall (Did I spell that right?!?).  The other patterned paper and the embellishment on the top left came in an Americana kit I won on some blog candy a few weeks ago (Thanks, Kim!).  The journaling strips and blue border pieces were part of a border punch swap from the Yahoo group Scrappin' 'n' Chattin' a few months ago, and they just seemed to fit here.  The letters are chipboard from Heidi Swapp, and I used Tim Holtz Distress Ink in barn door to color them.

I'm really happy with the way this layout turned out!  Once I sat down with everything, it all came together very quickly.  I'm going to have to enter the Sketchy Thursdays sketch challenges more often!  TFL, and happy scrapping!

Christmas in July!--Last card

I can't believe today was the last day of Scrappin' 'n' Chattin's Christmas in July card challenge!  It's been such fun, and I now have a stash of thirty-one beautiful handmade Christmas cards to send out this year!  I wanted to find a sketch to use with today's card, so I did a little blog hopping to see what I could find.  I came across this sketch at Card Patterns:

I had several elements I wanted to use on today's card, so I turned the sketch sideways and made my card large enough to fit in a business-size envelope.  Here's what I came up with:

The Santa is a Cricut cut I received in a Cricut cut swap I participated in earlier this year, and the lettering was a set of bling stickers I picked up at Michael's.

It was such fun participating in the Christmas in July challenge!  I don't think I have enough cards for EVERYONE on my list, but I'm off to a good start!  TFL, and happy scrapping!