I can't believe I haven't blogged since last Monday. It was a crazy busy week round here. I got a last minute opportunity to join a training class that was going on down the street from my house on Century for Cricut. They happened to be looking for girls to Demo the Cricut Cake and Gypsy to start and possibly Yudu down the road. So I spent Tuesday evening and Weds and Thursday learning about these fabulous products and meeting some sweet crafty girls.
This is Tania from Green Bay Wisconsin.

This girl has an amazing personality and was so warm and friendly. I instantly clicked with her the first day.

I met Vicki and Kristi Weds morning as we were walking in and we all ended up at the same table. Turns out Vicki and I knew some of the same scrappy peeps so that was really fun! These girls were also really sweet and fun to sit thru hours of training together.
It was a fun class and I walked away with some fab Provo goodies as well as a $25.00 gift card to Michaels. I'm not demoing yet but as soon as they find a store for me I'll be looking forward to it!

Here's a few photos of Lily I snapped last night as we were heading out to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We didn't have a sitter but we don't mind taking our little girl along for dates.

Daddy told her to make a funny face. Pretty good one huh.

We headed down to Redondo Beach for dinner because I requested dinner with a view so Mat suggested the Cheesecake Factory in Redondo and this was the view from our table. While we were waiting for our table we say one of the Laker players, Pau Gasol. I of course just thought "gee what a really tall guy" when he walked by and hubby had to tell me who he was...lol

Here's a sunset shot from our table. Beautiful.

Lily and Daddy. It's pretty hard to get a smile from her these days. After I take the pic she proclaims "OK all done Mommy"

Lily and Daddy's dessert...yum!

And of course Lily dove right in just like her Dad.

We had a really nice evening out together. It's so funny how time really does fly...

Hang on this one's gonna be long...

Hello friends and happy Monday! I've got so much to share with you today:

• Happy 2nd Anniversary Unity
• Winner @Hero Arts
• Paper Posies May kit release
• My designs with the new kit
  
• Lily Bee design sketch challenge
• Moxie Fab sketch challenge
  

First I'd like to wish Angela and the Unity gang a Happy 2nd Anniversary!!

Come join the fun all week long at the Unity blog & visit the Splitcoast Stampers forum and make some great friends here!

Thursday I got a nice email from one of my scrappy pals directing me over to the Hero blog. Here's what I discovered

My card was picked as a winner for April's Hero Arts challenge

I've been dying to share my May kit creations from Paper Posies. Today is our reveal! Here's this month's kit:

Here's what's in the kit

12x12 Patterned Paper/Specialty Papers:

• American Crafts Dear Lizzy Garden Gala Fabric Paper
• American Crafts Dear Lizzy Cheerful Cherries Glitter
• American Crafts Dear Lizzy Picking Pansies, Double-sided
• American Crafts Dear Lizzy Humble Honeybee, Double-sided
• American Crafts Dear Lizzy Dragonfly Dance, Double-sided
• American Crafts Dear Lizzy Sweet Strawberry, Double-sided
• American Crafts Dear Lizzy Lazy Ladybug, Double-sided
• Lilly Bee Designs Splendid, Double-sided
• Lilly Bee Designs Parasol, Double-sided
  

Cardstocks:

• 2 Bazzill Blossom
• 2 Bazzill Pollen
• 2 Bazzill Jetstream
• 2 Bazzill Turqoise Mist
  

Embellishments:

• American Crafts Bliss Glitter Letter Stickers, Clover
• Pink Paislee Expressions Alphas, Coconut
• American Crafts Patterned Chipboard Shapes
• American Crafts Chirp Details
• 1/3 pkg. American Crafts Crocheted Flowers
• 4 Mini Wooden Clothespins

Ribbons:

• 1 yard American Crafts Botanique
• 1 yard American Crafts Abode
  

Altered Project:

Rectangular Paper Mache Box with Snap

WOW! That alot of yummy goodies to play with! If you're interested in signing up click over to Paper Posies here. We also have a Ning group that's tons of fun. Swing on by and say hi here!

Here's a few of my designs with this month's beautiful kit!

My altered project created with Glimmer Mist and a handmade paper rose

And in between all this scrapping I had time to create a few cards for some fun challenges I wanted to play along with.

This is a sketch challenge for Lily Bee designs



And Moxie Fab's got a sketch challenge I wanted to give a try. Here's the sketch from Go to Gal: Kim Kesti



Here's my take on the sketch with Lily Bee and Unity & Hero Arts stamps


I just love this pic of my kids, pure silliness and it makes for a great card!

Whew! How's that for creativity. Thanks so very much for stopping by today and checking out my designs. It's always a pleasure to have you!

Stamping with Imaginisce Snag 'em stamps

Hello friends! Today I'd like to post a little tutorial about stamping with the new Imaginisce Snag 'em stamps from the To Love & Cherish line. Before I started designing for Imaginisce I loved these little stamps because they were so inexpensive (MSRP 1.99) and they stamped beautiful images.
There are many of scrapbookers who are afraid to use stamps with their layouts or cards but if you take the leap, the result can be beautiful!

So let's start by showing you what you need to stamp with the Snag 'em stamps

A clear 2x2 acrylic block like this one from Close To My Heart works great or any acrylic block will hold your Imaginisce stamp from the To Love & Cherish collection.

Next I like to use Versafine Black Onyx ink from Versamark. It really picks up the fine details in the stamps you use.

When you first get a brand new acrylic stamp it's best to rub the stamp lightly with an eraser like the one on a regular pencil. This will ensure that when you stamp your images they don't leave a beaded look when you stamp them on the paper.

Next you just start stamping your image and just using the eye to spacing. I like to stamp on a thin foam pad. It ensures that the stamped image is evenly distributed on the paper. You can find this foam in any store that carries packing supplies.

One of the benefits of using the foam is that you can stamp your image

And then wipe it away with a baby wipe. When you use paper under paper then you waste a piece of good paper.

Now that you've created a wallpaper of flowers on your card stock, it's time to emboss the image. I use clear embossing powder but it you wanted to image to be really black you could use black embossing powder. I keep my embossing powder in a sandwich storage container and use a spoon to sprinkle it over my image and then tap the excess back into the container. This method is virtually mess free.

Now that your stamped images are covered in embossing powder it's time to get out your heat tool.

I made this embossing pad from tin foil and a piece of cardboard after I warped my 12x12 cutting mat that is not designed for heat. It's cheap and easy to make and I reinforced the edges with Japanese masking tape because it takes heat emboss too.

Now most important is that you clean your stamps after you are done stamping. If you do this your stamps will stay clear longer. I use baby wipes to clean my stamps but you must make sure you buy the wipes without lanolin in them.

Now that you've stamped your card stock layer it with some black and add some pearls to the center of your flowers and a sentiment and there you have it.

Thanks for stopping by today and if you have any questions about using stamps please leave a comment and I will be happy to answer them.

I love color!

Hello friends! This week's challenge at Jacksonbelle Embellishments is to use your favorite Jacksonbelle product. Well that wasn't too hard for me since I love the new Basic Grey Green at Heart line and I love love love their fabric brads!! This line is so beautiful and the color is just jumping off the papers in this collection.
Haven't gotten your hands on this line from Basic Grey yet? No worries, you can pre-order it at the store so run on over!
So here's this week's card with lots of color!

Supplies: My Favorite Things Pure Innocence stamp, Basic Grey Green at Heart pattern paper, fabric brad and sticker. Hero Arts rhinestones. Fiskers punches & Copic markers.
Now be sure and visit the other Design Team members blogs to see what their favorite Jacksonbelle projects are

Dawn Lusk

Julie Lacey

Heather Pulvirenti

Windy Robinson

Stephanie Severin

Amy Tsuruta

Pam Varnell

Lynda Benden

Tobi Crawford

Jill Dunn

Heather Lee-Reppen

Lindsey Botkin

Thanks for stopping by today!

Favors Anyone?

Shipping this week is To Love and Cherish from Imaginisce. We're posting some of the Design Team creations on the Imaginisce Blog all week so be sure and stop by for lots of inspiration. Since this is a wedding themed line I created the following wedding favors

Supplies: Imaginisce To Love & Cherish: Patterned paper, ribbon, rub-ons & flowers. Misc scalloped velvet ribbon. I used Love My Tapes adhesive to secure the ribbon on the lamp shade.

Supplies: To Love & Cherish patterned paper, misc ribbon, Martha Stewart doily, misc Thank You Stamp, embossing powder, Reflections black pearl accents. Adhesive: Love My Tapes Favor: note pad w/ pen and place for photo on the top of the pad. Can be found at Michaels in the $1 bin

Supplies: Imaginisce To Love & Cherish patterned paper, ribbon and flower. Misc hand made tissue paper flower, tulle. Box is re-purposed Maya Road tin. Adhesive: Love My Tapes.

These were some pretty easy projects so if you know someone planning a wedding they are some inexpensive ideas.
Thanks for stopping by today!

2 Sketches 4 You & the new To Love and Cherish line from Imaginisce

Happy Friday! So glad it's the weekend again of course I have a busy schedule but still glad to see the weekend come. My son goes back to school on Monday after a week off for Spring Break. He's been visiting his Dad so it will be good to have him home.
Hubby and I are gonna catch the movie Date Night tonight since my sister in law and her family are hanging out at our house overnight because she has to take her hubby to the airport at 4am for a 6 am flight...yikes!

So I mentioned I was crafting up a storm with the new Imaginisce line and I was determined to get a card done for this week's 2Sketches4You challenge. Here's this weeks very classy sketch from Kazan.

And here's my card

I wanted to pop some color into the black and white patterned paper and I used rub-ons from the new To Love & Cherish line from Imaginisce.

Here's a close up of my background stamping on the card with white and black ink. I need to buy another new pair of Cutterbee's since mine are dull already. Have I mentioned how hard I am on scissors...lol

I'm teaching my second Scrapbook Design & You class at JoAnn's on Saturday and really enjoyed my class last Sunday. The two hours went by so fast and half the class are beginning scrapbookers that were so excited to be there.
I'll also be teaching some technique classes in the coming months.

I'd also like to mention that Sarah Martina Parker joined us this week on the Love My Tapes blog and created some beautiful cards with our Japanese Masking Tapes. Be sure and stop by to check them out here.
Thanks so much for stopping by today! Have a great weekend!

Hello friends...it's been busy day for me today. I got this in the mail last week from Imaginisce

It's a beautiful new line called To Love and Cherish! So I got busy working on some projects today for next week's reveal party on the Imaginisce blog. The Design Team will be featuring our artwork on our blogs so make sure you stop by and see what we're creating. Until then here's a few sneaks...

Well this one's short and sweet tonight...I am really really tired tonight. I am usually the night owl around here but not tonight...have a great Friday!