CAS(E) this Sketch! Believe

It's time for a new sketch at CAS(E) this Sketch

I am determined to get through my Christmas NBUS (Never-Before-Used-Schtuff) stamp sets - so I ended up going in a slightly different direction.  I wanted to use My Favorite Things Holiday Subway Art, but when I used it I wanted to use a number of the words.  Instead of using a single word - I used a variety of words in a subtle color - then popped the word "Believe" in red.

The die is also in my NBUS basket - it's the Small Blooming Poinsettia from Memory Box.  I love how it layers up!
I think this is a very nice sketch - add a beautiful sentiment and a simple embellishment and you have a great card!  I hope you all find time to play along during this busy holiday season.

• Stamps: My Favorite Things Stamps Holiday Subway Art
• Paper: Stampin' Up Real Red, Papertrey Ink Soft Stone, Basic Grey 25th and Pine 6x6, Stampin' Up Silver Glimmer Paper (just the center of the flower)
• Ink: Stampin' Up Real Red, Papertrey Ink Soft Stone
• Accessories: Memory Box/Poppystamps Small Blooming Poinsettia, Hemptique 10-lb white twine

CAS(E) this Sketch: Cheers to You!

This is my second post today.

If you are looking for the My Favorite Things Release Rewind,

it's just a post away BUT the card in this post also uses MFT new products!!

It's time for a new sketch at CAS(E) this Sketch!

There is so much that you can do with these three elements.  As is usual, I am amazed by the variety of elements that the design team has come up with.  I went with actual circles because I have these fun new dies from My Favorite Things.


You won't believe how I picked these colors?  Blue margaritas - do you see it?  Red wine.  Champagne!  I wonder what that says about my state of mind as I was creating this card!?  I cut the circles in their colors and then again in white.  I painted the white with MFT's Glitter Glaze to give it shine and a bit of sparkle.   I think it all says "cheers"!
I hope you can play along - I look forward to seeing what everybody uses for those three elements!

• Stamps: My Favorite Things Celebrate Big
• Paper: MFT Blue Raspberry, Brick Red, Natural, Project Life Midnight Edition (the stripes)
• Ink: MFT Brick Red
• Accessories: MFT Cheers Glass Charms Die-namics, Pretty Pink Posh flat black sequins, Hemptique 10 lb black twine

My Favorite Things Stamps Release Rewind

The big December release at My Favorite Things Stamps was Tuesday evening and now it is time for a Release Rewind!  The design team will be doing posts on Thursday and Friday showing you a few more ideas with the new products.  This is my last post as an official guest designer so I definitely had some fun with it!

My first card uses the Celebratory Greetings Die-namics along with part of a phrase from Celebrate Big (the free with $60 purchase set).  The flower is from the new LJD Grand Peaceful Wildflowers.


The pink and red color combo is not a usual combo for me, but I am still working on showing off MFT colors.  The colors on this card are Cotton Candy, Red Hot, and Jellybean Green.  (I just realized that for my candy-lovin' self - this is a great combo!)
Full credit for this card layout comes from the current Muse challenge.
Then I had an inspiration for the Pure Innocence Close Knit stamp set...actually for a border for the Close Knit set.  Did you know you could use the Looped Border Die-namics and loop it together so it looks like knitting?!  What do you think?

I am not usually a pastel color person.  (Probably comes from being surrounded by three men and boys and my childhood in the sand box with my Tonka trucks!)  But I hadn't used any of the pastel color family at MFT on my previous posts.  This is my attempt at pastel using Pink Lemonade and Banana Split.  The button is Bubblegum.  Also on this card are the Washi Tape Die-namics and the DC More Washi Patterns stamp set.
Now for my final card.  I wanted to end with color and what better to use on a colorful card than Sunny Day Doodles Be Your Best Self.  There's nothing fancy on this card - but that's the joy of a fun sentiment - it doesn't take much else to create a great card.


My rainbow of colors includes Razzle Berry, Orange Fizz, Lemon Drop, Sour Apple, Blu Raspberry and Grape Jelly.
I have had a fantastic time over this last week.  I hope that I have been able to show you how much I love these products.  I have many other stamp sets and dies from My Favorite Things that I have purchased over the years so they won't be a stranger on my blog.  Thanks for dropping by this week!

My Favorite Things Stamps Product Launch

Guess what?

All of the My Favorite Things stamps, dies, ink, cardstock, etc. that you have seen on my blog over the last week are now available!!  And if you haven't quite decided, the entire design team is participating with Product Launch posts.  If you head over to the My Favorite Things blog, you can click through to each blog and see even more inspiration!

I want to thank all of the fine people at My Favorite Things for asking me be part of December's release.  It has been a fabulous experience - there are great people running MFT and there's such a variety of fun products!  I will have one more post on Thursday of this week as part of the Release Rewind, but that won't be the last that you see of MFT on my blog.  I used MFT regularly before my guest spot and you'll see more after (you won't believe the Christmas stamps that I have in my NBUS stash!)

I went with congrats and celebration theme for my Product Launch cards.  The first card uses the Celebratory Greetings Die-namics, the Polka Dot Cover Die-namics from today's release.  I also used DC Party Balloons and Party Balloons Die-namics.  The colors on this card are Natural, Berrylicious and Wild Cherry.


This next card uses a set that I have not yet shown you on my blog - Celebrate Big.  It's one of those versatile sets that includes large and small sentiments, plain and script fonts - and they all work together.  

I used a die set that I have had for awhile. The Flower Medley Die-namic includes a nice variety of flowers that all layer nicely.  The leaves come from the Leaf-Filled Flourish Die-namic (although I did cut and re-adjust a couple of tendrils to fit my card.)  The scallop is the Open Scallop Edge.  I also used the Woodgrain Background stamp in white on the blue.
This card went in a different direction than I had originally planned. I have been telling you that I wanted to show you the MFT colors, so I sat down to review what I had used.  I missed quite a few!  So I tucked a four of them in this card - Hot Fudge, Paver Red, Olive and Sno Cone. It's a different combination for me - but I like it!
I used the current Sweet Sunday sketch for this card.

Be sure to check out the Product Launch posts by the rest of the design team and be very sure to head over to the My Favorite Things blog to see if you were one of the prize winners from this past week!

My Favorite Things Stamps Day 7: Cheers and Sweetness

It's the last day of the Release Countdown at My Favorite Things Stamps.  Tonight (Tuesday), at 10 pm EST, the new products will be available!  Also at that time (just in case you haven't finalized your wishlist), everybody on the design team will do another post with some of our favorites.

The first thing that I want to show you today is another new Pure Innocence set.  This one is called Wish You Were and has just the perfect look for a "missing you" card.


I don't generally do anything special on my insides, but because I didn't have a sentiment on the outside of this card - I wanted to do a little extra on the inside.

Isn't this a sweet set?  Of course, they are all sweet, but this cute little face was just made for a "missing you" card.  
I created my background on Berrylicious cardstock with white ink using the DC Plaid Background Builder set.  The ground is Sour Apple using the Snow Drifts Die-namics.  The clouds are the Flat-Bottom Clouds Die-namics.  The button is Lemon Drop. The frame is from the Postage Stamp STAX Die-namics.
My second card is very different - I wanted an elegant celebratory card and the Layered Champagne Glass Die-namics and Celebratory Greetings Die-namics were perfect for it. 

The colors on this card are Natural, Steel Grey and Brick Red. (I'm loving Brick Red!!!!)
There is also a stamp set being previewed today. It's Celebrate Big which is a great set with big fonts and small fonts that all work together.  But I decided to save my card for my Product Launch post tomorrow night because it is definitely the right time to "celebrate big"!!!  If you are checking out the rest of the design team members, I'm sure you have seen some fabulous uses for this set.
Be sure to head over to the My Favorite Things blog and leave a comment for your chance at a prize. Then come back tonight to see if you have won and to check out all of the new Product Launch posts!

My Favorite Things Stamps Day 6: Text and To the Point

It's Day 6 of the Release Countdown at My Favorite Things Stamps.  After today, there is one more day of previews.  Then Tuesday night, at 10 pm EST, the entire design team are doing Product Launch posts and everything is available in the My Favorite Things store.  Just in case you haven't quite decided, there are also posts by the design team on Thursday of Friday with just a few more ideas!!

Today's previews include a new background - Typewriter Text. And there is a truly fun new set by Laina Lamb Designs called To The Point along with a coordinating die for the "pointer".  Check out the "pointer"....


I am SO in love with the "pointer"!!!  It's wonderful with the fun sayings and fonts in the set.  You can actually put together "UR OLD" with this set - ha!!  There are many other sayings - both nice and snarky!
I pulled out a few MFT colors that I hadn't yet used for this card.  The "YOU" is Tangy Orange.  The background paper is Factory Green.  The gray is Steel Blue.  I used Whip Cream - my favorite new off-white - for the main panel, and the text is also stamped in Whip Cream - I like the way it comes up.
I used the Wanna Sketch? from Lisa at dahlhouse designs.

Tomorrow is the last preview post.  It's a sad day for me because it's all coming to an end, but it will also be fun because the stamps and dies are all about celebrations!  
Be sure to head over to the My Favorite Things blog today to leave a comment so that you have a shot at today's prize!

My Favorite Things Stamps Day 6: Best Friends and Calenders

It's Day 6 of the Release Countdown at My Favorite Things Stamps and there is quite a variety of stamps today - from cute to office-style.

I started with cute.  This is the new Wendy Burns Design set Best Friends. This card came together far more quickly than any other card I have done for this release.  Living in a houseful of men and teenage boys, I crave sweet and cute.  I also immediately knew that I wasn't going to color her.  Have you seen the coloring work of the rest of the design team?  Mad coloring skills!!  I knew I couldn't show her off well enough - but I am really happy with the look of just a couple of splashes of color.


When I first agreed to guest designing for My Favorite Things, I knew there was sure to be something by Wendy Burns or a Pure Innocence set - so I went shopping for fun and cute dsp.  I haven't used much dsp yet in this release - I'm having fun showing off the MFT color palette.  But this paper from the Teresa Collins You Are My Happy pad was made for this stamp set!!    The button is from My Favorite Things - it's Bubble Gum.
Now I am going to do something not-so-smart.  I am going out of my comfort zone.  My original plan was just to do the cute card today, but the other set was on my desk, right next to a free pad of paper that had come in an order.  The possibilities hit me over the head.  It's really not generally bad to go out of one's comfort zone.  However, as a guest designer, presumably I was asked because MFT liked my style and body of work.  And...my CAS style is comfortable for me - that's probably because I am not good at other styles no matter how much I admire them when I see what others have designed.  So jumping out of the box is probably not smart on a guest post!  Anyway...here's my leap...

It's busier and more collage-ish than my usual style - although some of you are laughing because it's not really a big leap. It's still just a few layers; however, it is missing my beloved white space!  It does allow me to show off a few things.  This is Lainie Lamb Design's Journal It - Pocket Calendar. Obviously it's intended for journaling or scrapbooking - but it makes a nice masculine birthday card too.  (If you get this set, be sure to check out the 3x4 Insert die as it is a perfect fit. Then be sure to check out all Lainie Lamb Designs stamps and Die-namics because there is an entire series of stamps and dies that go with "Journal It".)
I also used the new Blueprints 10 which was previewed on Day 1.  Other stamps and dies that I used are the DC Party Balloons, Party Balloons Die-namics and the Fishtail Flags STAX Die-namics.  Colors from My Favorite Things are Electric Red, Fuse Green and Chocolate Brown.  The image is stamped on Primitive White.  (The dsp is 7 gypsies Postale.)
I used the deconstructed sketch.

Be sure to head over to the My Favorite Things blog and leave your comment for today!

My Favorite Things Stamps Day 5: Morocco and Get Well

It's Day 5 of the Release Countdown at My Favorite Things Stamps.  I hope you have been popping by their blog each day and leaving a comment for a chance to win a fabulous prize!!

Today I am previewing the Moroccan Tile Border Trio Die-namics and the Get Well Wishes stamp set.  Get Well Wishes was the freebie with purchase last month so you might have seen it before.  This month it becomes available for purchase.

My first card uses both in a very clean and simple card.


I used the smallest of the trio of border dies.  The other two are slightly bigger motifs than this one.  I wanted to add the rich colors of Moroccan tile so I used Orange Fizz, Grape Jelly, Gumdrop Green, Lemon Drop and Wild Cherry. (The blue isn't from MFT.)
I used the current sketch from Freshly Made Sketches for this card.

I also was inspired by CAS(E) this Sketch but my design team card (which I don't like as much) was already published!!

What I love most about Get Well Wishes is the combination of large fonts and small script fonts, so I wanted to do a second card showing both.  This card also uses Lisa Johnson Designs Grand Peaceful Wildflowers which was previewed on Day 1.

The tag on this card comes from Blueprints 1.  The main cardstock is Whip Cream which I am loving - it's off-white without being a yellowed cream.  I also used Natural, Bubblegum and Sour Apple. 
I hope you are enjoying this month's release.  Isn't there an amazing variety?  There are three more days of previews, than everything is available for purchase on Tuesday, December 10th at 10 pm EST along with a Product Launch post from everybody on the design team!  
Be sure to head over to the My Favorite Things blog to leave a comment and to check out all of the other designers.

My Favorite Things Stamps Day 3: Doodles and Dots

It's now Day 3 of the Release Countdown from My Favorite Things Stamps.  Only a few more days to go until the full release on the evening of December 10th!

I had a great time getting cards ready for today.  The stamps are by Sunny Day Doodles and are called Be Your Best Self.  For some unknown reason, I don't have any of the previous Doodles in my collection.  I'm glad to have this set and I'm sure more will find their way into my collection!  My first card leaves the sentiment mainly black and white and shows that the stamps work well in a very clean and simple setting.


Also on this card are the Layered Hearts Border Die, a "button" and background from Blueprints 6, and a tag from the Pierced Traditional Tag STAX. (BTW - if you ever decide to get the pierced tags, know that the non-pierced Traditional Tag STAX is just slightly bigger so are perfect for layering behind the pierced tags.)  The colors on this card are Electric Red and Steel Grey.
I also want to show you another stamps from Sunny Day Doodles Be Your Best Self because it is one of my very favorite quotes.  This card also shows off the new Polka Dot Cover Up Die-namics.  This card is a little bit fussier than the first card. I didn't color the entire sentiment - just gave it some pops of color.

The little flags are from Blueprints 10 which was introduced on Day 1 of the Release Countdown.  The button is Lemon Drop.  The cardstock colors are Grape Jelly (the darker purple), Grapesicle, Sour Apple and Lemon Drop.  I used the Pierced Rectangle STAX for the sentiment, but I cut it down a little bit.  It's easy with the pierced markings because they kind of lock into place.  Just slide the die up and down or side to side until it "clicks" into place and you have a perfect re-sized cut.

My card uses the current sketch from Mojo Monday.

One last card for today.  The other item being previewed today is a full alphabet and full set of numbers - in the round.  They are the Negative Dot Alphabet Die-namics and the Negative Dot Numbers Die-namics.  We have a big birthday coming up in my house in less than a month - and the numbers worked perfectly!

The sentiment is from Birthday Sentiments and the background is the Woodgrain Background.  The tag is the from the Pierced Traditional Tag STAX.  I needed something to top it off under the twine - so I used one of the pierced circle from Blueprints 10 and folded it in half.  The star in the circle is also from Blueprints 10.  The twine is Natural Hemp Cord.

I have said that one of my goals during my time as a guest for My Favorite Things is to show off colors. Since this card is for a teenage boy, I looked through my color ring and decided to show off Safety Orange. I have to admit that I thought that was a funny name since I would have expected something with that name to be an almost neon orange.  But this is a rich brown mustard color.  I really like blues with oranges so added Blu Raspberry which is the darkest of the aqua colors available at My Favorite Things.  Black seemed too dark so I finished it off with Steel Grey.

Be sure to head over (or back) to the My Favorite Things blog.  There is lots of great inspiration from the design team and be sure to leave a comment for a chance to win a gift certificate!

See you tomorrow!

My Favorite Things Stamps Day 2: Damask and Stitched Circles

We are on to Day 2 of the My Favorite Things December Release Countdown!!  Today includes some basics that are perfect for so many different cards.

The stamp set and coordinating die set is Mona Pendleton Designs Damask Designs.  It includes small patterns to large patterns, a border and even a couple of small damask flourishes to use with sentiments.  The circles are from the Stitched Circle STAX Die-namics and have that wonderful stitched pattern that add such a nice finished edge on die cuts.  The sentiment is from an earlier set called LJD Birthday Greetings.


I used the circle dies to create a telescoping look for the circles.  Because the damask designs come in different sizes, I could layer them up to create this look.

As I am creating these cards throughout the Release Countdown, I also want to focus on the colors.  I mentioned yesterday that the inks and colors from My Favorite Things were fairly new to me and that I am really happy with them.  Most of the colors are different from some of the other big brands.  On this card I used Steel Blue, a very nice gray color, and Fuse Green, a unique color that can take on yellow or green characteristics depending on the color it is paired with.  I first saw this combination used by Amy Rohl on this card and have wanted to try it ever since!
My layout is from the current Seize the Sketch.

Be sure to head over to the My Favorite Things blog.  You can see what all of the other designers have done with the damask and stitched circles.  And be sure to leave  comment for a chance to win the daily prize!

My Favorite Things Stamps: Day 1: Flowers, Blueprints, Knitting

I have been keeping a secret for over two months now.  I actually went back and checked. A very exciting email arrived in my inbox on September 23rd. It was from Kim van der Sanden of My Favorite Things inviting me to be a guest designer for the December release!!!  I almost missed this very important email.  I had actually ordered from MFT that very morning and the email from Kim was sandwiched between my order confirmation and processing emails - all from MFT Stamps.  When I finally saw it, I picked my jaw up from the floor, re-read it a few times to make sure that I wasn't dreaming, checked my class schedule and my other design team commitments to make sure I could make it work, and replied that I would be absolutely thrilled.

The day is finally here!  And the release is going to be so much fun!  I will have countdown posts from today through December 10th showing you highlights of this release, as will all of the other truly amazing My Favorite Things designers. The Product Launch happens Tuesday, December 10th at 10 pm EST and there will be another set of posts from myself and all of the designers.  Then there are Release Rewinds with even more inspiration on December 12th and 13th.  Phew!  (No wonder I didn't sleep well last night!)

I know this should be much less about me - and much more about the Release Countdown, so here it goes...

For Day 1, I was an overachiever today and did three cards.  (That's probably because I wasn't creative to enough to use all of today's products on one card!)  My first card uses the new Lisa Johnson Designs (LJD) set Grand Peaceful Wildflowers and the Grand Peaceful Wildflowers die set.  This is a super-size version of Peaceful Wildflowers, and includes brand new sentiments.  (FYI - I can't link the new products yet because they aren't available until December 10th.)



I do have to rave a little bit today over the MFT colors, inks, etc. I didn't have any of them before I got the big e-mail and I immediately ordered a couple of pads and a variety cardstock pack.  It's nice!  I have since ordered virtually all of it. The colors are just different enough from other major brands that they are definitely worth having. The ink stamps cleanly and the cardstock is heavy. They also carry felt, buttons and ribbon.

This card uses Brick Red ink (a gorgeous autumn red), Natural ink (brand new!) and cardstock, Steel Grey ink and Whip Cream cardstock (a new fave - it's off-white without looking yellow). I tied it off with the Hemptique Natural Twine that they carry in their store.

My next card shows off the new blueprint die set - Blueprint 10.  Do you have any of these yet?  The price can look a little scary, but just count up everything that you get and you'll quickly see they pay for themselves.  I am using the background panel with the round edges from the new blueprint set and a variety of the circles in the set.


The sentiment comes from LJD Cheerful Blessings - it's an older set that I've had for quite some time.  For my personal cards to people, it's the set that I go to most often.  The card base is Kraft. The other colors are Blue Raspberry, Razzle Berry, and Lemon Drop.  The button is also Lemon Drop and I've finished it with the Hemptique Natural Twine.

Finally, I had to do something with the new Pure Innocence set (and there's one more new set at the end of the release countdown).  I am a knitter....and I am often a knit-wit so I know this card will be used!


This card uses Sour Apple (this and other greens you will see on my blog this week have become my very favorite greens!), Lemon Drop, and Wild Cherry. The buttons are Lemon Drop. The texture on the red strip comes from LJD Western Backgrounds. The scallop edge comes from Blueprints 6.

I am using the MFT Wednesday Sketch that just ended this morning.  If you haven't played along with their weekly sketches - they are nice sketches.  There is a $15 prize to their store.  You don't  have to use MFT supplies, but if you do, the prize goes to $20.  I have to admit to getting a good start on my ink and paper collections by winning these prices!

Now you need to head over to the My Favorite Things blog.   First thing to do - follow the links to all of the other designers.  Second thing - leave a comment on the blog - MFT has huge release prizes, better than I've seen anywhere else.  And I know you will see something this week that you just have to have!

Thanks for dropping by!

Merry Monday: Deck the Halls

I am having one of those weeks.  Thank goodness I had pre-done most of my posts for this past week, because I was in no mood (or health) to deal with them!!

First, my kids coughed throughout last weekend and, even with extreme precautions on my part, it's my turn.  Apparently Colorado is in the middle of a whooping cough epidemic.  I don't know if that's what we have but it's a cough that's deep and nothing seems to help.  On Wednesday, my son's high school had their highest absence rate in their history.  The very worst part of it was that I missed a gathering of my favorite Colorado crafters.  I was planning to go until my husband gave me that look and asked if I thought the crafting group would ever forgive me if I spent the time coughing on them.

Second, the good news is that my husband is painting my bathroom and hallways (WAY overdue!)  We are having a large gathering of friends in my home next Tuesday and the house needs to shine.  (My house isn't a shiny kind of house so it takes a lot of work!)  I am sitting downstairs, coughing, being upset that I wasn't crafting with my friends, when I hear a thump, thump, thump and then extreme swearing coming from upstairs (very rare with my husband).  I cautiously went upstairs to check it out, and I see paint everywhere. The paint tray had slipped off, bounced down all the carpeted stairs, spewing paint everywhere, and landed upside down on the freshly shampooed family room carpet.  Bummer.  (I think I should have gone to cough on my crafting friends because I ended up scrubbing carpets!)

The final straw was our attempt to make the outside walkway look a little nicer (in advance of the Tuesday party).  We live in the country and anything we plant gets eaten by deer and rabbits.  Plus we have a dog that digs.  So the front walkway, with its supposed landscaping, has begun to look just a little trashy.  We decided to do a xeriscaped rock-garden.  Clearly, the whole xeriscaping part isn't going to happen before Tuesday - but since our guests are coming after dark, we thought some rocks and mulch and a couple of miniature pines would make it look like it would be a beautiful garden in the spring.  We spent two hours at a landscaping materials place (never, ever go rock-shopping with a geologist).  We finally picked a one ton palette of boulders.  Not small rocks - but boulders!  They weighed it, we paid for it, then it occured to us to ask when they could deliver.  Guess what?  Their truck is out of commission.  So guess what is in the back of my Suburban waiting for my men/boys to wake up and deal with this morning - half a ton of boulders - we'll get the other half on Monday!

Are you bored with my drama yet?  I'm so glad my life isn't boring - it seems to change daily - but I am blessed by the fact that every little drama is something on which I can look back and laugh!

If you've made it this far in my story - say a little prayer for my Tuesday gathering.  A church in trouble, so much so that many long-term members including my family had left. After a year many are still feeling hurt and lost, now a new interim pastor with a sincere desire to meet those who left - thus the gathering at my home.  We will need prayers.

Now...for what everybody really comes here for - a card!  Here's my attempt at this week's Merry Monday challenge.  There were a lot of requirements on this one and I carefully checked them off as I went - stripes, red and chocolate, stars or hearts.  Whew!

I realized a few weeks ago that I had absolutely no ornament dies.  I looked around and found this set just called Christmas Ornaments from My Favorite Things.  It has a coordinating stamp set too but I just got the dies.  They come with toppers and other decorations like holly, poinsettia and a little tag.  They are a good size - you can see how nicely three ornaments work on this card.

Since I was using My Favorite Things dies, I pulled out some NBUS sets - the newly released Cheerful Christmas Greetings for the sentiment, then I saw the row of stars in another Christmas set LLD Holiday Subway Art (I'm not sure inking up just the row of stars qualifies as truly using Never-Before-Used-Schtuff so you'll be seeing this set again!)

I have most definitely typed enough (can you tell that I'm avoiding the cleaning in front of me the next few days!)  Thanks for making it to the bottom.

• Stamps: My Favorite Things Christmas Greetings, LLD Holiday Subway Art
• Paper: Papertrey Dark Chocolate, Stampin' Up Poppy Parade, Bo Bunny Elf Magic stripe, shiny silver and gold from my stash
• Ink: Papertrey Dark Chocolate, Stampin' Up Poppy Parade
• Accessories: My Favorite Things Ornament dies, Hemptique white twine, Studio Calico Sequin Stars

Catered and deconstructed: Thankful for You

The new challenge at Catered Crop is "Thank You Kindly".  As I was browsing the Pinterest board that Linda curates for each challenge, I noticed a "thankful" card which reminded me that I had a set in my new stash that I had gotten specifically to tell my nieces how thankful I am for them.

My brother and his family recently moved to a nearby suburb.  It was so easy to pop over last Sunday to watch the Denver Broncos football game together.  My 8-year old and 5-year old nieces spent the afternoon making bracelets and necklaces for me on their rainbow looms, or else dragging my 13-year old out to the trampoline.  They spent hours working on flips - hmmm, my guy was out sick from school yesterday with an upset stomach - I wonder if it's related?  In the next few weeks, I get to go to grandparent's day at their school (sadly, they have no living grandparents so I'm subbing) and to their Christmas pageants.

I love my nieces and have so much fun with them as it is so different from my world of teenage boys. The It's a Sign set from My Favorite Things seemed like it would be perfect for so many occasions!


I am using the current deconstructed sketch.  I thought the angled panel gave it a jaunty look.  I was thrilled when I found that bold and colorful leaf print in my stash for the tall panel (but the edge with the brand was cut off so I have no idea what it is!)

I'm sure everybody does this - but I wanted to share something in particular about the Pierced Rectangle die from My Favorite Things.  The die was a little too wide for the stamp.  So I just moved the die over and cut it a little narrower.  What makes the Pierced Rectangle die so nice is that the dots just click into place as you slide the die over.  It makes it very easy to line up and cut the narrow size!

The other thing that I have to share is that I have finally found truly white embossing powder.  I have a large variety of "white" embossing powders, but they are actually all off-white or cream.  As a CAS cardmaker, the little things matter - and using as much white cardstock as I do, the off-white powders look wrong. I have a bottle that I am hoarding, from a company that no longer exists, but as I am starting to see the bottom of the bottle, I ordered even more white embossing powder in the hopes that it was "white"!  And I found two that were!  They aren't unusual brands, just not the brands that I already had in my stash.  Hero Arts White Embossing Powder is white - yay!  But the even better find is Wow Opaque Bright White Super Fine Embossing Powder.  Because it is Super Fine, sentiments emboss beautifully (see my card!)

• Stamps: My Favorite Things Pure Innocence It's a Sign
• Paper: Stampin' Up Island Indigo and River Rock dsp, Papertrey Ink Raspberry Fizz, unknown dsp
• Ink: Memento Black and Copics, Versamark
• Miscellaneous: My Favorite Things Pierced Rectangle STAX, elements from Blueprints 1 die, Hemptique 10-lb white twine

MFT Wednesday Stamp Club: Incredibly Sweet

Just a quick post...when I saw the Wednesday Stamp Club at My Favorite Things, I knew that I had a NBUS (Never-Before-Used-Schtuff!) stamp set and die that I recently got from their clearance rack that would be fun to use!

The challenge closes in an hour and I should be showered and cleaned up to meet a girlfriend in 15 minutes (sorry, girlfriend!) - so no more words!

• Stamps: My Favorite Things Contempo Cage
• Paper: Stampin' Up Strawberry Slush, Avery Elle woodgrain
• Ink: Stampin' Up Coastal Cabana, Versamark
• Accessories: My Favorite Things Contempo Cage die, Sentiment Strips 2 die, Lawn Fawn twine, MME enamel dots, white embossing powder

Catered Crop: Orange

It's that time of year where everything turns up orange!  Pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns and fall leaves and the Denver Broncos football team!!  The current challenge at Catered Crop is "orange" and Linda has curated a Pinterest board full of ideas - not just the typical fall cards, but she's also found cowboy boots and orange sodas and paper flowers!!

Not being quite that creative - I went for a fall leaf!  (Although I do think I deserve creativity points for the zig zags on the leaf because they weren't there to start with!)


To get the zig zags on the leaf, I first stamped the die cut leaf with the zig zag in white, then overstamped with the deep orange.  Jennifer McGuire did this on this card using a canvas background and solid leaves.  I love autumn so much that I do see the joy in every day (as compared to the summer when I am just grumpy from the heat!) so this sentiment was perfect for me and my fall leaf!
I hope you check out the Pinterest board (found here), pull out your orange and play along!

• Stamps: My Favorite Things Thankful Leaves, Cheerful Blessings, Mod Borders
• Paper: Papertrey Ink Terracotta, Smokey Shadow
• Ink: Papertrey Ink Terracotta, Smokey Shadow and Soft Stone, WPlus9 white
• Accessories: My Favorite Things Fall Leaves die, Stampin' Up Silver Cord, Neat & Tangled Festive Fall Sequin Mix

What Fall Means to Me!!

I realized this year that, even though I have about a thousand leaf stamps, I didn't have one that stamped leaves and then the veins.  So I went hunting for the perfect set (and it also had to have dies).  There are a number out there - but I went with My Favorite Thing's Thankful Leaves (I am so very thankful for fall.) There are three leaf shapes in the set - each is a perfect size as they can be tucked in behind as an accent or they can take center stage.

I did two very different looking cards with the set.  The first card uses the solid stamp image along with the veins and the die.  (I love the rich colors of fall.)



This card uses the sketch from Seize the Sketch.

The other reason that I wanted a set that had dies is to be able to cut leaves from patterned paper and then add the veins.  This is the same set as above. (The sentiment is not part of the set.)

This one is for CASology's Autumn challenge.

Did you notice the sequins on both cards?  They are a great mixed set from Neat & Tangled called Festive Fall.  If you like fall colors, this is a must-have!!  Something that I particularly like is the addition of a few clear and a few silver because it reminds me of the cool fall weather. (I love frosty fall mornings!!)
Fall has another meaning for me - one that sort of takes over our lives!!  It's marching band season!!  (I love marching band!)

Both of my sons are marching this year!  Do you see the two marchers in the back - a baritone and a trumpet (the tall guy and short guy side by side) - they are mine!!  (I love my boys - most of the time!)

I'm an old-time marching band geek.  And I have to admit that I don't always totally understand the new style!?  This is actually planned - hiding behind barrels, on the ground, it's fairly strange!!

But they always come back to the classic, solid-sound, lined up marching band that I love!

AND...they placed fourth in their class!!!  Last year, they didn't even make finals.  In fairness, there are smaller schools in a different class that actually got more points than they did so probably more like an 8th place finish.   But they were the most proud of the fact that of every school there, their music score was 3rd!!  They are feeling like they have a solid start on the marching season!
I love fall!!