Blogger Challenge #62: Labor Day

Stamps: Elzybells UK Paper:DSP by Imaginsce; Certainly Celery; Pink Pirouette; White Ink: Black Staz On; and various reinkers for coloring. Other: PIP buttons; Scallop border punch; CC brads; Nesties; Cotton Candy Stickles






Bloggers Challenge #1 for Kerry! Last week I decided to join the bloggers challenge group. They all looked like they were having fun!

This weeks challenge was "LABOR" DAY--patriotic or baby. (baby...LABOR day...that cracked me up!) Can you believe that I don't have any patriotic-type sets! What kind of American am I?! And I knew that eventually I would need a baby girl card.

You know, as I am typing this I remembered a patriotic Christmas card I made a couple of years ago with the Frosty set. So here is that too.

To see what the rest of the BC girls made click on the Bloggers Challenge box on the right and that will give a list of names to click on.

I hope that you have a great weekend.

Welcome To The Neighborhood!

Stamps: Elzybells UK
Paper: Bashful Blue; So Saffron; White; dsp by Imaginesce
Ink: Stazon Black and various reinkers for coloring.
Other: Stardust Stickles; rub on stitches; Nesties; Bashful Blue Button; White Sharpie

My neighbors welcomed their first baby into the world last week! I am SO happy for them. They are a really sweet couple and I know they will be fabulous parents.

When I ordered my Elzy stamps I was anticipating baby Finns arrival, so I ordered this sweet little baby image and sentiment.

This card measures 4.25"x 5.5".

TechnoStampers Monday's Sketch #29

Stamps: Elzybells UK
Paper: Mellow Moss; Chocolate Chip; Orchid Opulence; DSP by Making Memories; White
Ink: Staz On black; Blush Blossom;Orchid Opulence; Creamy Caramel; Bordering Blue; Pink Pirouette
Other: Hydrangea Dew Drops; Moss Organdy; nesties

I ordered some UK Elzybells...and I LOVE them!! I always thought the Elzys were way cute, but oh so small. But the UK Elzys seemed so big....but Elizabeth (owner of Elzybells) had them downsized to just the right size!! And they are sold unmounted too, so that means I can buy more!
Both of today's cards measure a whopping 5x7.

The sentiment on the outside reads: I'm not Bossy...
The inside reads: I just have better ideas.

This is SO me. I fully admit to it. yikes....when did this turn into confessions of a midnight stamper?!

The sentiment was one stamp, I cut it into two. inside/outside

I feel that since I started using the new SU! Bella Rosa paper I am on a shabby chic/ cottage-y-ish type of mood. So now instead of black, Chocolate Chip must be used on everything! LOL! That Bella Rosa paper just seems cottage-y-ish to me. I think that patchwork turtle card put me over the edge.

Here is my second Elzybells UK card for this sketch. This came as an acrylic set. The sets are so cute, I wanted all of them. shocking, I know. :P

Stamps: Elzybells UK
Paper: CTMH pink DSP; Certainly Celery; Pink Pirouette; White; Chocolate Chip
Ink: Staz On Black; Chocolate Chip; Certainly Celery; Pink Pirouette; Basic Gray; Going Gray
Other: Celery Ribbon and Brads; nesties


Visit Mary Jo's blog to see her fAbtAstIc card and the other splendiferous sketch players this week.

Sketch 28 & In Color Review

Stamps: High Hopes
Paper: all SU! Red Ridinghood; Pink Pirouette; White; Kiwi Kiss; Bella Rosa DSP
Ink: Black Staz On and various reinkers for coloring.
Other:Nestabilities; rub ons; hodgepodge; crystal effects.


This froggy card was my 2nd card I made for this sketch. The first card is below. I hate it. I was combining an image challege that I needed to get done and this sketch and the fact that I bought a bunch of Basic Grey's 6x6 pads and have yet to use them...(oh but don't worry, I just preordered more! tsk...tsk) I love to buy them and keep looking at the paper...and the designs are so pretty...but they never seem to fit what I am making. Point made with the card below!

(side note 1: I seem to have an issue photographing red cards. As well as ones with too much white....oh, and Chocolate chip. So these are all scanned in for truer colors. I have also edited the patchwork turtle card in the previous post to a scanned photo. I have a REALLY nice DSLR camera...unfortunately, I need to learn more about it. Until then, I will be randomly scanning some cards. So I apologize for the lack of dimension.)

I have to admit that I am really diggin' this Bella Rosa Paper from SU!. Often when I buy those packs of paper there are 2-3 designs that I love and the rest go unused. But I think I like just about every sheet of this DSP.

I also have to admit that I am enjoying the new In Colors more than I thought I would. (ok...it could be that it is because it goes with the Bella Rosa paper...but, I don't think that is the only reason...). When I first saw the new In Colors I was less than impressed. They looked "neon-ish" to me. Then upon receiving them they looked extremely similar to colors that SU! already carries. (ie; Tangerine=only orange; Ridinghood=Ruby Red; Pirouette=Pretty in Pink; Pacific Point=Brilliant Blue; Kiwi=Old Olive; Baja=Bashful Blue)

However, after using several of the colors over the past few days, they are different enough for me to be happy. Tangerine is a bit nicer than Only Orange, imo. Only Orange only seemed appropriate for Halloween to me. it is just SO orange. Pink Pirouette is a much prettier pink than PIP. I always felt PIP was a bit orange-y. And, imo, the PIP marker is too bright. Pink Pirouette is a softer babier pink. Kiwi Kiss is a bit brighter and more fun than Old Olive. (Kiwi Kiss also seems to be perfect for frogs and turtles!) Bashful Blue is softer and more baby-ish than Baja Breeze. Baja has a hint of kiwi in it. Riding hood red...hmm...it is very very very close to ruby red. A little "cleaner" looking. Ruby Red always looks a little "dirty-ish" to me. Not dirty in a bad way...just dirty-ish. I have not used Pacific point at all yet. I will make a point to use it soon. But I don't even remember the last time I used Brillant Blue either. Actually, I don't use many of the blues hardly at all. Aside from Bashful. I was in love with all of the previous In Colors, except for the Sky (?) one. I did use Blue Bayou...but I will also use Taken with Teal and they are pretty similar. Actually thinking of Pacific Point, It looks like it might be a cross between Brillant Blue and Taken with Teal.

Well, here is the first card I made with this sketch. I have titled this card "Ugly Elzy". I flipped the sketch upside down for this...because it worked better with the Basic Grey paper that I was forcing myself to use. That's all I have to say about this card. :P

I would just like to THANK MARY JO for not using arrows. LOL! I am "arrow challenged". I don't like arrows. I don't want to like arrows. no more arrows! :)

Speaking of MJ, head on over to her blog and check out her card using this sketch and links to others for inspiration and don't forget: you can play too!

(side note: As I type this it is currently 11:58 pm on Sunday. I have to type this on Word an hopefully copy and paste it onto blogger in the AM because we have been having some severe weather around New England for over a week now and tonight my cable is out. It have been out for about 7 hours now! I am jonesing for my internet!! No internet AND no TV....what am I? a pilgrim?!) Edited to add that I just got my cable and internet back an hour ago! at 10:42 pm. that is almost 32 hours without cable or internet. Now, trust I know there are worse things happening out there...but it shouldn't take 32 hours to fix this! Don't even get me started on the CS rep at CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS and HOW RUDE HE WAS! breathe in....breathe out...breathe in....breathe out....

Sincere Thanks

Stamps: Elzybell and sentimenby AMUSE
Paper: Pretty In Pink; Wild Wasabi; PIP DSP; White
Ink: Staz On Black; More Mustard; Creamy Caramel; Blush Blossom; PIP; WW; Close to Cocoa
Other: Nestabilities; Wild Wasabi Ribbon

I made this about a month, but forgot to post it. Then I noticed it somewhat resembled this weeks sketch challenge by Mary Jo, so I figured I would throw it up here.

Hope that you are all having a great week! It is HOT here. about 101 F yesterday! But today has cooled down to the high 80's...if everyday of summer was like today I would LOVE the summer. Instead I hibernate in my house with the central A/C set to IGLOO. LOL!

Ida's Card

Stamps: cat is by Stampendous. Sentiment is from a retired SU! set: Super Squirrel. It was a cute set...too bad very few agreed with me and it lasted only one year. Flowers are Elzybells/Amuse

Paper: Wild Wasabi; Pixie Pink; White; Black; paw paper is unknown.
Ink: Pixie Pink; Staz On Black; White Sharpie
Other: Flower Brads by Making Memories; Wild Wasabi Ribbon; Prisma pencils and Gamsol; Marvy Punches and Nestibilities




Ida (visit her blog) had sent me this image. Ha Ha Ida. She knows how I just adore cats. (NOT!)

I was assigned to make her a card in a recent card challenge, so I thought I would use this cat and send it back to her.

I hope she likes it!

Monday's Lunch Time Sketch #10

One last St. Paddy's Day Card! I made this several weeks ago and the central image worked with the sketch so I just went with it. I keep the future sketches that MJ sends us, tacked up in my stamp area so they are there when I have an image that works, or I have time to work on the sketch.

I can't say the idea of the little shamrocks with the car was my idea....wish I could, as it came out cute! But I owe that little nugget of creativity to my BFF, Kristen.


Here is the original sketch. Don't forget to head over to Mary Jo's Blog (TechnoStamper) after noon (EDT) to see her take on the sketch and get links to other sketch players this week. Enjoy!

PS--I got my just released Riley Moose Stamps this weekend!!! I had a chance to make a couple of cards...check back tomorrow to see those. That Riley, he is too cute!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Here are some valentine's I made. First up is my favorite one, for my BFF. Sorry for the shadows, (ie: The scalloped Rose Red square is pop dotted on the larger Lavender Lace, there is not a darker purple in between). So the base is Rose Red. I love Rose Red! I forget who makes the designer paper, but if you must know, leave a comment and I will get my down the stairs to find out. ;) The Stamps are Elzybells.

Next up are some that I had left over from a couple of years ago and then I made some more....pictured are only 3. Uses the Polar Pals penguin....did I mention that I love that little guy?! LOL! The hearts are from an retired SU! set....it looked like those little conversation hearts....bad memory this AM! Again, I am sorry for the shadows....but I am trying to work with natural sunlight to get the true colors, but we have been having some terrible weather here, so I am just setting up near a window. :) I ordered a light tent and some photo light-thingys from ebay and expect them tomorrow. I'll report back on those. I am blaming it all on MJ for putting the idea in my head that I NEEDED this. But honestly, she just mentioned it, and then I convinced myself I NEEDED it! LOL!
Oh Yeah, the velentines! Pink Passion, Black, White. 3x3 note cards. Glitter. Heart Eyelets.



Next, for your viewing pleasure are some more 3x3 note cards. The Cupcake is from Lockhart stamps. I *think* the sentiment is Savvy stamps. Again if you need to know I will find out.


And finally, is another card that I made last year, got a little gung ho and cut the pieces for like 20 cards, then fizzled and never finished them for V-day. So I made a few more for this year. SU's Wild About You set. some retired paper, Taken with Teal, Pretty in Pink, and glitter on his ear of course! Glitter makes everything better!




And a little V-day Humor!

Elzy's, Elzy's... everywhere!

So I finally got myself some Elzybell Stamps. oooooh, they are so cute!!! I got a few of them, but never got past this one last night. So here is a few with this same image. The first one is my favorite, mostly because it was the idea I had in my head when I first saw the stamp and was excited to implement it.
The St. Paddy's card measures 4.25" square. The base is Glorious Green. The corner and eyelets are Only Orange. OH! and I was excited to find that Really Rust makes the perfect color irish hair! I don't think you can tell from the picture, but the flowers have a teeny tiny green rhinstone in the center


The papers, ribbon, and cardstock used above are all CTMH. They have some REALLY nice designer paper packs and the packs come with coordinating cardstock.

Hopefully I will have time to play with the rest of my Elzy's this week.



I really want to be a simple cardmaker. I try the AMUSE way of thinking, but I am just not satisfied with the end result, like the card above.