Follow Your Bliss…

Hey there!

I’m SO excited to finally show you one of my cards from Anna Wight’s newest Whipper Snapper release: Hocus Pocus! I’m telling you, just buy it! It is soooooo CUTE! I was giggling the whole time I made this card! Anna, you’re a genius, honey!

It was the perfect time for me to pull out my NEW Cosmo Cricket Haunted line from Jacksonbelle Embellishments! This paper and these images I think are PERFECT together.

I stamped the legs and the banner on shimmery Cryogen White cardstock, colored with my Copic markers, (YR07, YR21, YR24, YG03, YG17, V99, BV29) then trimmed out. I needed to use a craft knife for the center space area of the legs. I popped them up on foam dimensional tape, and layered on top of one of my very favorite Spellbinders Labels dies.

All of the edges were sponged with Ranger vintage photo ink. I found some fun green fibers to use, and also some Making Memories bat brads for each corner. The cardbase is Prism wizard medium cardstock. A bit of Stickles on the shoe buckles finish it off nicely.

Hope you enjoyed this little peek! Check back, as I will have more to share with you soon!

Bye for now!!

I have been working a LOT and needed to break free this weekend. I have some more fun on tap today and tomorrow, but wanted to show you what I did yesterday!

I got together with several folks from our MINI Motoring group–we went to lunch, then took a drive up the Blue Ridge Parkway. We hit some rain up around 5000 ft (Mt Pisgah area), but continued on up to the highest point on the Parkway: 6053 ft. The rain stopped, and provided a cool/eerie backdrop for our fabulous MINIs.

Yesterday was one of those days when my smile went deep into my soul. I love how this little car makes you feel like a child again. Owning a MINI is not just owning a car. It’s a way of life. Dare to be different! Sharing my joy with others who feel the same way about this little car is the icing on the cake.

Be sure to check back tomorrow! There’s a NEW Anna Wight Whipper Snapper release!! AAAACK!! you are going to love it!!!

See you soon!!

Are you interested in getting Copic certified?

There will be 2 sessions coming up in Charleston SC and Kansas City! Applications are due August 20th.

For details, check it out —>HERE!

Several of you have emailed me asking where I’ve been, and I thank you for missing me! I have been really busy with work, and life in general.

I did take a break a couple weekends ago and took Lady G out on the Blue Ridge Parkway, as well as over to the Biltmore Estate. Here’s a few pics of her in her natural habitat!

I will have some creative stuff for you very soon! Thanks for stopping by!!

We still have space available for you to attend our Card Maker and Paper Works special event in Ft. Wayne Indiana on August 23rd! I know there’s got to be several of you that live nearby! I sure would love to meet you!

Check out all of the details on this post—-> HERE!

Oh my goodness it seems like it’s been forever since I sat down for some good creating time! Last night after work, I needed to just step away from the computer (that I sit in front of for 12+ hours) and get in some fun stamping. Naturally, I picked up my favorite Anna Wight Whipper Snapper sets!

I turned to my fellow Dirty Dozen (current and alumni) for inspiration on these two cards, combining several challenges from the SCS Dare to Get Dirty Challenge!

This card combines Toy’s sketch, scrapnextra’s tearing/distressing, and sf9erfan’s masculine challenges. WOO HOO! Triple challenge!

I used some of my new Anna Griffin Sierra paper. For those of you that like the look of kraft paper, this 8×8 paper pack is for you!

I used a lot of Ranger vintage photo and walnut inks for the sponging. The leaves were stamped with Memento rich cocoa ink, and colored with my Copic markers, (YG93, YG95, W3) then cut and embossed with the petite oval Spellbinders dies. Everything was distressed, and a bit of faux stitching was added. I finished it off with a little brown twill from Jacksonbelle.

This next design combines Lauraly’s vellum challenge, and tasher’s sketch! I wanted to use my favorite pattern from Basic Grey’s Sultry line for this card. I had the idea to stamp these flowers on vellum, then turn it over, and dry emboss where the flowers are, to make them white.

These flowers remind me of lilies of the valley, even though I’m not sure what they are “supposed” to be. In my world today, they are lilies of the valley.

I colored the stems, both front and back with Copics YG17 and YG67, and shaded with W4. I also stamped the image on the kraft cardstock before adhering the vellum on top. This helps to add more depth.

I stamped the little butterfly in the top corner, then stamped again on white cardstock and trimmed. It’s colored with Copics RV11, RV34, E27, and adhered with glue dots. A bit of Stickles, some stitching, and Martha Stewart ribbon finish it off nicely!

I’ve really been enjoying my time with Whipper Snapper! Hope you are enjoying it, too! (Wait till you see August’s sets…OMG!)

Thanks for visiting!

If so, I want to meet you!! As you know, I am Product Manager for DRG’s PaperWorks and CardMaker Kit of the Month Clubs. It is my pleasure to invite you and a friend to a special event to be held in your area Aug. 23. I would love for you to join us!

We plan to discuss what women love about card-making & scrapbooking and to get your pointers and ideas for making CardMaker and Paper Works kits even better. We have reserved a meeting room in the administration building at the Allen County Fairgrounds (2726 Carroll road near the intersection of Lima and Carroll Rd.) and invite you to join us for a craft chat and snacks. Here’s our planned schedule of activities:

Saturday, August 23, 2008: Allen County Fairgrounds, Administration Building, 2726 Carroll Rd., Fort Wayne, Ind.

10-11:30 PaperWorks

10 am: Sign in

10:15-11:00: Welcome and craft chat—guests will share their insights and ideas about scrapbooking, trends, colors, etc. My staff and I will have a variety of kit ideas we’ll be sharing with you.

11-11:30: Snacks and round table discussion

11:30: Farewell until next time!

2-3:30 CardMaker

2:00 – 2:15 p.m.: Sign in

2:15 – 3:00: Welcome and craft chat—guests will share their insights and ideas about card making, trends, colors, etc. My staff and I will have a variety of kit ideas we’ll be sharing with you.

3:00 to 3:30: Snacks and round table discussion

3:30: Farewell until next time!

If you would like to join us, please contact Robin (robin_arnold@drgnetwork.com or 260-589-4000 extension 330) or Lisa (lisa_ringger@drgnetwork.com or 260-589-4000 ext 349) and specify which session you’d like to attend. (one or both). We’ll add you to our guest list. If you are bringing a friend, we’ll need her name as well. Please R.S.V.P. by August 9, 2008.

Don’t delay as we can only accommodate the first 30 women per session who respond.

This is sure to be a fun-filled event as you meet other creative women in your area. All participants will receive five free card making/scrapbooking kits and one lucky lady will receive a free one-year membership to CardMaker Kit-of-the-month Club!

Please join us for this exciting craft event!

Happy Anniversary Mom & Dad! Today is their 51st Anniversary!

I decided to play along with Lindsey’s DTGD challenge to make my parent’s card. I hope they like it!

I love using pink & back together, but haven’t for quite some time. I love the contrast between the two colors, and the retro feel it has!

I used my Spellbinders RicRac Scalloped Pierceability die across the bottom, and then embossed across the top 2/3 of the card with my new Cuttlebug embossing folder. Before embossing, I rubbed my Ranger pitch black inkpad over it, then inserted the cardstock, and ran through my Wizard. It almost looks like fabric…very cool! Part of Lindsey’s challenge was to do faux stitching, too, so I faux stitched around a couple parts of the pierceabilty die. FUN!

I colored the Lockhart tart of hearts with my Copic markers (R83, RV34, C3), then cut and embossed with the Labels 1 die. I accented it with a Sakura white souffle pen, as well as a Sakura black glaze pen. Naturally, I covered the hearts with Stickles for some yummy sparkle.

To finish off the design, I added some ruffle-edged black May Arts ribbon, and some K&Co black bling.

Thanks for stopping by today!! Have a great afternoon!!

I have one more treat to share with you from CHA! I found this booth as I was just walking the floor, and it literally stopped me dead in my tracks. The booth was decorated so beautifully, all with their different lines of papers. My favorite line is Botanicabella.
I’m disappointed that some of these pictures are really blurry. Not sure what happened with my camera, but I’m sharing them anyway. If you’d like to see their full lines of papers (and I recommend you do) check out their website: Graphic 45.

Click to see these pics full size!

Look how gorgeous! She set eyelets in the papers, and wrapped the silk pillows with a 12×12 sheet of paper.

I’ve seen so many home decor projects using paper decoupaged to furniture. I MUST try this!

And here’s the shot of the Botanicabella line. Richly colored, nature themed collage style. Stunning! I sure hope I can get my hands on some of this paper!

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you have a fabulous FRIDAY!! I’ll be back with some designs from the Dirty Dare Challenges!! WOO HOO!!

I’m so glad you all enjoyed the Basic Grey photos! Today I’d like to show you pics from Doodlebug & BoBunny!

Doodlebug has 3 darling holiday lines for Halloween (hocus pocus), Christmas (merry & bright), and Easter (bunny hop). In addition, they have a stunning monochromatic line, complete with glitter and flocking, called “Paper Potpourri“. They also have a Valentine line (true love) that I did not get a photo of. Their “boutique brads”, “braddies”, and “boutique trims” are SO stinkin CUTE!! *sigh* I *heart* Doodlebug!

I’ve always loved BoBunny, but this release literally made me GASP! The Spooktastic line is soooooo cool, and the Beautiful Life, Beau Jardin, and My Darling lines are *stunning*!!

Is your checkbook feeling lighter yet? I know mine is! LOL!