Hoots Afraid of Halloween?

Nope, these owls are not afraid of Halloween...sorry, I could not resist :>)My family of owls were created using a FREE single owl digi stamp from Little Paper Shop (join the forum and there is a freebies section). I printed out the owl 3 times, resizing each time a little smaller (100%,90% and 80%). That is one of the things I love about digis - you can make them any size you want! Another great thing about digis is the ability to flip the images. I find it hard to stamp/print on black and see the image that you are cutting out, so for the bellies on these little guys I flipped the digi in MSPaint and printed it out on the reverse side of my printed paper - this also allowed me to hide the digi hearts that are on the belly.
My sewing machine remains in sight, so I immediately used it to put the finishing touches on this card. I decided to go with a different type of stitch around the outside. My machine has a bunch to choose from and this is the first time I used it for more than a straight or standard zig zag. I was aiming for a little bit creepy!
The card is based on LPS's sketch challenge this week. You know me and sketches...love 'em!
Yes, I flipped it a bit and left off the sentiment...I thought it might make the card too busy since there is so much patterned paper. :>} You have until Sunday at 8 pm CST to play along!
Details: LPS Owl digi, the branch is from an old old old SU set, Basic Grey PP Eerie, SU Perfect Plum, Black and Pumpkin Pie CS, SU Really Rust ink on the "moon", and lots of stitching.
Smiles,
Julie

Fall Flowers

It truly is fall in the Northeast. I love the change of seasons, perhaps not the change to winter, but the cold does make you appreciate the rest of the year. My card for today combines sketch #6 from Sketch Girl and fall colors for the Cuttlebug Spot challenge this week.I love this sketch because it can be used lots of ways - simple or lots of layers and texture.I am not the only one with a sample for you using this sketch so be sure to check out my fellow Sketch Girls:
Annie
Alyssa
Bonnie
Chris
Eve
Harriet
Jennie
Jessica
Katie
Randee
Sara
Tiffany
and our Guest Designer Amber
Have fun visiting everyone's posts and be sure to play along!!!
Smiles,
Julie
Details: SU Doodle This Stamp Set, SU Burgundy and Old Olive CS, SU Old Olive and Really Rust Ink, Basic Grey Eerie PP, stash brads, CB Embossing folders swiss dots and plaid, plus some sewing and a circle punch. All the papers were distressed with ink to soften them up, including the Basic Grey PP which is inked up to create the appearance of 2 different colors. Edited to add flower info on 10/1/09: The flowers were created by punching 3 circles from 3 different papers. I crumpled the paper circles and distressed with ink, then punched holes in the center to hold all 3 layers together with a brad.

There is Still Time...

to finish your Sketch Girl 5 project. September 30th is the last day to link up your creation {here} for the chance to win 5 sentiment singles from Creative Clear Stamps.
Tomorrow is also the day that the 6th sketch is revealed. Here is a peek at my creation:
Stop back tomorrow to see the entire card!
Smiles,
Julie

Scrapbooking Song

Well, not a song to scrapbook to, but if there is a song out there that inspires you to scrapbook let me know. This is a scrapbook page which uses song lyrics for the journaling and it is for this week's StampTV scrapbook sketch challenge. I can honestly say I will be using the lyric idea again, so a huge thanks to Erika (who is hosting the challenge) for such a great idea!The sketch I had no problem with, I have had this pic sitting out on my desk waiting for inspiration. The song, I needed to Google :>) To remember lyrics or a specific song that I could use, forget it. I joked that I would have to do Christmas carols. I Googled "lyrics to songs about children growing up" and Tim McGraw's "My Little Girl" was one of the hits. I am not a fan of country per se, but the lyrics are perfect. This is my daughter after her Kindergarten show last spring. She will always be my little girl :>) I just do not know where the time goes!!!
Details: SU Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip and Pink Pirouette paper, Basic Grey aqua paper, SU Close to Cocoa ink, SU Doodle This stamp set, Michael's ribbon, and PTI buttons.
Smiles,
Julie

Kitten Fairy Friends

I am tackling a CPS sketch challenge today. Just Rite Stamps is sponsoring this week's challenge (CPS 134) and you have until 8 pm tonight to play along. My DD went to a friend's Birthday party today, so I pulled the Pink Cat Studio Fairy Friends stamp set for the card. I originally saw this set used on tooth fairy boxes by Lauren Meader and immediately wanted to make one for my DD. Well, at the beginning of this month my daughter had her first loose tooth. I rushed to order the set, never thinking that it would come before the tooth came out. Well, luck was on my side, plus fast delivery and a daughter who is afraid that if she wiggled her tooth it would hurt too much! Needless to say I received the set before the tooth came out.
This is an altered Altoids tin - it is amazing what a little paper can do! Everyone I know now asks me if I can do something with different packaging...you never know. I now look at everything as having craft potential LOL!!
Enjoy your weekend! Tomorrow rain is in the forecast for us, which you all know means crafting time!!
Smiles,
Julie

Almost a Shade Late

Today's card is for the Moxie Fab World challenge - create a project that has something from around the house as the main focus. The deadline for the challenge is tonight at midnight, so I am just making it in! Those of you out there who are speedy you might still have time too.

The first thing I thought of was a stamp set I have had collecting dust for many years...I am not even sure it has seen ink before now (LOL).

The fringe on the shade reminded me of a beaded lamp and I have wanted to try incorporating beads into a card, so there was no time like the present. Of course I needed to buy beads first, which slowed down my progress! It was really easy to string on the beads and I bought a huge package, so you will probably see more beads from me in the future.

Details: Stamp set - SU Furnished with Love, Paper - SU Kraft and Bo Bunny Burnt Orange Dot, and Jewelry Essentials Glass Beads.

As a side note, The Cuttlebug Spot has giveaways all this week to celebrate their 1st anniversary. Be sure to stop by and join in the fun!

Thanks for stopping by!

Smiles,
Julie

Warm and Cuddly

I am always checking out Jessica Rone's blog (Addicted to Stamps) and recently she mentioned a layout challenge on a new blog Crazy 4 Challenges. I love layout challenges!

With this layout I was able to recreate the feel of a quilted baby blanket. This card is for one of my dearest friends who recently became a Grandmother for the second time (it's a girl!). The sentiment is a quote I found on the internet and typed up in MSWord.
Details: PTI pink blush paper, SU White and Close to Cocoa & Chocolate Chip paper, stash ribbon, Image - Scrap n Fonts DB Teddies, CB embossing folder, and some stitching (it is either that or buttons!).
I liked it so much that I did a second card.I have another new Grandparents card that I will need to send out soon. This one is generic since the recipient for this one does not know if the little one on the way is a boy or girl (but will probably find out any day now!). Honey decided the colors for this one and also the fact that it uses last week's color challenge on StampTV.

Details: SU Very Vanilla, So Saffron and Chocolate Chip paper, Image - Scrap n Fonts DB Teddies, CB embossing folder, and some stitching.

Smiles,
Julie

Time is Flying By

It is already the 15th and there is a lot going on over at Sketch Girl today. Sketch #5 is up and a guest designer is being selected. A huge thanks to everyone who played along with us last time. The cards were so creative and there are some great ideas I will be trying out :>)My card for sketch #5 includes buttons (who would have guessed?).I have to admit that this is not the same card that I had on my desk yesterday morning. I waited until the "last minute" to find inspiration and none came my way. I ended up making a few changes to my card last night and although it is not one that I will hang on my wall, I can live with it. LOL
Details: PTI Everyday Button Bits, PTI paper and buttons, SU Kraft Paper.
Be sure to check out what my fellow Sketch Girls did with the sketch (see sidebar for links). And be sure to play along with us this week. I would love to see what you do with #5!
Smiles,
Julie

Fall Fun

Little Paper Shop has a new free digi stamp that is cute, cute, cute so I had to use it right away! The layout is based on LPS's sketch challenge this week, which can be found here. I used my watercolor pencils to color in the hedgehogs, then I distressed the edges (with a kitchen knife...shhh don't tell my husband since he is the one who does most of the cooking!). The leaf embellies were made by stamping a leaf in brown, sponging with ink and after cutting each out I crumpled them up.
Details: Digi Stamp LPS Hedgehogs (go to the forum to find the stamp under freebies) and PTI sentiment Handwritten Notes, SU watercolor, chocolate chip and more mustard paper, K&Co. DP, SU chocolate chip, really rust and more mustard ink, a bunch of stitching, plus there are a few buttons too :>)
Laugh for the day: I asked my MIL to look for buttons and other vintage items if she went to any tag sales...she came to visit this weekend and brought me a ton of buttons! As we were looking thru the buttons, we found a few non-button items; rhinestones, bells, and (huge pause) human teeth. Ewwwww!!! She had to take them out of the container for me, I had a wee bit trouble touching them, even with a napkin protecting my hand. I think I will have to wash all these buttons :>)
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Huge Smiles,
Julie

Jump Start on Christmas

The past couple weeks on the Verve blog have been a project parade. Each day one of the divas shared a hostess gift. The challenge is to create a gift of your own (which ends tonight at 8). I decided with Christmas fast approaching that I better get started on gifts and this challenge provided the perfect op!Inside my hostess "basket" are 2 jars of homemade jam. These are the small jars that are about 2" high to give you an idea of the dimensions. Inside, to keep the jars from moving around is a sheet of paper turned into a platform with holes in it. This "basket" project was shown on UStamp with Dawn and Friends over the summer (with 3 smaller holes for tart candles). I went looking for a link to share on the creator's blog but could not find one - sorry!
Perhaps this will inspire you to get started thinking about the holidays too! Yikes!!
Smiles,
Julie
Details: SU Wild Wasabi paper and ribbon, Joanns' brads, K& Co. DSP, old old old Christmas Tree Stamp, SU Slit punch, fabric, Ball canning supplies, plus strawberries and blueberries :>)

My First Raspberry Suite Challenge Card

I have noticed quite a few people taking part in the Raspberry Suite Challenges by Dawn, so I decided to give it a try. I am always looking for inspiration :>) This week is a color challenge:Since Papertrey Ink's Everyday Button Bits was still sitting on my desk I stamped up the bicycle and pulled in the colors.
This card completely fulfills my button addiction! Here is a closeup...The buttons are sewn right on to the paper, I do not like naked buttons :>) For the buttons with 4 holes, the attachment is in the shape of a square (but use your imagination and think center of a bike wheel). Details: Image Stamp Set - PTI Everyday Button Bits, Sentiment Stamp Set - PTI Handwritten Notes, Paper - PTI Dark Chocolate & Summer Sunrise and Su Very Vanilla & Kraft, Ink: SU Chocolate Chip, and PTI buttons.
Smiles,
Julie

Soaring for the CPS Challenge

I have a growing addiction to buttons, so when I saw PTI's Everyday Button Bits I needed it :>) The images are so cute and made just for buttons! I just finished my first card with the set...I have seen several cards with hills created out of different papers, so I wanted to pull a little of that into this card and it fit right into the sketch. This card is for the Card Positioning Systems sketch challenge for this past week, with an SU prize. The deadline is tonight at 8 pm CST (which means you still have a few hours).Be sure to hop over to the site and check out all of the creations - there are a ton of great samples using the sketch.
Details: PTI Everyday Button Bits, SU Bashful Blue and Whisper White CS, K&Co. Actopus to Zelephant DP, PTI Buttons and some machine sewing (I couldn't resist pulling out the machine for this one :>).
Smiles,
Julie

Toile Party Dress

Here is another elegant card for you :>) This one is for the StampTV potluck challenge which is to case a DT member's card. I chose Emily Giovanni's card found here and switched up the colors and pattern. I did not have DP that I liked, so I made my own and went with a bunch of roses - the result reminds me of toile.
Details: Dress Stamp - GKD Retro Boutique, Rose Stamp - old unknown SU, SU Very Vanilla paper and PTI Blush paper, and Michael's ribbon.
Laugh for the day: My photo came out little crooked, because one of my sons was trying to sit next to the card to be in the picture :>) Had to snap the photo fast!!
Smiles,
Julie