Thursday, April 28, 2011

♥ A Super Easy {do it yourself!} Shadow Box ♥

Hi Everyone! Here is a FUN, EASY and INEXPENSIVE way to make your own Shadow Box! And the best part is you can configure it any way you want! It is made out of a down loadable matchbox template and a shoebox lid!!

Just stop by the Hybrid Chick blog, say hi and let me know what you think! All the step-by-step directions and supply list are on there!

I hope you all have a wonderful day!

Hugs...

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

♥ Simon Says...Blog Hop! ♥

Welcome to the Simon Says Stamp Challenge 2nd Anniversary Celebrations :-) If you have just arrived here by chance and would like to join in the hop you will need to start at the begining on the challenge blog.
If you have arrived here from Debby's blog you are going in the right direction :-)

This week we have an ANYTHING GOES theme and a BLOG HOP :-)

There are 3 fabulous prizes from our lovely Heidi at Simon Says Stamp that 3 lucky entrants, drawn at random, will win !! You can see the pic's of whats being offered on the Simon Says Stamp Challenge blog. Go HERE for direct link to post!

ALSO we have a $10 Voucher to spend in the Simon Says Stamp Store to give away at every blog along the way !!

To have a chance at winning, you MUST join in the challenge and complete the hop, leaving a comment on EVERY blog along the way :-)

This week, I made a card using Bo Bunny's Gabrielle line. I used the 6x6 paper pack and Butterfly Frame clear stamp set as well as a Gabrielle cardstock sticker. I also used some Hero Arts pearls, Martha Stewart fine white glitter and some seam binding ribbon.

Now, from here you need to hop on over to the lovely Jane's blog!

Thank you for joining us for our very special celebrations and don't forget to leave me a comment before you hop along :-)

Have a wonderful day!
Hugs...

Monday, April 25, 2011

♥ Butterfly Wishes! ♥

That is the name of this week's theme over at The Shabby Tea Room...Butterfly Wishes! Create a card/project with a butterfly on it...or 2...or 3! However many you like!
I used a Prima Annalee Journaling Notecard, some punched Martha Stewart butterflies, a Melissa Frances rub-on transfer, pearls, seam binding ribbon and a tea stained lace flower basket.
This week's prize sponsor is the Stamp Fairy! The winner of this week's challenge will win a $15 credit voucher to the store.
And here is this week's lovely inspiration photo:
Don't forget to visit the rest of the Shabby Girls!

Debbie Marcinkiewicz - {TSTR Creator} - Simple Treasures
Pattie Goldman - The Pampered Paper Patch
Danielle Greenwood - Au Claire De La Lune
Charlene Cundy - Expressions of Me!
Sheri Holt - My Sheri Cards

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter!! Have a great day!

Hugs...

Friday, April 22, 2011

♥ Antonio's GIANT Easter Egg! ♥ {Simon Says Kids Challenge}

Happy Good Friday everyone! I wanted something "Eastery" for my back door off my bar area. My 5 year old son, Antonio, said he wanted to make me something to put there! So off he went with his paints into the craft room! A half an hour later he emerged with this giant Easter Egg! He cut the egg shape out himself and added the stripes of pastel paint! I have a mini Picaso! hehe
It looks perfect on the back door! The best Easter decoration ever! ;)

He is entering it in the Special Kids Challenge over at the Simon Says Stamp Challenge Blog where Anything Goes! It runs until April 30th and it is for children ages 2-16.

I won't be back here until Monday, but I wanted to wish you all a very Happy and Blessed Easter! Have fun with the Easter Egg hunts, chocolate bunnies and yummy food but remember the true meaning of Easter! God bless you All!!

Hugs and much, much love....

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

♥ Simon Says... Embossing! ♥

That is this week's challenge over at the Simon Says Stamp Challenge Blog! Embossing! This week the DT got to play with Belles and Whistles stamps. I must confess I never used them before. But I was very impressed with them. They stamp very crisp and clean and they have the cutest images too.
I used the Belles and Whistles stamp  called "Watering" on my card. I colored it in with some Copics and then used my Versamarker embossing marker on the little bows in her hair, the bow on her hat and the flowers and then added some embossing powders by Ranger. Then blasted it with my Martha Stewart heat gun.
I also added a K&Co. seed packet, some ribbon, a mini wooden clothes pin, and the sentiment was printed out from MS Word, but I originally got it from a Melissa Frances rub-on transfer. I also used papers by The Girls Paperie and my Martha Stewart Doily Lace edge punch. I handmade the button using the same paper and a clear button.
Don't forget the random winner of this week's challenge will receive a $50 Credit Voucher to the Simon Says Stamp Super Store!

And we also have a special Kids challenge ongoing at the Simon Says Stamp Challenge Blog! It is for children ages 2-16! The theme is Anything Goes! So get those kiddies crafting! There is a $50 credit voucher up for grabs for them too! It runs until April 30th!

Have a wonderful day!

Hugs...

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

♥ A {real} "GATE" Card ♥ {City Crafter GDT}

I have the pleasure to be this week's Guest Designer on the City Crafter Challenge Blog! And the awesome challenge this week is to make a gate card. For directions on how to make one, you can visit HERE or HERE.
I decided to make a real gate card! I used a mini Ornate chipboard Gate from Dusty Attic, which I added some white paint to and then "aged" it a bit with some various inks and then added some punched leaves and flowers to it as well as some punched butterflies, Melissa Frances resin keyhole and a tea-stained crocheted heart. When you "tuck" the heart under one of the mini roses it holds the gate closed. I used some pieces of thin hemp cord to hold the gates onto the front of the flaps. So the gates really open. So I have a gate fold card with real gates on it! :)
I also used paper by Making Memories, a Crafty Secrets Creative Scraps (Love Mail), ribbon, crystal chandelier pendant, pearls, and trim.
Stop by the City Crafter Challenge blog to say Hi and participate in this fun challenge!! I would love to see your gate cards too!
 Look at this gorgeous inspiration photo!

Have a wonderful day!

Hugs...

Monday, April 18, 2011

♥ A Shabby Flower Pot Card ♥ TSTR #58

This week's challenge at The Shabby Tea Room is to create a card/project based on this beautiful inspiration photo using pastels and stripes.
I decided to make a flower pot card as soon as I saw the beautiful ribbon and bakers twine we got to play with from this week's sponsor The Ribbon Reel. I used some papers by The Girls Paperie, a paper doily, Martha Stewart punched butterflies, stamped sentiment from Gina K's Basket Blessings stamp set, pearls and those beautiful ribbons and button from The Ribbon Reel.
The winner of this week's challenge will win this beautiful prize from The Ribbon Reel.
Don't forget to visit the rest of the Shabby Girls!

Debbie Marcinkiewicz - {TSTR Creator} - Simple Treasures
Pattie Goldman - The Pampered Paper Patch
Danielle Greenwood - Au Claire De La Lune
Charlene Cundy - Expressions of Me!
Sheri Holt - My Sheri Cards

Have a wonderful day!

Hugs...

Saturday, April 16, 2011

♥ My Little Guest Designer! ♥ (Kids Simon Says Challenge!)

Starting today, over at the Simon Says Stamp Challenge Blog, we are having a 2 week challenge just for children ages 2-16! We want to see their Art Work! It can be a card, scrapbook page, colored eggs, whatever they like, Anything Goes! It starts today and ends on April 30th. And the random winner will win a special prize! A $50 Credit Voucher to the Simon Says Stamp Store!

My son, Antonio, is one of the guest designers for the challenge. All of the DT's had the children in their lives make something special for this challenge. He made this card all by himself!
He used the Magnolia Three Eggs stamp and Hoppy Easter Quilt paper. He colored in the eggs and grass with Essentials watercolored pencils and also added some Martha Stewart punched butterflies and mini rose, ball trim, pearl bow and he hand wrote the "Happy Easter". He did alot better than I thought he was gonna do! LOL I better watch out, he may take over all my DT's!! ;)
So we hope that your kids, grandkids, godchildren and/or neighbors kids will join in on the fun over at the Simon Says Stamp Challenge Blog's, Special Children's Challenge!
Most of the items he used are available at the Simon Says Stamp Superstore!

Have a wonderful Palm Sunday tomorrow!

Hugs...

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

♥ Simon Says... Card for a child! ♥

This week at the Simon Says Stamp Challenge Blog, we have a sweet challenge! Make a card for a child. It can be for a boy or girl! As long it can be given to a child, we want to see it!  
                                        
I used Crafty Secrets Clear Art Stamps, Little Boy stamp set. Such an adorable set. I also used some paper by Melissa Frances and Pink Paislee (green) as well as a Maya Road Crystal Star stick pin, a Little Red Wagon Brad and some blue seam binding ribbon. The images were colored in with Copic Markers.
We would love to see your card for a child! And don't forget the random winner of this week's challenge will win a $50 Credit Voucher to the Simon Says Stamp Superstore!
This is the Little Boy Stamp Set.

Have fun creating!! Come back on Saturday for an extra special Simon Says challenge just for kids! (My son Antonio will be one of the guest designers!;)

Hugs...

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

♥ Thank Heaven for Little Girls ♥

Yesterday it was 86 degrees here. We went from the 50's to almost 90! Today it will be in the 60's. Crazy weather, but I'll take it! What's the weather by you?
I love making baby cards, especially for girls. Love the pastel girlie colors! I don't have a girl, just 2 boys, but my niece just found out she is having a girl. Yay! So this card is for her.
I used a new Making Memories, Bravissimo medal, which I picked up at Michael's. Love the metal frame around it. They have so many different shapes, sizes and sentiments. So fun! Love these! I also used some Girls Paperie papers, chipboard pieces, ribbon and trim, mini roses, glitter and pearls.

I used this week's sketch over at Card Patterns.
I was also inspired by the following challenges:

Flourishes, Bring Back Beautiful 09 - the beauty of spring time colors!
Color Chic: Project using ribbon. And for some great ribbon, visit The Ribbon Jar! They have everything you are looking for in ribbon!
Anything Goes Challenge Blog: Pearls
Papertake Weekly: Anything Goes with something new!
Cute and Girly Challenge Blog: Cute and Girly

I hope you have a wonderful day! ♥ Be on the lookout for a giveaway soon! ;) ♥

Hugs...