Sock Monkey Double Challenge! MOJO102 / CC232

I am HOOKED on the Mojo Monday Sketches! I just finished #101 last night, the new one posted today, and so I just finished #102! I have posted the sketch below so you can see it! Check out Mojo Monday for yourself! I also made this for last weeks SCS Tues Color Challenge, CC232 (a little behind, but I wanted to use this combo tonight!), to use Close To Cocoa, Taken With Teal and Very Vanilla.

I LOVE this Sock Monkey from SU so much. I have heard people on forums knock him, all I can say is, they must not own him! He's adorable, and oh so much fun! I usually paper piece or color him, but today he said he felt like being Vanilla!

Stamps: Sock Monkey
Paper: CS...Close To Cocoa, Taken With Teal, Very Vanilla
Ink: CTC, TWT
Punches: Scallop Edge, Scallop Square, Photo Corner, Boho Blossom, 1", 3/4", and 1/4" Circles
Accessories: Sponges, Dimensionals, Glue Dots, Styled Vanilla HPH, Very Vanilla Ribbon, Paper Piercer, Cuttlebug Folder....BESIDES the Cuttlebug Folder, this card is once again SUO!

I hope you all enjoy it! It was the most fun to make, I truly had a good time. Now to get ready for bed! I think I will leave the mess I made for another day :)

Mojo Monday 101 Sketch Challenge...

Look Ma, no stamps!!!!! This card is for the Mojo Monday Sketch, week 101. Check out THIS site to see all the Mojo Monday challenges. I really love this card, probably because I am addicted to green olives out of the jar! I am trying to use up some old DSP, and both of these papers are from Bella Rose, I used Kiwi Kiss and Riding Hood Red Textured Cardstock for the base, olive, and red strip. I can't cut straight to save my life, so I used the edge of the Photo Corner punch to 'V' the end, worked perfectly! I ran the white rectangle through the Big Shot with a Cuttelbug folder, besides that folder this card is SUO. I used the Word Window punch to punch out my 'Olive You' sentiment that is handwritten with a Chocolate Chip marker. Three Square Fire Rhinestone brads in the top right corner finished this card off!

Hope you all like it, and I hope some of you will jump into the Mojo Monday challenges! I just recently discovered them, and love it!

Life has been really busy here lately! I have my library committee things to do, getting my oldest daughter ready for preschool in two weeks, my husband has been on call for 3 straight weeks, and it has been a test of my patience to say the least. I am eager for Fall!!! Summer is a busy time of year for all of us, and with NC heat and almost constant humidity, I am DONE with Summer!!!

Recent Blog Awards...

From Siobhan...
From Siobhan...
From Sarah...

I have been meaning to get these put up here. There are a few more floating around out there that I will get up ASAP, and pass them on all at one time...Thanks ladies!

Every Good and Perfect Gift...

A girl I have known since childhood is pregnant with her first child. She just had her shower, which unfortunately I could not attend. This is her card. She did not wish to find out the gender of this child, so I was torn!!! I have never made a card for a woman who was pregnant without knowing whether the child was a boy or girl. It was quite the challenge for me!!! I saw this amazing quilt technique over at SCS, and wanted to give it a try, so I figured a baby card would be the perfect opportunity! The DSP is from a retired hostess Prints Pack, and is Bashful Blue and Pretty In Pink. I also used Bashful Blue cardstock, along with Whisper White. The sentiment is from a long ago SU set called God Bless. I framed (cut and embossed) it with a Nestie called Labels One. The pink edges are the Photo Corner Punch. I dressed this card up with some paper piercing (I thought it went well with the quilting), Whisper White Organza from SU, and Pearls by Mark Richards. The quilting took a little while, but the outcome is beautiful! I hope she likes it, and will forgive my being late, as usual!

Decor Elements Catalog Inspiration...

I recently challenged my customers to create a card using the Decor Elements catalog (on the left) as their inspiration. Inspiration comes differently to every person, so I really look forward to seeing what they all come up with! This catalog cover is so beautiful, there is tons of inspiration to reach out and grab you! The main inspiration points to me are pretty obvious, the framed butterflies on the wall and the pillow with the pretty button on the bed.

Colors are Bermuda Bay, Green Galore, and Yoyo Yellow. Bermuda Bay ribbon and DSP. Many punches here. The small butterflies are the smallest flower from the Boho Blossoms punch, with two petals cut off in a 'v', and the big butterfly is the 5 Petal Flower punch, with one petal cut off in a 'v'. So many new punches ideas are coming to me right now! Several other punches, all SU, were used. I will be happy to answer any questions about what I used, but due to the late hour, won't list it all out like I normally do. Which do you like best? The first card or the second?

Bella Rose Tri-Fold Shutter...

Well, I gave this Tri-Fold Shutter card another try. This one still took a while, but not as long as my Christmas one I posted earlier. I like this one a lot! This card is so thick that I cannot get a picture of it closed without me holding it together, so please pardon my hand in the pic below.

My Big Shot really got a workout on this card! I used several dies on here, SU Little Leaves, SU Birds & Blooms, SU Top Note Die, Architectural Elements. The only stamp set used is Friends 24-7 and the word WISH from Small Script. DSP is Bella Rose, Cardstock is Riding Hood Red, Pink Pirouette (textured), Kiwi Kiss (textured), a touch of Chocolate Chip and Whisper White. All buttons are SU from Button Bouquet (retired), flowers are Kaiser and unknown. Pearl is Mark Richards, and red crystal is from Hero Arts.

I need to buy a Scor-Pal, then this fold would be easier. Hope you like this one!

I stepped out of my comfort zone...

This card is nothing of my normal style, but I love how it turned out. I decided when I sat down last night that I wanted to try something I have never done before. This is the busiest card I have ever made, with a lot of patterns and colors. I made this for a little girl who turns 4 this weekend, and I hope she likes it!!! All of the bling on this card is from a package my friend, Siobhan sent to me. I have no idea of the brand, as the entire packages are in Japanese, but I like using them!

Cardstock: SU Orchid Opulence, Gable Green, Whisper White

Pattern Paper: K&Company Specialty

Punches: SU 1/2, 3/4" circles, Photo Corners, Scallop Edge

Creative Memories Cutting System, Big Shot with Wingo Zingo Alphabet

Ink: SU Basic Gray, various SU Markers

Stamps: SU All Scallops, and cupcakes are from Studio G

I think that's about it, I am trying to use up hoarded embellishments, and paper!!!

My Razzy Medallion

Ok, so by now everyone and their brother knows that the Medallion background is my all-time favorite stamp. I cannot stop using it! This time I paired it up with Rich Razzleberry and touches of Old Olive. The little strip of DSP is Cottage Wall topped with some Rich Razz ribbon. I spritzed the outside edges of the white layer with an Old Olive marker in the Color Spritzer tool. I used the marker to color a few little pieces within the Medallion. I added a single Mark Richards pearl in the center, and called her done. This, along with the Red/Black card in a previous post are my August club projects. This card is sentiment-free, when I need it, I will add one, but everything I tried distracted from my Medallion! Can't have that, now can we?

Joy Ornament Christmas Card

You know those days when you sit down to craft and are bombarded with these incredible ideas, and even the most mundane of objects becomes enlightening inspiration? Well, last night was NOT one of those for me. In fact, I couldn't think of one single original idea. So, I was looking through SCS (A God-send for stampers block), and came across THIS amazing card by Stampersandee. I was totally impressed with her beautiful card, and decided since I need to start on Christmas cards, I would give it a try. I hope I did her justice! This card is 5x5.

I LOVE my Stamp A Ma Jig! The sentiment stamp in the picture is the stamp I used, however I used SU Markers to color each word separately, then used my SAMJ to align them closer together to fit into the Large Oval Punch.

Stamps: Lovely Letters Alphabet, Holidays & Wishes
Ink/Paper: Metallic Gold paper, Bravo Burgundy/Handsome Hunter ink and CS
Punches/Bog Shot: Damask Texture Plate by SU, 1 1/4", 1 3/8" circles, Scallop Circle, Large Oval, Scallop Oval.
Accessories: Sponges, Mini Glue Dots, Gold Cording

My FIRST Christmas card this year!

It doesn't look like much from this pic, I know. But, if you have never seen a Tri-Fold Shutter card, keep going with this post and see it open! I am NOT one of those stampers who gets her Christmas cards done throughout the year. I wait until Thanksgiving, then spit out Christmas cards in a stress-induced maniacal frenzy. But, hey that works for me. It's just something about stamping in the cold weather, with the fire going, and bundled up that gets me in the mood to make my holiday cards. But this year, I am trying to start now. Here is the pic of my card open all the way.

You can click on the pics to see them full-screen, and for this pic, that is not a bad idea. There is added texture and tons of detail all over this cute Christmas card. It took me two nights of stamping to complete, mostly because there is half a bottle of Stickles on this bad boy and it had to dry before I could do the other panels. I may never do one of these again, but I love how this one turned out. I don't think all of my paper piercing shows up, but it's there, there are Rhinestone brads, Red Crystals, and so much more on this card. I didn't skimp on the blingy's which I normally do! All of the felt snowflakes and mittens were sent to me from the one and only, amazingly talented, Siobhan in Japan!!! Thanks, girl, I love them! Let me know what you all think of this one. I am happy with it! Now, if I can get 2 or 3 Christmas cards done a week I will be close to ready in time for Christmas. I have to save some for stamping while the fire burns!

I can't name all I used here, I just can't remember. But the card itself is Baja Breeze Textured CS, the DSP is Ski Slope, the main stamp sets are The More The Merrier (current Level 3 Hostess), and Perfect Presentation (retired).

Real Red Medallion...

Every time I see this stamp, I just ache to make it RED!!! Red is my very favorite color, and I love pairing it with black! This one is really simple, but I wanted to share it anyway. I inked up the very popular new Medallion background stamp with Real Red, stamped it on Whisper White cardstock. I used a Pewter Build-a-Brad with a piece of scrap paper stamped with the small circle stamp from Circle Circus, and punched it out with the 1/2" punch. Basic Black and Real Red cardstock made a clean band across the front with Basic Black Grosgrain ribbon tied in the center. I LOVE the Define Your Life set, I just earned it free from SU (LOVE SU!), and the Happy definition is from that amazing set. The Happy Birthday on the bottom finishes this card off, and is from Teeny Tiny Wishes. I love this bold color combo!!! Below is a detail shot of the Build-a-Brad and the definition in the corner!

CARRIE won the BLOG CANDY!!!

There were 27 comments left for my blog candy, and using Random.org, number 12 was randomly selected. The 12th comment was from Carrie!!! I will be emailing Carrie for her address and sending out her free In Color Polka Dot ribbon sampler, along with a little matching cardstock this week!!!

Thanks to everyone who played! I will be doing monthly giveaways, so keep watching!

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 12 Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Blog Candy!!!!! Get in on it before Aug 1st!

***This post will remain at the top until Aug 1st, when the contest is over! Scroll down for my new postings!***
Who LOVES the new SU In Colors????? Yeah, I thought so!!! Would you LOVE to have a yard of EACH of the 1/2" Polka Dot Grosgrain ribbons??? And maybe a little something extra to go with it? Here's what I am giving away...

ONE YARD of each of the following colors...
Melon Mambo
Crushed Curry
Dusty Durango
Soft Suede
Bermuda Bay
Rich Razzleberry

You do NOT have to link this up on your blog, or tell the world about it to have a chance to win! You are welcome to do that of course, but I wanted to say a special thank you to all my friends out there who visit me! Leave a comment telling me which new In Color is your VERY favorite, and include a 3-color combo you either use or think would be great including that color! That's it!!! Maybe I just need color combo inspiration, maybe I want to see which color is the most popular, maybe I just want to give away ribbon! Who cares??? To be eligible, you must leave your fave color, the combo (I don't care if you throw it together looking in the catty!), and make sure I have an email address for you! Winner will be announced here at A Stampers Paradise on August 1st!!! Once I hear back from you with an address, the goodies will go out!!!

Good Luck, and thank all of you for your loyal following!