MTME August Release Day!!

Hello! Today is the My Time Made Easy © August release day! All the products that the team has been peeking are now available in the store HERE!! The entire team is showing cards today! One of the focuses this month is gift cards. Many of us give gift cards and I for one am always looking for fun ideas how to package them!

Lauren has designed 3 fabulous new cut files (Handy Man ©, Game On © and Purse-onality ©) -- all perfect for gift card giving.. I used Purse-onality ©. It's a fun little 3-D purse with a little flap (I added a button for the "closure"). It has a custom slot inside for a gift card. I cut my purse base out of Couture Blushing cardstock and added some digi patterned paper by Sara Williams called Shopper Stripes. I layered this on top of Dusty Rose cardstock, added some stitching and covered the front and back of my purse with these layers. I stamped the tag from So Sentimental ©, colored it with a Copic marker and stamped "Retail Therapy" (from Money Well Spent ©). I added a rhinestone flourish and popped the tag slightly over it.

Here's a side view so you can see how the gift card fits:

I kept the inside of my "purse" simple, but you could also decorate it. Here's a peek at the inside. I have a Visa gift card in the slot and also made a little tag (which I put in front of the gift card). I used Money Well Spent © to stamp the outer portion (notice how this is the size of the gift card - this little tag fits on an Altoid tin perfectly as well!). I also stamped the purse image, colored it with Copic markers and added the sentiment, "FOR A FAB PURSE-ON".

Please be sure to visit the rest of the MTME team today as they are also showing off some of their card creations... you definitely won't want to miss any of it!

Lauren

Dawn

Geny

Lesa

Katie

Pam
Silke

Tracey

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Supplies ~
Stamps: Money Well Spent ©, So Sentimental © (My Time Made Easy)
Paper: Blushing, Dusty Rose (Couture); Classic Crest Solar White (Neenah), Shopper Stripes digi paper by Sara Williams (MTME)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black (Tsukineko), Worn Lipstick distress (Ranger)
Accessories: Purse-onality © cut file (MTME), Markers (Copic), Rhinestone flourish (Recollections), Button, Foam tape, Thread, Sewing machine.

MTME Sneak Peek Day 3 - Shop Til You Drop

Hello and welcome to Day 3 of the My Time Made Easy © August sneak peeks! Lauren, Silke and I are peeking the Shop Til You Drop © template. Dawn and Geny have some fabulous card creations with some of the new products.

Shop Til You Drop © is a fun 3-D shopping cart! I made mine to hold a Gold Canyon scent pod and also made a card to go along with the little gift. In case you aren't familiar, a scent pod is a great way to get the scent of a candle without having a flame. They are widely available in craft stores such as Michael's, Hobby Lobby, Joann's, etc. Mine was a gift from a friend and is a Gold Canyon scent pod that sits on top of a scent pod warmer (see below). It plugs in to a standard outlet, and the best part of this particular one is that it has a timer, so no worries about forgetting to turn it off before I leave home!

For my shopping cart, I cut the main part of the basket out of Couture Nomad (yellow) cardstock. The cut file comes with mat layers and accents. I cut the side and front layers out of black linen cardstock and the patterned portion that shows through is Moda fabric from Basic Grey's Origins collection. Here's a look at one of the sides of the cart. The "wheels" are part of the layers that come with the template. I added the heart accent (also included) and added a black brad in the center of each wheel.

Here's an alternate view of the cart:

I decorated the lid of the pod with a fabric flower that I made by cutting out and folding various sizes of petals with Spellbinders Blossom and Big Scalloped Circle Nestabilities. I used my I-Top to create a matching fabric brad for the center.

The other side of the shopping cart looked a little bare, so I added a rhinestone flourish along with a smaller fabric flower.

A gift isn't complete without a matching card. I ran out of the matching Basic Grey patterned fabric, so I used a sheet from the Origins 6x6 paper pad. I used the new Money Well Spent © stamp set to stamp the frame and added the presents and the sentiment "A Gift For You". I colored the presents with Copic markers. The set is perfect for gift giving as it is full of 19 images and sentiments.

Thanks so much for stopping by! I will be back tomorrow (along with the rest of the team) for our big August release!

Shop Til You Drop © Supplies ~
Stamps: Money Well Spent © (My Time Made Easy)
Paper: Nomad, Black Linen, One Sheet Wonder (Couture); Origins 6x6 pad (Basic Grey)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Shop Til You Drop © template (MTME), Blossom and Big Scalloped Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Threading Water border punch (Fiskars), Markers, Pitch Black Spica glitter pen (Copic), Origins Fabric Charm pack (Basic Grey), I-Top tool, Rhinestone flourish (Recollections), Black brads, Ribbon, Velvet flower (Maya Road), Foam tape, Thread, Sewing machine.

Inspire -- PDCC40

Hello! Thank you all for participating in last week's Play Date Cafe challenge! We appreciate each of you taking the time to play along with us!! It's time for a color splash challenge, and Senior Designer, Sarah, has chosen the gorgeous inspiration photo (above). For those of you new to "Color Splash".. it's Black and White with a "splash" of another color.. this week it is GREEN!

Our sponsor for this week is Memory Box. They supplied our designers with a couple of their fabulous stamps for this week's challenge. A big thank you for their generosity!

I pulled out a sheet of Memory Box paper (subtle green print) from the Frond collection. I sponged a little Shabby Shutters on to add a little more green to the paper and stamped my image, Inspire Butterfly Collage with Versafine Onyx Black ink. I cut it out with a Spellbinders Rectangle Nestability die, then I added some Star Dust Stickles to the butterfly's wings, spritzed the entire collage with Iridescent Gold Glimmer Mist and set it aside.

I made my frame using a Big Scalloped Rectangle and Smaller Rectangle die. I popped it with foam tape so that it would frame the butterfly collage. My background is a sheet of Salt (white) Swiss Dots cardstock which I again sponged with Shabby Shutters.

I used my Frond scraps to make my rose using Deb's fabulous tutorial here! I spritzed it with Iridescent Pearl as well. It's hard to see the shimmer in the photos, but it sparkles in real life!

Are you ready to play along? We'd love to see your creations! Be sure to go over to the Cafe and link your post. If you use an online gallery, please use the keyword PDCC40. And, be sure to visit my PDCC teammates for some wonderful inspiration.

Sarah Anderson

Suzanne Czosek

Ruby 2 Shoes

Savannah O'Gwynn

Julie Ranae

Lisa Somerville

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Supplies ~
Stamps: Inspire Butterfly Collage (Memory Box)
Paper: Salt Swiss Dots (Bazzill), Classic Crest Solar White (Neenah), True Black (Papertrey Ink), Frond collection (Memory Box)
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black (Tsukineko), Shabby Shutters distress (Ranger)
Accessories: Rectangle, Big Scalloped Rectangle, Circle and Dahlia Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Star Dust Stickles (Ranger), Iridescent Gold Glimmer Mist (Tattered Angels), Ribbon, Bow Easy, Foam tape, Thread, Sewing machine.

Lantern Rin -- SCRSC03

Hello! It's time another Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps Challenge! Thanks to all of you who played along last week! Each week we will post an all new challenge at this time (9 PM PST on Monday). For all the details, please visit the SCRS blog. The challenge for this week is an inspiration challenge. Use the yummy ice cream topped brownie dessert as your inspiration.

I used Lantern Rin for my creation today. I adore her as much as the other images, but to be honest, I was intimidated by her hair. My DH told me that I needed to color her hair black, and even though I have black hair, I rarely color any of my images with black hair. The few that I've tried have ended up in the trash. I just haven't gotten the hang of it yet. So, here's my first black haired girl... I still need practice, but I will never get it right unless I keep practicing, right?!

For more inspiration, please visit the SCRS blog to see the design team's wonderful creations.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Supplies ~
Stamps: Lantern Rin (Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps)
Paper: Classic Crest Solar White (Neenah), Two Scoops 6x6 pad (Basic Grey)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), Tea Dye distress (Ranger)
Accessories: Scrap-Mart Exclusive Label 1 Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Traditional Scallop border punch (Martha Stewart), Markers and Gold Spica glitter pen (Copic), Dyed seam binding ribbon, Pearls (Basic Grey), Rose (Prima), Foam tape, Thread, Sewing machine.

JustRite Friday Challenge -- A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Hello friends! Happy Friday to you! Sharon has a new JustRite Friday Challenge today, so I hope you will stop by the JustRite Inspiration blog to check it out. This week is sponsored by Copic and the challenge is "A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words". Your challenge is to combine photos with JR stamps for a fun photo card.

Mine isn't a card, but rather it is a 6"x6" scrapbook page of my DD, Sabrina. I used JustRite Curlz Uppercase Font set (JB-08070) and the Curlz Lowercase Font set (JB-08073) for my title and date. And, in case you aren't familiar with the new Clear Horizontal Stampers (JB-09520), they are a dream to stamp with!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Supplies ~
JustRite Stampers:
JB 08070 Curlz Uppercase Font Set
JB 08073 Curlz Lowercase Font Set
JB-09520 Clear Horizontal Stamper
Dies & Punches: Spellbinders Nestabilities Classic Rectangle Sm-Die 3, Ribbon Tags Trio; EK Success Diamond Lace edger punch
Paper: Heidi Grace Vineyard words, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White cardstock, Couture Carousel, Fortune Teller cardstock
Ink: Tsukineko Versafine Onyx Black
Accessories: Queen & Co pearls, Martha Stewart Charoite fine glitter, 1/4" Scor-Tape, Prima rose, ribbon, foam tape, sewing machine and white thread.

Hope -- PDCC39

It's time for another Play Date Cafe challenge, and Senior Designer, Julie, has chosen the fabulous inspiration photos (above). Thanks to everyone who participated in our challenge last week.. we love your creative and wonderful entries!

Please welcome our fabulous Guest Designer... Maren Benedict. She currently works with Paper Crafts Magazine, Unity Stamp Company, Lizzie Anne Designs, and CPS.

And speaking of Unity... yep, you guessed it... they are our Sponsor this week! A huge thanks goes out to Angela, who is generously donating not 1, not 2, but THREE stamp sets (Little Bugs, Birdie Inspiration and Lollipop Tree You & Me) as a prize (worth $75)!!

I've long admired the fun and whimsical designs from Unity. Late last year I finally gave in and subscribed to their Kit of the Month Club. I honestly don't get a chance to play with my Unity stamps as often as I'd like, so this week I jumped at the chance! For my card, I embossed one of the silhouettes from Insightful Meadows onto a sheet of subtle patterned paper from Basic Grey Cappella. I cut the image out with my Spellbinders Long Rectangle Nestabilities and inked the edges with Vintage Photo distress ink. I stamped the sentiment (from the April Kit of the Month, Together We Bloom) onto the same paper and popped it on top of my image. Finally, I added some vintage lace, sheer ribbon, a trinket pin and stitching to complete my card.

Are you ready to play along? We'd love to see your creations! It is not a requirement to use Unity stamps, but if you have some, why not give them some love?! Be sure to go over to the Cafe and link your post. If you use an online gallery, please use the keyword PDCC39. And, be sure to visit my PDCC teammates for some wonderful inspiration.

Sarah Anderson

Suzanne Czosek

Ruby 2 Shoes

Savannah O'Gwynn

Julie Ranae

Lisa Somerville

Guest Designer, Maren Benedict

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Supplies ~
Stamps: Insightful Meadows (Donna Downey for Unity), sentiment from Together We Bloom - April 2010 KOM (Unity)
Paper: Classic Crest Solar White (Neenah), True Black (Papertrey Ink), Cappella 6x6 pad (Basic Grey)
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Versamark Watermark (Tsukineko), Vintage Photo distress (Ranger)
Accessories: Long Rectangle and Scalloped Long Rectangle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), 1/2" Round-it-All (Zutter), Black Filigree embossing powder (Stewart Superior), Pearls (Kaisercraft), Vintage lace, Sheer ribbon (May Arts), Trinket pin (Maya Road), Foam tape, Thread, Sewing machine.

Hi There -- SCRSC02

Hello! It's time another Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps Challenge! Thanks to all of you who played along last week! Each week we will post an all new challenge at this time (9 PM PST on Mondays). For all the details, please visit the SCRS blog. The challenge for this week is a sketch challenge. Mary has designed a wonderful sketch for this week. A full size photo of the sketch is on the blog as well.

For my creation, I used Charlotte with a Rose (she also happens to be the prize this week for one lucky random participant!). I colored her with Copic markers and cut just a portion of her out with Spellbinders Circle Nestabilities. To soften the background a bit, I added a vellum circle behind her.

For more inspiration, please visit the SCRS blog to see the design team's wonderful creations.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Supplies ~
Stamps: Charlotte with a Rose (Sparkle Creations), Sentiment from Mixed Messages (Papertrey Ink)
Paper: Classic Crest Solar White (Neenah), Vellum (CTMH), July Key Ingredients (Taylored Expressions)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Apron Lace border punch (EK Success), Markers (Copic), Foam tape, Thread, Sewing machine.

JustRite Christmas in July Blog Hop!

Hello! Welcome to the JustRite Stampers Christmas in July Blog Hop! The JustRite Design Team is showcasing the newly released Christmas Collection 1. If you happened here by chance and want to start from the beginning, please head on over to the JustRite Inspiration Blog. If you came here from Debbie's blog, then you're right on track. Your next stop is Sharon. The full hop list is at the bottom of this post.

When I sat down to make my card, I had a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit... after all, it was 110 outside and even though I was in my air-conditioned house with the fan on full blast, I was still feeling hot and sticky.. Still, I welcomed the opportunity to add another card to my Christmas card stash! I combined a couple of JustRite sets on my card today. I used the poinsettia center from the newly released Hearts Come Home (JB-09780). Here's a look at the complete set (6 borders and 6 centers).

I colored each with Copic markers and the edges of the square with my Olive Spica glitter pen. Finally, I added some Eucalyptus and Gold Stickles. I punched the squares out with a 1.25" square punch and popped them onto a square mat. My sentiment is a center from Christmas Joy (JB-08770). A rhinestone flourish and stitching finish off my card. I used Mojo Monday #147 for my layout. It's always tough to get the shimmer to show, but here's a detail shot where you can see a little of it:

Here is the complete hop list for today:
JustRite Inspiration Blog
Becca Feeken
Debbie Olson
Stephanie Kraft <--- you are here
Sharon Harnist
Kazan Clark
Kellie Fortin
Heidi Blankenship
Barb Schram
Kathy Jones
Michele Kovack
Angela Barkhouse
Sankari Wegman

In case you missed it, the Stampers Dream Team has previewed the new JustRite Christmas sets this past week. Please visit the JustRite Inspiration blog (scroll down to see the 5 days of previews) to see the previews and direct links to each designer's complete project. You will not want to miss any of it! And just a reminder, the JustRite Christmas Release 1 (4 sets in all) is now in stock and shipping!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Supplies ~
Stamps: Hearts Come Home, Christmas Joy (JustRite)
Paper: Trim the Tree from Very Merry collection (October Afternoon), Classic Crest Classic Cream (Neenah), Scarlett Jewel (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamagic Wheat (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Large Classic Circle Nestabilities - die 4, Blossom Two Nestabilities - die 4, Small Classic Square Nestabilities - die 6 (Spellbinders); 1.25" square punch (EK Success), Copic Markers - G03, G28, G29, C5, R39, R46, 0; Olive Spica glitter pen, Eucalyptus and Gold Stickles (Ranger), Wrinkled ribbon (May Arts), Rhinestone flourish (Recollections), Doily, Foam tape, Thread, Sewing machine.

Butterfly Moments -- PDCC38

Hello! We had a record number of participants in last week's Play Date Cafe challenge.. thank you all for your support! We appreciate each of you taking the time to play along with us!! It's time for another challenge, and Senior Designer, Sarah, has chosen the gorgeous inspiration photo (above) and the colors Purple, Lilac and Lime Green.

Here are a few words from our sponsor...

"Artistic Outpost is pleased to sponsor this week's challenge. We heard about your challenge site from our Design Team coordinator, Lisa Somerville, who brings us fun ideas on a daily basis. We're always amazed at what participants create and the color combinations are both creatively challenging as well as "attainable".

Artistic Outpost is excited to give this week's challenge randomly selected winner a $14 gift certificate to our store to be used to purchase any of our unmounted stamp plates. We hope that you enjoy what the designers for PDDC have created with our vintage inspired stamps.

We frequently release new images, so please sign up for our newsletter and communications via our website. Our blog is a very active one with new samples posted just about everyday. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter."

This was my first opportunity to work with Artistic Outpost stamps. I'd like to thank them for their generous sponsorship and my PDCC, teammate, Lisa, who was instrumental in setting this all up! I chose to work with the Happiness plate. I was so happy to see how wonderful the images stamp! I paired my stamps with some patterned paper from the Memory Box Enchanted collection. It's hard to see from the photo above, but I clear embossed the larger swirly butterfly onto the lilac paper and the small butterfly around the edges of my lime paper underneath. You can see a little more of the embossing in the detail shot below.

I stamped the wonderful sentiment onto the lime paper and cut it out with Spellbinders Labels Twelve. I used some lime wrinkled ribbon to tie a bow like Ruby did a couple of weeks ago here. I finished off the inside of the card by stamping the word Happiness (also part of this set) and added a scrap of my embossed lilac paper (you can see the embossing detail better in the photo below).

Are you ready to play along? We'd love to see your creations! Be sure to go over to the Cafe and link your post. If you use an online gallery, please use the keyword PDCC38. And, be sure to visit my PDCC teammates for some wonderful inspiration.

Sarah Anderson

Suzanne Czosek

Ruby 2 Shoes

Savannah O'Gwynn

Julie Ranae

Lisa Somerville

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Supplies ~
Stamps: Happiness (Artistic Outpost)
Paper: Classic Crest Solar White (Neenah), Fortune Teller (Couture), Enchanted (Memory Box)
Ink: Versamark Watermark, Versafine Onyx Black (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Labels Twelve Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Doily Lace border punch (Martha Stewart), Wrinkled ribbon (May Arts), Rose (Prima), Stick pin (Jenni Bowlin), Clear embossing powder, Foam tape, Thread, Sewing machine.

Sunshine and Smiles -- SCRSC01

Hello! Today kicks off the very first Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps Challenge! Each week we will post an all new challenge at this time (9 PM PST on Mondays). For all the details, please visit the blog. The challenge for this week is Anything Summer.. create anything that makes you think of summer.. easy enough, right?!

For my creation, I used Swimming Lucy. She's doing what I would like to do be doing right now... floating in the pool and sipping a cool drink! I colored her with Copic markers and added polka dots to her bikini with a white Inkssentials gel pen. The cloud patterned paper from My Mind's Eye, Love Me Do. The sentiment, "Sunshine and Smiles" is from Verve's Let it Shine. For my embellishment, I made a little ribbon flower by taking a piece of saddle stitch ribbon and pulling on both ends of the string to gather it, then I scrunched it up until it resembled a flower and added a pearl brad to the center. I used Mercy's Tuesday Sketch #81 for my layout.

For more summer inspiration, please visit my SCRS teammates:

Laurel

Lisa

Mary

Simonne

Sparkle

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Supplies ~
Stamps: Swimming Lucy (Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps), sentiment from Let it Shine (Verve)
Paper: Classic Crest Solar White (Neenah), Sunny Yellow (CTMH), Cloud PP from Love Me Do (My Mind's Eye)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Petite Oval and Scalloped Petite Oval Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Boundary Waters border punch (Fiskars), Markers (Copic), Star Dust Stickles (Ranger), Inkssentials white gel pen, Ribbon, Pearl brad, Foam tape, Thread, Sewing machine.

JustRite Friday Challenge -- Nice Notes

Hello! There's still time to play in this week's JustRite Friday Challenge 026: Nice Notes. This week's challenge is sponsored by Spellbinders. The challenge is to create a small (4" or smaller) shaped card. For more details, be sure to check out the JustRite Inspiration blog.

I used Spellbinders Nested Butterfly Shapeabilities (the largest one) which is just around 4". I first cut my cardstock and folded it. I made sure it was slightly larger than the butterfly shape, since I wanted it to be a traditional folded card. I cut the butterfly shape through both layers, making sure to leave some space at the top for the fold. I cut another butterfly out of some Prima butterfly paper and adhered it to my card front.

Since the paper is rather busy and I didn't want to cover much of it up, I finished my card off simply. I wrapped some Divine Twine around and added pearls over the body and tied off the top for the antennae. My sentiment, "On Your Special Day" is from the newly released Birthday Centers Round set. I used Spellbinders Classic Circles - Small (3rd die) for my circle, sponged the inside with Tattered Rose distress ink while it was still in the die, then I stamped my sentiment in the center. I added it to my card with a foam booster for a little dimension.

For more JustRite inspiration, please visit the JustRite Inspiration blog. You have until this Thursday, July 15 @ 9 AM CST to make your project and link it on the blog. I can't wait to see your creations!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Supplies ~
Stamps: Birthday Centers Round (JB-09225),
Paper: Classic Crest Solar White (Neenah), Cherry Blossom  from Strawberry Kisses Collection (Prima)
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black (Tsukineko), Tattered Rose distress (Ranger)
Accessories: Nested Butterfly Shapeabilities, Classic Circles Nestabilities - Small (Spellbinders), Cotton Candy Divine Twine (Whisker Graphics), Pearls (Queen & Co), Foam booster.

Mojo Color Throwdown 100

Hello! Today I'm playing along in a couple of challenges that I really didn't want to miss out on. It is the 100th challenge for Color Throwdown, and they are having a huge celebration with fabulous prizes from their generous sponsors. The color combination is really fun this week.. I combined it with the Mojo Monday # 146 sketch.

Though it may not look like it, my card took me forever to complete.. my colors and layout were chosen from above, and I knew that I wanted to use the new Verve set, Always on My Mind, but my final card turned out nothing like I pictured it in my head..

I started by cutting out a Spellbinders oval and sponging the inside with Tumbled Glass while it was still in the die. Then I stamped the sentiment, "You're in Every One of My Thoughts Today". I matted it onto a larger scalloped oval mat and stitched around the oval. I decided to make my card a square, 4.25" x 4.25". I used a scrap of paper from Basic Grey Euphoria which had all the correct colors in it (including a purple, which if you don't look too closely can pass for black). 

Thanks to Jody, I recently purchased all the colors of Divine Twine... ) And, like her, I couldn't decide which colors to get, so I got them all and now I have a lifetime supply! I used 4 of the 8 available colors on my card today (which just so happened to be the 4 colors in the Color Throwdown challenge). I cut 3 of the largest size tags from the Spellbinders Double Ended Tags and tied a different color of twine to each one. I loved the way Teresa added a button to a butterfly and tied the twine through the button for the butterfly's antennae here, so I decided to do the same with the my twine.

After I made the card, I decided that I wanted to duplicate this as a framed item to send to my SIL and BIL in MN. I went to my stash and pulled out a white frame that I had bought at the Target $ Spot awhile back. The frame opening was slightly smaller than my card, so I couldn't just use my card front (that would have been way too easy.. :) ). I used the scraps from the card to duplicate a second card front that would fit into the frame. The only changes I made were to move the acetate butterfly to the right side of the sentiment and to add pink, green, red and blue Dew Drops all around the frame.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Card Supplies ~
Stamps: Always on My Mind (Verve)
Paper: Classic Crest Solar White (Neenah), Maraschino (Bazzill), Euphoria 6x6 pad (Basic Grey)
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black (Tsukineko), Tumbled Glass distress ink (Ranger)
Accessories: Oval and Scalloped Oval Nestabilities, Double Ended Tags (Spellbinders), Swiss Dots embossing folder (Provo Craft), Acetate butterfly (Heidi Swapp), Button, Divine Twine (Whisker Graphics), Pearls (Queen & Co), Foam tape, Thread, Sewing machine.

Frame Supplies ~
Same as above minus Pearls, plus white frame, Dew Drops (Robin's Nest)

Sparkle Creations Grand Opening Hop!!!

Welcome to the Grand Opening blog hop for Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps! A big congratulations to Sparkle and her hubby, Brent, on their grand opening!! I'm so honored to be a part of it.. To start at the beginning of the blog hop, please start at the Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps blog.

Today is an exciting day as we're releasing 8 new darling stamps! And we're giving away a ton of prizes! One lucky person will win the grand prize of all 8 images. There are also 5 single stamp prizes hidden, so make sure you comment on everyone's blogs! You will have until midnight Eastern time to comment and the winners will be announced on the Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps blog.

 
I used Surfing Oliver for my card today.. I stamped and colored him with Copic markers. For fun, I paper-pieced his surfboard. Both patterned papers are from the Jen and Dean collection by Libby Weifenbach (Sweet Shoppe Designs). This is such a fun collection, and I think it's perfect for Oliver. I spelled out Dude onto a small pennant banner with my sentiment from Verve's Dude.
 
Sparkle will be offering free standard shipping for all orders over $25 for the weekend (til midnight EST Sunday), and the code is FREESHIP. Thank you for stopping by and now it's time to go to Sparkle's blog!

Supplies ~
Stamps: Surfing Oliver (Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps), sentiment from Dude (Verve)
Paper: Classic Crest Solar White (Neenah), Kraft (Papertrey Ink), Jen and Dean digi collection by Libby Weifenbach (Sweet Shoppe Designs)
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamagic Wheat (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Twine (May Arts), Candy Dots (Pebbles), Foam tape, Thread, Sewing machine.

Cupcake Ruby

Hello friends! Sparkle has been welcoming the design team this week, and today is my day at Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps.. feel free to pop on over there to check it out!

I used the adorable Cupcake Ruby for my creation today. Isn't she just the cutest?! This image always makes me giggle.. that cupcake may not be huge to you or me, but look how big it is compared to Ruby's head?! I started by stamping my image and coloring her with Copic markers. I then cut my image out, leaving the cupcake slightly protruding from the rectangle (this is also know as the "Cutting Outside the Box" - click here for a SCS tutorial). I stamped and colored a second cupcake and popped it over the first one for some added dimension. I used my Lipstick Spica glitter pen to add some shimmer to the cherries and also added some Star Dust Stickles to the frosting.

To read about the creation of the Cupcake Ruby image, please visit Aki, the illustrator of Sparkle Creations! She has also included one of Sparkle's Ruby creations as well as her own version.. very sweet!

I'll be back at midnight EST (that's tonight, July 10) for the GRAND OPENING of Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps! You will not want to miss the special Blog Hop as you will have a chance to win some fabulous prizes!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Supplies ~
Stamps: Cupcake Ruby (Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps), Sentiment from Mixed Messages (Papertrey Ink)
Paper: Classic Crest Solar White (Neenah), Aqua Mist (Papertrey Ink), Stripe from The Thrift Shop (October Afternoon), Pink from Urban Prairie (Basic Grey)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black, Versamagic Wheat (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Swiss Dots embossing folder (Provo Craft), Apron Lace border punch (Fiskars), Markers and Spica glitter pens (Copic), Grosgrain Ric Rac (May Arts), Pearls (Zva Creative), Star Dust Stickles (Ranger), Foam tape, Thread, Sewing machine.

I'm Here for You -- PDCC37

It's time for another Play Date Cafe challenge, and Senior Designer, Julie, has chosen the fabulous inspiration photo (above). This week she hasn't specified colors, so let the photo be your inspiration and let your creative imagination run with it!

Please welcome our celebrity guest designer, Mariana Grigsby!

Our fabulous sponsor is Jelly Bean Designs!

My main inspiration came with the beadboard paneling in the background of the photo. To duplicate this look, I took a sheet of patterned paper from Basic Grey's Basics Kraft paper pad, ran it through my Cuttlebug along with the Papertrey Ink Linen & Canvas impression plate, then I used my Scor-pal to create the vertical lines. I added a strip of striped paper (from October Afternoon Fly a Kite) to mimic the stripes on the vase and other decorative items on the shelves.

I made this card for a friend who is in need of some cheering up. I wanted a subtle look, so I added Kraft cardstock to the mix. I stamped the stems and flowers from Lisa Johnson's set, Flutterby Friend, then I colored them with Copic markers. I added a couple of Taylor's Tiny Twinkles in the center of each flower and some stitching to complete the card. "Friend" and "I'm here for you" are also from this fun set.

Are you ready to play along? We'd love to see your creations! Be sure to go over to the Cafe and link your post. If you use an online gallery, please use the keyword PDCC37. And, be sure to visit my PDCC teammates for some wonderful inspiration.

Sarah Anderson

Suzanne Czosek

Ruby 2 Shoes

Savannah O'Gwynn

Julie Ranae

Lisa Somerville

Celebrity Guest Designer/Sponsor, Mariana Grigsby

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Supplies ~
Stamps: Flutterby Friend (Papertrey Ink)
Paper: Classic Cream (Neenah), Santa's Beard (Couture), Kraft (Papertrey Ink), Basics Kraft paper pad (Basic Grey)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), Vintage Cream (Papertrey Ink)
Accessories: Oval and Big Scalloped Oval Nestabilities, Fancy Tags Shapeabilities (Spellbinders); Canvas & Linen impression plate (Papertrey Ink), Scor-pal, Double Scallop border punch (Martha Stewart), Markers (Copic), Crystal Twinkles (Taylored Expressions), Foam tape, Thread, Sewing machine.

MTME Final July Group Post

Hello! Have you checked out all of the My Time Made Easy © July releases? For the past week or so, the team has been showing off some wonderful projects to give you some creative inspiration. Today, our entire team is showing our final release projects!

My final project uses The Flapper © template. It is a fun gift box that has a flap closure. This little box is about 5 inches wide, 4 inches deep and 2.5 inches tall when assembled. It's so easy to make and fill with a multitude of little gifts! I made this gift ensemble for my DD, Sabrina! It was tough for me to get all of my projects finished for this release. With Sabrina only in summer school for a few hours and wanting to enjoy some summer family time that meant less crafting time for me. She was incredibly patient when I did craft, so I decided to make this for her as a little thank you.

I used Couture Carousel (lighter lavender) and Fortune Teller (darker lavender) for the main pieces of the box. I added stitching all around to adhere the decorative pieces on the front and sides. Once assembled, I added the scalloped decorative bottom (cut out of Santa's Beard). My floral patterned paper is from the Memory Box Enchanted collection.

For the top, I used stamped a label from Lovely Labels © and colored the inside with Copic markers. Sabrina loves it when I tell her that she is FABULOUS, so I used the sentiment, "You are fabulous!" from Sensational Sentiments ©. Here's a detail shot:

Here's a peek at the inside! Sabrina is all girl and LOVES stealing my chapstick all the time, so I filled the box with some of her favorites - Hello Kitty chapsticks in assorted colors and flavors!

The card base is made out of Couture Oat cardstock. I used scraps left over from making the box for the layers. The sentiment, "Sending you Sunshine!" is also from Sensational Sentiments ©. I used the Perfect Pansy © cut file to make my pansy. I cut it out of Santa's Beard cardstock, inked the flower pieces and leaves, then I added more color with Copic markers. Finally I added gold seed beads to the center of the flower. For the layout, I used Jen's latest Sketch For You To Try.

Please be sure to visit the rest of the MTME team today as they are also showing off their final creations for July... you definitely won't want to miss any of it!

Lauren

Dawn

Geny

Katie

Lesa

Pam

Silke

Tracey

Thanks so much for stopping by! In case you haven't ordered your goodies yet, please head on over to the store now! Lauren is currently on vacation until July 11, so any items that need to be shipped (i.e. acrylic stamps) will not ship until she returns. However, all other items (i.e. cut files, templates, digital stamps, digital paper) will be available for immediate download once you complete your purchase.

The Flapper © Supplies ~
Stamps: Lovely Labels ©, Sensational Sentiments © (MTME)
Paper: Carousel, Fortune Teller, Santa's Beard (Couture); Enchanted (Memory Box)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko)
Accessories: The Flapper © template (MTME), Markers (Copic), Brads (Making Memories), Ribbon (May Arts), Foam tape, Thread, Sewing machine.

Card Supplies ~
Stamps: Sensational Sentiments © (MTME)

Paper: Carousel, Fortune Teller, Oat, Santa's Beard (Couture); Enchanted (Memory Box)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), Colorbox Queue
Accessories: Perfect Pansy © cut file (MTME), Deco Fan border and corner punches, Gold seed beads (Martha Stewart), Markers (Copic), Purple gems (Me & My Big Ideas), Paper piercer, Foam tape, Thread, Sewing machine.