What's in My Jar?

Hi there! You've come to my stop on the MFT Hop Around the Block! If you've come from Carole's Blog, welcome! If you haven't seen all the projects so far, head back to Kim's Blog and hop along from there! Go ahead... I'll be here when you get back! ;)

I am so excited about this mid-month release, because we'll change the way you gift! We're all looking for cost-effective gift ideas, and MFT has found PERFECT PACKAGING!

Sets being released: Time for the Bubbly Label, Teacher Label (mini sets that retail for $9 each)
Other products being released on May 20th (midnight):
*Stephanie Fizer Papers - School Collection digi paper pack ($2.95)
*Jars sized to fit label stamp sets (sold in packs of 4/$12)
*Eclipse Masking Sheet packs ($3.95)
*Adornments Shimmer brads (8-10 each pink, 8-10 cream, and 16-20 white)

What's in my jar? I created a teacher thank-you gift -- a jar of inspirational teacher quotes. I am a teacher by profession, so I am fond of all things teacher-related. I just flipped when I saw the Teacher Label set and Stephanie's school papers, and I couldn't wait to use them together!

I went online and found some great teacher quotes (click HERE and HERE). I pasted them into a Word document, printed it, and sliced it up! Then I filled the jar! On the label, the sentiment was stamped in white craft ink onto BasicGrey dp and heat embossed with white detail EP. The books and ruler were colored with Copics, cut out, and popped up on dimensionals.

As a last-minute idea, I made a coordinating jumbo clothespin memo clip. See the striped paper in the clip? It's another of Stephanie's patterns! :) Both buttons are from the Cup o' Buttons Spring Collection.

Okay, you've seen what's in my jar, and now you get to see what's in Amy's! I'm sure it will be something fabulous! :) Thanks so much for hopping by!

Christina

MFT Blog Hop Tonight!

Hello! Happy Tuesday! My post for today will come later on tonight -- 10:00 pm Eastern, to be exact! My Favorite Things is having a mid-month Hop Around the Block to kick off the release of some great new stamps and products! They will change the way you gift!

See you back here tonight! Have a wonderful day! :)

Christina

Ice Cream and Eyelets!

Happy Monday, everyone! I hope you had a great weekend! I am playing catch-up today after being gone. It was great to see my brother and his family -- especially my new niece! I had a wonderful weekend, but I'm happy to be home! Here's my card for today's MFT Who's That Girl Challenge. The featured set this week is Here's the Scoop, and the challenge is to use eyelets.

I colored with Prismacolor Pencils and OMS, and I paper pieced her PJs. The flower centers on the chair were the perfect places to use my eyelets! :)

Play along with us -- use keyword MFTWTG35 when uploading to the SCS gallery.

That's it for today -- I need to get Caroline off to school. It's her last week of preschool! Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Have a great day!
Christina

Stamps: Here's the Scoop (MFT) Ink: Momento Rich Cocoa (Tsukineko) Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White (SU!), Perfect Paper Panels (MFT) Paper: Sweet Always dsp (SU!) Other: Prismacolor Pencils, OMS, blending stumps, eyelets, Pumpkin Pie striped grosgrain, lace edge punch (Martha Stewart), dimensionals

Buckets of Love!

Happy Sunday! Tomorrow Christine is releasing three new C.C. Designs digi images. Everyone was having so much fun with her new Sugarplums Beachies, so she drew three more! If enough people like them, she'll have them in rubber, too! :)

I just love this image of Trevor in the bucket, and it is so perfect with this sentiment from Beach Sentiments by AmyR Stamps. The panel behind Trevor is from On the Boardwalk dp by Flair Designs. I found a sheet in my stash and had to use it! I colored with Copics, then I "dirtied" everything up a little bit with Tim Holtz Walnut Stain Distress Ink, and I added a little starfish from my set of Beach Charms.

Stop by the ATS Blog later today to see more samples of these adorable images! I can't wait to play with them some more! :)

Thanks so much for the visit -- have a fantastic day! :)

Christina

A Few Days Off!

Hi, everyone! Happy Thursday to you! I'll be taking a few days off from stamping and blogging -- I'm headed to Charlotte, NC for my niece's baptism. I'll be back Sunday with a post featuring new C.C. Designs digi images!

Thanks for stopping by today! Have a great weekend! :)

Christina

ATS Challenge: Stickles

Happy Wednesday! Today's ATS Challenge is to use Stickles. I pulled out one of my favorite C.C. Designs images (from the set Summertime Fun) and some bright papers to make this summery card! And, of course, I used buttons again -- I can't seem to put them down! :) The layout is Jen del Muro's Sketch for You to Try.

Check out all the ATS Challenges HERE -- play along with any challenge at any time! Use keyword ATSDTC48 when uploading. We'd love to see what you create! :)

Also, be sure to stop by HERE and vote in the MFT Idol contest! We're down to the Final Four!

Thank you so much for stopping by today -- have a fantastic day!

Christina

Stamps: Summertime Fun (C.C. Designs) Ink: Momento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), Summer Sun (SU!) Cardstock: Taken with Teal, Soft Sky, Whisper White (SU!), MFT Perfect Paper Panels Paper: Bella Blvd, American Crafts Other: Copics, Cotton Candy Stickles, Icicle Stickles, ribbon, 1 3/8" circle punch, scallop circle punch, buttons, linen thread, white gel pen, sponge, dimensionals

Getting There

Happy Tuesday! Here's a card featuring Getting There, one of the fun images by Emerson Quillin available at American Art Stamp.

I colored with Copics and sponged around the image panel. I applied Moonlight Smooch to the chipboard flourish, and it really gave it a mother-of-pearl appearance. I added some adhesive pearls and SU! ribbon to finish the card. I did some machine stitching on the vertical paper panel, but most of it was covered up by the design!

That's it for today! Thank you so much for visiting here -- I am always SO grateful to my readers! :)

Have a fantastic day!
Christina

Stamp: Getting There (American Art Stamp) Ink: Momento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), River Rock (SU!) Cardstock: Pacific Point, Whisper White (SU!), Perfect Paper Panel (MFT) Paper: Marrakech 6x6 pad (BasicGrey) Other: Copics, chipboard flourish (Making Memories), adhesive pearls (Michaels), organza ribbon (SU!), sewing machine

Girl Talk Tole!

Happy Monday, everyone! This is a quick post -- I'm going to the Aquarium with Anna's class this morning! Jessie is this week's guest hostess for the MFT Who's That Girl Challenge. The featured set is Call Me, and the challenge is to use Paper Tole. Here's my card, made with BasicGrey Lime Rickey Paper (*love* it!).


Here's a closeup of all the layers. There are four total: the image on cardstock, the chair and girl, the chair arms and telephone, and the telephone by itself. Since I paper pieced her outfit, I guess I have four and a half layers! ;)


Don't forget to check out the MFT BUBBLE BIN this week -- it's full of retiring sets! Get 'em while you can -- when they're gone, they're GONE! :)

Thanks for visiting today! Have a fantastic day!

Christina

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Sunday, everyone! And to all of you mothers out there, Happy Mother's Day!

I am feeling VERY blessed today. Being a mother is the best job I've ever had. Look at the people I get to work with every day:

It doesn't get any better than that. :)

One Card Two Ways!

Hello, everyone! TGIF!! Yesterday's Ways to Use It Challenge was to use Kraft cardstock. I am Kraft-challenged. I love the way it looks in a design, but I don't use it as often as I should! My friend had asked me to make some First Communion cards for her, and I used Kraft as the base and matting for both the boy and girl versions! :)

Since I was mass-producing (6 cards total), I kept the layout the same for all cards. I just love this little lamb from Gingersnaps Spring Things by C.C. Designs -- it's just so sweet! I colored with Copics, and I used some white flock on the wool. For the boy card, I used SU! Parisian Breeze Specialty dsp.

I gave the girl version some feminine touches with rounded corners and ribbon instead of brads. The verse is the Philippians 4:4 Plain Jane by Verve Stamps. On the girl card I used SU! Delicate Dots dsp.

I don't mass produce very often, but I'm happy with how they turned out! Keeping the layout simple really helps! :)

That's all for today! Tomorrow I'll be MIA -- I'm organizing a crafters garage sale at our church, with the proceeds benefiting our parish summer mission. The sale is tomorrow, and you should see my house right now! I'm up to my eyeballs in stamps, ribbon, scrapbooking supplies, and all kinds of other craft goodies! I'll be spending the today sorting and pricing -- EEK! Wish me luck!

Thanks for the visit today -- I'm so glad you stopped by! Have a great day and a wonderful weekend! :)

Christina

It's a Girls Day In!

Hi there! You've come to my stop on the MFT May Blog Hop! If you haven't seen all the fabulous projects so far, go back to Kim's Blog and make your way along from there! Be sure to follow the trail all the way to the end -- there just might be a little treat waiting there! ;)

For my sample, I created a gatefold card with the set Girls Day In. I also used some of the other goodies being released this month: Chocolate Kiss Printed Paper Pack, Chocolate Kiss Ribbon Bundle, and Cup o' Buttons Pack. I paper pieced and colored with Copics.

The card opens up to reveal a place to adhere a gift card or just write a personal message! I stamped the tag image onto the printed paper, cut it out and adhered it to the cardstock.

That's all from me! Now head over to see what the amazingly talented Cammie has to show you! Thanks so much for hopping by! :)

Christina

Another MFTeaser!

Happy Tuesday! I have another MFTeaser for you! Flopsey's back in the set Birthday Flopsey, and it is SO cute! You probably already know that I *love* this bunny, so I'm having a lot of fun with this set! This is the card I created for my "Cutting out of the Box" How'd They Do That? tutorial last week. You can find it HERE on the MFT Member Company Forum.

I colored with Copics, and I used my new Lime Rickey paper by BasicGrey. So much fun! I embellished with Prima flowers, Lime Rickey buttons, ribbon, and machine stitching. I also added some Stickles to the cake.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, May 6, My Favorite Things is releasing four new sets, plus some yummy papers and embellishments! It all begins with a Blog Hop tonight at 10:00 pm Eastern, so I hope you'll come back to hop along with us! Then tomorrow night, join us for the Release Cocktail Party on the MFT Forum from 8-10 pm Eastern before the sets go live at 10:00!

That's all for now, but I'll be back later tonight! I hope to see you then! Thanks for visiting!

Have a great day! :)
Christina

WTG: an MFTeaser!

Happy Monday, everyone! I hope you had a great weekend! Today's Who's That Girl Challenge is a WILDCARD -- you choose and use YOUR favorite Who's That Girl set! The challenge part is to use the MFT colors black, pink, and white.

My sample is also an MFTeaser! I used the new set Girls' Day In, which is being released this Wednesday, May 6! This is one of two WTG images in the set! Wouldn't this be great for Mom, a sister, or a girlfriend? :)


I paper pieced her robe and colored the rest with Copics. I did some machine stitching around the pink paper.

My Favorite Things is having a release cocktail party Wednesday, May 6 from 8-10 pm Eastern. The celebration will start with a Blog Hop tomorrow night at 10 pm, followed by fun and chatting in the MFT Forum Wednesday night before the release! There are four new sets being released, so you won't want to miss a thing! :)

I'll have more MFTeasers for you tomorrow, so I hope you'll stop back! Thanks so much for visiting today!

Have a great day! :)
Christina

Stamps: Girls Day In (MFT) Ink: Momento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko) Cardstock: Basic Black, Whisper White, MFT Perfect Paper Panels Paper: Spring Fling dsp, Rockabilly dsp (SU!) Other: Copics, circle punches, eyelet border punch (SU!), MFT ribbon, Lily White Blossoms Braddies (Doodlebug), sewing machine, dimensionals

Two More!

Hi there! I have two more previews of the new releases from All That Scraps! The first uses another image from Sugarplums Beach Scene by C.C. Designs. The sentiment is from Beach Sentiments by AmyR Stamps. Amy's sentiments are SO perfect for any beach-y project, and I just love the font she used! This card has a pretty simple design. I used SU! cardstock and American Crafts dp. I colored the flip flops with Copics, cut them out, and popped them up on dimensionals. I colored the rhinestones with an orange Copic marker before adhering them -- I love that I can do that! :)

My second card has an image from Gingersnaps Bugg-A-Boos by C.C. Designs. There are three images in the set: a butterfly, a ladybug, and this adorable bee! The sentiment is from the C.C. Designs set Bear Hugs. Another simple design, but fun nonetheless! The yellow paper is American Crafts, and the black is from Rockabilly by SU!. I colored with Copics and sponged around the image.

Stop by the ATS Blog or the blogs of the ATS Design team for more samples of all the new sets! They will be released tomorrow (Monday) at 10 pm!

That's all for now! Thanks so much for the visit!

Have a wonderful day! :)

Chrsitina

Ocean in a Jar

Happy Friday, everyone! I don't know about you, but it's been a busy week so far! Fun, but busy! :) I am really excited about my project today. I used the new sets Sugarplums Beach Scene by C.C. Designs and Beach Sentiments by AmyR Stamps. The images in Beach Scene are perfect for scrapbook pages or for creating a scene for the Beachies (see yesterday's post). I did something different and made a shell jar! We've had these shells in a basket since collecting them on vacation many years ago, and they deserved a new home! :)


I totally channeled the spirit of my friend Lesa on this project -- her creations always have such a gorgeous vintage look with lots of dimension and texture. I used several Spellbinders Nestabilities, and I sponged all the edges with Tim Holtz Walnut Stain distress ink. The shells on the tag were watercolored and sponged, then I cut them out and popped them up on dimensionals.

Here's a closeup of the lid. Isn't this sentiment just perfect?

You can see more samples of this set on the ATS Blog. I can't wait to see what the other girls came up with! If you stop by, you'll find out how you can win a set for yourself! All of the new sets will be released Monday, May 4 at 10 pm!

I hope you are liking the previews so far -- I still have more to show you! Thanks so much for visiting today -- I really do appreciate it!

Have a fantastic Friday! :)

Christina

Stamps: Sugarplums Beach Scene (C.C. Designs), Beach Sentiments (AmyR Stamps) Ink: Basic Black, Baja Breeze, Sahara Sand (SU!), Tim Holtz Walnut Distress Ink (Ranger) Cardstock: Kraft, Baja Breeze, Whisper White (SU!), Perfect Paper Panels (MFT) Paper: Parisian Breeze Specialty dsp (SU!) Other: Circle Nestabilites, Curved Rectangle Nestabilities, Long Rectangle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Cuttlebug, Swiss Dots embossing folder (Provo Craft), Aquapainter, white organza ribbon, Kraft taffeta ribbon, Button Bouquet, linen thread, stamping sponges, dimensionals (SU!)

Sugarplums Beachies

I'm having one of those weeks. You know, the kind when you're on a hamster wheel, running to stand still. I feel like I'm one step behind with everything I'm trying to do, and my morning totally got away from me. So here I am at lunchtime posting what I had hoped to have posted early this morning...

Here's a look at one of the Sugarplums Beachies by C.C. Designs. This is Emma, and she has a friend named Trevor. There are four different images, each one cuter than the last! :) The sentiment is from Beach Sentiments by AmyR Stamps. Both will be released Monday, May 4 at All That Scraps!

Stop by the ATS Blog to see some adorable samples! While you're there, leave a comment for a chance to win your own set!

Thanks for stopping by today -- I'll have another preview tomorrow!

Have a great day! :)

Christina

Stamps: Sugarplums Beachies Emma (C.C. Designs) Ink: Momento Rich Cocoa (Tsukineko), Chocolate Chip, So Saffron, Regal Rose (SU!) Cardstock: Regal Rose, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White (SU!) Paper: Summer Cool Banana Flip Flop (Imaginisce) Other: Copics, dotted grosgrain ribbon (May Arts), Dotted Waves border punch (EK Success), natural hemp twine, circle punches, stamping sponges, dimensionals (SU!)

Meet Tilly!

Happy Wednesday! Today begins previews of the May releases from All That Scraps! This is Tilly, the new set from Diane Zechman's Cookie Crumbs Stamps. This sentiment is one of my favorites from the set -- I can think of several people to whom I could send this! ;)

Stop by the ATS Blog today to see more samples with this set and to find out how you can win a set of your own! All the new releases will be available Monday, May 4 at 10:00 pm.

The previews continue tomorrow -- I hope you'll stop back! Thanks so much for the visit today!

Have a great day! :)
Christina

Stamps: Tilly (Cookie Crumbs Stamps) Ink: Momento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), Old Olive (SU!) Cardstock: Basic Black (SU!), Perfect Paper Panels (MFT) Paper: Summer Picnic dsp, Real Red Prints (SU!) Other: Copic markers, Labels One Nestabilities (Spellbinders), ticket corner punch (SU!), Beetle Black Blossoms Braddies (Doodlebug), gingham ribbon, white gel pen, sponge, dimensionals

A Busy Day!

Hi there! Today I'm working on previews for the All That Scraps and My Favorite Things May releases, so I don't have a project to share just yet!! ;)

Be sure to stop back tomorrow, 'cause it will be time for the first ATS Preview! All I can say about the new sets is... CUTE!!!

Also, tonight at 10 pm Eastern the MFT Idol Top Five will have their projects uploaded and ready for voting -- you'll have until 10 pm tomorrow (Wednesday) to vote for your favorites!

Have a great day, everyone -- thanks so much for stopping by! :)

Christina

WTG Monday

Happy Monday, everyone! I hope you had a great weekend! Ours was very busy -- soccer games, lacrosse match, a fundraiser -- and our temperatures were summer-like (upper 80's), so I didn't get much stamping done! I didn't even get much time for blurfing, so that's on my agenda for today!

I did get time last night to make my sample for today's MFT Who's That Girl Challenge. Joanne is the hostess this week, and the featured set is Rain or Shine. The challenge is to use a minimum of six brads on your project.

My layout is Frances's MFT Sketch, and the paper is SU!'s Sweet Always. I colored with Copics and embellished with machine stitching and SU! brads and ribbon. To make the umbrella, I stamped the image in Clearsnap Watermark onto the dp, then I heat embossed with clear EP. I cut it out and popped it up on dimensionals.

We hope you can play along with the challenge! If you don't have this set, just use any MFT set and have fun! Use keyword MFTWTG32 when uploading to Splitcoaststampers. If you upload by midnight Wednesday, you have a chance to win a $5 gift certificate to My Favorite Things!

I'm so glad you stopped by today -- thanks so much for visiting!

Have a wonderful day!

Christina

Happy Friday!

It's Friday -- TGIF!! I have two cards to share with you today. The first is for the Ways to Use It Challenge to use white cardstock only. I used lots of layers and sponging, and I really like the way it turned out! I needed a wedding card, so this was the perfect reason to make it! I used Silhouette Blooms I and Spanish Script Backgrounder from Cornish Heritage Farms. The ink is Baja Breeze and Basic Black.

I went with a cleaner, simpler design for this next card. The ATS Design Team is reviewing two new sets: Gingersnaps Celebrate! and Birthday Sentiments. I used BasicGrey Cupcake paper and colored with Copics. Stop by the ATS Blog today to see more samples with these fun sets!

That's it for today! We have a busy weekend ahead, and we're expecting very warm weather, so I may or may not get some stamping done -- wish me luck! ;)

Have a great day everyone -- thanks for stopping by!

Christina

Gift Card Holder

Hello, everyone! Happy Thursday to you! A couple days ago my friend Traci asked me to make a card for her niece's Confirmation, and she wanted it to hold a gift card. So, I put together this card for her. It's the standard A2 size with a pocket inside to hold the gift card. It could also hold money or a treat! I used the colors from this week's SCS Color Challenge, and I also used my new Verve Stamps.

I started with a 5 1/2" x 11" piece of cardstock. I scored it at 4 1/4" and 8 1/2", leaving a 2 1/2" flap to fold up for the gift card.

I placed a 4" x 5 1/4" piece of dp on the inside of the card. I scalloped the edge of the bottom panel, and I applied red line tape to the sides.

(NOTE: after I took the photo I added a second line of adhesive on both sides, closer to the center, so that the gift card would stay tight in the pocket. This isn't necessary if you are placing something larger in the pocket.)

Here is the inside of the card with the pocket folded up and a gift card inside. I added a 1 7/8" x 5 1/4" strip of dp to the pocket.

I decided to add the smaller butterfly stamp on the inside to finish it. There is still plenty of room for a personal message!

This was an easy way to make a gift card holder, and I'm sure I'll be doing it again! If you make one, link back here so I can see it! :)

That's all for today! Thank you for visiting!

Have a great day!

Christina

Stamps: Beautiful Kindness, Plain Jane (Verve Stamps) Ink: Basic Gray, Rose Red, Pink Pirouette (SU!) Cardstock: Rose Red, Basic Gray, Whisper White (SU!) Paper: Bella Rose dsp (SU!) Other: Labels One Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Button (BasicGrey), dotted organdy ribbon (May Arts), scallop edge punch, 1" circle punch, Sticky Strip, stamping sponge, dimensionals (SU!)

Thinking outside the Box!

Happy Wednesday! Today's ATS Wednesday Challenge is to think outside the box! Use those stamps in a way they weren't intended to be used! I have to say that this challenge stumped me for a while, but then this idea just popped in my head... and I went with it!

It's a pretty simple design -- I just took this butterfly from Spring Things! and made a spring wreath. I even scored some panels on the white cardstock so it looks like a door!

We'd love to see what you can do! Use keyword ATSDTC46 when uploading to All That Scraps or SCS. All of the challenges can be found HERE -- do any one at any time! Lesa will have the Design Team projects for this challenge on the ATS Blog, so be sure to check them out!

I'm so glad you stopped by today -- have a wonderful spring day!

Christina

Stamps: Gingersnaps Spring Things! (C.C. Designs) Ink: Momento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko) Cardstock: Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery, Whisper White (SU!) Paper: Wild Raspberry (K & Company) Other: oval punches (SU!), dotted organdy ribbon (May Arts), Branch punch (Martha Stewart), self-adhesive rhinestones, white gel pen

Who's That Girl Challenge

Happy Monday! Joanne and I have another Who's That Girl Challenge for you! This week we're featuring the MFT set She's Having a Baby, and the challenge is to use non-traditional baby colors! I went with the MFT colors of Black, Pink, and White, since today is also Celebrate MFT Day!

I stamped the image on one of my Perfect Paper Panels. Omgosh, they are SO great! They come in packs of A2 sized panels, just perfect for stamping and coloring your images. And, let me tell you, my Copics blend beautifully on them! Kim did a lot of work to find the perfect paper for coloring, and she definitely succeeded! :)

The rest of the card is pretty straightforward. The ribbon treatment is one that I've seen quite a lot lately, and I had to try it myself! I really love the way it looks -- you'll probably be seeing a lot more of it! ;) I used ribbon from the Royalty Ribbon Bundle, and I topped it with a button and some dotted organdy ribbon.

Be sure to check out the MFT Weekly Spotlight each Monday -- it's on my sidebar. This week it's Peerless Watercolors! There will be the usual fun in the MFT Forum at SCS as well -- stop by when you can! :)

Well, that's it for me today! Thanks so much for the visit!

Have a fantastic day!
Christina

Stamps: She's Having a Baby (MFT) Ink: Momento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko) Cardstock: white, Basic Black, Regal Rose, MFT Perfect Paper Panels Paper: Rockabilly dsp, Sweet Always dsp (SU!) Other: Copics, Cuttlebug, Swiss Dots folder, oval punches, scallop edge punch, MFT Royalty Ribbon, BasicGrey button, May Arts dotted organdy ribbon, dimensionals

Donut Diet

Hello! We're back from our spring break trip and settled into things again! We had a great time hiking, shopping and just being together, but I'm glad to be home! I was itching to stamp something, so I played with this fun Emerson Quillin Small Meals image from American Art Stamp. Now this is my kind of diet! ;)

I colored with Copics and added gold highlights to her earrings and hat with Gold Lame Smooch pearlized ink. I lightly distressed all the edges, and I sponged with Summer Sun ink. The chipboard flourish is covered with Blackbird Colorbox Fluid Chalk ink.

This was a fun card to make -- I hope you like it! Now I'm off to enjoy some gorgeous weather -- sunny and 75 degrees! :) Thanks for stopping by today!

Have a great day!

Christina

Stamp: Small Meals (American Art Stamp) Ink: Momento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko); Blackbird Colorbox Fluid Chalk, Gold Lame Smooch (Clearsnap); Summer Sun (SU!) Cardstock: Basic Black (SU!), Perfect Paper Panels (MFT) Paper: Craft Fair (American Crafts) Other: Top Note die, gingham ribbon (Offray), Obsessions flower (Prima), button (BasicGrey), chipboard flourish (Making Memories), Cutter Kit (SU!), self-adhesive pearls, sponge, dimensionals

Buttons and Bows

This week's ATS Challenge (ATSDTC45) is to use buttons. I made this card for my brand-new niece Emma, born Easter Sunday! :)

You can play along and upload your card to the ATS Wednesday Challenge Gallery. All of the challenges are listed HERE -- play along with any challenge at any time!

Don't forget to stop by the ATS Blog to see what the Design Team came up with!

Thanks for visiting today!

Have a fantastic day!
Christina

Stamps: Amy's Boutique, Boutique Sentiments (AmyR Stamps) Ink: Momento Rich Cocoa (Tsukineko) Cardstock: white, Bazzill textured brown Paper: Sultry 6x6 pad (BasicGrey) Other: eyelet border punch, BasicGrey buttons, white thread, dimensionals, Circle Nestabilities, Cuttlebug, Swiss Dots embossing folder, May Arts ribbon

MFT Mid-month Releases!

Hey, everyone! It's Wednesday, and it's the middle of the month, so that means My Favorite Things is releasing two new sets today! They are so much fun to work with!

On this first sample I used the new BC Dzyns set Text Ya Later. I love the BCD line -- since I have a teenage daughter, I can SO relate! As a matter of fact, when I made this card I did it with Megan in mind: a little distressed, slightly off-center, and always with a phone in her hand! ;) I asked her which sentiment she thought I should use, and she chose this one. It's a favorite saying of a good friend. She gave me the thumbs-up when the card was finished!

I used BasicGrey Recess 12x12 paper for this card, and I kept with the school theme with the SU! spiral and tab punches. I used one of the pattern squares from the cover of the paper pack to paper piece her shirt. It's one of the many tricks I've picked up from Michele, who is the queen of paper piecing in my book! :) I colored with Copics and sponged the edges of the image panel and tab.

This next set is the newest one in the MFT Presents line. It's by a new illustrator, Amanda Baird, who just happens to be Carole's niece! The set is called What a Girl Wants, and it just makes me smile! This diva has had a long day of shopping, but she just can't resist one more peek into the boutique window! Ah, so much to buy, so little time! ;)

I borrowed the awning from Meet Me at the Cafe -- it works perfectly with this set! I used BasicGrey Marrakech paper throughout the card, and I paper pieced the shopping bags and the dress. The awning and hat box are popped up on dimensionals. I gave her some "real" pearls with Liquid Pearls, and I used a Stardust pen on her tiara and shoes. The rest of the coloring was done with Copics.

Since I'm on vacation (I pre-scheduled this post), I'm not participating in the MFT Blog Hop for these two sets. But, don't let that stop you from checking it out! Head over to Kim's Blog and hop on through 'til the end -- you'll surely see a lot of eye candy! :)

Thank you so much for visiting today! Have a fantastic day! :)

Christina

Who's That Girl?

Happy Monday, everyone! I hope your Easter was filled with lots of good things! Today Joanne is your hostess for the Who's That Girl Challenge (MFTWTG30) on the MFT Forum. The featured set is Hangin' with my Peeps, and the challenge is to use the MFT summer papers (or digi papers, or paper color palette). I went a little crazy and used almost all of the patterns on this card! :)

I paper pieced her clothes and colored the rest with Copics. I cut out the chickies and popped them up on rolled up glue dots. I embellished with Prima Flowers, SU! Hodgepodge hardware, and ribbon from the MFT Summer Ribbon Collection.

Well, it's spring break for my kids this week, so we're headed to a friend's cabin in Gatlinburg, TN for a few days. I have some posts all ready to go while I'm gone, so I hope you'll stop back! On Wednesday there's a MFT mid-month release you won't want to miss! :)

Thank you for visiting today and every day! I appreciate all my readers SO much! :)

Have a fantastic day!

Christina

Happy Easter, everyone! May your day be blessed!

Cupcake Birthday

Hi, everyone! Today's card is one I made a couple days ago for two different challenges. I did the MFT Sketch Challenge and the Ways to Use It Challenge (using labels). I paper pieced the cupcake bottom, colored with Copics and sponged the edges of the image panel. I dusted off my Dymo Label Maker for the sentiment!

It's a quick post today -- I have quite a few things to take care of before tomorrow! I hope you are enjoying your weekend so far!

Thanks for visiting -- have a great day! :)
Christina

Stamps: Cupcake Flopsey (MFT) Ink: Momento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), Kiwi Kiss (SU!) Cardstock: Kiwi Kiss, Basic Black (SU!), MFT Perfect Paper Panels Paper: Rockabilly dsp (SU!) Other: Copics, Dymo Label Maker, Circle Nestabilities, dotted organdy ribbon, Prima flowers, Doodlebug Braddie, MFT Adornments crystals, sponge, dimensionals

Little Ladybug

Hello there! Today the ATS Design Team is doing a review of the recently released set by Cookie Crumbs Stamps, Ladybug Friends. I love this sweet image of the ladybug on the flower! I don't know if there really are flowers this color, but I like it anyway! :)

I colored with Copics and lightly sponged the edges of the image panel. You can't see it in the photo, but I painted Angel Wings Shimmerz on the flower after I colored it. It's really pretty IRL!

I have to admit, I fussed and fussed with this card -- I just couldn't get it to "sit right" with me (I do this a lot -- I'm a really slooooooow stamper). I just felt that it needed something, but I couldn't figure out what it was. Then I put the red mat behind the image panel -- ta da! :)

Stop by the ATS Blog today to see what the rest of the DT has done with this adorable set!

I hope your weekend is off to a good start. Thanks so much for stopping by to visit! :)

Have a great day!
Christina

Stamps: Ladybug Friends (Cookie Crumbs Stamps) Ink: Momento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), Soft Sky (SU!) Cardstock: Soft Sky, Old Olive (SU!), MFT Perfect Paper Panels Paper: Playful Petals (Daisy Bucket) Other: Copics, Angel Wings Shimmerz, paper piercer, mat pack, white button, red dotted organdy ribbon, scallop edge punch, corner rounder, sponge, dimensionals

Practically Perfect!

Happy Wednesday! Here is my card for this week's SCS Color Challenge. It's a great color combination -- Bashful Blue, So Saffron, and Close to Cocoa. I have really been wanting to ink up this Practically Perfect set by Verve Stamps -- these colors were the perfect reason to do it! :)

It's a pretty simple design -- I just did some paper piecing, sponging, and machine stitching to give interest and texture. The papers were perfect for the challenge, and they did most of the work for me. I love it when that happens!

Thanks so much for visiting today! I always appreciate it when you stop by!

Have a great day!
Christina

Stamps: Practically Perfect (Verve Stamps) Ink: Momento Rich Cocoa (Tsukineko), So Saffron (SU!) Cardstock: So Saffron, Close to Cocoa (SU!); Perfect Paper Panels (MFT) Paper: Delicate Dots dsp (SU!) Other: Copics, Circle Nestabilities, Button Latte, Bashful Blue striped grosgrain ribbon, circle punches, white gel pen, sponge, dimensionals, sewing machine, white thread

WTG Challenge: Emboss It!

Happy Monday, everyone! Today's MFT Who's That Girl Challenge is to use the set You Take the Cake. The additional challenge is to use embossing (heat or dry) on your project.

On my card I heat embossed the background circles (from Let's Go for a Walk) with white EP, and I heat embossed the main image with black EP. I watercolored the image with an Aquapainter and SU! reinkers.

We hope you can play along with the challenge! Use keyword MFTWTG29 when uploading to SCS. Upload by midnight Wednesday, 4/8 for a chance to win a $5 gift certificate to My Favorite Things!


In other news, Don't forget about the release at All That Scraps tonight at 10:00 Eastern -- hope to see you on the Message Board before the release! :)

Thanks for stopping by today -- I really do appreciate it!

Have a fantastic day!
Christina

Stamps: You Take the Cake, Let's Go for a Walk (MFT) Ink: White Craft (SU!), Watermark (Clearsnap), misc. SU! inks for watercoloring Cardstock: Old Olive, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White (SU!) Paper: Sweet Celebrations (Bella Blvd) Other: white EP, black detail EP, Aquapainter, Frosted Lace Stickles, scallop edge punch, dotted organdy ribbon, MFT Adornments crystals, dimensionals

More ATS Previews!

Hello! Happy Saturday! I have a couple more All That Scraps Previews for you today! The first is for the set Ladybug Friends by Cookie Crumbs Stamps. Diane has created some adorable ladybug images! Here I colored with Prismacolor Pencils, added white gel pen highlights, and sponged the edges. I created some grass with Pale Green Flower Soft. The paper is Lady Bug Ball from the Twitterpated line by Imaginisce. I embellished with Prima flowers, a Lady Bug Blossom Braddie, and SU! organza ribbon.

You can see more Design Team samples of this set on the ATS Blog HERE.

In honor of C.C. Designs' second anniversary, Christine created this Gingersnaps Celebrate! stamp set. Here's a Gingersnap on top of a big birthday cupcake! I colored with Copics, added white highlights, and sponged the edges. I used Cotton Candy Stickles on the cupcake icing. The paper is from the Sweet Celebrations line by Bella Blvd.

You can find more Design Team samples of this set on the ATS Blog HERE.

All of the new sets will be released Monday, April 6 at 10:00 pm Eastern time at All That Scraps. We'll be chatting on the Message Board before the release -- I hope you can join us!

That's it for me today! I hope you are having a great weekend -- thanks so much for stopping by!

Have a great day!
Christina

Tweet-ies!

TGIF!! It's been a busy stamping week for me, and now I have previews of the April All That Scraps releases! Each month the ATS stamps get cuter and cuter, don't you think?!? Today I have samples for the C.C. Designs set Tweet-ies. I am IN LOVE with these birds -- they just make me smile!! :)

On my first card I colored the image with Prismacolor Pencils and added white gel pen highlights. Hmmm... this bird looks like he's been partying a little too much! *giggle*

This second card was a fun one to make. I used this gorgeous BasicGrey Marrakech paper, and I brought out two colors of cardstock I NEVER use -- Groovy Guava and Pacific Point! They coordinate perfectly with the dp, and I think I might actually like both colors now! ;) I paper pieced the bird and colored with Copics. Isn't this sentiment great? I'm telling you, I smiled the entire time I was making these cards!

I hope you like the set as much as I do! You can see more Design Team samples on the ATS Blog, and you can also find out how to win a set of your own! All four new stamp sets will be released Monday, April 6 at 10:00 pm Eastern time. Also, don't forget about the C.C. Designs Anniversary Sale! Click HERE to find out more!

I hope you'll stop back tomorrow for more ATS previews! Until then, have a great day!

Christina

Happy Bird-day

Stamps: Tweet-ies (C.C. Designs) Ink: Momento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), Old Olive (SU!) Cardstock: Old Olive, Riding Hood Red, Whisper White (SU!) Paper: Cupcake 6x6 pad (BasicGrey) Other: Prismacolor Pencils, OMS, blending stumps, Oval Nestabilities, SU! ribbon, Dew Drops, Dotted Wave border punch, Inkssentials white gel pen, sponge, dimensionals

What?

Stamps: Tweet-ies (C.C. Designs) Ink: Momento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), Groovy Guava (SU!) Cardstock: Groovy Guava, Pacific Point, Whisper White (SU!) Paper: Marrakech 6x6 pad (BasicGrey) Other: Copics, Circle Nestabilities, Tag Trio Shapeabilities, Prima Caboodles, SU! 5/16" brads, May Arts ribbon, sponge, dimensionals, sewing machine

SCS Challenge Cards

Happy Thursday, everyone! I'm taking a break between MFT and ATS previews so I can share some other things I worked on this week!

This first card was for last Friday's SCS Limited Supplies Challenge to use black and white only. I had a lot of fun with this, although I so badly wanted to add a splash of color! :) The main image is Enjoy the Moment, from American Art Stamp. I stamped En Francais on the white flower from the SU! Pretties Kit, and I used a Stardust pen on her hat.

My second card is for this week's SCS Color Challenge. I decided to use more of my new SU! goodies to make an SU! only card. This tree image is just so beautiful -- I know I'll be using it a lot! Unfortunately, I needed a sympathy card this week, so the challenge was a good reason to make one.

Thanks for taking a look at my challenge cards! I'll be back tomorrow with previews of the new All That Scraps releases -- coming Monday, April 6!

Before I go, I wanted to let you know that Christine is celebrating the second anniversary of C.C. Designs, and she's having a SALE through April 6! Click HERE to find out more! :)

Thanks for stopping by today -- have a fantastic day!

Christina

Enjoy the Moment

Stamps: Enjoy the Moment (AAS), En Francais (SU!) Ink: Blackbird Colorbox Fluid Chalk ink (Clearsnap) Cardstock: Basic Black, white Paper: Rockabilly dsp (SU!) Other: Cuttlebug, Swiss Dots embossing folder (Provo Craft); Oval Nestabilities (Spellbinders); black flower (Prima); eyelet border punch, Pretties Kit, organza ribbon (SU!); black dotted organdy ribbon (May Arts); black button (BasicGrey) Stardust gelly roll pen (Sakura); sponge, dimensionals

Praying for You (all products SU!)

Stamps: Thoughts & Prayers Ink: Chocolate Chip, Pink Pirouette Cardstock: Riding Hood Red, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White Paper: Bella Rose dsp Other: 5/16" brads, scallop edge punch, Riding Hood Red striped grosgrain ribbon, paper piercer, mat pack, sponge, dimensionals

No Foolin'... It's the MFT Blog Hop!

Happy April Fool's Day! You've come to my stop on the MFT Blog Hop! If you've just come from Carole's Blog, welcome! If not, you'll want to go back to Kim's Blog and catch up! There won't be any foolishness, just a lot of great eye candy! :)

For my card, I used the set Ben Paper Dolls. It's a great companion to the Isabelle Paper Dolls set! Ben is so cute, and his clothes and accessories are adorable, too! Here I created Pirate Ben and his little companion! Ben's face and hair are colored with Copics, and his outfit was made with a combination of paper piecing and coloring with Prismacolor Pencils. I distressed the edges of the paper and cardstock, then I added some sponging and piercing to the image panel. The bird is cut out and popped up on dimensionals. The sentiment is from the MFT set Going Places -- I thought it was perfect for this little adventurer!

My Favorite Things is having a New Release Cocktail Party TONIGHT from 9-10 PM EASTERN. This month there are 4 new sets being released! Head over to the MFT forum HERE to find out all the details and to find out how YOU can be the next MFT Guest Designer. We hope to see you there tonight!

Did you know that this set is named after Cammie's son? And guess what -- you're headed to her blog next! She's sure to have something fantastic for you to see! :)

I hope you enjoyed your stop here -- thanks for hopping by!
Christina

Stamps: Ben Paper Dolls, Going Places (MFT) Ink: Momento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), Walnut Distress Ink (Tim Holtz) Cardstock: Kraft, Basic Black, Whisper White (SU!) Paper: Rockabilly dsp (SU!) Other: Copics, Prismacolor Pencils, OMS, blending stumps, Cutter Kit, paper piercer, Mat Pack, black buttons, linen thread, oval punch, scallop oval punch, sponge, dimensionals