For My Secret Sister!

Hi, everyone! Happy Tuesday! I wanted to share this set I made for my ATS Design Team Secret Sister. We're revealing ourselves on this last week of September, and my gift is going to be a tad late!! Sorry, Sis! :)

I found this paperboard box at Michaels, and I covered it with designer paper from the Botanicabella Collection by Graphic 45. I stamped "Just for You" from the Sugarplums Sentiment Set, and I placed it in some Hodgepodge Hardware from SU!. It is attached to the box lid with glue dots. Inside the box are lots of embellishments, ribbon and other goodies. I won't show you, just in case my SS is reading my blog! ;)

I made a coordinating card with the same paper and some SU! cardstock (Always Artichoke and Riding Hood Red). I embossed the red panel with my Cuttlebug and Textile Textures folder. For the monogram, I used my new JustRite Monogram Stamper and the Special Occasion Font. I cut and embossed the circles with my Circle Nestabilities. I also finished the inside of the card and added a strip of coordinating paper to the bottom.

I hope my Secret Sister likes her gift! It will be in the mail today, I promise! :)

I'll be back tomorrow with the ATS Wednesday Challenge, and coming up on Friday is the first preview of the October C.C. Designs releases! I hope you'll stop back! As always, I really appreciate your visits -- have a fantastic day today!

Sunday Supper: No Defrosting Needed!

Today's Sunday Supper recipe is one I was happy to discover -- because there's no need to defrost! I don't know how many times I wanted to get something started for dinner, only to realize that I forgot to defrost my chicken! UGH! So, I hope you find this crock-pot recipe helpful for those times! :)

Crockpot Chicken and Mushrooms
6 boneless, skinless frozen chicken breast halves
2 10 3/4 oz. cans cream of chicken soup or cream of mushroom soup
4 oz. can sliced mushrooms or 1.2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Place frozen chicken in crockpot. Mix together soup, mushrooms, salt and pepper and pour over chicken. Cover. Cook on Low 10-12 hours. Serve over rice.

Enjoy your Sunday -- find some time to spend with your family around the supper table! :)

Witchy Treats

Happy Friday! Today I'm doing another "review preview" of a newly released C.C. Designs set -- this time, it's Sugarplum Halloween. I used Witchy Olivia to make a treat bag. I love this project because it's EASY. Projects don't have to be complicated to be fun. The right combination of colors and images is all you need. I let the colors in the m&ms do most of the work for me! I simply made a topper with SU! Ghostly Greetings paper, scalloped the edges, stapled the sides, tied the ribbon around, and attached Olivia and the sentiment.

I colored Olivia with Copics and paper pieced her cape with more Ghostly Greetings paper. I cut her out and attached her to the topper with dimensional foam. The sentiment is also attached with dimensionals. That's it -- fun and easy! :)

It's time to go blog-hopping again! Head over to the ATS Blog to see which of my Design Teammates have a project with this set. One of them has a $5 gift certificate to All That Scraps to give away!

Have a great day, everyone -- I'm so glad you stopped by! The weekend is here -- enjoy! :)

Rubber Ducky, You're the One...

Hi there! Tonight at All That Scraps there will be a new C.C. Designs set released called My Rubber Ducky. There is also a card kit available to go with the set. The kit has Cosmo Cricket Hello Sunshine paper in it. For my sample, I used SU! cardstock and American Crafts paper. The layout is this week's Sketch Challenge at SCS.

I colored with Copics and sponged the edges of the white cardstock with Marigold Morning ink (retired SU! In Color). I added ribbon and Dew Drops as embellishments.

Here's a closeup of the monkey. I put Crystal Lacquer on the floating bubbles, and I put Liquid Applique and Dazzling Diamonds glitter on the bubble foam.

I finished the inside of the card with a sentiment and bubble images from the set. Wouldn't this be a fun way to give a spa certificate?

If you want to see some more projects with this set, go to the ATS Blog, or check out the blogs of the rest of the ATS Design Team (on my sidebar). My Rubber Ducky will be released at 10:00 pm EST tonight, so be sure to stop by All That Scraps to get it!

I'm off to the zoo with Anna and her 1st grade class -- have a great day, everyone! :)

Stamps: My Rubber Ducky (C.C. Designs) Ink: Brilliance Graphite Black (Tsukineko), Marigold Morning (SU!) Cardstock: Pink Pirhouette, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White (SU!) Paper: American Crafts Other: Ciao Markers (Copic), Peony Dew Drops (Robins Nest), circle punches (SU!), blue dotted organdy ribbon (May Arts), Crystal Lacquer, Liquid Applique, glitter, sponge, dimensionals

ATS Wednesday Challenge: Pop-Up Cards

Happy Wednesday! Today's ATS Wednesday Challenge is to make a pop-up card. There are lots of ways to make a pop-up card -- Jen has links to some of the SCS pop-up tutorials on the challenge post HERE.

I used the C.C. Designs sets Spooky Spooky Spooky for the card front and Spooky Scene for the inside. The inside sentiment is from Sugarplum Halloween. I used my Circle Nestabilities for the image and matting. I colored with Copics and sponged around the white circles with More Mustard ink.

Here's the inside of the card. This is probably the easiest way to make a pop-up! Starting from the card fold, I cut two slits about 1" long. I opened the card and pushed the tab inward. I glued Baby Ghost below the fold, and he stands up when the card is opened!

Play along with the challenge and try a pop-up card! You can find other samples on the ATS Blog and in the Wednesday Challenge section of the ATS Gallery. If you upload a card for the challenge, use keyword ATSDTC19.

Guess what? Tomorrow Christine is having a special release of a new C.C. Designs set -- it's an adorable set full of bubbly fun!! I hope you'll stop back to see it! Thanks so much for the visit today -- I always love hearing from you! Have a great day! :)

Stamps: Spooky Spooky Spooky, Spooky Scene, Sugarplum Halloween (C.C. Designs) Ink: Brilliance Graphite Black (Tsukineko), More Mustard, Summer Sun (SU!) Cardstock: More Mustard, Tangerine Tango, Basic Black, Whisper White (SU!) Paper: Haunted/Them Bones (Cosmo Cricket) Other: Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders); Ciao Markers (Copic); flowers (Prima); circle punches, scallop edge punch, stamping sponge (SU!); Halloween ribbon (Michaels); white gel pen; dimensionals

Cammie's Heart to Heart Blog Candy

Hi, everyone! Have you seen the Heart to Heart Blog Candy on Carolyn King (Cammie)'s blog??? HOLY COW -- so many generous companies and individuals donated $1000 worth of prizes! Cammie's grandmother recently passed away after living with Alzheimer's, so she is doing amazing things to help the Alzheimer's Association and caregivers! Gina K. Designs recently released Carolyn's set, Whimsical Autumn. Cammie is giving 100% of the proceeds to the Alzheimer's Association in memory of her grandmother. But she didn't stop there! Since Sunday, September 21, was World Alzheimer's Day, Cammie wanted to do something special for all the caregivers of Alzheimer's patients. In order to have a chance at her AMAZING blog candy, you have to make a card for a caregiver. Here's my card, made with Whimsical Autumn.

The layout is Julee Tilman's Mojo Monday Sketch #54. The paper is from the Botanicabella Collection by Graphic 45 -- I picked it up at my LSS last week. I embossed the red background panel with my Cuttlebug and Leafy Branch embossing folder. I colored the image with a blender pen and SU! inks, then I outlined the image and added a shadow with my Cool Gray Copic marker. I sponged the edges of the image panel with More Mustard ink.

Here's a closeup of the apples -- see how shiny they are? I added some Crystal Lacquer to them after I colored. They look good enough to eat! :)

My husband's grandmother had Alzheimer's, and I have friends who have watched their parents suffer with it. It's a cruel disease, and it affects so many people. If you haven't already visited Cammie's Blog, please do it! She is truly an amazing lady, and she is surrounded by some fantastic and generous friends! Help her help the Alzheimer's Association and the caregivers!

Thanks so much for stopping by today -- have a fantastic day! :)

Stamps: Whimsical Autumn (Gina K. Designs) Ink: Basic Black, More Mustard, Riding Hood Red, Close to Cocoa, Always Artichoke (SU!) Cardstock: Always Artichoke, Riding Hood Red, Whisper White (SU!) Paper: Summer Sonata (Graphic 45) Other: Scallop Edge Punch, Blender Pen, stamping sponge, Rich Regals brads (SU!); Cuttlebug, Leafy Branch embossing folder (Provo Craft); Crystal Lacquer; organdy ribbon; dimensional foam

Happy Birthday, Kyle!

Today is my oldest's birthday -- he's 16 years old! I can't believe it! Here's the card I made for him, using Jen del Muro's Sketch for You to Try. It's a fun sketch, perfect for the image and paper I wanted to use! The truck is from SU!'s Loads of Love, and the numbers are from Melanie Muenchinger's set Just So Sporty, by Gina K. Designs. The dp is from American Crafts. I paper pieced the truck with the solid green that is the reverse side of the arrow pattern. I colored the rest of the image with Copics and sponged around the panel with Soft Sky ink.

I had bought a package of chipboard arrows when I bought the paper -- they work perfectly together! I covered the arrow with Basic Black ink, and I added a trio of brads. I also added brads to the truck tires. The Soft Sky background was Cuttlebugged with the Number Collage embossing folder. I pierced around the numbers and mounted everything on dimensional foam.

I like how it turned out -- I think it's a fun card! Kyle is one of my biggest cheerleaders, and he always likes to see the new projects I've made. I hope he likes this one! :)

We're going to a Japanese steakhouse for his birthday dinner -- his request! I have a few things to do around here before then, so that's all for now! Thanks so much for the visit -- have a fantastic day! :)

Stamps: Loads of Love (SU!), Just So Sporty (Gina K. Designs) Ink: Brilliance Graphite Black (Tsukineko), Basic Black (SU!) Cardstock: Basic Black, Soft Sky, Whisper White (SU!) Paper: Travel (American Crafts) Other: Copic markers; vintage brads, circle punches, paper piercing tool, stamping sponge (SU!), Jigsaw Arrows (Making Memories); Cuttlebug, Number Collage (Provo Craft), dimensional foam

Sunday Supper: Black Bean and Sausage Posole

Hello! It's time for another Sunday Supper recipe! Today's recipe comes from Donna Baker. You can find her at her blog, Serenity in Stamping. She's incredibly talented, and she's so very kind, too! Please stop and pay her a visit, okay?

This is what Donna said about her recipe:
Here is our absolute FAVORITE for the Fall/Winter season! We eat it with Jif cornbread - Yum! The recipe can be made on the stove but I prefer to just throw it in the crockpot!

Black Bean and Sausage Posole
12 oz Jimmy Dean sausage
(2) 14.5 oz cans low salt chicken broth
15 oz can black beans- rinsed & drained
14.5 oz can golden hominy
(1.5) 14.5 oz cans Mexican style tomatoes
1 cup loose-pack hash brown potatoes
1/2 cup chopped green pepper (1/2 pepper)
1/3 cup chopped onion (1/2 onion)
1 clove minced garlic
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp chili powder

In a large saucepan, brown the sausage - drain fat. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Or if you prefer, after you brown the sausage, throw all the ingredients in the crock pot.


Thank you so much, Donna! If anyone else has a recipe to share, let me know! I'd be happy to feature it here! :)

Have a great Sunday, everyone! Enjoy some family time around the supper table!

It's All About the Shoes!

Happy Saturday, everyone! I have a fun card to share with you today. I made it for Sharon Johnson's Stamp Simply Challenge to stamp in the style of Jennifer Buck (JenniB04). Jennifer is one of the newest SCS Dirty Dozen, and she has a clean, cute and classy style! I got lost in her blog posts -- she is SO talented! I decided to CASE Jennifer's card from THIS post. I created this Halloween card with a Michaels $1 stamp and a sentiment from Papertrey Ink.

I'm a big fan of clean and cute cards -- I often stamp that way myself! The paper and images did most of the work here, and I just added some flowers, ribbon and fibers. I'm really happy with the way it turned out!

That's it for today! Thanks so much for visiting! I hope you have a great day planned -- enjoy! :)

Stamps: witch shoes (Kolette Hall for studio g), sentiment from Green Thumb (Papertrey Ink) Ink: Brilliance Graphite Black (Tsukineko) Cardstock: Basic Black, Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White (SU!) Paper: Hallowhimsy (Imaginisce) Other: Pumpkin Pie striped grosgrain (SU!), fibers, flowers (Prima), silver circle brad (Making Memories), dimensionals

A Review Preview!

Hello! Happy Friday to you! I have a little "Review Preview" of Spooky Spooky Spooky, one of the newly released sets by C.C. Designs. This image of Lucky just cracks me up! I colored Lucky and the bat with Copics, then I cut out the bat and mounted it on the corner. I sponged the edges of the image panel with Elegant Eggplant ink. I used my Cuttlebug and D'vine Swirls embossing folder on the background paper. The glittery chipboard stars are from a halloween Glitterz pack by Junkitz -- I picked it up at my LSS a while back.

Here's a closer look...

Head over to the ATS Blog to see which of my Design Teammates have made other projects with this set. One of them has a $5 gift certificate to All That Scraps to give away, so do a little blog hopping to find it!

Also, see THIS POST by Christine. Her daughter's teacher was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, so Christine is donating 5% of all orders placed today to the Chattanooga Susan G. Komen Race for a Cure. It's a great time to order those items on your wish list!

I had planned to make and post a sample for this week's ATS Wednesday Challenge, but time got away from me! You can see DT samples on the ATS Blog HERE, or you can see all the challenge uploads at the ATS Gallery HERE. We'd love to have you play along at any time -- all the ATS Challenges can be found HERE.

Thanks so much for visiting today! I'm so glad you stopped by! Have a great day! :)

Stamps: Spooky Spooky Spooky (C.C. Designs) Ink: Brilliance Graphite Black (Tsukineko), Elegant Eggplant (SU!) Cardstock: Basic Black, Tangerine Tango, Whisper White (SU!) Paper: Haunted (Cosmo Cricket) Other: Ciao markers (Copic), Halloween ribbon (Michaels), Glitterz (Teresa Collins for Junkitz), Cuttlebug & D'vine Swirls embossing folder (Provo Craft), stamping sponge, dimensionals

Fun with Rub-Ons!

Hello! Happy Thursday! I'm still trying to play catch-up after being without power -- somehow the stamping took a back seat to laundry and dishes!! I do have something to share with you, though. Last week was an exciting one for me -- twice I received packages from Paper Crafts magazine, with my complimentary copies! I have a card in the October issue and I have a Christmas gift bag in Holiday Cards & More!

Here's the card I created for the Rub-Ons feature in the October 2008 Issue. I used SU! Eastern Elegance Rub-Ons, and I applied them to the patterned paper, the ribbon, and the Flower Fusion felt flower. It's funny -- I hardly ever use rub-ons, and this is not my normal style, but it was a fun card to make, and I was thrilled that PC accepted it! It just goes to show you -- when you step out of your comfort zone and try new styles or techniques, you just may create something you love! :)


Tomorrow I'll be back with a two C.C. Designs cards -- one for the ATS Challenge, and one for the ATS Blog Hop! We're having another "Review Preview" of the newly released sets, and there's a chance to win an ATS gift certificate -- if you go blog hopping! I hope to see you then! Thanks for visiting today! :)

Lights On!!

We have electricity! Woohoo! It came back on around 4pm yesterday. There are still so many people without power -- please say a little prayer for all them! I have a new appreciation for the things I take for granted -- like flipping a light switch and being able to see! Since my stamping table is in the basement with no natural light, it was impossible to stamp anything during the day, and the night was definitely out of the question! Needless to say, I have a lot of catching up to do!

Here is a card I didn't get to upload before the power went out. I made it for Jen del Muro's Sketch for You to Try. The challenge this week is to combine the sketch with a Stamping Bella image. I've been wanting to ink up Lattebella for quite a while, so this was the perfect reason! I colored with Copics and sponged the edges of the image and sentiment panels with River Rock ink. I tied natural hemp twine through SU! clear buttons for the trio of embellishments. The patterned paper is from the Archaic 6x6 pad by BasicGrey.

I didn't yet get a chance to play today's ATS Challenge, but I wanted to give you the details so you can play along! It's a color challenge -- if you don't have the new SU! In Colors, just substitute something similar! When uploading to a gallery, use keyword ATSDTC18. I'm hoping to get my sample done today! :)

Thanks so much for visiting today -- I always appreciate it when you stop by! Have a great day!

Bella Card Recipe:

Stamps: Lattebella, sentiment (Stamping Bella) Ink: Brilliance Graphite Black (Tsukineko), River Rock (SU!) Cardstock: Always Artichoke, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White (SU!) Paper: Archaic 6x6 pad (BasicGrey) Other: Ciao markers (Copic); clear buttons, natural hemp twine, vintage brads, stamping sponge (SU!); dimensional foam, glue dots

No Electricity!

Hi, everyone! I'm working tonight from Chris's office, because we have been without electricity at home since about 3:00 yesterday (Sunday) afternoon. We had terrible winds (gusts around 75 mph) all day -- compliments of Ike! Duke Energy said that 900,000 (about 90%) of their customers were without power, the most ever. It's down to about 600,000 at this point, and we're among them! It's a mess around our area -- lots of trees down, minor damage to some homes. Our rear gutter is in a mangled heap in our backyard! Luckily, though, no one was hurt, and I know that many others in our country have dealt with much worse. It certainly makes me count my blessings!

Anyway, I'm here at Chris's office, getting laundry done and catching up on computer stuff, so I thought I'd sneak in a quick post. I made this card early yesterday before the storm hit. It's for the Featured Stamper Challenge at SCS. This week's FS is lazylizard. I CASEd her card shown HERE. I changed the colors and images, and I added some layers, ribbon, and a Cuttlebug background.

The images are from First Fruits by Papertrey Ink. It is a gorgeous set, full of autumn and Thanksgiving images and sentiments. I created the "patterned paper" on the corners by stamping repeatedly with one of the images in the set. On the corners and the image panel I did a lot of rock-and-rolling. I really like how it turned out!

That's all I have for now! I don't know when I'll get more stamping in or when I'll get back on the computer, so I hope you'll check back with me! Thanks so much for stopping by -- I hope to be posting again soon! :)

Stamps: First Fruits (Papertrey Ink) Ink: Kiwi Kiss, More Mustard, Really Rust (SU!) Cardstock: Kiwi Kiss, More Mustard, Really Rust, Whisper White (SU!) Other: Kiwi Kiss striped grosgrain, Earth Elements brads, horizontal slot punch, stamping sponge (SU!); Cuttlebug, Leafy Branches embossing folder (Provo Craft); dimensional foam

Sunday Supper: Crock Pot Stew

It's Sunday, so it's time for another Sunday Supper recipe. This one is a family favorite, and it's perfect for those autumn Sundays when you're watching football! :)

4 Soups Crock-Pot Stew

1 1/2 lb. stewing beef
1 can tomato soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 envelope Lipton dry onion soup mix
1 large bag frozen stew vegetables or your own mixture of fresh vegetables

Mix all soups together in crock-pot. Add stew meat and vegetables. Cook all day on high.
Serve over rice if desired.

**Do you have any easy supper recipes? I'd LOVE for you to share them with me! Just email me or leave a comment here -- I'll feature you on a future Sunday Supper post! :) **

Have a great Sunday, everyone -- enjoy some time around the supper table!

Quick and Easy Treats!

Hi there! Happy Saturday to you! We have cross country and soccer today, plus Kyle's homecoming dance, so it's going to be a busy day! I have a quick and easy project to share with you. I created it because Megan needed a treat to give to her cross country "buddy" at today's meet. They exchange little gifts three times during the season. I repurposed this Prima container and filled it with chocolate kisses. When I saw the "Yum" across this Ghostly Greetings paper, I thought it would be great for covering a treat container. I love this color combination, and I like that this particular pattern isn't strictly for Halloween.

I had to cut two strips of the paper to completely go around the container. I stamped the sentiment from the level one hostess set Best Yet. After stamping, I used an Aquapainter to highlight the words with Pumpkin Pie and Kiwi Kiss ink. I used the Designer Label punch to punch out the sentiment, then I backed it with a 1 3/8" circle. I added some dots with a black gel pen, then I used the Horizontal Slot punch to create a slider for the ribbon. That's it!

Thank you for visiting today. I'll be back tomorrow with my Sunday Supper recipe, so I hope you'll stop back! Have a fantastic day! :)

All Products Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted.
Stamps: Best Yet Ink: Basic Black, Kiwi Kiss, Pumpkin Pie Cardstock: Kiwi Kiss, Whisper White Paper: Ghostly Greetings Other: Designer Label punch, 1 3/8" Circle punch, Horizontal Slot punch, Pumpkin Pie striped grosgrain, Basic Black grosgrain, Aquapainter, black Gel Exel pen (Marvy), window tin (Prima)

Warm and Cozy Silhouettes

Hi there! Happy Friday to you! I made this card for Sharon Johnson's (aka notimetostamp) Stamp Simply Challenge to make a warm and cozy card in the style of Tammy Hershberger (aka stampertammy). I love Tammy's style, and it's a rainy, dreary day, so this challenge was a good one for me! I used my new SU! goodies, so that was a bonus, too!

I think this Sweet Always paper has a homespun feel to it, especially when paired with Pocket Silhouettes. This is my all-time favorite color combination! I added a little sponging and machine stitching for some extra "coziness." When stamping on the patterned paper, I stamped off once -- I did the same for the rose background images on the main panel. I also did this week's Ways to Use It Challenge (using white gel pens) -- I drew white dots around the sentiment.

I hope this card makes you feel warm and cozy -- I know it does for me! I think I'm gonna curl up in a blanket now -- thanks for stopping by today! :)

All products Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Pocket Silhouettes Ink: Chocolate Chip, Regal Rose Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Regal Rose, Whisper White Paper: Sweet Always dsp Other: Regal Rose 5/8" grosgrain, vintage brads, oval punches, white gel pen, stamping sponge, dimensionals, sewing machine

ATS Wednesday Challenge: Circle Inchies

Hello! Happy Wednesday! The ATS Challenge for today is to use Circle Inchies. "Inchies" are all over recently, so Jen's challenge to us was to use 1" circles instead of the usual 1" squares.


It just so happens that many of the images in the new set by AmyR Stamps, Amy's Boutique, are perfect for inchies! I went with the shopping theme and created a gift card holder. I saw this particular template last year on this post at Nancy Morgan's blog, Paper Smiles. I've used it many times since then!

This is pretty self-explanatory, so I'll just point out a couple things. Both the sentiment and the purse were punched out with a 1" circle punch. The purse was paper pieced. The ribbon is tied all the way around the back of the card and across the top flap. The circle is attached to the ribbon with a glue dot; the whole thing simply slides off the top without being untied.

If you'd like to play along, use keyword ATSDTC17 when uploading to a gallery. You can see other samples of challege projects in the ATS Challenge Gallery HERE. All the Wednesday Challenges are listed on this thread -- play along at any time!

Well, I have a lot to do around the house -- better get going!! Thanks so much for stopping by -- have a fantastic day! :)

Stamps: Amy's Boutique, Boutique Sentiments (AmyR Stamps) Ink: Basic Black (SU!) Cardstock: Old Olive, Whisper White (SU!) Paper: Dill Blossom (s.e.i.) Other: 1" circle punch, 1 1/4" circle punch, slit punch, Chocolate Chip grosgrain, copper cord, Old Olive marker (SU!); rhinestone, glue dot

My Pumpkin Patch

Hello! Here's the card I had intended to post yesterday -- it just didn't happen. My busy morning turned into a busier afternoon, followed by a busy evening. I won't bore you with details, but I'll just say I was a tired Mommy last night!! :)

This is the last set I have to preview for tonight's release! It's called Sugarplums Halloween, and it is SO darn cute! I hope you had a chance to visit the ATS Blog yesterday to see what my DT pals came up with!! There are so many great images in this set -- Christine really outdid herself on this one! There's a witchy Olivia, a devilish Christopher, pumpkins, cat, bat, spider, and so many accessories and sentiments! When I saw this sentiment, I immediately thought of making a card from my own little "pumpkin patch." So, here are my four kids, wishing everyone a Happy Halloween! :) The eyes, noses, mouths, vines, and leaves are all separate images -- you can "build-a-pumpkin" so easily! I just love the little sign, too -- there are quite a few phrases to put on it.

This card measures 6.25" x 3.25". It will fit in a business size envelope. I did all my coloring with Prismacolor Pencils and Odorless Mineral Spirits (OMS). There are quite a few different OMS out there, but I use Turpenoid (purchased at Michaels). I added some grass from Sugarplums Scenery Set, and I sponged around the pumpkins with Bashful Blue and Old Olive ink. I cut out a couple leaves and popped them up on rolled up glue dots. I used a mini screw brad on the sign, and I also popped it up on rolled glue dots. I cut a fish tail in the sentiment panel for a little interest and backed it with a Prima flower. The image panel and sentiment panel are on dimensionals.

Be sure to stop by the ATS Blog before noon EST today -- you can leave a comment on any of the preview posts for a chance to win the new sets! The Release Party is from 8-10 pm EST tonight on the ATS Message Board -- I hope to see you there! All the new sets will be available at 10:00 pm EST tonight!

That's all for me today! Thanks so much for visiting -- I'm always glad when you stop by! Have a great day! :)

Stamps: Sugarplums Halloween (C.C. Designs) Ink: Basic Black, Bashful Blue, Old Olive (SU!) Cardstock: Old Olive, Basic Black, Really Rust, Whisper White (SU!) Paper: Hallowhimsy Pixie Sticks (imaginisce) Other: Prismacolor Pencils, OMS, black brads, Prima flower, mini screw brad (Karen Foster), sponge, glue dots, dimensionals

Busy Day Ahead

Good Monday Morning!! I have a busy morning, so my post will be coming later on, but please check out this post on the ATS Blog to see some DT previews from Sugarplums Halloween! It is the cutest set! I'll be back with my sample later! :)

Spooky Scene and Sunday Supper

Happy Sunday! Before I get to the Sunday Supper recipe, I do have another C.C. Designs Preview for you! This set is called Spooky Scene -- there are great images for creating your own Halloween scene! I wanted to do something different with this one, so I created a picture frame.

I covered a wooden frame from Michaels in this great Cosmo Cricket Haunted paper. I sanded the edges and sponged them with SU! Basic Black ink. The reverse side of the paper has a wood grain pattern in it, so I used it for the fence. The fence is stamped twice and cut out. The other images are stamped on card stock and cut out -- and I lightly sponged Basic Black ink around them for some dimension.

This photo was taken five years ago -- it's one of my favorite photos of the neighborhood kids on Halloween. Things have changed so much since then -- all the "big kids" are too old for trick-or-treating now! :(

For more samples of this set and the other releases, go to the ATS Blog, or check out the Design Team blogs (on my sidebar). All of the new sets will be available Tuesday, September 9 at All That Scraps.

Now, for today's Sunday Supper recipe. This one is sooooo quick and easy! It came from a local fundraiser cookbook that my Mom gave me -- thanks, Mom! :)

Cranberry Chicken
4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 oz. Catalina salad dressing (you can use fat-free)
16 oz. can whole berry cranberry sauce
Cooked rice (if desired)

Lay chicken in single layer in shallow baking dish. Combine dressing and cranberry sauce, mixing well. Spoon sauce over chicken to cover, and bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Let set 5 minutes; serve over rice if desired. This dish also reheats well.

That's all for me today! Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a fantastic Sunday! :)

Spooky Treat Box!

Hi there! Happy Saturday! I just returned from Megan's cross country meet and Anna's soccer game -- finally I get a chance to post this project! I had so much fun making this halloween coaster box -- mostly because I got to use these images from the new C.C. Designs set Spooky Spooky Spooky!! Isn't this the cutest little vampire ever? :)

To make the box, I covered both sides of chipboard coasters in different patterns of halloween paper, then I applied Mod Podge to all of them. I set Jumbo eyelets and tied ribbons through them to attach the sides together.

I stamped the bear and sentiment, and I colored with Copics. I used Marvy punches for the image circle and mat. I sponged the white circle with SU! Ballet Blue ink, and I added dots to the scallops with a white gel pen.

For the tag, I used two images: the eyes and the Booooooooo circle. Christine designed the eyes to fit inside the circle perfectly, or you can use the images separately. I did the same sponging and white dots on the tag, and I adhered googly eyes over the eyes on the stamped image.

I filled a cellophane bag with candy and placed it inside the box. I thought it also would be a cute centerpiece holding a small vase full of flowers! There are lots of gift possibilities for teachers, friends, or that "boo" treat for neighbors!

The other images in the set are adorable, too -- a spider, bat, and a scared Lucky! Check out the ATS Blog for more samples and a chance to win this set (and all the new releases!). Don't forget -- the release will be Tuesday, September 9 at All That Scraps! Tomorrow I will have another preview in addition to the Sunday Supper recipe, so I hope you'll stop by! Thank you so much for visiting today -- have a great day! :)

Stamps: Spooky Spooky Spooky (C.C. Designs) Ink: Brilliance Graphite Black (Tsukineko), Ballet Blue (SU!) Paper: Studio Basics 101 double-sided halloween paper (Creative Imaginations) Other: C.C. Designs lightweight chipboard coasters, Mod Podge, Jumbo Eyelets (SU!), ribbon (Michaels), black hemp twine (SU!), Copic markers, Giga Scalloped Circle punch and Mega Circle punch (Marvy Uchida), cellophane bag, candy, sponge, googly eyes, dimensionals

A New Stamp Line from C.C. Designs!

Hello! Happy Thursday! It's much cooler in my house -- the AC is fixed!! :)

It's time to start previewing the September releases from C.C. Designs! Today's stamps are from a new line being manufactured by C.C. Designs, but they were designed and illustrated by our very own Amy Rysavy!!! They are called AmyR Stamps and will be available with the other C.C. Designs stamps at All That Scraps.

Amy's first two sets are called Amy's Boutique and Boutique Sentiments. There are so many possibilities for the clothing images and sentiments in these sets! This is just one of the ideas I came up with -- I have many others swimming in my head already! I wanted to make a clean and simple (CAS) card, keeping the focus on the images. I stamped the hanger and colored it with Prismacolor Pencils and OMS. I paper pieced the dress and belt with BasicGrey Sultry paper. The embossed frame was made with Rectangle Nestabilities. The only embellishment was some rhinestones -- gotta have a little bling!

Wanna win these sets? Leave a comment on THIS POST at the ATS Blog! :)

You can see more samples of this set on the ATS Blog or on Amy's blog. The rest of the Design Team will be showing samples, too! I'll have more previews of the new sets this weekend, and the release will be Tuesday, September 9! Lots of fun coming -- I hope you'll stop back to see! Thanks so much for visiting today -- have a great day! :)

Stamps: Amy's Boutique, Boutique Sentiments (AmyR Stamps) Ink: Brilliance Graphite Black (Tsukineko) Cardstock: C.C. Designs white cardstock Paper: Sultry 6x6 pack (BasicGrey) Other: Prismacolor Pencils, OMS, rhinestones, Rectangle Nestabilities

Too Hot to Stamp!

Hey, everyone! I don't have anything to share today -- it's too hot to stamp! Our air conditioning has been out for two days. It wouldn't be bad except that the temperatures have been around 95 degrees those same two days! The temperatures inside the house reached 87 degrees at one point yesterday -- I was just too sticky and lifeless to do anything!

We're getting a new AC/furnace today ($$$$), so hopefully I'll be able to stamp later without making a sweat puddle on the chair! The C.C. Designs previews start tomorrow, so I need to get in gear! :) Wait 'til you see the new stamps -- just so cute! If you like halloween, you're sure to love 'em!

Thanks for checking in today -- have a great day!! Stay COOL! :)

Back to School!

Hi there! Happy Wednesday! Today's ATS Challenge is "Back to School." There are so many possibilities for this one -- cards, teacher treats, scrapbook pages...

I decided to make a backpack tag for Caroline. She goes back to school (preschool) today -- the last of my four kids to start school! This is a pretty simple design. I stamped the image and sentiment from Donald and Daphne Go to School on white cardstock. I paper pieced Daphne's shirt with BasicGrey Boxer paper and colored the rest with Copics. The backpack was stamped, colored, cut out, and mounted on rolled up glue dots. I used Simple Alphabet by Papertrey Ink to put Caroline's initials on the backpack. I matted the image panel on black cardstock and tied ribbons to the top. That's it!

Donald and Daphne Go to School is one of the retiring C.C. Designs sets. We've had lots of fun working with it, but believe me -- Christine has some great stuff coming!! Previews of the September releases start Friday!! :)

Would you like to participate in the challenge? Use keyword ATSDTC16 when uploading to the ATS Gallery or other public gallery. All the Wednesday Challenges are posted HERE -- play along at any time!

Thanks so much for the visit today -- I'm always happy when you stop by! Have a fantastic day! :)

A Monochromatic Card

Happy Tuesday! Here is my card for today's Color Challenge at SCS. The challenge is monochromatic cards. I love the look of monochromatic cards -- they're just so pleasing to the eye. For my DT work I often use images that need coloring, so therefore I tend to use a lot of color -- it was nice to stamp a little more simply today.

I stamped Linen on the card base in Old Olive classic ink. For the main image, I stamped the trees from Lovely as a Tree in Old Olive craft ink, then I heat embossed it with Iridescent Ice embossing powder. I wish you could see the shimmer -- it's pretty IRL! The sentiment is from Motivational Centers by Cornish Heritage Farms -- it's one of my favorite quotes. I sponged more Old Olive around the image panel, and I embellished with Old Olive brads and ribbon.

I'll be back tomorrow with the ATS Wednesday challenge, so I hope you'll be back! Thanks so much for the visit today -- have a great day! :)

All products Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted.
Stamps: Lovely as a Tree, Linen, Motivational Centers (CHF) Ink: Old Olive classic, Old Olive craft Cardstock: Old Olive, Whisper White Paper: Fall Flowers Other: Earth Elements brads, Old Olive 5/8" grosgrain, Iridescent Ice EP, heat tool, stamping sponge, dimensionals