August Christmas Cards

Hello! I stayed up late last night (well, 10:00 p.m. but that's late for me since I'm usually in bed by 8:00 or 9:00 to get up at 4:00 or 5:00 a.m. for work) to work on my August Christmas Cards. I had to get them done by today to meet my deadline for the Splitcoaststampers Christmas Card Challenge. As most of you already know, I make 4 Christmas Cards a month so that I'll have about 50 Christmas Cards at the end of the year. It's tough to do, but I'm always so happy in November to have all my Christmas cards done already.

For this month, I used all retired Stampin Up! sets. My first card using the Charles Dickens set 'Keep Christmas'. I used a clean and simple sketch, and tried to re-create the old world feel with the papers, coloring, and button/twine treatment. The sentiment is stamped on vellum so you can still see the image underneath. My next three cards all use images from the same Stampin Up! set called 'Big on Christmas'. My sketch is from Card Patterns (Sketch 128). These were such quick and easy Christmas cards yet full of details. The snowflake is a felt snowflake from JoAnn's Fabrics and Crafts.

The poinsettias are from Prima. I used a gold gel pen on the star on the tree and the ornament on the card below.

Here is a group shot:

Have you started on your Christmas Cards yet? The holiday is only 4 months away! Yikes!

Have a great day! Amy

Digital Tuesday Challenge: 'Going Buggy!'

Hello and welcome to another Digital Tuesday Challenge. This week's challenge is called 'Going Buggy!'. Simply make a card or project that has bugs on your design, and be sure to use at least one digital element. Our sponsor this week is Doodle Pantry!

To make my card, I used the Doodle Pantry image 'Ant Masquerade'. My paper is My Mind's Eye 'Lime Twist'. I put Stickles on the insects wings, and added flowers, ribbon, and dew drops for embellishment.

If you'd like to play along with us this week, simply click on the Digital Tuesday Challenge Blinkie in my sidebar and it will take you directly to the Challenge Site with further instructions.

Have a great day! Amy

Paper Fashions 'Soups On!"

Hello! Today I have a Paper Fashions card to show you that uses the image "Soups On!" and a sentiment from 'Kitchen Clatter Sentiments'. My sketch is by Sankari Wegman of Taylored Expressions. The paper is Cosmo Cricket "Garden Variety'. I added a paper doily behind the main image for a little added 'home-made touch'. I inked it with distress inks to age it a bit. The buttons are felt buttons purchased at JoAnn's Fabrics and Crafts.

Have a great day! Amy

Connected

Hello. Today I have a card to show you that would be perfect for the teen or young adult male in your life. Monday will be my 'baby's' 20th birthday. I'm posting his birthday card here early because on Monday's I have to post for Paper Fashions, and he never reads my blog anyway, so there's no chance of him seeing it before his birthday. Anyhow, Jordan is a huge music fan so when I saw this Phindy image I immediately thought of him. I don't think I've ever seen Jordan awake when he DOESN'T have headphones in his ears. LOL! The image is called "Connected Boy". My sketch is from I Love Sketches. The paper is DCWV 'The RockStar Matstack'. Have a great day! Amy

A Fun-Filled Day!

Hello! Today I have my very last McMahon Five Designs Card and Post to share with you. This fall I accepted a new Design Team position with another company, so I felt I had to step down from M5D or I'd have too much on my plate. It's been my joy and pleasure to work with them, but it's time to move on to new adventures!

The card I'm sharing with you today uses an image from Solocosmo called 'Samantha'. It's a beach set that comes with the image of a little girl ('Samantha'), a sandcastle, crab, and a pail. I decided to just use the image of the sandcastle and crab so that my card could be sent to a male or female. I cut the crab image out and popped him up on dimensionals. The main image panel is also popped up. The sail boat is a button from JoAnn's Fabrics and Crafts. The layout is by Mojo Monday and the paper is DCWV 'Cafe Mediterranean'. Be sure to check out the McMahon Five Designs Blog to see the rest of this week's new releases.

Have a great day! Amy

Digital Tuesday Challenge 'Cute and Girly'

Hello and welcome to another Digital Tuesday Challenge. This week's challenge is 'Cute and Girly'. Simply make a card or project that is 'cute and girly' and be sure to include at least one digital element. Our sponsor this week is Phindy's Place.

To make my card, I used a Heather Ellis digital image. My sketch is by MFT (MFTWSC30), and my paper is My Mind's Eye 'Lime Twist'. The crocheted flower is from Martha Stewart. I printed the image twice and cut out and popped up the cupcake on dimensionals.
Here is a close up for you:

If you'd like to play along with us this week, simply click on the Digital Tuesday Challenge Blinkie in my sidebar and it will take you directly to the Challenge Site with further instructions.

Have a great day! Amy

A Homemade Meal

Hello! Today I have a Paper Fashions card to show you that uses a single image called 'A Homemade Meal'. The sentiment is from "Kitchen Clatter Sentiments'. I picked up the vintage paper from JoAnn's Fabrics and Crafts.


Have a great day! Amy

Sweet Pea

Hello! Today I have a new McMahon Five Designs card to show you that uses a Studio 313 image called "Peas and Thank You". This is just the cutest set! It comes with several pea images and adorable sentiments. I chose the three peas in the pod image to use on my card. My sketch is by Mojo Monday, and the paper is Cosmo Cricket. Be sure to check out the McMahon Five Designs Blog to see the rest of this week's new releases!

Have a great day! Amy

Digital Tuesday Challenge 'On The Farm'

Hello and welcome to another Digital Tuesday Challenge. This week's Challenge is called 'On the Farm': Simply make a card or project that has something to do with Farms. Our sponsor this week is Whimsy Stamps and they are giving away 5 digis to one lucky randomly chosen winner.

To make my card I used the Whimsy Stamps image "Piggy Bath" by Meljen's Designs. I did borrow a sketch from somewhere, but the creator of the sketch didn't write their name on it, so I don't remember where I got it from. My paper is Bo Bunny 'Crazy Love'. I printed the image twice and popped just the head up on dimensionals. The heart is a button from JoAnn's Fabrics and Crafts. I put Stickles on the hearts in the image. The sentiments are from MFT.

If you'd like to play along with us this week, simply click on the Digital Tuesday Challenge Blinkie in my sidebar and it will take you directly to the Challenge Site with further instructions.

Have a great day! Amy

God Still Walks a Garden

Hello! Don't you just love that sentiment 'God Still Walks a Garden..."? Perhaps it's the gardener in me, but I can just picture God strolling through a beautiful garden. I know that's where I feel closest to Him.

Anyhow, today I have a Paper Fashions card to show you that uses an image from the set "Birds and Bees" and a sentiment from the set "Planting Playful Words". My sketch is from Mojo Monday and my paper is My Mind's Eye Stella Rose 'Mabel'.

I popped the main image up on dimensionals, and added buttons and ribbon for embellishment.

Have a great day! Amy

Hotspot Challenge #7 'Pantone Fall Color Trend Report'

Hello! Today I have a Hotspot Challenge Card to show you. The Hotspot is a Challenge Blog that 'Scopes out what is hot, trendy, popular, or in style at the moment...and challenges you to use that as an inspiration'. This month the Challenge is a Color Challenge based on the Pantone top color trends for the Fall and Winter of 2011. I have a picture of the popular colors below my card. You can choose only one color (like I did) or as many as you want to feature on your card. I chose the Honeysuckle Color, since I thought it would be perfect for an anniversary card and I desperately needed one! My image is from Studio 313 and is called "Three Cakes".

The main image is up on dimensionals, I used that red double sided adhesive tape to hold down my pleated ribbon, and the felt hearts are from JoAnn's Fabrics and Crafts.

Here are the new popular color trends: Aren't they pretty! I love them all!

Please join us this month at the Hotspot Challenge Blog. You have all month to play, and you could possibly win $25.00 worth of digis at McMahon Five Designs.

Have a great day! Amy

When Life Gives You Lemons....

Hello! Today I have the cutest image and digital papers to show you from McMahon Five Designs. They are by Studio 313 and called 'When Life Gives You Lemons'. I absolutely love, love, love when digital images come with coordinating digital papers. It makes it so much easier for me to create a card. I don't have to 'hunt' through thousands of sheets of designer paper for that perfect match; it's already been provided for me.

My sketch is by MFT (MFTWSC31). I put the main image up on dimensionals and added ribbon, an acrylic flower, and a felt flower for embellishment.

Be sure to check out the McMahon Five Designs Blog to see the rest of this week's new releases. And check out my fellow Design Team Members Blogs as well; their links are in my sidebar.

Have a great day! Amy

Digital Tuesday Challenge: "I Love the Sea!"

Hello and welcome to another Digital Tuesday Challenge. This week's challenge is 'I Love the Sea!'. Simply make a card or project that is sea themed and be sure to include at least one digital element. Our sponsor this week is 2 Cute Rubber Stamps and they are giving away 2 cling cushion rubber stamps or 3 digis to one lucky randomly chosen winner.

To make my card, I used a 2 Cute Rubber Stamps Digital Image 'Stingray Kids'. My sketch is from "I Love Sketches', and the little panel of designer paper that I used is from DCWV 'All About Boys' Stack. I added a button, ribbon, and water droplets gel stickers from White Cloud for embellishment. The sentiment is computer generated.

Here's a close up for you! I just love the cute expressions on all the 2 Cute Rubber Stamps images.

If you'd like to play along with us this week, simply click on the Digital Tuesday Challenge Blinkie in my sidebar and it will take you directly to the Challenge Site with further instructions.

Have a great day! Amy

Paper Fashions Kitchen Clatter

Hello! Today I have some fun new images to show you from Paper Fashions! They just came out with a whole new line of kitchen/cooking images that include recipe cards, food images, fun cooking sentiments, a vintage stove, cooking tags, etc., etc., etc., There are so many cute new images, I had a hard time narrowing down to just a few things to use for my post today.

So first up is a card I made using the Vintage Stove image and a sentiment from 'Kitchen Clatter Sentiments'. My paper is actually Xmas paper from a DCWV stack, but I thought the vintage look worked great with my card. The apples are buttons. The stove was printed on Kraft paper, colored with Copic Markers, cut out and popped up on dimensionals. I then used my sewing machine to do some stitching on the card and added hemp for embellishment.

Well what's a cooking card without some delicious food to go with it? So I wrapped some blueberry muffins in cellophane and then printed out a couple of tags from the same 'Kitchen Clatter Sentiments' Set. I printed the tags on Kraft paper, and just did a minimum of coloring, then added a ribbon that matched the card and some raffia. And walla! I have a quick and easy homemade gift!

Here's a couple of close ups for you: don't get hungry now!

Have a great day! Amy

A Couple of Cuties

Hello! Today I have a card to show you that I made for my daughter and son-in-law for their very first wedding anniversary! Ashley and Jason love to dance together, so this image from Crafty Secrets was the perfect image to use. It's called 'A Couple of Cuties'; which Ashley and Jason definitely are! I even colored their hair color the same as their own! The sketch is by Sankari Wegman, and the paper is 'Flea Market' by Colorbok. Have a great day! Amy

Celebrate!

Hello! Today I am featuring new designer paper from Fusion Fashion Flair. It's a new line of product by Studio 313 and McMahon Five. The Digital Designer Paper that I used in my card is called "Fall Color Collage", and the sentiment is from 'Peony Sentiments'.

Originally I planned on making a one layer card. I just wanted the beautiful paper to be the focus. But no matter what I did, it just looked too plain for my taste. I just love layers! So I decided to create different layers, using the same designer paper and just layer them on top of each other. I simply printed the paper twice, then cut out the small panel on the right and mounted in up on dimensionals. I then hand cut the butterfly in the top right corner and mounted that up also. I love the way it turned out! Ribbon and pearls were added for embellishment, and wa-la, my card was done! I thought it was the perfect solution to making a single designer paper more interesting and also to show off the pretty paper!

Be sure to check out my fellow designers posts; they are listed in my sidebar. You can see the rest of this week's new releases at the McMahon Five Designs Blog.

Have a great day! Amy

Digital Tuesday Challenge: 'Doilies!'

Hello and welcome to another Digital Tuesday Challenge. This week's challenge is hosted by ME and I picked 'Doilies' as our challenge. If you haven't already noticed, Doilies are all the rage right now in card making. Crafter's usually just put the real paper Doilies on thier cards (as I did on my card below), but now all the Paper Crafter Companies are making very intricate dies so crafter's can make their own doilies any color or design they want. So your challenge this week is to make a card or project using a doily and at least one digital element. Our sponsor this week is MyGrafico and they are giving away one digital stamp set and a 20% off in-store certicificate.

To make my card, I used this adorable bunny image from Doodle Pantry called 'Bunny Wabbit'. I thought he was so sweet and would look perfect with a doily. I did get my sketch from somewhere, but don't remember where. Sorry. The paper is My Mind's Eye 'Lime Twist'. The inside of the card reads 'Somebunny is thinking of you'. Isn't that cute? Both of the sentiments came with the image. Here's a close up for you. He was such a joy to color with my Copic Markers.

If you'd like to play along with us this week, simply click on the Digital Tuesday Challenge Blinkie in my sidebar and it will take you directly to the Challenge Site with further instructions.

Since I used a Doodle Pantry image for my card this week, I will also be entering it in another challenge:

Craft Your Passion

On a personal note, I just found out yesterday that I was chosen as THE FEATURED STAMPER on Splitcoaststampers! I was so excited! What an honor. However, I don't know if it's because of the busy summer season, or people don't like my cards, but so far I don't have many players. So if you have some time this week, please have pity on me and play along! LOL!

Have a great day! Amy

Paper Fashions: 'Beach Scapes"

Hello! Today I have a Paper Fashions card to show you that uses an image from the new set "Beach Scapes". This set is available for purchase as a bundle (where all the sentiments are included with the images), or sold separately. To make my card I used a sketch from Splitcoaststampers (SC341) paper from My Mind's Eye 'Stella Rose Mabel'. The flowered panel is up on dimensionals. I used chalk and a stencil to create the sky, the rest of the image is colored with Copic Markers.

Have a great day! Amy