It's a date!

Hope everyone is warm and toasty!  It's time for our 613 Avenue Create Challenge and the Create Your Own Challenge this week.  Today I have my husbands Valentine's Day gift.  My poor husband works two full time jobs so time alone together is very hard to come by!  So I've created a Date Night book.  There are 12 pre-paid dates with gift cards to restaurants, movies and even a gas card so during one of the summer months we can just jump in the car and go!  Destination unknown  :) The image I've used is from Time for Tea called Paige I love you.

Whew!  That was a long one  ;)  Thanks for making it to the end! 
Hugs,
Kathi

Challenges I would like to enter:
A Gem Of A Challenge - All You Need Is Love
Catch The Bug - Love
Hiding In My Craft Room - #136 Super Scraps
My Sheri Crafts - #126 Valentine
Pumpkin Spice - #58 Hearts
Sugar Creek Hollow - #79 Love and Adore
Feeling Crafty - #25 Dies/Punches
Ladybug Crafts - Be Mine
Natalie and Amy's Challenge - Love is all around
Really Reasonable Ribbon - Anything But A Card with Ribbon
Seemacrafts - Valentine/Love
Tando Creative Challenge - Passion
The Cupboard Trilogy - Love
TokBobok - Hearts
Treasured Times Rubberstamps & Scrapbooking - Layering

Verve's April Diva Dare and a tip

Hi all,

This month's Diva Dare at Verve Stamps is to create a card with a flower or butterfly and bright colors.  Must use at least one Verve product.  So here is my creation!

 
Here I used Verve's Flutterby die which I embossed with the dot folder, then I touched all of the dots with a little Crystal Stickles.  The license plate is a die by MFT as well as the alphabet stamps. I heat embossed the letters with a sparkle embossing powder.   A flower (added Stickles to the edges), Jolee's crystal and paper (We R Memory Keepers) from the stash. Large dot embossing folder by Darice.  License place popped up with a piece of foam.

*TIP:  I really don't like to see the white foam or foam dots from the side of my project.  So what I do is take a Sharpie (black) or a Copic and color the edge of the foam to cover the white.  In the picture above you can't see how the license plate is raised.  Simple yet effective!  Hope you can use the tip!

Hope you're having a good week...I am sick again now with bronchitis!  Ugh...I can't win...
Hugs,
Kathi

Additional challenges I would like to enter:
Crafts and Me - Bling 
Divas by Design - Butterflies and Birds 
Inky Impressions - Punches/Dies 
Nut Crafters - Anything Goes 
Paper Pretties - Birthday 
7 Kids College Fund - Anything Goes 
Stampotique Designers - Birthday 
Whimsical Designs - Flowers 
One Stitch At A Time - Bright Colors 
Bearly-Mine - Spring Flowers 
Can You Digi It - Butterflies 
Everybody Art Challenge - Bling

Garden Girl

Hi all...I'm back with a card for someone special  :)  Can't say who because she might actually read this  LOL!  So I've been cleaning/organizing/purging my craft room. Yeah major project!  Anyway, Earth Day is coming up and I thought I could do my part by "recycling" some things I've never used by doing a giveaway.  Things like papers, stamps, embellishments, etc.  Nothing from current trends but the products are new never used.   So I was wondering if you crafty peeps would be interested.  Let me know what you think  :)

So...on to my card

stamps:  MFT Pure Innocence, sentiment Studio G
dies:  MFT - half scalloped circle/Dainty Bow tail only, Verve - rectangle, 
            Lawn Fawn - hearts,  Sizzix - scalloped border
papers:  MME

Have a great week!
Kathi

Challenges:  
Addicted To Stamps - Birthday
Dream Valley - Birthday 
KennyK's Krafty Krew - Dies & Punches 
One Stitch At A Time - Bright Colours 
Scrappy Frogs - Spring 
Penny Black at Allsorts - Blossoms and Bows 
Lacy Sunshine - Spring Fever 
Joanna Sheen - Spring into Spring 
Card Mania - Punches or Dies 
Digi Darla - Garden/Flowers 
Tammy's Scapin Corner - Spring Has Sprung 
The Paper Nest Dolls - Birthday 
Victorine Originals - Springtime Flowers/Colors 

You Are My Sunshine

Today I discovered Sassy Cheryl's Stamps.   OMGoodness can you say cute??  I love them and of course had to get a few  :)  There is also a sketch challenge at her blog and I was actually able to complete a card in one sitting!  Not always possible...you know what it's like to have a 3 year "help" you?  LOL ok then, now you get it.  So here is a card I made for my 18 year old, Shianne.  I always used to sing You Are My Sunshine when she was little and this little girl reminds me of her too!  Not to mention the whole ladybug thing.  

I cut the butterflies from the MME paper.  I stippled the clouds with a handmade stencil.

Copics, Prismacolor pencils and ink used

The papers I used are from MME Miss Carolina 6x6 pad.  Pink dot DT by BoBunny.  Pennant by MFT, Charming Oval by Verve and the heart die by Memory Box. 

Til next time...

Kathi

Challenges:

Sassy Cheryl's Challenge Blog #160 A Sketch 

Artistic Inspiration - Anything Goes 

Card Mania Challenges - Die Cuts 

The Crafty Bloggers Network - Anything Goes 

Forever Friend Challenges - Dies Cuts 

Lexie's Creations - Punches/Dies 

Make It Monday - Anything Goes 

Mema's Crafts - Anything Goes 

My Grafico - Anything Goes 

Sparkle And Sprinkle - Use a Digital Image 

The Pink Elephant - Spring Colors 

Robyn's fetish - Anything Goes 

Scrappy Frogs - Think Spring 

Wish Big!

I'm back with a birthday card for a friend.  I love this stamp from MFT's  A la Mode line called Big Birthday Wishes.  The images are very small measuring 2" x 3.75" so the paper piecing was "fun"  :) 

 I usually don't promote businesses however, I had an exceptional experience with a company on EBay.  The store is called Creating Everlasting Memories.   To start she had an awesome sale a couple of weeks ago and I purchased 2 multiple die sets and a 4"x4" heart doily die.  The prices were excellent, she combines shipping, communication superior and the shipping was fast.  And here's where the exceptional part comes in.  When I received my order one of the die sets was incorrect.  Simple error, not intentional on their part so I contacted Teresa and she replied quickly and told me to keep the die set that I didn't order and she would send the correct die set out with the next mailing!   So I asked if she was sure because it's a 14 die set that averages $25!  Here is her response:

We are sure. It was our error, and there is no reason for us to inconvenience you any further than we already have.

We thank you for your grace in this matter
Teresa :)


Well I thanked her and told her I would spread the word of my positive experience, which I am doing now  :)  So if you are looking for dies, Magnolia (Tilda) rubber stamps, Graphic 45, My Mind's Eye, Prima Marketing Products, etc. then check out Creating Everlasting Memories.

So here is my card using one of the sets from QuicKutz - Rectangle Doily which has 4 dies. 

I stippled the clouds with Brilliance Pearlescent Sky Blue, used VersaMagic Spanish Olive to create the grass, colored with Copics (skin) and Prismacolor pencils/Gamsol on the hair and 2 Jolee's Hotfix crystals which I always adhere with a little Glossy Accents because it holds much better than heat setting them.

close up

inside

Other supplies: My Mind's Eye "Miss Caroline" 6x6 paper pad, A La Mode by MFT - Big Birthday Wishes, QuicKutz Nested Doily Rectangle,Verve Charming Oval dies.

Well if you made it this far then thank you!!  :)

Hugs,

Kathi

Challenges:

Card Mania - Lots of Layers 

The Pretty Little Ribbon Shop - Birthday 

Through the Craftroom Door - Anything Goes 

Tuesday Throwdown - Paper Piecing 

Eclectic Ellapu - Birthdays

No Matter Which Challenges - Anything Goes

Robyn's Fetish - Birthday 

Stampin With the Dragon - Anything Goes

Anything Goes Challenge Blog - Seeing Double 

Crazy Amigo Challenge - Orange, Red, Yellow, Black, White 

Top Tip Tuesday - Up, Up and Away! 

Tuesday Alchemy - Anything Goes 

RN injection log binder

Hi Everyone!  It's our 2nd Challenge over at 613 Avenue Create and boy were we blown away by the response to the 1st one!!  Thank you to everyone who came over to support us with your incredible work  :)

So here is my project for this week.  The Nurse Mousie is by QKR Stampede who is one of the sponsors this week.  I chose to make a new binder for the nurses at work, which is much prettier than the plain old red binder they've had for years!

Supplies/details:

dies:  Spellbinders Grand Labels 11, MFT Fishtail Flags, Jumbo Fishtail Banner, 

         Verve I Heart U

papers:  My Mind's Eye "Love Me" 6x6 pad, brown from Martha Stuart paper pad

coloring:  Prismacolor pencils and Gamsol, Copics

Hope you all have a great week!  

Hugs,

Kathi

Challenges:
Dream Valley Challenges - Anything Goes
Glitter and Sparkle - Use a Digi
The Squirrel and the Fox - Anything Goes
Allsorts - Dies and punches
Fat Pages and Cards With Attitude - Add a Tag or Sentiment/Anything Goes
Paper Crafting Journey - Anything Goes
Divas by Design - Anything Goes
Inky Impressions - Add a sentiment
Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge - Anything Goes
Inky Chicks - Anything Goes
Through the Craftroom Door - Anything Goes 

November 2012 Papertrey Blog Hop!

Hi everyone and welcome to my entry at the November Papertrey Blog Hop!  I just love PTI stamps!  On my card I used the warm winter wishes stamp from the Holiday Button Bits Vol 3 set.  The snowman is a new release from A Day For Daisies called Snowball Scott.  I actually made him look more like a her though I think  :)  I was so tempted to add Stickles but thought that would clash with the lace and muted colors.  I'll just have to load up the next card!  LOL!

I colored him with chalks and added some shading with Prismacolor pencils.  It doesn't show but the white chalk is actually shimmery from my Pebbles Inc sets. I used the square die by Spellbinders and the Charming Oval die by Verve Stamps.  The heart is an old brad from the stash.

Thanks for stopping by!
Kathi  :)

Challenges:
ADFD - Project using the Snowball Scott freebie
The Play Date Cafe - Color Challenge #158  



Chalk N Stock - Anything Goes
Polka Doodles - #47 Any die will do
Pause Dream Enjoy Challenges - #47 Anything Goes
Glitter and Sparkle Challenges - Ribbon and/or Lace
Artistic Inspirations - #17 Anything Goes 

Mr. & Mrs. Claus - CAS Challenge

This week at Jackson's Digital Expressions it's CAS time again!  The challenge is make a CAS (Clean And Simple) card and use patterned paper.  I used the new release Mr. & Mrs. Claus.

I used the sketch this week at the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge #172

Supplies:  My Mind's Eye Vintage Christmas 6x6 pad, Spellbinders square die, Jotted Heart die by Verve, Fishtail Flag die by MFT, sentiment by MFT from The Merry KISSmas Pure Innocence set, colored with Prismacolor pencils and Gamsol.

Come join us this week at JDE for our newest challenge!  

Kathi  :)

Challenges:

The Sweetest Thing - Sweet Sunday Sketch #172
Paper Playtime - #89 Anything Goes
The Kraft Journal - Holiday Cards Challenge
House of Gilli - Die cuts
Lady Anne's Challenges - Anything Goes
Through the Craftroom Door #45

This week's Anything Goes Challenge #19 at JDE!

Time for another challenge at JDE!  This week it's the Inks and Such team (basically use any coloring techniques to strut your stuff!) and we are sponsored by The Cutting Cafe.  I decorated a large magnetic paperclip holder.  I used the Lil Back To School II image, found HERE , and I incorporated the clock from The Cutting Cafe's It's About Time set found HERE.

The clock is 1/2" in size and I drew in the hands, black paper with raised alphabet by Core'dinations, Penmanship Green paper by Little Yellow Bicycle, A Cut Above die by Verve called Classy Label Die.

Colored with Prismacolor pencils and Gamsol.

So come join us this week at Jackson's Digital Expressions with whatever your crafty self comes up with!

Thanks for stopping by!

Kathi  :)

Challenges:
Tammy's Scrapin Corner - Anything Goes

The Crafty Pad Designs - Dies or punches
Bearly Mine Challenges - Anything Goes
The Emerald Faeries Challenge Blog  - Punches/dies

Graduation thank you card & enabler alert :)

Just when you thought I was done with the graduation stuff I finally finished the thank yous!  The shirt die is from MFT and the Thank you stamp and the Jotted Heart Die are from one of my favorite stamp companies Verve.  And Verve is having their 5th Anni-Verve-sary Sale!  You can save 10-50% off stamps and dies.  Sale ends 8/24.  I'll be entering this card in their Customer Card Carnival and maybe I can win some new stamps!  Whoo hoo!

Hugs!

Kathi  :)

Jackson's Digital Expressions Blog Hop!

Welcome to the BLOG HOP and Design Challenge for the Jackson's Digital Expressions blog.  If you came here from Chana's blog: CARD-D-OLOGY  then you are headed in the right direction!  If not go to Jacksons Digital Expressions so you can start at the beginning.  There is a letter hidden at each blog so collect the letters that make up the mystery words because you'll want to win some prizes right??  Make sure you leave a comment on every blog because every designer has a digital image for you to win!  When you have all of the letters and know the mystery words then return to the Jacksons Digital Expressions blog and leave a comment with the answer for your chance to win a gift card and digital images!
                    
                 So let's get to it!  My challenge was to create Anything but a card. 

I created a photo album for my husband.  As soon as I saw this digi I fell in love with it and had to use it! The image is called Proud Popa and here is my inspiration photo.  It was meant to be  :)

I used Prismacolor pencils and Gamsol (an odorless mineral spirits) to blend the color.  Members of the DT will be doing tutorials on coloring with various types of media and this technique will be included.  So stay tuned for those!  I used the Spellbinders Nested Lacey Pennants dies, the mini heart is from a Verve die called I heart U, large heart die is called Jotted Heart (Verve) and the teal die cut is from a My Favorite Things Die-namics/stamp set called Vertical Greetings.  The black paper is basic Grey called oliver greyson/ver-2702.  I used my Bind-It-All which has been sitting on the shelf for too long!

Here are some of the pics from the album:

notebook paper stamp by Verve

                                                          This is the inside back cover.

 So now you need to move along on your adventure  :)   Next up is Berni....

Jackson's Digital Expressions start here!
RJ 
JoAnna
Lawren
FranCine
Joyce
Trish
Chana
Kathi   you are here
Berni   http://berni46.blogspot.com/
Katya
Lesia
DeNetra
Lisa
Chauntelle
Pamela
Kim
Shelia
Princess
Jackson's Digital Expressions end here

Update and Thomas the Tank Birthday

**Update to my post Such sad news:  It's been a long month and a half but my daughter seems to be doing well but there are some of the girls who were much closer to them who continue to have a difficult time dealing with the loss.  The team as a whole has been doing well considering, some days better than others.  The team has been so busy with fundraising for the families including a Faculty vs. Girls soccer game.  Boy did those teachers want to win! But they didn't  ;)   Thanks to all who dropped me a line of concern and encouragement...it's very heartwarming and appreciated  :) ***

 
Now...on a much happier note my son Niko turned 2 this week.  He absolutely loves
Thomas the Tank so that was the theme this year.  Here are some of decorations I made.

 The invitation, in hindsight I should have done the lettering in black but that's ok.  Thomas pic

is a JPG I found online.  The blue glitter CS is from Michaels 12x12 sheet.

I used foam rectangles for dimension.  I found the foam at the recycling place I go to.  I cut them in half,

one side had adhesive just peel the paper off.  The other side is smooth so I glued it to the paper.

So this is my Ahh haa moment  :)    1st pic is a cupcake wrapper, I then cut out Thomas and used it as the center of the 2 1/2 " scalloped circle layered on the black 2 3/4" now this circle fits perfectly on top of these plastic containers from Walamart's own brand of baby food.  There is a date stamp on the outside but it wipes off with a Clorox wipe.

 And yes...I did separate the colors of  M+M's!  LOL!! Hey I'm a stickler for details  :)  

So now I have orange, green and brown for Halloween projects!

These are packs of Trident gum, Thomas scrapbook paper, 1" scalloped circle and stamp by Verve.

Party hat is a free SVG from SVGcuts.com.  I used a piece of 12x12 dotted CS and filled the hat on the page (it was a little big for him) , #2 is a "Varsity" font cut with MTC and the Cricut.

Niko ready for cake!!

And lastly, his birthday sign which he loved.  I used the Street Sign cartridge cut at 6" and the 2 cut at 8".  Thomas is a MTC file found in the gallery.  I tweaked it some as it had way too many little pieces so I made them more solid.  Thomas is cut at 12".  And there are two holes punched in the top corners that I had balloons tied to.  So that's it for the Thomas birthday...any questions let me know!  Thanks for stopping by!

Kathi