Friend to Friend

I've been seeing lots and lots of cards using the Jar from Friendship Jar this summer ( I really want some of the filler sets too!) and I decided to follow suit. I used the Sweet Stop Sketch, SSS123, with some pretty papers from Echo Park.

I can't believe it's already the end of August. It seemed like a really short summer, but I guess that's what happens when you get older.

Ziplining

I won this Riley image from Cindy Haffner's blog just by commenting on her card, that's an easy way to win some goodies. And, I even got to choose the image I wanted, that's always a good thing.

Ziplining has really taken off in the area that I work in and we even have some clients who specialize in this activity. I'm going to be using this image alot as I make some card sets for our Sales Reps to give them over the course of the year. Not all of them will be as elaborate as this, however!

Happy Birthday Golfafella

I saw the MFT sketch this week, MFTWSC34 and knew it would be perfect for a birthday card I was making for my former boss. I wanted to use Golfafella for sure and that long, skinny panel was a perfect fit. I chose some masculine papers from the MME Hattie paper pad and then used a sentiment from AmyR Stamps: Birthday Sentiments.

This was a big hit. In fact, his cupcakes were golf themed as well and none of us coordinated it at all. Guess we know each other (and him) too well. We were originally going to get him some pink princess cupcakes, but she couldn't pass the others up.

Have Faith FTL155

This week's sketch from the clean&simple blog was another goodie, FTL155. I paired it up with the Color Throwdown challenge, CTD156. The sentiment is from When There's Nothing Left to Say, a set that comes in handy when you're thinking of someone. The flowers were cut the the Silhouette and then fluffled up and arranged on the card.

Ever Warm

Another week, come and gone. I swear I feel like I go around in circles! We have another Freebie Friday selection for you at Paper Makeup Stamps. This is one that I arranged, another inspirational quote. I have been searching these out to stay strong in my faith and in my heart.

I've used some fun and bright papers with my signature yellow accent (I am on a yellow kick). Anyhoo, I pierced the sentiment panel for a bit more interest at the top of the card.

Be sure to get over to the PMS blog to grab this freebie for yourself and to see some more inspiration from the team.

A Friend Touches Your Heart

This week we're having another review of sketches MTMEPPS 7-12, you choose your favorite and make your card or project. MTMEPPS24

I used Keep Strong from My Time Made Easy for the sentiment panel, love the font choices of this inspirational set. I just accented with black and some sparkly pink pearls.

Be sure to stop by the MTME blog to see more inspiration from the Design Team. Choose your sketch and to link up your card or project, we love to see your work!

This and That Tray

I found this super cool idea on Kerri Bradford's blog, she creates the printed and cut files for the 7 gypsies trays. I can't remember how I found her blog, but I am sooooo glad I did.

This was not a quick project, it does take some time, but is completely worth every second. I am soooo pleased with it and can't wait to get next month's files.

This collection is called This & That: School and is perfect for this time of year, of course. I am really drawn to the colors she chose as well as all those fun elements, things I wouldn't have the courage to do, so collage-y.

Tag Tea Holder

I purchased a few tag and label images from the Silhouette Store and thought I'd make Cody's teacher a tea bag holder. I am really into yellow these days, so I started there.

I ended up welding the two tags at the bottom to make a little pocket of sorts to hold the bag which I glue dotted in since the sides are open. The label shape was cut and then stamped with PTI's Newprint background set.

The tea cup is also a purchased file, I just created a mat for it. And, how cute is that flower? I added a black pearl to the center for a finishing touch.

Finally, the ribbon was threaded through the holes and then secured with a button and some twine.

Just for You

I really loved the clean&simple sketch this week, FTL153. I need a birthday card and thought I'd gift some chocolates to the birthday fella. I chose my colors to match the chocolate wrapper.

The pyramid box was purchased at the Silhouette Store and then cut out. I decorated it as well as the card with a series of Paper Makeup Stamps: Sprinkles & Cherries, Springtime Solids, Swirlie Buds (on sale), and the sentiment was a freebie w/ purchase some time ago.

PMS Digi Design Team Call

Yep, you heard right! As you may already know, Paper Makeup Stamps offers a wonderful selection of digital images!

For the past few months, and going forward, all new releases are available in the digital format. So we thought it would be fun to have a weekly challenge just using digital images. The digital format offers so many options that are not available to users in the rubber format. We thought it would be fun to have a weekly challenge dedicated just to digi-images. It will be the Digi Makeover Challenge! We hope to offer some ideas and occasional tutorial to help you use digi-stamps to their full potential. And, of course, there will be prizes! The challenges will be every Monday, starting in September. So bookmark us and come back on Sept 5th for the first challenge!

Needless to say, we need a Design Team! Interested in being a Digi Makeup Artist? Here's the scoop...

DT members will serve for a 6 month term.
Create a card or project using a PMS digi image for each challenge
You must have a blog
Challenges are every Monday, so challenge photos must be uploaded to the digimakeover Yahoo group by Saturday night.
You will be expected to comment on challenge entries.
If you are able to provide tutorials, that's fantastic, but it is not a requirement, but sure is a plus!
You will have access to all digital images from Paper Makeup Stamps to complete your challenges.
Your name will be listed on the PMS blogs as a Digi Makeup Artist!
You will have a DT button to display on your blog
You will be part of a fun team that loves Paper Makeup Stamps and loves to use digi images!

So....how do you get your name in the hat? Just create something using one of the free digi stamps provided HERE- it doesn't have to be a card, it can be any crafty creation. Post it to your blog, and let us know why you love using digital images. Be sure to mention that your post is for the Digi Makeover Challenge DT call. Then use Mr. Linky below to link up that blog post so we can see it!! We'll announce the new team on Friday, September 2nd here on the blog!

Own Kind of Wonderful

This week's freebie at Paper Makeup Stamps is another one arranged by me. I totally love the sentiment and I really had a fun time exploring my font choices.

The doily and rolled rose are cut files I purchased at 2peas- designed by Laina Lamb. You may recognize both as she designed them for MFT, they sell them as dies. The leaf was a freebie from Kerri Bradford.

Be sure to head on over to the PMS blog to snag this one for yourself. Link it up in the comments if you use it!

Happy Thoughts

It's time for another sketch from the My Time Made Easy blog, MTMEPPS23; it's another good one.

I printed the main image from Be Dazzled and resized it for my card. I also used the Be Dazzled cut file, resizing it as well. The sentiment is from Chase Your Dreams and was punched out and then adhered with some boosters.

Head on over to the My Time Made Easy blog for more inspiration from the Design Team and to link up your creation using it!

Back to School

I wanted to make a card for Cody's teacher to let her know we are just thrilled she's teaching him this year. She's amazing!

I used Back to School, again, with some fun and colorful papers just perfect for school. I'm going to try to get her a packet of cards made using this set to send home with her students during the year, she's so good about that.

Wish

Made a card using no stamps at all. The sentiment was cut with the Silhouette machine as was the gorgeous doily and mini doily. I punched a circle from red cardstock and fastened it with a gold brad behind the center of the mini doily.

Lucky Enough

This Mojo Monday sketch, MOJO202, was a challenge, but I did tackle it. I'm not entirely sure I was successful, but no harm in trying.

I used Just for You set with some My Mind's Eye paper. I cut vellum the Doily die and adhered the ivory image circle that I embellished with a few rolled flowers. The leaf die was adhered beneath the flowers and then I added some pearls to the centers as well as scattered on the image panel.

Lastly, the banners and flags were added. The flags were again cut using some vellum.

Surprise House Guest

Duke woke me up around 1:15 am today to take a look at what has been making so much noise at night. He's been hearing growling outside and knew it wasn't some of the small critters that we get from time to time.

This guy was just about 8-10 feet away from me! Isn't he just as cute as everything? What a treat.


Look at the size of him, he's enormous! The paws tell the tale there.

I'd love to give him a big, huge hug or just touch him; but I know that's a bad idea! These are just some of the simple joys of living in the woods, you just never know when you're gonna see something like this!

A Life Without Love

It's Friday, so we have another edition of Freebie Friday at Paper Makeup Stamps. The quote above was designed by your truly and I couldn't wait to use it.

I used some digital papers from My Time Made Easy, loving those colors and patterns. The quote was die cut with oval nesties and then adhered to a vellum scallop mat. The flowers and butterfly are punches, all were accented with some clear gems.

Head over to the PMS blog to snag the quote for yourself. If you use it, we'd love to see your work!

MTMEPPS22

We have another fun sketch, MTMEPPS22, at the My Time Made Easy blog today. For this one I knew I wanted a school theme as we are going to donate a few school supplies to Cody's classroom or for school use.

I used a soft color palette this time around. The alpha paper is from School Ruled digi paper pack and the backpack is from the recently released Back to School digi stamp set.

The image was printed with a laser printer, then colored and cut out with circle nesties. The layout is super simple and makes for a quick card which is especially appreciated during busy times.

Be sure to stop by the My Time Made Easy blog to see how the rest of the team rocked it out and to see the sketch. Hope you have time to give it a try!

You Mean The World To Me

I loved this month's SFYTT sketch, it's fabulous! I have already missed the dealine and am out of the running for the big prize Jen is offering up. Shoot!

I had already printed this flower from Bold Botanicals digi set, so I knew I wanted to use it.

The papers are from Echo Park, sentiment from Just For You was stamped onto vellum and adhered with 2 glue dots concealed with pearls.

Cupcake Toppers

Since we were having a "gamers" birthday party, I decided to use the PTI Game On set to make some cupcake toppers.

I used red and green which are Cody's favorite colors and just punched out the sentiment and layered them with slightly larger punched circles in the coordinating color. A toothpick was adhered between layers and then just poked into the cupcakes.

Chase Your Dreams

This super sweet image from the Chase Your Dreams set at My Time Made Easy was the perfect image for last week's Sweet Sunday Sketch, SSSC128, from Karen. I really enjoyed coloring this image, so many fun elements here.

I added a vellum layer to the large butterfly punch, adds a touch of softness to this very bright and colorful card. I also added polka dots to the butterflies as well as her bow and boots with a white gel pen, I like the look.

PMS August Hop

While we don't have a release this month, we do still have a blog hop. You should have arrived from Tangii's blog if you started at the beginning. But, if not, be sure to start HERE so that you don't miss anything!

The theme for this month was to use any image released before 2011. I knew exactly what I wanted to do!

It's my son's birthday today (He's 10! How'd that happen?) and I knew I'd need a gift card holder since that's how he's getting his gifts this year. And, since his pet name is 'monster' (there's a story behind that, but I won't bore you with it today!), I knew I wanted to use a monster. Paper Makeup Stamps has a whole section dedicated to monsters.


This is a basic gift card holder that I decorated with some designer paper using green (it's his favorite color) as the base, I really liked the simple shapes and colors on the paper and wanted it to remain the focus of the outside of the holder. I tied some twine around the panel for a little interest. The sentiment, from Birthday Cheer, was stamped in the lower right corner just so that it peeked out a touch.

The real treat is found when it's opened.

I stamped and colored Dreck (he's on sale) to match the cardstock color, then cut him out and adhered him near the top of the inside since I didn't want the image to be visible from the outside- it needs to be a surprise. I added some red lines to indicate eye fatigue since this will house one of the GameStop cards we're getting him.

I am the last stop on this sizzling August Hop, hope you've found some inspiration using our older stamps. Be sure to stop by the PMS store and find some for yourself.

Happy Birthday Cody!

Happy Birthday Cody!

I can hardly believe he's 10 today! Well, he will be at 3:33 pm. Where in the world does the time go?

Here are a few shots of him enjoying his birthday cupcake.


The customary pose.

The "fake" bite.

The "real" bite! Gosh, do you see how big that mouth is???!!!!


Shoving it in!

Laughing at his own silliness! I think he even ended up with crumbs in his eyelashes.


The "thumbs up", a very good sign I've done well. He's a tough critic!