Me...MIA again...Imagine That!

So hello, hi, and howdy ya'll!

Have been a bit busy this week with Valentine cards for shut-in's, etc.  Hope that you are all feeling peachy, and are ready to enjoy the weekend.  We are hoping not to get snowed or iced in, as we have plans for both Saturday and Sunday.  

The Valentine creations needed to be quick and easy, as I created over 100.  Here's what I did for round #1...

The sweet little chicks are a Great Impressions stamp, the sentiment is computer generated.  The heart was cut with a Spellbinder's die (thanks to my good buddy Shirley!), bows from my shash, and colored with Copic markers.  My Perfect Papercrafting tools were used for the great red mat!  See sidebar for details!  Easy peasy!

Once I began addressing envies, I realized I was about 25 short, so this quick and easy card (thanks to the pre-colored images at Doodle Pantry!).  I just printed, glossy accented a couple of the hearts, and added a bow.  Voila!  Nothing fancy, but it's the thought that counts, right?

Doodle Pantry Image, bows from my stash, Glossy Accents

Thanks for stopping by today - I'm hoping to get by to see all of you, if we get home tonight in time! 

Happy weekend!

Patti J.

I'm back!

Thanks to all of you for your patience while we were without internet.  Whew...feels SO good to be back among the blogging and blurfing.  We found a wonderful new provider, and the installation process was easy and quick.

The third challenge at Stamp TV was to create a duo of tags.  I chose to use the same paper collection, different stamp sets, and sort of 'flip' the layouts.  These are two of my favorite Gina K. Designs sets, so it was fun to work them up.  Tags are a real challenge for me, so I thought they turned out well!

Gina K. Designs 'The Northwoods' by Theresa Momber, and 'Lighthearted Wishes' by Tami Mayberry

This stamp set is one of the duo's that Gina K. Designs carries.  You get the butterfly and sentiment, and the price is SO reasonable!  I colored the butterfly with Copics, and tried to keep the colors very muted, to work with the background papers (Authentique). Used my Perfect Papercrafting tools for the wonderful matting - see sidebar for details!

Gina K. Designs 'Hope Is'

That's all I have for today!  Hope that you have a nice weekend in store.  It should be quiet here, and I'm hoping for some craft time.

Keep smiling!!!

Thanks for stopping by today :)

Hugs,
Patti J.

Creations by AR Blog Hop - New Release!

Hello!  First, let me say that I have had no internet since the 14th.  So, if I haven't been by to see you, or answered your emails, please forgive me.  I'm hoping for some Sprint resolution in the next 24 hours or so. Huge thanks to my friend Shirley for allowing me time on her computer to post this today!

Today's project was SO much fun!  Adela has outdone herself yet again, with this beautiful new Creations by AR template "Lovely Cart".  I chose to make a flower cart, but the possibilities are endless!  Think tea bags, mini cupcakes, coffee pods, candy, jewelry, etc...


Creations by AR templates come in SVG files or PDF files.  As I don't own a cutting machine, all of my files are cut by hand.

How can YOU win this template?  You can leave a comment on the blogs below, on the AR Facebook Page, and on the AR Website!  One random winner will be announced on January 25th, on the AR Facebook page, and the AR website.

Also!  Adela is giving this darling XO Card as a free gift with any purchase of the Lovely Cart template!  I decided to stamp on my banner, rather than to fussy cut the XO's - thought it turned out so sweet!

Now it's time to see what the other AR girls have to share!  Time to hop!

Adela     Doris     Julia     Lisa E.     Lisa S.     Lori     Lyn     Monica     Penny     Sue     Tina

Thanks for stopping by!

Hugs and smiles,
Patti J.

Birthday Wishes

Today is my day to post on the Die-Versions blog.  I needed a Birthday Card for our dear friend, Mary, who came out for Sunday dinner, and thought that the Die-Versions Fence Background Die would make a very pretty card.

Isn't this beautiful on the black background?  And once again, the die cut so smoothly!  Used my Perfect Papercrafting Tools to achieve the perfect black mat! See my sidebar for details!

Hope your week is off to a great start!  I have only intermittent internet, so this is a SHORT post!  Must work while the signal is working.

Supplies Used:

Die-Versions 'Fence Background' Whispers Die DVW-314
Bugaboo Digital Image
Sentiment from Gina K.
Copic Markers
Glossy Accents
Ribbon and cardstock from my stash.
Perfect Layers Rulers for mats (see sidebar for details).

Have a great week!

Patti J.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Good morning, and Happy Wednesday!

Today, I'm delighted to post my first project for the Die-Versions design team.

I received my first package of Die-Version dies on Saturday.  

It was difficult, but I waited a long time (about 15 minutes) before I excitedly tore into them, 

grabbed up a scrap of black cardstock, and ran the corner die you see below 

through the cuttlebug.  Oh my goodness, they really DO cut like butter!  

These heart corners were actually the inspiration for this card!  Once I had those corners in hand, I knew they needed to be showcasing something cute, and with Valentine's Day just around the corner...a card was born!  Of course, I used my Perfect PaperCrafting Rulers for my nice, even mats!!!

Supplies Used:

Die-Versions "Hearts" Corner Concepts DVCR-015

Die-Versions "A Little Mint" Font

Sherri Baldy Digital Image

Copic Markers

Misc. Cardstock
Perfect Paper Crafting Rulers (see sidebar for details!)

Thanks so much for stopping by!

We'd love it if you would drop by the Die-Versions Blog!

You can shop at the Die-Versions Store

You can also 'Like" us on Facebook

Here is the link to a You-Tube video featuring the above card, and the font die that I used:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcaDpl_i7TY

Have a great day!

Patti J.

You're a Dear Friend

Hello!

I'm sharing a second card that I created for Challenge #2 at Stamp TV for the guest designer spot that's up for grabs.  There are some absolutely stunning creations up in the gallery - you should take a few minutes to check them out - inspiration galore!

Stamps: Gina K. Designs 'Stately Flowers 2' by Melanie Muenchinger, Ink: Gina K. Designs Black Onyx.

The challenge is to create a shaped card.  Any shape, as long as it's not rectangle or square.  I thought this flowerpot card would be fun.  The outer section is complete with handles :)  The card itself just slides into the outer piece.  When the card is inside, here's how it looks:

I used the smallest single flower in this set.  It was stamped and fussy cut 15 times.  Added glossy accents to each flower petal.

I used some sweet amuse studio cardstock with my GKD stamps!

Thanks for looking - have a terrific Tuesday!

Patti J.

Song in my Heart, and some WINNERS!

Happy Monday!

Here are the winners of the 20 Die-Versions Dies that Dani, the owner, so graciously gave away!  I recognize a few names on this list!  

If you are a winner, please email Dani at dieversionsdt1 at gmail dot com to claim your prize!

 Congratulations to all of the winners - you will love these dies! They really do cut like butter!!!

Today's card is for the Gina K. Guest DT challenge at StampTV.  This challenge #2 is to create a shaped card.  This is card #1.  I'm working on #2 today!

Gina K. Designs: Because of You, Gleefully Yours (retired?), Gina K. Designs Black Onyx Ink, Amuse Heart Dies, Tiny red bling from my stash.

Since it's nearly February, a Valentine's card seemed to be in order!  This was tough to photograph.  I think the business of the white and black dots sort of kept the sentiments from showing up as pretty as they are in real life!  Hope it brightened your day!  You still have time to enter YOUR card!

Off to do some mundane Monday chores, so that I can enjoy some craft time later today!

I have something really sweet to share on Wednesday - my very first Die-Versions project, and it turned out petty cute!!!

Hugs,

Patti J.

You're Bad...

Howdy ya'll !

I have a fun card today.

Someone we know is really going through some tough times.  

When I saw this sentiment, I knew it was perfect for this person.  

Here's my card:

Now, the sentiment came from Ginger, over at Ginger's House.  She posts a fun 'something' nearly every day.  I nab one now and then, and this one literally called out to me!  Be sure to stop over now and then to see what she's posted, and just to give her some hugs now and then!

A bit of patterned paper left from my Scraptownlady stash, a sentiment, and a bit of cardstock, and voila!

Easy peasy, and oh, so much fun!  I used an exacto knife, and trimmed the wings of the dragonfly

so that they would overlap the sentiment. Looks pretty realistic this way.

Have a great day!

Patti J.

Another fun new place to hang out!

Happy Thursday!

Did you know.....you can use the 'Outside the Box' technique, even if you don't own any dies?

Read on, and I'll show you how easy it is!

Supplies Used:  Gina K. Designs stamps, ink, and white cardstock.  TAC black cardstock, Kraft cardstock, Copic Markers, Twine, Button, Adhesive, Dimensional Dot

I'm not one to make resolutions, but I'm determined to do better at some things this year - one of which is to enter more challenges, AND to start posting my work on Splitcoaststampers.  I've not done much of either the last year or two, and I am ready to jump back in with both feet!

  My card for today is for a brand new challenge blog: The Mod Squad Challenge!  

Some of the Gina K. folks have started this up. 

Products used on cards do not have to be Gina K. Designs products, but as she is the first challenge sponsor, I thought I'd use this lovely set Stately Flowers2, by Melanie Muenchinger.  

Sympathy cards are difficult for me, so I love the simplicity of her floral sets, and the accompanying sentiments.  Plus, I'm a Missouri gal, and this is a Missouri Flower!

So, here is how I did this.

Stamp and color your image.  

Using a straight edge, draw a line on each edge, where you'd like your cutting line to be.

With an exacto knife and straight edge, cut a straight line, stopping at each point where you come to a part of your image. Turn your image around, and repeat the process.

With a pair of sharp scissors, cut away the image parts that hang over your cutting line.

Easy peasy!

I actually stamped my image twice, and layered one flower down near the leaf, with a pop dot for dimension.

Cathy Tidlwell was the challenge hostess this week.  Her challenge was 'A few of Cat's favorite things".  She listed lots of items, and told us to use three of them on our creations.

My three items were:

Kraft Cardstock

Twine

Layering of Images

I'd really LOVE to win - the prize is a gift certificate to Gina K. Designs, and I haven't had any new stamps for a while!!!  Hurry over - you still have a few days to enter!  Remember, you can use ANY vendors products!!!

This looks like it will be a fun challenge - good luck to the team at Mod Squad!!!

A note about my straight edge....this is a wonderful new product by Perfect PaperCrafting.  There are two rulers, a clear, and a straight edge for cutting.  The straight edge is also a centering ruler.  If you look, the center of the ruler has a pressure pad - on the bottom of the ruler is a rubber strip. Just push down on the center, and your ruler holds tight, via the rubber strip, to whatever you are working on.  Be sure to check out their products, especially this one!  Now, rather than have a ruler, a centering ruler, and a straight edge, I have one tool!  You can save 5% by shopping with the link on my sidebar!

Have a good day,

Patti J.

There's a new blog in town!

There's a new blog and a new team in town!

Die-Versions has a brand new blog and a brand new design team!

Come join us in our new blog for a chance to win some free goodies. 

We will be giving away 20 gift certificates to our store valued at $10 each. 

Participating is easy, simply:

Leave a comment in our blog found at www.die-versions-blog.com 

Become a follower of our blog 

Like our Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/DieVersions

We will announce the lucky winners Sunday, Jan. 12.

Good luck!  Hope to see your names among the TWENTY winners!!!

Now.....

I have another card to share with you today, that I created for the challenge at Stamp TV, using Gina K. Designs products!

SUPPLIES:  Stamps: Gina K. Designs 'The Magic of Christmas', and 'Only God'.  Inks" Tim Holtz Distress, Spellbinders Dies, Ribbon from Stash, Cardstock from stash, Gina K. Designs Pure Luxury White CS, Sponge Daubers, Stampendous White Embossing Powder, Heat Gun, Perfect Layers Rulers (see sidebar for details!)

Love this technique!  The challenge calls for GKD stamps, and that you follow Gina's chosen technique - this challenge, the technique is Color on Color Emboss Resist.  Isn't it pretty?  I'll be using it more, for sure! You have until Friday to enter the challenge at Stamp TV!!!

Have a good day!

Patti J.

Thinking of you and smiling...

We are in positive temperatures!  Woot woot! 

Life is good...

I have a card to share today that I created for a challenge over at Stamp TV.  Gina K. Designs will be having their first ever Guest Designer!  There is a two week contest, that will consist of four challenges.  This card was made for the first challenge, using Gina's Color on Color Emboss Resist technique.

Supplies Used:  Gina K. Designs Pure Luxury White Cardstock, Gina K. Designs Stamps 'Elegant Florals', Memento Ink, Tim Holtz Distress Inks: Wild Honey, Dusty Concord. Tumbled Glass, Peeled Paint, Spellbinder's Fleur De Lis Dies, Ribbon from my stash, Green CS from my stash.

I think it turned out very nicely!

I love the beautiful, swirly sentiments in this set!

(I'm off to try one more card, as I have another idea)

Good luck to all of you who enter - you have until Friday to complete the first challenge!

When Shirley and I got together the other day for our girls day in, we made a second project.

It's always fun to create these A2 calendars!  This time, we used an assortment of designer papers, and some old TAC images.  I'm probably sending this one to my Senior Buddy.  I'm working on another calendar now, and may decide to send it instead....we shall see.

Used some glossy accents, glitter, and fun flock on this one!

Glossy accents and fun flock gave this page a little pizazz!

What fun, finding these little shells and sunglasses!  The beach ball, flower, flip flops, and sunshine are all shiny with glossy accents.

Used some glossy accents on this one too, as well as some fall leaves and a football from an old Gina K. set!

Have a great day!

Patti J.

Food for thought:  

We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.

Thank You Times Two!

Brrrr....hope that you are all staying in and staying warm.

It's -8 degrees here today - high is expected to be -1. Add in the wind chill, and we are at about -30!

We needed a couple of thank you notes, and what better to create with than snowmen, as it's a winter wonderland out our windows!

The card above was made using an old Great Impressions Stamp.  These snowfolks are too cute. The stamp is so old, that it's beginning to crack (insert really sad face here), so it will probably be the last winter it sees. I began by stamping the image, masking it, and sponging some clouds.  The coloring is done with Copics, a bit of glitterry goodness was added, and a bit of Glossy Accents, and voila!  This card is going to a couple from church that hosted a most awesome New Year's Eve party.

Our Missouri Tigers played in the Cotton Bowl last Friday night.  We went to a Bowl party, and the above card was made for the party host.  He is a huge Tiger fan, so this snowman simply had to be in black and gold, all decked out for the Cotton Bowl!  This is an image from Whimsie Doodles, and cute as can be!

Again, coloring is with Copics, and added a bit of glitter, and glossy accents.

Can't create without my Perfect Layers Rulers from Perfect PaperCrafting!  Gives me a

beautiful straight mat every time! Check out the sidebar for details :)

Tomorrow, I hope to be able to post project #2 from my play date with Shirley!

Just adding a few finishing touches...

Have a great day!

Snowy Smiles, 

Patti J.

Fun with a friend!

Hello, and Happy, Happy Weekend!

We're holding our breath here, as the forecast is for us to get another 8-12" of snow, beginning this evening and ending tomorrow.  Monday's high temp is to be zero, with wind chills - will feel like 28 below! Brrrr... 

So... what was my therapy for the 'day before the storm'?

Crafty fun with my friend, Shirley, of course!  Here is one project we made:

Now, mine is hot pink, and Shirley's is a beautiful shade of green - you can see it HERE!

We dug out some old TAC stamps, and some YUMMY Amuse Studio ink and cardstock (Shirley is an Amuse Demonstrator, so she enables me often with lots of temptations!)

I had such a fun day - hope to finish up and post project #2 tomorrow!

On a side note - HOORAY MIZZOU!

We went to a great Cotton Bowl party last night, and watch the Tigers win.

It was a pretty good ball game - could have gone either way many times.

For those of you Okla. folks, we hated to see Okla. lose, as they are one of our faves too!

Have a great weekend,

Hugs & Blessings,

Patti J.

Good Friends...

Happy Friday!

I needed a card for a friend, and saw this sentiment over at the Word Art Wednesday blog today.

I nabbed it (they have the YUMMIEST sentiments!), and here is what I created 

with it.

I'll be entering this in the Word Art Wednesday challenge #113 (anything goes as long as it's family friendly and encouraging).

I used some old TAC paper for the stars, a star charm from my stash, the Word Art Wednesday sentiment, Spellbinder's Labels 28 and Decorative Labels 28.  Also used some Want2Scrap Bling for the finishing sparkle.

The Decorative Labels 28 and the pretty bling, were both gifts from my friend, Debbie Seyer.

Debbie creates the most beautiful things, and is so thoughtful!

Check out her blog if you have time!

Have a wonderful weekend!

They are now predicting 3 degree high on Sunday, and snowfall of 8-10" - egads!

Hugs & Blessings,

Patti J.

Winter Thoughts...

Yikes! I think winter is here.  It's VERY cold again, and has been snowing through the night and this morning.  It's just a light snow - nothing like last month's 10-12", and it's really quite pretty!

Today's creation features a darling Yumi & Fumi Handmade stamp "Winter Yumi".  I think she's just the cutest thing, and couldn't wait to work with her again.  When I saw the last challenge on their blog, I was hoping to have time to create - the challenge was the gorgeous inspiration photo shown below.  Here is my card:

I have the hardest time getting a good photo with metallic cardstocks!

Doesn't this photo just make you go 'oooooh.....aaahhhhhhh' - SO pretty!

I used a Cuttlebug embossing folder, metallic gold CS from Our Daily Bread, and some ribbon from my stash. All coloring was with Copics, from the 'E' family!  Yumi's hat, scarf, and boots are 'dusted' with a bit of clear 'Wink of Stella' pen.  And, of course, my beautiful, even layers are created with my Perfect Layers Rulers.  I rarely create without them!!!  See sidebar for details on saving 5% with an order.

This card is going to my Senior Buddy that I am a card angel for.  If any of you are interested in becoming a card angel (what an awesome way to use all these cards we create), drop me an email at: mamagilliam at gmail dot com for details!)  They have Chemo Angels and Senior Angels. Basically, you commit to sending a card a week to someone going through a difficult time.

I'm entering this in the Yumi & Fumi Challenge - Inspiration Photo
and also Through the Craftroom Door - anything goes.

That's all I have for today!  Thanks for dropping by!

Hugs & smiles,
Patti J.