SWS #9: Stamp Embossing

There is a new Stamping with Sami Challenge posted today on the SP Stamps blog. The theme this week is: Distressed Stamping. Pull out your heat gun and show us some texture :)
The rules for the SWS challenges are posted here.

I used Large Polka Dots Background stamp to enhance the frame around the window of my card:

Other: Jillibean Soup pin, paper and stickers (Sweet & Sour Soup); American Crafts embossing powder (white); Ranger embossing ink; Pebbles ribbon; Doodlebug Design tri-fold card base with window.

I hope you get a chance to check out the SP Stamps blog and play with this week's SWS Challenge!

Thanks for stopping by!

Sail with the wind

Ali has a great sketch posted today at Sketches: Creatively Yours and the design team has added their own personal touches for your inspiration. Here is my interpretation:

For this LO I used: October Afternoon papers (Seaside), Core'dinations cardstoc, Thickers, Paper Trunk alpha stickers, Jolie layered stickers, Bic marker, unknown chipboard. And here is sketch 6-12:

I mirrored the sketch to get the right side band on both sides, but I kept it as a single page. I wanted to include more photos, so I ignored many of the elements -- but I had to keep that little sailboat ;)

This is my last LO as a member of the S:CY design team. I can't believe a whole year has gone by since I joined the team! It's been a great experience and I'm sure I'll keep playing with Ali and Ann's amazing sketches in the future. I hope you stop by the Sketches: Creatively Yours blog to play with the sketches and check out what the new DT has to show!

Thanks for stopping by!

Reading... or not

I realized I haven't posted what I've been reading for a while and most of it has to do with the novel I've been writing - it sure takes a lot more time to write than to read!

I only read one book last month from start to finish, but I really enjoyed The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt: A Novel in Pictures by Caroline Preston. This book is just full of ephemera from the 20's and the story is really cute.

A problem I've been having is that the books I had been waiting to read were just not as good as I hoped they would be. I mentioned how I devoured the first 3 books of the Inheritance series by Christopher Paolini, but after a long wait the 4th book (Inheritance) just did not grab my attention away from my own story. So now the massive book is just sitting on my bedside table.

Another book I just couldn't get into was Star Wars, Episode III by Matthew Stover. I started reading the prequels after the movies came out and I really got hooked on the politics behind the whole coup. Cloak of Deception by James Luceno really sets the stage for the whole saga. I liked the book versions of Episode I by Terry Brooks and Episode II by R. A. Salvatore. I wanted to read the clone wars' books, but I got stuck on Shatterpoint (also by Matthew Stover) and stopped.

It took me over a year to pick up a Star Wars book again, and I started with Labyrinth of Evil by James Luceno. It was a great setup for Episode III and I was really excited to read it... until I actually started. I guess I just don't like the way Matthew Stover writes... I saw the movie, so I might just skip over to Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader. I'm sure James Luceno will not disappoint!


Thanks for stopping by!

SWS #8: Distressed Stamping

There is a new Stamping with Sami Challenge posted today on the SP Stamps blog. The theme this week is: Distressed Stamping. Pull out your Ranger inks and show us some shabby chic:)
The rules for the SWS challenges are posted here.

For my card I stamped my hearts with the grid background from the newly released Journal This stamp set and my sentiment is from the Ultimate Sentiments II Stamp Set.

For my card I used papers from the Lost & Found 2 (Blush) 6X6 Pad by My Mind's Eye and Divine Twine (Christmas) from the SP&Co. store. Other: Ranger Distress inks (Antique Linen and Tea Dye), Colorbox Chalk Ink (Dark Brown), SU! Heart-to-heart punch, Martha Stewart punch-around-the-page, and unknown card base.

I hope you get a chance to check out the SP Stamps blog and play with this week's SWS Challenge!

Thanks for stopping by!

You at 2

This page is a clear example of how I'm not a journaling kind of person. The unfinished page sat on my craft table for a week because I was trying to figure out what to write. In the end I just finished it off with the numbers from the newly released SP&Co. Journal This stamp set.

Jillibean Soup paper, die-cuts and stickers (Sweet & Sour Soup) from The Card Kitchen January 2011 kit. Other: Core'dinations/Jillibean Soup embossed card stock (sanded and edge-distressed), glitter Thickers, Colorbox chalk ink (Blackbird), Glossy Accents (to highlight the stamp).

And don't forget to check out Ann's new card sketch posted today at Sketches: Creatively Yours -- I'm looking forward to seeing your interpretation!

Thanks for stopping by!

SWS #7: Love

There is a new Stamping with Sami Challenge posted today on the SP Stamps blog. The theme this week is: LOVE. The rules for the SWS challenges are posted here.

For my card I used the Lippy Single Stamp that came out in December:

Papers are Echo Park Candy Shoppe Large Dots (Watermelon and Bubblegum). Other: Jillibean Soup card base, Lillybee mini alpha stickers, Maya Road pin, unknown ribbon.

I hope you get a chance to check out the SP Stamps blog and play with this week's SWS Challenge!

Thanks for stopping by!

Build Family

I'm not participating in this month's SP Stamps Blog Hop, but make sure you check it out!

This layout is my interpretation of the sketch Ali has posted today at Sketches: Creatively Yours.

I used My Little Shoebox papers from the Home Tweet Home collection (Apron Strings STBB April'11 kit) and I added a variety of alphabet stickers for my long title (American Crafts, Cosmo Cricket, Jillibean Soup, Pink Paisley). the word stickers are Jillibean Soup and the card stock matting the photos is American Crafts. And here is sketch 5-12:

I rotated it clockwise and moved the third photo to the bottom with the other two so I could fit the long title in the journaling spot.

This LO is also for the birthday party over at the Apron Strings blog. My bingo card challenge was to use alphabets.

I hope you can join us at Sketches: Creatively Yours -- I'm looking forward to seeing your interpretation!

Thanks for stopping by!

AS bingo challenges

Here are a couple of layouts for the Apron Strings Blog birthday challenges.

The first one is for the bingo square asking for 3 patterned papers:

I used Jillibean Soup papers, die-cuts and sticker (Apple Cheddar Soup and Sweet & Sour Soup). The journaling tag is from a JS sprout package. Other: Thickers, Jenni Bowlin butterfly stickers, Bic, marker, unknown cardstock. I inked the scallops with a black calligraphy pen (Zig).

The second LO is for the bingo square asking for 2 ribbons:

Little Yellow Bicycle paper (Pack Your Bars), May Arts ribbons, Bic marker, American Crafts cardstock and Thickers.

The SP&Co. February stamp release party starts at midnight. Check out  the SP Stamps blog for the monthly hop!

Thanks for stopping by!

SWS #6: Stamp Kissing

There is a new Stamping with Sami Challenge posted today on the SP Stamps blog. This week we want to see some Stamp Kissing. The rules for the SWS challenges are posted here.

I had to get a bit creative this week, because I don't have a large solid stamp to kiss with a background one. Instead I kissed a patterned small heart stamp from the Round Sentiments I stamp set to the larger solid heart background stamp from the Hearty Hearts Backgrounds.

I used SU! ink (Crumb Cake and Cherry Cobler) for the image and Versamagic for the chipboard. Jillibean Soup papers and embellishments from The Card Kitchen January 2012 kit. Unknown cardstock and Maya Road crochet trim from Apron Strings.

I'm also using this card for the Apron Strings Blog birthday party challenges. The bingo card starts with stamps -- so perfect!

I hope you get a chance to check out the SP Stamps blog and play with this week's SWS Challenge!

Thanks for stopping by!