Pretty Pink Posh

A Bittersweet Post....

2012-01-25T16:00:00.000-08:00

Hello!

Today I have a bittersweet post....I have a card to share, but it's for the youth pastor and his wife who are moving onto a different church...

A little background: I've been going to my {amazing} church for almost two years now. It took over a year for me to go to my first event and actually start getting to know people. It had to do a lot with me being shy, and also never attended a church without my family by my side. Once I get connected in my college/ career group, I started making a lot of friends. A little while later, I felt called to get involved in the youth ministry, which I'm still helping in. {I'll get into my group in a future post....}

The youth pastor and his wife are some of the most genuine people you can meet. Just talking with them you can tell they have a heart for people and you instantly sense the Lord's love through them. It's pretty amazing. Even though they lead crazy, busy lives, they are there to pray for you and you can tell they genuinely care. I don't think I've ever met a couple that I have aspired and looked up to more-their marriage is something that I hope mine is like someday. It's amazing how people can make such an impact in your life in such a short amount of time.

I'm going to miss this couple so much, but I know God has great things in store for them. I'm excited to see where their ministry takes them, and I'm also excited to see how our new youth pastor puts his flair on things. I must admit, I wasn't always this trusting in these sorts of things.....however, I know God has His hand on this ministry. Now if only I can relinquish my doubts and fears in other aspects of my life.....

I miss blogging on this blog so much- hoping I can find a little more time to do so this year. I forgot how therapeutic {and fun} it can be!

I know this post was a lot more personal than usual. Since I haven't written for a little bit, I thought I'd catch you all up a little bit on my life. :) I hope you don't mind!

Snow Pictures!

2012-01-16T21:35:00.000-08:00

Hello!

I'm writing from snowy Washington. Yup, we have been inundated with snow over here- so much snow I wasn't able to get to work today! While I was quite bummed that I wasn't able to get to work, I WAS happy that I was able to get some work done here at home. I

While I don't have a card to share today, I have some pictures of the snow. I just love taking pictures of snow- it's so pretty!

Here's a picture of it coming down pretty heavily......

Here's a picture of it from my room....

I'm so surprised that we got this much snow. The weather forecast said we were supposed to get snow, but you just never know with these Seattle weather people! We are supposed to get another few inches of snow tonight, so I may not be able to get to work tomorrow either. *sigh* Doesn't the snow know I have things to do and orders to ship? :)

Well, I'm going to wrap up this blog post. I hope you all are doing well!

Until next time....

Elephant with Balloons

2012-01-11T03:00:00.000-08:00

Hello!

I'm so happy I had a chance to stamp this past weekend- I was able to create quite a few different Valentine cards, many you'll see on the DeNami blog and in videos in the next few weeks.

I don't know about you, but creating masculine Valentine cards can be SUPER tough. My poor dad and brothers always seem to get cards with rhinestones, glitters and bows on them. Thankfully, they're used to see that stuff quite a bit, so it doesn't bother them too much. :)

I thought I would go a different route and use this week's Product Spotlight, the Small Heart Outline, as balloons. I must say, I really like how it turned out!

Here's a close-up of the focal point:

I know for a fact that the DeNami DT has some GREAT cards using this stamp as well. You can find all of their cards/ links on the DeNami blog.

I hope that my card today inspired you. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Valentine Blog Hop

2012-01-08T06:00:00.000-08:00

Hello there, blog friends!

It's time for the monthly DeNami Blog Hop! I'm super excited for this theme- it's Valentine! I'm looking forward to seeing all the pinks and reds, and also all the hearts we'll be seeing. :)

If you started the blog hop from the beginning, you should be coming from Pat Quinet's blog.

I went with my favorite color PINK for my card today. I just love how the Petal Pink, Magenta, White and Brown Kraft colors look together. *swoon* For my main image I went with the Owl Trio, then added lots of hearts. (Complete supply list is at the bottom of this post)

Okay, now it's time for your next stop on the hop: Rae Ann Beyerl's blog. I'm sure she has a fun Valentine project to share with you!

Thank you for hopping along with us in the blog hop. I hope you were inspired by my card today. Enjoy the rest of the hop!

Young Crafters Unite Challenge #5

2012-01-04T22:01:00.000-08:00

Hello there!

It's my first blog post of 2012 (well, at least on my personal craft blog)! I hope you all had a super awesome holiday season. Now that life is semi back-to-normal, I am hoping to be a little more consistent in blogging.

With a new year comes new challenges.....blog challenges, that is! To kick of 2012, we have a new Young Crafters Unite Challenge for you all. The theme this time around is clean & simple. Since I needed quite a few thank you cards, I thought this would be the perfect time to create them!

Here's what I came up with....

Yes, I went completely clean & simple with these cards. Usually I have a hard time going simple, but I actually was able to restrain myself while I created these. :)

Need some more inspiration with this theme? No problem! Just stop by my fellow YCU DT member blogs and see what they created.

Britta Swiderski
Chari Moss
Jennifer Rzasa
Jess Larsen
Marie / Legojenta

Thanks for stopping by today! Be sure to head over to the Young Crafters Unite blog for all the details on this challenge!

Early Christmas Present!

2011-12-23T12:00:00.000-08:00

Hello there!

Can you all believe that Christmas is just TWO days away??! This month has flown by ridiculously fast. I'm still in denial that the holiday is here- for some reason, it doesn't feel as "Christmasy" as it has in the past. Despite this feeling, I'm glad that I finally got all my presents purchased and wrapped.

Last week, my sister came over with an early Christmas present for me. Imagine my surprise when I saw she made something.....a GORGEOUS white wreath! I recently repainted my room (with a grey, white and black color scheme), so this goes with the decor perfectly. I just LOVE this wreath!

My sister first saw this idea on Pinterest and decided to recreate it. Any guesses as to what the white stuff is? I first thought it was tissue paper....it's actually coffee filters!

We thought about adding little holly berries inside the wreath, but then decided against it. (I didn't want the paper to rip when we took the berries off)

Before I close, I just want to remind you all of the challenge we have over at Young Crafters Unite. We've extended the deadline, so you have FOUR more days to enter! The next challenge will start in the new year, January 5th, to be exact. :)

Well, it's off to finish baking and then nap time for this girl. Gotta love vacation time! Hope you all are doing well!

Colour Q Challenge #115

2011-12-13T21:15:00.000-08:00

Hello!

I'm beyond happy that I've finally had a chance to play in a challenge again. I was in need of a few more Christmas cards, so I thought it would be the perfect time to incorporate a challenge as well. As usual, the team at Colour Q had an awesome color palette! LOVE these colors together!

I couldn't resist pulling out the Large Stocking for this card. I'm fairly sure I've said it before, but I truly love this stamp. Actually, to be completely honest, I can't get enough of the new large stamps by DeNami. :)

Thank you to those who hopped along (and left comments) on the Gift Wrapping Blog Hop we had on Sunday. There were so many fabulous ideas- I was so inspired! If you didn't get a chance to hop, you can click here to view the gift tags I created.

That's all for this girl tonight. I've been staying up way too late, so I'm going to try to get to bed earlier tonight. Until next time.....

Gift Wrapping Blog Hop!

2011-12-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

Good morning!

It's time for a brand new DeNami Blog Hop. The theme this month is Gift Wrapping, something that happens quite a bit in December.

If you have started the hop from the beginning, we had originally had you coming from Laurie Willison's blog. Sadly, her father-in-law recently passed away, so she's unable to join us this time around. The person before Laurie is Danielle Walls, our fabulous December Guest Designer.

For my project for the blog hop, I thought I'd create some fun gift tags. I am utterly in love with the Sky Blue, Magenta, Red and Celery color combination lately, so I thought they would be the perfect colors to use for these tags. Such happy, whimsical colors!

It's off to the next stop on the blog hop: Tina Milbourn's blog! If you get lost along the way, or want the details of the hop, don't hesitate to head over to the DeNami blog. Also, just a reminder, there's TWO gift certificates up for grabs for those who leave comments, so be sure to leave a comment on each stop.

I hope this post inspired you. Thank you so much for stopping by!

Happy Holidays

2011-12-03T16:00:00.000-08:00

Hi there, sweet blog friends!

It's been a little while, hasn't it? December has arrived and it seems like my schedule has gotten three times as crazy as it was. REALLY looking forward to having my two weeks off at the end of the month. I know I have lots planned then, but it'll be nice to have a little down time as well.

I have a Christmas card to share with you all today. As I was looking through my craft things, I realized I haven't really used my non-DeNami stamps in a while. For this card, I pulled out some of my WPlus9 stamps and went to town.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. I hope you all have a SUPER great weekend. Tonight I'm off to a fun little outing that I'm really excited for. Hoping I can snap a few pictures to put on the blog. :)

Until next time.....

Fascinating Fridays Feature

2011-11-25T11:20:00.000-08:00

Hello there!

I'm excited about the post I have for you all today- I'm being featured on a blog! This blog is one I've admired for some time, and I was beyond ecstatic when I was asked to be featured. SO flattering! The cute blog is called Paperie Designs' Studio.

There's a short little interview, along with some of my cards, if you're interested in taking a peek. I'd suggest bookmarking this blog- Noor always has some GREAT designers on here.

Until next time.....

Young Crafters Unite Challenge #4

2011-11-22T22:01:00.000-08:00

Hello, blog friends!

It's time for a brand new Young Crafters Unite challenge!This month, our theme is DIE CUTTING! If you've followed my blog, you know that I am in love with my Big Shot and dies. I bought my machine a year or two back and now cannot imagine life without it!

When I heard the theme of this challenge, I honestly had a hard time deciding how I wanted to use a die cut. I finally decided to just use it as my focal point- after all, that's my favorite way to use them!

With the super chilly mornings, I've just been in this Christmas/ Winter mode. I decided I should tackle some of my Christmas cards, so I thought this challenge was a great time to complete one. :)

I just LOVE this Winter Evergreen Tree. It's SO versatile! Lately I've been using it and then adding lots of sprigs to it- pretty neat, right? If you want to see the stamps I used, be sure to scroll down and take a look at the supply list.

The other YCU DT girls have some fabulous cards to share with you- be sure to check them out!

Britta Swiderski
Chari Moss
Jennifer Rzasa
Jess Larsen
Marie / Legojenta

Oh, and I can't forget to mention there's a fabulous prize up for grabs. Simon Says Stamp has graciously offered up a $25 gift certificate to the winner of this challenge! Imagine all the goodies you could pick up with that!

Ready to play along in this challenge? Head on over to the Young Crafters Unite site to upload your card and/or get all the details!

Thanks for stopping by- until next time......

Rhinestone Elephant

2011-11-21T08:30:00.000-08:00

Hello there!

I hope you all are doing well. Can you believe that Thanksgiving is THIS Thursday?? November has flown by so quickly- it's quite unbelievable.

Today I have a funky card I created a few months back. I had this *genius* idea of creating a rhinestone outlined elephant, alas, it didn't turn out quite how I had it in my head. Don't you hate it when that happens? It's not awful, but it's not the greatest card in the world. ;)

I only used three DeNami stamps for this card; the Elephant, Medium Polka Dots and the "thanks" from the Everyday Greetings stamp set.

Did you happen to notice the AMAZING black glitter ribbon? This stuff is awesome! It's great for adding a bit of sparkle, without having to deal with the mess of applying glitter and putting it away. We have six different glitter ribbon colors- click here to check them out!

I hope your were inspired by today's card. Thanks so much for stopping by my blog!

Anything but a Card Blog Hop!

2011-11-13T06:00:00.000-08:00

Hello and good morning!

It's time for the November Blog Hop over on the DeNami blog. I must say, I was SUPER excited about this theme- there were so many different options! The hard part? Deciding what exactly I wanted to create! After going back and forth for quite some time, I finally decided on a birthday tin to hold a gift card.

If you started from the beginning of the hop, you should be coming from Barbara Murphy's blog. This lady always has super adorable creations- you'll definitely want to be sure you follow her blog. :)

Okay, now onto my creation.....

I went with some super bright and happy colors. After all, birthdays ARE a time for happiness, right?

I got a whole bunch of these tins a while back (if you'd like some, I'm actually selling a few in my "for sale" section) They are great for all sorts of things!

I brought out the new Brushed Present as my focal point. The fun thing about this stamp- you can cut off the top and look like the present is open! I thought it'd be cute to have little hearts come out of it, but you could do other things as well!

Well, my dear friends, this is the last stop on the blog hop. After you leave a comment here (remember, we randomly pick comments from blogs as winners!), be sure to head over to the DeNami blog and leave a comment there as well.

I hope that you were greatly inspired by the hop. Thanks so much for hopping along with us!

Thanksgiving Fun + CA show!

2011-11-09T16:45:00.000-08:00

Hello there!

I just wanted to pop in really quick with a fun little Thanksgiving card. I just can't get enough of the Cornstalks (with the Citrone glitter), and how adorable is that little Turkey? LOVE him!

Did you happen to see the AWESOME Fall promotion we are having over at DeNami Design? LOTS of free gifts being sent out- YOU just may qualify too! If you've been wanting to order some DeNami, now is a great time to do so!

Speaking of DeNami......I'll be working in the show booth THIS Saturday and Sunday in Carson, CA. I know a few of you plan on being there- can't wait to meet you! If you want information on the show, you can find it all here.

Well, it's off to pack for my trip. I'll talk with you all later!

YCU Masculine Blog Hop

2011-11-04T10:01:00.000-07:00

Hi there!

Oh, I am just so excited about the second Young Crafters Unite Blog Hop! If you have started from the beginning, you should be coming from Donna Bowman's blog. Her birthday card was so fun- such a great one for any guy!

For my card, I decided to go with really neutral colors, and I also added some distressing. I did my very best to resist ribbon, but somehow I still had to add rhinestones. I figured, with them being black, they didn't count as bling. ;)

I know there are lots of other stops on this blog hop, so I'll keep this short. The next stop: Janice Daquila-Pardo's blog. Remember, if you get lost along the way, or want to start from the beginning, you can always head over to the Young Crafters Unite site.

There are some pretty awesome prizes up for grabs too! Two people will win a Simon Says Stamp $25 gift certificate, and Paper Smooches has donated their brand new My Guy stamp set for one lucky winner. Fun stuff, right?

Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving some love. Until next time.....

CAS-ual Fridays 26

2011-11-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

Hello!

I'm so excited- I actually was able to get crafty recently. I was feeling slightly stressed out, so I went to one of my go-to stress relievers: stamping! Somehow, even though I work with stamps all day long, playing with stamps still makes me happy at the end of the day. :)

With so many fabulous challenges out there in blog land, it's always a tough decision on choosing which ones to play along with. One of the first ones I always check out is the CAS-ual Fridays challenge. Partly because they are always great themes, but the other has to do with the fact that THREE of my DeNami DT girls are DT members there as well.

Here's the challenge for this week:

While I was creating this card, I had to constantly remind myself to keep it CAS (clean and simple). Generally my cards have lots of layers, so this is always a tough task for me. However, I think I did a pretty good job this time around!

That's all for me today. Thanks for stopping by- I hope you were inspired!

Happy Halloween + Items for Sale

2011-10-31T16:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween, blog friends!

I had hoped to get pictures of the Halloween cupcake toppers that I made recently up, but alas, time has once again escaped me. I swear, time goes faster the older you get!

As you all know, I haven't been crafting as much. While I haven't given up on it completely, I HAVE come to realize that I have LOTS of sets/ supplies that I never use anymore. I found a bit of time and was able to get the new list up on my "for sale" section on the blog.

I haven't gone through all of my stuff yet, so I'll most likely be adding more in the near future. If there are any sets you're interested in, feel free to send me an email. I'm more than happy to combine shipping on items!

Have a GREAT rest of your night. While I don't have plans to trick-or-treat or do anything Halloween related, I DO have plans to do something holiday related. I'll take pictures and show you what I did later. :)

Sweet Rosevine Heart

2011-10-25T16:00:00.000-07:00

Hello!

As you've probably noticed, I haven't been crafting much lately. In between work, getting involved with the youth ministry at my church, among other things, I just haven't felt super crafty. Also, since my craft studio is in the garage at the moment, it's been WAY too cold to even think about creating crafty goodness.

Thank goodness, I have some cards I created for previous publication calls (which doesn't work unless you actually SUBMIT them). :)

I just love the Rosevine Heart. It's perfect for weddings, Valentine's Day, and then of course, you can use it for everyday purposes and add the appropriate sentiment.

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog today! Until next time....

Young Crafters Unite Challenge #3

2011-10-22T22:01:00.000-07:00

Hello, blog friends!

I hope you all are ready for a new challenge- we have a brand new one starting for the Young Crafters Unite Challenge #3! It has been so much fun seeing many of you participate in these challenges. Whether you are a young crafter, or young at heart, we welcome ALL to join us!

For my card today, I pulled out some of my WPlus9 Design Studio stamps. I used the Guiding Light, Guiding Light Sentiments and Woodgrain Silhouettes sets for this masculine card. I usually can't whip up a guy card, but with these stamps, it was pretty easy!

Are you ready to tackle this challenge? I hope so! However, if you're in need of some more inspiration? The YCU DT has some fabulous masculine cards to share with you- be sure to check them out!

Britta Swiderski
Chari Moss
Jennifer Rzasa
Jess Larsen
Marie / Legojenta

Ready to play along in this challenge? Head on over to the Young Crafters Unite site to upload your card and/or get all the details!

Thanks for stopping by- until next time......

Water Lily Love

2011-10-18T14:30:00.000-07:00

Hello, sweet blog friends!

It feels like it's been ages since I have posted. In between the busyness of life and then not feeling very crafty, I just haven't created a lot of projects recently. Well, I take that back....I DID create some fun Halloween projects this weekend. They can be viewed on the DeNami blog.

I do have to be honest with you, this card isn't a new creation. I created it back when we had DeNami sneak peeks in June! I don't think I posted it yet, but I could be wrong. (Way too much on my brain....my memory is going!)

I'm so in love with the Water Lily. It's so fun to color it in lots of different colors. So far, I've done it in pinks, red, and aqua- I can't wait to try it in with other colors!

For those of you who follow the Paper Crafts magazine calls, you may recognize this layout. It was one they did a little while ago for a call. If you ever need inspiration for new layouts, PC is a great source! :)

I'll talk to you all later this week- it's almost time for a new Young Crafts Unite challenge! have a great rest of your day!

Big Shot Giveaway Winner

2011-10-12T12:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Wednesday!

It's going to be an EXTRA great day for one person.....I'm finally getting around to announcing the lucky winner of my latest blog giveaway!

Thank you to all who entered and spread the word about my giveaway. Since this one was quite big, I'll be waiting a little while to do another one. However, be sure to keep your eyes peeled- you never know when it might pop up!

And now, the lucky person who gets a BRAND NEW Big Shot machine and my two favorite Spellbinder dies....

Congratulations, Lindsey! Please email me (click the sidebar button) with your mailing address, and I'll get your machine/ dies ordered right away!

Hope you all are doing well!

XOXO,

DeNami Fall Blog Hop

2011-10-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hello there!

It's time for the DeNami October Blog Hop! The theme this month is "Fall", which was a fun one to take on. If you started the hop from the beginning, you should be coming from Kimberly Kendle's blog. Remember, leaving a comment on each blog hop stop will get you the highest chance of scoring one of the gift certificates, so be sure to stop by each blog. If you need the complete list of participants, it can be found on the DeNami blog.

For my card I pulled out some new and old DeNami. I used the new Brushed Pumpkin, which I just adore! SO fun to color! Then for the older stamps I used the Small Heart Circle, Stitched Border and Autumn stamp set.

I didn't have a large sentiment stamp that would work for this card, so I did my own! Thank goodness I had a dark brown pen!

Well, it's off to the next blog hop stop....Barbara Murphy's blog!

Thanks for stopping by my blog- I hope you were inspired!

Just a quick reminder: TODAY is the last day to enter my Big Shot giveaway. Hurry and get those comments in, and be sure to let all your crafty friends know!

World Cardmaking Day!

2011-10-01T03:00:00.000-07:00

Happy World Cardmaking Day!!

As I'm sure many (if not all) of you know, today is a special day for us cardmakers. We have a whole day dedicated to our wonderful hobby! There are lots of fabulous blog hops/ challenges to commemorate this day. However, one that I'm partial to is the super awesome DeNami Design one!

Last year, we had a fun opportunity for a few lucky DeNami friends to be seen by thousands across the world. Well, since it was SO well received, we decided to bring it back again this year! We changed a few things, but overall, it's the same contest. One minor change: we decided that it'd be fun for the entries to have a similar feel, so we are asking that your projects be based off the following inspiration photo.

photo inspiration found here

Here's my interpretation....

I pulled out the new Brushed Pumpkin and then did my best to incorporate the colors used in the photo.

You know how much I love my glitter. I just couldn't resist adding the fabulous Citrone glitter to the pumpkin and the corn.

I hope you all have a great WCMD! Be sure to head on over to the DeNami blog for the details of our special opportunity. Can't wait to see what you all create!

HUGE Giveaway!

2011-09-28T12:00:00.000-07:00

Hello, sweet blog followers!

It's been quite a while since I've done a giveaway on my blog. Sure, it's easy to do them, but I knew I wanted my next one to be a BIG one. REALLY big.

After debating on what I wanted to do, I finally decided that I'd give away something that I can't imagine crafting without. It's quickly becoming a staple in my craft life, but I know many still don't have one due to the price.

Here's what's up for grabs....

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The details:

One comment per person- unless you become/ are a blog follower.

1) Leave a comment ON THIS POST letting me know YOUR "must have" craft item.

2) Either link to my giveaway through FB, Twitter or your blog, if possible.

3) Leave a way for me to contact you. (ie: blog or email address)

If you become a (public) follower, or already one, you get to leave an additional comment! Just let me know you became/ are a follower!

You have until Sunday, October 9th to enter.

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As you all know, sharing the love is a GREAT part of blogging. If you would post about my giveaway on your blog, I'd really love it! Below is the HTML code so you can do it super quickly!

Thanks for entering and spreading the word! Can't wait to hear about your favorite craft items!

Young Crafters Unite Challenge #2

2011-09-22T22:01:00.000-07:00

Hello there!

Well, my dear friends, it's time for the Young Crafters Unite challenge #2! I was so excited about this theme- pairing up a card with a matching envelope= SUPER fun!

With September here, I thought I'd pull out the Small Apple stamp again. I just can't get enough of this one! It's so perfect for all sorts of cards and projects!

Since my card is pretty busy, I decided to stick with a fairly basic envelope design. Also, since the postal service can be brutal at times, I didn't want to do anything that might get mangled in transit.

Just in case you want to see the card a little bit closer, here's a picture:

In need of some more inspiration? The YCU DT has some GREAT cards/ envelopes to share with you- be sure to check them out!

Britta Swiderski
Chari Moss
Jennifer Rzasa
Jess Larsen
Marie / Legojenta

Ready to play along in this challenge? Head on over to the Young Crafters Unite site to upload your card and/or get all the details!

Birthday Blog Hop for Nami!

2011-09-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hello!

It's a very special day today- it's Nami's birthday. She's the owner/ designer over at DeNami Design AND she also happens to be my mom! I don't ever really announce that fact, but I thought I'd share that little bit of info today.

I wanted to do something special to celebrate this day, so I put together this small little blog hop. Nami happens to be leaving for eight weeks today (for a cross country stamp tour), so instead of a birthday party, I thought I'd throw together a "party" that everyone could attend! If you started from the beginning, you should be coming from Michele's blog.

Since we are having "animal week" over on the DeNami blog AND we have an animal theme challenge running right now, I thought it'd be fun to bring in animals for this blog hop. After going back and forth, I finally decided on the Playful Puppies stamp set. I stacked five of the puppies up together since there are five of us kids. :)

I paired up these cute little puppies with the Party Time stamp set and the "happy birthday" from the All Occasions Sentiments set.

Before you head off to the next stop, I have to tell you we have TWO sweet giveaway packages to give away. Below is a picture of some of Nami's Favorite Things- TWO lucky people who comment on the hop will win one of everything on the list!

Well, it's time to hop along to the next stop: Andrea Matthews' blog! I hope you enjoy the rest of this special blog hop; thanks so much for joining us!

Tasty Treats Blog Hop

2011-09-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

Good morning!

It's time for the September DeNami Blog Hop! This month, I decided that I wanted to see some delicious creations, so I chose Tasty Treats as the theme. If you started from the beginning of the hop, you should be coming from the SWEET Tina Milbourn's blog.

Normally I have a tough time deciding which stamp to use, but I knew right away that I wanted to bring out the Ice Cream Cone. It's my FAVORITE stamp in our "Sweet Shoppe" section.

Since I use polka dots on practically all my cards, I knew I should pull out something different. After going through the stamp drawers, I found the Small Polka Dot Heart. I had forgotten how sweet and fun this stamp is! Think I'll be pulling it out again in the near future. ;)

I know there are many more stops left on the blog hop, so I'll let you all go now. Your next stop: Lindsey Wood's blog!

Be sure to comment on each and every blog for your highest chance of scoring a $20 DeNami gift certificate!

Enjoy the rest of the hop. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Lawnscaping Blog Hop

2011-09-08T21:01:00.000-07:00

Hello there!

I am so excited to be a part of the very first Lawnscaping Blog Hop! Back when Laurel was mentioned wanting to do one, I knew I had to join along in the fun!

If you have started from the beginning of the hop, you should be coming from Ujjwal's blog.

I debated on which holiday I wanted to create a card for. With Thanksgiving and Christmas a few months away, I thought I'd go with Halloween, since it's closest. Also, I recently picked up the Happy Haunting set from Lawn Fawn, so I wanted to break it out. :)

I had so much fun coloring this house image- breaking out my gray Copics (which doesn't happen often) was a welcome change. After finishing the card, I thought it need a tad bit of color, so I added some of the little images from the Trick or Treat Scene by DeNami Design.

Well, I know you're anxious to get going on the rest of the hop. Your next stop: Michelle's blog! Remember, if you get lost along the way, you can head on over to the Lawnscaping Blog and see the complete list of designers, along with all the details!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

New Program + A New Card

2011-09-02T21:01:00.000-07:00

Hello!

Well, today is the big day for InLinkz- they have officially launched the Link Manager to the public! If you have followed my blog for a bit, you know that I have started adding thumbnails for the products I use (at the bottom of my posts). If there's an item you like on the card I posted, you can easily spot which item you want and click to purchase it. I just LOVE this program!

Let me explain Link Manager by Inlinkz a little more. It's a super awesome tool where you can make a "pool" of all your supplies and then create lists of products just by dragging and dropping. It is SUCH a time saver, plus, it looks so professional! Here's a short video by Kristina Werner that will walk you through the tool.

And now....YOU all can go it for your blogs too! Here's an exclusive coupon you can use to register: 34746953. This coupon will let you use this program for free until December.

Okay, now onto the card I have for you today......

I created this card using the pretty Rosevine Heart, but instead of doing pinks/ purples, I switched it up and did some warmer, Fall colors. LOVE the way it turned out! Oh, did you happen to notice the ribbon? It's a new one DeNami Design is starting to carry. You can find it here.

Well, that's it for this post. I hope you enjoyed the card AND the super awesome information on the Link Manager program. You're going to love it! When you check out the site, be sure to use my coupon code. :)

Excited to see your future blog posts with it!

Not pictured: Fiskars Upper Crest punch, Copics

CARDS- July 2011

2011-08-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

If you read the blog post title....don't worry, I DO know that it's August. :)

I was so honored to have one of my cards picked up in last month's fabulous CARDS magazine. When I got the acceptance email, I squealed just as loudly as I did last year. Since I rarely have time to submit to magazines, I never really expect (I won't lie, I DO hope) that my cards get picked up. I was beyond ecstatic that this one was chosen.

I have got to tell you, the Decorative Crest Circle is a popular one. It was in the July CARDS, a Paper Crafts magazine and also featured on a card on the Paper Crafts website. Each time it has been featured, it's been shown in a different style. I just love how each designer showed it off in a unique way!

That's all I have for you today. I have some fun stuff coming up these next few weeks....I'll have a fun post for you on the 3rd (which will feature how I get the cool little supply list thumbnails), a blog hop on the 9th, and then a different blog hop on the 10th! I hope to see you for all of it!

Have a fabulous rest of your day!!

New Haircut + A Card

2011-08-29T12:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday!

I don't know about you, but Monday's are usually rough for me. Since I get three day weekends, getting back to work and having to wake up early isn't always my favorite thing in the world. It probably doesn't help that I usually don't get to bed until late on Sunday night..... Today is different though. I feel an extra hop in my step- probably because I had a great weekend with friends. Food, new haircut, laughter, movies, it was all so fun!

Speaking of my haircut, I thought I'd show you my before and after picture. I almost ALWAYS just put my hair up in a pony tail, so I thought a change was needed. I had about six inches cut off, and did an all over color since my roots were starting to show a bit. I cannot say how much I LOVE my new hair. My friend, Jen, did an awesome job!!

Okay, now for the REAL reason you came to my blog.....I have a card to share! I created this one back when I was designing cards for DeNami sneak peeks (back in June), however, I didn't think it was worthy of making the sneak peek post. I DO like the card, so I thought I'd share it with you all today!

Only two stamps needed for this little card. I used the newly released Three Houses and then one of my go-to stamps, Hello Friend. How fun are those houses?! I just love the versatility of them. You can use them for everyday cards (like I did), or you could color them in spooky colors for Halloween!

I hope you all have a great rest of your Monday!

California Pictures!

2011-08-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

Hi-ya, blog friends!

As you saw from a post a little while back, I had a short weekend vacation to California. I was able to see my relatives AND had some super fabulous memories. Here are some pictures that I snapped while I was there.

First thing in the morning, we hit up the Kogi food truck in LA. This was my very first food truck experience- I think I'm addicted now! Hoping to find a few here in Washington.....

Here's what we ended up getting there. (Don't worry, this was for four people) My favorite: the sliders! It had this sweet meat that was super delish!

We drove everywhere, including Beverly Hills. There were SO many gorgeous houses up there! However, the windy roads and the lack of cell phone reception weren't enticing me enough to move there. :)

We went all over Hollywood and saw lots of interesting things. Since I didn't want this post to have a million pictures, I thought I'd just show you some of my favorites of this area. How cool is this building?

Here's the famous Madame Tussauds building. Next time I'm in this area, I'd love to actually tour this place, however, we were on a time constraint. (We went to six cities in 10 hours)

We went to the Kodak theater, which also had this great shopping area. I've only seen the Kodak from the Academy Awards, so I had no idea there were shops here too!

How cool is this elephant? The detailing on this is amazing!

They had these fountains in this area, so what better place than to take a picture with my sweet cousin!

I couldn't go to Hollywood without taking a picture of the famous sign! Sadly, it was super smoggy that day, so this clear isn't super clear. Oh well, at least I saw it!

After Hollywood we went down Rodeo Drive. While we couldn't afford anything there, it was fun to look around!

We definitely don't have palm trees in Washington! I think my cousin thought I was crazy for wanting to take a picture next to a tree! :)

After Hollywood, we went to Venice Beach. Oh goodness, that place definitely was interesting. Lots of different kinds of people, however, it wasn't my cup of tea.

And now, our last city: Santa Monica! This place was utterly beautiful. There was so much fun stuff here- there were street performers, magicians, artists and more.

Isn't this gorgeous? We just don't have beaches like this in Washington.

Just a tiny view of some of the fun things there. Not only did they have rides, they had games similar to those at a fair.

Couldn't go to this gorgeous place without taking a picture with my relatives! On the left and right of me are my cousins, then on the far right is my uncle.

Our last stop: DINNER! We went to this cool place called Umami, which had great burgers and the most amazing onion rings ever. They also had this item called "Smooshed Potatoes" that were super yummy too. Such a great way to end our long day!

Hope you enjoyed these pictures. I honestly had such a great time there and hope to head down there again soon.

I'll see you all soon with a card.....

School Bus Chickies

2011-08-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

Wednesday greetings!

After reading my fellow Twitter friends tweets, I've seen that quite a few kiddos have started school this week. I decided that now would be a perfect time to break out some of the school stamps we have at DeNami Design. The only issue? Deciding which ones to use!

After going back and forth, I decided on the Chickie School Bus and the Small Apple as my main images. I then created my own "notebook paper" and everything else came together after that.

I cannot tell you how much I love glitter (just in case you didn't notice). For this card I used the Citrone glitter and the Ruby Red glitter. Two must haves, if you like glitter.

If you enjoy these chickies, be sure to check out the large selection we have over on the DeNami website. Lots of holidays and scenes- have fun shopping!

Click here to view the complete chickie selection.

Have a fabulous rest of your Wednesday!

Young Crafters Unite Challenge #1

2011-08-22T22:01:00.000-07:00

Hello, blog friends!

It's finally that time......we are kicking off the very first Young Crafters Unite challenge! The DT has created some amazing cards- be sure to scroll below for their blog links.

I was going back and forth on which stamp to use as my focal point, and finally decided on the super fun Surfboard Trio by DeNami Design. With the warm weather we've been having, it's been putting me in "beach mode". :)

When I think of Summer, I always think of bright colors. I went with that thought and colored the surfboards lots of vibrant hues. The hardest part? Deciding which colors to use!

Okay, now that you've seen my card, I know you'll want to check out the DT cards as well. Here are their links:

Britta Swiderski
Chari Moss
Jennifer Rzasa
Jess Larsen
Marie / Legojenta

If their cards aren't enough push to have you try out this challenge, there's a PRIZE up for grabs as well! The fabulous Simon Says Stamp has graciously offered up a $25 gift certificate!

Ready to play along in this challenge? Head on over to the Young Crafters Unite site to upload your card and/or get all the details!

I can't wait to see what you all create!

Dropping You A Note

2011-08-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

Hi there, blog friends!

Today I have a card to share that features lots of DeNami goodness. I've been trying to go outside my comfort zone lately, and decided that I'd use a stamp that I rarely use. This time around it was the Solid Scallop Dot Rectangle. Now don't get me wrong, I adore the look of this stamp. However, I've never successfully made a card I liked with it.....well, until now.

After playing around with a few different options, I came to the decision that lots of colors were a must for this one. I pulled out various ink pads and went to town.

I used one of my current favorites, the Whimsical Oval Frame, as my focal point. I just love the versatility of this stamp! For my sentiment, I used the new Dropping You A Note, which is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. (Yup, lots of favorites on this card!)

Well, I hope I inspired you to go outside YOUR crafting comfort zone today. Thanks for stopping by!

DT Announcement!

2011-08-16T10:00:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

As you can tell from the title of this post, I have some DT news to share with you all. I am beyond thrilled to announce that I'm a part of the Young Crafters Unite DT! The ever-so-lovely Britta and Marie were so kind in asking me to join their team, I just couldn't pass up the opportunity!

You may remember, they had a SUPER fabulous Blog Hop last month. The premise of the blog is for young crafters, whether it be literally, or for the young crafters at heart. Whatever the case may be for you, we hope you'll join us!

Once a month we'll have a brand new challenge for you to play along with AND every three months we'll have a blog hop. The last one was a huge success- I can't wait until the next one! :) Oh, and let's not forget about the prize for the challenges: a $25 gift certificate to Simon Says Stamp!

But wait....there is even more! I am so honored to be joining some other designers, some you may recognize. Here are the links to the fabulous ladies:

Britta Swiderski
Chari Moss
Jennifer Rzasa
Jess Larsen
Marie / Legojenta

Our first challenge will start on August 23rd, so you only have to wait one week! We have a super fun theme that just about everyone will be able to join along in. It's going to be a ton of fun- you won't want to miss it!

I hope you'll join us each month!

DeNami Mini Cards Blog Hop

2011-08-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hello!

If you have started from the beginning of the DeNami Blog Hop, you should be coming from Karen Baker's blog. If you are just now starting on the hop, you'll definitely want to head to the DeNami blog to check out the blogs from start to finish. There is bound to be lots of fabulous inspiration, plus there are gift certificates up for grabs!

I was really excited to create my cards for this theme- it's not often I create mini cards. There's something so cute about them, and they are super easy to whip up! I knew I wanted to create a trio of cards, so I chose three "main" colors so I could alternate them easily.

Here's a close up of one of the cards. I kept it pretty basic this time around. After all, mini cards SHOULD take less time to create than real cards. :)

Here's what my trio of cards looks like together. I did the same design for all of them and just changed up the sentiment in the middle. For these cards I used the Thoughtful Greetings stamp set.

Lastly, here's how I packaged up the cards. I used the SUPER fabulous 3 x 3 Boutique Boxes, which shows off the cards and also is the perfect way to give a little gift.

Well, it's off to your next stop: Kristy Smith's blog!

Don't forget to leave comments on each stop for your highest chance at winning a $20 DeNami gift certificate!

Hope my card inspired you- enjoy the rest of the hop!

Hello from California!

2011-08-13T12:30:00.000-07:00

Hello there!

I'm writing from sunny California today. After some crazy work months and long hours, I was in need of a little extra time off. Since I have family down here, I thought it'd be the perfect opportunity to take a weekend trip. Yesterday we went to Hollywood, LA, Beverly Hills, Venice Beach and Santa Monica. (Pics to come later) Lots of fun memories and laughs. :)

Today I'm sharing a card that I made quite a few months back, but never got around to sharing. For this one, I paired up DeNami Design & WPlus9, which I think work fabulously together.

I forgot how much I love Berry Sorbet- this color is just so delicious!

I must say, this sentiment "Sending You Love" is one of my absolute favorites. It works with so many different occasions, and I LOVE the handwriting!

That's all for today. Have to go get ready for the beach!

Birthday Elephant

2011-08-09T07:50:00.000-07:00

Hello!

Today I have a birthday card to share with you all. I must say, I was pretty excited when I made this one....I did something a little different. Can you spot it?

I am constantly amazed at how quickly I go through birthday cards. The other day I was looking through my stash of cards, and couldn't find any "guy" birthday cards. Granted, I don't make a lot specific for guys, but I had NONE that would work. *sigh*

Did you find what my surprise was on the card? I used an ice cream cone as the birthday hat! It still wasn't quite as festive as I wanted, so I added a little pom pom to the top. Adds a little dimension and a ton of the "fun factor".

Thank you to each and every person who hopped along in the DeNami & Lawn Fawn Blog Hop last week. It was so fun to read all of your comments! I hope ~~many~~ all of you will hop along with the DeNami Mini Cards Blog Hop on Sunday- it's going to be fun!

Have a GREAT Tuesday!

DeNami & Lawn Fawn Blog Hop!

2011-08-04T01:00:00.000-07:00

Hello there!

Oh my goodness, I'm SO excited that today has finally arrived and I can spill the beans! The DeNami Design & Lawn Fawn DT's are teaming up for an ultra fun, inspirational two-day blog hop! But wait, it's not just any ordinary hop... it's one where each of us are featuring both companies together on our projects!

If you have started at the beginning (over at the DeNami Design blog), you should be coming from Nichol Magouirk's blog. If you're starting here, be sure to head back and take a look/ comment on the other blogs as well. There's an AMAZING prize to be had! (details below)

If you're new to either company, they both have a large variety of designs. DeNami Design has whimsical, elegant, cute wood mounted rubber stamps, while Lawn Fawn has very cutesy images that are made of high quality photopolymer. They are both GREAT companies individually, but put them together and you have a crazy amount of goodness at your fingertips.

I have a total of four cards to share with you, so let's get started!

I just love the polaroid image in the "Say Cheese" set from Lawn Fawn. It's so great to create little scenes in it!

You have probably noticed in blog land that ticket images are SUPER popular. Well, Lawn Fawn has a cute one in the "Admit One" set. My favorite thing about this particular image- you can add your own image/ sentiment inside!

Next up is one that I had SO much fun creating. I'm usually not very good at creating scene cards, but it was really easy with DeNami & Lawn Fawn!

If you haven't been able to tell, I LOVE glitter. This card really shows off this love (and also three of the fabulous colors DeNami Design carries!).

I hope that these cards inspired you! Again, if you haven't checked out the other blog hop spots yet, be sure to do so today! You just never know...YOU could win this rockin' prize package!

Okay, it's off to the last spot on today's blog hop. Head on over to the Lawn Fawn blog and check out what Kelly has created!

In closing, if you haven't stopped by the Lawn Fawn or DeNami Design websites before, be sure to do so today. There's so much goodness to be had! Happy shopping! :)

Thanks for stopping by today; have a wonderful rest of your day!

BIG Facebook Giveaway

2011-08-02T10:00:00.000-07:00

Did you see the news? DeNami Design has reached 2500 on Facebook! To celebrate, we're doing TWO great big giveaways. (see picture below) Head on over to the DeNami FB page to comment and enter for your chance to win!

Click on the photo to be taken to the DeNami Design Facebook page.

Best of luck to all who enter! The two winners will be chosen on Sunday, August 7th, so be sure to hurry and enter! Also, be sure to spread the word!

Thanks, blog friends!

Embellish Patterned Paper Challenge

2011-07-31T20:40:00.000-07:00

Hello!

I hope you all had a great weekend. It's been really low key for me, which was a very welcome change to how busy I've been lately. I love spending time with friends and family, but there are also days when I just need to have nothing planned. Does anyone else need these moments?

Since I did have some down time, I had time to make lots of cards. Here is one that I made (for the current Embellish Magazine challenge)....

As most of you know, I like to stamp my own patterned papers. It may be polka dots, argyle, damask, etc.... pretty much any stamp can be used to create your own papers. However, I must say, there ARE times when it's nice to go the "easy" route and use printed papers. With the recent influx of cute ones recently, I've been known to pick up a few paper pads here and there. I'm so glad that the challenge today helped me actually USE some of them! :)

Well, that's all for today. I'll talk with you all later!

CAS-ual Fridays 13

2011-07-29T17:15:00.000-07:00

Hi-ya, blog friends-

I have a card to share for the newest CAS-ual Fridays challenge. It's hard to believe that it's already at the 13th challenge! This time around, the theme was to create a long card (measuring 4 x 9). I rarely ever create long cards, so this was a nice change.

Since it IS CAS-ual Fridays, I kept it super duper simple. I think this card took about 7 minutes to make. The hardest part? Deciding which color to make the flowers! :)

Well, that's all I have for today. I'll be back soon; I have lots of other cards to share with you all. Oh, and don't think I've forgotten about my giveaway. Since I was gone at CHA, I've been a little behind. I'll hopefully have it in a few weeks!

Have a great night!

Lawnscaping Challenge 14

2011-07-26T16:30:00.000-07:00

Hi-ya, blog friends!

I'm back here in sunny Washington. I cannot even begin to tell you how happy I am to be home. Chicago and I just didn't get along very well. In between feeling dizzy and having bouts of nausea, I also couldn't get used to the muggy weather! Yuck, yuck, yuck!

For today, I have a card that was based off of the current Lawnscaping Challenge #14: stamp a scene. I had such a fun time creating this card- the colors and the mix of DeNami and Lawn Fawn just makes me so happy!

Did you happen to notice the glittery rainbow? LOVE! If you've been eying this stamp, I actually have a sweet little deal for you. Here's a coupon code good for 10% off your whole order on the DeNami Design website!

Well, that's all for today. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Water Lily Congratulations

2011-07-22T17:00:00.000-07:00

Hello again from Chicago!

We have just finished up Day #2 of the CHA SuperShow. Boy, oh boy, is it nice to sit here in an air conditioned hotel room. This muggy weather is absolutely horrid! Already longing for my rainy {cool} Seattle weather.....

Today I have a DeNami card to share with you all. It features some of the gorgeous new stamps, along with some oldies. :)

I cannot resist lime, white, magenta, brown and leaf green together. (Did you see the recent informal DeNami blog challenge? Yup, it's these colors!)

You know I love my glitter, so I had to add touches of it to this card. I used my Quickie Glue Pen and Magenta glitter to add just a tad bit of sparkle.

I have to say, I have been horrid at taking pictures this time around in Chicago. Sadly, there won't be any posts about my trip this time around. No pictures= not very interesting blog posts! I've enjoyed getting to meet some of my blog followers already, and I'm looking forward to meeting more of you tomorrow and Sunday!

Thanks for stopping by my blog today; I'll talk with you all soon!

Just A Note

2011-07-19T19:45:00.000-07:00

Hello from {muggy} Chicago!

I arrived a few hours ago for the big CHA SuperShow this weekend. If you missed the news, DeNami Design has a booth there, and I'll be working in it! You can find us at Booth #2222. Hundreds of card ideas, all of the new stamps along with many of you old favorites, Make N Takes and of course, demos by Nami! Hope to see you there....

Okay, now onto today's card. I recently stumbled across a newer company, The Craft's Meow. I had to pick up two of their sets- they were just calling my Copics! For this card I pulled out the set called "Happiness Is..." and created a card based off of the July challenge.

I had the hardest time trying to come up with a way to add a sentiment. After trying many different options, I finally decided to bring out some of my neglected vellum. Voila! I love the way it turned out. You can still see the pretty rose AND it adds a bit more elegance to the card.

Thanks for stopping by today. Sending you all hugs.....

CAS-ual Fridays 11

2011-07-14T22:00:00.000-07:00

Hi there!

Thank you all so much for the birthday wishes- they meant so very much to me! I appreciate each and every one of them. :)

While I was in my craft studio tonight, the new CAS-ual Fridays 11 was posted. Since I had just finished the other card I was working on, I just had to play along with the theme this week. It was so fun to play with a yummy sweet treat!

I usually struggle with CAS cards, but lately I've been starting to get the hang of it. Guess the saying "practice makes perfect" is true!

I hope you enjoyed my card today. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Birthday!

2011-07-13T08:00:00.000-07:00

Good morning!

Today I'm in a birthday mood....maybe because it's my birthday. :) So crazy how fast this year has gone by; I feel like I just celebrated my last one!

In honor of today, I have a fun, bright birthday card to share with you.

Do any of you remember when I didn't care for purple? Well, things have definitely changed in this department! Now I really enjoy pulling out purples; I even paint my nails purple sometimes! :)

In closing, I want to let you all know that I'll have a blog giveaway coming soon. I had originally wanted to do it today, but failed to get my act together. Let's just say it's a BIG prize that many of you will love!

Thanks for stopping by- have a wonderful rest of your day!

Lovely Layers Blog Hop

2011-07-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hi there, blog friends!

So glad you could join me for the AWESOME DeNami Lovely Layers Blog Hop. This is my favorite day in the whole month! I just love seeing all the different creations using one theme. Also, another fun part: seeing new and old DeNami fans come together for this fun event. It just warms my heart. :)

If you have started from the beginning of the DeNami Blog Hop, you should be coming from Andrea Matthews' blog. If you are just now starting on the hop, I'd suggest heading over to the DeNami blog to check out the blogs from start to finish. There is bound to be lots of fabulous inspiration, plus there are gift certificates up for grabs!

I added tons of layers on this card, some might be a little hard to see. I stamped/ colored each of the individual apples, then popped them up with some mounting tape. I just love the dimension it brings! I also did the same with the Apple Basket.

Did you happen to notice the yummy Chocolate Brown glitter ribbon? I honestly wasn't too sure about them when we added them to the website, but now, I'm completely addicted. (I created five cards with it recently!!)

It's off to your next stop on the hop. I'm so honored to point you in the direction of Sarah Martina Parker's blog. I know she has a beauty for you, so head on over there quickly. :)

Don't forget to leave comments on each stop for your highest chance at winning a gift certificate! With the new release, I know this will definitely come in handy for many of you!

Hope my card inspired you- enjoy the rest of the hop!

CAS-ual Fridays 10

2011-07-08T13:55:00.000-07:00

Hi there!

I wanted to pop in really quickly with a card I made for the CAS-ual Fridays Challenge #10. The theme this week was shaped cards, which was definitely a challenge for me. I decided to go with a cloud shape since it seemed to fit the stamps I wanted to use. :)

I used a Cricut cartridge for the white cloud shape, then just created my own "frame" with the blue cardstock. Such a fun thing to do when you want to change up your cards!

Thank you so much for stopping by today! I'll see you on Sunday for my Lovely Layers Blog Hop card!

Girlie Shopping Spree

2011-07-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

Good morning!

Today I have a super girlie card to share with you all. It features many of my favorite things: pink, rhinestones, glitter and ribbon. :)

If you're a DeNami fan, you know that we have a line of girl stamps called "Mimi's Boutique". We have her in various scenarios and holidays- lots and lots of fun ones! For this card, I pulled out Mimi's Shopping Spree- the perfect one for any girl who enjoys shopping!

Isn't it fun to see individual stamps created as a background? I just love creating my own patterned papers! Such an easy thing to do that doesn't take very much time.

It's a pretty basic card, but I honestly love how it turned out. Yet another card that I may have a hard time parting with. :)

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog today!

Mehndi Birthday

2011-07-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

Good morning!

Thank you all so much for the comments on my Young Crafters Unite Blog Hop post. It was great to receive comments all throughout the weekend- it was little rays of sunshine in my day.

Today I have a super CAS card to share with you. As I mentioned in a previous post, I had lots of friends who had birthdays in June- my sweet cousin being one of them. She had lived in India for a short time, so I thought this might be fitting for her. :)

I rarely ever create one layer cards; they are super hard for me! However, this set made it really easy AND the card is cute. (Is it okay to toot my own horn?!)

It's back to work today. I had a four day weekend, which went by all too quickly. However, I'm excited to head back and get orders out from the new DeNami Design release!

Thanks for stopping by my blog today. I hope you have a great day!

Young Crafters Unite Blog Hop

2011-06-30T22:01:00.001-07:00

Hello there!

Today is a special day.....it's the very first Young Crafters Unite Blog Hop! The lovely Britta (who I have the honor of working with on the DeNami DT) and the super talented Marie have put together this great blog. As soon as I heard the announcement, I HAD to sign up. :)

If you started from the beginning, you should be here from Danielle Daws blog. If this is your first, be sure to check out the whole hop- there are lots and lots of great designers PLUS there are prizes up for grabs!

I was torn about what DeNami stamps to use (cause they're my favorite). I finally decided to go with ones that are staples on a lot of my cards. In addition, I added a Spellbinder die in there (this shape is currently my favorite), a scallop punch, a Prima flower and then some wrinkle ribbon. Each of these individually are things I love, but when you put them together, you have a card that I don't think I can part with! :)

What makes me a young crafter?

Well, I AM fairly young.....23 to be exact. Even though I've been stamping since I was a wee tot, I feel like I am constantly learning new things, just like a kid. :)

It's off to your next blog hop stop- Michele over at Whimsical Creations!

Be sure to leave comments on each blog on the hop- there are some stamp sets and a gift certificate up for grabs!!

Thanks so much for hopping over here; I hope you were inspired!

I'm Still Alive!

2011-06-28T21:45:00.000-07:00

Hi there, blog friends!

I just wanted to pop in really quickly. I AM still very much alive; I've just been crazy busy at work lately.

If you are a crafter, which you most likely are if you're reading this blog, you HAVE to check out the sneak peeks over on the DeNami blog. We are gearing up for our July 1st release and we have LOTS and LOTS of fabulous cards from the DT over there. In addition, we have some awesome giveaways that you'll definitely want to enter.

I'll be back in the next week or so with lots of new cards. I've been stamping up a storm, so I have lots to share with you. :)

Talk with you soon.....

Hi Whale

2011-06-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

Good morning!

Oh boy, have I been busy lately. As I mentioned in the previous post, my sister got married on Saturday. It was a very special day, with some slight mishaps. I'll do a post with some pictures, and the behind-the-scenes details soon!

Today I have a card to share that was originally created for a Paper Crafts sketch for a publication call. Obviously, it wasn't chosen....but that's alright. I'm learning to not take the rejections AS hard as I did before. I'm building character, or something like that. :)

I cannot get enough of this Whale. He just has so much character and spunk! In case you missed any of my previous posts with him, here are the links:

Happy Sea Friends

Color Trends Challenge: Hearts

Happy Whales

I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day. I'm off to work for a few hours, then heading to Seattle with my out-of-town cousins! Yay for family times!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Quick and Easy Birthday

2011-06-17T09:30:00.000-07:00

Hi there!

I was hoping to show you my sister's (the bride to be) wedding card today, but I still haven't had time to make it! Eeek...the wedding is tomorrow! I also need to make my Father's Day card for my dad and grandpas. Hopefully I can squeeze in a bit of time before decorating the church and the wedding rehearsal tonight!

I have another birthday card to share with you today. Remember how I said I had a lot of friends birthday's this month? I totally wasn't kidding. Here's my take on doing a quick & easy birthday card.....

A while back I would constantly use the Prima roses, but lately I've been finding it harder to incorporate them into my designs. I was thrilled when I tried them out on this card and it looked great! I just love the color of these rosebuds- wouldn't it be fun if there really was flowers this color?

Okay, need to wrap up this post. Off to pick up my cousins, who I haven't seen in months- I LOVE LOVE LOVE that all my relatives were able to come up for the wedding. It's going to be so fun seeing everyone! Just to warn you, there may not be many blog posts in the next few weeks.....I'll do my best to post though, I DO have quite a few cards you haven't seen yet.

Have a great rest of your Friday, sweet blog friends.

Color Cue 16

2011-06-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

Good morning!

Today I have a card to share featuring the Color Cue #16 colors. You may be surprised that I already have a card done for this (as Dawn posted it last night). Let's just say I was up late and I couldn't wait to give this color palette a whirl.

For this card I pulled out my newly purchased Pile It On stamp set, along with the coordinating die. I had so much fun creating all the different colored "flavors"! I loved the dotted line in the set, so I thought I'd create a fun little design, then add rhinestones. Guess it's good I collect bling; I had rhinestones for all the colors!

Well, sweeties, that's all for today. Time to start work! Thanks so much for stopping by; talk with you later.

Simply Scrapping Color Challenge 2

2011-06-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

Hi there!

Thank you to those who left comments on my Fabulous Frames Blog Hop card. You all know how to bring a smile to my face! :)

Today I have my second, and last, card for my guest designer spot at Simply Scrapping Color Challenge! Be sure to check out their site to see their cute DeNami samples!

Here is this weeks inspiration photo and the colors:

The picture really inspired me to create my own funky background. I had so much fun choosing the different stamps I wanted to use! I never would have put all these stamps together had it not been for this great inspiration picture!

Lots of DeNami stamps used on this one:

Teeny Swiss Dot

Mini Solid Flower

Elegant Floral Blossom

Hello Friend

Leaf Vine Swirl

Whimsical Flowers stamp set

You have the whole month to join in, so be sure to check out all the details! Also, don't forget they have a DeNami gift certificate up for grabs!

Have a wonderful rest of your day!

Fabulous Frames Blog Hop

2011-06-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hello there!

If you have started from the beginning of the DeNami Blog Hop, you should be coming from Amy Smidebush's blog. If you are just now starting on the hop, I'd suggest heading over to the DeNami blog to check out the blogs from start to finish. There is bound to be lots of fabulous inspiration, plus there are gift certificates up for grabs!

For some reason, I had a hard time with this theme. It might have been because I saw DeNami DT member, Laurie's card beforehand and felt like my card was mediocre. After fussing around, I texted Laurie and told her my troubles. She had this genius idea of me using the same stamps as the ones she used, so you all would be able to see two uses of these fun images. Plus, the hardest part about stamping can be just choosing which stamps to use! :)

I actually kept this card pretty basic just so the frame and daisies could take the spotlight. Aren't those daisies fun in bright colors? Here's the list of DeNami stamps used for this card:

Small Daisy Blossom

Hang In There

Decorative Frame

Polka Dot Background

(I added the additional line inside the frame using a ruler & black pen)

Okay, now onto your next stop on the hop: Linda Nomura's blog!

Be sure to leave comments on EACH blog on the hop- you just never know which one we'll pick for a random comment to be chosen as the winner! You have until tomorrow at 11:59pm to leave your comments!

Thanks for stopping by. Happy hopping!

Pretty Birthday

2011-06-08T12:30:00.000-07:00

Hi there!

Just wanted to pop in really quick with a birthday card I made recently. It seems like all my friends have birthdays in May and June, so I needed to stock up. :)

For this one I pulled out some of my favorite DeNami Design stamps. Here is what I used: Small Happy Birthday, Heart Flower Trio Circle and Polka Dot Background

Did you guys notice that I have bigger pictures now? What do you think? While I like consistency, I do like the ability to see cards larger (when I view other blogs), so I thought I'd bring it to my blog. Let me know if you like it!

Simply Scrapping Color Challenge

2011-06-07T10:00:00.000-07:00

Hello, blog friends!

I have some fun news to share with you- I'm the guest designer over at the Simply Scrapping Color Challenge! DeNami Design is sponsoring and all of the girls on that DT got some DeNami goodies to play with! Be sure to check out the site to see their cute samples!

Here is the inspiration photo and the colors:

With the owls in the photo, I just had to bring out the Owl Trio stamp. I just love this stamp so I always enjoy bringing them out. :) I also thought I'd bring out the Small Congratulations. I always seem to need congrats card, so this will be a great one to have on hand.

I hope you all will check out this super great challenge. The winner is chosen at random, so anyone has a chance to win! Also, if your project really inspires the DT, they just might ask you to be a guest designer. Isn't that fun? So....you have a chance to win a DeNami gift certificate (as a prize) THEN you also might be able to be a guest designer!

You have the whole month to join in, so be sure to check out all the details!

Thank you so much for stopping by- hope you enjoyed today's card!

Color Cue 15

2011-06-01T18:15:00.000-07:00

Hi there!

Wanted to pop in really quick and share the card I created for the Color Cue #15. These aren't colors I would have ever thought to put together, which was fun. Don't you love going outside your "comfort zone"?

I pulled out the Filigreed Frames and Woodgrain Silhouettes sets for this card- I thought they worked together really well!

Did you notice the patterned paper on the butterflies? Yet another one I recently purchased. :)

Thanks for stopping by and leaving me some love today! {{hugs}}

Shopping Gals + Warehouse Sale

2011-05-31T17:30:00.000-07:00

Hello there, sweet blog friends!

I have a confession to make.....I recently have been buying patterned papers. Lots and lots of papers. (gasp!) I usually can stay away from them, since I like to stamp my own, but there have been so many cute ones coming out lately! Today I'm featuring a paper line from My Minds Eye: Lime Twist. This particular pack is called Life of the Party. LOVE it! (This was the first time I purchased from i Heart Papers and their service was awesome!)

I thought this polka dot paper worked really well with the Shopping Gals and Let's Get Together stamp set by DeNami Design. I had a ton of fun coloring these girls with my Copics. :)

Since we are looking at girls shopping.....do you like to shop for crafty things? Are you in Washington state? If so, I got some GREAT news for you! DeNami Design is having their second warehouse sale THIS Saturday. There is going to be lots of gently used stamps, cardstocks by the pound, scrapbook papers, markers and ink pads and much, much more.

Click here for directions and all the details!

I'm going to be working at the register, so if you go, you'll get to see me! :) Oh, and did I mention there is going to be tons of GREAT sales? You'll definitely want to make it out there if you can!

Thanks for stopping by. I'll talk with you all later!

Totally Hues Challenge 7

2011-05-28T14:55:00.000-07:00

Hello!

Wow, is it Saturday already?! It's quite sad....I made this card a week ago, and am just now getting to post it. Amazing how a week can go by that quickly!

This card was based off of Heather's gorgeous Totally Hues Challenge #7. These colors are so lovely together!

I pulled out my WPlus9 set, Woodgrain Silhouettes Additions, for the focal image. I just can't get enough of this stamp! It's the perfect size, and works for all sorts of cards!

Here you can see I added some Mossy Green rhinestones to the leaf image. It adds a little extra texture and sparkle, which I love. Also, I added some light pink pearls to my butterfly die cut. I tell you, it's the little things that make a card look complete!

Hope you enjoyed today's card. Have a great rest of you day!

Thinking of You Giraffe

2011-05-26T08:15:00.000-07:00

Hello!

Today I have a card to share with you all! If you follow the DeNami blog, you may have seen that we are featuring the Giraffe stamp this week. I just adore this little stamp- it's great for so many occasions. Most may use him (or her) for baby cards, but it's also great for thinking of you cards. Can you imagine getting this little cutie in the mail? It would definitely bring a smile to my face!

Here's what I made with the cutie pie:

I recently have been infatuated with all things nautical. It just might have to do with the fact that DeNami released some super cute images. *wink* Anyways, I created a nautical card with these colors, and decided to play with them again for this card. (You can view my nautical card in these colors on today's DeNami blog post.)

Here's the close up of the Giraffes. For the bottom portion of the card, I pulled out the following:

Scallop Border

Polka Dot Background

All Occasion Word Blocks

To see more FABULOUS inspiration with this stamp, head on over to the DeNami blog. Also, before I forget, DeNami Design is offering 10% off this stamp THIS WEEK ONLY. No coupon codes needed- it's all done for you! Be sure to snag up this cutie!

Well, that's all for today. Thanks so much for stopping by!

For Sale

2011-05-23T17:39:00.000-07:00

Hello!

Just wanted to pop in really quick....I know I haven't written in a little while. Lots going on in my personal/ work life, so sadly I haven't felt like blogging much. *sigh*

While I have you here, I'd LOVE for you to check out my "for sale" section on my blog. I've been clearing out my studio area, so I added lots more new goodies in there. :)

Hope all is well with you, blog friends. Until next time....

Buttons & Twine

2011-05-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

Good morning!

Today I have a card to share that I made for the CAS-ual Friday's Challenge #2. The challenge: to use buttons and twine. Yup, totally a challenge up my alley! :)

I originally created a card that featured buttons as an accent, then decided to nix that. With all the pretty button colors I have, they have to be the HIGHLIGHT! I pulled out my amazing DeNami Design buttons, and went to town.

Click here to view the DeNami selection of buttons.

As you can see, I kept this card pretty simple. After I adhered the buttons (with my ATG dispenser, it was a breeze!), I added some yummy twine from The Twinery.

Be sure to check out the details of this challenge- there's some DeNami buttons up for grabs! Fun challenge and a great prize= win-win in my book!

Have a great Wednesday, thanks for stopping by!