Pinch me, is this for real?! - Crafty News!

OMG!  I am so excited to tell you this that I can barely contain myself!!!

WAIT! I am getting ahead of myself...let's go back a few months to November 1st, 2013...  It was a sad, sad day when the Fusion Card Challenge Blog announced it was closing it's doors.  :(   I loved that challenge sooooo much!  The idea of having options for the challenge, working from the sketch OR the image or better yet, combining two things into one to achieve the perfect balance- FABULOUS!  Not only that, but any challenge blog designed by Lesley Croghan is simply top notch.  They are always professional, with the best graphics and fun challenges!  I am in awe of how she maintains various challenge blogs while working her full time job!  So it was a heart-breaker to hear that the challenge was closing.

But then there was a outpouring of love from this fabulous crafty community asking Lesley not to close down the blog and guess what?! She decided to reopen AND do a DT call ta-boot! (I am channeling all you wonderful Canadian crafters out there- ha!)  Well, I gotta tell you this is one opportunity I wasn't going to miss out on!  I never imagined being picked as a DT member, but I had to throw my hat in the ring.  Well here I am today to tell you that I am part of the new Fusion Card Challenge DT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Umm.... can you pinch me so I know this is for real?!?

Needless to say, It is going to be so amazing to be working with Lesley, Danielle (the new manager) and all the other fabulous ladies on the team! You just HAVE to head over to Fusion to see all the amazing gals on the team!  Oh... and, come back again on Thursday for the first challenge of 2014!

Now, before you go, I don't want to leave you with out anything crafty (other than my news!!!!)... so here is a look back at 13 (+1 for good measure!) of my fave cards from 2013.  So, buckle up buttercup, here comes a trip down memory lane.

Let it Snow!

 Lawnscaping Winter Blog Hop

Moxie Fab Thanks

Home Grown Case Study

Use What You Have & STS

Bella of the Ball

 You Rock!

 Krazy for Kraft Denami Hop

What not to wear

Life is a Circus

What's the Buzz?

BFBP

Time to find that Silver Lining! 

...and last but not least, that plus 1 to make 14 (I call that one to grow on!)

Update on Stamping Royalty Honorable Mention

Feel free to tell me which was your fave card for the year, of these or others that I didn't review.

Thanks so much for visiting and Happy New Years to you!  Be safe and happy as you ring in 2014!!!!!

Final holiday card showing

I know Christmas has come and gone, but I still have a few cards to share with you before 2013 comes to a close.

The first card features the little Lawn Fawn fox, which I love- so cute!  I borrowed this stamp from my Gal Pal Amy T. LOVE You Amy! speaking of, did you see this card she made with the little fox and the new die line Top Dog Dies?!. TO DIE FOR, no pun intended! My daughter also had fun making a few little foxes. :)  I'll be entering this one into a few challenges.  the first of which is Pinspired...I am soooo sad to see this challenge go, I love it so!! :(  Anyway, here are the challenges: Pinspired Challenge #24, CAS(E) this Sketch #58, Merry Monday Challenge- #88- featuring an animal.





My second card took a cue from the current chalkboard trend.  I love this look on holiday cards!  The background DP from Crate Paper is rockin' too!  I'll be entering this one into The Pink Elephant #231- Anything Goes and the Cupcake Inspiration Challenge #241.


Be sure to come back tomorrow for some Crafty News and fave cards of mine from 2013. :)


Thanks for stopping!





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Ringing in the New Year with CIU!

Hi friends!  How was your Christmas (if you celebrate)?  Mine was good.  Filled with all the fun and stress that comes with family. ;)  Now onto 2014!  What do you hope the new year will bring for you?

Today it is time for another CIU Challenge, and the Theme is New Years Celebration.  Won't you come and play?  You know the rules, just use a die cut and link to CIU with your creation, easy.  This week's prize is super cool too.  We've got a celebration die set to give away from Your Next Stamp.

Here is how I was inspired.  I made a CAS card using my Happy Hour Stamp set from Sweet Stamp Shop in gold.  I added some stars from Memory Box dies.  Wham, bam, thank you mam!  Done.

Come on over and join us won't you?

Today's Question of the Day is- How will you be celebrating New Years Eve and ringing in 2014?

Let is snow!

The weather for the Seattle area calls for Snow tomorrow.  I know not everyone wants that but I say yay!

Meanwhile, t-minus 5.5 days and counting until Christmas!  I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! Typically I have a little last minute stuff to do but am pretty on the ball.  Not this year!  Oh boy do I feel that harried-tarried feeling this year.  I think it might be due to the fact that US Thanksgiving came later than normal this year and the classes I've been taking (which are done now, whew!  I just have to take the test!), but whatever, I am scrambling.

Typically I send out 50-65 homemade cards per year and the list continues to grow.  This year I think the total will only hit 45 or 50.  Of course I feel bad, but a girl can only do so much!  I had about 10 holiday cards made prior to this last weekend, so over the course of 4 days I made about 40 more.  Phew!  But of course I am enjoying it a little... ;), just not the time pressure part.  Meanwhile, here is one of the varieties of cards I made in the last few days.  I haven't entered any challenges in a week or two so I am having withdrawls!!! ;)  So....entering into- Pinspired Challenge #23, Curtain Call Challenge- Sweet Snowflakes, and CAS-ology- Knit!

For me, now that I make homemade cards I can't NOT make homemade cards.  I feel like going to the store and purchasing cards is like cheating!  So the Question of the Day is (assuming you are a card maker too)- What is your philosophy on sending out homemade cards vs. store bought cards?  AND/OR what is your favorite occasion to send cards for? 

For those of you that celebrate Christmas, I hope it is very Merry!  If not, I hope you enjoy the glow and cheer of the season and wish you the best for whatever holidays you do celebrate.  I'd love to know about those other holidays too, so feel free to comment about that today as well. :)

Lawnscaping Winter Blog Hop

If you are looking for today's Cut-it-up post, scroll down to the previous post. 

Hello fine friends!  Thank you for joining us on this fun winter blog hop!  I can only imagine how much fun you are having so far!!!!!!  

Speaking of fun, you should have arrived here from the wonderful Joyce M's blog.  If not, you may want to go back to the beginning/check in at the Lawnscaping blog to make sure you hit all the stops...because there are prizes to be given away!!!!!  You have until 12/15 @ 11:59 pm to comment on all the blogs for your chance at those prizes.  Details about the prizes are on the Lawnscaping blog. 

I singing some Christmas tunes with my little one before settling down to work on my card and I was filled with that holiday spirit and sense of wonder.  So... I couldn't resist the urge to to have Mr. C peaking out of the chimney to see if the coast is clear and the kiddos are in bed so he can deliver gifts and fill the stockings! Not to worry, they are snug in their beds!  SC has time to make his deliveries and eat a few cookies too!  Yum!  

I had a ton of fun making this card using my new to me Cozy Christmas set, Gnome Sweet Gnome and Hats off to You!  I loved layering and coloring and adding a fun bow for the finishing touch.  I hope you likey and are filled with the cheer of the season too!

Thanks for stopping friends and please come back again.  Now onto miss Nicole Galvadon's blog for more fabulous inspiration!

Happy Holidays!

City Skyline

I know you've all been making holiday cards like crazy and you were just waiting for this opportunity to add your creation that features a die cut to one of our challenges. So ladies (and gents)...it is the Cut-it-up Challenge you've been waiting for....the theme is Christmas! Wahooo!  You know how it works of course, come check out the inspiration and rules over at Cut-it-up and enter your creation to win a $20 dollar gift certificate to Cute as a Button!!!!

Here is my inspiration for you for this round.  I focused on Christmas in my lovely city of Seattle!  I used my Savvy Stamps dies for the buildings and the beloved Space Needle.  This is actually what the skyline looks like (more or less) when you look out the window to our beautiful city, it really is so festive and fun.  I had to use a bunch of different varieties of bling to deck the town out and it was super fun to watch the sparkle emerge!

Now I don't know about you, but as the clock ticks down to Christmas I am feeling the rush.  I have yet to send one card...but more importantly I only have about 15 made!  Typically, I send out about 50 and the number grows every year!  Now that my class is over, I need to get my butt in gear wouldn't you say!?!

One of my favorite things about Christmas, is to bask in the glow of our tree in the evening with no other lights on.  There is just something about it that puts the magic in Christmas for me.  So, today's Question of the Day is- What is your favorite thing about Christmas?  Or if you don't celebrate Christmas, what is your favorite holiday and favorite thing about that holiday?

Thanks for stopping friends!  Head over to Cut-it-up to check out all the other inspiration!

Ohh, sometimes I get a little McNeely

How about a little modified Flo Rida to start your morning eh?!  I changed my up from "get a good feeling McNeely" because I've been loving Tracey McNeely's 25 Days of Holiday Tags.  Seriously, each one from her and all her fabulous guests is a miniature work of art!

I can just imagine being a recipient of a gift with such a tag on it and forgetting all about the gift and focusing purely on this work of art!  So....I decided to make my own fun tag.  This one was easy and I was able to incorporate some of those paper straws that are oh so trendy! (or were at least, I may be a little late on that band wagon...oh well).  Not only was I inspired by this tag of Tracey's, but I was also inspired by this pin of a straw wreath.  So I used ideas from to two to create my own tag and wreath combo, mini and small enough to fit on this kraft doily (Maya Road).  I added part of a sentiment from Frankly My Dear (Casual Friday's), a snowflake and a little twine and wallah!  I hope that someone, whomever's gift I put it on, will feel that it is special and filled with love. <3 p="">
So, with that.  I am entering this into Festive Friday and Fusion Challenge (yay!  it is back!!!!).

Oh, and no one has yet guessed what I am getting my hubby for Christmas, if you guess correctly you win a prize. Check it out here.

Today's Question of the Day is- Do you think Flo Rida really likes Florida (whenever I see his name I think Florida, Florida, there is no place like Florida...)?  If not, what is with the name?  What is the goofiest celebrity/musician name you can think of?

Say what?!

Be Happy, that's what!!!! :)  I am making this post super quick today, but wanted to share a card I made for a friends daughter who is kinda bohemian or granola (that is how the mom described her).  So I whipped this up using a little emboss resist and this SU! stamps that I adore, some Tsukineko Firecracker spritzers, the "Be" and "Happy" dies from Simon Says Stamp and some Freckled Fawn wood chip stars!  Easy peasy!  Hope she likes it.

I am entering into Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge- with a flourish the City Crafter's Challenge- featuring wood.

Thanks for stopping!

Santa coming through!

Watch out....move it...Santa is coming through peeps!  And he has got some BIG deliveries to make too!

OK, can I start this post by telling you I just bought my hubby the absolute best Christmas gift EVAH!!!!  I really want to tell you what it is, and I probably could because I don't think he reads this BUT I don't want him to know at all, or find out in any way shape or form, so I can't spill the beans.  I can give you a few hints though...it is something that would be awesome in a "man cave" (which we don't have but maybe one day), perfect for just about any guy, goes great with sports on TV and is big!  Do you know what it is?  Any guesses?  I love finding that *just right* gift for someone, it is so super exciting for me!  I just can't wait to see the look on his face!

OK, when I laid my eyes on this Sweet Stamp Shop set it was a must have.  I lurve to color and I thought it would make perfect set for mass producing cards.  Of course I haven't started yet.... and thinking about coloring and cutting 50+ cards, maybe that isn't the best for mass producing at this point...but we'll see. I'll likely have several different cards in small batches, which is more fun for me than just one type anyway. Meanwhile, this card is perfect to go with my excitement today, because of the rushed, special delivery element!  Can you imagine counting down the holidays and the delivery man making it just in time for the special event?!   I can!  So....I am entering this card into The Pink Elephant Challenge # 228- Winter and the Curtain Call Challenge Christmas Countdown.

Before you go, the Question of the Day is- based on the hints I provided, what do you think I am getting my husband?  I am confident he won't read the comments so it's all good.  Whomever is the first to get it right (without already knowing), I will send you a small stamping/crafting goodie from my stash. :)