Summer Fun with Cut-it-Up Challenges

Though it technically isn't summer just yet (6/21 is the solstice), I am happy to share that I have already kicked summer off hard core.  First we've had some fabulous May weather in Seattle- 80's and beautiful.  And my family and I made a trip to San Diego to enjoy the beach and attractions.  So I am pretty sure I've started the season off right, what about you?!

Here's one way to get in the summer mood.  Come join us for the Cut-it-Up Summer Vacation Challenge!  I know there are going to be sooooooo many fabulous creations!  I envision popsicles, ice cream, swimming, camping, sandcastles and more.  It is your chance to show us what summer vacation means to you!

My inspiration was driven by out yearly trips to the Oregon Coast and even the trip to San Diego we just took.  In those types of places you always see beach signs, "Beach this way" or "life at the beach is better" and the like.  My message is "Beach or Bust!"  I used a variety of dies on this project for the fun look.  First is the shells that are a retired Quickcutz die, the license plate is from My Favorite Things and the letters are Lawn Fawn.  I masked some stamps from the Neat and Tangled Just for You set to make the "or bust!"  Last but definitely not least, I used some twine from our fabulous sponsor Trendy Twine to string my sign up!

And of course there is a prize up for grabs if you decide to play!!!!  A sample pack of 4 colors of twine from Trendy Twine and an Artful Delights card kit- whoop!  So go get your summer started right! :)

for a friend

hello.  sorry i've been quiet the last week plus.  i was on vacay in San Diego.  it was warm but not hot, the beaches were fab and we spent a lot of time at legoland, so fabulous!  i also got to meet Nicole Rixon and Dannielle Robeson in person, AWESOME!  the vacation ended a few days early with me breaking my wrist when falling on sandstone though.  booo!!!!  i am actually in surgery as you read this getting some pins placed in my wrist.  wish me well please.

this card was originally inspired by Wida (Beachorado) while she was featured on CASE study, but i didn't get it done in time.  i did finish before vacay though and sent to my friend for her bday.  the silhouette reminds me of my friend Kimberly too, so shout out to her.

ok, sorry for the shorty and poor punctuation, but only having one hand to type...well i am done.  here is to healing quickly so i can get crafty. :)

entering this into:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday- Anything Goes
The Pink Elephant- Anything Goes

Fusion #11

Can you believe we are 11 challenges in?!  Not me, no way!  I simply love playing with this challenge, it is so very fun... Every. Single. Time.

Now I am not typically a Christmas card in May kinda girl, but when I got a look at this week's inspiration, I simply couldn't look at it any other way.  I felt that if I didn't go Christmas I might as well not even participate!  I shudder at the thought! LOL!  Here is the challenge inspiration:

So here is my holiday card in response. I included the colors the music notes and the birds.  And no stamping here, can you believe it?!  I just slapped on this sticker from My Mind's Eye because it was perfect!

You know the drill, create either with the picture, sketch or BOTH!   Then head on over to Fusion and link it up.  I can't wait to see what you come up with!  AND...if you haven't check out all the other ladies creations you really need to do that- they are AWESOME!!!!

As an aside, Chicadees are one of my favorite birds, they are so cute and fun and I love that even I can identify them by their song.  It really isn't hard, "chicka-dee-dee-dee."  Go take a listen outside if they frequent your neck of the woods and see if you can't hear them calling. I am also quite partial to hummingbirds (amazing feat of nature right there) and the Resplendant Quetzal in Costa Rica (which I've seen in person!!!).  Today's Question is-  what is your favorite bird?

Thanks for visiting!

What fairy tales are made of

Hey ya'll.  Do you know wisteria?  Here's a snapshot....  Aren't they gorgeous! I love May in Seattle because that is when wisteria bloom and I regularly see them on my walk from my car to work in the am.  This flower is so whimsical, it makes me think anything is possible, and that fairy tales really can come true.  Sigh. :)

The creation I am sharing today was inspired by this wisteria and the image of it climbing on a trellis.  I made this card with several of this month's newly released Top Dog Dies and I feel that it truly is a gardener's delight!  I used the Top Dog Dies Alaina Lace Border Die with some wood-grain paper to create my "trellis."  The Top Dog Dies Pretty Petals Die Set are used to make the flowers.  I used....wait for it...tissue paper!  The thin paper allowed me to fold up more than one layer of flower to make it look like a sweet pea bud popping out in the sunshine.  The greenery is the Top Dog Dies Leafy Flourishes Die Set (not a new release but still fabulous!).

This was super fun to create.  Weaving the vines in and out of the faux trellis and creating the flower buds really did make me feel like I was playing in the garden.  It is probably a good thing these aren't live plants though, because my green thumb is often black.  BOO! ;)

OK, I hope you enjoyed this post and will try your hand at making your own paper garden soon!  If you need a few of these dies to get you started you can head on over to Top Dog Dies to get a few. Thank you for stopping by!

Entering this into:
Inspired by #115

Celebrating National Bike Month at Cut-it-Up!

Welcome to another Cut-it-up Challenge!  It is National Bike Month so we are celebrating with some bike themed cards.  How fun is that?!  It is one of the most original challenges I think I've ever played.  I know a few of you out there are bike fans and/or have spouses who like to bike, so I hope you'll enjoy this challenge too.  

Here in the Seattle area, there are lots of folks who bike to work, rain or shine. Don't count me among them...LOL!  So this card for NBM also includes a shout out to the Emerald CIty (aka Seattle).  Here is my take on the challenge.

I stamped my clouds on the white CS and then did a quick light blue wash in the sky.  I cut using two different city line dies.  The first is from Impress and includes the Seattle skyline and Space Needle.  The other city sky line is from Saavy Stamps.  I used a spectrum of greens to denote the Emerald City.  For my bicycle I used one of my bike paperclips that I picked up at World Market about a year ago.

So with that, I'll ask you to head over to Cut-it-up Challenge blog to check out the other inspiration and rules for the challenge.  If you choose to play (and we hope that you do!) you should know that the winner of the challenge will get a $10 gift certificate to Fleurette Bloom AND a sample of papers from The Robin's Nest.  If that doesn't entice you, I don't know what will. :)

Thanks for stopping by today, I hope you are able to get on your bike and ride soon!

Entering this into:
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday- Die Cut

Mid-week inspiration

Hiya friends!  I have a quick post today with a little mid-week Fusion inspiration for you!  Check this fun card out!  It even has a sugar coated rim- yum!

So, I'd love to talk more, but I am headed to the bar....  Just kidding!  I thought this was appropriate since my first card was of a beer mug (here).  It is just fun to make and this is a perfect pick me up card for someone. 

So......have you played yet?  Here is the inspiration for a little more encouragement.

I am entering this into:

CASology- splash

Simon Says Wed. Challenge- Die Crazy

Enjoy the rest of your week!

Daffodils

Hey ya'll, I have one more way for you to use tissue paper.  I'd love for you to head over to the Top Dog Dies blog to check it out. 

Thanks!

Top Dog Dies and the Twinery Hop

Welcome to another team up blog hop with Top Dog Dies and the Twinery!  I am loving all these hops that Top Dog Dies are doing with other companies, it is so fun to use the various products and see how everyone is inspired.  Of course, I love have you all come by and check out my creations too, thank you! As you know of course there will be prizes, so keep reading!

I am sure you already know all about the Twinery, they are awesome and have some fun in store.  Did you know their twine is made from 100% cotton and made in the USA?!  Yep!  You can use it for baked goods, cards, you name it!  Baker's twine adds a fresh, yet nostalgic look to any project at hand! And they have so many colors!!!  EEEK! I just love it.  

Here are the two cards I made for this hop.  I used the same color scheme and DP for both.  This color combo is so fun.  For the first card i used the Top Dog Dies Pretty Petals Dies Set and strung them across the Charcoal twine.  It really stands out against the little bag (which is the perfect size for a gift card).  The stamps are from Reverse Confetti. 

 For the second card i used the Top Dog Dies Laurel Lace Border Die and stitched the Strawberry solid twine in between the flourishes.  It was fun to do a little hand sewing with the twine!!!!  I embossed the RC sentiment in pink on this card.  Both were easy and fun to make and I love that they each have a different feel.  

OK, on with the fun!  This is a three day hop and you need to check back on Tuesday and Wednesday for the the rest of the hop!  If you come back of course there are prizes!  The Twinery is giving away a $25 dollar gift certificate and Top Dog Dies is offering up a $50 gift certificate for wafer thin dies.  So be sure to hop all the way through, comment and hit the company blogs too to enter there be either commenting or using Rafflecopter.  Here is the full list for all the days. 

Monday, May 12:

The Twinery

Top Dog Dies 

Amy Tsuruta

Amy Wanford 

Giovana Smith

Katie Brooks- YOU ARE HERE!

Karen Letchworth

Renee Robbins

Nicole Picadura

Wendy Sue Anderson

Tuesday, May 13:

Top Dog Dies

The Twinery

Anita Mulcahey

Tifany DeGough - 

Christine Meyer

Jaclyn Miller

DoBea Alberts

Tobi Crawford

Wednesday, May 14:

Top Dog Dies

The Twinery

Monika Wright

Amy Crockett

Suzanna Lee

Jeanne Jachna

Stacey Schafer

Jennifer Cuthbertson

So what are you waiting for?!  Make like a bunny and hop! ;)

For Teacher

I have a something different to share with you today.  It is teacher appreciation week and my daughter and I made her teacher a special gift.  We made this little terrarium with a quart jar.    There was a great how to article online here.  It was super easy to make, I got everything at my local nursery.

We started with rocks and sand (you can add a layer of charcoal and one of dirt depending on the plant).After that we added the two air plants we had picked out.  These were a great choice because they are so low maintenance.  Then we added all these fabulous colored mosses...I LOVE THE PURPLE!  Followed by some shells that we had laying around the house.  We finished it off with some daisy lids for mason jars that I got for super cheap on crafty steals a few weeks back.  That's all and it was relatively inexpensive.  We still have enough supplies (minus the plants) to make a few more.

It was so easy and fun for us to make together. I really hope that Sophie's teacher enjoys it.  It is different than any other gift I've seen given, the colors should make her smile and she doesn't even have to have a green thumb to keep it alive. Bonus!  So there you have it.

Before you go, let me show you my little girl in her brand new glasses.  Today was her daddy's birthday so I got them to pose together.  :)  They will take some getting used to (the glasses I mean), but at least she likes how they look, so that is one step in the right direction. :)


Happy Friday to you all and Happy Mother's Day to all you wonderful Mama's out there!

Fusion #10

Wow, can you believe that we are at Fusion #10 already?!  You know what they say, time flies when your having fun.  I have to say I LOVE being on this team.  The ladies are wonderful, the challenges inspiring and the creations divine.  I feel lucky to be here, thank you Lesley and Fusion Team!

This week's challenge is another breathtaking image and wonderful sketch.  Here it is:

What's the first word that comes to mine when you see the pic and sketch?  I say elegant or maybe wedding. Of course I didn't go that direction this week, I went totally opposite.  For once, I chose to work with only the sketch.  It was a hard choice BUT today is my hubby's birthday and I wanted to dedicate this post to him so....here is what I made.

My hubby is becoming quite the beer brewer.  In fact he is brewing several batches (5) for an upcoming wedding for some friends as our gift to them.  That is him, so kind and generous and he loves to have fun ta-boot.  So this card is the perfect card for him.  

The image is a digi I found at From the Heart Stamps.  They have some super fun stuff over there.  I colored this image with layers upon layers of marker and did my best to make it look like a real beer.  I added a little color to parts of the froth and added glossy accents to make it look wet and yummy (to a beer drinker).  I even went so far as to add some stippiling to make it appear that there were bubbles in the brew. Anyway I hope he likes it and Happy Birthday to you Jeremy!

But... back to the CHALLENGE!  You probably know but you can use the image the sketch or BOTH when playing with the Fusion Challenge.  It is super fun and so amazing to see all the creations that come out of it.  If you haven't been over to the Fusion blog yet- GO!!!  You are gonna wanna see all the DT creations, no question.  

So, what are you waiting for? Just click HERE. 

Entering this into:
The Male Room- Give us a giggle
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge (5 things- 3 different papers, image and burlap)

Super Rad!

Hey ya'll!  I've got a card that I am excited to share with you today.  It's SUPER RAD!  LOL!  It totally takes me back to the 80's or the current trends for teens with bright/neon colors.  Anyway, I had a bunch of new products waiting for me to just use them and it worked out that I used them all together.

So what I used here was my brand new PTI star plate die, you'll noticed I popped out most of the stars but not all of them.  A few I even colored with the same ink that I used for my sentiment.  My brand new Pinkfresh Studio washi.  I layered it on the cardstock behind each row of stars.  It is a gradient from purple to blue with gold stripes.  Isn't it yummy?!?!  I also used my brand new Walter and Winnie set The Big, The Bold and You.  I used some inks from PTI and Studio G and some sequins from Neat & Tangled (neither of these items were new, but that is OK).  Did I mention all the brand new products here?  Um....I think I need to stop shopping for a while... :)

Regardless if I have a shopping problem or not...I had fun using all those new products.  I think I shall save this for some teen who is about to graduate or something. :) Meanwhile, I am entering this into Simon Says Stamp- Monday Challenge (there are 5 sequins, the last one is at the bottom, hard to find).

Thank you for coming by today, it always lifts me up to hear from you.  Happy Wednesday!

Top Dog Dies Release Sneak Peak

Guess what happens on Friday?!  There is a new Top Dog Dies release!  Super exciting because there are some fun new dies coming out!!!

I wanted to share a sneak peak with you today.  I have a card I made using  the brand new Top Dog Dies Pretty Petals Die set that is being released this Friday, May 9th.  It is a fun set of six different sized flowers. They are so fun to layer and curl and you can use so many different papers for them.  For this card I used a fun medium for the flowers...wait for it...tissue paper!  I just used plain old white tissue and but used my Heidi Swap coral spritzer and dipped the edges in the color.  I let them dry and finished it with that matching sequin.  I also used the Top Dog Dies Signature Antique Die for the card shape.  The bottom layer is SU! Calypso Coral and the top layer is simply a piece of paper from the DCWV Guilded Paper Stack, I didn't emboss it or anything, it just came like this.  I added a little washi on the edge for fun.

I hope you like it and will be sure to come check out the new dies on Friday over at Top Dog Dies.  Thank you for stopping!

www.tiredsupermom.com

Happy Monday.  Did you have a good weekend?  Thought it poured here, I still had a good weekend.  Our little Camp Fire Girls were supposed to have a lemonade stand with the proceeds going to Oso yesterday but the weather prevented that.  We'll just have to reschedule.

I had a few minutes to play along with a couple of challenges yesterday. I played with Color Throwdown #290 (Cameo Coral, Cool Caribbean, Barely Banana and Basic Black), CAS(E) this Sketch #74 and CASology 93 (electric).  I had fun making this card using the Sweet Stamp Shop set Super Mom.  Another set that is retired that I won't be getting rid of.  It is so fun, I just couldn't ever do that.  I masked off the badge to stamp the cityscape in the background.  A few inked up stars were a nice addition to the lighting bolts.  My fave part is the sentiment- www.tiredsupermom.com.  

Adding a second card here that is also for Color Throwdown and CAS(E) this sketch.  I am also entering this into Paper Smooches Sparks- Anything Goes week.  This features PS stamp sets Briny Blue and Surf and Turf.  Not much too it, the only add is some glossy accents on the bubbles to dress them up a bit. :)

That's all today, I hope you have a great day!

This one is for the Moms out there

Hopefully we all have at least one person in our lives that inspires us.  Well I have many...look around...you are likely one of them (love you crafters!).  Meanwhile, there is one woman in my life who simply amazes me.  That woman is my mother!  As time moves forward and I am a mother myself, I love and appreciate what she does for me now and did for me as a child every day.  I am blessed to have her in my life. Which is why it is easy to dedicate this week's Cut-it-up Challenge to her.

This week we are celebrating Mother's Day on Cut-it-Up!  This is your chance to tell all your Mother's out there just how much you love them.  And what better way to do that than through a handmade card or gift?! So let's get right to it shall we.  Here is my card for this challenge that I dedicate to my Mom.

I made this card using Papertrey Ink's You are die.  I double layered it with DP and black to add a shadow effect.  Underneath I made it a shaker and the layer between is velum.  I stamped my sentiment and filled with sequins.  The ribbon is from Simon Says Stamp.  And then I added the flowers.  I love the contrast of the soft colors to the black and white.  Now pop on over to the CIU blog to check out the challenge rules and the other DT projects which are amazing!

Oh and the prizes- they are:  $20 gift certificate to Cute as a Button and a $10 gift certificate to 3 Girl Jam!

Thanks for stopping and enjoy honoring your Moms!