Two recent tutorials up at the Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Blog

Hiya!  Today I am over at the Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft blog sharing a tutorial on how to make this Sparkle card.  Please come visit to find out more.

Also,  forgo to mention that I was on there a few weeks back sharing how I made this fun mixed-media bird watchers journal for my family to record the birds we find.

Thanks!

Beach House...or...er Farmhouse

Happy Thursday!  HOw is your week going?  I have had most of the week off in between jobs so I can't really complain.  It has been marvelous!  I do wish that I could do it all the time, but alas, someones has to pay for all these crafty goodies! ;)

I am not sure if you played the last round of Fusion, but the inspiration was amazing and the entries were equally as fabulous!  This week we have another wonderful challenge in store for you.  Here is the inspiration photo.

I am going to go out on a limb here and say that I'd interpret this more as a farmhouse. Not that it really matters, but it inspired me to make something that I thought would be nice for a farm using inspiration from the photo and the sketch.  Here is what I made. 

This card uses the new Top Dog Dies Flower Lace A2 Mat Die. Also the DP is from MME and the CS from SU!  The blower is stamped in two different yellows for contrast (again both SU!) and the blue stem is from PTI.  The sentiment is a new wood mount stamp I picked up from the recent Impress Birthday Sale.  

So...be sure to head over to FUSION to check out the official rules and all the other DT ladies cards...I am telling you they are FABULOUS!  

I can't wait to see what you make! 

Going Vintage

Hi Friends! I have another Top Dog Dies share for you today.  I made this fun and lovely card using the Top Dog Dies Vintage Frame Die.  What do you think?  

I love thsi fun shape and it is super fun to lace some twine in the sides as a fun way to adhere it.  It was a perfect shape to make a nice vintage feel on this sympathy card.  Other products used here are from Freckled Fawn, Timeless Twine, Studio Calico, Simon Says Stamp, Faber-Castell and 7 Gypsy's.

So have you entered to win all the dies from the new release yet?  TODAY is the last day to enter (technically you have about 36 hours or so left so get moving!  Go HERE to enter the giveaway! 

Enjoy your Wednesday!

Dog Days of Summer

Hello friends!  Sorry I have been a bit hit and miss.  Pretty sure I told you I am starting a new job this week and was wrapping up my old job last week so I have been just a bit busy.  Check mark though, one thing off my list which means I have more time to be here and blog a bit and comment on your blogs since I have been so bad.

So enough with all that, let's move onto the good stuff.  The dog days of summer are here and it is HOT out there.  Actually, in Seattle it has been pleasantly in the low 80s or so, which is my upper limit.  I know others of you are enduring much hotter temperatures.  My brother told me it is gonna be in the 100's today where he lives.  I am pretty sure I would be a whiny mess if I lived there- LOL.  The up side of all this besides getting to be outdoors is that it is perfect timing for the new and upcoming TOP DOG DIES RELEASE that starts TOMORROW!!!!!  Yep, and they have some cut summer appropriate stuff.  For example, cocktails- YUM!  I have a couple samples here and here.  Also, they have some some super fun shapes and banners and more to be found, check out some of these posts from Tracey, Kimberly, Cathy, Renee, and Stacey. :) Finally, I am just loving this set Top Dog Dies Dog Days #1!

Isn't that lab just the cutest?!  I coupled it with some embellishments from Freckled Fawn and a sentiment from Paper Smooches!  A great card for a friend and dog lover in your life.

The best is yet to come though!!!  Top Dog Dies is having a giveaway!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  You can will ALL, yes ALL of the new release dies.  Go to this link HERE and sign up.  My friends this is a $90 dollar value so HURRY!

Happy Monday and enjoy the heat! ;)

What's tiny, grey and cute?

For the Stuck on U Sketches post scroll down....

 

 

Back for more eh?!  I can't really blame you after getting a taste with that cocktail earlier....:)  Well I don't have anymore food or delicious drinks to share, but...BUT I have  a cute mini card to share for this week's Cut-it-up Challenge.

 

This week's theme at CIU is a shaped card.....wait for it....with a twist!!! You must also include an animal!  Fun right?!  I think so...and back to my question, what is tiny, grey and cute?  A little koala, that's what!  I used this little fun Sweet Stamp Shop guy on a mini card with SU! Framelets dies.

 

 

Isn't that little guy/gal just so cute?!  I wanna pinch his tiny wittle cheeks! :)

 

OK, are you ready to hear about prizes?  This week you can win $10 at Kadoodle Bug!  I know you are excited now, so ....ready....set....go to the CIU blog!

Happy hour with SOUS

Happy Friday!  Friday's really are the best day of the week aren't they?  For one, it is time for the weekend and for two, Stuck on U Sektches die cut challenge fall on Fridays. Yay!

This week SOUS has a fun these for you, just think yummy.... it is Food and Beverage!

My card for this week is another card using that fun Top Dog Dies Party Drinks Die Set.  Clearly I can't get enough of it! (Remember this new release comes out on 7/29...just a few days and it could be yours!!!!) 

Doesn't that look tasty?  Well actually I had a few margaritas myself yesterday, it was my big going away party at work.  They were yummy, I can attest.  Coupled with some good friends, what could be better? 

OK, I hope this has inspired you to come play along with us at SOUS.  Head over to the blog to check out all the wonderful DT projects for more inspiration.

Happy Friday!!!!!

Tequila Sunrise

Exciting new here today!  There is a brand new release of Top Dog Dies coming out on July 29th!  Trust me, these dies are so fun you aren't going to want to miss this!!!!!!!!!!!  Go over to Top Dog Dies to check it out!!!

Meanwhile, I want to wet your appetite for what is coming and nothing does that like a nice cocktail eh?! Here is my version of a Top Dog Dies Tequila Sunrise for you.....

Yummy, yummy in my tummy!!!!  I know I am drooling right now. :)

OK, here is the deal, I combined the brand new Top Dog Dies Flower Lace A2 Mat die.....

AND....the Top Dog Dies Party Drinks Die Set!

I took the Top Dog Dies Flower A2 Mat Die and snipped out specific pieces that I wanted. Isn't that fun?!  You can take this die apart and make it to pretty much whatever you want to!!!!!!!!!!!!  EEEK!  Next I used the Top Dog Dies Party Drinks Die Set, I cut the outside in a light blue and the inside in white.  I colored the inside using my Gelatos so to make it look just like a Tequila Sunrise.  I added all my little tasty garnishes and added some Glossy Accents to make it look moist and tasty.  The backdrop is perfect, created using gelatos to look like sun rays and coupled with the "Rise and Shine" sentiment...well I think you get my meaning right?

So....you have two jobs for the big Top Dog Dies release day on July 29th:  1) find a delicious Tequila Sunrise AND then 2) check out Top Dog Dies new releases because you are going to want to get them all!!!!!!!!!!!!

  Happy shopping, drinking and crafting! :)

Felt Onesie

I am over on the Top Dog Dies blog today sharing a tutorial on how to make this felt onesie card- check it out!

Fabulous Fusion

Guess what today is?!  Fusion Day!  Yay, I love this day!  So, we have another super fun challenge in store for you.  Check out this French, Frilly, Floral, Fabulous Fusion!

Isn't this gorgeous?!  And furthermore, don't you want to devour one of those cupcakes?!  I certainly do.  Here is what I made for this week's challenge:

I was inspired by the florals and the sketch.  I used several differnt mists to mix the colors up and Gelatos for the stem, then I stamped the hydrangea (Stampin Up!) over in black and embossed it clear.  One of the mists was a Dylusions mist that has a lovely shimmer to it.  The sentiment is from Sweet Stamp Shop and so fun, I love this set and the variety it offers.

Feeling inspired?  Wanna play with us?  Head on over to Fusion to check out the other gals fabulous cards, the rules and the current competition!  Best of luck!

Entering this into:

Adventure!

Hello Friends!  I have a fun card using Top Dog Dies to share with you today.  This card is also very symbolic for me. I am embarking on a new adventure in my life in less than two weeks and I am both excited and nervous!

In one and a half weeks I am leaving a job that I have been at for 10 years.  I have spent most of my professional career working at a non-profit looking to find and HIV Vaccine.  Now, I am persuing a new opportunity in the for profit world with a huge corporation.  It will be quite the switch.  My current, soon to be previous, job has been a wonderful organization, with a great mission, that has allowed me many opportunities, provided growth and a wonderful work family, I am quite sad to be leaving for many reasons, but mostly because I love the people I work with (...;well most of them- wink!).  The new job holds so much change and so many unknowns BUT the opportunities and ability to spread my wings and expand my mind is going to be incredible!  So with this adventure, today's card is not only appropriate for me and my current journey, but I may give it to one of my co-workers before I go.

Here is the card I have for you.  I made this using Top Dog Dies Alexa Frames Die Set.  I love this set because it offers so much versatility.  The frame is my favorite piece, but the other delicate pieces are wonderful as well.  You can see that I used some of the smaller pieces here and they add a nice touch to this seemingly masculine card.  The paper is from Authentique Nautical collection that we all received from the previous Top Dog Dies and Authentique blog hop back in April- here. Finally, the finishing touches (woodchips and hearts) are from Freckled Fawn.

So, I hope you enjoyed this card AND I hope that you are having your adventure as well!

Thanks,
Katie

Peaking through the porthole window

For my SOUS post from today, scroll down! 

Back again eh?!  Well it is a busy day and I have another card to share with you.  This one is for our Cut it Up Challenge- Under the Sea chosen by DT member Cindy.

My take on the challenge puts you in that little yellow submarine looking out the porthole window...

What do you think?  I used the Lawn Fawn circle dies.  The stamp is Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous and I colored it with pencils and gelatos.  I love the outcome.  Here is a look at the inside:

Winners chosen for this week's challenge will get a $10 Gift Certificate to Kadoodle Bug Designs .  Cool eh?

So let's see what you've whipped up!!!!

Entering this into:
Simon Says Stamp Wed- Let's Be Clear
Simon Says Stamp Mon- Start from Scratch
Color Q #249-  (the poppy is hard to see but it is in there!)
Craftin' Desert Diva's- Summer Time

Going Somewhere- BOLDLY!

Hello friends and welcome to another Stuck on U Sketches Die Cut Challenge week!  This week our theme is:

"Going Somewhere"

Doesn't that sound fun?!  Yep, I am game!  You know, vacations, cars, boats, bikes, and the like....  Here is what I made for this weeks challenge:

This card features a whole lot of Paper Smooches and a little bit of Lawn Fawn.  The circle die used to make the card shape is the Lawn Fawn.  My stamped images are from the Paper Smooches Space Cadet Set.  I used the back sides of the planets (with no texture) to stamp the craters in the moon, I stamped them over in several colors, some are Banana with Basic Grey and some are Versamark with the gray (all SU!).  I used the stamp off method AND the rock and roll method to make them look like craters.  The swoosh is made from my Scissor Circle Cutter (again SU!) with the top layer in velum and the back layer in gold.  The space creature (Space Cadet) is stamped and colored with a few copics and finished off with some glossy accents.  Finally I added the sentiment and the wood stars dipped in Delecata Gold.  This was really fun to make!

This my friends is fortuitous of things to come...

Entering this into:
Paper Smooches Sparks- Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp Wed- Let's Be Clear (swoosh and glossy accents on spaceship)
Simon Says Stamp Mon- Start from Scratch (moon and swoosh)

Sunshine and Smiles

Hello.  Today is a Top Dog Dies day for me and I have an elegant wedding card to share with you. This was a card I took to a wedding this weekend.  It was such a beautiful and fun event!  The bride and groom looked wonderful, the ceremony was perfect and the colors were awesome.  The main color was grey for the bridesmaids they had light coral colored roses and were tied with sheer blue ribbon, Tiffany's color. They had so many beautiful touches and the wedding location was amazing!

Here is the card I gave them.  I made it using Top Dog Dies Alexa Frames Die Set.  Isn't it elegant?  The die is so dainty and gorgeous and looks lovely cut in the ombre paper.  All the DP is from Authentique's Elegant collection...aptly named eh?!  I added a little ribbon, some flowers and colored a woodchip bird black.  I felt like this was a good card for them.  I didn't have a gift to accompany because my husband had made them beer for there wedding.  The "Getting Hitched" IPA was a huge hit!  Good job hubby!

We had such a good a good time, here is a pic of us enjoying ourselves. ;) What a wonderful day!  Thank you Mike and Kristin for inviting us and we wish you all the best!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Fusion and the Fourth

Well tomorrow is the 4th of July in the USA and we have a fun Fusion Challenge in store for you this week that will make you put you in the mood!

First, Cathy Weber is leaving Fusion, sniffle.  I am lucky enough to be on the Top Dog Dies Team with her but I know that we will miss her at Fusion.  Cathy always has lovely, unique creations and I am always looking forward to seeing what new and inspiring idea she comes up with.  Please stop by and give Cathy some love today!

So here is this week's challenge photo and sketch...

Wow eh?!  I think the  poppies in this dress explode out at you just like fireworks (appropriate for the 4th in the US)!  I love the sketch too.  Now for some reason I had a really hard time getting my head around this one, I struggled and struggled.  But finally I had a break through and am happy with the results.  Here is what I have for you:

OK, now here is what YOU need to do;

1.- Go over to Fusion and check out all the inspiration and rules

2.  Hit each DT members blog and leave them some love

3. Get crafty!

Thanks for stopping today!  Happy Canada Day earlier this week to my Canadian friends and Happy 4th tomorrow to my US friends. :)

Entering this into:
Paper Issues- in the Navy
Paper Sweeties #21- Patriotic Prints
Cupcake Inspriations #267
ColorQ #248
Craftin' Desert Diva's

Another Day and more Top Dog Dies

Hi Friends!  So glad to have you swinging by today.  I have a card to share with you that I made for my Uncle.  He has had some melanoma in the past but was recently diagnosed with sarcoma.  He is doing OK, but I know he is not looking forward to chemo. :(  On the bright side, I think he will do well, he is a very strong man and he is going to beat this.  So I am popping this in the mail tomorrow to send to him, in hopes that it lifts his spirits a bit.

What I love about this card is the masculine colors but it still has a delicate feel.  The floral paper is the from Color Me Happy by Glitz.  I cut it using the Top Dog Dies Sophie A2 Mat Die Set.  I stamped out some leaves from PTI and embossed in white.  Then I added some ribbon and a tag from the Top Dog Dies Mini Tag Die Set.  I stamped the sentiment in navy.

Thanks for stopping today!  I hope you enjoyed this post and checked out my tutorial yesterday for a Sweet as Ice Cream Purse for a little girl. :)