{Studio M}

Denami Monochromatic Blog Hop

2011-04-10T14:12:00.008-05:00

Hi there DeNami blog hoppers! I'm so excited about this months blog hop. Believe it or not ... of all the years I've been crafting I've never tried a monochromatic style!

You should have arrived here from Pat's blog. If not, then you should go back and start from the beginning so that you don't miss a single thing!

As always, here are the deets!

When: The blog hop starts on April 10 at 6 AM, PST. However, you have until April 11, 11:59 pm PST, to leave comments on all the blogs (to be eligible for a prize).

Prizes: DeNami is giving away THREE $20 gift certificates to theirr website! They'll be giving away one gift certificate to a random participant (DT members not eligible) and then we'll also be giving away TWO gift certificates to TWO people who comment along the hop!

Without further ado ... here is my card for the hop:

... next up is Kristi's blog!! Happy hopping!!!

Supplies

Bo Bunny - Frosted Dot

DeNami Stamp - Trifles and Sending you Sunshine

Copic BG000/53

Glitter and gems

PTI March Blog Hop

2011-03-25T21:34:00.001-05:00

I'm so excited to be participating in this month's Papertrey Ink customer blog hop! It's my first one and I couldn't be more thrilled. The PTI challenge is to use embroidery thread on your card. So I did what every good crafty girl does. I invited some fellow crafty friends to my house for an evening of crafting, snacks and laughs!

I like tying the blow behind the button ... it gives it an interesting look.

I know this is a short post, but we are running tight on the deadline. Thanks for stopping by and feel free to comment and I'll stop by your blog!

Supplies

Paper: Basic Grey (Kioshi)

Stamps: Papertrey Ink (Baby Button Bits)

Ink: Momento (Tuxedo Black); CTMH (Bamboo)

Copic Markers: R83/85

Embellishments: Floss (American Crafts); K&Company Rhinstones

Die-cuts: Spellbinders

Happy Cupcake Day

2011-02-22T20:55:00.005-06:00

What holiday would you create if you could? Well, March 26 is "Make Your Own Holiday" day and I've decided that it will be Cupcake Day! There's something about cupcakes that just make us all happy. They remind us of birthdays and past celebrations ... and of course, cupcakes are the rage for the gourmet sweet tooth these days! I have some Little Yellow Bicycle paper that I've been saving for a while and I thought this would be the perfect occasion to use it to create some cupcake card goodness!

I'm not sure what flavor my cupcake is but I love violet and pink together and the sentiment "Seize the Cupcake" seems quite fitting for my newly created holiday!

The button I used had huge holes so I added two colors of hemp thread instead of one. And check out the lacey circle diecut from Spellbinders - I'm so in love with it!

Inspiration for this card:
Whimsie Doodles - WWC68 Odd/Weird Holiday
Crazy 4 Challenges - C4C75 Any die
Cupcake Craft Challenges - CCC130 Cake 'n' Ice Cream
Party Time Tuesdays - PTT4 Anything Goes
Incy Wincy Designs - Challenge #81 Use a Punch or Die
Mojo Monday - Sketch 179

Supplies

Paper: Little Red Bicycle (Tonal Polkadot; Lollipops with Glitter; Cupcakes Galore with Glitter)

Stamps: Clear Designs (Cupcakes)

Ink: Momento (Tuxedo Black

Copic Markers: YG63, G82, RV10/14/17, V12/15

Embellishments: Ribbon (American Crafts); CTMH Mini Medley (Summer); Bazzill Half the Edge Strips

Die-cuts: Spellbinders (Lacey Circles, Circles)

As always, thanks for stopping by! Have a great day and happy crafting!

Glue Arts Rocks!

2011-02-15T18:01:00.000-06:00

Eeeeeeeeek! I'm sooooooo excited! I just won a fab prize from Glue Arts ... all for changing my Facebook profile pic yesterday! It includes: Fiskars border punch, Hero Arts stamps, Paper Crafts mag, the NEW Color Inspiration, a Glue Glider Pro, May Arts ribbon and more! I can't wait for it to arrive so I can play and post some fun stuff here.

Woot! Woot! Thank you Glue Arts! You made my day!

Beautiful Buttons Blog Hop

2011-02-13T08:00:00.005-06:00

It's blog hop time again with DeNami Designs! Denami Designs hosts a monthly blog hop to inspire crafters with a chance to win mini shopping sprees on the DeNami Design website! This month there are 30 talented crafters participating in the blog hop. I'm so excited to be among this group and can't wait to see all of the other creations!

And now for the blog hop details:

You should have arrived here from Katie's blog. If not, then you should go back and start from the beginning so that you don't miss a single thing!

When: Feb. 13 at 6 a.m. (PST) through Feb. 14, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. (PST).

Prizes: DeNami is giving away THREE $20 gift certificates to their website ... one gift certificate to a random participant (DT members not eligible) and then TWO gift certificates to TWO people who comment along the hop! So leave comments on all the blogs ... the more comments you leave, the more chances you have to win!

Additional Challenge: There's an additional link widget on the blog hop post where you can upload additional button creation(s). One winner will be chosen to be guaranteed a spot in the next blog hop AND they'll get to choose a few stamps of their choice! Gotta love it!

Now ... on with the hop!!!

I went back to the basics with my card this time and used only cardstock. I once took a workshop at the CK convention where we rediscovered cardstock. Sometimes simple is better and Denami's stamps really stand on their own. You notice that I did use layering, die-cuts and dry paper embossing to show some texture and dimension.

I kept with the color pallette: red, pink, black and white. Love these colors together! I found these darling little heart buttons at Archiver's and let me tell you ... I adore them! I simply stamped the Denami Small Flower Spray stamp, colored the stems and leaves with Copic markers and then adhered the hearts so that they serve as the actual flowers.

I always like checking out Mojo Monday's sketch challenge for inspiration. The funny thing is that I had something in mind to create for the blog hop and it's very similar to the Mojo Monday sketch this week!

Sketch: Mojo Monday #177

Supplies

Paper: Little Red Bicycle (Tonal Polkadot)

Stamps: DeNami Designs (G117 Small Flower Spray) Penny Black (Sentiment)

Ink: Momento (Tuxedo Black); Versacolor (Black)

Copic Markers: C2, YG11/63/67

Embellishments: Ribbon (American Crafts); Dress it up (Valentine Heart Buttons)

Die-cuts/Embossing: Cuttlebug

Thanks for checking out my little creation using DeNami Designs. Don't forget:

1) Leave a comment here to increase your chance of winning prizes.

2) Hop on to Jenny's blog and enjoy the rest of the blog hop!!

Happy crafting!

Can You Feel the Love?

2011-02-13T00:01:00.002-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day Eve! Valentine's Day is one of my favorite holidays ... there is just so much pink and red everywhere! I know, I know ... it's all about the love but pink and red make me sooooooo happy! Today I'm posting a picture of the Valentine's Day card I made for my Mom. Shhhh! Don't tell her!

I love this little giraffe! I bought him a couple of years ago and never had the chance to use him. I especially love this paper from Basic Grey too. The paper actually has hearts in the design. Love the reds and pinks!

Here are the challenges I used for this little gem!

The Sweet Stop - Sketch SSS95

Basic Grey Challenges - All Hearts

Supplies

Paper: Basic Grey (Blush)

Stamps: Great Impressions

Ink: Momento (Tuxedo Black)

Copic Markers: W2, R37/39/81/83/85/89, RV10, E51/74/77

Embellishments: Ribbon (American Crafts); Dress it up (Valentine Heart Buttons)

Die-cuts/Embossing: Quickutz (Nutmeg)

Thanks for stopping by! Happy crafting!

Simply Scallops Blog Hop

2011-01-09T08:00:00.017-06:00

I'm excited to be part of DeNami Designs Simply Scallops blog hop! There are 23 blogs in this month's blog hop! You should have arrived here from Tenia's blog. If you didn't, you might want to start at the beginning. The hop features stamps from DeNami Design stamps ... and just for playing along, you'll have a chance to win mini shopping sprees on the DeNami Design website!

Here are some things you should know before you start "hopping" down the list:

When: Jan. 9 at 6 AM PST through Jan. 10 at 11:59 PM PST

Prizes: DeNami is giving away THREE $20 gift certificates to their website! They'll be giving away one gift certificate to a random participant (DT members not eligible) and TWO gift certificates to TWO people who comment along the hop!

Leave comments on all of the blogs to be eligible for a prizes.

Here's my simply scallops card featuring the one and only DeNami chick:

I had a lot of fun coloring in this cute little chick. Of course any day with my Copic markers is technically a 5-star day! I used the Copic Colorless Blender to remove purple ink on the raincoat and then went back in with my green to create the polka dots.

I also used the following sketch from Mojo Monday's sketch blog as inspiration:

Mojo Monday - Sketch 172

Supplies

Paper: Basic Grey (Kioshi)

Stamps: DeNami Designs (E120 Open Umbrella Chickie; F152 Sending You Sunshine)

Ink: Versafine (Onyx Black)

Copic Markers: 0, Y32, YR12/35, YG01/03, V12

Embellishments: Ribbon (lavender w/white polka dots); Cloud 9 (Heart Rain Dots)

Die-cuts: Nestibilities Scallops

Thanks for checking out my Simply Scallops creation using DeNami Stamps. Before you go ...

1) Please leave a comment to be sure you are eligible for prizes.

2) Next stop: Hop on over to Terri's blog!

Come Hop with Me

2010-11-09T11:10:00.000-06:00

Autumn is among us and so many companies are having blog hops to introduce their new lines. I recently enjoyed seeing all of the new images from Whimsie Doodles. Their blog hop featured the sweetest new winter images that are perfect for cards and scrapbooking pages alike! Their DT is uber creative and I was able to get a lot of inspiration. Check it out if you haven't had a chance to stop by!

Today's Sweet ;n Sassy blog hop is HUGE! There are 32 blogs that make up the blog hop celebrating Sweet 'n Sassy's 3rd birthday.

So what are 'ya waiting for? Get to hopp'n!

Moroccan Adventures Photo Book

2010-06-05T16:31:00.000-05:00

Well, did 'ya miss me? I've been gone far too long, that's for sure! Back around Mother's Day I took a break from crafting and made my Mom a photo book of our trip to Morocco from the previous year. It was great fun and it was a fast, easy way to get some memories put together in an creative, organized way. I used Shutterfly.com, although there are many sites that offer this type of product. Check it out and let me know what you think! Visit the Shutterfly Share Community to see my creation!

After getting the photo book finished, some dear friends from Bahrain came to visit. I haven't seen them in years and we had such an enjoyable time showing them around Kansas City. They've since gone back to Bahrain and are sorely missed!

Now life is back to normal ... still looking for a place to call home on the jobfront. In other words ... still lots of time to be exploring my crafty side! Stay tuned ... I just got the Big Ass Book of Crafts by Mark Montano. Hopefully I'll be back this weekend with loads of inspiration from this book!

Whimsie Doodles Birthday Blop Hop

2010-05-05T13:59:00.000-05:00

It's Whimsie Doodles first birthday and they are hosting a blog hop, complete with a ton of prizes! They have the cutest digi images and a fabulous design team ... lots of inspiration to be shared so start hopping now!

Start hopping with Melyssa's blog. She's the owner of Whimsie Doodles and she creates all of their fabulous imagery. Enjoy!

I'm a Winner at TGF!

2010-04-26T12:36:00.001-05:00

What a great way to start Monday morning. I opened up my email to find that I won a digital image from The Greeting Farm! Every week you have a chance to win the featured digi image. You only need to answer a question in their comment section. Last week's question was "What is your favorite quote?" My favorite quote is:

"Dance like no one's watching."

Check out my new digi!

Isn't she a doll? You'll surely be seeing her on a card very soon! Have a wonderful day!

2S4Y Laura's Sketch 50 and DT Call

2010-04-24T17:24:00.000-05:00

Is it bad that it's around 5 p.m. and I'm still in my pj's? Since it's Saturday I guess I won't feel too bad but crafting is always more comfy in your pj's, don't you think? Today was rainy and a bit chilly. In my book, that is the absolute perfect time to hang out in the craft room. So anyway, I've had my fun for the day! I guess it's time to start dinner (which can also be very creative in our house, too) but I wanted to share this with you first.

I'm entering today's card in Laura's Sketch 50 and DT Call at 2 Sketch's 4 You. I'm hopeful that they like my cards I've entered! I miss being on a DT ... wish me luck!!! Here's the sketch ...

... and here's my take on the sketch.

I created the background by using little dots of color with my Copic markers and used the feather technique on the image itself. I just think this little guy is so cute and wish I had one of him stuffed!

A special thank you to MelJen Designs for the free digital image. I love it! Take a moment and check out their site ... you'll be glad you did! They are having a 25% off sale (Apr. 22-28). Please refer to the MelJen Designs site for details.

Here are the Copic markers I used:

Supplies
Paper: Basic Grey (Porcelain)
Stamps: MelJen's (Lion); CTMH (Cupcake Sprinkles)
Ink: Versa Color (Black)
Dies: Spellbinders (Labels Nine); Fiskar's Punch

Challenges & Then Some: 2S4Y, Whimsie, CCC Challenges,

2010-04-24T11:13:00.002-05:00

It was another Friday night in the craft room! Alicia stopped over and we spent a couple of hours trying to catch up on some outstanding crafting. As usual, my list of things I wanted to do outweighed what I could realistically accomplish but that's okay, right? That just gives me another excuse to be in my little crafty haven tomorrow ... so many stamps ... so little time! The card I'm sharing with you today celebrates Earth Day and sports the sentiment, "Save Earth ... it's the only planet with chocolate." How fun! Quite appropriate, don't 'ya think?

I was able to get a perfect circle of glitter by using my Glue Dots. By the way ... Glue Dots International is currently looking for crafty folks to serve of their design team.

Here are the challenges I used for this card:

2 Sketches 4 You - Laura's Sketch 50 & DT Call (Bonus Sketch)

Whimsie Wednesday Challenge - Earth Day Challenge

CCC Challenge 61 - Create a card using the following color palette:

Stamp Scrap & Doodle Saturdays - Challenge 36: Buttons, Bows and Bling

Die Cuts R Us - Earth Day Challenge

Supplies

Paper: Basic Grey (Kioshi)

Stamp: Whimsie Doodles (Earth Day)

Die-cuts: Quickutz (bracket); Spellbinders (Large Labels)

Copic markers: R81/83/85; RV23; Y32; E0000; W2

V12/15; BG000/05; B000/01/05; YG01/03/11/63

Glue dots (mini and pop up)

Basic Grey Button; glitter; ribbon

Spring Flowers

2010-04-18T14:04:00.001-05:00

Good grief! What a beautful Spring we're having! I don't think I've even seen so many beautiful blooms all at once. The pollen count in Kansas City has been nearly off the charts so I've been enjoying the Spring weather from INSIDE my house ... mostly on the internet looking at all of the great crafty blogs. I've seen a lot of people make their own flowers out of circles and thought I'd give it a whirl for this weeks 2 Sketches 4 You challenge.

I turned the sketch upside down to create my card.

To make the flower, cut out 9 circles. One circle is the base, so put adhesive on it and set it aside. Then take each of the other 8 cirles and fold the sides in so that they overlap and come to a point at the top. These are the petals. Now place each of these on the circle that you set aside to form the flower.

I like how the flower turned out using double-side paper. Give it a try ... you can experiement with stamping designs on paper, adding glitter, spritzing the paper ... the sky's the limit!

Supplies

Paper: CTMH

Stamp: CTMH Shining Star

Ink: Momento (Tuxedo Black)

Copic: RV14, G82, YG11

Ribbon: Denami

Hänglar Stänglar ... I Think I Love You

2010-04-18T13:39:00.001-05:00

It's true ... I love these little Hänglar Stänglar stamps! My friend Alicia actually gave me a couple images through a RAK about a year ago and I've been a little intimidated to try them. Admittedly so, I'm the girl who stamps an image about 5 times and colors it different ways until I like it! Remember I'm a Copic newbie! So you can imagine the great pressure I put myself under to get this right on the first try ... ohhh the turmoil!

Today's card was created using CPS Card Sketch # 162:

Here's my take on the challenge:

I used the new Basic Grey Green at Heart paper. I love using the 6" x 6" pad. The patterns are smaller as compared to the 12" x 12" paper and they seem to be just perfect for cardmaking.

Supplies

Paper: Bascic Grey (Green at Heart)

Stamp: Hänglar Stänglar

Die-cut: Quickutz (Flourish)

Prima Flowers

Crystal Stickers (Pearls)

Copic Markers as follows:

BV23/29

R20/81/83/85/89

RV10

B000/21/24/26

E0000/51/53/55/57

V17/95

Sanding & Paper Piecing with CPS

2010-04-03T19:52:00.001-05:00

Another Friday night in the craft room, this time with Barbara! So with the windows open and the music cranked, we set out for our crafty evening ... this time I used CPS Challenge #160, which is a sketch, as my inspiration.

Barbara and I had a great laugh when I went to adhere my image to the card. Ummm ... it was too big! So I didn't quite get the horizontal element in but I did add a ribbon bow to the card. So here is what I came up with ...

I used CTMH cardstock and sanded the paper after I embossed it so that the core would show through. I love their cardstock, specifically because all of the cardstock has white core. I also had quite a fun time paper piecing this card.

Supplies

Stamps: Morning Star (Baby & Bundle of Joy)

Paper: CTMH Taffy; Basic Grey (Kioshi)

Ink: Momento Tuxedo Black

Copic Markers

Ribbon: CTMH Sunkiss Yellow

Die: Spellbinder Scalloped Circle

Embossing Folder: Cuttlebug Swiss Dots

Monkey Business ...

2010-03-31T19:24:00.001-05:00

I often find inspiration in strange places. This week I noticed that one of my favorite Animal Planet shows, Escape to Chimp Eden, was back on TV. I love seeing the great work that they do at the Chimp Eden Sanctuary in South Africa. They take abused chimps and rehabilitate them so that they can go back into the wild. Great work by great people! When you think about it, I mean what kid didn't want a monkey for a pet when they were little? Well, this show makes us all realize that that is just a fantasy and that they really do belong in the wild. So seeing this back on TV got me to thinking about monkeys and that I actually have a monkey image that I've never used. Thus, the inspiration for today's card post ...

As you can see, I'm still playing around with the Copic markers. I figure that "practice makes perfect!" I popped the die-cuts off of the page with some pop dots. I think the tropical leaves add a little depth to the image.

Challenges used for this card are as follows:

365 Cards: Day 28 - A Certain Sentiment - "Hang in There" sentiment

Mojo Monday - Sketch challenge (round or square)

Supplies

Paper: CTMH (Moon Doggie)

Stamp: Great Impressions (Hang in There)

Copic markers: E44/51/53/55; YG63/67; G82

Ink: Momento (Tuxedo Black)

Spellbinders (Classic Scalloped Circles Large)

Quickutz (Tropical Leaves)

Thanks for stopping by my blog today. If you haven't checked it out yet, go check out Escape to Chimp Eden on Animal Planet. It's 30 minutes well spent. Have a crafty day!

Easter/Spring Challenges

2010-03-28T11:54:00.000-05:00

Craft Night with the divas was a blast! I have to admit that in the 7 hours we were together I only got one card made! Not very productive you say? I think I spent too much time talking (shock!) and I took great pleasure in knowing where things were in the craft room when someone asked to borrow something. In the old days (pre-organization) I would have worn myself out in the search for an item.

Anyway, without further ado ... on with the challenge(s)! First ... the card:

I had great fun creating this 6" x 6" bunny card. I actually ordered this Penny Black stamp by mistake more than a year ago and decided to keep it. I'm so glad I did! Coloring this image was fun for me as I am still get to know my Copic markers.

Copic markers used for this card:

Challenges for this card:

Crafty Cardmakers #17: Spring into Spring

Fussy & Fancy Friday Challenge #7: Easter card

Incy Wincy Designs Challenge #35: Easter or Spring

Lexi's Creations #10: Easter card

Paper Play Challenges Wk 10: Easter card

Town Scrapper: Easter card

Supplies

Stamps: Penny Black (Spring Joy!); CTMH (Eastertime)

Paper: Basic Grey (Origins)

Ink: Momento (Tuxedo Black); ColorBox Chalk (Chestnut)

Copic Markers, Felt Ribbon, Green Rickrack

Spellbinders (Labels 12)

EK Success Border Punch

Quickkutz (Nutmeg Alphabet)

Finally a big shout out goes to the crafty divas from Friday night. A great time was had by all and I can't wait to get another crafty date on the calendar!

Alicia, me and Beth

Here's My Fuzzy Wuzzy ...

2010-03-25T18:47:00.003-05:00

Ta-daaaaaaaah! I've finished my first crafty project in my new craft space and let me tell you ... it was incredible to actually be able to find things when I needed them. I was even motivated to put things BACK where I found them. Ahhh ... the crafty bliss ...

So here's the skinny ... the Sketch with a Spin (SSS48) challenge is to make a card using this sketch ...

... and to make something "fuzzy-wuzzy" on it. So just for the record, my "fuzzy-wuzzy" element is the flowers. I thought long and hard about making something on the actual butterfly fuzzy but I got inspired to go a different path ...

Copic Creations is celebrating their one year blogversary with a challenge to use your favorite Copic technique (reference Copic Creations Challenge #24). Mine is feather blending.

Here's my take on these challenges:

As I mentioned, I had something special in mind for the butterfly so I also used this challenge as an opportunity to get-to-know my Copic markers a little more. It was hit and miss for me this time since I'm a beginner, a.k.a. Copic marker Diva-wanna-be. I'd start filling in the image and then would decide I didn't like the direction I was headed and start over. I must have done this about 15 times or so before I finally landed on something I could live with. After the entire image was finished, I dotted the "0" marker all over the image. Then I completed the entire image by covering it with Spica to giving it a sparkly appearance.

Before

After

Here are the Copic colors I used on this project in addition to the "0" or Kryptonite as our friend Sally Lynn MacDonald would say!

Supplies

Paper: Bo Bunny (Shiitake Dot); Pink Paislee (Confidential & Ragged)

Stamps: Autumn Leaves and Studio G

Ink: Momento (Tuxedo Black)

Markers: Copic; Spica (Black, Clear)

Other:

Karen Foster (Round Biggie Brads);

Imaginisce Bazzill Collection (Bling Buds);

Daisy Ribbon Felt

Die-cuts: Spellbinders

Next up ... Crafty Diva night at my house tomorrow! Can't wait!

A Crafty Space to Call Home

2010-03-22T19:43:00.001-05:00

Can I get a "Woohoooooooo?" I finally (yes finally) got my craft room in order. Like any great project, it's still a work in progress but I'm happy with it. Hopefully this summer I'll get to paint and get some curtains up. The hardest part for me was deciding on what kind of storage I wanted to get as well as a workspace. After many hours of internet research, I ended up taking a road trip with my Mom to Minnesota on an adventure to the IKEA store. Can I say that I love, love, LOVE that place? I think I should start a petition to get our friends at IKEA to open a store here in Kansas City. I know I would be a frequent shopper, as would many of my friends.

Without further ado, it's time for the unveiling ... the 'real' Studio M:

This is the view looking into the craft area. The desk is about 55" wide and the a-frame legs are also shelves. The background storage cabinet is from Target and I found the spinner at a K&Company warehouse sale in KC.

This view looks towards the door. We made the stamp wall storage and the store/work area on the left is actually a kitchen island. This is my favorite piece in the entire room!

I just love the table top on this piece from IKEA. I also have wooden stamps stored in the 12" x 12" drawers on the right.

My wall storage consists of two small Expedit bookcases from IKEA.

Here are examples of my ribbon storage as well as paint. You'll also notice that I have a ribbon storage unit on the wall by the stamp wall storage.

Unfortunately I didn't take any "Before" pictures. Quite frankly it would just be too embarrassing. Imagine it ... a couple of foldable tables and lots of plastic storage bins ... so what I have now is quite an improvement. I hope you've enjoyed seeing my little piece of heaven. Please post links to your spaces too. I'd love to see your crafy havens!

Inspiration Friday!

2010-03-05T12:13:00.001-06:00

I must admit that I THINK about crafting every day but just haven't gotten the inspiration to get in my craft room. I think it is because my craft room is (yet again) a mess! Also looking for a job has become a little bit mind-boggling and mind-consuming to me. How can so many of us be without jobs and so few jobs be available? I did interview for a position last weekend with a speed-dating type format. It was interesting and I interviewed with 10 people for one company. It was a great experience and I'd do it again! I'm positive that the right job for me will present itself. Until then I'll have fun with my blog and dream of a marketing position with a craft company! Hee hee!

So ... on with the inspiration! Bella Blvd, Jillibean and Nikki Sivils have teamed up to host a HUGE blog crawl! Here's the skinny: 3 companies, 45 designers & their blogs, 50 giveaways!

I love that they've organized such a fun event. It's great seeing what others are doing in the craft industry and I'm sure that this will give me that inspirational push I need to get back in my craft room! I think my next post will include craft room photos so you can see my little creative haven. Here's hoping that you find inspiration in your Friday to create something spectacular!

On with the blog crawl!!

Gett'n Inky with it

2010-02-21T15:38:00.005-06:00

Wow! What a Saturday! We woke up to a crazy snowy, rainy mess of a day. But that didn't dampen my spirits as Alicia and I were headed for the Copic: What? How? & Wow? class! I've had a small inventory of Copic markers and have tried to recreate what I've seen on other crafty blogs but somehow I just felt I needed to be shown how to get my projects to the next level. The versatility of being able to blend Copics and create special effects is what attracted me to this class. What's more ... the class was taught by Sally Lynn MacDonald.

Alicia Ekermans, Sally Lynn MacDonald and me at Stamper's Ink.

What an 'inky' adventure! The coolest thing about class? While teaching us about textures, Sally Lynn took the "kryptonite" aka Copic blending solution, dabbed some on her jean jacket and then pressed it into an image. Presto magic! The texture of the jean jacket was transferred onto the image. Now if that doesn't inspire some creativity, I don't know what will! Well I'm off to my craft room to get a little inky!

Have a crafty day!

You say To-MAY-toh ... I say To-MAH-toh

2010-02-19T14:53:00.000-06:00

So I come downstairs after sleeping way too late yesterday morning and my dear hubby tells me that I received a package from Fedex. I couldn't think of anything that I was expecting and told him excitedly, "I wonder what it is!" Just like when I was a kid, my heart skips a beat whenever I get something in the mail ... oh the treasures the mailman has brought me ... but then that's another blog post entirely! He then (knowingly) tells me that I received a coloring book ... yes a coloring book. What the funkywinkerdink... a coloring book? The mere vision of it ... outlines of cute fuzzy animals ready for me to decorate with my own colorful pizzazz ... Yeah - I don't know about you but it wasn't doing anything for me. So I stroll on over to the package and read the sender and it is Colorbok. Okay so I can see how coloring book could be confused with Colorbok but I still I laughed and laughed until my cheeks were sore ... and then I had to call Alicia to tell her our funny of the day and about my prize. The Colorbok prize is a Heidi Grace Alpha/Number Punchout set! The designs are so cute and I can't wait to make something special with these cuties!

Oh! And by the way, Alicia very graciously pointed out that I havn't been blogging and the last post was announcing that I had won the Colorbok prize. Point taken ... and I will remedy this!

Tomorrow Alicia and I go to Stampers Ink for a Copic class that is taught by Sally Lynn MacDonald! We're so jazzed and I can't wait to learn all of the Copic-taught techniques! After that we're going to Barbara's for lunch and a little craft therapy. It's been a while since we have gotten together so it will be sure to be a crafty-good-time. Stayed tuned for a follow-up of our Copic adventure!

Colorbok Rocks

2010-01-29T20:19:00.000-06:00

I just learned that I won prize package from Colorbok! I currently serve on a panel of crafters that give feedback on different product lines that they are considering for retail as well as on how they are displayed in retail. It's actually pretty fun seeing new stuff AND hard to not get too excited when I see something I like. No idea what I won but I'll be sure to post a picture when I get my treasures in the mail!

Sheetload Farewell

2009-12-28T22:02:00.001-06:00

I can't believe that the year is nearing an end ... and today I'm sharing my last two cards with you that I created for Sheetload. I bid farewell to Sheetload with a little sadness yet with great memories. I can remember when Alicia first starting talking about it. She created and grew her readership among the crafty community and we're all so very proud of her. I'm thankful she let me be a part of her very special project. Don't forget that she will be keeping the archived issues available for download into the new year.

Without further ado ... the first card up is a card I made with the bear and boat digital image. There are so many things you can do with this image. I chose a combination of colored pencils with Gamsol and paper piecing. Check it out below:

The second card is the Penguin Sleigh digital image.

And check out the little baubles below! I just love them and they add a delicate hint of dimension to the polka dots!

As always you can find a full supply list in the December issue of Sheetload. If you haven't had a chance, feel free to stop by the Sheetload site, download the December issue and let Alicia know how much you love Sheetload of Cards!

Here Comes Santa Claus ...

2009-12-22T13:03:00.000-06:00

It is time for the December edition of Simple Special Stunning at the SheetLoad of Cards blog, featuring samples by Denise Wallace.

Each month one of our artists will share three different cards that use the current layout. Each card is a "step up" from the previous one, but they are all fabulous. It is a good way to show how SheetLoad is geared toward papercrafters of all levels.

Here are some sneak peeks to whet your appetite...

Win Prizes from Sheetload

2009-12-09T14:58:00.003-06:00

Sheetload has some great prizes to give away this month as they celebrate their Blogaversary! There are two ways to win:

Show Us Your Sheetload

It is time for one final round of Show Us Your SheetLoad. If you haven't ever entered this challenge before, why not try it now? This month, two lucky winners will receive free digital stamps from our December sponsor - Doodle Palace!!

Blogaversary

It's Sheetload of Cards Blogaversary but YOU may be getting the presents! Check out the crafty goodies up gor grabs:

Four (4) Assorted Clear Stamp Sets by Three Bugs in a Rug

(actual sets shown)

Nine (9) Assorted Packages of Thickers

(Image above is for illustration only and does not show actual assortment.)

Want to find out how you can win these crafty goodies?!?! Head on over to the SheetLoad blog today and find out how you can be entered to win all of these fabulous prizes. Good luck and happy crafting!

Deck the Halls ...

2009-12-07T00:01:00.069-06:00

As the weather drops below the freezing point here in the Midwest, we're anxiously awaiting the first good snow at my house! I know ... I know ... there's just something about it that still gets me excited. Tonight we finished decking the halls in our home and with that in mind, I chose a new card to share with you.

I simply loved the Sheetload sketch for this month. Also, it was easy to get inspired with all of the cute digital stamps from Doodle Palace. Take a look at my first of 3 cards in this month's issue below. I've been using my Prisma pencils and Gamsol a lot lately. It's also been like a new discovery for me. I like the tonality that can be achieved using the little blending stubbies.

This card also gave me a chance to use something in my craft room that I've never used before ... my flock! I remember when it came out in the store and because it was 'new' I just HAD to have it! Gee ... how many times have we all done that?

As always a full description of the supplies I used can be found in the December Sheetload. Hmmm ... I wonder if it's starting to snow ... looks like it's time for some hot chocolate!

Final Shout Out to Sheetload

2009-12-05T11:15:00.000-06:00

Over at SheetLoad of Cards, we are having one final "Shout Out and Win" challenge.

Find out how you can be entered to win a Scrapbooking 'Grab Bag', donated by Doodle Palace (our December sponsor) valued at $40!!

Even though this is our last issue, we still would LOVE to get some new readers. The Archive of issues will be available until at least May of 2010.

Oh Christmas Tree ...

2009-12-03T08:00:00.008-06:00

A couple of weeks ago it it occurred to me that - while I have made numerous scrapbook pages for other friends - I haven't actually done any for myself since I was in college! Yes, college! Since this year is a 'year of first's' with my husband I thought this would be a great time to start capturing some memories and committing them to paper!

For my Sheetload 'Beyond the Card' submission, I used Alicia's sketch to create an "Oh Christmas Tree" page. This was the first Christmas tree that Hicham ever decorated and Mom came over to help so I thought this would be perfect to create our first scrapbook page memory.

A full list of products used on this project is listed in the December '09 Sheetload. I just love the felt embellishments! They are new from Close to My Heart (CTMH) and add a vintage element to the page.

As I mentioned in my post on the 1st of December, this is the final month for new issues of SheetLoad of Cards. Please join us at the SheetLoad blog today for a little 'walk down memory lane'.

December Sheetload of Cards!!

2009-12-01T00:01:00.001-06:00

Head on over to the SheetLoad of Cards blog today to download your FREE copy of the December '09 issue!

This issue features a sketch by Alicia Ekermans and digital stamps from Doodle Palace. There are tons of lovely samples from the SheetLoad Artists, as well as the sponsor's design team. It is the biggest issue ever!!

Today also brings a big announcement about the eZine - so make sure to check it out.

December Sheetload Sneak Peek

2009-11-28T17:09:00.000-06:00

I'm so excited about December's issue of Sheetload! Three more days and you will get to download your copy and give the new sketch a try. Here are sneak peeks of my cards and Beyond the Card submissions.

Don't forget to stop by Sheetload on December 1 to download your free issue.

Twas the Night Before Christmas

2009-11-27T23:33:00.001-06:00

This was posted by one of my crafty friends at the Stamp Shack and I thought this was a great way to start off the holiday season ... with a great big belly laugh! Enjoy!

Twas the night before Christmas, I'm glued to the tree.
I'm wondering what Santa brought just for me.
Could it be cardstock or inkpads or lace?
Or some stamps, I said, with a smile on my face.
And that's when I heard him...
"Hi Santa, " I said.
He replied, "You know....good girls should be in their beds".
"I know I should Santa, and now I've been caught.
But I was just so excited to see what you brought."
"Well, let's take a look in this room where you work".
He shook his head quickly, and left with a jerk.
I heard him exclaim as he put it in gear.
"You've got enough crap,
I'll see you next year!"

November Simple, Special ... Stunning

2009-11-20T21:17:00.000-06:00

It is time for the November edition of Simple Special Stunning at the SheetLoad of Cards blog, featuring samples by Ann Seleshanko.

I'm Hung Up ...

2009-11-11T11:59:00.003-06:00

Gosh! I feel like there are so many challenges ... so little time! I think I could easily lock myself in my craft room for some extended craft therapy! Here is my submission for the 356 Cards Day 254 Challenge - I'm Hung Up.

Simply put, the challenge was to create something that you can hang up that is also a card. The mitten is hand-drawn on red cardstock and then the white top part of the mittens are cut twice the size, folded over, embossed and adhered. I connected the mittens with shear ribbon. Finally a button is attached with some hemp thread. The idea is that it can be hung over a tree branch on your Christmas tree.

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

2009-11-08T16:30:00.002-06:00

If you haven't checked out the 365 Cards blog, you've got to check it out! It's full of must-see challenges ... rather must-participate challenges!!! Today's challenge was a sketch challenge.

365 Cards: Day 253 Challenge - Super Sketchy Sunday
Isn't this sketch adorable?

Since I'm still in leftover Christmas spirit, it's no surprise that today's card also has a holiday theme.
Sentiment:
Rockin' around the Christmas Tree (outside)
... have a Happy Holiday (inside)
Now try not to have this song running through your head all day!

Yesterday's challenge at DCRU was the challenge that keeps on giving for me. It inspired me to get out my die-cuts and play around today. And then die-cuts transitioned into using my blind embossing folders too. I think my favorite part of this card is the tiny polka dot embossing on the tree and the swirl-embossed background that I tied into the paper design.

Ingredients:
Cardstock: Bazzill
Patterned Paper: Imaginisce (Snowy Jo)
Stamp: My Sentiments Exactly
Die-cuts: nestibilities; Quickutz (Tree)
Embossing: Cuttlebug (Swirls and Polka Dots)
Ink: Colorbox (Chestnut Roan, Terra Cotta, Olive Pastel and Lime Pastel)
Other: gems

Thanks for checking out today's challenge! As always, happy crafting!

Let it Snow!

2009-11-07T18:06:00.004-06:00

Today I went to the Sterling Inc. Holiday warehouse sale ... you know the kind of place ... imagine a huge warehouse filled with ornaments, Santas and snowmen with holiday music blasting on the overhead speakers. It was like a winter wonderland dream! I was truly in the holiday spirit after being in there for 2 hours. And once I got home, I spent some much needed crafty time in my new craft room. What a way to spend a Saturday afternoon!

I thought it would be fun to tackle a couple of challenges I found on the Cupcakes Craft Challenges and Diecuts R Us blogs (DCRU). I've only recently discovered their blogs and let me tell you ... I'm hooked! Here are the two challenges:

Cupcake Craft Challenge 64 - Sketch -- Update: Awarded Top 3 Badge
BTW ... I love, love, LOVE this sketch!!!!

DCRU Challenge 14 - Nest Something

Here's what I came up with:

Ingredients:
Paper: Basic Grey (Figgy Pudding); Archivers (Sky); CTMH (Chocolate, Colonial White)
Die-Cuts: Nestibilities
Stamps: Penny Black (Warm & Cold); Paper Studio (Let it Snow from Snowflakes)
Ink: Stazon Black
Embellishment: CTMH (Heartfelt Wonder Die-cuts)
Other: Prisma Pencils and Gamsol

On the nestibilities challenge, notice I used 3 die-cuts and turned them different directions to create a different look. Also, this is the first time I ever really experimented with the Gamsol and Prisma pencils and I simply had a blast! I was actually surprised as by the end of the project I used 21 colors on this card!

What a fun Saturday afternoon project ... creating a card for my favorite season with my favorite colors, blue and brown.

Happy crafting!

November Show Us Your Sheetload

2009-11-06T08:53:00.003-06:00

Head on over to the SheetLoad of Cards blog to find out how you can enter to win the clear stamp set, shown below, in the November '09 Show Us Your SheetLoad contest!

Studio G - Series 37 - Bohemian - Clear Stamp Sets

Woooohoooooooooooooo ...

2009-11-04T20:01:00.001-06:00

... I won a fabulous free stamp set from the Clear Dollar Scavenger Hunt I told you about earlier this week! Hurry up! There is still time for you to win a free stamp set too!

November Shout Out to Sheetload

2009-11-04T19:55:00.001-06:00

Would you like to win some FREE stamps?!?! Of course you would. That is why this month at SheetLoad of Cards they are offering up the prize detailed below to one lucky winner in their Shout Out to SheetLoad challenge!!

In return for helping them get the word out about the November '09 issue, you will be entered to win the following...

Your Choice of Two (2) of the Clear Stamp Sets Shown Below!!!

Head on over to the SheetLoad Blog today for more details!!

The Great Candy Caper

2009-11-01T20:36:00.002-06:00

Clear Dollar stamps is celebrating their five year anniversary! For the next 5 days they are giving away blog candy to five winners per day. Simply participate in their scavenger hunt. It's easy-peasy and you get to see all of their fabulous designs. Visit their website for more information.

November '09 Sheetload of Cards

2009-11-01T13:25:00.002-06:00

Once again it is time for another fabulous issue of SheetLoad of Cards - November '09!!!

This issue features an elongated sketch, sized to fit in a business envelope, by Barbara DeBose.

FREE for SheetLoad readers...

Included for our readers this month is a FREE Printable Quotes file!! The team shared some of their favorite quotes, sayings, sentiments, scriptures, etc. and they have been put together into a printable PDF file. Sized just right to fit the November sketch!

Make sure to check back later this month for links to the monthly challenges, an episode of Meet the Artists, Simple Special Stunning and much more!!!

Autumn-inspired Thankful Sentiment Tree

2009-10-31T13:06:00.002-05:00

Autumn is here ... I mean really here! I haven't seen a Fall like this in many years. This past week, my husband and I rode around town to see the beautiful changing leaves in all of their vibrant glory. There's something about the warm colors that can make you forget all of your worries and remember days gone by. So forget that you have laundry to fold ... forget that the dishes are clean in the dishwasher - ready to be put away in their rightful place .... and forget that you still haven't called to make a hair appointment ... Autumn is here and ready to be enjoyed!

Here's a sampling of the pictures we took:

See what I mean about the colors? And so it begins ... being surrounded by all of the gorgeous colors makes a girl feel crafty! I just knew I had to do something to celebrate the season. So last night we watched my neighbors children and made an Autumn-inspired Thankful Sentiment Tree a.k.a. the Thanksgiving tree. We cut some branches from one of our trees in the side yard and tied them together with ribbon. Then we used a Sizzix die-cut for the leaves and the kids wrote things they are thankful for on each leaf. The final step was to tie assorted ribbons to the branches and adhere all of the leaves. The best part is that we cut extra leaves so the kids can invite their friends and family to add to the Thanksgiving tree.

The kids had some wonderful things to be thankful for like family, their home, God, chocolate ... Ninja Warrier and Nascar!!!

November Sneak Peek @ Sheetload

2009-10-30T13:24:00.000-05:00

Make sure to head on over to SheetLoad of Cards to see sneak peeks from the upcoming issue.

But before we jump into November '09, don't forget about the fabulous October '09 issue, sponsored by DRS Designs!! You still have time to enter the Show Us Your SheetLoad challenge for chances to win gift certificates from the sponsor!!

A Surprise in My Mailbox

2009-10-27T20:32:00.017-05:00

The postman always brings the best surprises! I'm so excited that I received my Denami stamps today and just had to share with everyone! I not only received my free stamps but I also received a handwritten note from my friends at Denami and a free package of ribbon! Check out my treasures below and be sure to check back again to see my fun creations!

As always, happy crafting!!!

Fight Like a Girl

2009-10-24T19:32:00.000-05:00

Head on over to the SheetLoad blog today and find out how to win the adorable image above.

This digital stamp set is called 'Hope Fights' and was created by Melyssa of Whimsie Doodles, in honor of October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

SheetLoad will be giving out four (4) free sets and you have until Monday at Midnight to get your name in the drawing.

Good luck!

PS: You can see more of Melyssa's creations at her Whimsie Doodles site.

October Simple, Special ... Stunning!

2009-10-20T11:17:00.001-05:00

It is time for the October edition of Simple Special Stunning at the SheetLoad of Cards blog, featuring samples by Katie Skiff.

Each month one of our artists will share three different cards that use the current layout. Each card is a "step up" from the previous one, but they are all fabulous. It is a good way to show how SheetLoad is geared toward papercrafters of all levels.
Here are some sneak peeks to whet your appetite...

2009-10-16T17:01:00.001-05:00

It is time for the monthly Sponsor Spotlight at SheetLoad of Cards!! This month's featured company is DRS Designs; the sponsor for the October '09 issue. If you haven't used their stamps, check them out. All of their stamps are super cute and one of my personal favs!

Head on over there today to find out more about the company, learn how you can enter to win DRS Designs Gift Certificates and find out about their special offer for SheetLoad readers.

Hang'n out in the cornfield ...

2009-10-15T15:44:00.001-05:00

Just sharing another card I submitted to this month's edition of Sheetload of Cards. Check out the October issue for details and other design team work ...

Xmas in October with Sheetload

2009-10-15T15:29:00.002-05:00

Here's another card I created for the October Sheetload. It's always a little hard for me to think about creating things for the holidays until the holiday is right upon us. So it was exciting to work on some Christmas cards before the season kicks in to gear. This yummy stamp design is from DRS Designs. I colored it in using Copic markers. Be sure to visit the Sheetload blog to download the October issue.

Sheetload of Cards if a free ezine that is dedicated to helping paper crafters of all levels, increase their card stash ... one layout at a time.

October Shout Out to Sheetload Challenge

2009-10-14T22:56:00.001-05:00

Would you like to win a gift certificate to DRS Designs' online store?! Make sure to check out October's 'Shout Out to SheetLoad' challenge over on the SheetLoad blog.

Denami Rocks!!!

2009-10-12T12:44:00.007-05:00

OMG! I can't believe it! I opened up my email this morning and was treated with the best surprise! I am the winner of the Denami Designs Blog Rubber Stamp Giveaway! (Thank you Barbara Debose!!!! It DOES pay to read your friends blog!)

A special thank you to Denami Designs for this wonderful prize, a $50 gift certificate! Also a speical shout out to Tanya from Stamper's Ink who introduced me to Denami Designs. For those of you that don't know, Stamper's Ink was voted Kansas City's #1 arts & crafts store.

In Case I Haven't Told You Yet ...

2009-10-03T18:12:00.008-05:00

Happy, happy ... happy ...

World Cardmaking Day!

In recognition of World Cardmaking Day, I thought this would be a good time to share one of the cards I created for this month's edition of Sheetload. I am so excited because this month's sponsor is DRS ... one of my all-time favs! I had such a great time with these stamps ... I love Fall and Winter and can't wait for this time of year so you can imagine my excitement when I learned we were making Fall/Winter cards for this edition! If you haven't checked out the free issue of Sheetload yet, what are you waiting for?

Do me proud friends ... and have a wonderfully crafty day! A special shoutout to Beth who is having a crop at her house ... I'm not sure if she intentionally planned it for World Cardmaking Day but I am willing to give her the benefit of the doubt! You go, girl!!! Wish I could have made it!

Also in recognition of World Card Making Day, SheetLoad of Cards has launched their monthly "Show Us Your SheetLoad" challenge a bit early this month...

Head on over to the SheetLoad blog today and find out how you can win one of the following prizes from their October '09 sponsor, DRS Designs!

Grand Prize:

Runner Up:

Denami Fans ... Don't Miss This!

2009-10-03T17:50:00.008-05:00

Be sure to check out Denami's blog for your chance to win some blog candy! If you haven't tried their products, you should ... they have cute designs with a very clean impression. A girl can't ask for more than that! Check them out and good luck!

Ghouls and Goblins in the October Sheetload!

2009-10-02T13:37:00.001-05:00

It is time for a new issue of SheetLoad of Cards!! The October '09 issue is ready for download at the SheetLoad blog.

This issue was sponsored by DRS Designs and features a fabulous sketch by Ann. We were lucky enough to have Cathy, the DRS Designs DT Coordinator, and some of their fabulous DT members join us in the issue.

Make sure to check out the eZine or the top of the blog for DRS Designs' ad... they have a special offer for SheetLoad readers!

Also, come back to see my cards and Beyond the Card submissions for this issue!

As always, happy crafting!

Studio M Craft Room ...

2009-09-06T13:39:00.003-05:00

... is still in progress. Barbara came over last night to craft in my still-in-progress, construction-zone influenced craft room. It was awesome because there was lots of girl talk and laughing as we heard the excitement of our families downstairs playing Wii. As Barbara put it ... "I can almost see the floor" after a couple hours of organizing and labelling things for the big crafty garage sale at The Scrapbook Page. My goal is get pictures posted of my little craft haven by Monday night ... so make sure you come back to check out my blog. And if I don't have the pictures up, you have my complete permission to give me a hard time! Have a wonderful and safe holiday weekend.

September Show Us Your Sheetload Challenge

2009-09-06T13:36:00.000-05:00

It is time for the monthly Show Us Your SheetLoad challenge over at SheetLoad of Cards!! To be entered to win, all you have to do is create a single, Fall-themed, card that utilizes the sketch from the latest issue.

Head on over there today and find out how you can win one of two gift certificates from the September sponsor - JessicaLynnOriginal!

September Sheetload is Here

2009-09-06T13:30:00.001-05:00

It is time for the new issue of SheetLoad of Cards - September 2009 - sponsored by JessicaLynnOriginal!

Head over to the blog today to download your FREE copy and make sure to check back later this month for chances to win prizes from the sponsor.

August Simple, Special ... Stunning

2009-08-21T13:29:00.000-05:00

It is time for the August edition of Simple Special Stunning at the SheetLoad of Cards blog, featuring samples by Barbara DeBose.

Each month one of our artists will share three different cards that use the current layout. Each card is a "step up" from the previous one, but they are all fabulous.

It is a good way to show how SheetLoad is geared toward papercrafters of all levels.

Here are some sneak peeks to wet your appetite...

Sheetload Sponsor Spotlight - August

2009-08-18T22:32:00.000-05:00

Click on the image above to learn more about the August '09 sponsor at SheetLoad of Cards - Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps!

Show Us Your Sheetload!

2009-08-11T00:00:00.001-05:00

It is time once again to show us what you have created with the latest issue of SheetLoad of Cards; August 2009.

All you have to do is create one (1) card and enter it in the August '09 Show Us Your SheetLoad Challenge for a chance to win Two (2) FREE Stamp Sets from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps!

I'm sooooo excited ... and I just can't hide it!

2009-08-10T14:22:00.012-05:00

This is my favorite time of year ... the new Close to My Heart (CTMH) '09 Autumn/Winter Idea Book comes out and it introduces all of the holiday stamp and paper collections! I'm also excited about the new Double Scrubber stamp cleaning pad ... it's raised 6" x 6 1/4" surface makes cleaning large stamps a cinch! CTMH is also unveiling Studio J ... a new digital (yes I said DIGITAL) product! I can't wait to tell you all about it!

If you're interested in receiving an Idea Book, simply email me at mmachado@myctmh.com.

Happy crafting!!

Wedding Thank You's

2009-08-08T00:00:00.001-05:00

A while ago I told you that I was using one of the wedding photos of Hicham and me for Thank You cards ... well I finally got them done! Here is a pic of the card (inside says, ... and they lived happily ever after)

August Shout Out to Sheetload Challenge

2009-08-07T22:31:00.002-05:00

This is one you're not gonna want to miss! It's time for the monthly "Shout Out to SheetLoad" Challenge over at the SheetLoad of Cards blog!!

Head over there today to find out how you can win...

Two (2) FREE Digital Stamps from - Whimsie Doodles!!

My Favorite Wedding Card

2009-08-07T22:06:00.003-05:00

Check out the cutest wedding card made by my friend Alicia! I actually showed her a cake topper that I admired and she used that as inspiration for the card! Love, love, LOVE it!!!

August Sheetload!

2009-08-03T23:27:00.001-05:00

It is time for the August issue of SheetLoad of Cards!!!

(click on thumbnail above to go download the FREE issue)

The August '09 issue features a sketch by Liz Weber, stamps from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps and Guest Artists from the Sweet 'n Sassy Design Team!

Wedding Day ...

2009-07-29T22:14:00.005-05:00

Hicham and I got married at the courthouse on July 17. It was a nice small ceremony with a few friends present. I haven't uploaded all of the pictures yet but here is a nice one my Mom took near the gazebo at the courthouse. Stay tuned to see something special I'm creating with this photo!

Last Chance to Show us your Sheetload!

2009-07-28T23:11:00.003-05:00

Don't forget that you can still check out the July issue of Sheetload. Sheetload is for crafters of all levels. Also there is still time to enter to win prizes from this months sponsor, Squigglefly. through Shout Out to Sheetload and Show us your Sheetload challenges.

May the craft be with you!

July: Simple, Special ... Stunning

2009-07-28T23:05:00.002-05:00

This month's Simple, Special, Stunning artist on Sheetload is Jessica George. Be sure to stop by Sheetload's Simple, Special, Stunning section to see her fabulous creations ... you'll be glad you did!

Madison & Popples

2009-07-28T23:01:00.002-05:00

Here is a card I made using Squigglefly's Madison & Popples digital image. Check out the July Sheetload for more details.

Rock n Roll Girl Fun!

2009-07-28T22:55:00.004-05:00

Here is a card and bookmark that I made for the July Sheetload! This month we used adorable digital images from Squigglefly.

Be sure to check out the July Sheetload for more details!

Turtle Mania

2009-07-10T21:09:00.003-05:00

Have you had a chance to check out Sheetload yet this month? One of the cards I created for this month's issue features the digital turtle stamp from Squigglefly.

All of the supplies I used are in this month's Sheetload. I really liked how this turned out, especially with the sentiment on the bottom and side borders.

And as a special treat this month, check out Sheetload, Shortcuts and Caardvarks ... they have all teamed up for Caardvarks challeng this month.

July Sheetload

2009-07-05T12:13:00.003-05:00

I hope everyone had a safe and happy 4th of July yesterday! Don't forget to check out the July Sheetload! This month's sponsor is Squigglefly digital designs.

Sheetload Sneak Peeks

2009-06-30T23:18:00.003-05:00

July Sneak Peeks are up! Here are sneak peeks for my submissions and you can see the full list at the Sheetload site.

Don't forget to play along ... you can create your own Sheetload of cards and send it in for the Show us Your Sheetload contest!

Reminder: Show Us Your Sheetload

2009-06-28T10:41:00.002-05:00

Time is running out to Show Us Your Sheetload! Submit your Sheetload creation by June 30 and be entered to win! Prizes include a $20 and $10 gift certificate to TAC. Click here for more information and good luck!

Simple, Special ... Stunning!

2009-06-27T12:30:00.002-05:00

Check out a new Simple, Special ... Stunning feature at Sheetload! Every month a DT member will use the current month's sketch to create three cards that are just that ... simple, special and then a card that kicks it up a notch to make it stunning! Enjoy!

Look at These YUMMY Designs!

2009-06-21T21:04:00.003-05:00

Sheetload design + Bitten the Bug images + Cutting Cafe card shapes = Yummy Cards! I'm right in the middle of a redesign of my craft room (which is not easy when EVERYTHING is spread out between 3 rooms) but wanted to participate in this fun, intersite challenge.

Drum Role Please...

2009-06-01T12:36:00.005-05:00

Check out the June issue of Sheetload of Cards! As always, there are fabulous samples using this months sketch. This month's sketch was created by Nicole Anderson. So try your hand at a Sheetload and increase your stash of cards! Enjoy!

Morocco ... the Sequal

2009-05-30T00:00:00.013-05:00

Okay, I know a lot of you have been waiting for me to post pictures of my recent trip to Morocco in April. My Mom and I had a fabulous time and we have so many wonderful memories of the time we spent with Hicham and his family. Here are the highlights of our trip:

Al Mogar (Agadir)

We stayed in Al Mogar, a beautiful resort by the beach. The days were warm and the evenings were chilly enough to wear a jacket. Our daily program included shopping, sampling the local cuisine and walking after every meal. We also played at the beach near Tagazout, visited Hicham's family and travelled to Casablanca, Marrakesh (twice!!!) and Essouria. Mom and I both bought jalabas as well at the tailor. They are both beautiful and I can't wait for cooler weather to wear mine!

Camel Trekking (at the Kasbah - Agadir)

No trip to Morocco is complete unless you visit one of it's many kasbahs! We took a taxi up to the mountain in Agadir so my Mom could check it out. Low and behold ... we were getting out of the taxi and the next thing Hicham and I knew ... my Mom was on a camel and taking off! By the way ... the guy in this picture told my Mom that she owed him nearly $15 (U.S) since she took her picture with the goat! Yeah right ... while it is customary to pay someone if you take their photo, he was way off base!!! I don't think this is an experience she will soon forget!

Marrakesh

We made a short day trip to Marrakesh so that Mom could experience the souks and the Jema Fna. As always it was lively there. We also went to an artisan souq and got to see how they make carpets, pottery, metalworks, etc. I couldn't believe the size of the cloth loom below. It was quite amazing to see the guys working on them. Of course we broke up the day with some mint tea! I think you'll agree that Hicham is sporting quite the style!

Other fun Pics

Camels hanging out at the kasbah in Agadir

Mom at the port in Essouria -- it was freezing that day!

This made me laugh outloud ... this picture would make a perfect cell phone ad ... showing how the world keeps connected!

Hicham's Parents & Mom

Me & Hicham

Crazy Brothers & Sisters - Bouchra, Hicham, Abdo and Laila

Hicham & Me

Hicham

Hicham & Mom

June Sheetload - Sneak Peeks!!!!

2009-05-29T09:49:00.002-05:00

Stop by to see the June Sneak Peeks at Sheetload of Cards! And then go back on June 1st to see the unveiling of the June issue. Sheetload of Cards is a free eZine where you'll find fabulous ideas, featuring stamps from various stamp companies ... all the while, increasing your card stash! Enjoy!

Itty Bitty Notepad .. Bring on the BLING!

2009-05-28T11:00:00.003-05:00

I love being on the DT for Sheetload of Cards. In case you haven't checked it out, you should! It's a FREE monthly eZine that one of my besty's, Alicia, created. She is so talented and the word about her eZine has travelled around the world and back! I recently made the itty bitty altered notepad as part of the March 2009 edition. I sponsored that particular month and there are tons of great samples using CTMH products!
I sure wish I could find these little notepads at a store! They are so cute and fun to work with! I think they would be great hostess gifts for my CTMH biz!

My New Crafty Desk!

2009-05-27T23:43:00.007-05:00

A special thanks to my friend Alicia (a.k.a. Crafty Al) from Sheetload of Cards. She knew I'd been overwelmed with cleaning my craft room and came over last night to help me get started. I always ask myself ... how did I let it get this way? My craft room has been a disaster since my last crop I held at my house. Instead of setting the tables back up and putting everything away, I just threw everything in there. Every time I tried to go in the room I'd leave because I didn't know where to start! Please tell me I'm not to the only one with this problem! LOL! We also put together my new IKEA desk. Check it out and let me know what do you think!

I love my new desk and feel a road trip to IKEA coming on ... anybody want to go???

In Like a Lion ... with the March Sheetload!!

2009-03-01T10:22:00.015-06:00

Don't forget to check out the March Sheetload eZine today! This month's issue celebrates Close to My Heart and debut's new sketch designer, Barbara Debose.

Try your hand at creating your own sheetload using this months sketch. It's fun and FAST!!!

Check out the March Sheetload now!

And if that weren't enough ... the new CTMH Idea books are coming out in April! Want your book before everyone else? Contact me at mmachado@myctmh.com for details!

Shout Out to Sheetload!!!

2009-02-28T16:38:00.007-06:00

Let's give a shout out to Sheetload this month! I'm so excited about the March issue as some of my favorite CTMH papers and stamps are showcased this month. Here are sneak peeks of two items I made ...

Hmmm ... wonder what they are! LOL! You'll just have to check out this month's eZine!

Check back on March 1 for a link to the March eZine!

More Pics from Morocco

2008-11-14T10:22:00.008-06:00

Okay ... I'm finally updating the blog to show you all how beautiful Morocco is! Here are just some of the places I visited ...

Marrakesh

We spent two days in Marrakesh and it was everything you see in the movies ... absolutely AMAZING! The one thing that struck me about Marrakesh is the how big it is and how many people there are. There were tons of tourists and I so many people sped through the narrow alleyways on motorcycles! Of course, like in other areas of Morocco, the doorways to the medina and the front doors of homes were gorgeous!

Confessions of a BAD blogger ...

2008-10-21T07:08:00.002-05:00

So sorry I havnt been a faithful blogger ... to make up for it, I have blog CANDY for five people! Im not even going to attempt to upload any photos until I get home but know there are some pretty cool tagines up for grabs. Right now Hisham and I are in Marrakesh ... I have tons to share especially pictures and video of the jamaa alfna. See you all on Monday!!!!!!!

Rock the Casbah!!!

2008-10-12T11:44:00.019-05:00

Salam from Morocco! Okay ... before I get in too much trouble ... this REALLY is the first time Ive been able to get to an internet cafe! Now I have soooo much to share but Im on a funky French keyboard and all of the letters are in different places! Sooo ...the deal is that I will blog until I get frustrated! LOL!

Ahhhhh Morocco ... Morocco really is as beautiful as I remember! The scenery ... the people ... the music and the traditions are all so spectacular. Of course I have some fun videos and pictures to share so grab your beverage of choice and hang out here for a bit.

When I first arrived Hisham and Momo met me at a the airport and took me to the flat where Im staying. To say that the view is gorgeous is really an understatement! Its right on the beach and you can see the surfers every morning catching the first waves of the day.

Cascade in Emmouzar
We took a trip in the mountains to see one of the most famous waterfalls in Morocco. Close your eyes and imagine going on the craziest road course youve ever seen ... add mountainess terrain and NO guardrails! In case youre wondering --Dobratz and Perugini --I didnt lose my lunch and I was even in the back seat! When we finally got to the waterfall it wasnt at all like I expected. The waterfall is mostly dry with exception of water droplets falling into a small but deep pool of water at the bottom of the falls. When winter comes ... snow from the mountain will melt and the falls will be in full swing again. A couple of the locals showed off their Olympic diving talents ...

COMING SOON -- cascade jumpers video

Local favorites
No trip is quite complete without mint tea and of course Momo to demonstrate the right way to serve it! This was actually taken in a small village cafe on the way to the cascade. We had some of the local argon oil. Its widely known as it promotes good health whether eaten or applied to the skin. We also had some thyme honey with the argon oil. You simply dip the bread in the oil and honey and enjoy!

Okay ... just lost a ton of stuff I blogged ... guess I will try this again later!

Reality has set in ...

2008-10-05T10:35:00.002-05:00

Okay ... I know this shouldn't be a surprise but tomorrow is the LAST day I have to get anything done before my trip! I had planned to get everything done in the evenings last week but I obviously didn't anticipate being laid up with a bum knee. The good news is that my knee is feeling much, much better! Hamdoallah ... yes I'm practicing my Arabic ... LOL. Hopefully it will all come back so at least I can understand some ... and better yet ... so I can bargain shop in the souqs! Well, I'm off to do some shopping for my trip ... on the bright side, at least I'll have sassy toes even if I don't have everything I need! And for those of you who haven't seen me, I had my first-ever pedicure and the girls convinced me to get "tied-around-your-little-finger" pink. It was a little out of my comfort zone but I'm pretty jazzed to wear sandles for once!

5 more days ...

2008-10-02T12:44:00.003-05:00

I can't believe it! Five (count 'em FIVE) more days until I leave for Morocco! This is definately going to be a wonderful trip. So far on the agenda is Agadir, Fez, Casablanca and then Marrakesh for an archealogical dig. This is one things I wished I would have done while I was in Bahrain. So I guess I'm getting a second chance. You can bet I'm also looking forward to all of the shopping!!!

Right now, my big task at hand is keeping off of my knee for the next few days since I twisted it on Tuesday. I'll hope you'll come back and visit my blog while I'm away as I'll be updating it with pictures and stories from Morocco!

baby it's cold outside ...

2007-09-16T12:13:00.003-05:00

I can't believe it's been so cold outside! Yesterday I made hot chocolate and all I wanted to do was craft! Check out my snowman tags I completed for a Stamp Shack swap. I used my new Penny Black snowman stamp. Love it!!! I also heat embossed the image and used various colors of Stickles to all color and sparkle!

Paper Weaving

2007-08-08T18:45:00.001-05:00

Here is a card I made for my Mom when I was at an all day craft with my crafty divas! It took me absolutely forever as I'd never done paper weaving before! The only tricky part was figuring out how wide to cut the strips. The die cuts are made with Quikkutz dies.

Penguins in July

2007-07-08T20:37:00.000-05:00

I received a TAC catty from Sherri who I met on the Simply Sentiments & Stamp Shack sites. I simply must have the cute little penguins. The only problem is that you have to have a $250 party! My newfound affinity for penguins drove me to purchasing a cute little penguin by Great Impressions last weekend. Check him out!! I can't wait to create something with him!

Blog-o-rama!!

2007-06-20T19:40:00.000-05:00

Well, today is the day I enter the world of blogging! I've thought about it a lot but just never sat down to make it happen! I love to make paper crafts ... my fav is making cards. I hope to share many creations and techniques with all of my friends the web!