Non Traditional Packaging-Christmas Stampin All Year Long

Good morning!  How was your week?  Can you believe it's Friday already?!!!  This week has gone so fast.  It's already time for another challenge at Christmas Stampin All Year Long.  This week we're doing it up non-traditionally and making packages.  When I say non-traditional I'm referring to color, you can use any colors but reds or greens. Our sponsor for this weeks challenge is the fabulous Perfect Presentation and they have so generously offered a free template to the winner of it!  So what are you waiting for?!!!  Let's get started!!!

The team and I have been busy creating some wonderful samples to inspire you.  Here's what I did:

I went with their Tall Gable Box template for my project.

I printed the template on Really Rust (I had to ask my family if this looked red and they informed me it was more of an orange than a red) card stock.  All I had do after that was make my cuts and scores and embellish.  The image is Warm & Cold from Penny Black stamps and I colored it using prismacolor pencils.  The sentiment is from Stampin Up's Snowflake set (retired).

Until next time, have a great day and thanks for stopping by!  TTFN

Hugs, Becky

Time to get inspired-CSAYL

I love all kinds of challenges but I think my favorite has to be inspiration challenges.  You get a picture to look at and let it take your creative imagination on a journey.  This weeks challenge  at Christmas Stampin All Year Long is a inspiration challenge.  Here's the picture that inspired the team to create some really great cards!

Such a great picture and so many choices.  Should I use the cakes to inspire me to create something yummy or the shapes of the plates or the color pallete?  I  loved that the colors weren't traditional Christmas colors so I chose to challenge myself in that direction and this is what I came up with.

I started by printing this cute Bugaboo Stamps image on watercolor paper.  I colored the image using Stampin Ups watercolor pencils and a watercolor brush.  To give it that cool wintry feel I added some snowflakes, glitter and sentiment from my Snowflakes set (Stampin Up retired).

We'd love for you to join us in this weeks challenge.  You could be chosen as our guest designer!

Until next time, have a great day and thanks for stopping by!  TTFN

Hugs, Becky

One, two, three have we got a challenge for thee?

I apologize for the corny title but it's late and my brain is not functioning at full capacity!  It was the first thing that popped into my head!  Anyway, it's time for this weeks challenge at Christmas Stampin All Year Long.  Today we are making  the complete package.  A gift box or bag, card and tag to go with it.

The fabulous Perfect Presentation is sponsoring this weeks challenge and offering the winner a free template.  If you have never worked with their templates, you are missing out.  They are so easy and great to embellish! 

Cute Carton-Flaky Friends SU (retired)

I printed the carton template on olive card stock and cut, scored and glued.  I embellished it with layers of card stock, dp from daisy d and some colored images from Stampin Up's Flaky Friends.



To view all the fabulous design team projects, head on over to CSAYL.  You're gonna love what you see there.

Until next time, have a great day and thanks for stopping by!  TTFN

Hugs, Becky

She's A Real Cutie-An Oldie But A Goodie

It's Oldie But Goodie day at Bugaboo Stamps!  Have I got a cute card for you?!!  I made it using one of Bugaboo's Brat images, Brat Girl Balloon Sitter!  Isn't she adorable?   I just love all the fun images in the Brat collection!

For more fabulous inspiration, check out all the amazing design team creations at Catch The Bug!

Until next time, have a great day and thanks for stopping by!  TTFN

Hugs, Becky

Time To Cool Off With A New Release-Catch The Bug

It's been so hot here the last couple of weeks.  It went straight from a little bit of spring into full fledged summer weather and I don't know about you, but I sure would enjoy a cooling off.  It's not likely that we're gonna get it in the way of cooler temperatures, so we're gonna try another approach.  Visual therapy!!!   This weeks New Release from Bugaboo Stamps has got just the ticket for such therapy!  So sit back, take a look and visualize yourself hanging out with this cutie in the snow.

Snowman Ornament



He's colored using Copic markers and a little bit of watercoloring.  Add some blues and purples in card stock and designer papers and a frosty white bow attached to this fun tag and you have a cool card that's sure to put a smile on someones face!

For more great creations be sure to pop on over to the Catch The Bug blog and check out all the fun and frosty design team creations! 

Until next time, have a great day and thanks for stopping by!  TTFN

Hugs, Becky

Glitter Birthday- Paper Crafting World

Sorry this post is a little late in going up.  We had an exciting night here in Dallas last night.  Sirens were blaring tornado warnings and just when one warning would expire another one would sound.  It's a little nerve racking to say the least espacially after seeing all the damage done to Joplin just a few days ago.  So sad! 

The storms finally passed us around 10:30 but when I sat down to type up my post, I discovered the internet was out.  We're all back up and running this morning so here is this weeks challenge  at  Paper Crafting World. 

  It's a glitter celebrations challenge!!!

Very exciting to me cause I sure do LOVE to glitter things and make them all sparkly!!!  Heres what I did with the challenge:

Turtle With Flowers

I colored the image using Copic markers but had originally colored the hearts on her shell red.  It didn't look very good so I colored just the hearts on another image and paper pieced those over the red. I didn't want to have to color the whole image again so that was the quick and easy fix.  I glittered the flowers using glossy accents and dazzling diamonds.  The sentiment on the flower is from Stampin Up's  Think Happy Thoughts.

For more fabulous inspiration and details on the challenge, head on over the Paper Crafting World blog! 

Until next time, have a great day and thanks for stopping by!  TTFN

Hugs, Becky

Freebie Friday-Catch The Bug

So how many of you have been thinking, "I need to get started on my Father's Day cards"?!!  Well if this is you, you're gonna love this weeks Freebie Friday image from Bugaboo Stamps.  Especially if the man in your life is a golfer!  Let me show you what I mean.

I colored him using copic markers and kept the layout pretty simple and embellishment free with just a few brads. The sentiment is from All Year Cheer II from SU.  The embossed panel was made using my cuttlebug and Fiskars plate.

See!!!  I  told you you were gonna like it!  He looks like he's ready for a fun day out on the course!  So what are you waiting for?!! Head on over to Bugaboo and grab him for your very own! 

Until next time, have a great day and thanks for stopping by!  TTFN

Hugs, Becky

Make your own designer paper.

Good morning and welcome to this weeks challenge at CSAYL. We're creating our own designer paper using stamps. Our fine sponsors for today's challenge is the fabulous Perfect Presentations Templates.

They have some really  fun templates to work with and the best part is they've done all the hard work so all you have to do is trace, cut and embellish.  I chose to work with their My Little Bag  template.  This is my project.

To get my project started, I traced the design on some sage card stock and then cut, scored and folded it.  Following the instructions that come with the template, I then glued my pieces together.  For the designer paper I stamped snowflakes  and swirls onto some navy card stock.  I added a scalloped punched circle layered with and embossed circle and snowflake to the bottom border.  For the border I attached a piece of white corrugated card stock and a row of jeweled flowers.  To finish it off I added some faux stitching, a ribbon handle and a vclcro closure.

Be sure to stop by the CSAYL blog and see all the awesome designs the team created.  We'd also be thrilled to have you join in on the fun.  You could be the lucky winner of a template of your own.

Until next time, thanks for stopping by and have a great day!  TTFN

Hugs, Becky

Valentine Tree

I had the idea for this card rolling around in my head for two days now but since I've been back at work this week, I haven't had the time to be creative til tonight. It turned out just as I pictured it in my head. So nice when that happens.

For this card I used my Cricut and Graphically Speaking cart for the tree and sentiment, George cart for the heart, and Mini Monogram cart for the scalloped square. I also blew the dust off of one of my all time favorite Stampin Up background stamps, By Definition(retired) and got it inky.

Those cute little hearts were a find at Target and they're from Colorbok.

I thought I was finished with it then and there but it just needed something more. I did some tracing around the outside of the tree and letters with my black fine tipped marker to make them pop. It really made a big difference in the final outcome of this card.

The back panel is embossed using my hearts embossing folder and cuttlebug.

I'm gonna call it a night. Now that I've got this card out of my head and onto paper, I'm gonna go see what my little mind can dream up for tomorrows card making. Have a great day and thanks for stopping in to see me. TTFN

Hugs, Becky

I lovasuarus you

Happy New Year! I can't believe another has passed so quickly can you? I spent the evening hanging out with my kiddos, playing games and watching movies. We had a good time but I only wish my dear sweet hubby had felt like hanging out with us. He started off the new year sick in bed with a kidney infection. Thankfully he's feeling much better today so I felt like making cards.

It's time to put away all the Christmas stuff and get rolling on the next big card day, Valentine's Day.

I love V-day cause it's all about showing our loved ones just how much they mean to us. That and it usually involves candy and flowers and what girl doesn't love both of those things.

To kick off this round of Valentine cards, I pulled out another one of the images I chose from Bugaboo stamps. Dino Smiles was just too cute to pass up and I knew he would make a cute focal point for this card. I'm gonna call him my Lovasaurus.

I printed him on white card stock and colored him with Copics. All I had to do now was layer him up with some panels I cut with my Cricut and Storybook cart and add some embellishments and I was done.

This card was supposed to fit the sketch challenge on Jen's blog but I just couldn't get it to work with the back panel, so I'm gonna have to give her challenge another go with a different card. This does fit this week's anything goes challenge over at Catch The Bug, though.

That's all I have for now. Gonna get this posted and get back to my card making. I only have a couple more days before I have to go back to work and I wanted to make the best of them. Y'all have a great day and thanks for stopping by! TTFN

Hugs, Becky

Pink Cat Studio Holiday Contest

Like I said in yesterdays post. I got some new images from Pink Cat Studio on Black Friday and found out there is a contest going on til Decmeber 10th. Just create a project of some kind (card, gift boxes and bags, tags, scrapbook layouts, etc.) using PCS images and you could win some free images. I love contests, especially when it drives my creativity.



I could have entered my tree card that was in yesterday's post, but there is only one entry allowed and I had an idea for another one in my head already. Here is what I came up with today and will be my entry in the card contest.

I love snowman images and this one is so adorable, I just had to have it.
I colored him with Copics and Prismacolor Pencils. His scarf, buttons, nose and blades are adorned with Glossy Accents.
I made the snowflake by layering various snowflakes cut from my Cricut, MS punch and a fabric snowflake sent to me by a dear friend last year.
I also pulled out one of my favorite Stampin Up Christmas set, Snowflakes (retired). I stamped the snowflakes in white pigment on Night Of Navy cardstock.
To add a little whimsy (Lord knows I love whimsy) I added a row of buttons along the top of the boredering blue card stock.
All it needed after that was the sentiment (Snowflakes) and a little bit of ice for him to skate on.
This card was super easy and quick since I had already colored and cut the image yesterday. I think I'm gonna have to do that more often.
That's all for now. I go back to work tomorrow (BOOOO!) so it's off to bed for me. I really had a great Thanksgiving break and sure hope you did too! Have a great week! TTFN
Hugs, Becky

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Because it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, I thought I better get my hiney in gear and get started on some Christmas cards.

I spent most of the day today printing digi images and coloring them. So much fun, but I decided to take a little break from my coloring to make this sparkly card and just couldn't wait to share it with you all.

I was one of the few people who did not brave the crowds on Black Friday. I tried that once about eight years ago and that was enough for me. Instead, I stayed home and hugn out with the family. I did however check out a few of the Cyber deals at some of my favorite online stamping stores. When I saw some of the cool Christmas images on Pink Cat Studio and decided to gift myself with some of the digi images. These adorable trees (Three christmas trees) are just one of the few images I bought.

I colored them with Copics and added glossy accents to the balls and silver stickles to the topper. Those fabulous snowflakes were a gift from one of my fellow stampers and they were the perfect touch. The white panel was embossed with my Cuttlebug and Florished Farm. To give it some sparkle I added some gems and dazzling diamonds.

Well I guess I better get back to my coloring! It's my goal to have all my images colored today for card making tomorrow!

Y'all have a great day and thanks for stopping by! TTFN

Hugs, Becky

Some Exciting News!!!

I've known this for a little while but had to wait til now to share it with you all! I'm part of the amazing Cooking With Cricut design team.

We'll be sharing cards and projects that contain cutting files and digital images as well. The team is off to a fabulous start with some awesome designs so be sure to check them out.

This weeks challenge is love-sweetest day for the upcoming Sweetest Day on the 16th.

I chose to start off with this cute digital image and a card.

I printed the image on watercolor paper and colored it with reinkers and a watercolor brush. There is glossy accents on their eyes, noses and her bow. I pulled out some of my scrap paper for the background and added lots of layers that include, a glossed heart, ribbon, primas, a big ole button and a sentiment oval cut using my Cricut and George cart. Card measures 5 1/2 x 5 1/2.

It was super easy with such a fabulous image as inspiration!

Now for even more inspiration, be sure to check out what the other team members prepared for you!

Abby Grimaldi

Adrea Travis

Alidalis Acevedo

Beanie (Sheryl) Mason

Brandilynn Dowse

Cathie Rigby

Christel Bonner

Cyndi Budhi

Gaby Villasenor

Jenna Fletcher

Jennifer Hudson

Kassidy

Kristal Andrew

Madison Womack

Marji Franklin

Michelle

Valine Campbell

Isn't that a talented group of crafters?!!!

Thanks for stopping in and sharing my excitement with me!

Have a blessed day!!! TTFN

Hugs, Becky

Oh Baby

Here's the reason I've been MIA. I've been working on these baby shower invites. I had twenty five of them to make and a deadline of Tuesday to get them finished. I'm still working on them but didn't want to go without a weekend post.

I made the same card using different colors as a prototype. The customer chose to go with the zebra print. That one was my favorite too! What's your fave?

The carriage was made using my Cricut and Graphically Speaking cart. I made my own embossing image by gluing two outline images of the carriage together and then gluing it to a piece of chipboard. That way I used all parts of the image cut from the Zebra print.

That cute little baby is an image from SU's Cuddles & Tickles (retired) but you could use any baby image. I colored her with my Copics then cut her out and glued her inside the carriage.

The sentiment and embossing were made with my Welcome Baby Die and Cuttlebug.

The vellum panel was printed using Print Shop.

That's about all for now. Gotta head back into my stamp cave and finish this order.

Have a great day and Happy Labor Day! TTFN

Hugs, Becky

Heavenly Flight

Good morning! Couldn't sleep last night cause I watched a movie that I thought was gonna be action suspense and it was really graphic, so I had to do something to take my mind off of it and what better way to refocus than to stamp?

I made this card in honor of my mom. You see, today would have been her seventy fourth birthday. She passed away nearly two years ago and when she did, she sent us a sign that she was alright and for us not to worry about her. She sent us butterflies! Lots and lots of butterflies!

I wanted to make a butterfly as beautiful as my mom so after stamping the image and coloring it, I covered it with glossy accents and a little dazzling diamonds on the tips of the wings. After I let it dry, I went back and added more DD over the glittered areas. Oh my, does this ever sparkle and shine. Mom would be proud. The background to the center piece was made with my Cricut and Storybook cart. The papers I used are from MME.

Well, I think I can go to bed now. I'm really sleepy!

Hope you enjoyed the card and it inspires you to be creative! It's really the best therapy in the world!

Have a great day! TTFN

Hugs, Becky

Love bug

I love digital images! They're so easy to work with and there's not a lot of storage involved with them which is always an issue when you're a hoarder like me! Last week I was looking around at Pink Cat Studio and couldn't resist purchasing this cute little ladybug image. I went right to work coloring her and she was perfect for the inspiration challenge for that day on SCS. It's nice when things work out that way don't you think? Almost like it was meant to be, or at least that's what I told my hubby! LOL

Anywho, without further ado, meet luvbug ladybug:

I printed the image on white card stock and colored her with my Copics. I used glossy accents on her wings and antennae. Once that had dried I sponged summer sun around the image. The rest is pretty easy. Just add accessories, accessories and more accessories.

Isn't she cute?

I've got a couple more PCS cards to show you but I don't want to overload the post so be sure to check back for more postings!

Have a great weekend! TTFN

Hugs, Becky

Prayerful Thoughts or Happy Easter, you decide...

Hello all and Happy Daylight Savings time! Since we have an extra hour today, I found the time to play around in my stamp room tonight. I wanted to make one of those pretty flowers I had seen over on Corie's blog and so I did. Well actually, I had so much fun with the first one, I made another but that's for tomorrows post. Hee hee!

In honor of Easter coming up, I thought the flower would look pretty on a cross. This card could be for Easter of for someone who is going through a tough time to let them know you are thinking of them. I like the versatility don't you?

I chose to make the flower only four layers thick but you could make add more to make it poofier. I stamped my DP with Night of Navy ink using my By Definition stamp (SU retired) before punching the scallops. The feaux button was made by layering five punched circles and punching holes with my piercing tool. I like the way it matches the background paper. The cross was made by criss crossing two pieces of card stock. With the flower in the center, you can't see the seams. The DP I used here is My Minds Eye.

Well there you have it! I'm getting sleepy and I want to play a little more Farmville before I go to bed. I have the week off for Spring Break so you'll probably be sick of me by the end of the week but I fully intend to stamp til I can stamp no more!!!

Have a great evening! TTFN

Hugs, Becky

Miracle Of Spring

I don't know about you, but I am so ready for Winter to be over and Spring to take it's place. We had 12 inches of snow here last week! In Texas! It broke a record that had stood for fifty years!

While it was beautiful and we had a great time playing in the snow, I am just ready for the flowers to bloom. Since it looks like Spring isn't gonna show up any time soon, I decided to stamp some Spring.

I pulled out one of my old sets from Stampin Up that I just can't bear to part with, Miracle Of Spring. I just love those cute little bunnies and flowers and the fact that they are lined images and great for coloring.

For this first card, I participated in the Featured Stamper challenge on SCS. HamiltonGal was the stamper of the week and if you check out her gallery, you'll see why! She's fabulous!

I colored the image with my Copics! The scalloped ovals and stamped panel was created using my Cricut and Storybook Cart. Add some soft DP and some embossed borders, flowers and buttons and this is the final result!

Since I already had this set out, I inked it up again and got to work on this card.

Not too sure I like the way the background turned out around the image but I decided to post it anyway. Again, I colored the image with my Copics with the exception of the background. It was colored with my Sahara Sand marker from SU. They don't blend nearly as well as Copics. I tried using my Aqua Painter to soften the lines but it was too little too late.

I go back to work tomorrow after having four days off so I need to get this posted and head off to bed. Hope you had a great weekend and you have an even better week. Happy Stamping! TTFN

Hugs, Becky

Just for fun

I think I've said this before, but I have a lot of friends and family members expecting babies.

While I was browsing through the book that came with my new Graphically Speaking cart, I saw that I could make this cute little pram and border and the ideas started forming.

I cut the outline of the pram with DP from My Minds Eye and the pram itself and alpha border in Ballet Blue. I couldn't resist adding this little baby from Stampin Up's Cuddles & Tickles set. I colored him with my Copics and cut him out and placed in the pram. For the white background piece I embossed it with my Cuttlebug and Love Language folder. It still looked like it needed something so I added the dovetailed tag. The sentiment was made using my Welcome Baby die cut. I'm such a accessory junkie so I couldn't stop there. I added a ribbon bow, piercing and brads and covered the pram with crystal effects. I finally declared it done.

It was so nice to make a card just for the fun of it. It's been quite a while since I had.

I have to tell you, I am lovin this new schedule at work. It's nice to have a little free time a couple of days a week. I've even been able to do some blog hoppin again. I've really missed visiting my friends blogs.

Did you all catch American Idol last night. I was shocked! I really thought Kris was going home, not Danny, didn't you? Not that I thought Kris did a bad job. On the contrary! He's my favorite (you Adam fans please don't hate me). It's just that the judges comments made it seem like Kris was gonna be the one to go. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for him next week.

I guess I've gone on long enough. I know most people hate long posts so I'll shut up for now.

Have a wonderful day and thanks for stopping by! TTFN

Hugs, Becky

Sketch # 94

Today's my birthday and I just realized as I was posting this that I am half as old as the number of today's challenge. How funny is that and what's the likelihood that something like that would happen? I know!!!! I'm OLD!!!!

Enough about that, I'm sure you didn't come here to get a math lesson. What you really came her for was to check out this week's Sketches card challenge.

What a fabulous sketch it is but don't take my word for it. Lookie here!!!

Here's what I did with the sketch:

Isn't that paper yummy? I loved the way the butterflies looked against it. It's from Memory Box and I found it at my LSS (The Stamp Asylum). In fact, I loved it so much I went back and made a Mother's Day card just like it for someone at work. I think I'm gonna have to go back and get some more.

The butterflies are covered with Glossy Accents to give them shine. The big butterfly is from Stampin Up's On Gossamer Wings and is stamped in burgundy and watercolored using browns.

If you like this, you'll love what the rest of the team did with the challenge. You can find their lovely work on the Sketches site. Head on over and check it out. You're in for a treat.

I can see the minutes clicking away on the clock. I'll sure be glad when I get my internet back at the house. I don't mind coming to the library, but I sure would like to have a little more time. You know the saying "time flies when you're having fun"? Well it should be "time flies when you're trying to acomplish about a hundred things on the computer in the time span of an hour". Whew! What a mouthful! With that said, I'm gonna say bye bye for now! Have a fabulous day and thanks for stopping by! TTFN

Hugs, Becky