Basic Grey Sketch Challenge

Guess what?  I have been finally scrapbooking again!  Well, not a ton like I used to, but one page at a time helps, right?  Today I thought I would play along with this week's Basic Grey Sketch Challenge.  (See sketch below).  For my layout I pulled out a few pics from our 2010 New York trip.

I started with some papers from the Basic Grey Wander line, because how perfect is that subway map paper?  I know!  I followed along pretty close to the sketch and even found some old cut out BG letters from the Color Me Silly line.  The city part was cut with High Rise alphabet from Lifestyle Crafts.  The two frame elements are also by LSC, Nesting Frame 2 dies.  I simply printed my journaling and subtitles onto vellum and then layered them over the die cut frames.  (BG paper is from BG Basics line, and subtitle cream piece from Ambrosia)

I also added a bit of a border to the bottom using my wavy dots EK Success punch.  Finally I added some brads and a button from Basic Grey (I can't keep up with what collections they wee from, I sort my buttons by brand into jars) and a piece of divine twine.

Here's the sketch if you have time to play along!

Thanks for visiting today!  Hope you have a great weekend :)  -Cyndi

Dream Team Thursday Challenge

Are you ready for some more green?  Its Thursday again and time for another round of Dreamweaver Stencils Go Green challenge!  For this week I thought I'd play around with my alcohol ink from DWS.  I started by embossing my Birdcage Stencil with Glossy white embossing paste.  After that was really dry, I re-taped the stencil on top and then applied Citron Color Solutions alcohol ink to the embossed ares with a precision q-tip through the stencil.

And my cage of course needed a little bird so I used this small bird die cut from Memory Box.  I added a touch of black dots with my copic 0.5 multiliner pen, some paper from American Crafts Letterbox line, ribbon and a sentiment tag (sentiment from Rose Branch Border by Stampendous!)

We would love for you to play along with us this month and there are two prizes up for grabs!

Also please visit my fellow DT's blogs and see what they have created for this week, and don't forget to leave everyone some love while you are there!

Dream It Up

Cherylynn Moser

Jessie Hurley

Cyndi Bundy

Pam Hornschu

Laura Drahozal

Kristi Van Doran

Lee Kellogg

Georgia Sommers

Louise Healy

Terrece Siddoway

Liz Martin

Other Challenges I'm entering:

Pile It On: Heartfelt Thanks

Make It Monday: Linky party

Flutterby Challenge: anything with wings

Desert Island Crafters Challenge

Its the 15th of the month and that means its time for a new Itinerary at Desert Island Crafters Challenge blog!  This week our very own Taylor made our itinerary:

1. 2 or more patterned papers

2. stars

3. green

4. sparkle/bling

5. kraft

6. polka dots

7. twine

8. stitching (faux or real)

9. 2 or more die cuts

10. stickers

I used #1,3,6, and 9.  My layout features the set Silly Cats 2 released by Skipping Stones Design yesterday.  I'm honored to be one of the guest designers this month, and you should go check out yesterdays blog hop HERE.  Such cute silly kitties!!

So I couldn't resist pulling this set out again to make a layout with my 4 cats: Bitsy, Apollo, Starbuck, and Roxie.  My papers are from and older Bo Bunny line that was just purrfect!

My title was created with Nesting Pennants, Nesting Frame 3, Clip It Kit, and High Rise alphabet...all dies from QuicKutz by Lifestyle Crafts.

Here's one of the cute felines from the set and one of the many sentiments.  Below is the other sassy miss.

I added lots of brads to the layout and also a border from the Lifestyle Crafts Edge It kit.  Ok, thats it today!  Hope you'll join us for our challenge in the next 2 weeks!  Thanks for stopping in today.  -Cyndi

Skipping Stones Design Blog Hop!

Welcome to Skipping Stones Design Sketch Challenge #115 and the release of Silly Cats 2!  If you just arrived from Shannan's blog then you are in the right place!  If you just happened by my blog then start at the beginning of the blog hop at Skipping Stones Design.

Oh my goodness, this set has the most unbelievably adorable sentiments!  I can't pick a fav, but for today I just had to use the "does this card make my butt look big?" one!  Snort!  I stuck pretty close to the sketch this time, and you can view the sketch at the bottom of my post if you want to play along with us!

My papers are all from A Walk in the Park by Echo Park.  Nesting Frame 3 die (behind the kitty) is from Lifestyle Crafts, as is the Nesting Scallops circle die.  My ribbon and button are both from Bo Bunny.

Here's a better look at this sassy little feline.  Is he cute or what?  That look is priceless and one I often get from all of my cats!  Below is the closeup of the ribbon treatment, tied off with some Tangerine twine.

And heres a peek from the side so you can see all the dimension going on.  I used Crafty Power Tape from 3L Scrapbook Adhesives for all the popped up pieces.  Its great cause I can cut a large piece for the large mat or a small bit for behind the kitty's tail.  ALSO, it comes in black or white!

Here's this week's sketch:

OK, so be sure to hop along and leave all the designers some love!  I am honored to be a guest this month at SSD along with Barb Turpin and sketch artist Kazan Clark!  Today's sketch (along with the rest of the sketches we are using this month were designed by Kazan)  

From here head over to Taylor's blog!

Here's the hop order in case you get lost:

Wendy J

Karen

Kazan

Shannan

Cyndi (me!!)

Taylor

Kandi

Barb

Wendy P

Stephanie

Jingle

JoAnn

Katie

Other challenges I'm entering:

Crafts and Me: new image

Scrapbook Sisters: anything goes

CES Challenges: 3 or more layers

Moving along with the Times: cute critters

Crafters Companion: anything goes

Simply B Stamps Valentine Challenge

Its challenge day again at Simply B Stamps!  You have a whole month to complete the challenge, so get busy...use any valentine Simply Betty Stamps Valentine image and add some spritz, mask and smear!  Huh?  I interpreted this to basically use any Shimmer sprays you have...Glimmer Mist, Smooch, Shimmerz, Pefect Pearls!  I have 3 things to share today, one with and two without the shimmer.

First is my spritzed bag I created with Lavinia from the SImply B Stamps Steampunk collection.  I colored her a long time ago when I was rereading the Laurel Hamilton Meredith Gentry Series...I wanted her to have Sidhe red hair.  (No clue what that is?  Read the books!  Al about the Seelie and Unseelie Fairies!)

I turned her into a gift bag upcycling a bag I had from somewhere or another.  I simply added some Star Dust and Iridescent Gold Glimmer Mist to the image and the pattern papers (My Minds Eye)

 Isn't she just gorgeous? If you like her then theres a whole line of these Victorian Steampunk beauties in the SBS store!

Next I have a card I created for Betty at The Stamping and Scrapbooking Room using Valentine Rio from the Valentine Emo collection.  No spritz on this one but I had to share since its V day!

Here's a closer peek at Rio atop the Nested Hearts and Nested Lace Hearts dies from Lifestyle Crafts.  The papers are by Little Yellow Bicycle.

I also added an arrow through the heart with the Arrows die and 2 interlocked hearts from the Hearts die.  All 4 of these dies are from the Lifestyle Crafts Sweetheart collection.

And finally, a pic of most of a card that I created for my DD bestie Ashley to give her boyfriend on their one year anniversary.  It uses Lola and Miller, also from the SImply B Stamps Valentine Emo collection.  This was a ton of fun to make for her, using their favorite colors of red and purple, some fun Rusty pickle paper cutouts that I colored with copics and yummy black web from May Arts.  I hate I didn't get a better pic before I gave it to her, this is her shot of it off facebook!

OK, so go get busy creating!  And hope you have a wonderful Valentines Day with your sweetie!

Thanks for stopping in!  -Cyndi

Valentines Layouts with Lifestyle Crafts

Today will be the day that I spend with my hubby!  He's taking me to lunch because sadly he always has to work Valentine's day...one of their busiest days of the year at Texas Roadhouse!  So I thought I would share some layouts that I created for Betty at The Stamping and Scrapbooking Room using new dies from Lifestyle Crafts Sweetheart release!  Drop by her store, she has all the new ones in stock!

This is me and my hunny a couple of years ago, but my DD just loves this pic :)  Papers are by Little Yellow Bicycle, pretty and shimmery!  The large heart was cut with Nesting Hearts and Nesting Lace Hearts.  The title was cut with Sugar Cookie die.

I added lots of little hearts and arrows from Arrows die and Hearts die.

I added a border at the bottom of this panel using the scallop from the Edge It kit.

And another quick layout with my youngest DD and one of our kitties, Bitsy.  I used paper and cutouts from a different Little Yellow Bicycle line and more hearts from the Heart die

How cute is that banner cut from a sheet of cutouts?  Its linked with Cherry twine.

Challenges:

2 sisters challenge: I heart you

Paper Play: love letters

Crafty Catz: valentines

Tuesday Thowdown:be my valentine

Simon Says: Love is in the air

Scrappy Chick Sunday Sketch Challenge

 Its Sunday again and I'm posting a new card using my current sketch with a reminder for my Scrappy Chick Sunday Sketch Challenge!  You still have 1 week to play along :)  See this post for all the details and to link up your creation!

I have a baby shower coming up so I thought I'd make a card using the new Baby Elephant stamp from Stampendous!  Isn't it just precious?  Theres a whole new line of baby animals too :)  I colored her with Copic BVs to match this subtle paper I found in my stash from Basic Grey.  The papers are from the Romani and Lily Kate lines, both now retired, yet still beautiful.

Here's a closer shot at my little baby hugging her teddy.  I added a small clip with a heart using dies from Lifestyle Crafts Clip It Kit (have you seen the peeks of the new It Kits coming this spring? They were peeked at CHA, and Oh my goodness!  I can't wait to expand my It Kit collection!)

I also dry embossed my main panel using one of the  Lifestyle Crafts Dainty folders then sanded across the top of the raised parts to reveal the white core of the paper.

Here's the sketch again in case you missed it!

Thanks for visiting today!  Have a great week :)  -Cyndi

Challenge List:

Craft Us Crazy: anything goes

Crafts and me: use a new image

Paper Pretties: add texture

Papertake Weekly: anything goes

Allsorts: free and easy February

Crafting for all Seasons: love is in the air

Tuesday Throwdown: be my valentine

Stampendous! Color Fragments Blog Hop

Today the Stampendous team has something extra special planned for you...we have combined our regular monthly challenge with a blog hop showcasing some of the great new products released at CHA last month! 

My card started as a tag but it wouldn't all fit so I turned it into a card!  First I stamped Butterfly Post with versamark ink and embossed it with Clear Bark EP onto a piece of pale pink cardstock that was previously sprayed with Tattered Rose and Creme de Chocolat Glimmer Mist sprays.  (all products used and most links are in a list at the bottom of the pictures).  Then I tore my edges and distressed them with Victorian Velvet and Antique Linen distress ink from Tim Holtz.

I added a small bit of hardware around one of the "stamps".  It started as silver, which just wouldn't do, so I embossed it with Aged Gold Embossing Enamel.

For the tag I started by dry embossing it through my cuttlebug with the Jumbo Damask stencil from Dreamweaver Stencils.  I then rubbed Rose and Gold inka gold paint over the embossed areas, and finished it off with a bit of Vintage Photo Ink around the edges.  Lastly I used Fran's embedded jewel technique on the bottom portion of the tag.  I applied versamark ink then a layer of Aged Rose enamel.  BEFORE that was heat set I sprinkled on some Shaved Ice, Bronze Glass Glitter, and Rose color fragments and THEN heated it.

On top of the tag, but under the pink panel I added a chipboard butterfly from Tattered Angels that I embossed with part Gold detail powder and part Aged Rose and added some of the Rose Color Fragments there as well.

The base of the card was stamped with the new Calligraphy Sampler in Vintage Photo ink.  Added a smidge of yummy May Arts ribbon and a Prima flower, and volia!

CRR138 Calligraphy Sampler

CRP147 Butterfly Post

FRG10C Shaved Ice

FRG08C Bronze Crushed Glass Glitter

FRC04R Rose Color Fragments

FREG031 Aged Rose Embossing Enamel

FREG024 Aged Gold Embossing Enamel

Clear Bark Embossing Powder

DP102R Gold Detail Embossing Powder

LX7001 Large Damask stencil (Dreamweaver Stencils)

Inka gold Gold & Rose (Viva Decor)

Victorian Velvet, Antique Linen, Vintage Photo distress ink (Ranger)

Versamark pad (Tsukineko)

Tattered Rose & Creme de Chocolat Glimmer Mist (Tattered Angels)

Nature embossed Framed Fonts (Tattered angels)

Prima flower

May Arts organdy ribbon

Tim Holtz jumbo tag

If you have not checked out this month's great texture challenge, you can read all the details on the Stampendous blog.  Now, check out the whole list of fabulousness for today:

Stampendous Impressions

Wendy Price

Cyndi Bundy

Janelle Stollfus

Wendy Jordan

Jennie Lin Black

Taylor Usry

Jennifer Ingle

Suzanne Czosek

Krissy Fossmeyer

Stephanie Lee

Kristine Reynolds

Pam Hornschu

Melinda Gleissner

Jennifer Dove

Kathryn Keiger

As you hop from blog to blog, being wowed by all the amazing new goodies we are showing off, be sure to leave some love (and your contact email) for the designers, as well as on the Stampendous blog. The more you comment, the better your chances are to win one of these five fantastic prize packs.  Each one includes a brand new stamp set and bottle of color fragments from Stampendous:

Winners will be randomly selected from all comments left on blogs, so the more you comment the better your chances are to win one!!  You have until Sunday, February 12 th at 8:00 PM EST to leave a comment on each blog; winners will be announced on Monday, February 13th. Due to shipping restrictions, all winners must have a US/APO/FPO mailing address. 

And don't forget....We want YOU to play along with us in our monthly challenge!  Just add your direct link to your card (make sure you've loaded it up with tons of TEXTURE) to the linky tool below my signature (or on the Stampendous blog) no later than March 1, 2012 at 11:00 PM EST.  You do not have to use Stampendous products to play along, but we sure love it when you do!  And as an extra incentive for playing, one lucky person (drawn at random from all the entries) will receive the gorgeous Corset Ladies Perfectly Clear Stamp Set.

Munsters Birthday Release Day!

 Yep! Its release day at Simply B Stamps!  And we have the last day of previews with none other than Betty Munster!  What a wickedly fun collection this has been to work with!

 

My Betty has her pink cake all ready for Rio's bday of course :)  I used copics to color her to match the last scraps of my Bo Bunny cupcake papers.  Here's a closer peek at Betty and her cake, decorated with spiders!  (I had to carry out the theme with a spider corner punch from Martha Stewart)

And above my sentiment (from Stampendous!) I added a thin border of Aluminum Teal by MercArt thats been dry embossed with the new Dreamweaver Stencils Pinwheel Checkerboard!  How cool is that??

And also since I was traveling yesterday I didn't get my Chris Munster project up, so you get two for one today!  Here's Chris sporting some super bright rainbow colors on my tag.

Okay so we have 7 brand spankin' new stamps! Buy all 7 for $45 (a $59.43 value) use code BDAY45

Buy any 3 for $21.00 use code BDAY21

Birthday Munsters shebang pack! $55.00 best value!

All 7 new stamps
Echo Park Summer Days:

12 Printed Papers

3 Double sided Distress Solids

2 12x12 Sticker sheets

Don't forget about these new rubber stamps! Our Awesome Steampunks are finally in stock and ready to ship! In sheets!

Thanks for popping in to see me today!  -Cyndi

Challenge list:
Deconstructing Jen: sketch (last weeks)
The Pink Elephant: use pink
Make It Monday: linky party

Go Green!

 It's Thursday...over the hump and time for another round of Dreamweaver Stencils Go Green challenge!  So, if you know me, I love lime green but I am seriously challenged with kelly green.  Soooo not my thing.  But since the go green is in honor of St Pats day I just had to use a real Irish green for my card today.

This is a very CAS card for me too...I started with a panel of green cardstock and taped down my Flourish stencil from Dreamweaver Stencils then used Pearlescent paste.  Its such a gorgeous color..very pearly, LOL...not quite white, not quite metallic.

I also added a quick sentiment using the same paste and one of the sentiments off the Birthday words stencil.  Both the large and small panel are matted in black bazzill then the card base is white bazzill bling which goes perfectly with the pearlescent paste!

So, hop over to the Dream it up blog and join us this month for our challenge!  And don't forget to fly over to the rest of the DT's blogs, see more inspiration, and leave them some love!

Pam Hornschu

 Laura Drahozal  

Louise Healy  

Wendy Jordan  

Terrece Siddoway 

Kristi Van Doren 

Georgia Sommers 

Lee Kellogg 

Liz Martin 

Cyndi Bundy 

Cherylynn Moser 

Jessie Hurley