Pixie Dust Studio Swirly Swirls Challenge

I'm a bit behind today, so its just a quick post for me, sorry! Its time for this weeks Pixie Dust Studio Challenge...Swirly Swirls!! Use as many swirls on your card as you can. I used Meadow Princess, from Pixie Dust Studio for my card.

I'm sure I have swirl paper in my stash but it just wasn't jumping out at me so I chose to use my swirly flourish punch from EK. I added the swirls to a couple of random spots as well as behind my flower :) Button, and papers are from My Minds Eye, Double Dot paper from Bo Bunny.

That's all folks! Have a great day :)

-Cyndi

The Scrappy Chick Boutique is open & Another Giveaway!

The Scrappy chick Boutique is finally up and running! I have the first 2 kits in the store ready to go plus the Cosmo Cricket mini decks. PLUS I am doing a giveaway, so be sure to stop by The Scrappy Chick Boutique Blog and leave me a comment for a chance to win one of 2 FREE kits!

(For my card making friends, remember that these can be used to create cards as well as you will be getting tons of cardstock!)

Here's a look at the pages I created with the School Days Hip Chick Kit:

Have a great Tuesday!

-Cyndi

I'm up for Method Monday this week at InStyle Stamps and I thought it would be fun to play around with some acetate! There are so many cool things you can do with acetate and I want to show you a couple of them today!

I am using a sheet of acetate for my card front that I cut down from a 8.5" x 11" piece that I bought in a pack. It can also be purchased in smaller sheets as well as in pre-scored cards. Once I cut my piece down to an A2 card size I simply scored it with my Sor-Pal.

The next thing I did to it was to run it through my Cuttlebug with an embossing strip to hit just the edge. It leaves a cool white look to the part that was embossed.

If the embossed part doesn't appear as dark as you'd like you can also sand over as I had to do with this card so that it would be more pronounced.

For my image I used Cupcake Chloe, one of my favorites from the Chloe collection from InStyle Stamps. She was colored to match the cute Sweet Shoppe papers from Collage Press. I then took a few of the papers from this collection and added them randomly to the acetate card base.

(I tried coloring in the flowers on the edge, another thing you can do with acetate if you have Copics or other alcohol based markers. It looked kind of cool but my colors weren't quite right. Instead of starting over I just used some Copic refill solution to "erase" the color! Remember when coloring directly on the acetate that you need to use darker colors)

I punched a circle from an extra piece of acetate then stamped a cupcake with Staz-on and added glitter to the edges using PVA glue and Stampendous! pearl glitters.

To attach my papers to the acetate I chose to add glue to the backs on the parts that would not show through the card. You can also use a really invisible glue such as Zip Dry or use eyelets. For the small acetate circle I simply added a dimensional adhesive (from Glue Arts U Cut It pak) behind the cupcake so that it would not show through.

Here's what the finished card turned out like. (The top view is below).

Thanks for joining me today! Why don't you give acetate a try? You should be able to find it at any craft store :)

-Cyndi

Stampendous! Challenge STMC25

OK, where is the beginning of fall? Wasn't it supposed to be last Tuesday? We sat at the Davie game last night and it was just stinkin hot. Football is supposed to go along with cold weather, right? Geesh.

Well, I am making my own cold, snowy weather today with some adorable new stamps by Stampendous! I used "Cling Snowfall" and "Snowman Flurry" perfectly clear set for my challenge card this week. We are 25 weeks into the Stampendous weekend challenges, can you believe it?

I added some Mint Jewel glitter to his hat and the snowflakes, but the rest of the card is pretty simple and straightforward, in keeping with the simple yet adorable snowman image! I used the Snowflake background stamp on the pale blue layer, stamped in Tumbled Glass Ranger Distress Ink.

This weeks' sketch is coutesy of the talented and adorable Rachel, The Gingerbread Gal.

Please head over to the Stampendous! blog for more details on this weeks challenge and to enter your card! There are FREE stamps to be had!! Have a great rest of your Saturday, I am hoping to get some crafting done this afternoon!!

-Cyndi

Blog Candy Winner!

Like RANDOM.ORG?

We have a winner!! Random.org picked #22, Cathy who said:

Hi,

Best of luck to you with your new boutique! I see that you are carrying the Cosmo Cricket paper line, however, my favorite of all time is October Afternoon, so I'm happy you'll be carrying that as well.

Congrats Cathy! You have until next Friday to claim your prize or I will pick another winner!!

Thanks to all who commented!

-Cyndi

InStyle Stamps Blog Hop!!

Hop, Hop!! Its time for this months Blog Hop at InStyle Stamps! If you arrived here from the fabulous Angelique's blog then you are right on track! (If not, go back to the InSTyle Stamps blog to start!) This month we have a fall theme for you and I decided to use Janice and do a back to school project.

More on my project in a minute, but first a few updates for you from InStyle on lots of prizes you can win!

You have until Sunday Sept 26 at 12pm EST to participate in the OWH Birthday Bash...details at THIS POST.

We have had a blast having Glue Arts as our sponsor this week! The DT was given a fabulous goodie pack to work with AND you can win one too! Just leave comments on all the new release posts at the ISS blog from the last week by Sunday Sept 26th at 12pmEST to qualify! Go to THIS POST for more details!

InStyle is also offering a FREE digi to 2 random commenters on the DT's blogs this week. Be sure to hop around during the hop and leave some comments from the rest of this weeks new release posts at each stop for an extra chance to win!

Finally, at the end of the Blog Hop be sure to vote for your favorite project and leave a comment on the ISS blog. The randomly chosen winner receives a $25 value goodie bag from InStyle!

Whew, LOTS of ways to win today!! Now back to my project!

I used a cute little lunch tin from the Target $1 spot that's been in my stash of alterables for a couple of years, hehe. I covered the tin with papers from the "Learning Curve" paper line from Bo Bunny, then colored Janice to match. She was the distressed along with all the elements with Tim Holtz "Old Paper" ink.

Of course the top is done up with lots of fun ribbons from my stash...its a good way to use up scraps! I added the word "Change" to the back of the little tin and thought I would give it to one of my daughters to keep their change in in their backpack. They both admitted the other day that when they were young they used to just throw it away! Aaaaacckkk! Now they are 14 and 15 and know the value of scrounging up dimes and nickels for a soda at school, LOL. (And don't ask who gets this....its whoever reads moms' post on facebook then does the dishes tomorrow!)

OK, now on to the rest of the hop! From here head over to the talented lady Kimme to see what she has cooked up for you today! Thanks for hopping by my corner of cyber space today! Have a great weekend!

-Cyndi

Blog Candy Final Call!!

Final call for entries for my Blog Candy is tonight! Good luck!! See THIS POST for the details!

Amelia Chloe Sneak Peek & more Glue Arts

Post 2 of 2 today! Scroll down for my Pixie Dust Studio challenge post for this week!

Here's my snek peek of Amelia Chloe for InStyle Stamps! She's one of many new Chloes that we are releasing tomorrow in the ISS store.

This Chloe is my favorite from this release, I think she is just the bomb! I had to pair her with some fun Steampunk Debutante papers by Graphic 45 and then I cut these fun Gadget Gears from my Tim Holtz Alterations dies.

Its also still Glue Arts week over at InStyle Stamps. For this project I used the Raise 'n' s that were part of the Combo pack that I received. They are like a cross between pop dots and glue dots. AND they can be trimmed to a smaller size if thats what you need. I used the Raise 'n' s on Chloe to give her some dimension, then I used the U cut Its on the Gears (from the same combo pack) on the gears so they are raised a bit higher, and I could cut the strips into thin yet long strips.

For the brads, I cut the prongs off the backs of them with my Tonic Scissors so that they are flatish on the back. Then I pushed these onto the Mini Square adhesive roll to pick up a small adhesive piece. I loved these cause they are also great to roll where you want them on a small strip of paper if you need just a touch of adhesive!

Here's the photo I showed you the other day with all the awesome goodies that Glue Arts sent all the ISS Design Team! AND they sent enough for us to have this same package of Glue Arts goodness for one lucky winner this week! Be sure to check into the InStyle Stamps blog for all the details!

Thanks so much for hopping by today, and don't forget that tomorrow is Blog Hop Day!

-Cyndi

Meet Sir Ginger

Its time for this weeks challenge at Pixie Dust Studio! We have our first sketch for you this week, thanks to our new sketch artist Dani!! Be sure to join us this week and you can have a chance to win the digi image of your choice from the PDS store! Just head to the Pixie Dust Challenge blog for all the deets!

For my card I used “Sir Ginger” from the newest Goodies collection! I colored him to match these gorgeous new papers from Cosmo Cricket called “Mitten Weather”. (These are in stock in my store!)

I also got to play with my new Jumbo Ric Rac die from My Favorite Things for this one. The blingy brads in the corner and on the ric rac are sugar coated brads by Doodlebug. Ribbon is from my stash.

I am also entering this card into the following other challenges:

Christmas Stamping All Year Long: borderabilities

Fussy & Fancy Friday Challenge: Christmas colors

Sweet Stamping Challenge Blog: stitching

Be sure to check back later this morning for my sneak peek from InStyle Stamps!

-Cyndi

Friends Forever

Good morning Wednesday! (said in a voice mimicking of Robin Williams in Good Morning Vietnam) Bwaaa. You know, none of my kids have ever even heard of that movie. Not to mention The World According to Garp, or Dead Poets Society. A whole other side to the comedian they fell in love with as the Genie. Hmm...time for intervention.

OK, off my sidetrack of the day. I have a card I started eons ago for you today. I colored this Pixie Dust Studio image for some challenge or another a long time back and just pulled it out to finish it into a card yesterday.

I had a fight with my DD about if this was a raccoon or a cat. I knew it was supposed to be a raccoon, but I first tried to color it to look like a cat. She just rolled her eyes. So, I fixed it but didn't tell her.

The main image is "July Pixie" from Pixie Dust Studio, and I added the bird from "Gnome Playtime" to the top of her hat. Now the nice thing about digis is that you can manipulate all this in Adobe before you ever print it. But I am just lazy. I print them both, cut them out, then adhere one over the other.

OK, so here's the list of challenges for this baby! I don't usually do so many, but as I was looking for sketches and stuff more kept popping up that kept changing how this card finally turned out!

Pixie Dust Studio: Fur or Feathers

The Pink Elephant Challenge: Recipe

Fab 'n' Funky: Photo Vibe

Papertake Weekly: Animal Magic

Cute Card Thursday: Tweet & a Flutter

Our Creative Corner: sketch

Thanks for popping in today! Lots more in store for you this week: Pixie Dust Studio new challenge tomorrow, InStyle Stamps new Chloe Sneak peek tomorrow, InStyle Stamps blog hop on Friday, last call for my Blog Candy on Friday, and new Stampendous sketch challenge this Saturday!!

-Cyndi

Challenge Cards

Good morning! Today I have a couple of challenge cards for you using the newest images available at Pixie Dust Studio! First up is "Lil Miss Cupcake" that I used for this weeks sketch over at Card Positioning Systems challenge.

Miss Cupcake is dressed to match these papers from Cosmo Cricket and My Minds Eye. Each strip was sewn to the white layer and then adhered to the coral background. The color palette (and cherry on top theme) was picked for this weeks Cupcake Inspiration Challenge.

Next I used "Pint Size Chef" for my card using the sketch from this weeks Friday Sketchers Challenge blog. Paper are all from the Basic Grey "Nook & Pantry" line.

ETA: Oopps! wrong card! Here is the correct one for this sketch:

(Card below is the Pint Size Chef card...the one above , the correct one for the challenge is using Lil' Red, also by Pixie Dust Studio. Geeesh, I am a dork!!)

To see more of these images from the "Goodies" collection and to pick up some of your own goodies, of course, head over to the Pixie Dust Studio store! You also still have a couple of days left for this weeks Fur or Feather Challenge, and the newest one will be up this Thursday at the Pixie Challenge Blog!

-Cyndi

InStyle Stamps Sneak Peek Chloe & Glue Arts Review

Its release week again at InStyle Stamps! We have lots of new Chloes for you this week :) My sneak for today is called "Raindrop Chloe" and will be available at the end of this week in the InStyle Stamps store!

We are also proudly teaming up with Glue Arts this week. Let me tell you, I have been a Glue Arts fan for over a year now. Their Glue Glider is my go-to adhesive of choice, but more on that tomorrow!

Glue Arts generously gave out InStyle team a TON of product to work with! I was soooo thrilled since I already love the stuff! Here's a shot of all the goodies:

They ALSO were kind enough to donate some goodies for a lucky winner this week! Head to the ISS blog for details on how you could be the lucky girl!

Today I used my Glue Glider Max, (that I already had), another all time favorite! I tend to use it when ever I scrapbook because it REALLY stays!! This stuff will hold something to the wall if you want!

So, for this project I did a lot of sewing on the panels and I needed something to make sure the layers wouldn't come apart over time. The adhesive I have in the gun now is the 1" so that it really wide too to cover the stitching. (I also have the 1/2" cartridge which is closer to the size of what would be in the Glue Glider Pro...the cute pink one)

But I also want to show you a couple of nifty NEW to me products also by Glue Arts. I am a HUGE fan of dimensionals. I go through tons and tons of them. And I have them in like every size. I had never tried the ones that come in a big sheet before, but I REALLY like being able to cut the size that I want! This product is also terrific because not only does it really stick but the liner comes off without a fight!! 2 more pros for me!

Here's a shot of what it looks like in the packaging. This is a combo pack. I used the "U cut it" for todays project and Thursday I will show you the "Raise n's". Also today I used the ribbon adhesive. I snipped off a bit and attached it directly to my ribbon, this way the ribbon won't slide around on my card! Totally cool, AND it really sticks!!

OK!! So, be sure first off to head to the InStyle Stamps blog for more eye candy today and all this week! I will be back Thursday with a NEW peek for you and also featuring more Glue Arts products!

Thanks for coming by!

-Cyndi

Blog Candy Alert!!

Just a reminder that entries for my BLOG CANDY are being accepted through this Friday, Spetember 24! For all the details click ----->> HERE !

-Cyndi

InStyle Stamps Inspiration Challenge

Its time for another InStyle Stamps Inspiration Challenge! This month we don't actually have a picture for you, but an idea. Taylor challenged us to create a project inspired by a children's book. Well, let me tell you...I read a LOT you all know that! AND I love kids' fiction and we have a kazillion books on our shelves...yes thats a real word, even though Blogger doesn't think so.

But, when looking at my images for this month I was totally stumped. I finally decided to cheat, but just a bit. I started thinking of Kids tv shows, and more so tv specials that I watched as a child. Immediately I had an idea! Besides my Christmas favorites, I always loved when there was a Charlie Brown special on! And when I thought about Lucy always talking on the phone with her friend Marcie I knew I had the perfect image!!

I used "Tracy" from the Anime section at InStyle Stamps. OK, so her hair isn't as curly as Lucy's but work with me here! I pulled out some My Minds Eye bright color papers to work from and voila!

Be sure to head over to the InStyle Stamps blog to see what more of the DT has come up with. And if you want to enter our challenge you have a whole month to complete it then come back and link it up! winner will receive 2 digis if they used an InSTyle Stamps image, or 1 digi if they used another image.

My card is also entered in the following challenges:

• Mojo Monday: sketch
• Fussy & Fancy: Christmas Colors

Thanks for coming by today! Be sure to scroll down for the 2nd post of the day!

-Cyndi

Pixie Dust Studio release day...Goodies!

It's New Release Day at Pixie Dust Studio! This release is called "Goodies" and is chocked full of sweets and fairies! I chose "Baker Fairy" for my card today :) she is so sweet and I knew she would be just PERFECT to use with my new Cosmo Cricket "Pixielicious" paper!

For Baker Fairy I used this weeks sketch at Clean & Simple Cards for my layout. And I used the recipe from A Crafty Little Place....1 flower, 2 pattern papers, 3 buttons. The flower is from Prima, The multicolor pattern is by Cosmo Cricket as are the matching buttons! Both will be in The Scrappy Chick Boutique by the end of the day!!

Here's the side view of the card. I popped up my Fairy a bit and even decorated the inside of my card a touch. The border punch is by EK Success. Sentiment is a new Christmas Stamp from Stampendous! called "Bake Up Memories"

Above is the inside view. Below is the graphic to show you ll the adorable sweetness in this collection! Head over to Pixie Dust Studio today to pick up your "Goodies"!!

Thanks for stopping in again! Be sure to scroll down for the other post of the day!!

-Cyndi

More peeks: Chirpin' Love!

I am back today with another peek for you from InStyle Stamps. This is "Chirpin' Love". I am totally in love with that cute mailbox! I perched it atop a couple of layers of grass cut with my Martha Stewart icicle border punch!

Again, I used my Love Bandit paper by Bo Bunny in keeping with the love theme. The sentiment is from Lizzie Anne Designs and I masked it and split it into 3 lines instead of one.

Be sure to head to the ISS blog for more eye candy with this new peek :) New images for this week will be released this Friday! Have a happy Tuesday...I can't wait to go buy Season 2 of Fringe later today after Cheer and Karate!! Yeah boy!

-Cyndi

InStyle Stamps Sneak Peek

Its time for sneak peeks all this week at InStyle Stamps! We are having a big release at the end of the week, filled with LOVE!! Be sure to hop by the ISS blog all week for lots of peeks :)

This is Mailbox Love. Isn't it just adorable? Since the theme was rather love related I paired it with some "Love Bandit" paper from Bo Bunny to pick my colors.

Just a quickie post for today, but I have more sneaks later today and tomorrow for you, so be sure to check back in!!

-Cyndi

Pile it on Challenge...

I was in the mood to make some cards for fun this week, it never happens, you know?? This is one image I have been dying to color for a while, this is Dancin' Kaylee from Some Odd Girl. I paired her with some fun Sassafras paper from the Anthem collection.

She kind of turned into a tent card, since I just couldn't contain her all on the A2 card base, but I like her hanging off the top! The inside is also a bit decorated, firstly because the "You rock" was a bit big, but also by changing the outside sentiment to "Hey Chick" it becomes a play on words!

Above is the inside of the card. Below are the supplies that I used, and here's the list of challenges that I entered this card in...

Pile It On Challenge #35...pile on the Layers

Cute Card Thursday... Play on words

Fab -n- Funky Challenge...whateva

• Supplies:
• Stamps: Dancin' Kaylee (Some Odd Girl); sentiments (Unity)
• Paper: Anthem pp (Sassafras Lass); cs Bo Bunny & Bazzill
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
• Accessories: Large Circle Nesties & Blossom Nesties (Spellbinders); button (Basic Grey); ribbon (Bazzill); chipboard arrow (Technique Tuesday); copics (Imagination International)

Thanks for surfing by today! -Cyndi

In between the Newsprint

Mmmmm...fall is finally in the air. Kept thinking yesterday that I wanted cooler weather, not rain. Ask and ye shall receive! Its a beautiful 78 or so right now. All I need is a bit of a breeze!

So, on to todays card...Our challenge at Pixie Dust STudio this week is to use Black and White (or shades of gray) and one other color. I chose Teal, a really pale teal inspired by the My Minds Eye argyle print that I pulled out of my scrap pile...yeah me!

For my image I used Dumbledore, from the last Pixie Dust Studio release...the Harry Potter collection! He is such a sweet image. When I wanted to add a bit of sparkle to him my girls thought I was nuts, but just a hint of multi and Silver glitters on his beard and robe were just right! He is magical, is he not? Can't he have some pixie dust??

Don't you want to play along with us this week? You could pick the Pixie Dust Studio image of your choice if you win! You don't even have to use a PDS image for your entry if you don't have one, but we would love it if you did! Head over to the Pixie Challenge blog for all the details and for more eye candy!

Thanks for stopping in today! Hope you have a great one :)

-Cyndi

• Supplies:
• Stamps: Dumbledore digi (Pixie Dust Studio); Fairyland (Crafty Secrets)
• Paper: Basics pp (Basic Grey); Mary, Mary (My Minds Eye); cs (Bazzill)
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
• Accessories: Labels 10 (Spellbinders); Silver & multi glitter (Stampendous); copics & ABS1 (Imagination International); buttons (Basic Grey); ribbon (Bazzill)

InStyle Stamps Color Challenge

Its time for the InStyle Stamps color challenge this month! Taylor has picked an inspiration photo that has me truly yearning for the colors and smells of autumn. It just cannot get here fast enough for me.

So, from this photo I pulled out my inspiration pattern paper...can't help it, that just how I create anymore. I am a complete paper junkie. The little strip of glittery leaf paper to the right edge of my card is from a new collection by Best Creation. Not a paper brand I normally gravitate to, but I really liked this one!

I chose Jet for my image since he looks so ready to go back to school in his cute sweater and khakis! I even hand-drew an argyle pattern in his sweater to pull the look together and add a bit more color to his ensemble.

My card base is 5.5 x 5.5 and then I trimmed about an inch off the top layer so that there is a wide strip exposed on the bottom. Thats where I put my leafy paper. My next layer is a scrap of Olive that I ran through the Cuttlebug with the Argyle folder. My leaves are cut from the Spellbinders Maple Leaf Nestabilities dies that were also embossed with an Impressabilities Flourish. All pieces were distressed with Tim Holtz Old Paper. As you may have noticed, I am not so into the distressed look as I was years ago, But I am trying to get out of the proverbial box!

Ok, so if you'd like to play along with us this month you have a few weeks! We have 3 challenges every month which each run for a whole month, so there's plenty of time! The winner will receive either 1 or 2 digi images from InStyle Stamps depending on whether or not you used an ISS image for your creation.

So be sure to head over to the InStyle Stamps blog to get all the details and to view some more eye candy! Thanks for stopping in with me today!

-Cyndi

Zoo Memories

I was doing a bit of moving and reorganizing in my scrap room this weekend and was trying to find some more layouts to post. Here's one I made a couple of years back and don't know if I ever blogged it back then??

This is Rachael and a bunch of her friends at a zoo trip with the Middle School in 6th grade I think. The papers are from Sassafras Lass and October Afternoon, stamps are all from Unity.

I love the way this owl and mushrooms match the paper almost perfectly! The title and the quote at the bottom were embossed. Flowers are by Prima, dewdrops from Robin's Nest.

One last closeup for you...heres the hidden tag under the photo with all the girls' names on it.

Alrighty, thats it for now. I will have my InStyle Stamps color challenge for you tomorrow and my Pixie Dust Studio challenge card for you Thursday.

Also today I have a NEW layout over at my store blog, The Scrappy Chick Boutique blog. It was made using some of the papers that will be on m first kit coming soon!!

Have a great week and thanks for visiting!!

-Cyndi