Peek A Boo times 2!

Ok...I got a card made for the MFT Guest DT contest as well...and I'm quite happy with it! What do you think?

I made it for this week's sketch, and was pretty happy with it. Then I realized, hey...this has 2 colors of cs, one patterned paper, and 2 embellishments...I could add another embelly and it would work for the Guest DT challenge as well. Then I thought, I'll remake it...and step it up a little. This is where I started!

I added some paper piercing and stitching, for the image itself I added grass for her to stand on, and made the sky a little more splotchy (LOVE my new copic air brush system - thanks honey!!!) to simulate some clouds. I also added some blades of grass with my pencils. Her flower was colored with spica glitter pens to add some sparkle, and I made the shadows on her skin a little more intense so you can really see them.

My three embellishments are ribbon, buttons, and linen thread. I'm quite happy with the "upgrades" this card got, and I hope you enjoy it as well! Oh..and the inside is pretty cute too - I'm thinking I should send it to my niece, but will also have to make something for my nephew then...hmmmm!

Love and Adoration

Now...before I begin I must say, "mom, I'll make you one too if you want!!"

Ok, now on to the project. I had this heart frame from Mike's just waiting to be finished, and I thought it would be fun to make it for a photo of Julia and Jackson from Christmas time. I decided why not combine it with the MFT Guest DT challenge (a great recipe challenge!!) which was to use 1 patterned paper, 2 solid cs (and a neutral was ok) and 3 different types of embellishment.

It came together quite quickly, and I"m really excited with how well it turned out. I sponged all the various layers, and used this sweet sentiment from Clearly Sentimental About Love. I thought it was perfect with the look of complete adoration on Jackson's face in this photo.

Hope you've all enjoyed! Have a wonderful Monday!

Glimmer spray and MFTWSC3

This week's sketch for MFT's Wednesday Stamp Club is wonderful in its simplicity! I'm a C&S girl at heart, so when I see a sketch with minimal layers like that my heart sings! (I've already made 2 cards with it...and will try to sneak in at least one more this weekend!)

There was also a challenge on the CARDS Create blog to use spray mist on a card, so it was a good excuse to pull out the Tattered Angels gold mist I bought at the CHA supershow LAST year and finally use it! I used an old cuddlebug folder for the bottom layer, then sprayed away with my gold mist. Next, I cut out the heats with my nesties, and then stamped the sentiment from Clearly Sentimental About Love on my vanilla heart. I sponged some Creamy Caramel ink on, the assembled everything (adding an antique brad to my layered bow)

I think, even with that big bow on there, this card could be used for a man...what do you all think??

Sugar & Spice and Everything Nice!

Sugar and Spice Marci is just adorable...I think she's my favorite Marci right now! Today I finally put some color on her - and I like it!

I pulled the color from this fun cupcake paper I had in my stash. The layout is this week's Sweet Sunday Sketch from Karen Giron...I just added a buttony bow to complete it!

Now, if you're headed to L.A. to CHA, don't forget to swing by booth # 4607 and give a big hi to my peeps down there.

TCP Tuesday 143, have a Heart!

I was excited to see this week's TCP Tuesday challenge (still need to go back and do the previous 2 - where does all the time go?!?) because I just got this ADORABLE new heart hugging bear, Bear Hugs from their new release! He is just adorable, and the sentiments that come with him are perfect!

As usual, I didn't color him in much, just added a little highlighting and shadows. I did paper piece his tummy, ears, and heart to add some color though.  For once, I didn't have a sketch to use, and just kinda played around with the layout - I like it! Of course, having just bought the Glee Love Songs disk from Target (I'll admit it, I'm a closet Gleek!) I couldn't help but sing the song as I stamped the sentiment  - it's always been a favorite of mine from when I was a child and my brother and I would sing the 2 parts together.

I hope you all have a great day, and I'll be back tomorrow with another LaLa Land cutie for you all!

Playing with MFT Sketches

I finally got a chance to play along with this week's MFT Weekly Sketch Challenge yesterday, but didn't get to take the photo until this afternoon...so here you go! My VIP kit arrived yesterday, and I was so excited to get to play with it (of course, I should have been cleaning the house - oh well!) I knew I wanted to make a card for my Julia Bug...just a little something to slip to her sometime to let her know I love her.

I love this new MME 6 by 6 paper pack - such fun bright colors!! It was fun deciding which patterns to use for the outfits...and then matching to my SU! papers. Of course for my piecing I used all I learned from Joanne and pieced in layers, edging everything with dark grey (that way it doesn't look as bad as black would if I mess up a little!) I added a heart (from the hearts a plenty Die-Namic!) and a button with some MS bakers twine, along with a slightly re-oriented sentiment flag from the sketch.

I finished off the inside with another of the fabulous sentiments from this set and some more dienamics. I remember reading this book to Julia when she was little and always getting choked up (especially at the end when the little boy, now grown, comes back to rock his mother!) I hope she likes her card!

More Lovin from LaLa Land!

Howdy Lala Landers, happy Thursday! I've got another black and white image for you today, this time using the adorable new Amour Luka! Now what woman would love to get this card from her sweetie?? Isn't he adorable with his heart box of chocolates and red rose?

I used some SU! dsp for this one along with a sentiment from MFT's Clearly Sentimental about Love set. I dressed up the bow with a felt heart (cut with the heart Die-Namics also from MFT) an SU! button and some twine. Adorable, no??

Heading to CHA this winter?? Lucky you!! Be sure to go say hi to Irina and Eric, our lovely leaders here in LaLa Land, and the other LaLa Ladies while you're there. Irina's got some great make and take's planned, and they'll have TONS of amazing samples (some even created by ME!) to get those creative juices flowing!! They'll be in the new exhibitor's pavilion booth # 4607. Have a great time, and tell them all hi from me while you're there!

3rd card for Sunday's class...

Sunday's class is almost full. I think we have space for one or 2 more people, so if you'd like to come, call Memories Live on at (408) 446-9901 right now to sign up!!

This third card uses the adorable Box of Love Pure Innocence set. What a great card for Valaentine's Day, right? This great designer paper is from a fun serries of Black and White designs (I can't remember by whom!) and isn't this pleated red satin trim just dreamy???

I stamped her 3 times, once on my nestability cut rectangle, once on the polka dot dp, and once on some scraps (just her middle.) I then colored my little girl with copics, and the box of chocolates on the scrap piece. I added a little shading to her dress. Then, i cut out the box of chocolates (with her hands!) and the dress, and assembled it all. Lastly, I used some clear glaze pen on the chocolates and her shoes to give them a little shine. I cut out the rolled flower from some red CS, rolled it up and then put some clue on the top to dip in some chunky cut glass glitzy glitter.

For the inside, I stamped the box top on the bottom of the paper (notice I omitted it for the main image on front) and colored it in. I assembled everything, stamped the sentiment, and I was done! So, if you're local to the Bay Area, I'd love to see you there on Sunday!!

New Lukas and Marcis in RUBBER!!!

Happy Valentine's Day to you! La-La land Crafts is releasing their fabulous 4 new love themed stamps in rubber today along with our adorable Formal Luka and Fancy Dress Marci! You can check them out on the La-La Land Crafts blog and if you leave a comment on today's post, you could win ALL 6 STAMPS!!! You must leave your comment by midnight Sunday, January 16th to be eligible! Keep coming back for more inspiration using these adorable images!

 Here I've got a quick and simple card I made using Sweetheart Marci - isn't she just the cutest? I altered a sentiment from an MFT PI set by hand writing the "s" at the end of Hearts...cute, no??

Have a wonderful day everyone!

MFT WSC is All Sketches, baby!

Did you hear that MFT has changed their Wednesday stamp club to ALL SKETCHES??? I was so excited about this. Not that I don't like other challenges, but I LOVE sketches!! And with all the fabulous MFT stamps, there's an unlimited amount of stamping fun to be had.

I really wanted to try out this new set (ok, I've had it for a while, just hadn't used it yet!!) Flower Silhouette. I die cut the flower from Baja Breeze cs, then stamped the outline image on top with the same color. I added a little shading to the flower then added some glitzy glitter to the center.

I wanted to use my brand spankin' new Layered Label Die for the oval centerpiece on the card...it's so awesome! (and sorry...looks like Kim's sold out right now!) I used some fun SU! dsp, and the faux crochet trim die-namics along with some pearls for the ruffles at the top.

I finished off the inside very simply with another strip of dsp and another sentiment from this beautiful set!

Another sample from my upcoming class...

You all know how much I love the Pure Innocence line of stamps from MFT, and in the last 2 years I've come to appreciate the little boy stamps even more, so I truly love this little guy jumping in puddles!! It reminds me of my nephew when we were back in Maine 2 summers ago!

For this, the second card we'll be making at my upcoming class, I used some super fun American Crafts City Park paper. I even pieced his jacket and boots with some solid paper (it doesn't have to be patterned paper when you're piecing an image!!) and then covered them with diamond glaze so they look like old fashioned rain gear.

The layout for this came from my sketchbook, and was actually an MFT Wednesday stamp Club sketch many moons ago (Thanks Frances or Cindy - can't remember who did this one!) I keep all my sketches in a little sketch book (or 3!) so that I can just flip through when I need some inspiration.

As usual, I finished off the inside too. Isn't this sentiment the best?? To sign up for the class (Next Sunday, January 16th at 2pm) call the folks over at Memories Live On in Cupertino (408)446-9901. But you better hurry...space is filling up fast! Oh...and if you're in the neighborhood, I'll be there at MLO on Tuesday over the lunch rush doing a FREE sweet little Valentine make and take with another adorable Pure Innocence stamp! So come on over and say hi.

SFYTT, TCP Tuesday!

I really do have another TCP stamp...but I love this bear so much he keeps coming back out!! I'm anxious for this new release we're getting peeks of since I've seen a few I'd love in there!! I used TCP Tuesday #140's inspiration piece loosely, drawing the dark and bright colors from it! This month's SFYTT? Fabulous!

 

I pulled out some old DCWV Pet papers because I thought the paws in the hearts would look adorable with this bear, especially with this sentiment! And the colors reminded me of the inspirational hat. I stamped Big Bear on craft cs, then used some white craft ink and my aquapainter to add some white to the right side (light source) and then the kraft ink pad and aquapainter to add the shadows on his left. His ears and paws are done with brocade blue.

I tied some linen thread through one of my jumbo buttons and adhered it along with the sentiment flag for the circle element on Jen's sketch. I'm sure you all know that Jen has gone to monthly sketches, right? And this month TCP is sponsoring, so of course I had to pull out my TCP Stamps!

Have a wonderful Friday everyone!!

Marci's all Sugar and Spice!

Introducing Sugar and Spice Marci! Isn't she adorable?? You can get her digi image right now, and she'll be available very soon in rubber as well! We all know cupcakes are totally hot, and so is retro. So here I've combined the two by coloring this sweet little thing B&W. Actually...I'll be honest. I had to go to the doctor's earlier this week and it's so easy to just toss 4 markers into my bag with some images, instead of thinking of ALL the colors I might want. So watch for more B&W to come!! ;-)

I used this fabulous new Cosmo Cricket Circa 1950's paper that Irina gave me recently - isn't it fabulous?? and for the floor, I used some wood sheets from Su! To create a floor. I used a sentiment from an MFT set and made it into a little banner coming out from a felt heart.

If you haven't seen all the adorable new Valentine images be sure to go check them out...and if you're a rubber addict (like me!) then very soon you'll have that too!!! :-D Have a wonderful Thursday everyone!

I'm teaching again!! and with MFT Stamps!!!

Hi everyone, I'm so excited to tell you that I'm going to be teaching some fun card classes at my LSS, Memories Live On starting this month. My very first class will be Sunday, January 16th from 2-4pm and it will focus on Paper Piecing using the Pure Innocence stamps from My Favorite Things - which MLO is now carrying!!! Below is one of the 3 cards we'll be making.

This first card is a more simple paper piecing project, which just one layer of piecing needed. I made a simple faux-quilt background, and edded a fun banner for the sentiment. This Bo Bunny paper is fabulous for paper piecing because it is not too heavy!

I colored her in with my copics (I'll have some with my at the class, but if you have your own please bring them, or any other favorite coloring medium!) You'll also want to be sure to have a good, sharp pair of pointy scissors (Cutter Bee or Honey Bee scissors work great, and they have them at MLO if you don't have a pair already!)

Of course we'll also finish of the inside of the cards - to give them a more professional look!

To sign up for the class, call Memories Live on at (408) 446-9901, and tell them you want to attend the Paper Piecing 101 class with Jana. Space is limited, so call soon!

New Marci and Luka stamps coming to you!

Hello everyone, I'm back from my "mini-vacation"! I took a couple weeks off from crafting and blogging while I had my family here, and now I'm trying to get back into the swing of things!! The exciting news for today is that LaLa Land has 3 new Marcis and 1 new Luka for you! I LOVE these new images, and know you will too. They're available right now as digi images, but will be coming soon in rubber, don't you worry!!

Today I have a sweet card with the adorable new Darling Marci. Isn't she just the cutest? I love her sassy new short hair! I colored her with my Copics, using a Spica glitter pen for her ribbon/bow.

I used some adorable new Memory Box papers for the background and the heart, and some SU! cardstock for the solids. I love her sitting on this ribbon on top of a heart, and the faux crochet edge Die-Namic from MFT at the top does a great job of keeping her contained.

Head on over to the LaLa Land blog to see and get ALL the new images! I'll be back soon with more!!