Simply...Sasuke?

Have you seen the brand new Back to School Emo's from Simply Betty Stamps? I first saw these Emo kids on Amy's blog and was instantly in love. They've got a bit of an edge to them, but are totally cute too. And when I saw Back to School Miller, I knew instantly I had to have him. Why? He's got Sasuke's hair. Eeee! Dont you just love it????

(Sidenote: for those of you that dont know whom I'm referring to, he's a character on Naruto, a 'toon the boy used to watch. Yes yes, I know, he's like a totally baddie now, but he was so cute as kid, tortured but cute....)

I was super excited that Simply Betty has come out w/ a challenge blog, cause you know I just {heart} challenges (how else do I get the motivation to play w/ my stamps?). This week's challenge was to create a funny emo card. I cracked up when I saw Miller/Sasuke's expression. Doesnt he just look like he realized something mind boggling? So to beef up my "boy card" stash, I brought out some new boyish papers. I colored Miller up in copics. I was trying something different with his hair. But I dont think I like it, so I'll probably go back to my norm.

The Dets:
Stamps: Simply Betty Miller Back to School, TCP Smells Like Cake
Paper: PTI simply chartreuse & enchanted evening, Basic Grey oliver
Ink: Brilliance graphite black, Copics
Accessories: Spellbinders rectangles & circles, PTI enchanted evening ribbon & buttons, TCP twine

Floral Fantasy

My Umbrella has got to be my favoritest Pure Innocence girl I've got and yet I have issues using her. But the other night I thought it'd be really pretty to get a different take on her umbrella. Maybe it was wishful thinking for spring as opposed to dreary fall, but I thought it'd be cool to break out some of my old punches and have a bunch of sakura like blossoms falling around her.

I think I went a bit overboard on the blossoms. But I think it fits with this week's MFT WSC of Floral Fantasy. I dont know about you guys, but there's a house in our neighborhood with a huge cherry tree. When it blooms its soo pretty and then the petals start to die its petals go everywhere.

The Dets:
Stamps: MFT Pure Innocence My Umbrella, TCP Hearts & Flowers, Impress cherry tree branch
Paper: PTI true black, origami paper
Ink: Memento black, pear tart, bamboo leaves & summer sky, Spica glitter pen, Brilliance pearlescent chocolate
Accessories: flower punches, spellbinder ovals

Playing w/ Texture...

Every so often its cool to learn a new tip. Or trick. So when this week's CA "Toot" featured a really cool vid by Kelly about creating texture, I was intrigued.

I colored up my brand new Cupcake Anya (I could not resist the cuteness and absolutely had to have her). She's one of the only digis I own, but I must admit I think I'm a convert. I wanted to try making her dress look sort of denim-like, so I colored it up in my BG70's. Then I used a scrap piece of fabric, added a few drops of my colorless blender solution and lightly pressed into the colored area. Its really really faint but I didnt want to bleed it too much.

I used this week's Mercy Sketch, MTSC88. But its amazing I even finished this card as I picked up Mockingjay from the library last night. Finished it a little why ago but dont ask me. I dont want to talk about it. My head is still vaguely lost in Sucksville, Panem.


Here's a detail shot. Perhaps if you squint and imagine (or just stare, unblinkingly for a really long time) you can vaguely make out the "texture" of her dress...


The Dets:
Stamps: TGF Cupcake Anya, TCP Forget about the cake
Paper: MB notecard, PTI ocean tides, MME so sophie, Oct Afternoon thrift shop
Ink: Versafine black, Copics, spica glitter pen
Accessories: ribbon, spellbinders rectangles

A Monstah SFYTT

I've used my Stamping Bella Monstah Bash all of twice since I bought it. And both cards I used the exact same dp paper pack (see??). So when I showed the boy this card he said, wow its not green and blue.

I'm kinda shocked he remembers...

So it was a feat for me to think outside the box for this one. I wanted to keep it a bit unisex. Or that was before I added the rhinestones & bow. But hey at least the blue is like a dirty, boy blue right? I found a dp pattern that I liked but decided it would look much better w/ more kraft than white. I've seen a bunch of super awesome stampers do cards on kraft cardstock but I've never been that adventurous. But I figured the worst that can happen is that I dont like it and scrap it.

So I stamped the little monstahs in memento and colored them up in copics. I used Jen's SFYTT for the layout. I really dig how she layers colored circles instead of just putting brads or jewels down. But I just dont have small enough circle punches. Guess that means I'll have to go out and buy some right? *g*


The Dets:
Stamps: Stamping Bella Monstah Bash, TCP You say its your birthday
Paper: PTI scarlett jewel, terracotta tile & kraft, Stardream gold, Basic Grey whiskers & max
Ink: Memento black, Brilliance black, Copics, white gel pen
Accessories: Polka dots folder, spellbinders curved rectangles & circles, kaiser jewels & pearls, PTI ocean tides ribbon

A Fruit Filled Challenge

So this week's ATS challenge was all about fruit. Either fruit in your dp or stamps or something. I completely forgot to think outside the box and that my Kiki has a wee little cherry on top her ice cream cone. But I wanted to ink up my Mushroom Friends anyway. Does a mushroom count as a fruit?

Probably not.

So I got out my Cosmo Cricket garden variety paper pack just to be on the safe side. Imagine my dismay when there was only one sheet that really had fruit. But I decided what the heck (b/c I also didnt have any other plans for it). I stamped up the lil' shroom bunny and colored him (or her) in copics. I think the brown's a bit too dark but oh well. I thought long and hard about what sentiment I wanted to use. Well to be honest it was more of a "what sentiment will fit in the little panel that I already cut and sponged." Then inspiration struck when I came across my freebie MFT road trip set. Its a little off the wall but totally fits my humor I suppose (randomness).


The Dets:
Stamps: CC Designs Mushroom Friends, MFT Clearly Sentimental about Summer Vacation
Paper: MB vanilla bean notecard, Cosmo Cricket garden variety
Ink: Memento black, summer sky, pear tart & bamboo leaves, copics
Accessories: PTI pure poppy ribbon, divine twine, spellbinders labels one, kaiser pearls

TCP Blog Hop

When I saw Taylor's sketch a couple weeks ago, I knew I wanted to do a card with my TCP's Fun in the Sun set. I imagined floatie sprinkles (whom I've adored but never inked) covered in a layer of glossy accents to make everything shiney.

To go with the fun summer theme, I brought out CC's delovely paper pack. The colors in this pack are so bright, they simply screech summer. I cut out and colored both poochie w/a surfboard and floatie sprinkles. Then added a whole bunch of glossy accents to their respective wave catchers. Originally I die cut a scalloped border, but I totally liked the ric rak look so I stuck with it.

This is going to a coworker who's also from Hawaii (but we're from different islands) so I think she' appreciate the slightly beachy theme.


The Dets:
Stamps: TCP Fun in the Sun, You say its your birthday
Paper: PTI black, Cosmo Cricket delovely
Ink: Memento black, Versafine black, Copics, Spica glitter pens
Accessories: PTI xlg ric rak, spellbinders circles, divine twine, glossy accents, felt

Bookmark 3.0

I'm here with yet another bookmark. When I asked N if she wanted another bookmark, she responded instantly with a yes. And the stamp she wanted...TCP's Forget about the cake. How birthday bunny cake & a bookmark are connected in her head, I'll never know. But since it got me to accomplish my summer time mission (I've got zero uninked stamps - yee-haw!!), who am I to complain?

I pulled out a sheet of my current fave dp, BG's olivia. I totally dig the greys, pinks, blues and greens in its color scheme. I die cut various shapes of my PTI flower dies in a mix of both felt and paper. Then I stamped and colored the bunny cake. I decided to use some MS iridescent glitter for some glitzy frosting. And since its a bookmark and I know how N loves to keep her books pristine, I covered the glitter w/ a layer of glossy accents. This way they hopefully wont shed glitter all over Mockingjay.

The Dets:

Stamps: TCP's Forget about the cake

Ink: Copics, Memento black, DCWV spring glitter stack

Paper: PTI black, Basic Grey olivia

Accessories: PTI flower dies, spellbinders circles & long rectangles, glossy accents, MS iridescent glitter, felt, bg buttons, black thread, circle punch, eyelet

Patchwork Penguins

This week's episode of TCP Tuesday, TCPTUES123, was to use any beverage stamp. And what better stamp than to use the teacup penguins??? As soon as I saw these little guys in the preview week of TCP's latest release, I knew immediately I had to have them. They're just tooo cute w/ their little paper hats and makeshift boat. And with the snarky lil' sentiment "Ship Happens" how is it even an option not to get it???

The layout was something I thought up of at like 11:45pm the other night, whilst I was trying to go to sleep. Suffice to say I had to break out my notepad and jot it down. I punched out a bunch of squares from an old Memory Box paper pack. Its nice to know that I still occasionally use old supplies. I colored up the penguins and added some random sparkles in the form of spritz shimmers and spica glitter pens. And glossed up the water drops w/ some glossy accents because I cant make a card without it. I topped it of w/ the superly awesome sentiment and a little PTI button.

Close-up of the sparkley & glossy goodness...

The Dets:

Stamps: TCP Ship Happens

Paper: PTI dark chocolate, Memory box sweetbay paper pack

Ink: Copics, Memento black, Versafine black, spica glitter pens

Accessories: square punch, glossy accents, shimmerz sparkle, smooch illuminate, PTI aqua mist button, krafters floss, PTI spring moss ribbon

A New Challenge

I am finally down to only two uninked stamp sets left in my cache, so my summer mission is coming along quite nicely. Alot of it was thanks to this new challenge blog I stumbled upon, Christmas Stampin' All Year Round. If not for this week's nifty little challenge of using two different dps, poor Christmas-y Nora might still be sitting in the uninked pile.

I inked up Nora and then die cut her in a circle to fit into my card. I daubered the edges with some memento ink, then finished coloring her in copics. Normally I go with blonde hair, but I'm trying to branch out. Bear with me here because it seems like I still need to get the hang of the brunette...

I topped her off with some glossy accents on all her buttons and earrings. Then I paper pieced her scarf and added some stickles to the snowflakes. I ended up using Mercy's Tuesday Sketch, MTSC87, b/c it fit perfectly. I love the layers Mercy incorporates into her cards.


The Dets:
Stamps: CC Designs Swiss Pixie Nora
Paper: PTI scarlett jewel, Basic Grey eskimo kisses
Ink: Copics, Spica glitter pen, Memento black & summer sky
Accessories: Spellbinders circles, snowflake embossing folder, glossy accents, stickles stardust, M's ribbon

Double T

You know how sometimes you see a sketch and you totally know you want to try it out (b/c it's so awesome) but you only have a vague idea of how you want to execute? Well this week's Taylored Sketch, TESC124, was just like that.

I totally dug the sketch as soon as I saw it, which is strange b/c I rarely make odd sized cards. Originally I had planned to use my TCP's Fun in the Sun set, but my Fright Night, which has been uninked since I got it last year, was looking forlorn. So I colored up a few of the images and cut them out. Then I die cut about a dozen different circles and scalloped circles before coming to a combination I dug.

Perhaps I'll retry the sketch using Fun in the Sun...

The Dets:
Stamps: TCP Fright Night
Paper: PTI black, cream, SU!, DCVW spring glitter stack, Basic Grey eerie
Ink: Copics, Memento black, Spica gold glitter pen
Accessories: PTI xlg ric rak, spellbinders big scalloped & standard circles and rectangles, kaiser jewels, divine twine

Two Birds, One...Card

So this week's episode of TCP Tuesday, TCPTUES121, was a color challenge. Carole Burrage, who I'm sooo excited to see back w/ the Cat Pack, had this lovely color combo of denim, kraft and candy apple red. I searched high and low for a dp pack set that might do but just couldnt find any with both navy and red. Then I realized that one of my fav non-girly PTI colors, enchanted evening, would most likely fit the bill for denim.

I stamped out the Hearts & Flowers set, that I've shamelessly horded since last Thanksgiving. I also brought out my brand spankin' new, just delivered PTI ribbon and buttons. I absolutely love their saddle-stitch ribbon. Its soo yummy. And just like my chica, N, I have this compulsion to collect them all.

Mercy's Sketch, MTS86, fit perfectly for my image. Though as you can see I tweaked it just a bit (mostly b/c I had to put my brand new buttons in there somewhere).

The Dets:

Stamps: TCP Hearts & Flowers

Ink: Memento black, bamboo leaves, pear tart, summer sky, danube blue, Copics

Paper: PTI kraft & enchanted evening, vellum, Cosmo Cricket garden variety

Accessories: polka dots embossing folder, spellbinder rectangles, PTI enchanted evening buttons, MS bakers twine, PTI pure poppy ribbon

Bellarific Friday

Wow...two posts in less than 24-hours. Must be some sorta record.

I was super super excited when I finally got my Scrapbooking Alley order (3 days late mind you). Not only did it include a little bottle of smooch illuminate (which I've been forever trying to find at my LSS) but it also had big scalloped spellbinders! I've been seeing it (and drooling) all over blog land and I just had to get me some.

So this week's Bellarific Friday theme was bling. And who better to showcase fantastical bling than lil' miss Addy'tude herself. I had a moment of weakness last weekend at my LSS and was compulsed to buy the new BG Olivia pack. Particularly for the pattern below. After I stamped and colored her, I topped it on top one of those superly awesome big scalloped rectangles. Then since the theme was bling I added jewels to each...scalloped dip(?).

I added a bit of smooch illuminate to her scarf and some glossy accents to her eye glasses, earrings and, of course, shoes. I used this week's Mojo Monday sketch, MOJO151, because it fit perfectly. Finally, I topped it all off with a sentiment that was just made for Addy'tude (even though they're from different companies it was meant to be).


Close up of the sparkle & glossiness...



The Dets:
Stamps: Stamping Bella Addy'tude, TCP Birthday Bunny
Ink: Copics, Spica glitter pen, Memento tuxedo black & angel pink
Paper: PTI black & smokey shadow, Basic Grey olivia paper pack
Accessories: Spellbinders big scalloped rectangles & rectangles, ribbon, kaiser jewels, glossy accents, kaiser pearls

This is my confession...

I'm an insanely lazy stamper. Why do you ask? Well I'm sorta lazy in general, though I like to call it efficient with my energy. So in trying to conserve energy I end up not putting things away. Which leads to repeating themes in my card. Because you know...its right there.

Case in point. You might feel a bit of deja vu with this card. I used Ruby for my TGF Anniversary Blog Hop. So when I was trying to figure out my card for this week's CA Monday Mania, Ruby was still sitting there. So I inked her up and colored her in copics. I went with a purple-y theme because I had some Kioshi paper (conveniently sitting on my desk...).

Then I broke out a few of my beloved PTI buttons because this week's challenge is a super awesome button challenge by Sheng. And I soo heart my buttons (even though it causes issues when mailing). I used this week's Taylored Expressions Sketch, TESC123. And doesnt she have the most super fabulous sketches?


The Dets:
Stamps: TGF Ruby, PTI Take Three Summer
Paper: MB notecard, Basic Grey kioshi, DCWV latte mat stack
Ink: Memento black, lulu lavender, pear tart and bamboo leaves, Copics
Accessories: PTI med scalloped border, spellbinders labels eight & circles, PTI plum pudding buttons, ribbon, prima flower, TCP linen thread

Mojo-licious...Saturday

It's waaay late, but I got caught up in Veronica Mars. I only needed something to entertain me for like ten minutes while I put the last finishing touches on my card. But it sucks me in. I've missed Logan...Mac...and Veronica-ism. Curse you and your logical questions...

So anyway, I just got my TCP order. And talk about holy fast shipping, batman! I ordered it on like Tuesday and got it yesterday. That was the singular shiney, happy moment in my week from hell. I hadnt intended to ink it up right out of the box but what can I say Birthday Bunny just called to me. And don't you just l-o-v-e that sentiment???

It feels like forever since I participated in a Mojo Monday. But after I inked up my bunny and got him all colored up, the sketch just called to me. What's more to say?


The Dets:
Stamps: TCP Birthday Bunny
Paper: MB licorice notecard, Cosmo Cricket delovely
Ink: PTI fresh snow, Memento black, Copics, Spica glitter pen
Accessories: PTI flower die, lemon tart button, divine twine, felt, spellbinders rectangles, white embossing powder, PTI raspberry fizz ribbon, kaiser pearls, corner punch

Birthday - Avatar Style

Today is Happy Honey's Birthday! For those of you that dont know, he's very big into cartoons. And one of the bestest 'toons ever is Avatar. And no, I'm not talking that over-hyped movie with the giant blue men and the social conscience. The real Avatar, before Mr. Cameron ripped off the name, was a trilogy cartoon officially dubbed Avatar: the Last Airbender. We watched the entire series (three books, dozens of chapters) for three straight weekends. It was a very unproductive month. But sooo awesome. And for those of you wondering, the original cartoon series waaaayyy better than the live-action movie.

But enough of my soap-boxing.

Since this week's Club Anya Mania Monday theme was "morphing" I decided to make a Team Avatar birthday card using various stamps from the Greeting Farm. I used Amy's lightbox altering technique to trace over the stamped images, adding and taking away bits to make them more Avatar-style. I suppose technically this is more altering than morphing but I did use various stamps to most of the images. I used a combination of Hula Anya with Flutter Anya's eyes, but left them unfilled so I could color them blue like the "real" Katara's eyes.

I left the card relatively simple because the focus was really on Team Avatar. I think this is the most altering I've ever done. Craziness, but the boy totally digs it.

The Dets:

Stamps: TGF Edward, Skater Ian, Hula Anya, Flutter Anya, Ebony

Paper: DCWV latte mat stack

Ink: Memento, Copics

Accessories: Spellbinders labels nine, kaiser pearls, black eyelets

Happy Anniversary TGF!

***For my Verve Anniversary Hop post, please click HERE or scroll down. Thanks!***


Welcome to the Greeting Farm's Second Anniversary Blog Hop! This is my first ever TGF blog hop and I'm totally stoked to be a part of it. If you haven't started at the Greeting Farm Blog, please be sure to make your way there. I've heard there was close to a hundred (holy cow!) participants and you wont want to miss any of the TGF eye candy sweetness.

For my card today I used TGF's Wild Sprouts Ruby. I contemplated for a while on which card I wanted to use for the Anniversary Hop. But I decided on Ruby because I loved her ever since I saw her on Amy's blog. Back when she wasnt even a stamp, just a spectacular drawing by Amy.

I used Jen's SFYTT for the layout because she has the most rockin' sketches. I also got out my brand new Divine Twine (in yellow) and it's soo awesome. Holds together really well, I didnt even need to use a needle to thread the buttons! And I added a bit of glossy accents to her hair balls thingies. It so reminds me of the sparkly & glossy hairball thingies that I used to have when I was a kid.



Don't forget to head back on over to The Farm for more fan-tastic creations!

The Dets:
Stamps: TGF's Ruby
Paper: PTI raspberry fizz, Cosmo Cricket delovely
Ink: Memento tuxedo black & angel pink, copics
Accessories: spellbinders labels three & circles, kaiser pearls, smooch gold & pool, glossy accents, PTI flower die, PTI white button, Divine Twine yellow, felt

Anni-VERVE-sary Blog Hop

Happy Anni-Verve-sary! It's Verve's three year anniversary and I'm super excited to be participating in my first ever Verve Blog Hop. If you didn't start at the original Vervegirl Julee's blog, or come from Diva's Michelle W.'s blog, take a moment to start at the very beginning. You wont want to miss the fan-tastic creations.

My MiL needed another wedding card so I decided to break out all my faves. I decided to try experimenting with more white space (than I normally do). I embossed a white panel with my current fave embossing panel, polka dots. Then I punched three squares in my go-to PTI colors and stamped them with the flower from Meditations in Versamark. I stamped my all-time favorite Verve set ever- Wishing You. And I topped it all off with a pretty yellow ribbon and some jewels.


Enjoy the rest of the hop. Your next stop is Wanda, who I'm sure whipped up some spectacular eye candy for you all. If you get lost along the way you can always refer back to the Master Hopper List.

The Dets:
Stamps: Verve Meditations, Wishing You
Paper: PTI true black, raspberry fizz, simply chartruese, hawaiian shores, white cardstock
Ink: Versafine black, Versamark
Accessories: square punch, spellbinder circles, cuttlebug polka dots, ribbon, mb jewels, stickles stardust