Holy SNOWFLAKES, I'm a JUGS girl!

.... At least, temporarily.... {!}

It is with TREMENDOUS delight, and a tad of "aw shucks", that I accepted the FABULOUS honor of Guest Designer-ship for the fun and FANTASTIC, challenge destination site, Just Us Girls! { Yipeeee and Yahooo! } I'm THRILLED to be playing with some of the MOST extremely lovely, fun and, hugely talented gals: the ladies of the J.U.G.S, during the month of December!

OH WHAT FUN! That's RIGHT! Check out this action-packed sketch provided by, Alicia, one of the bright stars of the JUGS' corral, a fellow HORSE-LOVER, and all-around sweet heart! I have to say, her sketch made my heart race with the "possibility", but gave my paper-lovin' heart reason to dig in deep, and and get my CRAFT ON... {That's code for "it was a BIT of a challenge!"}! Limitless card-craft potential: I hope you'll be inspired to let this great composition catapult you into some FABULOUS craft d-i-s-c-o-v-e-r-y!

In other words: PLAY WITH US! (Is it okay that I say "us?" - hee hee)

I got some PAPER-PIECING onnnnnnnnn, for the love-o-the-sport! Goodness, gracious, it felt good! Something about the impending holidays, far too much to do on the "To-DO" list of life, and nursing a sniffly child ALL WEEK LONG {Ack!}, that made my slice of heavenly craft time, today, light me up like a BRAND new Christmas Tree! Oh, Tannenbaum - it felt good to craft!

An entire FAMILY of snow-flaky folks, inspired by one of my favorite Christmas paper collections - EVERRRRRR! {I love COSMO CRICKET * I love COSMO CRICKET * I love COSMO CRICKET! - I REALLY, really, really do!} This was my answer to FABULOUS sketch #62... Check out what else is going on in CRAFT CENTRAL! The fine works of the JUGS team will certainly help you get your creative mojo in high gear!

Pam
Dana
Alicia
Andrea
Kathryn
Maria
Lisa
Kristin

Here's hoping you'll love playing with this sketch as much as I did! I, literally, cannot WAIT to see what the JUGS "regulars" kick down, and if you haven't shared your work with them before , I SURE HOPE YOU'LL dig out some time, this round!!! THANKS for stopping by!

Supplies -

C/S - Stampin' Up!
Mirrored C/S - Bazzil
D/P - Cosmo Cricket
Punches - Marvy, Fiskars, Stampin' Up!
Ribbon - Michael's

Color FESTIVAL!

It's a festival of color ~ THROWDOWN STYLE!

Brought to you by my dear and crafty friends at the Color Throwdown! This week, the lovely and talented, Broni is hostessing... Type and click fast, VERY FAST, to see the terrific samples on the Color Throwdown Site and if you have time, check out the DT's private blogs! They have some heavy hitting TALENT on team THROWNDOWN! Lot's of inspiring work! I hope you'll be as excited as I was to play with these fab colors! I'm delighted to start my second week as guest designer for November! Wahooo! Perhaps you'll find a bit of inspiration RIGHT HERE!

Say "Hello" to my litte friends:

So much potential for FABULOUS CRAFT contained in this gorgeous lil' swatch! Wouldn't you agree? Why, THIS card practically made itself.... ! Tee Hee.... Well, with a little help from some fabulous supplies! This week's sponsor is Simon Says Scrap ~ for more info about their awesome resources, check out the link at the GRAND old Throwdown! I have to boast that I won a gift card from them a month or so ago, compliments of a CTD random contest, and I had a DELIGHTFUL shopping spree just last week! Good, clean and inspirational fun, I'll tell you...!

Singing ~ "I went to the dessert on a card with no name, it felt good to get out of the rain!" {Wait, WHAAAAAT?} No, seriously, I can't remember the last time I made a card without a sentiment! This was a big step for me!!! I just had so much fun with these colors: when I finished, there just didn't seem to be a big need for a sentiment! { My M-I-D-D-L-E name is "DANGER!" ~ shhhhh!}




I'm still having an affair with this background stamp! I busted out a BRAYER and re-inkers with the colors of the THROWDOWN! Using some wax paper I loaded my brayer...


And then inked up the cloud stamp and made this:



And with some heavy transparency material, I stamped this beautiful butterfly with Staz-On and let it dry.... THEN, using my trusty CRAFT & RUBBER scissors, I was able to cut this baby out, quite detailed, mind you! Just because S/U! die cuts their stamps now, there are still many uses for the original craft scissors from S/U! LOOK at the antennae! I was shocked that they cut so easily and did NOT break! They look kind of real! WAhooo!




I treated the back side of the butterfly with Tim Holt'z alcohol ink - YIPEE SKIPEE! Pure transparent magic! Alcohol ink works soooooo beautifully with transparent material and dries relatively quickly! Also, after the butterfly was cut out, it was pliable and I was able to pose it in a flight position, bending the wings where they attach to the body. That way, I glued the body direct to to background paper, but the wings are freely floating just above the background, which gives a lovely source for light to shine through and illuminate the image even further. I also used alcohol ink to alter these pearls ~





I hope you can see them here. I'm fairly sure they are from Kaiser Craft.... Watch what happens with a few drops of espresso brown alcohol ink ~




I wound up using these for the butterfly's body! I can't wait to try this with OTHER colors! Yipee!

This truly was a ROMP through color! I had such fun! I can't wait to see how your wrangle the mighty colors of the THROWDOWN! I'm so delighted that you've dropped by! Now, run along to the fine, fun and fabulous Color Throwdown Challenge Site ~ you'll be glad you did! Yee Haw!

Supplies -

C/S - Stampin' Up!
Stamps - Hero Arts
Ink - Stampin' Up!; Tim Holtz Alcohol Ink; Staz-On
Die cut shapes and texture folder - Sizzix/Stampin' Up!
Ribbon - Michael's
Half Pearls - Kaiser Craft
Heavy Transparency Material - Hambly

Embrace Life!

Sounds simple enough. I've embraced life with blog for nearly eight months and I must say, I sure am a better person for it! I've met sooooooo many wonderful, crafty and often downright zany and hilarious personalities out there ~ what a shame it might have been to miss YOU! Included in the "short list" of favorite discoveries in blogland was this challenge site: The Color Throwdown! Not only are the designers some of the craftiest, most color savvy artists on the internet, but they are FUN! Their personal blogs are always upbeat and inspirational and the Throwdown site is fun and welcoming all the time! They give lots of great feedback, prizes and, well, aw shucks ~ they invited lil' old me to be their guest designer for the month of November! Now that's a horse of a FABULOUS color that I can saddle up to! Thanks CTD gals! I'm thrilled!

I am DEEEEEEEEE-lighted to throwdown my first official {guest} design team offering:



HELLO, beautiful stamps, that I've kept "in the barn" for way too long! These colors, selected by none other than the super-fabulous, Tammy Hershberger, brought these images to life!


Gorgeous, huh!?! Can you believe I didn't make a WESTERN card with these super earthilicious colors? I was trying to S T R E T C H myself! And, like I said, I had to turn these stamps out into the field for some exercise! Oh, goodness! Such pretty images, and to think I used the most of the set in this one card ~ double bonus points right thar'!



It seems that I can barely make a card without using some bit of watercolor technique, these days. One of the most magical discoveries that drew me to card making, like no other creative pursuit, was the first time I saw what chalk could do to a stamped image. I was instantly infatuated with the effect and the "printed" quality of the look.... Why? I ... don't ... uh, know, actually! I don't know why, someone as inky-handed as myself, is obsessed with the professionally printed feel to aspects of my cards, when clearly, I love layering and use of diverse materials, but there's still something "old school" and magical about printed work and the pursuit of emulating it, yet still being crafty! Crazy? I think that hours of pouring over Curious George and Go Dog, Go! when I was a wee-gal, just shaped me as an artist. Now that I'm pretty much over "chalking", adding water color techniques directly to a card just makes so much sense... (Don't get me wrong, there is still a huge place in my heart for chalk! But the time and places are much more technique specific.) I think water color work is timeless and I'm in love. Ahhhhhh. {Shhhhhh, don't tell my husband!} Hee Hee ~ Well that was a LOT of info that I doubt you were shopping for! I simply wanted to say that I had a gas adding water color to these images! My favorite technique continues to be: smaller aqua brush+ drop of re-inker or from Water Color Wonder Crayons! In this card I didn't even use Staz On, so you can see how easy it is to apply water color with a small brush/pen! I was pretty pleased with the look and then, just for fun, added some Stickles to some of the flower centers!

I hope that this card might perk up some interest, if you've never played with the Color Throwdown ladies ~ give 'em a whirl! You won't be sorry! Go by the site and check out the fantastic and diverse samples... get ready to palpitate your crafty-lovin' heart! And, if you jump in for the first time, please, PLEASE, tell 'em I sent you! {And no, I don't get "color discount" for sending you! Tee Hee It will just make me feel PROUD!} It's soooooo easy to play, but be sure to get your card in by Sunday, November 8th (midnight, me thinks...) to be eligible to be a featured stamper! And, check their rules for proper "link-up" if you have any questions on that particular topic! I'm always happy to help, too, if you have any questions, just e-mail me!

So there you have it, friends! I'm delighted, AS ALWAYS, that you stopped by! Embrace life, and by all means THROWDOWN some extra color this week! YEE HAW!

Supplies -

C/S - Stampin' Up!
Ink - Stampin' Up!
Stamps - Stampin' Up!
Aqua brush - Stampin' Up!
Scallop punch - Stampin' Up!
Ribbon - Stampin' Up!
Stickles - Tim Holtz