I'd like to make a point....

A very tall, proud and memorable POINT!

... and I'm making that point, in the FORM of a card!

That's right, sweet and fun friends of blogland - let us LEAD you...
right out of that SQUARE box you've been crafting in - it's SKETCH
time with Just Us Girls - and WE'RE waiting for YOU! Play with us!

Our, beloved, Dana... {!} is leading us on this LOVELY journey!
She created this SPLENDID sketch to inspire and dazzle us, the
way ONLY Dana can - {who THINKS "maybe TRIANGLE?"}
Yup, it's Dana. Do you feel like this card looks a little familiar?
{tee hee!} Well, don't be too perplexed... you may have seen this
fabulous crafty bit on the pages of CREATE Holidays out on the
stands, right now!!! And ALSO, she has a similar shaped Birthday
card in the pages of the November CARDS magazine ... OMG!

{Rock STAR!} Yeahooooooo!

So, I'm REALLY diggin' the FAB-A-LICIOUS creative vibes
generated around Just Us Girls Headquarters - you BET!
I hope you'll visit my dear friends and fabulous designers
from the JUGS team - they kick OUT some amazing stuff
week after week and, let's face it - we ALL love LOVE! {!}

Dana
Kathryn
Lisa
Andrea
Vicki
Lynn

And this month we're welcoming another fabby, talented JugHEAD
favorite "player" and designer, extraordinaire, Kim O'Connell!
Welcome, Kim! We are SO looking forward to sharing the DT mojo
with lovely you! What fun!

Meanwhile - I have to just share a few hoarding.. Ur, uh, I mean
triumphs from the creation of this card. I high-fived myself
for "having" materials on hand, that ... heightened the creative
process for me in ways only a true hoarder.. uh, ur, I mean
COLLECTOR can relate to...


{I know. I'm crazy.}

LIKE a FOX in the TURKEY house!!! THIS paper, my friends,
is from the FEARLESS flyer, from Trader Joe's, this time, LAST
year - and I SAVED it for JUST this card! {Tee Hee}



Combined with {brown!} Nestabling circles from Want2Scrap™,
and OLD stamp from Creative Imaginations, and CURRENT
stamps from Wplus9DesignStudio {*Swoon!}!!! THIS card
WAS... SOOOOOOOO... MUCH.... FUN.... to make!


What a TRULY inspiring composition! I know YOU are going
to love it - so, SERIOUSLY, why hold back? PLAY with us!
WE cannot wait to be inspired RIGHT BACK when we gaze
upon your talented output... {No pressure....!}

Wait - YES, pressure! PLAY WITH US!

{You'll be glad you did!}

Thanks, SO much, for stopping by!

Supplies -

C/S - Stampin' Up!
D/P - Basic Grey; TRADER JOE'S flyer
Stamps - Wplus9DesignStudio; Creative Imaginations
Ink - Stampin' Up!; Versafine
Bling - Want2Scrap™
Ric-Rack - Brytex
Embellishment Thread - My STASH
Die Cut shapes - Spellbinders™
Medallion Punch - Martha Stewart Crafts

Hey, there, SWEETIE PIE!

It's not too late to get in the game over at Card Patterns, this week!

We have a super fun composition to work from AND a wonderful sponsor!

I am LOVING my Vintage Seam Binding and gorgeous and unique baker's twine,
from My Craft Spot! Kimberly, the purveyor of all things "craft spot" is SO talented!
Treat yourself to a visit to her blog and store! So many FUN and amazing ideas
over THERE! Plus, if you get a card in with us by Friday at midnight - you have an
excellent chance to win some terrific LOOT from Kimberly and My Craft Spot!

AND, if you're in the mood to REALLY treat yourself...{!}
Take a trip though inspiration central - my WONDERFUL
designy friends from Card Patterns - we need a nickname-

The Patternettes!
{Okay, I'll work on that.}

Carla Suto
Kristii Lockhart
Terese Broman
Tracy Schultz
Nina Bracket
&
Michelle Bertuzzi

And THEN, with the REST of your free time...

MAKE SOMETHING! And JOIN us!

Hope to see you at the Pattern Shack!

{Still working.... much, much work needed... }

See you at the CARD PATTERNS challenge joint!

Supplies -

C/S - Stampin' Up!
D/P - Crate Paper
Ink - Color Box, Stampin' Up!
Stamps - Stampin' Up!
Twine - My Craft Spot
Baking Tools Charm - My STASH!

I was a NICE girl...

To check out my Just Us Girls 3D template technique, click here!

...on the playground! I really was! My sweet mama raised me right: I KNOW HOW TO SHARE!

So, if I sound like I'm taunting you with "Special Lady", the first set from Dawn's latest release over at Wplus9 Design Studio, I'm NOT doing it to be mean... I'm doing it because I WANT to share! SHARE the opportunity of owning THIS fabulous set! NOT only do I know THE place to get this set, but I also know HOW YOU CAN WIN IT! Just leave a comment for Dawn on her post, here, before 12pm {EST!} March 29th - and you can WIN THIS SET! Lookee:

You can EVEN make a card for Granny! {I know!}


I was having SUCH an exhilarating time creating with Wplus9's latest release,
I decided to play with THIS fabby sketch from Card Patterns {*Swoon!*}




ANNNNNNNDDDDDD.... this luscious color palette from CR84FN!




Can I get a puuuuurrrrrrr, puuuuuurrrrrr & MEOW! {!}

But, WAIT! You've got to see what my lovely design cohorts have been up to with
this, truly, magnificent set.... Get ready for INSPIRATION... {Seriously!}

Dawn

Lea
Hannah
Jinny
Kerrianne

&

our DARLING guest designer for April....

Paulina!!!!!

Everything's coming up SPRING! Tulips and daffodils and stampy FUN, fun, fun!
{We even had that bright stuff outside today! S...ssss...sssuuun! SUN! SUNNNNNNNN!}
It was SUNNY today!





Oh, HAPPY day! {Even HAPPIER, now that you stopped by!} Have a GREAT one!

Supplies -

C/S - Stampin' Up!
D/P - Stampin' Up! & Rusty Pickle
Stamps - Wplus9
Ink - Staz On & Stampin' Up!
Dies - Spellbinders
Bling - Want2Scrap
Button - Buttons Galore & More
Lace & Seam Bias - My Stash

Don't be chicken....!

SERIOUSLY!

You've GOT to play along with the JUGS this week, my fabby friends! DO we have some grand fun to help you get EXTRA crafty,
during THIS, the month-o-CRAFT!?! We REALLY dooooo!
I got soooooo excited by this challenge premise, I crafted 'till the roosters were a-crowin'........

[Oh, wait. THAT was my kids, wondering where in the rootin' tootin' cowpolk was their dinner... Sorry, lil' dears!]

MAMA'S COOKIN' UP SOME CRAFT!

The ULTRA fun technique challenge, hosted this week, by our darling, Maria, will make you cock-a-doodle-doo!
It's fun - and EASY! Everything you need to get you going is at the
Just Us Girls site, so git ye'r ducks in a row.. Uh, urrr, chickens.. or should I say, STAMPS...!

G'head... check it OUT!

There's a link to a great tutorial over on the JUGS site....

{That's the sensible way to approach this great challenge.....}

Orrrrrrrr, you can listen to me blather on about HOW much I loved playing with this technique...

{But only if your coffee is warm and you're strapped in for the ride! YEEE HAW!}





I smells me some fresh COFFEE soooooo, off ... I ... go!

Stamp on your favorite brand of transparency, whether it's from the office supply,
your fave paper crafts company, RECYCLED plastic packaging {thanks, Mr. Holtz!}
OR, as in my case, my beloved Clearly Heavy from HAMBLY! {That's what I used, here!}




I'll spare you the ranting and raving about the benefits of hoarding,
and WHY this chicken wire stamp is probably one of the top ten BEST
stamp purchases I've EVER made... and the fact that I plan to be
laid to rest with this and a few others, when my days here on earth
are over... {Whoops!} But let's just say, I'm SO glad I still have this
awesome background stamp, when I need it.... just sayin'....{!}

With your fave brand of solvent based ink, stamp your main design.
{I love that by using transparency, lining up a stamped image works like a DREAM!}


Prepare some acrylic paint, to apply to the back side of your stamped transparency.
In this case, I mixed and played, 'cause I wuz hearin' me some roosters crowin'
and THINKING "what a beautiful mornin'..."

{Mix, mix, mix - IT'S FUN!}



To create some wispy morning sky look, I FOUGHT the urge to go crazy with the paint!
Just a dab will do ya, in the case of "sky"... I had to FORCE myself to leave room for that
lovely light blue paper to show through! {THAT'S a HUGE part of the magic of "the smash!"}



Just a few broad strokes over my cloud work, ONCE IT HAD DRIED!
A little patience goes a long way, when layering colors and images with
transparency work! You might have seen this post, where I pontificated
about the wonders of "old school animation", the use of adding color behind
a stamped transparency in a specific way... But for OUR technique, here,
you can REALLY let your hair down and let the paint DO it's magic.

If you are using HEAVY transparency, and you don't like your paint work,
you should be able to rework your paint, with a baby wipe, if you don't wait
too long! {I know this, because this was my SECOND sky! ha ha!}
REMEMBER to leave a little area for your background paper to peek through!

{I mostly said that to remind ...MYSELF! DOH!}



Once ALL of your paint work has DRIED {Ack!} You can place
your masterpiece in the perfect "home" or support.

You can tell where my head was at... Helloooooo, HOME DEC! Home DEC is my FRIEND!




I have to confess, that MOST of my deep artistic pursuits started around one,
life altering incident. THE first time I peeked into one of those sugared Easter
eggs that contained a little scene: I was in kindergarten, and a friend brought one
for show and tell. A smoosh of pasty frosting in the shape of
baby chick and blob of green grass - so began my visual obsession with "scenes".


The use of transparency, and the immediate "window" of possibility is something
that sends me into crafty, joyful exploration like THAT ROOSTER, at 4am! Soooo,
with the help of an OLD, ratty canvas that needed some love, GREAT paper and a
super fun wrap job, applied with MOD PODGE {love THAT stuff - it's sooooo not JUST
for your kids!}.... I dumped some elderly "tackle" from my stash (that's right, I have NO idea
who made those fun hinge stickers! Allz I know is that I hoarded the... I mean, I acquired
them from a fun spree at the old QVC, back in the DAY, babies! BUT don't they still look
so fabby! {Just like MY chicken wire stamp - doncha know!} Yee HAW!




If you haven't perked up or gone back to sleep after all of my crazy banter {And who'd blame you? Not meeeeeeeeee!}
YOU will surely want to check out what the rest of our fine, fine team
did with this SUPER fabulous technique. Say "hello" to some WONDERFUL inspo, my friends:

Pam
Dana
Andrea
Kathryn
Maria
Lisa
Kristin

&

please don't forget our lovely and talented guest designer for this month

Alyssa!


Thanks for humoring me... Uh, er... I mean THANKS for politely stopping by!
I hope you shared some coffee t'walk {or READNG} with me. I just LOVE your company!

Cock - a - doodle - dooooooooo!

{Now, if you didn't know, that's ROOSTER for HAVE a GREAT DAY!}

Supplies -

C/S - Stampin' Up!
D/P - Cosmo Cricket
Stamps - Magenta {Rooster}; Stampin' Up! {Chicken Wire!}
Ink - Staz On; Distress Ink
Pens - Stampin' Up!
Watercolor pen and ink for watercolor work on Rooster - S/U!
Hinge Stickers - ?
Metal Lock - Tim HOLTZ! {Hello!!!!}
Raffia and Dried Flower - My STASH!
MOD PODGE!!!!!!!!

A time for MISTLETOE!

Any excuse, really. For mistletoe AND SNOWMEN! I mean, WHY not? It's the season!

Any excuse to play with PAPER, as well!!!!! If you're running out of them {excuses!}, CHECK OUT THESE FABULOUS COLORS from my delightfully challenging friends, Just Us Girls! Lookee, here! This GORGEOUS hunk of color inspiration is truly a terrific combo to get your creative engines purring... I DO hope you can join us this week! C'mon and grab some TERRIFIC paper-play for a dose of sanity to see you through the grand holiday, rapidly approaching! If PAPER-PLAY calms your soul {!} THIS challenge is for YOU!!!!!

What a dreamy color scheme! I got lost in a Winter WONDERLAND of my own creation: it's not only the season of PEACE.... If you love paper..... it's also the season of PIECE! As in PAPER-PIECE!!!! Helloooooooowoooooooooooo!!!!!

I can almost HEAR the snow blowin'! {Oh, wait... it's THE rain.... *drat!*} Oh, well, at least that might explain why I ADORE snowmen so very much... Not many of those in these parts... just sayin'. I simply adore the lil' fellas... {You MIGHT have noticed! GASP! I just realized EVERY card I've made for Just Us Girls, in the past month, has been SNOW-PERSON oriented! Wellllll!}

Here's a little drum roll and some encouragement to visit these FINE gals and their breath-taking creations. They TRULY work their you-know-what's off week after week, to keep us challenging ourselves in GRAND and crafty ways. I can tell you that I'm breathing a bit harder, just trying to keep up with the fun! It's been such an honor to play with them all month long, as a guest designer - a TRUE honor, for sure! {Thanks for having me, ladies!}

Pam
Dana
Alicia
Andrea
Kathryn
Maria
Lisa
Kristin

For composition fun, I was influenced by the Card Patterns challenge for this last week... By the time this post goes live, I'm pretty sure this challenge will be closed, but since I was TOTALLY inspired, I thought they deserved the shout out! Maybe I'll catch them next round! {THERE is NEVER enough time in the week! Ack!} Either way, inspiration is a beautiful thing and Card Pattern's sketches never let me down!

Sometimes it's hard to justify taking that creative time, ESPECIALLY this time of year. But if the season is really about giving, then I surely hope you'll give YOURSELF some time to craft. It REALLY is the gift that keeps on giving! Best of luck with your plans and creations! I can't wait to see for myself, sooooooooooo ~ CRAFT ONNNNNNNNNN! Yeee Hawwwwwww!


Supplies -

C/S - PTI
D/P - Making Memories
Ink - Stampin' Up!
Crystal Effects - Stampin' Up!
Sparkly Fluff - Our Craft Lounge
Stickles - Tim Holtz/Ranger
"Season's Greetings" Die Cut - Sizzix
Ribbon - Stampin' Up!
Snowflake - My STASH!
Snowman - My design
Bias Tape - My stash + Tim Holtz Recipe Glimmer Mist

Thinking of....

YOU!

Just a quick card to say "wass-up!?!"



I finally got a chance to play with some NEW stuff! {yipeeee!} Some glorious paper from Cosmo Cricket and just a fun, fun session of PAPER~PLAY! So here, you have it!



Oh, how sweet! {I'm pretty sure my big brothers were subject to outfits like this one! hee hee} But, the A-DORABLE puppy makes it work! Oh, what fun!

I hope your week was fun and EASY! That's truly what I wish for my wonderful blog friends... AND beyond!

Have a terrific weekend! I adore YOU!



Supplies -

C/S - Stampin' Up!
D/P - Cosmo Cricket
Stamp - Hero Arts (sentiment)
Ink - Stampin' Up!
Die Cut/Machine - Sizzix/Stampin' Up!
Seam Bias Ribbon - My stash!