Some Like It HOT HOT HOT!

Seriously -- it's so HOT here!  I guess California didn't get the memo that it's Fall and October.  We have had some blazing heat the past week or so.  Where I live it gets really hot in the summer, 100 degrees isn't uncommon.  This late in the year though... no!  I'm over it already!  Yesterday I got in my car it was 102.  Gag!

So when I got home to work on Momo's Tuesday Challenge using stitching and the colors green, yellow, and orange I wasn't feeling very fall at all.  I started looking through my cartridges to see if something inspired me and saw Life Is A Beach -- I thought to myself I wish I was going to the beach!  LOL :)  Than I pulled it out and started looking through it.  This is pretty much a lift of the project card in the booklet... I loved it.  It was cool and refreshing looking.

Ahhh... I need one of those!  :)  I think this turned out cute!

I used the card feature cut at 5 inches.  The pineapple and all the layers were cut at 3.5 inches.  The blue pattern paper in the window is from DCWV Summer Dream stack.  I used some tea dye distress ink on the pineapple.  The letter stickers are American Crafts.  Used my white gel pen for my stitches and dots. 

Has everyone made a card for World Card Making day?   So much great stuff posted out there in blog land today.  I think I spent too much time online and not enough creating ;)

Thanks for looking.

Cheers
-Amanda

Scraps Challenge

I'm really big on using up my stash and especially my scraps!  Usually when I start a new project I hit up my scraps to see if anything there is inspiring me.  It's a good way to make room for new, right?  ;)

When I saw on Amanda's blog she was doing a scraps challenge I knew I wanted to participate.

Here's my scraps I dug around and found.  

Sorry for the blurry picture :(

A quick little hello card to send out to a friend.  These colors, the polka dots, zebra print... all right up her alley.  I know she'll love it.  

I used Lacy Labels Lite Cartridge to cut out the 2 scallops, the pink at 2.5 inches and the white at 2.25 inches.  Used some old letter stickers for the "hi" and some thin black/white polka dot ribbon.

I did something else I rarely do on cards to use up more scraps...

I added a little something to the inside of the card.  More scrap pink cardstock, leftover zebra paper and a couple buttons.  Usually on black cards I just use a gel pen to write a note but this is going to be a super quick note so the pink cardstock was the perfect size.  Plus it's more out of my scraps.  :)

I know I've mentioned many times how much I love challenges and how they really get me going to get creative.  This is Amanda's first challenge so if you haven't already joined - head over to her blog and challenge yourself to use up those scraps!  We all have them :)

Thanks for looking!

Cheers
-Amanda

My Pink Stamper Bird Challenge

Hey everyone!!!  How's everyone doing this Thursday?  I've got a couple posts to put up today.  First up...

Robyn @ mypinkstamper.com is keeping the party rolling for her 5 millionth hit and had a challenge to make something with a bird on it.  I made this card to send to my best friend.  I'm missing her like crazy lately.  I hate being so far apart.  Her favorite color is pink so I thought it was appropriate for Robyn's challenge since everyone knows how pink crazy Robyn is :D

I sanded up the black paper after using Divine Swirls Cuttlebug folder on it.  The patterned paper is from American Crafts.  All the cuts are from my Stamping Solutions cartridge.  (Are you guys sick of this cartridge yet?  I've got a couple more things I want to make from it than I'm moving on, promise ;) )  The "Missing You" is cut at 1.25 inches and the bird is cut at 3.25 inches.  Added a little bling and some black satin ribbon and that's about it!

Thanks for looking and thanks to Robyn for the challenge and all the tips/inspiration you give us all!!

Cheers
-Amanda

More from Stamping Solutions

Hi everyone.  :)  How's your Tuesday?

I have a couple more cards I made from Stamping Solutions.  "Just Because" cards that I'm putting into My Pink Stampers Anything Goes Challenge.  How fabulous is her design team submissions!  Wowza!!  

Here's my little owl card...

Isn't that little owl so cute!  He's cut out at 3 inches.  The "Hello" is cut at 1 inch.  The patterned paper is Basic Grey Twinkle from the Lilykate line.  I added the stitches around the Hello and now I'm wondering if I should stitch around the owl???  Hmmmm??

This next one I'm not sure I like it, I think there might be too much going on.

Too much with the twine and the buttons??  I don't know?  Maybe I should put the buttons (or just one) down at the bottom of the card?  Sorry, just thinking to myself here.  LOL  :)  The "thinking of you" is cut at 1 inch and the tree is at 3.25 inches.  The patterned paper I have no clue where it's from... just found in my stash.

Thanks for taking a lot.  I'm totally open to constructive criticism :)  So leave a comment if you have any ideas for me.

Cheers

-Amanda

A Throwback Challenge

Hi everyone--- happy Friday!  What a week... so glad it's over and the weekend is here.

Today I did my first Throwback Challenge for My Creative Time.  We could chose any of the older cartridges we wanted to use.

Here's the card I made....

I really like how this card came out... simple but pretty (imo).  I used Walk In The Garden for the cover using the card feature, cut at 4.5 inches.  I had never used the card feature on this cartridge so I thought it was a good time to try it out.  The purple patterned paper is from Chatterbox (still using that up ;) ).  The "Get Well" is from Lyrical Letters cut at 1.5 inches.  I also inked the edge using ColorBox Wisteria cat eye.

Emma made her card using Hello Kitty Greetings... after seeing her card I just had to make a Halloween card from that cartridge too.  This is just basic but I wanted to post it up as well.  Love this little pumpkin....

Thanks to Gaby & Celeste's advice about the Crop-A-Dile I went ahead and got the Big Bite Crop-A-Dile using the 50% off coupon for Michael's  (only $21. after taxes, not bad at all!!!!).  I went today after work and picked it up.  Can't wait to try it out this weekend.  Thanks girls!!!  :)

Thanks for taking a look.  I hope everyone has a great weekend!  :)

Cheers 

-Amanda

You Rock

Hey there everyone!

I've done some blog hopping tonight... goodness there are so many crazy talented people out there in the blog world.  Thanks for sharing your talents and inspiring.

I wanted to share another card I made using the Stamping Solutions cartridge....

This would be a good card for a guy... and we all know how hard those cards can be.  I got a little carried away with my doodling dots... oops, LOL!  The guitar I cut @ 2.5 (I think) and the "You Rock" was cut at 1 inch.  The patterned paper is Scenic Route.  I inked all around the edge of this as well.

I have a question for anyone reading this --- is this a good deal on a Crop-A-Dile ?  I am still rocking it old school with a Making Memories eyelet setter and I'm ready to throw it out the window!!!  The last few times I've went to use eyelets that setter has wrecked my project.  I think it's time to finally get the Crop A Dile.  Thoughts??

That's all for today.  I'm finishing up some Halloween cards and I'll get those posted up probably tomorrow night.  I have to say... Mini Monsters is such a FUN cartridge!!!  

Another Momo Tuesday Challenge

I love all the challenges out there in blog world!  Sometimes you pull out older items you haven't used, or new techniques, stretch your creativity, or they just get you to sit down and take the time to make something.

This week for Momo's Tuesday Challenge it's to make "Just Because" cards and send them out.  I really needed this challenge right now.  My card stash is seriously depleted and I have a couple friends who are going through some rough times so I needed to take the time to make these cards.

This is the first card...

This was made with the Lacy Labels cartridge.  I have used this cut the most from that cartridge, but I do like most of the cuts... it's a good cartridge.  The patterned paper is older KI Memories.  I made the cut at 2.75 inches and added a little bling to the center of the flowers.

Here's the other card I made....

This card took a little more time than I'm used to.  I'm all about simple most of the time!  The cuts are from the Home Decor Solutions cartridge and I had to do my own layering.  I went back to my old Chatterbox paper stash... I will use it all up and get it outta here sooner or later!  LOL  My cuts were all from scraps.  I used blue for the bird because on the flowers of the patterned paper there is faint blue color that's not showing up very well on the picture.  Anyways...  The two branches (the brown one was just the branch, the green one had the leaves) are both cut at 3 inches.  The bird is cut at 2.5 inches and I cut it 3 times (yellow, light blue, and dark blue).  I added some small Prima flowers, a googly eye, and a random stamp I have.

I already wrote my notes to my friends, addressed and stamped the envelopes and these are going out tomorrow morning in the mail!  So thanks Momo for getting me off my butt to get these done ;)

Thanks for looking!  Have a great day!!!

Cheers
-Amanda

Quick Note Cards

Hi everyone!

Something super quick and easy to share with you all today.  Like I mentioned in my last post I think I might try to "spotlight" different cartridges.  It's something I love seeing on other blogs so I think I should join the fun.  Right now I'm working with the Stamping Solutions cartridge.  It's a nice cartridge that gives you a lot general images and sentiments.

I made these little note cards....

(sorry for the weird picture angle)

These are really easy to make and cute to give someone with just a quick little note in them.  They are only 4x4.  Right now I'm into square cards.  Makes envelopes kind of a pain, but I'll work it out ;)  The top two are made from scraps out of my stash.  The bottom two I used the DCWV Whimsy mat stack.  All the cuts are from Stamping.  

Hope you enjoy and thanks for looking.

Cheers

-Amanda 

A challenge and a borrow

Hi there everyone!  Hope you are all enjoying your long holiday weekend!  I've had a little time to spend at my craft desk.  I made up some really easy cards to send out in packages I have to get out this week.  Here's what I came up with....

This first one I made completely "borrowing" Sarah's design from liveloveandscrap.blogspot.com  I've been trying to think of a way to use the mushrooms from the Paisley cartridge and I thought Sarah's card was just too cute.  This is also using a scallop for challenge #40 over at cricutcardzchallenge.blogspot.com  The circle and scallop are from Mini Monograms which I grab all the time for scallops and circles.  I didn't realize it until this post but I think it's the exact same stamp as Sarah's.  Ack!  I hope she believes that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.  I really do love all that she does!  Thanks for the inspiration.  The patterned paper is ancient Chatterbox (are they even in business anymore?) from my stash.

The next card I cut the little birdie from Cherry Limeade.  I just love this bird.  Same papers used here.  I am the worst with ribbon!  Ack!   I think I need to force myself to use it until I get better with it.

This one the patterned paper is from DCWV Summer Dream stack and the cut is from the Home Decor Solutions cartridge.....

Lastly -- this card is using the same DCWV Summer Dream stack and the cut is from one my new cartridges I got a few days ago Rock Princess.  Butterflies are just so pretty and this one is a great one.  I need to try the stained glass looking butterfly cut from the Rock Princess soon... that one looks gorgeous.  

That's all I've got for now.  I'm heading out for a family BBQ in a bit.  It's really hot today here so I'm sure I'll take a dip in the pool as well.  Tomorrow I've got nothing planned but spending time on my scrapbooks and I'm really wanting to try to make a post-it note holder.  We'll see how it goes :)

Thanks for looking and have a Blessed Sunday!

Cheers

-Amanda

Inspired

I was inspired by Crafting With Cristina for this next card.  Her card is insanely cute and so much better than this card.  I'm not thrilled with this at all.  I just noticed that my ribbon ends are frayed... grrr!  I need go back and fix that up.

Standard card.  The patterned paper is old KI Memories (KI Memories, the old stuff, is absolutely some of my favorite paper EVER, no one does stripes like they do.  LOVE it!).  The scalloped squares are from Accent Essentials.  The flowers were cut from Forever Young, all scraps.  Does anyone else get a thrill from using up scraps?  :)  The stamps were Michael's dollar bin from a few years back.

Thanks for taking a look.  I've got a few things to post up tomorrow and a lot of ideas.

Cheers,
-Amanda