Long time, no blog!

I can't believe I haven't updated since April. I am now making it one of my goals to update at least once a week.

We are settled in in New York now. I am so happy to have the move over with. A lot of the summer has been spent unpacking, getting settled in and exploring New York. We have seen a Mets game, a Broadway show, Times Square, the museum of Natural History and gone to the top of the Empire State building. That is a lot in just the few weeks we have been here.

One of the best things about this move is that I now have a large scrapping area. I am still trying to figure out how I want things arranged but I figure that will come to me as I actually work. This is really an excuse to just scrap and not worry about the stuff I still have to find places for. :) I have been able to get a couple of cards done and even better, a few scrapbook pages. I will take pics and post when I get the chance.

My other addiction lately has been Facebook. I spend way too much time on there. But it is too much fun.

I do want to say thanks to my friend Betty for giving me the kick I needed to get on here and update! Thank you Betty!

Happy Scrapping everyone!

Thank you card

Card Recipe:
Paper: Main card - Stampin' Up! Lovely Lilac
Background paper - CM paper from my stash
Circles - Stampin' Up! Whisper White
Ink: Lovely Lilac, Tempting Turquoise both from Stampin' Up!
Stamp Set: Think Happy Thoughts from Stampin' Up!
I used Pop Dots on the circles to give the card some dimension.

Flower Card

I wanted to play with my stampin' pastels yesterday so I tried coloring with the blender pens. I think it turned out cute. I definitely need to practice a bit more though.

Card Recipe:

Stamp: Flower from Wagon Full of Fun set - Stampin' Up!

Paper: Whisper White, Only Orange, Green Galore - Stampin' Up!

Ribbon: Yellow Grosgrain ribbon from Wal-Mart

Background embossed with Spots and Dots from Cuttlebug

Happy Thoughts card

I really had a lot of fun creating this card and matching envelope.

Card Recipe:
Stamps: Think Happy Thoughts stamp set - Stampin' Up!
Paper: Whisper White, Pink Passion, Gable Green - Stampin' Up!
Ink: Tempting Turquoise, Pixie Pink, Basic Black, Green Galore, Lovely Lilac, YoYo Yellow - Stampin' Up!
Ribbon: Lemongrass Grosgrain ribbon from Wal-Mart

A new favorite product

I am in love with Stampin' Up! stampin' scrub! No really, I can't think of a better tool for a stamper. When you are stamping, spray one side with Stampin' Mist and leave the other side dry. When you are ready to clean your stamp, just scrub it on the wet side to wash the ink off, then scrub the stamp a bit on the other side to dry it. Voila, you are ready to put the stamp away or go ahead and use it again. This is especially great if you are using the same stamp in multiple colors. The scrubbing pads come out and can be rinsed out if needed. This is a must have in my scrap space.

Ribbit

We were visited by a frog!

This is a simple LO I completed in March. The frog, Ribbit and the journal circle are done with Stampin'Up! Kiwi Kiss. I used the Cricut Markers (brown) for definition on the frog and Ribbit which are cut from Animal Kingdom. I really like that cartridge but don't use it often enough. I also put google eyes on the frog. The background paper is from my stash. The journal circle is hard to see but I used a stamp I had, stamped with Stampin' Up! Chocolate Chip and cut out.

I did it!

I am a new Demonstrator for Stampin Up! I have been hemming and hawing over this since they had a great sale over last summer and I finally took the leap today. They are having another good sale and I could no longer resist.
I signed up online and was so surprised then I got my Demo number right away. That meant I could sign on right away and start checking things out and look to my hearts content. I was very impressed with the wealth of information and support that is there for the demos. I really can't wait to get my demo kit and get started!

An Anything Card

I sat down and made a bunch of cards that could be used for any occasion. These are for my stash mostly so I can stamp the sentiment on when I need it.

Stamp: Changito Duo colored with MCPT
Paper: Various DCWV Mat Stacks
Embellies: Prima flower with brad from MM.

March Personal Challenges

Here are my challenges for March. I am trying very hard to work on these but it is difficult with the house on the market. I am determined to get these done though!

*Use 2 carts I haven't used in a while
*Make 10 cards for my own stash
*Make cards for my Mom's craft table
*5 LO's
*Update blog

Color Combo Website

A while back a wonderful Cricut MB member, Mandy Ferg, posted a link to a great website for color matching SU paper. You can choose the colors of SU cardstock you want and the search will pick other matching colors for you. Very helpful if you are color challenged like I am or just want a fast way to choose colors for your card or LO. I wanted to share it with others who may find it useful too! :)

Here is the link:

http://www.scraptitude.com/colorcombo/

Have fun!

February Challenges

I did not do so well this month on my challenges. I really did not feel very scrappy so I didn't sit down and work as often as I should have. We are also getting our house ready to sell so that really has taken a lot of my time. That's ok though, I will make new challenges for March and work very hard on accomplishing them! =~)

Simple birthday

This is a very simple card I made for Jim's cousin. I just loved the colors and the simplicity of it all. The image is one I got from a stamped image swap, colored with the MCPT (Magic Colored Pencil Technique). The 2 background papers are from DCWV mat stacks, and the flower is Prima. The sentiment is from Stampin' Up - Short and Sweet set.

An Award!

Thank you so much to HappyScrapper Diane for this award! I am so grateful.

To follow the rules of this award I am giving this to the following 7 blogs. Please visit them and see how amazingly creative all these ladies are.

http://paperblossoms.blogspot.com/

http://livelaughscrap-leedle.blogspot.com/

http://heatherbares.blogspot.com/

http://going-buggy.blogspot.com/

http://disneydreamerdesigns.blogspot.com/

http://bettybrett.blogspot.com/

http://thecuttlebugspot.blogspot.com/

February Personal Challenges

These are my challenges for February. I haven't really started on anything other than updating my blog. I need to just force myself to sit down and knock a few of these out. Once I start it should be easier to keep going. Right now just getting started is the biggest challenge of all.

10 Cards
10 LO's
Update my blog regularly
Use my Cuttlebug Build a Flower, butterfly and heart cut and emboss sets
Use Paper Pups, Tinkerbell, Pooh and Friends, Pooh Font (all carts I haven't used yet)
8 Cards for my SU club exchange

A Graduation Card

I know it is a bit early for graduation season but I wanted to get a head start. This image was sent to me as part of a stamped image swap. I colored it with MCPT. These stamps are so simple and easy to color, it really takes just a couple of minutes to finish. I mounted the image with pop dots and used ribbon from my stash. It is hard to see, but there are 3 bows on the ribbon.

Daddy's Girls

The sun (hard to see in this pic) is from Calligraphy Collection. I absolutely love this cart for all the extras it has on it. The font is Cuttin' Up, using the Cartoon feature.

The background papers are just various ones from my stash.

Battleship LO

Here is one of the LO's I completed for my January Personal Challenge. Although it is hard to see I used Stickles on the anchor, which is from Going Places. The letters are done with Cuttin' Up, which is becoming my new favorite font. The top and bottom borders are done with the SU Scalllop border punch and Stickles.

Challenges Completed!

WooHoo!!! I am so excited...

Earlier this month I wrote about my Personal Challenges for January. I am so happy to say I have completed all of them this month. It makes me feel so good to have challenged myself and have made my goals. I think making note of my challenges and having the support of other Cricut MB members was a great motivator to get them done. I plan on keeping the Personal Challenges thread going for February and hopefully longer. Now I have to go decide what I will challenge myself with next month! =~)

Disney album..DONE!!!!

I am so excited...I finally finished our Disney album from our trip last January. I stopped my regular chronological scrapping to get this album done while the memories of the trip were fresh. I don't remember when I started working on it, but I am glad it is done. Now I can move back to the chrono scrapping. I am about an year and a half behind on that!! LOL

Here are a few of my favorite LO's from the Disney album. Enjoy!!


Mickey Font

Mickey font, DCWV glitter stack, DCWV Rock Star stack

Threading water punch, Mickey and Friends, Colorbok Pearlescent stack

Dinosaur from Paper Dolls, stickles

Mickey Font

Mickey and Friends, Mickey Font for "G"'s on plane wings

Doodlecharms, Plantin Schoolbook, stickles, background paper: CM

Mickey Font, Mickey and Friends

Mickey Font, Mickey and Friends

Walk in my Garden, Cuttin' Up, stickles

Mickey Font, Mickey and Friends, Xyron Design Runner, DCWV glitter stack

Mickey and Friends, Mickey Font, DCWV glitter stack

Challenges

On the Cricut MB is decided to bring back the Personal Challenge thread. It is a monthly thread where a MB member can post things they would like to accomplish for that month. Basically they are challenging themselves to get their projects done. The participants post their projects when they are completed and we all give each other a lot of encouragement. I am truly enjoying being a part of this thread.



My challenges for January are to:



*Organize my scrap space

*Design DD2's Valentines for school and scouts

*Make 10 cards

*Complete 10 LO's



I have completed the scrap space organization (at least I think it is pretty organized...DH would say something different) and have done 2 of the 10 LO's I wanted to complete; which means I am that much closer to finishing our Disney album!!

I also have an idea for DD's Valentines that I think will work well.

I am so excited about completing my challenges. I love the motivation doing this brings me.



What would you challenge yourself with?

A variety of cards

DH's aunt asked me to make some cards for her to give as gifts to her co-workers and others. Most are colored with the MCPT, others are just Cuttlebug embossing and Primas. There were so many I couldn't take individual pictures. Some of them I liked so much I hated to pass them on. LOL

Now I have to work on my own stash of cards. One of my goals for 2009 is to send out cards more often and to actually get birthday cards out on time. Those that know me know what a challenge that will be. =~)

Wine Glass charms

Ok, so I know it isn't scrap-related but I have really enjoyed learning jewelry making. For some Christmas gifts I made wine glass charms. It was a good starting project for jewelry making. I made so many for others I forgot to make some for myself!! LOL I will have to add that to my project list.

I apologize for the pictures...I have to get a better light for my scrap space.

Happy New Year

2009!!

Happy New Year to All!