Rachel's Rainy Day

I had so much fun making this layout.  I used my new Create A Critter Cricut cartridge to cut out the sentiment, clouds and the umbrella.  I know the cardstocks I used on the umbrella are from DCWV stacks.  The cloud paper is from Creative Imaginations and the green dot is from Scenic Route.  The pink dotted ribbon is just some I picked up here locally.  Hope you like it!

SEW MANY CARDS THREE'S A CHARM BLOG HOP!!!

We at SMC are so excited as we are blog hopping with Sunshine Stamps and The Stamping Boutique today!!  So grab a cup of coffee and get comfortable and we hope you truly enjoy the hop!!!  My card was made using the Jaden in Baby Carriage image and you can purchase it here.   I used some of my new Cosmo Cricket Earth Love papers and some SU Dusty Durango and Gina K Sweet Corn cardstock.  I was going for a vintage"y" look and I'm getting there slowly but surely.  I did a lot of inking on this one and you will notice that I tore my papers and rolled them back and hid another piece of patterned paper underneath.  I saw this technique on a video I watched the other night and I can't seem to find the link right now.  I'll post it as soon as I find it.  The sentiment is from Mega Mixed Messages from Papertrey Ink.  The little charm is one I picked up at Walmart.  Hope you like it!  Now, if you just happened upon my site and would like to start at the beginning of the Three's A Charm blog hop go here to start and you will see the entire blog roll listed.  If you are already hopping along then you should have come from Lori's site (doesn't she have some cool projects?!) and next you will be hopping over to see what wonderful creation Peggy has made (I always love stopping at her blog)! 

We are so excited this month to have Simon Says Stamps as our sponsor again this month.  They have been so generous and are donating a $10 gift certificate to their store for this month's blog hop winner!  Don't forget that Angela has posted a new Friday Freebie over at Sew Many Challenges also so you want to go pick it up as it will only be available this week!

I almost forgot I'm entering this in one of my other favorite challenge blogs The Pink Elephant!  Their challenge this week is to use the color orange!

Here are the copics I used on the project above:

                                        

Logan's Graduation

My son, Logan, is graduating from the 6th grade today and he has a sweet tooth like I do so....I decided to make him a candy bouquet.  I saw the sweetest arrangement here and I totally duplicated her idea.  There is a mini candy bar attached to the back of each flower so I think he will like it!  I'm not much on making things other than cards or scrapbook layouts but I really enjoyed making this!  You should really try it.  It didn't take me long at all.  I cut everything with my cricut and then got out some skewers and some floral tape and went to town.  Hope you like it!

Bugaboo Stamps BC Fence

                                                                         

I am so excited that Bugaboo Stamps is our sponsor over at Sew Many Challenges this week.  This sweet image is called BC Fence (part of the Bugaboo Cowboy collection) and you can purchase him here.  As you already know if you've been here before, my Dad is going through chemo right now and I've always thought of him as a "cowboy" as I grew up riding horses with him so....this was the perfect image for me to work with! I used some old textured Sizzix paper that I had that has the look of barnwood (although it doesn't show up in the photograph) and some of my all type favorite Farm Fresh paper by October Afternoon.  The sentiment stamp is from the Mega Mixed Messages set from Papertrey Ink and I punched it out with the Martha Stewart tag punch.  The canvas ribbon and the little metal ring are from my stash.  Here are the copics I used:

So cowboy up and ride on over to SMC and join us in this week's challenge.  Hope to see you there!!!

Anything Goes at SMC!

Isn't this just the sweetest image ever?  I needed a baby card this week so this is my project for this week's challenge at SMC which is Anything Goes.  You can purchase this image here.  I used some beautiful papers from Creative Imaginations and some Lemon Tart cardstock from Papertrey Ink.  The little tag on the bottom that you can barely see which says Little Boy is from Making Memories.  The ribbon is another clearance find on the Stampin Up sale.  The extra stars are from an old paper punch I have and they are there because as I was working on my project and turned my image over to put some glue on it....I must have had some ink on my mat or something as I got a little spot of something on my image so....no mistakes just an opportunity to be a little more creative (he! he! he!).  I used one of my new labels spellbinders to cut my image and the mat that it is on.  Many of you who have spellbinders probably have noticed that most of the labels are approx. 1/4 inch graduated and many of us like 1/8 mats so.....I just used the die that I cut my image out with and taped it down on my cardstock and used an exacto knife to cut around the outer rim (totally not my idea but saw it here).  Here are the copics I used on this one:

                               

We are very excited to have Jodie Mackrell from Bugaboo Stamps as our sponsor this week.  I have a project coming up later with one of her images that I just adore.  If you haven't been over there you really must check her images out.  She has graciously donated 7 (yes, SEVEN) images from her store to this week's challenge winner.  So not only will the winner get some AWESOME SMC images but also 7 of his/her choice from Bugaboo also.

Pink Elephant Challenge with SMC Friday Freebie

Can you believe this image is SMC's Friday FREEBIE for this week?  Head on over here and pick yours up....hurry as it is only available until Thursday evening as Friday a new one will be posted!  Angela has given away some really nice images in honor of our military recently and I believe next week's will be another one....I can't wait to see it!!!  I used the awesome sketch from the Pink Elephant Challenge this week.  I used my new Basic Grey Granola paper pad and some kraft and black cardstock along with some ribbon from my stash to finish this one off.  Here are the copics I used:

Ahoy Matey!

We are so happy over at Sew Many Cards to have Elizabeth Pujalka from Soft Pencil as our sponsor this week.  She has graciously donated a $15 voucher to her store for this week's challenge winner so if you haven't already made your project then come on and join us....not only could you win some wonderful SMC images but  you can also win some Soft Pencil ones as well!  Don't forget SMC has a free image every Friday so hop on over and pick up this week's to get your collection started!  Elizabeth was gracious enough to give SMC design team members some of her wonderful images to work with and I was lucky enough to get to play with this cute image called Sweet Pirate (isn't that the perfect name for him?).  You can purchase it here.  He was so fun to work with....love that fun bandana!  I used some of my SU Rockabilly design paper (that cool black satin stripe is just the back of the red).....I believe that this is one of the packs on sale in their clearance section now....it's worth checking by your SU demos site and looking at all the cool stuff on clearance right now.  Anywho....I made the sentiment on my computer and just printed it out and then cut it with my nesties...the same set I used on the image...added some ribbon and buttons and I was done.  Here are the copics I used:

Sew Many Challenges Easel Card

This week's challenge over at SMC is to make an easel card.  I used Tayla hanging on this tree which is part of the huge set you can get FREE over at Sew Many Cards with a $10 purchase....just use code MAYBONUS when you check out.  You can find more information about that here.  My Dad is going through a second round of chemo right now so I wanted to make a card to send to him (please keep him in your prayers).  I used some copper cardstock that is "locally grown" and some basic black spruced up with some wonderful patterned paper from the Juntos pack from Stampin Up (another one of my clearance purchases).  I printed my image fairly large as I wanted it to take up most of the front, I colored it with copics and then sponged with a very light blue around it to make my sky.  I used my nesties to cut out that perfect sentiment which is also part of the FREE set.  Here are the copics I used

This week our sponsor is Elizabeth Pujalka from Soft Pencil and she has graciously donated a $15 voucher to her shop to the winner of this week's challenge.  Here is a little more about Elizabeth and her shop:

"Hello everyone! my name is Elizabeth Pujalka and I´m the illustrator and designer behind Softpencil - Digital Stamps, home of Michu and his lovely friends, where you can find cute illustrations for your crafting needs.

My illustrations are a homage to the Nature and their creatures, where a sweet child, a simple flower or a fragile animal become protagonists.


I invite you to know my whimsical world plenty of gorgeous characters and to enjoy creating with them!"

So not only can you win some wonderful SMC images butyou can also win a voucher to Soft Pencil this week so what's not to love!  Don't forget there is always a free image on Fridays at Sew Many Challenges and this week is a real cutie...I hope to get something posted using that image soon!  Plus the May bonus pack is just "packed" with images and it is free with a $10 purchase.  Can't wait to see what you make!

Stitchy Stamps...is it playtime?

Isn't she gorgeous?  I just feel like I didn't do her justice as I have a hard time coloring the fine details but I had so much fun playing with this image!!  This image is from the amazing Stitchy Stamps ...her name is Playtime and you can purchase her here.  Believe it or not she is on sale for only $1.50!  I used Papertrey Ink Lemon Tart for my card base and all the other papers are from Basic Grey's Lemonade line.  We are so happy to have Stitchy Stamps as our sponsor this week at Sew Many Cards.  Be sure to join in this week's challenge and you can win not only some awesome SMC images but also some Stitchy Stamps ones, too!  Can't wait to see what you make!  See below for copics used on this project:

SMC Christmas In.....

This week over at Sew Many Challenges ....we challenge you to make a Christmas project!  Yes, I know it is only May but....how many of us end up sending out email cards over the holidays because time gets away from us?  I know....I know...I can so relate so why not get a head start and have some fun!  For my card I used this sweet heavenly Miki Christmas Angel image which you can find here.  I love a monochromatic card as I think it just automatically gives an elegant look.  I used some ivory cardstock that I bought by the ream at Office Depot or Office Max and just gave it lots of texture using my spellbinders and my cuttlebug folders.  As you will see below I didn't use much in the way of colors with my copics because I wanted to keep it a "soft" look.  I used the wonderful SU Dazzling Diamonds glitter which I love!! I then finished it off with a bow and a nice little gem in the middle!  Here are the copics I used:

We are so excited to have Stitchy from Stichy Bear Stamps sponsor our challenge this week.  She has graciously donated 3 digis of the winner's choice from her store to the winner of this week's challenge.  Here is a little bit about her:

Hi Everyone, my name is Stitchy and I create under the name Stitchy Stamps...I have been creating digital images for designers for almost a year now and try to learn something new everyday...I started out in paint shop pro about 8 years ago and started making digital scrap kits...then I was introduced to the wonderful world of paper crafts and card designing...like I said, learning new everyday, the rest is history...I can't draw enough to keep me satisfied anymore lol...

Living in a small town in upstate New York, tucked away where cable doesn't even go...friends are far and few between...But being on the internet for the past 10 years, I have gathered quite a few from around the world...Just like I learn something new everyday, I also try to meet someone new every day too...

Thank you Angela and Company for allowing me to sponsor for you...I am truly honored...

Be watching as I will be posting a project made with one of their images very soon!  Be sure to hop on over and check them out as they have lots more than just bears!  Can't wait to see your projects!!!

Friday Sketchers Sketch Challenge

This week Sew Many Cards is sponsoring Friday Sketchers and I couldn't wait to play with Angela's new release Marvin!  You can get this cute little mouse here!  I think he is just the cutest little mouse - what a sad little face!  I used the awesome sketch over at Friday Sketchers and my new Basic Grey Origins paper and this came together really fast.  Having a sketch takes so much of the work out of it for me!  It makes me think of paint by number....just fill in the papers and the image and you are good to go!  Here are the copics I used:

Would you like to win the ENTIRE line of Sew Many Cards' new releases for May AND get a coupon code for 45% off of all your SMC purchases???  Well......then you need to hop on over to Sew Many Challenges and participate in this week's Anything Goes challenge!  The only requirement this week is that you use a Sew Many Cards image and remember that there is always a free one each week so head on over to pickup this week's cutie! 

Cricut Expression Giveaway!!!

Be sure to head over to Everyday Cricut here to get your chance to win the Cricut Expression which will be given away on Sunday, May 9th....What a Mother's Day someone is going to have!!!!  Plus...while you are there be sure to check out some of the wonderful ideas....they showcase everything from cards to layouts to altered projects and they keep the motivation coming with a new project everyday!!!