Raina's Giveaway

 

I was so excited to run across Raina's Giveaway of one of the Creative Memories exclusive cartridges!  Here are the details below:  Good Luck!!!

Raina's Blog Candy Giveaway

1. Become a follower
2. Leave a Comment with your blogsite address & email address.
3. Put my official post link in a post on your page! Spread the news!

*Once 100 followers are reached, a winner will be chosen and announced!

Contact me with any questions or concerns. This is my first blog giveaway so please be patient if I made some goofs!

raina clifton
Email: scrappinwithraina@gmail.com

This could be yours:

Craft Us Crazy Manly Card

Our current challenge over at Craft Us Crazy is to make a Father's Day project or any project with masculine colors.  I am using this cute image called Captain Jack from Pink Gem Designs....isn't he adorable?!  I pulled out some papers that I absolutely love from Stampin Up for this card.  One of the talented entries in a recent challenge at Craft Us Crazy printed her image on kraft cardstock and I thought this would be the perfect image to try that.  I love how it turned out!  Notice I didn't use my favorite copic markers but I pulled out my prisma pencils instead and I LOVE how they work with the kraft.  Can't wait to se what you make for this challenge!

Don't forget we also have Lauretta's Digital Stamps sponsoring this challenge also and she is generously donating 4 images from her store!

Craft Us Crazy Love/Remembrance Challenge

The new challenge for Craft Us Crazy is a theme one (Love/Remembrance).  My hubby and I just recently had our anniversary so I made this card for him.  I used these cute bees and flowers from Digis by Phooka and you can find them here.  I just typed my sentiment in to print out with my digi images which I just used in varying sizes.  That beautiful black/white paper is from Making Memories.  I used my Martha Stewart fringe scissors to add a little grass border with my ribbon.  Digis by Phooka has graciously donated a $10 gift voucher for the winner of this challenge!!!  Also Stamp Fairy is sponsoring this challenge, too and they have donated a $9 gift card.  Don't forget you still have a chance to win a prize also from our monthly sponsor this month (Cutting Cafe) so hope you will join in this challenge with us and who knows you might just win!  Can't wait to see what you make!  Here are the copics I used for this card:

Craft Us Crazy Love/Remembrance Challenge

The next challenge over at Craft Us Crazy is a theme one (Love/Remembrance) and I'm off schedule so I'll be posting my project later.  I got ahead of myself.  I did want to post and let you know what the challenge is though and to let you know that if you participate in this challenge you will have 3 chances to win.  The Cutting Cafe is our monthly sponsor and has donated a prize for this month.  Also we have two sponsors for this particular theme challenge:  Stamp Fairy and Digis by Phooka!  Can't wait to see what you make!

Graduation Card

Here is a quick card I made tonight using my cricut and some stampin up punches.  I cut the graduation cap from Everyday Paper Dolls and 6 1/2" and 7" for the shadow I believe.  The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink and the punches used for the sentiment are both from Stampin Up.  I used the argyle cuttlebug embossing folder and then my white gel pen to add some faux stitching.  Hope you like it.



Craft Us Crazy & Michelle's Scrapbooking & More

Isn't this the sweetest little ballerina you've ever laid your eyes on?  My coloring didn't do her justice but I did want to share some of the Pixie Cottage stamps as Michelle's Scrapbooking & More is one of our sponsors for this challenge at Craft Us Crazy.  You can get this little cutie called Ballerina Fairy by Alisa Ramirez here.  This is an actual rubber stamp and it is so nicely etched that I get a perfectly full image everytime I stamp it even though it is a really nice size stamp and I'm not the best stamper out there.  The papers I used are from the Basic Grey Euphoria line and those sweet ticket stamps are from Whimsy Stamps and they are called Friendship Ticket Sentiments.  I colored it with the following copics and then went over several areas with my Sakura Clear Star glitter pen.

Can't wait to see what project you make for this challenge!!!  Don't forget there are several chance to win as we have the most generous sponsors!!!!





Craft Us Crazy Challenge!

The new challenge over at Craft Us Crazy is a challenge to use Something New or Your  Favorite Embellishment.  I decided to do both....my favorite embellishment to use is ribbon.  One of these days I'll get my crafting space cleaned up and I'll take a photo of my ribbon storage....I love ribbon!!!  Anywho....I love to pleat my ribbon as I did on this card and my something new is I took some of my wrinkle ribbon and made a flower......so easy....don't know why I didn't try this before.  I love watching all the youtube videos out there where these talented crafters share their techniques and I can't remember who I first saw do this but it definitely isn't my own idea.  All I did was hand stitch a running stitch along the bottom of a piece of seam binding that I glimmer misted and then just pulled and gathered it into the shape I wanted....I then added a button with some baker's twine (2 more of my favorite embellies).  This sweet little happy house image is from Digital Delights by Louby Loo....isn't it adorable????  You can find it here.... you can even purchase it already colored!  Digital Delights has graciously sponsored this challenge and the winner will receive 3 images of their choice!  Here is a little bit about Digital Delights:

Welcome to Digital Delights, a magical place filled with little digi creations from all walks of life. We have a wide range of digital stamps which are delivered straight to your email 24/7! In addition we also have a growing range of "Delightful Piecings" which are paper pieced files designed to be used with your cutting machines or for hand cutting.

Fancy a new blog makeover, header or new watermark, then stop by our sister site Delightful Custom blogs.

Also sponsoring this challenge is Michelle's Scrapbooking and More.....can you believe it....you have 2 chances to win!!!  Michelle has graciously donated a $10 gift card to her store....be sure to sign up for her email list as she sends out coupon codes regularly, too!!!  She not only has some AWESOME designs but she also has woonderful prices on "supplies" also!  Here is a little bit about Michelle's Scrapbooking and More:

Michelle's Scrapbooking & More is the home of The Pixie Cottage Stamps.  We have been in the internet retail craft market for nearly five years!  We carry all the rubber and photopolymer stamps that crafter seem to crave, in addition we have all the goodies you need to make your scrapbooks and cards.  Stop by and sign up for our newsletter to receive big monthly discount coupons.  Take a look at our new Spellbinders, Cheery Lynn dies and Copic markers.

Can't wait to see your projects!  Here are the copics I used on the card above:





Craft Us Crazy & The Cutting Cafe

Isn't this the cutest little sweetie?!!  Regina Easter over at The Cutting Cafe is our sponsor for Craft Us Crazy for the whole month of May!  This cutie is named Everyday Ruby J and you can purchase her here.  I used some paper I've had in my stash from way back when I first started scrapbooking for this project.  I paper pieced her dress .... yes I actually used my scissors...I know I've almost forgotten how to do that.  I did use my nestabilities to cut out the image bases though.  Here is a little bit about The Cutting Cafe:

Hello my name is Regina Easter. I have 4 wonderful children and an awesome supportive husband. I have for as long as I can remember loved all the aspects of creating things with paper and drawing. So it was only fitting that I decided to open up The Cutting Cafe' and I am loving every bit of this new venture. The Cutting Cafe' offers affordable Printable Stamps and Cutting Files. The Cutting Files which are basically just like templates are files that you Print out using your home printer, Cut, Assemble and then Embellish.....Very Easy.....The Cutting Files also come in the format where you can cut out the files using some of the latest Machine Cutters like the Pazzles Inspiration and Bosskut Gazelle. The Printable Stamps are just that, images that are sent to you through email that you print out using your home printer. After the images are printed out, you can just color them in like you would any other stamped imaged...One great thing about the Printable Stamps and Cutting Files is that you no longer have to worry about finding space to store all of your stamps....You can keep them all in a folder in your computer and use over and over again.

Eagle Scout Centerpieces

Here is one of the centerpieces I made for Ryan's Eagle Court of Honor.  I used my cricut to cut the stars.  You can see that this is after being hauled back and forth as the ribbon around the neck of it is a little skewed but I forgot to take any photos beforehand.  I just take a ball canning jar and filled it with red shredded filler and then added my layered stars, flags and flowers on little skewer sticks.  I printed the emblem off the internet and matted it on blue/white and red ovals and added some gingham ribbon.

Crop Chocolate Echo Park For The Record

You know I do love Echo Park but this For The Record kit is amazing!!!!  I wanted to use so many of the patterns on this LO!  Everything on this page came from the kit except the basic black cardstock.  I did some distressing both with ink and my distress tool to rough up the edges and then I tore some areas and rolled the paper back so you can see the backside....then I took bits of another pattern and tucked it in those areas.  Those cute little "typewriter numbers" are stickers from the kit and take a look at the headers on this green ledger paper

I knew I had to put priceless up there as soon as I saw the paper.   "The news" and the "less" are also from stickers included in this kit.  I can still make tons more projects with the rest of the kit...these EP kits are packed!!!  You can find this kit and much more at Crop Chocolate which is not your typical daily deal site......they change their deal many many times throughout the day so you want to keep this site open!  Plus there is a fun message board where you can find lots of info and ideas....wonderful ladies over there who will watch for things for you if you know there is something particular you want but you are going to be away....they will "hold" it for you and can send it to your shopping cart later if you want.  Be sure to check it out!!! 



Craft Us Crazy Mother's Day/Flowers Challenge

Our challenge over at Craft Us Crazy this week is to make a project pertaining to Mother's Day or something with flowers!  I used this super cute image from Meljens Designs.  This image is so adorable that I didn't want to print it too small so I decided just to incorporate my greeting in the image.  I wish I had a stamp that was just a little bit smaller but.....  The papers I used are from the Cosmo Cricket Earth Love Mini Deck (cute, cute, cute).  As usual I will post my copics used on this project below.  We are so excited for this challenge as we have 2 yes you read that correctly 2 (two) sponosors for this challenge!!! Double the fun!!!  Meljen's Designs has graciously donaged 4 digi stamps of the winner's choice for this challenge winner AND Your Next Stamp has also graciously donated a $10 gift certificate so come on and join the fun!!!!!



Craft Us Crazy Challenge

This week's challenge is a Thinking of You/Animals Theme one over at Craft Us Crazy.  I'm so amazed at all the awesome projects I've been seeing over there!  It is so much fun blog hopping to see how the fun cards, layouts and altered items and I hope that if you haven't already joined us that you will for this challenge!  Robyn's Fetish has graciously sponsored this challenge and I was fortunate enough to get to work with this cute image of hers named Penelope Puppy and you can find it here.  Robyn has such a variet of images and they are all adorable!  The patterned paper I used on my card is from Echo Park's Springtime Kit and I added some cardstock I had on hand.  The sentiment is from the SU Vintage labels set and I used my SU punch to punch it out.  The flowers are from Prima and I added some little gems I had on hand.  The photo doesn't really show but I added flock to the grassy area and to Penelope's chest.  Hope you will join us for this challenge and be sure to head on over to Craft Us Crazy to see some amazing projects and get all the prize details!  Here are the copics I used on this one:

Cooking With Cricut Awesome Blog Candy

This is an AMAZING blog candy!  You can check it out here!  Be sure to check out their blog as it is awesome!!



Craft Us Crazy Challenge #5 Spring/Easter

Challenge #5 over at Craft Us Crazy is a theme one.....just make something with a Spring/Easter theme and you are good to go.  By now, you probably know how much I love Echo Park and this new Springtime kit is no exception.  Echo Park kits are so shocked full of beautiful patterned paper and wonderful embellies, usually one or two alphabets even.  You can pick Echo Park kits up over at Crop Chocolate for a steal!  The only things on this LO that didn't come from the Springtime kit are the baker/s twine, solid cardstock and the crepe paper I pleated across the bottom.  We are so lucky to have Peggy Loves Vintage sponsoring this challenge.  She has graciously donated 5 different cut outs to this challenge's winner.  We also have a new monthly sponsor for the month of April and it is Stamp Fairy.  A lucky Top 3 winner this month will win a $12 gift certificate graciously donated by Stamp Fairy.  So sorry I've not been around in blogland lately.  Some of you may know that my Dad had been battling lung cancer.  Well, sadly, he took a turn for the worse a few weeks ago and I went back to help my Mom care for him.  He went on to heaven on the 22nd of March and I am so thankful to have been able to spend time with him over those three weeks.  My Mom and my siblings have been so touched by all the stories that men that worked with my Dad have shared with us over the last few weeks.  My Dad was a wonderful man and I know he is up in heaven watching over my entire family.   

Craft Us Crazy #3

Can you believe we are already on our 3rd challenge over at Craft Us Crazy?  I absolutely love seeing all of your beautiful projects and I can't wait to see what you make with this challenge's theme of nature!  Coco Dingo is our sponsor this week and I'm so excited to get to work with this cute bird image of hers.  Aren't those flowers gorgeous?  I used some papers from Memory Box Company and I can't find the name of the line if there was one on the packaging but the whole kit is blues and browns (one of my fav combos).  I love them all as you can tell I just kept layering them and layering them on my project.  The flowers are from my stash I know the little blue ones are ones I picked up at a local Ben Franklin.  The leaf punch is a Martha Stewart punch and the edge punches I used are both from EK Success.  The copics I used are in the photo below.  We are so excited to have Coco Dingo as our sponsor for this challenge....they have generously donated 4 images of the winner's choice from their store.  We are also excited to have Stitchy Stamps as our monthly sponsor this month!  They have generously donated a $10 gift certificate to their store to this month's winner.  Be sure to look for more information on the Craft Us Crazy blog also. 



Hawaiiana

Ryan and Logan were lucky enough to get to complete the Hawaiiana Merit Badge while at Summer Camp last year.  They learned so much about the Hawaiian culture and customs.  I used the Life's a Beach Cricut cartridge fo rmost of the cuts on this one.  The grass was made with my Martha Stewart fringe scissors and I used the Tim Holtz ticket die and the Stampology ticketed stamps for the red ticket.  Don't you love it when stamps and dies fit perfectly together!!!  I used lots of Tim Holtz distress inks to give the trees and leaves dimension.  I printed the Hawaiiana merit badge from the Scout site and cut it out with my nestabilities. 

Craft Us Crazy Challenge #2

WOWSA!!! WOWSA!!! WOWSA!!!  We can't believe the amazing participation we have had in our first challenge over at Craft Us Crazy!!!  We are all so excited and hope that all of you will join us again in our second challenge!  This challenge is a "Winter Theme" challenge.  We are delighted to have Meljen's Designs as our sponsor for this challenge.  I'm so excited to work with this cute image called Cozy Winter Owl....the name is even cute!  You can find him here.  I used papers from the Hot Chocolate line by Fancy Pants on my project.  I forgot to make a note of which cartridge I used for my background snowflake but I cut it with my cricut and then glittered it up.  I used a snow writer to get that awesome dimension in my snow and then added glitter for sparkle.  You can find this amazing Hot Chocolate kit at Crop Chocolate....appropriate huh?  Melissa has graciously donated 4 of her lovely digi images of the winner's choice for this challenge!  She has such a fun style...I can't wait to play with more of her images!  Here is a little bit of information on Meljen's Designs:

Meljen's Designs is a lovely stamp company owned and illustrated by Melissa Jenkins. She illustrates whimsical rubber and digital images inspired by her kids and family.  Meljen's Designs has new releases along with a new challenge every Thursday, freebies every Monday and a Guest Designer each month at the Meljen's Designs Blog. Please visit the Meljen's Designs line of stamps at the WHIMSY STAMPS STORE to browse and enjoy Melissa's wonderful images.

Don't forget about our monthly sponsors also!  If you participate in this challenge you can be on the running for our prizes donated by The Cutting Cafe and Stamps Alive also!  Here are the copics I used on my project above:

Can't wait to see what you make for this winter theme challenge at Craft Us Crazy!!!

Rolled Paper

I'm still frantically hoping to get Ryan's Eagle Scout scrapbook finished before his Court of Honor next month.  Here is one page I completed using a really fun and easy technique I found on The Scrap Farm.  Melinda has some REALLY cool fun techniques that I can't wait to try.  This was so easy to do and I got to use up a bunch of my scraps!!!

Be Mine Minnie LO

If you haven't picked up the new Echo Park kit "Be Mine" yet.....hurry hurry and get it!  You can pick it up on Crop Chocolate and you won't be sorry!  I usually have one or more sheets of cardstock in a kit that I think I will never use....that is why I've never been much of a kit person....I usually buy by the sheet and then it takes me forever to put together the patterns I want to use......not with Echo Park.  I love their papers so much that I have a hard time cutting in to it because I want to use both sides of this beautiful double sided paper.  Plus it is all put together for me and I don't have to worry about trying to coordinate papers myself.  Speeds up the whole scrapbooking process tremendously for me!  If you watch all the magnificent deals on Crop Chocolate (be sure to refresh your page often as there are lots of deals everyday) you will see lots of Echo Park kits....check out the new Springtime and For the Record kits....they are sitting in my carte right now!!!  That is one of the beauties of crop chocolate is that you can keep an ongoing carte so that you can save on shipping!  When you look in your carte it will tell you how many days that item can stay in your cart so you don't miss out!  Plus when you go to check out with all of your goodies there will be an option to purchase a "hot chocolate" which is usually $2.49 or so.....check out this picture to see what my $2.49 bought me:

If you would like to read a little more about me and see some fun photos of my kiddos head on over to Crop Chocolate today as I'm the featured customer of the day.  I'm so honored!!! (LOL....tells you I must do a little too much shopping over there huh?)

Sponsors! Sponsors! Sponsors!!!

We are all so excited over at Craft Us Crazy at the amazing response to our first challenge!  There are so many talented crafters out there!  If you haven't already participated, please come over and share whatever project you are working on because this first challenge is anything goes so whatever you are working on will fit the challenge!!!  Plus you can win some AWESOME prizes!  Regina from The Cutting Cafe has graciously donated 3 digital image sets from her store to this month's winner!  The cute cake image on my card came from her store!  You can find it here.  Her sets are AMAZING....they have tons of images in them!  This set comes with the black/white version of the cake like I used above so you can add your own color plus...it comes with some colored versions and....a couple of different sizes plus....a cake shaped template to make a cake shaped card and I'm sure I'm forgetting something but you get the point the sets are huge!  We are also excited to have Terri from Stamps Alive as a sponsor this month!  She has graciously donated a Spellbinder Nestabilities set to this month's winner!  Plus....if you hurry on over and link your project up before our next challenge begins on Feb. 17th then you can also have a chance at winning 3 digital images from Digital Delights!  Can't wait to see what you are working on!

Craft Us Crazy Challenge #1 Anything Goes

I'm so excited about our first challenge over at Craft Us Crazy.  Jeri is giving us an Anything Goes challenge to get us started!!!  So you can make any kind of project you want!!!  Just go "crazy"! (he! he!)  We are so excited to have Digital Delights as our very first sponsor for this challenge.  I am so excited that I got to work with this super cute image called Dilly Duck & Ladybug from their store.  This sweet little duck was so fun to color...I'll show you the copics I used below.  That adorable duck paper in my background is from the Ducks in a Row paper pad by October Afternoon and I used basic black cardstock that I keep on hand.  That pretty yellow cardstock is crushed curry by SU.  I used my nestability dies for the frame and some of the spellbinder dies are in 1/4" increments which sometimes I feel is too large so I cut a second black one in the same size as my image layer and then I cut it in half....the gap is hidden behind the buttons.  I think it worked pretty well as I'm in no way a "free hand cutter" so that was out of the question.  Here is a little information about the Digital Delights site:

Welcome to Digital Delights, a magical place filled with little digi creations from all walks of life. We have a wide range of digital stamps which are delivered straight to your email 24/7!

In addition we also have a growing range of "Delightful Piecings" which are paper pieced files designed to be used with your cutting machines or for hand cutting.
Fancy a new blog makeover, header or new watermark, then stop by our sister site Delightful Custom blogs.

Digital Delights as graciously donated 3 digital stamps of the winner's choice for this challenge's winner!  Can you believe we even have more prizes this month?  Regina over at The Cutting Cafe and Terri from Stamps Alive have both donated prizes....so rush on over to the Craft Us Crazy challenge blog to get all the details on how you can win!!! I can't wait to see what you make!!!  Oops...almost forgot....here are the copics I used on my card above:



Ryan Summer Camp 2010

We are so proud of Ryan.  He made Eagle Scout in December....so....I'm frantically trying to finish his Scouting Scrapbook before his court of honor!!!!  Here is one page that I had a blast making.  Most of the die cuts are made with my Cricut and the solutions Camping cartridge.  The dutch oven sticker is from a Karen foster scouting sticker sheet.  If anyone has any scouting scrapbook page ideas they would like to share...I'd love to see them!  Also, trying to come up with something for centerpieces for the court of honor ceremony.  We are going with a patriotic theme....would love ideas!

Happy Birthday!

Sorry....not the best picture but I was making this for a birthday party the next day and the picture was taken at about 1:00 in the morning.  Does anyone else do that?  Used my cricut on this one and I know the background shape is from Storybook and the tiara is either from Storybook or Once Upon a Princess...sorry I was looking at them both and I should have written it down.  The paper is DCWV and some SU cardstock with some BG for the pink top layer.  The sentiment stamp is from Papertrey Ink.  Hope you are having an awesome weekend!

Ryan Crossing Over

I know....I know....nothing for weeks and then 2 in one day!  This LO is of Ryan crossing over from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts.  He just made Eagle last month and I want to make a scrapbook for him of his adventures in scouting and my goal is to have it done before his Eagle Court of Honor which is tentatively scheduled for early March....  Here is my first page......I'm so far behind in my scrapbooking!!!!  This is from 2008 and I haven't even started scrapping that year yet.  I'm way behind that.  I promised myself that I was going to get all my 35mm photos that I already have printed scrapped before I would start the digital ones and I'm not making alot of progress there.  It might help if I didn't take the attitude that I NEED to scrap everything or every event that I have photos of.....he he he.  We will be moving in the spring and I'm in major purge mode so I really need to get those boxes of photos into albums!!!

Welcome Baby!

I had so much fun getting back in my craft room!!!  I needed a baby card and I really wanted to make one using this card as my motivation.  I love Laurie's style!  This sweet image is from Elizabeth O Dulemba.  She is a wonderful illustrator who has tons of sweet images over on her site.  I used my copics to color...sorry I didn't take a picture of the colors I used before I put them away.  I believe the pinks are RV21 and RV23 with a brighter one thrown in.  I used papers from October Afternoon's Ducks in a Row backed with some SU cardstock and then an off brand lighter weight cardstock for the top two images as the SU cardstock is a little thick for my border punch.  This border punch is a MS punch and I think it is called crowns....it is a punch around the page set.  I added some ribbon from my stash with a cute yellow button adorned with a silver charm (Walmart...I think).  Hope you enjoy and have an awesome Monday!

Awesome news!!!

I apologize for not being here lately.  My in-laws were here to visit and then my Dad went in the hospital for a short visit.  My hubby has been in and out of town a lot lately but I was able to squeeze in a trip to visit my folks over Thanksgiving and then I came home and had to get busy getting the school semester finished with the boys and get ready for Christmas!  Makes me tired again just typing it...ha! ha!   I so appreciate your prayers for my Dad. He has been feeling somewhat better over the last few weeks!  I do have some awesome crafty news to share, too! Jeri has asked me to be a member of her brand new challenge blog design team.  Her challenge blog is called Craft Us Crazy.  Jeri is so talented herself and she has put together an AMAZING team!  I have the blog roll in my sidebar...be sure to check them out!