Challenge #24 at 2 Sisters (and Bday Girl Challenge #4)

Today's the 1st day of  challenge #24 at 2 Sisters, "Girls Just Want to Have Fun"!  This week our challenge is being sponsored by Sassy Studio Designs.

The challenge is to create a card/project featuring a female image.  You can use any image that you would like to use but if you have an image from Sassy Studio Designs we would love to see it over at 2 Sisters. Here's the lovely little beauty I created using the Hippie Chick Digital Stamp:

She's kinda groovy huh? Don't forget to leave me a comment and you'll be entered in my month-long Birthday Girl Challenge (bonus entry if you enter the "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" challenge). I have some fun bday goodies I'm collecting here for one lucky winner, it could be you!! =) T 

Call Me Crazy....and Birthday Girl Challenge #3!

This week's challenge from Nat over at Punky Scraps was to create a project as inspired by this quote:

Now this one was a tough one for me...see I'm not at all that kind of girl! The girl who wrote this is a tough, take-no-prisoners, no nonsense kind of woman. A woman I truly admire. But...unfortunately there is NOTHING tough about me. My quote would read more like, "Judge me, I'm expecting you to anyway. Tell me what to do, and I'll say OK. Say I'm not worth it, and I'll believe you."...You get the idea. Self-esteem is low on my totem pole. But then I got to that last line, "Call me crazy". Ya, that sounds about right! I had this silly photo of me opening a package of stickles and thought it was just crazy enough to use. When else would a goofy photo like that be appropriate right?

So my bday girl challenge for you today is to create a layout based on this quote and link it up over at Punky Scraps. Don't forget, any challenges you enter this month at PS enters you to win a fabulous prize from Nikki Sivils. Don't forget to leave me a comment telling me you've entered the PS challenge and you'll be entered in my month-long Birthday Girl Challenge. Two! Two! Two challenges for the price of one!! Oh, and here's my layout...crazy huh? =) T

  

A Card Sketch- and Birthday Girl Challenge #2

This week's challenge at 2 Sisters is a sketch challenge, and you know how much I love a sketch! Such a great way to give your ideas a boost, just start with a sketch and off you go! This week we're being sponsored by the delightful  Hodge Podge Shop. The Design Team girls were treated to a few digital stamps we could use on our projects, I chose a lovely little Wild Zinnia and printed it 3 times going across the bottom of my card- doesn't it make a sweet border? I then built layers on top of my border with a journal spot, dimensional alphabet stickers and a lovely little piece of tissue paper I had in my scraps.

Now...onto my Birthday Girl Challenge! My Bday is coming up on February 22, and to celebrate I'll be giving away an RAK of delicious little birthday goodies- paper, stickers, ribbon and other fun embellies. I will select one winner at random on 2/22/11 (the BIG day!!!), here's 3 different ways you can enter:

1-Become a follower, or comment letting me know you're a follower

2-Post a link to your interpretation of any-or all- of my Bday Girl Challenges (no limit on entries) in the comments section of appropriate blog post

3-Blog about my month-long Bday Girl Challenge on your blog, and be sure to post the link here!

My Bday Girl Challenge for today is to create a project inspired by my card for 2 Sisters. maybe you'll create something with the same color scheme, or make a friendship card, or just play with scraps of tissue paper. However you're inspired, please let me know and you'll be entered to win! =) T

here's the sketch:

here's my card:

Birthday Girl Challenge #1!!

This week's challenge over at Sketches in Thyme is one that I KNOW you can do- it's an open challenge. And what exactly is an "open challenge" you may be asking? Well, it's a challenge that is OPEN for interpretation! If you're someone who needs a specific challenge to give you a boost in the scrappy direction, this might be tricky for you. Here's a sketch I decided to use that I found over at Lets Scrap:

 and here's my interpretation of that sketch:

Few little things to note on my layout....I printed the "take me out to the" letters onto a piece of ordinary lined notebook paper, and then cut out and attached to the layout. My "Ball Game" letters are thickers I found in a clearance bin an a lime green that did not AT ALL go with my layout. My solution? Emboss with black embossing powder. You'll note the "messiness" of the embossing powder all around the title, this is because I didn't get the brilliant idea to emboss until AFTER I adhered to the layout, and try as I might, those thickers were not going to budge without a fight! So, rather than tearing the cardstock, I embossed right on the layout- it adds a very "artsy" feel, dontcha think? (that's just something us creative types tell ourselves to make us feel better about the mess!) The 3 star brads are embossed in black as well. WARNING: if you're embossing metal brads, have tweezers on hand, those babies can conduct some serious heat!

Now...onto my Birthday Girl Challenge! My Bday is coming up on February 22, and to celebrate I'll be giving away an RAK of delicious little birthday goodies- paper, stickers, ribbon and other fun embellies. I will select one winner at random on 2/22/11 (the BIG day!!!), here's 3 different ways you can enter:

1-Become a follower, or comment letting me know you're a follower
2-Post a link to your interpretation of any-or all- of my Bday Girl Challenges (no limit on entries) in the comments section of appropriate blog post
3-Blog about my month-long Bday Girl Challenge on your blog, and be sure to post the link here!

Here's my first Birthday Girl Challenge for YOU: what about this blog post inspires you to get crafty? Is it the sketch? My messy embossing? Or perhaps the fun bingo cards I used as my background (yup, those are real bingo cards)... Become a follower of my blog (if you are not already) and post a link to your inspiration piece in the comments section by 2/22/11 (my bday!!!). I'd love to see what you're up to, and one lucky creative talent (chosen at random) will receive a little RAK from me! =) T

Remembering...

Found a picture of my son and his 1st grade teacher, tucked away in an envelope buried deep in a scrap bag I haven't used in a number of years. I think my mother-in-law must have taken the pic and passed it on to me while at a crop. How thankful I am that she took this photo, it's one of those things I never think to document, the kiddos and their teachers. But it's such a meaningful memory to have, documenting your teacher and that special bond that develops in a school year. Finding this picture was even more bittersweet because she passed away just a few short months after my son had moved on to 2nd grade. She was a wonderful woman and I'm so grateful I had the chance to scrapbook this memory for my son. =) T

"Remember" qualifies for the following challenges:

-Lasting Memories recipe challenge

-Scrap Our Stash pagerize color scheme

-Sketchabilities sketch

Flower Power at 2 Sisters

This week's challenge at 2 SistersChallenge Blog is flowers, and after getting burried in 2 feet of snow last week, I can't think of a better way to take my mind off all of that shoveling!! We would like to see any kind of flower on your card/project. This can be in the image, store bought or handmade flowers. It's up to you. Just show us all the gorgeous flowers you can. This week we are being sponsored by Judy of Digi Doodles Shop. So be sure to link your lovely flower project over at 2 SistersChallenge Blog by January 21st for your chance to win. Below is my flower card, I used a sweet little strawberry image from Digi Doodles Shop, printed the image on Kraft, colored the strawberries in red and then embossed the whole image in a few layers of UTEE for a glossy effect. Can't wait to se what floral inspirations you come up with! =) T 

Ready for Another Sketch?

There's a new sketch up at Sketches in Thyme and I had so much fun playing with this one! Below is the sketch and my take on it, had 3 adorable pics of my niece enjoying a popsicle that fit perfectly with the sketch! Oh, and before I forget, be sure to link up your take on the sketch over at Sketches in Thyme by January 19th for your chance to win a fabulous prize from Lucky Girl Crafts! =) T

A Gift Certificate Give-Away at Papercraft Star!

Just a quick post to tell you about a great grive-away! Hop on over to Papercraft Star for your chance to win a fabulous $25 gift certificate! They're working on getting up to 1000 followers- wow!!

Happy New Year from Scrap That Poetry!

It's a new year and that means time for a new poem at Scrap That Poetry! This month we have a lovely poem with a new years flair!

New Year

by Katharine Lee Bates

WHITE year, white year,

Muffled soft in snow,

A diamond spray whose gems are gone

Before their grace we know,

A crystal-coated spray whose hours

Melt when looked upon,

Hoarfrost stars and hoarfrost flowers,

White year!

Green year, green year,

Sweet with sun and showers,

A windblown spray whose blossoms bright

Are the seven-colored hours,

A dancing spray whose leaves are days,

A spray whose leaves delight

In azure gleam and silver haze,

Green year!

New Year, new year

From rosy leaf to gold,

A shining spray on the Tree of Time

Where myriad sprays unfold,

A spray so fair that God may see

And gather it, bloom and rime,

To deck the doors of Eternity,

New Year!

 

Below is my take on the poem, I pulled out photos of a winter hike we took a few years back. I did a white-on-white layout, punching out a TON of snowflakes and adding a few gems and ink for a little color! Would love to see what this poem inspires you to create. Post your layout to Mr Linky over at Scrap That Poetry by January 30th for your chance to be our February Guest Designer! =) T

A Sketch Challenge is up at Punky Scraps!

Yup...you heard right, it's a sketch challenge at Punky Scraps. It's challenge #2 for January, and when you link up your project, you'll be entered for a chance to win a wonderful package of goodies from Nikki Sivils, Scrapbooker. The Tree Love Collection includes lovely papers along with coordinating Journalling Tags, Breadless Tabs & a beautiful set of Flamin Butterfly clear stamps! Below is the sketch and my take on it (I flipped it), can't wait to see what you come up with! =) T

Four Seasons of Feet & a Family Photo Shoot

Time to tackle another few challenges...today I have 2 layouts for show and tell! First up is my "Four Seasons" layout that I've had in the works for a while. Actually, for a year as you can see from the pics! Just a simple layout featuring my feet in the 4 seasons- this was a fun project to work on, finding the perfect way to show off my feeties throughout the year. My journaling says, "Gliding on ice. Crunching in leaves. Ballet flats in budding grass and painted toes." This one will go in my "Book of Me", a rare site of me showing up in a scrapbook, even if it is only my feet!

My second layout, "Call Photo Shoot" was another that's been in the works for a while. We did this photo shoot with my husband's family in Spring 2008 and for some reason I have a crazy mental block on scrapping photos like this. When it's everyday pics of the kiddos, inspiration comes easily. But when it comes to portraits and big events like weddings and birthdays I panic. I always put pressure on myself that the layout must be as picture- perfect as the moment itself, and that's NOT going to happen. Luckily, there were a few challenges out there this week that were super helpful at jump-starting my creativity. Between a sketch, a color scheme, and a challenge to use 17+ buttons, I was good to go! =) T

"Four Seasons" qualifies for the following challenges:

-XOXO scraplifting Shannon's layout

-Frosted Designs 3+ photos

"Call Photo Shoot" qualifies for the following challenges:

-Design Dollies color scheme

-Scrapbookers Anonymous 17+ buttons

-Sketchy Thursdays sketch

I won, I won, I won!!

Just a quick little blog post to say a big thanks to Stacy over at Artful Delight, I'm the winner of her giveaway- a fabulous ZAP! heat gun which I am really excited to use! Oh, and a 2nd thanks goes out to my friend Mel at Me Time who was kind enough to notice I had won but hadn't checked in on the blog to claim my prize and sent me a little email. Just in time, thanks Mel!! =)T

Gettin Girlie Card Challenge

There's a new challenge up at the 2 Sisters Challenge Blog, "Gettin Girlie" sponosored by Pattie's Creations. I created a "make a wish" card with this adorablle little genie in a bottle digital image. I also combined this card with a few other challenges- because I LOVE adding on as many as I can. So this little beauty not only counts as my DT assignment, it also qualifies for a few other challenges too! Be sure to head on over to 2 Sisters Challenge Blog and enter your own Gettin Girlie card for by January 14th! =) T

Genie In a Bottle Card:
-2 Sisters Challenge Blog gettin girlie
-ColorQ color challenge 
-Mojo Monday sketch

Rain, Rain, Go Away...

well no rain here, I've been watching the sky today waiting for the snow that's supposed to be on its way. In the mean time...there's a great photo inspiration challenge going on this week at Punky Scraps, just check out this fun picture:

As soon as I saw this picture, I KNEW exactly what I would do. Have this adorable photo of my daughter and neice playing under an umbrella last summer while on a very wet vacation at the beach! I created a layout with fun bright colors to match the dots on the inspiration pic, added some chipboard waves to reference the beach, and made 3 little puffy clouds out of felt. As usual, I tried my best to combine a few different challenges into one project, all listed below. I think the whole thing came out pretty cute if I do say so myself!!

Rain Rain Go Away:

-Punky Scraps photo inspiration

-Scrap the Girls summer girl theme

-Paper Trail Makers handmade embellies

Now it's your turn, scroll back up and look at the photo, what does it inspire you to create? Be sure to show off your lovely work by posting to Mr Linky over at Punky Scraps  for your chance to win these amazing goodies from Nikki Sivils Scrapbooker! Can't wait to see what you come up with! =) T

A Great Give-Away Over at My Friend Mel's Blog!

There's a great give-away going over at the Me Time blog and it's soooooo easy to enter! Just pop on over to Mel's blog and become a follower of her blog as well as the Scrap That Poetry blog. Be sure to let Mel know you're a new follower to be entered, and there's even bonus entries too. So go on by for a visit, these lovely pressies could be yours! =) T

Yahoo- A New Design Team For Me!!

I am so thrilled to be part of the design team over at the 2 Sisters Challenge Blog ! It's a fabulous challenge blog that will give me the chance to work on cards a bit more- rather than my usual frantic run to the craft room to whip something up before heading out to a party. I am so exzcited to really get crafty with my cards and see what kind of creativity comes from it. My first challenge was to make a Thinking of You card using one of many fabulous images provided by our fabulous sponsor, Stitchy Bear Digital Stamps. I chose an absolutely adorable little girl image- I used watercolor pencils and stickles to dress up her little tutu, and layered her over some olive and grey patterns. Maybe not the first color scheme that comes to mind when you see a little girl tutu image, but I always like to try something a bit different.

Now...here's the best part of this challenge....head on over to your crafty area of your world and create a Thinking of You card of your own. the be sure to upload it to Mr.Linky over at 2 Sisters Challenge Blog by January 7th for your chance to win a $10 gift certificate to Stitchy Bear Digital Stamps!! Fabulous- we all love goodies right?

Want to hear something even better??? Stacy, our wonderful DT Coordinator is collecting cards to give to patients at Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston, MA, with the theme of THINKING OF YOU, HELLO, JUST FOR YOU & JUST A NOTE. She asks that you please refrain from using the sentiment of get well. As soon as you have created your card and entered it into the challenge, write a note of encouragement inside your card and address the envelope to "ANY PATIENT" and then place the card into an envelope addressed to Stacy:

Stacy Walker

15 Willow Way

Swanville, Maine 04915

USA

When your package is on it's way please email Stacy at twosisterschallengeblog@live.com to let her know that you have sent your card. Stacy will be delivering the cards to Brigham & Women's Hospital on January 30th so you have plenty of time to enter and get your card(s) to her. The cards will then be handed out to the patients in their transplant wards. Our hope is that when they open up the cards it will help brighten their day.

I hope you'll take this challenge- find a moment to create a wonderful card and you'll find that it will not only put a smile on the recipient's face but it will put a smile on your face as well! =) T