Cosmo Cricket Snorkel

Love this new Snorkel line from Cosmo Cricket. It is a "must-have" for summer projects. The cardstock stickers are adorable and match perfectly with the designs of the papers. I used a couple fish cardstock stickers in the center of the oval. I distressed the papers a little with T!M Holtz inks (Frayed Burlap). Used blue dew drops for the bubbles above yellow fish (hard to see in picture). SU! ridinghood red, vintage violet, old olive cs used for card base.

CINCINNATI FOR THE WEEKEND

I went on a small trip over the weekend and am still trying to recuperate. I visited the lovely city of Cincinnati, Ohio. My sister moved there 2 years ago and I had never made it down to visit until this past weekend. There were festivals, outdoor nighttime movies, carriage rides, canoing, and plenty of food vendors. The river area is beautiful and the various city parks are just lovely. We walked across the "Purple People Bridge" into Covington, Kentucky on Saturday to visit the Aquarium. The Aquarium was fabulous!

We ate at a delicious restaurant (BoneFish) on Friday night for my birthday. We celebrated my step-nephew's 6th birthdayon Saturday evening. Saw the 120+ year old house my BIL renivated and has for sale. I even stopped at IKEA on the way home. (one of my favorite stores).

Mission Organization #2 (buttons/ paints)

I bought a Making Memories Shelf to store all my buttons and paints. The small glass containers are from IKEA and are sold as spice jars. They worked perfectly on this shelf to store all my solid color buttons. The large containers are Making Memories and are made to use on this shelf unit. I love that my buttons and paints are all visible and easily accessible.

Mission Organization (drawers)

I have done some major organization in my new stamping space. All my small do- dads and

embellishments (buttons, eyelets, brads, chipboard, hardware, pins) took me 14 hours to sort, categorize, label and put in their place. The embellishment cart (Alex) is from IKEA. The drawer dividers (IKEA)work great. I can take them out and to my work table whenever I need to. They will also work great when I have a class and need to pass the container for students to pick their embellishments.

Jacksonbelle Embellishments Design Team Call!

Here is my final entry. JBE059

Sketch. this one was my favorite.

Hero Arts (Smiling Robots) stamps. SU! Starring You stamps. Cogsmo Cosmo Cricket paper. Blue Bayou, Wild Wasabi, White SU! CS.

Jacksonbelle Embellishments Design Team Call!

Here is my 3rd entry. JBE058 Sketch

Inky Antics stamps. October Afternoon Designer Paper. Offrey ribbon, Flower from baby barretts (my daughter's). Colored the inside of the barrett with a black sharpie. Mustard Seed and Black Soot Distress ink.

Jacksonbelle Embellishments Design Team Call!

Here is my 2nd entry. Used JBE057 Sketch.

Cosmo Cricket Girl Friday Designer paper and cardstock stickers. SU! Old Olive CS and 1/4 in. grosgrain ribbon. Buttons unknown, Frayed Burlap Distress Ink.

Jacksonbelle Embellishments Design Team Call!

Came across a thread in search of a designer for Jacksonbelle Embellishments at Jacksonbelle Embellishments through SCS. I decided to give it a try. I have always looked through Jacksonbelle's gallery on SCS and have enjoyed her stories about meeting Ol' Willie Nelson, the start of her online store, and just looking at her clever cards.

Here is my first entry. I used JBE056 sketch challenge from 6-2-09.

Stamps are from SU! Deep brown CS. Basic Grey Designer Paper. Carnation Dew Drops. Walnut Distress ink. Making Memories Vintage Brad. SU! Cocoa grosgrain ribbon 1/4 in. width.

A Cupcake For Riley

Went to my aunt Crystal's house (crystalkbk on scs) and stamped images from her stash for nearly 2 hours this afternoon. She has a little bit of everything- I mean "EVERYTHING" when it comes to stamp companies and styles. The companies among the ones I stamped are: HANNA STAMPS, BELLAS, TREEHOUSE STAMPS, THE GREETING FARM, CORNISH HERITAGE FARMS, MY FAVORITE THINGS, STAMPIN' UP!, HERO ARTS, INKADINKADO, ETC...

Played around with a RILEY from HANNA STAMPS this evening in between dinner, cleanup, baths. Colored 3 times before I was satisfied.

The cupcake on the ribbon is from a new SU! hostess level 3 set called THE MORE THE MERRIER. The verse is from a current SU! hostess level 3 set called GOODY GOODY GUMDROPS. Used SU! papers and cardstock (Bayou Blue, Ridinghood Red) Colored with both copics and prisma pencils. Blended with Gamsol. Both oval punches are SU!. Bayou stitched ribbon.

Found some more BLOG CANDY this evening:

http://martinescrafts.wordpress.com/

Softball Birthday card

Made a birthday card for my oldest. She will be 15 on Wed. I hope she likes it. I know the image might be a little immature but, I thought it was adorable. She's played softball since she was 6 and thought this would be perfect. It is super hard to find softball themed stamps and scrapbook items. I've searched for years. Cricut makes some great female sports images. I cut some when I crop with friends (I use their machine and discs). I have a SLICE machine and unfortunately, their new sports disc does not contain any softball.

Inky Antics softball girl stamp, PSX softball stamp, SU! sentiment stamp, SU! scallop and regular oval punch, copics, SU! Ballet blue and yoyo yellow cs, Offrey wide grosgrain ribbon, SU! patterned ds paper.

FIRE UP THE GRILL!

Made this one for my husbands upcoming birthday. The grill theme is totally him. He can make a mean BBQ chicken- wow!, it'll knock your socks off. He also can grill great steaks and various seafoods. The charcoal and his patience for slow cooking is what makes everything taste so yummy! SU! Ridinghood red cs, club scrap patterned red paper, Crate paper patterned blue and green papers. Inky Antics stamp, SU! (happy birthday)stamp, Making Memories chipboard sticker (verse), tonic distress tool, blue dew drops, sponging with daubers, glitter added with pen for shiny details on metal and grill.

SC224 "Farewell 2009 In- Colors"

Here's a card done for today. Finally, playing with some of my new sets (from this season's catalog). I thought I'd pay tribute to our 'soon retiring' In-Colors. SC224

SU! BRANCH OUT set, SU! Kiwi Kiss, Tangerine Tango, and Pacific Point DS papers, Kiwi, Tangerine, Pacific, and Black inks, Black Zig pen detailing, orange Dew Drops. Marker colored image using "huffing" technique. Used stamp pad for leaves. Double stamping done at times.

SC232 Challenge

Happy Thursday Everyone! Its been gloomy with drizzly rain off and on all day today. Was going to take my girls to a local Flea Market but changed our minds when we heard today's forecast. I'm still waiting for the thunderstorms they called for.We probably could have went without problems.

I did sneak in some stamping time in between laundry, cleaning, cooking, vaccuuming, and helping my oldest fill out a job application. Wow, she is growing up fast. She will be 15 in less than a week. Where does time go?

Splitcoaststampers Sketch Challenge(SC232). Used SU! retired SPARKLING SUMMER stamps, ki MEMORIES Juicy Summer paper and rub- on sentiment, SU! Positively Pink cs, Black Soot distress Ink, Copics, Zig pen stitching, Offrey orange gingham ribbon, pink bottle top and pink citrus sticker (unknown).

Mojo Monday #90 Sketch Challenge

Did another Mojo Monday sketch challenge this p.m. I love the Mojo Monday challenges. Wow- these colors are bizarre! Sage, tangerine, Pink, Lime. What do you think of these colors? Definately different (I don't think I would ever use them if I did not have this paper).

BLOG CANDY ALERT!!!!!!

Found some blog candy that will be ending soon. Here's a link:
http://handmadecards1.blogspot.com/search/label/Blog%20Candy
Good luck and happy stamping.

Stamps from Inky Antics and Hero Arts. Colored with copics, K&Co. 'Berry Sweet' papers, SU! Tangerine Tango decorative paper, SU! Sage Shadow and Tangerine Tango cs, cuttlebug paisely emboss plate, pen stitching (zig), Marvy circle punches, decorative button, Offrey gingham ribbon.

Farewell To Ridinghood Red & Kiwi Kiss

Finally played around with a challenge this weekend.

It came from http://iheart2stamp.com/2009/06/06/first-saturday-of-the-month-4/. My aunt (crystalkbk) came over and tried to get me in the stamping mood. Ever since my newly remodeled room has been complete I have had no desire or "mojo" to stamp or craft. I'm really trying to get into it again. Maybe with the new SU! catalog and some new stamp stuff coming soon I can "jump right in".

Used Inky Antics stamps, SU! Rockabilly and Bella Rose papers along with Kiwi Kiss cs. Black Soot Distress ink, Copics to color, Primas, Fabric Brad, ladybug buttons, hand doodling with Zig pen, and Olive 1/4" Grosgrain ribbon.