Colour Q and Stamping 411 {Happy Easter}

Just a quick post as I am off to swim at the pool! I wanted to play along with the gals at Stamping 411 and the gals at Colour Q.  I created a clean and simple Easter Card. 

Exciting News...Meet the "Merry Makers" for Merry Monday!

Starting on Monday, April 2, I am excited to have these wonderful ladies with me on my design team for Merry Monday!  All of these ladies have been avid players of Merry Monday.  For the next three months, they will be the "inaugural" Merry Monday design team, known as the "Merry Makers".  I asked each of them to share a bit about themselves.  So here they are, in alphabetical order by last name...

Wendy Aungst

WeeBeeStampin4fun

Hi there! My name is Wendy Aungst.

I live in Red Lion, PA and I'm a stay at home mom/wife. I have 3 adult children (one with Cerebral Palsy) and a terrific son in law. I've been married to the most wonderful man in the world for the last 21 years. He's one of my biggest cheerleaders in this crafting world we call stamping!

I have been stamping & making handmade cards for 12 years and have quite the collection of rubber stamps! I enjoy this hobby of mine as I have met & made many friends through it!

I was a Stampin' Up demo for a few years and gave it up but I still love their products & accessories!

I have been blogging on & off for about the last 5 or so years. You can view my blog here.

I'm thankful to Lesley for this wonderful opportunity to be a "Merry Maker" for the next several months as I love making Christmas cards! I have been doing a holiday craft show at a friends farm since 2002 and this challenge each week is putting me ahead of the game! 

I hope you'll join myself and the rest of the Merry Makers for the Merry Monday Challenges and let's get those Christmas cards made! 

Nina Forsythe

Notes by Nina

I am thrilled to part of the inaugural design team Lesley has chosen to be her Merry Makers and I am excited to be creating with these talented ladies. It is fabulous that we are getting a head start on Christmas cards and I love seeing all creations posted each week.

I have been stamping and creating cards for about 5 years.  I love to be inspired and hope that I can also inspire others. I have a fondness for ink, paper, stamps… maybe I should stop the list as it could go on for days J and I have a small stash of it all. 

LeAnne Pugliese

WeeInklings

Hi!  I'm LeAnne Pugliese, and I live in southeastern Pennsylvania!  I am married to my wonderfully patient husband John, have a married daughter and most everyone who visits my blog, knows that I baby sit my granddaughter, Cassidy!  I have been a Stampin'Up! demonstrator for almost ten years, but I have always loved all kinds of crafts.   I enjoy sending cards to people, especially those at my church, and stamping allows me to fulfill a creative outlet while ministering to my friends.   I have lots of favorite techniques---watercoloring, clean and simple, vintage; and I love making Christmas cards!  So I was thrilled when Lesley asked me to participate in the Merry Monday team for a few months!  I am looking forward to all the fun challenges!

Thank you ladies for joining me!  I am looking forward to the next three months! Tomorrow I will be announcing this week's winner and the Featured Designer for April.  There is still time to join in this week's challenge by clicking HERE. This challenge ends on Saturday at midnight. (PST)

Merry Monday Reminder

Thank you for stopping by! If you are looking for this week's Merry Monday Sketch, please CLICK HERE. The challenge ends on Saturday at midnight. (PST)

CR84FN and Mojo Monday {Hello Sunshine}

The past week or so, I have been checking out the awesome colours at CR84FN. I love the combo of  Pink, Orange and Yellow together but I always struggle with it.  I don't know why! So I was determined to make a card and to try my best with the colours.

I needed a sketch to get my creative vibe going and I decided to look at the Mojo Sketch this week.  The Sketch could be a square or a circle.  I decided to opt for the square version and suddenly those strips of paper in the background became my inspiration for the colours. I pulled out 3-12x12" pieces of polka dot designer paper from my Bold Brights Pack in Daffodil Delight, Melon Mambo and Tangerine Tango.  I cut one strip off each piece and fit it onto my square card (I used the Confetti White Cardstock as a base).  Then I sat there and thought, what image should I used?  

{Supplies Used}

Stamps: Sentiment from Stampendous

Papers: Bold Brights Pack (SU!), Whisper White, Confetti White

Inks: Melon Mambo

Tools: Daisies #2 Die Sizzix, Big Shot, Button, Oval Punches (SU!)

Then the daisy die came to mind and I used a small yellow button from my stash to create the centre.  No black ink for the sentiment...I keep it light and happy with some Melon Mambo Ink. I have been in a creative slump for a long time. I have not been feeling the card making vibe but tonight, I am pleased with how this turned out. 

Have a sunshiny day tomorrow!

Freshly Made Sketches #28 {Oink, Baa, Peep}

Wow! Wednesday already! Time for another challenge at Freshly Made Sketches and this week I am the hostess!  My sketch was created to showcase three little words on the side, but as you will see, the design team has used those three spaces in some wonderful and unique ways!!!  I also decided to play along at CAS-ual Fridays in the Bold and the Beautiful to combine black with pastel colours. This is our last week with Narelle and Alissa as our Guest Designers! March went MUCH too fast! I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know these lovely ladies!!!

I inked up a set from Pink Cat that I think is SO cute.  I coloured the images with my Copic markers and tried to make the sheep look fluffy with some extra shading.  The reason I purcahsed this set is because of the awesome animal "birthday greetings"...moo, baa, oink, quack...yep, I thought it was pretty cute!

I hope you will join in with both challenges and have some fun with us this week!!!  

Retro Sketches #4 and JUGS 129 {Pretty in Pink}

Just a quick post tonight and then I am off to bed. I am pooped after my first day back to work after Spring Break. Both my hubby and I were laughing at how exhausted we were today!  Anyway, I wanted to play along with Arielle's new sketch challenge called "Retro Sketches". The sketch this week is awesome and if you get the chance, you should really give it a go

I found some pretty pink paper in my stash and created the card below.  I used a flower die from My Favourite Things and also used my Bird Punch from SU! for the leaves.  The sentiment is from the current Sale-A-Bration set called " Elementary Elegance.  The mix of designer papers is from my scrap box and some odds and ends I wanted to use.  

Over at Just Us Girls, they are having a Template Challenge and it was to make 4 cards all the same with the sentiments on the side so it could be a gift for someone and they could choose the sentiments to use.  I thought this was a cool idea and went along and created 4 more cards for this challenge using the terrific "Retro" sketch.

Thank you for stopping by!  I hope your Monday was good, at least it is done!  I have lots going on this week and I will admit I am behind! I am off to watch my favourite TV show called 'SMASH", I love it SO much!!! Then off to bed for me!!

Merry Monday Challenge #13

Welcome to another week at Merry Monday!  The idea behind this challenge is to get a head start on your Christmas cards!  Each week, I choose one Merry Monday Winner who will then be a Guest Designer for a future challenge!  So get out your Christmas supplies and let's get to work!    

This week's sketch is another quick and easy sketch to use... remember the shapes are just suggestions...please feel free to change them up!

This week I inked up a retired SU set called "Cardinal Christmas". I wish I had bought this set. I borrowed it from a friend and coloured it with my copics. The designer paper is from Pink Paislee, my new obsession favourite brand! I also used my Martha Stewart Snowflake punch and some red glimmer paper from SU!

Featured Designer: 

Sandi MacIver

 

This is Sandi's last week as my Featured Designer...thank you Sandi for playing along!! I have so much fun working with you!  Look at the pretty card Sandi created! 

Guest Designer:

Carol Lucas 

And this week's Guest Designer is Carol Lucas.  Didn't she create an adorable card!! Thank you Carol!  And thank you to Bonnie Klass for being my GD last week!  Thanks for commenting and for joining me Bonnie!

Challenge Rules (to keep things fair):

1. You must use the sketch and make a Christmas card.

2. Please add a direct link to your blog or to an online gallery.

3. Feel free to use other challenges or for a stamp release, it doesn't matter, as long as you add this challenge link to your post.

4. Any offensive posts or cards that do not follow the guidelines will be removed out of courtesy to fellow bloggers and myself.

5. As always, please have fun and make the sketch your own!

This linky will close at Midnight on the Saturday before the next Merry Monday Challenge.

1. Donna H	2. Sherry Eckblad	3. Shelia	4. LeAnne	5. LisaJ	6. Wendy Aungst
7. Notes By Nina	8. Narelle Farrugia	9. Betty Benton	10. Violet	11. Lauren A.	12. miria
13. Catherine	14. Barb Housner	15. Patti Corriere	16. Laura King	17. Feikje	18. Rose
19. Danielle Vincent	20. Donette B	21. Bonnie	22. Janet Kay	23. Kim S	24. Christy Q

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

Merry Monday Challenge Winner and meet the Merry Makers!

Thank you for everyone who joined me with last week's sketch! I loved seeing all of the cards you created and some of you even managed to create two!  Wow! Each week it is getting harder for me to choose a winner!  Before I get to this week's winner, I have some exciting news to share.

I am adding a design team to this challenge!  They are going to be my Merry Makers!  

• The design team will be with me for three months April, May and June. 
• Then I will ask another group of Merry Makers to join me. 
• I will still have the weekly winner as a Guest Designer each week.
• I will still have a Featured Designer each month.  

The inaugural design team is a trio of talented ladies and they will be ready to show off their skills on April 2nd!  It will be an exciting day! Thank you ladies!

Welcome to the Merry Makers! 

LeAnne Pugliese

Nina Forsyth

Wendy Aungst

And now onto the Winner for Sketch #12!  This week I chose Betty Benton's gorgeous White on White Card.  I love the simple embossed image and that bow is just gorgeous! Congratulations Betty on being my Guest Designer for April 2nd. Please grab your badge below and be sure to email me and I will send you the sketch for next week! 

 

Thank you for stopping by! I am excited to bring you a brand new sketch for tomorrow and I have Carol Lucas as my Guest Designer and of course it is Sandi MacIver's last week as my Featured Designer for March!  I cannot believe how quickly the month has flown by! WOW!  Thank you to Sandi for all of your beautiful work!

Paper Players Sketch #88-{You're Tweet!}

Sunday is here and that means tomorrow I am back to work after a wonderful week off for Spring Break. My husband and I went away for a few days and so I have spent this morning, catching up on comments. We went to a lovely lodge that is located near the ocean and enjoyed whale watching and being outside, walking along the beach. The weather was amazing! 

This week we have a terrific sketch by the talented Ann Schach! I loved working with it and I know you will enjoy it as well!  I wanted to play with a new stamp I recently found from Pink Cat.  It is called "Love Birds on a Swing".  I think it is super cute. The reason I chose the muted tones was because it matched my BRAND NEW PAPER from Pink Paislee called "Indigo Bleu"...wow!  I LOVE this paper and what is more, I love ALL their paper. I found their product through Mona Pendelton. Thank you Mona!  I have ordered 2 more of their paper packs, I would say I am hooked! LOL!

Supplies Used:

Stamps: Pink Cat Studios  "Love Birds on a Swing"

Papers: Baja Breeze, Sage Shadow, Whisper White, Pink Paislee "Indigo Bleu"

Inks: Memento Black, Copics

Extras: Lace Ribbon from Scrapbook Essentials BC, Baja Breeze Button (retired from SU), 

Rectangle Nesties, SU Decorative Label Punch for Sentiment

My image is coloured with Copics. Sorry this is not the best picture, I had trouble trying to capture the colouring, it is actually darker IRL. The flash washed it out it a bit.  We hope that you will join the Paper Players Challenge this week!  Please be sure to visit the other DT Members to see their wonderful creations!  Enjoy your week!  I am looking forward to getting back into the swing of things!  I have decided to begin a learning unit on Gray Whales with my class after this week's adventures, I am excited to get started!  This is also our last week with talented GD Sherry Eckblad, thank you Sherry for your hard work as our March Guest Designer!!!

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Anne Marie Hile

Jaydee

LeAnne Pugliese

Lesley Croghan

Nance Leedy
Jenn Picard 
Heidi Boos
Sherry Eckblad 

Still time to play along with Merry Monday #12

I hope you are enjoying your week! There is still time to join in on the Merry Monday challenge this week, please be sure to link up your card by Saturday night at midnight (PST) which is 3am (EST).

To play along please CLICK HERE.

Freshly Made Sketches #27-{Seeing Spots}

Another Wednesday is here! Usually I am happy it is mid-week but this week, not so much as I am on Spring Break! LOL!  I am looking forward to a restful week, I have been quite tired lately, lots going on in my little world.

This week's sketch at Freshly Made Sketches is by ME! It's a weird one, I know it...but I wanted to try a card with a negative cutout, and feel free to make the circles any shapes or sizes, they do not have to be all the same.  Place the sentiment anywhere, or use none at all. As long as the main sketch is visible in your card, that is all we need to see.

Supplies Used:

Stamps: Penny Black Sentiment

Inks: Rich Razzleberry

Papers: In Colour 2012 and Bold Bright DSP Packs, Razzleberry, 

White, Confetti White for Base (AL SU!)

Extras: MS Monarch Butterfly

 

I hope you get the chance to play along this week!!!  I used the fun, springy colours at Colour Q.  Love them so much!!!  Hope you are enjoying your week!!!

Merry Monday Challenge #12- {For the Birds}

Welcome to another week at Merry Monday!  The idea behind this challenge is to get a head start on your Christmas cards!  Each week, I choose one Merry Monday Winner who will then be a Guest Designer for a future challenge!  So get out your Christmas supplies and let's get to work!   

This week's sketch is REALLY simple...I wanted to be able to create a card quickly and I wanted to use some of the Christmas paper I hoard stash away in my drawers.  So here it is, what do you think?  I must say, this card is made from "recycled" stuff from my "need to use drawer", that includes the ribbon and the card base in Real Red. Aren't the birds so "tweet".

{Supplies Used on this Card}

Stamps: SU! Hostess Set called "Best Yet" (retired)

Papers: Dear Santa 8" Glitter Paper from My Mind's Eye, Real Red Cardstock

Inks: Real Red for the sentiment

Tools: Scallop Edge Border Punch from SU!, Shimmer Ribbon, Oval Punches from SU!

Below are the gorgeous cards created by Featured Designer Sandi MacIver and Guest Designer Bonnie Klass. Please be sure to visit their blogs by clicking on their name above their card.

Featured Designer: 

Sandi MacIver

 

Guest Designer:

Bonnie Klass

Challenge Rules (to keep things fair):

1. You must use the sketch and make a Christmas card.

2. Please add a direct link to your blog or to an online gallery.

3. Feel free to use other challenges or for a stamp release, it doesn't matter, as long as you add this challenge link to your post.

4. Any offensive posts or cards that do not follow the guidelines will be removed out of courtesy to fellow bloggers and myself.

5. As always, please have fun and make the sketch your own!

This linky will close at Midnight on the Saturday before the next Merry Monday Challenge.

1. Sherry Eckblad	2. Patti Corriere	3. Jeannie	4. LisaJ	5. Carol Lucas
6. Danielle Vincent	7. Violet	8. Stacy T.	9. Catherine aka catiecuddles	10. Janet Kay
11. Wendy Aungst	12. Notes By Nina	13. Narelle Farrugia	14. Betty Benton	15. Bonnie
16. Rose	17. Lynn Hayes	18. Barb Housner	19. LeAnne P	20. Sandi MacIver

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

Merry Monday Challenge Winner {A Little Later than Usual}

Whew! A whirlwind of a weekend has just happened and we had a blast!! As I mentioned in my post yesterday, Corey and I just celebrated 5 years of marriage yesterday! We went for a lovely dinner and then spent the evening in the city, chatting and just hanging out. I took some fun photos and will try to share them soon!  Thank you to all of my blogging friends for your sweet comments on yesterday's post!!! They were so lovely to read!

So I am a little later posting my winner for this week's challenge!!  Sorry for the delay!  This week's winner at Merry Monday and my guest designer for next week is:

Carol Lucas

There were so many wonderful cards this week but I just kept coming back to Carol's soft and pretty creation! I love the monochromatic colours and the snowflakes on her card! What a clever way to mix the snowflake images through stamping, embossing and designer paper!  Congratulations Carol, please email me and I will send you next week's sketch. You can contact me by clicking the email icon in my blog header.

Please join me tomorrow as Sandi MacIver, Bonnie Klass and I bring you a brand new sketch, it is a nice and easy one tomorrow!!  At least I hope it is!!

5 Years of Married Bliss....

Five years ago today, I walked down the aisle toward my bestest pal and we exchanges vows. Then at the end of a few missed words, lots of laughter and some tears, we did the jig back down the aisle toward our future together...(and yes, I wore Crocs on my feet! Hehehe!)

And what an adventure it has been thus far! I have to say, being married to Corey has been pretty wonderful, we have lots of fun together!  Today I am being whisked away for a romantic trip, we are going to the city where we were married; going to walk around, visit some of the local sites and have fun!!!  I wanted to wish you, my friends, a day full of blessings and happiness.  I thought I would share some photos from our special day...

My mom, dad, sister with Corey and I

Corey's mom, dad, sister and brother-in law

 My mommy and I

Okay...not the most flattering photo but this is us...in the truest form...

yep, we laugh our heads off ALL the time!  

I'll leave you with an Irish Blessing...


May your day be touched
by a bit of Irish luck,
brightened by a song in your heart,
and warmed by the smiles
of the people you love. 



Sending you a smile...Happy St. Patty's Day!!!

Merry Monday Challenge #11 Reminder

 

I wanted to share another card I made for the current Merry Monday Challenge!  There is still time to play along with the Merry Monday Challenge this week. The challenge ends on Saturday, March 17th at midnight (PST).

To play along please click HERE. I hope you can join in the fun!