New Unity Releases!

So, now that most of the Unity crew is back from CHA we can get back to our regularly scheduled UNITY THURSDAY! I miss them all when they leave! Mostly because I'm SUPER jealous I can't be with them! Someday, once I'm off this rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, I'll be at CHA!;)

I've been playing with a few of the new Unity releases this week! They're not available *quite* yet, but they should be soon!

The first three (I know! THREE!) cards are using stamps from a gorgeous, fun new kit called "Lovely Bits & Baubles" It's got some fun heart images, a flourish, fun sentiments, and a couple heart border stamps! Doncha love it?

This purple card is for this weeks sketch challenge on SCS and Melissa Phillips' inspiration challenge!

And finally, a kind of masculine card using a fun birthday kit called "It's your Day"...

I know I threw alot at ya, so I won't bore you with all the teeny details;) Make sure you head over to the Unity blog to find out what kind of sales and FUN Angela has planned! She'll also have a list of all the girls participating today:) Hope you have a fantastic day!

***just a quick note: the links for the two stamp sets I linked up have prices that are for wholesale only! They have not been released for retail sale yet, so don't freak out over the price, lol!***

Pretty Melon Blossoms!

Well, long time no blog:) I'm neck deep in work these days so it doesn't leave much time for crafting! We have our big hospital inspection next week (the one that accredits the clinic, if you are in the medical field, you feel my pain!) so we have been super busy at work making sure we're ready! I think we'll do fine, but it's still nerve wracking, I HATE inspections!

Okay, well I had to get crafty for a bit tonite, I miss it if I have to skip a day or two! My day just doesn't seem complete until I get a card made, ykwim?

Betty asked me to make a sample for today's Color Challenge on SCS and I happily accepted! Only problem: I miscalculated the time difference by 12 hours so I wasn't ready when the challenge went up, lmbo! I'm such a stooge sometimes! You'd think after living here for the past 2 years I'd be good at the time differences, but I'm really not. So, I'm terribly sorry to Betty that I wasn't ready when I said I would be! Maybe she'll give me another chance next week;)

I really LOVE the colors she chose this week! With Valentine's Day right around the corner, I'm lovin pink! The color challenge this week is Pretty in Pink, Melon Mambo, and Blush Blossom! Isn't that a gorgeous combo? The dessert (yes please!) is HEARTS! AND, if you want to add red to your card, it can ONLY be in the form of a heart! Fun stuff:)

My card base is Pretty in Pink cardstock, stamped with a background stamp from Background Basics: Flower Power by PTI! I stamped it in Pretty in Pink so it would leave just the slightest bit of a pattern. Next, I added my Blush Blossom piece, and layered some hearts on top! The sentiment stamp is by Verve, it's the "Be Mine Plain Jane, "totally fun stamp with a totally fun font! I also added a Hambly sheer frame, buttons, twill tape, a fun crystal pin, and a sticker from Heart Warming Vintage by Crafty Secrets!

I'm lovin' the shabby-ness of this card, SO much:)

I used Karen's Sweet Sunday Sketch for the layout this week! She always has the FUNNEST sketches, I love them:)

Well thanks for popping by today, it makes my day when you stop by and visit:) See ya tomorrow with a sketch card {hopefully!}

Have you heard the news?

Jessica is here to STAY! WOOHOO! Jessica Diedrich has been the Unity guest designer for the past couple months and we are SO excited that she's going to stick around on a permanent basis as a Unity ROCKSTAR! Isn't that awesome? She's really a perfect fit, love that girl! AND I'm excited to announce that I get to MEET her next month! EEEEKS! I'm going to her neck of the woods for a conference for work and I'm thrilled that she lives so close, yippppeee! Welcome to the fold Jess!

Okay, quick card from me tonite! I've been studying *half-heartedly, I admit* for my promotion test in March so my mojo is kinda zapped this week:( I worked on this card for an hour and a half, seriously. Do you see how simple and uncomplicated it is? Why WHY did it take me so long? LOL! Oh well, I still like it, event though the picture is kinda dark...

The sentiment stamp is from the January KOM! There are all kinds of fun stamps in this months kit, check it out before it's too late;)
The dp is Garden Party by MME, LOVE this paper! I also spritzed some Pashmina glimmer mist on the sentiment panel. It's really sparkly IRL but didn't come across at all in the photo! I tied some twill ribbon around the card front and tied that in a cute little bow and added the scalloped heart (EK Success) embellishment to the front!
See, super easy, yet it was soooo hard and time-consuming today, lol! Oh well, hopefully next time it won't be so hard;)
Stop by the Unity Blog for this weeks specials and fun! See ya around:)

It's the TEAL deal!

Hey! It's Monday! A "no-work" Monday too! Those are the best;)

Today's Monday Challenge is Valentine's Day cards! Super simple since I'm ALL about Vday lately! I paired this challenge up with the CAS challenge this week!

The title of today's CAS challenge on Splitcoast is "It's the REAL deal" but since the challenge is to use teal, white, and one other color, I thought "TEAL deal" sounded better, heehee!

Christy was over stamping at my house today, we had so much fun! She brought over some of her cricut carts and we cut bunches of fun stuff out! I'll get to my Cricut card after my CAS card!

She also brought a couple of her new SU! stamp sets, so I borrowed them for this card:) It's the heart set and I can't remember what the name of the set that sentiment comes from either, and I'm too lazy to run upstairs to look for my mini:)

I told Christy to tell me when to stop because I really have a hard time with CAS. Well, she didn't want to let me add buttons, but I couldn't help it! I don't think it makes it less "CAS" either, at least I hope not:) Hey, for me, this is CAS baby!

I also made this one, using the same color combo! I meant for it to be another CAS card, but I couldn't get a layout I liked and I simply HAD to use these sweet pandas! I cut them with Christy's Pagoda cartridge (So I should thank Vicky too since she bought the cart for Christy, ha!)

How fun are those pandas? I so love them:) The kanji writing on the heart says "Love" and that's also on the Pagoda cartridge (the heart is from Plantin Schoolbook). I did a little sewing, added some ribbon and buttons, and an edge punch and finally got a card I love:) I'm happy I got it done too, cause I promised Christy I'd post it today, rain or shine!

Check out what the rest of the Monday Chicks did:

AJ, Jeanne, & Maren

Okay, I have another card! Yes, I made three today, I was on a roll, lol! This one is for Karen's Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge! This was a totally fun sketch, I'll be using it again!

I used the super fun Comfy Cozy set (this link takes you to the wholesale section, I only posted it so you could see the kit, not be scared by the price which is obviously for several sets sold to stores, lol!) by Unity! This was the incentive kit for ordering the December KOM so it's not currently available; however, I believe Angela will be re-releasing it for sale after CHA! There is another super fun sofa in this kit along with some other fun sentiments, I totally love this kit:)

I used the Shanghai digi paper kit by Designer Digitals for the paper. I printed it out on Epson Matte photo paper.

Alrighty, my eyeballs are going cross-eyed from all this typing so I'm gonna wrap it up:) I'll be back later this week! I need to be studying for my promotion so I may not post as often as I'd like, that is if everything is going as it SHOULD, but it probably won't because I hate studying with a PASSION!:)

Verve Release, Viva la Verve, and Dirty Dozen!

Have you seen the New Verve release? If not, you really need to go check it out! VERY romantic and lovey-dovey sets this month;)
Here are a couple cards I created with them!
This is using the two new Plain Janes, Heart Flutter and Valentine Be Mine!
The embossed background was made using a stamp from Accent Notes! LOVE that set for background building! You will too;)

One more, made using Love's Flower (My NEW FAVORITE!)
That fun triple-heart stamp on the background is from Heart's Desire.
Don't you love these sets? I've had so much fun with them and I see LOTS more fun in the future;)
Head on over to the Verve Store and shop your little hearts out! If you shop before 31 January, you can get ALL the new releases in a bundle for a discount!!

This week's Viva la Verve challenge is also up! Click >>>HERE<<< to see the challenge!

Also (whew, this has been an exhuasting week!) the January Dirty Dozen gallery "Flirty, Feminine, and Floral" is OPEN! Click >>>HERE<<< to see who the new Dirty Girls are! You will LOVE Them!;)

Off to watch Mr. Monk with my honey! Have a great day:)

Sneak Peek Day 1: Love Monkey!

In case you weren't aware, Verve Stamps is having a gorgeous release this coming Friday! 5 new stamp sets and two new Plain Janes, yeah!



Tuesday the sneak peeks began over on the Verve Blog! The first set being sneaked (snuck? lol...) is Love Monkey! Oh how I LOOOOOOOVE monkeys! They're so precious and Julee just did an amazing job with this sweet little guy...
I used Teresa's Sketch for the layout and my new Basic Gray Sugar Rush dp! You see a little Pure Poppy and Lemon Tart by PTI in there too:)
Are you crazy about these monkeys?:)

All week long we're having challenges in the Verve forums! A Sketch Challenge, Supply Challenge, Color Challenge, Shape Challenge and
3D Challenge! All giving you the opportunity to win Verve goodies! If you complete all 5 challenges, you go in the hat for the entire release:) SWEET! Head on over and join in the fun;) As always, Verve stamps are NOT required to play along so bring what you got and get to stampin!

CAS? I don't think so.

So the Monday Challenge between AJ, Maren, Jimmi, Jeanne, Brooke, and Jen Buck was "CAS" style cards. Well, for one, CAS is sort of a curse word on my blog. It just doesn't happen often...and it's sort of against my religion! BUT I was really going to try. Really I was! My card was just going to spell "Be Mine" with these super cool letters cut from my Storybook cart for my Cricut and that's it. Well, then I decided to emboss some hearts from Hundred Hearts (Verve) on the card base...add some ribbon...some bling...some silver cord...and there goes CAS, flying out the window!
I do realize that there is no way this card is going in a regular envelope, lol! But that's okay by me:) I have no problem paying extra postage for a card this fun! Here is a close-up of the ribbon detail:
I have problems, I know:) But seriously, how awesome is that ribbon? I also embossed a big chubby heart from Hundred Hearts in black, cut it out, and then attached it to the ribbon with silver cord. It's a really fun detail that doesn't really come across the screen so well...

Anyways, this card is also my sample for my color challenge this week for the Verve January Release Week challenge! You simply MUST come play with us this week! There are FOUR other challenges posted! You have until Friday to get your cards uploaded and you could win some SERIOUS Verve loot!

Don't forget to check out AJ, Maren, Brooke, Jeanne, Jimmie, and Jen Buck's cards today! Maybe they had better luck with CAS than I did;)

FS153-Verve Thank You!

***BLOG CANDY UPDATE!***
JO, you are the winner of the the Skipping Stones stamp set! Please email me (redfox123@hotmail.com) your mailing address! Thanks so much!***


Hello! Thanks for popping by my blog today:) I have been crankin out lots of DD and new Verve stamps (released this coming Friday!) cards this weekend but couldn't resist the chance to play in today's Featured Stamper challenge! I chose THIS card by Weebeestampin. I love the top note die by SU! and don't use it often enough so I used her card as my inspiration! The card base is Rustic Cream by PTI and that luscious paper is by Laura Ashley. It's FLOCKED! I got two yummy packages of this paper from Emma's Paperie. SO gorgeous!
I used a Grateful Elegance by Verve for the sentiment and the stamped background behind it. That butterfly is a sizzix die by SU! I painted it with Burlap crackle paint and then dumped some Martha Stewart chunky glitter on top. OH, the swirls behind the butterfly are from Express Yourself, also Verve. Here's a closer picture of the butterfly detail:

There is a little acrylic tag hanging from the bow, that's by Making Memories! I gotta tell you I've been channeling my shabby muse and it feels great:) Don't be surprised if you see alot more of this in the future!

Well that's it for today! I'll be back tomorrow with my Monday Challenge card! Hope the rest of your weekend is fantastic:)

Smitten!

That's what I am, with this month's Stampin' Store Kit, Livin' and Lovin' Life!

Aren't those stamps the cutest things ever? I can't think of ONE that I like just a little, I love them all, A LOT!

I used the girl and boy under the umbrella stamp because it's SO dang sweet:)

I colored them in with Copics *and I totally meant to take a picture of the colors but I got carried away and cleaned the mess up before I took this picture so I don't have any Copic pics:( The sentiment is from the December '09 KOM, Delightful Moments, which is now available for purchase under the "Past KOM's" tab at the Unity store!

Hop on over to Angela's Blog to see a list of all the DT girls using the Store Kit today! To get your own kit, click on THIS LINK and scroll to the bottom. You'll find an HUGE list of all the lovely stores you can buy this kit, Happy Shopping!

Well, Ihave been super busy this weekend creating for the Dirty Dozen gallery that opens this Friday! My mojo was just GOIN today, I didn't even want to stop to make that pesky guy I live with dinner;) LOL! Why do they get hungry? Oh well, I gotta eat too I guess;)

Hope the rest of your weekend is AWESOME! See you lovely ladies later:)

Smitten Supplies:

Stamps: January '10 Stampin Store Kit, Livin' and Lovin' Life, December '09 KOM, Delightful moments (Unity)

Paper: Red (Prism), Melon Berry, White, Spring Rain dots (PTI)

Ink: Pitch Black (Adirondack), Copics

Accessories: Melon Berry ribbon, button, twine (PTI), Edge Punches (EK Success), Nesties (Spellbinders), Stickles (Ranger)

Viva la Verve!

Hiya! Just a quick little reminder that the Viva la Verve, January Week 2 sketch challenge has been posted! See the Verve member forums on SCS or the Verve Blog for all the deets:) Hope you can play along with us!
Sorry I don't have a card for you, I created one for the challenge but the lighting is so horrible tonite that I don't want to post it! I'll take a new picture in the morning and post it:) Thanks for stopping by:)

"You and Me...

Under a shady tree!" I love these new stamps from the January '10 KOM by Unity Stamp Co! Isn't that owl a "hoot"?;)

This is my submission for this week's Sketch Challenge #262 on Splitcoaststampers! The paper is from the Green Woodland Collection by DCWV. I colored the owl and flowers with Copics and then went over them with Angel Wings Shimmerz!

I'm still on the mend from my killer cold so I'm keeping this short and sweet:) Have a great day!

You and Me Supplies:

Stamps: January KOM (Unity)

Paper: Rustic White (PTI), Riding Hood Red (SU!) Green Woodland Collection (DCWV)

Ink: Rich Cocoa (Momento), Copics

Accessories: Rectangle Nesties (Spellbinders), Wide Oval punch (SU!), Ribbon (PTI), sewing machine

Skipping Stones Blog Hop!

Welcome to the Skipping Stones Design Blop Hop sponsored by Skipping Stones Design. Angela was sweet enough to extend an invitation to the Splitcoast DD/DDA to participate in this month's hop and after I saw her ADORABLE stamps I signed up! If you've just happened upon my blog, you can CLICK HERE to start from the beginning at Skipping Stones Design. You should have arrived here from Sweet Latisha's blog!

I got to play with the NEW, NOT-YET-RELEASED set called "Coffee Vol. 1" and it is SO CUTE and totally ME! Seriously, this is what I look like in the morning, lmbo!

Isn't she so cute? I colored her with Prismacolor pencils and Gamsol! I stamped the large coffee cup in versamark on the card base but it's kinda hard to see it in the picture:( I love the sentiment! It's my motto, lol!

Well I'm sorry I don't have more to share with this fun set, but I just got it in the mail today and I have strep throat so I'm not feeling very mojo-rific right now;)

Okay! Off you go to Peggy's Blog for your next round of eye candy! Along the way, the Skipping Stones Design Team will have blog candy for you to enter. As an added bonus, there will also be 4 stamp sets (new stamp sets not yet released) hidden along the hop, but we’re not telling you where so be sure to leave some love as you hop!!! Make sure you leave comments on every post so you have a chance to win!! The winners will be announced on Friday January 8th at Skipping Stones Design.

Along with all THAT, the Skipping Stones team sent me "Blocks and Borders-Swirls " to give away as blog candy today! So leave a comment here and tell me what your favorite SSD stamp set is and I'll draw a name on Friday for the lucky recipient!

Coffee Vol 1 Supplies:

Stamps: Coffee Vol 1 (Skipping Stones Designs)

Paper: White, Spring Moss, Dark Chocolate, Turning a New leaf dp (PTI)

Ink: Versamark, Rich Cocoa (Momento), Prismacolor pencils, Copics

Accessories: Spring Moss ribbon, button, twine (PTI), Edge Punch (Fiskars)

Cupcakes and Mojo

What a combination, huh? Nothing says getting your mojo back quite like a cupcake;)

The Monday Chicks are makin' birthday cards today! A new year brings new birthdays (my 30th is coming this year, eeeEEEEKSSSSSSS!) so it's always good to stock up on the cards!

I played with last weeks Mojo Monday sketch, Mojo119! I pulled out some Nook and Pantry paper and my Verve Stamps and got to work!

I obviously made a couple changes to the sketch, but that's only because my memory didn't serve me as well as I thought! Does that happen to you?;) I used "Wishing You", "Cupcake Affair", and "Artful Elegance". Here's the inside:

Don't forget to stop by and give some love to the other girls, some of them may not be playing today, so if you stop by and don't see an update, that's why:)

AJ, Brooke, Jimmi, Maren, and Jeanne

Hope you have a fantastic week, see ya later!

Wishing You Supplies:

Stamps: Wishing You, Cupcake Affair, Artful Elegance (Verve)

Paper: Nook and Cranny (Basic Grey), Rustic White, Dark Chocolate, Aqua Mist (PTI)

Ink: Rich Cocoa (Momento), Aqua Mist (PTI), Copics

Accessories: Aqua Mist ribbon (PTI), Apron Lace edge punch (Fiskars), Nesties (Spellbinders), Pearls (Kaiser), Large Oval punch (SU!)

Attack of the Alarm Clock

I have a Unity card to share today, it's for todays Inspiration Challenge on Splitcoast!
I really loved the clock image that Steph used as one of the examples and immediately thought of this stamp when I saw it:) It's from the December KOM (sentiment is from the March '09 KOM)

ACK! I love that clock:) I hate alarm clocks, but I love alarm clock stamps made by Unity, lol!

Okay friends, I'm off to get ready for bed, one more day off and it's back to the grind (which I'm happy for, I wasn't made to stay home all day, lol!)


"Sending Happy Thoughts" Supplies:
Stamps: March and December '09 KOM (Unity)
Paper: Black, White (PTI), Red (Prism), Turqouise (Bazzill)
Ink: Black (Versafine), Copics
Accessories: Ribbon (Michaels), Button/Twine (PTI), Apron Lace edge punch (Fiskars)

The Music of Life

Happy New YearS!!!

I've been typing this same information on the Verve forums and Verve Blog for over an hour so this is going to be short, lol!

I wanted to make sure you know that the 2010 Viva la Verve challenges have begun! See THIS THREAD on the Verve Forums for the sketch and all the deets!

Here's my sample:

I used an old favorite that hasn't seen any ink for quite awhile, Petals and Stems!

Hope you have a wonderful New Years Day!