Category Archives: My Favorite Things

Kneel

Posted on July 29, 2013 | 2 comments

About two weeks ago, I was peeking at the new Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps release for July, and I was so impressed with the floral silhouettes and sentiments in their new Celebrate Today set. I knew it would be perfect to pair with yesterday’s Dare to Get Dirty challenge hosted by Miss Kittie! I hope you can find some time to play with us! Lots of great inspirational challenges and prizes this week!

I have needed a few sympathy cards recently, so clean and simple (read: easy to put together) cards have helped me get things finished up and mailed. I keep reaching for my MFT Blueprints Die-namics to get that done. I really don’t have to think when I use those dies, just cut and layer. I like that.

My background was created using the Belleek Inspired technique. I found it so easy with a brayer and ink. I love the tone-on-tone look for classic simplicity.

I came home from CHA on Saturday afternoon to a broken hot water heater. Yay me! So, that means showers at the YMCA for a few days, a few loads of laundry that need to wait and little cooking. Did I mention my car is in the shop today? Or that it’s raining? I’m so glad it’s summer. Today, I think I’ll just hang out and make pretty things with paper!

I’ll be back tomorrow with another Dare to Get Dirty project. I’m getting a ton of card making done, and that always feels like a great accomplishment…whether my laundry is caught up or not!

Have a beautiful Monday!

  • Stamps: Celebrate Today – Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps
  • Paper: Whip Cream & Kraft – MFT Stamps
  • Ink: Kraft – MFT & Vintage Cream PTI
  • Accessories: Blueprints 1 Dienamics – MFT, Dots Embossalicious folder – Crafter’s Companion and a brayer

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Posted in My Favorite Things, Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps

Praying God Sends Sunshine

Posted on July 27, 2013 | 2 comments

I got home from CHA late last night, and now it’s Dare to Get Dirty week at Splitcoaststampers! One of my favorite weeks of the year!

Each and every month since 2004, the Splitcoaststampers Dirty Dozen Designers have offered up a monthly gallery of beautiful eye candy that we feel, is some of the best of the best of paper crafting.

Fan Club members are paper enthusiasts around the globe who help to  support Splitcoast with a small annual donation to the site, and as a small thank you, we gift them with the Dirty Dozen Fan Club gallery each month on the 15th!

To celebrate the Dirty Girls and our amazing Fan Club members, we’ve hosted Dare to Get Dirty challenge week for many years!! What a better way to celebrate paper crafting!

This is just my card for one of today’s challenges, hosted by Dirty Girl Rainy. If you are a Fan Club member, you can find the master list of challenges in this forum.

This sentiment is from a newer MFT set called Cheerful Blessings. Such thoughtful expressions in this set,  I know that I’ll use it over and over again!

The sentiment was stamped on white cardstock with Blu Raspberry ink from MFT, cut with Open Scallop Die-namic and then spritzed with Ginger Ale Smooch Spritz for the slightest shimmer. TIP: When working with sprays and mists, do not point the spray directly on your project. Spray above the intended placement for the ink and allow the mist to fall onto your project. You’ll avoid blobs that way. 😉

I used Distressed Background Blocks, also from MFT to add texture to the top aqua blue layer. My decorative layer and scalloped accent were both created with the MFT Blueprints 4 Die-namics.

Lots of great fun coming this week with Dare to Get Dirty. I was super busy before CHA to get ready for the week of fun. I’m excited to share my projects, and I can’t wait to see what our Fan Club friends come up to submit for participation and PRIZES! When you play, leave me a comment with a link to your SCS gallery. I’d love to see what you create!

Thanks for stopping by! I’ll see you tomorrow with another project and some fun CHA photos! Have a beautiful Saturday!

  • Stamps: Cheerful Blessing and Distressed Background Blocks – MFT
  • Paper: Pool Party – S U, Vintage Bliss – Simple Stories & Whip Cream – MFT
  • Ink: Blue Raspberry – MFT
  • Accessories: Ginger Ale – Smooch Spritz – Clearsnap, Open Scallop Oval Die-namics, Blueprints 4 Die-namics – MFT

 

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Posted in My Favorite Things

Hello from Las Vegas

Posted on July 23, 2013 | Leave a comment

I made it to Vegas for the Craft & Hobby Associations “Create ‘n Connect Summer Show”! I have a lot of meetings scheduled for today and tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing what all of my favorite paper and stamp companies have to share, as well!  I’d promise pictures, but I’ve learned that I’m not very good at follow-thru on that. Maybe this will be the trip I surprise myself!

This was a quick and easy card that I put together with Blueprints 3 dies from My Favorite Things. When I say quick and easy, I mean like 30 minutes or less. The stitching takes a few minutes! {wink} I really, really like the Blueprints dies for speed and layering prowess.

When I was in Virginia at the end of May, I got to spend two whole days with my dear friend, Michele (and I just realized I don’t have a picture of us – so I’ve included one of the view for the majority of my vacation – from our family fishing dock, sadly my Vegas view doesn’t look anything like this! LOL!), and shortly after that trip she gifted me some of these pretty sequins. So easy to just drop on my card, and they are flat. Which reminds me, I’m pretty sure I still owe Michele about $17.67 for a stamp order that we shared the shipping on. I’ll need to get on that! I’d hate to lose such a dear friend over $17.67. LOL.

The sentiment is from MFT’s Sweet Roses set! And, the paper, well, I’ve had an attachment to this pretty paper for a while, and now I can’t find the original pad to source it. The troubles of a hoarding card maker.

So, we’ll see if I surprise you (and myself!) with images from Vegas! Until then,

be crafty. be happy.

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Posted in CHA, My Favorite Things

a friend is a smile

Posted on July 17, 2013 | Leave a comment

I colored Cupcake Cutie while I was on vacation at the end of May. She was perfect to pair with MFT Blueprints Dienamics when I was prepping for our Blueprints Product Focus review at Splitcoaststampers.

I hope you have time to check out the Product Focus piece. Our team loved these Blueprints die collections – background layers, sentiment strips & tags with embellishment and border pieces. Each set comes with suggested layouts for easy execution, too. You know I love easy.

I’ll probably have time to share another card before the end of the week. I head to Las Vegas for CHA on Monday. Looking forward to that! Even though a lot of my industry friends are not going this time around, it’s always good to connect with my customers and colleagues at the show.

Have a great day! Hugs!

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Posted in Copics, My Favorite Things

Sunshine! Therapy!

Posted on June 27, 2013 | 6 comments

Every now and again, I stamp for fun. This week I was chatting with Michele, and I said, ‘let’s do one of those one-on-one challenges like we used to do in the olden days.’ Meaning, let’s pick a stamp and show it two ways, just for fun. We chose Sunny is Stylish from Stamping Bella.

I immediately paired my image with a piece of pattern paper from my scrap pile and set to coloring. Ah…coloring therapy in the midst of a hectic week of mid-summer dentist appointments, eye appointments, birthday parties, work.

After I colored my image, I pulled out my Blueprints from MFT, and my card came together oh-so-quickly. My favorite kind of card! I am loving the Blueprint concept with a full set of dies that help you create a complete card.

I can’t wait to see Michele’s card. I know it will be beautiful!

Don’t forget I’ve got my Copic giveaway going on HERE. Still time to enter thru Sunday evening. As for me, I’m going to finish the work week strong and hope for a little sunshine therapy at the pool. Have a great weekend!

6 Comments

Posted in Copics, My Favorite Things, Stamping Bella

The Mysterious Mermaid

Posted on March 11, 2013 | 1 comment

My sweet and adorable niece turned 5 last week, and I wanted to send her something that would make her smile. I created this card with accents and elements from an October Afternoon Midway Kit. I loved putting it together with a snapshot that I had of her. So fun. I cut a bunch of 5s with my By the Number Dienamics from MFT Stamps and used them as confetti. Very quick and easy card, but I know she loved it…or maybe she loved the collection of $5 bills stuffed inside. 😉

My husband and I emptied my craft room/office for the second time in 9 months over the weekend. We’re in the final stages of some renovation projects that have been on-going for the last 2-3 years with flooring. Of course, when you have a 100 year old house, are you ever in the final stages? That said, I don’t know if I’ll get a chance to get crafty again this week, but I do have another project up on the Inky Antics blog for you to peek at. I have really been having a great time working on that project. I hope you can check it out.

Have a great day!

 

 

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Posted in My Favorite Things

a little message for you

Posted on March 7, 2013 | 4 comments

Here’s another of my VSN cards from last weekend. The challenge was to focus on things that start with B…blue, button, bow.  You get the idea.

I love this stamp and die from My Favorite Things. I’ve used it several times over the last year or so…quick and easy.

I’d love to have an old typewriter like this one. Truth be told, we have one from a neighbor’s garage sale, but I’ve not had any luck with ribbons that fit and make it functional. I’d love to find a cute blue one… I’ll keep looking.

  • Stamps: Just My Type – stamp & die – MFT Stamps
  • Paper: Choice Cream – Taylored Expressions, Prism Red and discontinued paper from my scrap box
  • Ink: ColorBox Blue & Red
  • Accs: button and twine

4 Comments

Posted in My Favorite Things

My Type of Chick

Posted on February 20, 2013 | 4 comments

Love Fest Day 7 challenge celebrating My Favorite Things: Encouragement

I’m sending this off to a friend who has had a really full plate the last few months. She’s going to be just fine. I know that, but I wanted to send her an encouraging word, none-the-less.

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Posted in My Favorite Things, Splitcoast Challenges

LoveFest Challenges at Splitcoast (psst… prizes)

Posted on February 14, 2013 | 8 comments

At Splitcoaststampers, the team has the opportunity to work with some amazing people at your favorite crafty businesses, and this month we’re celebrating our 10 fabulous Member Companies with the first ever, LoveFest!

This is my card for today’s challenge: LOVE. You’ll notice lace, oval, Verve and eggshell colored seam binding. 🙂

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Posted in My Favorite Things, Verve Stamps

so blessed

Posted on February 12, 2013 | 1 comment

Popping by with a quick little hello from Paper Smooches! I loved this set, Spiritual Sampler from their new release. I know I’ll use it over and over again for quick and easy cards to send to friend. The label and doily die are both from MFT.

I had such a good time visiting with the Paper Smooches team at CHA. Karolyn Loncon, SWEET Carole Burrage, me, Miss Kim Hughes and Kim Kesti!

Always good to hug your paper-crafty friends! So blessed.

We’re in all-out Valentine mode here at the Craig house. We’ll be cutting and pasting up a storm tonight. Note to self: hide the glitter before school is out. Love getting the craft on with my 10 year old. She’s so fun! I’ll try to remember to take pictures!

Have a great night!

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Posted in My Favorite Things, Paper Smooches