Sites of the week

It’s been a long week. Tony wrapped up mid-terms with late nights at school and then he was whisked away for a few days for job interviews. Needless to say, I will be glad when life gets back to normal next week. But then again, what is normal? LOL!

Before I get to the sketch, I thought you might want to know…

I love bringing you my sketches on Saturday and this week is no different. Although, I will say that this one was more challenging for me that some of the more recent sketches. I kinda knew it would be when I drew it out over a month ago, but of course I waited until the last minute to come up with something. I’m gonna go ahead and blame Tony for that, because the last minute was really the only minute that I had…LOL! Anyways, here is the sketch…

My sample using several stamp companies’ stamps. The poppy stamp is from Stampington and Company; the houndstooth is from Cornish Heritage Farms and the sentiment is from My Favorite Things.

The Designer of the Month, Nancy Riley, created this adorable card…

Check out the samples from a few of my stampin’ friends, Amy R., Amy S., Carole, Shannan and Susan!

Wanna play? Here’s what you should know…
1. ANYONE can play.
2. Have fun with this!
3. When uploading to SCS, use the keyword SFYTT.
4. Post a link to your blog or gallery on this post.

Happy ABC Friday! I’m posting a little early so that you can see my creation right as the new Stamp A Sweet Impression stamps are released…yep, they are available now!

A few weeks ago the SASI Design Team chose sentiments from the new Tag Treats set to create projects with to show you today. I immediately was drawn to the sentiment that says, “Warmest Wishes for a Glowing Holiday.” I had a few different ideas swirling in my head about what to do and finally decided on a luminaria.

As taken and edited slightly from Wikipedia…A luminaria is a light or little lantern, usually a candle inside a paper lamp shade.

Here is my girly, sparkly, SASI take on it {it’s essentially a 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10 box that I created into a mini latern}…

In the dark…

**Fake candle!!**

See how SPAR-KA-LAY it is {I used Stampedous Stardust EP on this}?…

And, of the course, the sentiment…

Many of the elements used in this project are from the Christmas Key Ingredients kit, which comes with tons of paper, ribbon and glitter. Taylor showed a peek of this on Thursday HERE. Want to win the kit? Check this out…

We’re introducing our Campaign to Spread the Sweetness! If you’d like to help spread the word about Stamp a Sweet Impression and our newest Holiday release, please post a link on your own blog to Taylored Expressions (the Blog) where your readers can get all the deets (here’s the link you need to post: http://www.tayloredexpressions.blogspot.com/ ) and say something sweet about TE or SASI. And for helping us Spread the Sweetness we’ll hold another drawing on Sunday October 26. Simply leave a comment before 8am PST Sunday on this post to let us know you Spread the Sweetness and you’ll be entered into the drawing! And what sweet prize do we have for you this time? How about the brand new Christmas Key Ingredients Kit? Yep! One lucky Sweetness Spreader will win this luscious kit!

Taylor never ceases to amaze me with the WOW factor of her products {and projects!}. So, when the latest releases for Stamp A Sweet Impression from Taylored Expressions hit my doorstep a couple weeks ago, it was no surprise to me that I literally said, “Wow!” when I looked at them. I then totally fell in love with this little snowman cupcake and “Let It Snow” sentiment {LOOOVE those fonts!} in the Home Sweet Home set. There are several images in this set, including a large gingerbread house, but I had to use this guy for my sneak peek today.

The base of this card is created from PTI’s Stamper’s Select White. I also used SU! Baja Breeze, Real Red and Basic Gray. The snowman…or should I say snowcake, is colored with Copic markers and he is sitting on a bed of snow created from Diamond Stickles. The Baja Breeze panel has snowflakes from the Home Sweet Home set heat embossed in Stardust embossing powder from Stampendous. I really like that embossing powder, especially for the holidays. It’s a kinda like a combination of clear embossing powder with Dazzling Diamonds and silver ultra-fine glitter mixed in. As for the circle snowflake panels…I started with a small piece of Whisper White paper that I embossed with the Stampendous embossing powder. I punched three 1 1/2″ circles from that piece of paper, so then I had 3 super spar-ka-lay circles. I then punched the snowflake 3 times in the Real Red and 3 times in the going gray. I punched out the Basic Gray snowflake negatives with the 1 1/2″ circle punch and the Real Red negatives with a 1 3/8″ punch. I glued the two snowflake negative circles together, lining up the snowflakes. I then mounted that on top of the embossed white circles with dimensionals. The finishing touch for the entire card was the 3 Swarovski crystals in the middle of the snowflakes and between the repeating sentiment.
Here’s the detail on the circle snowflake panels…

If you haven’t been already, be sure to check out Taylor’s blog and the blogs of the rest of the {sensational} DT members for more A-MAAAAAAAZ-ING projects and ideas.

See you tomorrow for ABC Friday, which is also release day for all these cute stamps. I will have another project using the new sets from Stamp A Sweet Impression.

Isn’t this such a catchy little thing to say? LOL! Anyways, if you haven’t checked it out, there are several challenges throughout the week over in the MFT Forum on SCS. Today is called, “What’s Up Wednesday.” Michelle {aka flaxychick} will be setting forth a challenge during the day AND there will be a hosted conversation thread in the evening. We hope that you will join us for the fun!

So, in honor of “What’s Up Wednesday” I created this little card. I found it quite fitting as there is always some gossip or news flying around the conversation thread.

This card uses the Call Me and Twisted Sentiments {currently sold out} sets, along with Basic Grey paper, Prima flowers and SU! ribbon. I embossed the Rose Red panel with the Floral Fantasy Cuttlebug embossing folder. I added a few brads for finishing touches, as this card just seemed like it needed to heed the “more is more” theme.

As much as I LOVE LOVE LOVE creating stuff for Halloween, I kinda wish that it would get here already! I am excited that Ellie will be dressing up and trick or treating. Also, I am ready to get into the holiday mode of creating. I have tons of new holiday images and papers that are crying out for love. LOL! Until Halloween has zoomed by us, I am going to keep {very happily} creating Halloween cards and projects.
This TCP Tuesday, Katie-this week’s Hipster Hostess With The Mostess-has issued the challenge to use ANY Poochie image. Poochie is the cute doggie, who just happens to be in disguise here. HERE is where you can find him on the The Cat’s Pajamas site.

Just so you don’t think that I am off my rocker, and just put a black circle in the middle of my card, here is the detail of that little black circle…

Both the black circle and the Pumpkin Pie panels are embossed with the Boo To You Cuttlebug embossing folder. The patterned paper is from DCVW. Attached from the brad to the black spider circle panel is silver cording from May Arts. This stuff is amazing!! I was so bummed when I {finally} ran out of my silver cording from SU!, but I have to say that this stuff is SO MUCH nicer. It’s a little stiffer and doesn’t seem to want to ravel or pull apart as easily. I purchased the few yards that I do have at my local stamp store, Imprints, in Fort Worth.

Just a quick note to say thank you to everyone that wished me well on my journey to lose 25 pounds. Hopefully being public about it will keep me more on top of my game. Like I said yesterday, feel free to keep me in check!

Anyways, let’s get back to business about TCP Tuesday…

EVERYONE can play and this is what you are gonna wanna know…
1. Each a week one of the The Cat’s Pajamas DT Members will host a challenge.
2. The challenges will vary {stamp, color,theme/inspiration, sketch, etc.}
3. You will have until {this} Saturday night to complete the challenge.
4. Link your project on this week’s hostess’ challenge announcement. This week you will link your project on Katie’s TCP Tuesday post.
5. TCP stamps are not required, but of course, highly encouraged. {Unless it is a challenge calling for a specific stamp}
6. There will be one winner each month. They will be deemed that month’s Swankiest Stamper and get $25 in Cat’s Cash {money to spend on the TCP site!}.
7. When uploading to SCS, please use the keyword TCPTUES30 for this challenge.
8. Alma will post the entries from the week the following Monday on her blog.
9. The newly crowned Swanky Stamper will be announced on the First of the Month and have his/her winning entry posted on The Cat’s Pajamas website where he/she will reign for the entire month.
10. Oh yea…HAVE FUN!