Sites of the week

With my resolution of doing more SCS challenges in mind, I headed off to see who was the featured stamper today. Much to my delight, it’s Julie Ebersole. {aka JulieHRR} I don’t think that I have ever done a Featured Stamper Challenge. This isn’t because I haven’t wanted to, but rather, I usually take Sunday off from stamping and I don’t like doing challenges days after they are posted. So, I jumped right into her gallery and chose THIS card. Not until later did I realize that I didn’t 100% follow the rules, because her card was done for an A Muse sketch challenge. Go figure, the first time I try to do this challenge I mess up! LOL! Anyway, I made this card…

I basically just used the layout and made everything else my own, including the patterned paper {instead of a patterned card}, satin ribbon {instead of stitched ribbon}, stamps from Our Craft Lounge and brads {instead of rhinestones}.

Ellie had a first today, too. She had her first dance with a boy! LOL! Our friends came down from Oklahoma and their little boy is the same age as Ellie. We turned on some tunes and they danced together {with a little encouragment from the peanut gallery}.

After a few minutes, Ellie’s friend had enough and took off running. Here’s Ellie chasing him with open arms {LOL!!!}…

Enjoy the rest of your weekend! Hugs-Jd

SUPPLIES:
Paper: SU! patterned paper, SU! Chocolate Chip, Cameo Coral; PTI Stamper’s Select White
Ink: Brilliance Graphite Black, Copic Markers
Stamps: All stamps from Our Craft Lounge
Other: Making Memories Brads; Satin Ribbon, Nestabilities, Clear EP

So, did you all make it through the New Year’s celebrations? Tony and I were snoozing before midnight. Yep, big duds! That just means that next year that we have to have twice as much fun, right!?! I did get some crafting done on New Year’s Day, including today’s Sketch For You To Try. Being that it is the first Saturday of the month, I have a new Designer of the Month to introduce to you…

Please welcome Kirsten DuBosque! She’ll be adding her crafting genius to the weekly sketches all month.

Here is a little about Kirsten in her own words…
Hi! I’m Kirsten, or ked on Splitcoast! I was so excited when Jen emailed me about being her Designer of the Month! She’s always been one of my favorite stampers, so it wasn’t even a question! I’m a full-time SAHM / very part-time RN from Columbus, OH that relocated to the west coast of Florida with my Hubby, almost 8 years ago. I was a quilter, then after my little boy was born in 2004, I started scrapbooking. I had a few invites to go to stamping parties, but I refused, because I knew I couldn’t get into it “just a little bit”! Well, finally caved in 2006, and just as predicted, here I am! LOL

This “stamping world” has provided me with much more than I ever thought it would! Currently, I’m serving on two design teams - My Favorite Things and Lizzie Anne Designs, and I’ve had the privilege of having many things published. But most importantly, I have met so many people that I now can call my friends. You can’t ask for much more than that from a “hobby”!

HERE is a link to Kirsten’s blog.

The sketch for this week…

My sample uses a star for the embellishment panel, but feel free to use any shape you want. Remember, it’s all about having fun with the sketch! The center Raspberry Fizz {Papertrey Ink} panel was cut out with my Nestabilities and the numbers were cut out with my Slice {also pictured}. The cute lil’ martini glass charm is from Stamping Bella {GREAT quality charms, no chintzy metal!}.

Here is Kirsten’s sample, which I think is an absolute RIOT! Image is from Stamping Bella…

Wanna see more samples? Give some love to…
Amy Rohl
Amy Sheffer
Carole Burrage
Shannan Teubner
Susan Liles

Now for the STUFF…
1. The new look IS coming I promise! I feel like I have hyped it up so much and we’re still waiting. I talked to Sara yesterday and she is working on it. The original plan/layout couldn’t work, so we had to think of something else. I have about 15 donors for my blog tart that will coincide with the launch of the new look. I’m crossing my fingers for Monday, but I am not putting it up until it’s perfection. I promise the look and the tart will be worth the wait!

2. Do you have any creative resolutions? I got to thinking about the last time I did an SCS challenge and I could not remember when it was! Shame on me! I resolve to do more SCS challenges, in addition to meeting my personal goals that I mentioned on the first {learn more, to network more and to publish more}.

3. Did you see the new Verve Stamps challenges on SCS? You can check out the Viva la Verve challenges each Friday on the Verve Forum on SCS.

4. When I asked Tony a.k.a. i{heart}the stamper when he’ll be blogging again he said, “We’ll see.” I’m hoping that we will be “seeing” him again SOONER rather than later!

It’s the first Friday of the year and I wanted to start the year off right by doing a project that I had never done before for ABC Friday. I know that these banners are nothing new to the crafting world, but I have never done one. I am so in love with the papers in the new Taylored Expressions Key Ingredients kit that I wanted to maximize my use of them. The Key Ingredients Kit includes patterned paper, Prism cardstock, glitter, brads and several kinds of ribbon.
The letters on the banner were cut out using the Slice {I can’t put it away!}. I cut them at the maximum height of 4 inches out of teal cardstock and mounted them on dimensionals on each of the banner pieces. I stitched each of the banner pieces, but I think that I could have done a better job with the sewing. It’s a good thing that I don’t do clothes!…LOL!!

The banner in full…

Detail shot…

The stamped end pieces, using stamps from the Love Is Sweet set…

See you tomorrow for a new Sketch For You To Try and a new Designer of the Month. I gotta warn you, I used the Slice again…LOL!

Happy 2009! I love the thought of a new year as a new beginning. Of course, all the old stuff carries over, but there is a sense of freshness and the ability to really get off on the right foot. I have several goals personally and creatively. For now, I am going to keep my personal goals just that-personal. As for my creative goals, I hope to learn more, to network more and to publish more. What are some of your creative goals?

For today’s post, I am going to show you some of the new Stamp A Sweet Impression stamps that are coming to Taylored Expressions. More cupcakes…of course! This project features images and sentiments from the Love
is Sweet set. Taylor asked us to create some sort of packaging to go along with our card, and I thought that it would neat-o to incorporate my card as part of the packaging. I created a genie bag with a library pocket on the front. When you pull on the ribbons, the card comes out to reveal your personal message {which I have not written, yet…obviously}.

Here is the bag with the card inside of the pocket. All of the paper is from the Key Ingredients kit and I added a little extra bling with some Zva Creative rhinestones…

Here is the card pulled out of the pocket…

Link to the rest of the Design Team can be found HERE.

Tomorrow is release day. I have a supah dupah cuuute ABC Friday to go along with it. See ya then!