Sites of the week

Yep, it’s a HOP! So, if you happened upon here randomly or you didn’t come here from Susan’s blog, take a moment to rewind to the beginning at Julie’s blog. She’s also your Hipster Hostess with the Mostess for this week’s TCP Tuesday challenge. So, break out those stamps from The Cat’s Pajamas and make some that shimmers and sparkles. Here’s my take on the “create with shiny embellishments” challenge…

I paired the new set, FREEZIN’ SEASON, with a lot of bling here! The large layered embellishment uses snowflakes from the Snowflake and Snowflake Lace Papers CutUps dies, along with a punched star layered with tulle that is sprayed with Glimmer Mist {pic doesn’t grab the sparkles} and a Sparklet from Kaiser Craft…

Now, you can’t have a bling-y card without some Stickles…well, at least I can’t! I used Diamond Stickles for a little snow-like shimmer on this darling snow bunny…

Here’s another card, using stamps from the newly released RAISING CANE set…

As for the bling on this card, I used Diamond Stickles to adhere white Flower Soft around the brim of his hat, as well as some green rhinestones centered on the snowflakes {cut from the Snowflake Lace Paper CutUps die}…

I am absolutely in love with the new GIFT CARD ENVIE CutUps die and I used it on this card in a slightly unconventional way. I used the flap portion to create the top kraft panel on my card…

I can’t forget to mention the Christmas Baker’s Twine that I tied my button off with. I am going to run out of this stuff in a jiffy this year! <3 it!

Before I send you on your way to the next stop on the hop, I just want to pop in a couple pics of the CutUps dies used on these cards...

Ok, it’s time for me to send you on your way to Amy’s blog where she is sure to bring on the bling! Happy hopping!

Say it ain’t so! I don’t want sleep in mornings and lazy pajama days to go away! Now, those couple holiday pounds that I am sure have taken residence in each hip, I feel a little differently about! Hiho, Hiho…it’s off to the gym I will go! This morning is going to be brutal, I am sure. Hopefully Pandora will play me some good jams to get me going.

After the gym, I think I will need to squeeze in a little crafty time! Over the past week or so, I have had a lot of fun playing with my new stamps {that are being released TONIGHT!} from The Cat’s Pajamas. When I got the new ANYWHERE RIBBON SLIDE CutUps die, I knew I wanted to use it for something holiday and something other than a ribbon slide on a card. How about an ornament…

This ornament consists of 12 pieces of cardstock measuring 7″ x 7/8″, each die cut with the ANYWHERE RIBBON SLIDE from The Cat’s Pajamas. The pattern paper that is slid through the slides measures 6″ x 9/16″. They are then all stacked on top of each other and holes are punched at either end {I used my Crop-o-dile so that I could punch through all the pieces at once}. Large brads are put through the holes and then the strips are spread out until they form a ball.

The top of the ornament is adorned with a triple bow created from the new Cranberry seam binding ribbon and button that is strung with silver cording. The tag, which is part of the stack that is bound with a brad, was created using the new J*lly H*oliday set…

This set is a lot of fun and coordinates well with many of the previously released Circus Panels and Big Ticket CutUps dies, as well as the Stamp Trio stamp set from The Cat’s Pajamas. Gotta love being practical and the many more ways to get creative!

One more shot, so you can see how it’s put together {the top looked the same before I hot glued the heck out of that bow!}…

I hope you have enjoyed my TCP Sneaky Peek week sneak peeks! Be sure you don’t miss what all the other girls have come up with, too! Alma has been posting special previews and links each day on her blog.

Tonight is the release party in our forum on SCS. Hope to see you there for fun, prizes and more!

So what did you do when your parents said, “Absolutely No Peeking!” when you were a kid? Did you obey? Or, did those words burn a hole through you so that you were bound and determined to find out what exactly is was they were hiding? I’m going to go ahead and plead the 5th here, but as I parent I am already thinking of ways and places to hide Christmas gifts!

As for another kind of peeking, today The Cat’s Pajamas is giving you a sneak peek at the new set PEEKING that will be released on Tuesday…

This is my favorite card that I have done so far for this release. I had a lot of fun making it and I love the papers…and of course, the image! Hopefully I won’t find it tagged on Pinterest with “Hate the card. Love the layout” like I did on another card the other day. LOL! No, I’m not mad about that, but I definitely wasn’t expecting that comment attached to that card! Seriously, I’ve made some U-G-L-Y cards that people could trash talk for days about! I guess I just need to expect anything on that platform, right?

Anywhoooo, back to this card that I like so much! Here’s a detail shot of the image. I topped off the paper pieced box with a snowflake from the Snowflake Lace Paper CutUps die along with a rhinestone for a little bling bling…

New seam binding ribbon and Christmas baker’s twine complement the wood button…

Detail shot of the sentiment circle layered atop an embossed {Sizzix} star…

Want more peeks at this set? Check out Alma’s blog for a peek at the set, along with a full list of design team members posting today.

Want a chance to win this set? Be sure to check out the IN IT TO WIN IT thread over on the TCP forum on SCS. Good Luck!

All new stamps and product will be released this coming Tuesday!

Happy Black Friday! Did you brave the crowds and get all your shopping done last night? Tony ventured out for a little last night and then we all went out this morning. No, we didn’t think that dragging 2 kids into Black Friday mayhem was a great idea, we wanted Nic to fall asleep in the car since he’s not feeling well and has had some trouble at nap time the last few days. Our plan worked, we hit several stores {I sent Tony in} and he slept for a good 2 hours in the car. Speaking of the lil’ man not feeling well…Thanksgiving dinner was highlighted by Nic throwing up at the dinner table, as Tony and I tag teamed getting paper towels and cleaning up the “mess.” While I am thankful for the time spent together, this won’t be a Thanksgiving to remember…but it surely won’t be one that I will forget!

I went with the bright colors from the leftovers of my Echo Park Splash 6×6 pad and paired it with this inspirational quote from the WORDS OF WISDOM set from Verve. After I thought I as finished with the card, it seemed like it needed “something.” That something was this little tab with the “Just Start” sentiment…

I accented the main panel with a die cut FLUTTERBY butterfly, also from Verve…

The sketch I used is from this month’s {VERVE sponsored!} SKETCH FOR YOU TO TRY…

Have you done this month’s SFYTT? Be sure to share your card with us and upload to this linky system {also on the ORIGINAL NOVEMBER SFYTT POST}. Julee, the owner of Verve, is offering a chance to win a Verve set if you play along this month with Verve stamps. Happy stamping and good luck…

Happy Thanksgiving Friends!

Sneaky Peek week continues here for The Cat’s Pajamas as we countdown until next Tuesday’s new release. Today’s feature is BEST FISHES, with that beloved penguin…

This image was a lot of fun to both color and paper piece…

Detail shot of my homemade embellishment…

To create the embellishment, I punched a star and then embossed it. I then layered it with a punched out circle and a snowflake from the new SNOWFLAKE LACE PAPER DIE. Finally, I topped it off with a rhinestone and viola…easy peasy homemade embellishment!

I’m keeping this short and sweet, as I have a Thanksgiving dinner to cook. That will be done right after I take a shower to rinse the remainder of the throw up from my hair. Poor lil’ Nicolas doesn’t feel so very good. He has an ear infection. Thank goodness we didn’t catch that plane to Phoenix yesterday! I hope you all have a wonderful Turkey Day! And, don’t forget about the TCP Black Friday Special…

More sneak peeks for this set, along with the new dies, Baker’s Twine and Seam Binding Ribbon can be found on Alma’s blog. Of course, if you wan to win this set you gotta go over to the IN IT TO WIN IT thread on SCS and leave a comment. Happy Holidays and Good Luck!