Sites of the week

Howdy Friends! It’s time for another blog hop from YOUR NEXT STAMP. There are lots {and lots} of cutie patootie stamps that are being released and I am so glad that I was invited to join the hop and show you my favorite character in the YNS line up…ELLIE! Hmmm…wonder why I am partial to a lil’ girl named Ellie…LOL!!

So, I did mention that this is a HOP, so if you happened upon here at random be sure to take a moment to rewind and start at the beginning at Kerri’s blog where she kicks off the par-tay!

My Ellie colors my world, but this Ellie Loves Art can color yours…

This started out as a card, but then I ended up chopping off the back/inside of the card and making it into a little hanger. I think this would make a cute gift for an art teacher or to hang in Ellie’s room over her desk…where she spends A LOT of time coloring and creating {just like her mama!!}. This set also includes other images, including a window so that you can really make a scene…in a good way!

Detail shot of the image…

I like a deal, how about you? Your Next Stamp is offering up a sweet 10% discount off your ENTIRE order until July 20th at midnight. Just enter the code YNSJULYNR when you check out. That’s some happy shopping!

There’s also a sweet prize up for grabs. Aren’t they cute? Just leave a comment here and each of the other hopper’s blogs, as well as a link on the linky system {you only need to do that from ONE blog} and you will be entered to win Kali and Kai…

Are you ready to keep on hopping? Off you go to Wendy’s blog for some more YNS fun!!

Yep, it’s true…the new releases have gone live and are available now in The Cat’s Pajamas store. This was one of my favorite releases…I know, I know, I say that every time, but it really does keep getting better!! I would hope that you have come to love that about Alma and TCP! I think the winter/Christmas release may have been my favoritest, but this sure ranks right up there if not nudging it out of 1st place by a smidge. So much good stuff that won’t be leaving my desk for a long while…assuming I can squeeze in some more stamping time with all the sickness running in my house…UGH!!

As the title of this post suggests, this is a blog hop. It started HERE on Leigh’s blog and you should have hopped from Julie’s blog. If not, take a moment to rewind so you don’t miss a thing…including this week’s TCP Tuesday challenge hosted by Leigh {I’ll have my sample up later this week}.

For one of my projects for this release, I made a shadowbox {$5 shadowbox frame from IKEA} with the Rolled Nest CutUps die and the Nesting stamp set {and Nightie Alpha}…

This is was so fun and simple to make and will be the perfect housewarming or hostess gift! I already have someone in mind to be the recipient! The nest was cut from Kraft paper and then stamped with the branch from the Nesting set and crumpled/wrinkled before, finally, being shaped into the nest shown here. The “eggs” are wooden balls that I painted white and hot glued in the center.

You may have seen this card using the Away We Go set in the Cat’s Chat Newsletter this weekend, but in case you missed it…

Can you tell that I {heart} paper piecing? The blue stripe and dot paper is from Echo Park {swoon!}.

Here’s a little detail shot of the bunny…

This card also uses the new Exotic Mini Butterflies dies and Cloud Border CutUps, as well as the previously release Flower Buttons and Pinking Border. I think that my Big Shot got a work out with this one!!

Ok, I won’t keep you any longer. Hop, hop, hop along to Amy’s blog where I am sure that she has a lil’ somthin’ somethin’ to delight you!

It’s June…already!! Where -o- where does the time go? I swear I was just bundled up in my living room watching the snow and ice pelt our yard. Today I sit here* looking at beautiful green grass and some landscaping that is coming right along. Notice that little asterisk? Well, technically I am blogging from Starbucks {Tuesday evening} because my internet connection at home is gone. Yes, gone. How does an internet connection just up and disappear? I pick axe through the broadband line. Yep, I did it. In my own defense, the line was marked a FOOT away! So, I am going to make this short and sweet because I abandoned Tony with the kiddos at bedtime. And…America’s Got Talent starts tonight!

Jibber jabber be gone! Let’s get down to the biz-ness of stampy craftiness and the June Verve Diva Inspiration Hop! Here’s a little {cutie patootie} GIRL POWER for you…

Can you tell that I am into playing with pattern lately? I just grabbed a handful of scraps and picked a little of this and a little of that to go together. Not bad, huh? I think they paired well with the Verve CHICKS RULE set.

Ok, I said I had to make this short and sweet and that’s just what I need to keep in mind right now. Not to mention that there are a bunch of Verve Divas playing along in this hop and I want to make sure that you don’t miss a beat. Happy hopping and don’t forget to leave a little love on each stop along with way!

The master hop list can be found on Julee’s blog HERE {the first hop stop}. If you are right on track, keep on hopping along to Jen Tapler’s blog where she surely has some Verve-y GREATNESS waiting for you!

Welcome to your next stop along the Verve Diva Inspirations Blog Hop for May. Holey Moley, it’s MAY already!! That means summer is just around the corner and I have to figure out what I am going to do with the kiddos for 3 months straight {eeeeeek}. I know you moms feel my “pain.” I see a few zoo and museum visits in our future. I am hoping to find a VBS or two for Ellie. She seemed to have so much fun last time she went. I am sure that the pool will be calling our name, too. Does that mean that I actually have to wear a swimsuit?…ugh!! I know you feel that pain, too!! LOL!!

Being that this is a hop, there’s an order {The Master Hop List} you can follow so that you don’t miss a thing…

1. Julee
2. Betty
3. Dawn
4. Jen d. <--that's me!
5. Jen T.
6. Lynda
7. Shannan
8. Sony
9. Susan
10. Teresa
11. Andrea
12. Charmaine
13. Maureen

I was inspired by the Royal Wedding to make a wedding/anniversary card for this hop using the set, Wishing You…

This one is a little more on the cute side, rather on the elegant so I guess that part wasn’t inspired by the Royal Wedding. I love this color combo from the new Lime Twist papers from My Mind’s Eye!! I used the purple on purple stripe to make the double winged butterfly {Verve Flutterby die}…

In addition to this card, I wanted to show you the super quick and easy bag topper that I made a few weeks ago with a Verve sentiment from the Delightful & Delicious set…

Alright, keep on a hoppin’ to Jen Tapler’s blog for some more Verve-y fun…

ETA…Don’t forget to leave a little love here and on each stop to have a chance to win some Verve-y-ness!

Tracy Falco, a DT member for The Cat’s Pajamas, just welcomed a baby boy into this world last week! Congrats to Tracy and her growing family!!

The Cat Pack is giving her a big group hug in the form of a TCP baby card hop for TCP Tuesday. See below how you can play along, too! If you didn’t start at Alma’s blog, be sure to take moment to rewind so that you don’t miss a thing!

I created my card using a combination of the Big Bear and And Baby Makes…{sentiment} sets.

I colored the bear a dirty brown/white using a combination of light brown Copics and my Colorless Blender…

Of course, I couldn’t let a button detail be plain! I adorned the button with my favorite linen thread…

I went ahead and used a 3″ x 5.5″ card base again. I love this size!! It’s a little smaller, but you can stuff over the sides, since it will still fit into an A2 envie. This would be a fun size to make a set of gift cards, or even punch a whole in the top and make it a hanging card off of a gift bag. Lots of options here!

Gonna keep hopping along? Check out the cuteness at Jackie’s blog!

So wanna make a baby card and play along? Here are the details you wanna know…

1. Each Tuesday we will give you a challenge.
2. You will have until the end of the month to complete the challenge.
3. Add your entry to the guestbook on Alma’s blog or upload to the SCS Gallery, using the keyword TCPTUES154 for this week’s challenge.
4. TCP stamps are not required, but of course, highly encouraged. {Unless it is a challenge calling for a
specific stamp}
5. There will be one randomly chosen weekly winner, announced on Tuesdays.
6. There will be one winner, The Swanky Stamper, announced the 1st of each month. They will win several sets from an upcoming release and get to play along with us at our Pajama Party and Blog Hop.