Sites of the week

Well, it’s no secret that I love to create and work with sketches. So, when Skipping Stones Design came knockin’ to see if I was interested in being a Guest Sketch Artist I was all aboard in a heartbeat…well, sorta. I have to admit that I hesitated for a second because it’s December and it’s crazy around here, but I really wanted to do this so, here I am! And, I must say that I am in very good company! SSD has a great group of guest designers this month, too. You can see the Meet ‘n Greet on their blog HERE.

This week’s sketch…

My take on it using Funny Coffee, Volume #1 and a sentiment from Christmas Song…

Detail shot…

A star and a buck…get it? Love it!!

New sketches are posted on the SSD blog each Tuesday. I hope you will play along, too!

Welcome to the last SKETCH FOR YOU TO TRY sketch for 2011!

**If you have played along with each of the sketches, please note the instructions later in this post**

I have to say that I had my reservations switching from a weekly sketch challenge to a monthly sketch, but this has been a wonderful year and I having really enjoyed the new format. I will be continuing with the monthly sketch format in 2012 and I hope that you will play along, too!

SFYTT has certainly been blessed with some WONDERFUL sponsors! I would like to thank all of our sponsor’s this year…

The Cat’s Pajamas
Verve Stamps
Your Next Stamp
Skipping Stones Design
Waltzing Mouse Stamps
Kraftin’ Kimmie Stamps
My Favorite Things
Anita Be Stampin’
Stamping Bella
Unity Stamp Co.
Amber Ink

Finally, I want to thank SPLITCOAST STAMPERS who has donated a one year Fan Club subscription to our Christmas Day giveaway for one lucky SFYTT partipant.

More info on the giveaway at the bottom of this post. For now, let’s get to this month’s sketch…

Since there is no official stamp company sponsor this month, you will find the SFYTT girls playing with stamps from the various sponsor companies. For my first SFYTT card this month, I chose to play with some stamps from The Cat’s Pajamas…

This sweet lil’ image is from the Bearing Presents set…

As with many of the sketches, I took a creative liberty and made my circle panels a little wonky instead of straight across. The snowflakes are from the new Snowflake Lace Paper from TCP and they are adorned with red rhinestones…

Because I knew this would already be a quite lengthy post, I chose to not have a Designer of the Month for December 2011. I have LOVED looking at all your creations and LOVE that you play along with the sketches…THANK YOU TO YOU for that! Over the past couple of days, I have realized that I really should have asked someone to play along with us this month. I’m taking note of that for next year!…With the new format this year, there has been a bit of a learning curve. I’m always looking for a way to make SFYTT as a whole better for YOU, the SFYTT Sisters and the sponsors. It seems to always be a work in progress…as I guess everything in life is.

I feel myself getting a little off my intended path here. Steering my way back…

Want more great SFYTT inspiration? Check out what the SFYTT Sisters have come up with…

Amber Hight -just got back to the states and all her stamping supplies are in the middle of the Pacific Ocean
Amy Sheffer
Becky Carafa
Carole Burrage
Iwona Palamountain
Jen Tapler
Jodi Collins
Kerry Johnson
Megan Lock
Susan Liles
Terri Moore

If you have participated in each of the sketches, you are probably very excited to complete this sketch and be officially entered into the drawing for the prize package {filled with stamps, gift certificates and that SCS Fan Club membership} that has been mentioned in these details…

1. The SKETCH FOR YOU TO TRY {SFYTT} will be posted on the first Saturday of each month on www.iheart2stamp.com at 8am EST and will stay open to participants until the last day of the month, unless otherwise noted.
2. This is for fun! Interpret the sketch as you wish and embellish as desired. There are no vendor restrictions, but we would love to see you use the sponsor’s stamps!
3. Each month we will have a Designer of the Month that will be chosen from past month’s participants.
4. Come and play with us on each and every sketch! On Christmas Day 2011 a prize package worth over $200 will be given away to one very lucky and loyal SFYTT stamper that participates in EVERY sketch for the year.
5. To be eligible for the prize package, you must complete ALL of the sketches by each of the deadlines AND link your creation to the link system on that month’s sketch post (the first Saturday of the month). Everyone except for SFYTT Sisters are eligible for the prize package, including Designer of the Month and international players.
6. When posting your sketch creation on your blog, please post the sketch and link back to the sketch post on www.iheart2stamp.com. When posting to online galleries, please use the keyword “SFYTT.”

So, have you completed all the sketches and have linked your creations? If so, in your BLOG POST for your DECEMBER SFYTT creation, you will need to also link your previous 2011 SFYTT creations. Just create a list somewhere in your post of the months January-November and link each creation. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A BLOG {and that’s ok!}…email me a linked January through December list.

YES, I realize that this may seem a tiny bit tedious, but the prize package is well worth those few extra minutes it will take to link your creations in your post or email. The winner’s entries will be confirmed through this linked list.

Happy stamping and GOOD LUCK! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to send me and email {link under my pic}.

Note: The link system closes at the end of the day Christmas Eve. Winner will be announced by noon on Christmas Day!

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!

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 Eve Stampy Friends! Are you ready for some family, friends, turkey and pie tomorrow? We were planning on going to Phoenix this year, but a series of events including jammed flights and Nicolas running a fever {again!} has landed us at home this year {again!}. I’ll be attempting my first ham and I think that I have all the fixins’ ready to go. Cross your fingers for me!

Anyone brave enough to go Black Friday shopping? I always send Tony out with a list after perusing the ads. I have to say that I LOVE looking through the Black Friday ads! It’s my own personal form of window shopping, I guess. I’ve had it up to my eyebrows with incompetent customer service people this week, so I think that it might be best {and I mean for them} if I don’t take on the busiest shopping day of the year…LOL!

Maybe while he’s out shopping I’ll get a little stamping done…assuming that I’m awake by then! If he doesn’t wake me, I’m sure one of the kids’ internal alarm clock, which is set for a RIDICULOUS hour, will! Something tells me there are a few of you out there that can relate!

As for the stamping that I’ve already done…

This is the card that I have made for the YOUR NEXT STAMP Challenge #56~use die cuts on your card/project! Here’s a detail shot of the LIGHT UP THE HOLIDAYS die from YNS…

Detail of the LIGHT ME UP image, also from YNS…

I used white Flower Soft on his hat for some added texture. TIP: When adding Flower Soft or even flocking to a project, use a clear color of Stickles {Stardust, Crystal or Diamond} for a little bling, too!

I know that you have some die cuts that you can use to play along with this challenge and have a chance at a great YNS prize! Be sure to check out all the challenge details on the YNS blog HERE. Happy stamping and good luck!!