Sites of the week

I {heart} Tuesdays! First of all…it’s NOT Monday. Second, it’s not just Tuesday here, it’s TCP Tuesday! Today I am the Hipster Hostess With The Mostess for the this week’s TCP Tuesday challenge, which is an inspiration challenge. Are you ready for this?…

Seriously…who does this to their dog? The boots are what had me in stitches!, or maybe it was the hat, or the gun…LOL!! YEP, that’s is your inspiration. Use the colors, the image or the humor {or anything else that comes to you} as inspiration based around this pic as you create your card. I seriously cannot wait to see what you come up with. I was crunched for time making mine, so it’s not quite as elaborate as it could be, but here it is…

So, wanna play along?…EVERYONE can! Here’s what you are gonna want to 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 this 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 TCPTUES32 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!

So, not only do I get to share my TCP Tuesday creations with you today, but I also get to show you some peeks into the new releases that are coming up this Friday! There will be three new sets released {OMG…they are so cute-SERIOUSLY!!}. All three will be available in the “Kitty Kat Pack” for $45.50, with FREE shipping {within the US, and $6 outside the US}. Here are a few cards showing off some of the new cute stamps…
First this is a card that I did to match…

…with this bag…

A Holiday Hello…

I actually broke out the silver ink for this one…

Do I Smell Candy?…

I have a bunch more non-card projects to show you, too. This ABC Friday is gonna be stocked with projects!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!! I know that I have mentioned this before, but I am just throwing it out there again {mostly just as a way to get this post jump started-to be honest}…I am not the biggest fan of Halloween. I don’t have any particular reason why; it’s just never been something that I loved. What’s funny is that can’t remember ever having a bad Halloween. I always had fun costumes. My favorite from when I was young is a Care Bear. I am sure you all recall the plastic costumes with the plastic masks. I don’t know why, but I just loved that one! When I was in middle school, one of my friends and I dressed up as Siamese twin aliens {yes people, seriously!}. Her mom made our costume, which was basically a gigantic jumpsuit so that we could both fit in it. We decorated it with paint pen and sparkly stuff. We then painted our faces and put on antennae. It was a riot. Where am I going with this? I dunno. Anyways, nowadays I am not the biggest fan of all the hoopla that is associated with Halloween. HOWEVER…I do love all things Halloween when it comes to paper crafting! So, that being said, here is my ABC Friday project…

The top…

The bottom…

Frankie detail…

This project all started out with the thought, or should I say question, “What in the world am I going to do for ABC Friday?” Right then I saw my Stamp A Sweet Impression Trick Or Sweet set. Ok, “easy enough, something with candy and this cute image,” I thought. Then I dove through my alterables, and dove and dove… Finally, I found this clear acetate box from www.clearbags.com. I created the top and bottom from Only Orange cardstock that I had run through the Cuttlebug with the Swiss Dots Embossing Folder. The black ruffled edges are May Arts ribbon that I attached to the inside of the top and bottom with red line tape. I used the same ribbon on the top to create the loop and bow. As for the main image, I popped lil’ Frankie up on dimensionals and topped him off with a red rhinestone. I filled the box with Lindt chocolates with black wrappers…perfect for this project. It is taking every ounce of will power not to dive into those chocolates. I am doing well on my diet and exercise plan, so I have to just keep thinking “just say no.” So far I am down 7.5 pounds. I love the fact that I now have a scale that measures 1/2 pounds, too!! LOL. Ok, this is getting to be a long post, so I am signing off. See you tomorrow with another Sketch For You To Try along with a brand spankin’ new Designer of the Month.

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!

I’m later usual posting my ABC Friday stuff. This week has been crazy and {unfortunately} stamping/crafting just hasn’t been happening. Hopefully this is worth the wait…at least I would like to think so. I wanted to create some Halloween decor because a lot of ours got ruined in the attic one year. Note to self…if it’s been in your yard and it might have ANY moisture in/on it, don’t put it in with all your Halloween decorations unless you want to pull out a big moldy mess the next year! Ewww!

Here is the before shot. I used 3 of the photo holders to create the end product, with 4 of the 1/2″ wooden balls as feet on each one.

Here is the completed trio with the cubes covered in Halloween paper from DCWV…

Close up of the “BOO”…

The letters are Maya Road chipboard that I painted black, then covered in Diamond Glaze and smothered with Martha Stewart Onyx fine glitter. The bats are a Martha Stewart punch that I punched out of black paper and then covered with black Stickles.

Finally, here is the foot that I attached to these to make them a little more dressed up. I took the 1/2″ wooden balls and painted the black. Then I covered them in Mod Podge and dunked them into a tupperware container filled with the MS Onyx fine glitter. They took only about 10 minutes to dry and I popped them on with hot glue.

As for the tops of the project, I cut out scallop square frames from the polka dot paper using my Nestabilities. I then backed it, gluing only on 3 sides, with black cardstock. This way I can slide pictures in and out. The frames are attached to the wire swirl using hot glue. So what do you think? I think I wanna make more!! I got the supplies at Mike’s, but I can’t seem to find the picture holders anymore…BOO! I have some wood blocks that I might alter like this. Just think of the word possibilities!…Give Thanks, Noel, Joy, 2009, Love, Freedom… I could go on, but I will leave it at that.

See you tomorrow for another SKETCH FOR YOU TO TRY!

I am pretty sure that as soon as I saw this idea in a magazine, I was off doing my own. Talk about instantaneous inspiration in action! Since then, there are a few blogs and/or galleries that they have popped up in. One that comes to mind is Bechy Oehlers. Be sure to check out Becky’s version HERE.

Are these not the cutest???!!! I know that a lot of parents are steering away from sweets on Halloween and I am taking that into consideration for Ellie’s class treats. These are simple wedding favor bubbles that have been dressed up with ribbon, a Martha Stewart sticker and a cuuuuuuuute little spider from K & Co. All of the products are from Mike’s…I know, I know…I keep saying that I don’t like it there, but it’s the ONLY place remotely close to me. Plus, these turned out ok!

Tomorrow I will announce the winner of the Paper Crafts Special Edition magazine, the MFT case and 2 retiring MFT sets. Good Luck!!! Thank you so much to everyone that has participated! It’s so much fun to see all these cards!! A new sketch is just around the corner!