Sites of the week

I am the March Guest Designer for Emma’s Paperie! Here’s a pek at one of my projects I did for them. You can see the rest HERE.

Welcome to your next stop along the My Favorite Things March VIP Hop! Did you start at Kim’s blog and hop along from Frances’? If not, take a little rewind so you don’t miss a single thing! This month MFT has a great new Who’s that Girl set called Who’s That Musical Girl? paired with…

Musical Girl MINI (VIP exclusive stamp set - will never be offered for sale or be available again $9 value, FREE)
Musical Notes Die-namics die {I don’t even have mine yet!}
10 pack of Wild Cherry Scalloped note cards
An assortment of White and/or Black Pearl Flourish and Cream/Rhinestone Stick Pins
Idea-Ology Trimming ribbon

What a fun VIP package! I decided to create a notepad cover to go along with the image and “Just a Note” sentiment. I adorned the image with a heart from the Hearts a Plenty Die-Namics…

A couple detail shots…

I love the ribbon closure on these type of projects. I adhere my ribbon with red line tape on the front and back, but leave the spine without any adhesive. Also, I attach the ribbon with the cover open. This allows for the proper amount of “give” when you open it. I added a tiny little musical note tag as an embellishment and attached it with some May Arts silver twine.

On the inside I stamped several pages {not every single one!} with the “Just a Note” sentiment with one of the musical notes from the set…

Now off you go hopping along to Jody’s blog, where I am sure that she has something to make your jaw drop!!

I have been in a very scrappy crafting mood lately. Now, don’t let the word “scrappy” fool you into thinking that I am going to be doing any scrapbooking! I just keep looking at all the fun boutique dies that I have and know that I can create some great decor and gift items. With that very thought in mind, I set out to create a project that has been haunting me since I got my My Favorite Things Butterflies Die-Namics. I actually wanted to do a cascade of butterflies, but it ended up looking so much better as a rainbow.

A few years back, Martha {ya know, THE Martha} had a magazine cover with a rainbow cascade of butterflies on a cake that I had in mind for inspiration. You can see that cover HERE. It’s amazing!

The Butterflies Die-Namics that I used on this project…

I used a variety of scrap papers to create my butterfly rainbow…

Each of the butterflies is double layered for added dimension and the patterns create more visual interest. I also added colored Doodlebug rhinestones for a little sparkle…

One more shot of the butterflies…

The words “Spread Your Wings and” are stamped and cut out from Pure Innocence Butterfly Kisses stamp set and the word fly is cut from the Bling ‘Bet SVG file {also available as a print and cut file}. I added the heart from the Hearts a Plenty Die-Namics die and button tied off with my most favoritest linen thread in the whole wide world from TCP!…

I am not sure if you can tell from the picture, but the 12 x 12 paper that the 8.25 x 8.25 layout is mounted on is the Swiss Dot paper from Bazzill. It really makes a difference that it is not just plain jane black paper. I considered using a colored piece of cardstock, but I think that the black really makes the colors on the butterflies POP! It also ties together the word “fly” into the color scheme. “Fly” is cut from plain black paper. For some reason, I just wasn’t like it cut from the lightly embossed paper. Hmmm! I framed the whole thing in a black 12 x 12 shadowbox that I found at Wally World {aka The Devil’s Lair, aka Wal-Mart} a while ago.

Wanna know what I like best about the project? When I showed it to Ellie, she asked if I would hang it in her room!

*#*#SECOND POST#*#*SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE*#*#

Happy Tuesday Everyone! The weatherman tells us it’s the eve of another occurrence of the white stuff around here. As a year round flip flop wearer, I do not approve. Fortunately, we are stocked up on food {from a trip to Wal-Mart with both kids that I just as soon erase from my memory!!} and ready to hunker down {again!} if needed. Although, I am not sure that my sanity can endure any extended period of time being locked in my house with my own offspring. Last week I was beginning to understand why wild animals eat their young! LOL!! Ok, it wasn’t that bad, but I’m thinking that Mother Nature owes me one!

Being that it is Tuesday, it’s also TCP Tuesday and this week I am your Hipster Hostess with the Mostess for this week’s challenge. I’ve passed the reigns of the supply/technique challenge over to Julie and have taken over the Inspiration Challenge for The Cat’s Pajamas {pssst…there are a few great changes in the works, so stay tuned!}. For this week’s Inspiration Challenge, I present you with this…

It’s easy to be inspired by the browns and blues that can be found in all the pics, but I invite you to step out of that sweet lil’ comfort zone and find a little something else in these pictures. Like what, you ask? Well, let’s take a look…

Picture #1 has a great layout, a circle and a vertical “sentiment”
Picture #2 has different kinds of buttons {in layers}, circles and even a ribbon dangling down
Picture #3 Look at all those layers!, again with the circles, stripes and it’s pretty obvious {I think} it’s a wedding {love!} cake

With all those things in mind, I came up with this sweet lil’ tag…

Detail shot…

I am so loving the new set, Love Letters {used in conjunction with the A Beary Good Year set} which coordinates with the Stamp Trio CutUps used on the tag! That brings me to my love story, which I used as my inspiration.

Waaaay back in 2002, I found myself {somewhat} fresh out of college and living back at home in Scottsdale, AZ after a rough breakup. It was during that time I decided I needed a fresh start. I decided to move to San Diego…with no friends, no family, no job. A completely clean slate! I started looking for a place to live and quickly realized that I would need a roommate or get used to the idea of living in 300 square feet on my own. Seriously, that’s all I could afford on my budget! Luckily, I discovered a roommate service online and got an email that let me know that there was a room for rent in a downtown condo. I responded to the ad and spoke with the landlord. We spoke again, and again and again It was Tony! I decided to travel out there and take a look at the place and it was then we knew that we were “the one” for each other. I went ahead and moved in a few months {and several trips back and forth} later and the rest is history!

Well, during our time apart we {went old school and} wrote a few letters back and forth. It was such a nice surprise to come home and find a love note waiting for me. Those love notes later lead to vows. Those letters were my inspiration to use the stamps I chose, I then added the colors, buttons and dots from the pictures.

So what will you use as inspiration here? Come stamp with us for a chance at some Cat Cash! Here are the deets you need to know…

1. Each a week one of The Cat’s Pajamas DT members will host a challenge.
2. The challenges will vary {stamp, technique/supply, color, theme, sketch, etc.}
3. You will have until the end of the month to complete the challenge.
4. Link to your post using the Inlinkz button on Alma’s blog.
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. You can post to the SCS Gallery, using the keyword TCPTUES145, but only designs posted to Alma’s blog will be considered for the Swanky Stamper.
8. 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.

I also want to mention that we have a NEW DT Member at TCP. Please give a HUGE welcome to the WILDLY TALENTED…TORI WILD!!

Sit back, relax…it’s a looong post (and 1 of 2 for today!)

In 2011, MFT is working harder than ever to inspire you, and we have come up with something we think you’ll really enjoy. Our Design Team Creative Challenge will be a new monthly feature, where we challenge our design team to explore their creative side using a specific theme or product. This month, the team was asked to creative something from a digital file. It’s a great occasion to get crafty, and put your supplies to good use. Visit Kim’s Blog for a full list of participants showing off their digital creative-ness!

At the end of last year I designed a few digital templates for My Favorite Things. Among my favorites, is the Sweet Surprise Gift Box. I actually designed this to fit Sweethearts candies, making it the perfect Valentine’s treat container. Of course, it can be used year round for many different purposes, but I love how the Sweetheart just slide right in this time of year! I used my Cricut to cut this box, and its design elements from pattern paper. There is also a print/cut option with these digital files, and you get both for $3.95.

I created the flower on the front of the box with hearts from the Hearts a Plenty and Flower & Leaf Trio Die-Namics. The sentiment is from You Spin Me set…

Belly band off, box closed…

Front flap folded up…

Front flap folded up, side flaps open…

Zooooomin’ in on the pocket that holds the Sweethearts, adorned by a heart from the Hearts a Plenty Die-Namics…

Belly band next to open box with candy taken out…

In addition to the Sweet Surprise Gift Box, I downloaded the Bling ‘Bet digital files and cut some letter so make these super simple and fun Valentine’s cards…

I’m already a monochromatic green card with the word “LUCK” for St. Patty’s!! Instead of a single heart cut from the Hearts a Plenty Die-Namics {yes, I KNOW, I can’t put it down!!}, I can create a little clover leaf! Or maybe, I will reduce the size of the “U” and create a little horseshoe embellie. Or…

Be sure to check out the full list of players showing off what they have made with the digital files from MFT on Kim’s blog HERE.