Sites of the week

Don’t read this first paragraph if you don’t want to be enabled!! I knew you would still be reading this!! The Cat’s Pajamas is having a HUGE sale!… 25% off EVERYTHING!!! Just think of it this way… You can buy 25% more now! Now, that’s what I call stamper’s logic!!

I swear, it doesn’t even feel like Saturday! All my days have been running together lately. I guess it’s just the hustle and bustle of summer and getting off our normal routine a couple times this week. Ellie had her 2 year appointment on Thursday and ***newsflash*** she’s… NORMAL!! LOL!! A VERY chatty 2 year old! Yesterday I put on her sundress and she did a little twirl and said, “I’m a princess.” Awwww!! She’ll always be my little princess!

So, here’s the SKETCH FOR YOU TO TRY…

My sample, using Inque Boutique stamps from The Purple Turtle Stamp Shoppe. This set is called School Record. The background is from Cornish Heritage Farms. I think this would make a fun card for a teacher or someone you know that may have just been “caught” doing something…fun or not. LOL

This is a detail shot that didn’t quite capture all the detail that I wanted it to. The boy is stamped in River Rock, then stamped off, then stamped in VersaMark and then clear embossed. Same with the ruler {see pic above}.

Today is Jessie’s last day as the Guest Designer for the month of July. Be sure to give Jessie some cyber hugs, as we have LOVED having her here! Isn’t this just the cutest?

Don’t forget to check out all the samples from my fab friends… Amy R., Amy S., Carole and Susan. Shannan said she’ll be playing late {as if that’s something new!} because she had to make a quick out of town trip.

A little more about this sketch…
It is also featured on the Sisterhood of Scrap blog with another sample that I did. You can check out my Bella on her bike over there.

Want another sketch from me today? Be sure to check out the Dare To Get Dirty challenges for today. I have one that I **think** that you might like. You have to remember, they don’t call it a challenge for nothin’!!

July 7…My Dad turned 70!!
July 8…Ellie turned 2 and our friends welcomed a baby girl
Today, July 10…Tony’s Auntie’s Birthday

HAPPY BIRTHDAY {GREAT} AUNTIE PATTI a.k.a. Auntie Weirdest! This is a card that I made for her special day…

I brought out a slew {ok, 4} of Inque Boutique stamps from The Purple Turtle Stamp Shoppe to make this card. This is the second card that I have used Jazzy Punctuation on. Susan was over when I was making this and we were laughing about how we love brackets. We have no idea what the appeal is, but we love ‘em. You know me…if you add some polka dots to it, it’s even sweeter! For the mini calendar with the cake marking today, I used the Build A Calendar set. Cute, huh? The 100% Original {I did say “Auntie Weirdest”} stamp comes from the Build A Tag mini set. This set reminds me of the SU! Set, Stamp Of Authenticity…except this one is only $3.99!! The fourth and final set that I used was Retro Shapes. I got this set because I love how girly it is and how I can use it to make backgrounds, like I did here. As for the final touches on this card, I crazy stitched the left side of the Spring Moss and Berry Sorbet (Papertrey colors} panel. That yummy ribbon is from May Arts and I have finally started to use it a little. The right side of the card is embossed with the Bloom Dots Cuttlebug embossing folder. Don’tcha love that polka dotted brad in the center of that Prima?!? I had to go get “extras” of these so I would quit hoarding the ones that I already had…now that is BAAAD!

See you tomorrow with a little “trick” that I use!

Stamps: Inque Boutique
Paper: Kraft, Spring Moss, Berry Sorbet {Papertrey Ink}; Basic Black, Whisper White {SU!}
Ink: Berry Sorbet {Papertrey Ink}, Basic Black {SU!}
Other: Ribbon {May Arts}, Brads {Making Memories}, Flowers {Prima}, Eyelets, Sewing Machine, Dimensional Glue Dots, Punches

Hip Hip Hooray…it’s Saturday! Did you all have a fun fourth? We had a great time at our friend’s house, but getting back home was a nightmare. There was a 18 wheeler turned over on the freeway, so we were detoured through downtown where the police had half the streets closed off. What was normally about a 30 minute venture turned into over an hour. But, we got home safe and sound, so I can’t complain.
Well, it’s the first Saturday of the month, so I get to introduce a brand spankin’ new Guest Designer…YAY!! I got to meet Jessie at the Arlington Shoebox swap, and she is truly a sweetie! I am glad she has hopped on board this month with me and the rest of the SFYTT gang…Amy, Carole, Shannan and Susan. <-- Be sure to check out their samples, too!

Welcome Jessie Rone...

In her own words…
Holy Cow, would you look at me!! A year ago if you had told me that I would be a guest designer on one of my FAVORITE blogs, I would have looked at you dumbfounded and said, “What’s a blog?” LOL!! I started stamping 7yrs ago, but never really took it seriously. I became a demonstrator in 2001 for SU and have remained one(purely for the discount) ever since. I joined Splitcoast Stampers back in 2005, but never did anything but CASE other peoples cards up until October of last year. Since then, I have started my gallery on SCS, my blog, became design team coordinator for Paper Pretties, and been fortunate enough to have guest designer spots with My Favorite Things and for Melanie Muenchinger’s(illustrator for Gina K.) blog. When I got the email from Jen, I thought I would have a {heart} attack!! I look forward to working with her and her amazing team for the next month!!

Here’s the sketch for this week…

Here’s my sample using “Out Of This World” DP and the inque boutique Space Cadet set from The Purple Turtle Stamp Shoppe…

Jessie’s GORGEOUS sample…

Won’t you come play with us? Please be sure to link your project to this post and if uploading to SCS, please use the keyword SFYTT. Have fun and hope you have a great weekend. Tony will be here the SECOND Sunday of each month. If you expected him on the 6th, sorry, he’s got another week to come up with something!

Psssst…don’t forget to wish Kim (the MFT Lady) a happy 40th Birthday!!

From time to time, I like to make large tags rather than cards. I think that they are a fun addition to a gift package, or you can use them as a flat card and write on the back. Since the 20% off {and super cheap shipping} sale at The Purple Turtle is through today, I wanted to show off some more of the inque boutique stamps I’ve been using lately. This tag uses three sets: Jazzy Punctuation (cool, huh?!?), Retro Shapes and the sentiment is part of the Friends Word Search set. I am really big on stamps sets from companies being compatible with their other stamp sets, as well as jiving with anything else I own and these sets cover those bases easy peasy. Other cool stuff to check out on the PT site… Out Of This World Paper {this is on the top of my “gotta get time to use this SOON” pile} and the Spunky Alpha chipboard {I seriously {heart} this font!!}. Don’t forget to use the coupon code awesome at checkout to get your goods for a steal!
What do you think of this color combo? I’m digging it! I totally would not have thought of it, but my markers arranged themselves so that these colors were together and just screaming at me to use them together! As for my finishing touches, I used some ruby red emBELLAshments, Swarovski crystals and ribbon from May Arts {the fun guava and red one}.

Last week I hinted that I had another secret to share. Well, today is the day that I am spillin’ the beans! Oh, they are some good beans! I have been asked to work with The Purple Turtle Shoppe, who features inque boutique stamps.

I have been on the inque boutique mailing list for some time now and in February I spent quite a bit of time at their booth at CHA. I finally played with some and I love them! My plate is FULL, so accepting design work for Purple Turtle means something…SERIOUSLY! I don’t work with or promote anything that I don’t LOVE! The stamps are die cut unmounted rubber. They cling {very easily and well} to an acrylic block and when used with “the secret weapon,” a foam pad that comes with your stamps, you get an awesome impression. I really am impressed with the entire package of the inque boutique stamps carried by The Purple Turtle. When talking to their rep on the phone, I told her that I could tell that they were designed by someone that knew what they were doing…start to finish. No detail left behind. YAY! What’s cool about telling you this today is that they are having a SALE! I am always looking for a deal, so be sure to check out what you can get for 20% off! The coupon code to use at checkout is “awesome “…FREE shipping over $50 and only $3 under $5), too!…WOWZAS!

I’ve used their stamps for today’s SKETCH FOR YOU TO TRY. So, here’s the sketch…

I switched up my own sketch!! Instead of a long card, I made mine into a square because I wanted to use the Bold Carnations set.

My friends have samples for you to check out, too. Give some love to Amy, Carole, Shannan and Susan!

Here is Dawn Easton’s sample. Thanks for playing with us this month Dawn! We {heart} you!!