Sites of the week

I’m running a wee bit behind on last week’s challenge for The Cat’s Pajamas…sorry! I usually am stamping right along with my calendar, which has been packed lately. Unfortunately, that kind of scheduling doesn’t allow for me getting food poisoning and puking for 10 hours straight. Good thing is that I am all better now…6 lbs lighter even! Next time I’ll take 10+ grueling hours at the gym to lose that weight!

Last week’s challenge was to use any TCP Christmas/Holiday stamps in your card/project, along with the Big Scallop CutUps die. I made homemade peppermint bark for Nic and Ellie’s teachers this year and packaged them in clear paint cans…

The can topper is created from the TCP Easy Rosette and Snowflake {cut from felt} CutUps dies. I used the “Merry Wishes” sentiment from the Merry Wishes set…

Detail shot of the bottom of the can using the Big Scallop CutUps die…

Tag I printed from the computer…

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Susan is your Hipster Hostess with the Mostess this week and you can see her creation HERE. To upload your creation, please see THIS POST on Alma’s blog.

**I am taking the next 2 weeks off from blogging except for a couple of posts previously committed to and, of course, the Christmas Day SFYTT giveaway.**

TGIF Stampy Friends!

I’ve had a lot of fun stamping this week and have a few more things to share with you before I take some time off at the end of the year. Don’t worry, I’ll still be posting the SFYTT winner on Christmas Day! As you know, I currently work with 4 stamp companies and I do guest design positions, as well. Needless to say, it can be a lot of work and I am looking forward to taking the last 2 weeks off {for the most part} from blogging, etc.

As for now, I am here and have a card to share that I made for this week’s super fun TCP Tuesday challenge…

What fun colors for holiday and upcoming Valentine cards! I really wanted to use the new set, J*lly H*liday, along with the Big Ticket CutUps die from The Cat’s Pajamas and this is what I came up with…

{please pardon the horrid lighting!!}

In addition to the Big Ticket CutUps, I also use the new Snowflake Lace Paper CutUps as an accent panel. Love this die! I am accumulating quite a few snowflakes on my desk, too! It’s important to me that I get a lot of use out of a product. This die allows for you to use both the positive and negative cuts…twice the fun!

Want to play along with this challenge? All details, along with where you upload your creation are HEREon Alma’s blog.

Good luck and happy stamping!

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!

Say it ain’t so! I don’t want sleep in mornings and lazy pajama days to go away! Now, those couple holiday pounds that I am sure have taken residence in each hip, I feel a little differently about! Hiho, Hiho…it’s off to the gym I will go! This morning is going to be brutal, I am sure. Hopefully Pandora will play me some good jams to get me going.

After the gym, I think I will need to squeeze in a little crafty time! Over the past week or so, I have had a lot of fun playing with my new stamps {that are being released TONIGHT!} from The Cat’s Pajamas. When I got the new ANYWHERE RIBBON SLIDE CutUps die, I knew I wanted to use it for something holiday and something other than a ribbon slide on a card. How about an ornament…

This ornament consists of 12 pieces of cardstock measuring 7″ x 7/8″, each die cut with the ANYWHERE RIBBON SLIDE from The Cat’s Pajamas. The pattern paper that is slid through the slides measures 6″ x 9/16″. They are then all stacked on top of each other and holes are punched at either end {I used my Crop-o-dile so that I could punch through all the pieces at once}. Large brads are put through the holes and then the strips are spread out until they form a ball.

The top of the ornament is adorned with a triple bow created from the new Cranberry seam binding ribbon and button that is strung with silver cording. The tag, which is part of the stack that is bound with a brad, was created using the new J*lly H*oliday set…

This set is a lot of fun and coordinates well with many of the previously released Circus Panels and Big Ticket CutUps dies, as well as the Stamp Trio stamp set from The Cat’s Pajamas. Gotta love being practical and the many more ways to get creative!

One more shot, so you can see how it’s put together {the top looked the same before I hot glued the heck out of that bow!}…

I hope you have enjoyed my TCP Sneaky Peek week sneak peeks! Be sure you don’t miss what all the other girls have come up with, too! Alma has been posting special previews and links each day on her blog.

Tonight is the release party in our forum on SCS. Hope to see you there for fun, prizes and more!