Mother's Little Helper

Happy Memorial Mojo Monday!

For those of us in the U.S., today is Memorial Day - a holiday when we remember those soldiers who have died in wars, and when celebrate the start of summer vacation season with barbecues, etc.  On a more personal note, the Oklahoma legislative session officially ends on the Friday before Memorial Day, which means my husband is back home full-time, and not in OKC Monday - Thursday.

 

After four long months, it's always good to get him home and get back into our regular family rhythms. Thus, I'm dedicating this Mojo Monday card to my dearest. I know he'll be so touched and flattered... ;)

First, though, let me show you this week's Mojo Monday sketch.  Because it's the last Monday of the month, you've got a choice whether to make it Round or Square:

This one's for you, Honey...

{hee}

Man, do I ever love a good hot dog!  My favorites are Nathan's, and everytime I'm in the Phoenix airport, I have to have one with mustard and sauerkraut, regardless of what time it is.  Mmmm... Locally, it's hard to beat the ones from QuikTrip (a regional gas/convenience store chain).  This particular hot dog is from Paper Smooches' ALFRESCO set.  I love that Kim draws little smilies you can stamp on the food, as I am particularly fond of food-with-faces.  They just make me happy!  I wanted it to look like my hot dog was on a plate, so I used The Cat's Pajamas' Easy Rosette die, flat and embossed, then backed it with the dark gray cardstock to make it pop from the background.  My sentiment detail is the smaller Easy Rosette, flat, embellished with a button, Lemon Divine Twine, and a sentiment flag.  The 'Hot Dog!' sentiment is from The Cat's Pajamas, too.

Here's my weenie, up close and personal...

 

(Sorry, couldn't resist...)  Mr. Meyer was color with Copics and his mustard was given a coat of Honeysuckle Transparent Art Glitter by Barbara Trombley.  The patterned papers were selected to give it the homey-feel of a backyard barbecue (neighborhood - from Pink Paislee's Hometown Summer; gingham - from Echo Park's A Boy's Life; and dots - from Echo Park's Dots & Stripes, Soda Fountain.  All are 6"x6").

You'll want to go to the Mojo Monday blog for all of the details on how to play along with this week's sketch, and for more takes on this week's sketch, be sure to visit my fellow Mojo Makers:

• Debbie Carriere
• Mary Fish
• Teresa Kline
• Stephanie Kraft

Have a wonderful day! :)

Quick and Easy ConGRADulations

Good Saturday morning, friends!  I hope you and yours are doing well this fine May day.  I'm writing a little drive-by blog post before I hit the shower and then face the laundry.  *sigh*  Perhaps I should hit the laundry first, though, because I think I may be out of clean underware.  TMI?  Yeah, sorry about that...

Anywho - Claremore High School had it's graduation this week, and as Truman gets older, we seem to know more and more graduating seniors.  I've got a stack of announcements I need to respond, so I thought I'd better get cracking on an easily mass-produced card.  Fortunately, this month's Sketch For You to Try is perfect for the image and paper I wanted to use.  Yay!

Here's another look at this month's SFYTT...

I think I've mentioned once or a hundred times that our school system's mascot is the Zebra.  You can't imagine the squeal I made when I saw this ADORABLE zebra from Paper Smooches' Zoo Crew set:

Hee - aren't his/her eyes so expressive?  Kim Hughes is just the best (as an illustrator AND a person - love her!).  The sentiment is from Paper Smooches' Smarty Pants set.  I first stamped it out under the zebra in Marvy Matchables Black (my FAVORITE black ink for coverage when you don't need to color the image in with Copics.  It smears with Copics, but it's fabulous in all other respects - rich and deep).  Then, I stamped it once more with SU! Real Red, cut out 'grad,' and popped it up on top of the background sentiment with one of Jody's Foam Boosters.  See...

Now that I look at it, you can see one of the pink liners from the foam boosters on the patterned paper to the left of the image panel.  I could reshoot the photos, but I think I'm just going to chalk it up to wabi sabi. 

Even though it's pretty clean and simple, I did add a few things for texture and visual interest: the black cardstock is embossed with a Cuttlebug dots embossing folder, I Corner Chomped several of the corners, and I added a bit of red and white twine from The Twinery (gifted to me by Cammie Camster).  Easy but sweet, and I should be able to create a half-dozen or so within an hour now that I have the prototype.

Ready to see more second-takes on this month's SFYTT?  Then be sure to visit my SFYTT Sisters who are also making new cards with the May sketch today:

• Jen del Muro (you can also get all of the details about how you can participate on Jen's blog)
• Jodi Collins
• Susan Liles
• Jen Tapler
• Tracy Shultz

Thanks again to SKIPPING STONES DESIGN for sponsoring this month's SFYTT.  And thanks to you for coming by to visit me! :)

A {Better-Late-Than-Never} Mojo Monday & Ode to Camela Anderson

Hey there, gang!  Sorry if you tried earlier to see my take on this week's Mojo Monday sketch.  I actually had my card done early; I think I was the first Mojo Maker to upload hers into our DT album, to tell the truth.  That's a FIRST, believe me!  But then, as fate would have it (in the form of my father-in-law having quadruple bypass surgery on Easter Sunday), I was unable to get to the computer until just this very second to create my post. Life sometimes gets in the way, you know?  Fortunately, our family patriarch came through with flying colors. I guess the Burrage family is keeping the medical profession busy this month with Mike's surgery yesterday and Carter's next week. You're welcome, doctors and nurses of the world!

Back to this week's Mojo Monday sketch...

I was looking at my calendar right before I sat down (EARLY, as I mentioned before) to work on this week's sketch, and I noticed a dear friend of mine's birthday is later this month.  I know when her special day rolls around, I'll be in the big middle of mayhem and too busy to create a card just for her, so I *thoughtfully* decided to get to work early. It also helped that I had just received said friend's SIGNATURE IMAGE from Paper Smooches.  If you're a longtime reader of my blog, you'll have no problem figuring out who this particular card will be going to...

Those of you who are relatively new readers may ask, "Who on earth has a camel as a signature image?  Well, besides Joe Camel..."  My friend - let's call her 'Camela Anderson' - is well known within the stamping industry, not only for her lovely creations, but also for a rather unfortunate tendancy to wear snug trousers. You know how the Grinch's heart is 3 sizes too small?  So are this gal's pants, if you know what I mean.  Evidentally her family of origin thinks so, too, as they're the ones who gave her the nickname by which she is commonly known, and which is a not-so-subtle reference to her affliction.  Still, we must not judge books by their covers nor friends by their fashion faux pas. And, since those of us who love her can't convince her to beat her nasty habit, I say we celebrate it!

Happy EARLY Birthday, Camela!  Your sigil was colored in with Copics and popped up on foam boosters.  I *lovingly* hand-stitched around the image layer and the background layer with embroidery thread.  The sweet patterned papers are from Doodlebug Design's Sugar & Spice 6"x6" pad.  The sentiment is from Paper Smooches' Sentiment Sampler, and the camel is from PS's Zoo Crew set.

Visit to the Mojo Monday blog for more info about how you can play along with this week's sketch.  And be sure to visit my fellow Mojo Makers for further inspiration:

• Debbie Carriere
• Mary Fish
• Sarah Bigelow
• Teresa Kline

 LOVE YOU, CAMSTER! :)

Happy New Year!

 Welcome, welcome 2012!  2011, don't let the door hit your rear on the way out... ;)

I always enjoy fellow stampers' "Year In Review" blog posts, where they post their favorite projects from the past 12 months.  I thought I'd do likewise, even though as I culled through my posts from 2011, I was reminded once again of what a long, strange year it was. 

Anyway, here are some of my favorite cards and creations from 2011. 

January

(altered frame featuring my cute boys and The Cat's Pajamas' set, Got Love)

February

(a clean and simple number, featuring lots of color, heat embossing, and MFT's Say What Die-namic and stamp set) 

March

(an altered canvas featuring paper butteflies created with MFT's Butterflies Die-Namics and Swarovski crystals)

April

(a favorite for sentimental reasons - I used TCP's Toni's Tea Set to create an homage to my wedding china - 'Liberty' by Lenox)

May

(I really like the tennis court background I made, and the darling Krista Moonlight Whispers image from Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps)

June

(Another KKS Moonlight Whispers gal, this fetching bathing beauty is Eleanor.)

July

 

(This Hula honey is Kali from Hawaii by Your Next Stamp)

August

(My Trick or Treat Banner, using lots of images from Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps, my favorite panel of which was Horace, a Moonlight Whisper guy)

September

(A sweet lil card featuring The Tweetest Things and Nesting sets from The Cat's Pajamas)

October

(A birthday card featuring my favorite new embellishment of 2011 - burlap - and KKS's Julie image and TCP's Circus Panels and Circus Border CutUps dies)

November

(A fun and easy little number with images from Paper Smooches' Wake Up stamp set)

December

(Last but not least, a card that can go Christmas/Valentine's/Just Because, feautring TCP's Freezin' Season set and Snowflake and Hearts Trio CutUps dies)

As my buddy Porky Pig would say, "That's all, folks!"  I hope you enjoyed my personal walk down memory lane and that you'll come back tomorrow for my first card and the first Mojo Monday sketch of 2012. 

Cheers!

Mojo Monday # 216

Happy happy Monday, friends!  Ready to see this week's Mojo Monday sketch?  Well, wait no more...

I decided to go kinda clean and simple this week, using a super cute set by Paper Smooches, WAKE UP...

I gotta say - few things tickle me more than stamps of FOOD WITH FACES!!!! :)  It's a fetish, I guess...

Are you ready to get your Mojo a go-go?  Then head on over to the Mojo Monday Blog, were you can find all of the info re: how to participate in this week's challenge, as well as thumbnails to click on for samples by my fellow Mojo Makers.  If you just want to see what they've got going on (and really, why not?  Save a step!) then go visit these loverly ladies:

• Debbie Carriere
• Julee Tilman
• Mary Fish
• Sarah Bigelow
• Teresa Kline
• Stephanie Kraft

Sorry for keeping this short and sweet, but I've got a gigantic assignment due for class tonight, and time's a wastin'.  Have a great day, friends, and I'll see you soon with LOTS of fabulous *new* goodies from The Cat's Pajamas.  Sneaky Peek Week starts tomorrow!

July JiFFy!

Oh happy day!  It's time for another J(ust)iF(or)F(un)y Challenge with my JiFFy girlfriends.  You know the drill: once a month (or so ;) ), a group of my stamping friends and I get together for a little challenge.  One of us selects an image. Before that image is revealed to the group, another one of us mails out some patterned paper to everyone.  The patterned paper has to be used to make a card with the selected image, and no other patterned paper can be used.  Sometimes the image and the selected pattern go well together, and sometimes they're a ... challenging fit, but it's always JUST FOR FUN!

This month, I was the image picker, and I selected an oh-so-sweet image from Paper Smooches' Spiffy Scooters set.  (Paper Smooches is owned and illustrated by our dear friend and former JiFFy Girl, Kim Hughes, don't you know.)  Before I revealed the image, SWEET Lori sent out some patterned paper: the ultra elegant Bohemian Floral from Graphic 45's Le Cirque Collection.

Here's what I came up with:

Look, Ma!  Nice and flat - only one postage stamp necessary...

Pretty clean and simple, but that's one (of many) things I love about Kim's images - you don't need to frill 'em up or get fancy to make something that will make someone smile. :)

Speaking of frilly & fancy, wanna see what my JiFFy girlfriends have created with this combo?  I know I can't wait!  But first, I've got good news and bad news.  Which do you want to know first? 

Okay.  The bad news. (I always like to get the bad news over with first, too.) *sigh*  Don't shoot the messenger, but here's the scoop: JiFFy Gal Julie Campbell is taking a break this summer from our challenges, while JiFFy Gal Alli Miles is stepping down for perhaps a bit longer. 

 

A bona fide bummer, but even JiFFy Girls -- super-human and magical as we are -- have to take a step back and prioritize every once in a while.  We'll miss you lovelies, but we know where to find you and we're hoping you'll be back to play with us sooner than later.

Now, are you ready for the good news?!

We'd like to welcome some NEW members to our little JiFFy family!  Each of these ladies are great personal friends of ours AND amazing stampers, too.  Our new blood is none other than:

• Amy Rohl,
• Christina Fischer, and
• Jody Morrow!

Stop by their blogs and see what these fresh faces have done with this month's challenge.  And don't forget to leave some love for the 'old-timers', too...

• Long-in-the-tooth Lori Craig, and
• MeeMaw Michele Boyer

  (Sorry, girlies... couldn't help myself)  *Running and ducking!*

Happy Bird-day, Bar!

Life is funny, you know it?  I don't want to go all Forrest Gump on you, but truly: sometimes life takes unpredictible twists and turns, and all of a sudden you get to KNOW someone you thought you've known for a while.  And then you realize that you didn't KNOW them at all, and you have an newfound appreciation for them.  Specifically, I'm thinking of my friend Barbara Anders, aka 'Bar', aka The Great Barbarino, aka The Birthday Girl!

I was acquainted with this gal for a couple of years via the MFT Design Team, but I've gotten to KNOW her over the past month and a half as I've been playing with the Color Throwdown Designers.  She is the PERFECT EXAMPLE of still waters running deep!  She's a genuine HOOT, and I can honestly say I love her more today than yesterday, but probably not as much as I will tomorrow.  So, of course, when Tammy (another total CHARACTER!) was covertly organizing a Birthday Blog Hop in Bar's honor, I immediately said "Yes, yes, yes!" like Sally did in that diner with Harry, so many years ago.

I'm assuming you're a good little blog hopper and that you started at the aforementioned Tammy 'the Hammer' Hershberger's, mosied through a few fabulous blogs and then came here immediately from another one of those SEEMINGLY quiet gals (you know, the one's Eddie Murphy warned about in 'Raw,' who just order salads at dinner), LeAnne Pugliese.  If so, then you're right on schedule. 

I needed to put something COLORF UL together to celebrate my fellow Color Throwdown sister, so here's what I came up with:

A colorful little array of birdies doing a version of the Can-Can on a telephone wire!  To be honest with you, I think someone might have spiked the birdbath with gin...

But no matter!  All the better to say "HAPPY BIRTHDAY BAR!!!" 

 

We love you, chickie!  Now, go see what my Dirty Dozen teammate, the bodacious BETTY WRIGHT has in store for you and Bar today.

Thanks for stopping by, peeps!

Supplies used:

Stamps: Birthday Buddies & Hang Ups by Paper Smooches; Paper: Copic X-Press Blending Cardstock, Kraft (PTI), Pacific Point (SU!), Banana Split (MFT); Ink: Momento Tuxedo Black, Marvy Matchables Black; Accessories: Easy Rosette CutUps die (for the banner label) by The Cat's Pajamas, Copic Markers, airbrush system, embroidery flosss, Jody Morrow's foam boosters.

April/May JiFFy Challenge!

My JiFFy (Just For Fun) girlfriends and I have had such a crazy spring; it's been hard for all of us to get on the same page long enough to hammer down a challenge date!  Fortunately, though, we're back today, and I can't wait to see what my SWEET friends have put together.

You remember how we do this, right?  Each month (or something like that ;) ), one of us selects an image. Before that image is revealed to the group, another one of us mails out some patterned paper to everyone.  The patterned paper has to be used to make a card with the selected image; sometimes they go well together, and sometimes they're a ... challenging fit, but it's always JUST FOR FUN!

Michele selected our current image: the very cute Little Peep's Heart by Stamping Bella.  Before Michele revealed the image, Alli sent us each some patterned paper: Chlorine Sprinkles and Lace and Apricot Sprinkles and Lace Sophisticates by Bella Blvd.  Umm... this was one of those months when it was a bit of a challenge.  A big old heart with sea foam green and apricot patterned paper.  Hmmm...

Finally, I had an idea...

I created a patchwork panel out of the little edge-inked squares of the patterned paper.  Then, I cut out the center of the image that Michele sent me, and let the patchwork panel show through the heart-shaped hole.  I like the way it turned out.  Necessity was definitely the mother of invention in this instance! 

As for the rest of the card, I colored the little peep with Copics, inked the background with PTI's Tea Stain duo, and covered the heart's scalloped edge with glitter.  I used Jen's Sketch For You To Try for April as my blueprint, and the sentiment is from Paper Smooches' Sentiment Sampler set.

I'm eager to see what my JiFFy gals and our very special JiFFy guest, the sensational Sherrie Siemens, came up with.  So let's head that way, shall we?  Over to these loverly ladies' blogs to see if they found it as difficult as I did to make this combo work... (probably not.  These gals are papercrafting super-geniuses, you know.)

• Michele Boyer
• Julie Campbell
• SWEET Lori Craig
• Alli Miles, and our special guest
• Sherrie Siemens

Supplies used:

Stamps: Little Peeps Heart by Stamping Bella, Sentiment Sampler by Paper Smooches; Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Tea Stain duo (PTI); Paper: Chlorine Sprinkles and Lace & Apricot Sprinkles and Lace by Bella Blvd., Aqua Mist and Kraft (PTI); Accessories: Copic markers, wooden buttons, linen thread from The Cat's Pajamas, Nestabilities squares and scallop squares, glitter, sewing machine, Jody Morrow's foam boosters.

Paper Smooches Co-Hop

Have you heard?

The one and only Kim Hughes opened a stamp company on February 1st called Paper Smooches! I am such a huge fan of Kim's -- she's truly as delightful a person as she is an illustrator, and believe me: that's saying A LOT!  One of the most enjoyable things I've ever done as a stamper was represent her line when I was a member of the Cornish Heritage Farm's design team.  I am over-the-moon thrilled that she's now bringing us her inimitable style through her very own company.  On the first day of every month, she is releasing 3 new whimsical and fun clear stamp sets that she hand draws.

Kim asked me to create a card using one of her February stamp sets.  I used Falling For You on today's card:

I have a thing about acorns, you see.  One of my favorite sayings is "Tall oaks from tiny acorns grow."  I used to be a big cross-stitcher, and I created a sampler on linen for Truman's birth that had that saying on it.  Little did I know when I started it while I was pregnant what a tiny acorn I would actually give birth to -- only 3 lbs. 14 oz!  And eight years later, another acorn named Carter was born, weighing in at only 3 lbs. 10 oz.  Thus, you'll find a lot of acorn-motifed items around my house. 

In fact, here's a picture of me meeting tiny acorn #2, the day after he was born...

Naturally, I squealed with joy when I saw Kim's sweet and special acorn on this set.  So much so that I stamped it off over and over again, then heat embossed it with glittery Fall Splendor embossing powder from Powder Keg.  I hope you like my nutty valentine!

Want more info on Paper Smooches?  Of course you do!

Kim offers high quality photopolymer clear stamps, shaped card templates, a design center and so much more

There will be a monthly challenge on the The Paper Smooches Blog (free digi stamps are involved). Participants will be eligible to be a guest designer for the following month.

Here is a list of some of the Industry's top designers who are also playing with some Paper Smooches Stamps today:

Michele Boyer
Alli Miles
Lori Craig
Julie Campbell
Carole Burrage (You are HERE!)
Karolyn Loncon
Kim Kesti
Betsy Veldman
Maren Benedict
Debbie Olson
Melissa Phillips
Carly Robertson
Julia Stainton
Becky Olsen
Teri Anderson
Kryssi Ng
Heidi Van Laar
Heather Pulvirenti
Laurie Schmidlin
Lisa Johnson
Lori Barnett
Jessica Witty
Asela Hopkins
Rae Barthel

Please help me welcome Paper Smooches Stamps!