Mother's Little Helper

Take a Bow...

It seems only appropriate that I use the Love Bugs image in my swan song as a Guest Designer for Paper Pretties.
I feel kinda like Wade E. Bug looks -- if only she lived closer, I'd love to present Christie Ortman with a fragrant bouquet and tip my hat to her as I bow out of what has been a delightful experience.  Little did I know when I signed on for these three months that I'd have the opportunity to help launch her brand new stamp company -- what an exciting surprise!  And I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the Prettie Girls and my fellow Guest Designers (Dawn Easton, Danielle Lounds, and Nancy Riley).  It's been great gals!  I will definitely be keeping in touch, and see you at all the Prettie parties!

This card also fulfills a couple of challenges -- today's Bloggers Challenge, which has a theme of Spring Flowers (Lady Bug is holding a flower, has a flower in her hair, and the patterned paper is flowered -- surely that's flowery enough!), and the Limited Supply Challenge for today.  Get what Jen Javorsky came up with us for today: Use unloved embellishments in your stash on a card with flowers.  Okay, I've already argued my case that this card should qualify as a card with flowers.  As for the unloved embellishments?  Check out those whickety wack Karen Foster Boot Loopy Brads -- what was I smoking when I bought those things?!

With all the other challenges going on, I chose to forego a challenge to make a simple, one-layer black and white card.  You know I hate to back down from a challenge, but that one is too cruel and unusual, even for me.

Supplies Used -- Stamps: Love Bugs by Paper Pretties, sentiment from Clear Design Anytime Messages by Hero Arts; Paper: Green Galore & Bashful Blue by SU!, Georgia Pacific White, DCWV Glitter Mat Stack; Ink: Brilliance Archival Graphite Black, SU! Basic Black; Accessories: Cuttlebug, corner rounder, Copic Sketch & Spica Markers, Karen Foster Boot Loopy Brads, Dimensionals.

New Bella Rubbah!

I finally got a big ol' batch of new rubbah from Stamping Bella mounted and ready to play with (and I only stabbed myself once with the hot knife in the process... I love my hot knife, but I'm not sure someone as absentminded as I am should be allowed to have one.  I have a tendency to forget that it's a.)hot and b.)sharp...) Anyway, lookie what I made for today's Bloggers Challenge (to make a birthday card)!

I think these must be what Bellas look like when they're little girls (notice they have the same, Bella-like slender arms and legs).  Aren't they adorable?!  And of course, another tell-tale Bella sign: the cute blond with pigtails has a tiny Swarovski crystal in the middle of the flower on her dress.  A Bella-to-Be has to have a little bling, you know...

I have a deep and abiding love for Kraft cardstock, and I knew I wanted to use Paper Pretties new Sassy Circles set on Kraft to make a fun polka-dot background without having to add an extra layer.  (I really like the varying size and placement of the dots in this particular stamp, though the set also contains a more symmetrical polka stamp as well as a couple of different sizes of grounding ovals.  In short, a bunch of good basics that all stampers need.)  What I didn't realize was that if you use SU! Pink Passion ink on Kraft that the color ends up looking just like Purely Pomegranate, which is a color I really like.  If you use Purely Pom ink on Kraft, it's a little dark to match just right to the pom cardstock and ribbon.  (Aren't I an absolute WEALTH of info?!  You're welcome!)

By the way, you may have noticed I've ventured away from coloring 100% of my females blonde in the past few weeks.   It's still my first instinct to want my girls to have blonde hair just like me, and who can blame me? For the significant investment I make in keeping my hair this color it's only natural I impose this upon my stampin offspring.  But since I've become aware of the possible extinction of redheads, I've worried about my friend Shortcake (aka Charmaine Ikach) and her kind dying out.  That would be a shame, don't you think?  So I'm trying to do my part to populate the world with a few more reds and strawberry blondes.  No offense, Brunettes, but you're in ample supply and can fend for yourselves...

Supplies used -- Stamps: Best Friends Forevah by Stamping Bella, Sassy Circles by Paper Pretties, sentiment by The Cat's Pajamas; Paper: Kraft and Purely Pomegranate by SU! Georgia Pacific White; Ink: Brilliance Archival Graphite Black, Pink Passion by SU!; Accessories: Nestabilities, Copic Sketch and Spica markers, Swarovski crystal, paper piercer, white pen, foam mounting tape, Crop-a-Dile, SU! ribbon.

Pour Some Sugar on Bloggers Challenge # 37!

This week's Bloggers Challenge was to make a card in anything but a rectangle shape.  I had already experimented with Michelle Wooderson's fantastic idea to use Nestabilities to make cards earlier in the week with the oval shaped hostess cards for the MFT release, but I knew for this challenge, I wanted to play with her signature clamshell card made with the largest sized Nestie scalloped circle. 

Isn't this "Look Who's Perky" set by Paper Pretties ADORABLE?!  I am a sucker for china and pottery, and love anything retro -- among my prized possessions  are several place settings of Shawnee Corn King pottery.  And I'm dying to get my hands on Franciscan's Starburst pattern from the fifties -- it's totally Jetsons and so fabulous.  Unfortunately, a lot of other people think so, too, and thus it's way too expensive on the collectibles market.  I bought this patterned paper over a year ago because it reminded me of Starburst, and I had plans to use it with  my favorite now-retired SU! set, Stampin' Fun for Everyone (Jami Sibley and I are this set's official fan club, by the way).  Sadly, those plans never saw the light of day.  But this fun retro-ish set by Paper Pretties combined with this kitschy paper?!  Perfection!!!  It gives me almost as much pleasure as the real thing would (which is currently going for over $100 on eBay as I type...)

Supplies used -- Stamps: Look Who's Perky by Paper Pretties; Paper: More Mustard, Shimmery White, Moss Green Glitter cardstock by The Robin's Nest, patterned paper by Foof-a-La, vellum; Ink: Palette Hybrid Noir Black; Accessories: Nestabilities, ribbon, silver glitter pen, Dimensionals.

Bloggers Challenge # 36

This week's Bloggers Challenge is to use the layout of the 'With Sympathy' card on page 44 of the current SU! catalog.  I saw this gnome stamp in Stamper's Dream online store, and I couldn't resist him.  Isn't he adorable? 

One of these days, I'd like to get a garden gnome.  I've looked at a bunch of them over the years, but I haven't found one that's just right yet.  A gnome is a commitment, you know?  I can't have just any old gnome lurking around my garden, napping by day and working all through the night. 

My ideal gnome is one that I'd want to have a beer with, but could still trust to babysit my children.  And the gnome would have to be able to get along with Gretel, my German Shepherd and canine soulmate.  So far, I haven't come across the gnome who meets this criteria.  If you're aware of any who could be contenders, do let me know.

Supplies used -- Stamps: Gnome Clover by Stampendous, sentiment by A Muse; Paper: Bashful Blue, Regal Rose, Certainly Celery, Georgia Pacific White, patterned paper Adornit by Carolee; Ink: Brilliance Archival Graphite Black, Palette Hybrid Noir, Cool Carribean; Accessories: Copic Sketch and Spica markers, white pen, Nestabilities, swirl clip, ribbon, Dimensionals.

Su-Su-Sushi for SFYTT

How many of you are old enough and/or have strange enough taste in music to remember the song "Sushi Girl" by the Tubes?  (The chorus goes "Su-su-sushi/Mushi Mushi/cherry blossom and  rice/Su-su-sushi she's so nice" -- deep, huh?)  Anyway, I kept thinking about that song as I made this TRIFECTA of a congratulatory card for my dear friend, Kayla, who just successfully defended her PhD. dissertation (woo-hoo!).  Kayla and I often meet for lunch, and 9 times out of 10, it's for sushi.  I can inhale the stuff, I love it so.  If I were ever to become a competitive eater, sushi would definitely be my specialty.  So you can imagine my profoud joy when I saw A Muse's new clear Sushi Set. 

In addition to expressing my admiration for my friend and our passion for sushi, this card fulfills the requirements for this week's Bloggers Challenge (color challenge to use Brilliant Blue, Purely Pomegranate, and Old Olive) and the current SCS Limited Supply Challenge to use your own handwriting on a card (I hand-wrote the sentiment).  Furthermore, the sketch is Jen's Sketch For You To Try for this week.   Be sure to go to Jen's site and see what Jen's guest designer, Bethany Paull, made with the sketch, and then visit Shannan and Susan to see what those wild women did with the same.  Better yet, use the sketch yourself, and when you upload it to your gallery, be sure to use SFYTT as one of your keywords so we can come and take a look at the fabulousness you create.

Supplies used -- Stamps: Sushi set by A Muse; Paper: Brilliant Blue, Old Olive, Georgia Pacific White, patterned paper by SU!; Ink: Brilliance Archival Graphite Black; Accessories: Nestabilities, Copic Sketch Markers, Glitter, A Muse ribbon, black pen, Dimensionals.

And before I take my leave this a.m. to get a little laundry and housework done, let me say thank you so very much to everyone who left such kind comments after my last post.  I was so truly touched by each and every one -- they felt like a warm hug from a good friend.  Here's one back at you.

Three-Fer and Howdy from CHA!

I've just popped back in my hotel room briefly to post this card.  Jen, Kim & Sherrie are waiting for me in the lobby, but I had to explain to them that my loyal readers are extremely important to me so they needed to just cool their jets for uno momento... (Okay, so I didn't really say that, but it sounded good, didn't it?)

This lil guy is named Wade E. Bug (get it?! hee) and he's one of the latest images from Paper Pretties.  Isn't he dapper?  He's dressed in the latest colors from this week's Bloggers Challenge (to use teal, pumpkin pie, rose red, and old olive), and his sketch is this week's Sketch For You to Try by my roomie, Jen del Muro.  Be sure to take a look at what Shannan (who gets here tonight) and Susan do with this ultra-versatile design.

I'm going to make every effort to post later about all the fun we're having and what we're seeing, but I want to start you off easy.  Baby steps, you know?  I don't want you to get dizzy or nauseated by all the fabulousness or hate me even more than you do because of the whole washer and dryer envy. 

Bloggers Challenge # 31

Today's Bloggers Challenge was to use the layout used for the 'Everything Baby' card on the bottom of page 141 of the current Stampin' Up! catalog.
I modified it a teensy bit, because I wanted to kill two birds with one stone (you know me, always on the look out for a two-fer!) and make a sample for Stamp LaJolla while I was at it.  A lot of stamp companies that travel to various stamp and hobby shows prefer standard sized cards because they fit their display boards better.  So rather than using the long note size as pictured in the catalog, I converted the sketch to fit a regular ol' 4.25" x 5" card front.

Speaking of stamp shows, I'm kinda jealous because last weekend Jen and Susan attended the StampScrapArtTour in Mesquite, TX, without me.  Jen even had the nerve to call me from there to tell me that Stamp LaJolla had a booth, that she was going to go chat it up with MaryAnn, the owner, and that she'd tell her 'hi!' for me.   I guess Jen and Susan aren't aware of the rule that my friends are not allowed to have fun without me, even if I do live hundreds of miles away.  It's just plain rude!

Anyway... Aren't these bunnies too much fun?  I don't know about you, but I kind of shoot the breeze with my images to figure out what's going on in their little world.  From what I understand, the white bunny is mystified by the hairy chests of his two buddies, who have suddenly gotten so cool they wear shades even when it's super cloudy and a wintery mix is in the forecast.  I didn't want to make the white bunny feel bad, so I didn't mention what was obvious to me: his friends are going through puberty ahead of him.  Which would explain their recent disinterest in Webkinz and NeoPets, in favor of things like text messaging and I.M.ing.  In the immortal words of Peter and the rest of the Brady Kids, "When it's time to change, you have to rearrange/Who you are and what you wanna be (sha na na na na na na na na/sha na na na na!)"

Supplies used -- Stamps: image and sentiment by Stamp LaJolla; Paper: Georgia Pacific White, Kraft, Perfect Plum; Ink: Brilliance Archival Graphite Black, Perfect Plum; Accessories: Cuttlebug, ribbon, paper piercer and mat pack, Copic Sketch markers, Fun Flock, Prima paper flower, gem brad, 3-M foam mounting tape.

BY/BUY THE WAY! Paper Pretties is gearing up for yet another new release on Monday night!   Yep,  Christie and the gang are introducing not one, not two, but THREE new sets!  The Prettie Party starts at 7 p.m. CST, so be sure to join us for lots of fun, chatting, and prizes, not to mention the crowning of the first CUTIE PIE!  What's that you say?  YOU want to be the first Cutie Pie?  Well, then you better get busy, because the entries are due tomorrow Sunday.  Check out the Paper Clip for all the details.  And while you're there, be sure to check out all the fabulous new ribbon in the Boutique (particularly the Seasonal section -- lots of yummy American Crafts valentine ribbon!  And yes, I do have an order on it's way to me...).  The Prettie Girls are giving sneak peeks of the new sets as I type this, so be sure to visit the C's (Christie and Charmaine) and the J's (Julie, Joanne, Jillian, and Jana) blogs right now.  This very second.  What are you waiting for?!  Go!

Blogger's Challenge # 30

I'm really excited to now be a part of the Blogger's Challenge group!  I've played the challenge as a guest in the past, and when Lisa Somerville (who coordinates the Blogger's Challenge) joined the Starving Artistamps Design Team recently, I reminded her that I still wanted to join the group if there was ever a opening.  Well, lo and behold, I must have been in the right place at the right time, because I received an invitation to join!  Each Friday, members of the Blogger's Challenge group post their interpretation of that week's challenge.  This week's challenge was a color challenge, to use River Rock, Blue Bayou, and Real Red. 

I used some brand new rubber I received in yesterday's mail -- more of my beloved DoodleFactory!  This is part of an adorable little Valentine set -- doesn't he look like a little Boston Terrier?  I inked his head twice and popped it up on Dimensionals, and did the same with his love note.  The grass and the background  pattern was made using the  DoodleFactory DoodleDads set (all DoodleFactory stamps can be purchased from Starving Artistamps).  I just my fun little DoodleFactory friends! : )

ETA: If you're interested in purchasing the DoodleFactory Valentine images, they will be posted on the Starving Artistamps website by 7:00 p.m. EST tonight, January 18, 2007.

I'm going to be adding a list to my sidebar of all of the other participants of the Blogger's Challenge so you can click to see what they make; you're sure to recognize most of the names, and I know at least a couple of your favorite stampers are members, including one of the very first stampers I ever considered a 'Stamping Idol' (make sure the theme from 'American Idol' plays in your head right now): Leigh O'Brien.  To borrow a phrase from the Police, "Every little thing she does is magic," so make sure to check her stuff out.  I guarantee you'll be inspired!

Supplies used -- Stamps: DoodleFactory Valentines and DoodleDads, distributed by Starving Artistamps; Paper: River Rock, Blue Bayou, Real Red, Georgia Pacific White; Ink: Real Red, Blue Bayou, River Rock; Accessories: Nestabilities, paper piercer, small hole punch, ribbon, Dimensionals.

BY/BUY THE WAY!
Paper Pretties is having an "Out With the Old -- In With the New" Sale in the Paper Pretties Boutique (Christie needs to make room for all of the new stuff she's going to be ordering at CHA for our paper crafting pleasure)!  So go to there and click on the "Sale" tag -- new items will be added daily!