Mother's Little Helper

Thanks, Doll!

Happy Saturday! Did you get a lot of shopping done yesterday? I did lots of online shopping; I'm not much for braving those Black Friday crowds...

Anyway!  It's time for this week's Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps challenge.  The fabulous KERRY is our Hostess, and in keeping with this week's Thanksgiving holiday, she's challenging us to create a Thank You card. One can never have enough Thank You cards...

I used the new WEDNESDAY image - one of Annie Rodrigue's Gothic Girls.  Isn't she a cutie?  I colored her with Copics, paper pieced her skirt, and shadowed her with Prismacolor pencils and odorless mineral spirits.  The patterned paper is from My Mind's Eye's 12 Days of Christmas 6"x6" pad, and the cute felt flower was created using Lil Inker Design's Fringe Flower Die.

Here's a closer look at Ms. Wednesday...

Be sure to head over to the KKS Challenge Blog to see what the participating Krafty Girls and Guests have created to inspire you and for information about how play along with us (just by doing so, you could win the image Kerry used from Cheryl Alger's SNIPS & SNAILS set).

You'll also want to do a little holiday shopping for yourself at the Kraftin' Kimmie store - Kimmie's put almost EVERYTHING on sale for 25%-75% off!  Now's the time to complete your collections!

I'll be back later today with another SNEAKY PEEK from The Cat's Pajamas.  See you soon!

Krafty Peeks, Day 3

Hola, hombres! It's one of my favorite stampy days of the month: the first reveal of Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps' new Moonlight Whispers images, illustrated by the crazy-talented Annie Rodrigue. This month, Annie has a collection of GOTH GIRLS for you to know and love. These'll be all the rage with the teenaged girls to whom you send cards - I guarantee it! (<-- please say like the guy in the Men's Wearhouse commercials)

Since it's Saturday, it's also time for this week's Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Challenge (#105), and because it's release week, we have a Sketch Challenge for you. Our hostess and sketch creator is none other than PRECIOUS PAM, and here's the sketch she's put together to inspire you:

And here's what I did with it, using the brand new WILLOW image...

Here's a close up of Miss Willow, so you can check her out in all of her 'shroom-y finery:

I have to say, that sentiment cracks me up, and I can't wait to send this card to an old friend. Jennifer and I got back in touch via Facebook. We went to high school together (she's a couple of years older than me, and I was really good friends during HS with her little sister) in Barstow, CA. Yet, somehow, both of us have ended up in northeastern Oklahoma. She now lives about an hour away from me, and get this: her family business is a mushroom farm! I think she'll get a kick out of this. :)

I know you'll want to check out all of KKS/Annie's new GOTH GIRLS, so go to the KKS Challenge Blog to see what images my fellow Krafty Girls and Guests have used, as well as how they've interpreted the sketch. There, you'll also find info about how to play along in this week's challenge and be eligible to win the new WEDNESDAY image that Pam used in her sample. 

And don't forget to leave comments on all of today's participating designers showing Krafty Peeks -- two lucky/random commenters will each win three of the new GOTH GIRL images.

Happy Saturday, friends, and I'll see you tomorrow for the KKS New Release Blog Hop! :)

Support The Economy!

Hello, hello!  I know I've been absent from the blogosphere for a while; I've been sicker than a dog this week, but after a Z-Pak and several nights of cough syrup with Codeine, I'm feeling more like myself.  I don't usually get sick (I'm a good hand-washer and generally have hearty constitution), but when I get run down... it ain't pretty.  For various reasons, this has been a rougher than usual month, so I'm not surprised to have been knocked down physically, too.  When it rains, it pours, right?

Fortunately, as my gal 'Annie' always sings, I'm a big believer that the sun'll come out tomorrow... (ordinarily, I'd pop a video in here for you to watch the great Andrea McArdle show you what I'm talking about, but, again - I'm still not at 100%).

And in Annie's optimistic vein, I've created my card for today's Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Challenge: PUT A PIN IN IT!  My good buddy, MICHELE, is today's Krafty Hostess, and she's come up with this prickly, perfect challenge.  Here's what I've created, using one of Tim Holtz's Memo Pins to fulfill the challenge requirements:

The image I've used is the new Moonlight Whispers' Everyday Girls image, SARAH SHOPPER.  In keeping with her sentiment, I used October Afternoon's 5 & Dime patterned paper.  Here's a close up of Ms. Sarah...

Sarah was colored with Copics and her hair was highlighted with Prismacolor pencils.  Her dress and bags were paper pieced. Then, she was trimmed out and popped up with Jody's fabulous Foam Boosters.  I seriously could not live without those in my arsenal.  I used this week's Mojo Monday sketch as my blueprint.  Gotta love Julie's sketches! 

For more pin-tresting creations, check out the KKS Challenge Blog to see what my fellow Krafty Girls and Guests have come up with; that's also where you'll find all of the info about how you can play along and be eligible to win a Sending Winter Hugs stamp (the image Michele used in her challenge card). 

Stay tuned for my November SFYTT Post - it will be coming up shortly!  (That's right - two posts in one day!  You know around here, it's feast or famine...)

Baby, It's Cold Outside...

It really is cold outside!  At least, it feels cold to me.  Not that I'm complaining.  I like crisp fall weather, but those first few days of it... Brrr!

Why am I free-associating about cold weather?  Well, because I used the new EVA image for this week's Kraftin' Kimmie Challenge.  Our Krafty Girl hostess is that sassy lassie from down under... Donna!  I love her.  She's so funny and talented and one of the people I know I'd hang out with if she didn't live in a different hemisphere.  Anyway, Donna's challenge is a doozie: Make a Monochromatic Card!

Here's Eva, in fetching shades of blue...

I colored Eva with Copics and used the current Mojo Monday sketch (#212) as my blueprint.  Chilly!

 Head over to the Kraftin' Kimmie Challenge Blog to see what the other Krafty Girls made for this challenge and for instructions about how you could play along and win the new WINNIE image that Donna used in her card.

 Have a great Saturday, friends! Tomorrow, my Truman turns 15.  That ain’t right!  Between weeping over the fact he’ll be DRIVING in a few short months, and getting ready for his posse to invade my home tonight, I’m going to try to get a couple of stampy things done today.  Come back tomorrow to see my progress and some of the fabulous new images and dies from Your Next Stamp!

BUY THE WAY: Huge - and I mean HUGE! - sale going on at the Kraftin' Kimmie Website!!!  Kimmie may have done lost her mind; she's marked a ton of stamps down between 40-75%!  Yep, she's retiring a bunch of images (even several of my beloved Moonlight Whispers!), so get 'em while you still can.  Once they're gone, they're... collectibles! 

Krafty Peeks, Day 3: Rock That Body!

Hip-hip-hooray!  Today's the day the Krafty Girls and our special Krafty Guests get to show you the newest Moonlight Whispers images from Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps!  I just love being able to do that, because I know how much I used to anticipate seeing the newest Moonlight Whispers during Krafty Peeks before I became a Krafty Girl.  I still get that way each month when Kimmie reveals the images to the design team.  What can I say?  I'M A FAN!

 {<-- hee.  that's for you, Puffy}

In addition to it being ANNIE Peek Day, it's also time for this week's Kraftin' Kimmie Challenge.  PRECIOUS Pam is our hostess, and she's put together a sketch challenge:

And here's what I did with it, using the brand-new MISSY image:

Missy's enjoying the music on her iPod so much, she doesn't even mind that she's working out!  Don't you just love her Beats?  I bought my son a pair of Beats for his birthday last year - he wore them non-stop for about 9 months.  He still wears them quite a bit, but fortunately, I don't seem to have to scream to him as much for him to hear me.  Several times, my husband and I were heard to have muttered, "I hate those damn things..."

Here's a close up of Ms. Missy...

Please note the sweet patterned paper - it's My Mind's Eye's Blink of An Eye 6"x6" pad and was a gift from my oh-so-sweet friend and fellow Okie-transplant, Megan Lock.  Thanks, chickadee!

Are you ready to see all the other new {MORE} EVERYDAY GIRLS?  Then head on over to the KKS Challenge Blog, where you'll see lots of fabulous samples, and get instructions about how you can play along with us and win the new JULIE image that Pam has featured in her card.  Also, be sure to leave comments on all of the Krafty Peeking blogs for your chance to be one of two lucky winners, each of whom will win three of the new {MORE} EVERYDAY GIRLS! 

See you tomorrow for the Krafty Blog Hop! :)

Krafty Peeks, Day 3

Season's Greetings, friends!  Where I live, "Season's Greetings" is a salutation typically used during the period between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day.  I wonder why that is?  It seems like a perfectly non-specific way to say "Hello," doesn't it?  It's not "Winter Greetings" or "Holiday Greetings."  Just generic ol' "Season's".  Habit and usage have shortened its lifespan.  Ponder that for a while, if you will.

 

Still, "Season's Greetings" is a perfectly valid opener for this particular blog post because this week's Kraftin' Kimmie Challenge is CHRISTMAS IN SEPTEMBER!  All the details on how to play are available on the KKS Challenge Blog, as are gorgeous samples from the Krafty Girls and Guests to get you in the spirit. 

But wait!  There's more!

It's also Krafty Peeks, Day 3, and today we're giving you glimpses of all the latest MOONLIGHT WHISPERS images!  Moonlight Whispers are illustrated by one of the best artists in the stamping industry, the incomparable ANNIE RODRIGUE.  This month, KKS has SIX heavenly new Moonlight Whispers images for you... ANNIE'S ANGELS! (Not to be confused with Charlie's Angels.  Don't even get me started on the fact that they're trying to remake that classic television program this fall.  It's a TRAVESTY!  I'd better stop right now before I go off on a full-blown tangent...)  Meet the operatic AURELIA:

(Banner construction and materials details are available on this post.)  Aurelia comes with a sentiment that says "Angels We Have Heard On High!" and a separate halo stamp.  I masked the top of Aurelia's head then stamped the halo on top of her.  Isn't she lovely?  Every single one of Annie's Angels are just as gorgeous. 

What's that?  You don't believe me?  The nerve!  Wait... do you hear that?  Listen closely...

 

THIS is what it sounds like when doves cry... you've wounded me deeply. (<-- Couldn't resist adding a Prince reference since I am, at this very moment, in Minneapolis and quite possibly hanging out with his Purple Highness.)

Don't take my unreliable word for how fabulous Annie's Angels are -- see 'em for yourself on the Krafty Challenge Blog.  There, you'll find sublime samples featuring all six of the Angels and direct links to all of the Krafty Girls' & Guests' blog posts.  You'll need those to make comments on all of the Peeking blogs to be eligible to win THREE of Annie's Angels (two people will each win three stamps).  And if you particpate in this week's challenge?  You could be eligible to win an AURELIA of your very own.  Git 'r' done!

 

See you underneath the Purple Rain!

Krafty Recipe

Greetings, chiclets!  I'm happy because Mother Nature has finally showed we Okies a little mercy.  As I write this at 9 p.m. on Friday night, it's a lovely 70 degrees - unbelieveable after the miserable heat we've had for the last month.  It rained buckets today, but I don't think you'll find many around here complaining since we've had such a drought all summer.  Gives me hope there's a light at the end of this hotter 'n' heck tunnel! 

By the time you read this, it will be Saturday, which means it's time for this week's Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps challenge.  Have you had a chance to go to the KKS website this week?  It's had a FABULOUS makeover!  So pretty and much easier to navigate.  Check it out - I'm sure you'll approve!  And don't worry, even though my photo is not there when you click on the Krafty Girls link, I assure you it's coming soon.  You know I {heart} my KKS and I'm not going anywhere (unless there's something Kimmie's not telling me... you don't think she's trying to send me a hint, do you???).

 

You know what?  I'm going to think positive and not let paranoia be my destroyer.  (<-- little shout out to all you Kinks fans in the hizzle)

Wanna hear about today's KKS challenge?  Of course you do!  Our hostess for this week's challenge is the transcendent TRACY, and she wants us to use a RECIPE!  Here are the ingredients:

• 1 flower
• 1 ribbon
• 1 piece of chipboard

And here's what I cooked up, using the lovely new ELAINE image:

I thought the rose patterned paper was only fitting for this English rose, as was the felt rolled rose flower.  I stamped Elaine's sentiment on to a piece of Technique Tuesday chipboard I had in my stash (turns out, I have about a MILLION pieces of chipboard in one particular drawer I never open...).  Elaine was colored with Copic markers and her overcast sky was lightly airbrushed.  I sure hope she's staying away from the part of London that's rioting.  That's some scary stuff.  Surely Elaine has better sense than to look for trouble.  On the other hand, it does seem to me that Elaine lives her life like a candle in the wind, never knowing who to cling to until the rain sets in...

Oh, wait.  I'm confusing her with someone else...

 

So, um, anyway.  Here's a close-up:

Ready to see what the other Krafty Girls have created?  Then head on over to the KKS Challenge Blog and take a look.  There, you'll also find information about how you can play along in this week's challenge and win the perky PATSY stamp (same one that Tracy used on her card).  You'll also find links to all the Krafty Girls playing today, so you can leave 'em a little love for inspiring you. 

Have a great weekend!  Pip pip, cheerio!

BUY THE WAY: Click HERE for this week's Frugal Friday special - you can get 40-50% off six selected KKS images through Sunday, but act quickly because they're going-going-GONE!

Supplies used:

Stamps: Elaine by Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps; Paper: Rose Red, Old Olive (SU!), rose patterned paper by Paper Studio (Hobby Lobby), check patterned paper from Kaiser Kraft's Nan's Favorites 6x6 pad, Copic X-Press Blending cardstock; Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Accessories: Rolled Rose DieNamic from MFT, felt, Copic Markers and airbrush system, ribbon, Technique Tuesday rectangular chipboard, Nestabilities ovals & scallop ovals, embroidery floss, foam boosters from Jody Morrow's Sticky Stuff Store.

August Sketch For You To Try

It's the first Saturday of the month - you know what that means: a brand new SKETCH FOR YOU TO TRY, designed by the stamping industry's premiere card architecht, Jen del Muro!  She's the Howard Roark of stamping.  Now, generally, that last comment would set me off on a long Fountainhead/Ayn Rand tangent, but I've got ground to cover and must be disciplined today.¹ *sigh*

On a very happy note, this month's SFYTT is sponsored by one of my favoritest stamp company's in the whole wide world...

If you're a regular reader of my blog (God bless you and keep you), you know that I'm a proud Krafty Girl (aka member of the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps design team).  Getting to show you the SFYTT while using Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps makes me happier than a tick on a fat dog.  Ready for the sketch?

Another thing that makes me happy?  Combining challenges!  Saturday is also the day that Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps' weekly challenge is revealed, and this week the marvelous MELANIE is our hostess.  This week's challenge: DISTRESS IT²!  

Here's my distressed SFYTT, using the new MELANIE³ Travel Girl image from KKS's Moonlight Whispers line:

Here's a close up...

Doesn't she look happy?⁴ 

Using the new SFYTT and/or this week's Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps challenge is GUARANTEED to make you just as happy, or Jen and Kimmie will come to your house and clean it.⁵ So what do you have to lose?!  Nuttin' honey.  For more inspiration, go to Jen's blog to see how she and August's Designer of the Month, TENIA NELSON, have used the new SFYTT.  And of course, you'll want to check out the creations by my sublimely talented SFYTT Sisters:

Amber Hight (she's on vacation, but will be posting later this month)
Amy Sheffer
Jen Tapler
Jodi Collins
Kerry Johnson
Megan Lock
Susan Liles
Terri Moore

Then, you'll need to head over to the Kraftin' Kimmie Challenge blog for inspiration by the Krafty Girls -- including our two brand new team members, the beautiful and talented PAM VARNELL  and NICOLE ASPINALL!  You can also find out how to participate in this week's challenge and win the fun-fun Fred and Ginger image.⁶

Alrighty, friendly friends.  I must get this thing posted as - true to form - I'm already a wee bit late with it.  Have a great weekend!

Footnotes:

1.  Damn it.  I dislike having to be disciplined.  It interferes with my joie de vivre.

2.  Distressing... well, it distresses me.  To "distress" paper means to rough it up - rip it, shred it, wrinkle it, ink it up - whatever.  I never do it unless it's part of a challenge.  Weirdly enough, I created another distressed card earlier in the week for SCS's Dare to Get Dirty Challenges.  Distressing paper is counterintuitive to my preppy sensibilites.  Like buying jeans that are already ripped. 

3.  This image was named for Melanie, but I think it looks like another Krafty Girl - my buddy Kerry, who, like Melanie and KKS, also hails from Canada.  She's got a cute short-brown 'do, just like the image.  And I think she often makes this exact same pose...

4.  Like she's had maybe one too many Grapehead martinis.

5.  Subject to terms and conditions, which are beyond my imagination to think of at the moment.

6.  Which I've always thought resembled Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony.  Poor little Jenny from the Block... will she ever find true love?

Michele - My Belle...

... These are words that go together well, my Michele ...

Before you think I've got a big girly-crush on my buddy, Michele Boyer, just know this: despite the fact that I have short hair, I am 100% heterosexual.  Not that I have anything against anyone who prefers their own; I'm perfectly okay with that.  Just sayin'.  I DO have a HUGE crush on Michele, but of the stamping kind, only.  I wish I could stamp and embellish exactly like her, but that's it.  I don't want to woo her.  I'm perfectly happy and satisfied by my husband.  Who is a man.  Not that gender makes a difference.  Whatever floats your boat!  And now?  Maybe I should just shut up and talk about this week's Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps' Challenge...

(Don't you know Kimmie is wondering why on earth she ever asked me to be on her design team?!  But she knew me, and thus knew random babbling like the above came with the territory.  Caveat emptor! ;) )

So.  You ready to hear about this week's Kraftin Kimmie Stamps Challenge?  Of course you are!  DONNA is this week's hostess, and she's come up with a challenge that's elicited fear in the hearts of all: CLEAN AND SIMPLE - NO EMBELLISHMENTS!  It's enough to you make it faint, ain't it?  Fortunately, we could use anything made of paper and stitching was deemed okay, so here's what I came up with using MICHELE...

 
Michele is one of the new Travel Girls recently released by KKS, and named for my aforementioned stampin' pal.  (I almost typed 'gf' but didn't want y'all to get the wrong idea.)  She's strolling along the streets of gay Paree (gay meaning "happy"...), after having done a little bit o' shopping.  Wanna see a close up of her?  Okily-dokily...

Not sure if you can tell from the pic, but I added a little Glossy Accents to her glasses lenses to make 'em a bit more realistic.  Other card details?  Michele was colored via Copic Markers, on Copic X-Press Blending card stock (my favorite for coloring these detailed images).  For the lovely sewn border (if I do say so myself...), I used one strand of cream and another strand of pink embroidery floss to handstitch around the light gray layer.  The only other decorative details were created via the lacy border die cuts, made via MFT's Dainty Lace Border Die-Namic.  Simple, yet chic, as befitting la jolie petite fille.

Ready to see more CAS stunners?  Then head on over to the KKS Challenge Blog.  You'll get a lot of loverly inspiration and find out how you can participate in this week's challenge.  Should you decided to play along with us -- and of course, we hope you will -- you'll be eligible to win BRIGITTE - the image our oh-so-sadistic Donna used in her challenge card.  All the details are available on the KKS blog.

Au revoir, mas petite chou! (See you later, my little cabbage!)

BUY THE WAY: This week's Frugal Friday special features a stamp I truly believe EVERY stamper NEEDS: The Krafty Stamper!  Seriously?  Is this not the BEST image you've ever seen of a stamper?!  If you say "no," I'm not sure I want to know you... Get the Krafty Stamper and this week's other Frugal Friday images for 40-50% off, only through Sunday!  And if you've been on the fence about ordering any of the Gimme Kimmie kits, you need to get off it because that special ends on Sunday, too.  :)

Life Is An Adventure!

It's time for the weekly Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Challenge, and this week's challenge is a SKETCH by the terrifically talented TARA.  You can find the sketch and samples from lots of Krafty Girls and Krafty Guests on the KKS Blog. 

In the meantime, here's my take on the sketch challenge starring CLEO, one of the brand new Moonlight Whispers Travel Girls that were released last Sunday.

Isn't she quite the come-hither Queen o' the Nile?  Very sultry... I think it's her pelvis-first posture.  I'm going to have to try that out.  Think it'll be a good look for me?  Here's Cleo, up close and personal:

Mosey on over to the KKS Challenge Blog - pelvis first, chest first, feet first, however you're most comfortable.  Hopefully you'll be inspired to get Krafty and play along with us.  If so, you just might be the lucky winner of TORI, the image Tara used for her card.

BUY THE WAY: Kimmie's announced this week's FRUGAL FRIDAY discounts and among them is one of my faves!  Thru Sunday, you can save 40-50% on the following images: Eleanor, Cannonball Cameron, Jukebox, Brady the builder, Lavender the Quilter and Party Time.  Here's one of Eleanor I made not so long ago (and just mailed out to a dear friend yesterday):

Get 'em while they're hot! :)

Krafty Peeks, Day 4: Travel Girls!

Good morning, glories!  It's one of my favorite days of the month: the day we get to show you all of the new Moonlight Whispers images coming your way from Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps!  Annie Rodrigue's illustrations just do it for me, you know?  I rank 'em right up there with key lime pie, La Coste shirts, A Prayer For Owen Meany by John Irving, Airstream travel trailers, and Deadwood.  Need I say more?

And, since it's Saturday, it's also time for this week's Kraftin' Kimmie Challenge.  You'll never guess who this week's hostess is...

 

It's little old me!  And - for once - I've decided to take it easy on you (I don't want the sound of your own wheels to drive you crazy).  (Just a little Eagles humor for the classic rock lovers in the house.  Carry on!) (My wayward son/There'll be peace when you are done...)

 

Okay, okay.  No more song lyric references.  Where was I? 

Oh yeah!  This week's challenge is easy-peasy, if I do say so myself.  All you have to do is FINISH THE INSIDE! Of your card, that is.  I'll show you what I mean, using one of the FABULOUS new TRAVEL GIRLS being released on Sunday from KKS. 

I chose to work with JEANNIE for obvious reasons...

{Please know that I am biting my tongue/fingers to not make any references to 'American Woman' by The Guess Who (and covered by Lenny Kravitz) right now}  Isn't she somethin'?  KKS is a Canadian company, you know, and I think this is what Kimmie and the gang think a lot of us Yanks look like...

• Farrah hair,
• cut off shorts, and
• tube socks

It wouldn't bother me in the least to look like JEANNIE - I think she's fab, posing in front of sweet Lady Liberty.  And you've got to admit: she's knocking you out with those American thighs! 

SORRY!!!!  You ought know I don't have the self-control to NOT quote AC/DC in a situation like this...

Wanna see inside?  Of course you do!

See?  It doesn't have to be fancy.  When I decorate the inside of a card, I generally keep it clean and simple.  For one thing, I'm usually out of creative juice by the time I get to the inside, and for another, I like to have plenty of room to write my message to the recipient.  In case you haven't noticed, I can be a little long winded...

 

Ready to see where in the world some of the other TRAVEL GIRLS are?  Then head on over to the KKS Challenge Blog where you'll be treated to lots of look-sees by my fellow Krafty Girls and our oh-so-special Krafty Guests. And be sure to leave a comment on all the Krafty Peeks you see today.  If you do?  you might be one of two randomly drawn lucky winners to receive THREE of the six new TRAVEL GIRLS!  Woot!

I'll see you mañana - aka RELEASE DAY! - for the Krafty Blog hop.  And be warned: the image I've used (another Travel Girl) lends itself to many a pop song.  The first that come to mind?  Hmmm... "Who Can It Be Now?", "Love Is Thicker Than Water", "The One Thing", and "I Honestly Love You."  Any guesses?

 

Tag! You're It!

You've survived another week - congratulations! Why don't we celebrate by playing with this week's Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Challenge? What's that you say?  GREAT idea?  Why, thank you.  I'm glad you approve.  I aim to please...

Our Krafty hostess for this week's challenge is Kraftin' KIMMIE herself, and she's challenging all of us to either make a tag or include a tag on our creation.  Here's what I came up with, using KIMIKO, yet another of the gorgeous Asian-Inspired Moonlight Whispers girls by Annie Rodrigue:

And yes, I DID use both Brilliant Blue and Glorious Green on the same card!  I know those colors make some of you want to throw up a little in your mouth, but to me, they are utukushii (<-- that's 'beautiful' in Japanese.  Duh... ;) like I knew that before I Googled it 5 seconds ago). 

Speaking -- as I ALWAYS do -- of utukushii, how do you like my tassel?  I made it using Plum and Blueberry Divine Twine from The Cat's Pajamas.  It was really easy to make, and I think it adds an elegant-yet-trendy touch.  Maybe one day I'll teach you my ancient Chinese secret about how to make these, but not today.  I've got places to go, people to see, and lots of new images to color for next week's Kraftin' Kimmie release. 

Yeah, I know.  I'm cold.  Leaving you hanging AND teasing you that I have yet-to-be-revealed rubbah in my possession... Just call me 'Queen Frostine'!

 

Okay, okay.  I will throw you one bone: check out the Krafty Challenge Blog to see what the Krafty Girls and Guests have created for this week's challenge.  There, you'll also find out how you can win the image Kimmie used in her creation just by participating!  And here's another bone: don't forget about KKS's new FRUGAL FRIDAYS promotion - each week Kimmie will be posting 3-4 stamps that will be on sale for at least 40% off!  These items will be on sale until Sunday night ONLY, so be sure to grab them while you can!  You can check out this week’s stamps HERE.

That's it for me, folks.  Happy Saturday, and sayonara! 

Double Your Pleasure

You twinkle up above... We twinkle below...

Man, I wish someone would greet me each morning with song!  My kids?  They don't appreciate it at all.  Don't know how good they've got it to have a mother with such a repetoire of a.m.-appropriate ditties.  SPOILED!  That's what they are - SPOILED!  *sigh*  But nevermind them, because I have another SUPER SATURDAY up my sleeve for you!  I fear I'm going to spoil you, too, by giving you not-one-but-two cards in one day, two weeks in a row.  But what can I do?  I'm a giver; I GIVE!

And now, I give you the JULY Sketch For You To Try, as created by the fantabulous Jen del Muro.  As usual, it's a goodie!

 

Speaking of goodies, this month's SFYTT is sponsored by a stamp company you know and love so well, you can even sing their theme song!  Need a hint as to who it might be?  Let's see... Raindrops on roses... and whiskers on kittens... bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens... You got it!  It's MY FAVORITE THINGS! 

I dug through my vast inventory of MFT stamps and pulled out a sweet and summery Pure Innocence image I had yet to get inky.  Here's what I've done with her, using this month's SFYTT:

I used Make Mine a Double - isn't she yummy?  I drew on a little pair of socks, colored her with Copics and paper pieced her dress with A Muse Studio's buttercup gingham cardstock (so tiny and delicious!).  I stuck strictly to the sketch and kept it pretty clean and simple, foregoing my usual number of layers, but I am happy with how it turned out.  That's a good sketch for you - you don't have to 'fluff' it up to make it look good; it does the work for you!

Be sure visit Jen's blog to see what she and the Designer Of the Month, the terrific DEBBIE CARRIERE (my fellow Mojo Maker!) have created with this brand new sketch and MFT.  Sadly, we're saying goodbye to a longtime SFYTT Sister, Kelly Lunceford, but for the happiest of reasons: she's about to give birth to a little bundle of joy!  Congrats, Kelly, and we'll miss your GORGEOUS samples every month!

Of course, you'll also want to check out what my s'wonderful SFYTT Sisters have created:

Amber Hight
Amy Sheffer
Carole Burrage
Jen Tapler
Jodi Collins
Kerry Johnson
Megan Lock
Susan Liles
Terri Moore

And more good news: Sony Christoph is playing with us this month, too!  Yay!

Saturday also means it's time for Kraftin' Kimmie's Weekly Challenge.  This week's hostess is the magnificent MELANIE and her challenge is MATERIAL GIRL: include fabric or material of some sort on your creation.  I still can't get enough of June's Asian Inspired Moonlight Whisper's gals, and today's card is inspired by one of my all-time-favorite books, Memoirs of a Geisha:

This is SAKURA (whose name means 'cherry blossom'), but I prefer to call her 'Hatsumomo' after my favorite Geisha character (the mean and crazy one, of course). 

I tried to keep her makeup Geisha-authentic, using this photo as a guide.  After making this card, I decided I really NEED to go to Kyoto and see Geisha in person and get made up this way myself.  I found what looks like a great tour of Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka through a place called affordabletours.com.  Have any of you ever used them, or do you have a travel tour company you can recommend?  That research got me into a whole discussion with Carter about how he and I will travel the world together when he gets a little older.  He now wants to put a big map in his room so he can plan our routes.  So cute!

But back to my card.  The fabric I used on my card are the fabric-covered brads and the velvet ribbon.  The ribbon is kind of a cheat, but those fabric covered brads aren't, don't you think?  Head on over to the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog for more material inspiration by the Krafty Girls and to learn how you can win a KIMIKO stamp just by participating! 

Oh, and before I forget!  KKS has a new weekly special (aka SALE!) going called FRUGAL FRIDAYS - every Friday, Kimmie will feature 3-4 images she'll give customers AT LEAST a 40% discount on from Friday - Sunday.  Isn't that fabulous?  This week's images are: Barnacle Brad, Buster the Bulldog, Patsy and Sir Galahad - get 'em while they're hot (and on sale)!

Have a wonderful weekend, friends, and I'll be back on Monday, or as we Yanks call it, Independence Day!

 

Super Saturday!

Is today your lucky day or what?  I've got not one but TWO cards to show you today!  You know I'm violently opposed to spoiling my readers and my children, but sometimes Mother feel too lazy to uphold her usual high standards.  Consider this a version of "You can just take a bath tomorrow..."

How does showing you two cards in one day make me lazy, you ask, when clearly I've been a productive little crafter?  Well, here's the deal: it's actually a way for me to cut corners and only write one blog post.  See, I've got this sadistic professor this summer, and she's making my life a wee bit miserable at the moment.  On Monday, in one single class, I have THREE papers due and a mid-term!  I also have a mid-term in the class that follows.  Thus, I have miles to go before I sleep for the next couple of nights, and shaving off a blog post helps.

Confession over.  Ready to see what I've got up my sleeve? 

Kraftin' Kimmie Weekly Challenge

First off, it's time for this week's Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Challenge (#84), hostessed by my sweet friend and one of my favorite stampers, the magnificent MICHELE.  She's come up with the very seasonally appropriate challenge to MAKE A SPLASH! Create a card or project with a water theme.....beachy, rain, underwater, pool...anything wet or watery!

I had yet to get KKS's newest illustrator, the extraordinary Emilie Goulet's, cute crab CARLOS inky, so this challenge was the perfect opportunity...

I wanted to keep it pretty clean and gender neutral, as I've got two guys with August birthdays in mind this might be a good one for.  One (Class Act Brad - I've mentioned him over the years) likes to have crab boils and always invites us over for them, and the other is Carter's sand castle building buddy every time we take our biannual family beach vacations.  And get this - both of their birthdays are on Aug. 24.  Freaky-deaky, no?

Head on over to the Kraftin' Kimmie Challenge blog to see all the wet 'n' wild creations the Krafty Girls AND for a special announcement about our newest Krafty Girl!  I'll give you a couple of hints as to who it is: I'm oh-so-happy to be playing with this Canuck again, as she is one of my favorite PeoPLe!  Also check out how you can play along and win the gorgeous Moonlight Whisper's NERISSA stamp that Michele is working with today.

SFYTT, Sponsored By Stamping Bella

Speaking of Canucks, Jen's Sketch For You To Try Team is so fortunate to have the one and only STAMPING BELLA sponsoring us this month.  As longtime readers know, I'm a HUGE fan of da Bella.  Bella images were one of my first stamping loves, and I've had the good fortune to hang out with Emily in person several times(she is a BLAST!).  I even did a short stint as a Bella Babe before I took my year-long hiatus from design team work a while back.  So I speak with authority when I say that STAMPING BELLA is definitely one of the best businesses in the industry.  Every product Emily sells is on or ahead of the trends and has been carefully vetted by the Bella Herself.

To refresh your memory, here's the June SFYTT:

And here's what I did with it, using Bronte and Louis by Mo Manning:

And here's a closer look at the image...

I just fell in love with that sweet and oh-so-apt drawing of a little boy and his dog; definitely reminded me of Carter and Sweet Pea (aka 'Pretty Princess Dog' or 'Ninja Princess Dog,' as Carter and I say in baby talk to her, dozens of times a day.  For some strange reason, neither Sean nor Truman find her as charming as we do.  Weirdos).  I had trimmed some webbing from her electric fence collar a while back and kept it, thinking I might be able to use it somehow, and it actually came in handy!  I think that's first.

Other card details?

• It's an unusual size - 4.5 x 7 (I think) - in order to fit all the elements I wanted to fit in. 
• The patterned paper is from Crate Paper's Toy Box Collection 6"x6" pad.
• The cork is from My Favorite Things.
• I did a little hand stitching around the navy square with red DMC embroidery floss.
• The sentiment is computer generated (font: Rockwell), which I then circle punched and adhered to the tag, then attached to the ribbon slide with a jump ring.
• The ribbon slide is from an old SU! Hodge Podge hardware collection.

Okay, friends.  That's all I 've got for you today, but I've got a full week of stuff in the works, beginning with Mojo Monday.  Please send thoughts of loving kindness and good energy my way so that I'm able to finish everything I've got on my super-sized plate.

 

Fairy Sweetness

Happy Saturday, friends! 

I don't know about you, but I have been so sleepy lately.  I think it's because I've started a new diet that's fairly strict.  No discretionary eating or 'adult' beverages?  Might as well call it a day and hit the sack early.  Last night I was in bed by 9 something, and I'm pretty sure I'd still be sleeping right now if the air conditioner filter in my bedroom hadn't been clanging around (meaning it's dirty and needs to be cleaned; I've been waiting for DH to do it, but I fear this is a case of the old saying: wish in one hand and $h!t in the other.  See which fills up faster... *sigh*).

Anyway, I'll keep you posted on the diet.  I am DETERMINED this time!  For real.  I'm even drinking my coffee without creamer, which is HUGE and a first.  The beach vacation was really a wake-up call for me. 

Enough of my navel-gazing.  Let's move on, shall we?  How about we change the topic to this week's Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps challenge (#83): Cards for Little Peeps!  The challenge -- hosted by the delightful DIANA (also known as Stampin' Nana Diana, MommaD, and real-life mother of Kimmie, herself!  Isn't that just the coolest thing?  That a mom and daughter share a hobby and that Kimmie has her mother on her design team?  I love that and wonder what a relationship like that would be like.  Maybe in my next life...) -- is just what it sounds like: make a card for a little person in your life!

Here's what I put together with my little niece Blair in mind (she'll be turning 2 next month):

What little girl doesn't love fairies?  Even I did, as evidenced by being Tinkerbelle for Halloween one year.  This particular fairy is TALLULAHBELLE from KKS's Moonlight Whispers line.  I've been dying to ink up these sweet fairies since I got 'em, and I just love T's crazy hair cones/horns/whatever you want to call 'em.  Same reason Malificent is my favorite Disney villain.  But I digress.  As usual.

To see more cards for little peeps, head on over to the KKS Challenge Blog.  There, you'll also find out how you can win a set of four Steven Leary images plus Dancing Dylan (the image Diana is using this week).  Hint: all you have to do is play along with us!

A few card details:

• Talullahbelle was colored with Copic Markers, then trimmed out and glued to the sky background.
• I created the sky background using my Copic airbrush system and air compressor, using the technique I learned from my buddy LEIGH
• I added Bonnie Blue and Lemone Tranparent Ultrafine Art Glitter to T's wings using a Quickie Glue Pen
• I don't know if you can tell from the photo, but I switched out the thread in my sewing machine to a light yellow thread.  Matchy-matchy!
• The purple and yellow Prima flower was a gift from my pal and fellow Krafty Girl MICHELE
• The banner die-cut for the sentiment was made using The Cat's Pajamas' Easy Rosette CutUps die, which includes the perfect sized banner for your 'skinnier' sentiments
• The sentiment is from Kimmie's Fairy Sentiments set
• I used this week's Card Positioning Systems sketch, #222

Okily-dokily, neighbors.  Have a wonderful weekend!  I'll be back next week with lots of fun new images by The Cat's Pajamas as SNEAKY PEEK WEEK will be in session!  Holla!

Supplies used:

Stamps: Tallulahbelle and Kimmie's Fairy Sentiments by Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps; Paper: patterened paper from Echo Park's Springtime 6x6 pad, Pure Plum (PTI), So Saffron (SU!), Copic X-Press blending paper; Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, A Muse Studio Blackberry; Accessories: Easy Rosette CutUps die from The Cat's Pajamas, Nestabilities Labels Nine, Copic markers and airbrush system, Bonnie Blue and Lemone Transparent Ultrafine Art Glitter, Prima flower, gingham ribbon, sewing machine, foam boosters from Jody Morrow's Sticky Stuff Store.