OWH Birthday Bash Blog Hop

I am so thrilled to be a part of this fantabulous Operation Write Home & Perfect Papercrafting Blog Hop.  Operation Write Home is such a wonderful organization and I love the idea of sending cards to our military men and women who are far from home to use.  With projects created using Perfect Layers for Operation Write Home we hope to wow you with some gorgeous creations today!  If you'd like to participate in the hop, you'll want to go to the start of the hop - HERE.

I figured since it was a birthday bash, why not make a Kickin' Birthday card using MFT's adorable Karate Boy.  My sentiment was stamped using MFT Black Licorice Ink.  The designer papers are from My Mind's Eye (Lost & Found - Sunshine) and those perfectly matted layers were made using my Perfect Layers Tool.  I added some small black brads to the corners to keep things simple and within the guidelines that OWH has for sending cards to soldiers.

Now, let's talk prizes!

Hop along with us today and leave some blog love for our Perfect Layers Designers and the Operation Write Home Team to be eligible to win a $50 gift certificate from Perfect Paper Crafting.  The winner will be selected randomly from comments left on the DT blogs.

Ready to Hop?

 Your next stop along the hop is DIXIE.  But don't forget to leave me a comment before you go for your chance to win the $50 gift certificate from Perfect Paper Crafting.

Thanks so much for stopping by and happy hopping!!

Thanks a Bunch

Here's a card I created for a Copic coloring class I taught a while back at the My Favorite Things Boutique.  This Monkey Business image has now sadly been retired but I thought I'd show it to you anyway.  I started by stamping the image using Memento Tuxedo Black ink and of course colored him with Copics.  I then gave a fuzzy texture to his suit using a piece of terry cloth damped with colorless blender solution.  I paired designer papers from My Mind's Eye along Kraft and Dark Chocolate cardstock from Papertrey Ink.  I used the MFT Vine Border die with Ripe Avocado cardstock and embellish it with a few green rhinestones.

Copic Used:

Skin: E13, E11, E00, E50, R02

Suit: E44, E43, E42, E41 (colorless blender)

Bananas: YR24, YR31, E50

Grass: YG91, YG93, YG95, YG97, YG23

Please forgive me, but it completely slipped my mind about posting my winner from the YNS Darling Diva hop.  :(  I feel so bad about it and apologize to everyone who may have been checking my blog for the winner.

The winner is....

Crafty Math Chick

Congrats and please send me an email (click on the envelope icon on the right sidebar) with your mailing address along with your Darling Diva choice and I'll get your prize out to you right away!!

Thanks for stopping by today!!

I'm Thankful for You

Click HERE for my There She Goes - Holiday Cheer Release Blog Hop

Click HERE to enter my Blog Candy Giveaway

Have you played along yet with this month's Ribbon Carousel Challenge?!  

Our challenges are now monthly challenges with a big 'ol prize at the end for one lucky challenge participant....a ribbon carousel!!

This months theme is Fall/ Thanksgiving

It was a HUGE undertaking but I did it....I actually created 13 of these little place cards for my family's Thanksgiving dinner at my Mom's house later this week.  Since they were a true labor of love, I created them to lay flat for storage so hopefully they will last and be enjoyed for many years to come.

Each place card is 3 1/2 "x 2" in size.  I first cut the kraft portions and ran then each card through my printer to print everyone's names using the Always Forever font.  I then stamped the MFT sentiment above the printed names and added machine stitching all around. The strip of designer paper is from Authentique's Thankful collection and matted with Candy Bar Bazzill cardstock.  All of the card layers were created using the Perfect Layers tool. I paper pieced a portion of the dress on the My Favorite Things, Turkey Time image and then used a YG91 Copic marker to add shading.  The cornstalk was created by using the MFT Cornstalk Die-namic and cutting it out of a 1" wide strip of canvas ribbon* from the Ribbon Carousel (*This ribbon is no longer is stock).  To prevent the canvas from unraveling and fraying on the ends, I adhered Thermoweb PeelnStick adhesive to the back before running it through my die cutter.   The stamped image was cut out and popped up with foam tape for dimension and a pinch of real moss was added under her feet.

Copics Used:

Skin: E13, E21, E00, E50, R02

Hair/Shoes: E50, E33, E35, E29

Dress: E42, E41, YG91

Turkey: E37, E35, E31, YR31, Y21

Have you heard the news?!?!  The Ribbon Carousel will be phasing out selling ribbon and other items in the shop to refocus energies on bring everyone NEW Carousel designs along with other storage and organizational products.  The good news for you....most inventory has been marked down 15-75% off!!

I hope my creation has inspired to you play along with us this week at the Ribbon Carousel Challenge Blog,  Remember, your creation can be anything you'd like, just be sure you use ribbon, bakers twine, lace, thread...(anything that comes on a spool) on your card or project.

Don't forget...I have a Blog Candy Giveaway going on right now...click HERE to enter!  

Thanks for stopping by!!

Count Your Blessings

This week our Ribbon Carousel Crewmate, Jessie Rone is challenging us to use buttons and twine on our projects.  

Fall is without a doubt my most favorite time of the year.  The crisp air, cooler weather, changing of the leaves, wearing sweaters and boots....oh, I LOVE everything about it!!  And so, for my card I couldn't resist using MFT's Cutest Pumpkin in the Patch for my image along with MME (Mischievous) designer paper.  All of the paper panels were machine stitched and brown hemp cording was wrapped around and tied into a simple knot.  The main image and sentiment are popped up with foam tape for dimension and to allow the cording to go behind it.  The buttons used are from Papertrey Ink's Custom Mix.

I hope my creation has inspired to you play along with us this week at the Ribbon Carousel Challenge Blog,  Remember, your creation can be anything you'd like, just be sure you use ribbon, bakers twine, lace, thread...(anything that comes on a spool) on your card or project.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

You Are My Anchor

This week at the Ribbon Carousel we are challenging you to do a little stitching on your creations.  You guys know how much I LOVE my Janome Sew Mini Sewing Machine so this was a super fun challenge for me.  Don't have a sewing machine?  Then faux stitching it is!  :)   

For my card, I started with a Marshmallow cardstock base and accented with layers of Peanut Cluster cardstock.  I chose designer papers from Authentique (Glory) and then machine stitched all of the paper panels.  For my image, I've used My Favorite Things newest a'la Mode - You Anchor Me.  The little anchor is a die from MFT's coordinating Sea Charm Die-namics and is tied with some beautiful Graphite Vintage Seam Binding and accented with a bit of Cherry Divine Twine.  I distressed and frayed the edges to the seam binding for character and to matching the distressed look of the papers.

Copics Used:

Skin: E11, E00, E50, R02

Hair: E41, E42, E43, E44

Shirt: R39, R37, R35

Shorts: B99, B97, B95, B91

Anchor: C7, C5, C3, C1, C00

Hopefully my creation has inspired to you play along with us this week at the Ribbon Carousel Challenge Blog,  Remember, your creation can be anything you'd like, just be sure you use ribbon, bakers twine, lace, thread...(anything that comes on a spool) with a little stitching.


Thanks so much for stopping by today!!

You're Smokin'

Morning Peeps!!  

Today I'll be teaching Copic coloring classes at the My Favorite Things Boutique and to celebrate I thought I'd show you one of the images that we will be coloring!!  My mom and step-dad both work for the Fire department so this Pure Innocence Firefighter Boy is near and dear to my heart!!  

I used some of my favorite My Mind's Eye (Sunshine) papers, I just LOVE that golden yellow and black! I used a Fancy Flourish Die-namic along with the new Circle Stax Dia-namics 1 & 2.  Oh Em Gee!!  You NEED these dies!!  The sizes are made to mat PERFECTLY!!  I don't know about you, but I was having to hand cut my mats using Spellbinder circle dies and spent frustrating amounts of time trying to get it right.  These are designed to give you a .25 inch difference between each die.  

Can you say, LOVE?!?!   :)

As many of you know the Sweet Stop Sketch has been celebrating our birthday all month long by using some of our favorite sketches from the past 3 years and I've chosen this sketch (flipped).

I hope you will find some time to check out the sketches used by the other Sugar Babies this week and then play along with us.

Janice Melton

Monika Davis

Shannon White

Cathy McCauley

Shelby Goolsby

Chris Dickinson

Thanks so much for stopping by today!!

Easter Wishes

Yes, yes...I know.  Valentines Day was just a few days ago and I've already designing my first Easter card!!  :)  Well, I just couldn't wait any longer to color up Tiddly Inks, Some Bunny Loves You - Wryn.   And of course I've used it together with Korin's sketch for this weeks Sweet Stop.  

You guys know how much I freak out when a sketch has a "tilted" element in it and I almost gave up trying to make this work but I'm so glad I hung in there because I LOVE the way it came out!!  XOXO  :)  I once again turned to my very favorite papers...My Mind's Eye (Lost & Found - Sunshine)which is 20% off right now at SCACD. 

This weeks sketch has a spin to it and that is to use punches or dies on your project.  Easy right!?!  :)  

I've got a little of both going on right now with a Martha Stewart Doily border punch along the bottom,  as well as a My Favorite Things Fresh Cut Grass die-namic and Cloud die-namic for my sentiment panel.  But my very favorite part of this whole card would have to be the carrot!!

This little felt carrot was created by using some embroidery floss, hot glue and My Favorite Things Banner Day Die-namic and Flower/Leaf trio die-namics.  (Yep, that's a banner die...Isn't it precious?!?!  :)  Let me know if you think I should I do a little picture tutorial on how I made it.  It's really easy!!  :)

I hope you will find some time to check out what the other Sugar Babies have done with this weeks sketch and then play along with us.

Janice Melton

Monika Davis

Shannon White

Cathy McCauley

Kim O'Connell

Shelby Goolsby

Chris Dickinson

Thanks so much for stopping by today!!

Peace Out 2011

Hi everyone!!  Just a real quick post to share with you one last card to close out 2011.  I recently purchased this Disco Girl stamp from My Favorite Things, but what sold it for me was when I saw the "Peace Out" sentiment....then I knew I HAD to have it!!  :)  When my husband leaves for work every morning the kids and I stand in the driveway and wave goodbye.  He passes out kisses and love you's to each of us and then says, Peace Out Peeps!" as he gets into the car!!  LOL    

I used some designer paper from My Mind's Eye (Hattie) paper pad and some gorgeous 1" Reversable Antique Gold/Champagne Satin Stitched Ribbon from the Ribbon Carousel.  I created the texture on her dress by dampening a scrap of grosgrain ribbon with Copic Colorless Blender Solution.

Please stop back by tomorrow for a The Greeting Farm Blog Hop showcasing all 6 of the fabulous January release stamps...which will all be available for purchase tomorrow too!!  :)  So excited!!!  :)  :)

Here's a little slide show of our Christmas
(If you subscribe to my blog via e-mail, you'll need to click HERE to view the photos)

I hope you and your families enjoy a safe and Happy New Year!!

Peace Out Peeps!!  ;)

Feeling Frosty!!

It's FINALLY chilly in Florida and although we will never see snow...tonight we will see ICE!

My little family will be going to see ICE at Gaylord Palms where EVERYTHING is made entirely of ice.  We try and go every year...Brooke went for the first time when she was 9 months old.  :)    The kids are so excited about going down the HUGE ice slide and riding the carousel.  This year I'm going to TRY to not rush through the whole thing just to get out of the cold.  Although we will be wrapped up in Parka's (so that we will survive the -9 degrees temperature) it is FRA-EE- ZING in there!!  Brooke has been known to climb in my parka (with her parka on) and we hug the whole time to keep warm!! :)    By the end I can't feel my face or my hands...my teeth are chattering and I'm shaking from the cold so badly that I'm exhausted!!  LOL  

The image I've used for my Sweet Stop Sketch this week is Holiday Hugs from My Favorite Things.  I'll be teaching a Copic coloring class at the My Favorite Things Boutique next weekend (December 17th). And one of the things we will learn is how to color Black and White objects, using this image!!  

I'm so EXCITED!!   :)  :)  

And I'm TOTALLY lovin' my new Shimmerz spray...just LOOK at that gorgeous sparkle!!!  

I hope you will find some time to check out what the other Sugar Babies have done with this weeks sketch and then play along with us.

Janice Melton

Monika Davis

Korin Sutherland

Shannon White

Cathy McCauley

Kim O'Connell

Shelby Goolsby

Lorie Ames

Chris Dickinson

Thanks so much for stopping by today and don't forget that I have some Blog Candy going on right now!!  Click HERE for your chance to win!!  

'Tis the Season

It's a Holiday Hoopla at the Ribbon Carousel!!  Lindsay is challenging us to make a creation celebrating a holiday...Christmas, Hanukkah, Thanksgiving, or even New Year’s if you’re that far ahead!

I decided to use this challenge to create my family's 2011 Christmas card.  {I know....can you believe there isn't a colored image?!?!} I found this design to be something that I could quickly mass produce.  And believe it or not...I've employed Nathan & Brooke (for the price of a few candy canes) to help with putting these all together.  Let me tell ya... they are PROS at using a Cuttlebug and can really cranking out those die cuts!!  LOL  :)  They've loved having a part in creating our Christmas cards and we've had a lot of fun together doing it!!  xoxo

Once again I've used my favorite Christmas paper, (Lost & Found Christmas from My Mind's Eye) along with Scarlet Jewel and Kraft cardstock from Papertrey Ink.  The Papertrey Ink (Signature Christmas) sentiment was stamped using Walnut Stain distressing ink.  To create the "honeycomb" look with the ornaments; I cut each MFT Die-namic Christmas Ornament four times, folded them in half and glued them together.  And was tickled pink when I realized that they would "lay down" perfectly flat for mailing!!  :)  But I think my favorite part would have to be the ribbon...I'm THRILLED with how it came out!!  It was really quite easy to create, all I did was used score tape to adhere a scrap of grosgrain ribbon to some beautiful Natural Crochet Lace from the Ribbon Carousel and tied a sweet little bow using my Bow Easy.   Waalaa!!  :)

Our sponsor this week is 

Jenny will be sending one fabulous randomly selected participant her Owl See You In Class stamp set!

We'd love for you to join us this week and you can click HERE for all the details.  But basically your creation can be anything you'd like, just be sure you use ribbon, bakers twine, lace, thread...(anything that comes on a spool) and follow this weeks theme.

I hope you will stop by to see all the inspiration Carousel Crew B has for you and leave them some love!!

Andrea Ewen

Corinna McGregor

Danielle Lounds

Jessie Rone

Kim O'Connell

Linsay Amrhein

Savannah O'Gwynn

Wendy Ramlakhan  (That's Me!)

For all my friends here in the States....I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

Sweet Stampin' ~ Flowers

This week's challenge at Sweet Stampin' is...Flowers.  

I was running a little short on time yesterday and decided that I needed something that would be really quick to create.  Fast and easy, is what I'm ALL ABOUT right now.  (Opps, that may not have come out quite right, LOL)  That's when I remembered that I've been wanting to play with my new stamp set from My Favorite Things - Die-namics Tag You're It and make some Christmas gift tags.   For the last few years I've made all of our gift tags and seeing as this was super fast to create; it is now in the running to be this year's 2011 Ramlakhan Family tag.  The image is called Mr Snowman 3 and is from Heather Ellis who happens to be this months sponsor.  It's sweet and simple but still so adorably handmade, right?  I've used a simple black satin ribbon, a touch of white flocking for snow, and a flower poinsettia that I believe is from Memory Makers.   

I hope you will check back later today to see my Sweet Stop Sketch post!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Finishing Touch

I'm posting on a Sunday and that can only mean that I'm designing for Paper Sundae's this week.

This week's challenge is being sponsored by My Favorite Things!!  

And if you're a fan of My Favorite Things like I am then you have probably noticed that most of the designers' cards are as beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside.  So this weeks challenge is to finish the inside...give your card that finishing touch!!  For my image, I've used Oh Baby! a'la mode as well as the Tag You're It and Sweet Stack Labels Die-namics.  The designer paper is My Mind's Eye (Lost & Found - Madison Ave.)  

 I have to admit, I always tell myself that I'm going to decorate the inside of my cards but I rarely do.  I LOVE the way a card that has been decorated on the inside looks...polished, that extra little touch.  And isn't that what handmade is all about?!?!   That little extra touch?  Normally I've taken so darn long to complete the card itself that I don't have the time to do the inside as well.  BUT, I think you will see from the beautiful samples the other Sundae Girls have for you this week, that it doesn't have to be fancy to have that finishing touch.  Starting now, I'm really going to work a little harder to give my creations that little something extra.

Thanks so much for stopping by!!

Congrats Girlie

It's a Girlie Girl kind of day over at Paper Sundaes.  

I was so excited to create a DT sample for Paper Sundaes this week when I heard that the sponsor was My Favorite Things.  I'm a huge fan of their Die-namic dies and adorable images. 

The image that I've used is Cheers from MFT's a'la modes collection.  I added a scalloped border with  with MFT's Die-namic - Scalloped Scallop. The DP used for the card as well as her paper pieced dress is from My Mind's Eye - Hattie.  The image panel was cut to have her champagne glass come "out of the box" and was given a thick coat of Glossy Accents for shine.  The pearls were all colored with a Copic YR24 to match and finished off with a pretty little yellow gold bow.

Challenges:

Our Craft Lounge = #69 Color Challenge (Yellow, Blue & Neutral)

Dutch Dare Card = #116 Recipe (3 papers, 2 embellish, 1 image)

Pals Paper Arts = #97 Signature Style (Non Fussy Simple Layers(

Crafts & Me = #38 Stamp Something

The Paper Shelter = #17 Celebrate

Clear it Out = Paper Piecing

Paper Take Weekly = Anything Goes

I hope you'll check out the other Sundae Girls "Girlie Girl" creations and then submit your own.

**This card is my 1st entry into Open Auditions for Paper Craft's Gallery Idol 2011 Competition :)  Wish me Luck!!**

Thanks so much for stopping by!!

Paper Sundaes - Keep It Simple

I am so excited to be playing with my girls this week at Paper Sundae's.  

The challenge this week is 

~ Keep it Simple ~

and is being sponsored by My Favorite Things.

I was getting ready to make my DT card when I saw this week sketch at MFT and thought it was went perfectly with this week's simple theme.  My image is a la modes, Something's Fishy and I've kept things fairly simple with embossed cardstock and only 1 small piece of Basic Grey, Origins DP.  I've paper pieced the fish and drew a frame around the image as I've seen Jodi Collins do and couldn't wait to try for myself.  The ribbon I've had in my stash forever but could never seem to find the right project to use it.  Super excited to see it finally used!!   The sentiment is a digi from Sweet 'n Sassy stamps with a little Stickles along the edge for a little sparkle and fun.

Challenges:

My Favorite Things = #10 Sketch

One Stop Craft = #122 Clean & Simple

Crafty Catz = #73 Yellow & Green

Raise The Bar = 57 G.R.E.E.N. 

(Girl, Rhinestones, Embossing, Embellishment, Nestie)

Stamping with the Dragon = St Patrick'd Day (Color combo)

Meljen's = #49 Green

Paper Play = #10 Shades of Green/Good Luck

Creative Card Crew = No Flowers

Simon Says Stamp = Anything Goes

Going Grey w/Scrap Creations = Going Green

Click HERE to check out the Paper Sundae's Girls DT creations and then link up your SIMPLE project!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

By the way ~ I had a wonderful time last week at Suzanne Dean Copic class.  The highlight was meeting my friend Tracy in person and spending the day with her.  We have so much in common it's almost freaky!!  It's so nice when you meet someone and you just "click".   She and I were cutting up and laughing the whole time that we were for sure the "bad table"!!  LOL  I hope Suzanne didn't find us to be too obnoxious!!   Hopefully Tracy and I can hang out together again real soon.  I wish I had a photo to share with you, but in my excitement I forgot my camera.  :(

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Wendy