Friday, May 28, 2010

Meet the New Design Team!



The day is FINALLY here!

I shared with you several weeks ago
that Susan Rothamel, the owner of
US ArtQuest, asked me to be the
coordinator for their first design team.

Well...I have been working hard
getting this team 'coordinated' and
can finally reveal their names....


I hope you will visit each of these
fabulous designers by clicking directly
on their names.
Then when you have finished, please
stop by the USAQ website
and see what's new!



Thursday, May 27, 2010

A Bug-Eyed Hooty Owl...Yeah, That's What I Said!



I have had so much fun the past few days
creating in my little art space.

I am this week's color host over at
I rarely have ANY idea what I am going
to make when I choose my color inspiration photos.
This week was no exception, but I can tell you that
I had something much more elegant in mind
than what I came up with....here's why....


Look at this fabulously elegant inspiration

Now look at the whimsy that followed...


Now granted, the senior designers typically
choose the 'color stories' up to 3 months in
advance, but I can assure you I had no idea that
I would go in THIS direction.
Isn't that the great thing about challenges, though?

I used a wonderful new punch from EK Success.
This 'starburst' is punched directly into the
lime green cardstock.  The stamp is from 
Studio G's 'I Cling' series.  The DP is from
DCWV's 'Latte' matstack.
I paper-pieced the polka dot DP to the
'Bug-Eyed Hooty Owl'.

Now it's time for you to skeedaddle over
to The Play Date Cafe.  You are not going
to believe this week's DIVERSE collection
of projects using these fantabulous colors!


Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Farmer's Market Phone Book Fun...Huh?


So I have to thank my teammate, Savannah
over at Savannahland2 for this challenge.
I spotted her card and thought it would be
so much fun and you know what...

IT SO MUCH WAS!


 sponsored by Paper Crafts Magazine.
The idea....just whip up a project using pages
from a phone book.
SO SIMPLE...SO FUN!

I used Cosmo Cricket's 'Garden Variety' collection
which was a no-brainer considering the theme of
my yellow pages ad.
I cut out my sun using Spellbinders dahlia dies
and just zig-zagged my way around the
vegetable frame to complete the
old-fashioned flavor.


I am also tossing this in the ring over at


Challenge #54 - Bright & Cheerful

It was fun to pick out bits and pieces of this 
1/4 page ad and really like the result.

I hope YOU do too!

Before I go, I want to thank Savvy for one more thing.


I was honored over on her blog today with
this award.  Little does she know just how
much sunshine SHE brings to my life!
Love ya, kiddo!


Monday, May 24, 2010

Looking Through a New Window




I wanted to play with this challenge ALL last week,
but just couldn't seem to get it done.

So I am very happy to have completed my project
and am quickly going to get it posted over there  : )


Little Red Wagon's challenge this week

I knew exactly what I wanted to use for this
unique and fun challenge.


  I love these chipboard embellishments from
Tattered Angels and thought it would put a
'twist' on the challenge.
There is most definitely a 'window'
in this distressed and layered card.
I used wonderful Tim Holtz/SA
stamps for the flourishes and butterfly.
The sentiment is from My Sentiments Exactly.


I'm sure you recognize all the Prima going on!

I am also entering this card over at...


Totally Gorjuss
#31 - 'Bling'



Flutter By Wednesday
 #110 - flower & butterfly



Stampin' Sisters in Christ
#40 - Distressing

I hope you enjoy it and I hope it inspires you
to 'think outside' the window  : )


Loving the Clouds on a Sunny Day!


I know, I know....two quick posts in
one day!  I have been trying all
weekend to put the finishing touches
on re-creating a card that was first
inspired by my 3 grandsons.

You see, Jenny over at Wee Memories
has a fabulous challenge this week...
'The Sky's the Limit'
She love clouds...is taken with clouds...
and when I first read that, I knew that
I needed to make one of these cards
for the challenge....


Sorry that the photo is a bit 'wonky', but had to take
the pic a bit on the quick side...battery dying!
I KNOW you've been there  : )

Anyway...This card was made using some
BOO from my collection.
'Actopus to Zelephant' from K&Company.  
I used the adhesive borders and the mat pad DP.

This was a very popular card when I made it nearly
a year ago, and I sold it on Etsy.  So I have
decided to offer this one there as well.
Hope you will pop over and pick it up!
Just click HERE!

Thanks Jenny...a FaBuLoUs challenge this week!


Design Team Announcement...soon...


It's nearly time...yes indeed!

In just a few short days,
Friday, May 28th to be exact,
we will be announcing the 
NEW DESIGN TEAM
for
US ARTQUEST!

Can I just say that you will be
inspired by the talented line up
who will share with you 
projects
tips
techniques
using the amazing art products from
US ArtQuest.

So make sure you mark your
calendar to stop back by
The Open Window
this Friday!


Saturday, May 22, 2010

Many Thanks...I'm Honored!


What a wonderful surprise!
When I returned home from
my trip to St. Paul, I 
received two lovely messages.


The first was from
I won a fabulous 
$25 gift certificate to
YAY!
It was for this little creation...


You can read my original post HERE.



The other was from
I made the Top 3 for this...


I know many of you LoVeD
this card...you can see how it
was made HERE.

I think it's always nice to share when
a challenge (or two) works out and
indeed, these did for me!

Thanks to all the challenges out there
who help get our creative juices flowing!


Friday, May 21, 2010

A Little French Inspiration



It is SO good to be back in my little
art space.  I confess that
I haven't had much time to create
this week, and it just so happens that
I chose to participate in a couple of
challenges, which is a great way
to get you focused.

.....One challenge is simple in it's sketch
and one that's inspires layers......





If you have read my blog for any length of time,
you probably know that I am in love with the
Provence region of France.
So when I saw City Crafters' theme this week
was 'I Love Paris', I knew I wanted
in on the fun!
The sketch over at Card Patterns was just
right because it was simple enough to allow
for lots of creativity on the page.


I went major BOO on this card.
The DP is actually stationary from
The Paper Company which
I purchased many years ago along with
a little DCWV accenting.
The 'Paris postmark' stamp is Stampabilities.
The fab die-cut in the center is from
Tattered Angels 'Creme Collection'.
I'm sure you not only recognize the 
Martha Loop Punch, but also the bird die cut,
which is from Tim Holtz and the Spellbinders 
Nestibilities scallop.
The bling and flowers are from Prima.

Glad to be able to share this with you.
I hope when you stop by, you will take a
moment to say hello...






Thursday, May 20, 2010

Are You Still With Me? PDCC Sneak Peeks!


I'm baaaack!

Did you miss me?  I sure hope so because you have
NO IDEA how much I missed sharing with you
and hearing from you  : )
I will share a little more about my time away this
past weekend up in St. Paul, Minnesota at 
The Rubber Stamp and Scrapbook Expo...
but for now, here are this week's colors over


Because I was away, I have had NO time to be
creative, so I thought it would be fun to
feature 'sneak peeks' from our
FaBuLoUs Design Team.
Just a tiny taste though......








And this peek from this week's
celebrity guest designer....


Any idea who it might be?
Does this photo 'ring any belles'?

Well there's no point in waiting any longer
to find out because you can see them ALL


Thursday, May 13, 2010

Come Meet Me in St. Paul!



I am going to be MIA beginning today,
May13th-17th
as I will be away working with my friend
Sue Rothamel from US ArtQuest.
We will be traveling tomorrow to 
St. Paul, Minnesota

If any of you are in that neck of the woods,
I hope you will come out to The Fairgrounds
to stop by and say hello.
You will find us with Marco's Paper.

I would LoVe to meet you!

Reaching Out with Unique Style



The past few days have completely gotten away
from me, so I wasn't able to contribute to the design
team gallery this week over at The Play Date Cafe.

So instead, I am quite happily going to share the 
creations of my fellow Senior Designers,
 Sarah and Mona.
What I love is that you can see two very different
styles for one color combination.
Sarah's mixed media-style is above
and Mona's layered-style is below.


I love our entire design team because they each
have a style unique to them...and that's
what every good team needs...styles that can
represent across the board.

We are really excited to welcome
Heidi Van Laar to The Cafe as this week's
Celebrity Guest Designer.

I am going to keep you guessing about this
week's 'color story' until you get on over
and see it for yourself  : )
You'll find it all in


Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Love is in the Air...



I have been working on a few cards to try and get
ahead on posting as I will be away over the next
several days...so here is another one.


I love vintage and shabby chic, but don't create nearly 
as many things as I would like just because of the
time required to layer and layer.

I love these this paper from Webster's Pages.
I was able to piece it together and use much of the page.
The only paper that is not WP, are the solid white, pink 
& green cardstocks.  The green heart was stamped
around the edges with an accent stamp to give depth.
The sentiment is from My Sentiments Exactly.

Thought I would offer these up for a bunch of
challenges...so here's where they are going:


Challenge #4 ~ Pinks

Wee Memories #5 ~ Stitches

Our Creative Corner ~ Which Anniversary?
(I went with 30th which is pearls)

I will be back a little later with the new
challenge from The Play Date Cafe.



Tuesday, May 11, 2010

I 'Embellished'...this Challenge



I have just a really quick post for you today.
I have spent most of the day at the clinic with
my sweet husband while he had a medical
procedure done on his esophagus, so I am
spending time between 
giving him some TLC 
and my studio/computer.



 I thought it would be fun to put something together
for this week's Embellish challenge and I knew if
I didn't get it done today, I would
miss out on the fun.
Ashley Cannon Newell is the wonderful host of
this challenge and e-zine AND is our guest
designer in The Cafe this week.


Although my grandpa's have long since passed on,
I was thinking of my grandsons and their love for
'Papa Paul' as I made this card.


I LoVe this color combination and I 
managed some MAJOR BOO on this
project as I broke out some fabby
rub-ons from SEI.
The cardstock is Bazzill & the DP is
from The Paper Company's 'Mirabella' stack.
Everyone's favorite Loop border punch 
is Martha Stewart/EK Success.
I used Spellbinders Scallops for the
dimension and centered it with a
fabric-covered brad from My Mind's Eye.

So that's it in a nutshell!
I will see you tomorrow night at
midnight, EST for the new challenge



Monday, May 10, 2010

It's Pure Bliss.....



I had a ball working on this card over the weekend
and thought I would share it with you
and offer it for a few challenges this week.


I love dimension and this card definitely has it!
I used designer papers from the 'Mirabelle' collection
by The Paper Studio.  The vintage writing DP
makes a beautiful backdrop to the Victorian floral
foreground.  The sentiment is from Studio G
and the lace is about 20 years old.

Can I just say that Prima have really outdone
themselves with these flowers and the bling is
by Prima as well.

This creation fits a variety of challenges for this
week, so here is where I am entering:


Challenge #27 ~ Pink & Green
(the hostess used similar colors to mine)


Challenge #29 ~ Recipe
( one type ribbon/2 DP's/3 Embellishments)

 

Challenge #79
Wedding Wishes


Which Anniversary is it?
1st is paper.....13th is lace
30th is pearl.....60th is diamond


Challenge #49
Wedding/Birthday


Challenge #20
All About Weddings

Challenge GC53
Read
(using text)

 Wee Memories Challenge #5
Stitching
 Crafty Ann's #14
Anything Goes
Creative Inspirations #33
Celebrations
Clearly I Stamp #13
Flowers

That's it for now!

I have a busy week ahead.  Soon I will be leaving
for the Twin Cities of Minnesota with my friends
Sue Rothamel & Crystal Copperstone
of US ArtQuest.
We will be at
The Rubber Stamp & Scrapbooking Expo
demoing and having more fun than
anyone has a right to!  : )

So tonight, I will be working ahead on a variety
of projects to share with you and catching up
on a neglected to-do list.
Have a great Monday!