Friday, September 28, 2012

Just Because with Skipping Stones Design



Happy Friday!

Just a quick post to share with you today as I end the month as
a September Guest Designer over at


I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with them and thank
them for the wonderful opportunity.

The final sketch challenge of the month is

and here is my interpretation of that sketch


I created a base card using Pure Luxury by Gina K Designs and covered
it with one of the newest Prima collections called 'Welcome to Paris'.
I stamped the black frame, fleur de lis & sentiment using SSD's
'Grunge 2' set.
I created the flags using Lil' Inker Designs dies and embellished
using a Prima butterfly & a bling border from Webster's Pages.


I hope you found something to inspire you during your visit today
and would love to hear from you.  Just leave a quick note to let
me know you came by.  It always means a lot !


Project Recipe:
Cardstock: Pure Luxury by Gina K Designs
Patterned Paper: Welcome to Paris by Prima
Stamps: Grunge 2 by Skipping Stones Design
Embellishments: butterfly from Prima, gem border by Webster's Pages
Tools: flag die by Lil' Inker Designs, Big Shot

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Egg-Citing!



Hey hey everybody!

I am so glad to be back here at The Open Window.
I've been W.A.Y. under the weather for about a week
and have missed being creative, so it's perfect timing
for a brand new color challenge from



This week, we are sponsored by the great folks over at EAD Designs.
Our design team was able to play with collections from EAD
and I chose to use 'Just Chicken In'.
I was so happy to find this week's colors in the beautiful fall
paper from FarmHouse Paper Company purchased from
I cut 'eggs' using my Spellbinders Standard Oval dies
and it was all pretty simple.


Here is the fun set I used . . .



and here is some GREAT news . . .


So come check out all the fun designs from our team
and play along! We would love to have you!


Project Recipe:
Patterned Paper: Sugar Hill by FarmHouse Paper Company
Embellishments: Just Chicken In Stickerz by EAD Designs
Tools: Standard Oval dies by Spellbinders, Big Shot

Friday, September 21, 2012

Give Thanks



The day is here !!

It's New Release Blog Hop Day at


If you have arrived at my blog from the talented 
then you are in the right place!

If not, start back at the beginning at the
 and get started there because
when you do, you could win big!   
All SIX stamp sets !!!
More on that in a sec.

It's a bittersweet post today as TCM says farewell to
designer Amy Tsuruta  : (
She has been a part of the TCM family from the very beginning
and will be missed by us all.
I have the pleasure of continuing the creative journey with her
at The Play Date Cafe, so I am one lucky girl!
We'll miss you at TCM, Amy!

I'm totally excited about the new challenge over at

 
because this card is a sure-fit for their theme.


Clean and Simple.
I've had this window card in my stash for y.e.a.r.s and thought this
pumpkin from the 'Fall with Fibi and Lilly' set was just perfect.
I love the mix of fonts in the sentiment from the 'Fall Blessings' set.


I know you will see all the sets on the TCM Website, so I am going
to show you a very special one here...



This terrific set is 'Golden Days' designed by my friend
Karen Baker for TCM and for a limited time is only available
as a gift with a purchase of $50 or more.

I used this set in my post from yesterday as well...
you can check it out here

So here is how you can win....

Visit each designer's blog on the hop, leave a comment
You have until 9:00pm PDT, Sunday September 23rd to do so.

They are all on sale today!!!
Don't wait!

Look forward to your comment and I will keep my fingers
crossed that YOU are a winner!

The next stop on the hop IS the talented


Karen Baker's blog 

 
Enjoy the hop !  There is a lot of beautiful inspiration
out there for you by some of the most talented designers around.


Project Recipe:
Cardstock: Bazzill
Patterned Paper: Farmhouse by Crate Paper
Stamps:  Fall with Fibi & Lilly, Fall Blessings
both from The Craft's Meow
Embellishments:  brads from Craft Essentials

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Happy Fall Y'all


For The Craft's Meow 
New Release Blog Hop
Please Scroll Down



It's another fabulously busy day here at The Open Window
and I am thrilled to be coming to you sharing a wonderful
collaboration between The Twinery and write.click.scrapbook.


I love being the Design Team Coordinator at The Twinery
and working with such a talented design team along with
such beautiful baker's twine are the reasons why.


I recently received a BIG order of seasonal new releases
from StopandScrap.com and couldn't wait to get started creating.


This card features one of the newest colors in baker's twine from  
The Twinery.
'Ocean' is quickly becoming a favorite for me !
I hung the banner stickers from the 'Harvest Lane' collection by  
Simple Stories
using the twine.  All I did was punch holes on each corner to weave
the twine right through.

I added a little Liquid Pearls to the tree to create a bit of dimension.


I hope you will join us over on The Twinery blog for more
beautiful inspiration and a big thanks to write.click.scrapbook.
for showcasing our baker's twine.


Project Recipe:
Patterned Paper: Harvest Lane by Simple Stories
Embellishments: Harvest Lane Die Cut Stickers by Simple Stories
baker's twine in Ocean by The Twinery
Liquid Pearls by Ranger

 

The Best Day Ever


For The Play Date Cafe Challenge
Please Scroll Down




It's the final day of our New Release Previews from


We have two final fabulous sets to share with you today
one of which is our FREE GIFT w/$50 purchase.


The first set was designed by Kaitlyn Ord
and I decided to go total *spooky* with it . . .


The banners & sentiment come from this fabulous set called 'Good Times'
The paper, tag & brads collection is brand new from My Mind's Eye called
'Lost and Found Halloween'.  I love this BIG spider punch from EK Success!
It was the perfect fit for the spider web.




Now for something completely different . . .

The beautiful new set designed by Karen Baker
'Golden Days'

This is our September Gift w/$50 purchase.


I love the sentiments that Karen designs and this set
contains a variety that will be perfect for your autumn cards.
I created the wreath using a Sizzix EF and simply adorned it with
pearl flourishes from Want2Scrap and topped it off with
a sweet pumpkin from yesterday's featured set 'Fall Blessings'.


Make sure you pop by
and check out the fabulous-ness
from all of the designers.
TCM is giving away each new release
each day, so make sure you leave a comment
on the blog for a chance to win!


Project Recipe:
Cardstock: Gina K Designs & Bazzill
Patterned Paper: Lost & Found Halloween by My Mind's Eye
from StopandScrap.com 
Stamps: Good Times & Golden Days
both by The Craft's Meow 
Embellishments: tags & brads from My Mind's Eye
pearl flourish by Want2Scrap
Tools: spider punch from EK Success, Big Shot
Wreath EF by Sizzix

Keepin' a Float?


Boy . . . that question is pretty spot on for my week !
I am fairly certain this is the first time in my 3+ years of blogging
that I have written as many blog posts as I have in one week, not only for my
own personal blog, but also over at The Twinery.

It's a busy week indeed !
Full of inspiration and creativity and that's what it's all about!

For now, I am here to share this week's color challenge from




I created a very CAS card using stamps from this week's sponsor
The Alley Way Stamps.  The set is called 'Sea Mates'.
When I think of underwater themes, I always grab the EF with the fun
circles from Lifestyle Crafts.


I hope you will play along this week.
Our Design Team had a lot of fun creating a variety of projects
to inspire you to play along.
A big thanks to our sponsor !



Project Recipe:
Cardstock: Gina K Designs & American Crafts
Patterned Paper: My Mind's Eye & Prima
Stamps: Sea Mates by The Alley Way Stamps
Tools: Embossing Folder by Quickutz/Lifestyle Crafts, Big Shot

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Fall with Fibi & Lilly



It is Day #3 of New Release Previews over at


and today we have TWO fabulous sets
we are featuring designed by the
talented Mabele R-O
and I had a blast playing with both of these sets.

The first is called 'Fall Blessings'



As you can see, all I did was choose the images I wanted to include,
stamped, colored and layered each one.
The clouds were cut using my die from Lil' Inker Designs



The next set is called 'Fall with Fibi & Lilly'



Again...such a simple CAS card!
I just cut & colored the image, layered it on a frame created
with oval dies from Spellbinders and added Stardust Stickles


Make sure you pop by
and check out the fabulous-ness
from all of the designers.
TCM is giving away each new release
each day, so make sure you leave a comment
on the blog for a chance to win!


Project Recipe:
Stamps: Fall Blessing & Fall with Fibi & Lilly
both by The Craft's Meow 
Embellishments: Stardust Stickles by Ranger
Tools: cloud die by Lil' Inker Designs, Big Shot
Standard Ovals die by Spellbinders, Copic Markers


Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Labeled With Love


For The Skipping Stones
New Release Blog Hop
Please Scroll Down



It's Day Two of New Release Previews from


Everyone loves a beautiful label set and here is another one
created by Elizabeta Kushner
called 'Lovely Ovals'



Any time I use these colors together, I immediately think of the city I
live in as it has quite a Swedish heritage.  I pulled these colors from my
A Muse Studio ink collection.  When you see this complete set,
you'll see just how easy it is to line up any of the border stamps
so you can alternate colors, if you wish.


Make sure you pop by
and check out the fabulous-ness
from all of the designers.
TCM is giving away a new release set
each day, so make sure you leave a comment
on the blog for a chance to win!


Project Recipe:
Cardstock: Pure Luxury by Gina K Designs
Stamps: Lovely Ovals by The Craft's Meow 
Ink: A Muse Studio
Embellishments: seam binding from Anna Griffin
pearls from Recollections


Cheers to Skipping Stones Design!




It's another very b.u.s.y. day here at The Open Window
and I'm thrilled you stopped by !

I have had so much fun being a Guest Designer over at


and today is their New Release Blog Hop.

If you came by way of
Megan Aaron's Blog 
Thought's of Scrapbooking
you are in the perfect spot !

If not, I hope you will join along and start back at the
Skipping Stones Design Blog
so you don't miss out on a thing !

Here is the sketch for this week from the
very creative Kim Kesti
and here is my interpretation


Can you tell how fun this set is going to be as a part of your collection ?
It's called 'Cheers to You' and has so many possibilities.
I thought it would be fun to use the border as the main focus.
I made a frame using dies from Sizzix and simply colored in
the glasses using a few Copic markers.


It's time to get you on your way to my creative friend
Rochelle's Blog 
Two Tears in my Bucket

Thanks for popping by !


Project Recipe:
Cardstock: Pure Luxury by Gina K Designs
Stamps: Cheers to You by Skipping Stones Design
Tools: frame & accents dies from Sizzix, Copic Markers