In Love with Doodles & Daters & Paperbag Studios

I am so glad to be back on my blog this week.

Things get so busy from day to day, don't they?

I have a very busy few days ahead and the good news

is I will be sharing it all with you...so stay tuned!

I have been really excited about this week's

Play Date Cafe Challenge...from every possible angle.

First....I love the inspiration photo...

I also love the fun, vibrant colors that came from 

Sarah's 'color story'.

I took a few liberties with my green shades, but all in all,

I stayed as close to the colors required by my dear friend.

This card is made up of a variety of papers and cardstocks

in really random themes...and it was all paper-pieced.

There were six different rubber stamps used.

Which brings me to the final thing about this week's

challenge that I love...our new sponsor!

Paperbag Studios is easily one of my

newest favorite companies and the stamps we

used were a perfect fit for these colors.

This set is called 'Doodles & Daters'

and is so dang versatile.

Don't believe me? 

Just head on over to The Play Date Cafe

and check out what the

World's Best Design Team

have to offer for inspiration.

We also welcome Roben-Marie Smith, owner

and designer of Paperbag Studios as

this week's Guest Designer.

Sharing an RAK with my Loved Ones

I am really busy in my creative space working on some

deadlines for this week, so I don't have anything of my

own to share with you until tomorrow.

I couldn't pass up the opportunity to share this photo, though.

This is my 7 year old grandson, CJ.

So far, of my 3 grandsons, he is the one who really

loves to create.

My dear friend Michele from Studio MSG sent me the

fabby Martha Stewart 'Iron Gate' border punch.

It was on my birthday wish list

(which is not for a couple weeks yet)

and the next thing I know, it shows up in my mailbox!

What a sweetheart!

Anyway...CJ saw it and just had to have a play with it.

I am blessed to have these two sweet men at my house

a couple times a week after school and I can't take

enough photos of them.

Caleb will be 5 in November. 

I cannot believe how the time flies.

Thanks for indulging my little personal stories once in awhile.

Will You Marry Me? The Play Date Cafe Challenge

It's my favorite kinda challenge over at The Play Date Cafe...

I LoVe working with 'color splash' challenges

and this one is a little 'different'.

Usually, we require black and white with just one

option of additional color.  This time, there are

three colors to choose from...

pink, copper or gold.

I chose a combination of the pink for the dress and a bit

of a copper-tone for the tuxedo shirt.

I layered vintage lace around the bodice of the dress

and embellished with Prima rhinestones and a paper flower.

The tux shirt & silk rose were inked with Tim Holtz Distress Ink

in 'Tattered Rose' and the buttons are birthstone pearls 

from Martha Stewart.

We are being sponsored this week by

They provided the our team with these wonderful

die cuts in a wedding theme.  You have got to see what the

rest of the world's best design team came up with to inspire

you to play along with these fabby colors.

There is a terrific $40 prize package up for grabs to the

winner of this week's challenge, so you have to play!

Head on over to The Play Date Cafe....

I'll see you there!

Screaming Color!

For H{ippity} Hop Monday, just click here

Before I share the rest of this little project I have got

to share what's been happening since I got my new laptop.

Skype!

Need I say more?????

It began with a simple cross-town chat with my daughter

who then proceeded to Skype me each time one of my

grandsons came in the door so they could give it a try.

How fun!

Then, I was able to spend some time with my team mate

from The Play Date Cafe, Savannah O'Gwynn

over the weekend.  We quickly decided to conduct our

own 'personal' play dates via Skype.

 All in the name of creativity, right?!

Then today, my bestie Sarah, who most of you know

is from the UK and is my PDCC partner made her

very first Skype connection....with me!

So I am pretty sure there is no stopping us now!

I had a lot of fun putting the elements together for this

spooky little scene.  My friend Michele at Studio MSG

is a designer over at the DeNami Designs and is the host

for the current challenge, which happens to a color challenge.

I love a good 'color splash' and this one

ScReaMeD HalloweeN !!!!!

(get it.....?)

I purchased a new stamp set from Martha Stewart

that I loved SO much, I paid full price!

I put it to work immediately and came up with this

simply layered design.

You may recognize the border as a 'Martha' as well.

It was really fun once I started adding the bits of

'bling'

to the chandelier, the chair and the spider's line.

(bad photo...but it really sparkles.....)

Always happy to support new challenges and I can't

resist a good 'color challenge'!

I also know that Paige is asking for 100% stamped
cards this week over at the CARDS blog.
This one sure qualifies, so I am going to give this
a go over there as well.

I was wondering...

(since you're here and you were going to leave a comment anyway, right?)

What are your favorite colors to use for Halloween projects?

Do you still kinda like the black and orange look?

Or how about something with deep purple?

Sure appreciate you taking a moment to share!

Autumn Breezes...

Happy Labor Day to all of my U.S. friends!

Have you had a busy, long weekend?

My husband treated me to a little 'crafty' shopping in the

Chicago suburbs on Friday and the rest of the weekend

was spent playing with my new goodies.

Not only is it Labor Day Monday, it's also

H{ippity} Hop Monday!

This is the day that you can visit the Ippity Blog

and check out a fabulous list of Ippity 'chicks'

who both sell and play with these wonderful stamps.

The weather this weekend was unSEASONably cool.

We experienced temps down in the 40's at night

and only high 60's in the day.  They assure us that the

80 degree days will return shortly, but while I had a

 taste of autumn, I was inspired to use the

'Fall for You' set from Ippity for this card.

This is a terrific set with so many possibilities.

Look at all those images!

 

This set is available here in my Ippity shop.

for only $21.99 (reg. retail $24)

This great price INCLUDES postage!

Why not treat yourself to this fun set to create

unique and versatile cards for autumn and beyond?!

 

To order, just email me at julieranae@hotmail.com

I accept PayPal as well as USPS and Walmart money orders.

Make sure you hop on over to the Ippity Blog and check out

all of the other creative folks who are joining in today's

H{ippity} Hop!

 

I am also thrilled to have had last week's creation

featured on the Ippity Blog as one of Kelly's favs.

In case you missed it.....

Click here to see more of Kelly's favorites

Thanks for stopping by today...it's always great to hear from you!

A Little Stroll Down 'Creepy Lane'

Yeah I know...Halloween again!

There is so much fun new 'stuff' out there

this year and I have been treating myself to

some of it  : ) 

I just love this little sign...

Really does make you wonder what's lurking

in the shadows...down the lane....

This new 'Creepy Lane' set from Inkadinkado

is terrific!  I am not usually one to create a

scene, literally or artistically, but I couldn't

help myself here.  

The 'batty moon' image is from Artful Inkables.

It remains one of my favorite and most

versatile stamps for the season.

Not sure if I mentioned it or not, but I was so inspired

by some of the artwork in the current issue of

Stampington's 'Take Ten'...this black 'shading'

which creates such depth.  Think it will become a 

regular in my technique arsenal.

Here's another quick little card I threw together...

You may recognize the image on the right as one of the new

stamps from Ippity's 'That's Creepy' set...love it!

The sentiment is from the Inkadinkado set used above.

So I mentioned that I have been 'treating' myself to some new

goodies for the fall and halloween season...today I snatched up

the last set of new Martha Stewart stamps called

'Vampire' at the local Mike's...even paid full price for them

because I had to have them...just need to get my hands

on the wrought iron fence border punch!

Of course, I have been gushing about my

Vampire Bat punch from EK Success.

I have also been buying more designer papers than I will

ever need or use, but I love the colors and designs

that are new this year.

So what about you?

What stamps, papers, punches and products are

you treating yourself to?

I would love to know....

please leave a comment and share.

I love knowing you were here.

The Play Date Cafe Challenge PDCC45

I am so glad to introduce these colors to you for

this week's new challenge at The Play Date Cafe.

Please make sure you make a trip over to see

the amazing inspiration by our design team

and

meet our new Private Blend Designer

Andrea Ewen

and

our Celebrity Guest Designer

Sankari Wegman

So much talent in one little Cafe....

BOO 2 You - WaltzingMouse Sketch Challenge

I spent a little time last night playing with a few

ideas for the current WaltzingMouse Sketch Challenge.

I took a few liberties with the sketch by turning it

on it's side (sort of) and not making it an actual card.

I had so much fun with this.

The chipboard background is from one of my

Crafty Secrets Vintage Postcard Sets.

I covered it with Martha Stewart Halloween paper

and then layered Spellbinders Die Cuts (Labels 4)

on top with dimensional tape (so it's not flat).

One of my new favorite punches is the

'Vampire Bat' from EK Success.

I punched it twice from another Martha design

and layered it to give dimension.

The fabby alphabet letters are 'Thickers'

from American Crafts.  The ribbon is

from an old SEI mini SB kit that I have been

hanging onto for the perfect fit...this was it!

There is SO MUCH BOO on this

it's CrAzY (click HERE to find out more).

So here is what I want to know....

What is the latest BOO you have used in a project?

Leave a comment below and let me know...it's so fun

to what you are doing in your creative space : )

Back tonight with an all new Play Date Cafe Challenge

with Celebrity Guest Sankari Wegman!