and the winner is. . . .

Thank you once again SO MUCH for stopping by for Paper Crafts Stamp It! 3 Ways blog hop this past weekend.  It was such fun! I loved having so many visitors! And now. . . .for the random winner of the Stamp It! 3 Ways issue:

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: 

Result:

21

Powered by RANDOM.ORG

The winner is:

Terri E. said...

How much fun! Great job.

JANUARY 27, 2012 9:07 AM

Hooray Terri! I just sent you an email, but if you didn't get it, then email me your contact info and I will pass it along to Paper Crafts! :) 

Paper Crafts magazine presents: Stamp It! 3 Ways Blog Hop

Welcome to another fabulous Paper Crafts magazine blog hop!!!! We are celebrating the release of the special issue, Stamp It! 3 Ways.

In this magazine, groups of designers were given a particular stamp set, and each created different projects to show the versatility of the stamps.  It was a lot of fun to participate in this creative challenge, and it was even MORE fun to find out that one of my cards (the chalkboard) would be on the COVER! Two covers within a month.  It's insanity I tell you!!! (Thrilling insanity! ;) 

I have two other cards within the magazine, and this is a card I created using one of the stamp sets I was assigned to. 

Please hop around and visit all of these fabulous chicks, and check out their great inspiration, using stamps from this issue.  We each have a copy of the magazine to give away, so be sure to leave a comment as you travel around! (Comments must be posted by Sunday January 29th, at midnight MST)

·         Jaclyn Miller

·         Julie Masse

·         Laura Williams (that's me!)

·         Heidi Van Laar

·         Emily Leiphart

·         Mariana Grigsby

·         Julia Stainton

·         Sarah Moerman

·         Karen Baker

·         Laura O’Donnell

·         Kelley Eubanks

·         Kimberly Crawford

And then be sure to head to the Paper Crafts Connection and leave a comment, for a chance to win this HUGE prize - stamps from the issue! WOWZERS! That is going to be one heck of a package to open up!

Thank you SO much for stopping by.  Hopping with Paper Crafts is such a privilege for me, and I really appreciate each of your comments! I'll be trying to get around to YOUR blogs as well this week, to say HELLO!

xoxo

Looking for more card making inspiration? Check out some of these ideas:

Embossed Stripes Thank You Card Idea

Hexagon Shaped Mini Card Tutorial

Paper Angel Ornament Tutorial

I'm so glad you stopped by today. Let's connect again - subscribe so you don't miss a blog post! Plus, follow me on Pinterest for more crafty projects and card ideas.

the queen of cards forgotten

I have a pretty good-sized stash of cards sitting here in a folder on my desktop. All cards that I never posted on my blog, thanks to the holidays, traveling, birthdays, and all the fall and winter fun that drew me away from my blog.  (and i don't regret it ONE BIT!)

because i am working on lots of publication projects that i can't share, i don't have anything new for you, for a few days. . . .so here are a few more well-loved but not-yet-posted cards.

I managed to pull together these three cards, which have absolutely nothing to do with each other - but their color schemes match, and look nice together.  So here you go!

 I am embarrassed to say I think I did this card over the SUMMER. it features stamps from Amuse.  Super clean and simple, but I like it! (And I had fun coloring the lighthouse with colored pencils.)

This card was part of a blog hop for Operation Write Home, and I think it was featured on the Sizzix blog a few months ago. I used stamps and dies from Stephanie at The {Stamps} of Life.  (That banner die is the BEST!)

And last but not least, a CPS card featuring Flower Soft, and stamps from My Favorite Things.  Again I used colored pencils (because this was before I had my shiny new markers!!!) :)

Today's agenda involves Target, the grocery store, and baking my Amish Friendship Bread, which has been fermenting on the kitchen counter for 10 days.  (Because it's SUPPOSED to, people, not because I forgot about it!)  Have a beautiful Tuesday!
xoxo

Chillin' (TTC09)

Look at me go . . . . .finding the time to participate in CHALLENGES.  This card is for the Touch Twin Challenge, TTC09, and the theme is WINTER.  It's kind of refreshing to create something that's for WINTER, but not a winter holiday! :)  (Because I am sooo over Christmas cards at this point!)

I used some REALLLLY light colors on this card, and I am still very much trying to figure out what the heck I'm doing when coloring.  But I used a super light blue for the shading on my showgirl.  It's called Cool Shadow (BG 178) and it is soooo light, you can hardly see it! On the hat, I used Yellow Green (GY48) which has quickly become one of my FAVORITE colors in my stash, and Green Bice (GY163) love that one too! The scarf was Turquoise Blue (B68) and I think that Yellow Green and Turquoise Blue are going to be my two go-to colors! :) (Just like they're my go-to card stock colors!)

Thanks for stopping by today! Have a great day!
xoxo

(card goodies: stamps - Unity Stamp Co, patterned paper - My Mind's Eye, card stock - Discount Cardstock, Touch Twin markers, die cut border strips - Bazzill)

NEW Winner Winner (but no chicken dinner)

I never heard from my winner to claim her free copy of Cool Tools. . .soooooooo, here we go again! NEW WINNER - 

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:14Powered by RANDOM.ORG

 Patti Jo said...

Simple yet effective!!! Great color combination and design!!!

January 13, 2012 7:28 AM

CONGRATULATIONS Patti Jo!!! I am going to send you an email, but if you don't get it, send ME an email at TomatoL at aol dot com.

And because I certainly don't want to leave you without a card, here's a couple more that I never seemed to have posted! (Which is silly, because they are fun and full of COLOR - my favorite!)

(card goodies: all cards featuring stamps from The {Stamps} of Life, and card stock from Discount Cardstock)

Winner winner chicken dinner! (PC Cool Tools!)

I have to admit something . . .this weekend I read the comments from this blog hop, like, umm. . . every ten minutes.  I admit it - I was stalking my OWN blog.  And it was SO much fun.  Thank you so much, for each and every sweet and thoughtful comment.  I truly loved reading all of your kind words and it gave me super big warm fuzzies! Thanks so much for blog hopping with Paper Crafts! (There might just be another hop soon! Wink! Wink!)

     And now, for what you're REALLY wanting to know. . .my winner of the copy of Cool Tools!
EDT: (new winner chosen, see next post!)


  You've got it girl!!!!! Please email me at TomatoL at aol dot com, and shoot me your address, and I will pass it on to Paper Crafts! 

And now just a few random cards that I don't think I've shared yet, all featuring stamps from The {Stamps} of Life, over the past few months! I am off to enjoy my husband who's been out of the country for two weeks, and my wild and crazy little boys.

xoxo

Paper Crafts magazine Presents: Cool Tools Blog Hop

Are you looking for creative ways to use the paper crafting tools you already have? Do you love making handmade cards with die cut or paper-punched shapes, and simple sentiments? Today's cards might just inspire you to look at your card making tools in a new way!

This blog post contains affiliate links. When you shop through my links, I receive compensation at no cost to you. Thank you from the bottom of my crafty heart!

Today's blog post celebrates the newest special edition from Paper Crafts magazine, called Cool Tools for Card Makers. This issue was a ton of fun to work on, and it was a CHALLENGE. I don't think outside of the box very easily, and this issue is all about using our crafting tool creatively.  When I got an email informing me I'd have a card on the COVER of this issue, I was absolutely shocked (and thrilled!) The Hello card on the top right is mine. The three cards I created for this issue took some blood, sweat, and tears.  But I love all three of them (especially my cover card!)

Today I have a technique for you using a paper trimmer and simple shaped dies or punches. 

• To create this card, start with cardstock circles (diecut or punched.)  
• Next, cut each circle into four pieces. If you have a good eye, you can certainly just snip it into fourths with scissors. (Consider using a ruler to draw pencil lines first.) OR use your paper cutter: center the circle on your paper trimmer blade, and use washi tape to hold it in place (because trimming small shapes on a cutter can be tricky.) Cut each shape in half, and then into quarters.
• Lastly, reassemble and adhere the circles to your card, mixing the colors.

Looking for some more ideas? Here's another card using the same method, but slightly smaller circles.

Another option is to cut a shape into only two pieces, like this heart card. Die cut hearts, and then just snip them in half - easy peasy!

Please go visit all of the amazing designers participating in today's hop! I am so honored to be listed among them - I must admit, some of my card making HEROES are listed below.  Before you go, leave a comment here at my blog, for a chance to win your own copy of Cool Tools! And then, when you're done, be sure to leave a comment at the Paper Crafts Connection, for a chance to win a HUGE Cool Tools giveaway! (comments due by midnight on the 15th!)

·         Danielle Flanders

·         Cristina Kowalczyk

·         Heidi Van Laar

·         Vanessa Menhorn

·         Kim Hughes

·         Amber Daigre

·         Kalyn Kepner

·         Emily Branch

·         Laura Williams

·         Stephanie Halinski

Looking for the tools to make this card idea? Start with a circle die or punch like these:

Everlasting Circles Dies from Spellbinders

We R Memory Keepers - Nesting Punches Circles

Spellbinders Essential Hearts Dies

Platinum 6 Die Cutting Machine

links updated 1/25/24

Looking for more ways to use circle dies? 

You might love this post:

Circle-Shaped Card Tutorial

like peanut butter and jelly . . ..

Last night I busted out my BRAND NEW Touch Twin markers, and my BRAND NEW stamps from Sweet N Sassy Stamps, and whipped up a card for the Touch Twin challenge blog! I haven't been able to participate the past few times, so I was happy to get this accomplished, having finished up lots of the other work on my to-do list! This month they are having a color challenge.

I fell in LOVE with this stamp set the second I saw it. . . .peanut butter and jelly!? Um, YES. Sign me up, baby! :)  And the colors for the challenge were pretty perfect with it!  I had to fudge on the yellow a little bit, because I didn't have that color.  So I went with Yellow Ochre instead, and I think I used Pastel Peach on the sandwich bread.  And okay. ..just at this VERY moment, I'm realizing that I didn't use Bronze Green. . .I used Bronze. (Partially because I totally missed the word GREEN on there, and partially because I don' thane Bronze Green anyway, so I probably would have gone with plain old Bronze.) Close enough. . .that's what we're going with.  ;)  I tried.  And I got it done, hopefully that's what counts!

hope4us

Hello there! This month's special release sets are available, at The {Stamps} of Life, and I am so happy to share some samples with you! I have to say, I just really love solid stamps.  Probably because (until this week) I had no spiffy fabulous markers.  So if I didn't paper-piece it, I probably didn't color it.  (But this week, thanks to a precious friend, plus some Christmas money, I suddenly have about 36 Touch Twin markers all ready to be colored with! Eeeeek!)

Okay, getting back on track here. . .this stamp set, hope4us, is a solid stamp set, with lots of fun possibilities to get creative.  I'll show you what I did.

I'm totally obsessed with the zebra background stamp that Stephanie came out with a while back.  I pair it with EVERYTHING (as you may have noticed here on my blog!)  For this card, I stamped the love block, cut out the negative space, and mounted it on the zebra background. FUN!!!! :)

 On this next card, I stamped the image four times on pink card stock, using pink ink.  First I cut around three hearts, and then I cut OUT the heart from the center, and adhered it all to my card base.

 These next two are pretty straight forward.  I used the fancy frames framelit die, which you can also find in the TSOL store.

 And on this last card, I embossed the wish image in white, onto metallic card stock.  I never thought I was going to fall in love with metallic cardstock, but it is REALLY fun to emboss on! (You can find a huge variety of colors at Discount Cardstock!)

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I thought blogging was going to be easier now that the holidays are over, but I'll blame this week's lapse on my husband being out of the country! I'll find a new excuse next week! ha!

That being said, please come back on Friday for a BIG blog hop!!!!! It will be lots of fun, and you might just win something!  

xoxo

(card goodies: ink - Clearsnap, card stock - Discount Cardstock, ribbon - Offray, twine - The Twinery, natural twine - May Arts)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Hello, hello! Welcome to 2012! Eeek! I LOVE LOVE LOVE the start of a new year.  Granted, I am always sad to say goodbye to the festive holiday season, but wiping the slate clean, opening up a brand new clean empty calendar, and getting a fresh start is one of my FAVORITE things! The year is full of possibilities, and new blessings that we can't even begin to imagine! I hope your year is off to a TERRIFIC start! And if not. . .well, tomorrow is always a NEW day! 

I like to start off the year by looking back at some of my favorite crafty projects over the past year, but I haven't quite had time to figure out WHAT those projects are.  And I don't want to let another day get away before I share the new stamp set at The {Stamps} of Life!

 On this card, I combined the sentiment from last month's set along with this FUN FUN FUN lined paper stamp in the list2write set.  The line inked in pink is a separate stamp, so you can do it whatever color you'd like.  The lines make a great background, OR a great place to write a note!

 On this project I just folded a small card, (I think it's about half the size of a standard card) and I stamped a bunch of the lines onto copy paper, trimmed it, and stapled them inside.  I was thinking this would be cute to throw in my purse, and I think I need to make up a bunch for the kids, because they will TOTALLY want some! (Bryce has already been asking for "some of that little lined paper that I stamped")

Easy peasy, and a fun little project.  Be sure to check out all the great inspiration in The {Stamps} of Life gallery!

I'm looking forward to getting back to a regular life schedule (and blogging schedule!) now that the holidays are over.  I've already informed my seven-year-old, that chore bootcamp is starting this week.  I will get this child doing chores if it's the last thing I do.  And the hubs is leaving the country for two weeks today - and I am determined to get this household whipped into shape while he is away! :)
We'll see how THAT goes. . . .
Have a great day!
xoxo