Happy Friday, Ya'll!!

Well, it's officially the last Friday of the first month of 2010. I'm just not ready to turn the calendar page yet!!!! **sigh**

Moxie Fab World is having a Tainter Style Card challenge... so here's my Tainter-style card - which gives me a wonderful idea for Friday night dinner plans. ;)



Papers are from October Afternoon and My Minds Eye. Die Cut flowers are also MME. The vintage image and label is from Crafty Secrets.

I spent yesterday in a nearby small town with 3 other girlfriends from high school. One of the girls had a birthday and it's not very often we are all available to travel out of town for the afternoon for lunch. It was a fun time that went by way too fast.

Anyhooo - here are a couple of "happy" cards to celebrate it being Friday.





Papers are Cosmo Cricket, chipboard bird is from Stampin Up! with Glimmer Mist sprayed on it, the cloud is a die cut from My Mind's Eye "Love Me Do".





This one also uses Cosmo Cricket. I used my Cuttlebug for the butterflies and embossing. I'm really in love with butterflies right now so they will be fluttering through my blog.

Have a wonderful Friday! I'm looking forward to the weekend. It's been a BUSY week.


~melanie~

Got Sketch and In Search of CHA pics

I'm in search of CHA Winter 2010 show photos. You know, for the folks left behind... including me.

I found some today at Linda's Blog.

If you have links to booth/show photos - post them here and I'll add them. Thanks!

Today I have my first layout using one of Valerie Salmon's "Got Sketch" layout sketches. This one is number 96.. that tells you how many I have missed.


Here's my take on the sketch.











The papers are from Webster's Pages, Prima flowers, Making Memories card and pin.

Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget to share links to CHA photos here.
~melanie~

Tuesday Trigger and a Card Sketch

I can't believe we're starting the beginning of the last full week in January! It seems like I JUST took my Christmas tree down. I'm just not ready to turn the page on my new 2010 Dachshund Puppy calendar!

Meanwhile, I've been trying to keep my creativity sharpened by doing some challenges. Have you seen this week's Tuesday Trigger on the Moxie Fab blog? Pretty gold, white and turqoise.... I used it for inspiration to make a quick card while I was simmering a pot of gumbo yesterday in preparation for the big Saints game (who dat?) ;)







The patterned paper is from Melissa Frances; Stampin' Up stamp.

And I have one more card for today. This is based on last week's sketch at Card Positioning System's blog. It's sketch number 150.



The journaling card and patterned paper are from October Afternoon.

Off to the start of a busy week. I'm also stalking blogs and message boards for CHA show photos. I'm so excited about the new product coming out. Fun! fun! fun! Have a great day.

~melanie~

Another Cosmo Cricket Sketch Challenge

I've really been loving doing online challenges and sketches and such. They keep me focused and motivated. Not to mention - it's fun.

I created another layout based on a sketch on the Cosmo Cricket Blog this week. Here's the layout.



I wanted to do a Valentine-ish layout maybe it's the little hearts in the sketch that planted the thought in my head, so I printed some photos of me and my hubby. And I thought of a song that I like and realized it would be the perfect title for a layout. After I got into the layout and to the journaling, I realized our anniversary was only 22 days away. (We got married on Valentine's weekend). Anyway - it was pretty cool once I got the page going - and yes - I did veer from the sketch a bit. But, the sketch is a starting point, right?



The other plus to working on this page was that I dove even deeper into my "things I love" stash. (Translation - things I hoard because it's beautiful) I confessed on my last blog post that I have a hoarding problem. So, I used Cosmo Cricket papers from Chemistry, Honey Pie and Girl Friday. Isn't it nice when different collections work together so well? The other supplies are Prima Crystals, Jenni Bowlin Bingo Card and ticket, Adornit Mini-Alphas and Creative Imaginations Alphas. I cut some of the butterflies from felt with my Cuttlebug. (I'm really loving butterflies again right now - you may be seeing them more.) The chipboard strip is from Making Memories.





So, enjoy your Friday! We're hitting a birthday party tonight, and then I'm cooking a big pot of gumbo for the Saints game Sunday. Enjoy your weekend and thanks for stopping by.

~melanie~

Birthdays are..

Birthdays are fun!

It seems that alot of people I know have had birthdays in the past 3 weeks. In fact, hubby and I are going to a birthday party this weekend. Our friend be celebrating the 29th anniversary of his 21st birthday. Did I mess up your thinking?

I made a couple of birthday cards this weekend using some things from my Webster's Pages stash. The stash that I hoard because it's so beautiful that I just can't cut it up. Yeah - I know - I'm really working on that. For these cards, I used some journaling cards - journaling cards that I also hoard because they are so beautiful. But, like I said - I'm working on it. So, I decided to make the journaling cards into birthday cards.



I used a Melissa Frances rub on and the striped ribbon is a Hobby Lobby find. The butterfly was cut with the Cricut and Indie Art cartridge.



The top portion of the card is a journaling card. The patterned paper is Raspberry Truffle. The cordorouy button is from Imaginesce; Melissa Frances rub on.

And here's one card I made from the January Challenge at the Webster's Ning Message Board. The challenge was to use a technique you've never used before. I love felt flowers, especially the ones with the stitching around them. While going through my stash, I came across come Making Memories felt flowers - that I was hoarding by the way... and I decided to stitch around them with embroidery thread AND machine stitch the center of them.





Papers are Webster's Pages, Vintage Image is from Crafty Secrets.

Any big plans this weekend? Besides the birthday party, hubby will be watching the big football game and I'm sure I'll dream up something fun to cook for him - even if it's a dessert. That will make him happy. He'll be wearing his Saint's Tee-Shirt. I bought it for him a few weeks ago and told him he has to wear it for all the big games.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend!

~melanie~

In the name of love..

With Valentine's Day around the corner - I couldn't resist creating some Valentine cards - just for the fun of it. For this card, I used die cut images from My Mind's Eye "Love Me Do", some Adornit Mini-alpha's and my hearts embossing folder.








I used the MME "Love Me Do" Die cut heart for the focal, and the papers and sticker is from Little Yellow Bicycle's "Sweet Love" Decorative Edged Tablet, which included stickers and cardstock. It's made to go with a coordinating album, but it's perfect for cards.






I'm sorry the colors are a bit dark. Finicky cloudy sky. It's really my favorite in real life. Again, I used the Little Yellow Bicycle's Decorative Edged Tablet "Sweet Love". The border punch is from Stampin' Up.






Last one. Simple and sweet using the Little Yellow Bicycle "Sweet Love" collection. Again - bad coloring in the photos (sorry...hate that when it happens).

I don't know about you, but I'm ready for all the new CHA releases from so many of my favorite companies. I'm really trying to "use up" what I have now to make room for new inspiration. Have a wonderful day and thanks for stopping by!

~melanie~

Birds of A Feather

I've been stalking the Cosmo Cricket blog, drooling over the new releases. I'm pretty convinced I have to have every bit of it. Anyway, they been posting some sketch challenges over there, so I created this page with the latest sketch.



Here's my take on the sketch. I used some of my many photos from my high school reunion this past summer.







The papers are from Cosmo Cricket's Earth Love and Nutmeg collection. The felt flowers are from Stampin' Up.

Guess what, me and hubby finally went to see Avatar this past weekend. All I can say is WOW! Well, that's all from me for now. Thanks for stopping by.

~melanie~

More Cosmo Cricket Projects

The sun may be shining, but baby, it's STILL cold outside! And there's nothing like cold weather keeping you indoors to intice you to create something with your Cosmo Cricket stash.

The gals at Pursuit of Craftyness were recently sponsored by Cosmo Cricket. We all worked with the complete Jolly by Golly collection. Here are more of my projects created with this line. It's sooo fun and not just for Christmas!



This little gift set was super easy to make. I used a pre-made gift box, covered it with paper and added the cute chipboard mittins.





I hand stitched around the cardstock with pink embroidery thread. (thought it would give the feel of warmth, like hand-knit mittens). If you know anything about Louisiana, you know we really don't get alot of snow down here. Notice the short sleeve shirt my daughter is wearing the photos? Well, it was actually about 80 degrees in December and one of the local churches created a "winter wonderland" complete with a snow machine. Yes, a snow machine. And yes, it was melting and the snow was so hard they could barely pick it up - but hey - when you are 4 years old...and have never seen "real" snow - you are happy, right?


Here are some cards I made with this collection.





Be sure to check out the Pursuit of Craftyness blog to see all of the design team's projects. That's all I have for today. Thanks for stopping by.

~melanie~

Raspberry Suite Color Challenge No 21

So here she goes again with another "new" thing. This time I created something for Dawn McVey's color challenge. Doing color challenges all around is "new" to me, but I have to say - I really think I like doing this!



The colors (as you can see) were aqua, soft yellow, cream and chocolate. I stepped out of my patterned paper box, and went with cardstock only. I embossed the focal cardstock for some texture. I envisioned using more aqua, but this seemed to be the direction I went, so I went with it.




The stamps are Blooming Button Bits from Papertrey Ink. I'm really lovin' this set.

Thanks for stopping by!!

~melanie~

monday monday again

It's Monday (again!). How come it always seems to come so quick? ;)

I just have one card today. I made it for the Hero Arts blog January Contest they have going on this month.





Papers are from Basic Grey Bittersweet (6x6 pad) and stamps are Hero Arts. I used chalk to color my images.

I also have some sad news. Many of you fellow papercrafters know Sonda Tadlock. We just got word that her beautiful daughter, Baylee, passed away Saturday. If you haven't already, stop by Sonda's Blog and leave a message for her and Duane. Most of all, please lift them up in your prayers during this difficult time for them.

thanks for stopping by.
~melanie~

Trying new things

I had some extra time this week and tried some new things. One was a new Paula Deen recipe for stuffed canneloni. The verdict - good but alot of work (the stuffing part). The family loved it and I can now cross that off my list of unchartered territory in the cooking arena.

The other new thing I tried was the Color Challenge at the Moxie Fab World blog. The challenge was to use equivalent colors of Bazzill Basics Paper: Grape Delight, Mystique, Festive, and Pomegranate... and to ONLY use those colors. Here's what I came up with:





I used Papertrey Ink's new Blooming Button Bits stamp set, Worldwin Castata cardstock (Grey), Prism Papers Orange Cardstock, Patterned Paper from My Minds' eye, Bazzill Buttons and ink from Stampin Up!

I had so much fun using this stamp set, I made another quick card. On the topic of new things...this is also the first time for me to use Papertrey Ink's Stamper's Select White Cardstock. It's awesome! It's 110lb weight and I'll be back for more.



Supplies: Stamps and Cardstock from Papertrey Ink, Paper from Cosmo Cricket Early Bird, Ink from Stampin' Up! and buttons from my stash.

Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you've been inspired to try something new this week!

~melanie~

Tuesday Trigger Inspiration

Just trying to stay warm on this cold day in the south. Brrrrrrr!!!!

I've been trying to stretch myself in 2010. One area is to try more challenges and get out of the box. I decided to create something with this week's Tuesday Trigger from the Moxie Fab World blog. The challenge for me (who likes color and lots of it) was to pull from the color scheme and create something I'm happy with. I really enjoyed doing this and, even tho it took me a bit longer than normal because I had to find just the right elements.... I love the outcome.

Here is the trigger:


And here is my creation:



I used Basic Grey's Wassail paper "Sleigh Ride". (it's not just for Christmas!), Butterfly stamp from My Mind's Eye, Sentiment from Stampin Up, flowers, trim and other vintage finds to finish it.

It's not too late to play. Hop on over to the Moxie Fab World blog and stretch!


~melanie~