Getting My Manly On

For a lot of people this tends to be a real challenge.  I’m not an exception to this fact.  I think it tends to be the fact that we just don’t have a reason or want to go in that direction.  When people do they make really cute stuff.  So we decided for this challenge round we’d get manly.

Our new sponsor for this month is Mod Podge/Plaid.  As some of you may know I’ve been showcasing this past week where you can really think outside the box for using your stamps.  I’m not going to change that any today because Mod Podge products are perfect for supporting that habit.  In fact, they sent us some awesome goodies to play with… the same ones we are going to be giving away as the prize this month.

There are some really awesome products.  From the different kinds of Mod Podge to the paint brushes to the Extreme Glitter then finally to the stencils.  You can go wrong.  And it was all fun to play with.  So what did I do with it all?

I made a candy jar.  Because who doesn’t have a sweet tooth?

I got my tall jar from Hobby Lobby.  I then prepped the bottom half with Mod Podge.  Then I started adding pieces of Pattern (when I say Pattern here I mean like from a dress pattern) that I had stamped Clock, Inspired by Donna Downey, Vintage Postcard, and Lovely Lilacs.  I Mod Podged these pieces on as I went.  I then added the Green Chevron looking ribbon.  And Viola!!!  The cool thing to me is it’s got a vintage look to it but doesn’t have a very feminine feel to it.

Now for those that are stopping by for the giveaway that I spoke about.  I’m giving away the tote I made on Day 4 of GIU.  The catch?  Leave a comment here.  If you would like an extra entry, participate in this challenge, then come back & let me know you did.  This means that the giveaway will be open until June 26th.

Thanks for stopping by today!!

Growing in Unity–Day 5

Welcome back!!

Today is going to be just a slight twist on yesterday’s project.  In fact, I’ve done this project on a canvas bag and it was totally cute.

Supplies for today’s project:

• 1 – Tie (got mine from Mike’s for $2.99)
• Stamps of your choice (this time it really doesn’t matter about detail
• Ink (again with staying power)
• DMC thread
• Seed beads (if desired)

I will give you a heads up that I won’t be posting a project tomorrow just a winner of the Unity set.  If you do come back on Sunday you can see what All Things Unity’s new challenge is (hint: today’s project is a huge clue.)

Thanks to all that have been stopping by this week!!

Growing in Unity–Day 4

We have been whipping out the projects haven’t we?  I hope you have enjoyed everything this week.  I won’t delay in today’s showcase as I had a huge delay for me in getting in posted.  Don’t you hate when that happens?

Alrighty my pretties, another easy one.  This one only involved:

1 – Canvas Bag
Stamp of choice (usually one with go spacing is best)
Ink (I used Staz On)
Heat Activated Jewels (I used Imaginisce & their I-rock tool)
or the leaves I used Maya Road straight pins where I cut the pins off

The rest is pretty self explanatory but feel free to ask questions if you need anything explained.

Thanks for stopping by again today.

Growing in Unity–Day 3

Woohoo!! We’ve made it to mid week.

We’ve got another trick up our sleeve today… I don’t know why I’m speaking in plural, it’s just me, hehe!!

Today it’s a spin on a bookmark.  Although i f you want you could make it into a couple of different things, so I will be showing quite a few pictures.

You can get a set of 4 spoons at WalMart for $.97.  I then used StazOn to stamp my image on the inside of the spoon.  You can then use your choice of filler, I used Nunn Design Gel du Soleil that I had gotten when I was at Inspired.  However you could use Ice Resin, Glossy Accents, Diamond Glaze, etc.

Here’s a more close up so you can see some more of the detail.

Once it all dries, bend the spoon into shape & add embellishments.

Now this is where I’m going to say you can do some other things other than just bookmarks.  You could remove most of the shank of the spoon and make it into a pendant.  Or you could stamp on some words or pics then use it for makers.  That’s just to get your juices flowing.

I’m not saying this is a perfect fit for our challenge over at All Things Unity this go round but it’s close with our spoon.  Feel free to go check it out and play along with go up for the prize.

Thanks for coming over today!!

Growing in Unity–Day 2

Thanks everyone for coming back!!  I hope you enjoyed our metal sheet board from yesterday. 

Now onto today’s project and this may look complicated but I promise you is super simple.  It just may take a few steps.  I’ll show you first then explain.

You may recognize some of those images.  (Top Left going clockwise: Bee – The Best is Yet to Be; Good Times –  The Good Times October KoM 2008; Bird - The Best is Yet to Be; Flowers – Just Be You). 

What I did was get some polymer clay, now don’t think you have to go invest in a whole bunch of new stuff.  I got some from Walmart that was in the craft section but it was more in the kiddie side, it only cost about $6.  You work out your clay, then press your image in.  Use an Exacto knife to cut out each image.  Then into the oven it goes, then 15-20 minutes you have a blank canvas to work on.  Use whatever you like to decorate your surface.

I used Walnut Stain, Copic pen, pencil & Shimmer Blingz to color this pretty.

On this one, I used some more Shimmerz spray.  Then went to town with some Smooch in Gold & Siren for my sunset.  For the bird I just used Pool. 

Now I just have one word of caution when you are making/decorating your surface that you want your magnets to stick to, make sure they are magnetized metal.  I made that mistake first, kinda frustrating when you’re all done & proud of what you did and the magnets won’t stick…LOL.  OH well.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Growing in Unity–Day 1

Well hello there and welcome!!

Thanks for joining me in my first day of Growing in Unity.

For any of you that have seen my work before or followed me at all, you know I like to work out of the confines of the normal stamping medium.  I’m going to do my best to show you some of the different ways you can do that this week.

How are we going to start?  Let’s try working with some metal.

I got these metal sheets through Pick Your Plum.   They are 5x8 which I think is a nice size.  I think used VersaMark and colored embossing powder to pretty it up.  I used a orange & garnet ePs to color the poppies from the May Kom – {think Happy thoughts}.  Then for our border I used a stamp from June KoM 2010 – fly…free using a white eP.  The thing that helped me the most with this was Perfect Printing Pouch by ScraPerfect.  It really made embossing on the metal super easy.

Here’s a closeup shot so you can get better idea of what it looks like.

Thank you for joining me this today.

Come back tomorrow for Part II of this project.

Trying Something New

I’m going to admit in a huge way some much I LOVE this challenge!!!!  It stems from the fact that I just got Donna Downey’s Inspired event in Charlotte last week.  To say that I want to play and try out new things would be an understatement!!  Hence when I saw this was our challenge for this week I wanted to just jump up and down.

While there I got to take a class from Christy Tomlinson, let’s just say it rocked!!!  I combined what I learned in that class with some other tidbits I learned along the way through the week.

I gotta say the only down side to the entire thing is the fact that this was the last Inspired event… BOO!! It just figures when I find out about something it would be the last one.  I am extremely grateful that I did get a chance to go to this one.  I wouldn’t have missed it!!

I plugged in my ear phones, which I hardly ever do (normally I plug in a movie).  Started jamming away while I let inspiration flow.

I’m so glad you were able to stop by and will now join me as I go check out the other girlies…

Christi
Jimmi
Kimme
Sherry

Break out the Unused

The poor neglected, ignored and unused.  Sitting there waiting for you to use them and to feel your love.  That was kind of the point of this challenge over at All Things Unity.  If you have anything fitting that description and uh umm ya know you do, come play with us.

Now I made my project, I got the opportunity to make while at Donna Downey’s Inspired.  EEKKK!!!  So you know I had to use some of my Donna Downey “inspired” stamps.

Thanks for coming to see but make sure NOW you come and play!!

One of My Favorite Things

In the crafting world, there are several stamp companies I keep coming back to.  In fact, if I had to narrow it down to my top 2 it would be without a doubt and I say this as being in no particular order…

1) Unity
2) My Favorite Things

Which brings me to my latest project.  I really love to mix all my loves and passions.  I was inspired by the latest My Favorite Things GDT challenge.  Didn’t bother me a bit that I had loaded up quite on goodies while I was CHA and it gave me an excuse to break them out.  hehe

Just so you know the cork and felt they have is AWE-SOME!! If you don’t have any already, you must go get some!!  Don’t walk run, don’t pass GO, JUST GO!!

Stamps: Framed Greetings
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, DI Spun Sugar
Paper: Bella Blvd Estate Sale, Perfect Panels
Extras: Copics, Offray Lace, Die-namics - Rolled Flower, Open Scallop, Scalloped Scallop, Flower Trio, Lotsa Bling, Shimmerz - Cherub Pink & Coral Pink, Cosmo Cricket Box, MFT Felt & Cork, PTI Leaves Ribbon

Whimsically Making It Fit

Sometimes everything falls into place just the way you want it.  Sometimes it doesn’t.

Sometimes things take very little effort and go exactly the way you want.  Other times, not so much.

Then there are times when you start off with the best of intentions but everything falls through.

Sometimes you just have to make things fit around what you have.

That’s kinda what I had to do with this week’s inspiration challenge for Whimsical Wednesday.  Normally I just work from the inspiration piece and I love taking different aspects from it what I can.  However this week, I am kind of bending the inspiration piece to work it toward what I made. And…

I’m also going back on the fact that I said I wasn’t going to be making anymore onesies for a while, but this time I mean it because I don’t have anymore in the house.

As for the inspiration piece itself, I think it is beautiful, in fact we are also using it over at the All Things Unity blog this round.

Now as for making it fit for the challenge.  I used the colors and I used the shape.

 

As for why I made two, well they are for 2 separate teams.  Alabama & Auburn to be specific.  See the friends’ & their baby I made this for are from what we call a  “divided” household.  The husband (the smart one) is for Alabama & the wife is for Auburn.  I couldn’t make one in just one color combo & not the other.

I used my another Cricut cartridge to cut out the monogram J & even the setup for the stitching.  It’s a cutout of Claudine Hellmuth sticky back canvas that I painted with Acrylic paint & then went over with Matte Medium to seal.

This challenge we are issuing is to keep you busy for the WHOLE month of June.  The rest I’m quoting directly from Jess…

“...and just to keep you intrigued?  We have one HECK of a PRIZE!

Today's Challenge is a WONDERFUL inspiration piece that my sweet friend Sara (that’s me) sent to me because she knew I'd love what it said.  It just so happens it makes for an EXCELLENT summer challenge too!  Here's the photo:

Now...here's the deal.   You have ALL MONTH to play along.   There are NO restrictions on number of entries, etc.  You just have to link it up here and we have to be able to see the inspiration piece somewhere on your card or project.

Entries will be accepted until JUNE 30th, 2010 at 8pm CST.

The catch?  Well, ok, it's NOT a catch..it's more like LOOT....TONS OF IT!  CHECK THIS OUT:

ONE lucky winner will receive:

TWO Kraftin' Kimmie stamps of Choice, sponsored by Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps!

This HUGE prize from Tamiko's:

1.  Spellbinders Frameabilities Scalloped Edge Frame
2.  1/4" Scorepal tape
3.  Sticky thumb adhesive tape
4.  Memento Tuxedo Black Ink Pad
5.  Robin's nest tear drops
6.  Robin's nest dew drop
7.  Robin's nest mini dew drops
8.  2-3 bags of Lion coffee (a little something from Hawaii)

A FREE Digital Image sponsored by Daredevil herself, Sara Henton

TWO Rubber Stamps from a newly released  BabyBud Designs (manuf. by C.C. Designs) sponsored by Daredevil Krista!

ONE 4x6 Set of choice from The Greeting Farm

Can you BELIEVE the generosity of these sponsors???   I am SUPER stoked for this and it's nothing we've ever had the privilege to offer our players before.  I cannot WAIT to see who the random winner is!

Here is my card in case you need a little inspiration:

Well, as they say in Hollywood, "that's a wrap" for now...but we will see you in a few weeks and in the mean time, HAPPY STAMPING and good luck to all who participate!”

Now don’t forget to go check out more from the Whimsical Wednesday blog.

A Bird & Ninjas

At this point I’m sure you are wondering, huh?  I know I would be.  Talk about two opposites.  Hopefully by the end it will make more sense.

As you know besides loving to stamp, I love making jewelry.  I wanted to make a pendant for my sister.  My sister is into artsy and more dainty type pendants.  When I was in Hobby Lobby the other day I saw the stuff they had from Vintaj immediately started getting ideas on what to make for her.  This is what I finally came up with and this is where the bird comes in.

As I was taking the photos of the pendant and a few other projects while I was at my sister’s house.  My nephew decided to be my photographer’s assistant.  He was so cute, even wanted to take a few photos himself.  Then he posed his ninjas and told me I had to take a pic of them too.  So this is in honor of my trust photog assistant.  Thanks babe for all your help ;)

Hopefully that explained the bird and ninjas collaboration.

Rawr Means…

Ever since I can remember my nephew has loved dinosaurs.  He got where he could name all of them, tell you all about them at that was just when he was like 2 1/2.  He’s now 6 1/2 still loves him some dinosaurs.  When the movie Wild Things came out you can imagine how excited he was.  For him it was just a step away from dinosaurs.  So when My Favorite Things came out with a new set called Little Loveosaurus for me it was a no brainer to get it. 

And I made him a whole of stuff with it from a Tee Shirt to a bookmark (with him being in first grade he’s really gotten into reading.  He just started Diary of a Wimpy Kid.) Side Note: I made one of those bookmark cards.  It was super easy & it went over big!!

My super happy, cute model!! Stamps: MFT – Little Loveosaurus, I {heart} books
Ink: Palette Noir, Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper: Basic Grey – Archaic & Black Tie, SEI – Addison, SU Brown Textured CS, PTI Soft Stone
Extras: Nestabilities, Copics, Cosmo Cricket Ribbon, Twill Ribbon, Misc Scrap Material, Claudine Hellmuth Sticky Back Canvas, Sharpie

Berry Adorable FFC

Hope you’re having a Berry Good Friday!!  Followed by a Berry good Weekend!! Sorry I couldn’t help it.  Are you sensing a theme?  You will once you see what Kim gave us for inspiration this week, we get kinda fruity.

I have a slight confession to make (for a change) I made this last week by accident.  I got slight confused, so I’ve this made for a week.

Now onto the inspiration.

I think this just might be the last onesie I make for a while.

Stamps: Unity Stamp Co – Together We Bloom (April 2010 KoM)
Ink: Palette Noir
Extras: Iron On Rhinestones, Copics, Fabric Glitter Pen 

I can’t wait to see what fruity thing the other girls came up with.  Let’s go see!!

Christi
Jimmi
Kim
Kimme
Sherry

AND HAVE A BERRY GOOD WEEKEND!! hehe

 

Flowers, Flowers

Everywhere!! I so love flowers.  These not many I don’t like.  So when our illustrious Kim has come back as our hostess for this month and challenged us to make our own flowers, you know I had to do it!!

I love me some flowers!!!

And if you know me at all… you know I could just do the norm.

I broke out some tulle, my nestabilites, a Basic Grey brad, a little wire and headband.  And this is what I came up with…

Now I have to find a cute little girl to give it to.

Also, now that I’ve had a chance to sit back after a very long day at work, I’m going to go check out what the other sassy girls made today.

Christi
Jimmi
Kim 
Kimme
Sherry

Getting Earthy

Today’s Friday Fun Challenge we are getting ready for Earth Day.  And with it we are using Trees and Flowers and whatever in nature inspires us.  I’m a nature girl at heart, too bad I’m allergic to more than half of it.  I’m thinking I’m going to have to come back and do something else for this one.  In the meantime I hope I can amuse you with the barrette project I made.

It uses pretty flowery paper & vine/flower stamp.

I really can’t wait to see what my other sassy girls have made.  You know why?  Because KIM is back!!!  I’m so happy about that, I’ve missed her so much.

Now off we go, let’s go see what the other girls have made.

Christi
Jimmi
Kim
Kimme
Sherry
 

Supplies -
Stamps: April KoM – Fresh Beginnings
Ink: Memento – Angel Pink
Paper: Girl’s Paperie – Newsprint Stripe
Extras: Spicas – Pink & Clear, BG93 Copic

If you would like a tutorial on how this is done, it is up on the All Things Unity blog now.

Eureka Moment!!

As some of you may know I’ve been using iron ons quite a bit lately and playing with them.  I’ve had some fun but while having fun, there’s been a burning question in the back of my mind.  See I’ve been coloring with copics after I’ve ironed my image on.  Which is great but sometimes I’ve had problems where the ink would run over the line.  Well with fabric, it’s not that easy to colorless blender it back in place.  Case & point…see picture to your right. (All pictures are clickable so that you can see more detail).  Although you can get some of the color to go away, you can’t get it all to go away.  Which brings me to the burning question, could I color the iron on before I ironed?

So I did a patch test and found out I could.  My reaction?  YAHOO!!  The size of my patch test?  1/4” square this will become relevant in about 10 seconds.

Off I went to color my bigger image with my newfound information.  I was so happy.  My results (sorry in advance for my picture, I took after I took the others & didn’t feel like setting things up all over again so it’s a little blown out)…

Don’t know if you can tell but there’s a HUGE problem.  It started to clump up on the paper and the black of the ink started to run.  I was started to worry.  This isn't going to work like I wanted.  Back to the drawing board I went.  Then an epiphany hit me.   I had it.  Don’t color in circles like you do on normal paper!!  Don’t worry about shading, unless you really have to!!  So I started coloring in dots.  I laid on in dots, this is where a brush tip is really nice.  What are the results like?

Very clean lines!! Crisp!! I think it came out AWESOME!!  Want a side by side comparison…

Plus if you read Sherrie’s blog, she was saying it was good to heat set when you’ve colored with copics on fabric.  Now you’ve done it in one step.  COOL, right?

Stamps used The Greeting Farm & Pink Cat Studio.

 

Whimsical Greetings from the Farm!!

It’s such a great day!!  It’s been such a nice week.  My nephew has been visiting and we’ve been having such a nice visit.  I have a webcam (yes, I know I’m a little behind) that I finally got setup.  I had a fun weekend and got to reunite with some “old” friends.  And now to top it off I get to use some stamps from a company that I really like and have for a long time.

THE GREETING FARM although when I first started using them they were Pink Poison (I liked that name too).  Marie has been so sweet as to sponsor us this month so make sure to play along if you want to win some of their awesome stamps!!

This week we have an inspiration challenge, which I think plays well along with my post from earlier this week.  Mainly because I needed to make more stuff, hehe.

Doesn’t it just scream girlie!! I thought it would work perfectly for a friend of mine that is having a baby girl and especially for using Toby Cub image.  I have to tell you for me when it comes to making altered especially for clothing digi images to be the best.

All I used was a onsie, Kodak Iron-Ons and Copics.  Super Simple!!  And SUPER DUPER CUTE!!  I think I’m going to make a few more in a couple of more colors (kind of a care bear look). 

Now if you didn’t start off with our host Heather at the Whimsical Dare blog you may want to start there and then go check out the other Dare Devils and see how they were inspired.

Andrea
Cassie
Heather
Jacquie
Jessica
Kim
Kris
Krista
Randi
Rebecca

Tea Time!!

When I saw not that long ago about this new stamp company called Spesch (which if you asked me is short for Special).  They have digital stamps and they are entirely too cute!!  IF you want to go check out her etsy store, you know you want to be enabled.  I just had to bust them out and to creating. Wanna see?

I covered a Tazo tea package with Basic Grey paper and made a card to match.  I just love this stamp!!

Stamp:  Mad Hatter
Paper: Basic Grey - Urban Prairie, Misc White
Extras: Copics, Nestabilities, Primas, Hero Art Jewels, Zva Jewels, DeNami Ribbon, Fiskars Punch

Saying Goodbye

is never easy. And all good things must end. Pick your cliche and in this case they fit. Yet I must say goodbye to my fellow Queen Kat Royal Court Members. I wish them all well and I have learned a lot. I am hoping that I can keep some of the friendships that I made and that I will continue to see all of them to grow in all of their endeavors.

With all of that I figured I might share one last project that I made to wear while I was working the CHA Supershow. It's with one of the new releases that is coming soon (it was supposed to be released at the supershow). I also made the flowers at the top with ribbon & FlowerSoft to help show how to use the product I was demonstrating.