ATC Swap for The Cat's Pajamas

Hi friends! Just wanted to pop by and show you my first ever ATCs! (Artist Trading Cards). I had never made ATCs before I joined in this swap, but it sounded fun, and I am so excited to get 10 different ones back! :) Some friends over at the Cat's Pajamas Splitcoaststampers Page decided to do this. I am so glad I decided to play along!  I am still in Vegas, but be prepared when I get back, I have LOTS to show you!! :)

Since I had never made one before, and they are tiny, I thought I'd give one a go before I made a whole set. This was my first try.....

It's cute, but I wasn't just exactly what I had in mind.... I wanted something more summery, using more recent stamps, and brighter colors. Also I could see that shipping 10 little "nest cards" could turn into a real pain without crushing them! So this one stayed in my personal collection. Maybe I will add it to a card sometime, or maybe I'll just keep it as a keepsake of my first ever ATC.

A few things I had to consider was that I wanted to make something that I had 10 identical embellishments for. Additionally, while I didn't mind them having a little bulk/dimension, I wanted something that I could package nicely in a small bag so they will be protected until their new owners receive them. ;)

Once I came up with this one, I felt like this was exactly the kind of thing I'd been working towards! I used the following stamp set, Summer Sentiments:

and I used the following CutUps: Wave, and the "surfboard" is the oval from the Circus Panels CutUps. I had those little arrow clips in my stash, and some washi in fun summer colors sets it off nicely, I think. 

That's all for me until I get back from VEGAS, babies! Check out the paper & ICE facebook page to see some of the fun things I found at CHA. 

hugs, Noelle

Religious Sympathy Card

Hi friends, hope you are doing well today. I am fine, just hangin' in there through the summer! I do a church ministry making cards during the school year, but lately, I haven't had time I normally am able to put into it. I have done a few cards this summer, but here's hoping come August I will get back into the groove with that. Anyhow, one of the ladies who sends me the requests for the card ministry recently lost her mother, and I definitely wanted to send her a card.

I used the same layout and dies that I used on this card from last week. Even though this is a very different card/style/purpose/colors, etc. I thought the layout would work well for this too.

I also used an old (the challenge is now closed) ColourQ palette from a few weeks back. This was just too pretty to not use sometime, don't you think?

I used inks in the challenge colors, some Stampin' Up! flower stamps, a SU! sympathy sentiment, and a Verve Bible verse stamp. I accented the card with a glittery pearl/flower accent, and a cross cabochon. The tags were tied at the top with some linen twine and charcoal gray seam binding.

I think it's a pretty card. I hope she likes it. I hope you are doing well, blog friends! I am beyond THRILLED that I will be leaving for CHA tomorrow (hangin' with my friend Anita!) as press for Craft Storage Ideas, so posting may be iffy for a bit-but please know I am busy gathering all kinds of fun things for you to see & learn about! It's my first CHA & I am really excited.

Chat soon! Noelle :)

SIZZLING Spectacular Super Summer SALE at The Cat's Pajamas!

Hi all! Just wanted to pop by with a reminder that today kicks off the AWESOME Summer Sale that Alma is having at The Cat's Pajamas!! 25% off your WHOLE order! So, if like me you have been making a list and checking it twice-this would be a great time to make those stampy dreams come true! Have a wonderful weekend.

hugs, Noelle

Happy Birthday, Hot Stuff! (Moxie Fab Birthday Creations, ColourQ #198, and MOJO 302)

Hi blog friends! Trying a to get a few posts written tonight to schedule for next week, because on Tuesday I am going to CHA VEGAS!!!! Whooohooo! I have never been to CHA before and I am beyond thrilled to go! I am going as press/representative for Craft Storage Ideas! So, I have a couple posts scheduled, but I don't think I will have much more post wise until closer to the beginning of August. However, I will keep you posted with iPhone pics and posts on the paper & ICE facebook page, so follow along over there if you can! :) If you are going too, comment here and maybe we can meet in person. I would really love to actually KNOW some of my blog friends in person. I am thrilled that Anita agreed to be my roomie! :)

I am not only lucky enough to go to CHA, but it just so happened that many of my college friends were having their annual Vegas Girls Trip right after CHA! :) so I will be gone for almost a week, while my mom and hubby hold down our fort and kids!

I was already pretty convinced that I had the best hubby ever, but now I am SURE. ;) He not only was ok with me going to CHA, he encouraged me to go, I am so very blessed. It is also our anniversary on Friday! We have been married for 17 years on Friday. I am giving him this card, and we are checking out a great new restaurant, kid-free! :)

So, I thought I'd get one more card done before all my travels commence. several of my friends have birthdays in late July, and I made this for one of them. I made it with a few challenges in mind! The first is the Moxie Fab World Birthday Creations Challenge.

I also followed the palette from this week's ColourQ #198 palette. Though I did throw in a little black and cream. LOVE these colors, oh so pretty! I only had the tiniest scraps of Island indigo left.... I thought I had ordered some, but I guess I'm out! :( Managed to get in one wave cut from it and the little word balloon as well as a bit of stamping in that color.

I also used the Mojo Monday #302 sketch. I switched it up a teeny bit, but not too much, putting the word balloon on the right instead of the left and raising the band across the bottom of the card up and across the patterned paper panel in the form of washi.

This is such a cute set, it was one of the first Cat's Pajamas stamp sets I ever bought. It's called Fun In the Sun, and still available at that link!  I also used the Wave CutUp and the Talk To Me CutUps, and a couple other stamp sets.

.....and, as a side note, we are having a BIG SALE at The Cat's Pajamas starting Friday! 25% off your whole order! You should definitely check it out and I'll throw up a reminder post on Friday. 

Sprinkle is so fabulous in her floatie with her blue lagoon cocktail! This is exactly how I hope to look at the Vegas Girls Weekend!! LOL. 

This was a fun card, I love it when a lot of elements come together and make a cohesive statement. :) Fun colors and the sketch helped me put it together perfectly!

That is all for me today! Hope you are having a fabulous day! 

hugs, Noelle

Mustachilous (TCPTUESJUN13 & CTD250)

Hello hello crafty friends! I am stopping in today with a cute card for this month's TCP Tuesday Challenge, which is to use a tag on your project.

Here are the rules for the TCP Tuesday Challenge:

1. The First Tuesday of the Month Alma will post a challenge on her blog. 
   The challenge will also be posted on our Splitcoaststampers forum  and on our Facebook page
2. If you want to play along you just upload your design right here on this page using the InLinkz button. (The challenge button will be posted on the right hand column of this blog so you don't have to search around)
   If you want to display your pretties on Splitcoaststampers using keyword TCPTUESJuly13
3. The Challenge will be a month-long challenge and you can play as many times as you like during that month.
4. Cards and projects must have at least one Cat's Pajamas Stamp or CutUps die in the project.
5. On the First Monday of the Month a winner will be chosen from the previous challenge and crowned Swanky Stamper.
6. The Swanky Stamper will not only be acknowledged as the Swankiest Stamper for that month, but will also receive some of the stamps from our next release and get to play along with us at our Pajamas Party and Blog Hop. AND... They'll even get a special spot in the Gallery highlighting the project that won them the gig AND as snazzy badge to display on their blog.
7. The winner will be announced the First Monday of the month on Splitcoaststampers, Facebook page and this Blog.

I'm also using a color challenge, too, Color Throwdown #250. Being that this is the 250th challenge at Color Throwdown, they are having a celebration with prizes! Alma is providing a 25$ TCP gift certificate for one of the winners, so check it out if you can! :)

For my card I used the Mustache Set, and the following CutUps: Luggage Tags, Toppers, and Mustaches.

I had fun making an oversized, matted tag using the Toppers CutUps. Then I stamped it with the mustache stamp repeatedly, and punched a hole through the top.

I cut a tag from the Luggage Tags CutUps and stamped that with my sentiment. I added the "I" stamped in Crumb Cake ink on So Saffron cardstock and punched it out with a circle punch. Then I layered it on my tag. I used some mustaches die cut from cork as accents. The tops of the tags were lined up, and threaded with some teal seam binding and bright pink trim. The final embellishment was a sweet pale yellow button.

That is all for me today! Hope you are doing well! :)

Noelle

CAS Snowman Card (PS SPARKS, Jingle Belles, and Merry Monday)

Hi friends! Stopping in on this HOT summer day with a COOL Christmas card for ya! I am multitasking, and managed to hit 3 challenges with this one! This is for the following challenges: Paper Smooches SPARKS, which uses the following sketch:

It's also for Jingle Belles, the challenge is "Cardstock Christmas" using NO designer/patterned papers, just solid cardstock, on your project. Here's a few words about it from those Jingle Belles, Stef and Lauren: 

"Today we're asking you to step away from the designer paper ... yes, put it away ... none allowed ... not even a scrap ... because the next prompt is to create a card using only cardstock.  You can tear it, ink it, stamp it, spray it, emboss it ... but stick to only cardstock for your holiday card design."

It is also for the Merry Monday "Anything Goes" challenge. This one is up through July, so if you make any new Christmas cards, link up! Here's the graphic/info:

I had to think on this one a bit, since patterned paper is such a "go-to" design tool for me, and I was trying to follow the sketch. I decided to make a relatively CAS card, though I did incorporate the following techniques for interest: heat embossing, chalk resist, glitter/Stickles, and paper piecing. 

I began by heat embossing some snow on the base of the card (color: Pool Party/Stampin' Up!). I used a glittery/clear embossing powder and VersaMark ink. Then I stamped my sentiment, and my snowman for his first layer. I cut and tore the vellum and used a vellum adhesive to adhere it  to the card, and over the sentiment (and half my snowman). 

Onto the snowman: I stamped the houndstooth background stamp onto white cardstock, and the snowman stamp over it in black. I used some chalk to bring out the houdstooth pattern in a subltle way on this chilly little guy. then I colored his nose, cut him out and layered him right over the first snowman I had stamped on the card. 

I added some Diamond Stickles to the edge of the vellum, and to his heart. The only bummer with this, is that my vellum did wrinkle. :( 

Now, at this point the card could have been done (I guess, but what fun would that be?? haha!) I just felt it needed something at the top to balance out all the vellum overlay/chalk resist/paper pieced/Stickled/heat embossed goodness going on at the bottom, KWIM? ;) So, I added some pom pom trim in pale blue and a snowflake flair from Bossy Joscie. And then I could breathe again, because I knew my card was *really* done this time. :)

and that is all for this crafty chick today, friends! Peace, Love, and.. stay cool out there, people-it's HOT! 

xoxo, Noelle

Tag Challenge/TCP Tuesday "Key to Success"

Hi! Hope you had a fabulous holiday weekend! We are midsummer and things have been crazy with my boys home. I love the sleeping in and minimal scheduling that we get in the summer.... but the extra noise, mess, and kids fighting somehow diminishes my passion for it come mid-July! I often tell folks, my kids are really well-behaved for me. But after too much time together, they bicker and argue, and that drives me batty! Ah, c'est la vie! Right? ;)

 But, it's Tuesday! And even if your kids are *also* driving YOU up a proverbial wall, you should make some crafty time for your own sanity. It's time for another TCP Tuesday Challenge. For July we are challenging you to use a tag on your project. Remember, a tag has a hole in it. :)

Here's my card for this week! I used the Key Phrases stamp set, the Luggage Tag CutUps, the Key To Your Heart CutUps, the Big Ticket CutUp, and the Admit One stamp set.

I repeated the star motif on the card. You can see that the tickets that are printed on the background patterned card stock have some little stars on them. I cut the key from star printed paper, and added some stamped stars to the big tickets that I cut and stamped.

Here are the details to the challenge:

1. The first Tuesday of the month Alma will post a challenge on the Dancing in Pajamas blog. The challenge will also be posted on the TCP Splitcoaststampers forum and on the TCPFacebook page.
2. If you want to play along you just upload your design right on Dancing in Pajamas blog using the InLinkz button. (The challenge button will be posted on the right hand column of this blog so you don't have to search around). If you want to display your pretties on Splitcoaststampers using keyword TCPTUESJuly13.
3. The Challenge will be a month-long challenge and you can play as many times as you like during that month.
4. Cards and projects must have at least one Cat's Pajamas Stamp or CutUps die in the project.
5. On the First Monday of the Month a winner will be chosen from the previous challenge and crowned Swanky Stamper.
6. The Swanky Stamper will not only be acknowledged as the Swankiest Stamper for that month, but will also receive some of the stamps from our next release and get to play along with us at our Pajamas Party and Blog Hop. AND... They'll even get a special spot in the Gallery highlighting the project that won them the gig AND as snazzy badge to display on their blog.
7. The winner will be announced the First Monday of the month on Splitcoaststampers, Facebook page and this Blog.

Most of the papers on my card are Authentique, aside from the scrap I cut the key from. That scrap is from My Mind's Eye. I used some Blueberry Divine Twine to tie the key to the card.

I hope you can come play out tag challenge this month! Big hugs and I'll be back soon with some more fun projects :)

Noelle