Big NEWS! (and sorry for my absence...)

Hi friends! Things have been nutty in my little corner of the world recently, I just finished teaching 3 weeks of theater summer camps. So much fun, and also a massive amount of time spent! Great kids, great co-workers, great program, but I am not used to being gone from home 12 hours a day, 5 days a week. So, I have missed you, life sure gets crazy sometimes. I scheduled lots of things for you to see, but I have not been around the blogosphere at all. :( I am so grateful to be off work in July, this will be the first month I haven't taught theater all year. I am looking forward to some summer fun with my boys! :)

But today is the day that my BIG announcement goes live! I have been invited to join the CardMaker Magazine blog team!  You could have knocked me over with a feather when I got the email. I hadn't even been looking to join any new teams, but *this* was an opportunity that could NOT be passed up! :) I'm so excited, my first post will be later in July. :) I am super excited about our team and the posts I will be writing.

Recent scrapbook pages

Hi friends! I am just swinging in with some prescheduled posts. Here are some recent scrapbook pages for your viewing pleasure. ;)

These are all from way back in 2011, I am ALMOST done with 2011 photos then I can move on to 2012! WOOT WOOT! :) I am hoping to do some more scrapping in July, when I will not be teaching. Looking forward to a whole month off! We will be taking a few little trips, too. That will also be fun! :)

These were from Ian's 11th birthday party, he had a skater theme. I had bought this scrap pack from Tuesday Morning a while ago, it was perfect for this party! It will also work well now that Ian is a teenager. :( The right hand page is a pocket page.

A few more pages from the same collection of papers, etc.

This next LO is from an event I used to run for my kids school, it was a western style event.

This is from one of Collin's races:

That's all for me today! Thanks for stopping by! 

1st Birthday Bag and Tag

Hi all! Just wanted to fly in and show you this cute gift bag and tag I threw together for my nephew's first birthday! I can't believe he's one already! :)

Time was of the essence (as usual) when making these! The negative from the numbers plate was an extra piece I had laying around. I just matted it and attached it to a kraft bag with glue dots. 

The tag was a pre made kraft tag, I used my "Your Number Is Up" stamps from TCP and the coordinating die, quick and cute! 

I tied it all together with some Divine Twine in turquoise and red. :) 

That's all for me, have a wonderful day! 

SUMMER Blog Hop!

We are having a Blog Hop at The Cat's Pajamas! Show us your fun creation using stamps, dies, or Cutables from the Release we just had! Linkup here on the sidebar. Alma is giving away a 50$ gift certificate to the winner!! :) 

Patriotism In A Box (TCPTUES269)

Hi all! It's Tuesday and that means it's time for another TCP Tuesday! Today we have an Inspiration Challenge for you! Here is the inspiration pic (above), love that blue!

Here are the Deets.

1. Every other Tuesday a new challenge will be posted here on this blog as well as on our Splitcoaststampers forum and ourFacebook page.
2. If you want to play along you just upload your design using the InLinkz button below*. If you want to display your pretties on Splitcoaststampers use keyword TCPTUES269. Only the entries uploaded to the Inlinkz button will be considered for Swanky Stamper at the end of the month.
3. You must have your project posted by the Monday, 12 midnight EDT before the next challenge to be eligible to win the Cat Cash.
4. Cards and projects are not required to use of a Cat’s Pajamas Stamp or CutUps die.
5. On the following TCP Tuesday, the winner will be chosen at random from the previous challenge and will receive a Cat Cash Voucher for $10 or $15 if a TCP product is used.
6. At the end of the month, The Swanky Stamper will be selected from all the weekly entries. The Swanky Stamper will 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 a snazzy badge to display on their blog.
7. The Swanky Stamper will be announced the First Monday of the month on Splitcoaststampers, Facebook page and this Blog.

I decided to use our "Card In A Box" Cutable for this project. These Cutable files are so great, if you have a Silhouette, there's an SVG for cutting, and if not, there's a PDF that you can print and cut. I used the PDF, printed it on the backside of my DP and then folded. Easy peasy.

I borrowed the acetate strip idea from new Cat Packer Christine Okken's gorgeous card in a box here. I thought this shape, from our new Petal Posies CutUps, looked a bit like a starburst and would give a cute "firework" look.

I also used the 3x3 Stars CutUps, the Your Number is Up stamps, Numbers Plate CutUp, and the new set Vintage Summer, with the coordinating Framed Up CutUps.

A few gems for embellies finished it off! This card was so fun to build. I really enjoyed it. It folds down flat into an envelope for mailing, then the recipient can pop it back open for a fabulous 3D look.

I don't know that I'm giving this one away, however. I think it will be part of my Independence Day decor. :) 

Birthday Thank You notes for Hubby

Hi friends! Just stopping in with some cute thank you notes I made for Hubby a month ago. He had his 40th birthday in May and we wanted to send out some notes to our amazing friends! So many brought gifts (SO not needed, but appreciated!)

I had to make a dozen of these, so simple was on the agenda. I love this stamp set. It's from the dollar section at Michaels, and being acrylic, isn't as nice of quality as my photopolymer stamps, but it is such a cute image, and makes such fast cards, it's become a favorite!

Those printed die cut pieces were from a K & Company pack, I think it had been from a Spotted Canary prize pack a long time ago. Using pre made embellishments like that can really make for a fast set of cards, especially when you are using a stamp like this one, that won't be colored.

Hubby noticed that I used the grid/"engineering" DP on half these, he liked that touch! The others I used an old DP that complimented the fan shape.

That's it for me today! Thanks for popping by! 

TCP Release Week Wrapup

Hi all! Thought I'd stop by and show you the last few cards I hadn't blogged yet for the TCP Release Week we just had! You can go to The Cat's Pajamas to order any of these new goodies!

This first one was made with Nature's Hello.

The second one was made with Simple Blooms and the new Petal Posies CutUps.

That's all for me today! Thanks for stopping by! :) 

The Cat's Pajamas BLOG HOP!!

Hi all! Today marks the end of Sneaky Peek Week and the beginning of availability

 from our NEW RELEASE!!  I hope you will be checking in at The Cat's Pajamas to see the fab EIGHT new stamp sets, 3 die sets and 2 new Cutable files now available!!!

 The proceeds from our Cutables will be going to support Julie Masse's adoption process for a baby girl from China! The Cutables work with a Silhouette, or if you don't have one there are print and and hand cut versions on them as well for those of us less technologically advanced (i.e. me) ;)

If you are Hopping, you should have come here from Swanky Stamper Kyra's blog! 

I used our new set "Life Is Like Ice Cream" for this card! 

I actually used the print and cut version of our Step Card Cutable for this card! Even though I don't have a Silhouette, it was very easy to make this card, I printed it out and then cut and folded from the backside so you wouldn't see the printed part. The mats are the perfect size! 

I used some acetate to make the bowl shiny like actual glass.

I also used the Icing CutUps in a layered fashion across the top of the card. 

If you are Hopping, you should go to Swanky Stamper Linsey's blog, next! Enjoy the Hop! :)