susiestampalot

TCP Tuesday 194--The Hearts Have It

2012-01-24T06:00:00.001-06:00

Well, today is TCP Tuesday 194 from The Cat's Pajamas! YAY! I love hosting the challenge about once a month. Good thing, because it's my turn this week!

When I host the challenge, I come at ya'll with a STAMP/DIE Challenge. This week, THE HEARTS HAVE IT!--Use any stamp along WITH any CutUps Die that have a heart to complete the challenge.

I've used the new set, Love Stinks along with the cute scalloped edge from the new CutUps die, Queen of Hearts and the older die, Heart Trio for my card today. I have to admit I went a little cray-cray with my new Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher I got for Christmas.

Ok, gotta make this short and sweet. Getting 'em squished today! (TMI? I don't care, maybe it will be a little reminder to get yours done too! Save the TaTas!)

We'd love for ya'll to play along in this week's TCP Tuesday Challenge. Well, actually we want ya'll to play every week, really. In case you're interested in being the next Swanky Stamper or winning a little Cat Cash, head on over to ALMA'S blog HERE where you'll find the 411 on all that, plus a bag of chips (links to the other Cat Packers strutting their stuff with this challenge)!

SUSIE Q-TIP: If you do decide to go a little crazy with your Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher, be sure and do so before gluing down your main front panel to the base of your card. I dislike being able to see "guts" on the inside of my card, such as brad legs and staple bottoms. Don't ask me how I know this. I don't want to talk about it.

Stamps: Love Stinks (The Cat's Pajamas)
Paper: Red, Black, Yellow, White, Aqua (AC), White (PTI), Kraft Funday (My Mind's Eye)
Ink: Brilliance Graphite Black (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Queen of Hearts and Heart Trio CutUps Dies (TCP), Oval and Scallop Oval Nestabilities, Copic Markers, Button, Gingham Ribbon, Tiny Attacher/Staples, Hot Glue, Jody Boosters
Finished Size: A2

Some Chicks Have All The Luck

2012-01-22T20:59:00.005-06:00

Well, everyone knows that Friday the 13th is supposed to be unlucky, right? Not for Verve Stamps. In fact, lucky for ya'll, they released a bunch of new stamp sets and dies on that very day just a little over a week ago for ya'll to get twitterpated by. Luckily, I got twitterpated too and had to have a few of them.

I could have kissed the Blarney Stone when I came up with the idea to mix some older Verve stamps with the new set, Lucky You and the new Shamrocks Die Set. (Good thing I didn't have to lean backwards and upside down to make this, though.) I found that the Chicks Rule set from last spring had this fun sentiment, "some chicks have all the luck" and knew that I had found gold at the end of the rainbow by combining the two and also throwing in the Notebook Paper Plain Jane for extra luck. I guess next I could go for the obvious and use the Lucky Ducky set along with Lucky You for another magically delicious combo.

SUSIE Q-TIP: Don't be a leprechaun and make shoes all day, get a little mischievous and combine your sets when ya'll stamp. It's good for the Irish soul.

Stamps: Chicks Rule, Lucky You, Notebook Paper PJ (Verve)
Paper: Kraft, Black, White, Aqua Mist (PTI), Lime Twist (My Mind's Eye)
Ink: Brilliance Graphite Black (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Shamrocks Die Set (Verve), Oval and Scallop Oval Nestabilities, Scallop Border Die-namics (MFT), Circle Punch, Sewing Machine/Thread, Seeing Spots Embossing Folder, Copic Markers, Button, Divine Twine (TCP), Flatback Rhinestones, Aqua Mist Ribbon (PTI), Hot Glue, Jody Boosters
Finished Size: A2

January SFYTT #2--Ahoy There!

2012-01-21T10:00:00.000-06:00

Well, as ya'll know, on the first of every month, Jen comes out with a fabulous Sketch For You To Try. This year, the SFYTT team will be making samples for ya'll three times a month on varying weeks on their blogs to give ya'll even more inspiration. (Can ya'll tell we really want you to play along? LOL!) I'll be posting a card of course on the first Saturday in the month along with the introduction of the sketch for that month, and I'll also be posting on the third Saturday and sometime during the last week of the month--FUN!!!

As ya'll will recall, The Cat's Pajamas is our sponsor this month, so I had a little more fun with an older set from them called Whale of a Time. I went for a playful color combo using what I think are my all-time favorite papers--the whole Lime Twist collection from My Mind's Eye from last spring, I think. I can't wait to see what they've got up their sleeves for the rest of this year when I go to CHA next Sunday!

Here's a little detail shot of my card and HERE'S my first SFYTT post from this month if ya'll want to compare/contrast!

Take a look at what some of the other girls on team have up their sleeves for this sketch and don't forget to upload your creations to Jen's blog HERE to link your creation for your chance at being next month's Guest Designer and a shot at the enormous prize on Christmas day! You have until midnight, January 31, 2012 for this month's sketch!

Carole Burrage
Jodi Collins
Kerry Johnson
Jen Tapler

SUSIE Q-TIP: Set off brads with small shapes or circles.

TCP Tuesday 193--Together Forever--Just Not This Week

2012-01-17T09:55:00.005-06:00

Well, how was everyone's MLK weekend? We did a little of this and a little of that. I worked Saturday and then came home and got to do a little stamping. Lindsie and Audrie got to go to a cooking class at one of the local fancy grocery stores (they will be cooking me dinner very soon), Sunday we hung out and got some chores done plus a little more stamping for me, and then yesterday the weather was so nice that we all played outside and tried to teach Audrie how to ride her bike (2nd grade--it's time). All was good until Daddy pinched her neck in the helmet buckle! THAT HURT!! It was a relaxing and fun weekend and now Eric is going out of town through Friday...so much for fun and relaxing--I'll be on full-time Mommy duty (wish me luck--Linsdie starts geometry this week)! Hopefully I'll get to stamp some more though!

One of those stamping times I was able to make this card for our TCP Tuesday Challenge from The Cat's Pajamas for today! Lori is our Hipster Hostess with the Mostess and she has come up with this sweet color challenge--Melon, Light Pink, and Brown. Here's a closer look at my card:

At first I thought these colors would NOT work together, but once I found the right papers, I was more convinced that they would. I wanted to play with the Love Stinks set from January's release just a little more, and I thought they would be stinking, OH I mean striking, against the pink for this card! I used the new Heart Rosette CutUps die (which Eric calls "that fluffy thing") under the main image and it really pops! The sentiment is settled on the layered Circus Panels CutUps and accented by a heart from the Heart Trio CutUps die. Wow, and there's one more--the new Queen of Hearts Border hangin' out over there on the left! Didn't realized I put my Big Shot through such a workout on this card!

Anyway, there are several of us Cat Packers who have a little "love" to show ya'll for this challenge today--Head on over to Alma's Blog HERE to check them out and read up on how ya'll can play along to win some fame and notoriety.

SUSIE Q-TIP: I couldn't decide if I liked the TCP Divine Twine on the button in the Brown Sugar or the Peppermint. So I used BOTH. I tied one color in a bow on top of the button and the other one in a bow underneath the button. Then I just hot glued the whole stinkin' thing on top of the heart. They are now {together forever}.

Stamps: Love Stinks (The Cat's Pajamas)
Paper: Dark Chocolate, Sweet Blush, Berry Sorbet, White (PTI), Love Me (My Mind's Eye), With Love (Pebbles)
Ink: Brilliance Graphite Black (Tsukineko), Berry Sorbet (PTI)
Accessories: Heart Trio, Heart Rosette, Circus Panels and Queen of Hearts CutUps Dies (The Cat's Pajamas), Circle and Scallop Circle Nestabilities, Large Dots Embossing Folder, Sewing Machine/Thread, Copic Markers, Brown Sugar and Peppermint Divine Twine (TCP), Hot Glue, Jody Boosters
Finished Size: A2

Viva La Verve Is Back!

2012-01-13T13:06:00.006-06:00

Well, I'm so glad that the Viva La Verve Challenges have started back up--I missed them during the little holiday break! They totally motivate my mojo for my Verve stamps. It's an exciting time for Verve right now--we are in the middle of the Spotlight Hops (day 3 today) for the new release coming tonight right HERE on our SCS forum (I'll try to pop in, but I'm filling in for a girl at the store for a bit and may still be at work.)

Here's a look at the sketch:

Anyway, I don't quite have my new goodies yet, but with all the buzz over the incredibly FUN January release, I just couldn't NOT make a Verve card to show ya'll today! I used last Friday's Viva La Verve Sketch (week one) from Amber and went with a masculine card--it had been too long! So I made this for sweet little Eric (actually he's not little, he's quite tall-hehe.). He's my hero! And a little update on his cancer---he's doing GREAT! We have an oncology checkup in March (I think he's due for another PET scan), and for the most part, he's not had any problems! Remission is awesome!

Ok, so I gush...on with the deets about this card--I used an old friend, Up, Up and Away as my focal point along with the Jotted Heart die. I finally found a spot for a sentiment by using a Labels Nestabilitie die and stamping a little love from the World's Best set--one of my favorites for masculine cards! I can't wait to give this to him for Valentine's day. He's gone through a lot and still puts up with me!

Don't forget:

And here's a little info about the Spotlight Hop. Be sure and leave a comment on each blog for a chance to win some Verve!

But you best hurry, since the deadline for commenting is TONIGHT at 5PM Mountain! And if you missed the previous Spotlight Hops, there's still a little time to leave a comment to be eligible for prizes...

Day 1 Spotlights

Day 2 Spotlights

Happy Hopping!

*January 13, 2012*

1. Amber	7. Amy
2. Teresa	8. Laurie
3. Charmaine	9. Maureen
4. Andrea	10. Julee
5. Tosha	11. Sankari
6. Janelle

SUSIE Q-TIP: I did a little heat embossing for the hot air balloon. I didn't think just plain black ink would cut it as I was stamping on top of the patterned kraft paper. I always use an embossing buddy. I don't use a tray thingy, just a piece of junk mail trash to catch the extra powder on (because it's already got a fold in it to help pour the extra back into the container). Don't forget to rub that embossing buddy on that piece of paper or whatever is catching the extra powder and it will glide right back into the container as well.

Stamps: World's Best, Up Up and Away (Verve)
Paper: Black, Kraft, Pure Poppy, White (PTI), Kraft Funday (My Mind's Eye)
Ink: Brilliance Graphite Black (Tsukineko), Embossing Ink Dauber (Stampendous)
Accessories: Jotted Heart Die (Verve), Circle and Labels Nestabilities, Black Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Sewing Machine/Thread, Mini Circle Punch, Silver Brads, Copic Markers, Buttons, Twine, Glue Dots, Jody Boosters
Finished Size: A2

TCP Morning After Blog Hop/TCPTUES 192 Technique Challenge

2012-01-09T23:00:00.000-06:00

Well, it's new release time from The Cat's Pajamas! All 7 stamp sets and 4 CutUps die sets are available now HERE on the website and coming soon to your favorite scrapbook stores (aka, Scrapper's Boutique for sure! Did you call in your pre-order yet?) This release was super fun and I already can't wait for the next one!

As always, around these parts, we tie our new release BLOG HOP in with the TCP TUESDAY Challenge from The Cat's Pajamas! Because Julie is our Hipster Hostess with the Mostess, the hop started over on her blog HERE and you should have come straight to mine from there. Julie's got a terrific (and EASY) technique challenge for us this week--EMBOSSING, dry or heatwise. Hey, I can do that (and so can ya'll)!

So here's what I came up with, using the new set, Warm Fuzzies (she's so CUTE!) and another Sweet Sunday Sketch from my friend, Karen. I'm not into TOO many techniques (although I've been loving me some TIM HOLTZ here lately and this reminded me that I have totally forgotten to blog about the classes I took from him in October and our picture together!--must do that soon!), but I do love me some dry embossing. Cuttlebug folders, texture fades and any other embossing folders I can run cardstock through my Big Shot with, I love! It just adds so much texture...and fastly!

Ok, I'm making this short and sweet. It's pouring down rain, I was out of town all weekend, I went to bed last night at 8:30 before Eric even got home from his side job (I was super tired--will probably be the ONLY night I do that for the rest of the year!), and I haven't even gotten to talk to Eric since I've been back. I better go pay attention to him before he forgets who I am. Warm Fuzzies!

Your next stop on the hop is....AMY!

We'd love for ya'll to play along in the challenge--Swanky Stamper is up for grabs along with a little Cat Cash! Check out ALMA'S blog HERE to find out how and where to post your creations.

SUSIE Q-TIP: Like I said, it's always fun to emboss with those plastic folders and your Big Shot or Cuttlebug. Rather than embossing just any piece on your card, emboss the background piece for a main image that you cut out and pop up. It totally focuses the eye right where it needs to go.

Stamps: Warm Fuzzies (The Cat's Pajamas)
Paper: White, Dark Chocolate, Harvest Gold, Aqua Mist (PTI), Sour Apple (MFT), Neighborhood (Crate Paper)
Ink: Brilliance Graphite Black (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Scallop Circle and Circle Nestabilities, Scallop Circle and Circle Punches, Seeing Spots Embossing Folder, Copic Markers, Brown Sugar Divine Twine (TCP), Plastic Baubles (Michael's), Jody Boosters
Finished Size: 5" Square