SCACD Friends With Heart Challenge!

Happy Tuesday! Today begins another super fun challenge at the SCACD Friends With Heart Challange blog!!! Our challenge this week is to use star(s) in your card/project. This is your last chance to play this month for a chance to win the full set of Little Peekers by Elisabeth Bell for SCACD!!

I know my card is missing, and I apologize for that. Due to too many commitments this week, and a terrible lack of mojo, I'm not able to play. But I encourage you to zip on into your craft room, pull out those much-loved SCACD stamps and some stars (a star punch or something with stars on it) and create something fabulous!

You're sure to find lots of inspiration when you visit my fellow SCACD Friends With Heart Challenge design team members:

Danni

Lorraine

Mary Lou

Pattie

Renkata

Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful day!

Sending You Sunshine

Happy Memorial Day to my US friends! I hope you have a safe and enjoyable day, but that you'll also take time (I think the official time is 3:00 pm) to pause and remember those who have given their lives in defense of our country's freedom and safety, and for others' freedom from tyranny. We owe them so much. God bless America!

Have you heard? We've got previews going on at The Craft's Meow blog of the stamp sets being released on Wednesday, June 1st!!! I hope you'll pop in and check it out. (*grin*)

My card features images from another adorable set designed by Nina B Designs for The Craft's Meow called Sending You Sunshine. There's also a companion set called Just Sayin' that you'll reach for time and again. There are three chances to win this set of stamps, so do click on over to the TCM blog for all the deets and to see the cards created by my amazing Design Team!

See you there!

With Gratitude

A blessed Sixth Sunday of Easter to you! This is the day that the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Our hostess this week at Stampin' Sisters in Christ is Kris Breach. She chose as her inspiration scripture Ecclesiastes 3:14 "I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken from it. God does it, that men should fear before Him." Her challenge is a sketch, and we must follow it to a "T" - not adding anything to it, or taking anything away from it (although shapes of elements can be changed as long as there is something there in accordance with the sketch).


My card features a brand new stamp set being released in my store The Craft's Meow on June 1st called Timeless Tags. Nina Brackett has designed another fabulous Spellbinders(TM) compatible stamp set... this one coordinating with Grommet Tags. The TCM Design Team is showcasing this stamp set on the TCM blog today, so be sure to pop by... there are also three chances to win a set of Timeless Tags of your very own!

I paired one of the tags and sentiments with patterned paper and a button from the Portrait Collection by Crate Paper, adding a few tiny rhinestones to the punched scallop and black Candy Dots in place of brads on the tag.

Our sponsor this week at SSIC is the wonderful Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps (thanks Korin!). We hope you'll come along and play in our challenge... it's a fantastic sketch, don't you think? And be sure to stop by the SSIC blog to read Kris's fantastic devotional on her inspiration scripture. You will be blessed.

God's blessings to you.

Celebrating You!

Today is a very special day for the Sketch Saturday challenge blog! It's our third birthday and of course we are celebrating in style! I believe all of the design team ladies are offering blog candy, which we're calling "Party Bag Candy." My "card" above is actually concealing a bag that holds a little secret something for one of you lucky peeps. However, please note that you must also play in our sketch challenge this week for a chance to win any Party Bag Candy! That's okay, though, right? It's a cool sketch! Plus, there's a HUGE prize being offered by this week's sketch sponsor The Craft Barn!!!

You can make a card, or a box, or anything you want as long as we can see the sketch. I'm not showing the concealed bag because we're supposed to keep that a secret. If you saw it, you'd be able to tell what my candy is. I'll give you a hint, though...it's two words and starts with an s and ends with a t. Can you guess? (*grin*)

You have until 12:00 am Pacific (8:00 am GMT) on Friday, June 3rd to play in the sketch challenge and link your card both here AND on the Sketch Saturday blog.  Be sure to link both places. The winner will be randomly drawn on Friday June 3rd and announced both on the Sketch Saturday blog and here on my blog when the new challenge is posted on Saturday, June 4th.

My card features an image from the brand new Celebrating You stamp set that is being released in my store, The Craft's Meow, on June 1st!!! The TCM Design Team is showcasing this beautiful stamp set today... and there are three chances to win Celebrating You by hopping around and leaving comments on their blogs. So be sure to stop by The Craft's Meow Store Blog to see what all the fuss is about! (*grin*) 





Good luck! Happy Birthday Sketch Saturday!!!

Enjoy a Fabulous Day!

TGIF!!! Time once again for the bi-monthly Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge!!! Our sketch challenge is taking place over at SCS in the Taylored Expressions Forum. In fact, all you need to do is pop over to the TESC Sketch Challenge #139 Forum Thread for all the deets on this week's challenge, to grab the sketch and find out how you can win a $10 Gift Certificate to spend at TE by playing along with us... or a $20 GC if you use TE stamps!

My card features a shopping bag made with the fabby Shopping Bag and Labels die set, plus a greeting and tag from the It's in the Bag stamp set. I paired these with patterned paper from the Soiree collection by Pink Paislee (love love love!). 

I hope you'll come along and play with us! Since the sketch challenge is now bi-monthly (2nd and 4th Fridays), you have until June 9th to play! Why not enter more than once and show your TE stamp sets some love!

Be sure to visit my Sketch Crew friends for lots of inspiration! And help us welcome our two guest designers, Rosemary Dennis and Kelli Hull!!!

• Dawn Easton
  
• Jami Sibley
• Lori Craig
• Melissa Sauls
• Monika Davis
• Rachel Sztonyk
• Taylor VanBruggen
• Tracy Clemente
• Guest Designers: Rosemary Dennis, Kelli Hull
  

Have a fabulous day!

Blog Candy Winner!

I've drawn a winner of the Victoria Bonita stamp from my Carmen Medline for SCACD Natural Beauty Collection Release blog hop post, and that winner is... ta da... Shazza!!! Congrats Shazza! Please email me at thecraftsmeow@gmail.com with your mailing address and I'll mail your prize right out to you!

Thanks everyone for your kind comments!!! Have a wonderful day!

Don't You Just Love to Color?!

I know I do... love to color, that is. (*grin*)

Happy Tuesday! Come join us for another fun challenge at SCACD Friends With Heart Challange!!! Our challenge this week is anything goes with a SCACD stamp. The prize up for grabs this month is the full set of Little Peekers by Elisabeth Bell for SCACD!!! Every time you play in our challenge in May your name goes into the hat to win. How awesome is that?

I LOVE all my SCACD stamps, especially Elisabeth Bell images. My card features Little Suzanne, who I'm pretty sure is named after the fabulous Suzanne Dean... colorist extraordinaire. In fact, it's Suzanne's on-line Copic classes (Color Me Creative) that have helped me tremendously in my coloring. I've paired her with patterned paper from the Dots and Stripes Candy Shoppe collection by My Mind's Eye. 

I hope you'll come along and play with us this week at SCACD Friends With Heart Challenge for a chance to win a full sheet of Little Peekers! Be sure to visit my fellow SCACD Friends With Heart Challenge design team members to see what they have created to inspire and delight you:

Danni

Lorraine

Mary Lou

Pattie

Renkata

Have a great day!

Got Lemons?

You know what to do when you've got lemons, right? Make lemonade!

A blessed Sunday to you! This is the day that the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Our challenge hostess this week at Stampin' Sisters in Christ is someone who has become a very dear friend to me, Grace Nywening. Grace never ceases to be a source of inspiration and encourager to me. She chose as her inspiration scripture Proverbs 10:20-21 "The tongue of the righteous is as choice silver, the heart of the wicked is worth little. The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of understanding." Her challenge to us is to make a card/project of encouragement with just a touch of silver.

Our challenge sponsor this week is My Favorite Things, and Kim (the owner) very kindly and generously provided stamps for us girls to play with. So fun! My card features Pure Innocence - Pucker Up, which vaguely reminds me of Lucy from Charlie Brown fame and her 5-cents advice. :) I paired her with patterned paper and sticker embellies from the Summer Days collection by Echo Park. The wee silver cat charm is from Whiff of Joy.


I hope you'll stop by and visit us at Stampin' Sisters in Christ, read Grace's devotional on her inspiration scripture and join us in the challenge. There's a chance you could win a $25 gift certificate to spend at My Favorite Things. But more importantly, I do believe you'll be blessed by your fellowship with us as we are blessed by yours.

I can't add much more to what Grace has already said about this scripture in her devotional. I think we all, in varying degrees, are guilty of saying wicked things to and about people. I try to remind myself time and again of Psalm 19:14, "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer."

I've been especially mindful of this lately. It seems that my personal trials over the past couple of years have turned me into an embattled and embittered person, which too often means I'm not very nice. I'm ashamed to admit that. But the first step, as they say, is admitting I have a problem. Now I need to pray about it and be mindful that my words should always be positive and uplifting.

I'll start by saying thank you for stopping by and visiting my blog and leaving me such nice comments. You have no idea how much this means to me, especially these days, when I don't have time to do much visiting in return. This new business venture of mine is keeping me hopping, that's for sure! But it's a blessing to be busy, and I thank you for your understanding and patience with me.

Have a blessed day!

Hello, my friend...

...you've been on my mind.

I'm feeling that way about a few people these days ;), so that's the sentiment I picked from among the several in this cool stamp set from My Favorite Things called Just My Type, which I love even more because it comes with it's own dies!

 We've got another fun sketch for you to play with this week at Sketch Saturday! I'm in awe of Jo coming up with these sketches week after week. And have you noticed that the blog followers have grown to more than 1400? Yowser!

My card features patterned paper from the 5 & Dime collection by October Afternoon, which was perfect for this vintage typewriter image. My mom had an Underwood typewriter that looked very much like this one, and I was fascinated with it. It belies my age to tell you this, but I learned to type on a manual typewriter. I can't even imagine using one any more... not even the old IBM electric typewriters that I spent the early part of my career using. What's next?

Well, I hope what's next is that you'll come and play with us at Sketch Saturday! Be sure to stop by the Sketch Saturday blog to see all the wonderful cards created by this international group of crafters. Bunny Zoe's Crafts is our sponsor this week.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful day!

The Natural Beauty Collection by Carmen Medlin for SCACD Blog Hop!

Wait until you see this new collection by Carmen Medlin for SCACD! It's aptly named The Natural Beauty Collection. You will love what you see! The hop starts at Elaine Hughes' blog, so be sure to click over there and follow the links to experience it all!

My card features The Travelers. That wolf is regal looking, don't you think? Carmen draws some of the most beautiful faces, and this maiden is no exception. I paired The Travelers with patterned paper and chipboard from the Origins collection by Basic Grey.

I happen to have an extra Victoria Bonita stamp... exclusive to SCACD... and if you leave a comment on this post, I'll draw a name to win her! 

Now on you go to see what wonderfulness my dear friend Danni Bindel has for you! She's sure to delight!

Have a wonderful day!

P.S.Those of you in the UK/Europe will be glad to know that Quixotic Paperie is an exclusive SCACD retailer. You can purchase The Natural Beauty collection and all SCACD exclusive stamps there! 

Taylored Expressions Blast From The Past Blog Hop!

Yay! It's time for the Taylored Expressions Blast From The Past Blog Hop!!! This month our theme is Make it Masculine. Naturally, I pulled out an old favorite... Boys Will Be Boys... and made a Father's Day card. Golf is sort of a big deal in our family (*grin*), so I picked the putting green image and paper pieced it, along with the flag. The patterned paper is Fly a Kite from the Lime Tart collection by My Mind's Eye.

I loosely followed Sankari's sketch, rough cutting a medallion to look somewhat like a "blue ribbon." My Tim Holtz medallion die didn't like being cut down, but I decided the rough look makes it more interesting. That's my story and I'm sticking to it! lol

Now on you go for your next stop in the hop! (I'm #15) Enjoy!

Happy Birthday Lori!!

Today is a very special day... the anniversary of the day a wonderful person was born... and that person is LORI CRAIG!!! Happy Birthday Lori!!!

A bunch of us fans friends of Lori are showering her with cards and good wishes because, well, she deserves it! Lori is such a sweet person and a beautiful card maker. She always inspires me! Please join us in wishing her well... you can pop over to Lori's blog and wish her happy birthday, too!

Lori, I hope all your birthday wishes come true! Hugs!!!

Hello!

Happy Tuesday! Time for another fun challenge at SCACD Friends With Heart Challange!!! Our challenge this week is a color challenge: blue, pink and white! You definitely want to play because we have a great prize up for grabs in the month of May. Every time you play in our challenge this month, your name goes into the "hat" for a chance to win the full set of Little Peekers by Elisabeth Bell for SCACD!!! That's definitely a prize worth playing for! They are ADORABLE!

My card features Call Me!!! from the Retro Crew Collection by Victoria Case for SCACD. I LOVE these images! I've paired this sassy image with patterned paper from the Lush collection by My Mind's Eye. I used Glubbers and a strip of blue gingham fabric to make the flower embellishment, and created the greeting on my computer.

I hope you'll come along and play with us this week at SCACD Friends With Heart Challenge for a chance to win a full sheet of Little Peekers! Be sure to visit my fellow SCACD Friends With Heart Challenge design team members to see what they have created to inspire and delight you:

Danni

Lorraine

Mary Lou

Pattie

Renkata

I'll be back on Friday for a blog hop celebrating the release of a very special collection by Carmen Medlin for SCACD. Wait until you see these beauties!!! We can't wait to show them off!!! In the meantime, there are sneak peeks and prize opps going on over at the SCACD Blog, so be sure to nip over there and have a look! Meow!

Have a great day!

Got you a little something...

TGIF and time once again for the bi-monthly Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge!!! Now that Taylored Expressions is a Member Company at Splitcoaststampers (woo hoo!), the sketch challenges are taking place over at SCS in the Taylored Expressions Forum. In fact, all you need to do is pop over to the TESC Sketch Challenge #138 Forum Thread for all the deets on this week's challenge, to grab the sketch and find out how you can win a $10 Gift Certificate to spend at TE by playing along with us... or a $20 GC if you use TE stamps!

My card features the adorable new Moka Olivia (isn't she cute?!), which I paired with patterned paper from the Kitch collection by Girl's Paperie, and some Ice Blue Kaisercraft rhinestones and a mini flower rhinestone.

Please come along and play with us! Since the sketch challenge is now bi-monthly (2nd and 4th Fridays), you have until May 26th to play! I say enter more than once and show your TE stamp sets some love!

Be sure to visit my Sketch Crew friends for lots of inspiration! And help us welcome our two guest designers, Iwana Palamountain and Molly Joly!!!

• Dawn Easton
  
• Jami Sibley
• Lori Craig
• Melissa Sauls
• Monika Davis
• Rachel Sztonyk
• Taylor VanBruggen
• Tracy Clemente
• Guest Designers: Iwona Palamountain, Molly Joly
   

Have a great day!

Note: This is my second post for today. Please scroll down for more. Thanks!

Little Frieda at the Seashore Preview!

Hello there! That's what it says inside my card... one of the three greetings that comes with this sweet stamp set being released on Sunday at my store The Craft's Meow! Meet Little Frieda at the Seashore! All the deets concerning how you can win one of these adorable stamp sets and see more samples by my amazing design team are on The Craft's Meow Store blog, so please nip on over there and join us for the fun!

The Craft's Meow is also PROUD to sponsor Lily Pad Cards challenge, which is to use embossing (wet and/or dry) on your cards/projects, so be sure to come play with us for a chance to win the Happiness Is... stamp set by Nina B Designs for The Craft's Meow. And wait until you see the uber fabulous cards made by the LPC Design Team. MEOW!!!

See you over there!

Hugs,

Simply Betty Stamps Previews Continue!!!

We continue with our previews today of the six new images called "Teen Scene" that are debuting on Sunday at  Simply Betty Stamps!! Today we're showcasing Betty & Batty. I think it's too cute that the bat is hanging upside down on Betty's finger. lol

I paired Betty & Batty with patterned paper and stickers from the Summer Days collection by Echo Park. I love this paper line... so fresh and cheerful. It makes ME smile!

Be sure to pop over to the Simply Betty Stamps blog to see what Betty's fabulous design team has created featuring Betty & Batty. We'll be back tomorrow with more! Enjoy!

Thinking of You...

Note: This is my second post for today. Please scroll down for another Simply Betty Stamps Release Preview! Thanks!

If it's Tuesday it must be time for another fun challenge at SCACD Friends With Heart Challange!!! Our challenge this week is paper piecing, which is one of my faves. Don't forget... we have a new prize up for grabs in the month of May. Every time you play in our challenges this month, your name goes in to the "hat" for a chance to win the full set of Little Peekers by Elisabeth Bell for SCACD!!! That's definitely a prize worth playing for! They are ADORABLE!

Speaking of which, my card features Waiting for...Peeker. I've paired her with patterned paper from the Kitch collection by Girl's Paperie, which I also used to paper piece the "wallpaper" in the scene. I sponged all edges with Tim Holtz Walnut Stain Distress Ink. If you love to color, these sweet images are for you!

I hope you'll come along and play with us this week at SCACD Friends With Heart Challenge for a chance to win a full sheet of Little Peekers! Be sure to visit my fellow SCACD Friends With Heart Challenge design team members to see what they have created to inspire and delight you:

Danni

Lorraine

Mary Lou

Pattie

Renkata

Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful day!

Simply Betty Stamps Previews Continue!

Woot woot, as Betty Boo would say! Time for another peek at what's to come on Sunday when Simply Betty Stamps releases six new images called Teen Scene! Today we're showcasing Miller & Max. Okay, I'm definitely not a snake person, but this one seems friendly enough... I hope. Yikes! Miller likes him, so that's all that matters. (*grin*)

I paired Miller and his pet snake with patterned paper from the Life of the Party collection by Basic Grey, and a wee brad by Bo-Bunny. I guess when it comes to making boy cards, less is more?

Be sure to pop over to the Simply Betty Stamps blog to see what Betty's fabulous design team has created featuring Miller & Max. We'll be back tomorrow with more! Enjoy!

Simply Betty Stamps Teen Scene Previews Continue!

Happy Monday! Did the weekend go by too fast, or what? I hope all you moms had a good Mother's Day. Mine was pretty quiet, which I suppose is a good thing when you live with four males (call it five since Ian spends a lot of time here), two dogs and two cats.(*grin*)

I'm so happy to be guest designing this month for Simply Betty Stamps!!! We previewed London & Lynx yesterday, and today we are showcasing Lola & Louie. They are part of the six new "Teen Scene" images being released as rubber stamps on Friday, May 13th!

I flipped the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge 116 on its side for my card, pairing Lola and her pet rat with patterned paper from the Upcycle collection by Cosmo Cricket, along with a remnant scrap of satin pleated ribbon, a Zva swirl, a Websters pages bling button, and a tag by Tim Holtz. 

They say rats make good pets. Me, I'll stick with my dogs and cats. I'm not a rodent person. But Louis looks pretty friendly to me. :)

Be sure to pop over to the Simply Betty Stamps blog to see what the rest of Betty's ladies have created featuring Lola & Louis. We'll be back yet again tomorrow with more previews!

Have a great day!

Simply Betty Stamps Teen Scene Previews!

Happy Sunday! Happy Mother's Day to all you moms! I'm thrilled to be guest designing this month for Simply Betty Stamps!!! I just LOVE the new images Betty is releasing. Wait until you see them all! We're starting today with London & Lynx, one of the six new "Teen Scene" images being released as rubber stamps on Friday, May 13th!

I've paired London and her kitty with patterned paper from the Blossom collection by Jillbean Soup. I also followed sweet Carly Breach's Sketch Challenge #30, turning it on its side. As you can see, I even followed the color scheme of her sketch! ;)

Be sure to pop over to the Simply Betty Stamps blog to see what the rest of Betty's ladies have cooked up featuring London & Lynx! I'll be back tomorrow with more!