A blog candy giveaway challenge

Are you up for a challenge? How about some blog candy? I want to pay it forward. Today I learned that my dear friend ETHEL announced that I was the winner of her blog candy giveaway on her blog.

Since it is just as fun to give as well as receive I thought I'd present some blog candy for giveaway. You know how I've been using the FLOWER SOFT embellishment on a lot of my cards lately? Well if you'd like a chance to receive your own jar of Pale Green FLOWER SOFT all you have to do is play along with my challenge.

Look closely at this card. Do you know what the "BLUE MOON" label is? YES! It is a beer bottle label. I thought this label was so pretty and would make a fun autumn card so I soaked the label off the beer bottle (I filled the sink with very hot water and let it soak until it peeled away) and then I matted it and created an autumn card. FUN! Since I made this card I've been saving pretty and/or interesting labels from wine bottles, beer bottles and fruit juice bottles. It is amazing how pretty some of the labels are.

SO HERE IS YOUR CHALLENGE TO WIN FLOWER SOFT OF YOUR OWN! Create a card using a label from a beverage bottle (good excuse to check out some micro breweries or local wineries). Once you've created your card post a comment on this post with a link to your card on your blog. If you don't have a blog, that's ok. Just email me with a photo of your card attached to the email. I'll make the deadline for your entry Saturday, October 4th at 11:59 p.m. EST. That gives you almost two weeks to drink up and create!


I want everyone to have a chance to win this neat new product. I'll mail anywhere in the world so don't let something like that big pond stop you from this challenge.

So get out your bottle opener and while you are sipping your favorite beverage think of how you can make a card for any occasion out of the label and link your card here and I'll use the random number thingy to choose a winner. You can make as many DIFFERENT label cards and enter them too for additional chances to win.

Sassy Halloween apron received!

I received the cutest apron for Halloween in the fall Sassy Apron swap from my partner, ALISHA R., who lives is Vienna, Austria. Alish made me this darling Halloween apron for me and appliqued the ghostly images on the pocket panel for some spooky fun Halloween flair. You can visit Alisha's blog HERE.


Another part of the Sassy Apron Swap instructions was to include a handmade, coordinating hotpad and a recipe for pie. Here is the great hot pad Alisha made for me. It is large, thick and I've been using it a lot already! She included a recipe for pumpkin pie squares that I'm most definitely going to make. The recipe sounds yummy.



This is the third of four Sassy Apron Swaps that our leader, Lucy has hosted. HUNDREDS of participants from all over the world make and swap aprons, recipes and an added goodie. I've thoroughly enjoyed these swaps. Who wouldn't when you receive great aprons and treats like this.

If you'd like to get in on the final Sassy Apron Swap for this year which will be a Winter themed apron, click on the Sassy Apron Swap icon on my right sidebar or click here on SASSY APRON SWAP to take you to the swap site. I'm sure in a month or so Lucy will be posting the details for the next apron swap.

Thanks so much Alisha for this great Fall apron. I love it!

An Erin K Creations original

Look what arrived for me in the mail today! My friend, Erin K. made this purse just for me. What a wonderful surprise! Thank you Erin! I just love it. It has a little square zip pouch to match.

It is not a good day outside for photography and my photos don't really show how CUTE this bag is.

And look at the inside! I love the little pocket and contrasting fabric.



If you'd like to see more of Erin's wonderful creations that she makes, visit her blog HERE. Erin is a wonderful cardmaker. Recently, she's taken up sewing and a variety of needle art projects and has quite the delightful line of children's toys, dolls, library bags and so much more.

Again, Erin, I thank you. This is just too cute and I'm going to thoroughly enjoy using it.

Thinking of you

It's been quite a while since I've done any challenges and when I saw this week's OCC (Our creative corner) challenge sketch I knew immediately the stamp and papers I'd use.

This is the layout sketch we are challenged to use:

I really like this stamp made by Cornish Heritage Farms. I used some more of my new Flower Soft embellishment on the petals. There's nothing else noteworthy in making this card. I used a couple of SU punches as well as the bottom border punch that is a Martha Stewart punch and also my swiss dots cuttlebug embossing folder.

Oh, a note to my friend NISE. Please notice...a summer time card! Hee hee hee. Nise chastized me last week for already making Christmas cards when we were still having warm weather. So you see, Nise, I DO listen sometimes! Hee hee hee.

I hope everyone is safe after the passing through of Hurricane Ike this past weekend.




Until next time...

An awesome friend and touching award

My friend JAN surprised me with this special award for my blog. Jan and I have known one another for several years and each time she posts new creations I learn something new. I have dubbed Jan the official Queen of stamping technique. Jan can take a stamped card and turn it into and extraordinary piece of artwork using creative background and stamping techniques. So Jan, I thank you for this award and happily pass it on to bloggers who's blogs I thoroughly enjoy.

I pass this award to:
CINDEE - Cindee is an amazingly talented cardmaker and scrapbooker. Cindee's creative and beautiful pages inspire me.

GLEE - I think it was around the beginning of this year that I happened to be "blurfing" and discovered Glee's blog. I've been a regular viewer of her beautiful cards ever since and have also sturck up an online firendship. Glee's cards are gorgeous!

DEBBIE - Ah Debbie...you inspire me, teach me, wow me with your cards. Debbie's fun personality shines through her whimsical cards, but what will totally knock your socks off is Debbie's superior coloring ability. Debbie has taught me so much and I continue to learn from her.

ETHEL - We have known one another through a variety of stamping websites for several years. Ethel is one of the most talented artists I've ever known. Nothing she makes is ordinary, it is EXTRAORDINARY. You just have to see her blog to understand what I mean.

JOVI - When you visit Jovi's blog you'll be struck by her attention to detail, beautiful layouts that do not overwhelm the image of her cards. Jovi is such an artistic cardmaker. I drool over her work. And one more fun part of Jovi's blog is her motorcycle adventures. Jovi inspires me with her card making as well as her motorcycle riding skills and adventures.

MARY - Mary and I have traveled together through stamping websites, personal emails and blogs. Mary's blog is such a treat to view with her gorgeous cards as well as her wonderful scrapbook page layouts. I encourage everyone to check out her blog!

NANCY - Nancy is an amazing artist. Nancy describes herself as a "dabbler" but WOW, what a dabbler she is. Nancy makes cards but she also is a very talented in altered art and has often been published. Nancy also has recently created a line of stamps that are amazing.

So I thank you Jan for this touching award and I pass it on to the above mentioned ladies who's blogs I love.

Here are the instructions for award recipients:
1. Pick 7 of your favorite blogs
2. Winners can put the logo on their blog.
3. Link the person who gave your award to your blog.
4. Name the 7 that you are giving the award to with their links.
5. Leave a message on their blogs so that they know they've won!

WOW! What a ride!

I get such a kickout of this stamp of the little girl on the roller coaster. She was a lot of fun to color with tombow markers, glitter and gel pens. The stamp is from Heather's Stamping Haven in Ottawa.

The inside sentiment pulls this birthday card all together. Isn't it a hoot? I've heard this saying before but was delighted to find that Heather had made it into a stamp at her store to go with the little girl in the roller coaster.

The inside says:


I need to get this card into the mail soon for someone special who I think will get a kick out of it.


Cheers!

Noel

I'm still having fun with my new Flower Soft product. I read on the Flower Soft website that you could write with it too. Of course I had to give this a try. Now I don't think you necessarily have to write words with it. You can also use it for borders and flourishes.

Since I have terrible handwriting, I decided to use my Stampabilities NOEL script stamp and stamped in green then used the flower soft in Christmas Green over the stamped script. I added red berries in the holly noel with ruby red Liquid Pearls.



Can you tell how "real" looking the Flower soft is? Some people have asked if it is the same as "Fun Flock" just packaged under a different name. No, it isn't the same. Flower soft is finely detailed "petal-like" individual pieces. When used it gives the look of petal or leaves. It is hard to describe and my photos aren't very clear today since it is raining and I do not have a natural light bulb to use for photography. Also, Flower Soft doesn't require a special glue. Aileen's craft glue works great. I've been using a tube of Martha Stewart craft clue.



Obviously, I'm really having fun with Flower Soft. This card was so fast to put together and I really like the look.

Until next time...

Cheers!

Lavender card using Flower Soft

One of the many of my favorite Stampin' Up! stamp sets is this set called "Long-Time Friend". It seemed to be calling me to get it out again and use it and what better way to also use my new Lavender colored Flower Soft embellishment.

FLOWER SOFT is so easy to use and adds lovely dimension and realistic beauty to your cards. Click on the word FLOWER SOFT to take you to the site that creates this product. I purchased my Flower soft products here in Ottawa at HEATHER'S STAMPING HAVEN.

Flower Soft comes in many colors as well as seasonal mixes. I'm getting ready to make some Christmas cards soon and you'll see on them how realistic the trees look. And on the plus side, while it gives a 3 dimensional look to your stamped image, it isn't bulky so no worries about extra postage for mailing from its use.


For this particular card I added three sprigs of lavender tied with lavender satin bow. This is so EASY to do! I cut approximately a two inch length of wire, covered the end about 1/2 inch in glue (Aleen's works great. You want a thicker glue so it will cling to the wire and not run down.) Next, I took "pinches" of the flower soft product and sprinkled it all around the end of the wire. When I'd cover it to my satisfaction I set the sprig upright in a dry sponge to hold it up to dry. VOILA! Once dried (which doesn't take too long) you have lovely sprigs of dried flowers.



This is really a simple card using a lot of fun tools, such as the Martha Stewart border punch, Cuttlebug swiss dots embossing folder, twinkling H2O's to color the image and my rectangle Nestibilities to cut and emboss the border.



I'm mailing this card off to a special person for her birthday. Stay tuned for more cards using this fun new product. I still have a lot to learn as to the proper technique for using flower soft, but half the fun comes in the experimentation and creation.

Cheers!

Sweetness!

How else would you describe the Sarah Kay clear stamps? SWEETNESS is the word comes first to my mind. This sweet stamp was a very unexpected and very happy surprise birthday gift to me from ETHEL. Ethel is an amazing artist, papercrafter, seamstress, jewelry maker...and the list of her accomplishments can go on and on. I urge you to click her name and follow the link to Ethel's blog and view her wonderful artwork as well as have the chance to win some great BLOG CANDY from her.

A few of the cards I've been working on lately with this stamp are below. I used prismacolor watercolor pencils for the image. The chicks on all three cards are pop dotted for dimension. If you look very closely you'll see that the chicks are fuzzy! I used a new-to-me product called FLOWER SOFT. I will have a lot of examples of this fabulous product from England that I'll be posting through out this week. AMAZING stuff. I bought more colors than I'll admit to you, but you'll be seeing the affects of Flower Soft on cards a lot from me.







I've had such fun with this Sarah Kay stamp. Thank you Ethel! :-)

Today's funny

This is such a hoot that I had to share. Actually, I have to say that I read this on Lucy's blog but as I know that there are a few seamstresses that pop by my blog from time to time, I just had to share this with you.

This is an actual quote from the Singer Sewing Guild: A Complete Reference Guild to Sewing first published in 1949)

"When you sew, make yourself as attractive as possible. Go through a beauty ritual of orderliness. Have on a clean dress. Be sure your hands are clean, fingernails smooth --a nail file and pumice will help. Always avoid hangnails. Keep a little bag full of French chalk near your sewing machine where you can pick it up and dust your fingers at intervals. This not only absorbs the moisture on your fingers, but helps to keep your work clean. Have your hair in order, powder and lipstick put on with care. Looking attractive is a very important part of sewing, because if you are making something for yourself, you will try it on at intervals in front of your mirror, and you can hope for better results when you look your best.
Again, sewing must be approached with the idea that you are going to enjoy it, and if you are constantly fearful that a visitor will drop in or your husband come home and you will not look neatly put together, you will not enjoy your sewing as you should. Therefore, “spruce up” at the beginning so that you are free to enjoy every part of any sewing you do. "


Now 'fess up, y'all. You DO this ritual each time you sew, right?

Just thought you'd enjoy a giggle for today. We've come a long way, eh baby?

Cheers!

Fall Sassy Apron Swap

My very favorite time of the year is Fall. I love everything about it...the crisp mornings and sunny daytime, the leaves of the trees turn brilliant shades that only God could have created, there are pumpkins round and fat in gorgeous shades of orange. It is a time of harvest and thankfulness. Did I mention I LOVE Fall!

You may have noticed on my sidebar the Sassy Apron Swap icon. Lucy is holding an apron swap for each season and we have now come to the swap that I most anticipate: the Fall Sassy Apron. Lucy's requirements for this swap is a handmade apron incorporating a fall theme, must be a full apron that would cover "all our bits" when we are baking our pies for thanksgiving, and we are also to include a handmade pot holder to coordinate with our apron as well as a recipe for our favorite pie.

This is the apron I made and sent to my secret Fall sassy apron swap partner. I hope she'll like it! I couldn't resist this pumpkin fabric with the contrasting orange fabric. The flounce and off angled pockets with big black buttons was just the look I thought would be perfect for a fall apron. I used a McCalls "retro" pattern. Each of the views were fun and sassy. This will definitely be a pattern that I'll enjoy using again.

I'm eagerly awaiting my fall sassy apron from my secret partner. I'll post the apron she sends to me when I receive it. These swaps have been so much fun. We've swapped handmade aprons with theme over the entire globe.

Next swap will be the Winter Sassy Apron swap and Lucy knows I'll be first on the list to sign up. :)

Cheers!