Squiggle Fly Challenge makes it hard on me-CAS!!!! WINNER!!

Holy Cow!  For someone that loves to add and add to a card and simply adores embellishments, this week's Challenge 21 on Squiggle Fly really threw me for a loop!  Rhonda's Rowdy Rascals threw down the gaunklet to make a card that was Clean And Simple- No Patterned paper.
I used an Embossed card front-I love these little birds colored up with Copics.  I used the Squiggle Fly Sentiment from the "I Miss You" set by Lynne Stansbery that also has an adorable cat with these big beautiful eyes!  Added a patterned grosgrain ribbon, but no bows!  I'm on a roll now-I will have to use this simple format on more cards!  It was so easy to put together!
I would like to enter this in the following challenges:

• Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps-Get Sentimental
• Milk Coffee Challenge-Die Cuts

Hambo's Doctor Needle is going to Stick you!

This week's challenge was to use the Dr. Needle, a digi image by Hambo Stamps along with Paper-Piecing on your card. Since the Dr. has that big needle, they wanted to see lots of HOLES used!  
I decided to use my sewing machine without the Thread!  The Features on my card are:

• Bandaid print background paper with sentiments mounted to terra cotta cardstock
• Fishtail banner with a different Medical themed paper overlay
• a Heart Monitor "reading" sticker that I put on the twill tape, great match on the Terra Cotta color
• 2 small colored head safety pens pinned to 2 tape tails
• One of 3 sentiments that come with the set
• and the best thing, the Chubby little Doctor carrying around that huge needle full of sloshy serum, colored with copics

Thanks for visiting-hope you leave some comments! I love to hear from you.  Try to beat the heat-It's a scorcher here in Illinois!

Carolyn

SF Challenge-Use a square peg in a Round Hole!

You might ask just what is Squiggle Fly asking with this challenge #20?  Well, they want you to Think OUTSIDE the box!  Let me explain this Challenge:  we always seem to use standard things--round buttons, straight ribbons, rectangular 1/4 size cards,.... Instead: make a card that uses something usual: Pick a different card shape OR find some weird buttons OR use that unusual paper....pick out a different odd embellishment OR even better, use something you would never think goes on a card and inspire us all!  You'll have to check out all the examples that the SF team Holley Hobbyiests came up with!
I came across something I've had for longer than I'd like to admit!  While this might look like ordinary paper, it actually was purchased as tag/sticker paper.  You were actually supposed to cut around the alphabet letter(s) you wanted to use, punch a hole, insert an eyelet or brad and attach it to your creation with fibers....remember, I told you it was old!  
When I started to work with it as a CARD instead of an alphabet item, I liked the soft colors and decided that it would make a great baby card.  I added the digi called Baby Birdbath Time by Fawn Palmer colored with copics with accents of a blue butterfly w/ bling and a gingham ribbon & bow.  This will go to a dear friend who's daughter will soon be having her first grandchild, a boy of course!
Now run out and find some fun embellishments, pick out some new shape or size, or just think up something totally different this week and show it to them!   Thanks for stopping by!  This humid weather is a great reason to stay indoors and create cards!

Hambo Hoedown MONSTER Sketch Challenge--eeek!

This weeks challenge is to add the "Monster Yell digi stamp by Hambo Stamps" to the Sketch below=a GREAT CARD!!!

This oh so cute Monster image comes with the monster shown and 3 sentiments-they're so funny!  I did mine accented with orange stickles and white liquid pearl teeth!  I really loved having a sketch to follow-made it simple to put together.
Make sure you check them out for more challenges-You too could get a free digi to use each week and build up your digi library!

Hambo's "Channel Surfing" Blog Hop-Dobie Gillis

Welcome to the "Channel Surfing"  Blog Hop sponsored by Hambo Stamps! Today Hambo customers and the Bacon Bits Design Team are bringing you fun creations that depict TV show titles! It might be our favorite show, or just one that was fun to design. If you arrived here from Paula you are in the right place! If not, you might want to start back at the beginning at the Hambo blog to make sure you are eligible for the hopper prize!

A prize will be awarded to one participant whose TV-themed creation tickles the Bacon Bits’ fancy in a hammin’ jammin’ way!  Another prize will be awarded randomly to a hopper who comments on all the blogs along the way. The winners will be announced on the Hoedown blog, as well as on the Hambo company blog, Talk to the Ham, on Wednesday, May 23.

My creation is based on an Oldie but Goodie, "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis", specifically the lovable
character, Maynard G. Krebs. Since he was a beatnik, I thought the image I've had for a while would be perfect= "Wee Henry Bongo by Hambo Stamps".  I'll be dating myself but, I used to think he was so radical and always got a chuckle at his reaction whenever anyone mentioned that he needed to go to work....WERK!  Too Funny! I wanted to keep him Grungy hence the papers-the brick wall reminds me of the walls in the old coffee shop where beatniks would be sitting on stools, imparting their wisdom on all of us.  I also used the sketch Sweet Stop to arrange a cool looking card, using one of his other phrases," You Rang"?

Now dance on over to Deborah for another great TV show!

Talk to the Ham - Hambo blog http://hambostamps.blogspot.com/
Sandy http://sandyscraftycreations.blogspot.com/
Paula http://heyheypaula-heyheypaula.blogspot.com/
Carolyn http://luvmycards.blogspot.com  YOU'RE HERE
Deborah http://beadnstampn.blogspot.com
Karin http://karin-withaniforpaper.blogspot.com
Jenn http://jaxbeanstalks.blogspot.com/
Pat http://patacakespages.blogspot.com
Dawn http://dawnmercedes.blogspot.com
Jan http://www.jans-gonestampin.blogspot.com/
Carolina http://cardolinascrapolina.blogspot.com/
Mary www.mystampinhide-away.blogspot.com
Beverly http://beestamper.blogspot.com/
Melissa http://melissascreations.blogspot.com/
Judy http://jarfullofjoy.blogspot.com/

Squiggle is Purrrring on Challenge #19

The challenge is to use your sentiment as your main focus. and of course in order to be in the running for a prize, you must use a Squiggle Fly image- They have this great soleful cat with sentiments and I couldn't resist using it this week--psst! Don't tell my Dogs!  Lol I had to call on a friend that HAS cats to find out what color eyes these white cats have!

This was a revisit to an old love-chalking in the color.  The twist for me was that I've never done it on kraft paper.  I'm so in love with this look but will do some more drawings using a tut to perfect the process.  I'm very please with the outcome and hope you like it too!

This won't be at the beginning of blog for very long as tomorrow morning, My post for the Hambo Hoedown Blog Hop is scheduled to launch.  I'm one of 15 bloggers that are posting cards with the theme "Channel Surfing"-we chose new or old TV shows that were some of our favorites.  I'm not going to spoil the surprise as to what mine is, but please come back tomorrow to follow all the great blog sites.  There will be prizes given away and a chance to see some great ideas.

Thanks for stopping by-stop by tomorrow and leave a little luv, Carolyn

Great Springtime Card Challenge from Hambo! WINNER!

Let's Catch some Butterflies!  This week's challenge at Hambo Hoedown is to use the very cute digi image Catching Butterflies by Hambo Stamps with some slight variations by...Me!  I picked out this great Spring Green paper with lots of flowers on it-the extra requirement of this challenge.  Next, I decided to substitute the image NET with some MAGIC MESH-how perfect did that work out!  I also used this as an accent instead of a ribbon!  The Butterfly is part of the image but I added the clear BLING to simulate its' flight.  Added one of the sentiments that's in the set and Voila! it's a great card to send to a family member or friend.  I got these great 6x6 label Card Blanks from a trip to the CES store online and couldn't wait to use them.  I finished the inside with some coordinated paper.

Join our Blog Hop on Scrapbook Place!

Welcome to our Mother's Day and Father's Day Blog Hop!  Expect to see some great cards, layouts and projects that will hopefully inspire you to find a handmade way to show your love for your parents. 

And what would a Blog Hop be without prizes??  This month, we have a lovely offering from Shannon Leffew.  Here's what she has to say about herself:

Hello! I am a wife and SAHM of 4. I have been scrapbooking since 1997 and have since fell in love doing altered projects. I created my etsy store to earn a little extra income. I feature mostly flowers in my store but I will also do custom orders for almost anything. In my spare time I also like to garden, take pics, read and host parties. Please stop by my blog and leave me some love http://shannonleffew.blogspot.com .  I would also love it if you would visit me at my Etsy store HERE. 
Pictured is just a sampling of her flowers.
Since we are so close to Mother's Day, I will feature her on this blog today:
While my Mom has been gone for a while, I still have many fond memories of her: Drawing artsy pictures on my lunch bag to take to school (oh how I wish I'd saved those-they were SO good), Of going to visit her down in the basement of the Visual Arts dept at NCState University where she was a Darkroom Technician-she would develop pictures for all the Professors and would let me "create" pieces of art using the photo lab and her developing rooms, her beautiful writing even after she had had a stroke that kept her from saying what she truly wanted to say...One funny instance occured when she was visiting us and we were remodeling the kitchen.  This was after the stroke and of course because of the construction, people were in and out, during the summer, flys coming in too-she was wanting to make herself useful and was looking for the fly swatter to keep them at bay.  Well, bless her soul, she couldn't make us understand what she was looking for-finally she burst out with "SPLATTER-ALL"...HeHe I think we figured out what she was wanting and How appropriate!
I miss her everyday but will always cherish her smile, especially when I look at my daughter and see her looking back at me...
So, check out our offerings here, and then hop on down the list to see what everyone else has in store for your viewing pleasure.  Don't forget to leave a little love at each blog. Everyone who does gets a chance to win some beautiful flowers from Shannon!  Then come back here and tell us a favorite story about your mom or dad.  After all, where would we be without our parents!                                                   


Here is the Blog Hop order. Have fun, and if you get lost along the way, come back---you don't want to miss anyone's post!

Melissa

Karissa

Carolyn-That's me!

Linda

Teresa

Your Scrapbook Place-return here and tell us your fave mom or dad story!

Thank you for joining us and come back real soon!

Glitter and Glam on SquiggleFly Challenge #18-WINNER

This weeks challenge at the Squiggle Fly website is to use Stickles (or any other form or glitter glue) somewhere on your project. They want you to use one of their images so I chose this adorable Mermaid-I just Luv her hair!  To win a prize you must do so, but it is not required to participate.
I made a Criss Cross Card with a band circling it to keep it closed. Some of the details of the card features are:  

• Starfish paper on the band, baker's twine and Fish buttons dangling
• Gloss finished "Seaweed" print paper on the flaps
• and this printed paper cut out and used individually as floating seaweed on foam dots
• Blue and Green Stickles used  on her tail, Platinum Stickles on her sea shell top, and copper Stickles woven through her wavy hair
• Aqua Embossed Bubble handmade paper to simulate the bubbles in the ocean as a background

Had a great time making this card!  Hope you enjoy it and come back to visit real soon~Carolyn

My Blog is under Arrest!

I was asked to make a couple of cards for our small town Police Chief and Deputy for National Police Week which is upon us.  What fun this was! I used great cardstock sitckers from Creative Imaginations, with silver and gold star brads.  These great Free Clip Art of the 2 officers was found online and I just fancy cut them and put pop dots under for dimension.  On the inside of both cards, I stamped Gold stars and printed out a great sentiment.  Hope you enjoy looking at these and remember all these brave men and women that put their lives in danger for us every day, no matter what the size of town.
 ~Carolyn

Girly Girly Birthday Easel Cards-Something new

I will tell you right up front I was inspired to create this beautiful card while I was blog surfing. I found Papercraft Inspirations and will go back again and again to be inspired.  I hope no one will take my scraplifting as an insult but a tribute to their awesomeness!
That being said, I love the feminine feel of this blue card with the pearls, paper lace (thanks Pammie), ribbons, flower punchies.  The paisley paper I used is embossed with blue glossy accents making it catch the light.

Then I decided to try one with a different punchie and vintage yellow and Red rose paper with a grungy feel to it.  The "dress" is mounted on yellow vellum/mounted on the rose paper with orange/yellow bling at each flower center. I added some delicate flourishes (thanks Teresa!), crystal buttons, cream ribbon and paper lace.  I can't wait to send these to some dear friends!  I will place this on the ScrapBook Place Blog where our challenge for the month is FLOWERS-I love this time of year-everything's so pretty!

I'm entering this in the following challenges:

• Paper Makeup # 35-Flowers
• One Stop Craft Challenge #181-Celebrations
• SSDS Challenge-Ribbons & Bows

Belated Birthday cards...you never have enough!

Couldn't imagine that I'd forgotten a good friends' Birthday but there it was..I saw this cute sentiment a while back on a card with a tractor and just laughed at the humor!  Since it's for a Girlfriend, I knew that Cheryl Alger had this Farmer Girl image that I adored-Perfect!  This ought to give my City Slicker friend a chuckle! I pulled out my rusty red textured cardstock,added a touch of raffia, some wheat and cow paper and of course you gotta have red gingham, added my fav embellies Buttons (this time with coiled wire through them) and finished the inside on this 6x6 card as you see here.  
I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
 Willow Sketchie Challenge, Die Cuts 
Penny's Paper-Crafty -Birthdays
Ladybut Crafts Ink #59-Birthdays
Think I'd better stock up on some more of these type cards to have on hand! Thanks for stopping by!  ~Carolyn

Hambo's Bailey LUVS Bright Colors!

Using the Sketch from Seems A Little Sketchy #11 sure helped this card for Hambo Hoedown go together real fast!  I used the free digi image  called "Bailey Flower"  by Hambo Stamps that I received from playing in last week's challenge and one of three sentiments that are included with the image-it's a great way to build your collection up gals!  You also had to include the colors purple, orange, and Hot Pink in the layout . This really pushed me out of my comfort zone but that's how you grow and learn new things.

I'm entering this in the following:

• Hambo Hoedown-Bailey Flower
• SALS #11-Sketch

Thanks for looking-come back soon!