There She Goes Sneaky Peek #3 - Nature of Friendship

Here we come again with more from There She Goes!! I think this set - Nature of Friendship - is my favorite of the new ones being released (don't get me wrong, I love 'em all, but this one does have butterflies, don'tcha know!)!

Since I ended up using butterflies on this card, I decided to put myself a little ahead of schedule and call this card #80 in my "Follow the Butterflies" challenge (see the link and slideshow to the right if you want more info on what I am talking about!). What??? Where did #79 go, you ask??? Actually, I DID do a card #79, but because of the TSG Sneak Peeks this week I haven't posted it here yet!! Stay tuned . . .

I also have to thank my fellow TSG Trendsetter, Denise (aka peanutbee on SCS) for her help in inspiring this card. I've been admiring all of the lovely paper piercing that she has been doing on her cards lately, and then I remembered that I actually HAVE some paper piercing templates from Spellbinders!! DUH!!!

Stamps: Nature of Friendship by There She Goes
Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, Basic Gray
Ink: Basic Black, Whisper White craft, Basic Gray
Accessories: Spellbinders Large Classic Oval (S4-110) and Large Classic Scalloped Oval (S4-111) Nestabilities, Spellbinders Pinking Pierceability (S4-165), White embossing powder, silver cord, Silver Ice Stickles, pop-up glue dots, sheer silver organza ribbon

And here we go again . . . Visit my fellow Trendsetter girlfriends at their blogs below (click on their names), leave a comment at each location's sneak peek post for the "Nature of Friendship" set AND here, and then go back to Jessica's Blog and enter your name into the raffle there! You could win this set! You have until 12:00 a.m. EST Saturday to get the Blog Hop Challenge comments in.

Angela Jones

Becky Carafa

Bev Rousch

Christi Thorsen

Denise Marzec

Faith Hofrichter

Holly McMillan

Jessica Knutsen - Owner

Jessie Rone

Joanne Grzelak

Jodi Collins

Julie Lacey

Maki Jones

Silke Ledlow

Stephanie Hargis

And once again . . . An ADDITIONAL chance to WIN a new release stamp set!! This is called the "Bling It On" challenge. Just add a little bling to your TSG card creation and post it in your SCS gallery, making sure to use TSG04 in the keywords box. Enter your name and link to your card using Mr. Linky on this post on Jessica's blog. That's all you have to do!! You have until Saturday 12:00 a.m. EST to get those challenge projects in!

There She Goes Sneaky Peek #2 - Slow & Steady

How CUTE is THIS??? Jessica did a GREAT job designing this ADORABLE set of snails for your mail! I had a lot of fun making this little paper-pieced snail (I was torn on whether or not I should give him/her? a blue eyelid, then decided to just go ahead with it!!) Too much fun!!

Stamps: Slow & Steady and Special Delivery by There She Goes
Paper: Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip, Creamy Caramel, Garden Green, Brocade Blue, Very Vanilla, Apricot Appeal
Ink: Basic Black, Chocolate Chip, Brocade Blue, Garden Green
Accessories: Brown gingham ribbon by Offray, spiral punch, glue dots and pop-up glue dots, silver gel pen (buckle on mail bag), linen thread

Visit my fellow Trendsetter girlfriends at their blogs below (click on their names), leave a comment at each location's sneak peek post for the "Slow & Steady" set AND here, and then go back to Jessica's Blog and enter your name into the raffle there! You could win this set! You have until 12:00 a.m. EST Saturday to get the Blog Hop Challenge comments in.

Becky
Bev
Christi
Denise
Faith
Holly
Jessica
Jessie
Joanne
Jodi
Julie
Maki
Silke
Stephanie

And once again . . . An ADDITIONAL chance to WIN a new release stamp set!! This is called the "Bling It On" challenge. Just add a little bling to your TSG card creation and post it in your SCS gallery, making sure to use TSG04 in the keywords box. Enter your name and link to your card using Mr. Linky on this post on Jessica's blog. That's all you have to do!! You have until Saturday 12:00 a.m. EST to get those challenge projects in!

There She Goes Sneaky Peek #1 - Blessings

On March 1st, There She Goes will be introducing some fabulous new stamp sets. As members of the design team (now officially dubbed the Trendsetters), we will be giving y'all a bit of a sneak peek on the sets that will be available. The first set? This is absolutely AMAZING! It's called "Blessings" and I LOVE the images and the sentiments. It is sure to please all the Irish and Celtic lovers everywhere!

Stamps: Blessings by There She Goes
Paper: Mellow Moss, Always Artichoke, Regal Rose, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White
Ink: Mellow Moss, Always Artichoke, Regal Rose, Pretty in Pink
Accessories: 1 3/8 and 1 1/4" and 1/2" circle punches, large oval punch, pearl stickers, white organza ribbon, pop-up glue dots and glue dots, corner rounder

Visit my fellow Trendsetter girlfriends at their blogs below (click on their names), leave a comment at each location's sneak peek AND here, and then go back to Jessica's Blog and enter your name into the raffle there! You could win this set! You have until 12:00 a.m. EST Saturday to get the Blog Hop Challenge comments in.

Don't forget to visit my fellow Trendsetters:

Becky
Bev
Christi
Denise
Faith
Holly
Jessie
Joanne
Jodi
Julie
Maki
Silke
Stephanie

An ADDITIONAL chance to WIN a new release stamp set!! This is called the "Bling It On" challenge. Just add a little bling to your TSG card creation and post it in your SCS gallery, making sure to use TSG04 in the keywords box. Enter your name and link to your card using Mr. Linky on this post on Jessica's blog. That's all you have to do!! You have until Saturday 12:00 a.m. EST to get those challenge projects in! And who doesn't love FREE???? Go for it!!!

Happy Butterflies and Q&A from There She Goes

First of all . . . here is my official "Follow the Butterflies" challenge card #78! I got to play with a bunch of new toys for this one, so it was really very fun. Sadly, however, you can't see the pretty sparkles on the butterfly. I used some Glimmer Mist (just bought my first bottle a few days ago), and it is AWESOME!! So pretty and sparkly and blingy! I LOVE it!!! I think I need to get it in MUI-MUI more colors!! This was also an answer to the Featured Stamper challenge on SCS - FS107 - Jami aka sgtStamper.

Stamps: Wonderful Watercolors, Many Happy Returns
Paper: Rose Red, So Saffron, So Saffron patterned paper, Whisper White, Old Olive
Ink: Rose Red (craft and classic), So Saffron, Cameo Coral, Old Olive, Always Artichoke, Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Spellbinders Labels Two dies (S4-162), large oval punch, 3/4" circle punch, word window punch, paper piercing tool/mat, Cuttlebug Butterflies & Floral Borders, CB Houndstooth embossing folder, pop-up glue dots, Pearl Glimmer Mist, Offray ribbon

Second, in response to all the questions asked on the blogs of members of the There She Goes design team, here are a list of "Top 10" questions asked of the design team. I have also given y'all a list of the blogs of other design team members, so you can visit their blogs and see how they answered the questions as well:

1. What do you typically start a project with? What's picked first: stamps, embellishments, DP, colors.....?
I almost ALWAYS start with a stamp set, but that is not full-proof. If I get some lovely new paper, or a terrific new Cuttlebug folder or something, I start with that and find a stamp set to compliment it.

2. Do you give away your cards, sell them, send them or hoard them? Or all of the above??
All of the above. I give a lot of them away, sell a few (a VERY few), and hoard a bunch as well. Mostly, I give them away, though. It always gives me such pleasure to see someone pick the "perfect" card for something specific, then smile when I tell them they can just have it!!

3. If you could design your own stamp or stamp set, what would it be?"
Hmmm . . . this is quite the loaded question! I think I would definitely be loaded with two-step floral images and, of course, butterflies!!

4. Where do you get your inspiration?
I usually get my inspiration from the stamps and paper I choose to use. I love doing the challenges on SCS . . . they also give me a lot of inspiration. I definitely step "outside the box" when I do something I hadn't thought of myself!

5. How do you balance your stamping time with your personal time/work/kids/etc.?
I stamp either late at night or VERY early in the morning when everyone has would down or is already in bed. This is how relax and recharge.

6. What is your favorite embellishment?
I think Cuttlebug folders and diecuts are my two favorite embellishments (LOVE my Nestabilities!!)

7. What is something that not a lot of people know about you?
I used to be a pirate . . . literally! I was the mascot at my high school and we were the Pirates!! I had some AWESOME boots, baby!! (And NO, I'm NOT going to show you a picture!!)

8. On average how long does it take to create one of these fabulous cards we see each week??
Usually about an hour . . . sometimes less . . . which includes the "thinking" process . . .

9. What is your favorite coloring medium?
I like Copic markers, but I LOVE using my reinkers and a blender pen. I've never been able to get quite as good of results with anything as I do with those!

10. What time of day do you prefer to do your creating?
Early, early, EARLY in the morning! (It's dark, it's quiet, and the phone does NOT ring!!)

If you want to see how the other girls on the DT answered this question, here is a list with links to their blogs:

Angela
Becky
Bev
Christi
Denise
Faith
Holly
Jessica
Jessie
Joanne
Jodi
Julie
Maki
Silke
Stephanie

Cute and Simple - Trendy Trees!

There is a new thread that is posted over on Splitcoast every Sunday that started a few weeks ago. It is a thread where people can post links to their favorite "cute and simple" cards that they have seen during the previous week (they have had a "favorites thread forever, but this one is specifically for simpler cards).

I don't usually do "simple" . . . I guess I just have a hard time stopping, kwim? I always seem to think it needs just "one more thing."

Well, I was talking to my girlfriend on the phone last Friday while I was creating this card (how's THAT for multi-tasking??). It was for LSC208 - to use green somewhere/somehow in your card AND to limit the layers/embellishments.

I quite like how this turned out, but I can honestly say that I think it would be hard to make an UGLY card with this darling "Trendy Trees" set, as they are just so dang stinkin' cute, don't you think????

We have some fun things a-brewin' for the There She Goes design team this week. We will be featuring cards created with the sets that are going to be released on March 1, so come back and visit often this week (I will give you a clue that the sneak peeks will start showing up on Wednesday) . . .

Hope it is warm where YOU are (current temp in SLC? A toasty 36 degrees!!) . . .

Stamps: Trendy Trees
Paper: Kiwi Kiss, More Mustard, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Whisper White
Ink: Kiwi Kiss, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa
Accessories: paper piercing tool/mat, 1 3/8 and 1 1/4" circle punches, large oval punch, 1/4" chocolate chip ribbon, Distressed Stripes Cuttlebug embossing folder, pop-up glue dots

Quick Questions About There She Goes!

Howdy, friends!!

The There She Goes girls are cooking up some fun, and we need your input.

Please leave me a comment answering this question:
"If you could ask the There She Goes design team ONE question, what would it be?"

I'll be picking a favorite question and submitting it to Jessica (the Queen of TSG) for a post she will be putting on her blog next week.

Can't wait to see what y'all come up with!! Have a happy !!!

TSG Blog Hop (and Post #200!)!!

What better way to celebrate my 200th blog post than with a blog hop??? This is the first official There She Goes Design Team Blog Hop, and I'm SOOOO excited that the set I was given to "highlight" for all y'all is BUTTERFLY HAPPINESS!

We were also asked by Holly (McMillen - aka Toy on SCS) to use a famous quote as inspiration (she is the genius who came up with the blog hop idea in the first place!). My quote is from Roy Rogers:

"What's a butterfly garden without butterflies?"

So here is my garden of butterflies for you!! This is the first set I got from Jessica waaaayyyy back last fall (late summer??)! You KNOW how I am about butterflies, right??? I love all the beautiful images in this set, ESPECIALLY (believe it or not) the leaf vine! I have used that baby so many times I can hardly count 'em!

And also (believe it or not!) this has NOTHING to do with my "Follow the Butterflies" challenge, either!! (Since I have already used this set for the challenge, it is automatically DQ'd!!)!

Anyway, to continue on to the next stop of our terrific team's blog hop, take a gander at what Faith has created here:

Stampin' With Markie's Mom

Have a happy, sunshine-y day (as this card makes me think, should I say DREAM?, or SPRING!!!)!!

(BTW, if you would like to start at the beginning of our Blog Hop . . . check out Jessica's blog HERE!)

Stamps: Butterfly Happiness by There She Goes
Paper: Perfect Plum, Pale Plum, Pretty in Pink, Pink Pirouette, Old Olive, Whisper White
Ink: Perfect Plum, Old Olive, Kiwi Kiss
Accessories: Spellbinders Curved Mega Rectangles (S5-006), Rob & Bob Studio sticker, dimensionals, notched corner punch, paper distressing tool

COOLIO AFTERTHOUGHT!! After I posted this card, I went and looked at my blog and noticed that it is perfectly color-coordinated with my blog overall!! How cool!! What a great way to highlight my 200th, eh???

Sending My Love & A Blog Hop!

I still have one more butterfly card to do so that I am caught up (plan to do it tomorrow!), but this puts me up to #77 on my "Follow the Butterflies" challenge (there is a link on the sidebar to the right, as well as a slideshow of the butterfly cards I have done thus far).

This was a quick and easy little card I did that was inspired by this beauty, done by Glenda (aka RobinRingtail on SCS):

Black Fern Silhouette

I love it when a simple and easy card is also an eye-popper!! Thanks, Glenda!!

Also, come back tomorrow morning (8:00 a.m. EST) to come and join the fun with the first There She Goes Design Team BLOG HOP!! I'm first on the list, so I hope you'll come and join me!!!

Stamps: Happiness Always, Many Happy Returns
Paper: Basic Black, Whisper White, Blush Blossom
Ink: Basic Black, Blush Blossom
Accessories: Cuttlebug Script Texture embossing folder, black organza ribbon

Sharing Smiles . . .

I made this card last night with my "Flowers of Happiness" stamps from There She Goes. I kinda went waaayyy out on a limb with the colors here. I NEVER intended to use Cameo Coral with Rose Red, but it just kind of took on a life of its own!! Some cards just sort of do that, don't they??

I love the little garden, though. It's fun to be able to place specific flowers with specific stems on this set. You can put them close together, far apart, or whatever. One of my favorite things about this set.

And I am loving my deckled rectangle Nesties! Don't worry, though, friends! You should be able to get your hands on these in a couple of weeks yourself! The more I play with them, the more I like 'em!!

Stamps: Flowers of Happiness by There She Goes
Paper: Garden Green, Cameo Coral, Rose Red, Whisper White
Ink: Garden Green, Cameo Coral, Rose Red, Summer Sun
Accessories: Spellbinders Large Deckled Rectangle Nestabilities (S4-202), Cuttlebug Spots & Dots embossing folder, Doodlebug Jewel stickers, double-stitched pomegrante ribbon by SU, paper piercing tool/mat

Really . . . Last Valentine-y Project . . . I Promise!

I forgot that I wanted to share one last Valentine's Day-type of project with you!! I made this fun Valentine's "LOVE" banner for Spellbinder's booth for CHA (so many of you have maybe seen it in person??) The only sad thing is, all of the art from the booth got packed up and shipped to Phoenix (to the "home office" of SB), so it's not actually hanging in my house for Valentine's Day! Sad . . . (you will really want to click on the photo so you can see the details better!)

Anywho . . . this is a parade of many Spellbinders dies. The greatest thing about it, though, is that it was QUICK and EASY! I used the new Inverted Scalloped Circles, which I absolutely ADORE!! Don't you think the "beaded" effect you get when you pair the inverted scallops with the classic scallops is DA BOMB?? I know this is going to become a favorite of mine, for sure!! No worries, my friends, as you should be able to get your hands on these in a couple of weeks (insert BIG HAPPY SMILEY right here!!)

Here is a close-up of the details on the letter "E". I love how crisp the emboss is when you use foil. It looks perfect every time!! I actually recycled some foil wrapping paper that I got for Christmas, so that definitely makes this project "green" (don'tcha just love it when you can reuse something???).

Stamps: Times New Roman Font Stamps by JustRite, Kittie Kits Cause a Scene Stamps by Rubbernecker
Cardstock: DoubleMates Racy Raspberry (WorldWin), Whisper White, Basic Black
Ink: Basic Black, Bravo Burgundy
Accessories: Spellbinders Classic Scallop Circle - Large (S4-124), Classic Heart (S4-136), Large Inverted Scallop Circle (S4-194), Dahlia (S4-191) and Butterflies 2 (S3-146) dies, glue dots, pop-up glue dots, black/white polka dot grosgrain ribbon (Offray), black organza ribbon, foil wrapping paper

I hope you get to spend tomorrow with the one you love the most!! Happy Valentine's Day to all!

One More Valentine

I threw this card together a few days ago with my new "Roses & Chocolate" stamps from There She Goes (with some help from my heart-shaped Nestabilities and some SU Candy Lane dsp).

We actually made cards with a similar layout as our "make-and-take" in the Spellbinders booth LAST year at CHA (as in January 2008). It's really fun having a card that 3-Dis with a window on the front. And it was easy-easy! The only difficult part about this card was that my husband had borrowed my heat gun, which I didn't discover until AFTER I put the Glassy Glaze embossing powder on the lips in the middle of the card (I had to resort to an old standby . . . using the heating element on my stovetop!). At least my DH sees my tools as TOOLS and not TOYS!! (At least the ones he can use!)

Stamps: Roses & Chocoalte by There She Goes
Paper: Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, Candy Lane dsp
Ink: Chocolate Chip craft and classic, Ruby Red
Accessories: Spellbinders Classic Scalloped and Classic Heart Nestabilities (S4-137 and S4-136), pop-up glue dots, Glassy Glaze embossing powder

Cutesy vs. Elegant

Ya ever notice how sometimes when you set out to create something fabulous that it turns out in a TOTALLY different direction that you had envisioned?? It happens to me ALL the time!! Take this card, for example . . .

I made this for LSC206. The challenge was that the only stamp you could use was a sentiment . . . just one . . . and no other stamps. I've done that LOTS of times, so I figured, "No problemo!" My good friend, Linda Duke, came up with this lovely layered dahlia when she was previewing these Spellbinders dies for their Pre-CHA Blog Frenzy. It was AMAZING looking, and I knew I was going to have to try it. Here is Linda's fantastic creation:

Quilted Dahlia

I knew that, in addition to making a challenge-dahlia card, that I also wanted to complete another butterfly card for my "Follow the Butterflies" challenge - which makes this card #76. (See the link on the sidebar to the right for more info about that!) My dilemma was that, every time I pulled out some patterned paper, it was in the same color combo as other butterfly cards that I had just very recently done. So . . . I pulled out this old SU Cutie Pie dsp and set to work.

I had envisioned a really elegant, classy card. Instead, I came up with extremely "cutesy" . . . I'm not quite sure WHAT I was expecting, since the paper IS called Cutie Pie!! Anyway, once I completed this one, I KNEW I was going to HAVE to do another one in a more elegant vein so that I could satisfy myself!!

Stamps: Spring Blossoms by Inkadinkado
Paper: So Saffron, Rose Red, Bashful Blue, Whisper White, Cutie Pie dsp
Ink: Bashful Blue, Rose Red, Certainly Celery
Accessories: Spellbinders Dahlia (S4191), Floral Fantasy and Swiss Dots Cuttlebug embossing folders, white polka dot organza (May Arts), dimensionals

Hence, this second card. A shot at redeeming myself, sort of. Not that the other card is BAD or anything (at least I HOPE not!), it's just that I had a totally different plan when I started. So this is my second attempt, and I felt MUCH better after doing it!

Stamps: Warm Words
Paper: Mellow Moss, Shimmery White, Very Vanilla
Ink: Mellow Moss
Accessories: Spellbinders Dahlia (S4191) and Ribbon Tags Trio (S3-150), Cuttlebug Textile embossing folder, moss organza ribbon, pearl sticker, dimensionals

I'm also doing a little housekeeping around here. I just recently decided to add labels to my blog post and add a label list on the sidebar, as that is how I often look for things on OTHER people's blogs. I've only done back through the first of the year, so it's going to take me a while to get them all done . . . thanks for being patient with me!!

Butterfly Milestone

75 . . . 75 . . . I can hardly believe that this card makes card #75 in my "Follow the Butterflies" challenge. Which means, ladies (and gents, for the few of ya that are out there!), that I have only 29 more to go!! I can hardly believe it. Today it is official . . . we will be picking my son up in Germany in exacly SEVEN months!! (Can't WAIT for September 5th!!) If you are new to my blog, the details for this challenge can be viewed if you hit the link on the sidebar to the right. There is also a slideshow of all 75 of the butterfly cards I have created thus far. WOW! Can't believe I have done so many already (although I am starting to feel creatively stumped . . . that's a LOT of butterflies!)

I have tried UBER hard to use a new/different butterfly on every card. I actually discovered a couple months ago that I accidentally DID use one of 'em twice! Can you believe it??? Sad, sad, sad . . . but I guess it was bound to happen! BONUS points to anyone who spotted it and can tell me the two cards I did that with!! (Good luck with that!!)

This card is a double-challenge card I did for my gallery on SCS. I incorporated last Monday's technique lover's challenge (TLC206 - recessed window), and SC214. This card took me well over an hour to finish, but I had fun and learned something new!! HERE is a link to Judy's tutorial on how to create a recessed window (you can adapt it to any size you want!)

Stamps: God's Beauty
Paper: Kiwi Kiss, Old Olive, Tangerine Tango, Pumpkin Pie, Basic Black, Whisper White, Pumpkin Pie Patterned Paper
Ink: Basic Black, White Gel Pen, Old Olive
Accessories: Spellbinders Large (S4-168) and Small (S4-169) Labels Nestabilities, black gingham ribbon, pop-up glue dots

Fun Little Card

Jessica Knutsen is a genius!! (For those of you who don't know her, she is the owner of There She Goes!) The lovely images on this card come from one of the new stamps sets she just released . . . it is called Flowers of Happiness.

I also used some of my new Nestabilitlies dies from Spellbinders (and I know you are all hating me right now 'cause I actually OWN the Labels 3 set . . . one of the perks of being a DT member and getting to play with prototype dies!). I KNOW this set is gonna sell like HOTCAKES, baby!! Not sure if you can tell, but the flower is on the INSIDE of the card, peeking through the frame I cut out on the FRONT of the card.

I DO have some more butterflies to share with y'all, too! I just haven't had time to post 'em yet!! (I finally cleaned up my craft room, which has been a total DISASTER since before I left for CHA, so now I can stamp some new stuff!)

Have a fab-o day!!

Stamps: Flowers of Happiness by There She Goes
Paper: Close to Cocoa, Old Olive, Very Vanilla, Summer Sun, Cameo Coral, Chocolate Chip
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Old Olive
Accessories: Spellbinders Labels Three (S4-189), large oval and word window punches, dimensionals