{MTSC89} Precious Moments

Happy Tuesday and time again

for Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge!

To begin, I cut a 6-1/2" square of basic gray cardstock and folded it in half.  The designer paper is from a 6 x 6" pad -- Granola, by Basic Grey.   This "precious" little boy stamp that was such a joy to color with Copic markers is by Stampendous, "Mommy, I Love You" (1995). 

If you have time, be sure to hop on over and see what

Mercy's Muses have created this week:

Cindy Haffner ~ Cindy Haffner's Corner
Crystal Birr ~ The Messy Stamper

Jackie Pedro ~ The Scalloped Edge

Pam Varnell ~ The Stamping Addict

Julie Lacey ~ Stamps and Taxes

Jessica Diedrich ~ The Whimsical Butterfly

Mercy Kerin ~ Lord Have Mercy {Queen Muse}

and last, but certainly not least,

our August Guest Muse...

Angela Thomas

from Sparkle and Bling!

You're all encouraged to play along with Mercy's Sketch Challenge!  All you need to do is create a card or scrapbook layout using the sketch above and then add your creation to Mercy's InLinkz linking system on her blog ~ Lord Have Mercy!  You certainly don't need to have a blog to participate, just use the keyword MTSC89 when uploading to a public gallery.  Mercy will post her favorites in “Mercy’s Magnificent Musings” on Sunday!

I'm glad you stopped by today!  Happy Stamping!

Quote for Today ~

Happiness always looks small while you hold it in your hands, but let it go, and you learn at once how big and precious it is. ~Maxim Gorky

{SSSC83 & CC Act 45} In With the Old!

 

Check out this awesome layout for today's SWEET SUNDAY SKETCH CHALLENGE #83!  Circles are so much fun to work with, especially if you have a way to cut them out!   Lucky for me, my sweet DIL Jami let me borrow her Cricut a couple months ago for a scrapbook project and she hasn't wanted it back yet. 

 

My card is a 5-1/4" square using Crumb Cake (formerly Kraft) cardstock as the base.  I used one of my "new" estate sale stamps for the background.  It's an old Stampin' Up! background stamp from 1997, but I can't tell you the name of it because I have no idea.  I do know that I ♥love the look it gives inked up with Crumb Cake onto Crumb Cake . . . and I'll bet one of my smart readers will clue me in to the name too!  ; )

  

Sketch design by Nancy McKinney

The designer paper and flowers are from an old Deja Views 8 x 8 Paper Punch Out Tablet ~ Fresh Print Apple.  I've had this forever and thought of it today when I saw the Curtain Call Color Challenge colors.  Along with the flowers, I added some buttons from my stash and tied them onto the flower with linen thread.  The lovely verse is from a VERVE set ~ Beautiful You.

Love these colors!

the inside finished to match the outside!

If you want to play along with either one of these challenges, just click on over to Karen and Stacey's blogs for all the details.    I'm so glad you stopped by and hope you've enjoyed your visit today as much as I enjoyed creating this card to share with you!  ♥

Happy Stamping & Smiles 2 U!
  Pam  : )

Another Stampin' Great Time!

Yesterday, my good friend and neighbor ~ Vicki ~came over to stamp it up with me and this is one of the cards we created.  Silly me never thought to take a photo of us stamping...or of Vick's card.  Sheesh!  And what I really should have shown you is my living room FULL of stamps that I purchased from an estate sale.  Oh my goodness!  Talk about stamp overload!!!  We had SO much FUN going through all the boxes and found Stampin' Up!, D.O.T.'s and so many other stamp companies we never knew existed!   Did you know that Stampin' Up! sets were originally on foam with paper labels?  I had no idea! 

We sorted through all the stamps and this morning I boxed them up and tried to find room for them in my craft room.  Oh dear, I think I need a larger room.  : /   This is BAD . . . in a GOOD way!  : )

Anyway, back to our wedding card and how it came to be.  (Great story, but maybe you had to be there! ;)  This Soft Swirl background stamp by Stampin' Up! was one of the stamps in my new "collection".  Vicki said she had this stamp and she remembered making a cool embossed Valentine treat bag with it at a stamp party a few years ago. She had given it to her daughter who threw it away and she wished she could remember how it was done.   Ok,  fast forward to the two of us going through a basket of miscellaneous cards that were included in my estate purchase and low and behold, we find an exact replica of the Valentine treat bag that Vick was telling me about!!!  What are the odds?! 

As for our wedding cards, we used naturals white as the base cardstock and for our "Happy Wedding Day" sentiment.  We inked up the Soft Swirl background stamp with Versamark ink, stamped a lightweight piece of vellum, and embossed it in white.  Before attaching the vellum to the card, we colored the hearts on the backside with a pink passion marker.  Cool technique!

Now, for a little more FUN and to involve all you super creative stampers and bloggers out there . . .

I want to show you two of my favorite new stamps and ask you to HELP me think of sentiments for them.  Please leave a comment below and let me hear your ideas, ok?   And, if you're interested, I would be happy to stamp some images to send you.  Just let me know!  : )

"A Few Extra Pounds" by All Night Media

T-1522 by Art Impressions, Salem, Oregon c 1996

Aren't both of these stamps just a HOOT?!  Love them and can't wait to use them, but again...it will be the saying that really makes them humorous.  I'll be anxious to hear from you!  : )

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I hope you're having a very enjoyable and relaxing weekend...doing as you please!   Smiles, Pam : )

Quote for Today ~

I would not exchange my leisure hours for all the wealth in the world. ~Comte de Mirabeau

{MTSC88} Tell It Like It Is!

Today's card has been created especially for Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge.  Isn't this a terrific layout?  Love it!  And it's simply perfect for using coordinating designer papers . . . like these three from My Minds Eye.

The cute little quote stamp is from a clear Inkadinkado set titled Tell It Like It Is.  : )  Did you notice the pretty little green crocheted flower in the center of my big purple flower?  (No, I don't know how to crochet, although I've always wanted learn!)  My stamping friend and Nebraska neighbor, Debbie Fisher from The Paper Garden sent me several of these last year and I'm still using them...but only on special occasions! ♥ 

Be sure to blog on over and see what

Mercy's Muses have created to inspire you!

Cindy Haffner ~ Cindy Haffner's Corner
Crystal Birr ~ The Messy Stamper

Jackie Pedro ~ The Scalloped Edge

Pam Varnell ~ The Stamping Addict

Julie Lacey ~ Stamps and Taxes!

Jessica Diedrich ~ The Whimsical Butterfly

Mercy Kerin ~ Lord Have Mercy {Queen Muse}

and last, but not least,

our extra special August Guest Muse...

Angela Thomas

from Sparkle and Bling!

Here are a couple more peeks at my card...outside and inside! . . .

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Have a wonderful week, my friends!  ♥

Smiles, Pam

{SSSC82 & CC Act 44} A Friend Brightens Everyday!

Happy Sunday & Smiles 2 U, My Friends!

Today, I've combined two of my favorite challenges ~ the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge hosted by Karen Giron at The Sweetest Thing...and the Curtain Call Color Challenge hosted by Stacey's Stamping Stage.

This is one of those cards that I almost gave up on.  Maybe I should have.  ;)  It's certainly not one of my favorites, but I decided to go ahead and show it to you anyway.  The sketch is great and the color combo is so bright and happy, but I'm not so sure it all came together for me.   What do you think?  Too much yellow?  Does it need some white space to tone it down?  Hmmm...

Another terrific sketch!

Did you notice the cute little ladybug with bling on her back? : )

For as simple as this card is, it sure took me a loooong time!  Sheesh!  : /

 the inside has a little bling too...a butterfly! 

Thanks so much for blogging by!  Please feel free to critique this one.  It needs it.

Smiles,

Pam : )

Quote for Today ~

With a butterfly kiss and a ladybug hug, sleep tight little one like a bug in a rug.

~Author Unknown

{CTD #106} A Star is Born!

It's awhile since I've created a baby card so this was especially fun to make!  It's for one of my coworkers and his wife who had a baby boy this week.  What a blessing & JOY for them!  

My inspiration came from a couple different sources.  First of all, these soft sweet baby boy colors are from the COLOR THROWDOWN #106 Challenge.  And the idea for using the Picture This Stampin' Up! set came from a wonderful card I found on Splitcoaststampers that was designed by Alystamps.  I did change the layout, but I used her idea for the die cut stars and unique ribbon treatment.

 It was a challenge for me not to add some designer paper and stitching, but I refrained and kept it super simple.  Please tell me what you think!   Does it need something else?  You know I love hearing from you and sincerely appreciate your suggestions and feedback.  ♥

the inside...with this sentiment: 

twinkle, twinle, little star

darling baby, here you are!  ♥

Have a WONDERFUL smile-filled weekend, my friends!  Happy Stampin'!  ~ Pam ♥

Quote for Today ~

You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance.

~Franklin P. Jones

Happy Mail from Vicki ~ It's a Stamp Thing!

Yesterday was a very HAPPY MAIL day!   Oh my goodness, just look at this OWL-dorable card I received from Vicki Burdick of It's a Stamp Thing fame!   She's used the new owl punch from Stampin' Up! to create this FUN card.   I especially like the bright and cheerful coordinating designer papers she's used.  And, as if the card wasn't enough, look at these super cute owl bookmarks she created to go along with it...

And that's not even all!  Look at this BEA-U-TI-FUL quilted bag she created for me!!!  I couldn't believe it when I saw this!   I love to sew on my cards, but I can't even imagine all the sewing it took to create this!  WOW!   Vicki has used such a PRETTY print fabric and lined it in black.  I just ♥LOVE♥ it and really appreciate all the time and effort she put into making it.   

a closer look at the pretty designer print fabric...

What makes this *extra* special for me, is that I've been admiring Vicki's blog, It's a Stamp Thing!, and her spectacular creations, for a long time.  I'm a huge FAN of hers and have "cased" her work more than once.    Be sure to check out Vicki's blog and become a follower...you'll be HAPPY you did!!!

Thanks for stopping by today and sharing my JOY!   Now, I've got a baby boy card to create for one of my coworkers.   I'll be sharing it with you tomorrow!

Happy Stamping & Smiles 2 U!

Pam : )

Quote for Today ~

How beautiful a day can be when kindness touches it!

~George Elliston 

{MTSC87 & Curtain Call Act 43} For a Good Friend...

Never in a million years would I have thought to put these three colors together!  In fact, I almost turned and ran when I saw this week's Curtain Call Color Challenge, hosted by Stacey's Stampin Stage. 

But, you know what?  I think Stacey may have known what she was doing!   ; )

It helped me immensely when I found a designer paper in my stash that pulled the colors together.  It's an oldie by Basic Grey ...Marrakesh and I think this may be one of the few times I've used it.  (hmm, I wonder why?)  

This spectacular layout is from none other than Mercy Kerin of Lord Have Mercy fame and today is Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge!  

and a peek at the inside...left blank for a handwritten message.

If you've got some extra time this week, be sure to blog on over and see what

Mercy's Muses have created to inspire you!

Cindy Haffner ~ Cindy Haffner's Corner
Crystal Birr ~ The Messy Stamper

Jackie Pedro ~ The Scalloped Edge

Pam Varnell ~ The Stamping Addict

Julie Lacey ~ Stamps and Taxes!

Jessica Diedrich ~ The Whimsical Butterfly

Mercy Kerin ~ Lord Have Mercy {Queen Muse}

and last, but not least,

our extra special August Guest Muse...

Angela Thomas

from Sparkle and Bling!

You're ALL invited to play along with these challenges and we really hope you will! 

Happy stamping!  Smiles, Pam  :)

Quote for Today ~
You can go through life and make new friends every year - every month practically - but there is never any substitute for those friendships of childhood that survive into adult years. Those are the ones in which we are bound to one another with hoops of steel.
- Alexander McCall Smith

{SSSC81} Button, Button, Who Has the Button?

Today's card was created especially for Karen Giron's Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge at The Sweetest Thing!    This sketch was calling my name and told me to bring my button jar. :)   As you can see that's exactly what I did.   What a FUN way to use up a variety of buttons!

It was a gorgeous day here today and we spent most of it outside working on the deck railing.  Can you see it in the background?   It looks so much better than what we had before.  I thought I could get a better photo of my card outside in the natural light, but I'm no photographer...obviously!  I forgot about the shadows so this is the only photo of my card worth sharing.  

This sweet little Pure Innocence image is a digital download that I bought on ETSY from the artist herself ~ Heather Ellis.  I  printed it on a good quality white cardstock and colored it with Copic markers. The base of the card is Wild Wasabi ~ 5-1/4" square.  The designer paper is from my scrap stash and I did the zig zag stiching around the edge, attached the polka dot ribbon, and then adherred it to the card base.  I stitched the buttons on with a large needle and linen thread and then attached the image with dimensionals.

What did you do this weekend?  Were you productive or did you simply relax and enjoy it?  Either way, it went by way too fast, didn't it?   Alway does!

Thanks so much for blogging by today!  Happy Stamping, my friends!  Smiles, Pam : )

Quote for Today ~

There aren't enough days in the weekend. ~Rod Schmidt

All Smiles! : )

Happy Weekend, my Friends!   What are you doing this fine Saturday morning?   Whatever it is, I hope you find a reason to SMILE!    Like the quote on this card says, "A smile is a curve that sets everything straight."   : )

Today, I decided to stamp JUST FOR FUN...no sketch challenge, no color challenge, but using a favorite stamp of mine that's been quite neglected.   This is a Stampendous cling stamp appropriately called "Cling Smile Curves".   

I've stamped it in Versafine Onyx Black and clear embossed.  The cute little smiley face was colored with my Stampin' Write Daffodil Delight marker and I sponged around the edges with yellow chalk before removing it from the oval die.   The card base is 4-1/4" square of basic black with the yellow polka dot designer paper (Bo Bunny Buttercup Dot) layered and zig zag stitched on top.   I tried a few different ribbons and settled on the black and white gingham.  What do you think? 

Now, to show you where I got my inspiration for this card...

See that cute little card smiling at you from way up on top of my rubber stamp shelf??  Yep!  That one.   It was sent to me a couple years ago, along with a few images, stamped by my dear friend Charmaine of Oodabug Alley fame.  I just ♥ this card and it makes me *smile* whenever I see it!   : )   Charmaine is such a sweetie pie and all her creations are just as special as she is!   Please check out her blog and give her some ♥.

here is the inside of my card...

Now, don't leave without smiling first!  : )   LOL   

Have a Nice Day!!!

Hugs & Smiles, Pam  : )

Quote for Today ~
I thought about that smile, then I realized its worth.  A single smile, just like mine, could travel round the earth.  ~ anonymous