CASology #115: CHOCOLATE

Hello, friends!  I dare say that this may be one of our best cue cards ever at CASology!

This week we are sponsored by Create A Smile.  They have the cutest stamp sets in their shop HERE, and there are some super cute free digital images available (along with lots of inspiration) at their blog HERE.  Be sure to check out the CASology blog for all the details!

I played along with two Create A Smile free digis, paired up with some Inkadinkado stamps (from the "Birthday Cupcake" set).  Nothing says chocolate to me like chocolate cupcakes!

I added Glossy Accents to the eyes and black Enamel Accents to the pupils.  

Can you see them?

While I was at it, I made another card using a free digi image and sentiment from Create A Smile...isn't this monster the cutest thing?  I added white Enamel Accents to the monster for interest and texture.

Be sure to link up your CHOCOLATE card by noon on Monday (Central time). You will also be inspired by the many ways our Design Team and Guest Designer interpreted the cue this week...be sure to check out their blogs, too!

Melissa Chipperfield
Judy Marino --> that's me!

Meghan McMillan

Tracey McNeely
Joyce Mehrberg

(May Sukyong Park is taking a break)

Ardyth Percy-Robb

Gillian Ross

Kimberly Wiener

Jen Wills

Guest Designer: Bobby

Thanks for visiting,

Judy

12 Kits of Occasions Revisited!

Hello, friends!  I was so excited to receive an invitation from Renee to make another card using my 12 Kits of Occasions left-overs from last February!  I've been hoarding them holding onto them with the hopes of playing with them again...and here's my chance!  (You can see the original post when I was a guest designer HERE.)

I was inspired by Cathy's snow globe card:

And here is what I came up with this time around:

I had fun with lots of silver Perfect Pearls Mists and Stickles to add sparkle to this snowy scene!

Be sure to stop by the 12 Kits of Occasions blog to see what the other designers did with their left-overs!

Thanks for stopping by...be sure to stop by later this morning for my new CASology cue card and post for the week!
Judy

Coffee Lover's Blog Hop!

Hello, friends!  Happy National Coffee Day!  (Best. Day. Ever.  Just sayin.')

I'm here today to take part in the Coffee Lover's Blog Hop sponsored by Chaitali.  Can I just say, I think this is BRILLIANT?!?!

Not only will there be lots of amazing coffee-themed cards (as if that is not awesome enough), there will also be prizes!  Prizes, people!  Not only will there be flash giveaways (see details HERE), but random winners from the hop participants will win coffee-themed goodies from these amazing sponsors (you can see exact prize offerings at Chaitali's blog):

So, here's a little bit of MY coffee history.

I started drinking coffee when I was a senior in college.  It was more like chocolate milk...a flavored coffee powder that came in a cute little tin (see below).  My first coffee pot was a wedding gift in 1995...a Farberware percolator!  (Loved that pot!) Now I drink Maxwell House brand coffee -- it is my all time favorite.  I'd rather make my own coffee and bring it with me in a travel mug than spend money on big-name coffees at local shops.  I love my Maxwell House!  I need my coffee in the morning to get started, and again at 3PM to make it through the second shift of the day.  I do like lots of milk in there...and sugar, too.

                 

My card features stamps from the Precious Remembrance Shop called "Coffee Love."  I adore this set! I paper-pieced my card using papers from Pebbles "Front Porch" paper pad.

So, be sure to check out the Coffee Lover's Blog Hop and play along for your chance to win some cool coffee-themed prizes!  If you need some inspiration, check out my Pinterest board dedicated to coffee cards (yes, I love coffee that much).

I'm also linking my card to the current Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes. 

Thanks for stopping by...now I'm off to grab a cup of coffee and check out some other blog hop cards!  What a fun day we have ahead of us! :)

Judy

Coffee Lovers Unite....

Hello, friends!  I am just stopping by to let you know about a wonderful blog hop scheduled for this coming Monday...in honor of National Coffee Day on September 29th!

Yes, it's a Coffee Lovers Blog Hop...and the details can be found HERE (at Chaitali's blog, "Cuts, Crops & Creativity").  There will be prizes...and lots of inspiration, too!

I'll be there, coffee in hand.  Hope to see you there, too!
Judy

Autumn Wishes

Hello, friends!  I can't believe how CRAZY busy my life has been since school and work started up again in early September...I am on the go for hours after work just getting everyone where they need to be and then picking them up again.  It's all good...just very VERY busy!

So, you can bet I was thrilled when I could steal a free second in between activities to play with some new stamps from Precious Remembrance Shop.  Have you seen the new set called "Fall Colors?"  Such pretty leaves in this set!  I couldn't wait to play with them!

I stamped a one-layer card using a variety of Hero Arts mid-tone inks and Tim Holtz distress inks.  I also spritzed the card with gold Perfect Pearls Mist for some fall sparkle.  (Doesn't that add so much without adding any bulk?  Love that!)

I'm linking this up to the current Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge where the theme is "Anything Goes."

OK, I'm out of time...off to pick up my two high school freshmen from their sports so they can eat dinner and go back for pep band (there's a home football game tonight)!

Thanks for stopping by!
Judy

CASology #114: FLUTTER

Hello, friends!  Tuesday is here, and so is a new cue card from CASology!

This week we are sponsored by Add a Little Dazzle.  I am still enjoying the metallic papers they sent the Design Team, and I hope you have had a chance to get your hands on some.  They are fantastic!  They are so beautiful when they are embossed and/or die cut...two techniques I love!  Be sure to check out the CASology blog for all the sponsor details this week.

When I think of the word "flutter," I think of birds or butterflies fluttering their wings, or a person fluttering their eyelashes at another person.  Picture an open window and the curtains fluttering in the breeze.  Imagine the fluttering of falling leaves.  To flutter can also mean to move about aimlessly or in an agitated manner, as you might flutter about your house looking for lost keys or cleaning up when you see unannounced visitors pull into your driveway.  What does "flutter" bring to mind for you?

In the end, I went with a bird on a branch using the pretty Add a Little Dazzle metallic papers I have in my stash (this time blue and black).  The sentiment and woodgrain background are favorite stamps from Hero Arts.

Be sure to link up your FLUTTER card by noon on Monday (Central time). You will definitely want to check out the creative ways our Design Team and Guest Designer interpreted the cue this week!

Melissa Chipperfield
Judy Marino --> that's me!

Meghan McMillan

Tracey McNeely
Joyce Mehrberg

(May Sukyong Park is taking a break)

Ardyth Percy-Robb

Gillian Ross

Kimberly Wiener

Jen Wills

Guest Designer: Karren

As always, thanks for visiting!

Judy

Catered Crop: Good Medicine

Hello, friends!  I am happy to stop by today with a card I made for the current Catered Crop: Good Medicine Recipe Swap.  I have never played along at Catered Crop before, so I am excited to be able to join in the fun for the first time!  This challenge calls for us to make a little "good medicine" -- a get well card or care package.

“I don’t feel very much like Pooh today,” said Pooh.
“There there,” said Piglet. “I’ll bring you tea and honey until you do.”
~ A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

I decided to make a one-layer get well card using some of my favorite Papertrey Ink stamp sets (including Mehndi Medallions and Think Big Favorites #6).  I used Hero Arts mid-tone Pool shadow ink and light blue Stickles for a little bit of sparkle on the medallions.

Have you seen the inspiration for this challenge at the Catered Crop blog?  They even provide a Pinterest board of "get well" card ideas!  (Brilliant!)  I'm off to check out some of the entries there and leave some love.

Thanks for stopping by...have a great day!

Judy