Paper Maniac BLOG HOP!

Hello! Welcome to the first Paper Maniac blog hop!  You should be arriving from Denise's blog.  If not go back and start at the Paper Maniac blog and hop on through following the links.  In order to have a chance to win some amazing blog candy, you must leave a comment on each blog along the way! You can see a photo of the blog candy above, and YES...that is a in-store only Unity kit that you see!  The blog hop is in preparation for the grand opening of the store tomorrow.  Get 15% off your purchase using the code GRAND15.  The Paper Maniac has TONS of amazing products for your papercrafting needs.  You will definitely want to check out their Take and Makes, which supply you with everything you need to make beautiful cards.  PM offers over 200 stamps and beautiful ribbon that can be ordered by the yard, so you can get as much or as little as you like. 

 

Card recipe: stamp by imaginesce,  Bazzil black for base, PTI white, orange and yellow from my scrap box, tuxedo black memento ink, prisma pencils to color image, nestabilities, Spots N' Dots CB folder, ribbon from PM store.

Your next stop on the hop is the lovely JANE!
Happy Hopping!

Emily

South of The Border with Artful INKables!

 

Hello!  I made this card with one of Artful INKables new sets for this month, South of The Border.  I love this snake image!  I colored the main image with copics and also made my own chili pepper DP with the pepper stamp from this set.  I stamped all of the images with memento tuxedo black before coloring.  You can't miss out on this fun set!  Go check it out!

Have a super Sunday!

Emily

EIC51

Today's Etsy store for your inspiration is Red Crow Arts.  They have some beautiful raku pendants and buttons to get your creative juices flowing.  When uploading your card to on-line galleries, please use keyword EIC51.  Also make sure to link your fabulous creation on Ashley's blog HERE in the EIC51 post for a chance to win the fabulous tree pendant on the left!  Ashley will pick a random winner next Friday.  Also...it is the last Saturday of the month, so that means there will also be a free Unity give away! Whooo Hoooooo!

Please make sure to check out the other DT gals creations for more inspiration. The links are located on my side bar.  Next week will be an extra special celebration, as Etsy Inspired Challenge celebrates it's first anniversary.  You won't want to miss the festivities for the celebration.  Their will be lots of prizes and a Scor Pal giveaway!  We will also be having a blog hop with some special guests along the way!

I made this little card and box inspired by the trees and owls above.  I must say that months ago I saw a card in the SCS gallery that used this stamp set and these colors, but I can't remember who's card it was to give credit for my CASE.  If you recognize it, and know let me know!

Stamps:  Forest Friends, Teeny Tiny Wishes SU

Paper:  chocolate chip, old olive, So Saffron DSP SU

accesories:  scallop punch, circle punches, hemp twine

ink:  chocolate chip, old olive markers

All supplies are from SU.  I am having a class this afternoon and we will be making this in my class!

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily

The last Hip Hop Hangover!

 

Today is Unity's last Hip Hop Hangover, because Hip Hop will be no more!  I am sad because it is such a fun time, however, Angela promises that she has some new exciting things to take it's place on the SCS forum!  I made this card with the stamp So and So loves...and the sentiment is from August KOTM.  Papers are kraft and chocolate chip.  I also made this for the CAS design team call on SCS.  I figure I would through my name in the hat since I am loving CAS style lately!  I hope you all have a great weekend.

I will be back tomorrow with some Etsy inspiration for you and on Sunday look for another project with some of the Artful INKables new releases!

Emily

The Digi Shack challenge (TDSC020)

Today's TDS challenge is a color challenge!  We were to be inspired by the make-up in the photo above.  I thought this cute little monster would be great in brown with teal spots!  He looks a little frazzled, so I paired this sentiment from SU's Teeny Tiny Wishes with it.  All the cardstock is prism-don't know the exact colors.  The ribbon is SU's Bermuda Bay. 

If you play along make sure to link your card using Mr. Linky HERE.  Use key word TDSC020 when uploading to online galleries.

Have fun!

Emily

Get ready for The Paper Maniac GRAND OPENING!

It is almost time for the GRAND OPENING of The Paper Maniac-a new online store!  I have been busy working with some of the product the store has to offer and let me tell you....it's FABULOUS!  
You will be able to buy the exclusive Unity in-store kit's along with a variety of new Unity stamps.  The Paper Maniac will also have:


Over 200 different stamps


More than 700 unique items


Full range of of Bazzil 8.5x11 paper, Paper Trey Ink, Neenah, Bindakote cardstock


Over 150 ribbons, all sold by the yard so you can get as much or as little as you want!


The card I made above is all supplies that will be available at The Paper Maniac.  
stamp:  Unity August in-store exclusive kit
paper:  Bindakote red gloss, white PTI, black Bazzil
ink:  tuxedo black memento 
accessories:  black grosgrain ribbon

First Day of School and a CAS card!

Today I made this for the CAS challenge over on SCS.  You can check it out HERE.  Today was the first day of school for my boys.  Will is in third grade and was too cool to get his picture taken, and Max and Luke boarded the bus for pre-school.  Max has some developmental delays, so they are going to pre-school in our school district.  He will receive speech, occupational and physical therapy during his day.  They provide busing for the special needs pre-school kids so I put my 3 year old little guys on the bus for the first time today.  I was so proud, sad, and excited all at once.  Proud that I am still sane after raising twins to the age of three, sad that my babies are going to school, and a little excited that I will have 4 hours of ME time 5 days a week!  Just like this card, my life became a little cleaner (lack of all three boys in my house for 4 hours a day!) and simpler, because I can do whatever I want in the afternoons now!  CRAZY!

I had to share this photo of them getting on the bus together!  I LOVE it!  I cried like a baby the minute they couldn't see me waving.  They were all smiles and excited for their new adventure. 

"You don't raise heroes, you raise sons. If you treat them like sons, they'll turn out to be heroes, even if it's just in your own eyes."

Author: Walter Schirra, Sr.

Thanks for listening to me!

Emily 

Artful INKables challenge!

Here is a card I made for the Artful INKables challenge. You are to use red, white and black on your card. I used kraft as my base (thought this would be okay since it was a neutral!) I stamped my image on watercolor paper and colored with my SU reinkers. The image is mounted on black and dusty durango cardstock.



The image is from one of the newly released sets, Steampunk Sarah.  I {heart} this set!  It is wonderful to color and different from the other girly stamps out right now.  I didn't really know what steampunk meant until Kristen shared the definition on her blog:

Steampunk Definition: Steampunk is a sub-genre of fantasy & speculative fiction, set in an era or world where steam power is still widely used. It may denote fictional technological inventions like those found in the works of H. G. Wells & Jules Verne, or real technological developments like the computer, occurring at an earlier date. Other examples of steampunk follow an alternate history-style look at “the path not taken” when it comes to technology. It also celebrates the mechanics of something rather than hiding it under a sleek exterior.


Pretty cool, huh?

In case you don't remember, here are the details of the challenge! Hope you can play along!

* You are not required to use AI stamps, but if you have them, we'd love to see you use them!

* You have until Monday, August 31, 2009, midnight Pacific Standard Time to link your creation to this post. A winner will be chosen Tuesday, September 1, 2009 to win a GRAB BAG of AI STAMPS!

* When posting your link, please post the link directly to your creation- so if it's on your blog, please link it directly to the specific post with your creation.

* If uploading to SCS or PCP, please add the keyword AIC01

Can't wait to see what you come up with! Tell your friends!

Emily

EIC50-Mrs. Kwitty's Cottage!

Cover of mini book

This just shows where I stamped distressed dots on the back of the yellow pages.
There are five pages all together. You could add photo's and journaling to the front and backs of the pages.

The book mark above is what I drew inspiration from!

This week's Etsy shop for your inspiration is Mrs Kwitty's. Since their seems to be quite a bird theme going on in this shop, I had to use the bird image from the Unity July KOTM on the front of my little book. I also used the black and yellow theme throughout. This book is 3x3. I love to make these for little gifts to give to my friends and family. I make sure to leave space that allows them to add their own photo's or what-nots!
All of the stamps used are from various Unity KOTM's. I LOVE my KOTM's! I also tore some pages out of an old book and distressed with black ink. I added some rhinestones to each page in different places.

If you participate, please make sure to link your card in Ashley's Etsy post HERE.

A random winner will be picked next Friday to win an adorable little note set seen HERE.

This week's sponsor is Ildi Co. They are offering a prize of 3 digi stamps and a 10% off coupon on a future purchase.

Please use keyword EIC50 when uploading to on-line galleries.

Check out the rest of the DT on my sidebar for TONS of inspiration!

Have a fabulous weekend!

EMILY

Posies for you Hip Hop Hangover!

Happy Hip Hop Hangover! I made this using this week's sketch over on SCS. Didn't get to participate much in Hip Hop yesterday. I have been busy getting boys ready for school. I hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

card ingredients

stamps: July KOTM
paper: rich razzleberry, certainly celery, so saffron, white, DP We R Memory Keepers Hoopla collection
accesories: so saffron ribbon, button by paper studios, prisma pencils for coloring, swiss dot CB folder

Emily

The Digi Shack Challenge (TDSC019)

Isn't this handbag the cutest?
This week's digi shack challenge is to make a card that is inspired by a handbag from the KHARLIE BUG site. I was inspired by the blues and greens in the handbag above. I added some pink in there, too! I colored her with prismas and copics. The DP is from Fancy Pants Happy Holidays line. I really am happy with the way this card turned out! I am going to have to go find some more of that DP, because I am thinking it may be my Christmas card this year! This is a newly released Lani image available at The Digi Shack, just in time for your holiday cards and layouts!

Also, Toni will be having some Shack Sugar this week...that's right...if you participate in this challenge, you will have the opportunity to WIN a FABULOUS HANDBAG from the shop! I wish I could win it!

So get creating and show us what you've got!

If you participate in the challenge, upload your card using mr. linky HERE.

Please use keyword TDSC019 when uploading to on-line galleries.

Can't wait to see your fab creations!

Emily

Another Manly Man card!

I made another masculine card today. I have had this ribbon FOREVER! Bought it at Michael's years ago, and when I saw the color challenge-cocoa, vanilla, and teal-I had to use it! I used my perfectly paisley CB folder for the back panel. The stamp is from SU's Teeny Tiny Wishes. I LOVE that set! It is a cardmaker's dream set of sentiments! LOL! I used SU's oval punches and the new modern label punch for my sentiment. I added some of Taylor's Tiny Twinkles to the ends. Another CAS card! I seem to be addicted to CAS lately! I hope you all are having a fab day!

Emily

Think INK Tuesday!

Today is Think INK Tuesday over at Artful INKables! Today's challenge is to use RED, BLACK, and WHITE on your card. This challenge was issued by Joy, so go check out her blog! I will have my card for the challenge posted on Sunday. Each DT member will be posting cards on different days of the week, so check out all of the INK girls for inspiration!

* You are not required to use AI stamps, but if you have them, we'd love to see you use them!

* You have until Monday, August 31, 2009, midnight Pacific Standard Time to link your creation to this post. A winner will be chosen Tuesday, September 1, 2009 to win a GRAB BAG of AI STAMPS!

* When posting your link, please post the link directly to your creation- so if it's on your blog, please link it directly to the specific post with your creation.

* If uploading to SCS or PCP, please add the keyword AIC01

Can't wait to see what you come up with! Tell your friends!

Emily

Masculine Miss You

Hello! I can't sleep, so I made this card for the CAS challenge over on SCS. We were to make a masculine card. I thought this DP by Anna Griffin was perfect. The frame stamp and sentiment is from Unity's July KOTM. The ribbon is by American Crafts. My card size is 4x4. Easy peasy!

Have a great day (or night)!

Emily

The Digi Shack image WINNER!

Maria Matter.... you are the WINNER of the free gerbera daisy image from The Digi Shack blog hop!

I just need your email, and I will send you the file of the free image!

CONGRATS!

Please scroll down if you are looking for The Digi Shack blog hop post, or my Etsy Inspired project for the day! I have three posts today and ALL of them involve prizes so check them all out!

Artful INKables blog hop!

Welcome to the AI blog hop! If you haven't come here from Deborah's blog, then you will want to start at the AI Blog so you don't miss anything along the way! Be sure to follow us through, and make comments at every blog stop to be eligible for the big prize at the end!

Today, I'm showing you a card made with the new set South of The Border. I have been having LOADS of fun with the new sets! I was a huge fan of AI, before being asked to be on the design team. Once you try these fabulous stamps, you will be hooked too! I hope you are having fun on the hop today! You are almost done!

The next stop on the hop is Sherry's blog!

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily

The Digi Shack Holiday Blog Hop!

Halloween card recipe:
Paper: kiwi kiss, black, pumpkin pie and SU DSP
image: going batty by TDS, sentiment SU
accessories: pumpkin pie striped ribbon (SU), divine swirl CB folder, punches, brads, prisma pencils for coloring

Birthday card recipe:
paper: kraft, white, DP by Basic Grey-Wisteria
image: TDS, sentiment SU
accesories: Martha Stewart punch, ribbon, tissue paper, dimensionals


Hello! Welcome to The Digi Shack blog hop! You should be arriving from Deb's blog. If you haven't, then start at The Digi Shack and hop on through! You don't want to miss anything!
There are some fabulous new images available just in time for the holidays! If you like to paper piece, there is a new line that is perfect for paper piecing, and and of course new images for all of you color maniacs, too!

Leave me a comment and you will be eligible for a chance to win a FREE gerbera daisy image from the shoppe! If you become a follower (see my sidebar), then you have two chances! If you already follow my blog, then you automatically get two chances! Just let me know in the comment that you are already a follower! I will pick a random winner from all the entries on Sunday evening!

Your next stop will be Jana's blog.

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily

EIC49-You Are My Sunshine!

My card and tag recipe!
paper: kraft, soft suede, bermuda bay, crushed curry
ink: chocolate chip
stamps: Unity July KOTM
accessories: may arts ribbon, swiss dots CB folder, ticket corner punch for tag, and horizontal slot punch

This week's Etsy shop is mellisakate. There is certainly a wide variety of cards and prints to get your creative juices flowing! I drew inspiration from the above print because it made me think of my favorite stamps from the Unity July KOTM! I sing that song to my boys and it just makes me smile!

Remember to use keyword EIC49 when uploading to online galleries. Please link you card in a post HERE. Also please check out the other DT members creations. You can find their links on my sidebar. Next Friday a random winner will be chosen to choose a card from this shop! AiFactory is sponsoring this week's challenge so you will also have a chance to win a blog header and design worth $22! Good luck! Can't wait to see what you come up with! :)

Lots of exciting things happening here tomorrow!

Hello! I hope you all stop by my blog tomorrow! I will have a new Etsy challenge for you along with my debut blog hop for Artful INKables (new sets are AWESOME), and a blog hop for The Digi Shack (you won't want to miss the new images)!

There will be prizes involved for both blog hops and also the Etsy challenge!

See you all tomorrow!

Emily

Digi Diva challenge

Hello! Today's The Digi Shack challenge is to make a diva card! I had to use this fabulous shoe image that will be available on Saturday. I paper pieced it with DSP from SU. I added some bling and a patent leather ribbon. The sentiment I typed on my computer and punched with oval and scallop oval punches.

Check out the other DT member's blogs for more fabulous cards using the new release images. You will be able to buy all of the shoe, perfume bottle and chandelier images in a package for $6.99. Make sure you stop buy Saturday for The Digi Shack blog hop. TONS of new releases just in time for the holidays!

Have a great day!

Emily

CAS with bling!

Hello! Today I made this card for the CAS challenge over on SCS. We were to add some bling to our card! This is a smaller card. The measurements are 8.5 x 2.5 folded in half. The base is kraft, and the center panel is melon mambo. I tied some ribbon by colorbok at the top and used a rub on by SU in the center. I added one rhinestone to the middle of the flower. I stitched around the center panel with my friend's sewing machine as she laughed at me! (I am NOT good with a sewing machine!)

I hope you all have a marvelous Monday! Thanks for stopping by!

Emily

EIC48-The fabulous Jessica Rose!

Today's Etsy store is Volume 25 by Jessica Rose. She is an amazing artist who happens to design for UNITY! I had to use one of my Unity stamps created by her, for this challenge. I had to have this one when I first saw it. Those turtles are just tooooo cute! I stamped my image on kraft and colored with my prisma pencils. I matted it with chocolate chip and old olive. The DP is from Basic Grey's Sultry collection. Tied a big Old Olive bow at the top and there you have it!

If you participate in this challenge, please use keyword EIC48 when uploading to online galleries. Post a link to your card or project HERE by next Friday. The winner will get an 8x10 print from Jessica's shop! Check out the rest of the design team's projects on my side bar!

ALSO-No one won the Paper Makeup gift certificate last week so you still have a chance to win that too! All you have to do is refer a friend that is new to the challenge. When your friend posts their creation link, just have them tell Ashley that you referred them. YOU will then be entered in a drawing to win the $25 gift certificate! Each friend you refer gets you one entry into the drawing! Now, go get your friends EtsyInspired!

edit: Sorry guys! I had scheduled this to post and just realized it didn't post last night!

Emily

Hip Hop Hangovers are SWEEEEEET!

Happy Hip Hop Hangover! Here is another card I made for the guest designer challenge...to use 1 stamp, 2 DP's and 3 embellies. I don't think my previous card will count because I thought it meant 3 TYPES of embellies but it is supposed to be 3 embellies all together.
My three embellies are ribbon, button and the metal sentiment. My 2 DP's are the green and blue paper from Me & My Big Ideas, and my one stamp is from the July KOTM. I colored the lollipops with prisma pencils and blended with OMS. I added some crystal effects to the lollipops to make them look real. I paper pleated the strip of blue DP, since that was the what to use challenge on SCS yesterday.

Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulous weekend!

Emily

Inspired by Unity!

Here is a card I made for this months Unity guest designer contest. I used Unity's July KOTM. The DP is from Prima's Rock On Love collection. The prima flowers are also from that collection. I added some bling to my scallops and the main image. If you would like to participate in this contest you can find out more information HERE.

Hope you are having a wonderful Wednesday!
Thanks for stopping by!

Emily

Tuesday Morning meets The Digi Shack!

This week The Digi Shack is "shacking up" with Tuesday Morning Sketches. So...this means we would love for you to use a digi shack image with Tuesday Mornings sketch. The hot air balloon image in my card, is a new release. Isn't it cute? I colored it with prisma pencils and blended with OMS. The sentiment is from SU. The paper is baja breeze, soft suede and DP by love, Elsie.

Hope you get a chance to try this fabulous sketch out! You will get a chance to win two fabulous prizes by entering in both challenges. Make sure you link your card on both sites!

Emily

Manic Monday Freebie Fun day over at TDS!

Hello! Today is freebie day over at The Digi Shack! I just got home from a long weekend at work, so I am gonna crash! I will try to have a card later, because I LOVE today's freebie image. You are gonna love it to! If you are new to digi images, just right click on the image and "save as". If you want to edit the size of the image, I would copy your saved image and then paste it in a word document. You can then shrink and enlarge it with out compromising the integrity of the image! Pretty simple! If I can do it, anyone can! LOL!
Laser printers work the best for digi images. You don't have to worry about the ink drying or smudging. If you do not have a laser printer, let the image dry or heat set the image. Some people's printer inks stay wet long enough for them to heat emboss, too. If you ever have any questions about the images, please feel free to email me and I will try to help!

Hope you all have a Marvelous Monday!

Emily

EIC47-BOGO party!

This week's Etsy shop is Julie's Jewels. There are so many beautiful pieces of jewelry for your inspiration this week. I was inspired by these pink and green earrings. I have always loved pink and green together, although I NEVER wear pink!!! I hate the way pink looks with red hair! LOL!

Card recipe: Pink Pirouette, Certainly Celery, DP Sultry by Basic Grey, stamp from Unity's June KOTM, ribbon Certainly Celery twill (retired).


Today the Etsy challenge has a twist...the BOGO Challenge – Bring One (friend), Get One (entry)! All EIC players that “bring a friend” that is new to the challenge will be entered in a drawing to receive a $25 Gift Certificate sponsored by Paper Makeup Stamps!!!! Bring one friend, get one entry; bring two friends, get two entries, and so on!!!! The more friends you “bring” the greater your chances are to win! Additionally, the EIC player and her friend(s) will be eligible for the weekly shop give away, as well!!! You could win TWO great prizes!!!

Here’s how to participate… invite a friend (or friends) that are new to the challenge to play along with you. Have your friend(s) go to Ashley’s Heart Hugs blog, read about the shop for the week, go to the shop, be inspired and CREATE! They should than go back to Ashley’s blog and post their project from the post for EIC 47 post. In the post they should include “referred by” and your name. What YOU need to do as the referrer is post your card from Ashley’s blog, and ensure you include your BOGOs names. You’ll get one entry for the grand prize for each new person referred! The more people you invite to play, the greater your chance is to win!

On Friday 7 August, Noon PST, Random.Brady will choose the week’s challenge winner as usual. For those that referred new players, their names will be put in a “hat” and one lucky winner will be drawn to win a $25 Gift Certificate sponsored by Paper Makeup stamps! Some of you may know Katie and her shop and if you do, you KNOW it will be a GRAND prize! If you don’t go check it out and you’ll see!