Caffinated Cropper Blog Hop!

Scroll down for my FWF post!

Hello!  You should be arriving here from Sherry's blog.  If not, start back at the beginning HERE.  You won't want to miss all of the wonderful projects using The Cherry On Top kit!  Everything on my card above is from the kit except for the Kraft card base and the stamped sentiment from Flourishes.  These kits are perfect for getting your creative juices flowing, and I can not wait to see what Amy has in store for May!
I posted the next two cards on my blog before, but wanted to show them again so you can see how many different looks you can get from all of the product in this kit.

Make sure you leave a comment on all of the blog participants blogs and Amy will pick a random winner to win a Cherry On Top mini kit!!!
Your next stop is Cheryl's Blog!

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily

FWF-Happy Anniversary Unity!

Happy 2 year Anniversary to Unity!  I discovered Unity in August of 2008 and it was love at first sight!  I can't get enough of these stamps.  They inspire me everyday!  I also have met so many wonderful cyber friends through Unity.  I always get warm fuzzies when visiting the Unity forum.  So much inspiration, friendship, and good times!

Congrats to Angela and the rest of the Unity crew!  You guys have SOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH to be proud of!  Thank you for inspiring me and feeding this fabulous paper crafting passion of mine!

Paper Manic celebrates KRAFT!

Stamps:  Unity April Sew Cute kit

Paper:  Kraft, Cosmo Cricket Material Girl

Accessories:  May Arts Burlap String, buttons, twill ribbon (SU)

Ink:  Memento Rich Cocoa

Hello! This week Paper Maniac is spotlighting the use of kraft paper on projects!  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE kraft paper!  Can't get enough of it!  It seemed the perfect fit for showcasing this spool of thread from the Sew Stuck on You Unity retail kit.  Did you know that you can buy mini versions of the regular retail kit?  Yep!  Makes adding even more Unity to your collection super affordable!
I wrapped some May Arts brown burlap string around my spool for dimension.  I even added an actual needle to the spool for effect.

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily

happy day....

Hello!  Here is a happy little CAS card for you!  This week Unity is celebrating their two year anniversary, so make sure to check out the SCS forum for lots of fun, games, challenges and prizes!  It is hard to believe that I have been a Unity addict for almost 2 years!  Unity helped me rediscover my passion for paper crafts, as I had taken quite a break from it after my twins were born.
I used two stamps from the August 2009 KOTM.  I colored the image with Copic markers and added a yellow button to the sun.  Easy peasy!

Hope you have a happy day!

Emily

EIC85-Cosmo Cricket and bee things!

Hello!  Time for another Etsy Inspired Challenge!  This week our shop is bee things.  TONS of inspiration in this adorable shop.  I was inspired by the cute print here:

Our fabulous sponsor this week is Cosmo Cricket!  Who doesn't love some Cosmo Cricket in their paper collection?!?  For my card aboved I used paper from The Boyfriend line.  I don't think I could pick my favorite line.  I love them all. 
When playing please use keyword EIC85 when uploading to online galleries.  Also make sure you link your card to the EIC blog HERE.  There are two prizes this week.  The first is from bee things.  They are offering THIS T-shirt.  Cosmo Cricket will be offering the prize pictured below:

Definitely  some prizes worth playing for this week!  Can't wait to see what you come up with!

{ippity} SALE! Discounted sets and CHEAP shipping! Scroll down for newer posts!

Scroll down for newer posts!
I am trying to get rid of some {ippity} inventory to make way for the new releases that will be coming in May!

first come first serve basis!

The following sets are available at a very discounted rate.

I will ship for $2.00 no matter how many sets you purchase in the US only!  If you are international (or Hawaii or Alaska) I will let you know, but I will still discount shipping for you too!

Straight From The Heart  $10.00   1 available

Fishy Philosophy  SOLD

Regal Greetings  SOLD

Love in Return  $14.00  1 available

Alphabetically Adorable $14.00 1 available

What Matters Most SOLD

Please email me at emmielouwhostamps@yahoo.com if you are interested.  I will send you a pay pal invoice.  DO NOT order from my ippity store page, because it will charge you my regular prices and not the sale prices!

FWF-Fly With Wings A Flutter...

Hello!  TFIG!  HOORAY!  Today I made a card with the butterfly from April's in store kit.  The DP is from Sassafras Lass Sunshine and Lollipops.  LOVE this kit!  Probably one of my favorites to date!  This butterfly is so funky and retro that I wanted to pair it with some bright colors.  I think it would make a cute girly graduation card.  What do you think?

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily

embellish magazine challenge-kraft, black, red and white

Hello!  Today I have a card for the embellish color challenge-kraft, black, white and red.  This contest ends tonight at 11.59, so hurry, hurry!  I stamped the medallion and Fleur de Lis to create the background.  All stamps are from the ippity set, Regal Greetings.  So many possibilities with this stamp set.  I happen to have one left on sale for only $14.00!  Click HERE to find out more!

I struggle with sympathy cards, and unfortunately I needed one this week.  I think the hardest thing with sympathy cards is whether it is too much or too little.  The card is supposed to lift the receiver's spirits, yet you don't want to over do it too much. I also don't want it too look like I threw is together quickly either.   KWIM?

edited:  I just realized I was supposed to make a party themed card! YIKES!  A sympathy card definitely doesn't fit that criteria, but I still enjoyed these awesome colors!

Hope you all have a great day! Thanks for stopping by!

Emily

Paper Maniac is celebrating Earth Day this week!

 

Stamps:  Unity February retail kit

Ink:  Memento Rich Cocoa

Paper:  kraft CS, Jillibean Soup Head of Cabbage DP

Accessories: May Arts burlap string-brown

Hello! Today I have some scrapling cards for you!  I love to make bunches of scraplings at once.  They are so nice to have around to tie to gift bags or add to the top of a gift or package.  For those of you who do not what a scrapling is, it is just that...your scraps.  A lot of time when I am making 4.25 x 4.25 square cards, I use the excess paper to make two scrapling cards.

I thought using our scraps would go along with the Earth Day theme this week at Paper Maniac.  I also have been dying to use this cuter than cute Jillibean Soup DP!  LOVE those bird houses, and they were perfect with the bird sentiments from Unity's Feb. retail kit.

I cut up some of the scrap burlap string and glued it to the hole in the birdhouse to look like nesting materials. Hope you give some scraplings a try.  They really can be any size you want.  Just another way to use up those tiny scraps, and who doesn't like a tiny little card?

Emily

Hey Chicks!

Hello!  Here is a card I made a while back.  I fell in love with this Poppy Seed line from K&Co.  I LOVE the borders.  Perfect for scrapbook pages and quick and easy cards.  I added a sentiment from an old Unity set called "Hey Chick".

There seems to be an abundance of cute borders out there right now.  I have been stocking up on different styles to make CAS cards.

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily

H{ippity} Hop-Flowery Congrats!

Happy Monday!  I am wore out from an eventful weekend.  Friday we went out with neighbors for dinner and drinks, and Saturday was my oldest son's 9th birthday.  We had 7 boys spend the night!  They were all so good and well behaved, but I am still spent!  I guess I am just getting old! LOL!

I had been wanting to make a card with this trio of flowers from What Matters Most.  I thought it would look perfect with this DP from MME's Be Loved collection.  I used some lace and burlap string from my stash, and brown tiny type sticker letters from Cosmo Cricket for the "congrats" sentiment.  I also made the flower on the DP in the lower left corner 3D by layering distressed circles in the center.  I needed a girly graduation card for our babysitter.  I think she will like it!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  If you are interested in purchasing some {ippity} goodness, check out my {ippity} page HERE!

Emily

EIC84-Life is a bowl of cherries... with these AWESOME kits!

Time for another EIC challenge.  This week our shop for your inspiration is cose dolci.  How cute are these felt bowls?  I was inspired by the feminine feel of the white bowls and the heart looks like it is made of CHERRIES...which brings me to our fabulous sponsor this week...Amy of Caffinated Cropper!  She is selling the most amazing kits!  She was kind enough to send the DT mini versions of her current kit, Cherry On Top.  I loved it so much that I ordered the full size kit AND her first kit...The Beez Kneez.  These kits are PERFECT for getting your creative juices flowing and super reasonable too!  You get a TON of product!

I have been creating cards like crazy with these kits.  Unfortunately, The Beez Kneez kit is sold out, but I made a card to show you why you have to order quickly because once they are gone...they are gone!  I know...I am a dirty tease!

Both of the cards above are with the Cherry On Top kit, which is still available!  This kit comes with stamps, stickers, digi stamp pack, papers and ribbon and buttons and doo dads galore!  You also get a $10 gift voucher for EAD designs and Whimsey Haven designs so this kit is worth every penny!  Not only do you get a lot of fab product, but $20 worth of more stuff is not too shabby!

Here is my dirty tease card!  This was made with the SOLD OUT Beez Kneez kit!  I can't wait to see what May's kit will bring!

If you play along this week make sure you use keyword EIC84 when uploading to online galleries.  Also make sure to link your card on the EIC blog HERE.  Next Friday, Ashley will pick a random winner from the entries to win a mini Cherry On Top kit!  Now get creating, and show us your stuff!

Emily

FWF-You Rocked It!

I can not believe it is Friday!  This week has flown by so quickly!  I had fun coloring this retro juke box!  I decided to keep my layout CAS, to showcase the detail in the image.  I also used my Dots and Spots CB folder for the blue panel behind the image.  Thanks for stopping by today, and have a marvelous weekend!

Emily

Distressing De-stresses at Paper Maniac!

Ink:  Walnut Stain Distress Ink
Paper:  kraft CS, corrugated cardboard ( off of a random box in my house!)

Accessories:  Cherry Ice Smooch Spritz, tag, chipboard, Unity Stamps, Tim Holtz Mask, May Arts brown burlap string, Alcohol Ink applicator

This week we are distressing with fabulous Tim Holtz product at Paper Manic.  Tim's product's are new to me, but I am having TONS of fun using them.  I have always loved distressing my paper edges and sponging, but I am head over heels in love with the masks and the alcohol ink applicator!  You can use this applicator for other inks (I don't own any alcohol inks-yet!) and I love the results!

My project is a tag and is pretty self explanatory.  I used random Unity stamps that I have in my Unity arsenal, and a chipboard heart.  I sprayed the heart with the cherry ice smooch spritz and then tied the burlap string around it several times.  The flourish mask was the perfect size for this tag and I just sponged and swirled the Walnut stain ink onto the tag.  I like to make tags, but I only really use them around Christmas.  I quickly made my tag an embellishment on a card!  I used kraft cardstock for my 5x5 base and then cut a of piece of corrugated cardboard of a box, and sprayed it with some smooch spritz.  I  added some metal stud embellies (from my stash) in three of the corners and turned my tag into a card!

I hope you give some Tim Holtz products a try!

Emily

Moxie Fab Get sketchy challenge

Hello!  I made this card for the Get Sketchy challenge over on the Moxie Fab blog.  You have until April 26th if you want to participate!  I used some embossed die cut stickers from We R Memory Keepers called Heartbreaker.  They were PERFECT for this challenge.  NO STAMPING on this card!  I added some twine and the blue DP is from Sassafras Lass.  I used an EK punch for my scallop border.  You can see the sketch below:

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily

I'm in embellish magazine's first issue!

Hello!  Just a quick post to let you know that embellish magazine's first issue goes live tonight at midnight and one of my cards is featured! HOORAY!  Click HERE to check it out and to get a chance to win a free subscription!

Emily

H{ippity} Hop-One Day At A Time...

Hello!  Happy Monday!  Today my boys go back to school after a fun spring break.  I will doing some re-landscaping in the back yard to get ready for my guys birthday parties that are coming up.  The weather has been gorgeous around here.  I can't wait until they deliver the black cypress mulch.  Love that smell!

Okay...onto the card!  The sentiment is from What Matters Most.  This is one awesome inspirational set!  I thought this would be a nice card to have ready for someone who is having a tough time.  I guess it will have to be for a female, with that pink and green!  The DP is from Memory Box Sprout collection.  I have had this for a couple years, and while rearranging my craft studio, discovered it again.  It is always fun to rediscover something you love that has been forgotten!

Hope you have fun on the hop and are inspired to create wonderful things!  If you are interested in adding some {ippity} to your collection, click HERE!

EIC83-Inspired by miniatures and Paper Maniac!

Hello! Time for another Etsy Inspired Challenge!  This week the Etsy store for your inspiration is The Mouse Market.  They have the cutest little dollhouse miniatures and jewelry!  I was inspired by the colors in the miniatures below:

Our sponsor this week is my FAVORITE online store Paper Maniac!  They have oodles of product to spark your creativity!  Patti, owner of PM is offering up a fabulous prize, too.  If you want a chance to win, make sure you upload your creation to the EIC blog HERE by next Friday.  A random winner will be chosen next Friday to win...............

Fabulous prize, huh?  Here is the prize package contents:

3 Paper Pads
Cosmo Cricket - Joy Ride
Sassafras Lass - Cherry Delicious
Pink Paislee - Queen Bee

3 Stamps
Unity - Girl of the Moment
Serendipity – Crocus
Whimsy Stamps – Lamb
 

3 Accessories
Crafty Secrets – Friends
Spellbinders – Tulip Impressabilities
American Crafts – Blue Skies Rub-ons

Now go make something FABULOUS, because I know you want that Paper Maniac prize!

Emily 

FWF-Under My Umbrella-ella-ella-a-a-a....

 Stamps:  Unity March KOTM

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black

Paper:  black, white, DP Pink Paislee Bayberry Cottage and 365 degrees

Accessories:  Houndstooth CB folder, oval punches, nesties, Offray ribbon, metal adhesive stud

SO....how many of you will be singing that Rhianna song all day long now?  LOL!  I used Wednesday's SCS sketch for this card.  LOVE that sketch and LOVE this girl and her umbrella!  It was super fun to paper piece and I wanted to make her rain coat houndstooth because it reminded me of a jacket I SHOULD have bought last month on Overstocks.com.  sigh... you snooze you lose!

embellish challenge-pink, aqua, kraft and stitching...

Hello!  I am making the current embellish challenge right in the nick of time!  Today is the last day for submissions.  I just love the girly, frilly feel of this card.  I made a scrunchy poofy flower by punching several scallop circles out of white tissue paper.  I sponged pink pirouette ink on the tissue paper and then sprayed marshmallow glimmer mist all over the finished flower.  Unfortunately, you can't really see it that well in the photo, but it is FABULOUS!  The paper is Making Memories Flower Patch collection.  I used some kraft colored twine to stitch around the bottom panel.  I stamped a sentiment from the {ippity} set, Music of My Heart.  The button is from my stash of vintage buttons purchased at a local antique store.

If you want to participate in this embellish stitching color challenge, HURRY!  It ends tonight at midnight!

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily

A CAS card and key chain gift...

 Stamps:  Flourishes Tag Lines

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black

Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest, Pink Paislee Bayberry Cottage

Accessories:  MS punch, Tim Holtz Idea-ology Fragments, Tim Holtz Idea-ology Ball Chain kit

This week Paper Maniac is featuring CAS cards.  I made this Thank You for a friend and also wanted a little something to go with it.  I decided to give my new Tim Holtz Fragments a try and  make a key chain that matches my card!  You can find a great tutorial from Tim on how to use Fragments HERE.

Since the key chain would be getting a lot of wear and tear, I also wanted to somehow seal the back.  Sorry I am technically challenged and haven't done the You Tube video thing yet, so I just have photos and explanations, but it is really pretty darn easy!

Here is how I embossed the back.  I rubbed my versamark pad across the back of the key chain.  Make sure your embossing ink pad is nice and juicy!  I also scraped it on the sides, but only in a few places.  Next you want to make sure to have your embossing powder ready.  I used silver.  I dumped on the powder and then set the fragment on a piece of scrap paper.  Make sure that you get your heat gun nice and hot before doing this.

As soon as the powder melts, turn of your heating tool and dump some more powder on and heat again to the point of melting.  At this point you want to have your stamp ready if you are going to stamp into the melty powder.  If you over heat, you get a smokey look under your fragment. (I learned this from experience!)  

I was happy that I didn't get the second coat of powder on the entire thing, because it gives it kind of a distressed look.  You can easily peel the melted embossing powder off of your stamp when you are done, so don't worry about ruining your stamps!

Hope you give this a try!  The Ball and Chain kit is only $3.99 and the Fragment charms are $9.99 for 48 charms in various sizes and shapes.  You can make key chains, necklaces, tags for your cards and scrap book pages and more!  I think my next project will be to make a necklace for myself!  I will make sure to share it with you all when it is finished!

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily

Butterfly Notes...

Hi there!  Today's color combo challenge over on SCS is celery, turquoise and suede.  LOVE it!  I have been going through all of my stuff as I get settled into my new studio and found a sheet of polka dot butterfly stickers that I bought AGES ago!  I just stacked two on top of each other and popped the turquoise butterfly with dimensionals.  I used my new favorite sentiment set from Flourishes called Tag Lines.  It is a steal at Paper Maniac for only $7.99.  I use it almost every day!  Paper Maniac also carries twine from May Arts that is very affordable at .06 cents a yard and in several colors. 

I am off to enjoy a beautiful day with my boys!  Thanks for stopping by!

Emily

H{ippity} Hop with Regal Greetings!

Hi there!  Today I have a card I made with last week's color challenge over on SCS-So Saffron, Bermuda Bay and grey!  I used some DP from Making Memories Just Chillin' collection.  I paper pleated the saffron strip and went crazy with my stapler. (Sorry, Mom!  She hates staples on greeting cards!)
All stamps are from the Regal Greetings set.  If you would like to purchase this set, click HERE to see my {ippity} offerings!

Enjoy the h{ippity} hop!

Emily

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter!  Sorry for the shadow in the lower corner, but I am rushing to get stuff together to go to Mom and Dad's in a bit!  This is a photo of the boys last year on Easter.  I used the simple scrapbook sketch over on the Unity forum for this page!  I used some Thickers foam letters for the title and the stamp is Unity, of course!  I colored the basket and goodies with Copics.  The DP is from American Crafts Backyard collection.  TFL!

Have a blessed day!

Emily

EIC82-Just a few of MY FAVORITE THINGS!

This week's Etsy shop for your inspiration is Until It Ends Studios.  They have some really cute charms and jewelry for your inspiration.  I know I am loving the little mushroom charm bracelets with all of their different expressions!

Our sponsor this week is My Favorite Things.  There are so many fabulous stamps to drool over in their shop, but I decided to use the Hooga Booga,set for my card-inspired by the little whimsical mushrooms and bright colors!
Please remember to use keyword EIC82 when  uploading to online galleries.  Also remember to link your card back to the EIC blog HERE.  A random winner will be picked next Friday to win a fabulous ribbon pack from MFT and these 3 stamp sets:  Thinking of Hoo, Who's That Chocoholic, & Love at First Sight!

This month we welcome Lori and Savannah as our guest designers.  You will be dazzled by their fabulous projects!

Emily

FWF-Birthday Invitations!

Hello!  Here a some quick and easy birthday invitations I made for my oldest son's birthday party.  He will be nine and made sure to tell me that they couldn't look "babyish"!  The "celebrate" sentiment is from the April 2009 KOTM.  The DP is from Making Memories Just Chillin' collection.  I punched out some blue starts and added a silver stud to the center.  Easy Peasy!
I REALLY wanted to add some hemp twine around that orange panel but he emphatically told me NO!  A card with no ribbon or twine?   Really?????  Did I do that?
Anything for my sweet little man!

Hope you are enjoying all of the fab Unity inspiration today!

Emily