Make a Difference

Hello, Pumpkin!

Posted on March 2, 2013 by loricraig| 2 Comments

I’m certainly ready to move on to spring, but I loved the Virtual Stamp Night challenge at Splitcoast today to use a Halloween image. It gave me a great opportunity to celebrate our newest Member Company, All That Scraps with this cute stamp image, Emma and her Pumpkin!

Emma is colored with Copics and prismacolor pencils (grass). The card was put together with elements from my Simple Stories stash. I had colored the image first, so I loved how the colors all worked together in the end.

I’m hoping to complete a few more challenges this weekend. My card stash is growing, but it can dwindle so quickly. Have to stay ahead!

It’s still spitting snow flurries every time we turn around. I don’t remember weather like this here in the midwest before. I’ve had my truck stuck twice in the last two days – both times in my driveway. Thank goodness for my husband and some friends who have managed to bale me out. Praying that we really will get a few 50 degree days next week to help dwindle our snow stockpiles.

Have a GREAT weekend!

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Posted in All That Scraps, Copics

Top Chef

Posted on February 28, 2013 by loricraig| 5 Comments

The last four or five years, my local YMCA has hosted a trivia night in February with a Top Chef live auction. They ask a few local residents to prepare some yummy locally famous treats (like my good friend Lea Anne, who will take her family banana cake recipe to the grave) and bring them in to be auctioned off. The proceeds of the auction are used for our community Strong Kids campaign that provides YMCA activity and facilities access to kids whose families could not afford the services otherwise. Great cause! Strong healthy kids are the future of our country!

For several years, I have made some cards that identify the donor and the concoction that they’ve created for the table displays. The cards double as thank you notes for the YMCA to use when the event is said and done.

Because I’m mass producing about 2 dozen of these cards, I keep the designs pretty clean. (Sorry for the wonky photo on this one – Hubby was pushing me out the door and not overjoyed with blog photo process by the time I got to this step Friday night!) I create a template in Word for the name and description and run the initial sheets of cardstock through my printer to personalize two cards at a time, cut the cardstock in half to form the base layer and then accent. This one has a few extra blooms because I’m noting the reigning Top Chef with her beautiful decorated sugar cookies.

This year, I used that sweet Pennant Trim (I LOVE THIS DIE!) die from Verve along with Joyful Blooms stamps and dies and a random pack of 6×6 polka dot paper that was in my drawer. Start-to-finish, I had about 2 1/2 hours into these. I love how they turned out.

Today is the last day to enter the Splitcoaststampers LOVE FEST. You have til noon to enter to win dozens of fun prizes!

Still cutting and pasting paper here in the snowy heartland. Back soon with some fun, fun stuff!

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Posted in Fresh Wind, Verve Stamps

Studio Calico

Posted on February 27, 2013 by loricraig| 3 Comments

I have long admired the Studio Calico Card Kit team’s work. Love the clean lines and fun embellishments that always seem to go together just so.

This month the Product Focus team at Splitcoast had the opportunity to review the Studio Calico Card Kits, and I was fortunate enough to make a few cards. I loved how quickly things came together. Speed is the name of the game for me to get cards created in order to send them.

This first card was a breeze with my Copic Airbrush system, one Y21 yellow Sketch marker and the included supplies. The circle mask from Huey’s came with my SC kit, as did the Teresa Collins Enamel Dots – I love those things!

I’m going to be making a lot more of these clean and simple cards. When I find a masculine design that’s easy to execute, I’ve got to ride the wave.

This second card was also really easy. I paired InstraFrame Dienamic (MFT Stamps) and the Designer Mini Tag dies (Taylored Expressions) with the kit paper for several and easy cards. This one made me think of Lydia with it’s little ‘kitten on the cloud’…

I loved the Studio Calico card kit. You can read the full review from all of the girls on the team HERE.

This month’s kit actually goes on sale today at noon EST for subscribers and Waiting List customers (people who join leading up the current month’s release). You can read about the Waiting List here, and if you want to try it out – there is a great coupon code and info on the right column of the actual Product Focus review – hurry though, the coupon is only good this week through 2/28/13.

We’re still out of school here today with winter blizzard number 2. Hopefully we’ll be back to *normal* tomorrow. Would someone please define *normal*.

Have a GREAT Wednesday!

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Posted in Copics, Splitcoast Stuff

Feeling the Love?

Posted on February 26, 2013 by loricraig| 6 Comments

I made it through the Love Fest, and I have a big stash of new cards to send out to family and friends. YAY! There are still a few days left to play, and lots of fun prizes up for grabs, so if you are snowed in (like me!) today…get to crafting.

This was my card for Verve Stamps color challenge. If you stop by my blog very often, you know I *LOVE* those My Mind’s Eye 6×6 paper pads. This card offers you a way to use the pieces that have a focal image on a portion of the 6×6 piece. Use it! I’ve paired it with a pretty sentiment from Verve’s Brighter Days set and the Pennant Trim and Joyful Bloom dies. The typed sentiment on the pattern paper says, “be the best you can possibly be”. This *might* be my favorite card from Love Fest.

To close out the party on Sunday, I made this card for The Greeting Farm’s Love to Die For challenge. I used the Tea*rrific stamp set from The Greeting Farm with Sweet Scallop die from Verve and the Lace Chain Border die from Taylored Expressions. The patterned paper is from my drawer. I’m sorry I don’t remember the name of the manufacturer – but I do remember it’s discontinued. Still pretty! Don’t be afraid to dig through those older papers and stamp sets!

We’re snowed in again here in Missouri – second time in 5 days. We got another 11″ of snow last night, on top of about the same last Thursday. I’m trying to stay hidden behind the computer because I’m pretty sure that hubby is going to want me on the back end of a shovel sometime this afternoon.

Stay warm! Finish up those Love Fest challenge cards before Thursday.

I’ll see you soon!

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Posted in Splitcoast Challenges, The Greeting Farm, Verve Stamps

Still Fest*ing

Posted on February 23, 2013 by loricraig| 1 Comment

Still Love Fest*ing at Splitcoaststampers to celebrate our Member Companies. I can’t believe I’ve kept up from the beginning, and I’m 10 for 10 with just one day to go.

This was my card to celebrate Unity Stamp Company’s color challenge on
Thursday. I have quite a few Unity Stamps in my collection, but I love these boots from the Brave Girl Boots set. Fun and easy to use, I paired them with the Victorian Background Stamp.

Friday’s challenge from Taylored Expressions actually pushed me a little bit. A 3″ canvas is kind of small! LOL…but I liked how these little encouraging notes turned out. I used the tiniest bike from the Bikes & Trikes set with some Fabulous papers from Simple Stories.

I’m off to watch a little middle school girls basketball, but I’ll be back tomorrow to finish up the Love Fest Challenges. If you’d like to play, you can find them all here – in one spot. You have until 2/28 to complete any or all of them, and you do NOT have to use sponsor company product to participate.

Happy Saturday!

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Posted in Splitcoast Challenges, Taylored Expressions, Unity Stamp Company

My Type of Chick

Posted on February 20, 2013 by loricraig| 4 Comments

Love Fest Day 7 challenge celebrating My Favorite Things: Encouragement

I’m sending this off to a friend who has had a really full plate the last few months. She’s going to be just fine. I know that, but I wanted to send her an encouraging word, none-the-less.

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Posted in My Favorite Things, Splitcoast Challenges

FUN {TACHE} TIC

Posted on February 19, 2013 by loricraig| Leave a comment

Picking up my kiddos in just a few minutes and running by the store to stock up for our pending midwest ice-in, but thought I’d make a quick update for Love Fest Day 6 celebrating The Cat’s Pajamas!

I used The Mustache Set and Bingo for The Cat’s Pajamas’ Love Fest Inspiration Challenge. Very fun! Thanks, TCP!

Stay warm!

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Posted in Cat's Pajamas, Splitcoast Challenges

Love Fest Continues: Days 4 and 5

Posted on February 18, 2013 by loricraig| Leave a comment

The Love Fest is still in full swing at Splitcoast, and I’m feeling pretty spunky because I’ve managed to keep up with my cards for 5 days in a row, even though I didn’t get a chance to blog last night. (Super long, exhausting weekend full of good food, cooking a dinner at my church with my hubby & a few dear friends and family members for 125 peeps, THREE away basketball games, my precious girls, poodle skirts and of course, stamping!) None-the-less, I finished this card for the Scor-Pal Love Fest challenge last night!

I’ve had the honor of working with Scor-Pal for the last six years, and the owners are just a joy, and they make pretty cool tools, too! I can honestly say that I use my Scor-Buddy on almost every single project I make. The crisp, professional looking score lines make me look good, and it’s too easy not to use it!

I used the SCS tutorial for the fabulously easy and impressive Joy Fold Card to make this one. The stamps are from my friends at Serendipity – The Clover and the Bee. The paper is Howdy Doody from My Mind’s Eye.

Today my girls were home from school, so after my morning run we planned lunch and a Red Box movie afternoon! I had a Girl Scout meeting with my younger daughter tonight, and I managed to sneak in an hour or so for crafting in between the festivities.

This card is for Simon Says Stamp’s Love Fest challenge today! I used the Where the Heart Is stamp and die sets with some Simple Stories polka dot paper and Marina Mist ink from Stampin’ Up!

Hope you’ll find time to play our Love Fest challenges. You have through February 28th to enter any or all of them, and there are lots of fun prizes. You do NOT have to have product from the specific sponsor companies (though they love seeing what you do with their pretties if you do!) to participate. The idea is to introduce you to some new faces and have a little fun using the supplies we already own!

I’m off to try and catch up on some more sleep. I plan on seeing you again tomorrow! Have a great night!

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Posted in Splitcoast Challenges

Ramona & her Teddy Sail Away

Posted on February 16, 2013 by loricraig| 1 Comment

It’s Day Three of the Splitcoast Member Company LoveFest, and today we are celebrating Stamping Bella! You can find her challenge for the day HERE! Keep in mind, we’ll have a lot of prizes at the end of LoveFest, and you are invited to play even if you do not have any of the sponsor company’s stamps or tools. So, don’t be shy! Take a peek and meet a new friend!

I have enjoyed a lot of Stamping Bella stamps over the years, but her Ramona line is my favorite. I have a redhead 10 year old in this house, and these images and Ramona’s adventures always make me grin!

My image is stamped on Xpress It Blending Card and colored with Copic Markers. After the image was colored, I cut a mask from thin copy paper of the exact image and a few little cloud shaped die cuts and airbrushed around with my favorite sky color: BG000. I topped it off with some more die cut clouds cut from vellum and covered with glitter – just so I could play Em’s challenge! <wink>

A note about the airbrush system: I use the Sparmax Air Compressor from Copic. I really enjoy this system because I’ve never had trouble with even air flow, and most importantly it’s so quiet. That said, to air brush with your Copic markers, you can use any air compressor that will regulate to 40-60PSI. If you purchase or already have a smaller air compressor, you just need an ABS3 set up for the actual gun and nozzle. And, if you are looking for a complete system that is a bit more portable, you might like the Airbrush Starting Kit – ABS1 .

We have another full weekend here at the Craig house…church activities and basketball action will keep us busy today. I’m hoping for a few more minutes tucked into my stamping chair, and that’s my wish for you, too! Happy Saturday!

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Posted in Copics, Splitcoast Challenges, Stamping Bella

God Opens Doors

Posted on February 15, 2013 by loricraig| Leave a comment

It’s day 2 of the Splitcoaststampers LOVE FEST! This is my card for Sweet ‘n Sassy’s sketch challenge! I had a lot of fun with this one! Thank you, Korin!

I used the set New Beginnings from Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps and the coordinating dies. I love this set because it’s versatile and easy to use. The sentiments are beautiful. I paired my images with paper from the Miss Caroline collection – My Mind’s Eye. I love the patterned papers that have embellishment and interest built into the corners – like these pretty flowers. Makes it so easy to use! Finally, I cut a few butterflies from vellum that was tinted with Old Paper Distress ink from Ranger, layered two of each together and stitched with my sewing machine.

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Posted in Splitcoast Challenges, Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps