Return of the Wranglers

It is REALLY late here, and I *finally* got blogger to load, so I won't be saying too much about this card. It has been a real challenge to get things together this week. I finished my card late, then blogger was being difficult. However, I finally got it all together and my card is posted below.

The colours this week were really perfect for a cowboy theme. I want to use them again for more masculine, and "outdoor" type cards.



This is another card with the fabulous Weiman Wranglers, with all proceeds going to Make a Wish foundation. If you haven't bought your set yet, what are you waiting for!?! See Lauren's post for more information.



I printed the Ava and Ethan images on cream cardstock after having moved them to be almost as if they are holding hands.



The balloons have icicle stickles on them, and the sentiment was punched using my label buddy.



Please check out the rest of the team, and join us in the challenge this week.

Lauren
Dawn
MacKenzie
Maria
Kendra
Kristin
Tracey
Pam
Jennifer
Odette
Lisa
Dana

Welcome the Weiman Wranglers!

On August 5, 2004, Ethan Weiman was welcomed into this world, and into the loving arms of his parents, Dave and Alicia Weiman.

On June 12, 2009 Ethan's little life left those same loving arms, as he was welcomed into the loving arms of God in Heaven. In his mother's words " Heaven gained the greatest little boy ever".

Ethan was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma in July of 2007. He was a brave, and tough little cowboy! Ethan loved Knock Knock jokes, balloons, and of course, being the true cowboy that he was - horses! His younger sister, Ava just adored her big, brave brother.

Pink Cat Studios has designed the Weiman Wranglers digital stamps to honor the life of Ethan Weiman and raise money for the Make-A-Wish foundation. The Cowboy Ethan and Cowgirl Ava digital stamps can be purchased separately for $4.00 each or combined for $6.00. Please visit the Pink Cat Studio website to purchase the digital stamps. And to see the amazing samples from the My Time Design team.

If you haven't used digi stamps before, be sure to visit Dana's blog for a mini tutorial on how to use this images in Microsoft Word, and Tracey's blog tomorrow for a tutorial on how easy they are to use.

My sample used the Cowboy Ethan digi stamp. I used the image of Ethan above to choose the colours for this image.

I printed the image on cream cardstock and coloured it with Prismacolour pencil crayons.

Then, I printed another image on plain paper, and cut it out to create a mask. I sponged a sunset around the top half of the image, and sponged brown along the bottom to create the ground.

This is what it looked like before I trimmed the image to use it on my card.

The sentiment was printed on silver paper, then embossed with clear embossing powder because the ink was not drying on the paper, and I didn't want it to smear.

The balloon was done with liquid pearls, then sponged to add some colour. I love the dimension the liquid pearls add to the balloon. It makes it look like a mylar balloon.

Please visit the Pink Cat Studio website to see all of the design team samples, and to purchase your own images as we raise money for the Make a Wish foundation.

The design team has been really busy getting samples ready for the release today, and they would all love to hear what you think of their projects. Please visit them and share the love.

Lauren
Dawn
MacKenzie
Maria
Kendra
Kristin
Tracey
Jennifer
Odette
Lisa
Dana

Picnic Fun

This week, on the heels of a new Papertrey release, Lauren's My Time team has created projects using one of her My Timeless Templates, and as an additional challenge we had to create our own background paper.

I couldn't help using one of the newest templates, Pack a Picnic. I absolutely love this template, and have lots of ideas, unfortunately I ran out of time, and don't have this quite done because I wanted to buy a strawberry plant to put inside of this basket before I gave it away.



The pattern was printed on kraft cardstock, and I used my acrylic paints again (I recently found them in my craft room, and I can't get enough of my paints) to lightly paint red and white stripes across the basket in a loose plaid pattern.

The image is from Unity and is part of the Fall Festival set. I had originally thought I would use a cherry or strawberry image on the basket, but I think the pie is much cuter. I can just see the strawberry pies now!



Instead of using the cardtock handles that come as part of the pattern I decided to use twill and I really like the look it gives. I am quite pleased with how this turned out, and I can't wait to use it again!

Be sure to check out the rest of the team, and play along this week with your own stamped (or painted) paper! These samples look fantastic, visit the blogs below to see the whole project!



Lauren
MacKenzie
Maria
Kendra
Kristen
Tracey
Pam
Jennifer
Odette
Lisa
Dana

Remembering Ethan

This is a blog post that is very difficult to write. Alicia, a member of our My Time design team, lost her wonderful caring 4 year old son Ethan this weekend. Ethan had been battling cancer for 2 years, and Alicia and her family have remained amazingly strong throughout this journey. They have detailed the struggle on their CaringBridge pages, and I am sure some of you have already been following their journey.

The DT wanted to do something in memory of Ethan, and to help the Weimans, so Lauren and Kristin organized a paypal account for us to make donations. Alicia has asked that in lieu of flowers, we fill the room with balloons, so we will be ordering a big bouquet of balloons as well as a Schwann's gift so that the family has one less thing to worry about in this difficult time.

If you want to donate, please click on the paypal link ----------->
any money that is collected that exceeds the need for the balloons and gift, will be given to the familly as cash to help pay for final expesnses, outstanding medical bills, or for them to donate to a charity of their choice.

Inspiration Wish

This week we have a really cool inspiration photo to play with. The idea with inspiration photos is to take something from the photo and use those elements on you card, or project. It can be the colours, the elements, the shapes, the style.....



I chose to use the colours, and the circle theme to come up with this card.



When I saw the inspiration photo I immidately thought of a recent post that Pine did on reverse applique, and how great that would look with coloured circles. I am really happy with how it turned out.

Initially, I just had the coloured circles, and although I had planned on outlining them with white gel pen, I was worried it wouldn't look good, so I took a "before" photo just in case I had to use that as my post today :)



As you can see, this card is okay, but it is so much better with the faux stitching around the circles.



The sentiment is from Unity, and is stamped in versamark and embossed with white powder.



This week Lauren has been focused on the PTI release, and on making FABULOUS gifts for her children's teachers, so she is sitting this one out, and Kristin is hosting for us. Be sure to check out her blog, and the rest of the fabulous DT to see the full cards that go with these amazing peeks.

Dawn
MacKenzie
Kristin
Tracey
Jennifer
Odette
Dana

Christmas sketch challenge

The sketch challenge this week was a really simple one for me. I think this sketch lends itself to using patterned paper, and I have lots of that to use :)

Here is the sketch we were given,



and here is my card.



I had originally planned on continuing my week in Unity with the sketch from Lauren this week, but I *just* received my adorable Oven Fresh stamp set from the amazing Clare Brennan and I had to make something right away!

Clare is an absolutely fabulous artist, and her cards, and 3-d projects blow me away. I am so glad she has decided to start designing her own stamps.

The Gingerbread Man was stamped on chocolate chip cardstock, after I had peeled the paper in two and had a softer look to the paper.



The icing is done with Opal perfect pearls, and the buttons are Holly Stickles.

Please make sure you check out the rest of the sketch team to see their fabulous creations.



Lauren
Dawn
MacKenzie
Maria
Kendra
Kristen
Tracey
Pam
Jennifer
Odette
Lisa
Dana
Alicia

Hip Hop Hangover

Today is my last day of Growing in Unity, and it's hip hop hangover.

I used the stamp Cheer Santa to get a start on my Christmas cards, and also because one of Jeanne's challenges yesterday was to use black and red, and that got me thinking about what stamps I had that would work for those colours.

I stamped the image on both white, and red, so that I could paper piece the snowsuit, pants and hat. I used fake glitter snow on the edges of the coat and hat. It adds a super great sparkle, and some great "poofy" dimension to the coat.



The beard, mustache and hair were done with opal liquid pearls. I love the shine it gives.

The boots were coloured with my black Spica glitter pen. It has sooo much shimmer to it.



I sketched in the floor to ground the image somewhat.

Thanks so much to everyone that stopped by during my week in Unity.

Congratulations to Anthonette who is the winner of the single "Be the Change". please contact Eryn to get this sent out!

First Scrapbook Page EVER

I have wanted to scrapbook ever since I started stamping about 2 years ago. I have always been too nervous to start because I didn't want my first page to be a big bust.



I am glad I finally just jumped right in, and am really pleased with the way this page turned out.



I started out by stamping the swirls on the side of the 12*12 textured cardstock in versamark, and embossing them with clear powder. I put down the first part of my title phrase using stickers, then sponged black acrylic paint over the top, and removed the stickers.



I wanted to make sure there was some journaling that would jog my memory about the event, and the great time we had.

"A few months ago Deron tuned me into last.fm, and more specifically, Joel Plaskett. We discovered he woul dbe playing in Regina at the Districkt. A few friends joined us and we had an absolutely FABULOUS time. The concert was great, but it was even better that Deron stopped Joel during the break and I was able to snap this great shot!"

The clear stars were punched from some plastic packaging that came with some other embelishments I recently bought. I love that I was able to use all of the purchase, including the packaging :)



The capital J and P are grungeboard letters that were first inked in diluted Old Olive ink, then once it was dry, I rubbed Only Orange ink lightly over the top to highlight the dots.



These are the Unity stamps that I used in this layout. Scalloped Details & Dates, You Rock from School Rock Star, and three swirls that I got in my grab box, and I can't find it on the Unity website.



Thanks for stopping by today! Be sure to leave a comment on my post from Monday to be eligible to win your own copy of Be The Change. I will be announcing the winner on SCS during the blog hop.

Easy-Peasy bookmarks

I had hoped to have a scrapbook page ready for today, but my time got away from me, so instead, I have these really easy, but super cute bookmarks.

The stamp is a large rose from the same retired set that I used yesterday (more or less a larger version of little buggers with some differences in some of the images).

When I stamped it on the patterned paper omitting the leaves, it looked more like a lollipop, but I had already planned to put them in a small pot.



I used my Spica Atyou glitter pens to colour the edges and the centre swirl to add some additional colour, and glitter to the images.



I *hope* to have my scrapbook page ready for Hip Hop tomorrow, so come back to see my first ever scrapbook page.

Please add a comment to THIS POST for your chance to win a free Unity single.

Unity post - delayed

I am not quite finished with my Unity project for today, so it will go up later today.

To tide you over, here are a few projects I have made using Unity that you might have missed.

Mother's Day frame

Marvelous Cupcakes

Birthday Card for Angela

I'll be back soon with my new project :)

Sparkle Sparkle Everywhere

My Unity card today is all about the sparkle. I used glimmer paper from Paper Temptress, twinkling H2Os, and glitter.

I stamped the butterfly, from a set that must be retired because I can't find it, in versamark on velum cardstock, then embossed it with black EP.

I used twinkling H2Os to colour in the butterfly. I love the sparkle it gives. I don't think you can really see it, but it gives the image a really cool shimmer.



This image was cut out very close to the outside edge, and popped up with foam dots.

I also finally cracked open my glimmer cardstock for the card base, and for the sentiment. It also has a really great shimmer to it.



I stamped the sentiment from Spunky Princess in black Pallette ink, then punched it out with the scallop circle punch from SU.



I wanted to use stickles for the centres of these flowers, but I couldn't find my icicle stickles, so I used crystal effects, and dazzling diamonds to add just a little more bling.

Don't forget to comment on the post from yesterday for a chance to win your own Be the Change single. I will pick a winner from the comments on that post during Hip Hop on Thursday.

Growing in Unity

It's finally here!!!

All this week I will be showcasing Unity Stamps projects on my blog as part of the Growing in Unity project started by Ramsey and Michelle. This was started in October 2008, and we are still going strong with fabulous stampers that want to take their turn to showcase these wonderful stamps.

My first project is a fairly simple layer card using one of Unity's fabulous sentiments as the focal point. Angela loves quotes, and has some great stamps to show for that love. This is one of my favourites.



The sentiment was stamped in versamark on kraft cardstock and embossed with white embossing powder. The edges were wiped with a sponge that was lightly dipped in white acrylic paint to give a distressed edge.




I love the pop of colour provided by the buttons. The "thread" is actually a small sliver of kraft cardstock pushed through the button holes. It's a perfect way to finish the buttons in any coordinating colour you need.

As most of you probably know, Angela (the queen of Unity) is extremely generous, and is allowing me to give away a single of my choice on Thursday during Hip Hop. As this is one of my favourite Unity stamps, and one of the first I bought, Be The Change will be the single that is up for grabs this week.

On Thursday during Hip Hop, I will choose one person that has commented on this post to receive the free stamp. Please make sure you don't comment anonymously so that if you win I can contact you.

I hope to see you back here throughout the week as I continue to showcase Unity!