Paper Craft Crew Challenge 88

Time for Paper Craft Challenge!  Here is the card I made with My Digital Studio this week.  I did a pretty easy card this week because I was in a bit of a time crunch to get it done and posted on the site before I went to play Bunco in my neighborhood.

Make sure you check out the other creations from the Paper Craft Crew HERE

Here is the sketch we used this week:

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Don't Worry! Be Happy!

Here are this week's weekly deals which end on Monday -


It's time for the Paper Craft Crew Challenge.  This is my MDS card for the challenge -

 I used the DSP from the Watercolor paper that can be found in the Occasions catalog.

Make sure to stop by the Paper Craft Crew Blog to check out the other cards made with this sketch.

Imagination can take you Everywhere!

Time for Paper Craft Crew Challenge.  I have missed several of the challenges lately for one reason or another.  But I made sure I did my card early this week and got it posted.  I opened up My Digital Studio for my card as usual.  I really love this card I made this week!

I used DSP from Sweet Sorbet and the cork flowers and embellishment on the side are from Sale-a-bration.
This was a fun sketch with all the banners and the word bubble.  Why don't you give it a try and post your creation HERE

Paper Crew Challenge 83

Here is my card for this week's Paper Crew Sketch Challenge.  I used paper from the Retro DSP in the Occasions catalog in MDS.  Notice how 3D it looks?  I achieved that by doing the drop shadow feature at about 50%.

 I love this paper.  Check out all the great colors in the pack.

My eye is healing wonderfully.  I went to the doctor last week and my eye was 20/20!!  Now to get my other eye that way.  I have scheduled my second surgery for next week.  By the beginning of April, I should be seeing great!!

Sorry for the short post tonight.  I can hardly keep my eyes open so saying good night!!

Paper Craft Crew Challenge

It's time for another Paper Craft Crew Challenge.  I made a card (with MDS) this time using Sale-a-Bration products.  This would be an easy one to reproduce (or CASE) and you wouldn't have to use MDS.

Sketch 

So, what do you think??

Paper Craft Card #71paper

It's time for the Paper Craft Crew challenge this week.  MDS to the rescue again!  I have been super busy trying to get my Christmas shopping done in time for our family party on Sunday.  I think I finished today!  I'm even going to use My Digital Studio for my Christmas cards this year.  I printed out a design today and took it to Staples to have it copied (4 to a page).  Tomorrow I hope to do some sponging and mount the image onto cardstock to finish them.
 
Without further ado, here is Challenge #71:

Are you making the rounds of all the Christmas parties and eating too much???  Well, I am.  As I'm writing this, I'm still stuffed from my neighborhood bunco Christmas party tonight.  I had actually forgotten about it as I don't usually play bunco during the year.  It seems I go a couple of times a year.  Anyway, about 6 pm, I'm checking my email and there's the reminder of the Christmas bunco party.  We were supposed to bring a gift ($20 range) and pot luck dinner.  I always have a few spare gifts in my "stash" so that was not a problem but my cupboards are rather bare.  But I was able to find an unopened pack of cream cheese and I had a jar of jalepeno jelly and some crackers, so, voila! I was in business!  My luck at the bunco table was not great tonight - I only won 2 games out of 6!  We only played one round after we ate and then did the Chinese gift exchange where you can steal a gift or open a new one.  My luck is never good although yesterday at bridge, I ended up with a very nice set of little Christmas dessert dishes that I really like.  I thought I was home free tonight. I was #11 (out of 22) and I stole a really cute stuffed snowman and held on to it until the very end.  Then the gal that was #1 got to have one last steal before the night was over and she took my snowman and I got her present which was the same gift I had brought tonight!  So guess that gift will be traveling to another Christmas party in the future!!

Where Does the Time Go? Paper Craft Crew Challenge #70!

Wednesday already and I haven't posted yet and Wednesday is going fast!  Where is the time going??  My December is going by and according to my date book, will be going by in a flash!  I think I only have about 4 days free until we go to San Antonio Dec. 18.  I had to make an unexpected dentist visit and was lucky to be able to schedule it in the late afternoon after my bridge party next week.

Today was our Newcomer's Christmas party and, WOW, was there a lot of food.  But not as much as in the past.  Usually everyone brings a dish and it is overwhelming with about 100+ people all bringing food!!  This year the alphabet was split in half.  The first half brought a dish to share and the second half brought a bag of canned goods for the Soup Kitchen.  I was in the second half but I took pity on one of my friends who doesn't cook and volunteered to make a dish for her.  Another gal was supposed to do it but she wasn't able to come today.   We loaded three cars up with food to take to the Soup Kitchen pantry!!  Along with the food we took, we also made baskets for the seniors in the community who are not as well off as some and we brought toys and/or clothing for the children who are in need.  These items were loaded on a Christian Missions truck for distribution at Christmas.

Toys for the children

Children toys

Some of the clothing for the children

Senior baskets

More Senior Baskets - think we counted 68!!

Starting to load the items onto the truck - a really foggy day!

Plenty of food for everyone and more being brought in!

OK - on to my Paper Craft Crew creation for this week.  I turned to MDS and Season of Style Pocket Card kit to create this festive card:

Modern Medley Overlay

If I had finished this card in time, I could have mailed it to my son.  Today is his birthday.  It is hard to believe my "baby" is 35 years old!!  Wow!  How time flies.  Seems like just yesterday he was making sandwiches for the guys in our neighborhood who were building new homes on our street.  He would make peanut butter sandwiches and take them to the construction workers and have lunch with them!  That was in the days that we didn't have to worry if our child went down the street to play.  I know there were predators but they just didn't seem to be every where like they are now.   I called him earlier to wish him a happy birthday.  He told me it was easy to remember how old he, my mom and myself are - Jeff & I are 30 years apart and add another 20 for my mom!  Makes it easy, huh???

My MDS birthday card for the Paper Craft Crew challenge this week is made using red and black.  I love that color combo!

I used a recent stamp that I purchased.  It is the Modern Medley Overlay.  I used the music notes - making one of the overlays black over the white card stock and the other one white over the black card stock.  For "smile" I did the first one in black; copied it and pasted it directly on top and changed the color to Red.  Then I just used my arrow keys to move the word over so it looked like it shadowed the black one.

Check out the great cards the rest of the crew made HERE.

Paper Craft Crew Card Sketch #66

I haven't participated in the Paper Crew Sketch Challenges in a couple of weeks because I was on my cruise.  But this week I was able to get my card done in time.  I really like the sketch this week.  It's a good one for you to try!

 

Of course, I made my card with the help of My Digital Studio.  I love the burlap download!!

 

 

Check out the rest of the design team's cards HERE.

 

Sonny has gone on a shooting trip with the guys for a few days and I am "batching" it.  It's been a long time since I have done this.  I don't have to fix dinner (not that I do that so much anyway!) and can stay in my craft room all night and play till my hearts content!  Which is what I did yesterday.  I got a lot done!  Our friends from Texas were supposed to come this week.  Graham was going with Sonny and Margaret and I were going to hang out crafting but they had to cancel this weekend because they were sick.  We were both disappointed but what are ya gonna do?!!

 



 

Paper Craft Challenge

I made my digital card this week for the Paper Craft Crew challenge in time this week!  We had a pretty simple sketch this time so it was a quick card to make (once I made up my mind what to do!!)

Last night we had an early little birthday celebration.  I got 10 free tickets to the Comedy Club at Galway Hooker restaurant so we invited some of our friends and family to go.  The comedian was really funny.  We had a couple of comedians that opened for the main gal that were just ok.  But the main act was really funny.  We all had a good time plus a great dinner!

Today we went out on the boat with the Catawban group.  I thought it would be really cold since the temps have been the low 70s this week.  But the sun was really warm and I was wishing I had on short sleeves instead of long!  But it was fun.  I made some kettle corn and it was a big hit!  I had to make two batches because I ate about half of the first batch while I was making it!!  I got the recipe this weekend from a gal at the quarterly.  She said the secret to making it is to use a Whirly Pop popcorn popper.  I happened to have one that was given to me many years ago so I dug it out today.  It was so easy!  Here is the recipe if you are interested:

1/2 C Oil
2/3 C Popcorn
1/3 C Sugar (regular white granulated)
Heat oil in Whirly Popper w/3 kernels.  Once they pop, add the popcorn and sugar.  Turn the Whirly Pop handle continuously until done.  The handle will get hard to turn when it is done.  Take it off the heat so it does not burn.  Dump into a bowl; let cool 1-2 minutes; add salt to taste.  Don't add salt while cooking - it will ruin it.

You can get a Whirly Popper at Bed & Bath and use your coupon.  I have seen them there before.

Paper Pals Sketch

This week's Paper Pal Sketch was an easy one.  I used the digital kit, Follow Your Bliss.  I really like the color combo in this kit.  There are some great cards this week.  Make sure to check them out here.

I went out to lunch today with the Newcomers Out to Lunch Bunch.  We went to Jeffrey's in Mooresville and I had a delicious meal of shrimp and grits.  If you are not southern, you probably are saying "what??"  I was not familiar with the dish growing up but since I have moved back to NC, I have discovered it.  I think the first time I had shrimp and grits was visiting Ashley when she lived in DC.  We went to a soul food restaurant for her birthday and Ashley ordered them.  Since then, I have had them several times and they are always prepared a bit differently.  Today's had shrimp, Andouille sausage, and spices with yummy buttery grits.  It was delicious!  After lunch I headed over to the Department of Motor Vehicles to take my driver's test.  I passed and didn't have to wait too long.  The only "hiccup" was that since I hadn't planned on going to DEA today, I didn't have my checkbook and they don't take credit cards  - only cash or check.  There was a lady there getting her license renewed also who had been at lunch with me and she told me it would be $20.  Well, wouldn't you know it, I had $19!!  So she lent me a dollar.  When I finished the test (only had to do vision and signs), the man told me it would be $32!  Oops!  Guess I'm "young" enough that I get more than 5 years worth of renewal (it's $4 per year).   So I had to leave and go to the bank and get cash; then go back to pay and have my picture taken.  I should have my new license in a couple of weeks.  Yay! 

Perfect Blend, MDS style

I have been seeing such great cards made with Perfect Blend stamp set.  But I don't drink coffee so thought that would be an odd one for me to purchase.  I know lots of people who are big coffee drinkers - my mom and my sisters - but not me or Sonny.  And I don't think either of my children drink it either - I know Ashley doesn't but not so sure about Jeff.  Anyway, off the subject!!  I know you could always use the cups in the stamp set for tea drinkers but the sayings are also about coffee.  So I was really happy that SU offered Perfect Blend last week in the weekly downloads.  Now I can print the cups out and use them any time I want as well as create a card in MDS with them - like I did for the Paper Craft Crew Challenge this week.

Another great download last week was Burlap Ribbon.  How do you like those burlap ribbon flowers?  I recolored them to try and better match the brown on the cups.

  Background
     Color = SOFT SUEDE 
Embellishments
    Burlap Ribbon\Burlap Ribbon - flower (re-colored)
    Burlap Ribbon\Burlap Ribbon - flower (re-colored)
    Grosgrain Ribbon\Crumb Cake Grosgrain Ribbon (re-colored)
    Grosgrain Ribbon - knot\Crumb Cake Grosgrain Ribbon - knot (re-colored)
    Baker's Twine\Baker's Twine - Crumb Cake
    Baker's Twine\Baker's Twine - Crumb Cake bow

Stamps
    Friend by Definition\Friend by Definition, Color = BAKED BROWN SUGAR 
    Splatters\Ink Splatters\Ink Splatter 4, Color = CRUMB CAKE
   Splatters\Ink Splatters\Ink Splatter 4, Color = VERY VANILLA 
    Perfect Blend\Perfect Blend - cup
    Perfect Blend\Perfect Blend - coffee & friends
Punches
    Basics\1.25 Square Punch, Fill Color = CRUMB CAKE
    Basics\1.25 Square Punch, Fill Color = VERY VANILLA 

So, what do you like to drink in the morning?  Coffee or Tea???

Challenging Card Sketch

Here's a sketch that will make you put your thinking cap on!



There are lots of layers and shapes in this sketch.  But it was fun to play around with.  I used the paper that was in last week's MDS download, Etcetera.  I really love all the soft colors in the collection.   The saying is from a calendar download.  I copied it a few times, cropped it and changed the colors.  It turned out pretty cool if I do say so myself!

 

Check out what the other Paper Craft Crew members came up with HERE.  I especially like Pam's easel card.

Let's see what you can do with the sketch this week.

Woot! Woot! Be Awesome!

Woot!  Woot!  (Seriously .... do you use this slogan?  I don't think I've said it!)  But it looks cute on this card.  This is my interpretation of the Paper Craft Sketch this week.  Most all of the pieces on this card came from the digital pocket card set, Happy Together.  I decided to do a square card this week.  I don't usually make square cards because of having to spend extra postage to mail it, but hey - this is digital - I probably won't print it out and mail it anyway!

This week's sketch had a lot of of bits and pieces on it.  It was definitely a challenge to do this week.

We had a great time in Greenville and arrived back home around 4 yesterday.  It was good to see our friends again and Greenville was the perfect spot.  I was pretty wiped out last night and had planned on doing absolutely nothing today.  But, I looked at my calendar last night and realized my Newcomers coffee was this morning.  We had a nice fashion show at the coffee.  Afterwards a group (of 21!!) went to lunch at Oh Charley's.  The waiter and waitress did a good job taking our orders and getting our food to us in a timely matter but paying the check was another story!  We waited 35 minutes for him to return with our change / credit cards!  I really think the manager should have stepped up and helped him out.

Topsy Turvy Paper Players Sketch Challenge

It's time for the Paper Players Sketch challenge this week.  I made a digital birthday card this week.  It's fun and colorful!!

     Background
     Color = White
Embellishments
    Grosgrain Ribbon\Marina Mist Grosgrain Ribbon (re-colored)
    Grosgrain Ribbon - bow\Marina Mist Grosgrain Ribbon - bow (re-colored)
    _Designer Kits\Topsy Turvy Celebration - embellishments\Topsy Turvy Celebration - cake

Stamps
    Under the Big Top\Under the Big Top - happy birthday
    Under the Big Top\Under the Big Top - happy birthday
Punches
    Basics\1.25 Square Punch,  Filled with: Designer Series Paper\_Designer Kits\Big Top Birthday - designer series paper\Big Top Birthday - 8
    Basics\1.25 Square Punch,  Filled with: Designer Series Paper\_Designer Kits\Big Top Birthday - designer series paper\Big Top Birthday - 6
    Extras\Flag Punch, 
    Basics\Medium Oval Punch, Fill Color = 230,WATERMARK 
    Basics\1.25 Circle Punch, Fill Color = 230,WATERMARK 


Check out what the other players have done with the sketch this week HERE.

Happy Things Pocket Card Sketch Challenge

My digital card for the Paper Players Sketch this week is a pretty simple card.  I used elements from a Pocket Card download and it came together pretty quickly.  You don't have to make a pocket card - just use bits and pieces to make your own creation.

Background
     Color = SOFT SKY 
Embellishments
    Baker's Twine\Baker's Twine - White
    Baker's Twine\Baker's Twine - White
    Baker's Twine\Baker's Twine - White
    Baker's Twine\Baker's Twine - White knot
    Antique Brads\Antique Brads - brad 4
    Antique Brads\Antique Brads - brad 4
    Antique Brads\Antique Brads - brad 4

Stamps
    OVERLAYS\Hip and Handsome Overlays\Hip and Handsome Overlays   Color = PISTACHIO PUDDING 
    OVERLAYS\Hip and Handsome Overlays\Hip and Handsome Overlays -
    Designer Kits\Happy Things Pocket Cards\Happy Things Pocket Cards - whatever you are be a good one
   Designer Kits\Happy Things Pocket Cards\Happy Things Pocket Cards - airplane

Punches
    Basics\1.25 Square Punch, Fill Color = BASIC BLACK
    Basics\1.25 Square Punch, Fill Color = 230,WATERMARK
    Basics\1.25 Square Punch, Fill Color = SOFT SKY
    Basics\Small Photo Corner Punch, Fill Color = PISTACHIO PUDDING

We are leaving in a few minutes to pick Ashley up at the airport.  I am so excited to see her again!!  We have lots planned for the next week.

Be A Difference!

Guess I'm still in convention mode.  My Paper Pals Sketch card this week is our convention theme - Be The Difference. 

What does Be the Difference mean to you?  

Stampin' Up!'s mission statement, called its Statement of the Heart, reads: "To love what we do and share what we love, as we help others enjoy creativity and worthwhile accomplishments . . . in this we make a difference."  Through the Making a Difference program, Stampin' Up! partnered with Ronald McDonald House Charities in 2003. Each year, they design an exclusive stamp set to promote the partnership with RMHC, and donate a portion of the proceeds from the each sale of that set. We received the "Tag It" stamp set this year at convention and I will be sharing cards made with this set soon.  It is a great one and by purchasing it, YOU will be making a difference!!  One stamp set can make all the difference. When you purchase the Tag It Stamp Set, Stampin' Up! donates $3 to the Ronald McDonald House Charities. The set is complete with decorative tag images for six different occasions AND the Tag It set coordinates with the Chalk Talk Framelits Dies.

Here is a wonderful video made by Stampin' Up on being and making a difference.  The lady at the very beginning is Susy Miller who received the Statement of the Heart award this year.  This wonderful inspirational lady now has ALS and is in a wheelchair unable to stamp anymore but she has made a difference in all our lives by being an inspiration.

In researching this topic, I came across some good ideas on being the difference.  I love these images and maybe I'll try to do the first one with MDS one day.

 

Are you ready to make a difference in someone's life?  Seize the day and make the most of every opportunity. Be proactive and make a difference today. You can help someone in need or volunteer your time for a worthy cause. Be an encouragement to someone who's in need of a friend. Give a hug to someone who's hurting. Use your imagination and make a difference today.

Here are a few quotes that would be great to use in a letter, a note or an email.  Use one of them today!

"One person can make a difference and every person should try."
--John Fitzgerald Kennedy
"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."
--Winston Churchill
"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not."
--Dr. Seuss
"You must be the change you wish to see in the world."
--Mahatma Ghandi
"You're the only one who can make the difference. Whatever your dream is, go for it."
--Earvin Magic Johnson
"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world."
--Mother Teresa
I expect to pass through life but once. If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again.
--William Penn
"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world."
--Anne Frank
"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring: all of which have the potential to turn a life around."
--Leo Buscaglia
"Often we set out to make a difference in the lives of others only to discover we have made a difference in our own."
--Ellie Braun-Haley
"It's easy to make a buck. It's a lot tougher to make a difference."
--Tom Brokaw
"It's not what happens to you...it's what you do about it that makes the difference."
--W. Mitchell
"The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit."
--Nelson Henderson
"Dare to reach out your hand into the darkness, to pull another hand into the light."
--Norman B. Rice
"If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one."
--Mother Teresa

Life is Better at the Beach!

We took a week off from the Paper Players Challenge because of convention but we're back in full swing this week.  I designed my card using My Digital Studio and the hot summer in mind! 

I really like this color combo of pink and green.  I was one of those "preppies" years ago that liked to wear Izod, weejuns, madras and pink and green while I was shagging on the beach to beach music.   I found out today that one of the theme nights on our cruise is going to be "going for a drive, back to the beach, back in time... going Back to the Bowery with 70's Theme Night!"  My days of going to the Bowery (club at Myrtle Beach) is more like the 60's though!  I was getting married and pregnant in the 70's!!  (married in '73, pregnant in '75 and '78) ummmmm .....

OK - back to the card - I used the kit, Anchors Away for this one.  Check out what the other gals have done with the sketch this week.  There are some really great cards HERE. 

MDS Challenges

 

 This is my card for the Paper Craft Crew Challenge.  #50 - can you believe it??!!

 I tried to post it last night but my laptop just wouldn't cooperate.  Our lights kept flickering and we could hear thunder in the distance so I just gave up and called it a night.  Someone must have gotten a storm but we never did.  And (I don't want to say this too loud!) but the sun is shining today.  We are supposed to meet a group for dinner on the lake late this afternoon - weather permitting.  So, back to the card .... of course, I used My Digital Studio.  A couple of tricks with this card - the three brads in the center.  They actually had different colored little hearts on them and not in my color combo.  SO, I inserted a circle punch and shrunk it down to fit on top of the brads; color filled them with the DSP and voila! three custom brads to match!  The two little flags are from a bow that I cropped and just used the two ends.  The butterfly is one of my favorites.  It is from the Flores Suaves stamp set - which was offered in the Spanish catalog several years ago but now I can get it digital which makes it great.  It is an open stamp meaning if it were an actual stamp, you would have to use markers, etc. to color in the butterfly wings.  I used the Freeform (add brush) technique; colored in the butterfly in Soft Sky and Pistachio Pudding and when I was finished, brought the stamped image butterfly to the top.  The script behind the butterfly (in white) is also from the same stamp set.

While I'm talking about MDS, I have entered a SU color combo contest.  I would love your comments on my pictures on Stampin' Up's site.  You can check them out and leave your comments HERE.  Just click on my two layouts and comment.  Stampin' Up says "it doesn't hurt your chances of winning by having a lot of comments!"  Thanks!

Paper Craft Crew Sketch

My card for Paper Craft Crew this week uses Neon Notes with My Digital Studio. 

Embellishments
    Crochet Trim Ribbon\Chantilly (re-colored)
    _Designer Kits\Neon Notes - embellishments\Neon Notes - flourish tag 4 (re-colored)
    _Designer Kits\Neon Notes - embellishments\Neon Notes - flourish tag 1
    _Designer Kits\Neon Notes - embellishments\Neon Notes - flower 1
    _Designer Kits\Neon Notes - embellishments\Neon Notes - flower 2
    _Designer Kits\Neon Notes - embellishments\Neon Notes - flower 2
    _Designer Kits\Neon Notes - embellishments\Neon Notes - flower 3
    _Designer Kits\Afternoon Tea - embellishments\Afternoon Tea - lovely
    Crochet Trim Ribbon\Chantilly - bow (re-colored)
    Antique Brads\Antique Brads - brad 4
    Basic Pearls and Rhinestones\Basic Pearls and Rhinestones - pearl large

Stamps
    _Designer Kits\Be Brave\Be Brave - love

Punches
    Basics\1.25 Square Punch,  Filled with: Designer Series Paper\_Designer Kits\Neon Notes - designer series paper\Neon Notes - 9
    Labels & Tags\Lots of Tags - shape 2

Make sure you check out what the other members of the crew have done for this challenge HERE.