Wednesday, March 31, 2010

My God Daughter's Birthday Card

My GD lives in IA and I don't get to see her as much as I wish.  Her mother is one of my bestest oldest friends.  I sure do miss them all.  Her birthday is Sat so I better get this off in the mail tomorrow.

This is one of my newer Penny Black stamps - What a Day! (That's the name of the stamp.. crazy huh.)   The orginal stamp has a little chick looking up next to this hen but I didn't ink it.  Just left it out.  I had bought this stamp for Easter and spring cards but it just came to me to use it for her birthday card also.

As usual submitting it into challenges:
Fab N Funky #17 - Spring
DCRU - Surprise Challenge - stamped image and daisies
Little Red Wagon #22 - Rolling into Spring
Saturday Challenge  #76  - PINK, GREEN & FLOWERS
Tales from Pollcraft #374 papers, 3embellishments, 2 ribbon/lace and 1 image...

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

One Last Easter Card

I was getting my Easter Cards ready to mail out and realized I needed one more so here it is.

I had made another card with a simular flap opening a while ago and really have fallen in love with this card style.  It is so easy and fun.


 The stamp is from a company called:  A Country Welcome - Bear in Egg.  There are so many things you can do with this stamp.
Here is a close up of the bear and how I detailed him.
I colored it with my pencils.  Stamped it twice so that I cut the top and the middle of the egg out and popped it up.  I used Crystal Effects on the circles and then flocked them with Martha Stewart Flocking - Fennel.
Challenges:

Monday, March 29, 2010

Simple but Sweet.

Just a card for no reason.  I really like how this one ended up.  I didn't put a sentiment on it since I could use it for so many different reasons or just a note card to say hello to a good friend.  Those little love birds are perfect to start spring out right.  Isn't it how it all starts in spring those cute little critters getting close to each other. 
I got the image from Mo Digital a while ago and just love it.  Had it sitting around not exactly knowing how or when to use it. It was so much fun to color and I LOVE to color. 

What would a card be without it being in a few challenges:
Hand full of stamps #21 - You're a sweet one.. or Tweet one.. hahaha
 
CardPatterns #57

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Belated Birthday Card

This week has been quite the week.  I got a shipment of new stamps. Yea for me! . My little green machine "The Cuttlebug" came home to me .. Double Yea for me!   Last but NOT least my girlfriend wished upon a star and her wish came true.  The Scor-Pal "Fairy" granted her wish.  Just outta the blue she got a note that a brand new Scor-Pal was coming her way and in like three days it was here. If you have never seen this amazing item check it out.  I'm telling you this couldn't of happened to a greater person.  When she told me she was beyond belief but I told her good things happen to good people and there is no one better than her.  She has 5 boys and her husband works out of the state so she goes with out a lot but if you need anything she is right there.  I need to say a HUGE THANK YOU to the fairy.

Now on to the real reason I'm posting.  My cousin told me on Friday that it was her boyfriends birthday on Sat.  WHAT~!  Why didn't she say something sooner.  I hate to be late on cards... (even though I usually am.. lol)  So to my desk to make a B-lated birthday card and of course, make it so that it matches some challenges.

One of my favorite challenges, Oh La La Creations- Challenge #50  said to use a button, bow & Bling..  Now this card was for a big burly guy and for some reason buttons and bows don't come to mind..  I got the bow slipped in but buttons.. it just didn't seem right so here is what I did.  The middle of my flower is a button and then I put part of the sentiment on it and popped it up.  They didn't say how to use the button.. Hope it's not cheating.. heheh.

Hope you can see it. It is white also, so it blends into the paper when I took the picture. 

Part of my new stash of stamps I got this week was a set from Craft Lounge - Lil Pea-Nut.  The elephant is one stamp and the bubble blower and bubbles is another so I did some masking and made him hold the blower in his trunk.  You can't see it but the bubbles have Crystal Effects so they have some dimension on them.   The grass and the flowers are also little stamps that came with the set and I did masking for that also.  The sentiments "I Blew It.."  &  "Sorry I Forgot" are also from set.

The flower is a punch I just bought at a garage sale for $3.00.  It's a Marvy punch.   I also bought a set of stamps (never opened or used) for $3.00 (it had the original price of $24.99 on them) which are Doodlebug Design - Tags.  That is the scroll around the "Sorry I forgot",  I stamped it and then cut it out.   What finds !!!

Here are the other Challenges:
Artful Inkables #16 - Birthday  
Sew Many Challenge #9 - Punch it. 
Cute Card Thrusday #105 - Dimensions
Dancing in PJ #23 - Color Challenge 
Peachy Keen #25 - Sketch  
Pile it on #12 - ANIMAL-RIFFIC
 


Thursday, March 25, 2010

A bunny in a basket

I have been thinking about this card all day.  I die cut the basket & bunny, quite some time ago, at my local scrap booking store.  As I was reading all my challenge blogs it all came together.  The grass I cut is from an old retired sizzix (the yellow block) - grass.  The basket was smooth but I love dry embossing, it is one of my favorite techniques, so I used my circles Cuttlebug embossing folder.  Just slid in the bottom of the basket and ran it through.  It worked perfect.   
 
Challenges:


Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Customer Service is not dead!

If you are a follower you know that not long ago my best cardmaking friend passed.  DIED right there in the middle of making a card.  My best little green machine broke... My Cuttlebug just could not go on anylonger. 

This is a bit of a story but believe me you will want to read the whole thing.

Ok on with the story.        Well I have to give credit to a good friend that said.. "send ProvoCraft an email. whacha got to loose".  I thought about it and said to myself.. Myself.. Right .. what do I have to loose.  See what they have to say.  So I sent off an email.. Nothing bad just explaining that while I was using my Cuttlebug the side popped off.  Here is a copy of what I sent them,... just so you see I was just inquiring.

I am very upset about my Cuttlebug. I Just love it and tell everyone about it all the time.. on my blog and elsewhere but two days ago I was cutting with it and the side just popped off. It scared the living crap out of me. I put it back on but it will not cut any longer. The whole top splits open. Is there something that can be done? What kind of warranty do you have? I just don't think something like this should happen. I have asked many people I know that also have them and they have never heard of such a thing happening.

Nice email right.. nothing bad..

Well a few days went by and then I received an email from the "Response Team". 
Here is a copy of it:

Hi Mary,


Thank you for contacting us. Sorry for the inconvenience we will be replacing your Cuttlebug. Processing is 1-2 business days and then it will be shipped out to you.
Make it a great day!
Krista
Response Team

I couldn't believe it.  I'm getting a new one.. WHAT???  A couple of days later I got a confirmation email telling me it was shipped.  IT IS TRUE~!

Soooo guess what was waiting for me when I got home today.  YESSSS My little green friend has come home to me.  I love this guy.. he is perfect and adorable. 

This is what was waiting for me when I got home.


LOOK.. In a original box.. Brand new.. not refurbished.   
Look how GREEN and beautiful he is. .Now not only have they just replaced the little thing but a bonus.. On top of sending me a new machine look what else.


So to ProvoCraft I say THANK YOU!  You are a great company and stand behind your product.  It is hard to find good customer service now days or a company that cares about their customers but you definitely are one of the good ones out there.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Peep...... Peep

Have to show everyone my little peep I made.  My GF got the egg die from Papertrey Inc and it is just great.  So one night we cut a bunch of eggs and this is what I came up with.

I am really tired tonight so I'm sorry I don't have much to say but I do have a VERY big surprise to tell everyone very very soon.  I can't wait to share it. 





Challenges:
ABC Design - Spring in full bloom
Crafty Card Makers - Spring 
Critter Challenge - Inspiration              
Just us Girls - Color  Challenge
One Stop Craft Challenge #72 - Let it Shine
Rosie D #67 - Color   Green, Yellow, White
The Secret Crafter Sat. Challenge - Spring
Stamping for the Weekend #35 - Easter
Sugar Creek Hollow - Sketch



   

Monday, March 22, 2010

Blog Candy Giveaway Instead

I wanted to edit this post.  Unfortunatly Sally's giveaway did not work out regarding the Scor-Pal.  It breaks my heart.  I was sooo looking forward to the chance of having such a wonderful product.  I guess I will have to keep wishing from a far.  Sally is an upstanding blogger and has posted a give away of her own so instead stop by for her blog candy here Sally's Creative Corner



This is still some great stash so drop by leave her a comment and pass it along.

Winner will be posted on my blog March 29, 2010
Good luck everyone..

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Birthday Wishes

I will keep this one short as I have been very busy today and it's getting late.  It's past 11pm and I'm starting to yawnnnnn.  My girlfriend just reciently got the new SU butterfly dies... Beautiful Wings.  I really love this die!  Just after she showed them to me I was at Michaels and found this stamp that I fell in love with and it all came together perfect.   The stamp is from Inkadinkado (It doesn't have a name on it, sorry)

All the paper but the wicker paper are just old scraps I have.  The Wicker DP came from The Photo Stack by DCWV.  As you can see I used these Copics to color in the butterflys before I glued the dies down.  The border punches are both Fiskars.  The ribbon is and old piece I had left over from something.  I am really, really, REALLY happy how this card turned out.  I just love it and am going to give it to my Aunt for her BDay in June.  She will be the big 70 but I swear she looks like she's in her 50ies.

Here are the Challenges for this one:
Allsorts Challenge #44 - Spring
Totally Gorjuss #22 - Ribbon
Sweet Stampin Challenge #18 - Spring is in the air.
Hand Full of Stamps #20 - Remove the Dust - use something old.
Inkspirations #19 - Inspiration Challenge -
Moxie Fab World - Tuesday Trigger - Texture + Color

Ooh La La Creations Challenge #49 - Anything Goes 
Saturday Spotlight #23 - Birthday in your color.  My birthday is in Feb. which is Amethyst - Purple.
Skipping Stones Designs  - Sketch
  Stamping 411 #115 - Color Inspiration   








Thursday, March 18, 2010

Seize the Cup Cake

In the last couple of days I have been spending a little too much latley.  Bought new shoes on line today.. Soooo cute.. I will show you when they come in.  I bought a bunch of stamps on line today.. will show off when they come.  Then I went to the craft store and bought some new fun pens and stamps.  As soon as I get home I can't wait to get started.  I need more birthday cards in my stash and I never make them for young kids.  Boys really for some reason.  Maybe it's easier to make girl cards but for some reason I just don't make boy cards so I made sure this was for a young boy. 

Card stock: Bazzill
Critter Stamp: Inkadinkado - Humorous Birthday
Colored: Prisma pencils.  Cupcake: Souffle 3-D Opaque Ink Pink Pen.  Cherry:  Stickles Red   Edge:  Sponged with blue caulk.
Banner Stamp:  The Paper Company - Journaling stamps.
Seize the CupCake stamp:  Hero Arts - Cupcakes

Dpn't you just love that banner.. You will see it often.. It can and WILL be used for sooo many different cards.  The set has quite a few different banners.  I will make sure to be using all of them.

Take a look close up to the cupcake puffy ink.  I just found these pens and think they are the B O M B!!!


Challenges:


 

TSGS45 - Sketch  
Polka Doodles #10 - Birthday
Color Throwdown #84
Charisma Challenge #11 - Something for the kids
Cards for Men #6 - Birthday
Artful Inkable #16 - Birthday


 




Can wait for this weekend.  One I get to sleep in and second I get to stamp alllll day!

Big Mamma Loves you all.  Good-nite.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Three lil chicks

I am so glad that you stopped by again.. I can't wait to show you the first card I made using my new BigShot.  It sure works like a dream.  I couldn't even wait 1 day... lol.  I told you the other day I got a shipment of some new stamps.. Mostly Penny Black but one of the stamps is this little chick.  It by Calendar Chicks - Hatched Chick is the name of the stamp.  I think it's the cutest little guy..  The three flowers I stamped on paper and cut it out.  Is that what they call "paper piecing"?  The stamps are SU - Fifth Ave. set.  I colored with copics the chicks and the middle of the flowers.  Then used some brand new glitter glue in some wonderful tubes.  It is by a company called "a la mode".  They have great colors and a perfect little point to get into the small areas.  It might be hard to see but the two on the outside have a fushia pink glitter and the middle flower that I popped out has a copper glitter for the middle.




 The plan is when I deciede on who will receive this card for Easter I will put, or stamp and cut out a journal square just above the chicks to write out my sentiment.

Challenges entering it into:
Everything but the kitchen sink #11 - Sketch  
Tales from Pollycraft #36 - Sparkle 
Papertake Weekley - Lilac & Lemon
Fab N Funky Challenge #15 - Use something New
DCRU #30  -  Color Challenge.. I used Yellow
TCP Tuesday - Paper Piercing
A Spoon Full Of Sugar #95 - Easter









GONZO!

Meet the newest member of Big Mamma's Stamping House ! 

Just look at what came in the mail today.  It's my new BigShot!  Isn't it a beaut.  I got the one with the pink handle and it even has little fake diamonds on it.  The best part of the deal was that the cost was just a tiny, tiny more that 1/2 the normal price.  Just over $60.00!  Can you believe that.  I bought it at Overstock and they were having a special on shipping it was only $1. I can't believe I fell upon this kind of deal.


So again I feel sooo bad about my little green machine but boy am I excited for the new big black gonzo machine.  That's his name:  GONZO...

Monday, March 15, 2010

Mother Goose

Over the weekend I got two packages in the mail.. It was like my birthday all over again.  One was a shipment I got from Penny Black.  I sure do love their caricatures.  If you haven't noticed I am a colorer.  (Is that a word, well it is now!).. I love to stamp images and color them.  Penny Black stamps are just perfect for that.

My second package is blog candy I won from Cheryl from Sweet Designs.  The loot was fab.  Stop by her blog and check out her coloring.  It is soooo awesome.  She is quite the talent. So between both of these I couldn't wait to get started.

I used one of my new stamps called Easter Bonnet.  How appropriate. huh?  I even went deep into my stamping tools stash and used my Making Memories hand tool die punch with the 5/8" cutter and made the slots for the ribbon.  I hadn't used that is so long I almost forgot I had it.  I need to use it more.  I have all the different cutters.  There are three diff. sizes for ribbon and a knotch 1/2 circle thing.  Does anybody know what you use that for?  I am going to need to do some research on that one.

Those cute little roses buds on MG bonnet are items that I got from Cheryl's blog candy.  Aren't they adorable.  It was perfect timing.  THANKS CHERYL. 

So here is my Mother Goose card.

Here is a close up of those cute lil rose buds.


Here are the challenges MG is going to be entered into:
CardPatterns #55 - Sketch
Crafty Cardmakers  #16 - Feminine
Inkspirations #19 - Color Challenge
Penny Black Challenge #92 - Spring colors
Saturday Challenge #74 @ The Secret Crafter - Anything Goes


Have a great evening and I'll see you tomorrow.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Spring has sprung

This is my first time making a flap card, or also a tri-fold card.  It wasn't has hard as I thought and I think it turned out pretty well.  The rabbit stamp is a new one I got for Easter from InkyAntics - Peaking Bunny.  I used the die cut Top Note and in the middle used my nestie - circle.  You can't see it but it is also embossed on the inside with the ridge. 




















Challenges:
Totally Gorjuss #21 - Sweet
Pile it on #10 - Pastel Colors
Paper Sundaes #9 - Multi fold spring/Easter card 
Just Us Girls #24 - Flap Card.
Crafty Ho's - Pink & Black
Allsorts Challenge #43 - Pink, Black & White
The Pink Elepant #58 - Spring


Big Mamma has gotta go to bed.  It's a quarter to 11 at night and I still haven't taken a shower.  I gotta get my but together and ready for bed and ready for tomorrow and a whole new work week.

Sweet Dreams everyone!

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Go GREEN!

I really went GREEN for this card.  This Wednesday is St. Patty's Day.  Now I have to remember to get this in the mail for a guy friend I have, plus the couple other one I need to get out.  I always forget.... DOH!  I hope it isn't to girly.  I thought it looked metro-sexual enough.  That's why I didn't but a bow on it.  The shamrock frame is one stamp that I just stamped in a box frame.  The stamp is from Hampton Art - Shamrock Row.  I used my Swiss Dot emboss folder and then punched the hearts out.  BTW:  I had to borrow my girlfriends Big Shot.. remember.. *tear* my cuttlebug has been laid to rest.

I have to say I have made a big decision.. I am ordering a Big Shot.  I am sorry to my cuttlebug but it is time to move on.

Let me know if you think this is manly enough.


Challenges:
Lord Have Mercy -(MTSC64)  
Colour Create Challenge #40 - Mint, Chocolate, Cream
Crazy 4 Challenge #28 - A card for a man
Fussy & Fancy Friday Challenge #6 - Green
Raise The Bar #8 - Go Green
Stamp Something - Green & Cream
The Pixie Cottage #11 - Green




Bunny Hug

Our first day of spring.  It's nice and sunny today.  Beautiful out.  It inspired me to start the celebration of Easter and making my Easter cards.  I recently got a set of adorable InkyAntics called Carrot Bunny.  Soooo cute.  I just couldn't resist the bunny hugging the giant carrot.  Here is my creation.


Challenges:
Color Throwdown #83
Crafty Calendar Challenge #6 - Flower Power
Cute Card Thursday #103 - Celebrations
Rosie-D #66 - Think Spring
Sew Many Challenge #7 - Easter Theme
Flourishes - GRAND OPENING CELEBRATION CHALLENGE 5 - Pink & Green
Hand full of stamps #19 - Four of a kind

Monday, March 8, 2010

The last cuttlebug card. *snif* *snif*

My Cuttlebug has died.  Yes it is a very dark day in my craft room.  I was using my best little friend tonight and I guess I tried to put to much through.  Everything was going just fine,  turning the handle and all was flowing smoothly.  All of a sudden I hit a tough spot and put a little pressure into the handle and KKKKAAAABOOM!  The side of my cuttlebug popped, blew right off.  Flew across the room.  OMG!  NOOOOOO.  I grabbed it and snapped it back on.  Everything look fine.  whew.. I was scared.  So back to cutting.. no it's not working.. the moment I put anything through it pops open.  There is no saving it.  I am soooo  sad.  I must lay it to rest.  RIP my little green cuttlebug.  Now the big delima is a new cuttlebug or do I move on to and replace completely with a BigShot.  I don't know.  The hurt is too fresh .. I must sleep on it. 

Here is the last card from my best little green friend.

 
Challenges:
Critter Sketch Challenge #4 - Blue,Yellow, Green with Flower
Cupcake Craft Challenge #81 - Flower Power
Hand Full of Stamps #18 - Let it shine
Rosie-D's #66 - Think Spring
Saturday Spotlight #21 - Hey Girlfriend
"Just Us Girls" #23 - Sketch