Valentine Teacher gifts

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! I'm sneeking in with a couple more projects for the TCP blog hop. This first project also happens to have been made for today's TCP Tuesday challenge of It's ABC - Anything But a Card.

These are the Valentine gifts that I made for the kids teachers and other staff (ie principal, nurse, band teacher, etc.). I believe so very strongly that it is important to show appreciation for these people that have such a large influence on my children. It's the little things that count, right?

Around the school I've developed the reputation of "always making the cutest things"! The swanky little number above certainly fits the bill perfectly ! I used my new Build a Bingo set along with a couple of my favorite CutUps dies (Queen of Hearts and Heart Trio). Also used some Cotton Candy divine twine and some of those cute heart stick pins by Maya Road. I love how the little heart stamped nugget wrappers peek through the glassine bags.

This next item is an ATC (Artist Trading Card) that I made for a swap I hosted over on SCS. The only swap requirement was to use any TCP image and to embellish like crazy! I always love seeing what all the other talented artists come up with. My fellow TCP lovers never dissapoint me and occasionally we'll even convert some newbies over to the "Swanky" side.

I used a plethora of TCP goodies on this little number. Stamps are "It had to be Mew" and "Love Letters" (which is designed with a die to match along with a template which allows one to perfectly sponge the interior of the "stamp"). Also used the new Heart Rosette and previously mentioned Stamp Trio CutUps dies. Lots of Glitzy glitter (also sold by Alma at TCP) and some Peppermint divine twine (both can be found in the embellies section here) Also HAD to embellish with those Maya Road stick pins that I am so crazy about! Sprinkle's hat is colored with some Smooch pearlized accent ink (Shabby Pink and Sassy Pink) and a feline like Sprinkle deserves a blingy collar, don't you think?

Thanks for sticking around!

Linda

Penguin Lust

Remember Bloom County and Opus? Well these little guys are MUCH cuter! I made this for another TCP Tuesday challenge. Susan's challenge was to use any TCP image with a heart in addition to using a CutUps die with a heart. This also qualifies for the Valentine's blog hop over on Miss Meowy's blog. Check it out here for all the deets.

I actually made this for my manager to give to her sweet hubby. She really loves penguins (and she says that hubby walks kinda like a penguin due to some health concerns). Hubby also wears an article of clothing with some kind of argyle pattern every day (they both work with me so I can confirm that this true) thus the embossed argyle pattern. She asked for that classic combo of Red, Black, and White.

This cute little penguin image fit the challenge perfectly (Love Stinks from the last release from TCP) along with one of the most unique heart dies out there (Heart Trio also from TCP). That sweet little Penguin giving the practical "fishy" gift to his beloved just melts my heart! I bet he makes sure that there is air in her tires and the appropriate level of fluids in her car (if she were to drive that is)! Very sweet and easy card due to the sweet image and beautiful patterned paper. Just the simplest of Copic coloring makes these sweet little guys POP!

Enjoy!

Linda

Stamps: Love Stinks (TCP)
Paper: White (PTI), Real Red (SU), Yours Truly (EP patterned paper)
Other: Heart Trio CutUps and Glitzy German glass glitter (TCP), Heart Stick Pins (Maya Road), various going, nesties, Argyle embossing folder (CB)

Gimme Some Sugar

So excited!  I finally was able to get my new Gimme Some Sugar set by TCP inked up.  I am DETERMINED to play in challenges this year and get my stamps inky. My stamp table is a mess, but it is a GOOD mess!  LOL!

This card is actually doing  triple duty.  I created this for this weeks TCP Tuesday 193 challenge along with Jen's SFYTT for January 2012.  Jen always has awesome sketches and I promised myself to also play along with her challenges. It also can be used for the Valentine's blog hop happening over at TCP. You can check out all the deets here.

The color challenge is yummy and perfect for a "shabby" Valentine card and Jen's sketch was also perfect for my favorite image from the Spring 2012 TCP release (Alma...you had me at Sprinkle)!

Patterned papers are a huge mix: Stella and Rose Mable and Gertie (MME), Love Me (MME) and Yours Truly (EP). The challenge colors are all there too: Melon Mambo, Early Espresso and Pink Pirouette.

The super cute Sprinkle image from "Gimme Some Sugar" was stamped on patterned paper. I had a lot of fun stamping the little banners on patterned paper and customizing them with all the fun little elements included with the set. Colored the image with Copics and Sprinkle's eyes are made extra mesmerizing with a Copic Spica glitter pen. I added just a smidgen of some pleated satin ribbon (Maya Road) under the booth to lock like a table cloth and then attached the banner over it. I then cut out the image with my circle nesties "finally" trying the out of the box technique that Nancy always does so well. You can't see too much of it, but just barely peeking out underneath the horizontal panel is a portion of the new "Queen of Hearts" border CutUps. A couple Maya Road stick pins were all the extra embellishment needed.

Thanks for stopping by!

Linda

TCP Tuesdsy 165 and New Release Blog Hop

The Cat's Pajamas New Release Blog Hop

Good Morning everyone! Welcome to The Cat's Pajamas morning after blog hop! Did you get all the goodies you wanted last night? All eight new stamp sets and four CutUps dies are available NOW! Today we're combining our morning after blog hop with TCP Tuesday 165 which is an awesome sketch from the amazingly talented Leigh O'Brien.

You are a little over half way through the hop if you are starting here with me. You should definitely start at the beginning at Leigh's blog as she IS the hipster hostess with the mostess (and believe me when I say you should start at the beginning as there is lots of eye candy to enjoy!. If you came here from the super talented Lori's blog then you are in the right place.

And just a personal note. If you've never done so, definitely play along with the TCP Tuesday challenges! You may very well be deemed a Swanky Stamper for participating. As a Swanky Stamper you receive new release goodies and have the honor of playing with the amazingly talented Cat Pack. It's a sweet gig, believe me! Thank you Alma for the opportunity to play!!!




As you can see, I flipped the sketch around (after all, the sketch is there to inspire us). I've been to so many balloon festivals over the years and there always is a beautiful Patriotic themed balloon or two. Our little adventurous bunny from the new set Away We Go decided that she would take her balloon up right when they are shooting off the fireworks. Lots of wonderful TCP goodness here, including my new favorite Cloud Border CutUps. The Flower Button CutUps are showing off doing double duty as my fabby fireworks. The wonderful Icing CutUps are also making an appearance here.

Detail shot:



All right, so that is all from me! Head on over to the wonderfully talented Jenny's blog and prepare to be dazzled!

Linda

Kick Some Grass!

Hello and welcome to Day 7 of The Cat's Pajamas Sneaky Peek Week! Tonight is the night where Alma will have all the new goodies added to her store. She usually opens up the new store front right after the Pajama Party over on SCS (and Alma is always so generous during and after the Pajama Party that I'm betting that it will really be worth your time to don your pajamas and come chat with us *wink wink*) . I don't know about you, but in the words of Spongebob Squarepants "I'm Ready....I'm Ready...I'm Ready"! LOL!

The set that we are peeking today is Kick Some Grass! That SUPER cute bunny is making one last appearance in this release just chilling out in a field full of flowers and grass. The Cloud Border die makes yet another appearance here (I might as well just keep it in a basket on my desk) along with that BEAUTIFUL new lacey looking butterfly (oh the plans I have for this butterfly). The butterfly is actually cut twice and the wings on the top layer are bent up to make it look like it is flying. The body has some purple rhinestones from my stash to make it even prettier (if that is possible). Also used my favorite Grass CutUps and some wonderful Purple Plum Divine Twine. All patterned paper is a new company to me named Lily Bee Design and this is from their Picket Fence line.

Detail shot

Thanks for stopping by today....hope to chat with you at the party!

Linda

Away We Go

Good Morning and welcome to day 6 of Sneaky Peek week from The Cat's Pajamas!! I have yet another awesome new set that I am sharing with you today called Away We Go!!!! Flopsy (as I like to call her) has now decided that she wants to give hot air balooning a try.

Now Flopsy's balloon was already swanky, but I've fancied up her balloon just a wee bit more by stamping that illustrious and well loved Sprinkle on her balloon (anyone that knows me, knows that Sprinkle has a well earned place in my heart). I actually stamped Sprinkle first, and then went over that swanky feline with the fabulous clear stamp and was able to position everything perfectly. That wonderful new Cloud Die is REALLY making an appearance here. I was just playing around with all my new goodies/stash, and had cut out multiple clouds on that wonderful glittery paper. I had them all lined up one on top of the other, and the I happened to look over on my desk and see a sketch (Jen's March SFYTT) that I had printed out a while back that worked perfectly.




Detail shot:

Have a wonderful day!

Linda

Wheel Love

Meet Rose.

She is the bicycle that I treated myself to last summer. She is all pink and girlie and I love her. Believe me when I say that together we turn heads and ellicit smiles when riding around the neighborhood with my two boys. The only thing that Rose needs is a pretty basket in front and the ensemble will then be complete.

Now I totally dedicate the next picture that you're going to see to Rose. After all, this next bicycle is all pink and girlie too.

And it already has the perfect little basket in front.

Here is a detail shot showing the "white wall" tires and the sparkly weaving on the basket. Those little daisies are pretty special too, with their sparkly little yellow centers.

The wonderful new set featured here is Wheel Love (and I truly do LOVE her) along with the awesome new Cloud CutUps die. These new stamps and dies will be available from The Cats Pajamas on June 27th (right after the Pajama Party at SCS). The pajama party is always tons of fun! Last time there was lots of swooning over a certain American Idol judge (I won't name names).

Lots of other TCP goodies were used here from my stash. There is Green Apple and Lemon Divine Twine along with various CutUps (Grass and Flower Button used on this card).

Thanks for stopping by and hope you enjoyed the peek!

Linda