My first challenge for 2s4u......#26

WOW! I can hardly believe it!! It's my first challenge as a 2sketches4you DT! I'm trippin' with excitement....I'm sure you can't tell! lol Ok, on to the sketch.....I decided I would go ahead and tackle the bonus sketch feature. It was a fun learning experience and now I can sit back and relax. Knowing that it's done and did! :D

It will be so fun getting to know all of you better! I can hardly wait to see all your fabulous creations!! I hope you get to play along this week!!



So, here's my card. Using down loaded printables sponsored by the Cutting Cafe ( I have to add...they have some GREAT images!) All the images I used are by the Cutting Cafe.

Below is the actual bonus Sketch

I would love to have you make a card based on my sketch! Although, it is not required to be eligible for the prize at 2sketches4you. I can't wait to see what you create!! Happy Monday!

~lori

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simply scrappy.....

Hey all....I'm sorry for the late post. We were out of town this weekend with basically, no service. Last week I was extra packed with appointments and getting ready for our weekend excursion. So, here's my little contribution to this week challenge at The Pink Elephant.....

Our Little Man

This is our only boy....he is my little love bug! He tells me several times everyday...."I Love You Mommy"....I hope he never stops! :)

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let's mix things up....

For the sake of change....I thought I would give you a little tour of my crafty space. It's a room I LOVE and spend a lot of "quality" time in. One of my favorite things about this room is, it's a balcony/loft. It looks out over our L.R. and front door. So I ALWAYS know what going on. Which in turn. Allows me to create more often.
I am one of those people that don't like to "see" clutter. I hung fabric over the bookcases to hide my supplies. The old buffet and cabinet also house supplies. The buffet houses paper, stickers and SB albums. The cabinet is full of stamps and ink.

You see the side of the buffet at the top of the stairs.

The cabinet is to the right of the stairs.



There is a short hallway to the right of the tree. Our munchkins bedrooms branch off of it.



My hubby bought this table and chairs for me at an auction for sixty dollars. It fit this room to a T!

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Caardvarks goes Unity.....

Happy Tuesday everyone! I bring you a couple cards based on Caarvarks new challenge graciously sponsored by..... Unity Stamp Co. they supplied the Crew with stamps to use for their sample cards, and they will be providing a stampy prize to the winner of this challenge! Unity -
" A stamp company based in the purpose of Uniting creativity. Unity Stamps are made with all creative women in mind. Scrapbooking, Cardmaking, Altered Art - you name it - Unity has the image for your project. The deeply etched red rubber is stellar in quality. Our stamps are pre-cut, ready to use right out of the package. Unity is more than a stamp company. It is becoming a comm{unity} of woman all with the intention of touching lives through their creative talent. Our product reflects that. Quality, Unique, Trendy, Fresh and Full of Variety." Have a look at that prize package!!! WOWZERS!!!! So, you'll really want to join in on this one....All you have to do is create a new card using a verse or quote (careful here....not a sentiment). It can sometimes be easy to mistake a sentiment as a verse or quote. :D I hope to see you at Caarvarks!!! Scroll down for my samples. (Jen worked so hard on this post for the new challenge.... I think it turned out FABULOUS!)

Sample #1......

Supplies: K & Company PP (Baily), SU cardstock (close to cocoa), Stamp (Unity) Green Stack chipboard (DCWV), Ink: Stampin' UP (close to cocoa), Border: Cosmo Cricket

Sample #2

Supplies: g.c.d Studios PP ( Provence), Card stock: Stampin' UP (black), Stamp (Unity), Ink: Stampin' UP (black, kraft), ribbon (recycled)

*Notice how the g.c.d Studios PP has a flocked texture. It's so rich looking IRL!

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teacher gift set...

Just a quick post here....I wanted to share this little gift set I put together today. The pencil holder came from Hobby Lobby. It was reg. 1.47 but I got it 30% off. I used the Green Stack line by DCWV. I've fallen in love with all those sweet animals!! :D

I thought this set could also be used for a guy teacher. It's not frilly and fussy.

The Spellbinders Labels 1 came in handy for this project. I think they're my favorite die so far!

I used the labels 1 to make a window for this cutesy little owl. The owl is DCWV chipboard. Some of my favorite chipboard to date!! :D

Wishing you all a wondeful evening!

~lori

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i'm honored to finally say......

OLY CAMOLY.....I'm one of the summer 09' DT's for 2sketches for you! I could hardly wait until today to share this......I enjoy their challenges so much...they've challenged me to step it up with their unique card sketches! If you've never participated at 2sketches4you. I challenge you to. I think you would enjoy it!! :) Here's the cards I submitted for the DT call.....


Laura's Sketch

Kazan's Sketch

I hope you all are having a happy Monday! Thanks so much for all your support!

~lori

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wide open spaces......

Welcome to another Pink Elephant challenge. This week it's a recipe challenge(refer to link in this post).






A week or so ago....I ordered some Melissa Frances goodies. The patterned paper and rub-on are Melissa Frances. I enjoyed using it for my first time. I'll definitely be ordering more!




Sometimes....I get in the mood to leave "wide open spaces". I wanted the pitcher to be the focal point. So, I didn't add too much frou frou .

Well.....I survived the b-day party! TG! We had 70 something people here. All the hard work paid off...when you see everyone having such a good time! Thankfully, the weather held out til the party was over....Even though we had LARGE canopies set up. Rain is NOT a good thing when you have an outdoor party! The cakes turned out so cute! I'll post some pics when I get a spare moment!! :) Well, I'll quit rambling! Have a great Monday!!

~lori

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a little birdie told me.....

This little number is for KWERNER#50 . If you haven't checked it out yet....you should. She has some great prizes up for grabs!!

When I have down time (like, hardly ever) I sometimes sit and sketch out card l/o's. This card is a product of one of those sketches. I used scrap card stock to create the base. The circles are various sizes I created using circle punches. I used K & Company PP and Stampin' UP card stock. The little birdie is Green Stack chipboard from DCWV.

The colors aren't "true" due the lighting. It was cloudy when I took the photo today. I'm sorry about the quality of the photo.

Supplies

Ink: choc. chip

stamp: Heidi Grace

card stock: Stampin' UP (white, tempting turquoise, riding hood red, so saffron)

patterned paper: K & Company (Baily)

circle punches: 1", 1 3/8", 1 3/4 "

chipboard: Green Stack (DCWV)

Button: yellow (foof-a-la)

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butterfly trio....sitting in the sun....

My sweet daughters went in Dollar Tree a week or so ago and came out with these darling butterfly stickers. They had bought them for me.....I thought they had pretty good taste and couldn't wait to use them. The perfect opportunity came along when I noticed Card Patterns current sketch.....I thought these butterflies fit the bill!!

The card stock is summer sun , black and basic gray (Stampin' UP). The butterflies are from Dollar Tree. The rub-ons are from g.c.d Studios. Pretty pearls are from Melissa Frances. The scalloped and circle punch are from Stampin' UP.

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a big star....

I know I say it all the time....but I thoroughly enjoy 2sketches4you challenges. This week was no different! I love the large star as the focal point!! I used the star from the George Cricut template. It was a perfect fit for a 5 1/2 by 5 1/2 square card. I used Greenstack chipboard from DCWV. It is such a cute line! The PP is g.c.d Studios (Schooled collection). If you haven't used any of their PP. Go for it! I LOVE it!! The little HB sentiment is Heidi Grace!

I hope all of you are having a happy Wednesday......mine consisted of cake baking and icing making for two of my munchkins b-day party coming up Friday. It's a frazzling and large ordeal. But the kids enjoy it. And we do too! DH went to pick up the hog tonight to roast for the party. Yum....it is soooo good.....

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chocolate for mom.....

I enjoy making chocolate candy. So, when I spied this MOM candy mold at the cake store I had to buy it. I made one for my mom and one for my MIL. The chocolate is white almond bark. It melts perfectly! The almond bark is also inexpensive and it goes a long way!
The box only cost 99 cents. But I had to create the window. The lid of the box was solid so I had to cut the top out of it. I recycled the window sheet from an embellishment pack.
If you haven't bought any g.c.d Studios PP. You should! I LOVE it! The texture and quality are amazing! This box is lovingly "wrapped" in it! It is one of the designs g.c.d Studios sent me. I must say...I'm hooked! :)


The embellishments are by K & Company. I bought this 3-d pack off ebay. I love shopping ebay for supplies I can't get around here!

I'm off to put my munchkins to bed.....g'night !

~lori

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a card, gifts 'N' more...

Today is such a beautiful Spring day! The sun is shining, there's a brisk breeze blowing and the smells are glorious!! It makes me anxious to get outside and work in the flower beds! But before I head outside...I wanted to share these creations with you......

At the Pink Elephant this week....you'll be challenged with this fun sketch. (You'll notice I flipped mine vertically.) I hope you find time to play this week! There's a gift certificate up for grabs. I can't wait to see what you create!

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I had so much fun making the pillow I posted previously that I thought I'd make a couple more....One reason I enjoy making them so much is. They come together in about 30 minutes (each). That's completely finished and ready for a photograph. This material is 1.50 a yrd at Wal-mart. I love the texture of it. It's soft but crisp looking. The flowers are felt cut outs. I have a couple cans of them laying around. So, I thought using them on these pillows would be perfect. My oldest daughter loved them....I'll have to let her make one for her room. In pink of course!

They would also make cute Mother's Day

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I don't know about you....but I love my house to smell yummy! So, it's full of Bath and Body Works smelly goods! I bought an oil diffuser several months ago and wasn't to enthralled with it's plain jane looks. So, one day I got a brilliant idea.....I decided to decorate it. Now it matches my living room decor perfectly. This would also, make awesome gifts. I've seen a ton of different oil diffusers in all shapes and sizes. But none of them were "cute". This is the perfect way to jazz them up for a friend or relative. Who wouldn't love this decorated oil diffuser to match their decor?! :)

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My mom (like most mothers) loves gifts made by her children.....This is one of her Mother's Day gifts from me. I took a 2.00 frame (Wal-mart) and added some buttons, trim, ribbon, roses and viola`....this hanging frame was born. I have to admit....I couldn't wait til Mother's Day. I had to show it to her. Needless to say, she loved it. And insisted that in itself was enough. Of course, I will be getting her something else besides the frame. I'm thinking about a gift card from HL. She's started getting into paper crafting a little bit lately.

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I hope you all have a great day! I'm planning to......I'm SO thankful for all the blessings I receive each day from above!!

P.S. I have another fun Mother's Day gift planned. I hope to get it posted today.

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umbreallas + mother's day = love

Mother's Day becomes more special with each passing year. Our little brood has increased to 4 over the last few years. As our children are getting older.....I realize that this is the most critical time of motherhood. What they learn now will shape them into the adults they will too soon become! It is important to me. To spend enough time with my children. So that when they're grown and gone and our nest is empty....our little broad will want to come home from time to time and spend time with us. Here is a little something I created for Mother's Day.....

I mostly used Cosmo Cricket goodies here. The card stock is stampin' up. I think the border is Heidi Grace. The sentiment is a cheapy and the little primas are making memories.

~lori

EDIT: the umbrella is in the Cosmo Cricket kit. it's a die cut. but be sure I'm going to use the negative to make my own!! :)

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stamping and sewing....

I've been busy this week working on different projects.....I had a so much fun creating this hand stamped decorative pillow. This is a 30 minute project and $1.00 a yrd. material! So, this is a SUPER inexpensive yet stunning gift for a friend or relative . I just bought some more ink, ribbon and material. I'm anxious to pop out a few more!! :)


Not a long boring post.....I just wanted to share this home made good-y with you! ~Lori

Edit: The material is like a black denim.....but it's lighter on one side. I stamped the image with stazon.

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cupcakes, butterflies and soccer balls.....

Tomorrow is our sons 6th birthday....so in honor of his special day. I done the mom thing and made cupcakes to take into his class tomorrow. No, these butterfly aren't for him!! Long story short...DD was sick with strep on her birthday and missed out on getting her little birthday party at school. So, I made hers along with his today. I can truthfully say, I enjoyed this baking adventure. All 40 something butterflies, cupcakes and soccer balls!! I gotta add the 2lbs of icing I made...Since I haven't baked anything cool lately. I usually make their birthday cakes in a theme they choose. I must be getting geared up for that! lol

My sweet little helper worked beside me with her 3 yr. old sized apron on......she cracked all the eggs for me and put all the baking cups in the pans. We had such a happy time!

The butterflies are made out of melted chocolate. They look difficult but they're very quick and easy to make!


I found these baking cups at Wal-Mart and thought it would be cute to use soccer ball from the Sporting Goods stamp set by Stampin' UP to make picks to coordinate with the soccer baking cups. To make the picks. (1.) I stamped the soccer ball. (2.) Embossed it. (3.) Punched it out. (4.) Applied hot glue to the back of the soccer ball. (5.) Placed toothpick in the glue. They're ready to use in just a few minutes!

We're headed to town...gotta run! Have a happy evening!! :) ~Lori

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trees if you please.....

Happy Monday to all!! I have a few things to share with you! C: Before I start rambling...Here's the cards I created for the challenge...Please scroll down for all the info.

WOW!! It's time again for another Caarvarks spectacular!! Time flies when you're having fun!! :)
Taylored Expressions is the sponsor for the current challenge. You definitely don't want to miss this!! All you have to do is create a card with a tree of any make, year or model......and post it on the Caarvarks site via Mr. Linky......by midnight APRIL 30th......to be eligible for the prize. Remember, the entries will be voted on. So, let us see what you got!! C:

This is the set the lucky winner will receive.

Don't forget to check out the Card Crew's talented creations. You will see some FABULOUS eye candy and you'll get some serious inspiration!!

Supplies for Daddy Card

card stock: SU, black

patterned paper: K & Company, Basic Grey

Stamp: stampin' UP (lovely as a tree)

Ink: black

ribbon: Wright's: Nesties, Label 1, circle scallop

Other: clear embossing powder, brad, paper piercing

Supplies for birdie card:

card stock: kraft

chipboard: DCWV (Green Stack)

borders: Cosmo Cricket

Other: twine, pinking shears, cuttlebug, rhinestones

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roosters and bumble bees...

At the Pink Elephant this week...the challenge is celebrating Earth Day. That means dig around and find something recycled and "use it". An old hair piece, broken jewelry, recycled packaging. That's only a few! I'm sure you all will come up with some amazing ideas!! My recycled item is from a broken pony tail holder. I usually hang on to all the fancy fun stuff like that!

I used some fun Tuscan style paper on this card. The PP and die cuts are from g.c.d Studios. I love their paper packs! They come with a page of die cuts, stickers and a clear overlay! Yummy stuff I tell ya!!

~ Lori

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digi kit delights

This probably won't impress you card makers very much but here's my FIRST ever digi scrapbook page. I'm over the top excited that I actually figured out how to do it! :D So, you will be seeing more of these from me! I created this in PhotoScape (free download) using Rhonna Farrer's Spring Frippery and vintage text mini digi kits. The kits are from Two Peas in a Bucket. I love how inexpensive and quick digi scrapping is!

I hope your weekend is super fabulous! ~ Lori

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porcelain blue and yellow......

I didn't get to the sketch last week. So, I made it a priority for this week.......and here it is. This card literally took about 15 minutes to create. Nothing fancy here.....but I like the sweet simplicity of it!

The stamp in the "window" is by Heidi Grace. The flowers I bought at Joannes. A pack of 5 for a dollar. The ribbon is from the $ Tree and so are the large pearl pins. The punches and CS are from SU. Last but not the least....the patterned paper (Provence) is from g.c.d Studios. I have completely fallen in love with their paper!! It's also sturdy and has rich tones and texture!

Thanks so much for stopping by!! I hope you all have a fabulous weekend!! ~ Lori

P.S. I'll be posting some more projects this weekend..... :D

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guest DT for My Stamp Box

These bright and happy projects were inspired by the stamps Bettina sent for being the guest DT at My Stamp Box this month. For the l/o. I combined the He Says She Says stamp set with Cosmo Cricket PP and card stock stickers. The medallion rub-on is K & Company.

I loved working outside the box to create these cards!

One of the neat things about My Stamp Box sets is.....they come in a CD type case. It makes storing and organizing them so simple. That alone is a plus for me!

Be sure to stop by My Stamp Box.....I don't think you'll be disappointed in their products.

I also want to thank Bettina for this great opportunity to use her products! It was a great pleasure to work with her! ~Lori

Supplies:

main stamps: Splash Me A Lot (alphabet), He Says She Says by My Stamp Box

cardstock: Stampin' UP

patterned paper: Cosmo Cricket

ribbon: Offray

heart brads: Making Memories

scallop: Cosmo Cricket

other: ric-rac, labels 1 nestabilities, cuttlebug, button, rhinestone, pinking shears, glitter

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