Stampin Scrapper

The Craft's Meow March 2012 Release Previews - Day 2

2012-03-18T07:00:00.000-04:00

Are you looking for my Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge post? It's right here...check it ou! :)

Hello again! Welcome back! It's Day 2 of The Craft's Meow March 2012 Release Previews. Today we're introducing Cherished by Nina Brackett. It's a gorgeously graphic set with beautiful sentiments.

We have another challenge for today. It's an inspiration challenge. You have until 9:00 pm Pacific on March 31 to enter and have a chance to win some cool prizes. Just link your card over at The Craft's Meow Blog.

Here's our inspiration photo.

Here's my card for the preview and inspiration challenge.

I stamped the main image on vintage cardstock and distressed the edges with ink. It's such a beautiful and intricate background. I love it. The lace trim is from M&J Trimming. The purple ribbon was just a strip I found in my ribbon drawer. I can't remember where I bought it from...probably from Joann's.

I stamped the flowers onto a purple card stock. I did this several times and hand cut some of the blooms. Then I layered the hand cut ones over the bunch with foam tape. I also placed some silver pearls on the flowers to break the solid color.

I made a banner for part of the sentiment. Then placed the rest on a label from Timeless Tags. I am loving the colors in this card. I had such a great time making it. Even though it was a little tedious cutting the flowers. lol! When it comes out beautiful in the end...to me...it's worth all the time spent hand cutting. :)

That's it for me today! I have more to come tomorrow! Join our challenge and win some prizes! You can also leave a comment on the TCM blog to win. Now go and hop on over to the other TCM girls' blogs. Don't forget to leave them messages! :)

Thanks for stopping by today! See you again tomorrow! :)

Supplies Used:

InLinkz.com

The Craft's Meow March 2012 Release Previews - Day 1

2012-03-17T07:00:00.001-04:00

Hello! Welcome to Day 1 of The Craft's Meow March 2012 Release Previews! You are in for a whirlwind surprise this month! Aside from the release, TCM's design team is growing! Please help us welcome the newest members of the team.

Amy Wanford

Jackie Rockwell

Jen Cuthbertson

But wait! It doesn't end there! We have special guests as well!

Amy Kolling

Deborah Nolan

For Day 1 of the March previews, we are introducing 2 sets, Beautiful Spring and Mother & Father. And since it's TCM's birthday Month, we have a sketch challenge to go along with Day 1. Here's the sketch and my cards for today's previews.

I have two cards for today, let's start with the first one. I made a card for the sketch challenge, combining both sets.

I stamped this beautiful flower from Beautiful Spring, colored it and added some glitter. I stamped it twice and layered a smaller piece over the bigger piece.

Then I added the butterfly wings, sentiment banner and lace.

For my second card, I used Beautiful Spring once more and made this sweet little card for my mom.

I made a little envelope from patterned paper and used a PTI die cut as the flap. Then I added the sentiment, ribbon and lace.

I stamped the butterflies and hand cut them, then adhered them in place.

I hope you enjoyed that! How are you liking Beautiful Spring and Mother & Father so far? You have a chance to win both sets over at The Craft's Meow Blog. Just leave a message, or join the challenge! Easy!

The deadline to leave those comments is 9:00pm PDT, Friday, March 23rd

The deadline for the challenge will be

9:00pm PDT, Saturday, March 31st

The rules will be posted on the TCM blog, so you can refer to them there.

Now head on to the other TCM girls' blogs. Make sure to leave them a message. We really love it when you leave messages. As for me, I'm really happy to read it when people like what I've made for them. :)

Come back tomorrow for more previews! See you then! :)

Supplies Used:

Happy Mother's Day

InLinkz.com

For My Mother

InLinkz.com

Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge 89

2012-03-17T03:00:00.000-04:00

Hello! I finally got my new Waltzingmouse stamp sets! They are sooo beautiful! I've just been so busy at work, and coming home late and tired that I haven't had much time to make more cards. Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge was a perfect excuse for me to get inky. Stamping always relaxes me. So it was really nice to be able to make my card for this week's challenge after being so tired from work. Here's our sketch for this week. Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge 89.

I loved how the WMS DT used the Florentine Frippery during the release. I wanted to try to recreate the same flower using this stamp. The background was stamped using Heirloom Patterns. It came out really nicely.

I used a scoring tool to soften the "petals" of my flower. Then I used a bone folder to curl them downwards. I wish I had this color in chalk ink...I can see the rough spots created by the dye ink. Chalk ink is my favorite ink because it stamps very smoothly.

I also stamped some flourishes that are flanking the flower. The image is from Paris Nouveau. And the sentiment is from Join Us.

I hope you enjoyed the card. I had a great time browsing through the submissions from last week. It was sooo hard to choose a favorite! I hope you'll be able to join us this week. Please head on over to the other Mischief Makers for more inspiration for this week's sketch. I'll see you at the Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge! Thanks for stopping by! :)

Supplies Used:

InLinkz.com

CASE Study Challenge 82

2012-03-15T00:05:00.000-04:00

Hi there! How's your week been going? Been busy at work and have become addicted to The Big Bang Theory. I have found my stamping time lessened because I've been watching one episode after another! I just love Sheldon! lol! :)

Anyway, I did manage to sneak in some inky time this week because it's CASE Study Challenge 82. Wow, I can't believe we've had this many challenges already! I was browsing through the submissions from the last challenge and found it hard to pick a favorite!

This week Laura has another card for us to CASE. I'm totally loving this one...

I couldn't decide whether I wanted to follow the color theme or the "house" theme for this challenge. In the end, I made a card using the "house" theme. Here's what I came up with...

I picked some papers from My Mind's Eye 6 x 6 pad and stamped these intricate labels from TCM's Season's Greetings onto the striped card. The gorgeously delicate frame is from WMS Florentine Frippery. I just stamped it on some cream card stock then layered the die cut house on top with some foam tape.

I then stamped the sentiment on a strip of patterned paper, also from the same set. I adhered the strip of paper over some venice lace I bought from M&J Trimming in Manhattan. The image on my link looks different because they didn't have an image of the lace I bought. They have more items to choose from in the store compared to their website. And when I say more items to choose from...I mean MORE.

There's a lot more inspiration in store for you over at the CASE Study Challenge Blog. Hope to see you there this week! Thanks for stopping by.

Supplies Used:

InLinkz.com

The Shabby Tea Room Turns TWO!

2012-03-13T00:00:00.000-04:00

Hello! Today, I'm helping celebrate one of the best online challenge sites in blogland! The Shabby Tea Room is turning TWO this March 15, 2012. And to celebrate, the girls of The Shabby Tea Room are having a week long party over at their blog. They have a TON of prizes lined up for some lucky winners!!! It's going to be so much fun! Check out this post for the entire list.

Happy 2nd Birthday The Shabby Tea Room!!!

I'm really glad to be guest designing for The Shabby Tea Room once more. It's such a great honor to be able to celebrate their 2nd birthday with them. Here's the card I made for today's festivities.

I stamped and die cut this Fillable Frames #4 label and then stamped the sunflower and sentiment on it. The number 2, I stamped and hand cut using the I've Got Your Number stamp set from The Craft's Meow. I popped it up with some foam tape.

Pink comes to mind when I think of The Shabby Tea Room. So this card is infused with a lot of pink. And of course, layers, layers, layers! :) I stamped and hand cut these banners from Waltzingmouse Stamps Bitty Banner. Then I sewed them in place for a little texture.

Head on over to The Shabby Tea Room for more inspiration! Leave them a comment and become a follower for a chance to win some fabulous prizes!!!

Supplies Used:

InLinkz.com

The Play Date Cafe 122

2012-03-12T15:39:00.000-04:00

Hi there! Have you seen the new color challenge on The Play Date Cafe this week? Beautiful! I couldn't resist inking up! I really love this combination, I'm just a little hesitant to use it in real life because the yellow is just so yellow! lol! And I'm more of a neutral colored person. Anyway, before I end up babbling...here's The Play Date Cafe 122 challenge.

This just screamed wedding at me. :) And here's what I came up with.

I made my own background panel using Poinsettia Patterns from WPlus9. Then I embellished with flowers, ribbon and crocheted lace.

I added some leaves from Ever After to the flowers and ribbon that I bunched up on the left side of the card. I stamped them, then colored and hand cut them.

I've added the links to the supplies I used using InLinkz. Some items I bought in bulk and are no longer sold anywhere. So sorry if the list is incomplete. I've been enjoying using the InLinkz program so far. Here's hoping it stays free! :)

Supplies Used:

InLinkz.com

Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge 88

2012-03-10T03:00:00.000-05:00

Hi there! Yay! It's finally the weekend. It seemed like such a long week. I was waiting for my new Waltzingmouse Stamps to arrive for this sketch challenge but they haven't arrived yet. Hopefully they'll be here for the next challenge. This week's sketch if from Renee. Here it is, for Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge 88.

When I saw this sketch, I immediately grabbed my Back In The Saddle stamp set. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it in the beginning. And I just sat there looking at the stamp set and the sketch. Then I had my light bulb moment. lol! And this is what I came up with...

I wanted to make a girly, cowgirl card. So I used soft tones and lace to bring it all together. I was contemplating on using dies for the squares but decided on using my pinking shears instead. I think it looks better and more "cowgirl-ish". :)

It's not very visible, but I actually stamped "It's Your Big Day" on the cream cardstock before I dry embossed it with the woodgrain impression plate. I have most of my supplies listed down with links below, but I left out the twine, button (Michael's) and lace (M&J Trimming).

I made this one last minute because I've been so busy this week with work. But it was sooo much fun to make. And it was a great stress relief to make it on a weekend. I hope you can join us this week at Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge. You'll be seeing more cards once my new sets arrive!!! Eeeep!!! I'm so excited to get them! :)

Check out what the other Mischief Makers have made this week! I'll see you over at the Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge Blog. Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies Used:

InLinkz.com

CASE Study Challenge 81

2012-03-08T00:05:00.004-05:00

Hello! It's been a few days since I last posted. I've been a bit busy making some cards for a new release this month as well as some submissions for magazine calls. I'm back with CASE Study Challenge 81 today though and hopefully I'll have time to join some of my favorite card challenges. Let's begin shall we?

Our March muse, the lovely Miss Laura Bassen, has another gorgeous CAS card ready for us this week. I wish I had a handle on CAS cards as well! lol!

This is one of my favorite color combination for kraft cardstock. It's CAS and elegant at the same time. I was inspired by the beautiful colors and came up with this...

My Papertrey Ink box was waiting for me at home on Monday. I've been having so much fun with my new "toys" ever since. All supplies used on this card are from PTI, except for the ribbon and lace.

I'm not very good with aligning detailed stamps onto die cuts like this so I used my Stamp-a-ma-jig on it. It came out beautifully. I was lucky with the cameo, I stamped it in one go and didn't have to use a tool.

I've just started using the InLinkz Link Manager and this is the first time I'm going to use it. I hope it works well! It's a little time consuming in the beginning because you have to input the items that you've used. But I think eventually when I've put in the usual stuff I use it won't be so tedious. It's a wonderful program! :)

I would LOVE to see what you make of this CASE Study Challenge. Please come and join us for some friendly and inky competition! See you there! :)

Supplies Used:

InLinkz.com

Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge 87

2012-03-03T03:00:00.000-05:00

Hi all! It's finally the weekend, it took long enough. I feel drained.

This wonderful craft we all share always manages to bring back the spring in my step. I'm really grateful I found it and share it with so many of you.

Let's see if we can have a little bit more fun this weekend. It's time for Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge 87. Did you see the new release over at the Waltzingmouse store? I was hoping that my new stamps would arrive in time for this sketch challenge. Unfortunately they didn't...so I'm crossing my fingers that they find themselves in my hands in time for next week's challenge.

Let's get to this week's sketch...

This one's from our sweet Renee. It's a lovely sketch with a LOT of possibilities. Here's what I made with it...

I was inspired by this beautiful patterned paper from My Mind's Eye. I stamped part of the background panel using Dainty Doilies - Large Set.

Then I made a label using Vintage Labels No. 10. The sentiment is from Fancy Phrases. I added some ribbon, flowers and a little dangling charm to soften up the card.

Won't you come and join us this week for some creative fun? I do so enjoy browsing through all the beautiful submissions. I'll see you there! Thanks for stopping by today! :)

The Craft's Meow - No Greater Love Blog Hop

2012-03-02T07:00:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! There's a lot going on with The Craft's Meow this month! It's TCM's 1 year anniversary this month! Lisa and the team has a TON of stuff prepared for everyone! It's going to be a fun and exciting month! So yesterday we started off with the March Sketch Challenge...today we're introducing a little Easter set from Nina Brackett, No Greater Love.

If you've just come from Iwona "Chupa" Palamountain's blog then you're in the right spot. If not you can head on over to the TCM blog and start from the beginning. Here's what I made with my set...

Nina has outdone herself this time. The images on this set are just spectacular. It's a small set, but it packs a lot of punch. I'm sure you'll love it! It will be available on the store in time for everyone to make their Easter cards.

This month is a BIG release month. So hang on to your hats! TCM is going to bring you on a fun and inky whirlwind ride! :)

Here's the list for the Blog Hop just in case you're lost! :)

The Craft's Meow Blog
Amy Tsuruta
Ivana Camdzic
Iwona Palamountain
Jean Martin
Jessica Fick
Julie Ranae

Karen Baker
Lindsay Amrhein
Michelle Bertuzzi

Have you seen this over at the TCM Blog? Read on...

Speaking of our birthday celebration, we have this cute little badge that we would love for you to add to your blog to help spread the word. This will also be important when it comes to winning prizes, so stay tuned for more about that later!

So let's start out right now with prize opportunities, shall we? As of this writing, we have 1,285 friends on our Facebook Page! How about we invite more people to join us?

If we get to 1,500 friends by March 31st I will award a $25 Gift Certificate to a randomly drawn friend to spend in the TCM store AND to the friend who referred her/him!!!
If we get to 1,750 friends by March 31st, I will bump it up to a $50 Gift Certificate to each!!!
If we get to 2,000 friends by March 31st, I will bump it up to a $100 Gift Certificate to each!!!

Can we get to 2,000??? You betcha!!! Please like us on Facebook if you don't already, and if you do, then please share our Facebook page with your friends. Remember, you have a chance to win both as a friend and as the one who refers the winner to our page!!!

The Craft's Meow March Sketch Challenge

2012-03-01T07:00:00.001-05:00

Hello again! It's my second post for the day, so please scroll down for my CASE Study Challenge 80 post.

Wow! It's already March! And with the new month comes a new March Sketch Challenge for The Craft's Meow. Our beautiful sketch for this month is provided by the very talented Nina Brackett. Here's this week's sketch.

Here's my card submission for the challenge. I made another birthday card for my friend 'coz I couldn't decide which one I wanted to send her! lol! Help!

I pulled out my TCM stamp sets for most of this card. I also added a little sprinkle of WMS as well. The numbered sentiment is party from TCM's I've Got Your Number and WMS' Fancy Phrases. The bird cage is from Tweet of You. And the post stamp is from Telegram. The cute buttons on the banner are from Sew Lovely. And the swirls that I stamped on my patterned paper is from Flourishes: Scallops and Dots.

I layered some labels and inserted my banner in between them. These have got to be my favorite label dies.

Well, saturated with TCM goodness yet? lol! Why don't you come join us over at the blog? There are prizes involved...as always! Lisa is so generous! :)

See you over at the blog!

CASE Study Challenge 80

2012-03-01T00:05:00.000-05:00

Hi bloggies! It's been a few days since my last post. I've been busy making cards for some company releases coming up. I'm back today though with another card. This one is for CASE Study Challenge 80.

Since it's already March, we have a new muse. Let us all welcome the fabulously talented Laura Bassen! It's going to be a whole month of gorgeous CAS cards in CASE Study Challenge Blog. It'll be good CAS practice for me! :)

Here's what Laura has for us this week.

Oh my word, this is super cute. I love the layered heart! And those wonderful colors are perfect! I took my inspiration from all the wonderful repeated layering...and this is what I came up with.

I layered different shades of pink scallop borders and used it as a "skirt" for my card. Since Easter is coming soon, I made an Easter card. Aren't those "chickies" super cute?! I kept the top portion of the card pretty simple in keeping with the CAS style. The Easter stamp set is from The Craft's Meow, Owl See You In Spring.

I'm almost positively sure that the CASE Study blog will be bombarded with wonderful CAS cards this week! I can't wait to see what you'll all come up with! Thanks for stopping by today! I'll see you again in a bit for another challenge! :)

Hugs!!!! ~ Jean

PDCC 120 and Card Patterns 154

2012-02-26T21:07:00.000-05:00

Hi all! I have a card I made for 2 challenges today. It's for PDCC 120 and Card Patterns 154. I absolutely love the colors they have in PDCC120 so I couldn't resist inking up. And I love card sketches...they give me a set purpose when I'm not sure in which direction I want to go. Here they are...

And here's what I came up with...

I used Make a Wish from Papertrey Ink for my card. And I used My Mind's Eye patterned papers. Flowers are from Recollections. The butterfly is a punch from Martha Stewart.

My best friend's birthday is in March and I wanted to make something for her. The colors here were perfect since I know she loves them. She's in the Philippines so it will probably take almost 2-3 weeks before she actually gets this in the mail. I hope the flowers, ribbon, etc. make it through the long trip.

Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge 86

2012-02-25T03:00:00.000-05:00

Hi peeps! I'm back with another card for Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge 86. This one had me stumped for a few days. lol! I just didn't have a lot of mojo and was getting quite frustrated. I hate it when that happens!!!

Finally, after some time just browsing a few magazines, I found my mojo. lol! I always do that when I've lost my mojo. I look at blogs and magazines. I usually pick up a thing or two that inspires me and it has my mind working on how I want to incorporate it into my card.

Here's Jen's sketch for this week.

This is what I came up with. I picked up this Melissa Frances patterned paper and wanted to pair it with purple and black. The stamps I used were: Victorian Frippery, Say It Loud, and Very Vintage Labels No. 10.

I added a flower, ribbon, some butterflies, bling and twine to finish it up. I love this color combo...it's neutral with just a little splash of color...and quite feminine too. :)

The other mischief makers have more for you...so pass by their blogs too! Thanks for stopping by today. I've been loving your comments...they really do make my day. I'll see you all again soon! Hugs! :)

CASE Study Challenge 79

2012-02-23T00:00:00.001-05:00

Hi everyone! Whew! I needed a little down time in between releases and work. But I'm back with a new card for everyone. It's Thursday, so welcome to CASE Study Challenge 79!

I hope you're all ready to join us once again for some creative fun.

We have another project from our wonderful February muse; Karola, this week. Here it is...this one is actually a decorative frame. Isn't is great what she did with this? I'm not very good with 3D projects. I hope to remedy that in the near future.

The paper rosette, flowers and banner caught my attention. So I made a card using similar elements. Instead of making a paper rosette I used a medallion and a doily die cut instead. I tried to make the rosettes before, but because I didn't have a glue gun, it wouldn't stay in place. What adhesive do you use for your paper rosettes?

All stamps used on this card are from WPlus9. The flowers are from this month's release, Folk Art Florals. And the medallions are from Mehndi Medallions. I enjoyed layering the circular florals in my WMS blog hop card that I tried to incorporate that into this card once more. They look really nice grouped together like that.

Well, that's that for me. Please join us this week for another round of CASE Study Challenge. I hope you to see your wonderful work in the submissions gallery. Thank you for stopping by today. Enjoy the rest of your week! Hugs! ~ Jean

The Craft's Meow February 2012 Release Blog Hop

2012-02-20T07:00:00.001-05:00

Hi! We've finally come to the end of our previews. I hope you've enjoyed every day of it and have been inspired by the TCM design team. It's not quite over yet though, today is The Craft's Meow February 2012 Release Blog Hop.

If you've just come from Iwona "Chupa" Palamountain's blog then you're in the right place. If not, head on over to The Craft's Meow Blog and start there. :)

For the blog hop, I've combined Sew Lovely and I've Got Your Number to make my card. Let's get to it then...

I've made a sweet 16th birthday card. I wanted it feminine and yet fun at the same time. I used I've Got Your Number and made a sweet little background panel. I also used it to make the sentiment for my card.

I stamped the B image and hand cut it, then stamped day on the label from Timeless Tags.

I stamped these button images from Sew Lovely and die cut them. Then I sewed them over some lace. Aren't they cute??? I told you they could be used for more than just vintage themed cards.

As always, you have a chance to win prizes over at the TCM blog. All you have to do is to leave a message on EACH of the DT members' blogs. Lisa will randomly pick a winner. Here's the blog hop order for your reference.

The Craft's Meow Blog
Amy Tsuruta
Ivana Camdzic
Iwona Palamountain
Jean Martin
Jenny Suchin
Jessica Fick
Julie Ranae
Lindsay Amrhein
Michelle Bertuzzi
Nina Brackett

Before I go, there's just one more surprise I have to leave with you...we have a very special release kit from Ivana Camdzic. You can view it over at the TCM blog as well as the TCM store.

You can head on over to Jenny Suchin's blog now...don't forget to leave a message for a chance to win some prizes!!! Thanks for stopping by today. I'll see you again soon!

The Craft's Meow February 2012 Release Preview: Day 4

2012-02-19T07:00:00.001-05:00

Hello again! It's Day 4 of The Craft's Meow February 2012 Release Previews. Welcome back! We have one more set to showcase today before the full reveal and blog hop. Today we're featuring Sew Lovely designed by the wonderful Nina Brackett.

This lovely set is filled with wonderful vintage images! I absolutely LOVE it! Here's what I came up with...

Some images from this set are compatible with Spellbinders dies. It's great that way, specially for those people who don't really like to hand cut.

I kept the colors neutral and muted for this card...you know how I love neutrals! :)

I luv, luv, luv the different button images in this set. They are sooo versatile...I'm going to show you more tomorrow! I had a blast with this set and I have a feeling I will be using a lot more of it in the future.

Do you want to win this set? Easy! Just leave a comment at The Craft's Meow Store Blog.

Join us tomorrow for the full reveal and the blog hop!!! There are more prizes to be given away! Thanks for stopping by today. I hope I've provided you with some inspiration. See you tomorrow! :)

The Craft's Meow Blog
Amy Tsuruta
Ivana Camdzic
Iwona Palamountain
Jenny Suchin
Jessica Fick
Julie Ranae
Lindsay Amrhein
Michelle Bertuzzi
Nina Brackett

The Craft's Meow February 2012 Release Preview: Day 3

2012-02-18T07:00:00.001-05:00

Hi bloggies! Welcome back! It's Day 3 of The Craft's Meow February 2012 Release Preview. Today we are featuring I've Got Your Number by Kaitlyn Ord.

I had so much fun with this set. Here's what I did with it.

It's was my parent's 38th year anniversary a few weeks ago...so I was inspired to make an anniversary card for them. And one of my favorite color combinations for elegant cards is gray, kraft and cream.

I dry embossed my kraft cardstock and inked the raised areas with white pigment ink. Then I added the lace, some flowers, ribbon...and there you go! This stamp set is going to go a LONG way. It's perfect for ANY card style. You are going to LOVE it!!!

Do you want to win this set? Just head on over to The Craft's Meow Store Blog and leave a comment for Lisa. The other ladies have gorgeous projects made for you. Make sure you check out their blogs! I'll see you again tomorrow. Thanks for stopping by! :)

Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge 85

2012-02-18T03:05:00.000-05:00

Hi! It's finally the weekend! It seems to be going really fast these days. We have our Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge 85 today. Why don't you come and join us for a little crafty fun? We have another sketch from Jen this week. Here we go...

And here's what I came up with. I went with a little bit more shabby chic with this one. Using patterned paper with vintage images, flowers and lace.

I used Cameo Creations and Cameo to Go for this card. I deviated a little from the sketch...you can too! lol! :) I just wanted to make something really feminine. This is what came to mind when I saw the sketch for the first time.

Come join us for a chance to win your choice of WMS stamp set. Check out the other Mischief Makers for more inspiration. I'll see you over there!

Waltzingmouse Stamps Blog Party

2012-02-18T01:35:00.000-05:00

Hi friends! It's Waltzingmouse Stamps Blog Party. Yay! I made it to the party! It seems like I've been missing plenty of these!!! So here I am, armed and ready with a card. lol!

The theme for this month's party is Spring. And when I think of spring, I think of all the wonderful colors, like yellows, greens, and blues. Here's what I did with my card. I wanted to use one of my favorite color combinations, yellow, aqua and light green. When I thought of these colors, I immediately grabbed my Dainty Doilies: large stamp set.

After stamping my background panel, I wanted to add some banners to the side. I die cut the banners and stamped it with Gingham & Co. Then I layered a label over it because it seemed like it was missing something. I knew I wanted to put some flowers in there but I wanted to use something else other than what I always use. So I borrowed Anya's idea and made these instead.

I used the little images from Rescue Remedies for the flowers. That's it for me. I hope you like my card. Join us at the party ok?! See you there! :)

The Craft's Meow February 2012 Release Preview: Day 2

2012-02-17T07:00:00.003-05:00

Hiya! Welcome back! It's Day 2 of The Craft's Meow February Release Previews. Today we're featuring Owl See You in the Spring by Jenny Suchin.

Jenny has made another cute set for us that I'm sure you will all love. Here's what I came up with. I made an Easter card and used this super cute bunny image. I don't know if you can see it, but I lightly stamped a sentiment set on the background.

This stamp set has a lot of cute images for spring. I can imagine them on cards for kids birthday parties, Easter egg hunt parties and many, many more. I stamped the bunny image three times and colored them in.

I also stamped the sentiment three times on a die cut banner. I added a lot of other elements like the burlap, buttons and lace. I wanted there to be a lot of texture and height to my card. I hope I achieved that.

Do you want to win this set? Just leave a comment on the TCM Blog. That's all! And make sure to head on over to see what the other girls have in store for you. I'll see you again tomorrow. Thanks for stopping by! Hugs! :)

The Craft's Meow Blog
Amy Tsuruta
Ivana Camdzic
Iwona Palamountain
Jenny Suchin
Jessica Fick
Julie Ranae
Lindsay Amrhein
Michelle Bertuzzi
Nina Brackett

The Craft's Meow February 2012 Release Preview: Day 1

2012-02-16T07:00:00.001-05:00

***My CASE Study Challenge 78 post is just below...please scroll down.***

Hi 'ya! Welcome to The Craft's Meow Fabruary 2012 Release Day 1! Today we are featuring a new stamp set designed by the very talented Nina Brackett, Tweet of You.

I have always wanted to have a set like this so you can imagine I was very happy to see this come in the mail. It is super, super cute! Here's what I made with my set.

I stamped one of the bird cages in the set and hand cut it. Then I layered it with a die cut doily and a circle. I added the cute little die cut bird as well.

Aside from all of the cute images in this set, it also has sweet little sentiments.

I hope you enjoyed that! Make sure you head on over to the TCM blog, there's a prize waiting for you there and all you have to do is leave a comment! :)

The Craft's Meow Blog
Amy Tsuruta
Ivana Camdzic
Iwona Palamountain
Jenny Suchin
Jessica Fick
Julie Ranae
Lindsay Amrhein
Michelle Bertuzzi
Nina Brackett

CASE Study Challenge 78

2012-02-16T00:00:00.007-05:00

Hi there! Sorry it's been quiet around here. Things have been busy at work and I've been too tired to make anything when I get home. I can't believe I didn't post anything for Valentine's Day though. I felt really bad about that. I'll make it up to you this week!

Did you see the submissions for CASE Study Challenge 77?! Wow! I had a hard time picking a favorite! Well, this week is CASE Study Challenge 78. Time to have a bit og inky fun and some friendly competition. Here's Karola's card this week.

I know I totally missed out on posting anything on Valentine's Day...so I'm making up for it with a Valentine's Day card today. I combined stamps from PTI and WMS. The banners are from Bitty Banners by Waltzingmouse Stamps. I think this is my most used WMS stamp set ever. I just LOVE it!

The label and iron-looking markings are from PTI, Sweet Love stamp set. I tried to add the white dots that Karola used on her card. They were made using enamel accents. I don't have a good control of it though and they didn't come out very uniformly.

By the way, we have a sponsor this week! Yay! It's My Thoughts Exactly. The winner gets to choose 2 stamp sets from their store. Be sure to check out the other ladies over at CASE Study Challenge blog as well! I'll be back in a few for TCM's February release! :)

Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge 84

2012-02-11T03:00:00.001-05:00

Hi there! It's finally the weekend! Breaking Dawn is out in dvd and I have to go get me one! YES. I am one of those people. lol! I have to say the books are better than the movies. But it gets better after the first two movies right? :)

It's also time for some inky fun over at Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge. This week's sketch is from our lovely Jen. It's a great sketch you can work some of your magic on. Here it is...Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge 84.

And here's what I came up with. I wanted to work with some cute images for my card this week...and what could be more cute that the little lamb in the L'il Buddies stamp set.

I stamped the heart label and colored them in with pink. I also colored in the lamb and hand cut it. I added some banners, one to hold my sentiment the other just to add a bit more pink to my card. I adhered it onto a small tag that I tied on the ribbon. The banners are from Bitty Banners, one of my FAVE sets from Waltzingmouse Stamps.

The ribbon is actually a strip of lace that I used in another way. I LOVE wooden buttons...so here's another one of them! :)

That's my card for this week! I hope you liked it. I want to see what you come up with this sketch. Don't forget to check out what the other Mischief Makers have made for you this week. Thanks for stopping by. I'll be seeing you again! Hugs!

PTI 5th Year Anniversary: Day 4

2012-02-09T00:28:00.001-05:00

***Scroll down for my CASE Study Challenge 77 post.***

Hiya! I'm back! I'm trying to catch the PTI Anniversary: Day 4 Contest. Have you seen their giveaway for Day 4? Actually, have you been seeing ALL the goodies they've been giving away since Day 1?! Oh my gosh!!! PTI goodness at it's best.

So here's my submission for Day 4. I chose to use Heather Nichols' favorite color combination...which also happens to be my favorite color combination. :)

I die cut some scalloped strips of patterned paper and layered them one over another. I adhered them over some lace to soften my card a bit. I also die cut the banner and the doily, again layering them.

I stamped the sunflowers and colored it before hand cutting it. Then I added the twine and button. I couldn't help but adding the little tag and the sentiment on it. Here's hoping I can get my hands on some PTI goodies! :)

CASE Study Challenge 77

2012-02-09T00:00:00.001-05:00

Hi bloggies! Sorry it's been a little quiet around here. I've been trying to make some of my DT projects these past few nights for some up coming releases. I hope it wasn't too long a wait, but I'm back for CASE Study Challenge 77 with our fabulous muse Karola.

Here's Karola's card for this week...

And here's my interpretation of it. I took her idea of lining up the embellished labels one on top of another. But instead of round labels, I used tickets, banners and butterflies.

I used Bitty Banners from Waltzingmouse stamps for the stars and banners. The sentiment is from The Craft's Meow, Sent with Love. The dies are from Papertrey Ink.

Last week's submissions were awesome! I couldn't choose a favorite because of all the gorgeous cards! I hope you are all inspired this week as well. I'll see you all over at the CASE Study Challenge Blog! :)

Papertrey Ink 5th Anniversary Day 1 Contest

2012-02-05T16:52:00.000-05:00

Hi bloggies! I'm back for a little "thank you" post. This one is for the Papertrey Ink 5th Anniversary Day 1 Contest. I am proud to say that I am a Papertrey Ink junkie! lol! My love of stamping is BECAUSE of Papertrey Ink.

Their design team brings soooo much inspiration every month, every week, every day! I don't think I ever go through a day without passing through their blogs! I am really, really grateful for everything that they do for everyone.

I made a card for the Day 1 contest. Have you seen the prize list??? OMGosh!!! PTI has always been known to be very generous to it's followers and customers. I would know since I always get free stamp sets tucked in as a "thank you" in my PTI boxes.

For today's contest, we have to choose a PTI designer and use their project as inspiration for our own. You all know that my favorite PTI designer is the UBBERLY talented Miss Betsy Veldman. Here's what she has for us today...

She always manages to come up with cards that combine stamps, dies, ribbon, etc. and make you go..."Why didn't I think of that?!". She is my inspiration. I just love her! Now...if I can only come up with colorful projects like she does...

Here's my submission. I used Betsy's technique and made it into a Shabby Chic card. It's not as colorful as Betsy's cards...something I have to work on. I'm afraid of color! lol! I just love subtle and neutral colors. Hopefully, ~~stalking~~ following Betsy's work will bring it up a notch or two one day. :)

That's it for me today. I hope you all enjoyed your weekend! I'll see you all again soon! Thanks for stopping by today! Hugs!!! :)

~Jean

WPlus9 February/March 2012 Group Post

2012-02-05T00:05:00.000-05:00

Hi bloggies! So I'm back to report on our little Hobby Lobby trip. It was a nice place, I found some My Mind's Eye patterned paper pads that I don't usually find in our local AC Moore and Michael's. There were more Prima products, more EK Success punches. And I have to admit, I found the home decor section addicting! lol! All in all, it was a very nice trip that we will be taking another time soon! :)

Today's the WPlus9 February/March 2012 Groups Post. What did you think of the Full Reveal yesterday? Don't you just LOVE the stamp sets and the dies?!?! I had so much fun with the new stamp sets. I'm pretty sure I'll be using them a lot. Here's my card for the Group Post.

I used Spring Tags and the Layered Butterfly Die for my card. I was looking through old magazines and saw one of Lisa Johnson's cards and it inspired me so much that I wanted to make my version of it. ( I think I've been doing too many CASE Study Challenges, lol! ) The colors she used reminded me so much of Easter and Spring.

I stamped the tickets using Le Cirque and added the sentiment and eggs image from Spring Tags. The circle label is also an image from Spring Tags as well as the sentiment in it. I used the Circle Stackers to cut out the label. The Layered Butterfly was made with patterned paper and vellum.

I was planning on making another card for the group post, but we got home late from our little trip that I had no more time to make it. Not to worry, the other WPlus9 girls have a lot more cards to show you! I hope you enjoyed the release. Thanks for joining me again today! I'll see you again!

Cristina Kowalczyk
Dawn Woleslagle
Elise Durenberger
Jinny Newlin
Kerrianne Gwin
Lea Lawson
Savitri Wilder

Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge 83

2012-02-04T03:00:00.000-05:00

Hiya! Happy Saturday! My husband and I are off to go on a little drive today. I have always been curious about Hobby Lobby because of reading about it in so many different blogs. There aren't a lot of craft stores in New York where I live...so my sweet husband is taking me on a 1.5 hour drive just to go see the closest Hobby Lobby to us! Isn't he the sweetest?

Before we go I'm leaving you all with a card for the Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge 83. Here's the sketch for this week.

It's a circle card sketch...and you know how I am with circle cards...so i cheated on this one! hee! I made a simple card for this week. I've been trying my hand on simple cards since I joined that CAS class a few weeks ago. So I hope you don't mind seeing some simple cards once in awhile.

I stamped Gingham & Co. on white cardstock then I drew a heart and hand cut it. The heart is adhered on a die cut label with this cute sentiment from Fancy Phrases.

Last week's submissions were awesome! I had soo much fun browsing through them. I hope you have time to join us this week over at Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge. Thanks for stopping by today. I'll see you again! :)

WPlus9 February/March 2012 12 Reveal Day

2012-02-04T00:29:00.000-05:00

Hi bloggies! Today's Reveal Day over at WPlus9 stamps. Here's what Dawn will have for sale at the store tomorrow...

Folk Art Florals

Details

is a 4x6" clear photopolymer stamp set
contains 24 stamps; 20 images and 4 sentiments
will be available for purchase February 5th for just $14

Folk Art Florals Die

Details

compliments the Folk Art Florals stamp set
designed to be used as stand alone images
comes on a single die that can be easily snipped and separated
Approximate measurements (inches) - (A)1 x 1.1, (B)1.5 x 1.1, (C)1.25 x 1.25 when assembled, (D)1.6 x 2
will be available for purchase February 5th for just $12

Spring Tags

Details

is a 4x6 clear photopolymer stamp set
contains 15 stamps; 3 (1.75") circle tag images, 4 sentiments, and 8 accent images
will be available for purchase February 5th for just $14

Circle Stackers 1 Die

coordinates with the Spring Tags stamp set
Set of three separate dies
Approximate Measurements (inches) - (A)1.8 x 1.8, (B)1.75 x 1.75, (C)2.25 x 2.25
will be available for purchase February 5th for just $15

Timeless Tags Die

comes on a single die that can be easily snipped and separated
Approximate Measurements (inches) - (A)1 x 1.5, (B)1.5 x 2.5, (C).75 x 1.2
will be available for purchase February 5th for just $11

Easter Greetings

is a 3x4" clear photopolymer stamp set
contains 4 stamps; 3 images and 1 sentimet
will be available for purchase February 5th for just $6

Layered Butterfly Die

contains 4 stackable shapes to build a layered butterfly
Approximate Measurements - 1.75 x 1.125 when assembled
comes on a single die that can be easily snipped and separated
will be available for purchase February 5th for just $7

WPlus9 February/March 2012 Release Day 3

2012-02-03T00:05:00.001-05:00

Hi friends! It's me again! How have you been enjoying the WPlus9 February/March 2012 release so far? Aren't the stamp sets and dies wonderful? I've been having so much fun using them! For Day 3, we're introducing the Easter Greetings stamps set and the Layered Butterflies die.

I have been having so much fun that I made two cards for Day 3. For my first card I used Easter Greetings, Layered Butterflies, Timeless Tags and Circle Stackers.

The Layered Butterflies die is suuuper cute. I've seen a lot of card makers layer butterflies in their cards, but this is a die where you actually BUILD your own butterfly in layers. It's super fun! :)

I stamped this cute Easter egg image twice two different colors, then hand cut the cute little birds and layered it over egg image. Then I layered it again with Circle Stackers.

For my second card, I used Spring Tags set to make my background panel. I was so inspired when I saw Dawn's cards. If you haven't been there you should GO! I also used Easter Greetings, Circle Stackers and Timeless Tags here.

Then I layered another Easter Egg image over some Circle Stackers. I love that they go together so great.

Well that's it for me today. Tomorrow is Reveal Day, make sure to check out Dawn's blog to see all the stamp sets and dies for February/March. The rest of the gals have more projects to show you...head on over to their blogs ok? Thanks for stopping by today! Hugs!

Cristina Kowalczyk
Dawn Woleslagle
Elise Durenberger
Jinny Newlin
Kerrianne Gwin
Lea Lawson
Savitri Wilder

WPlus9 February/March 2012 Release - Day 2

2012-02-02T00:10:00.004-05:00

***This is my second post for today, CASE Study Challenge 76 is below this post...just scroll down!***

Hi bloggies! Welcome to Day 2 of the WPlus9 February/March 2012 Release! Today we're featuring the Spring Tags stamp set, Circle Stackers dies and Timeless Tags dies. Let's get on with the introductions shall we? :)

I have two cards today. This first one is my favorite card out of the lot that I made for this release. The Spring Tags stamp set has a LOT of cute images and sentiments that I am sure you are going LOVE! My favorite was the leafy circle label image and the little bird houses.

These little bird houses were sooo cute that I wanted to made a border out of them. So I stamped them several times in different colors on some vintage cream card stock. The little doily and circle die cuts are from Circle Stackers. It goes perfectly with some of the images from Spring Tags.

I die cut the smallest tag from Timeless Tags and stamped these cute little birds, also from the Spring Tags stamp set.

My second card is a little more shabby chic-ish...lots of layers, soft colors, and lace. I used images from Folk Art Florals and stamped them on a Label Layers 2 die cut.

I layered the doily Circle Stackers above the label and added some leaves from the Folk Art Florals dies on the side.

And on top, I die cut a Timeless Tag, where I adhered my little bird house and sentiment both from the Folk Art Florals set.

That's it for Day 2! I hope you enjoyed that. I'll have more for you tomorrow! Hop on over to the other girls' blog to see what they have for you! Hugs!

Cristina Kowalczyk
Dawn Woleslagle
Elise Durenberger
Jinny Newlin
Kerrianne Gwin
Lea Lawson
Savitri Wilder

CASE Study Challenge 76

2012-02-02T00:05:00.001-05:00

Hello everyone! It's February, and we have a new muse over at CASE Study Challenge. Help us welcome a VERY, VERY talented lady. Her style is absolutely stunning and I can't wait for you to see what she has for us every single week of this month! She designs for Prima, Pink Paislee, Glitz, Melissa Frances and LOTS more!!! Our fabulous muse for February is none other than the ubberly talented Miss Karola Witczak!

She is soooo talented that I'm a little intimidated!!! lol! I hope I do a good job on this one!!! Well, let's get things started shall we? Here's Karola's card for this week for CASE Study Challenge 76.

And here is my version of it...she's very well known for her stunning layering and embellishing. My jaw dropped when I looked at her blog. It was just one stunning project after another! I felt soooo inspired and giddy after perusing her blog. And I wanted to get inky all of a sudden!!! hahaha! :P

I chose to use these soft colors for my card. Karola's work is always so feminine and soft that it was my inspiration for my card. I also took a little of her layout here. But instead of cutting out separate squares, I just used a patterned paper that was already divided into 6 portions. This is from Beatriz Jennings by the way.

I added some flowers and a ribbon to make it a little more shabby chic. Aren't the colors just gorgeous? I also added the butterfly as it was in Karola's themed card.

I enjoyed making this card so much. I hope you liked it! Make sure to check out the rest of the girls over at CASE Study Challenge! We have a LOT more inspiration for you! Thanks for stopping by today! I'll have a few more posts for today so watch out for it! Hugs!

WPlus9 February 2012 Release Day 1

2012-02-01T00:05:00.003-05:00

Hi everyone! It's me again! Welcome to an exciting week for WPlus9 Stamps! It's our February 2012 Release. Today's featured set is Folkart Florals and Folkart Florals Dies. This set has a LOT of images perfect for spring. You can work with them singly or combine them to make your own background.

That's what I did with my card. I used different floral images and leaves to make the background for my card. Then I die cut these cute birds and nestled them behind some soft ribbon. I also added some die cut leaves to balance things out.

The dainty doily die cut and circle behind the birds are also part of the release, but we'll get to that later on. ;)

I hope I've provided some inspiration for you today. I'll be back tomorrow for some more! Make sure you head on to the WPlus9 blog and the rest of the ladies' blogs to find some more inspiration.

For Cath (sans CHA) with Love Blog Hop

2012-01-31T22:16:00.000-05:00

Hello! I hope I'm not too late, but I wanted to make a card for Cath over at Moxie Fab World. She's not feeling well and won't be able to make it to the Winter CHA trade show. A few gals decided to start a blog hop for her to hopefully make her feel better. Here's my little contribution...

I made have two cards for the hop...let's start with this one...

I wanted to use my PTI stamps and so I combined a few of them to make this card.

It's a Hugs and Thank You card for everything that Cath does for all of us over at Moxie Fab World.

Here's my second card...this one is a Feel Better/ Get Well Soon card...this one is a softer card, also made with PTI stamps as well as some WPlus9 and WMS.

I hope you feel better soon Cath! Mwah! We love you!

PDCC116 and SSSC151

2012-01-29T23:58:00.000-05:00

Hiya! I had some time on my hands this Sunday evening and was itching to do some stamping. I've been reading about people going to the CHA in Anaheim. I'm sooo jealous! I wish I could go too. The Craft's Meow will be there!!! So exciting! If any of you are going please make sure to drop by the CHA booth! Lisa and Lindsay will be there! :)

Let's get into the card I made for two challenges tonight. I combined PDCC116 and SSSC151. Here's the photo inspiration and sketch...

Here's what I came up with...

I used patterned papers from My Mind's Eye and stamps from WPlus9. This is a mix of a lot of WPlus9 stamp sets so hang on to your hats! Here we go...Woodgrain Silhouettes Additions, Very Vintage Greetings, Pile It On, and Christmas Wishes. Whew! That was a lot of linking! I'm thinking of using that linking tool that a lot of card makers are using...have any of you used it? Is it worth using? Let me know ok! :)

I distressed a lot of panel edges. Added ribbon, a flower and some lace to make it a little more softer and feminine. That's it for me tonight! I'll see you again soon with another card! Enjoy your week and thank you for stopping by today. Hugs!

Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge 82

2012-01-28T03:05:00.000-05:00

Hello! Yay! It's the weekend. This week seemed longer than the other weeks that have passed. It's been raining here almost all week...argh! I love it when it rains when I'm indoors and in my pajamas. Haha! But when I have to go out and get wet from it...NO.

Ready for another round of sketch challenge? It's time for Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge 82. Here's our beautiful sketch!

I picked out patterned papers from My Mind's Eye and from Papertrey Ink. I stamped these flower images from Roses in Bloom on the main panel of my card.

The sentiment is from Say It Loud, which I stamped on patterned paper from PTI. I have that over some burlap and a strip of lace.

I also wrapped some twine around it and finished it off with a button. Well, that's it for me today. Thanks for stopping by. Join us this week for some inky fun ok? And don't forget to take a look at what the other Mischief Makers have for you! Enjoy the rest of your weekend! Hugs! :)

CASE Study Challenge 75

2012-01-26T00:05:00.001-05:00

Hi everyone! It's our last week with our January muse, Jen Rzasa over at CASE Study Challenge. I hope that all you CAS card makers had fun. And that the rest of us had a nice challenge on our hands. I know I did! CAS has always been hard for me. I've tried to make my cards as simple as I can these past few weeks though. I hope I didn't disappoint.

Well, here's a card that completely stumped me. It's a GORGEOUS CAS card, don't get me wrong. I did get one done after several tries. lol! Here's Jen's beautiful card.

Here's what I came up with. I was inspired by the stripes on Jen's card. I tried several versions of it but I was finally happy with this one. It's sort of a CAS card...hehe. Most of my stamped images were made straight on the card panel. The stripes were made with Distressed Stripes. I also used some images from my WPlus9 stamps, Ces't La Vie and Woodgrain Silhouettes Additions.

The label and sentiment are both from Papertrey Ink. The label and label die are from Happy Day. The sentiment was a bonus gift from Papertrey Ink. They are soooo good to their clients! I just love 'em! :)

Come join us over at CASE Study Challenge! Make sure to check out the other gals for more inspiration!!! See you there! Enjoy the rest of your week! Mwah! :)

Grab Boxes over at TCM and a $100 TCM Gift Certificate!!!!!

2012-01-23T23:59:00.000-05:00

Grab Boxes Now Available!!!
Plus a chance to win $100 TCM Gift Certificate!!!

Grab Boxes are similar to a warehouse clearance sale. The Craft's Meow is no longer selling non-stamp products. Everything that remained after the end of last year has been distributed into Priority Mail boxes along with some additional goodies that never appeared in the store. The Grab Boxes vary in content... below are pictures of the contents of two different boxes just for an idea of what you might receive. The value of the contents is far below regular retail price.

The boxes contain products from My Mind's Eye, Echo Park, Pink Paislee, Graphic 45, Crate Paper, Maya Road, LaBlanche, and Bazzil, plus ribbon, flowers and buttons. A few even have additional surprises tucked inside. Note: not all boxes will have something from each of these companies/categories. If you purchase more than one box, I'll make sure you get boxes that are as different from each other as possible.

For each Grab Box you buy, your name will go in a hat to win $100 in store credit at The Craft's Meow!!! Yep, it's true! :)

Please share this with your friends. The faster we sell out of the Grab Boxes, the faster one of you will win the prize!

To help things along, I'll give away a TCM stamp set of choice when we reach 1,250 "likes" on our Facebook page!!!

The maximum shipping cost within the US will be $10.95 for Medium Flat Rate Shipping. Because all the boxes vary in contents, I had to enter the heaviest weight into the store. It's quite possible that the actual shipping will be less, especially the closer you live to California, and I will refund overpayment of postage. To find out what the shipping cost will be, you have to go all the way to the checkout page. I've done a tutorial about this which you can find by clicking -->HERE.

Please note that the free shipping for orders of $65 or more does not apply for the grab boxes. But you can add more to your order for no additional shipping!

Get 'em while they're hot! Once sold out, they are gone forever!!!

Thanks so much! Please stay tuned for more exciting things to come!

Save 10%

Happy New Year! Take an additional 10% off all remaining Tim Holtz Distress ink pads, reinkers and stains (which have already been marked down by 25%)!!! Just enter the code TimHoltz at checkout!

The Craft's Meow Design Team Call

2012-01-22T10:42:00.003-05:00

Hello there! I hope everyone enjoyed their Saturday. There's some great news over at The Craft's Meow store blog...have you seen it??? There's a Design Team Call for those who want to be a part of TCM!!! Yay! :) I was going to send you to the blog but I'll post the deets here as well...makes things easier don't you think? :) Here you go...

The Craft’s Meow

Open Design Team Call

Do you love to stamp?

Even better, do you love to stamp with TCM images?

Do you enjoy inspiring others?

Then it may be YOU we are looking for!

Here are the specifics:

Design Team Term:

6 months

March-Sept, 2012

Open Internationally

Requirements:

*1 project post for each new release set

(average of 4 new releases per month)

during our previews and New Release Blog Hop

and at least one other time in the month

prior to the next release

(which can include our sketch challenge)

*Promote The Craft’s Meow on your blog, online galleries

such as Flickr, Splitcoaststampers, Two Peas in a Bucket, etc

and social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter & Google+

It is NOT a requirement to be a part of these sites, but we do

encourage you to be a part of SCS & Two Peas

*An active blog and good photography skills.

All TCM projects will be required to be uploaded

to the TCM Gallery

The Craft’s Meow will provide:

* Approx. $60-$80 in stamps and product specific

to The Craft’s Meow for each release during your term

(six releases scheduled)

* Compensation for any PRINT publication projects

which feature stamps & product specific to The Craft’s Meow
(compensation will be in the form of free stamp sets)

* Product discounts on orders from The Craft’s Meow

*We will feature your work and a link to your blog

each time you participate with a required post or

TCM blog hop event

To apply, please provide the following:

* Your name

*Your blog name and link

* Photos of three (3 only please) projects

that showcase you as a designer

We only need three to get a feel for your style!

PLEASE SEND PHOTOS, NOT LINKS TO PHOTOS

PLEASE SIZE THEM APPROPRIATELY FOR EMAIL VIEWING

We do ask that you limit additional 'links' to additional information.

With the number of blogs we will have to visit, we will not have

time to visit resume links, credit links, etc,

so please include the specific information in your submission.

Of course, we would love for you to use stamps from

The Craft’s Meow

but it is not required to apply

* A list of your current/past DT experience

(no experience required)

* A list of creative credits such as publications,

blog/guest features, etc, if any

Send the above information to:

tcm.dt.call@gmail.com

Design Team Call ends

11:59 PST, Saturday February 11, 2012

We look forward to hearing from you!

CR84FN46

2012-01-21T12:31:00.000-05:00

***Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge 81 is just below...just scroll down!***

Happy Saturday! It's snowing in New York...I thought it would never snow. It seemed like winter was passing us by without anything. Oh well, at least it's not so bad. Just a light 4 inches so far. I wanted to make a card and looked through my favorite challenges for something to join. I found the beautiful color combination over at CR84FN46.

It reminded me of a baby birthday party theme I saw over at Pinterest. So I took out some of my Papertrey Ink stamps and started working. Here's what I came up with...

I combined some stamps and some die cuts and layered things around. I kept the colors pretty neutral with just a little pop of pink and yellow. Sometimes I just get so caught up using the stamps from my DT stamp companies that I forget to reach for my Papertrey Ink stamps. It was what got me stamping and card making in the first place.

I still can't fix my pictures. I've tried to tinker around photoshop but it's just not working. Know of any good ideas or any tutorials on you tube I can work with? I have a light box and 3 lights on it...but it still looks so dark. It's so frustrating.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy your weekend. Thanks for stopping by today! I'll see you all again soon.

Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge 81 and Tuesday Trigger

2012-01-21T03:05:00.001-05:00

Yay it's the weekend! My week wasn't that great so I hope the weekend will be better. Underworld 4 is showing in the theaters, so I'm excited to see it. I just love vampire/werewolf movies. :)

So anyway, it's Saturday, so that means it's time for Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge 81. Here's our sketch for the week. I'm also pairing it up with another challenge over at Moxie Fab World, Tuesday Trigger: Winter Blossoms.

The sketch this week is pretty simple. And yet, as always, it is always up to your imagination. I really love the neutral colors in the Tuesday Trigger inspirational photo. So I picked up the colors and the "design" and incorporated it into the sketch.

These doily stamps (Dainty Doilies - Large Set) sort of reminded me of the pom poms in the inspiration photo that's why I used them to make a background for my card. And as you can see, I tried to use similar neutral colors for it as well. I LOVE anything neutral!

I heat embossed my sentiment on a strip of vellum and inked it with distress ink so that the sentiment would be more visible over the busy background. I just attached it using some staples. For the main image, I used this silhouette from Cameo Creations. The background for the label and also the sentiment came from Back in the Saddle.

Ok...that's it for me today. I'm going to try a 3D project for my niece this weekend...I'll make sure to take pictures and show you! Enjoy your weekend and thanks for stopping by today!

CASE Study Challenge 74

2012-01-19T00:05:00.003-05:00

***The Craft's Meow Sketch Challenge is just below...scroll down to see!***

Hi there! It's my second post for the day! I hope I'm doing better and posting more these days. I just have those mojo-less days sometimes, where I just want to lie down on the couch and watch tv all night long. I almost forgot to send in one of my accepted cards for a magazine call. Goodness!

Well, I was up late last night and was very inspired to make a card for CASE Study Challenge. Jen has me running for the hills with her CAS style! lol! If you haven't read my previous posts, I joined the CAS online class and have been trying my hand at CAS cards. It's really quite hard for me...I LITERALLY want to keep adding and layering stuff!

Even with the CAS classes, I could help myself...my card for this week is not as "full" as I would usually make it...but it's not completely CAS either. I'll let you be the judge ok? Here's Jen's card for this week's CASE Study Challenge 74.

I just LOVE it! CAS or not! The patterns and the colors she used...this is such a fantastic card! I was inspired by the "patches" she used...so I made something of a patchwork design myself...

I used several patterned papers from some My Mind's Eye collections. I cut them into 1.25 inch cubes and adhered them and sewed them in place. I think it's super cute. Reminds me of a quilt for a baby.

I stamped and hand cut these hearts from WPlus9's Heartfelt Mix. It does come with coordinating dies, but for this card I wanted it cut right at the edges so I just used my scissors instead.

I also added some lace and some twine for a little bit more texture and "shabby chicness" to my card. Lately, I can't tell what my style of card making is anymore! It seems to be a combination of shabby chic and classy lately. I hope you like it though!

Oh and I just wanted your opinion on something. I can't decide whether to post my pictures in the Large size of X-Large. For this post, I used X-Large. Is it too big? Or is it better so that the details are readily seen? Your thoughts?

Thanks for stopping by today! I hope you can join us for some inky fun over at CASE Study Challenge Blog. Don't forget to check out what the other ladies have for you! See you again! Enjoy the rest of your week. :)

The Craft's Meow January - February Sketch Challenge

2012-01-18T23:04:00.000-05:00

Hello there! It's the first month of the year and The Craft's Meow has another round of sketch challenges for you. For this month and the next, we have a beautiful sketch from Michelle Bertuzzi.

Here's Michelle's beautiful sketch. I just love the layering, of course! Instead of making my own background panel, I used patterned papers from My Mind's Eye So Sophie. A whole bunch of 6 x 6 My Mind's Eye patterned papers appeared in our local AC Moore. You can't imagine how happy I was to find them since they were a LOT cheaper than buying them online where I could only get them before.

Here's what I did with the sketch. I used Happiness Is... and Lovely Labels 18. I was going to use some 3D flowers but changed my mind because I already had these gorgeous blooms from the stamp set.

I hope I've given you some inspiration to join us over at The Craft's Meow. I'll see you over there ok? :) Thanks for stopping by today...I'll be back in a few... ;)

January 2012 Waltzingmouse Stamps Blog Party

2012-01-17T22:13:00.000-05:00

Hi there! I am SOOO late! Things were a bit busy yesterday so I was so tired after work that I totally forgot to make a card for the WMS Blog Party! I still wanted to make a card for it though even if the collection is already closed. The theme of the party is anything "sweet". Well, since Valentine's Day is just a few weeks away, I wanted to make a card for it. I hope you were able to join the party anyway!

Here's my Valentine's Day card for the party. I used patterned papers from My Mind's Eye, Quite Contrary and Melissa Frances, Vintage Attic. The beautiful corner embellishments are from Recollections. I found them from Michael's by accident. Aren't they pretty?

I used Season of Love Tags from Waltzingmouse for this card. I love that it's a combination of Valentines and Christmas sentiments and images. I distressed the edges of my patterned paper and inked them as well. I added some lace and twine for more texture and interest.

Well, that's it for me. I'm off to check out what the rest of the very talented ladies came up with at the party. I hope you were able to join! See you again! Thanks for stopping by today.

Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge 80

2012-01-14T03:00:00.000-05:00

Hello again! This is my second post for the day so please scroll down for my first one. Welcome back for Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge 80. Let's get started shall we?

Here's the sketch for this week. I changed it up a bit...you can to a certain extent...I'm pretty sure of it...haha! Anyway, I used strips of patterned paper from My Mind's Eye: Portobello Road for the background of my card. I know it's supposed to be inter-changing patterns, but I chose to stick with just this one to make it "vintage" looking.

It's a pretty simple card, but with Waltzingmouse Stamps...well let's just say, even just one can carry an entire card! I just LOVE my Waltzingmouse Stamps!!! :) I used Fancy Phrases. Very Vintage Labels 10, Very Vintage Labels 4.

It's going to be a short post for today. I'll make up for it next time! Thanks for stopping by today! Make sure to check out what the rest of the Mischief Makers have made for you today! Enjoy your weekend! Mwah!

The Play Date Cafe 114 and Card Patterns 147

2012-01-14T00:29:00.000-05:00

Hi bloggies! My Papertrey Ink package was waiting for me when I arrived. It always makes me giddy while I'm opening it. NEVER fails. Hee!

After prepping each stamp set, I got inky with them. I saw some new challenges over at The Play Date Cafe and Card Patterns and decided to join in on all the fun. Here's the inspirational photo for PDCC114 and the sketch for Card Patterns 147.

I used my new Rosie Posie and Happy Day stamp sets from Papertrey Ink for this card. I'm a little frustrated that the beautiful colors are not showing great on my pictures though. I just LOVE these new sets!!!

Well, that's it for my submission! I hope you like my card for today. I'll have my Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge post up in a few minutes...

Thanks for stopping by today!

Clean and Simple Card Making Class

2012-01-13T12:35:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone! I'm back to share my Clean and Simple card for my CAS class over at Online Card Classes. If you haven't heard yet, YES, I'm taking CAS classes online! Hee! It's hosted by Kristina Werner, Jennifer McGuire, Julie Ebersole and friends. I'm having a real fun time in it and have been learning a lot of things.

I promised I would share some of the cards that I'd made for the class. So here they are..

The first one is made using a sketch that the class provided on the first day.

I used my Papertrey Ink stamps for this whole card. The flourish stamps on the panel and the all caps sentiment are from Sweet Love. And the beautiful big sentiment is from Big and Bold Wishes.

I didn't have a navy blue ribbon, so I inked a white ribbon with some blue ink, also from Papertrey Ink. It took a little more than a day for it to dry, even after I used my heat gun on it, so I had to wait before I could tie it.

Here's my one layer card. I'm not too happy with it...maybe I'll try something else in a few days. I'll have more to share after a few more days of the classes. It's really fun, if you have some time on your hands it's a good class to join! :) See you soon!

CASE Study Challenge 73

2012-01-12T00:05:00.001-05:00

Hello again! It's Thursday already, the week just sped on by didn't it? I don't know if you've read about it, but I joined an online CAS class (Online Card Classes) by Kristina Werner, Jennifer McGuire, Julie Ebersole, and friends. My friend Cristina Kowalczyk is also there as a guest designer! How cool is that?! It's day three of the classes and I'm actually having a lot of fun with it and learning a lot as well. I've always wanted to try CAS cards but have been having a hard time making it look finished. I thought it would be a good idea to join the class. :) Look it up! I'll have some CAS cards I've made for the class posted in a few days...

Now it's time for CASE Study Challenge 73! We have another gorgeous CAS card from Jen! Here it is...

I was inspired by the die cut negative and the image peeking from underneath it from Jen's card. And after my CAS classes...I was in the mood to make a monochromatic card...so this is what I came up with.

My picture is not doing this card any justice. I SERIOUSLY need to get a nice camera! I wish I could!!! Anyway, I used this beautiful post card stamp from Unity Stamps. The I used my Telegram stamp set from The Craft's Meow to add further detail to the post card image.

The beautiful image underneath the die cut is from My Mind's Eye, Portobello Road collection. The die is from Papertrey Ink.

Head on over to the CASE Study Challenge blog to check out what the rest of the girls have for you. Join us this week for another round of inky fun!!! See you there :)

Once Upon a Sketch & PDCC113

2012-01-09T22:17:00.002-05:00

Hi friends! I'm back today for a little more inspiration and to join in on a challenge. If you don't know already, The Craft's Meow is sponsoring a challenge over at Once Upon a Sketch. You can either submit a card or a scrapbook layout, whichever is more comfortable and fun for you. TCM is giving out a stamp set...so make sure you join in on all the fun!

Here's the sketch for the layout...I used it as an inspiration for my card. I'm also entering this card for The Play Date Cafe Challenge 113.

Here's my card. I just LOVE the color combination from The Play Date Cafe! Isn't it just beautiful? I used stamp images from Fly Free, Timeless Tags, and Celebrating You stamp sets, all from The Craft's Meow. This has to be my favorite flower set from TCM. Layering it makes it absolutely stunning! I also used Fabulous Flourishes from PTI, and Tag Sale 3.

I stamped and hand cut most of the main images on my card. I also adhered the flowers in different heights to create more interest. This was such a fun card to make. I hope you join Nadia and the other DT ladies over at Once Upon A Sketch. Don't forget...there are PRIZES to be won!!! See you there! :)

Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge 79

2012-01-07T03:00:00.000-05:00

Hey bloggies! I've been missing my family a whole lot since the holidays. Christmas and New Years are always best spent with family right? So I was feeling a bit down not having them here. My sisters and I have finally got our Skype running though and have been having a lot of video chat sessions lately. Thank you Skype! It makes a lot of difference, specially on my bad days.

Well this good news brings my spirits up. Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge is back! Yay!

I've missed it a lot since the break and I'm pretty sure you have too. We have a new sketch this week and it's a pretty simple one actually. Something you can do absolutely anything and everything with! :)

Here's my card for WMSC79. I was thinking of my mom right as I was trying to decide what to do with the sketch. So I ended up making a card for her. I used images from Cameo to Go, Flourishes: Scallops and Dots, Dainty Doilies 2 - Small, and Text It.

The doily die cut is from Papertrey Ink, and the tag is from Fancy Tags 2 - Spellbinders. I also glued some micro beads straight on the doily. I thought they looked really pretty and sparkly...almost like German glitter glass. They're from Martha Stewart. The patterned papers are from My Mind's Eye: Madison Avenue.

This was such a fun card to make. And the sketch allows for a lot of possibilities. So get inky and come play with us! Don't forget to check out what the rest of the Mischief Makers have in store! Thanks for stopping by today and for all the nice comments you leave for me. I don't get to reply to all of them but they're my everyday pick-me-ups! So thank you!!! See you again!

CASE Study Challenge 72 & The Shabby Tea Room: Time Flies

2012-01-05T00:00:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year!!! I hope you all enjoyed your holidays. We are bringing in the new year with a new muse at CASE Study Challenge. And I bet a lot of you will love her! We're in for some CAS inspirations this month. Help us welcome, Jennifer Rzasa!

We're going to say goodbye to some of our DT members this month. It's a sad time for us, but we wish them the very best. On a good note, we're welcoming a new member to the team. I'm absolutely ecstatic that she's a part of our team. Please help us welcome, the ubberly talented Christina Maclaren!!!! Yay!!! :)

Let's get on with CASE Study Challenge 72. I've combined today's challenge with The Shabby Tea Room Week 95 - Time Flies. Here's what Jennifer has for us this week.

I still haven't gotten the hang of CAS cards, but I've tried to keep it simple with this one. I took Jen's inspiration and used a house in my card as well. I stamped a little bird on the background...can you believe it's almost blank except for that and the polka dots pattern on the bottom? Well, there's a first for everyone right? lol! :)

The bird and branch images are from WPlus9 Love Birds. I also stamped a cute image of a cloud behind the house die cut. It's also from WPlus9, Heartfelt Mix. The die cuts and polka dot stamp image are from Papertrey Ink.

Come play with us over at the CASE Study Challenge Blog! I'll see you there! Thanks for stopping by today.

PDCC 112

2011-12-30T12:14:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone! I've had some time on my hands to join some challenges this holiday season. I tell you, I think I used to join them almost everyday before I started working for different DTs. Now I don't have as much time to do that anymore, and so whenever I do get a chance to, it's so much fun. This one is for The Play Date Cafe Challenge 112.

It's a nice Christmas colored theme, perfect for the holidays. Here's my card. I stayed neutral for most of the card, with little splotches of color. I just LOVE neutrals. I stamped a newspaper print background using some PTI stamps and distressed the edges. Then I adhered some patterned paper strips over it. I zigzag stitched the panel on my newspaper print background.

I used one of my favorite holiday stamps from The Craft's Meow, Vintage Snowflakes. I also added this beautiful flourish from Waltzingmouse Stamps, Flourishes - Scallops and Dots.

To tie it all off, I added a lace ribbon, a button and some pearl stick pins. It was so much fun just making a card like this. Card challenges are so much fun, maybe I'll go look for some more to join...

Thanks for stopping by today! Happy New Year!!!

~Jean~

CASE Study Challenge 71

2011-12-29T00:05:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! CASE Study Challenge is back with another beautiful card from our December muse, Amy Sheffer. I hope you had enough time to join CASE Study Challenge 70.

It's such a gorgeous card to CASE! Here's our card for this week's CASE Study Challenge 71.

I just love the little details that Amy always uses together. She's always careful with every little detail on her card. It's just gorgeous! Perfection! :)

Here's mine...

I broke out my WPlus9 stamps for my card. These are some of my favorites...Flora & Fauna I and Love Birds. WPlus9 came out with coordinating dies for Love Birds as well. They are absolutely convenient and I just love using them!

I added a doily from Martha Stewart Crafts, twine and a button to tie everything up. I also CASEd Amy's layout and put a layer of ribbon, frilled patterned paper and a lace die cut on the bottom.

I'll see you over at the challenge blog! Check out what the rest of our awesome DT family has in store! Thanks for stopping by today. :)

~ Jean ~

The Ribbon Reel Challenge 18: Happy New Year

2011-12-26T22:27:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you enjoyed your Christmas weekend.

After all the food has been enjoyed, and presents opened...did any of you get some crafty gifts? They're my favorite gifts to receive! :)

I was going through my favorite blogs and found a new challenge site. Well, it's NEW to me. I haven't been playing in many challenges lately and I wanted to join this one.

The Ribbon Reel Challenge 18 - Happy New Year.

They have this beautiful inspiration photo. I used a combination of stamp sets from different companies. I used Mehndi Medallions and stamped 3 images from it on my patterned paper. I added this gorgeous Ironworks Accents to the top of my card. My sweet hubby bought me a few of the dies I had on my wish list. :) Now there's still a bunch of stuff on the list...but I'm slowly getting there!

My main image is from Waltzingmouse Stamps, Seasonal Remedies. I also used this beautiful snowflake from The Craft's Meow, The Merry Best. And the sentiment from Happy New Year.

That's it for me. I'll be looking for other challenges this week that I can join. I'll see you again in a few! Thanks for stopping by today! :)