My Time Made Easy: Barrow of Appreciation

Hello!!! Well, I thought I was ahead of the game! I had my project done days ahead of time (a big deal for ME!) and was good to go. Then tonight my boys were having some issues going to sleep so i laid down with them. Not a good idea! I totally fell asleep and then I woke up realizing my project hadnt been photo'd or posted. ACK! Well, i'm only a smidgen over midnight, so it's ok, but I apologize for photos that arent nearly as well thought out as I'd like them to be! But at least you get to see this so fun template Lauren has created and at least I'm happy with the outcome! HAHAHA!

Ok... back to the normal posting....

My Time Easy has a new release this month that you are bound to love! 2 new stamp sets, 2 new templates! Everything coordinating, of course!!!

Today I am showing the template Barrow of Blooms.

Sweet huh? I created my own background paper using the large daisy head from the new Bee-Loved stamp set. I"m not going to lie... the stamps in this release are definitely my favorite! Very large designs! Which you know i'm in love with because there is a lot of color opportunity!!!!!

After getting all of my papers cut, stamped and then colored up... i found i had an extra decorative layer. Then i started thinking... perhaps i should have read the directions first. HAHAHAHA. I'm notoriously bad at that. I'm like a man, never reading the directions! SO i wasnt sure for it's whereabouts... and then after after inserting it into my wheelbarrow it made a little chair. I LOVED it. Not sure why, but it gave it just the extra pop I think my project needed. But to see some samples sans the insert (wink wink) check out Lauren, Lisa, Tangii and our guest designer, Teresa!

Here is a quick view from behind... this is truly one of those templates that looks adorable from every angle!

And here's a close up of the card...

As the school year comes to a close, most of my projects are in thank you mode.

I plan on filling my wheelbarrow with treats for one of Jack's teachers. So many things can go inside! I havent decided yet on what the final treat will be!!!

So this card (my original inspiration for the project) uses that theme. The flower is again from the Bee-Loved stamp set. I'm telling you, the stamps in this set are HUGE! I love them! When i got my stamps in the mail, I immediately ripped open the package and got to stamping out these big designs! Then started coloring away. The sentiment is from last month's release, Sentimental Occasions.

Now be sure to check out the other ladies I mentioned before as well as Catherine Doucette who is the illustrator of this fine and fabulous stamp set! And return to the My Time Made Easy blog each day this week as we are in count down to the MTME May release on May 1st!

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Happy Birthday Lisa!

Today is my sweet friend, Lisa Kind's birthday!

The My Time Made Easy team (along with some of the Paper Makeup Stamps team members!!!)

have joined forces for a special birthday hop in her honor! :D

You can check it all out on the My Time Made Easy blog!

Here is my card using the LISA fairy! Of course i had to use the Lisa fairy, it was made FOR LISA! :D

Lisa, I hope you have the bestest day ever!!!!

(and for some more fun, check out the Sketch Saturday blog for an awesome sketch sponsored by Paper Makeup Stamps!!!

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Copic Creations Challenge with Paper Temptress

Well, today is another challenge from Copic Creations!

In this bi-weekly challenge, we are sponsored by Paper Temptress! Now I must admit, I had not used their paper line before, though i've been tempted to buy many times. Um... they have some GREAT paper! First i'll show you my card, made entirely by Paper Temptress paper!

I feel like my card is a little lack luster. I just dont think I had enough energy for this one today, but the paper was definitely fun to work with. For my white base, I used the heavenly white. I felt like this was the closest to the XPress It cardstock that I normally use for cards. It's a bit thinner than the PTI, Neenah, etc. If you like the thicker stuff, Paper Temptress also carries a line called Cryogen and it might be right up your alley!

I also used Blue Ice Sorbet text weight (which means on the thinner side, would run great thru a printer, hence the text weight! But is still thicker than standard printer paper), Cappuchino Mico (OMG, the picture does not do it justice! shimmery and beautiful! also a text weight), Purple Basis (which is stronger, sort of like Stampin Up in weight) and then last but not least... Canyon Brown Skinny Coloums and i am totally in love with that one! SUPER thick, like thicker than pti thick! GREAT for card cases or templates!

I got other fun cardstocks to play with as well, so I'll fill ya in as I use them!

A few more details on my card... Yes that is a Paper Makeup Stamp and in case you missed my post A WEEK AGO (it's shameful, i know!) PMS is having a huge inventory reduction sale.

It's not a liquidation and it's not a retirement sale. These are just stamps that for some reason or another (some due to being on multiple plates, others due to being on a plate with another popular design, etc) there is overstock. A certain number of stamps is put on sale just to help even the levels of inventory. When a stamps qty put on sale is reached, it will return to regular price. BUT, this sale is good thru April! So check it out now while you can!!!!

And be sure to check out the Copic Creations team challenge blog! You need to read more about our sponsor and the fabulous prize you can win as well as check out samples from the rest of the design team!

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Just a post for fun

Well... spring is in full force around these parts! This means wedding season is in full force, so i'm busy busy with my makeup artistry business, my kids are chomping at the bit all the time to go outside, my husband is busy working more and more and my poor craft time gets neglected.

*sigh* I will get all of my ducks in a row one of these days, right?

I have had some pretty fun jobs this month aside from the weddings (which I do truly love to do!) including a Charter Media/Ford/Nascar commerical and a Heros Among Us story for People Weekly. Fun times!

So unfortunately, with the recent PMS sale and busy with work, I havent had as much time to craft this month. BUT, i did take these pictures this past sunday! We had a family fun day outside in the water. :D Ok, so the boys played in the water and I just took pictures!!!

Gabe discovers the puddle

Gabe discovers the FUN of the puddle

And now both the boys discover the puddle...

Who can get there first?! And can you tell them apart?

Jack gets his turn...

The boys play in the hose to get cleaned off before getting muddy again

Our silly dog that likes to eat the water

And that concludes our fun day in the sun!

Now i actually do have a card for tomorrow.. so be sure to check back in! :D

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Paper Makeup Stamp Blog Hop!

Well, if you are doing the Paper Makeup Stamps blog hop, you should have come directly from the PMS blog. If you didnt.... wooooooah, you need to back up because there is an announcement of one of the biggest sales we've ever had! It's the inventory reduction sale!

Go back to the PMS blog to read all about it!

The PMS design team is all getting geared up for SPRING sharing creations made with new and old stamps in a "springy" way!

Here's my card...

Used on my card is Moody for Coffee and yes she IS included in the inventory reduction sale!

She doesnt look so moody for coffee though, does she? I modified her a bit for spring!

Her coffee cup is conveniently hidden by the sentiment from the Little Moments sentiment set and her coffee beans around her are bedazzled with pink rhinestones. I used some fun spring paper (which is truly meant for baby girls, but hey, the colors are the springy!)

This is one of my favorite moodies and I was so excited to get to use her in a new way!

Your next stop in the hop is Stephanie Zito!

When you are done with the hop, don't forget to go shopping!!!

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My Time Made Easy: A Year in Review

On the 5th of every month, the My Time Made Easy design team does a "Year in Review" post.

In doing these posts we are just revisiting all the templates and stamps we love and adore from past releases!

Given the crazy amount of work i've had lately (I am NOT complaining!), I have some to relish in my downtime. Ok... so there isnt much of it! But the downtime i have, i love! I love sipping on hot drinks and just having a bit of quiet (which, in a house of a 5 and 2 year old boy... well, it's usually midnight when i get it, but still!) Last month, MTME released a stamp set called Keep Strong. There are 2 sentiments in the set that really pull at my heart. I have used both of them on my project today!

I used the Grab a Cup template to put together a little tea bag holder. A perfect small sentiment to give to someone to remind them that downtime is necessary!

The sentiment reads:

"Keep Strong and Carry On"

A gift like this is easy to put together and quite possibly can be done without even going to the store.

It's a great reminder to someone that you are there when they are having a bit of a rough time.

Also great for students, hard working moms or really, anyone that needs a little perserverance. There are truly endless possibilities of reasoning to give a gift like this!

Then comes my other favorite sentiment of the bunch! This sentiment has been a favorite for a long time! It reads...

"A woman is like a tea bag... you never know how strong she is, until you put her in hot water."

Now isn't that the truth!

Such a wonderful testament to women!

We rock! :D

I can see myself using this sentiment on a card just to sent a giftfriend for no real reason at all. It does have a bit of that "girl power" feel to it, doesnt it?

And now it's time to see what the rest of the design team has done to some oldie but goodie products!

Check them out!

Kristin Bueter

Debbie Marcinkiewicz

Katie Cotton

Lisa Kind

Monique Hansen

Tangii Crain

Our guest this month is Amy Scheffer!

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My Time Made Easy : Let's Chat

Today I have another project with you using My Time Made Easy!

For my project today I combo'ed one of the newest releases from MTME with some tried and true favorites!

This is the Card Catch All along with the Card Catch All Add On using the Keep it Organized stamp set. You could not ask for a better stamp set for this template!

Here's a photo of the template by itself...

You'll also see that I used the Keep it Organized stamp set to create index cards as well as the file tabs to keep it all organized! Since I had the extra space in the back, I created some extra files tabs for other used spaces like receipts and coupons, stamps that are also int he Keep it Organized stamp set.

Then the project just didnt seem finished without a card to go with it!

So i made this fun little phone inspired card to match using the On Display stamp set.

Now go check out Lauren and Lisa's blog for more great inspiration!!!

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Copic Creations Challenge with Crafty Secrets

If you are looking for my My Time Made Easy Post, just scroll down. :D

Today the Copic Creations team is celebrating our favorite copic techniques and we're being sponsored by Crafty Secrets. Craft Secrets sent each of us 3 stamp sets of our choice! I heart them!

Here is my card... using 1 of my very favorite flowers... Poppies!!!!

I used 2 of my favorite techniques on this card. One is coloring with a high contrast meaning that the edges and folds of the image are very dark (I used R59 here) while the highlights of the image or very right (R20). Inbetween i used R22, R24, R27, R29 in various spots.

I also used another all time favorite technique with copics and it didnt show up much in the photo. Pooo. But thats using the copic airbrush system. Ok, so granted i have airbrush on the brain since I also airbrush makeup, but there is something about it that just really makes an image stand out to me. ANd it seems easy to me to avoid the image without much masking, etc. Here I used B00 as my sky color. It shows up more in person.

ANd now I am totally spent, so rather than ramble on about nothing, i'm just going to direct your attention to the Copic Creations Blog. But be sure to check out my My Time Made Easy post as well!

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My Time Made Easy Group Share: Keep It Organized

And I'm back with another project from My Time Made Easy!

Right now the My Time Made Easy release is LIVE on the site and ready for purchase!!!

You can check it all out HERE.

Today the MTME design team is showing off an EXTREMELY versatile template called Keep It Organized. Here's a peek of what my immediate thought was when I found out one of the templates this month would be called keep it organized!!!!

Ok, so the above picture may seem random... but i keep EVERYTHING! It drives my husband nuts. I'm pretty sure it drove my mom nuts growing up. I just find sentimental value to silly things. And I keep them all! In little boxes here and there. And i'm going to guess since many of the readers of my blog are scrapbookers... there are at least a few of you out there that do the same thing!

In the picture above is a ticket to a band my husband and I saw one. Not even an important date, just kept the ticket anyway. The hotel key from our first getaway to Vegas. A picture of my hubby on the film set that we first "met" or at least got to know each other. A penny with an angel cut out of it that someone gave to me. The inserts to the bracelets i wore in the hospital when i had my boys. A fun ring i've just always liked and a medal i won i think in highschool. hahahaha. RANDOM! :D But oh so special. And how about that sentiment timeless treasures?! Perfect huh? It's from the Sign It stamp set. ;)

Well this new and fabulous template is perfect for storing all kinds of goodies in all different sizes. here's a view of the whole template, still packed with mementos. :D

You actually can't even see more of the stuff in there. All taken out of a random big box... this is such a prettier way to keep things! And i nicer way to see them and go thru them if you'd wish. :D The far back pocket is perfect to store 4x6 pictures as you can see and I have quite a few of in them in there. The middle pocket is where i did have my ticket stub, hotel key, along with a note someone had written me once that meant alot, some other ticket stubs and the like and also some foreign money left over from a trip.

And then the bottom drawer is filled with the things that are best tucked away and smaller. You can also see i drapped a necklace over the top. Jewelry fits perfectly in the bottle drawer, but if it's something special like this one (my friend Rachel made it, check out here other jewelry HERE), or if it's something you wear often so you want easier access, this drapping action is the perfect way to go!

But perhaps you'd like to see what the template looks like without so much "stuff" in it. :D

Well alright then!

The paper I used is from the new Fresh Cut Expressions Collection 1 pretty paper pack which is a digital paper pack. You buy and then just print the sheets you need as you need them! it's genius really!!!

I also used the Occasional Labels stamp set as well as the Occasional Label cut file.

Now be sure to check out the entire design team as everyone has a fantastic project to share with you today using this set! You are bound to see so many different ways to use it that it will boggle your mind!!! Have fun checking them all out!!!

Check out the design team here:

Kristin Bueter

Debbie Marcinkiewicz

Katie Cotton

Lisa Kind

Monique Hansen

Tangii Crain

Our April Guest is Amy Sheffer!

Please check out all our NEW! Products HERE!

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