Sweet Bee

If it is Monday of MFT's Preview week, then it is time for Pure Innocence Previews.

I adore this little bee. I'm thrilled that I can finally share this card, because it is one of my samples for my upcoming stamping classes.

I added some a night time cloudy sky for my little trick-o-treater with my Die-namics Cloud Die and grey felt. And a bit of the Open Scallop Die-namic with a bit of Bo Bunny double dot paper.

Don't forget to hop on over to Kim's blog today after 11 am to see who has samples for you today. You'll want to leave comments on all the previews today for your chance to win one of two stamp sets being given away today!

Playing Dress Up with Emma

Welcome to Day Two of MFT Previews. Today I've got a sample of the latest Emma set - this time she's playing mommy with her fancy dress up jewels and mommy's shoes too. For girly girly, you can't beat this My Mind's Eye Quite Contrary Paper. I added a fully finished inside, to include the baby carriage as and a little sentiment on the inside.




I've used the fun new Notebook Edge Die-namics . You may have noticed that I'm slightly obsessed with ledger paper, so this die is going to get a WORKOUT!

As I was making this Emma card though, I realized that this baby carriage would also make just a fabulous new baby card, even for a boy. With some quick paper piecing, my Die-namics Jumbo Scallops die and some sweet blue and chocolate tones, I quickly paper pieced the carriage for a quick and cute baby boy card.

Don't forget that I have a few important notes for you:

Guest Designer Contest:

Don't forget, that the MFT Guest Designer Contest will was announced yesterday on the MFT Member Company Forum. The Guest Designer challenge is YOUR chance to win the following month's release, and join the Design Team in October Previews!

Daily Stamp Giveaways:

You might remember from last month, but Kim will be giving away TWO stamp sets every day between now and the release. Nobody knows who is holding the candy on the design team, so you *might* just want to leave a comment on all the previews today for your chance to win!

You'll find a list of all the participating designers for today on Kim's blog after 11am EST. Then, be sure to check the listing tomorrow to see who won stamp sets!

Simple on a Sunday

Welcome to this week's Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge. This week's sketch was designed by Nancy McKinney. And she's playing along with us this week sharing her sample.


What a crazy morning, my card was up, then I realized I used an element on there that whoops, won't be available till next month, so I removed and replaced it. Um... so much for simple? I just made my life so confusing by simply not following directions. Ugh. Is it time for Back to School or what? I'm exhausted!

I'm using the soon to be released "Clearly Sentimental About Harvest" which is part of the September Release, as well as one of the new Die-namics Dies - The perfect petal trio. The edges are great for rolling, or distressing, and they'd also be gorgeous made out of felt. Get ready to have some flower FUN!

Now, be sure that you follow directions (giggle) and be sure to swing on over to Karen Giron's Blog to see her amazing sample, and of course to link up YOUR creation this week. Each week, she uploads a card from someone who has played along - she can only link your card if you play along!

And please be sure to hop around and visit the Sweet Sunday Stampers to see all their cute samples - I always love hopping around to see how we've interpreted the same sketch!

• Nancy McKinney - is playing along this week - yeah!
• Jennifer Tapler
• Karen Motz
  
• Laura Fredrickson
• Lynn Put
• Sarah-Jane Kale
• Vicki Burdick

Welcome to Tiny Town

Its MFT Teaser Time again!

We'll have My Favorite Things previews every day between now and Wednesday - today I have a sample using the new set from Stephanie Fizer - Tiny Town. The set is huge, and completely adorable. I am sure that you'll see some stunning scenes from some of the girls on the team today. I'm personally in love with the sweet characters in this set.

Now, a confession from me, I'm actually usually *afraid* of Halloween stamping. Not like spooked, but intimidated. Not my color palette, and usually lots of techniques. But let me say, this stamp set was FUN to work with.

I stamped the little pumpkin girl then added the fence to each side... then simply added in a paper pieced costume. A quick circle diecut, and finished off with a pale yellow sky, and a grey sidewalk.

Now that you've seen my little spook I have a few important notes for you:

Guest Designer Contest:

Don't forget, that the MFT Guest Designer Contest will be announced today on the MFT Member Company Forum. The Guest Designer challenge is YOUR chance to win the following month's release, and join the Design Team in October Previews!

Daily Stamp Giveaways:

You might remember from last month, but Kim will be giving away TWO stamp sets every day between now and the release. Nobody knows who is holding the candy on the design team, so you *might* just want to leave a comment on all the previews today for your chance to win!

You'll find a list of all the participating designers for today on Kim's blog after 11am EST. Then, be sure to check the listing tomorrow to see who won stamp sets!

Have a great day and I'll see you tomorrow with TWO posts one for the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge and one to share the sets that are previewing tomorrow from My Favorite Things

A Sweet Birthday Surprise...

A few weeks ago at CHA I was browsing the adorable display at Taylored Expressions and ogling all the amazing creations by my friends on The Baker's Dozen. Those girls are seriously talented....

I've always loved those Cuppie stamps. So, I had to have one... or two (you'll see the other one soonish...) This one is called Destination New York

You see, we were planning to take the boys to NYC as a surprise, and we were working on figuring out how to spill the beans. I picked up a gift card for Toys R Us (if you didn't know there is a HUGE one in NYC so huge that there is a FERRIS WHEEL inside the store.)

I used TCP's "Coolvetica" alphabet to spell out the message "HB@nyc" on the inside and created a little pocket for the gift card. After scratching his head for a minute, he finally figured out that we were going to New York City for his birthday - and was thrilled to have some spending money to choose whatever he wanted at the store!

The best part, the next day, when he was walking through the den, and noticed the card sitting on the mantle, he yells out "Hey Mom, that cupcake is in New York City too!" Um yes, babe, I knew that.....

Stamps for sale - new page on the sidebar

I've had a ginormous bin of stamps that I've tucked aside to sell - and its been staring me down for weeks. Last night, I couldn't sleep, so I posted, and photographed and posted.

I've created a page just for my stamps for sale, and you can find it over there -----> on my sidebar, but here's a link.

STAMPS FOR SALE!

Lots of Cornish Heritage Farms stamps will be loaded tonight - but drop me a note if you'd like anything. email is basilefamily at comcast dot net

Amuse, Elzy's, Memory Box and a few SU sets. Amuse sets are between $3 and $5 each, and cute cute cute!

Being cute....

I can't believe I FORGOT to ever upload this card to share with you.

Is it me, or do these Pure Innocence kiddos get cuter and cuter or waht? How about these adorable pig-tails.

As a mom of boys, I don't get to do pig-tails, so stamping them is pretty fun for me!

Little Miss PI has a little paper pieced shirt, and the papers are My Mind's Eye Quite Contrary that I picked up at CHA a few weeks ago.

The Die-namics Small Scallop was run through with felt then stitched into place. And I've added a little smidge of the Crochet Ribbon too.

Thanks for visiting me today, hope you have a GREAT one!

Blog Hop with a Cat Call!

Hope you've all had a chance to play along in The Cat's Pajamas very first Customer Blog Hop. You should have come to my blog via Jen's blog, but if not, you'll want to head on over and start with Sonja!

Alma has challenged us all to use your Cat's Pajamas stamps to create something fabulous.

Now, I'm not so sure that my card is utterly fabulous, but I will say that contains all my personal mandatories of late - ledger paper, kraft accents, lots of sewing, paper piecing, and a saddle stitch bow.

I was super excited to get this sweet "Ship Happens" stamp set inky again. It is really SO cute right?? As I often like to do, I got mixy matchy with the papers. {Leigh and I had a fun conversation about my crazy paper matching at CHA, I like to let the papers intermingle. Sometimes that's just how I roll. I don't think I have two papers of the same brand in here...call me crazy! *giggle*}

Now, don't forget you have until midnight Tuesday to play and add your link. Want even more incentive? The best of the best will receive ALL of the stamps in our next release and play along with us at our Pajamas/Release Party and Release day Blog hop. Alma will announce the winner on August 26!

I've been peeking at all the entries, and there are so many amazing ones! Here's one I think you won't want to miss Becky Carafa's entry using Give a Little I think it is just precious!

Now, I'm passing you along to Alma - I can't wait to see what she's put together for the occasion, and I'm off to check out any new additions to the customer portion of the blog hop! Its been a BLAST to see all of you adding your creations, and seeing all the new TCP love in blogland and in the galleries! If you haven't stamped up some TCP love for the occasion, there are still SEVERAL hours for you to participate. Get stampin!

Framed Greetings in Threes!

If you were at CHA and I was working, then quite likely, I sold you a Framed Greetings Die-namics and coordinating stamp set.

I do truly think it is a "must have" for any cardmaker. I joke that I call it my Marriage Saver Stamp Set. Here's why..

You're leaving for a birthday party, but you have one thing left to do... crank out a quick card. How many times has that happened to you. And you get "the look" when you say you need to just crank out a card....

So today I have three quick cards to share with Framed Gretings - paired with some of my favorite Die-namics and fun accessories for some cards that you can create quickly, without a of hassle, but still have lots of finished details. Together, I think they make a beautiful set...

This first card, uses the Framed Greetings solid border, a bit of luscious Chocolate Satin trim, and two green buttons (actually sewn in place, those suckers aren't going anywhere....)

I've paired it with the Jumbo Scallops Die-namics and a bit of coffee colored felt.



















My second card today uses the faux stitched border from the set and a length of the Creme Cotton Ribbon from MFT.

Hooray, I got to squeeze in my favorite, ledger paper into this one!



















The third card, uses the negative space created by cutting out the die - the sentiment is stamped on a piece of cardstock that sits just under that.

I love the dimensional effect using it as a frame this way!

I've used a bit of the thinner width of the Creme Cotton ribbon and the dotted border.

I also added the Open Scallop Die-namic here for a quick accent with some Kraft paper.








I love that all three cards coordinate, but they aren't carbon copies of eachother for a nice little variety. I just love being able to sit down with all of my goodies from My Favorite Things and seeing how they come together. This stamp set, and the Die-namics make it soooo easy. Thanks for stopping by today!

So Thankful

Thank goodness for the Sweet Sunday Sketch. I had a thank you card to make this week, and seriously, such a long to do list, that I had no business carding.

Sketch to the rescue. New papers played with, thank you card created, and card came together so fast that I still made enormous progress against my monster sized to-do list!

Patterned papers are my new love, Echo Park Walk in the Park papers. Adorable. I've used MFT's Thanks a Bunch as well as the Die-namics Flower and Leaf Trio, with a quick bit of Die-namic Open Scallop Border trim.

Now, giant to-do list is beckoning me, but please go visit all the girls on the Sweet Sunday Sketch Team to see what they've cooked up for you:

Karen Giron
Jennifer Tapler
Karen Motz
Laura Fredrickson
Lynn Put
Sarah-Jane Kale'
Vicki Burdick

And please be sure to go leave a sweet hello for Nancy Reilly. She's not stamping with us for a bit while she helps take care of her daughter Allie, but we know she's love to see you!

Hit the Books with MFT!

It has been way too long since I've had a chance to play along in the My Favorite Things Wednesday Stamp Club challenges. Each week, there is a challenge posted, and you're all invited to play along.

The most fun part? Hanging out with all the fun girls over in the MFT Member Company Forum, come join the chatter HERE

Did you know that MFT now has a Challenge team to inspire you with samples for each of our weekly challenges? Let me say, those girls ROCK!

This week's theme is Hit the Books and you can find all the details on Kim's post here (which, conveniently is where you should post YOUR entry for a chance to win a $15 voucher to the MFT store!!) - you'll see samples created for the challenge over in this gallery

I use a few bookish and back to school themed stamps from My Favorite Things to put together a little back to school gift set for one my clients. Yesterday was her last day with me in daycare, sniff sniff (I've been watching her since she was TWO!) and now she's headed off to First Grade!

Together we sat down and picked which papers she wanted for the backpack, and for the skirt, and whipped up this little bag tag for her backpack and a bookmark (those new readers need inspiration after all right?)

Stamps and accessories included in my little giftie include:

Bling Bet - sure do wish I had a Cricut, did you know MFT now offers a SVG template file that will cut all the mats for the bling bet and bling bers. Is it my birthday yet, mama needs a Cricut.
Emma and her Backpack
i {heart} books (out of stock... sorry, check back soon!)
Dienamics - Flower Trio
Dienamics - Clouds

Eye Candy on Craft Critique today!

Yesterday my son and husband came home with eighty eight pounds of tomatoes from the farm. YUM, but tomato washing, roasting, sauce making and salsa making doesn't leave tons of time for crafting.

But, I'm happy to be participating in today's Craft Critique Blog Carnival - featuring a tour of summery projects through many blogs! Though little ones are soon (or possibly even already!) back to school there are still MANY days left of summer!

By the way, I've submitted my PJ the bear "I {heart} U Honey" card

The carnival is sponsored by Taylored Expressions, (Thanks Taylor!!) and wait till you see the ca-uuuute project that Taylor is showcasing with a summery theme over there today.

Be sure to visit all the crafty blogs listed today, and check out all the latest from my friend Taylor too!

A Cuppa Mojo

I'm so in love with this week's Mojo Monday Sketch, that I just had to play it again!

I couldn't help but play along in Susie's FUN TCP Tuesday challenge to use any beverage stamp.

Now you all might be surprised that I didn't use a glass of wine (you know how I feel about 5pm wine times right?) but these So Sophie papers from My Minds Eye are still calling my name, and I thought they'd be just perfect for a little apron on sweet PJ.

You won't want to miss out on your chance to join the TCP Blog Hop - just link up your blog post to Alma's blog by Monday, August 24th. Show us your best TCP stampin, and one lucky stamper is going to win all the sets in our next release.

As long as you're stamping, you'll also want to submit your sample for this week's fun beverage challenge from Susie. You'll add your creation to Alma's blog, as well as to the Splitcoast Galleries using the keyword TCPTues123.

Happy Stamping!

MFT's VIP Hop -

Hope you're having a blast hopping along through this month's VIP Hop for My Favorite Things. If you've just tripped into the hop, you'll want to start up at Kim's Place so that you don't miss anything along the way. You should have popped over here from Jessie's blog.

Its always fun to see what Who's That Girl is up to, and this month, she's got her head stuffed in a book. Officially, she's Well Read - such a cute stamp set title right?

I paper pieced the couch, two different patterns of throw pillows, the book cover and used a patterned paper to represent wallpaper. I also used some of that wood veneer cardstock for a wood floor.

I'm still hooked on tucking my sentiment panels on half circles, or half ovals. This is particularly handy when you've got a fun, but longish sentiment. This one, is classic. "Even big girls need bedtime stories."

I warned you, again with the My Minds Eye So Sophie paper. I'm in paper looove. Finished off with a tiny chocolate gingham bow.

Now, for all the details on tonight's release. This month's VIP Kit includes all the following for $40.75

• Who's that Girl: Well Read
• Wendy alphabet **exclusive - only available as part of the VIP Kit**
• Unreleased Dienamics die!!
• 10 yards (2 yds each of 5 colors) striped twill ribbon
• Basic grey basics pad (white) - seriously you'll love this paper!

And, don't you dare forget that there are also two à la modes releasing this evening as well, both the Groovy Girl and Time to Celebrate. They are both cling rubber sets, and super, super cute!

Now, at long last, I'm passing you over to Julie, the next stop on tonight's hop! Happy hopping (and shopping too!)

Feelin' Groovy

Today lots of girls on the MFT Design Team will have samples to share of the latest à la modes girl, but I am, a day late, and a dollar short. oops! My crazy summer schedule is getting in the way of my stampin....

So, while the rest of the team has samples of the uber cute new "time to celebrate" à la modes, I have a sample of "groovy girl" she's the cutie pie new stamp set that everyone else showed you yesterday.

I picked up this sweet Echo Park patterned paper at my LSS the other day, and I was dying to put it to use. After all, isn't it just perfect for a flower child like miss à la modes?

Her little dress is paper pieced with the yellow daisy paper, and the peace sign was pieced with the orange zig zag.

You'll recognize this fun layout from Mojo Monday. I totally love it. Oh, and how could I possibly forget, I've used the MFT Open Scallop Dienamic across the top of my card - love this layout, I wouldn't have thought to put the scallops UP there.

Be sure to stop by Kim's Blog today after 11am EST to see who's got samples using "time to celebrate"

Remember that two new à la modes are MFT's cling rubber and they will be available tonight, along with this month's VIP Kit. Speaking of VIP Kit, you'll want to stop by tonight for our VIP Hop so you can see the newest Who's That Girl, fall in love, and of course, add it to your collection!

Love U Honey!

I can't believe that its already the second half of August. Where has the summer gone?

My kids are back to school in two weeks, and we're working hard on maximizing every single minute of our remaining summer vacation.

Between shuttling the kids around to their activities, and preparing all the produce from our crop share at a local farm, my time to papercraft is so much more limited in the summer.

To make cute but quick project, I love mixy-matching whatever scraps I have handy and scene building is a new favorite of mine. (All these pieces were all ready on my desk...literally no hunting around.)

My hubby will be heading out on a whirlwind business trip, and I love having something special to tuck into his suitcase.

The question is, do you think he'll notice that the ribbon tab is a slider?

I've used the PJ from The Cat's Pajamas "A Beary Good Year" and dew in a little patterned belly with a chocolate pen. The little sentiment slider was stamped with Coolvetica.

You'll want to stop by Susies's blog on Tuesday - she's our hostess with the mostess this week and she's got a FUN challenge lined up. I'm sure I'll be back with a sample a little later this week!

Pure Innocence on a Sweet Sunday

I'm loving today's fun sketch for the Sweet Sunday Sketch. I wouldn't have thought to add all those buttons to my panel, but that's why I leave the sketching to Karen!

I hadn't yet inked up MFT's Pure Innocence "A Bunch of Blooms" which is simply a shame, look how cute she is. I paper pieced her, which meant stamping a few extra pieces. The dress was stamped to the striped paper, and glued into place. Then I stamped again to a scrap of white cardstock, so I could add back in the arms, flowers and stems on top.

I think I warned you, I'm on a So Sophie kick again. Loving this paper from My Minds Eye. Was happy to (easily) find four buttons the same size in the right color in my button jar - hooray because really, that NEVER happens.

I used three MFT Baby Braddies for the bottom left hand corner. My only little cheat was that I added a little sentiment tab under the main panel.

Don't forget to stop by Karen's Blog to see her amazing sample, and of course, you'll want to be sure to add your sample to Karen's inLinkz - its always so fun to see what everyone else has made with the sketch!

* Jennifer Tapler
* Karen Motz
* Laura Fredrickson
* Lynn Put
* Nancy Riley - is on hiatus to care for her daughter Allie, but please stop by to leave her some love!
* Sarah-Jane Kale'
* Vicki Burdick

MFT's Greatest Hits

MFT's Greatest Hits is quickly becoming one of my favorite projects. This month, we're all working with the My Favorite Things Clearly Sentimental Line.

For my project, I reached for the "Clearly Sentimental about Summer Vacation" set. We go without luxuries like a house-cleaner, or a "yard boy" (a.k.a. landscaper) and you've never seen a couch in sadder shape than the one in my den, (my husband won't let me get a new one till I'm done with daycare from our house) but we always have some money tucked aside in the budget for travel.

I've found another paper line, that I'm loving. So, don't say you haven't been warned. My Mind's Eye So Sophie. I have a feeling you'll be seeing a little bit of it. ;-) I've added a bit of the Crochet Trim that Kim carries, and a ribbon that lately I can't live without, thin width chocolate gingham.

And, while you're checking out all of the Clearly Sentimental projects today, Kim has a special offer for you. Get a full sized Clearly Sentimental set for $10 with orders over $30 - use the shopping code CSPROMO (Please note: the Clearly Sentimental set of you choice must be added to your cart)

Remember that today after 11am Kim will have a full listing of designers participating today, enjoy all the eye candy!