Joy's Life Summer in 3D blog hop

Welcome to the joy's life summer in 3D blog hop!

I made a 3D flower for my project! I used a punch to create this gorgeous flower.

Here is a close-up on the stamp

I stamped on a Maya Road transparency with some Clearsnap Chox ink using this fabulous Joy's Life stamp from the new My Hero set!

Supplies: Wooden leaves: Prima, paper: My Mind's Eye and Lily Bee, Sticker stitches: SRM, flair:Studio Calico, Cardstock: Bazzill, Ink: Clearsnap, Transparency: Maya Road, Stamp: Joy's Life

If you didn't start at the beginning, you might want to hop on back there and check out all the inspiration and prizes to be had along the way. If you did start at the beginning, then HOORAY! you've made it to the end! now hop on back over to Joy's Life and tell her what a great time you had! 

Joy: http://joyslife.com  

Dawn: http://dawnmercedes.blogspot.com

Kendra: http://luv2scrapnmakecards.blogspot.com

Jennifer:  http://creativecricutdesigns.blogspot.com

Patty: http://craftykitten1.blogspot.com

Cyndy: http://arcyscraps.blogspot.com

Julie: http://muddypawsinkyfingers.blogspot.com

Laura: http://www.laurascraftsandmore.com

Stacey H: http://staceyscreativecorner.blogspot.com

Maria: http://asimplefive.blogspot.com 

Lori: http://got2bcrafting.blogspot.com

Megan: http://thoughtsoftraveling.blogspot.com

Last but not least, I have blog candy!!  I honestly don't know what it is yet, but I will find something wonderful. So to be entered to win a surprise pack of blog candy, become a follower (or already  be one) and leave a comment below. I will pick a winner randomly next week.

Joy's Life Great Catch Card

This week at Joy's Life, we are focusing on cards that relate to the great outdoors. Of course I had to get out my Wild Life Puns set. 

I used the 'You're a GREAT CATCH' stamp on this masculine fishing card. The papers are a combination of My Mind's Eye and Simple Stories. The brad is from Eyelet Outlet. The ink is Clearsnap.

Joy's Life Elephant Card

Joy's Life came out with THREE new stamp sets! I couldn't wait to get my hands on them and get to work! I had this adorable elephant in my cricut library and wanted to use it. So, I made this card with a carnival theme. 

I used the Wishing you TONS of FUN sentiment from the brand new Punny Animals stamp set.

Supplies: 

Cardstock: Bazzill

Stamp: Joy's life and Hero arts (background stamp for the border)

Embellishments: My Mind's Eye

Ink: Clearsnap

Joy's Life Flower Card

This week the team at Joy's Life are making projects with flowers. It is a perfect theme for dreaming about spring! I grabbed some decidedly spring-y products and created this fun card.  

The stamp is from the Mother's and Daughter's set. The papers and die cut are from Crate paper. The bling is My Mind's Eye and the adorable floral brad is from Eyelet Outlet!

This card is also for the color throwdown challenge #231,  the pink elephant anything goes challenge, the simon says stamp anything goes challenge, the crazy for challenges texture challenge, and the stamping royalty challenge #65.

Joy's Birthday Card

This week the team at Joy's Life is making cards for Joy's Birthday! I wanted something a little different, so I used this sentiment. It doesn't actually say birthday, but I think it's implied. I also, of course, wanted to make the card bright! 

The sentiment is from the Tag You're it ONE set and the colored circles are created with the back of the bloom and grow sentiment from the Tag You're It TWO. I wanted a couple of flowers there and thought that these circles give the idea.

The color scheme was inspired by this week's Runway challenge. The background card is navy, even though it doesn't show up in this photo that well. The inks are clearsnap and the dots are My Mind's Eye.

My Mind's Eye Sketch challenge

I just got some of the new MME lines and couldn't wait to use them! This sketch challenge seemed like the perfect opportunity! Here is the sketch...

And here is my layout featuring mostly the brand new My Girl line. I love the bright colors of this line! The chicken wire background was created with a Crafter's workshop stencil and some clearsnap stephanie barnard dye ink spray. 

Altered Candy Bag with Joy's Life

This week Joy asked us to share some new products. I just won these Glassine bags from SRM stickers in a pre-CHA giveaway, so I thought I would try them out. I created this little candy bag using the largest Glassine bag and a strip of Teresa Collins patterned paper.

I used the You are a Treasure sentiment from the Joy's Life You're so Punny set and created a treasure chest tag with my Cricut and the Life is a Beach cartridge.

The gems are My Mind's Eye. The Ink is Clearsnap. The ribbon is May Arts. The punch is Fiskars.

Joy's Life Box

This week Joy asked us to make bags or boxes for Christmas. I thought it was a great opportunity to try some of the cuts that came on the CTMH Art Philosophy cartridge that was loaded on my gypsy. 

I used the 'Merry Christmas' and 'HO3 (Ho Ho Ho)' stamps from the Oh Christmas Puns set. I used My Mind's Eye Christmas papers from last year. All of the cuts - the flower, the box, the label and the tag - were from the CTMH Art Philosophy cartridge. 

I stamped the sentiments and inked the edges of the papers with Clearsnap ink. The glitter is also clearsnap. I love how chunky it is. It really gives a fun look! I used a Xyron glue stick to apply the glitter. I just ran the glue stick over the edges, and in some cases put the glue on my fingers to apply, then dipped in the glitter.

I also ended up cutting a hole in the top of the box for the base of the flower. I wanted the flower to look like it was sprouting up out of the box, and the base was a little larger than I wanted.

Skipping Stones 154

Check out the skipping stones blog today for another fun sketch challenge featuring sketch 154!

Here's the card that I created with the Christmas Song stamp set, using this sketch.

Papers are MME, ink is clearsnap - archival dye ink in pinetree and stephanie barnard dye ink in chocolate, and cat's eye ink in chestnut.

Joy's Life and My Mind's Eye altered K-Cup holder

This week Joy asked us to make 3D projects. Since my 'tags bags boxes and more' cricut cartridge has been getting a workout lately, I thought I would do something different.This clear plastic box originally came as the packaging for some Prima flowers. I found that it fit 6 K cups just about perfectly. (I had to put a little divider in the middle because the box is a little too tall and I wanted to be able to see the K cups at the top)

I used the Coffee Pot and cup image along with the 'Espressly for you' stamp from the Tag You're It ONE set. The label is cut with the Cricut, using the Lacy Labels cartridge. The inks are Clearsnap Stephanie Barnard Dye inks. I colored the image in with some Prismacolor and Copic markers.

The papers, chipboard, bling, button and pins are from My Mind's Eye. The ribbon rose is Webster's Pages. I trimmed the yellow edges with some fiskars deco scissors.

Gift Card Tag holder card with Joy's Life

I admit that when Joy asked us to make tags, I got a little nervous. I keep trying them, but so far I don't feel like I'm really good at them. It's very hit or miss for me. I decided to lift a card that I made a couple weeks ago because it had a tag on the inside. This time I made the tag, and card, sized to fit a gift card. (A kohl's coupon card stands in for a gift card here)

This stamp is from the Tag You're It One set. When I read the 'in store' part it reminded me of a sale, so I thought it would be cute to put it with a gift card holder.

I used my current favorite ink, Clearsnap Stephanie Barnard Dye ink in Cornflower. I seem to be able to match this ink color to just about everything! The paper, rhinestones and Die cut are from My Mind's Eye. 

Skipping Stones New Release Blog Hop!

Welcome to the Skipping Stones Stamps New Release Blog Hop!
I am so excited to be participating! You should have arrived here from Stephanie's blog, if not, you might want to head back to Wendy's and start at the beginning. This is also this week's sketch challenge in which a random winner wins a set of stamps for participation, so check out the inspiration then head back to the skipping stones blog with your own creations.


and now, look at this gorgeous new release! LOVING IT!

Also, make sure you make it to the bottom of my post for a chance to win a special prize from me!


Here's the lineup:

Wendy Price

Stephanie Mino

-------> You ARE HERE Megan Aaron

Wendy Jordan

Pamela Young

Cyndi Bundy

JoAnn Valderama

Connie Mercer

Karen Baker

Katie Gehring

Jennifer Ingle

I admit that this sketch scared me a little at first, but I am in love with how this card turned out!

Here is the card I created:

I used My Mind's Eye papers, Jillibean Soup pins, May Arts ribbon, Clearsnap inks and embossing powders and of course this gorgeous new release stamp set! The butterfly and 'with sympathy' comes from the new release stamp set - Breathtaking Butterflies. The poem on the insert is from the Healing Wings stamp set. 

I made the insert removable so that is actually the 'inside' of the card. 

Here is a close-up of the butterfly stamp.

I stamped the solid butterfly in mustard ink on white cardstock, fussy cut it and inked the edges.Then I stamped the detailed butterfly on vellum in pink and embossed it with opalescent embossing powder before fussy cutting and adhering with foam tape for dimension.

Now you want to head on out to the next step in the hop: Wendy's blog, 

but make sure you become a follower and leave a comment below to be entered to win a prize from me!

Today I am giving away a Smash book! You can win a smash book in your choice of black, orange, green or pink. 

All you have to do is be a follower (become one if you aren't already) and leave a comment. 

easy peasy!

(if you leave your email address, or if you blogger portfolio has it or a link to your blog, I will try to contact you directly AND post it on my blog. If I can't contact you be sure to check back here for the winner)

Christmas themed tube set from altered box with cricut and joy's life stamps

This week Joy asked us to work with these tubes! I had my Christmas supplies out and spread all over my work room because the magazines all have their holiday calls out and I was working on stuff for that. So, I was inspired to make my tubes Christmasy. 


BUT I used a Halloween Stamp set stamp! Isn't that cool?! I love it when I can make my supplies do double duty!


Speaking of supplies doing double duty, the box that I altered here is from some webster's pages pins packaging. I often save plastic boxes like this one to alter. You could make a tube holder like this out of cardstock, but I like the plastic one because it is more sturdy, especially once the tubes are filled with candy.


To make the holes for the tubes, I just used a punch in the same size as the tubes. Or as close as I had really, mine was scalloped and just a hair too small, but I managed to shove them in there anyway.

The label die cut is from the Lacy Labels Cricut cartridge. I covered up the bird that was at the bottom of the leaf circle, with some holly leaves that I sketched in pencil and then cut free-handed.

I used Staz-On ink, but only inked it lightly so that it worked with the distressed My Mind's Eye papers. The bling is also My Mind's Eye. I used a little bit of Clearsnap ink on the edges of the box so that the white cut edges of the paper didn't show.

The stickers on the accordion flowers are from SRM stickers.

Season to be jolly card

I have been thinking up cards for the Moxie Fab medallion challenge for a while now, and procrastinating. I guess it's lucky that I did, because I saw the new sketch challenge from My Mind's Eye and it was perfect!

Here is the card:

and here is the sketch.

I used the Holly Jolly papers from My Mind's Eye, some Twinery twine, an SRM sticker, American Crafts Cardstock and some favorite findings buttons. My camera has been acting up, so this picture isn't the greatest. Unfortunately I think I am going to have to take it into the shop tomorrow. Eek! hope that doesn't cost a small fortune. Anyway, the card is embossed with a sizzix embossing folder.

I haven't done this in a while, but I actually let myself have fun and play this weekend, so I indulged in a little old fashioned challenge combining...

This is also for the the CRAFT Christmas challenge, the simon says anything goes challenge, the ABC E is for embossing challenge, the pink elephant color inspiration challenge, the fussy and fancy image inspiration challenge, the color create red white and green challenge and the do you stack up anything tie-able challenge.

My Mind's Eye Sketch and Scrapdango Challenge

Today it's my turn to post the Core Class for the School's In contest over at Scrapdango. I chose Science because I have always loved science. The requirements for this challenge are: Use green as a major color on your layout, use something botanical (like a flower) and use one or more hexagons (like bee hives or molecules).

I also happened to be working on the My Mind's Eye monthly sketch challenge, so I used that sketch and added in my challenge requirements to create this example.

The My Mind's Eye sketch featured lots of journaling, and a prompt of "Back to ____". I took this as a great opportunity to tell the story of how Ellie acts when I take her picture. Sometimes, if Im lucky, I get one decent picture, then it's right back to being silly! She has the most adorable poses, which is great, but sometimes I would like a more 'normal' picture. Oh, well. I guess this way the photos convey her personality more anyway.

I used Lime Twist papers, featuring a lot of green. For the hexagons, I used a honeycomb texture stamp to create a mat behind the photo. Then I added an American Crafts Details flower which I doodled a little bit on. I also added some leaves and a vine to the flower. Since I was using a lot of journaling, I broke out of my handwritten journaling rut, and used my computer to print out the journaling, which I then cut into strips as shown in the sketch.

Guest Designer at SRM!

I am so excited to be a guest designer for SRM stickers today!

When Jenyfur contacted me to ask me to be a guest, I couldn't believe it! Now, I've been waiting patiently for weeks to be able to share this project with you.

I made a calendar and card set using SRM's Mini Calendar Months, 2012 year of memories, New Years Quick Card set and Life is Good stickers, along with my Bind It All and the August kit from My Scrapbook Nook, which features papers from My Mind's Eye's Lime Twist line.

I thought that a new year's card was perfect to go with a calendar for the new year. Of course this makes a great Christmas gift too. Here is the set:

And here are a couple of my favorite pages:

Check out the SRM blog today to see all of the pages.

My Mind's Eye June layout sketch challenge

I didn't have a lot of time for this challenge this month, but I was really inspired by the sketch and challenge so I gave it a go anyway. I do like how this layout turned out anyway. It is simple but pretty. Sketch and papers from My Mind's Eye. Song Lyrics from Jennifer Love Hewitt.

My Mind's Eye Lush sketch card

Well, I really didn't like the first card that I made for this challenge, so I made another one. It's funny, this one is almost identical, to the first. But I kept it more simple and this one I just adore! I used the Navy Lush 2 and some grosgrain navy ribbon from really reasonable ribbon, along with some letters from cosmo cricket. This is also for the really reasonable ribbon, one for the boys challenge, since I think this navy is very dignified and masculine.

Creamsicle My Mind's Eye sketch layout

I am LOVING this orange, it is very much outside my comfort zone and that's one of the things that I love about it. I like the monochromatic orange with this photo because there is orange in her costume, and there is so much color going on in the photo, that I think the monochromatic sort of tones it down a little. The color scheme here really reminds me of a creamsicle though ;) This is for the My Mind's Eye sketch challenge this month - celebrate today.

ACOT Reveal, GCD Layout and Twisted Sketch

This month I did a reveal/tutorial about misting and masking for my ACOT reveal. I was feeling a little uninspired and just plain busy this month, so I used a bunch of sketches and other inspirations. Here is the layout that I created from the Twisted Sketch. For this one I used layered masking, and I also misted the chipboard letters. Most of these supplies are from My Mind's Eye's new Lush line, which I adore! Check out the mini tutorial for this layout in my article at ACOT HERE.

and here is my GCD studios layout that I gave the sneak of yesterday. This one has masking and a resist technique, which is again in the tutorial in the article HERE.