New mini starts soon!

There are so many fabulous products in the new mini that starts on January 4th.  Of course I already pre-ordered most of the stuff, just need to get back into the daily creating mode.  I was able to make a couple of cards (late challenge cards) with one of the new sets called Send Me Soaring.  A cute kite set--I really didn't think I wanted it but had some hostess benefits left and decided to give it a try.  Funny that it is the first set I used out of all the new stuff.  Here are the two cards...

Isn't fun how different they both look!  The first one is also using a new embossing folder, new designer paper and a new edgelit die.  One the second card I used the kites to create the patterned paper for the strips and then again to make the focal flower. 

Supplies:  Card 1,
Stamps: Send Me Soaring,
Paper: Lucky Limade, Pool Party, Poppy Parade, Whisper White and a new designer paper that will be available for free during Salebration!,
Ink: Pool Party, Poppy Parade, Basic Black
Other: circle punch, oval punch, textured Impressions Embossing Folders, Edgelits die, markers

Supplies Card 2
Stamps: Send Me Soaring, thinking of you not sure what set, sorry
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White
Ink: Tempting Turquoise, Chocolate Chip
Other: jumbo scallop circle punch, circle punch, brad, labels punch

Hope you are enjoying your New Year's celebrations!  Here's to 2012! May it be a great year for all of us!
Mary Jo

Wow, what a nice break I had! I made my own digital stamps!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!  Ours was great, although with all the chaos we never even got a tree up. So on Christmas Eve we put up a Charlie Brown tree in an empty room that we have been doing some work in and that was our tree!  Kind of fun actually.  My son said it really don't matter about the tree mom--it's important that we are together and celebrating Jesus birthday!  How heartwarming that was to hear!  I am excited about the upcoming New Year!  I know it will be better than this year.  Too much sickness and death this year.  Here's to a healthy , happy and prosperous 2012!

I have not stamped in weeks and had time today but couldn't even get motivated to do it.  Even though I have lots and lots of brand new stamp sets.  So I decided to try out my new Bamboo writing tablet and make a few of my own digital stamps.  It is not so easy to draw on these.  I will need to practice a lot but though I would share the first three images I drew and the cards I was then able to make with them.  Nice and simple cards--hard to get back into the swing of things, lol.

I couldn't decide what I wanted to draw so I just started with a Santa!  I tried to make him look like he was sorry about the gift he brought.  Don't ask why, just thought it would be fun for my first try at drawing on this tablet.  Here is the card with the image...

 Then I asked my son what I should draw and he said a tiger so this is what I came up with.  Pretty silly but kind of cute...

Then finally I decided to try a penquin how hard can that be--ha ha..

I think they are kind of cute especially since it was the first time ever to use a writing tablet and try to draw.  I will make a few cards with them and who knows maybe I will get better.  My problem is thinking of what to draw--any ideas??

All stamp images are drawn by me--all other supplies are Stampin Up!

Happy today!
It's good to be back!
Mary Jo

Unexpected Break from Blogging

Sorry guys.  I am so thankful to all of you who have sent e-mails to see if I am ok.  Yes, I am--just a lot of family and other issues going on.  I have spent a lot of time away from a computer due to these issues.  I have decided that I will not be posting until after the new year.  So my next post will be on New Year's day.  I hope that everyone has a wonderful Christmas and a prosperous and healthy New Year!  Enjoy your family and friends--you never know when you time will be up!  Just saying. 

Mary Jo

Monday Lunchtime Sketch Challenge 203 (TSSC203)

One more day till root canal day!  Not sure if that is good or bad. But it certainly should at the very least help me feel like stampin!  Geez pain and stamping (or anything for that matter) don't mix well, lol!  Oh well, on to the reason of the post.

Welcome to week number 203 of the sketch challenge.  Hope you are inspired to play along this week.  Here is the sketch....

And here is the funny thing.  As I went to the folder to add the sketch just now, I realized I did the wrong sketch, lol!  Go figure!  Guess that proves my earlier point!  So I will not be adding my sample now, unless you want to see next week's sketch early---naw, guess I will be updating later.  What a nit wit I am some times, cracks me up!

Please remember when adding you link to the blog hop below that you should be adding a direct link to the card you are entering and not to you home page of you blog or gallery!  Thanks, can't way to see what you (and I) come up with-HA!


Mary Jo (who is lost and confused)

Top three picks for sketch 202!

Thanks for the great samples this week ladies. I loved each one. All so different yet equally beautiful! After a bit of extra thought I was able to narrow down three--

 

 

 

Please remember that these are just snippets of the full card and if you click on each it will take you to the original post and you will be able to see the whole card with all the details and you can even leave a kind comment for the creator! 

Winners, feel free to add my badge to your blogs!

Here is the HTML code.

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3N078M5G9-huSpLKlt3kaZVaDOt23WakDimAMmNxTZfDwbBYrppjjcAjsgjaUrfpZps0Y89XaqfHUUtSw_XVASL9GnC6K-H75oW7vXgOMwquB3HaHRJD50N0XGc061MmeDkIVgZX04dy/s1600/blog+button-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" linkindex="15" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3N078M5G9-huSpLKlt3kaZVaDOt23WakDimAMmNxTZfDwbBYrppjjcAjsgjaUrfpZps0Y89XaqfHUUtSw_XVASL9GnC6K-H75oW7vXgOMwquB3HaHRJD50N0XGc061MmeDkIVgZX04dy/s200/blog+button-001.jpg" width="175" /></a></div>

 

 

Be right back with the new sketch!

Mary Jo

Monday Lunchtime Sketch Challenge 202 (TSSC202)

Welcome to week number 202 of my sketch challenges.  Hope you are ready to create this week. I have an easy and fun sketch for you!   Come on and play along.

I have been making nothing but Christmas cards for weeks so I decided to make something different for this sketch. 

This is one of those cards that looked a lot better in person.  Ever notice that sometime when you take a picture of a card it shows stuff that you didn't see before, like poor coloring, lol!  Oh well.

Hope you find time to play along this week!  Remember to link up directly to your post and not your whole blog.  Happy stampin!

Top three picks for sketch challenge 201!

Well another week gone by--I hope that those of you in the states enjoyed your Thanksgiving!  I know I did.  I love Thanksgiving except for the fact that it means that Christmas is VERY near and as usual I have not even begun to shop!  Go figure!  Anyway, here are my top three picks for this week in no particular order....

Please remember that these are just snippets of the full card and if you click on each it will take you to the original post and you will be able to see the whole card with all the details and you can even leave a kind comment for the creator! 

I hope you take a moment to check them out.  Thanks to everyone who played along this week!

Winners, feel free to add my badge to your blogs!

Here is the HTML code.

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3N078M5G9-huSpLKlt3kaZVaDOt23WakDimAMmNxTZfDwbBYrppjjcAjsgjaUrfpZps0Y89XaqfHUUtSw_XVASL9GnC6K-H75oW7vXgOMwquB3HaHRJD50N0XGc061MmeDkIVgZX04dy/s1600/blog+button-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" linkindex="15" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3N078M5G9-huSpLKlt3kaZVaDOt23WakDimAMmNxTZfDwbBYrppjjcAjsgjaUrfpZps0Y89XaqfHUUtSw_XVASL9GnC6K-H75oW7vXgOMwquB3HaHRJD50N0XGc061MmeDkIVgZX04dy/s200/blog+button-001.jpg" width="175" /></a></div>

 

 

Be right back with the new sketch!

Mary Jo

Couple of challenges

I have so many cards that I have not shared on here yet. But I need to post these two today so that I can link them up with the challenges they go for. Do you ever do that. Participate in a challenge and then by the time you post the card you missed the challenge?! I do it all the time. So here are two I am trying not to miss this time. The first is the Create with Connie and Mary sketch...

 This is the first time I am using this dove--I just love it.  So pretty.
Stamps:  Comfort and Joy
Paper: Baja Breeze, Whisper White, Basic Black
Ink: Basic Black
Other: ribbon, snow burst embossing folder

Next up is the 411 sketch for this week...

Stamps: The sounding Joy, Scenic Season
Paper: Cherry Cobbler, Basic Black, Crumb Cake
Ink: Basic Black, Crumb Cake
Other: ribbon, brad, embossing folder, markers, nestability die

Both of these cards also fit the Latenightstamper's challenge to make Christmas cards with non-traditional colors.

Happy Today!
Mary Jo

Monday Lunchtime Sketch Challenge 201 (TSSC201)

Welcome to a new week of my sketch challenges.  It feels like a brand new event now that we are past the 200 mark!  I am so surprised that I have been doing this for 201 weeks now.  That is really a long time, lol!  Anyway, I hope you are inspired to play along this week.  Here is the sketch...

And my sample which is as usual combined with the Latenightstamper's challenge for the new week--non-traditional Christmas!  This is always one of my favorite challenges.  I so love different colors for Christmas.  Maybe it is because I make a few hundred cards each year and get tired of the same old think, lol!  So here is my non-traditional card...

I'll tell you I have been using the heck out of this new Snow Burst Embossing Folder.  So fun!  I can't wait to see what you make with the sketch inspiration.  Remember to come on back and add you link below--or better yet add the code to your own blog so your readers can play along right from your site!

Hope you have a great week!
Mary Jo

Top three for sketch 200!

Oh my what beautiful cards last week!  I really had a hard time(again)--wanted to put them all on here.  There was not one that I didn't love!  Thanks so much to all of you who played along!  Funny that even with a bribe there was not 25 players, lol!  I am going to send a prize to one random winner anyway--just not the choice of what!

Here are my final picks--after many change of hearts....

Please take a moment to click on each and view the entire sample.  You will be taken to the creator's blog where you can leave them a comment telling them how wonderful their samples are!

Winners, feel free to add my badge to your blogs!

Here is the HTML code.

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3N078M5G9-huSpLKlt3kaZVaDOt23WakDimAMmNxTZfDwbBYrppjjcAjsgjaUrfpZps0Y89XaqfHUUtSw_XVASL9GnC6K-H75oW7vXgOMwquB3HaHRJD50N0XGc061MmeDkIVgZX04dy/s1600/blog+button-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" linkindex="15" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3N078M5G9-huSpLKlt3kaZVaDOt23WakDimAMmNxTZfDwbBYrppjjcAjsgjaUrfpZps0Y89XaqfHUUtSw_XVASL9GnC6K-H75oW7vXgOMwquB3HaHRJD50N0XGc061MmeDkIVgZX04dy/s200/blog+button-001.jpg" width="175" /></a></div>

 

 

Be right back with the new sketch!

Mary Jo

He was only one dollar!

Isn't this little guy adorable.  Every now and then I see a stamp somewhere that is just too cute.  This was in a dollar bin somewhere and I thought he was adorable.  And he even stamps well!  You all know how some of those cheap stamps don't really work well--you get what you pay for, lol.   He has been sitting in my drawer for a few years and has not seen any ink until I was browsing a store the other day and seen these darling sparkly hat stickers and know I had to make a card with them. So this entire card is created around the darling hat!  His belly, neck and tail all have flock on them so they are soft and fuzzy!  And his nose is done with a red glitter pen!  So fun.  Thanks so much for stopping by today!  Have a wonderful day.

Mary Jo

Monday Lunchtime Sketch Challenge 200 (TSSC200)

Can you imagine?!  Two Hundred sketches, that is crazy and this is such a fun one.  I can't wait to see what you guys come up with.  We have been down a bit in participation but if we get 25 or more players (not counting my two) this week I will be giving away a 

$25 Stampin Up! shopping spree 

to one lucky RANDOM winner!

total including tax and shipping

can only be ordered from me vie e-mail

I will not contact the winner, you must contact me

Two ways to earn entries!

1. Play along with my sketch challenge this week and link up via the linky tool at the end of the post.
2. Encourage others to play along so we are able to get 25 participants this week (minimum).  Spread the word and you will get a second entry for the prize! Email me with a link to where you helped spread the word and you will get a second entry!

And now onto the real reason of this post!  The sketch challenge--welcome to my 200 sketch I hope you play along!

I am starting you off with two samples.  I was having fun playing with this sketch and hope to use it again during the week.  My first sample is combined with the new Latenightstaper's challenge for the week--Snow Fun--create a project that has anything to do with snow.

I love pink snow cards--not sure why.  And since I was on a PINK kick thought I would continue it with this fun card using Button Buddies!

Now sure why I had such a hard time getting a good picture of this one.  I am such a bold brights girl and I was so sad when they retired so many of the fun colors.  This is certainly working for Bold and Bright though.  Melon Mambo and Lucky Limeade!  Fun!
They are both pretty self explanatory--I think, but if you have questions please do not hesitate to ask. I am skipping the ingredients list since the post is pretty long already.

Can't wait to see what you come up with for the sketch--remember to get others to play along too so we can have a lucky winner do a shopping spree!
Mary Jo

Top Three for Sketch 199!

So many great cards again this week!  Thanks to everyone who played along. I love all of them this week!  Really I did.  But I had to pick only three for the top three--obviously, lol.  So here they are in no particular order.

Please take a moment to click on each and view the entire sample.  You will be taken to the creator's blog where you can leave them a comment telling them how wonderful their samples are!

Winners, feel free to add my badge to your blogs!

Here is the HTML code.

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3N078M5G9-huSpLKlt3kaZVaDOt23WakDimAMmNxTZfDwbBYrppjjcAjsgjaUrfpZps0Y89XaqfHUUtSw_XVASL9GnC6K-H75oW7vXgOMwquB3HaHRJD50N0XGc061MmeDkIVgZX04dy/s1600/blog+button-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" linkindex="15" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3N078M5G9-huSpLKlt3kaZVaDOt23WakDimAMmNxTZfDwbBYrppjjcAjsgjaUrfpZps0Y89XaqfHUUtSw_XVASL9GnC6K-H75oW7vXgOMwquB3HaHRJD50N0XGc061MmeDkIVgZX04dy/s200/blog+button-001.jpg" width="175" /></a></div>

 

 

Be right back with the new sketch!

Mary Jo

One more in under the wire!

Geez, I have had the ugliest stomach bug and it has really stripped me of my energy and my mojo!  Till today!  I finally had a second to create today and I had so much fun with this card.  I used the new 411 sketch challenge and combined it with this week's Latenightstamper's challenge to Let it Shine.  Bring on the Bling--you get the idea. So I began by coloring my rhinestones with a marker so they would be red. The rest evolved from there.  Not really sure how much it looks like what I had in mind but I kind of like it any way.  Different.  And the sentiment seemed to fit perfect!  Here is the sketch...

 

And my card.....

Stamps: Lovely as a Tree, Scenic Season, Contempo Christmas

Paper: Always Artichoke, Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler, and scrap dp

Ink: Always Artichoke, Basic Black

Other: rhinestones, markers

Hope you had a great week--stay healthy--don't catch that stomach bug!  

Trust me it is HORRIBLE!  

Mary Jo

Latenightstampers in 411 style

I actually made this card on Saturday, but you had to wait till today to see it.  When I first looked at the sketch on the 411 blog I was a bit stumped but I really think the card turned out cute.  We will be making this on Saturday at my first Christmas Card Class of the year.  Hope they like it.  It has some added bling on the flakes so it also fits the Latenightstamper's challenge on the week to Let It SHINE!

This is another retired snowman.  Can't forget about the old guys, lol.  The image is from the Snow Much Fun set.  He fit perfect and I just think he is the cutest!

Stamps: Snow Much Fun, Petite Pairs
Paper: Riding Hood Red, Baja Breeze, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black, Baja Breeze
Other: felt snowflakes, ribbon, rhinestone, word window punch, markers

Thanks so much for stopping by to view my creations today!
Mary Jo

Monday Lunchtime Sketch Challenge 199 (TSSC199)

Wow, we are moving right along. I am so excited to see the samples for this sketch. I think it is a bit hard at first glance but after thinking about it a bit I came up with quite a few ideas. Here is the sketch...

 

I have my first Christmas card class next weekend so you will be seeing many Christmas cards in the next few weeks as I try to decide on designs.  For this one I chose to go a with classic stamp set.  This is retired but has always been one of my favorites!  I love cards that show the true meaning of Christmas.  Yes I make lots of cute cards and lots of fun Christmas cards but my favorites are the Christian ones and this one not only focuses on Jesus but it also focuses on love!  How perfect is that for a Christmas card!?   I also combined it with this week's Latenightstamper's challenge to Let It Shine--use glitter or bling on your samples.  Hope you like it....

The colors look a bit off--of course that could have been me--I am a bit off tonight, lol!  

Stamps: Miracle of Christmas

Paper: Riding Hood Red, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Very Vanilla, Paisley Petals DP

Ink: Riding Hood Red, Early Espresso (inside)

Other: ribbon, rhinestones, Modern Label Punch, Decorative Label Punch

Hope you find time to play along this week.  If you do be sure to come back and leave a link below so we can all see!  

Thanks so much for sharing your wonderful work with me and my readers each week! 

Mary Jo

Top Three Picks for Challenge 198!

What fun fun cards this week! I love when the sketch stretches us a bit. Usually the harder ones get less players but awesome cards! This is one of those time. With each entry I was like "now isn't that the cutest idea for this sketch!" Thanks so much for those of you who took the challenge. Here are my top three favorites of the week. Fabulous cards ladies.....

 

 

 

Don't you agree that those were fabulous samples.  Remember that this is just a snipit of the full card--you need to click on the sample to be taking the designers blog and as long as you are there why not leave a nice comment for them.  

Winners, feel free to add my badge to your blogs!

Here is the HTML code.

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3N078M5G9-huSpLKlt3kaZVaDOt23WakDimAMmNxTZfDwbBYrppjjcAjsgjaUrfpZps0Y89XaqfHUUtSw_XVASL9GnC6K-H75oW7vXgOMwquB3HaHRJD50N0XGc061MmeDkIVgZX04dy/s1600/blog+button-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" linkindex="15" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3N078M5G9-huSpLKlt3kaZVaDOt23WakDimAMmNxTZfDwbBYrppjjcAjsgjaUrfpZps0Y89XaqfHUUtSw_XVASL9GnC6K-H75oW7vXgOMwquB3HaHRJD50N0XGc061MmeDkIVgZX04dy/s200/blog+button-001.jpg" width="175" /></a></div>

 

 

Be right back with the new sketch!

Mary Jo

Monday Lunchtime Sketch Challenge 198 (TSSC198)

Here we go again.  Happy Halloween to you all.  We did a trunk or treat at our church this year so I thought I would share our picture for that--it was so fun...

We had so much fun--even though it was FREEZING out! 
Hope you have a fun and safe Halloween.

Now to get the the real point of this post--this week's sketch challenge!  Here is the sketch...

And my sample...

Hope you can play along this week.  Be sure to add your sample below on the linky blog hop.  If you wish to add the code to your blog others can play right from your page!

Have a great week! Mary Jo

Top Three for sketch challenge 197

Wow, lots of fabulous Christmas cards this week.  This really was a great sketch for Christmas.  Here are my favorites for the week......

Hard choice this week they really were ALL fabulous. 

Winners, feel free to add my badge to your blogs!

Here is the HTML code.

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3N078M5G9-huSpLKlt3kaZVaDOt23WakDimAMmNxTZfDwbBYrppjjcAjsgjaUrfpZps0Y89XaqfHUUtSw_XVASL9GnC6K-H75oW7vXgOMwquB3HaHRJD50N0XGc061MmeDkIVgZX04dy/s1600/blog+button-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" linkindex="15" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3N078M5G9-huSpLKlt3kaZVaDOt23WakDimAMmNxTZfDwbBYrppjjcAjsgjaUrfpZps0Y89XaqfHUUtSw_XVASL9GnC6K-H75oW7vXgOMwquB3HaHRJD50N0XGc061MmeDkIVgZX04dy/s200/blog+button-001.jpg" width="175" /></a></div>

 

 

Be right back with the new sketch!

Mary Jo