The Cat’s Pajamas New Release Week

OK, who’s ready for some fun?  It’s time again for another new release from The Cat’s Pajamas and that means that Sneaky Peek week has begun!  Today the team is showing you the new set “Drop In” featuring everyone’s favorite flop-eared bunny!  Here’s my card…



I used our current TCPTuesday #290 sketch challenge for my card layout… and that’s just a reminder, there’s still a week left to join us for that challenge and try to win some Cat Cash and be in the running to be our next Swanky Stamper!  My card also features some new Cutups dies that are being released this week too, the Stitched Clouds.  Aren’t they fantastic?

There’s some new ways to win in the works with this release, so be sure to head over to the TCP blog for all the Sneaky Peek details!  And here’s a few more things to remember…

1. All the new stamps and dies will be released on Tuesday,  May 26th.

2.  Be sure to stop by the Cat’s Pajamas Facebook page for In It to Win It details!

  
3.  Save the date for the Pajama Party on Monday, May 25th from 8:00-10:00 p.m. Eastern time on the Cat’s Pajamas Facebook page.


Here are the other Cat Pack participants today…
Nancy Thomas
Lisa Henke
Christine Okken
Wendy McGaffey
Wendy Bond
Lori Tecler
Jessie Rone

Thank you for stopping by today!

Color Throwdown #342

Hello friends!  It’s Wednesday, so that must mean it’s time for another Color Throwdown challenge!  Monika is our hostess this week, and her colors kicked my butt!  LOL  I think it’s safe to say that primary colors are just not my strong suit!  Here are the color for this week…

What do you think!?  Are you up to the challenge?  We’d love to have you join us over on the CTD blog!
Here’s what I created…

I guess in the end I was pleased with my design, but it took me awhile to get going with these colors!  LOL  For the layout, I used the Sweet Sunday Sketch #268 for this week, flipping it upside down.  My sweet bunny image from The Cat’s Pajamas is from the Take Off stamp set.  Behind the plane I used the Cloud Border Cutups, and on the red panel I embossed the polka dots using the Dots Cutups panel.
Be sure to stop by the CTD blog for all the challenge details, and visit my Throwdown sisters for more inspiration. Barbara Anders
Broni Holcombe
Joan Ervin
Jodi Collins
Lori Tecler
Monika Davis
Vickie Zimmer
Wanda Cullen
Tenia Nelson, May Guest Designer
Tricia Traxler, Guest Star Stamper Thank you so much for stopping by today!

TCPTuesday #290 – Friends Remind Us

It’s time for another TCPTuesday challenge, and this week the fabulous Wendy Bond is our hostess with a sketch for challenge #290!  Check it out…

For my card, I used the darling Strange & Wonderful stamp set, with our sweet penguin enjoying some Spring flowers…

To perfectly cut out my image, I used the Cutables cut file that’s available for this set.  Those are SO nice to have available… no more fussy cutting!  And… THEY’RE FREE!  You’ll even find a cut file for this sketch!  In addition to the stamps and Cutables, I also used the Big Scallop Cut-Ups die directly under my image.  The colors of my card were inspired by the current Colour Q challenge #290.  (How ironic that they’re challenge is also #290?!)
Be sure to stop over at the TCP blog for all the challenge details, and join us!  YOU could win some Cat Cash, AND you’d be in the running to be our next Swanky Stamper! 

 

AND, if you haven’t gotten around to it yet, be sure to go "like" The Cat's Pajamas on Facebook!  There's a great contest going on right now, and $15 in Cat Cash is being given away for every 50 likes!  Wooohooo!
Thanks for stopping by!

Color Throwdown #341

 

The weeks are just flying by lately, and here we are at another Wednesday and another Color Throwdown challenge!  Lori is our hostess this week, and being a teacher she found inspiration for our colors this week in these sweet apples…

The photo shows some very muted shades of pink, orange, green and yellow, but I went bold and bright with my take on these colors…

I’ve had this card by Betsy Veldman on one of my Pinterest boards for a few months and decided to CASE her design for my card today, using the Text Block Birthday die from Papertrey Ink.  On the watercolor paper background, I applied a wash using a lot of water and some Razzle Berry and Orange Zest dye inks from My Favorite Things.  Then I used the Fresh Cut Florals stamps and matching dies from Wplus9 Design Studio for the little flower bouquets on the two opposite corners of the panel.

Be sure to stop by the CTD blog for all the challenge details, and visit my Throwdown sisters for more inspiration.

Barbara Anders
Broni Holcombe
Joan Ervin
Jodi Collins
Lori Tecler
Monika Davis
Vickie Zimmer
Wanda Cullen
Tenia Nelson, May Guest Designer

TCPTuesday #289 – Inspiration Challenge

Our TCPTuesday #289 Inspiration Challenge is still going on this week, so if you haven't made time to join us yet, get busy!  All you need to do is create something using the photos below as inspiration!  And you don't even have to use stamps from The Cat's Pajamas, but if you do you will win more Cat Cash to spend! I made another card this week, inspired by the white flowers in the jars on the right side and the shades of peach and green...

Using the Simple Blooms stamp set, I stamped the silhouette flowers with Versamark ink, then heat embossed with clear embossing powder on watercolor card stock.  Then I used some peach, coral and green inks to add some splashes of color behind the flowers, as well as to splatter some coral ink onto the card front.  I also added some splatter with some heirloom gold spray to the background.  I sadly found that I needed a sympathy card last week, so I added a sentiment from the Simply Said stamp set and some antique gold sequins for embellishment.  I offset the watercolor panel onto a piece of dark green card stock, then mounted to a kraft base.  My design was inspired by this card by the fabulous Debby Hughes. So c'mon, what're you waiting for?  Join us this week for the TCPTuesday challenge!  Details are on the TCP blog. And hey, while you're at it be sure to go "like" The Cat's Pajamas on Facebook!  There's a great contest going on right now, and $15 in Cat Cash is being given away for every 50 likes!  Wooohooo! Thanks for stopping by today!

Kelsey’s Graduation

My baby girl is graduating from high school in just a few short weeks.  Hard to believe… I have NO idea where the time has gone!  Just yesterday she was this fat happy baby, then this adorable toddler/preschooler and now BAM!  *insert tearful mother*  And my oldest daughter keeps threatening me with this notion about moving to Montana!  ARGH!  Who said my children were allowed to grow up???

Well, as much as I don’t want to face it, a graduation party must be thrown!  Now, anyone who knows Kelsey knows she is the animal lover!  She actually should be my sister’s child because they are definitely cut from the same cloth when it comes to love of animals.  I have faced the reality already that the only grandchildren I will ever get from Kelsey will be the four-legged variety.  :)  If you need an example of how much she loves her pets, check out this… one of her senior photos.

There she is with Dexter, our 7-year old Australian Shepherd, and Finnick, her black cat.  The cat she hid in her bedroom for a week before we knew she had brought it home!  Yeah, THAT cat!  LOL  Kelsey has spent the last two years in the Animal Care & Management trade at our local Career Center along with her regular high school classes, and in the Fall will start classes at The Vet Tech Institute at The Bradford School in Columbus, Ohio.  We’re so proud of all her accomplishments the last few years… varsity letter in soccer, FFA officer, honor roll, class leader, and she finished 4th in the state in competition a few weeks ago!

So, it was only fitting that her graduation invites should be a reflection of her animal loving personality, right?  So, here it is…

Using the Birdie Brown You Have My Heart stamp set from My Favorite Things, I created Kelsey and one of our dogs (we actually have two and both are black, so she can decide which one of the dogs that is if she wants!  LOL).  Then I added the graduation cap which was cut with the LLD Graduation Accents Die-Namics.  I cut the tassel from black (school colors are black and green) and switched it to the opposite side, so it wouldn’t be hanging in her face.  Then I changed up the sentiment slightly from the You Have My Heart set, adding the word “GRADUATE!” instead of “heal.”  After some heavy searching, I found the font that matches the stamp set online, but out of respect for MFT I can’t publish or share the name of it.  Now, I will admit, this is a slightly kicked up version of the invites… I did NOT color all the images on the multitude of invitations that went out!  But just had to make one that was more special for Kelsey to keep in her memory book.  The white front panel was cut with the Blueprints 13, and I stamped the black card base with the BG Diagonal Stripes background in Sweet Tooth pigment ink.

The party info is on the inside, along with a cat image from the Birdie Brown I Knead You stamp set (thank you so much to my friend Kirsty for loaning me the cat stamp set!)

Well, thanks so much for stopping by today and letting me brag on my awesome daughter a little bit!  Have a great day!

Just Married Pooches

I recently had a co-worker ask me to make her a wedding card.  I asked her a few questions, whether she wanted something elegant, traditional, cutesie, etc.  Thought maybe it’d be a good time to pull out my Bride & Groom Die-Namics from My Favorite Things.  She mentioned that this couple was somewhat eclectic, that this is a second marriage for them both, they have grown kids, and are frequently seen walking their two dogs in their neighborhood.

Well, last year this same co-worker had asked me to make her four birthday cards just like the card I made at the MFT Retreat last Spring, using the Joy Ride Die-Namics.  She said she just wanted a couple of birthday cards to have on hand.  Well, I took it a step further and did this…

I made the car card (designed by Jody Morrow) just like we did it at the retreat, but then cut out four of each of the sentiment license plates.  Then I ran them through my Xyron sticker maker so that she could peel off the backing and use whatever sentiment she wanted on the card!  She LOVED this idea, and is always talking about how much she loves that car.

So, fast forward to this year and having her ask me for a wedding card for a couple who love their dogs, and this idea instantly sprang into my mind!

A wedding card for a couple of dog lovers!  I used the Birdie Brown You Make My Tail Wag stamps, and the matching You Make My Tail Wag Die-Namics for the dog on the left, and the Birdie Brown You Have My Heart stamps and matching Die-Namics for the dog on the right to create this special card.  I sponged some clouds with Sweet Tooth pigment ink using the Cloudy Day stencil on Blue Breeze card stock to make the sky in the background, and grounded the car with the On the Road Die-Namics (retired).

On the inside I just added a simple sentiment from the LJD Together Forever stamp set (but I forgot to photograph it!)

Wishing you a happy Friday, and thank you so much for stopping by today!

Color Throwdown #340

Hello friends, and happy Wednesday!  We’ve got another Color Throwdown challenge for you today and Jodi is our hostess with this wonderful inspiration photo that just full of Springtime goodness!

I just couldn’t resist order the new Perky Posies die set from Lil’ Inker Designs, and it arrived just in time for me to take to my stamping retreat this past weekend and make this card…

Let me just say, this is one fun little set of stitched flower dies!  They’re perfectly sized and totally cute with the stitching detail!  I was inspired by this sketch I found on the Scrapbook & Cards Today website, so I used it for my card, inverting the design.  The BG Gingham background stamp from My Favorite Things is stamped in Grout Gray hybrid ink, and the “Happy” in the sentiment is from the Lil’ Inker Quick Notes stamp set.  (The “birthday” came from a set borrowed at the retreat, but I don’t know what company it’s from… sorry!)  I added some enamel dots to a few of the flower centers for extra dimension.
Be sure to stop by the CTD blog for all the challenge details, and visit my Throwdown sisters for more inspiration. Barbara Anders
Broni Holcombe
Joan Ervin
Jodi Collins
Lori Tecler
Monika Davis
Vickie Zimmer
Wanda Cullen
Karen Giron, April Guest Designer
Kathy Schweinfurth, Guest Star Stamper Many thanks for visiting my blog today!  I appreciate your comments a great deal!

TCPTuesday #289 – Just a Note

It must be Tuesday because it’s time again for a new TCPTuesday challenge from The Cat’s Pajamas!  This week is an inspiration challenge, so here are you photos for… what else, inspiration!

 

There are several elements from both photos that inspired me… the bird, the music paper and text, and the colors of the jars mostly.  Here’s my card…

I made some clouds on my blue card stock background with white embossing paste, then used the musical notes from The Tweetest Things stamp set to stamp on the clouds.  The branch and leaves were just cut on my Silhouette, and then I die cut the birdhouse from the Home Tweet Home Cutups dies.  I added some text print to the birdhouse and a sentiment, also from The Tweetest Things stamp set.
I hope you’ll play along with us this week!  You could win some Cat Cash for joining, so go and get inky!  Stop by the TCP blog for all the details!

Stay Tuned

I had an awesome stampy weekend with some fabulous friends at a retreat, and had time to do nothing but chat and stamp!  How much better can it get?

One thing I made time for was the Sweet Sunday Sketch #266 for this week, and I used my new (not-yet-used) LLD Stay Tuned stamp set from My Favorite Things, along with the matching LLD Television Die-Namics.  Oh my, if this isn’t a fun set of stamps and dies!  So many possibilities!

I had this color combo saved on one of my Pinterest boards, and thought it had a great retro look for this stamp set.  The colors I used are all from MFT including Ripe Raspberry, Peach Bellini, Orange Zest, Cotton Candy, Sno Cone and Tropical Teal.  I also used Steel Grey and Steel Blue card stock on the TV, and embellished my design with some enamel dots.

AND like it says on this card, you should stay tuned… I’ve got more cards from my fun weekend to share with you later this week!  Thanks for stopping by today!

A Very Sparkly 25th

 

My hubs and I recently celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary, and this is the card I made for him.  The numbers from the Numbers plate from The Cat’s Pajamas was just perfect for the big 25 in the center of the card, which I cut out with some awesome silver glitter paper.  And the sentiment, including the “th” are from fantastic Your Number is Up stamp set.  I finished the card very simply with some silver enamel dots.

The sparkle ended up being very fitting as he gave me some pretty awesome bling for my finger to celebrate!  And in exchange, my hubs got a barn!  LOL  He’s NOT the bling type, and had been wanting a nice new storage shed for out in the yard, anyway so it work out well… bling and a barn and a very happy anniversary! 

Happy Saturday, and thanks for stopping by today!

Color Throwdown #339

Happy Wednesday, and thanks for stopping by today for another Color Throwdown!  This week Joan is our hostess with this great, graphic color combo…

I went pretty literal with the inspiration photo and decided to work the daisies into my design as well as the colors, with this card…

I started with some black and white chevron designer paper, and toned it down a little by adding a vellum panel.  Then I used the new Die-Namics Happy Trio from My Favorite Things for the main part of my sentiment, and added the words stamped directly on the vellum from the Totally Happy stamp set.  A simple daisy embellishment using the Upsy Daisy Die-Namics was all I needed to finish the card, along with some enamel dots.  Card stock colors used here include Daffodil, Sweet Tooth, Sour Apple and Black Licorice. 

Be sure to stop by the CTD blog for all the challenge details, and visit my Throwdown sisters for more inspiration.

Barbara Anders
Broni Holcombe
Joan Ervin
Jodi Collins
Lori Tecler
Monika Davis
Vickie Zimmer
Wanda Cullen
Karen Giron, April Guest Designer
Simonne Clay, Guest Star Stamper

Happy Hump Day, and thanks for stopping by!

TCPTuesday288 – Take Two

There’s still time to join us for the TCPTuesday #288 color challenge!  Just create a card, preferably using stamps from The Cat’s Pajamas (but they’re not required) using the colors below…

You could be entered to win some Cat Cash, and with an upcoming new release that would be a GOOD thing!  Here’s another card I made using these colors…

It’s always a good idea to have get well cards on hand, so I took the opportunity to use the A Cuppa stamp set from TCP to make my card.  This sweet bear is always fun to color!  I got some inspiration for my layout from CAS(E) this Sketch #119 for this week.
So, I really hope you’ll head over to the TCP blog and join us this week!  There aren’t that many entries, so get your hat thrown into the ring and play along!
Thanks for stopping by!

Color Throwdown #338

Hello friends!  It’s Wednesday again, and time for another Color Throwdown!  Broni is our hostess this week with this cool, but Spring-like color combo for you to try…

I really love these colors, and had a lot of fun with my card by inking up my new Birdie Brown You Gnome Me stamp set from My Favorite Things…

How stinkin’ cute is that little guy?  I remember when Torico (aka Birdie Brown) was illustrating stamps way back when for There She Goes and during my time on that team, she drew a gnome stamp set that I always loved.  So I was thrilled to see these new stamps from MFT!  A few other supplies used here include the Pierced Fishtail Flags STAX, and the BG Diagonal Stripes background stamp.  The layout for my card was inspired by an old Retro Sketch, #85.  I’ve got that sketch on a Pinterest board, and it just seemed perfect for this design.
Barbara Anders
Broni Holcombe
Joan Ervin
Jodi Collins
Lori Tecler
Monika Davis
Vickie Zimmer
Wanda Cullen
Karen Giron, April Guest Designer
Cassie Trask, Guest Star Stamper Thank you so much for stopping by today!  I appreciate your comments very much!

TCPTuesday #288 – Color Challenge

After a good sketch challenge, I love a good color challenge so the TCPTuesday challenge today from The Cat’s Pajamas is right up my alley!  I hope you’ll like it too, and join us!  Here are the colors…

I needed a birthday card this week, so the sweet bunny from the A Girl and Her Cake stamp set was just perfect.  And for layout inspiration, I used the current Sweet Sunday Sketch #264 for this week…

I used some miscellaneous designer papers that I had on hand for some of the challenge colors, and embellished with some enamel dots.
Be sure to stop over at the TCP blog for the challenge details, and play along!  You could win some Cat Cash!

Color Throwdown #337

Here we are again, my friends… another Wednesday has rolled around and it’s time for the Color Throwdown!  Barbara is our fabulous hostess today, and her colors were inspired by this cool photo…I’m wondering if this photo reminds of her travels in Italy over the last few years?

I used the Sweet Sunday Sketch #263 for my card this week, altering the layout slightly to make an A2 card instead of a square.

I originally set out to make this card to give to my hubby.  We’re celebrating our 25th anniversary next Tuesday!  This card is pretty simple, but that it makes it pretty suitable for him.  But I’m not sure if I’ll use it, or make something different.  Somehow, even though I don’t want it to be too floofy, I feel like the card for this anniversary needs to be more lovey-dovey looking.
But anyway, along with Orange Zest, Sour Apple, Berrylicious and Kraft card stock from My Favorite Things, I also used the CS Eye Charts stamp set, and the LLD Geek is Chic Eyeglasses Die-Namics from MFT.  On the kraft card stock background I stamped the BG Typewriter Text in Natural hybrid ink, and on the Sour Apple card stock strip I stamped the BG Diagonal Stripes background in Sour Apple hybrid ink.  I added some Glossy Accents to the glasses for shine, and embellished with a few enamel dots.
Be sure to stop by the CTD blog for all the challenge details, and visit my Throwdown sisters for more inspiration. Barbara Anders
Broni Holcombe (sitting out this week)
Joan Ervin
Jodi Collins
Lori Tecler
Monika Davis
Vickie Zimmer
Wanda Cullen
Karen Giron, April Guest Designer Thanks so much for stopping by my little corner of the stamping world!

TCPTuesday #287 – Take Two

The current TCPTuesday challenge #287 is still going on, and it’s an Anything Goes challenge, so the sky is the limit!  Stop by the TCP blog for all the details so you can play along!
Today, I got inky with some Ranger distress inks for my card…

I used Picked Raspberry, Abandoned Coral, Squeezed Lemonade, Cracked Pistachio, Peacock Feathers and Seedless Preserves ink to create my watercolor rainbow in the background, and spritzed it good with some silver spray mist.  Then I embellished by die-cutting with the pretty Lacey Butterfly Cutups die, cutting one layer with white card stock and the top layer with vellum.  I added a sentiment from Simply Said and embellished with some white sequins.
I hope you’ll stop over at the TCP blog and join us for the challenge this week!  You could win some Cat Cash, and that’s not a bad thing at all!
Thanks for stopping by today!

He is Risen – Happy Easter!

Happy Easter everyone!  I hope you had a wonderful Sunday with family and friends, celebrating the resurrection of our Lord!

I just wanted to quickly share with you today the quick tag I made to go on a small pot of daffodils for my secret sister at church.  I used my Copics to color up this sweet Easter Bunny image from A Day for Daisies.

Then I just tied the orange ribbon around this little pot of daffodils…

(Photos quickly taken in my kitchen before leaving for church!)

Happy Easter, again and thank you for stopping by!

Color Throwdown #336

Hello friends!  It’s time for another Color Throwdown challenge, and this week Wanda is our hostess.  Here is her color combo…

Now, I have to admit I reeeeeally struggled with these colors because I thought they just screamed FALL, and a Fall-themed card is not what I want to make when Spring is on the verge of bursting forth.  So in addition to the colors, I just used the photo in general as inspiration and created this card…

I used the Small Brick Wall stencil from My Favorite Things, and some white embossing paste on the background panel then sponged the bricks with Brick Red Hybrid ink after the paste was dry.  I also sponged the outer edges of the background panel with some Antique Linen distress ink.  The bicycle was first cut out with my Silhouette using the Digital Cut File from Kitchen Sink Stamps, and then I stamped the bike using my MISTI and the Multi-Step Bicycle stamp set from KSS.  (Did you know that I had a hand in designing this KSS stamp set?  My green card stock here is the old River Rock from Stampin’ Up! which I’ve always thought was such a pretty, subtle, soft shade of green.  But no matter what I did here, it looks like kraft in my photo, don’t you think?  Trust me, it’s more green than it appears!  :)  All in all, even thought it took awhile to get my mojo started for this card, I’m happy with how it turned out!

Remember, we’ve got something new on the CTD blog… we’re now on Instagram!  Be sure to follow us by searching for colorthrowdown.  You’ll be able to get sneak peeks of the upcoming challenges, and you also might find your card featured there one day!  (And I’m on Instagram, too!  If you want to follow me, just click on the little Instagram camera button way up at the top of my left sidebar!)

Be sure to stop by the CTD blog for all the challenge details, and visit my Throwdown sisters for more inspiration.

Barbara Anders
Broni Holcombe
Joan Ervin (sitting out this week)
Jodi Collins
Lori Tecler
Monika Davis
Vickie Zimmer
Wanda Cullen
Karen Giron, April Guest Designer
Tobi Crawford, Guest Star Stamper

That’s all for today… thanks for stopping by!