MFTeaser - Fred Bear Gives Comfort

Welcome to day two of seven fabulous days of MFT Teasers!!! Be sure to hop over to Kim's blog for a full list participating designers.

I made a card using the sweet Fred Bear Gives Comfort. I adore Fred and I know this card will make someone smile when they're going through a rough patch.

Fred is stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black and coloured with copics. The patterned paper is My Mind's Eye Vanity Fair 6x6 pad. I grounded him with a little strip of grass which I cut from sour apple felt using the fresh cut grass die-namic. The layout is SSS136.

Do you spy any new die-namics? That's right...the sentiment is stamped on cream card stock which I cut out with the new Mini Tabs Foursome die-namics. These smaller versions of the original tabs are perfect for smaller sentiments!!

Also, that's a new flower called the Fringed Perennial die-namic. It assembles like the prima donna petals so the dimension is built right in. I added a pink rhinestone to the center for a little sparkle. If you like these new die-namics, just wait til you see the inside...

...look at the gorgeous new By The Letters die-namics!! Swoon!!! The possibilities are endless for these alpha dies!!

Here are the details about the upcoming release on December 6 at 10 PM EST:

• You can attend the New Release Party on December 6th from 8-10 PM EST HERE in the MFT forum, where you can enjoy fun, games, and PRIZES!
• The MFT release, including all new stamp sets and Die-namics, is on December 6 at 10 PM EST.  You'll find all the newest products HERE at release time.
• The guest designer contest is ON!  Check out the forum for details on how YOU can win $200 in stamp sets and Die-namics, and play along with the MFT Design Team for a month.
• If you'd like to see all the teasers for today, please click on over to the MFT Blog NOW.  Be sure to leave comments as you go for the chance to win one of 2, $10 gift certificates given away daily.  The winners will be posted on December 6 just before the release party, on the MFT blog.

Here are the die-namics I used:

Thanks for stopping by!
Karen

Little Christmas {MFTWSC48}

It's time to get sketchy with the MFT Wednesday Stamp Club and sketch 48.

This week's sketch is perfect for creating a quick and simple card, and that's exactly what I've done. This makes card #42 for Project Christmas 2011.

I reached for Inspired by Christmas and the well worn greetings die-namics. To get started I cut out the two main focal pieces from My Mind's Eye Holly Jolly patterned paper then I stamped the sentiment with black ink. If you look closely you'll see the faint image of the bells, which I stamped with Old Paper Distress Ink. I inked the edges of all the layers with Antique Linen Distress Ink and omitted sewing to really keep this card simple. I cut out the scallop ribbon die-namic from brown card stock then cut it in half lengthwise to get the small scallops along the middle panel. I paired the let it snowflake die-namics with puff cloud white and blue skies felt to create the snowflake embellishment, and topped it with a red rhinestone brad.

Here are all the sketchy details:

There's a prize each week for one participant, chosen at random. You may use any stamps and supplies that you wish. Each week a keyword is assigned to the sketch, and this week's keyword is MFTWSC48. All you need to do to enter is upload your card to the gallery at Splitcoast and enter the given keyword in the keyword box during the upload process. After the deadline (noon Eastern on Tuesday) we randomly choose a winner from that week's entries and the winner will receive a $15 gift voucher. If the winning card uses MFT stamps, the participant will earn a $5 bonus, for a total of a $20 gift voucher!

Be sure to head over to Kim's Blog to view the entire list of design team participants...there's plenty of inspiration for you with today’s sketch!

Here are the die-namics I used:

Thanks for stopping by!
Karen

MFTeaser - Who's That Girl & Guy

Welcome to day one of seven fabulous days of MFT teasers!! Be sure to hop over to Kim's blog for a full list participating designers.

Today we're showcasing the new Who's That Girl set, and she's brought her man into the picture with Who's That Girl & Guy - May I have this Dance.

What a gorgeous set for just about any special celebration like anniversaries and prom, or just when you want to let that special guy in your life let you know how wonderful he is.

I stamped the image with Memento Tuxedo Black and coloured it with copics. Her dress is paper pieced and all the patterned papers are from the My Mind's Eye Lost and Found Sunshine 6x6 pad. Isn't the new skyline border die-namic amazing!!! I used the file tab die-namic for the sentiment and added a couple of black rhinestones for a little sparkle.

On the inside I used the sweet stack labels die-namics to highlight another of the sentiments from the set.

Here are the details about the upcoming release on December 6 at 10 PM EST:

• You can attend the New Release Party on December 6th from 8-10 PM EST HERE in the MFT forum, where you can enjoy fun, games, and PRIZES!
• The MFT release, including all new stamp sets and Die-namics, is on December 6 at 10 PM EST.  You'll find all the newest products HERE at release time.
• The guest designer contest is ON!  Check out the forum for details on how YOU can win $200 in stamp sets and Die-namics, and play along with the MFT Design Team for a month.
• If you'd like to see all the teasers for today, please click on over to the MFT Blog NOW.  Be sure to leave comments as you go for the chance to win one of 2, $10 gift certificates given away daily.  The winners will be posted on December 6 just before the release party, on the MFT blog.

Here are the die-anmics I used:

Thanks for stopping by!
Karen

MFT Creative Chat - my desk area

It's time for the MFT Creative Chat. The My Favorite Things Design Team Creative Chat is a monthly feature, where we are challenged to explore our creative spaces and share valuable organizational methods, tools, and shopping strategies with you. You'll be able to peek into our creative spaces, ask questions, and share your own ideas in the MFT forum.  This month, we were asked the following questions:  

Show us your desk.  How do you have things set up, and why?  

What are your "go-to" tools?  Tell us what you can't live without.

Visit Kim's Blog for a full list of designers that have taken up the challenge and get ready to delve into the minds of our creative team.

Here's an overall shot of my desk area. I'm lucky to have a rather large solid wood table to work on (which I affectionately refer to as "the heirloom table", although it's really not and I don't freak out if I get glue on it). Yes, that's a bright pink desk chair...isn't it fabulous! And so comfy too!!! 

I like to work on my scorpal, and when it's time for me to score a piece of card stock I simply slide the mat down to reveal the score lines. Once I'm done scoring I slide the mat back up and continue creating. My computer is always on my desk too, and when it's time to type a blog post or reply to an email, I just move the scorpal and slide the computer forward. You can also see my paper trimer to the right of the scorpal, copic markers at the back, my ott light, a tv for entertainment and my adhesives on the right. 

My die-namics are always out on my desk and I don't even bother closing the case anymore because I reach for them for just about everything I make. 

My Big Shot is just to the left of my desk, on top of some white cubes. It's the perfect height for me and I like to think of it as a little exercise, having to get up to cut once I've chosen my shape. 

The revolving cube holds things like extra scissors, my crop-a-dile, small hole punches, my corner chomped, a roll of foam tape and a spray bottle of water (for crinkling up seam binding). You can also see my nesties in their case. 

Another "can't live without it tool" is my phone, WITH headset. That way I keep my hands free for creating while I chat with friends.  :-)

My beloved copic markers and various other small items like Twinkles rhinestones, brads and buttons, Stickles, etc. 

The right side of my desk is my adhesives and the basket of tools that I reach into all the time. My clear blocks are in this basket, along with various scissors, inks, bow easy, foam boosters, glue dots, stamp cleaner spray, etc. 

To the right of my desk (I can swivel my chair to get at these things so I consider them part of my desk) is my tool turnabout with all kinds of brushes, cutting pens, bottled adhesives, pliers, rulers, and yes, knitting needles. I have no idea why those are there...I don't knit and I've never used them. My copic chart is in the background and I reach for it every time I colour an image. There's also a little stack of previously released sets that haven't seen ink yet (shame on me). 

To the right of the turnabout I have a bunch of pens and pencils (this is an office after all...wink) and a glass of water (must remain hydrated...yes, it's an ugly green plastic cup but it was the first cup I unpacked when we moved in and it's become my go to cup for water), along with my iPhone for being distracted playing games.  The blue container in the back holds my neutral card stocks for stamping images and making card bases, along with a stack of sketches waiting to be turned into cards. I also use the top drawer of this cube all the time...let me show you what's in it...

My stamp cleaner, stamp positioner, sanding blocks, more adhesives, etc. 

So that's a glimpse into my work space. I know I have a lot of things "at hand" in my stamp room but frankly, if you asked me to choose just a couple of items I couldn't live without, I wouldn't be able to. I use all of these things just about every time I create something. And I don't even have my sewing machine on my desk...but I use that a ton too! 

Thanks for stopping by!
Karen

Sweet Sunday Holiday Cheer

It's time for this week's Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge, SSSC145.

I kept this one pretty simple and used the Christmas Ornaments Stamps and Die-namics set from MFT.

I love how easy these ornaments are to assemble. I cut them from patterned paper and added the stamped parts with Memento Rhubarb Stalk ink. The patterned paper is My Mind's Eye Merry Days of Christmas 6x6 pad. I also reached for my icicle border die-namic and the first place award ribbon die-namic for the sentiment. For the snowflake embellishment I layered a ghost snowflake with the paper one I cut using my let it snowflake die-namics. What I love about this card is how flat it is for mailing...sweet!!! I should have made more than just one. LOL!!

I hope you'll play along this week and link your creation on Karen's blog. Now it's time to hop around and see what the rest of the Sweet Sunday Stampers created.
Dana White
Jen Tapler
Lynn Put
Sarah-Jane Kalé
Vicki Burdick
and Karen Giron

Here are the die-namics I used:

This is card #41 for Project Christmas 2011.
Thanks for stopping by!
Karen

Happy 50th {MFTWSC47}

It's time to get sketchy with the MFT Wednesday Stamp Club and sketch 47.

This week I stuck exactly to the sketch and created a card for my parents. They're celebrating their 50th anniversary on Friday. We did a big party for their 40th, and earlier this year we had a surprise party for my dad's 80th birthday, so this celebration will be much more low key.

The by the numbers die-namics were the first thing that came to mind when I thought about making this card. The 50th anniversary is the "gold" anniversary so I used papers from the Authentique Blissful 6x6 pad to pull in the yellow and black shades. The 'happy' word is from the Vintage Cameo set...a perfectly fancy font for this card. I used the faux crochet border die-namic to cut out the cream strip and of course the tag you're it die-namic is the main focal point.

Here are the sketchy details:

There's a prize each week for one participant, chosen at random. You may use any stamps and supplies that you wish. Each week a keyword is assigned to the sketch, and this week's keyword is MFTWSC47. All you need to do to enter is upload your card to the gallery at Splitcoast and enter the given keyword in the keyword box during the upload process. After the deadline (noon Eastern on Tuesday) we randomly choose a winner from that week's entries and the winner will receive a $15 gift voucher. If the winning card uses MFT stamps, the participant will earn a $5 bonus, for a total of a $20 gift voucher!

Be sure to head over to Kim's Blog to view the entire list of design team participants...there's plenty of inspiration for you with today’s sketch!

Here are the die-namics I used:

Thanks for stopping by!
Karen

Sweet Sunday Flopsey and a Sewing Tutorial

It's time for this week's Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge, SSSC144.

I used the fun Flopsey Fishing from MFT to make a long overdue thank you card. A while back one of the guys at hubby's work gave us some walleye fillets...YUM!! I grew up fishing for walleye (we called it pickerel but it's the same thing) at the cottage with my dad and brothers. We didn't always come home with a good catch, but on the rare occasion we did, boy did we savour those mild, sweet fillets. Needless to say, I was SUPER excited when hubby brought the fish home because it's been years since I had any. Thanks Joel!!!

I flipped the sketch again this week...completely upside down...so I could use the horizontal strip as waves, using my catch a wave die-namic and cutting out three waves for a more realistic look.

Flopsey is coloured with copics and his hat is paper pieced. The pink on his ears and cheeks isn't quite as bright in real life as it is in the photo, but I couldn't seem to get the proper colours during my photo editing. I traced around the inside of the nestie with black marker to create a little frame. I used the flat-bottom cloud die-namics to cut out the white felt clouds and used the first place award ribbon die-namic to cut out the white sentiment strip. I used the darkest blue marker just to colour the two little rhinestones beside the sentiment. The patterned paper is Basic Grey Marjolaine.

I kept the inside simple and left lots of space to write a note.

Here's a short video tutorial on how I sew the zig zag border around the patterned paper layer. You can view it on You Tube by clicking here.

I hope you'll play along with this week's sketch and link your creation on Karen's blog. Now it's time to hop around and see what the rest of the Sweet Sunday Stampers created.
Dana White
Jen Tapler
Lynn Put
Sarah-Jane Kalé
Vicki Burdick
and Karen Giron

Here are the die-namics I used:

Thanks for stopping by!
Karen