We Have a Winner

First of all, let me say thanks to everyone who visited my blog over this Memorial Day weekend, and for all your lovely comments. Thanks, too, to Sue Frazier for organizing the whole thing over on the MemoryWorks forum.

Now, onto the winnin'!

I entered the numbers 1 to 37 into the Random.org generator, and this is what she came up with:

Lucky number 14! Who just happens to be:


Congratulations, Shelley! Email me your snail mail addy at kwitekreative@aol.com, and I'll get your prize right out to you!

Ready to Hop?

Welcome to the MemoryWorks Memorial Day Backyard Blog Hop!

Are you in for a treat! This hop will take you through FIFTEEN phenomenal MemoryWorks consultants' blogs, where you'll see tons of inspiration for fun, easy projects, and a chance to win a prize at every blog stop. There's even a chance to win a GRAND PRIZE if you visit all fifteen blogs, then go back to home base to leave a comment and take a quick poll voting for your favorite blog on the hop.

New to MemoryWorks? You'll want to check out our blog for great information and inspiration. Also, check out our Simple Stories site, where you'll learn about our exclusive line of products designed to help you get scrappin', guilt-free!

So, let's get hoppin', shall we? Today I've got a quick, easy, fun, and INEXPENSIVE tutorial for you.

This summer calendar was created using 2 sheets of BoBunny's Paradise cut-outs and 1 sheet of combo stickers. How simple is that?

Begin by cutting apart the four squares on one side of the cut-out sheet. These will serve as your facing pages.

Choose one of the four squares as your cover and add your title using the combo stickers. Glue your June page to the back side of this cover.

I stamped my calendar pages, but only because I'm challenging myself to use every stamp set I own (a daunting challenge, to be sure! LOL), but you could just as easily print your calendar pages using your computer. The pages should be 6" x 6". Embellish each of your facing pages as you wish and glue them to the backs of the calendar pages. I also glued the "Bucketful of Memories" square from the cut-out page to the back of the last calendar page to create a back cover.

ETA: Someone asked about the stamp I used for the calendar. It's called Calendar Grid, and it's made by Hampton Art.

Punch holes and bind with ribbons, binder rings, or both. Voila! Add pictures throughout the summer, and you'll have a cute keepsake and a handy place to jot down the dates of all those ball games, swimming lessons, and most importantly (at least for me) - VACATION!!!



Now, wasn't that fun? You know what's even MORE fun? GIVEAWAYS ! Simply leave a comment between now and 5:00 PM CST on Monday, May 31, and you could win this fun card-making kit:


I know, I know...you need to know what's inside...so take a peek:
You'll get enough goodies to create at least four cards, using BoBunny's Mama-razzi line.
Sorry, I am unable to ship internationally, so USA entrants only, please.

Okay, so leave your comment, and then you're ready to hop along. Next stop: Mariah's blog

MemoryWorks Blog Hop Coming Soon!

Winner, Winner!

Wow, it's been so great to have so many new visitors to my blog this weekend! To my new followers, welcome...I hope you find inspiration here, at least from time to time. :)

Now, let's get down to it. There were 15 comments on the blog hop post, so I entered 1 to 15 at Random.org, and here's what the generator...well, generated:


Comment #4, posted by Tam Harper, who posted this:


Tam, you're the winner of a beautiful assortment of Prima flowers. Be on the lookout for your goodies this week!

Again, thanks to everyone for playing, and stay tuned...I've got lots more projects coming soon, as well as another blog hop - which means another chance to win some goodies!

Welcome to our Spring into Summer Blog Hop!

If you're following the hop, you've just clicked over from Connie's blog. Doesn't she do such beautiful work? I have been in awe of her talent for some time now, and am a big admirer of hers. I expect we'll begin to see her name in lots of publications in the very near future.

And if you just wandered in, well, welcome to the hop! Here's your chance to get some great inspiration, and maybe even to win some new scrappy goodies!

Now, what do I have in store for you today? This is a project I saw in the June issue of Scrapbooks, Etc., and knew immediately that I wanted to adapt it to our Spring into Summer theme. In my family, there are weddings, graduations, dance recitals, and all sorts of other fun things happening this time of year. It's always a good idea to have a few nifty gift card holders on hand for those times when such an invitation appears in the mail.

This gift card holder can actually be designed to hold up to six gift cards and/or tags, letters, messages, etc. I chose to make it with two pockets for two different gift cards. The first version is a wedding-themed one, and I think it turned out so delicate and pretty! It uses the Road Show line from Fancy Pants. So flirty, feminine, and fun!

Here's how it appears from the front:

And a couple of detail shots:

Love the flower from my stash - have no recollection where it came from! LOL The quote is from the Road Show cut-outs sheet.

This is that same little Make the Cut butterfly I used this card project a few days ago. I ran it through my Texture Boutique, then tied some ric rac with twine and topped with a button. Download the SVG here: Butterfly

Here's the back. There's room for a personal written message, a stamped sentiment, or even some photos:

The second is a graduation version of the same concept. It uses the Mama-razzi line from BoBunny.


Front. The quote on the front is actually a cut-out from the Mama-razzi goodies.

And back. The graduation cap is a Make the Cut file. Download the SVG here: Grad Hat. The quotes are just some I printed onto white cardstock, then inked with Distress Inks to give that aged feel.

So, the details:
First, cut your base cardstock into a 4" x 9" strip. Accordian fold at 3" and 6." Use patterned paper to create the pockets, cutting it to 2 1/2" x 3." Glue along three sides, leaving the top open for your gift card to slip into. Decorate with border punches, ribbon, or strips of coordinating patterned paper. Embellish and enjoy!

Now, if you've read this far, enter for your chance to win some Prima goodies! Leave a comment on this post before 5:00 PM on Sunday telling me your favorite thing about this time of year. I'll choose a winner randomly and you will receive a package of assorted Prima flowers. How cool is that!

Next stop on the blog hop: Christina - go see what wonderful inspiration she's got in store!

Giveaway Winner!

And the giveaway goes to...Mrs. Woodard! You'll get a sample {ippity} stamp and some other goodies, too. :)

Back to project postings soon...moving my classroom and Mother's Day sort of knocked me for a loop in the creativity department. I will catch up with the challenge though - got a great idea rolling around in my head that will knock out TWELVE stamps in one!

Stamped Project #11 and a Giveway!

Remember that stamped, layered flower I posted the other day? Yep, that's the same one you see on this card. I decided to add a pin back to it and attached it to this Mother's Day card (a spinoff of an idea I saw in the June Scrapbooks, Etc.). This is also another project in which I was able to incorporate three of my stamp sets - I am rockin' and rollin'! My goal for the weekend: figure out just how many stamp sets I actually have to get through, and how many I've already worked with. I am so enjoying this process!

Now, in the vein of Mother's Day and feeling the love, I thought now would be a great time to do a little giveaway here on the ol' blogola. Just leave me a comment telling me what you love about stamping between now and 5:00 PM CST on Sunday, May 9, and I will choose a comment at random to receive a sample stamp from the {ippity} Love in Return stamp set. You'll get to see firsthand how the cling mount works and the awesome quality of these rubber stamps! Who knows, I might throw in a little lagniappe, too. So get commenting!

Supplies used: White cardstock, CTMH Spot on Backgrounds stamp, HOTP Stamped Stitches stamp, CTMH A Little Everything stamps, CTMH Juniper Ink, CTMH Sunflower Ink, Bazzill Whirlpool cardstock, Fiskars Threading Water border punch

10 Things I've Learned

Well, so far I've completed a total of ten projects, and my stamps have never felt more loved. I thought I'd pause here to share the top ten things I've learned since I began this challenge:

1. You get what you pay for, especially where stamps are concerned. My $1 stamps, adorable as they may appear, do not stamp nearly so well nor cling nearly so well as my higher-quality stamp sets.
2. I *LOVE* Distress Inks. I want some in every color!
3. You really can create a complete project with just paper, stamps, ink, and glue. And it can be absolutely lovely.
4. Inky fingers are a sign of a content spirit.
5. You can teach an old dog new tricks. I've seen and tried out some new tips and techniques, and have loved every moment of the process. I want to keep exploring and learning more!
6. It's okay to scraplift (or cardlift, or whatever the case might be). As long as you give credit where credit is due, it's okay to NOT reinvent the wheel every time you sit down to stamp or scrap.
7. Speaking of scraplifting, there is some gorgeous work to be found on the good ol' world wide web! Check out Splitcoast Stampers especially for phenomenal artwork and tutorials.
8. The more stamps I use, the more I want. Human nature, I guess, but my stash is already out of control, so adding to it means I will have to continually find space for new goodies!
9. No matter how hard I try, I cannot keep up with every letter in a teeny, tiny alphabet stamp set. I will always be missing an "e" or an "o" or some such equally important letter.
10. Now that I've begun this challenge, I want to remember how much fun it is to create every day. I never want my stamps to feel neglected again.

So that's all the wisdom I have to impart for now. Back tonight with Project #11.

Stamped Project #10

Another card lift from the January/February PaperCrafts. I used Make the Cut to do the bracket shape and butterflies - have I mentioned that I *love* this software? I can make anything I want, any time I want, with or without a cartridge. It's the best of both worlds!

I love how this card turned out...I'm thinking of making a batch of them for next month's card swap.

Supplies used: Kraft cardstock, Bazzill Whirlpool cardstock, BoBunny Lime Double Dot cardstock, Luxe Designs patterned paper, White stazon ink, CTMH Juniper ink, sentiment stamp from All Occasion stamp set, ribbon from my stash

Stamped Project #9

This is a special project my scrappin' buddies and I are working on for the St. Jude crop at the end of this month. Simple, clean, and colorful. Just the way I like it!

Supplies used: CTMH Moonstruck Cardstock, Moonstruck Ink, Giggle Caps alphabet stamp, Stampendous mini alphabet stamp, Black Stazon ink, Jillibean Soup Alphabet Soup patterned paper, white cardstock from my stash, stock photo