Getting Cricky Blog Hop and U-stream Day 3

***If you are looking for my Lasting Memories layout, scroll down.***

Wasn't the U-stream and stamp release fabulous on Friday night?  What, you missed it?  Well, you can click on the link below and watch what you missed.

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Each of Kristal's stamp sets benefit charity. At least $1 per stamp set goes to benefit the charity noted on the stamp set package. Kristal is donating to the following charities: Cancer Angels, Storefront Shelter for Homeless Children, Intrepid & Fallen Heroes, E. Glaser Pediatric AIDS  Foundation, Doorways Shelter for Women & Children (Domestic Violence), Wayside House for Women, Camp Good Days & Special Times, and Autism Research Institute. Kristal will donate $1 for every stamp set sold, retail or wholesale to the charity noted; and over time believes this will add up to some wonderful miracles for these special people. So you can feel good that each time you purchase a K Andrew Designs art stamp set, someone around the country is receiving some good help!

K Andrew's stamps are all made and assembled here in the USA, which is very important to Kristal. This ensures all product materials are safe and that jobs are being provided and maintained here in America.  You can learn even more about Kristal's stamps (and pick some up for yourself) by visiting her online store:

For my project, I'd like to share the "Sympathetic Sayings" set...

It's time for a new release--a sentiment set jammed pack with inspirational sympathetic sentiments and it's a larger set also! Each one just right to send out to someone going through tough times: death of a loved one, death of a pet, divorce, miscarriage, and other tough spots!
All preorders will ship by August 31'st.  

ALSO

Kristal will be offering FREE shipping this entire weekend for our ustream/hop! 

Also for everyone who spends $20.00 or more they will receive a special small 

stamp set FREE: Merci pictured below

No Onto My Project for the hop

This card was my favorite to make.  Don't get me wrong, I love all of them, but you know how one card can just jump out at you?  Well, that's this one for me.  I love my other cards also, but this one spoke volumes to me.  I used my cuddlebug and embossed the black background.  The flower was cut on my E-Craft in SCAL 3 and the sentiment fit perfectly on it.  I added some ribbon that I cut with my edges scissors and added a gold strip of embroidery floss.  

I also added another stick pin.

I'm also entering this card over at my friend Amy's blog at LovetoCrop for her ribbon challenge.  You have until August 25th to enter, so hurry on over there.

So now I've shown you all 3 different cards with the 3 new stamp sets and I hope you've enjoyed them. 

On Tuesday, I will be giving away the Fashionable Friends stamp set, so be sure to leave a comment on EVERY post this weekend starting with Friday night's and yesterday's and today's.  

That will give you three chances to win the stamp set.  

You MUST be a follower and of course comment on all 3 cards.  
I would really like it too if you would follow me on facebook or on twitter, but that is NOT a requirement.

Getting Cricky Blog Hop and U-stream Day 2

Wasn't the U-stream and stamp release fabulous?  What you missed it?  Well, you can click on the link below and watch what you missed.

.

Each of Kristal's stamp sets benefit charity. At least $1 per stamp set goes to benefit the charity noted on the stamp set package. Kristal is donating to the following charities: Cancer Angels, Storefront Shelter for Homeless Children, Intrepid & Fallen Heroes, E. Glaser Pediatric AIDS  Foundation, Doorways Shelter for Women & Children (Domestic Violence), Wayside House for Women, Camp Good Days & Special Times, and Autism Research Institute. Kristal will donate $1 for every stamp set sold, retail or wholesale to the charity noted; and over time believes this will add up to some wonderful miracles for these special people. So you can feel good that each time you purchase a K Andrew Designs art stamp set, someone around the country is receiving some good help!

K Andrew's stamps are all made and assembled here in the USA, which is very important to Kristal. This ensures all product materials are safe and that jobs are being provided and maintained here in America.  You can learn even more about Kristal's stamps (and pick some up for yourself) by visiting her online store:

For my project, I'd like to share the "Coffee and Tea" set...

Upcoming Release Coffee & Tea for You & Me is a super versatile mix and match set that gives you endless ideas for the coffee and tea lover! Reserve your copy now!
Preorder for this set will be here by end of August 31'st! order now to reserve yours, as quantities are limited for first order.

ALSO

Kristal will be offering FREE shipping this entire weekend for our ustream/hop! 

Also for everyone who spends $20.00 or more they will receive a special small 

stamp set FREE: Merci pictured below

No Onto My Project for the hop

This card was also very easy to make and I love that I can curve the sentiments to change the look.  The teakettle and cup were cut with my E-Craft and I used my scraps again.  I used my own glimmer mist to color the flowers to match the paper and added some stick pins that I've been making.  These are so much fun to make.  Of course I needed to add some peachy keen faces to liven up the card. 

I will be previewing another new card tomorrow, 
so please make sure you stop over to check it out.  

On Tuesday, I will be giving away the Fashionable Friends stamp set, so be sure to leave a comment on EVERY post this weekend starting with last night's and today's and tomorrow's.  

That will give you three chances to win the stamp set.  

You MUST be a follower and of course comment on all 3 cards.  
I would really like it too if you would follow me on facebook or on twitter, but that is NOT a requirement.

Getting Cricky Blog Hop and U-stream 8/19 -

Welcome to the Getting Cricky Ustream Event and Blog Hop where we are showcasing three BRAND NEW sets of K Andrew Design's Stamp Art Sentiment Stamps!

All of the FUN will start RIGHT HERE at the Getting Cricky Ustream Channel at 9pm EST (6pm PST)...  So please click on the link and Join the Getting Cricky Crowd (if you are joining us later, we invite you to watch the recorded version of the Ustream so that you don't miss out on ANY of the EXCITEMENT!)!!

If you're joining us after the Ustream, thank you!!  Each of us on the Design Team, along with our Special Guest - Amanda from Amanda's Crafts and More, are so pleased to have you here with us!!  What an exciting night of NEW RELEASES we've had!!  So let's get HOPPING so we can each show you what we've created using one (or more) of Kristal's NEW stamp sets!!

If you've hopped along from Amanda's blog then you are in the right place!! If you are just joining me from your dashboard, or reading this via email, please be sure to CLICK HERE to start at the beginning with Kristal's blog (you'll want to catch up on all the FUN!!)...

Each of Kristal's stamp sets benefit charity. At least $1 per stamp set goes to benefit the charity noted on the stamp set package. Kristal is donating to the following charities: Cancer Angels, Storefront Shelter for Homeless Children, Intrepid & Fallen Heroes, E. Glaser Pediatric AIDS  Foundation, Doorways Shelter for Women & Children (Domestic Violence), Wayside House for Women, Camp Good Days & Special Times, and Autism Research Institute. Kristal will donate $1 for every stamp set sold, retail or wholesale to the charity noted; and over time believes this will add up to some wonderful miracles for these special people. So you can feel good that each time you purchase a K Andrew Designs art stamp set, someone around the country is receiving some good help!

K Andrew's stamps are all made and assembled here in the USA, which is very important to Kristal. This ensures all product materials are safe and that jobs are being provided and maintained here in America.  You can learn even more about Kristal's stamps (and pick some up for yourself) by visiting her online store:

Tonight on the Ustream, you saw previews for THREE brand new sets!!  Weren't they wonderful???
For my project, I'd like to share the "Winged Things" set...

A bee-utiful Mix and Match sentiment set to accompany all of our favorite winged things creatures (butterflies, bees, dragonflies, heart wings, etc) and a beautiful FRAME that allows you to stamp the mix and match sentiments into the frame! Bonus mini bee and butterfly art stamp to use as accents!
Mix and Match set offers endless possibilities making your stamp set versatile and useful for a long time!
This is a preorder--stamps will arrive August 31'st. Quantites initally ordered are very limited--so preorder yours now!

ALSO

Kristal will be offering FREE shipping this entire weekend for our ustream/hop! Also for everyone who spends $20.00 or more they will receive a special small stamp set FREE: Merci pictured below

No Onto My Project for the hop

This card was so easy to make and I love the details of the embossed butterflies (which come with this set).  I that Kristal has started to add some images to the stamp sets.  It just gives it that little something extra.  The "main" wings were from my stash so I have no idea where they came from and the paper is all from my scrap bin.

I will be previewing a new card throughout the weekend, so please make sure you stop over tomorrow and Sunday to check them out.  

On Tuesday, I will be giving away the Fashionable Friends stamp set, so be sure to leave a comment on EVERY post this weekend starting with tonight's.  

That will give you three chances to win the stamp set.  

You MUST be a follower and of course comment on all 3 cards.  
I would really like it too if you would follow me on facebook or on twitter, but that is NOT a requirement.

Now you can hop on over to your next stop: 
Faith from Faithfulecreations

Simply Sunday "Treats"

***If you are looking for my Lasting Memories layout, please scroll down.***

Welcome to another Simply Sunday challenge over at Getting Cricky and it's all about party treats and/or favors.  I am so excited about today's challenge because I did something new!!!  I am just flipping over the use of the Splashtastic Summer stamp set.  Now remember, for EVERY stamp set you purchase, Kristal is donating $1 to a charity.  Again, that's for EVERY stamp set, not just right now, or last week, but forever as long as she sells them.  So when you are thinking about purchasing a set, think about how you will be helping a charity also.  Isn't that just a great feeling too?

My hubbies co-worker has a birthday coming up and I thought this would be so cute to make for her and fill it with some candy.  I got the free SVG file here and cut it with my E-craft.  Now the ladies that showcased their flip/flops made it look easy, but I have to admit I was having a bit of trouble making this.  I love making 3D projects, but this one was a challenge for me.  My seams didn't match up and when I put it all together I did have some gabs.  But a little ribbon and some hot glue and you can hardly tell.  Next time I will know where my first mistakes were, but all in all I think it's pretty cute. 

I added the "don't flip out" sentiment and attached it where a shoe label would be.  

I also added a flower between the straps just to dress it up a bit.  

So what do you think?  Cute eh?  I think so.  Now go make some treat containers or party favors and head on over to Getting Cricky and join our challenge.  If you have the Splashtastic Summer stamp set, use it and flip/flop your way over there!!!
 
Now I also want to remind you Getting Cricky will be having a U-Stream and blog hop this coming Friday 8/19.  As I get more details I will add them to my posts, but make sure you look out for it.  YOU WILL NOT WANT TO MISS THIS ONE.  Remember also that she does have 3 new stamp sets for pre-order right now, so hurry on over to Kandrewdesigns.com and get your set before they sell out.  They are going like hotcakes...

Pictures and Project

Good morning,
was I missed?  so I am back from the most wonderful Boundary Water's trip yet.  We had almost perfect weather, and when it did rain, it was the first night while we were in bed already.  NO humidity and the sunrises and sunsets were to die for.  God's country for sure.  Each day this week I will include a couple, ok, maybe more than a couple, of pictures of our trip with my post.  So here goes (picture heavy):

This is how we had to pack...our van, which we would normally take on this type of a vacation decided to get a hiccup and we just didn't have the time before vacation to figure out what was wrong with it, so stuff it in the trunk of the Taurus and add 4 people in the car.  Eu veh!!!

Dried foods and essentials.  Hopefully we catch fish!!!

Day pack with fishing gear and granola bars for 

on the water in case the little one get hungry

Our new water filtration system.  You have to pump

the water out of the lake and then flush it with some type

of filtration system or boil it.  

Red bag, clothes for after Boundary Waters

Green duffle, cooking and eating utensils and hubbies clothes.  

A bucket for water, anchors and misc other "needed" items

Camo duffel with a water tight bag stuffed inside of it with food

Orange pack, our oldest's clothes and sleeping bag

Backpack, youngest's clothes

Blue pack, my clothes with sleeping bag attached

Two tents, canoe seats with back rest, fishing net,

my blue day pack, hubbies red day pack

Leach bucket and mosquito hat nets in black bag

5 fishing rods 

empty trunk

full trunk

and what didn't fit in the trunk got shoved between me 

and the youngest and on the floor at our feet.

We made it work...now hopefully we can get it all back into the car after we are done.  Drive up to Boundary Waters was fabulous.  We hit a bit of weather half way there, but nothing major.

So now onto my project - at the end of July I had posted a shaker card I made with this adorable "fishy" file that I got from Adams Acres.  You can get the file here at Diecut Designers for $1.  I am a designer for Adams Acres and love working with her files.  They cut very well and are very versatile.  It also worked so very well with the Summer Splashtastic stamp set from Getting Cricky.

After I cut the fishies out on my E-Craft I added clear contact paper to the back of the fishies and then glittered ontop of it.  I saw this technique a while ago and I cannot remember where I saw this, but she had an awesome video showing exactly what she did.  I've searched and searched and for the life of me I cannot find it.  If you know who's idea this was, or if it was yours, please add a comment and I will for sure link up to you!!!  I just loved this technique.  I also added an Everyday character face from Peachy Keen and then stamped my sentiment on the umbrella.

I also added a google eye and inked around the edges of the fish.

I added some glue to the brown cardstock and then added embossing powder and heated it up to create "sand".  I really like how this turned out.

Now remember, Kristal over at Getting Cricky will be announcing her new DT today sometime.  I am so excited to be working with these fabulous women.  Also don't forget that she also has her new stamps out  for pre-order.  You can find all the details here.

Here are the new sets.  Hopefully I will have mine the end of this week or early next and I can start showing you some new projects:

Coffee & Tea Mix & Match  

Sympathetic Sayings (Larger set)

Winged Things: Mix & Match

(Bonus frame & images)

Fishing You Were Here (Shaker)

Good morning ... are you ready to shake?

My second post for the day...wow!

Today I am showing you a card I made with the inspiration from Erika (a Getting Cricky DT-Sister) over at Crafty Sprouts.  Erika has the best videos and tutorials on how to make cards recently and so super easy too.  She is also hosting a challenge every two weeks, so hop on over there and see what you should enter to win.  This time around she is all about shaker cards and I am entering this card over there.  I've done one in years past and completely forgot about them until Erika refreshed my memory and this is what I came up with.  Thanks Erika!!!

 and the best part...I also turned it into an action wobble.  I wish I had time to do a video, but maybe when I come back from vacation I might.

Of course I used the Getting Cricky Summer Splashtasic stamp sets.  Also, remember, for every stamp set you purchase, Kristal donates $1 to a charity and this set benefits the Autism Research Institute.  That's another thing I love about these stamps.  I know my money is going to a worthy cause...

The SVG file is from Adams Acres as I am a designer over there also and you can get the file here.  This is her fishy file and I just made it into a shaker card.  Pretty cool, huh?  I added some green sequins to the shaker and a google eye to the fish.  I also added some white sequins and clear beads to the center for bubbles.  I distressed the edges with ink, added a ribbon out of my stash and there it is.  I hope you enjoy and head on over to Crafty Sprouts and enter her Shaker challenge.

Lasting Memories #47 "Add Distressing"

Good morning fellow scrapbookers and friends
Wow, what a crazy week I've had.  Nothing out of the ordinary I suppose, just very busy with all kinds of craft projects.  It may not seem like I showed a lot of different posts, just a lot all at once.


Today I am showing you a layout I did for my Lasting Memories Design Team challenge.  Have I told you lately how much I love being over there?  You know how you can get into a rut doing the same thing over and over again?  Sure, you may add an extra brad, or ink up a photo mat this time, but do you really dig into all the creative ways you can alter your pages?  Well this week's challenge was distressing.  Sure, I do some almost on every layout, but not as much as I was challenging myself.  Here is my take on the challenge:

I inked around all the mats and the edges

of the background paper

I also sanded the pictures a bit around the edges

 and inked them to really highlight the subject 

in each photo.  I love making the subject pop and by 

distressing the outsides it gives the subject 

more of a highlighted affect.

I used my edging scissors to cut the banners

and then inked them to give them more more pop

I also used my Getting Cricky Summer Splashtastic

stamp set on the banner for added depth. 

I love how I can add her stamps to even my

layouts...they aren't just for cards.

Then I used the same edging scissors to cut apart a 

title block, inked them, added some eyelets 

and used a blue glitter gel pen to write on them.

(I hate my handwriting)

The sketch above is for my Paper Secrets challenge so

I also added this layout for that.

Each week we are given an assignment for a layout. I really don't care if I win the contest, it's just helping me to do more layouts that I should have done a long time ago (or some new ones in this case). If you participate and follow the guidelines you advance to the next week. We started with 27 and 12 moved onto this week.  I will keep updating you as I go along. Who knows, I might not be able to participate one week and then I am out, but until then, I am scrapping my butt off, (they used a different word, but my blog is family friendly...hehehe

This is what I needed to use for the challenge and what is in red is is what I used.

hand or machine stitching

vellum

3+ brads/eyelets (tags)

bling

3+ photo corners

border punch

                                               staples (around the photo mats)

altered or raw chipboard (banners)

stamped image(s) (Getting Cricky Splashtastic Summer)

twine (faux homemade baker's twine)

So I hope that I've inspired you to use some distressing in your layouts and try something new.  You might surprise yourself of how many things there are to change what you've been doing.  Here's some video's to give you some ideas:

• Distressing Techniques
• Distress Tips
• Tim Holtz - Perfect Pearl

So, go and distress your layout and join us over at Lasting Memories...
who knows, you might become Top 3.

Simply Sunday "Summer Fun"

Good afternoon friends,

***If you are looking for the Lasting Memories post, please scroll down***

Welcome to another Simply Sunday challenge over at Getting Cricky and it's Summer Fun.  I am so excited about today's challenge because I did something new!!!  I am using the Splashtastic Summer stamp set and really had a ball with this one.  Now remember, for EVERY stamp set you purchase, Kristal is donating $1 to a charity.  Again, that's for EVERY stamp set, not just right now, or last week, but forever as long as she sells them.  So when you are thinking about purchasing a set, think about how you will be helping a charity also.  Isn't that just a great feeling?

I wanted to make an action wobble card.  About 6 or 8 months ago I received a sample package of those action wobbles and put them aside and totally forgot about them.  Ugh, I tend to do that way too much...  I didn't have a seal on any of my carts so I found a clipart of this seal and traced it in SCAL.  I used one peachy keen eye from one of my sets and added a smiling face which I free hand drew.  Straight and curve lines I can draw, but that's about the extent of it.  The background paper was from my stash and I made my own faux baker's twine like I did here, only this time I did three colors and I love it. I had these beach balls in my stash also and they were just perfect for this card.  Now back to the wobbles...I cut my seal and went to add the wobble...and it was too BIG, or my seal was too small.  I was so bummed until a light bulb went off and I made my own action wobble.
Let me show you how I did it but be aware this is a photo heavy tutorial:

and there you have your own action wobble.  Now, mind you, I am not taking away from the Action Wobbles, because they are awesome.  My problem was that I need the wobble to be smaller because my seal was too small for the "real" action wobble.  I just needed to make my own for smaller cuts is all.  Here are a few shots showing my wobble in action...I wish I had the time or patience to make another video.  I just don't know how some of you guys do it, plus I do not have an editing program and believe me, I need a lot of editing help.  LOL

So what do you think?  Cute eh?  I think so.  Now go make something with "Summer Fun" and head on over to Getting Cricky and join our challenge.  If you have the Splashtastic Summer stamp set use it and HAVE A BALL!!!