Paper Secrets 15

Good afternoon

here's my layout I did for the challenge over at PaperSecrets.  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 10 moved onto again last 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
Here is the sketch:

 But I rotated it

 and this is what I did

This is what I needed to use for the challenge and 

what is in red is is what I used.

3+ photo corners (around center picture)
3+stick pins
flowers/leaves
bling (within border punch)
fabric/felt
border punch
journaling embellishment
hand or machine stitching (around title)
glitter/micro beads
ribbon/lace (golf ribbon)

I didn't care for this layout too much and I think it still needs something.  I'm not sure what, but I'm still on a roll.  It's so great to have all these layouts done this year.  I'm pretty proud of myself for sticking to it with all that I've been doing.

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.

.

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.

Lasting Memories #51 What's Your Secret

Good Morning

today is another Sunday filled with Lasting Memories.  Not only is there a new challenge, but Karen is also looking for new Design Team members.  So if you are interested in getting on the DT, all you have to do is play along EVERY week in August.  That's how I got on the DT and I've been having a blast doing it.  Karen and the other ladies are so inspirational and encouraging.  So, if you have thought about it, get that layout done and join in the fun.

This week, Karen has challenged us to do something secretive.  This weeks challenge is all about "Secret" ideas!! Do you hide your journaling, maybe hide one photo under another or sneak a little journal tag under that fold? We can't wait to see what little "secrets" you have on your layouts!!!


This layout was super fun for me to make.  Before we started doing our family vacation in Boundary Waters, we used to rent a cabin in Central Minnesota for a week.  We love to fish and boating was an exciting adventure for us.  The swimming was great and the boating and fishing was even better.  Austyn would get up as early as possible and beg to go boating.  He loves our boat...When it was time to finally get going he'd be the first one to grab his life jacket and run down to the dock.  He liked helping with cleaning the boat and making sure the windshield was properly cleaned so daddy could see what was ahead.  He liked to fish also, but just running the waves was his favorite.  

Can you tell by my layout where my "secret" is?

Yeah, this is it...probably not much of a secret since

the hinges probably gave it away, but it's what I like

to do if my page is crowded.  This way I still have a

place to add my journaling.

The hinges work very well for this and 

depending on the size of the photo that

I am using, I have plenty of area to

write my thoughts.

I hope I've inspired you to "secretly" hide some journaling or anything else you'd like.  Create a layout with a "secret" on it and head on over to link up.  Now don't forget that Lasting Memories is looking for some new people to add to their DT and the next person to inspire others could be you.

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

Reminder: GC Blog Hop and U-Stream

Getting Cricky Blog Hop & Ustream Event -- New Stamps, New Design Team Members -- Come join the FUN!

Have you heard the BIG NEWS???  This Friday, the Design Team from Getting Cricky with K Andrew is having another Ustream Event and Blog Hop to introduce Kristal's NEWEST STAMP SETS and the NEWEST members of the DESIGN TEAM!!  You definitely won't want to miss the release of THREE more Stamp Sets and all of the AWESOME Design Team creations using Kristal's newest stamps!!

So mark your calendars now, and join us for a fun-filled craft-inspired evening of FUN and FRIENDSHIP this Friday, August 19th at 9pm (EST)/6pm (PST)...  All the FUN will start at the Getting Cricky Ustream Channel and continue at Getting Cricky!!   See ya there!! :)

So hop on over and...  Join the Crowd at Kristal's Ustream Channel!!

Paper Secrets 14

Good morning 

here's my layout I did for the challenge over at PaperSecrets.  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 10 moved onto again last 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
Here is the sketch:

 And here is my layout

 I added the Getting Cricky stamp from the Positive Thoughts stamp set.  

 and I also added some buttons to finish it off.

This is what I needed to use for the challenge and 

what is in red is is what I used.

5+ brads/eyelets (5 black square brads)
chipboard alphabet
flowers/leaves
bling (ring inside the circle)
fabric/felt
border punch (green torn strips)
journaling embellishment
hand or machine stitching
stamping (Getting Cricky Positive Thoughts stamp on photo tag)
ribbon/lace (Black ribbon over the picture)

I hope you will come back and check out next week's challenge. 

Hopefully I am still in it.

Also, don't forget about the U-Stream and blog hop coming this Friday.  You can come right here for all the details this Friday and we can't wait to show you what Kristal has come up with now!!!

Each of the Design Team members will be previewing the BRAND NEW Stamp Sets AND you'll get to 'meet' the NEW Design Team Members too!!

Love Link Up Party at Getting Cricky 8/16 - 8-23

Good day crafters,


Today is the Love Link up Party over at Getting Cricky.  I love these parties because it gives me a chance to check out some new ideas and maybe find a new blog or two.  


Here are the rules:
*Link Up Party runs from Tuesday 8/16 to Tuesday 8/23. Winners announced 8/29
*Grab my blinkie and post on your blog's sidebar
*Be a follower of this blog
*Create a new blog post that is titled Link Up Love Party with K Andrew. In your post, you must mention that the link up love party is a way to get to know each other and find new blog inspiration, mention my blog, with a link back to my blog .
*Post your favorite project that you've done in your blog post WITH ONE thing you are grateful for!
*Copy and paste the link up code into your blog post so the Inlinkz will show up on your blog
*Spread the word so everyone can join in!
*You must visit, follow, and comment on the 5 people before you AND the 5 people after you in the Inlinkz. It would be fantastic if you would visit as many as you can--maybe everyone? If you are one of the first 5 then you will need to blog the ones before you and a few more after--as long as it's a minimum of 10 near you in the link up tool/gadget)
If you do not do the above your link will be deleted, because it's just not fair to those who work so hard linking up and showing love to the ones on the list. I have two moderators who will be checking this out to keep it awesome and fun!


Here is one of my favorite cards I made within the last few month.

I had never made a twisted easel card before but one of my DT Sisters recently did and she inspired me to make this and so I was pretty excited to see if I could.  I used the "cross" cut from the Wedding Cart.  I love using my gypsy to create my projects at work and then as soon as I get home all I need to do is place my paper on my mat and within minutes my card is created.  I then layered it on a different tab, hid the outside lines of the cross and penned the inside swirlies on white cardstock.  This was so much fun and these pens are awesome to use.  I used the pink glitter pen and did "cut" it twice to give it a bit more dimension but really I don't think I had needed to do that.   
Then I cut the cross out in shadow style in pink cardstock, again, usually using most of my stash paper so I have no idea who made it.  I recently purchased some "velvet" style paper at my local vinyl store.  It was on sale and well, how can I pass up a "sale"?  I've seen different things done with velvet paper and I wanted to give it a try.  
I then used my stamp from Getting Cricky "Amazing You" set.  The sentiments are so interchangeable and super easy to use.  I love this set because it so in your face...I used "You are" "a blessing".  I was a bit worried on stamping onto the velvet, but it worked perfectly.  I used a white ink and it left a great impression.

Then I used my punch to create a border for the bottom of the card and left the middle open so I can write my message there.  I also added some pink inset into silver pearls for dimension and a place to hold the top fold.  This was definitely a great card to create.  I hope you like looking at it as much as I liked making it.  

You can find the original post here.
I am so thankful for my family and friends, and for the new friends I've made since jumping into blog land.  You all have been so kind and the inspirations are overwhelming.  Hugs to you all!!!
Now be sure to head on over to Getting Cricky and link up, but don't forget to comment on the 5 ahead of you and the 5 after you.

Here is the code for the link up party

get the InLinkz code

Tent card challenge

Good morning friends
today I am going to show you a card I made for a challenge over at Crafty Sprouts.  Erika used to be on the Getting Cricky design team and has since moved on and has been doing a great job on her blog.  She has created a bi-weekly challenge and boy am I having a ball entering them.  Plus she has a video tutorial to go with each challenge and that helps me A LOT at times!!!  I am a visual designer sometimes and this one was really fun to make.  I didn't get as elaborate as Erika did, but I showed it to my neighbor lady and she really seemed to like it.  She also gave me a few more ideas I am going to try to make.

The tent card was super easy to make and all the instructions are on Erika's blog here.  

I got the cute little praying girl at SVG cuts.  Isn't she so cute?  I also used the I'm here for YOU stamp from the Fashionable Friends set and added a flower with a little bit of bling.  Wouldn't this make such a great FRIEND in need card?  SO the challenge is open until 8/18, so hurry and create a tent card and enter to win.

REMEMBER ALSO TODAY IS THE:

GETTING CRICKY

 Link Up Love Party: How it Works

*Link Up Party runs from Tuesday 8/16 to Tuesday 8/23. Winners announced 8/29
*Grab my blinkie and post on your blog's sidebar
*Be a follower of this blog
*Create a new blog post that is titled Link Up Love Party with K Andrew. In your post, you must mention that the link up love party is a way to get to know each other and find new blog inspiration, mention my blog, with a link back to my blog .
*Post your favorite project that you've done in your blog post WITH ONE thing you are grateful for!
*Copy and paste the link up code into your blog post so the Inlinkz will show up on your blog
*Spread the word so everyone can join in!
*You must visit, follow, and comment on the 5 people before you AND the 5 people after you in the Inlinkz. It would be fantastic if you would visit as many as you can--maybe everyone? If you are one of the first 5 then you will need to blog the ones before you and a few more after--as long as it's a minimum of 10 near you in the link up tool/gadget)
If you do not do the above your link will be deleted, because it's just not fair to those who work so hard linking up and showing love to the ones on the list. I have two moderators who will be checking this out to keep it awesome and fun!

Link Up Party: Giveaway! A FULL year subscription to the best scrappy magazine out there: Creating Keepsakes for TWO lucky followers who Link up and play correctly. Winner will be announced June 29'th so make sure you come back to see if you won!!!! Remember, if you dont' claim your prize within ONE week, it goes back in to the pot!

Here is the code for the link up party

get the InLinkz code

Craft It Forward Gift received

Good morning friends

Remember I told you about the Craft it Forward project I am participating in?  If not, go here and check it out, I am still looking for 3 people to sign up.

Well, Audrey over at Cute and Some was to craft it forward to me and this is what I got:

She knows how much I love jewelry, so so made me a 

Pin/Pendant and a notebook.

She added a leather cord to wear it as a necklace

or also a pin backing.  LOVE IT

Does this look familiar?

She took my signature off of my blog and 

copied it off 3 times and popdotted it in layers.

Then she took stickles and highlighted around it.

What a fabulous idea!!!

LOVE IT

Look at all the bling, she also knows me way too well on this.

She did a great job and I am so thrilled with both my gifts.

THANK YOU AUDREY!!!

Here is the notebook opened.  It's so cute I don't want to use it.

Now, if you'd like a gift from me, please add a comment under the original post here and I will get it out to you as soon as possible.  Thanks so much for joining me today.