Before and After.....

My Cat's Pajamas stamps have been sadly neglected lately....and being that
I am in a definite fall crafting mood.....I just had to play when I saw these
gorgeous fall colors as the challenge over at their site!! This is the result:

The little "witchy poo" stamp is from a set (that is on sale!) over there
right now. She is so darn sweet! But you know me....couldn't leave
well enough alone....and had to tweak this card up a notch...funny
thing, I don't like this pic as well.....but it shows the card in it's more
"embellished" form:

Do you ever do that? Start with one thing in mind, and then keep
"playing" until you feel it's "right"?

As for the goodies used: Echo Park Happy Halloween (the purple
star paper, and the witchy feet paper), DCWV cardstock (the green
and the grey), Spellbinders Star Circles Die, Black Soot and Dusty
Concord Distress Inks, the little bat pins from MM, and the twine
from the Twinery.

I dunno....maybe it's just me....lol.

Have a great weekend....and remember....more of the pumpkin
cards coming, so if you get a chance, stop by!

Go get crafty!!

What Do You Love About Fall??

Fall is my absolute fave!!! I love the pumpkins, the colors, the cool,
rainy days. But I think what I love most? I really kick my crafting
into high gear! An example is the 4 card set I'll be showing over the
next few days!

The card above was made with a gorgeous pumpkin stamp
from Great Impressions AND don't you love that grainy texture
look? That is another of their stamps....I love that one....so versatile!
I stamped my image with memento ink in black, then I sponged on
Scattered Straw and Rusty Hinge Distress Ink, then stamped over
the entire image with the texture stamp in Forest Moss. I distressed
up the edges, and layered it up with solid black cardstock, the pretty
paper is from 7 gypsies!

So now it's your turn.....tell me what you love most about fall!!
Mmmm, might be somthing in it for ya.....not say'n for sure....lol.

Today is the day!!! Go do something crafty!!

Winner Time!!!

WoooHooo!!!! The Random.Org "gods" have spoken!....lol!!

The winners....yes I said WINNERS.....because I crossed over
100 members! Thanks to all who frequent my blog, I sooooo
appreciate it! Make sure you keep coming back....ooooo do I
have some fun projects coming up! A little stamping, a little
scrapping, especially a little Halloween fun!!

Winner #1 of the blog candy in the pic.....#3....Vicki W!!!!
Congrats to ya!

Winner #2, because would you believe it then picked #4....
is Janis!!!

Ladies, email me at lauracox@mailcity.com, to claim your
prize (give me your addy, etc.!).

And also, I had not had a chance to announce the "B&W"
candy winner before the hop.....that was Kathy R!!!!

Congrats.....and remember.....there is still more candy to
come....my craft room clean out still has left me with at
least 3 more candy surprises!!

Let's Hop To It!!!

It's here, it's here!! The awesome Cutter's Creek Blog Hop!! You
are in for a treat.....and this project above is definitely yummy!!!

Hopefully you hopped here from Mindy's Blog, and after you visit
with me, you'll head to Melissa's Blog! If you hopped in the middle
here, go HERE to start at the beginning!

This adorable "cherry soda" is made entirely out of paper! I used
one of my fave new collections from Echo Park (EP)....their new
"Happy Days" collection! I drew a pattern for the soda fountain
glass, and pieced it together using cardstock and covering it all
with the pretty EP stripe. I used Broken China Distress Ink on
the base of the "glass" and also as a hi-lite on the "glass". The
scoop of "cherry ice cream" is a rounded cone of plain cardstock
covered in EP paper (I crinkled and balled it up and then fitted
it around the cardstock). On top, I used brown seam binding
ribbon "chocolate syrup" and some buttons and twine make the
"cherry on top"! I decided a straw would make a cute addition,
and perfect to hold the "happy birthday" sentiment from the
collection. The glass is hollow (of course!) so it holds a yummy
candy treat, making it the perfect gift!!

I also took a couple of close up pics, this one is the tag embellie:

I used scraps of the paper, adorable twine, and cut out a couple of
the bottle caps. A sweet cherry brad from my stash, is a finishing
touch! And here's the close up of the "scoop" of ice cream:

Looks good enough to eat.....right?!!

And not edible, but yummy just the same, is my blog candy for this hop!
Some crafting inspiration, twine, seam binding tape, bling, and a Cricut
tool kit! Now there is a bunch of crafting goodness!!


Well, you know the drill....become a follower, and leave a comment on THIS
post....you'll be entered for the yummy candy!!

And now it's time to hop on over to Melissa's Blog, and leave her some love!!

If by some chance you are a little lost, here is our hoppin' order to help you:
Cutter's Creek Blog (Chris)
Mandie
Lori
Deanna
Mindy
Laura-----you are HERE!!!!
Melissa
Kim

And make sure to check out the Cutter's Creek Store....Kim's got it loaded
with crafting goodness over there, and you can get the Echo Park, the
twine, and the Distress Ink right there, along with a ton of other goodies!

Blog Hop countdown....

Here are the last 3 cards in the "Black and White Elegance" collection!
Remember....if you are anywhere near Antioch, IL....you can take this
class....and attend the crop as well! Hannah's has even set up a deal
with a couple of local hotels!

And the Black and White Blog candy....welllllll.....you are almost out of
time....the winner is coming. If you have left a comment on any of these
B&W posts....you are entered (maybe even more than once!).

Tonight at 12am CST.....the blog hop gets hoppin'!! Make sure to come
back and hop along....lots of blog candy along the way, and rockin'
projects from Echo Park! Can't wait to share mine! Be back soon...

Blog Candy Winner!!

Well, here is the second gorgeous B&W card from the collection I'll
be teaching at Hannah's! Simple elegant, great to have on hand!
All done with the Tim Holtz Black Soot ink!

And as for the winner.....I had promised a winner for the "girly" candy
from last week....and that winner is:

Bridget!!! Girl....ya gotta contact me with info.....on where to send your
awesome prize!! Email me at lauracox@mailcity.com or leave a comment
here on this blog entry. And speaking of candy, remember.....my black
and white elegance candy is still up for grabs!! If you left a comment on
my last card....you are entered. If you leave a comment on this card, you
are entered, or entered again!!! I'll be drawing for this candy soon....and
will have a new set of candy and an AWESOME BLOG HOP happenin'
this weekend! It starts Friday....for the Cutter's Creek store, and we'll
be featuring Echo Park.....can't wait for ya to hop along....so make sure
you check things out then!!

But for today....yep, you know it.....go do something crafty!

Blog Candy.....in Black and White....

Yep....another round of yummy candy....are you a follower of mine?
If not....join the fun! And anyone that leaves a comment on this post
will be entered for this candy.....

In honor of the "Black and White Elegance" collection of cards I've made!
These will be taught in a class at Hannah's LSS in Antioch, IL on Friday
October 7th at the "Crop for a Cure"! I'll be previewing these beauties
all week....here is the first:

Do you believe the stamps I used (the small dot and the large dot
in the middle) are $1.99 stamps? Hannah's has some great goodies,
if you are in the area, check them out!

Remember if you stop by and say "hi"....you are entered to win this
candy! I'll pull a winner at the end of the week.

And if you are wondering....I will be posting the winner from last
weeks candy in the next day or so....make sure to check back to
see if it was you!

And don't forget, to do something crafty today!!

Echo Park Sweetness

Here's a "sweet" LO using the new Echo Park "Happy Days" 12x12
paper collection. I used the yummy stickers, and a journal box in
addition to the pretty papers....I added some glossy accents to the
candy jar sticker, and the bottom line of the LO is made using paper
beads I made with the collection! There is a super quick tutorial HERE.

And here is a close up of the beads and the title I added:


Hope you enjoyed today's goodies....watch in the next day or two for
some gorgeous elegance in Black and White (both projects, AND BLOG
CANDY TOO!!)

Remember to do something crafty today!

Blog Candy and other goodies....

It's candy time again!! Still celebrating my belated "blogversary"!!
If you become a follower (or already are!) and leave a comment below,
you'll be entered for my sah-weeet "All About the Girls" blog candy!
It's all about bling, flowers, and sweet girly touches for any of your
crafting projects! And speaking of crafting projects, here is another of
my latest:

A simple, pretty fall card....the 4th and final of the cards for
the Glimmer Mist (GM) card class I am teaching at Hannah's, the LSS.
The leaf stamp is from Unity (Simple Blessings....truly a versatile
set!) I used Distress Ink in Rusty Hinge for the stamping, and for
the soft inked edges. The soft background pieces were made using
the Sugar Maple and Deep Plum GM and a "wash effect"....you first
spray, then quickly swipe the extra off. It leaves that soft brushed
effect....so pretty!

Really amazing if you look back at all four cards, how different they
can look using the same 3 colors of GM, but using very different
techniques.

Well....time to get inky...hope this inspires you to go get crafty!!
And don't forget to leave a comment....it could net you some super
sweet candy!!

Blogversary....It's Blog Candy Time!!

Yes.....here is "inky fingers" card #3....LOVE the way this Glimmer
Mist background turned out!! I used those same yummy colors of
Sugar Maple, Deep Plum and Olive Vine....also used the Martha
web punch, the spider punch from Creative Memories, the purple
"reinforcers" were cut with the Tim Holtz tag die, and the "You're
Spooktacular" was just done on my computer! Super cute and gettin'
me in the mood for Halloween and yummy CANDY....in the mean time,
how about some yummy BLOG CANDY!!!! LIKE THIS:

Well, looky, looky what one of my lucky and wonderful blog followers won!!
She won the new Tim Holtz "Reflections" stamp set, and her choice of one
of the above Tim Holtz dies!! Now just who might the random generator
have given this AWESOME prize to???

Welllll.....VEE....YOU ARE THE LUCKY WINNER!!!!!! Email me to claim
your prize, and give me your addy....and to choose your die!! Cause ya
know who else might like to know which die you choose?? PINK LADY
CAROL!!!! Yep....for her super fast fingers as the first over here to post,
I just couldn't let her slip away without a little goodie as well....she will
get the other die, AND THIS:

Super sweet butterfly punch from Fiskars!! Congrats to both
of you gals.....AND I don't want anyone go away feeling bad just
yet.....I have more giveaways coming this week, AND next week,
AND a blog hop with another super giveaway then as well!!! There
has never been a better time to become a follower and comment....so
come back and check on things every day!!!

Remember.....do something crafty every day!!!

Another Peek...

It's another of the cards I'll be teaching in the class at Hannah's!! The
idea is to use different techniques with Glimmer Mist and actually use
the same 2 stamps for the most part (they get them in the kit!). This
card uses GM in Sugar Maple, Olive Vine and Deep Plum....and Tim
Holtz Distress Ink in Rusty Hinge, Mustard Seed, and Black Soot (the
pumpkin patch tag).

Those little Jack o' lanterns look like they are lit up, don't they? Super
easy....I used a masking technique with the spray mist (stamped and
cut out a row of the pumpkins to use as the mask).....sprayed on the
GM...it left a white space of the little row of pumpkins. After it was
dry, I used the Mustard Seed ink and swirled it in the white space...
then stamped the pumpkins in Rusty Hinge (stamped alternating
with a full inked stamp, and then re-stamping once off the same
stamp for a lighter look). A touch of raffia and twine finish things off.

Hope you get some crafting playtime today.....I've been cleaning and
doing laundry all day....so I think I've earned some!

Make sure to come back Monday for a special announcement!!

Remains of the Day....

Yep, just had to show my ink stained hands after a day of Glimmer Mist
(GM) and Tim Holtz Distress Ink. I was prepping the cards for the classes
I'm teaching at the LSS (Hannah's Home Accents). This is the first one:


Clean and simple.....using the resist technique, and believe it or not....a
$1.99 stamp!! Super cute, isn't it? Hannah's even has these on special
right now....if you're near Antioch, IL....drop by. If not....they actually
will ship items to you.....just FYI!

I used Olive vine and Sugar Maple (my new fav color for sure!) GM and
also dyed the Hug Snug seam binding (it was white) with those 2 colors
as well as some of the Deep Plum. I kept it simple, cause the techniques
are the important thing in the classes!

So my words of wisdom to you today? Go play, go get inky! You'll truly
be glad you did!