Courage Bear Release Party and Stamp Something Challenges

Isn't this sentiment awesome?! It's one of those sayings that gives me the shivers. It reminds me of our service men and women, those persons going through hard times put somehow pushing through, and even the little kid so scared to do something for the first time. It's that inner strength that says "there is no other option" . . .

This card was created with two challenges in mind. First of all, the 2nd release party challenge from PMS - play along and link up your card to SCS using keyword pmsrp17;

• Use a large sentiment or quote - check
• Use 3 or more layers - check
• Use fall colors - sort of (modern fall colors maybe)
• Add distressing - Gotta love Ranger distressing inks!
• Add brads, eylets or something similar - Stick on 1/2 Pearls are the best!

The second challenge was the Stamp Something Challenge to use the color brown -somehow, someway. I used lots of coppery brown colors in this card so I thought I would link it up. This week's prize winner will receive a 12 marker set from icopics! How cool is that?

Today also marks 11 weeks before Christmas, do you know what that means? It means that Paper Makeup Stamps is offering another week long special - and it's a great one!! Place any order and get a small sentiment for free!! Better yet, for every $10 you spend, you can choose one free sentiment stamp!! Checkout the PMS Blog for all of the details. This special will last for one week only, so don't be a lazy - next Saturday a new special will be posted.

I'm off to run my weekend errands! Mail some packages, pick up some Marketday, Trip to Walmart, yada, yada, yada . . . maybe I'll take the long way past the local craft store ;0) Have great weekend!

Stamps: Paper Makeup Stamps, Ink: Staz On Black, Copics, SU! Chocolate Chip, Taken with Teal, Soft Suede, Ranger Distress ink,Paper: SU White, Taken With Teal, Copper pp, Accessories: Copper ribbon, CB EF, Nestibilities, pearl accents

Case of Dreck

Paper Makeup Stamps had their October release on Wednesday night and all though I had some computer issues, I think there was a lot of chit-chatting fun going on!! Some really great prizes were awarded, and a couple of fun challenges were issued too!

Being the Newbie to the group, the gals at PMS decided to haze, I mean initiate me into the group by making me the subject of the 1st challenge!! Hee hee, I was actually very humbled and honored.

So, the first challenge was to CASE a card from my blog or SCS gallery and change at least two things. I actually think that's kind of funny considering sooo many of my cards are CASE'd as well :0)

So, since I always love a good challenge , I'm playing along too! Here's the card I chose to CASE. And here's my "re-creation" of it:


I actually stamped this image at the same time as the other one. It has just been sitting around in my pencil box waiting to be useful! I changed the colors, added some sponging and used a different shaped Nestie this time around. I used the same sentiment as the first card (I think it goes so well with this image) but made it more of a focal point with the tag and ribbon.

So you want to play along? Just upload a card to SCS using Keyword PMSRP16. There's sure to be a fabulous prize up for grabs!

On another note, my friend Tiffany told me about the Picasa 3 free download. It's a great simple photo editing software for the novice like me that doesn't have Photoshop! This is my first card using it. What do you think? I was able to create one of those cool watermark signatures like I've seen sooo many others do. Easy as Peasy pie!!

Thanks for stopping by seems like I was rather chit-chatty today! I must be making up for the fun I missed on Wed. night :0) Thanks for stopping by - have super fabulous weekend - the weathers supposed to be crappy here and the Bears have a bye week. Time to get crafty!!

Recipe:
Stamps: PMS, Rosies Roadshow, Michaels $1 bin
Paper: SU! black, Neenah white
Ink: Memento black, copics, Ranger distress ink, SU! Cool Caribbean, Soft Suede
Accessories: Nestibilities, SU! ribbon

PMS October Blog Hop/Caardvarks

ETA: This card is being submitted for the Caardvarks ribbon challenge! The creations currently posted are awesome! Amazing the effect ribbon has on a card!


Happy Wednesday and welcome to the October Paper Makeup blog hop!!! If this is your first stop you need to go back to the PMS blog and start from there. If you came from Katie's blog then you're in the right place. :) Remember that each of the PMS design team members have a letter and each letter makes a code that you can use in the PMS shop to get 15% off the new releases!! Woot!!

My letter is R ...

I am showing off this fabulous word art sentiment. I think it would be perfect for Thanksgiving, Valentines, or just a simple thank-you.

Your next stop on the hop is the ever so talented Meli !!

Enjoy the rest of the hop and I hope to see you at the release party TONIGHT on the Paper Makeup forum (9pm CST)!!! Have a wonderful day!!

PMS Sneak Peek Day #5

What could be more fitting for PMS than "Moody Girls"!! These stamp images are relatively new to Paper Makeup Stamps line-up and are the creation of artist Cynthia Liu. This month there are 3 new Moody Girls being released. Here's a sneak peek at one of them . . .



This girl is called Moody for Pie. I was a little intimidated at first by all of the coloring required, but I actually found it rather enjoyable. I had fun playing with my Copics and trying to get the skin tone, eyes and apples just perfect. The sentiment is actually from the Apple Additions set that is also being released tomorrow, but it fits perfectly with this image as well! I might have got a little carried away with my sewing, but my machine has been in the shop so I was really excited to have it back!! I'm thinking it just lends more to that homespun feel I was going for (he he).

Be sure to check out all of the other sneak peeks on the PMS Blog. And tomorrow is release day! It all starts off with a blog hop, so stop back by to hear all the great stuff PMS has planned!!

Thanks for stopping by, hope your day is as sweet as pie!

Recipe:
Stamps: PMS Moody for Pie
Ink: Memento black, Copics, Ranger distress ink, SU! Marigold Morning
Paper: Basic Grey, SU Soft Suede, Neenah
Accessories: CB, Nestibilities, Michaels Ribbon, sewing machine

The Mummy Returns !!

Happy Monday!! I thought I would show you all another card I made using this adorable mummy imge from PMS. I think he is just the cutest. I colored him with a N3 Copic marker. The sentiment was a dollar bin find at JoAnns. I used a Nestie to cut it out and then with it still in the Nestie, sponged it with SU's Going Grey. This was the first time I tried this technique, but it was soo easy and I love the effect!

This guy and all of the other PMS Monsters are 10% off until this Friday. Just use the code MONSTER103. Tomorrow I will be posting another Sneak Peek leading up to the PMS October release on Wednesday. Thanks for stopping by, hope your week starts off great!

Recipe:

Stamps: PMS, Joann Dollar bin

Ink: Memento black, SU! Going grey, Copic Marker

Paper: Cosmo Cricket Lil Man, Neenah White, SU! Black

Accessories: Faux stitching tool, Nestibilities, CB, Twill ribbon (Michaels), Sparkly brad

I'm PMS' ing!!

Ha Ha Ha!! Did the title of this post have you wondering " What the heck?!" Well let me tell you, it's the best case of PMS I've EVER had!!

Any of you that have visited my blog before should know that I LOVE a wonderful little stamp company called Paper Makeup Stamps (PMS). I fell in love with them back in February when I saw this card. And I have been hooked ever since!! So let me just say when the owner, Katie Cotton, asked if I would like to be a member of the design team, it took me about 1 milli-second to think it over and scream with delight a resounding "OH MY GOSH ARE YOU KIDDING ME - YES!!!!"

So here is my first official card as a design team member :0)

This card was created for todays sneak peak of upcoming stamps for the October release on the 7th! Aren't these apples just the cutest?! These images are from last months release of Apples to Apples, but THIS month there is even more apple goodness to enjoy!! Hop on over to the PMS blog to check out the other design team sneak peeks and get yourself in the running to WIN the ENTIRE October release!!

If that isn't incentive enough to get you hopping, how about this . . . today starts a special promotion. I hate to tell you, but did you know that there are only 12 weeks until Christmas!! I can't believe it! Each week Paper Makeup Stamps will be offering a different special to get you into the Holiday gift giving spirit :0) With Halloween just around the corner, this weeks special is 10% off ALL monsters and Spooky Sentiments. Just use the code MONSTER103 and you're set!

I've got some other cards lined up for the next couple of days so be sure to check back in! And before I sign off, I just want to thank Katie and all of the other wonderful and very talented design team members for making me feel so welcomed. I'm looking forward to some fun times ;0)

Mail Art Pumpkin

Today I'm showing a card I made for a recent NEW challenge started by a few of my blogging buddies . . . Doesn't the name just sound fun! This challenge will run monthly and will definitely get you thinking out of the box. You see, the challenges will be focused around everyday household items. This months challenge was to use something from the mail! And here's what I came up with:

So where's the mail? Well, the large pumpkin itself was actually a postcard advertisement from a bank asking us to stop by and guess the weight of their giant pumpkin (and to set up an account, yada, yada, yada)! I cut out the pumpkin (in sections) and layered it onto the largest scalloped circle Nestie I had. Part of the print ran onto the image so I used some swirly chipboard pieces to hide as much of it as I could. The little green leafy collar was an SU! felt flower that I cut in half. And I used a sentiment from Northwoods that just seemed to fit perfectly.

This kind of challenge is actually right up my alley. As a high school and college student This is the way I would decorate my assignment notebooks and photo albums! I would scour through magazines and mail and cut out words, pictures and phrases. I would always make things out of non traditional items. One of my college buddies used to call me "The McGyver of Arts and Crafts" - He would say "You can make something cute out of anything!"

So anywhoo, I'm looking forward to the next challenge. Sound interesting? Stop by Courtney's blog and check out all of the deets and see what everyone else has come up with!

And stop by tomorrow for some extra exciting news from ME!

Happy Friday!!!!!!!!!
Randee