A pampered chef is a happy chef

Do you have a favorite go-to item in your kitchen? For me, it's my Pampered Chef large batter bowl. I've had it for eight years and love love love it. I use it to mix everything, marinade stuff and I've even baked cakes in it.

While I was re-organizing my kitchen cupboards recently, I dropped it and watched it shatter into hundreds of pieces on my kitchen floor. ACK!! After hearing my tragic story, my neighbor and good friend surprised me with a brand new batter bowl! She's had an extra one in her cupboard forever and totally made my day.

Of course I had to run upstairs and whip up a thank you card right away!
Any excuse to get inky right?For this one, I used Bermuda Bay cardstock (YUM!) and patterns from the "Thoroughly Modern" collection. The main image is "Kiss the Cook" Hanna and the sentiment is from SU's "Full of Life".
To pull the card together, I paper pieced Hanna's apron, placed some blue jewels onto the bottom of the main image and added some white organdy ribbon behind the sentiment.

Thanks for stopping by!

A little bath time stamping

Last night I gave myself 30 minutes to play while munchkin #2 was enjoying a bubble gum scented bubble bath. I didn't have a plan or a specific project in mind, but here's what I came up with... Just a simple, cheery card for an old friend. I layered some October Afternoon patterned paper on a So Saffron base and used "Garden Hanna" for the main image. I love this set, but unfortunately it doesn't come with any sentiments, so I paired it up with one from SU's "Knobbly Gnomes".

To add a little extra detail, I paper pieced Hanna's bandanna, pocket and shoes. Thanks for stopping by!
I'll be back tomorrow with my favorite finds from the web this week. If you've left me a comment this week, I'll be checking out YOUR blog. Who knows....maybe you'll see one of your projects featured here tomorrow!
Hugs,

Christmas Stampin All Year Long

Wow! The weekend went by so fast!
Monday morning already and that means a new challenge from the CSAYL blog! This week we have a sketch challenge for you courtesy of Maria Bell. I can never resist one of Maria's sketches but this was a tough one for me! I can't wait to see what you all do with it!Every time I looked at the sketch, I kept envisioning a cookie on the bottom right. I decided to go with it and create another cookie swap invitation for my party this December.

Here's what I came up with... I used Hanna for the main image and paper pieced her apron. The baking themed patterned paper is by Flair designs and I picked it up last year for my cookie swap invites, but never used it. I was a very happy stamper when I stumbled upon it in my stash! I cut out a cookie shape using Creamy Caramel cardstock, inked the edges and stamped some chocolate chips on it
Be sure to hop on over to the CSAYL blog to see what the rest of the design team came up with and to upload your card.

There were lots of great entries last week for our "spotlight challenge", but this one by Philippa was my fave!
Hugs,

Christmas Stampin' All Year Long

Monday already?!
I can't believe that we're almost half way through July!

Today is challenge day over at the CSAYL blog! The challenge for this week is to
DECORATE A CARD ON THE OUTSIDE AND INSIDE.

This challenge gave me the perfect opportunity to start working on my Cookie Swap invites. Each year I host a Christmas cookie exchange at my home. If you've never had one, you definitely should - they are a blast! One afternoon of baking, one hour of swapping and I've got cookies for the entire holiday season!

Here's what I came up with for the "Inside Out" challenge this week...

I used my "Kiss the Cook" Hanna image and sentiment along with a "you're invited" stamp from the $1 bin at Michaels. The base is Sage Shadow, which I paired up with some patterned papers from BasicGrey and Kim Hughes.

Here's a peek at the inside of my card...
I printed up my party information onto Very Vanilla cardstock and then cut it out with my Nestabilities "Label Two" die. Then I layered it onto another piece of Kim Hughes patterned paper and added a spatula die from the Sizzix baking set.

This sketch was provided by Maria as an option to use for this challenge.
Loved it!
So are you going to play along with us or what?!
Check out what the rest of the design team did and upload your creation by clicking here.
There were some really cute entries last week for our "No Stamp" challenge, but this card by "Inka dinka doodle" was my fave! Keep up the great work ladies!

If any of you are interested in joining my "In Color" ribbon share, click here for details. I have 5 spots left!
See ya tomorrow...

A Twisted Hanna and a sketch

I saw Amy's sketch this week and couldn't pass it up...I decided to flip the sketch 90 degrees to the right and this is what I came up with...One of my Aunts who rides a motorcycle could use a little giggle, so I'll be popping this in the mail today. The motorcycle image is by Hanna Stamps and the funny sentiment is from the "Twisted" set by My Favorite Things.

The base is Elegant Eggplant and the patterned paper behind it is by Bo Bunny. For the ribbon accent, I used a double sided purple / lavender satin ribbon.
The image was colored in with my Copic markers and then I added a few background elements from the same set of stamps. I used a sponge with Creamy Caramel & Soft Sky inks to finish the background.

Since I was working off of a sketch today, I've also got a Christmas card to share with you.

This one uses an adorable image by Rachelle Anne Miller called "Skating". The polka dot patterned paper is by Scenic Route and the stripes are by BasicGrey. The sentiment is from a retired SU set called "Like it a Latte", which I seem to use alot on winter cards. Since this is a Christmas card, I decided to use my red velvet ribbon.

To finish it off, I added some Doodlebug Sugar Coating to the ice to make it super sparkly.

Have a super Tuesday!
Hugs,

Saturday Sketch Time

Hey kids!
It's Saturday and that means a brand spankin' new sketch from Lauren!
Here's the sketch.
Are you inspired yet?Here's what I came up with.
How about now? Are you inspired to play along yet?
For today's card I used my Garden Hanna set that I picked up from Little C's. The sentiment on the left side is from this stamp by Emerson Quillin. I just used a Chocolate Chip marker to ink up the part I wanted and then popped it out with my 1 3/8" circle punch. All of the paper is from the Kim Hughes Mocha Chica pack.

So....are you inspired yet?
Well, how's this for some inspiration? EVERY Hanna and Magnolia stamp are 15% off over at Little C's!! If we're going to get technical, I guess that's more "enabling" than inspiration really, but go check it out. If you've been wanting to get some Hanna's, this is the perfect time!
Here's what the rest of the sketch team came up with:
Alicia, Dawn, Kim, Kirsten, Kristy, Maria, Kendra & Tamara

Need a little more enabling?? Check this out!
Since Hambo has a special fondness for PIGskin, they are celebrating Superbowl Sunday by offering 30% OFF OF THEIR ENTIRE INVENTORY!!!! Plus their having a contest where someone will win FREE SHIPPING on their order! This amazing sale will only be valid on game day, so be sure to check out all of the details here on Sunday.

Thanks for visiting! You guys are the best!
I've got some prepping to do for my class this weekend - nothing like waiting until the last minute.

If you looked up the word MANLY in the dictionary...

there would be a picture of my Uncle Joe. He towers over my 6' 2" husband and rides a Harley. Yesterday was his birthday and this is the card that I came up with. I used my new "Route 66" Hanna set that I bought from my buddy Jen at Little C's and colored it in with my Copics.
Since this had to be a "manly" card, I really tried to keep the embellishments and "matchy matchy" stuff to a minimum. I colored some of the motorcycle with a silver pen to look like chrome and then added black ribbon and silver eyelets. To finish it off I used my paper piercer to add a little interest around the star that I cut out with my Cricut.

Thanks for coming by!
Hugs,

I'm hooked on Hanna!

Every December I host a Christmas cookie swap and thought this Hanna set would be perfect for my invitations this year. I picked these up at Little C's last month.....ehem....along with a few other things....

The patterned paper on the bottom half of the card is from the What's Cooking collection by Flair Designs and inspired my color scheme. I used one of the sentiments to stamp my SU twill ribbon to match, because it makes me happy when things are "matchy matchy".

Thanks for coming by today!
Be sure to check back tomorrow for the return of Fool Your Family Friday.

Hugs,

Scramper's Saturday Sketch

I am SO glad that the weekend is finally here! And that means that it's also sketch time! Lauren needed to focus on her big announcement today, so I decided to draw up a sketch myself.
Here's the sketch I made...
And here's my card.

I decided to break in my very first Hanna set that I picked up in Hawaii at Little C's.
The card base is SU Kraft and all of the patterned paper is by BasicGrey. To make the panel behind Hanna, I tore a post-it note and sponged rows of dirt with Chocolate Chip ink.
If you decide to play along, be sure to leave a link here so I can check it out. And have no fear....Lauren will be back next week - promise!