YOU'RE PAWFECT / TAWS January New Release Blog Hop!!!

Well, hello friends! I know I have been a bad blogger (I have LOTS of unposted projects), but I am back from a little vacation just in time for The Alley Way Stamps January New Release Blog Hop - WOOHOO!!! If you're here by way of Annette's blog - then you are in the right place!

I used Sittin' Pretty for my card... this set it so adorable!!!  I think these sets are PAWfect for Valentine's Day!

Want a chance to WIN the WHOLE January release at The Alley Way Stamps? You can hop along and comment, share the hop on FB, or a few other things... you can find out all the details on the TAWS blog! (as well as start at the beginning of the hop!)

Now you're off to visit Audrey.... have fun!!! And thank you so very much for stopping by!

Hugs,

Arielle

JOY / RS #42...

Hello! I am so happy to say I am finally caught up on my blogging! The kids and I have had a lazy day - they have both been sick & we were all up til 4:30 this morning, while Jeff was working overtime. It did warm up this afternoon and they were feeling better, so I let them play outside for a little bit.

We started a new challenge over at RetroSketches today, love this sketch by Laurie! So many possibilities! Be sure to pop over and see what the other girls came up with - they are so FABULOUS! I used Jolly Holiday and Doodle Frames by The Alley Way Stamps.

      

Have a great night~

HELLO SANTA / Pink Trike Designs...

One of my FAVE digi scrap designers retired this week from Design House Digital.... HOWEVER, she'll be at the new Pixels & Co. starting in the new year!!! Robyn Meierotto of Pink Trike Designs is not only a digi kit designer, you have probably bought some of her papers produced by My Mind's Eye. Be sure to check out her new shop, as some of your paper favorites can be found in digital form... why is this so awesome? Buy the digital versions & you'll never run out of your favorite papers! You can print them again and again!

The kit I used here is called Vintage Holiday~ so pin it as a reminder to grab it from her new shop in January!

Hugs,

AMALIA & CHILLY / DB #55...

Back again with a card for this week's Dilly Beans Challenge - Non-Traditional Christmas colors! If the challenge isn't up yet, it will be.... so go ahead and get a jump on things & you can link up later! One of my FAVE Dilly Beans "characters" is Amalia... she is just so sweet! This image is called Amalia and Chilly. It's hard to tell, but she has chunky glitter on the brim of her hat and mittens.

Thanks for stopping by!

CHRISTMAS MORNING 2011 / Persnickety Prints Freebies...

I am so rarely in pictures, I AM trying to be better about that! This picture was taken last Christmas, and luckily wasn't too bad of a shot! We spent the night at my parent's kinda a tradition for us. I can't really imagine being anywhere else. They are so awesome to us, I just love sharing Christmas morning with them!

This kit is one of many freebies over at Persnickety Prints... they do an amazing job printing pics and scrap pages! It's called B Merry, go snag it!

   

Back in a bit,

FAMILY / DHD 4Play...

Geez, about a month ago I created this layout of mom and the kids at the lake house back in September, and realized I never blogged it! (A few other scrap pages are coming, too!) Alex has to be in a mood to have his pic taken and obviously this was not one of those times. Maisie in this pic looks so much like my dad's mom, Grace. Of course dad and his mom look so alike to me, and some of Maisie Grace's expressions remind me of the two of them. We called her Grammy...

Kits used:

The Last Warm Day by Agnes Biro

Framestatic by Juliana Kneipp

A Kind Word Vol. 3 by Deena Rutter

The Fiona Kit by Rebecca Wagler

Back soon,

LEMON HONEY / ADFD New Release...

Hello! Tammy at A Day For Daisies has a gorgeous release this week (when doesn't she?!?) called Canned with Love! I used this image, Lemon Honey. Which is perfect, I love lemon everything! Well, almost, I don't care for it in my sweet tea - LOL!

Be sure to go check out the ADFD blog and see the whole release and the other ladies gorgeous cards!

Bye for now...

JOLLY HOLIDAY / DS #81...

Good morning, we have a FUN new sketch this week over at The Deconstructed Sketch! Isn't this tag adorable?!? I think I'll be using it again! I used Jolly Holiday from The Alley Way Stamps.

     

Sorry this post is so short, I'm trying to get ready for a funeral... we lost my Great Uncle Jimmy earlier this week. Very sad... please pray for his family.

Bye for now...

LET IT SNOW / Deena Rutter New Release...

Here's a little card I made using Deena Rutter's new digital element kit, Holiday Essentials. This is a great kit for hybrid crafting! You can scoop it up for 30% off today only! You can see a lot of other inspiration on her blog, too!

Big hugs,

HELLO / TAWS Inspiration...

Good morning! It's Thursday - woohoo! Today's my turn for posting inspiration over at The Alley Way Stamps blog, so I made this quick little card! These are some of my favorite colors! I stamped the flower onto patterned paper and to add a little pizazz I shaded it a little with Copics. The sets used are Petal Pushers and Doodle Frames.

     

Have an awesome day!

HOLIDAY SPARKLES / CQC #167...

I have a quick card for today's colourQ.... I love these colors! Almost as much as I love these snowflakes in The Alley Way Stamps' set, Holiday Sparkles. Which is FREE, by the way, when you spend $40.00!

     

So how is December treating you so far? I've almost finished the shopping and the decorating is fairly done. We've seen Santa... Maisie wouldn't sit on his lap so it was a family portrait - LOL!

Bye for now...

DIY Stamped Clay Ornaments / TAWS Tutorial...

Good morning! I have a fun little tutorial on making these stamped clay ornaments! Trust me, these are easy and quick, and sure to impress!

What you'll need:

• Oven Bake Clay
• Flat, oven proof glass baking dish
• Rolling pin (I also used 2 wooden dowels to make sure my clay was a uniform height)
• Stamps (I used Holiday Sparkles, currently a free set with a $40 order at The Alley Way Stamps!)
• Cookie cutter
• Drinking straw
• Acrylic paint, brush, water and Mod Podge

Instructions:

1. Knead your clay until it is pliable.
2. Tape your dowels, if you use them, to your work surface.
3. Roll out your clay and then stamp it. You stamp the clay before you cut it out so that you don't change the thickness too much. If you mess up, just knead your clay again and start over.
4. Cut out your ornaments with your cookie cutter and use your straw to cut out a circle for your ribbon.
5. Bake according to the directions on the package and allow to cool.
6. Make a wash using acrylic paint and water. I painted my ornament and allowed the wash to pool in the areas of the snowflake to bring out some of the stamped detail. Let it dry and repeat the painting as necessary.
7. Once your paint dries, cover your ornament with several layers of Mod Podge, letting it dry between applications.
8. Tie on your ribbon and Voilà! 

Easy, right? What are you waiting for... go grab some supplies and make some yourself! If you do - I'd love to see them,
just leave a comment with a link to your creations!

Thanks for stopping by!!!

MERRY / RS #41...

I'll tell you what - this is my FAVE color combo this Christmas!! I am in LOVE with it! This quick card is for the current RETROsketch... based on a card designed by Kasia. Make sure you head over and check out the other inspiration and play along!

I used three kits from The Alley Way Stamps, using Doodle Frames, Jolly Holiday, and Christmas Magic.!

        

Big HUGS!!!

HOLLY TIME FAIRY / ADFD Club Kit Hop...

Good morning! If you came from Kadie's blog, you made it!!! I used Holly Time Fairy, isn't she adorable?!? You can find her here. I added some chunky glitter to her wings and the trim on her dress... she is so sweet!

Don't forget, one lucky commentor will win the whole ADFD December Club Kit! There are 3 ways to enter the drawing,

• Comment on all the designers' blogs & leave a comment on this blog post
• Become a new follower of ADFD's blog or mention the hop on your blog!
• Like ADFD on Facebook or share the link on your FB page!

For any of these things, you will get one entry. Leave a separate comment on this post at ADFD letting us know which of these you did. You can also follow that link to start at the beginning of the hop!

Big HUGS!!!