Whooo Did Some Stamping?

Yup I managed to get a little stamping in tonight...yay for me! I was prompted by the fact that I never did the current Sketch For You to Try for March and well March is just about over...seriously not sure how that happened. Now if only the weather around here would agree with the calendar and give us some spring like weather. I am so ready to put away the winter coat!

So like I said I used the current Jen Del Muro's Sketch For You To Try for March for my layout and the Color Throwdown #135 colors (Vanilla, Black, Red, and Yellow). I got the cutie Webster the Owl from Paper Makeup Stamps awhile ago and hadn't inked him up yet. And as cute as he is, that is just a shame! So I stamped him on vanilla cardstock and then used a blender pen to color him except for the present which I paper pieced.

Don't forget the BIG news will be coming out soon, so make sure you stay tuned. Now I am off to bed...thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details

Stamps - Webster the Owl, Cutie Critter Sayings (Paper Makeup Stamps); Paper - Basic Black, Real Red, So Saffron Very Vanilla (SU!), Black & Ivory Fusion Paper Pad (K&Company); Ink - Real Red, So Saffron (SU!), Brilliance Graphite Black (Tsukineko); Accessories - Ticket Corner Punch (SU!), Red Rhinestones (Darice), paper piercer, dimensionals

New Design Team

Wow, I feel like I am just full of announcements this month (well next month too since my next reveal won't happen until then!). The one that I can announce now is that I was selected to be one of the new Design Team members for the Paper Temptress. Paper Temptress is an online paper and ribbon store and let me tell you the paper is simply awesome. So many varieties and all are the special paper that just makes you happy! I cannot wait to begin to show you projects with this paper (and I haven't even touched the ribbon yet!). Thanks for letting me share my news and for checking out my kind of engineering!

Tummy Time

Oh I have a big secret! I am not allowed to say what it is yet, but it is BIG and I am super excited to be a part of it! Keep checking in here (I will be posting some sneaks soon...can't wait to show you what I have been working on!) because there will be FREE stuff involved. So stay tuned!!

Onto things I can talk about. I had a Mom's Night Out with my girlfriends last week and one of my friends happen to remind me that I never posted my 7th and last scrapbooking page from my scrapbooking weekend. First I was impressed that she was even reading my blog (my friends are not really into this blogging thing, but I love 'em anyway) and second that she noticed it was missing! So thanks to her, here is the final scrapbooking edition! This is actually my favorite page too!

When my daughter was born, a co-worker gave me this adorable onesie with the bee on the butt and I just knew that I would make a scrapbook page for it! Best time to get cute pictures that includes the butt, tummy time of course! Unfortunately I do not have any details for this page beyond I used a Page Maps sketch once again.

Thanks for checking out my kind of engineering and don't forget to check in frequently the next couple of weeks...I am just so excited to tell you what is happening!

Having Fun Blowing Bubbles

Finally getting around to working on some cards again. It is funny...it can be so hard to get started again after not stamping for a little bit. But yet it feels so good when I do get back into it! Kind of have to get over the hurdle of getting started so I can enjoy myself...totally makes no sense (and even less sense as I type it!).

This card is not one I did recently...instead this is a card I submitted to the Paper Crafts Go-To Sketches call. Unfortunately it (nor any of my others...insert sad face here!) was accepted, but this was one of my favorites! I used Bubbles the Duck from Paper Makeup Stamps (love this little guy!) and Sketch #79 from the Paper Crafts Sketches. He was stamped on watercolor paper and colored with markers and an aquabrush. I added some yellow fluff to his belly just to make him that much cuter!

Two of the separate bubbles are part of the stamp, but the rest of the bubbles I created. I punched out circles of Bashful Blue cardstock and then drew black lines around each one and added the "highlight" detail. Turned out pretty good, I think! I used an old rub-on for the sentiment and the Tiny Bubbles embossing folder for the background.

Here's hoping I can be extra crafty tonight! Thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details

Stamps - Bubbles the Duck (Paper Makeup Stamps); Ink - Crumb Cake Marker, Daffodil Delight Marker, Bashful Blue Marker (Stampin’ Up!), Brilliance Graphite Black (Tsukineko), Black Sharpie Pen, Signo white gel pen (Mitsubishi Pencil Co.); Paper - Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Bashful Blue (Stampin’ Up!), watercolor paper; Accessories - Expressions Simply Stated Rub-on Sentiments (Making Memories), Lemonade Yellow Fun Flock (Stampendous), Cuttlebug Tiny Bubbles embossing folder (Provo Craft), 1", 1/2", and 1/4" Circle Punch (Stampin' Up!), dimensionals

Wipeout Birthday Cake

So do you watch the television show Wipeout? It is one of our favorites mainly because our son thinks that it is hilarious...well we do too! Basically a bunch of ridiculous obstacles in which you expect the contestants to "wipeout" on and commentators that make it even funnier! One of my son's favorite things to do is to make-up "Wipeout" courses for his Fischer Price Little People including replays, screams, and even some of the witty commentating! He has been doing this ever since this show started...something like 2 years or more. So why not make a "Wipeout" cake for his birthday! So first I asked him what obstacles were some of his favorites and then decided from there what I thought I might be able to actually make. My husband even helped me make one of the obstacles. So without further ado, here are the Wipeout obstacles!

This is the Starting line for the course...where the contestants let out their Wiepout cries! I learned of a technique to mash cake crumbs with some frosting to make a "meatloaf" type consistency and then use that to make into shapes. That is how I made the ramp.

Next up is an obstacle that I cannot remember the name of, but basically the checkered wall has doors that open as the contestants are trying to run past them and then the sweepers are there to make it that much harder (and that much funnier when they wipeout!). My son later told me this was suppose to be a mud obstacle...whoops!

The Banana Hammocks! A fun mud obstacle made from Laffy Taffy formed to make the shape and set on Tootsie roll posts.

The Big Balls...gotta have the Big Balls! I made the big balls with that "meatloaf" combo I mentioned above and coated them in red chocolate. I did not coat the bottoms of the balls though so they kind of sank down on their posts.

The Giant Swings...they have done many combinations of the giant swings on the show, but we just went for the basic one. This is the obstacle my husband put together. The sticks of Pringles Honey Sticks and it is held together with white chocolate.

Here is the top view of the cake. The Starbursts mark the path between the obstacles. I also tried to add some little grass accents around the course and around the bottom of the cake.

It ended up being a lot of cake for us and the little mini party we had for my son, so my husband had to take a huge chunk of it into work. Again a very time-consuming cake, but I will admit it was a lot of fun to make! Thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

Super Mario Cupcakes

I'm back! Last week was a rough week like I anticipated...well actually a little rougher than I thought. I knew I was going to have late nights with the decorating that I was planning, but I didn't realize that my daughter would be sick (and hence not sleeping well) at the same time. So it was fun dealing with a cranky, tired, feverish little girl when I was pretty tired and cranky myself (no fever for me!). But it is done and the cupcakes and cake turned out great! First I will show you the cupcakes I made for my son's classroom...the cake will be in a separate post.

My son loves to watch his Daddy play Super Mario Galaxy. For some reason he refuses to try and play the game himself (anyone else have a child like this...I swear he can be very odd sometimes!), but he LOVES to watch Daddy play, talk about the different Mario worlds, and even draw new Mario worlds. So I thought it would be fitting to make him some Mario themed cupcakes to take into school.

Obviously the Mario and Yoshi ones were the hardest, but since so many colors were used, it was a long night of decorating! I need a couple more of the same decorating tip or something to avoid having to constantly wash the tip everytime I want to change colors. I was smart enough to buy a couple extra decorating bags though which brought me to 4....probably could use some more since I still had to wash bags too while decorating! You can see individual images of the designs below. Thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

Happy Rainbow

Happy St. Patty's Day all! I have my green on today...do you? My son went to school this morning hoping that one of the Kindergarten Leprechaun traps (which was definitely a more parent intensive project!) caught a Leprechaun! Excited to hear what he finds at school when I pick him up. We made some cute little shamrock treats for dessert last night cuz tonight the kids and I eat early due to my son's gymnastics.

Anyway, I am not one to send St. Patty day cards, but I thought this rainbow theme went well with today! Personally I like the cupcake better than the card, so I am showing it first! I made these last year for a Rainbow Party at my son's preschool class. Isn't it awesome! I found the directions in a couple of spots: Family Fun and The Idea Room (she did a Rainbow cake). It was time consuming, but to bite into one of these is so fun with all of those colors!!

The card I made last year as well (obviously forgot to post everything) for a submission to Paper Crafts magazine. A fun card, but I think there is too many clouds or something! And since it was so long ago, no supply list for that one, but I think you can pretty much figure it out.

Well here's hoping for a lucky day (in other words my daughter's cold magically disappears, I somehow get a nap, and my cupcake and cake decorating goes well tonight...oh and that my son caught a Leprechaun...hehe)! Thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

Skating Story and Card

So it is finally time to "spring forward"...hate losing an hour of sleep, but really enjoy the having more daylight later in the day! But beyond that, I have a funny story to tell. So my son's school had a skating party (think back to those skating rinks when you skated on 4 wheels in the 80's...well that is when I did) at a local Skating Rink. Just to clarify my husband and I wore rollerblades but the kids did where the old style skates. Anyway my son has gotten so much better in the 3 times now that we have been, but he is not totally steady...not really at all! But lo and behold they call out Kindergarten and 1st Grade boys to the rink for a race...and what does my sweet little boy say but, "Daddy, I may not win, but I am going to go out there and try"! Oh my goodness, couldn't ask for more. So he is out there with the other boys and they signal the start of the race. They have to go about one time around plus about 40 ft...my sweet little boy didn't quite finish the 40 ft before the 1st place boy crossed the finish line. Watching him I brimmed with pride, laughed at how far back he was and cried tears of joy for him just getting out there and trying it even though he was so far from winning it actually was funny! Sometimes that kid just amazes me! It was one of those times I wish I had a video camera.

Now that I have laughed and cried again just thinking about that, onto the skating card at hand. This is using the current Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge #181 (which by the way has a LOT going on with it...made it very tough!) and the newly released Skater Cat from Paper Makeup Stamps. I watercolored the cat and paper pieced the skate board. The paper is from the Rockstar Mat Stack by DCWV. I personally love the twine accents...it is really fun to unwind your twine. It gives it that wavy/crimpy kind of look.

Well I will probably be a little absent this week as I will be making cupcakes for school and a cake for home in honor of my son's 6th birthday...and of course, I can't keep it simple!!! Thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details

Stamps - Skater Cat (Paper Makeup Stamps); Paper - Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Not Quite Navy (SU!), Rockstar Mat Stack (DCWV), watercolor paper; Ink - Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Not Quite Navy (SU!), Brilliance Graphite Black (Tsukineko); Accessories - Chocolate Chip Corduroy Button (SU!), Pinking Border (The Cat's Pajamas), Scallop Circle and Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), twine, paper piercer, dimensionals

For Ewe in Review

Ok I am going to admit that I am writing this very late at night (then scheduling it to post), so I cannot guarantee that it will be 100% coherent. After all I have been up since 6:30 am as that is when my children have decided it a perfectly decent time to wake up...I try to differ with them, but they don't seem to want to budge on this issue.

Anyway, I get the opportunity to show off one more of the newly released stamps from Paper Makeup Stamps. Sally Sheep is part of the Retro Cutie Critters line, which I absolutely adore! Now Sally is just looking completely fabulous all dressed up, don't you think? Actually the thought of a sheep being dressed up like this for some reason makes me giggle.

Anyway, I took the opportunity to paper piece her, lining up nicely with the Moxie Fab World Paper Piecing Challenge, in orange. i used a layout from an old Sweet Stop Sketch Challenge #94 that I never got a chance to play with before. I added some white fun flock to her woolly parts...did that sound dirty or was it just me and my very sleepy mind! If it was, I apologize! Back to the card...I dyed some white taffeta ribbon with the Early Espresso marker...I apparently need some ribbon in this color because I keep doing this. The "For" part of the sentiment is actually from the Cutie Critters Sayings set from Paper Makeup Stamps and the "ewe" was created with an old alpha set I have.

Well that is all for me tonight...really should go to bed. I was suppose to be finishing up some birthday cards for my nephews and my husband went and got me involved in a movie...so now I have stayed up late and didn't get my cards done. Ah well, I will say it was a relaxing evening! Next week in addition to some new cards, I will become a baker...that is right new cake creations (and cupcakes) for my son's 6th birthday. I won't tell you what they will be so I don't jinx myself...just hoping that the ideas in my head work out! If you have never seen my cake creations thus far (mostly for my kids birthdays) take a look at my Gallery HERE. Until I post again, thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details

Stamps - Sally Sheep, Cutie Critter Sayings (Paper Makeup Stamps), Dot Alphabet (Walmart); Paper - Cajun Craze, Early Espresso, Whisper White (SU!), Olivia Nectar Pattern Paper (BoBunny); Ink - Early Espresso, Cajun Craze (SU!); Accessories - Mini Glitter Brads (American Crafts), Cotton Ball White Fun Flock (Stampendous), Oval and Big Scallop Oval Nestabilities (Spellbinders), white taffeta ribbon (SU!), dimensionals, blender pen, white gel pen

Hopping with Some Dreams

So what is your dream? Dreams are hard for me...I am too much of a realist and I am always thinking about how said dream is difficult and unlikely. My husband on the other had is a big dreamer and I have to be very careful not to squash his dreams. My current dream is to find a way for my paper-crafting hobby to become a job (down the line when the kids are both in school full time), but my realist side isn't allowing the dreamer to think about what that might look like. Wow that was a little much for Blog Hop...sorry about that!

Did I mention that today is the Paper Makeup Stamps New Release Blog Hop?! Well it is and it is fabulous! You should be arriving from Jami's Blog (isn't Skater Cat just so cute?!), but if you didn't start at the beginning, make sure to head over to the PMS Blog so you don't miss a thing!

So this beautiful quote is what sparked my major self-reflection above. And it is a quote from one of my favorites, Walt Disney...I was the hugest Mickey Mouse fan when I was in High School and College...still am a fan, but I don't have any rooms decorated with Mickey right now. The colors for this card were inspired by the Paper Crafts Color Challenge #2. The stamp was colored directly with markers to get the words in different colors...oh and since I used markers, this qualifies for the Moxie Fab World Stamping with Markers Challenge!

So now you are to head on over to Tangii's Blog (wait till you see what she has for you!), but first make sure you note my letter for you:

Oh and we invite you to join us for a little Release Party over on the PMS Forum tonight at 9 pm! Thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details

Stamps - Dreams Can Come True Wordart (Paper Makeup Stamps); Paper - Sahara Sand, Wild Wasabi, Tangerine Tango, Shimmer White, Sahara Sand and Wild Wasabi pattern paper (SU!); Ink - Sahara Sand, Tangerine Tango Marker, Wild Wasabi Marker (SU!); Accessories - Big Scallop Circles Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Glitter Brads (American Crafts), Corner Rounder (SU!), sponge, dimensionals

Sleeping Beauty

Are you ready? Ready to see some new Paper Makeup Stamps? It is that time again...New Release time and it is a good one! If you missed Day One of the sneak peeks then, you need to check out the PMS Blog.

Today is the introduction of the new fairies and I have to tell you that these little kid fairies have got to be my favorite! This is Aurora and she is one tired little chickie. This totally reminds me of my daughter (minus the cute little braids...she flat out refuses to allow me to put anything in her hair).

I used the current Sweet Stop Sketch #97 for my layout. Aurora was stamped on watercolor paper. I masked her off and sponged the green color on...for some reason though it darker on the watercolor paper than it normally is. Not sure you can tell from the pic, but there is a little Stardust Stickles on her wings (fairies always need a little sparkle). The sentiment comes with Aurora too!

Make sure to check out what the other girls have in store for you today at the PMS Blog. Don't forget to stop by on the 7th for the Blog Hop and then into the PMS Forum at 9 pm for the Release Party! Thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details

Stamps - Aurora and Sentiment (Paper Makeup Stamps); Paper - Tempting Turquoise, Rose Red (SU!), Delirium from Euphoria Collection (Basic Grey), watercolor paper; Ink - Brilliance Graphite Black (Tsukineko), Tempting Turquoise, Rose Red, Elegant Eggplant, Certainly Celery, Crumb Cake marker (SU!); Accessories - Labels 16 Die (Spellbinders), Scallop Border Punch (SU!), Purple Pearls (Oriental Trading), sponge, dimensionals, aquabrush

Friends Box

My kid-free, clean house time has now ended...and to be honest I welcome the mess to have my kids and husband back with me! While I definitely enjoyed my "me" time, I missed them and I am so glad to have them back! I didn't quite get my photo albums done, nor all of the stamping I had planned, but I did a good amount...somehow there was more to do than I expected! So now I am working at getting the kids back into their normal routine.

I got a very cool surprise this morning. I made it into the Paper Crafts Designer Blog Roll!! It is very crazy to see my name among some of the "heavy hitters" (you see the whole list HERE), but I am super proud! Make sure to check it out, and maybe find a fantastic new blog to follow!

Speaking of Paper Crafts, this was a project that I submitted for the Stamp It! Techniques special issue that did not get picked up. This was for the paper piecing technique. And let me tell you, this Penelope fairy from Paper Makeup Stamps is paper pieced...down to the little tassels on the circular thing she is holding! It took awhile to cut her out, but I love how it turned out. She was then mounted on a mini pizza box (instructions originally by Jen del Muro).

Still have to show you my last scrapbook page...that will come soon. Then don't forget the new Release Sneak Peeks for Paper Makeup Stamps will be starting March 3 on the PMS Blog. Thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details

Stamps - Penelope Fairy, Friends are Angels Quote (Paper Makeup Stamps); Paper - Kitchen Spice and various Dots colors (BoBunny), Chocolate Chip, Whisper White (SU!); Ink - Brilliance Graphite Black (Tsukineko), Oval Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Tag Corner and Corner rounder Punches (SU!), Pumpkin Pie grosgrain ribbon (SU!), dimensionals