A PMS Winter

Brrr...it is getting cold outside and that white stuff keeps showing up on the ground.  We haven't accumulated any snow yet, but we have a had a couple of mornings where it looks so pretty outside...it just melts by the end of the day!  Guess that is not all bad.  


To celebrate the start of winter, Paper Makeup Stamps is having a Blog Hop.  So hop along with us (the link list is below) and get some PMS winter inspiration!  


I went back to an oldie (ok I think it is only a year old)...Moody for Presents!  I colored the stamp directly with markers.  The card layout is from the Sweet Stop Sketch Challenge #137 and the Christmasy color combo is the current SCS Color Challenge #352.

Now don't forget to check out what all of the other artists have in store for you!  




And don't forget about the Paper Makeup Stamps Rubber Closeout Sale...you can get 45% off all rubber stamps using the code CLOSEOUT45.  Thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details
Stamps - Moody for Presents, Season's Greetings (Paper Makeup Stamps); Paper - Real Red, Wild Wasabi, Very Vanilla, Early Espresso (SU!); Ink - Real Red, Wild Wasabi, Early Espresso (SU!); Accessories - Cuttlebug Snowflakes embossing folder (Provo); Scallop Border Punch, Ticket Corner Punch (SU!); Tags Trio (Spellbinders); sparkle red ribbon (JoAnn's), dimensionals

July Paper Makeup Stamps Blog Hop

Well I am trying to write this post very late at night as having to make this card kind of snuck up on me...I always hate trying to make a card, photograph it, and post it in the same night.  Always makes for a very late night.  So since it is late, not much chatter for you.  I do still have a couple of posts coming that I hope will be of interest.  But until then, let's get to this Blog Hop!


You should be arriving to my blog from the wonderful Michelle...if you didn't start at the beginning, then make sure you head to the PMS Blog so you don't miss a single piece of inspiration and collect your letters for 15% off the entire release!  

I used one of the new silhouettes: Emma Silhouette for my card.  I went for the "Joseph Dreamcoat Technique"...at least that is what I think it is called.  Anyway, I scribbled markers on a piece of Iridescent Cryogen White cardstock from Paper Temptress.  Then I stamped and clear embossed my silhouette over top of my scribbles.  Then I brayered black over top a bunch of times and finally wiped any ink that was on the embossed image.  Kind of fun!  I love how the sparkle from the Cryogen White cardstock still shines through embossing and brayering.  The layout is from the Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge #198 and the color combo is from the SCS Color Challenge #330.


Well I am the last stop on the Blog Hop, but before you go, here is my letter:

Don't forget to join us at the Release Party on the PMS Forum, 9 - 11 pm.  Dawn has been cooking up some Release Party challenges (called Paper Makeover Challenges) to make it even more fun!  Thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details
Stamps - Emma Silhouette, Danced in the Rain Sentiment (Paper Makeup Stamps); Paper - Rich Razzelberry, Melon Mambo, Tangerine Tango, Basic Black (SU!), Iridescent Cryogen White (Paper Temptress); Ink - Rich Razzelberry, Melon Mambo, Tangerine Tango (SU!), Versamark (Tsukineko), Momento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko); Accessories - Velvet Black Ric-Rac (unknown), Labels 16 Nestabilities (Spellbinders), clear embossing powder (SU!), dimensionals, heat gun

Be Counted

Well I feel like I am still catching up from the birthday party week...did you see my post from the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Party?  You don't want to miss the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse cake and Mickey Glove Balloon favors...the invite was nothing special, but I was pretty proud of the cake and favors.  So make sure to check it out if you missed it.  Anyway, like I said, trying to catch up...laundry still hasn't been started, but oh well!  I was happy, though, to be able to have a chance to get a little crafty...and what better way than with the most recent Freebie from Paper Makeup Stamps!

Yup remember how I said in my last post that Paper Makeup Stamps is doing Freebie Fridays? Well there is another great wordart up for grabs at the PMS Blog (or in the PMS Store...and while you are there, might as well browse the Inventory Reduction Sale going on!!).  I took the Be Counted Digi and opened it up in Photoshop Elements.  In that program, I was able to color the different parts of the digi in different colors...to go along with the Splitcoast Stampers Color Challenge #324: Baja Breeze, Soft Suede, and Perfect Plum.  If you search in SCS, you can find files that have the RGB values to put in when coloring stuff so you get the SU! colors printed.  Pretty cool, right?!  Even cooler is the Cryogen White cardstock from Paper Temptress (which is on sale...30% Off) that I printed the wordart on to...it has a beautiful sparkle that you can see in the detailed shot.

I also used the Clean and Simple Challenge #120 on SCS too.  It was a sketch challenge this week.  The bow should be offset for the sketch, but that just did not work with the wordart...just had to be centered.  Plus as a bonus, the SCS Free For All challenge #66 is to use something that you got for Free...well a Freebie Digi from PMS certainly qualifies!  So a very simple card to get myself back into stamping...now to get to that to do list of cards I need to make!  Don't forget to submit for the Paper Makeup Stamps Design Team...you only have until June 4!!  Thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details

Stamps - Be Counted Wordart Digi (Paper Makeup Stamps); Paper - Baja Breeze, Soft Suede Textured (SU!), Iridescent Cryogen White (Paper Temptress); Ink - Printer; Accessories - Ticket Corner Punch (SU!), Amethyst Satin Ribbon (Offray), dimensionals

Double Take

Well happy Friday to you! We have a busy weekend ahead of us. First date night for Hubby and I...my parents are in town, so we get the night off! What good movies are out right now? I literally have no idea! Then Saturday will bring us Kindergarten soccer, finding the perfect pumpkin, and then my son's gymnastics performance..haven't been able to watch him in awhile, so we are really excited for this! Then a birthday party for my Mother-in-Law on Sunday in which my son designed a cake for her (picture to come later...didn't feel like getting the camera out)...I executed, but I let him tell me how he wanted it done. He cracks me up sometimes! So I hope that all of you enjoy your upcoming weekend as well!

Now onto what we are really here for...the Makeup 4 The Weekend Challenge #47. The challenge is to make a card in any shape but a square or rectangle. I don't make non-rectangle cards much, so this was a fun challenge. I needed some more masculine cards, so I pulled out the newly released Leif Monster from Paper Makeup Stamps. I got my color combo for the first version from the SCS Color Challenge #293...Cherry Cobbler, Crushed Concord, and Old Olive...I only have one of the colors, so I went with Old Olive, Ruby Red, and Elegant Eggplant. Leif was stamped in Black Stazon ink on watercolor paper and colored with an aquabrush and ink pads. In my typical masculine fashion, I distressed some edges and added some hemp twine. The sentiment was stamped with a dollar aisle alphabet stamp set...the inside reads "from your birthday".

Since I liked how the first card turned out and I needed more masculine cards (slew of male birthdays right now!) I found the Color Throwdown Challenge #115 had a good color scheme...So Saffron, Dusty Durango, Perfect Plum...so I made the same card in these colors. Not sure which one I like better...think the first one. What do you think?

So now it is your turn to make a card...make sure that it is not a square or rectangle...and use a stamp from Paper Makeup Stamps to have a chance to win some free rubbah! Make sure to link it up to the Makeup 4 The Weekend Challenge post. Have fun getting inky and thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details

Stamps - Leif Monster (Paper Makeup Stamps), Small Alphabet (unknown); Paper - Elegant Eggplant, Ruby Red, Old Olive (SU!), watercolor paper; Ink - Black Stazon, Elegant Eggplant, Ruby Red, Old Olive (SU!); Accessories - Large Scallop and Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), hemp twine, scissors, dimensionals

Bright Bloomin' Mojo

I seriously don't know how people end up with a lot of extra cards...I swear I can barely keep up with the cards I actually want to send out, let alone make extras!  Anyway, as my list is updated for the next month, I am finishing off the cards I need for this month.  A fabulous birthday card for a wonderful friend.  

This card is a duo challenge card like my last one was...love it when I do this.  I feel such a sense of accomplishment because I have done two things at once...talk about multitasking!  So here I used the current (yes I am finally on a current one!) Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge, MOJO87, and a current Color Challenge on Splitcoast Stampers, CC219.  So I will say that the color challenge intimated me for a bit...the two bold brights...mostly the Brilliant Blue.  I really wasn't sure I was going to like it, but then it grew on me!  Plus I had these small self-adhesive blue rhinestones...so a little bling made it all better!  So here I used the Eastern Blooms stamp set and tediously colored the two flower stamps with markers to get the pretty multi-colored flower.  I wanted some sort of patterned paper for the background square piece, but I had nothing that would work...so I made my own with a small flower from the Eastern Blooms set.  It was too plain at first so I pierced holes along the edges of it.  Layered the flower on some circle and then a scallop circle nestabilities...the rest of it pretty much speaks for itself.

Enjoy your day and thanks for stopping by my engineering world!

The Engineering Details

Stamps - Eastern Blooms, All Year Cheer I; Paper - Brilliant Blue, Rose Red, Only Orange, Whisper White; Ink - Rose Red, Only Orange, Brillant Blue, Rose Red Marker, Only Orange Marker; Accessories - Circle and Scallop Circle Nestabilities, Blue Rhinestones (bought at JoAnns in jewelry section), Scallop Edge Punch, Paper Piercer, Mat Pack, dimensionals

Baptisms All Around

This weekend is Baptism central for us! On Saturday we have my brother-in-law and his daughters (ages 10 and 13) being baptised and on Sunday we have my husband's brothers 4 month old son being baptised! Holy baptism, Batman! That was a weird thing to say, but it is totally what I keep thinking regarding this weekend! So needless to say I needed a few cards for all of this. Oh and we are also celebrating my son's (as if he needs ANOTHER celebration) and two of my nephew's birthdays as well...a couple more cards to add to this mix! I did get all of the cards made..except for the baby baptism...still need to do that one. But at this point I am just hoping my children are able to attend all of the events. Both are sick...Eli seems to be the worse off. We were struggling to keep anything in his stomach today...poor little guy! Hopefully a night's rest will help him get better.

So for the cards that I made...each one used a different sketch challenge. I swear I haven't done a card without a sketch in forever...not sure I know how anymore. I probably should make that a challenge some week...actually make up my own card without any sketch or color challenges. Anyway, starting with the oldest sketch challenge, Mojo Sketch Challenge #77. I used the Verve Stamps Notes of Prayer set (actually used this set for all of my cards in this post). The circle element I think ended up being a bit too big, but I LOVE this cross...so I just went with it! This is also used some of the retired Bali Breeze DSP from Stampin' Up!. I really like the color fade effect I did around the cross...just kind of gave it the extra something. Basically the card was then finished off with some of the Ice Rhinestone Brads from SU!. This may have been kept a smidge too simple, but when you are working on three baptism cards in one night, you just let that go!

This card was based on a SCS sketch Challenge, SC #218, and used a Color Challenge, #209. The color combo was for Rose Red, Always Artichoke and Basic Black...great color combination! Using the same cross stamp again and pairing it with the flower from Verve Stamps Beautiful You stamp set, this card was born. I did part from the Sketch though by removing a panel they had in at the bottom of the main image. I just could not get it to work to my satisfaction...so it went far, far away! I also found some old half pearls that my husband's grandmother gave me...God Bless her...she will randomly give me old "crafty" type things that she has had can no longer can use (due to eyesight and dexterity). Sometimes there is something good in all of it! Nothing much else with this card...but I thought it turned out good.

The last baptism card is for my brother-in-law. Man if you thought masculine birthday cards were a challenge, try masculine baptism cards! I chose to try the Mojo Sketch Challenge #78 for this one. I decided I wanted the cross to look somewhat "burned" into the faux wood background (created just by dragging various brown shades on Kraft paper). I love the silver accents then on the cross...the cross is my favorite part of this card! I used the distressed stripes cuttlebug embossing folder to give some textured background to the Going Gray pieces...then sponged with Basic Gray. I anchored my cross feature with some brads I got through Oriental Trading that look like little screw heads.

Well I should be off to bed now...never know if the kids are going to sleep through the night in their current state of sickness. Eli was up for a bit last night removing the contents of his stomach in more ways than one! Sorry way too much info! Anyway, it is late and I hope that this post didn't ramble too much!

Thanks for stopping by my engineering world!

Pacific Garden Breezes Bird

Look at me! I managed to get a couple of cards done over the weekend! This is a very late birthday card for my brother-in-law...kind of forgot about his birthday. My Palm planner reminders don't work very well if I don't look at my calendar for awhile! Huh, imagine that!!



For this card I utilized two challenges: SCS Color Challenge #203 and SCS Sketch Challenge #213. The color combination of Pacific Point, Baja Breeze, and Garden Green was a nice combo for a male birthday. I used the little bird from Pun Fun (love him, but I really do need to find some good new masculine images) and paper pieced him to color him.



I kept the card very simple with just brads and some paper piercing (reverse style...where you pierce from the back side). It was kind of refreshing to keep the card so simple...although I kept thinking I should add something while I was making it. In the end, I feel it worked.



That is all for now. Have a great week! Thanks for visiting!



The Engineering Details

Stamps - Pun Fun; Paper - Pacific Point, Baja Breeze, Garden Green, Basic Black, Whisper White; Ink - Basic Black, Garden Green Marker; Accessories - Corner Rounder, Black Brads, Paper Piercer, Mat Pack, dimensionals

Road Less Traveled

Got a little bit more stamping in this last week...always makes me feel good to be a little creative! Even if it means I don't get as much sleep as I should! My stamping time generally doesn't start until everyone is in bed, so if I get on a roll, I stay up too late!! Oh well!

This card is for Julee's Mojo Monday Sketch Contest. I flipped the sketch though, so I hope it still counts! I finally bought some of her fabulous stamps...bought the Notes of Prayer set to make my daughter's baptism invites and had to throw in the Beautiful You set because I just love all of the quotes! I was very pleased with how this turned out and the quote is perfect as we have some friends that will be moving soon. I used the SCS Color Challenge #180 (Blush Blossom, Ruby Red, Close to Cocoa) for the color scheme...not one I would have ever thought of, but I love it!

I colored the quote with markers so I could highlight certain words. Then I added a little sparkle to those words with a Gelly Roll pen that I have had for years! The quote layer and the Ruby Red strips on the top and bottom were sponged with Close to Cocoa ink. I roughed up all of the edges on all of the layers but one...the road is less traveled by afterall, so it should be a little rough. I pulled out my Cuttlebug Swirls embossing folder that I love so much and embossed the Blush Blossom layer under the quote. I rubbed it with some Close to Cocoa ink as well.

The sketch called for a circle element under the main image, but I just couldn't come up with anything that looked right. So I thought of using brads to create my circle element. Then I created a button (because I don't have any otherwise) out of some circle chipboard...I covered it with Blush Blossom cardstock, sanded the edges, sponged them, and the punch two holes with the Crop-a-Dile...tada, a button! Then I found some cross-stitch floss that matched the Ruby Red cardstock and tied it to my button.

The Engineering Details
Stamps - Beautiful You (Verve Stamps), Sanded; Paper - Close to Cocoa, Ruby Red, Blush Blossom; Ink - Close to Cocoa, Ruby Red; Accessories - Cuttlebug Swirls Embossing Folder, Pewter brads, Sakura Gelly Roll Red Sparkle Pen, Circle Chipboard, dimensionals, Glue dots, Crop-a-Dile

Masculine Giraffe

How about a more masculine card? I needed a couple of male birthday cards, so I once again turned to my trusty SCS challenges to help me get started.

I utilized the Sketch Challenge #186 and the Color Challenge #176 (Very Vanilla, Soft Sky, River Rock). Since I do not own the Soft Sky or River Rock ink pads, I had to add some Chocolate Chip into the mix...tried not to add too much, so I wouldn't deviate from the 3 main colors.

I also realized that I am really lacking a good guy stamp set, so I had to turn to one of my favorites, In the Wild. Can't wait to see what the new catalog has in store for me...when is it going to come?!! Anyway, the giraffe was stamped in Chocolate Chip and layered a lot. I crumbled some Soft Sky paper and attached it with pewter brads. To give the bottom River Rock layer a little interest, I stamped the Sanded background with Versamark. The ticket corner punch and some reverse paper piercing finished it off. I always have a hard time with "guy" cards, but I was quite pleased with this one!

All is well in our home. I was the "Song Lady" at my church's Vacation Bible School. My son basically learned all of the songs prior to VBS starting, so he was my little "helper" when I had to teach the songs to the kids. It was fun. Adilane is doing great as well...she is just such a happy and easy going baby...we truly are blessed. So I will leave you with this adorable picture of her that I took over the weekend!

The Engineering Details
Stamps - In the Wild (retired), Sanded, Birthday Whimsy (retired); Paper - Very Vanilla, River Rock, Soft Sky, Chocolate Chip; Ink - Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, Versamark; Accessories - Mat Pack, Paper Piercer, Pewter Brads, Ticket Corner Punch

Swirly Anniversary

Last week when I found a little stamping time, this was the second card that I did. I actually found a little time this week as well, so I will have another card to show soon...yeah me!

Utilizing the wonderful tools of sketch challenges and color challenges, I created this card for my sister's anniversary (and I made a second one for a friend's anniversary as well...what the heck, the supplies were all out already!). I love, LOVE, sketch and color challenges because it takes so much of the time of designing a card out of the way, so I can get them done quicker...and when you are only able to work in that 1 hour or so of overlapping nap time, quick is good. So I used Sketch Challenge #185 and Color Challenge #177 (Sahara Sand, Whisper White, Groovy Guava or Cameo Coral). I forgot that I actually had like 2 sheets of Groovy Guava and went with Cameo Coral...oops!

I embossed the couple with Crystal Clear embossing powder and then bleached them. The bleaching came out very vanilla colored, so I took the liberty to add Very Vanilla to the mix. I used my Swirls embossing folder for my cuttlebug (so love this thing!) and applied some Very Vanilla ink across the top.

That is all for now...I should have my card I made this week up in a couple of days. I am so proud that I am actually finding some time to stamp...it makes me happy!

The Engineering Details
Stamps - Summer by the Sea; Paper - Sahara Sand, Whisper White, Cameo Coral, Very Vanilla; Ink - Versamark, Very Vanilla; Accesories - Swirls Cuttlebug embossing folder, Antique Brass brads, dimensionals, Crystal Clear embossing powder, bleach