"Green Eggs and"...Hambo Blog Hop

Welcome to the “Green Eggs and….Hambo!” Blog Hop sponsored by Hambo Stamps! The Bacon Bits are here to help you start your New Year’s reading list off right with a little book title laughter and fun.  If you arrived here from Jen N’s blog, you are in the right place. If not, you will want to start back at the beginning at the Hambo blog – TALK TO THE HAM.  We don’t want you to miss anything!


My book may not be on your reading list, but more on your kids reading list.  Let's see if you can guess it from this: "Today your are you!  That is truer than true!  There is no one alive who is you-er than you!...I am what I am!  That's a great thing to be!  If I say so myself, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!".  So do you got it?  "Happy Birthday to You" by Dr. Seuss is my chosen book and I thought that Bear and Rabbit should be hear to help get the party started...they even brought presents!!  My card uses an old Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge #219 for my layout.  The Bear and Rabbit image were stamped on watercolor paper and watercolored with an aquabrush.  


A little surprise is hiding on one of the blogs today, so be sure to leave some comment love as you “hoof it” around the hop. One lucky commenter on the mystery hop spot will be in hog heaven and win a prize from Hambo Stamps!


We love comments anytime, but the deadline for prize entries is Tuesday, January 31 at 5 PM CST. Our current team will be retiring that day, and we will be welcoming a new Design Team AND celebrating the Hambo Hoedown’s ONE YEAR BIRTHDAY on February 1st. Blog Hop winners will be announced at the Hoedown on the 1st.


Next up on the hop is Libby.  You will love what she has to show you today!  Below is the Blog Hop List in case you get lost.  Thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

Talk to the Ham

Jennifer S

Melissa

Karin

Pat

Laura

Stephanie

Sherry

Leslie

Judy

Sandy

Michele

Allison

Jessica

Jen N

Andrea <-You're Here!

Libby

The Engineering Details
Stamps - Bear and Rabbit, Get This Party Started Sentiment (Hambo Stamps); Paper - Wild Wasabi, Melon Mambo, Crumb Cake (SU!), Green at Heart Paper Pad (Basic Grey), watercolor paper; Ink - Brilliance Graphite Black, Momento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), Chocolate Chip, Crumb Cake, Wild Wasabi, Melon Mambo, Rich Razzleberry (SU!); Accessories - Circles, Labels 14 Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Pink Rhinsteones (Bazzill Basics), aquabrush, dimensionals

Don't Waste a Mime

Seriously, I want to just fast forward a couple of weeks at the least so I don't have to actually experience this move!  Everyone keeps asking me how the packing is going and I honestly cannot tell.  There are boxes everywhere, but rooms that I have not touched (like the kids rooms which I am saving till last).  This is the week for kitchen stuff and kid stuff, so maybe after that I will feel like I am doing better.  Ugh!  


Breaking from my packing routine, I thought I would share a fun card using one of my favorite Hambo Stamps, the Mime!  He just cracks me up!  Then the sentiment to go with it, is just perfect!  The layout is from an old Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge #214.  The sparkly black paper is from the Incandescent line at Paper Temptress.  


Alright I have stopped packing long enough...off I go again...then again I am actually kind of tired...maybe it is just bedtime.  Either way, thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details
Stamps - Mime, Thing to Waste Sentiment (Hambo Stamps); Paper - Yoyo Yellow (SU!), Nero Incandescent (Paper Temptress), watercolor paper; Ink - Yoyo Yellow, Whisper White Craft (SU!), Brilliance Graphite Black, Momento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko); Accessories - white and black embossing powder, Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Photo Corner Punch (SU!), Sparkle Black Dots (Imaginensce), aquabrush, dimensionals

Get Your Merry On

So do any of you do the Elf on a Shelf thing?  I was so planning on getting one and doing it this year and still haven't gotten around to it.  Not sure I will attempt it this year or not.  I guess there is still time right?!  I am certain that our Elf would be of the mischievous type...just cuz that is so much more fun!!


This adorable Elf totally reminds me of the Elf on a Shelf.  The Elf and sentiment are from Hambo Stamps.  My layout for the card comes from the current Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge #218.  I went for the traditional Christmas colors...funny story...in my head I was following the SCS Color Challenge #352, but after I finished my card I remembered it was suppose to be Vanilla not White!  Oh well!!  It has been awhile since I have made a card, so I am feeling a bit rusty!


I have a confession too...I have decided not to make my Christmas Cards this year!  I know a shocker and it still bothers me in all honesty.  I designed a photo layout for cards, so I did do something creative!  But alas all of the traveling in November really messed me up for December and time just keeps escaping me!  Oh well...it was bound to happen one of these years right?

I will be fitting a little bit of creating time before Christmas so there is still some to come.  Thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details
Stamps - Elf, Get Merry Sentiment (Hambo Stamps); Paper - Real Red, Wild Wasabi, Whisper White, Wild Wasabi Pattern Paper (SU!), watercolor paper; Ink - Real Red, Wild Wasabi (SU!), Brilliance Graphite Black (Tsukineko); Accessories - Scallop Circle Punch (SU!), Circle and Labels 8 Nestabilities (Spellbinders), gold twine (unknown), Signo white gel pen, Red Rhinestones (Me & My Big Ideas), Gold and Clear Star Gelly Roll Pens, dimensionals

Time to Party for a Surprise Birthday Blog Hop

Happy Birthday to Timbo, the man behind the pen (Pig Pen?) at Hambo Stamps!

The Bacon Bits are surprising Tim with a little birthday fun today and we would love to have you join us in celebrating! If you arrived from Melissa's blog, you are in the right place. If you just happened by, be sure to start at Karin's blog for the whole story and to have a chance at winning the birthday prize!

A little story for you:
Jose the Cow's Adventure Getting to the Party:  Jose the cow worked on an Eco-lodge in Nicaragua where he happily worked to help sustain the resort.  Upon hearing about Timbo's birthday though, he knew he would have to find a way to make it to the party.  First he knew he had to dress properly for such a  festive occasion, so he asked his farmer friend, Julio, to find him a fabulous tie.  Then Jose set out on his trip to Timbo's birthday party.  He had to pass by the Howler monkeys that howled "have a great time Jose", then the toucans that squawked "Have a safe trip!", and then the sloths that didn't say much of anything (well at least not until Jose had already passed by...they are slow after all!).  He found the zip-line and clipped himself in so he could fly through the rainforest...it is much faster to travel that way after all!  He had to make sure he picked up his hooves as he passed over the very active volcanoes...and plug his nose because the smell of sulfur is stinky!  He finally found his way to the airport and boarded a plane to the Unites States of America.  By the time he reached the party he was ready for a drink and a party!  Happy Birthday Timbo!!

Now off to Judy's Blog (can't wait to see what happens with her animal!), where you can see what happens next at Timbo's Birthday Bash! If you get lost, here is the order of birthday fun:

Karin 

Stephanie

Jessica 

Michele

Libby 

Melissa  

Andrea 

Judy 

Talk to the Ham

Thanks for stopping by to help celebrate Tim's birthday! Don't forget to leave some "hogwash" in the comments section and thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details
Stamps - Farm Cow Digi (Hambo Stamps), computer generated sentiment; Paper - Early Espresso, Cajun Craze, Whisper White (SU!), pattern paper (BoBunny); Ink - Early Espresso, Cajun Craze, Blush Blossom (SU!); Accessories - Apron Border Die (The Cat's Pajamas), Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), dimensionals, blender pen

Sneak Peek by a Mad Crafter

I get the opportunity to show off one of the great sets that is being released this month at Paper Makeup Stamps.  This one is all about gift giving and how to label that gift!  It is filled with gift giving labels and a bunch of solid images.  So if you give handmade gifts...this is right up your alley!  


The "Mad Crafter" sentiment really spoke to me as I do all of my stamping after the kids are in bed, so it is not that uncommon for me to be crafting after midnight!  I don't have any handmade gifts on hand right now and I truly didn't have time to make something, so I simply made a tag that I could later attach to a handmade gift.  


I used the Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge #213 for my layout and used some scraps of pattern paper.  Remember organza ribbon...nobody uses it anymore...but I still have a lot...so I used it here!  


Make sure to check out the PMS Blog to see what the other Design Team members came up with using this set.  Don't forget to then join us tomorrow at the PMS Blog for a Blog Hop in the morning and then for the Release Party at 9 om EST on the PMS Forum!  You are sure to have lots of fun!  Thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details
Stamps - Handmade Set Digi (Paper Makeup Stamps); Paper - Rich Razzleberry (SU!), So Sophie Collection Pattern paper (Bo Bunny); Ink - None; Accessories - Circle and Big Scalloped Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Corner Rounder Punch (SU!), Organza Ribbon (Offray), dimensionals

It's a Monster Mash with a Little Football!

Alright so I am not feeling especially chatty right now...a cold has been making its way through my family and apparently it might be my turn.  Ugh!  I was really hoping I was going to escape this one.  Unfortunately, my poor daughter has gotten all of them!!  So I will keep this short and sweet.


Today is the Monster Mash Blog Hop with Paper Makeup Stamps!  A chance for the design team and some customers to showcase one of my favorite lines, the Monsters!  You can use the following Link List to follow along and marvel at everyone's awesome creations:





As for me, I used the Football Fan Monster.  My layout is from the Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge #209.  The monster had to wear Maize and Blue in honor of my Michigan Wolverines!  Then I created my little football field...which I love how it turned out!


So make sure to hop along to all of the blogs so you don't miss a thing.  And while you are seeing all of these awesome monsters, take note of the ones you like, head to the Paper Makeup Stamps Store and put them in a cart.  The Monsters are on 15% off for one week using the promo code: MONSTERHOP...a perfect time to stock up if I do say so myself!  Thanks for checking out my kind of engineering! 

Engineering Details
Stamps - Football Fan Monster (Paper Makeup Stamps); Paper - Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Early Espresso (SU!), Summer Grass (Pebbles Inc), watercolor paper; Ink - Brilliance Graphite Black (Tsukineko), Early Espresso, Pink Pirouette, Night of Navy, Crushed Curry (SU!); Accessories - Blue and yellow twine (unknown), Argyle Cuttlebug Embossing Folder (Provo), white gel pen, Edge Distresser, Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), dimensionals

Sympathy with Paper Temptress

Sympathy cards are one of the hardest cards...right along with masculine cards.  Making a sympathy card for a family member is that much harder.  But at least I can make it beautiful with Paper Temptress cardstocks.


Using the Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge #206, I combined a couple of different stamp sets to create my card.  The quote which gives me peace when thinking about death is from the Beautiful You set from Verve Stamps.  The butterfly image is from the Everyday Miracles set from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps.  The butterfly stamped in white over the Laser Black Glossy Lustre cardstock is stunning and then a little sparkle from the Amethyst Mica/Metallic cardstock just makes it that much more beautiful.  


You can see my card and all of the beautiful creations by the Paper Temptress design team on the Paper Temptress Blog.  Thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details
Stamps - Beautiful You (Verve Stamps), Everyday Miracles (Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps); Paper - Heavenly White 100#, Solar White Classic Linen, Amethyst Mica/Metallic, Laser Black Glossy Lustre (Paper Temptress); Ink - Lavender Lace, Whisper White Craft (SU!); Accessories - black satin ribbon (Offray), Black/white bakers twine (unknown), self-adhesive pearls (Oriental Trading), Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), dimensionals

Sympathetic Mojo

We are nearing the end of summer...still a lot of fun to be had!  But, man, has it flown by!  My yard shows how busy we have been...there are weeds (and some trees that shouldn't be there) everywhere.  I am either going to "invite" my Mom over for a weekend or actually set aside some time to do some yardwork.  I think I like the Mom idea better.  Afterall, she loves to garden...I would only be making her happy right?!  In the midst of all of the fun, my husband had a co-worker that lost his wife to a battle with cancer, so a sympathy card was requested.


So pulling the latest Mojo Monday Sketch (by the way, did you guys see that I was one of the winners of the last Mojo Monday contests!  You can see my card that won HERE), the color combo from the Color Throwdown Challenge #154 , and my beautiful Paper Temptress cardstock, I went to creating a sympathy card.  I recently got the "When There's Nothing Left to Say" stamp  set from Paper Makeup Stamps...one of those sets that can be so perfect in times like these, but yet one you hope you don't have to use.  Anyway, this was the first time I inked it up.  

The beautiful shimmer and sparkle of the card (seen better in the close-up shot) come from the Autumn Hay Glimmer and Gold Sparkle cardstock from Paper Temptress.  Truly beautiful cardstock!  Not sure I would have ever added the photo corner in the LH corner, but it was part of the sketch, so I kept it in.  You can see my post on the Paper Temptress Blog HERE.


Back to bright summer days filled with happiness, so I don't have to think about how it would feel to lose a spouse at such a young age!  Thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details
Stamps - When There's Nothing Left to Say (Paper Makeup Stamps); Paper - Autumn Hay Glimmer, Gold Sparkle, Olive Basis #80, Gray Basis #80 (Paper Temptress), Porcelain Collection (Basic Grey); Ink - Basic Gray (SU!); Accessories - Circle and Big Scallop Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Scallop Edge Punch and Photo Corner Punch (SU!), Cuttlebug Swiss Dots Embossing Folder (Provo), Olive Green Pearls (Oriental Trading), white gel pen, dimensionals

Monster Party Time

I think the month of July was skipped or something.  Seriously, how is it August already?!  July must have been a very busy month...we did have two trips in there...because it felt like it just flew by!  


So I think I am sneaking this card in a little early, but I didn't want to interfere with the Paper Makeup Stamps Blog Hop later today, so better early than late, right?  There is (or at least there will be) a new Makeover Challenge on the PMS Blog and it is to use the sizzling colors of summer (reds, oranges, and yellows).  With the amount of heat we have had (and it is nothing to compared to those in the South) I have felt these colors frequently!  I also used the current Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge #202.  The triangles still throw me off some, but they are growing on me!  Anyway, I paper pieced Spike together and pulled my "Sizzling Summer" colors together with a lot of black and a bit of white.  Perfect for my hubby turning one year older!  The sentiment from the Celebrations Set was then stamped in white.


Make sure you check out all of the details for the Makeover Challenge on the PMS Blog...and hey if I am early like I think I am, you will get a head start!  Thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details
Stamps - Spike, Celebration Sentiments (Paper Makeup Stamps); Paper - Basic Black, Whisper White, Real Red, Tangerine Tango, So Saffron (SU!); Ink - Momento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), Craft White (SU!); Accessories - Circle and Scallop Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Photo Corner Punch (SU!), dimensionals, scissors

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

Happy Mother's Day

Well Happy Mother's Day to all of the Mommies out there! I was awoken to children this morning, which is nothing new, but this morning my husband got to get up with them and I "slept" in. Hard to say I slept since I could hear every conversation as my children have a hard time understanding the concept of quiet! I was blessed with a "Mother's Day Tea" at my son's school on Friday...so cute. The kids greeted their Moms with a flower and then escorted us to our table, took our order (what kind of drink), and gave us a bunch of handmade gifts. Then they sang four wonderfully sweet songs to us. I was literally balling my eyes out! It was just so cute and sweet...and that of course makes me cry! See below for one of the funnier things that my son made for me.

But first I thought I would show off the card I made for my husband's Grandma for Mother's Day using the Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge #189.

I used the flower from the Beautiful You set by Verve Stamps, sentiment from the newly released Build a Sentiment set by Paper Makeup Stamps, and the Green at Heart paper pad by Basic Grey. Very cheery...so love the colors in that paper pad!

Now for my funny gift from my son. They made a book that went along with one of the songs they "signed" and sang. He was suppose to draw a picture of me and decorate it with yarn for the hair. Notice the white yarn!!! Haha! When I mentioned it to him, he said "Yeah Mommy, like right here" and pointed to my hair! Apparently I am overdue for dying my hair!!

But then I got this sweet picture to go along with it! Not much better!

Thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details

Stamps - Beautiful You (Verve Stamps), Build a Sentiment (Paper Makeup Stamps); Paper - Melon Mambo, Always Artichoke, Certainly Celery, Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White (SU!), Green at Heart Paper Pad (Basic Grey); Ink - Whisper White Craft, Melon Mambo, Sahara Sand (SU!); Accessories - Half Pearls (Oriental Trading), Pink Fairy Rhinestones (Bazzill Basics), Labels 14 and Oval Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Scallop Edge Punch (SU!), Swiss Dots Embossing Folder (Provo), Sponge, Dimensionals

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

Birthday Mojo

Man I tell ya...I need me some spring! We got a couple of warmer days, but they were super windy so we didn't get to enjoy them like we wanted to. But that little itty bitty taste of spring just is making me want it more. Or maybe it is the sore throat I have after catching my daughter's cold. Not sure what it is, but the stamping mojo is not with me right now. I want it to be...I have a list a mile long it seems if things that I want to make, but the thought of staying up past my kids bedtimes (my normal stamping time) is so tiring! Hoping it is just the cold...because if it is the weather, we have a bit more of winter to go before spring comes!

Well in an effort to do some stamping, I made a birthday card in celebration of Paper Makeup Stamps 2nd Birthday! This month (wow it is almost over isn't it?!) PMS turned 2 and there is a new fairy to help us celebrate! Natalie is all dressed up and ready to celebrate. She will only be a digi right now, but maybe (really hoping) she will be turned into rubber in the future. I always have issues with watercoloring digis because the lines bleed, so I printed her out on several pieces of paper and pieced her together. And it just so happens that there is a Paper Piecing Challenge over on Moxie Fab World in celebration of the new Stamp It! Techniques special issue. The layout I used was from last week's Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge #177. That angled panel caused me a lot of angst...just don't handle those well sometimes!

Well I did manage to make 7 (yes, 7...which is a lot for me) scrapbook pages during my scrapbooking weekend a few weeks ago. So hopefully you will be seeing all of those soon. Until then, thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details

Stamps - Natalie Digi (Paper Makeup Stamps), sentiment (Stampin' Up, but I cannot remember which set); Paper - Pink Passion, Green Galore, Tangerine Tango, Very Vanilla, Early Espresso (SU!), Carolyn Gavin Greenhouse Mat Pad (K&Company); Ink - Early Espresso Marker, Green Galore Marker, Green Gable Marker, Tangerine Tango (SU!); Accessories - Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Pink Fairy Rhinestones (Bazzill Basics), Photo Corner Punch (SU!), Scallop Border Punch (SU!), dimensionals

Things We Love Blog Hop

Ok I am back...back to reality...back to the blog...back to some stamping! I had a fantastic weekend scrappin' with my friends. We stayed up way too late both Friday and Saturday nights, talked a whole bunch, drank a little, and actually got some scrapbooking done! It was perfect (thanks for a great weekend girls!!).

But the main reason for my post today is Paper Makeup Stamps is turning 2!! That is right, we are celebrating PMS 2nd anniversary and couldn't be happier about it. And since we love PMS (Paper Makeup Stamps that is...hehe), we decided to have a "Things We Love" Blog Hop in honor of the anniversary!

But this hop is better than usual...the design team was asked to invite one friend to join us on the Hop. So you get to see lots of fantastic creations with Paper Makeup Stamps. To make sure you don't miss anything, make sure you start at the PMS Blog (there is a Master List there just in case you have issues hopping along).

So for my contribution to the "Things We Love" theme...I love flowers...the real ones...that make you put your nose to them so you can inhale that sweet aroma. And it appears that Caliope feels the same way! He (well I am guessing he is a "he") is one of the adorable monsters at Paper Makeup Stamps and he just can't himself from smelling that flower!

I tend to need cards 3 at a time (weird I know), so I did a Triple Play like I have done in the past and made three cards with basically the same supplies and three different layouts. Caliope was stamped and watercolored (with an aquabrush and ink pads) to match the plaid pattern paper from the High School Mat Stack by DCWV.

So now you need to hop on over to my invited guest of honor...the amazing Nicole Anderson of Gotta Have Paper. She is a blogger friend that I have had for a year or so and is just the sweetest thing...and let me tell you this girl can color! So don't take my word for it, hop on along over to Nicole's Blog to continue the celebration!

Then don't forget to join us for a Birthday Party over on the PMS Forum tonight at 9 pm EST. We would love to see you there!! Thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details

Stamps - Caliope with Flower, Little Moments Sentiments (Paper Makeup Stamps); Paper - River Rock, Garden Green, Ballet Blue, Cameo Coral (SU!), High School Mat Stack (DCWV), watercolor paper; Ink - Brilliance Graphite Black (Tsukineko), Ballet Blue, Cameo Coral, Garden Green (SU!); Accessories - Clear Rhinestones (Darice), Various Dies (Spellbinders), corner rounder punch (SU!), Black grosgrain ribbon (SU!), striped black ribbon (unknown), aquabrush, dimensionals

Moody Love

One more post before I check out for the night...see I told you I have been busy with these fun color challenges! This one is for the Moxie Fab World Metallics Color Challenge in honor of Paper Crafts Color Inspiration special issue. I used the Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge #174 for my layout.

I got the Couple of Moodies from Paper Makeup Stamps recently and wanted to get it inky. It is perfect for Valentine's Day or maybe even a wedding...basically anything love themed! I went for the less is more in the coloring area and I kinda like it! The cutie couple was embossed with gold embossing powder and I just colored the swirlies behind them with the Pink Pirouette marker. The hearts are chipboard hearts embossed with gold embossing powder as well. The final touch of gold was the scalloped piece that was embossed in gold that is behind the white panel. Speaking of the white panel...I actually used shimmer white, but you totally cannot tell in my pic. Hard to get a picture of that shimmer white I tell ya! The pink bow was my final touch. I kept thinking the card was too simple, so I stamped some text on the base pink cardstock tone-on-tone style...perfect touch.

That is all for me tonight. Thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details

Stamps - A Couple of Moodies (Paper Makeup Stamps), By Definition (SU! - retired); Paper - Pink Pirouette, Shimmer White (SU!); Ink - Pink Pirouette and Pink Pirouette Marker (SU!), Versamark (Tsukineko); Accessories - Heart Chipboard (SU!), Gold Embossing Powder (Ranger), Pink Satin Ribbon (Offray), heat gun, dimensionals

Angelfish in Jewel Tones

Well Hugs and Fishes to all of you! Speaking of fishes, sometime I will have to go into our trials and tribulations with my son's fish tank...having some difficulty keeping fish alive! But I will spare you the story right now...mainly because I want to keep this shorter today.

I have been seeing the sneak peeks for the new Paper Crafts Color Inspiration Issue coming out soon and wow, I am loving it! Beyond sketches, color combos are my next favorite...talk about having to take the decisions out of my hand...all I am left to decide is what stamps will fit! So I jumped at the challenge to do the Moxie Fab World Jewel Tones Challenge in honor of the Color Inspiration Issue. Be forewarned that there are 6 color challenges and I am attempting to do them all!

I decided to take one more decision out of my hands and use the Mojo Sketch Challenge #172
for my layout. I stamped Angie the Angelfish, part of the Retro Cutie Critters line from Paper Makeup Stamps, in Whisper White and embossed her with white embossing powder. I tried coloring her in with a blender pen and ink pads, but the Not Quite Navy color looked more Ballet Blue then and didn't really fit. So I resorted to paper piecing her together from Elegant Eggplant and Not Quite Navy cardstock. Then I sponged So Saffron around her and added the stickles for some glitter!

That is all for me. Thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details

Stamps - Angie the Angelfish, Cutie Critter Sayings (Paper Makeup Stamps); Paper - Elegant Eggplant, Not Quite Navy, So Saffron, Whisper White (SU!); Ink - Whisper White, Elegant Eggplant (SU!); Accessories - Tiny Bubbles embossing folder (Provo), white embossing powder (SU!), Oval Nestabilities Die (Spellbinders), So Saffron Brads (SU!), Stardust Stickles (Ranger), dimensionals

God is Big

Phew! I think I made it through my husband's massive overtime period...not sure I made it out in flying colors. I will admit it got a little rough there in the end...plus it is winter...all adding up to some emotional moments for me in dealing with the kids normal behaviors. But I feel a weight has at least been lessened, so I am thankful. But after reading a story of a fellow stamper (I do not know her personally), I am far more thankful to be healthy and have the family I do. See, Katie has stage 4 cancer and she actually has to think about that she may have a defined number of days left with her three kids. How does one handle that? In my opinion, you don't...you give it to God to handle and just pray that you can follow what God has in His plan. Believe not an easy task for me, a control freak, and that is only for minor in comparison problems.

The Color Throwdown Challenge Blog has decided to do this week's challenge in support of Katie...there is even a prize involved. So while I would have no idea what to say to Katie besides I will pray for you, this quote from Paper Makeup Stamps makes me remember that sometimes our problems are too big for us to handle and we need to give them to God. So I will be sending this card to Katie and I will continue to pray for her and her family.

The Color Throwdown Challenge #124 is to use Melon Mambo, Soft Sky, and Early Espresso. Very nice color combo, but I had only a smidge of Soft Sky left and no ink of any sort in that color. So I had to limit my Soft Sky portion of the card. I also used the Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge #173 for the layout, turned 90 degrees.

So if you can, join me in making a card for the Color Throwdown Challenge and send it to Katie...you might just be rewarded with a prize! Also check out Katie's blog...she is basically journaling her way through her treatment and it is definitely a story you need to read. Thanks for checking out my kind of engineering!

The Engineering Details

Stamps - How Big Your God Is Wordart (Paper Makeup Stamps); Paper - Early Espresso, Melon Mambo, Soft Sky, Whisper White, Sahara Sand (SU!); Ink - Early Espresso Marker, Melon Mambo Marker, Sahara Sand (SU!); Accessories - Apron Border Die (The Cat's Pajamas), Labels 16 and Big Scalloped Oval Dies (Spellbinders), Flower Punch (Marvy), White Satin Ribbon (Offray), Pink Fairy Rhinestones (Bazzill Basics), dimensionals