National Scrapbook Day at Sketches by Tamara

Make sure you go by the sketchesbytamara blog tomorrow (May 1st) for our National Scrapbook Day celebration.   There will be a Layout Sketch Challenge, a Receipt Sketch Challenge, a Journaling Sketch Challenge and plenty of fabulous Inspiration!!

You have GOT to check out this blog hop!

I wanted to let all of you know about a CTMH New Product Blog Hop that started today.   Over 40 consultants have done artwork with products from the New Summer catalog.   It's fantastic!   I wasn't able to join this time as I didn't have any new product in my hand so would not have made the deadline, but I still want you to be able to see it.    Just remember, if you decide you have to have something -- order from me, order from me!!!   I am picking up the Summer catalogs next week, so if you'd like me to get one for you, email me for details!

CTMH New Product Blog Hop Start

I am participating in a CTMH Product Spotlight that will air on May 15th, so subscribe to my blog so you get the information and see what I have created (along with the other consultants).   And, please subscribe to my blog and leave me blog comments!

Bright fun card

Playing around with some scraps and came up with the following super-simple but cute card!

Papers - scraps from my scrap bin (sorry, don't know the manu)!
Ribbon - HL
Flower - Prima and CTMH
Brad - Spare Parts

Hope you have a great day!

Tea Swap Card

I got my card done for Fran's Tea Swap.   In the swap, each participant sends her partner a handmade card and 2 tea bags.   Fun and we get to try all sorts of tea!  

Products:  
Patterned Paper - Caboodle (CTMH)
Cardstock - Sorbet, Colonial White, Crystal Blue (CTMH)
Ribbon - HL
Mini Brads - CTMH
Colored with Copics - YG23, B04, C3

I can't wait to try my tea in my new Tea Pot?    Isn't this the cutest?!

SBS card

I participated in another Shoe Box Swap hosted by my friend, Jennifer G.   It was loads of fun.  Her decorations were adorable and the cards were fantastic.  Got to see a lot of new friends that I met through the other SBS events recently and got to see some old friends also.  It was a fun evening.  This was my card for the SBS.

Products:
Patterned Papers - CTMH
Cardstock - Blush, Sweet Leaf, Lilac - CTMH
Cupcake stamp - CTMH
Inks - Lilac, Blush, Black - CTMH
Border Punch - Martha Stewart
Ribbon - HL
Bling - Paper Studio

Elizabeth and I are planning our next SBS event for late June.   We have a big surprise in store for you.  Subscribe to my blog so you don't miss any of the announcements.

Card Sketch Challenge

Over at the Sketches by Tamara blog, this week's challenge is a card sketch challenge.  I'd love for you to play along!   Here is the sketch:

Here is my take on the sketch.  I used some older CTMH patterned papers, CTMH Cardstock (Colonial White, Chocolate and Dutch Blue), embellishments: buttons (CTMH), waxy flax (CTMH), rub-ons (can't remember but they came in a little silver tin) and ribbon (COD Warehouse).  I used my swiss dots cuttlebug embossing template and broke out the sewing machine.

Here's the link sketchesbytamara to see what the rest of the design team did with the sketch.  Enjoy!

MS150

The MS150 is tomorrow and I'm not riding.  If you have been following my blog, you will know that THAT DOG knocked me over last week and caused me to twist my ankle last Thursday.   Ankle is still a little weak. I was considering doing a little exercise (getting bored with all this inactivity) so I thought I'd go for the mile dog walk on Wednesday, spin class on Friday and if all went well, a 30-mile bike ride this weekend.  Couldn't do 150 miles but I should be able to do 30, right?    Well, the one mile dog walk proved to me that my ankle was still a little tender.    My daughter did the dog-walk last night so I rested again.  I think I'll continue on the walks and maybe do a couple mile bike ride this weekend.   I feel like such a woos!   THAT DOG is really lucky he is cute.  Otherwise, it might have been hot dog for dinner!

If you are still interested, you can donate to MS through My Page.   I am short of my personal goal of $1000 in donations, so I am doing a RAFFLE to promote MS!    For my Scrapbook friends (and people who would like a gift for a scrapbooker), I am putting together a Gift Bag of new CTMH products! The gift bag will contain a collection of scrapbooking/stamping items. Retail value will be over $100.    For my non-scrapbook friends, I am designing and creating a gift bag of 15 hand-made cards. You will be able to pick the sentiment (birthday, anniversary, get well, etc.). Retail value - approximately $50.

For every $15 dollars you donate to MS in my name, you will get one chance to win a prize. I will be including all people who have donated at My Page.  If I make my goal of $1000 by May 1, 2010, I will be drawing on May 1, 2010. If I haven't made the goal, I'll draw after May 17, 2010, the deadline for me to submit my pledges.

And, please subscribe!

Brads, Buttons & Blue

The Recipe Challenge over at sketchesbytamara. is to use Brads, Buttons and the color Blue.   Here's my take on that challenge!

Some of you may recognize this card base as I used it in a swap last month and had some extra layers bases.  I was tired of stamping and cutting the bird cages so I used a prima flower, clear CTMH button, cotton string, orgnady ribbon and mini-brads.   Papers, cardstock and inks are CTMH.

Hop over to the sketchesbytamara to see what the rest of the design team did with this challenge.  And be leave me comments on my blog.  I love comments!

Anyone Want A Dog?

My patience is wearing a little thin with THAT dog.   Last night, I was going to take the herd for a walk.  I had THAT dog leashed up on the retractable leash as he has not been minding very well lately.   When I opened the gate, he took off (presumably there was a squirrel in view).  The retractable portion of the leash was not locked so it went reeling.  Before I could get it properly aligned in my hands and stop it, he hit the end of the leash and jerked the end so hard that the part I hold went sailing (note: he was still running forward) and I went sailing.  I was standing at the step off my deck and I went down hard on the concrete driveway.   Hit my elbow, my hip and literally knocked my breath away.  It hurts so badly!   I also think I twisted my ankle somehow - it hurts and is a little swollen, but mainly hurts!  I slept with an ice pack and I've wrapped it this morning.   And get to wear flip flops in the 50 degree weather!   If it doesn't seem better today, I will go to the doctor.  But what exactly can be done if it's just twisted?  Just wrap it.  I've done that.  Hope, it's not too bad!

Be Yourself!

I made this card using mostly CTMH products.   It is my card for my good friend, Jennifer, SBS at the end of this month.   Can you believe that I am already done?

Products:  CTMH: "Be Yourself" stamp set, cardstock: Tulip, Juniper, Colonial White, patterned paper: Perfect Day paper pack, ink: Tulip.  Non-CTMH products: kraft base card (HL), bling: Paper Studio, ribbon: Offray, buttons: dill-buttons and hemp is on a roll (HL).

Good morning!  I am feeling refreshed this morning as I got up early, did some cleaning in my scrap room and actually worked on my extra cards from the SBS I hosted in March (shock of all shocks!).  It feels good to be creative in the morning.

The challenge this week at sketchesbytamara is a layout sketch.  I just love those!   And, look, I scrapped some old photos from my trip to Scrap Etc in 2008!   See, Kristin, Sandy B, Sandy H, Peggy and Paws (the bear), you are famous!   Here's the sketch:

And, here is my take on it.  I didn't have room or the desire to include a title.  I mean it's obvioius, we are having a great time! 

 Papers are All My Memories, flowers are Prima and some random silk flowers, bling is assorted (I get it everywhere), bling swirl is Prima, colored with my Copic Markers.    Be sure to go check out what the rest of the Design Team did with this sketch and submit your own creation!

Big News!

I'm so excited that I made the Design Team at sketchesbytamara for another term!   It's such an honor and I have such a good time working on the challenges.  It keeps me scrapping and trying new things!

Get Well Card

This cute little Get Well Card is made with mostly CTMH products and a little "old stash" mixed.  The sentiment block is cut using a QK 2x2 die, with a mini-brad.  The flower center is actually this plastic slug I got about 9-10 years ago.  I think it was by Chatterbox.  I tied a knot is some stiff ribbon and put the two ends through the hole in the center so it made a cute bud.   Border - Martha Steward border punch.

Enjoy!   Check out the card I posted over at littlepaperstudio.   And please leave comments!

CTMH cards

Finally, I'm going to post my artwork again.  This is a simple card I made for a card order I recently sent off.  Paper,  cardstock and ribbon are CTMH, flower is Prima, button is from Karen's button container, waxy flax is CTMH.

I'm posting other cards over at littlepaperstudio.   Go check them out and please leave me your comments!