We Are Not Amused. (March Preview/KK Challenge)

Are you excited yet?? The March Release for Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps will be available for purchase tomorrow!! We will be having a Blog Hop to celebrate, but in the meantime the Krafty Girls are bringing you one more day of previews in combination with our weekly challenge! Your hostess this week is the incredible Tara, who has named her challenge "Bead It"! So stampers, time to break out those beads and get creative with them!

We are not amused"...lol, that's what comes to mind when I look at Annie Rodrigue's "Angry Ballerina"! Wow, the look on this little dancer's face is absolutely priceless! Poor girl got stuck playing the pig in her recital. "Angry Ballerina" is part of Kraftin' Kimmie's amazing MARCH RELEASE and is based on an original piece of art by Annie Rodrigue. (The sentiment I used on this card is part of Kimmie's Everyday Sentiments.)

Angry Ballerina was stamped on Neenah cardstock and coloured with Copic markers. I paired her up with this pretty paper from My Mind's Eye. My "beading" experience if very limited, so this was definitely a challenge for me! After machine stitching around the perimeter of my DP, I added these great metal flower beads I found at Walmart. I really wanted to make a beaded pin like Elaine did here, but I get into the beading aisle of a store, and am completely lost. So, if you ever see me standing there with a completely vacant or lost look, please help me!! lol

I added some Stickles to the tutu...can't have our dear little ballerina perform without some glitter!

Are you completely in love with Angry Ballerina? Kimmie is giving away a 5x7 print of the original artwork as a prize!! To be put in the draw for this, all you need to do is place an order at her online store on Sunday March 14th or Monday March 15th!!

I hope you play along with our challenge this week! You could be the lucky winner of a brand new stamp...but only if you use a Kraftin' Kimmie image on your card.

Remember to come back tomorrow for the Blog Hop and official release of the March Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps!

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps "Angry Ballerina" and "Everyday Sentiments"

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic markers

Paper: Neenah, Bazzill, SU, MME

Embellishments: Stickles, Metal beads and ribbon from Walmart, Prima Flowers, MM brads

Tools: Spellbinders Oval and Scalloped Oval, MS punch

Just Dance...It's March Release Time!!

Good morning!! It's Friday friends...we've made it through another week! My kids are celebrating as tomorrow marks the beginning of their March Break...a whole week off of school. Sigh...if only I were so lucky!! I'll still be at work next week, but I'm hoping to perhaps squeeze in a little time off. Here's hoping!!

Now, after all the fun of the Kraftin' Kimmie Spring Tea Party Stamp Kit release last week, it's hard to believe we've got another release for you already!! Remember though, the Spring Kit is a limited time offer available only at Kimmie's Online Store (and they are disappearing fast...better order yours now!). This is the regular time for Kimmie's monthly release!! The official date of the March release for Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps is Sunday March 14, 2010! I hope you are planning to join us for our BLOG HOP that day! In the meantime, make sure to check the Challenge Blog for a list of the Krafty Girls bringing you previews each day. We are all planning to use the brand new March images for our weekly challenge tomorrow too! So, by Sunday you should all know exactly which images you will be buying! Or, you could save yourself the grief of deciding and just get them all!

I would like to introduce you all to "Monique", one of Annie Rodrigue's brand new images for this month. I am a huge fan of dance and have an appreciation for many different genres, so I just love Monique in her high heeled tap shoes and top hat! I just love a good tap number! The sentiment used on the card comes with Monique.



Now, I should probably tell you that I too have some experience dancing in heels! lol My daughter's dance studio always includes both a Mom's and Dad's routine in the year end recital. It is an absolute blast! Last year, the mom's danced to "Single Ladies". We wore spangled silver tanks (which cost $70...ouch), jeans, heels and a big honkin' ring!! I'm not saying we were awesome, but it was so much fun!! (I do have pictures, but thought I would just leave it up to your imagination!!)

Monique was stamped on Neenah paper and coloured with my Copic markers. I added some Stardust Stickles to her cane, shoes and underskirt. I also attempted to make a spotlight. I used an oval Nestie as a template for the base and a straight edge for the actual beam. After sponging in the yellow, I added a bit of brown to deepen the edges. It didn't turn out exactly as I had pictured it in my mind, but I'm still quite happy with it. I adhered Monique with foam dots for dimension.




I hope you all plan to come back tomorrow to see more previews of the March release during our weekly challenge...and then join us for our Blog Hop on Sunday!! All the new images will be available for purchase on Sunday March 14, 2010. Remember, you will find a list of the Krafty Girls participating in today's preview on the Challenge Blog.

Lol...before you go, thought I'd give you all a little glimpse into my, ahem, "studio". I do not have a stamp room. I would love to have one, but right now our dining room doubles as my studio. So, here I am busy at work on my Monique card. (normally, my stamping attire is a sweatshirt and yoga pants, but I had just gotten home from work, and immediately started on my card!) You will see in this picture one of my 3 cats, Mia. She seems to think she fit quite nicely into the lid of my box. I disagree with her...notice the ripped corner?? She often "helps" me during the assembly process, as I tend to have out a lot of things that are fun for a cat to get into.



You'll notice my spotlight in progress in this shot. If you look in the background, you will also see one of my other cats, Bagheera. Apparently his foot needed a bath.

Blessings,

Melanie

(ps....Don't forget to check out the Town Scrapette's blog today for our weekly challenge, and your chance to win a fabulous prize from The Town Scrapper!! (this post will be up and running by 12:00 pm EST) Also, see my post here regarding an upcoming event in Petrolia, Ontario!!)

Stamps: Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps "Monique" and accompanying sentiment

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Distress Ink Tea Dye, Cat's Eye ink in Daffodil, Copic markers

Paper: Bazzill, Daisy Buckets, Neenah

Embellishments: Rhinestones and Ribbon (coloured with a Copic marker) from Walmart

Tools: Spellbinders Ovals and Labels 8

Just a Whole Lot of News!! (Including an upcoming EVENT!)

Ok, no card today stampers. Sorry about that. I had something come up last night that prevented me from crafting...but I'll be a busy bee tonight getting ready to bring you some projects over the next several days!

So, I thought I would give you a bit of a NEWS FLASH!! There are so many great things to let you know about, so thought I would combine them in one post!

SWEET 'N SASSY: Today is Digi Day over on our Sweet 'n Sassy group on SNR, and Korin will be your hostess!! Join her at the group for a challenge and great chatting! Don't forget to stop by the store and see all the digi stamps available for purchase! These stamps are such a bargain, and you are bound to see something (or probably lots of somethings!! lol) that you will want!

KRAFTIN' KIMMIE STAMPS: Did you all see the Spring Tea Party Stamp Kit Kimmie released last week?? It's available exclusively at her online store, and only for a limited time! They are going fast, so make sure to order yours now. That's not the only excitement! Today, the Krafty Girls are beginning the previews for the MARCH RELEASE!! Wow...so many new and fantastic images! Hop on over to our challenge blog to see who all has previews for you to drool over! I will be posting previews for Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, we are having yet another BLOG HOP!! This will also be the day that the new stamps are available for purchase. Stay tuned for more details on that!

THE TOWN SCRAPPER: Phebe's store in Petrolia is hopping! Did you hear her big news?? She has released an exclusive stamp line designed for the Town Scrapper by Victoria Case!! Not only that, but our DT (Formerly the Humble Pie Bakers) now has a new name! We are officially "The Scrapettes"!! I love this new name...look for an updated logo in my sidebar soon!

UPCOMING TOWN SCRAPPER EVENT(Including colouring demos by Phebe, Krista and me!...gulp!!): Phebe has also been hard at work on a fantastic fundraiser!! She is planning a cardmaking event on March 27, 2010 in Petrolia, Ontario! It will run from 12:00 to 4:00 pm. She has planned three separate demos with three of her brand new Victoria Case images! Phebe will be doing a watercolour demo...her colouring is just beautiful! She asked the very talented current guest Scrappette Krista to do a Copic session!! She has also asked me if I would be willing to do a Copic demonstration. Now let me tell you...I'm a bit nervous! I have never done anything like this before! I will emphasize that I am NOT Copic Certified, so this will not be a typical Copic class. I will just be demonstrating how I colour, and what works for me. If you are interested, please contact Phebe as she only has a few spots left! You will find her contact information on her blog here.

Now, I did prepare a list of the Copics I used when colouring the Victoria Case image (Phebe told me that Krista also prepared a list of colours she plans to use). If you are coming to the demonstration, you can contact Phebe or myself for this list. It is not mandatory that you have the exact colours. We can always work with what you have. This list will coordinate with the papers I will be using for the card. Please though...do not feel as though you need to go out and buy each and every colour!

However, if you are wanting to invest in some markers, I would suggest shopping at Skribbles and Scraps in Sarnia, Ontario!! This is a fantastic store!! Bob and Jennie are the owners. They are so very friendly, and I love stopping by their place! They are very knowledgable in all things Copic, and have a great selection of the markers, cases, refills...anything you need to get colouring! Jennie teaches Copic classes for various levels of experience. They also stock my favourite paper Neenah...just don't clean them out, because I need to stop by there and pick up more! lol You will also find Memento inkpads there...the best ink (in my opinion) for Copic compatibility! (Their store is also full of other fantastic product lines...plan to spend a while there!!) You will find their contact info on their store website here. If you stop in there or call, tell them I said hi!!

Well, that's all for now. Please come back tomorrow! Remember, I'll have a card showcasing one of the brand spankin' new images from Kraftin' Kimmie's March Release!

See you tomorrow!

Blessings,

Melanie

Sitting Pretty Anya

Welcome to another Monday Showcase for The Town Scrapper!! I just love these Showcases. I find them such a nice way to start of a week! Oh, have you heard the big news yet?? Phebe, owner of The Town Scrapper, has just released a line of stamps illustrated by none other than Victoria Case!! They are absolutely adorable, and I'm sure you will want to add each and every one to your collection! For our Town Scrapper Design Team (Formerly called Humble Pie) weekly challenge last Friday, some of the DT made some fabulous cards with these new image, so make sure to spend a while looking at their gorgeous projects!

Today, my card features another image from the Miss Anya Love set from The Greeting Farm. (I showed you another of the Miss Anya Love images a couple of weeks ago...you can see that post here.) Phebe has a bunch of great Greeting Farm stamps in stock! These stamps are fabulous, and always produce a nice, crisp image. I am quite partial to the Miss Anya collection. I find them so versatile.

Last week, I made my very first gate fold card. I found it so much fun (and quite easy!), so decided to make another for this card. The gorgeous paper you see here is a double sided sheet from Imaginesce. Phebe has this particular paper in stock right now! It has a really pretty shimmer...so perfect for those "girly" projects!


I stamped Anya on Neenah cardstock and coloured her with my Copic markers. She is perched on a layered circle and scalloped circle medallion I cut out with my Nestabilities from Spellbinders. This is another great product line Phebe carries, and she just told me that she got in a brand new shipment!!

Make sure to pay Phebe a visit in gorgeous Petrolia Ontario! The Town Scrapper contact information is listed on her blog. I also have a picture of her store sign in my sidebar which is a direct link to her blog! If you are too far to visit, feel free to give Phebe a call! Her customer service is top notch!

Check out the rest of the Monday Showcase examples by our DT on the Town Scrapper Challenge Blog! You will see many of the stamp and product lines Phebe carries. Remember...the new Victoria Case stamps are now in!!

Blessings!!

Melanie

Stamps: The Greeting Farm "Miss Anya Love"
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic Markers
Paper: Bazzill, Neenah, Imaginesce
Tools: Spellbinders
Embellishments:Walmart ribbon, various dollar store treasures

Seeing Stars

(This is my second post for today! Make sure to check out the Kraftin' Kimmie Spring Tea Party Stamp Kit BLOG HOP by scrolling down, or just click here!)

Happy Sunday morning! The last couple of days have been just gorgeous in Southwestern Ontario! It's so nice to see the sun...I even had my windows open for a bit!

You know what today is! Time for a new challenge over at High Hopes!! Today, our hostess is the very talented Danielle and she has named her challenge "Seeing Stars". She would like to see you use stars on your project. This could be on the DP, buttons, "star dust"...whatever you choose!

I pulled out "Wingin' it Duck" and paired him up with this fun Bo Bunny paper with stars on it. I am always in the need of masculine cards, so I stayed away from anything "girly" on this one. Just a simple layout with a few buttons and distressed edges. I also used a High Hopes sentiment, "Open Happy Birthday".

I stamped my image on Neenah cardstock and coloured him with Copic markers. What a fun duck! You know, I can't remember the last time I attempted a cartwheel! I'm pretty sure the outcome would not be pretty if I tried right now. lol

Would you like a chance to win a High Hopes stamp?? Well, hop on over to the blog to see what the Divas have created for inspiration. Then, ink up a High Hopes image and make something "starry"! Link up your creation on the blog, and you'll have the chance to be this week's winner!

We can't wait to see what you've made!

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: High Hopes Stamps,

Paper: Neenah, Bazzill, Bo Bunny

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Rich Cocoa, Copic markers

Embellishtments: Dollar store buttons

Tools: Spellbinders Circles and Scalloped Circles

Kraftin' Kimmie's Spring Tea Party Stamp Kit Blog Hop!

(This is one of two posts today! If you are looking for my High Hopes challenge post, please scroll up, or just click here!!)

Whew! What a week of fun it has been showing you Kraftin' Kimmie's very first stamp kit!! When Kimmie first showed the Krafty Girls this Tea Party Kit, we all fell in love with it! I hope you have enjoyed visiting the Krafty Girl's blogs this week to see what they've made to get you inspired! This incredible kit is being offered exclusively at Kraftin' Kimmie's online store. In case you've missed all the buzz this week, here's what's in the Spring Tea Party Kit:

• 5 main images by Annie Rodrigue


• 5 accessories stamps


• 2 sets of coordinating tea and coffee sentiments (created by Jeanne Streiff) with 32 phrases in total!

This kit is being offered to you at an amazing price!! You should act quickly though stampers, as they've already been flying off the shelves! You don't want to miss out, so make sure to order your's today.

Ok, so we've been promising you a blog hop, and today's the day!! The talented artist of this kit, Annie Rodrigue, is joining us today for the fun! So, if you've arrived here from the fabulous and sassy Andrea's blog, then you're on the right track! If not, make sure to start at The Challenge Blog so you don't miss out on anything!!

Kimmie has listed the blog hop order on the Challenge Blog.

I decided to use Gabrielle again. I had wanted to use her with that French Flea Market paper from MME. I know you might be tired of seeing it, as I've been using it all week. Let me explain though! I picked this paper up with the intention of using it for this Spring Kit release! I just love the colours in it, and thought they were perfect for these images! Now, Kimmie's challenge yesterday did not allow me to use my new paper with Gabrielle, hence my decision to ink her up again for today!! (well, technically I didn't use these papers with Nadine, so perhaps I should make another card with her too...so I have a complete coordinating set!)

I also wanted to do something other than a card. I had picked up these fabulous wooden baskets at Michaels on a recent trip to London...perfect for a gift holder!! I covered one with Bazzill cardstock and MME paper. I sanded down all the edges. I also had a pack of wooden tags from Michaels that I covered the same way. This is a sentiment you will receive in the Spring Kit! I added a few Prima Hydrangeas, metal spacer beads, a bow tied with my Bow Easy, and VOILA!! I perfect little holder for some tea bags.

Now, from here you will be hopping over to visit the brilliant artist of these fantastic images, Annie Rodrigue!! Before you go though, did you know that there's a prize up for grabs?? You can't have a BLOG HOP without a prize right?? Kimmie will be randomly choosing two lucky hoppers to win some Tea Party stamps and accessories!! To get your name in the draw for this prize, all you have to do is leave a comment on every Krafty Girl's blog!! Easy peasy!

So, off you go to see Annie! Make sure to get over to Kimmie's online store after you are done hopping. It's the only place you will find this exclusive kit. They are moving fast stampers, so make sure to get one ordered now!

Have fun on the hop!

Have a blessed day!

Melanie

Stamps: Kraftin' Kimmie Spring Tea Party Stamp Kit "Gabrielle" and Tea Party Sentiments
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic markers
Paper: Bazzill, My Mind's Eye "French Flea Market"
Embellishments: Walmart ribbon, Prima Hydrangeas, metal spacer beads (umm...guess I should mention Twining's Tea too!)

Final Kraftin' Kimmie Spring Tea Party Stamp Kit Preview...and a Challenge too!!

Ok, that might be my longest title ever for a post! lol Today, the Krafty Girls are introducing you to the final main image from Kraftin' Kimmie's Spring Tea Party Stamp Kit! All week long, we've been showing you projects made with the other four cast members...Nadine, Giselle, Henri and Lisette. Today, you will meet "Gabrielle"!! Now, for the followers of Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Challenge Blog, you already know that Saturdays are the day we post our weekly challenge...don't despair, we still have a challenge for you!! lol The Krafty Girls are using "Gabrielle" as our image for the challenge!! This week, the head honcho Miss Kraftin' Kimmie herself, is the hostess!! Your challenge: use "old" stuff on your project! (now, yes we did cheat a little because we are using a brand-spankin' new image...so I guess this is a case of "do as I say, not as I do"??!! hehe) Now, I had to ask Miss Kimmie what would be considered "old"...one year, one month, one week....one day??? Just make sure you are pulling stuff out of your supply stash...no last minute trips to your local store to pick up that "perfect" missing element!

Ok, I'm sure you're anxious to see our final Tea Party cast member. So, without further ado, here's "Gabrielle"!

She's so proper, don't you think?? I just love her party dress...and that hair!! That's some big hair...too bad she wasn't a child of the 80's, huh? lol I dug through my paper stash, and came up with this pretty KaiserCraft paper (for the record, it is a few month's old!!). I paired it up with various Bazzill cardstocks and a little snippet of some polka-dotted DP from 3 Bugs in a Rug (ok, this paper isn't super-old, but it's been in my stash for at least 2 weeks!) "Gabrielle's" accessory stamp is the little "Teacup" you see on the heart tag.

I stamped my images on Neenah cardstock and coloured with Copic markers.

I hope you plan to participate in our challenge this week! Just remember, you need to use a Kraftin' Kimmie image! So, time to get yourself over to Kraftin' Kimmie's online store and order yourself some goodies! Remember, the Spring Tea Party Stamp Kit is exclusively available at the online store...you're not going to find it in any of your local stores. Also, it's a limited edition...so act fast! Hey, while you're there, why not pick up some "old" stamps too!!

Don't forget...we are having a BLOG HOP tomorrow to celebrate the Spring Tea Party Stamp Set!! You won't want to miss it, so make sure you come back bright and early tomorrow morning!

Oh...one more reminder!! lol Don't forget to hop around to all the Krafty Girls blogs. They've been hard at work this week bringing you projects made with this fantastic Kit!! So go on and leave them some love!

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps "Gabrielle", "Teacup" and Tea Pary Sentiments

Paper: Neenah, KaiserCraft, Bazzill, 3 Bugs in a Rug

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black. Copic markers

Embellishments: Machine stitching, Walmart ribbon, dollar store treasures (wooden tag, pearls, brads)

Tools: Spellbinders Ovals and Scalloped Ovals