Lace Bouquet - Play Date Cafe #119

Everyone loves a great pop of color and this week is a fan favorite at The Play Date Cafe - it's a Color Splash Challenge!  These black & white challenges were so difficult for me a few months ago, but I am getting more comfortable and love that the "splash" this week is hot pink.  Someone really needs to go zebra stripes with this! ;) 

Our sponsor this week is The Twinery.  Woot!  Everyone loves twine (and this is the BEST) so be sure to play along for your chance to win a fabulous prize.  I can't wait to see what you create for the Cafe!

ALL Supplies are Papertrey Ink unless otherwise noted.

Stamps: Lace Bouquet & Giga Guidelines (sentiment); Cardstock: SS White; Patterned Paper: My Mind's Eye - Mischievous; Ink: True Black, Vintage Touch tea-dye duo; Tools: Edger #3; MFT Butterfly die-namics

Rosie Posie - Play Date Cafe #118

This week the Play Date Cafe is funky and fun with a fresh, bold color combo.  I always have so much fun creating with these color stories each week, and I also love seeing how the palette inspires our players.  I could not get the idea of hexagons out of my head when I saw these bright blues.  (On a side note: I am currently in LOVE with navy blue.)

Golden Yellow, Pacific, Cobalt

Our sponsor this week is FABULOUS!  Simon Says Stamp has an incredible selection of amazing products and they are offering this week's winner a $25 gift certificate to their store!  Be sure to play along for your chance to win - we can't wait to see what you create for the Cafe!

ALL Supplies are Papertrey Ink unless otherwise noted.

Stamps: Rosie Posie and Tiny Tags; Cardstock: Rustic Cream & Blueberry Sky; Ink: Summer Sunrise, A-Muse Studio Winter Sky, Navy, & Grass; Sassy Somethings: Spring Rain double-stitch ribbon, Crate Paper button, Webster's Pages trinket pins

Stamp Your Heart Out Banner - My Favorite Things

Hi friends!  I've decided to put both feet in the water this month and go for the big contest at one of my most loved places: My Favorite Things.  Every month during their new release festivities they host a guest designer contest, and I would be so honored / thrilled / elated / over the moon excited to have that opportunity.

Please click picture for enlarged view

The theme for February is: Stamp Your Heart Out.  I created a little love banner to hang that represents my sweet family.  I used Pure Innocence images for my kiddos and a perfect sentiment from Clearly Sentimental about Family. I also used a TON of cute MFT dies for embellishments and sassy somethings.

I feel like the heart theme is represented not only literally but also figuratively since my family IS my heart.  I hope you love it too.

P.S. This was the hardest thing I have ever tried to photograph. ;)

ALL Supplies are MFT unless otherwise noted.
Stamps: Pure Innocence Heart Stripes & ___. Clearly Sentimental About Family; Cardstock: PTI Kraft, Sweet Blush, and Rustic Cream; Patterned Paper: My Mind's Eye & Crate Paper; Tools: Die-namics Layered Heart, Fishtail Banners die-namic, Rolled Rose die-namics, Butterflies die-namics, By the Letters die-namics

Doily Hugs

I'm at it again -- more doilies.  I can't get enough.  Stamped doilies.  Die cut doilies.  Doilies on a plane.  Doilies on a train.  Wait... mom mode just merged with crafty mode (and Dr. Seuss).  Anyway, I love a good doily and my favorites are the Doily Detail sets from WaltzingMouse Stamps.

Every week WMS hosts a fab sketch challenge and it worked perfectly to combine this week's sketch with the color palette from CR84FN.  Here are those challenge details:

WaltzingMouse Sketch Challenge #82

CR84FN Color Challenge

Thanks for stopping in - Doily HUGS to you and yours.

Stamps: WMS - Doily Details 1 & 2, Say It Loud, Gingham & Co.; Cardstock: PTI Rustic Cream, Kraft, and Sweet Blush; Ink: A-Muse Blush and Cranberry, SU! Bashful Blue; Tools: PTI Scallop Border die (large) and Heart dies; Sassy Somethings: Crate Paper button

Follow Your Heart - Play Date Cafe #117

Hi-ya crafty friends!  It's another beautiful week at the Play Date Cafe.  Our color story this week is soft and creamy...

Robin Egg, Lilac, and Bisque

I inked up one of my favorite backgrounds from Market Street - Grace.  I sometimes struggle with getting a nice impression from really large stamps, but my A-Muse inks are perfect.  I used Eucalyptus and was thrilled with the even coverage.

My doily focal point uses lots of frilly bits. Pop in tomorrow to see how I re-worked this card for a different look after one of my sweet wee ones got a hold of it. ;)

We hope you'll play along with us this week in the Cafe.  We have a great prize up for grabs from Melanie Muenchinger, one of the talented designers behind Gina K. stamps.

We also have a fabulous new designer: Alicia Thelin.  Her work is gorgeous and full of fresh ideas.  We are SO happy to welcome her to the Cafe.  Pop over and tell her hello and then get crafty with us - can't wait to see what you create!

Stamps: Market Street - Grace background & Compass (sentiment), WMS Dainty Doilies 2; Cardstock: PTI Rustic Cream & Lavender Moon, SU! Baja Breeze; Ink: A-Muse - Latte & Eucalyptus, PTI Dark Chocolate & tea dye duo; Tools: PTI Parisian Lace die & Loopsy Daisy die; Sassy Somethings: Kaiser flower (from my Market Fresh kit - MSS), Webster's Pages & Authentique trinket pins

Make a Wish - Play Date Cafe #116

This week at the Play Date Cafe we have a very bold color story... which I softened a bit, but loved working with.  I used some of my favorite stamps from The Craft's Meow and really enjoyed creating this garden-y card.

Plum, Pear, & Moldy Cheese

(Moldy cheese!  How much do you love that for a great blue?!)

Two things I am currently loving:

Stamping my own backgrounds/patterned paper.

Shimmer mist.  Why am I the last person to get on the bandwagon with this stuff? Seriously, it is sassy and sparkly, and oh so lovely.  Plus, it elicits oohs & aahs from my 3 year old. ;)

This week in the Cafe is bittersweet as we say goodbye to two very talented designers and friends: Andrea Ewen & Michele Gross.  Andrea's style is one that I have loved and admired for.ever.  Her cards are beautiful and always perfectly shabby chic.  Michele's cards are always fun and she is the queen of clean & simple design.  Both of these ladies have become friends and I know that I will continue to be inspired by their sweet spirits and crafty creations. Be sure to leave them some love this week on their blogs and add them to your Google Readers - they both have SO much more to share with you as their journeys continue.

Please join us this week in the Cafe - we have a great prize from Sweet N' Sassy Stamps.  I can't wait to see what you create - make it sassy! ;)

Stamps: The Craft's Meow - Butterfly Kisses & Celebrating You, PTI - BB Woodgrain (fence) & Simply Jane (frame); Cardstock: PTI - Rustic Cream, Enchanted Evening, & Kraft / A-Muse - Heather; Ink: A-Muse - Heather & Grass / PTI - Enchanted Evening & True Black / Vanilla shimmer mist; Tools: PTI - Simply Jane dies, Picket Fence die / MFT banner

Sending Smiles - Play Date Cafe #115

Welcome to another week with the Play Date Cafe.  This week our color story includes 4 lovely neutral shades that remind me of nature and have a perfectly rustic charm.

Bark, Burlap, Moss, and Slate

Since I get distracted by sparkling things (and chocolate) around the holidays, I didn't get many Christmas cards made.  I did however purchase my fair share of holiday stamp sets and so I'm looking for versatile images to extend their life/usefulness through 2012.  My angel is from Papertrey Ink's Love Lives Here: Holiday set and she is just perfect for a little something "homey" any time of year.  The patterned paper is also from PTI's Turning a New Leaf collection.

We hope you will join us this week in the Cafe... and thank you so much for all the sweet comments you always leave me here.  I'm so blessed by your kindness and creativity!

ALL Supplies are Papertrey Ink unless otherwise noted.
Stamps: Love Lives Here - Holiday, Little Labels (sentiment), Mat Stack 1 collection (flourish); Cardstock: Kraft & Rustic Cream; Patterned Paper: Turning a New Leaf; Ink: SU! Always Artichoke & Chocolate Chip; A-Muse Slate; Tools: Mat Stack 1 (mega), Love Lives Here - Holiday dies, Journal Tabs die, MFT Layered Heart die-namics; Sassy Somethings: buttons, Prima trim, Webster's Pages (resin flower)