Top 10 for 2010 Blog Hop

 I saw this Blog hop over on Dani's blog yesterday for your Top Ten Cards of 2010 and decided to give it a go. I picked 30 cards and let my family help choose the top 10....... So, Here goes.......

                 Image by Firecracker Designs by Pamela

                   Digital image by Fred She Says

                  Rub on- made for the Belli Challenge

                 Images:Firecracker Designs by Pamela

                Image-Firecracker Designs by Pamela

               Images: Firecracker Designs by Pamela

Stamps by I Brake for Stamps

                                     Digi's by TLC

                         Digi by Firecracker Designs by Pamela

                     Image by Clear Dollar Stamps and Bird's Digi

                                Image by Stamping Up

That's 2010 in review- I hope you enjoy it!  Here's hoping you have a Blessed 2011!

If you want to stop over to the blog post and check out the other Papercrafters posts, here is the link for the 2010 Top 10 posts on your blog . I always enjoy seeing the creativity and trends throughout the year.


 Shelly

Blog Candy winner

The winner for my Blog candy posted HERE is #6 Tanya

Thanks for all of the bloggers that stopped by and left comments!
 Shelly

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all of my Blogging Friends!  We enjoyed alot of family time yesterday and today. We attended Midnight Mass (at 10:30PM) and exchanged gifts last night when we came home.  We spent today relaxing and enjoying more family time.

I hope all of you had a wonderful and Blessed Christmas!

Thanks for stopping by! Shelly

Creative Inspirations Paint- Thinking of You and a Tag Box- My Farewell post.

 This is my last posting with the Creative Inspirations Paints DT- I have really enjoyed this DT and LOVE the paints! If you happen to see a DT call- I highly recommend it!
  My first project is a card for my SIL who had surgery last week- she LOVES clowns- so I had to grab this great freebie from McMahon Five Designs and I made this card:

I colored the image with Copic Markers and highlighted the red neck ruffle with Garnet CI paint. I also added CI paint to the dots on the background. The Nestabilities are the Fancy Tags and Lotus dies.  I added a zig-zag border on my sewing machine with metallic silver thread. Here is a close-up of the shimmer:

  I enjoy the images SO much at McMahon Five Designs that I have applied and accepted a position for the DT for the Jan-March term!  I am very excited and I hope you will stop by to see my weekly posts.
  I am entering this card in a Challenge at Fairy Doodlers Friday Freebie- where this image is FREE

  I also made a Holiday project with a group of tags from Boni Bleaux Designs- more details with the dimensions below (the site is on/off under construction/updating to be more user friendly):

 I colored the tags with Copic Markers and/ OR Creative Inspirations Paints. The poinsettias are Garnet CI paint, the tree has Silver, Blue, Red and Purple CI paint, the snowman is colored with Copics and I used Fairy Dust CI paint. I used Liquid Applique on the beard and mustache the snowman hat, and stocking.

 For the Poinsettia tag, I rotated it 180 degrees on the paper, and left open cardstock on the opposite side so I could fold the tag and write on the inside.  Once it was printed off, I scored a line right at the top of the tag and folded the cardstock, then cut the tag out two layers at a time.












For the inside of the box- the measurements with vary depending on your tag box.

For my box, I made a template with copy paper first.  I cut my cardstock 8" long x 3 3/8" wide.
I scored at 1 1/2", 2 14", 3"  and then turned the cardstock around to score the other side- my round tags are a touch larger than the Santa tag, so I scored the second side 1 7/8", 2 5/8" and 3 3/8".  This will leave a center section for tags or ribbons/fibers.

 This would keep little ones busy for some time- I would print the tags out a touch bigger and ....enjoy a little bit of peace! 
Merry Christmas to everyone!
Shelly Schmidt

Creative Belli- Merry Christmas!

The Belli Girls  challenge today is Christmas and the DT has some great eye candy on the blog to wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas too- and a Wonderful Holiday for those that do not celebrate as well. Thanks to all who choose to play along with the Belli challenges throughout the year!

My card uses a digi by Firecracker Designs by Pamela. The background uses a Technique Junkies Technique called Faded Texture. I used Distress inks Tumbled Glass and Broken China on my card. The image is colored with Copics. 
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Don’t forget my BLOG CANDY! (Thru Sunday).
Shelly

Are You Ready for Some Football Chicago??? And some Blog Candy?

 Well, ready or not, the Chicago Bears will be playing in Minnesota vs the Vikings- at the University of Minnesota stadium.  Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!  We'll be cheering you on from our nice warm cozy home......!

  Well guys, I found this fun Digital Image at Boni Bleaux Designs- LOL  My husband went to an all guy tailgate and NO ONE remembered the broccoli or the carrots......imagine that.....what would they do without us girls keeping their diets well rounded and not all pizza, beer and chips???
  The sentiment is made on my computer- the Rt upper corner Sentiment is from FCD.
  How would you like to WIN some Football themed stamps?  I have a set of unmounted red rubber football stamps for you- just leave a comment - I will use Random.org to pick a winner next Sunday 12/26/10. Winner, please check back and get back to me within 48 hours.  The stamps are from Firecracker Designs by Pamela- now closed and they are no longer available.

Thanks for stopping by!
Shelly

Tis’ the Season

My daughter asked me to make her a card to send to a Sorority sister-she is a Chi Omega and their mascot is an owl.  Well, I just saw the cutest owl digi by Nana Vic- perfect for a card for her.

The big wooden owl outside of the sorority house is brown, so I made a brown version for her.

Then, I made a gray version- she likes the brown one better- but now I have one more card to mail…..
I colored the images with Copic markers- in the ornament are the initials for her school- too small for the camera to pick up.  I highlighted the ornament and the letters with a Copic Spica Pen to add shimmer.  The Jingle tags are a digi freebie from Juliet’s Blog- I love these-Thanks!
DSP is Mind’s Eye
Challenges:
2 Sisters-Christmas
Craft Your Days Away-Punches or Die Cut
Alphabet-H is for the owl’s Hat
Crafty Ho’s-Red and Green

Thanks for stopping by today!
Shelly

Bloggers Challenge-Sketch

Our Challenge Mom Lisa gave us a sketch challenge this week.

  I am still making Christmas cards, and found an adorable digi by Heather Ellis –well let me re-phrase that- Heather Ellis has an Etsy store full of adorable digi images, and this is one of them…..

and here is a close-up of the shimmer:

She is colored with Copics and I added Flower Soft and glitter to her trim.  The shimmer in the background is a TJ technique called Ice Crystals- I added a little tinge of Soft Sky to the technique.  The DSP is Mind’s Eye and I had to add some tags that are a Digital Freebie on my Stampin Friend Juliet’s Blog.

  To see the other Bloggers Challenge cards, click on the link on my sidebar. 

I also wanted to share –what my husband does for entertainment…LOL  he is fascinated by squirrels….

  The squirrels were eating a hole in the side of a pumpkin on our porch- before the freeze of course- so he carved a hole in the bottom of the pumpkin and the top of the next one.  Now, they are frozen together- and the squirrels climb in the pumpkin and crawl down to get seeds and seed corn my husband adds when the pumpkin seeds are gone.  The squirrels are….well fed…….

One more thing- there is a new blog that is posting the daily challenges and listing what the challenges are- check it out HERE at Handmade by Gem.

Challenges for my card:
Sew Many Cards-Digi and winter
Stamping With Dragon-Make it sparkle
Digital Tuesday-Digi and Sparkling Christmas
Stamp with Fun- X-mas
Woodware USA- Winter Themed cards
Thanks for stopping by
Shelly

Operation Write Home-Mid-week Throw down Plus Free Digi’s

  The Mid-week Throw down at the Operation Write Home Blog is Sponsored by Boni Bleaux Designs this week.  There are free digital images available-humorous of course- to make cards for the man in your life.

  This is one of the freebie images- he reminds me of Sarge from Gomer Pyle ………..LOL  The sentiment says, “I wear the pants….My wife tells me which ones”.
  I made the embossing folder with a Technique Junkies tutorial from the latest newsletter and sanded it exposing the white core under it.  I used a die cut exclusive to Scrap Mart- and cut off the rounded sides and top…….  I also colored and trimmed portions of the image and they are on dimensionals (the hat and the clothes). There is no glitter allowed on cards for soldiers, but I learned I CAN highlight with Copic Spica pens- so I did- on the star, the metal and the flagpole.  The cards are better if not bulky- or the soldiers will have to pay customs fees.
Boni Bleaux Designs is also having a 50% off sale tomorrow on Christmas Digi’s.
  There is another free digi offered HERE- for a chance to be the Guest Designer with the DT on the Dude Time Doodles Challenge Blog hosted by Boni Bleaux Designs.

Challenges:
Stamps R Us-Anything Goes
Artful Inkables-Die Cuts/punches
Stamp Something-Anything Digital
Digi’s with Attitude-Use a Digi
Mami Doodles-Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by today!
Shelly

Stamps R US-Anything Goes

 Stamps R Us has an ‘Anything Goes’ challenge going on, so I took the opportunity to play with a couple of fun images from Boni Bleaux Designs. 

Here is the Sketch:

I colored my ‘Dude’ with Copic markers, and highlighted the tree, ornaments, star and beer cans with Creative Inspirations Paint. I dude-led around the edges of my die cut, and to finish off my card, fringed the bottom layer like a rug.  The sentiment is from My Favorite Things.
Life is good- I bet the girls are out Christmas shopping…..or, they are in the kitchen making something delicious for dinner…….
There is also a freebie available now at the Dude Time Doodles blog for a chance to be the next Guest Designer- for a month!  Let me tell you, they are a very fun and energetic bunch! Entries are due by this Friday 12/17.

Challenges:
Stamps R Us-Anything Goes
Dude Time Doodles-Sketch
Creative Inspirations-Star
Crafty Ho’s-Red and Green
Crafty Emma-Anything but a Christmas Card
Stamp Something-anything digital
Stampin B’s-Use a star (on the Christmas Tree)

Thanks for stopping by today!
Shelly

Creative Inspirations Paint give-away winner

 This never happens to me......The winner for my blog giveaway

I never leave the 1st comment on blog candy!  Wow- Congrats Shar- you have 48 hours to send me your address and you can go to the CI website and pick out 6 jars of CI paint.

Congrats and Thanks to everyone who played along!
Shelly

Firecracker Designs Last Days

 
 I just wanted to post a reminder that Firecracker Designs by Pamela is closing- last day for orders is 12/15 (Wednesday).
Pamela has:
-rubber stamps priced so low she is practically givig them away!
-Shimmerz
-Twinkling H2O's
-Flower Soft
-Acrylic blocks

The Digital images are NOT on sale- Pamela will continue to sell Digital images.
Shelly

Creative Inspiration Paints- Inspired by a Snowglobe

 For my Creative Inspirations Paint post today, I had some fun with merging digital images.  I found a tutorial HERE on Bird's Blog.  I used her Snowglobe and merged a darling snowman by Clear Dollar Stamps into it.  (The snowman and the sentiment are free and the snowman comes as a line drawing and pre-colored).  There is also a CDS challenge for December (at the CDS blog)- use three blues on a card plus use a CDS image.

 This card is so shimmer IRL!  I took a mini-mister and Sapphire Creative Inspirations Paint and made a shimmer spray.  I filled up the mini mister ~ 2/3 full with water, then added CI paint in with a paintbrush- swirled it around- when it looked like I wanted it too, I sprayed with the mini-mister over an Impressability snowflake die. 
 I colored the image with Copic markers, then painted over that with CI paint- you can even see Copic blending under the Ci paint!  I used Antique Silver and Onyx for the base of the snowglobe, then colored in the snow and snowman with Fairy Dust CI paint.  (I did not color the hat, carrot or the vest).  I took my aquapainter and dotted on the CI paint to mimic snowflakes. 

 *******************************************************************************************
  How would you like to win 6 jars of Creative Inspirations Paint- you choose the color?

Just leave a comment here- and if you post this on your side bar, I will enter you twice (just stop back and let me know)!

I will draw a winner on Sunday - winner will have 48 hours to contact me- so please make sure I have a way to contact you!

 And, if you are a follower and live outside the USA, I will gladly ship the paints to you if you win.

*******************************************************************************************

Challenges for this card:

Clearly Inspired (CDS)-three colors of blue and CDS image

Gingersnaps-snowpeople

Freshly Brewed-Sparkle and shine

Simon Says Stamp-Christmas but no red or green

Digital Tuesday-Digi plus baby it's cold outside

Thanks for stopping by today!

Shelly

PS- Did you know Creative Inspirations Paint has a weekly challenge- you do not have to use CI paint and there is a monthly drawing to WIN paints.  The current challenge is Inspired by a Snowglobe (Your card does not have to have a snowglobe).
  Also, the DT posts daily- please stop by if you have a little time and check it out!  Tutorials are posted each Saturday.  HERE is the direct link for the DT posts.
  DO you have Inspirations Paint?  Please drop by and link your creations in the upper Rt corner of the blog- we'd love to be inspired by you!

Creative Belli #106- Use anything Christmassy

 Anything Christmassy is the Belli Challenge theme for the next two weeks- that would include paper, ribbon, snowflakes, charms, etc....... 

  The snowflake stamp is from Penny Black. The Sentiment is a digi from Clear Dollar Stamps.
I colored the snowflakes with Copics and highlighted the image and the snowflakes with a Copic Spica pen. I used a lonely snowflake punch and finally got to use the rhinestones I bought last winter.....  The aim of the Belli blog is to use older supplies that may have been forgotten......  This background is a Technique Junkies unknown- I have no clue what the technique is- I will have to go see if I can figure it out!  I also added machine Zig-Zag stitching around the edge of the card.

   Be sure to visit the Creative Belli Challenge Design Team Member's blogs to read more details about their designs. You will find lots of awesome ideas!!! If you upload a card to Splitcoast , PCP, Stamp TV or another online gallery be sure to add CBC106 in the keywords section.
 Anne Harmon, , Ceal Pritchett, Chris Dickinson - Creator, Chris Olsen. Darsie Bruno, Holly Brown - Creator, Jessica Stockmeyer, Joan Ervin, Joy Hadden, Karen Wallace, Maria Matter, , Mary Marsh,
Robin Kirkpatrick , Robin Parker- all of the links are on my sidebar


I was inspired by the following additional challenges:
A Spoonful of Sugar-Christmas
Crazy Challenge-Christmas
Paper Playtime-Snowflakes
Stamptacular-Blue Christmas
Secret Crafter-Christmas
Wags n Whiskers-snowflakes
CCEE Stampers-Snowman
Cute Card Thursday-Blue
Paper Romance-Winter
Gingersnap Creations- Snowpeople



Thanks for stopping by!
Shelly

Adventures with Stencils

Last month, the Technique Junkies newsletter had a few tutorials for working with stencils. I have quite a few Brass Stencils and I really enjoy trying new things. Here are a couple of cards I created with my stencils.

This stencil is by Dreamweaver and the Paper is from Paper Temptress.  I just love that it came out because these are so many curves and notches in the design !
Challenges:
One Stitch at a time-old stash, new stash (new stencil and punch, paper has been in my stash.....)
Stamp With Dragon-Fantasy

This stencil is from ACD and the sentiment is from Firecracker Designs by Pamela.  The SU DSP has a very similar design.
Challenges:
Stampin Sisters in Christ-White with a splash of Red
Corrosive Challenge-Red and White
Christmas Card Challenge-Monochromatic


Thanks for stopping by! Shelly

Lots of ATC’s

The ATC group I am a part of met for a Holiday gathering today. We had a great time.
  I have Lots of ATC’s to share today

First I want to share the ATC I made for the 1-4-1 share we do each month (over and above the 12 we make to swap).  ON the Fun with ATC’s blog- the challenge is a side step ATC- I used my Artistic Outpost OZ set again and a yellow TJ background for the shimmery Stair Step color.  The images were all colored with Copics and the Rt side has Soft Sky sponged on-does not show too well in my photo.  (The bike is AO also from another set).  There is a link on the Fun with ATC site for the dimensions to make this. 
Next is my ATC for the swap- I used a Fred She Said colored digital image.  The background is embossed with the Swiss Dots folder- I think it mimics snow….. 


Challenges:
Digi Doodles-Let it Snow
Paper Romance-Winter theme
Craft your Days Away-texture
Betty Bee’s Buzz-Fred She Said digi
   Next, I wanted to share the ATC’s I recieved in the swap:

By Diane M- the one on the right is the special 1-4-1 and it is an ATC that opens like a card.

Lt-Sandy M – Alcohol Inks on metal
Middle-Lynn- Embossed angel- has a layer of tulle over the top- a very pretty effect
Rt- Harriet R

Mary W-Red magazine collage
Rt- Carol

Lt- Diane S
Middle-Cindy K
Rt-Mary W (this is one piece of a thin strip in the shape of a star)

Lt-Marcy
Rt-Mari
Finally- we have the option when swapping to choose an ATC from any prior swap as well- Michelle had gorgeous Holiday ATC’s, but I choose to pick a prior ATC that is truly gorgeous:

The fish is on Acetate, colored with pearl pens. There is a dimensional that pops up the fish and the BG looks like it is underwater- there are fibers inside and the back of the acetate has stickles or glitter on it.  Way cool IRL!
Next are my Recycle ATC’s that I rec’d

Lt- Mona H- Pop/Soda Tab
Middle-MC Sparks- Pringles lid (upper Lt corner)
Rt-Diane M- map recycled
Thanks for stopping by!
Shelly