Happy Holidays!

I wanted to post and wish all my friends in blog world "Happy Holidays" and a fantastic 2011!! Unfortunately, 2010 has not been a good year at all for me, but I am hopeful that 2011 will bring a fresh start, a clear outlook and a year of putting me and my kiddos nothing less than first. I will be lighting that creative spark once again and will be back to blogging more regularly! Thank you to everyone who has supported me and stuck with me this past year; I am one lucky girl!

More oldies but goodies :)

You just can't go wrong with stamps from The Cat's Pajamas or My Favorite Things :)

Oldies but goodies :)

The Cat Pack is taking a break until the first week of the New Year, but between now and then I'll post some "oldies but goodies" from cards I've made this year. Happy Holidays!

TCP Tuesday - nice and easy for the holidays!

Susan is our hostess this week...and she's making it nice and easy for us by asking us simply to use any TCP holiday stamp! I used "Round the Chimney", one of the new holiday sets just released...and also some of TCP's awesome twine! Happy creating!

Your Gift

Here's another card made with a brand new stamp set from The Cat's Pajamas. This one is called "Your Gift"; I paper-pieced the tree and stamped the stars (also part of the set) around in silver. A little matting, a little ribbon, and voila! Have a super Sunday :)

What a great view...

Here's what I saw out of my window this afternoon :)

A Warm Hello

Woo hoo! A 5-day weekend! Just what I need right now :) I hope you are going to get some kind of a break this Thanksgiving and that you are able to spend it with your favorite people! I'll be spending the holiday here with Nattie and Jamie (plus pets, of course!).

Today's card is another one using The Cat's Pajamas' new stamps - this one is called "You Suit Me". The loopy die at the left-hand side is also from TCP; it's called "Icing". I found this fun paper set at Hobby Lobby last weekend; the color combo just jumped out at me!

It's a Holiday Hop!

Hello everyone - welcome to The Cat's Pajamas' blog hop showcasing TCP's brand new stamps and dies! I have the pleasure of using the "Big Bear" set - isn't this guy just perfect?? You should be joining me from Carole's blog; if you'd like to start from the beginning of the hop (and I highly recommend it!), jump over to Jen's blog to see all the creative goodness :) And don't forget it's also TCP Tuesday! We were challenged by Jen to use our TCP dies to make an embellishment, so I used the brand new Snowflake die to embellish my border - and I added some silver Stickles for extra sparkle :)

Now it's time for you to visit Tracy...happy hopping!

TCP Tuesday 135 AND More Sneak Peeks!

Happy Tuesday! This week I'm your hostess for our Inspiration Challenge - I found this fun chair at Target (one of my favorite stores!) and thought it might inspire some TCP love :) Over on Alma's blog you can find all the details on how to play along and show us all what you came up with through her slideshow. You'll also find the links there to the rest of today's Sneak Peeks!

For my card I used the chair pattern as my starting point to show off the brand new "Big Bear" stamp...how versatile is this one??? There are endless possibilities for stamping, paper-piecing, coloring...you get the idea :) Now go grab a seat (ha ha!) and get creating! We can't wait to see what you come up with!

Sneak Peek Week...

All week long, the Cat Pack will be showing sneak peeks of upcoming stamp sets...today we're showing this beautiful "Snowflake Girl". This set comes with the image of the little girl, and 3 adorable sayings including the one I used: "There Are No Small Miracles". You might also recognize The Cat's Pajamas' Pennant Dies that I used to make the Christmas tree in the background!

Don't forget to head over to Alma's blog to find out more about Sneak Peek Week :)

Sketch Challenge - TCPTUES134

Hello all, this week the fabulous Alma is hosting a Sketch Challenge for us! And it's a fun one :) I'm taking the opportunity to show you another brand new stamp that will be released in the next couple of weeks - this one is called "Merry Wishes"... I found my Liquid Applique and was able to add "fur trim" to the little girl's hat. Lots of paper piecing possibilities with this set, too!! Have fun playing along!

TCPTUES133 - Let's Hear It For the GIRLS!!

What a fun challenge Susan is hosting this week - it's all about the girls!! Use any TCP girl in your creation :) AND this week the Cat Pack is going to start showing sneak peeks of the upcoming stamp sets - the set I've used here is "Snowflake Girl" and you'll be able to order the set in just a couple of weeks (along with the fabulous snowflake and bracket dies!). Happy creating!!

TCP Tuesday #132 - Play with Color!

This week Sony is hosting a Color Challenge with a beautiful, warm color combination of orange, pink and red. Lots of possibilities there! Check out all the details here on Alma's blog on how to play along...I'm heading down to the basement for a whole day of cardmaking, so I'll be working on my Challege card too :)

Happy birthday, Nattie!

Nattie turned 14 yesterday - how did that happen?? Last night we went to her favorite restaurant, Johnny Rockets, for dinner. Then we came home and she opened her presents - it looks like her favorites were the new dock for her iPod and the hot pink makeup case :) Tonight she's having 2 friends sleep over and then tomorrow morning they're going to Jumpstreet, followed by lunch and a couple of hours at the mall. Sounds like a plan :)

The Cat's Pajamas - TCPTUES130 - Inspiration Challenge!

Hello all, this week I have an Inspiration Challenge for you continuing our "Think Pink" theme for Breast Cancer Awareness month. Isn't this mug pretty? I found it on the Karen Neuburger site...her pajamas are some of the most comfortable ever :) I used the beverage inspiration and used The Cat's Pajamas' "A Cuppa" set.

To play along, pull out your favorite stamps from The Cat's Pajamas and create something inspired by this week's piece. It could be the stripes, the colors, the coffee/tea theme...absolutely anything! We can't wait to see what you come up with. When you are ready to share your creation, hop over to Alma's blog to add it to the group for this challenge. If you're uploading to Splitcoast Stampers, use the keyword TCPTUES130 so that we can find your fabulous piece of work! Don't forget to stop by the blogs of the other Cat Pack members (including our newest Packer Julie Masse) throughout the week :)

The Cat's Pajamas - Sketch Challenge

This week our very own Alma is hosting The Cat's Pajamas' TCP Tuesday challenge! She has a fun sketch for us to work with (for my card I used the "Deep Breath" set - I love this bunny!); you can see the sketch and all the details on how to play along right here in Alma's blog post :) You'll be seeing lots of pink throughout the month since October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month...

Finally :)

Here's my card for last week's Color Challlenge! We were challenged to use this fun color combo and I really enjoyed it. The stamp set I used is The Cat's Pajamas' "Who's This?" :)

It's Tuesday - Hello PJ!

This week for our TCP Tuesday Challenge from The Cat's Pajamas, Susan is encouraging us to get out our PJ stamps and play along :) Hop over to her blog and check out all the details! For my card I used one of my most favorite new stamps - "A Cuppa" - I think I like this set because of all the paper-piecing possibilities (try saying that three times fast!). Have fun!

Color Challenge!

This week's TCP Tuesday hostess is Sony, and she has a beautiful color combo for us to play with! Get all the details here, on Sony's blog and stop by The Cat Pack's blogs throughout the week to see what we came up with :) Happy creating!

Miss Ewe!

Check out this little character, brand new from The Cat's Pajamas. The set is called "Sheepish" - I love the scarf and the expression on his face :) Talking of scarves, we'll soon be pulling our scarves out in Conifer...we've been down in the 30s and 40s in the mornings recently! Brrrrrr!

It's a New Release Blog Hop!

We're back with 12 more FAB releases from The Cat's Pajamas - and so we're having a Blog Hop combined with our TCP Tuesday PLAID challenge (hosted by the super-talented Amy, whose blog is the first stop on the hop!).

If you're working your way through the hop, you'll be joining me from Carole's blog - and by now I am sure you have seen tons of beautiful creations from the rest of the Cat Pack :) For my card I'm using one of my new favorite sets - "Witchy" - and for the plaid challenge I made my own plaid background by doing some paper weaving (remember those place mats you made back in elementary school?). I hope you like it! Now, head on over to Tracy's blog for some more loveliness! Have FUN - and as always, thank you for stopping by!

Not long to go now....

until the release of some more AWESOME new sets from TCP :)

Coffee, Tea or Meow???

Here's another peek at what's coming next week from The Cat's Pajamas... :) Sprinkle with "Coffee, Tea or Meow?"

A little inspiration...

This week I'm your hostess for TCP Tuesday, and for our inspiration piece I have a picture with a back-to-school vibe :) For my card I used the pattern as my background and I played with the stamp of this spooky little lady who'll be available next week as part of TCP's next stamp release! The Cat Pack has been having lots of fun playing with the new sets...check out our blogs throughout the week for more of the new sets!

Remember, if you're playing along and posting your creation in the Splitcoast Stampers gallery, the keyword is TCPTUES125. And as always, don't forget to link your card to Alma's inlinkz gallery so that you can be considered for the next Swanky Stamper of the Month! Have fun!

You're a Whale of a Friend :)

I am so glad it's Friday! Like many people, I have Monday off, so I am looking forward to getting some stamping done over the weekend - including playing with my new TCP stamps for the upcoming release in less than 2 weeks!

So, for my TCP Tuesday card inspired by Leigh's sketch I pulled out my "Whale of a Time" set and paper-pieced the whale with some Basic Grey patterned paper :) I added some stitching with TCP's Divine Twine, and here's the result....

Have a happy, safe weekend!

TCP Sketch Challenge

Hi everyone :) This week Leigh is hosting a Sketch Challenge for us - check out the great sketch she gave us to work with! Lots of possibilities there! Stop by later to see what I came up with. Have a GREAT day!!

Blog Hop!

Hi all! Time for another TCP blog hop - and this time the Cat Pack is showing off some of our own favorite creations (I had tons of fun making this baby card with the "And Baby Makes" set) as well as some made by TCP fans! I really like the card by Noelle - the colors just blew me away, and the whole design just screams "Summer" to me :) Thanks for sharing your creation with us, Noelle!

You might be joining me from Sony's blog if you're following along for the hop - if so, your next stop will be Amy's blog for more amazing TCP-ness :) Have fun!

Better late than never :)

Finally here I am with my TCP Tuesday card - Sprinkle is enjoying a tasty summer beverage :) I used TCP's "Fun in the Sun" stamp set and some paper by Little Yellow Bicycle. I hope you've had a great weekend and that you'll stop by on Tuesday for our Blog Hop!

Cheers!

This week Susan is hosting a TCP Tuesday Stamp Challenge - and she wants us to have a drink with her :) Yep, pull out your TCP stamps and show us what you can do with any beverage image - tea, coffee, martini...whatever does it for you! I finished my card this evening, so I'll be photographing it tomorrow and posting it then. Have fun!!

A Color Challenge!

Hello all! It's TCP Tuesday and this week we're playing with a fun color combo - our challenge is being hosted by Joanne and Carole :) Click on either one of their blogs to get all the details on how to play along with us!

My card features "Toni's Tea Set" - I paper-pieced it with patterned paper by Crate Paper to make a bold teacup and saucer. And now....I need a cup of tea to end my afternoon...

It'll be okay...

I love the "Pure Innocence" stamps by My Favorite Things - the images are bold, simple and lots of fun to play with. I enjoyed paper-piecing the umbrella, raincoat and boots on this card, and added some Paper Glaze to add a "wet" look to the raindrops and umbrella. I think this card would definitely make someone's day better! Have a super week :)

A Sale and a Blog Hop Cat Call :)

Alma's having a sale over at The Cat's Pajamas, so now is a GREAT time to pick up some of those new stamps we've been showing off! And Alma wants you to show off your best TCP work - click here to find out all the details from Alma's blog!

It's TCP Tuesday again :)

And this week our hostess, Amy, wants us to show off TCP's awesome new dies - and I think you'll agree, they really are fabulous :) For my card I used the "Wave" die in layers and embellished with some of TCP's glitter. The stamp set I used is "A Whale of a Time". I hope you can play along with us this week!

Coming home :)

Nattie is on her way home from a week of fun at Camp Chief Ouray. From what she said on the phone a little while ago, she had an amazing time! I'm looking forward to hearing all the details tonight :) We'll be all together tomorrow, but then on Sunday they're off to California with Iain for a week of rollercoasters and water parks! I'll be at home since I have to work - and I'm looking forward to having the house to myself for a whole week!! Yeah!

Today's card is made with the brand new "A Cuppa" set from TCP; I really like how this card turned out with all the paper piecing and stitching; it makes it look "homey"! Have a super weekend :)

I guess we all have to eat...

It's just a little scary seeing a bear having his snack by the road when I'm driving home! That's what happens when the trash doesn't get picked up until 4pm (instead of the usual 10am)...

Inspiration

Hello all, here's my card for this week's Inspiration Challenge (see the post below for details) - I used TCP's brand new "Birthday Bunny" set and used lots of pink - the first thing that jumped out at me from the inspiration photo. I also did lots of paper piecing - which the new TCP images are fabulous for! :)

And now, back to our regularly scheduled TCP Tuesday challenge :)

It's Tuesday, which means it's time for this week's TCP Tuesday Challenge. Following a problem with my laptop, I'm finally able to get online and post for you (thanks Alma for your help last night with the Splitcoast Stampers post). This week I have an Inspiration Challenge for you - use your TCP stamps and create something for us based on this bedding from the Land of Nod :) I will post back tomorrow with a photo of my card!

To play along, upload your creation to your blog or to the Splitcoast gallery (keyword TCPTUES120), then post a link on Alma's blog for us all to see! Remember, to have a chance at being this month's Swanky Stamper you have to add that link :) Have fun!!

Back to the grind...

Tomorrow I go back to work - although I have to say I am extremely thankful that I have a job to go back to! I'm looking forward to getting back into the routine again :) The kids still have 4 weeks off. Nattie's going to camp at Winter Park all this week, and Jamie has art camp in the afternoons, so things will be quiet around here!

Today's card is another one I made using the fabulously-named "Toni's Tea Set" stamps from TCP :) The solid pink background is felt that I cut with my Nestabilities die - you can see the collections of felt here on the TCP website :) Have a super Sunday!

No more braces :)

Nattie finally got her braces off last month after 3 years of orthodontics! She let me take some up-to-date photos of her outside :)

New Release Blog Hop!

Here we go....it's finally release day! Today's the day that you can finally order your new TCP stamps - the ones we've been showing you samples of all week :) To celebrate, we're having a blog hop - and giving you the chance to see even more samples! And don't forget to check out TCP's brand new dies (buttons, flower buttons and waves) and felt, too!!

This TCP Tuesday we're celebrating our new forum on Splitcoast Stampers by mixing it up with the Dirty Dozen on their Dare To Get Dirty Challenge. The Hostess with the Mostess is our very own Dirty Dozen Alum, Leigh O'Brien. Their sketch challenge is our sketch challenge this week. Check out their challenge on the Dirty Dozen Forum on Splitcoast Stampers and see what the Dirty Dozen has done with this sketch.

Don't know about the Dirty Dozen? They are the elite of the elite. And you can get access to all of their design challenges, creations, galleries, templates and instructions. Just click here.

If you've been following the hop from the start, you'll be joining me from Sony's blog - isn't her work beautiful? She's our newest Cat Pack member :) I used the brand new "And Baby Makes..." set from TCP and also attached the buttons using TCP's Divine Twine - I love that stuff!! Alrighty, it's time for you to move on to your next stop - Amy's blog! Enjoy!

It's a hard life...

It really is tough being a cat living in the Armstrong house...Pickle is demonstrating how our cats like to live :)

Sneak Peek: Toni's Tea Set!

One of my favorite things to do is to go for afternoon tea with friends - when I was in San Jose last month I went for tea at "Lisa's Tea Treasures" with my good friends Lisa and Debbie. It was great! And whenever Alma has asked The Cat Pack for ideas for stamp sets, I have always suggested tea. What can I say? I drink several cups of Earl Grey every day; as an English girl, I think it's just in my blood :)

So I'm sure you can imagine how excited I was when Alma told us that there were some tea stamps coming up with this next release. I have had a blast playing with these sets (and the Divine Twine)...and when I saw that Alma had named one of the sets "Toni's Tea Set" - well, there is one very happy girl here in Colorado!! It is my tremendous pleasure to introduce you to Toni's Tea Set today...and don't forget to stop by Sony's blog - she's also going to have a sample made with this set for you today!