Moved to the Mountains

TCPTUES153 - Colorful!

2011-04-08T11:00:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone! This week we have a beautiful color combo to play with, hosted by the super-talented Tori...we hope you can stop by Tori's blog for all the details on how to play along! These colors just scream sunshine to me, and so does the fabulous brand new Easy Rosette Die that was released last week by The Cat's Pajamas - they've been a huge hit! And if you click on the link to the die, you'll also find the super video that Alma posted to show how to use the dies - it's all there for you!

It's a New Release Blog Hop!

2011-03-28T22:57:00.001-06:00

Soooooo, hopefully you're joining me for the New Release Blog Hop by The Cat's Pajamas! If you are hopping through, you'll have arrived here from Carole's blog; if you want to start at the beginning, head over to Julie's blog - she's our Hostess for this TCP Tuesday Challenge.

Julie challenged us to think differently about the shape of our card...yikes! This was a tough one for me! I played around with some shaped dies and came up with this flower-type shape. But what I like best is the AWESOME grass die that is brand new for this release! I love how realistic it looks! The stamp set is called "Wet Puddle" and I was thrilled with how the paper piecing turned out for the little girl's coat and boots!

Thank you, as always, for stopping by! Next stop is Tracy's blog- have fun!

Catch My Drift?

2011-03-23T20:25:00.004-06:00

Here's another Sneak Peek of a set ("Catch My Drift?") coming next week from The Cat's Pajamas...check out the sweet bear!! How can you look at this set and not smile :) Find links to more Sneak Peeks over on Alma's blog - they'll be coming all week long!

What A Blast!

2011-03-22T17:26:00.003-06:00

Here we go with a week of Sneak Peeks from The Cat's Pajamas :) Jen is hostessing a terrific Inspiration Challenge for us...hop over to her blog for all the details and the inspiration piece!

My card today uses the brand new "What A Blast" set coming next Tuesday...check out PJ with the cool pinwheel - and there's a die to match, too!! I pulled out my long-unused colored pencils and had fun with them...I really like how PJ turned out! Stop by The Cat Pack's blogs throughout the week (and Alma's blog every day) for more TCP goodness!

Sketch Challenge - TCPTUES150

2011-03-19T16:09:00.003-06:00

Leigh is hostessing this week with another super sketch. I decided to pull out some baby-themed TCP stamps ("And Baby Makes..." and paper :) You'll find all the details for playing along with us right here on Alma's blog - and this coming week we'll be rolling out some sneak peeks for the upcoming release - so stay tuned!

Back in time with TCP Tuesday!

2011-03-13T15:57:00.003-06:00

This week Alma is having us go back through all our TCP Tuesday challenges (almost 150 of them!) and pick one of our faves - I chose TCP Tuesday 98 - paper piecing! I pulled out TCP's "Spring Fling" set and paper-pieced Poochie's carrot car :) It's definitely time for Springtime cards! Hop on over to Alma's blog for all the details on playing along this week - and stop by there again on Tuesday for our next challenge!

Feeling Lucky?

2011-03-02T06:30:00.000-07:00

Susan is our fabulous Hostess this week for TCP Tuesday - and she's challenging us to think all about "luck" - make someone a good luck card or a St. Paddy's Day card using your TCP stamps! This kind of occasion is perfect for using the ever-popular "A Beary Good Year" set. Who can resist P.J. and all those accessories??

There are now even more opportunities to win with The Cat's Pajamas! Click here to hop over to Alma's blog and get the scoop! Happy stamping!

Color Challenge Card...

2011-02-28T01:00:00.000-07:00

Here's my take on this week's Color Challenge - I had fun playing with the Springtime images in The Cat's Pajamas' "Hearts and Flowers" set from last year :)

Color Challenge for TCP Tuesday

2011-02-22T19:09:00.002-07:00

The colors that Sony has chosen for this week's TCP Tuesday challenge just scream ice cream, don't they? All the details for playing along can be found on Alma's blog, and I'll be posting my card in the next day or two. Can't wait to see what you come up with! Also don't forget to stop by the TCP Facebook page and say hello at the Forum on Splitcoast Stampers :)

TCP Tuesday - Sweet!

2011-02-14T22:05:00.005-07:00

I'm back with a functioning laptop again :) Just in time for Julie's TCP Tuesday challenge...and she has a "sweet" challenge for us to use candy on our cards...I just happened to have some Dove hearts around the house so decided to add one as an embellishment to my card. I think it makes a nice addition! I used the brand new "Got Love" set and included some paper piecing for the balloons.

In other TCP news, Alma is introducing a new feature called "Pick of the Litter" to showcase all the fabulous TCP creations out there! You'll be able to check out the latest Picks at The Cat's Pajamas' Facebook page or at our Forum on Splitcoast Stampers. Hope you can stop by!

Wild about TCP Tuesday!

2011-02-08T07:55:00.004-07:00

First of all, I'm sorry to be temporarily MIA (laptop power problems...hopefully to be rectified very soon!).

Let's get on to TCP Tuesday! Alma has introduced a few changes to TCP Tuesday...the first of which is that Jen is the new hostess of our Inspiration Challenge. All the details are over on Alma's blog, so be sure to stop over there to check everything out - including the slideshow guest book where all the TCP Tuesday creations are presented together :) Other changes will be rolling out gradually, so stay tuned for all the fun!

And...we have a new member of The Cat Pack! Please hop on over and give Tori Wild a warm welcome! If you haven't seen her work yet, you're in for a treat! Welcome, Tori!

TCP Tuesday - Stamp Challenge!

2011-01-26T19:52:00.005-07:00

Hello all! This week Susan is hostessing a fabulous Stamp Challenge for us! She challenged us to get out our TCP stamps and use any sentiment with the word LOVE or HEARTS :) My card features the brand new "Ewe Complete Me" set along with the "Heart Trio" dies. Aren't they fun? Anyway, we hope you can play along - and don't forget to post a link to your card on Alma's blog so that you're entered to win this month's Swanky Stamper prize!

The Cat's Pajamas New Release Blog Hop!

2011-01-17T23:59:00.002-07:00

Welcome to the January New Release Blog Hop from The Cat's Pajamas! I'm sure you've been hopping your way through all the fabulous creations from The Cat Pack, but if you want to start at the beginning, start at Sony's blog (Sony is also the hostess for this week's TCP Tuesday challenge!). Through the hop, you'll be joining me from Carole's blog - and now you're here!

For my card I used "It Had To Be Mew" and I think it worked well with Sony's color combo :)

Thank you, as always, for stopping by, now hop on over and see what Alma has been up to!

It Had To Be Mew!

2011-01-17T08:03:00.003-07:00

It's Day 7 of our week of Sneak Peeks from The Cat's Pajamas, and I know many of you are going to be thrilled that Sprinkle is BACK! This set is called "It Had to be Mew" and as you'll see, Sprinkle is all decked out for Happy Hearts Day :) I was drawn straight to the pink, black and white color combo to show Sprinkle in all her glory. Don't forget, tomorrow is Release Day - then you'll be able to get your hands on all these sets and play with Sprinkle to your heart's content!

Soooo sorry I'm late!

2011-01-15T10:34:00.003-07:00

Hi folks, I am so very sorry to be late to the party celebrating TCP's brand new "Got Love" set! I realized this morning that I hadn't posted it and again, I apologize...here's my card :) I think this set is one of my favorites from the upcoming release - and it's a tough choice to make! Keep checking out The Cat Pack's blogs all weekend long as the sneak peeks continue leading up to the big release on Tuesday! Have a super weekend!

Supply Challenge for TCPTUES141

2011-01-11T18:28:00.003-07:00

Hi all, here we are starting a week of TCP Sneak Peeks to show off the brand new stamps coming next week from The Cat's Pajamas! Today Jen is our hostess and she's challenging us to use up our ribbon stash - but to use it for anything but a bow!

I used the soon-to-be-released "Bear Hugs" set. Isn't this little guy adorable? For my ribbon technique I simply attached loops of ribbon like little "tabs" on the left-hand side. I really like how it turned out! Thanks, Jen, for the challenge! Don't forget to upload your fabulous creations to Alma's blog so that we can all see what you've done with your ribbon - and your TCP stamp stash! HAVE FUN!

TCP Tuesday Inspiration!

2011-01-04T00:01:00.000-07:00

Happy New Year! I'm your hostess for our first TCP Tuesday challenge of 2011 - and we're starting with an inspiration piece - this cute knitted hat from Little Missmatched. I took the "knitted" part and it made me think of The Cat's Pajamas' Divine Twine - so I pierced and stitched, and pierced and stitched some more to highlight this fun stamp set that will be available in just a couple of weeks (it's called "Got Love").

To play along (and be in with a chance to be the first Swanky Stamper of 2011), link your card to the post on Alma's blog and share your creation with us! If you're posting on Splitcoast Stampers, the keyword is TCPTUES140. Have fun!!

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-24T21:24:00.003-07:00

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 :)

2010-12-21T23:38:00.002-07:00

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

Oldies but goodies :)

2010-12-20T09:29:00.003-07:00

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!

2010-12-08T06:36:00.004-07:00

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

2010-11-28T10:35:00.001-07:00

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...

2010-11-24T16:15:00.003-07:00

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

A Warm Hello

2010-11-24T09:00:00.002-07:00

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!

2010-11-22T22:00:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-11-16T06:11:00.003-07:00

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...

2010-11-14T21:40:00.005-07:00

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

2010-11-10T21:54:00.005-07:00

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!!

2010-11-07T18:59:00.003-07:00

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!

2010-10-30T10:24:00.001-06:00

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!

2010-10-22T08:38:00.004-06:00

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!

2010-10-12T07:26:00.005-06:00

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

2010-10-05T17:32:00.002-06:00

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 :)

2010-10-01T06:37:00.002-06:00

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!

2010-09-29T18:30:00.002-06:00

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!

2010-09-23T17:06:00.003-06:00

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!

2010-09-16T17:37:00.002-06:00

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!

2010-09-13T22:00:00.005-06:00

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....

2010-09-11T16:28:00.001-06:00

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

Coffee, Tea or Meow???

2010-09-08T17:00:00.003-06:00

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

A little inspiration...

2010-09-07T00:01:00.000-06:00

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 :)

2010-09-03T20:30:00.002-06:00

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

2010-09-02T06:32:00.004-06:00

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!

2010-08-23T23:14:00.006-06:00

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 :)

2010-08-22T16:48:00.002-06:00

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!

2010-08-17T21:15:00.002-06:00

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!

2010-08-10T16:42:00.004-06:00

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...

2010-08-08T20:52:00.003-06:00

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 :)

2010-08-04T20:11:00.005-06:00

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 :)

2010-08-02T10:00:00.000-06:00

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 :)

2010-07-30T17:12:00.003-06:00

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...

2010-07-28T18:51:00.002-06:00

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

2010-07-28T17:26:00.003-06:00

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 :)

2010-07-27T17:21:00.003-06:00

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...

2010-07-25T10:39:00.005-06:00

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 :)

2010-07-25T10:36:00.002-06:00

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!

2010-07-20T06:00:00.004-06:00

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...

2010-07-17T11:38:00.003-06:00

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!

2010-07-15T00:01:00.001-06:00

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!

Have a Cuppa TCP Tuesday with Twine

2010-07-13T09:54:00.003-06:00

Try saying that three times fast! :) This week Amy is hostessing TCP Tuesday and she wants us to use twisty twine on our creations! Alma has some awesome twine in the TCP store that The Cat Pack has been playing with for a few weeks now - it's fabulous! It doesn't get frizzy and the color selection is awesome! Check out the "Divine Twine" right here...

For my card I used the upcoming "A Cuppa" set (part of next week's release!). As you can see, this is a nice large image of PJ, complete with apron that is perfect for coloring and/or paper piecing. Doesn't she look sweet? The "soup" sentiment is a separate stamp within the set, so the cup could just as easily be used to show coffee or tea (yum! More about tea on Thursday!).

Sneaky Peek Week :)

2010-07-12T09:12:00.004-06:00

Today is the start of a week of sneak peeks from The Cat Pack, leading up to The Cat's Pajamas' new release on July 20th! You are going to LOVE these new sets - I promise you! The Cat Pack has had tons of fun working with these over the past few weeks, and along with stamps there are some new products that you will enjoy!

Here's the plan for the week:

Monday - Joanne and Ana

Tuesday - Amy, Jen and Sony

Wednesday - Carole, Leigh and Ana

Thursday - Toni (me!) and Sony

Friday - Tracy, Jen and Amy

Saturday - Carole, Sony and Joanne

Sunday - Leigh, Alma and Ana

Monday - Tracy, Alma and Susan

There's a Grand Prize up for grabs too - just be sure to leave a comment at each of the Sneaky Peekers' blogs and you'll be eligible to win :) The winner will be announced at the TCP Pajama Party on Splitcoast Stampers next Monday, July 19th! Happy peeking :)

The beach....

2010-07-10T10:29:00.001-06:00

Here's the beach at Atlantis - the water was crystal-clear and warm :)

Home again!

2010-07-09T20:12:00.003-06:00

We're back from visiting Atlantis in the Bahamas - what a fabulous place - especially for families with kids! We were there for 5 days. Beautiful weather, spectacular scenery, fireworks on the 4th, and water slides and pools galore :) What's not to like? This slide is called the "Challenge" - two people slide down at the same time and there's a clock at the side of each one to show how long it took to slide down. Nattie made it in just under 5 seconds; Iain was about half a second behind her. Will post more tomorrow :)

TCP Tuesday - a Summer Color Challenge!

2010-07-06T07:00:00.000-06:00

Hi there, just checking in with a quick post with this week's TCP Tuesday details - as you can see, it's a color challenge! Our super hostess this week is Joanne, so be sure to stop by her blog and get all the info on how to play along :)

I'll be back from Atlantis in a few days with a full report of our fun in the sun!

Fluffles! And BIG TCP NEWS!

2010-07-02T11:35:00.002-06:00

Fluffles (by Stampendous) is one of my favorite images to stamp, being a big fan of cats (we do have 5 of them, after all!)...and being a member of TCP's Cat Pack helps feed my addiction, too :)

I'm heading off on vacation, but will be back next weekend. I've set up a TCP Tuesday post to pop up during the week, so be sure to stop by and find out what Joanne has come up with for us. And after that, the sneak peeks of TCP's upcoming release will begin! Oh - and did you know that TCP is now a member company over on Splitcoast Stampers? Click here to see the TCP forum where Alma and The Cat Pack will be chatting about everything TCP!

Happy Thursday!

2010-07-01T10:13:00.003-06:00

Hello all, I hope you're having a terrific Thursday! Today's card was made with a "Peel-Off" sticker and then I colored it - a fun change! Tulips are one of my favorite flowers - they always make me smile :)

Getting the laundry done today, starting to get ready for vacation! Woooo hooooo!

Bright and sunny day

2010-06-30T09:12:00.002-06:00

Summer is so pretty here in Conifer (although I think I should buy shares in Zyrtec since I'm taking it every day to deal with the pine pollen! LOL!)...clear, blue skies and usually temps in the 70s - occasionally 80s. Absolutely beautiful!

So, for a bright and sunny day I'm posting a bright and sunny card with traces of red, white and blue since we are heading towards the 4th of July :) Have a super day! I'm going to catch up with some friends for coffee (tea) this morning, and then this afternoon Nattie and I are going to the movies to see "Grown Ups" - the reviews haven't been too great, so I'll let you know how it goes... :)

Technique Challenge!

2010-06-29T10:31:00.003-06:00

Hello all, this week our very own Alma is hosting TCP Tuesday! She wants us to play with our colored pencils and Gamsol - you can find out all the details plus a link to a tutorial right here on Alma's blog :)

For my card I used TCP's "Happy Camper" set and some of my new favorite paper from Basic Grey. Some of the card is paper-pieced, but for the edges of the mountains I pulled out my colored pencils and smudged the color with Gamsol. I had forgotten how much fun those pencils were! I apologize for the not-so-great lighting on my photo; I took this one early this morning so that I could post before I am off and running for the day :) Have a super Tuesday, whatever you're up to!

A day at home :)

2010-06-27T16:55:00.002-06:00

Spending a day at home today, working on cards for next month's new release from The Cat's Pajamas - the new images are AWESOME!! Today's card is made with a Stampendous set I picked up recently. I am rarely able to resist large flower images - they just scream out at me to be colored!

I also watched the England v. Germany soccer match this morning and am very disappointed that England are now out of the World Cup - the German team played amazingly, though, and deserved to win. Perhaps in 2014 our turn will come :) Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Summertime

2010-06-26T09:32:00.002-06:00

Another flowery, summery card :) I've been thoroughly enjoying my time off from school - spending time with my kids, enjoying the beautiful weather, and crafting!

I am also happy because I got the news a couple of weeks ago from our principal that I will be able to stay on in my current position as secretary! Following the budget cuts in our district, I was going to be displaced my a secretary with more years in the district; it turns out she got another position closer to home, and so I get to stay! Wooo hoooo! Happy times indeed....so I have to make the most of this break - I return to work on July 26th!!

Something warm and something sweet...

2010-06-23T18:03:00.002-06:00

How does coffee (or, in my case, tea) and a donut sound? I had a lot of fun playing with this Hero Arts "Have A Donut" set yesterday - I colored the frosting on the donut and then used some Paper Glaze to make the frosting shine :) Mmmmmm!

TCPTUES115 - Inspiration Challenge!

2010-06-22T00:05:00.001-06:00

Hi everyone - happy Tuesday! This week I'm hosting an Inspiration Challenge for you; the piece I have chosen is this mosaic design that I found on Google Images. I hope it inspires you to play along with us!

For my card I used one of my favorite TCP summer images - the penguin from the "By the Sea" set :) I picked up the mosaic tiles on a recent trip to CA - scrapping and stamping stores galore! I thought they'd work well for a summer/pool theme, and I really like the colors, too!

To play along, add a link to your card (from your blog or the Splitcoast gallery) to the post on Alma's blog. This means you can be entered in our monthly Swanky Stamper Contest where you can win $$$$ to spend on TCP stamps - what's not to like about that?! This week's keyword is TCPTUES115. So...what are you waiting for - go and be inspired!

Sketch Challenge card...

2010-06-21T11:23:00.002-06:00

Sorry this one is late...been playing catch-up this week :) To play along with Leigh's awesome sketch challenge, I used TCP's "You Sick Thing" set - Sprinkle looks ready to help someone feel better...

I'll be back tomorrow - I'm hosting an Inspiration Challenge for you!

The stamping community is like a big family...

2010-06-17T08:15:00.003-06:00

And at times like this we all hope that the community will rally together to support someone who needs our help. One of our TCP Cat Pack members, Susan Liles, is a fabulous lady. Her husband, Eric, is battling a very aggressive form of lymphoma and is undergoing treatment. Along with side effects of the treatment, the family is now having to face mounting medical bills as Eric has used up his sick time at work.

Susan is one of the most positive, talented, friendly people on the Cat Pack, and I know that those of you who work with her on other DTs feel the same way. To show their support of Susan and her family, The Cat's Pajamas, Verve Stamps, and My Favorite Things will have a benefit sale Friday through Sunday - and 10% of all sales will benefit the Liles family. Stamps for you, money for the family - what's not to like? :) If you'd rather make a direct donation, there's a button on Susan's blog that will link you to the right place.

Happy shopping!!

TCP Tuesday!

2010-06-16T10:08:00.004-06:00

Hi everyone - I just got back from a quick trip, but wanted to get the link posted for this week's TCP Tuesday challenge - a sketch challenge hosted by Leigh :) You'll find all the details on how to play along over there...and I'll have time to play along by the end of this week - this sketch is great!

ABC...

2010-06-08T17:08:00.002-06:00

Hello! It's TCP Tuesday again - and Susan is hosting a terrific alphabet challenge! Click here to get to Susan's blog and all the details! I played with TCP's "Happy Camper" set to come up with my card - I love these little guys! The alpha set I used for the sentiment is "Nightie". Have fun playing along!

TCP Tuesday Color Challenge

2010-06-01T20:00:00.003-06:00

Hey everyone, Joanne is this week's hostess for TCP Tuesday, and she has a pretty color combo for us to play with this week. Stop by Joanne's blog for all the details on this week's challenge. I'll be back later in the week with my creation!

Holiday Weekend :)

2010-05-28T21:13:00.003-06:00

Hello all, I hope you had a great week! Today we had Field Day at school, and the temperature got up to 80 degrees - the warmest day so far this year! Next week the kids only have school on Tuesday and Wednesday, and then they're on Summer break :) My last day is June 8th.

Today I have a bright card I made a couple of weeks ago using a new stamp by Stampendous. It's a pretty large image, and works very well for coloring and/or paper piecing. I like the colors on this one!

Have a happy and safe weekend, whatever you're up to!

SURPRISE!! It's a Birthday Blog Hop for Alma!

2010-05-24T19:00:00.003-06:00

So....Alma, the fabulous creator and owner of The Cat's Pajamas is having a birthday later this week, so The Cat Pack is doing a surprise blog hop to celebrate Alma's special day! She's such a terrific lady to work with - every one of us in The Cat Pack just loves you, Alma - thank you for your support, humor and just for being you!

We've tied the blog hop in to Amy's TCP Tuesday week, so that's where the fun starts - if you're following the hop all the way through (and I hope you are!), you should be joining me from Susan's blog...and your next stop after here will be Karrie's blog! There is a lot of celebrating going on, so have fun and be sure to leave Alma some birthday love at the end :)

TCP Tuesday - Summer Inspiration!

2010-05-17T22:22:00.004-06:00

Hello all! Happy Tuesday! This week I have an inspiration challenge for you :) Jen found this terrific photo over at Pottery Barn; I hope you have fun with it! Don't forget to link your creations over to Alma's blog so that we can see everything in one place - and, of course, so that you can be entered for the Swanky Stamper of the Month!

For my card I used TCP's "Sheep" stamp (an oldie but goodie!) on the outside, and the "Friends" stamp on the inside :) Thanks for stopping by - now it's time to play along!

Make a Splash!

2010-05-16T21:36:00.002-06:00

Here's my card made from Leigh's awesome TCP Tuesday sketch :) I love this little dude! He's part of TCP's "By the Sea" clear stamp set. And for this coming TCP Tuesday I have my card all ready to go!

It's going to be quite a stressful week for me...I will know for sure by this Friday whether someone will be bumping me from my job at the school...keep your fingers and toes crossed for me!

Sketchy TCP Tuesday

2010-05-12T19:01:00.003-06:00

Hello all, this week our TCP Tuesday Hostess is the amazingly talented Leigh, who has a sketch challenge for us! Hop on over to find out all the details :) I'll be posting my creation soon...

Happy thoughts!

2010-05-10T07:06:00.000-06:00

This is one of my favorite Hero Arts stamps - I've had it for several years, and every Spring and Summer I come back to it. Depending on how the image is colored, it can become even more versatile! Definitely a keeper :) Have a terrific week!

TCP Tuesday Stamp Challenge - my card :)

2010-05-09T19:00:00.004-06:00

Hello everyone, here's the card I came up with for this past week's TCP Tuesday Challenge - to use TCP's "You Sick Thing" set. I love to use this set for paper piecing, and that's what I did on this card :) I added some stitching around the edge, and voila!

TCP Tuesday - You Sick Thing!

2010-05-04T22:51:00.002-06:00

It's TCP Tuesday and this week we're playing with the "You Sick Thing" set - one of my favorites, especially for paper piecing and/or coloring! Susan is hostessing this week and so you can find out all the details on her blog! Have fun - I'll be posting my card in the next day or two!

Spring is trying to get through....

2010-04-30T18:40:00.002-06:00

...but it won't be Spring-like here in Conifer this weekend with highs only in the 30s!! Brrrrr!! I still wanted to post a Springtime card for you, though, so here's one featuring stamps from TCP's "Blow" set :)

Time to play!

2010-04-27T09:21:00.004-06:00

Morning, all! It's TCP Tuesday again, and our terrific hostess is Joanne, who came up with a super color combo for us all to play along with: turquoise, red and ivory. Click here to head over to Joanne's blog for the scoop on this week's challenge! I pulled out my "Fun in the Sun" stamp set and decided to have fun with layers of different papers :) Thanks for stopping by!

Ballet Bunny :)

2010-04-24T09:00:00.003-06:00

Here's another TCP sample for you - this one is quite simple, but I really like how it turned out. The stamp set is called "Tutu Much" and features 3 bunny images and several different sentiments.

I hope you had a great week - work for me was busy, but fun :) We got more snow throughout the day yesterday - almost a foot, but it seems to be tapering off this morning. Have a super weekend, whatever you're up to!

Get corked with Amy for TCP Tuesday!

2010-04-20T19:46:00.003-06:00

That got your attention, didn't it? Hop over to Amy's blog to find out the details about this week's "corky" TCP Tuesday challenge :) Tons of fun!! I hope you're having a super week!

Spring has sprung!

2010-04-17T21:29:00.002-06:00

Hi all, I hope you're having a great weekend :) I'm back with another Springtime card made using the super new stamps from The Cat's Pajamas. This set is called "Blow" - doesn't the bunny look peaceful lying down on the mushroom?

Only 6 weeks of school left until Summer break - I can't believe it! Unfortunately, I don't know if I'll be in the office next year or not - our district has had to cut millions of dollars for this coming year (like many other districts throughout the country), and one secretarial position has been cut from each high school. Those displaced secretaries, because of their seniority, need jobs and as a result all of us who took on our position in the past year have been cut. I am very sad; I love my job, as I'm sure you all know. Keep your fingers crossed for me as I am on a recall list for a year...

New Release Blog Hop from The Cat's Pajamas!

2010-04-12T19:00:00.005-06:00

Well...it's that time again :) It's TCP Tuesday along with a blog hop to celebrate the release of brand new stamps from The Cat's Pajamas! Since I'm the hostess this week, I get to kick off the blog hop - and it's an inspiration challenge. Use this hip bedding set from Target as your inspiration, and show us what you come up with! You can start here for the hop, and as you jump from blog to blog you'll get to see tons of terrific samples that the Cat Pack has created for your viewing pleasure!

For my card I used the "Hola Tequila" set - those penguins are back! I love the dots on the bedding, and chose patterned paper with dots to make my card. I also added some stitching with some terrific linen embroidery thread that Alma is carrying - it's easy to work with, and fuzz-free, so it's perfect for using on cards :) And now...it's time for you to hop over to Ana's blog for your next stop - tell her I sent you! Have a great day - and enjoy the fun!

TCP Tuesday - Throwback Style!!

2010-04-06T19:03:00.002-06:00

Hi! We have a fun TCP Tuesday challenge for you this week, hosted by Jen :) She's challenging us to re-use a sketch from last year...our TCPTUES55 sketch, to be exact - head over to find out all the details on how to play along! I'll be back later this week with my creation :)

Ahoy there!

2010-03-31T12:34:00.003-06:00

Here's my TCP Tuesday card for this week - Susan left it wide open for us to use any TCP stamp, so I pulled out my "Aargh! Piratey!" set and went to work :)

TCP Tuesday #103 - Any TCP Stamp!!

2010-03-30T13:10:00.003-06:00

I just got back from visiting Denver Zoo with Nattie and Jamie. Our favorite new animal was a baby monkey :) And we always love seeing the big cats!

To go along with the "Spring Break" time of year, Susan's hosting the TCP Tuesday stamp challenge this week - and we can use ANY TCP STAMP! It doesn't get much easier than that :) Hop over to Susan's blog for all the details on playing along...and I'm heading downstairs to work on my card right now! Have a super Tuesday!

Snow Day (again)!

2010-03-24T08:39:00.002-06:00

It's like deja vu - our second snow day in less than a week! This one has dumped 2 feet of snow in less than 24 hours...the district made the call last night that there would be no school today. Even down in Denver there's over a foot of snow! Not many people on the roads today...

Here's a photo of Tasha checking out the view from the front window :)

TCPTUES102 - Color Challenge :)

2010-03-23T06:39:00.004-06:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful, sunny start to the day here in Conifer - with another snowstorm on the way later today! We're under a winter storm warning, so it could be another big dump of snow for us :)

As you'll see, this week's TCP Tuesday Challenge is a color challenge - our hostess for this week is Joanne, and you can find all the details on playing along (and how you could become TCP's next Swanky Stamper) on her blog. I really enjoyed playing with these colors; it's not a combo I've seen often, but I love how these ones look together! Be sure to check out the creations everyone else has come up with, and you'll see them all together on the slideshow on Alma's blog as the week progresses.

For my card, I used TCP's "Smells Like Cake" set, and I pulled all the papers from my scrap drawers :) That's always a good feeling! Have a great Tuesday, whatever you're up to!

Better late than never...

2010-03-22T20:38:00.003-06:00

Here's my TCPTUES101 card :) I love this big chicken from TCP's "Beans and Bunnies and Peeps, Oh My!" set - isn't he sweet? And for the layout I used a sketch from the Friday Sketchers blog. The patterned paper is from Basic Grey's new "Kioshi" collection.

I already have my card made for tomorrow's TCP Tuesday color challenge, so stop by and see what color combo we're playing with :)

Snow Day!

2010-03-20T09:24:00.003-06:00

Well...we ended up with a snow day yesterday! Here's what Mother Nature left for us...

TCP Tuesday...a little late :)

2010-03-18T22:17:00.003-06:00

Hi all, dropping in to post about this week's TCP Tuesday hosted by the fabulous Amy, who is challenging us to pierce something somewhere on our creation this week (TCPTUES101). Jump over to Amy's blog for all the details - I have my fingers crossed for a SNOW DAY here tomorrow...the forecast is calling for up to 2 feet of snow for us in just 24 hours! The kids and I will be going to bed with our fingers crossed that my principal calls me bright and early letting me know I can spread the word to staff and parents :)

Have a super evening...I'll be back at the weekend (or tomorrow, if I'm lucky!) with my pierced card!

Is Spring in the air yet?

2010-03-10T16:43:00.003-07:00

So, Spring is not too far away, but you wouldn't know it from looking out of my window today :) For the last 3 days it has been snowing heavily on my drive home!

Just over 2 weeks until Spring break - yeah! We're finishing up with CSAP testing at school for 3rd, 4th and 5th grade kiddos, and then next week I'll be working hard on checking over the books, counting them, packing them and getting them back to the warehouse. It's a pretty stressful time for students and staff at schools, so we'll all be glad next week when those boxes are gone :)

Things are going well at home...we have Jamie's 8th birthday this coming Friday! Iain's going to stay here on Thursday night so that we're all together for Jamie waking up on his birthday, and then on Saturday he's having his party down at Jump Street in Littleton. No birthday cake for Jamie, though - he wants to have Krispy Kreme doughnuts instead!

I'm trying to "think Spring" with today's card made with one of the "Pure Innocence" stamps from My Favorite Things. The inside of the card is stamped with a great sentiment - "Start every day with wheeeee!"