Search This Blog

Sunday, May 29, 2011

MAY S'Hood Challenge

Well, this is my SECOND attempt at posting today....
My first one disappeared right in front of my eyes just before I was ready to press the 'publish post' button!!
I was deleting one of the pictures but ,instead, the WHOLE post went along too!!  :o(
CAN YOU SAY FRUSTRATING!???????? *arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh*
Ok, took  a couple hrs to chillax a bit,while starting to work on  anew swap and now willing to re-write the wholeeeeeeeeeeee post----AGAIN! *Yikesss!...LOL* 'Nough with whining and venting...eheheh

* Click on any picture if you wish to enlarge*
 
~~*Hello my dear followers and stamping friends,
This month my darling friend Fay is the hostess for the Sisterhood Of The Travelling Cards (SOTC)
I was so blessed to have met Fay in real life when she visited me a couple times last year...She's so funny and witty and always wears a great smile on her face, no matter what.
So glad for this new friendship! ~~~~~*Love ya Fay and hope to see you again, soon* :o)

In her own words, this is what Fay requested us to create for this month's challenge:
"...We've done teen boy cards, now it's time for a round of Manly Men Cards! Since Father's Day is fastly approaching, let's create some great "Man" cards for the men in our lives...Friends, Husbands, Fathers, Grandfathers, Uncles...any Man in mind. And it doesn't have to be a Father's Day card, it can be an any occassion "Man" card


For starter, I really wanted to use 'On The Line' stamp set from SU, for my 'Man' cards. I had it for quite awhile, still unmounted and lonely and in dire need to be inked....and so I did. I also checked on SCS gallery on how to put this stamp to better use and voila'!...Came across one of Michelle Zindorf''s cards and the rest is history..lol...Michelle is such an AWESOME inspiration to me..she can make every card look 'easy' to do...(yeah ,right...she's DA master..I am a mere beginner...LOL)
Michelle also has many wonderful tutorials available on her fabulous blog and that's exactly what  I decided to do. I followed her on-line step-by-step instructions to make this card.  You can see how here:

http://zindorf.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com/2008/08/20/catching-47-tutorial-105/

The only thing I change on my cards are the fisherman's colors (SU markers) and I had to switch
Not Quite Navy SU inkpad with Buckaroo Blue since I don't have the first one amongst my inks supply.
I also didn't insert the photo corners on these cards (alhough I did on my very first card attempt which I will post last)
I made a mistake,sort of...I cut around the right side of the 'hook' that 'caught' the front  sentiment ; I wanted to loop the twine around it when, instead, I could have easily done same idea by using a simple glue dot attached to the twine. Oh man!!  DUH! ....why didn't I think of that BEFORE? LOL ...Live and  Learn (the hard way) :o)



Both MS and/or SU designer paper were used here to embellish the inside of the cards . I also added white c/stock nesties cut out and stamped lines from 'Autumn Leaves' Creatology set. Left it void of sentiments to allow the recipients to add their own choice for whichever Man occasions they see fit.


Because I made 5.5" x 5.5" cards and had no
envelopes that size available at hand ,I decided to use some of the masculine 12x12 paper stack I had , and improvised my own by cutting d/p down to 8.5" x 8.5". Admittedly, I sucked big time at this. I don;t think there is a PERFECT square one in  the midst,lol...but hey..I did try!!:o) Added a lil tag
for name and/or address on top and tucked in my cards ready to go postal to Fay on Tuesday.





    --------------->
This one on my right is the FIRST attempt, my 'try out' card. Here, I  did use the photo corners as well, just like in the tutorial.

I hope you enjoyed this post...I'd love to read your opinions and /or suggestions......
If you liked this tecnique too, I suggest you try it as well...so many choices of  great tutorials on Michelle's inspiring blog , you can't go wrong from trying...and it is truly a lot of FUN!

      Have a great Sunday evening

~*God Bless Everyone!!*~

                    Paola

Saturday, May 28, 2011

*~~~International Inkers~~~ *

PLEASE BE ADVISED : There are TWO posts today -International Inkers- and Calendar Girls (the post below this)    ****Have fun checking BOTH entries****



Cliak on any picture if you wish to enlarge

     Yeahhh for International Inkers THIRD blog post!! :o)
This month the fabulous kit that trotted around the globe, was provided by TANJA, one of our Germany delegates :o)
She included so many beautiful items for a creative mind!!
Unfortunatly I forgot to take a picture of all the stash...*sigh*
(perhaps if any of the other gals will post one I will quietly 'borrow' it to post in here as well...shhtttt...do not tell a soul! lol...
Also,if you are not familiar with what the International Inkers are all about please feel free to read  a brief introduction here:
http://paola-sama.blogspot.com/2011/03/introducing-international-inkers.html



As a special "thank you!" for visiting ALL of the International Inkers' blogs (see their blog-links down below)  We want to share this beautiful fun filled kit with one of you as a sign of apppreciation! :o)To be eligible, just leave a comment on each of the partecipating blogs. The winner of such fabby kit will be randomly selected and announced by Tanja in her own blog...

Thank YOU ALL for stopping by, we Inkers will be so appreciative for any comments you would like to share with each of us...
Oh!.....and please don't forget to stop by the Calendar Girls May Challenge, see previous post!

Have a blessed and restful week end my Friends!
*Paola*






      

International Inkers Blogs:

Catherine
Karen
Paola< you are here>
Tanja
Imke 

Calendar Girls *MAY* Challenge

Click on any pictures if you wish to enlarge

Hello everyone and welcome to the Calendar Girls'                          monthly Challenge!!   :o)             My on-line stamping friend Barb, was the awesome hostess for the month of May. She challenged all of us to 'shape up'! lol...
This is how she put it,in her own words:
 " ....Let’s Shape Up. No—not running, biking, weights, but cards that have a different shape.
So, your May card is to be a Shutter Card, Side Step Card, Gate Fold, Easel Card, Joy Fold, Criss Cross, etc. Any shape works—but to be true to the challenges we have had in the past—try a new shape that you have not used recently or really take a leap and try a design that you have never done before! The theme of the card can be for any event that happens before posting our next Challenge ..."

**with this in mind I decided to case this beautiful card fold I fell in love with at first sight :
As soon as I read Barb's challenge, I knew this above was the new fold I was going to attemp to make for my sweet, sweet Mamma to give her for Mother's Day .
I have no idea what this fold is called...I am counting on some of my stamping friends to come up with its right name...lol....*Thanks in advance!*
To it, I added my own touch by embossing the front side flap ,using my alltime favorite colors, and added an extra heart fold to the mix. Once done, I made a large matching envelope from the beautiful SU designer paper I used (Bella Rose)
Voila' this is my result, I must admit I really like it,and was very pleased that my Mom loved it
very much. Hope you will enjoy my photos for this fun fold card to make,on which I used  'Element of Style' stamping set from SU.


        



My beautiful and sweet Mom, 84 years young










 Barb this was a GREAT challenge..and, admittedly,it was really hard for me not to post this card right after Mother's Day!




Thanks for the lil nudge to 'shape up!'...at least with paper and such.....:o)Thank you all who visited, your comments are very valuable to me...

God's Bless you all  my Friends!              

                        *Paola*



   Calendar Girls :

Sunday, May 15, 2011

May *D*D*D*


*Click on any of the pictures if you wish to enlarge*
Wow!!..it's has been two whole weeks since my last post!!!yikesss... :o(
I better correct that right now!~ LOL.
Ya all know what day it is, right?? It's the 15th of the month, the usual 'blog-get-together'
of the triple *D*'s (Dueling Darling Dazzlers/or Divas)

See here for details, if you are a new follower and have no idea what I am talking about...LOL *wink*
http://paola-sama.blogspot.com/2010/10/its-duelling-darlings-timeo.html

The darling,wonderful gals who hosted the awesome theme for this month are : Debbie (for the Dazzlers)
and Carol (for the Divas) Putting their heads together they came up with a super idea that incorporates the love of Starbucks coffees  that both our Dueling Darlings head leaders *Jeanette and Kelly*  love so much...(I would even venture to say that one of them is absolutly addicted to SB...but I will never utter a word WHO that gal is!!....LOL)..truth be known many of us 'Darlings' love SB probably just as much...
and will seek any opportunity to enjoy a wonderful cup-o-java  treat :o)

The theme is : "The Perfect Blend".....very appropriate in so, so many ways, not just about coffee addictions or preferences...in fact,part of
the theme is to give a *shout out* to our wonderful group leaders. For us dazzlers, the amazing person at the helm is Jeanette, who is ALWAYS,and I mean ALWAYS, ready and willing to help out in any which way pssible...weather we need a kind ,soothing word of encouragment or a crafting tip. I cannot count how many times she aided me and guided me throughout some challenging 'technical' times,especially when I started my blog...


 Jeanette
What to say in just a few words,about
this wonderful, gifted, compassionate on line friend of mine?
Perhaps by trying to describe a small part of the big character that she truly is, by making a
simple acrostic:






J - jovial
E - enthusiastic
A - altruistic
N- nurturing
E - efficient
T - talented
T - trustworthy
E - eloquent


Aptly, the meaning of her name  is :"GOD IS GRACIOUS "!

Last but certainly not least,
THANK YOU so much Debbie for the fantastic kit sent.
I truly enjoyed creating this card with a blend of
great items and d/p..look at the coffee one, realistic eh!
(and yes I added a REAL espresso bean to my card ) :o)

KIT received:
Images: Whipper Snapper Hot Java Divas, Stampin' UP! Cup, and Fiskars Latte Love (sentiment)
Designer Paper: Die Cuts with a View Friends Cream and Paper Pizzazz Yummy Coffee Beans
Embellishments: Buttons, Twill, and a real Starbucks Coffee Stirrer

I added the following items:
*bazzil tan c/s, vanilla c/s
*ink: river rock and close to cocoa (for sponging)
*image colored with deluxe coloring chalks
*Accessories: crystal effect on mouths,shades,coffee cups, bean,
MM copper paint effect (used on stirrer),punch, label ten nestie, prima
flowers and real espresso bean (my own signature  mark on every 'coffee card' I make )



 Please check all the other amazing creations by:



DAZZLERS
 Jeanette  April Debbie Melina Michelle  Terry Darlene Paola <---you are here

DIVAS
Barb Carol Jamie Joan Judy Kelly Laura Jean Tami
I am so grateful to ALL the wonderful Dueling Darlings...
without your partecipation and creative monthly contributions
there would be NO BLEND!!!
Thanks for stopping by my darling friends
Wishing ya all a blessed day
Paola