Season's Givings Blog Hop

Dear readers,

I truly appreciate each one of you.... that you take the time to come & visit my blog
& comment on my projects... you cannot know how much it means to me!

And so, this blog hop is being held for you, as a way for me to say "thank you".

Each stop on the hop is hosting a giveaway.

So make sure you comment on each one to be eligible to win each prize.

Here are the two prize packs that I'm giving away...

Both prize packs include six stamp sets (My Favourite Things, Elle's Studio, Studio Calico, Teresa Collins, Fresh Squeezed stamps&/or Lil Inkers) and a 6x6 paper pad.

To be eligible to win one of these prize packs, you need to leave a comment here
on my blog by Sunday, Jan. 5, 2014, at 11:59pm CST.
I will draw two winners on Monday, the 6th.

And here's the card I wanted to share with you....

It's a chalkboard technique thank you card that I made
using the Forever Fall stamp set by Reverse Confetti.
  

I started with a panel of My Minds Eye patterned paper,

which I layered over some true black cardstock.

I cut another rectangle of black cardstock and stamped my sentiment and woodgrain heart in versamark and then heat embossed them with white embossing powder.

I rubbed some white ink over top and inked the edges in black with my blending tool,

for a chalkboard look.

To finish it off, I added two MME decorative brads.

  

Before you go, feel free to follow my blog & click on the link to do so on the sidebar.

Next on the hop is AJ Otto.

Here's the complete list of all of the blog hop participants:

Lawn Fawn

Reverse Confetti

My Favorite Things Stamps

CAS-ual Friday Stamps

Fresh Squeezed Stamps

Julee Tillman: Verve Stamps

Avocado Arts Stamps

A Jillian Vance Design

Latisha Yoast

Amber Hight

Amber Kemp-Gerstel

Alice Wertz

Debbie Corbari

Vera Wirianta Yates

Lori McAree

Carolyn King

Sharon Harnist

Amy Tsuruta

Beth Pingry

Becky Oehlers

Angie Blom

Julia Stainton

Sharon Johnson

Michelle Woerner

Cindy Lawrence

Lori Tecler

Daniela Dobson

Savitri Wilder

Theresa Momber 

Giovana Smith

Kimberly Crawford

Maria Levine

Colleen Schaan

Lydia Fiedler

Kelly Klapstein

Kim Kesti

Laura Williams

Shanna Vineyard

Jennifer Gallacher

Heather Pulvirenti

Stacey Schafer

Leigh Penner (that's me!)

AJ Otto

Teri Anderson

Julie Overby

Margie Higuchi

Jimmi Mayo

Tenia Nelson

Lee Ann Barrett

Iwona Palamountain

Kim Jackson

Linda Lucas

Sarah Gough

Dina Kowal

Elena Roussakis

Lisa Henke

Jodi Collins

Joanne Basile

Melanie Muenchinger

Darsie Bruno  

Libby Hickson

Dana Joy

Jody Morrow

Heather Campbell

Savannah O'Gwynn

Lee Murphy

Lisa Arana

Jocelyn Olson

Isha Gupta

Piali Biswas

Ashley Harris

Bunny Vance

Anabelle O'Malley

Andrea Murdock

Stephanie Muzzulin

Alyssa Bennett

Christiana Reuling

Laurel Seabrook

Melody Rupple

Emily Branch
Megan Hoeppner

Happy New Year &

thanks for looking!

Top 13 {of 2013} -- Cards

Several years ago, at the end of December,
I started posting my favourite layouts of the year.
You can see this year's post here.

Then, last year, I added a post of my favourite cards of the year.

So, I've decided to keep with tradition and share
my thirteen favourite cards that I made this year.

(If you'd like to see the original blog post for the card,
just click on the link below the photo.)

Thanks, Friend

Sending Birthday Hugs & Wishes

For the Record...

Just a note

Thank You

Independence Day

Happy Birthday

Thinking of You

Sweet Birthday Wishes

Coffee + Friends

Every Single Day

Happy B-Day

Merry & Bright


I just have to say that choosing my favourite cards was a lot harder
than choosing my favourite layouts! LOL!

So, which one is your favourite?

Thanks for looking!

Top 13 {of 2013} -- layouts

As has become my end of the year tradition,

I'm posting my 13 most favourite layouts of 2013.
(You can see my previous years top layout posts here: 2012, 2011, 2010 & 2009.)

Here they are, in chronological order from the past year.

(If you'd like to see the original blog post for the layout, just click on
the title below the photo and it will take you there.)

Little Guy, Big Trees

You Colour My World

So Very Very Sweet

Matching Outfits

Waiting

Wonderful

Kicking Off Summer

Love This

Sunkissed

Sage's First Sewing Project

Blessed Beyond Measure

Summer Girl

Thankful


I love doing this every year because I'm always a little surprised at how many layouts
I do create in a year! For some reason, it always feels like less...

So, which one is your favourite?

Come back on Monday to see my 13 favourite cards of 2013.

Thanks for looking!

Merry & Bright (IB # 116)

Today, I am sharing a layout that I made using Inspired Blueprints Sketch #116
and some Reverse Confetti stamps & dies. 

I stuck very closely to the sketch, except that I flipped the journaling card and photo around.

I used some Pink Paislee patterned paper and chipboard words to create my layout.
The patterned paper had the design in the top and bottom corners, which worked perfectly (I thought!) for the sketch.



I added some Reverse Confetti stamps & dies to my layout.
I used the "and bright" sentiment from Bring On the Merry stamp set to complete my title.

I created my banner using the die from Tag Me, which I cut down a little along the top and the bottom.
I stamped one of the stripes from So Stripey over the banner.
Once it was dry, I heat embossed the "picture perfect" sentiment from Tinsel 'N Trim.

Thanks for looking!

PTI December Blog Hop

*Note: this is my second post for today. 

Please scroll down to see my post for this week's Case Study.

It's time once again for Papertrey Ink's monthly blog hop.

This month's challenge was "Tied Up with String."

Since I hosted my husband's family for supper yesterday, I decided to have some fun with the place settings.

To start, I had bought a mould to use for making almond bark.

I wrapped a piece for everyone in clear plastic wrap and then slid them into white paper bags.

I tied each bag up with some red & white baker's twine and added a tag.

Each tag was made using pure poppy card stock & the Tag Sale 7 die.

Then I used the stamps and dies from Two Feet Deep to decorate them.

(Since most of the family spent a few hours in the afternoon cross-country skiing, this set seemed appropriate.)

And, for each person's name, I used a Wplus9 banner die with true black card stock, on which

I stamped with PTI's Antique Alphabet stamp set in versa mark and heat embossed in white.

I made four tags with skis....

Four with snowshoes...

And four with sleds....

Thanks for looking!