Today is a big day at Minnie Cline Elementary!
It's the 100th Day of School!!!!!
So while I am off instructing the future crafters of the world or at least NW Missouri, here's my Hip Hop Hangover post!

This card is also a challenge card! I used this week's Etsy Challenge on Ashely's blog! The shop is ZoZoCards found HERE and my particular inspiration is this piece of work, HERE.
I used this week's Unity Card Sketch which can be found HERE. I flipped it to work better for my image. I LOVE my new vanilla HP Hardware - but I am still trying to decide if I can handle it with WHITE paper! What do you think? I colored these little Owls from the Unity October KOM with my SU markers - see who needs Copics?!?! I then punched them out with my Marvy Pink Oval punch and layered them with a Marvy Purple Scalloped Oval Punched out piece of DP from SU. I added soem details to the scallops and oval.

As you may know CHA is wrapping up. CHA is THE ultimate crafters candy store!

It is where the manufacturers release their new lines for stores to purchase!
I did not get to go but I have been stalking the blogs of those who did checking out everything!
So for today's 4 I am listing my 4 fave products released!!!
You may be surprised if you know me well!
I am a Basic Grey girl and there is NONE on the list!
I also love MME and there is none! Am I branching out finally?!?!? Bout time I guess!

Cause that means it's HIP HOP!!!!
Friends, Unity, Chatting, and Challenges! What could be more fun?!?
Be sure to join us on SCS in the Unity forum and Check out Angela's blog for the Blog Hop
and Specials!!!!

Here is a card I made for a very special girl's first birthday! I used Unity's Cupcakes a'la Yummy! What a fun set! I used SU markers to color them and a Sakura stardust gelly roll pen on the bottoms! Added some bling to the corners and some PTI sweet blush ribbon.

Did you know Taylor VanBruggen has been doing her Cupcake Challenges for a whole year?!?
There are several sketches this week but I started with Taylors. I usually use cupcakes of course but I had been aching to use my new Bittersweet stamp set to go with my Bittersweet papers! Here's the end result! Thanks for looking!

I wanted to use my new Curly Label punch so I went searching in the gallery at Splitcoast stampers - my number one resource for inspiration! I saw a stunning card by AmberDawn - one of the Unity/Verve girls - I just love everything she does! So I CASED her card to create this one. The roses are a CTMH set called Cherish - not sure what I think of it yet ~perhaps with the stem added. As you can see I am just loving my sewing machine!!!! The background is a cuttlebug folder. Added some ribbon and dewdrops and there you go!

Simple card I made for the Hip Hop Challenge on Thursday. You were to use unique fiber or ribbon! I found this in Wal-Mart's sewing department and thought it looked fun!
Stamps are from Angela's set This is the Time! I just love it!

I have a layout to share with you today! I made it last Saturday on my scrap day! Today I am having a friend over to stamp YAY! Can't decided if I want to work on a layout since I got my pictures somewhat organzied - still could use some fine tuning, or make cards, or um just stamp images of each other's stuff! LOL! Oh well it will be a fun day for sure!
This layout is of Kaden's very first T-Ball practice! He was only 3 (almost 4) so when he got bored the glove became a hat! It was so fun watching him progress thoughout the season! He will definitely play again this summer! Only I think we will do the Savannah legue and not Y in Saint Joseph. He needs to meet kids in Savannah, of course he will be going to Summer School this year so ok I have to stop I am going to cry ~my baby is growing up too fast! I am soooooooo glad he's not going to Kindergarten this year! I get to keep him my little boy at least one more year!
Back to the layout - sorry for the diversion!
I created my own PP for this layout using SU's Just Baseball. I thought it was just right for this! I used a Page Maps sketch - seriously I don't know what I would do without them! The Title, and Pennent were made using The Cricut Expression. Carts are Opposites Attrack and Locker Talk, Man I love that thing! I can't wait till I have my OWN!

Do you have yours yet? The new SU catty? I do! My wonderful PSF Heather sent me one! Thanks Heather! So do you have a wish list? I do! And these are my top 4 must have items!

I need life to sllllllllllloooooooooowwwwwwwww down a bit! But since I don't see it doing that...here's a super fast Hip Hop Hangover post!

This is the card I whipped up for my brother's birthday! It uses the relatively new set from Unity by the owner Angela called This is the Time! I just love it! I used Worn Grid on the background cause I think it goes so well with this image! This also uses this week's Unity Sketch! TFL!

LATE I know! Better late than never! Look in other parts of stores for scrapbooking/stamping goodies! I find some of the best ribbon not in the SB dept of Hobby Lobby but in the sewing departement and the sewing department of Wal-Mart and JoAnns. The bride aisles of HL and Mike's hold great treasures! the bridal paper flowers at Mikes come in cream and white and have a pretty shimmer to them and are super cheap - especially with a coupon! They also have rhinestones! The MS products are WAY cheaper at WalMart than Mikes too! So look around and see what you can find! Let me know of an deals you discover!

....this time a Ways To Use It from SCS!

The challenge was to use a color combo site to get out of the box and use new colors!
Something I always need help with! I used the site Julia suggested cause I hadn't before!
This is the site KULER, The color combo I used is the AVI of the person on THIS page.
I just loved the way those colors popped out at me!
I interpreted them as Very Vanilla, Ocean Tides, Pure Poppy and Close to Cocoa!
This is what I came up with.
I was in a coloring mood so I chose this image from the SU set For Father. I needed something that would have red in it and I could use the other colors!
I am working at getting better at my watercoloring! It's a slow process. My new Koi waterbrush seems to help - it has a very fine tip! This is a BIG card! It is 6.5x5.5 I needed it big to get my image and sentiment on it! I have finally started using my nesties and spellbinders dies on a regular basis and I LOVE them! I use them in a Sizzix Big Kick!

...I'd pick you! I just love that sentiment from PTI's Green Thumb!
I thought it was perfect for this image by Unity Stamp Co!

And when I saw this sheet of Basic Grey paper from the Sugared line it reminded me of this image as well so I decided to put them all together! I am really liking the results! The image and sentiment are on a Lable One cut out that I distressed and sponged with Pure Pom ink - I miss it so! Both the PP and CS are distressed and inked with Chestnut Roan chalk ink from Limelight Papercrafts. As are the hot pink Kaiser Pearls! They also carry Unity! The shipping was SO fast! I ordered Friday Night and I had the goodies Monday!!!! Seriously all the way from North Carolina to Missouri! Holy fast Shipping Batman! LOL! I just love decorating these flowers! I also used a Sugared Glazed Brad that matches the paper. Add a little ribbon and viola! TFL!

So yesterday I got to scrap yay! I went to my RLF and co-worker Shelly's house!
We decided to get together once a month at least and scrap
~ cause we get more done like that than on our own!
I was there for only 4 hours but got 2 layouts done!
That's pretty good I think! This is one of the layouts I did yesterday.

It is the stamped image of Blake's feet the day he was born. Yes I took in my own cardstock to have them stamp them on! Pretty simple layout - used a pagemaps sketch and added some distressing and inking and stitching. Used Shelly's Expression to cut out the title. It is the Cartridge Opposites Attract! I love it! I use it for lots of titles it has the scripty font and then a bold thick font! I can't wait till I have my own Expression! Gotta keep saving!
Thanks for looking today!

But it's my first! I love Kristina Werner's Color Challenges

and I need them I tend to stick to Earth Elements, especially Chocolate Chip!

This weeks colors aren't too out there for me so I started my card. I wanted to use Fabulous Flowers cause I HAD to get it when I learned it was retiring!
I started by creating my own pp for the background - sure way to get all the colors. I finished using JUST the listed colors and it NEEDED something! Apparently I can't make a card without Choc Chip! But it totally MADE the card!
So after I created the background paper by just stampin the small flowers randomly I cut it down and distressed the edges and inked them. I matted it on a piece of ruby red cs that I also distressed and inked - I am really into distressing and inking right now!

For the sentiment (which is half the reason I got the set, I LOVE that sentiment!) I colored it with my SU markers - I am so pleased with how it turned out! I wanted to showcase it in a unique way so I started looking at my nesties, and thought what if I use lables one and cut it down to a more rectangular shape! and it WORKED! I sponged the edges and added some punched out flowers with a brad to finish it off!
What do you think? I hope it's ok I cheated and added choc chip!

This week's FAB Four is my FAVE TV Shows of ALL time! Not in order I don't know if I could put them in order! I don't watch alot of TV but the shows I watch I LOVE!

1. Friends - working on collecting the series on DVD! I miss this show so much!
2. Alias - LOVE this show - have missed some of season 3 so going back and catching up on it! Need to start buying it on DVD too!
3. Greys Anatomy!
4. What Not to Wear - SHUT UP! I love this show - I would love to be on it except for the before part! LOL!
Runners up:
HEROS (quickly working its way to overtake one of the top 4!)
Desperate Housewives, Brothers and Sisters,CSI, NCIS

Can I just say how excited I was when I learned this tip?!?!?!
It is a little ridiculous how excited I was!
And it's so simple!

Ever want to emboss in a color of ink that you only had dye ink for????
I did all the time! Especially SU inks - which dry so fast!
I tried pouring the EP really fast and embossing but that didn't work very well.
So one day I thought what if I inked my image in versamark THEN in the color ink?
Well I tried it and it worked ~ then I learned other people already did this of course!
But I was really excited!
TIPS:
Make sure you do the versamark FIRST
or it will mess up your versamark pad!
I now have 2 versamark pads because of this!
Can we say PURE POPPY christmas tree on my pad?
From my Cullen Christmas Card?
Remember it?
Also, smaller images work better,
I did this with the BIG flower from Fabulous flowers
to show with this post in fact (but didn't get the card finished)
in Night of Navy and it isn't as dark as regular Night of Navy -
I even tried using a brayer!
But it's still pretty!

So if you knew about this already sorry but maybe you have more tips for me!
And if you didn't there you go! Try it out!

I love Ashley's Etsy Inspired Challenges! This was mine for last weeks and I won! Woo Hoo! Check out Ashely's blog and her Etsy Challenges HERE! I am thinking about trying our for a spot as one of her Guest Designers! She has this weeks challenge posted and it looks like a GREAT one! Oh wait they are all great! Check it out HERE! To acheieve the look of the sparkly over the tree I stamped it then put versmark over the whole thing then dumped Iridescent Ice embossing powder over it. Shook it off and embossed it!
I just love the look of it!

3. Stampin up markers! - I love coloring on stamps and creating custom looks! It is the best investment I have ever made for crafting! I can water color with them, use blender pens, journal and more!
4. Autumn leaves journaling stamps - I like to hand write my journaling alot of times and these are my faves right now! I love the brackety one especially!
Who knows it could change tommorow! *wink*

Man I have missed Hip Hop! It is so nice to chat with the girls on that thread - they are soooooo nice!!! And I won a handle yesterday! Well I already have ALL the handles so I will be needing to figure something out to do with that! Hmmmmm! Stay tuned!
Here's my card for HHH! It started out as the SLIM challenge card and then I went back and added to it!
I just LOVE this BIG snowflake from Unity! Did you check out the deals yesterday? Well if not there's still some time - most are good till midnight tonight! GO CHECK THEM OUT!
This card is still pretty simple! I stamped the snowflake in Versamark then embossed it in Silver EP. I punched it out with my PINK marvy circle punch. I layered that on a silver scalloped circle via my PURPLE scalloped circle punch from Marvy. I paper pierced around the circle on each scallop. The base is brushed silver layered with Nght of Navy. The pp is old Basic Grey. I added bling-a-ling to the center of the snowflake, top corners, and to the scallops at the bottom. I layered silver satin and a narrower navy statin ribbon behind the image. Both are from my stash that I got on clearance in the sewing department at Hobby Lobby they will have leftover rolls for like 50cents!

You know as a teacher you think I would KNOW to read directions carefully and refer back to them as needed! Um no such luck! I played in the Scrapbook Variety challenge on SCS last week and it was a cake challenge! Very fun! You were to pick a kind of cake pm the hostess of the challenge and she would send you the recipe! Recipe being things you had to use on the layout. This was my recipe: Fruit Cake - black background, stamping, hardware, buttons, chipboard, use a punch. However I had been looking through the gallery at other peoples layouts for the challenge and so when I went to create mine, not at home where I could check a computer, this is what I THOUGHT my recipe was: Black Background, Buttons, Chipboard, Doodling and Bling and use decorative edge!So my layout follows that recipe VERY well! Too bad it's the wrong one and not really for anything! READ the directions and better yet PRINT them out! SO here's my badly followed scrap recipe cake - although you know it turned out much better than a cake would have if I would have veered from the recipe that badly!
Isn't it CUTE? My first circle layout! I really like the way it turned out! And the series of photos - showing him playing peek-a-boo? TFL!

How cool is this sentiment by Unity?!?!?! I just love it! I am not an overly girly person but I wanted to girly up this card! It is my first card with sitching - simple but adds a little extra sumthin sumthin! I added the punched out butterflies and blinged them up as well! In the corner I layered an acrylic butterfly which I stamped on first with a punched out blinged butterfly! Decided the top needed something so I added just a touch of ribbon! I really like my girly blingy butterfly card! What do you think?

Hi peeps! *scroll down for another post - Christmas layout*
I have a decent camera - it's not a Rebel or anything but it's decent! Oh ok it's a Kodak Easy Share Z712 IS. It has 12x optical zoom and 7.1 megapixels. This is my baby here
Which is all great and dandy! But if you still know nothing about taking pictures that's not going to get you very far! So over break I thought hmmmm maybe I should learn more about what my camera can do and it's features! It's got ALOT! All I know is whenever my hubby takes a picture he bumps the dial and it turns out blurry! So I was investigating and found I could download my manual and save it on my computer which is GREAT cause I have NO idea where mine is - probably in the box but who knows where that is! So I downloaded it and started reading! WOW! I learned so much just from reading the manual - and I'm not even finished!
Then in my searching I found The Digital Photography School! He has a blog, forum and newsletter! Link to blog HERE. I did lots of reading and printing from this site! It explains things sooooooooo well!
So I guess my tip is - learn what you camera can do! Take pics on different settings and see how it turns out! This is for both photos to use on layouts and when photographing your projects to share! Never stop learning!

Well not really but it is a Christmas Layout so I wanted to get it in before to long after Christmas! This is a family picture of the first Christmas with my now hubby!
It is a pretty simple layout but there's a lot going on! For starters at the very bottom I stamped BELIEVE from Tim Holtz's Believe set across the bottom. Then the poinsettias I hand cut out of some BG patterned paper and added stickles and rhinestones to them to create custom embellishments. I matted the pic on some dark olive Bazzil cardstock and framed it to the right and bottow with strips of Basic Grey pp - figgy pudding or dasher I think! This is what happens when you have EVERY Christmas collection from Basic Grey - they start to run together when you're using up scraps! The gingerbread men are so cute! They are Martha Stewart - yes that's right MS! If you know me you know I am NOT a fan of hers but dang the cute stuff she keeps coming out with! And it was on sale at Mikes! It is NOT however self adhesive! The Christmas at the top was created using my friends Cricut Expression. It is from the Christmas Solutions Cartridge - I just love it! I layered it as well! That's it! TFL! I am trying to keep up with blogging this week as it is GRADE card week! That has VERY different meanings for different people! For me it means individually testing all my little kiddos on lots of different skills then hand filling out their report cards and hand writing comments! I miss you my blogger buddies and hope to *see* more of you soon!

I needed a mojo kick in the pants yesterday as far as cards go - I seem to have trouble switching back and forth if I do too many of one or the other?!?!?! Anyhoo ~ I decided to check out the Featured Stamper Challenge on SCS. It is my goal to BE the featured stampers someday! I was thrilled to see it was JulieHRR - she is amazing! She does KISS (keep it simple silly) better than just about anyone! I knew I wanted to do a birthday card ~ trying to stock up! I found my inspiration on the FIRST page of her amazing gallery! I whipped this out real quick! I embossed the top of my cupcake and it took several layers - I don't know if it's my EP which is ancient btw or what but I just dont get good coverage with my white! I also broke out some of my untoched *gasp* lavendar moon and plum pudding PTI cardstock - hey I've been doing Christmas cards alright? This is what I came up with!

Looking at it now I wish the Lavendar Moon panel was narrower but *eh* it's a finished card! TFL! Check back tomorrow for your Tipster Tuesday!

Ugh back to work today! I have really enjoyed my break! Oh well gotta do something to pay the bills! I hope to have a crafty post for you later today!

I have been scrap happy over Christmas Break! This is a VERY good thing! A group of us on SCS called the PPPHM challenged each other to do 12 layouts over break (several of us are on vaca, or teachers etc). I must say I am doing better than expected! I have 8 of them done! I also got to spend a day scrappin and playing with my friends Cricut Expression! So it has been a very scrappy break!

This layout is of my boys opening stockings LAST christmas at my Grammies (our last one there sadly, she no longer lives on her own on the farm :C)This is a sketch off of Got Sketch? Valerie has some GREAT sketches! I even did her mini class awhile back. This is my first layout that I used my new sewing machine on!!! Just a little stitching but I LOVE it! TFL!

ok so not really! Well actually if it has to be cold it might as well and since I've no place to go - at least till Monday - go ahead bring it on!
I have a card for you today. Just a simple little card I did for one of the SCS Holiday Challenges.The challenge was an inspiration challenge and it was this cute little baby onesie with snowflakes! I thought of Snow Swirled right away! I pulled out some Soft Sky - man I miss that color! I stamped white and chocolate snowfalkes on it in diff sizes and then used Versamark and some sparkly EP - can't wait till I get my Iridescent Ice! and this is what I came up with! I used the ovals for my sentiement with some hardware. I HAND WROTE the sentiment! Anyone know where I can get a cute simple LET IT SNOW sentiment - it can be in a set but I really want one PLEASE?!?!?! TFL!

To all my peeps out in blogland a VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

I hope 2009 brings you nothing but happiness and joy!!!