Happy Birthday, Star!

By the time that my friend Star reads this blog post, we will have met for dinner to celebrate our birthdays. Hers is tomorrow (8/27) and mine was last Sunday (8/19), and so we have double the fun on our dinner out with our hubbies.

Credits:  Studio cut files from Silhouette Online Store; Stickles

Star and I have known each other for 33 years, when she and I worked together at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children. How lucky am *I* to have met her, and her sweetheart, Bernie.  Now, not only do we have our long friendship in common, but now we both make cards!


In case you're wondering, I always try to find a card with a star on it -- made easier now that we craft the cards.

And we exchange a little something, usually crafty, like a magazine or a book.  This year, I made her this 3-D box, and stuffed it with 3-yard sample bobbins of some of my favorite twine.  The card, box, star-shaped ribbon confetti, and even the cardboard bobbins for my twine were all cut using my Cameo, and files purchased from Silhouette Online Store.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, dear Star!!

DeFiaNtLy DiFfeReNt & CreAtiVeLy Yours,

Look What I Made from Scraps: The Scraps to Treasures Blog Hop, Day 2

Welcome to Day 2 (Team B) of the Scraps To Treasures Blog Hop. 

If you have arrived here from Paula's Precious Pages, you are where you should be. If you found your way here on your own, you may want to start at Lissa Marie's blog today, to make sure you don't miss a thing. Other team members posted yesterday too ... you can start at ROBIN's blog  to see how they handled this month's challenge.

This weekend, the members of the Scraps to Treasures Team will be showing you their interpretation of this sketch (at right):

The rules are that we can use only scraps, keeping the project frugal and fun.

Now on to my project!

If you're a CardMonkey follower, you will have noticed that I am a big fan (and subscriber) of the Jillibean Soup "The Card Kitchen" kits.  This month's kit features Jillibean Soup's great "Game Time" line of papers; using it, I made the 8 cards ... and had plenty of scraps leftover for today's sketch challenge. This is one of the great things I love about The Card Kitchen -- inspiration and leftovers!

I followed the sketch to a "t" to make this 6x6" card. I was a little out of my comfort zone with layering so many images, but I think it turned out pretty well!

(True confession here: I panicked a bit when the Hop featured a sketch challenge, thinking it had to be a layout. I only scrapbook when I have to ... and love making cards!)

All of the papers and embellishments I used here are leftover from The Card Kitchen kit. I lined the inside with complimenting green writing (text weight) paper from my scraps drawer, and trimmed it in twine from my cut-pieces stash.

I'll be sending this card to Olivia, August's featured child on the "I Feel The Love" project, sponsored by Madison Womack. Last year, Olivia lost her Mom to colon cancer, and within weeks of her passing, this strong champion started an organization (KICR - Kids Involved In Cancer Research) to raise funds to help find a cure for colon and lung cancers specifically. 

If you care to help honor Olivia's strength and fortitude, be sure to make/send a card to Olivia, too.  Click on the IFTL link above for more information.

Back to the Hop formalities:

Thank you for hopping along with us. If you're interested in BLOG CANDY, our Hop hostess ROBIN announced it yesterday on her blog called "Scrap and Chat". Click on the name of Robin's Blog (above) to jump over to enter the contest for candy. 

NATURALLY, I have some blog candy of my own -- and in this case, it's a terrific lot of CardMonkey hand-me-downs. (Yes, staying frugal!)  I've been lucky to have won a few bits of blog candy myself recently, and I'm sharing the wealth! GREAT STUFF and I'll have more to add by the time you win it!  

  

To enter, follow my blog, and leave a comment here, which includes the answer to these two questions:

A) What's the smallest bit of scrapbook paper you'll save for use on another project? and,

B) How can I contact you when you win?

OK now, ready? Set?  HOP over to my friend JEARISE in Lorby's World for your next stop. 

Just in case you need it, here is the full line up for Team B's Sunday posts: 

Lissa - So Many Crafts, So little Time.

Paula - Precious pages by Paula

Ellen in CardMonkey's Paper Jungle  (YOU ARE HERE)

Jearise in Lorby's World

Lucy -Love 2 Create it all

Zenita - Scrappin With Z

Liz -Tryin' 2 Craft

Thank you again for visiting ... happy scrappin'!

DeFiaNtLy DiFfeReNt & CreAtiVeLy Yours,

It's a Birthday Blog Hop Happening Now!

Dear Jamie asked me to be part of her Birthday Blog Hop before she realized she'd be celebrating it with a monkey ...

Because it's my birthday (well, tomorrow), too!

So Jamie, happy birthday! But in typical Leo fashion, haha, it's all about the monkey this weekend, so I will show you how we celebrate around here. Stick around because I have terrific BLOG CANDY at the monkey-tail end...

It used to be in my younger years (ahem!) that I was impressed with jewelry. No longer!  Now, forget jewelry ... give me my new obsession: Copic markers!  LOL.  Dear hubby has indulged me. Well, first he got me an iPad, but billed it as a combo-Mother's Day and Birthday present. 

Then along came Copic markers ... I've been having great fun directing him to all the nifty sites I've found where he could order them at well below MSRP/list price.  (Try Jerry's Artarama, Oozak, or Mister Art!)   This is about half of my whole collection where he added some "missing" colors. Thank you, honey! I ♥ you more than all the stars in the sky ... and more than all the Copic markers in the world!

Some of you may know that earlier in my birthday month, I treated myself to an overnight stay in New Jersey so I could take both Beginner's and Intermediate Copic Certification Classes.  So for this post, I'm showing you a sketch from Copicmarker.com, done by Sue Coccia, that I purchased and colored. Note: the illustration is Sue's -- wonderful -- but the coloring is all mine. Much fun!!  This will get framed for my craft room. Don't you love it?! 

Not only did I love the classes (thank you to my instructors, Lori Craig and Colleen Schaan!), but I met a wonderful new friend who sat next to me on Day #2, Jasmina.  

Here is the card she made for me and sent it to me so that I'd receive it today. Jaz, you're a doll -- and man, oh, man -- you are an artiste!!

Speaking of artiste, another dear friend I've met through this WWWW (wonderful world wide web!) is one of my other besties, Jenn McLean.  Jenn threw a party for me today on her blog!  Check it out, including the hysterical egg greeting, by going HERE (click).  Thank you so much, Jenn!!

And another WWWW crafty friend, Sarah, sent me a card and goodie package replete with monkey sweetness. Check it out!  Thank you, Sarah!

You know we celebrate monkeyhood around here at the CardMonkey's Paper Jungle, so there are always a few monkey cards tossed in for good measure (at right).  Hysterical!!!

Also, I'll be getting together next weekend for dinner with one of my favorite peeps in the whole world, a sweetheart who's been my friend (imagine!) for longer than there's been an Internet. I mean, we go way, way back -- about half our lives, and we've been there for each other always. Star's an August baby, too!  Star has promised to pluck my chin hairs when I'm in a nursing home some day ... Star, I'm holding you to it!  Love you!

And I do like the finer things for my birthday, like flowers. What a beautiful bouquet I got already from my dear daughter Emily, her hubby Josh, and baby Charlotte!  I ♥ you all more than anything! Mom and Dad ... what a lovely leather pocketbook you've sent. (LOL, holds a lot of Copic markers!!) Thank you, too!

OK, so now that I've bored you by including you in my birthday celebration (which I plan to continue throughout at least the end of this month!), I have a GIFT for you! BLOG CANDY, yay!!

ONE lucky follower who leaves a comment here gets a chance to win this lovely set of three pastel Copic Sketch markers -- brand new, purchased by me -- to say thanks for sticking around at my party. (Okay, and Jamie's too!)  

And that's not all ... Hop on over to Jamie's blog at the start here (in case you've not yet been) to learn about the tasty blog candy that Kristy at Scraptastical Kreations has pledged!  Thank you, Kristy!

Alrighty, enough partying with the Monkey. Time for you to move on to your next celebrant, Ashley.  I hope your birthday whenever it is, is as spectacular as mine has been. 

In case you get lost along the way, here's the full hop list. Again, thank you for visiting. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Augusters!

Jamie - http://www.jamielindstromdesigns.com

Ellen - http://cardmonkey-business.blogspot.com

Ashley - http://thebloghopprincess.blogspot.com

Jill ~ http://craftwithanangel.blogspot.com/

Maria - http://JoyfulStamper.blogspot.com

Paula - http://preciouspagesbypaula.blogspot.com/

LissaMarie - www.somanycrafts.com

Jessi http://mylifeinartsncrafts.blogspot.com/

Sandy http://simplycraftycreationsbysandys.blogspot.com/

Nancy - http://alwaysastorycreationsbynancy.blogspot.com/

Miranda - http://www.nanasscrapspot.com/

DeFiaNtLy DiFfeReNt & CreAtiVeLy Yours,

Day 2: School is Cool Blog Hop - I'm a student!

Welcome back, Bloggy Buddies!

I showed this on Thursday, did you see it?

It's Day 2 of the "School is Cool" Blog Hop and guess what?! For the past two days, I've been in school -- I've been taking a class to become a certified user/instructor in using Copic Markers. 

On Friday, I took the Beginner's Class and on Saturday, I took the Intermediate Level instruction.  The classes were offered in Lyndhurst, NJ which is about an hour and a half's drive for me, each way. So I stayed at the hotel (Courtyard Marriott) where the class was offered on Friday, and spent the evening playing/crafting. (Truth be told, I'm prescheduling this post, so this is all what I plan to do this weekend! More on the classes on Monday!!)

So in anticipation of taking lots of notes and meeting new friends who may be able to give me tips on Copics in the future, I created this cute notebook to keep my lessons organized:

I found the image and Copic logo doing Google searches. I created the cover art using the Adobe Illustrator program and printed it out on cover stock.  I then adhered it to a premade sketch (unlined) book.

Inside, I've bound in the synopsis for each class, information about the two instructors (Lori Craig and Colleen Schaan), and directions to the facility. I've also included the Copic Marker color chart that I made:

Feel free to "lift" this chart and use it to keep track of your own Copic Marker collection!

NOW, FOR BLOG CANDY!!

We are so excited to have Scrapbook Stamp Society sponsoring this hop!  Make sure you follow all instructions so you do not miss your chance  at any blog candy offered.  To complete your entry for the Scrapbook Stamp Society you have to comment on all the blogs; to gain extra entries, each blog you "follow" will give you an extra entry. 

AND I HAVE MY OWN SURPRISE BLOG CANDY!
It's coming from my stash of really neat stuff.
To win it, be a CardMonkey follower and leave a comment for me here. In the comment, tell me What was your favorite grade or subject in school, and why?  Also, please leave me a way to contact you when you win!!
 
Your next stop along the way is LIZ

 Here is the full line up in case you get lost:

1. Jearise www.lorbysworld.blogspot.com
2. Lissa Marie www.somanycrafts.com
3. Ellen www.cardmonkeyspaperjungle.com
4. Liz - http://tryin2craft.blogspot.com
5. Lisa http://handmadewithlove-lisa.blogspot.com/
6. Anita http://www.anitaandbugs.blogspot.com
7. Cicily - http://pinkdalmationscrapper.blogspot.com/
8. Katina Martinez www.twochicsandacricut.blogspot.com
9. Pam - http://mzlavr2.blogspot.com/
10. Jessi http://mylifeinartsncrafts.blogspot.com/
11. Pam Lavertu http://mzlavr2.blogspot.com/
12. Paula McLane Jennings http://preciouspagesbypaula.blogspot.com

DeFiaNtLy DiFfeReNt & CreAtiVeLy Yours,

School is Cool Blog Hop - August 4 - 5, 2012

Greetings, crafting friends.

I'm pleased to be participating in this weekend's "School is Cool" Blog Hop by the Krazy Crafting Crew (KCC), a monthly blog hopping group of crazy papercrafting enthusiasts.  If you arrived from so-and-so's blog, you are in the right place. If  you're just stumbling onto the hop now, be sure to start at the beginning so you don't miss any of the great projects.

Now it's been a long time since I've been in school or have had a child in school, so bear with me. These days, I think it's only "cool" if you come equipped with an iPad, cell phones and graphing calculators.  Little do the kids of today know that I survived school without anything battery- or electric operated ... no calculator, no computer. >GASP!<

So today I will show you something I'd give to a child starting off in elementary school: a perfect little set for a bookbag:

 

Here are some additional deets on each of the doodads:

We are so excited to have Scrapbook Stamp Society sponsoring this hop!  Make  sure you follow all instructions so you do not miss your chance  at any blog candy offered.  To complete your entry for the Scrapbook Stamp Society you have to comment on all the blogs; to gain extra entries, each blog you "follow" will give you an extra entry. 

AND I HAVE MY OWN SURPRISE BLOG CANDY!
It's coming from my stash of really neat stuff.
To win it, be a CardMonkey follower and leave a comment for me here. In the comment, tell me What was your favorite grade or subject in school, and why?  Also, please leave me a way to contact you when you win!!
 
Your next stop along the way is LIZ

 Here is the full line up in case you get lost:

1. Jearise www.lorbysworld.blogspot.com
2. Lissa Marie www.somanycrafts.com
3. Ellen www.cardmonkeyspaperjungle.com
4. Liz - http://tryin2craft.blogspot.com
5. Lisa http://handmadewithlove-lisa.blogspot.com/
6. Anita http://www.anitaandbugs.blogspot.com
7. Cicily - http://pinkdalmationscrapper.blogspot.com/
8. Katina Martinez www.twochicsandacricut.blogspot.com
9. Pam - http://mzlavr2.blogspot.com/
10. Jessi http://mylifeinartsncrafts.blogspot.com/
11. Pam Lavertu http://mzlavr2.blogspot.com/
12. Paula McLane Jennings http://preciouspagesbypaula.blogspot.com

 Thank you for hopping with us today, please come back tomorrow  for more school is “cool” fun!

DeFiaNtLy DiFfeReNt & CreAtiVeLy Yours,

A Homespun Affair August Challenge: Colors, and the idea of a box

One of the newer digital online magazines is "A Homespun Affair," which is published monthly. You can get a free subscription by following this LINK.  

In the August 2012 edition, you'll see that I was honored when my Independence Day card was chosen as winner of the July challenge!  

For this month's challenge, there's a color challenge (blue, red and taupe) as well as a challenge to re-imagine one of the projects shown by the AHA design team in the August issue. This project I designed to answer the color challenge. It's also a prelude to projects that I will feature this weekend on the "School is Cool" Blog Hop.

 

Here are some of the details on how I made this project:

This month's AHA magazine also features a unique twist on an explosion box design by Tiffany Simmons, which I do want to try. It served as inspiration for the "box" but I wanted the gable design for the roof. 

I found this cute house box pattern on Silhouette America, and used my Silhouette Cameo to cut the file.  It was VERY quick and easy as you can see in the top left photo here. One piece, with scored fold lines, makes it easy to assemble.  I then set about making the project my own, by changing up the one side (to make a door instead of all windows) and embellishing with cut pieces and paper.

Stop back on Saturday and Sunday to see more companion pieces to this cute box!

 

DeFiaNtLy DiFfeReNt & CreAtiVeLy Yours,