That is the challenge over at SUO Challenges this week!  I knew I could fit this one is as I need to make a whole bunch (30) different Christmas cards for classes.  This is number one--better get my you know what going, lol!

If you have been following my blog for any time you may remember that I love non-traditional colors for Christmas.  I can not believe I still have at least two full packages of these fun felt snowflake accents.  Perfect for this card--love when that happens.  I used two different embossing folders on the card too so between that and the felt snowflakes and bling rhinestone brad you have Lot's of Texture!  Fun challenge.

Stamps: To You and Yours
Paper: Island Indigo, Baja Breeze, Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla, Festival of Prints DP
Ink: Island Indigo
Other: Lots of Tags Sizzlits,  Wide Oval Punch, Felt Snowflakes (retired) rhinestone brad,Delicate Designs Embossing Folder, snow embossing folder

Hope your week is going well--almost the weekend and a three day one at that!
Mary Jo

What a fabulous day today was! So nice outside, not too hot but sunny with a slight breeze! Spent the day at my son's school for their field days, his last one as he is moving up to middle school next year.

This week on the Latenightstamper's group we were given a color challenge to work with--Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight, Wild Wasabi. So yes, we are talking bright and cheery colors! Love this. I chose to stick with the Betsy's Blossom stamp set since it is still on my work table. I am after all a very lazy stamper, lol!

Look's like it is going to be a beautiful day today!  I have so much work to do outside and inside and can never pick which is more important, lol!  So I thought I would post my challenge card for this week's LNS challenge and have a cup of coffee to figure it out,lol.  This week we are focusing on LOVE--yep, wedding season is just around the corner and of course that also means we will need Anniversary cards too since some of our friends and family already are married!  So the theme is love can be anything you want, wedding, anniversary, sweetheart your call.  I thought that maybe I should use this hostess set that I have had for quite a while (don't want to admit how long) and have NEVER used.  Nice since it only has a few more days before it retires--I don't get rid of my sets anyway so it don't matter to me! And I know my customer's don't get rid of their sets just because they retire--so they still want ideas--that is why I keep them!  (that's my story and I am sticking to it!) Can you tell I don't want to do ANY work--I am just babbling away.........

On to the card...

Stamps: Ain't Love Grand, Tiny Tags
Paper: Basic Grey, Basic Black, Whisper White and dp
Ink: Basic Black
Other: markers, hearts border embossing folder, ribbon, tag punch, rhinestones, circle punch, scallop circle punch, score board, scallop border punch, white gel pen

Hope you enjoy your day!  I am of to do ??????????
Mary Jo

I am not sure why I never play along with this challenge?? SUO Challenge #46 – Bright Summer Days!
I guess I just don't remember that it is out there, but this week I seen it early in the week and decided to play along! The theme for the week is Summertime! To be more specific we are to capture something about a bright summer day and use it on our sample. One of my favorite things about summer is the sound of the birds at the bird feeder in the mornings and the beautiful colors from all the flowers and foliage. So that is what I am incorporating into my card for today...

I used the new Betsy's Blossom stamp set!  Such a bold and fun set.  The colors I chose were Tangerine Tango, More Mustard, Pumpkin Pie, Garden Green, Whisper White and Basic Black. One of the flowers is punched out with the big scallop circle punch.  I also used Tangerine Tango Ribbon and the Modern Label Punch.  I hope you enjoy my sample for the day!

See you tomorrow with my LNS challenge card!
Mary Jo

welcome to my blog and my weekly sketch challenge! I am glad you are here and am excited to see what you do with this week's sketch challenge. Remember you have a full week to play along--it does not have to be done during lunch on Monday, lol!  Here is the sketch....

Stamps: Herb Expressions, Happy Greetings
Paper: Lucky Limeade, Wisteria Wonder, Cheerful Treat DP (hostess) Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black
Other: markers. 

There are many times as a demonstrator that we earn stamp sets for free and sometimes we get to pick which ones we want and other times we get what we get. This is an example of get what we get...the Gnome stamp set was awarded to us a while ago and I have yet to use it--actually I set it aside and forgot about it. But it pop it's little head out the other day and begged to be used so I combined it with the Send me Soaring set to make this cute card--at least I think it is cute!

 This is my favorite saying from the set--seems there are many times I use this for cards for friend struggling with life--and you know we all do that from time to time.  That is what keeps life interesting!

Stamps: Send Me Soaring, Gnome Sweet Gnome
Paper: Pear Pizzazz, Pool Party, Basic Black, Whisper White
Ink: Marina Mist, Basic Black Pear Pizzazz
Other: markers, twine

TGIF!  I am ready for the weekend!
Mary Jo

Again, if you didn't read the last post--sorry for the delay on the challenge today.  If you really want to know why look at the previous post, lol!  I hope you will choose to play along with this week's challenge.  Here is the sketch...

And my sample...

Stamps: Fabulous Florets, Bring on the Cake
Paper: Island Indigo, Blushing Bride, Baja Breeze, Whisper White, Twitterpated dp
Ink: Pear Pizzazz, Riding Hood Red, Island Indigo
Other: corner rounder, Scallop Trim Border Punch

Now let's see your sample for the sketch this week.  Remember to LINK THE SPECIFIC POST THAT CONTAINS THE SAMPLE NOT YOUR WHOLE BLOG!  Thanks so much.  Hope you have a wonderful week!
Mary Jo

Here we go again.  And this week I have to samples for my sketch--both are for the sketch challenge and another challenge too.  Let's start with the sketch...

Looks like a pretty simple one to me--can't wait to see your take on it!  Here is mine...

The first card is also for a challenge to use only neutral colors...





And the second card is also for the Latenightstamper's challenge which is an inspiration challenge this week, using this photo..
I know my blue is way off but I couldn't find a current blue that matched.  So I  just went with one that I like.  It is such a different feel though.  Oh well, that is the wonderful thing about inspiration challenges--you can not do them wrong!  So HA!  it works!



Now for your sample for the sketch this week.  Remember to LINK THE SPECIFIC POST THAT CONTAINS THE SAMPLE NOT YOUR WHOLE BLOG!  Thanks so much.  Hope you have a wonderful week!

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you--today we are celebrating birthdays on the Blogger's Challenge group--maybe because our list mom Lisa just had a birthday?!  Happy Birthday Lisa!

My card for this challenge is one that is over due--not the card it self but the use of the stamp set.  This is the first stamp set I got from the SAB catalog and I have NEVER used it.  What the heck--uhh, too much stuff?????  No!  It is just not enough time in the day!

Red and Black are two of my favorite colors!  Purple too but I don't seem to use that too much?

Stamps: Elementary Elegance
Paper: Poppy Parade, Very Vanilla, Everyday Enchantment DP, Mocha Morning DP
Ink: Poppy Parade, Basic Black
Other: Markers, Curly Label Punch

Come on and play along--you can link up right here on the blog hop!  You can view the challenge details on Lisa blog HERE.
Mary Jo

The challenge this week on the Latenightstampers group is Easter projects.  Any thing for Easter.  I am one of those people who almost always makes Christian Easter cards--after all it is the celebration of Jesus rising from the dead!  But I had a chance to play with this adorable Everybunny stamp set (thanks Paula). It has the cutest images and it was really fun to work with.  I might actually need to buy it now!  I only used two of the images and they are all darling.  I mixed it with the Everyday Enchantment Designer Paper from the SAB catalog--these colors are wonderful together! 

Don't you agree that they are too stinkin cute! 

Stamps: Everybunny
Paper: Pear Pizazz, Pool Party, Wisper White
Ink: basic Black
Other: markers large oval punch, button

Hope your week has been a good one so far. 
Mary Jo

Here we go again!  Remember you have the full week to play along with this challenge--actually you can play along when ever you want but the blog hop will close in a week.  Hope you find time to play this week!  It is a pretty easy one (if you let it be, lol). 

And my sample..


Stamps: Array of Sunshine, Petite Pairs
Paper: Pear Pizazz, Poppy Parade, Peach Parfait, Whisper White, SAB dp
Ink: Poppy Parade, Peach Parfait, Pear Pizazz, Basic Black
Other: labels die, embossing folder

Your Turn!!
Please remember to link to the project and the specific post and NOT THE HOME PAGE OF YOUR BLOG!  Thanks so much, can't wait to see your samples this week.
Mary Jo

So it took me a bit longer than expected, had to prep for a club meeting and had a few other things to take care of like the dentist, bank, laundry--you get the picture I am sure. Anyway here is my sample for my sketch challenge for the is week. To see the sketch and the original post click HERE. Then you too can play along. I did combine my sample with the challenge from Latenightstampers which is to use your favorite color combos. I can tell you that Pool Party is my (at the moment) favorite color. So I mixed it with Poppy Parade and Peach Parfait. So pretty!

So I am in Atalanta with my stamping girlfriends for a girls weekend!  Have such a great time.  I was able to get a bunch of scrapbook pages done and then ran out of the 12 by 12 so moved on to cards. Problem--I have no stamps or ink, just a the Country Club Simply Scrappin kit.  So I had to make do.  I wanted to make a card for the blogger's challenge--especially since the list mom Lisa Somerville is here with us!  The challenge this week is a sketch...

And my card made with only the scrappin kit and the stamped sentiment from the Loving Thoughts stamp set.


It's a blog hop so come on and play along. That's it, short and sweet--off to the hot tub and a movie!
Mary Jo

Time to catch up on posting a few past challenges now that the recipient has received them.  These are all for one of my groups that we do weekly challenge one on one swaps.  This first two were sketches and the last one is a Black White and Splash of color.

Stamps: Our Craft Lounge -- Bubs the Beaver
Paper: Early Espresso, Whisper White, glitter stack dp
Ink: Basic Black
Other: markers, pearls, nestabilities




Stamps:  Fresh Vintage, Creative Elements, Apothecary Art
Paper: Elegant Eggplant, Pool Party, Whisper White
Ink: Elegant Eggplant, Pool Party
Other, ribbon, rhinestones


Stamps: Petite Pairs
Paper: Confetti White, Basic Black
Ink: Basic Black
Other: Modern Label Punch, inini flower punch, pearls, chalk

Thanks for stopping  by today!
See ya soon, Mary Jo

Yeah!  I got to play two week's in a row!  Feels so get to have crafting time again.  Love it.  Here is the new sketch  if you click on it you will be taken to the 411 blog to see the other samples!

My sample is using the new Labels Collection Framelits Dies.  I cut the shape out with the die and then rotated it 90 degrees and re-cut the shape again.  Then layered it an another full cut piece of a different color.  If this does not make sense you can view the tutorial I did for doing this with the Top Note Die--it is the same theory..Fun with the Top Note Die.

Here is my card for the challenge...


I so love the butterfly embosslit--one of my favorite purchases-each and works with so many things. 

Stamps:Apothecary Art, Happiest Birthday Wishes
Paper: Poppy Parade, Pear Pizzazz, Blushing Bride and In color dp
Ink: Basic Black, Poppy Parade
Other: markers, Poppy Parade ribbon, Labels Collection Framelits Die, Butterfly embosslit, big pearls,small piece of SAB ribbon on large butterfly.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend! 
Mary Jo

I don't do too many inspiration challenges for some reason but I really am having fun with this one.  Maybe I need to do more?!  Here is the inspiration photo again...

And here is my second card using this as inspiration.  You can see the first one here if you missed it.

This time I went with the colors-stripes and dots.  I really love this flower and since it was still out on my workspace from the 411 card I made I used it again.






 Stamps:  Flower Fest, In Stitches Jumbo wheel--cut apart to make individual stamps
Paper: Early Espresso, Blushing Bride, Rose Red, Whisper White, in color dp
Ink: Early Espresso, Rose Red
Other: jumbo scallop circle punch, brad, rubon, markers, pleated ribbon.


Happy Hump Day to you!
Mary Jo

It has been a while again since I have played along with the operators over at the 411 blog. So I headed over there to see what this week's sketch was. At first I was a bit stumped with it for some odd reason. Then it just came together rather quickly. Here is the sketch...

And my card...


My card also fits the SUO challenge--birthday cards.

Stamps:  Flower Fest, Apothecary Art
Paper: Baja Breeze, Basic Black, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black
Other: Black satin ribbon, markers, large scallop circle punch, Edgelits die, embossing folder

I kind of like how it turned out.  Love that flower image.
Thanks for visiting today,
Mary Jo

Thanks for stopping by to see this week's sketch.  I hope you will find time to play along this week.  It is a fun sketch.  Check it out.......

I was able to combine my sample with the Latenightstampers challenge for this week.  It is a inspiration challenge.  This is the image we are using for inspiration..  It is the cutest cake for a baby shower.  I found the picture on http://blog.pinkcakebox.com/top-ten-cakes-of-2008-2009-01-01.htm



I had so much fun combining the two challenges.  What do you think, isn't this a darling baby card.  Makes me want to buy the matching cake to go with it, lol!


As you may have noticed I switched the circle to the other side so my lamb was not looking off the page!  I think it really turned out cute! 
Stamps:   Little Lambs, and can't remember what set the sentiment if from at the moment.
Paper: Early Espresso, Whisper White, Pretty in Pink, Melon Mambo
Ink: Early Espresso, Pretty in Pink, Melon Mambo
Other: circle punches, ribbon, button, pencil eraser for dots

Don't forget this is a blog hop!  Add your direct link below and then add the code to your blog while in the edit HTML mode and your readers can play along right from your blog!

Thanks for playing! Mary Jo

Getting in under the wire on this challenge. This week --through Sunday night--we are using one of my older sketches for our challenge. I was so busy all week I had no time to stamp until today! And even that didn't start till 8pm. Geesh, whats a girl to do about all this other stuff getting in the way of my stamping time!!!??? Anyway, I made two cards for the challenge....

This first card is also using the in colors and the Kindness Matters stamp set that you can get for free during SAB!  The second card is using the Mocha Morning specialty paper--so pretty.


.
Card One details:
Stamps:  Kindness Matters, Tiny Tags,Creative Elements
Paper: Wisteria Wonder, Pool Party, Whisper White
Ink: Wisteria Wonder, Pool Party, Black
Other:  Circle punches, three flower punch, nestabilities, embossing folder, ribbon, markers, sponges

Card Two details:
Stamps: Mixed Bunch
Paper: Early Espresso, Sahara Sand, Mocha Morning specialty paper
Ink: Early Espresso
Other: rhinestones, butterfly embosslet, Nestabilities, gold paint marker, rub ons, circle punches

See ya soon,
Mary Jo

Here we go again.  I think we have another fun one this week.  This sketch seems like it could work in many different directions.  Remember you CAN flip and turn the sketch to work with the images you want to use--I did just that this week.  Here is the sketch....

And my sample....


I think this card is much prettier in person--trouble with that stinkin camera again.  Sometimes I think I should pay someone to do all the blogging stuff--I just want to create--I don't even want to send cards, just make them, lol!  Isn't that horrible! 

Stamps:Fabulous Florets
Paper: Lucky Limeade, Whisper White Everyday Enchantment DP
Ink: Lucky Limeade, Peach Parfait
Other: ribbon and brad pack and pearls

I hope you chose to play along this week.  When and if you do--don't forget to come on back and add you sample to the blog hop below. And if you add the code to your blog while in the edit HTML mode your readers can play along right from your blog! 

Excited to see your samples this week!
Mary Jo