Dare to Get Dirty {and a little MFT}!

It's that time of year again....Do you Dare to Get Dirty? Are you  up for the challenge? Not sure what I am even talking about?? You can read all about it  (you must be a Fan Club member to participate! Not a member? Join HERE). 

From the Splitcoast Website:   Since July of 2004, we’ve thanked our Fan Club members for supporting Splitcoast financially with a themed monthly gallery. We think up a theme, and our twelve talented designers create away, filling the gallery with all kinds of things to inspire and enable, and to give you a little something extra for your contributions to Splitcoast. We know you love to ogle the projects every month, and we know you’re all immensely talented, too. 
Then we thought - how fun would it be get our Fan Club members to play along in challenges with us? With that thought, Dare to Get Dirty week was born. We're happy to celebrate our eighth anniversary with you with a week full of stamping challenges.
I love this week. This is my second year of being a Challenge Hostess (my challenge goes live on Aug.1) and being a sample maker.  For me, being a part of the Dirty Dozen was one of my biggest accomplishments. I still am in shock sometimes when I think about it, "What? Me? Part of the Dirty Dozen....I had always dreamed about it." A huge honor. H.U.G.E.! 
Today I have this card to share.  I can't give any details about the challenge. You'll have to read about them over on SCS. 

BUT....I can tell you I used my beloved MFT products on this one and some new Basic Grey papers (PB&J).  
My mom's birthday is next week. I made this one for her. I just love the GIRLY GRAPHIC TEE Die-namics.  I stamped the sentiment with some AMuse inks and then attached the tee with some foam dimensionals onto a layered CIRCLE STAX 1 & 2 DIE-NAMICS.  
Behind that I tucked a sweet, OPEN SCALLOP DOILY DUO Die-namics, a strip of SIMPLY SCALLOPS  MEDIUM and then I tied up a natural jute twine bow.   

I stitched around the edges and added three different sizes of Royal Roses (ROYAL ROSE DIE-NAMICS, and MINI ROYAL ROSES) along with some matching ROYAL LEAVES. 

Along with the pretty Basic Grey papers, I used some MFT Kraft and MFT Sweet Tooth cardstock....love this stuff!
Hope you'll come check out the Dare to Get Dirty Challenges!
Once last thing....There is a BIG announcement over on the MFT Blog as well! I think you might like it. *wink*wink*
Click the links below to shop any of the Die-namics I used today. 

Unity Hip Hoppin' with some friends!

Trying this again....

There was a glitch in yesterday's blog hop, 

and I was away from my computer, 

so I pulled my post

as not to add confusion. 

BUT I'm back today

with FWF to show off my 

newest Unity creation. 

It's an exciting week around here.Unity is blog hopping and promoting two fabulous friends......

HELMAR and

 SUSAN WECKESSER!!!

Today I used the gorgeous and fun 

stamps by 

Susan Weckesser

that Unity sells!

See the stamps HERE!

I used 

A Little Bit Washi

and 

Celebration of Simple

I also used some of Helmar's amazing adhesives. 

I attached the buttons with a bit of their

450 Quick Dry.

And the beautiful Susan Weckesser paper circles were popped 

up with the Helmar's Zap Dots.

I even gave the ribbon a little stick down with the 

Tape Runner. 

Good stuff!

There is a lot to see on today's hop. 

Get started over on the 

Unity Blog. 

The coolest thing about this week's 

showcase 

is 

Unity STamp Co. 

isn't waiting to give you a SALE!!!

Nope!

You get one RIGHT NOW!

Grab the new 

Susan Weckesser STamps are 

35% OFF!

MFT and Buttons Galore Blog Hop

I told you the other week that MFT was cooking up some summer fun this month. We already joined forces with The Cupcake Inspiration Challenge blog, A Sketch for You To Try, and now we are gearing up for a combined blog hop with Buttons Galore & More. 
  MFT has teamed up with Buttons Galore & More to do a Blog Hop showcasing products from both companies!  To see the entire list of participating designers, please head to the MFT Blog.  You'll want to leave a comment on EACH designer's blog because there is $100 in prizes up for grabs.  MFT will be giving away 2, $25 Gift Certificates, and Buttons Galore & More will be giving away 2, $25 button assortments.  The deadline to comment is July 29th and the winners of all prizes will be announced on July 30th on the MFT and BG&M blogs, so check back to see if you've won!  (I'm crossing my fingers for you).  

Soooo, I put together a Sew Special card for today's event.  I received these pretty creamy, opaque-like buttons, Ivory/Pearl Haberdashery and I really wanted to show them off.  I loved the flourished, almost monogram look of the center button. It was my chosen, special one and I added a double looped twine bow and hung a pair of scissors from it. Love those sewing themed charms that are included in the SEW NIFTY STAMP SET AND DIE-NAMICS. .  I added the buttons and twine to the BRACKET TAB DIE-NAMICS. 

The sketch is from this month's guest designer contest. Once again you have had a full month to   play along. If you haven't gotten your  entry in yet....don't fret, there is still time! It's a fun sketch, give it a go. It's SOOOOO worth the prize....over $200 in MFT Product and a spot to design right along with the DT during the next release. 
Here's the sketch

There are a few other details I'd like to point out.   First, the ease in which I cut the rectangles to show off my dress form and sentiment. I used the RECTANGLE STAX 1 & 2. A perfect fit every time. I added a MINI ROLLED ROSE  cut from PUFF WHITE FELT. I tied on another pretty button, thanks to Buttons Galore & More Color Blends. 

I tucked in a few CHEVRON STRIPES to match my background paper (Lilly Bee-Buttercup) and then there is a sweet little FISHTAIL FLAG STAX hiding there two. 
That's it for me. Thanks for stopping by today. Be sure to stop by the MFT Blog for the full list of participants for today's special event. 

MFTWSC82-Picture Perfect

My sister and her family are coming today. We are so excited. I think it is also great that this year we get to celebrate her birthday while she is here. I worked ahead and used this week's sketch to make her birthday card. I just adore this PI-Little Shutterbug (Does anyone else feel like she is taking your picture, when you photograph her for your blog posts? hehehe). 

I didn't stray to far from the sketch.  It was perfect just the way it was.  I used some of the pretty prints from MME-Indie Chic Ginger paper pack. I stamped the PI onto x-press it blending cs, and colored her with copics. 

The sentiment was stamped on to a FILE TAB DIE-NAMICS (that one is my FAVE!).  I tucked in a strip of the SCALLOP RIBBON DIE-NAMCS behind my girl panel and then added a sweet PRETTY POSIE complete with a Button and Twine. 
I also made the inside pretty! The Happy Birthday is from BIG GREETINGS.  This is such a great, all occasion stamp set. 

Here is the sketch:

Check out Kim's Blog for all the WSC details. Come play along for a chance to win an MFT Gift Voucher. 
Thanks for stopping by! I'll be back tomorrow with a double post Thursday!

Retrosketches {I owe you}

Hurrying up to finish this post. Hubby is almost home. He was out of town taking a course for the weekend.  While blog hopping this morning, I ran across the newest Retrosketches challenge. It's another GREAT one! Check it out. 
It had me at tag! lol! I changed up the shapes, but the layout is the same.  I had the BIG GREETINGS STAMP SET on my desk and it had just the sentiments I needed for the card I HAD to make. 
I had a HUGE scare in the early morning hours, yesterday. I am home alone with my three kiddos and our house alarm sounds. I freaked out! Long story short, I discovered I  had left the backdoor unlocked and that was just enough to send me into a panic. It's 5:30am and I was pretty sure that we were in no danger (I was certain there was no one IN the house). I made a quick decision to call my bff's hubby to come over and check the house with me. 
He did and there was no one here. We think the battery back up needs to be replaced and that the alarm just malfunctioned. I am making a call to our alarm company tomorrow AND replacing the battery (just in case) AND I can gaurantee you I will NEVER forget to lock our door at night. 
Thankfullly we were safe. So I have a card to tell him Thanks for coming over at 5:30 AM to help me feel safe again. 

 I used the awesome sketch along with LOTS of My Favorite Things products. I love the TRADITIONAL TAGS STAX.  They were the perfect backdrop for the rest of my layered dies. I placed the biggest STAR STAX DIE-NAMICS  next and then added a handmade circle lable (CIRCLE STAX 1 & 2 DIE-NAMICS).  I tucked in my favorite PINKING EDGE to add just an extra pop of color to the circle. 

I love using the PAPERDOLL BORDER with this paper. I cut one of the people images off and popped it up on anther smaller STAR.  A beautiful WILD CHERRY BUTTON (ahhhh! you are going to loooove these buttons. Get some!) and twine finish the tag off. 

I had some extra bits and pieces cut, so I added some of the same elements to the inside of the card.  I curved the "thank-you" sentiment from the BIG GREETINGS  to fit right up next to the circle. 


Check out the Die-namics I used here, today. Simply click the graphics below to shop! Thanks for stopping by today. Hugs!