Today's the Day....the Beeez Kneeez Customer Blog Hop!!!

I am so excited because today is our first Customer Blog Hop

for the customers from

Caffinated Cropper's Beeez Kneeez Kit!!

If you just came upon my blog and haven't done the hop along the way, then you need to head on over to Amy's blog right now and do this right (cause you know that there is a prize and incredible inspiration involved, right!)

Before I get to the fun stuff, the art, I just have to share something.

So far with this kit, I have made...

*5 cards (today's post, here and here)

*1 bookmark (here)

*1 12x12 layout (here)

...and I STILL have this much stuff left over!?!

(photo taken this morning of my leftovers)

There are whole things that I haven't even touched yet...those awesome pins, the glassine envelopes, that wonderful yellow bobble trim (which isn't even pictured because I realized Kat was wearing it as a scarf after I took the photo....LOL!) and I have even used bits of the kit on other projects!?!?! This kit has SO MUCH wonderful stuff in it!!! If you haven't gotten yours yet, you better hurry, because Amy is almost sold out! *eek*

But now to the projects!

This first card was based upon one of the sketches from the new PaperCrafts Idea book.... Go To Sketches (wonderful idea book!!!)

Supplies used:

*Caffinated Cropper Beeez Kneeez kit

*white card stock

*circle punches

For both of these cards, I used the kraft card bases that are included in the kit.

Supplies used:

*Caffinated Cropper Beeez Kneeez kit

*Stampin Up Take Note die

*Palette Burnt Umber inkpad

That gorgeous little dictionary flower comes in the kit too. I just replaced the button that was already on it with one of the more decorative Jenny Bowlin buttons which are also included in the kit. (Even that brown string is included in this awesome kit!)

Now you need to head on out on the blog hop and go to...

***Debbie's Blog***

And don't forget, when you are all done with the hop, head on back over to Amy's blog and leave a comment for your chance to win a MINI Beeeez Kneeez Kit!

Fun and Easy Way to Personalize Your Bags!

Good morning!!!

March is National Crafting Month and every Monday of the month the Limelight Papercrafts Team have been sharing tutorials with you.

Today is my day and I am sharing a fun and easy way to personalize your bags (purses, luggage, kids backpacks, etc) using stamping and paper-piecing.

Supplies used for Hey Chick tag:

Unity stamp Co. Hey Chick Kit,

Cosmo Cricket Material Girl 6x6 paper pad,

ribbon,

brads,

Nestabilities Labels 13 diecut,

kraft paper,

StazOn Jet Black inkpad

Today's project is a project that I stumbled upon a few years ago when I was making Altered Trading Cards and was looking for a way to show them off. I found these id badge holders on base and an idea occurred to me that I could tie an ATC onto my purse as a pretty decorative element. Since then, I have made them to tie onto all my bags including luggage (makes it MUCH EASIER to spot your luggage on the baggage claim turnstile...you can make it pretty on one side and put your identification info on the other side) and even fun decorative tags for the kids backpacks.

The actual construction of the tags is super basic so I decided to make my tutorial about a stamping technique....paper-piecing. I think that this is a technique that looks way more difficult than it actually is and it is a perfect technique for the paper-pads that Mandy carries in the Limelight Papercrafts store (because these paper pads are scaled down, the patterns in them are smaller in scale than the 12x12 papers and makes them perfect for cutting into small pieces for paper-piecing.)

When I paper-piece, I like to use several different patterns...

Step 1. Choose your papers

Step 2. Stamp your image that you want to paper-piece onto all of your papers and a neutral base paper (which is where you will be layering on your patterned papers)

Step 3. Decide which sections of your stamped image you want to use the different papers in and trim accordingly

Step 4. Use a glue pen to adhere your patterned papers onto your stamped image

Step 5. Assemble your project using your paper-pieced stamped image as normal.

Supplies Used for Find Joy Tag:

Unity Stamp Co. Could I be Any Cuter,

Cosmo Cricket Material Girl 6x6 paper pad,

ribbon,

kraft paper,

StazOn Jet Black inkpad

Supplies used for Travel Tag:

Unity Stamp Co. Destination Happiness,

Cosmo Cricket Material Girl 6x6 paper pad,

ribbon,

kraft paper,

StazOn Jet Black inkpad,

watercolor pencils

Hint: I am NOT proficient with an exacto blade, so I simply cut out more pieces to layer on top for sections that should be plain like the windows on the camper.

M4TW21...over the weekend!

Every Friday, Paper Makeup Stamps has a challenge. I try to play most weeks, but with the craziness around here lately, I feel like I have been slacking.

When I heard the theme for this week, I knew that I had the perfect papers so that I could play along. Randee came up with our theme (and created a perfectly GORGEOUS card for it too).... Inspired by the Sun.

I have had these gorgeous SEI papers for a while and have barely touched them. They all have variegated colors of a sunset/sunrise and are just gorgeous. I knew immediately that I wanted to use them for this challenge.

Supplies used:

*Paper Makeup Stamps Moody for Flowers

*Paper Makeup Stamps A World Without Flowers

*SEI paper collection

*StazOn jet black inked

*watercolor pencils

*corner rounder

*ribbon

*Fiskars border punch

We would love for everyone to play along! Just add a direct link to Mr. Linky on the PMS blog post and when uploading to SCS/PCP use keyword M4TW21 so we can see them there as well. Also, be sure to have a link to our challenge in your blog blurb please. :)

And don't forget, there is a HUGE SALE going on over at Paper Makeup Stamps! Katie has priced a LOT of gorgeous stamps at simply amazing prices. Go check it out!

Caffinated Cropper Kit Blog Hop!!!

{This is post #2 of 2 for today.

My Unity FWF/FFC post is located below this one.}

Hey girlies!!!

This is our first official blog hop for the Caffinated Cropper kit.

WHOOHOOOO!

There are so many bits and pieces to this wonderful kit. I don't think that I am EVER going to use it all. I still have tons of ideas brewing .... just need to find the time to make them!

For today's card, I took two of the kraft envelopes from the kit and nested them together to create a card base...

The wonderful thing about doing this is that you can then insert items into the card...like the teabags here, or photos, invites, business cards. There are so many fun things you can do with this kind of format. I definitely want to play with it some more.

Absolutely everything here is from the kit! Can you believe that? This kit is jam-packed FULL of wonderful goodies! Amy is almost sold out, so if you want one of these kits, you better grab it today (sidebar of her blog.)

oh, and while you are over there, you may want to grab one of these ca-ute little flower frogs that I used to display my photos. Do you see how awesome they are for project photography?!? Gorgeous!

************

And speaking of Gorgeous and Wonderful things....look who came by for a quick visit last night...

Amy and her sister Jenny got to come by for a little bit last night while they are here visiting in Illinois. Kat was in 7th heaven. Amy is absolutely one of her favorite people. I kind of like her too. ;o) I miss her so much!

Be sure to go check out the rest of the DT to see what everyone created with this wonderful kit!!!

AMY

AMBER

ASHLEY

SHERRY

Friday Fun Challenge for Friends with Flair!

Good Friday Morning to all my Unity and FFC Peeps!

This is post #1 of 2 for today!

Today's Friday Fun Challenge comes to us from Kimme....

March 26:

Spring is Here!

Let's see cards using Certain Celery, Barely Banana and Bashful Blue or similar shades.

Supplies used:

*Unity Stamp Co. Rockin It Unity Style

*Making Memories papers

*October Afternoon paper

*Spellbinders Nestabilities labels diecut

*Fiskars border punch

*bling

*Palette Burnt Umber inkpad

*watercolor pencils

Friday Fun Challenge #75

Be sure to check out the other Friday Fun Girls blogs for more inspiration with this yummy chocolate themed challenge. We would love for you to play with us- just use keyword FFC75 when uploading to your SCS gallery.

Jimmi
Sherry
Kimme
Sara

And be sure to go check out the Unity blog

for the entire list of Friends with Flair participants!!!

Distracted....

Distracted.

That is my word of choice these days.

What is happening?

I can't tell you.

and.

it.

is.

killing.

me!

Because I want to share...

I am so darn excited.

Soon.

Soon.

In the meantime, how about a bit of Unity Thursday happiness to share?

LOVE Thursdays!

I have had this layout done for a couple of days. I just haven't had the chance to get it uploaded to share....part of that "distraction" that I have had going on this week.

This is a photo that I took of Little Miss Kat one day while I was taking photos of projects. That is one of the few times that I can truly get her to participate in my photography...when I want to take photos of something else. LOL!

I used this month's Unity Scrapbooking/Collage stamp kit, Favorite Things. One of the new options that Unity is offering for the first time this month that I love, is that you can buy simply the stamps or the whole kit (which includes paper/ink.)

Supplies used:

*Unity Stamp Co. Favorite Things

*Little Yellow Bicycle papers (blue; green)

*MM paper (turquoise polkadots)

*Imaginisce paper (green background)

*Bazzill kraft card stock

*Pink Paislee chipboard alpha (from Beeez Kneeez kit)

*Marvy Uchida scallop circle punches

********

We've had lots of other happenings going on this week....

Kat finally moved into her big girl's bed which coincided with starting to act like a big girl. Operation Potty Training has commenced (and is actually going VERY WELL!)

*********

And yesterday was the official start of Track season. This long-legged kid (he is barely shorter than Ben's 5'11", but he is ALL legs right now...his torso hasn't caught up yet) is running hurdles this year. Yesterday was not without falls (which was in the 100M high hurdles), but he actually came in 4th in the Varsity group (pictured here... 300M lower hurdles)...not too bad for a Freshman that has NEVER run hurdles before!!!

And for those of you that think my news might have something to do with little toes and piggies, get those evil thoughts out of your heads! ;o) We are NOT, I repeat NOT!, having another baby. LOL!

Good Monday Morning!

...although by the time I actually get this blog post published, I have a feeling that it's going to be afternoon. LOL!

How is everyone doing today?

Today is Ben's last day at home from his leave.

He has to go back to work tomorrow and I am going to miss having him around the house.

It's a bit weird to go from him being completely gone to having him home 24/7, but it's a good weird. But tomorrow I need to find my way back into a normal housewife routine. ;o)

Lots of fun stuff on the horizon that I really hope that I will be able to share this week.

In the meantime, here is a card that I made yesterday playing with some of my Limelight Papercrafts goodies....

Mandy has put the Unity Stamp Store kits on sale (Jan, Feb, and Mar) this week so I had to pull out my January kit and play with it...

Supplies used:

*Unity Stamp Co. Store kit Livin & Lovin Life

*Jillibean Soup Staples- Orange Sugar (orange paper)

*October Afternoon Detours- Walk in the Park (blue paper)

*Kaisercraft Chocolate Pearls

*Nestabilities Labels 13 diecut

*watercolor pencils

*Palette Burnt Umber inkpad

Be sure to go check out all the

Limelight Papercrafts Sales going on the homepage!!!

The Beeez Kneeez Bookmark

Sunday's around this household tend to be lazy days.

Today is no exception.

We have a rainy day outside and lots of sleepy people inside.

Kat woke up at 11:00 and 3:30 last night.

I never went back to sleep from the 3:30 am wake-up "Mommy!" call.

Which means that I just woke up from the first hour+ nap that I remember taking in the last year.

Wow!

That feels wonderful!

Now I think that the day calls for some book reading accompanied by my new bookmark using my Beeez Kneeez kit...

Absolutely everything on here came from that fabulous kit, including the bookmark sleeve.

I thought that cutting up and adding the edges of the doily looked a little like puffy clouds for the scene.

And isn't that sentiment (from the stamp set that's included in the kit) the absolute perfect sentiment for a bookmark?! I love it!

For the center of the sunflower, I added the copper stickles. I think that it creates the perfect look and dimension for that sunflower. Then I colored it using my watercolor pencils.

These kits are selling out fast...hint, hint!

You can purchase them by using the paypal button on the sidebar of Amy's blog.

Friday's are for Challenges!

It's Friday and it's time for our Friday Fun Challenge!

This month Kimme is hosting our challenges and this is what she came up with for this week...

March 19: This is American Chocolate Week March 15-21 and today is National Chocolate Caramel Day. You can use chocolate colors or images or anything else that makes you think of this wonderful confection.

When I saw this Tuesday Trigger from Moxie Fab, the chair reminded me of Chocolate Caramel so I decided to combine the two challenges....

And here is my card inspired by all this Caramel Chocolate goodness....

I used this month's Unity Kit of the Month, Rockin' It Unity Style. I also used my brand spanking new Nestability, Labels 13 and embossed the outside layer with a bit of latticework embossing to emulate the look of the weave on the chair.

Supplies used:

*Unity Stamp Co. Rockin' It Unity Style

*Autumn Leaves Heather Bailey paper

*Nestabilities Labels 13 die cut

*Martha Stewart border punch

*CTMH Sweet Leaf and Red velvet inkpads

*Palette Burnt Umber inkpad

*Zig Chocolate writer

*Cuttlebug embossing folder

*button

*twine

Friday Fun Challenge #74

Be sure to check out the other Friday Fun Girls blogs for more inspiration with this yummy chocolate themed challenge. We would love for you to play with us- just use keyword FFC74 when uploading to your SCS gallery.

Jimmi
Sherry
Kimme
Sara

And be sure to go check out the Unity blog

for the entire list of Friends with Flair participants!!!

Scrapbooking in Real Time...

This is post #2 for today.

My Limelight Papercrafts Sketch Post is located below this one.

I actually scrapbooked...yesterday's photos!

You would think that I am completely caught up on my scrapbooking,

but that is soooo not true. LOL!

But I am okay with that.

I actually need to print up a TON of photos and FIND the ones that have been LOST in one of my cleaning sessions. *sigh*

But for today, I am just going to be happy that yesterday's photos are already scrapped...

I just got in my Unity Scrapbooking Kit for March/April, Favorite Things, and just HAD to put it to work this week. I love all the geometric shapes in it. I see LOTS of use for those in creating backgrounds in the near future!

When it came time to start putting the layout together, I immediately thought about my Beeez Kneeez kit. Although the kit has a bee theme, there is a lot of green included in the kit which worked PERFECTLY for my St. Patrick's Day theme of my layout.

Supplies used:

*Unity Stamp Co. Favorite Things Scrapbooking stamp kit

*Caffinated Cropper Beeez Kneeez kit

(alphabet, brown and green card stock, patterned paper, button flower)

*Bazzill Kraft card stock

*Palette burnt umber inkpad

*watercolor pencils

*fiskars border punche

*Marvy Uchida circle punch