DeNami Design's April Blog Hop: FANCY FAVORS!

Ok, this is going to be REALLY FAST!  It is almost 4am, and I had to work late, and it is REALLY down to the wire with this post so here goes...

You should have arrived here from Lisa Elton's blog.  Not only is Lisa incredibly talented, but she is also super sweet and awesome!  She hosted a blog giveaway last month, and I won the world's cutest jar of DeNami Design boutique buttons!  You can see one of those buttons on my project today!  THANK YOU, LISA!!!

If you're lost on the hop and/or need to start from the beginning, go to DeNami Design's blog.

So, the theme this month is FANCY FAVORS, so we were to make some sort of gift/party favor.  One of my all-time favorite gifts was my Keurig coffee maker, so I thought it would be cute to make a little gift bag for a Keurig K-cup!  It just so happens that THIS TEMPLATE from DeNami Design totally works!  The K-cup stretches the bag a bit so it's more rounded than flat on the sides, but it still works.  See?

I used glittery paper and my Sakura Glitter Pens to add lots of glittery touches.  Here's a close-up of the adorable little chickie!

FYI:  I printed this template directly onto cardstock so I could just stamp and cut!  Voila!  However, may I suggest that you do your stamping on the opposite side of the paper that the guidelines were printed on.  Oops. Silly errors happen at 3am!

The stamps I used for this project were PF09 Espresso Stamp Set and CL-C91 Coffee Cup Chickie.  I also layered some glitter ribbon on top of some grosgrain ribbon to make the bow extra special.  I was on a roll with glittery sparkle!

Next stop on the blog hop is Ruza Rebel's blog!  She's so creative!  I can't wait to see what she's made!  Let's go check it out!

Thanks for stopping by!  Make sure to leave comments on all the blogs for your chance to win a gift certificate to DeNami Design!

Happy Stamping!

Amy

DeNami Design's March Blog Hop: BIRTHDAY BONANZA!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DENAMI DESIGN!  This month marks their 24th Birthday!  WOW!  24 years of creating some of the most adorable, elegant, and whimsical stamps EVER!  CONGRATS!

To celebrate, it's BLOG HOP TIME!   Also, I must share with you that today is the 7th birthday of my 2 kitties, Sophie & Izzy.  I met them when they were just over 2 weeks old, and I fell madly in love with them.  They've been the best fuzzy babies ever since!  

Happy Birthday, Izzy & Sophie!

As for the blog hop, you should have arrived here from Tammy's blog!  She always has awesome creations!  If you are lost and need to start from the beginning, make sure to go to DeNami Design's blog. 

Now, as for my card...well, if you've visited my blog for the past 2 hops, you probably know that I've become obsessed with washi tape, and today is no exception.  I couldn't help but use two new washi tapes that I recently bought to create fun background layers.

I just had way too much fun imagining this chickie jumping out from a cupcake on the top of this tower!  I stamped the Cupcake Tower stamp without inking the top cupcake layer so I would have room for the Cupcake Chickie.  Lastly, the sentiment stamp comes from the Thoughtful Greetings petit four set. 

Oh, and Izzy wanted to pose for the camera with the birthday card, so here she is:

Your next stop on the hop is the sweet and talented Tenia's blog.

Happy Stamping!

Amy

DeNami Design's February Blog Hop: ADORABLE ANIMALS

Guess what time it is, boys and girls!  It's BLOG HOP TIME!  YAY!

You should have arrived here from Kanani's awesome blog, but you can also start from the beginning at DeNami Design's blog.

I just love the theme this month: Adorable Animals.  All of DeNami Design's animal stamps are, indeed, adorable!  So many cute li'l guys to choose from!  So, which one to pick?  Hmmm...decisions, decisions...  Well, I have to admit, I saw a new paper my local scrapbooking store here in Michigan, Scrappy Chic, and I immediately pictured a chickie scene.  So, here's my finished product:

The "postcard" is from the new "Summery" paper from Kaisercraft's Tropicana Collection.  It is a page of vintage-looking tropical postcard images, and I knew when I saw it that I wanted to create a chickie postcard image.  The "Wish you were here!" sentiment was already printed on the paper!  All I had to do was stamp the chickies, color them in, cut them out, and glue them onto the scene.  After last month's Wonderful Washi blog hop, I've been obsessed with using washi and other decorative tapes, and I have a confession to make.  I recently saw this woodgrain tape by Glitz at Scrappy Chic and thought, "Hmm...that's interesting, but what would I do with it?"  Well, the next day, I woke up and thought, "I'VE GOT IT! I know EXACTLY how to use that tape!"  So, I had to rush back to the store and buy some so I could create this wood paneling look.  I covered basic white cardstock with the tape.  The red, white, and blue twine is from Divine Twine, and every time I see that kind of twine I think of international postage, so that's why I added it, to give it a "postal" feel.  Lastly, I curled the edges of the "postcard" for a little added dimension.  

Next stop on the blog hop needs no introduction, but I am going to give her one anyway.  I've prided myself for several years now as being one of DeNami's biggest fans.  I have a collection of HUNDREDS of their stamps, almost all their grosgrain ribbons, and some of their awesome cardstock, too.  Well, this next blogger has me beat, not only in the inventory department, but her dedication to DeNami and blogging about DeNami is unmatched by any other fan.  And, I haven't even mentioned her incredible talent yet!  On top of all that, she is one of the sweetest, funniest, most genuine people I've met in blogland!  I honestly cannot wait to see what this remarkable woman has created for today's blog hop!  Without further ado, have fun hopping over to see Tina's brilliance at Confessions of a DeNami Addict.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!  I can't wait to read your comments!

Happy Stamping!

Amy

DeNami Design's January Blog Hop: WONDERFUL WASHI

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I hope you had a wonderful holiday season, and I'm thrilled to be a part of DeNami Design's first blog hop of 2013!

Before I go any further, have you SEEN the new release stamps?!  SO CUTE!  Check them out and order yours HERE.

You should have arrived from Kanani's blog.  She is so fantastic!  Can't wait to see what she's made for today!  If you want to start the blog hop from the beginning, go to DeNami Design's blog.

Now, here's my creation.  I LOVE this theme, and I have a confession.  I've bought washi tape, and I just haven't gotten around to using it, so this blog hop forced me to dive right in, and I'm SO GLAD!  I bought some adorable film strip washi tape a few months ago, and here's what I came up with for today:

Here's a close-up of some of the details:

I stamped the chickie face from the Animal Faces petit four set inside every other film square, and then I colored them in with Copic markers.  I also stamped the word "Smile" from the Heartfelt Greetings petit four set.  Of course, I had to add some sort of ribbon-like detail, so I created the rolling wave of film strip, accented by some Diamond Wrap I found last year at The Container Store.

Thank you for stopping by my blog today, and I hope you'll leave a comment and hop along to the others.  Leaving comments gives you chance to win fabulous gift certificates from DeNami Design. I know that I am keeping my fingers crossed for one because my wishlist of new stamps needs addressing!  The next stop on the blog hop is Greta's blog.  She creates STUNNING and elegant cards, so I am really looking forward to seeing what she made.  Let's go check it out!

Happy Hopping!

Amy

DeNami Design's December Blog Hop: PRETTY PACKAGING

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Can you believe this year is almost over?!  WOW!  It's time for the last DeNami Design blog hop of 2012!  I love this theme, too: PRETTY PACKAGING.  It's great for holidays, but it also works for any occasion.  Now, I LOVE to create Christmas stuff, and sadly, I've had no time to make all the holiday cards I've been wanting to make, and I finally found an apartment here in Michigan, so the next few weeks will be swamped with preparations for the holidays AND moving!  Yikes!  However, I'm thrilled to show you my projects today.

First of all, you should have arrived here from the WONDERFUL Wendy Harrill's blog, Confessions of a DeNami Stamp Addict.  She always creates wonderful projects, manages to be so sweet and encouraging, and she makes me laugh, too.  What a pleasure she is!   If you need to start from the beginning, go to DeNami Design's blog.

Now, on to my projects...

A few months ago, I created my own Etsy store, Dad Plaid Designs (named after my father who passed away this summer and was known for always wearing a button-down plaid shirt).  While I would like to eventually sell cards and other papercrafts in my store, I am currently selling pairs of  earrings which I have made.  I am always trying to think of fun ways to package or display my earrings, and recently an opportunity arose!  A friend of mine had a bunch of basic black jewelry-type boxes which he got from his office.  They were going to throw them away, but he thought of me and figured I would like to use them for something crafty, and he was right!  These boxes are AWESOME!  I decided to take some metallic Brilliance inks and stamp the lids of these boxes to make them go from basic black to one-of-a-kind elegant boxes.  I think they are perfect for displaying my earrings!  What do you think?

I hope you like my boxes, and if you like any of my earrings or would like to see more of them (and in more detail), please visit my Etsy shop!  I have almost 100 pairs of earrings available for purchase now!  (Note: silver and gold tone earrings are pictured with large kidney-style hooks, but they can be converted to regular french hooks for no charge.  Hypo-allergenic french hooks and sterling silver hooks are also available for a slight upcharge.  Contact me for details.)

Also, if you purchase any earrings from my store, use the coupon code 'BLOGHOP' and save 15% off your purchase!  Plus, all orders ship for only $1.00 within the US!  Shop for yourself or for your holiday shopping!  Tell you friends!

Next on this wonderful blog hop is the remarkable Deanna Dean's blog, Kloset Kreations.  I can't wait to see what gorgeous item(s) she has created this month!   Make sure to leave comments on all the blogs for your chance to win a gift certificate!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Amy

P.S.  For questions about stamps or supplies used, just ask!

DeNami Design's November Blog Hop: THOUGHTFUL THANK YOU!

Well, I'm happy that it's another blog hop day for DeNami Design, but I've been so swamped, so I'm going to make this short and sweet (which is definitely a change for those of you who have read my previous ramblings).

You should have arrived from Greta's blog: GG Creations.  She's such a talented blogger!

To start at the beginning, visit DeNami Design's blog.

Make sure to leave comments on all the blogs for a chance to win a gift certificate to DeNami Design!  

My list of people I should send THANK YOU cards to seems a mile long, so when I saw this theme, I was thrilled because it would get my act in gear to make those needed cards.  However, life got in the way.  I've been so busy.  I've had no time.  I started making these cards a few weeks ago, and then BAM!  I lost my mojo mid-card.  I was just stumped.  Couldn't figure out how to fix it.  So, that's when I started making the second card.  However, I hit a brick wall there, too.  However, here I am...the night before the hop, and I have two unfinished cards!  ACK!  When in doubt, though...add RIBBON!!

So......here are my cards:

Here's a close-up of the layered ribbons I used.  You can also see the background stamping better.  (Please note, the ink colors didn't photograph well.  I actually used Memento inks in Bamboo Leaves, Rhubarb Stalk, Rich Cocoa & Potter's Clay...all very autumnal colors.  However, the photograph looks almost neon.  Go figure.)

Here is card #2:

Close-up of my layered bow:

Next stop on the blog hop is the phenomenal Wendy Elliot.  She's one of my biggest inspirations, and I'm always in awe of her!

Thanks for stopping by!

HAPPY CRAFTING!

Amy

DeNami Design's October Blog Hop: HALLOWEEN

BOO!

Did I scare you?  Yeah, I know...I'm about as scary as a cabbage patch kid on caffeine.  Actually...that is kinda scary, eh?  Anyway, it's time for another awesome DeNami Design blog hop, and the fabulous theme is HALLOWEEN!  (Am I the only one hearing "This is Halloween" from The Nightmare Before Christmas" playing in her head?  If you don't know what I'm talking about, here's a link.)  

If you want to start this blog hop from the beginning, go HERE.

If you've been following the hop in order, you should have arrived from Kanani's blog.  She's so talented! 

Now, onto my project!  Well, do you ever have one of THOSE days when crafting?  You know, where you can envision your finished project perfectly in your head, but every time you try to put it on paper, it just goes wrong?  Yeah, I had one of those days.  I just kept making little boo-boos, and then I'd envision the perfect solution, but then I'd realize that the items I needed are still in Indiana.  Ugh.  Anyway, this little card took much longer than I anticipated, but I must say, I think the end result is still pretty darn cute.  My thought behind it was inspired by the new Kitty Chickie stamp.  I think that image is absolutely ADORABLE!  I love the thought of a chickie dressing up as a kitty for Halloween.  But, on the flip side, why couldn't a kitty dress as a chickie for Halloween?  I planned to use several layers of paper, but with my supplies being limited, I opted instead for a single layer card.  So....this is what I came up with:

Here's a close-up of the kitty and chickie.  Can you figure out which is which?  LOL  I drew the chickie beak (with straps) onto the kitty.  Tee hee hee.  It makes me smile.

Now, I was going to add some glitter, but I decided at the last minute to add a ribbon treatment instead.  Who doesn't love a little ruffle action, right?

I am also entering this card into the Sketch Challenge over on the Confessions of a DeNami Addict blog.

Stamps:

E131 Trick or Tweet

K75 Pumpkin Patch Border

PF36 Halloween petit four set

PF45 Kitty Toys petit four set

PF46 Cuddle Cats petit four set

CL-C93 Kitty Chickie

CL-BD002 Retro Borders 1 set

Next stop on the hop is Stacy's blog. She has blown me away with some of her recent projects, so I can't wait to see what she's made for today!  

Don't forget to leave comments on every blog for your chance to win a fabulous prize from DeNami Design!

Happy Crafting !

Amy

P.S.  I recently opened my own Etsy store, Dad Plaid Designs, featuring handmade earrings, and I'm offering a holiday shopping early bird special.  All orders within the US will ship for only $1.00!  Buy one pair...buy many pairs...and pay only $1 total shipping.  Contact me for shipping outside of the US.  Please visit my shop, and tell your friends and family!