Sunflower Studio

YOU'RE #1 {mftwsc13}

Tomorrow is my Godchild's birthday and in my usual always-late-birthday-gift-giver form I just sat down to make her card today.  I am notoriously horrible at birthdays.  I can remember my immediate family - at least the dates - but that's about it.  I think it runs in my side of the family because we all do it.  We like to say it makes the celebration last longer when you get your gift weeks after your birthday.  Anybody out there with me?  No?  Oh well, I try...

I've had some new stamps from MY FAVORITE THINGS sitting on my table for a while so I chose this cutie-patootie ALL STAR A LA MODE set to work with.  This gal is perfect for Erin because she's a terrific teenager and this girl is not only cute but cool too! I based my card on this week's MFT WEDNESDAY SKETCH CHALLENGE #13.

As for supplies, I can't get enough of the new EASY ROSETTE and GRASS CUTUPS die from THE CAT'S PAJAMAS and incorporated them here.  I used my favorite cloud paper from October Afternoon.  The pink polka-dot is OA too.  The green is Cosmo Cricket and the text background paper is from SU! I tried to make my bottom layers a little "scrappy" and added a piece of Heidi Swapp decorative tape that's been hiding in my drawer.  A button, some brads and delish twine from The Twinery finish it off. Oh, and I finished the inside as well.  The MFT gals are the queens of this stuff so I just took their lead and followed along.  I don't usually finish my card insides but I do think it looks really nice...who knows, could become a habit. The inside sentiment is from A Muse.

Happy Birthday, Erin...your gift is coming!!

TCP TUESDAY #152 & NEW RELEASE BLOG HOP

Today's the big day!  All of the fabulous new release stamp sets - eight all together - and four new CUTUPS dies are available NOW from THE CAT'S PAJAMAS.  I love this release...I think it's the best one yet.  You gotta love a company that keeps getting better and better and continues to be current and cutting edge. THAT'S what ALMA has given us this month!

You may be coming to me from AMY'S BLOG (Talk about being up on what's trendy!  Amy's our go to gal for that!).  If you're hopping along from the beginning of our chain then you're doing great.  If not, head over to JULIE'S BLOG and start at the beginning.  Julie's our Hipster Hostess with the Mostess for this week's TCP Tuesday challenge which is to make a "shaped" card - meaning, a card that is something other than a square, a rectange, or a circle.

This tree shape immediately popped into my mind!  The DT gals have been making some amazing cards for sneaky peek week with the birdhouse cutout from the HOME TWEET HOME CUTUPS DIE hanging from the tree branch in the THE TWEETEST THINGS stamp set.  I knew that I had to try that too.  I drew the tree shape - trying to simmulate the branch that Alma created for the set.  This wood patterned paper from A Muse was the perfect paper for the project.  I cut four of the birdhouse shape with the die and glued them together side to side to make the 3D house.  I lined the inside of the tree and made the house with papers from the Stella and Rose - Hazel pad from MME.  I added tiny pink Prima flowers and handcut felt leaves to decorate the tree.  The sentiment is from THE TWEETEST THINGS set.  Looks like a cherry blossom tree perhaps!

As always, we hope that you'll join us in this week's challenge.  Make sure that you link in over at Alma's blog to be in the running for the monthly Cat's Cash.  If you're uploading to SCS please use keyword TCPTUES152.  NOW, you should rush over to JACKIE'S BLOG.  She's the next stop on the hop and never fails to create a WOWZA card or project!

HOME TWEET HOME {tcp sneaky peek - day 7}

Okay, last day for reveals of the new sets and dies from THE CAT'S PAJAMAS.  Tonight we have our pajama party at Splitcoast at 8pm (eastern) and then all will be available on Tuesday, March 29th.  Plus, as usual, we'll be blog hopping around Tuesday morning for more fanfare with the new sets and TCP Tuesday.

The last sneaky peek is definitely a doozy!  Alma created this amazing set, THE TWEETEST THINGS, and matching CUTUPS die set, HOME TWEET HOME.  I think this set is so hip and now.  I also think it's a combination of fun images that our design team members were wishing for.  There are so many possiblities and fun things you can do with these images - you can create vintage, and shabby, and classic, and current cards and projects all with the same set.  I love it all so much that I'll share the set images here first...

For my card, I was going for CLEAN AND SIMPLE.  I've seen quite a few stampers going for the CAS look lately.  I have never, ever been a CAS kinda gal.  I try and I try but I feel unfinished without layers and layers and ribbons or buttons and embellishments and stuff...oh my!  But this is about as simple as I can get it.  I like it though. 

I like the dark paper colors (Stella and Rose from MME) against the light background.  I adore the birdhouse die and stamps.  The neat thing about these stamps and dies too is that the stamp images are slightly larger than the die so when you stamp them on top of a die shape they're sure to go all the way to the edges.  I cut the birdhouse from a coaster, stamped the newsprint and then airbrushed the color - airbrushing the little heart that cuts from the center of the house with a red marker.  I layered the birdhouse over a rosette made with our new EASY ROSETTE CUTUPS DIE.  A little bit of sewing and some pearls and it's done.

I hope to see you all tonight at the PJ party!

WELL, HELLO! {tcp sneaky peek - day 6}

Hey there, Sunday stampers!  Welcome to day six of sneaky peeks from THE CAT'S PAJAMAS.  Have you made your list of must-haves yet?  Thank goodness for being on the DT because I would HAVE. TO. HAVE. IT. ALL!! 

My card for today uses another adorable bunny set called FIELD OF PINWHEELS.  AND to top it off I added a ginormous pinwheel using the new PINWHEEL CUTUPS DIE.  Bunny better be careful or he just might blow away! I also added a tad of grass with the new GRASS CUTUPS DIE to the bottom of a Spellbinders Label shape.  All of the papers here are from Cosmo Cricket.  My standard two-button Divine Twine bow complete the look.

Tomorrow's stamp and die sets will knock your socks off so I hope you stop back by for a look!  Don't forget that our New Release Pajama Party on Splitcoast will be tomorrow night at 8pm east coast time!

Used in this card:

RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY {tcp sneaky peek - day 5}

Welcome to day 5 of SNEAKY PEEK WEEK from THE CAT'S PAJAMAS!  We're almost there...almost to our MONDAY NIGHT PAJAMA PARTY and RELEASE DAY.  You should definitely join us...who knows, could be some freebies floatin' around like feathers from a pillow fight!  Need more info?  Click over to our MEMBER FORUM at SPLITCOAST for all of the details.

So, for today, we're showing off the new WET PUDDLE set.  I think this one is my fave this time around.  I love these little girl images and that they have so much open space for coloring and paper piecing.  How could you not give her the best slicker and boots possible!  My girl is taking a post-storm stroll by the pond, I think.  She's sooo sweet!

I also use our brand new - available Tuesday - GRASS CUTUPS die along with the already available WAVE CUTUPS die.  Aren't they fun all layered together?  The long oval classic and scalloped Nestabilities dies frame up the scene perfectly.  All of the patterned papers here are by October Afternoon. My go-to embellie of double buttons and DIVINE TWINE - this time in new Blueberry - finish it off.

Make sure you visit the other DT gals, our Facebook page, or the gallery and forum at SCS for more Kitty Kat goodness today.  And don't forget that we have two more days of peeks to go so stop back by tomorrow!

Used in this card:

 

HB 2 U {tcp sneaky peek - day 4}

Sorry, folks, I'm stamping in slo mo today and had a bit of a mojo issue earlier but I think I've pulled it together.  I asbolustely did not want anyone to miss out on today's sneaky peek set, A GIRL AND HER CAKE.  We've had a few of these bunnies at THE CAT'S PAJAMAS but none of them were specifically a GIRL BUNNY (said in Donkey's voice from Shrek)!  Her adorable image just begs for cute, cute patterned papers!

In addition to the stamps, I used the new EASY ROSETTE CUTUPS die to create the tulle/button flower AND the pink poofy parts of the pennant banner.  Very girlie girl!

Off to take a peek at what the other DT gals have made today with this set.  Just a reminder - you can see what's new each day of SNEAKY PEEK WEEK by checking out our member forum at Splitcoast OR by visiting our Facebook Page as well.

Used in this card:

patterned paper - vintage sheet music, October Afternoon and Cosmo Cricket

other -Copics, Easy Rosette and Pennant CutUps dies, Cotton Candy Divine Twine, button, Dazzling Diamonds glitter

YOU ROCK MY WORLD {tcp sneaky peek - day 3}

Poppin' in to share another card using the new IDOLS set from THE CAT'S PAJAMAS that will be available for purchase on Tuesday, March29th.  I was going for a pshchedelic Beatles era thing here.  How funny are these penguins?  I added little Nehru jackets - a la Sgt. Peppers!  I'm still not so sure about their hair...I think I should have gone with black instead of brown but they ARE funny!

Used in this card:

patterned paper - Upcycle and Salt Air from Cosmo Cricket

other -Copics, Inside Pinking Border CutUps die, brads

DON'T STOP 'TIL YOU GET ENOUGH {tcp sneaky peek - day 3}

"Keep on with the force.  Don't stop.  Don't stop 'til you get enough." Gotta love me some Michael Jackson.  Have I ever mentioned that Bill and I went to Neverland Ranch?  Yup, I won a contest at work when Bill and I were first dating.  Must have been in 1994, I think.  Of course, Michael wasn't there that day but Bubbles was.  It was fun and exciting seeing how the other half lived!

That's why I couldn't resist a little photo-on-the-wall card featuring a penguin version of Michael from the new IDOLS set from THE CAT'S PAJAMAS - available March 29th.  I drew in his red and black leather jacket.  Remember those spinner cards that were all the rage years ago?  (I'm sure that you can find instructions on SCS.)  You know Michael, he had to move, man!  He's moonwalking!!  And I wanted you to see him go so I made a little video with my camera and uploaded it to YouTube.  This is my first time so go easy on me.

As you can see in the set graphics below, the IDOLS set features a few different looks.  I know that the DT girls have really ROCKED this set today.  Make sure to stop by their blogs or visit our member forum at Splitcoast to see more!

Used in this card:

patterned paper - Stella and Rose - Mabel Collection from My Mind's Eye (wood), October Afternoon (red dots)

other -Copics, Linen thread, Nestabilities Inverted Scallop and Circle dies, Deckle edge scissors, SU! Hodgepodge Hardware brad/hanger thingy, Dazzling Diamonds glitter.

GOOD LUCK {tcp sneaky peek - day 2}

Hopefully yesterday's sneaky peeks have whet your whistle and you've come back for more.  Well, we DO have more at THE CAT'S PAJAMAS, that's for sure!

My card for today features a mini version of one of our more popular sets, BIG BEAR.  I think the reason he's a bit smaller is that he's floated away with those balloons!  This set is called CATCH MY DRIFT.  I love the "huh?" look on Mr. Bear's face. {Oh, and I used a new sentiment from another new set...stay tuned for more on that.}

I also used our amazing, fancy new EASY ROSETTE CUTUPS DIE.  It truly is to.die.for!  Practically in the time it even takes you to say "easy rosette" you'll have one made up.  The die comes with two rosette sizes plus a circle center AND an awesome knotched banner to highlight your sentiment or make a little banner flag even.

Alma created a great short video to show you exactly how the new die works.  You can view it here:

All of the new sets and dies will be available on Tuesday, March 29th.  Check in with the other Cat's Pajamas DT gals again today to see what they've done with the CATCH MY DRIFT set and come back tomorrow for more new images! 

Used on this card:

 
patterned paper - Stella and Rose - Hattie Collection from My Mind's Eye

other - Easy Rosette CutUps die, Copics, Oyster Divine Twine, button, Want 2 Scrap swirly rhinestones

WHAT A BLAST! {tcp sneaky peek week - day 1}

Here's another peek for today at the WHAT A BLAST set from THE CAT'S PAJAMAS.  I just love this little PJ.  He's a perfect addition to the other sizes that are already available at The Cat's Pajamas.  Of course, in this set he's sporting a big ole pinwheel.  But did you notice anything, hmmmm, different in this card from my last one?  Uh huh, uh huh...yup...an even bigger PINWHEEL in the form of a brand new PINWHEEL CUTUPS DIE!  LOVE IT!  And this die comes with a large sized pinwheel, a small sized pinwheel, and fun center shapes to boot.  AND, cuz that's just not enough.  Take a gander at that felt grass...yup, that's our new GRASS CUTUPS DIE.  Two more MUST HAVE tools!

Used on this card:

patterned paper - October Afternoon (yellow), American Crafts (clouds), My Mind's Eye (woodgrain)

other - Lemon Divine Twine, buttons, brads, felt, Copic Markers, vintage book page