How SWEET it was!

This weekend I participated in the Sweet Taste of Serendipity Crop (Here)over the weekend and man o' man, was it sweet! I had a blast and really enjoyed getting out of my "cropping box" on several challenges. My creations are up above but here are a few of my faves!

Int his challenge we had to make/alter 75% of the things we included...

I think the only thing I DIDN't make/aler is the blus paper behind the circle and the pictures! From piling up all the ribbon/trim and scrinching it with paint cover fingers to stickles and shimmer pant... I LOVE it! I am NEVER this "busy" on a layout, but the results were so amazing the pic does not do it justice!



These were "Throw Downs" and we had like and hour and a half to do BOTH and I saw them about 30 mins AFTER the time limit started! EEK! That limit included the time it took to upload it and link it, too!

I challenge you to get out of your "cropping box" and create a LO with things altered/created by YOU!

Heads up: JMS reveal on 4/1

POP-Dot: Too Pretty to Use

I am horrible about buying beautiful paper and then not using it because I don't want to "cover up" the pretty part! I am also guilty of having paper I am "saving" for just the right picture! But, last night, in the process of creating a page for a contest, I used just that. A beautiful pair of pattern papers that I had been saving for just the right thing.

So, I challenge you to get your pictures off your camera and onto photo paper. Dig through that "on hold" stack where you hide all those papers waiting for perfection and get to creating!

Here is my creation


Here's another that includes a few pics from the recent snow in Dallas... who knew we'd have snow on day 2 of Spring! That never happens here, as in it has been 40 years, so I have never seen snow this late in the season.

Thursday Challenge @ CropStop & the JMS Sketch

We all have them. We all avoid them. Most of all we probably will always refuse to use them as the most prominent in our creations.

What are they you ask.... they are those colors we dislike.

For me it's orange and yellow, not a fan of either and with a red-headed daughter with fair skin, they are not my friend. However, I do find my self using them in small doses. So, this week, I challenge you to use one of yours for the main colors in your LO. I did and found that I really liked the results!



If you like the sketch, check out mine and other examples at the Just My Sketches blog. Deanne puts up a new reveal every 1st and 15th!

Die'ing for You by me for CropStop.com

This week’s Die’ing For You is a bit off kilter….

I used a Cricut to create a shirt! You will need:

A shirt
Fabric Paint
a paint brush
Freezer Paper
Iron
Cricut, cartridge and mat



Suggestion: The first time you try this, I suggest you try a simple shape.

If you are using letters on your shirt, you must use the ‘flip’ feature on your Cricut. (You can use regular die cuts for this, but need to be sure that when you cut it the shape will be shiny side down on the finished paper.)

Step 1- Place the freezer paper shiny side up on your Cricut mat.
Step 2- Cut design out
Step 3- Iron the freezer paper negative onto your shirt by placing the shiny side down and using the hottest setting possible for the fabric.
Step 4- Fill in your image with paint. Allow to dry.
Step 5- Paint any “highlights” on your painted image by placing the largest section shiny side down onto the shirt (on top of the paint). (I did not iron on top of the paint, I held the paper and used it like a stencil.) Allow to dry.
Step 6- Carefully peel the freezer paper off the shirt.

If you’d like to see this process in motion, I found this youtube video to be very helpful! I figured if this 13 year old girl can do this, I could, too!

Blog Hop RAK Winners!

So now that life has gotten a bit back to normal at my house, I have some winners to announce!

Lyn

stamprgrl

Brenda

So, everyone send PM your addresses on CropStop user name lisanj_2003 and I will get your prozes out!

(Brenda, I will see you on Friday so I will just bring yours then.)

Out of Pocket...

Sorry to have been out of pocket the last few days. I have been out of town working remotely on a limited internet connection and visiting my Dad, Stepmom and his parents, who are not doing so well.

Yesterday was a good day for my Gramma, and a rough day for me as I had to head home knowing things will never be the same for them and the life they once had. I pray they are able to find consisitent help and that the doctors can get my Gramma's confusions treated. They are both such amazing people and their lives are an inspiration. He has been plagued with manacular degeration for years and has very little sight left, and she was his eyes. Now she is having episodes where she can't communicate what she want or needs to and has decided she can no longer drive, which is rough since their 2 sons both live about 40 miles away from the very small town they live in.

All very sad and heartbreaking for them and those that know how "together" they were.

A Hop Along Hollywood Boulevard... visits Elle from Legally Blonde

We are so close to Oscar time that we decided to do a themed blog hop to present to you our new design team members. This blog hop will have 9 stops in total and in all those stops our design team members will be sharing with you a tip or giving you a challenge. There will be prizes drawn from those that submit their entries to the blog hop challenges by midnight Monday CST. You NEED to submit your entry for the blog challenge as a comment to the design team blog post in her own blog. (example: If you are doing Vicki's challenge then you need to leave Vicki a comment on her blog post with a link to your project) Sign up to "follow" our blog and you might win a prize. Our red carpet order is as follows:

1. CropStop's BLOG - http://www.cropstop.blogspot.com/

2. Vicki - http://validationofvicki.blogspot.com/

3. Elisabeth - http://paperart.wordpress.com/

4. Jessica - http://blogg.coffeeaddicted.se/#home

5. Gloria - http://www.gloriascraps.blogspot.com/

6. Lisa - http://pop-dot-porcupine.blogspot.com/***YOU ARE HERE***

7. Stacy - http://stacystampinscrappin.blogspot.com/

8. Anneliese - http://www.queen-of-the-crop.blogspot.com/

9. Dalis' BLOG - http://www.stampergirl.com/

This stop is a take off Elle Woods and her devotion to the color pink and all things fashionable. The little mini Clutch that you see is not only PINK but it is adorable!



You'll find the tutorial and step by step instructions HERE! If you'd prefer to do somthing a bit different here is one more project (Imagine Bill & Ted yelling "Bonus!" in your head)!



The tutorial for the Emvelope Mini Album is HERE.

Now for the RAKS! Click on follow and comment on this post with a link to YOUR creation by Midnight CST on Monday 3/8 and have 3 ways to WIN just here on MY blog, not to mention the Hop prizes that CropStop is offering! I have several things including some embellishments from Scenic Route & Thickers from American Crafts.

Sign up to follow me and your name will go int the hat!

Do one or both of the projects and I will randomly select winners using Random.org!

Or you could do all of the above and have a chance to win a GRAND RAK given away for anyone who does both projects and follows my blog!

One last thing... would you like a coupon to enjoy a discount on your order of $20 or more. (coupon code: OSCAR) expires March 10th

Don't forget the next stop...

7. Stacy - http://stacystampinscrappin.blogspot.com/

and if you need to find the begining...

1. CropStop's BLOG - http://www.cropstop.blogspot.com/

RE-Do On Those OLD Wood-Block Stamps!

So after a short discussion over at CropStop I decided that not only did I want to SHARE my decision to move to a streamlined storage, but also to reduce the space my stamps took up and re-use those bulky wood blocks!

Yes, I know! "Crazy Lisa is at that recycling bin again!" But, you know you want to get that space filled with NEW and FUN embellishments and tools! Plus, if you think about it, what MOM doesn't need adorable art on her fridge held up by fabulously scrappy magnets!

So, the instructions are simple..

1. Drag out those wood mounted stamps.
2. Un-Mount them either by using a regular hairdryer to warm them and soften the adhesive, popping them in the microwave for a FEW seconds or by using that enormous bottle of UNDO we all love!
3. CAREFULLY remove the rubber from the mounting it is currently on.
4. Follow the instruction on the EZ-Mount package (they are super easy- like stick & trim)
5. Ta-Da You have rubber stamps that you can use with a clear block.

Storage options for those NEWLY mounted stamps are varied. I like the DVD size cases that Stampin' Up! sells. (If you are in need of a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, then contact my friend, cl.earley@yahoo.com, Candiece is ready to help you and can even SAVE you 10% off the web price.)





I have friends who swear by the little CD size cases. Others might find the binders with organizser sheets more to their liking.

NOW for the REUSE portion...

Grab the acrylic paint, stamps, embossing powder... anything goes.. a few ideas is all the direction I will offer...

Think about gifting a set of magnets to a mom with a little one headed for a first day at school, or for a mom who might want to "label" the art with one of their kiddos names. ME? I wanted to match my decor in my ktichen.

I do have a bit of advice. Use REALLY STRONG magnents. Mine are the nickle size from walmart and cost about 2.15, but I am swapping those out for a bigger size that is about the size of the block from a "sheet" of magnents.

Oscars Have Me hopping

The Oscars are Sunday and with that in mind the theme for the blog hop is "A Stroll Down Hollywood Blvd." I am so excited! This is my first blog hop, EVER! The DT over at CropStop are working hard to bring you loads of FUN! Make sure you sign up now, and don't miss out on the prizes and projects! Now, we all know that CropStop is offering prizes, but the individual blogs along the way, may as well! I can tell you that I WILL! I am offering a RAK that I just know you'll love, so be sure you join me!



Okay, now that my little info-mercial of the day is over, I will get on with it! I have been slaving over my paper trimmer, and can't show you what I have created until the hop, challenges and crops that all happen next week, so today I wanted to share something else... a blog and and awesome stamper's creation! Dawn, a Stampin' Up! demonstrator has a fabulous blog and amazing ideas! The link for this project is actually a couple weeks old, but I wanted to share it now! Make sure you check out her current stuff, and if you like tutorials and pdf's she is the go to gal! Some are inexpensive and some are FREE! Yep, this one if FREE! Check Dawn out here!

Just My Sketches & The Blend Reveal

So, I like to wait a day or two after the reveal to post the Just My Sketches LO and likely, you have seen them there... but just in case you didn't, here it is:

a href="http://s973.photobucket.com/albums/ae215/Pop-DotPorcupine/?action=view¤t=JMSlosketchDEANNEBURTONmar1-10.jpg" target="_blank">



The LO design team over at JMS really did a bang up job on this one! CHeck out the Card Team's creations as well! WOWZER! Now, it's your turn! Create a LO/card or BOTH and enter to win prizes! Yes, I said prizes! So... hurry off to create your masterpiece, then snap a pic and link it back to JMS for a chance to win.


Songlist consists of:
~One Heartbeat
Smokey Robinson
~Amazed
Lonestar
~The Motown Song
Rod Stewart
~Chances
Five For Fighting
~Sweet Child o' Mine
Guns N' Roses


The next reveal will be on 3/15 so you have plenty of time to make this one happen!

B-Lurking Around

Hi, my name is Lisa and I am a BLurker. I love to lurk around the blog world and see what everyone is up to creatively, and see how my friends are all faring. It lets me connect with others on a creative level, as well as a fun way to catch up with some friends that I do not see so often. (KMac & Steph, I miss you, both!)

Anyways, I occassionally come across so GEMS and follow or "favorite" them so I can check back in to see new creativity in motion, but this past week I found one that is a keeper, and wanted to share. Work for Scraps is not only a blog full of creativity and freebies, but full of inspiration. Chrispea is battling breast cancer and is constantly telling you to, "Feel your boobies!" and today is her last day of chemo. So, take 10 seconds and say a prayer for her, for you, for every woman out there, that this battle will find a cure. That we will all get to hang around and scrap a little longer.

I hope she feels the love and is touched by the hands of God today. If you'd like her to know she is in your thoughts, hop on over and give her some love! She has beautiful work and if you scroll down, you may find that you LOVE her freebies, too! That dressform is too cute!

So, FEEL YOUR BOOBIES and get creative... after all a life without creativity has got to be boring!

Reminders:
The "Stroll Down Hollywood Blvd." blog hop is on SUNDAY sign up HERE and their Crop on the 13th is sure to be awesome as well!


March reveals are up at Just My Sketches go check mine and the other Design Team creations!

A Stroll Down Hollywood Blvd

I am hoping you will all join me for the blog hop! Everything is looking amazing behind the camera as the crew plans and preps for hopping! There are challenges and altered items, trivia, cards and layouts in the works so plan to join us for a fabulous hop with PRIZES... HOP to see you there and here... I'll be a stop in the hop and am off to finish up the project for my protion!