TCP Tuesday 56!

It's that time again!

Head on over to Toni's Blog today.

She is the Hipster Hostess with the Mostess for this week. And she's hosting the most fantabulous challenge. It's an Inspiration Challenge.

Use the picture on the right for your inspiration. Dontcha just love the summery feel the glasses have?

What are you waiting for? Get out your Cat's Pajamas stamps and try it.

Want some even more inspiration? Check out the DT members to the left throughout the week to see their great cards.

Here are the deets. (Lifted from Ana's page.)
1. Each a week one of The Cat’s Pajamas DT members will host a challenge.
2. The challenges will vary {stamp, color, theme, sketch, etc.}
3. You will have until {this} Saturday night at midnight to complete the challenge.
4. Link your project on this week’s hostess’ challenge announcement. This week you will link your project HERE.
5. TCP stamps are not required, but of course, highly encouraged. {Unless it is a challenge calling for a specific stamp}
6. There will be one winner each month. They will be deemed that month’s Swankiest Stamper and get $25 in Cat’s Cash {money to spend on the TCP site!}.
7. When uploading to SCS, or PCP please use the keyword TCPTUES56 for this challenge.
8. Alma (that's me) will post the entries from the week the following Monday on her blog.
9. The newly crowned Swanky Stamper will be announced on the First of the Month and have his/her winning entry posted on The Cat’s Pajamas website where he/she will reign for the entire month.

Holey Moley Monday!

Charlene Rector

Look at this wonderful card that was emailed to me by Charlene Rector. I just think it is so awesome. Yes, yes, I know that Easter is over, but this card is timeless. I just crack up everytime I look at the photo. What a great concept and excellent excecution. Great job, Charlene

Christyne Kane

It's Special Guest Designer Wednesday!

It's our final week featuring Christyne Kane, and her final card is a doozy. Check out all the textures and colors and shapes. With all that is going on in this card, it would be easy to let the design get away from you.
Christyne's take on the layout is just perfect. And she is perfectly in control of each element. Her design shows engery and confidence.


Want to learn more about Christyne? Last chance.

What is your favorite color combo?
Well, I am a HUGE fan of anything pink. I would have to say that the mood of the project usually determines the shade of pink that I would reach for, but there’s always a special place in my heart for a bright magenta/black/white combo.

What has been your happiest moment?
While life is filled with so many special moments, it’s very difficult to choose just one. However, I would say that participating in the 2000 Inaugural Parade with the University of Massachusetts Minuteman Marching Band was surely a moment that I will remember forever.

Besides stamping, what is your next passion?
My second greatest passion is running dog agility with my golden retriever, Harvey. He’s the world to me and we enjoy participating in the sport together immensely.

We have certainly enjoyed seeing what Christyne can do with our stamps. Thank you for being our Special Guest Designer, Christyne. It has been a treat.

TCP Tuesday 55

Ready for super great sketch challenge?

Head on over to Carole's Blog today.

She is the Hipster Hostess with the Mostess for this week. And she's hosting a fantabulous Sketch challenge. She's using this wonderful sketch to challenge herself and you. It's her first (not last) week as the Hostess with the Mostess. Won't you play along?

Want some even more inspiration? Check out the DT members to the left throughout the day to see their great cards.

Now I want to see yours.

Here are the deets. (Lifted from Ana's page.)
1. Each a week one of The Cat’s Pajamas DT members will host a challenge.
2. The challenges will vary {stamp, color, theme, sketch, etc.}
3. You will have until {this} Saturday night to complete the challenge.
4. Link your project on this week’s hostess’ challenge announcement. This week you will link your project HERE.
5. TCP stamps are not required, but of course, highly encouraged. {Unless it is a challenge calling for a specific stamp}
6. There will be one winner each month. They will be deemed that month’s Swankiest Stamper and get $25 in Cat’s Cash {money to spend on the TCP site!}.
7. When uploading to SCS or PCP, please use the keyword TCPTUES55 for this challenge.
8. Alma (that's me) will post the entries from the week the following Monday on her blog.
9. The newly crowned Swanky Stamper will be announced on the First of the Month and have his/her winning entry posted on The Cat’s Pajamas website where he/she will reign for the entire month.

Holey Moley Monday!

Christyne Kane III

It's Special Guest Designer Wednesday!

So you've met Christyne Kane our very Special Guest designer for April. And now you want to know more.

What got you into stamping?
When I was in college and on winter break, my mom came home one night with this giant catalog full of all rubber stamps (Stampin’ Up). I was in disbelief that there could be so many rubber stamps and everything seemed so complicated that I shrugged it off and went back to my knitting. A couple months later when I was on spring break, I attended a workshop with my mom and we made a card using Versamark and pearlEx powder. I was so hooked once I saw this woman’s inspiration board with many of her cards. Seeing how these beautiful catalog wonders were created was just so fascinating to me. I ordered my first stamps at that workshop!

How long have you been stamping?
I was able to convince my mom to lend me her “Stampin’ Bin” (that point in the beginning where everything you have can fit in a large under-the-bed bin) so that I could play for Mother’s Day cards. This was about 5 years ago, to the month. Since I didn’t have much money to spend on my own stamps until I got out of college, I really only got back into the hobby about 2 years ago.

What was the first stamp you bought, and what was your last?
The very first stamp that I could call my own was Stampin’ Up’s Daisy set. The most recent stamp set that I have purchased is Stampin’ Up’s Always, closely followed by TCP’s Loving Mew and Puppy Love sets.

Ah! And the magic she makes with our stamps.



Take a look at this wonderful card that she made using our birthday sets, You Say It's Your Birthday and Smells Like Cake. I just love it.

There is a lot going on in this card. There almost has to be with that paper. She balances the busy patterned paper with just the right amount of texture and shape. Add to that a wonderful coloring job with Prismacolor pencils and Goo Gone with blending stumps, and she's got a winner.


Take a closer look at her coloring. Just wonderfully controlled. This card just jumps off the screen, no? It is just a happy card, that makes you want to celebrate.

TCP Tuesday 54

It's that time again!

Head on over to Susan's Blog today.

Yup, she is the Hipster Hostess with the Mostess again this week. She will be the permanent hostess for the Stamp Challenge. (Unless we want to fool you and mix it up a bit.)

Susan is challenging you to use any stamp from our Clearly Swanky Set, Havin' a Pow Wow! And there is tons of images on that set to choose from.

Want some inspiration? Just checked the Cat Pack's blogs throughout the week for some hootin' hollering designs.

Here are the deets. (Lifted from Ana's page.)
1. Each a week one of The Cat’s Pajamas DT members will host a challenge.
2. The challenges will vary {stamp, color, theme, sketch, etc.}
3. You will have until {this} Saturday night to complete the challenge.
4. Link your project on this week’s hostess’ challenge announcement. This week you will link your project HERE.
5. TCP stamps are not required, but of course, highly encouraged. {Unless it is a challenge calling for a specific stamp}
6. There will be one winner each month. They will be deemed that month’s Swankiest Stamper and get $25 in Cat’s Cash {money to spend on the TCP site!}.
7. When uploading to SCS or PCP, please use the keyword TCPTUES54 for this challenge.
8. Alma (that's me) will post the entries from the week the following Monday on her blog.
9. The newly crowned Swanky Stamper will be announced on the First of the Month and have his/her winning entry posted on The Cat’s Pajamas website where he/she will reign for the entire month.

Holey Moley Monday!

Christyne Kane II

It's Special Guest Designer Wednesday!

Christyne Kane is our very Special Guest designer for April. And once you see this next project you will know why I chose to spotlight Christyne. Not only does she have crazy stamping and design skills, but she has a wicked sense of humor.






When I opened this email, I couldn't stop laughing. Easter S'mores. Not only are the ingredients provided in the jar, but the recipe how-to, as well. She's so considerate.


So after, I picked myself off the floor I took a closer look at her project and my smile got bigger. Her use of color, just blows me away. This woman is not afraid of color, and lots of it. And the details on this project are just wonderful. From the grass, to the fluffy bunny tail, I just keep finding more to look at.
Want to make a jar of Easter S'mores yourself? Here is the recipe. Thanks, Christyne!

Recipe:

1. Reduce 1 sleeve graham crackers to crumbs.

2. Layer 2/3 of the crumbs in a 1 qt jar.

3. Place 8 marshmallow bunnies or peeps standing up, facing out around the inside of the jar.

4. Press them up against the glass, but don't squash them.

5. Carefully spoon remaining crumbs in the center of the jar to support the bunnies, pressing down to keep it snug.

6. On top of this pour 1-1/4 cup Easter M&M's.

7. Spoon 1/3 cup brown sugar into center of M&M's, gently pressing with a spoon.


Attach a gift tag to say:

Empty the jar contents into a bowl. Snip the bunnies into bits with kitchen shears or cut up with a knife. Return the bunny bits to the mixture. Mix well.
Melt 1/2 cup butter; add 1 teaspoon vanilla. Pour this over the dry ingredients, mixing well. Pat into a greased 9" square pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes. Cool and cut into bars.

*Option - leave bunnies whole; combine remaining ingredients and place the bunnies on top; then bake as directed.

Changes

There have been a couple of changes in the world that it The Cat's Pajamas.

I am happy to announce that Amy Rohl will be joining our humble little pack. Remember Amy? She was our Special Guest Designer last month. The one that I spewed wonderful things about? I couldn't resist asking her to join after seeing her awesome designs.

Welcome Amy!

TCP Tuesday 53

It's that time again!

Head on over to Susan's Blog today.

Yup, she is the Hipster Hostess with the Mostess for this week. She covering for Jen, who usually does the Color Challenge. Jen picked the colors Raspberry Pink, Pumpkin Orange and Sunny Yellow.

Susan's also going to be doing next week's challenge, the stamp challenge. Susan's been a busy gal. And she's a great Hostess, so play along.

Here are the deets. (Lifted from Ana's page.)
1. Each a week one of The Cat’s Pajamas DT members will host a challenge.
2. The challenges will vary {stamp, color, theme, sketch, etc.}
3. You will have until {this} Saturday night to complete the challenge.
4. Link your project on this week’s hostess’ challenge announcement. This week you will link your project HERE.
5. TCP stamps are not required, but of course, highly encouraged. {Unless it is a challenge calling for a specific stamp}
6. There will be one winner each month. They will be deemed that month’s Swankiest Stamper and get $25 in Cat’s Cash {money to spend on the TCP site!}.
7. When uploading to SCS or PCP, please use the keyword TCPTUES53 for this challenge.
8. Alma (that's me) will post the entries from the week the following Monday on her blog.
9. The newly crowned Swanky Stamper will be announced on the First of the Month and have his/her winning entry posted on The Cat’s Pajamas website where he/she will reign for the entire month.

Holey Moley Monday!

Christyne Kane

It's Special Guest Designer Wednesday!

Our very Special Guest Designer for the month of April is Christyne Kane. You may remember Christyne as one of our past Swanky Stampers.

After poking around her blog a bit, I knew I had to feature her as a Special Guest Designer, so I asked her

What's your favorite product, Christyne?
Well, that would have to be rhinestones. I’m just sure that it all stems from the Swarovski crystal animals that I used to collect when I was little. I just love the way they can accent to balance an image or fill in that last little space in a layout.

And, what's your favorite stamping technique or tip?
It’s tough to pick just one technique as I prefer a variety to keep things interesting. My favorite tip would definitely be to sketch out an idea before attempting execution. I have found that this can save a bunch on materials in the event that things don’t work out as planned. I suppose it all goes back to “Measure twice, Cut once!”

Now, take a look at this wonderful basket that she created. Not only is her color choice wonderful, there is a bit of whimsy with the flowers that she used to adorn the place where the handle meets the basket.

Now get closer. Did you see that the handle is a different color on the inside than the out? Did you see the wonderful shading in the sky where the penguins are? This basket is a "WOW".

And I love the use of her favorite product on this basket. They give just the right amount of bling.

Swanky Stamper of the Month

Julie Masse — Swanky Stamper for April

I just adore this card that Julie made for Leigh's sketch challenge.

Bright and happy, it just screams Spring. Just like Spring, it has so many things that seem to have popped up organically and are perfect the way they come together. They make you say "Why, of course" that has to be there. From the mushrooms in the paper and the dots in Poochie's carrot and scalloped border, to the buttons as wheels everything is just perfect the way it is. This is one joyful card.

So, of course, Julie had to win the Swanky Stamper of the Month.

Julie Masse — Swanky Stamper for April