Stamp Challenges, Calendar Cards and Diaper Cakes!

Hi Everyone,

This is a quick post to show a couple of fun ideas.

I wanted to post this last week but I had download issues with my camera. You should be able to click on any hotos to see the details larger.

The girls at http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/ have been creating challenges for using our stamps and any of our other products with different themes each week. Last week there was a challenge to create a card with a theme that you had marked on your calendar. I had my girlfriend Marianna's birthday marked down and thought it would be fun to create a card for her using our FREE Calendar downloads the home page of our website www.craftysecrets.com . Please note that the 2009 calendar page will be added today or tomorrow to the site. Lots of people create the CD calendar or desktop version from our Get Round and Get Creative books and start mid year and add 2008 & 2009 months.

Remember those old advertising calendars that businesses use to give out with the tiny calendar pages stapled together? Well I cut the last 6 months from our free 2008 calendar page out and inked the edges, stapled them together and used a hi-lighter on June 15th, her birthday on the first page. I used our double sided paper from the Classic Paper Pad to make the card and 2 way tape to attach the mini calendar. I hardly ever play and make samples and it was so much fun, I'm thinking we should schedule a 'play day' once a week here in the office! First we have to finish the 4 NEW Image & Journal Notes Booklets we are working on but they are almost done and I will post a peek very soon!

My friend Marianna is a cat lover and she use to be a hairdresser and cut my hair for years, so I knew I wanted to use the 'Kitty Haircut' image from our Childhood Image & Journal Booklet! Then I used a Sakura Clear Gelly Roll Pen to go over the scissors and hat pin but I kept doodling and got a little carried away because these pens are so much FUN and they add sparkle without any crunchy messy glitter!

I also got a little carried away with our stamps and used several from a variety of sets.

Hello, Wishes, the swirls and To and From are off our Mini Memories set. The crown and little flourish line (under June) are from our Altered Art set. Happy Birthday is off our Sexy Little Numbers stamp set. The hat pin and the sentiment I stamped inside the card are from our Greetings & Sentiments set. I love the poem and how delicate and clear it stamps!

You can see the other cards that people created in this 'calendar event' challenge here. Plus, the girls have posted a NEW challenge HERE. on Splitcoast. I love the new current challange - this week it's SUMMERTIME and I LOVE the cards everyone has been creating! You can see them here in the SUMMER GALLERY You can also use this link craftysecrets to see a big bunch of cards and keepsakes talented people have posted on Splitcoast!

Don't be afraid to post anything you have created on our website gallery HERE or on Splitcoast! Samples are the best way to share your talents and spread inspiring ideas!

Here is an adorable card that Darlene who issued the Summertime challenge created

I had to also show you this adorable cake my daughter Holly whipped up last night for a Baby Shower she is attending this weekend. She's never made one of these and put it together so fast I was amazed at how darn cute it turned out! Here are some links for seeing more cakes and how to make one:

http://www.plan-the-perfect-baby-shower.com/diaper-cake.html

http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf26393346.tip.html

Here is a link to our Store Locator

Here is a link to Shopatron

Happy Summertime!

Sandy