DeNami Blog Hop Cuddly Critters

welcome to the DeNami Design blog hop! every stop you make on the way is featuring some of the cute cuddly creatures that everyone seems to love, including me! so let's see what's going on...

if you're following along, you should have come from Anne Harada's blog, and now you're here! if you didn't start at the beginning, you can go back and start at the DeNami blog here!

i hope you're having as much fun as i am as we look at all the lovely creations that DeNami lovers have made :D so here we go, on to my cuddly creature project!

i was thinking of using a 'spring' chickie, but couldn't come up with a solid idea, so i switched gears and pulled out the cutest little snow chickie... he seriously makes me smile :D

i tried to make things a little vintage-y and i pulled out some Cosmo Cricket papers. i also tied a few ribbons together--satin and seam binding/ aka crinkle ribbon.

you can see i made a matching envelope (decorated both the front and back with some simple borders and ribbons) and i think it adds a ton to the project...

this card is completely in non-traditional 'Christmas' colors, but i absolutely love it! a few flowers here, some glitter there, oh! and don't forget the bling! :D

alright! thanks for stopping by today, i hope you have fun... be sure to hop on over to Teresa E's blog, and see what loveliness she's created!

maybe the worst photos ever...

okay, so i admit--these are bad photos. can't help it. tried to edit them a tad so they'd look like, at least, half decent. (can you tell i'm talking in my "Valley Girl" voice? i really can't think in anything serious at the moment, cuz it's FRIDAY :D) buuut... no luck. so the red card above is actually a real red. and the vintage buttons in the middle of that amazing stitch stamp from Impress--LOVE THEM! the buttons come from a stash my mom had from who knows how long ago... they're being hoarded at the moment. minus these, of course. the snowflakes are Martha Stewart, and i embossed the stamped image to give it some more texture/ interest. i like how simple this card is--especially since it's instantly gratifying.

the next thing i want to share is a tag--not my usual card, i know, but it was a ton of fun, and i actually think i'll be making some more of these to add to gift presentations for friends/ family.

the pink button is threaded with some hot pink tulle, and tied in a bow, although you can't see it here. i used a smidge of the WeRMemory Keepers Christmas paper for the polka dot strip at the bottom (CK buy!) and the pink panel is dotted cardstock from Bazzill.

down below, you can see the other side of the tag. i did some more embossing, this time with white instead of clear powder. the Hero Arts "Merry Christmas" sentiment that comes along with the owl set is just adorable, don'tcha think? i used some more of BasicGrey's Eskimo Kisses paper... those trees are so cute in pink and green, don't you think?

ohhh! don't forget--i actually tried some new glitter--a bit chunkier than what i normally use, but i think it's cool... i used some double sided glitter tape to put it at the top. BUT, really, let's be honest...

the best part about this whole tag is the amazing ribbon selection at the top--loving the overflow of textures and lengths... it just seemed too perfect to pass up :D

wellllll, thanks for looking, and hope you have a great Friday. i'm busy tonight with a group of "college/ career" people coming over for a get together... need to do some last minute cleaning. i honestly cannot believe how fast Thanksgiving is coming, and then CHRISTMAS! **love love love Christmas**

okay, really, i'm going... thanks for your sweet comments <3

Blog-O-Versary Giveaway!

CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS!

**note: this post will stay at the top until contest is over. please scroll down to see current posts**

oh hello there! the title of the post may be a *tad* deceiving as i'll be sharing more than just a blog giveaway with you.

in fact, i have a LOT to talk about, but hopefully i'll make it as short as humanly possible :D

so first off, i have some Christmas cards... my my my how i've loved making them! i actually used some "summer" paper from K&Co's ocean line (can't remember exactly what it's called) that i figured would make some great "guy" cards for the holidays... so i kept them simple (well, hey! it's ME here we're talking about... as simple as I can make them!)

border punch from fiskars, velvet ribbon, martha stewart snowflakes, and the paper. oh, a mcgill punch too. add a button, and YAY! guy card. i asked my brothers for approval, and it was given wholeheartedly.

and here's a closeup of one of the cards i made--dude, didn't i tell you i was in love with that snowflake punch?

the colors were actually chosen because my dad and brothers ALL love either green or blue, and who knows, maybe they'll be getting one of these. plus, the plaid/ stripes pattern was perfect for the masculine theme...

i like 'em a lot.

edited to add:

yay! i got to participate in the 2sketches4you challenge this week. it's Laura's sketch #38, and it's so fabulous. last night (friday, 11/06) as i was thinking about the CK convention in Seattle that i was going to, i decided to get a little crafty, and i couldn't wait to break out the BG eskimo kisses, so here's my card:
it's some of my favorite paper, and i love the BG letters and that MM heart (i actually stamped over the glitter and embossed it because i needed a lighter pink). the ribbon is from Michael's, and the dotted cardstock is from Bazzill. i like this card a lot :D

speaking of liking, i have some news! i like reading. i like writing (hence, the blog). so...

i am writing a novel. a 50,000 word novel. by Nov. 30th. (go here or to my post here for more info...) i think you can even track my progress with THIS link. if not, then just search for my username *ginnygurl* in the NaNoWriMo database, and you can add me as your "buddy." and ALSO speaking of "liking," can i just say a HUGE w00t! w00t! for all those participants from Seattle--we're leading the word count scoreboard :D (and i'm part of that!)


as of 11/04, 9:10pm, i have written exactly 6,088 words. amazing, huh? i'm a tad behind the daily goal, but as soon as i'm done here, i'm working on the story. maybe i'll divulge some details about the plot line... maybe... just maybe...

so i've included a widget/ picture in my sidebar in regards to the novel writing--just a reminder to encourage me to write the 1,667 words a day to keep on track. actually, the founders really do suggest telling as many people as possible about the novel--in hopes that those people will in turn encourage/ shame the writers into actually finishing on time. here's the quotation... i found it hilariously funny:

tell everyone you know that you're writing a novel in November. this will pay big dividends in week two, when the only thing keeping you from quitting is the fear of looking pathetic in front of all the people who've had to hear about your novel for the past month. seriously. email them now about your awesome new book. the looming specter of personal humiliation is a very reliable muse.

so there. i've done it. i've told you. please please please shame me into finishing. it's my goal.


so that brings me to the POINT of my post--giving away stuff!

how to enter...

1. leave me a way to contact you (via blog, email, etc) and a comment answering the question:
   

   "What is a goal that you have made and accomplished? How did it make you feel?"



2. leave a SECOND comment if you are or become a follower of my blog


3. leave a THIRD comment if you are or become a follower on my twitter


4. leave a FOURTH comment if you add my blog candy to your sidebar or a post!

so you have lots of chances to win these wonderful goodies... please play fair and follow the rules--that way everyone will have fun. internationals may enter too!

the contest will run until the BIRTHDAY (or blog-o-versary) of my blog on Sunday, November 15th, at 9pm PST.

after that, i'll pick a random winner and post the results on my blog on Monday. sound like a plan? well, good. check out the goodies and see if you like any!

here's the whole she-bang together--quite a lot of stuff if i do say so myself. you can see some lovely stickers on the lower portion--alphas, fuzzy velvet stickers, and then some fall chipboard pieces and stickers--perfect for scrapbook pages, or as embellies on cards :D

oooh, we've got some Basic Grey paper, Cosmo Cricket, Making Memories, and SEI


those snowballs i love so much are here, along with lovely 2' ribbon, and some chippie embellies and fabric brads

and don't forget the felties and blossoms from sassafras! then the woolies! *sigh* also, peeking behind the back you can see a couple of mini-albums from We R Memory Keepers.

anyway, hope you like what you see, and don't forget to leave a comment for a chance to win :D

thanks for stopping by, and have a great day!

embellish owl card + pink snow bunny

okay, so i just have to say that whoever wins my blog candy will have a ton of fun with the Cosmo Cricket Jolly by Golly papers... at least if they like Christmas, pretty paper, and having fun :D hehe, the snow bunny card features a snippet (that i made into a tag) from one of the Cosmo 12x12's and also some new felt i got at the CK convention, as well as some WeRMemoryKeepers Christmas paper (the polka dots--i embossed some Hero Arts snowflakes in white over top). and yummy yum yum, don't you love the mini mini pom poms and the tulle? :D such a cute card!

and here's my submission for the Embellish Magazine owl and color card challenge. i bought the Webster's trim (the velvet/ ruffled brown ribbon) and that adorable owl stamp (pirate owl with a skull/ crossbones eye patch--so sassy!) at CK too :D i *told* you i had too much fun. oh, and see that new border punch and October Afternoon flower stamp that i used as background? ha--both buys at CK as well... yeah, now i'm realizing the dent i made in my budget i'm kinda gonna be spending ZERO for the next few weeks...

anyway, i'll be back to post some tags and cards soon--and don't forget to enter my blog candy as well as check up on my NaNoWriMo status!

thanks for looking :D

snow day snow cones...

yay! i'm quite the happy camper today :D first of all, this card was made using some more of the eskimo kisses paper from BG that i used to make the "home" card for 2S4U. and guess what?! that card made the fab 5! w00t w00t! :D that gave me a boost, and i know that my week will only be getting better...


so here's the big picture...

see that cute little polar bear holding some snowcones (or snowballs)? which, btw, i'm giving away in my blog-o-versary candy HERE. isn't he the cutest? he's a recent buy from Impress when i went to a stamp night--i paper pieced him and put him on a pop dot for dimension. i also used some fun fluff (flocking) from DeNami Design for the snowy portion of the card, but it's hard to tell in this picture.

anyway, yesterday i got to go up to CK Convention in Bellevue, and BOY, did i have fun (waaay too much fun. my sister threatened to rat my spending habits out to friends/ family, but i think i'll be doing that anyway--probably post some pictures of what i got here on the blog)!

anyway, i'm off to a write-in for NaNoWriMo. i'm happy to report that i have almost met the daily quota, and that Seattle is still in the lead (by a lot, actually :D)

have a great day, and thanks for looking!

I.N.S.A.N.E. (cards + NaNoWriMo)

**warning: slightly longer post than normal**

oh my goodness. it's been forever since i posted last! so so so sorry :/ it's been ridiculously busy this week--i made cards on wednesday, but didn't get to taking pictures/ posting until today. yesterday was my mom's birthday, my last swim meet coaching for the season, and this whole week was chock full of things to do (clean the house, wrap the presents, go to work, etc etc)

anyway, i decided it was about time i get on the ball, and i'm super excited to share some of these cards with you. unfortunately, some are kinda old (as in--i'm behind in posting). i'm going to be putting a "schedule" together of my weekly activities so i can organize my time better. i'm a list person--do so many more things when i go to check them off a list. speaking of why i need to make lists...

i have to tell you--i'm doing something CRAZY. like literally I.N.S.A.N.E. i am participating in NaNoWriMo. it's crazy. here's a little info about it.

National Novel Writing Month is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to novel writing. Participants begin writing November 1. The goal is to write a 175-page (50,000-word) novel by midnight, November 30.

Valuing enthusiasm and perseverance over painstaking craft, NaNoWriMo is a novel-writing program for everyone who has thought fleetingly about writing a novel but has been scared away by the time and effort involved.

Because of the limited writing window, the ONLY thing that matters in NaNoWriMo is output. It's all about quantity, not quality. The kamikaze approach forces you to lower your expectations, take risks, and write on the fly.

Make no mistake: You will be writing a lot of crap. And that's a good thing. By forcing yourself to write so intensely, you are giving yourself permission to make mistakes. To forgo the endless tweaking and editing and just create. To build without tearing down.

As you spend November writing, you can draw comfort from the fact that, all around the world, other National Novel Writing Month participants are going through the same joys and sorrows of producing the Great Frantic Novel. Wrimos meet throughout the month to offer encouragement, commiseration, and—when the thing is done—the kind of raucous celebrations that tend to frighten animals and small children.

okay, so you realize i'm crazy, right? 50,000 words?! and i teach! and i craft?! o.m.goodness. i can't believe it. i am LITERALLY insane. and am in need of support. so please! encouragement would be awesome. and maybe i'll be brave enough to share some of what i write.

you can follow me on twitter as ginnygurl if you're interested in seeing what i'm stressing about next :D / :S should be interesting no matter what.

okay, and on to the cards... the first one (at the top) was made using two stamps and lots of punches/ paper. i used the DoodleFactory gingerbread man stamp. there are actually two sides to the stamp--one where the little guy is happy, the other where he's sad... so cute. i used the DeNami Design "Merry Christmas" sentiment... i just love how swirly the script is--perfect for all sorts of things.

okay, and here we go with a "bird cage card." the transparency is from Hambly, and then i used a new technique *yay* of glitter tape along with some red DeNami glitter. hmmm, and that ribbon, pom pom trim are fab too, eh? i like the fall colors here.

and that cute fall leaf brad? YEAH! i love it. i used it on my mom's bday card that i'll share later. oh! and last year when i went to CK Seattle i got some of these "calendar pockets"? that i have never used... but seeing as Christmas is coming up, i thought they would be a perfect countdown part for cards... and for birthdays... and anything, really.

so so so in love with satin ribbon right now. and i love the look of layered flowers, don't you? i used MME glitter paper for the card--anything with a vintage feel has been catching my attention lately... hmm, wonder why?

okay, this next card has a similar color scheme cause i couldn't bear to NOT use it again... i borrowed a flower idea i saw on a blog the other day. now i can't remember where i saw it, but it was where you cut a square piece of paper and folded it and eventually rounded some corners, and VOILA! a flower shape. yeah, i didn't do it exactly like it was explained, but the brown part of the flower was a perfect backdrop to make the embellie stand out, don't ya think?

that "always adorable" chippie piece is from K&Co. how do they always have the CUTEST products? i could spend the majority of my $$ getting stuff they release... *sigh*

okay, and lastly, here's a SUPER fun card i made at the stamp party last weekend... the group i went with turned out being bigger than i thought--so lots of fun was had! i seriously could NOT resist these adorable snowballs... they're like bling, but for Christmas! how cute are they with this snowman... looks like he's about to throw them at someone, huh? hehe.

all the stamps i used were from the Impress store. the way it works for the stamp night is you pay $20 for pizza, drinks (yay for martinis this time around) and unlimited use of stamps and ink pads. you also get entered for door prizes and get 10% off all purchases :D so yeah, i had a lot of fun, and it was so great to relax and create with my girl friends.

well, hope you enjoy, and look back soon... i have a blog-o-versary coming up :D

oh, i have a question. what do you think of my new blog header? the title, GinnyLou Studio, is actually the name of my Etsy shop that is somewhat neglected as of late. i like the colors, but would love your input as well... so be honest!


whew, so thanks for reading to the end! take care, and don't forget to comment--i love seeing what you have to say! :)

Amy Butler is my hero.

yay! yummy snowflakes, rhinestones, pearls, and ribbon...

okay, remember back to THIS post about my "non-traditional" Christmas cards? i'm posting the other cards i made with the wonderful Amy Butler paper... i think the card below is the closest out of all of them to a real Christmas color scheme, but paper crafting is all about trying something new and different, right?

i really love the satin ribbon... ahh, such great bows! :D

well, today is busy busy busy for me... i'm coaching a swim meet today starting at 3pm, then going to a stamp night (i miss the first part, but get there later :D), then spending the night with a friend before going to church the next morning. whew, do i have a lot to pack for!

oh, and i also got some coupons for frames that are SUPER cheap, just TODAY, and i'm going to be using frames for Christmas gifts this year... so i may have to fit in some shopping, too... hehe. wow.

anyway, thanks for looking, and let me know what you're thinking of this round of cards :D

Moxie Fab World Challenge: Ruffles!

Moxie Fab World is hosting a new challenge: use ruffles of some sort on your card...

i totally went gingham Christmas on this one. used some October Afternoon paper, flower gems, Martha Stewart snowflakes again, my DeNami glitter, and a Paper Co. stamp. plus, you see that vintage button? it's amazing. actually much redder IRL.

so for this challenge, i saw the sample pictures Cath put up on the blog, and then i went ahead and pulled out some fabulous ribbon i bought in a fiber pack at Impress Rubber Stamps in Tukwila. i'm in love with this ribbon.


IRL you can see how the reds in the paper, ink, patterned paper, ribbons, and buttons all go together. here, in my mushie picture, it's not so clear. my apologies. BUT! speaking of Impress Rubber Stamps, i'm going to attend a stamp night THIS saturday! w00t w00t! i am so excited. last time i went with friends and we had a ball--pizza, stamps, ink, and 10% off all purchases... can you say amazing?! oh, and that stitched stamp is from Impress & the last time i was there... hehe!

oh>> in other good shopping news, i'm going to be at the CK Convention in Bellevue, WA with fellow blogger and amazing card-maker, AMY :D can't wait to meet up and spend some $$ (well, maybe just the getting product, not the spending $$ part ;) hehe) so i'm getting busier by the moment, but i think you'd all agree that it's a GOOD busy, especially when it involves crafting! am i right?

anyway, thanks for looking, and don't forget to enter yourself into the challenge by Oct. 26th!

XOXO

(BTW, this is post #150! who woulda' thought?!)

non-traditional Christmas

hmmmmm, yummy! have i mentioned i love satin ribbon before? it's just perfect. like, everything about it is perfect. it's bow-ability *yes, just made that word up* and it's elegance.

these cards basically remind me of my friend Paulina--very girly and sweet.

doesn't it look scrumptious on this non-traditional Christmas card? i love that pink, and it matches the Amy Butler paper so fabulously :D

loving the Martha Stewart snowflake punch. i bought it along with the other snowflake punch (you'll see it later) in the off-season Wal-Mart clearance isle for $4 (or was it $2?) either way... such a great deal! and the pearls and rhinestones are a fav too. definitely addicted--you'll be seeing LOTS of those coming up :D

here's another one--same layout, different papers/ ribbon. can you tell i'm gearing up for Christmas? this year i've been tossing around gift ideas, and i've come to the conclusion that almost everyone on my list will be getting a handmade gift--whether it's cards ('cuz Lord knows i have a HUGE stash to de-hoard), or framed paper art, or some type of cookies in a cute tin. we'll see... but i'm definitely planning.

do you have any lovely gift ideas that never fail to please? i'd love to hear about them. (oh, and i'd also love to know what you think about these cards :D) i'll be posting some other sweet cards later too... this layout was so simple and easy that i couldn't resist just using these papers 1x. plus, they were double sided, so i had to show you both options (: hehehe.

anyway, thanks for looking, and i hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend!

let it snow (MFW Elegant & Classy)

okay, here's today's post #3! i can't guarantee that i won't be posting again today... depends on whether i feel ambitious enough to create one more thing, but probably not, since i'm going with the family to a Labor Day BBQ in an hour :D

this card was created for the elegant and classy challenge over at Moxie Fab World (Holiday Challenges). i immediately got an idea for the papers i wanted to use (DCWV--Doodle Stack and some Bright Mats) as well as the design. i *love* it when that happens :D

i also love using punches, but sometimes forget that i have them... i used a variety of Marvy (for the regular and scalloped squares), Fiskars (border), and Martha Stewart punches (two different snowflake styles) for this card. the rest is just some bling (Kaiser) and ribbon (Michael's double faced satin).

oh, that stamp is from The Paper Company, and i used some VersaMark Chalk Ink with some clear embossing powder. i know the sentiment is subtle, but i thought it was really classy, hence my decision to use it!

i just want to thank Cath over at MFW for hosting such lovely challenges... i wish i had seen them earlier, and i could have submitted more :D hehe. also, go check out Heidi's interpretation of another challenge, the fun and cute Christmas--she will make you smile, guaranteed.

well, thanks for looking, and hope you enjoy! let me know what you think, it's so much fun reading all your comments.

be jolly (MFW Schabby Chic/ Vintage)

okay, post #2 for today... this time, it's for the vintage/ shabby chic Moxie Fab World Holiday Challenge. and personally, this card took me the longest to make, but it's my favorite out of the three... maybe it's because it took so long, hehe :D

i've never submitted cards for challenges over at MFW, so posting 3 cards is completely new for me :D but i had a lot of fun checking out the gallery of cards, you really should too.

anyway, i used the "be jolly" stamp from The Paper Company, the snowflake cut from the Accents Cricut cartridge, some $1 lace from Jo-Ann's, DCWV patterned paper (The Christmas Value Pack), some K&CO holiday mat paper (can't really see it), kraft/ cream/ pink/ light pink card stock, brown ink from Impress, and some lovely pink rhinestones. i also used a Martha Stewart border punch.

i know i didn't have a vintage image, but i really thought the distressing and paper choices make this card "shabby chic." what do you think? you like?

oh, and here's something else that's new for me... i even decorated the inside and back of the card (back shown here) for some extra fabulous-ness :D

thanks for looking, and don't forget to check out Heidi's blog too for some sweetness!

it's Christmastime!

wow, been a while since i've posted. i made a couple of cards a few days ago, and they were based on a 2S4U sketch--i think i'm giving them to relatives for Christmas, but i truthfully haven't decided.

we've had QUITE an interesting week here in Washington--it's been snowing almost every day for the last week and a half, which has now accumulated to about 8 inches where i live. really amazing. i got to enjoy the snow a couple of different times--walking with the family, NIGHT sledding down a hill in our neighborhood nick-named "Killer Hill," and then sledding two more times (once on a saucer--oh boy). as a result of the snow, i've been semi-stuck at home because the only way out of our neighborhood is UP one of three hills. so my family hasn't made it to church, shopping, a performance of "Scrooge, The Musical" or just about anything else. BUT! the good news is we had a party here at the house on Monday, and we thought that the weather would prevent most people from attending. fortunately, though, we had about 45-50 out of the 80+ invitees show up! it was a lot of fun, and everyone enjoyed themselves. some dear friends couldn't come, but i've decided to host something that they can DEFINITELY come to (*hint, hint* Paulina).

i seriously CANNOT wait until tomorrow... i LOVE Christmas, and having all my siblings home, and the family together is amazing. plus, i'm super excited about the presents i got/ made for family this year! i took some pictures of the wrapping that i did too. (but they may not load until later) i found some AMAZING ribbon from Costco, of all places, to make beautiful bows with--one is double-sided black and pink, and the other is red and black with velvet fleur-de-lis (i tried to get more all-occasion ribbon i could use for more than Christmas). having 6 other family members gives me ample opportunity to showcase my wrapping expertise... Peter said "Gin, you look like you got a professional to wrap your presents..." and i told him, "I did!" :) i love giving gifts, like i said.





well, i truly hope that everyone has a Merry Christmas!