I am guest designing over at Hallmark Scrapbook this week…you can check out today’s post by clicking HERE! Thanks so much for all your nice comments!! It’s a really tough week here with some big family problems so I appreciate all the lovely things everyone says!! It really lifts me up and I thank you!!! Subscribe to Obsessed with Scrapbooking to learn more about ways to use the Cricut in your scrapbooking!
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Panda Layout
The gods of music are summoned. All around us, a chorus of trumpets. In one bright, glorious resonance of sound, their brassy tones penetrate the silence, as joyful and as exuberant as children playing in a field. Immediately, we recognize its undeniable theme. The Olympic theme. It quickens a shiver, as somewhere deep inside we know we are about to witness history. Stepping up to the podium, fifteen winners in a field of 450 highly qualified competitors. They have tirelessly trained by spending hours and hours in their craft spaces–building their skills, improving their techniques, and testing their limits. They have wowed the judge with their stamping skills, their design ability, their execution, their risk-taking, and their creativity. They are the champions in our Olympics of Stamping challenge , friends. Please offer them a round of well-deserved and hearty applause . A cheer or two would do nicely as well . In the Birthday category, the bronze medal winner is: Erica Messervy Moxie Fab Alert: I love this simply stamped big fat cupcake. For me, the wow-factor comes in the pairing of those colorful stripes and sprinkles with the neutrals in the cupcake and the background paper. Moxie fab! …the silver medal winner is: Silke Ledlow Moxie Fab Alert: The balance in this card is divine. The brilliant color combination in the cake steals the show (as it should), but it’s balanced perfectly by the white background, the black accents, and the way she’s scored the left hand side of the background which helps to balance the ribbon on the right side. The black flower is perfectly placed in the “sweet spot” of the card making me want to gobble it up entirely. Delicious! …and the gold medal winner is: Krysten Ng Moxie Fab Alert: Not only is this a g-o-r-g-e-o-u-s card, but it’s technique-y as well. Krysten has used “stamp kissing” on the flowers which adds texture and all-around moxie fabulousness to an expertly executed card! In the Love category, the bronze medal winner is: Michelle Mathey Moxie Fab Alert: I love the way Michelle has stamped the monster background, alternating and staggering those cute little guys. I also love the way she’s pulled out the main monster as the focal point because it accentuates the sentiment, “one of a kind.” …the silver medal winner is: Carly Moxie Fab Alert: The focal point in this card is unmistakable–a heart surrounded by cute typography in a color scheme that is fresh and fun. I also love the way Carly has embossed a dotted pattern on the bottom half of the card which helps ground the focal point, eliminating any chance that it might feel like it’s “floating.” AND she’s echoed those dots by piercing the petals of the flowers giving the card wonderful continuity and flow! …and the gold medal winner is: Scrappy A (Alicia) Moxie Fab World: Talk about trendy! We’ve got a trendy image in this retro seamstress, a trendy technique in stamping on patterned paper, a trendy way to call attention to a focal point by placing a shape offset and behind, a trendy color combination, and a trendy accent in that puffy “love you” heart. Put that all together and what do you get? Moxie fab at its best! In the Season’s Greetings category, the bronze medal winner is: Katie Renz Moxie Fab Alert: The hand-stamped background shines in this card! Katie has allowed it to speak completely for itself by treating the sentiment, ribbon, and the bottom border so simply. Yummy! …the silver medal winner is: Tracey Moxie Fab Alert: This beautiful card is entirely stamped. From the background to the focal point, Tracey has created movement, depth, balance, and flow with a skill and execution that I admire tremendously. …and the gold medal winner is: Kristin Tierney Moxie Fab Alert: The colors in this card leave me with my jaw on the floor. The soft shades of yellow, green, and blue with the white embossing and sparkle make me think that these flakes might have fallen through a pastel rainbow. Even Kristin admits that the color combination was out-of-the-box, but girl, you nailed it as far as I’m concerned! In the Thank You category, the bronze medal winner is: NinaB Moxie Fab Alert: Not only is this card beautifully stamped, but again, its balance is something rare and wonderful. The focal point is placed on the diagonal rather than on the square, which offsets the vertical background perfectly. The pearls at the bottom both ground the card and echo the pearls at the top of the focal point. And the butterfly and the bow offset one another in delicious harmony. Besides that? It’s absolutely and unequivocally gorgeous! The silver medal winner is: Kara Moxie Fab Alert: Speaking of gorgeous, oh my. When I first opened this card up in my browser, my heart started beating much, much faster. The flowers are amazing, aren’t they? The way they’re colored, the way they’re layered, they way they’re turned up to give them extra texture. And again, balance. The focal point on the left is balanced by the sentiment, while the bow ties them both together. …and the gold medal winner is: Lala aka Missbliss Moxie Fab Alert: It’s punny! It’s well-executed! It’s sweet! It’s fun! It’s super stampy! It’s quirky! It’s moxie fab! And last but certainly not least, in the Thinking of You category, the bronze medal winner is: Mariana Grigsby Moxie Fab Alert: This card has some serious wow-factor. First you see that punch of a color scheme. Then you see that beautiful damask focal point. And then? Then you see that she’s pulled a heart out of said beautiful damask focal point. And then? Then you say, “Wow!” Karen Baker Moxie Fab Alert: Speaking of “wow” factor, this card has it goin’ on as well. “Wow” in the color scheme, “wow” in the technique she’s used to reverse-silhouette those flowers, “wow” in the balance of the card (good things come in “three’s”), “wow” in the font that perfectly matches the style of the card, and “wow” in that ribbon and those three little rhinestones that top it all off. I’m just sayin’. Wow. Lea L. Moxie Fab Alert: Um. Yeah. Wow. Super awesome gradient stamping. Super awesome echoing of gradient color in the rhinestones at the bottom. Super awesome simple treatment of the sentiment allowing the rest of it to shine, shine, shine. Oh my wow, Lea! Oh my wow! Congratulations again to these winners, certainly, but I’d also like to thank the other 435 of you who gave this challenge a go. I could have easily chosen ten winners in each category without hesitation. As I looked at each card, I was so impressed with your passion for stamping, the fun you were having, and the joy that this craft brings you. Thanks for sharing it all with me and the rest of the Moxie Fab World! Now friends, the Olympics of Stamping may be over, but the Paper Crafts Stamping Royalty competition is just warming up. I would just love it if every single one of you sent in your stamped card(s) for this challenge to this contest. Entries must be postmarked by March 24. Not only do you have a chance to be published in our November/December 2010 issue, but you also have a chance to win a prize package worth over $250. What have you got to lose? If you were brave enough to post your card for this challenge to your blog, certainly you’re brave enough to let us humble editors take a look at your work. I know, right? Also, I can’t stress enough how much we’d love to see your work come through our submissions process. Whether you are a stamper or a non-stamper, we’d love to see your creative approaches to our calls. You can always see what we’re looking for by bookmarking this link to our website. In fact, we’ve got a super fun call out right now. Again I say: What have you got to lose? OK. I’m stepping off my soap box now. Podiums. Soap boxes. We’re certainly feeling elevated here in the Moxie Fab World today now aren’t we? Winners, you must send me your addresses in an email at cedvalson@papercraftsmag.com with “Olympics of Stamping Challenge Winner” in the subject line in order to claim your prize. I can’t wait to hear from all fifteen of you! Friends, leave these ladies some love by midnight MST on Sunday, March 14 and I’ll rustle up a yummy prize for one random winner! Huggin’ all y’all in the Kiss & Cry section, ~Cath PS Don’t despair, the Olympics of Stamping Challenge may be officially wrapped up, but there’s still the Diggin’ on Doilies & Lace Challenge AND the Paper Crafts Babies & Brides Gallery Challenge . Click on the links to challenge yourself even more!
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The Olympics of Stamping Champions: Gold, Silver, & Bronze Medal Winners
Of course I was looking for something green for this week’s Trigger, friends. With St. Patty’s Day just around the corner, I thought you’d have some moxie fab fun with this gorgeous image from Alicia Thelin : Image from Victoria’s Magazine Alicia says: These green toile chairs spoke to me, saying, “Come and have a seat, relax, you don’t have to clean up after anyone here”. 
So I thought it would make a perfect inspiration piece for a card for my mom. My favorite color is green, as is hers, so it was a perfect match. Cath says: Lovely, no? I hope you have some festive fun with this one for sure, friends! Oh, but before I go, let’s not forget our Trigger Targets from last week’s Tuesday Trigger brought to us by Kim Wilson . Congratulations go to these ladies for rockin’ it out: Diana Albright , Heidi Van Laar , Latisha Yoast , Lisa Forsythe , and Regan D’Agostino ! Thanks to everyone who gave it a go! All y’all just continue to inspire and amaze me! So, link ‘em up, friends! If you’re new to the Tuesday Trigger , let me ’splain. Create a project that is inspired by the Trigger that Alicia has provided and post it to your blog. Then, click on the title of your blog post, copy the URL at the top, and link it using Mr. Linky below. If you don’t have a blog, post your project to this flickr group and link it to Mr. Linky as soon as you’ve grabbed the URL. Easy peasy and TONS o’ fun! Be sure and tune in tomorrow when I’ll have the winners of the Olympics of Stamping Challenge . Gold, silver, or bronze, we’ll have 15 champions on the podium! Feeling lovely on the green, ~Cath PS I’m always looking for inspiring triggers to post each Tuesday. If you’re interested in giving it a try, email me at tuesdaytrigger@gmail.com . Send me your Trigger with the URL where it can be found online, an image of the project you created based on the Trigger, and a blurb that states how and why it inspired you. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be next week’s featured designer! Wouldn’t that be cool?
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Tuesday Trigger: Lovely on the Green
Sneak Peeks of My cards! I am guest designing over at Hallmark Scrapbook this week so please head over and check it out! I made two cards for today’s post at Hallmark Scrapbook using the Just Because Cards and Preserves cartridges - you can see them HERE! Hallmark Scrapbook is one of my favorite online stores! The owner, Jody, has great pricing and outstanding customer service. I mean, outstanding!! I ordered a cartridge on December 22 and had it in hand by December 24! Now, that is SERVICE! Next up, here are the winners of the SEI Paper Packs! Thank you so much for all your sweet comments! And I also really appreciate the blog and facebook posts! In fact, check back later because I decided to do some extra giveaways for those people who did blog and facebook posts…woo hoo! Winner of the Claire Paper Pack and Embellishments: Winner of the Happy Day Paper Pack and Embellishments: Please contact me at obsessedwithscrapbooking@gmail.com with your name and address and what you won. You have two weeks to claim your prize! Finally, here are the coupons for this week: AC Moore: Hobby Lobby: Walgreens: Michaels: Subscribe to Obsessed with Scrapbooking to learn more about ways to use the Cricut in your scrapbooking!
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Coupons, Winners of SEI Paper Packs and more!
I’m not gonna lie. I’ve had “baby” on the brain. Not that I have any plans to have more of my own whatsoever, certainly. (My youngest is 21!) But with the birth of Brandy’s baby boy a mere three short weeks ago, the recent news that one of my best friends is going to be a grandma for the first time, and a dear friend who is about to adopt her first at the tender age of 43, well, I’ve been dreaming in lullabies for quite some time now. To top it all off, there’s a baby feature in the March issue of Paper Crafts magazine (do you have your copy yet?), and well, what I’m trying to say is, I’ve got “baby” on the brain. Lullaby Lane from Webster’s Pages is just what I need. It channels all my bouncing baby thoughts into one place. For it is soft. It is sweet. It is vintage. And it is delicious. Check it: Out for a Stroll Out for a Stroll (B) Puppydogs & Pigtails Puppydogs & Pigtails (B) The Arrival The Arrival (B) Leaps & Bounds Leaps & Bounds (B) In Due Time In Due Time (B) Dreamland Dreamland (B) Vellum Die-cut Image Stickers Alpha Stickers Fabric Fancies Life’s Lullaby Trim Card Pack Fabric Ribbon Bloomer Deluxe Card Vintage Sparkler Buttons Scalloped Sparkler Buttons Glitter Sparkler Buttons 6×6 Paper Pad Who knows? Maybe now you’ve got “baby” on the brain as well! Tell me what you love the most by midnight MST on Sunday, March 14 and I’ll draw two random winners to receive this moxie fab collection. Loving on Lullaby Lane, ~Cath PS Today is the last day to enter the Olympics of Stamping Challenge , friends, so load up your stampy goodness. The category with the fewest entries so far? Season’s Greetings. Could be a good place to get a leg in. I’m just sayin’. Click here for all the deets. It’s also the last day to submit to this week’s Tuesday Trigger . Hope you’ve got some time to squeeze these in! Later!
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Moxie Monday: Lullaby Lane from Webster’s Pages
Best of the Blogosphere lists. Remember these lovely little boxes don’t show up in Google Reader, so if you can’t see them, click on over to my site and they will magically appear. (When you see the boxes, there is a small “read more” in the bottom, right hand corner… click it and you can see the list with pictures as a web page!) The Shout Out List (my favorite CARDS OF THE WEEK): The cards and projects that earned some extra love and attention this week. The best of the best. You people ROCK MY WORLD 
Shout (all categories, just awesome): Easter: St. Patrick’s Day: Spring: Flowers: Teacher: Card Sets: Wedding: Invitations: Friendship: Wrap it Up: Favors (Party favors…): Thank You: Birthday: Gift Ideas: Baby: Boxes: Sympathy: Sympathy cards are always hard to write. Here’s a link to a website that will help you with wording and then some cards for inspiration. The Best of the Blogosphere : In my travels through Blogland, I discover a lot of projects, cards, scrapbook pages, tips, templates and tutorials that are all worth sharing. I want my friends to see the things out there that are special, inspirational, worth some extra notice. This list is everything I think is worth sharing… better read it… you could be on the list!
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Card of the Week & Best of the Blogosophere: February 27 - March 5, 2010
If you’re not seeing many signs of spring yet in your neck-of-the-woods, maybe these will bring you some springlike cheer: Wonderland Tea Party Pinwheels by rule42 on etsy Wire Drop Shelf from Urban Outfitters Sunshine Floret Bobby Pin Hair Clip from adoreadornments on etsy Springtime in Paris Cherry Blossom Wreath from bloomingcouture on etsy Reproduction Feedsack 1930’s Lap Quilt by sweetjane on etsy REmovable Wall Stickers from contemporarydreams on etsy Primitive Robin Eggs from northwindstar on etsy Pink, Indubitably Poms from PomLove Pink Rose Slipper from Country Living Pearl Chain and Ribbon Multi-Strand Necklace from Ann Taylor Orange and White Grass Embroidered Table Runner from kainkain on etsy Lovely Fine Art Photograph by HeyZee on etsy In Bloom Clutch from Ann Taylor I Love Macarons Book by Hisako Ogita via Urban Outfitters French Rose Pillow by dedeetsyshop on etsy Fondant Cupcake Toppers by clineffsconfections on etsy Ferris Wheel by HeyZee on etsy Felt Ornament Decoration from urbanpaisley on etsy Duck Cookie Favors from HolidayCandyLane on etsy Calico Easter Eggs from disgustedcats on etsy Have a moxie fabulous weekend friends, ~Cath PS You only have until Monday to crank out those mostly-stamped cards for the Olympics of Stamping! Click here for all the deets and to load ‘em up!
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Five (x4) for Friday: Signs of Spring
from Archivers Below are some great coupons I got from Archivers! They are having some great upcoming events that you can read all about HERE! I wish I lived closer to one - I would be there in a second! Also, let’s talk giveaways . If you just got here, you need to know about the SEI paper and embellishment giveaways I have going on this week! Click HERE and HERE to find out how to enter! And, did you hear about the NINE cartridges, blue Cuttlebug, Jillibean Soup and SEI paper packs, and Cuttlebug folder holder we are giving away over on Everyday Cricut ? Click HERE to enter to win! Finally, you don’t want to miss out on Friday’s post here and on Everyday Cricut! More giveaways will be announced! And one of them is HUGE!! So, be sure to head back and check it out! Now, onto the coupons: Subscribe to Obsessed with Scrapbooking to learn more about ways to use the Cricut in your scrapbooking!
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Archiver’s Coupons and Giveaway Info
Doilies and lace. It’s a trend I’ve been watching for quite a while now, and it hit the ground running at CHA Winter this past January. Naturally I’m just thrilled at the timing of this, as the March/April 2010 Moxie Fabs article in Paper Crafts magazine just happens to focus on doilies and lace as our trendy inspiration. (You can find it on pages 24-26.) And as with all things trendy, if it is, indeed, a true trend, you’re going to see it in many, many other moxie fab places as well. And, you’ll probably find yourself muttering somewhere inside that inspirable brain of yours, Ooo, that’s really cool. Check it: Sunshine Apron from hankypankyaprons on etsy Lela Rose Dress from Net-a-Porter Doily Banner from Apartment Therapy Heidi Lace Shoes by Georgina Goodman via Polyvore Doily Home Decor from Apartment Therapy Chatting Garden Rug from Anthropologie Doily Wall Decor from Apartment Therapy Michael Kors Lace Shift Dress from 25 Park Thomaspaul Gothic Dinner Plate Set from 2modern Handprinted Sachet by inkihandmade on etsy Chantilly Oxfords from Anthropologie Cameo Lace Chair from Anthropologie Ebony Lace Wallpaper from Anthropologie Debonair Doily Top from Anthropologie Snowflake Apron from hankypankyaprons on etsy Lace Lamp Shades from Apartment Therapy See what I’m sayin’? I’m sayin’ Ooo, that’s cool somewhere in that inspirable brain of mine, and I’m pretty sure you are, too. The supah fun fun begins when you find ways to incorporate this trend into your paper crafted projects as these Moxie Fabbers who happen to also be Paper Crafts Go-to Gals did for the March/April column: Absolutely Fabulous Card by Jessica Witty , p. 25 Moxie Fab Alert: In this gorgeous card, Jessica has layered a variety of products from Hambly Screen Prints to accentuate both lace and doily looks that completely accentuate the trend focus. Merci Beaucoup Card by Betsy Veldman , p. 26 Moxie Fab Alert: In this dainty and delicate card, Betsy has used stamps to achieve her doily effects as both the focal point of her design (red on white) and as the background (white on kraft.) Old Friends Doily Card by Kim Kesti , p. 25 Moxie Fab Alert: In this moxie fab card, Kim has combined Hambly Screen Print doilies (Hambly is always ahead of the trends) with vintage photos and a lot of white space to create a distinctively retro-modern look. Supah cool! Are you ready to give this a try? A couple of key points to think about as you get started: The doily/lace should be the focal point of the design. It won’t be enough to just put some lace on your project, for example. If you notice in all the images above, the doily is the focal point and/or the lace completely covers whatever is in the background. With doilies and lace, the element of contrast is the key. It’s really hard to see white lace on pastels. If you notice, most of the doilies and lace in the examples above pair opposites (white and black) or highly contrasted colors (yellow and black, red and white, etc.) By the same token, if you prefer not to use highly contrasting colors, for maximum impact, go with neutrals or complimentary colors. The effect is powerful, yet soft. Don’t be afraid to break the rules and come up with something that totally pops. Wow-factor is always a combination of surprise, balance, and fine execution. At least, that’s what wow-factor is for me, and I’m judging this challenge, so what I say goes. Ha! 
Here’s how to play: create a project you love, post it to your blog, then click on the post title and upload that URL to Mr. Linky below. If you don’t have a blog, link your projects to this flickr group so we can all make comments. You have until midnight on Monday, March 22 to submit your masterpieces. I’ll show the five most moxie fab projects on this blog on Wednesday, March 24. Winners will receive an “I’m Moxie Fab Challenge Winner” badge for the sidebars of their blogs and a delightful prize as well, but the real fun is in stretching yourself and doing something you might never have tried before. I can’t WAIT to see what you do with this fun challenge, friends. To see the rest of the projects in the March/April Moxie Fabs column, pick up your copy today! Diggin’ on doilies and lace, ~Cath
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Moxie Fab World Challenge: Diggin’ on Doilies & Lace
Wow but all y ‘all are just so inspiring! I hope you’ve had a chance to take a look at the Fun with Floss Challenge entries, friends. There are some amazing projects in the bunch and I want to thank everyone who dusted off their floss caddies, dug out their stitches charts, and generally got flossy when submitting to this challenge! The decision making process was just as agonizing with this challenge as it always seems to be, but I did want to give a shout-out to these Moxie Fabbers who had great approaches to using floss on their projects: Ashley Nguyen Newell , Carolyn , Diana Fisher , Jill Dunn , and Kelley Eubanks . You go girls! And now, without further delay, I give you the winners of the Fun with Floss Challenge! Hello Card by Kristin Tierney Moxie Fab Alert: I moxie love the way Kristin has used floss as a medium for color! I love her clean design, the way she used a button in the upper right hand corner to give us a surprising break in the lines, and the piercing that underlines it all is simply moxie fab! Crocheted Hello Card by Lisa V. Moxie Fab Alert: Not only am I truly enamored with the fact that Lisa crocheted the focal point herself, but I supah love the way she’s placed a clear button in the center that is backed by the polka dot patterned paper in the background. I love that she’s kept the entire design soft in the colors, the inking, and the distressed edges, which, when pulled all together echo the fleecy goodness of the flower itself. Thinking of You Card by Vanessa Menhorn Moxie Fab Alert: I love the way Vanessa has accentuated this lovely design by adding simple stitching along the most poignant lines of the flower. Moxie fab! Butterfly Wishes by NinaB Moxie Fab Alert: What a gorgeous treatment of floss in this beautifully stitched card. The butterfly is perfectly pierced, adding to the exquisite execution that makes this card sing. The color combination is delicious and the addition of pearls to the butterfly’s body send me beyond beyond. Great job, Nina! Stitched Design Card by Laura Fulcher Moxie Fab Alert: I literally *gasped* when this link opened up in my browser, friends. Beautiful design, stunning colors, and fantastic execution all add up to one moxie fab card that would look quite nice framed. Click on the photo for a larger image, only then will you appreciate the amazing attention to detail in this card! Thanks again to everyone who entered this challenge! Winners, please send me your addresses in an email to me at cedvalson@papercraftsmag.com with “Fun With Floss Challenge Winner” in the subject line and I’ll send you your “I’m Moxie Fab Challenge Winner” badges and a prize for you to enjoy! Feeling fully flossed, ~Cath PS The Olympics of Stamping Challenge continues here in the Moxie Fab World. Win gold, silver, or bronze medals by posting mostly stamped cards in our five categories by March 8. Click here for more details !
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The Fun With Floss Challenge Winners
