Exciting News!

I’m so crafty…

Posted by Sarah Martina on Oct 11, 2011 in Baby Talk, Exciting News! | 48 comments

…haha!

Crate Paper Design Team – Fall 2011

Posted by Sarah Martina on Jul 8, 2011 in Crate Paper, Exciting News! | 7 comments

*Scroll down to see my Embellish Color Trends Challenge post!*

^^^ That pretty much sums up how I’m feeling right now. This week the new Crate Paper Girls are being announced, and I’m so, so happy to be joining the team for another term! Not a shabby way to end the week, is it? Haha!

But in all seriousness, I really do love me some Crate Paper y’all. Christine & Lisa & the entire Crate Paper crew have been nothing but the most wonderful people to work with, and I’m super-duper excited to be back with them this Fall! And did you check out the other wonderful CP Girls??? Endless, endless talent… The inspiration coming your way will knock your socks off, you just wait! Be sure to head over to the CP Blog to leave the new CP Girls some love!

This is just a card that was shared on the Crate Paper blog today. I used primarily the Restoration collection… still one of my favorite collections ever. I just love the rich pops of teal, mustard, red and fuchsia against the rustic neutrals. Super pretty.

Alrighty, y’all! That’s it for today!

Y’all have a happy weekend!

Here’s today’s color board:

Waltzingmouse Release – Day 1

Posted by Sarah Martina on Feb 26, 2011 in Exciting News!, Waltzingmouse, Waltzingmouse Release | 34 comments

Hey y’all!

I’m so, so excited to be sharing the news with you all today…

Ms. Claire, owner of one of my most favorite stamp companies ever, Waltzingmouse Stamps, has invited me to be a part of her uber talented Design Team!

Claire’s designs are one of a kind, and I just love the flair that they add to my projects…

And this month is of *no* exception! I’m ga-ga for the stamps in this release, and I’m sure you will be, too!

There are *5 new sets* being released… and they will all be hot & ready for your sweet hands on March 1st…

Hopefully you can “hold yer horses” ’til then… lol! (I know… cheesey.)

So, without too much more rambling, let’s get to the sneaky-peek! *wink!*

The sets that we are showcasing today are called, Way Out West and Back in the Saddle.

I have to admit that when I first saw these western-themed stamps, I was stumped!

They’re *so* much fun to look at… they bring me back to when I would stay up all night with my cousins in Germany watching old Westerns (apparently they thought all Americans loved Westerns, lol!)

Lots of nostalgia in this set, but how could I translate it to paper & ink?…

After lots of staring…. I finally just pulled out my ink and card stock and began stamping….

I stamped without any clear vision as to what my final product would look like.

Just let the stamps do the talking… and boy did they holler!

I just love how all of the fun sentiments in this set came together.

And once I was finished with the card, I whipped out this cute (and free!) template for the Octagon Basket.

I focused on stamped the pretty borders in Way Out West for this part of the project…

How fun is that?!

I have to say, without sounding too stalker-ish, that this set totally reminds me of The Pioneer Woman… lol!

Is it just me???

I love “watching” Ree cook, and drooling over her gorgeous photography contests… but more than anything I love to just read what she has to share about her “ranch life.”

And this stamp (above) in particular is definitely a shout-out to Ree’s hubby (a tried and true cowboy, lol!).

Love those rustic stars… Love ‘em to pieces.

And how scrumptious are those goodies in my octagon basket? I got those from my dear friend, Carly’s shop. I’ll be featuring some of her product next week, so keep your eyes peeled!

Well, I’m done talking your head off (for now)…

So… You really, really wanna go check out what the rest of the design team has done with these stamps…

Really.

*wink*

Not kidding… prepare yourselves. lol….

Claire (owner)

See y’all tomorrow with another peek! Ooooh I’m beyond words excited about tomorrow’s set!!!…

Xoxo,

hey there…

Posted by Sarah Martina on Jan 24, 2011 in Crate Paper, Exciting News!, Waltzingmouse, Waltzingmouse Sketch | 8 comments

…how are y’all?

Happy Monday to ya!

Am I the only one who wishes I could’ve had a 3-day weekend?

It was a rough one for me, so I didn’t get nearly as much accomplished as I had hoped…

Getting kinda tired of saying that on Mondays, here lately…

I should probably learn how to stick to my list of things-to-do, and not get so easily distracted with other seemingly urgent matters that pop up…

Anyhow, just a little outward thinking to start the day off, lol…

Today I’m catching up on some things from the past several days that I haven’t shared with you yet…

The card above is for this week’s Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge #31.

It’s a wonderful sketch… easy-flowing, simple, and quite flexible…

I chose to stick quite closely to the original sketch, this time, and used my Sweethearts set, along with a flourish from Vintage Labels No. 10.

I adore all of the sweet, little flourishes that Claire tucks into her stamp sets…

You get so much more out of these stamps than you may think at first glance… Love them.

I added some pretty cabbage rose ribbon from Memrie Mare, along with a gorgeous, jeweled vintage button, nestled up next to a pretty, pearled-rose from American Crafts. The frame is from Maya Road.

The papers I used are some subtle patterns found in one of Crate Paper’s new collections, debuting at CHA in a few days: Emma’s Shoppe.

And speaking of Emma’s Shoppe…

…this is one of the cards that I made featuring the lovely new collection.

You may have seen this already on the Crate Paper blog, but just in case you haven’t, I thought I’d share it, along with another one.

So, do you wanna know what I think?…

I’m thinkin’ Emma’s Shoppe will be one of the all-time faves of CHA Winter 2011.

Mark my words.

I have never loved a collection as much as I do this one…

Do you remember Restoration from CHA Summer 2010? Well, consider this the sequel…

But not one of those sequels that you wish was never made…

No, no… This is one of those sequels that make you jump up and down and squeal with delight…

I’m tellin ya… You need this stuff in your life!

The colors alone make me want to do cartwheels… let alone the patterns, textures and coordinating do-dads…

Now… on to something that almost brought tears to my eyes…

A little boy collection that has stolen my heart…

Toy soldiers… paper airplanes… trains… vintage race cars… and so, so much more.

I knew this would be a hit when my little guy picked up the chipboard sheet and began belting out airplane and truck noises as he ran around the room with it, lol!

It’s just so perfect.

Just as Lisa, the genius designer behind these beautiful collections, described… (and I’m paraphrasing… you can read her exact description over on the Crate Paper blog), it’s as if you walked into any little boy’s room and picked up the pieces from his floor, his toy chest, and under his bed…. and put them into a fun, nostalgic collection of paper and fabric goodies…

Everything that represents my little boy is found in this collection…

Add to that the sweet wash of vintage texture and, well, I’m totall in love…

There are 2 more collections up for you to feast your eyes on…

Swing on over to the CRATE PAPER BLOG to see all of the yummy details of all four new collections, as well as some more projects created by some of my fabulous fellow CP girls.

Then head over to the WALTZINGMOUSE SKETCH CHALLENGE BLOG to play along with us for this week’s sketch.

Thanks so much for visiting today, my friends.

‘Til next time…

Happy news…

Posted by Sarah Martina on Jan 14, 2011 in Crate Paper, Exciting News! | 12 comments

Hi my lovelies!

How have you been? This week has flown by for me! Yikes… I have lots of irons in the fire with CHA quickly approaching, but everything is coming to a state of completion. It’s been tough getting it all done at once, but I can’t wait to share the end result with you.

But that’s for another day… For today, I’ve got some happy news to share with you. The sweet folks at Crate Paper so generously invited me back for another term on their design team!… You can check out the announcement here. You can also see the rest of the team there and learn 10 interesting facts about each of us… fun stuff. *wink*

Pretty graphics, huh?… Well consider it your first sneak peek into what Crate will be revealing next week! Eeeks I’m too excited, lol…

Here are some close-ups of the project that I created using one of CP’s older (but cuter!) collections: Paper Doll. It’s full of super fun colors that I’m sure will speak to lots of you. After all, Spring will be here in just a few blinks of an eye!

The “hello” stamp is from Communique Sentiments (PTI), and the glittered star is from MemrieMare…. Have I told you how much I love that shop? Marilyn is the owner and is the kindest shop owner I’ve ever had the pleasure of doing business with. She’s always adding sweet, new, seasonal items to her shop… And she sends candy, people. Candy. In your package. *swoon*

Have a fabulous weekend! I’ll be back tomorrow with a new sketch for Waltzingmouse… til then…

Posted by Sarah Martina on Oct 7, 2010 in Cricut, Cricut Circle, Exciting News! | Comments Off

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