Klinker

So one of my favorite baseball players, Matt Klinker, is having a bit of a rough season and has been stuck in a rut playing for the same team he spent the majority of his time with last year (in minor league baseball you want to be continually moving on up in the system).  Needless to say, he's a little frustrated (in the game, we like to call it "being salty") so I figured I'd try to give him a little pick me up and maybe it'll give him the boost to get him back up to AAA.  

Right now he plays for the AA team for the Cincinnati Reds, the Carolina Mudcats, so I decided to stick with that theme!  I used the pitcher from Kenny K digital stamps and modify it so it fits their jerseys.  I heat embossed using clear embossing powder a little Michaels dollar bin baseball stamp over the background to give a subtle pattern.  Using Sure Cuts A Lot, I cut out a wonky square shape as well as the Reds logo so the red would show through.  I also cut out his jersey number as well using Sure cuts a lot.  The card base is using Papertrey ink cardstock in smokey (I LOVE THIS STUFF FOR BASES) and cuttlebugged the diamond plate pattern.  I added Recollection brads for some bling and that was the front!

The Back I used Inkscape and svg. the Mudcats logo into three cuts and cut them out using Sure Cuts a Lot.  Klinker's name is also cut out using the Sure Cuts A Lot and the background was cuttlebugged with the Diamond Plate folder as well.  

Because Matt is so salty right now I figured I'd help him balance it out with some sweets by making him some cookies!  

He loved everything.  So this is an insight of some characters that I get to deal with everyday.  Klinker on the other hand is a pretty 'special' person anyway.  Needless to say, he doesn't take himself seriously.

This is what he normally looks like =)  I don't mind him either way =)

Sneak Peek Day #2

Sneak Peek Day #2!!  I chose to display the Riley and Sophie under the sea stamp for my sneak peek for the upcoming Riley on Vacation stamp release!  This cute little image was perfect for my shaped card with a bit of a Hawaii/Island theme.

It's a bit hard to see, but the background is heat embossed with a clear flourish stamp and the background is sponged in a bunch of sea colors.  Here's a closeup of the cute stamp colored in with copics

The flourish kind of ran through mermaid Sophie's hair.  I also added gelly roll sakura in red to give her hair some shimmer.

Enjoy and be sure to check out my other moose mates and their design!

Sneak Peek Day #1

Hello everyone!  It's that time again, Sneak Peek season for the brand new stamps from Riley and Company!  The name for this release is called Riley goes on Vacation, and it is CERTAINLY right up my alley with all the traveling I do.  It's super super super super cute, and I had a blast designing and creating with these.  So let's get started!

I made this card for one of my friends who plays baseball in the Braves organization.  He's originally from Australia and has been over here in the states playing for the past 3 years.  Needless to say, I enjoy ribbing him a bit for his strong Perth accent, but just wanted this card to remind him to keep living the dream, don't stress about his baseball results, and enjoy the moment.

These images are super cute and mimic the style of the international stamps that you get in your passport.  Let's just say I loved the creativity and coloring of all of them!

This July release is huge and consists of 24 new Riley images and they go on sale on July 28th!  The Riley Blog Hop release starts at 10 PM on July 28th.

Please check out all the other Design Team Moose Mates on the links to the left and DEFINITELY don't forget our guest designer Stephanie Hill.  She is VERY talented and I look at her blog daily and admire her creativity and bright colors she incorporates in her coloring.  GORGEOUS!

See you all tomorrow!

Tag Riley Challenge

I really loved this challenge!  This Riley and Company challenge is hosted by Michele L. The challenge was to make a birthday tag.  I used Mason Riley for my tag.  

The tag was cut with the Cricut using the Don Juan cart and then stamped with Versa Ink and a background script stamp picked up at Michael's on clearance.  Then it was heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  

 

Next I used Tim Holtz distressed inks in Antique linen to ink the edges and colored Mason Riley with copics

 

Finally the starburst was cut with the Cricut using the Don Juan cart and pop dotted.  The Sentiment and ribbon was a dollar bin finds at Michaels!

Be sure to visit all the other Riley Design Team members to check out their creations!

We just got the images for the new Release....they're SUPER SUPER cute.  I absolutely love them.  So excited to create and share with you guys.  

Riley Challenge

Another Riley Challenge is upon us! Today's challenge, brought to us by the lovely Joy.  I've been in a creative funk and this was a toughy challenge for me.  I was trying to make sure that all I used were dies and punches.  The cutesy stamp is of course from the Riley goes to the circus collection and is the Seal and Riley. I also used the flag accessory to add some interest and paper pieced it. 

Riley was colored in with copics and various random dies were used and a martha stewart punch.  It was tough not pulling out the cricut or cuttlebug!

Be sure to check out the rest of the design team for much inspired creations!

Riley Challenge

Believe it or not, I actually made the card in time for the challenge.  Unfortunately I've been having technical difficulties and my camera decided to be a priss and not upload my pictures.  So without further ado AND delay...here is my Bows and Buttons challenge!  I promise you, as the Lord is my witness, I WILL indeed have next Tuesdays challenge posted ON THAT DAY.

So For this challenge, I used the adorable Expecting Sophie stamp from the Riley and Company and colored her in with Copics.  Sophie was then fussy cut out and adhered to three mats that were fanned out.  To incorporate the button theme, I used this button paper I found in Hobby Lobby a year or so ago.  I glossy accented a couple of the buttons and them cut them out to add some interest to the bottom of the blue square. A yellow ribbon was used to give Sophie a bow as well as some interest to her frame.  The two pearl flowers are actually nail art stickers I picked up at the drug store.

I stamped the mini sentiment from Papertrey ink on a scrap piece of yellow cardstock and adhered some flower brads from Michaels in matching colors to the buttons.  I then adhered little mini rhinestones (once again, a nailart find) using a dab of glossy accents to each flower center to give them some bling and match the pearl flowers.

Close up of Sophie

Close up of the sentiment

I made this card for my older sister who is expecting her 4th child!  It's gonna be a little boy!

Here's her and her little minions

Hopefully she enjoys it!

T-town Never Down

This is a very special project for me that I have for you today.  On April 27th, 2011,  a F-5 tornado tore through Tuscaloosa, AL where the University of Alabama is located.  The tornado killed 50+ people, injured hundreds, and left thousands with absolutely nothing left.  This touched me deeply because the University of Alabama was where I went to undergrad for 4 years.  It shaped a lot of who I am and where I met my 3 lifelong friends.  Going back, I was stricken by how so much had changed and how whole neighborhoods were gone.

View from where my sophomore year dorm use to be

Aerial view of the path of destruction of the tornado

Worse yet, hearing the personal stories from friends still at the University really touched a soft spot in me.  As an athletic trainer, I worked hand in hand with the University of Alabama athletics.  If you're from the South, you would know how all consuming sports, especially Football is to the state of Alabama.  Sports Illustrated released an article, with the cover story being about the effect of the Tornado.  Reading the article, it saddened me to hear about how one of my former football players girlfriend was killed in the tornado.  They were taking cover in a closet and she was tragically ripped from his arms.  Also hearing about how two of my former baseball players, who I had just seen less than a month before when we played them IN Tuscaloosa, had lost everything was just heartbreaking.  If you have the time, please read this well-written article http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1186008/index.htm

Mainly I am so proud of how the athletics has stepped up to help in relief efforts.  They have taken their time out to spend time passing out water and goods as well as helping with the cleanup.  Former players who are now playing in the NFL have also donated thousands of dollars in food and water to help those who have literally be left with nothing. Thanks to Javier Arenas (aka Javy) and all those athletes who are helping to patch things up. 

So now that my season is done and I have some extra time on my hands, I set out on making something to help represent the strenght, spirit, and pride of Tuscaloosa.  Houndstooth has a very special meaning for the University of Alabama because it represents the hat that the legendary football coach, Bear Bryant famously wore at each game.  Every Saturday in the fall, the campus is filled with fans decked out in red and houndstooth...from pretty co-eds to fat old drunken men.  A houndstooth ribbon has become the symbol of support for the relief efforts down in Tuscaloosa.  

 

I used the ribbon off the stand and salute cart, as well as the shadow to make the base and cut it out with the cricut.  I then cuttlebugged the white ribbons with the houndstooth folder and while they were still in the folder, I brayered the ribbon with black ink, kind of like the reverse of this technique shown on youtube  I then used Sure Cuts a Lot to cut out the Alabama A logo and glued it on.  

 

 I didn't think it was enough so I went ahead and used my gypsy to Weld the shadow of the ribbon and banner (also found on the Stand and Salute cartridge) together to make a base.  I then added the words "T-town" which is our affectionate name for Tuscaloosa to the ribbon and cut out two versions (one solid, and one with the letters so it could show through).  I'm not sure which one I like better, the white or red.  Any suggestions?  I wasn't sure if I wanted to make these into cards or just keep them as is and make them into a magnet or even something to hang in my car.  But I may even sell them on etsy and have all proceeds go to a charity of relief for Tuscaloosa.  

Anyway, I know this is a long post but this just meant so much to me, so thanks for all that actually read this.  I'll leave you with pics that show the resilient spirit of the people of T-town.  Roll Tide!