Yummy In the Tummy! More Goodness!

Guess what!!!!!!!!!! I JUST found out I won the July Guest Design Team contest at
Scrap Freak! The other entries were awesome, so I was crossin' my fingers! And wooohooo! I'm so glad I tried. This is my first design spot! Aaaaaaaah!

I've been a Freak since May I think...well....maybe all my life....he he. Scrap Freak has a Freaking' Fun Forum.....lemme tell ya! It's an online store and all items are always 10% off EVERY DAY! AND all orders are shipped using flat rate PRIORITY mail shipping of $5.00. Yes! FIVE DOLLARS!!!!! BUT THAT'S NOT ALL! If you spend over $60....which isn't hard to do AT ALL.....am I right????? Then shipping is FREE! (Domestic orders only) I KNOW!

I'm sooo excited to get my hands on some goodies and MAKE STUFF for my Freaks!

Here's what I used:

Classic Die Cut Label Paper-Kindergarten (Jenni Bowlin)
Pacific Avenue Diner (Vintage Plum)
Front Porch-Green Crosshatch (Jenni Bowlin)
Chipboard Brackets (Scenic Route)
Bakery Cup (Vintage Plum)
Handmade Dictionary Flowers (Made by Stace Klug for VP)
Early Bird Elements (Cosmo Cricket)
Early Bird Cardstock Stickers (Cosmo Cricket)
Early Bird Ready Set Chipboard (Cosmo Cricket)
Butter Cream (Shimmerz)
Colorbox Cat's Eye Fluid Chalk Inkpad-Chestnut Roan (Clearsnap)
2-Mini Clothes Pins (maythird Etsy Shop)

Me feel so HUGGED!

Holy Macaroni! You know how sometimes, you've got a string of good luck and you don't know what's going on????? Well, that's what's going on these last few weeks!

First off. I won my first weekly challenge over at Vintage Plum for the layout entitiled "Hey Good Lookin' What You Got Cookin?" Yay! And if THAT wasn't cool enough, I ALSO got a $5.00 coupon! Wooohooo!

Next, I've discovered many new blogs during the recent blog hop hosted by Maggi called "Christmas In July"!

I also got TOP 5 in the SP Color Combos Challenge Blog. FOR THIS LO.

And, I won some lovely embellies from one of those blogs from the Christmas In July Blog Hop.

Yvonne at "Do More With Less" needed assistance in a layout title for one of her cute photos and I "helped"! I didn't actually come up with the whole title, just one word...but she was so sweet to count me! Check out her awesome layout HERE!

And! I won the MAJORLY YUMMY RAK that Maryangella (The Scrappyness In Me) so generously put up for grabs in celebration of her Blogoversary! Happy Blogoversary my dear friend! If you like these kits, they are from Paper Niche. I'm gonna have to GET SOME STUFF THERE!

UMMMMM...YEAH....I KNOW! And you're gonna hate me more cuz it also includes THIS:

COOL HUH?
BUT THAT'S NOT ALL!

I've been asked to create a Premade Baby Album....it's a mini one...nothing too overwhelming.

I got this from one of my dearest friends Jess (Journey Notes).

I'm gotta pass it on to my girls who might not have already received it...at least I don't think so.....(eek I can only pick 5..this is in no particular order other than the disorder in my mind LOL):
1) Greta

2) Maryangella

3) Julie

4) Beth

5) Callista

For you gals, here's THE RULES: To pick up the Circle of Friends Blog Award:Cut and paste the award logo and use it on your own blog.Nominate at least 5 other bloggers you feel have become part of your circle of friends. Link to your nominees within your blog post. Include these instructions on how to pick up the award in your blog post. Link back to the person who gave you the award in your blog post, to show your appreciation. Comment on their blogs to let them know they've received the award.

I also got this from the Jocelyn, who is simply an amazing woman I look up to and learn from all the time...just read her blog and you too will be inspired by both her work and her interpretation of life:


Here's the details for accepting the award: Copy the award and post it on your blog.
Link it back to the person you received it from. List 10 things you love about blogging.
Pass it along to 10 blog pals.

10 Things I Love About Blogging:

1) It's cheaper than subscribing to craft magazines....and the articles can TALK BACK! HE HE!

2) I've met many beautiful people who inspire me in crafting and life itself.

3) It's therapeutic and keeps me sane.

4) It helps me record events in my life.

5) It motivates me to preserve my memories for my kids, grandkids and future generations.

6) I get a good dose of laughter all the time!

7) It allows me to share and teach.

8) I am constantly reminded not to take things or people for granted.

9) RAKs!

10) Being able to give bloggy crafty gifts to others!

I'd like to pass this award on to:

Maggi

Janis

Liz

Rita

Diana

Tonya

Sam

Heidi

Euphoria

Dani

SPEAKING OF RAKS! If you don't already know, there's a cooooool giveaway going on at Callista's Blog (Down the Rabbit Hole)! When you comment, be sure to tell her I sent you! You have until Friday, July 1st to enter. Winner will be announced on Monday, August 3rd. Good luck!

So....here's to good things for YOU ALL AS WELL!!!! Wishhhhhhhh.....wish........wish.......that's the sound of the goodness wafting to you!!!! Have a great rest of the week!

Hey Good Lookin' What You Got Cookin'? And someone won some OLD STUFF!!

I've got many talents...but cooking IS NOT one of them. I just don't enjoy it (sorrrrrryyyyyy). And it doesn't help when my Mom and sisters are pretty darn good at it!!! I didn't get the cooking gene....just the EATING one (like Dad)! Here are my gorgeous sisters finishing up a cake they baked for my Mom's 50th birthday in 2007. My daughter watched and helped with the sprinkles. I sure hope she inherits the "cooking gene"! LOL!


Oh MAN! This was soooooooo freakin' fun to make! I finally broke into my Vintage Plum July Kit (Cherry Pie)!!!! AND those Shimmerz I won came in the mail on Tuesday from the lovely Danielle (who's on their DT)!! I've been dreaming about them...and just when I had forgotten......poof...they arrived!!!!! I used the one of the little pots of Shimmerz in Butter Cream and painted it on the cupcake liners (shown below) to add some shine! I also painted some on many of he leaves as well. I REALLY WISH you could see just how pretty the effect is in person!!!

Can you see the shimmer off the leaves above? I even painted some on the flowers but you can't tell in the pictures.

And those dictionary flowers made by Vintage Plum's very own Stace are sooo lovely!!!

So my layout was created for the weekly challenge over at Vintage Pum. Quick, you might still be able to enter! The challenge called "Sentiments" is to create something inspired by the papers you use. More Details HERE. Or just check it out cuz Lea made these AMAZING cards! If you haven't seen her stuff......SEE IT NOW!!!!

Can you tell I love polka dots????? Yes, this doubles as my submission for the Pink Ninja's current prompt "Stripes or Polka Dots" as well!

I used the recipe card to journal on! Vintage Plum did EXTRA AWESOME in designing the papers in this kit! GENIUS! Check the papers out HERE!

For those of you who need it, here's the "recipe" (ah ha ha ha!):
Vintage Cherries - Fashionista Collection - Graphic 45
Mom's Ingredients - Webster's Pages
Borders - Early Bird Collection - Cosmo Cricket
Recipe Cards - Vintage Plum
ribbon from Stampin' Up! - Ribbon Originals - Pigtails
buttons from Making Memories - Noteworthy Embellishment Jar - Hillary Collection
bling is Say It In Crystal by Prima
cupcake liner, lace trim, mini clothes pin, and dictionary flowers (by Stace Klug) from July VP Kit cardstock sticker - Early Bird Collection - Cosmo Cricket
Colorbox Fluid Chalk Ink - Chestnut Roan
foam adhesive/Stampin' Dimensionals - Stampin' Up!
Shimmerz - Butter Cream

Okay, now for the winner of the OLD STUFF! But wait....its COOL old stuff....aka "Vintage"! Up for grabs were some Vintage die cuts from my MoMoStamper Etsy Store. I used Random.Org to generate the number. I just numbered the comments (1 being the first commenter) and any usernames that commented twice only had one entry. The winner is..................23!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yay! 23, please email me your address and your choices!

Now for some pictures! We went to the zoo last wee.......what? Who's 23? Oh well, you'll have to find out AFTER I shove these pictures in your faces! Ha ha ha! What was I saying? Oh! Last week we went to the zoo...here are the photos!

Here is my sweet princess. She's always posing. She was so excited!


Here's my Prince Charming....who mostly is a FROG most days! Hop hop hoppin' around with me chasing behind......

Above is my Oh-So-VERY handsome nephew. And below, my Hubby and super cutey nephew.



My cutey patootie niece...look at those teeth....and the mouth of food!



Above is my other super cute niece...the little Diva-in-training. Below another photo of her and my cousin to the right. There's my nephew with the cheeks! LOL!

Oh yah, the ZOO ANIMALS! The ones we just saw weren't real zoo animals????? He he.
I got some pretty decent shots on tip-toe (because I'm 4'11" and can never see above those stupid fences and peoples heads)...but they turned out AWESOME!



Many of you might be in the same boat.....this is 1 of 2 photos of me that day (and the other one was just an uglier version of this) LOL! Oh well. Someone's got to document the day! The thing is....I LOVE GETTING MY PICTURE TAKEN! Ha ha! I just feel funny going "now take one of me"....he he!

I realized something after our trip to the Zoo.....whoever came up with the expression "like a zoo" DEFINITELY needs to see my house! Um, the zoo........VERY RELAXING! My house.......very "Calgon take me away"!

Okay Okay....23.....is.........................Bannana Stamper! Congrats Shanna!!! Email me your addy and which 2 sets you'd like (same or different).

23 BananaStamper said...
Great music and photos! I'm thinking narrated can be good....try to ignore the camera!?!Happy Holidays!
July 25, 2009 6:41 PM

Hope you had a fabulous weekend! Hope you have a good one next week! I'm planning for a CAMPING TRIP NEXT! Wooooohoooo!

Hugs,

Mo

MERRY CHRISTMAS! YEAH....YOU READ IT RIGHT!

Welcome one and all! The Great Nat King Cole will be honoring us with MY favorite Christmas Song rendition.....OF ALL TIME! Every year this plays while I get my home decorated! Aaaaaah! Sit back, relax and ENJOY!

Here's a family photo taken last Christmas! Yes...those are footy pajamas I'm wearing! LOL! Um....kid's section....and yes, there were STILL sizes bigger than mine! Tee he he! My poor Hubby was stuck at work...as he usually is for any fun silly things we do! He did make it in time for the opening of presents, though! We have this family tradition where we stay up every Christmas Eve...and when the clock strikes twelve, we start to rip open our presents! We've done this ever since I could remember! We also take goofy photos with each present after we open them.....imagine present bows stuck in our hair and underwear on the head......THOSE kind of pictures!

Welcome to CHRISTMAS IN JULY! The ever so imaginative Maggi put together this party hoppin' bloggin' EXTRAVAGANZA! So after this post go back to MAGGI'S BLOG to see the rest of the participants in her sidebar!

On to the project! So....spacey me was about to share some regular project with you...and I realized....uh....HELLO.....Mo, what in he world is WRONG in that head of yours!....CHRISTMAS IN JULY....gotta be Christmas-y! UGH! So I change plans and decide on something else last minute! BUT YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED! This baby brain will get better.....won't it?
WON'T IT?

Fortunately, I've got a little project up my sleeve! It's actually part of an old idea I shared last Fall/Winter when the only person reading my blog was.......um....ME, and like the 5 people I forwarded my link to (I'm SURE I ended up in their SPAM folders)! Ah ha ha ha! So I thought, why waste a perfectly great idea....every one's talking about RECYCLING right? Well, HERE YOU GO! LOL! BLOG POST RECYCLING COUNTS, DOESN'T IT?

So here's my fun project:

How many of you want to make handmade Christmas cards, but don't have the time to crank them out? Can you spare about 2 minutes a card???? Well here you go!


These cards are what I like to call QUICK CARDS! Every year, I slam out about 100 of em and give them away to friends and family in packs of 3 for Christmas. The only thing different from the photo above is I make birthday, thank you, and friendship cards which the recipients can then use! I tell them to stick them in their glove compartment so they have an emergency stash of cards available! I've had many friends tell me that my cards came in handy! And I'm sure they're expecting more this Christmas!
So, you can use this idea to make cards to give out to your neighbors, friends, and family AND/OR you can make a bunch of Christmas cards to give away! I usually start all my handmade gift making IN THE SUMMER....YES....like NOW....so that I'm not scrambling during the Holidays. I shoot for finishing all my handmade gifts AND any extra shopping I need to do by OCTOBER! Then, when the Holidays come, I'm much less stressed out and I can actually ENJOY my favorite time of year!


Need handmade gift ideas? Well, last year I started making You Tube videos to share with my Stampin' Up! customers to give them ideas for Holiday projects and I had a featured project of the month. If you need ideas, check them out HERE. I'm planning on starting up again next month!
So GUESS WHAT! I'VE GOT A VIDEO TUTORIAL ON THESE QUICK CARDS! Take a peek! Don't forget to press pause in the Playlist player above before viewing the videos below.




AND here is another video tutorial for creating a Christmas Tree ornament. Warning...I'm a little camera shy normally...so I'm missing some personality in the video! LOL! I kept on thinkin' in my head....."try not to say um....don't say um too much"! He he....I hope I get better!


Hope you got some ideas from those videos!
Here's another Christmas photo to share. Below is a photo of my sister Krystal and I making handmade cards for gift giving. We had a scrappy Christmas Eve! The funnest kind!


And just for fun, I'm throwing this video in for Maggi, cuz for the last 2 days I've been singing this song thanks to the title of one of her recent blog posts which really didn't have to do anything with this song...LOL! Say Say Say..........

Ready for the giveaway? Leave a comment below and let me know if you'd prefer tutorials set to music or narrated tutorials....or a mix! I've been trying to muster up the courage for more narrated tutorials....and a subscriber actually asked me to do them. I'm limited now in my music choices and can only pick the ones available through You Tube....the choices aren't great either! So what do ya think? Video or Narrated tutorials?
Here's the prize! The winner CAN CHOOSE between these different goodies in m
MoMoStamper Etsy Store
YOU GET 2 DIFFERENT SETS! Pick 2 of the same or 2 different kinds of goodies! Click on the links below to see more photos of each set! DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE AN EMAIL IF IT'S NOT ALREADY LINKED TO YOUR BLOG/PROFILE so I can contact you if you win.
VINTAGE BUTTERFLIES

VINTAGE FLOWERS

VINTAGE FLOWERS 2


I will draw the winner by Random.Org tomorrow (Sunday) morning 7/26/09! GOOD LUCK!

Thanks for stopping by for Christmas in July!

A big thanks to Maggi for hosting such a fun blog hop!

Bloom Where You're Planted!

Okay! Here's my Sketchy Thursday layout! Check out Diana's awesome sketch HERE. This was fun to do...and went quickly! I used an old K & Company paper pack!

My daughter's Kindergarten class had a Teddy Bear Picnic and basically they got to play and picnic all day. Parent's and siblings were invited so the kids had lots of fun....so did all the parents!

This layout is about my little girl and all the special things about her! She's growing fast and she's done well in Kindergarten! I'm very excited to see how First Grade goes!

Happy Thursday Everyone!

SPCC: Forever You and Me!

Aaaaaah! Lovin' the teal-y, turquoisey color in the SPCC 7 this week! SPCC stands for Scrapmaster's Paradise Color Combos and it's a new challenge blog! Yay Sam! I love these colors and have never thought about putting them all together (Bermuda Bay, Old Olive and Summer Sun) CLICK HERE to see the SPCC 7 colors and try them out!

I found this old wedding photo that would work with the challenge colors. The journaling reads:

This is the day it all started! The day my life changed forever.

It was exciting, happy, sad, terrifying, exhausting, surreal,

stressful, playful, joyous.......and perfect!

This is the day my family began!

I used some of my die cut vintage paper flowers! These are so fun to play with!

To make this flower, I took a drop of my Bermuda Bay re-inker and mixed it with a little water and lightly painted it on the flower. When dry, I then took a Versamark pad and pressed it onto the flower, making sure to cover the whole thing. Next, I sprinkled some Dazzling Diamonds on the flower and used a heating gun to set the glitter! Like I've said before, you HAVE to see this stuff in person to REALLY appreciate the DAZZLING of the diamonds! Before you glue down your flowers, take a pen or pencil and use it to curl the ends of the petals to give them some dimension!

To finish off the flower, I just added some Prima flowers for color and a cute white button! And there you have a fun flower for super dee duper CHEAP!

On this project I also used some rub-ons in Old Olive by Stampin' Up! and some of the NEW ribbon in the yummy color Bermuda Bay! The die cut sticker I used was from an old retired Simply Scrappin' Kit (Stampin' Up!) which says "Forever you and me" for the title. The kit also had this cool die cut frame which I placed BEHIND my matted photo!


For some added interest, I added this vintage book page which came in my Vintage Plum April Kit and some Peacock tulle from my VP May Kit! I used a distressing tool on the edges of my photo, the photo mat, and my 12 x 12 base page.

Like the Stampin' Up! goodies? WANT SOME? For the month of July, I've got a special! Purchase $25 from ME at my Stampin' Up! website:

maureenkao.stampinup.net

and get THE NEW IDEA BOOK AND CATALOG FREE! (I will ship it separately from your order, so do not add it to your cart upon purchase.) Email me either through my Stampin' Up! website or at MoMoStamper (dot) yahoo (dot) com after purchase to tell me you heard about this special from my blog and I will send out a catty to YOU!


REMEMBER: If you spend $150, you will qualify for Hostess Benefits which would include FREE STAMPS and some extra "hostess awards" to spend on MORE STUFF! Don't see yourself buying that much? Well, contact me and I will give you some info how you can collect orders from family and friends and reap the hostess benefits mentioned above!

Thanks to all my friends for stopping by! Your support keeps me inspired and creating! I hope you all have a great rest of the week! Oh! I've got ZOO PICTURES which I will be editing and sharing SOON SOON SOON!

Eye Like Your Style!

Oh wow! I got my second ever award!!!!! I'm so happy! This one is from Liz or Dizzy Lizzy Creations. And HER blog is awesome! So check it out! Thanks so much Liz!

This award is called the "I Like Your Style Award" and it was created by Janis's Daughter over at Pause Dream Enjoy. I think it is absolutely beautiful. It is an actual picture of Janis's Daughters eye. Oh so very cool!

Liz, sorry this thank you took so long to post! I think I was putting off the picking of the blogs! LOL! I've decided to pick 6! Here's some great blogs I love to visit - or stalk (in no particular order):

1) Diana at Design by Diana

2) Rebekah at Yeebird

3) Tonia for Tonia and Boys, Inc.

4) Katie for Running With Scissors, Spatulas, and Sneakers

5) Steph for Where'd All My Money Go: Confessions of a Paper Crafting Addict

6) JANIS for Pause Dream Enjoy

Just wanted to say to all the ladies! I LOVE your style! I enjoy your blog and your work is beautiful!

All you have to do to pass this along is to pick blogs/people who's style you like and link 'em up with the award! Leave them a comment or email to the post in which they can pick up the award!

So, I always want to share a creation in each post, so here's a card I made a few weeks ago just waiting for a quick post like this to live in!

Do you wanna know why this card is so darn cool?????? You might not be able to see it, but that red paper is pretty glossy! It's part of some packaging I kept from this sticker pack I got! I'm starting to keep boxes with cool designs and product packaging that would look cool on a card! So, before you throw out some of that stuff....think..."can I use it again"? It feels sooooo good to recycle!

I used up some of my button and flower stash as well! The "thank you" was actually a die cut sticker from one of the new Cosmo Cricket lines called Early Bird! I LOVE COSMO CRICKET! LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!

And that pp with the apples is a double sided pp from October Afternoon called Cherry Hill - New Apron! Let me just say that this is the last piece of that paper and I LOVE IT SO...so I'll just have to get more! It came with my June Kit by Vintage Plum.

Jenny at VP puts together such AWESOME kits! I'm an addict! The August kit sneaks look soooooo YUMMY! Anyway, I have a fun project I will be sharing, hopefully this week which features some goodies from this June Kit! BUT! You don't necessarily have to wait for that post! Just pop over to VP and see my post to the gallery HERE!

WARNING: NASTY MO PHOTOS ALERT!!!!!!! It's a K to 12 Mini Book I made for the August GDT competition. Although....I didn't make it to the final 3 to duke it out!!! LOL! But Rebekah (see above) did...you'll see why! Their projects were absolutely awesome and for the final project they will have to create some jewelry! TRICKY TRICKY VP!!!!! So, go and see what's the haps over there in Plummy Land! Good luck to you girlies!

Well, I'm off to the Woodland Park Zoo with my family! We're meeting up with my super cute nieces and nephews! Pictures WILL follow!!!!

The Measure of a Woman

That's the title of my layout! I stamped the title right on to this awesome Sassafrass paper!

This layout expresses how lucky I feel to be able to share my life with such beautiful souls! It's about how even though I don't measure up to the woman I want to be, I realize I must be good enough because here they are...smiling and happy...at least in a couple of these photos!



Let my start off by saying....this layout is crazy! I incorporated 4 challenges in this layout! Oh, by the way, I know there is a challenge blog out there that does this but I CANNOT remember the name of the site! If you know, please tell me!

Here's the challenges incorporated here:
1) Sketchy Thursdays: click here to see the sketch
2) Dream Girls: use "measure" in your layout, use the distressing technique, and use measuring tape
3) Vintage Plum weekly challenge: use vintage items or photos.
4) These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things (their FIRST challenge) COLOR. Well, as I've said many times, I LOVE turquoise! I also love the combination of turquoise and hot pink!

And this layout was EXTREMELY entertaining to do!! I had LOTS of fun fun fun!

Here's the journaling:


I'm suprised I was able to combine some Sassafras items with that damask pp by My Mind's Eye and that VP paper with the turquoise diamond patterns. I love the look of different things coming together.

That crepe paper was way too fun to work with!


And I made this prettiful butterfly! I used 2 different sized butterflies cut out of 2 different vintage books and stacked them on each other. I added some pearls and viola! I think my little butterfly is way too cute! I just added a couple sets to my Etsy Shop, if you wanna peek at the different sizes!

You can't see it in the photo, but my butterfly has some major bling! I used Dazzling Diamonds by Stampin' Up! Seriously, this stuff is NOT YOUR ORDINARY GLITTER...it's this high powered glittery fairy dust. It's a SUPER ultrafine iridescent glitter and I think THAT'S what makes it different from other brands! Everytime I run out of my Dazzling Diamonds, I HAVE to get another! CLICK HERE for more info and how to use it! HERE is my SU website if you JUST HAVE TO HAVE IT TOO!

Well, thanks everyone for stopping by! Have a great rest of the week!

ATC?

I'm always up for trying something new in scrapping! Last week, the challenge over at Vintage Plum was to create an Artist Trading Card. So, I created my first one! It was quick and fun, and I thought I'd share them because they make me smile!

I'm loving these cupcake cups! I got a package of small and large ones! So....be prepared for cupcake cups in my projects!

I did some stamping here with the circles. I also did some embossing with those stamps! Fun fun fun! These cards were really my attempts at some sort of grungy style.....hmmmmmm.

I used some Crystal Effects (by Stampin' Up!) to add some clear glass like dots and texture to the top right corner of the card. Additional TIP: You can make some inexpensive bling by taking a glitter marker and place dots at desired areas on a project. Then, take the Crystal Effects and place a small dots over each area....be sure to set aside to dry. When it's all dry, it looks like a little tiny epoxy bling sticker!

I also experimented with my puff paint marker by Sakura....by adding yellow to the cupcake liner.

I love that these cards are full of TEXTURE! So fun!

Here's a close up of the clear dots.

Okay, this was a quick one!