IT'S FRIDAY AND WE ARE FELINE FINE

How are you doing this fabulous Friday?  We are

F e l i n e   F i n e !

Here are some of the things that are making us feel so fine:

Trisha Hill shared a new sketch with us despite the fact that she has been dealing with a broken hand.  Thanks, Trish for the inspiration and fabulous sketch!

Saturday is the day when everyone gets to make this fantastic album.  This class is full, but Cat and Sandy are already talking about another class using different designer papers.  So, if you missed out on this one, watch Facebook and the blog for the next class!

The "Build a House" benefit crop is one week away, on June 29th.  The support for this worthy cause has been overwhelming and we are all looking forward to a great day of cropping and raising money to build a home(s) in Kenya.  I can't wait!

There are lots of new products at the store, so bring your friend to the store with you to shop so that they can help you hide your purchases when you get home.  LOL!  Loved this sign from Facebook!

THANKFUL THURSDAY

On Thursdays we like to show our appreciation to our wonderful customers.  After all, you are the reason we are still here!  Today only, if you show this blog post to Cat or Valerie, you will receive 15% off of your purchase.  The store is full of new product for you to choose from, so come on down and take advantage of the 15% savings. 

 

IT'S SPRING BREAK

How are you spending your time?

I've spent some time trying to control the chaos in my craft room.

 

This group of ladies started their spring break by shopping at the store.

Cat and Nanci have been busy creating.  Look at the great sketch they created!

Valerie created this adorable layout ...

...using this excusive sketch that Trisha from Sketch Inspiration created for us. 

 

However you are spending your Spring Break, I hope you have fun, relax, create, and

come by the store and

S H O P!

SUNDAY INSPIRATION

I love using sketches when creating scrapbook layouts.  They really give your creativity a boost.  The books that Trisha Hill created with the sketches from Sketch Inspiration are in my tote ready to be used.  Unfortunately, creating sketches for people to use each week is a lot of work.  Even though we were sad to see Sketch Inspiration close, we understood the reason.  Because of Cat's continued support of Sketch Inspiration, Trisha is creating some exclusive sketches for Cat and her customers to enjoy.

This is our first exclusive sketch of 2013.  I am hoping to be able to create a layout and would love to see your creations as well.  If you create a layout using this sketch, please use Mr. Linky (even thought it says WOW Wednesday) to share your creation with us.

MISSING SKETCH INSPIRATION TODAY

 

We received some sad news from Trish at Sketch Inspiration. She will be closing the site and taking a break for awhile. She has books ready from all the sketches of 2012 that will be available at the store January 8th. They will be just like the previous books: handy size and filled with great inspiration to boost you when you need that extra little punch.   You can pre-order your book to make sure that one is available for your purchase.

 

We don't want to lose her talent and inspiration in our world of scrapbooking so she has promised to keep us going with a couple of sketches each month that we can feature here and on facebook.   We are excited to continue working with Trish and her fabulous sketches.

 

I know Trish's sketches have really stepped my scrapbooking up a few notches. I am so thankful for the inspiration she has provided through her wonderful sketches.  I am definitely planning to purchase the new book so that I will have all three years of the sketches...lots of inspiration to keep me going!

 

THANK YOU, TRISH

for the past three years of inspiration through your wonderful sketches. 

 

 

 

Sketch Inspiration Sponsor for the Week

Cat's is sponsoring Sketch Inspiration this week for Sketch #349.

 Just to give you a jumpstart Valerie & I have done a few pages hoping to get you Cat-Spired!

 Valerie did this two page layout with the sketch as a guideline (remember, you don't have to follow it to the letter). She used the new Now & Then collection from Teresa Collins that is to die for. Love this collection, all the colors and all the possibilities. Val did a great job on these pages of her sweet hubby and adorable granddaughter.

 I used the new Farm House collection for my two pages. The one above features their flowers and stickers as well as a bit of burlap.  It worked perfectly for these sunset pics I took. I also used the same collection for the windmills.  Ray and I went on a roadtrip to nowhere one Monday and found these windmills in a row and decided to take pics. He hung around til sunset for me to get the best pics. The Texas and the sun are both from his laser cut outs available at the store now.

 This is the prize for the week.  One lucky person submitting a layout on Sketch Inspiration by MN on Saturday will win this new Christmas collection from Echo Park featuring their new Photo Freedom line of papers and page protectors. These are designed for the busy scrapper to stay on top of things.

Now--head on over to www.sketchinspiration.ning.com and submit your layout for this week with Sketch #349 and be the winner!

SUNDAY INSPIRATION

Did you see the latest Cat/Ray creation?  Ray made the blocks and Cat did the decorating....WOW - love these!  I love the burlap on the BIG Christmas block.  Cat and Ray make a great creative team...she dreams up things and he cuts them out for her.  With his new laser, he is creating so many cool things.

Look at this wonderful layout that Cat did using Bella Blvd.'s Thankful collection.  Look at those doggies....they are so underfed.  Such a ruff life!

Cat used sketch #336 from Sketch Inspiration for the facing page with photos of their delicious Thanksgiving spread and one of the wonderful photos of them from their fall photo shoot.  I love the photos they take using that tripod--simply amazing.  I don't know that they could get better photos if they had a photographer taking the pictures.

Valerie made this two page layout featuring her precious granddaughters using Sketch Inspiration sketch #346 and some Fancy Pants papers.  Another fabulous job by Valerie.  The colors in the photos look great with this paper and, of course, the photography is spectacular.  Fun days at the playground with these cuties.

 

I hope these projects have inspired you to create some this week.  Stop by the store to pick up some of the new products that have arrived.  Then, it will be time to create away!

SUNDAY INSPIRATION

I love the colors of fall.  When you head out to go somewhere, the colorful trees make the drive so beautiful.  Even though we may not have the amazing colors you find in other areas of the country, there is still beauty to be found.  While we were on the way to our Thanksgiving dinner with my husband's family, I was amazed at some of the colorfull trees along the way.  Cat took some beautiful pictures a few mornings ago of the colorful countryside on a foggy morning.

She used the Authentique Thankful collection, along with a burlap flower from Canvas Corp.  There are so many fabulous details on this layout.  Just another example of Cat's amazing creativity!

Valerie created this layout featuring photos of her adorable granddaughters, Remi and Kennedy.  She used a fun Fancy Pants collection and also used sketch #346 from Sketch Inspiration for the right side of the two page layout.  Love this layout!

Cat's and Valerie's creativity is always inspiring.  I hope you are inspired to create some wonderful layouts this week. 

MARVELOUS MONDAY WITH SKETCH INSPIRATION

Trisha posted Sketch 344 over on Sketch Inspiration yesterday.  This one looks like lots of fun and I am anxious to make a layout with it.  I hope you find time to create a layout using this sketch so I can share your work on the blog next Monday.

This is Sketch 343 from last week.

I was excited to see that Valerie created another on of her beautiful layouts last week and used the sketch.  She did a wonderful job creating this layout of her daughter and her family at the pumpkin patch.  LOVE it!

This is the layout I created using some wonderful papers from My Minds Eye.  In addition to using the sketch from Sketch Inspiration, I also joined in on the challenge over at the CSI website, where Shaunery Wharton is a design team member.  Their challenges really make you stretch your creativity.

Come on and join in on the fun using the wonderful sketches from Sketch Inspiration.  While you are having fun, you are also getting some pages made--YEAH!

 

MARVELOUS MONDAY WITH SKETCH INSPIRATION

Trisha posted another sketch over on Sketch Inspiration on Sunday.  This is Sketch #343 and it's a great one.  Come on girls....let's get to creating some layouts using these fabulous sketches.  I really enjoyed using the sketch from last week and creating this layout:

I used some of the My Minds' Eye "All is Bright" collection for the background and the accented it with some of the Teresa Collins' "Tell your Story" collection along with some stamps from Unity.  The washi tape at the bottom is from Teresa Collins and My Minds Eye as well.  I was inspired by Shaunery Wharton to start participating in the CSI challenge site, where she is a member of the design team.   Lots of fun combining Trisha's fabulous sketch and the challenge over at CSI together.  Only problem is.....

I need some company....

Nobody else from Cat's participated this week....

It's very lonesome......

 

So....

Join me this week and create a layout or card using this week's sketch.

Upload it to the Sketch Inspiration website...

I want to have other people's work to share next Monday.

 

In the meantime, I want to share some of the completed canvases from this weekend's "You Ought to be In Pictures".



This is Cat's canvas and our inspiration.  I love these phtotos of Cat and Ray and they look great on her canvas.

Carol Houston decided to make her's a piece of wall art and leave off the photos.  BEAUTIFUL!

Susan Wolverton made her's very shabby chic with lots of crackle.  LOVE it!

And Kelly Maddux let us all see her super artistic side.  She wrapped the wire of her flowers around twigs that Cat had brought in for our fall page layout.  She made the background all streaked...We were all in awe of her canvas!

 

It was so much fun to see everyone go their own way on these canvases, draw inspiration from each other and then see how differently each one turned out.  I think this was definitely a favorite project for everyone!



SHARING THE LOVE WITH SKETCH INSPIRATION THIS MARVELOUS MONDAY

Trisha posted another wonderful sketch over on Sketch Inspiration yesterday.  Have you been sharing your creations over on the Sketch Inspiration website?  I know I have fallen behind on using the sketches, but since I'm going to start participating in WOW Wednesday maybe I can get caught up.  Trisha is getting discouraged because participation in the weekly challenges is WAY down.  Let's show her our love by using the sketches and sharing our creations on her website. 

This is a layout Valerie created using Sketch #337.

 

I've seen numerous sketch websites shut down due to the amount of work involved and lack of participation.  Sketches are fun to use, but if we don't support the people who give us these sketches, then we will lose these great resources.  So....let's all show Trisha how much we love her sketches by using them to create some layouts and share them over on Sketch Inspiration.  If you use an old sketch or don't get your layout done in time for the prize drawing, go ahead and upload it to her website so she knows her sketches are being used.  But to help her get sponsors, we need to try to get layouts created in time for the drawing so people will be more willing ot sponsor her sketch website.  AND...share them on WOW Wednesday and get the participation up for that as well.  

Allison used Sketch #325 to make a card. 

 

Just a reminder, you don't have to follow the sketch exactly...it is for inspiration.  You should be able to see some of the elements, but make it your own.  Just give Sketch Inspiration the credit for providing the inspiration.

Denise Case used Sketch #337 for the right side of this two page layout.

Nita Griffith used Sketch #337 for this layout.

Pam Conover used Sketches 320 and 321 to create this two page layout.

All right ladies....let's all create some layouts or cards using Trisha's fabulous sketches.  Let's show her how much we love her and her sketches.

 

TUESDAY TEMPTATIONS AND INSPIRATION

If you weren't tempted enough by all of the goodies posted yesterday, there is more today.....

These are some new goodies from  Fancy Pants' "The Good Life".  I am loving those banner die-cuts. 

 Look at this fabulous paper.  I love the crispness of these designs, with just enough vintage thrown in to make it absolutely perfect.

These are the matching letter and word stencils along with brads, buttons, and calendars.  Lots to dress up your pages here. 

Trisha released another sketch on Sunday for Sketch Inspiration.  Have you seen Sketch 341?

This sketch has so many fun elements and I can see lots of really pretty pages being made using this sketch.  I hope you can play along this week and will share your creations on Cat's Facebook page.

MARVELOUS MONDAY WITH AUTHENTIQUE AND SKETCH INSPIRATION

 Nita Griffith has been rocking the sketches the past few weeks using the "Genuine" collection by Authentique.  This is the layout she made this past week using sketch #339 by Sketch Inspiration.  I love the embellishment cluster at the base of the page.

She made this layout for sketch #338 and

this layout for sketch #337.

Being the friend that I am, I have alerted her to the arrival of the new "original:" collection that coordinates nicely with this collection.  Nita is making a travel album using this collection, and since she and her husband travel so much with his job, she probably needs MORE paper.....

Yes, she definitely needs this....think I might need some too!

The Authentique "Thankful" collection will look great for all of those fall foliage photos, pumpkin patch, and Thanksgiving holiday photos.  These collections both feature the fabulous heavy, textured paper that we all love about Authentique. 

Don't delay....hurry on down to the store to pick up these beautiful collections before they are all gone!  If you live too far away to visit the store in person, give Cat a call and she will mail your goodies to you.