Truckin' to the End of Summer

Hello and Welcome to the August Fresh Brewed Designs Three Day Blog Hop!
If you are getting here from Sarah's blog then you are the right road.

If you are just finding your way to our fun filled, extra caffeinated blog hop, then please start at the beginning here: Freshly Brewed Challenges.

The Fresh Brewed Designs Team and Guests have put together another HOT blog hop for you that starts TODAY and lasts ALL THIS WEEKEND featuring handmade cards inspired by our new released Rubber Stamps. You may remember that these, just as a few others in our rubber collection, once started as digis. We were literally begged to put them into rubber.... so after a year of their hibernating, here they are! Back and better than ever - ready to be created with and to make you smile.

I don't know about you, but regardless of the weather, I need my java juice to keep me fueled and going! So whether its hot or iced, in milkshake or ice cream form, I'll take it...to go! Enter: Coffee Truck, the stamp I worked with to make this little book - a java jotter if you will to record my coffee adventures! Now before you begin to imagine me trotting the globe for an ultimate international taste test, my real idea for this is to try new cofffee flavors and record my observations on the taste, richness, smoothness, aroma, etc. Still fun, without the shots and customs inspections ;)

I made this with some thick kraft cardstock as a cover, some thin cardstock for the inner pages (and later to be photographed), a few PP cardscraps, letter stickers and a doily. I misted the front cover with Mr. Huey in Dark Calico and Pony, and then layered all my elements. 

I used pop dots on the stamped mage and little flower cut-outs, but otherwise kept it flat for easy transport. I can't wait to get started tasting & critiqueing! Yum!
Properly caffeinated, one of my fave things to do is find a good deal, and we have one for you today!
For the duration of the hop, you can get these 2 stamps and a fun set of eight 4x6 American Craft double sided papers (cut by Heather) for just $11! Wow! (A photo can be seen at the first hop stop). Drop on by the shop to snag yours before it is too late!!!

Thank you so much for stopping by! You can continue on your java journey by heading over to Celeste's blog.


And just in case you get lost along the way, here's a complete list of all the participating blogs in today's hop - be sure to hit every pit stop! You really don't want to miss out!!!

Freshly Brewed Challenges: http://freshbreweddesigns.blogspot.com/
Sarah: http://sarahvaitstamps.blogspot.com/
Catherine: http://paperaddictcatherine.blogspot.com/   <<<<< here you are!
Celeste: http://www.touchedbyabutterfly.com/
Sheryl: http://butterflykisscards.blogspot.com/
Tracy: http://www.eatsleepstamp.typepad.com/
Yolanda: http://www.justyolie.com/
Vanessa: http://vanessaspapercreations.blogspot.com/
Annette: http://myclevercreations.blogspot.com/
Linda: http://stamperstouch.blogspot.com/
Heather: http://joemamainks.blogspot.com/

Fresh Brewed Fun!

What are little girls made of? Sugar and spice

And everything nice, That's what little girls are made of.

I think even as we grow, we ladies are still made of sugar and spice and everything nice, don’t you? Today we have lots of girly fun to share with you, and I am soooooo super honored to be part of sharing it with you!

Fresh Brewed Designs has released (today) 7 brand new rubber stamps that are perfect for girls of all ages! My TOC-BFF, the fabulous Heather has designed 3 coffee gals to add to the already sassy series. These latte lovin’ ladies have an extra sprinkle of sweetness. Each stamp has a little cherry topped cupcake added to it. We are also excited to introduce to you today Cutie Pie!!! She is a cute little butterfly fairy with a love for adventure and loves to spread smiles wherever she goes. If you are just getting to the hop, you will have to start at the beginning at the Freshly Brewed Challenges Blog. If you are getting here from Jeanette's Blog you are on the right track.

For my card today, I couldn't resist using the new Espresso Mail stamp and this coffee talk pattern paper by Flair Designs.

I used almost all of my E-series Copics to color the image in a coffee color scheme, and combined it with some yummy chocolate hued pleated satin ribbon by May Arts, the Tim Holtz Swirls embossing folder, and an old burlap weave background stamp. This image reminds me of a no-nonsense working gal, and so I couldn't resist having a little fun with this sentiment on the inside:

Now, on with the prizes! Here is what you could win just by hopping!!!

Here are the RULES for your chance to win the prize:

• You will have to complete the hop in full and leave a comment on each hop stop.
• The hop will start AND end on the challenge blog.
• After you finish the hop, leave ANOTHER comment on the challenge blog post and let us know what your favorite image was from the hop.

To be able to decide which is your favorite, though, you will have to keep hopping! Your next hop stop is Kelly's Blog.

Here's the entire hop order, in case you get lost or run into a glitch:
Freshly Brewed Challenges: http://freshbreweddesigns.blogspot.com/
Carolyn (Guest): http://utsukushiikami.blogspot.com/
Heather: http://www.joemamainks.blogspot.com/
Stacie G: http://hestiashelper.blogspot.com/
Audrey: http://www.hippieaud.blogspot.com/
Jeanette: http://creativeplayischeaperthantherapy.blogspot.com/
Catherine (Guest): http://paperaddictcatherine.blogspot.com/
Kelly: http://sandcastlestamper.blogspot.com/
Stacy: http://www.impressionsofaribbonaddict.blogspot.com/
Linda: http://stamperstouch.blogspot.com/
Rhonda: http://bumblcreate.blogspot.com/
Shazza: http://craftyscot.blogspot.com/
Kathy B: http://luckystamper.blogspot.com/
Freshly Brewed Challenges: http://freshbreweddesigns.blogspot.com/

Hopping For Fresh Brewed Designs

If this is your first stop, please jump over to Carolyn's blog to start at the beginning.

I am soooooooooooooo stoked to be part of the Fresh Brewed Designs new release hop! Heather is just the sweetest and funniest gal, and I've had such a great time getting to know her through the Busy Beauties DT. Her images are so cute, fun & easy to work with and I was super thrilled to get my markers on 'em. Especially this one, Coffee Talk, because coffee has been my salvation lately between work, a professional exam (which, PTL I passed Monday), and the mere thought of the holidays. I know lots of you are in the same boat, and I thought this card would be perfect with a Starbucks gift card tucked inside.

I wrote & generated the sentiment on the computer - I couldn't resist because my first thought when I saw this was how well-endowed our latte lovely is! LOL! The paper was an easy choice because after so much caffeine, she is definitely bright and vibrant (and if you've got the coffee jitters, the pattern kind of buzzes - LOL)! The silver-tone coffee mug brad was a gifty from last year's Secret Santa and the light brown brads were part of a hostess gifty earlier this year. This card was truly a pleasure to work on and came together effortlessly, thanks to Heather's awesome image! (I just wish the color on her blouse wasn't reading so red - IRL it's a dark pink. I guess that's what I get for snapping pics on the cell phone.)


I hope you'll continue to hop and visit my gal Kadie next! Don't forget to leave comments along the way to be eligible for some fabby free images! The hop is open Wednesday and Thursday, so send all your friends! :D

TFL! I'm off to get my java jolt!


Image(s): Fresh Brewed Designs
Pattern Papers: Basic Grey - Bittersweet Collection
Cardstock: local source
Embellishments: SU-Brown Brads; coffee mug - unknown
Colored with Copics

"Coffee and Tea, and the Java and Me"

I'm primarily a coffee drinker, but my sis and I go to tea at least once a month, so I couldn't resist taking 2 spots in Tanja's (3boysathome on SCS) All About Coffee/Tea Swap.

Once I found the DP (at Archiver's in the clearance section - and it was the last sheet!), the card just came together effortlessly. The image stamp is by Inque Boutique. I colored in copics, and then stamped the sentiment. I didn't have quite the right brown for a card base, so I just used white CS, hoping it would be okay since the DP has white, glittery swirls. I also used Bazzill texture CS and Bazzill shimmery textured CS. I finally got with it and bought some of those Robin's Nest dew drops - love 'em!

This one was made with a Unity stamp - a rather large one with lots of swirls. I stamped and cut out the tea cup. The tea rooms I go to with my sis are usually Victorian decor, so I wanted to go for a vintage feel. I've been holding onto and loving this DP for a long time, just waiting for the perfect project to use it on. Now I'm crying because I only had 1 sheet of it, and now all that's left is a little strip. I had a hard time with coloring, only because out of all the blues I have, none was quite right when I tried coloring the inside of the cup and saucer. And then it hit me - don't fill it in, just use it as the shadow - duh! I debated over adding brads or other embellies, but I really wanted the DP to shine, so I opted for the "less is more" look. The inside sentiment reads "Friendship begins with a cup of kindness." So true!

TFL!

Now it's Mom's Turn!

ETA: Here's the card! On the left I used my designer label punch to punch the sentiment "Relax...it's your day." I layered it onto more of the pink and brown latticework paper and trimmed it to the same shape. TFL!


Today is my mom's birthday!!!
My sister and I took her to tea yesterday and as always it was super scrump-deli-icious! And what a gorgeous day! Tonight the whole family is going to one of my mom's favorite restaurants - good old Olive Garden. She was just telling me last week that she had a yen for soup, salad and breadsticks, but we'll try to get her to eat more than that! (She's a tiny little thing!) And unbeknownst to her, my sister picked up and has been hiding her favorite cake! My dad always wants a homemade cake, but my mom loves bakery cake...something about the frosting.
Once again, I'll have to post the card I made for her later, but I think it'll be worth the wait. I gave it to her this morning, and when you see it, you'll see why I didn't wait until tonight like I normally would.
If you saw my Mother's Day card, you know how awesome I think my mom is. Please join me in wishing her a fantastic b-day - she totally deserves it!

Coffee Swap

Everytime I think that phrase, "Coffee Swap," I can't help but say it in the voice of Mike Myers's character from the SNL (Linda Richmond?) skit "Coffee Talk" and it makes me smile. ("I'm feeling vehrklempt. Give me a minute. Talk amongst yourselves.")



Anywho, this was my submission for my first card swap on SCS! (On the inside I stamped, "I take life one cappuccino at a time." (Sorry for the crooked scan, my battery had died on my digi cam.) If you click to enlarge the pic, you'll see the coloring better - still working on mastering those Copics!
There were two groups for the swap: one for tea, one for coffee. I chose coffee. The fun part of the swap was that everyone included a coffee single, or something coffee related. It was mostly International Coffees, or their chilled coffee mix (which I'm still looking forward to trying), but one gal sent Splenda Coffee Singles, which was fun. And, I loved this swap because all of the cards I received back were really good. I hope they like mine just as well. What do you think???