July Challenge-Paint Your Patriotism

The sun is rising earlier now that Summer is here, causing the earth to sparkle under the rays.  This is the month that I celebrate "Old Glory" and am proud to be a retired Army veteran so this month's challenge twist is to show our patriotism.  Create a card that represents YOUR country's colors or simply go with the colors Red, White and Blue.

JULY'S CHALLENGE - ANYTHING GOES WITH 
AN OPTIONAL TWIST
TO USE YOUR COUNTRY'S COLORS
OR USE THE COLORS RED, WHITE and BLUE

Our sponsor this month is "Bugaboo Stamps" who is offering one of our winners 5 images of their choice.  Check out their stamps and you will see why I absolutely love these adorable images.

We will also offer a Gift Certificate from Oozak, courtesy of Mema's Girls.  Oozak offers you a variety of crafting products to include stamps, paper, tools and reasonably priced ink pads and markers such as Copic Sketch and Ciao.  You can also find tools and accessories to meet all your crafting needs.

Well folks, let's get started creating and having fun.  Our standard rules which can be found under the Rules Tab above will apply.  As usual our challenges run for an entire month.  Winners this month will be selected on on July 15th and again on the 30th.  This will allow us crafters to enjoy our vacations and still have time to enter for a chance to win.  Bonus winners, if any will be announced when the challenge closes.

Here are a few cards my girls and I created to share with you.

Ari 

(Shadow Box Card) 

Bugaboo Image - Edward USA

 Top View

Inside Look

Lesia

(Mema)

Bugaboo Stamp - Liberty Brat

Gabbi

(coached by Mema)

Bugaboo Image - Ruby Calendar Month July USA

Joyce

Bugaboo Image - Brat Liberty

Inside Peek

June's Challenge With A Twist 2013

Welcome to June's Challenge where the theme this month is "Anything Goes" with an optional twist.  There's a lot to celebrate this month so  let's get started.

Your optional twist is to create a project celebrating

 "Father's Day", "Graduation" or "Summer/Vacation".  

The rules for this challenge are the same, but check by clicking on the rules tab located above.  We will have two winners and they will be selected on Monday, the 10th and Monday, the 24th.  Any bonus winner will be selected and announced once the challenge itself ends.

Additional rules can be found under the rules tab above.  Remember to check the Winners tab for all challenges, giveaways and bonuses and please follow the rules.  We've had two winners that had to forfeit because the rules were not followed.

We have a new sponsor this month, so please help me welcome "The Paper Nest" to Mema's Crafts.  They have offered to grace our winner with a $25 gift certificate that can be used to purchase anything in their store.  What a generous and fabulous prize.

Here's A Little About "The Paper Nest"

The Paper Nest Dolls is a line of digital and rubber stamps designed by owner and illustrator, Christine Young. All stamps are inspired by her children and are truly a labor of love. Our rubber stamps are made from the highest quality, red photopolymer on the market and come deeply etched and cling mounted. They are pre-cut as well, so all you have to do is ink, and stamp!  Visit their shop to discover the Paper Nest Dolls, which are adorable and perfect for any event.  The Paper Nest Dolls are a collection of original artwork, all done by hand and then converted into a digital stamp.  Each one is unique and special. The Paper Nest has something for everyone.

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Kenny's Design Team and Blog

KennyK Digi Store

Our second sponsor is a long time friend with Mema's Crafts, that has sponsored our challenges in the past.  In fact KennyK was one of our very first sponsors and they continue to sponsor us.  Digi and rubber stamps from KennyK are a fun and edgy way to add the perfect dose of attitude and style to all your creations!  I think of them as images "with attitude". 

Be sure to check out KennyK Downloads to see the new stamps they just released to celebrate Father's Day. Kenny's images have a range of styles to meet your taste so don't wait to see them, just click here and go now.

Many thanks to Kenny and Elena for once again offering our challenge winner a shopping choice of their unique digi images.

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I can't wait to see your creations, but until then

allow me to share what my girls have created.

Joyce 

The Paper Nest - Strawberry Girl

Card Closed

Sentiment Tag Removed

Card Completely Opened

Ari

The Paper Nest - Springtime Ellie

 Gabbi

The Paper Nest - Firefly Fairy

Lesia

Kenny K Image - Soldier

Joyce

KennyK - Precolored Capt Lock

Valentine Flip Card

Basic Instructions 

1. Cut (1) 6 x 12 piece of cardstock. Score at 2 1/4, 3, 9, and 9 3/4 inches.
2. Cut (4) 6 x 6 pieces of cardstock.
3. Attach 2 pieces of 6 x 6 cardstock to the 2 1/4 inch left flap at the 2 1/4 inch fold, sandwiching the flap between the cardstock.  Repeat the process by attaching the other 2 pieces of 6 x 6 cardstock to the 2 1/4 inch right flap.
4. You will end up with a base page that is 6 inches tall and 19 1/2 inches wide. Score again at 6 and 6 3/4 inches from each end. This is your Album Base. Set this aside. 

1. Cut (3) pieces of cardstock to 6 x 12 inches. Score each piece at 3 and 9 inches. Attach the three pieces of cardstock together by the 3 x 6 inch flaps to form a 6 x 24 inch section that has a center section with "doors."  
2. Fold the two 3-inch center flaps towards the center.

1. Fold the 3-inch right flap in and fold the 6-inch right panel towards the center.
2. Fold the 3-inch left flap in and fold the 6-inch left panel towards the center. Now you have the Album Core. Once it is folded, it will measure 6 x 6 inches.
3. Attach the Album Core to the inside 6x6 center panel of your Album Base, by attaching adhesive to the back of the Album Core and placing it onto the center of the Album Base.
4. Fold the right panel to the center.
5. Fold the left cover panel to the center. (It may be helpful to label your “naked” panels and flaps prior to decorating.)
6. You may choose to ink all edges and folds.
7. Now you are ready to decorate!

May Challenge 2013

Hello fellow craftsman and you know what time it is....time for a new challenge.  BIG THANKS to my new and old followers for supporting and playing with us at Mema's Crafts. 

May challenge is "ANYTHING GOES"!!!!!
And we have a fabulous optional theme

In celebration of Mother's Day we thought the theme should be
Mother's Day 
and most Moms will get flowers from their sons and daughters so we added a second theme that you can choose which is
 May Flowers 
but of course this is optional so you choose to use the theme or not

You can combine your entry with other challenges where allowed and you can submit 3 entries.  You can find my basic rules for claiming a prize under the RULES tab located above.  The first winner will be selected on Monday, May 13th and the second winner will be selected on Monday, May 27th which is Memorial Day.  Winners will be posted under the WINNERS tab located above.  Enter early and you'll get two chances to win.

Additionally, there will be a bonus winner but the requirements are a secret! The winner will be one of the entries and selected at the end of the month. That's 3 chances to win if you enter early.

You've got two weeks to enter for a chance to win twice but if you miss the first draw you can still enter for the second draw.

This month our sponsor is Digi Stamps 4 Joy!  Read more about DS4J on my home post.

DS4J is offering one lucky winner 5 of their adorable digi stamps!  Additionally, one lucky winner will win a gift certificate to go shopping at the store I select but you decide the item.

To get started I'd like to introduce our first ever guest designer!  I like first ever events so without any more delay.....put your hands together and help me welcome the very talented and creative........

Lisa Overstreet

My name is Lisa, I am married to a wonderful man we just had our 29th anniversary, and have 1 awesome son, who is getting ready to have his 1 year anniversary. Funny part is it doesn't seem like he has been married a year already seems like it just happened yesterday.. I am an avid animal lover. I have 3 dogs and 2 cats and they are my babies now. I got into scrapping back in 2009 and started out doing scrapbooks, then got interested in working on greeting cards. I have been a design team member for Digi Darla and  now I am a design team member for Digistamps4joy.. I love working with my cards it is so relaxing to me. My craft room is my get away from everything else.

Here is Lisa's lovely creation!

Using "Bashful Barry"

And now let's see what my girls have designed for you.

Lesia

Using Anemone Corner

Ari

Using "Sentiment: Mom"

Sentiment Inside the Pocket

Sentiment Outside the Pocket

Gabbi

Using "Secret Ingredient"

Joyce

Using "Daylily Corner"

We are so excited to celebrate the many moms out there and we can't wait to see your creations.

Blog Giveaway

Click Here To Enter April's Anything Goes Challenge!

IT'S FINALLY OVER...
THE ORGANIZING PROJECT IS COMPLETED!
And now its time to giveaway a few items to two lucky followers!

But first I must tell you that what I found tucked and stored was enough to qualify me for a spot on the popular T.V. Series "Hoarders" buried alive, at least that's what my grand-daughters tell me.  I discovered lots of 12 x 12 paper packs but when I weighed them I opted not to post them.  Now I understand why shipping is so high on these online stores.

It didn't turn out to bad (well for me) because I didn't have many duplicates outside of paper and wooden stamps so here is what I have up for grabs.  I am breaking it down into two groups (A & B)

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GIVEAWAY

ITEMS IN GROUP A INCLUDE:

Cricut Cartridge "Paper Doll Dress-up"
Cricut Cartridge "Stretch Your Imagination"

Fiskar Clear Stamps "All Around Quotes"

6 x 6 Paper Pad "Little Black Dress"

Small Air Brush Kit

Red Florets (4 per box)
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GIVEAWAY

ITEMS IN GROUP B INCLUDE:

Cricut Cartridge "From My Kitchen De Ma Cuisine"
TPC Studio Clear Stamps "Inspirational Quotes"
Spellbinders D-Lite Die Fence
6 x 6 Paper Pad "London Market"
Red Flurets (4 per box)
2 pack of bling (green and gold)

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  To be eligible all you need to do is:

1. Be a follower
2. Add a link on your blog to this post
3. Enter your name below using Mr Linky

This blog candy will be open until April 30th.

I would appreciate it if you told a friend about Mema's Crafts.

Hugs

Lesia

April - Anything Goes Challenge

Click Here for the Blog Giveaway!

Hello fellow craftsman and welcome to April's challenge!  First let me give big THANKS to my continued supporters and I welcome my new followers.  I hope you all will have fun and spread the word about Mema's monthly challenges.

This month our challenge theme is "ANYTHING GOES"!!!!!

There is no twist and the limit is 3 entries.  You can combine your entry with other challenges where allowed.  This month I am offering bi-weekly prizes and going forward my challenges will be posted on the first Monday of the month and winners will be selected bi-weekly and announced the following Monday.

That's two chances to win with one entry but you must enter early to double-dip on the chances.

The first winner will be selected on Monday, April 15th and posted the following day.  The second winner will be chosen on Monday, April 29th and posted the following day.  You've got two weeks to enter for a chance to win twice and if you miss the first draw you can still enter for the second draw.

 Digi stamps are always fun to win but this month I am giving away gift certificates and you get to choose your own prize.  I'll tell you where to shop but you select what to buy.  Additionally, one lucky winner will win 5 bugaboo digital stamps.

Here are a couple of cards that I created to share with you.

My girls are all taking a break, or something like that, so its just me left to create.  Grand-daughters can be so unpredictable at times.

I used Dottie Bunny from Bugaboo and colored her with copics.  I created a criss-cross card to hold my message and added a card stand on the back using Tim Holtz's stand die.

The Botantical Swirls on the side are part of Spellbinders CHA release and they are lovely and can be used in so many ways.


The flowers are Prima and the trim was made using a Martha Stewart punch.

I used the same DP to create the insert and I added a little bird rub-on to draw attention.  The paper is Authentique and basic card stock from Michaels.

This very simple card was made with scraps of paper.  The brown paper is actually two pieces of scrap paper that I cut with one of my Anja Die from Marianne.

I had to leave a little space between the two pieces to cover the card base which is 5.25 x 5.25.  I ran the top piece through an embossing folder and stamped my sentiment on the bottom piece.

I added the flowers and bling once the card was put together.  The leaves are more results from Marianne dies.


That's all there is to it so lets play.  Don't forget to follow the rules located in the Rules Tab above.

Hope you enjoyed my creations and now its time to share yours.  I can't wait to see your creations! Don't forget to have fun!

A minimum of 10 entries is required in order for me to award a prize so tell your friends to join us.