Today is the day…..I’ll be announcing the new 10 Minute Craft Dash DT! Seven talented gals from all across the globe on one team?! Stay tuned, it’s happening later this morning!
Before I can get to the announcement, I wanted to be sure to take care of the 10 Minute Craft Dash #20 Highlights post. Seeing the bright colors all over blog land was so fun and I loved all of the different occasions you were able to pair this color palette with!
Congratulations to Heather!
Heather please email me {click the contact on the top right} with your info to claim your DeNami gift certificate prize. Also, you get to grab the badge below and proudly display it on your blog!
Here are my favorites picks from this last challenge. If you haven’t already, be sure to stop by each of the blogs to take a look at the beautiful cards! {Ladies, feel free to grab the badge below and put it on your blogs!}
If you are interested in getting a head start on the next Craft Dash, I have the colors that will be featured on the Pretty Pink Posh Facebook page. This is EXCLUSIVE to those who like my page. If you go there and go to “exclusives”, you get to see the next 10 Minute Craft Dash challenge a day early!
In closing, I wanted to mention that I started a new tab under the “craft dash” section here on the blog. If you have played in at least three 10 Minute Craft Dash challenges and/or consider yourself a “Craft Dasher” or fan of the challenge, feel free to link up your site! This will be a great resource for those looking to follow new blogs and I think it would be fun to see the list grow as time goes on.
I will see you all in just a bit with the DT announcement!
For those new to my blog, on the first Monday of each month, I feature one of the bloggers that I follow. When I read blogs, I always enjoy getting to know the person BEHIND the blog. Whether it be a crafty blogger, a lifestyle blogger or a fellow young single gal- I love putting away the formalities and having a “conversation” with a blogger I enjoy.
My Featured Blogger today is taking the blog world by storm. She can be found on the Lil’ Inkers Designs, Clearly Besotted Stamps, CASE Study and Simon Says Stamp design teams. Her card designs are distinguishable and let’s not forget how gorgeous her work is. Please join me in welcoming Debby Hughes to the blog!
Let’s get started with the questions….
Tell us about your blog. When and why did you start it?
I started my blog back in 2010 as I was keen to take part in the challenge blogs I so enjoyed. I was very nervous and wasn’t sure if anyone would call by to visit. However, I found the crafting world to be a truly friendly place filled with wonderful people many of whom I am now delighted to call friends.
Where did the name of your blog come from?
I love everything green and bright lime green is a particular favourite. The ‘doodle’ comes from a childhood nickname. My family called me Debby Doodle which sort of turned into Doodle Doo and eventually they just used to call me Doo!
How would you describe your cardmaking style?
I certainly aspire to a clean and simple style. When I’m browsing around the web it is CAS card design which stops my mouse clicking and makes me pause for a closer look :) Within CAS though I like to be quiet varied in theme. One day I can be colouring a cute image with Copics and then another trying a more elegant or artistic style.
What is your favorite embellishment to add to cards?
At the moment I seem to add either enamel dots or sequins. They seem to have taken over from the rhinestones and pearls I used to use to accent my cards.
If you could meet anyone in the crafting world, who would it be?
Oh I have so many crafty idols it’s impossible to pick! One person who influences the craft industry so much though is Cath Edvalson, Trends Editor for Paper Crafts magazine and author of Moxie Fab World. I am so often inspired by the posts Cath pops up on Moxie Fab.
For those new to cardmaking, what tips or suggestions would you give?
Browse blogs and sites such as Pinterest and work out what style you find inspiring. Then note some of the design features used by those crafters and try and incorporate them into your own projects. Most important of all though is to have fun and enjoy creating!
Okay, now onto some fun questions…..
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time {besides crafting}?
My children seem to think being the family taxi service is what I enjoy doing LOL! But given a choice I like to read, garden and chill out with my husband with a little TV and my laptop :)
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Anywhere I haven’t been yet! Now our children are a little older we are enjoying the travel options available to us which just seemed too difficult to pull off when they were younger. My eldest has certainly caught the travel bug and is always suggesting the furthest most exotic places to visit LOL.
If you had to choose one food or drink to live off of, what would it be?
Sad to say, but my friends know it’s true – Pepsi Max!
Name five things you’re passionate about:
Family
Friends
Family
Trying my best at whatever I choose to do
Family :)
Now that you have gotten to know this sweet gal, I’m sure you’re dying to check out her amazing blog. I’m fairly certain you’ll be adding her blog to your blogroll- she always posts such beautiful creations!
I hope that you enjoyed this feature and are just as inspired by this gal as I have been. Want to recommend a blogger, or yourself, for a future Featured Blogger post? Leave a comment with the blog link and you never know- you just might hear from me!
I will be back for the 10 Minute Craft Dash Highlights, info on how you can get an exclusive sneak peek of the upcoming challenge AND then I’ll be announcing the new design team! It’ll be a day full of exciting info and I know it’ll get you excited for the new challenge on Wednesday. I hope to see you then!
How can it be that this is the last week of June?! This month has been so busy with behind-the-scenes prep for some upcoming events, my full-time job, health issues and things in between, that I feel like I’m barely holding on. Once August comes around, things will settle down a bit….I’m already looking forward to it!
In the past month I’ve had lots of new readers stop by, so I’ll introduce this feature a little bit. Each month I post a few of my favorite items from the month and do a little write-up about it. I will say that I’m not one to just post anything into this feature, so a product has to be pretty fantastic for it to make it in.
I’m going to be completely honest with you all….I’m horrible at applying make-up. I never really learned how to properly apply it, so I’ve been attempting faking it for years. I tried having someone at the Nordstrom make-up counter do it years ago {to teach me} and that was an epic fail. I watch YouTube videos occasionally to try to learn tips, but I still have a ways to go…. in the meantime, it’s eyeshadow palettes like this one that helps a TON. It tells me exactly where each color should go, so it really can’t get any easier. I’ve only tried Natural Smokes 02Q {since it was fairly neutral}, but I want to try other palettes down the road!
As many of you know, I’ve recent had to eliminate all grains/ gluten from my diet, along with many other things. In my attempt to still eat semi healthy, since I can’t really exercise at the moment, I’ve been on the lookout for healthy snacks. While I love fresh fruits, sometimes I want to change it up. My sister recently brought me a bag of Dang Coconut Chips {yes, that’s the brand} and they are DELICIOUS! You could easily use them with other foods, but I like to eat them straight out of the bag. *wink*
My bestie is the queen of recommending the best products. Seriously. She gets me hooked on so many things I never would have found and thankfully, most of them are fairly inexpensive. Recently she was talking about Mr. Clean Magic Erasers {after 25+ years of friendship, sometimes we talk about mundane things} and I told her I had never used one and asked why they were so great. She told me why she liked it and the next day I went out and bought a box. How in the world had I not used these before?! I got the bathroom one and it did wonders on the tub with very little elbow grease. Definitely a winner in my book.
I’ve been a fan of Instagram for quite a while now. As a person who is visual, seeing little peeks into my friends’ lives throughout the world is so much fun. In the course of poking around the app, I’ve been able to find so many new companies, bloggers and crafters. Also, seeing pictures of celebrities in their day-to-day lives is pretty neat, too! Recently Instagram added video to their app and I am IN LOVE. While I’m still a newbie to it, I can see so many great uses for it. Stay tuned…I’m thinking you’ll see some more in the future!
What are a few of YOUR random loves at the moment? It can be drinks, shows, clothing, movies, etc…. whatever products you’re loving, or have on your wish list, I’d love to read about them!
Hey y’all! I am so happy to be sharing another recipe on this beautiful Monday!
As you know, I’m living in NYC for the summer, and I’m loving every minute of it. There is so much to do, and I feel like every moment is busy, busy, busy. I’m gearing up for lots of visitors in the weeks ahead, including next weekend for the 4th of July! Grant is coming for the long weekend, and we have so much to see, explore, and taste. Luckily, he’s a foodie like me, so you can bet our days will absolutely be revolving around food!
In honor of my second favorite holiday that’s just 10 days away (Thanksgiving is my all time fave), I am sharing my recipe/DIY for Mason Jar Mini Cakes! Some of you may have seen these on my blog, and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
I’m not sure about you, but I need something super simple and just as cute to bring along to picnics and parties next Thursday! You can’t go wrong with cupcakes, but I wanted to step it up a notch, while still keeping it easy. I’ve also been wanting to do something with mason jars for the longest time, so this was the perfect opportunity! These mason jar mini cakes will be sure to wow your guests and keep the kids happy!
How-To: Mini Mason Jar Cakes
{Disclaimer: Yes, I am using boxed cake mix, and yes, sometimes you just need to keep it semi-homemade. There is nothing wrong with it!}
Step 1– If you’re using boxed cake like I did, prepare the batter according to the directions. However, if you have a favorite cake recipe, by all means, make it!
Step 2– Divide the batter into 2 bowls. Using food coloring, color one bowl red and the other bowl blue.
Step 3– Bake accordingly.
Step 4– Let cool completely. Once cool, place both cakes onto a cutting board or countertop. Using a circle cookie cutter that fits into the mason jar opening {or knife}, cut out circles of each colored cake. I used a measuring cup to trace a knife around because none of my cookie cutters were small enough. Be sure the cookie cutter fits into the jar, otherwise the cake circles won’t fit! You will need an even number of both.
Step 5– Place one cake circle in the bottom of each jar. I chose blue as my base color.
Step 6– Make icing, or use store bought. I made a cream cheese icing, but any kind will do! Vanilla buttercream would be delish! I simply used a Ziploc bag and cut the corner off to pipe the icing on top of the blue cake. Use enough icing to make a complete white layer.
Step 7– Place the other cake circle {red} on top of the icing layer.
Step 8– Pipe icing on top of the second layer. In my case, this filled the jar to the top. If you’re using larger cups, continue this pattern until you reach the top of the jars.
Step 9– Add sprinkles, white chocolate chips, or any decorations you’d like! I used washi tape to create the cute cupcake topper.
Step 10– If traveling, place the mason jar lids on top, and store in the fridge until you’re ready to go.
Tip: These can be made 1-2 days in advance! Keep the stress and rushing around down by prepping these a couple days ahead of time! To make them even cuter, I placed the top on, then a matching cupcake liner, then the twisty part of the lid. That way, you don’t see the shiny metal, but they still look pretty!
What are your 4th of July plans? I love that the holiday falls on a Thursday – I lucked out and have Friday off, do you? Don’t forget to follow me for a sneak peek into my world of sweets, entertaining, crafting, and NYC living! I’ll be back to my southern ways in just 7 weeks!
One of my favorite things about this time of year? Fresh fruit! I’ve always been a fan of fruit, but as the years have gone on, I have become allergic to pitted fruit. Boo! I miss those yummy peaches, plums and cherries so very much. Thankfully, berries are not an issue and I’ve been eating my fair share of strawberries {and raspberries} this year.
A couple months ago, I created a card featuring strawberries {post here} and while I was playing with those stamps, I made this card as well. With my limited time in the craft studio lately, I thought today would be the perfect day to share it with you all.
It warms my heart that so many of my readers and crafty friends have found out about this AMAZING chevron twill ribbon. I have almost all of the colors and honestly, it’s hard for me to NOT use it on one of my projects. If you would like to purchase some of your own yummy ribbon, be sure to check out my sponsor, Little Free Radical. Not only does she carry all of the colors, she also sells it at a great price and her shipping time is crazy fast!
*I heard there’s a 1.5″ width now! While I wouldn’t use it on a card, I would totally use it when I did gift wrapping. Thinking I’ll need to buy a few cards of some in the future to see how it looks!
I’ll be a busy little bee this weekend. I have a contributing post for another blog to put together, a video that needs editing and lots of sample cards to create for an upcoming stamp release. Hoping health stays on my side so I can get everything done! If you think of it, I would welcome prayers!
Have a fabulous weekend, sweet blog friends. I’m sure I’ll chat with some of you on the Pretty Pink Posh Facebook pagelater on today and over the weekend!
It’s time for a new 10 Minute Craft Dash and I have a returning sponsor, along with many special guests! This time around, I went the route of some bright and summery colors and I LOVE them paired together. Between the samples from the Craft Dash DT and the designers from the sponsors’ DT, you all are going to have so much inspiration, I’m hoping you won’t be able to resist joining along. *wink*
* If you aren’t able to stay within the 10 minutes, you can still link up your item! While it won’t quality for the winner spot, it still could qualify as a favorites pick!
*New card picture and video on how to create the card from start-to-finish, will be uploaded soon!
Please join me in welcoming DeNami Design, the sponsor of this challenge! As some of you may know, I actually work for this company as my full-time job, so they have a special place in my heart. With their growing collection of stamps and accessories, and a new release around the corner, this prize is one that will definitely come in handy.
If you were inspired by the cards above, just wait until you see what the DeNami DT has whipped up! These gals are all so very talented {and super sweet} and I really adore working with them. Be sure to visit each of their blogs so you can see what they created!
The 10 Minute Craft Dash #19 challenge ended on Saturday and it’s time to announce the highlights! OHMYWORD, you all did a phenomenal job with these colors. It’s so funny, the color palettes that I’m not sure will be popular are the ones that you all showcase the best! It made my heart giddy that there were SO many newbies joining along this time around. I LOVE seeing that word of the challenge is spreading- thank you to everyone who continues to help with this!
Before we get to the winner and favorites, I wanted to let you all know that I’ll be starting a new tab under the “craft dash” section here on the blog. If you have played in at least three 10 Minute Craft Dash challenges and would consider yourself a “Craft Dasher” or fan of the challenge, feel free to link up your site! This will be a great resource for those looking to follow new blogs and I think it would be fun to see the list grow as time goes on.
Okay, now onto the real reason for today’s post….
Congratulations to Amy Sheffer!
Please email me (click the contact on the top right) with your snail mail info to claim your prize. Also, you get to grab the badge below and proudly display it on your blog!
Here are my favorites picks from this last challenge. If you haven’t already, be sure to stop by each of the blogs to take a look at the beautiful cards! {Ladies, feel free to grab the badge below and put it on your blogs!}
If you are interested in getting a head start on the next Craft Dash, I have the colors that will be featured on the Pretty Pink Posh Facebook page. This is EXCLUSIVE to those who like my page. If you go there and go to “exclusives”, you get to see the next 10 Minute Craft Dash challenge a day early!
Tomorrow we have a returning sponsor and SEVEN of their designers will be providing inspiration. I hope that you’ll stop by and of course, join in the fun! I shall see some of you on the Pretty Pink Posh Facebook page later. Thanks for stopping by!
For those who haven’t noticed, I’m a tad bit obsessed with my Hero Arts colored ink pads right now. As my collection of them are slowly growing, I’m able to do more color layering and adding new colors to my favorites. As of right now, the colors in today’s card are my go-to ink pad colors at the moment….
I pulled out a few WPlus9 sets, Folk Art Florals and Filigreed Frames {a set/ die that I’m currently selling}. There is something about this color combination that screams summer, and that’s alright with me. Living in Seattle, it’s not uncommon for summer to start later for us. I’m eagerly awaiting the days when I can pull out my sunglasses, flipflops and iced Starbucks beverages for days on end. In the meantime, I’ll be reaching for my summery inks and stamps.
Since I’ve been using sequins so often, my beloved rhinestones have been neglected. I thought it was time to break them out again, and I must say, they make cards shine beautifully. Just a few little bits of bling and it makes an ordinary card a little more special.
I want to thank you all for leaving your feedback regarding the test post I did on Friday. It sounds like you all are up for me posting this feature regularly, so I have one planned for July. In the meantime, hopefully I can pick-up some of the products I listed {or receive as birthday gifts} and do a haul video showcasing them a little more in depth. If any of you purchase any of the items I listed, I’d love to hear/ see how you use them!
If you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe by email so you can get all of my posts directly to you inbox so you won’t miss ANY news! I’ll be back tomorrow for the 10 Minute Craft Dash #19 Highlights. Hope to see you then!
I don’t know about you, but I always love seeing what items have caught the eye of my fellow blog and craft friends. Whether it be the latest items from Target {that store always gets me in trouble!}, a new nail polish or some beloved crafty items, I love peeking in and being introduced to items I may not have normally seen.
Thanks to the prodding of a couple friends and my birthday coming up soon, I thought I’d do a “test post”, of sorts. Here’s some items that have been on my wish list and/or have caught my eye recently.
I’d love to hear whether you enjoy these sorts of posts, or would you rather I skip them. Honestly, if you aren’t a fan, that’s totally okay! I’m completely unsure if I want to do this feature, so it’ll be YOUR feedback that helps me make the decision. I promise, there won’t be any hurt feelings one way or the other. *wink*
That’s going to wrap up this short little post. Quick reminder: if you have been wanting to participate in the 10 Minute Craft Dash #19, the deadline is TOMORROW night! There have been so many gorgeous entries so far- I hope you’ll add yours to the list!
As I sit here writing this post, I am filled with gratitude to all of YOU, my amazing blog readers. Thank you for always leaving me the sweetest, most encouraging comments. Thank you for taking the time out of your day to send me emails with suggestions on different approaches I can take for my health. Thank you for your prayers, loving thoughts and your friendship. Thank you for coming along on my journey of life. I treasure you all so very much.
Today I have a card showcasing the set Bling by Mama Elephant. I pulled out one of the “buildings” and created a pattern with a variety of inks, then paired it up with a sentiment. Right now I am TOTALLY loving this sentiment- never stop believing- it’s so fitting in my life, along with those around me.
Confession: I wish I didn’t add the sequins to the card. I had laid a few down that had adhesive on them and when I went to pull them off, they stuck and couldn’t be taken off. In order to “fix” the card, I ended up having to add more. This is one of the very few cases where I actually wish I didn’t add sequins to a card. See, even I mess up on cards sometimes! *wink*
I hope you all have a fabulous Thursday. Thanks for spending some time with me today!
In closing, I wanted to mention that I started a new tab under the “craft dash” section here on the blog. If you have played in at least three 10 Minute Craft Dash challenges and/or consider yourself a “Craft Dasher” or fan of the challenge, feel free to link up your site! This will be a great resource for those looking to follow new blogs and I think it would be fun to see the list grow as time goes on.
eyeshadow can be found 
I don’t know about you, but I always love seeing what items have caught the eye of my fellow blog and craft friends. Whether it be the latest items from Target {that store always gets me in trouble!}, a new nail polish or some beloved crafty items, I love peeking in and being introduced to items I may not have normally seen.
