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Ahoy Mate

While I can be quite girly, I have had a thing for nautical themed items for quite some time. In fact, back in my early high school years, my room was red/ white/ blue and had a semi nautical/ patriotic feel to it. {Don’t ask…I honestly couldn’t tell you why I chose that over a girly theme}

Recently, I was fulfilling an order at work and saw the Sailboat Chickie. How could I push this little guy aside for so long?! Over the weekend, I was at the store and saw these delicious looking cupcakes. Instantly I knew I wanted to create little cupcake toppers and a matching card featuring this little guy.

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Did you spy my newly purchased Quinn’s ABC’s dies? These little letters are so much fun to use! If you haven’t seen it already, head on over to THIS POST to see the stamp set used, along with a video on the matching dies. {They are currently out of stock at Ellen Hutson, but they should be restocked soon!}

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One of my March sponsors, Little Free Radical, carries a large variety of paper straws that are swoon worthy. Last month, I created a cupcake topper and card featuring a green straw {see here} and decided I wanted to use a grey straw today. I won’t lie, I literally am looking for any excuse to use one- they just make me so happy!

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I hope that these little creations brought a smile to your face and inspired you. I’ll be back tomorrow- hope to see you then!

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Blissful Botanical Thanks + Video

Today I not only have a card for the 10 Minute Craft Dash #14 {sponsored by Lawn Fawn}, I also have a video showing how I created it! I don’t post a video for each challenge for a few different reasons…one of the main ones, I’m a perfectionist and I truly dislike how these videos show me scrambling about. I have no problem crafting with a timer when the camera isn’t rolling, but when it is, it’s like I freeze up!

I won’t go into detail of how I created this card, since it’s shown in the video. *wink* If you don’t already, I hope that you’ll subscribe to the Pretty Pink Posh YouTube channel. As I’m getting the hang of the lighting, working on camera and showcasing techniques, I’m hoping to post videos more regularly.

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Time it took to create: 9 minutes 30 seconds

Do you spy that scrumptious ribbon? I bought a WHOLE bunch of it from one of my blog sponsors, Little Free Radical, in eight different colors. Crystal is such a sweetheart, has an amazingly fast turnaround time and her products are lovely! {Yes, I’m totally encouraging you to check out her site!}

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Okay, now onto the craziness video…. As I was re-watching this video, I noticed there are a lot of awkward silence pauses. Eeek! This is what a video looks like raw and uncut.

That’s going to wrap up this post, sweet blog friends. I will be back tomorrow with a nautical inspired card and some cupcakes! Hope to see you then!

Shine Brightly {like a diamond}

I’ll admit it, the name of this post is a little ridiculous. When I first created this card, it was based solely around my new Summertime Charm jar and matching die. After the main elements were stamped out, I felt like it needed some sequins and a sentiment. I wanted to do something that reflected the blinged out card and well, I came up with this. I won’t pretend that I didn’t have a popular RiRi song going through my head while I stamped this out.

I recently created THIS CARD , THIS CARD and THIS CARD that featured sequins, but wanted to go the pastel route for this one. After all, with the flowers blooming and Easter right around the corner, it’s hard not to think about these pretty colors!

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Confession time: within a month or so, my collection of sequin colors has gone from ZERO to over TWENTY. I think I need an intervention. On the plus side of things- they are fairly inexpensive, pretty and I use them. On the other side- they are addictive and I neglect some other accessories because of them. Oh the trade offs of crafting….

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Since this card features lots of Lawn Fawn goodies, I wanted to remind you all that they are sponsoring the current 10 Minute Craft Dash. Join the fun and you just might win a LF set of your choice, along with a 6 x 6 paper pack!

In closing, I’m curious, any specific colors of sequins you want to see used on an upcoming project? I plan on crafting sometime this weekend, so hopefully I can work in a few requests! :)

Happy Anniversary + Giveaway Winner

Now before you get too excited…it’s not MY anniversary. Goodness, I don’t even have “someone special” in my life. Today is my parent’s 26th wedding anniversary. They have had their fair share of ups and downs in their marriage, but I am so proud and blessed to see them together. Marriage is hard work {I’ve been told} and the fact that they not only can live together but also work together, is a feat not many can take on.

I’ve said it before, but I have such a hard time with anniversary cards. I don’t like them too “lovey dovey”, but then again, I don’t want them to be boring. I decided to try my hand at mixing in some colorful colors and polka dots {since my moml loves them} and also work in the number 26. After a little playing and gathering inspiration from my “Cards I Love” Pinterest board, I finally settled on this card.

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Yes, I have pulled out sequins once again. I hope y’all don’t mind them….I have quite a few more cards to share in the near future that highlight these fun embellishments!

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It’s time to announce the winner of the Paper Sweeties Gift Certificate Giveaway! I’m so sorry it’s taken so long to post the winner- this week has been jam packed full of posts! Congratulations to Kristina M. Anderson! I’ll be forwarding your email information to Debbie so she can send you the gift certificate information!

Thank you to everyone who entered this past giveaway…..stay tuned for a SEQUIN giveaway soon! I know that many of you have been eying these blingy items and in a recent purchase, I ordered extra so one lucky reader can enjoy them. If you don’t already, be sure to subscribe to my posts via email so you don’t miss this giveaway!

 

 

10 Minute Craft Dash #14

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Happy 1st day of Spring!

With the flowers starting to bloom and the bright decor appearing in the stores, I thought it was time to bring out some cheery colors. Also, with the sponsor this week, these colors work PERFECTLY!

These colors can be used all sorts of themes and occasions- I cannot wait to see where your creativity takes you this week! As usual, the DT has some lovely inspiration to share and I hope that it’ll inspire you as you create for the challenge.

* 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 might still be featured in the favorites!

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Today we have a returning sponsor, along with some of their DT. Please join me in welcoming Lawn Fawn!  I know many of the 10 Minute Craft Dash participants are huge fans of Lawn Fawn, so I’m extra excited to say they are sponsoring this challenge. Here’s what the lucky winner will receive….

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I’m thrilled that some of the Lawn Fawn gals were able to take time in the midst of their inspiration week to join along in the fun. Be sure to visit their blogs and see their beautiful creations!

Cristina “Yainea” Nuñez

Elena Roussakis

Tiffany Johnson

Kelly Marie Alvarez (post coming on Friday)

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How to Play

  1. Create a card/craft project within 10 minutes featuring the color palette.
  2. Post the time it took to create.
  3. Be sure to include the challenge graphic in your post and link to the challenge.
  4. You may combine a total of three challenges with your entry. You may enter the challenge a maximum of two times.
  5. Subscribe to Pretty Pink Posh via Email

You can pull out your supplies before your timer starts!



10 Minute Craft Dash #13 Highlights

The latest 10 Minute Craft Dash challenge ended on Saturday and it’s time to announce the highlights! While this challenge didn’t bring out quite as many entries {some mentioned this was a hard color palette}, it still brought out incredibly beautiful items! Not to mention we had some first time participants and some more videos!

Now onto the winning entry and the six favorites….

Congratulations to Jen Rzasa

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Please email me (click the contact on the top right) with your contact info to claim your prize. Also, you get to grab the badge below and proudly display it on your blog!

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Here are my favorites picks from this last challenge. Oh boy, it sure was a tough decision to narrow these down! 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!}

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Thank you for continuing to spreading the word of my challenge. If you want to share you love of the 10 Minute Craft Dash, feel free to add the challenge button to your blog. I can’t wait to start seeing more badges in blog land soon!

Pretty Pink Posh

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 will start a brand new challenge and a prize from a sponsor that many of you adore. Let’s see, they have cute images and they always bring smiles to faces all across the globe. Any guesses who the sponsor might be?

Birthday Train + New Video

March is jam packed full of birthdays for my relatives. Let’s see…there’s my brother, my aunt, my grandma, my sister and my brother-in-law {who coincidentally are married and have the same birthday!}. Needless to say, I’ve been busy creating all sorts of birthday cards.

Today’s card was created for my sister and brother-in-law. I know, it’s horrible that I combined their card! This card took twice as long as I had planned for it to and well, I’m thinking what’s INSIDE the card will help them forget I only made them one. *wink* With my new obsession of sequins, I just had to add a few of them to this card. birthdaytrain1a

I received some questions on how I’m adhering my sequins to my projects. After going through my stash, I decided to give my Crystal Lacquer a whirl and it works PERFECTLY! Since it comes with a teeny tip, it’s perfect for these little sequins.

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You may have noticed that I used some alphabet stamps on today’s card. I have loved this set from the moment I saw it and I was so thrilled when Lawn Fawn released dies to coordinate with them. I was so giddy to open mine up, I just had to film a short little video on how the dies work with the set and how I plan on using them.

I’m curious if any of you have alphabet dies and if so, which ones are your favorite? Also, how do you store them? As I mentioned in the video, I’m still looking for a good {and inexpensive} way to store mine. Can’t wait to hear your suggestions!

Thanks for stopping in today. I’ll be back tomorrow with the 10 Minute Craft Dash #13 Highlights and info on how to get an early peek at the upcoming challenge. Hope to see you then!

Dream A Little Dream

Dream a little dream. Those four little words can pack a punch, if you really think about it. As a little girl, I had all sorts of dreams…..and yes, many of them involved big fluffy dresses and finding Prince Charming.

Today I have a sweet little card for you showcasing more Paper Sweeties stamps. Have I mentioned how much I love these little dolls and the outfits that you can use with them? They are oh-so-cute! Once again, I did some paper piecing using some new patterned papers I purchased. You would think I would refrain from intricate cutting after a long day of work, but honestly, it’s so therapeutic!

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I wanted to send out a quick reminder that TOMORROW is the last day to enter the $25 Paper Sweeties Gift Certificate Giveaway. There are five ways to get entries in for your chance to pick out some adorable sets for yourself!

I recently asked on the Pretty Pink Posh Facebook page if there was interest for a Blogging 101 post. After a resounding “yes”, I have plans to put a mini series together. Over the course of many years blogging, I’ve learned lots of lessons, tips and tricks that I would love to pass onto you and {hopefully} help you in your blogging. Stay tuned for that!

I appreciate you all stopping in this week. I’ve loved reading the comments and emails that came pouring in from a few of the posts in particular. You all are the SWEETEST and most genuine readers around!

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True Friends

It’s been almost seven months since my car accident and I’ve learned so much from this experience. Granted, I never wanted to be in this situation, but it’s happened and the only thing I can do is focus on getting better, take the good out of this difficult time and {hopefully} encourage others with the things I’ve learned from it.

Before  I continue on, I want to say that this post isn’t me being passive aggressive, “bash” or have a “pity party” for myself. If I’m being honest, I have thought about typing up/publishing this post for months and months now. Every time it reappeared on my blog calendar, I would scribble it out and schedule something else. It’s not exactly an easy topic, or one that will make me many friends. This has been on my heart and I thought I would share it with you. 

I’ve always known that hard times reveals your true friends, it’s a fact of life. It’s been quite a while since I faced something truly life changing, or something I would classify as “hard”, but I would definitely say the accident has been major in my life. It’s changed my outlook on health, the things I used to take for granted such as work, driving and even standing, and it’s also changed my thoughts on friends.

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You may think the quote above is a bit dramatic, but if you truly think about it, it’s true. When you face a difficult situation, it’s not uncommon for people to step back from your friendship, treat you differently, or possibly even pull away completely. It’s usually not an easy task to “walk” with your friends through valleys- sometimes you just don’t know the words to say, how to react, or you just are uncomfortable with everything. Truth is, it’s during these times where they need a TRUE friend .

Qualities of a true friend:

  • They check in on you. It can be as simple as a text or email, but these things mean a lot. Trust me. It’s better to text them even a simple “thinking/ praying for you” than letting days, weeks, months go by and not saying anything. You may have a friendship where you don’t have think you have to do these things, but if they’re going through a difficult time, these things mean the world.
  • They encourage you to get out of the house, even if you don’t want to {occasionally}. It’s so easy to wallow in your grief or pain and start having a pity party for yourself. Sometimes you really do just need to get out for a bit. It’ll make them feel “normal” for a little while.
  • They are there for you. There may be awkward silences, or moments of crying, but you will remember the times when they were there. It’s amazing how sometimes even just their presence can make a world of difference.
  • They do everything they can to help you. I personally dislike inconveniencing anyone for anything. I’m the type that does things the hard way so I don’t have to ask anyone for help. Truth of the matter is, everyone needs help at sometime, and usually when you’re going through a rough patch, you need help. Offering to help makes it so much easier than having to ask. {Don’t offer to help if you aren’t willing to actually follow through}
  • They don’t gossip or share your difficulties with others. Sometimes there are situations where others may ask, or someone needs to step in, but no one likes their “dirty laundry” or issues out there for anyone and everyone to know. Be discerning.
  • They surprise you with things you enjoy. It doesn’t have to be big {or even often}, but a small gift card, a little trinket, a book, a drink or meal…those things can really brighten someone’s day.

I could keep going, but these are the things that have meant the MOST to me during these last eight months. I’m not going to pretend, I honestly am surprised that some people who I THOUGHT were close friends haven’t contacted me once, or some have stopped checking in altogether. Yes, the accident is in the past and I am slowly recovering, but still it’s nice to know that they care, even just a little bit.

I don’t want a pity party, I promise. I guess I just have learned who TRULY are my close friends during this time. Have some actions {or lack thereof} changed my friendships with some people now or in the past? Absolutely.

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There WILL be some people who God has put in your life for just a season. It’s true, some people will walk through life with you for a few months, or years, and then the friendship fades. Honestly, sometimes this can be a good thing. Who really just wants “fair weathered” friends?

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I can’t wait to hear you all weigh in on your thoughts on how you would classify a true friend, how others have shown their friendship, or even listing the ways you feel like you could improve on being a friend.

In closing, I want to say that some of my blog readers {many whom I have never met} have been some of the sweetest friends a girl could ever ask for. Your comments, emails, words of encouragement have honestly helped me so much during this chapter of my life. I’ve learned so much from your example on how to be a friend. Thank you just doesn’t seem like enough for the things you have taught me.

Sequins Galore!

Confession: I cannot stop creating with sequins. As you saw in yesterday’s post, I gave into the sequins trend and now I can’t put them down! I literally spent at least twenty minutes playing with different color combinations and sketching out some ideas I had to incorporate sequins into. However, before I show you any of those ones, I have a few more cards showcasing them inside this jar.

I recently received the Summertime Charm stamp set and matching dies {links below} and they work PERFECTLY with the sequins! Honestly, could you pass up a jar filled with pretty, sparkly sequins? I know that I couldn’t!

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With the sunshine that peeked through over the weekend, I actually got my toenails painted and wore sandals. Granted, it was only around 50*, but in Seattle, we’ll take it! I think I was inspired by my freshly painted toes- I couldn’t stop pulling out my pink items!

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I really love this sentiment- it works well for so many of my crafty friends! I have a dear, sweet friend who I’m planning on sending this card to, but I had to share it with you all before it went out the door. This friend truly does brighten my day and has blessed me in so many ways. I still get baffled at how blogging has brought so many amazing people in my life, all around the world. I love our crafty community!

That’s going to wrap up this post. I’ll be back tomorrow with a more personal post and I hope you all will weigh in. I thoroughly enjoy hearing from you all and this is a topic pretty much everyone can relate to. Intrigued? I hope so!