FWF Creative Challenge Recap - Week 3

The winner for this week's Creative Challenge Shopping Ban is

 Meg said...

Wow, these are two GORGEOUS cards! I'm pinning them right now for inspiration! I love how the embossing looks against the kraft!

12:50 PM

Congrats! Email me at shamrockstamper@gmail.com with your full name and mailing address for your package. I have been entering names in manually for a random name draw. Anyone have a good site for drawing for prizes? Thanks to Jen and StampJourney for participating in the challenge! Go check them out! I hope to see more from everyone this week! Can't wait!

This week I created a couple of things...two cards one using a Stamps of Life set and Unity KOM and another card using Elegant Edges Cricut cartridge and Unity KOM. I have also been working with my SIL making birth announcements for our nephew Daniel, but am not posting those until the family sees them.

I feel off the wagon on Monday and bought a package of three 9X12 canvases for $3. There is a good chance they will either become blog candy or head back to the store. Bah!

Below are the cards I made this week...

FWF Creative Challenge Recap - Week 2

Ok...so the format of the creative challenge (shopping ban) I was planning on using isn't going to be feasible with the kids and sometimes not being at home most of the day.

Here is the NEW plan...

1) I will post during the week (here) as I create when I am able. Some may have videos, some many not.

2) The contest still remains, but will be a weekly contest with a recap of my creations posted on Friday. You will need to comment and/or post your creation DIRECT LINK on Friday. Feel free to comment during the week, but only comments from Friday will be entered into the drawing.

3) The winner will be posted on my blog the next time I post. The packages from last week have been mailed. I hope everyone enjoys their goodies!

Creating Your Own Design Paper Using Heat Embossing and Water-based Markers

Using Samantha Walker and Unity set, Decadent Pear

Remember -- post a comment here and be entered into a drawing for something from my stash. Get an additional entry by posting a DIRECT LINK to a project you created with items from your personal stash. Check here on my next post for the winner! Email me at shamrockstamper@gmail.com if you see your name posted as a winner!

Create Your Own DP: Using Heat Embossing & Markers

While I was blog hopping and in the SCS gallery, I noticed lots of coloring on kraft cardstock and heat embossing of white. Kinda the trendy things happening right now as I can tell. What do I know? Anyhow, I thought it would be fun to create a white heat embossed, colored background on kraft cardstock to use as my own designer paper. As mentioned in my video (soon to be uploaded), I have this HUGE container of white embossing powder that, as a newbie about seven years ago, I just had to have. It sat and sat and sat...kinda like Horton on the egg if anyone knows that story. With this project, I actually put a dent into my stash of that!

The stamps are not ones that haven't been inked up before. I adore this set by Samantha Walker and Unity called Decadent Pear. I remember searching for this when it was not available on the Unity site. I am so glad that it keeps getting use. I have a couple other cards posted here using it.

I decided to use the scraps from the first card to create another the second one, which I have NEVER done before. The shopping ban gets better and better!

Shopping Ban Challenge: A Week of Unity

This has been week one of my shopping ban creative challenge and I have to say it felt soooo good! I was unable to make anything new yesterday as I was out of town most of the day and beat by the time I got home.  Check previous posts concerning the challenge and prizes. Love using my KOM! Have a super weekend and hope to see you here on Friday!

Creative Challenge Day 5: Sweet Birthday

The winner today for yesterday's post, randomly selected, is my brother-in-law, Jeff Sweeney! I bet he can't wait for his goodies to arrive. lol! Thinking they will go to his wife!

Remember -- post a comment here and be entered into a drawing for something from my stash. Get an additional entry by posting a DIRECT LINK to a project you created with items from your personal stash. Check here on my next post for the winner! Email me at shamrockstamper@gmail.com if you see your name posted as a winner!

Creative Challenge Day 4: More Than the Moon

The winner for today is Carolann from LogansCraftyMomma who actually inspired me to take on this challenge. She put herself on a shopping ban from January though June of this year. Now that's dedication.! I have decided to finish out this week posting a creation daily, then beginning Friday I will post one video and blog entry for the creations and my thoughts for the week. If you have any words of wisdom to share, great ideas, videos, links, etc. to inspire creativity through this challenge I would appreciate you leaving them in the comment section throughout this challenge.

Remember -- post a comment here and be entered into a drawing for something from my stash. Get an additional entry by posting a DIRECT LINK to a project you created with items from your personal stash. Check here on my next post for the winner! Email me at shamrockstamper@gmail.com if you see your name posted as a winner!

Creative Challenge Day 3: Rosette Card

Day 3 and there was no temptation, however Day 4 is going to be another story. My mom, aunt and cousins are here and wanting to go to Joann's and Hobby Lobby! I already had to put down a container that I thought would be cute for my Cricut carts. Will power!

The winner of something from my stash for yesterday is Jen Mitten! Email me with your information and I will get your prize to you! shamrockstamper@gmail.com

Remember -- post a comment here and be entered into a drawing for something from my stash. Get an additional entry by posting a DIRECT LINK to a project you created with items from your personal stash. Check here on my next post for the winner!

Creative Challenge Day 2: Scrapbook Page

Believe it or not...Day 2 is a scrapbook page! (Not my thing at all!) There was no prize awarded today, because there were no comments. I know, I know...I have been out of the loop for almost 4 months, so not a lot of people are stopping by anymore. Hopefully that will change. I NEED the encouragement!!! :)

Remember -- post a comment here and be entered into a drawing for something from my stash. Get an additional entry by posting a DIRECT LINK to a project you created with items from your personal stash. Check here on my next post for the winner!

Angie Blom's Gelato Technique in UnityStampCoTV

Creative Challenge: Shopping Ban Day 1 & Prizes

Today's You Tube Video of Products 

There comes a point one's life as a crafter when you realize you have more than one person really needs to create virtually any project on the planet. Perhaps I am not quite at that point -- check out YouTube and Splitcoaststampers for crafters who have WAY more stuff than I do. It's absolutely crazy! I need to spend less, save more and use more.

With that said, I have started a self-imposed shopping ban beginning today. No crafty purchases online or in a store. How long it will last is not in my plan right now. I want to do this for myself and my family. I would like to use the money I save to convert my craft room into my daughter's bedroom. I love my space and my craft, but I love my family more. I would give this all up for them.

Here are a few caveats...I will still receive my stamps from the two stamp clubs I am in. I made commitments and will stick to them as I dropped them a couple of times when Mitch was laid off. I know...I sound like the priest who gave up all liquids except for water and alcohol...and energy drinks for Lent. True story. lol! Think of me what you will, but this is my personal journey so I can do it anyway I see fit.

My sketchy plan is to create something everyday with what I already have in my stash and post it, along with the items I used, here on my blog. Every time I post a creation I will have a drawing from comments left from that day with a prize from my stash. (Maybe ribbon, stamps, paper, embellishments, etc.) Extra chance in the drawing for creations you post on your blog with items only from your stash. Nothing new allowed! :) You MUST post the direct link of the item on your comment.