Snow Days Blog Hop - Day 1

Welcome to the Snow Days Blog Hop!

We're so happy you could join us for this super-fun hop showcasing cards, layouts and projects that featuring everything about Snow Days! You'll find an array of ideas throughout the hop - we hope you enjoy each and every project along the way! 

If you'd like to join our Snow Days fun, then you're in the right place. Keep alert for blog candy along the way, as some hop stops will be offering some goodies. 


For the first day of the hop, I've created a simple snow card. 

And now for the fun part of the hop... blog candy! I'm giving away the following winter goodies:

- 1 spool of light blue ribbon

- 1 package of snowflake stickers

- 1 package of blue flowers by Studio G

- 1 bottle of silver glitter glue by Studio G

- 1 package of blue rhinestones

Entering to win is easy! Here's what you have to do:
1.) Become a follower (if you aren't already)
2.) Leave a comment with your contact information on either day of the hop (you'll be entered twice if you comment both days! :)
3.) Like the 'Made Especially For You' Facebook page

The winner will be randomly chosen and announced on Monday January 9th.

Here's a list of the entire hop, in case you get lost along the way or want to revisit someone:

Lisa P - http://handmadewithlove-lisa.blogspot.com/
Bonnie - http://scrap-n-away.blogspot.com/
Sherry -http://www.upordowntheyrebeautiful.blogspot.com/
Doris - http://mybugandmecreate.blogspot.com/
Theresa D: http://scrappinginheels.blogspot.com/
Beckie http://justbcreativecrazy.blogspot.com/
Erin - http://deeplyrootedlife.blogspot.com/
Amy - http://www.lovetocrop.com/
Eva - http://evasscrapsncards.blogspot.com/
Cathie-http://cathiescafe-scraphappy.blogspot.com
Ashley - http://especiallymade.blogspot.com/  <--- YOU ARE HERE
Lisa G - http://www.bljgraves.blogspot.com/ <--- YOUR NEXT STOP
Melissa - http://timeweavers.wordpress.com/
Kristen - http://fantabulouslypink.blogspot.com/
Theresa - http://scrappyartcrafters.blogspot.com/
anita- http://www.anitaandbugs.blogspot.com/
Lynne - http://slasewcraftiness.blogspot.com/
Barbara B. http://barbarab3.blogspot.com/
Amy Jo - http://lv2scrapandfibrofacts.blogspot.com/
Mickie - http://www.littlescrapcorner.blogspot.com/
Janet Royer- http://janetscreativeworld.blogspot.com/

Thank you for stopping by and checking out my project! Now hop on over to Lisa's blog! :) 

Design Team Call!

Made Especially For You is looking for five enthusiastic, passionate and committed crafters that would like to be part of a design team that contributes to weekly card challenges. Card makers of all skill levels are welcome!

 As a Design Team member, you will be required to do the following:

·      Create a minimum of four cards per month to submit as a design team sample for each weekly challenge
·      Be an active participant in the design team Facebook group
·      Have an active blog
·      Post your weekly challenge creations on your blog and promote our sponsors
·      Meet challenge and posting deadlines, also comment on challenge entries

Interested applications should submit the following information by email:

·      Name and short bio

·      3 cards you have created that you feel showcase your best talent and card making style

·      Link to your blog

Please submit your application to especiallymadeblog@gmail.com. The information must be submitted by Sunday January 22^nd in order to be qualified for a position. The chosen design team members will be notified on Monday January 23^rd and announced on the blog on February 1^st. Participation will begin immediately with the first challenge occurring during the week of February 6^th – February 12^th.

Any other comments, questions, or concerns can be sent to Ashley at especiallymadeblog@gmail.com. Thank you for your interest. 

PSC #13: Valentine with Vellum

Happy Wednesday, everyone! I'm excited to announce that I've been chosen to be a guest designer over at The Perfect Sentiment for the month of January! I've been playing along with them for a few weeks now, and I've come to really love their challenges. Check them out if you have the chance! :)

This week's challenge is to create a card with a sentiment for "Valentine's Day" AND use vellum on your project. How fun! :) After making nonstop Christmas and winter cards, it was nice to make a different-themed card for a change. Here's what I came up with:

Vellum was used for a layer on the heart, as well as the surface that the sentiment is stamped on. 

The sponsor for this the challenge over at The Perfect Sentiment this week is Eyelets Etc. They'll be giving away a sheet of vellum stickers to the winner! 

Thanks so much for reading! Check back each Wednesday in January to see my guest designer cards! :)


Ashley

And the winners are...

Out With The Old and In With The New Blog Hop

#16 Doris said... "ooohh love the beach scene card... wishing I was there right now.. feel the warmth :)"

"so love the moon and star card! what an awesome idea"

Congratulations, Doris! I'll be sending you an email so you can claim your prize. :)

Toast To Life Blog Hop

#18 Vicki said... "Very nice card! I really like the colors you have chosen. Family is so important and you have honored yours here."

Congratulations, Vicki! I'll be sending you an email so you can claim your prize. :)

Thanks to all who participated in either blog hop this past weekend, come back this weekend (January 7th & 8th) for a chance to win some more blog candy in a two-day Snow Days Blog Hop!


Ashley

A Toast To Life Blog Hop

Hi everyone! Welcome to the A Toast To Life blog hop. If you've come from Lina's blog, then you're in the right place. If you've just come across the hop and would like to start from the beginning, please visit Liz's blog.

The purpose of this hop is to make a toast to life by creating anything that represents the best things in our life. I'd have to say the best things in my life would be my family, my friends, blogging, and of course my boyfriend, who is also my best friend. Rather than making a project for each aspect of my life that I would like to toast, I decided to make a thank you card to express my gratitude for all of them.

This card is also being entered in this week's sketch challenge over at The Perfect Sentiment. 

I'd like to say thank you to my family for always being there for me and for always supporting whatever it is I want to do.

I'd like to thank my friends for being there for me when I need someone to vent to, and for always putting a smile on my face when I need some cheering up.

I'd like to thank my boyfriend for always, always being there for me and for putting up with me even on my worst days. He is always so supportive and encouraging and I can go to him with anything. 

And last, but most certainly not least, I'd like to thank all of the friends I've made since I started my blog this past summer. If it wasn't for your kind words and support, I wouldn't be here posting this today. Thank you for always answering my silly, amateur craft questions and for always finding something nice to say about my work, even when it may not be my best. Thank you to all my followers who have supported me in one or another, it is your encouragement and kind words that allow me to want to keep blogging. 

And now for the fun part of the hop... blog candy! :) I'll be giving away the following crafty goodies:

- 10 sheets of assorted mat stack papers

- 30 sheets of assorted 6 x 6 papers

- 2 rubber stamps

- 1 set of bling by Studio G

- 1 spool of blue ribbon

Entering to win is easy! Here's what you have to do:

1.) Become a follower (if you aren't already)

2.) Leave a comment on this post with your contact information (preferably an email address)

3.) 'Like' the Made Especially For You Facebook page

Your next stop is Mindy's blog! Thanks so much for hopping along with us!

Out With The Old and In With The New Blog Hop - Day 2

Welcome to the Out With The Old and In With The New two-day New Year's Blog Hop! We're so happy you could join the Made Especially For You design team in celebrating the new year. Day one of the hop will feature some of our favorite projects we've created this past year, and day two of the hop will feature a New Year's themed project. If you've come from another blog in the hop and are looking to start at the beginning of the hop, you're in the right place. :) 

The weekly challenge this week here at Made Especially For You is to create a New Year's card featuring glitter. Although the challenge won't officially start until tomorrow, I thought I'd share my card as my New Year's project for the hop. 

I actually found this challenge more challenging than I thought it would be. I decided to play around with the 'Luau' cartridge and see what I could come up with. Who doesn't want to be celebrating the new year on a warm, sandy beach? :) I glittered the middle of the leaves, the drink glasses and the middle of the sun. 

Be sure to stop by tomorrow to enter your own New Year's card with glitter into the challenge! The sponsor this week is Liz from Decade of Scrap. She will be offering the randomly chosen winner up to three sets of digital New Year's sentiments! 

What fun is a blog hop without blog candy? I'll be giving away the following crafty goodies:

- 1 spool of pink ribbon

- 1 clear stamp set

- 1 set of gold/silver rhinestones

- Assorted chipboard pieces

- Paper Bliss scrapbook accent frame

- 1 package of green, wooden buttons

- 2 pre-made cards and envelopes

- 1 rubber stamp

Entering to win is easy! Here's what you have to do:
   1.) Become a follower (if you aren't already)
   2.) Comment on a post either day of the hop (you'll be entered twice if you comment both days) 
   3.) 'Like' the Made Especially For You Facebook page

The winner will be randomly chosen and announced on Tuesday January 3rd. 

Your next stop is Jamie's blog - she has some wonderful projects to share with you!

Out With The Old and In With The New Blog Hop - Day 1

Welcome to the Out With The Old and In With The New two-day New Year's Blog Hop! We're so happy you could join the Made Especially For You design team in celebrating the new year. Day one of the hop will feature some of our favorite projects we've created this past year, and day two of the hop will feature a New Year's themed project. If you've come from another blog in the hop and are looking to start at the beginning of the hop, you're in the right place. :) 


Since I've only been blogging since June and just got my Cricut last week, it was hard to choose a few favorites since my card making has improved a lot since I first started over the summer. After taking a quick trip down memory lane, I found a couple of cards that I remember feeling really proud of after making them.

This card was made using inspiration from a Mojo Monday challenge sketch and was created especially for a design team application. I love the colors and the simplicity of it. It's one of the few cards I've made that I felt turned out almost perfect.

 This card was made just for fun, and is also one of the only cards I've ever decorated the inside of just for fun. Normally I only decorate the inside of the card if I'm actually giving it to someone, but I liked the idea of finishing the quote on the inside for this one. The front of the card reads 'shoot for the moon' and the inside says 'even if you miss, you'll land among the stars.'

There you have it! Two of my favorite cards from 2011. I hope to have many favorites in 2012. 

What fun is a blog hop without blog candy? I'll be giving away the following crafty goodies:

- 1 spool of pink ribbon

- 1 clear stamp set

- 1 set of gold/silver rhinestones

- Assorted chipboard pieces

- Paper Bliss scrapbook accent frame

- 1 package of green, wooden buttons

- 2 pre-made cards and envelopes

- 1 rubber stamp

Entering to win is easy! Here's what you have to do:
   1.) Become a follower (if you aren't already)
   2.) Comment on a post either day of the hop (you'll be entered twice if you comment both days) 
   3.) 'Like' the Made Especially For You Facebook page

The winner will be randomly chosen and announced on Tuesday January 3rd. 

Your next stop is Jamie's blog - she has some wonderful projects to share with you! Make sure to stop by for the second day of the hop, too! :)