Glitter Is Stronger Than Blood

Glitter is stronger than blood! That's what our Design Team says. And with that saying goes this "just for fun" challenge: make a card or project that uses glitter in honor of our craft sisters. Now doesn't that sound like a great challenge here at the holidays?

Debra

Paula

Terri

MariLynn

Jennifer

Pam

Cancer Awareness Month

Cancer - it's a dirty, ugly word isn't it? Some people whisper it, some avoid it, some hear it and run away. Many, many more live with it, fight it, help others fight it, and never, ever give up.

We've all been affected by it here at MPC; we've lost loved ones, we've watched loved ones win the fight, and right now our own Sheryl is watching and helping her own husband fight (you can read their story here.)

So what can we mere mortals do? We can spread hope, love, friendship and just be there for those that need us. We can send cards, promote awareness, and keep searching for that cure. As you all know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, but there's no need to stop there. The team has created cards embodying that hope and love they so easily spread and share those, and the stories behind them, here. 

Take a moment, enjoy the beauty, and grab the tissues. Feel free to share your stories here or on our Facebook page. We challenge you to send a card to someone just because you care this month. Doesn't have to be cancer-related, but be someone's ray of sunshine. Keep spreading the happiness and love that cancer cannot erase and remember that someday we'll win this fight.

dEb

Cancer has touched my life in many ways; professionally as a nurse and personally with family and friends. I wanted my card to represent not only Breast Cancer which is the focus during October, but all cancers. I used the Unity Stamp Company sets "...all about HOPE" and "Imperfection is Beauty". The lotus petals from left to right represent : Gold/ Childhood cancers, Dark Blue/ Colon cancer in memory of my brother, Teal/ Ovarian cancer, White/ Lung cancer in memory of my beloved mother, Plum honors caregivers who fight the battles alongside their loved ones, Periwinkle/ Esophageal cancer in honor of Dale Kemper, and Pink/ Breast cancer both in honor and memory of many friends. The lavender card base represents all cancers. Please support those you know who are facing cancer -- either as a patient or their loved one ... Even a small random act of kindness can help brighten someone's day. 

Paula
It's so sad to think of all the people hurting from having cancer and those hurting from loving someone with cancer. I've personally lost so many from Uncles (Leukemia & Brain), to a Grandpa (Leukemia), my beloved Great-Great Auntie (Breast), from friends I have met and spent loads of time with to those I will never have the opportunity to spend even a second with but know from an online relationship. I carry them in my heart. My card was created with Unity Stamps and stencils from UmWow & Tim Holtz using gelatos. I have additional cards as well on my BLOG.

MariLynn
I made my card with a removable decorative clip. My card had several elements that represented the contrast of beauty and pain. Roses have thorns, pearls come from sand getting into the oyster's shells, and the butterfly has to totally change shape after being held captive in a cocoon. To me they show hope. That even though cancer is ugly and painful, there can still be beauty. you can read more about this card on my blog:

Jennifer
In my family, cancer seems to run rampant...for my card I went CAS and chose the ink colors based on the ribbon colors they represent: dark blue for my Aunt (colon), gray for my mother-in-law (brain), light blue for my Poppy (prostate), pink for my Gram (breast cancer for the third time, now), black ink for my Gram (skin cancer/melanoma), and the plum purple mat for all those who help them fight. The stamps are from Unity; the sentiment was from a grab bag, and I thought it was perfect for anyone who's life has been touched by this disease. I have the card creation details over on my blog, but be sure to grab the tissues first.

Terri
I made this CAS (clean and simple) card in honor of my mother and sister who have both battled breast cancer.  While I'm a big believer in raising awareness, I'm also very disappointed by the fact that many companies and organizations that make a very good profit from the sales of cancer awareness, donate very little, if at all, to the cause of finding a cure.  This article from my friend Laura Kelly is a real eye opener.  I hope you'll take the time to read it, and, if you want to make a true difference, donate to one of the organizations listed at the bottom of her post.  http://www.laurakellydesigns.com/laurakellydesignsblog/index.php/2014/10/14/a-little-sharing-for-a-lot-of-heart/

 















Sheryl
Ah...the horrors of cancer.  Lung cancer took my grandfather in 1974.  I was only seven then.  Then breast cancer hit my mom in 1980 and then other forms developed in 1982 and she lost her fight then.  Now as some of you know...my husband is fighting esophageal cancer.  So far he's doing really well.  He finished his last chemo treatment on Monday and will finish up his last radiation appointment this coming Monday.  Then a few weeks from now he'll get another scan and go forward with surgery in mid-December.  What a journey this has been and it's only halfway over.  I thank everyone for their support during this HELL of a ride.  It's even more hellish for Dale as he is now relying only on a feeding tube for food.  Radiation causes inflammation and burning at the site being treated and now it has made it impossible for him to swallow food, liquids, or even his own spit.  Keep supporting the cause.  If you donate...donate to the American Cancer Foundation...which helps ALL types of cancers.  Do you know there are more agencies to help women going through and recovering from breast cancer then there are to help people like my husband?  I can't find a single place in Colorado OR the nation to help us with finances.  That's pretty sad.  We need places that will help people with ALL TYPES of cancer.  Not limiting it to either by AGE or by TYPE or even by sexual orientation.  There are too many out there that will only help people who are behind on RENT.  But they won't help homeowners with a single mortgage payment.  So while we fight to stay alive, we get to lose our house we work hard to own.  NOT fair.  Cancer can affect everyone from all angles.  It really DOES suck.  Help keep hope, love, faith, and fight the fight that's taking everyone and everything away from us.

Draw yer sword matey.....it's International Talk Like a Pirate Day!

Ahoy, Matey!  Who doesn't love a good pirate?  And, there's an actual day designated to celebrate talking like one?  Well this design team is ALL over that.  We love a good excuse to get inky so here's a few projects from the girls, just for you.  But first......what would a pirate celebration be without some buried treasure?  Some of the girls have blog candy to give away so be sure and follow the link to their site and follow the instructions to get your hands on the treasure!

I rummaged around my son's room, looking for this old Disney map.  Back in the day, my son was all about pirates.  I was able to salvage the part of the map that didn't have scribble all over it!  Some distressing, drawing and a great sentiment from Unity Stamps, and we're ready to hunt for buried treasure.  Follow my link here:  Wavingmywand for some blog candy......

Terri

Last year for our church Halloween party, I just happened to go as a pirate! It was a last minute decision to dress up, so I dug out my kiddo's old pirate hat, eye patch & plastic hook but no parrot could be found. What's a pirate to do? Why an Iguana will work in a pinch, I even made him his own eye patch.

My Family is my Treasure!

Paula

Arrr mateys! Thar be a pirate ship on the horizon, coming to steal our treasure! Good thing I've hidden it over at Caffeinated Papercuts... ;) I had some serious (and messy!) fun with Distress Inks, Spectrum Noir markers, Tombow Adhesive and Sweet Stamp Shop stamps to make this cool pirate scene. And if ye don't like it, ye can walk the plank! Arrrrr!

At first, I was at a loss... Pirates ?? Do I even have any pirate stamps, stickers, die cuts ?? Then I remembered the DCWV  "Hey Sailor" stack and my card was born !! Add a tattered flower from Jolee's & a bit of Little B Starry Night washi to a printed background map and I have just "worked like a captain and played like a pirate" all at the same time !! I am the Captain of my Crafty ship !! Head on over to my blog  for a chance to win some pirate booty.. Follow the link here to Meticulosity. Think Pirate Gold ......

dEb

Better late then never... This card turned out to be a lot more involved than I had planned. I had my card already to post then I decided to add gold doubloons. I used Mark's Finest Papers set called BURIED TREASURE. 

I have more details on my card on my blog, where I you can have a chance to win some treasure of your own. Check it out HERE.

MariLynn

Hi ladies!  Pam, here. I had a lot of fun and used the same set MariLynn did from MFP called Buried Treasure. You can link to it from MariLynn's post above. Inside this says, "Find your treasure".

Argh....I need to go take care of my mateys!

Pam

Animals Everywhere!

We're going critter crazy today at Mountain Plains Crafters!
Everyone loves a cute little bunny, a fuzzy kitten, a silky fox

and this Design Team is no exception!

Look...Squirrel!

Paula

I think my owl needs a name.  How about....Harvey?  Works for me.  He's just hanging out on a snowy branch, chillin' and shivering 'cause there's a nip in the air!

Terri

, 

I was going to make a card with a deer on it. I really was but when I was going through my stamps, this wolf stamp started howling my name. I have had him for months, but I hadn't inked him up yet. He spoke to my twisted sense of humor as well. I knew that everyone else on the design team was going to bring "cute" critters. They would just provide a buffet for my wolf. Either that or he ate the deer I was going to stamp, and he is full now.

MariLynn

I have had kitties my entire life; right now, my furry friend's name is Salem...and I'm terribly allergic to him! Right before I made this card, I touched him with one hand to get him off the couch, hoping not to trigger an allergy attack. I guess one touch was too much, because I ended up with itchy eyes, nose and throat and the sneezes! Oh, well I still love him and I love this watercolored kitty card, too! >^.^<

 Christina

I fell in love with this ribbon when I saw it in the clearance bin and bought it to use with some mushroom stamps.Then I spotted this cute hedgehog stamp and my card went in a totally different direction. Used my Inktense & Metallic watercolor pencils and a blender pen to color the little guys. Popped up the banner with some dimensionals and my 2 cute critters are ready to go !!

Debra

BUNNIES!! I love all things cute and cuddly and when Lawn Fawn came out with these sweet little hippity-hops, I was done. I used my Spectrum Noir markers to color them in, and since I splurged & got the matching dies as well cutting them out was a breeze! Some Tombow adhesive to hold some bits down, foam tape to pop the rest, add the heat embossed vellum sentiment and done! Now keep your wolf away from them, MariLynn! :P
Jennifer

Thanks for joining us today.  We had fun making these critter cards.  Have you got a critter card?  Head on over to our Facebook page and show us what you've got.  We'd love to see!

Fall Leaves and Friendship

Hi there everyone; Jennifer here to share the details of the fall card I created for our Fall Card Challenge. You have until September 29th to enter, so I expect to see lots and lots of pretty fall colors!

When I think fall, I envision pumpkin spice lattes, sweaters, boots, and leaves going crunch under my feet. One of the joys of living in the Northeast is that we actually get all 4 seasons, and leaf peeping is one of them! With that in mind, I set to work and came up with this:

Here's the layer breakdown:
Base - kraft paper
Background - my own creation with Distress Paints and watercolor paper. Colors used: Fired Brick, Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge, Forest Moss and Spiced Marmalade.
Sentiment layer - natural ivory linen, Unity Stamp Co. sentiment from a Stamp of the Week in Memento Espresso ink.
Leaves - these were FUN and MESSY! Vellum embossed with a crackle embossing folder from Darice, die cut with the Tim Holtz Textured Leaves die, and rubbed with the mini Distress Inks in Barn Door, Squeezed Lemonade, Olive, and Spiced Marmalade. I tacked them down with my Tombow Mono glue by 'hiding' the glue drops with the inked bits of the leaves and the twine bow up top.
Final touches - twine bow and a scattering of Pretty Pink Posh 4mm sequins in Sand and Forest Moss.

I tacked the leaves down to the ivory linen paper, the linen paper to the background paper, and then used 3D foam tape to attach the whole shebang to the kraft base card. Add on the bow and the sequins and this baby was done!

I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with for the contest!

End of summer/Back to school!

Hey howdy hey, all! It's still crazy hot outside and you wouldn't guess it, but summer time is winding down as everyone gets ready for the new school year. Bye bye BBQs and swimming pools, hello school clothes and books! The back-to-school season has always been my favorite and it still is. I used to love meeting my new teachers and getting my school supply list; now, I can't wait to meet my new professors and get my hands on my syllabus! To say goodbye to summer and greet the new season in craftiness, the MPC design team has created some fun cards for back to school inspiration; check them out!

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Christina

Special teachers have always made a strong impact on me throughout my life and continue to do so to this day. I made this card with one of my favorite sociology professors in mind, as she definitely encourages her students not only to think outside the box, but to approach all matters from a place of love rather than judgement, which is crucial when studying sociology. Hope you enjoy it!

Jennifer

Ohhh books, how I love thee! I wasn't the jock or the popular one in school, I was the nerd with the glasses who plowed through a book a day. There's nothing better than losing  yourself in an amazing story...well, besides playing with crafting supplies! And yes, that is a real dictionary page.

Paula

I have two teenage sons. Back-to-school means Cross Country Practice at 6:30 am for one and Marching Band Practice every evening from 5pm-9pm for the other, Practices both for the week and a half before school actually starts. That is in addition to our regularly scheduled program {life}. Throw in some shoe and t-shirt shopping and we're ready for Open House!

Terri
Yes, I'm still hanging on to Summer!  Not ready to let go!  Actually, I just can't accept the fact that my one and only child has just entered high school, so thank you very much, but I'll hang onto the end of summer theme by a thread!  Or maybe a hook for these adorable fishies.  I hit a bit of a crafty funk and brought myself out by making homemade washi tape for the first time.  If you'd like to see the tutorial, you can go here.  Farewell summer, hello homework....ugh. 

Debra

Back to School always reminds me of my first grade teacher, Miss Igo. I was also a bookworm and loved being in a classroom surrounded by books. The ABCs, the ruler, the stacks of books and the apple for a favorite teacher all bring back lovely memories. The words on the tissue tape - Journey, Artful, Imagination - just by chance were on the piece of tissue tape I tore off. But they were all perfect as I reflected back on Miss Igo's classroom and created this card to share my memories.

 

MariLynn
My baby went back to school this week as a sophomore in High School. That doesn't seem right. My second daughter is in college getting her degree in education... following in mom's footsteps. But she is wanting to teach middle school instead of elementary.( I think it takes a special calling to teach that age.) I made my card for her as a reminder about what is important. Teachers can only teach to students who want to learn. My prayers are with all the teachers, students and school staff that they may all have a safe year.

Halloween card....Enter if you dare!

I recently had a visit with my cousin who is all about Halloween.  This girl goes all out.  I've seen it and yes, it is quite the spectacle.

 

With Fall just around the corner, I was totally in the mood to ink up some Unity stamps that I've had for awhile, and after getting all pumped up from my cousin on Halloween, that's the direction I went with.  Love this sentiment from the Unity Halloween Chatter kit!  And those orange Queen & Co bubbles give just the right touch of sparkle.  Let's face it; Q&C bubbles go with EVERYTHING!  ;) 

Terri

 

 

Heat embossed wedding card

I've got several weddings coming up so I'm in need of more wedding cards.  I kept this simple and elegant and just love how it turned out.  This card features the Unity Stamp Co kits Insightful Meadows by Donna Downey and LIVE LAUGH LOVE by Samantha Walker.  Check them out!

 

 

Terri

 

 If you would like to see more details on how this card was made, visit my personal blog here:

Waving My Wand

Happy Wednesday!

Christina here from the MPC DT! My mom has been having a rough time at work with some of her coworkers and has been a bit down in the dumps about everything, so I decided to make her something she can have at her desk and look at when it seems like things are bad. I believe the power of positive thinking is strong and we could all use a little help with that now and then!

I really love this sentiment from the Unity Lasting Thoughts kit. It was so easy to let the sentiment take center stage with a little bit of glitter to highlight the stars. I topped off this simple card with a little bit of May Arts black baker's twine. If you haven't tried May Arts' baker's twine, you need to! It's a nice heavy weight with a smooth finish and perfect for cardmaking!

Hope you liked this simple and quick card; thanks for stopping by! :)

Let not your heart be troubled

For those.of us who are crafty obsessed, we follow trends, blogs, company forums....you name it.  I'm a big fan of Teresa Collins products and follow her blog. 

I'm asking you to lift her family up in prayer as they deal with her husbands cancer.   Her recent post inspired me to make this card.  There's a lot of hurt and pain in this world.  But if you trust in Christ, you have hope.  Blessings to each one of you.

                                       Terri

Embossed Gratefulness

Here's a Cuttlebug embossed card with fussy cut glitter flowers.  I've added a few strands of May Arts Ribbon natural jute and stamped a sentiment from Unity Stamps {Leafing} Grateful set.  The tiny frame was cut from a piece of We R Memory Keepers Inked Rose paper.  Love!  Terri

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Other supplies:  Teresa Collins Vintage Finds chipboard border, Studio Calico Woodgrain enamel dots, Martha Stewart adhesive ribbon, foam dots

You like us!!

You did it!  Thanks for getting us over 200 likes on Facebook!  We're the new kids on the block so your support means a lot.  Here's a card I made today to share how we feel about our followers!  Keep sharing us with your friends and checking in every day.  We'll be having another challenge soon and that means another prize.  Woo hoo!  Terri

Supplies: Unity Stamps Jillibean Blossom Soup kit, May Arts Ribbon sequin, American Crafts ink, Marvy sunset blending ink, Freckled Fawn neon enamel dots, embossing powder, Lil Inker Designs stitched tag die, Jolees Boutique paper jute

Father's Day Inspiration

In tribute to all those amazing dads out there, here's a little inspiration from our design team to get your crafty juices flowing.  Happy Father's Day!

Terri

Pam

Paula

Sheryl

Two simple cards yet so purposeful.  Both of these took me only about 30 minutes to make.  My dad loves motorcycles and traveling the states on his.  My father-in-law loves to travel in his RV.  Ok...so it's not an RV lol.  Unity doesn't have an RV stamp.  But he'll get the meaning behind it.

Jennifer

Deb

My father died when I was 16.. Some of my earliest memories of him are sitting on his lap while he read to me and later walking to the library with him while he held my hand. Wish I could have shared Harry Potter with him and some of the latest mysteries I have read. He passed his love of books on to me and this card is for him....

MariLynn