5th Blogiversary Giveaway!

THIS IS A STICKY POST AND WILL STAY AT THE TOP OF MY BLOG UNTIL JULY 31, 2015.  PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE CRAFTY POSTS!

Hi, all!  I am SUPER DUPER excited today to say that I have been blogging for 5 years this month!  HOORAY!  To celebrate, I've got some amazing sponsors who are giving away some wonderful prizes!

Here are my wonderfully fabulous sponsors~

Great Impressions

Paper Sweeties

The Stamps of Life

Graciellie Design


MHK Designs aka Yours Truly!

Each sponsor is a chance to win, so you've got FIVE chances to win!  I guess your next question is, "How do I win?".  Well, it's REALLY EASY.  There are just FIVE rules, since it's my FIFTH blogiversary! ;)

1. Follow my blog.
2. Add my giveaway button (later in this blog post) to your sidebar, linked back to THIS POST.
3. Mention this giveaway in a blog post (or more than one) and link back to THIS POST.
4. Link up the card you made for your blog post with the link back to THIS POST in the linky list below.  This mention could be in ANY POST for ANY CARD YOU MAKE from today until July 31st!
5. Leave me a comment below!  Please include which of the 5 prizes you'd like most--you may only choose one! ;)

If you want to make a special card specifically for this giveaway, you can, but it is not required.  Just add the blurb into any old post, and you're golden!  YOU HAVE UNTIL 11:55PM CST ON JULY 31, 2015 TO LINK UP.

That's all for me right now!  I hope you join the fun--I love being able to give away freebies to my fabulous blogging friends!  Thanks for stopping by and for all your amazing support over the past five years.  I feel so blessed to know each of you, and to be a part of this fantastic online community!  HUGS and happy stamping, friends! :)

An InLinkz Link-up

Mynn's Birthday Bash Giveaway Celebration!

***THIS IS A STICKY POST.  IT WILL STAY AT THE TOP 

OF MY BLOG UNTIL MAY 31, 2015.***

***PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE CRAFTY POSTS,

OR CLICK ON MY LABELS ON MY RIGHT SIDEBAR

FOR SPECIFIC DESIGN TEAM CREATIONS.***

Hi, all!  I'm here today with a SPECIAL GIVEAWAY POST!  I am SUPER excited because it is my birthday month!  I'm also SUPER excited because I am SO CLOSE to reaching 500 followers AND July marks my 5th year blogaversary! (Stay tuned--I'm thinking on how to celebrate that one!)  I have a giveaway going for when I reach 500 followers HERE.  So, what's THIS giveaway all about, then?  Well...here's the run down...

I own too many stamps.

No, really, I do.

Some need to be used--they deserve new homes!

I have FAR too much patterned paper.

SERIOUSLY, I do.

Some of it is crying out to be used!

I go overboard when buying bling.

It's a two edged sword.

Some of it needs to go so I can make room for the new!

May is my birthday month!
I live to GIVE more than I like to GET.
I'd like to share some of my extras with YOU!

What does all this mean for you?  Well, I am doing a BIRTHDAY BASH GIVEAWAY!  I'll be packing up a box of TONS of things--stamps, paper, bling, etc.--and sending it off to one randomly chosen winner at the end of this month!  It may be closer to July, just in case I extend the process.

Anyway, would YOU like to win this box?!  I promise it will be worth it!  AND, I will allow international entrants, too!  So, here's how to win...

Please follow my blog
It's nice to have followers.
I love hearing your comments, too!

Please make a birthday card.
You will NOT be required to send it--I'm just wanting to see it!
Blog it, then link it here. (Feel free to enter it other places, too.)

Enter as many times as you'd like to enter!
Entering more than once will give you more chances to win!
Remember to make a new creation each time, though!

Please add the badge above to your sidebar.
Make sure to link it back to THIS POST.
If you are chosen as the random winner, 
but one of these rules isn't followed, I redraw.

So, are you in?!  You've got the WHOLE month of May to create!  Please feel free to email me at onastampageATyahooDOTcom with any questions you have, and don't forget to check out the Pony CASE-Press, too!  HUGS and happy crafting--I cannot wait to see what you all come up with!

An InLinkz Link-up

Blog Highlight for 2014 + Link Party!

Hi, friends!  It's that time of year again.  You know, when everyone shares their faves from the past year!  I've had such an amazingly whirlwind year and I feel SO blessed with all the things that have happened in my blog life that it has been super hard to choose just ONE favorite thing from each month, but I did it!  If you'd like to see my fave 2014 Christmas Cards, you can see just those HERE.  Let's just get started with this, though, ok?

January

January marked the first month with me acting as the Design Team Coordinator at Great Impressions.  I took over for an absolutely amazing friend (Jenny) and so I was really nervous.  The wonderful people I've gotten to work for have really made the transition happy I feel grateful to continue in this capacity still!  

February

February brought more fun changes to my blog!  I started as a full-time design team member for Inspired By Stamping this month!  I absolutely adore Joanna and the other gals on this team and I think you can agree, these products are just amazing!  I feel blessed to be continuing on this team--it's such a great company to design for!

March

March was the month that I first participated in the Card Chain Challenge over at Society of Stampaholics.  I was the first ever participant from Kansas (woot!) and I have participated a few other times, as well.  The ladies who participate in this swap are AMAZING and I always get the most beautiful cards from them!  Deborah, the sweet gal who runs it, is just fabulous.  If you haven't participated, you should consider doing so!

April

April was a super fun month for me! My sister brought her two girls for a visit and we made some fun Peeps-On-A-Stick with coordinating tags.  Aren't these super fun?!  The sentiment on the tags is from Paper Sweeties and the image is from Inspired By Stamping.

May

In May I made my very first shaker card!  It was made using super bright colors and uses stamps from Inspired By Stamping.  I also started using my Spectrum Noir markers more in May--they are what I used to color the beautiful rose image in the shaker portion of the card as well as the rhinestones. :)

June

June brought a blog hop with Great Impressions and Operation Write Home.  It was also super exciting because I designed some of the stamps that Great Impressions sells to help Operation Write Home, including the sentiment used on this card!  If you'd like to purchase them and help support our troops, you can find these stamps HERE at Great Impressions. :)

July

July brought another new and fabulous design team position into my blogging life.  This time, it was an invitation to join Debbie and her amazing team at Paper Sweeties!  These gals are all super talented and Debbie is one of the sweetest people I've had the privilege of working with in blog land!  This was such a blessing to me at a difficult time in my personal life and I am super grateful to still be working with these fabulous women.  July also marked 4 years of blogging. :)

August

August brought my new blog look and also the time when I FINALLY was able to get some stamps out that I had purchased in May from a consignment sale!  This card was the first one made with this set...I'm not even sure if it has seen the light of day since, but I am quite happy with this card!

September

September brought another blog hop--this time with Great Impressions and Die Versions!  I was able to craft with some beautiful stamps and amazing dies from these two companies and also work alongside Patti Gilliam who is the DT coordinator for Die Versions.  I feel so blessed to have gotten to know her and her team!

October

Not any real story behind this card, I just super love the way it turned out!  I guess it was one of the first cards made specifically to have a video to go along with is for the House of Cards challenge blog.  I just really enjoyed watching this card unfold and it was a hit with my family as well!  One of my sisters who has an October birthday asked for a similar card like this for her birthday because of the Great Impressions sentiment.  It was all purple and I Frankensteined (that's a word--I just used it) it to say "Witching you a happy birthday". 

November

I know that I said the last card didn't have a story and then I told a story (yeah...), but this card truly has no story.  I just LOVE it.  It uses lots of goodies from Inspired By Stamping and lots of shine and sparkle.  This photo does it no justice because you don't see the full effect of the gold heat embossing.  I LOVE THIS CARD!  I still have it tucked away safely and I don't know if I will ever give it away...I'm stingy with favorite creations like that. :)  This card is being uploaded to the Clear It Out challenge for favorite 2014 card. :)

December

In December, the fun new watermarks I made for the Paper Sweeties team were used by most of the team and I pulled out my chalk marker (finally--I'd had it since March!) to use in creating this card.  I really love the way this turned out, so that's why it's my fave for December!

I'm also linking up with Debby HERE

As well as with Wendy HERE!

That's all for me today and for 2014!  Thank you so much for being a part of my year--each of you is a gift to me and I cherish all the kind words you share on my blog!  I'd love for you to link up your year end highlights below if you do this sort of thing, too, and I'll come leave you some love!  HUGS and happy NEW YEAR stamping to you all!

An InLinkz Link-up

First EVER Technique Tuesday Link Party!

Hello, all! I've decided to add more onto my plate. I LOVE finding new techniques--and I've had a ton of people ask me how to make some of the creations I've made on my blog. SO, once a month, the first Tuesday, I will be posting a tutorial on a technique and add a linky so that you can link up YOUR creations! At the end of the month, I'll chose some of them to showcase! :)

Oh, and here's my badge to add to your sidebar should you choose!!!  If you'd link it back to Technique Tuesday blog address instead of this post, that would rock--click on the tab above to go to the new site! :)

The first technique I've chosen to show off is something I call "Stamped Punch Window". It's super easy and SO stunning each time you do it! It works for CAS style and can also be added on. So, let's get started! :)

Stamped Punch Window

Materials Needed:

Desired punch or die cut shape
Dimensionals
Embossing folder (optional)
Cardstock (one card base measuring 11"x4.25" folded in half and one piece 5.25"x4")
Ink
Stamps

"How To"

1. Take your 5.25"x4" piece of cardstock and punch your shape out. KEEP IT--you'll need it for later.

2. Stamp around the punched out frame. When using multiple colors, start with the lightest color and work up to the darkest.

3. Dry emboss your panel.

4. Add dimensionals to the back of your panel. Make sure to use enough to hold up the panel really well. (See how I messed up my stamping first go round? Tee hee!)

5. Adhere panel to your card base.

6. Take your punched out piece and stamp your sentiment and/or images onto it.

7. Color in your lined images.

8. Adhere to card FLAT in the punched out recess created by your embossed panel. Embellish or not--depends on your style!

9.TA DA! Give it to someone special! :)

Now it's YOUR turn! Make your opening as big or as small as you'd like. Embellish as much or as little as suits you. Link up below with a DIRECT link and I will come visit you!!!
PLEASE link back to me so that others can play along. If you'd like to, I'd LOVE it if you'd place my button on your blog sidebar and link it back to me as well! :) Can't wait to see what you all create! Happy stamping! :)

TO LINK UP YOUR PROJECT, PLEASE CLICK HERE!!!

14 Days of Valentines & Technique Tuesday!

Hello! So, I've got a dilly of a card for you today! :) It's a Valentine! And I made it especially for a special reason! :) Okay, so I have a feeling I'll be making quite a few Valentines in the next few weeks, and I don't have too many people to give them to, so I'll be doing a 14 days of Valentines for my husband! Basically, I'll be giving him a Valentine a day until the actual day starting on February 1st. :)

So, here's one of them~

Details~

What do you think? I had a blast creating this one!!! I've used chipboard elements. But, I've done something a little different with them...I'll explain...

On the square piece, I added patterned paper over it, inked it up with Versamark ink and then heat embossed it with Kaleidoscope embossing powder. I did something similar with the heart--I just inked up the "naked" chipboard with Versamark and then embossed it in gold, then inked it again with Versamark and then embossed it with Kaleidoscope embossing powder. I'm sure it's already a technique, but I've decided to call it FAUX ENAMEL. So, there ya go! A new *kinda* start to my old Technique Tuesday! ;)

Doesn't it look neat?! I tried to get okay pictures of the shimmer, but they all turned out too dark. :( Just imagine how bright and shiny it is in real life in your head. Isn't it amazing?! ;)

I hope you've been inspired to create something pretty today! :) Happy stamping--and happy faux enameling! ;)

I'm submitting this into the following challenges~
*CASual Fridays~CAS plus chipboard

*Stamping Boutique~ 12 (I used 12 supplies to make my card: brown ink, white cardstock, ribbon, chipboard, dimensionals, patterned paper, Versamark pad, Kaleidoscope embossing powder, gold embossing powder, MONO adhesive, punch, and heat gun.)
*Tutorial Tuesday with Hope Studios~Tutorial on Faux Enamel

Double Vision?!

Ever had double vision?! I haven't, but I cannot imagine it would be fun. Unless you're seeing double in this week's Less Is More challenge! And since the challenge was to make a card with two of something, I thought I'd DOUBLE the fun and make DOUBLE the cards!

Here's the first one I came up with~

I had a bunch of punched out butterflies left over from another challenge I had done, so I decided to use two of them to make this card. I added the glitter for a bit extra bling!

Here's a close up~

Now, I do love this card, but I wasn't quite happy with it. Why? It wasn't fall-ish enough! And I NEED it to be fall--I'm sick of the heat! So, I made ANOTHER one!

Here it is~

Don't you love pumpkins?! I do! And these are SO easy to do! Just punch out three ovals, sponge the edges and then put them together! I used ribbon for the stems--a great way to use scraps of left over ribbon!

Close up of the pumpkins~

And the sentiment~

One of the things I love best about the fall is that more people become more thankful. I know I do! I try to live in thanksgiving daily, but I don't do the most bang up job. :)

Thanks for stopping by today! I hope you take the time to make some punched out pumpkins! Happy punching!!! :)

Also linking to:
Tutorial Tuesday: Hope Studios (Punched Pumpkins)