Thursday, February 5, 2009

L-O-V-E



In yesterday's post, I mentioned the new alphabet set from My Favorite Things ... Bling 'Bet. I finally got a chance to play with it, and I L-O-V-E it!! Believe it or not, I was going for a clean, lean, minimal design, but ended up with this. Once I got started, I couldn't stop - it's a sickness, I tell ya!

But seriously, this 'bet set is so much fun! The letters are designed with holes in them, which you can leave as-is or fill with crystals, pearls, Stickles, brads, eyelets, etc. You can even punch out the holes and layer the letters over another color or pattern. I stamped and heat embossed my letters in brown, then filled the holes with these teeny, tiny half-back pearls that I found in the clearance section at my local Hancock Fabrics a while back. I think they're intended as an embellishment for bridal wear maybe? Not sure, but that's what I seem to remember from the product packaging.

The papers are all from the Basic Grey Bittersweet collection. Do you know how many BG 6x6 pads I have that I've barely touched? Not this time! I intend to reduce the thing to scraps and only scraps. I painted the ivory flower with Angel Wings Shimmerz, the light pink punched leaves with Pink Poinsettia Blingz, and the darker pink flourish diecut with Magenta Shimmerz. Here's a closer look at all that shine - yum, yum. (Shimmerz paints are available in the MFT store.)



Bling 'Bet, Tea for Two (which I used yesterday), and a third set, a Who's That Girl called Digital Girl, are all now available in the MFT store. For the gotta-have-it-all types, you'll find special pricing on full collection. Last night's release also included Chocolate Kiss, a new collection of Stephanie Fizer digital paper. It's all pink and brown - perfect for this time of year.

Okay now, before I go ... does anyone know anything about blog counters? A month or so ago, my original blog counter quit working for several days in a row, so I added a second counter in case the first one never came back up. It did eventually, and there was about a 5,000 discrepancy, which seemed about right if the first one wasn't counting while it was down. For the last week or two or three, both counters have been running, and the strange thing is that the difference has grown from 5,000 to 12,000. I want to take one down, but I don't know which one to take down! I don't trust the original one since it flaked out for so long, but I also don't want to inflate my numbers, since the new one seems to be counting more hits. Anyone know how these things work and why they're different? (They're both free, and neither has any documentation, much less support.) Thanks a bunch!



Stamps: Bling 'Bet (My Favorite Things)
Paper: SU Chocolate Chip, Natural White; Basic Grey Bittersweet
Ink: VersaMark; Ranger Old Paper and Walnut Stain Distress; SU Regal Rose
Accesories: brown EP (?), halfback pearls (Swarovski), distressing tool, sewing machine, ivory velvet ribbon (May Arts), Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder, CTMH flower, Basic Grey brad, MS leaf punch, BossKut flourish die, foam adhesive; American Crafts plastic hearts, Shimmerz
Size: 5 1/2" square

46 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh awesome Amy...this is now my most favorite card of yours! My jaw is still open!

Jacqueline said...

Stunning! Love the papers you used, wow this set is amazing!! Love all the details on your card Amy!!

Jenn said...

This card is absolutely gorgeous! I love the Bittersweet Dp and the shimmer on the flower and flourish...so very pretty! :D

Unknown said...

WOW!!! This is absolutely amazing! Gorgeous in every single detail!

June Houck said...

If I buy BG Bittersweet will my cards look like yours?????

Unknown said...

Beautiful card!

Not real sure about the counter- mine sometimes acts like it's flying high in the numbers all of a sudden, then hardly goes at all. I'd say go with the top number...it wouldn't surprise me that you've had that many hits! Your cards are gorgeous!

ScrappyKy said...

Oh my gosh! I don't think you know how to make anything but GORGEOUS cards. This one is simply lovely, ma'dear. Lovely!

And btw, I know of a great blog counter that is free and offers great support and stat reports. Please email me for details if you want to know more... kyscoggins@bellsouth.net

Anonymous said...

I don't know how you come up with one gorgeous card after another, you are so creative Amy. This is absolutely stunning!

Allison said...

This is absolutely stunning. I love the design.

As for the counter - one of them could be counting unique hits and the other all page loads. Page loads would show more.

Charmaine (CharmWarm) said...

THis is just gorgeous, Amy!

Michelle said...

Girlie, I don't know how you do it.....every time I visit your blog I think you can't possible have posted anything prettier than the previous card, but you ALWAYS outdo yourself!! This is so incredibly gorgeous, I'm just going to stare at it for a while. This has to be one of my very favorites of yours. Sorry about the counter, that happened to me too & I lost a bunch of hits as well. I switched counters, but of course have no idea how many hits I lost for those few days. I hope you figure it out!!

Laura Pryor said...

Rediculously fantabulous!

Jackie Pedro said...

I love the comment right above mine....so ditto to that one!! LOL!!

Brooke S said...

Another Thing of Beauty!! You always amaze me.. Thanks for sharing.
Hugs
Brooke

Jessie/knightrone said...

Totally cute Amy!! I love the pearls, yummy!!

America said...

Hey Amy! I so LOVE your couldnt stop at simple sickness..... heheh this card is so incredible.... love how you distressed so perfectl and added those awesome half back pearls on the embossed letters! This entire card LOOKS amazing!!!!!! Your work totally ROCKS and you are one of my FAVORITES by far. :)

Bonnie said...

Love this creation Amy! and I hear ya about those paper packs - personally, I think they multiply - there is no way I could have bought all those is there?!! The counters have been hit by aliens I think.....mine blinked off last week and I lost 3 days of people - vanished poof!

Shivvy x said...

Beautiful card, wonderful colours!

Siobhan xxx

Libby Hickson said...

So gorgeous!!! I'm so glad you have the sickness, I love it when you can't stop adding to your cards. :-) I didn't read the other comments, maybe it was already said - but maybe one of them counts every time YOU load your page? I had to block my own IP address on mine or it would count every time I reloaded my page.

Catherine said...

as usual... oh so GORGEOUS!

Heather P. said...

Wowza! This card is AMAZING!

Cindy Haffner said...

Amy so beautiful. Hee hee i hear you about simple clean cards, --as hard as I try to make one, my card just takes on a life of it's own....

Denise Marzec said...

Gorgeous!!

Ila said...

Wow!! this is Over the top Beautiful!!...I love it....My counter went out too...I just waited for it to come back...but I wondered if it lost counts or not. Sure seems odd that there is a difference in count with them both running. Makes me wonder if they really work...Lol

Dianne said...

So beautiful! It looks like a gorgeous box of Valentine Chocolates!

Kathy Jones said...

OMGosh Amy, I know I say this every time....but seriously this is AWESOME!!! If that is a sickness, then I seriously want to be afflicted!!!! I love the combination of colours, the hearts, flourish and flower....gorgeous I tell you!!!

As for the counter, I think I was using the same one, but I deleted the old one when it stopped working and started afresh. I can't explain the descrepancy though - very odd!!

Tosha Leyendekker said...

Whatever illness you think you have, I wouldn't mind catching it!! This is GORGEOUS!! Love every fabulous detail!!

Mandy said...

Thanks for sharing your beautiful card.

I have not had any problems with my counter. I use sitemeter.com. Of course, my hits are not anywhere near yours, maybe that's why I've had no problems. It might be worth a try.
Good luck.

Dawn Easton said...

Get out girl! You are killing me with those flourishes you add to your cards! I LOVE that look! There is something special about each card that you make and if I were you I'd want to frame them ALL! Simply gorgeous Amy!

Jennifer Meyer said...

Stunning card and design Amy! The layout is amazing and I LOVE all of the beautiful layers.

Jennifer :)

Unknown said...

Well ya did it again!! Out-shone yourself. If you keep this up, you'll be so bright, we won't be able to see ya! LOL This, yet again, is FABULOUS in every aspect.
How DO you think 'em up? *sigh*.
Viv xx

Anonymous said...

Your card is sooooo amazing, seriously ... I LOVE IT. Mind you, all your creations are spectacular. I hear ya about the paper situation, I have to start using up more of mine. I seem to buy paper at every chance I get and most of the time it's because it just simply 'looks pretty'!!! Sorry, but I 'know nothin' when it comes to counters!

Betty Wright said...

Hey, Amy!!!! I am LOVING the
L-O-V-E, too!!! Great colors and design!!! I always love your extras!!!!! Good stuff!!!!

Desire Fourie said...

Amy this is stunningly creative. Love all the textures and the rich colours. Very creative. Oh yes, I am also made about your new watermark ... the bath with bubbles is really original. Hugs from Desire

Julee (Vervegirl) said...

So gorgeous! Someday I hope to be able to channel my inner Amy and make such beautifully textured and balanced creations. Just stunning!

Denise said...

Just gorgeous Amy!!

Anonymous said...

Oh Amy, how shab-bay!! What a beautiful card, I love it!!
--Becca

Lorelie Kim said...

WOW----ZERS!!!! Now THAT is one AWESOMELY, FABULOUSLY, GOYGEOUS card!!

Rebecca Ednie said...

I don't know the answer to the hit counter dilema but please let us know if you get an answer! The card is gorgeous!

Anonymous said...

Stunning! Love those little pearls and the shimmery flourish!! I think someone said it already...difference is probably between unique visitors and each page load. I use statcounter.com It's free, and you can see all your page stats...where people come from, times of day they visit...all that good stuff. Love it!

Kim Dellow said...

I love this card. Your cards are beautiful. Kim

Mav said...

Stunning!!! I LOVE your pink, brown and cream color combo. Yummy!

Gail said...

I love how you layer! You totally inspire me!

Anonymous said...

Amy, I only just started to follow your blog and I happened upon it one day. The card is just gorgeous. I just want to tell you how much I enjoy coming here each morning while I have my cup of tea. Again - beautiful beyond words.
Kristen

Kimberly Crawford said...

that is beautiful!!! LOVE the letters and the colors!

Anonymous said...

Wow. Just that. I've used the words "beautiful", "wonderful", "lovely", "gorgeous", "amazing", "inspirational", etc. for your cards so many times, I'm starting to feel like a broken record :D