Challenge #4

Happy Friday everyone! I have to say that last week's challenge truly brought out some amazing cards! I giggled as I saw how old many of your papers were (and gulp - how many I own as well). When it came down to the winner, I had to go with Teri's card here:

 

See that DP? It is from an older Debbi Moore CD, which just amazed me. If I owned a CD with downloadable papers, I would never be able to find it. lol!  Congratulations Teri, and a huge thank you to everyone who joined in on the fun.

And now for this week's challenge...

It's time to have a Heart To Heart Talk heehee!

I know, this was expected as Valentine's Day is right around the corner, so let's see some hearts on your cards. Here's an array of inspiration from the wonderful Design Team:

Sparkle's delightful sweet-heart:

Audrey's adorable sweetie:

Darlene's Vintage Beauty:

Suzi's happy patterned heart:

Anita's Regal Heart:

My own truckload of hearts:

And now, you know what to do! Have some heart and show us what you've made. ;) heehee! Thank you all for your support here, enjoy your weekend everyone!
xoxox

Challenge #3

Hello everyone and happy Friday to you!
First off, thank you so much for joining in our challenges. I am so happy to see Mr. Linky full of participants each week,we loved seeing all the RAK and gifted items everyone used in their cards!
Without further ado, congratulations to Caroline with this little cutie:

 

Not only did she use some RAK-d ribbon with her card, but she was sending it off to an elderly friend who is recovering from a fall in ICU. Thank you for this great card Caroline, and especially for reaching out to someone who will truly love this gesture.  Truly a gift that will keep on giving!

Now on to this week's challenge:

THE OLDER THE BETTER 

{aka Better with Age? lol!}

You know you have some papers that haven't been used in a looooong time! Remember that decorative paper stack that was a must have, only to sit in your stash? Now is the time to take it out and make it seen again!

Here are some great samples by the DT:

Anita's beautiful card 

made with 8 year old paper:

Darlene's antique beauty

made with antique DP:

Sparkle's cutie

who chose retired In Colors:

Audrey's sweet friendship card
Designer Paper from 1999!

Suzi's sassy Charlotte

perched nicely on 7 year old paper:

 

GD Suzi's lovely creation:

  

My Thinking Of You card

SU DP circa 2006

Now it's your turn...Bring out that old decorative and designer paper, and show it some love. Link up below so we can come and visit you, you could be our next Guest Bar-Tender! Have a wonderful week everyone!

xoxox

Challenge #2

Hello dear friends and Happy Friday to you all!
First off, WOWZA! Every time I clicked on Mr. Linky to comment on an entry, I saw the list grow and grow and grow! It was like crafting fertilizer, thank you so much for all the wonderful entries, it truly made us smile.
Your debut day was so much fun to visit and I do hope you resolve to use more of your unopened items. ;)
The next Guest Bar-Tender: Random.org picked #21 as this week's winner, congratulations to Suzi of Sugar n Spice! Suzi's use of new primas and lace details on her fairy card was just beautiful! Suzi, please email me at jonjinko@hotmail.com so I can email you your work schedule. lol!

Now are you all ready for this week's challenge? It's called The Gift that keeps on Giving: Use anything that someone has given you, whether it was a surprise from your hubby, a RAK'd (Random Act of Kindness) item in the mail, a birthday gift from a friend, we want to see it! Here are some Gifted Items that the DT has showcased in their cards:

Audrey

{RAK'd Hanglar Stanglar image from her friend Carol}

Anita

{RAK'd flower,as well as the stool she sat on while making the card - heehee!}

Suzi

{Digi gifted by her DH, papers and ribbon from Steph, brad and sentiments from June}

Sparkle

{RAK'd ribbon}

Darlene
{RAK-d music sheet DP}

Joni

{Image, embossing pad and powder from Marji, ribbon from Kelli Jo}

And our suprise Guest Designer for this week:

Sheri of Paper Crafty's Creations

{Embossing folder and gems from her mommy}

Now let's see what you have! Even if you 'gifted' it to yourself (cough cough, that's not what you told DH but your secret is safe with me...) link up below, you have until Thursday Midnight EST to enter for your chance to be a Guest Bar-Tender!
Have a wonderful weekend everybody, we will see you soon!

It's DEBUT DAY!

Hello everyone and welcome to the Bar! It's an exciting day for us as we get to reveal our first challenge, appropriately called "Debut Day!" Yes, you know you have something in your stash that hasn't been opened yet so it's time to unwrap it and use it in a card. Whether it be a spool of ribbon, a new gadget, accessory, stamp, DP, a gift from the holidays, DEBUT it!

Here with some wonderful samples and their 'new' goodies:

Suzi's Gorjuss Introduction:

Anita's Sweet Debut:

Darlene's Twinkle Tots Reveal:

My Stamping Bella Tribute:

Audrey's Digital Pencil Too Appearance:

Presenting Sparkle's Brigitta:

Now it's your turn to debut something. :D Have tons of fun with this challenge and spread the word! Don't forget that we also have a sweet little Candy bar giveaway HERE on this post to kickoff our first challenge month. We can't wait to see what you premiere, who will be our first Guest Bar-Tender?
Cheers!

Raise the CANDY Bar!

Hello friends and thank you for coming by on this beautiful Monday! As part of a double promotion for my blogaversary AND the kickoff for Raise The Bar's first challenge, I am offering some candy.

This is just a snippet of what I am giving away:
The Greeting Farm's Showtime set
Martha Stewart New Baby set

American Crafts Spring rub-ons
JoAnn's thank you embellishment tags
MM vintage ribbon charms
Fresh Paint felt floral embellishments
CK light pink flowers
American Crafts Spools of ribbon
$10 gc to Inktegrity

I will be updating this post when I add more to the box, after all, it's an all month celebration!
Leave your comment here on this post, you can also double your chances of winning this candy by leaving a comment on my own personal blog HERE. All entries will be combined, then I will randomly draw one lucky winner on January 31st.
Have a wonderful day, are you ready for Friday's first challenge? :D
xoxox

Meet the Bar-Tenders!

Hello everyone and thank you for coming by on this beautiful Friday!
Next week begins our first challenge on our big Debut Day.  I do hope you come along and play because I know that you have something that qualifies...Trust me...you do. lol!

Today I wanted to introduce you to the wonderful and talented Design Team, thank you to all who applied!

Meet the Bar-Tenders:
Anita Hovey of Hovey Hut
Sparkle Smith of Sparkle Creations
Suzi Mckenzie of The Manic World of  Mrs. Weyremaster
Darlene Pavlick of Dar's Crafty Creations
Audrey Gonzales of Country Mouse

I'm so excited to begin this venture and help you keep that resolution to use your crafting supplies. We'll see you all here next week with the first challenge! Have a wonderful Friday and an even better weekend everyone. :D

Welcome to Raise The Bar!

Thank you for coming by! This is a new challenge site that will encourage you to use your crafting tools, stamps, hoarded goodies, must-haves-but-still-in-the-box supplies to its fullest potential.
We will "Raise The Bar" each week, offering fun challenges that will encourage you to try something new, re-visit an old favorite technique, or just step out of your box! Let's unleash all that talent of yours, and most importantly, dust off those supplies that we promised ourselves we would use (was that a New Year's resolution of yours too?).
I will also be linking up some tutorials for the week's challenge for you to see the many ways that our crafting supplies can be used. Each week a selected participant who has tried something new and felt over the top with it will win the coveted badge of being the featured "Bar-Tender"! (wink wink)
Thank you for coming by, I look forward to playing along with you every week!
And btw, I am on the hunt for 2 more friends to be on the Design Team. ;)
~*Joni