RetroSketches | Challenge #83

Hello, hello! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.

This week's Retro Sketches sketch is fantastic! I love the angles and the possibilities for layering elements or stamps.

I pulled out Mini Blooms from PTI (again... love that set!) to stamp the bottom panel. The top portion is Limeade Ice that I stamped with Avery Elle's Handwritten Notes. 

 (Supplies - Stamps: (PTI) Mini Blooms. (Avery Elle) Handwritten Notes. Ink: (PTI) Aqua Mist, Hawaiian Shores, Summer Sunrise, Enchanted Evening, New Leaf, Limeade Ice, Black. Cardstock: (PTI) White, Limeade Ice. Enamel Dots: My Mind's Eye. Impression Plate: (PTI) Linen and Canvas.)

Limeade Ice is such a fun green... it works well with so many other colors.

That's it for me today! Thanks for stopping by and have a great week! 

CAS(E) This Sketch | Challenge #47

I have a quick card to share today for this week's CAS(E) This Sketch challenge:

I used a polka dot background stamp from Fresh Squeezed Stamps' You Said It, Sister, which I stamped in white pigment ink onto Kraft cardstock. The frame is Papertrey Ink's Fillable Frames #10, and the flowers are from Wplus9 (Fresh Cut Florals). I love the little pop of color they add to a white/kraft card.

(Supplies - Stamps: (PTI) Fillable Frames #10, Mini Blooms. (Wplus9) Fresh Cut Florals. (Fresh Squeezed Stamps) You Said It, Sister. Ink: (PTI) White pigment ink, Aqua Mist, Hawaiian Shores, Limeade Ice, New Leaf, Plum Pudding, Lavender Moon, Summer Sunrise, Orange Zest. Dies: (PTI) Fillable Frames #10. (Wplus9) Fresh Cut Florals. Cardstock: (PTI) Kraft, White.)

Thanks for looking!

ColourQ | Challenge #208

Happy Friday, friends!

This week's ColourQ Challenge is to create a card using black + white and one color. I am a wee bit obsessed with aqua/teal right now, so I pulled out Papertrey Ink's Aqua Mist and Hawaiian Shores to accent the black and white color scheme

 (Supplies - Stamps: (Wplus9) Fresh Cut Florals, Embroidered Bouquet. (PTI) Mini Blooms. Ink: (PTI) Hawaiian Shores, Aqua Mist. (Memento) Tuxedo Black. Cardstock: (PTI) White. Ribbon: (PTI) Hawaiian Shores Satin. Other: Enamel dots, stickles.)

Fresh Cut Florals is such a gorgeous set! I love the monochromatic look using Aqua Mist and Hawaiian Shores.

Evan has a soccer game bright and early tomorrow morning, so I am off to bed. Have a wonderful weekend!

Fresh Squeezed Stamps | A Wee Christmas

Good morning! I have one last card to share for Fresh Squeezed Stamps' release week.

I used several stamps from the new set, A Wee Christmas, on my card. Two different trees, the sentiment, and the cute little border. I used flat sequins to add ornaments to the largest tree... gold, pink, aqua, and blue. I love the subtle sparkle they add!

Make sure to stop by the Fresh Squeezed Stamps blog to see the full set and more fabulous inspiration from the rest of the DT! Have a great week and thanks for stopping by.

Fresh Squeezed Stamps | Frightfully Delightful

It's day 2 of the Fresh Squeezed Stamps release week, and I have a spooky card to share with you this morning. Frightfully Delightful is the perfect Halloween set, featuring spooky owls, sentiments, and my favorite... candy corn! 

I stamped the Potion bottle in Memento ink, then colored it in with Copic markers. I stamped the candy corn with Orange Zest ink, and the sentiment was stamped with VersaMark ink, then heat embossed with white embossing powder. I just love the orange/black/purple color combo for Halloween! 

Make sure to check out the Fresh Squeezed Stamps blog for more inspiration using Frightfully Delightful! Thanks for stopping by and make sure to check back tomorrow for my final release week project!

Fresh Squeezed Stamps | Say Anything

It's release week for Fresh Sqeezed Stamps, and today I have a card showcasing one of Fresh Squeezed Stamps newest stamp sets: Say Anything. This set contains a very versatile bracket border, plus some wonderful sentiments. 

I stamped the bracket image diagonally across white cardstock with Memento Luxe Pear ink. I used a flower from Everyday Expressions, also stamped in Memento Luxe ink. I stamped the sentiment, from Say Anything, above and below the brackets.

Hop on over to the Fresh Squeezed Stamps blog to see more inspiration using Say Anything! And thanks for stopping by!

CAS-ual Fridays | Challenge #115

I have a weakness for fall stamps (especially leaves and trees!), and I picked up this great leaf stamp set from Stampin' Up! last week. It's called Wonderfall and has several large leaf images and an adorable acorn, too. I used the maple leaf for my CAS-ual Fridays card, stamping it with Papertrey Ink's Orange Zest ink, then I inked the edges with Terracotta Tile.

(Supplies - Stamps: (Stampin' Up!) Wonderfall. (PTI) Gobble, Gobble. Ink: (PTI) Orange Zest, Terracotta Tile, Dark Chocolate. Cardstock: (PTI) Harvest Gold, Orange Zest, Real Red, Kraft, White. Enamel Dots: My Mind's Eye.)

Expect to see several fall/Thanksgiving cards in the coming weeks. We might not get a traditional fall here in Florida, but it's still my favorite season.

I'm off to finish watching the Seahawks game. Thanks for stopping by and have a great week! 

Great Impressions Stamps | Holiday Snowman

Good morning!

I have a super cute holiday care to share with you today featuring two Great Impressions Stamps: Wintery Snowman and Peace and Happiness. The gorgeous diagonal striped patterned paper and star stickers are from Echo Park. I used Copic markers to color in the snowman's hat and scarf, then accented the snowflakes with clear Stickles. I love the subtle shimmer the Stickles add to the card. So pretty and perfect for the holidays!

 

I hope my card inspires you to pull out a favorite Christmas image and get started on your holiday cards. And there is still time to participate in this month's Great Impressions Stamps challenge. You can find out all the details here.

Have a wonderful weekend! 

ColourQ | Challenge #207

This week's color challenge for ColourQ is a beautiful collection of fall colors. I love navy with just about any other color, and the melon/pink combo is really striking:

This is the first time I've used Baked Brown Sugar (one of the new Stampin' Up! In Colors) and I am in love! To me, it is a darker Kraft color (and I stamped the inside of the basket with PTI's Kraft it and it was a great match).  The Baked Brown Sugar ink color is darker than the cardstock, but overall I'm really happy with it.

 (Supplies - Stamps: (PTI) Basket of Blessings, Autumn Pattern Pieces. (Wplus9) Fanciful Feathers. Cardstock: (PTI) Melon Berry, Rustic White. (Stampin' Up!) Baked Brown Sugar, Strawberry Slush. Ink: (PTI) Melon Berry, Kraft. (Stampin' Up!) Strawberry Slush, Night of Navy, Baked Brown Sugar. Dies: (PTI) First Place. Other: Buttons, enamel dots, twine.)

Basketful of Blessings is another beautiful PTI stamp set. Layering the flowers perfectly was a little tricky, but after I practiced a couple of times, it was a breeze. 

That's it from me today! Have a wonderful weekend and thanks for stopping by. :)

Fresh Squeezed Stamps | Happy Hexagons

Good morning! I have a card to share today featuring Happy Hexagons, one of my favorite Fresh Squeezed Stamp sets. I paired it with Words to Live By for a bright and colorful card:

 Happy Hexagons                  Words to Live By

After I die cut the hexagons, I stamped four different designs using four different inks before adhering them to my card. I added the sentiment in black ink, then tied twine around the card to finish it off. The perfect card for a crafty friend! 

Thanks for stopping by and make sure to check back tomorrow for more inspiration using Fresh Squeezed Stamps!  

Digital Layouts | September

The first month of school is always a crazy-busy time for us, but I did manage to create a few layouts for the Pixels and Co. designers. I worked with current photos, but I also pulled out a bunch of older photos, too. I love looking back at photos of the boys from years ago... they have grown up so much! 

(Supplies - Patterned paper, flair, paper strips, journaling card, staple: (Laura Passage) Down By The Bay. Template: Karla Dudley.)

(Supplies - Template and kit by Karla Dudley Designs.)

(Supplies - Digital template, ombre paper, sticker: Deena Rutter. Stitching, tab, staple: (Basically) Mommyish. Alpha, other patterned paper: Karla Dudley.)

(Supplies - Karla Dudley Designs and Mommyish.)

 (Supplies - All supplies (except template) are Scotty Girl Designs. Template is Karla Dudley Designs) 

I have a few more layouts I need to create this month... luckily our schedule has evened out a bit this past week and I should have plenty of time to finish a few more pages. I love my three hours of freedom every morning. :)

Have a great week!

Avery Elle September AEI {heart} U Challenge | Retro Sketches Challenge #81

Happy Sunday, friends! I hope everyone is having a nice weekend. I cleaned up my office a bit Friday night, which motivated to me to play along with a couple of challenges: Avery Elle & Retro Sketches. First up is a card for this month's Avery Elle AEI {heart} U challenge:

 I was drawn to the aqua, yellow, red, and green color combo. I used a stamp from Suzani to create the lined background to mimic the lines from the gondola ride. The flowers are also from Suzani:

 (Supplies - Stamps: (Avery Elle) Suzani, Modern Leaves, Petals and Stems. Ink: (PTI) New Leaf, Aqua Mist, Pure Poppy. (Memento Luxe) Dandelion. (Ranger) Archival Black. Cardstock: (PTI) Smoky Shadow, Harvest Gold, White, Aqua Mist. Buttons: (PTI) Black. Twine: (PTI) Pure Poppy. Gems: Queen and Co. Dies: (Avery Elle) Modern Leaves. (EK Success) Circle Punch. (PTI) Scalloped edge border die.)

Next up is a card for this week's Retro Sketches challenge: 

A couple of weeks ago I purchased Ali Edwards' Fun Flair stamp set. The little star/circle image was perfect for this sketch:

 (Supplies - Stamps: (Technique Tuesday/Ali Edwards) Fun Flair. (PTI) Enjoy the Ride. Cardstock: (PTI) Harvest Gold, White. (Stampin' Up!) Kraft, Silver glitter paper. Punch: (EK Success) Circle. Dies: (PTI) Stars, Sketched Shapes. Patterned Paper: (American Crafts) Dear Lizzy paper pad. Ink: (Stampin' Up!) Coastal Cabana. (Ranger) Archival Black. Other: Button, Twine.)

The silver glitter paper was a last minute addition, and I love it! I think every birthday card should have a little sparkle. :)

That's it for me! Thanks for stopping by and have a great week.

Fresh Squeezed Stamps | Happy Birthday To You

Hello there! I am here with a CAS gray and yellow birthday card to share for Fresh Squeezed Stamps. Gray and yellow is one of my favorite color combos (I recently decorated our downstairs guest bathroom in those colors!), and I thought it would make a great color combo for a gender neutral birthday card.

I used two stamp sets from Fresh Squeezed Stamps - Happy Hexagons and Trendy Triangles.  I stamped the three gray triangles first, so I could position my sentiment in the middle of the card. Then I stamped the top yellow row of triangles, followed by the final two rows.  I added a few enamel dots for dimension before adhering the white cardstock to yellow striped patterned paper.

Trendy Triangles                          Happy Hexagons

That's it for me today! Thanks for stopping by and have a great week!

ColourQ | Challenge #206

Hi there! This week's ColourQ challenge features a bright and colorful color combo:

 My shelf of Stampin' Up! stamps has been terribly neglected lately... so many beautiful sets that haven't seen ink, and with this challenge I wanted to ink up Blue Ribbon. I love the distressed look of the blue ribbon badge, and it worked beautifully with the pink/yellow/aqua color combo.

 (Supplies - Stamps: (Stampin' Up!) Blue Ribbon. (Papertrey Ink) Bigger Blooms. Ink: (Stampin' Up!) Bermuda Bay, Rich Razzleberry, Primrose Petals, Daffodil Delight. Cardstock: (Stampin' Up!) Rich Razzleberry, Primrise Petals. (PTI) Aqua Mist. Dies: (PTI) Notched Star Banner Dies, Stars. Punches: (EK Success) Star. Patterned Paper: (PTI) Harvest Gold patterns pack. Other: Gems.)

The pink glitter paper is Papertrey Ink pink shimmer paper covered with double sided tape and glitter. I love how sparkly it turned out. :)

That's it for me today. Check back tomorrow for a new cards featuring Fresh Squeezed Stamps!

Great Impressions Stamps | Merry Wreath

Good morning!

I have my very first Christmas card to share with you this morning, using Great Impressions' Merry Wreath stamp.

I stamped the image using Memento Ink, then colored it in with Copic markers. I added a die cut heart to the center using text paper, then a button with twine. The wreath is a gorgeous stamp and I didn't want a lot "stuff" distracting from the beautiful image, so I omitted a sentiment on the outside. I can add one to the inside when I'm ready to send it.

(Supplies - Stamps: (Great Impressions) Merry Wreath. Ink: (Memento) Black. Cardstock: (PTI) Spring Moss, Always Artichoke, Cream, Scarlet Jewel. Patterned paper: Papertrey Ink. Dies: Wplus9.)

Have you started creating your Christmas cards yet? I am excited to work on mine this year... I have so many beautiful Christmas stamps that I can't wait to ink up! 

Have a wonderful weekend and thanks for stopping by!

10 Minute Craft Dash | Challenge #25

Hi guys!

Yesterday I had a chance to play along with this week's 10 Minute Craft Dash challenge. This challenge always stresses me out! But it's fun to create something in a short amount of time. I have had this great wood anchor in my stash for a couple of months and really wanted to use it on a card. I paired it with some paper from Glitz and a stamp from Waltzingmouse:

 (Supplies - Stamps: (Waltzingmouse) Ocean Bound. Ink: (PTI) Dark Chocolate. Wood shape: Glitz. Patterned Paper: Glitz. Cardstock: (PTI) Harvest Gold, Aqua Mist. Die: (PTI) First Place. Enamel Dots: My Mind's Eye. Twine: (PTI) Dark Chocolate.)

Total Time: 9:35.7. I did it! Under 10 minutes. I really saved myself a lot of time by choosing a patterned paper that is colorful, has a lot of details, and didn't require me to do anything except trim it down and adhere.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! Evan has his first soccer game of the fall season tomorrow... he is very excited. Unfortunately the uniforms are not ready so he will be in his practice jersey, but we will make it work. :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Fresh Squeezed Stamps | Wedded Bliss

Good morning! Today I have an elegant wedding card featuring Subway Series: Occasions. I pulled out my Perfect Pearls in gold and copper, along with two shades of purple cardstock. 

First, I stamped the wedding subway stamp with VersaMark ink onto dark purple cardstock. Then I used a fine tip brush to dip into the Perfect Pearls and gently swirled the powder onto the stamped image. After the text was covered with powder, I used a dried baby wipe to wipe off the excess powder. The Perfect Pearls stick to the VersaMark ink, leaving a brilliant shimmer that is gorgeous in real life. 

Supplies - Stamps: (Fresh Squeezed Stamps) Subway Series: Occasions. Ink: VersaMark. Cardstock: Lavender Moon, Royal Velvet. Patterned Paper: Lavender Moon patterns pack. Sequins: Making Memories. Pearls: Hero Arts. Ribbon: Kraft satin ribbon.

Subway Series: Occasions

I hope I have inspired you to pull out your Perfect Pearls and try this fun technique! Check back tomorrow for more inspiration using Fresh Squeezed Stamps!

Waltzingmouse | Sketch Challenge

Good morning! I hope everyone had a wonderful Labor Day weekend. Mark was home for a couple of days (yay!) and we spent a lot of time as a family. I love long weekends... there is nothing better than sleeping in on a Monday morning. :)

Today's card is for this week's Waltzingmouse's Sketch challenge. I pulled out WM's Two Step Floral Sprig and Big Day - Today stamp sets:

 (Supplies- Stamps: (Waltzingmouse) Two Step Floral Sprig, Big Day - Today. Ink: Memento Luxe. Cardstock: (PTI) Cream, Harvest Gold, Spring Moss. (Stampin' Up!) Rich Razzleberry. Dies: (PTI) Limitless Layers Ovals. Cut Files: (Waltzingouse) Two Step Floral Sprig cut files. Other: Twine, Stickles, enamel dots.)

I ended up creating a horizontal card instead of a vertical card, but other than that, I didn't make too many alterations to the original sketch. The Floral Sprig set is so beautiful and I love adding all the layers to the beautiful flowers. 

Have a great week!

Great Impressions Stamps | September Challenge

This month's challenge for Great Impressions Stamps is Fall Colors. Yay! I love fall (it's my favorite season), and even though it's still 90+ degrees outside and humid, humid, humid, I loved creating a card using dark green, orange, and yellow.

 (Supplies - Stamps: (Great Impressions Stamps) Harvest Truck, A Little Hello. Ink: (Memento) Black. Cardstock: (PTI) Rustic white, Spring Moss. Patterned Paper: Crate Paper. Buttons, Twine: PTI.)

You can hop on over to the Great Impressions blog for more fall inspiration, and to participate in this month's challenge!

Have a great week!