Back in the saddle again!!

Well - HELLO!!!

I have been so desperately wanting to get back at it, regularly.  Life just seems to take over - with a vengence - lol!  So, I decided to pull out the stops and go with the Create with Connie and Mary Challenge - what a great starting place!   This week was a color challenge - check it out:

Wowzers - good fun, that combo, huh?!!???

My birthday card supply is getting depleated......so I wanted to do that theme. ;)  Want to see what I did with it?


No?  Ok - well......I guess we will chat later.



BAWAHAHHAAAAAA!!!!!!!


Just kidding!  Here is what I did:

I did all of the coloring with stampin write markers.  see?

I also had to "do up" the inside - lol!!!

Sorry to not put too much detail in this post - but I am in a New York rush.....living in Pennsylvania!  HAHA!!!
Thanks for stopping by my little piece of blog-land!

I'm falling for you -

:)

Hi Everyone!!!  Can you believe it?????  Two days in a row???  I just had to participate in the Create with Connie and Mary Challenge this week - I LOVED the sketch!  Well - I love all of the challenges, but actually had time to carve out for this one.....if there were only about three more days in a week - don't you feel that way sometimes?  hehe!   Wanna see the sketch??

That is a nice one, huh?  And guess what?  I pondered on it for a couple of days and decided on pairing up the Gently Falling set from the mini with the Spice Cake fabric - also from the mini  (  ;)  )  with some totally essential stamps that are from the set French Foliage - it is in the current idea book and catalog - but it was in last year's holiday mini.......do you see a great love of the leaf sets that come out in the holiday minis and me?  hehehehheeee.......
Oh Yeah - I bet you are wondering what I did???  I kind of got a bit side tracked - sorry ;)

Well?  you like?  I used some torn strips of the fabric in place of the three horizontal strips on the sketch - LOVE that!!  The leaves are more mustard, pool party and pear pizzazz topped with an outline of soft suede.  I then went over the entire panel with the three ESSENTIAL stamps from french foliage - the circle paris stamp, the tiny text stamp and the ink blot looking thing - those three stamps could be piled onto anything and it would look Great!!!  And the sentiment comes from Hand Penned, also from the mini - what a gorgeous stamp set!!  Take a closer look at the "stress" my main image panel went through:

that was great fun to rip, tear and dirty up!!

Oh, I don't want to forget - I also did up the inside, of course.....I can't hardly complete a card without doing it, huh??

Well - what do you think? 

Let's back things up a bit, shall we?

Hi All!!!

I gave you a taste of Christmas last week with the stockings - but I feel like I needed to back it up a bit - maybe back to the season at hand.  Well - back to school plus one......how about some halloween eye candy?  LOL!!!

Guess What!?!?!?!?  I finally got to bring an idea to fruition this morning.......it has been a busy week so this was the first time I got to sit down in my studio to get inky.  You know where I went first for inspiration, right???  Oh yeah - the Create with Connie and Mary challenge!!!  This week it was a color challenge.  Wanna see?

What did you immediately think of when you saw it???  I mean - the "first thing" you thought of????  I immediately thought - Greeting Card Kids.  Really - that is what I first thought of.......honestly - pinky swear ;)  Want to see what I cooked up this week?  Well, if you don't turn your head.....you are about to see it- LOL!!

Isn't she the sweetest little witch?  We will start with the card and move up to her, shall we?  You know me - I always have to add a bit of creative liberty - and add a neutral or two......so I went with a basic black card base and cut a panel from First Edition - an absolute MUST have pack of designer series paper - just sayin'.  ;)  I then stamped it with the flourish from Creative Elements in pumpkin pie.  I'm gonna LOVE that stamp - I am just warning you now - I can see it being on everything - e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g.

And when you think of halloween - you immediately think of a "baby themed" pack of designer series paper, right?  Of course you do - so I pulled out Nursery Nest for the addition of pear pizazz.  The rich razzleberry panel is from the brights designer paper pack.  Did you notice the same flourish stamped on those panels with basic black ink???  I warned you ;)  I sewed the rich razzleberry, pumpkin pie and basic black buttons right onto the panel with linen thread before adhering it to the card - that way - you do not have to worry that  the adhesive will allow the buttons to come off - and it only takes a second to pierce holes where the button holes are and tie linen thread through them.  easy peasy - i swear. 

Now onto that adorable little witch - wanna see her a little closer???

I stamped her onto watercolor paper with black staz on ink.  She was then colored in with ink refills and an aquapainter.  I did have to add a small glow of so saffron ink around her - if I have said it once, I have said it a million times - watercolored images need some sort of "grounding" - in my opinion - for what I know....which isn't much - lol!!!  It is very subtle looking at the card, but it really does make the image pop out.  Did you see her hat buckle???  No? - go back up and look - I colored it with gold smooch ink.  She was then punched with the 2 1/2 inch circle punch.  And see that scalloped circle around her????  It is from the NEW Perfect Pennants Bigz L die - LOVE that there are two scallop circle dies on there - YAY!!!!!!  The sentiment is from Teeny Tiny Wishes (no shock there from me, huh? lol)  If you look closely enough - the flourish from Creative Elements is also stamped there in pumpkin pie, it is stamped off so it is subtle - but it is there  :)  All edges of the card are sponged with basic black ink - I had to dirty it up a bit.........had to.

Wait!!  There is more - I did up the inside as well.  Wanna see?

The sentiment there is from Grateful Greetings -


Well - what do you think of this little sweetie?  She sure was fun to bring to life.  Now - go stamp some goodness, it is good for your mental stability, really........... 

WHOOOOHOOOO!!!!

Guess my mojo was on target, somehow!  lol!!

I was selected as a winner of the Create with Connie and Mary Challenge this week!!!  It was my fireplace card - scroll down if you haven't seen it yet - wow - I am so surprised!!!!!
This really puts the pressure on for next week ;)

Check out the badge on my right hand sidebar - purty, huh?

Hung by the chimney with BLING!!!

HI All!!!

I checked out the Create with Connie and Mary challenge yesterday - it was a sketch challenge - yummy!  Now -  a little background on me with challenges.  I usually let my mind "sit" ona challenge for a few hours (or days) to get my idea rolling......but when I saw the sketch for this week - I immediately knew what I wanted to do......but I didn't want to jump right in head first....I needed to ponder it a while to make sure i didnt' change my mind.  WELL - there was no other thought for me.....I HAD to execute what my inital vision was.  I had to......

Do you want to see the sketch???  I bet you do......

Well - what do you see? 
ALL I could see was rotating that sketch and a fireplace is born.......I couldn't get it out of my head......Wanna see what I did with my vision?

Yes......everyone of those bricks were cut and sponged - with three colors - lol!!!  I put them on a river rock base to imitate mortor.  See?

But - let's move to the fore front, shall we?  Those adorable stockings are a HUGE sneak peek item in the holiday mini catalog - which is 43 pages of  creative heaven.........{{sigh}}.
The stamp set is Stitched Stockings.....and there is a coordinating punch - Stocking Builder Punch - LOVE it!!!  Check them out - a little closer ;)

The one on the left was stamped with poppy parade.  The cuff, toe and heel were punched with the BRAND NEW silver glimmer paper - aahhhhhh........  :)  The middle stocking was stamped with baja breeze.  It was blinged up by adding small adhesive rhinestones and - did you see it?????  NEW BLING BABY - Dazzling Details......dazzling diamonds meets glittler glue........Oh yeah - that's right!!  Now onto stocking number three.  It was stamped with lucky limeade.  The toe and heel are poppy parade covered with that new dazzling details glitter glue.  And the htree buttons are from the trinkets button brads.  They are adhered to a soft suede mantle stampes with woodgrain background and sponged.   I adhered a little bow of baker's twine with a small dot of crystal effects.

WELL.....that about sums it up - I think ;)  I would love to know your thoughts on this - right below in the comment section....go ahead.......I double dog dare ya!

WOW! It has been a while........

I can't believe how long it has been since I was able to stamp something that I can share - and boy have I missed it!!!  If you know me personally - you know that we hosted a baseball player for the summer from Colorado so we have been engulfed in his games  -it has been a really fun summer - busy, but fun!!  Well, he turns 21 on Sunday so I needed to whip him out a card to mail with his birthday gift.  I have some serious stamper's block going on - awful!  I have been stamping all summer, I made him a scrapbook of his season/summer here but not much cards unless it was for a class or club.  So - you know I had to turn to a challenge........What better challenge that the Create with Connie and Mary challenge - this week was a sketch challenge. Wanna see????

Kind of feminine, I think....but I think I manned it up  - wanna see what I did?

I know - I took some creative liberties here.  I flipped the sketch.......took the three elements that would be at the top of the flipped sketch and put it at the bottom - one element instead of three.......please don't beat me.....pretty please.......

I am on a time crunch here- but I will tell you I am LOVIN' the new designer series paper, Well Worn.  And the sentiment came from the hostess set, many birthday wishes. I adhered it to the new denim ribbon with a safety pin from trinkets.  Oh Yeah - the denim ribbon.......I bet you are all thinking that it will be stiff....like blue jeans - it isn't.......so pliable.  I am really liking it too.  shocker, uh?  LOL

Here is a closer look at the main image - the scallop circle is cut from the new pennant die.....a MUST have!  I also inked the chipboard numbers with the not quite navy craft ink spot. 

Everything on the card was roughed up and dirtied up - what do you think?  Make sure to keep checking back - I am going to share his entire scrapbook with all of you.  minus the sappy journaling at the end - LOL

Inspired Creation......

Hi All!!

I wasn't able to get in on last week's Create with Connie and Mary Challenge - and it just felt "off."  I really look forward to their challenges......so I wasn't going to let another week get away from me - lol.  And guess what?  This week's challenge is actually a two week challenge and they offer a color and/or sketch challenge.  I decided to just go with the color challenge today......here is the color challenge they proposed:

Well - I don't know about you but I immediately had one of those "thank goodness this stamp set didn't retire" moment......because I knew instantly I wanted to use Inspired by Nature......and after laying out the colors - I thought that I wanted to make a sympathy card.  It just came to me......simple as that.  :)  Wanna see what I did?

Well?  How did I do?  I had to throw a little bit of old olive ad soft suede in there for the sake of the flowers.....I hope I didn't violate any color challenge rules ;)  I stamped the flower image onto very vanilla and cut it out before adhering it down with stampin' dimensionals.  And can I say - welcome back basic gray satin ribbon.......y.u.m.m.y.!  The flowers were inked up with stampin write markers before stamping, see?

The colors used for the flowers were old olive, so saffron, pumpkin pie, soft suede and chocolate chip.  The smaller flower was stamped off before stamping it over the sentiment panel.    The sentiment, inside and out,  are from Thoughts and Prayers - another "thank goodness this didn't retire" stamp set.  ;)  And the new edition designer series paper making the new catalog - what else do i need to say about that???  This is one awesome collection of paper!  Oh did I mention that I prettied up the inside as well?  I didn't - well......here it is:

I would love to hear what you think of this little baby below in the comments section.  No one will bite you there ;)  Have a wonderful day!

I will "Awash" your Birthday with Flowers :)

Howdy All!!

I can't believe I finally got some time to stamp this week!  I gotta tell you - I am going to start scheduling it in my calendar!  Anyway - You know how it is - The Create with Connie and Mary Challenge rolls around every week.......and I love to participate in their challenges  ;)  So - of course when I get the chance to stamp and I haven't doen their challenge yet I must start there, right?  hehehe......  This week was no exception.  They are hosting a color challenge ove rthere this week - check it out:

Wow - that looks like summer, right?  Summery flowers........bright summery flowers......I bet you know where I am headed here.  ;)  Wanna see?

Well?  How did I do with that one?  I had to add the accent of black - it just seemed to fit and it is a neutral, right?  lol.  Don't you just love that sentiment?????  It is from the upcoming hostess set Happiest Brithday Wishes.  Just wait until you check out the new hostess program starting with the new catalog - can I say - "Anyone want a BIG SHOT FOR HALF PRICE??????"  Really - you just wait  ;)

Sorry - off in dream land again......
Back to the task at hand.  The flowers from Awash with Flowers were stamped with tangerine tango and tempting turquoise and then I stamped their outlines with black staz on.  Hence - the addition of basic black  :).  The bottom strip of old olive was also stamped with a leaf image from the same set.  I felt the bottom was missing a little pizzzazz - so I added three tempting turquois brads from the brights brad pack and lined them up with the mat pack and paper piercer - A STAPLE IN MY STUFF - lol.  Wrap basic black satin ribbon around the panel and tie a simple knot and there you go - a birthday card front.

HOLD ON - I still think is is missing a little something........a little more blingage, perhaps????  Ok - take a closer look:

I added smooch ink to the flowers to bring them to sparkly life.  you like?

Well - that about sums it up today.  I have a full day of this and that to accomplish.  lol  Now, GO STAMP.  ;)

Happiest Wishes!!

Hi All!  wow - it has been a while, huh?  Sorry about that - I have been busy getting things ready for my retirement party Wednesday and with life in general.  I have really been neglecting the challenges over at Create with Connie and Mary - and boy have I missed doing them - so when I had a little time today to create - I headed straight over there.  :)  And this week, they are hosting a sketch challenge - take a peeky:

And I had to pull out my preorder goodies for the new catalog......I just had to.......hehehe......  Wanna see what I came up with today?  Well - If you don't want to see - turn your head ;)

Don't you just {luv}} that new designer series paper????  It is from a new set called "Just Add Cake."  There are some awesome patterns in that pack - I can't wait to get the chance to play some more with that.    You recognize the cupcake stack on the tag element, right?  It is from one of my favorites - Crazy for Cupcakes.  The tag itself is from the Two Tags Die - another favorite and must have item in the 'ol collection.  (I bet you are seeing a pattern forming here......lol!)   And the blingage - yummo on the glimmer brads returning to the New Idea Book and Catalog!!!  I added my two little somethings in the upper left hand corner instead of the lower right. like the picture, because I really felt my card needed some balance in that upper corner......let's call that - creative liberty ;)  I love the little flowers adorned with a simple brad - cute, huh?

Oh - you are wondering where that stamp for the main sentiment and in the lower portion of the card are from?????  Sorry - I was getting to that.....  Both of those stamps are from a new upcoming hostess set, Happiest Birthday Wishes.  Oh - the NEW hostess program - you are going to love it....that is all I am going to say - check back when the new catalog goes live to check it out....trust me, it is sooooo worth the wait.  ;)  Anyway, getting back to those stamps....the main one was stamped with poppy parade ink and punched with the 1 3/4 inch circle punch.  And the scallop circle mat - that is from the pennant die.....so sad to see this retire - just for that scallop circle alone.......so get it while you can.  The bottom of the card looks like it has been wheeled with a wheel, doesn't it???  Well, it hasn't.  It is one stamp that I stamped repeatedly across the bottom with wild wasabi classic ink.  This is one of the awesome benefits of the clear mount stamps - I was able to stamp that without having to use my stamp a ma jig.  Of course, the same effect could be achieved with wood mount stamps and the stamp a ma jig - I just got to skip that step.  A simple bow of poppy parade ribbon completes the front of the card.

I also had to pretty up the inside, as well.  I had to.......  hehehe

I started with a whisper white base and then added some stamps, designer series paper and voila - a cute card center.  well, at least I think it is cute - nothing like tooting my own horn, huh?  lol!!!

Let me know what you think.  I honestly had a hard time not ripping, tearing, sponging, distressing, etc.....but I think I pulled it off.....or maybe not ;)

I'm sailing away.......

Set an open course for the Virgin Sea.
'Cause I've got to be free......
Free to face the life that's ahead of me.

That has to be one of my ALL time favorite Styx songs - ever!  If you are familiar with it -keep humming away as you read along.  :)

I have a little goodnesss to share with you today......and it all began with a sketch.  I know - shocked, right?  Me starting with a sketch or color challenge.....I can't help myself....that is what inspires me.  you should try it out sometime......hehe

Anyway - back to my little creation for the day.  The sketch originated with the Create with Connie and Mary Summer Edition.  They offer up the best challenges.  Head over and check it out.  Here is the sketch:

Now I know you are probably wondering what stamp set I used for this little baby.....When I saw the sketch - I IMMEDIATELY thought to use Open Sea......but all of you are probably tired of my obsession with the nautical stuff.....so I sat on the sketch for a few days and couldn't get my mind to bend from my original vision.....so I stopped fighting it and went for it.  What do you think?

I adore "dirty" cards.  do you?  The stamps are all from Open Sea except the sentiment with is from All Holidays, which is on the retirement list.....WHAT???  I love this set - it covers just about All Holidays.....get it?  i couldn't help myself......   I just can't believe it is retiring :(  The designer series paper is from the mini catalog as well - Nautical Expedition and the baker's twine....oh how I love the baker's twine........  wanna take a closer look at the ship?  If you don't, turn your head because I am about to show you:

And I just couldn't resist the inside:

Well- that about sums it up for the day - let me know what you think - i {{luv}} comment love.....lol!!

My Sweet Peach Parfait.......

Hi All!  Did you miss me?  I sure have missed you!!!  I have been feverishly cleaning - I am on a throw out mission......our garbage collector probably isn't too happy with me.....oh well.  ;)

I have finally taken the time to complete my Create with Connie and Mary Challenge this week....just under the wire....lol.  This week was a color challenge - yummo.

Riding hood red was my absolute favorite red back when it was an in color - but I reach for cherry cobbler all of the time now.....so it was real nice getting the "hood" out this week.  hehehehe..... 

Wanna see what I came up with?  Well - of course you do...that's why you are here, huh?

Well - you like?  I pulled out this set because I was thinking - of all the sets I own in the current catalog - which would have been easier to say "of all the sets I do not own....." (but that is another story.....) which set would I feel really bad if ti were on the retired list?????  Fifth Avenue Floral - hands down.  I have used this set for so many different techniques.....and I {luv} to watercolor.....so That is why I pulled out this beauty this week.  I thought that peach parfait combined with riding hood red would blend well together for water coloring this rose - did I do my idea justice?  I hope so.  I stamped the rose and the lily (?) onto watercolor paper with black staz on ink. I water colored the rose with peach parfait and riding hood red and the lily with pear pizzazz and old olive - sorry to sneak some green in on the challenge - I just  thought the flower needed that extra "pop."  lol.

I accented the corners of the rose background panel with the basic pearl accents - how sweet is that tiny detail???  I then matted that with riding hood red.  Take a closer peek:

The card base is baha blue.  I cut two strips of very vanilla and embossed them with the big shot and the coordinating manhattan flower embossing folder.  I put those two panels onto a piece of very vanilla before adhering it to the card base.

The sentiment is stamped with black staz on also.  I folded the strip to resemble a banner.  The entire card is sponged with crumb cake.  I also did up the inside:

Well - I would love to know how you feel about this little creation of mine.  Don't forget that the RETIREMENT LIST comes out tomorrow - I can't believe it!!!!
Have a great day!

grunge rock, baby

Well.....wouldn't you know????? 

I was working on a card for the Create with Connie and Mary challenge this week - a sketch challenge......and I also won a subscription to the Create with Connie and Mary Summer Edition - GREAT ideas on there....by the way  :).......and they host a challenge for all subscribers on Saturdays....it was a color challenge.  KNOW WHAT????  The colors I was working with were the same exact colors that were in the Summer Edition challenge!!!!  It was meant to be.....inky fate, so to say ;) 

Wanna see both challenges??

Sweet on both, huh?  I bet you are wondering where I went with those......Well - even if you aren't - I will still show you - lol!!!

One thing to note - the color challenge said we could add any neutrals - I added crumb cake and basic black.  I challenged myself not to use whisper white or very vanilla.....how did I do?  The card base is basic grey - I think it looks a little bluish here - but trust me, it is grey....hehe

I did take the creative liberty of enlarging the main image panel of the sketch - please don't stone me for it.....I really wanted to use a combination of Extreme Elements and Grunge Rock - which is on sale this month.  I think Grunge Rock is essential if you make teen cards - or if you make any cards for people that are in video game rock bands ;)  And at the sale price - who could resist????

Take a closer look at the dirtiness of those panels and all of the layering of stamps.

I would love to know what you think of my grunge rock, baby.
Have a great day!