Freshly Made Sketches #481 - Let's Play Tic Tac Toe!

Happy Wednesday! It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! The oh-so-talented Cécile is our hostess this week!

Like last week, I kind of went on a crazy turn and changed the sketch up a bit -- and this week is the same. But it still follows all the directions, so I don't think I will have the challenge police after me just yet! :)

I have a lot of wonderful stamps from Stephanie Barnard (I used to be on her Design Team) and this week's sketch reminded me of a fun set I hadn't used in a very long time. These are the stamps and dies from tictactoe2play.

I die cut the grid three times (Lemon Lime Twist - SU!) and stacked it up for dimension. The Xs are cut out of shimmery cardstock from my stash and stacked twice. The sentiment is stamped with VersaFine Clair Nocturne, and then cut with the sentiment banner die from the set. I used the Dotted Squares Die Set for my white panel. I added Doodlebug sequins around the sentiment for fun and all is adhered to a dark gray card base.

As you can see, it's the sketch....but with a different shape for the circles!

I hope you will join our sketch challenge this week, and add your creations to our gallery! This challenge will end at 3:00 EDT time on Monday, April 19th. Be sure to stop at the Freshly Made Sketches blog, and click on the names of my teammates to see the lovely cards they have created this week! 

Festive Friday FF#0069

Happy Friday!

Today there is a new challenge up at Festive Friday! We're celebrating National Cat Day, and using our fabulous Inspo List to inspire us. If you are new to the FF Challenges, you can choose any three items (or more!) from our list to inspire your creativity. Your card does not have to be about National Cat Day. 

I do love my "grand cat" - so I made a card in honor of him today. From the Inspo List, I chose cat, pet sentiment, mice/fish, and circles.

I love the Bokeh Layering Stencil from Taylored Expressions, and started there, with three coordinating colors of DOX inks. Once they were dry, I stamped my images from the adorable cat2stamp set from The {Stamps} of Life. Super cute and cheery! 

I hope you will join us for this challenge. Remember, you can choose any three from the list, for any occasion or theme! And what a fun list! You can add your entries until October 12th.

For more inspiration, be sure to visit the rest of the  Festive Friday Challenge Design team!

 

Freshly Made Sketches #370

It's Wednesday and time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Jen T. has an awesome design for us today, with a lot of possibilities. The team came up with such a variety of ideas for inspiration, so be sure to check them out HERE.

My card uses snowman2build from The {Stamps} of Life. We still have a winter ahead of us in Nebraska! My panel and snowman are from Echo Park's retired Winter Fun paper pack. My snowman is heat embossed, stamped with the sentiment, and then adhered to the front panel. The snowflakes are from a pack I have been collecting over the years from punches and die cuts.

I hope you will come play along with us this week! 

Thanks for stopping by and for your comments!

Freshly Made Sketches #369

I am thrilled to be joining the Freshly Made Sketches Design Team with today's Sketch #369! It's always so fun to see the variety and interpretation from the team members, and this one is no exception. So -- be sure to head over to {the blog} and see all of the awesome inspiration!

I am using wish2make from The {Stamps} of Life. I stamped my dandelions in Raspberry ink and my sentiment in Licorice.

I tied jute string around the top two layers, and added raspberry gems (Kaiser Sparkles) for a little sparkle. Take a look at the sketch below, and then come play along! Details are on the FMS Blog!

Watercolor Rainbows and A Touch of Gold

Hello Friends! Today I have a watercolor background to share:

We had a beautiful full rainbow over our Capitol last week, and it just inspired me to create a rainbow background. I used my Kuretake paints on watercolor paper. When it was dry, I stamped my sentiment (The {Stamps} of Life) in VersaFine Onyx Black ink. 

Since gold is associated with rainbows, I used Metallic Gold Baker's Twine from Really Reasonable Ribbon, and wrapped it several times around my card, fanning it out. I then tied all the pieces together with a half bow and added some sequins (Pretty Posh) for sparkle! All of my layers are held together with Scor-Tape and Foam Tabs.

That's it for me today! Thanks for stopping by!

• Crafts Galore Encore - Always Anything Goes
• Creative Ladybirds Creations - Always Anything Goes
• One Crazy Stamper - Anything Goes

Crinkled Seam Binding

Hey friends! Today I want to share a simple watercolored card. You can't go wrong with a watercolor background and a beautiful sentiment. Add in some gorgeous seam binding and it's a done deal!

My background was made using Kuretake paints on water color paper. I added a couple of color layers inbetween dry times, and then stamped my sentiment (The Stamps of Life) with VersaFine Onyx Black ink. 

To crinkle up my seam binding, I spritz it with water and then ball it up in my hand and place the ball into the corner of a plastic bag. Twist the plastic bag tightly around the ball. Leave the seam binding ball in the bag overnight. The next morning, remove the seam binding from the bag and fluff the ball out. Let it dry thoroughly. Pretty easy!

This is the beautiful Bay Leaf Seam Binding from Really Reasonable Ribbon tied in a double bow at an angle across the card for interest. I added a Resin Flower on top of the knots. I also tucked in a half-doily (Stampin' Up!) under the bows. My layers are held together with 1/2" Scor-Tape on this card.

Monochrome Magic- ANYTHING GOES
Addicted to Stamps and More- ANYTHING GOES

Shimmery & Sparkly Oxides

We have a new challenge today at Really Reasonable Ribbon! Show us your summer themed projects! On a hot summer day (like today for us here in Nebraska!) lemonade is the perfect way to cool off!

My background is made with two watercolored Distressed Oxide inks, and then I sprayed a mist of Gold Glimmermist (Tattered Angels) over the dry panel. I love the shimmer of that spray. I hope you can see some of it in the photo below. I wanted the card as sparkly as possible to match the sentiment (The Stamps of Life). I like the contrast of the two hearts -- one has sparkle and one does not.

My lemon and hearts are K & Co. stickers that I have had FOREVER. You can find the beautiful Peony ribbon in the June Ribbon Club from Really Reasonable Ribbon.

Creates and Makes #12 – Anything Goes w/optional Use Yellow
TTCRD – Anything Goes
Artistic Inspirations #181 – Anything Goes
Crafting from the Heart #163 – Anything Goes
Use Your Stuff #267 – Use Warm Summer Colors
Glitter N Sparkle #243 – Use Bright Colors

Advent Calendars

When my kids were little, I made them each (I have two) a miniature felt Christmas tree - a styrofoam cone covered in felt and glittery trims. Each day of Advent, they would receive a little ornament to hang on their tree with a cute straight pin. They outgrew their trees (they were getting crowded anyway!) and we moved on to different kinds of Advent celebrations. 

Today I want to share a little treat bag with you that can be used for any age - including children who are now grown with families of their own.

I used a die cut treat bag (Sweet Treat Tent) from Reverse Confetti, but you could cut your own just as easily without a die. The inside has a flat bottom for your treats to sit on in a little Ziplock bag. I decorated all 25 bags with little number tags from some Doodlebug designer paper. The tree tag is part of a set called Triplits Tag Die Set by the Stamps of Life. I embossed the bag die with a snowflake embossing folder, and then assembled the bag using Scor Tape of a couple of different widths.

I finished it off with some cute festive and fun trims: Mini Ric Rac and Cherry Baker's Twine. It would also look super cute with Christmas Baker's Twine (below).

I used pearls for my embellishments, but there are many other things you could use to decorate as well. Take a peek at all the new embellishments in the RRR Store! 

Untie the twine and you have a cute Advent Calendar in a Treat Bag! These were fun to make, and are a great way to use small pieces of trims, as well as patterned paper scraps!

Hey Cat Lovers!

I like cats. I just don't have any. My mom was allergic to them, and then my daughter, so we have always had dogs. But if I had a cat, it would be cute like this one!

Your cats knead you, right? My daughter eventually developed a tolerance for cats and today has a super cute one named Meowth. She says when he wants her to get out of bed, he kneads her stomach. Makes me laugh. They knead (need) you in other ways too!

 
Today is Club Set Release Day at The {Stamps} of Life and cat2stamp is ADORABLE. 
<<<<<

There are also DIES! Yep. But you gotta be a Club member to get them this early! 
Check it out HERE.
 
I made a couple of other designs with this cute set. On this one I embossed the fish bone with silver embossing powder and then punched it out with an oval punch. The cute typeset paper is from the brand new Celebrate Collection Patterned Paper Pad.

Love that there is a solid footprint and an outline! This sentiment is PURRFECT for those needed "pick-me-up" greetings:

And if you aren't a cat lover? Then check out Stephanie's dog, Cookie! I have one more cat2stamp design to show you later this week! Have a blessed day!

Thanks With Sizzix

One of the new sets just released at The {Stamps} of Life is called Thanks With Sizzix. I love the different fonts and ways to say thank you. I made a set of four little 4.25" cards - all easily mass-produced for thank you notes after Christmas! Take a look!

The first card above uses a heart cut from the tictactoe die cut set released last month. A little twine, some pearls, and an embossed background make for a sweet card.

The second uses the end of a pencil eraser, a stylus, and some pretty gems to make a border for your greeting.

A vertical trio of hearts and a simple font pack a punch for this simple design using Stephanie's Licorice ink.

And finally, this one layer CAS design uses Stephanie's Guava ink
and the heart stamp from November's Club set, tictactoe2play.

Fast and easy and fun to make!

Game Time with Stephanie Barnard and The {Stamps} of Life!

A new month brings a new Club set from The {Stamps} of Life! Love this fun tictactoe2play set and the matching dies!

 
For this card, I embossed the background using a Sizzix embossing folder, and cut the playing grid and X's and O out of white cardstock. I stamped the designs in Strawberry Ink. A little twine and a button and it's ready to send!

 




 
Banana and Strawberry Sprays! made the background for this birthday card. I stamped the stars with watermark ink and then embossed them. The sentiment was curved on the ink block and stamped with Guava ink. I happened to have some rhinestone stars that fit perfectly around the cut out (matching dies!) stars.

Playing grid dies, X's and stamped with Guava

Playing grid, heart and rectangle dies and Guava ink

Check out how to become a Club Member here and see Stephanie's video on this set, with mine and MANY more examples!

New Stamps at The Stamps of Life!

Who doesn't love a snowman??
The October Club set at The {Stamps} of Life has been out for a little over a week now, and there is a gallery full of fun inspiration from the TSOL DT members and TSOL customers HERE.

Today I want to share several creations I made using the new snowman2build set - the Club set for October. It comes with some fabulous dies too, which I really need to get as well.

If you don't have the Sprinkles! chunky glitter, you really have to try it out. I don't like glitter everywhere, but this stuff I use a LOT! It's fun and stays put :)

Sad to say, the wishes were a bit too warm, and my snowman melted!

I am just dandy keeping all the snow on my cards, instead of in my yard, thank you!

Come check out how to be a Club Member here. It's super fun and a great way to build your stamp/die collection.

Be sure to check out my huge stamp sale here and on my Facebook page: Joy in a JAR.

  Challenges entered: 

Country View Crafts' Challenge - Sparkle and Shine  

One Crazy Stamper - Halloween/Christmas 

Holly Jolly Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes

Crafty Bloggers Network - Christmas

Two Challenges and a Fun Background

At Splitcoaststampers today, my friend Jeanne is hosting two challenges: Mix-ability 82: Rolly Polly and Free For All 235: One Word or Two...
I had to play along in the MIX82 because I stayed up chatting with some MIXers trying to guess what the challenge was (to no avail), but ended up convincing Kyra to use pink on her card, so figured I needed to put in my pink two cents!

For my background, I used Stephanie's Sprays (The Stamps of Life) in Guava and Bubblegum and brayered the spray immediately after spraying on Whisper White. 

I let that dry and then put drops of Cotton Candy (YES PINK) Stickles all over the paper and brayered that. And guess what? It turned GREEN. Which means either my Stickles are chameleons, or my brayer had something weird (like green ink?!) on it. It didn't come off with the sprays, so I have no idea. 

Anyway, the Stickles have a nice sheen to them (whatever colors they are) and you can see the entire sheet before I started on my blog. Fun stuff!!

Cardmaker Hop

Welcome to the CardMaker and The Stamps of Life Blog Hop!

 

The CardMaker Designers and The Stamps of Life Designers will be teaming up to show you some wonderful projects featuring stamps from The Stamps of Life.

Today I chose a holiday set to make a non-holiday card to make even better use of these adorable images from Stephanie Barnard. My card uses the sweet bunny from bunny4easter and the matching bunny die. Pretty sweet baby card now!

I stamped my images using Stephanie's Premium dye inks in Licorice and Sky and colored in the bunny using alcohol markers. A little mini ric rac and a button for embellishments, a corner punch, and some roughed-up edges, and this 4.25" card is ready to go with its baby gift!

 

Make sure and comment on each of the blogs in the hop! One winner will be randomly chosen to win 3 stamp sets of their choice ($12.95 value or less)!  The winner will be chosen July 31 and announced on The Stamps of Life Blog on August 1.

 

Hop List

CardMaker Magazine

Tiffany Johnson

Emily Niehaus

Theresa Momber

Joana Studer

Frances Byrne

Jeanne Jachna

Vanessa Buzard

Kristine Reynolds

Penny Ward

Tanya Adams

Anna Wight

Noelle McAdams

Jeanne Streiff

Mae Nazareth

Kim Pargeter

**Judy Rozema

Piali Biswas

The Stamps of Life blog

Pointing to Love

The first of the month always brings some really fun new stamp designs from The {Stamps} of Life with Stephanie Barnard. I love this month's sampler2love set! 

Here is another one of the creations I made using the newly released sampler2love set and the matching dies. How can you get the stamps and dies at a GREAT price and before anyone else? Become a Club Member. Read all about it HERE.

I used the cute Adorbs designer paper from My Mind's Eye, along with a cork arrow, corrugated heart, and a doily.

 

The banners on the doily are cut from the sampler2love dies. I used Stephanie's Premium Licorice dye ink for the sentiment. Fast and cute! Here is the entire set:

Check out all of the fun new things at The {Stamps} of Life! 

Challenges:

• Clear It Out - Challenge: Anything Goes Stash Item:Anything Goes (Week 1)
• Loves Rubber Stamps - Anything Goes