Miss You

Brrrrr! Is it snowy cold in your part of the world? We have had single digit temps with below zero wind chill this week, and I have been wearing my warm scarf, hat and gloves. Cozy - just like this little bunny!

This cute and fluffy bun is from the Warm Winter Friends set from Sweet 'N Sassy Stamps. I stamped the sentiment and bunny in VersaFine Clair Nocturne ink, and then colored in with Copic markers. I embossed the image in Clear EP before coloring, and then cut out with the coordinating dies. The beautiful tree in the background is the Bare Tree Die, cut from white cardstock. 

The background is made from ink blending three different Distress Oxides, spattering with water, and then applying White Paper Glaze (PFS) through a snowflake stencil (Honey Bee Stamps). The stitched edger dies are from Whimsy Stamps. I love combining so many different products to create something cute!

Thanks for stopping by today! I hope you are staying warm!

Painting With Cardboard

I am always looking for fun techniques to add to my cards. There are so many ways to created interesting backgrounds using other mediums. Today I am using cardboard (toilet paper tube) and paint! You could also use lengths of empty wrapping paper tubes.

You may have done this with your kids to paint fireworks in the summer, or flowers in the spring. I am using this for bursts of love in February! 
First of all I chose my sweet image from Sweet n' Sassy Stamps' Valentine Critters Stamp & Die Bundle. I stamped on Georgia Pacific White cardstock with VersaFine Onyx Black ink and embossed with WOW! Clear Detail Embossing Powder. I colored him with Copics and then cut him out using my Big Shot. Next I cut my toilet paper tube into strips about an inch and a half deep.

I chose my paint colors to match tones in the image coloring. I used inexpensive acrylic paint for my two-tone background, painting large circles to "stamp" my cardboard in. I started with the lighter color, pink, and then used the same tube for the red.

The key here is to have a light touch when you pounce on your paper. Sometimes I would have too much force, and then I got a few blobs of paint.

Pounce as many times as you like to get the look you want. I wanted a more open look, so kept my pouncing to 3-4 times.

I made a couple of sheets and will save the other pieces for another project later. I did find, on my second sheet, that the look is different depending on the color you begin with. I started with the red the second time, and put pink on top. Just experiment and see what you like! These photos are from the first sheet.

Finally, I added some patterned paper from Authentique, lace, and stamped the sentiment when the paint was dry. I popped my bunny up using Stampin' Up Dimensionals. I think he turned out pretty cute, don't you? In front of a burst of love!

Freshly Made Sketches #511

Today is Wednesday and it's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! The lovely Linda is our hostess today!

This watercolored pine bough has been in my "this didn't turn out like I expected but maybe I will use it someday" box for several years. Years! And while it wasn't what I had planned back then, it was perfect for Linda's sketch with all of the open space. I even had room to offset the card to the right, make a wonky layer, and distress the edges.

The paper has some texture to it, and little flecks of colors here and there. The stamp is from the Christmas Pine set by Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps, using Always Artichoke (SU!) ink. The sentiment strip is from SSS. I added silver metallic thread from Kreinik, and red and white rhinestone gems from PFS.

I hope you will join our sketch challenge this week, and add your creations to our gallery! This challenge will end at 3:00 EST time on Monday, November 15th. Be sure to take a peek at the gorgeous cards my teammates have made on the FMS blog! 

Festive Friday #0084

Today there is a new challenge up at Festive Friday! If you are new to the FF Challenges, you can choose any three items (or more!) from our list to inspire your creativity. For my card this week, I chose green, flowers and twine (metallic thread). 

I used a distress ink spray through a stencil for my background. I stamped my flowers and die cut them for a bunch! I stamped my sentiment in black pigment ink and then die cut with a banner die. Finally, I tied metallic silver thread around the bouquet to help ground it. All images are from Sweet N Sassy Stamps.

 

I hope you will join us for this challenge and link up on the Festive Friday blog. Remember, you can choose any three from the list below, for any occasion or theme! The challenge is open until Monday, May 24. 

 

For more inspiration, visit the rest of the FF Team:

Ann Schach

Beth McCullough

Sharon Hashimoto Burkert

Melanie Hungerford

Helen Jennings

Stephanie Lanzalotto

Melva Peters

Judy Rozema <-----you are here!

 

Celebrating A Birthday!

I couldn't be more pleased to celebrate the 13th birthday of Sweet 'N Sassy Stamps! As a former DT member and current customer, I know that they offer some amazing products, and the owner, Korin, is as nice as they come! I am happy to share some of my favorite makes today on this last day of the birthday celebration month. BUT today is the last day of their Black Friday 20% off sale, so be sure to grab the deals while you can!

I am sharing several cards today in no particular order - just ones I had a lot of fun making. Links to the products are below.

First up is a fun gate fold favorite, KITTY LOVE.

Next is one of my all time favorite snowmen - SNOWMAN SOUP.

Third is a cute pairing of coffee and donuts from YOU & ME.

And finally, this precious deer from FUR-EVER FRIENDS. I love him so much!

Happy Birthday, SNSS and Korin! So excited for you, your family, and your company!

Freshly Made Sketches #448

It's Wednesday, and that means a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Sweet Jen B is our hostess for this week. I know you will have fun with this sketch. I sure did!

I had this striped paper on top of my "unfinished projects" box, and that was the beginning of this card. I decided to make everything from items in that little box. I used the Scribble Flowers from Sweet N Sassy Stamps for my images (already stamped and cut), and a Sizzix embossing folder to add texture. The sentiment is from Taylored Expressions Sentiment Strips. Once you cut one, you have a lot left over for other projects!

I popped everything up from the striped base, and added three enamel dots in yellow for a little pop of color and to go with the cute bee!

I hope you will join us with your take on the sketch this week! Our challenge is open until 3 PM EDT on Monday, August 17. Click on the links on the FMS blog by each photo to see what lovely things my teammates have created on their blogs!

Freshly Made Sketches #404

It's Wednesday and time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Amy is our hostess this week, and she has a fun, versatile sketch to play with.

I am so excited to be sharing as a Guest Designer for Sweet 'N Sassy Stamps for September. Today I am using the new DECK THE HALLS clear stamp set. Love the sentiments and fonts in this set, as well as all the little extras. Come back tomorrow to see more of this awesome Christmas set!

I decided to use some lovely embossed papers from Kaisercraft (Be-YOU-tiful), and emboss on top of that! It's a little tricky, due to the slicker, raised edges, but I love how it turned out. I used Ranger Queen's Gold for my embossing powder. I added a few little rhinestones for added sparkle, and some metallic thread for a hanger.

Be sure to check out the entire September release at Sweet 'N Sassy HERE!

I hope you will join us with your take on the sketch this week! Our challenge is open until 3 PM EDT on Monday. Click on the links on the FMS blog by each photo to see what my teammates have created on their blogs!

Freshly Made Sketches #401

It's Wednesday and time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Cécile is our hostess for this week's sketch.

But first - thank you to all of our sponsors for our Sketch #400 Celebration, and to all who played along. It was wonderful seeing all of your creations!

Today I am sharing my first card as a September Guest Designer for Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps. This precious new stamp set, Fur-ever Friends, has many woodland creatures and scenery elements, and is just adorable. I chose the deer for today's card.

Isn't she sweet? I colored with Copic markers, and then fussy cut. I added a circle frame of copper metallic paper (Paper Source) and some DP from CTMH, and then wrapped it all up with some of my favorite metallic threads. The little acorn hiding behind her adds some grounding, as well as being part of the leaves on the sketch:

Be sure to check out the entire September release at Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps!

I hope you will join us with your take on the sketch this week! Our challenge is open until 3 PM EDT on Monday. Click on the links on the FMS blog by each photo to see what my teammates have created on their blogs!

Other challenges I am playing in today:

Less is More #403

Coffee and Donuts, Anyone?

Today I am sharing a quick, fun card using a sweet set called You & Me from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps. It comes in both clear and digital formats. I have the clear set. So many fun images and sentiments to go with it! I made this for my Valentine this year! It was very easy to put together and color, and gave me a chance to use several patterned papers! 

Stamps: You & Me (Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps)
Paper: Poptone Sweet Tooth (base), Whisper White, Love Blossoms DP (SU!), Paper House DSP Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black, Copic markers
Accessories: arrow die, corrugated cardboard heart, SB circle die, Momenta doily 

Challenges: 
Brown Sugar - February - Valentine's Day  
Kitty Bee Designs - Anything Goes optional/ Love and Marriage
Quick Quotes - February Love 
Craft Rocket Challenges - Love 
Through the Purple Haze - Add Some Turquoise

Swipe Your Credit Card! No Purchase Necessary.

Happy Monday, crafting friends!

This project uses the super popular Distress Oxide Inks, and a fun background technique using a credit or other plastic (hotel) card.

My background was made using the "Swipe Your Credit Card" technique from Splitcoast. I let it dry and then used an alphabet stencil from Dylusions, sponging through the stencil until I got the depth of color I wanted (dark in some spots, lighter in others). 

My sentiment, fish and balloons are from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps' Birthday Pals. I watercolored my fish with the Distress Oxide inks. I added a layer of dry embossed "water" for my fish using a Stampin' Up! embossing folder and my Big Shot,  and added some bling for the fish bubbles. I added some ombre DSP for the back panel base. A few Star Dust Stickles for her fins finished it off.

I like the mixed media look, and this was an easy way to achieve that! 

Stamps: Birthday Pals (Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps)

Paper: Heavyweight Cream (HL), Blue Raspberry (Poptone), Felicity DSP (Glitz)

Paper Size: 5.5 SQ

Ink: Distress Oxide Inks, VersaFine Onyx Black

Accessories: rhinestones, Seaside EF (SU!), Star Dust Stickles, Birthday Pals and Speech Bubble dies (retired SNSS), alphabet stencil (Dylusions)

• Dragonfly Dreams - Animals
• Fashionable Stamping - Use your Inks
• Glitter n Sparkle - Anything Goes
• Penny Black and More – Creatures 
• Pile It On - Recycle and/or For a Child
• We Love 2 Create - Always Anything Creative/Mixed Media Goes

Hopping With Really Reasonable Ribbon!

Welcome to the December Really Reasonable Ribbon Blog Hop! If you arrived here from Ginny's blog, you are in the right place! If you just happened along, be sure to start at the beginning at the RRR Blog (I am the fourth stop, so you don't have far back to go!) so you don't miss out on the awesome projects, fun news, and a prize from Really Reasonable Ribbon! Our hop goes live at 6:30 AM Central.

I just adore this little snowman from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps'  Warm Hello. He is so sweet and has all the perfect "snowman elements": hat, carrot nose, buttons, and twig arms! Plus a cute scarf to color or paper-piece. I used one of the sentiments from another snowman set, Snowy Hello.

I added some different "white" sequins (Doodlebug) and a snowflake die cut (Mambi) for my embellishments. The designer paper is from the Jack Frost Collection by American Crafts. This guy is all decked out and ready to greet Christmas with a smile!

Each 13th of the month it's the Really Reasonable Ribbon blog hop where we highlight the Ribbon Club! I LOVE Bonnie's choices for the December ribbon club package. The beautiful combination of silvers and blues, are perfect for those chilly winter cards. If you really love ribbon and would like to have a wonderful assortment of ribbons sent to you automatically each month, just join the Really Reasonable Ribbon Club! Monthly ribbon club assortments are selected and pre-packed to reflect a specific theme, color, or holiday season.

For this month's card I chose the gorgeous Off White Shimmer Satin (on the left above). This ribbon has a beautiful shine to it, and is so easy to work with. I made half bows under my snowflake, and added a Wild Orchid Silver Spiral Stamen for added interest. All of my layers are held together with Scor-Tape.

Now off to Cheryl's blog, where you will have a feast for the eyes!

Challenges:
613 Avenue Create #192 – Anything Goes  
Word Art Wednesday #260/261 – Anything Goes 
Christmas with the Cuties - Anything Cute and Christmassy Goes
Dragonfly Journeys #81 – Snow Day
Glitter n Sparkle #218 – Anything Goes
Cutie Pie Challenge - Cute + A Day in the Snow
Die Cut Divas – Layer It
A Bit More Time to Craft #33 – Anything Goes
Connie Can Crop #53 – Baby it’s Cold Outside
Crafty Purple Frog – Winter Blues
Not Just Cards #39 – Anything Goes
Brown Sugar #228 – Anything Goes
PDE Linky Party #150 – All Cards
C.R.A.F.T. #393 – Winter

 

Just For You!

Welcome to the November Really Reasonable Ribbon Blog Hop! If you arrived here from Ginny's blog, you are in the right place! If you just happened along, be sure to start at the beginning at the RRR Blog (I am the fourth stop, so you don't have far back to go!) so you don't miss out on the awesome projects, fun news, 

and a prize from Really Reasonable Ribbon! 

Our hop goes live at 6:30 AM Central.

Each 13th of the month it's the Really Reasonable Ribbon blog hop where we highlight the Ribbon Club! I LOVE Bonnie's choices for the November ribbon club package. The beautiful combination of colors, so different and so gorgeous together, are perfect for fall and holiday creations. If you really love ribbon and would like to have a wonderful assortment of ribbons sent to you automatically each month, just join the Really Reasonable Ribbon Club! Monthly ribbon club assortments are selected and pre-packed to reflect a specific theme, color, or holiday season.

 

The assortments vary from month to month, but an average assortment has 7-9 different ribbon styles and consists of 10-15 yards of ribbon.This one has even more! It contains 9 styles and a total of 18 yards. You will love it! For today's card I chose to make a tag card, using a sentiment from Sweet 'n Sassy's Christmas Tag Sentiments.

I watercolored a pink background on my tag, using my Kuretake paints, and added a die cut tree out of glitter paper (The Paper Studio). I stamped the sentiment in VersaFine Onyx Black ink.

I layered 5/8" Light Celery Crochet Lace and the Wild Rose Swiss Dots Grosgrain (from this month's Ribbon Club) for my tag topper. A button completed the look. On the main panel, I used the same two trims, and added the Rosewood Satin Swirls (also from the Ribbon Club), but turned it over for a solid look (it's like getting two ribbons in one!).

I added two beautiful pink Apple Blossoms and a bit of Raspberry Baker's Twine, as well as a touch of the Rosewood Satin Swirls (pattern showing this time!) to accent the flowers. I used 1/4" Scor-Tape to hold everything together.  

Now off to Cheryl's blog, where you will have a feast for the eyes!

Challenges:

• 613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes w/Optional Twist: Anything Goes
• Come and Get It - Ribbon or Twine
• Fashionable Stamping - Tis The Season - Autumn or Winter
• Glitter n Sparkle - Anything Goes
• A Gem of a Challenge - Use Ribbon and Bling

Christmas Pines

 I grew up in Northern Arizona, where the pine trees are abundant -- and the smell of the pines always changed just slightly for each season. I miss that in the Central Plains, where I live now. Give me a pine image, though, and that scent comes back in a moment!

Today's card uses images from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps' Christmas Pine clear stamp set. 

I stamped my image in Mossy Meadow ink (Stampin' Up!) on Arches watercolor paper. I took an Aqua Brush and pulled some of the color out and around the pines, and left some open spaces to give the impression of snow on the branches. The sentiment was stamped with VersaFine Onyx Black ink. I added some splatters around the edges with the Mossy Meadow.

I punched two small round holes up in the corner and tied a bow with my favorite Natural Burlap String. I added a little sparkly burgundy embellishment on top of the knot. 

Behind the main panel, I cut and adhered a length of Burgundy Netting for texture and added interest.  It was a perfect match with my cardstock! Both the netting and the burlap string come in a wide variety of colors for all sorts of occasions!

All panels are adhered together with 1/4" Scor-Tape.

 Enjoy your weekend and thanks for stopping by!

Challenges: 
Challenge Up Your Life-Natural Materials
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas-Cute or Anything Christmas Goes 
Crafting With An Attitude-Always Anything Goes 
Moving along with the Times-Trees and/or Leaves
Crafting By Designs-Add a sentiment 
A Snowflakes Promise-Anything Goes with optional theme of Twist of the Seasons