Thursday, March 31, 2011

Darby is back and she brought candy!

Good morning! I hope you are ready for some sunshine because everything about today's Sweet November preview is bright and happy! :) Spring is back in Sweet November Land and all of it's inhabitants are anxious to to get out and enjoy the beautiful, balmy days. Darby the Sprite is spending one of those afternoons chatting with her gal pal, Lulu. I don't know if you've heard but ladybugs are notorious gossips. They know everything about anything that goes on in SN Land and they love to share that news with anyone who will listen. Today Lulu has some particularly juicy info about a cute, young imp spotted wandering through the wood and Darby can't believe her ears! Only time will tell if all this gossip turns out to be true or not... ;) Now of course there is some sweet candy to be had, take a look-see...
The Darby candy kit includes; one Sweet November Darby and Lulu rubber stamp, twelve 6x6 sheets of paper, small Hero Arts acrylic sentiment set, Prima flowers and e.line pearls and gems, ribbon, twine, buttons, four envelopes, four card blanks and my card.


All you have to do for a chance to win this candy is leave a comment on this post. If you link to this candy on your own blog that is great and much appreciated but not a requirement... I want everyone to be able to play along. And when I say everyone, I mean everyone. I will ship the candy anywhere in the world so everyone is encouraged to play! :)

The candies will stay open through Sunday, April 3rd and I will announce the winners on Monday, April 4th. Which just so happens to be the official release date for all of March's new stamps over at ATS!


Now it's time to hop on over to the Sweet November Gals' blogs and check out what Darby and Lulu are chatting about on their cards! Today Mama is joining Nancy and Rachel and you just know that their fun creations are not to be missed! AND once again... instead of using random generator I will be printing out names and tossing them in a hat SO if you leave comments for the SN gals on their blogs, you will get an extra name in the hat for each one that you do... this will up your chances of winning the candy... fun, fun, fun! :)

Well that wraps things up for day 1 of our April SN previews... I hope you come back tomorrow for day 2!
Supply list:
cardstock- Bazzill and Copic X-Press It

paper- October Afternoon (prints), My Mind's Eye (solids)

stamps- Sweet November (Darby and Lulu)

ink- Memento tuxedo black and Colorbox dark brown

October Afternoon Cherry Hill rub ons

Prima flowers

Kaiser Craft pearls

Fiskars border punches

Copic markers:

skin- E000, E00, E11, R00, R20

hair- Y38, YR04, YR18, E19

eyes- B02, B04, B05

everything else- E55, E57, E59, YG03, YG17, YG67, Y0000, Y000, Y00, Y13, Y15, Y17, Y38, R24, R27, R29, E18, R43, BG000, 0

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Sweet November spotlight on Mama!

Hello, hello, hello! Today it is my great pleasure to shine the Sweet November Guest Gal spotlight on an amazingly talented card maker/paper crafter and good blogging pal of mine... 1LuvnMama! I have been head over heels for Mama's creations for a couple years now and luckily for me she is quite the friend of Sweet November Stamps. :) Her cards are beautiful, with layers of pretty papers and gorgeous coloring. She also creates fun scenes from time to time which always make me smile. But Mama's talents don't end there... not by a long shot! I have been the lucky recipient of some of her awesome paper crafted items, like a drawer set, shaker box frame and desk calendar that are all made completely out of cardstock and paper. This gal does more with paper and glue than I could ever hope to and that talent is so inspiring!

Of course I just had to ask Mama a few silly questions for the spotlight. I think they are such a fun way of getting to know a little bit more about each guest, so here we go...


1) What color do feel represents your personality and why?


I luv all shades of pink! At this moment, I'm feeling a little FUCHSIA . . . a bit soft yet a little feisty all rolled up in one!


2) Is your style of dress/ home decor similar to your style of card making?


I am no glamour girl by far! Shorts and a tank top is what I pull out. I luv color and it's definitely reflected in my home . . . come over and see my yellow walls in the family room, so cheery! :)


3) What one thing always puts you in a good mood?


A can of COKE! I need the sugar rush and caffeine after a long day with 3 kids and a husband!


4) If you could visit any time in history when would it be?


I'd say 1940's. That's when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor (1941). Being of Asian-American decent, I can see how torn my great grandparents and grandparents were at the time living in Hawaii. I've been told stories, but to live and see the event and the aftermath would be very interesting.


5) If you were a mythical creature ie. fairy, elf, mermaid, troll, wizard, witch etc., what kind would you be and why?


I'd be a gnome. :) I, like the gnomes, are mysterious creatures by nature and can roam the earth without being detected. They hide underground and like to hoard. In my case, my identity is somewhat unknown and I like to hoard EVERYTHING! Whether it be craft supplies or the object that I think I could somehow use later, I'll keep.


Bonus question 6) If you are a fellow Gleek, which character from McKinley High do you most identify with?


Ok, I thought of passing this question, but Ms. Amy has gotten me hooked on to Glee. It's hard to pinpoint a specific character on Glee, but I think I relate to Artie Abrams the most. He's timid at times, very passionate about the things he cares for, and possesses a confidence he sometimes doesn't think he has.


Excellent answers Mama! I'm SO with you on the Coke pick-me-up and imagining you as a gnome totally cracks me up! :) Now take a look at this super cute Easter card featuring the Spring Elves set that Mama created. She is always thinking outside the box with her cards and paper crafts and this one is no exception. Right away I was totally inspired by the idea of creating a window on the front of my card. I love, love, love how she got the little elf to dangle in the center of the window but that was still just a little intimidating to me so I stuck with placing my altered miss Leo on the inside of my card... baby steps, LOL!


Though it did get me to decorate the inside of my card... which is something I almost never do. I also stuck with a similar spring color palette and placed my embellies in the same general areas as Mama did... it's a great design so why mess with a good thing!

Oh, and my other crafty moment came when I didn't have any ribbon roses in the right shade of yellow so instead I just cut off a 2 inch length of crinkled ribbon and scrunched and twisted it onto a couple of large glue dots until I had a little blossom. I like to think that Mama would be proud of that ingenuity. ;)

Ok, Mama will be joining Nancy, Rachel and myself in the April Sweet November sneak peeks starting tomorrow! So if you are ready for for some spring time fun then be sure to come back and take a peek! Supply list:


cardstock- Bazzill and Copic X-Press It


paper- Sassafras (Sweetly Smitten)


stamps- Sweet November (Zodiac Girl Leo), Hero Arts (sentiments)


ink- Memento tuxedo black and Colorbox dark brown, creamy brown


American Crafts ribbon roses


Prima burlap leaves


Kaiser Craft pearls crinkled ribbon (from Kiara)


Sharpie white marker


Marvy Giga scallop circle punch


Copic markers:


skin- E000, E00, E11, R00, R20, RV32, RV34


eyes- B95, B97, B99, 100


hair- E33, E35, E57, E59


background- BG000

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Good thoughts

Hola! Can you believe we are already almost through March? So far it looks like the old adage about March coming in like a lion and out like a lamb has held true yet again because yesterday was absolutely beautiful here. The sun was shining and the sky was clear and blue... I'm pretty sure that influenced the color scheme that I used on this card. ;) I inked up one of the new Pixies by Christy Croll because not only is she super cute but she has these great polka dots on her dress that I thought would mimic the ladybugs on the card perfectly. I also couldn't resist coloring up more of that fun curly hair, LOL! You may also notice that I used another doily. This was a trend that I resisted for quite a while because I just didn't need any more embellies... but then my local crafty store got some in and I totally caved. Now I can't get enough of them! Sigh... what can I say? When it comes to crafty goodies I am too weak to resist! Alrighty, tomorrow I'll be shining the spotlight on a fabulous new Sweet November Guest Gal which also means that April sneak peeks are soon to follow! So I hope to see y'all back here in 24! :) Supply list: cardstock- Bazzill and Copic X-Press It paper- My Mind's Eye (blue) stamps- Stamping Bella (The Pixies set), Hero Arts (sentiment) ink- Memento tuxedo black and Colorbox dark brown October Afternoon Cherry Hill journaling cards Prima flower ribbon button Sticko epoxy ladybug stickers Little Yellow Bicycle leaf stick pin and doily Copic Spica glitter pen Copic markers: skin- E000, E00, E11, R00, R20 hair- C5, C7, C9, 100 clothes- R24, R27, R29, E18, YG00, YG01, YG03, C7, C9, 100, BG000, 0

Monday, March 28, 2011

Hello and welcome Lily Pad cards!

Hey there friends! I'm so excited this morning because I have been asked to participate in the Grand Opening blog hop for the new Lily Pad Cards challenge blog! I am stop #3 on this first day of the week long hop so if you have come here from Donna's blog then you are on the right track. Everything kicks off today and the hop will feature seven blogs per day until it culminates on Friday, April 1, with the grand opening of Lily Pad Cards! Lily Pad Cards is a new challenge blog that will feature interviews, articles, videos, challenges, great prizes, and more! :)
Although Lily Pad doesn’t officially bloom until April 1, 2011, you’ll be able to see a new sneak peek every day until then. And you’ll definitely want to drop by because there are three prize packages with a total retail value of over $800 - including a $100 gift certificate to a very popular online store! Go here for specific prize details and contest rules.

The hop’s theme is "Welcome" because not only are we welcoming Lily Pad Cards to the neighborhood, but we’re also welcoming all of you to come in and join all of the fun. :)

I used Princess Isadora on my card today because I thought it would be fun to alter her a bit and have her 'welcoming' a little froggy friend (in honor of Lily Pad challenges) rather than the original bird that normally perches on her finger. Then I just about threw everything but the kitchen sink onto the card, LOL! Seriously though, with that great floral print that kinda reminded me of a secret garden I wanted to continue that theme through to the embellishments as well.

Ok, time for me to send you on your way... thanks so much for stopping by! The next stop on the hop is Pia’s blog... enjoy all of the inspiration today and be sure to mark your calendars for Lily Pad Cards on April 1st!

Toodles! :)
Supply list:

cardstock- Bazzill and Copic X-Press It

paper- Sassafras (Sweetly Smitten), My Mind's Eye (green)

stamps- Sweet November (Princess Isadora), Hero Arts (sentiment)

ink- Memento tuxedo black and Colorbox creamy brown

Little Yellow Bicycle doily

American Crafts ribbon roses


Maya Road leaf stick pins

crinkled ribbon (from Kiara)

Kaiser Craft gems

tag

Prima flowers

Copic Spica glitter pen

Copic markers:

skin- E000, E00, E11, R00, R20

hair- E50, E51, E53, 0

clothes- RV10, RV11, RV02, RV55, E40, E41, 0, YG00, YG13, YG67, BV02, BV04, BV08, Y11, Y13, Y26, Y28, B02, B04

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Everything good...

Good morning!

I saw that the Flutter By challenge was open again this week and that made it super easy to play along. So I grabbed this adorable Lili of the Valley fairy and got busy creating.
I have fond memories of sitting in the yard and blowing dandelion fluff out into the breeze, never forgetting to to make a wish first. I loved watching the little seeds float and dance along... though now that I think about it, my mom probably didn't love seeing all those seeds go flying into her nice green grass! LOL
Anywho... I had this bit of dandelion print paper left over from a card kit that I got last spring and was happy to finally give it a perfect home, setting the scene for this sweetie. I kept the card pretty simple, though I did make my own dandelions by stitching together a few circles of tulle that I snipped all around the edges to make them fluffy. It was quite the crafty moment for me! ;)

Ok, time for me to go get ready for work... see ya manana! :)
Supply list:
cardstock- Bazzill and PTI
paper- WeR Memorykeepers (Vintage Blue)
stamps- Lili of the Valley (Dandelion Clock), Hero Arts (sentiment)
ink- Memento tuxedo black and Colorbox dark brown
American Crafts tulle
Kaiser Craft gems
Copic Spica glitter pen
Copic markers:
skin- E000, E00, E11, R00, R20
hair- E35, E37, E59, E49
clothes- BG53, BG09, BG18, G0000, G000, G00, YG17, YG67, YG99, YG13, YG00, E40, E41, 0, C3, C5, C7, C9, W5, W7, W9, Y13, Y15, Y17, E55, BG000

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Spring Break Creeper style

Welcome to the weekend everybody!

I've got another day off and I plan on enjoying every minute of it... hope the same can be said for all of you too. :)

Sooooo... as soon as I got the new Creeper Crew set I totally fell in love with little Noah and his awesome dreadlocks. The only problem was, that it made me want a little dreadhead Creeper girlie really, really bad! This of course, had me playing around with the idea of altering Noah into a girl but I just hadn't found the time to give it a go.
Not until I saw this week's Farm Fresh Friday challenge over at TGF that is! The theme is 'Spring Break' and the idea of creating a Jamaican vacation with Noah and his new gal pal was too much to resist. So I inked up Noah, wiped away his face and body, then stamped up Creeper Sasha (minus her boots) onto a separate piece of cardstock. I used my light box to trace Creeper Friday's face onto my new girl and I also used it to trace Noah's flip flip feet below the dress and connected the lines to finish off the rest of her legs. Tuts on this technique can be found here and here... Once all the tracing was done I simply colored her up, cut out both the head and body then glued the two together. Now Noah can walk the sandy beaches with his special gal. Awwwww.... :)
As happy as I am with how she turned out, I would still love, love, love to see an official deadlocked Creeper girl sometime in the future (fingers and toes crossed!) Oh and did you see the tiny pearls that I added to the ends of her hair? That little detail totally makes me smile! LOL

Alrighty, happy Saturday stamparistas!

Supply list:
cardstock- Bazzill and Copic X-Press It
paper- Sassafras (Sweet Marmalade)
stamps- The Greeting Farm (Creeper Noah, Creeper Sasha and Creeper Friday), Hero Arts (sentiment)
ink- Memento tuxedo black and Colorbox dark brown
Prima flowers
Paper Trey Ink twine
Kaiser Craft pearls
button
Martha Stewart butterfly punch
Copic black multiliner pens
Copic markers:
skin (Noah)- E31, E34, E37, R22
hair- W5, W7, W9
clothes- B32, B24, B37, YG03, YG25, YG17, R05, R08, E18C7, C9, Y13, Y18
skin (girl)- E30, E21, E33, R00, R20
hiar- E44, E47, E49
clothes- Y13, Y15, Y18, R05, R08, E18, Y38, YR09, YR18, YG03, YG25, YG17, E40, E41, 0

Friday, March 25, 2011

Lots of hugs

TGIF my fellow stampers!

I'm enjoying a nice day off today and after I take care of a few errands I plan on spending a lot of it working on some new SN images for later this summer. There are so many fun new characters in the works and I really can't wait to share them with y'all! :)

In the meantime, I've got a simple little card featuring the sweet new Annie image by Christy Croll. She is part of a small set that Christy did for Stamping Bella and I couldn't resist all of that curly hair. I don't know why but I really have so much fun coloring wild and crazy hair, LOL! And bonus... these cuties are now back in stock at ATS along with a few other previously sold out Stamping Bella stamps. So if you are in the States and have been looking for a US hook up for SB stamps then check it out!
More Stella and Rose scraps were also put to use on this card and I even paper pieced her dress as well as cut a flower out from the print for Annie to hold. I still can't get enough of these papers. :)

Alrighty, I'm outta here... have a fab Friday my friends!
Supply list:
cardstock- Bazzill and PTI
paper- My Mind's Eye (Stella and Rose)
stamps- Stamping Bella (Arthur and Annie set), Hero Arts (sentiment)
ink- Memento tuxedo black and Colorbox dark brown
Making Memories felt heart
button
Paper Trey Ink twine
Kaiser Craft pearls
Copic markers:
skin- E000, E00, E11, R00, R20
hair- E55, E57, E59, E49
shoes- E44, E47, E49
shadow- W00, W1, W3, W5

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Just one of the lads...

Howdy folks!

It has been absolutely beautiful here the past couple of days... sun shining, birds chirping and I've got little Crocus flowers starting to bloom and the Daffodils are poking up through the dirt too. After such a long winter it finally feels like the little springtime fairies have settled in and are getting down to business. ;)
I guess that means I should do my part and get out there, cleaning out the flower beds and getting the pots all ready for planting too. I'm sure that my two little furry friends will be lovin' it too. Speaking of my crazy critters... do cats usually roll around in the grass like a dog? Oreo is such a crazy cat that most days he's been coming into the house covered in more grass and dirt than Dukie! Gotta love 'em. :)

Alrighty, time for today's card... it is Tickled Pink challenge time yet again and this week it is all about the lads. Yep, we want to see you create a masculine card for the special guys in your life. I did another 'big head' this week because I wanted to use the film strip frame as a big part of the decoration on the card. Cool dude Stefan was looking fun to me and I ended up raiding my stash for any and all beachy/surfing goodies that I could find. Considering that I'm not anywhere near an ocean or the whole surfing scene, I was kind of shocked at how many embellies I had that would work. It's times like this that I feel completely justified in having a 'well stocked' crafty room... LOL!

So, if you've grabbed up some of these Lads or even the Foxes, then why not play along for a shot at this week's fab prize? Or if you haven't gotten them yet, they can be found in the Tickled Pink store. Once you have your card done you'll want to link it up at the TP challenge blog too. Have fun! :) Supply list:
cardstock- Bazzill and Copic X-Press It
digi stamp- Tickled Pink (Lil Lad Stefan)
stamp- Paper Trey Ink (sentiment)
ink- Memento tuxedo black and Colorbox dark brown
Creative Imaginations negative strip transparency
Heidi Swapp decorative tape
My Mind's Eye surfboard die cut
Making Memories paper flower and felt leaf
Tim Holtz mini paper clip
jute cord
EK Success gold pen
Copic markers:
skin- E000, E00, E11, R00, R20
hair- E50, E51, E53, 0
eyes- BG72, BG75, BG78
clothes- YR15, YR14, YR18, E44, E47, E49, 100, YG95, YG25, B93, B95, B97, B99, Y38, R05, E19, E40, E41, 0

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Gettin' sketchy at ATS

Hello and good morning!

Once again we've got a brand new Wednesday challenge over at ATS and this week it is a sketch created by Rachel! I gotta say... this one was very much within my comfort zone so my resulting card came together super quick! Hopefully there are no moans and groans when you see that I've used more of my Stella and Rose scraps... yes I'm back to that, LOL! There is no help for me I tell ya. Well maybe the cure for a paper rut is getting new papers... hmmmm... I like the sound of that! ;)
So, I went with Sweetheart Birgitta for my main image because I really liked the way that she was sitting and thought she would look nice seated along the bottom of that center panel. And look at that, she sure does! LOL
I actually kept the embellishing to a minimum with just the single flower and a bit of faux stitching to pull it all together. Another sweet and simple card that I am totally loving how it came together.

So if you would like to get sketchy with us don't forget that every week there is a new and exciting prize being offered and in order to be eligible to win, your project must include a stamp that is sold in the All That Scraps store. Whether it is any of our wonderful in house designs or from the various other stamp companies that ATS carries, the choice is yours. Then be sure to link up your creation with Mr Linky by next Tuesday at 10pm est and only one entry per person please!

Later gators!Supply list:
cardstock- Bazzill and Copic X-Press It
paper- My Mind's Eye (Stella and Rose)
stamps- CC Designs (Swiss Pixie Sweetheart Birgitta), Hero Arts (sentiment)
ink- Memento tuxedo black and Colorbox dark brown
CC Designs dogwood flower
Prima fabric leaves
Paper Trey Ink twine
October Afternoon die cut
Creative Cafe rub on stitches
Copic Spica glitter pen
Copic markers:
skin- E000, E00, E11, R00, R20
hair- E07, E09, E19, E18
clothes- E44, E47, E49, R30, R32, R22, YG93, YG95, YG97, YG25, B04, B05, Y35, Y26, E40, E41, 0, BG11, BG13, R35, R37

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Hello!

Good morning friends!

It's Tuesday but I don't think there is a new Glee to look forward to, such a bummer! On the upside, it does free up an hour for crafting this evening. How's that for looking on the bright side of things? LOL ;)

I think I must still be dreaming of spring greens (none here yet... though all of the rain we've been getting should help once the sun decides to shine again) because this card ended up quite different than I had originally intended. I knew that I wanted to play with this cute Agnes Ketto and do a bit of altering to wipe away her big pom-pom pigtails, giving her a short pixie cut instead... love it!

Anywho, once I had that done I figured that I would be digging through all the pink and pretty scraps off my desk to finish off the card. Instead a couple of sticker sheets caught my eye and I had found Agnes' home! I'm pretty sure they were supposed to go with a 'boy' line of paper but I think they work just as well for a spring look with all of the mud puddles and new green leaves filling the trees.

So yep, besides the cardstock base most all of the decorative elements on this card are stickers. As much as I love pretty papers, this was a fun change of pace for me and don't you think Agnes looks like a little wood nymph amongst the trees? Awwwww... :)

Ok, time for me to flitter off and get ready for the day, TTFN! Supply list:
cardstock- Bazzill and PTI
stamp- Stamping Bella (Agnes Ketto)
ink- Memento tuxedo black and Colorbox creamy brown
My Mind's Eye Quite Contrary stickers
Shabby Green Door twine
Crinkled ribbon (from Kiara)
Kaiser Craft gems
Ranger Stickles
Copic Spica glitter pen
Copic markers:
skin- E000, E00, E11, R00, R20
hair- E43, E44, E87, 0
clothes- BG15, BG49, BG18, YG93, YG95, YG03, G0000, G000, G00, E79, E59, Y13, Y15, BG0000, BG000

Monday, March 21, 2011

Meet Frieda!

Hey there everybody!

I've got a fun post and card to help spread the news of a fantastic new venture that my bloggin' buddy Lisa Hjulberg is embarking on today! :)

Lisa has started her own online shop, The Craft's Meow, and we are celebrating the grand opening by sharing cards that use images from her new Frieda and Friends stamp line! Lisa has named this little sweetie after her mother and you will find Frieda in three different clear acrylic stamps. There is one scene stamp and two image and sentiment sets. For my card I used Little Frieda's Daisy and one of the three sentiments included with her.
That great hat Frieda is wearing totally had me thinking of Easter... the kiddos all dressed up in their Sunday best, waiting to hunt for eggs... so I just had to go with some fun spring colors on this one. Then I wanted to play off of the daisy she is plucking by giving her a whole garden of colorful daisies to be strolling through. :)
And while it is not an official hop, be sure to check out the complete list of all Lisa's friends that are part of the celebration today over at The Craft's Meow store blog!

Now stamps aren't the only thing you will find at The Craft's Meow, Lisa has stamping cardstock and she has also put together some fabulous crafting kits! And one of the kits includes a wee stamp image and greeting from Claire Brennan of Waltzingmouse Stamps. So don't forget to take a look-see at all the fun goodies found in the store!

BIG HUGS Lisa... here's to much success with The Craft's Meow and many more adventures of Little Frieda! :)
Supply list:
cardstock- Bazzill and Copic X-Press It
paper- My Minds Eye (Fine and Dandy)
stamps- The Craft's Meow (Frieda's Daisy)
ink- Memento tuxedo black and Colorbox dark brown
prima flowers
buttons
Maya Road heart stick pin
Martha Stewart butterfly punch
Kaiser Craft gems
Little Yellow Bicycle doily
crinkled ribbon (from Kiara)
Copic markers:
skin- E000, E00, E11, R00, R20
hair- E35, E37, E59, E49
clothes- E30, E31, YR21, YR23, YR24, YG21, YG13, YG03, R12, R14, R17, C5, C7, C9, E40, E41, 0, Y17, Y000, YG17

Sunday, March 20, 2011

How are you?

Hello, hello!

Are you getting lots of stuff done this weekend? My day is looking even busier than yesterday was. It's not a bad thing but it is certainly keeping me on my toes! :)

So when I sat down to create last night I was in the mood to really play with my stamps and do a bit of altering. Since it felt like it had been a while since I'd inked up any Sprouts, that was the first place that I looked for inspiration. I came across Jade, from the big Roll Call set, first and I loved her cute hair so out on the table she went. I flipped a couple more pages into the stamp binder and saw Ruby... awww, perfect! I knew that by combining the two I could give Jade the softer look that I was going for.
First I wiped away Jade's eyes with a baby wipe before stamping, leaving the area nice and blank so that I could then use my light box to trace Ruby's eyes on. I did leave Jade's original eyebrows and once I was done I LOVED how quizzical and concerned she was looking which totally led me to the sentiment that I used! I also ended up altering Ruby's body a bit by drawing in little shoes and wiping away the long sleeves on her dress to give her more of a springtime look.
Then I just colored both parts up, cut her out and pieced her together. I was playing with a new color combo for her hair and was going for a 'strawberry blond' look. I'm not 100% in love with the results yet but I'll keep working on it... practice, practice, practice, right? ;)

My paper choice was an easy one as I still had the scraps from Friday's PI card hanging around and once again they were too cute to pass up. And I also wanted to use these little felt roses that I had just made using the MFT mini rolled roses die. I have Nancy to thank for being a total enabler on these, LOL! She has been making the coolest rose accents for her cards and I simply couldn't resist any longer! :)
The problem now is... I think I need some new colors of felt for my stash! LOL!

Alrighty, time for me to bid you adieu... hugs! Supply list:
cardstock- Bazzill and Copic X-Press It
paper- Sassafras (Sweetly Smitten)
stamps- The Greeting Farm (WS Jade and WS Ruby), American Crafts (sentiment)
ink- Memento tuxedo black and Colorbox creamy brown
crochet lace
ribbon
My Favorite Things mini rolled roses die
felt
Kaiser Craft pearls
Martha Stewart butterfly punch
Copic markers:
skin- E000, E00, E11, R00, R20
hair- YR30, Y21, YR21, YR16, YR23, YR24
clothes- E40, E41, 0, C5,C7,C9, BG11, BG13, BG15, RV23, RV25, RV14, Y13, Y15, Y17, YG05, YG03, YG25

Saturday, March 19, 2011

You're so cool

Welcome to the weekend my friends!

It's been pretty grey and rainy here so I don't even mind that I'm working through it. What about you... any big plans?

So, this card isn't for any challenges or anything... I just wanted to ink up another of the Hat's Off Miss Anyas. This time I went with this super chic little lady in her fancy fedora. I found these papers in one of my scrap bags and I thought they looked like a stylin' fabric print that suited Miss Anya's vibe so onto the card they went. I pulled all of my Copic colors from them as well and the new E81 (Ivory) that I used for her shirt, is such a perfect khaki color, It's kind of a brown with greenish undertones and I really, really hope that the people at Copic plan to add to this color family sooner rather than later... I'd be happy with just an E85! :)
When it came time to embellish the card the Tim Holtz film strip ribbons seemed like a natural addition because Anya totally looks like a movie star doing press reviews to me. Then I finished it all off with some sparkle and bling for good measure. ;)

Well, that's all I've got for today. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy your Saturday!
Supply list:
cardstock- Bazzill and Copic X-Press It
paper- Me and my Big Ideas
stamps- The Greeting Farm (Hats Off Miss Anya), Verve (sentiment)
ink- Memento tuxedo black and Colorbox dark brown
Tim Holtz film strip ribbon
twill
metal rim tag
Kaiser Craft gems
Maya Road stick pin
Jenni Bowlin stick pin
Copic markers:
skin- E000, E00, E11, R00, R20
hair- E31, E33, E35, E37
clothes- RV00, RV10, RV11, E44, E47, E49, E81, 0, G40, G82, G85, B02

Friday, March 18, 2011

Fairy dust...

Good morning!

This is going to be a quick one as I've got loads to do on this fine Friday! :)

So I've got a fun little card for this week's Flutter By challenge. I used a sweet Pure Innocence cutie to play along with the sketch. I also used a bit of green on the card as well, though it didn't end up being the predominant color but I think that's still ok. :)
Other than moving my sentiment a bit, I did stay pretty true to the sketch and I was feeling quite crafty by stitching a tiny tutu out of tulle for some added fun and dimension. The rest of the card is pretty quick and cute... gotta love that!

Alrighty, I've really gotta run now... ttyl! :)

Supply list:
cardstock- Bazzill and Copic X-Press It
paper- Sassafras (Sweetly Smitten)
ink- Memento tuxedo black and Colorbox creamy brown
American Crafts crochet ribbon and tulle
crinkled ribbon (from Kiara)
buttons
Ranger Stickles
Sakura clear glaze pen and stardust glitter pen
Copic Spica glitter pen
Copic markers:
skin- E000, E00, E11, R00, R20
hair- YR30, YR31, YR23
clothes- YG06, YG05, YG03, BG000, BG53, BG45, Y15, Y17, Y38, YR04, RV23, RV25, RV14

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Cool beans!

Hola stamparistas!

Welcome to a new Tickled Pink challenge and I promise that it is a good one... it really made me stretch! This week we want to see you embellish your card with items "off of the craft desk" that means to use things not necessarily made to go on a card.
Since I knew I was going to steer clear of my usual go-to embellies like; flowers, ribbon, pearls and gems I decided pretty quickly to make a guy card with one of the new Lil Lads. I went with Eric because I think he is a total cutie and I thought he had the right look for the idea that came to me. I wanted all of my embellishments to look like random bits that Eric pulled out of his pockets and tossed on his desk at the end of the day so I used things like wire, bottle caps, paper clips and an old clothing label tag. Because most of these are on the largish size as far as embellies go I also decided to use the digi version of Eric so that I could blow him up nice and big as well. Plus 'big heads' are just so much fun to color! ;)

If you would like to play along this week for a chance at the awesome prize then don't forget that your card must feature a Tickled Pink stamp. These include Lil Lolitas, Lil Lads, Cherries and Pink Pets which can all be found in the Tickled Pink store. Once you have your card done you'll want to link it up at the TP challenge blog too!

Take it easy my friends!


Supply list:
cardstock- Bazzill and Copic X-Press It
paper- My Mind's Eye (teal), Scenic Route (grid)
digi stamp- Tickled Pink (Lil Lad Eric)
stamp- Close to my Heart (coffee ring)
ink- Nick Bantock charcoal grey, Colorbox dark brown
KI Memories rub on sentiment
brads
bottle caps
wire
staples
paper clips
clothing label
Copic markers:
skin- E000, E00, E11, R00, R20
hair- E44, E47, E49
eyes- B34, B37, B39, BG000
clothes- Y38, YR04, YR18, E55, E57, E59, BG07, BG09, BG18, E40, E41, 0, C5, C7, C9,
shadow- W00, W1, W3, W5

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

A birthday girl card...

Hey there!

So my fellow Gleeks... what did you think of Regionals last night? I thought the amount of music was insanely awesome and while the original songs sung at the competition were fantastic, it was Kurt's Blackbird solo that was a true highlight for me. Love, love, loved everything about this episode and you know I'll be waiting anxiously for Glee's return in a few weeks. :)

Ok, well it's Wednesday once again and you all know that means it is time for a new challenge over at ATS. This week we want to see you create a birthday card. Seriously, who can't use an extra birthday card or two in their card stash? And the incentive of winning a fab prize just seems like an added bonus if you ask me! ;)

I used another 'big head' Zodiac Girl for my card today, but instead of coloring her up as 'Pisces' I just colored her as a fun tweeny/teeny birthday girl. I didn't even have to do any altering this week to achieve the look. Instead I simply put a couple of pearls over the fish in her hair and now she is just wearing some fun hair bobbers... easy peasy! The rest of the card is pretty simple because I didn't want to fuss too much with this perfectly party-ish looking paper, though I couldn't resist tying on some pretty twine to hint at the presents and of course some bling! :)

Now it is your turn to get in the party mood and join the fun! Every week there is a new and exciting prize being offered and in order to be eligible to win, your project must include a stamp that is sold in the All That Scraps store. Whether it is any of our wonderful in house designs or from the various other stamp companies that ATS carries, the choice is yours. Then be sure to link up your creation with Mr Linky by next Tuesday at 10pm est and only one entry per person please!

Later gators!
Supply list:
cardstock- Bazzill and PTI
paper- My Mind's Eye (Fine and Dandy)
stamps- Sweet November (Pisces Zodiac Girl), Hero Arts (sentiment)
ink- Memento tuxedo black and Colorbox creamy brown
My Mind's Eye lush gems
Kaiser Craft pearls
Sharpie white marker
Copic markers:
skin- E000, E00, E11, R00, R20, R21, R22, R24, BG000
hair- E50, E51, E53, 0
eyes- BG02, BG09, BG18, 100
shirt- YG00, YG01, YG03

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Thinking...

Good morning friends.
I want to take a minute and send out my thoughts and prayers to all of those who have been effected by the unbelievable devastation that even now is still occurring in Japan. I've been watching the news since Friday night and it is hard to imagine what people there are going through, it seems so surreal. Watching this all unfold, I can't help but feel small and helpless in some ways and completely grateful for the simple things that I take for granted everyday... like having a roof over my head, clean water, food in the fridge and knowing that all of my loved ones are safe and sound.
I know I don't usually share these kinds of thoughts or comment on world affairs in general here on the ol' blog but it was just feeling weird not to. So this is my own little love and prayers letter to everyone. ♥
And as silly as it may seem, I was inspired to use Geisha Anya because of all of this. She is so peaceful and serene looking, which I thought was quite appropriate. As I was coloring her up I started to think back to the last time I had used her because I knew it had been awhile. Then it hit me... Geisha Anya was the very first stamp that I ever colored up with Copic markers just about two years ago now! Wow... had it really been that long? This made me very curious to dig up a pic and see how far I've come with my technique in that time...
... check it out! Quite a difference wouldn't you say? We've all got to start somewhere though. :)
So, I've got a 'just for fun' little challenge for ya... why not pull out that first stamp that you ever colored up and give it a go again. It really is fun to see where you've been and where you are now.
Alrighty, time for work.... BIG HUGS everybody! ♥ Supply list:
cardstock- Bazzill and PTI
paper- Imaginisce (Garden Party)
stamps- The Greeting Farm (Geisha Anya), Hero Arts (sentiment)
ink- Memento tuxedo black and Colorbox creamy brown
prima flowers
Kaiser Craft pearls
making memories decorative brad
Martha Stewart butterfly punch
Sakura clear glaze pen
Copic Spica glitter pens
Copic markers:
face- E40, E41, 0, RV10, W1, W3
skin- E000, E00
hair- C5, C7, C9, 100, 0
clothes- RV23, RV34, RV25, BG70, B52, BG72, G40, G82, G20, RV0000, RV000, RV00, YR000, YR01, YR12


Monday, March 14, 2011

Hey there sweetness

Monday, Monday... so we 'sprung' forward here yesterday by setting the clocks an hour ahead but as of yet it still doesn't feel much like spring has arrived. That doesn't mean I've let that stop me from doing a bit of spring cleaning in my crafty room though. ;)

So you won't be surprised to hear that I've made another card using nothing but scraps from my desk top. This time I came across a nice little pile of Sweet Nectar papers that I had used for some cards back in January... oy! I think that if I hadn't used Cheeky Howdy already yesterday, I would have put her to work with this great cherry print but since I didn't want to repeat stamps so quickly I flipped to the Creepers for some inspiration. Sasha, from the new Creeper set, with her baby doll dress and kickin' boots seemed like a really good match. I don't know why but I think that of any fruit, cherries have a sweet sassiness about them that Sasha just embodies. :)

It's a fun, 'just because I want to use up my scraps' kind of card but I think she turned out pretty cute!
Ok, I should go get ready for work now... take it easy!
Supply list:
cardstock- Bazzill and Copic X-Press It
paper- K&Co (Sweet Nectar)
stamp- The Greeting Farm (Creeper Sasha)
ink- Memento tuxedo black and Colorbox creamy brown
Prima flowers
Kaiser Craft pearls
Sticko epoxy cherry stickers
Making Memories alpha rub ons
Copic markers:
skin- E000, E00, E11, R00, R20, B000, B00, YG03
clothes- E07, E09, E19, E18
clothes- Y11, Y13, Y15, Y17, R24, R27, R29, E18, RV10, RV11, RV63, RV55, YG03, YG25, YG17