SNSDC4 - Patriotic Cocoa

This week's challenge at the Sweet 'n Sassy Digi Challenge Blog is to make a red, white & blue card.  I chose to use this Patriotic Cocoa digi stamp for my focal image.  I used this week's CPS Sketch #219 for my card design.

I colored Cocoa & his star with my Prismacolor pencils and then cut him out.  I used a glitter pen on the yellow outline of the star for a bit of shine.  I popped up the circle panel with foam tape and then popped up Cocoa & his star a little more.

I'm also entering this card in these challenges:
Paper Sundae #70 - Pop It Up


Supplies:
Cardstock - Georgia pacific and misc scraps from my stash
Patterned paper - DCWV
Stamp - Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps (Patriotic Cocoa)
Embellishments - Prismacolor Pencils, Sakura gelly roll pen (Clear Star), Cuttlebug EF (Swiss Dots), Best Occasions Metal Dots, Paper Studio Ribbon

You Light Up My Life

I made a card to participate in the Christian Paper Crafts May Blog Hop.  Each month Christian Paper Crafts (aka CPC) has a blog hop starting the 22nd of each month.  Each month has a different theme.  This month, the theme is "For the man in your life."

I finally got to ink up a new set of clear stamps, Shining Light, from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps.  I've been using so many of Korin's digi stamps lately that my clear stamps are feeling neglected.  This set has a lighthouse image and 8 sentiments to go with it.  I also used this week's sketch from The Sweet Stop (SSS109) for my card.  This week it's a sketch with a spin - which means there is a prize to be won.  The spin is to make a masculine card.

I used paper piercing to add some dimension to the patterned paper panels. I used some inking on the image panel to finish off the edges. I used a background stamp and versamark to add some interest to the red layer.  It just doesn't show up well in the picture. :(

I am also entering this card in the Paper Sundae Challenge #70 - Pop it up.  My patterned paper panels and my lighthouse panel are all popped up with dimensionals.

Supplies:
Cardstock - Bazzill
Patterned Paper - Fancy Pants
Stamps - Sweet 'n Sassy (Shining Light), SU
Ink - Memento (Tuxedo Black), Colorbox Fluid Chalk (Charcoal), VersaMark
Embellishments - Prismacolor Pencils, Metal Dots (Best Occasions), paper piercer

Cocoa Loves Baseball - SNSDC3

It's time for the third challenge over on the Sweet 'n Sassy Digi Challenge blog.  This week the challenge is to make a CAS (clean & simple) card with a button.  CAS cards are not something I do a lot of and actually, they usually stump me.  Give me layers and layers.  ;) While searching the gallery over at SCS for some inspiration, I came across this card by Karen Dunbrook.  I knew I wanted to use the Cocoa Loves Baseball digi stamp and thought this layout would work well with that stamp.  I used her card as a sketch, and as I typically do, I stayed pretty close to the original.

For my button, I used the technique found in the Paper Button tutorial on SCS.  It was so easy to do.  I know I'll be using it quite a bit in the future.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
TLC325 - Paper Buttons
Paper Sundae Challenge #69 (PSC69) - Birthday
FS105 - Featured Stamper Kdunbrook {I changed the color scheme, image, my focal image does not hang over the edge, I used baker's twine and not jute}
RRR#24 - Anything Goes
Tuesday Throwdown #49 - Baby/child card
CPC-CASS08 - Buttons and Bows


Supplies:
Cardstock: Georgia Pacific
Patterned Paper - Echo Park (Little Boys)
Stamps - Sweet 'n Sassy (Cocoa Loves Baseball, Masculine Birthday)
Embellishments - button made from EP paper, baker's twine, Prisamacolor Pencil, SU Stampin' Write, Spellbinders Circle Nesties

I hope you'll play along with us at the Sweet 'n Sassy Digi Challenge blog.

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a nice weekend.

Lots of Cats Birthday Card

I wanted to make a card for a friend who will be celebrating her birthday Saturday.  She just got a new kitten (and really likes cats in general), so I decided to use this adorable kitty image to make a card for her.  I used the sketch from Mojo Monday #123.

I used the Mother Cat freebie from Meljen's Designs for my focal image. I colored all six cats with my prismacolor pencils.  I used a sentiment from the Feminine Birthday set at Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps on the front as well.

I used one of the sentiments from the Purrfect Friend set on the inside of my card.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
RRR#24 - Anything Goes
Paper Sundae's Challenge #69 (PSC69) - Birthday
Paper Pretties PWC154 - Flowers
CPC-FOF63 - Polka Dots
CPC-FOF57 - Easel Card

Supplies:
Cardstock - Bazzill, Georgia Pacific
Patterned Paper - DCWV
Stamps - Meljen's Designs (Mother Cat), Sweet 'n Sassy (Feminine Birthday, Purrfect Friend)
Embellishments - Prismacolor Pencils, buttons & flowers from my stash, DMC floss, Fiskar's Border punch (apron lace), Spellbinders (petite oval, petite scalloped oval), Offray Ribbon

Thanks for stopping by!

For the Guys Blog Hop

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps is having a customer blog hop this weekend with the theme "For the Guys."  Come join us for lots of fun and inspiration.  There are also prizes to be won!  Who doesn't like free crafty goodies?!  You can see all the details on Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps blog.

My husband and son are avid fisherman and we love animals so this newly released digi stamp, Let's Go Fishing Puppy, immediately caught my eye.  Our son used to be an avid hunter as well, so I had some scraps of camo paper that I used for the background.  I used this week's sketch at The Sweet Stop (SSS108) for the design.

Supplies:
Cardstock: SU (green), Recollections (kraft), Georgia Pacific (image & sentiment)
Patterned Paper:  unknown -- scraps from my stash
Stamp: Sweet 'n Sassy - Let's Go Fishing Puppy
Ink - SU-creamy caramel
Prismacolor pencils: 923, 924, 925, 937, 945, 946, 1005, 1077, 1080, 1081, 1084, 1090
Embellishments: Ribbon & Brads-Paper Studio; Nestabilities deckled rectangles

To see all the other entries or to add your's to the hop, see the linky below.

{Robin} Card

The Bluebird Digital Stamp from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps is a favorite of mine.  However, this time, I chose to color it as my version of a robin.  When I was coloring it, a friend and I were discussing exactly what color robins are.  This one ended up being a compromise.  :)

For my card design, I used SSS106 as my starting place.  I left if without a sentiment (even on the inside) so that I can customize it later.

Supplies:
Cardstock:  Recollections, Georgia Pacific
Patterned Papers:  BG
Stamp: Sweet 'n Sassy Bluebird Digital Stamp
Ink:  SU Bliss Blue
Embellishments:  Ribbon (Offray), Pearls (Recollections), Prismacolor pencils, Nestabilities circles, Bazzill Just the Edge, Fiskars corner punch (inside)

I'm a little late posting this and I know The Sweet Stop has a new sketch posted for this next week.  Be sure to stop by and play along.  Their Sugar Babies (DT) always has lots of eye candy for you.

It's still not too late to sign up for my blog candy.  You have until 11:59 PM EST tomorrow (Sunday, May 8) to sign up.  You can find all the details here.

Thanks for stopping by!

Thanks for stopping by.

Happy Mother's Day

Today is the first challenge at Sweet 'n Sassy Stamp's new Digi Challenge Blog. I was so honored (and excited) to be asked to be part of the Desgin Team.  All the cards & projects for this blog will use digi stamps from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps.  Be sure to stop by the new blog because Korin is giving away a free digi.

This week's challenge is to make a Mother's Day card.  My mom passed away 19 years ago which was long before I started "modern" scrapbooking and card-making.  So this is probably the first Mother's Day card I've made since I was a child.

I've loved this Momma Penguin image since the first time I saw it.  I thought it would be perfect for a mother's day card since the love between the momma and her baby is so evident.  I used my computer to make the "Happy Mother's Day" sentiment.  My sketch design is the Sweet Stop Sketch 106.

Supplies:
Card base:  Bazzill
Cardstock: SU, Georgia Pacific
Patterned Paper:  DCWV
Stamp:  Sweet 'n Sassy - Momma Penguin
Embellishments: Ribbon (Offray), Rhinestones (Recollections), Flowers (PortaFolia),Brad (Making Memories), SU tag punch, Fiskars border punch, Nestabilities petite ovals and petite scalloped ovals, Prismacolor pencils

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you'll play along with the challenge.

Happy Birthday to the World's Best Daughter!!

Today our precious daughter, Kendra, turns 21!!  Like most moms, I'm wondering how it's possible our *baby* is 21 now!  She's grown from an adorable baby to a beautiful young woman that makes her dad & I very proud of her.  We will have a family party for her when get comes home from college for the summer.  However, we wanted to send her a little something to have for her special day.  So, I made this card for her. 

Cookie is Cocoa Mouse's new friend.  I thought this Cookie's Gift digi stamp would be cute for Kendra's card.  I paper pieced the package, package bow & Cookie's bow.  I colored Cookie with my Prismacolor pencils.  Since Kendra tells me college girls like bling & sparkle, I added stickles to Cookie's bow and used a glitter pen on the package bow and the background paper.

I found this quote online and thought it appropriate for how we feel about her.

Supplies:
Cardstock: Recollections, Georgia Pacific
PP: Recollections
Stamp:  Sweet 'n Sassy (Cookie's Gift, Feminine Birthday)
Quote from the internet
Embellishments/Tools: Nestabilities (Circles Large & Small, Labels 3, Labels 4), Prismacolor Pencils, Baker's Twine, Stickles (Lavender), Sakura Gelly Roll Pen (Clear Star)

Thanks for stopping by & Kendra, if you read this, Happy Birthday!  I hope 21 is your best year yet!!

Time Well Spent

When I saw Deedee's  new digi, Time Well Spent, it just "spoke" to me as we say in our family.  I think it's another one of those versatile images that can be used for many different occasions. 

After coloring the image with copics, I cut it out with my nesties and then sponged it before removing the die.  I did the same thing for the sentiment. This sentiment really makes you think.  I frequently need this reminder that God's timetable is far superior to my own and I just need to trust Him.

I used some pearl flourishes and added 3 singles pearls in the bottom left corner.  I used a metallic marker to do a little highlighting on the watch.

Here's a pic of my interior decorating.  I cut a Fancy Tags 3 in half  and placed it behind my petite scalloped oval.

I am entering it into the following challenges:
Mojo Monday 188 - sketch challenge
Paper Sundaes Challenge #66 - use at least two of the following items: yellow, pearls, sparkle, and die cuts.  I used die cuts & pearls
Stamptacular Sunday Challenge #108 - Use at least 5 layers

Supplies:
Sketch - Mojo Monday #188
Cardstock - Recollections, Georgia Pacific
Patterned Paper - Cosco Cricket (Ever After), Cream/Black floral - Unknown
Stamp - Deedee's Digis (TimeWell Spent)
Ink - Colorbox Fluid Chalk (Charcoal)
Markers - Copic, AC Metallic Silver
Embellishments/Tools - Pearl Flourish (Recollections), Pearls (BG), Nestabilities (petite ovals, petite scalloped ovals, & labels 4), Fiskars Border Punch (Apron Lace)



Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful weekend!

Celebrate in Style

Hello!  Whew, what a busy week this is going to be.  Coming up this weekend is the 10th Annual Great Yosemite Stamp Escape and we have been busy as hornets ordering, unpacking, pricing and repacking product and prizes for the weekend.  Whew, it is gonna be fun, fun, fun!  The teachers this year are amazing and the projects are fabulous!  There are still a few spots left, come and join us!

For my card today, I am sharing this adorable image from the Gina K. Designs Celebrate in Style set.  The colors used were from last Friday's StampTV Color Spotlight challenge. 

The layout was inspired from the Card Patterns Sketch 112 for this week.  I have never played along with them and when I saw this sketch, I knew I wanted to use it with the dressform image.  I used my new Spellbinders Parisian Accents die set for the fleur border and the scroll accent above the image panel. Finished off with a few rhinestones and it is ready to go! 

Recipe:

Stamps:  Celebrate in Style-Gina K. Designs

Paper:  PL White, PL Bubblegum-GKD, Buttercup Distressed Dots-Memory Box

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black

Extras:  Rhinestones, Ribbon, Copics, Nesties Dies, Corner Rounder, Sakura Stardust pen

Benjamin Bunny

We sent our daughter an Easter basket (well, it was in a small canvas tote bag this year) at college.  Here is the card I made to go with it.

I used the Benjamin Bunny digi stamp from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps.  Isn't he adorable?! I did a lot of layering with my large & small circle nesties and my lacey circle nesties. Can you tell I love them?  :)  I used a little bit of glitter pen on the flowers.  I don't often make shaped cards and this is one of very few circle cards I've ever made.  It's much easier now with my nesties.

I am including it in the current Really Reasonable Ribbon Challenge -- Challenge #22 Violets and Lilacs and Plums! Oh my!.


Supplies:
Cardstock:  Recollections, Georgia Pacific
Patterned Paper:  BG & Recollections
Stamp: Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps (Benjamin Bunny)
Embellishments/Tools:  Prismacolor pencils, gamsol, Ribbon (Michael's), Nestabilities, Sakura gelly roll glitter pen

I borrowed this idea from Darsie over on the Crafting with Deedee's Digis blog and made these for our daughter's roommates as a little Easter treat.  Thanks, Darsie for the inspiration.

I used the same Benjamin Bunny stamp and a similar design to our daughter's card for the tags.  Here's a close up of the tags.

Supplies:
Cardstock:  Georgia Pacific
Patterned Paper:  BG
Stamp: Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps (Benjamin Bunny)
Embellishments/Tools:  Prismacolor pencils, gamsol, Baker's Twine, Nestabilities, Sakura gelly roll glitter pen

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you have a great week.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter!

Hope your having a great one!  Today I am sharing the last of the cards from my Spring has Sprung class.  My inspiration for this card was this beautiful card created by Joan Ervin.  The adorable bunny stamp is another from Printworks.  I sure wish they had a DT and if they did I wish I was on it cuz I love, love Printworks stamps.  They are always so fun and whimsical.  The beautiful print paper that I used for this card is from the recently release Couture collection from SEI.  One of the most beautiful collections I have seen in a long time. 

Wanna make this card?  Here is the PDF. 

Old Rugged Cross

Here is another Easter card focusing on Christ's death for us on the cross.  This time I made a gatefold card and decorated the interior & the exterior.  I used two stamp sets from Sweet 'n Sassy stamps for this card.  The exterior has the Old Rugged Cross stamp. I colored it with prismacolor pencils and gamsol.  After die cutting the image I sponged it with ink.  I then layered some circle nesties die cuts as a frame over the image and then mounted it all on a lacey circle die cut.  I added texture with a Cuttlebug EF.

The interior uses one of the sentiments from the Easter Blessings set.  I used a similar treatment on my die cuts & embossing as I did on the front.

Supplies:
Cardstock, Recollections, Georgia Pacific
Patterned Paper:  Paper Studio
Ink - SU creamy caramel
Embellishments - Pearls - Recollections; Ribbon - Michael's, prismacolor pencils, gamsol, Nestabilities, Cuttlebug EF

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Easter!!

Amazing Love

Today, as we think about what Christ did for us on the cross of Calvary, our hearts should be amazed at the love He showed us.  John 3:16 states, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."  Christ died so that we might have everlasting life.  What a priceless gift and what an amazing love!!

My card to day focuses on Christ's love for us.  I used the Amazing Love set from Deedee's Digis to make this card.  It's hard to believe this great set only costs $1.00!!  My card design is called a joy fold card.  Beate Johns has a great tutorial over on Splitcoast Stampers.

Here are a few more pictures so you can see the interior and other details.  I used a SU journaling pen for some faux stitching.  I distressed the edges of my cardstock & patterned paper and then inked them. I also sponged my focal image before removing it from the nesties die.

I used one of the Fancy Tags 3 dies for the edge detail.  After cutting it out & embossing it, I cut it in half and matched the swirls when I overlapped the edges.

Supplies:
Cardstock:  Recollections, Georgia Pacific
Patterned Paper:  BG
Stamps:  Deedee's Digis (Amazing Love)
Ink:  Colorbox fluid chalk, SU
Pens/Pencils - SU journal writer (Close to Cocoa), Prismacolor pencils
Embellishments:  Ribbon (Michael's), SU journaling pen, Spellbinders Nestabilities (fancy tags3, deckled rectangle, petite ovals, petite scalloped ovals

Daffy Dil

Wow, if this card doesn't say Spring, I don't know what will.  This is one of the cards from my recent Spring has Sprung class.  I used this adorable little Daffy Dil stamp from Printworks.  Daffy was stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto a Petite Oval Nestie die and colored with Copics. The lime and buttercup panels are from Bo Bunny's new "Double Dot" line. These prints don't have dots though, the lime has large flourishes on one side and petite flourishes on the reverse.  The buttercup panel has stripes on one side and small octagons on the reverse.  I stamped the Daffy a second time so that I could pop up the flower blossom.  The rest of the design is pretty simple and straight forward.  I also stamped an beautiful Easter sentiment from Printworks onto the inside of the card.  Now I just need to get it in the mail so it reaches it's destination by Easter.  Wish me luck!

Want the instructions?  Here is the PDF.

OBG Blog Hop

Well, here I am for the third day in a row.  Crazy isn't it?  Today I am hopping with some of my pals from the Design Diva's Facebook group.  You should have arrived at my blog from Angie's blog, if not you can o back to  Vicki's blog as she is starting the hop for us.  On the third Wednesday of each month we get together to share and Oldie, But Goodie with you.  What does OBG mean?  It means that we have used stamps and/or supplies that are at least 6 months old.  I think everything except for the white cardstock and the Lacey Square Nestie are 6 months old.  The stamp I used is another PSX Botanical from my collection.  

After I colored the image panel, I covered it with double sided adhesive sheet and yep, you guessed it......I covered it with microfine glitter.  If you click on the pic you will see all of the glittery goodness up close.  After the glitter was applied, I added a little more color to the apple and the center of the flowers with my Copics.  I know all of you Copic purest are probably squirming in your seats about that one.  I do know that Copics should be the topmost medium when mixing, but this microfine glitter is so, so fine that I don't have a problem doing it from time to time.  Afterall, I can always change the marker's nib if I need to. :)

Now, I am going to send you on your way to Mary's blog as there is so much more to see.

Enjoy the Sunshine

Hi there!  What a beautiful weekend we had.  I truly did enjoy the sunshine. I used stamps from the Gina K. Designs Enjoy the Sunshine STV kit.   My card is for two different challenges.  The first is last Friday's STV Color Challenge and the second is for last Friday's Copic/Promarker challenge over at the Outlawz Challenge Group.  The Outlawz Group asked that we use our markers and ground our image in some way.  The colors for the STV challenge are below:

I think that I achieved both goals.  As far as my layout goes I was inspired by Friday's CAS FTL 136 layout.  I turned it on it's side, but when I was finished with my card I felt like I missed the mark on the layout so I will not enter it for the challenge this week. 

Pretty Little Eggs

Hi there, today I am sharing a card I made just for the fun of it.  Yep, no challenges or classes were involved.  Sometimes that is the best kind of creating!  I fell in love with this adorable Decorated Egg image from Stampendous.  The eggs were colored with various Copic markers (sorry, I didn't write down the colors I used) and then I added Glossy Accents to parts of the eggs and covered them with micro fine glitter.  They look like candied eggs when you see them in person.  Yum-O!  The base card is from Prism and the prints are from the My Mind's Eye Stella and Rose collection.  I think this is one of my all time favorite MME collections.  I finished this one off with a bit of swirl organdy ribbon and voila, it is ready for the mail. 

See you soon!

New Scripture Sets - Psalm 61:2

Have you seen the new Scripture sets Deedee's Digis just released?  Wow!  I am loving them!!  The two newest are:  Be Glad in the Lord and The Lord is Our Refuge.  Both sets are full of encouraging Scripture verses to include with another image, to use as part of what I like to call "interior decorating" or as the focal image on the front of your card.

For this card, I chose one of my go-to verses when I personally need encouragement and used it as the focal image on the front of my card.  It is Psalm 61:2 from the The Lord is Our Refuge set.  I love using Scripture as the focal image for several reasons -- here are my top three.   The primary one is because it's such a great witnessing tool and Isaiah 55:11 teaches us that the Lord's Word will not return unto Him void.  Second, what better way to encourage a fellow Christian than with God's Word? Third, there's no coloring required.  :)  This makes the card quicker and, in my opinion, easier to make.

I used the current Stamp TV  {STVSKSP21} sketch for this card.

Supplies:
Sketch:  STVSKSP21
Cardstock - Georgia Pacific and a misc. mustard yellow from my stash
Patterned paper - BG
Stamp -  Deedee's Digis - The Lord is Our Refuge
Ink - SU - creamy caramel 
Embellishments - Ribbon - Offray, pearls - Queen & Co, Nestabilities (petite oval & petite scalloped oval, decorative photo corners), Fiskar's border punch



Thanks for stopping by!

Grateful for Friends

Happy, happy Sunday!  I hope you are all having a fabulous weekend.  I taught a fun class yesterday that I had called Spring has Sprung.......I am beginning to wonder about that one though.  LOL I really do have the nicest bunch of gals that come to my classes.  They are the best!   Late yesterday afternoon it snowed for a bit. Enough already!  Today is supposed to be sunny with some partial clouds.  Lets just go for the sunny part, okay?  The card I am sharing with you today is for last Friday's color challenge over at StampTV. Did you know that if you play along and upload a card to the gallery at StampTV you would have a chance to win some free stamps?  Good enough reason for me!   I really had fun putting this card together.  Everything just fell into place. 

I used some paper from the Cosmo Cricket Material Girl 6 x6 pad as it was perfect for the colors that Gina had chosen for us to use this week.  Love that!  I used one of my new Nesties dies too!  This die set is called Lattice Rectangles and I know I will use it over and over.  The sentiment is from the GKD Friends set.  I crocheted the flower using my flower pattern from this post.  If you make some flowers from my instructions, leave me a comment, I would love to see them. 

Recipe:

Stamps:  Friends-GKD

Paper:  PL Red Hot, Sweet Corn, Sweet Mango, White-GKD, Material Girl DP-Cosmo Cricket

Ink:  Ladybug Red-Memento

Extras:  Nesties Lattice Rectangles, Corner Chomper, Rhinestones, Midori ribbon, crochet flower, button, twine