Bridget's Paper Blessings

Creamy Roses

2012-03-03T09:10:00.002-05:00

Today's Inspiration Challenge at Splitcoaststampers takes us to the website of Superfine Bakery - I chose a cake covered in creamy swirls for my inspiration.

I cut a number of roses from felt with My Favorite Things Rolled Rose Die-namics and used snips from Cheery Lynn Designs Fanciful Flourish die. I prefer using felt rather than paper making flowers like these as it can be squished without harm!

I dry embossed a small bit on the bottom of the panel and a large bit at the top, leaving a smooth strip for stamping the seniment - this works well with a Cuttlebug, simply turning the folder sideways, especially if you're using a panel on top of a card base. I usually tape the folder onto the panel from the back so that it doesn't slide around and the end result is straight!

I then stitched the edges and popped it up on the card base.

Dipped into my jar of vintage buttons once more to finish off the bow made with gold cord.

Supplies include:

MFT Rolled Rose Die-namics

Cheery Lynn Designs Fanciful Flourish Die

Waltzingmouse Say It With Style

Craft Concepts Budding Vine embossing folder

Gold cord

Vintage button

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Sewing machine

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps March Release Blog Hop

2012-03-01T08:00:00.031-05:00

Welcome! So glad you've joined us to see the fabulous new releases from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps for the month of March! If you've been hopping you've probably arrived from Dina's absolutely wonderful blog, but if not and you want to start at the beginning, go back to the SNSS blog so you don't miss anything!

I created this using the new set To Paris with Love - what a pretty image and so easy to work with! There are also four French phrases along with an "Oooooh La La"! I stamped and heat embossed the image in black and then sponged two colors of ink to match my dp. I distressed the edges of the cream panel and stitched the dp. Finishing touches are a seam binding bow and a rose along with black pearls and flourishes.

The seam binding was dyed with Copic ink G00 Jade Green.

Supplies include:

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps To Paris With Love

SU Pool Party, Blushing Bride ink

Copic ink G00 Jade Green

Seam binding

Prima rose

Cheery Lynn Designs Fanciful Flourish

Pearls

Sewing machine

Ranger Distress Antique Linen ink

Black embossing ink

Next is a card using the new set Ticket Sentiments - this is a set that I'll be reaching for again and again - the sentiments include:

ALL MY LOVE

HAPPY FOR YOU

THANK YOU

BEST WISHES

YOU ARE AMAZING

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

FOR MY FRIEND

GET WELL SOON

Doesn't that cover a whole lot of card making!!!

I sponged the edges of all the dp with Ranger Distress ink for a vintage look and then stitched all the panels.

There's a fabulous new die set that includes a ticket die which is at the top of my "wish list", but for the moment I simply cut the straight edges and then used a pair of scissors with a postage stamp edge to cut the ticket ends. I added a bow, button and flowers to complete my card.

Supplies include:

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Ticket Sentiments

Ranger Distress Antique Linen ink

October Afternoon dp

Sewing Machine

October Afternoon button

Flowers (Wild Orchid Crafts)

Twine

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Postage Stamp edge scissors

Here's another one using Ticket Sentiments, this one was so fun to make! I distressed all edges with Ranger Distress Antique Linen ink and stitched up all the panels. This was mae using last weeks sketch over at Splitcoaststampers given to us by Korin. All of the stars were cut with Spellbinders Nestabilities Stars with only twine and brads for embellishments to keep it masculine as a thankyou for a guy. The ends of the tickets were again cut with postage stamp edging scissors but don't forget to check out the fantastic new die set which includes a ticket die!

Supplies include:

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Ticket Sentiments

October Afternoon dp

DCWV dp

Twine (The Twinery)

Brads

Sewing machine

Spellbinders Nestabilities Stars

Ranger Distress Antique Linen ink

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Postage stamp edge scissors

We hope you enjoyed checking out the projects as much as we've enjoyed making them! Thanks so much for stopping by - your next stop is Taylor's fabulous blog. And just in case you get lost, here's the whole list of team members hopping along with us today:

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Blog

After the blog hop, plan to join us for the New Release Party in our Member Company Forum at Splitcoaststampers at 8:00 pm EST. There will be full reveals of the March stamp and die sets, challenges, and fun chat!

Thanks for stopping by today!

A Peace Miracle

2012-02-28T09:29:00.000-05:00

Whenever I see this Irish blessing I always think of the political violence and strife that Northern Ireland experienced for many years, referred to locally as "the troubles" - many families we know lost loved ones. When I first came to live here from the U.S. 26 years ago it was inconceivable to imagine that either side would put down their arms - but they have! Not every problem is solved but we are all thankful for the level of peace that we now experience which can only be described as a miracle!

I used the Color Challenge colors at Splitcoaststampers today given to us by Julia (artystamper) - two shades of green and a light tan. To stick close to them I used Ranger Distress Antique Linen ink to sponge the sky with a Papertrey Ink cloud die-cut for my cloud shapes.

I ran the same ink pad lightly over the embossing to add definition and stitched the rolling green hills from dp scraps. The Martha Stewart arch lattice punch makes shapes which have a Celtic look so I edged both sides of the card using it.

Supplies include:

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles

Verve Blessings stamp set

Martha Stewart arch lattice punch

Mini butterfly punch

Champagne pearls

Sewing Machine

Ranger Distress Antique Linen

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Creative Expressions Brick embossing folder

SU River Rock, Lucky Limeade, Pear Pizzaz cardstock

You Can't be Beet!

2012-02-27T15:51:00.001-05:00

I had a little spare time tonight so I made a quick card for the Clean and Simple Challenge at Splitcoaststampers to use SU's Rich Razzleberry and white - had to sneak in a bit of green to use this cute beet image from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Punny Fruit and Veggies set. I think I'll save this card for my Dad for Father's Day since one of his favorite foods is pickled beets! I arranged the sentiment on the acrylic block so that it would be circular and added a doodled frame on the inside edge of the Nestabilities Circle die.

Supplies include:

Paper Mill Shop white linen cardstock

SU Rich Razzleberry cardstock

SU Rich Razzleberry dp

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles

Twine

Button

Black fine line pen

Copics

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

The Whole Earth

2012-02-21T12:21:00.000-05:00

Today's Color Challenge colors at Splitcoaststampers are shades of pink combined with gray - I had some dp scraps which fit the bill! I also combined two Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps sets, using a butterfly from Everyday Miracles, and a sentiment from Morning Glory.

A butterfly seemed to be a good example of the evidence of God's creative glory!

All edges have been sponged with Memento Tuxedo Black except for the sentiment circle which has been sponged with SU's Pretty in Pink.

Supplies include:

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Everyday Miracles

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Morning Glory

MFT Dizzy Doily Die-namic

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles

Cosmo Cricket dp

My Minds Eye dp

Pearls

Pearl brad

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Stampin Up Pretty in Pink ink

Sewing machine

Copics

Ribbon

Cream Rose Thankyou

2012-02-20T11:31:00.001-05:00

I used the My Favorite Things sketch for Wednesday Sketch Club 59 for this Pure Innocence card. It was a chance to put together some favorite October Afternoon dp's which I sponged very lightly with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on the edges.

The cream felt rose covers the poppy in this image for a bit more dimension and texture. To finish I added a quadruple strand of cream twine for the bow.

I'm loving the Lifestyle Crafts Inverted Square Nesties...there are 19 dies in this set and it's no more expensive than other Nesties!

Supplies include:

October Afternoon dp

Lifestyle Crafts Inverted Square Nesties

Pearls

Sewing Machine

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

My Favorite Things Pure Innocence Poppy

My Favorite Things Rolled Rose Die-namic

Felt

Red Shutters

2012-02-17T05:01:00.002-05:00

I made this card for an 81 year old friend who recently gave us a gift - she's heading off to China in three weeks to visit friends and went to Israel last year! She's an inspiration - I hope I have as much "get up and go" when I'm her age!

I've also used the sketch from the Sketch Challenge at Splitcoaststampers this week.

I ran over the embossed bg with a Ranger Distress ink pad and popped up the window in various layers after coloring with copics. Afterwards I thought it would have been more dimensional to make the curtains a separate layer - note to self for next time!

The outside edges of the window and shutters image have been sponged just to add a bit of definition and dimension.

I've got more ideas for using this window and shutters image, but needed a quick card for the moment!

Supplies include:

Creative Expressions Brick embossing folder

Spellbinders Circles Small

Pearls

Copics

Ranger Distress Antique Linen, Barn Door, Frayed Burlap ink

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Molly Blooms Designs Window

Worth It

2012-02-15T15:05:00.000-05:00

I made this card for the Sketch Challenge at Splitcoaststampers today which was given to us by Taylor based on a card made by Janelle (dizzymommie). I moved the circle over to accomadate the flower and image which is by American Art Stamps. I went a little bit crazy with the yellow ink...I blame those cute wee yellow roses in the dp...they started the whole yellow thing, but it hopefully it brings some "sunshine" to a cold February day!

I added a scribbly doodled frame with a black fine line pen to try and match the style of the image.

The sentiment makes me smile but I belive it's absolutely true...Jesus Himself said that in this world we will have trouble - but that He has overcome the world. And God has promised us that He can and will make our troubles worth it if we let Him....and yet I still want to run a mile from hard times!

Supplies include:

American Art Stamps Emerson Worth It

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Ranger Distress Scattered Straw ink

SU Yoyo Yellow ink

Sewing Machine

Rose (Wild Orchid Crafts)

Copics

Spellbinders Circles Small

2 CUTE

2012-02-13T12:05:00.003-05:00

I made this card with a sketch for the CAS Challenge at Splitcoaststampers by Nancy (Nancy Litrell). I used MFT's Say What stamps and Die-namics and Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Heart Die set, popping up the speech bubbles and the hearts, then adding brads to finish. Both of these die sets were presents from sweet SCS friends....mwaaaaah, hugs and Happy Valentines Day, girls!

A quick and easy Valentines Day card!

Supplies include:

Stampin Up Real Red ink

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

K & Co. Sweet Nectar dp

Stampin Up Basic Black cardstock

Paper Mill Shop White Linen cardstock

brads

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Heart Die set

MFT Say What Die-namics

MFMT Say What stamps

My Glory

2012-02-10T11:33:00.003-05:00

I created this card using Holly's sketch for the SCS Sketch Challenge this week. I love these October Afternoon Farmhouse dp's with aqua's, teals, gray and cream. They remind me of quilt fabric so I just had to do some stitching!

I used Tsukineko Brilliance Starlite Black ink for the sentiment and to sponge lightly around the edges of the deckled rectangle while it was still in the die. This ink has a slight sheen which is very pretty but isn't evident in photo's.

I used a ball stylus tool for shaping the petals of flowers punched with Martha Stewart's hydrangea punch. It's as easy as laying the petals on something soft like a piercing mat and then moving the rounded end of the stylus in a circular motion with pressure on each petal so that the paper fibers break down...viola, the petals begin to curve up and look very realistic in shape! I found that even if they began to crease a bit, continued pressure and motion smoothed the creases out. The end result is great dimension on punched flowers.

What an incredible Bible verse this is...it's as if The Lifter of My Head is a name for God....to me it speaks of the power of His redemption to heal when our heads are hung in shame, to restore the dignity of being created in His image, and to pour strength and courage into us when discouragement has us looking down.

Supplies include:

October Afternoon Farmhouse dp

Sewing machine

Pearls

Spellbinders Deckled Edge Rectangles

Martha Stewart Hydrangea punches

My Favorite Things Fancy Flourish Die-namic

Spellbinders Fleur de Lis Squares

Tsukineko Brilliance Starlite Black ink

Bless Your Heart

2012-02-06T08:22:00.000-05:00

I made this for the CAS challenge at Splitcoaststampers to use HEARTS - a perfect chance to use Sweet n' Sassy Stamps Heart Die set - I love these, there's such a variety of shapes!

I used scraps of dp and sponged the edges with Ranger Distress ink, which I also used to sponge a strip after masking with post-it-notes. I added some buttons for dimension and rounded the upper corners.

A fun card to make!

Supplies include:

Sweet n' Sassy Stamps Blessings and Thanks

Sweet n' Sassy Stamps Hearts Die set

Basic Grey, October Afternoon, My Minds eye dp

Papermill Shop Cream Linen cardstock

Buttons

Ranger Distress Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap ink

Post-it-notes

Red Peony

2012-02-04T09:45:00.002-05:00

I was inspired to create this card based on a pillow at Charleston Gardens, which is the Inspiration Challenge website which Judy (stampingqueenJAR) chose for us at SCS today - here's the PILLOW.

I'm hoping to get lots of housework done today so I went with a CAS look and simply colored the image, adding a frame with a black fine liner and then popping it up on black. I added a few pearls for the flower center and to accent the sentiment.

Here are the copics which I used:

Covered the whole area of each petal to be colored with R000

Then colored the petal center areas with R59, and worked outward on each petal with

R29, R24, R22, R20 and then used R000 again on the very tips of each petal.

Supplies include:

SU Whisper White cardstock

SU Basic Black cardstock

Black fine line pen

Pearls

Copics

Stampendous Jumbo Peony

Cake and Candles

2012-02-03T13:24:00.000-05:00

This card is made using the My Favorite Things layout for the Wednesday Sketch Club #57 by Frances (stampowl) which you can find HERE.

I added a felt flower cut with MFT's Rolled Rose Die-namic gluing two of them together so that I could get a larger flower. All the edges have been distressed with Ranger Distress Frayed Burlap ink.

The aqua and cream paper with the little red flowers is the very last of my favorite dp ever - from October Afternoon. I love the color combo with a retro look!

Supplies include:

MFT Time to Celebrate

October Afternoon dp

Stampin Up Basic Black cardstock

Brads

Felt

MFT Rolled Rose Die-namic

MFT Mini Tab Quarted Die-namic

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Ranger Distress Frayed Burlap ink

Copics

Sweet n' Sassy Stamps February Release Blog Hop

2012-02-02T08:00:00.007-05:00

Hello and welcome to Sweet and Sassy Stamps February Release Blog Hop! There was so much excitement about this month's release, it was made available a whole week early!

Are you comfy? Well, get ready to be inspired as you check out what the design team have created!

Here's my first project:

This beautiful flower set is called Morning Glory and it's a dream to color - there are several Bible verses and a number of sentiments which are very suitable for sympathy cards or cards of encouragement. I masked the flowers and leaves and sponged around the edges of the circle, then colored the image with copics. I added a bit of stitching, some pearls, seam binding, and twine. The fishtail end of the sentiment banner was made with a small square punch.

Supplies include:

Sweet n' Sassy Stamps Morning Glory

Versamagic Aloe Vera chalk ink

SU Basic Black carstock

Basic Gray dp

Twine (The Twinery)

SU seam binding (Pear Pizzaz)

Pearls

Sewing machine

Copics

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles Large

Small square punch

Here's another project:

This is a new set called Butterfly Flourish with all kinds of curly bits that make me think of butterflies fluttering over wispy grass! I stamped directly onto dp, then made a frame with an oval Nestie and an embossing folder. I ran a chalk inkpad over the embossing to add a little bit of definition and then popped up the frame over the stamped dp. The set includes a beautiful little "thank you" which I've incuded on a tag attached with silver cord.

Supplies include:

Sweet n' Sassy Stamps Butterfly Flourish

Cuttlebug embossing folder

Colorbox piment ink (Robin's Egg)

Versafine Black Onyx ink

Tag punch

Pearl brads

Silver cord

Mini hole punch

Memory Box dp

SU Basic Black cardstock

Thanks so much for stopping by! Your next stop on the hop is with the VERY talented Holly McMillen.

Here's a complete list of the hop bloggers today. If you've come across the hop here first, you might want to go back to the beginning so you don't miss a single thing!

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Blog

Kim Schofield
Mary Faus

Wendy Jordan (our February guest)

Taylor Usry

Don't forget the February Release Party over at Splitcoaststampers in the Member Company Forum starting at 8:00 pm EST. There'll be challenges and lots of fun and chat with fellow stampers!

Golden Morning

2012-01-30T04:52:00.006-05:00

Over at Splitcoaststampers the CAS Challenge is to use a jigsaw puzzle as an inspirations...here it is:

Summer Gold

I first cut a large circle with a Spellbinders Nestie from a large post-it-note, making sure that it was on the "sticky" end. I stuck the post-it-note with the circle cut out of it on the card where I wanted the scene to be.

I cut some round slopes for hill shapes from post-it-notes and stuck them where I'd like the hills to be across the bottom. I saved the negative bit, or the post-it-note which I'd cut the hill shapes from, for later use.

I cut a small circle with Nesties for the sun and stuck that where I wanted the sun to be, saving the negative bit, or the post-it-note from which the sun was cut, for later use.

I then took two cloud die cuts and used them to sponge the sky, placing them randomnly, starting at the top, and moving downwards, just sponging around the top edge so that there is plenty of white space for the "cloud" effect.

When the sky was completed I removed the sun circle post-it-note mask and took the piece of post-it-note I'd cut it from and placed it exactly over the uninked circle area...I then sponged inside the circle with yellow and orange.

Time for the hills! I removed the post-it-note shaped hills and used the negative post-it-note I'd cut them from, placing them exactly over the uninked area so that the sky area was covered...then sponged inside the hills with two shades of green, darker at the top of each hill and lighter at the bottom.

After removing all the masks...a perfect inked circle!

The tree was cut with My Favorite Things Sheltering Tree and Leaf Trio Die-namic. It was cut from cream cardstock and then sponged with SU's Soft Suede ink so that the embossed bark texture is more visible.

For this tree only the two smaller sized leaves were used.

The sun coming up on a beautiful summer morning made me think of this sentiment from Verve:

"Morning by morning, new mercies I see."

Somehow it's easier to "see" the mercies on a sunny morning but they're just as real on a gray winter day like today!

If my instructions aren't clear enough, please let me know...or if you think a photo tutorial would be helpful!

Supplies include:

Papermill Shop White Linen cardstock

SU Lucky Limeade cardstock

SU Soft Suede ink

SU Yoyo Yellow ink

SU Cool Caribbean ink

SU Lucky Limeade ink

SUCertainly Celery ink

MFT Sheltering Tree and Leaf Trio Die-namic

Verve New Mercies

Versafine Black Onyx ink

The Perfect Blend

2012-01-27T11:33:00.001-05:00

Wendy Weixler (wendybell) at Splitcoaststampers has us celebrating National Chocolate Cake Day (I believe that's just in the U.S.!) by making a card with kraft and brown. I'm also honoring Toni (ravengirl) who is Queen for the Day with my card using Sweet n' Sassy Stamps Cocoa's Latte. Toni made a card about tea and friendship and I love this little sentiment because it reminds me of all the fun times of coffee and chat I've had with my good friends!

I sponged the circle while still in the die and also sponged my paper piecing to give the look of dimension.

I still have my sewing machine out of the closet so it's been fun to add stitching to my cards lately!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Supplies include:

Sweet n' Sassy Stamps Cocoa's Latte

Ranger Distress Frayed Burlap ink

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Versafine Vintage Sepia ink

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles, Lacey Circles

October Afternoon dp

Echo Park dp

Stampin Up Lucky Limeade cardstock

Kraft cardstock

Stampin Up button

Stampin Up seam binding

Copics

Sewing Machine

Valentine Hugs

2012-01-26T12:38:00.000-05:00

I've created this card using week 3 of this month's Viva la Verve sketches, created by Teresa. I've discovered that I have a serious gap in my Nesties and dies when it comes to hearts so this one was cut free hand, or at least with a little stencil I made.

All edges have been sponged with Ranger Distress Frayed Burlap. The heart has been sponged with SU's Real Red for more definition.

When it comes to wrapping twine vertically on a tent fold card this way, the only solution I can come up with is to cut a tiny slit with my craft knife along the fold. I also add a tiny touch of glue at the bottom so the twine doesn't slide around going in and out of an envelope.

The sentiment banner was made with a small square punch.

Supplies include:

Basic Grey Picadilly dp

My Minds Eye dp

Ranger Distress Frayed Burlap ink

SU Real Red ink

Verve Kind Words

SU button

Twine (The Twinery)

SU Real Red cardstock

Sewing machine

Small square punch

Belleek for Mum

2012-01-23T12:09:00.002-05:00

The Technique Challenge at Splitcoaststampers today is to make a card with the faux porcelain look - Judy (stampingQueenJAR) was inspired by the gorgeous porcelain produced at the Belleek factory when she visited Ireland and Northern Ireland. Well, since we live only a few hours from the factory, I had to give this a try! When my parents come to stay from the U.S. my Mom loves to visit the factory and has picked up some beautiful pieces over the years. Belleek now produces some modern and minimalist lines but my Mom loves the traditional pieces including the ones with flowers and shamrocks. I created this card for her for Mother's Day, and this Waltzingmouse sentiment seemed perfect - because of it's meaning and because Waltzingmouse stamps are from Northern Ireland!

The technique involves inking up one side of the embossing folder with a color such as Ranger Distress Antique Linen or SU's Crumb Cake. I went a step further and added several layers of clear embossing powder to give the shiny effect of porcelain. I also used a few layers of clear embossing on the flourish and flower. The flower is punched with Martha Stewarts hydrangea punches.

I kept the card clean and simple for the CAS Challenge to use the color combo pink, celery and white...strictly speaking this isn't white, it's off-white!

Supplies include:

Waltzingmouse Roses in Bloom (sentiment)

Craft Concepts Budding Vine embossing folder

Versafine Black Onyx ink

Ranger Distress Antique Linen ink

Martha Stewart hydrangea punches

Cheery Lynn Designs Fanciful Flourish

Perfect Love

2012-01-19T15:35:00.000-05:00

I created this card using Week 1 of the January Viva la Verve sketches. All the edges have been sponged with Ranger Distress inks and I stitched the panels onto the dp before attaching it to the card base.

I used a small square punch to make the fishtail effect on the sentiment banner. This ribbon frays badly when it's cut at an angle so I sealed the ends with a lit match. Yeah, I know, it's living dangerously, but I've gotten pretty good at holding it just in the right spot so it doesn't actually burn the ribbon!

My card is for a good friend who is trying to overcome a fear but feels it's nearly impossible. Recently this Bible verse has become very meaningful to her and it's on the inside of the card, hence the two heart pins to represent God's love:

"Perfect love casts out fear..." I John 4:18

So with God's love and help I know she'll triumph over fear!

Supplies include:

Verve Words of Wisdom

Memory Box, Basic Gray dp

Ranger Distress Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap ink

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Button (October Afternoon)

Twine

Ribbon

Pins

Small square punch

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles

Chickadee

2012-01-18T17:05:00.002-05:00

This is a card I designed using the sketch over at Splitcoaststampers Sketch Challenge today and also the photo for the Sweet n' Sassy Stamps Inspiration Challenge this week...take a look at Taylor's fabulous photo and you'll see why I chose these colors and elements.

I colored the berries in gray hues and highlighted them with a white gel pen, before adding Stickles and glitter - it's not evident in the photo however. I was trying for the look of some white berries I see on bushes during the winter. The gray dp has some fabulous sparkle on the polka dots and the whole panel is framed in gray.

Supplies include:

Sweet n' Sassy Stamps God's Purpose

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles

Silver cord

Button

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

SU Pool Party ink

Silver pearls

Sewing machine

My Minds Eye dp

Happy Dancin'

2012-01-15T16:36:00.001-05:00

I made this card for the Featured Stamper Challenge at Splitcoaststampers - my friend Linda (Holstein) is being featured today and I love her style with scoring and embossing so my card had to include that!

My sister sent me this pom pom ribbon which matched the dp perfectly and I found an old SU stamp pad called Sage Shadow to sponge the circle. The silhouette is heat embossed for a good strong image.

This sentiment is exactly what I want to say for many occasions whether big celebrations or just those times when you want to let a friend know you're rejoicing with them! The stamps are from the set Together Silhouettes by Sweet n' Sassy Stamps

Supplies include:

Sweet n' Sassy Together Silhouettes

Pom pom ribbon

SU Sage Shadow ink

Black embossing ink

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles

MFT Dizzy Doily Die-namic

Sizzix embossing folder

My Minds Eye dp

Apple of My Eye

2012-01-14T06:18:00.004-05:00

I've been having so much fun with this new set Punny Fruit and Vegetables designed by Korin at Sweet n' Sassy Stamps. Though the sentiments and images are perfect for Valentines, they can be used all through out the year for so many different occasions. They're also very easy to color, cut out, and pop up as

I did with this smiling little apple. I distressed all edges with Ranger Distress ink and did a bit a of stitching to try and add to the country farmhouse look. I made a small pennant with the main sentiment by using the corner of a small square punch to give the fish tail effect on the right side. This works great for those of us who don't have pennant or banner dies yet!

While making this card I kept thinking about this verse in Psalms, when David was recognising God's incredible love and and asking for His powerful protection to continue:

"Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings."

Psalm 17:8

Imagine the delight of receiving a card with this wonderful sentiment - "You're the apple of my eye" - what a way to remind someone how much you love them!

Supplies include:

Sweet n' Sassy Stamps Punny Fruit and Vegetables

Papermill Shop green cardstock

Twine (The Twinery)

October Afternoon button

October Afternoon dp

Sewing machine

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles

My Favorite Things, Dizzy Doily Die-namic

Copics

Small square punch

Ranger Distress Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap ink

Lifestyle Crafts Inverted Square Nesting dies

Enduring Love

2012-01-13T06:37:00.005-05:00

We were to use something hot and cool to make a valentine today for the Free for All challenge at Splitcoaststampers - I used my favorite ink pad ever, Cool Caribbean from SU, and a hot pink rose.

I love using hearts along with verses about God's love, and hadn't inked up this Unity sentiment yet!

I'm also honoring Judy (jaydekay) at SCS who is Queen for the Day 95 - I used a heart and flower layout from one of the cards in her amazing gallery.

I sketched a heart on paper and cut it out to use the shape left on the page for a mask. I tape down the card onto my table with masking tape and then tape down the paper too, so that they both stay in place while I'm sponging. The leaves and flourishes are snipped from a die-cut using my favorite Cheery Lynn Designs Fanciful Flourish.

Supplies include:

Unity Faith sentiment

Cheery Lynn Designs Fanciful Flourish die

Wild Orchid Crafts rose

SU Cool Caribbean ink

SU Lucky Limeade cardstock

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Lace Covered Wedding

2012-01-12T08:49:00.001-05:00

Last year I made wedding invitations for our neighbors daughter and each one was completely covered in lace - I glued a liner inside to cover up the edges - needless to say, it was a big job, but she was delighted with them! For this I used one of the card bases that I had leftover. I cut out an embossed heart free hand - but if you find that tricky you can always google a heart in images (or any object for that matter, I've done a guitar, boat, and various other things) and use the outline as a template. The ribbon here was on a Christmas present and I used a vintage button, which was in a jar of them which I bought at St. Georges Saturday morning market in Belfast city center (or "centre" for my U.K. readers!)

I entered this in Splitcoaststampers Ways to Use It challenge because it was about using stickers - I stuck the sentiment sticker onto cardstock so that it could be popped up.

Supplies include:

Lace

Papermill Shop cream linen cardstock

Vintage button

Ribbon,

Sizzix plaid embossing folder

Making Memories Definitions sticker

Hi, Hot Stuff!

2012-01-11T11:25:00.003-05:00

I made this using the great layout for the sketch challenge at Splitcoaststampers today - Korin's hosting the challenge and this is a set she designed! I love the fun images in this set called Punny Fruit and Vegetables from Sweet n' Sassy Stamps - they're so easy to color and pop up! I added the sentiment using a speech bubble cut with the MFT's Say What Die-namic and finished off with a bow, buttons and stitching. The sketch really suits clean and simple cards, and I know I'll be using it again!

Supplies include:

Sweet n' Sassy Punny Fruit and Vegetables

MFT Say What Die-namic

SU Lucky Limeade cardstock

Scrap dp

October Afternoon buttons

Sewing machine

Quick and Easy Gift

2012-01-09T06:10:00.002-05:00

I don't know about you, but I'm into candles during the dark winter evenings in January, especially right after taking down all the bright, cheery Christmas lights! So now I have a couple of Yankee Candles which are all used up and wanted to recycle the jars. I put the jar in a pan of hot water to loosen the last of the wax, popped it out and cleaned the last little bits of wax out with a paper towel. The process soaks the label off too. I then got it sparkling clean with dish soap and filled it with inexpensive red scented tea lights.

Then it was just a matter of adding a verse cut with Nestabilities Labels Four and a rolled rose using MFT's rolled rose Die-namic. I finished by adding butcher's twine and a button to the lid.

I was keeping this CAS for today's challenge at Splitcoaststampers to use die-cuts, but I plan on making a few more of these and maybe doing them up with tags, more flowers, some dp, etc.

This is gift for a good friend and I hope this verse encourages her as much as it does me. What it says about God and His relationship with us is absolutely incredible to me! The picture of God quieting us with His love, taking great delight in us, and rejoicing over us with singing reminds me of a mother with her baby.

Supplies include:

Our Daily Bread Designs Scripture Series 1

Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels Four Large, Small

Ranger Distress Antique Linen ink

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Felt

SU Taken with Teal, Lucky Limeade, Very Vanilla cardstock

Cheery Lynn Designs Fanciful Flourish die

MFT Rolled Rose Die-namic

Button

Butchers twine

Happy for You

2012-01-07T07:48:00.000-05:00

I just had to reach for this fantastic silhouette set again when Wendy at Splitcoaststampers gave us a "potpourri" list of different things to include on our card for the Free for All challenge. Sweet n' Sassy Stamps Together Silhouettes is already a favorite set!

I heat embossed the little girls in brown for a good strong image and then I used a layout similar to one of Wendy's cards as she was Queen for the Day at SCS!

I inked up one side of the embossing folder with Ranger Distress Antique Linen to give the embossing extra definition.

It's a gray and overcast here in Northern Ireland and I'm off to do my housework.

Whatever you're doing this weekend, I wish you a good one!

Supplies include:

Sweet n' Sassy Stamps Together Silhouettes

Brown embossing ink and powder

Ranger Distress Antique Linen

My Minds Eye dp

Coordinations brown cardstock

MFT Faux Crochet Die-namic

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles Large, Small

Ribbon

Felt

Gem brad

Cheery Lynn Designs Fanciful Flourish (leaves)

Jute twine

Sweet 'n Sassy January Release Blog Hop

2012-01-05T07:53:00.019-05:00

Happy New Year!

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps has an amazing release planned for this month, and the Design Divas are so excited! Eight new clear stamp sets and three new sets of dies will be available in the store tonight. Wherever you are, I hope you're cozy and comfortable and have something hot to sip....you don't want to miss out on a single one of the creations showcasing the new goodies!

Here's my first project with one of the new sets:

I'm going to have so much fun with Punny Fruit and Vegetables - it has an apple, beet, pear, chili, peach and orange as well as this darling pea pod, along with some really fun puns as sentiments.

They could be used for all kinds of occasions and other sentiments include "smile", "thank you", and

"Happy Valentines Day".

I stamped the pea pod three times so that I could pop up various parts of it.

The card base is covered with dp and the bottom corners rounded.

I added a flower and flourishes using dies and finished with a border and twine.

Supplies include:

Copics

Sweet n Sassy Stamps Punny Fruit and Vegetables

Memory Box Pristine border

MFT Fanciful Flourish Die-namic

MFT Small Flower Die-namic

The Twinery twine

Echo Park dp

Lifestyle Crafts Inverted Square Nesting Dies

Fiskars corner rounder

Mini button

Together Silhouettes is a set designed by Dina Kowal and has three gorgeous silhouettes plus 5 fabulous sentiments. I love the way the sentiments are designed with such a beautiful font. The umbrella has a separate image so that it can be colored or paper pieced - what a great idea, there's so much room for YOUR creativity here!

I heat embossed the silhouette for a good strong effect on the dp and distressed all the edges for a vintage look. I did a bit of stitching and added a banner and twine across the top corner. Each penant has a little punched heart.

The twine is dyed with Ranger Distress Antique Linen ink to help it blend with the vintage look.

Supplies include:

Sweet n' Sassy Stamps Together Silhouettes

October Afternoon dp

Stamping Up dp

My Minds Eye dp

Ranger Distress Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap ink

Black embossing ink and powder

SU Basic Black, Real Red cardstock

Papertrey Ink Banner Builder die

Mini heart punch

The Twinery twine

Pearls

Lace

Spellbinders Nestabilties Circles

Sewing machine

One more card with the fabulous set Together Silhouettes. This one I tried to keep CAS and I thought it would make a great Valentine!

Supplies include:

MFT Layered Label Die-namic

Verve A Cut Above From the Heart die

Brads

Black embossing ink

Sewing machine

Spellbinders Nestabilities Ovals

And now take a look at the rest of the Design Divas (and our very special January guest)...they've all whipped up some gorgeousness!

Your next stop on the blog hop is with Monika Davis and I know you're in for a treat!

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Blog

Taylor Usry
Bridget Finlay

Cathy McCauley
Lydia Fiedler

Korin Sutherland

Thanks so much for stopping by and enjoy the rest of the hop! Don't forget our Release Party over at Splitcoaststampers tonight. Join us on the Member Company Forum for all the fun!

2012 - Bring It On!

2012-01-01T09:14:00.002-05:00

Just for TODAY, New Year's Day, Sweet n' Sassy Stamps are giving away this fabulous digi over on Facebook. It's "Tank", Korin's cat, and he's not only just perfect for New Years but for all kinds of celebrations, particularly birthdays, throughout the year! Don't forget Sweet n' Sassy Stamps has new releases coming out on Thursday, January 5th and I can tell you now, you're going to love them, there seems to be something for everyone! It kicks off with a blog hop on Thursday, and you can see what the Design Team have come up with using the new sets.

I based my card on a layout by Lana (LunarLana) who is the Featured Stamper over at Splitcoaststampers today.

I used my new Lifestyle Crafts Inverted Square Nesties for this - those dies are such good value, there's 18 of them in the set! This is made with the largest and measures approximately 5 and 1/2 inches.

Supplies include:

Sweet n' Sassy Stamps Tank digi

Echo Park dp

Papermill Shop cream linen cardstock

Coordinations Brown cardstock

Lifestyle Crafts Inverted Square Nesting dies

Spellbinders Nestabilities Ovals

Ranger Distress Frayed Burlap

Buttons

Twine (The Twinery)

Sewing machine

White Wedding

2011-12-30T16:56:00.001-05:00

Over at Splitcoaststampers, Jeanne had us making cards with a theme of party dresses for the Free for All challenge. A wedding dress is the most special party dress a girl will ever wear! I sketched a template of a long dress, used two embossing folders, and then popped it up on the side of the card. I tried various die cut borders in white but decided to keep it clean and simple. I used Verve's Wishing You set for the sentiment.

Supplies include:

Papermill Shop white linen card

Craft Concepts Budding Vine embossing folder

Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder

Ribbon

Wild Orchid Crafts rose

Pearls

Verve Wishing You sentiment

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles

Versafine Black Onyx ink

Just Call Country Style

2011-12-28T10:23:00.006-05:00

Today is Roxie's last challenge as hostess of the Splitcoaststampers Wednesday sketch challenge, and we're all very appreciative of her hard work at bringing us great sketches over the years. I made this one based on her sketch for today. I thought it would be fun to stitch all the panels and go for a country quilt look. All edges have been distressed with Ranger Distress ink. I added gingham ribbon, a rose, buttons and lace as embellishments. This Verve Plain Jane is one of my new stamps from my Get Your Diva On prize stash. Verve is so generous with their prizes and I'm so delighted with all my new goodies!

Supplies include:

October Afternoon dp

Ranger Distress Frayed Burlap

Versafine Vintage Sepia

Verve Jer. 33:3 Plain Jane

Buttons

Ribbon

Lace

Prima rose

Sewing machine

This Christmas

2011-12-23T11:10:00.004-05:00

Hello, it's Bridget here and just a few days before Christmas, I wanted to share with you a project I made back in September for the Dirty Dozen gallery at Splitcoaststampers when the fabulous set from Sweet n' Sassy Stamps called Christmas Light first came out. I used a page from a Tim Holtz chipboard album to make this hanging picture - the holes were already in it and the little chains came with the album. This black metal ornament hanger was perfect for hanging it so that it can sit on top of our mantel piece.

I adhered dp to the chipboard and sanded the edges before sponging with Distress inks. I made a frame with Spellbinders Labels One and a smaller circle and embossed it using a Craft Concepts embossing folder, then sponged over the embossing with the same ink for more definition.

The verse is stamped over a sponged circle. I stamped the image three times so that I could pop up various pieces for a more dimensional look.

Here's a closer look:

I added lace and tiny pearls and a bow with a button and pearl to finish. The candle flame has a little bit of Stickles sparkle.

Just a few days left until the 25th, and by now you'll be excited or very tired and stressed - probably all three! In the middle of all your Christmas preparations and enjoyment, I hope that the words of this sentiment are very true for you..."may the warmth of the Lord's presence bring you joy."

Hugs, Bridget

Supplies include:

October Afternoon dp

SU Cherry Cobbler, Vanilla cardstock

SU ribbon

Copics

Ranger Distress Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap ink

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Lace

Champagne pearls

Tim Holtz chipboard album page

Sanding block

Button

Craft Concepts Budding Vine embossing folder

Stickles

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles, Labels One

Happy Christmas Cocoa!

2011-12-21T10:19:00.000-05:00

I made this card using Taylor's Sketch Challenge over at Splitcoaststampers and also using her fabulous photo for the Sweet n' Sassy Stamps Inspiration Challenge this week - you can see it HERE, it's really gorgeous!

I stamped Cocoa three times and popped up various pieces for dimension using Sweet n' Sassy Stamps A Cocoa Kind of Christmas - don't forget that this month is Crazy 4 Cocoa month and all Cocoa digis and clear stamps are 10% off at Sweet n' Sassy Stamps.

I've had my sewing machine out for another project so I did a bit of stitching on this one.

My husband and I visited the Continental Christmas market outside Belfast City Hall last week and also went to the weekly St. George's market - we loved seeing all the foods, crafts, antiques, and locally produced goods, but all I came home with was a jar of vintage buttons, and here's one of them!

Supplies include:

Sweet n' Sassy Stamps A Cocoa Kind of Christmas

My Minds Eye dp

SU Rich Razzleberry cardstock

SU Rich Razzleberry ink

Ranger Distress Scattered Straw ink

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles, Rectangles

Gold ric rac

Vintage button

Copics

Ribbon

Crazy 4 Cocoa Blog Hop

2011-12-15T08:00:00.067-05:00

Hi and welcome to the Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Crazy 4 Cocoa blog hop!
The whole month of December is devoted to showcasing sweet Cocoa projects. Today the Sweet 'n Sassy Design Divas have joined together with some of the talented Sweet 'n Sassy Digi Challenge girls to bring a fun Cocoa Mouse blog hop to you! I love this image because it can be used for the holidays or for birthdays - it comes in the set A Cocoa Kind of Christmas, which also includes Cocoa with a beautiful ornament and four fabulous sentiments!

I popped Cocoa up on a circle sponged with Ranger Distress ink. All edges have been sponged and the twine is dyed with a bit of diluted Antique Linen ink just to tone down the whiteness for this retro look.

I added lace, ric rac and buttons, plus a tiny tag cut using Papertrey Ink's Tiny Tags set - one of the smaller dies in Spellbinders Circles fits just perfectly for a frame on one of these little round tags. The sentiments are both from the SNSS set Poppies & Greetings - I just love all the sentiments in this useful set!

Don't forget that Crazy 4 Cocoa month at Sweet n' Sassy Stamps means that all Cocoa clear sets and digis are 10% off!

Supplies include:

Sweet n' Sassy Stamps A Cocoa Kind of Christmas

Sweet n' Sassy Stamps Poppies and Greetings

Spellbinders Circles Large, Small

Papertrey Ink Tiny Tags die

Twine (The Twinery)

Lace

October Afternoon dp

October Afternoon buttons

SU Real Red cardstock

Copics

Ranger Distress Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap ink

Your next stop on the hop is over to see what fabulous creation Kim Singdahlsen has for you!

Here's a list of all the people participating in the fun hop today:

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps

Kim O'Connell
Sandy Domelle

Monika Davis

Carol Longacre
Ceal Pritchett

But wait...there's MORE!!! We want YOU to hop along with us! All you have to do is make a card or project featuring Cocoa Mouse and add your direct link to the linky tool below. One participant (drawn at random) will win their choice of ONE free Cocoa Mouse clear stamp set or FOUR free Cocoa Mouse digis! You have until Saturday, December 17 at 11:30 PM EST to add your direct link...go get stamping!

Feel Better

2011-12-13T12:13:00.000-05:00

I created this card using the sketch for My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Club 49 and in honor of Peggy (pegmac71), who was the Featured Stamper on Sunday at Splitcoaststampers. I was inspired by Peggy's fabulous card using this cute Pure Innocence set - I hope this little sweetie will cheer up someone who's feeling under the weather! There was some pre-embossed dp in my stash which I used as a background on all panels. The pink heart is cut using one of Papertrey Ink's Tiny Tags dies and I put a tiny black pearl over the hole.

Supplies include:

MFT Pure Innocence My Umbrella

Doodlebug pre-embossed dp

SU Basic Black, Melon Mambo cardstock

Twine (The Twinery)

Buttons

Pearls

Copics

Papertrey Ink Tiny Tags die

Pearl Poinsettas

2011-12-10T09:34:00.001-05:00

Today's Inspiration Challenge at Splitcoaststampers takes us to the website of Ten Thousand Villages. I chose a lotus candleholder because the red petals reminded me of poinsettas. They're cut using Spellbinders Shapeabilities Layered Poinsetta dies and arranged on a flourish using Cheery Lynn Designs Fanciful Flourish die - this has to be one of the most useful dies I own! I find myself reaching for it time and time again.

All edges are distressed with Ranger Distress ink and I added just twine and pearls to finish. It was a quick, easy holiday card for today because we went with friends to Belfast's city center to visit the Continental Christmas market. It was a fun morning with all kinds of fun craft and food stalls from around the world!

Supplies include:

Waltzingmouse Say It With Style (sentiment)

Ranger Distress Antique Linen ink

Cosmo Cricket dp

SU Cherry Cobbler cardstock

SU Cherry Cobbler ink

Jute twine

Pearls

Cheery Lynn Designs Fanciful Flourish die

Spellbinders Shapeabilities Layered Poinsetta die

De"light"ful Cocoa

2011-12-07T05:29:00.000-05:00

It's lashing snowy rain at the moment here in Northern Ireland so I thought it was time to work with one of my favorite Cocoa digi's, De"light"ful Cocoa. I love burning candles to give a warm glow on long dark winter nights and I can almost smell the Christmassy cinnamon fragrance when I look at this cute Cocoa image! It's Crazy for Cocoa month over at Sweet and Sassy Stamps so don't forget to pop over and take a look while all Cocoa clear stamps and digi's are 10% off!

I popped Cocoa up on a doodled frame and used today's sketch challenge at Splitcoaststampers using some of my favorite October Afternoon dp's. I sponged all the edges with Ranger Distress inks, even the image, just to tone down the brightness of the colors. And to keep that retro/vintage look I dyed the twine because I find it tones down the bright white of the twine and makes it look like it's been in a trunk in Grandma's attic for the last 50 years! You can find a fabulous selection of twine at Sweet n' Sassy Stamps. I used a mix of Copic blending ink and Y21 ink for this. The sentiment is from a fabulous set called Poppies and Greetings. If any of you have Papertrey Ink's Tiny Tags dies, a lot of the small sentiments in this great set will fit them perfectly. I don't normally sew on my cards - our house is so small that I have to keep my portable machine in a closet, but because it was out for some other sewing, I stitched between the panels.

Supplies include:

Sweet n' Sassy Stamps De"light"ful Cocoa digi

Sweet n' Sassy Stamps Poppies and Greetings

Twine

October Afternoon dp

October Afternoon buttons

Copic ink

Papertrey Ink Tiny Tags die

Ranger Distress Frayed Burlap, Antique Linen ink

SU Real Red cardstock

Black fine line marker

Snow and Berry Garland

2011-12-05T08:30:00.001-05:00

Here I am again with a card using the Cheery Lynn Fanciful Flourish die - this time to make a Christmas garland. I started out intending to make a green garland but then thought I'd try for a frosty look with white bits and pieces using this fabulous die. I wove white twine through a die cut using Sweet and Sassy Stamps Lacey Eyelet border die. This card was for two challenges at Splitcoaststampers - a CAS challenge to use twine and a technique challenge to use buttons. I used Sweet n' Sassy Stamps Christmas Light set for the sentiment.

The white panel is popped up on the cherry cobbler card base.

Supplies include:

Sweet n' Sassy Stamps Christmas Light

Sweet n' Sassy Stamps Lacey Eyelet Border die

Cheery Lynn Fanciful Flourish die

SU Cherry Cobbler cardstock

SU Cherry Cobbler ink

Twine

Buttons

SU embossing folder

Flourished Poinsetta

2011-12-03T06:38:00.001-05:00

I made this card for the inspiration challenge over at Splitcoaststampers and it's based on this holiday ornament with a golden background and poinsetta's. I covered the card base with dp and sponged the edges for a vintage look. It has a bit of teal green in the swirls so I used a shimmery teal green cardstock for the flourishes, leaves, and the embossed strip. The lace was perfect for weaving some thin stitched ribbon through and I added some matching string for the bow. The pearls are colored with a copic.

Spellbinders Shapeablilites Layered Poinsetta works so beautifully for a really dimensional flower!

I used a sentiment from Sweet and Sassy Stamps Christmas Light, it's done in a fabulous font.

Supplies include:

Sweet and Sassy Stamps Christmas Light

Spellbinders Shapeabilities Layered Poinsetta

Marianne Creatables flourishes dies,

Sizzix plaid embossing folder

Copic

Pearls

Stitched ribbon

Lace

String

Ranger Distress Frayed Burlap ink

SU Real Red, Baroque Burgundy ink

Scarlet Crysanthemum

2011-11-29T12:17:00.000-05:00

I made this card for a CAS challenge sketch over at Splitcoaststampers - I love the simplicity of CAS cards and this time instead of lots of white space, I went for black space. I masked a sqaure with post-it-notes before sponging the background, then stamped the flower and sentiment. The white square is popped up on the cardbase and it's finished off with a triple wrap of twine and black pearls. I love this sentiment - sometimes we say we'll pray for someone, but this sentiment lets someone know that we actually already have!

Supplies include:

Gina K Lean on Me

Verve Prayer notes

Twine (The Twinery)

pearls

SU Real Red, Cool Caribbean, Lucky Limeade ink

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Post-it-notes

Cheery Lynn Wreath

2011-11-22T03:04:00.004-05:00

This is a card I made for several Verve challenges on Splitcoaststampers using Cheery Lynn Designs Fanciful Flourish die. Sandy from Cheery Lynn Designs blog asked if they could use it this week for their "Red and Green" challenge!

I cut up parts of the flourish using various sized leaves and swirly bits and attached them to a circle base which I'd cut using two Nestie circles, one slightly larger than the other. I used my hot glue gun to adhere them so that I could arrange them with some dimension. This didn't take as long as it might look, and you could make the wreath thinner or thicker depending on your preference!

This is my favorite flourish die and I love coming up with different ways to use it!

Supplies include:

Cheery Lynn Fanciful Flourish die

Verve Kind Words

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles Large, Small

SU Basic Black cardstock

SU dp

My Minds Eye dp

Ranger Distress Frayed Burlap ink

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Butchers twine

gems

copic pen

dewdrops

A Silhouette Thankyou

2011-11-21T04:34:00.001-05:00

I love the look of a black silhouette against a bright splash of color and in the middle of making Christmas cards, I had the urge to make something fresh and flowery!

I sponged the card base using SU's Certainly Celery and Old Olive, then used a Fiskar's punch to round the corners. Sweet and Sassy Stamps Wildflowers set works wonderfully to stamp multiple times at different heights across the bottom of a card, whatever the width. The sentiments are beautiful and I like to use them for thank you cards especially - I added a small row of black pearls as an accent.

The gems in the flower centers are colored with Copic Y95 to match the green. To finish I added some black and white gingham ribbon to pick up on the black of the silhouette.

Supplies:

White Linen cardstock

Gingham ribbon

Sweet and Sassy Stamps Wildflowers

Versafine Black Onyx ink

Pearls

Stampin Up Old Olive, Certainly Celery ink

Gems

Copic

Fiskar's corner Rounder

A Blessing

2011-11-15T09:50:00.001-05:00

I needed a quick thank you card for a couple who has given our family a lovely gift so I went with today's color challenge colors at Splitcoaststampers - they're Stampin Up colors, Calypso Coral, Lucky Limeade, and Baja Blue.

I used one of my favorite Sweet and Sassy Stamps sets, Serene Silhouettes and the sentiment is from SNSS's Blessings and Thanks.

I sponged the rectangle while still in the Nestie die with the blue and green and then popped it up on a thin black frame. The flowers were made with a Martha Stewart punch and I used a small Woodware punch for the butterfly.

Other Supplies include:

Papermill Shop White Linen cardstock

SU Basic Black cardstock

Ribbon

Pearls

Spellbinders Nestabilities Rectangles

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Retro Snowman

2011-11-12T18:44:00.001-05:00

I had so much fun with this one for today's Inspiration Challenge at Splitcoaststampers - it was based on the website Sally Meekin's Ceramics and I chose a snowman teapot for my inspiration! Korin at Sweet and Sassy Stamps came out with some new digi's today and I fell in love with this Sketchy Snowman - to match the distressed look of the dp, I sponged all the edges with Ranger Distress ink. The snowflake and the snowman are both highlighted with Stickles but my photography doesn't seem to pick up sparkles! Be sure to check out the new digi's at Sweet and Sassy Stamps!

Other supplies include:

Basic Gray Indie Bloom dp

SU Real Red cardstock

ribbon

button

X-cut Nesting dies

Marianne Creatables snowflake die

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles

Martha Stewart lattice arch punch

Ranger Distress Frayed Burlap ink

Stickles

Snowflake Flourish

2011-11-09T17:15:00.001-05:00

I made this card for today's great sketch callenge at Splitcoaststampers. I've felt like my mojo is missing and my coloring is off recently, so thought I'd go for sponging - I used various Nestabilities for the three panels of the sketch, sponging them while still in the die. I cut the leaves off from a die-cut using Cheery Lynn Designs Fanciful Flourish, and added snowflakes instead. The snowflakes are highlighted with Stickles but it isn't showing up in my photo tonight! I was surprised at how quickly this card came together but just couldn't get a sentiment to fit in a place that pleased me!

Other supplies include:

SU Cool Caribbean ink

Papermill Shop White Linen cardstock

Spellbinders Nestabilities Petite Ovals, Small Rectangles, Small Squares

Pearls

Stickles

Marianne Creatables Snowflake die

Cheery Lynn Designs Fanciful Flourish die

Sweet n' Sassy Stamps 4th Birthday Blog Hop

2011-11-07T04:02:00.069-05:00

Hello and welcome to the SNSS Birthday Blog Hop! We're celebrating four wonderful years and we're so glad you joined us today! I've loved working with sweet and gifted Korin and the fabulous team of designers at Sweet n' Sassy Stamps plus getting to know many of the fans who love using SNSS images, sentiments and products!

36 fantastic design team members, both past and present, along with some special friends have put together our hop which will take place over three days, so there's plenty of time to stop and visit each blog. You have until 11:59 pm EST on November 9th to leave comments on as many blogs as you can. On Saturday, November 12th, Sweet n' Sassy Stamps will announce FOUR winners which will be chosen at random from comments on random stops along the hop. Each of the four winners will receive a prize pack including stamps, dies, paper and twine valued at $40! The more comments the better your chance of winning!

If you've been following along alread you should ahve come from the fantastic blog of Sandy Domelle.

If you're only starting here, you can head back to the SNSS blog and go from there so you don't miss any stops along the way!

Here's what I created for the hop today:

This was made using a brand new set just released last Thurday called God's Purpose. I wanted a somewhat CAS look so I left a lot of white space to go with the bright turquoise and red. The image is colored with copics and cut with Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles. It's popped up on a lacy oval cut with a Marianne Creatables die. I went for a simple "thinking of you" sentiment because as far as I'm concerned, you can never have too many cards with that simple but meaningful message! I used a white gel pen to add highlights to the red berries and a corner rounder for the bottom corners.

Other supplies include:

Buttons

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Echo Park dp

SU Real Red, Tempting Turquoise cardstock

Ribbon

Copics

And in honor of the birthday I'm going to share a card I made back in April while on Splitcoaststampers Dirty Dozen design team - these cards are exclusively for the inspiration of the SCS Fan Club, but because it's a very special occasion I'm making an exception and sharing one of my favorite cards ever using SNSS!

I layered the sentiment strip across the dp before cutting the circle with a Nestie and used Sweet n' Sassy Stamps Tulips Digital Stamp and the sentiment is from their Flower Sentiments digi set.

Other supplies used include:

MFT small scallops Die-namic

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles, Butterflies Two

Twine

Buttons

My Minds Eye, SU dp

Copics

Thank you so much

for joining the fun today! Your next stop on the blog is the very talented Ceal Pritchett, but just in case you should lose your way, here's a whole list of the bloggers celebrating:

Korin Sutherland
Holly McMillen
Taylor Usry

Sweet and Sassy Stamps Release Blog Hop

2011-11-03T05:00:00.108-04:00

Hello and welcome to the blog hop celebrating Sweet and Sassy Stamps wonderful November Releases! The Design Diva's and The Digi Team are hopping together today to show the fabulous clear stamps, digi's and dies being released. Don't forget to join us tonight at 8:00 pm EST on our member company forum at Splitcoaststampers for a great release party including full reveals of the sets, fun challenges and some fab prizes! Once you've visited all the blogs, stop back at the SNSS blog and leave a comment about which of the new sets is your favorite from all you've seen. There's a fabulous prize up for grabs - all of the November releases worth $130 - that's 6 stamp sets, 3 die sets, and 11 digi's! Tonight at the release party a random prize winner will be drawn and announced from the comments on the SNSS blog post - we'll see you there!

So grab a hot drink, get cozy and get ready to be inspired!

Here's a full list of bloggers participating today:

Kim Schofield

                                                     Sandy Domelle

                                                     Ceal Pritchett

                                                       Mary Faus

Janette Olen

                                                      Makiko Jones

                                                    Kim Singdahlsen

                                                       Jessica Fick

                                                   Stephanie Wright

                                                       Dina Kowal

                                                     Holly McMillen

                                                     Carol Longacre

                                                       Taylor Usry

Cathy McCauley

Margo Smith

Bridget Finlay

                                                       Harriet Skelly

                                                       Monika Davis

                                                    Korin Sutherland

                                                        SNSS Blog

If you're following along, you'll have arrived from Margo's blog.

Here's what I created for the hop today:

This set is called God's Purpose and includes two Scripture verses and three sentiments including the ever useful "Thinking of You". I colored the image with copics and added a touch of stickles on the upper side of the red berries. The doily is cut with Cheery Lynn Designs French Pastry doily die which you can find at Sweet and Sassy Stamps! The seam binding is from Stampin Up and the dp is from Kaisercraft and SU. Other supplies include button, string, Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles, and Memento Tuxedo Black ink.

This card was created with the fun set Cozy Friends which includes this cute penguin and a sweet polar bear image! It also has four holiday sentiments. I have to tell you this one was so fun to color! You could cut it out with your Spellbinders circles but I found it easy and quick to use scissors. You can find twine from The Twinery at Sweet and Sassy stamps. Other supplies include dp from Echo Park and My Minds Eye, buttons, Dizzy Doily Die-namic from My Favorite Things, Memento Tuxedo Black ink, and copics.

Thanks so much for stopping by, enjoy the hop, and your next stop is the very talented

Harriet Skelly!

Masked Mosaic

2011-11-01T13:04:00.000-04:00

Over at Splitcoaststampers it's Teapot Tuesday and the Color Challenge and this card is my attempt for both. The teaparty cards will go to a fellow SCS friend going through a difficult time, and we were asked to have a try at creating a mosaic - I masked a mosaic with post it notes, sponged with various inks, and then did my stamping. The little dots were done with a stamp from Rubber Stamp Tapestry. The color challenge colors were SU's Always Artichoke, More Mustard, and Bravo Burgundy, though I had to substitute with the green and gold I was lucky to have just the right buttons to match for the finishing touch.

Supplies include:

Versfine Onyx Black ink

SU Old Olive, Real Red, Bravo Burgundy

Ranger Distress Scattered Straw

Buttons

Stamps:

Stampendous

Rubber Stamp Tapestry

Wonderful Life

2011-10-30T19:25:00.000-04:00

I made this card for today's featured stamper challenge at SCS - Michelle (istamp31) had a lovely card with a sentiment and butterfly which inspired me. I stamped the sentiment twice, cut out the word "life", sponged with Shabby Shutters ink, then popped it up on the circle. I attached the twine on a small strip of black cardstock - it means I save on twine by not wrapping it around the card which is hard to do lengthwise on a tent fold anyway!

This sentiment is a good one for all of us who have perfectionist tendencies!

Other supplies include:

Verve Words of Wisdom

twine (The Twinery)

button

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles

Spellbinders Butterflies Two

Ranger Distress Shabby Shutters ink

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

black pearls

Golden Leaves

2011-10-27T06:51:00.002-04:00

I made this for the Ways to Use It challenge at Splitcoaststampers today - to use leaves. I sponged a square masked with post-it-notes using various inks and then embossed the leaves in gold - they're from a fabulous Sweet and Sassy Set called Autumn Leaves. The sentiment was stamped onto the card but I messed it up with a big splodge of ink so I had to redo and pop it up. In the end, it made it stand out more. I finished off by adding brushed gold brads and gold cord, which is a favorite of mine.

I was inspired by the wonderful gallery of Heather T at SCS who masks and sponges beautifully - you can see what I mean HERE.

Other supplies include:

Spellbinders Nestabilities Petite Ovals

SU Perfect Plum, Real Red, Blushing Bride, Orchid Opulence ink

Verve Kind Words sentiment

Be Still and Know

2011-10-25T14:49:00.001-04:00

I used one of the October Viva La Verve sketches for my card, this one is designed by Charmaine. I love this verse, it's one I'm trying more and more to put into practice. And for me, it takes practice - being still mentally or physically, doesn't come naturally! I'm also trying to practice knowing that He is God - by that I mean letting Him deal with circumstances and people around me and not feeling like I have to sort everyone and everything out! : )

I embossed the back panel and popped it up, then added rolled felt roses to the circle with the sentiment. I love how these roses turn out in any color, but cream is my favorite!

I cut up the flourish to add greenery and leaves, then finished off with pearls, and gold cord.

Other supplies include:

MFT rolled roses Die-namic

Cheery Lynn Designs Fanciful Flourish die

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles

gold cord

pearls

Versafine Black Onyx ink

Cupcake Thankyou

2011-10-24T18:33:00.002-04:00

I made this card based on a CAS sketch by Patricia (PHinVA) at Splitcoaststampers today. The cupcake was designed by my friend Dina Kowal and is available at her etsy shop along with a fun cupcake background.

I used post-it-notes to mask a strip and sponged with various inks. The cupcake icing is liberally covered with Stickles and extra glitter!

This card is going to a group of ladies at our church who organise fun nights for us and they call it "Cupcakes"! I've enjoyed the opportunity to get to know people better, relax and have fun. At our last get- together I sat beside a mother and daughter who really helped me as they shared the experiences of what their family had gone through - it encouraged me to keep praying about certain things with faith.

I thought it was time to let those ladies know I appreciate our Cupcake get-togethers!

Other supplies include:

Waltzingmouse Say It Loud sentiment stamps

SU Cool Caribbean, Orchid Opulence ink

Memento Angel Pink ink

Ranger Distress Shabby Shutters ink

Versafine Black Onyx ink

buttons

twine (The Twinery)

copics

Amazing Grace

2011-10-21T17:47:00.002-04:00

This is a card I made for Andrea Ewen's Get Your Diva On Verve challenge called Handmade Happiness - to use a handmade embellishment on our cards. I mde a flower from Spellbinders Nestabilities Peonies, sponging the edges with ink, and scrunching up the dp thoroughly! I stamped some music because this sentiment reminds me of the beautiful old hymn Amazing Grace. Grace, or God's goodness to me even when I don't deserve it, really is amazing to me!

I love Cheery Lynn Designs Fanciful Flourish, it's so much fun to snip and arrange on a card in various ways!

Other supplies include:

Ranger Distress Scattered Straw ink

SU Taken with Teal ink

SU buttons

My Minds Eye Six by Six Everyday Flair

Spellbinders Circles

October Afternoon music stamp

Sweet and Sassy Stamps and The Twinery Blog Hop

2011-10-19T05:38:00.008-04:00

Sweet and Sassy Stamps and The Twinery have teamed up for a blog hop with 24 fabulous stampers!

Anyone who knows me, knows I'm a twine fanatic, so I was delighted when Sweet and Sassy Stamps started selling a beautiful selection of twine from The Twinery - check out all the beautiful colors here!

If you're hopping along, you'll have arrived from Julie Ranae's blog. If you've just discovered the hop, you might want to start at the beginning so you don't miss out on a single blog! You'll find a complete list of bloggers there too!

Here's my card using two colors of twine - Charcoal and Blossom Pink. I just love mixing twine and using it liberally - my sister and I have a saying that applies - "If something's worth doing, it's worth over doing!" : )

I've used Sweet and Sassy Stamps beautiful silhouette from Wildflowers and the sentiment is from Poppies and Sayings.

I stamped the silhouette with Versafine's Black Onyx ink because it gives good strong color. The circles were cut with Spellbinders Nestabilities Small and Large sets and the doily with Cheery Lynn Designs English Pastry die which can now be found at Sweet and Sassy Stamps!

I colored the pearls with a copic to match the dp which is made by Craft Creations.

Your next stop on the hop is with the talented

Cathy McCauley

Here's the fabulous prize The Twinery has up for grabs today valued at $25 - The Ultimate Color Sampler Pack

And here's the prize Sweet and Sassy Stamps is offering - the wonderful Season of Change Stamp Set and Die Bundle valued at $28

For a chance to win these prizes you MUST comment on EACH blog in the hop.

Winners will be announced on Sunday, October 23 on both

The Twinery blog and Sweet and Sassy Stamps blog.

So good luck and thanks for joining us today for the hop!

Take Care

2011-10-13T12:48:00.000-04:00

There's a Hope You Can Cling To butterfly challenge and a pink challenge over at Splitcoastampers today so I combined both. This photo hasn't been doctored, the pink really is that bright!

I layered the butterflies, with black behind the pink for more definition and masked the card base with post-it-notes before sponging for a square. The sentiment is from Waltzingmouse, I love the combo of large bold lettering with a smaller sentiment. I'm asked to make "thinking of you" cards more than any other type - it's great that people are not only thinking about each other, but letting them know too!

The pearl button as a grayish hue so I colored the pearls with a light gray copic so that they'd match.

Other supplies include:

Cheery Lynn Designs large butterfly die

SU Melon Mambo ink

Versafine Onyx black ink

Post-it-notes

Hey Chick!

2011-10-10T12:31:00.001-04:00

I made this for Tammy's Hope You Can Cling To Challenge over at Splitcoaststampers called Bosom Buddies, it's all about friends! If you haven't checked out these challenges for a great cause you can find out all about them here. It's a fantastic opportunity to support ladies who are battling breast cancer, by joining in a card drive - the cards are being sent to UT MD Anderson Cancer Center for the encouragement of the patients and their families!

These little chicks are colored with copics and poped up - the sentiment was computer generated.

Other supplies include:

Stampendous Chick Family

Echo Park dp

SU Regal Rose cardstock

Mini buttons

Ribbon

Memento Angel Pink ink

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles large, small

Sweet Baby

2011-10-05T10:40:00.000-04:00

I made this for the sketch challenge at SCS and also for one of the Hope You Can Cling To Challenges - Victoria challenged us to use only paper on a card! If you haven't checked out these challenges which are on during the whole month of October you should hop over and see all the beautiful creations being made for the encouragment of those fighting breast cancer - and join in the fun for this cause!

It was hard not to reach for embellishments, bling, and ribbon or twine, but I managed - after all, that's why they're called challenges!

I used a black fine line marker to add a border to this sweet image from A Day for Daisies - I love the whimsical style of these digi's!

Here's a list of supplies:

My Favorite Things rolled rose, faux crochet Die-namics

A Day for Daisies Kiss for Sis digi

Papertrey Ink Tiny Tags Die and Stamps

Cheery Lynn Designs Fanciful Flourish

SU Melon Mambo Cardstock

SU, Memory Box dp

Black fine line marker

Copics

Above and Beyond

2011-10-03T06:40:00.001-04:00

I used the CAS sketch at Splitcoaststampers for my birthday card to my Dad - I think I can post it here, safe in the knowledge that he won't be browsing craft blogs on the web! I cut some hills from scrap dp, sponging the edges for definition and sponged some clouds using a diecut (Papertrey Ink) as a mask. The sentiment was computer generated to go with Papertrey Ink's Everyday Button Bits hot air balloon images.

It was a fun card to make and thankfully I can say I mean every word of the sentiment about my dear Dad!

Other Supplies include:

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

SU Cool Caribbean Ink

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles

DCWV, SU dp

Twine (The Twinery)

October Afternoon buttons

Bless Your Heart

2011-09-30T11:47:00.002-04:00

Today's free for all challenge at Splitcoaststampers is to use color blocking. I used Sweet and Sassy Stamps Serene Silhouettes to pick up the brown in the DCWV dp . I sponged the Nestie circle while still in the die and then cut a circle mask from a post it note to mask the circle edge - I found that if I stamped the silhouette while still in the Nestie, I didn't get a good sharp edge. I had no light coral ink but Versamagic Pink Dust seemed to be along the same hues and did the job. The sentiments are from Sweet and Sassy Stamps Blessings and Thanks - what a versatile set, I can see I'll be reaching for that one time and time again!

Other supplies include:

DCWV Garden Party Matt Stack

Ribbon,

Butterfly Punch

Mini button

Lace

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles, large, small

Versamagic Pink Dust Ink

SU Early Espresso dp

Papertrey Ink Tiny Tags die

SU Soft Suede ink

Lacey Butterfly

2011-09-21T12:16:00.001-04:00

I used today's sketch at Splitcoaststampers for my card today, along with the colors in the Sweet and Sassy Stamps Inspiration challenge this week. This sentiment from Sweet and Sassy Stamps Everyday Miracles set is meaningful today since I just got some news which means there'll be some changes ahead - who likes adjusting to change - not me!!!

And speaking of change - our day here started out with lashing rain and dark, gray skies, but right now I can see some clear blue sky and it's brightened up quite a bit - sometimes change is GOOD!

Other Supplies

Cheery Lynn Designs butterfly die

Versafine Vintage Sepia

Cream Linen cardstock (The Papermill Shop)

Swiss dots embossing folder

Flower (Wild Orchid Crafts)

Leafy Wall

2011-09-19T09:47:00.003-04:00

Today's CAS challenge at Splitcoaststampers was to use leaves. My card is inspired by the front door of my friends home in South Belfast. Maureen lives on a beautiful hill overlooking the city - it's idyllic with donkeys in the stable and little rabbits running all over the garden and yard! The wall around their front door is covered with these leaves which are a brilliant shade of red and orange at this time of year. Maureen is special to a lot of us as for years she's opened her home for a Bible study where we've shared many learning and praying moments!

I used a set from Sweet and Sassy Stamps called Autumn Leaves, sponging the leaves with various inks, cutting them out and then going around the edges with a copic for extra definition.

I also sponged over the embossing. The sentiment is from a lovely set by Verve called Here for You.

Other supplies include:

Cream Textured Linen cardstock (Papermill Shop)

Ranger Distress Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap, Scattered Straw, Barn Door ink

SU Real Red ink

Clean and Simple Christmas

2011-09-18T11:15:00.002-04:00

Another card with the beautiful new Christmas Light set from Sweet and Sassy Stamps - this time I tried to keep it clean and simple, following a layout from Linda (morningsun47) who is the Featured Stamper today at Splitcoaststampers. This set has sentiments in such beautiful fonts. I cut my candle with scissors but you should definitely check out the fabulous Christmas Light candle die to go along with this set! There's an even better price when you buy the two together as a bundle.

My card also followed challenge guidelines for three challenges from the Sweet and Sassy Stamps Release party on Friday - to make a holiday card, a card with punched edges, and a card with the recipe of 2 dp's, a sentiment, twine, and three round items.

The twine I've used here is from a local butcher's shop - I asked for a few metre's but the guy was kind enough to bring out the remainder of a whole roll for me! It's thick and has a creamy hue. The down side is that it makes a pretty big lump inside the envelope for mailing!

Other supplies include:

Copics

Buttons

SU Lucky Limeade, Real Red cardstock

MFT large scallops Die-namic

DCWV, October Afternoon dp

Christmas Light Sweet Peek

2011-09-15T12:00:00.027-04:00

Today's card is a sweet peek of two sets from Sweet and Sassy Stamps being released today - Christmas Light, the beautiful candle image, and Light of Christmas, a background stamp. This fabulous candle set is close to my heart as it's designed by the talented Dina Kowal, who's become a good friend since we joined Splitcoaststampers Dirty Dozen together 6 months ago!

Christmas Light has 3 beautiful sentiments.

The background stamp image has a lovely cursive script with small lettering.

I stamped the image several times so that I could pop up various parts of it and then distressed the edges with Frayed Burlap Ranger Distress ink.

The Kaisercraft dp is flocked and after adhering to the card base, I distressed those edges as well.

Other supplies include:

Versafine Vintage Sepia (bg text and sentiment)

Champagne pearls

Ribbon

Kaisercraft Gypsy Sisters dp

Copics

Marigolds

2011-09-14T07:30:00.000-04:00

I created this card for the sketch challenge and the Bible Verse challenge at Splitcoaststampers. I've fallen in love with this color combo and will probably use it until my Stella and Rose Hazel dp pad runs out! I love this Bible verse which reminds me that in the middle of some changes, and some hard times, that God NEVER changes, His character remains good, and His love endures forever, for me personally.

I love the Arielle's flower images at Wax Fruit Company - marigolds were never my favorite flower but now that I'm into orange, I think they're growing on me!

Other supplies include:

Wax Fruit Company Marigolds digi

Verve Plain Jane I Chronicles 16:34

My Minds Eye Stelland Rose Hazel dp

SU Taken with Teal cardstock

Ribbon

Button

Champagne Roses

2011-09-12T14:25:00.000-04:00

This is my card for today's CAS sketch challenge at Splitcoaststampers. Recently I placed an order at Wild Orchid Crafts for some mulberry flowers and couldn't resist some of this organza rose trim. One of the reasons I like it is because of it's "squish" value - lots of volume, but it can be squished for mailing without any damage! It matched perfectly my champagne pearls and this Kaisercraft Gypsy Sisters dp. I can't speak highly enough of Paul and Siri at Wild Orchid Crafts - they e-mailed to say there might be a delay in filling orders due to a very busy period, but when I e-mailed to say I'd love to have them in time for some design commitments on-line, they got them right out to me - wonderful personal service!

I stamped the Verve sentiment in brown though it looks black, using Versafine Vintage Sepia. It was a quick easy card, just what I needed today!

Rhubarb's Christmas Sweet Peek

2011-09-10T12:00:00.043-04:00

Here's a peek of one of the cute images from a new set being released at Sweet and Sassy Stamps called Rhubarb's Christmas! The set has three sweet images - Rhubarb with a Christmas gift, Rhubarb holding a candy cane and Rhubarb cuddling a gingerbread man! It also includes four beautiful sentiments.

It's just one of a number of fabulous new sets being released in September, and if your order of clear stamps is over $50 you'll receive this fun set called Beary Christmas for free!

Other supplies include:

Papertrey Ink Banner Builder Collection dies

My Minds Eye Stella and Rose Hazel dp

Echo Park Happy Days dp

SU Real Red and Taken with Teal cardstock

buttons

heart punch

white gel pen

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles

twine

ribbon

Fall Fun Blog Hop

2011-09-05T08:15:00.007-04:00

Hello and welcome to the Fall Fun Blog Hop! A group of online buddies decided the holiday weekend in the US would be a GREAT time to get inky together, and so we've put together a fall themed blog hop to inspire you as the autumn approaches. As you meet our stampy bloggers today, you may discover that some have goodies for you, so be sure and visit everyone on the list. We have hoppers from all over the globe today, and they are amazing artists.

Hope you're having a great holiday Monday so far - here in Northern Ireland it's just a regular school/work day - but don't feel too sorry for us, last Monday was a holiday here! On this gorgeous island it's still beautifully green, but yesterday on the way to church I saw just a few leaves starting to turn orange and yellow.

For my fall card I reached for My Minds Eye Stella and Rose Mabel dp - it includes a great combo of aqua/teal and orange which I'm very into recently. My leaves are from Sweet and Sassy Stamps Autumn Leaves set, they're colored with copics and popped up. I used a Verve Sweet Scallop tag and Plain Jane sentiment verse - though I don't know yet exactly who I'll send this too, I know this truth about God has the potential to bring so much encouragement and comfort to someone who is feeling really low.

I finished off the card with lots of ribbon (what?? no twine??!!) and several flourishes cut with a Cheery Lynn Designs Fanciful Flourish.

Thanks so much for visiting!

After this head on over to see the fabulous creation Alison Habetler has come up with for today and don't miss out on any of the fun from these bloggers:

Lydia Fiedler
Libby Hickson
Kim Williams
Michelle Single
Lee Murphy
Sara Henton
Yapha Mason
Lisa Adametz
Jimmi Mayo
Jeanne Streiff
Bev Gerard
Shannon
Dana Keith
Joan Ervin
Maren Benedict
Teresa Kline Hannah Clark
Dina Kowal
Wanda Cullen
Korin Sutherland
Taylor Usry
Monika Davis
Harriet Skelly
Kim Schofield
Cathy McCauley
Mary Marsh
Julia Aston
Bridget Finlay
Alison Habetler
Leslie Hanna
Sue Farrant
Michelle Hanway
Misti Oblander
Judy Rozema
Jenna Barber
Tammy Hershberger
Eva Dobilas
Kerri Michaud
Cheryl Navarrete
Neva McMullen
Marianne
Samantha
Cindy Wallach

Orange Rose Blossom

2011-08-31T05:43:00.005-04:00

My card today combines the Splitcoaststampers Sketch Challenge and Sweet and Sassy Stamps Inspiration Challenge this week - I went with the colors of the inspiration photo, in aqua, orange and green, and thanks to My Minds Eye Stella and Rose Mabel dp, it wasn't too hard! One of my favorite things to do is match up dp's and try to combine patterns - small patterns seem to work best for this - dots, stripes, checks, etc. and of course, pads of paper which come already coordinated make this so easy! I've discovered that 6 x 6 pads are much more useful for cardmaking than 12 x12 pads because when the pattern is too large, it tends to be lost on the front of a card. I rarely buy a 12 x 12 anymore, but if I go for it due to irresistable colors and patterns, I usually end up giving the very large patterned paper to friends who scrapbook!

The popped up flower is from Sweet and Sassy Stamps Rose Blossom and the sentiment is from their Your Friendship set. All edges have been distressed with ink.

Other supplies include:

Buttons

Twine

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

SU Pool Party, Pumpkin Pie ink

First Day Hello

2011-08-26T12:23:00.000-04:00

I made this for My Favorite Things sketch challenge 34 and the Free For All challenge at Splitcoaststampers to use something stacked on your card - I stacked four layers of daisies. This is for a little girl to give to her teacher on the first day of school. I always loved starting school with all the new books, pencils, paper and other school supplies! My passion for paper goods probably started right there!

The red gingham ribbon is colored with Y21 copic ink so that it would match the distressing of the rest of the card. The little dress is paper pieced.

Other supplies include:

My Favorite Things Pure Innocence Apple for You, Say What

Buttons

Marianne Creatables flower die

Martha Stewart leaf punch

October Afternoon dp

SU Real Red, Yoyo Yellow cardstock

Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels Four

Hot Pink Dress

2011-08-22T10:51:00.001-04:00

Today's clean and simple challenge at Splitcoaststampers was to be inspired by the word "hot" - so since I'd just got this fab digi from A Day for Daisies, a "hot pink" dress it was!! The dress was fun to color with all those folds and gathers, trying to keep areas that would be shadowed darker, and the other areas lighter.

The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink's Signature Greetings.

The gems have been colored with a copic to match.

Other supplies include:

Gingham ribbon

Martha Stewart arch lattice edge punch

Spellbinders Circles Large, Small

Versafine Black Onyx ink

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Stampin Up Melon Mambo, Whisper White, Basic Black cardstock

Butterfly for Korin

2011-08-21T11:00:00.003-04:00

Today's Featured Stamper at Splitcoaststampers is Korin, owner and talented stamp designer and card maker from Sweet and Sassy Stamps - I based my card on a beautiful CAS card Korin had done. I embossed the background at the top and the bottom, leaving a blank space for stamping the sentiment which comes from Sweet and Sassy's Everyday Miracles set. The butterfly is cut and embossed and glittered. After that it was just a matter of arranging pearls and flourishes.

Other supplies include:

Craft Concepts embossing folder

Versafine Black Onyx ink

Stampin Up's Dazzling Diamonds

Autumn Leaves

2011-08-18T10:29:00.002-04:00

I'm not sure if I want summer to last longer or I'm looking forward to fall, but either way, it's coming, and here's one of my first autumn cards using Sweet and Sassy Stamps newly released Autumn Leaves! They're easy to color and cut out, and I've popped them up on a sponged rectangle with the sentiment. This sentiment could be used for almost any occasion, and the set includes one more celebrating the beauty of autumn.

Other supplies include:

Spellbinders Nestabilities Rectangles, Scalloped Rectangles

Twine

Buttons

Copics

Versamagic Sea Breeze ink

Memento Rich Cocoa

Praying for You

2011-08-17T08:07:00.000-04:00

By far, "praying for you" cards are the ones I'm asked to make most often - lets hope that means that a lot of prayer is happening!! I love the sentiments from Verve's Circular Sayings as they fit so well into a circle or oval with room for gems or brads. I popped up the lily on embossed panels using a layout from today's sketch challenge at Splitcoaststampers. The lily petals are curled outwards for dimension though it's hard to tell in the photo.

Others supplies include:

SU Basic Black, Whisper White

Ribbon

Brads

Spellbinders Ovals

Copics

Blushing Blossoms

2011-08-16T12:16:00.000-04:00

This is for two challenges over at Splitcoaststampers today, one being the sketch for Sweet and Sassy Stamps Release Party and the other being today's color challenge. Sweet and Sassy Stamps not only celebrated their autumn releases but also becoming a member company with Splitcoaststampers!

I masked these flowers and sponged around them with ink, then colored the flowers with copics - alas, my R20 was dry, so I couldn't do much shading on them, time to order an ink refill, can't do without R20 for shading reds anyway!

Other supplies include:

Sweet and Sassy Stamps Your Friendship

SU Almost Amythest, Blushing Bride ink

My Favorite Things double scallop Die-namic

SU seam binding

DCWV Nana's Nursery dp

Pearls

Buttons

Blessing Blossom

2011-08-13T04:28:00.002-04:00

Normally I give 12 x 12 sheets of dp with very large patterns to someone who does scrapbooking but I decided to let the large glittery flowers on this K& Co Sweet Nectar dp be the focal point here. I used a sentiment from Sweet and Sassy Stamps Your Friendship set and lightly brushed SU's Melon Mambo ink over their corduroy buttons for embellishments. It's a gray overcast day here, so the bright yellow may be all the sunshine I'm going to get today!

Other supplies include:

Hero Arts polka dot large bg stamp

Twine

Spellbinders Nestabilities Ovals

SU Melon Mambo, Certainly Celery cardstock

SU Daffodil Delight ink

Sweet Peek - Flowers in Bloom

2011-08-11T12:00:00.018-04:00

It's another Sweet Peek from Sweet and Sassy Stamps called Flowers in Bloom! This lovely flower and butterfly image comes along with three beautiful sentiments about flowers and one that says "you bring great joy to my life!" This is one of the beautiful sets to be released in August and be sure to look out for exciting news to be announced August 15th!

I found these flowers so easy to color - the image was stamped on ivory dp and colored with copics.

Other supplies include:

Stampin Up dp

Twine

Pearls

Mini buttons

MFT faux crochet Die-namic

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Sweet Peek - Autumn Leaves

2011-08-08T12:00:00.020-04:00

I'm excited to show you today a Sweet Peek of a new Sweet and Sassy Stamps set to be realeased in August called Autumn Leaves! There's lots going on at Sweet and Sassy Stamps during this month, and you won't want to miss their exciting news on August 15th!

This set has four different leaves and two sentiments celebrating the beauty of fall! I colored the leaves with copics to match the Basic Grey Indian Summer dp and popped them up using different layers. It was fun using a color combo which included deep pink along with the traditonal autumn color palette of golds, reds, and browns.

Other supplies include:

DCWV Nana's Nursery dp

My Favorite Things double scallop Die-namic

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles, Lacey Circles

Champagne Pearls

Twine

Ranger Distress Ink Scattered Straw

Memento Rich Cocoa Ink

Lets Pick Apples!

2011-08-05T01:13:00.002-04:00

As soon as I saw this cute digi from Sweet and Sassy Stamps called Rhubarb's Picking Apples, I thought about pairing with an old favorite, red gingham! I'm such a sucker for red gingham, I guess it's a case of "any excuse"! I sponged a sky with a cloud cut using Papertrey Ink's cloud die and Versamagic Seabreeze ink. I also popped up a little strip of polka dot grass using the My Favorite Things grass Die-namic.

I just love the cute bear sentiments that Korin has designed to go with the Rhubarb images!

A Bible verse which I'd also love to use with this Rhubarb is one from the Psalms about the protection and love God has for us as His children:

"Keep me as the apple of your eye, hide me in the shadow of your wings."

Psalm 17:8

Other supplies include:

My Minds Eye, DCWV Guystack, October Afternoon Thriftshop dp

Twine

Giant Button,

Copics

Spellbinders Circles, Scalloped Circles, Squares, Scalloped Squares

Stampin Up Old Olive, Real Red cardstock

Cuppa Joe

2011-08-03T17:30:00.003-04:00

I used todays sketch challenge at Splitcoaststampers with a fun Rhubarb digi from Sweet and Sassy Stamps called Rhubarbs Cuppa Joe - I'm feeling a bit low on energy and mojo today and this card put me in the mood for a cup of coffee - heading straight for the kitchen after this!

Other supplies include:

Spellbinders Circles, Lacey Circles

My Favorite Things faux crochet Die-namic

Echo Park Life is Good dp

Stampin Up Regal Rose, Early Esspresso, Whisper White cardstock

Button

Gingham ribbon

Fuzzy Bear Hugs

2011-07-27T02:31:00.004-04:00

I used today's sketch challenge at Splitcoaststampers to make a card with this cute Sweet and Sassy Stamps image called Rhubarb's Pie. I love working with these bright shades of yellow, red and green, they're such happy colors! There are all kinds of fun Rhubarb images to choose from with more being created this month by owner Korin Sutherland!

Other supplies include:

Spellbinders Ovals Petite Large, Small

Circles Large, Small

The Twinery twine (Sweet and Sassy)

Buttons

K & Co. Sweet Nectar dp

Stampin Up Real Red cardstock

The Bees Knees

2011-07-24T04:40:00.002-04:00

Today's Featured Stamper at Splitcoaststampers is Jennie (mocjen) and I based my card on a sweet CAS bee card in her fabulous gallery. As soon as I saw it I thought of this little Rhubarb Honey Bee digi at Sweet and Sassy Stamps which I'd been wanting to try. I had fun coloring this little bear and working with the color combo of black, white and yellow. I couldn't help wishing I had those little bee buttons which are sitting in my stash at home - I was thinking a little dashed line bee flight path would have been fun to do!

Supplies include:

Twine - available from Sweet and Sassy Stamps

Spellbinders Circles Large, Small

Brads

Flower

Memory Box dp

Stampin Up cardstock

Felt Roses

2011-07-22T21:27:00.000-04:00

My card today is based on a layout from a beautiful CAS card by Julia Aston (artystamper), who is Queen for the Day over at Splitcoaststampers. I used some DCWV and Stampin up dp and added a Fanciful Flourish diecut using a Cheery Lynn Designs die. The felt roses are cut using My Favorite Things rolled rose Die-namic. I've used both these dies over and over again and love them. The sentiment is from Verve. This card is going to my sister in Minnesota - I recently got to spend a week there with her and we had a wonderful time - she is a real joy to me, and due to many thousands of miles between us, we don't get to spend enough time together!

Thankful for You

2011-07-20T15:51:00.005-04:00

Today's sketch challenge at SCS gave me the chance to use Sweet and Sassy Stamps wonderful set Your Friendship again! I popped up two of the three flowers in the set with punched leaves and added some SU buttons as flower centers. The sentiment is one of seven in the set celebrating friendship, ideal for thanking those in our lives who have been a blessing to us! The dp is from Stampin Up and the twine is from The Twinery, available also at Sweet and Sassy Stamps.

I'm posting my cards this month from my parents home in Glennallen, Alaska - having a wonderful time visiting my family here and also spending time creating with my Mom in her well stocked craft room! The view from my parents deck and living room is beautiful, overlooking the forest with mountains in the distance, so we're not spending all our time in the craft room!

Rhubarb Thanks

2011-07-13T16:03:00.003-04:00

Today's sketch challenge at SCS gave me a change to try out a cute new character over at Sweet and Sassy Stamps named Rhubarb! He's colored with copics and popped up on a sponged Nesties circle. I used SU's Ballet Blue for the sponging and Real Red for the Verve sentiment. The dp is My Minds Eye First Day of School. The twine is by The Twinery and can be found in a great selection of colors at Sweet and Sassy Stamps!

Everyday Miracles Butterfly

2011-07-07T04:24:00.002-04:00

I love the butterfly from this set from Sweet and Sassy Stamps called Everyday Miracles - it's so easy to color, cut out and pop up and looks wonderfully life like. I sponged the edges of the Spellbinders Circle with Ranger Distress Scattered Straw and popped it up on a Lacey Circle cut from Stampin Up's Pacific Point. The doily was cut from SU's Melon Mambo using the English Tea Party die from Cheery Lynn Designs. The dp and buttons are also from SU. The leafy flourish is from Cheery Lynn Designs (Fanciful Flourish).

Sweet Peek - Reading Bethany

2011-06-29T12:00:00.000-04:00

Maybe because I was a little girl with her nose always in a book, this sweet image really appeals to me! Now I'm a big girl with my nose in a book when I have the time! This is a Sweet Peek of a darling stamp being released on July 1st at Sweet and Sassy Stamps called Reading Bethany.

I colored Bethany with copics and created a sky with a cloud cut using a Papertrey Ink cloud die and SU's Cool Caribbean ink. The book was cut using Spellbinders Labels Seven and I computer generated the text bg similar to some October Afternoon paper I had at one stage and really loved. The sentiment is also computer generated based on what some of my friends and I often say about one another! All edges were distressed with Ranger Distress Antique Linen.

Sweet Peek - Your Friendship

2011-06-28T12:00:00.039-04:00

I fell in love with these flowers when I first saw this brand new set being release by Sweet and Sassy Stamps on July 1st called Your Friendship. This fabulous set includes seven wonderful sentiments about friendship along with three flowers in different sizes plus leaves. I can think of so many possibilities with this set and I know I'll use it over and over again! I colored the flowers with copics and popped them up in layers adding button centers. I added a border with a black fine line marker and twine to the main panel after framing in black. The gingham dp is from Stampin Up. You can find a whole array of twine in beautiful colors at Sweet and Sassy Stamps.

Lacey Rose

2011-06-21T14:32:00.000-04:00

I made this card for today's color challenge at SCS including Stampin Up's Night of Navy, Crumb Cake (kraft) and Cherry Cobbler. I started out intending to make a CAS card - I'm packing to go and visit my family in Minnesota and Alaska and will be gone for five weeks and there's plenty to do, so simple seemed like a good idea! Then I decided to add lace and one thing led to another! This beautiful flower is from a set called Rose Blossom at Sweet and Sassy Stamps. I colored the rose with copics and popped it up on circles cut with Spellbinders Nestabilities - the top circle is sponged with Ranger Distress Antique Linen. This Rose Blossom set includes four beautiful sentiments about friendship and roses!