White Wedding

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

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

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!

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

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

Korin Sutherland 

Bridget Finlay 

Kim Singdahlsen 

Harriet Skelly 

Jessica Fick 

Kim O'Connell
Sandy Domelle

Monika Davis  

Carol Longacre
Ceal Pritchett

Kim Schofield 

Mary Faus 

Stephanie Wright

Holly McMillen 

Stephanie Serrano

Cathy McCauley  

Makiko Jones

Dina Kowal 

Taylor Usry 

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

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

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

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

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

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