Retro Note Card

Hi there, here's a card I made for the Paper Smooches Sparks Challenge this week - it's a Picture Perfect Challenge based on this photo:

 

The style of this card is a little bit different for me, but the photo has geometric shapes, clean lines and shouted "60's retro" to me, so this is how I interpreted the look!
I added some staples and a paperclip for the metal touches.
I used Lifestyle Crafts Inverted Square Nesting dies for the shape of the card and also for the little die-cut inverted squares on the main panel. 
The sentiment is from Paper Smooches Sentiment Sampler, a super useful set, it covers nearly every occasion!

Supplies include:

Paper Smooches Sentiment Sampler

Lifestyle Crafts Inverted Squares Nesting dies

Staples

Buttons

SU dp

Paper clip

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles
SU Basic Gray ink

Anchor for the Soul

Hello and Happy Sunday!  Hope you're having a good weekend. 

Here's a card I made for the Featured Stamp challenge at Splitcoaststampers honouring Bonnie, aka bon2stamp - and HERE is Bonnie's card which inspired me.

The ship and vintage map background were stamped and sent to me by lovely friend in Virginia, Roberta. 

I sponged the background and then spritzed it with acrylic paint, both teal and black, before stitching it down to the black framing.

The sentiment is computer generated using Latienne Becker font - because the cloud dies are solid it was hard to get the sentiment centered - I lay the die over the printed sentiment and penciled around it to see where it would cut, then adjusted it, then taped it to the cardstock for the final cut - viola!   The clouds have been lightly sponged.

I'm finding it hard to make a card without using teal these days, and it seemed right for an ocean theme!

I love this verse from Hebrews - the hope referred to is based on two things, as seen in the surrounding verses: it's impossible for God to lie and He promised to bless us through Jesus, who made it possible for us to be right with God!  Yay!  I will be saving this card to send to just the right person who might be going through a time when they need reassured of that anchor!

Nothing like the storms of life to put us in need of firm security.

Supplies include:

SU stamps

SU Cool Caribbean, Pool Party ink

Ranger Distress Broken China

Twine

Sewing machine

Charm

Acrylic paint

Spellbinders Nestabilities Ovals Petite Large

Papertrey Ink cloud dies

Valentine Smooooches!

 

I had a ball making this fun valentine!  It's for the Paper Smooches Sparks Challenge which is a Cool Shades Color Challenge using these beautiful colors:

 

 

 

The cute cow and sentiment are from Paper Smooches Chubby Chums set, and I used a number of MFT Die-namics plus Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Hearts dies. 

Supplies include:

Paper Smooches Chubby Chums

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Hearts Dies

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles Small, Large

My Favorite Things By the Letter Die-namics

My Favorite Things Fishtail Flags STAX Die-namics

My Favorite Things Mini Tab Die-namics

Simple Stories Sn@p Color Vibe dp

Stampin Up Basic Gray, Melon Mambo card stock

Button

Twine (The Twinery)

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

 

Birthday for a Cherished Friend

Here's a card I made for one of my oldest and dearest friends (well, not oldest by age, but you know what I mean!)
I've used a new favorite set, Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Long Stem Silhouettes and a fun sketch that Janette gave us for today's Sketch Challenge at Splitcoaststampers!

I first cut the circles with a Spellbinders Nestabilities Circle, then sponged them with ink. I then stamped the image in Memento Tuxedo Black ink once, and once or twice again with Ranger Distress Broken China blue ink as a sort of shadow.

I thinned down some black acrylic paint on a small plate and used an old toothbrush to "spritz" the ink across the images. If you're going to try this, I suggest you give it an experimental spritz across a piece of scrap paper to see what kind of coverage your particular toothbrush gives! I discovered that ones that are too firm or stiff don't work just as well. 
I also sometimes use a small spray bottle for my spritzing as it gives more random, uneven coverage which I prefer on larger areas.

The circles are popped up on an embossed bg. This set has a number of different phrases which can be mixed and matched, and these two phrases were simply perfert for this occasion. 
Thank the Lord for the cherished friends He brings into our lives!

Thanks so much for stopping by today and have a wonderful Wednesday!

Supplies include:

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Long Stem Silhouettes

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles

Spellbinders M-bossibilities So Trendy embossing folder

SU Basic Black card stock

Bazzill card stock

SU Cool Caribbean ink

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Ranger Distress Broken China ink

Woodware mini butterfly punch

Dew drops (clear)

Woo Hoo!

 

Here's my card for Paper Smooches Sparks January Designer Draft Challenge. 

This is the fun and versatile sketch we were given.

 

 

 

 

I used a sweet owl from Paper Smooches Chubby Chums set. 

I love this fun way of sending "congratulations" to someone! 

All panels have been stitched and the owl was colored with copics. 

I used MFT Die-namics for the flower, speech bubble, and banner.

Supplies include:

Paper Smooches Chubby Chums

MFT Say What Die-namics

MFT Flower Trio Die-namics

MFT Fishtail Flags STAX Die-namics

Cheery Lynn Designs Fanciful Flourish die (leaves)

Pebbles Seen and Noted dp

Twine

Button

Sewing machine

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Copics

Baby Stars

 

Today's Featured Stamper at Splitcoaststampers is Angela, aka monkeymama - I chose THIS fab card to CASE because I'm a sucker for stars, especially on baby cards!  I tweaked the layout slightly, adding stitching on popped up panels.  Love the Pebbles Seen and Noted dp and the MFT Die-namics used to make this card: Baby Onesie, Fishtail Flags STAX (how did I survive before I got those!?), and Stacking Stars. 

Sometimes people ask how I  tie bows with twine.  I always do the wrapping of a panel with strands of twine separately from the bow - it allows me to glue down the bow at exactly the angle that I'm looking for.  And because it adheres quickly, I use a glue gun to attach the twine and the twine bow.
I use a Bow - Easy for making a multi-looped bow (and also most of my bows.) 
It allows you to wrap the twine around a number of times for a mult-looped bow without having a HUGE knot in the middle.

 

I've used one of these for about the past five years and love it, and it's not very expensive for a product that lasts forever.
They're available at a number of places in the U.S., I know Gina K. Designs carries them.
I bought mine here in the U.K. at Quixotic Paperie.

Supplies include:

My Favorite Things Big Greetings (sentiment)

My Favorite Things Baby Onesie Die-namics

My Favorite Things Fishtail Flags Die-namics

My Favorite Things Stacking Stars Die-namics

Color Box Pigment Brush Pad Turquoise

Twine

Buttons

Sewing Machine

Oatmeal ribbed cardstock

Pebbles Seen and Noted dp

Bella Bouquet

 

I used a Christmas gift certificate to get a new Memory Box die called Bella Bouquet - there's a nice embossed effect on each of the flowers and it's much larger than I expected it to be!  I used a simple plaid embossed background and added some tiny plaid ribbon to play along with that pattern.  The sentiment is from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Script Sentiments and it's cut with MFT's Fishtail Flags STAX Die-namics.  Clean and simple always seems the safest way to go on sympathy cards....don't you wish we never had to make them?

Supplies include:

Memory Box Bella Bouquet die

Sizzix Plaid embossing folder

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Script Sentiments

MFT Fishtail Flags STAX Die-namics

Stampin Up Tempting Turquoise, Lucky Limeade card stock

Pearls

Ribbon

Vintage Chalkboard

 

This week's Paper Smooches Sparks challenge is a Trend Watch inspired by the photo below and it's all about VINTAGE!
 I LOVE making retro cards! 
It's also for the Anything Goes Challenge at My Mum's Craft Shop blog - you can find the Paper Smooches and My Favorite Things products on their fab website store!

 

 I don't have any PS images based on telephones but thought the recently popular chalkboard technique would fit the bill, and I was inspired by the vintage, red and black color combo.

I used a sentiment from Paper Smooches Sentiment Sampler - what a super useful combination of sentiments, it really covers ALL occasions!

I also picked up on the text in the photo with some of my favourite October Afternoon dp.  Though I've been hoarding that stuff, it's beginning to dwindle down to a small square! 

I sponged the edges to add to the vintage look and then added a Framing Flourish cut using MFT's Framing Flourish Die-namics. 

The sentiment is embossed on black paper with some embossing ink smudged for the "chalkboard effect".  
The two little flourishes on the top and bottom are from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Decorative Frame Toppers.

 Hopefully the brushed pewter brads add to the vintage theme!

 

 

Supplies include:

Paper Smooches Sentiment Sampler

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Decorative Frame Toppers

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Stars Dies

MFT Framing Flourishes Die-namics

October Afternoon dp

Stampin Up Real Red, Basic Black card stock

Brads

White embossing ink, powder

Ranger Distress Antique Linen ink

Cute Critters Mini Blog Hop

 

Hello, and welcome to our final day of Mini Blog Hops showcasing the January Release sets from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps!  Today's we're highlighting the fun set Cute Critters - with all these cute little animals and the variety of different sentiments, this set covers a bunch of occasions!

I covered the card base with some alphabet dp. 
The little bunny is colored with copics and popped up on a tag, and the tag is popped on a doily.

Supplies include:

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Cute Critters

My Favorite Things Dizzy Doily Die-namic

Verve Sweet Scallops Tag die

Ribbon

Twine

Button

 

Check out what the other Design Diva's have created below and don't forget to comment so you can be in with a chance to win this cute set. 

The deadline for commenting is Wed., Jan. 9th, and the winners will be announced on the website homepage on Thurs., Jan. 10th! 

Good luck and thanks so much for stopping by today and for joining us on the mini blog hops!

Bottom of my Heart Mini Blog Hop

Welome to Day 4 of our Mini Blog Hops celebrating the new January Release sets by Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps and today we're showcasing the fab set Bottom of my Heart - and the best part is there are coordinating dies to match!

 

I kept this one clean and simple, stamping one of the hearts multiple times to make the top panel - I found using a ruler and a pencil to lightly sketch a grid first helped me stamp them all evenly.

The red panel is dry embossed and I used the dies to cut a small red heart which is popped up.

The possibilities with this set and the matching dies are endless, and certainly not just for Valentines Day!  I for one, am thankful from the bottom of my heart, for many things and many people, all year around!!

Supplies include:

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Bottom of My Heart

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Heart Dies

Sizzix embossing folder

Stampin Up Basic Black, Real Red cardstock

Pearl

Twine

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

 

Thanks for stopping by today and don't forget to comment - one lucky commenter will be in with a chance to win this fab set.  The deadline for commenting is Wednesday, Jan. 9th and the winners will be announced on the website homepage on Thursday, Jan. 10th!  Good luck!

Cocoa's Heart Mini Blog Hop

Hi, and welcome to day three of our Mini Bog Hops celebrating the January Releases at Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps - today we're showcasing the sweet set Cocoa's Heart. 

 I colored the image with copics and popped it up on a dp stitched bg - it was so easy to cut out and fun to color!  I added a little banner sentiment which is pretty flexible, it could be for many occasions, not just Valentines Day! 

Supplies include:

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Cocoa's Heart

Papermania Kraft cardbase

Copics

Sewing machine

Jute twine

October Afternoon button

My Favorite Things Fishtail Flags STAX Die-namics

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

 

Don't forget to check out what the other Design Diva's  have created with Cocoa and if you comment, you're in with a chance to win this cute set!  You have until midnight, Wednesday, January 9th to comment and the winners will be announced on the website homepage Thursday, January 10th.  Good luck!

Long Stem Silhouettes Mini Hop

 

Hi, and welcome to our second mini blog hop highlighting the new Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps sets - this time we're showcasing Long Stem Silhouettes and I can't tell you how much I love this set!
  I've created this card for the Featured Stamper Challenge at Splitcoaststampers today and based the layout on THIS beautiful card by the talented Janelle (dizzymommie) who's being featured this week.  I love the triple panels and thought it would work well with these long stemmed flowers.  

I used a technique which I've always admired when Karen (k dunbrook) uses it so beautifully - spraying the inked up stamp with water before stamping for a water color effect. 
I stamped onto watercolour paper and then thinned down some acrylic paint, spritzing it onto the stamped images.

Supplies include:

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Long Stem Silhouettes

Watercolor Paper

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Stampin Up Real Red, Lucky Limeade ink

Ranger Distress Scattered Straw, Broken China ink

Be sure to leave a comment on each of the blogs along the way because this beautiful set is being given as a prize to one lucky commenter! 
Have fun checking out what the rest of the Design Diva's have come up with and thanks for stopping by today!
 

 

 

SNSS Mini Critters Mini Hop

The spotlight is on the brand new Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps set, Mini Critters, today! 

We're having a mini blog hop for five days and highlighting one of the new sets each day. 

This cute little set is so useful for cards and tags alike.  I had a small bag of kraft luggage tags on hand and thought it would be fun to make matching tags to have on hand or to give as a gift set. 

You can also add a pre-made tag to a card base later on for a quick card! 

These little images were fun to color and I simply cut them out with a Circle Nestie and popped them up on a dp strip.

Supplies include:

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Mini Critters

Luggage Tags

Stampin Up ribbon

Jute Twine

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles Small

Button

Stampin Up dp

Have fun checking out what the other SNSS Design Diva's have created with these cuties!
Don't forget to comment, one lucky commenter will win this cute set as a prize!

Jessica Fick
Bridget Finlay
Mary Faus
Giovana Smith
Cathy McCauley
Jennie Harper
Korin Sutherland
 

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps January Release

It's time for the January Release of Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps and I've absolutely loved playing with the new stamp sets and die set over the past week or two!  We're going to have five mini blog hops over the next five days with one set being highlighted each day - there's a chance to win each set!  For a look at all the new sets and more details pop over to the Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps blog! 

And today we're having a Virtual Stamp Day over at Splitcoaststampers with five different challenges throughout the day with more prize opportunities!  Come and join us in the SCS Members Forum!

Now here are some cards I've made for today's VSD challenges with the fabulous new sets:

A CAS card made with Cute Critters!

Another CAS using the fabulous new set Long Stem Silhouettes!

A Valentine using Bottom of My Heart and the Hearts die set.

Another one using Bottom of My Heart and Hearts dies!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Purr-fect Friend

 

I wanted to make a card for a friend who adores cats and this fun little kitty from Paper Smooches Chubby Chumbs seemed perfect! 
I'm entering this into the Paper Smooches Sparks Challenge - Anything Goes!



Since the set is new to me for Christmas I've also entered this in the Way's to Use It challenge at Splitcoaststampers - New Year! New Toys! - to use something new on a card. Who doesn't like playing with new toys, whatever age you are!

I coloured the cat with copics and popped him up on a circle of SU's Pool Party dp. 

I love this color paired with orange shades, it has a tropical feel which is great to work with in the middle of winter.
Sometimes people ask me about how I combine dp as they know I'm a huge fan of "mixing it up"!
Occasionally it's a happy accident and in a pile of dp, a pairing will catch my eye - when that happens I always grap a paper clip and attach them for future use.
I go through my piles of dp and hold things together and if it "appeals", it gets "clipped"!!!
And though it's fun to mix checks, ginghams, polka dots, and other small patterns, sometimes I like to carry though a theme as I did here using polka dots. 
I find that small patterns work best for mixing, which is why I rarely use 12 x12 sheets anymore, preferring to go for 6 x 6 pads where the pattern is smaller.
Let me take this opportunity to wish you a very Happy New Year in 2013 and to thank you for reading my blog and popping in from time to time. 

I really appreciate you all!

Supplies include:

Paper Smooches Chubby Chums, Sentiment Sampler

Lillybee Designs Double Dutch dp

SU Pool Party dp

Button

Twine

Sewing Machine

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles Small

Copics