Bottle Brush Sketch

Yay, finally time to stamp!  Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, we sure did!  I can never put my Christmas stamps away right after the holidays.  So here is a card for this week's sketch by Jen Mitchell at Freshly Made Sketches!

Here is my card using images from Hero Arts "Family and Friends" Christmas stamp set...

I embossed the tree in white over some snowflake patterned paper.  Added some red Liquid Pearls and Stampendous Crystal Snow glitter.  Used Cornish Heritage Farms "Gingham Backgrounder" stamped with black ink onto red paper for the "flannel" background :).  

Bella's Balloons

A little time to make a birthday card for the girls' friend Bella!  I thought a pastel, un-Christmas look would be good for another December birthday girl (I know the feeling!).

I used balloons from PTI's Birthday Style set and a sentiment from one of the Think Big Favorites mini sets.  Embossed the sentiment and then made the card a chalkboard theme (good for hiding any white or sequin glue smudges, too)!!

Icebreaker Pig

Secret Santa-ing continues at work, and my giftee loves pigs...and Icebreaker candies.  So I combined the two...

The face was made with stitched circle dies from Simon Says stamp, black twine, and some gems/acrylic dots.  The feet are pink ribbon with bits of black ribbon glued on top.

I red line taped 3 Icebreaker containers together for the body!

The tag is made with some oldie but goodie stamps from A Muse (pig), Saltbox Studio (fence), tree (Stampin' Up), and Mixed Messges (PTI).

 That's all folks, ;) (rolled rose Die-Namic, hee)!

Deer Trend

Finally hopping on the deer silhouette trend train!  Typically I "ignore" deer.  My husband is an avid hunter, and I get to hear more about deer than I ever thought I would need to in my life!  Oh well, I am liking the trendy decor items popping up everywhere, especially when paired with red and black gingham!

This deer silhouette comes in a new Art C set from Michael's and it has little branch elements and dies included.  I stamped it in black pigment ink, then embossed it with clear powder on kraft cardstock.  The branch is stamped in white on kraft cardstock with Liquid Pearls red berries dotted about.

I added a tag stamped with the Gingham Backgrounder from the Cornish Heritage Farms (stamped in black on red cardstock), a pine branch cut with a die, and a sentiment from Waltzingmouse Stamps in the background.  Fun and foresty!

Thanksgiving Cheer

Happy Thanksgiving!  I have loved this image from Stampin Up's "Cup of Cheer" ever since I ordered the set, but today was my first time to use it!  It looks lovely with PTI's new Dark Indigo cardstock!

Added some little foliage details from WPlus9's new Christmas set "Be Merry."  This card will go to my "Secret Santa" giftee with a gift card for some coffee :).

Time for Tags

I made some tags just for fun these past few weekends.  I have a "Secret Santa" event coming up in December for school, and my giftee likes antique pigs :)...

This funny tag uses an "antique" Stampin Up pig, O'Tannenbaum and Tinsel & Tags from Papertrey Ink, and some other oldies including a text background from Penny Black and a checkerboard from Cornish Heritage Farms.

Keeping with the old timey, O'Tannenbaum theme,

It's quite sparkly in real life, the outside embossing was covered in Crystal Snow glitter,

More Tinsel and Tags, and I tried just watercoloring the little house after seeing a fun post by Debbie Hughes,

Decorated the hills with a plaid background from Cornish Heritage Farms and the old Crosshatch background from Stampin Up.

And last a birthday tag after seeing theBetsy Veldman's and Melissa Phillips' cute colored candle die cuts during the PTI release!

Extra Hour to Stamp!

With an extra hour to stamp, I got quite a bit accomplished ;)!

Another set of snowman tags using the Sizzix Framelits Snowman and Tag set from Simon Says Stamp.  The first also uses WPlus9's Be Merry stamp set and banner die.

This one also includes a "joy" die from Carta Bella, also from SSS.

This was my attempt at watercoloring and also this week's sketch at Freshly Made Sketches...except I forgot to include a center panel.  Decided to post it here anyway.  Uses the beautiful WPlus9 set "Be Merry" again.

Two More for the Road...

It was "paper doll" fun with the Sizzix Framelits Snowman and Tag set that I got from Simon Says Stamp!  So much fun to play around with different patterns and color combinations!  Here are 2 more that I made this weekend...

This one stamped on Stampin Up's Woodgrain background in grey, with a sentiment included in the set.

Then this one is stamped on kraft, with L'il Inker snowflakes in the background, and a sentiment from Verve.  So much fun!

Merry Throwdown

Got to participate in the fun Color Throwdown Challenge this weekend.  Loved this week's color scheme of Cranberry, Dark Teal, Peach, and Kraft.  Decided to use WPlus9's "Be Merry" set again...

Eek, my bigger bottom flowers are a little more poppy than cranberry in this photo :)!  The plaid backgrounder is an oldie from Cornish Heritage Farms.  Added some Stickles, Wink of Stella Pen, and some Glossy Accents to finish.  It's fun trying these "fall" color schemes on Christmas cards!

Pink Snowman Sketch

Another fun sketch by Kim Singdahlsen for Freshly Made Sketches!  I chose to use a sweet new Sizzix Framelits Snowman & Tag set (stamps and dies) that I ordered from Simon Says Stamp.

I also used a Woodgrain background from Heidi Grace inked in pink :).  Stamped a much loved Filagree Snowflake Background stamped over the top, from a company called Peddler's Pack. The snowman is stamped on a piece I stamped in pink with the Hardwood background from Stampin Up.  Last but not least, a banner cut with the awesome new sentiment and coordinating die set "Be Merry" from WPlus9!

Winter Church Sketch

Since I was stamping today, I had to play along with Amy's sketch at Freshly Made Sketches.   It's been so long since I got to participate!

Here is another card with Papertrey Ink's Winter Village set.

The sentiment and snowflakes in the sky are from PTI's In the Meadow, but the rest of the images and dies are from Winter Village. Lots of Stickles and Wink of Stella pen that did not photograph well this evening.  Such an amazing set by Betsy Veldman, makes creating scenes so much fun!

Papertrey Ink Blog Hop

So excited to use my new Winter Village stamp set!

I paired it with greens from the Holiday Folk mini Make it Market kit, the Woodgrain Impression Plate, and a snow falling embossing folder from Sizzix.  What a beautiful set Betsy created, can't wait to play around with it some more :)!

A Fun Rose Background

I made this card over July and August and am finally getting a chance to post it!  I was inspired after seeing Dawn Woleslagle's "Cath Kidston inspired background" she made while participating in the 30-day coloring challenge.  Dawn masked her background then drew the flowers in the white spaces!  Lucky for me, Dawn created  "Freehand Florals" stamp set for those like me who can't draw :)!

 I started off with a piece of white cardstock.  I lightly taped scalloped die cut pieces (Nestabilities), then sponged Tumbled Glass Distress ink over the entire piece.  After removing the scallops, I had what looked like Aqua Mist cardstock with white scallops all over it. I stamped the large rose and leaves from Freehand Florals in the white spaces.  The sentiments are from PTI.  SO much fun making this card!

Masters #3

I loved watching Kay's watercolor video for PTI's Masters Challenges and had to try the technique out, too...

I used Leaf Prints and a sentiment from Harvest Berries.

I was worried about my color blending skills and that I might end up with browns! So I used all pink, red, orange, and yellow Distress Inks, with the exception of the sentiment that I stamped in waterproof StazOn before I started!  At the end, I ran this through my Cuttlebug with the Canvas side of the Canvas/Linen Impression plate.  It helped to flatten it, and gave it nice texture, too!

PTI Masters #2

Another challenge for the Papertrey Ink Masters Stamp-A-Faire.  This one was for the first challenge, Masters Color Combinations...

I chose the Andrew Wyeth combination from 'Christine's World"...Cocoa Bean, Kraft, Stormy Sea, Spring Moss, Sweet Blush and actually made a beach card...

Stamp sets for my shaker card were Flipping Out and Wonderful Words:  Hello for the sentiment.  It's a little difficult to see by the white background is embossed with a big stripe embossing folder from Cuttlebug.  Whenever I see a color scheme that scares me a bit, I add a lot of white!

My Stormy Sea was is actually "Stormy Sky" (and Shabby Shutters) inks from Tim Holtz blended on the outline of the Cover Plate: Waves die I used at the back of my shaker.  Didn't have any shade of this for sequins, so I ended up going a little "Hawaiian Shores" :).

Papertrey Ink Masters

Hello!  Long time, no see!  I have missed stamping these last two months, and was excited to see all of the fun challenges posted at Papertrey Ink for their Stamp-a-Faire "Masters" theme!

For my first challenge, I decided to play along with Melissa's "Floral Impressionism" Challenge.

I used the sets Color Pop Florals, Layered Banner Banter, and Background Basics: Tiny Types on the corners. Used Melissa's embossing technique as well as her "old" Gelato smudging technique, and sponging with Distress inks to make my soft, pastel flowers!

Papertrey Ink Blog Hop for May

This month at Papertrey Ink, we were to be inspired by this lovely artwork by Sara Langtry from Just the Bees Knees for the blog hop...

 

With Memorial Day weekend coming, and it being our 15th wedding anniversary today, I decided to make a card to celebrate!

I wanted to make a similar layout and summer theme.  So I decided on rows of squares to make a rustic flag.  I stamped squares from Quilter's Sampler in Versamark ink then heat embossed with white powder, and watercolored with Distress Inks.

I then die cut 3 "Celebrate Today" pieces from the Color Pop Floral mini kit.  I cut off the "today," glued the stack together with spray adhesive, then painted it with white crackle paint.  Edited to add: the woodgrain background paper is by Crate Paper.  I see the 12x12 pieces of it at stores here and there and always buy more!

Added some little star embellishments to finish off my rustic card.  This is sure to be an awesome hop, loved the inspiration piece!

Watercolor Roses Sketch

A fun, simple sketch this week at Freshly Made Sketches!

I chose to use Hero Arts "You're Lovely" set, 

I stamped an Impression Obsession Cover-a-Card background called "Screen" in yellow, then layered the flowers over the top.  I stamped the flowers in Antique Linen first, then added Picked Raspberry and Abandoned Coral with a waterbrush over the stamped lines.  Love this set and dies!

Window Box Sketch

A lovely and versatile sketch from one of my favorite sites Freshly Made Sketches!  This one is by Jen Brum!

Here is my card:

I used Wplus9 Studio's Fresh Cut Florals and More Fresh Cuts stamps and dies to make my window box bouquet.  The Sizzix brick embossing folder is from Stampin' Up and the sentiment is from a set called Perfect Pairings in their Sale-A-Bration catalog.

Our daffodils came up for a few days and are now covered with about 3 inches of snow :(!  At least I can always make paper bouquets and gardens :)!  Thanks for stopping by!

Papertrey Ink Blog Hop

It's time for another blog hop with Papertrey Ink!  This month, Nichole shared this lovely art by Izziyana Suhaimi.  It's a combination of pencil drawings and embroidery, so amazing!

I used two different shades of grey cardstock and some embroidery floss on my card...

Stamped floral images from last year's anniversary set Petite Pots with Versamark then heat embossed with white powder.  Added rainbow colored french knots to the centers with embroidery floss.

Stamped the little bird from Petite Pots and added a black french knot eye.  The sentiment is stamped on vellum and wrapped around the front.

What a fun challenge, can't wait to visit this month's gallery!!