Garden of Verses

It’s a great time to spend time reading...and visiting The Library Challenge! This week’s inspiration comes from “A Child’s Garden of Verses” by Robert Louis Stevens, illustrated by Eve Garnett.

Since it’s snowing here again, I tried to show you what our springs look like here in Western NY...a mix of mittens, coats, and flowers...

I chose the adorable “Acorn Girl” by Anna Wight for Whipper Snapper Designs and colored her with Zig and Tombow markers and a wet paintbrush. The background is made with “Lush Vines” by PinkFresh Studio, and a sentiment from Papertrey Ink’s “Blooming Button Bits.” The mini flowers and leaves were made with Memory Box dies.

Wishing you sunshine without snow in your neck of the woods! Thanks for stopping by!

Pencil Shaker

Started this pencil shaker after I got it last month from Papertrey Ink, and it's been sitting there ever since!  Decided to start on some teacher cards...

The inside is filled with the mini letters cut with the dies included in the set, and some pink sequins. The tag is cut with PTI's Tiny Tags die.

My favorite woodgrain paper from Crate Paper along the edge, My Mind's Eye dotted paper on the inside, and Pink Paislee's "Hello Sunshine" for the background.  The "just for you" is from Whipper Snapper Designs "Sweet Expressions" cling set by Anna Wight.  On the inside it says..."for a special teacher." :)

12 Kits of Occasions...with ME!

It's my turn to share a kit at the 12 Kits of Occasions Blog and I had so much fun planning it and then sending it out!   Kara made this amazing photo collage of it ( I put it on the "extra large" setting because it's such an awesome collage) and she even gave it a title! :)  All of the supplies you see are listed HERE.

As soon as I saw Echo Park's " 'Tis the Season" patterned paper collection with a chalkboard theme, I knew it was the 6x6 pad for me!  As I mentioned on the 12 Kits blog already, I used this sheet of paper from the pad to give me ideas for all of the elements to include in the kit such as stamped images, sentiments, and die cuts.

Oh that Scottie dog caught my eye!  So up first is this cute one from Pink Persimmon!

I thought he would look perfect jingling along in the snow in his rhinestone collar and houndstooth coat.  That is one of my favorite sentiments that I own!  It's a wood mount stamp from the former A Muse Artstamps :)

Then it was time to get chalky!  This is the new Chalk Background from Hero Arts with the charming 2011 Heirloom Ornaments from Waltzingmouse Stamps.

And now for the amazing sentiments!  These are new from A Muse Studio, a cling set called "It's a Wonderful Life," and they stamp so beautifully!  I added some "chalk" detail around the words with a white pencil.  This background stamp is so authentic...just a little white ink on dark cardstock and you get the perfect vintage chalkboard look.

Time for some tags!  This one uses another fave image of mine...the "Xmas Stocking" by Anna Wight for Whipper Snapper Designs.  It's hanging from a sweet, tiny new Memory Box die called "Festive Lights" and is paired with another sentiment from "It's a Wonderful Life."

Speaking of Memory Box, I fell in love with this gorgeous Deer Collage stamp from them while shopping at my fave little stamp store "One Little Spark" in Tuckerton, New Jersey this summer :)  It looks regal with the L'il Inkers Snowflake dies and a silver-embossed sentiment from Waltzingmouse Stamps' Festive Foliage set.

 I colored with the C1 and C3 Copic markers...and turned him into Rudolph!

Now for another great Memory Box find...this little tag cut with the Pocket Tag die!  Perfect to slip a little something in...we tried a gift card which didn't quite fit, but some dollar bills did :)!  I "Stickled" up my favorite candy cane from Waltzingmouse Stamps' Sewing Box-Christmas, and placed it on the outside pocket.  I actually cut 2 tags with the die and used patterned paper for the pocket flap (it's glued over the original black cardstock flap). The cute reinforcer piece is cut with a die included with the tag.

More mini tags, this one cut with Papertrey Ink's newest Tag Sale #8 die...

More pencil detailing on this sentiment from A Muse Studio's "It's a Wonderful Life."  The PTI Holly Jolly dies are sugar coated with Martha Stewart's clear coarse glitter.

Another fabulous Hero Arts Stamp, the Pen & Ink Christmas Tree paired with a sentiment from their new clear set "Banners and Messages."

I detailed this with white pencil but then coated over the top of that with a Sakura Stardust pen...very shimmery in the sunlight!

This next tag got away from me a little bit, hee!  It's very dotty!  

The tree is embossed with a Sizzix dot folder and then I colored each one with a chalk marker.

The little tag and heart are both made from wood veneer and then painted.  The heart is from Studio Calico and the tag is made by Ball Jars.  I used a beautiful new sentiment from Waltzingmouse Stamps new "Seasonal Flourish" sentiment set. 

Last but not least, another beloved retired wood mount stamp from A Muse Artstamps (also purchased at One Little Spark a few years ago)...Snow Gent (and his Starbucks cup, hee)! with a sentiment from "It's a Wonderful Life."  The tree and snowflakes in the background are from Papertrey Ink's "In the Meadow" stamp set.

So there you have it!  I think I am having kit letdown now!  Luckily, I have tons of inspiration from these ladies coming up and the stamp sets to try their ideas out!  All of the supplies for this month's kit are listed on the 12 Kits of Occasions blog HERE.  You can also find us on Facebook HERE and our Pinterest page HERE.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Karen Stein

Our Special Guest this month!

Amy Kolling

Cathy Weber

Christina Maclaren

Jessica Davis

Joyce Mehrberg

Kara Vrabel

Kim Heggins

Marybeth Lopez

Sharron Gregory

Renee Lynch

Tracey McNeeley

Valentine's Day with the Challenge Chicks!

It's the first Sunday of the month, time for another fun edition of The Challenge Chicks!  This month our hostess is Kelli and she challenged us to make something for Valentine's Day!

The Queen of Procrastination has finished late again.  I've been baaaa-d (hee!). This adorable sheep seemed to be the perfect fit for my tardy card (and it's by our own Chick...Anna Wight!)  It's called "Heart Sheep" and is available at Whipper Snapper Designs...

I found some sweet rustic patterned papers including some denim from October Afternoon's Sasparilla collection.  I wanted my sheep to be happily traipsing through a flowery meadow, so I used these whimsical flowers from Verve Stamps.  The sentiment is from A Muse Studio...it's in Julie Ebersole's handwriting, swoooon!

I can barely stand the cuteness!  I tried my best to color him with Copic markers and paper-pieced his little blanket with more denim and dots.

Off you go to see the rest of the Chicks' projects!  We would love for you to play along.  Upload your creation to Splitcoaststampers using the keyword CHXFEB13 or post a project to your own blog and link it to our Facebook page HERE!

Anna Wight

Diane Zechman

Jeannne Streiff

Kelli Hull

Lydia Fiedler

Vicki Garrett

Supplies:

Stamps:  Heart Sheep, Whipper Snapper Designs, Hand-Scripted, A Muse Studio, and Amazing Wishes, Verve Stamps

Paper:  PTI Rustic Cream and Vintage Cream, October Afternoon Sasparilla, Bo Bunny Bitty Dot, and Garden Tool Tan Plaid by Lasting Impressions

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic markers, Tim Holtz Antique Linen and Brushed Corduroy 

Other:  Sizzix Primitive Heart die, pearls, twine, edge distresser

Industrial Acorn Hat

For Mothermark's Teapot Tuesday Challenge at Splitcoast this week!  This week's party is at a construction site, and we were told to bring our best hard hats to the party.  All of the cards from the challenge are destined to go to Joyce, a Red Hatter out in Utah who recently had some difficulties after surgery.  So I chose to deck out Posie (by Anna Wight for Whipper Snapper Designs), in her best Red Hatter wear!  This red acorn hat is of the industrial variety...ask all of the squirrels that have tried to bite it!  Nuttin' (hee!) is getting through this beanie!

Cindy Motherway hosts Teapot Tuesday every week.  We all make a card inspired by one of her crazy stories and a picture of a teapot that she chose.  She then sets up a Destination Station, and provides a name and address of somebody to send the card to...whether they are having a special birthday, are battling an illness, are serving in the military, or just plain need a "pick me up!".  ANYONE is invited to play, and you can find the Teapot Tuesday thread HERE. 

Cindy also sends out weekly emails with updates on the Destination Stations, and it is so nice to see photos of recipients with their cards, and to read their sweet thank you notes.  Come join the fun!

Deck the Halls

Made this card for today's Featured Stamper at SCS, Rachel Hope!  The challenge is to take one of Rachel's cards and change at least 2 things.  I chose to case her Not a Creature was Stirring card seen here:

Rachel's card

 I kept Rachel's theme, colors, and the snowflakes.  I changed the images, papers, omitted the ribbon and stitching, and moved the sentiment.  This cute stocking by Anna Wight for Whipper Snapper Designs was paper-pieced with Reminisce paper.  The snowflake and branch punches are from Martha Stewart!