Happy Birthday Challenge!

It's time for another fun sketch/colour challenge from Your Next Stamp and we are continuing on with the Design Team Birthday Celebrations!!

The Colour/Sketch challenge is so pretty this week.... I love the colours - just up my ever luvin' alley!

I decided to ink up the  Balloon Buddies Stamp and Die set - and made a little bouquet of sweethearts!

I stamped, white embossed and diecut 3 of the sweet little critters from coloured cardstock, and two balloons out of our new Swirly Fun patterned paper!

My balloon bouquet was placed behind the popped up Happy Birthday banner which was in turn, popped up on the Stitched Heart Fence Die.

A circle diecut was placed behind the bouquet and some pretty gumdrops were "strategically" placed in the circle.

Why don't you pop on over to Your Next Stamp and join in the Birthday Fun??!

Celebrate! Neat & Tangled

Hello - Well shoot.....It figures I'm a bit late (it's a theme) for entering the Fusion Challenge but not too late to enter the Little Tangles Challenge - which this week is Anything Goes!

I went Red, White and Blue to celebrate and used the beautiful Ornate Frames stamp set in a more casual look.  I wanted it to look like it was dangling from of a bunch of balloons stamped from Just For You. - (and it does)

I stamped the frame in three different colours of blue and in my bouquet of balloons I added red!  A few sequins were adhered to make it look like the frame is exploding in celebration (and it does)  - I'm a repeater ok?

....and here is a close up of the pretty font. I stamped it in red and then fussy cut it to pop up onto the frame - very cool!

Thanks for visiting today - try out a challenge or two!

You Are My Sailmate

Good day!  Today I have another water/boat/seasickness creation - did I mention how I don't care for boats *turning green*

……and yet….I love the creation process and if water is the theme - then I'm all in!

Seize The Birthday has their birthday challenge up - of course - and the topping this week is "water".

I pulled out a slightly older set from Neat and Tangled called "Sailmates"- full of whimsical nautical images and sentiments.

I stamped, coloured and fussy cut the sailboat, adding the cute little heart on one of the sails.

I tucked the boat into some wavy patterned paper that has one layer popped up for interest.

The sentiment was stamped and I decided it was done….albeit a little too CAS for me so I added the frame from Mama Elephant's Madison Avenue Framed Tags - good thinking me HAH!

Happy Birthday!

Okay - it has been a whirlwind week at the park!  We have had our annual Live Oak Golf Tournament - a two day tournament - 9 holes each day - fun and fabulous!  Hubby was in a 4 way  playoff for the A-Division - he came in second - it was just a great time!

Now back to another love - stamping!


…and Woohoo!  I just discovered a new to me challenge - it is called Seize the Birthday and it is all about ……drumrollllll……BIRTHDAYS!!

This week is an Anything Goes Challenge - just up my alley!

I used the Scene It: Celebration Stamp Set from Papertrey Ink, along with all three dies from Scene It" Celebration Die.

I die cut and stamped the balloon die with Lovely Lady, Aqua Mist and Winter Wisteria inks, and then die cut and stamped the circle banner die-adhering it to the balloons.

I then die cut the Star die from patterned paper and adhered it on to the rest.

Using the Confetti Toss Stamp Set, I stamped a background using the same three inks to keep everything uniform.

I adhered my Scene It dies onto my background, and then adhered the background to my card base.

Finally, I added a bit of twine - because I can :)

Thanks for coming around today and get out and golf!! - or stamp……haha

Cardinal Birthday Wishes

 Good Morning - it is a gorgeous day in sunny southern Florida and I am enjoying it immensely!

I was perusing the challenge blogs this morning and I found a new-to-me challenge - The Card Concept - and I wanted to join in on the fun.  This is such a beautiful inspiration photo!

I was truly inspired by the colours in this one - and of course the cold weather theme! - 

Do I miss the weather up north? - no way!  But I do miss my family and I wish I could just ship them all down here to be with us.  Whine.

I used my newest stamp set for this one - Winter Woods stamp set from Papertrey Ink.

The new Winter Woods patterned paper provides a fabulous backdrop, along with their Sheer Basics Vellum- I chose the polka dot sheet.

….and a little close up using this beautiful stamp!

Thanks for visiting today!

Photo Bomb Love

I absolutely am in love with this Fusion Challenge - just look at these gorgeous colours!!

This challenge is always fun because you can choose either be inspired by the photo - or - use the sketch provided - a choice is always a good thing.

I chose to be inspired by the brilliant colours - I love it - so summer-y YES!!

….and isn't that the cutest photo bomb ever?!!  Mama Elephant hit the nail on the head with this one…..I am always a bit late on the bandwagon with new releases….it just takes me awhile to really figure out the way that I would want to use it….crazy I know!!

The balloon paper is from Papertrey Ink's Black and White All Over - the balloons are part of the pattern - I watercoloured them with my Zig Real Brush Markers.

The image was stamped onto Tim Holtz water-colour paper and coloured with my Ziggy's and water…..certainly a different look than copic markers (my spell check just corrected copic to "colic" hah!)

The sentiment is a new one from Simon Says Stamp - and I simply love it….what can I say?

Peace out.

Happy Birthday Watercoloring….

Good Morning - I am still on the watercoloring wagon…..and so far so good.

I have long been a fan of Debby Hughes and she is soooo very responsible in every way, for my latest watercoloring addiction in crafting….my hubby is looking for you Debby Lol!

I saw this beautiful stamp, Delightful Day, from Clearly Besotted and of course it jumped into my cart before I could stop it…..what is a girl to do? (Believe me….I use the term "girl" lightly)

Using Tim Holtz watercolor paper, I white embossed the roses and then proceeded to water-colour, using my Zig Real Brush markers, water and various brushes.  I was easily able to purchase these items from Ellen Hutson and Butterfly Reflections Ink.

Here is a a close up of the colouring…….I made a wash of blues and greens surrounding the bouquet and then die cut it with the frame from Mama Elephant's All Prettied Up - Creative Cuts.

I popped it up onto Papertrey Ink Gingham patterned paper and then added the die cut "Happy"and sentiment - a free stamp and die from Papertrey Ink (yay!) tied a pretty bow, added some sequins and pretty pretty pretty!

I was very pleased with the outcome and plan to do some more watercoloring shortly woohoo!

Happy Birthday!

I have a grandson turning three in a couple of weeks, and since I am in Florida and he is in Ontario….I thought I better get creating!

I am so new to watercoloring (….and very late to join the band) but I did decide to give it a try-- so I signed up for the Watercolor for Cardmakers class, and I am actually learning a few things Lol!

I gave these sweet little Reverse Confetti monkeys a chance - Monkey Business stamps and Confetti Cuts.

I stamped the images with Versafine Black - an ink that is a beautiful black and perfect for watercoloring as the ink does not bleed.- See? I am learning……

I water coloured using my Zig markers….a little bit of a learning curve for me, but they didn't turn out too bad.

Thanks for joining me today and bearing with me on my water-colour journey haha!

Sweet Birthday Wishes

Good Morning - and don't fall over in a faint…I actually have a blog post!

I received some cute stamps from Your Next Stamp and wanted to ink them up for this session's colour and sketch challenge. I KNOW right??!!

I stamped and coloured little Miss Phoebe with her Wagon and die cut her using the matching dies.  I popped her up with some dimensionals- along with her little puppy - onto my card base - semi-following the sketch and the colour challenges.

The trees in the background  are from the set Forest Friends.  I die cut a cute little hill with the Double Stitched Hills.  The rectangle is cut with the Stitched Rectangle Die Set. - Love that stitching!!

I added a few little sequins and enamel hearts to finish my creation! - I'm almost down to the wire so I have to run and post this - what else is new haha!

Hip Hip Hooray!

Holy cow - this week's colours at The Color Throwdown threw me for a loop...... but perseverance is my middle name (not really - it's Joan)  so I kept at it and came up with a celebratory creation!

I used Papertrey Ink colours - Summer Sunrise, Royal Velvet and Limeade Ice, along with their stamps - Hooray!, Birthday Style Die Collection and the Good Times die.

I die cut the "celebrate" with the delicious Luxe Gold Adhesive sheets - oh my word - what a gorgeous pure gold - yummy!

I added some pretty sparkly gold gumdrops from Your Next Stamps along with the sparkly bows from my stash!  - I love a handy go-to sparkle!!

Color Throwdown - Happy Birthday

I have a new stamp set - go figure - from My Favorite Things called Spring Tulips, and I thought I would stamp it up for this week's Color Throwdown.

It is a very quick and easy or clean and simple or just a plain jane card - whichever way - these colours bring out the gorgeousness of the stamps!

I used my Blueprints #1 Dies - I love the large scallops in this rectangle - such an elegant die - and I added a few layers to jazz it up a bit!

I stamped and coloured the pretty tulips with my copic markers and then stamped the sentiment with MFT Black Licorice Hybride Ink - a brilliant black ink….love!

Why don't you try out this week's Color Throwdown! - Have fun!

Celebrate Color Throwdown

This week's color's are so pretty for the Color Throwdown - and when green is involved I can always get flowers to be my centre stage!

I used the new-to-me Altenew Painted Flowers stamp set - so pretty and every colour can be used in my personal opinion!

I used Pure Poppy and Plum Pudding for the roses and Aqua Mist and Simply Chartreuse for the leaves.

The sentiment is from Altenew Label Love - LOVE this set!

So pretty!

Happy Birthday!

A lady in our park celebrated her 81st birthday so I made a card - Birthday = card right?

I used My Favorite Things Blueprints Dies 15 plus the Stamp set and dies from Papertrey Ink's Happiness is Bloom.

Add a few Sparkling Clear sequins from Pretty Pink Posh and some pretty twine and buttons and you have yourself a card!

Thank you for visiting!

Happy Birthday Celebration TAWS!!

If you would like to see my Guest Designer Color Throwdown post - please scroll down or click here- thank you!!


…and the Birthday Celebration goes on!!  It is finally my turn to be able to offer you a stamp set to win!

The set I get to give away is called Wreathed in Love.  Leave your comment here, on my blog, and I'll choose a winner through Random.org on the 25th of January - right before our new February release peeks…..Good Luck!!

Now - on to my card for today!  I used Cake Day to put together this yummy card -

The cute little sentiment is also from Cake Day - perfect for a birthday card!

Thanks for coming around today - now off to make some yummy breakfast - maybe ice cream?!! Lol!

The Alley Way Stamps Sneak Preview!!

Good morning and I am so excited to be bringing you my first post as a design team member for The Alley Way Stamps!

Please be sure to make your way to The Alley Way Stamps blog to see who else is previewing today!

Today we are happy to preview Cake Day - available in the store on December 31.

I began by stamping and colouring several banner images onto a white card stock panel.  I added a stitched scallop border on either side of the panel.  It was then that I decided that my creation was becoming rather bright so I added a vellum panel over top.

I stamped and coloured various balloon images - from the Cake Day stamp set - and popped them up on top of the vellum.  I added the sentiment on a die cut piece and popped it up onto the bottom of the panel.

I then adhered the panel onto my white card stock base and aded a few gems  - ready to pop in the mail!

Thanks for coming around!

Happy Birthday!

One of the more recent challenges at the Hope You Can Cling To over on Splitcoaststampers, was to make a humourous card, after all, Laughter is the Best Medicine!

I immediately went to my Hambo Stamps - which is closing down after all these years to focus on other ventures.  They have a great sale on right now - Hambo over and see what you can snag!!...they are all so cute!!  

We had an 80th birthday party to go to for one of the warden's on our golf course - he was eighty years old and just as lovely as can be!

My hubby and three of his friends have been joking around with this gentleman for years - so I thought this image, Silly Birds from Hambo Stamps, was perfect - 4 Goofy guys on the course lol!

I stamped the background with A Little Argyle Backgrounder from Papertrey Ink and backed it onto black cardstock with a sliver of silver cardstock along the side.

After colouring and paper piecing the image, I diecut it with my Spellbinders circle dies and then added a bit of diecut grass to the image.

The little flag- stamped with 80 -was par for the course - HAH!!

Orange You Glad!??...and a shameless post....!

I had to buy this Fresh 'n Fruity stamp set from Reverse Confetti when I saw the sentiment! My brother used to terrorize me with this little joke when we were kids.....Drove. Me. Crazy.

There is a little twist on this old time joke - it's now a birthday sentiment - perfect for today because...TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY...   woohoo!  I know - terribly shameless lol!

I, for one, am so happy to be able to celebrate another birthday - lots of people don't get that chance - and so, this sentiment is perfect for me!!

This little Sweet Treat Tent creation also "doubles" - haha! for the Time Out Challenge this week - "Double The Joy!" - to use two of something in your creation- make sense?

I also layered it up a bit with the Diagonal Stripe Pretty Panel Die - cut TWICE - another double! - once with white cardstock and once with some pretty glittery pink cardstock - so bright and cheery!

Such a wonderful day - don't you think??!!