Create Together with Marcie Sharp

Hey there - My lovely daughter Marcie Sharp has invited me to Create Together and I was most happy to oblige!

Marcie gave me this inspiration piece to work with and one rule - NO PATTERNED PAPER (eek!) and honestly, I almost went over and told her to pick another one lol! This is not really my taste, but I'm a professional - right? - right?? - so I made it work.

I started out using the SSS Falling Stars die and then it just evolved from there.  Since I could see Birthday in those stars, I brought out my Crafter's' Companion Sara Signature Happy Birthday stamp and Dies.

The balloons are embossed - isn't that awesome!!   One swipe through the Gemini Die Cutting and  Embossing Machine and that balloon was cut and embossed - perfect!

The sentiment is from Sara Signature stamp set - love that font!

That's all I have today - make your way over to Marcie's Blog - Cardmakin' Chaos - and see the awesome creation she has put together!

January Winter with Time Out

The Time Out Challenge is all about "Winter" this session with an optional white on white touch - if you wish.

I used Papertrey Ink's Birthday Classics: January Mini Stamp Set for my sentiment.  I stamped it in Versamark Ink onto vellum and embossed it with white embossing powder.

And......after sprinkling on my embossing powder, I remembered that I didn't pack my heat gun when I came home from Florida. I tried to use my hair dryer, but it just didn't work - not even one little granule of powder was melted.  Thank goodness I have a crafty daughter who lives so close - I ran over to Marcie' s house and used her heat gun - problem solved!

I die cut white cardstock using the Winter Woods Cover Plate and layered it onto patterned paper. I tucked a hill made from Soft Stone cardstock behind the Cover Plate and adhered the vellum onto the cardstock.

To finish, I added Diamond Lace Stickles and pretty sequins for a great effect!

Why not join in on this fun challenge - it's too darn cold to exit this house today!

It's All About the Kids!

Your Next Stamp Feature Day is all about the kids!  They have been having fun (hopefully) all summer - swimming, playing - day camps - so many wonderful things for kids to do in the summer!

This is an opportunity for the Design Team (and DT guests!) to use Your Next Stamp products - old and new- in our creations!

Make sure you check out the Your Next Stamp blogpost and leave a comment - you could be the winner of a stamp set of your choice!!

I used a few YNS Products on my card today!

I began by stamping and colouring up the lion from Smiley Happy Critter Crew Set Two and then die cut him out using the matching dies.

Using the Stitched Rectangle Dies, I cut a panel from white cardstock.  I also diecut the Puffy Cloud Border from vellum and some grass (blue grass is totally reasonable right??!) using the Grass Edge Die.

I ran the grass border and cloud border through the Stitched Rectangle Die so that I could layer them on top of the white cardstock panel and the stitching would match.

I popped up the second layer of grass along with the cute little lion.

Using my copic markers, I coloured only the balloons from Basket Animals, die cut and adhered them to my card panel.

I adhered the card panel to my Soft Stone card base - I really thought about sequins or twine - but in the end I quite like the look!

Don't forget to pop on over to the Your Next Stamp Blog to leave your comment on the Feature Day post - you may win a stamp set of your choice!! wahoo!!

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??!

Your Next Stamp Celebration Continues!!

Hi everyone! This month's theme for the DT Dare is Celebration at Your Next Stamp! - and there's blog candy for a stamp set of your choice!!!- just hop on over to the YNS Blog to enter!  And don't forget the special birthday discount is ongoing until August 31st!!

For the Celebration, I grabbed my Magical Ponies set again because it is just TuTu cute.....HAH!

I coloured and diecut my cute Magical Pony and then popped it up onto a vellum circle.

My card base was made with the largest die from the Stitched Banner Die Set.  I used pink cardstock for the base and then patterned paper layered on top.

I popped up the vellum circle onto the Banner card base.  I stamped the sentiment - also from Magical Ponies - onto a strip of white cardstock and then popped it up onto the vellum circle.

A lot of popping on this card!  I finished by tying matching twine around the top!

While we're popping - pop on over to the YNS Blog and enter to win a stamp set of your choice!! woohoo!

Happy June Birthday!

Hey there everyone - I wanted to post this card yesterday but we had a wee bit of drama in our home.

In the morning I was talking to my daughter - Marcie - on my cell phone and I said I would go and check to see if the mail was here yet.  I hung up and walked out of my craft room (in the basement) and a bat was there --- fluttering around on the floor Right. By. My. LEG!!  I screamed. I cried. I definitely ran...... up the basement stairs to the garage.  I swear my legs were out the door before I was.   BIG ugh. I had to go back in the house to the upstairs and grab the phone to call Marcie back and when I was upstairs - what would you know - that dang bat flew upstairs to the kitchen right where I was standing.   ......and I began the screaming and running process all over again.  Poor Marcie came tearing over to see if I was being beaten/robbed/whatever.  I was outside scream-crying.  It seems funny now - but oh my goodness, I am terrified to go back downstairs.

Anyway - here is the card that I wanted to post - It was my other daughter Holly's birthday on Tuesday, so using the Make It Monday technique that Dawn McVey had shown LAST week -
Gradient Watercolor Diecuts, I put together a bright and cheery birthday card.

I used my Zig markers for the background and then die cut with the Mighty Oak Die Collection - using the watercolour pieces for my focal image.

I white embossed the sentiment from the $5 set Birthday Classics: June Mini Stamp Set onto vellum and hid the glue dot under pretty colourful buttons.

My Harvest Gold card base was a perfect companion to finish it off!  Happy Birthday to Holly! - and goodbye ugly little bat in bat heaven!  UGH!

Happy Birthday Altenew!

Altenew recently celebrated their 2nd Anniversary and so I whipped up a card to help them celebrate!

I was jaw-droppingly moved by Yoonsun Hur's water colouring on this card and I really wanted to use similar colours - only with my oh-so-lonely Copic markers.

AND it just so happened that The Challenge is having their colour challenge this week - and Seize the Birthday challenge has a "Floral" topping this week - so I didn't really have a choice!

Of course I had to use Peony Bouquet - it is really so very stunning!  I've had it for awhile and made this card awhile back with watercolors, but when the Peony Bouquet DIES came out - I ordered from Butterfly Reflections and I was all over them!

To begin, I stamped the image with Versafine Ink Black Onyx  - I did not heat set it and I should have - I did find that it smeared a bit - although you can't see it- I was pretty intent on the smears NOT showing up Lol .  I have Memento ink - which I should have used, but I have been using the Versafine anad just love it - so it was the first thing I grabbed without thinking.  gab gab gab

I began by water colouring the peony with my Gansai Tambi paints.  When that was dry I went in with my copic markers to highlight some areas.  Then I got the brilliant idea to just stamp the final layer of the Peony Bouquet stamp (you can see it in the flower at the back)  and although I did like the final effect, I decided to just keep on using my copic markers.  It is relaxing to me and I hadn't used them all winter - *insert lovey eyes*

And here is a closeup!

I stamped the sentiment with Altenew's Label Love set - and added a few clear sequins - just so delicious and a perfect compliment to my card!

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!

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!!

It's your baa-thday!

Sometimes you make a card that just doesn't cut it - you know what I mean?  So much of your creation just is not working, however in the interest of fair play - I figure I would post it anyway.

When I turned around to file it - my daughter had snatched it up for her friend - "Perfect!" she said - so who knows?!! lol

Paper Smooches SPARKS have a challenge up and running - due tomorrow by the way.....

Take a look at this inspirational beauty!

I used several Paper Smooches sets on my card - Eco Friendly for the sun, Party Posse for the sweet little lamb and sentiment,  Sunny Side Up for the clouds and sunglasses and Word Salad for the "hello".

I paper pieced the sun and put some cool shades on the little lamb because he's just too awesome!

A few little baubles and some twine and it was good to go- so my daughter says!

The Color Throwdown #345

Good morning - just popping in with this week's Color Throwdown - another week of strikingly beautiful colours woohoo!

My Reverse Confetti Party Hats stamp set came to mind so I lovingly inked them up!  and that MISTI!!! ackkkk!!  It was just the thing to use to get those cute little party hats so beautifully Pure Poppy RED…... I just inked and stamped over and over - gorgeously easy!

I was a little worried that they looked like Santa hats lol, so after I ran the hat trim through my Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder, I used my marker and tapped each little dot with black.  - Perfect solution.

The Wonky Double Edged Confetti Cuts border and the Circle Garland Confetti Cuts each leant a perfect design to my party creation - and I could NOT help it - I had to add a bit of gold thread and ribbon- not part of the colour palette - but it sort of worked itself out in the end!

You have until 6:00 pm tonight to enter this delicious Color Throwdown challenge - give it a go!