coffee... and friends...

Hello!!!  Today is September 29th and I recently learned that September 29th is National Coffee Day.  Now, to be honest I'm not a coffee drinker.. that would be my hubby.  My elixir of choice is a tall Chai, all soy...no water from Starbucks.  But I do have several super cute coffee related sets and so I thought I would play along with Chaitali's Coffee Lover's blog hop. 

Chaitali recently began designing stamps for one of my favorite stamp companies, Verve, and earlier this month I was able to pick up one of her sets and the cute little coffee word die that she designed.  I used the word die on my card along with stamps from the Precious Remembrance Shop set Coffee Love.  I used some My Mind's Eye Now and Then papers to do some paper piecing.  The layout is a super simple take on the current Freshly Made sketches layout. 

Thanks for stopping by... and make sure you check out the hop.  Chaitali has loads of great prizes up for grabs!

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI white; SU! Crumb Cake; Stamps:  Precious Remembrance Shop; Die:  Verve; Inks:  Memento Rich Cocoa

a sweet sunday card...

Hello!!  Stopping in with a little card that I made based on a gorgeous cake I saw this morning on the Cake Wrecks blog.  If I'm feeling like I need a good laugh Cake Wrecks is my go to site to put a smile on my face and make me laugh out loud!!  During the week Jen (the owner of Cake Wrecks) posts professionally (that term is used loosely for a lot of the cakes featured) make cakes that have gone horribly, horribly wrong.  But... on Sundays she posts cakes that are the epitome of everything a well executed cake should be.  Some are fun and whimsical and some are down right drop dead gorgeous.  Today she is featuring cakes in the drop dead gorgeous category.  So... what does this have to do with a card?  Well, I'm not very good at taking a look at things around me and being inspired by them to make cards. I don't have multiple Pinterest boards or inspiration photos stored on my computer and I probably won't start doing either of those things anything soon, but  I am  I'm trying to work on that and so today I was inspired by this gorgeous cake (created by Ligia De Santis) to make this card.   I hope you like.


By Ligia De Santis

Since this is all stamping I'm popping this into the Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge (stamps or stencils) and the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge (anything goes).  I used stamps from the PTI Make It Market kit Beautiful Brushstrokes and inks from Stampin Up! and Close to My Heart to achieve the look I was going for.   I finished by brushing a bit of yellow Stickles on to the flowers.  Just realized that this will also work for the current Time Out challenge of stamping so I will be posting it there, as well.

Thanks for stopping by...

Supplies:  Cardstock and stamps:  PTI; Inks:  Stampin Up! So Saffron, More Mustard and Crumb Cake; Close to My Heart Barn Red and Autumn Terracotta; Yellow Stickles

you are awesome...

Hello!!  Have a little card to share that I made using the new CTS sketch and the inspiration photo for the new Altenew monthly challenge, From the Craft Room: Lime Lemonade.   So happy that Altenew decided to start a monthly challenge.  Popping this into Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge:  Anything Goes.

I didn't put any kind of spin on the sketch... wasn't feeling like I wanted to go out on a limb today, especially since I was using my Altenew Label Love set. I took my inspiration from the ribbon and the woodgrain background.   I flipped over one of the sentiments from the set and used it to stamp the stripes.  Inks used are Memento Bamboo Leaves, Pear Tart and Dandelion.  I stamped the sentiment using Memento Luxe in Tuxedo Black, trimmed it out and adhered it with foam dimensionals.   Before I adhered the sentiment strip I added some subtle embossing to the center of the card using a woodgrain embossing folder and my craft hammer.  Added some sequins in a green that matched Bamboo Leaves.  Super simple because, well... I'm feeling in a super simple mood right now, lol! 

Thanks for stopping by...

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI white; Stamps:  Altenew Label Love; Inks:  Memento; Sequins:  Ellen Hutson

pti september blog hop...

Hello!!  Wow... the 25th of September is here and that means time for the PTI monthly blog hop.  This month Nichole gave us a beautiful inspiration photo as well as three color combo drawn from the photo and three sketches.  I combined one of the sketches with one of the color combos to come up with this:

close up of "berries"

Even though this card is pretty simple it took me along time to put together.  Initially I was going to go with the placing a banner with the sentiment on the card and then decided to go out on a limb use a diecut word instead.  I had never actually used any of the dies that go along with the "Count My Blessings" mini set.  The word was die cut from rustic white twice and autumn rose one and then adhered together as you see.  I cut the smoky shadow cardstock down to 3 3/4 x 5 and then stamped the dotted border from polka dot basics in versamark ink, applied clear embossing powder and heat set.  I matted that piece with autumn rose cardstock and adhered to a ripe avocado base.  The berries were made by die cutting rose felt using the Button Bits dies and they sewing on smoky shadow buttons.  The leaves were die cut from avocado felt using the leaf dies from Mums the Word (I think!).

Thanks for stopping by...

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI, Stamps and dies:  PTI; Felt: My Favorite Things; Buttons: My Favorite Things; Ink:  VersaMark; Embossing Powder:  Ranger Ultrafine clear

thankful for you...

{for my PRS blog hop card, please scroll down or click here}

Hello!!  Our lovely late summer/early fall sunny weather has departed and our normal Pacific Northwest/Puget Sound weather has arrived... rain!  I'm not too upset... we could actually use the rain as it hasn't rained a whole lot around here for ages, but if it sticks around for any length of time that means soggy wet leaves!   And soggy wet leaves aren't much fun to walk through as crisp crunchy ones, lol!  Anyway... I have a card to share for several challenges:  CASology:  flutter, AAA Cards: fussy cutting, and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge:  anything goes.

In keeping with the changing of the season and my talk of soggy leaves my card features leaves! Leaves flutter to the ground, right??  The color combo is based on the current color challenge over at Splitcoaststampers of two of the new Stampin' Up in colors Hello Honey and Blackberry Bliss and vanilla.  I used two Close to My Heart colors that are almost exact matches to Hello Honey and Blackberry Bliss.  Inked up the leaf from the PRS set Fall Colors using Sunflower and then rolled the edges in Pansy Purple and then stamped the leaf on my cream cardstock.  The second leaf was inked up the same way, stamped and trimmed out.  I crinkled up that leaf and then swiped on a bit more Pansy Purple.  Added some splatters using watered down Sunflower and Pansy Purple.  The deeper colored spots were made with a stamp from Fall Colors.  Before adhering the second leaf I inked up the edges with Old Paper distress ink. 

Thanks for stopping by...

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI vintage cream; CTMH Pansy Purple; Stamps: Precious Remembrance Shop Fall Colors; Inks:  CTMH Sunflower, Pansy Purple; Ranger Old Paper; VersaFine Vintage Sepia

Precious Remembrance Shop Sept. Blog Hop!

Hello PRS fans!!!   Today is an exciting day... Precious Remembrance Shop is releasing a brand new set full of fun (and a little spooky!) Halloween images.  So... Beware... the design team has a lot of fun projects to show you, lol!!  If you got here from the blog of the super talented Lisa, then you are on the right track.  If not, head over to the PRS blog for a complete list of all the stops on the hop.  Details about how to win this set will be at the end of my post.

 

This isn't set just so fun??  And to make it even better Dyane designed all the icons so they fit nicely inside a 1" circle punch... YAY!!  Here is my card:

 



I started with a white panel that I stamped with the strip image and the sentiment image using black and orange inks.  A strip of washi tape was added and then I partially embossed the piece with a spider web embossing folder.  Some grey ink was then swiped on.  I made the rosette using a Spellbinders lacey circle die and some October Afternoon Witch Hazel patterned paper.  I then added the additional die cut pieces and the "October 31st" icon that I covered with Glossy Accents to give it a nice shine.  The rosette was adhered to the card base and then I finished things off with those fun little spiders (a gift from my sweet IRL crafty friend, Lisa Lara!) and the little sentiment strip.

Now.. for all the details about how you can win this new set: 

Subscribe to the PRS blog (if you haven't already)
Like/follow PRS on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram
Share the new release with your crafty friends on your blog, Facebook page, etc.
Hop along and leave some comment love for the design team!

The giveaway will end on Friday, September 26, 2014 and one lucky winner will be chosen randomly.

Thanks for stopping by... now off you go to the blog of the wildly talented, Andrea!  I know she will have some absolutely fabulous to share!

Supplies:  Cardstock: PTI white; SU! Pumpkin Pie; Stamps:  PRS - Beware; Punch:  EKSuccess 1" circle punch; Dies:  Spellbinders Lacey Circle and Plain circle dies; Doodlebug Washi tape; Ink:  SU! Pumpkin Pie; Memento Tuxedo Black & London Fog; Spider web embossing folder

wishing you well...

Hello... wow... three posts in three days!!  Had another crafty afternoon and got two more cards made.  One I will be sharing later in the week and the other I'm sharing right now.  This one is another card for this month's Reverse Confetti color challenge, as well as Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge:  Tag It and CAS(E) this Sketch.

For this little card I used the RC stamp set Petals 'n Posies and the matching dies, as well as the small tag from the RC Tag Me die set.  I stamped the two little flowers using pink and yellow inks, layered them and then added a grey sequin to the center.  The little star shape was stamped using grey, pink and yellow inks and then clear sequins added.  Layered up the tag, the sentiment strip and the flower, added the twine bow and I was done.  Initially I was going to use a white card base, but decided to put the piece on a grey card base and I just love how it made the pale colors pop.  Followed the CTS layout to a "T", but that's okay... I really liked the sketch the way it was and didn't want to change a thing!

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI white; SU! Smoky Slate; Stamps & Dies:  Reverse Confetti; Inks:  Stampin Up! Smoky Slate, So Saffron, Pink Pirouette; Baker's Twine:  Impress & The Twinery; Sequins:  Ellen Hutson & Pretty Pink Posh

tis the season...

Hello... back with the second card I made during my Friday afternoon crafty session.  This one is for the new AEI{heart}U challenge, a sketch, and the current Festive Fridays.  I have never played along with Festive Fridays, but that beautiful inspiration photo really caught my attention so I just had to give them a try! (ETA... popping this into the August SSS Work It Wednesday, too.)

I recently purchased the new AE Winter Wreath dies from Ellen Hutson.  So happy that AE decided to come out with a set of dies to match the Winter Wreath stamp set... now the possibilities are endless!  Die cut all the pieces and then stamped the wreath in pink and the bow using Delicata Golden Glitz ink. The berries were stamped using Hero Arts silver.  Some silver and gold washi tape (My Mind's Eye) was adhered and then I splattered the card stock piece with the gold and pink inks mixed with water.  I adhered the wreath and then stamped the sentiment.  Finished off with the bow and little berries. 

Thanks for stopping by...

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI white; Stamps & dies:  Avery Elle; Washi Tape:  My Mind's Eye; Inks:  Stampin Up!, Tsukineko & Hero Arts

happy bird-day...

Hello!!  Wow... long time no see, lol!!  Well... it hasn't been that long since I last posted, but it seems like along time!  Have made a few things here and there, but this week I have felt like taking a bit of a crafty break and so I did.. until today when I actually made two different cards.  The one today is for Freshly Made Sketches and the Reverse Confetti September color challenge.

Pretty straight forward card.  I used the super fun RC set Fabulous Flamingos and the matching dies.  When RC came out with this set I had to have because I really, really, really like flamingos.  I don't have them all over my house or anything like that... just one beautiful mid-century (1940-1950) flamingo statue from Goebbels.  I found it in an antique shop about 20 years ago and had to have it.  I paid the princely sum of $95.00 for it and now it is worth ALOT of money... not that I will sell it or anything.  Anywhoo... die cut the flamingos, stamped all the little parts and adhered them to the rectangular piece (another RC die from the Class Act Confetti Cuts set) after stamping the flamingo legs and sentiment.  Adhered some yellow washi tape and then did some partial embossing of the piece.  Finished off by adding the main image panel.

Thanks for stopping by...

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI white; Stamps & dies:  Reverse Confetti; Ink:  Stampin Up!; Embossing folder:  Stampin Up!; Washi tape:  Stampin Up!

awesome...

Hello!!  Hope all is well in your world!  Have a card to share that I made for two challenges:  AAA Cards (CASE Julie) and Colour Me...! (Hello Honey & Coastal Cabana).  

For this card I used my SU! Kinda Eclectic set again.  Ever have one of those stamp sets that you just find yourself wanting to use over and over again?  Well, that is how I feel about Kinda Eclectic.  I just love that set.  Anywhoo... my CASE of Julie's card basically involves using the sunburst image in the bright yellow.  To bring in the Coastal Cabana I added some splatters of Coastal Cabana mixed with water.  The sentiment is from the SU! set Yippee Skippee.  I finished off the card with some washi tape and a few sequins.

Thanks for stopping by...

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI white; Stamps:  Stampin Up!; Inks:  Close to My Heart Sunflower & SU! Coastal Cabana); Sequins:  Lawn Fawn & Verve; Washi Tape:  Stampin Up!

love you...

Hello... happy Friday!  I know my boys are happy it is Friday... that means the weekend and that they get to play Xbox games, lol!  Have another card to share.  This one is for the current AEI{heart}U challenge:  CAS and uses the current sketch from CAS(E) this Sketch.

I followed the sketch very, very closely.  I die cut the main panel and all the fishtail banners using the AE Dotted Die set.  The papers I used are from the My Mind's Eye Jubilee "Mint Julip" 6x6 pad.  To soften the pattern on the largest banner I die cut some vellum for an over lay.  After adhering the largest banner I added the twine and the rest of the banners.  That part was a bit fiddly, but I think it turned out okay.  Finished off the card with the sentiment from the AE set "Oh Happy Day" and the little hearts from the AE set "Love Notes".  Everything was mounted on a pale aqua card base.  If you want to see an outstanding take on the sketch, please click over to Petra's blog.  Her card is absolutely AMAZING!!

Thanks for stopping by...

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI white, SU! Pool Party; Inks:  Memento Tuxedo Black Luxe, SU! Coastal Cabana, PTI Sweet Blush, Memento Ladybug; Twine:  Hemptique; Stamps and dies:  Avery Elle

hi there...

Hello... popping in with a card that I made using this week's ColourQ combo and the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches.   I used two Precious Remembrance Shop sets for this card, the new Fall Colors and Positive Thoughts.

The center image on the FMS layout lends itself to many interpretations and for me that meant collage stamping.  I stamped the grid image first using grey ink and then added the splatters and the broken rings using the two different yellow from the ColourQ palette.  The leaf was stamped in the dark purple.  For the bottom strip portion of the layout I did some selective (or partial) embossing by placing my cardstock piece in the embossing folder and then using a craft hammer to emboss only the area I wanted emboss... easy peasy!  Finished by adding a bit of distressing to the edges, the little wooden stars (colored by pressing into the ink pads) and a bit of burlap twine tied in a bow.

Supplies: Cardstock:  PTI rustic white; SU! Smoky Slate; Stamps:  Precious Remembrance Shop; Inks:  Stampin Up! (Smoky Slate, So Saffron) and Close to My Heart (Sunflower, Pansy Purple), Memento Tuxedo Black; Wood stars:  Studio Calico; Embossing Folder:  SU! Decorative Dots; burlap twine

popping in...

To let you know that I have a post up over on the PRS blog.  Below is a little peek.  I hope that you will check it out!

Thanks for stopping by...

you are appreciated...

Hello!  School is in full swing and the boys are settling back into the school routine pretty nicely.. thank goodness!  Have a little card that I made yesterday that fits several challenges:  CAS(E) this Sketch, The Card Concept and CASology.   I originally made this card for the current Splitcoaststampers CAS challenge (back to school), but thought I would look to see if there was anything else out there that it might fit and I did find some challenges... YAY!

Pretty darn simple so this will definitely fit the Card Concept category of "clean and simple" (or maybe "clean and graphic"???).  The stamps are from the super sweet Verve set Teachers Count.  I also used the matching apple dies.  The panel and banner were die cut using my Avery Elle Dotted dies set.  Since I used three die cut items on the card front (the banner and the two apple) this fits perfectly into the new CASology challenge:  three.  And as you can see I followed the CTS layout very closely.  If you want to see an absolutely brilliant take on the sketch, you need to check out this card by Jacquie Southas...stunning!   Now I have another teacher thank you card for my stash!

Thanks for stopping by...

Supplies:  Cardstock:  SU! red and kraft; PTI rustic white; Stamps:  Verve; Dies:  Avery Elle and Verve; Inks:  Memento

PRS/Tombow Blog Hop... day 3...

Hello!!! Welcome back to day three of the Tombow and Precious Remembrance Shop blog hop!  If you got here from the blog of Tombow design team member, Marie, you are on the right track.  If you didn't, please head over to the Tombow blog to start from the beginning.   Info on how to win a Tombow/PRS prize pack will be at the end of this post.   This has been a fun hop and I hope you have enjoyed all the fabulous projects that the design teams have been sharing all weekend!

My final card of the hop uses the PRS Thank You set and some more fun American Crafts/Amy Tangerine papers, as well as a wood veneer piece from the same line.  I stamped the sentiment using brown ink on the piece and then colored in the little hearts using my Tombow Soda Shop markers.  For a bit more interest I tied some off white hemp twine around the piece.  Before adhering the patterned papers I partially embossed the bottom portion of my card base using a honeycomb embossing folder.  I adhered the patterned paper using my Tombow Mono Permanent Adhesive (this is my favorite tape runner style adhesive EVER!)  The wood veneer piece was then attached using the Towbow Mono Liquid glue.  

 



Make sure you stop at each blog on the hop and leave some commenting love and like both the Tombow and Precious Remembrance Shop facebook pages for a chance to win a fabulous prize pack from Tombow and PRS.  Easy peasy lemon squeezy!!  A winner will be announced on Tuesday, September 9th on the Tombow blog. 

Thanks for stopping by... now on to your next stop on the hop the blog of my super talented teamie... Lisa!!

Supplies:  Cardstock:  Stampin Up! Crumb Cake; Paper:  American Crafts/Amy Tangerine; Wood Veneer:  American Crafts/Amy Tangerine; Ink:  Memento, Tombow dual tip markers; Hemp Twine:  Close to My Heart; Embossing Folder:  Stampin Up!

PRS/Tombow Blog Hop... day 2!

Hello!!! Welcome back to day two of the Tombow and Precious Remembrance Shop blog hop!  If you got here from the blog of Tombow design team member, Marie, you are on the right track.  If you didn't, please head over to the Tombow blog to start from the beginning.   Info on how to win a Tombow/PRS prize pack will be at the end of this post.

My card today uses the super sweet PRS set Oh, So Fun, as well as Tombow dual tip brush markers (Soda Shop set) and Tombow adhesives featured in the hop.  I went pretty clean and simple for this card.  I started by making some cute little pinwheels using some My Mind's Eye papers and a die from Stampin Up!  A couple of wood veneer stars were colored using my markers and adhered to the center of the pinwheels using Mono liquid adhesive.  The jar was inked with a grey marker from the set and stamped on my die cut panel.  I added the pinwheel "sticks" using two sentiment from Oh, So Fun that were inked with the pink and yellow markers and the pinwheels were adhered using more Mono liquid adhesive.  I finished off the card with the sentiment and a few clear sequins.  I adhered the sequins using the Tombow Mono Glue Pen.  This little pen applies the glue with great precision.. I love it!!

Make sure you stop at each blog on the hop and leave some commenting love and like both the Tombow and Precious Remembrance Shop facebook pages for a chance to win a fabulous prize pack from Tombow and PRS.  Easy peasy lemon squeezy!!  A winner will be announced on Tuesday, September 9th on the Tombow blog. 

Thanks for stopping by... now on to your next stop on the hop the blog of my super talented teamie... Lisa!!

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI rustic white; Stamps:  Precious Remembrance Shop; Inks:  Memento Luxe Tuxedo Black and Tombow Soda Shop dual tip makers; Die:  Avery Elle; Sequins:  Pretty Pink Posh

Precious Remembrance Shop/Tombow Blog Hop!

Hello!!  Happy Friday!!! As promised early in the week today is the first day of three days of stamping inspiration from the Precious Remembrance Shop and Tombow design teams.  Over the next three days both teams will be showcasing Tombow Dual Brush Pens, Mono Liquid Adhesive and Mono Glue Pen, as well as the following stamp sets from Precious Remembrance Shop:  Oh So Fun, Coffee Love and Thank You.   If you got here from the blog of Tombow dt member Marie Browning then you are on the right track.  If not, you will want to head to the Tombow blog to start from the beginning.  Information on how YOU can win all the Tombow products and PRS stamps will be at the end of my post... so stay tuned!!

For today's project I used the PRS set Coffee Love and some fun papers from American Crafts/Amy Tangerine.  Tombow generously provided the PRS design team with a set of makers and the adhesives we are using for our projects.  I inked up the coffee cup from the set using a brown Tombow dual brush marker and stamped it on the patterned paper.  I then inked up just the center coffee cup "wrap" and lid portions of the image with the brown marker and stamped them on some additional patterned paper.   All the pieces were trimmed out and the edges inked with the brown maker.  I stamped the sentiment in the center of the "wrap" using black ink and then all the pieces adhered together using Tombow adhesive.  After layering some addition patterned paper on my card base I added the red hemp twine bow and the coffee cup. 

 

Now... for that all important information about how you can win a wonderful Tombow and Precious Remembrance Shop prize pack!  Simply stop at each blog on the hop and leave some commenting love and like both the Tombow and Precious Remembrance Shop facebook pages.  Easy peasy lemon squeezy!!  A winner will be announced on Tuesday, September 9th on the Tombow blog. 

Thanks for stopping by and for sticking with my long post, lol!!  Now on to you next stop on the hop the blog of my super talented teamie... Lisa!!

Supplies:  Cardstock:  Stampin Up! Crumb Cake; Patterned Paper:  My Mind's Eye; Stamps:  Precious Remembrance Shop Coffee Love, Ink:  Tombow Dual Brush Markers Soda Shop set; Memento Tuxedo Black Luxe ink; Adhesive:  Tombow; Enamel Dots:  BasicGrey; Hemp:  Hemptique