Thursday, February 28, 2013

hello...

how are you?

Squeaking in the monthly sketch for The Crafts Meow!! Started with a whole different idea and whole different background but, life-- or the card- led me in a different way!! That happens, ya' know.

 
 
Had some fun using papers from Echo Park... paper addict... I admit it!. Yep, the background and banners are from the same collection... love the blend! Thought  the circle "splotch" - made that up-- from TCMs Typically Teen with a sentiment from Stitched Sentiments was just cute!! Added a couple buttons with TCP twine.
 
The sketch....
 
 
Fun, huh!! 
 
Thanks for stopping by!! Love when you do and appreciate all the kind words!!

'Kay...just curious... do you stamp for yourself? I love to play in challenges and love when I feel good about a card... and love to have the recognition {when I deserve it... there are many times I don't} but, do you stamp for yourself?

I've taken a serious turn here, but, I'm just wondering... really... I visit a lot of blogs...don't always have time to comment but, I certainly look... and... does it matter if you post early or late... am or pm...

Never mind...I'm having a moment {wish I could blame it on being old and decrepit.... although, my girls might think I'm old- decrepit is drastic!}

I do appreciate when you stop by and love to read your comments!!

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

A Vervey Day!!

My cards for week 3 and 4 of the weekly Verve sketch challenges on SCS. Week 4 also includes Verve's Lovefest challenge. Go Me!!



Actually, this card evolved from a background that I stamped about a week ago. I stamped one of the Verve flowers from Lean On Me onto a light patterned paper and colored the center with copics. The pattern did not work on my original card but, I still wanted to use it and it worked for Charmaine's week 3 sketch. Added some flowers- stamped with the outline flower onto patterned paper and regular cardstock, misted with water and crinkled. Added some distressing with a distressing tool and TH antique linen ink. Sentiment is from the same set Verve's Lean on Me.

Charmaine's sketch...
  


Week 4 sketch and Verve's Lovefest....


Used some new papers from Authentique Renew with a sentiment from Verve's Thankful Hearts stamped on and layered with the Mini Bookplate dies {Verve}.... love that there are two dies and the layering is perfect!! Adorable little sentiment layer!! Added some seam binding and lace from the Ribbon Carousel.

Janelle's sketch...


Posting quickly as hubs needs the computer for work!! We've both been dealt some challenges recently in the work arena...working from home a little{after office hours} and Bill's been traveling a lot. Someday things will settle down!! Yeah, Yeah...may be dreaming!

Thanks for stopping by!! Love when you do and appreciate all the kind words!!

PS Marissa....I'm 2 for 2 {at least on the blog}... just need to get posted to SCS.

Monday, February 25, 2013

You Say the Tweetest Things!!

After my busy day yesterday, I was able to grab some stamping time... always makes this girl happy!! And I managed to do three challenges in one card... whoo hoo!! They were all challenges I wanted to play with but, wasn't sure if I could get them all done.


The first challenge was The Cats Pajamas- to use a stamp in a different way or to use a stamp that hasn't "seen any love"! I am in the category of hasn't seen love, LOL!! I really should be ashamed as I have had this set... The Tweetest Things" and the matching die for quite a while. I used Jen's Deconstructed sketch for the layout and the colors are from Color Throwdown.




Hope you're having a great start to the week!! Me, I just realized remembered I have to have a storyboard for work by Wednesday am.... we know what I'll be doing!!


Thanks for stopping by!! Love when you do and appreciate all the kind words!!

Saturday, February 23, 2013

birthday wishes- WPlus9 Mood Board

I have recently purchased some WPlus9 stamps...."in love" and found that Dawn has started a Monday Mood Board... this week the board uses navy-coral-kraft- and vanilla!! Wanted to play along and have been dying to ink up this fabulous damask design.

My card...

 
Isn't that damask pattern fabulous!! Add some coral and kraft...perfect colors!! The damask is from WPlu9s Damask Delights and the sentiment is from WPlus9s Very Vintage Florals. Seam binding and lace are from the Ribbon Carousel. Buttons are SU and stash, twine is TCP. The damask pattern looks a little "washed out" but, it's actually a dark navy.
 
The Mood Board...



Hope your WE is going well. Hubs and I were out running around today getting some shopping errands done!!

Thanks for stopping by!! Love when you do and appreciate all the kind words!!

Monday, February 18, 2013

friends till the end!!

Another card for the Verve weekly sketch challenges on SCS using the colors from the ColorQ challenge this week: Raspberry Ripple, Primrose Petals, Calypso Coral, Lucky Limeade, and White.


I played with Verve's Making  A Statement.... those loopy blooms have just not seen enough love at my house!! Tried something different for the sentiment... inked my kraft mat with raspberry ripple, primrose petals, and lucky limeade... inked the stamp and then stamped onto a MFT flag die-namic. The raspberry ripple kind of took over but, it was definitely muted. Will have to try this again but, in a different way.

 I am so proud of myself... in the last half of 2012, I was so busy (with hubs two surgeries, craziness at work, youngest sick.. you know the drill) that I would get 2 or 3 cards done for the monthly sketch challenges but, never able to get them all done. Well, for 2013 I am 2 for 2.... well, I WILL be 2 for 2. I have 2 done so far this month, working on week 3 so I should be good to go!!

ETA: Really didn't like the way this pic photo'd so I redid it with a colored background...


The color story...


Amber's sketch for week 1....

 
 
Aack...it's Monday... I think there should be some law for a 4 day work week.... the WEs go sooo fast!!
 
 ETA: would help if I uploaded the correct color story.... geesh!!



Thanks for stopping by!! Love when you do and appreciate all the kind words!!

Ingredients
Stamps: Making A Statement (Verve)
Paper: Raspberry Ripple, Primrose Petals, Calypso Coral, Lucky Limeade, Whisper White (SU)
Ink: Raspberry Ripple, Primrose Petals, Calypso Coral (SU)
Accessories: Loopy Blooms, Rounded Scallop Frame (A Cut Above dies by Verve), Wood embossing folder (CB)

Sunday, February 17, 2013

it's your day CELEBRATE!!

It's the 17th of the month and that means it's time for a Waltzingmouse Stamps Blog Party!!

 
This month it's all about doilies!! Yeah, I love me some doilies!!
 

I stamped the doilies from WMS Large doilies onto some patterned paper and heat embossed with white. I did learn... I should be a little patient and do one doily at a time-- would help with perfect placement!! Added a poppy parade panel stamped in the same color with Text Objects. A border using a die from MFT, cheesecloth, buttons, and lace to finish.

 
 
There was no room on the outside (wanted those doilies to stand out) so I finished the inside too. Sentiment from WMS Say it Loud.
 
Here' the link to WMS.... go browse... I guarantee you'll find something you just HAVE to have!!
 

Haven't stamped in a while and trying to get back in the swing of things....seems my MOJO went on vacation!!

Thanks for stopping by!! Love when you do and appreciate all the kind words!!

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Wishing You Comfort

I have been so busy lately that this is the first day this week I have been able to play! Not sure if I remember how to make a card...honestly don't ask me how long this took, LOL!! Although I can say I started twice!!


The leaves were stamped with the small leaf from Verve's New Mercies- it was stamped haphazardly and both first and second generation. Sentiment is from New Mercies also. The butterfly was stamped in chocolate chip and colored with copics. Used Verve's All Aflutter die to cut several butterflies for some dimension and layered on Verve's Embossed Oval die. Added some Zva bling to finish off.



Here's a close up of the layered butterfly.

Used the Color Throwdown colors for this week...

 
 
And Moe's sketch for week 2 of the Viva la Verve sketches..
 

 


Thanks for stopping by!! Love when you do and appreciate all the kind words!!

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Waltzingmouse Stamps Make it Monday

Claire has started a Monday challenge on her blog at Waltzingmouse Stamps. This week was a color challenge "Cranberry Sauce" and dang it was a doozy for this girl!! After much thought, I decided to go CAS with gradient colors.

Here's my card...

 
 
My vines were stamped in rich razzleberry, raspberry ripple, calypso coral, and pink pirouette onto this new linen paper I purchased (love this stuff)- it's hard to see in the pic- maybe if you click and enlarge it will show up better. The vine image is from WMS My Heart and the sentiment is from WMS Join Us. Added a few buttons and did a little paper piercing in the corner. 
 
Here's the inspiration pic..
 


Hope you're having a relaxing Sunday- I am--getting a little stamping in!!

Thanks for stopping by!! Love when you do and appreciate all the kind words!!

Love You- Cloud 9 Blog Hop

Recently acquired a few stamps/dies from WPlus9 and wanted to participate in the Cloud 9 blog hop this month. I'm under the wire here so...

Here's my card


Used the XOXO die and Cupid's Arrow and dies to make my card.


The tag tucked inside.

The inspiration pic...


Thanks for stopping by!! Love when you do and appreciate all the kind words!!

Monday, February 4, 2013

thanks a bunch!!

Still trying some coloring with copics... it's been so long!! Made this card using the Color Q colors and Jen's Deconstructed sketch. Veered a "titch" from the sketch.


Well, I did play with banners and I guess that's what I saw in the sketch... or wanted to see. I love banners! Playing with some patterned papers and ended up with this combo. Those gorgeous flowers are Zinnias from Flourishes. Normally when I think of Zinnias... what comes to mind is a riot of colors but, I had fun using the pinks/reds and neutrals.

Colors...

 
Sketch..


Thanks for stopping by!! Love when you do and appreciate all the kind words!!

Fun stuff:
Stamps: Flourishes Zinnia
Paper:  Authentique, MME, SU, and XPress It Blending
Ink: TH Antique Linen, Copics
Other: Spellbinders, Tattered Angels Glimmer mist in gold (that you can't see-covered it with banners), Seam binding from the Ribbon Carousel, Button SU, and twine from TCP

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Some Birdie..

Playing with some new stamps (new to me, that is) from WPlus9 using the colors from this week's Color Throwdown and sketch from Retro Sketches.

 
CTD colors are crumbcake, regal rose (substituted melon mambo- it's a bit brighter), pretty in pink, and old olive. I love Regal Rose but, for the life of me I can't find my ink pad... wondering if I pitched it since it's not part of the new lineup. The sketch layout is a "mirror" of the Retrosketch. Thinking this card is a bit busy? The background was embossed with Seeing Spots and then I did some wonky stitching. The sentiment and birds are from WPlus9's Love Birds and matching dies. Added some bling for the bird's eyes.
 
The colors.. gorgeous pic!!


The sketch...

Hope you're having a great Sunday eve... oh right, some of you may be watching the Super Bowl. We've been dealing with a car that decided to break down... my daughter's and had to take her to work....work's at Hickory Tavern (grill and raw bar but, sports bar) so I imagine she won't be ready to come home until after the Super Bowl is over.

Thanks for stopping by!! Love when you do and appreciate all the kind words!!

Saturday, February 2, 2013

DIY Washi- WMS Make it Monday

This week Claire has a challenge and tutorial on her blog to make your own washi!! Lots of fun and the tutorial is fabulous---it's really easy peasy!! I have some washi and have to admit that I really don't use it- but, I should.

Here's my card



 
Used several Waltzingmouse stamps to make my washi- a small image from Large Doily stamped in pink onto white tissue paper (most of my inks are SU and I'm thinking that a chalk ink would have been better keep the detail of the image), checked image from Gingham & Co was stamped with green onto green tissue paper, and lastly the smaller Chicken Wire image was stamped in pink onto white tissue paper. The image is the sweet girl from Half Pink Heroines stamped in soft suede onto XPress It blending cardstock and colored with copics. Working on my copic coloring-geesh! Sentiments from the same set.
 
A close up of the washi
 
 
You can find all the sets I used here. Browse a bit- I know you'll find something you'll love!!
 
I started with Retro Sketches48 and veered off a little!!



Thanks for stopping by!! Love when you do and appreciate all the kind words!!