Enjoy the Journey- Tag You're It!!

Had another opportunity to play with the Tag You're It challenge!! Honestly, I LOVE making tags... too fun... small little works of art... perfect addition to a gift...

the Tag for inspiration...

my interpretation...

Yep... couldn't pass up a chance to use this sweet RV and petite places dies from Papertrey Ink.. I switched it up by making a round tag.. my clouds are a background die from PTI- thinking I should've inked the edges in gray- dang-  (kinda' covered up by that big sun), Added a little green grass--- we're seeing some here now :) 

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

Color Throwdown #377- Wild About You!!

It's time for another Color Throwdown challenge!! I'm still playing with lots of goodies I purchased in the last few months of 2015 and never had time to play with!! Hoping everyone survived the snow/sleet..... we had more sleet here than snow....AND that does slow down these southern towns a bit!! This weeks colors were picked by Lisa....

LOVE these colors.... kraft, gray, and yellow!!

Thought these un-inked, un- used die-namics from MFT were perfect and I am still playing with pre-Christmas purchases and the holidays slowed me down :) I'm sure I'm not the only one with a little new stuff sitting somewhere :) Used a bunch of new/had/older MFT goodies on this one. 

Love this background, arched stitched die-namics... and I think the original cloud die-namics!! Oh, that sweet lion too!!

Amy Rysavy is the  January Guest Designer - Prairie Paper & Ink Thrilled to have you playing with us!!

Once you’ve finished your card or other paper-crafted project, add a direct link to your creation using the Inlinkz tool at the bottom of the Color Throwdown post. And, don’t forget to use the keyword CTD377 if you upload your project to an online gallery, or hashtag on social media with #ctd377 and/or #colorthrowdown.  Challenge guidelines are in the right sidebar on the Color Throwdown Challenge Blog in case you have any questions.

Barbara Anders - Paper Pursuits

Broni Holcombe - Splashes of Watercolor

Joan Ervin - Stamping With Passion

Lori Tecler - Inking Aloud
 Wanda Cullen - Cullen-ary Creations

 Jodi Collins- Stampin a Latte
Lynn Putt- The Queens Scene
Lisa Henke- My Little Creative Escape

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

Color Throwdown #376- You're a Classic!!

It's time for another Color Throwdown challenge!! I'm still playing with lots of goodies I purchased in the last few months of 2015 and never had time to play with!! Jodi picked the colors this week!!

Dontcha' just love these colors!!

Here's my card...

Yep- loved these Soda "POP" bottles and matching stamps/die-namics from MFT!! Did a bunch of die cutting- sponging- and "popping" up for dimension. Used PTI's  dies for the angled panels- a little graphic feel! AND- added some twine- I used to use a lot of ribbon/bows and it seems I have just replaced that with twine- this girl loves a bow :)

AND... Amy Rysavy is the  January Guest Designer - Prairie Paper & Ink Thrilled to have you playing with us!!

And... Welcome to this week's Featured Stamper....Channin Pelletier - Craft Ghetto

Once you’ve finished your card or other paper-crafted project, add a direct link to your creation using the Inlinkz tool at the bottom of the Color Throwdown post. And, don’t forget to use the keyword CTD376 if you upload your project to an online gallery, or hashtag on social media with #ctd376 and/or #colorthrowdown.  Challenge guidelines are in the right sidebar on the Color Throwdown Challenge Blog in case you have any questions.

Barbara Anders - Paper Pursuits

Broni Holcombe - Splashes of Watercolor

Joan Ervin - Stamping With Passion

Lori Tecler - Inking Aloud
 Wanda Cullen - Cullen-ary Creations

 Jodi Collins- Stampin a Latte
Lynn Putt- The Queens Scene
Lisa Henke- My Little Creative Escape

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

Serendipity Stamps Blog Hop--- and Challenge!!

Welcome! It's time for another installment for the Serendipity Stamps Challenge blog- Once a month we post a new challenge with a central theme. The design team provides samples for inspiration at the beginning, and then again at the half way point of the challenge, but you get a whole month to join us!

Starting next month (February) the challenges will begin on the first of the month. You have one more week to join us in this challenge. 

The rules are simple... play along using at least one Serendipity Stamps image on your submission. You don't have to have a blog to play along - you can link your designs to any on line gallery. Check out  the Serendipity Stamps Blog for all the details!!

You should have arrived here from Miriam's blog but, if you got lost along the way I have a full list below. I have a card and a fun tag to show you today. 

This month the challenge is to use stripes and we are combining that with a fabulous Birthday Balloon die!! Match made in heaven I tell ya'

Sooo I combined the new Party Balloons Reverse die with the previously released Celebrate die for a fun little birthday card. Added a border using Pretty Pink Posh dies- (PPP) also sold at Serendipity Stamps and some sequins, rick rack, and twine for fun!!

The inside has a fun little sentiment.... so true :)

Lastly I made a sweet tag using the party balloons (positive die from the overall background die) from the Party Balloons Reverse die... one in patterned paper and two others I sponged with distress inks. The background uses this months 50% off stamp (see below) and the tag was die cut with PPP dies.

THE DEETS- At the half way point of each challenge we'll be showing more samples for the latest challenge and have a blog hop. The hops are a second chance for you to win! One comment will be selected from the blogs to win a $20 gift certificate for Serendipity Stamps so make sure you leave comments as you go. You have until January 24 to leave a comment - the winner will be posted on Mary's Blog on Monday January 25!

Your next stop on the hop is my sweet friend Jeanne Jachna (the full list is below)

Here's the blog hop order for today!

Mary's Blog (Start here)

Jenny Gropp

Julie Warner

Karen Amidon

Marybeth Lopez

Miriam Napier

Vickie Zimmer

Jeanne Jachna

Want to go shopping?

You can enjoy free shipping on all US orders of $15 or more good January 20 -24. 

The 50% off stamp of the month for January is the Party Background!

Here's our current challenge

SSCB#51 - Stripes! We thought it would be fun to play with some patterns this year. This month we are looking for STRIPES! Horizontal, Vertical, stamped, embossed, or on your favorite pattern paper! 

You have until midnight US EST on January 29 to join us and linkup your design!

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

Happy Birthday!!

Had fun playing with the Simon Says Stamp Birthday balloons!! Did a little sponging and sprinkling of water! The balloon strings are a PTI set!!

Have a couple birthdays this month- next week in fact and needed to get busy!!  Also playing along in the Time Out Challenge- Birthday and optional sponging!!

Hope you have had a great start to the week- mine's been a busy Monday but, good!!

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

Viva la Verve sketch meets Curtain Call!!

Yes... I did have some time to play this WE!! Charmaine had a fabulous sketch for the Viva la Verve sketch challenge and the Curtain Call challenge is all about "girly"

Had a lot of fun playing with a whole bunch of Verve and these sweet papers- Fancy Pants Office Suite. The sentiment is from Verve's Moments Remembered stamped onto a Cupcake Frame die and mounted with foam for dimension. The flowers are from Verve's Poppy Birthday- die cut with matching dies- Build A Poppy. Added some leaves with Verve's Dreamy Leaves.

The sketch...

The inspiration... I went with the colors :)

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

Tag You're it! and SSS Wednesday challenge!!

Happy Saturday- it certainly is for me!! I had a chance to play!! I made a tag for the Tag You're It challenge...

Here's the inspiration...isn't that elephant the sweetest!!

Here's my tag..

And I sponged the background in an ombre for Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge- Ombre. The background was sponged starting at the bottom with Distress inks- candied apple (love this new color), barn door, and worn lipstick.My inspiration- sponged the background instead of water coloring, used a mouse instead of an elephant and used the colors. The images are from MFT's London Mouse set. 

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

Color Throwdown #375- Happy Hello!!

Good Morning- Happy Hump Day!! I'm back to the hump day after having several long WEs over the holidays!! Oh well, at least it's a fun one!!! I haven't had a lot of time to stamp lately and hoping the New Year brings me more time in the craft room!!

New colors picked by Joan...

Yep... a girl after my own heart... ready for spring/summer (although I may enjoy a little bit of winter between, it's hard- I'd rather be at the beach!)

 I went with the whole bird theme and some new goodies (some new, some I've had but hadn't been inked) from My Favorite Things. I used the smaller grid stencil for my background sponged onto a panel from Blueprints 13 using SU Basic Gray. After stamping these sweet bird images and flowers from Polynesian Paradise- I colored with copics and trimmed to size. The sentiment uses Label Maker Sentiments and Label Tape die-namics. Added a little twine to finish!! 

AND... Amy Rysavy is the  January Guest Designer - Prairie Paper & Ink Thrilled to have you playing with us!!


And... Welcome to this week's Featured Stamper....Gloria Lee - Gloria's Craft Room

Once you’ve finished your card or other paper-crafted project, add a direct link to your creation using the Inlinkz tool at the bottom of the Color Throwdown post. And, don’t forget to use the keyword CTD375 if you upload your project to an online gallery, or hashtag on social media with #ctd375 and/or #colorthrowdown.  Challenge guidelines are in the right sidebar on the Color Throwdown Challenge Blog in case you have any questions.

Barbara Anders - Paper Pursuits

Broni Holcombe - Splashes of Watercolor

Joan Ervin - Stamping With Passion

Lori Tecler - Inking Aloud
 Wanda Cullen - Cullen-ary Creations

 Jodi Collins- Stampin a Latte
Lynn Putt- The Queens Scene
Lisa Henke- My Little Creative Escape

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

Color Throwdown #374- Wishes and a New Year!!

Good Morning... it's 2016 and a New Year for the Color Throwdown!! We have a new look... thanks to my sweet friend... Bar...

Love the new graphics!!

AND... we're saying Hello and Goodbye!!

TAMMY....I love you more than my luggage :)

Welcome back to Lynn Put and Welcome to Lisa Henke!!!

So here's my card using Broni's colors...

Wanted to play with this PTI set one more time... masked off the background and water colored... added some stars with SSS Falling Stars stencil and modeling paste. Stamped and die cut the hills adding a little glitter- it's a new year and glitter's good :) Sentiment from the same set with a "washed out" look. Yep... there's light gray!!

AND... Amy Rysavy is the  January Guest Designer - Prairie Paper & Ink Thrilled to have you playing with us!!

Another welcome to Stephanie, Guest Star Stamper this week- My Ink Well

Once you’ve finished your card or other paper-crafted project, add a direct link to your creation using the Inlinkz tool at the bottom of the Color Throwdown post. And, don’t forget to use the keyword CTD374 if you upload your project to an online gallery, or hashtag on social media with #ctd374 and/or #colorthrowdown.  Challenge guidelines are in the right sidebar on the Color Throwdown Challenge Blog in case you have any questions.

Barbara Anders - Paper Pursuits

Broni Holcombe - Splashes of Watercolor

Joan Ervin - Stamping With Passion

Lori Tecler - Inking Aloud
 Wanda Cullen - Cullen-ary Creations

 Jodi Collins- Stampin a Latte

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

Serendipity Stamps Challenge- New Year!!

Good Morning and welcome to this month's Serendipity Stamps challenge. We're changing things up a bit this year... we'll start the month with the new challenge... YOU still have a month to join us... we'll be playing twice a month but, the second post will include the monthly release! The challenges will be "general" 

this month the challenge is to use Stripes...easy peasy, right!!

Totally fessing up... it was really hard to get a picture of this card!! I was in a gold and poinsettia mood.... so I embossed the Poinsettia image with gold embossing powder and watercolored twice. Once dry, I fussy cut the image and another poinsettia from the second image to add some dimension. You can see in the picture below. This pic shows the gold and various reds used to watercolor along with the Thanks die, which was die cut three times and layered for dimension. 

You have until midnight US EST on January 29 to join us and linkup your design!

Want to go shopping?  The 50% off stamp of the month is the Party Background stamp!

For more inspiration there are samples from the design team on the challenge blog or you can visit them directly and get all the details by clicking on their names below.

Karen Amidon
Jeanne Jachna

Marybeth Lopez

Jenny Gropp 

Julie Warner 

 Miriam Napier

AND.. Mary has added a new feature to the store.. you can now start a wish list!

AND.....Here's a link to all the goodies at Serendipity Stamps.

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