Color Throwdown #386- awesome!!

Good Morning!! Happy Hump Day!! It's time for another set of colors at the Color Throwdown!! Loved all the cards last week-- you guys rocked it!! This week's colors are lime green, teal and white!! Yummm!!

Here's my card....

I played with some new Verve. The flower was die cut with Simply Daisies and then stamped with the coordinating solid and outline stamps from Simply Amazing and popped it up with foam for some dimension- the sentiment is from the same set. I die cut the "awesome" from Verve's Amazing Adjectives twice- one in teal and once in the lime green patterned paper. The patterned paper awesome was offset over the teal. The teal strip was stamped with Verve's Bountiful Backgrounds. 

Don't forget to check out our guest this month and featured star stamper....

Leslie Miller, Mar 2016 Guestie - Running With Scissors

AND...

Jen, Guest Star Stamper - The Other Fickle Pixie

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 CTD386 if you upload your project to an online gallery, or hashtag on social media with #ctd386 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

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
Amy Rysavy - Prairie Paper & Ink 

I also played with this week's CAS(e) this Sketch!

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

Happy Good Friday---Life...

So, I have been busy... life gets crazy sometimes...my sweet Hubs was having "sinus" problems- actually a virus infection that he passed on to me... so the last few weeks and a couple doctors visits- still trying to get the fluid out of one ear- taking a medrol dose pak and hoping it works! Then, I received a phone call and my dad is having open heart surgery next week... AVR and triple bypass- I am a nurse and worked Open Heart Recovery for 15 years... it's a BIG surgery and he is 85 (well, in June)- Bill and I are leaving for IN next week to be there... a lot on my mind.... and little time to stamp!

BUT... I did have take a moment to make a card using some new Verve (which I have  had in my stash for the same couple weeks) and for the Coffee Lovers Blog Hop- coffee is near and dear to my heart- probably even more when I am in the hospital up all night next week :-)

Enough... 

Here's my card..

Not the greatest pic- sorry! I used Verve's Coffee Helps and matching dies Cup 4 All Seasons. The stitched dies are all Lil' Inkers. 

A little close up of this sweet coffee cup... I was going for an antique "painted" look. I stamped the image, colored with copics and covered with crystal effects going for a porcelain look.

Used the second sketch from Verve this month...

And the sweet colors from ColorQ....

Will link all the products in the am... just trying to get posted since I finally had time to play :-)

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

Color Throwdown #385- Thanks!!

 Good Morning!! Happy Hump Day!! It's time for another set of colors at the Color Throwdown!! Loved all the cards last week-- you guys rocked it!! This week's colors are Teal, Aqua, and Gold!! Yummm!!

I played with some new and "older" PTI. 

The background was water colored with SU Bermuda Bay and Coastal Cabana onto TH watercolor card stock. After it was dry I added some gold splatters with Heidi Swapp mist. The butterfly is a PTI die that was die cut with watercolor card stock and water colored with the same SU colors. Added a few gold sequins for a little bling!! The sentiment is a PTI die cut three times and layered. 

Don't forget to check out our guest this month and featured star stamper....

Leslie Miller, Mar 2016 Guestie - Running With Scissors

AND...

Betty Keefe, Guest Star Stamper - Created by BJK

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 CTD385 if you upload your project to an online gallery, or hashtag on social media with #ctd385 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

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
Amy Rysavy - Prairie Paper & Ink 

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

Color Throwdown #384- Let's Party!!

Good Morning!! Happy Hump Day!! It's time for another set of colors at the Color Throwdown!! Loved all the cards last week-- you guys rocked it!! We're playing with lavender, red, and green. Ha- I struggled with this one.... really struggled... this is card #5!! Have you ever had a "mental block"- I sure did!! 

I really really wanted to make a purple bicycle... and I did with a PTI stamp/dies but, then I just couldn't get the rest to work out... maybe that's what started my mental block :-)

So I ended up with party balloons- another PTI die-... also perfect for these colors!!

Don't forget to check out our guest this month and featured star stamper....

Leslie Miller, Mar 2016 Guestie - Running With Scissors

AND...

Lee Ann Barrett, Guest Star Stamper -Greyt Paper Crafts

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 CTD384 if you upload your project to an online gallery, or hashtag on social media with #ctd384 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

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
Amy Rysavy - Prairie Paper & Ink 

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

Serendipity Stamps Blog Hop and Challenge!!

Good Morning, we're at the halfway point of this month's Serendipity Stamps Challenge-- Circles/Dots and we're having a Blog Hop!! It's a new year and we're switching things up a little - the newest challenge will begin on the first of every month. At the half way point we'll be showing another round of samples by the design team as well as celebrating with a monthly blog hop - showing you the latest products and offering another chance for you to win some goodies from Serendipity Stamps.

You should have arrived here from Miriam's blog but, if you got lost along the way I have a full list below.  

So for my first card I used the new Butterfly Dream stamp set. I die cut circles out of a 4" x 5 1/4" panel using Cheery Lynn dies using PTI's Stampers Select white cardstock. I colored the images with copics and then inlaid them back into the panel. The panel was adhered to a black background for a little "pop". For the sentiment-the new Make a Wish set-  I die cut several more circles and layered them- with the several layers it makes the sentiment stand out a little bit more. Love these sweet butterflies... had so much fun making this card :)

For my next card I went with the Nest In Tree image and Hello die cut. I wanted the image to stand out so I used minimal color with a lot of neutrals. The background was watercolored a little with a soft shade of blue. Image stamped onto a Cheery Lynn oval die combo, colored with copics and adhered. The Hello die was die cut several times and layered for some dimension- the top layered sponged in an ombre fashion using neutral colors.  

Want to go shopping? The 50% off stamp of the month is the "To The World".

The special is buy 3 items get your 4th (least expensive) item free. 

To enter to win leave comments on the DT blogs, you have until Sunday March 20.  The prize is a $20 gift certificate to Serendipity Stamps.  Mary will announce the winner on her blog on Monday, March 21. For another chance to win... join us in the monthly challenge... circles/dots.... get all the details here. 

Your next stop on the hop is my sweet friend Jeanne Jachna (the full list is below). It's sure to be bright and beautiful!!

Here's the hop list...

Mary's Blog

Karen Amidon
Marybeth Lopez
Miriam Napier
Vickie Zimmer
Jeanne Jachna 
Jenny Gropp
Julie Warner

There are lots of new goodies :) in the store, you can find them here. 

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

CTD #383- Let's Chill!!

Good Morning- Happy Wednesday!! Time for a new set of colors at The Color Throwdown. Broni picked the colors this week- orange, yellow, green, and white!!

Got me thinking tropical... warm....

So I played with some goodies from MFT. The lizard/iguana is from MFT's Polynesian Paradise- stamped with kraft ink, die cut with the matching die-namics, and watercolored with my Gansai Kuretake colors. I added a few orange variegated flowers from the same set using the die-namics and the same watercolors. The background is MFT's Brick Wall Cover up which I used as a stencil. Sentiment from MFT's Penguins in Paradise finishes it off. 

Don't forget to check out our guest this month and featured star stamper....

Leslie Miller, Mar 2016 Guestie - Running With Scissors

AND...

Bernadette Bliss, Guest Star Stamper -  Sweet Paper Bliss

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 CTD383 if you upload your project to an online gallery, or hashtag on social media with #ctd383 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

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
Amy Rysavy - Prairie Paper & Ink 

I used this week's Retro Sketch for my layout...

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

Thank Ewe- MFT sketch challenge!!

Happy Sunday eve'!! I had a chance to play with some new goodies and decided to use the MFT sketch for this week!!

Love to play in challenges but, sometimes the days run away on me... this time it worked out.

Created a little scene using BB Ewe Are the Best and coordinating die-namics. The "tag" part, although quite large was made using the Wonky Stitched die-namics (love these things!). Did some copic coloring, added the plaid paper from the Country Flair pad and a little ribbon. My grassy hills are the horizontal element in the sketch (a little liberty!)

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

Color Throwdown #382- Thank You!!

Good Morning! Happy, Happy Wednesday!! Glad you stopped by!! It's time for another Color Throwdown Challenge... Barbara picked the colors this week....

How fun is that inspiration pic.... totally contemporary... reminds me of my youngest!!

I went with flowers and a little water coloring and a new technique to me! Learned a little :)

I stamped MFT's Blissful Blooms onto watercolor cardstock... colored with ink and then wanted the colors "softened". So I sprayed water from a mist bottle and then used a paper towel to soak up the loose water. It softened/spread out the color a little bit more than I expected- maybe next time I'll try sprinkling the water instead. Used Heidi Swapp spray to add some black dots. Sentiment is from MFT's Polynesian Paradise set. 

Leslie Miller, Mar 2016 Guestie - Running With Scissors

AND...

Michele Greenwood, Guest Star Stamper - Our guest this week!!

Thrilled to have you both 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 CTD382 if you upload your project to an online gallery, or hashtag on social media with #ctd382 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

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
Amy Rysavy - Prairie Paper & Ink 

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

Serendipity Stamps Blog Challenge- March- Circles & Dots

 Good Morning and welcome to this month's Serendipity Stamps Challenge-- Circles and Dots!! Yep- I'm thinking spring and flowers!! It's March- they'll be here soon!!

SSCB#53 Circles / Dots - Circles, spots, polka dots - so many design elements are circular shaped.. enamel dots, sequins, gems...  We want you to incorporate circles or dots into your design.  Circular stamps, die cut, dotted pattern paper.. the choice is yours.. just make sure your project includes some circles and at least one Serendipity Stamps image!

So I used this month's Stamp of the Month- To The World. First I stamped a background using Serendipity's Flower Pops Solid Cling set to make the background. Then I die cut the circle with Cherry Lynn dies and created a couple of thin die cut circles to frame the sentiment (Serendipity sells Cherry Lynn dies too). Added a butterfly from Serendipity's  Butterfly Nouveau stamp- stamped twice, colored with copics and popped the second on top. Lastly, I added a little bling with gold embossing- this is hard to capture in a picture (well, at least for me anyway) using Serendipity's Ink Splash with versamark ink and heat embossed with gold. 

Want to go shopping? The 50% off stamp of the month is the "To The World".

Looking for some awesome inspiration?   We have a very special guest this month too! Jinny Newlin from Soaring!  Jinny has a fun and fresh style that you're going to adore! 

Here's the rest of the DT for some more inspiration...

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 new goodies at Serendipity Stamps.

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