Bellarific Friday-Summertime!

Welcome back everyone!

I'm back today with a card for today's Bellarific Friday challenge which is to make anything that make you think of summer. Bright colors and flowers make me think of summertime. I even used my cute blossom CB folder and made another handmade flower to keep the flowers comin! Miss Tatiana Ketto suited the overall feel of my card today with her flower and funky outfit. I also used this month's SFYTT.

P.S. Please ignore my INCREDIBLY crooked stitching! Rounding corners still make me a nervous stitcher. Not my finest moment for sure! Lol!

Materials
Stamps: Ketto-Stamping Bella, CTMH Fringed Phrases
Paper: BG Green at Heart dp, PTI kraft, CTMH cs
Other: Copics, foam tape, Nestie die, EK punches, PTI button, Memento ink, CTMH ink, ribbon, stitching

May SFYTT

**UGH! I set this post for 6 "pm" instead of "am"! GRR!**

Hello all! Hope you had a lovely holiday weekend. I also hope that you remembered the significance of Memorial Day and reflected on those who help protect our country so that we are allowed the joys of barbecue weekends. Sad to say, but 6,018 soldiers have lost there lives since we started combat in Afghanistan and Iraq in 2001. I thank them so much for their sacrifice so that I may sleep soundly, and I'm thankful for my brother who has already served three tours to the Middle East and has returned safely each time.

So now that my serious speech is over, onto the fun! Can you say "last minute"?! Only posting my card for the May SFYTT on the LAST possible day! Eek! I like living on the edge. ;) Isn't this Ruby image so cute?! It's another from Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps, and as you've learned from me, anything mirroring the Seattle lifestyle I always have to get it! It was another image that I paper pieced. I also tried making my own felt flower. I've been seeing them in blogland, and decided to try it out. You Tube has been my friend, and I'm going to try a couple more techniques with them.

**Update**So I guess I DID jinx the weather! It was overcast all day Sunday, but the sun made it's appearance on Monday. And the new router I bought to hopefully fix my wifi vs. iPad issue totally worked!! Yippee! Even made my laptop faster! :D

Materials
Stamps: SCRS Rainy Day Ruby with sentiment
Paper: BG Hello Lucious dp, PTI kraft, CTMH cs
Other: Copics, foam tape, CTMH ink, Memento ink, Nestie dies, felt, pearl, EK corner rounder, Stickles

Happy Birthday Sparkle!!

There's a very special friend out here in Blogland who is celebrating her birthday today! My dear friend Sparkle!! Stop on by her blog and give her a birthday wish.

This is the card I made for Sparkle. Classic me....it's going in the mail this morning. Ugh! At least she gets to extend her birthday cheer right?! Now in honor of Sparkle being on the NEW Farm Fresh Challenge DT, I decided to create a card with a TGF image and play along with this week's challenge. My "new" is the BG Hello Luscious paper and some lovely AC ribbon. I also used April's SFYTT.

Don't forget to swing by Sparkle's blog and send her birthday wishes, and also check out her awesome creations!

Materials

Stamps: TGF Flutter Creeper digi, CTMH Fringed Phrases

Paper: BG Hello Luscious dp, PTI kraft, CTMH cs

Other: Copics, foam tape, CTMH ink and "Sparkles" (hee hee!), AC ribbon, CB folder

Back for a birthday wish

Wow! Almost a MONTH since my last post! Can you tell I've been in a major creative slump? Just lost my passion for a bit, but I'm back finally! It will be a gradual pace back into the swing for now. (need to catch up on coloring!) Nothing like a big PTI order to jive the Mojo again! So this lovely Flirty Anya card is for my good friend Josie. It's her "27"th birthday today! Haha! I know that's how she feels on the inside, and she's just as fun and sassy as Anya is here. We're meeting up at Grinders for food and adult beverages. Hope she likes her gift I got her. Most of the time she likes my cards more! Lol! I used this month's SFYTT for the layout. Materials Stamps: TGF Flirty Anya Paper: BG Curio, PTI kraft, CTMH cs Other: Copics, foam tape, PTI ribbon, Kaiser Craft pearls, Prima flowers, Nestie die, Memento ink

Freckle face SFYTT

Hee hee! Isn't this Puddle Jumper image cute? I just had to add freckles to her face (might've added too many, but oh well). I also modified Lucy by trimming off her handbag. I colored it up, but ended up not liking the color combo.

I'm cutting it close to the February SFYTT deadline! Yikes! But at least I did it! Use my new CB folder I bought from a friend and another of the felt flowers I made. Fun, fun! Kinda goes with the Material Girl dp feel. Oh yeah, AND I used my new EK border punch. It's one of those punch/emboss ones, not that you can tell with this dp.

Materials
Stamps: Puddle Jumpers Lucy, CTMH Thoughtful Seasons
Paper: CC Material Girl dp, PTI kraft, CTMH cs
Other: Copics, EK punches, CB folder, Memento ink, CTMH ink and hemp, felt, Nestie die

Same, but different

Good morning!

I'm back today with another card where I used the same paper and sketch as my last post. Cupid Emily lends a totally different, romantic vibe from Oliver's card. The lace and damask CB folder helps with the overall feel.

I knew when I first colored up this image that I wanted to cut her out. It was painstaking, but I love the result. Had to draw the bow's wire back in with my multiliner.

Sparkle just released her latest stamps today, so head on over to the site and check them out! There's a 20% off SALE through the 22nd. The discount code is CELEBRATE. Just click on the banner below:

Enjoy your weekend! I desperately need to finish my cards for my class next week and my sample for my class at Creative University next month. It's the only time I'll have before a jam-packed week!

Materials
Stamps: SCRS Cupid Emily, MM sentiment
Paper: BG Curio dp, PTI kraft, CTMH cs
Other: Copics, foam tape, CB folder, CTMH ink, Memento ink, scrap lace, Stickles

Valentine Oliver

I'm back!! I finally had some crafty time to play with some new Sparkle Creations stamps. Totally in *love* with the two new Valentine stamps!! This cutie is Valentine Oliver. He looks so dapper in his vest and hat. And a man with flowers AND candy?! HELLO!

I was also able to play with my BG Curio dp that I've had since it first came out but hadn't had time to use yet. I like how it adds a cool vintage look. Some more first-time-uses are this Cuttlebug folder and the flourish stamp that is from my new CTMH "Wings" stamp set.

And what do ya know....I actually made this for TWO challenges! It's been awhile since I've done that! The first one is Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps Challenge #24 which is "tie it up". I know my "tie" with the hemp is kinda a flimsy entry, but I just couldn't but a big 'ol bow with this image....but some scrap lace snuck in there! The second is the sketch. It's from Jen Del Muro's newly re-vamped SFYTT. It's now a monthly challenge with some cool sponsors! I'm glad Jen decided to keep on with her fabby sketches!

Materials
Stamps: SCRS Valentine Oliver, CTMH Wings and Thoughful Seasons ss
Paper: BG Curio dp, PTI kraft, CTMH cs
Other: Copics, CB folder, CTMH hemp and ink, Memento ink, MM button, scrap lace.

SCRSC #10 with a "new" technique

Good morning everyone! I bring you today's card which is my entry for both this week's SFYTT and SCRS challenge #10. Sparkle's challenge is a color challenge: Orange, green and cream. When I saw this color combo, I instantly thought of this CTMH Splendor paper pack; one of my all time favorites. I tried to cover up all the blue, but that one flower was in the wrong spot. ;)

This also gave me a change to try my hand at some rolled paper flowers. For this cool technique, check out Tresa Black's post here. So easy, and sooo fun! You'll most likely be seeing these again!
Stay tuned tomorrow for a "flashback" Farm Fresh Friday!

Well, my vacation is now half way over :( and I pretty much haven't done anything! A couple meetings, my birthday, and a card class so far (ok, that's a few things. lol!). But the rest of the time I've been a lounging BUM!! That's what vacations are all about I guess!

Materials
Stamps: SCRS Charlotte with Rose, sentiment is A Muse
Paper: CTMH Splendor L2pp, A Muse kraft
Other: Copics, CMTH inks, Memento ink, CB folder, stitching, rhinestones

TopiaryBella

Another card using a new Bella and some more scraps! Topiary Bella was always one I oogled over everytime I'd see here. You can use this image for just about anything. I also used this week's SFYTT. Great way to use one of my newer Nesties too!

Going to Nona's tonight for some crafty time and some CTMH new product peeks! Can't wait to hang out with my friend and my other CTMH Sistahs! It's been FOREVER!! :D

Materials
Stamps: Stamping Bella TopiaryBella, CTMH Fringed Phrases
Paper: KI Memories dp, CTMH cs
Other: Copics, foam tape, Nestie die, Prima flowers, misc. button, CTMH inks, Memento ink, rhinestones

SFYTT#41 with Bella

First off, how'd you all like the Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps blog hop yesterday?! If you missed it, check out my post here. There were some amazing creations using those oh so adorable images. Remember that they are NOW available for purchase, so snatch yours up quick before they're gone!



It's another of my Bella purchases! With one of my best friends pregnant with her first child, I realized I didn't have any cool baby images. I thought BabycarriageaBella was a fun choice for announcements or showers.

I colored Bella to resemble Sara, but she'll say "where's my crazy curly hair?"! It's a straightener day Girl! Sara's going to have a girl, but I colored this more boyish I guess. Now I'll just have to make her another one! I used this week's SFYTT#41 for the layout.

Materials
Stamps: Stamping Bella BabycarriageaBella and sentiment
Paper: BG Lime Rickey dp, CTMH cs, kraft
Other: Copics, foam tape, Nestie die, CB folder, CTMH blue button and hemp, EK punch, $1 bin green buttons, Memento ink

Monday Mania--Guest host!

About a month ago, I received an e-mail from my blogland friend Amy Young. She had asked me to be the Guest Host for today's Monday Mania challenge over at Club Anya & Friends!! Of course I said "YES"! I was totally honored and humbled that Amy asked me. I've been a huge fan of Amy's artwork and awesome stamp designs for quite awhile. So it was only fitting that I used one of her Sprout creations for this challenge.

My challenge for today's Monday Mania is to "Pierce it, Punch it, Piece it"! Create a project using ALL three of these techniques. Those are the requirements to qualify for my challenge (diecuts don't count as a punch), along with using a qualifying TGF stamp. Upload your creations to the TGF galleria by Saturday May 15th. I will view all the entries and choose a winner to be announced on Monday the 17th. That winner receives a single TGF stamp of their choice!

You can see all 3 of my challenge elements in this photo. For my "Pierce it", I used my piercing tool and piercing guide to pierce around Chelsea and my sentiment. "Punch it" was done using my latest go-to EK border punches. And "Piece it" was done by paper piecing Chelsea's skirt with the matching BG paper from the background. I based my layout off of Jen del Muro's Sketch For You to Try #34. Another new sketch challenge I decided to try out. I think I'll be using this fun sketch again.

I can't wait to see all the fun and unique creations you all come up with! Thank you for playing along with my challenge and Club Anya & Friends! And thank you Amy!

Materials

Stamps: TGF Chelsea and Up, Up and Away

Paper: BG Kioshi dp, CTMH cs, kraft

Other: Copics, foam tape, EK border punches, Coluzzle, CTMH inks and paper piercer, misc. ribbon, adhesive pearls, Stickles