Tags Galore!

Happy Christmas Eve!   I'm taking a break from wrapping and cooking to stop in and share my homemade gift tags.   It's an undertaking, but it's so much fun to break out a ton of stamp sets and just play!

Some of my favorites are represented.....here are the Lawn Fawn tags:

And here are the Papertrey Ink tags:

Here are some featuring Simon Says Stamp and Winnie & Walter:

My son and daughter got in on the action too!   Unfortunately they wrapped some of their gifts and used up some of the tags before I got the camera out :)   Here are some by my daughter:

I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!   Enjoy this time with family and friends - it truly is the best time of year!

Happy Holidays!

Hi there!   I'm back today with a couple of (relatively) quick Christmas cards.   I decided to enter these into the Lawnscaping Challenge - Merry Christmas.   

Sorry for the iphone photo!   I was in a hurry to get these guys in the mail and didn't pull out my good camera.   The background is debossed snowflakes and the sentiment panels are Lawn Fawn Stitched Rectangles.   The sentiments are heat embossed in silver and the cute little skating penguins are colored with Copics.   See?   Pretty simple!

I hope everyone is having fun with last minute holiday prep.   I still have a batch of cookies to bake and Christmas tags to make.  I like to make my tags each year - don't ask me why!   It is a bit of an undertaking, that's for sure.  I got about 20 done yesterday and I'm hoping to at least get that many done today.   Maybe then I'll be able to relax and enjoy Christmas Eve tomorrow, lol!   Hopefully I'll be back later today or tomorrow with pictures of tons of tags!

Holiday Coffee Lovers Bloghop!

Hi guys!   I'm back today with a card for the Holiday Coffee Lovers Blog Hop.   Today's card uses the Newton's Nook stamp set Frozen Friends - how cute is that snowman?   I wanted the little snowman to have a female friend, so I did a bit of mirror stamping so his "girlfriend" could face him!   I eliminated the lines in the hat so she looked a bit different than her mate :)

Everything was colored with Copics and the snowpeople got a heavy amount of Wink of Stella....they sparkle a ton IRL!   I masked off a hill in the background and added a Distress Ink sky and embossed the tiny snowflakes with white embossing powder.  The stitched frames are by Lawn Fawn and the cardstock and patterned paper are PTI.  They look like a cozy couple sharing some hot cocoa don't they?

Hope you get a chance to hop along - there's a TON to see!   Special thanks to Amy Tsuruta for putting this hop together!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge - Clearly Christmas

Hello there!   I have been a bad blogger - I've been MIA for far too long, but I'm ready to rectify that!  I'm popping in today with a card created with the Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge in mind.

The challenge is "Clearly Christmas" - and I felt a shaker card was in order (and voila!   Just like that, the "clear" part is taken care of!).   I was itching to break out the new WPlus9 set Winter Pals and the Winnie & Walter set Big Bang Flurries.   The background is stamped with the LE W&W set Bigger Bang Flurries in Unicorn White pigment ink.   I flicked some white Dylusions spray on there as well to add to the snowy effect!   The shaker element utilizes PTI dies - they make it easy to create a shaker card!    The owl and sled are colored with Copics and the sequins are from Pretty Pink Posh and Simon Says Stamp.   A band of PTI patterned paper finished the card off.

I'm also linking to the Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday Challenge and the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge.   Hope you get a chance to play along with all of these fun challenges!   Tis' the season to create!

Creative Blog Hop!

Good Monday morning to you! Well, it's Monday, so at least I hope it's been good for you so far. Mondays can be tough! Last week, the very talented Crafty Math Chick nominated me for the Creative Blog Hop....how fun is that?! There are four questions for me to answer, so let's get to it, shall we?

1. What are you working on now?
Cleaning up my craft room, lol! This past weekend I had my husband hang some Ikea shelves I purchased back in July. I'm so happy they're finally up, but I've been moving things around to fill the shelves and open up some drawer space! As far as projects go, I have a birthday card in progress on my desk, using some of my favorite patterned paper ever - Basic Grey's Knee Highs! Talk about bright and cheerful!!!
2. How does your work differ from others in your genre? 
This one is so tough to answer! I think that maybe my style differs because I don't have a definitive style at all, nor do I want to be known for one. I like so many different styles, and don't want to be pigeonholed. I like brights and pastels, elegant and cutesy. Some people have a "style" and do it so well....I am envious! But on the other hand, I wouldn't change the way I craft because it makes me happy! 
3. Why do I create what I do?
That is super simple! I create what I do because it makes me happy! Well....probably 95% of the time it makes me happy....the other 5% comes into play when I struggle with something and I'm not happy with how it turns out! But I think that happens to most of us.....right? Tell me I'm not alone here, lol!
4. How does my creative process work?
This is funny - I guess I've never really thought about it! I usually need some kind of starting point, be it a sketch or a challenge, or just some sort of inspiration that's caught my eye from Pinterest or a catalog. I love when I see a stamp set and automatically know EXACTLY what I want to do with it, but that's not super often.

Thanks for hanging with me this morning! To keep the hop going, I am nominating:

Stephanie Muzzulin - Stephanie is super talented! She designs for Newton's Nook Designs & Unity Stamp Co. She is fabulous at mixing patterned papers - something I struggle with! Check out her blog (love the owl in the header!) and say hi!

Coffee Lovers Bloghop!

***THIS IS MY SECOND POST OF THE DAY.   IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR MY NEWTON'S NOOK DESIGN'S GUEST POST, PLEASE SEE BELOW**

Hi again!   I'm back to link up a card to the Coffee Lovers Blog Hop!   If you'd like to play along, click HERE!

The background is embossing paste with a Tim Holtz stencil.   Once dry, I added Distress Ink in Scattered Straw and Rusty Hinge.   I figured it kind of represents my morning coffee, lol!   The stamp is an oldie, and I'm not even sure who makes it.   Maybe Fiskars??   Sorry I'm not sure on that one!   The image is colored with Copics, with touches of Wink of Stella and Glossy Accents.   It was fussy cut and mounted with foam tape.   The sentiment was embossed with Liquid Platinum embossing powder from Ranger...love that stuff!   

Hope you've had a chance to celebrate National Coffee Day - I got my free cup from Dunkin' Donuts this morning....yum!  There's a fun Q&A that goes along with the hop - here are my answers!

1. When did you start drinking coffee? - I've been a coffee lover off and on, but I really started drinking it regularly about two and a half years ago when I got my Keurig.

2. What is favorite brand. - Starbucks Caffe Verona

3. What is the most amazing coffee that you had? Remember where and when? - It's silly, but it was at a hotel this past summer.   It's when I discovered how much I liked Starbucks' Caffe Verona (see above!).

4. If I don't drink my needed coffee, I will...  - Believe it or not, I'll be okay!   I need caffeine though.   Diet Pepsi will get me through!!

Guesting with Newton's Nook Designs - Falling Into Autumn!

Hello again, everyone!   I'm here with a card using one of Newton's Nook Designs' latest stamp sets, Falling Into Autumn.

While playing around with this set, I realized you could get a wreath by connecting the vine-like image - the card took off from there!

I colored the leaves with Memento markers and stamped five connected images.   I added a little more shading with Copic markers, then went back in with an embossing pen and added little bits of gold heat embossing to the bases of the leaves.   The sentiment was heat embossed with gold as well.   Some sequins from Pretty Pink Posh and some rhinestones from my stash were added to fill in the card a bit.   I mounted the panel on some Papertrey Ink cardstock and added some slivers of gold glitter cardstock along the edges.    That finished off the card!  I was so excited at how this one came together - and it shows another way you can use your stamps - I'm all for that!

This is my last post with NND this month, and I want to say a HUGE thanks to Jen for having me, and to the design team members whose projects are so inspiring!  I had an awesome time using the September release and can't wait to see what Newton's Nook does next.   You can check out the entire September release HERE - there's something for everyone this month!

Guesting with Newton's Nook Designs - Apple Delights

Good Monday morning!   I'm happy to be back today with another card showcasing one of the new Newton's Nook Designs stamp sets for September - Apple Delights!

For this card I stamped a grid of the small apple image onto kraft cardstock.   I originally had planned to use it as a background paper, but decided to cut out the interior and use it as a frame instead!   (Funny how most of the time what I envision in my head morphs into something else as I create a card, lol!!)  I stamped two of the apples on white cardstock and colored them in with Copics.  Note that I masked off the little heart with some washi tape so that it wouldn't appear on those apples.  For the third apple, I stamped on white cardstock, colored with Copics and then fussy cut it out so that I could pop it up in front of the others with some foam tape.   I covered the little heart with some red Stickles.  I tucked the cute sentiment in the upper right corner -  and that completes the card!

Hope everyone has a great start to the week.   It's a rainy and chilly Monday morning here in Central NY, so I'm all comfy and cozy in my sweatshirt, enjoying a cup of coffee.   Love mornings like this!

Newton's Nook Designs September Release - Introducing Apple Delights

Today is the final day of the Newton's Nook Designs September release  - the stamps will be available to purchase tomorrow.   Yay!   Todays set is a super cute one - it's called Apple Delights.   I saw this set and knew immediately what I wanted to do with it.   Those caramel apples were screaming out for Glossy Accents!!

I wanted to try the no-line coloring technique, so I started by stamping in a super light color.   I used Prismacolor pencils to color in the apples and then did a double layer of Glossy Accents.   It really looks sticky and delicious!   I wanted to keep this one simple, so I just embossed a couple of lines down each side and then mounted the panel onto a piece of gingham patterned paper.   A couple of red strips finished off the card! 

I've had an absolute blast showcasing the September release for NND, and  I'd like to thank Jennifer for having me as a guest designer this month!  I hope you take a second and subscribe to my blog....there's more inspiration to come this month and I hope you'll hang out with me!

********

Would you like to WIN Apple Delights?  This set will be given away to two lucky winners - here's how to win....

Comment on the NND blog and Design Team and Guest blogs (see list below)! Two winners will be chosen at random from the collective blogs release posts. Make sure to check out each of their blogs and comment for your chance to win. You will not know which blog has been chosen so the more you comment on the better your chances are of winning! You have until Thursday, Sept 18 at 9pm CDT to comment  -- winners will be announced on the blog post on Friday, September 19th. 

Check out all the awesome Design Team Blogs below to enter:

Newton's Nook Designs

Taheerah Atchia

Lydia Brooke

Larissa Heskett

Samantha Mann

Crafty Math-Chick

Shellye McDaniel

Jess Moyer

Stephanie Muzzulin

Danielle Pandeline

Tessa Wise

Kimberly Rendino (Guest Designer)

Newton's Nook Designs September Release - Introducing Spooky Street

Today marks the third day of NND's September release, and boy, oh boy, this one is a good one!!!!   I was so excited to see the images in this set.   They're awesome, and so bold!!  

I started with another Distress Ink-ed background and some spooky clouds cut out of vellum.   Love these!!!   I stamped the haunted house with Versamark and covered it with Sticky Embossing Powder.   Once that heated up, I sprinkled on Distress Glitter in Black Soot.   I colored in the windows with a marker.   The little cemetery stamp got the same treatment, but I used a finer silvery glitter for that.   I added the moon to the night sky, and layered some rolling hills in shades of grey.   The sentiment on vellum with some gems finishes this one off!  

I made some pumpkin cookies today, and thought it'd be cute to pack them up in one of these little bags I found at Target in the Dollar Spot the other day.   (They had some other really cute things - chalkboard labels, gift boxes, etc.  Check it out!)   I stamped the tree image and the Halloween sentiment and covered the sentiment with a Copic Spica pen for a little glitter.   The sequins on the branches are from Pretty Pink Posh.   Simple & cute - and yummy too!

******

Would you like to WIN Spooky Street?  This set will be given away to two lucky winners - here's how to win....

Comment on the NND blog and Design Team and Guest blogs (see list below)! Two winners will be chosen at random from the collective blogs release posts. Make sure to check out each of their blogs and comment for your chance to win. You will not know which blog has been chosen so the more you comment on the better your chances are of winning! You have until Thursday, Sept 18 at 9pm CDT to comment  -- winners will be announced on the blog post on Friday, September 19th. 

Check out all the awesome Design Team Blogs below to enter:

Newton's Nook Designs

Taheerah Atchia

Lydia Brooke

Larissa Heskett

Samantha Mann

Crafty Math-Chick

Shellye McDaniel

Jess Moyer

Stephanie Muzzulin

Danielle Pandeline

Tessa Wise

Kimberly Rendino (Guest Designer)

Be sure to check back tomorrow for the final day of the September release!  Have fun hopping!

Newton's Nook Designs September Release - Introducing Falling Into Autumn

Welcome back for day two of the AWESOME Newton's Nook Designs September release!   Today we are showcasing Falling Into Autumn, a gorgeous set featuring a variety of solid leaf images.  There are a MILLION possibilities with this set, but I chose to break out the Perfect Pearls!

I stamped several of the leaves onto vellum with Versamark ink.   I then dusted on Perfect Pearls in a variety of Autumn colors. The sentiment was embossed in gold.   (I discovered that I needed to upgrade my gold embossing powder after stamping this sentiment....I've since purchased Ranger's Superfine Gold and it's so much nicer than what I was using!!)  I layered the vellum tag over a cream cardstock tag and tied a twine bow at the top.    The button finished it off nicely!   The card still needed a little something, so I stamped the vine-like image in a light tan ink and then added some Copic shading.   They were fussy cut and tucked behind the cardstock layer.   I love this card - I wish you could see the sheen of the Perfect Pearls  - so pretty!

*************

Would you like to WIN Falling Into Autumn?  This set will be given away to two lucky winners - here's how to win....

Comment on the NND blog and Design Team and Guest blogs (see list below)! Two winners will be chosen at random from the collective blogs release posts. Make sure to check out each of their blogs and comment for your chance to win. You will not know which blog has been chosen so the more you comment on the better your chances are of winning! You have until Thursday, Sept 18 at 9pm CDT to comment  -- winners will be announced on the blog post on Friday, September 19th. 

Check out all the awesome Design Team Blogs below to enter:

Newton's Nook Designs

Taheerah Atchia

Lydia Brooke

Larissa Heskett

Samantha Mann

Crafty Math-Chick

Shellye McDaniel

Jess Moyer

Stephanie Muzzulin

Danielle Pandeline

Tessa Wise

Kimberly Rendino (Guest Designer)

Be sure to check back tomorrow for day three of the new release!  Have fun hopping!

Newton's Nook Designs September Release - Introducing Newton's Perfect Pumpkin

 

Hello, hello!   I'm so excited to share with you the first of FOUR fantastic sets being released by Newton's Nook this month!

Today the DT and I (lucky me!) are introducing a super cute new Newton set called Newton's Perfect Pumpkin.

I couldn't resist a cute scene using Newton and some of the adorable pumpkins in the set!

I began by using Distress Inks in Ripe Persimmon, Seedless Preserves and Chipped Sapphire to blend a background.   I gave a quick squirt of some Perfect Pearls mist and love how it turned out....kind of looks like a starry night!   I stamped the Newton image, masked it and then stamped some of the pumpkin images.  Next, it was colored in with Copics and then the entire thing was fussy cut in one piece.  I cut some rolling hills out of green cardstock and layered them for some dimension and then adhered the Newton image on top.   A cute sentiment and some flying bats finished the card off!

Don't forget to stop by tomorrow to see what else is in store!  You're gonna love it!

                                                                               ******

Would you like to WIN Newton's Perfect Pumpkin?   You know you would, lol!   This set will be given away to two lucky winners - here's how to win....

Comment on the NND blog and Design Team and Guest blogs (see list below)! Two winners will be chosen at random from the collective blogs release posts. Make sure to check out each of their blogs and comment for your chance to win. You will not know which blog has been chosen so the more you comment on the better your chances are of winning! You have until Thursday, Sept 18 at 9pm CDT to comment  -- winners will be announced on the blog post on Friday, September 19th. 

Check out all the awesome Design Team Blogs below to enter:

Newton's Nook Designs

Taheerah Atchia

Lydia Brooke

Larissa Heskett

Samantha Mann

Crafty Math-Chick

Shellye McDaniel

Jess Moyer

Stephanie Muzzulin

Danielle Pandeline

Tessa Wise

Kimberly Rendino (Guest Designer)

September Guest Designer for Newton's Nook Designs!

I'm so excited that I get to play along with the NND team for their September release!   Head over to the NND blog to check it out.   Be on the lookout starting September 15 for projects using the new stamp sets.  Can't wait for you all to see what's new!

Winnie & Walter Playdate #3

Hello, hello!   'Tis the night before the first day of school and all through the house, all the creatures are stirring, and begging not to go to bed already, lol!

Just popping in with a couple of quick cards for the Winnie & Walter Playdate #3.   The deadline is tonight, but if you'd like to check it out, head over to the Winnie & Walter blog.

First up is this one - this is based on the sketch provided, and also uses the suggested color palette.   I used Distress Inks to ink a background then stamped the stars using Scenery: Big Bang Confetti in the same color Distress Inks.   The sentiment uses elements from both The Big, The Bold & You and Parentville. (Please note -  I didn't ink the 'you' fully because I wanted it to fit within the flourish a bit better).  I strung some sequins and a star wood veneer shape onto some twine, and that (along with some Wink of Stella glitter pen, of course) finished the card!

I made another card for this challenge, but didn't follow the sketch this time - just the color palette.   

This one was hard to photograph - why, oh why do I keep trying to take photos at night?   Grrr!   Here's an up close which shows the true colors a bit better -  

For this card, I stamped the oval frame from The Write Stuff: Leave it to Mom set repeatedly to form the medallion shape.   the 'Hello' sentiment from The Big, The Bold & The Happy fit inside just perfectly.   I double stamped it using two shades of purple ink.    I mounted the panel onto some raspberry cardstock and then placed it on the card base at an angle.   I like how this turned out and can't wait to do it again using some different colors!

Hope you're having a great night!   Be back soon with some more cards!

Hello!

Just stopping in with this beauty.   I just love the The Big, the Bold & the Happy set from Winnie & Walter!   Actually, I love ALL The Big, The Bold sets.....each and every one!  

Hope your weekend is off to a great start!

Anything Goes with CAS-ual Fridays

Well, it's Friday, folks!    Thought for the occasion I'd pull out some CAS-ual Fridays stamps, lol!

I wish I'd had time to photograph this in the daylight.   It's hard to capture embossing on vellum at 11 p.m....bummer!

I'm entering this in both the V's Sweet Idea's Anything Goes challenge and the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes.   I stamped the Lotsa Links chain with Hero Arts shadow inks and then colored a few of the links in with Distress Paint in Tarnished Brass.   The sentiment, from Shenanigans, was embossed in gold.   A few shiny star sequins finished the card off.

I hope everyone has an awesome Labor Day.   We are headed to the gorgeous Thousand Islands for the weekend.   I can't believe school starts next week - on a positive note, with the kids back in school I'll be able to get back into a more regular gym routine and on a more regular blogging schedule, lol!    Gotta live it up these last few days!   Have a good one....

Stretch Your Stamps 2 Homework

I signed up for Online Card Classes "Stretch Your Stamp 2" and have enjoyed every minute of it!   I'm super behind on the homework, though, and since the gallery is closing soon (tomorrow, I think), I figured I'd better pop in and post something quick!

This homework is from day one.    The technique of watercolor resist isn't a new one to me, but if I don't have encouragement to break out the watercolors, it doesn't usually happen.  Watercolor is so pretty, but it's not easy for me, that's for sure.  

In any case, from one background stamped panel, I was able to make four cards!   There's only three here, I still have one in the works.

I love how the middle card takes on a more manly vibe based on where I die cut the hello.  Losing the purple really worked wonders in this case!   I think that card is my favorite.    The cute little wood stars are from Pretty Pink Posh.   Love that open star!

I hope everyone taking the class has enjoyed it as much as me....I've been cruising the gallery, and there is so much to see!

Happy Happy Birthday! (PTI Make it Monday card)

                                               

Here's my (very) late entry for this week's Make it Monday from Papertrey Ink!   I used a Fillable Frame - not sure which one!   This was a fun challenge....and easier than I thought it would be!  I die cut the circle center from the coordinating colors of PTI cardstock and layered them up for a cool dimensional effect.   

Here's a better look

Hope everyone has had a great weekend!

So Thankful For You

Just two more days of school for my kids, and then summer can truly begin!   I was all about the end of the year gift for my 5th grader's teacher today.   A very cool new shop opened nearby that carries a ton of flavored popcorn, so I thought that would be a unique gift....and it was an excuse for me to get a few varieties for us!   We ended up with BBQ, caramel corn, orange soda (yuck!) and dill pickle!   Yes, dill pickle!    It is really, really good....more of just a dill flavor than vinegar-y pickle.   In any case, after our stop at the popcorn place, I needed a card to go with the gift.

I pulled out several Lawn Fawn sets - Critters in the Forest, Hats Off to You and Fanciful Frames.   To make the wood frame, I took a PTI Impression plate and embossed the wood onto kraft paper.   I then used Walnut Stain and Vintage Photo distress inks to color over top.    I added some detail with the Vintage Photo distress marker.  The coolest part of this frame happened when I decided to put Glossy Accents on it.   It looks like a real glossy frame!

For the little owl, I first stamped the mortarboard and then masked it and stamped the owl.   He's colored with Copics - the burgundy hat for my daughter's school color!   The owl and log (stamped on the inside of the frame) were then cut out.   I brought out a Heidi Swapp star stencil and sponged some ink in the corners of an off white strip.   I went over them with Wink of Stella, because God forbid I make a card that doesn't have some sparkle to it!!!   I really need to use stencils more often!   A little strip of gold glitter paper along the side and the card is done!

I'm entering this card into two challenges - Lawnscaping - Stars & Stripes (play along here!) and Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge (play along here!)

Hope your week is off to a great start!   

Newton's Nook Designs Inky Paws Challenge - Wood, Metal & Cork

Hi guys!   Today I had some crafty time and I decided to make a card for the Newton's Nook Designs Inky Paws Challenge.  

 We needed to add a texture - wood, cork and/or metal.   I decided to go with a wood-look background.  I embossed the background with a PTI impression plate on kraft cardstock.   Then I added some Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain distress ink.   The super cute sunflower is a free digi image from Newton's Nook.   You can find it here.  I printed the image twice - once onto masking paper and once onto cardstock.   I cut out my mask and added the color using several shades of distress ink.   I ended up adding some extra shading with a Copic.    The li'l ladybug is coated with Wink of Stella and Glossy Accents.  A washi tape strip down the side and some letter stickers (also coated with Glossy Accents) finish the card!   My daughter oohed and ahhed over this card....so guess who will be getting a little note from Mom soon!

I hope you get a chance to play along!   This is always a fun challenge!

Craft Room Tour!

So today I thought I'd do something different.   WAY different!   I filmed a short video showing my craft room.   I have never, EVER done a video before, so please forgive how crappy it looks, lol!   At least you can get a general idea of my layout.   

Here are some still photos.   They aren't the best, should've taken them when I had daylight.   I will try to remember to take some more and edit this post with the new ones when I get a chance.

Hope you enjoyed this quick tour.   I'm off to make a challenge card tonight.   Gotta get my clean space messy....ha!!

Pretty Pink Posh Sequin Shaker Blog Hop (Part 2!)

Here's another shaker card for the Sequin Shaker Blog Hop by Pretty Pink Posh!!   This time I used Simon Says Stamp clear stamps along with some PTI and American Crafts papers.   I just love this cute kitty image!   There's still a bit of time to play along, so go get your sequins and link up here!!!

Pretty Pink Posh Sequin Shaker Blog Hop!

Here's a fun blog hop!    There's not much that's cooler than a sequin shaker card....so without further ado, here's my card!

I've had this done for awhile, but I don't think I shared it on the blog.  I used Lawn Fawn stamps on this card....It turned out pretty cute!  I'm hoping I have time to make another one for the hop - they are a lot of fun to make, and even more fun to receive ;)   Play along by linking up at Pretty Pink Posh!