Fab Friday #171 Sketch

Fab Friday has a great classic sketch for this weeks challenge and I love the designers take on it.  It is amazing how everyone sees something different when they look at a sketch. I knew when I saw it that I wanted to use one of the layers with the long flower die from the wild rose dies.

Click here to visit their site!

I also couldn't help using a piece of the bird ballad dsp, my favorite dsp right now. But we will see if that changes when my holiday catalog order arrives. I am so excited to see all the fun new papers I ordered. If you have not received a holiday catalog let me know and I will send you one! You will love all the fabulous items!

Give this fun sketch a try over at the fab Friday site today! Enjoy and have a beautiful weekend! Thank you for visiting my blog and come back soon!

Global Design Project #205

Do you ever feel like you get in the same color rut?  I do and so when I saw the color challenge over at the GDP I decided to give it a try. Color challenges have always scared me. I am not really sure why. Maybe because sometime it is a color combo out of my comfort zone. So I am really excited that I did this one.

                                                                Check out their blog!

I used stampin' blends for my coloring of these adorable little birds, in what I like to call the highlighting technique. I stamped the image with momento black ink then die cut it with the stitched nested labels. Then I used the smallest of the circles in the stitched shapes die for the center part. As you can tell I was really into all my stitched dies, I also used the largest rectangle for the mint macaron layer.

Not really sure that there are birds this color in real life but since it is my work of art I took liberty of creative license on this one. Make some time this weekend and give the color challenge a try.  It also helps to pull you out of creative ruts. (Which I also have been having lately)

Keep in your prayers all those affected by hurricane Dorian!  All those in the Bahamas that are without there families and homes. Also to all those on the East Coast of the US I am keeping you in my prayers for safety! It is times like these that I am so grateful for all the family and faith that I have. God bless you all!

A sale you won't want to miss!

Do you love all the designer series paper in the catalog?  Well now is a great time to get some for FREE!  Yes, purchase 3 packs of select papers and you can get a 4th pack for FREE!  There are so many wonderful papers to choose from! The other nice thing is that the styles are all different and so you can get a little of everything, soft, floral, stripes, dots, flowers, birds and more!  Let me know if I can help you with a purchase today! Enjoy!

 If you do not have a demonstrator and would like a copy of the new holiday catalog let me know and I would love to get one out to you today!  Great time to start to work on those holiday cards! 

                         Few days left to order your scary halloween goodies!  Don't miss out!

It's September!

It's September and you know what that means? Time for the holiday catalog to go live, which means you can order from it! I am so excited to share ideas using the new sets that I have ordered. But that will have to wait just one more day or so because I have been busy with my mom who had cataract surgery. But I do have an fun card to share for today that I made a few weeks ago.

So many of the designer series paper in the annual catalog are so beautiful that you do not need to do much to make them into a card.  I think my favorite is the bird ballad designer series paper. The artist created it with stampin' blends and how amazing is every sheets.

I love the soft look of these small birds.  So sweet and peaceful!

Along with beautiful paper this suite also has a beautiful stamp set with the most amazing sentiments! Not only are the fonts great but the sayings are so inspiring! Who wouldn't love to get a card that thanked you for being the person that you are? Everything in this suite is a must have in your stamping goodies!

I also paired this card with the stitched label dies. I think it adds just the right amount of texture without covering the entire piece of card stock. Enjoy your first day of September and let me know if you would like a holiday catalog.  Now is the time to start with your Christmas cards or if you like to create a few fall goodies! Enjoy!

One more thing to note, that I used the Mossy Meadow card stock left from the card I used.

"Spooky" how quick Halloween will be here before we know it!

Let me know if you have not received a catalog yet!  You will not want to miss out on these adorable items!

Enjoy Just Add Ink #472

Isn't technology crazy? My little crafty brain has a hard time wrapping my mind around the whole world wide web (as they used to call it, maybe I am dating myself). The challenge that I submitted today is from  a group of stampers from Australia.  Isn't that just so cool! I am all the way in Southern California! Amazing! I just recently found their website and I am so glad that I did!

Check them out here!

Isn't this a fun challenge?  I always love finding new layouts for making cards. I find that I tend to use the same few layouts so frequently. This one was very different then my usual style. That is another reason why challenges are great opportunity to grow.

The flowers I put in this cute little tea cup are from the bird ballad DSP.  I cut out the flowers that were on the edge of the paper and they fit beautifully into the rim of the cup. So don't throw away those little scraps on the ends.  ( Confession. Can you tell that I have a hard time throwing things out?) It actually becomes quite addicting when you start cutting the paper apart.  I have been using these flowers on everything lately. Join in the fun and check out the great just add ink website! Have a great day and thank you for stopping by!  And I would love any comments and letting me know where you are joining me from. Enjoy!

Harvest Blessings for Freshly Made Sketches #400

Today I created a card for the Freshly Made Sketches card challenge. I frequently go on to their website and am inspired by their amazing design team but this is the first time I have actually submitted something. I loved the sketch for this weeks challenge as well as so excited for them to have reached a 400 sketch milestone. Way to go!

Check them out here!

Isn't this just the sweetest little jug?  I love any type of a container in my stamp sets. The fun is always seeing what you can put in the container. This little jug is from the Country Home stamp set. I just adore this set. It has amazing images as well as beautiful sentiments.

Since the new Stampin' Up! holiday catalog has just been released I have been really in the mood to create fall cards.  I think they are my favorite to make with Christmas a close second.  I love the fall colors!

I had water colored one of the bouquets of flowers from the stamp set to originally place in the jug but then saw the small flowers from the bird ballad DSP and knew I had to use them. I had so much fun creating my own flower bouquet, although realized I don't really know how to arrange flowers so I just winged it.

For the background strip I used the pinewood planks embossing folder and swiped it with my crumb cake ink before running it through my machine. It really makes the groves stand out.

Do you have any ideas of what I can put in the little jug next?  I would love any comments you might have. Have a great weekend and go check out the fabulous website, freshly made sketches and thank you for stopping by! Enjoy!

Making a Monochromatic Card

Making a card monochromatic is so pleasing to the eye.  It has a calming effect when it is one color with a few neutrals. Today I have made a card with Mossy Meadow. This color is such a beautiful shade of green! 

I stamped the leaves from the to a wild rose set in momento ink and colored with my stampin blends. The bird I had colored a few days ago and thought he would be really cute on these branches of leaves. Keeping the card very clean and simple. I think I tend to gravitate to this style of cards.

Well August is almost over and I have been anxiously awaiting for the holiday catalog to go live!  You will want so many of the adorable things in the catalog! My list is so long! They have 2 hostess sets that are so adorable, you will want to host a party or combine your own orders for both of them. If you would like to host a party or if I can help you with your own order let me know. Also if you have not received a holiday catalog and would like one let me know and I would be happy to mail one to you! Enjoy!

Do you like to color?

So I am wondering do you like to color? I love to color and I have even since I was a little girl. I would always be drawing, doodling or coloring while watching tv or even in class at school. I have always loved all forms of art and especially learning new techniques. I could spend hours in any art store (much to the dismay of the people who are with me). 

For this card I used Stampin' blends. I tried to make the iris look as realistic as I could. They are such a beautiful flower.

When I started to color I looked on google to see the color of an iris. Wow there are a lot of different colors. But I decided to go with the most traditional colors.

Enjoy the coloring process, that is what I always like to tell people. Make it your own creation. The beauty of art is you can make it whatever color you would like.  I will never forget someone told a child at school they couldn't paint a tree blue because trees aren't blue. Well I say be bold and make the tree blue! Or you can make it the color you see on google or in real life. Just enjoy!

Have a great week and make some fun art!

Just a short time left to order!

Another Wild Rose

 The summer is slowly coming to an end.  My youngest starts her last year of college tomorrow.  I don't know where the time has gone. Since she will be back at school I will be able to be more consistent with my blog.  It feels good to be back in my regular routine.
 I am so hooked on practicing my water coloring with the to a wild rose stamp set.  This set is great because it gives you the option of quick stamp layering or you can just use one of the layers like I did on this card.

I stamped the outline in StazOn ink so that I could water color it. I used a wet on wet technique with several colors. I love how the colors just blend with this technique. It does all the work for you.

After using my wild rose dies to cut out the flower, I kept the background simple and soft. I wanted the flower to be the star of the show on this one.

The card came together quickly after I was done with the water coloring. Have a great week and thank you for stopping by.  I would love any comments you have!

Only a few days left to take advantage of getting a great deal when signing up to be a demonstrator. If you have any questions let me know. I have been a demonstrator for over 20 years now and so hopefully I can answer all your questions. 

CAS(E) This Sketch! #335

I am not sure where this week has gone.  I had so many stamp challenges that I wanted to participate in and so far this is the only one completed.  Just in time for the deadline. Hopefully I will have time tomorrow to finish a few more.

Check out the designers samples here.

This is the cute sketch for this week. I immediately thought of the lilypad lake stamp set. So I thought I would kind of make a scene with it using the woodland embossing folder.  The card is very simple and quick to make.

I love a set that has line images so that I can color! This set also has great dies that coordinate and the sentiments are so beautiful. This one is one of my favorite. A great card to send to someone going through any difficult situation. I hope this card inspires you to create and share with those you love!

Remember to sign up for the Halloween paper pumpkin by Sept. 10! It will be filled with great goodies to give to all your little ghosts and goblins. Although I think I am dating myself with those costumes. 

And if you would like to join my team I would love to talk to you about the great opportunity to start!  This is one of the best deals for starting your stampin' business or if you would just like the discount to purchase your own supplies. Let me know!