Clearly Besotted Release Day!

 Hi everyone!  I’m back with my last card for the Clearly Besotted Stamps April Release.  All the stamps and dies are on sale later today (10:00 BST) over in the CBS shop so be sure to go and check everything out!

I've been waiting to try this distress ink technique by Jennifer McGuire.  This set, A Better You, was perfect to get started.  I stamped the outline in black Archival Ink, then stamped the solid image in distress ink.  The fun began when I spritzed water on the solid image!  I LOVE the way it took on a watercolour effect. 

Thanks for stopping by!  Head over to Stephanie’s blog for some more inspiration and peeks!

Clearly Besotted Teaser Time ~ Day 4

Hello friends!   I'm back today with another Clearly Besotted teaser as we countdown to the April release on the 5th.

Game On is a set full of all types of sports.  I chose this fun "football" (unfortunately we call it soccer in Canada, although, according to my son, we are trying to change this).  I created the large football with a hexagon embossing folder and a circle die!  I thought it would be the perfect background for this adorable little athlete :)


Thanks for stopping by!  Head over to Stephanie’s blog for some more inspiration and peeks!

Clearly Besotted Teaser Time ~ Day 3

Hello friends!  I'm back today with another Clearly Besotted teaser as we countdown to the April release on the 5th. 

I had created this embossed/watercolour background last week and it was patiently waiting to be used on a card.  I was playing around with these gorgeous gold butterfly die cuts and then placed them on the embossed background and voila, this card was on its way.  I just LOVE the large sentiments in Brushed Greetings 2.  They definitely make an impact.  I stamped the sentiment on vellum and attached it with 2 staples, one of my favourite ways to attach vellum!

I'm also entering this card in the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge #23.  I've added dimension with the white embossing on my background and the layered butterfly.

 

Thanks for stopping by!  Head over to Stephanie’s blog for some more inspiration and peeks!

Clearly Besotted Teaser Time ~ Day 2

Hello friends!  It’s a brand new month so that means we’re sharing some Clearly Besotted teasers with you as we countdown to the April release on April 5th!

Oh my!  How cure are these meerkats from Got Your Back?  I didn't know much about these sweet little animals so I Googled them and found these fun facts on the Live Science site.

1.  They are found in the deserts and grasslands of Africa.
2.  Meerkats live together in big groups. Several meerkat families may live together to form a community called a mob, gang or clan.
3.  They live in intricate tunnel systems underground called burrows, meerkats can stay safe from predators and cool during hot days.
4. Every morning, meerkats start their day with grooming or lying in the sun. During the rest of the day, they forage for food.  
5.  Females give birth to one to eight babies (called pups) at a time.
6.  The whole family, including the father and siblings, pitches in to help raise the new additions.

I especially like #4, grooming and lying in the sun, I would love that! LOL  Inspired by the fact that they live in large groups, I created my background with ALL the meerkat images in the set.  Since meerkats are so family oriented, I chose the "I've got your back," as that what my family believes in.

Thanks for stopping by!  Head over to Stephanie’s blog for some more inspiration and peeks!

Clearly Besotted Release Day!

 Hi everyone!  I’m back with my last card for the Clearly Besotted Stamps March Release.  All the stamps and dies are on sale later today (10:00 BST) over in the CBS shop so be sure to go and check everything out!

I've saved my favourite card for today's release!  I stamped the bluebell image from From All of Us onto a watercolour bookmark diecut with Ranger Archival ink so I could paint the image with my water colours.  I'm no painting expert, but I do love how the blue around the flowers turned out...even the bits of splash marks I added.  This will be a perfect card for the end of the school year when we inevitably will have to say goodbye to some coworkers.

Thanks for stopping by and for all your lovely comments on this Clearly Besotted Release :)  Head over to Stephanie’s blog for some more inspiration and the Release Reveal contest!

Clearly Besotted Teaser Time ~ Day 4

Greetings everyone!  Only one more day until the Clearly Besotted March Release is available!  As promised, here's the boy version of yesterday's card using the up and coming Hot Stuff set along with the sentiment from So to Speak 2.  I had to laugh as I chose this blue paper from this Penny Black pad.  Notice the name...Coco!  When our granddaughter was here at Christmas, I was trying to get her to say "Grandmoe."   She tried her best...first it was "Gogo," then out came "Coco."  Well, I LOVED it!  So chic and timeless...so that's my name now, Coco!

Thanks for stopping by!  Head over to Stephanie’s blog for some more inspiration and peeks!

Clearly Besotted Teaser Time ~ Day 3

Hello friends!  I'm back today with another Clearly Besotted teaser as we countdown to the March release on the 5th.  I just adore this new Hot Stuff set, especially the twin sentiments that are in it.  I went all girly on this one and have a boy version coming up tomorrow so stay tuned!

 Thanks for stopping by!  Head over to Stephanie’s blog for some more inspiration and peeks!

Clearly Besotted Teaser Time ~ Day 2

Hello friends!  It’s a brand new month so that means we’re sharing some Clearly Besotted teasers with you as we countdown to the March release on March 5th!  To start things off, I've created a sweet little Easter card with the Best Easter set.  There are several sweet Easter balloons in this set, but I chose the darling Easter egg ones.  Oh, these are reminding me of the little mini Cadbury chocolate eggs, deadly delicious! 

Thanks for stopping by!  Head over to Stephanie’s blog for some more inspiration and peeks!

Clearly Besotted Release Day!

 Hi everyone!  I’m back with my last card for the Clearly Besotted Stamps Febraruy Release.  All the stamps and dies are on sale later today (10:00 BST) over in the CBS shop so be sure to go and check everything out!

I love to play with water colour...I am an amateur, learning and experimenting.  What's nice about water colour is that it is forgiving and even if you go out of the lines, you can just spritz some water on it and let the colours run a bit.  I used some distress inks and a water pen to colour in the tulips from the new You are Wonderful set, then spritzed some water and watched the colour pop out and create a cool shadow around the flowers.  If the card looks kind of "scrappy," it is!  My scrap pile is getting a little too big so I was determined to use some of them on this card.  The grey dotted strip, the yellow circle and the bronze stars are all scraps who have a new home now (this card, not my desk!).

Thanks for stopping by and for all your lovely comments on this Clearly Besotted Release :)  Head over to Stephanie’s blog for some more inspiration and the Release Reveal contest!

Clearly Besotted Teaser Time ~ Day 4

Greetings everyone!  Only one more day until the Clearly Besotted February Release is available!  Today I've used the With Love set.  It's a 2 step stamp set so you can create these gorgeous tulips. I stamped a sentiment from the set onto a tag from Tiny Tags Die collection, tied some twine to it and adhere it to the card with foam tape.  I am in need of a few sympathy cards and this set is just the ticket for creating quick and sincere cards.

Thanks for stopping by!  Head over to Stephanie’s blog for some more inspiration and peeks!

Clearly Besotted Teaser Time ~ Day 3

Hello friends!  I'm back today with another Clearly Besotted teaser as we countdown to the February release on the 5th.  I've used two new sets to create this adorable "Hey Cutie" card.  I stamped a variety of little chicks from the Cool Chick set on the lower part of the white panel with yellow ink, then sponged a lighter yellow over top of them all with distress ink and a blender tool.  For some reason, this card just SCREAMED to have ribbon and a big old bow on it!  Every time I bring out some old ribbon and tie a bow, my heart feels full...I really miss ribbon!  The chick by the sentiment was stamped with a chick outline from Chirpy Chicks.  This set does not have the solid image so I turned a stamp from the set over, inked it up and stamped over top of the outline.  It gives a halo effect!  Non colourers celebrate! Woohoo!

Thanks for stopping by!  Head over to Stephanie’s blog for some more inspiration and peeks!

Clearly Besotted Teaser Time ~ Day 2

Hello friends!  It’s a brand new month so that means we’re sharing some Clearly Besotted teasers with you as we countdown to the February release on February 5th! This first set, Round Roses is a three step stamping delight.  It took 3 stamps to make these sweet little roses on my butterfly die cut.  This non colourer is ecstatic!  I'm also using the My Valentine set for the sentiment I stamped on a vellum tag then stapled to the card...an easy way to attach vellum to anything!

Thanks for stopping by!  Head over to Stephanie’s blog for some more inspiration and peeks!

Clearly Besotted January Release!

 Hi everyone!  I’m back with my last card for the Clearly Besotted Stamps January Release.  All the stamps and dies are on sale later today (10:00 BST) over in the CBS shop so be sure to go and check everything out!

I couldn't fall asleep right away Saturday night.  I was thinking about what to make for my CB release day card.  I wanted to use the You're Purrfect stamp set and was thinking about pairing it with another CB stamp set.  Then "Eureka!"  A frame using one of the Sweet Sentiments Plus popped into my head.  I haven't had that happen for a very long time.  I'm sure I've seen this idea somewhere before so I by no means take credit for it.  The next day, I created a lined grid frame to guide my stamping.  The sentiment is about 3.75" long so that's about as long as my square panel is.  I used the largest of my Spellbinders Nested square dies.  I'm sure glad I never got rid of those in my crafting purges!  I chose pink and yellow for a cheery colour combo and added one of the sweet sentiments from You're Purrfect. 

Thanks for stopping by and all your lovely comments on this Clearly Besotted Release :)  Head over to Stephanie’s blog for some more inspiration and the Release Reveal contest!

Clearly Besotted Teaser Time ~ Day 4

Greetings everyone!  Only one more day until the Clearly Besotted January Release is available!  Today I've used Miniture Florals Collection 2 to make a watercolour tag.  I left the watercolour really loose over this pretty floral image, picking up the colours from my patterned paper.  A splatter of clear and shiny sequins adds some sparkle.

Thanks for stopping by!  Head over to Stephanie’s blog for some more inspiration and peeks!

Clearly Besotted Teaser Time ~ Day 3

Hello friends!  I'm back today with another Clearly Besotted teaser as we countdown to the January release on the 5th.  I created my own background patterned paper on kraft with some of the fun images in Some Birdie Loves You.  Then I created the focal panel with two cute parrots and a sentiment embossed in white.  I sure love the way the red and black looks with kraft!

Thanks for stopping by!  Head over to Stephanie’s blog for some more inspiration and peeks!

Clearly Besotted Teaser Time!

Hello friends!  It’s a brand new month so that means we’re sharing some Clearly Besotted teasers with you as we countdown to the January 2016 release on January 5th! This first set, Jump for Joy, is perfect for Valentines or showing that special someone how much they mean to you.  I had a vision of these two sweet froggies surrounded by a heart so I went with it!  I love how they are holding each others hands...do frogs have hands?  LOL

Thanks for stopping by!  Head over to Stephanie’s blog for some more inspiration and peeks!

Hope You’ve Been Good ~ Curtain Call Inspiration

Good morning!  There’s a new Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge up and this time we’re inspired by this photo…

I focused in on the greens, red, and greys for my paper choices.  The typewriter and paper inspired my notebook page along with the idea of the “naughty” list.  I’ve used two Clearly Besotted stamp sets to create my sentiment and stamped images…Laugh Out Loud Christmas and Best Christmas.  Want to play along?  Head over to the Curtain Call blog for more inspiration and then join in the fun! Thanks for stopping by!

25 Days of Christmas Tags ~ Clearly Besotted Style

 Hello everyone!  Today I'm excited to join in all the fun over at Tracey's blog for the 25 Days of Christmas Tags celebration, Clearly Besotted style!



 I hadn't used the  Merry Kissmas stamp and die set from October's release but had left them out specifically for this Christmas Tag celebration.  The dh and I LOVE mistletoe and actually leave our "faux" mistletoe up all year :)  No mistake there! {insert Kiss, Kiss here}.  The dh is also a notorious present shaker and peeker so I had to add this vellum overlay with a sentiment from Eat Drink Be Merry.

 Head over to Tracey's blog to see more inspiration from the Clearly Besotted Design Team!  Thanks for stopping by!

 what's in it?  

stamps: Merry Kissmas, Eat Drink Be Merry (Clearly Besotted Stamps), "to" from 2012 Tags (PTI)
paper: white, vellum (PTI) 
ink: soft stone, spring moss (PTI), onyx (versamark)
accessories: Merry Kissmas die collection,(Clearly Besotted) Shine Bright Sequin Mix (Verve), twine, bookmark die (PTI), white embossing powder