believe... 31

Hi there and Happy November! Time sure flies ~ before we know it, we'll be ringing in 2014! It's time for an all new Mixed Media Color Challenge! Thanks to all who took the time to share their creativity with us and thanks to those who left encouraging comments :)

In celebration of the upcoming holidays, this will be our last challenge of 2013! Rather than the usual color story to play with we are offering you, the artist, the option to play with whatever colors inspire you to create a holiday mixed media project!

I was inspired to create a 3D home decor piece using some of the new products and techniques that Finnabair introduced to me this past summer when I attended one of her classes. This piece has so many layers of gel medium, tissue paper, paints, mists, chipboard embellishments and metal trinkets I lost count!

Once I had the wooden box covered with music note tissue paper, I added texture using the Stargaze stencil. For added interest and design, I randomly stamped the polka dot image from Distressed Background Blocks and the text image from Collage Backgrounds:

To create the Christmas tree, I layered various metal trinkets from my stash including several that I have had for about 10 years! (the gingerbread man piece and the believe word plaque). Once I built the tree and had it adhered in place, I painted with various paints, mists, sprays and inks.

Thank you for stopping by! Please be sure to visit the Mixed Media Color Challenge site for some fab inspiration from Sue and for complete details on how to join along.

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It's Sew Easy... 23

Hello! Hope you are having a great week! It's Wednesday, so that means it's time for an all new MFT sketch challenge!

Here is my take on this week's sketch:

I made a card featuring the vintage sewing machine image and a sentiment from one of my most favorite and very first MFT Stamp sets that I purchased: Sew Nifty.

I embellished the card with a Kraft die cut heart made using the Die-namics Hearts a Plenty die. I rolled it through the paper crimper, swiped with the Sweet Tooth ink pad then stitched on a Cotton Candy button.

Shown below is the sketch we will be playing with: I hope you join along in the fun! You have the opportunity to win a $20. gift certificate to the MFT Boutique!

Thanks so much for stopping by ~ I hope you join along in the fun! You have the opportunity to win a $20. gift certificate to the MFT Boutique! Be sure to visit the MFT blog for additional inspiration.
Be Sweet ;)

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Some exciting news! 33

Hi there! Are you up for an awesome sketch challenge and a chance to win a prize? If so, you may find that joining along with the current challenge at Seize the Sketch challenge blog the place to play! I'm so excited to be playing along with Lesley (challenge creator) and the talented Seize the Sketch DT as well as sponsoring the challenge with a prize give away consisting of a set of MFT MPD Contemporary Roses and the coordinating dies ~ Die-namics MPD Contemporary Roses. Thank you Lesley for the awesome opportunity!

Here is the fun sketch:

Here is the prize:

I made a card featuring three of the beautiful butterflies and one of the sentiments from Winged Beauties combined with pretty patterned paper from 13arts Faces of Spring collection: 

I stamped the trio of butterflies using Sno Cone ink on the coordinating die cuts made using Winged Beauties dies then topped each one off with a small pearl.

Thank you for stopping by! Please be sure to visit the Seize the Sketch challenge blog for some fabulous DT inspiration and for COMPLETE details on how to join along in the fun!
Be Sweet ;)

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Genuine Friend 37

Hi there! It's Monday so that means it's time for an all new Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge! This week, the theme is Anything Goes! 

I was inspired to create a thank you card for a dear friend:

Combining one of the many versatile sentiments from Apothecary Labels with a fancy coordinating die made for the perfect focal point for my card.

I layered the sentiment on a variety of die cuts pieces then finished it off with a homemade glitter coated Bitty Blossom.

Thank you for visiting. I hope you join along in the fun!

Be Sweet ;)

Products Used:

Simon Says Apothecary Labels Stamps and Dies, Tim Holtz Rock Candy glitter, Spellbinders Bitty Blossoms, Spellbinders Fancy Tags, Spellbinders Tear Drop Circles, Tim Holtz Tea Dye Distress ink, Tim Holtz Crinkle Ribbon, Tim Holtz Core'dinations Cardstock, Ranger Jet Black Archival ink, Prima Printery

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Fun 50

Hi there! Hope all is well with you! I've been having fun playing with stencils, stamps, texture pastes, paper, etc... again! I'm all over the place with my crafting ~ one day, I feel like making a card for a certain someone or just for fun then the next day, I feel like creating on a much larger scale so I make a 12" x 12" layout or maybe I feel like playing in my art journal or creating a tag. That's what I love about this crazy hobby, it is so versatile and there are so many "things" to create. In my opinion, one can never get bored! :) I'm curious, do you have one type of project that you make or do you mix it up too?

With that being said, today I have a layout to share featuring a photo of myself that was taken while hiking one of our favorite hiking trails in our backyard. 

For the background, I started with a gorgeous piece of 7 Dots Studio paper then added texture using the Brick Wall stencil along with some fiber paste. Once dry, I applied various colored inks and sprays. 

I layered lots of distressed strips of 7 Dots Studio paper then added a variety of blossoms from my stash including a beautiful hand crocheted blossom made by my sweet sister Tina:

After everything was stitched in place and dry, I randomly stamped the chicken wire image from Distressed Background Blocks:

For theme inspiration, I joined along with the 7 Dots Studio October challenge which is to create a project focusing on "Something Done for Yourself" which for me is hiking. Of course I enjoy spending time with my sweet husband ~ Scott and dear sister  ~Tina hiking, biking and lifting weights at the gym BUT when it comes down to it, I do it for myself :) It makes me not only feel good, strong and healthy but allows me to fit in my clothes :)

For sketch inspiration, I joined along with the Sketchabilities sketch challenge:

Many thanks for visiting ~ I hope you enjoyed my layout.
Be Sweet ;)

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peace... 41

Hello! Hope you are doing well! It's Wednesday, so that means it's time for an all new MFT sketch challenge! 

I made a rather clean and simple card featuring a beautiful die cut background made using Die-namics Modern Morocco die:

I stamped three of the pretty flowers from Peaceful Wildflowers on their coordinating die cuts then layered them on top of a die cut doily made using a Die-namics Decorative Doily DUO die:

Shown below is the sketch we will be playing with: I hope you join along in the fun! You have the opportunity to win a $20. gift certificate to the MFT Boutique!

Thanks so much for stopping by ~ I hope you join along in the fun! You have the opportunity to win a $20. gift certificate to the MFT Boutique! Be sure to visit the MFT blog for additional inspiration.
Be Sweet ;)

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Sweet Friend 36

Hi there! Hope you are having a great week! Today I have the day off from work so I played around with some of my favorite paper crafting products. I scrapped a layout featuring my sweet little furry friend, Gretchen :)

To create the background, I layered the beautiful 13arts Spring Morning patterned paper then added texture and design using the Fleur-de-Lis stencil. I added color using my own mist made from Blu Raspberry ink then randomly stamped the text background from Collage Backgrounds. For the title, I stamped a sentiment from Tropical Sensations on a pretty label made using a Spellbinders Fancy Framed Tags Two die.

I wanted Gretchen to be my focal point, so I trimmed around her photo, layered her on top of a die cut frame made using a Spellbinders Decorative Labels Eight die from 13arts Cold Wall patterned paper:

For inspiration, I joined along with the 13arts October challenge focusing on the pretty color combination of blues and black and for symmetry ~ I gave Gretchen angelic metallic wings :)

Gretchen's angelic wings and all the flowers allowed me to join along with the ScrapMemory challenge:

For sketch inspiration, I joined along with the current Keeping the Best sketch challenge:

Thanks so much for visiting ~ I hope you enjoyed my layout!
Be Sweet ;)

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Serenity 43

Hi there! I hope you had an amazing weekend! It's Monday so that means it's time for an all new Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge! This week's challenge theme is "Spooky Season". I opted to make a page in my art journal exploring the dark side of grey and black.

The beautiful scene in the Serenity stamp set was calling to me to create a page in my art journal.

To create the page, I combined a variety of mediums such as jet black ink, Black Velvet Color Shine, Tinsel Color Shine and Grunge Paste as well as lots of layers made using Tissue Tape and patterned paper.

I added a layered flower embellishment using the images from Paper Artsy.

Thanks so much for visiting ~ I hope you join in the fun!
Be Sweet ;)

Products Used:

Artistic Outpost Serenity, Ranger Archival jet black ink, Heidi Swapp Black Velvet Color Shine, Heidi Swapp Tinsel Color Shine, Paper Artsy Grunge Paste, Tim Holtz Tissue Tape, Tim Holtz patterned paper, Paper Artsy Stamp HP 1004, Paper Artsy Grunge Flowers 2 &  3, Tim Holtz Papillon

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