Paper Sweeties July Release Sneak Peeks!

Oh My Gosh! I just realized that summer is half over! How did that happen? That old saying, "Time flies when you are having fun" certainly applies in my case. We haven't done anything extraordinary this summer, and our summer vacation was just a few hours away, for my daughter's bowling tournament (she WON in her division!), but this has been a wonderful summer for us. I hope you are enjoying the summer, too!

I just love word dies! Do you? Paper Sweeties' July New Release includes a fantastic "Wish" Sweet Cuts set with two word dies, as well as a coordinating stamp set. I used the "Wish" die for this card. (I'll have another card soon using the "Love" die from the same Sweet Cuts set.) 

For the "Wish" layer, I heat embossed the "Wish" stamp with clear embossing powder onto a piece of watercolor paper, then used Color Bursts (links below) to create the colorful background. This was my first experience with Color Bursts and it didn't turn out as dark as I expected, so I added the blue "Wish" die cut over the embossed area for better contrast. I also stamped the "upon a star" sentiment from the "Wish" stamp set onto a star die cut from the same colored paper. The bottom of the card is glitter paper. And, I just had to add some shiny Cookie Dough Paper Sweeties sequins. If you haven't seen Paper Sweeties sequins in person, let me tell you, they are like none I have ever seen before. The colors are AMAZING! And, the scalloped/flower shape is beautiful.

On the inside of the card, I glued the tiny stars from the diagonal die cut on the front, and stamped a "Good Luck" sentiment from the So Sweet of You stamp set.

You are not going to want to miss the cards the rest of the DT has created using this month's new release stamps and dies! These ladies are SO talented!

Angel Johns 
Cheryl Lea - That's Me!

Debbie Marcinkiewicz – Paper Sweeties
Emily Frasier 
Jill Norwood 

Kathy Schweinfurth

Larissa Heskett
Mackie Robertson

Maria Patrick

Michelle Bala
Mynnette Kitchen

Nancy Penir

Have you played along in this month's Red, White, & Blue inspiration challenge yet? You've still got time to join us, and you just might win a Paper Sweeties Gift Certificate!

Paper Sweeties Inspiration #33 – ‘Red, White & Blue’

And, last, but not least, here's a head's up for what's coming up in August. PARTY!!!

Thanks for stopping by, and have an awesome week!

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
613 Avenue Create Challenge #132: Create Your Own Challenge (A2/Encouragement/Watercolor & Sequins)
Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge: Celebrate
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Anything Goes

~Hugs,

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Paper Sweeties June Release Rewind!

To finish off Paper Sweeties' Release Week, we have a Release Rewind where we combine new products with old. 

I decided to dress Jake and Emma up in some beach attire from the new Surf's Up and At the Beach stamp sets. I love that you can move Emma's pigtails just by snipping them and gluing them back on wherever you want them. I thought they should be low for this card. I colored both of the kiddos with Copics then paper pieced their swimsuits. The embossed sentiment is from the At the Beach set, too. I accidentally used a somewhat chunky embossing powder, so the font isn't as fine as it could be, but I didn't have another piece of that paper, so I went with the chunky look anyway.

This entire beachy release is one of my favs! Not only are the stamps super cute, but every single stamp and Sweet Cuts die in every one of the new sets works well together. And, it turns out, the new releases "play well with others," too. Check out my Teamies' blogs for more fabulous ideas for combining new and old sets:

Angel Johns 
Cheryl Lea - That's Me!

Debbie Marcinkiewicz – Paper Sweeties
Emily Frasier 
Jill Norwood 

Kathy Schweinfurth

Larissa Heskett
Mackie Robertson

Maria Patrick

Michelle Bala
Mynnette Kitchen

Nancy Penir

And, you've still got time to enter the June Paper Sweeties Party Time Inspiration Challenge for a chance to win a Paper Sweeties Gift Certificate!

Have an amazing week!

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge #272
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: Friends or Superhero
613 Avenue Create Challenge #128: Anything Goes
Corrosive Challenge #226: Pile It On
Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge: Flip Flops

                                                             

~Hugs,

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Cupcake Inspirations Color Challenge 300

I'm back with another Paper Sweeties card for the Cupcake Inspirations Challenge 300. Today's challenge is a color challenge.

The colors in this challenge are chartreuse, white, and pool, but I added in some pink just so I could use these sweet Cotton Candy Straws. I also used the Party Time and Bloom & Grow stamp sets and cut them with the Party Time and Sweeties Wagon Sweet Cuts die sets. The flowers were colored with Copics, and I did a little shading on the plaid cake with Copics, also. Blueberry Baker's Twine adorns the "Happy" banner, on which I hand-wrote the letters using gel pens. For sparkle, I added Green Apple Sequins.

Inside the card, I used the Pretty Posies stamp set and coordinating Pretty Posies Sweet Cuts die set to cut the flower and leaves. Rather than cutting the leaves from the green paper, I just cut them out of the white layer so that the green paper showed through, then after adhering the negative die cut white layer over the green paper, I stamped the leaf onto the green plaid paper, and glued the pink flower over them. 

I left the inside of the card blank so that I can use it for any "Happy" occasion, but my daughter hinted that for her next birthday, she'd really, really like to have this card, so I suspect it will end up being a birthday card. ;) 

Congratulations, Cupcake Inspirations!

Thanks for stopping by, and have a wonderful week!

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Cupcake Inspirations 300th Challenge Celebration: Color Inspiration
Viva la Verve February 2015 Week 3 Sketch Challenge
Simon Says Monday Challenge: Just a Hint of Clover
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes
613 Avenue Create #113: Anything Goes
Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge: Lucky
Fresh Brewed Designs March 3 Challenge: 1 Image + 1 Sentiment
The Paper Players - Laurie's Theme Challenge PP234: Think Spring

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Wryn Goes Caroling for Fabby Friday!

It's a Tiddly Inks Fabby Friday, and today is extra special, because Christy is also releasing some of the cutest critter images ever! But, I'm not going to spoil it for you here--you'll have to see them for yourself! In the meantime, here's a Christmas card made with the Wryn Goes Caroling image.

I colored Wryn with Copics on X-Press Blending Card. There is some Glossy Accents on the berries on her hat, and bronze Pearl Pen on the music notes. This was fun to color, but I almost threw it out when my E79 marker--an extremely dark brown--leaked onto her hair!!! Colorless Blender and Prismacolor pencils to the rescue! You can still see a dark spot, but it's very faint, and I'm pretending it's a shadow from the holly leaf!!! Copics have given me such an appreciation of non-perfection. ;~) 

I used the Mojo 373 sketch for the layout, some Christmas papers, a few rhinestones and sequins, and added red Pearl Pen spots on the holly paper. I was visiting friends in Savannah when I colored this, so it was one of the rare times when I colored, having no idea at all what kind of paper I would use. I was stumped on this until I used the teal cardstock as my base and matting. This might be my new fav Christmas color palette!

The sentiment on the inside of the card is from Our Daily Bread, and it is stamped in Memento Rich Cocoa ink. 

Go here to see the Fabulous Friday offerings from the rest of the Tiddly Inks Design Team. Then, be sure to go to Christy's blog to see her newly released images, as well as more Design Team cards using them! I couldn't resist a single new image, and made a Be-ewe-tiful 8-card boxed set using every single one of them! ;-)

Thanks for stopping by, and have a Fabulous Day!

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Holiday Cards
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Christmas/Holidays
Your Next Stamp Color Challenge #3
613 Avenue Create Challenge #100: Anything Goes
Sugar Pea Designs Challenge SPD11: Winter Wishes
Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge: Clearly Christmas
Fresh Brewed December Challenge: Christmas Anything Goes
Kit & Clowder November Challenge: Christmas
Robyn's Fetish Challenge #240: Anything Goes
Corrosive Challenge #213: Happy Everything!
TSC Challenge #58: Anything Goes

~Hugs,

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Be Merry and Bright Pupmas!

Tomorrow, at Tiddly Inks, Christy is releasing an adorable new group of cute critter digi stamps, that I know you are going to love, and in preparing for the release, it reminded me of another critter image that I hadn't had a chance to use yet, which was released a few weeks ago. Actually, it's a set of two, and you can't beat the price--they are only $1.00!

 I used the Be Merry and Bright Pupmas image for this Christmas card:

Isn't he sweet? He reminds me of a time, many years ago, when I came home after a couple of hours and my brand new little puppy had grabbed hold of a sweater I was knitting and then ran through the den, dining room, and kitchen at least a dozen times with it, wrapping the yarn around a big wall that separated the rooms, and tangling himself in the process. It was frustrating to have to start the sweater all over, but he looked so cute, I couldn't be mad at him. Looks like this little guy had a similar experience! 

I colored the image with Copics, then added Transparent Pearl Pen to each of the lights, as well as his nose. I went over the text with a Black Spica pen to give it some shine. The green layer is popped up a little bit with 2 layers of crimped cardstock, which I prefer over foam dots or tape on a larger layer. I threaded three red beads, that look a bit like holly berries, to red twine and wrapped it around the layer 3 times for a little embellishment.

The sentiment inside of the card is from an old Flourishes stamp set, and I zigzagged two fishtail banners to the top edge.

Be sure to check back tomorrow for my Tiddly Inks Fabby Friday post, as well as the New Release Digi Stamps! The DT cards for the new release are spectacular!!! You aren't going to want to miss this one!

Thanks for stopping by, and have a Merry and Bright week!

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Mojo Monday #374
613 Avenue Create #100: Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Holiday Cards
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Christmas/Holidays
Your Next Stamp Color Challenge #3
Sugar Pea Designs Challenge SPD11: Winter Wishes
Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge: Clearly Christmas
Fresh Brewed Designs December Challenge: Christmas Anything Goes
Robyn's Fetish Challenge #240: Anything Goes
The Corrosive Challenge #213: Happy Everything!
TSC Challenge #58: Anything Goes
Kit and Clowder November Challenge: Christmas

~Hugs,

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Seize the Day, Wryn!--Tiddly Inks Fab Friday

Hey all you peeps! Need some crafty inspiration for the weekend? Well, you're in luck! It's Tiddly Inks Fabby Friday, and we've got over a dozen Fabulous creations to jump start your mojo!

I used two digital stamps for my card: Wryn's Leaves and Twisted Tree. I printed them onto X-Press Blending Card, then colored them with Copics. The designer papers are from my scraps. 

Don't you just love how happy Wryn looks, playing in the leaves? I used to love doing that when I was a kid. I wonder...with all the mulching mowers nowadays, do people even rake leaves anymore? I know we don't. That's a shame. Just look at what today's kids are missing out on. ;)  But, on the bright side--with no raking to do, think how much more time you have for crafting!!! Yay!

Be sure to visit the Tiddly Inks Blog to see the rest of the DT's Amazing Creations! And, don't forget, you still have time to enter the Black Cats challenge, too!

Thanks for stopping by, and have a wonderful week!

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Simon Says Stamp Monday: Good 'ol Days
613 Avenue Create Challenge #96: Anything Goes
Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge-Boho Bright
Fresh Brewed November Challenge #1: Fall Colors
TSC Challenge #54: Anything Goes

~Hugs,

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Openings in Heaven

Oh my Gosh! I was shocked to see that I haven't posted in 2 weeks! This summer is just flying by. And, as usual lately, I'm short on time, so this will be brief.

Our community recently lost a young man in a tragic accident. Cody owned the lawn company that has been maintaining our yard, as well our neighborhood's common areas for the past five or six years. I literally never saw him without a big smile on his face. The day he told us about his new fiance, he was practically walking on air, he was so happy. He was also kind, honest, fair, and hardworking, and he has left behind his young wife of just 3 years and a six-month old baby girl. Such a sad, sad loss. I made this card for our neighborhood to send to the family.
The dark purple die cut is cut from a piece of purple foil. It was about the thickness of an aluminum can (maybe even thicker), and it was difficult to cut, but after embossing, it was really pretty. I stamped the sentiment twice--first in lavender, then over that, offset just a bit, in a dark purple, achieving a shadow effect. The crystals are Swarovski.

The green color inside the die cuts on the front and inside of the card was airbrushed with a Copic. I took the Copic Airbrushing class last weekend, and it has made a world of difference in my airbrushing skills. I highly recommend that class to anyone who wants to airbrush with their Copics.

Thanks for stopping by, and have a wonderful week!

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Simon Says Stamp Monday: Anything Goes
613 Avenue Create Challenge #77: Anything Goes w/optional Pink
Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge: Sweet Pea
Sugar Pea Designs SPD06 Challenge: Anything Goes

~Hugs,

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Bunny in the Grass

Hello there! Are you all decked out in your Sunday best for church, headed out for an Easter Egg Hunt, or getting ready for a family gathering? Maybe all three??? Or, are you still in your jammies, spending the day on the couch, totally taking it easy? However you celebrate Easter, I hope it is a happy day for you and yours!

I've got a couple of Easter/Spring cards to share, in honor of the day and the season...

Isn't that little bunny the cutest? It's a Serendipity die, and I cut it from white cs, then painted the body with gold metallic paint and colored the flowers with Copic markers and a clear Wink of Stella pen. I actually had to color the flowers twice because I couldn't keep up with all the little petals the first time. To make it easier on the second attempt, I die cut the bunny, but before I removed any of the flowers from the die cut, I covered the back of the bunny with removable tape then pushed all the petals out from the front so that they stayed stuck on the tape. After coloring them, I just laid the painted body of the bunny back over the flowers, pressed them in place, and removed the temporary tape, replacing it with permanent tape so the petals wouldn't fall out. The eye was colored with a pink marker, then I used a black Spica pen to draw in the black pupil and coated it with Glossy Accents. The grass was cut from white cs and colored with Copics, also. The background was fun to make, and SO easy. Alcohol inks, glossy paper, a straw, and a little lung power was all it took. I left this card blank inside so I could use it as an any-occasion card.

This card is very similar to the first one, but I added a little more color on the background, and instead of coloring the flowers on the bunny, I filled them with a Pink and a Green Pearl Pen instead. They remind me of the little candy flowers that are on chocolate bunnies sometimes. This bunny took me a very long time to make because I had trouble getting the Pearl Pen to cooperate. It was a little runny and wanted to flatten out. So, I ended up really gooping (is that a real word???) my Pearl Pen on the petals, then, while they were still wet, I added 5 or 6 layers of the bunny's body over them. That way, the petals didn't run all over the place--no smearing! In real life, there are so many layers now, the bunny looks more like a wooden bunny!

This was my DD's Easter card this year, so I added the Easter sentiment to a white panel, then used the negative die cut from the front of the card as a frame for it.

This alcohol ink technique is so easy, I plan to make several more--probably a card set in the near future!

Thanks for stopping by, and have a Happy Easter!

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Viva la Verve April 2014 Week 3 Sketch Challenge

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: Animal Antics

613 Avenue Create Challenge #68: Anything Goes

Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge: Confetti Crush

Paper Issues: Pitch Perfect (incorporated a "lawn")

The Paper Shelter Challenge #154: Spring is Here

~Hugs,

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It's A Boy!

 Hi there! I'm down to the wire on the Viva la Verve Sketch Challenge this month, and I still have another card to post for it, so I'll be very brief.

This is a new baby card for a boy. I used the colors of the dp to guide me in choosing all the other colors and elements. I colored the word, "boy," with Prismacolor pencils. The cluster of embellies is made up of a flattened bottle cap, some gears, flags, and a "baby" zipper pull. The "dirty" gear was die cut from kraft cs, then heat embossed with silver ep. To achieve the rusted/dirty look on the gear, I inked up just a portion of the silver embossed gear with Versamark, then I sprinkled Distress EP on one edge of the gear.

The inside.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Viva la Verve March 2014 Week 2 Sketch Challenge

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: The One With Lots of Rules (Anything Goes)

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Happy Birthday

613 Avenue Create Challenge #65: Anything Goes

Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge: Booties

Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy the rest of your week!

~Hugs,

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Fresh Brewed Guest Designer

Did you notice anything new when you got here today? I spent the past few days revamping my blog for a fresh look. My friend, Deborah, helped me get going, and soon, she's going to help me add a few other new features, too! I can hardly wait!

But, in the meantime, I've been anxiously waiting for today to get here. I'm the Guest Designer over at the Fresh Brewed Designs Challenge Blog today! I found Fresh Brewed a couple of months ago, and I'm so glad I did. Heather, the owner of Fresh Brewed Designs, has both rubber and digital stamps in over 30 categories, as well as digi paper, in a wide variety of cute designs. When she asked me to be a Guest Designer for this month, I had my pick of three images to use for my GD cards, and I have to tell you, it was tough to narrow my choices down! You'll see what I mean! ;)




Heather has a Brew of the Month Challenge every month where you can choose your challenge of either a sketch, a photo inspiration, or both. (There's still time to enter this month--you have until March 31). For my first card, I used the sketch. And, as I seem to do with every sketch I use lately, I turned it on it's side.

For my first card, I used this sweet Watermelon Girl digi image. Is she not the cutest thing? :) I colored her with Copic markers and used a piece of terry cloth and Colorless Blender on the watermelon to give it a little texture. I also added Black Liquid Pearl to the seeds, and Glossy Accents to her little ponytail holders and her shoes. I got out my Gelatos again, and made the watermelon paper. The "seeds" were added with Inktense pencils. After cutting it with a Labels 25 die, I sponged Black Soot ink around the edges. I used the Opulent Ovals die set to cut a black frame for the colored image, and I backed it with the same green paper that I used as the bg. The "Sweet" flag was cut with a Verve flag die, then I spritzed it with Fresh Lime and Vibrant Turquiose Dylusions Ink Spray, and sponged Mowed Lawn Distress Ink around the edges before attaching it to the framed image with a floral brad. The textured strip across the middle was cut with a Simon Says Circle Border die, and I used strips of black cs to border the die cut.

I used the scraps from the watermelon paper on the front to give some color and interest to the inside.

For my second card, I used the photo inspiration from this month's FBD challenge, and did a little computer manipulation to the digital images first...

The minute I saw Bob and Betty in Heather's store, I knew I just had to have them! They are actually completely separate digital images, but by making the "sky" transparent, I was able to merge the images together. Heather did such a great job drawing these images, they went together perfectly! I didn't even have to do any resizing! I paper pieced Bob and Betty's swimsuits, then colored the image with Copics. I have to tell you, this was a blast to color. Can you see their sunburns, and Bob's farmer's tan? And, don't you just LOVE the expression on Bob's face? He's definitely "Living in the Moment," isn't he? ;) I used a cloud stencil for the sky, sponged in the sun, added in some white highlights to the water, and drew in the birds in the background. I used a Wink of Stella pen to add shimmer to the sun, and a little "sweat" to Bob and Betty. The rims of their glasses were colored with gold and silver Spica pens, and I used Glossy Accents on their lens, and also on the chocolate on the ice cream cone. 

For the layout of this card, I used Sugar Pea Design's very first Sugar Sketch. I used a weathered wood dp, distressed the edges with a Distrezz-it-All, cut two flags out of the same dp I used for the paper pieced swimsuits, stamped a tag with a Live in the Moment sentiment, which I traced with a gold Spica pen for sparkle, added a little twine, die cut the image and another circle for a mat and put it all together. And, I have the perfect couple to send this card too! ;~D

I kept the inside a little plain, with just a strip of the weathered wood dp, some sponging around the rectangular panel, and a couple of gold lines drawn with a Spica pen.

Thank you, Heather, for featuring me this month on your blog! It's been a real treat for me! 

Be sure to check out Heather's Freshly Brewed Challenge Blog for her monthly Choose Your Challenge and Blog Candy Giveaway, as well as her Fresh Brewed Designs Shop for her darling images!

Thanks for stopping by, and have a SWEET day!

I'm entering these cards in the following challenges:

Watermelon Girl:

Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge: Farm Fresh

613 Avenue Create Challenge #64: Anything Goes

Bob and Betty:

Sugar Pea Designs Sugar Sketch Challenge #1 (SPDSS01)

Verve March 2014 Diva Dare: "Do the Polka"

Simon Says Wednesday: Glitter It

Simon Says Monday: Transparent

~Hugs,

 

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Watermelon Girl:

Bob & Betty:

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Timeless Tuesday #261: MASKuerade!

Hello, and welcome back to another Timeless Tuesday (on Wednesday this week) Challenge! 

This week, the super-talented Allison is hosting a MASKuerade! And here's how you play along...

I went with the stencil option for my card...

I used the Viva la Verve February 2014 Week 3 sketch, turned sideways (see, I told you...another turned sketch!) for the layout, and the crackle design on the background was made with a stencil and molding paste that I colored with Distress Reinkers. I used Flourishes Calla Lilies stamp set for the image and sentiment, stamping both with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink. The image is colored with Copic markers. I ran the flourish die cuts through a Xyron, then coated them in white glitter.

On the inside, I punched a Footlights border and added a strip of dp diagonally across it. On the personalization panel, the lily image is stamped in Angel Pink Memento Ink.

I hope you'll join us for the MASKuerade this week! And, remember, you don't have to use Flourishes stamps, but if you do, you get two ballots toward the weekly prize! You can find all the details for the challenge here.

Be sure to take a moment to be inspired by the rest of the team, and leave some blog love for them, too! :)

• Allison Cope
• Cheryl Lea...that's me!
• Deborah Anton
• Jenny Gropp
• Katie Sims

On a personal note...Sympathy cards are always hard to make, but this particular sympathy card was made with an unbelievably heavy heart. My dear friend, Linda, had recently been diagnosed with cancer, and I knew I was going to eventually need a card for her family. I thought I was being proactive by making the card early, as I knew it would have been difficult, emotionally, for me to make it after she was gone, but the day after I finished the card, Linda suddenly passed away. I can't believe she is gone, but I am so grateful to have had her in my life. She was an amazingly strong, caring woman, and she had a wicked sense of humor that could make you laugh, even, or maybe especially, on days when all you wanted to do was cry. She was one of a kind, and I will miss her.

Thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful week! And, to all of you, my blog friends, a great BIG virtual HUG!

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Viva la Verve February 2014 Week 3 Sketch Challenge
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday: Anything Goes With Pearls
Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge: Perfectly Peach
613 Avenue Create Challenge #61: Anything Goes
Paper Issues: Tip-Toe Through the Tu-lips

~Hugs,

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