Follow Your Heart - for Great Impressions Stamps

It's Friday, and I'm posting for Great Impressions Stamps today.  After today, I'm taking a break from the team - - my health is forcing it on me.  While I'm undergoing chemo, I'm having trouble keeping up with everything.  So, with a heavy heart, I'm letting this team I love, using stamps I cherish go, at least for awhile.  I hope to be back soon!

Today, I'm showcasing a card I made early on my first term with this team, but one that seems applicable today:

I used Great Impressions rubber stamps, G518 - Elliot Blowing Hearts, colored with Copic markers and B219 - Follow Your Heart, stamped on die cut hearts.

There will be a new challenge and a new design team starting very soon.  You'll want to visit the blog each day for tons of great inspiration!

Make sure to visit the Great Impressions Online Store for many wonderful rubber stamps!  I have too many favorites to count!

Blessings! for Path of Positivity Challenge Blog

It's time for a bit of mid-month inspiration over on the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog. This month's theme is 'Blessings'.  I'm sure we all agree, we have many blessings to be thankful for!

My husband and I have been blessed with many people dropping off meals and sweets to the house since I've begun my chemo treatments.  It seems I'm always in need of thank you cards for some thoughtful person.  Here's a recent one I made, using the 'Blessings' theme:

I used the free sentiment, found at the start of this month's challenge, and products from one of this month's sponsors, Decosse's Dynamite Doodles. 

From Decosse's Dynamite Doodles Holiday Hoopla Collection, I've used patterned papers, textured papers, and the fun candy cane brad. 

The snowflake dies are from Hot Off the Press.

I hope you can join in on this month's "Blessings" challenge at Path of Positivity Challenge Blog.  We have 2 great sponsors this month, and I'd love to see your entry!

Merry Christmas! for Imagine That! Digistamp

Christmas is getting SO close!  I hope you are finding some time to enjoy the holiday!  Most of my cards are made, some are sent, but I have a couple more to show yet on my blog.

Today, it's time for some mid-month inspiration over on the Imagine That! Creative Playground.  There's a "Joy's of the Season" challenge going on until January 6, so there's still plenty of time to link up.  

Here's what I made for the challenge:

This 3D ornament card uses Imagine That! Digistamp Elegant Ornaments (colored).  I printed each ornament 3 times, fussy cut it, then glued a back to each ornament, making it 3D.  The "Merry Christmas" sentiment, also from Imagine That! Digistamp, is part of the Elegant Ornaments set (uncolored).    Papers for this card are Bella's Beauties Merry & Bright digital papers, also found in the Imagine That! Digistamp store. 

Here's the inspiration picture found for this month's challenge on the Imagine That! Creative Playground.

I used the colored and the ornaments from the tree for inspiration.

Elegant Ornaments (colored)

Elegant Ornaments

Merry & Bright digital papers

I hope you visit the Imagine That! Digistamp blog often, as there's tons of great inspiration and news to be found there.  There's the Christmas challenge going on right now at the Imagine That! Creative Playground.  You have until January 6 to link up a project.  And, there's a great Imagine That! Digistamp Facebook group to check out, too!

Christmas Cheer -- for Great Impressions Stamps

It's Friday, and time for a little mid-month inspiration at Great Impressions Stamps.  There's a monthly challenge going on and it's Anything Goes.  There's also a mood/color board for inspiration, if you prefer.

Here's what I made for the challenge:

This card uses Great Impressions rubber stamps, G510 - Christmas Friends, and A151 - Cheer.

I colored G510 - Christmas Friends with Copic markers. Papers are from Echo Park.  The Christmas tree die is from Cheery Lynn. 

Here's the Inspiration board for this month's challenge:

There's still several weeks left of the month-long  Great Impressions Challenge blog.  We've got great prizes, and I'd love to see what you make!  If you used a Great Impressions Stamp, link it to the Customer Gallery for more chances to win.

Don't forget to check out the Great Impressions Online Store.  They have many wonderful Christmas stamps -- or stamps for ANY occasion! 

A Llama Love -- for Imagine That! Digistamp

Greetings, fellow crafters!  It's been a bit over a week since my last chemo treatment, and I'm beginning to feel a bit more human again.  I'm not sure which is nastier -- the cancer or the chemo -- but they both knock my socks off, I can tell you that.

I'm posting a bit of Thursday inspiration today at Imagine That! Digistamp.  Our anniversary is December.  Since it was a couple short days after chemo, it was very quiet this year.  I did, however, make my wonderful husband a card for the occasion...

Love that llama!  It's from Imagine That! Digistamp, Llama Love digital stamp set.  I colored the llama with Copic markers, giving him rosy cheeks, as it is December, and it IS cold!  The sentiments are both computer generated onto digital papers from Imagine That! Digistamp. These are Bella's Beauties Soft Florals digi papers.

Llama Love digital  stamp set 

Soft Florals digital papers

I hope you visit the Imagine That! Digistamp blog often, as there's tons of great inspiration and news to be found there.  There's also a Christmas challenge going on right now at the Imagine That! Creative Playground.  You have until January 6 to link up a project.  And, there's a great Imagine That! Digistamp Facebook group to check out, too!

Sending an Old Fashioned Hello -- an MHKDesigns New Release

Here it is.  The last day of New Releases at MHKDesigns.  I hope you've had a chance to check out the other designers and the guest designers, too.  All the sets are available in the MHKDesigns Etsy Shop.  Hasn't it been a fantastic New Release week?  I've had so much fun!!

I love today's set!  It's vintage all the way!  It can also be used on masculine cards, which I think we all tend to struggle with.  It's MHKDesigns The Write Stuff.

I truly had trouble deciding which of the fun images from the set to use, but decided on this one as it was just so elegant!  The sentiment, also from The Write Stuff, fit so well snuggled right up (or is it write up?, LOL) next to the image.  More Kraft paper?  I must be addicted!  

The pink strip of paper on this card is MHKDesigns Stenciled Roses digital papers.  The black designer paper I found in my stash and I liked how bold it was.  The glimmer trim and enamel dots are from Close To My Heart.  

The Write Stuff

Stenciled Roses

I hope you have enjoyed this week's new releases as much as I have!  Don't forget to check out the MHKDesigns Etsy Shop and the MHKDesigners & Friends Facebook group. 

Holy Cow! for Great Impressions Stamps

Holy cow!  Another Friday!  These weeks in December are flying by!  I'm posting today for Great Impressions Stamps.  I have a friend with a birthday this month.  She and her husband are retired farmers.  So, I thought this  card was perfect!

I used Great Impressions rubber stamps, E818 - Holy Cow, and C458 - It's Your Birthday to make this card.  There's just a small bit of Copic markers on the E818 - Holy Cow to enhance that adorable cow image. 

The cow paper is digital.  I found it at Pixel Scrapper.  The crinkle ribbon in pink and black is from 3 Girl JAM.  A little clear acetate, saved from packaging, holds the panels of this card together.

A new month-long challenge just started Sunday on the Great Impressions Challenge blog.  It's always Anything Goes, but there's a mood board for inspiration if you'd like to follow it.


Don't forget to check out the Great Impressions Online Store.  They have many wonderful Christmas stamps -- or stamps for ANY occasion! 

Hope! an MHKDesigns New Release

Hope is a thing with feathers.  Or, as Emily Dickinson says,  "Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul - and sings the tune without the words - and never stops at all."  

One of my all-time favorite poems!  It's also the theme of today's New Release at MHKDesigns.  Hope is also what keeps me as a cancer patient going.  There's much hope in this whole process.  I took great satisfaction in creating today's card using the MHKDesigns Fanciful Feathers stamp set. 

I super sized one of the feathers in the set (there are some amazing ones!) so it would be the focus, then added the sentiment in big, bold letters so it couldn't be missed.   I wanted the feather to be bright, cheerful, full of vibrant life.  Papers on this card are MHKDesigns Fully Feathered digital papers. 

Fanciful Feathers Stamp Set

Fully Feathered Digital Papers

The wooden bird is from Close To My Heart.  The dies used on the card are from Craftin' Desert Divas.  

There's still one more day of New Releases at MHKDesigns.  You'll find them all in the Etsy Shop here. 

Friendships are life's greatest perks -- an MHKDesigns New Release

Day 3 of the December New Releases at MHKDesigns.  I hope you've had a chance to visit each designers blogs each day, along with the MHKDesigns blog to see the guest designers because it's been so inspirational! All of the new releases can be found in the MHKDesigns Etsy Shop.  Today's New Release is really fun -- Stitched Tea Party digital stamp set!

There are several very cute "tea" themed images (or coffee) in this set.  I used just the tea pot, printed in on Kraft paper, and once again, colored it with colored pencils -- a favorite technique of mine.  Since we had a stitched theme going, I used a stitched die to cut out the image.  Designer papers on this card are MHKDesigns Worn Weathered Pink digital papers.

 Stitched Tea Party

Worn & Weathered Pink

The dies used on this card -- stitched die is from Lawn Fawn.  All others are from Hot Off the Press. Here's another view where you can see the acrylic piece that holds the 2 panels together.  I saved it from some packaging.

There's still 2 more days of New Releases, so stay tuned!  Isn't this fun?!?

I am Grateful -- a MHKDesigns New Release

Day 2!  Day 2 of chemo, day 2 of MHKDesigns December new releases.  Pray that chemo is going smoothly for me!  Somehow, today's New Release at MHKDesigns, Realistic Roses, is a very fitting theme for a cancer patient.  I love the sentiment on this card:

I used one of the sentiments, and the beautiful rose design from the Realistic Roses digital stamp set on this card.  I'm a big fan of Kraft paper and colored pencils, and that's what I used here.  Designer papers on this card are from MHKDesigns Stenciled Roses digital papers.

Realistic Roses

Stenciled Roses

Make sure you check out the MHKDesigns blog and each of the other designer's blogs from now through Friday to see each of the fantastic New Releases!  There's a wonderful Facebook group, too -- MHKDesigners & Friends.

Hello Friend! an MHKDesigns New Release

It's New Release week at MHKDesigns, and Wow!  This is going to be fun!  All the designer and guest designers have fantastic projects to inspire you.  I couldn't possibly pick a favorite of the new releases.  One is as wonderful as the next!

Today's new release is Pretty Petunias Digital Stamp Set: 

I used the Petunia from the set, colored it with Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor pencils, and fussy cut. The sentiment is also from the set.  Papers on this card use the Stenciled Roses Digital Paper Pack. 

Make sure you check out the MHKDesigns blog and each of the other designer's blogs from now through Friday to see each of the fantastic New Releases!  There's a wonderful Facebook group, too -- MHKDesigners & Friends.

Pretty Petunias

Stenciled Roses

Blessed Beyond Measure -- for Path of Positivity

It's the first Monday of the month, and it's time for a new challenge at The Path of Positivity Challenge Blog. The theme for December is 'Blessings'.  I have been counting my blessings everyday, and I have much to be thankful for, so I am relating very well to this theme!

Since my cancer diagnosis and my chemo treatments, my husband and I have been blessed almost daily with gifts of food -- soups, hot dishes, cookies, meatloaves. Our freezer has never been so full!  I am in constant need of thank you cards.  I took advantage of this month's theme to make a much-needed thank you card.  It uses a colored image from one of this month's guest sponsor's Imagine That! Digistamp: 

The image, from the Elegant Ornaments Pre-colored set, was printed 3 times, then fussy cut.  I creased each one down the middle and glued them together.  The sentiment is from Close To My Heart.  The designer papers are also from Imagine That! Digistamp.

Our sponsors this month are:

 &

I hope you can join in the fun at Path of Positivity Challenge Blog. We all have many blessings!  Link up something!  I'd love to see what you make!

In Sympathy -- for MHKDesigns

It's Saturday, and after spending part of this week, I am recovering. The second chemo treatment is coming up next Wednesday.  I can do this!

I'm posting today for MHKDesigns.  Today, I'm showcasing one of my favorite cards from the past few months on the team.  This is a card I made back in August, and I really like the way it turned out:

I used the MHKDesigns Beginnings & Endings digital stamp set to create this card.  Both the butterfly and the sentiment are from the Beginnings & Endings stamp set.  A couple shades of Tim Holtz distress ink on the butterfly add those pops of color. 

The last challenge of the year is going on at MHKDesigns.  Come join in the fun!  

Simply Delightful Christmas -- for Great Impressions Stamps

It's Friday, and almost the weekend.  Yea! It's also my day to post at Great Impressions Stamps.  Yea again!  This week, Great Impressions Stamps is sponsoring the House of Cards Challenge Blog.  
Here's the inspiration board for the challenge:

Using the board, I created this:

I used Great Impressions rubber stamps F620 - Joyful Harry and D453 - It's Christmas.  I colored F620 - Joyful Harry with Copic markers.  I stamped D453 - It's Christmas onto a premade Christmas tag from My Mind's Eye. 

Designer papers for this card are from Imagine That! Digistamp.  The snowflake die behind the image is from Cheery Lynn designs. 

A new challenge will start Sunday on the Great Impressions Challenge blog.  It's always Anything Goes, but there's a mood board for inspiration if you'd like to follow it.

Don't forget to check out the Great Impressions Online Store.  They have many wonderful Christmas stamps -- or stamps for ANY occasion! 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
House of Cards Challenge -- inspiration board
D.L. Art -- December Linky Party
IDCB -- ATG

Welcome to the North Pole - for the 12 Months of Christmas

December 1!  Here we go!  It is upon us!  That also means that the last challenge of the year is starting at the 12 Months of Christmas Challenge blog.  If you've played along with us all year, you've got quite a stash of Christmas cards, ready to send!

This month, the optional theme is Welcome to the North Pole.  We want to see Santas, reindeer, elves, penguins.  You will be eligible for the prizes from our guest sponsors if you use these themes.  But, you can enter any Christmas cards you make, regardless of the theme.

Here's mine!

I created this card using an image from one of our guest sponsors, Limited Runs.  I colored 'Santa Head' with Copic markers.  The designer papers are from our other sponsor, Decosse's Dynamite Doodles.  The sentiment is from Close To My Heart.  The wreath die is from Hero Arts. 

Come join us at the 12 Months of Christmas!  We're also having a DT call.  It's a great way to keep ahead of the Christmas card making.  This time of year, I'm so glad I've been working on it each month!