The Kissing Technique

How romantic, and just in time for Valentine's Day...the "kissing technique"! I had never heard of this stamping technique before so I just had togive it a try. This is the technique that is being promoted/required on the SweetStamps monthly challenge. It is really easy: just ink up a solid stamp with a light color ink and another patterned stamp with a darker ink, "kiss" that onto the solid stamp and then stamp that one on your paper. I did it with the lamp shade, with a lime green base color and a dark aqua for the pattern. I love how it makes the lamp shade look like fabric.

My ingredients

Stamp set: Close to My Heart "I Chairish You"

Background stamp: Our Daily Bread Designs "Vine Background"

Embossing folder: Sizzix "Snow Flowers"

Inks: Stampabilities "Orange", studio G "Dark Turquoise" & "Lime"

Cardstock...all from my stash

Challenges:

http://sweetstampsblog.blogspot.com/ - monthly "Kissing Technique"

http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com - #117 Anything Goes

Some Favorites

One of my favorite color combinations is pink and green and I use it quite often. It is feminine and has a touch of nature about it, don't you think? Especially this card...with the leaf patterns.

The tiny sentiment says "Time to Celebrate" which I figured could be used for a variety of occasions.

This card fits a few different challenges and one of them (Our Creative Corner) said to use a hoarded item...that would be the ruffley pink ribbon. I use it sparingly and only have a little bit left now! The gold button is another hoarded item...had a set of 3 of them for several years now and this is the 1st one I've used! I love it! Both of these special items were found at thrift stores really cheap!

 Ingredients:

stamps: "Medallion de Fleur" by Clear Dollar Stamps

"Kaleidoscope Medallions" by JustRite

"Fancy Accents" by StampingScrapping Design

ink: Memento "Bamboo"

dies: Spellbinders "Standard Circles Lg" + paper hole punch

colored pencils

cardstock -from my stash

ribbon, gold elastic twine, button...all from my stash

Challenges:

Wordartwednesday.blogspot.com - #116 Anything Goes

Ourcreativecorner6.blogspot.com - "No More Shopping Sins"

http://craftingforallseasons.blogspot.com/ - #69 "For the Girls"

http://kgiron.blogspot.com/2014/01/sweet-sunday-sketch-challenge-203.html - #203 Sketch 

A Bright, Simple Thank You

Today I got to use a NEW little stencil that my friend Sherry just gave me as part of a gift! I taped it down and used small sponge daubers and about 5 or 6 colors (and brands!) of ink. When I took all the tape off and removed the stencil I was pleasantly surprised how clean and crisp the design was. Definitely something I will use again soon! Maybe I should send this card to Sherry!

No sentiment on the inside but I just had to repeat at least part of the design! That left plenty of room to add a personal "Thank you" note.

Ingredients:

 cardstock: print is TPC Studios, solid is Paper Studio

stamp: "Thank You" is Stampabilities

stencil: Peel & Stick "Posey" by Delta

inks: Memento, Stampabilities, Studio G

daubers: Tsukineko

Challenges:

http://addictedtocas.blogspot.com/ - #30 "New"

http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com - #116 "Anything Goes"

http://casethissketch.blogspot.com/ - #60 Sketch

Winter Blues?

There are many people who do actually get depressed in the winter because of the lack of sunshine. But I think the snow is so bright that it hasn't seemed gloomy at all yet. So for my "Winter Blues" card (SweetStamps' challenge this week) I've even added flowers...thinking Spring!

Ingredients:

Stamp - "Elegant Scrollwork Frame" from SweetStamps

colored with Mepxy alcohol markers #B00, B23, C01

Digi sentiment - Bible verse from WordArtWednesday

Die cuts - "Elegant Leaves" from SweetStamps

Punch - a branch from Sizzix (I think!)

Cardstock - blue is One Heart...One Mind,

white is Paper Studio

Ranger Stickles "Star Dust"

Foam squares - Scrapbook Adhesives

Bakers twine - green (don't know where I got this, 

but i DO know it can be purchased at the Kraft Outlet

Flowers are from my stash

Challenges:

http://sweetstampsblog.blogspot.com/ - #152 Winter Blues

http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com/ - #115 Anything Goes

http://thekraftjournal.blogspot.com/ - #155 Winter Blues

http://cutedaisymay.blogspot.com/ - Whoopsi Daisy Tic Tac Toe (flowers, diecut, digi)

http://www.ipalamountain.com/2014/01/sketchbook-saturday-challenge-113

Thanks for stopping by!

"Playing in the Dirt" Boy's Birthday Card

Yesterday I made a quick b-day card for my daughter to give to her nephew. Boys' cards are always a bit harder for me to do. I don't have a lot of stamps the are "boyish"...know what I mean? I did get a sheet of acrylic stamps that has a robot, a rocket, a dinosaur head, etc. but these little earth moving toys are still my favorite!  Especially for little boys! My big boys (ages 25 & 29) like to 'play' with the real thing!

Ingredients:

Stamps- "Playing in the Dirt" set by Stampin' Up,

"Palm of His Hand" by Stampabilities,

"Special Birthday" by Hero Arts,

small alphabet letters (generic),

"Making Tracks" by Stampin' Around

Colored pencils-

Glittered Cardstock- brown by Paper Studio

Solid cardstock- my stash

Ink - Memento Black

Challenges:

http://inkspirationalchallenges.blogspot.co.uk- #47 "Any Brown and Any Yellow"

http://www.charismacardz.blogspot.com/ - #2 "It's a Boy Thing"

http://seizethebirthday.blogspot.ca/ - "Coloring"

Wordartwednesday.blogspot.com - #115 Anything Goes

A Clean and Simple 'Cased' Sketch Card

I followed the sketch at http://casethissketch.blogspot.com/ (see below) for this very CAS card.

Items used : 

stamps- "So thoughtful" by Inkadinkadoo, "Fern leaves" by Prarie Peddlers

paper- "Green Burlap" by Paper Studio

card stock- black and white, both from my stash

ink- Memento "Bamboo"

"tear drops"- clear, from the Robin's Nest

 The challenge entered:

http://casethissketch.blogspot.com/ - Sketch #59

Thanks for stopping by today! Hope you're having a lovely day!

My First Ever Easel Card

At least I can't remember ever making an easel card before! But then my memory is NOT what it used to be! SweetStamps is having a challenge right now using an easel card. Anyway, I followed the directions (pretty closely) and here is my card!

Closed

Propped open

My list of ingredients:

Card stock- both solid aqua and print ("School Days") are TPC Studio

"Green Burlap" paper- Paper Studio

Stamps- "Happy Birthday" is Clear Dollar Stamps,

"Vertical Rose Border" is SweetStamps,

"Birthday Blessings" sentiment is Stampabilities

Ink- Memento "Bamboo" & TH Distress Ink "Antique Linen"

Flowers- "Gardenia" from StampingScrapping.com (old, hoarded item)

Die cut Leaves- Spellbinders "Foliage"

Die cut doily- Sizzix "Doily, Lace Medallion"

Baker's twine- SewEasy Fancy Floss "blue lagoon"

Glitter glue- Stickles "Icicle"

Challenges:

http://sweetstampsblog.blogspot.com - Monthly: "Easel Card"

OurCreativeCorner6.blogspot.com - "No More Shopping Sins"

Craftingforallseasons.blogspot.com - #68 "All Things Bright & Beautiful"

http://ooh-la-la-creationschallenges.blogspot.com/ - #147 "Easel Card"

A Birthday Card for My Hubby

Today is my husband's birthday...62 years old today! We've been married almost 37 years...where did the years go so fast!? "Time flies when you're having fun"...and when you are busy with a big family! We sorta thought it would slow down when we got older but that sure hasn't happened. And the family keeps growing!

And yes, it IS fun. God is good...all the time.

The stamp I used on this card is a PSX which I stamped once, then turned around, masked out the bird and stamped it again to make the evergreen branch longer. Then I colored it with colored pencils.

The sentiment is an Inkadinkadoo, the embossing folder used is a Sizzix called "Evergreen". It is hard to see in the photo but I also added Stickles "Star Dust" to the branch and the bird for a wintry, sparkly look. The brown and white baker's twine I got from Pizzazz Aplenty. The kraft card stock base is Paper Studio and has a matching envelope (my "new" item!).

The challenges I'm entering this in are:

http://sweetstampsblog.blogspot.com - #151 Kraft Paper Challenge

http://Wordartwednesday.blogspot.com - #114 Anything Goes

http://craftingforallseasons.blogspot.com/ - #68 All things bright and beautiful

http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/ - Ice Inspiration

http://emeraldfaeries.blogspot.co.uk/ - #51 Things with Wings

http://stempelgartenchallenge.blogspot.com/ - #21 Winter Wonderland

http://citycrafter.blogspot.com/ - #193 Snowbirds

http://shoppingourstash.blogspot.com - #133 Use Something New

A Brand New Baby Boy!

Today I am sharing a bit of family news with you all:

I have a new grandson named Cameron!

He was born December 27 at about 5pm, 20" long and 7 lbs, 4 oz.

The first day he looked just like his older brother, Calvin, but he has gradually taken on his own look... however, both boys still look alot like Daddy! In fact, so does big sister Lilly!

I am just now getting around to making a Congrats/Welcome card for them.

To make this card I used a SweetStamps frame stamp which is a rectangle (called Pretty Parchment Frame) and cut out an inch across the middle to have a square...well almost. The craft base is from a set of square cards and envelopes I bought for quick cards...The Paper Studio. I fussy cat around and inside the frame stamp after coloring it with Promarkers and Mexpy Design markers. The photo is really one of my grandson taken in the hospital a few hours after birth. The miny rhinestones I got for Christmas but they're in an unmarked container...no brand name. Inks used: TH Distress Ink - walnut stain & antique linen. The twine is Karen Foster "tawny". That sentiment is a problem...I've been wracking my brain trying to remember where I got that. I thought it was a Day fir Daisies digi but I don't have it in my computer. If anyone knows what brand it is, please let me know! Its driving my nuts!

The only two challenges I'm entering this in are:

http://sweetstampsblog.blogspot.com - #149 "Something New"

http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com - #113 "Anything Goes"