Feeling Nostalgic and Thinking of You...Sweetstamps!

Recently I won some lovely stamps by participating in a Blog Hop. The company that put it on is Sweetstamps.com and this part of the Hop was commenting on Facebook posts. I won the Grand Prize which was 3 stamps of my choice from their newly released "Artsy Fartsy" series! It took me quite a while to settle on just 3....well, I couldn't so I ordered a 4th one too!

This lovely vintagey stamp is called "Parisienne Collage", and it is beautiful with just a touch of color added OR just as it is! I love the elegant, dreamy young lady and the old fashioned roses! AND the scrolly lettering!

I stamped the the main image as well as the little butterflies and the sentiment all in a dark brown ink (TH Distress "Walnut"), then colored the images with Spectrum Noir markers and Memento markers. The fancy label die cut behind the little sentiment is Spellbinders "Labels 20" and the matching stamp on it is from the JustRite set "Fleur de Lis", as are the butterflies.

I used 2 patterned papers: Lt blue background is GCD Studios and the rose cs is Kaisercraft "Charlotte's Dream" collection; the scalloped polka dot is a pre-cut from the same cs set; the solid green, white and kraft are from my stash! The lacey die cuts are Spellbinders "Pendants, Fleur de Lis". The edges of many of the layers are distressed with TH Distress "Antique Linen" and "Stained Walnut". A few rhinestones and some twine...all done! Hope you like it!

I took my layout idea from a few different sketches, but not sure it fits any of them perfectly any more!

Here are the challenges I am entering this card in:

Sirstampalotchallenge.blogspot.com - August "Wings and Things + A Touch of Vintage"

Craftycardmakers.blogspot.com - #97 "1, 2, 3: 1 image, 2 patterned papers, 3 embellishments (butterflies)

TheKraftjournal.blogspot.com - Make it Monday: "Layers"

Ooh-la-la-creationschallenges.blogspot.com - "A Step Back in Time"

Mojomonday.blogspot.com - Sketch #305

Sketchandstashchallenge.blogspot.com - #118 Sketch #14

Seemacrafts.blogspot.co.uk - August "Butterflies"
vssweetideas.blogspot.com - #14 "Twine"
Wordartwednesday.blogspot.com - #91 "Anything Goes"

A Summer Garden Scene

A white picket fence, pretty climbing roses in full bloom and that soft balmy feel in the air...aahhh, summertime! 

This card features 2 stamps and a die from the Sweetstamps.com store. 

The 2 Sweetstamps stamps I used are "Rose Corner Large" (which I stamped several times to make a whole"bush") and "Vertical Rose Border" (which I placed horizontally at the bottom). The "fence" is a Cheery Lynn Designs die called "Garden Gate". The roses and leaves are colored with Spectrum Noir markers and Memento markers. The background die cut and the small circle are both Spellbinders.

And the little sentiment is from the "Wistful Wishes" set by Clear Dollar Stamps.

Cardstock and ribbon are from my stash.

Here are the challenges I plan to enter this one in:

Cheerylynndesigns.blogspot.com - #92 "Anything Goes"

AddictedtoCAS.blogspot.com.au - #19 "Summer"

Cardmaniachallenges.blogspot.com -CMC#26 "Summer Blooms"

Craft-deebowz.blogspot.com - August: "Anything Goes + Handmade Bow"

Liastampz.blogspot.com - #46 "Color Scheme: Pink, Cream, Lt. Green"

Thanks so much for stopping by today! Blessings to you and yours!

A Christmas Wreath...in July?

Yes! Another Christmas card in July!

I just got a new die (the olive leaves) from Sweetstamps and had to try it out. I got inspired by a card on their blog made by one of their DT members...Thank you, Irena! It has a similar wreath on it that I really, really liked so....I said, "I'll do that!" And here it is:

I may add a tiny sentiment tag that says "Merry Christmas" coming out from under the jingle bells...haven't decided yet. I kinda think it is busy enought already.

I don't usually take pictures of my cards "in-process" but I really liked how the card looked at this stage. I used the paper I had die-cut the olive leaves from as a stencil and made a base layer of leaves in 2 green inks. I could have stopped there I guess, but the plan was to use my new die, so I continued.

After making a circle of leaves, all attached with spray adhesive, I added a couple small jingle bells and tiny red bow for an accent. I'm liking that textured cs too!

Ingredients:

dies- Sweetstamps "Olive Branches" & "Elegant Leaves"

& Spellbinders "Card Creator, Fancy Ribbon Threader"

inks- Memento "Bamboo Green" &  Stampabilities "Lime Green"

Adhesives- Aleene's "Tacky Spray" & Zots

embellishments- ribbons, bells...from my gigantic stash!

all card stock is also from my stash and scrap box

Challenges:

http://sweetstampsblog.blogspot.com - #127 "Christmas Greenery"

http://craftingforallseasons.blogspot.com - #57 "Christams in July"

http://craftcreatoins.blogspot.com - "Die Cut Shapes"

http://shoppingourstash.blogspot.com - #111 "I don't need more" (embellies!)

http://pinspirationalchallenges.blogspot.ca - #67 "Photo inspiration: Christmas"

http://lexiscreations.blogspot.com - #95 "Christmas in July"

http://adieforasketch.blogspot.com - #14 Sketch (turned upside down)

Thanks for stopping by today! Any and all comment are SO appreciated!

Using the "Dryer Sheet" Technique....Easy & Pretty!

Hello, Blogger Friends! I've got a busy summer going here...haven't been in my craft room as much as usual. But I did manage to come up with a few "quick" cards. Using a pre-colored digital stamped image makes everything alot faster!

I saw the "dryer sheet" technique used on several beautiful samples on the Sweetstamps challenge blog and decided it looked interesting! Had to try it for myself! I also watched a tutorial on it (I don't remember where...sorry!) and that showed how to add glitter so I did that too! That was SO easy...I used spray adhesive on the surface of my image and added the dryer sheet, and after smoothing it down there is a little bit of tackiness between the fibers so if you sprinkle on a little glitter and rub it in a bit it sticks perfectly!

I wasn't too happy with the pictures I took of this card outdoors the other day, so I took a few more in my craft room. This one (above) is a little better, don't you think?

My list of ingredients:

Spellbinders dies - Fleur de Lis Squares

Pre-colored digital image - Doodle Pantry "Poppies-Red"

Bible verse, digi - Doodle Pantry "Psalm 136-1"

Spray adhesive - Aleene's "Tacky Spray"

Card stock - Bazzill white; lt blue & black are from my stash

Bling - EK Success rhinestones

Ultra fine glitter - "Pastel Glitter"

Challenge:

http://sweetstampsblog.blogspot.com - July Technique Challenge:

"Dryer Sheet Technique"

Christmas Card with Vellum

Another "Christmas in July" card...this one using vellum with heat-embossed gold on a lovely frame.

I colored the frame with some pastel Noir markers but the ink didn't take to the vellum too well, got kinda blotchy...but once it dried I like the effect okay...I think.

It is very hard to see but there really IS a layer of vellum on this card!

The gold frame is on it and an oval is cut out of the middle and the ornament is stamped on the cardstock background. I added a "halo" of green in the same oval shape (but bigger) around the ornament for a little added color/interest.

Ingredients:

Stamps - SweetStamps "Elegant Scrollwork Frame",

StampingScrapping "Merry Christmas" (from "Frou Frou" set),

My Heart Stamps for You "Antique Banner"

TPC Studio ornament "Christmas Glamour",

Inks - Ranger/TH Distress Embossing Ink,

Memento "Bamboo Leaves",

Studio G burgundy pigment ink

PSE gold embossing powder

Markers - Spectrum Noir

Card stock - all from my stash

Challenge:

http://SweetStampsblog.blogspot.com - #125 Christmas Parchment (Vellum)

Christmas in July

On a hot, sticky July day here is a little cool breeze of winter! 

Lots of snowflakes and a "Merry Christmas"!

Lots of sparkley "icey" glitter, too!

(However, the red hot snowflakes DO seem appropriate for July, don't they?!)

The snowflakes are die cuts I bought as a set...sorry, I don't remember the brand.

The background cs is really a dark navy...I know it kinda looks like black.

The medallion stamp I used is a Clear Dollar Stamps, and I heat-embossed it with white and added a fine glitter while heating...and my experiment worked! The glitter actually fused into the embossing powder and came out very sparkley! I did the same thing on the sentiment, a Stampabilities stamp. The edge border is a Martha Stewart called "Doily Lace"; the die cut for the sentiment is Spellbinders "Labels 4". Some "Star Dust" Stickles and a few rhinestones...and we're all done!

Note the Stickles on the white border; they're hard to see in the photo but look great up close and carry through the "icey, sparkley" theme quite nicely. The white border is actually on the back page of the card.

I'm entering this card in:

http://sweetstampsblog.blogspot.com - Challenge #124 "Snow"

http://craftingwhenwecanchallenges.blogspot.com - Challenge #48 "Christmas in July"

http://thepaperplayers.blogspot.com - Challenge #153 "Christmas in July"

Happy Fourth of July!

Yes, Happy 4th of July to you all!

Thanking God today for this great country I live in and the many freedoms we still enjoy. But the values and standards we live by have been eroding over the years and I am reminded that we all need to pray for the USA, it's leaders and it's people. Word Art Wednesday has chosen for their Bible verse this week

Psalm 33:12 "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance." ....very apt. Excellent reminder!

I did not use their artwork this time, instead I used I Peter 5:7, which tells us not to worry but trust God, also a wonderful reminder for uncertain times!

Ingredients:

Spellbinders dies - "Labels 15" & "Fleur de Lis Squares"

Stamps - ODBD "Scripture Series 3" & All Night Media "Classic Rose Frame"

colored with colored pencils and Memento markers

Red Ribbon & Twine - from my stash

Bling - EK Success

Challenges:
http://OurDailyBreadDesignsblog.blogspot.com - #160 Patriotic/Red, Wht, Blue
http://WordArtWednesday.blogspot.com - #87 Anything Goes
http://clearitoutchallenge.blogspot.com - Make someone's Day + Sparkle
http://pileitonchallenge.blogspot.com - #26 Bling
http://shoppingourstash.blogspot.com/ - #108 Red, White, Blue/Flag Colors
http://scrapbitzcopics.ning.com/group/cmccopicchallengegroup - #71 Colors of Summer
http://TuesdayMorningSketches.blogspot.com - Sketch

Thanks for stopping by today!

I hope you all have a happy, safe and blessed 4th!

An Old Fashioned Wish

Good morning, blogger friends!

Today is the last day I can enter the "Roses" challenge at SweetStamps...so here goes!

I have combined four of the SweetStamps stamps...my favorite is the "Corner Roses"...one of my newest stamps! But the frame stamp is also a favorite...I've used that one quite a bit lately! The design lends itself easily to adding pearls or rhinestones for an elegant touch.

Close-up of the touch of glitter added, Stickles...my oldest embellishment!

List of supplies used:

Spellbinders die - Standard Circles Lg.

SweetStamps stamps - "Pretty Parchment Frame", "Margery", "Gentleman Joe", "Rose Corner Lg."

colored with Memento & Spectrum Noir markers

Sentiment stamp - JustRite "Special Occasions"

Pizzazz Aplenty rhinestones - 2mm & 4mm Pink

Inks - TH Distress Ink "antique linen", Memento "Tuxedo Black"

Ranger Stickles glitter glue - "Star Dust"

Challenges:

http://sweetstampsblog.blogspot.com - #122 "Roses"

http://pileitonchallenge.blogspot.com - #26 "Bling"

http://shoppingourstash.blogspot.com - #107 "Oldest Embellishment" (Stickles)
http://www.wordartwednesday.blogspot.com - #86 Anything Goes

http://sketchandstashchallenge.blogspot.com - #117 Sketch