Stamping is Therapeutic

She found it quite therapeutic to discover different patterns with the stamps. She filled up dozens of pages with different color combinations. Each sheet was unique, yet each belonged with a group, with the whole. Hmph, she thought, these papers with the patterns where much like society.

A simplistic approach to The Color Cue Challenge over at Wplus9. Love this stamp set.

 Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (Kraft) PTI, (White) OfficeMax
Stamps: (Poinsettia Patterns) WPlus9
Ink: (Colorbox Chalk)
Embellishments: (Sticker Sentiment) SRM, (Vintage Wool Thread)

Love Never Fails

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.

This card is dedicated to you, Mom and Dad. 

Love never fails.

Thank you for teaching me this by living it.

Inspired by the latest Embellish Magazine's Color Trends Challenge with Birds.

 Bluebirds will forever hold a special place in my heart.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (Vintage Cream, Kraft) PTI

Stamps: (For the Love of Grids) Practicing Creativity Designs, (Ever After) Wplus 9

Digital Image: (Bluebird Couple) TiffanyDoodles

Ink: (Buckaroo Blue Pigment) SU, (Vintage Photo Distress) Ranger

Embellishments: (Satin Ribbon) SU, (Thread)

Other: (Colored Pencils) PrismaColor, (Brown Pen) Creative Memories

A Cheery Hello

She always has a cheery hello for everyone walking into the office each morning. She's bright, fun and full of life. I wonder how she does it every day, without missing a beat. I really think she must drink a gallon of caffeinated coffee before stepping through the doors, as I know I am not like that at all in the morning.

The very talented Jen (who seriously does really awesome tutorials with ribbon) posted a card with a striking inspiration photo so I followed the link to Chick N' Lil's Photo Inspiration Challenge (cute!). Her daughter took the photo and the colors are so bright and cheery against the black. Might I add that Pam is very talented too!

I went big and I went bold by printing the Dahlia Flower image from TiffanyDoodles in red on bright yellow cardstock and highlighted a few areas with yellow ink. The sticker sentiment is big and bold and black, just like the flower and the background.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (Marigold Morning) SU
Digital Stamp: (Dahlia) TiffanyDoodles
Ink: (Marigold Morning Pigment) SU
Embellishments: (Sticker Sentiment) SRM, (Rhinestones) Unknown
Tools: (Corner Chomper) WR Memory Keepers

Balloons

It jumped out at me. It literally jumped out and said, make me! The colors. The design. The angles. The shapes. Every little thing about that picture spoke to me. And I wanted to recreate it.

Do you see it? Can you spot the picture amid the amazing lot of photos from the inspirational challenge piece at Off the Wall Craftiness?

My colors are *slightly* off but was super excited that my card came out somewhat like the picture.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (Tempting Turquoise) SU, (Velum)
Stamps: (Sophie's Sentiments) Lawn Fawn
Ink: (Pixie Pink, Only Orange, Summer Sun, Tempting Turquoise Pigment) SU
Other: (Thread)
Tools: (Circle Punch) Creative Memories

Swimming Things

Me: Cole, tell me about my card.
Cole: Me? Ok. Ummm. There's swimming things, and I like it mama. It's like the, and I like the, the thank you, I like the writing on that. I like the cuttin' of the swimming things. I like the color of the white. Umm, I like the white lines there, it looks cool in the water like the water is poppin' up. Umm, I'll tell you something kind of funny. The swimming things. I like the beaks. It's like they are one colors of the other. Like that color should have been on that one and that one should have been on the third one. Ok, I'm done.
Me: Thanks Cole.

The Lawnscaping Challenge #4 is all about Paper Piecing, so affectionately explained (later than sooner) by my seven year old son in the conversation above. The fabulous prize this time around is a Guest Designer Spot for the next challenge, and a Fly Free Stamp Set by Lawn Fawn! The deadline to link up your paper pieced cards featuring Lawn Fawn Stamps is Wednesday, March 2nd. Can't wait to see what you come up with! Guest designing for the Lawnscaping Challenge has been so much fun, Laurel is an amazing and supportive design team coordinator with a ton of great ideas up her sleeve. Thank you for the honor, I {heart} Lawnscaping Challenges.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (White) Office Max
Patterned Paper: Daisy D's
Stamps: (Swimsuit Season, Sophie's Sentiments) LawnFawn
Ink: (Onyx Black) Versafine
Embellishments: (Black Enamel Accents) Ranger
Tools: (Corner Chomper) WR Memory Keepers

The Card That...

The card that started with this and that and ended with that and this. The card that was supposed to be like this and ended like that. The card that threw me for a loop and then back again. The card that is soooooo not like the one in my head.

My inspiration started from the colors at The Play Date Cafe and inspiration at CASE Study Challenge, who have joined forces this week. I turned the card's sketch on its side and simplified it quite a bit.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (Kraft) SU
Patterned Paper: (Measuring Up from The Material Girl Collection) Cosmo Cricket
Ink: (Antique Linen Distress) Ranger
Embellishments: (Stickers from Circa1934 Collection and Tiny Type Stickers) Cosmo Cricket, (Natural Burlap String) May Arts

The Little Bird

Once I saw a little bird. Come hop, hop, hop; So I cried, "Little bird, Will you stop, stop, stop?" And was going to the window To say, "How do you do?" But he shook his little tail, And far away he flew.

That little nursery rhyme graces a page in an old book from my boys and was stuck in my head while making these hybrid cards featuring the new YellowThroat Image from TiffanyDoodles. I opened some digital paper in my photoediting program, added a while silhouette and then the bird silhouette and printed it. I then inked the edges and added a stamped sentiment before adhering it to a card base. I made three of these little birdie cards.

All the bird releases are available in the store today, with a special limited sale!

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (White) Office Max
Stamps, digital: (Yellowthroat) TiffanyDoodles
Stamps, clear: (Sentiment from Mega Mixed Messages) PTI
Ink: (Onyx Black) Versafine, (Garden Green, Tempting Turquoise and Only Orange Pigment) SU

Buttonwood Trees

There's birch. Maple. Oak. Cottonwood. Why not a buttonwood tree? It would certainly make a whole lotta crafty people happy!

Today I'm waltzing with Waltzingmouse Stamps with this soft and serene buttoned woodgrain card. I stamped the circular tree tops from Teeny Trees in a random fashion in shades of sage and brown and accented each large top with a button. This panel then was adhered to the top of an embossed solid piece of cardstock. The piece is finished with a sentiment from the same set.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (Vintage Cream) PTI, (Sage Shadow) SU
Stamps: (Teeny Trees) Waltzingmouse Stamps
Ink: (Sage Shadow Pigment) SU, (Vintage Photo, Antique Linen Distress) Ranger
Embellishments: (Buttons) Fiskars, (Burlap String) May Arts, (Woodgrain Embossing Folder) Craft Concepts

Niches

She struggles with trying to find her niche, her true style. She dabbles in this, and in a bit of that. Happy with some results, and somewhat displeased with others. She's figuring out where she's going and appreciates all the kind gestures, comments and encouragement along the way...

I hope you have a chance to play along with the Limelight Sketch Challenge, with a twist: focus on using string/twine. Its so beautifully clean and simple, and utilizes one of my favorite tricks, a ribbon tab. Ok, ok, so I'm a bit guilty that my focus is the beautiful background paper, but I love burlap string as an embellishment to tie everything together. Upload your creations to Mandy's blog by Monday, (and check out the other design team's fabulous creations) for your chance to win one of design team member Lynn Miller's favorite items from the store... the Webster's Pages Vellum and Die Cut Kit.

Limelight has some amazing details on remaining inventory!

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And, TiffanyDoodles has another sneak! Check this beauty out!

Bluebirds

Bluebirds hold a special place in my heart and I can't wait to try out this image from TiffanyDoodles. Here's a few sneak peaks and they will be available in the store soon! Wish I had my own card to share today....it was a super busy weekend and start of the week for us, do you ever have those?

Thankful Bloom

Growing up, my parents taught me the respectful attribute of saying thank you. I thank them for that. I probably say it way too much in my adult life, but now that I think of it, that's probably better than not saying it at all.

Thought I'd give the color and style challenge at The Play Date Cafe a whirl (even thought it has two things that I ignore 90% of the time-pink and vintage...) with this shabby chic card featuring a whole lotta thanks.  The technique of featuring the same kind of sentiment is one showcased over at the anniversary challenges at Papertrey Ink, for their Make It Mondays Feature.

Supplies Used: 
Cardstock: (Kraft) Papertrey Ink
Stamps: (Communique Curves Sentiments, Fillable Frames #2, Mega Mixed Messages) Papertrey Ink
Ink: (White Craft) SU, (Vintage Photo, Anique Linen Distress) Ranger
Emellishments: (White Silk Ribbon) May Arts, (Lace), (Handmade Pins)
Other: (Vintage Pink Glimmer Mist) Tattered Angels, (Coffee Filter)

The Modern Cameo

Snips and snails and puppy dog tails...that is what this little boys is surely made of. Plus a little spitfire, and a few cowlicks. So full of energy. And wow, can he shake his little booty (and we just shake our heads).

I was intrigued with Moxie Fab World's The Appearance of Cameos but wanted to try something a bit different, a bit more modern. Perhaps that wasn't the way to go for the challenge, but I am so happy with the outcome, and that's what matters, right? I love the colors, I love mix of patterns, I love the design (also a modern take, this time from this versatile Artful Delight's February Sketch Challenge).

And the cameo? Well, that's who we affectionately sometimes call #2. Surprisingly, he was the model that cooperated. I edited the photograph both in a photo editing and illustrating program.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (White) Office Max, (Kraft) PTI
Patterned Paper: (June Bug Collection) Basic Grey
Stamps: (Treasure Life) CTMH, (Mega Mixed Messages) PTI
Ink: (Onyx Black) Versamagic, (Watermark) Versamark
Embellishments: (Transparency Frame) Making Memories, (Tangerine Tango Ribbon) SU, (Staples)
Other: (Clear and Black Embossing Powder) SU, (Security Envelopes)
Tools: (Circle Punch) SU, Creative Memories

Say, Karen...

"Say Karen, can you make me..." The gal from work started out a bit frantic, she was in quite a hurry and it was hard to distinguish her words. I heard "Valentine's Day card...not too girly...no frills..need to give it to...send it in the mail...tomorrow" She left for the meeting and I didn't get a chance to see her for the rest of day.

So yesterday I presented this Valentine's Day card and she said it was perfect. Good thing I can still hear a bit. Good thing I have one valentine's day stamp in my stash. Good thing that clean and simple is the way I roll. I used the color inspiration from Off the Wall Craftiness as a base for the card.

Last night someone that I have never met in person but I know through blog land did something so nice and sweet for me, something that I will never forget. Thank you, friend. The friendships I've gained in world of crafting, separate from the daily grind of normal life, will be one I never forget. Ever.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (White) Office Max
Stamps: (Happy Days) Inkadinkadoo
Ink: (Pretty in Pink Pigment) SU, (Lipstick Red Chalk) Colorbox
Embellishments: (Epoxy Hearts) Cloud 9
Tools: (Corner Round Punch) SU

L.O.V.E.

***My guest design card for the Lawnscaping Challenge is here!***

Just four little letters. L.O.V.E. Four little letters holding the future in their hands...

Valentine's Day was created for crafters, wasn't it? According to Wikipedia, it "is traditionally a day on which lovers express their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery," and get this... "sending greeting cards (known as "valentines")". Yep, there you have it, physical proof!

TiffanyDoodles is having a Valentine's challenge (all the details found here!). There are some exciting changes to the challenge and even more exciting prizes! For this combo, I started with the card using TiffanyDoodles Love Letters Digital Stamp and Krafty Klouds Digital Paper and hand dyed and wrinkled wide ribbon using May Arts White Silk Ribbon for their Sweet Nothings Challenge. To compliment the card, I altered a cappachino tin (thanks, Amy, for the grand idea) in which I decorated with the same digi stamp and paper. Its wrapped with May Arts Ivory Silk Ribbon done in the same treatment as the card. (This ribbon is nice and wide. I used an iron to un-crinkle the ribbon a bit after it was dry to get the width I desired.)

Inside the tin, I cut out little "cards" using different patterns from the Krafty Klouds Digital Paper and wrote a few notes for my husband.

So, do you hand out little notes of love?

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (White) Georgia Pacific
Patterned Paper: (Krafty Klouds Digital) TiffanyDoodles
Digital Stamps: (Love Letters) TiffanyDoodles
Ink: (Vintage Photo Distress) Ranger
Embellishments: (White, Ivory Silk Ribbon, Natural Burlap String) May Arts
Font: (Ali Edwards Handwriting) Creating Keepsakes
Tools: (Labels Eight Nestabilties) Spellbinders
Other: (Tin), (Acrylic Paint)

Doin' a Bit of Lawnscaping

For The Lawnscaping Challenge that is! I'm so very honored to be guest designing for this new, upcoming challenge featuring all things Lawn Fawn! In tune with the holiday coming shortly, this time around the challenge is all about love, to be interpreted in any way you wish!

Now I wish I would have had these adorable stamps, or even these, but I chose to go with this set and this sentiment set to represent love on my "old school" office anniversary card. A bit of distressing, coloring, paper piecing and glossy accents helped me achieve look.

 
Here's the skinny on the challenge: Use any Lawn Fawn Stamp to represent your interpretation of Love and upload your cards to the Lawnscaping Challenge site by February 16th. The winner receives their choice of any Lawn Fawn set. (Wow, I wish I could be in the running for this one!)

Thank you again, Laurel, and The Lawnscaping Challenge Team, for having me as a guest designer this month. And I would be remiss if I didn't give a quick shout out to Erin as well, for sending me my first LawnFawn set! Thank you!

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (White) Georgia Pacific, (Pink) SU
Patterned Paper: (Yellow Text from Twitterpated Collection) Pebbles, (Pink Grid) SU
Stamps: (Just My Type, Sophie's Sentiments) Lawn Fawn
Ink: (Onyx Black) Versafine, (Vintage Photo Distress) Ranger
Other: (Enamel Accents) Ranger, (Colored Pencils) PrismaColor, (Labels 4 Nestabiltiies) Spellbinders, (Black Floss)

I Should Be...

I should be ice fishing (brr....), I should be cleaning (bleh....), I should be doing something else but the Papertrey Ink Anniversary Tag Challenge was too tempting! I teamed the tag designed by Alli Miles up with the colors from the Playing In Paradise Challenge (thanks, and congrats Dana!) to make a clean and simple design. The tag was printed on cream paper, the petals colored with a copic marker and the center with a maroon marker and covered with glossy accents. Its attached to the card base with dimensional adhesive.

I suppose I put off cleaning long enough! I'll be back later tonight for a nice surprise.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (Ivory) Georgia Pacific
Patterned Paper: (Lil' Miss Collection) Pebbles
Stamps: (Digital Flower Tag) PTI, (Sentiment from Mega Mixed Messages) PTI
Ink: (Onyx Black) Versafine
Other:(Saddle Stitched Ribbon) SU, (Gold Marker) Copic, (Maroon Marker) SU, (Glossy Accents) Ranger
Tools: (Corner Round Punch) WR Memory Keepers

Everyone

Hey everyone! Thanks for taking the time to comment. Thanks for the support. Thanks for visiting or browsing. Thanks for everything.

Playing along this morning with The Play Date Cafe and their gorgeous color combination. I printed this image from TiffanyDoodles directly onto some rose colored paper, then colored it with pencils and cut and lifted portions off of the card base. I attached a white panel on the inside of the card to create even more dimension and a ribbon tab by the sentiment that was stamped in indigo blue.

Fabulous colors at The Play Date Cafe, and I'm happy that I challenged myself to actually play along with a color combo that had four swatches. Woosh!

Oh, and I also wanted to let you know about this!

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (Cranberry Crisp) SU
Digital Image: (Lily Stems) TiffanyDoodles
Stamps: (Sentiment from Mehndi Medallions) WPlus9
Ink: (Night of Navy Pigment) SU
Other: (Night of Navy Marker) SU, (Colored Pencils) Prismacolor, (Corner Round Punch) WR Memory Keepers, (White Gel Pen) Signo, (Black Marker) Sharpie

Deer Friend

After supper and the chil'rens were asleep last evening, I was supposed to make cookies for my work party. But then, I saw this card, and this challenge, and the above card formed in my head. I wondered aloud what I should do... cookies....or a card? From the words of one very talented lady after seeking advice: "cookies shmookies....make the card :) crafty mojo is a terrible thing to waste!"

I had a scrap piece of stamped background paper from Practicing Creativity Design's brand spankin' new release on my desk that provided the background for the sweet little deer (from Retro Christmas, also by Practicing Creativity Designs. He's now been a Halloween, Christmas and Valentine deer!). Ted challenged his participants to use their own handwriting on the front and inside of the card for his Happily Ever Challenged Challenge. Ted always has great challenges that are just that...a challenge. I wrote in pencil and erased about a billion times until I got something that was presentable. Here's the inside:

My dear sweet friends, I am happy to say that I did finish a batch of chocolate chip cookies as well, let it be known that you can get a lot accomplished in eight minute intervals.
 
Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (Kraft) PTI, (White) Georgia Pacific, (Real Red) SU
Stamps: (Deer from Retro Christmas, Grid from For the Love of Grids) Practicing Creativity Designs
Ink: (Antique Linen and Vintage Photo Distress) Ranger, (Pretty in Pink Pigment) SU
Embellishments: (Epoxy Hearts) Cloud Nine, (Brown Burlap String) May Arts
Other: (Brown Journaling Peng) Creative Memories

A Bluish Bicycle

It's so easy to combine For the Love of Grids from this month's release at Practicing Creativity Design with any of your existing stamps because of its versatility and ease of use, or to let it stand alone. I used the vintage cycle from The Whole Cycle and a doily to correspond with the old style patterned background, stylized from For the Love of Grids for this first card.

Please see for yourself the wonders of this set by stopping by each of the design team member's blogs - Dana - Courtney - Valerie - where we all feature For the Love of Grids and another fabulous stamp set. Get ready for it, its being released at midnight!

Red Canvas

This next card features For the Love of Grids as a focal point. I stamped it repeatedly in the same color (red!) to create a great base for my sentiment. The layout is based on Limelight's Sketch Challenge. Come play along with the sketch and be sure to use the color red! Links to the other sketch gal's takes are right on Mandy's blog and then link your entries on Mandy's blog by Monday for a chance to win a White Liquid Applique Pen and an Odd Bird Planet Me & You stamp!

***Remember, there are some great closing deals at the Limelight Papercrafts Store!***

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: Kraft (PTI), (White) Georgia Pacific

Stamps: (For the Love of Grids, Another Year) Practicing Creativity Designs

Ink: (Ruby Red Pigment) SU, (Onyx Black) Versafine

Embellishments: (Brad) SU, (Black Ribbon) RibbonX

Tools: (Labels Eight Nestabilties) Spellbinders, (White Gel Pen) Signo, (Corner Chomper) WR Memory Keepers