The Pedal

Years ago, in the dining room at my paternal grandparent's house rested a treasure, tucked underneath the window. The pedal was black, heavy metal polished clean and shiny along with the same treatment for the dark wood in which the mechanism rested. My sisters and I would sit on the floor and stare up at the grand piece, occasionally moving the pedal to see what would happen. It was my grandmother's sewing machine and oh how I treasure it now just as I did when I was little.

I have a feature up on The Project Girl's Blog on how just a bit of stitching can emphasize your design. (There's even a before picture!) I adore the extra detail stitches make and the current Young Crafter's Unite Challenge reminded me of the results you can achieve by taking the effort and an extra two minutes.

Wonderful news was just announced over at May Arts too, check it out!

Fly Over States

...On the plains of OklahomaWith a windshield sunset in your eyes
Like a water-color painted skyYou'll think heaven's doors have opened
You'll understand why God made those fly over states...

The song is called "Fly Over States" and it is the new one out from Jason Aldeen. When it comes on the radio, it has me thinking of the beauty my family experiences each and every time we make the seventeen hour trip cross country to visit my parents. 

CAS-ual Friday's newest challenge is to create a clean and simple card inspired by your favorite song. The sponsor is Melanie Muenchinger, and you can read more her and the prize, as well as about challenge rules and details. Check out the inspiration from The Girl Fridays too over on the Blog! Don't forget about the current call for designers as well!


Supplies:
Cardstock: (Kraft) PTI
Patterned Paper: (Campfire Collection) October Afternoon, Grid Paper
Stamps: (Flying By) Lawn Fawn
Ink: (Rich Cocoa) Memento

Lime Twist & Charlotte

This photo prop was so quick and easy to make, and what a great way to showcase the fabulous and diverse designs from the My Mind's Eye Lime Twist Collection by Jen Allyson. Please hop on over to The Creative Girl for simple directions and more beautiful pictures from Karleen of Starlight Productions, Auburndale, Wisconsin featuring the Lime Twist Photo Prop that I made. (That is her cutie granddaughter standing next to the Lime Twist Photo prop!)

In some other news: check this out!

A Sweet

May Arts has teamed up with Sweet Stamp Shop this week and I have a quick tutorial over there on how to transform a little gift from ordinary to extraordinary-complete with a card! Stop on over at May Arts and please leave a comment, as you can then be entered to win some Sweet Stamp Shop and May Arts ribbon!

Back on Track

Sometimes I miss the writing down the stories where the driving force behind a card.  Now it seems as thought I have run out of time to share it our I didn't have time to search for an inspiring quote. I'll get back on track one of these days...for my own sanity I need to!

Skipping Stones Design is back again with another lovely sketch from Angi! Details are on the blog about the sketch challenge, rules and prizes, and please be sure to stop by to the see the absolutely amazing projects from the desginers and guest designers!

To achieve a resemblance of the fun sketch, I scored a card stock piece at an angle with a Scor-Buddy and topped it with a die cut piece of patterned paper. On top of all is a colored butterfly from Healing Wings and then finished with a sentiment from Always Here. The beautiful color mix is from The Play Date Cafe.

Supplies:
Carstock: (So Saffron) SU, (White) Office Max
Patterned Paper: (Wanted Collection) Cosmo Cricket
Stamps: (Healing Wings, Always Here) Skipping Stones Design
Ink: (Rich Cocoa) Memento, (Vintage Photo Distress) Ranger
Other: (Markers) Copic, SU

Scoot On

"Whatever it is you may be going through, whatever the challenge you may be facing, whatever it is that's stopping you from reaching your dreams and goals, it's just a matter of time that you will overcome these obstacles." (exert from here) Scoot on. Scoot on.

It's all about the Bold and the Beautiful at CAS-ual Fridays this week: create a clean and simple project featuring a black and pastel color combination. The sponsor this round is The Sweet Stamp Shop.

I paper pieced the cute scooter image from Scootin' By and colored the image lightly with marker. It was then placed on a chalkboard like piece of black cardstock that had been scored once, and all of that then was adhered to a base, that was also scored. A sweet little sentiment from the same set finished the card.


I hope that you have the chance to play along this week. As always, please visit the CAS-ual Fridays Blog and read about the challenge, sponsor and prize and rules, as well as view some great inspiration from Girl Fridays. While you are there, check out the design team call that was just announced this week!

Day After

It's the day after The Craft's Meow big Birthday Bash but we are still celebrating with a blog hop! You should have arrived from Julie Ranae's Blog! The complete hop order and additional details can be found on The Craft's Meow Blog. Each guest designer, design team member and illustrator are featuring one (or more!) of the six sets released during this month. You have a chance to win the entire release by commenting along the way!

I have a clean and simple card today. It features the free, limited time, digital flower image that I designed for The Craft's Meow Birthday Bash. I colored it with markers, did a bit of easy fussy cutting and adhered it to the card base that have been stamped with a beautiful sentiment designed by Nina B. for The Craft's Meow (from the Father and Mother set).

There's still some time to play along with the challenges introduced this week, I hope to see your The Craft's Meow creations linked up! (Details on The Craft's Meow Blog.)

 Your next stop on the hop is the ever talented Lindsay Amrhein!

Thanks Bee

**Please scroll down  or click here for my Skipping Stones Design Sketch Challenge post**

In honor of The Craft's Meow's One Year Birthday, there is something special going on over at the The Craft's Meow Blog...A birthday bash! Today the designers, guest designers and illustrators are showcasing a beautiful and fun set designed by Nina B. for The Craft's Meow called Thanks Bee To Thee. And you know what?!! This could be a gift to you with purchase of $50 or more of The Craft's Meow Stamps. But there is more, we also have a challenge going on today as well, and the prize for the Birthday Theme Challenge will be a guest designer spot for TCM!! (randomly chosen). 

The challenge today is all about Birthday Celebrations!  Head on over to The Craft's Meow Blog for more Birthday Bash information and challenge details for this past week. There are also some FREE digital images available if you don't have any The Craft's Meow Stamps to play along with the challenges this week. Like The Craft's Meow on Facebook and then click here!  

Mother's Flowers

I’ll give you a flower, mother / I’ll give you a flower, dear.
For life is but a garden / To children of 5 years

I’ll give you a flower, mother / I’ll give you a flower, dear
For to a bride, they’re lovely / Mother, hold your tears

I’ll give you a flower, mother / I’ll give you a flower, dear
I’ll lay it in your sweet hands / For our time has disappeared

I’ll give you a flower, mother / I’ll give you a flower, dear
When I see you there at heaven / When my time’s done here

~Whitney Albright

Sometimes I forget the symbolism of a single flower or a field full of blooms... Today marks another fabulous sketch challenge at Skipping Stones Design! The sketch, designed by Angi, is open to interpretation and we'd love to see your take! Full details are over on the Skipping Stones Design blog, along with absolutely fabulous inspiration from the guest designers and design team!

I used Beautiful Botanicals again for my card, I'm just in love with this Skipping Stones Design set! I stamped lightly in both pink and green, taking a cue from colors from the current JUGS Challenge, and then went over with a marker to outline the blooms. Two lines were scored with the Scor-Buddy and inked, and then a separate sentiment panel was adhered to the card base.

Honey Bee

Have you enjoyed The Craft's Meow Birthday festivities so far? We are in our third day and today is the day that we get to sneak Jenny's cute sets, Spring is Here and Get Well Soon! Also, there is a color inspiration challenge for you to participate in too! (Remember, all the details can be found at The Craft's Meow Blog!)

There are a bunch of cute sentiments to go along with the cute images, all true to Jenny's style. I inked up a honeycomb image and rubbed a bit of ink off before stamping a random pattern onto white card stock. After inking the edges, stamping the trail and sentiment,  I adhered the panel to a green base. The finishing touch was a cute bee stamped onto white paper. I colored the background blue and its wings with a glitter pen then punched him out and stuck him onto the card.

Just had a bit of fun with Jenny's second set, too many cute sentiments and images in this one as well!

 

Head on over to The Craft's Meow Blog for more Birthday Bash information! There are also some FREE digital images available if you don't have any The Craft's Meow Stamps to play along with the challenges this week. Like The Craft's Meow on Facebook and then click here! 

Cherished Aunt

Day Two of The Craft's Meow Birthday Bash is underway! Today the showcase is all on the beautiful set called Cherished designed by Nina B. for The Craft's Meow. You can visit The Craft's Meow Blog for links to the other designers showcasing this set and while you are there, read all about the challenge that is going on~be inspired as we have by the image below:

My card features the focal image stamped in white, heat set and then colored lightly with markers. The decorative panel was adhered to a card base that had previously been stamped with some sentiments included in the set. After a touch of lace and twine (my favorite!), I added a focal sentiment.

 

***Did you hear, did you see? There are also some FREE digital images available if you don't have any The Craft's Meow Stamps. Like The Craft's Meow on Facebook and then click here! Guess what?! You'll have to let me know what you think of them because I designed them! Can't wait to see what you create with them!***

On a personal note, I experienced serious issues with my internet browsing system so the windows I had open to comment on your lovely creations were no longer there after my system was up and running. In short, I will make sure to catch up with your beautiful and inspiring creations the next time you post. Lesson learned to comment right away!

Birthday Bash

There's a big ol' party starting over at The Craft's Meow Blog! The Craft's Meow is turning one and there are six new sets being released! Three new fabulous designers, Amy Wanford, Jackie Rockwell  and Jen Cuthbertson are joining the fantastic team, as well as myself as a stamp illustrator and two guests are also joining in, Amy Kolling and Deborah Nolan!

The above card features one of the sets being released this month, Mother and Father by Nina B. Designs for The Craft's Meow. You'll be amazed at the punch this mini set packs!

The second set being released is also by Nina B. for The Craft's Meow, called Beautiful Spring. The images are lovely, and there is a mix of outlines and silhouettes that will please any kind of stamper.

Not only is a hop taking place, but you can also join in on the fun by creating a project using the sketch by Amy that is featured on The Craft's Meow Blog.

So there you have it, two new sets being peaked today and a challenge to participate in! Thanks for stopping by and I can't wait to show you what I have for tomorrow!

***There are also some FREE digi images available if you don't have any The Craft's Meow Stamps. Like The Craft's Meow on Facebook and then click here! Guess what?! You'll have to let me know what you think of them because I designed them! Can't wait to see what you create with them!***

Pencil Eraser Men

My oldest has been having a rough time with the easy subtraction so I asked my husband if he had any advice on how to help him out. His response: "That might not be such a good idea.When my mom talked to me the only thing I did was to pull off the erasers on the pencils and make them into army men and fight." Oh dear.

CAS-ual Fridays Challenge is as easy as 1-2-3 this week! Create a project featuring a patterned, an image and a sentiment! The wonderful sponsor is Clear and Simple Stamps, whose cool stamps I featured on my project today!

Please check out the CAS-ual Fridays Blog for challenge details and rules, more info on the sponsor and some great Clear and Simple eye candy from the Girl Fridays!

Neon

Neon is making a come-back, no?
I see the clothes my husband's nieces wear and it only confirms it.
The bright pink, blue, green, yellow and yes, even orange.
Yes, I do dare say I think neon is around for a bit.

 

I'm excited today because today is a Carbon Copied Day (same stamp set, same challenge, same day)! I love the days I get to do a Carbon Copied!
Today, the so very talented Jocelyn from Red Balloon Cards and I are featuring
You're Dandy from Practicing Creativity Designs
and playing along with the new sketch challenge, Retro Sketches!

I pulled out a neon paper pack, heat embossed some rays on the pink, diecut from yellow and impressed the blue.

Jocelyn and her designs hold a special place in my crafty heart. One of her creations was the first card I saw by "outside" person that featured a stamp set that I designed. And wow, what a creation it was! I have been hooked on her blog ever since and I really think you will be too, if you aren't already! She's got such a modern style and mad design skills! Please stop on over to Red Balloon Cards to check out Jocelyn's version!

The Strongest Relationship

"Sisters is probably the most competitive relationship within the family,
but once the sisters are grown, it becomes the strongest relationship."
- Margaret Mead

Hello, and welcome! There's a special hop going on to release the new Skipping Stones Design set, Beautiful Botanicals. This set is near and dear to my heart...I helped design the sentiments! With Mother's Day just around the corner, this set is perfect! We are also showcasing the wonderful Scor-Buddy by Scor-Pal-what a fun and fabulous product. The SSD team members and guest have projects showcasing the amazing sketch by Angi, for this week's chalelnge.

If you are following the hop in order, you should have arrived from Stephanie's blog! (Have no fear, if you are lost or want to start from the beginning, the Skipping Stone Design Blog has the hop order and more details! Up for grabs is a chance to win a free Skipping Stones Design set and a Scor-Buddy from Scor-Pal!)


I saw a wooden fence that sets off a beautiful field of flowers in the sketch and set out to recreate that with Skipping Stones Design stamps and my Scor-Buddy.

I took a ~4 piece of cardstock, inked it with the woodgrain stamp from Grunge and then scroed at 1 inch intervals. I inked the edges and where I scored to define the lines even more. On a separate piece of cardstock, I stamped the field of flowers from Beautiful Botanicals and then  lightly and colored them with markers. A sentiment banner and some twine finish up the card.

Now it's YOUR turn!  Join in the sketch challenge this week by creating a card using the featured sketch and link up to the Skipping Stones site for your chance to win a free stamp set! Don't forget to leave comments for your chance to win goodies from Skipping Stones Design and Scor-pal!

Your next stop is Angi!

Father Time's Email

Do you think Father Time has an email address? Because if he does, I would send him a thousand of them reminding him that he needs to add more daylight to the day. I went and purchased a light tent since out of necessity for running out of daylight, and I thought it would help with my photography, but now I'm so not used to it that I think I might have hindered my photography...until I get it figured out. I'm having issues with the lights. They are pesky little buggers. Get them too close and then give off shadows. Get them too far and the whole picture is dark. This angle, that angle...One of these days the right combination will come, but please, do share your recommendations on how you set up your tents!

Yeah, there's some pretty deep shadows and highlights in the photo, but let's just look beyond that shall we? (Photographing the card and editing took three times as long as to make the card!) I've mentioned before that I have a personal challenge to make cards from scrapbook layouts, and the sketch at Artful Delight intrigued me. I also knew that I wanted to base a card off the striking color combination at CASE Study. Their March Muse Laura, well, she constantly amazes me, she is such a talented designer. I was inspired by the solid neutral popped with striking black patterns.

 I pulled out the super fun Fun{tache}tic set from The Craft's Meow and created a masculine card. (The sentiment from this set was meant to take the back burner on my card, so that part of the photography isn't wonky.) We recently had some upheaval at my work and for once I was asked to make a "good bye" card!