A little crafty time.

Oh come on! Who doesn't love Lawn Fawn and their fun and whimsical stamps. I know I do and "Octopi my heart" just cracked me up and made my heart laugh. So when I decided to play along at a few challenges this week, I had to pull out this adorable little set!

I combined to challenges to create this card. CAS(E) this Sketch had a fun CAS sketch. You could go in so many directions- check out what the design team created.

Because the design just seem to fit better on a smaller canvas I lifted this idea from the inspiration card over at Time Out Challenges.

These were two awesome challenges to combine.

Here is a close up of the center panel and some of the detail. I questioned whether I should glitterize the octopus, but decided to leave well enough alone. What do you all think?

Well that is all the stamping for today. Be sure to check and play along with this two fun challenges!

Cool challenges

We have had some really hot weather for the last few weeks in Pennsylvania, but there has been a reprieve in the last few days. I am taking advantage of the cooler morning to stamp, since my studio doesn't have AC. 

Speaking of cool, who doesn't like a cool treat, but how about some cool challenges?  Today's card was inspired by three challenges.

It is always fun to be able to combine challenges. Three is the most I generally can combine. I find it amazing that some people can create one card that meets 10 or more challenges.

So here is my creation inspired by cool treats. I really went back in time with this card. I pulled out an old Lizzie Anne set- they made images kinda like AMuse. The set is Sweets and Treats. I can't even find it on the net to show you. It is my go to set for ice cream stamps.

CAS(E) this Sketch always has a fun CAS sketch and combined with Curtain Call and Inkspirational 

this card practically stamped itself!

I added some sticles to make the jimmies stand out.

OK, there is a question for you. Jimmies or sprinkles, which one are you?

Please check out these fun challenges and join in the fun and show your creativity!

Hello sunshine

When we were having lunch today, my sweet George commented on how today felt like the summer. I said it looked like summer with the hazy blue sky and bright warm sunshine. It's only early May, it makes me think we are in for a sweltering summer. But after the bitterly cold winter we had here on the  East Coast, I will take it.

CAS(E) this sketch always have the best yet simple sketches. I have to admit they can be a challenge to me with their simplicity. But I used today as my inspiration and created my "hello sunshine" card.

I used Lawn Fawn's  "hello sunshine" set and a variety of cloud dies. I added a coating of glitter to make my sun really appear hot.

Be sure to check out CAS(E) this sketch  for this week's challenge. Bye for now, I am going to grab a book, my chair and head to the back yard to say HELLO SUNSHINE! 

oh noooooo..... not paint chips again!!!!!

A few years back,  I was on a paint chip roll. I thought they were the coolest things going. I was going to every hardware store around to collect them. I had hundreds of them. Well that passion soon faded and the paint chips were relegated to the back of the closet.

Through out several purges, I would almost throw them away, but something would stop me. And thank goodness, because when I saw the challenge at Tag, you're it, I went straight for the paint chips...oh no.... my friends are going to say..... not the paint chips again!!

I can honestly say, I don't think I ever thought to white emboss them. Wow! I was pleasantly surprised to see how beautiful the white embossing is on them. 

What great tags they make too. Quick and easy, add a hole and a ribbon or twine and voila an awesome tag for any occasion!

CAS(E) this Sketch is using a tag in their sketch, which fit perfectly into my plans and this card just came together.

Oh nooooooo.....I can just feel the pull to go to Home Depot for more paint chips!  

Lucky leaf

Oh lucky day, I did finally start my homework (see this post) and I completed what I wanted to, but tomorrow I really have to spend the day putting together my presentation. So I went through what was out there in challenge land. CAS(E) this sketch had a fun sketch to inspire. 

Instead of seeing a heart in the sketch I saw shamrocks. After all St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner. St. Patrick's Day stamps are hard to come by, but I have gathered a nice little collection over the years. Surprisingly, some of my most loved ones are those $1.00 stamps in the junk bins at the major craft stores. 

The St. Patrick's Day washi tape was a HUGE find. I knew I had to use it on my card.

My new boss is Irish and this card will be heading his way on St. Pat's Day. Check out what the DT at CAS(E) this sketch have come up with and play along too.

Boo

Sunday seems to be my CAS(E) this Sketch day. 

 

The sketch this week took a bit of thought and several ideas were whirling around, but this cute "boo" card won out. Besides it gave me the opportunity to use  this new set from Papertrey Ink- Polka Dot Parade #7.

Halloween is a common theme lately at many of the challenge sites. I am also entering this card at Addicted to Stamps and More for their "anything goes" challenge. Simply Create Too is looking for Halloween entries. The Friday Mashup is looking for anything spooky.

Sometimes the best cards are the most CAS. I came across some cards I made about 10 years ago and at the time I thought I was a great stamper. All I can see now is how busy they were, with to many even layers and techniques! While I can't bear to throw them away, I am not sure what to do with them.

Todays card is more my style these days. 

Hope you enjoy and feel inspired by today's card.

Apple of my eye (2nd post of the day)

When I awoke this morning, the sky were gray and it looks like rain for the first time in about 2 weeks. I am OK with that, I like rainy days. Rainy days are good days to curl up with a book, cook a pot of soup, bake a sweet dessert and of course spend time in my studio!

CAS(E) this sketch has the best sketches. They are always clean and simple. But that can be difficult, creating a CAS card that is striking and effective. I thought a lot about this weeks sketch and tried out a variety of ideas. Finally, I just put the whole thing aside and went to bed. I don't know if you are like me, but the best idea came to me while I was sleeping. 

I grabbed my new set from Papertrey Ink's Fruit Fusion Apple, that hasn't seen any ink yet and I was off and inkin' and stampin'!!

The card was everything I wanted, that the other 6 rejects weren't! So I can submit this to CAS(E) this sketch with my head held high!

Being as I am still celebrating World Card Making Day, I am giving this to my DH, just because.

Have a great week everyone!

Be sure to check out my first post today!

 

It's that time of year!

I so did not think I was going to have time to stamp this weekend, what with my Capstone project to do for school- a huge month long take home essay test that is the culmination of all my nursing courses. My advisor told me when I e-mailed her in a panic about the whole test, to relax and do some art. Good advice! I can now see the forest through the trees and am plodding along on the whole thing. 

I loved the challenge sketch over at CAS(E) this sketch and it gave an opportunity to use my new Papertrey Ink Trick Trio die collection. I originally was going to do this card with a kraft base, but I came across this charcoal grey card stock and I loved the way the black die cut looked against it, along with the pop of orange on Penny Black's Spooky stamp set. 

This is the first Halloween card for 2013. I love making Halloween cards as much as I love making Christmas cards. But then I love Stephen King, Face Off and creepy movies. How about you all, do you like making Halloween cards?

Sunny flower sketch

I noticed that using an inked acrylic block as a background has had a resurgence. I enjoy making this backgrounds using different distress inks. Personally I think the distress inks work the best with this technique. My card is an interpretation of the challenge sketch over at CAS(E) this sketch.

I also made a blue version. I couldn't decide which one I liked best to enter in the challenge. i ended going with the orange version. Which one do you like? 

I have my last class tomorrow night and I hand in all my projects Yee Hawww!!!!

See  you all soon.

Blow out those candles

I have become obsessed, every time I sit down at my desk, I pull out the same 3-4 colors. These aren't even my colors normally, I mean I love greens, but this yellow, orange and turquoise with a splash of grey throw in there at times have become my go to colors. Green- bah.... So when I went to make a card based on this sketch for CAS(E) this Sketch, naturally these were the colors I pulled.

Don't they look like a summer birthday party?!!? I took some liberties with the sketch and flipped it on its side. Otherwise the banner would have been hanging off the side like toilet paper caught on someone's shoe. 

I used a mix of old and new stamps. New is the Kelly Purkey set- Make a Wish and the oldie but goody is from Hero Arts- Cupcakes. I was happy to see it still for sale. A bit of glitter added to the flames and sprinkles finished this fun summer birthday card.

I am also entering this at the Anything Goes challenge at Seize the Birthday.

Enjoy your weekend!

It's your Birthday!!

Boy, I am starting to get the hang of one layer cards! I am so proud of myself! Lots of birthday in July besides my own, which we all know is really the only important one! But, I do have to make the effort-hee hee!! :) 

This one layer card is based on the sketch for CASE this sketch and will be for my brother whose birthday is at the end of the month. It is a mix of old and new. The strip down the side is a washi  tape stamp from Inspired by Stamping and the saying is from Simon Says Stamp's Make a Wish. The circles/dots are very old sets from Hero Arts and Memory Box.

I am entering this at Crazy 4 Challenges, a new challenge blog I discovered. The challenge is to "Get Wordy". I think this card fits the bill don't you?

"Anything Goes" that's the challenge at An Inky Situation- especially since my card is just stamps and ink! Talk about back to basics. It sure doesn't get old huh?

I have been taking the cards I make into sets of different colors and will probably work this card up into other color schemes and keep them on hand.

Well I better get out of the studio, the temperature is quickly rising- 89 degrees at 10:00. I have to do all my stamping early in the morning.

Have a great weekend all and stay cool!!!

Trio of Fishies

I just love these down-staff days! I don't have anything planned, no school work, cleaning, shopping etc. etc. It is a day just for myself! So when Mr. George asked me what I was gonna do today I said stamp!! 

I went through all the challenges and the fish challenge at CAS I thought great!! Unfortunately that challenge was over- boo hoo :(.  But CASE this sketch came through!! I loved their sketch this week and used my fish anyway. (from Rubber Soul- a give away from my friend who was downsizing her stamp collection) 

Here is this week's sketch:

It is a warm summer day here in Pennsylvania and I sure wouldn't mind being a fish and be swimming in a nice cool ocean. Just taking it easy and breathing.