The Beach Vacation is…

…..over at The Stamp Nation so I figured I will just post this card here.

I wanted to make a beachy card that also included wood….like a board walk. I first inked my paper using the mini blending tool from Ranger with distress inks, Frayed Burlap and gathered Twigs for the sand and then Tumbled Glass and salty ocean for the water/sky. I added a few waves with a stamp from Simon Says Stamp using Hampton Arts Pigment white. And the curvy title is also from SSS.

           

For the background I covered a piece of white paper with Distress Ink Gathered Twigs and then stamped a hero Arts Wood Background stamp also using gathered Twigs. I cut the paper into strips and then re assembled them  back to back side to side hoping it would end up looking a bit like a board walk. I think it does! What do you think??

                                              

 

 

 

                                       Linking this to the BLUE challenge over at the Simon says Stamp Blog

Nemo Love

My daughter was/is in love with the Disney movie Finding Nemo. I promise you she has watched it in its entirety no less then 500 times. Honestly, she just turned 13 and still hardly a day goes by when Nemo is not referenced or quoted in some capacity. When I saw the new fish stamps by Simon Says Stamp I knew I had to get these for this reason.

When my order arrived, I sat down to make her a card but I seemed to have some kind of creative block. The unfinished circles you see on the card sat on my desk for a week while I sat staring at them each and every night….thinking…wondering…waiting for some type of inspiration. Finally, I figured I would just wing it. If I did something which ruined the circles I could just make them again.

Once the card was done, I sat it in front of me so I could fully check out this fun but true labor of love. And guess who happens to peek her head around the corner….my daughter! ‘Oooo..what’s that?’ she said before I could even flip the card face down. She picked it up and ran her hand across the top. ‘Who is this for?” she asked. As if she were really wondering…..

At least I didn’t have to make an envelope…

 

                                         

 

Colored with copics

Distress Inks

White Embossing powder

‘Just’ – The Alley Way Stamps

Polka dot background stamp – Inkadinkado

My Favorite Things Stitched Circle Dies

Happy Mail Day!!

My sweet step daughter had state finals in softball this weekend in Greensburg, about 1 1/2 hours away. Seems this season has gone on forever…MAN did it ever feel that way at times. But they finished third in the state for age group 9 and 10. SO Proud!!! Lots of photos to add to my family album. When we got home Hubby checked the mail…DARN! I was snagged!!! I had 2 packages…one was my monthly kit from Simon Says Stamp and the other was from Pretty Pink Posh. He didn’t say a word but I am sure he made a mental note!

 

Here was what I have came up with so far…

 

                         

 

I made the background by using a stencil  over craft colored cardstock and covering it with white pigment ink. I then shifted the stencil over a bit and inked it with Distress Ink in Salty Ocean. I then covered it with glitter embossing powder and heat set it. I think it looked like fish scales a bit so I die cut a circle and added this little fish from Simon Says Stamp colored with my copic markers. The fish is actually attached to the inside of the card with pop dots. The twine and the sequence are from Pretty Pink Posh. I ordered the ‘Nature’ and the ‘Patriotic’ Kits and LOVE them!!

 

                         

 

This one was made using all supplies included in my SSS kit. I colored the popsicle with copics and added glossy accents. The pattern paper was originally all black and white and I wanted a bit of color. I used my copics again to color in a few of the items on the pattern paper to coordinate with the popsicle. The suqare is a MFT stitched die.

Stamp Nation VACATION!!!

Hubby’s super busy time in in the summer so vacations are not part of our plans this season. So I am doing the next best thing. Tanking a mini vacation with The Stamp Nation. So much talent on that site! its so great to see so many different styles in one place. I have so much to learn from those ladies! Here are two cards I made for the challenges. Be sure to check out the entire site. I have only been a member for a week, I have been enjoying every minute of it! Talent and friendliness all rolled into one!

 

                                     

                                                    This one is for the ‘Tropical Sunset Challenge’.

 

Cardstock – Bazzill

Dies – MFT

Stamps – Simon Says Stamp

Liquid Pearls – Ranger

Sequence – ???

 

                   

                                                         This is for the ‘Beach Style’ Challenge

 

MFT Blueprints Dies and Stamps

Embossing Folder – Cuttlebug

Colored with Copics

Twine and Pink Pattern Paper – Doodlebug

Cardstock- Bazzill

Sick Stinks

I saw this sweet skunk stamp set made by Sweet Stamp Shop and had to have it. They I read all the titles which were on the set and I knew it was MADE for my family! Yeah…they don’t have the best manners…at least at home! But I found another use for this little guy when one of our neighbor's kids came down with strep thought. I colored him with my Copics and made the background with a Memory Box die and Distress Ink. I use the mini round sponge dauber to blend Broken China and Mowed Lawn. The cloud and rain drops are cut using Spring Showers by Lawn Fawn. The lettering on the front and the inside is by Paper Smooches. I covered the rain drops with Glossy Accents.

          

 

                                     

More From the Simon Says Stamp Kit and MFT

Here are a few of the other cards I made with this months kit. The puppy stamp is by MFT which is a company I am newly in love with! Such fun stamps which are great to color with my Copics. I have been a colored pencil fan forever and swore off markers. Well, Copics and soooo much more then markers! I’m having a blast working with them and making the few I have work together.

Another image by MFT. People are such a challenge to me! But I am enjoying it. Any tips would be appreciated. I have a few people I am following on YouTube which I would consider pros. I have learned a lot from their playlists.

Simon Says Stamp July Kit

Its always a good creative day when I have the time to play with my monthly kit from Simon Says Stamp. This month’s kit was another great kit. Full of awesome patterns and stamps for creating general HAPPY cards to sent out at a moments notice. I made quite a few and even had a lot of papers to use in my family album. Here is one  I whipped up….

.

All supplies are from the kit. I cut a large circle using a circle cutter positioned along the edge of the blue heart pattern paper and attached it with foam tape to the floral.  I colored one of the little envelopes with a C2 copic warm gray marker and added a stitched line across the greeting with a Distress Marker in Faded Jeans.

Back to blogging!

I've been thinking the last few months of starting a blog. A place to post some of my cards and other crafty creations and maybe connect with a few fellow crafters. I am not a big Facebook person nor have I ever been on Twitter. But I love to write and take pictures so, blogging makes the most sense to me.

A little about me...  I have always loved paper and stamps and glue and scissors and the like. I remember when I was little there was a stationary store at our local mall. I loved it. Lot's of paper in every imaginable color and size with envelopes to match. Erasers of every shape and color and even smell. Simply amazing in my young self.

I first discovered " grown-up" stamps when I was 20 something. Bought as many as I could afford... And even some I could not not afford! Wood block stamps, the only stamps which existed at the time, were quite expensive! Once I had kids, I got into scrapbooking but never lost my love of stamps and always tried to incorporate them into my pages. Lately, I have been back into my stamps, making cards and working on my own version of project life. Its my therapy. It's a need.We have five kids between both Hubby and I and he understands this totally. I am very lucky!

I have been cranking out cards like crazy lately, but I seem to have an issue with mailing them! Anyone else that way?

Here are a few of the latest....

These stamps are soooooo old!!! ...seems to be a theme with this card. The crow, which is colored with Prismacolor Pencils, is by Stamps by Judith and I am  not sure who made the numbers bar. The sentiment is by Kaiser Crafts and is not too, too old. I do remember when I bought the set it came with it I thought I would NEVER use it. Well it fits this card perfectly if you as me. Paper is by Prima. Cardstock is Bazzill.

My goal with this blog it to post something every few days or so and to simply have some fun. I hope to hear from other creative folks and maybe learn a thing or two. I may even try to make a video someday soon. Seems a little adventurous for this 41 year old but I ma sure one of my kids will help! They seem to know it all!