ANOTHER Beach Card?!!!

Yep! I want Summer to get here BADLY! Our weather here in the Midwest has been way too unseasonally cool and I made this card in protest of it! I love heat, sunshine and water. I promise when the weather gets better that I won't complain about anything all Summer. lol! This cool image is from Whipper Snapper. I used SU watercolor crayons on watercolor paper. The designer paper is by Memory Box.

Life IS a Beach!!!

I've always loved this quote and I thought it was perfect for this stamp. This is another stamp I bought from Art Impressions. When I saw these cute birds I thought, okay, what's more fun than a penguin couple on a beach sipping on some (Long Island) iced teas and just chillin'?!!! I even gave them a little sunburn! lol! I used 90 lb. Cold Press Watercolor paper, Tombow (watercolor) Markers and SU's Watercolor Crayons. I LOVE these crayons! I haven't used them for a while and forgot how fun they are. I bought these crazy sunglasses (buttons) a while back and I snipped the back off to use it as a card embellishment.

Funny Stuff!

Wow! I have been so busy getting ready for Summer that something had to give and unfortunately it was stamping. I have tons of yard work, planting, opening the pool, staining the deck, etc... Yikes! The list goes on and on. Anyway, I just had to stamp today. I just couldn't take it any longer! I bought some really cool stamps from Art Impressions. They offer a nice variety and a lot of their stamps have a sense a humor which I love! These stamps are no exception. For some reason I had this particluar layout in my head and I just couldn't shake it. I ended up having to make the card a 6 x 6 in order to do what I wanted. I had gotten these cool eyelet things for Mother's Day and I've been excited about trying them.

WSC49 Wanted

Over at Beate's blog she has a Weekend Sketch Challenge that she sponsors. This is what I made for this week's challenge. I used a stamp set that I adore, SU's Wanted. Yeah, I live just outside a major city (Chicago) and have my whole life, I have always been attracted to the West. The laid backness of it all, the warm summer nights, and oh yeah, the COWBOYS! ;-) I always felt that I belonged out there but my family and friends are here and I just can't seem to bring myself to leave. Anyway, that was probably way more than you wanted to know (lol) but I love these western sets that Stampin' Up came out with and feel the same way about the gorgeous coordinating designer papers. I happened to have a Stampendous EP called Sand that matched the paper perfectly. I did a little faux stitching on it using a piercing tool and the Chocolate Chip marker. I used the Slit Punch to make the scallop.

Here's the Recipe:

Stamps: SU Wanted
Paper: Blue Bayou, Sand, Cocoa, SU Designer paper
Accessories: Blue Bayou Stitched Ribbon, Brass Rivets and Brads, Natural Hemp Cord , Stampendous EP, Scallop Punch, Circle Punches, Slit Punch, Photo Corner Punch

Hope you're enjoying the weekend!

Diva's Challenge #2

These challenges started from our monthly stamping "club". We laugh, cut each other up and occasionally stamp something! lol! Well, this is what I created for our second challenge. Lynda sent us this sweet Penny Black image in the mail and we had to make a card with it. The problem is that I made a mistake on both of mine and have to live with it. I hate how the water looks but I'm letting go now. It's done and over! :-)

Here's what my friends came up with. If they didn't post theirs yet they will be soon.

Lynda
Michele
Kim

CC167 Delightful

I created this card for this week's Color Challenge at SCS. The challenge is to use Certainly Celery, Blue Bayou and Soft Sky only in your card. I decided to bring this set back to life. Remember Delight In Life by Stampin' Up? I forgot how pretty these flowers are.

Note:
To color the flowers in Soft Sky I used the reinker and a blender pen. It worked perfectly. I was surprised at how much coverage I got from one dip.

A Softer Side...

of Time Well Spent. Last week I created a really bright card with this beautiful stamp from Stampin' Up. This time I used soft, subtle colors and have made a sympathy card with it.

Some Things ARE Black & White...

Believe it or not, in my many years of stamping this is my very first black and white card! I've never been able to leave my cards alone in the past! I just couldn't resist adding color! Isn't that weird? I taught a stamping class last night and they flipped over this card! Of all the cards I've poured my heart and soul into to really "wow" them, it only took this... Go figure, huh? This is one of the new stamp sets by Lizzie Anne Designs called Le Jardin. It's just a fancy name for some really cool flowers! lol! After I stamped the image I had this urge for dots. I added them on myself by hand. Of course I have a really cool marker for making perfect dots but it is no where to be found. Yeah, they're not perfect dots but I think it works anyway.

Sunday Pleasures...

Sundays are usually relaxing days for my husband and I... We try to stay low key knowing we face a long work week ahead of us. Not in the Spring though! There's too much yard work and flower planting to be done. My back was KILLING me so I took a break earlier and made this card using stamps from Lizzie Anne Designs.

BLOG CANDY WINNER!!!

CONGRATULATIONS Melissas! YOU were the winner of my blog candy! I have also e-mailed you for your mailing address. This is what Melissas said:

"What a great set! With so many blogs in my Reader, I find myself returning faithfully to those that are updated regulary, and those that have sketches and/or challenges. That really gets my thinking cap primed and ready to stamp!" Thanks for sharing :)

Thanks everyone who particpated. I read and value each of your opinions. I hope you'll come back to visit now and then...

SC175 MORE Guava?

Okay, so I am addicted to SU Groovy Guava. I'm not sure why I keep using it over and over, there are like a zillion card stock colors in this craft world of ours... Anyway, here's what I did for last week's Sketch Challenge on SCS. I tend to always be a week behind on all the challenges but I do love to do them! I faux stitched and then used a white gen pen.

Recipe:
Stamps: SU Bloomin' Beautiful, Wordsworth (sentiment)
Paper: Groovy Guava, Soft Sky, Certainly Celery, Bali Breeze ds from SU
Accessories: Copper Cord, White dots from JoAnn's, Tombow Markers, SU Pastel Chalks (for the backround)

Hey Cupcake!

Okay, so I finally couldn't stand the pressure. I caved and bought these cool cupcakes from Hero Arts. I blame each and every one of you who have made a cute card with them! I wanted to give it a whirl. Of course my first card had to be pink and brown! I love these two colors together and apparently cupcakes are no exception. I bought this delicious set at one of my favorite E-bay stores, Simon Says Stamp.

Cool Blog Candy!!!

In honor of my new blog and to introduce myself to all you awesome bloggers, I am giving away these stamps from Crafty Secrets called Wildflowers. How can you win? Just leave me a comment and let me know at least one thing that brings you back to someone's blog regularly. I will pull a winner at randomly on Saturday, May 17th at 11:00 p.m. and will notify you by e-mail to get your mailing address. I don't have much traffic here yet so your chances of winning are really fantastic!

Time Well Spent

I love this set from Stampin'Up. There are so many fun images and lots of coloring which are my favorite kind. I did this card in bold, bright colors. I also made one in soft, subtle colors and it just proves how versatile these stamps are. I'll post that one soon. I used a white gel pen to make the dots on the flower and leaves. Recipe:

Stamps: SU Time Well Spent
Paper: SU Lovely Lilac, Only Orange, Green Galore
Accessories: SU Lovely Lilac, Only Orange, Green Galore Markers, Photo Corner Punch, Piercing tool

LAD_WC_26 Weekly Challenge

Over at Lizzie Anne Designs they sponsor a different Sketch Challenge ever week. I really like the sketches they do so I thought I'd start trying to partcipate in them. This is what I came up with for last weeks challenge... After I completed it I realized that I made the middle strip too wide but I think it would still qualify for the challenge. If not, that's okay. I like how it turned out anyway...

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day everyone! This is the first Mother's Day since I lost my Mom. I miss her so much... I found this poem and I think it really says how my heart feels today. I have no idea who wrote it. This Mother's Day card was one I made for my mom a few years ago and she told me it was one of her favorites so I am reposting it for her today. Keep smiling down on me Mom. I need it...

If Roses grow in Heaven,
Please pick a bunch for me.
Place them in my Mother's arms
and tell her they're from me.
Tell her that I love her and miss her,
and when she turns to smile,
place a kiss upon her cheek
and hold her for a while.
Because remembering her is easy,
I do it every day,
but there's an ache within my heart
that will never go away.

Stamping Divas Challenge 1 Cheers!

I created this card using an image I stamped from Inky Antics . The sentiment is from Lizzie Anne Designs. There is a group of us that get together once a month to stamp, share images and just have some girl fun! We just started doing these challenges where we all make a card created with the same image. I love seeing how many things you can do with just one stamp. Here's what I did and here's what the other Divas created.

Michele
Lynda
Kim
Sharon

Lizzie Anne Birthday Wishes

This is one of Lizzie Anne Design's new stamp sets called Le Jardin. I thought bright colors would be perfect for these pretty flowers.

Recipe:

Stamps: Lizzy Anne Designs, SU French Script, Adia Cloth
Paper: SU Gable Green, Positively Pink
Accessories: SU Pink Passion, Gable Green markers, Rhinestone brads, SU Slit Punch

Pickin' Daisies

This is a Stick Chick from American Art Stamps. I thought these "Chicks" would be fun for something a little different. These were created by designer Karen Stolper. I like the variety of syles and designs that American Art Stamps offers. Check 'em out!

An Old Favorite

Stampin' Up has designed some of the best flowers over the years... This is one of my favorites. All their stippled stamps are gorgeous! I am stocking up on sympathy cards right now. I think this flower seems serene. Perfect for a sympathy card.

Spring Tulips

My photography skills leave a lot to be desired but these are some gorgeous Spring tulips I cut from my garden that I wanted to share with you. I love fresh cut flowers in my kitchen and always have something in a vase from Spring through Fall. Later this month it will be my beautiful peonies in bloom...

Vintage Fleurs

I've made another card using Lizzie Anne's Designs set called Jolies Fleurs. I used muted colors just to try something a little different. The backround paper is by Basic Grey and then I stamped SU's French Script using Basic Brown. It was very easy! I think the photo corner punch is one of my favorite "tools" I've purchased in the last year. I used Stampin'Up's Chocolate Chip and River Rock cardstock.

I'm soooooo looking forward to a few (sort of) relaxing days off. How about you? Happy Friday everyone!