A Circle of Thanks

Well well... I've certainly NOT been giving my stamps enough love lately.  Here I am again sharing a card I made with not the latest Gina K Designs release.. but two months ago!!  Ugh... I am so sorry my rubber friends.  I love you and miss you too and I am coming back... finally!!!

My card today was made with Melanie Muenchinger's, "Fun Year Round".  I loved a past set of Melanie's, "Inspiration Mosaic" and when I saw this set, I KNEW I would have to have it!!! 

I started stamping the circles onto white card stock.  Then I used my large sponge daubers to color in the larger circles with Vivid Tea Rose.  I used my smaller dauber to color in the smaller circles with Vivid Lemon Ice.  I stamped the "thank you" circles out of the green card stock and adhered them to the base.  I did the same with the solid flowers coloring them in with my Memento markers before stamping them.

I had this fabulous leaf ribbon and decided to add them under my flowers. 

I was in a bit of a hurry to get done because I realized I was late coming home from my studio so I hope the next time I get a bit more time to play with this set.  I KNOW it will quickly be a favorite set!!! Undoubtedly!! 

Another reminder to leave some love on my Monday post for a chance to win some fabulous stamps!!! 

Have a great day!! *smile*

Happy Birthday Dad!!

Thursday is my dad's birthday!!!  It is always so very very hard to get anything for him.  What do you buy someone who has everything he wants???  Well... I know one thing will be easy... a card from me.  He always loves my cards and I love designing one especially for him.  He has always been an outside guy and Theresa Momber's set, "Farm Life" was perfect for a manly card. 

I stamped the wheat image and added the sentiment from Theresa's, "Hope Grows".  I think it's kind of hard to see here, but I also covered the oval with some Glimmer Mist to add a bit of sparkle.

I used my Cuttlebug Embossing folder Bird Call to add a bit more dimension to the card.  After I embossed it, I ran over it with a a sanding block just to bring it out a bit more.  I sponged the edges of the entire card with some Vivid Butterscotch ink.

Oh yeah.... I decided to bring my dad into the "hundies" (hee hee) by getting him an iPod Shuffle.  I remember how much he use to love using his Walkman when he mowed the yard or worked out in his garage.  This is tiny enough and not to complicated that I think he will really enjoy it.  (I made sure I got him green too.... so as not to compete with his camo when he goes hunting. HA!)

Don't forget the blog candy below!!!  Leave a comment and win some stamps!!!

Have a great day!! *smile*

Country Thanks

Today I am sharing another card I created for Gina K Designs' last release.  I was honored to design a few cards for Theresa Momber using her set, "Farm Life". 

For my card I used two images from the set and also grabbed her "Sending Sunshine" set to stamp the daffodils. 

I used my Copics to color all the images.  The wheel and can were stamped next to each other but when I did the daffodils, I didn't mask them... I stamped them separately and used my Tim Holtz Retractable Knife to make a slit at the top of the watering can.  Then I cut them out and slid them down into the can.  Much quicker than masking. LOL

I used the Cuttlebug Argyle embossing folder to add some texture to my layering. 

Did you leave a comment on my post for yesterday???? There's blog candy involved!!!  Don't forget! 

Have a great day!!  *smile*

An Anniversary & Blog Candy!!!!

Oh how time does fly!!  I was so busy last week getting ready for my Grand Re-Opening that I totally skipped a week!!  Seriously.... I thought this week WAS last week!! I was in a hurry to run out and grab my dad something for his birthday when my sister told me... "uhhh that's NEXT week!"!! Dear!  Now that the Opening is over... I think.... I can relax and get back to some basics!!!  Speaking of basics... that is exactly what I was hoping for in making this card.

I used Theresa Momber's, "Farm Life" and decided to go clean and simple.  I stamped my image in brown Memento ink on Gina K's Pure Luxury Heavy Base Weight Kraft card stock.  I then used my Scor Buddy to create a "edge" on both sides of my ribbon.

I really struggle making "manly" cards and when I see a set like this that I KNOW I can work with to create simple layouts for such an occasion, I start loading up!!  *smile*

Now... how about something to celebrate??!!!!  Did you see my previous post??? Did you see the 30K number on the right indicating hits on my blog??? Well now... if you didn't... listen up!!!

I CANNOT believe I made 30,000 hits.  Over a year ago I started this blog determined to keep it up and running and do as much as I could to get visitors and/or followers.  Well... NEVER... NEVER did I think I would be able to continue this for so long.  To me, it seemed like a "journal" of sorts and if you knew me, you know I have journals EVERYWHERE!!!  I love writing and I love leaving something behind for my kids/family to remember.  And when my darling husband sees ALL of these journals, he thinks I start and never finish.  Well to be honest... I just happen to find a "cooler" journal I want to write in!!! LOL

I truly never thought I'd keep this blog going for so long!!  And I admit, I may not have posted EVERY day.. but I certainly haven't missed NEAR as much as I thought I might.  Hee Hee

So to congratulate ME and to say THANK YOU to all my followers and visitors, I am offering up a Gina K Designs stamp set, two stamps from  InStyle Stamps and a set from Creative Clear Stamps... all your choice!!!! FREE!!!  These awesome companies all helped me to achieve this milestone by allowing me to be a part of their design teams during the last year.  I was/am honored to have worked with such wonderful companies and I KNOW you will love looking through their sites to find something you want. 

All you have to do is mention my blog candy on your blog and leave a comment!  If you don't have a blog.. no problem... just be sure you leave a comment and tell all your friends!!  I will print off all the comments and hire Random Cara to pick a "happy" friend.  *smile*

You have until Saturday, October 2nd at 10:00 PM CST to leave a comment and enter.  On Sunday, I will announce the winner.  Good luck and thank you... for being a friend, a follower and allowing me to be a part of your "creative life".  *HUGS*

Have a great day!!! *smile*

MY Kind of Feather

You know me, right?  You KNOW I LOVE purple, right?? Well if you didn't you do now!!  I haven't had nearly the time I'd like to play with my, at least, two month old stamps from Gina K Designs!!!  When Asela Hopkins set, "Pretty as a Peacock" was debuted, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven!!!  When I see a peacock I am drawn to the beautiful teals and purples I see in their tail.  There is purple in it, right?? Hee Hee  Well there is now!!!

I am positive I went way overboard with the colors in my feather here but I LOVE it!!!  I added a bit of bling to accent my feather.  On the bottom half I used my Cuttlebug D'Vine Swirls embossing folder to be the base for my sentiment which I stamped on my Nestabilities, "Fancy Tags". 

I thought I was pretty darn lucky to find the teal ribbon I had in my stash with the silver dots to separate my embossing from the top half of my card.  :-)

Thanks for stopping by today and I just realized... I am on the verge of 30,000 hits on my blog!!! Something I never imagined would happen.  Sooooo... as soon as I  hit that 30K, I have a surprise in store for one lucky reader.  Stay tuned... I'll post more about that soon.  ;-)

Have a great day!  *smile*

Bloom

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Hello everyone!!!  Did you think I'd gone on vacation again??? I WISH!!!  I have had soooo much going on in the last few weeks and then.. THEN.. I had to go and get sick!!! UGH!!!  I mean honestly, I cannot remember the last time I was so ill.  Seven days in a week, right??? Well, I was sick FIVE of those seven days!!  I truly thought a truck hit me!  I missed three days of working out at the gym and I have to tell  you... I SHOULD have went because I felt like I had been working out non-stop for 24 hours.  Yikes!!!  I called it "free pain"... figured I was in so much pain already a little gym soreness wouldn't be noticeable, right? HA!

So needless to say... I am way behind on many things!  AND... to even THINK of not showing this FABULOUS set from Theresa Momber is something I could NEVER do!!!  It's been awhile since I did this card for Gina K's Release Party, so let's hope I can remember how I put this together. LOL

Theresa's latest set, "Farm Life" really really had me reeling back to my childhood.  I never lived on a farm, but I would go visit my Uncle's farm and the minute I saw this set, I thought of all the fun we had in his barn and all the wonders I'd see that were "normal" for being on a farm.

I stamped three of the watering cans and colored them with my Copic markers.  I know I could have easily stamped the images on my Pure Luxury Layering Weight card stock, but at the time, I hadn't decided how I wanted to put them on my card.  So, I cut each can out and adhered them to my base. 

My sentiment is from another of Theresa's sets, "Hope Grows".  As well the small flower in the bottom left came from that set.  I used my Memento markers to color the flowers prior to stamping them. 

Though I'm late with my card, I promise there are more from Theresa's set to come. Stay tuned!!

Have a great day!! *smile*

A CASED Note

I had a wonderful birthday this year despite the fact that I didn't WANT it to come!!  It is such a blessing to have such wonderful friends... close by AND online!  I received many cards and some from people I didn't even know.  (Compliments of Splitcoaststampers BRAK people!!) 

One of the cards I received I HAD to CASE!!  This card is made into a little "pocket" of sorts.  The card can be pulled out and you have plenty of room to write a special little note.  How cute is that???

I used Theresa Momber's, "Hope Grows" set to stamp the flowers and the leaves.  I used my Copic markers to color my images.

The sides of my little "pocket" are adhered together with 1/8" Scor-tape.  I love this width because it gives you so much more room on a project like this and on small narrow pieces.  Both Theresa's stamps and the Scor-tape can be purchased at Gina K Designs.

I added a couple different ribbons to the top of my opening and a bit of DP.

MY card arrived with a cute little "poem" on the inside.  I don't have it with me at home so I promise to post it another day.  It's just a perfect sentiment to add to a birthday card.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!  *smile*

Sketch Challenge with InStyle Stamps

It's Sketch Challenge time with InStyle Stamps!!  This month the design team is making T-Slide cards!!  The instruction for this type of card can be found at Splitcoaststampers.

For my card I used Ava Laying Down.  Isn't she adorable?  I colored her with my Copic markers and though it's hard to see... I covered her wings with Crystal Stickles. 

I added some ruffled ribbon around my image and some flowers  on the left and right side some iridescent ribbon to bring out the wings a bit more.

On the inside... a simple sentiment.

Head on over to InStyle Stamps Blog and post your sketch challenge entry.  Remember... if you use ISS  images, you could win two digital images and one digital image if  you use any other stamp/image.  We want everyone to play along so please... use what you have and join in on the fun!! 

Have a great day!!