InStyle Stamps is Blog Hoppin’!!

I should have a super cute sample to show you today, but since I have been in the hospital I’ve gotten a bit behind! But you *have* to go to all the design team member’s blogs and check out the cuteness!! They are listed on the right sidebar under Design Divas, and I am telling you they have cooked up some cute stuff!!! Also,  go to the InStyle Stamps blog to vote for the designer who made your favorite project. While you are there, leave a comment on the post with the poll on it in order to be entered to win the customer grand prize. You have until 11:59pm EST on Saturday, May 30th to vote and leave a comment. The winners will be announced on Monday, June 1st when we do the month in review post.

Thanful Thursday Sketch Time!

So here he is, Groovy Stan. He comes to us courtesy of InStyle Stamps, lol!

It’s my week to do the sketch for Thankful Thursday, and I’m still trying to learn how to use my Adobe Photoshop for stuff like this – so go easy on me, lol. But first let me tell you a little more about Stan here. I colored him using Copic Markers. All of my cutouts are using Nesties, except for the sentiment – I used the word window punch from SU for that. My dp is from American Crafts, and I got it on sale! I love it when sales happen at unexpected moments!

Ok, here is the sketch. Drumroll please…… *what do you think of it? Is it easy to follow? I’d love constructive feedback or step by step instructions for drawing sketches, lol. Because I really wrestled with this one. But I’d do anything for those wonderful ladies at InStyle, so try and try again I did!

I hope you like the sketch, and my card. I can’t wait to see yours!

Pezzy’s Garden

I love love love this exclusive image from Pez-a-Doodle Designs! It is the most unique garden images I have ever come across, and I love everything about it 🙂 On this one I distressed my images using the Tim Tool for distressing. My lettering at the top is from the new series 32 from Studio G – fun font, huh?

I also used the Tim Holtz scrather tool for adding some texture to the top of the card, above the lettering. I love that tool!

Big Little Superheroes

Now that we’ve gotten Mother’s Day out of the way, I can start on Father’s Day stuff! Here is one card I’ve made – the sweet little superhero with the wonderful LAD sentiment about fathers. I used Pacific Point as my card base and some fun dp my parents gave me for Christmas, paired with Riding Hood Red and Confetti White cardstock to complete this card.

I stamped my little man with Memento Tuxedo Black ink, and used an aquapainter to color him, I punched the sentiment out with a key tag punch and edged it with Pacific Point. All together, pretty simple – but guys are simple, lol!! I did handstitch some thread at the top to finish the card off. What do you think?

A Birthday LPS Card

I made this card for my daighter to give to my husband’s grandfather on his 80th birthday, because, well, its tru! Even though they are actually her great-grandparents, the do always have time, patience, and most importantly to my three year od, candy.

We had a lovely party this weekend for the occasion of his 80th, and my daughter charmed them all with her stirring speech (loudly declaring her love for him to the gathered crowd of about 70 people). Way to go kiddo!

It is exceedingly simple – nesties, a corner rounder, some dp and ribbon. Nothing too special, except the feelings behind it. And that is how a handmade card should be, I think. All about the feelings behind it.

Barb is Bowling!

This is Barb, and she is one of the retro images from InStyle stamps. Isn’t she the most fun? I love that she is bowling! I haven’t done that in so long! I totally want to go now though – she has inspired me, lol!

I colored her using Copic markers, and made the bowling ball polka dotted just for fun. The rest of the card is pretty underwhelming – plain and simple. I do love the Primas  I used – they are from the Carribean collection, St. Martin, by Prima. I can’t remember where I bought them, but I love them!

Have a great Sunday, everyone!

Sketch Time at Jacksonbelle!

This week at Jacksonbelle we have a terrific sketch to work with! I decided to make a square card, and it is the last of my Mother’s Day cards. And since she reads this blog, she’ll know this one is hers, lol. I was seriously apprehensive about putting this sketch together  — for some reason it was a bit daunting to me. But that’s what sketches are all about – stretching your imagination! I think it was the different top and bottom panels that tripped me up.

Eventually I got it though! My center panel is mostly Cuttlebugged – I tried to leave the bottom portion not done to give it a “fade in” kind of look. My mom lives at the beach and loves beach themed cards, so that’s why I went with this Imaginisce stmp and the Inkadinkado shell.Actually, I boutght both of them with her in mind – good thing I have finally inked them up! I added a palm tree to make the card a bit more fun, and then left it alone. I love the bright colors and patterns – so thanks to whichever JBelle genius (Lynda) that came up with this sketch!

Have a terrific Tuesday everyone!

Plain and Simple

Guess what other exciting news I’ve got? I have rejoined Queen Kat’s Royal Court, which makes me an official stamping maid, lol! She has such fun acrylic stamps in her store, and she just released over twenty new ones! You should head over there to check it out.

This is a plain and simple card I made using Funky Trees and Greetings #3. It is for a fien who is going through a rough spot, so I left it as plain and simple as I could. Plus, it won’t cost any extra to mail it, so that is good!!

I’m really excited to be back working with the talented ladies at QKD – this is going to be so much fun!

LPS Monday

It is challenge time over at the {Little Paper Shop} blog again! This week we have an awesome sketch by Cindy Haffner (check out her blog here) – isn’t it the cutest? I inadvertently left out the long vertical piece on mine, but of well – it was just a guideline, right???

I just think this farmyard set that LPS makes is so stinkin’ adorable! This one reminds me of Butterscotch, my daughter’s animatronic pony. No real ones for her yet! He just looks so cuddly! And the sentiment cracks me up – don’t ask me why. It just tickles my funny bone in the right kind of way, lol.

Here’s a copy of Cindy’s awesome sketch! I don’t think mine turned out too bad – I am bothered that I forgot the vertical piece because I’m silly like that. I might have to make another card to make it up to myself!

I colored my image with Copics and used Versafine Jet Black ink to stamp it with. I used Nesties to cut out my ovals. The dp came from Jacksonbelle’s store, but I don’t know what line it is – oops!

I hope everyone had a relaxing Mother’s Day yesterday, and I hope you all have a wonderful Monday (as far as Mondays go ;))

Just a Thought for Mother’s Day

Patter Cross shared this with some of us CPCM ladies the other day, and I love it so much I’m sharing it here today!

“Into a precious vessel
God pours tenderness and love,
an understanding heart,
and all the joy a child dreams of . . .
He gives her His compassion
and a kindness like no other,
then wraps her in His quiet strength
and gently calls her Mother.”
–Bonnie Jensen

Etsy Sunday (yes, I’m a day late)

I didn’t get a chance to post my Etsy card yesterday, because I was out of town all da. I had lunch with my mom, and then went to see my mother-in-law in the afternoon. So, I’m posting it today. My card is based on the sweeest little ballerina fairy from this weeks’ shop, I used the colors in it to inspire my card – it’s kind of a stretch, but somethimes my imagination leads me astray, lol.

See – isn’t she just the most darling thing? She seems so carefree and happy. I am seriously thinking about ordering on for my daughter’s room – it has the perfect shade of green in it! I used a Stampin’ Up st I forgot I had on my card, and am so thrilled I found it in the drawer! The fairies wings are painted with Pixie Dust Shimmerz Blingz, and everything else is colord with Copics.

I sponged around the edges with Pale Plum ink and added the sentiment in the oval punches to the top. It took me a little while to decide on the placement of that, but in the end I chose front and center!

Have a HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY everyone!

Picnic’n Bee

Isn’t he adorable? He looks like he is just having the best time, and that watermelon looks dee-lish! This is Picnnic’n Bee from Pez-a-Doodle Designs‘ newest release. After stamping him in Versafine ink on Confetti White cardstock, I colored him using Copic Markers. Then I stamped a second image on scrap cardstock to color and cut out the leaves, the watermelon and his head. I popped all those up on dimensionals.

For a bit of glitz I added Stickles — Fruit Punch for the watermelon and Ranger Distress Peeled Paint for the leaves.

I used Antique Linen ink to grunge up my edges so that it would blend well with my vintage paper. What do you think of it?

HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE!!!!!

Exciting News!

I had my first article as a staff reporter posted on Craft Critique today! Please go take a look if you have a chance – I’m so thrilled!

Randomness

I *love* this paper byWebster’s Pages. It is so gorgeous! I really wanted it to shine on its own, so I just added a small, key tag punch sized sentiment at teh top. It reads “May the peace of God bring you comfort today and hope for tomorrow”. I think that is such a beautiful sentiment! Underneath it I put a scrap piece of green polka dot ribbon – I love it when I can use up some scraps!

For this card I broke out a set I hadn’t used in a while – Happy Harmony. I had forgottem how much I love it. It’s a simple card too. Again, I used the key tag punch for the sentiment, just oriented it differently. I colored the stamps with markers and misted them with a tad bit of water so the card would have a watercolor effect. I am very pleased with the outcome!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great Thursday!

Such Fun!

Doesn’t Carly look like she is having the best time playing with that little cutie? I sure do wish I looked that good when my little one was that old, lol. No baby fat left on that momma! InStyle Stamps makes the cutest retro stamps, I swear!

I used one of my favorite layout variations on this card – I adore the triangle pieces that divide the card in half. You can place the image panel anywhere, and it still looks good.

I colored my image using a combination of Prismacolor and Copic markers. Her earrings and necklace are colored with a silver gel pen. I added glitter to the little cuties outfit with my Sakura glitter pen. Added a bit of bling and ribbon and that was it for this card – pretty simple and straightforward!

I hope everyone has a great Wednesday evening!!