Hiatus

Hi everyone! I had every intention of having a card to post for you tonight but it just isn't going to happen. I am going to have ankle surgery tomorrow morning and I have been scrambling over the last few weeks trying to get everything in order at home and work. I just flat out ran out of time!

I will be off work for about 8 weeks, so I hope I'll be up to stamping in a few weeks to relieve my boredom! I'll see you all then.

Hugs,

Delightful Decorations - FS141

I loved this card from this week's Featured Stamper DancerRiley's gallery and decided right away to CASE it.

I used the same stamp set but swapped out My Mind's Eye patterned paper. I also left off one of the ribbons and sentiment and added stitching. Love the end result. Thanks for the inspiration SCS!





It's all about the details:
Card stock: Stampin' Up
Patterned Paper: My Mind's Eye
Stamps: Stampin' Up, Delightful Decorations
Ink: SU Riding Hood Red, Colorbox Chalk Ink
Accessories: Ribbon, Crystals, Dimensionals
Tools: Nestabilities, Janome Sewing Machine, SU Punch

Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries

Hi everyone. Hope your weekend is going well.

Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge has rolled around again. Don't you love this one? I just purchased this "Berries and Cherries" set from Taylored Expressions and couldn't wait to put ink to it. The set comes with 17 stamps, all yummy! I used three for this card.

These gorgeous patterned papers are from October Afternoon and they just make me happy! The image was colored with Copic Markers and then I applied a light coat of Glossy Accents for shine. I also added a little faux stitching with a white Signo Uniball pen.

Thanks for dropping by today. Enjoy your Sunday!






It's all about the details:
Card stock: Bazzill
Patterned Paper: October Afternoon
Stamps: Taylored Expressions
Ink: Memento Tuxdeo Black
Accessories: Glossy Accents, ribbon, Dimensionals
Tools: SU Circle Punch, Piercer, Mat Pack, Signo Uniball Pen

Christmas Goodies

I had so much fun putting together this Serendipity Stamps Design Team Challenge for you! The challenge this month is all about Christmas.

I decorated this "film reel" tin from Provocraft with My Mind's Eye patterned paper from "The Merry Days of Christmas" collection. The tag highlights the gorgeous "Snowflake Flourish" stamps as well as the classic "To" and "From" stamps. The tag began as plain white card stock. I stamped the snowflakes using Papertrey Ink's Fresh Snow ink and then embossed them with clear embossing powder. I then completely covered the card stock with Fired Brick Distress Ink before gently rubbing the embossed snowflakes with a baby wipe to reveal the crisp white flakes below. I stamped the "To" and "From" and cut them out with Nestabilities tags dyes and then added a hint of snowflakes with the Distress Ink.

What's going in this tin, you ask? Something yummy of course! I made up a batch of Peppermint Bark, one of my favorite holiday treats and so, so simple to make. You'll find the recipe I use below.

The next two projects I whipped up also incorporate the Flourish Snowflake stamp. I created a snowflake ornament to go with the tin and a second tag using a twist on the embossing technique. You can view a close-up of either project by clicking on the images.

Be sure to check out my design teammates sites to see what their creative juices have inspired! While you're there, be sure to give them some love!

Anya
Shannan
Jennifer
Lynda
Yvonne
Amy

Peppermint Bark

12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
16 oz. white chocolate
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/2 c. peppermint candy, crushed

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line the bottom and sides of a 9x13 pan with foil. Spray with non-stick cooking spray or lightly butter the foil. Pour the chocolate chips in an even layer on the foil. Place in oven for 5 minutes or until almost melted. Remove from oven, smooth with an offset spatula or knife. Place the pan in refrigerator until cold and firm, about 20 minutes.

Melt white chocolate chips in a double boiler or in a metal bowl over simmering water until chocolate is almost melted. Remove bowl and stir until completely melted. Stir in extract. Let cool a little bit so it doesn’t melt the chocolate layer when you pour it on top. Pour this over chocolate layer, and, working quickly, spread to cover. Sprinkle with crushed candy.

Chill until both layers are firm. Lift foil out of pan. Break into 2 inch pieces. Chill in covered container. Makes about 2 pounds.

It's all about the details:
Card stock: Stampin' Up
Patterned Paper: My Mind's Eye
Stamps: Serendipity Stamps
Ink: Distress Inks, PTI Fresh Snow
Accessories: Glitter, Ribbon, Provocraft Film Reel Tin, embossing powder, jewel brad, Maya Road chipboard snowflake
Tools: Nestabilities

October Day

I am running terribly late for Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge this week. But you know the saying, better late than never!

I whipped up this card using a new set from TPC Studio called Autumn Harvest. It has such a great assortment of fall images ... acorns, leaves, and sentiments. Love it! It really goes well with one of the gorgeous papers from Cosmo Cricket's Earth Love collection.

Hope your week ahead is a great one.





It's all about the details:
Card stock: Bazzill
Patterned Paper: Cosmo Cricket, Earth Love, My Mind's Eye
Stamps: TPC Studio
Ink: Distress Inks, Memento Rich Cocoa
Accessories: Colorbok Metal Dots, Dimensionals
Tools: Fiskars Punch, Mat Pack, Piercer, Quickutz Circle

The Two Twos

Mo, err, I mean ... Bronte and Bella are hosting their first ever challenge and since "perple" is their favorite color, the challenge was to create a card using any amount of purple.

I fudged a little ... instead of a card, I created a picture to frame for a friend at work. We are sharing something very special! Janet's daughter and my daughter are both expecting girls and are both due on February 2, 2010. We have taken to calling them the "Two Twos", so when I saw Mo's "Two Tu-tus" image I knew I had to make a little gift for Janet to celebrate our upcoming blessings.

Janet's daughter has a beautiful dark complexion and very dark hair...my daughter is very fair, so I played up the contrast. An added treat is that Janet's favorite color is, you guessed it...PURPLE!

Have a terrific Friday, phew another week bites the dust!





It's all about the details:
Card stock: Stampin' Up
Patterned Paper: Crate Paper
Stamps: Mo's Digital Pencil Too
Ink: None
Accessories: Prismacolor Pencils, Gamsol, Button, Prima Flower, Dimensionals, Best Occasions Rhinestone Accents, Picture Frame, Stickles
Tools: Janome Sewing Machine, Copic Markers

I'm Here for You

I haven't pulled out my Gamsol, stumps, and Prismacolor pencils for such a long time. I love my Copics, but once in a while, I like the softer effect you get with the pencils.

I chose to work with "My beary best friend" stamp from Stamping Bella and one of my go-to sentiment sets from My Favorite Things called "Essential Sentiments". I stamped the image in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and then used the Magic Colored Pencil technique to color it.

There are several great tutorials out there if you are interested in this coloring technique. Here are just a few:

• There is a link to a PDF file on the home page of Inky Antics
• Very detailed instructions by Debbie Gimbel
• Anna Wight shares her tips
• You Tube video from Heartprints
  

The papers used were from My Mind's Eye's Abbey Road collection. I love the pink and orange together. So fresh!

That's it for tonight!






It's all about the details:
Card stock: Bazzill
Patterned Paper: My Mind's Eye, Abbey Road
Stamps: Stamping Bella, My Favorite Things
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Prismacolor Pencils, Gamsol, Ribbon, Dimensionals, Metal Dots
Tools: Mat Pack, Piercer, Crop-a-dile Corner Chomper

Hooray, Hooray, It's World Card Making Day!

Aren't you excited? It's our very own special day to celebrate the art of card making worldwide!

I can't think of anything better to celebrate than the craft that has brought me so much joy and stress relief this last year.

Each year bloggers around the world are invited to participate, so be sure to visit both the Paper Crafts Connection and Moxie Fab World today for a full run down on the festivities.

The card I want to share today was made using Basic Grey's new Christmas Collection called Eskimo Kisses. I cut 2 inch squares from four of the adorable patterns and punched a snowflake out of each. I layered the squares on alternating pink and blue card stock and then stitched the completed panel to green card stock. I then punched three snow flakes out of white card stock and adhered them using pop dots. I covered the flakes with Frosted Lace Stickles and added a Kaisercraft Rhinestone to the center of each. The sentiment from October Afternoon was stamped with Colorbox Cat's Eyes ink and then heat embossed with clear powder. I added Kaisercraft pearls and framed it with a bow. (Click on the close-up to see the sparkle!)

Thanks for stopping by. I know you can't stay long, because there are so many other wonderful sites to visit, but come back when you can stay longer ... and hey, it takes just a second to leave a "hi there" in the comment section.





It's all about the details:
Card stock: Bazzill
Patterned Paper: Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses
Stamps: October Afternoon, Good Cheer
Ink: Colorbox Cat's Eyes
Accessories: Stickles, Kaisercraft rhinestones, Kaisercraft pearls, Ribbon, Clear embossing powder, Dimensionals
Tools: SU Snowflake and Oval Punch, Janome Sewing Machine

The Marshmallow Test

This is the cutest video! They have ten times the will power I do!