Autumn Fun

{Second post today ... don't miss a fun announcement

and the Skipping Stones Design giveaway winner.

Scroll down one post, or click HERE}

What's your favorite season? I'm a Fall girl, all the way! I love the cooler temperatures, curling up with my children under a blanket, coats, boots, scarves -- all of it! This adorable fall image, Autumn Fun, is from Stampavie. I stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black on Copic X-Press It Blending card stock and colored with Copic markers. I had so much fun trying to mix colors to create the look of leaves turning their magnificent fall colors. The patterned papers are from My Mind's Eye's Lost & Found Two "Breeze" collection, and the scallop border is Spellbinders' new Classic Scallop Edgeabilities die set. Accents include distressing, ancient Kaisercraft flowers from my stash, a leafy sprig from Spellbinders Foliage Shapeabilities, and a simple circle tag (sentiment from JustRite's Elegant Charms set) strung from some household string.

Thanks for peeking! See you early in the morning as the SFYTT sisters unveil the new October sketch and sponsor!

SSD Winner and A Fun Announcement!

Hello, my friends, two quick announcements this morning ...

First, I'm so honored to be the Fascinating Fridays featured artist over at Paperie Designs' Studio today! Head over there for more details! A huge thank you to Noor and Tammy for the feature!

Second, random.org has determined a winner for my Skipping Stones Design giveaway ...

Heidi at Heidi's Happenings, congrats!! Please email me with your mailing address and I'll get Funny Bras, Volume #2 sent out right away!

Hope to be back in a little while with a card to share!

CASE-ing Tosh!

The Verve Divas are up to great fun with this month's Diva Dare: Case-A-Diva! What we're doing, and inviting you to do as well, is to choose a Diva and CASE something -- a layout, an overall style, a color combo, or even just a small embellishment cluster.

I'm honored (and nervous!) to be CASEing the amazing Tosh! For more about my project, please visit me over on the Verve blog today.

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Want to know how you can win some fabulous new VERVE GOODIES?

1. Play along with us and link up your new Case-a-Diva creation (posted September 16 or later) to the linky widget on the DAY ONE post before 9pm Mountain on Sunday,October 2nd. One lucky stamper will win a $30.00 gift certificate to the Verve Store. Verve Stamps are not required, but if you've got 'em we would  LOVE to see ‘em!
2. For another chance to win, be sure to give the Divas a little shout-out in the comments section as we share our Case-a-Diva  creations. One lucky commenter will win the Verve stamp set of his or her choosing!  Winners will be announced on Monday,October 3rd right here on the Verve blog.

Good luck!!

 

Tweet Birthday

September has flown by, and here we are already at the last Tuesday of the month, which means my time as sketch designer for Skipping Stones Design is sadly coming to an end. Sniff, sniff ... always sad to say goodbye :(  But it's been another fun month, and so along with the last sketch, I also have a giveaway! More on that in a bit.

Here's our sketch this week:

For lots of sketch inspiration and to link up your entry, head over to this post at SSD! Hope you'll play along!

My sample features a beautiful bird and sentiment from Everyday Blessings, an absolutely gorgeous set. When my new Spellbinders dies arrived a few days ago, I was thrilled to find that Michelle at Stamper's Dream had tucked in some of Prima's beautiful, new Londonerry papers. I wasted no time cutting into those! (Thanks, Michelle!) Details include distressing, chunky bling, stitching, and wide striped ribbon for some drama.

I bet you're wanting me to get to the giveaway, so I'll waste no time there either. Up for one lucky commenter is ...... {drum roll} .....

...  Bras, Volume #1 !!! All you have to do is leave a comment! Deadline is this Thursday, 11:59 pm EST. Winner announced Friday. Good luck!

{Update: A winner has been chosen ... Heidi of Heidi's Happenings. Congrats!!}






Stamps: Everyday Blessings (Skipping Stones Design)
Paper: SU Basic Black, PTI Rustic Cream, Prima Londonerry
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
Accessories: Copic markers, SU small oval punch and wide striped ribbon, Spellbinders circle Nestabilities, MFT doily die, bling, distressing tool, sewing machine, foam tape
Size: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

Glory to God in the Highest

Happy Monday! Hope you had a great weekend. Our soccer and football games were both rained out, so we had an unusually un-busy Saturday. Nice and relaxing, but if we don't soon get some football played, I'm afraid we'll be getting snowed out instead of rained out! We've had so much rain this fall. The landscape and gardens are so lush and green that it looks more like Spring.

I just received a batch of new Spellbinders dies that I pre-ordered back in the summer. Couldn't wait to play! I thought the large shape in the new Twisted Metal Tags & Accents Shapeabilities would make such a beautiful frame for JustRite's elegant Rejoice stamp set. Here, I've combined them with lovely vintage-inspired papers from the My Mind's Eye's Lost and Lost & Found Christmas 6x6 paper collection.

A closer look at the sentiment and decorative frame ...

I stamped the outer frame in Stampin' Up's Always Artichoke and die-cut with a Spellbinders oval die. The little pearls are dotted on with a Viva Decor cream pearl pen. All but the sentiment from the center stamp was inked with Versamagic Sage ink. I then used a black dye-based marker to ink the sentiment. I trimmed the center by hand to achieve the mat size I was looking for, then distressed the edges to hide my irregular hand-cutting.

The layout is a slightly tweaked version of September's Sketch For You To Try, sponsored by Skipping Stones Design. There's still plenty of time to get your submissions in if you haven't already! Remember, a huge prize package is coming up at the end of the year for one lucky sketch participant who has played along each month!

Thanks so much for stopping by for a visit! Hope your week gets off to a fabulous start!!



Stamps: Rejoice (JustRite Stamps)
Paper: Stampin' Up True Thyme, Papertrey Vintage Cream, Lost and Lost & Found Christmas
Ink: black dye marker, Versamagic Sage, Stampin' Up Always Artichoke, Ranger Old Paper, Frayed Burlap, and Vintage Photo Distress Inks
Accessories: Spellbinders Classic Oval Nestabilities and Twisted Metal Tags & Accents Shapeabilities, charm from stash, May Arts burlap string, distressing tool, paper piercer/needle/thread, foam tape, Copic markers
Size: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

Be Afraid

My eyes were too big when the time came to stock up on Halloween papers this year, so I have a definite surplus, but I have to say of all of them, the Mischievous line by My Mind's Eye is my fave! I'm also really loving all the adorable sentiments in JustRite's Halloween Mini Sentiments. They're sized perfectly to tuck in here, there, and everywhere. I stamped "Be Afraid" onto one edge of a punched label shape, then tucked it behind the horizontal panel and embellished with two mini banner strips. The doily is from My Favorite Things, the buttons from Papertrey, and the little spider image is something I punched from one of last year's Halloween papers (from Toil & Trouble by Making Memories, I believe).

I used Jen Shults's Deconstructed Sketch #20, without the scallops and a slightly repositioned and downsized bow.

Next up is a card using last week's Deconstructed Sketch, #19:

I kid you not, I started this card over a week ago! It's been a busy and at times difficult week and I just have had no desire to craft at all. Don't you hate when that happens? When I finally ventured into my stamp room last night, I was pleasantly surprised to find this card mostly finished, minus a few finishing touches. Once again, I combined Mischievous (the owl is cut from one of the patterns) and the JustRite Halloween Mini Sentiments. This time I divided the "Trick or Treat" sentiment onto to Maya Road miniature tickets. Pretty straightforward -- lots of pattern on this one!

Here's the sketch I used:

Last, have a peek at JustRite's Halloween Mini Sentiments:

I will soon need to plan out (and make) spooky teacher/staff Halloween treats for my kids' elementary school and have been pinning ideas over on Pinterest. I'm thinking these JustRite sentiments are going to come in handy. Whatever I come up with, I'll be sure to share here!

Have a great weekend, friends. I've missed you this week!

Creeping By to Say Hi

A new sketch challenge is up over at Skipping Stones Design -- hope you'll join in the fun!

My sample features a set called Halloweenie, on sale all month long for $12.49! Both the creepy spider image (um, arachnophobe here! :shivers:) and the sentiment are from Halloweenie. I isolated just the word "hi" for the star accent and also stamped the full sentiment repeatedly on the scalloped strip. The spider is stamped onto a text print. The papers are all from My Mind's Eye's Mischievous collection.


Here's what we're playing with this week:

And here's a look at Halloweenie (love the "BOO" poem!):

For lots of fabulous sketch interpretations, visit the Skipping Stones Design site, where you'll find samples galore, from this month's rock-star guests and from the uber-amazing SSD design team! I've seen some of the samples already, and they are amazingly creative!

Thanks for visiting!




Stamps: Halloweenie (Skipping Stones Design) 
Paper: Papertrey Kraft, My Mind's Eye Mischievous 
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Ranger Pumice Stone Distress 
Accessories: Stampin' Up circle and star punches, My Favorite Things Simply Scallops Medium Die-namics, papertrey twine and button, paper piercer/needle/thread, foam adhesive, distressing tool 
Size: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

Blizzard Bunch

Chillier temperatures in my neck of the woods were enough to inspire today's card, featuring the adorable new-ish Blizzard Bunch stamp set by JustRite Stamps. This set includes four of these sweet fellas, plus four fun and festive borders. I stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black ink, colored with Copic markers, and die-cut the image and assorted frames with Spellbinders Classic Oval and Lacey Oval dies. For some sparkle, I added some Frosted Lace Stickles to the snow.The larger rose red label shape was done with a Spellbinders Labels Eighteen Nestabilities die. The various papers, mostly scraps, are all from the 12 Days of Christmas 6x6 Paper Pad by My Mind's Eye.

Enjoy today!





Stamps: Blizzard Bunch (JustRite Stamps)
Paper: Papertrey Kraft, Stampin' Up Very Vanilla, My Mind's Eye 12 Days of Christmas 6x6 Paper Pad
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Spellbinders Classic Ovals, Lacey Oval and Labels Eighteen Nestabilities, sewing machine, Copic markers, foam tape, Kaisercraft adhesive pearls, hemp twine, My Favorite Things scallop border Die-namics die, Frosted Lace Stickles
Size: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

Love At First Sip

Tosh is hosting the newest Viva La Verve sketch challenge, which was just posted this morning. It sure is a purty one ...

I used it to feature the awesome coffee/tea set, Better With You. The coffee cups in this set just beg to be embellished, and I was happy to oblige with corrugated cardboard sleeves, a stamped heart, and a bit of twine topped with some bling:

The sentiment is also from Better With You (and has lots of other cute, clever, sweet sentiments to keep it company). The papers I used are all from a new-to-me Baby Steps 6x6 pad from Simple Stories. I "un-babied" and "coffee-fied" it with lots of chocolate card stock and distressing. The chocolate doily was die-cut with My Favorite Things' Decorative Doily Die-namics die; the twine came from The Cat's Pajamas; and the tension on my sewing machine really needs to be adjusted! :D

If you've never participated in the Viva La Verve sketch challenges, you can find all the details on any of the September Viva La Verve sketch challenge threads over in the Verve Forum on Splitcoast:

**Viva La Verve September, Week 1 {9/2/11}**
**Viva La Verve September, Week 2 {9/9/11}**
**Viva La Verve September, Week 3 {9/16/11}**

We'll have two more September sketches (posted each Friday), and if you complete all five by Thursday, September 29, you'll have a shot at winning Verve's entire next release! Good luck and have an awesome weekend!




Stamps: Better With You (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Papertrey Kraft, Rustic White, and Dark Chocolate card stock, Simple Stories Baby Steps 6x6 collection
Ink: Ranger Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink, Versamagic Jumbo Java ink, Stampin' Up Certainly Celery craft ink
Accessories: ivory burlap string, Hero Arts bling, corrugated cardboard, foam tape, The Cat's Pajamas twine, My Favorite Things Decorative Doily Die-namics die, Spellbinders Classic Circle Nestabilities, Papertrey buttons, blue twill (unknown), distressing tool, sewing machine
Size: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

Where Flowers Bloom So Does Hope

Do you love My Mind's Eye's Lost and Found Two line as much as I do? Swoon! Many of the individual paper designs are so beautiful they practically make a card themselves. Here's a quickie taking full advantage of a scalloped label on one of the papers in the Sunshine collection. The sentiment, Where Flowers Bloom Plain Jane, is from Verve Stamps. I just added a few additional elements -- banner strips in two widths, button and twine, a pair of rhinestones, and some zigzag stitching -- and I was all set. I'm kind of liking the shabby, thrown-together look :)

Like Verve? Love Verve? Then "Get Your Diva On" for a chance at a future guest design spot! The contest ends Sunday! Details HERE. 


 


Stamps: Where Flowers Bloom Plain Jane (Verve Stamps) 
Paper: Papertrey Rustic White and Aqua Mist card stock, My Mind's Eye Lost & Found Two "Sunshine" Collection 
Ink: Ranger Walnut Stain and Brushed Corduroy Distress Inks 
Accessories: Spellbinders Classic Circle Nestabilities, Papertrey button and twine, foam tape, circle punch, sanding block, bling, paper piercer/needle/thread, distressing tool 
Size: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

Skipping Stones Blog Hop - Holiday Cats

Today I have the pleasure of kicking off a Skipping Stones Design blog hop featuring a brand-new stamp set release, Holiday Cats! This one is a hoot!

It's also Tuesday, which means another fun sketch challenge. I'm thrilled to be guest sketch artist all month long! Below is what we're playing with this week -- hope you'll join us! Just link up your creation over on the SSD blog.

And here's my take, featuring the new set, Holiday Cats:

How adorable is this image?! I just love him with his silly expression! I stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black, colored with Copics, and shaded with Pumice Stone Distress Ink. The papers are from a We R Memory Keepers 6x6 Halloween pad called Spookville.

I'm excited for you to see loads more Holiday Cats inspiration, starting with the the next stop on today's hop .... Kandi!!

And here's the full hop order just in case there are any glitches along the way:

Amy (you're here)

Kandi

Taylor

Chan

Wendy P

Jingle

Cristina

Shannon

Katie

Amber

Karen

JoAnn

Nicole

Vanessa

Stephanie

Wendy J

Thanks so much for visiting, and enjoy today's hop!

  

I Miss U

Today's card is one that I made back in August for Verve's big Anni-Verve-sary celebration and neglected to share here. It's not my favorite card ever, but it does have two things going for it ... the "i" and the "u," which I die-cut out of cork with Verve's awesome new I Heart U Die Set. The "miss" comes from the coordinating You and I stamp set. So many ways to combine the chunky "i" and "u" with all sorts of sentiment combos for a trendy, graphic look. The papers are all from one of the Lime Twist My Mind's Eye pad, and the yellow and navy pieces are die-cut with Spellbinders dies (Fleur de Lis Doily Motifs and Labels Eighteen, respectively). The light yellow twine is a color I picked up from The Cat's Pajamas, and the cork is from My Favorite Things.

Be sure to check out the current Get Your Diva On challenge -- your shot at a future guest designer spot with Verve! Sankari is our host this month, and you can find out all the details HERE. Good luck!

Wishing you a fantastic week ahead!


 


Stamps: You and I (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Papertrey Kraft card stock, Stampin' Up Whisper White card stock, My Mind's Eye Lime Twist dp
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
Accessories: I Heart U Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), Spellbinders Labels Eighteen Nestabilities and Fleur de Lis Doily Motifs, Divine Twine, MFT cork, pinking shears, Papertrey button and twine, corner rounder, foam adhesive

Dream Big

Greetings from soggy Virginia! It's been raining all week, but rumor has it the sun may show its bright self later this afternoon. Hope so!

I'm excited to be hosting this week's Viva La Verve sketch challenge. All the details are posted HERE in the Verve forum. Hope you'll join us and play along! If you don't have any Verve, that's okay, we'd still love to see your sketch interpretation. And if you play in all four of the September challenges (posted weekly, but not due 'til the end of the month), you could win some Verve!


Here's my Week 2 sketch:

For my sample, I used a tag image and sentiment combo from Verve's new Tag Time set. The tags are also die-cut with Verve's Tiny Sweet Scallop Die Set. The papers are from the My Mind's Eye Lost & Found Two Sunshine collection.

Have a great weekend!




StampsTag Time (Verve Stamps) 
Paper: Papertrey Rustic Cream card stock, My Mind's Eye Lost and Found Two "Sunshine" dp 
Ink: Ranger Pumice Stone, Versamagic Aqua Splash, Stampin' Up So Saffron 
Accessories: Tiny Sweet Scallop Die Set, Spellbinders classic circle die, MFT Decorative Doily and scallop border Die-namics dies, Prima flower, string, distressing tool, sewing machine, foam tap
Size: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

Fleur de Lis Birthday

Have you seen the new vintage, French-inspired sets from Just Rite, available at Stamper's Dream? Oh my stamp-y heavens, they are so beautiful! Today, I've paired a lovely fleur-de-lis image from the Bon Voyage cling set with Prima's new Alla Prima paper collection. The fleur de lis image is colored with Copics and die-cut with a Spellbinders Labels Twenty Nestabilities die. The grayish piece behind it is die-cut with a Spellbinders Labels Eighteen Nestabilities die. Speaking of Spellbinders, check out the *new Spellbinders* in the Stamper's Dream store!

The layout is Jen Shults's The Deconstructed Sketch #17 from last week. Love Jen's sketches and was excited to play along for the first time, even though I missed the entry deadline, which was yesterday.

Thanks so much for visiting!

Stamps: Bon Voyage, Shabby Chic Labels Four (JustRite)
Paper: Stampin' Up Sahara Sand card stock, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White card stock, Prima Alla Prima designer paper 6x6 collection
Ink: Ranger Peeled Paint and Pumice Stone Distress, Stampin' Up More Mustard
Accessories: Copic markers, Spellbinders Labels Eighteen and Labels Twenty Nestabilities, Cuttlebug Seeing Spots embossing folder, distressing tool, Pizzazz Aplenty turquoise pearls, Zva Creative tiny crystals, The Twinery twine, MemrieMare crinkled seam binding, Recollections mini rose, sewing machine, foam tape
Size: 4 1/4 x 5 12"

Thank You, Skipping Stones Design

I'm excited to be joining Skipping Stones Design this month as their guest sketch designer. I had a blast hosting the sketch challenges back in January, so when Heather asked me to come back, I was thrilled! SSD is welcoming a new group of guest designers as well, and let me just say, I'm so honored to be in their company! A full meet-and-greet is available HERE on the Skipping Stones Design site.

New sketches are posted each Tuesday on the SSD blog, where you'll also find all the participation details. Hope you'll play along!

I drew up this sketch with the gorgeous background image from Timeless Textures in mind. I thought it would be perfect for the embossed resist technique. I stamped in Versamark onto watercolor paper, then clear embossed. Next I brushed on a generous helping of water, then added color with a combination of Distress Stains (Tumbled Glass, Peeled Paint, and Antique Linen), Maya Mists, and Glimmer Mist. You might be able to see some of the shimmer in this detail shot, which also shows the beautiful music-themed butterfly image from Heartsong.
 

Thanks for visiting! My little guy returns to preschool today and I've decided my summer survival reward will be four hours of uninterrupted daylight stamp time! Can't wait!