An Inky Imagination

Fresh Birthday

2012-02-12T18:21:00.002-05:00

Tonight I am sharing a card that I created for the current challenge over at Freshly Made Sketches. Here is the sketch to follow for {Freshly Made}Sketches #21:

I just received a package of new items that I had ordered from the Stampin' Up! Sale-A-Bration and couldn't wait to play! All products used for this card are from Stampin' Up! with the exception of the Nestabilities Eyelet Circle die. The colors I used are Lucky Limeade, Pool Party and Calypso Coral. The stamp is from Happiest Birthday Wishes. The designer paper is from the Everyday Enchantment collection. Don't you just love the new in-color coordinating baker's twine?! So sweet! You can find it in the current Occasions Mini Catalog.

I am hoping to find some more time this week for stamping. Work is still consuming most of my days. I hope you had a beautiful weekend!

best!
dee marie

Turning Two

2012-02-04T10:10:00.000-05:00

Today I am sharing a card that I created for one of my best friend's son who is turning 2! His birthday party is later on today and I can't wait to celebrate with him!

My inspiration came from the current sketch over at Mojo Monday. I chose to follow the square option.

I kept this card very simple. All designer paper is from Basic Grey - Max & Wiskers paper pad. The number two was computer generated using the font Plantagenet Cherokee - size 200. Sponging was added in Memento - Rich Cocoa. The animals are from Stampin' Up! - Fox & Friends, and were stamped in Pumpkin Pie and Crushed Curry. I cut the lion and giraffe out and added them to the number two using dimensionals. My finishing touches were the stitching and some brown and white baker's twine.

Thank you for stopping by! Wish I have been around more often - I have been working long hours lately. I am hoping to post again soon!

best!
dee marie

Love Is In The Air

2012-01-16T22:46:00.002-05:00

As I am sitting here blogging away, all I can hear is the sound of little sleet balls bouncing off the window. I hope it clears up by morning - I have a busy day ahead of me at work tomorrow!

Tonight I am sharing the card that I made for this week's challenge over at the A Muse Studio Challenge Blog - Love Is In The Air. I have to tell you - I had so much fun making this card :) I just kept stamping and adding - I think I used up a quite a few of my dimensionals - LOL!

All of the stamps that I used for this card are by A Muse. I started with a blank piece of white card stock and began by stamping the A Muse - Wild Rose Branch repeatedly in Stampin' Up! - Old Olive. I then sponged around the edges in the same color to blend everything together. Next, I sewed my newly created background of leaves to a piece of designer paper from My Mind's Eye - Lost & Found - Madison Avenue. Then I cut out a heart using Nestabilities - Scalloped Heart with the same designer paper, tied a piece of Stampin' Up! Fancy Fibers - Hannah around it in a bow, and added it to the center of the card. I stamped the A Muse - Kissing Couple onto a piece of white card stock, colored using Copics - E51, RV32 and YG95, punched them out and added a small heart-shaped brad above - kiss kiss. I added some sponging around them in Stampin' Up! - Blushing Bride. The A Muse - Wild Rose was stamped, also using Blushing Bride, onto the white card stock, was cut out and added to the card using dimensionals. The same was done with some extra leaves - layering on top of the original image. Here is a close up so you can really see the layering:

Finally, to finish the card, I stamped A Muse - Love Is In The Air, cut it out by hand, added some sponging, and then attached it to the bottom corner. I like how it blends in with the greenery but still pops out and grabs your attention.

Thank you for taking the time to check out my card!

best!
dee marie

Burgundy + Gold + Plum

2012-01-14T20:36:00.000-05:00

Post number three for today... For this card, I was inspired by this week's challenge over at The Play Date Cafe - PDCC114. The challenge is to use the color combo Burgundy, Gold and Plum. I would have never thought to combine these colors but I think they work awesome together! Here is the inspiration The Play Date Cafe provided:

After post one and two today, I checked the mail and I received a grab bag of stamps from Gina K. Designs that I won in a challenge this past week! What an awesome assortment of stamps! It's funny, I have quite a few sets from Gina K and not one was a duplicate of something I have :) My favorite stamp from the grab bag is definitely the stamp I used on my card. It's from Lovely Labels 2 by Nina Brackett. I stamped it in Memento Sweet Plum onto ivory card stock. Then, using a stamp-a-ma-jig (because I am no good at centering without it), added the congratulations sentiment from Gina K. Designs - Inside and Out. I don't own this shape of Nestabilities, so I cut the label out by hand. The plum and burgundy background papers are from my scrap bin - maker unknown. The Fleur de Lis border was added with a border punch from ek success. To finish my card (and incorporate my gold), I added some left over metallic holiday ribbon that I purchased at Target this past season, some gold ball accents, and a gold heart button that I had in my stash.

This is probably my last post of the evening, but I will be back tomorrow!

best!
dee marie

New Grad

2012-01-14T14:41:00.000-05:00

So many challenges are looking for cards about something new for the New Year. This card was created for my future sister-in-law who just graduated! Hooray Colleen!

My inspiration for this card came from multiple challenges - I will be listing them all below.

All background and designer paper is from BasicGrey - Pyrus. I added distressing to most of the bare edges and sponged on some Memento Rich Cocoa ink to give this card a rough look. I used the sewing machine to attach the layers with all different stitch patterns. The main sentiment is a Stampin' Up! stamp called Happy Grad, and the small sentiment, "4 you" is from the Stampin' Up! set Tiny Tags. A Martha Stewart border punch was used to create the scalloped border, and the leaf and flower punches were Martha's as well. Seam binding was added and tied in a bow on the side. I paper pierced the top left corner to comply with the sketch. A large metal brad was added to the flower's center. To finish the card, I added the "key to success" at the bottom with the tiny tag tied on.

I have entered this card in the following challenges:

BasicGrey Challenges - Challenge 60 Something New

Divas by Design - New Beginnings and/or Thanks

Sketch Saturday - Week # 190

Time to take a break but I'll be back later on!

best!
dee marie

Apple Of My Eye

2012-01-14T10:36:00.001-05:00

Good Morning and Happy Weekend! This morning I am sharing the card that I created for this week's sketch challenge over at The Sweet Stop - SSS141. Here is the sketch I followed:

For this card, I used Sweet 'n Sassy stamps - Punny Fruits and Veggies. I decided on the apple - isn't he sweet!? He is all paper pieced. I kept everything else simple. All designer paper is from Basic Grey - Sugar Rush collection. I stamped the sentiment right on the background for a change. Only extra embellishment is the pink ric-rac that I used for the bottom strip.

I am off to start my next project! I set today aside for crafting :) Stay tuned!

best!
dee marie

It's Not The Years In Your Life

2012-01-11T21:33:00.000-05:00

Tonight I am sharing the card that I made for this week's "Just Us Girls" Challenge - JUGS #118 Sketch.

The stamps I used to create this card are all from Gina K. Designs. A Year of Flowers, Pressed Flowers and Inspiration Mosaic are all sets designed by Melanie Muenchinger. For the tulips, I first stamped all of the solid elements using various stamps from Pressed Flowers. They were inked with Memento markers in Lady Bug and Bamboo Leaves. I then went over the solid images with the outline stamps from A Year of Flowers. I didn't line them up perfectly, but I ended up liking the end result. What do you think? The sentiment is from Inspiration Mosaic. Nestabilities were used to cut out both the image and the sentiment (I turned my sentiment from the sketch). All designer paper is from My Mind's Eye - Meadowlark. I kept the details simple on this card and just added a little red card stock border on the squares, some sponging in black, and a small red bow.

I hope everyone is enjoying their week!

best!
dee marie

May You Find Comfort

2012-01-08T17:29:00.000-05:00

A sympathy card for a dear friend who lost her father last week - so terribly sad. She lost her mom around the same time last year. I can't image how she is feeling. I will be getting this out to her this week.

To create this card, I pulled my inspiration from this week's challenge at CardPatterns - Sketch 147:

I turned the sketch 90 degrees to the right. The base of the card is Gina K's Pure Luxury card stock in Kraft. The designer paper I used is from the My Mind's Eye - So Sophie - Graceful 6x6 paper pad. The sentiment is from Inkadinkado - Kathy Davis, which I stamped and then cut out the shape by hand. I added a mat of designer paper under the sentiment that I cut out and embossed with Nestabilities Labels Eight. For the bottom border, I used a piece of frayed canvas and then added some Prima flowers and leaves. The centers are small yellow pearls. I added some smaller flowers to the sentiment as well. All sponging was done using Memento Close to Cocoa ink. Two small vintage buttons from Grandmom's stash were added to the corners to complete the card.

I hope you have a great start to your week!

best!
dee marie

Signed, Sealed, Delivered

2012-01-08T06:46:00.003-05:00

This morning I am sharing a bright and funky Valentine that I created last night for this week's Mix It Up Monday challenge over at Stamp TV. For this challenge, Tami Mayberry asked us to create a card inspired by one of the designer papers in the True Love patterned paper pack shown here:

Can you tell where I pulled my inspiration from? You guessed it - that yummy black, white, pink and green gingham! I thought this would make such a fun color combo! To create my card, I created many layers using black and white card stock and designer paper from My Mind's Eye - Ooh La La For Her 6x6 paper pad. The stamps I used are from Gina K. Designs Sung From The Heart set, designed by Rupa Shevda. I added a top and bottom border to the card with a K&Co. adhesive paper ribbon - Brenda Walton Sweet Talk collection. I cut out hearts in two sizes using my Scalloped Hearts Nestabilities and ran each through the Cuttlebug with a different embossing folder. To finish the card, I added some sheer black and white ribbon, some pink gems, and a tiny puffy fabric heart that I had laying around. I wasn't too sure about this card as I was making it, but once it was done, I really like it - hope you do too!

Have a creative day!

best!
dee marie

What Lovely News!

2012-01-07T19:09:00.001-05:00

I am trying to have a relaxing day today after my long work week. I have some acoustic Dave Matthews playing in the background and I decided to work on something calming. One of the most relaxing techniques for me is paper piecing - maybe it's the find detail and tedious cutting that does it for me...

Here is the card that I created for this week's Free For All Friday challenge over at Stamp TV, and as you may have already guessed by looking at my card, it's All About Baby! I selected a few different designer papers from the My Mind's Eye 6x6 pad - Fine And Dandy Boy and pulled out three stamp sets from Gina K. Designs. I decided to start with Nina Brackett's set called Nana's Needlework, stamped the quilt image onto three different papers, then cut out and pieced everything together. I then stamped the wooden shelf onto a piece of Gina K's Pure Luxury card stock in Tan Leather - the texture of this card stock along with the wood grain of the shelf gives it a realistic look. I used coordinating papers for the background and added a stitched zigzag border. I hung a little baby sign over the shelf - this is from Gina K's set called Rectangle Greetings. I then finished up the bottom with some grosgrain ribbon, a button and thread, and a sentiment from Nina Brackett's set called Lovely Shelf.

Over the holidays, one of my close friends Becca announced her pregnancy - so exciting! I will be getting this card out in the mail to her this week - hope she likes it!

If you have time this weekend to relax, head over to Stamp TV and play along! If your not relaxing, I hope you are having some fun!

best!
dee marie

February 14th - Keeping it Clean!

2012-01-06T22:33:00.000-05:00

Soon the day full of love, kisses, chocolate and romance will be here (and it will be my first one as a married lady)! I dug out all of my Valentine's Day supplies, followed along with two challenges, and this is what I came up with. I used Gina K Pure Luxury cardstock in Lipstick Red and White to create all of the multiple layers. The stamps are from the Stampin' Up! set A Happy Heart. The hearts were cut out and embossed using Nestabilities Scalloped Hearts dies, and the sentiment was cut out with my Stampin' Up Word Window punch. I used dimensionals to make the layers pop. My embellishments are some wide grosgrain ribbon and a few pieces of red and white baker's twine.

The first challenge I followed is this week's challenge at Joan's Gardens - JG512. This week, you have to use some kind of hearts, use any kind of embellishments, use pink or red with white, and do some kind of embossing. So much fun! Thanks Joan!

I also played along with Freshly Made Sketches # 16 sketch challenge. This was a tough challenge for me. Not only do you follow along with the sketch, but you have to keep your card "clean" - no distressing, sponging or ripping and tearing allowed.

Both blogs are just full of inspiration and endless fabulous creations! Be sure to check them both out!

I hope everyone had a good week! TGIF!

best!
dee marie

Hog Heaven

2012-01-05T21:13:00.001-05:00

Sometimes you just feel like creating something fun :) For this card, I used one of the images and sentiments from a stamp set called Pigs on Parade by Sparkle N Sprinkle. Isn't she cute? She looks very relaxed there on her fuzzy towel in the middle of that mud puddle! The image was colored using Copics. I added sponging to make everything pop and pieced together a matching flower for the bottom corner. The background is Basic Grey designer paper layered on my base card made from Stampin' Up! cardstock in Melon Mambo. I also added some stitching down the right side for some additional texture.

I am entering this card in the current challenge over at The Pink Elephant - Anything Goes this week! What an awesome site I stumbled across! This week's prize is $25 to My Favorite Things!

I can't believe tomorrow is already Friday - I feel like I could use a few extra days this week at work! I am excited for the weekend though... There is nothing going on and I can't wait to relax and stamp!

best!
dee marie

Some "Pay It Forward" Candy

2012-01-04T07:38:00.001-05:00

I sure hope you all didn't give up candy as part of your New Year's Resolution! Check out these sweets over at Stampings and Inklings! I found Caroline's blog last night while hopping around, and she has been a lucky winner so she is paying her good fortune forward to us! Wow, what a yummy assortment of goodies she has to offer!

As if the first bunch of goodies wasn't enough, she has now added some awesome Tim Holtz Distress Ink to the mix! The Fall 2011 and Winter 2011 collections!

Caroline's candy is only open until she reaches 75 followers, so hurry on over to her blog! While you are there, you should be sure to check out some of her amazing creations!

I hope everyone has a beautiful day! Thanks again Caroline!

best!
dee marie

Mojo Monday... (on Tuesday)

2012-01-03T21:51:00.000-05:00

Well, I am trying to get back into the swing of things here and one challenge that always gets my creative juices flowing is a good sketch! I stopped over at Mojo Monday and this week's sketch - MOJO222 - was just what I needed!

I started by selecting a few different designer papers from the Basic Grey - Nook & Pantry collection. I then cut out all of my shapes and started piecing everything together. I then went digging for some embellishments and found a piece of old doily, some vintage buttons and a flower that I built in the past but never used (it seemed to match so I went with it LOL!). Lastly, on another pattern of designer paper, I stamped "just because I care" from the Stampin' Up! set Best Yet, punched out and popped it on! All layers were sponged with Stampin' Up! Early Espresso.

This sketch really was a challenge! If you have time this week, head on over to Mojo Monday and give it a whirl!

best!
dee marie

Handmade Wedding Details

2012-01-02T08:56:00.000-05:00

This morning, I wanted to share some of the little details of the wedding that you all have seen being created by mom and I over at Lakeside Stamping the past few months. Our ceremony and reception took place in a restored barn from the 1800's. It was very rustic with a harvest twist. Here is a peek as to how all of our hard work (and inky fingers) paid off on the big day:

For our place cards, guest names and table numbers were computer generated on Gina K's Pure Luxury Ivory cardstock, were cut out using Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels Seventeen, and were scored and folded in half. We then used one of the leaf dies from Spellbinders Assorted Leaves set and cut out and embossed them using Gina K's Pure Luxury in Pumpkin Spice, Cranberry Tart and Sweet Corn.

Here is one of the favors, we used jars of Pumpkin Butter and Apple Butter from a local market in Lancaster County, PA - Kitchen Kettle Village. The tags were all handmade by mom and I. You can check out the details (and close up shots) on Mary Anne's post - Heartfelt X 200.

This shot captures the table setting, the centerpieces, which included natural wheat, farm fresh apples and pumpkins, and sprigs of Hypericum berries. Mom and I created the table numbers, which tied in perfectly with the elements and the chocolate brown linens. For more details on the table numbers, check out Mary Anne's post - Little Details.

All of the handmade details that were mixed in throughout the day, made it even more special and memorable! I hope you all enjoyed following this creative journey with us!

dee marie

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T09:53:00.004-05:00

Well, my 2011 whirlwind of events has come to an end. After all of the preparation and planning, my wedding day was the most amazing day of my life. Shaun and I couldn't have asked for a more perfect day, and we will never forget all of the memories we created on October 15th. Here are a few of my favorite snapshots from that day:

After our wedding, we had the most beautiful honeymoon in Aruba! We relaxed on the beach, feasted on the most delicious foods, and adventured around the island. Here are a few favorites from Aruba:

After our return to Springfield, NJ (and after a wicked snowstorm for Halloween), it was back to work and back to reality for us. Thanksgiving quickly approached, followed by Christmas, and now here we are in 2012! I am so excited to get back to my blog and I can't wait to start creating and sharing with all of you in the new year!

I wish you all a healthy and prosperous 2012!

dee marie

A Little Lady Is On Her Way!

2011-03-20T20:03:00.006-04:00

Tonight I am sharing a baby shower card that I made for one of my dear friends. Her shower was on Saturday and her daughter, Emily, is due to be born in May. I absolutely LOVED the theme she selected for the nursery - pink and brown lady bugs :)

I incorporated the theme into the card I created for her. I used K&Company designer paper and added multiple layers in several different patterns. I stamped my old D.O.T.S. lady bug onto the pink gingham, and colored them with Copics to make them pop. I punched the three little ladies out with my circle punch - I wanted to keep it simple - and turned each one a different way. The sentiment is from Stampin' Up - Best Yet. I added some brown sponging to most of the layers for some added texture. Pearls, a small paper flower and various trimmings were the finishing touches.

I hope you have a wonderful week!

dee marie

The Versatile Blogger Award

2011-03-17T20:35:00.005-04:00

One of my newly found stampin' friends, Carol, from Our Little Inspirations, has presented me with The Versatile Blogger Award. Thanks so much for thinking of me Carol! I sure do miss blogging and posting my artwork... but I sure am loving all the wedding planning - only 212 days left :) Once things calm down a bit, I will be back to blogging again. I haven't done a challenge in forever!

I have selected the following friends to pass this award on to:

Olga from craftieodemae
Patti from Stampersize
Linda from Payne Holler Cards
Jennie from Stampin' Away the Day

I miss you ladies! I so enjoyed browsing through your blogs tonight!!

Now... seven things about me... let's see...

1) I just turned 30 last month (and decided it was time to take out the navel ring).
2) I love to shop at thrift stores and yard sales in search of anything old (mom's parents were antique dealers - it's in my blood).
3) I will never get sick of watching Law & Order (SVU, Criminal Intent - I have probably seen every episode at least once - *dun dun*).
4) I have a collection of sugar bowls and creamers (I know... weird).
5) I am a compassionate humanitarian. I have been working in health care for the past nine years (and I wouldn't trade what I do for anything else in the world).
6) One thing on my bucket list is to attend The Kentucky Derby (and yes... wear a big fancy hat and drink a mint julep).
7) Even though I live in NJ, PA will always be home (love you mom, dad and jessie girl).

I hope you all have a wonderful evening! Happy St. Patrick's Day!

dee marie

Valerie's Gift Blog Hop

2011-01-26T23:59:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year! It feels great to be back stamping and blogging again (for now)! The year is already flying by and I am getting deeper and deeper into the wedding plans :) It will be October before I know it! Next stop is the dress shop!

This evening I am joining in on a very special surprise blog hop that has been put together for one of our dear stamping friends, Colleen. This precious stamp that was used can be found at Whimsy Stamps and was named "Valerie's Gift" after Colleen's daughter, Valerie, who passed away in a car accident a little over ten years ago. This one's for you Colleen - you will be in my thoughts and prayers today.

Valerie was colored using Koh-I-Noor pencils that I blended with Odorless Mineral Spirits. The fur on her coat and hat were made shimmery and dimensional with some Frosted Lace Stickles. My base card is Gina K. Designs Pure Luxury card stock in Green Apple. Designer paper is from Basic Grey Marrakech, and was attached to my card with some stitching. Sponging was done in SU! Soft Suede. For embellishments, I created some unique snowflakes using my Martha punches and some designer brads.

I hope you are having a wonderful time on our hop! Thanks so much for stopping by my blog :)

The next stop on the hop is over at Betty's blog Bee Bee Stamps! Betty's cards are always so creative and beautiful - I can't wait to see her card using Valerie :)

Enjoy the rest of the week and stay warm!

I {heart} U

2010-10-06T18:47:00.004-04:00

Happy one year anniversary to the girls over at Just Us Girls (JUGS) Challenges! I can't believe it's been one year already - I can remember when you were just starting out! I am so happy for all of you!

In honor of their one year mark, JUGS is hosting an awesome sketch challenge this week! I decided to jump in the fun and I created this funky (for lack of a better work) card for their JUGS 53 - Sketch challenge. I have to admit, I had such a blast making this one :)

I started out with a base of SU! Cajun Craze card stock and stitched on some designer paper from the Basic Grey - Max and Whiskers paper pad. I then stamped the bird image from Gina K. Designs Warm & Fuzzy stamp set by Asela Hopkins three times onto white card stock, cut them out using Nestabilities, and sponged around each in a different SU! color - Crushed Curry, Cajun Craze, and Old Olive. Using scraps from the same Basic Grey pad, I paper pieced the birds, and then popped the three of them onto the card. I then attached the lace and ribbon, but it still needed something. I had these little beads with letters on them for quite some time and I never find a good use for them, so I decided to add them into the mix.

I hope everyone is having a fabulous week! Don't forget, it's Breast Cancer Awareness month! If you would like to learn more, please visit the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

Stargazer Lilies

2010-10-03T13:02:00.004-04:00

Happy Sunday :) Today I am sharing a card that I created for two challenges: Basic Grey Challenges - Sparkle and Paper Sundaes - Use Something From Your Stash.

All of the divisions where I work are named after flowers. I have always been a Tiger Lily, but now after a recent split, I am a Stargazer Lily. I wanted to create a special note card for my Division Director and this is what I came up with.

I created the lilies using the lily image from By Your Side by Asela Hopkins and I used the leaf image from A Year Of Flowers by Melanie Muenchinger - both sets from Gina K. Designs. I colored both images with Copic markers, and the leaves were cut out and glued on for some added dimension. I highlighted the lilies with my white gel pen. Designer Paper is from the Basic Grey - Lemonade collection. I added some rainbow bling to the corners to make is sparkle, and finished it off with a sheer bow that I created using ribbon from my stash.

I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend! I can't believe my days off have already come to an end - back to work tomorrow...

So Glad We're Friends

2010-10-02T14:37:00.003-04:00

Hi everyone! Today I am sharing with you a very special card. It's a card that was created using many different elements that have been hangin' out on my desk for some time. One of them are these amazing 3D flowers that were a gift from a dear friend. The are from Ritva's Fairies - Purple Flowers collection. I had so much fun putting them together! They are easy to create and they turn any card into a wonderful work of art!

For the rest of this card, I used designer paper scraps from my bin and added some stitching. I used a sentiment from SU! Best Yet, and the flourish is from Fancy Pants Designs. I also added some swirly bling which went right along with the flourish stamp.

I hope everyone is having a beautiful weekend! Mom and Dad are visiting until tomorrow :) Mom and I took a ride to my local paper crafting store this morning and pick up a few goodies! We are just having a blast together!!

Happy Stamping!

A Romantic Butterfly

2010-09-25T08:09:00.005-04:00

Good Morning! Aren't you glad it's the weekend? I know I am! This morning I have a card for you that I created for two challenges. The first is the Stamp TV Color Challenge. This week, Janice is challenging us to use Brown, Red, Green and Ivory - such a romantic combination. When I was blog hopping the other day, I came across a blog that was new to me - CASE Study. They have a monthly guest designer and you pull your inspiration from their stunning creations. You can check out the card created by Mariana Grigsby over at the CASE Study challenge blog - her butterfly is colored beautifully! Their DT is also fabulous! What gorgeousness!! I am entering my card in their challenge #7.

To create my card, I used Gina K's Pure Luxury card stock in Chocolate Kiss for my base. I then stitched on some designer paper from the Basic Grey - Sugared collection. The butterfly from Gina K's Take Flight stamp set was stamped in SU! Cherry Cobbler ink onto ivory card stock and cut out. To create the bottom, I started with a strip of Chocolate Kiss, added a layer of ivory lace and satin ribbon, and added some paper piercing along the top edge. Using the SU! Designer Label and Decorative Label punches, I created my sentiment. I love the effect you get when layering these two punches. The LOVE sentiment is from Gina K's Rectangle Greetings set. For the finishing touches, I added a few red pearls, and created a tiny button flower using a vintage pearl button from my Grandmother's collection and a few MS punched leaves from the designer paper.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend! I am heading to Mom and Dad's on Sunday and will be staying for the beginning of the week :) I have to work in PA until Wednesday, so instead of staying in the hotel, it's close enough that I will be able to commute in from home. I am so excited! I took off Thursday and Friday and Mom and Dad are going to come this way for a few days (oh, and I can't forget, they are bringing Jessie (our Black Lab) too)! I can't wait!

Happy Stamping!

Lazy Daisies

2010-09-22T19:50:00.004-04:00

Tonight I am sharing the birthday card that I made for my best friend Kristy :) Her favorite flowers are daisies, so I decided to use this adorable Penny Black stamp called Lazy Daisies. I stamped the image onto white card stock, colored with Copics, cut out using Nestabilities, and then sponged in the ground and sky using SU! ink in Baja Breeze and Old Olive. After finishing the image, I decided to turn it into a kickstand card. I trimmed a portion off of the front of the card, added designer paper from Basic Grey - Green at Heart collection, and then lined the bottom of the scene up with the bottom of the card. What do you think? I also added that super cute lady bug embellishment from Jolee's to the bottom corner - it's she a beauty?

I hope you all have a great night! We are half way through the week - only two more days to go :)

Happy Stamping!

Hi, it's me...

2010-09-19T20:11:00.004-04:00

Hello again to all of my friends :) Tonight I am doing a second post featuring a card that I created for the current Basic Grey Challenge - #29. It's a sketch challenge and I gave it a 90 degree spin! All designer paper is from the Basic Grey - Olivia collection. The image and sentiment are Pure Innocence for My Favorite Things - Heart Stripes. I colored the little girl with pencils and paper pieced her dress. I added some stitching, glitzy Primas from their Summer Mix, and some cotton lace for the scalloped edge. I added a touch of shine to the little hearts with a Sakura Gelly Roll in Red Star. This was such a fun sketch! If you have some extra time, stop by and play - the challenge doesn't end until October 1st!

I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Trick or Treat

2010-09-19T14:21:00.005-04:00

Hi fellow blog friends! Long time no see! Today I am sharing with you a quick and easy Halloween card that I created for the Paper Sundaes Challenge #36 - Using Fall or Halloween colors. I can't believe how fast time is going by for me - soon it will be time for ghosts and goblins. Using some designer paper from Basic Grey's Eeire collection, I created my backdrop for my fun stamp from Catslife Press. Don't you just love it? Such a great sentiment! For my foreground, I added a piece of Felt Fusion from Queen&Co - it reminds me of pumpkin vines. I hope you all are having a fabulous weekend! I know it may be shocking, but I might even be back later tonight with another post!

Happy Stamping!

Have a Beautiful Day

2010-07-12T19:39:00.005-04:00

I know, I know... I can't believe it's been this long between posts again. Life has been happening so fast lately and I just haven't been able to squeeze in time for stamping. Thankfully I had time this past weekend when visiting mom (and thanks to her, I found my mojo again)! I created this card using some of my new A Muse stamps that I picked up last week. I am always drawn to the more earthy stamps. Mother Nature just fascinates me :) Don't you just love this new branch? The little leaves are separate and you can add them where you please. I think the Daisy Duet stamp worked perfectly to add a pop of color. The stitching isn't all the way around because mom's Janome is on the fritz, but I kinda like it they way it came out. We had such a fun time together! If you have time, pop on over to Lakeside Stamping and check out some of the cards she created!

So, if I haven't been stamping - what have I been doing? Well, Shaun and I finally found our wedding venue and we selected our date, 10/15/11! I am so excited that I can hardly contain myself! Now the fun begins :) I have so many ideas that I don't even know where to start! Other than that, I've been adjusting to all of the "fun" that comes along with being a home owner LOL! Lawn mowing, remembering trash night and recycling night (would having them the same night be too much to ask?), keeping track of all the new bill schedules, and keeping up with the cleaning (a house is much larger than an apartment!). Don't think I am complaining - I am loving every minute of it!

Have a stellar night!

Card Recipe:
Designer Paper - Basic Grey Kioshi
Card Stock - Gina K. Designs Pure Luxury Sweet Corn
Dies - Nestabilities - Labels 11
Stamps - A Muse - Bare branch with leaves, Have a beautiful day FL, and Daisy Duet
Ink - ColorBox Chalk Ink - Olive Pastel, Azurite, Chestnut Roan and Wisteria
Embellishments - Stitching, Satin Ribbon and Pearls

A Simple Basket

2010-05-24T20:21:00.009-04:00

Tonight I am sharing with you a simple little basket that I created for this week's JUGS challenge. It's a Template Challenge. While I was at a stamp show a few months back, I picked up a Purse Basket template with a matching Basket Weave stamp at the Rubber Cottage booth. This is the first time I got to play with it, and it was super easy to create this little cutie :)

I traced the template onto Gina K. Designs Pure Luxury card stock in Soft Sand, stamped it with the basket weave in Memento Rich Cocoa ink, added some shading with my Memento Desert Sand marker, cut it out and assembled. Next, I added a trim around the top edge using some SU! ribbon in Certainly Celery and Scor-Tape. I created my flower using plain white paper flowers - I crumpled them up, distressed the edges, and stamped them with one of the stamps from my Tim Holtz set called Floral Tattoo (such an awesome set for just about anything) in Certainly Celery and So Saffron. I used a piece if the ribbon for the leaves and assembled the whole thing with a button brad. Similar brads were used to attach the handle. To finish the basket, I added an adhesive felt butterfly from K & Co. - is she sweet? Now, what to put inside... Any ideas?

Happy Stamping!

Let's Get Sketchy

2010-05-22T12:03:00.004-04:00

There's a super fun sketch over at Get Sketchy Card Challenges for this week! If you have time to play - head on over and check it out! The winner gets a gift pack from The Robin's Nest! I created this card using some new designer paper from Memory Box - Enchanted collection. I layered using Gina K. Pure Luxury card stock in Green Apple. I used a MS border punch to create my center strip, and added some stitching to embellish. All stamps are from my cute stamps. I stamped the bird cage and birdies in SU! Vintage Violet, and then added some of the leafy branches in SU! Old Olive. I then cut it out and added sponging. I attached the sentiment (which I absolutely LOVE) using some fibers I had laying around. I just love the wispy, hairy texture! I finished the card with some flowers I put together using petals from a silk flower arrangement that I took apart, adhesive pearls and some MS frond punches. I am planning to give this card to a very special couple on their wedding day!

Until next time...

A Lovely Sketch

2010-05-21T21:49:00.005-04:00

Happy Friday! Tonight I am sharing with you the card I created following Vicki's sketch over at Stamp TV. For this card, I used two different stamp sets by Nina Brackett - Lovely Shelf and Nana's Needlework. My dp is from a new 8x8 paper pad I just picked up at the stamp store. It by October Afternoon and this collection is called The Thrift Shop. I have to say - it's a must have! I layered with some scraps of card stock that I had in my scrap bin. Next, I created my center strip and added some fun measuring tape ribbon for some texture. I then popped on three vintage buttons with some yellow leaves that I punched out using the MS frond punch. I then inked up the fabulously lacy doily from Nana's Needlework in Versamark and SU! Blue Bayou inks, stamped onto ivory card stock, and heat embossed with clear powder. I cut it out and used it as my side element. Lastly I used a sentiment from Lovely Shelf, added some of the small button flower images from Nana's Needlework (I stamped them off once first so they would be in the background), and some sponging - all in SU! Blue Bayou ink. I have had that pearly straight pin pokin' around my desk for too long, so I stuck it into the card as the finishing touch!

Have a great night! I hope to be around with more posts this weekend!

Trouble Organizing Your Mail?

2010-05-16T19:19:00.006-04:00

This week's Anything But A Card Challenge hosted by Karen Knegten over at Stamp TV is to decorate a napkin holder. I loved Karen's idea to re-purpose the holder as a mail sorter - what a fab idea, right? We all have the pile of unorganized mail that needs a home and this is the perfect solution! I am also entering my project over at BasicGrey Challenges. The current challenge is to use punches on your project.

I was in PA this weekend visiting mom and we had time to do this project together. If you haven't already, you can check her project out here. As we sat and stared at our blank, plastic holders, discussing out plans of attack, we had a brainstorm. Instead of creating pockets to slip over each side, an A2 envelope with the flap cut off would do the trick! What a quick and easy gift idea this is :) I think I am going to head back to the $ store and pick up a few more holders!

So, for my project, I cut the flaps off of two A2 envelopes and began to decorate them. I decided on using Basic Grey papers from the Boxer collection and I used Gina K. Pure Luxury Card Stock in In The Navy for layering. I distressed the edges a bit to add some texture. I stamped the mailbox image from Gina K. Designs set Autumn Beauty designed by Theresa Momber on ivory card stock, colored with Copics, cut out using Nestabilites, and sponged with SU! ink in Night of Navy. I added some corner treatments using Sizzix dies, a MS flower punch and some green pearls.
For the back of my mail holder, I used the same papers and embellishments, and added a strip that I created using an MS border punch. I wanted to keep the back simple but cute!

I hope you had a wonderful weekend! I should have extra time this week for stamping so let me know if you see any new fun challenges out there in blog world!

Strut Your Stuff

2010-05-13T21:22:00.004-04:00

Mom was telling me about an inspiration challenge at Off The Wall Craftiness so I headed on over to play :) What a fun blog! This week's inspiration is a photo of peacock - I immediately dug out one of my favorite SU! sets, Such a Tweet! I colored the peacock stamp using Memento markers in Bahama Blue and Pear Tart. After I stamped him onto white card stock, I cut him out with Nestabilities Label 9 and added some sponging in Memento's Bamboo Leaves. I added the sentiment to the bottom and to embellish, I added deep blue and aqua rhinestones to his tail! What a fancy peacock he is :) I kept my background simple by just running a piece of SU! Pacific Point card stock through the Cuttlebug with an embossing folder. I added a little more sponging to the edges to finish the card. If you get a chance, hop on over to Off The Wall Craftiness to check out the other entries!

home sweet home

2010-05-13T18:48:00.005-04:00

Hello to all my friends! I have missed you so much over the past month and a half! I am so excited to finally sit down and share some news with all of you! Shaun and I are now home owners :) We moved in mid April and we are finally settled (and I finally unpacked all my stamp supplies!) I can't wait to get back into the swing of things - it's going to take me forever to go back through all of your blog posts and catch up! I can't wait to be inspired by all of you!

Tonight I am sharing with you a picture of our new home. We are so proud and we can't wait to have all of our friends and family over to check it out :) I will be sure to throw in a snapshot or two from time to time!

I am also sharing with you the change of address cards that I have sent out. This was my first project after unpacking all of my supplies. Since I needed 40 of these (yes, I know, 40!) I kept them very simple. They are single panel cards, A2 size, cut from Gina K's Pure Luxury in Soft Sand. I stamped each front with my SU! Canvas background stamp using Memento Rich Cocoa ink. I like how the canvas stamp gives the effect of a screen door. I then colored the new home stamp from Inkadinkado using Memento markers in Rich Cocoa and Cottage Ivy, stamped on white, and punched out using the pink Marvy oval punch. SU! card stock in YoYo Yellow was used for the scalloped oval that was layered under and paper pierced. I finished by using corners punched out from various scraps of Basic Grey Origins designer paper. I used the computer to print our new information on the back.

I hope you all have a great night! I am off to create something - I can't let the free time I have tonight get away from me!

Just For You

2010-03-31T20:18:00.004-04:00

Tonight I am sharing a card that I created for the color challenge at Stamp TV hosted by Tina Gilliland. The color combo was red, ivory and kraft. My base card is SU! kraft card stock and the red and ivory are Gina K's Pure Luxury in Lipstick Red and Ivory. I tore the edge of my red strip and then ran it through my Cuttlebug with a border embossing folder. I then stitched on a border and ran some ivory satin ribbon down the red edge. I created my frame using Nina Brackett's Lovely Labels stamp set by Gina K. Designs. I stamped the label in SU! Riding Hood Red and then used my Nestabilities to cut it out. I then pulled out another one of my favorite Nina sets, Lovely Shelf, and stamped the sentiment onto a scrap of the kraft card stock. Using my Memento marker in Lady Bug, I colored and stamped just the flower blooms (this stamp is actually two flowers with leaves in a vase) around the sentiment. Using markers is a great way to customize your stamps to exactly what you need :) The framed sentiment was then added to my card and I attached a bow to the top. My final addition to this card was the flower. To create it, I used a random felt shape, layered a silk flower on top, used a vintage button from Grandma's stash for the center, and then added some Martha Stewart branches.

It felt so good to finally have some time to play tonight :) What a great stress relief from my long day at work. I hope you like what I came up with!

Enjoy the rest of your week!

An Update On Life

2010-03-30T18:24:00.009-04:00

I know, I know... I have been MIA for quite some time! Crafting has been shifted to the back burner for now, so I decided to pop on blogger tonight to say hi and to give you a little update as to where I have been.

As most of you know, I have been going through the home buying process. Well, as far away as it seemed, closing day is just around the corner! Shaun and I make settlement on April 13th. Our current apartment is in shambles - boxes stacked in every corner (I've only stubbed my toe like 6 times LOL) and piles of clothes and other random items are scattered about. Half of my stamping supplies have already been packed - Shaun said that I couldn't possibly need EVERYTHING out (he just doesn't understand that the things I pack are the things I will end up needing) so stamping is becoming a bit tough. We are both super excited about the move and we just can't wait to get settled in :) After that, it's on to the wedding plans!

In addition to all the sorting and packing, I went on a little trip to Orlando, FL with my company and I got to meet Mickey Mouse and all of his friends! I had never gone to Disney before so I was counting down the days until my departure. I was working on that Friday and my flight was scheduled for around 8pm that night. When I arrived at work that day, I became very sick - I couldn't believe it - I am NEVER sick. I had the chills, stomach ache, the whole smash. I left work a little early to try and get some rest before my flight. When I got home I took my temperature and I couldn't believe it - 101.9 With this trip being a work event (and me being on the luncheon planning committee) I couldn't miss it. I pulled myself together, took some medicine and had Shaun drop me at the airport for what seemed like the longest flight of my life. I arrived at the hotel by 1:30am and just curled up in bed, hoping it would pass. I did feel a little better in the morning, and I slowly got back to myself by Sunday.

Sunday and Monday were spent exploring in Disney. I went to Magic Kingdom on Sunday, Downtown Disney Sunday night, and Epcot on Monday. I have to tell you, I felt like a little kid - it was phenomenal! It's A Small World had me smiling the whole day! While at Epcot, I got to see the Flower and Garden Festival - it was breath-taking! I have included some of my favorite snapshots from the trip in my post - I hope you enjoy them :) I loved the Lady and the Tramp garden display in Italy :)

So, that's what I have been up to. This past weekend I was drove home to visit mom and dad and mom and I were able to sneak out to a small rubber stamp show that was being held near by. I picked up a few new goodies and I can't wait to play with them. I am going to try a dig some of my necessities out of the boxes so that I can make something. Hopefully by tomorrow night I will have a card to post!

Have a good night!

Shabby Birthday

2010-03-11T19:26:00.005-05:00

Tonight I am sharing a card that I created following the current sketch over at CPS. Lately I have been seeing so many gorgeous handmade flowers. When I got home from work tonight, I was determined to make one of my own. I found this great tutorial that was quick and easy - if you would like to make one of these fab flowers, visit this post over at Rachel's blog. I just fell upon her blog the other day - 14 years old and so talented!

So, for the card, I used designer paper by Fancy Pants Designs (Lavish and Sweet Nothings) and I used textured card stock by DCWV in a yellow and lime green. I also used the same textured card stock to create my shabby flower. I then got out my Tim Holtz distress ink in Peeled Paint and Spiced Marmalade to get everything inky :) To create the circles on each side of the flower, I used a birthday stamp that I had purchased from Denami Design last year at the stamp show, and then cut them out using my pink Marvy punch. I added a stitched border to finish it off.

Have a wonderful evening!

Rain, Rain, Go Away

2010-03-08T18:53:00.004-05:00

Rain, rain, go away, come again another day. When it rains, it pours. Singing in the rain. You can stand under my umbrella. Can you think of any more? This little sweetie is on her way to cheer up my friend who is under the weather. I am hoping it will do the trick!

I made this card at mom's this weekend as well (I am so excited that I got a chance to use her Copics again - hopefully she won't notice her supply slowly dwindling LOL! (JK mom!) This precious little girl is from the stamp set My Umbrella by Pure Innocence for My Favorite Things. I stamped her onto white card stock and colored her with Copics 0, Y13, Y15, Y17, YG06, YG11, YG13, YG17, B00, C1, C3, E00, E02, E31, E35, E57 and RV10. You know, you really don't realize how many different colors of Copics you use until you go to list them LOL! After she was colored, I cut her out using the scalloped circle Nestabilities die and sponged in the sky and the ground using SU! ink in Baja Breeze and Going Gray. Next I went on a dp hunt through mom's paper and came across this rainy paper in the Debbie Mumm Noah's Ark paper pad. I would have never thought to pair bright green and yellow with blue and gray, but it was working so I kept going with it! I layered the dp with some lime green paper from the scrap bin and embellished with some bright yellow and green polka-dot ribbon, some coordinating Primas and a vintage button center.

I hope you enjoy the rest of your night!

Pink Hope

2010-03-08T18:17:00.005-05:00

Tonight I am sharing with you one of the cards that I made this past weekend at mom's house. I submitted this card over at Stamp TV for the color challenge that ended today (to use pink and white only) and I am also entering this card over at JUGS for their sketch challenge (isn't this sketch stunning?). Mom also combined these two challenges and you can find her card here.

This was a quick and easy card. I stamped Nina Brackett's image and sentiment from her Lovely Labels set using SU! ink in Pink Pirouette, and then cut it out using Nestabilities Labels 9. I used Gina K's Pure Luxury card stock in Innocent Pink, embossed using a Sizzix embossing folder, and highlighted with sponging. A border punch was used for the scalloped edge. The trim and ribbon are from mom's stash :)

Stop back a little later if you can - I will be posting a second card tonight (and what a wild color combo!).

Dreamin' Dream Bird

2010-03-05T18:54:00.008-05:00

Well, what can I say... I had a blast with this card! I am so glad that I finally had a chance to ink up Dream Birds designed by Asela Hopkins for Gina K. Designs. I am entering this card in the current challenge over at Pals Paper Arts to make a spring themed card.

To create this card, I used designer paper from the Basic Grey Marrakech paper pad on all of my layers. My images and sentiment are all from Dream Birds. I stamped the branch, bird, and crown (aren't these images sweet?) onto white card stock and colored them with Koh-I-Noor pencils and OMS. I then cut out the scene with my Coluzzle and sponged in the sky using SU! Baja Breeze ink. I cut the same shape out of a piece of the dp and layered my scene on top - stitching the two pieces together with a straight stitch. I stamped the sentiment onto white, cut it out, sponged, layered onto the dp, and added some zig-zag stitching.

Next, I started with my favorite part - the embellishments! I added Star Dust Stickles and three rhinestones to the birdie's crown. I stamped the small and large butterflies onto the white card stock, colored them with pencils and OMS, added some shimmer to the wings with a Sakura Star Dust pen in Copper Star (you can really see the sparkle in the close up snapshot), cut them out and added them to my scene. I love bending up the wings of paper butterflies to add dimension! Lastly, I created the coordinating corner treatments by layering some tiny Primas, adding a teeny weeny brad center, and attaching some vines that I made by winding some green, thread-coated wire around a pencil. I had one flower left over and I just couldn't resist adding to the corner of the sentiment to finish the card.

I hope you enjoyed my card as much as I did making it! Have a fabulous weekend!

Pressed and Distressed

2010-03-03T21:28:00.005-05:00

Tonight I am sharing with you a card that I created for Gina K's inspiration challenge for this week - Diamonds are a girl's best friend! over at Stamp TV. The challenge is to use diamonds on your card. I followed Gina's video tutorial on how to do background embossing with your Scor-pal. I decided to change it up a bit and give my card more of a distressed look.

My base card is Gina's Pure Luxury card stock in Chocolate Kiss and I paired it up with one of her newer colors, Creme De Menthe. After scoring my background piece, I used SU! ink in Close to Cocoa on a sponge to "dirty it up" a bit. I then distressed it by spraying it with water from my Mini Mister and then rubbing sand paper over the front and edges. For my image, I used stamps from Melanie Muenchinger's new stamp set, Pressed Flowers. I used Memento markers in several colors to ink the stamps and create my tulips. I then cut them out using Nestabilities Labels 9, and sponged around the edges with SU! So Saffron and Close to Cocoa. To make the tulips pop, I accented them with my Inkssentials opaque pen. I kept my embellishing simple and just added a piece of sheer ribbon and some copper brads to the corners.

I hope everyone enjoys the rest of their week! It's almost Friday!

She Said "YES!"

2010-02-21T07:51:00.012-05:00

With everything that has been going on with the home buying process, wedding plans seem to have taken the back seat. There was one thing, though, that I just couldn't wait any longer to do! On Friday night, I went to visit my best friend Kristy with a very special question to ask her :) I wanted to make it unique and creative so here is what I came up with:

Using Basic Grey Sugar Rush designer paper, I began by covering all of the panels to my gable box. Then, I made a label for the front panel using the "dear friend" stamp from SU! Bella Blossoms and two different shapes from Nestabilities Fancy Tags. I layered the tags and added some pearls to embellish.

Next I created the most important part, the question! The question itself is computer generated, printed out on card stock, and cut out using Nestabilites label 4. Sponging was done in SU! Almost Amethyst (this color works perfectly with Sugar Rush). I layered it onto some more designer paper and added a few finishing details with some ribbon, a flower and a pearl center.

Then, you guessed it, into the box it went! I added some white tissue around it so it would stay put.

I closed up the box and added just a few more coordinating embellishments to the outside. I created these layered flowers for the side panels with the help of my new Martha Stewart Large Chrysanthemum punch.

When finished (and after my last picture), I tied the top shut with a big bow using white tulle.

We ended up going out to dinner Friday night so I had the perfect opportunity to hand the box across the table. When she opened the box and saw the question inside, she shouted, "YES!" and my heart filled with joy! I am such a lucky lady to have Kristy as my best friend and I am so blessed to have her by my side as I plan my special day!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Hope is Faith Blog Hop

2010-02-18T22:00:00.005-05:00

Feelings of Hope -
Hope for Haiti

Gina challenged the Center Stage Spotlight team to make a card with the new Hope is Faith stamp set using the photo above for inspiration. Check out Gina's blog for all the details on this special stamp set.

For my card, I used the colors from Gina's photo for my inspiration. All of the designer papers I chose to use are from the SEI Oasis collection, and are layered with Gina K's Pure Luxury Black Only card stock. I started by stamping the butterfly image down the side of the designer paper using Memento Tuxedo Black ink. I then colored over the butterflies with my VersaMarker and embossed them with clear embossing powder. Next, I started layering paper down the opposite side of the card to start building up my border. I used my SU! Scalloped Border punch for the edge and added some black bling. I also added some trim that I thought mimicked the butterfly wings. I wanted to have the word "HOPE" stand out on the front of this card. I found some die-cut alphabets and pulled out the four letters that I needed. It looked okay, but it needed something more. I decided to replace the letter "O" with a flower - what do you think? I used a vintage pearl button with some black thread and added it to the flower's center to finish the front of my card.

I used the sentiment from Gina K's new Hope is Faith set for the inside of my card. I stamped the sentiment onto the dp, and cut it out using the Fancy Tags Nestabilities. I cut the same tag out a second time using the Black Onyx card stock, and cut off the curly ends to add to the sides of the sentiment to make it pop!

Be sure to stop by and visit these talented designers who are also participating in tonight's Hope is Faith blog hop:

Jessica Fick

Diana S. Queen

Tina Gilliland

Pam Imholz

Carla Suto

Cheri Weston

Jennie Harper

Joy Hadden

Shannon Bracken

Karen Knegten

JenMarie Taylor

Brenda Turner

Giovanna Smith

Sue Morris

Melissa Shultz

Peggy Wainman

Sharri Seffens

Carolina Buchting

Geri Utterback

Melissa Cash

Betty Neville

Sue Van deVusse

Janice Melton

Jen Charboneau

DeeMarie Kelemen

Linda Payne

Lori McAree

Kay Simmons

Shelly Wilson

Selma Stevenson

Vicki Dutcher

Sue Walsh

I hope you enjoyed all of the gorgeous butterflies tonight! Throughout the month of February, $2.00 from every sale of the Hope is Faith stamp set will be donated to the Red Cross for earthquake relief in Haiti.

Birthday Blog Candy WINNER!

2010-02-12T06:02:00.005-05:00

Good Morning and Happy Friday! I would like to thank everyone who visited my blog and entered to win my birthday giveaway! All of your birthday wishes mean so much! I am having a blast visiting all of the inspirational sites that you have shared with me :) So, Dee, who is the winner?? Well, without waiting any longer, the randomly drawn winner is:

CHERYL

Who said:

Happy Birthday!

I am a follower
I linked your candy in the side bar of my blog.
Hmm... I love follow a lot of blogs for inspiration but I think Mel McCarthy is my absolute fav. You can find her at http://melstampz.blogspot.com

Congratulations Cheryl! Please contact me as soon as possible at sweetdeemarie@gmail.com with your information so that I can get your candy right out to you :) If I don't hear from Cheryl within 48 hours, I will randomly draw another lucky winner.

Have a fabulous Friday!

Birthday Blog Candy!

2010-02-11T22:00:00.000-05:00

*This post will remain at the top until my birthday, February 12th - Please scroll down for new posts :)To celebrate my upcoming birthday, I have some yummy candy to share with you :) I have been cleaning out my stamp room since I will soon be moving, and I found some brand new stamps and supplies that I just can't wait to give away to one of my friends! Here is what you could win:

Stamps
Basic Grey - Critters 'N Treats
My Sentiments Exactly - 'U'
Heartfelt Creations - HC217B
Close to my Heart - Background Whimsy
Inkadinkado - Flower

Supplies
Color Box Chalk Ink - Azurite, Ice Jade and Alabaster
Jolee's Boutique - Love Hearts and Heals and Hand Bag
K&Company - Wild Saffron Adhesive Paper Ribbon
memory box - butterfly shaped card and envies
making memories - Boho Chic 6x6 Mini Album
Prima - flowers in various shapes, colors and sizes

Here is what you need to do for a chance to win this delicious candy:

Become a follower - if you aren't already :)
Spread the word - link back to this post from your blog!
Leave a comment - share with me the web address to your absolute FAVORITE stamping site or blog. I always love visiting new places :)

It's as easy as 1, 2, 3! Comments will be accepted for this candy until 10pm EST on February 11th, and I will select a random winner on my birthday, February 12th! I hope you decide to help me celebrate!

Many Wishes!

2010-02-08T19:55:00.004-05:00

Happy Monday! Today I am sharing with you a card that I created for The Color Dare challenge this week. The colors to use are SU! Pacific Point, Baja Breeze, Kiwi Kiss and Basic Grey. Using some of the stamps from Many Wishes by Gina K. Designs, and following the Magic Snowflake tutorial over at SCS, I created my focal image. This is such a fun technique and the end result is always so vibrant! The re-inkers I used were Pacific Point and Baja Breeze. If you would like to try out this technique, you can check out the tutorial here. I cut my image out using a Nestability die, and then layered with the same size die-cut at the top and bottom, using Kiwi Kiss card stock. The base card is Baja Breeze, and the designer papers are from SU! To finish the card, I added some satin ribbon tied in a bow.

Have a great night!

Quick and Easy Note Card

2010-02-07T08:24:00.004-05:00

Good Morning :) Last night an idea came to me for a note card using another image from "A Year of Flowers" by Melanie Muenchinger. I also entered this card in her Flower Picking Contest which ends tonight.

This was a quick and easy note card and I so like the end result :) Two of my favorite element on a card are texture and layers and I just love to combine them! For this card, I used Gina K's Pure Luxury card stock in Green Apple, In The Navy and Wine With Everything. I ran a piece of the wine card stock through the Cuttlebug using the Victoria embossing folder, and then layered onto the apple and then the navy (giving a 1/16" border of each color). I then selected one of the flowers from Mel's set, stamped in VersaMark on a piece of each color, and heat embossed using detail white embossing powder. Each flower was punched out using my Marvy square punch (pink) and then was layered onto alternating card stocks. To make the center flower stand out, I used a white layer, added some paper piercing, and adhered it to the card using pop dots. To keep the card as simple as possible, I finished with a few white brads in the opposite corners.

I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend. It's time for me to start preparing for our Super Bowl party :) Trying to squeeze 10+ people into our apartment is always so much fun LOL! At least next year we won't have this problem in the new house :)

Tiger Lilies

2010-02-06T09:36:00.010-05:00

This card was created for the Flower Picking Contest over on Mel Muenchinger's blog. With the Gina K. Designs new release just around the corner, who would not LOVE to win Mel's new set!? (You can see a snippet of the set here on Gina K's blog). Mel is asking us to get creative with her set "A Year of Flowers" - one of my favorite sets - and not only can you win her new set that releases on February 11th, but she is also looking for a Guest Designer for March!

For my creation, I used the lily, stem, and leaf images and stamped them multiple times using the masking technique. I colored them using my Koh-I-Noor pencils and OMS. I then heat embossed the lilies with clear embossing powder, cut them out using a Nestability die, and sponged around them using SU! ink in So Saffron. I decided to cut out one extra lily and add it using a pop dot to give the grouping some more dimension. I created the card using Gina K's Pure Luxury card stock in Chocolate Kiss, then layered on So Saffron card stock, then a piece of designer paper from Basic Grey Origins, and finally some more Chocolate Kiss. I added the colored image to the center using a few more pop dots. I added some stitching with the Janome, and to finish the card, I added some corners that I punched of a scrap of Origins DP with my SU! Corner Punch. I have included a picture of tiger lilies from the internet that I used for my inspiration for this card.

Here in northern New Jersey, we braced ourselves for this big, unpredictable snow storm, and we ended up with less than an inch so far. Not sure if it's done yet or not, but I am still planning on staying in an stamping today in between cleaning up for the Super Bowl party tomorrow!

Enjoy your weekend!

For Someone Special

2010-02-02T18:10:00.005-05:00

Tonight I am sharing another card that I made this past weekend while I was visiting mom - had to take advantage of the Copics :) This card is for the Penny Black Saturday Challenge to create a card for someone special. The image, Hedgehog Bouquet by Penny Black, was colored using the following Copic Sketch markers: 0, C1, C3, E00, E02, RV10, RV1, RV32, RV34, W1, W3, Y15, Y17, YG13 and YG17. After I was finished coloring, I cut the image out using a one of the Nestabilities labels, and sponged around the background using SU! ink in Baja Breeze and Sahara Sand. The sentiment which reads, "Friends are flowers that never fade." is from an older SU! set called Favorite Friends (I thought it went well with this adorable hedgie). My base card was created using Pure Luxury card stock in Soft Sand and the designer paper is from Basic Grey Phoebe. I added some stitching around the border using my Janome sew mini. To create my coordinating butterfly, I used my new Martha Stewart Monarch punch (isn't it just darling?) on Soft Sand card stock, added some sponging, and backed it with scraps of the ribbon the I used at the bottom of the card, so that the color and texture would show through the cut out wings. To finish the card, I added some pearls to the butterfly's body as well as the two opposite corners.

On a side note, Happy Groundhog Day :) Unfortunately, good ol' Phil saw his shadow... I don't know if I can take six more weeks of winter!

I hope you are enjoying your week!

Key To My Heart

2010-01-31T21:23:00.003-05:00

Tonight I am sharing with you a card that I made this weekend for this weeks Color Challenge over at Stamp TV to use black, white and kraft. I was in Pennsylvania visiting my parents this weekend, and whenever I am visiting, I always take advantage of mom's stamps and supplies :) For this card, I used two Gina K. stamp sets that I have not yet added to my personal collection - Timeless Treasures by Theresa Momber and Vintage Borders by Nina Brackett. I started by running a piece of white Pure Luxury card stock through the Cuttlebug using one of mom's embossing folders, and then hit the raised areas with SU! Sahara Sand ink using a piece of yellow sponge. On a piece of Pure Luxury card stock in Soft Sand, I first stamped one of the borders from Nina's set in black, and then added some pearls to embellish. On a square piece of the Pure Luxury white, I stamped the heart-shaped lock from Theresa's set in the Sahara Sand, and then added the sentiment on top in black. The key was stamped in black onto the Soft Sand, and was then cut out using a craft knife. All layers were bordered in Pure Luxury Black Onyx. For my finishing touches, I started digging through mom's ribbons and trims and found the the perfect pieces to add to the card! Thanks for the fun day in your craft room, mom! I am missing you already!

Before I go, I just wanted to give you an update on the house :) We had the home inspection on Saturday (almost 4 hours) and everything went very well! There are a few minor things that we will need to work on, but nothing major! I am so relieved! Next step - the mortgage...

I hope you have a great week!

Sung From The Heart

2010-01-27T23:17:00.006-05:00

It has been way too many days since my last post! As some of you may know, I have been house hunting with Shaun since last summer in search of our perfect home. Well, after looking at nearly 80 houses, we finally found it! What a process this has been... Our offer has been accepted, we made it through attorney review, and now we have the inspection this weekend. I am just praying that everything goes well, and if it does, we plan to close in April :) I will keep you posted!

I finally had some time tonight to get inky :) I finished up a card I have been working on for a blog hop featuring Gina K's Sung From The Heart stamp set by Rupa Shevde. This set was just released a few weeks ago and it's perfect for Valentines! All of the sentiments in this set are song lyrics that coordinate with the images. To create my card, I actually added in some images from another one of Rupa's sets, 100% Sweet! I found that these two sets coordinate perfectly to make one "sweet" card :) For the layout of the card, I followed Jennie Harper's sketch challenge over at Stamp TV.

I started with an A2 card that I made from Gina K's Pure Luxury card stock in Lipstick Red. I then added on the layers using designer paper from Basic Grey Sugar Rush. I created a lacy border using a Martha Stewart border punch. I stamped the bird image from Sung From The Heart directly onto the designer paper, and using my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig, I replaced the heart that was on the string with the cherry from 100% sweet. I have the bird flying over to place the cherry atop my cupcake :) Both the bird and cupcake were paper pieced and were accented using colored pencils. The sentiment was stamped twice and cut out in two parts using my SU! Word Window punch. All sponging was done using SU! ink in Rose Romance. To finish the card, I added a button and some tulle.

If you would like to see other cards that were made using Rupa's new set, visit Gina K's blog here and follow the hop!

I hope you enjoy the rest of your week!

Baby On The Way!

2010-01-18T22:15:00.015-05:00

This past weekend I headed down to southern New Jersey for a baby shower :) One of my dearest friends from college, Christina, is expecting and is due on February 19th. The theme for her shower was "Pink or Blue we welcome you!", as the sex of the baby will be a surprise. Christina and her husband, Mike, are so excited! I can't wait for the arrival of their new bundle of joy :) I am sharing with you two of my favorite pictures from this past weekend. The first is of Christina (mother-to-be) wearing the bonnet full of bows that we created as she unwrapped all of her gifts. In the second photo (left to right: Dee, Julie, Christina, Becca, and Tara) is our close-knit group of friends from college standing in the baby's nursery. We all live in different areas (NJ, PA and MD) so we don't get to see each other as often as we would like to, but we had such a wonderful weekend together celebrating this beautiful occasion :) I just noticed as I was posting the photos that most of us are wearing blue - could it be a sign?
So, for Christina's shower card, I decided on a onesie. I don't get to make these often so I had to jump at the chance! Since Christina does not know the sex of the baby, I had to keep the card gender neutral. I used textured yellow card stock from DCWV to create an A2 card. Using my SU! 1 3/8" circle punch, I punched the neck and leg holes. Using a craft knife and ruler, I made two cuts on each side to create the sleeves. I then added some scalloped trim by punching the 1 3/8" holes into textured white card stock, centered the hole inside the SU! scalloped circle punch, and then adhered it to the card. For the image, I stamped the stork from SU! Along the Same Lines with Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto the white textured card stock. I then colored the image using Memento markers in Cantaloupe, New Sprout and Desert Sand. The stork was cut out with one of the scalloped heart Nestabilities, and was sponged around the edges with New Sprout Ink. Three green button brads were added across the bottom where the onesie would button together.

I will be sure to update you and share some pictures when the baby arrives :)

My First Blog Award!

2010-01-18T18:21:00.003-05:00

What a wonderful surprise that I came home to after such a long Monday! My dear friend Patti has presented me with this award for having a lovely blog - isn't she sweet!? When you get a chance, hop on over to her blog, Stampersize, and check out some of her beautiful creations!

For this award here are the rules:

1. Post it on your blog, along with the name and blog link to the person who sent it to you.

2. Pass the award on to 15 other bloggers that you've newly discovered.

3. Remember to contact the bloggers and let them know they have received this very cool award!

Being new to the world of blogging, I don't have 15 newly discovered blogs. However, I do have someone very special that I would just love to pass this award on to :) This award is going to my mom - Mary Anne at Lakeside Stamping! Her blog is full of inspiration and creativity so be sure to stop by and visit! Love you mom!

Bundled Up With Love

2010-01-15T06:35:00.009-05:00

Good Morning! Today I am sharing with you a Wintry Valentine that I created. I was in need of some inspiration for my layout on this one so I stopped over at The Daily Dare (if you haven't been, it's an excellent blog that updates with new challenges daily) and scanned through some challenges. I came across this fab sketch at Eat Sleep Stamp and I am submitting my card into Tracy's Sketchy Thursday Challenge #66.

For this card, I used one of the stamps from a long retired SU! set called Winter Wilma - isn't she cute!? Her little friends are adorable too! I stamped her using Memento Tuxedo Black and colored with my Koh-I-Noor pencils and OMS. In case you haven't noticed, I just love coloring with my pencils and they are probably my favorite coloring medium. I created my card using Gina K. Designs new Pure Luxury card stock in Innocent Pink - such a sweet new color! I then added my designer paper from the new Basic Grey Sugar Rush collection. I added some stitching around the border with my Janome sew mini. I created my embellishments using my scalloped heart Nestabilities, and two different snowflake punches by Martha Stewart. I stitched on some vintage buttons for some added texture. All elements were sponged using SU! Close to Cocoa ink. This is another technique that I use frequently - I just love how it adds that little extra dimension to the card.

I hope you enjoy your day!

You've Got Mail!

2010-01-13T21:50:00.006-05:00

Don't you just love getting mail? I sure do - especially when it's chocolate :) The project I am showing you tonight is an altered tin mailbox that I found at Target in the $1 bin (such a bargain!). I will be giving this as a Valentine to one of my dear friends.

To cover the mailbox, I used Basic Grey designer paper from the June Bug paper pad. I measured the mailbox, cut the paper to fit, and used my Xyron to adhere it. It didn't take me long to figure out what stamps I wanted to use for this project! I couldn't wait to add images from Gina K. Designs Special Delivery by Tami Mayberry. This set is one of my favorites and I just knew the postage theme would work perfectly with my mailbox. Memento Tuxedo Black and SU! Real Red inks were used for stamping. After adding on my images, I began to embellish using my Martha Stewart border punch, some red rhinestones, and a few different scraps of satin ribbon. I finished my project by adding the best part - the Hershey's Kisses of course!

Inspired By A Lamp

2010-01-10T20:41:00.012-05:00

Today I created a card for two challenges. The first challenge is the Photo Inspiration Challenge over on the Basic Grey Challenges blog. Isn't the color combination just stunning in this living room? While scanning the scene for some more inspiration, I saw the lamp sitting over on the table and instantly knew what stamp set I was going to use for my card - Gina K. Designs Lovely Shelf by Nina Brackett. Nina's set has the cutest little lamp image :) Well, now all I needed was a layout for my card, and the Stamp TV Sketch Challenge designed by Jennie Harper was perfect!

For my card, I used Gina K's Pure Luxury card stock in Soft Sand and designer paper from Basic Grey - Nook & Pantry. For the center panel, I cut the lace out from one of the sheets of designer paper. To create the lamp, I stamped onto the aqua paper, and then paper pieced the base and shade. I popped up the shade using a pop dot, and decorated the trim using tiny pearls. The ovals were created using my pink and purple Marvy Uchida punches, and I paper pierced around the scalloped edge. All stamping and sponging was done using SU! Close to Cocoa. A few more pearls were added to opposite corners to finish my project.

I also wanted to share with all of you that my Punny Pear card was in the Customer Sunday Spotlight over on the Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Blog today. I am so flattered :) You can check out the post by clicking here.

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!

What Is Going On Down There?

2010-01-09T17:48:00.008-05:00

I love to add stitching to my cards - it's such an easy way to give your finished projects some added texture. I have been using my Janome sew mini for about a year now and I don't know what I would do without it. I like to use heavy duty thread in my machine when sewing on paper and card stock, and you can find it in a variety of colors to coordinate with all of your projects.

The new challenge over at JUGS for this week is to add stitching to your project. For this card, I used the smallest straight stitch setting on my machine and some heavy duty white thread to create the border. The designer paper that I used for the background is from Basic Grey - Lemonade, and I used a scrap from this paper and my SU! Corner Punch to create my paper pierced corner treatments. My image (which always cracks me up!) is from Dewey, Inkum & Howe. I colored the birds with pencils and OMS. I then added accents to them using coordinating colors of my Sakura Star Dust pens. These pens are perfect for adding some sparkle to your image. I took a close up picture of the blue bird to show you how much they shimmer and shine :) I cut out the birds with my Labels One Nestabilities, and sponged with some sky blue ink. I then cut out some clouds using my Labels Six Nestabilities, and ran them through the Cuttlebug using the Swiss Dot embossing folder. Doesn't this sentiment (unknown) work perfectly with this image? I thought so. To finish this card, I added some flowers and coordinating brads.

If Only Truffles Grew On Trees...

2010-01-09T00:19:00.009-05:00

With all of the cold weather we have been having, I thought maybe a spring card would help warm things up! Over at the Impression Obsession blog, they are currently hosting a challenge to create a spring theme card using their stamps. The IO set that I have is the Truffle Tree Set - isn't it cute? It also comes with three separate chocolates, a small branch, and a sentiment that reads "When the going gets tough, the tough get chocolate." I used the sentiment for the inside of this card.

I used Gina K Designs Pure Luxury card stock in Chocolate Kiss and some textured pink card stock to create my base. I then stitched on three panels of designer paper from the memory box sprout collection. This paper pack has some of the best spring designs - it's one on my favorites! The image was stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black, colored with pencils and OMS, and bordered with Chocolate Kiss. I decided to adhere buttons down the side in coordinating colors to create a border. I then attached my image and added some butterflies that I punched out using the Martha Stewart punch, and inked using SU! Close to Cocoa.

So, I am submitting this to the IO blog for their spring card challenge for a chance to win $25 to their store - isn't that a fab prize? If you have some IO stamps and some time to get creative before midnight on Saturday, January 9th, head over to the Impression Obsession blog and play along! Think spring and keep warm!

A Sketch for "Just Us Girls"

2010-01-07T17:50:00.010-05:00

If you are looking for an inspirational challenge blog, you should make it a point to check out "Just Us Girls" aka JUGS! Every Saturday they post a new challenge, and their super talented design team creates the most gorgeous sample projects! It's very easy to play along and YOU could be their next "Chic of the Week" - how cool is that!? This weeks challenge was to create a card following their sketch.

I started with a standard A2 card that I made using Gina K. Designs Pure Luxury card stock in Soft Sand. I used designer paper from the Basic Grey Wisteria paper pad for several different elements on the card. To create the horizontal background piece, I ran the designer paper through the Cuttlebug using the Victoria embossing folder. I then used a sponge with some SU! Close to Cocoa ink to highlight the embossed areas and make them pop! For the image, I first stamped the Modern Wood Block by A Muse Artstamps in Close to Cocoa, and then stamped the Solid Tree by memory box in SU! Chocolate Chip ink. I layered the image several times and added a small piece of hemp to embellish. The sentiment is Thank You For Everything, which is also by A Muse Artstamps. To create my funky flower, I used my SU! scalloped circle and 1 3/8" circle punches and added a vintage pearl button from my collection with a piece of the hemp to finish the card.

If you would like to join in the fun and play along with a weekly challenge, stop by and visit JUGS! Next week on the line up is a Technique Challenge, which will be posted on Saturday!

Do Mice Stamp?

2010-01-06T21:06:00.011-05:00

This one sure does! I decided to play with my House Mouse stamps today. These little furry friends always seem to bring a smile :) While going through my basket, I came across this stamp - Pogo Stamp - and sentiment by Stampa Rosa. I won these stamps in a lot on eBay awhile back and this is the first time they have seen ink.

I stamped the image in Memento Tuxedo Black and colored it using Koh-I-Noor pencils and OMS. I cut out the image using one of my Nestabilities, embossed the edge, and sponged on some ink in SU! Buckaroo Blue and Vintage Violet. The designer paper is unknown (from my scrap bin) and the card stock is SU! Vintage Violet. I added some flocked mesh flowers across the top and used grey pearls for the centers, as well as on the sentiment.

One Punny Fruit!

2010-01-05T18:27:00.015-05:00

During my stay at my parent's in PA over the holidays, mom and I took a road trip to a cute little store in Lancaster County called L & L Rubber Stamps and Supplies. As I was stocking up on some much needed supplies (you know how that goes LOL!), I found this adorable stamp set called Punny Fruits & Veggies by Sweet 'n Sassy stamps. I couldn't pass it up as I thought it would be great for some quick little Valentines.

I stamped the pear image and sentiment in Memento Tuxedo Black and colored it using Koh-I-Noor pencils and OMS. I cut out the image and bordered it using a piece of Bazzill card stock in Hollywood. I used a piece of designer paper from Basic Grey - Nook & Pantry for the background, and stitched it onto the card (4" x 4") that I made using Green Apple Pure Luxury card stock from Gina K. Designs. I added some sponging to all layers with some SU! ink in Close to Cocoa. I kept the embellishments simple and added just a few red rhinestones and some ribbon.

If you would like to see the other Punny Fruits & Veggies that come along with this set, you can visit Sweet 'n Sassy stamps if you click here.

Celebrating Melanie's Two Year Anniversary!

2010-01-04T14:22:00.015-05:00

Melanie Muenchinger is celebrating two years of blogging and illustrating for Gina K Designs! To help celebrate, I created this Valentine using two of her stamp sets: A Year of Flowers and Inspiration Mosaic.

I used designer paper from Basic Grey - Sugared to create the mosaic for the background, and sewed it onto a piece of Gina K's Pure Luxury card stock in Chocolate Kiss. I then ran two pieced of SU! - Riding Hood Red card stock through the Cuttlebug, using the hearts folder. The image was stamped using Memento ink in Tuxedo Black and was colored using my Koh-I-Noor pencils and OMS. I added a few hearts that I cut and embossed using the Scalloped Heart Nestability set. The sentiment was stamped onto designer paper and then punched out using a tag punch. All sponging was done using SU! ink in Riding Hood Red.

If you would also like to celebrate with Mel and have a chance at winning some of her fabulous blog candy, see the details here. I hope you are able to join the party!

Hello World!

2010-01-04T14:04:00.004-05:00

Happy New Year! I took off from work today to wind down after all of the hustle and bustle of the holidays, and as I sat down at my desk to start stamping, I decided to finally join the world of blogging! I have been wanting to start a blog for some time now, and what better time to start than the beginning of a new year. I look forward to sharing my paper craft projects and cards with all of you!