And suddenly you just know it's time to start something new ....

Paper Play Sketch #28

Stamps by Unity Stamp Company

This is one of Unity Stamp Company newest stamps!

Freshly Made Sketch #268

Stamp by: Unity Stamp Company

You are my Happy

I made this for these challenges:
Less is More - Children
Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes
Mo's Digital - Challenge #270 Anything Goes
C.R.A.F.T. - Anything Goes

Digital image by Mo's Digital Pencil
Sentiment by: Unity Stamp Company

It is a great day for your birthday

Challenges for:  Stampin' Royalty - Stripes and Polka Dots

Crafty Gals Corner - Anything Goes #103

4 Crafty Chicks - Anything Goes #331

Stamps by Unity Stamp Company

Happy 2017!

I got my newest stamp from Unity Stamp Company and I just fell in love.  I used my Tombow markers and water and I love how it came out.

Here's a New Years Eve card I made and I am entering it in these challenges:

Paperminutes - New Year
Hiding in my Craft Room - Any holiday
Retarte - Anything Goes #92
Crafting by Designs - Any holiday
Inspiration Destination - Anything Goes
Little Red Wagon - Hello 2017
Through the Craft Room - Anything Goes
Crafty Gals Corner - Anything Goes #103

Girl Stamp by Unity Stamp Company

Numbers by Stampin Up

Sentiment (on computer)

Sending You a Whole Latte Love

I won these coffee stamps from Verve Stamps and was excited to get them inked up.

Sketch Saturday - Sketch #443
The Paper Girls Challenge - Anything Goes
Paper Nest Dolls - Anything Goes
The Crazy Challenge - Anything Goes
Love to Scrap Challenge - Anything Goes

Stamps by: Verve Stamps

Hello There Owl

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. We had a great Christmas. Today is our big family dinner and I am expecting about 15 people. I'm going to try out my mother-in-law's favorite coleslaw recipe.

I love this owl and sentiment by Unity Stamp Company.  He's all bundled up for winter!!  Of course, in NC we are having seasonally warm temps and I am wearing my flip flops but I'm not complaining. The cold temps will be here soon enough!

I colored this owl with my Tombow markers and water. I love my Tombow markers. I color directly onto a clear block and then dip my paintbrush in a little water and dip it back into the color on the block and color onto the watercolor cardstock. I have been using my Copic markers alot lately and miss my watercolors.

Your Next Stamp - Challenge #54 Sketch
Robyn's Fetish - Anything Goes

January 2017

Fussy and Fancy - Winter #179
Pattie's Creations Design - Anything Goes Winter
4 Crafty Chicks - New Year Resolutions (I want to make more homemade items and give them as gifts like I am doing with this one)
Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes
613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes
Robyn's Fetish - Anything Goes

This is one of my all time favorite snowman stamps that I have. Its by Purple Onion Designs. I have used him a lot over the years!!  This is a 2017 calendar I made for my friend Lorraine.  I found the frame at Kohl's and decided to make the size of the calendar to go on the frame. I printed the tiny calendar online. 

Another thank you card in neutral colors

 I made this for the challenge at Inkspirational Neutrals Only

Stamps by Unity Stamp Company

More cards for Sending Paw Prints

I made this for a challenge over at Sending Paw Prints

Stamps by Unity Stamp Company

And also for Crafty Gals Corner - Anything Goes

PolkaDoodles - Anything Goes

Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes

Southern Girls - Anything Goes #150

Through the Purple Haze - Anything Goes #115

Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes

Thanks

Daring Cardmakers - Thank You
A Snowflake's Promise - Anything
Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes #31

I used the retired Stampin Up snowman punch and the sentiment "thanks" is by Unity Stamp Company. Nice & easy!!

Have a holly jolly Christmas

This Santa stamp is by Inkspirations and it's retired.  I stamped it using Brutus Monroe ink. I tried 3 different red inks and this "Rouge" was the best one to match the paper I had. For Santa's glasses I used "Sun & Moon Craft Glaze". I love this stuff! It doesn't bubble like other brands do. I found it on ebay.

Merry Christmas Challenge - Santa
Fussy and Fancy - Winter #179
Craftyhazelnut Christmas - Christmas
A Gem of a Challenge - Anything Christmas
Pile it On - Any Holiday
Cards and More - Christmas
Cards in Envy - Celebrate the Season

Santa stamp by Inkspirations
Sentiment by Amuse Artstamps

Santa

Christmas is ONLY 5 days away. Are you ready? I am!!  My mother-in-law (who is 93) comes into town on 12/26 so we will have our big family Christmas that day.

I made this for the following challenges:

The Merry Christmas Challenge - Santa
Craftyhazelnut's Christmas - Christmas
A Gem of a Challenge - Anything Christmas
Penny Black and More - Anything Black and White plus One (I chose red)
Sunny Day Crafting - Anything Goes
Cards and More - Christmas
Cards in Envy - Celebrate the Season
Through the Craft Door - Anything Goes

Santa stamp by: Eat Cake Graphics

Happy New Year!

I send out a handful of new years cards each year. This is the one I made this year.

Winter Wonderland - Happy New Year
Digi Design Challenge - Any winter holiday
Pile It On - Any Holiday

Woof Woof

I came across this blog called "Sending Paw Prints" and decided to enter this challenge. They collect blank thank you cards for animal shelters, rescue organizations and foster parents. What a great idea! I plan to make a bunch more and send them in. 

Here's what I made for their Paw Prints Challenge #1

Dogs by: Impression Obsession

Sentiment by: Stampabilities

These are Peerless Watercolors. I found them on Ebay and they come in these little strips. I put them into a photo book and glued each one down. I love how vibrant they are.

I need to see you badly

Christmas is in 1 week. Are you ready?  I think I am. I might need a few last minute stocking stuffers for the kids but everything is wrapped and under the tree!

So I was going through my stamps and I've always loved this little girl from Stamping Bella. I always like to paper piece her purse or tote bag if you want to call it.

Cheerful Sketches - December
Crafty Catz - Anything Goes #351
Jo's Scrap Shack - Anything Goes #169
Polkadoodles - Anything Goes Week 50
Crafty Gals Corner - Anything Goes #101

Stamps by:  Stamping Bella

Paper by:  Paper Studio

I watercolored her on watercolor paper. I paper pieced her purse using the Paper Studio polka dots!

Sending a Happy Hello

I was happy to get out this old stamp by Print Works and it's perfect for this sketch for Freshly Made Sketches - FMS267.

Snowmen stamp by PrintWorks

Sentiment by Unity Stamp Company

You're Pawsitively Awesome

Try Stampin On Tuesday - Sketch #301
Crafting with an Attitude - Anything Goes #22
Crafty Girl Creations - Anything Goes #31
Little Miss Muffet - Anything Goes #153
Through the Purple Haze - Anything Goes #115
Crafty Gals Corner - Anything Goes #101
Creative Moments - Anything Goes #108
Inspiration Destination - Anything Goes #116
Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes #47
Colour Crazy Craft - Anything Goes Week 28
Crafty Catz - Anything Goes #351
Jo's Scrap Shack - Anything Goes #169
Polkadoodles - Anything Goes Week 50

Stamps by:  My Favorite Things

Paper by: Bo Bunny

Hello

Muse Challenge - Sketch #196
Addicted to Stamps and More - CAS

I used Unity Stamp Company's owl for this card and a Hello die. The die actually reminded me of the lettering in the above sketch so that's why I made this card like I did.

You're the Best

I made this birthday card for a friend. I added some gloss to her glasses.

Sketch Saturday - Sketch #442
Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
Connie Can Crop - Baby, its cold outside
Sunny Day Crafting - Anything Goes
Cards and More - Oooh sooo cold
A Snowflake's Promise - Winter
City Crafter - Christmas Things that Fly or Float

Stamps by Unity Stamp Company

Christmas Tree

For this card, I used stamps by WOW.  I used gold Stickles on the star.

I'm entering this in the following challenges:

Merry Christmas Challenge - Christmas Trees
Inkspirational - CAS with sparkle
AAA Cards: CAS #79
Coloring in Scrapland - Christmas
Crafty Boots - Christmas
Dream Valley - Christmas
Come and Get It - Christmas
Crafting When We Can - Christmas

Getting published

Have you ever sent your cards in to be published into a stamping magazine?  I send mine to Just Cards Publications. You can see the address here. What I do is this: Send them in no less than 10 at a time. Write on the back of each one your name, email address, city, and phone number (I blurred my phone number out in the 2nd photo). Then, write the directions what you used and how you created the card. Lots of stamp companies will give you free stamps, free store credit, etc. if YOU let them know if you do get published. For example, if this card gets published I would contact Unity Stamp Company and they would let me pick out $25 of FREE PRODUCT. It's great!!!

I posted this card yesterday but wanted to tell you what I do to get published. I send cards all year long. You never know when they will pick one of your cards to be printed that month. And I just think you have a better shot at getting published the more you send.  You also get a free magazine from Just Cards so its a win-win for everybody!!

You Make Me Smile

Stamps by Unity Stamp Company

Here's another card I made for Splitcoaststampers. This month we are making cards for Community Violence Intervention Center in North Dakota. 

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Sweet Stampers - Anything Goes
Card Mania - Anything Goes
Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes
Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes

Just wanted to say thank you

I made this card for a monthly challenge over at Splitcoaststampers. This month we are making cards for Community Violence Intervention Center in North Dakota. 

The color purple is awareness to domestic violence so I paper pieced this fox's purple sweater on him.
They are asking for birthday cards, thank you cards and those with uplifting sentiments. I hope to get about a dozen cards out by the end of the month.

CASE this Sketch

Stamps by: Unity Stamp Company

Another wintery card

613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes with optional Holiday Happiness - This is a different kind of challenge where the stampers VOTE for their favorite each month. There are A LOT of cards to look through on this blog.

I am also entering the following challenges: Make My Monday - Snowman
The Crazy Challenge - Ice Cold or Blue
The Paper Girls - Snowman
Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes
Moving Along with the Times - Christmas Scene
The Pencil Case - Anything Goes

Stamps by Purple Onion Designs

Our perfect companions never have fewer than four feet

Challenge - Hiding in my Craft Room - Use Scraps
                    Sweet Stampin - Animals

Stamp by Technique Junkies

One Good Friend is Better than Ten Bad One

One Crazy Stamper - Friend (and a Sketch)
613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes
Use Your Stuff - Layers
Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes
PDE Inky Party - All Cards

Owl stamp by Unity Stamp Company
Sentiment - Inkadinkado (I think) It's not marked

Polar Bear ATC

I haven't made an ATC in quite some time. Many years ago, I would host LOTS of ATC swaps and I would have several going at one time. I have BINDERS AND BINDERS full of ATCs completed from my stamping friends. I have them up on top of my desk in my stamp room and if I had to count them, I bet I have 100's. These wonderful ATC's that I have in my binders still bring a smile to my face, years later!!

ATC Around the World - Anything, Christmas Optional
Pile It On - Two Patterns

An ATC is a cute creation that measures 2 1/2" x 3 1/2".

These are some of my ATC's that I have in binders above my desk.