Life is Better in Flip Flops

I've been out of town for a days in Cincinnati, Ohio but I am back :).

Here's the latest flip flop stamps by Catherine Pooler Stamps. I stopped at a stamp store on the way up on my drive and I got a few Catherine Pooler ink pads and I have to say, I LOVE LOVE LOVE them!!! You can stamp directly with them or watercolor with them. I love that best and they are so juicy!!! Now I want ALL the colors!!!

Your Next Stamp - "3 of Something"
Clean and Simple on Sunday - Color challenge #161
Addicted-to-Stamps - Clean and Simple Summer Card

Stamps and Inks by Catherine Pooler

Back to Basics - Let's make an Explosion Card!!

WOW, I am not sure when the last time I made an explosion card but for this week's challenge at Back to Basics and Beyond, we are to make an explosion card. I immediately went to Pinterest and found tons of ideas but this one caught my eye as she explains it so easy and the video is literally less than 4 minutes. I couldn't wait to try it and here is my card. (I first tried making one with regular cardstock but felt it was too heavy to fold up so I remade my card using regular copy paper and just stamped and colored that for the inside to fold up).

I hope you'll join us this week at Back to Basics and Beyond. I'm excited to see your Explosion card. Isn't it fun????

All stamps by Stampin Up. Sentiment is by The Angel Company.

Wonky Stitches Die by Gina Marie Designs
All images colored by Copic markers

A little sand between your toes ...

Hand Stamped Sentiments - Sketch 317
Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes
Creativ Fusion - Anything Goes
Coloring in Scrapland - Watercolors

Stamps by InkyStamper
Gemstones by The Paper Studio
Watercolors by Distress Oxide inks
Tea Dye, Hickory Smoke, Spun Sugar, Tumbled Glass
X-Stitched Oval die by Gina Marie Designs

Llama be the first to wish you a happy birthday

These llamas look like they are just struttin' their stuff, don't you agree? LOL

Cardz 4 Guyz - Use washi tape #222
Tuesday Throwdown - Keep it Simple
Unicorn Challenge - For the Men/Boys

Llamas by Brutus Monroe
Sentiment by Whipper Snapper
Sky stencil by My Favorite Things
Grass washi found at Joann Fabrics
Colored with Copics
Sky done using Distress Oxide Tumbled Glass ink

Just Bee-Cause

I've been seeing "bees" everywhere on cards. So when I saw the latest release at Simon Says Stamp, I had to get it. Aren't these bees cute!?  I added some Ink on 3 liquid pixie dust on the wings for some shimmer and shine.

2 Sisters on the Blog - Things with Wings
Sparkles Forum - No Patterned Paper
Sweet Stampers - Anything Goes
Bastel-Traum - Summer

Stamps and die by Simon Says Stamps
Colored with Tombow markers and Zig markers
Ink on 3 Liquid Pixie Dust

Llama just say I think you're amazing!

Another llama card with another brand new llama by Brutus Monroe

Color Throwdown - Challenge #548
Crafty Gals Corner - Polka Dots and/or stripes
Shopping Our Stash - You're so Punny
Here is a Place to Start - Stencil Me in

Llama by Brutus Monroe
Sentiment by Whipper Snapper
Colored with Copics
Dots stencil used Distress Oxide Inks
Worn Lipstick, Wilted Violet, Cracked Pistachio, Salty Ocean

Just a Note from my Sandbox

For this challenge, we are to use a stencil. I got out my new "Sandbox" stamp set by InkyStamper and stamped him on Bristol cardstock and watercolored him with my Koi watercolors.

A Place to Start - Stencil Me In
Cut It Up - Welcome Summer
Daring Cardmakers - Midsummer's Day
C.R.A.F.T. - Summer
Craft Rocket - Summer is Coming
Cute Card Thursday - Summer

Stamps by InkyStamper
Up & Down Stitch In & Out Circle die
by Gina Marie Designs

You are so G-llama-rous

Happy 1st Day of Summer. I don't know about where you live, but it has felt like summer here for several weeks in the Carolina's. Brutus Monroe released a bunch of new stamps last week and when I saw llamas, well, I had to have them. They jumped into my cart and he shipped them the very next day. They are called "Llama Friends" and I think they are the most real looking llamas and I just love them!! I colored this guy using my Copic markers and I made the stencil background using my Distress Oxide inks - Salty Ocean, Tumbled Glass, Mermaid Lagoon, Broken China, Wilted Violet and Picked Raspberry. I used some Nuvo Crystal drops on him too.

Shopping Our Stash - You're So Punny
The House that Stamps Built - Inspiration Challenge J1919
Here is a Place to Start - Stencil Me In

Stamps by Brutus Monroe
Wonky Stitched Oval die by My Favorite Things
Stencil Grid from Simon Says Stamp

I am so happy to have you as a friend

This was a fun background to make. I saw a challenge at Splitcoast and had to try it. You just take your Oxide Ink stamp pads and stamp them directly onto your watercolor paper. I used these colors together so I could combine it with this challenge at The Card Concept.

The Card Concept - Challenge 117

Stamp by Whipper Snapper
Oxide Inks used:
Candied Apple, Blueprint Sketch, Wild Honey

Just a little note from my sandbox

Try Stampin' on Tuesdays - Sketch 412
Southern Girls Challenge - I Spot You

Stamps by InkyStamper
Colored with Copics

A little sand between your toes ... always takes away your woes!

Have you seen these new stamps by InkyStamper yet? They are so cute and I knew when I saw this mouse I had to get him!! I colored him using my Copic markers and word has it there will be more mice in the future. It's a whole series called Ralph and Rosie and I can't wait to see the other mice.

Sketch Saturday - Challenge 568
Addicted to Stamps and More - Anything Goes
Little Red Wagon - Summer Fun

Stamps by Inkystamper
Slash Stitch Rectangle Die from Gina Marie Designs

Lighthouse black embossed magic

The Library Challenge - To the Lighthouse
Stamping Sensations - True Colors

For this card I tried the black embossed magic technique and you can see it here at this you tube video.

Stamp by Stampabilities
Stamped in Versamark ink
White embossed with WOW embossing powder
Colored with Copic markers

Just a Note

Color Throwdown - Challenge #547
The Paper Players - Summer Beverage

Stamp by Flora & Fauna
Sentiment by TAC

Life is a Beach

Color Throwdown - Challenge #547
Crafting by Designs - Summer Fun
Little Red Wagon - Sea It

Stamps by Inkadinkado
Waves by Flora & Fauna

Happy Birthday

I started following this girl on Instagram and she makes the most amazing cards by just adding dots to her cards. I'm not sure I'm doing this card any justice but I really love how it came out. The girl's name is copycatcardsandcreations if you want to follow her. I first colored it with my Koi watercolors and then I used my Tombow markers to add dots all around. What do you think?

Make My Monday - Lots of flowers
Fab 'n' Funky - June Blossoms
My Time to Craft - Watercolor

Flowers by Concord & 9th
Sentiment by Unity Stamps

Hope Your Day is Super Duper

Crafty Sentiments - Water
Die Cuttin' Divas - Masculine or Father's Day
Little Red Wagon - Sea It

Stamps by Stampin Up
Sentiment by Lawn Fawn
Die by Lawn Fawn

Nail Polish Technique at Back to Basics and Beyond

Who remembers the nail polish technique for cards? At our latest challenge at Back to Basics and Beyond, we are to make a card using the nail polish technique. It's relatively easy. Use a throw away dish to put your nail polish and water in as it will get stained. Use in a ventilated area because it will smell like nail polish when you are done. I used 3 colors and I dropped a few drops of each color with water already in the container. You can see a tutorial here. We would love to see your cards at Back to Basics and Beyond.

Stamp by Paperbag Studios

Stamps by Technique Tuesday

Happy Holidays in pink+gray+kraft

I won this winter stamp set in a challenge a few months ago and I am just now getting to inking it up. It has some really cute images for this holiday season! I first stamped the snowflakes in Versamark ink onto the kraft cardstock. Then I stamped the snowman, colored him using my Copic markers and cut him out using my Gina Marie Designs Dot Studs on both sides circle die. The sentiment is by Flora & Fauna.

Christmas Card Throwdown - Challenge Gray+Pink+Kraft
Crafty Hazelnut Christmas - Challenge #441
My Time to Craft - Let's Get Krafty

Stamps by Andrea Gomoll
Winter Buddies
Sentiment by Flora & Fauna
Dot Studs on Both Sides Circle die by Gina Marie Designs

Hugs

Mod Squad - Eclipse
CAS on Sunday - Birds

Hand drawn scene with
watercolors
Bird stamp by Repeat Impressions

Celebrate You

I love this new digital image by Bugaboo. It's a perfect birthday card for my friend who loves baseball and dogs!! I first stamped the baseball images using Versamark ink onto the red cardstock (baseball stamp was on clearance at Hobby Lobby for 50 cents, its by Stampabilities). Then I colored the image with Copic markers. Added some washi tape (I had to cut the scallops into the washi tape using my scissors which was not an easy task and it took me several tries to get the scallops even!), added some Nuvo drops and then cut out the little baseballs from another digi I had printed out and added those to the bottom of the image. Celebrate You is another stamp by Stampabilities that I found on clearance at Hobby Lobby a few months ago.

Catch the Bug - Challenge #711
Colour Crazy Craft - Anything Goes

Celebrate

Inks used: Oxide Salty Ocean, Blueprint Sketch, Picked Raspberry
Stamp: Ranger
Diecut - Taylored Expressions Marching On

Color Throwdown - Challenge #546
Krafty Chicks - Diecuts
Shopping Our Stash - Stencil Me This

Life is Happy

CAS Colours & Sketches - Sketch 324
Challenge Up Your Life - Tic Tac Toe (blue/stamp/palm tree)

All stamps by Flora & Fauna
Watercolored with Oxide inks

Ice Cream Truck

When I first saw this new set out in May by Reverse Confetti, I knew I just had to get it. It's so cute and I love any stamps with ice cream. It took several different stamp companies to build this scene but I did it. It just screams summer, don't you agree?

Fab 'n' Funky - Something New (this Reverse Confetti stamp set is brand new)
Tuesday Throwdown - Shaped Card
The Paper Girls - Top 5 (My top 5 on this card is: 1) Fave edge of card meaning scallops 2) Fave summer treat (ice cream) 3 - Fave outdoor scene - ice cream truck coming down the road 4) Fave animal - bunny rabbit 5) Fave stamp of all times - bird stamp
Animal Friends - Add a Bear

Lighthouse pics

Kill Devil Hills, NC

We just got back from a wonderful 3 days at the beach. I have lived in NC for 30 years and have never been to the Outer Banks. The Outer Banks has lots of beautiful beaches and lots of lighthouses. We went to 3 different ones. We stayed at a hotel on Kill Devil Hills. The weather was great. It was in the low 70's for 2 days then warmed up to 85 the last day.

Bodie Island Lighthouse
This stands 156' tall. They let only 8
people climb at a time and its every 20
minutes. We had to wait about an
hour to climb up. Charlie climbed,
I stayed on land and took pics.

Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse - this is in
Manteo, NC. It only stands 37' tall and you can
not climb up it but it was still neat to
look around inside. It's in a quaint little
downtown area with shops and restaurants

This is the Cape Hatteras
Lighthouse. It's the tallest lighthouse
of the 3 we saw. It stands 208' tall. 

Charlie climbed to the top. Lots of stairs!

Life is Better with a Friend Like You

I'm loving this new stamp set from Reverse Confetti. It's called Ice Cream Social. The sentiment is also from the same stamp company and it's called A Friend Like You. The background I used Taylored Expressions Stroke of Genius stamp set in different Oxide inks to get the colors I needed for this challenge at Just Add Ink. I colored it with Copics.

Just-Add-Ink - Colour #459

Stamps used:
Reverse Confetti
Taylored Expressions