Thank You

 I can't believe it's the end of August!! 

Global Design Project - Thank You
Allsorts - CAS

Stamps by Taylored Expressions
Sentiment by Unity Stamps
Cloud stencil by Hero Arts
Grass punch by Martha Stewart

Happy Birthday

For my sister who loves the color purple!

The Paper Players - Tic Tac Toe (Feminine/Birthday/Florals)
Allsorts - CAS

Stamps and Dies by The Greetery
Inks by Catherine Pooler

Perhaps they are not stars in the sky

DL Art - Sympathy
Aud Sentiments - Thinking of You/Get Well/Sympathy

Tree stamp by Catherine Pooler Stamps

Pumpkin Time!

Ok, I am in love with this pumpkin image and bat image by Purple Onion. I first stamped the pumpkin image and then masked it off before doing the background. I blended 2 Distress Oxide inks together. Then spritzed on water droplets and I love how it came out. Used Copics for my coloring.

Simon Says Stamp - Spritz and Splatter

Stamps by Purple Onion Designs

Fall is my Favorite Color

Inky Paws Challenge - Challenge #155

Stamps and dies by Newton's Nook

Thankful 4 U

Saturday I had another stamping zoom session with a few ladies from all over the US and Canada. We stamped and chatted for 3 hours. I got a good start on my Thanksgiving cards. I send out about 12 so I think I got them all watercolored, just need to assemble them all now. After 3 hours, my hands were aching though so I am bound and determined to get them done soon, in case I do have to have surgery in the upcoming months. I will know more after my Sept 2nd dr appt.

Sunday Stamps - Front and Center
Die Cut Diva's - Watercolor

Stamps by Newton's Nook & Sunny Studio
Sentiment by Taylored Expressions
Watercolors by Jane Davenport

Surfer Dude

One of my favorite Bugaboo images is this surfer dude. I chose this surfboard to CASE the design onto my surfboard here. A lot of fussy cutting around this guy. I had to fussy cut him twice so I could attach him to the top to make it a "shaped card".

Digi by Bugaboo Images
Stripes, flowers and leaves by Concord & 9th

Boo from Me to You

My daughter loves skeletons so I made this super easy Halloween card for her this year :).

Through the Purple Haze - TIC TAC TOE (Embossing/Stitches/Off the Edge)

Skeleton stamp by Eat Cake Graphics
Sentiment by Taylored Expressions
Circle Wonky Stitched Die cut by Gina Marie Designs
Background blending by Oxide inks
White ink sponged on edges from Hero Arts

 

Let it Snow shaker card

It's no secret, shaker cards are not my favorite. I have tried for YEARS, many many YEARS and I just could not get them quite right. For some reason, I watched another tutorial at Splitcoast and this one worked. I did have to double up on my foam tape around the circle so it would shake. I actually used foam tape from Dollar Tree. I wasn't sure how it would work, if it was even sticky enough but it appears to be just fine. I got 3 rolls for $1. I may go back and get more. I do know their 2 sided sticky tape is not worth $1. It barely sticks to anything!! 

So my thumbs are hurting again so I made an appt with the orthopedic dr Sept 2nd. I'm sure he will suggest thumb surgery this time which I am dreading because it's a 3 month recovery!! And I will eventually need both thumbs done :(. But my right one is really bothering me again so .... 

Global Design Project - Project 305

Stamps by Reverse Confetti (soon to be retired)
Sentiment by Tim Holtz

I found this 4' garland at Hobby Lobby 
on sale for $1.79, cut off the snowflakes
and will put in 2-3 shaker cards

Let the Good Times Roll - Happy 2nd Birthday!

Cardz 4 Guyz - Age is just a number
Retro Rubber - Cruisin' (I have had these stamps for 2 years and the #2 stamp I have had for 10+ years)

Stamps and Dies by Avery Elle
Number 2 by Stampin Up

Every day may not be good, but there's good in every day

Soon our leaves will be changing here in the Carolina's and I saw a few on the ground so I remembered this technique I learned from Lydia called Duoprinting with Chlorophyll - see it here. It's super easy and no ink needed :). You stick a real life into your Big Shot or Big Kick and put it through. Be sure to watch her video so you see how to sandwich it just right in between a piece of regular typing paper so you don't get the leaf "juices" all over your cutting plates. This imprint is from the actual leaf itself. Isn't that neat?

My recent chemo buddy is now in remission which means I no longer will send her weekly cards so I am waiting for my next angel to be assigned to me :). Usually it only takes a few weeks before I get a new one. I will save this for her. You can see all about Chemo-Angels here.

The Sisterhood of Crafters - Leaf it to Chance

O' Holy Night

A few weekends ago, I was in a stamping zoom class with 20 others from as far away as Belgium. We all stamped and chatted for about 3 hours. It was so much fun and I got 12 Christmas cards done. This set is so easy to work with from The Cat's Pajamas. It needs very little watercoloring and I added some Stickles and Nuvo crystal drops to the windows in the church. I have been in zoom meetings before but never in a stamping zoom "get-together" and I'm looking forward to the next one next weekend. I think I will work on my Thanksgiving cards during that one. 

Krafty Chicks - Christmas

 

Merry Christmas in black & white

I feel like I am bouncing all over the place from Christmas,  then to Halloween, then back to Christmas again. So here I am at Christmas because I did for a black and white challenge. This die cut had a different dog on it but I cut it out and added this little dog instead as I am sending this to my godchild who has a chihuahua.

Just Us Girls - Black and White
Krafty Chicks - Christmas
Sparkles - Monochrome
Christmas Craft Creations - Non-Traditional Colors

Leaves are Falling, Autumn is Calling

It's been near 100 degrees all week so I am ready for FALL!!!!

The Sisterhood of Crafters - Leaf it to Chance

Stamps by Sunny Studio

Happy Birthday

Hand Stamped Sentiments - Challenge #370
AAA Birthday - Game #28

Stamps and basket die cut by The Greetery

Boo!

This time I had to make the pumpkin pink since I only have these 3 colors to work with :). This is one of my fave all time stamps by Technique Junkies.

Color Throwdown - Challenge #655
Freshly Made Sketches - Sketch #498
Happy Little Stampers - Watercolor

Dog image by Technique Junkies
Sentiments by Purple Onion Designs
Colored with Jane Davenport watercolors

Just a note to say I Miss You

A plaid typewriter? Sure, why not? LOL  

Sweet Stampin' - Gingham, Tartan & Plaid

Stamps and die cut by Concord & 9th

Happy Halloween

Every once in awhile, I like to make a non-traditional colored pumpkin and I find this is my favorite I do that is not orange. I first colored the sky with Catherine Pooler's Midnight Black ink using a blending brush. Then, I stenciled on this constellation sky stencil (by Echo Park) using Hero Arts white pigment ink. I just wanted a few stars behind the cute bat. I fussy cut out everything out to add to this sky background. Added some NUVO drops. I got these Nuvo drops last year and I have them in 7 different colors - orange, caribbean ocean, black, white, pink, yellow and midnight blue. I need to dig them out more often because I really do love the glaze finish they provide. 

TGIF - Color Challenge #328
Festive Friday - Challenge #0090 (bats/night/black)
Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge - Anything Halloween

Stamps by Purple Onion Designs
Colored with copic markers & Nuvo drops

Boo!!

I'm excited to start on my Halloween cards. It is my fave holiday for cards!! And I am in love with this new stamp I just got from Purple Onion. It's not a new design as I think it came out a few years ago but I remember wanting it back then and never got it until their sale now. It just makes me smile :). 

Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge - Anything Halloween
Just Us Girls - Harvest
Three Room Studio - Favorite Color (orange)
As You See It - Zoology (fave animal - mouse)

Stamps by Purple Onion Designs
Colored with Jane Davenport watercolors

Nuvo orange glaze used 
(Ripened Pumpkin orange)

Take it Easy

You would think this card would've been easy to make but it took me 3 tries to get it right. First I tried a rainbow die cut but just couldn't get it to look right behind the palm trees. Then, I watercolored the rainbow stripes on it using my watercolors. I tried just stamping the trees in black ink but it just didn't look right. Finally, I watercolored the rainbow stripes again and used my Catherine Pooler brown and green inks for the palm trees and it looks much better. 

Stay Crafty with Hero Arts - Rainbow
Bastel-Traum - Rainbows

All stamps by Hero Arts
Watercolors by Jane Davenport

Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice

Going through my Fall stamps, I remembered I had this one which is one of my favorites of all my House Mouse stamps :). I will probably send this to my sister since she loves pumpkin pie ALMOST as much as I do!!! I used my Jane Davenport watercolors. I made this into another mini slimline.

House Mouse & Friends Monday Challenge - Anything Goes, Optional Dots/Spots
Stinkin Inkers - Long and Skinny
As You Like It - Favorite Pet/Animal (my fave pet/animal is the mouse. I had one growing up and it was just the cutest thing. He was so tame, we got him as a baby and I carried him everywhere with me when I was a young teen. I remember crying and crying when he died. I had no idea they only lasted a year or so.)
Just Us Girls - Harvest

I used white Nuvo drops for the cool whip :)

Beach volleyball anyone?

I had no teal watercolors so I had to google how to make teal and it's a royal blue with a lime green. Who knew? This house mouse stamp always makes me smile. I found him at Tuesday Morning on clearance for $2 a few years ago before my Tuesday Morning closed. 

Rainbow Card Challenge - Temptingly Teal
House Mouse & Friends Monday Challenge  - Anything Goes, Optional Dots/Spots

Bee Awesome

Slimline cards have been all the rage "again" here lately, but have you tried a "mini" slimline card? I have not - I guess I have been living under a rock - but here is my first one and I have to say I think I will definitely be making more. They are sized 3"x6". You can even find envelopes big enough "or is it small enough" at the Dollar Tree. 

I added some Nuvo drops on 3 of the tall flowers for a "glaze" look.

Stinkin Inkers - Long and Skinny
Tic Tac Toe - TTTC125 (Sunflower/Yellow/Embellishment (glaze)
Make My Monday - Slimline
Little Red Wagon - Just Because

Stamps by Newton's Nook
Sentiment and "bee" by Simon Says Stamp
Martha Stewart grass punch