Inspired CAS

My card for this weekend's Inspiration Challenge is very different for me.

I chose this snowman painted on a wood shutter for my inspiration. I decided to change the colours a bit to get another traditional coloured Christmas card into the stash. I also chose to go clean and simple (CAS) for this card so is was snail-mail friendly.

Colouring on kraft paper is one of my favourite mediums. I used copic markers for the hat and scarf, and I wanted a grainier texture for the snowman to mimic the texture of the wood shutter so I used prismacolor pencils for the white portions. I am quite delighted with the outcome.

Have a lovely day, friends!

stamps: christmas characters (inkadinkadoo)
ink: onyx black versafine (tsukineko)
paper: have a merry christmas (carta bella); kraft, white, kraft dotted swiss, raven (bazzill)
accessories: handwritten holidays dies (sizzix); copic markers; prismacolor markers

OCC Challenge

This week our March host, Silke Ledlow, is challenging the OCC to a Sketch challenge. We can’t wait to see your take on the Sketch, feel free to use your favorite stamps and supplies!!

There is no time limit on our challenges - participate whenever you are able. To play along, upload your creation to your blog or gallery, then leave us a comment linking to your project so we can check it out. If you upload to SCS, remember to use keyword: OCCC



I just love this sketch. Silke is brilliant coming up with elegant fabulous simplicity! Again, I love this sketch! It's almost like a hand drawn layout that I have posted on my stamping desk that I did for a technique challenge that came and went, but I still love the idea for my project and I just can't bear to pitch it. Enough blather. Here's what I did with Silke's sketch;




My youngest DD has her birthday this weekend, and she's so excited she is bouncing off the walls. I doubt she'll sleep much tonight and all I can think is that I wouldn't miss this for the world even if I don't get more than 2 winks of sleep tonight. I made this card with Rachel in mind. The colours and the doodles are so her. She's really not a pink and purple kind of girl. She wears pink and purple all the time because her oldest sister always wore pink and her second oldest sister only wore purple. Yup, the always and only sisters and then Rachel came after. We love hand me downs though. The awesome thing is when people gave Morgan and Hannah things that were blue, they would sit in the drawer unworn and so Rachel has all these fab blue clothes that have been hardly worn. Rachel loves green, yellow and blue with splashes of pink and purple.

Rachel is going to laugh when she reads this card. She went to public school for the first time this year, and she's been suffering a little separation anxiety. She keeps saying that she wants to be younger and stay a kid forever. I want to grow her into the idea that she can grow up secure and it will be fine, and more than that, it will be FUN! She'll get this card tomorrow along with her gifts and cake. I love celebrating childhood!!!

Enjoy checking out the rest of the projects by the design team on the OCC blog, and it would be great if you take a little time and play along with us.

stamps; tell it like it is (inkadinkado)
paper; sugar rush (basic grey), romance, coconut swirl (bazzill)
ink; noir (palette)
accessories; eyelet border punch (martha stewart), rhinestones (heidi swapp), glazed brad (basic grey), glitter ribbon (creative impressions)

JBE067 Mindscape Pink

I'm late. I know. Thanks for your patience! ;) This is the sketch for Jacksonbelle Tuesday. I found it to be a bit of a toughie. I could have fit a sentiment in that little oval, now that I think about it, but I really had my mind set on using a new Inkadinkado set that is SO FABULOUS!!!! And I just could not get my head out of that idea.



I finally got this baby done! We had unexpected, delightful company yesterday and I really don't like turning people away from my door because I 'have to' stamp. I'm trying to get ahead a little, but it's not working yet. Several people have assured me that when my children go to school next week, things will be different then. Hmmm... We'll see. I haven't been alone in 15 years and I may spend the next few weeks babbling incoherently... Or, my planets may align and I will get all these little things done and get ahead and have a clean house to boot. I'm not holding my breath.


The real story is this close up of the butterfly. I blinged it with stickles and blingz. I stamped this image (btw did you notice the butterfly is made of fairies and flowers?!!!! Get outta here!!!!) with chalk ink on designer paper to give it some depth since the dp was all smooshy and smudgy already.

Yup. Done like dinner! The rest of the Jacksonbelle Rockstar dt have totally rocked this challenge, so go take a boo and leave them some love!!!

stamps; mindscapes (inkadinkado)
paper; blossom, coconut swirl (bazzill), porcelain (basic grey)
ink; rouge chalk ink (colorbox)
accessories; white satin ribbon (SU!), pink button (basic grey), stardust stickles (ranger), hottie pink blingz (shimmerz), pearls (kaiser)

ODBD Monochromatic Rejoice

Anyone who knows me, knows I have an aversion to black. I'm just not big on it. I know it's classic and a wonderful strong neutral. I know it's a favourite for many of you out there. What I hope you will notice is that I'm REALLY trying to grow here and use black a little more. I bought an entire pad of paper that is called Black&White Butterfly just to try to work with black. I love butterflies, so that was the lovely part that I figured would make the black part easier. Don't question my logic. It's what gets me through. ;)


I combined black with Sahara Sand. Sahara Sand used to rank right there with black for me, but I've come to appreciate it a little more, and it doesn't quite look like wet cement to me now. In fact, I've come to terms with it as a neutral and one that I should try to pull out a little more often. I do like it with black, and I hope this looks more elegant than morbid. There is no pop of colour and so I'm relying on it coming together to look classic.



I admit I love Smooch ink. I used it on the flourishes to highlight. I bought the white Smooch when it first came out because it was a neutral, so I thought it was a wise choice to be able to work it with lots of colours... and I wasn't all that keen on the other colours released initially. Smooch now has doubled the colours available and I can hardly wait to get these ones; Lime, Black Cherry, Molasses, Snickerdoodle... Marvelous stuff!!!

I have links in the recipe if you want to check my supplies out a little closer!

stamps; happy birthday (ODBD), all about borders (inkadinkado)
paper; sahara sand (SU!), raven, coconut swirl (bazzill), black & white butterflies (MAMBI)
ink; black soot distress ink, pebbles adirondack ink (ranger)
accessories; labels 4, petite scallop ovals nesties (spellbinders), pearls (kaiser), white smooch (clearsnap), black stitched ribbon (bazzill), ivory flocked ribbon (making memories), black satin ribbon (offray), cross charm (blue moon beads), textile emboss folder (provocraft)

Gettin' a little PUNCHY!!!

It's Tuesday!!!! I know, big surprise there... My DD made me a new watermark. I think it is still a little light, so we'll work on it, but I think it's beautiful and I'm thrilled to launch it today. Don't be surprised if it morphs some over the next while as it is tweaked.

This Tuesday, the challenge on the JBelle blog is to pull out those *uber fab* Martha Stewart punches and use them to doll up your card. Lindsey has just received a shipment of NEW MS punches, so check them out if you have a few minutes. I may not be a MS fan, but I love all manner of paper crafting tool, so I can't fault the woman for have a talented crew of designers - we should all be so fortunate!

CHA has just wrapped up and *good golly!* there is all manner of wonderful thing being released right now. Lindsey has a schwack of new Inkadinkado in stock and they are AMAZING!!! There are a few that made my jaw drop when I saw them. I'm not an advocate for conspicuous consumption of paper crafting items, but you know, sometimes the 'ol mojo needs a kick in the pants with a little new inspiration.


Here's my card for today's JBelle challenge;


I used Doodle Flowers from Inkadinkado and watercoloured the image. I paper toled the flower with 2 layers of leaves and 3 layers for the bud. For the life of me I can't remember the name of this punch, but it's MS and TOTALLY matched the designer paper. It was meant to be!

Please play along with us! When you upload to SCS, use the code JBE065 so we can find you and leave some love! Take a little time to boo through the rest of the JBelle DT to give your mojo a little boost, and enjoy your day!

stamps; doodle flowers (inkadinkado)
paper; raven, coconut swirl, flamingo (bazzill), porcelain dp (basic grey), cold press watercolour paper
ink; black soot, shabby shutters distress ink (ranger), juniper, meadow, peach belini, cranberry adirondack reinkers (ranger)
accessories; pink ribbon (american elements, clear ep (ranger), white ribbon (SU!), black ribbon (offray), dotted zig zag border punch (MS), peony dew drops (the robin's nest)

JBelle Tuesday

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!!! It's time for another Jacksonbelle product feature. This week we are featuring projects made with stamps from Inkadinkado. To celebrate this week's feature, all Inkadinkado stamps and stamp sets are on sale for 25% off. Jacksonbelle carries a huge variety of Inkadinkado wood mounted and clear stamps!


In addition to the product spotlight, it is Jacksonbelle Tuesday and there's a sketch challenge today! Please use keyword JBE063 if you upload to SCS or you can link your card to the JBelle challenge blog!

For my project, I have used an Inkadinkado set called Little Cupcake and Basic Grey Lemonade paper. I am really enjoying this paper which is both elegant and cutsie.



I paper pieced the onesie and the tiny cupcake. Now, if I only knew someone who is having a baby girl...

Grab a cuppa something lovely and take a few minutes to look at the wonderful projects for this sketch from the rest of the JBelle design team. While you are taking a peek, please make sure you check out the newest JBelle Rockstar - Trudee Sauer!!!!!

stamps; little cupcake (inkadinkado)
paper; lemonade (basic grey), coconut swirl (bazzill)
ink; black soot distress ink (ranger)
accessories; eyelet border punch (SU!), petite oval and scallop oval nesties (spellbinders), piercing template (ornare), paris dew drops (the robin's nest), pink rhinestones (heidi swapp), white satin ribbon (offray)

My Hope

John Newton was the man who penned, 'Amazing Grace'. He was a very successful slaver until his acceptance of God's gift of grace. He spent the remainder of his life in ministry, voicing to all who would listen that the grace God offers, His gift of healing and redemption is free to even one as low as himself, a merchant of humanity, a seller of souls.

This colour combination is one of my DD's favourites. I think we will be decorating her room in these classic, soothing colours later this year once we are more settled. I used the new papers from Cosmo Cricket, Everafter (something old and something true). I also used a little Christmas paper here from Cosmo Cricket's Be Good line. I love it when manufacturers keep to some of the same colours year after year. I think these papers are an investment because they have a longevity that trendy papers may lack. I know paper is consumable and meant to be used in short order, but in my world that doesn't happen. I have some older papers and I love it when I can combine them with fresh, new paper so I can be frugal and trendy. {insert happy dance}!!!

I stamped the sentiment in espresso ink, then I stamped the flourished flower in antique linen over the sentiment to give the image some depth. I took a fragment and followed TIm Holtz's instruction for this frosted glass look. Here's the summary;

1. sand the fragment vertically, then horizontally, and finally in a circular motion.
2. stamp image on sanded side of fragment using embossing ink (distress embossing ink really does smell like cinnamon!!!).
3. heat emboss image with clear embossing powder being careful to not damage the fragment with the heat gun.
4. stand back and congratulate yourself on creating this easy peasy cutie patootie thing!!!!

I used matt accents to adhere the paper to the back of the fragment. I used my paper piercing tool to apply the m.a. to the square outline of the image and pressed the fragment on the paper. This allowed the fragment design to be more visible and added a little colour to the design. Clear as mud, right?!!

Enjoy your week!!! Tune in tomorrow to the INK girls's blogs for an awesome hop showing the new Artful INKables releases!!!! Oh gosh there are some real beauties on the way, and the cards are fabulous too!!!

stamps; the cross of christ (Our Daily Bread Designs), floral flourishes, flourishes (inkadinkado)
paper; peppermint (be good by cosmo cricket), something old, something true (everafter by cosmo cricket), hazel, mud puddle, fern (bazzill), very vanilla (SU!)
ink; espresso adirondack, antique linenand ebossing distress ink (ranger)
accessories; small, large and scallop circle, small and large label, scallop rectangle nestabilities (spellbinders), freagments (tim holtz idea-ology), clear detail embossing powder (ranger), white satin ribbon (offray), doily edge punch (martha stewart)

'Cause it's Valentines!

My DH was a red head when he was younger. I look at redheads all day. For me, doing this little boy as a red-head was a no brainer! It wasn't until after this image was finished that I decided to use it for DH's valentine card. It's kinda cutesy for him, but to be honest, I was running out of time!

I coloured this image with prismacolors and sponged around the edges just a little. I hand cut around the label. I'm thinking the rest is pretty self-explanitory... Go hug and kiss your Valentine!!!

stamps; first kiss (sarah kay by stampavie), maison frames (inkadinkado), wonderful wishes (verve)
paper; sandbox, french silk, coconut swirl (bazzill), pretty in pink (SU!), bittersweet (basic grey)
ink; espresso (adirondack by ranger), whisper white craft, pretty in pink (SU!), jumbo java (chalk ink by tsukineko)
accessories; all adhesive rhinestones (heidi swapp), white emboss powder (tsukineko), bittersweet buttons, brads (basic grey), brown in stitchz (bazzill floss), prismacolors

My decent circle card!

I love circle cards. I love looking at them. I love thinking about them. I admire the cards done by those who do them well. Generally, I suck at them. Really I do. I'm not trying to self-depreciate for the sake of compliments. I'm deliberately trying to do circle cards to overcome this challenge of mine. Stampin' Up! is carrying a darn cool circle cutter and I want to master it (I haven't yet - I still get a funky join spot/jog upon completion of the circle) so I can show my hostess ladies this cool tool and teach them circle cards. I love round things - our old kitchen had round swirls embroidered on the curtains and the rods had cute swirls on the ends as well. I just have to breathe through circle cards and keep doing them.

I played it safe with this layout and kept concentric circles to achieve balance. My circle cards usually end up unbalanced and just weird. I want to add non round elements later and experiment with less symmetrical layouts.
Here are the instructions for this center from Tim Holtz. He did a series of tags for the 12 Days of Christmas, and this particular thing he did with Fragments really struck me. That man is brilliant - really he is.

Okay, I'm off to do toady's challenge on SCS - jazz up patterned paper... Hmmm - which to pick from the 3 foot stack?...

stamps; filagree fantasy (verve), thank-you (inkadinkado)
paper; salt (bazzill), baja breeze, soft sky (SU!), offbeat 6x6 pad (basic grey)
ink; baja breeze, not quite navy (SU!), distress ink embossing ink (Ranger - it does smell like cinnamon!!! I'm in love!)
accessories; fragments, long fasteners (tim holtz), large scallop circle die (Sizzix), white satin ribbon (offray), clear ep, diamond stickles (ranger), white gel pen (sakura), blue adhesive rhinestone (kaiser)