CCEE2120 -- International Tiara Day

Liz continues as hostess for the CCEE Stampers by telling us that today is International Tiara Day and also the birthday of Queen Victoria.  So she asked us to get out our crowns and gemstones and see what kind of creation we can create.  It might be a card for your most favorite little princess in your life; maybe you would like to create a crown for someone you have had regard for; or maybe you love the look of Victorian styled art and decor.  We could go wherever our imagination leads us.

I actually made this card for my daughter-in-law for Mother's Day.  The stamp is an old one I found in my stash, but the background was made with a new (to me) stencil set from Taylored Expressions.  There are three different stencils in the set to create that Bokeh background.  The sentiment is a die-cut from Karen Burniston.

Check out the CCEE Stampers blog for some more bling!

CCEE2104 - Warm and Cozy

 Lynn finishes up her month as hostess for the CCEE Stampers with a good challenge.  She said:  Many of us are experiencing very cold days during late January.  Feature on your design something that makes you feel warm and cozy even on the coldest of winter days.  It doesn't get quite as cold in Florida as it does in some parts of the country, but we do get some cold days.  The design on the front of my card was made with stencils (STAMPlorations and Honey Bee Stamps), and the fireplace on the inside is from Honey Bee Stamps as well.  It pops up using a Mini Pop-Up die from Karen Burniston.

A nice fire in the fireplace always makes me feel warm and cozy.  Visit the CCEE Stampers blog to see what warms up the rest of the team.

CCEE2016 - Stencils

Frances continues as hostess for the CCEE Stampers this week.  She reminded us that there are so many fun stencils out there these days to help decorate our cards.  She asked us to create a card that uses at least one stencil, either for a background or a focal image.

I don't have a whole lot of stencils, but one that I really like is this fun bubble one from Kindred Stamps.  It makes a great background for these cute Hero Arts goldfish.

Be sure to check out the CCEE Stampers blog to see some more stenciling.

CCEE1929 - Stencils

Vicky's challenge this week for the CCEE Stampers goes like this -- "If you're like me, you have lots of stencils.  I have a drawer full that I never think of.  Get one of those out that you haven't used (or haven't used in ages) and put it to good use."  I love this challenge.  I was recently at the Stamp and Scrapbook Expo and saw a card in the Rubbernecker booth that I loved.  It used a Rubbernecker stamp/die set, another die, and a stencil.  Fortunately, I had the Rubbernecker stamp/die set but neither the other die nor the stencil used on the card.  I finally located the die on-line, but it was no longer available; and I never could find the stencil.  But I had a Memory Box die that I thought could work, and I had just ordered a stencil from Kindred Stamps that I knew would work.  So, as soon as the stencil arrived in my mail, I made this card.  I love it!!!

I'm anxious to see what the rest of the team has created; and, if you'd like to see them too, stop over at the CCEE Stampers blog and take a look.

Kindred Stamps New Release - Science Geeks

As a big fan of the TV series that influenced this brand-new stamp set from Kindred Stamps, I was so happy to be able to create some cards for Release Week!  Science Geeks has my kind of nerdy characters.  I have three cards to share with you today.

My first is an Explosion card.  How appropriate is this type of card for a sentiment that says "I hope your birthday goes off with a bang!"  The front looks pretty normal, but . . . 

. . . when you open the card, you get the explosion!  BANG!

My second card is dedicated to the astrophysicist in the group of friends.  The designer paper I used for this card is associated with another Kindred Stamps product -- the Space Heroes box, but it worked perfectly for this card!

For my third card, I used another brand-new toy in my arsenal -- a door die from Lawn Fawn.  I used the Kindred Stamps Brick Stencil for the wall.   This card was inspired by one of the many idiosyncrasies of this fandom.

I must admit I had lots of fun with this set, and you will probably see many more creations from me using it in the future.

The entire Kindred Stamps January release will be available Friday, January 25th at 8am PST/11am EST.  Be sure to check out the Kindred Stamps blog on Friday for the full product release as well as the complete line up of all the Kindred Stamps Design Team projects from release week!  If you visit and comment on all of the designers' blogs this week, you could win $15 in Kindred Stamps shop credit!  So join the Fan Club and release event, show the design team some love, and get ready to empty those wallets this Friday!

CCEE1748 - Celebrate Babies or Weddings

For her last CCEE Stampers challenge this month, Joanne asks us to make either a baby card OR a wedding card.  We can choose.  I used the Watercolor Imprints technique for the background of my wedding card.

To make this card, I swiped some Ranger Distress ink (in this case, Worn Lipstick and Squeezed Lemonade) across a piece of watercolor paper.  After spritzing it with water, I laid down a doily stencil over the inked watercolor paper -- weighing down the edges so that it doesn't move.  When the ink dried, When you lift off the stencil, the design will appear on the watercolor paper.  Then it was just a matter of stamping the sentiment with Versafine black ink and adhering the CottageCutz die-cut silhouette.  I was really happy with the way this card turned out because watercoloring is not my forte, and I don't use watercolor techniques often.

Stop over at the CCEE Stampers blog to see some more baby and/or wedding cards.

CCEE1744 - Simple Thanks

Joanne starts her month as hostess for the CCEE Stampers by trying to keep it simple.  The holidays are coming, and times will be busy.  This will be a month of celebrations, so this week she asked us to make a Thanksgiving card or a card of thanks.  I stenciled the burlap panel down the side and added some CottageCutz die cuts to make my card.

See how the rest of the team handled this challenge by stopping over at the CCEE Stampers blog.

CCEE1515 - Stencils

Frances asked the CCEE Stampers to use a stencil on our cards this week.  I love creating backgrounds with stencils, so I really enjoyed this challenge.  I made a sort of rainbow behind my tag.

There are a lot of stencils out there.  Check out the CCEE Stampers blog to see what stencils the rest of the team used on their cards.

CCEE1512 - Weather

In honor of March winds, Anne challenged the CCEE Stampers to make a card with the theme of Weather.  I recently purchased a stencil with rain clouds and decided they would be perfect for this challenge.  I took some embossing paste and mixed in one drop of black re-inker to get the dark gray color.

If you'd like to see the weather forecast from the rest of the team, please visit the CCEE Stampers blog.

Stamps:  My Favorite Things - Rain or Shine
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper:  Recollections Heavyweight White, MFP Stamp Shop Deep Scarlet
Accessories:  Stencil, Embossing Paste, Ranger Black Soot re-inker

MFP Blog Hop Day 1 - Hot Air Balloon

Welcome to the Marks Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company

September Blog Hop! 

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

 Featured Sept.23
Hot Air Balloon 

Featured Sept. 24

Witchie

 Featured Sept. 25

Chrysanthemum

Featured Sept. 26

Nutcrackers

Please hop along with us! You have a chance to win one of the above stamp sets! Just comment on today's participating blogs (don't forget this one), each day for more chances to win! (You do NOT have to comment on all the blogs each day! The names are drawn randomly!) All six winners will be announced on 

Sept. 27, 2014 on the Mark's Finest Papers blog. You can go back and comment if you missed a day. (HINT: The more you comment, the more chances you have to win; and comments on the MFP blog count twice!) 
The deadline for 

commenting is 10 PM EST on Friday,  September 26, 2014.

How old are you?  Do you remember The Fifth Dimension?  When I first saw today's stamp set, Hot Air Balloon, I immediately thought of The Fifth Dimension and their 1967 hit, Up Up and Away.  Here's a little refresher if you'd like.  Don't laugh at the clothes -- remember, it was the 60's!  I got rid of all my old LPs a long time ago, but I found a photo on-line.  I noticed on their website that they are still doing concerts.

Riding in a hot air balloon was on my bucket list.  And I'm happy to say that I have crossed it off.  For my 50th birthday, my husband arranged for me to go up in one.  HE didn't want to go up, but the dear man bought me a ride!  Actually, my neighbor (whose wife didn't want to do it) and I took an hour's ride over Central Florida, landing on the golf course at Walt Disney World!

My sister and her husband travel in their RV every summer.  Last summer they were in New Mexico during the annual Hot Air Balloon Festival.  Here is a photo she sent to me.   She said it was 5:30 in the morning!

And she sent me an ornament that she purchased.  I tried to use similar colors on my Top Note Box (directions for box were on a CD I purchased from Technique Junkies Newsletter).

Here's the inside of the box -- there are two compartments.

As you can see, I had fun with this set; and I'm sure the rest of the team did, too.  Be sure to check out all the cards/projects they've created.  And comment often so you have a chance to win one of this month's stamp sets!

Here's the Design Team for today:

Lois (that's me)

Kelli Jo

Karen 

 Kathy

Toni

Janine

Shirley Q

Vickie
Sandy

Marks Finest Papers, a Heinrich Co.

Come on back tomorrow for more creativity.

Card

Stamps:  Mark's Finest Papers - Hot Air Balloon

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Ranger Distress Tumbled Glass

Paper:  Mark's Finest Papers - Premium Heavyweight White

Accessories:  Heidi Swapp stencil, Copic markers

Box

Stamps:  Mark's Finest Papers - Hot Air Balloon

Ink:  Memento Nautical Blue

Paper:  Mark's Finest Papers - Deep Scarlet, Snow Storm Smooth; Stampin' Up Not Quite Navy; K & Company Americana DP

Accessories:  Top Note die, Copic markers, Corner rounder

Tutorial Time - Stencils and Colored Pencils

The Tutorial Time challenge on Speedy TV today is Stenciling with Colored Pencils.  I have used stencils before -- but usually with distress ink and sponges, never with colored pencils.  Barbie Dobson wrote our tutorial for today.  I used a Tim Holtz stencil and a sentiment from MFP Out of Time mini set for my card.

Check out the Challenge post on Speedy TV and see how the rest of the team handled this challenge.  If you'd like to play along with us, you might win a free stamp set.