Believe...CR84FN56 Week 2 47

Hello there! Happy Father's Day to all the Father out there! We will be treating Scott Xtra special today! ;) I'm back with another project using for the second week of the CR84FN56 Color Challenge! 

I created a layout featuring a photo of sweet Meredith. I challenged myself to learn something new ~ notice the ribbon laced detail? I learned how to do that from Natasha's tutorial. I just love the fancy feminine touch that it adds.

All the flowers on this layout are handmade using Spellbinders Rose Creations and Bitty Blossoms dies.

 I dabbed some white acrylic paint on the flowers to add a bit of interest.

For sketch inspiration, I played along with the Donna Salazar, June Girlie Grunge challenge:

Thanks so much for visiting! Please be sure to visit the CR84FN site for complete information and the entire CR84FN DT for some amazing inspiration: Suzanne Czosek, Lisa Somerville, Heather Jensen, Sue Lelli, Andrea Mathews, Pauline Pollington, Shannon White, and Deborah Frings. Be Sweet :)

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Waltzingmouse Stamps May Release Blog Waltz 77

***I have two posts today ~ if you are looking for my Flourishes Timeless Tuesday post, please click HERE of continue to scroll down. Thank you :)

Welcome to the Waltzingmouse Stamps May Release waltz! Many thanks for the sweet comments over the past 3 days :) Today,  all three of the following sets: Half Pint Heroines, Compact Family and Compact Sentiments part 2 are now available for purchase in the Waltzingmouse Stamps on line store. You should have arrived from Belinda's blog, if not you can head on over to Claire's blog where the celebration began and for complete details.

Today I am sharing a layout featuring my dear husband Scott in a photo that was taken while we were vacationing in Athens, Greece :) 

I combined sentiments from Compact Sentiments part 2 and Half Pint Heroines with ALL homemade flowers using Spellbinders Bitty Blossoms and Rose Creations dies. Both stamp sets are packed with versatile images and sentiments!

For sketch inspiration, I played along with Creative Scrappers:

Thanks so much for visiting! To continue with the waltz, please be sure to visit Claire's blog. Be Sweet :)


Other supplies not mentioned
Dies: Spellbinders Sprightly Sprockets, Wonderful Wings, Classic Edges Two, Sizzix flourish die, Sizzix Vagabond machine
Patterned Paper: Donna Salazar Botanique
Other: Canvas, too many inks and paints to list, Tim Holtz Grunge board and Glassine Kraft paper

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Waltzingmouse Stamps May Previews Day 1 50

Hello there! Lots going on today ~ not only is it National Scrapbooking Day but it Day 1 of the Waltzingmouse Stamps May Previews! Over the next 4 days, Claire, many of the WMDT members and myself will be sharing some inspiring samples featuring the new THREE stamp sets that will be for sale beginning Tuesday, May 8th in the Waltzingmouse Stamps store.

WARNING: this post contains LOTS of photos!!!

Today we are previewing: Half Pink Heroines ~ another Waltzingmouse stamp set that is FULL of so many versatile images and sentiments. First up, I have a layout to share featuring a photo of my sweet step daughter, Meredith.

Rather than journaling on my layout, (something I would not rather do), I inked up and stamped FIVE of the sweet girly sentiments:

I've been enjoying making lots of my own flowers lately using Spellbinders Rose Creations and Bitty Blossoms dies along with some foliage that was made using Tim Holtz Grunge board. If you are curious to know how I made those pretty raspberry and pink blooms, click HERE for the tutorial.

Next up is a She Art style mini book that I made for Meredith featuring Meredith ;) What teenager doesn't like a book dedicated to them about them?! :) 


***NOTE: This mini book was made using LOTS of Waltzingmouse Stamps ALL listed below along with patterned paper from the Pink Paislee She Art collection.

So the story begins:

Before I started inking and painting this book, I rummaged through my Waltzingmouse Stamps, in search of all sets that had small bits and pieces to be used in lieu of rub ons ~ I was in stamp HEAVEN!!! 

For layout sketch inspiration, I played along with the current Girlie Grunge challenge:

Thanks so much for visiting! I hope you enjoyed my projects as much as I enjoyed creating them! For some awesome inspiration, please be sure to visit Claire Brennan - Owner and the following DT members:
Anya Schrier, Beeca Feeken, Belinda Chang Langner, Clare Buswell, Julia Aston, Jennifer Holmes, Kelly Schirmer, Laurie Schmidlin, Lynn Mercurio, Mona Pendleton (that's me), Sandie Dunne, Tosha Leyendekker


Stamps used: Waltzingmouse Chicken Wire, Dainty Doilies - Large set, Faux Fun, Musical Backgrounds, Pic-Nic Patterns, Dainty Doilies 2 Small, Off Beat Backgrounds, Teeny Trees, Seasonal Remedies


Hope to see you tomorrow for Day 2 previews along with CR84FN53. Be Sweet :)

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My Daughter 90

Hi there! Hard to believe we're half way to the weekend ~ yahoo! I've been a little busy working on projects for the May Waltzingmouse Stamps release that will begin this Saturday, May 5th. It's been awhile since Claire has released new stamps sets but I've been lovin' the ones I already have. I think Claire's images are  unique, timeless and versatile.


I scrapped one of my favorite photos of my dear daughter, Angie and I that was taken nearly 10 years ago using a hodgepodge of products from various companies. Oh how time flies...sigh...

While I was out for some retail therapy, I came across a great sale  on manufactured flowers ~ they were 50% off! Needless to say, I picked up a few packages. However, I made all the pink blooms on this layout using my neglected Tim Holtz Glassine Kraft paper, Spellbinders Rose Creations dies and some ink. The rest are the manufactured ones I previously mentioned.

Rather than journaling, I stamped a sentiment from Waltzingmouse Roses in Bloom, cut using a Spellbinders Circle SM die, layered and stitched on top of a Lacey Circle die cut then adhered it to a Want2Scrap Nestaboard Heart Circle. Many thanks to Donna Salazar for the pretty Want2Scrap Dress Form and pearls used on this layout. Back in March, I was the featured artist on the Donna Salazar Designs Girlie Grunge site and as a prize, I received those items. 

In case you were curious to know how I made the pink blossoms, I took a few step shots. First, I crinkled up a sheet of Tim Holtz Glassine Kraft paper, cut using Spellbinders Rose Creations dies:

Then I painted using various inks:

I adhered the layers together with a little dab of glue, then finished off with a brad. SUPER easy! :)

For sketch inspiration, I played along with the May Once Upon A Time Sketch Challenge which also has a "Mum" theme.

Thanks so very much for looking! Be Sweet :)

Other supplies used not mentioned:
Dies: Spellbinders Nested Pennants, Fancy Tags One, PTI foliage and Parisian Lace Doily, Grand Calibur
Patterned Paper: Donna Salazar Botanique, Antiquities

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Friendships...CR84FN52#2 45

Hi there! Welcome to the second week of the CR84FN52 Color Challenge! Thanks to all who have entered thus far - so many pretty projects to admire :) You still have a week to play! 

I pulled out one of my favorite MFT stamp sets: Sew Nifty and Donna Salazar's pretty Botanique DP and here is what I came up with:

 I love MFT Sew Nifty Stamp set because it is full of a combination of pretty images and sentiments. I inked up the beautiful sewing machine image and paired it with a sweet sentiment:

 For sketch inspiration, I played along with the current My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge:

Thanks so much for visiting! Please be sure to visit the CR84FN site for COMPLETE information and the entire CR84FN DT for some AMAZING inspiration: Suzanne Czosek, Deborah Frings, Heather Jensen, Sue Lelli, Andrea Mathews, Pauline Pollington,  Lisa Somerville and Shannon White. Be Sweet :)

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Create...CR84FN52 44

***I have TWO posts today. If you are looking for my Nina B Designs Blog Hop post, please click HERE or continue to scroll down. Thanks in advance :)***

Hi there!  Hope you are all having a terrific weekend! I'm here today with an all new CR84FN Color Challenge! Thanks to all who joined along with CR84FN51 and many thanks to all who leave such kind and encouraging comments :) For the next two weeks we will be playing with the pretty color combination shown below chosen by CR84FN DT member Heather.

I created a page in my art journal featuring a lady inspired by the super talented Julie Nutting, Author of Collage Couture.

I used pretty patterned paper from various Melissa Frances collections: C'est La Vie, Attic Treasures and 5th Avenue to create the dress and the torn strips in the background. The bird was made using a die cut from the Spellbinders Mix'd Media Elements and the sentiment is from the Donna Salazar Banners and Words stamp set.

I attended the Creating Keepsakes Convention this weekend and I had the pleasure of meeting Melissa Frances and her husband :) Here is a photo of Melissa and I:

I took two awesome classes that were taught by Melissa. In one class we made this sweet little tower of stacked boxes:

 and in the other class, we decorated the cover and back of this fun mini calendar book:

Thanks so much for visiting! Please be sure to visit the CR84FN site for COMPLETE information and the entire CR84FN DT for some AMAZING inspiration: Suzanne Czosek, Deborah Frings, Heather Jensen, Sue Lelli, Andrea Mathews, Pauline Pollington,  Lisa Somerville and Shannon White. Be Sweet :)

Supplies Used:
Stamps: Donna Salazar Banners and Words
Patterned Paper: Melissa Frances  C'est La Vie, Attic Treasures, 5th Avenue
Die Templates: Spellbinders Bird Sanctuary, Grand Calibur

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Out for a stroll...CR84FN51 43

Happy Easter to all who celebrate! Welcome to the second week of CR84FN51! So many pretty entries, looking forward to seeing more! For the next week, we will continue to play with the pretty pastel colors shown below:

 I made another layout this time featuring a photo of my sweeties, Gretchen and Griffin, and I that was taken while we were out for a stroll :) My little four legged furry friends can't make the 5 mile walk that I take with their stubby little legs so they take breaks and ride in their buggy. I wish I could capture the look on people's faces when they look in the stroller expecting to see a baby and up pops two white furry heads! :) LMBO

I made some more flowers, this time I used canvas and denim. I was so inspired by the gorgeous misted canvas flowers that Natasha Naranjo Aguirre created, I had to give them a try. The canvas flower was made using the Spellbinders Rose Creations dies that cut that fabric like butter and the canvas ones were made using the Sizzix Tim Holtz flower die. My little dogs make my life big :) I am entering this layout in the Girlie Grunge April Challenge which is to create a layout or project about yourself! Well, Gretchen and Griffin are my babes ~ my coworkers tease my husband and tell him they would like to come back in their second life and become one my dogs :) LOL

This was my first layout made incorporating a piece of sewn on painting canvas that was first painted and inked up. I was really pleased with the outcome and will certainly be doing this more often. I wasn't thrilled with the way the butterfly looked when stamped on the canvas so I stamped it on a sheet of patterned paper then cut it out and it stitched it in place. The pretty pearl butterfly detail are from Want2Scrap and were gifted to me from the sweet Donna Salazar along with some other goodies all for being the Girlie Grunge March Featured Designer! Thank you Donna :) If you would like to join along, click HERE there is a monthly challenge and you are always welcome to upload your projects to the Girlie Grunge gallery! 

For sketch inspiration, I played along with the current sketchabilities challenge:

Last week, I FINALLY had the chance to meet IRL my sweet blog friend and CR84FN DT-mate Sue Lelli! Sue was in Phoenix on vacation/business with her dear husband so we met one day for lunch and one evening for dinner, laughing for hours! :)

Sue Lelli on the right, me on the left 

Thanks so much for visiting! Please be sure to visit the CR84FN site for COMPLETE information and the entire CR84FN DT for some AMAZING inspiration: Suzanne Czosek, Deborah Frings, Heather Jensen, Sue Lelli, Andrea Mathews, Pauline Pollington,  Lisa Somerville and Shannon White. 

Supplies Used not mentioned:
Stamps: Stampers Anonymous
Patterned Paper: Donna Salazar Botanique
Dies: Spellbinders Classic Petal, Creative Book Pages, Grand Calibur, PTI foliage die
Other: Sizzix embossing folder, Crafter's Workshop stencils, Liquitex paint

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