Baby Blog Hop for Jinny!

Saturday! Hooray! I am happy to get my craft on this weekend but I also have big plans to walk and to purge my craftroom and closet! I have been meaning to purge all week but the days are just not long enough and my weekly walk is cutting into my purging plans. I am, however, purging pounds and have now lost 11lbs! Woot! 

Today I am thrilled to be a part of a special blog hop for Jinny! She has just had a baby boy and so the Paper Sweeties gals are throwing her a special baby hop! 

Come and follow the hop to see what the other designers made for Jinny!

Annette Witherspoon

Char Cundy

Debbie Marcinkiewicz

Lesley Croghan <<< you are here!

Lisa Elton

Maria Patrick

Michelle Bala

Nancy Penir

Congratulations, Jinny! I am so happy for you and your family! Wishing you all the best! Did you know that the Shabby Tearoom has a baby challenge on right now! Go play along! I am also submitting this to the Curtain Call Challenge: Cozy Quilt! I was inspired by the patterns; hence my paper and doily on the card and don't forget that warm, fuzzy felt flower. I am also playing with the great sketch at Clean & Simple Sketches. I LOVED the sketch and decided to flip it and use a circular image. 

 

CAS-ual Fridays {Thanks So Much}

The CAS-ual Fridays Challenge is to create a clean and simple card using Aqua, Orange and Green. At first I was stumped!! But then I thought about that adorable set from CAS-ual Fridays called "Wonderful Words" and the daisy image in it. I have actually made three different cards with this set in the last week and a half. I love it!

This is just a quick post tonight as I should be in bed...sleeping! LOL! I stamped the images in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and coloured the flowers with my Copics. Then I cut a small strip of orange paper and affixed it to one side. I added some gemstones here and there...and in real life they shine! 

Sweet Stamp Shop Designer and first Design Team Reveal!!!

If you are looking for the Whimsy and Stars Blog Hop...please CLICK HERE.

Such exciting news to share!! I am on the Sweet Stamp Shop design team and this week we have a brand new stamp release to share with you!!! Sweet Stamp Shop owner, Nicole Rixon, has created 3 new stamp sets for June and YOU WILL LOVE THEM!! 

Before I share my projects, I wanted to let you know that:

Today and tomorrow ONLY enjoy 20% off the new releases - use coupon code NR20.

Wheely Like You


Spin


Admit One

There are three sets to be released today, and I am featuring TWO of them called Wheely Like You and Spin. 

My first card features the Spin stamp set! I just adored the fun sentiments and decided to create a card which featured some of them. The fan was stamped in the side of the panel, and coloured with Copics. Wouldn't this be a SWEET congratulations card!

I am entering this card into the following challenge:

Created With Love - W, 3E, C10 - Your Favorite Things (Washi Tape, Pearls, Fun Papers)

My second card for the day, I featured the fun Wheely Like You set!! There are so many neat elements to this set and I knew right away, I wanted to create a card with some whimsy...hence my pattern paper choice!! I was also inspired to create something summery. I added some peach coloured baker's twine and I used some black grosgrain for the "flags". Adding twine is a fun way to add a little "fun" to your card! My sketch came from the Clean and Simple Challenge blog.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Clean and Simple Sketch

Ribbon Carousel-Fun in the Sun

Artistic Inspirations - W, E3 - Ribbon or Twine

The design team:

Nicole Rixon

Jessica Kephart

Kristen Foreman

Tracy Gruber

Danielle Pandeline

Jennifer Stricker

Lesley Croghan

Jessica Pascarella

Michele Duffy

Dannielle Robeson

Tenia Nelson

The amazing design team has created such vast and inspiring projects to share with all of you!!! It is wonderful to see all the different styles represented!  Be sure to visit our Sweet Stamp Shop blog to see all of the awesome RELEASE DAY samples, shared by the team!!!

And don't forget!

Today and tomorrow ONLY enjoy 20% off the new releases - use coupon code NR20.

Sweet Stamp Shop Blog

Gallery Idol Round 3 {Masked Roses}

Hello and welcome! I am absolutely thrilled and honored to be in Round 3 for Gallery Idol! Thank you to everyone who voted in Round 2 and for all of your comments and support! They mean a lot to me!

This round, our challenge is to make your own stamped background. I decided to create a background using the "Masking" Technique. 

Here are the "masks" I made and used to create my card.

To do the masking technique:

1. I used Post it Notes. (they are good for sticking)
2. Stamp the rose image onto the post it note and fussy cut them out.
3. I used 2 different roses-but created 3 rose "masks".
4. Then I stamped one rose image on my white cardstock background.
5. Then, using the post it note mask, I covered that stamped rose on the white paper and then stamped another rose over top of it. So it looked like the roses were in a bunch.
6. I actually masked 2 flowers at once, when adding the leaves to the background.

I decided to use a pretty Rose stamp set made by Flourishes and used a sentiment from a Simon Says Stamp set. My roses are coloured with Copic Markers and I used Memento Black Ink to stamp the roses and the sentiment. I then punched out a butterfly in Daffodil Delight cardstock and another butterfly in vellum, so soften it. To tie in the black accents, I added three small black pearls.

I hope you like my Round 3 Card for Gallery Idol. 

If you would like to vote for my card or for any of the participant's cards, 

please CLICK HERE to vote!!!

Thank you for your support and love!!! 

{Supplies Used}

Stamps: Simon Says Stamp and Flourishes

Inks: Memento Tuexedo Black Ink, Copic Markers

Papers: Daffodil Delight (SU!), Black, White (Flourishes), Vellum

Extras: Butterfly Punch (SU!), Black Pearls

Lawn Fawn {Texture} and CTD233 {Inspire}

Created for the Lawn Fawn Challenge "Texture" and the Color Throwdown. I did some OMBRE colouring on my flower. I wanted to keep my card clean and simple. I added texture with a honeycomb embossing folder. 

{Supplies Used}

Stamps: Lawn Fawn "Flutter By"

Inks: Memento Black and Copics

Papers: Peach Parfait (out of Pumpkin Pie), Crumb Cake, White

Extras: Pearls, Honeycomb Embossing Folder, Dimensionals, Circle Punch, Big Shot

Seize the Birthday #9 {Wishing You All Kinds of Happiness}

Thursday is here which means another sketch over at Seize the Birthday! Today we are welcoming the fun-loving and talented Dawn Easton to our team. Welcome Dawn! My sketch this week is clean and simple and is open to lots of layers or not. I hope it inspires you to get a feminine birthday card completed for your stash!!

I decided to ink up this week set from "There She Goes" stamps, it was fun to colour.  I kept my card fairly simple with no designer paper or doo-dads...just wanted to focus on the image and sentiment.

I am linking up this card for the following challenges:

Addicted to Stamps and More - Clean and Simple

Crafting for all Seasons - #47 Spring

TAWS Inspiration Challenge {Missing You...from all of US}

This is not a usual style of card for me but hey, I am trying to do some new things with stamping!!! I decided to make a one layer card and I was inspired by the colours at the current TAWS Inspiration Challenge...just look at that chair!!! Funky or what!!! I wish I had a floral set from TAWS but I don't (YET!!!)...hehehe...so I looked at the set called "The Gang" and went to work!

My card has some scored lines on it, from my scor pal! And I added three jewels in the same colours as my bowls. I thought this might be a sweet "missing you" card! I love the bowls...so cute!!! I made this card in less than 10 minutes!!! EEEK!!! I think I love this whole clean and simple thing!!!

Supplies Used:

Stamps: The Gang by The Alley Way Stamps

Inks: Memento Ink, Copics

Paper: Flourishes Whire CS

Extras: Gemstones, Clear Blocks, Corner Chomper

Cardabilities #57- {Season's Greetings}

This week at Cardabilities, Karan has created a fascinating sketch, one that I love! I was going to add some apples and do a teacher thank you but in the end, snowflakes won out as I wanted to use some of the new In Colours "Gumball Green" and "Raspberry Ripple". My card is very simple...I used the cute snowflake from the "Jolly Bingo Bits" stamp set. I think you could use any of those teeny stamps for this sketch! 

I hope you get the chance to join us at Cardabilities this week!

Dynamic Duos #5-{The Sky's the Limit}

Saturday is here and that means a brand new challenge at Dynamic Duos! This week our colours are happy and vibrant! We are in the first week of the month and so that means bold and sassy!

I decided to create something clean and pretty simple, using my colours for the Hot Air Balloon set called "Up and Away"!  I also used some In Colour designer paper in Island Indigo and my circle punches for the sentiment.

I hope you have the chance to join us this week at Dynamic Duos ! The design team has really created some gorgeous projects! I was blown away by their efforts! Hard to believe that we are already one month into our challenge! WOW!

Allisa Chilton

Anne Marie Hile

Anika Lerche

Bronwyn Eastley

Kim Singdahlsen

Lesley Croghan

Lisa Elton

Melissa Chipperfield

Paige Grabau

Sue Joyce

Clean and Simple Challenge CAS143 at Splitcoast Stampers

The Clean and Simple Team at Splitcoast Stampers has a great sketch challenge for today. I decided to use my Stampendous Agapanthus Stamp (one of my favs) and inked it up in Memento Ink, colouring it with Copics.

The card base is Naturals Ivory and then the White Cardstock is matted with black cardstock. The script is from Hero Arts and is stamped in Going Gray (stamping off three times)  Can you see the twine on the side with the little bow? 

Off to bed!  Have a great week!

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Clean and Simple #142 , My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge #43 and There She Goes #128

Happy Sunday stamping friends. Another week is about to begin and a busy one at that with Halloween. It will be a fun day at school, I know all my little ghosts and goblins will be looking forward to our day and our Halloween party in the afternoon!  Tonight I wanted to play along with the Clean and Simple Challenge over at Splitcoast Stampers. I loved the idea of using the colours Red, Chocolate and Ivory! So I inked up my Stampendous stamp called Agapanthus Cluster and coloured it with my copic markers. 

I found the Wednesday Sketch Challenge over at My Favorite Things and decided to try to make it clean and simple with the colours Ivory, Chocolate and Red.  You'll notice that I tied a bow with my natural linen thread and that respresents the circle in the sketch. I tried to add a butterfly but it just didn't look right to me on the card!  I went for a natural look to this card with the thread and the feel so my card would qualify for the There She Goes Challenge to be Au Natural. 

Thanks for stopping by!!!  I am so happy you did! If you have a moment, please leave me a comment and let me know what you think of my card! This was a different style of card for me to make but I wanted to try something different. All this week I have been trying new styles, exploring the wonderful world of creativity!!  Oh how I love to craft!

Supplies Used:

Stamps: Agapanthus Cluster Stampendous, AMUSE Sentiment

Inks: Copics, Memento Ink in Rich Cocoa

Papers: Natural Ivory (SU), Very Vanilla (SU), Basic Grey DSP

Extras: Linen Thread SU, Scallop Edge Border Punch (SU), Crimper

Shabby Tea Room Challenge #85 {Happy Halloween}

All week I have been trying to get this card together for the Shabby Tea Room Challenge. I have never played their challenge before and I was excited to play along!!  This week they are asking for a Halloween Themed card with the colours Orange, Purple and Black as well as some twine.  So I went to work, using another free digi from Torico. I just love her sweetly drawn images!  Here is the inspiration photo from the Shabby Tea Room:

• I printed out the digi from Torico on my printer and cut it out with a circle nestabilities.
• I coloured the image with my Copics. 
• The cardstock I used is Crumb Cake paper and I inked up my En Francais background stamp, I thought it looked like a "spell". 
• The DSP is some from my stash and I mimicked the scalloped around my main image at the bottom of the card with the Scallop Edge Border Punch. 
• I also added a pearl to each loop. 
• I finished it off with a sweet orange rose and some twine, wanted it to look spider webish and a simple sentiment at the bottom of the card!

Thanks for stopping by!!!  I sure hope you enjoyed my card today!  Be sure to check out the Shabby Tea Room to see what the DT created and all the other cards linked there. Such amazing inspiration!!  Please leave me a comment, I love reading them! I am also offering some blog candy, and you can find that post by clicking HERE.

SUO Challenge and Mojo

The Stampin' Up Only Challenge is asking us to use sets that are retired. When I thought back on my favourite set, that was retired, I immediately thought of "God's Beauty".

I also tried to use the Mojo Sketch for this challenge!!  I need to stress the word "tried" but I decided to upload my card to the Mojo Challenge...I was so inspired by the sketch, it got my creative juices going!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Click here to shop 24/7!

All supplies are Stampin' Up (unless noted):
Stamps: God's Beauty, Afterthoughts (Hostess Set)
Inks: Cherry Cobbler, Basic Black
Paper: River Rock, Christmas DSP, Basic Black
Tools: Ribbon Border Punch, Gold Shimmer Brad, Circle Scissors PLus, Circles #2 Die, Big Shot, Pearls, Dimensionals

Pals Paper Arts Colour Challenge and Stamping 411 Sketch

Thank you to all my blogging friends who have left messages and emails for me regarding my pup Cyrus.  He is calmer tonight, we hope he will sleep more soundly.  I really appreciate your thoughts and kindness.  Tonight I had the chance to stamp (my husband was watching football, hanging out with Cyrus) and I decided to try the Stamping 411 Sketch with the Pals Paper Arts Colour Challenge which is to use Poppy Parade, Daffodil Delight and Basic Grey.  These colours are so pretty together and look pretty sharp with Whisper White. 

The 411 sketch is great and I decided to pull out Vintage Vogue because of the flowers in that set, I wanted them to overhang the rectangle like in the original sketch design found HERE.

This was my first creation:

I wanted to create my card with a Clean and Simple look.  I used Whisper White as my card base and added some major bling to my flowers with SU! gemstones (I love these things!!).  After I created this card I decided to go back to the drawing board and start again because I realized that I was a little off from the sketch at Stamping 411.

With more layers and some designer paper, I stepped up this card with some depth and weight.  I am really happy with both cards.  The designer paper is from the Level One Hostess Pack in the Big SU! Catalogue.

So what do you think?  Which style appeals to you?  Please let me know if you have any questions about what I used on my card or how I made my cards by emailing me.  My email address is located in my profile.  Please leave me a comment to let me know which "look" you like the best!  I really enjoy hearing from you!

Thanks for stopping by!

Smiles,

Pals Paper Arts Sketch Challenge #61

I finally got the chance to stamp today with my good friend Glenda.  We have not stamped together forever and it was nice to sit and chat and share all the tips and things we have found on the internet and from other stampers.

I wanted to use the Bells and Boughs set today.  It was the first thing I ordered for Christmas and I LOVE the way it stamps, it has a lot of fine detail and those are the kind of stamps I love.  Today I used the Pals Paper Arts Sketch and stamped the Holly Stamp from the Bells and Boughs set onto Very Vanilla Paper.  I inked it up in Early Espresso and coloured it with my Old Olive and Real Red Markers.  The card base is Cherry Cobbler.  This sketch is perfect for mass producing a Christmas Card and I think I will use this sketch again!!  I sponged all the edges in Espresso.  The Ribbon is from the Holiday Mini and it called "Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding".  I LOVE the way it ties!!!

Here is the sketch...

And here is my card...

The best thing about Stampin' Up is that everything matches...so I used the beautiful new designer paper in the Holiday Mini called Deck the Halls.  The Bells and Boughs stamp set matches the images in the Designer Paper perfectly.

Thank you for stopping by!

Smiles,

Lesley