SugarPea Designs Theme Challenge & Retro Sketches

Hooray! Wednesday already and I am happy because I have two holiday cards to share!!! Both were created for the current Retro Sketch and the new THEME challenge over at SugarPea Designs! I loved the simplicity of the sketch and I just had to play along! The sketch is based on one of Tracey McNeely's cards! Needless to say, I had to play along to support my pal!

I used three new stamp sets from SugarPea Designs! 

Lost Without You

Frosty Friends 

Sweet Treats

Keeping my design simple, I inked up the snowflake from Sweet Treats and I stamped it along the side of my card. Then I stamped the sentiment from Frosty Friends onto it in black ink. This card was quick and simple to make...

My second card is a stepped up version of the first card. Basically, I added another large 5x5" card base to make the card a little more "stately". I got out the stickles for the red berries...wow, have not used those in a long while! It was fun!

Don’t forget…if the winner (chosen at random) card or project features a SugarPea Designs stamp set, we will increase their prize to $15!!

SugarPea Designs Stamp Release Day 5 {Let's Fiesta!}

My goodness, you are in for a treat! This stamp set is hilarious and I LOVED inking up this fella! There is a donkey in the set and some other fun "extras" but the best part is the sentiments...I could not resist using this sentiment...hehehe...

I used some bright reds and yellows to make him look festive! I used the fun sketch over at Retro Sketches...it was perfect for what I had in mind...clean and simple! My card measures 4.25" squared...easy peasy to create. It is also nice and flat to mail to a friend. I think it would be a nice "cheer up" card for someone who needs a shoulder to lean on...

Our fabulous September release is available in the SugarPea Designs Online Shoppe right NOW! Please click here to shop – and if you are lucky enough to win a set you’ve already purchased, you can choose another of the same value!

Would you like to WIN the Let's Fiesta! stamp set?! Hop along and visit with the SugarPeas and guests, leaving some comment love along the way! One lucky person will be randomly selected to win the Let's Fiesta! stamp set!

Rhea	Sarah	Mary	Kim
Jennifer	Wendy	Jenny	Tracy
Anita	Simonne	Stacey	Lesley

InLinkz.com

Just Us Girls #249 & Retro Sketches #123

If you are looking for my Paper Sweeties post, please CLICK HERE.

Good morning stamping friends! Today I am sharing a card I made just.for.fun. and I even played along with a couple of challenges. Hooray! I inked up a new set to me called Peaceful Petals by Stampin' Up. My inspiration came from the Woodgrain Challenge over at Just Us Girls and the sketch at Retro Sketches. I love playing along with challenges but time has been so short! I hope I can play along more often.

{Supplies Used}

Stamps: Peaceful Petals & Hardwood (SU!)

Inks: Memento Ink & Copics, Early Espresso

Papers: SU! Confetti White, Whisper White and Crumb Cake

Extras: So Saffron Grosgrain Ribbon

Smile {Retro Sketches and SRM Stickers}

The summer has flown by and I have actually spent very little time at my craft table. Many of the projects I have been sharing on my blog were created in late June and early July for Design Teams. It was so nice to play along with a challenge today, just for fun!!! So today I played along with Arielle's Retro Sketch. I was instantly inspired!!!

I probably won't be the only one to see a rainbow on this cool sketch! That is what quickly came to mind and so I dug through my scrap pieces to find Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue and Violet! The blue is actually now covered by the sentiment! LOL! But it is there!

I am so happy to be designing for SRM Stickers! Susan has made a sticker girl out of me! This week I am sharing all sorts of cards, and they all have stickers on them! LOL!!! I kinda feel bad for my ink pads! *wink* I created the panel for the SMILE sentiment by using my Ticket Corner Punch. Wow, that punch was dusty! I cannot remember the last time I used it but it was one of the first items I purchased when I first started stamping.

{Supplies Used}

Stamps: None

Stickers: SRM Stickers Quick Cards-Smile

Inks: None

Papers: SU! DSP in Real Red, Tangerine Tango, Summer Starfrui, Wild Wasbi, Wisteria Wonder, Whisper White, Basic Black, Smoky Slate

Extras: Circle Punches-1 1/4" and 1 3/8", Ticket Corner Punch, Black Gems

The Alley Way Stamps & Retro Sketches {Hello There}

Playing along with "The Alley Way" Stamps Be Inspired Challenge this week! I loved the inspiration photo; blue and orange are always so pretty together! I found the adorable sketch at Retro Sketches.  I am also linking with the Flutterby Wednesday team to use a butterfly on your card and a sentiment on the front!

Thoughts of You Warm My Heart {Holiday Spirit}

Tonight I had the chance to play along with the TAWS Challenge! I have never played along with them before and I loved their inspiration photo, especially the vibrant colours! So I picked out one of their adorable digi designs and went to work! I was looking for a clean sketch and found a great one at Retro Sketches. I made this card for a co-worker, who helps me so much in my classroom! She is amazing and loves coffee! This will be a holiday thank you card for her which is perfect for the Ribbon Carousel Holiday Spirit theme.

During the Black Friday Sale a few weeks ago, I took advantage of some amazing deals at the Ribbon Carousel. I bought some Simple Stories "Snap-Colour Vibe" Paper! LOVE it! I wish I had bought two packs! The ribbon is from American Crafts and the Baker's Twine is some I had in my stash! I coloured the cute mug with my Copics. This card came together very quickly!

Whimsy and Stars Design Team Blog Hop {With a Prize!!}

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! To get ready for the season, we are having a blog hop to show off all the Christmas and winter themed images available from Whimsy and Stars Studio and to introduce the new Winter 2013 design team! I am so excited to share that I am on the team! Yippee!

If you just arrived from Lesa's blog, you are on the right track!  If not, please start at the beginning of the hop at the Whimsy and Stars Studio blog to make sure you don't miss out on anything. Hop along and leave a comment for each member of the design team.  

The hop will end on Friday, December 7th at midnight EST.  One random winner, to be announced on the Whimsy and Stars Studio blog on December 8th, will be picked from all the comments received to win the Grand Prize of THREE Digi Stamps.

For my first official design team creation, I decided to make a card using the sweet  Felicity Angel Stamp. You all know that I LOVE to colour and so I went to work, using a soft and subtle colour palette for my card, based on the My Mind's Eye Paper Pack called "Portabello Road". I loved the Blue, Kraft and Gray tones of the paper and tried to highlight them with my colouring. I added some Stickles on her dress and wings...to make them pop. I think my friend Ann would be proud of my shabby card!! I did lots of sponging!

{Supplies Used}

Stamps: Whimsy and Stars- Felicity Angel Stamp

Inks: Copics 

Papers: My Mind's Eye-Potabello Road, Flourishes White CS, 

Extras: Big Shot, MFT Dienamics Snowflakes, Rhinestone

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:

Retro Sketches #40

Come and Get it Challenges-Blue Christmas

Simon says Stamp - anything goes

Wags N Whiskers - Christmas

Young Crafters Unite-Happy Holidays

PIO - Pile on The Embellishments

For the duration of the hop,  Mabelle is offering a special gift with purchase. With any order from the Whimsy and Stars Studio Etsy store, you can select one of two special images, Stocking Ted or Xmas Tag. 

Thank you for hopping with us today!  Your next stop on the hop is the talented Marsha's blog. 

Don't forget to leave a comment at each stop on the hop to increase your chance of winning the Grand Prize!

Here is the entire blog hop list in case you get lost along the way:   

Whimsy & Stars Studio  http://whimsyandstarsstudio.typepad.com/

Cheryl   http://shestamps.blogspot.com/

Christine  http://christinescreativetherapy.wordpress.com/

Debra http://creamcityangels.blogspot.com/

Kathy  http://willstampforwine.blogspot.com/

Lesa  http://punkydoodlepapers.typepad.com/

Lesley  http://www.alwaysplayingwithpaper.blogspot.com/  <<<<<<<< That's Me!

Marsha  http://www.stampingdownsouth.blogspot.com/

Melissa  http://8ers.blogspot.com/

Suzanne  http://sparklingscrapper.blogspot.com/

Tracy  http://iwannabuildamemory.blogspot.com/

You Float My Boat and Happy Holidays

Hooray! I got my craft on! Tonight I was itching to colour and to make a card! When I saw the sketch at There She Goes, I got out some of my There She Goes Stamp Sets and looked for a fun image to play with. I love my Copics and when I saw the Colours at the Play Date Cafe, I just knew I had to play along! The colour story was so pretty and the coffee napkin had a nautical theme...this inspired me even more!

My card came together quickly, and I cut the strips of designer paper into 1" strips and then spread them out across a white card base. I chose this paper by Bella BLVD because it looked like waves to me. The twine is from Hemptique and had a bit of sheen to it. 

{Supplies Used}

Stamps: There She Goes-Float My Boat

Inks: Copics, Memento Black Tuxedo Ink

Papers: Bella BLVD, Flourishes White CS, Soft Suede CS

Extras: Hemptique Twine

Technique: Paper Piecing the Flag onto the boat

I also decided to play along with a couple of other challenges as well!

• Paper Crafting Journey-Use ribbon or twine
• Simply Create - must be digital/papercraft - Always anything goes
• Stars and Stamps Midweek Throwdown - no glitter - friendship

Then I was inspired to play again!

The Retro Sketch this week was a great one, it could be taken in any direction and I wanted to ink up another set from There She Goes called "Snowy Days".  I bought this set a few months ago and I have not had the chance to ink it up! Tonight I pulled out my Memento Ink and my Copics and went to work! This card is clean and simple but will be easy to mail for Christmas!!! I bought this set because the dog reminded me of our dog Cyrus. I love his sweet markings.

{Supplies Used}
Stamps: Snowy Days-There She Goes
Inks: Copics, Memento Black Tuxedo Ink
Papers: Gumball Gree, Flourishes White CS, My Mind's Eye
Extras: MFT Medium Scallop Edge
Technique: Dy Embossing