Where Did January Go?

Seriously, tomorrow is February 1st!!!!!! Now let me look at a few positive points about that statement...it means we are getting closer to spring (HOORAY) and the new releases for Clear Dollar Stamps are available. Okay, so February is a good thing after all!!!!! My first sample is of a cute pineapple single stamp. I inked it up with Crushed curry and Garden green, stamping it twice and cutting out one. The one I cut out I sponged a little Close to cocoa ink on then popped it up over the first image, offsetting it a bit. The welcome sentiment comes from the set Nice Neighborhood.

If you can describe an alligator as cute, this is the one to do it to!!!!! He is a single stamp and a lot of fun to play with. Are you like me, keep in touch with some friends only at Christmas time with a holiday card? Well this year I decided to call them as well. We talked about getting together for lunch. So as to hold us at our word, I made this set of "Let's Have Lunch!" cards. Who can refuse an invitation with an alligator on the card??!!! The sentiment comes from the Pretty Perches set.

Every month, Clear Dollar Stamps offer a Stamp of the Month, a cute set FREE with your $50 purchase. February's set is called Sweet Circles and there are so many possibilities of things you can create with it. Here I used one of the full circles and the branch to make a tree and put together two of the phrases to make the sentiment. It really is a fun set! Other talented DT ladies created samples for you to see, and here they are:

Katie

Cassie

Laurie

Thanks again for stopping by. I'll see you at midnight at CDS for the latest release. I have a feeling my shopping cart will be full...again!!!!!

Day #3 of the Sneak Peeks

Happy Saturday morning! I have one sneak peek from Clear Dollar Stamps for you today, a gorgeous set called Plumes & Blooms. Have I mentioned before how much I love solid stamps?!! The sentiment comes from the set Charlie Praying...fits perfectly in the word window punch! Colors here include chocolate chip, pretty in pink, very vanilla and designer paper from Basic Grey called Eva. The scallop flower was a fun addition, you can see the tutorial for it here. Some ribbon and pearls and let's call it a day!! Thanks so much for stopping by, and you really must stop at these lady's blogs for their samples of this set coming out Feb. 1st:

Trudy

Tricia

Cassie

Stacy

Post #2 for Today!

And I am posting for the Clearly Inspired Challenge found over on the Clear Dollar Stamps Blog.

It's a color challenge, RED, BLACK, WHITE, and if you want, PINK. I used the John 3:16 stamp because, when using these colors, one thinks of love...and this verse speaks to us all about God's love. I did my new favorite technique of leaving what I've cut out and embossed inside my nestie so I can do some sponging - this is where I added some of the pink! The red layer I found in my stash and already came embossed with hearts -- perfect!! I have a hard time with flower arranging, whether in a vase or on a project, and this was no exception! Only three primas and I had a devil of a time with them!!!!! I added some red and pink leaves along with a black swirl that I punched out. The flowers are held in place with red brads. A little sewing and some ribbon and I'm done. A quick card...if those flowers had come with instructions!!!!!!!!!! See you tomorrow with more sneak peeks!!!!

Today It's Cold, Cold, Cold

But the sneak peeks are hot, hot, hot!!!!!! It's day #2 of Clear Dollar Stamps February 1st release and you won't want to miss out on any of them!!!!! Here is my sample of the sentiment "Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow." I literally closed my eyes and pulled out several pieces of designer paper. I then mixed and matched them till I came up with this combo...and I love it! Sage shadow, So saffron, Black, and Very vanilla. I cut out and embossed the sentiment with my nestie, then sponged saffron ink while it was still in the die. Minimal embellishments include black pearls and the flower sticker by K & Company that I bought a long, long time ago. Check out these blogs for more samples using this stamp:

Linda B

Nancy

Laurie

I've gotta tell you, I love solid stamps! I'm still learning to color, so solid stamps give me that instant satisfaction of a completed image. This set is called Peace for the Journey. I inked up the flowers with Pale plum and Mellow moss ink. I then covered the image and cardstock with versamark and iridescent ice embossing powder. Once heat embossed, I cut it out with my nestie. It's hard to get a photo to show the result of this technique very well. I created a background with the swirly stamps in the set on the Perfect plum layer and used an embossing folder on the Mellow moss layer. Sewing, of course, was needed! The moss taffeta ribbon can also be found at Clear Dollar Stamps. This card measures 5" square. More beautiful creations just waiting for you found on these talented lady's blogs:

Angela

Cassie

Stacy

Laurie

This last sample is called Praying Children. I remember as a kid always saying my prayers at night while hugging my Mom -- something I will never forget. I used my Tombow markers to color up the images. The little girl has been cut out and popped up. More samples can be found here, so go check 'em out:

Nancy

Wendy

Laurie

A Snowy Sneak Peek Day

Wow, the snow is really coming down right now!!! Both boys are on a 2 hour delay for school, they'll be happy...when they wake up and find out!!!! Anyway, since it's quiet, thought I would show you some sneak peeks for two wonderful sets coming out February 1st at Clear Dollar Stamps. This first sample is a two step stamping set called Circle Somethings. The possibilities are absolutely endless with this set!!!!! I went with creating flowers with three of my images, punching them out with the 1 1/4" circle punch, while the others are simply the circles and punched out with a 1 1/8" circle punch. All six circles are popped up -- I love dimension! Colors used are Rich razzleberry, Melon mambo, Crushed curry and Kiwi kiss. The razzleberry ribbon and white brads finish it off. You really need to check out these blogs too for more fabulous ideas:

Katie

Tricia

Linda B

Tori

Laurie

For my second sneak peek, I'm featuring the lovely verse Psalm 127:1a. I paired it with the stamp set Nice Neighborhood. I used my copic markers on the house and scraps of DSP from the scrap bin. What's so fun is these are very similar colors as our house!!! Ours isn't quite that dark of a brown but we have a great red door and two shades of green for trim and shutters! I punched out a scallop oval to use as a template for my clouds -- definitely a technique that still needs worked on!!! The yummy ribbon is from Clear Dollar Stamps, antique gold taffeta. I tied a tight knot into it and added the button over it with some linen thread. Oh, and of course I hit up my sewing machine for this one!!! Fellow DT member Sarah is also featuring this verse. She paired it with an adorable little birdhouse...go check it out!

Come back again tomorrow for more sneak peeks!!!

Love at First Spot

Loving Ladybugs from Clear Dollar Stamps, such an adorable set!!! So many possibilities from anniversaries to Valentines Day. I love this image with the bugs sitting on top of the spotted mushroom. I used my Copic markers to color it in, making my bugs pink and blue!!! I used Basic Grey's June Bug DSP, sewing around all the edges. Sometimes I simply wonder what goes on in my head (too many voices that keep me in a state of confusion I think!!!). I took the picture, uploaded the picture, and didn't even notice till NOW that one of the tails of the bow needed pulled down so it looked nice and neat. Oh well, use your imagination!!!!!

Be on the lookout Thursday, CDS sneak peeks will be on the loose!! You don't want to miss any of them!!!

Precious Baby

It amazes me sometimes how much time can go by in between posts!!! Life is busy so I appreciate you stopping by! Baby cards I don't make many of...could be because I don't have too many baby stamps!!!!! Well I solved that problem when I got this adorable set called Toybox Time from Clear Dollar Stamps. I decided to use the same layout for both of these cards, just making one say "Precious Girl" and the other say "Precious Boy." Now I have no excuse when it comes to sending out baby cards!!

Let Me Tail You

Okay, so this card is a little busy, but I've been trying to use up some of my scraps so this is what I came up with. The alligator (or is it a crocodile?!) I heat embossed so I could use my Tombow markers to watercolor. He came from a set called Critter Tales by Clear Dollar Stamps. I forgot to use my embossing buddy and got a smear of black embossing folder, hence the placement of the sentiment!!!!! Thanks for stopping by. What a beautiful day today, it made it all the way up into the low 50's!!! Incredible for the month of below freezing temps and snow we've been having!!!

Clearly Inspired Challenge - It's a Sketch!!

It's time for a Clearly Inspired Challenge, and it's a sketch!!! Join in, we would love to see what you create!!!! The best part is, there's a prize involved to one random winner, a stamp set of your choice!!!!!!! My sample I used the 1965 Mustang and Cool Ride sentiment. My son, mind you who is 14, is already talking about what car he wants when he starts driving! I don't think it's sunk in yet that it will be the little Toyota that Dad is driving now (then Dad can get a new one!!!). I decided to make this a "girly" car - and it doesn't only have to be a pink Cadillac!!! The car was heat embossed and colored in with Tombow markers. The DSP is Lemonade by Basic Grey. I'm doing my darndest to use up what I've got - but then Basic Grey had to go out and put out two new lines which I had to have of course!!!!!! Thanks so much for stopping by!! Today's a day off for me so that means a little bit of house work and a whole lot of stamping!!!!!

Miracles Happen

Here's a card using the recently released stamp set from Clear Dollar Stamps called Bee-Lieve. Do you ever find yourself stuck in a rut with your card making and try to go outside your comfort zone? Not sure if I'm all that crazy about this card because I did just that. Call me crazy, but I'm stuck on stamping my images on white or cream paper, using different colors of ink, but I always seem to use a neutral for that...here I stamped the flower and bee, gasp, with Enchanted Evening ink by PTI onto Aqua Mist cardstock. Another shocker, I didn't layer much with this card - guess that makes it a CAS one!!! Also, I always stamp my sentiments with black or dark brown ink, love to have the strong pop of the words. Here again I used the blue ink (I know what you're gonna say, it's dark!!) to stamp "God Makes Miracles Happen." Two different embossing folders were used for some fun textures and a pearl on every scallop. Like I said, the jury is still out on this one!!!!!!! Have a great day!!

You Are So Special To Me

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, I thought I would show you a card made with the set Kisses and Cookies from Clear Dollar Stamps that you get FREE with a $50 purchase. I'm working really hard on my scrap bin, trying to get it down to a more manageable level! Head on over to Clear Dollar Stamps, over 100 new items have been added to the Clearance section at unbelievable low prices!!! Hurry because once they're gone, they are gone!! Don't miss out!

Live Life

What, another challenge card done!!!!!! LOL!!! Yes, that's right, and this one is for the Clean and Simple Challenge to cut something out. These wonderful lemons come from a Flourishes's set called Life, Love and Lemons. I stamped the lemons, used Copics, cut it out, then popped it up over an embossed circle nestie. I really needed some bright, cheery colors because it has been snowin' and blowin' here in Pittsburgh and no sun! The DSP is by Niki Sivils. The strip of green with the border punch design is actually Green galore, much brighter in real life than on this pic. The three black "faux" brads are simply punched out of black cardstock and glued in place. CAS to me means limited bulk with layers and embellishments and I think this card does it!

Some Bunny...

...is having a new challenge!!! Check out Laurie Wilson's blog, Clearly Delightful for all the details. If you play Laurie will email you an adorable bunny digital! Because of that, bunny rabbits were the theme for this challenge so I used a MFT Flopsy image I had received thru Wish RAK. I colored in Flopsy with my copic markers, cut him out and popped him up. I started with the Card Positioning Systems sketch as it was then found I liked it better if I gave it a flip. Colors include Chocolate chip, Regal rose and Kiwi kiss with DSP by My Minds Eye and AMuse. I added nine, yes that's right, nine brads and a little Stickles to Flopsy's mittens.

I have laundry to get to and dishes to wash up. I got a call from a VERY good friend that I used to work in the hospital with. We seem to only keep in touch with Christmas cards, so this year we made it a point to also touch base with a phone call. An hour later we were caught up and making plans to get together for breakfast! Totally fabulous morning for me!!!!!

Two Hearts One Lifetime

Hooray, got a challenge card done!!! Actually, it goes for two challenges!! First off, this is a case of this card by WeeBeeStampin, this week's Featured Stamper on SCS. I used the colors from the ColourQ Challenge - Rich razzleberry, Orchid opulence, Regal rose and Kiwi kiss. The images are from Verve, Anniversary Birds and Grateful Elegance. I had fun making this card, and believe me, the biggest challenge for me was incorporating the orchid - I simply do not like light purples! I embossed the one layer with my Cuttlebug then sponged white craft ink to tone it down and provide some contrast against the same orchid layer underneath it. I will be putting this in the mail tomorrow for my parent's anniversary. It will probably be late, but that's my style!!!!!!! At least I got one in the mail, I forgot a lot of birthdays and anniversaries last year - shame, shame!!

Hello There!

This NY WRAK challenge gallery belonged to Avery123. I chose this card to case, using a different image, colors, and embellishments. Part two of the challenge was to make it a Miss You or Thinking of You card. I used this adorable High Hopes image I received thru WRAK, coloring it with my Copic markers. I sponged in the grass and blue sky while it was still in the nestie die. I thought the sentiment, from TAC, couldn't be more perfect. My image was bigger, not leaving me room for buttons, so I added the brads. This is another card that will be sent to the troops for them to send home to their family and friends. Have a wonderful Tuesday, I'd better get myself ready for work!!!!!

Love You Forever

I have set a goal for myself...do more challenges!!! I may not get one done everyday, but I will try for around 4 or 5 a week. I'll let ya know how I do!!!


This card is for the CAS challenge on SCS, make a Valentine's Day card. Clean and Simple to me means not a lot of bulk plus not a lot of time used to create the card. Since this is tough for me I turned to the Clean and Simple Stamping blog. I used Fall to Layout #44 for inspiration. The card base is PTI's white with layers of Riding hood red, Basic grey, Pink pirouette, and Regal rose. The DSP is Rhubarb Tart by Memory Box. I used Heart Prints from PTI, stamped in grey, punched out and popped up. One embellishment, a bit of grey taffeta ribbon. One challenge down, a few more to go!!!!!

For the Queen Mum

This WRAK Artist to case was Lexant. I went with her Shiver Me Timbers card seen here. I used a Bella image I received thru WRAK, coloring a second cupcake then cutting it out and popping it up. Who doesn't want a second cupcake!!!!! The theme for this challenge was to make a birthday card for Mom, hence the for the queen sentiment (from TAC)!! This card along with all the others created from the NY challenge will be sent to the troops to send home to family and friends. Have a wonderful Sunday, Monday is just around the corner!!!

Have the Funnest Birthday Ever!

I actually made the time to play along with the WRAK NY challenges posted on SCS. I love, love, love the way they did the challenges this time - all featured stampers style with a theme. The WRAK Artist for the first challenge was Peebsmama and the theme was birthday. I chose this card to case, changing up the image (got it thru WRAK) and the colors. I also used buttons for embellishments instead of pearls. The image is from Pink Cat Studio called Party Animal and the sentiment is by AMuse. White cardstock by PTI , Basic black, and DSP is Basic Grey's Lime Rickey. Now these are the cards that are sent to the troops so they can send them home for family and friends. I will be posting more so be on the lookout!

A New Year and a New Challenge

Happy 2010 everyone!!!! I was up late last night, or was it early this morning, stamping my little heart out and having fun doing so!!!!! What a great way to bring in the New Year but with a New Clearly Inspired Challenge over at Clear Dollar Stamps. All the new January releases are waiting for you so hurry up and pick some up! This challenge (check out Lori's blog for all the details...a prize is involved though!!!) was to use BRADS. Now I love using brads so this was a cinch for me!!! I used the adorable set Cute Critters. Mr. Turtle is embossed onto watercolor paper then watercolored using Tombow markers. I am such an earth elements stamper that I had to stay with it! I used, of all things, DSP and the glazed brads by Basic Grey called Eerie. Colors of cardstock include Chocolate chip, More mustard, and Kiwi kiss. This card measures 5" square. I embossed one side of it thru my cuttlebug, liking that effect.

So how many of you have all your Christmas decorations down already? We're keeping ours up till Sunday - they went up so late that I wanted just a few more days to enjoy.