A Sweet Hello Hello

Every Wednesday I get to share with you our latest sketch at Sweet Sketch Wednesday. This week is another fun one. Sure hope you get to join us.

Our sponsor this week is Milk Coffee. You really need to check out their shop, talk about lots of adorable images!!! And if you're our winner, you will receive 3 free digi images from Milk Coffee.

MilkCoffee Stamps is a digital image shop specialized in cute and girly images.There are 2 people behind this shop, Esmeralda and Nathaza. We are best buddies from our childhood with a common thing that we love so much: drawing. What we try to do is drawing various styles that suits different kind of tastes, so a lot of people with different style can still play along with our image for their cards.

Right now we have 8 talented DT ladies who always help us to have fun together with our weekly challenge at our challenge blog here. Also we have monthly colour challenge at our main blog. You can check it here. It's very nice to see a lot of people join and have fun at our challenge.

In the future we still want to make more cute images that is loved and used happily by many people.

And here is my card, using the darling Lisbeth and Mushroom House. Can you say adorable?!!! I don't know why I went with more fall colors, but the evenings have been cooler so I feel like summer is coming to an end! I used my rick rack die and some fun orange designer paper. Talk about quick and easy. Now I can't wait to see what you come up with for our latest challenge at Sweet Sketch Wednesday.   

You Make me Smile

It's Tuesday, so that means I get to share with you a card I made using a Fresh Brewed Designs image. It didn't take me long to decide on this one, Grace in the Garden. Dad always grew the best tomatoes. Every summer Mom tried talking him into planting fewer tomatoes, but it never worked. Thank goodness because I would end up with bushels of 'em to eat and make juice. Oh the wonderful memories I will carry with me forever.

A simple card, that's for sure. I'm struggling to get my mojo back. But I couldn't believe my luck when I found this chunk of tomato paper in my scrap pile. Talk about perfect.

Fresh Brewed Designs is having an awesome sale - 60% off your entire digital stamp order. Hurry though, you only have until midnight tomorrow.

Share the Dirt

I'm home now from my emotional past few days. My Dad passed away after a month long stay in the hospital, suffering two strokes and a mild heart attack, all this on top of his already diagnosed alzhiemers. He is now up in heaven, tending to the garden, his all-time favorite place to spend his time.

I needed to get back into the swing of things, so I made a card for the CAS challenge over at The Outlawz. Chocolate is the theme this week, so I went with chocolate brown cardstock. The stamp set is by Paper Smooches, Green Thumb, as are the dies. It was so fun coloring up these little images and planting them - the peas are covering up an ink smudge. So fun and also so simple.

Some challenges I'd like to submit my card to are:
Dream Valley Challenges - Summer Days
Hobby Cutz - Summer
Paper Smooches Sparks Challenge - Anything Goes

Enjoy your today. It's hubby's birthday - wonder where he'll want to go out to eat?!!
 

Sweet Bee

It's time to share with you our latest challenge over at Sweet Sketch Wednesday. It's a blast from the past, giving us all a chance to revisit a previous sketch and have fun all over again.

Our sponsor this week is Paper Addictions. I highly recommend taking a look, I know you'll find some fun "must have" images. The winner this week will receive 5 items from the Paper Addictions etsy shop.

 My name is Jacqueline Mathews and I am a crafter and designer.  I love paper, pens, doodling, stamping and above all designing.  I have a degree in fine arts with an emphasis in graphic design.  I worked in the graphic design industry for many years and quit 15 years ago to become a stay at home mom for my 3 kids.  Now that the kids are older and don’t need me as much, I am reinventing myself and have decided that I wanted to create my own line of digital stamps.  I have dabbled in rubber stamping and became a “Stampin’ up!” demonstrator and had a blast, but thought it would be more fun to create my own stamps.  I decided digital was the way to go.  It is affordable for the customer and for the designer.  I now have a digital stamp shop on Etsy called “PaperAddictions”.  I would love to create my own line of rubber stamps someday, but for now I am testing my designs out in my shop to see if anyone likes them.  I am pleasantly surprised that I have gotten a good response to the images I have designed so far.  This positive response has motivated me to create more images in the future.

Here is my card, using the adorable Bee Holding Cupcake. I loved this cutie, especially his high top tennis shoes! Too fun. I sure hope you can join us this week at Sweet Sketch Wednesday.
  

Ahoy There Matey!

Ahoy there! What, no Christmas card?!!! Believe me, I debated making one last night for today's post!! I have a bad habit of printing off pages of digi images then not putting them to use right away. So I raided my stash and pulled out this cutie from Fresh Brewed Designs called Tommy Pirate. I really liked the Sweet Sunday Sketch this week, and was able to use up some paper scraps. Other challenges I would like to submit this card to include:

Melonheadz Friends - Lots of circles
Paper Playtime - Use pattern paper
Here Come the Boys - Anything goes for men/boys

Gotta Love Christmas in July

Yes, I've got more Christmas cards to share with you today. Our internet has been spotty for some reason so no time for extra chit chat! This card uses two Doodle Pantry images, Vintage Ornament and Holiday Greetings. The Holiday Greetings set you can receive absolutely free just by playing along in our Doodle Pantry Digital Challenge, but hurry, you have until the 24th to play. Speaking of challenges, here are some I'd like to submit my card to:

Sweet Stampin' - Christmas in July 
Sketch Saturday - Sketch
Fairy Tale Challenge - Christmas in July
Paper Crafting Journey - Christmas in July
Shelly's Images - Christmas in July
The Outlawz Twisted Thursday - Christmas in July

Clean & Simple Blog Hop

Today is a clean & simple day! This is my second post for our Clearly Digi Stamps blog hop, and our theme is CAS. Be sure and comment on all the blogs for a chance at winning the digi set used by that DT member.

If you got here from Dana's blog (waving "hi" Dana!!), then you're on the right track. If not, be sure and start at the beginning at the CDS blog, Clearly iStamp. I've been wanting to create with this cutie, Harrietta Hippo, so figured now was my chance!  Clean & simple goes hand in hand with quick & easy in my book, so I used the color version, rotating the image so Harrietta was looking the other way. A chunk of scrap paper was just sitting on my desk also screaming to be used...so I did! I then cut apart the sentiment and popped it up kinda wonky, just the way I see the world!!! Hahaha!!

I am the last stop on our hop. Like I said, be sure and comment on ALL the stops along the way to increase your chance of winning a fun set.

A Recipe Challenge

The final challenge of Bugaboo's Christmas in July event over at Catch the Bug is a recipe challenge. How fun!!!

I went with the image AKV Boy Winter for my final card. I used Stickles for the sparkly part of the challenge. So fun to create, but then all the cards have been fun to make this week. I so adore Bugaboo images!

Tag You're It!

I have another card to share for the Christmas in July event going on at Catch the Bug. For this challenge we were asked to use a tag on our project. I went with the adorable Stocking Santa Star for this one, using very non-traditional colors for Santa! I even added a little sparkle onto his hat. Such a fun card to create. And what a fun week of challenges too...thanks Bugaboo!!

Clearly iStamp Challenge

It's time for a new challenge over at Clearly iStamp. This time our theme is Christmas in July...how fun!! I went with the digital set from Clearly Digi Stamps called Little Bethlehem. Can you believe, once again I've used no designer or digital paper. I've been on a kick of using embossing folders instead. Love the dimension it gives. The image is the color version so I pulled the reds and teals from it for my papers.

Hope you can play along with our Christmas in July Clearly iStamp challenge. Also take a moment and check out what the new CiSC design team has created. This challenge is their debut and they will knock your socks off...if you're wearing any!!! Hahaha!
  

Merry Christmas to "Ewe"

Make us laugh, that was yesterday's challenge at Catch the Bug for their Christmas in July event. I immediately knew I wanted to use this Bugaboo image, Merry Christmas to Ewe. Who doesn't love the play on words as well as this cute sheep. I wanted to keep it simple and love the red and white color theme. The embossed layers help pack a punch too. Only a few more days left in the Bugaboo event, and I'm keeping caught up with the challenges...wow, that's a first!!!

More Christmas in July

Tuesday's Christmas in July challenge over at Catch the Bug is Bingo. So fun!

I went with the bottom row - ribbon, Bugaboo image and sentiment. My Bugaboo image is Christmas Cupcakes Lights. It was fun looking thru my huge file of Bugaboo images and using ones that haven't been seen on a card in a very long time...if ever!! Yes, I have that many! The sentiment is by Hero Arts and the ribbon is from my stash. Did you notice anything different about this card? Yes, that's right, another card in which I didn't use designer paper!!! How can that be?!!

Sweet Christmas in July

Happy Wednesday! Time to share our latest challenge at Sweet Sketch Wednesday. Another great sketch, don't ya think?!

Digi Stamp Boutique is our sponsor this week, offering our winner 6 digital images of their choice!

 All images/designs are created and copyright owned by Sally-Ann Hancock. My work means the world to me - it allows my passion to draw and create, to fit with my family life too - often the inspiration for my designs. Hope you enjoy as much as I enjoy creating.

And here is my card, using a freebie image that was being offered last August. I love doing Christmas in July cards so of course I had to put him to use. A little glitter was added to his hat and boots as well as the snowflakes I had punched out in the corner. I even decided to hit the sewing machine for this one too, how I love the effect with no added bulk. Join us this week for a fun and fabulous challenge over at Sweet Sketch Wednesday.

I'm entering this card into the Digi Stamp Boutique Monthly Challenge.
 

New Release at Clearly Digi Stamps

A tweet hello and welcome to the July release at Clearly Digi Stamps. I have two sets to share with you today, check out the CDS blog for all the fun and fabulous sets being released. First up is a set by Laurie Wilson called A Tweet Hello. I used the color version along with the digital papers also included in this set. Quick, easy and fun.

And here is a Deedee Anderson set called Little Miracles. I love the pinks and teals and really wanted to highlight those colors. Kept it simple and clean with a white card base. Lovin' the sequin rage!! Perfect flat embellishments.

Take a moment to check out all the wonderful sets being released today at Clearly Digi Stamps. A couple upcoming events include a new Clearly iStamp challenge on Friday and our monthly blog hop on Sunday. There are prizes included with both so be sure to mark your calendar.
     

Chocolate Raspberry Cream

Sounds yummy, doesn't it?!! Actually it's the color challenge from yesterday's Catch the Bug Christmas in July challenge.

And here's my card, using the cutie AKV Christmas Stocking Boy. I printed off my image onto cream card stock and colored it up with my Copic markers. I thought I would try something new...NO DESIGNER PAPER!!! Embossing folders were used instead for that fun visual surprise. Quick and easy, that's for sure. I'm also submitting this card to the Stella Says Sketch challenge also found over at Catch the Bug.

Fresh Brewed Cool Rubber Release & Blog Hop

Good Morning and welcome to our
 RUBBER STAMP RELEASE AND BLOG HOP!
We are so happy to be sharing this fun event with you. 

If you are just arriving to the hop, you will want to go back to the start

at Freshly Brewed Challenges.

If you are getting here from Sarah's blog, then you are good to go!

I am so happy to  introduce to you the newest addition to the FBD rubber stamp family:

THIS AWESOME STAMP BUNDLE
including
Skinny Minnie Beach Set
Football Girl
Sprinkles Cupcake Cutie
Strawberry Cupcake Cutie
and
Sprinkles Sentiment Stamp

 

For my project, I chose to create using the Skinny Minnie Beach Set. But then you probably already guessed that I would, seeing that we just got back from the beach!!! I had a summer themed paper pad already on my desk from a previous project so I used it here as well. I'm lovin' the blues, yellows, pinks and reds.

**REMEMBER**
You have until 7:00 AM EST, July 16th to HOP and comment
for your chance to win some yummy summer blog candy goodies
AND to receive our special RUBBER STAMP BUNDLE deal!

 

Thank you so much for hopping with us!

I hope you have enjoyed your time here at my blog. 

It is time for us to say goodbye and for you to head over to my friend and Fresh Brewed Designs creator Heather's blog to check out what she has prepared for you. 

Here is the full hop order :

Freshly Brewed Challenges Blog
Vanessa
Celeste
Sheryl
Yolanda
Sarah
Linda
Heather

Be Jolly

Here's today's Christmas in July challenge over at Catch the Bug. You know me and sketches...I love 'em!! I really, really must start printing them off and stop relying on my memory because once again, I goofed up a bit.

Here's my card, using Bugaboo's AKV Santa Sack. A quick card, thanks to the fabulous sketch. My goof up was initially only having one row of gold brads, so I unpeeled my top two layers up and inserted the bottom three brads. When I came to post this, I realized my other mistake, the brads are not only on the wrong side of the card, but they are also going in the wrong direction!!! But hey, they made it and that's all that counts...right?!!! A fun color challenge slated for tomorrow, better get my thinking cap on.
 

Christmas in July by Bugaboo

Bugaboo Stamps is having a Christmas in July event this week. With all the fabulous prizes up for grabs, of course I'm going to play along. Check it all out on their blog, Catch the Bug.

Yesterday's challenge was a photo inspiration. Santa is relaxing on the beach, getting his tan on in preparation for the big night!!

I had to use this adorable image, Tropical Santa Drink. And I went with some summer themed papers too since Santa is in the tropics! Keeping it simple so I can TRY to keep up with the challenges! The sentiment is by Hero Arts. Fun and festive. Now off to check out today's challenge. Hope you can join them for the Christmas in July event.

A Clean and Simple Challenge

Today is our newest Clean and Simple challenge over at The Outlawz -- One Layer Cards!! Talk about an intimidating task for me!!! I started off using the Sponge and Spritz technique I found over at Splitcoast Stampers. I used three different Memento inks for the sponging, Morocco, Dandelion and Bamboo Leaves. I spritzed with water but not a lot, I didn't want my card to warp. Then I stamped the image (Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps) and sentiment (Our Daily Bread) in Versafine black ink. So much more I wanted to add but settled for some stitching lines with my white gel pen. This was definitely my challenge for the day!!! Hope you can join us for some one layer card fun, CAS style.
 

Just For You

Tuesday Morning Sketches is celebrating their 4th birthday with a party. They have 4 sketches to choose from to play along. Of course I had big dreams of creating with all four sketches then reality set in that I might have to be happy with one! Besides, my mojo didn't come back with us from vacation so I'm a little lacking in the creative juices! Here's my one card using one of the sketches. The image is a pre-colored digital from Clearly Digi Stamps called Everyday Jargon. I merged the lid onto the jar of cookies and used the digital paper from the same set. Over at The Outlawz, the Monday Greeting Card challenge is a cookie theme...perfect! I'm popping this card in the mail for Mom's birthday...I hope it makes it to her in time.

Sweet Sweeper

Happy Wednesday and welcome to our latest challenge at Sweet Sketch Wednesday. Another wonderful sketch to try.

Something else that's wonderful is our sponsor this week. Say "hello" to A Day for Daisies. Our winner will receive a $12 gift certificate to go shopping at A Day for Daisies.

"A DAY FOR DAISIES provides themed categories of over 1000 fun and whimsical digital images, including fairy tales and magical mermaids, cutie kids, vintage illustrations, sentiments and lovely designs for all occasions!"

Here's my card using the sweet Morning Chore. Such a fun image to color!! And another piece of scrap put to use on a card...when will that pile ever go away?!! Never I do believe! Now join us at Sweet Sketch Wednesday for a fun and fabulous sketch to try.    

Christmas in July

I just realized I haven't made a single Christmas in July card!!! YIKES! So I decided to change that and make one for my feature card over at the Fresh Brewed Blog. I searched through my already printed off digi images and found this sweetie, Boy With Gift. It took forever to color my image because of the multitude of interruptions! I also found this sentiment in my pile of images and decided to use it...too bad I don't know who it's from. Now I'm in the Ho Ho Ho spirit!!! Enjoy your today.
 

Just Saying Thanks

I wanted to share with you the card I made and posted over at the Fresh Brewed Blog. Isn't he just a cutie?!!! It's Watermelon Boy from Fresh Brewed Designs. The banner and stamp set for the sentiment came from Simon Says Stamp. On vacation, the owners of the house we rented sent us a yummy chocolate cake and pound of coffee. We were shocked by their wonderful gesture. Now I hope I can track down their address so I can mail this card off to them.

I just wanted to remind you of our rubber stamps release and blog hop at Fresh Brewed Designs. The card samples will be fantastic and the deals oh so cool. Be sure to come on Monday, July 15th.

 

Life's a Beach

Wish I were still at the beach!!! We actually came home early from our vacation because my Dad suffered a stroke. He's doing okay, but we wanted to get home to see him and give Mom a helping hand around the house. Bear with me as I try to get my head screwed on straight after all that's been going on.

I made this card for fun and for a few challenges. First, this is a stamp set from Gina K Designs called Life's a Beach. I love the sandcastle image so I heat embossed it onto kraft card stock then highlighted some areas with a tan marker. The sentiment is also heat embossed and a little sponging was done along the edges of both it and the sandcastle. I had to get a pop of color in somehow so a little red twine and brads did the trick. And I used my new favorite clouds embossing folder for the background.

Some challenges I'm entering this card into are:
Crafty Friends - Photo Inspiration - I went with a summer theme
Brown Sugar - At the beach 
Jellypark Friends - Celebrate Summer
4 Crafty Chicks - Dry embossing
CCEE Stampers - Summertime is Beach Time
The Outlawz - Twisted Thursday Beach Challenge

You're So Sweet

Welcome to the latest and greatest clean & simple challenge over at The Outlawz. This week we're letting someone know how sweet they are by creating a CAS card all about sweets. I went with a Paper Smooches stamp set called Sugar Rush. Who knew popsicles could be so cute with smiley faces on 'em!! I added glossy accents to them as well for that fun shine. Some ribbon, a button with twine and a few sequins and my card is complete. Now let's see your sweetness, CAS style, over at our Sunday challenge at The Outlawz.

Summer Time

Welcome back to our Clearly iStamp Challenge by Clearly Digi Stamps. This challenge theme is Summer Time. One lucky winner will receive our featured digi set Happy Trails Camper. Since it's the featured digi and oh so cute, I decided to use it, merging the bear into the tent and the trees as decoration. A simple yet fun card. Please join over the next 2 weeks for our Summer Time challenge over at Clearly iStamp.
 

On Vacation

I think it's hilarious, the theme for our month long challenge at the Fresh Brewed Blog is vacation...and I'm on vacation as we speak (well, type & read!!). That's why I went with Bob from Fresh Brewed Designs. He's such a fun image!!! I've been in the pool more than in the ocean -- love the sandy beach, just prefer chlorinated water to the dirty salty water of the ocean! Call me crazy! Anyway, I sure hope you can join us for our month long Fresh Brewed challenge -- it's also a prize challenge!!!

Just a quick reminder of our rubber stamp release and blog hop Monday, July 15th. You definitely won't want to miss this one!!

Say Cheese!

As you know, I'm on vacation and really hope this posts! I'm super excited about Sweet Sketch Wednesday this week. First of all, here's the fabulous sketch! Isn't it wonderful?!! Yep, I love it too.

Secondly is our sponsor! Clearly Digi Stamps is offering our winner a $25 gift certificate to their newly opened store...yes, I said $25!!! My enthusiasm stems from the fact I'm on their DT as well. Talk about a fun week for me!!!

Clearly Digi Stamps (Clear Dollar Stamps) is a home-based business run by moms!  Located in Pleasant Hope, Missouri, we run the main operations out of Lori's (my) basement.  We have illustrators from all over the United States and join forces to bring you the a variety of styles and images at incredibly affordable prices.  We believe that the value we put in our Digi sets are above and beyond what you will find at many other stores....and we want it to be that way.  As moms, budgets are many times very limited, but we still need our creative outlet too!  Enjoy!

Clearly Digi Stamps has 6 artists that illustrate for us:  Laurie Wilson, Lisa Lara, Deedee Anderson, Austin Owens, Patrick Dunnegan and myself, Lori McCroskey.  We love what we do and love to create digis for you to play with!
If you have suggestions for Digi Sets, we would love to hear your suggestions....just send us an email at Lori@cleardollarstamps.com !

The parent company of Clearly Digi Stamps is Clear Dollar Stamps LLC.  You can learn how Clear Dollar Stamps got started below.

 How Clear Dollar Stamps got started:
Motto: Where value and creativity meet!
Hi!  My name is Lori McCroskey and I am the founder and owner of Clear Dollar Stamps, LLC.  I started stamping in the summer of 2000 while I was pregnant with my first little girl.  I had a friend from church that kept asking me to go to stamping parties, and I just thought stamping party, how silly is that?  Finally, I relented.  I went to a stamping party, got hooked on scrapbooking AND found out there were inks that I could stamp on clothing!  I have a fashion design minor so I was hooked from that moment on!  Can you imagine?  Matching clothes and scrapbook pages?  I was in heaven.

After having my first child, my ideas of spare time quickly vanished.  There weren't many stamped dresses, but I found time to do some scrapbook pages, cards and gifts!  As my passion for stamping grew faster than the money in my billfold, I decided to start selling one of the lines of stamps, for an existing stamp company, shortly after my second little girl was born.  I would throw food on her high chair and run to my stamping table in the same room to see how much I could get done while she ate!  LOL, We've all been there!   As time went on, it became harder and harder to leave my little girlies crying in the hallway as mommy went off to do a stamp party.  It just broke my heart.  Thus, the dream of Clear Dollar Stamps began.

Why did I start my own stamp company?  Most stamp companies, at that time, would not let you sell their products on the internet, which is what I wanted to do..I wanted to be at home.   I also found it very hard to find unique Christian stamps.  I really wanted something that would convey my love for God in a whimsical, out of the ordinary sort of way.  As a stay at home mom, I wanted to create a line of stamps that other stay at home moms could afford to create beautiful cards, crafts, and scrapbook pages.  Why did I name my company Clear Dollar Stamps?  I wanted people to know they were affordable!  Why do I have a cross in the middle of my company name?  I want people to know that Christ is the center of my business and the center of my life!

I come from a very crafty and artistic family, and believe it or not, I have the least talent of them all!  My sister is the trained artist of our family, not me, so I decided to teach myself to draw.  I invested in a drawing program, enrolled in an online tutorial service, and prayed for the girls to take LONG NAPS!  After much internet cruising for suppliers and manufacturers, Clear Dollar Stamps introduced our first set of stamps on eBay in October of 2004.  The learning curve was huge and at times very painful, but God always blessed my brain at just the right time with the ability to take the next step.

I give God all the glory for the very existence of this company and thank everyone who has prayed for me along the way!

I've gotta say, I really had fun making this card! The set is called Cool Camera and because I needed to make a quickie card, I used the color version. The flash and the heart are covered in Glossy Accents. The digital paper is also from the set. So fun in the pink and black. Sure do hope you can join us for another fabulous challenge at Sweet Sketch Wednesday. 

Tuesday Morning Sketches

Doodle Pantry is sponsoring Tuesday Morning Sketches this week. What a great sketch. I used the newly released USA Star, color version, which, until the 4th, is free. Just download it yourself from that link.

 

I've done this before and should have learned, but I was making this card from memory of the sketch, and thought the image was lower on the card. Oh well, it still looks like the sketch. 

So what plans do you have for the 4th of July? Here at the beach there's a parade in the morning that, if it would stop raining, we might go to. The we'll be grilling burgers and dogs...YUM!