Bellarific Friday (on Saturday!)

The Bellarific Friday challenge yesterday was to create something with a sports theme, so I decided to get Tyler the Jock inky so I could play along! I took a LOT of inspiration from the uber-talented Linda Heavens for coloring Tyler. She is a master with Prismacolor pencils and Gamsol and I used Copics on my card, but I still took a lot of coaching from the way she shadows and highlights different areas of the image. I'm nowhere near as good as she is, but it sure does help to have a fabulous sample to follow!

Hope you're having a good weekend! Happy stamping, and thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Tyler the Jock, sentiment (Stamping Bella)

Cardstock: red, yellow (Bazzill), white (Neenah), designer paper (Cosmo Cricket "The Boyfriend")

Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black (Tsukineko), Old Paper distress ink (Ranger), markers (Copic)
Accessories: Nestabilities (Spellbinders), twill ribbon (Creative Impressions), brads (Making Memories).

Stamp Simply #128 - With Sympathy

Today's Stamp Simply challenge from Sharon Johnson is one that I'm sure everyone can join in on and find very useful. We always need to have a stash of sympathy cards on hand, right? So today's challenge is just that.... create a sympathy card. Hopefully it'll just be one to add to your stash and not for an immediate need.

For me personally, I never seem to have a stash of cards that are appropriate for my immediate need. So usually when I need a sympathy card, it ends up being something quick so that's what I did for today. It's simply elegant in black and white with the addition of some dry embossing, and the embossed image and sentiment. This black ribbon lends the perfect finishing touch. A white insert inside (which I remembered to do after taking my photo!) and the card is ready for my stash! Yay.... I'm ever so slightly ahead of the game! Now, hopefully I won't need this anytime soon!

Today marks our last day with the ever-sweet Deb Neerman as our Guest Designer, so be sure and stop by her blog to see her wonderful creation! And Sharon has a wonderfully unique sympathy card for you to see on her blog.

We also bid a sad farewell today to the incredibly talented Julie Koerber! *sniff, sniff* Julie has been a fabulous part of the Stamp Simply team and is such a super sweet friend! But she has her hands full lately and has decided to step down from the team! She will be sorely missed (but I know where to find her!)

My Stamp Simpy sisters have more inspriration for you today, too...

Barbara Anders

Jennifer Buck

AJ Otto
Deb Saaranen

Jenny Gropp

Barb Schram

I hope you have a fabulous Friday! Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Stamps: triple crosses (DRS Designs), sentiment (Kitchen Sink Stamps)
Cardstock: black (Bazzill), white (Neenah)
Inks: Versafine Onyx Black (Tsukineko)

Accessories: Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder (ProvoCraft), Nestabilities (Spellbinders), ribbon (craft supply).

What's Cookin'?

Just playing around this evening and made this simple card while watching American Idol.

Do you watch Idol? I've been kinda' disappointed so far in the song choices and performances. I have my favorites but so far no one has really knocked my socks off! I hope it starts getting better, as I've really been excited for this season!

Oh, and Jane... this is for you! I ran my linen thread through the holes in my button and tied the button to my twill ribbon (which contradicts what I told you today!) I stuck a glue dot under the knot of the twill ribbon for extra support.

Here are my Copic colors!
Happy stamping! Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Whisking Chicken (Whipper Snapper Designs), sentiment (computer generated)

Cardstock: Ruby Red, So Saffron (Stampin' Up!), blue (Core'dinations), white (Neenah), designer paper (Material Girl from Cosmo Cricket)

Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), markers (Copic)

Accessories: twill ribbon (Creative Impressions), button (Stamp Simply store), Apron Lace border punch (Fiskars), Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder (ProvoCraft).

All that Scraps Wednesday Challenge

It's time for another Wednesday challenge with the girls from All That Scraps and this week we're using text! Use a piece from a newspaper, or a page from an old book... just include some text somewhere in your design.

My "text" shows up in my flower that I created, using a tutorial from Mercy's blog. My friend Bar calls these "poofy" flowers, and I have to agree! I love the dimension this creates on the card front. I alternated the layers of my flower with pages from an old book and pieces of Indian Summer paper from Basic Grey. I inked up all the pieces by doing direct-to-paper with some Vintage Photo distress ink to age it a little. Then I used stamps from the All Women Sentiments stamp set from Amy R at CC Designs. I thought the reference to "words" in the sentiment was quite clever for this challenge! (yeah... patting myself on the back a little with that one! LOL)
Check out the challenge and play along this week! Christine always has a great little prize for one random participant, so how can you go wrong? Let's see what you can come up with!

As always, thank you for stopping by! Your visits and comments are very much appreciated!

Stamps: All Women Sentiments from Amy R Stamps (CC Designs, available at Toyrifix)

Cardstock: Bravo Burgundy, Melon Mambo (Stampin' Up!), designer paper (Indian Summer by Basic Grey)
Inks: Memento Rhubarb Stalk, Versafine Onyx Black (Tsukineko), Vintage Photo distress ink (Ranger)
Accessories: scalloped circle punch (SU!), Apron Lace border punch (Fiskars).

Color Throwdown #81

Welcome to another Wednesday and another Color Throwdown! We're up to challenge #81 this week, and Kristin is our hostess! She's picked a very classic color combo that I'm sure everyone will LOVE!

I took the chance to use another new set of Flourishes stamps for my card today! This is one of Flourishes brand new releases, From the Garden. This also qualifies for the Timeless Tuesday challenge on the Flourishes blog, and I used Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge #62 for the layout.
Here are the Copic colors I used.
The Throwdown team was so happy to have Debi Southard as our guest designer this past month! Stop by her blog and check out her completely adorable card today! And see what my Throwdown sisters have created at their blogs, too!

Kristin Bueter

LeAnne Pugliese

Broni Holcombe

Cathy Indelicato

Barbara Anders

Danielle Kennedy (sitting out this week with the flu)

Stop by the Throwdown blog for all the details, and play along with us this week! We love seeing your creations! Remember if you upload to any online galleries, use keyword CTD81, and link your creation back on the Throwdown blog using the Inlinkz.

Stay tuned for my All That Scraps Wednesday challenge card later in the day! Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: From the Garden (Flourishes)

Cardstock: Old Olive, Pink Pirouette, Chocolate Chip (Stampin' Up!), white (Neenah), designer paper (Bo Bunny)

Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black, Rich Cocoa (Tsukineko), markers (Copic)

Accessories: Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Cuttlebug Stylized Flowers embossing folder (ProvoCraft), pearls (Hero Arts), ribbon (Creative Impressions).

Think Spring!

This past Friday was like Christmas for me at work, as I decided to start carrying Flourishes stamps and they arrived on Friday! These stamps are all so beautiful, and I just couldn't resist getting this Signs of Spring set inky over the weekend! I knew the daffodil would be beautiful paired with this paper from the Basic Grey Origins paper pad.

This card also is for the Timeless Tuesday challenge on the Flourishes blog to use any floral image!

Here are the Copic colors I used on the daffodil. (Click on the photo for a close-up, if needed.) The Flourishes images work SO well with Copics because there is already so much natural shading within the image. It was a joy to color this up!

My thanks to you for stopping by today! Your visits and comments are appreciated SO much!

Stamps: Signs of Spring (Flourishes)

Cardstock: green, yellow (Bazzill), white (Neenah), designer paper (Basic Grey)

Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black (Tsukineko), Tea Dye distress ink (Ranger), markers (Copic)

Accessories: Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder (ProvoCraft), ribbon (May Arts), button (Stampin' Up!).

Gardeners Know All the Dirt

I've been sick with a cold for several days and haven't felt like doing much of anything until Sunday afternoon when I decided to play along with the Featured Stamper challenge over at SCS. I chose this card from Judi's gallery as inspiration, and created my version using the new Garden Variety paper from Cosmo Cricket and some Rubbernecker stamps.

Here are the Copic colors I used to color my image. I'm going to do my best to start including a list or a photo of the colors I used with each post because I often am asked to do so! It used to be so hard for me to do that in the past because my stamp room was in the basement, but now that I'm in the same room as the computer while stamping, I think I can get the job done! :)

I hope you had a great weekend! Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Edna Raking, Gardener's Text sentiment (Rubbernecker)

Cardstock: Old Olive, Ruby Red (Stampin' Up!), Summer Sunrise (Papertrey Ink), white (Neenah), designer paper (Cosmo Cricket)

Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black (Tsukineko), markers (Copic)
Accessories: Nestabilities (Spellbinders), brads (craft supply).

Copic Class anyone?

Just a quick post today....

On Friday, March 5th I will be driving up to Northwest Ohio and picking up my wonderful Mom, and then we'll be traveling to North Liberty, Indiana to the home of my sweet friend, Joan Fricker! Joan has a fabulous online stamp store, Joan's Garden, and also has a nice little shop at her home where she sells stamps and accessories, including Copic markers. Joan's customers have been asking for awhile for her to have a Copic class and I have agreed to teach the classes! So on Saturday, March 6th I'll be teaching two classes... a basic, beginner's class and an afternoon advanced class. I know there are a very limited number of spots left, so if you're interested check out the post on Joan's blog here to find out how to contact her and get registered!

I am so excited for this opportunity! I'm SO looking foward getting to see Joan again and stay in her beautiful home. And I'm anxious to have some quality time to spend with my Mom! And ready to meet some new stamping friends at the class! (Now, I just need Mother Nature to cooperate and stop making it snow by then!)

Happy Thursday!

All that Scraps Wednesday Challenge - 4, 3, 2, 1 Recipe

I was recently asked to join the fabulously talented ladies on the Wednesday Challenge blog for All that Scraps, and am just thrilled to be participating in my first challenge with them today! The stamps from All that Scraps are some of my favorites, so it was a no-brainer to say yes to joining this team!

For today's challenge, we're following a recipe! You can use 4 embellishments, 3 papers, 2 main colors, and 1 image. So here below is my card, using the Gingersnaps Spring Thing stamps! Isn't she cute in her rain gear, waiting for a rain storm (instead of a snow storm!) My hope in using this stamp today is that spring is not so far off! :)

I used some very new My Mind's Eye papers on my card, and coated the raincoat and hat with some Glossy Effects for shine. Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge #61 was my inspiration for the layout.

Check out all the details on the Wednesday Challenge blog, and all the entries from the design team for inspiration, and then give this challenge a try! I'd love to see what you come up with, and Christine always has a prize for one lucky participant!

Thanks for visiting my blog today! I appreciate it very much!

Stamps: Gingersnaps Spring Thing (CC Designs/All that Scraps)

Cardstock: Ruby Red (Stampin' Up!), aqua green (Coredinations), white (Neenah), designer paper (Quite Contrary from My Mind's Eye)

Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), markers (Copic)

Accessories: brads (Colorbok), Nestabilities Petite Ovals (Spellbinders), Glossy Effects (Ranger).

Color Throwdown #80

Color Throwdown #80! Can you believe that? This week, our hostess is Danielle and her color choices were inspired by this pretty paper from Fancy Pants (which I was so glad to have on hand!) Your initial reaction might be dread at these colors, but pull out some cardstock in these colors and just take a look! I think you'll find yourself liking it very much by the time you're done!

For my card, I chose to use a new stamp set that I got at the store today called Clearly Sentimental about Emerson. It's a new stamp set from My Favorite Things full of quotes from Ralph Waldo Emerson. I also used a new Hero Arts stamp set called Stencil Art for the flowers and butterfly. I have plans to send this to someone, but since I know she reads my blog I'm not gonna' say who.... she'll just be surprised!
My Throwdown Sisters have some great pieces to inspire you today, and you will see how liberal you can be with these color choices from the variety of their designs!

Danielle Kennedy

Kristin Bueter

LeAnne Pugliese

Broni Holcombe

Cathy Indelicato

Barbara Anders

Debi Southard, February Guest Designer

Thanks for stopping by! How's the weather in your neck of the woods? I'm convinced that it's just going to keep snowing forever here in Northeast Ohio. I'm officially fed up!

Stamps: Clearly Sentimental about Emerson (My Favorite Things), Stencil Art (Hero Arts)

Cardstock: Bravo Burgundy, Really Rust, Sage Shadow (Stampin' Up!) designer paper (Fancy Pants)

Inks: Memento Rich Cocoa, Rhubarb Stalk (Tsukineko)
Accessories: ribbon, button (SU!), Nestabilities Labels 8 (Spellbinders), dew drops (Robin's Nest), Apron Lace border punch (Fiskars).

Stamp Simply #126 - Green and Blech!

Yep, that's what I said.... green and blech! Today's Stamp Simply challenge from Sharon Johnson is to use the colors green and purple. I don't get along with purple. I am not fond of purple. Never met a shade of purple that I liked one tiny bit. So here's my reluctant attempt to use green and purple (with a few other colors thrown in to make me happy!) I used Lori's sketch from this past Saturday on Paper Craft Planet for the layout, reversing it to better accomodate my image.

Sharon has a fabulous sample for you to see on her blog... she rocked these colors! As did the rest of the Stamp Simply team...

Barbara Anders

Deb Saaranen

Jennifer Buck

Janine Orchard

Julie Koerber

Barb Schram

Jenny Gropp

AJ Otto

Deb Neerman, February Guest Designer

Thanks for visiting my blog today!

Stamps: Birthday Girl (Pure Innocence from My Favorite Things)
Cardstock: Almost Amethyst, Certainly Celery (Stampin' Up!), white (Neenah), designer paper (Sugar Rush by Basic Grey)
Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black (Tsukineko), markers (Copic)
Accessories: Apron Lace Border punch (Fiskars), Nestabilities tag die (Spellbinders).

Color Throwdown #79

Another Wednesday brings another Color Throwdown! This week Barbara is our hostess, and the inspiration for her color selection comes from the Be Loved papers from My Mind's Eye! This is such a pretty color combo for a Valentine if you still need to get some done, or something else entirely!

For my card, I chose to use this new stamp I recently got at the store from Verses Rubber Stamps! Isn't it a crack-up? I used the Sweet Sunday Sketch challenge #55 from Karen Giron's blog for my layout.The Throwdown team has some beautiful creations to inspire you, so be sure to check out their blogs today!

Barbara Anders

Danielle Kennedy

Kristin Bueter

LeAnne Pugliese

Cathy Indelicato

Broni Holcombe

Debi Southard, February Guest Designer

Thanks for stopping by today! I hope your week is going well! I am hoping for a snow day today, as we're getting dumped on again here in Northeast Ohio! My girls' schools have cancelled already on Tuesday night, so my fingers are crossed that I get to stay home, too!

Happy stamping!

Stamps: Healthy Glow (Verses Rubber Stamps)
Cardstock: aqua green (Bazzill), Blush Blossom (Stampin' Up!), cream (Neenah), designer paper (My Mind's Eye)
Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), markers (Copic)
Accessories: twill ribbon (Creative Impressions), Nestabilities (Spellbinders), button (Stamp Simply Store).

Featured Stamper - Raise the Bar!

One of my very best friends is Barbara Anders. We got to know each other through our love of stamping several years ago when she emailed me and asked for advice on starting her blog. Yeah... go figure! She asked me for advice, and then she burst onto the stamping scene and has never looked back! Her designs continually blow me away, and get better and better all the time! She's been a member of the design team for My Favorite Things since last year, and is a member of the Color Throwdown team along with a few other weekly challenge teams. Personally, I think she deserves a spot on the Splitcoast Dirty Dozen!

Several weeks ago, I asked Bar if she'd ever been Featured Stamper on the challenge posted each Sunday on Splitcoast Stampers, and she said that she hadn't. Well, I felt that situation must be remedied, and quickly sent a message to Beth Silaika suggesting Bar for Featured Stamper. Beth replied and told me yes, definitely Bar should be considered for Featured Stamper! Yay! Well, anyone who knows Beth knows that she has been super busy the last few weeks preparing for a big event this weekend, and since she's so busy, she sent me a message on Monday and asked if I would host the Featured Stamper challenge on SCS and have Bar be the Featured Stamper! You guessed it... she did NOT have to ask me twice! I jumped on that honor immediately and have been bursting with excitement waiting for this day to arrive! CONGRATS Bar!!! You are SO deserving of being Featured Stamper today! (Now do you realize why I've asked you several times since Thursday what you're doing all weekend?)

I chose this card of Bar's from Color Throwdown #77 to CASE for today's challenge. If you're not familiar with how the Featured Stamper challenge works, it goes like this.... go to the Featured Stamper's gallery and choose a card to CASE (Copy And Share Everything) but you have to change at least three things in the design. In this CASE, I changed the colors/papers, used a different stamp set, and used different embellishments. Basically, I CASE'd the layout and used my Rubbernecker Teatime set and the new Origins paper from Basic Grey.

SO, I hope you will take the time today to join in the Featured Stamper challenge honoring Bar! I know she is going to be thrilled seeing all the cards everyone creates today that are inspired by her designs!

I hope you're having a fabulous weekend! Thanks for stopping by today!

Stamps: Teatime (Rubbernecker)

Cardstock: So Saffron, Certainly Celery (Stampin' Up!), white (Neenah), designer paper (Origins by Basic Grey)

Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black (Tsukineko), markers (Copic)
Accessories: Nestabilities Labels 1 (Spellbinders), oval punch, ribbon, button (SU!), brads (craft supply), piercing template (American Traditional Crafts).

All that Scraps Challenge - Valentine Packaging

The challenge this week over on the All That Scraps Wednesday challenge blog is to create a package for Valentine treats! It's been a long time since I've created a "Box-in-a-Bag" originally designed by my PCP Supernova Sister, Diana Gibbs so I decided to make one for this challenge. It'll hold a lot of chocolate goodies! Di has perfectly good instructions on her blog so I'm not going to reinvent the wheel.... just click on that link above to be taken to her blog for directions.

I used Diane Zechman's Cookie Crumbs Valentine Critters stamps for my little bag. Isn't that elephant the sweetest?

We're getting snowed in again here in Northeast Ohio but I don't have to go anywhere until Saturday evening, so I'm snug as bug in the house! I hope the start of your weekend is great! Happy stamping!

Stamps: Cookie Crumbs "Valentine Critters" (CC Designs/All that Scraps)

Cardstock: designer paper (Making Memories), white (Neenah)

Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), markers (Copic)

Accessories: Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Apron Lace border punch (Fiskars), ribbon (Creative Impressions).

Stamp Simply #125 - Baby, baby!

It's Stamp Simply time again and this week we're making baby cards, or anything else suitable for a baby! Maybe a shower invite, some decor for baby's room, birth announcements? Anything baby goes!

With the beginning of a new month, Sharon and the team welcome a new Guest Designer and for February we have the super-sweet Deb Neerman joining us! You'll love seeing Deb's designs, and I'm anxious for the chance to get to know her better!

We have a family at church with a new baby girl, so I decided to make my card to send to them using the Hanging Bundle here from Stamping Bella and matching sentiment. The layout for my card is inspired by the Bellarific Friday challenge, a sketch challenge this week, on the Stamping Bella blog.

Stop at Sharon Johnson's blog and see the handsome little man that inspired her baby creation this week! He's as cute as a button! Then hop along and check out the creations from the rest of the Stamp Simply team this week!

Barbara Anders

Barb Schram

Julie Koerber
Jenny Gropp

AJ Otto

Janine Orchard

Deb Neerman, Guest Designer

I have the day off today, and am preparing for the 13th Birthday Bash Sleepover that Kelsey is having tonight with her friends, and preparing to send Kaylie off to Columbus for a great weekend at the Blaze Conference with our church Youth group! I hope you have a fabulous weekend! Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Baby Bella Hanging Bundle, sentiment (Stamping Bella)
Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black (Tsukineko), markers (Copic)
Cardstock: Bashful Blue (Stampin' Up!), Kraft (Bazzill), designer paper (Imaginisce), cream (Neenah)
Accessories: Apron Lace border punch (Fiskards), Nestabilities (Spellbinders), brads (Bo Bunny).

Happy Birthday, Kelsey!

Thirteen years ago today, my husband and I got up very early in the morning and headed to the local hospital for a scheduled C-section, and at 8:56 a.m. Kelsey Amanda was born! Thirteen years ago.... THIRTEEN! Geez, where does the time go??? I now officially have two teenagers in my house! All prayers are welcome! LOL

So here's a birthday card for my sweet baby girl today! I might have gone overboard with the bling on the cupcakes, but you only become a teenager once, right? I hope she likes it.

I took some inspiration for the layout from Mercy's Tuesday sketch challenge #59, but maybe took a little too much liberty for it to be true to the original sketch.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KELSEY! And thank you Lord God for her precious life!

Have a great day everyone!

Stamps: Cupcake Heaven (Whipper Snapper Designs), sentiment (unknown... I found this unmounted stamp in my studio and have NO idea where it came from!)

Cardstock: Kiwi Kiss, Bermuda Bay (Stampin' Up!), designer paper (Bella Blvd.), white (Neenah)

Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black (Tsukineko), markers (Copic)

Accessories: ribbon (SU!), Basic Grey button (Stamp Simply Store), Nestabilities (Spellbinders), gemstones (Zva).

Color Throwdown #78 with StarvingArtistamps

OK, everyone get up and get creative! It's time for another Color Throwdown! This week, Broni is our hostess and she has chosen these pretty, soft pastels for you to work with along with my all-time favorite cardstock color, KRAFT! You can never go wrong with Kraft! We also have a wonderful sponsor for this week's challenge.... Starving Artistamps! They generously provided all the Throwdown team members with stamps to use for today's challenge, they're offering a FANTASTIC prize to one lucky participant, AND offering a great special to everyone who plays along, too! Be sure to stop by the Throwdown blog for all the challenge details, and please take time to review the eligibility requirements in the right-hand sidebar in order to qualify for the prizes and/or to be chosen as Featured Stamper for next week!

Since this is a new month, that means we have a new Guest Designer, too! We always have some amazing designers that play along with our challenges, but Deborah Southard's designs have stood out lately and so we chose her to join us for the month of February! Be sure to stop by the Throwdown blog and welcome Debi to our team!

For my card, I got to use this cute lamp and table stamp from the Classic Decor set, along with a sentiment from the Classic Decor Sentiments set. For the layout on my card, I used Karen Giron's Sweet Sunday sketch, but I did have to change the circle to an oval to accomodate my image.
My Throwdown sisters came up with some fabulous creations using the Doodle Factory stamps from Starving Artistamps, so be sure and pop over to their blogs to see!

Broni * Barbara * Danielle * Kristin

LeAnne * Cathy * Debi

Thanks so much for stopping by today, and have a fabulous day!