SFYTT + Bloom and Grow

Very short on words tonight; it's the last two 'business days' before I start my new job and I'm doing a garage sale - oh, WHAT WAS I THINKING?  I really dislike garage sales...but we'll finish up tomorrow; then a basketball tournament this weekend and then life changes come Monday, May 2.  Nervous, anxious, excited...oh, all those emotions!

OK, moving on - I so wanted to participate in Jen's Sketch For You To Try; her sketches always rock and I only had a few more days to get in on the fun!

Inside and 3D view

I used the new Floral Circle Dies from Verve Visual with a paperback book; I stamped each paperback book layer with the various floral images from Bloom and Grow in either PTI Ocean Tide or Aqua Mist; mounted them all together and placed a gorgeous lush gem in the center.  I placed the paperback book flower on a PTI Ocean Tide doily - LOVE these new doilies (new to me)!  :D

The DP is all from MME; a bit of sewing, more lush gems and the rest is straight forward.

TFL; hope you have a GREAT weekend!

...spring, flowers, doilies and hope...Hugs, ~M.

WHAT'S IT TAKE?
Stamps: Verve Visual Bloom and Grow
Papers:  GKDCream, PTI Ocean Tide, Dark Chocolate and Aqua Mist, DP by MME
Ink:  PTI Ocean Tide, Aqua Mist and Dark Chocolate
Accessories:  MME Lush gems, Janome Mini Sewing Machine, Verve Visual Dies

Happy Birthday Lola!

Remember this cute couple?  It's our yougest daughter and her boyfriend (aren't they just too cute together)?

I have loved getting to know her boyfriend and his family; Kaitlyn and her boyfriend have such a respectful relationship (no hugging, no kissing, no holding hands - how's that for respect?? (shoot me when that day does arrive please - HA!)); they are both dedicated to their school work (both made straight A's this semester), they both love basketball and band and they BOTH make us laugh a lot.

Close Up - love those white gel pen dots!

Anyway, TODAY is his little sister's birfday...oh I so love birfdays!! We got  her a little gift, but you know me, I really enjoyed making her birthday card!

So first we'll start with the eye spy game!  What do you see?  Do you see it?

I traced the letters, cut them out and then stamped them randomly with flowers from Bloom and Grow in chalk inks.  Once I baked them (they are shrinky dinks) I found they SO MATCHED my background paper!!  How cool is that?

The paper is digital iPaper from Amber Ink; this one is  Gerber Daisy Party: Tiny; isn't it just the cutest with those little smiley faces inside each flower?  Ah...love!  Yep; just printed the paper right from my printer; such beautiful colors.

I chose to make a round card for sweet Lola using Wee Bee - Spot of Sun and color her PURPLE.  Yummy!

card and shrinky dinks

I tied the card and the shrinky dinks onto the gift bag filled with some special items.  Even more special?  Kaitlyn's and Lola's birfdays are just a day apart (maybe a few years in between, but hey, it counts)!!

Sweet hugs little Lola!!!

...purple flowers, birfdays and friends...Hugs, ~M.


WHAT'S IT TAKE?
Stamps: Amber Ink Digi Wee Bee - Spot of Sun
Papers:  PTI, Royal Velvet, GKD White, Amber Ink Digi iPaper Gerber Daisy Party: Tiny
Accessories:  digital image, digital paper, white gel pen, nesties, copics

Hapy birthday sweet Kaitlyn!

HA HA - all dressed up in rain gear to play outside!

Happy birthday sweet baby girl Kaitlyn!   You arrived 2 months early, 13 years ago today, and what a scary few weeks/months we had - the apnea monitor, the deciding not to breath, the brain hemorrhage, what they "thought" was brain damage" - boy girlfriend, did you prove them ALL so wrong!

Thanks for brightening our lives every single day; our lives are so blessed and enriched with you in it!

We love you so much!

....birthdays, family and love...Hugs, ~M.

Repeat Impressions DCC - Kraft, Rust & Robin's Egg Blue

Um, let's start right up front with saying I own NO RUST...no ink in rust, no paper in rust, no Copics in rust....so....I had to give it a little whirl and hold my tongue just right!  HA!

Today, over at The House That Stamps Built, we have been challenged by the illustrious Robin to use the above colors plus one neutral.  I pulled out a tiny piece of MME DP which had some orange/rust on it and went from there.



I also needed a sympathy card for a dear sweet friend who lost her father to cancer Friday morning, so I combined the two to create my card.  :(  I really don't like doing sympathy cards; BUT I'm confident a handmade card brings lots of comfort and love to the receiver!

The image is Tulip Bouquet, always an elegant image; I used Karen's Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge #114 for the layout.  She happened to use vellum as her strip across the bottom and I thought it would be another nice, elegant touch, so I did that too.  :D  Then I made a vintage flower from an old paperback book and inked the edges with VersaMagic Gingerbread and adhered a Robin's Egg Blue button to the center.  WHEW - did I pass Robin?

Won't you check out the challenge at The House That Stamps Built and then play along; always a gift certificate to be won and we love seeing your creations!

Thanks for stopping by and checking out our DCC; hope you'll play along too!

...flowers and friends...Hugs, ~M.

WHAT'S IT TAKE?
Stamps: Repeat Impressions Tulip Bouquet
Papers: PTI Orange Zest, GKD Cream
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Memento Rich Cocoa, VersaMagic Gingerbread and Wheat
Accessories:  Copics, vellum, PTI button, paperback book, PTI Floral Dies

TLT Blog Hop - **NEW RELEASE**

Oh what a great day this is going to be - we have NEW STAMPS being released at Ladybug Crafts Ink and let me tell you, these are some of my FAVORITES!  Before we get to my creation, let's get the basics out of the way.

To get all the deets to play along (one person will win all 4 new stamp sets as well as 4 runner up prizes - WOW), start HERE (Challenge Blog)  If you get lost, you can always visit the Blog and pick back up where you left off.

Also, Queen Ladybug would like everyone to know that the stamps are available today (HERE) through May 2nd at the fabulous price of £5.50! 

You should have arrived at my blog from the ultra-talented Lisa; yeah...her creation was BREATHTAKING eh?

OK, so now that we have that out of the way, let's peek at my card(s) - yep; I made two; would like to make a whole set - which I probably will as I just love these stamps!

I wanted to work towards an assembly line style card (can 2 cards be considered an assembly line?  HA HA); anyway, I started with PTI's Fine Linen and layered on a couple different papers from MME (surprised by that eh?); I colored the flip flops a bit differently on each card and tied on coordinating ribbons.  The beach bag was paper pieced in each image; in one I colored the tie-on in blue to match the paper; on the other, I popped up an extra tie-on to give it a bit more dimension.

Super simple cards but seriously, are these images not just the CUTEST?  Oh yes, I love them!

Don't forget to leave a little love before you go, you never know if YOU will be the lucky winner!  Next up on the hop is the seriously gifted Sue!

Thanks for popping by; I love when you visit!

...flip flops, beach bags and sunshine...Hugs, ~M.

WHAT'S IT TAKE?
Stamps: Ladybug Crafts Ink 
Papers:  GKD White, PTI Fine Linen and Dark Chocolate, DP by MME
Ink:  Memento Rich Cocoa, VersaMagic Jumbo Java
Accessories:  Copics, nesties, Spica glitter pen (flowers on flip flops), wrinkle ribbon, PTI Dark Chocolate Twill ribbon,

Repeat Impression SOTW - Wheelbarrow

Greetings friends and Happy Monday!  Everyone back in the groove today?  Hope you had a blessed Easter!

This week we're sharing the Stamp of the Week - Wheelbarrow - over at The House That Stamps Built.  You can purchase this same image for 50% off this week only, be sure to stop by The House That Stamps Built to get all the deets.



I stamped the image onto a Labels 14 nestability and colored with Copics, sponging all the edges with VersaMagic Wheat and then additional brown underneath the wheelbarrow.  I masked the wheelbarrow and stamped some flowers within. I pulled out some MME DP, PTI card stock and that's it.  A very CAS card.  I paper pierced around the Labels 14 for a bit of dimension.

Be sure to pop over and see what the other Rock Stars have created!

TFL; hope you have a great Monday.

...wheelbarrows and flowers...Hugs, ~M.

WHAT'S IT TAKE?
Stamps: Repeat Impressions Wheelbarrow
Papers:  PTI Fine Linen, Dark Chocolate, Pure Poppy, GKD White DP by MME
Ink:  Memento Rich Cocoa, VersaMagic Wheat Jumbo Java
Accessories: Nesties, Copics, Paper Piercing

Hello Friend!

I'm typically a day late...and a few dollars short.  LOL  I really loved Karen's sketch for last Sunday; you can see it HERE and finally found some time to play - late Saturday night.  :(  Hence, I didn't get it uploaded in time but hey, I'm still going to show it to you!

I used "Pillow Talk" of the Simply Sassy girls - I love these images and coloring them is also lots of fun!

I used a new die cut from Verve Visual and a new stamp set for the "Hello Friend" sentiment.  The papers are Ocean Tide from PTI and some Stella and Rose Hattie DP.  Gosh I am so in love with the new MME papers; I'm using them on everything!

The Pillow Talk image is very large; so I cut her with a nestie but allowed her foot and a bit of her pillow to be outside the circle.  I also hand-cut a matting layer from Ocean Tides for the "hello friend" die cut.

The rest is pretty self-explanatory!

Hope you and your loved ones are having a splendid Easter!

...Easter eggs and pillow talk...Hugs, ~M.

WHAT'S IT TAKE?
Stamps:  Funky Kits Simply Sassy and Verve Visual Hope Blooms
Papers:  PTI Ocean Tides, GKD White, MME DP
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Chamomile & Chai Tea Dye Ink
Accessories:  Copics, nesties, Verve Visual Dies, misc gems

Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

Are ya listenin'?  :D  I have some VERY exciting news to share with you!

Anita, from Just a Pigment of my Imagination (a/k/a coloring wizard, card maker extraordinaire, Simply Sassy chick...ya, THAT Anita) chose me to be the NEXT Team Orange Torchbearer for Amber Ink.  Oh yeah, late night e-mail messages, code words, secrets - you get the picture!

And let me tell you - Amber of THE AMBER INK - is a hoot; we've only been "together" a couple of weeks, but she's one seriously fun chick.  Amber Ink has clear stamps, digitial stamps AND digital paper (something for everyone)!  ***squeal***

The other famous torchbearers joining me are:

Blue Torch is being passed by  Amy Everson  to Cathy Weber 

Pink Torch is being passed by Mandi Moore  to Anne Cullen 

Brown Torch is being passed by  Tammy Hellstern  to Katie Kahl 

Purple Torch is being passed by Jana Weaver  to Jane Matsumoto

And I'll be carrying the Orange Torch!

And why stop there eh?  Today we are all sharing our first project. I chose Love Bug; what an easy peasy choice this was!  We have a love bug in our family!  Well, her name is Kaitlyn, but we always call her Kaity-bug Ladybug; hmph, easy choice wouldn't you say?


This digital stamp comes with 2 images - a lady bug with hearts and a lady bug without hearts...AND (since I'm on a roll); I want you to know I FLIPPED the non-heart ladybug to create a mirror image.  HOW COOL IS THAT?  Come on peeps; put your hands together for the Photoshop challenged Michele - let's hear it!!!  LMBO!





I printed my bugs onto GKD white paper (yep, just my regular 'ole printer) and then colored them in with Copics.  I used some gingham paper and made like a picnic cloth - can you tell?  Did it work?  Can you see it?  I added a chocolate border and made the corner split just like ladybug wings....did it work?  Can you see it?  Sheesh; I hope I haven't lost you!

Anyway, little Kaity-bug has a birthday this month, so it's for her!  Shhh...do not tell!  I added 3 little heart brads in the corner, some chocolate twill ribbon and a pure poppy decorative nestie.  I also embossed the top portion of the pink layer with dots.  Ahhh....bring on the warmer weather so we can have a picnic!!!  I'm so ready!

Be sure to stop by the Amber Inklings blog to catch all the fun!

Now...I'm off to stretch, warm-up and get ready for this crazy torchbearing race!  See ya soon!

...orange torches and ladybugs...Hugs, ~M.

WHAT'S IT TAKE?
Stamps: Amber Ink Digi Love Bug
Papers:  PTI Pure Poppy, Sweet Blush, Dark Chocolate, DP by SU!
Ink:  PTI Sweet Blush, Memento Rich Cocoa
Accessories:  digital image, PTI Dark Chocolate twill, misc. heart brads

Repeat Impressions What If? Wednesday

Greetings!

The Rock Stars are back with another What If? Wednesday; check out the sketch and other amazing creations at the The House That Samps Built; then play along with us!

I decided to use a beautiful sentiment (Life is Not) for the main focal point and then I laced some hand-dyed ribbon through the deep border punch.  LOVE the look.  I made a 2-looped bow with my bow easy and adhered with a glue dot.

Inside

I replicated the same colors and punch on the inside of the card too.

Here's a list of the other Rock Stars too; and be sure to leave Miriam some love - she's our newest Rock Star!

Darsie Bruno  *  Dawn Bennett  *  Harriet Skelly  *  Joy Hadden

Close Uup

Karen Hasheck  *  Lynette Neus  *  Makiko Jones  *  Miriam Napier  *  Robin Kirkpatrick

WHAT'S IT TAKE?
Stamps: Repeat Impressions Life is Not
Papers:  PTI Dark Chocolate, SU! DP
Ink:  Memento Rich Cocoa, PTI Vintage Cream, VersaMagic Jumbo Java
Accessories:  nesties, sponging, EK Success border punch

TLT - Anything Goes

It's Tuesday and you know what that means, right?  Another Ladybug challenge and this one is the BEST kind of challenge, right?  Yep; you play right along with us cuz ANYTHING GOES and you are not required to use a Ladybug Crafts Ink stamp to win! But if you have one (or a few), go ahead, give them some love for this challenge!

I had a request for some decorated notebooks and this is one of them (I'm still looking for a crown to add to Chatty Nikki; wink wink Queenie Poo, maybe this should be an upcoming image-HA) but for now we're good to go.  Isn't the purple just dee-lish?  AND I'm not even a purple kinda girl but I sure like how this turned out.

I have lots of photos to show you too!  The notebook actually has a snap to keep it together but since the recipient is a "young" lady, I decided to do the image and decorations on the "opposite" side so they wouldn't get all messed up when the notebook was unsnapped, snapped, unsnapped...you get the idea right?

Inside-look at those purple lined pages!

I covered both sides with Modge Podge and layered on my paper.  After it was totally dry, I topped the paper with another light layer of Modge Podge and then sanded all the edges.

I stamped Nikki on a Labels 14 nestability and mounted on a larger Label 14.  I love this shape!!  I colored Nikki with Copics and a glitter pen for her phone (yeah, you tell me - what girl wouldn't LOVE a sparkly phone?).  I paper pieced the small stool Nikki is leaning against and added a bit of shading. 

I added the "This and That" sentiment onto a decorative nestie circle and then punched a purple layer to go behind the nestie.  The circle of dots is from the same stamp set as "This and That", stamped in Encore Purple.  Boo-tiful (IMHO)!


 I tied on lots of fun ribbon to the spine of the notebook and it's ready to go.  Wouldn't this be so much fun to have on hand to jot little notes in, your grocery store list, reminders, appointments, etc.?  I might have to make one for myself I like it so much!

Thanks for peeking in; be sure to stop by the blog to see all the other amazing creations and then take some time and join us this week.  We LOVE seeing your creations.

And before I go...we have a special surprise next week, you won't want to miss it!

...chatty and relaxed...~M.

WHAT'S IT TAKE?
Stamps: Ladybug Crafts Ink Chatty Nikki, PTI Take Note
Papers:  GKD White, PTI Royal Velvet, DP by Basic Grey
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Encore Purple
Accessories:  Copics, nesties, misc. glitter pen, circle punch

Girl Talk!

It's time for some girl talk!  Yeah, you know what I'm talking about!  :D

The challenge at CCEE this week is to use pink and black; I couldn't wait to play along b/c I had a little extra time on my hands.  I was also truly inspired by THIS creation by Debbie Olson, so I pulled out my On the Couch and On the Couch Additions from PTI and began to play along!

I sponged the pink layer (from MME) and the doily in Pumice Stone; the polka dot paper is from PTI.  I die cut the couch out of the polka dot paper, then stamped it with SU! Craft White and embossed with white embossing powder.  The sentiment was stamped in Versamark and embossed with black embossing powder.  Easy peasy!

I stamped the outside of the envelope with a decorative image from the stamp set and used Tattered Rose and Barn Door Red to give it a well worn look - do you like?

Thanks for stopping by to visit!

...girl talk and hugs...~M.


WHAT'S IT TAKE?
Stamps:  Papertreyink On My Couch and On My Couch Additions
Papers:  MME DP and PTI DP, PTI True Black, SU! Pink Pirouette
Ink:  SU! Craft White, VersaMark, Pumice Stone, Tattered Rose and Barn Door Red
Accessories:  Copics, embossing powder, doily

Courage

I recently purchased some Grand Nestabilities...not my smartest purchase BUT I wanted to try to use them to create a "shaped" card.  The papers were ones I had on my desk so I began putting it together and I really like how it turned out!

I used 3 of the small flowers from MFT Stamps, 2 brown and 1 pink.  The pink was spritzed with a chocolate glimmer mist and the 2 brown were spritzed with a white glimmer mist, which really didn't show up well.  I added blush pearls and a chocolate pearl accordingly.

I died the ribbon using several different inks; it was a tan base, so it gave it a unique color - I like it!  I scrunched it up using Scor-Pal tape.  The notebook paper and quote are from Verve Visuals Blue Skies; I stamped the notebook paper twice in Pumice Distress Ink and cut out each image.  I added Chamomile Tea Dye ink around the edges for a vintage feel.  For the quote, I inked it in Tattered Rose and then stamped over it with Barn Door; not quite as bright of a red that way.

The quote says "Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow". Such a beautiful quote!

Thanks for popping in; hope you are having a great week!

...courage and strength... ~M.

WHAT'S IT TAKE?
Stamps: Verve Visuals Blue Skies
Papers:  PTI Dark Chocolate, Sweet Blush, DP by SU!
Ink:  Distress Inks - Pumice Stone, Tattered Rose and Barn Door, PTI Chamomile Tea Dye Ink
Accessories: distressing, hand-dyed ribbon, GB pearls, MFT rolled flowers