Brrrr ... it's been Christmas Craftin Weather!

Since it has felt so cold and breezy this week with the wind whippin' around up on our hill, I haven't felt much like going outside.  So I have been gathering ideas for Christmas cards from Pinterest and my craft table is a mess right now, but ... I got a few cards done before the end of the month to participate in Lisa's 12-months of Christmas Link-Up challenge.  :)  Yeahhh!

The first card is using the image I have had on my desk for a while now from From The Heart stamps called "For The Birds."

The second image is my attempt at a vintage style card with a collage.  Not sure I am crazy about that one, but it will do for now.

The last one is in the group photo and I had used a House Mouse ATC that I have had from a trade quite a few years ago that I have been holding onto as well.

I need to simplify a bit here in the craft room and have decided to start using other's ATCs on my cards to send to friends and family.  I think they will enjoy them as much as I have.

Thanks for stopping by.  I would love to hear from you.  Please leave a comment.

Hugs,

I {heart} Sketches #68 - From The Heart

Do you ever just peek at a sketch, turn off your computer and then go to work crafting?!  Well, that's what I did with this sketch, so ... I totally forgot that circle in the center of the rectangle, although I did use an oval for the partial sentiment (and I flipped it).  I think it "kinda" qualifies.  :)

Anyway, it's all for fun, and possibly I will get another one done today, so for now ... 

I'm Not Gonna Sweat it either! :)  lol

Here's my contribution to I {heart} Sketches #68 from From The Heart Stamps.

Card Details:  Birthday Candle Birdbrain from From The Heart stamps colored with
Prismacolor pencils and blended with Gamsol, cupcake from Imagine That Digis, 
Stampin Up bashful blue and brilliant blue card stock, Cuttlebug Spots 'n Dots embossing folder,
Spellbinders small scalloped oval dies used on the confetti paper created with Imagine That's KD kit
(linked above), Stampin Up large oval punch used on the Don't Sweat It sentiment from the Birdbrain set (linked above),
Polka dot and striped DP are Kiss & Tell from My Mind's Eye.

Inky Hugs,

Sometimes ya just feel like a Bird Brain?! yep, I did.

I was recently visiting my friend, Joanna's blog, and saw this cute little birdie "Birthday Candle BirdBrain" that will be perfect for funny cards for my friends' birthdays.  If you played along in the progressive challenge in January at FromTheHeartStamps blog, you would have gotten him for free.  Well, I was a little late to get him free through the challenge, but I could get him free with a small purchase of $10, so I snagged him last week with a little order, and I am looking forward to creating with a few more of these little "Bird Brains."  lol

Here's the little guy all ready for a friends' party this weekend!  I used some green textured Bazzill paper I have been hording and the gingham is called Easter Parade from OrientalTrading of all places (been a while since I bought that for some special House Mouse Easter cards I was swapping with friends on SplitCoastStampers too).  I need to use up some more of my stash before I go buying new.  I have lotsa great stuff around here, ya know?! :)  Hubby keeps telling me that too ;)  I believe the yellow buttons may have even come from Joanna in a card swap a couple of years ago too.

Here's a closeup so you can see the detail better - popped up oval layers, stitching and 

embroidery floss in the yellow buttons.  a little added white gel ink around the scallops to

accent the sweet little chick a little bit too.  I just love this cute little guy, don't you?!

And ... LOOK ... I am able to sew on my cards again!!  My little Janome sewing machine bit the dust about a year ago, and I got a new Brother for Christmas (thanks to my wonderful Mom and Dad).  Now I even have some specialty stitches I can try out - looking forward to those. Stay tuned to see more. :)

Then, I continued the same sketch on the inside too but used faux stitching instead,

so I didn't have any holes on the back of the card.  Ohhh, I really love that gingham!!

Leave me a comment and let me know what you think?!  And don't forget to stop by the progressive challenge too.  If you don't have this little Birthday Candle BirdBrain, he's only $3.25 with some very cute sentiments.  You have until the end of the month to play along, so why not give it a try?!

I am entering my card in the following challenges:

• FromTheHeartStamps February Progressive Challenge
• Digi Sketch Challenge using the color green

Inky "stay warm" kinda Hugs from the freezin' North East,
 

Sketch, Challenges, Scraps and Reorganization

I am in the process of reorganizing my new space in the basement a little bit this weekend, and found some images that were already colored that I decided to use.  The first card is created with the Tuesday Morning Sketch (TMS138) for this week's challenge, and it uses an older stamp set called "Need it All," which I believe was from C.C. Designs (been a while, so not positive).  This was colored with prismacolor pencils and highlighted with a C1 copic.  The edges are sponged with pink so it didn't blend in too much since it was all white.  The bright light on my desk seemed to wash out the photo a bit though, as natural lighting is poor today (rainy and dreary here in PA).

The background DPs are from BasicGrey June Bug collection.  The extra layer behind made with Top Note die cut from Stampin Up was reused from a clear envelope given to me by a friend and way too pretty to throw out, so I repurposed it.  I know it's not really on the sketch, but I just had to use it behind these ovals, so I tweaked it a little.  The ribbon is from Stampin Up as well.

The second card was actually colored today with my Copics, and first off, I want to say that I am not an expert at coloring hair with Copics.  I definitely need more practice on that.  Also, you can't use white cardstock that absorbs the Copics like I did here, as I forgot it wasn't glossy.  A good cardstock to use for Copics is glossy white from SU or Gina K's glossy paper (which I typically use) or Neenah Classic Crest Solar White or Copic Sketchbook.  Check out Marianne's Info on this. 

Anyway, this card was actually created originally at the weekend workshop at my neighbor's home, and I hadn't stamped the Hello, Doily image well, and it was blotchy.  It is only seen partially on the card on the upper right.  I wanted to show you how you can still salvage an "oops."  I covered up the doily image at the bottom still allowing a little bit to show through, used some primas and an image in the center for a Get Well or Thinking of You type of card.  Not my best work, but I have definitely saved the card for a nice note to a friend letting him/her know that I am thinking of them. :)  The image is from C. C. Designs - Springtime Set (stamps I purchased quite a while back), but they still have the digis available at All That Scraps if you are interested.

Challenges I Am Entering:
Tuesday Morning Sketches
Tuesday Throwdown #90 - Spring Cleaning - use items from your stash

Another Saturday . . . another challenge at KL Stampin N Scrappin!  :)

Debbie M has challenged us all to "Get Shabby!!'
And we just cannot wait to see what you all come up with!
I really liked this challenge but wasn't sure I was getting shabby enough.  I wanted to
pile on the goodies like Debbie did after seeing her sweet shabby card.  LOL

But, I kept mine a little bit CAS I guess with a pretty big image on a regular A2 sized card.
Thinking now I should gone bigger, but it has been a busy week with a couple more
Father's Day cards and a birthday card to finish out the day, so . . .
well, this was about a 30 minute card as it was.  :)

The Deets/Blah-Blah:  The papers are really close to the colors

in BasicGrey's Lemonade, but they have butterflies on it

and some vibrant pink, so I thought the sweet Sarah Kay image

would look good in pink and yellow layerd on a piece of the gray from

Stampin Up.  I inked the edges with white to shabby them up a litttle and the paper is roughed

up a bit, but it isn't all that noticeable in the photo.  The image itself was colored with prisma colors and gamsol except for the flowers, skin and shirt, which were colored with Copics.

Most of the items were from my Secret Sister card kit (thank you SS if you are reading)!! :)

And the adorable image is from Sarah Kay

(not available in the store, but there are others like her there).

   Isn't she sweet?!  I may have to find this one.  :)

And . . those lovely crocheted flowers are so very soft and delicate!  These ones aren't from my store,

but I do sell some that are similar.  These are so pretty with the added pearl and pretty pink coloring.

Okay, enough blah-blah . . . get to it, ladies.   Let's see your Shabby Chic creations

and link them up at KL Stampin N Scrappin DT blog to win!  You can comment here too and let me

know that you are playing along.  I would love to see what you create!!

Have a GREAT weekend and Happy Father's Day with the

fellas in your lives!!

Hugs,

Girly Challenge from Jacilynn for KLSNS34

Jacilynn has challenged us all this week to create a Girly Card, well . . . this is right up my alley. 

Although I would have loved to glitter it all up and add pearls, flowers, ribbons, etc.

 I did restrain myself a little bit.  :)

I created my girly card with a new stamp that is now carried in the store from C. C. Designs SweetNovember series called Pearl Tidepool and Seamoor colored with prismacolor pencils and gamsol, white gel pen and Stickles.  The cardstock is Stampin Up pale plum and gable green, but the DP is BasicGrey Two Scoops, which can also be found at my store.  So check out some of the sweet new CCD stamps this month at KL Stampin N Scrappin and get 30% off any High Hopes stamps while you are there by using the coupon code -- HHJP30 -- at check out.

For more inspiration, check out the KL Stampin N Scrappin DT blog,

and I hope you can join us there with our challenge too!

 
Inky Hugs and Happy Stampin'!!

An Animal-Riffic Challenge is going on!

Wow. . . the weeks are really flyin' by lately, dontcha think?  Or maybe it's just me . . . *sigh*  my Gram told me they would get shorter as I got older . . . (miss you Gram), and you know, she was RIGHT!  lol

Anyway, before I get too mushy, there is another GREAT challenge going on over at KL Stampin N Scrappin's Design Team blog . . . Our hostess, Risa, has challenged us all to incorporate animals into our creations this week, and there are sure a lot of those at the KL Stampin N Scrappin Store.  I had a hard time choosing which one I wanted to use.  lol

Finally decided on a cute image we carry in the store from Stampavie and designed by Penny Johnson (sorry I covered up the signature on the image with my sentiment, Penny).  It's called Bobby and Me, colored with Copics and prismacolor pencils for the red especially (can't seem to get the hang of red with my Copics yet).  For those of you from my generation or my mother's, every time I use this stamp I think of the old song Me and Bobby McGee, but it's a good tune though, right?  LOL

I also was at a loss for what sketch to use, so I headed to my favorite on-line gallery

for us stampers (SplitCoastStampers)

and found Roxie's SC279 would fit the bill perfectly!  :)

Then I pulled out some BasicGrey JuneBug and Lime Rickey

(I usually head for Lime Rickey when it comes to boy type images,

not sure why, but it always looks good).

I added a little hemp cording, a dog bone charm, button and pulled out

a GREAT sentiment set from C.C. Designs

called SugarPlum Sentiments

(not carried in the store anymore, but you may

still find it at AllThatScraps.com from Christine).

Also, don't forget -- There is a sale going on at KL Stampin N Scrappin

all this month . . .

Get 40% off the highest (that's right, not the lowest but the HIGHEST)

priced item in your cart at check out !!

Just use the code MSS402 for May Super Sale 40% off!! :)

So, if you have a little time, grab your Animal-Riffic stamp and join us

over at KL Stampin N Scrappin's DT blog for some fun!  Hope to see you there!

Hugs and Happy Stampin!

DON'T LOOK MOM!! It's supposed to be a surprise

Well, I am really hoping my mom doesn't read my blog this week.  We are all pretty busy this weekend with family and a funeral, so she probably won't be on the computer much.  Then next weekend, we are shearing the alpacas, so . . . I am hoping she is getting ready for that and doesn't have time to see my blog or Facebook to catch a peek at her card.  (Psst, if you are still reading, Mom, you will spoil the surprise).

So since it is late, and without further ado . . .  There is a GREAT challenge going on over at the
KL Stampin N Scrappin DT blog that you just have to go check out! :)  It's called an Inside-Out challenge.

The sentiment stamps are both from Stampin Up as well as the chocolate chip and close to cocoa cs.

Believe it or not, this Lucy and Kitty image was going to go on the front until I realized how much of that pretty seam binding I was going to cover up.  I had pleated it and got it just the way I wanted it,

so there was no way I was going to cover it all up!!

So . . . Inside they went.  lol

It was hard to get a full picture of the inside of the card, so I took it outside against the purple flox.

I know they aren't the right shade of pink, but they made a nice easel in the bright sunlight..  :)

The bright light kinda washed out the colors in this image, it is very rich in color in real life.  I really liked the look of using the Fiskars heart border punch just on the curved edges of the nestabilities pieces too.  It was a bit tricky holding them just right, but I love the look.  Then sponged the edges with chocolate chip and doodled on some white to add some movement to it.  Stitching would have looked nice here too.

This lovely poem was from a book I have called the Ultimate Guide to the Perfect Card

(found it at my son's school book fair quite a few years back).

Item/Tools Details:  I used quite a few items from the store this week from the Label One nestabilities dies, Nook and Pantry BasicGrey paper, Signo white gel pen, some Rhonna buttons and Copics.  Then I also crocheted my own flowers (yes I do know how but am a bit out of practice), and some lovely dyed seam binding from our newest DT member, Debbie's Etsy shop.  I hope to be adding both of these items to the store soon in various colors, so let me know what ya think.

So. . . whatcha waiting for?  Go to the DT blog and check out the wonderful creations from the rest of the team there!  You won't want to miss it!  :)

Inky Hugs and Happy Stampin!!

Happy Birthday Jodi!!

We are having a VIRTUAL BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR JODI!!

She is part of the KL SNS Design Team and

 good friend.   So, Happy, happy birthday to you, Jodi!!

I hope you are enjoying your day and all of the great cards from the

KL SNS DT created specifically with YOU in mind!

Here is the line up if you would like to follow along with our

Birthday Blog Hop to the other DT members' blogs here:

Starts at the KL SNS DT Blog

Jacilynn

Joanna

Kathy

You are HERE!

Kristine

Inky Hugs and Happy Stampin!!

Glitter Puzzle Tutorial for KL SNS

Hey there, Readers and friends!

I am here to share with you a tutorial

for the glitter puzzle technique that I originally found on SCS.

Mine is made a little bit different from theirs, so I hope it inspires you to give it a try.

First, you choose your shape.  In this case, I chose a large octagon nestabilities die.

Cut two pieces, one out of card stock and one from acetate.  I folded my acetate over a little to make a small tag to put under the glittery piece when I adhere it.

Then add sticky tape to the back of the die cut.  In my case, I used

my Xyron for that, but any sticky adhesive like 3M tape would work.

Then trim the pieces into whatever shapes you want for your different glitter pieces.

Choose at least 2 different colors of glitter and sprinkle on the pieces.

I used the deep red glass glitter  (btw, although made from glass its fine and not sharp at all)

from KL SNS and a white glitter I have had for quite a long time.

You may have to touch it up a little bit after you piece it back together.

I had a few spots from where I had touched it, so I used some monoadhesive

glue to add to it.  Then I layered it onto a scalloped octagon shape.

Then match up the acetate sheet so you knew where to stamp the

sentiment or image you want to place over top.

Then put the acetate piece off to the side and stamp it.

You can slip the tag part under the shape and adhere it down or

use brads to fasten it down over top of the glitter puzzle piece.

Then decorate the rest as you desire.  You can see others at SCS found here.

Note you can also use this to create a scenery behind an image, too.

Card Details:  Cupcake Kiki, Studio G sentiment and tiny cupcake, Octagon nesties, 3M tape double sticky tape, deep glass glitter , Nook and Pantry paper, white cs, barely banana cs, white gel pen, prismacolor pencils and Gamsol, acetate and organdy ribbon

Hope I inspired you to give it a try, come on . . . grab the glitter and give it a go!  : )

Note:  Cleaning up the extra glitter is a real breeze using an old (or new) dryer sheet.

Inky Hugs and Happy Stampin!

Happy Birthday, Cody!!

I had a tough time getting a good picture of this card today, and the inside has a cute image too,

but unfortunately both of them I had taken were blurry (so since it is just after midnight I will have to update another time with the inside photo).  This is a digital image called Video Boy from Mo's Digital Pencil Shop.  I saw it on someone's blog or photo gallery at SCS, and instantly knew this had to be on my son's card.

although he has given up the remote control video games for PC ones, the image does look familiar.  LOL

I kept it CAS since it is for a young man who isn't into ribbony, frilly things,

plus I just couldn't bring myself to distract from that GREAT image too much anyway.

Inside has an image of a little boy in a car (Zoom), which I felt would be perfect too, reminds me of the days when he used to ride around in his little red Jeep Wrangler.

Other card details:

CS:  Night of Navy cs, Lime Rickey BasicGrey paper

Ink:  Memento tuxedo black ink and ballet blue ink sponged around image

Tools:  octagon nestabilities, Copics, prismacolor pencils, gamsol

Embellishments:   Sports flatbacks

Inky Hugs and Happy Stampin'!

National Quilting Day -- KL SNS Challenge

Jodi came up with a terrific challenge for KL Stampin N Scrappin this week! She wants us to combine it with National Quilt Day, so what a better way to celebrate than to combine stitching and flowers with our challenge, too?!

I used the Puppy Love stamp, Sugared BG paper, white gel pen and Nestabilities all from KL Stampin N Scrappin store! I zig-zag stitched the DP to the other layers at the bottom with my Janome Mini and used faux stitching around the Labels One layer behind the image, paper pieced the bonnet and dress from the same Sugared floral piece, colored some with prismacolor pencils and gamsol, then added the ribbon, a half pearl, some liquid pearls and the ribbon rose accent to finish it off. The key in the puppies mouth is colored with a metallic yellow although not so noticeable in the photo :(

Hope you are able to join us this week at KL Stampin N Scrappin blog for Jodi's Fun National Quilting Day Challenge. Be sure to link your card to Mr. Linky there and use KLSNS in your tag if you use an online gallery so we can find your creation easier as well.
The Top 3 creations will be awarded a Top 3 blinky for your blog and recognition on the KL SNS DT blog as well. Hope you get a chance to play along this week!

Inky Hugs and Happy Stampin!

Shepherd's Awe of the Sweet Savior

I am still behind with my Christmas cards, can you tell?! Well . . . with so many great stamps from High Hopes to choose from in the store, I don't mind creating more. I do usually have them all in the mail by now though, so I am a bit stressed about that. *sigh* This card was created with the Shepherd's Awe stamp, nestabilities, prismacolor pencils, Gamsol, sakura gel pen, liquid applique, and BG's Wassail paper (horded from last year . . . shhh).

This one I kept a little more CAS (clean and simple), but I am really thinking I need some white dots or doodles around those bashful blue circles, at least the scallops. :) The stamp on this card is Sweet Savior also from High Hopes. The paper is from the Eskimo Kisses pack, and the sentiment is from SU. I only used part of it on the outside, but the entire sentiment on the inside says "May the miracle of Christmas find you safe in the Peace of God, warm in the Light of Christ." I think with the sweet savior and the warmth of the lamb this sentiment works well. Let me know what you think. Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Stampin N Scrappin!! :)

Are your Christmas cards done yet?!

Well, mine aren't either . . . but, with cute little images like this . . . who can NOT create just a few more even if your cards are complete?! This sweet pup is just one of the stamps from the Christmastime set by C.C. Designs being sold at KL SNS. He makes me chuckle when I see him all tangled up in the lights -- this happens almost every year at the Little household. I swear it would be a LOT less stressful if we had "disposable" Christmas lights -- ya know use them one year and then recycle them, and then turn around and buy new disposable ones next year. LOL

I colored this little guy with my prismacolor pencils, blended with Gamsol to give him a watercolor effect, and then layered the image on ruby red and chocolate chip. The holly berry dp is from the Eskimo Kiss pad from BasicGrey, and light teal piece from Two Scoops. That panel was ran through the Snow Dots cuttlebug folder for some extra texture. The snowflakes (to play along in our challenge) were dusted with faux snow for added texture and sparkle.

Hope you have gotten a chance to play along in KL SNS's November challenge for a chance to WIN! About a week and a half left to play . . . you won't want to miss it!! Have a GREAT week, and I hope you are getting excited about Thanksgiving and spending time with your families. I know I am. :)

Hugs,