{Sending Smiles}

    Hello! Today I am here to show you a card that I created with a dear friend in mind...my sweet long time friend Rebecha. She loves turtles, and to this day every single time I see a cute turtle stamp I think of her! To create my card I used an adorable rubber cling stamp Sea Life stamp set from Micheal's "Recollection" brand. The Polaroid frame was created using PTI's new Fabulous Frames collection. Holy smokes I love this die!! I just received the Lifestyle Crafts "Tab It Kit" and I know I am going to be using it all the time also. I used the Market Street Stamps background stamp "Sweet Lace" to stamp the Polaroid frame.  The color inspiration for my card is the current CAS-ual Fridays challenge featuring these colors:

                                                                      
                                                                   Thank you for visiting my blog today!

{The Play Date Cafe Challenge #142- With Gratitude}

 Hello hello! I created a card for this weeks challenge at The Play Date Cafe, check out these beautiful colors!

  In addition to the color story I thought it would be fun to  incorporate buttons into my card. (As if I needed a reason, hehe)  I used the PTI stamp sets "Flower Fusion #12", and "Lovely Leaves". The adorable gingham card stock is from A Muse Studio.   Thank you for visiting my blog and have a great day!

                                                                    

{Fun In The Sun!}

  I'm back with another shaped card for the Paper Crafts magazine July gallery challenge. My beach inspired card was created using a cutting file from Lettering Delights and my KNK Zing. The patterned paper is from the Hobby Lobby Paper Studio brand. My sentiment is from the PTI set "Signature Greetings Two". I added two rows of square gems, and a little felt flower and a button from Cosmo Cricket. I am also entering this into the "Shaping Up Blog Hop" featuring the top 20 Gallery Idol contestants. So much amazing talent!!   I hope you like my shaped card and thank you for visiting my blog today!


                        

{A Flip Flop Kinda Day}

    Hello Hello! I couldn't think of a better way to spend a ridiculously hot (104 F) Saturday afternoon then inside playing with the boys, and working on a card or two! I wanted to play along with the current Paper Crafts magazine Shaped Cards Gallery Challenge and had so much fun playing with my KNK Zing. I really need to use that puppy more often. It is AHH - mazing! I used patterned paper from the Echo Park "Paradise Beach" collection, and the fun in the sun sentiment is from the Technique Tuesday set "Summer". The flowers are flowers I have had in my stash for a long time, felt great using them!! I used a cutting file from Lettering Delights.  I hope you are staying cool, and be sure to check back tomorrow, I have one more shaped car that I can't wait to show you!!


                                                                                      

{Your Next Stamp Fun Friday - Christmas In July!}

    

Hello friends! It is Fun Friday with Your Next Stamp and for the month of July we are celebrating Christmas In July! To create my CAS card I used  Happy Holidays with the matching  dies. Oh my gosh this set is SO cute and so much fun to use! I colored the mugs using copic markers and matched each mug up with a color coordinated button. If you want to see all of the YNS design team members playing along with today's Fun Friday then click HERE. Be sure to visit our company forum at Splitcoast Stampers to stay up to date on challenges, new releases, and all things related to YNS! Thank you for visiting my blog today!


                                                                        

{Papertrey Ink July Blog Hop}

  I was very close to sitting out of this months Papertrey Ink Blog Hop but the boys slept in this morning and I had a rare and welcomed bit of time to myself so I whipped up a quick card for the hop.  To create my card I used the Balloon Trio from Your Next Stamp, and a chipboard number from American Crafts. I stamped the sentiment from the PTI set "Bitty Baby Blessings". The patterned paper is from Michael's Recollections brand. (Sold by the single 12x12 sheet.) Thank you for visiting my blog today!



                                                             

{A Little Change of Pace}

  I bought this cute little 5x5 frame from Target more then two years ago and thought I would create a little bit of framed art for a shelf in my craft room. For inspiration I used this weeks Lawnsacping Challenge featuring this colorful picture:

  Wow, SO much color! I used the Lawn Fawn set "Flutter By" colored with pigment inks (Fresh Ink and A Muse Studio) and a blender pen. This is such a great way to color, I just love it! The paper I used is all from Echo Park. The heart shaped die cut frame is a cutting file from A Little Hut. I cut it out using my KNK Zing. I hope you like my little frame and thank you for visiting my blog today!



                                                                          

{Amazing, Wonderful!!}

  Eeeek, I am so sorry for flooding the Internet with posts the past few days but I have just had FUN playing with my new stamps and dies! I created this card with two challenges in mind; my color palette, this weeks CAS-ual Fridays Challenge:

 I wanted to create a bright bold image against the black houndstooth background so I stamped a bright sunny flower using PTI's "Rosie Posie" stamp set and dies. I stamped the flower, and stem using Fresh Ink, and A Muse Studio pigment ink. SO.LOVE, their inks! I use the PTI Fabulous Frames dies to create my sentiment tag, I used the Technique Tuesday set "Amazing By Ali Edwards" to stamp the sentiment. If you look closely you will see that I stamped "wonderful" in a light yellow shade, and stamped "amazing" over it to create a fun graffiti type look to my sentiment. I don't know how else to describe it!  lol   I am also entering this card in the Moxie Fab World Stamp It! Cards "Thank You" challenge. Thank you for enduring my card bonanza and always always, thank you for visiting my blog !



                                                                         

{I Just Adore You!}

    I had a very crafty day yesterday and was able to create a few cards for Papertrey Ink's Stamp-a-faire. I had so much fun playing along and wanted to show you the last card (I only completed 3 challenges) for the "Make Your Own Embellishments" challenge. I used the new PTI Fabulous Frames dies, and my Butterfly Trio dies from A Muse Studio. The sentiment is from the new PTI set "Signature Greetings Two". I SO love this set! I am also entering this card (right under the deadline) for the Moxie Fab World Stamp It! Cards "Love" Challenge. Thank you for visiting my blog today!
                                                                       

{The Play Date Cafe Challenge #141 And SUPER HAPPY NEWS!}

Hello Friends! I am thrilled to be here today FINALLY being able to tell you my super exciting news! I am an official member of The Play Date Cafe Design Team!!  I am very excited, an honored to be a part of such an amazing group of paper crafters! For the reveal we were asked to create a card using this weeks Color Story, check out these beautiful colors!

Joining me today in The Play Date Cafe Design Team reveal is:

Angie
Lynn

          Amazing designers, right?! 
  
    We would love for you to play along with us this week at The Play Date Cafe!! Thank you for visiting and sharing my happy news with me and I hope you have a wonderful week!

Stamps: The Sweet Life - PTI
Paper:  Sweet Day - Echo Park, Pink Polka dots - A Muse Studio


                                                                                         

{PTI Stamp-a-Faire Card Set Challenge}

              

       I'm not getting very many challenges completed but still having a great time playing with my new PTI goodies! I created this set of cards for the "Card Set Challenge". My inspiration came from Dawn's card set.  Beautiful!!  I used the Mega Gracious Vases dies, Signature Greetings Two,  Argyle background basics and Rosie Posie. The patterned paper us from the new 6x6 pad from Bella Carta "Paris Girl".  Thank you for visiting my blog and have a great day!


                                                                                    

{Papertrey Ink Stamp-a-faire Morning Make-n-Take}

 Yeah, I'm a little behind, okay a LOT behind in the SAF festivities but I have plans to tackle a few more challenges and hopefully get them posted today and tomorrow!

   I created this card for the Morning Make-n-Take challenge. To create my card I used my brand new set "The Sweet Life". Oh my GOSH I am LOVE this set, seriously, it is my new favorite. There is a slight learning curve, but once you figure out the placement of the 3 step stamping it is a piece of cake! I wanted to add a little something extra to my card so I embossed my vellum with my woodgrain folder. I hope you like it, and I hope you'll check back to see the other projects I will be posting for the PTI Stamp-a-Faire Summer Camp!!

                                                                                       

{Lil' Fairie Flowers}

  Hello friends! Today I am here to show you a card I created for Your Next Stamp Challenge #6 - Flowers! I used one of my favorite stamp sets from YNS "Seasonal Fairies". I wanted to add something extra to my card so I added a ring of small flowers each with a yellow bead in the center. I have to admit that part did take a while but I just love the way it turned out! We would love for you to play along! Thank you for visiting my blog today and I hope you have a wonderful day!
                                                                       

{Sugar, Spice and Everything Nice}

Hello! It had been awhile since I created a baby card, so today I thought I would play with a PTI set I've had for awhile "Bundle of Love". It is just SO cute! I decided to go with a pink theme. To create my stamped oval I die cut an oval shape and placed it on top of the card stock to be stamped on. I used the PTI Text background set stamped in Shell pigment ink from A muse Studio. Next I stamped "It's a Girl" on top of the text background. Today I am playing along with a couple of challenges, this weeks CAS-ual Friday Challenge,

The CAS-ual Friday challenge is to use strips of patterned (washi) tape on your project. I wanted to try something different, and used the strips to cover the baby bundle! I used three small strips that I molded to the die cut shape. FUN! And I am playing along with the Moxie Fab World Stamp It! Cards Week Congratulations challenge. 

  I also have a winner of my Fresh Ink by Impress Rubber Stamps giveaway, and the lucky duck is, picked by random.org is:

 #5 Jessica Wekenman

Congratulations! Please email me at  alwaysctr at yahoo.com with your mailing address and I will get your ink pads out to you this week!







                                                

{Thanks For Your Kindness}

I just had to use my SU Stippled Blossoms stamp set again so I thought I would try my hand at this weeks Retro Sketch:

 My patterned paper is from My Minds Eye. And I just fell in love with this weeks challenge at The Play Date Cafe:

 

 

                                 Thank you for visiting my blog and I hope you  have a great day!!

 

{Lovely Layers and a Challenge Or Two}

  Hello! I hope you have been enjoying as nice a weekend as we have. I just can't stop reaching for this set "Lovely Layers" from Papertrey Ink. I thought I would play along with the current challenge at The Play Date Cafe, and this weeks PTI Make It Monday challenge - Stamping on texture. I used three colors to stamp my floral centerpiece, SU Bermuda Bay, and So Saffron, and a pretty little aqua cube by Studio G.  The chevron background is from the "Sweet Day collection" by Echo Park. I hope you like my card and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

    Tomorrow I will be drawing the winner for my Fresh Ink pad blog giveaway, just leave a comment HERE for your chance to win!

                                                                                       

{Sweet As A Honey Bee}

                                                      If you are here for YNS Fun Friday click HERE!!

Good Morning! I am here to show you a card I created using the oh so cute stamp set from The Craft's Meow "Thanks Bee To Thee". I stamped the honey comb background, and also stamped the coordinating hexagons using the background shapes included in the set. The embossed background was created using the Spellbinders M-Bossibilities "So Trendy" folder. LOVE!! I added two pieces of lace, and as you can see from my picture I weaved chocolate thread through the holes to create a slight ruffled look to my lace.  I hope you like my card and thank you for visiting my blog today!