Blog Archives

Wonderful Thoughts

4/20/2023

Very fun - Make My Monday #198 is having a "frame it!" challenge!
I have more new goodies to share today! Our upcoming Countryside Corners are perfect for the frame challenge! I ended up not using the stamp, but the dies and DSP were wonderful, lol. I'm also showing my very first foray into close-cut sentiments - I have resisted these so far, not sure I liked the look of diecut sentiments, but I think they could grow on me! I started with some gorgeous darker DSP, added an embossed layer, then a frame in a lighter sheet - Countryside Inn is the cutest name for the DSP! I floated in my sentiment, and fussy cut a couple foxes for fun - bluesy cute!
Wonderful Thoughts Stamp Set; Countryside Inn DSP; Basic White & Boho Blue CS; Misty Moonlight Ink; Countryside Corners & Wonderful Thoughts Dies; Misty Moonlight Cotton Ribbon; Milky Dots; #MMM198.

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Cheerful Daisies

4/19/2023

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The Flower Challenge #79 has an intriguing idea this round - focus on the background stamping!
I'm so excited to start showing off some pre-order items with this challenge - meet Cheerful Daisies! I needed a daisy refresh, lol, but I still have time to play in some out-going colors, too! The DSP in this new suite features a lot of our new colors, so I went all stamp, ink and paper on this one, and did up my background in Black-Eyed Susans - I'm going to miss Mango Melody and Pear Pizzazz SO MUCH, sob. I got to break in the awesome die set for this one, too - love this tag shape!
Cheerful Daisies Stamp Set; Basic White & Pear Pizzazz CS; Mango Melody, Early Espresso, Pear Pizzazz & Versamark Inks; White EP; Cheerful Daisies Dies; Pear Pizzazz Cotton Ribbon; Mango Melody Milky Dots; #TFC79.

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Cup of Thanks

4/18/2023

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I LOVE our colors this round at Hand Stamped Sentiments #412 - purple and green in any iteration is my FAVE combo!
I have yet another retiring feature today, too, lol. Cup of Tea is such a cutie, and the dies that go with it are just fabulous! I have gotten every tea set I've spotted since I joined, and I have a spot on the shelves of retirement ready and waiting for this one, lol. I kept lots of white space for this one, though I did pull in my Brick & Mortar EF. I just love this patterned cup, and the delicate stems to go with!
I can't wait to see YOUR projects for our pretty colors - meet you at the challenge!
Cup of Tea Stamp Set; Basic White & Pool Party CS; Memento Tuxedo Black, Blackberry Bliss & Mint Macaron Inks; Pool Party & Mint Macaron Blends Markers; Teacup & Stylish Shapes Dies; Pool Party Solid Faceted Gems; #HSS412.

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Wearing O The Green

4/17/2023

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This month's color at If You Give a Crafter a Cookie #179 is GREEN! Excellent!
Another set I really wanted to feature before it goes is the super cute Sunny Splash! I just love all those retro swimsuits! Today's challenge gave me the chance to try them all in green, lol, and it was fun to also get a look at Lemon Lime Twist against Granny Apple Green - a match made in heaven! I could have gotten all four suits on there if I could slimlines - alas, no envelopes, lol.
Sunny Splash Stamp Set; Basic White, Granny Apple Green & Lemon Lime Twist CS; Granny Apple Green, Parakeet Party & Lemon Lime Twist Inks; Stitched So Sweetly (retired) & Rectangle Stitched Dies; High Seas EF (retired); Parakeet Party Matte Decorative Dots; #Cookie179.

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On My Mind

4/16/2023

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We have some gorgeous colors for you to play with this round at Sunday Stamps#307!
Seeing these greens and pinks and other oddball colors together always makes me think of our crazy succulents around here - which is a perfect chance to show off Simply Succulents one last time! I have loved this set - so perfectly organic and fun to color! I went all scruffy watercolor today, trying to streak in some bright splashes, and I'm pretty happy with how it came out! So much pink!
I can't wait to see YOUR projects with these fun colors - meet you at the challenge!
Simply Succulents Stamp Set; Basic White, Polished Pink & Blushing Bride CS; Memento Tuxedo Black, Mossy Meadow, Polished Pink, Blushing Bride, Blackberry Bliss & Night of Navy Inks; Potted Succulents Dies; Brick & Mortar EF; Pink Enamel Dots; #SSC307.

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Finally Alphabest

4/15/2023

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Yay, time for NBUS #49 - and to ink up something I haven't used before!
Most stampin' folks that know me know that I have a little vice - I just can't lay off the alphabets, lol. I'm a total sucker for them! So naturally, I picked up Alphabest this year, with it's cute little ticket-like punch. And there it sat. All year long, lol. Time to get this baby inky! I opted for a simple "hello," and filled in a grid using some of the pattern designs. I went with our 2022-24 In Color family for color, and that really pops on black! I layered with Tahitian Tide, I just don't play with that one enough...
Alphabest Stamp Set; Basic White, Basic Black & Tahitian Tide CS; Sweet Sorbet, Tahitian Tide, Orchid Oasis, Parakeet Party & Starry Sky Inks; Best Label Punch; Tahitian Tide Matte Decorative Dots; #NBUS49.

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Celebrate You

4/14/2023

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So pretty - Cupcake Inspirations #566 is sunflowers!
This is perfect timing - I wanted an excuse to highlight our lovely Celebrate Sunflowers set! After a VERY respectable run, it will be retiring with this annual catalog - so sad! I loved this dramatic and colorable set - so versatile! I featured outgoing colors, too, with Evening Evergreen, Soft Succulent and So Saffron helping out with this one, lol. I'd eat these cupcakes any day!
Celebrate Sunflowers Stamp Set; Basic White & Evening Evergreen CS; Memento Tuxedo Black & Versamark Inks; So Saffron, Daffodil Delight, Evening Evergreen & oft Suede Blends Markers; Sunflowers Dies; Evening Evergreen Opal Rounds; #CIC566.

Thank You Cards 2023 April 15!
Much like birthday cards, you can never have too many thank yous on hand either! We'll be crafting 6 beautiful cards to express our thanks, along with envelopes! Class will provide all materials needed (bring your own fave snips and adhesive!), snacks, drinks and a special gift from me, all for $25! This class can also be FREE with your order of $30 or more! RSVP today to save your spot! Class is ON for Saturday, April 15 at 2 pm.

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Chocolate Bunny

4/13/2023

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Oh gosh - AAA Cards #237 wants to see a CAS "shaped" card - this could be good, lol.
Something approaching an egg shape was just too tempting for me! I broke out my old Ovals Collection dies, and cut this pretty scalloped oval for my base, then added a white-on-white layer of the next size down. I have this layer a bit by accident - I originally thought I would stamp something Easter-y and color it with Blends, and I didn't want it to bleed through, lol. But then I spotted my Chocolate Bunny from 2010 - WHEN did I stamp it last?? He had to come out, and then I couldn't resist a little grass layer, in our returning Lemon Lime Twist, with a few Berry Burst Flower Buttons, another returning color. SO excited! Hope I kept it CAS enough!
A Wish For Everything (retired 2010) & Chocolate Bunny (retired 2020) Stamp Sets; Basic White, Crumb Cake & Lemon Lime Twist CS; Early Espresso Ink; Ovals Collection Dies (retired); Fringe Scissors (retired); Berry Burst Flower Buttons (retired); White Baker's Twine; #AAA237.

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Layered Birthday

4/12/2023

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Love this challenge - AAA Birthday #48 wants us to "layer it up!"
I also wanted to incorporate our out-going In Colors today, AND a retiring stamp set - April is kind of a bittersweet month for demos, lol. Wildflower path ticked all the boxes for me today, because most of the images are meant to be layered together, too! Worked like a charm! I started by stacking up lots of CS layers - I usually only do two together, but I SO love the look of Soft Succulent with Evening Evergreen! {SOB} Then I did stems in Succulent, and layered on some grass in Evergreen, and pulled in the last two colors for the flowers, layered, of course! In that spirit, I did an offset layer of my sentiment, too! Going for the gusto today, lol...
Wildflower Path Stamp Set; Basic White, Evening Evergreen & Soft Succulent CS; Evening Evergreen, Soft Succulent, Polished Pink & Pale Papaya Inks; Ornate Frames Dies (retired); Soft Succulent Open Weave Ribbon; Evening Evergreen Opal Rounds; #AAAB48.

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Easter Dogwoods

4/11/2023

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We're thinking Spring this round at Retro Rubber #204!
When I think of Spring flowers, I can't help but always remember my beloved dogwood set, Soft Summer, from 2009. We had a huge sharp slope in the front of the house where I grew up, and it was entirely covered in dogwoods, with our old stone steps cutting through the middle - so dramatic! They bloomed every Spring at Easter, and ours were a creamy blush and white, though there were pink ones around, too. I always think of the Easter story associated with them now, too, and remember laying under them and getting rained on by petals! Such a happy memory!
I can't wait to see YOUR Spring cards this round, too - meet you at the challenge!
Soft Summer (retired 2009) & Daffodil Daydream Stamp Sets; Basic White, Pear Pizzazz & Crumb Cake CS; Memento Tuxedo Black Ink; Old Olive, Petal Pink, So Saffron & Crumb Cake Blends Markers; Layering Ovals Dies (retired; Basics 1 3D EF; Pale Papaya Opal Rounds; Pear Pizzazz Cotton Ribbon (retired); #RRCB204.