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Just Add a Bat!

8/11/2015

I am so drawn this week to how harmonious Just Add Ink #274 and Create With Connie & Mary #367 are! Must be the tilty lines, lol...
So, I decided to take mainly colors from the inspiration pic, though I did stray a tiny bit with a few splashes of orange sequins, since I totally went in a Halloween direction. The deciding factor for me was the last remaining stamp set that needed to be inked - the Cheer All Year set, that goes with the awesome Season to Season Wreath project kit in the holiday catty. This is a wreath that you get to make accessories for that will span THREE holidays, so the stamp set that goes with has Halloween, Fall AND Christmas in it, lol. The little spider stamp was just too tempting, I guess!
Cheer All Year Stamp Set; English Garden DSP; Basic Black, Crumb Cake, Heavy & Regular Whisper White CS; Basic Black Archival, Crumb Cake & Smoky Slate Inks; 7/8" & 1" Circle Punches; Linen Thread; Brights & Metallics Sequins.

Hello Life: Lots of Cards Class
I'm so excited to announce this month's class - Hello Life: Lots of Cards! This class will take our leftovers from our Hello Life Grid projects, and make 20 note cards and envelopes! Woo hoo! The bonus is using up all the leftover supplies from those projects, too!
So, class is announced for Thursday, August 13, 6:30 pm or Saturday, August 15, 3 pm. All you need to bring are your leftovers from our Project Life kit, your favorite adhesive and I'll provide the rest, for the screaming deal of $10! There will also be drinks and snacks, plus your take-home treat from me! RSVP today!
PS. I have one intact Hello Life kit remaining for $25 if you'd like to join us - plus this class fee of $10 would make $35 total. Just let me know!

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Fresh Gift From The Garden

8/10/2015

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This week's Freshly Made Sketch #198 is a fun one - so much movement conveyed by those tilty panels! I also just realized this could be my chance to sneak in the color challenge over at TGIF #15 - yay!
I still have two sets sitting on my desk that haven't been inked yet from my last order, so I decided today to focus on one of them - Gift from the Garden. I've been having a surprisingly productive gardening season here myself, especially considering I live in the desert, lol. Turns out the secret I was missing was to aim for the opposite seasons I am used to (ie. start in the WINTER), and plant in the shade, go figure. So hubby made me three ambitious raised box-beds in the side yard under the neighbor's VERY tall overhanging trees, and we've been growing ever since. With all that shade, my tomatoes even keep on going - it's kinda a jungle out there right now, I might actually have to prune! Anyway, all this made me totally stoked to see this new stamp set, I plan on using it for lots of garden-gifting this Christmas, lol... Everyone gives basil for Christmas, right?
Gift from the Garden Stamp Set; Schoolhouse DSP; Basic Gray, Heavy & Regular Whisper White CS; Basic Gray, Daffodil Delight & Pool Party Inks; Banner Triple Punch; Decorative Dots Embossing Folder; White Perfect Accents; Medium Daffodil Delight Blendie (discontinued.)

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Nacho Open Heart

8/9/2015

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Oo, I really like the right-justified look of this week's sketch at Nacho Average Challenge #153!
So, sympathy cards are so hard to make sometimes. So much so that I don't ever tend to have them on hand when I need them, as much as I always swear I'll get better about it. Who ever wants to plan ahead for this need? It always feels off for me somehow. Today is a quick stab at getting something in the stash for a friend that I think is going to need it soon, sigh. I love the gentle colors I went with, and the natural elements of this set, An Open Heart, so much. I'm going to be so bummed to send this one, though...
An Open Heart Stamp Set; Pretty Petals DSP; Mint Macaron, Basic Black & Very Vanilla CS; Basic Black Archival, Smoky Slate, Soft Suede, Mint Macaron, Calypso Coral & Old Olive Inks; Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch (retired.)

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Merry Presents

8/8/2015

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OK, fun challenge this week at Merry Monday #168 - to use pastels!
When I thought about combining pastels, my thoughts immediately went back to my awesome new convention set - Your Presents. So easy to make different presents in all shapes and sizes, and play with some "kissing," too, lol! I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I'm not as good at that as I'd like to be - know what I mean? Har de har. Now, to help get your minds out of the gutter, KISSING is a stampin' technique where you pick up or stamp off one solid stamp over a patterned one. As they say, it works better if you make the noise while you do it...
All these pastels needed a bit of silver, too - yum!
Your Presents Stamp Set; Heavy & Regular Whisper White, Blushing Bride & Pear Pizzazz CS; Pool Party, Blushing Bride & Pear Pizzazz Inks; 1/8" Silver Ribbon; Frosted Sequin Embellishments (retired); Stylish Stripes Embossing Folder (run through twice!); Wonderful Wreath Framelits.

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Fab Silent Night

8/7/2015

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Time for another fun sketch here at Fab Friday!! Did you notice, Fab Friday #70 is a take on a cover card from our new Holiday catty? Woo!
It was hard not to go in a Christmas direction with this one, with the sketch origin and all, so I just let it happen, lol. I've been itching to take my new Sleigh Ride Edgelits out for a spin, too, so today's card is my first crack at arranging those delicate but gorgeous details. I also snuck in just a few tiny retired items, to try and slim down my stash for new goodies - shhh, ok?
I can't wait to see what YOU have for us over at Fab Friday - make sure to share!
Jingle All the Way Stamp Set; Season of Cheer DSP; Heavy & Regular Whisper White, & Mossy Meadow CS; Sleigh Ride Edgelits; Night of Navy Ink; Night of Navy grosgrain (retired); White Baker's Twine; Something Borrowed Embellishments; Silver Sequins.

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Retro Autumn Wishes

8/6/2015

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Check out this unusual sketch at Retro Sketch #175 this week - and we're going landscape!
So, can you tell my pack of Into The Woods DSP was still out on my desk, lol? Ah well, I guess now's the time to tell you that this sheet is my fave new print from the Holiday catty, lol. Anyway, I decided to ink up my new Among The Branches stamp set to go with it, and make a little something for the Thanksgiving box - which is - gasp- totally empty! Just so no one mistakes me, I snuck in a little "Happy Thanksgiving" on the inside, lol...
Among the Branches & Teeny Tiny Wishes (inside) Stamp Sets; Into The Woods DSP; Daffodil Delight & Whisper White CS; Tangelo Twist, Early Espresso & Mossy Meadow Inks; 2" Circle & 2 3/8" Scallop Circle Punches; Striped Satin Ribbon in Mossy Meadow; Neutrals Candy Dots in Soft Suede.

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Cheery Pumpkin

8/5/2015

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Yay! Time for a new theme at My Pumpkin Challenge! This month, it's all about sharing - MPC#0815 - Share A Cup, for these adorable little cups in Thanks A Latte!
I'm finding this new Pumpkin kit so enjoyable - there's so much you can do with these sweet little cups, accessories and sayings! I decided this week to go for a "short stack" of cups, lol, in a way that my Grandma would have switched me for, for sure - no stacking her fine china, but I could earn 50 cents if I dusted the cabinet contents for her, lol! Of course, hers didn't come in these yummy In Colors either - so there!
See you over at the challenge - can't wait to "share a cup" with you!
Thanks A Latte Paper Pumpkin; plus, Cherry on Top & Into The Woods DSP; Tip Top Taupe, Cucumber Crush, Tangelo Twist & Whisper White CS; Basic Black Archival, Tangelo Twist, Delightful Dijon, Tip Top Taupe & Cucumber Crush Inks; Dotted Lace Trim in Delightful Dijon; Itty Bitty Accent Punch & Epoxy Stickers.

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TGI Forest Friends

8/4/2015

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TGIF #14 has something fun for us to try this week - their Monthly Challenge Remix! The idea is you choose at least two of that month's past challenges, and mash them up. I have to give it a go! I'm combining the sketch with the "Brand New" challenge...
So, good thing I didn't choose the clean & simple challenge - this is more like the kitchen sink challenge! I can't help it, though. I'm SO in love with the upcoming new Into The Woods suite! It's the little bear that did it for me, really, it was all downhill from there, lol...
Thankful Forest Friends Stamp Set; Into The Woods DSP; Heavy & Regular Whisper White, Early Espresso, Tangelo Twist & Crumb Cake CS; Early Espresso, Soft Suede, Cajun Craze & Tangelo Twist Inks; 1 3/4" & 2" Circles, Banner Triple, Scallop Tag Topper & PL Corner Rounder Punches; Woodland Textured Embossing Folder; Into The Woods Rich Razzleberry 3/8" Cotton Ribbon; Into The Woods Elements.

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In{k}spired Dove of Peace

8/3/2015

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I love this bold sketch at this week's In{k}spire Me #209! It's going to look very elegant paired with the cool color challenge at Create With Connie & Mary #366, too!
I couldn't resist trotting out some new goodies from the soon-to-be-revealed Holiday Catalog - I can make these colors work for Christmas, right? This stamp Dove of Peace struck me right away for its coloring possibilities. I also decided that any elegant bird would want to hang out in the lovely birches of our new Woodland Textured embossing folder, too - it's just gorgeous!
Dove of Peace Stamp Set; Mint Macaron, Perfect Plum, Sahara Sand & Whisper White CS; Basic Black Archival, Mint Macaron, Sahara Sand & Perfect Plum Inks; Buttons in Sahara Sand & Perfect Plum; In Color Blossom Accent in Mint Macaron; Woodland Textured Embossing Folder; Ovals Collection Framelits; Occasions Piercing Template (retired.)

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Fresh Goodies

8/2/2015

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Oo, check out the great sketch this week at Freshly Made Sketches #197! I'm totally adding in the tasty color challenge at Just Add Ink #273, too!
I once again went DSP-diving to find some of my colors, and then I knew I wanted to play with shape a little, which led me to Oh My Goodies - a set I REALLY need to use more, lol. It irks me that we don't have a piercing template for the framelits that go with that set, but I made do by using a circle shape for the central part - I think it adds a little something! I'm liking this color combo a lot more now that I took it out for a spin...
Oh My Goodies Stamp Set; Farmers Market & English Garden DSP; Heavy & Regular Whisper White and Bermuda Bay CS; Bermuda Bay, Smoky Slate & Blackberry Bliss Inks; Deco Labels Framelits; Banner Triple Punch; Brights Button in Bermuda Bay; White Baker's Twine; Updated Essentials Piercing Template.