Category: Encouragement

You Matter to Me

9/11/2022

There's a lovely inspo list over at Festive Friday #117 this round - all about World Alzheimer's Day!
I've lost a few friends and family members to Alzheimer's over the years, this is a great day to focus on. It's such an isolating process. In line with that, I kept my card simple and fuss-free - a note of encouragement and support for those in care, and the care-givers, too. Here Together was the perfect set to say it all! I went with red, purple, and die-cuts - all I needed!
Here Together Stamp Set; Rich Razzleberry DSP; Basic White CS; Memento Tuxedo Black Ink; Real Red & SU700 Blends Markers; #FF0117.

2 Comments

Book Ride

8/25/2022

4 Comments

Very cool - Shopping Our Stash #477 has a great "back to books" challenge - good timing for back to school!
This was a tough one for me - I don't have many book sets, and our just-retired Best Chapter looms pretty large, lol. Then I remembered my old Bike Ride set - weren't there books in that? A quick check on the retired "mode of transportation" shelf showed this cute stack to balance on the rack in the back - yes! And since this set didn't have ANY sentiments (usually a big no-no for me) I added in this encouraging phrase from Amazing Phrasing - just right for back to school!
Bike Ride (retired 2019) & Amazing Phrasing Stamp Sets; On the Horizon DSP (retired); Basic White & Mango Melody CS; Basic Gray, Real Red, Bermuda Bay & Mango Melody Inks; Build a Bike Dies (retired); #SOS477.

Pumpkin Club August 27!
Did you check out your August Pumpkin kit yet? Forecast is SUNNY! Check out the video HERE!
I hope you can join us for our next Pumpkin Club, Saturday, August 27, at 2 PM - RSVP to let me know you are attending, we will be all safely socially distanced at our big table downstairs!
Club is free for my subscribers, and includes any extra supplies you might need, plus drinks and snacks! I will also have a few extra spots available for club for $10, even if you are not a subscriber - come see what we're up to - full kit not needed, I'll supply everything you need for the projects! Just bring your own snips and basic adhesive!
Remember to subscribe here if you haven't already - sign up by September 10 and you can join us in time for next month!

4 Comments

Here For You Now

8/12/2022

2 Comments

Wow, we have an amazing recipe board for you to cook with this week at As You See It #281!
Lots of fun elements to stir in - I started with the "brights" and "patterned paper" to help set my tone. Our giant Celebrate Everything pack of DSP has the perfect set of brights options - and I can't get enough of this Granny Apple Green sheet in particular, lol. I might use every scrap! Anyway, it seemed the perfect backdrop for some bold blossoms - enter Color & Contour! Flowers, outlines to color and dies to go with seemed to fill the rest of the brief, I simply chose the rest of my brights from the coordinating colors listed on the DSP. So fresh! I ended up water-coloring my centers and leaves, since the petals had a two-step stamp for them.
I can't wait to see what YOU whip up with our recipe this week - meet you there!
Color & Contour Stamp Set; Celebrate Everything DSP; Basic White CS; Memento Tuxedo Black, Granny Apple Green, Daffodil Delight, Mango Melody, Polished Pink & Poppy Parade Inks; Water Painters; Scalloped Contour Dies; Polished Dots; #AYSI281.

Annual Catty Roundup Class, Aug 13 at 2 PM
I couldn't resist this catch-all class to "round up" some stamp sets that don't quite fit in our other classes, lol. There will be a little bit of everything, with at least 5 all-occasion cards with envelopes today! I think some Sale-A-Bration could sneak in, too, lol! Class includes all supplies needed for your projects (bring your own fave snips and adhesive!) plus snacks and drinks, and a special gift from me, all for $25! This class can also be FREE with your order of $30 or more! Class is announced for Saturday, August 13 at 2 pm - RSVP now to save your spot!

2 Comments

Pure Magic

5/30/2022

0 Comments

Oo, what fun colors at this week's In{k}spire Me #478!
I really do love any combination of purple and green, lol. And the first thing I thought of was my new Pure Magic stamp set - wouldn't that pretty dragon look great in two tones of green?? So that's what I set out to do. This dragon is pretty much what I got this set for - love the line-drawn look of him, a little more sophisticated than the kid one in Magical Day! And the other images are just as buttoned up - finally a mermaid in my collection! I did up my layers in the colors, water-painted the dragon in Pear Pizzazz and finished his details in a Mossy Meadow Blend Marker. I decided these Silver Epoxy Diamonds were just the right touch of shine! Fun day, lol...
Pure Magic Stamp Set; Basic White, Highland Heather, Fresh Freesia, Mossy Meadow & Pear Pizzazz CS; Memento Tuxedo Black & Pear Pizzazz Inks; Water Painter; Mossy Meadow Blend Marker; Lucky Stars EF; Silver Epoxy Shapes; #IMC478.

0 Comments

Every Great Dream

4/28/2022

2 Comments

Check out these fun vibrant colors at this week's Cupcake Inspirations #542 - yay for purple and green!
So, the big thriller for me is that I can squeeze in two more new In Colors on this one - Orchid Oasis & Parakeet Party will look amazing with Daffodil Delight - woo! I couldn't resist pulling in another new set - this is the hostess set Begin With a Dream! It has three awesome images, and three equally awesome sentiments to go with them! For today, I couldn't resist this little row of people, who's outfits I could color mix and match style, lol. I originally intended to leave the faces and hair blank, but then I figured, hey, that's what our new Natural Tones Blends are FOR, right? Anyway, love this bright card - and it's always fun to color!
Begin With a Dream Stamp Set; Basic White & Orchid Oasis CS; Memento Tuxedo Black Ink; Orchid Oasis, Parakeet Party, Daffodil Delight, Basic Black & Natural Tones Blends (SU200, SU400, SU800, SU600, SU1000); #CIC542.

Pumpkin Club April 30!
Did you get your March Pumpkin kit yet? EEE! FINALLY!! Bonus stamp set! And the perfect follow up to our last class! Check out the video HERE!
I hope you can join us for our next Pumpkin Club, Saturday, April 30, at 2 PM - RSVP to let me know you are attending, we will be all safely socially distanced at our big table downstairs! Remember that this is a DOUBLE Pumpkin Club this month - we have that bonus stamp set to play with, too, so doors will be open an hour earlier than usual!
Club is free for my subscribers, and includes any extra supplies you might need, plus drinks and snacks! I will also have a few extra spots available for club for $10, even if you are not a subscriber - come see what we're up to - full kit not needed, I'll supply everything you need for the projects! Just bring your own snips and basic adhesive!
Remember to subscribe here if you haven't already - sign up by May 10 and you can join us in time for next month!

2 Comments

Sailing Home (& Pumpkin Club April 30!)

4/22/2022

5 Comments

Aw, our gorgeous blue collection this week at As You See It #273 is making me miss Maui even more, lol. It went too fast!
It does give me a chance to do a farewell feature to the beautiful Sailing Home bundle, though. I couldn't resist adding in some of the oh-so-yummy DSP from Waves of the Ocean - the colors are perfect! I chose the sentiment that I have often reflected on, and couldn't resist a little splash of my fave seaweed die that in this this set, too - so cute with all our fishy sets! I had to add a few Waves Rhinestones, too - you know the ocean sparkles!
I can't wait to see YOUR projects in our luscious blues this round - meet you there!
Sailing Home Stamp Set; Waves of the Ocean DSP; Basic White, Balmy Blue & Pacific Point CS; Night of Navy Ink; Smooth Sailing Dies; High Seas EF (retired); Rhinestone Waves Basic Jewels; #AYSI273.

New Horizons Suite Focus Class April 23!
Today's class is a showcase of the stunning New Horizons suite - beautiful images, papers and perfect sentiments to go with - I can't wait for you to see it! Class will include all supplies needed for 5 cards and envelopes, (bring your own fave snips and adhesive!) snacks and drinks, plus a special gift from me, all for $25! We even have a bonus project! This class can also be FREE with your order of $30 or more! Class is on for Saturday, April 23 at 3 PM! RSVP now to save your spot!

5 Comments

Speedy Weather

3/25/2022

2 Comments

Woo hoo! It's "time" once again for another speed challenge at As You See It #271 - this time with a theme of "staying dry!"
This was a tough theme for me! I finally remembered my Weather Together set from 2018, complete with dies - whew! As I often do, I let some DSP do the heavy coloring lifting today, too - I have SO MUCH of this Sunshine & Rainbows Sale-A-Bration DSP, I knew it was a shoe-in, too, lol. I don't even remember seeing this cloudy sheet before either - so perfect! I picked out a sunny sheet for the umbrella, and started the clock! I started by stamping some light raindrops on the background in Pool Party, then the rest of my stamping in Black. All I needed to color was the handle - done! Dash to the cutting machine and boom! I even had time to dig out some Silver Epoxy raindrops to finish! 7 minutes and 40 seconds! Yay!
I can't wait to see YOUR speedy creations - meet you there!
Weather Together Stamp Set (retired 2018); Sunshine & Rainbows DSP (retired); Basic White & Bermuda Bay CS; Pool Party & Memento Tuxedo Black Ink; Bermuda Bay & Crumb Cake Blends Markers; Umbrella Weather Dies (retired); Silver Epoxy Essentials; #AYSI271.

Pumpkin Club March 26!
Did you get your February Pumpkin kit yet? EEE! Bonus stamp set! Check out the video HERE!
I hope you can join us for our next Pumpkin Club, Saturday, March 26, at 2 PM - RSVP to let me know you are attending, we will be all safely socially distanced at our big table downstairs! Remember that this is a DOUBLE Pumpkin Club this month - we're also doing last month's kit since I had to postpone, so doors will be open an hour earlier than usual!
Club is free for my subscribers, and includes any extra supplies you might need, plus drinks and snacks! I will also have a few extra spots available for club for $10, even if you are not a subscriber - come see what we're up to - full kit not needed, I'll supply everything you need for the projects! Just bring your own snips and basic adhesive!
Remember to subscribe here if you haven't already - sign up by April 10 and you can join us in time for next month!

2 Comments

Here Together

3/3/2022

3 Comments

Oh my gosh, I laughed out loud when I saw the image for the anything goes challenge at this week's Cupcake Inspiration #538 - so brilliant to show naked cupcakes!
For whatever reason, this challenge pic was just the inspiration I needed to finally play with our new Here Together suite - designed to show off our new collection of Stampin' Blends Markers in a range of skin tones. I SO love them! Such a great palette to have, and the fun papers in the special All Together DSP pack are the perfect complement! I chose this row of hands and colored in with a random choice from each of the 5 color pairs, and finished with my fave sentiment from the stamp set - perfect!
Here Together Stamp Set; All Together DSP; Basic White, Early Espresso & Crumb Cake CS; Versamark Ink; Shimmer White EP; SU600, SU300, SU1000, SU200 & SU800 Blends Markers; Rectangle Stitched Dies; #CIC538.

3 Comments

Your Strength

2/22/2022

0 Comments

Loving our "tagged" landscape sketch this week at Hand Stamped Sentiments #383!
Well, I just couldn't resist showing off our new early-release sneak peek set any longer, sigh. This is my first crack at the glorious new Waves of Inspiration suite, coming your way soon! It's truly stunning, and there are some extras that WON'T be part of the next annual catalog that I just HAD to have! The DSP just cried out to be featured, and lovely water-toned gems are so yummy! I know my card isn't doing the best justice, but I couldn't help myself!
So what will YOU do with our sketch? I can't wait to see - meet you at the challenge!
Waves of Inspiration Stamp Set; Waves of the Ocean DSP; Basic White & Vellum CS; Pacific Point Ink; Tailor Made Tags & Ornate Frames Dies; Pacific Point Linen Thread (I think from an old Paper Pumpkin!); Rhinestone Waves Basic Jewels; #HSS383.

0 Comments

Like a Frog On a Unicycle

1/18/2022

1 Comment

Oh gosh, I'm kicking off with some exciting news today! While I'm keeping it CAS for SU Only #293, I'm combining with the colors of the '50's for my debut at Retro Rubber #174! Woo hoo! A thrill AND an honor!
So, let's talk about those colors. Yikes. I admit, I was pretty skeptical keeping these babies in mind while I browsed my shelves of retirement. Then I heard it. So quiet. Ribbit. Ribbit. Yes! So Hoppy Together reporting for duty! Lol, I so crack myself up. Who knew these cuties would look so good in '50's colors?
I can't wait to see YOUR projects for our fun challenges this week - meet you at the blogs!
So Hoppy Together Stamp Set (retired 2019); Basic White & Mint Macaron CS; Memento Tuxedo Black Ink; Mint Macaron, Petal Pink & Balmy Blue Blends Markers; Hop Around Dies; Mint Sequin; #SUOC293; #RRCB174.