I haven't gotten the chance to play here too much this year, so I am THRILLED to be able to sneak in on the tail end of Freshly Made Sketches #415!
This one was a tough one for me - I'm still feeling the call of Christmas, but I wasn't happy with my choices shape-wise for this one, and of course, me eye kept returning to these elegant pens in Crafting Forever, lol.  That's when it's pretty much a done deal for me, I guess, as soon as my eye catches on something, I have a hard time letting go!  Next on was the hunt for a good sentiment, which I found in the Well Said Bundle - I die-cut this outside phrase, and stamped the accompanying "far apart but close at heart" inside.  I think this is the CAS-est Ive done in a while!
Well Said & Crafting Forever Stamp Set; Whisper White CS; Memento Tuxedo Black Ink; Real Red, Mango Melody, Smoky Slate, Old Olive, Crumb Cake & Pumpkin Pie Blends Markers; Well Written Dies; Black Rhinestones; #FMS415.

We have a spiffy landscape sketch this week at Try Stampin' on Tuesday #430 - and I'm thrilled to combine it with SU Only #234's coloring challenge!
I spent some time browsing the stamp shelves for a nice coloring opportunity to get ready for this card, and kept coming back to Cuckoo For You, which I think I've only inked up once, lol.  Double win!  I chose some sweet colorful DSP to set the palette and went to town on my little clock face.  Can I just say, I love my Blneds Markers?  Did you not know that yet?  Well, now you do, lol...
I can't wait to see what YOU are inspired to create, over at the challenges - see you there!
Cuckoo For You Stamp Set; Bird Ballad DSP; Whisper White, Pool Party & Basic Black CS; Memento Tuxedo Black Ink; Old Olive, Calypso Coral, Pool Party, Daffodil Delight & Soft Suede Blends Markers; Cuckoo Clock Dies; Calypso Coral Ribbon; White Perfect Accents; #TSOT430; #SUO234.

Very cool - Back to Basics #23 has a fun tic-tac-toe grid for us this week!  Bingo!
I finally settled on the Pearls-Flowers-Blue column - this was a tough one for me!  I'm still loving up neglected stamps here, too, so out came my gorgeous Enjoy Life set.  I love these little floral viney things - that's what I'm using for my Balmy Blue flowers, anyway!  I used this two part sentiment for the first time, too, and decided on a two-tone with Soft Suede - I think they go great together!  I decided to use the tiny butterfly in this set to add some detail, which also helped me get the pearls rolling - no naked butterflies!  I did take a tiny shortcut by punching out with my 1/2" Circle Punch - extra border, lol!
Enjoy Life Stamp Set; Whisper White & Soft Suede CS; Balmy Blue & Soft Suede Inks; Layering Squares Framelits; 1/2" Circle Punch; Basic Jewel Pearls; #BBB23.

We have a collection of brilliant Fall colors for you at this week's Sunday Stamps #189!  I think CAS-ual Fridays #209 will be perfect for helping me along, too!
With these colors, I couldn't help but out Blended Seasons one more time - I love this little spray of blowing leaves - I masked off one stray to make them a perfect fit for corners!  I did some more aqua-painting today, too, I think it's a good look for leaves.  I snuck in some Pool Party accents for the blue, and finished with some gold pearls - so elegant.
So, what do you think of for our colors?  I hope I get to see at the challenge!
Blended Season Stamp Set; Very Vanilla & Pool Party CS; Memento Tuxedo Black, Real Red, Pumpkin Pie, Crushed Curry, Mango Melody & So Saffron Inks; Stitched Shapes Framelits; Gold Pearls; #SSC189; #CFC209.

Christmas Cards Part 2 2018, Oct 11 & 13!
Hooray!  You KNOW how much I love Christmas, we celebrate around here all year long!  Christmas Cards 2018 Part 2 will feature 6 gorgeous holiday cards, all from the 2018 Holiday Idea Book & Catalog, just in time to give you a jump on your "special" cards, or help you make some decisions about your "house" card, lol.  We must give to receive, right!  All supplies provided and prepped (bring your own snips and fave basic adhesive) plus snacks, drinks and a special gift from me!  Class is announced for Thursday, October 11 at 630 pm, and Saturday, October 13 at 3 pm.  We also have a make-up class already shaping up for Saturday, October 20 at 3 pm!  Class is $25 or can be FREE with your order of $30 or more.  RSVP today to save your spot!

SU! Only #204 has a designer's choice challenge for us this week - hm, what SHALL I do??
So, what today's stamp search taught me is that I have too many favorites right now, lol.  I finally settled on my fave hostess set, Hand Delivered.  I am LOVING building this lady in all the "delivery" combos!  I like the balloons best, I think, for being able to add bright pops of color in various combos.  This week, I'm all about Berry Burst, I guess, I feel like I've picked it up every day this week!  I'm also hi-lighting our markers - so fun to color with!  A touch of texture, a few of my fave-but-retired {SOB} sequins, and I'm all set - Tutti Frutti rules!
Hand Delivered Stamp Set; Berry Burst, Lemon Lime Twist, Pool Party & Whisper White CS; Memento Tuxedo Black Ink; Nude Blendie; Berry Burst, Lemon Lime Twist, Pool Party & Flirty Flamingo Markers; Layering Circle Framelits; Flourish Thinlits; Tutti Frutti Sequins; #SUO204.

Check it out - I found ANOTHER new blog to play at:  Back to Basics & Beyond #5, and this week is all about heat embossing!
Going through my stack of new stamps (it's getting smaller!) I decided to go with the new Sitting Pretty set - I could totally see that gorgeous wrought iron bench heat-embossed in black!  This is another super well-coordinated set - lovely framelits with a texture piece, too, and lots of two-step stamping opportunities in the images in the set - even an extra bench in the framelits!  I'm just dipping my tow in the wrought-iron today, lol...  Quick Tip:  have a little miss on your two-step stamping?  Use your blender pen to fudge the lines a little, as I did to achieve a kind of two-tone effect on my spider plant leaves!  They need NEVER know, lol...
Sitting Pretty Stamp Set; Whisper White, Mossy Meadow & Crumb Cake CS; Versamark, Memento Tuxedo Black, Mossy Meadow, Crumb Cake & Merry Merlot Inks; Black EP; Pretty Park Framelits; #BBB5.

We have one of my fave sketches ever at this week's Fab Friday #135 - a banner, and it's TILTY!  Yeah!  To complete the perfection, Paper Players #388 came up with a green and purple color challenge that has me written all over it!
So, after getting all excited about the titlty banner, I totally went another direction, lol.  I just couldn't turn away from Oh So Eclectic, and the fun shapes in its Eclectic Layers Thinlits set - I think maybe I went too far with the hatch-work pattern thingie, lol.  Still it's funny how all these weird elements just WORK together, though they're really bad for my over-embellish-itis.  Enough is NEVER enough!  See you over at Fab - can't wait to see your creations!
Oh So Eclectic Stamp Set; Wisteria Wonder, Tranquil Tide, Elegant Eggplant & Whisper White CS; Tranquil Tide, Wisteria Wonder, Elegant Eggplant & Memento Tuxedo Black Inks; Eclectic Layers Thinlits; Bottles & Bubbles Framelits; Touches of Nature Embellishments; Basic Jewel Rhinestones; Perfect Plum (shh) Taffeta Ribbon; #FabFri135; #PP388.

Man Cards 2018 Class April 14!
It's time once again to stamp our hearts out for those special guys in our lives, and we have a fabulous range of new goodies to do it with!  These five cards will be adaptable to all occasions, with options for Father's Day as needed or desired - so come stand by your man!  Class costs $25, and includes all supplies (bring your own snips and adhesive) snacks and drinks, and a special gift from me.  This class can also be FREE with your purchase of $30 or more!  Class is still on for Saturday, April 14 at 3 pm.  RSVP today to hold your spot!  See you there!

In{k}spire Me #332 has a cute peek-a-boo sketch for us this week - so cute!  I'm combining with this lovely deep color challenge from TGIF #141, too!
I decided to ink up my recently acquired Oh So Eclectic set for this one - which is a set that I got for the fabulous thinlits that go with it.  I could use that patterned background piece for my "peek-a-boo" piece - yes!  I love the color-wash pieces that go with both the flowers and the leaves in this, too, and I haven't even STARTED playing with the gemstone thinlits, lol...  I really love how this came together!
Oh So Eclectic Stamp Set; Whisper White & Basic Black CS; Memento Tuxedo Black, Night of Navy, Island Indigo & Fresh Fig Inks; Eclectic Layers Thinlits; Basic Jewel Rhinestones; #IM332; #TGIF141.

Birthday Cards 2018 Class Jan 11 & 13!
Time to kick off the year right with five new birthday cards ready to go, all from our gorgeous new 2018 Occasions Catalog!  This is a fun way to get a little taste of lots of new items, and get your card tickler stocked at the same time!  Class costs $25, and includes all your supplies and envelopes (bring your own snips and adhesive), snacks, drinks, and a special gift from me!  This class can also be FREE with your purchase of $30 or more!  Class is announced for Thursday, January 11 at 630 pm and Saturday, January 13 at 3 pm - RSVP today to hold your spot!

Another super-cute sketch from Create With Connie & Mary #429 this week?  And wouldn't you know - it's also Pumpkin Day - every Wednesday I try to create a card using our Paper Pumpkin kits, past and present!  Yay!
I decided to day to make a quick and simple card, for a dear dear friend, who's been absent lately, for bereavement.  I know she's grieving, and I so want her to have the space to be present for that, and for her family, but I also want her to know how much I think of her, every day, and miss her.  I hope this cheerful card is gentle enough...  Peace to you, dear one.
Something Good to Eat & Thought Banners Stamp Sets; Whisper White CS; Old Olive, Daffodil Delight & Chocolate Chip Inks; Daffodil Delight Candy Dots (retired).

Check out this fun checkered sketch from TGIF #55!  I see a DSP showcase ahead!
One DSP I haven't shown off enough is the gorgeous (but muted somehow) Botanical Gardens.  This whole suite ended up being a bit more challenging to work with than I had envisioned, yet, there are a few sheets of the paper pack that really sing to me, like these two prints that get to play today, lol.  I was also excited to get a chance finally to play with my new (pre-ordered, sorry, but coming soon!) Thoughtful Banners bundle - a set of about a zillion little sentiments with a double banner punch!  Yes!  Two shapes to play with, and not hand cutting!  Life is "suite!"  Yuk, yuk.
Thoughtful Banners Stamp Set; Botanical Gardens DSP; Mint Macaron, Mossy Meadow, Cajun Craze & Whisper White CS; Memento Tuxedo Black & Mint Macaron Inks; Duet Banners Punch; Elegant Dots EF; Basic Jewel Rhinestones.