British Ducks and Whatnot

 Did you know that was a thing? There are British Ducks. No, really. Very. British Ducks. I didn't know that until I went to London over Christmas, where I met the most British duck I've ever seen. Here... let me introduce you....

There she is. Tell me she is not the most British duck you have ever seen. And, yes, she lives in the Queen's Gardens. And she is lovely. I did not take her home. but I sure did want to do so.

All that to say, ducks are pretty fun. and this new SUPER cute duck die set from Spellbinders is no exception to that!

Ummm... seriously, though! I used an amazing new raindrop 3-D Embossing folder for the background along with blended distress inks and then pieced together the adorable duck, giving him sparkly red rubber rain boots and a sparkly rain cap along with a red umbrella. 

The sentiment die is from the new Raining Hearts Etched Die set and I love it! I stacked it three deep to give it a bit of structure and dimension. And... because I borrowed a couple of the child's rubber ducks for this photo shoot... he insisted on being in a shot with them.

He's a pretty cute little duckling, himself, if you ask me! HA! 

So, head on over and check out the newest release from Spellbinders and spend your day contemplating the nationality of ducks. If you do those two things, I promise you will have a wonderful day. You truly will!

Have a good one!

Friendly Little Bats

 I mentioned that I really like bats, right? When I saw the Reverse Confetti challenge to create a card with a Thanksgiving or Friendship theme, I figured it was a perfect time to combine my love of Halloween and bats with a friendship sentiment for a cute little card.

I stamped the three little bats from the Reverse Confetti Best Witches stamp set and colored them with Spectrum Noir colored pencils. I am discovering that I REALLY love coloring with colored pencils. I honestly feel like I work better with them than I do with my markers a lot of the time. I am loving it. It is also wicked relaxing to feel the smooth pencil over the paper. I don't know...I just really enjoy it.

After stamping and coloring the bats I added a quick stamped star and then finished it off with a great Lawn Fawn Hello die. The friend is actually hand written with a Copic pen to get the look I was going for.  

This card was one of those ones that I just really enjoyed creating. It makes me smile.

What are the kinds of things that just make you happy when you create? Is it coloring? The actual stamping? Putting together various design elements? I'd love hear about it in the comments!

Hello, folks! It's time for a fun new Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge! This week we want to see Things with Wings! Incorporate something with wings into your design for this week to play along! The Design Team is using Doodlebug Design products this week. You don't have to use them to play along, but if you have some, we'd love to see how you rock that cuteness!

So, you know that sticker stash you have? Did you know you can create complete adorable card designs using it? 'Cause you totally can! And I had SO much fun challenging myself to do just that with these Doodlebug Design stickers! I added a fabulous little sentiment from the Simon Says Stamp Handwritten Sentiments stamp set to finish off my design! 

Pro-tip: If you want to use foam tape to adhere your stickers, adding dimension and offering more layering options, simply brush the back with your EK Success Powder Tool to remove the sticky from the back!

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And now it's YOUR turn! Create something inspired by our Things With Wings challenge theme and link it up over on the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge blog for your chance to win a $50 Gift Certificate to the Simon Says Stamp Store! WOOT! WOOT!!!

Have a Happy!!!

Don't Make a Scene!

Okay, I lied. That's actually EXACTLY what we want you to do for the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge this week! Make a Scene! The Design Team is using Newton's Nook products in our scene inspired cards today. You don't have to use them if you don't want to, but we would love to see them if you've got 'em!



Okay, so, when I saw this Dreams of London stamp set I simply HAD to have it. And then we got super busy getting ready to move and I hadn't had the chance to play with it yet. I finally broke it open and oh, my goodness, I love it even more!!!! I stamped (masking the cat) the images and then colored them with Spectrum Noir pens. I added some distress inking to create the background in my little die cut circle.



And now it's YOUR turn! Create something awesome that incorporates a scene in some way on your project and link it up over on the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge blog for your chance to win a $50 Gift Certificate to the Simon Says Stamp store! THAT, my friends, is an awesome prize!

I can't wait to see what you create! Scenes can be so much fun to put together! 

Have a Happy!

Just a Bit O' Green

Hello, friends! It's that time of year! Yup. It's time to GO GREEN! Here in Boston, St. Patrick's day is a BIG deal. That being said, I can't say I send cards for it. But that doesn't stop me from pulling out some green here and there just for fun! This week, the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge is to do just that! Use Just a Bit O' Green! The Design Team is playing with Clearly Besotted products this week. You don't have to use them to play along, but if you've got some, we'd love to see how you rock 'em! They have the BEST designs! I absolutely LOVE Clearly Besotted!

I pulled out the Clearly Besotted Sketched Blooms stamp set and my Spectrum Noir markers to create this simple, pretty card. A bit of twine finishes it off perfectly! 

Now it's YOUR turn! One lucky participant is going to win a $50 Gift Voucher to the Simon Says Stamp Store! WHAT?! Yup. LUCKY, indeed, my friends!

Create a new design using GREEN somewhere in your project and link it up over on the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge blog for your chance to win! 

Have a Happy!

Hey There!

Hello, friends! Today is day TWO of the Design Team reveals for the Girlfriend Collection coming from CAS-ual Fridays Stamps this week! I have another super fun card to share with you. For today's card, I used the super fun 'Hey You' sentiment along with some seriously awesome dies!



I die cut the bottom of the smallest tag three times to create the little gold cardstock border. This tag die is going to be used a lot! I can tell! I then used the tiny circle and the cool starburst, both of which were intended to be cool flower center stuff, independently for a fun, graphic look. I am in LOVE with that starburst shape! I layered my washi tape (for those who follow me on Facebook, this is the ver same tape that died due to puppy curiosity later that day... *sadness*) over some foam tape to give it a little extra dimension. I then stamped the sentiment in apricot.



Be sure to head on over to the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps blog to see what the rest of the Design Team has created! This is such a fun release!

Have a Happy!

Happy Thanksgiving Eve, everyone! Today we have a brand new challenge over on the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge blog and it is a great one for this holiday weekend! It's ANYTHING GOES time! The Design Team is featuring Altenew products this week. You don't have to use them to play along, but if you have some we'd love to see what you do with them!



I pulled out the Altenew Quilled Elegance stamp set along with a set of Altenew dye inks to create my card for today. I love that these inks come in cubes so I can get lots of colors without a lot of cost! YAY! I did a little smooshing on watercolor paper for the color and then added the image in black ink over the smooshed ink. I colored in the letters using the Wink of Stella black brush. This has gold glitter in it, making it a perfect match for these warm color tones.



I love how that Wink of Stella adds so much sparkle to the finished design! A simple strip of paper form the Lawn Fawn Let's Polka 6x6 paper pad finishes off the card.

Now it's YOUR turn! Create something NEW and fabulous and link it up over on the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Blog for your chance to win a $50 Gift Voucher to the Simon Says Stamp store! Woot! Woot!

Have a Happy!

It's RELEASE TIME! (And Giveaway!)

You GUYS! It's CAS-ual Fridays Stamps release week and I am SO excited about the stamps and dies I get to share with you this week! For reals! They are absolutely AWESOME and you are going to love them!

We are starting out today with the brand new Autumn Blessings stamp set and Acorn Fri-Dies. You can see the full set and dies over on the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps blog. You guys, for reals, this is a fantastic, versatile fall stamp set that I know I will be reaching for all year for various projects. It just rocks!



I went with a simple design for this one. I stamped and colored the acorn with Spectrum Noir colored pencils and then die cut the top piece only to add some dimension. I am absolutely IN LOVE with the tiny stamps in this set. Yes, of course the big ones are fabulous, but that tiny acorn is TOO CUTE! And there are a couple of tiny leaves, too! They are perfect accent stamps! LOVE IT!



A bit of May Arts twine finishes off the acorn perfectly. Also, I used pumpkin pie ink for the sentiment. Because pumpkin everything.

Now, leave a comment here and then head on over to the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps blog to check out this full set and to find out how YOU can win a $25 Gift Certificate to the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Store! Woot! Woot!

Have a Happy!

Because Shiny Gold Hearts

Really? Do you need anything more than that? Shiny. Gold. Hearts. PEOPLE! As you know, I am totally loving the Simon Says Stamp October Card kit. I have already made four cards from it and I have at least two more in mind to create as soon as I have some time! I am LOVING it!



That hello die!!! For reals, you guys! It's so fabulous! I used the negative of it for this card and added a small gold stamped heart from the I See You Stamp set using the gold Brilliance ink in the kit. Super love!



I added just a touch of Glossy Accents to make that tiny heart shiny. Because shiny. I can't wait to see what you create with this kit! For reals!

All links in this post are affiliate links. Your support is appreciated.

Have a Happy!

Bliss

Bliss. I'd like to find some bliss right about now. Life is a bit crazy in my house at the moment. We have our beautiful new puppy keeping us on our toes and we are moving house next week, so the place is a bit of a disaster as boxes are being packed and stacked and such. I like my routine and I like things to be in their place. Nothing is routine right now and nothing is in it's place. LOL! But, alas, it will all iron out soon and I am looking forward to our bright, happy new apartment. It has WONDERFUL natural light. I think that is what I am most excited about! LIGHT!



I created this card using the awesome July embellishment kit from Pinkfresh Studio. Yup, it's awesome. I know I say that every month, but there is a reason for that! Seriously, though! I love the elements in this kit! It is one of my favorites for sure!

I used one of the fabulous dip dyed canvas tags along with the Bliss acrylic word made for PFS by Color Cast Designs. I am in LOVE with these acrylic words! The washi tape made a perfect border and the little cloud is from the stamp set, I simply colored it with Copics.




Pinkfresh Studio kindly sends me the kits as a member of their Design Team to showcase. To see more awesome stuff be sure to check out the Pinkfresh Designs blog and Instagram!

Have a Happy!

Sparkle and Shine!

Hello, friends! It's time to SPARKLE AND SHINE! Yup, folks! That is the challenge this week on the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge blog! We want to see your project Sparkle and Shine! The Design Team is showcasing Pretty Pink Posh products this week. That means LOTS of awesome sequins and some fun dies, too! You don't have to use Pretty Pink Posh to play along, but if you have some, we'd love to see what you do with them!


I had some fun with Pretty Pink Posh sequins, my clear Wink of Stella, and a couple of favorite Simon Says Stamp exclusives! I stamped the grid pattern in black on white and then used some favorite Spectrum Noir colors to fill in a few of the squares with color. I then added sparkle to some of the squares with the Wink of Stella. The die cut sentiment pops off the card and the sequins add a bit of sparkle while also adding to the graphic design of the card. You guys, for reals, I love this one. I really do. I wish you could see it in person. It's pretty. I promise. 
And now it's YOUR turn! One lucky participant in the Sparkle and Shine Challenge is going to win a $50 Gift Voucher to the Simon Says Stamp Store! WHAT?! Totes for reals, dude. Totes. For. Reals.

Link up your creation before next Wednesday for your chance to win! You can find my complete supply list below. Also, all of the links in this post are affiliate links and your support is very much appreciated, as always! Simon Says Stamp provides product for me to use in these posts, however, I choose what I use and all artwork and opinions are my own.

Have a Happy!

Supplies:

Stamp: Simon Says Stamp Grid Background Stamp

Die: Simon Says Stamp Big Hello Craft Die

Sequins: Pretty Pink Posh

Glitter Marker: Wink of Stella

Markers: Spectrum Noir

Get in Shape!

Here is the good news: I am not going to make you exercise. I AM, however, going to encourage you to take part in this week's Get in Shape Challenge on the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge blog! We want to see you create shaped cards! It can by ANY shape other than square or rectangle. The design team is playing with Lawn Fawn products this week, making our shaped cards EXTRA adorable! YAY!



I chose to use one of my MFT dies to create an easel/chalkboard shaped card. It's not a rectangle, dude. It has legs. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it. For reals, though, I love this Die-Namics Blueprint shape for cards. It's just too much fun!!! I pulled out the Lawn Fawn Handsome Hamster stamps to create a fun little 'chalk' scene on my board using Simon Says Stamp white pigment ink.



I layered the Lawn Fawn hello die cut over the same cut cut from white foam to give it dimension and an extra layer of white. I used the triangles from the Blueprints set to cut the banner pieces from gingham paper. Gingham CUTENESS, that is.

And now it's your turn! Create a shaped card (not square or rectangle!) and link it up to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge blog for your chance to win a $50 Gift Voucher to the Simon Says Stamp Store!

Have a Happy!