Featured stamper -Joanne and a new Raspberry Suite challenge

Hi everyone, I have a second post today. Well, it's nearly 11pm, so it's almost not today anymore -LOL! This will be short cause I am sooo sleepy!

This card is a double challenge card. This week's featured stamper is my former DDC gal -Joanne AKA Sleepyinseattle!! I am so thrilled for Joanne! She is super talented and a sweetheart. Congrats Joanne, enjoy your day! I chose this card to case. I changed up the colors and the image and the scalloped panels a bit. But I kept with her bright colors and amazing shape and layering!

I used the colors from Dawn's Raspberry Suite color challenge #14-to use Plum Pudding, Raspberry Fizz, cream and Burgundy. To my surprise, my felt flowers from Zva Creative all matched it perfectly!! I used Verve's Petals and Stems set for the stems and the Black Tie Birdies for the sentiment.

BIG news everyone!!! This week celebrates Verve Stamps 2 year anniversary release. Seriously, there are some FUN stuff going on. Every day the Divas will be hosting a GIVEAWAY and Julee out did herself with sketches to play along with everything culminating at the RELEASE PARTY this Friday evening!

Check out the fun here!!

Thanks for stopping by!!

Card Deets:
Stamps - Petals and Stems, Black Tie Birdies
Paper - Plum pudding, raspberry fizz, vintage cream
Accessories - Zva felt flowers, stickles, silver cord, paper piercer, white gel pen, circle nesties, silver pearls

Two Featured Stamper cards -finally!

Hi everyone! Today was such a fun day, I took the Copic Certification class from Marianne! WOW! What a talent she is. I will blog about it and post some pics tomorrow.

For tonight, I have 2 Featured Stamper cards to share. I just LOVE this challenge and when the person being featured is a friend it's all the better! This first card is from several weeks ago. One of my bloggin' friends, Kathy (Wattle) was honored. You should check out her gallery, she has a lovely and elegant style and has a flair for layering and embellishing!

I chose her lovely card called Sage Wedding to case -I seriously love it's softness and layout. I changed the feel of the card from a soft elegant wedding to something a bit more whimsical and bright. The image is from Verve's Miracles Blossom and the sentiment is from Circular Sayings. I pieced the blooms from SU! Rose red DSP and the leaves and bud from Sage Shadow cs. I sponged the edges in white craft ink.

I chose the colors from this week's DDC color challenge issued by our lovely Charlene (LilLuvsStampin) -Rose red, Kraft, Black and Sage. We were to also use "piecing" and "piercing". Look closely, can you see the piercing? No? Cause I forgot it! That'll teach me to go by memory, I scored instead -DUH! Charlene, can you forgive me -LOL! Everyone is welcome to play along, just use the keyword: DDC when you upload to SCS.

This next card is for this week's Featured Stamper, my good friend (and Dirty Dozen Roomie) -Joan Ervin!! Woohoo! You know I love you Roomie! I chose this lovely card, Dare to be Different! to case. When I saw her card I recognized the silhouette stamp as almost the same as my designer paper, so how could I NOT case it?

I changed the colors, eliminated some layers and made the flowers a bit smaller. The sentiment is from Verve's Circular Sayings. The super cute felt flowers are from Zva Creative and the swirl is from Spellbinders Shapeabilities Doodle Parts dies. That lovely ribbon is black satin edged metallic organdy and black brads are from Pinkhedgehog Papercrafts.

Oh, and I finally bought that darned ole SU! Top Note die!! Ahhh, I really love this die!!

Thanks for stopping by and stay tuned for some pics from my Copic class.

Card Deets (Kathy):
Stamps - Miracles Blossom, Circular Sayings

Paper - Kraft, Black, Sage shadow, Rose red and Rose red DSP

Accessories - Sage Twill (Martha Stewart), Rose Red grosgrain and Black gingham (both SU!)

Card Deets (Joan):

Stamps - Aida Cloth

Paper - Black, Barely banana, Blush blossom, misc patterned paper (Joann's),

Accessories - felt flowers, black brads, shapeabilities, black satin edged metallic organdy

SC225 and CPS112 cards

Hi everyone! I have a couple challenge cards to share today. This first card is for this week's SCS sketch challenge. I rather like this sketch, love the symetrical yet off set bg panels! I chose to use my brand new Peaches stamp from Repeat Impressions.

I LOVE this image, but have to confess I had NO CLUE how to color a peach. Love this little guy, BUT I have to confess I had no clue how to color it. Thank you to Mr Google! I found lots of pictures online and this is was my first try -so be kind! I colored it with Copic markers and then painted it with Gold Shimmerz. The DP is Basic Grey Porcelain -isn't it a perfect match with the peach tones? I left off the sentiment, cause I am torn between using this as a thank you or a birthday card!


Whew! This card is a triple challenge card! I used the sketch for this week's CPS sketch, last week's DoubleDog Dare challenge to make a black/red/white card and this week's CAS challenge to use some kid's bedding from JC Penny.

I chose Crazy Ladybug Quilt bedding, it fit right into the colors I had to use.I used Martha Stewart's ladybug punch and a mini flower punch for the card. The doodles are hand drawn and there are 2 scored lines above and below the image panel. The sentiment is from Verve's Circular Sayings set.

Thanks for stopping by!

P.S. I updated my Robward picture!

Card Deets (SC225):
Stamps: Peaches
Paper: Vintage cream (PTI), Frosted Orange (Prism), Porcelain (BG)
Ink: Adirondack pitch black
Accessories: copic markers, misc satin ribbon, gold pearl, labels one nestie

Card Deets (CPS112):
Stamps: circular sayings
Paper: white, red, black
Ink: black
Accessories: punches, ribbon scrap, white gel pen, score-pal

Back with some challenge cards

Hi everyone! Whew, it's been quite a week here. Not only did Bill get sick, but then Daniel got sick and then ME! Ugh, still recouperating. But I do have a card to share and a couple challenge cards from last week that I didn't get a chance to post.

This card is for this week's Viva La Verve sketch challenge. This week's sketch was a fun one and the twist was to use only a sentiment stamp. PERFECT for all those Verve Plain Jane stamps!! I chose the Plain Jane, Comfort. I embellished it with a couple flowers from the Grateful Elegance set. I embossed the sentiment with white EP and sponged the edges with white kraft.

This card is also for my weekly DDC challenge. This week I hosted the challenge and challenged everyone to a 1,2,3 recipe:

-1 piece of DP (as much or as little as you want, but only one)
-2 pieces of ribbon (any length of either, but must be different)
-3 brads

It was lots of fun! I actually finished the card and realized I only had 1 ribbon! OOPS! So it's hard to see, but I added a piece of white organdy ribbon under the taffeta. Whew, now it's complete!

Anyone can play along with either or both challenges. To play with the Viva La Verve you can check it out here and upload keyword VLVAPR01. To play along with the DDC challenge, follow my 1,2,3 recipe and upload with keyword DDC.

This next card is from last week's Featured Stamper challenge. The Featured Stamper was the UBER talented Beate!! She is an SCS pioneer, an amazing stamper and a super sweet person!I chose this card to case.

I kept the amazing layout, use of punches on the sentiment, piercing and bling. I changed the papers, images, location of piercing and omitted the ticket corners.My image is Flourishes, Signs of Spring. The lovely daffidol is super fun to color. I used a couple copic markers and then went over the bloom with Marigold Shimmerz.


This last card was from last week's SCS Sketch Challenge. I really liked this sketch. This is my second card using it. I love how it utilizes scraps!! I used my new SU stamp from Thoughts and Prayers. Man, oh man, SU got this one right!! The DP is Basic Grey, Periphery. I used some of my beads and a new butterfly charm for the pin. I also glued some beads on each of the flower blooms.


Here is a close up of the pin and beads.

Card Deets:

Viva la Verve card:
Stamps: Comfort, Grateful Elegance
Paper: kraft, blue bayou, baja breeze, Parsian DSP
Ink: versamark, blue bayou, white kraft
Accessories: aged copper brads, white taffeta and organdy, SU scalloped edge, circle nesties

Featured Stamper card:
Stamps: signs of spring
Paper: sahara sand, bashful, delicate dots DSP
Accessories: copic markers, shimmerz, celery twill, bling, SU punches

SCS Sketch Challenge card:
Stamps: thoughts and prayers
Paper: artichoke, soft sky, periphery
Ink: mellow moss, baja breeze
Accessories: Misc beads and pearls, bead pin, earing back, paper piercer, light aqua organdy ribbon

For Stacy

Did you all see who is today's Featured Stamper? One of my stamping friends, Stacy (Twinshappy)!! I have been chatting and exchanging images with Stacy since I first found SCS. She was a great sounding board when I was going thru potty training H E double toothpicks! Remember that Stac??

I chose this lovely Flourishes card to case. I changed the designer paper used, color scheme, and image. But, I kept the same cute layout!! I colored the bunny with copic markers and pieced all the eggs from the solid sheets in the DP pack. The image and sentiment are from Verve's newly released Chocolate Bunnies. The DP is Basic Grey Urban Prairie. The ribbon is from the Dollar Tree, I have had it forEVER waiting for the right shade of pink to match it with!! And this tricky pink in Urban Prairie was a perfect match.

This card is also for this week's Doubledog Dare Challenge. This week, Francie G challenged us all to make a spring card but it must have a bunny image on it! I was so happy to get this challenge, the new Verve releases have lots of bunnies to chose from! Anyone is welcome to play with the DDC, just be sure to use keyword DDC when uploading so we can find your creations!

P.S. Where has Momento Black ink been all my life? I got lucky enough to find a pack of 4 Memento dew drops (rich cocoa, tuxedo black, lady bug and cottage ivy) at my local Js on sale 40% off! Had to try it out and I am so glad I did. This ink is so lovely, a crisp clean image and perfect for Copics. Much better than Adirondack (imho).

Card Deets:
Stamps: chocolate bunnies
Paper: regal rose, so safron, urban prairie
Ink: memento black, so safron for sponging
Accessories: grosgrain ribbon, misc gems, copic markers

Thanks for stopping by.

Some challenge cards

Happy Wednesday everyone! I have 3 challenge cards to share today.

The first card I uses Julee's FAB MojoMonday sketch found here, and is for my weekly DoubleDog Dare Challenge (DDC). This week my Dirty Dozen Roomie (that means we joined the Dirty Dozen together), Joan challenged us to use an image with a basket -any kind, AND some plaid paper. Hummm, seriously, I HAVE NO BASKET stamps of any kind. Not one! So I broke out my WishRAK image box and searched thru the entire thing -no baskets! What? Then I remembered my Crafty Secrets file and found that one of my Cotton Scraps HAD ONE! Whew! A baby girl image in a basket. And, what's even more perfect is that I need a baby girl card for Friday as one of the moms in my MOPS group just had her girl!

I sponged the white prima with pink and added Angel Wings Shimmerz to it. Here is a close up.

Card Deets:
Paper: pink pirouette, vintage cream (PTI), retired mint melody, misc plaid DP
Accessories: white prima, white dew drops, su scallope edge punch, small flower punch, swiss dots EF, shimmerz

This next card is for today's SCS sketch challenge. First let me say, I didn't really like it. I felt it a bit too top heavy and it was hard for me to find the right balance. But, I had some time to play and need to stock up on my Mother's Day cards for my Etsy store, so I fudged the sketch a bit and added brads at the bottom!

I used some of my Tres Jolie, Mon Cheri DP I got on clearance last year. The flower images are colored with Copic markers and have Stardust stickles on them. The sentiment is from Verve Stamps, Happy Thoughts (my all time fav sentiment set!).

For some interest, I strung some beads and a heart charm with silver cord and tied them with a bow from one of the panels. Silver cord and brads are from Pinkhedgehog Papercrafts, PrismPapers can be found here.

Card Deets:
Stamps: embrace life, happy thoughts
Paper: Vintage cream (PTI), Tres Jolie DP and Desert Coral Light Prismpaper
Accessories: copic markers, square punch, charm, beads, silver brads, stickles

And lastly, I have yesterday's SCS color challenge card that I paired with Crafty Secret's weekly challenge -which was to do a SINGLE LAYER card! Man, both were tough! The colors were Summer Sun, Pumpkin Pie and Kiwi Kiss. I love those colors, just NOT together! I used the Baby Boy set from Crafty Secrets, some ribbon and buttons.

It's hard to see in the pic, but there are 3 scored lines below the ribbon.

Card Deets:
Stamps: baby boy
Paper: white
Ink: pumpkin pie, kiwi kiss
Accessories: score pal, square punch, stickles, buttons, grosgrain ribbon

Before I forget!! Jacksonbelle is offering up 2 jars of Shimmerz OF YOUR CHOICE as a prize! Check out the JBelle blog post here for the details!

Thanks for stopping by!

Today's sketch with Wallpaper??

Yep! You read correctly. I used wallpaper on this week's SCS sketch card.

This week's DoubleDog Dare Challenge (DDC) was to use supplies sent to us by my girl, Anne (Itsapassion). She sent us all some amazing bling, ribbon and pieces of coordinating wallpaper from a discontinued sample book! Brilliant! So pretty and fun -it works just like DP!!

The entire card (except for the cardstock) is wallpaper. I cut out some flowers for the main image and cut out all the butterflies from the scraps. I added a touch of stickles and some green bling. The sentiment is stamped from PTI's Birthday Basics set.

Card Deets:
Stamps: birthday basics
Paper: wasabi, white, Prismpaper Crabapple Medium
Ink: black
Accessories: wall paper samples, green bling, stickles

My DDC challenge, another catty case

This week's DDC challenge was hosted by ME! I challenged everyone to case the current SU! catty (not the new one, some of us don't have one yet -sob!). I know, if this sounds familiar, it is! I did this challenge last time too. But I loved it so much, I thought a repeat was necessary.

I chose the lovely and simple (keyword simple here) card on page 67 (top left card). I kept the same colors, ribbon and general feel of the card. I changed the image, ribbon and DP. The image I used was sent to me from my friend Jodi. It's from Paper Pretties and I apologize, I don't know what it is called. I colored it with copic markers and added a tiny bit of stickles in the center of the flower.

Here are some of the supplies I used:

The Double Dare girls would like to invite you to join along in our weekly challenges! Just create a card or project using the Double Dare challenge instructions listed above and post it in your SCS gallery. Please be sure to use the keyword DDC when you post so we can all find your card. There is no time limit for posting your card and a new challenge is issued each Tuesday. You can find the other DDC cards here. So come along and join in with us!! We can't wait to see what you create!

Card Deets:

Stamps - Paper pretties watering can, sentiment from Inkadinkado

Paper - Old Olive, Old Olive DSP, Ruby red

Accessories - double sided white satin ribbon, copic markers, yellow stickers

A couple challenge cards to share

I haven't had a chance to post my Sketch challenge card these last couple days, so today I am posting cards for 2 challenges.

First up, the SCS Sketch challenge. This card was also for the Crafty Secrets weekly challenge -this week was to use NEW things on your card. I like these challenges, cause I love using new things! The images are from CS Birds Galore set. I colored the birdies with prismacolor pencils and popped them up on dimensionals. I used Angel Wings Shimmerz on the birds and the primas. The new things on this card is the DP is my new Basic Grey pad, Granola, the Primas are new from the Youth bottle and the buttons are also from Basic Grey Granola!

Here is a close up of the flowers. You can kind of see the Shimmerz on them.

P.S. If you like this card and have a minute, I would love it if you would post a comment in my SCS gallery on it. There is a little contest going on with the Crafty Secrets challenge! Here is the link to the card.

Next I have a triple challenge card. I started out doing the SCS Ways To Use It challenge. I like these challenges, but rarely have a chance to play along on Thursdays.

Last night I found time and combined it with This card uses Julee's Mojo Monday 69 sketch for the layout. Love Julee's sketches! And lastly, this card is also for a weekly challenge I do with some SCS friends called the Double Dare Challenge (DDC). We would love to have you join in on our Double Dare Challenges every Tuesday. Just create a card using these challenge instructions and post it to your gallery.

This week's challenge was issued by Charlene (LilLuvsStampin), the challenge requirements are:

1. use one or more punches

2. use a background stamp

3. no designer paper may be used

Please be sure to use the Keyword DDC when you post your card so that we can all find it! There is no time limit for you to do this challenge.

My card uses the Boho Blossom punch that coordinates with the One of a Kind set. My background stamp is the retired Simple Stripes. That large brad is from Basic Grey, the Bittersweet glazed brads. LOVE them! Here is the inside of the card.

Card Deets (SC211):
Stamps: bird lovers
Paper: so saffron, night of navy, white DP
Ink: Black
Accessories: primas, buttons, branch punch

Card Deets (WT201):
Stamps: one of a kind, simple stripes BG
Paper: rose red, kiwi kiss, pink pirouette
Ink: same plus Close to Cocoa
Accessories: silver brads, basic grey brads, olive grosgrain, circle nesties, flower CB die, swiss dots EF

A doll inspired blue Valentine

This card is for the Flourishes current challenge, to make a card inspired by something in your home, the details are here. I knew immediately I wanted to make a card using my Madame Alexander Scarlett O'Hara doll.

I have been collecting Madame A dolls since I was a very little girl. Sadly, I don't have a place to display them anymore, but I MADE room in my craft area for my favorite doll, the Scarlett O'Hara doll. Isn't she lovely? I got the gold accents from the gold trimmed ribbon in her hair seen here.


She was perfect inspiration for making a non-traditional colored Valentine card, using shades of blue. This also works for my DDC weekly challenge, this week Francie G challenged to use 3 shades of the same color. I chose Brocade, Bashful and Brilliant blue.I embossed the heart image from Flourishes, Lace Heart set with gold EP. It is stamped on SU shimmer white and adorned with Latte Kaiser pearls. The prima flowers are sponged with gold kraft and then painted with Gold Shimmer Shimmerz. I embossed the background with the cuttlebug Swirls folder to mimic the lace on her dress. Some punched branches in gold cardstock and gold cord finish off this card. Here is a pic of the inside.


This card did NOT come together easlily, you should see my recycle bin!!! But, I love the end result -not every Valenting card needs to be in pink or red! LOL! Here is a close up pic of the flowers.


Card Deets:

Stamps: Lace heart
Paper: brocade, bashful and brilliant blue, shimmer white, gold cardstock
Ink: Versamark
Accessories: gold EP, rectangle nesties, gold organdy, prima flowers, gold brads, gold shimmer shimmerz, kaiser pearls, martha Stewart branches punch

A Shimmerz Tutorial and a Featured Stamper card

I was very busy today! Not only was it my favorite weekly challenge -the SCS Featured Stamper BUT I wrote my very first tutorial. Yep! It's all about Shimmerz baby! In honor of the FOUR NEW AND EXCLUSIVE Shimmerz Blingz colors only available at JBelle Embellishments Store (can you say Pixie Dust?). The tutorial is posted on the Jacksonbelle Embellishments blog. Check it out here.

You'll have to check out the JBE Blog for all the details, but here is a sneaky peek. Again, please be kind -it was my first tutorial!!

Now, on to the Featured Stamper challenge. Can you believe we have reached 100?!?!? That is almost 2 years I have been doing this challenge. And, drumroll please... Julie (JulieHRR) is the featured stamper to celebrate this milestone!. I had to read and re-read the post to make sure, but believe it or not, Julie had never been chosen before! She is definately the queen of stamping in my book. She is sweet as can be and has a fabulous clean and simple style! For a list of all the Featured Stampers 1-99, you can check out this list (you may see a familiar name for FS64!! heehee!).

I chose to case this card. I changed the color scheme, image and sentiment. AND look ma! NO layers! Seriously, it was physically painful for me to glue down the flower bouquet image without framing the panel with some pink or brown cardstock! But, that's why I love casing stampers who have a CAS style, it helps me break out of my 'layer mode' -LOL.

The image is colored with Copic markers and painted with Angel Wings Shimmerz. The tiny flower stamped in the background is from Simply Said and has a dot of white gel pen in the center.

My image and sentiment are from last year's Studio G ($1 bin at Michael's) Valentine stamps. This card also serves as my weekly Double Dog Dare challenge, where Joanne challenged us to make a card inspired by this image from Trader Joes. That cookie box is da BOMB! I HAVE to head on over and buy those beauties! The DP is some misc stuff I got at the Dollar tree and the Blush grosgrain, burlap string and eyelet are from Pinkhedgehog Papercrafts.

Card Deets:
Stamps: studio g, simply said
Paper: PTI sweet blush, close to cocoa, misc dp
Ink: Adirondack pitch black
Accessories: copic markers, white gel pen, grosgrain, su scallop border punch, cropadile, eyelet, white gel pen, Shimmerz, tag corner punch

DDC catty case

The Double Dog Dare challenge this week was hosted by ME! My challenge to the girls was to case a card from the current SU! catty! What fun :-) There is so much inspiration in that catty and I overlook it all the time.

I chose to case the far right card on page 132. I was inspired to bust out my wheel and use it, but realized it was the jumbo size and wouldn't be right for the layout. So, I used some of the fabric tape that I have had forEVAH by Cloud 9 Designs. I didn't buy them here, but here is a link of what I used. I painted Shimmaerz on the flowers for some extra shine.

The sentiment is from Technique Tuesday Simple Sentiments set, the flowers are prima, the branch punch is from Martha Stewart, and the rust brad and shimmerz are from Pink Hedgehog Paper Crafts.

Today's the last day to enter for my blog candy. You can comment on this post here.

Card Deets:
Stamps: Simple Sentiments
Paper: sage shadow, very vanilla, really rust
Ink: really rust
Accessories: primas, rust brad, flower punch, branch punch, shimmerz

A razzle dazzle wedding card

I love soft colors and sparkle on wedding cards! This card is for 2 challenges. Each month, WishRAK has 3 challenges -one is always a sketch challenge and you need to use something received thru WishRAK. I haven't played in forevah, but now that I am a Dirty Dozen Alum, I have more time on my hands! This month's sketch challenge was to follow SC159 -easy peasy. This is also for this week's DDC challenge. Charlene (LilLuvsStampin) challenged us to Razzle Dazzle you all. Make a card using Dazzling Diamonds and some embossing in silver or gold.

I received the image from SU! To Have and To Hold thru WishRAK. I just LOVE the simple and elegant bride and groom from this set. For the dress (since I don't own the stamp), I traced the shape (against the window) onto a piece of white paper and cut it out. Then embossed it with the Swiss Dots folder, lightly sponged it with soft sky, applied Dazzling Diamonds to it and glued it down. The rest of the image is colored with copics.

The sentiment is from Verve's Flirty Phrases set and is embossed in silver. I punched it out with the word window punch and layered it onto a ribbon slider and flowers CB die cut. All layers are on dimensionals. The ribbon is SU! white grostrain and the bling is from Joanns.

If you haven't already done so, don't forget to enter for my super duper blog candy (thanks Heidi)! Enter on this post from Saturday. You have until Thursday to comment.

Card Deets:
Stamps: to have and to hold, flirty phrases
Paper: baja breeze, soft sky, baja breeze DSP
Ink: versamark, unknown black
Accessories: bling, SU white grosgrain, word window punch, cuttlebug ribbon slider and flowers diecuts, swiss dots, corner rounder, glitter, heat and stick