TSG Sneak Peek - It's a Jungle out there

It's our final day of sneak peeks for this month's TSG release and it's another fantastic one.

You LOVED her Zoo-pendous set, and well, everything else she has created, but I REALLY think Melyssa has KNOCKED this one out of the park!! Whether making a card for a boy or girl, man or woman, or scrapbooking your latest trip to the zoo, there is something in her new Jungle Out There set for you!! Full of the CUTEST animals, and most HILARIOUS sentiments, what’s NOT to love??

I decided to go clean and simple with this card using the current Fall to Layout.  I have colored the lion using Prismacolor pencils and the Gamsol technique.  I'm really loving the look of the pencils and will keep practicing. The sentiments that come with this set are fantastic!! Jeanie Whitmer (one of my stamping idols) has her "That's Krafty Thursday" challenge going on so I'm entering my card into her challenge.

 Jungle Out There is a 6x8 set that includes a total of 20 stamps and will sell for $24.00.

Would you like to win the new Jungle Out There stamp set? Here is what you need to do- visit the Trendsetter’s blogs that are participating in each of the blog hop challenges below and comment on their creations as you go. One of the Trendsetter’s blogs (from each hop day) will be randomly chosen as the ‘it’ blog and a winner will be picked using a random number generator from the comments left on that Trendsetter’s Blog Hop Challenge post.

You will not know which blog has been chosen so the more you comment on the better your chances are of winning new stamps! The Blog Hop Challenges will be open until 5 PM Eastern Time Saturday, March 31^st with the winner being announced during the release party chat.

ISSC06 You're the cat's Meow!!

This week at ISpy Sketches we are featuring this geometric card by Patter Cross (identicaltriplets at SCS) that was posted in her SCS Gallery on January 20th, 2012.

We love that you can switch up the hexagon shapes to any other and that this sketch lends itself to being more on the clean and simple side of the spectrum :D I don't have anything hexagon shape, so I took the easy way out (Surprise...) and used circles instead.  Yeah!!!

Isn't Marble the Mouse from Your Next Stamp just way too cute?  I heart him!!  I saw a card a few months ago (can't remember whose blog it was on) but I loved it so I had to order this cute little guy.  I've stamped the image with Versafine Onyx Black and then embossed with clear embossing powder.  I then watercolored the image with my Tombow Markers.  Marble's eyes were coated with Glossy Accents.  The DP mainly comes from the Echo Park "A Boy's Life" collection and the Black Jute Twine is from the Ribbon Carousel.  The sentiment I paired it with is from MFT and is one of their Flapper Doodles (discontinued).  I'm also entering my card into Jeanie Whitmer's "That's Krafty Thursday" challenge.  Have I ever mentioned I heart Jeanie Whitmer? 

We'd love for you to participate with us at Ispy Sketches this week!!

Here's how to play:

• Create a paper crafting project (card, scrap book page or 3D item), based on the sketch provided.
• Post your creation on your blog or an online gallery (using a code ISSC06). Please provide a direct link to your post - not the generic link to your blog.
• A new challenge will be posted every Friday at 12.01 AM EST, and you have until noon on Wednesday EST to submit your entry.
• You may enter as many times as you like, but please provide a newly designed project with a new link for each additional project.
• We will choose the top 2 creations to be featured in our "Top 2 Thursday" post where we will announce who we have picked :) The winners will receive their very own iSpy Sketches blog badge!
• Don't forget that you may combine our challenges with others and use supplies from any company that you wish :)
• Have fun and we look forward to "spying" your creations!



TSG Sneak Peek - Perk Up

I'm such a sucker for anything coffee related so when Jessica sent the sets we'd be releasing this month, I did a little happy dance!! There She Goes really knows how to make amazing sets!!

Friendship and coffee are a good blend to send greetings near and far. Torico has created a darling set to perk up the one “mug” you’ve been missing. An absolute must for those sweets and treats without all the calories!

I had so much fun with this card!!! I started out using fellow Trendsetter Karen's Sweet Sunday Sketch and used fun DP from Fancy Pants Design and Bella Blvd.   I have watercolored the image with Tombow Markers and then sponged the edge of the main panel with Versamagic Wheat Ink.  The White Ruffle edge ribbon and black Jute Twine are both from the Ribbon Carousel.  I also made this card for Jeanie Whitmer's current "That's Krafty Thursday" challenge.

Perk Up! is a 4x8 set that includes a total of 36 stamps and will sell for $18.00.

Would you like to win the new Perk Up! stamp set? Here is what you need to do- visit the Trendsetter’s blogs that are participating in each of the blog hop challenges below and comment on their creations as you go. One of the Trendsetter’s blogs (from each hop day) will be randomly chosen as the ‘it’ blog and a winner will be picked using a random number generator from the comments left on that Trendsetter’s Blog Hop Challenge post. You will not know which blog has been chosen so the more you comment on the better your chances are of winning new stamps! The Blog Hop Challenges will be open until 5 PM Eastern Time Saturday January 28^th with the winner being announced during the release party chat.

RCC37 You Mocha Me Crazy!!!

Wowza!!! The blogging frenzy begins!!! This week at the Ribbon Carousel Challenge, Suzanne is challenging us to make a card using non-traditional colours.  For example, if you're making a Valentine's card you can't use pink or red.  This one had me stumped... I swear I sat and stared at the challenge for hours!!! Then I stared at all my stamps for hours!!! I was pathetic! For some reason, I was making it harder than it needed to be.  I received some happy mail from Verve last week so I decided to break it out for a test run. 

For my card, I've used the Verve sets "Sip and Savor" as well as "Better with You" to create a Valentine's card.  Did ya notice??? No Pink or red!! Wahoo!!! I've stamped the cups in Versafine Onyx Black and embossed them with clear embossing powder, then paper pieced them.  I've sponged the main panel with Versamagic Wheat Ink and Close to Cocoa for a more distressed like look. The DP is a mish-mash of what I had laying around (Fancy Pants, K & Company, Scenic Route, 3 Bugs in a Rug).  The layout for my card is last week's Viva La Verve challenge over at SCS ( had to move the oval panel up a bit so that I could get the sentiment in). To finish off the card, I've added some Brown Jute Twine from the Ribbon Carousel.  I love the look it always ends up giving!!  I've always been a fan of Jeanie Whitmer's 'That's Krafty Thursday" challenge so I'll be linking my card up there as well.

Our sponsor this week is Paper and Such and they are graciously offering a $15 Gift Certificate to their store. We're sponsoring their challenge this week so there's double the fun!!!

Now head on over to the Ribbon Carousel Challenge to see what the ladies have created!!!

RCC27 Anything Goes

Hey there everyone!!! Did you see the announcement over on the Ribbon Carousel Challenge blog this morning? I'm so excited to be asked back for another term with a fabulous group of ladies!!!  To make it easy on us, this week's challenge is "Anything Goes".  Easy peasy right?

I've been eying up the HYCCT challenges at SCS and decided I want to play along with the "Hope for the Holiday" challenge which is to create a holiday card using pink as your primary color scheme.  I have so few Christmas cards made and thought that my card would be relatively easy to reproduce.  I've used a wooden snowflake that I purchased last year (and have been hoarding) as the focal point and then stamped snowflakes (Angel Pink Ink - I can't remember the manufacturer because I am not writing this blog post at home) using the TSG set called "Stick Together".  The sentiment was then stamped in Chocolate Chip Ink.  I've added clear rhinestones to the center of each snowflake for a little bit of extra bling.  To finish off the card, I've used some Cotton Candy Divine Twine and Natural Jute Twine on the button from the Ribbon Carousel. I am so excited that Jeanie Whitmer is hosting her "That's Krafty Thursday" challenge again so I'll be entering my card for that. 

In honour of the new Design Team, Corinna is offering 15% off this week at the Ribbon Carousel using the Coupon Code TURKEY 11.

We also have some fabulous new product that's being introduced today!!!

First off is the 2 Inch Maple Hour Glass Spools. They're fabulous for all of that random ribbon we all have lying around that is no longer on the original roll, definitely a perfect way of storing your ribbon that you've purchased by the yard. 

And the new November Ribbon Club Kit has been revealed!!! Wahoo!!! This is a must have for all of your holiday cards that we'll all be working on. If you're a current Kit subscriber, these will be mailed out this week. 

TSG128 Au Naturale

This week at There She Goes, one of our newest Trendsetters, Jenny (a fellow Canadian) is challenging us to go "Au Naturale".  In other words, we want to to see you using jute, twine, hemp, burlap etc.  I finally got one of my fave TSG sets "Let's Get Together" and just had to use it (I think a lot of you like it too!!! Every time I tried to get it, it was always sold out).  I stamped the cup onto Kraft cardstock and then cut it out.  I made a coffee sleeve using some Echo Park "Season's Greetings" DP.  This card definitely reminds me of the fact that Starbucks will be coming out with their "Christmas cups" soon.  My fave drinks are their Salted Caramel Mochas or a Peppermint Mocha.  Yummy!!! The sentiment I've used comes from the TSG set called "Wonderful Winter Wishes".  I thought that it worked perfectly with my nice warm cozy drink.  LOL!!! The Natural Jute twine I've used is from the Ribbon Carousel.  Thank goodness I've ordered more (I'm almost out of mine - yikes!!!).  Jeanie Whitmer of the Spotted Chick is hosting her "That's Krafty Thursday" challenge again so I'll be adding my card there.  Have you seen her cards? WOWZA!!! 

Thanks for dropping by!!! And enjoy a nice warm drink today!!!

TSG Sneek Peek - Confidential and Garden of Life

WOW!!! Another month has flown by and it's time for this month's sneak peeks for There She Goes next release. I'm the first official stop on the hop so grab your cup of java, sit down and enjoy a great week of sneak peeks!!. If there is a break anywhere in the hop, be sure to head to the TSG blog as there will be a master list there.

For my first card, I've used the main image from this new set as well as the vase.  Isn't that a fabulous sentiment?  There are so many of us with jobs that we don't always like and sometimes you need a pick-me-up to make it through the day and this set is sure to do just that. As you know, I've always been a fan of Jeanie Whitmer, so of course I had to make cards with Kraft for her "That's Krafty

Thursday" (and both of my cards today have it).

Have a bad day at the office? Or maybe you have a bad office every day?

 If either of these pertains to your situation, you will definitely enjoy this tongue-and-cheek set illustrated by Jessica…nd anyone would be happy to receive a creation using this hilarious set!

Confidential is a 4X6 stamp set that includes a total of 12 stamps and will sell for $15.

Once again Chris Dark has amazed us with a whimsical and spring-inspired stamp set. Who wouldn’t want to be outside enjoying the scenes of spring as everything comes to life? This set is a celebration of exactly that! Garden of Life is a 3 x 4 stamp set that includes a total of 7 stamps and will sell for $7.  

For my second card, I decided that clean and simple was the way to go.  I'm not sure why but this image just screamed clean and simple to me.  I've sponged the edge of the image with some yellow ink (from Michael's - Studio G) and then some Dandelion Memento Ink. 

The next stop on the blog hop is the talented Ann Kranitz. 

Would you like a chance to win the Confidential and Garden of Life stamp sets? Here’s what you need to do- go to each of the Trendsetter’s Blogs and leave a comment on their Confidential / Garden of Life Blog Hop Challenge post. After you have finished checking out the eye candy and have left some love, return to the TSG Blog and add your name to the Mr. Linky at the bottom of this Blog Hop Challenge post. A winner will be chosen randomly using a random number generator to receive their very own Confidential / Garden of Life stamp sets. The winner will be announced Saturday (Apr. 30th) during the Release Party Chat.



MFTGUESTDT0411 Oh baby!!!

Oh baby.... I'm channelling my inner Amy Sheffer aka Pickletree for this shabby chic card.  Amy has been a long time inspiration of mine so when I saw this month's guest designer challenge at My Favorite Things, I knew if I could channel Amy, then I could do shabby chic.  It's not my normal style but wow..... I loved it!!! I must admit, I slaved over this card for one too many hours though....  My inspiration for my card came from the new Basic Grey DP "Hello Luscious" and the My Mind's Eye Stella Rose (I took three of the four papers from the various lines in Stella Rose).  I've had the a la Mode "Oh Baby" since shortly after came out but with my schedule this is the first opportunity I've had to use it.  I think it's a fabulous  go to stamp for a baby shower or for a person newly pregnant.  I watercolored the image with my Tombow Markers and then added a bit of white gel pin for highlighting.  Each layer of DP and cardstock was distressed and then I sponged the edges with Crumb Cake and Close to Cocoa inks.  I had the most fun with all of the embellishments: some crinkly ribbon, rhinestone swirls, button, linen thread, pebbles and crocheted lace... Love it!!!

Another source of inspiration for me is the amazing Jeanie Whitmer aka "the spotted chick" who also loves Kraft cardstock so I'm also entering this into her "That's Krafty Thursday" challenge.  Thanks Jeanie!!!

Thank you for dropping by today!!! Hugs!!!

TSG97 Appreciate Kraftiness...

Wowza... It's been a quiet few days on my blog here... I think my mojo up and took a hike when I decided to re-organize my living room, basement etc for the arrival of a new couch... Old couch gone... New couch... well, that's another story.. It's still at the store waiting to be delivered...

With my mojo lacking, I decided to make a CAS card for this weeks'  TSG Challenge by the Trendsetter of the week, Jodi.  She has issued a challenge to use KRAFT CARDSTOCK somewhere in your creation. You can use it as card base or as mats to your different layers, or as your focal panel, or you can create a masterpiece that showcases only Kraft…the choices are endless!

For my card, I've stamped the sentiment "I appreciate you" with Close to Cocoa from  the set "Sentimental Thank You" as the focal point. I've dry embossed part of the Kraft Panel with one of my Cuttlebug Embossing Folders (If I remember correctly, it's the Victoria one).  A little bit of ribbon, a button, twine, a few half back pearls and voila... done.... I also made this card for this week's "That's Krafty Thursday" at Jeanie Whitmer's blog.  Love her stuff!!!!

We'd love for you to participate by making a card that incorporates Kraft Cardstock, and then go back to the TSG Blog to add your name and a link to your project in the InLinkz that is located at the bottom of this challenge post. This challenge is open until the winner has been announced on the following Monday (Mar 14th). The winner will get a $5 gift certificate to use in the TSG Web store!

By participating in this challenge, you may also find yourself in the Trendsetting Spotlight that shines on the TSG Blog every Thursday. We will be on the look out to find challenge cards that stand out and show Trendsetting qualities. TSG stamps are not required to participate in the challenges but are appreciated :)

You do not need to have a blog to be able to participate in the TSG Challenges! You can simply add the URL link from your project after it has been uploaded to your online craft gallery. If you upload your card to an online craft gallery, please use the keyword TSG97 so we can check out your beautiful work!

 
 

Ready for the Rain

This cutie pie PI Image from My Favorite Things (sorry it's out of stock right now so I can't link to it) may be ready for the rain but I can tell you, that I've had enough of the rain. I know I shouldn't be complaining about the weather but over the last few weeks, we've had a few dumps of snow (and it wasn't melting because the temps weren't getting high enough), a lot of rain and a good old wind storm.  I actually made this card in early February at our girls stamping weekend at Corinna's in WA state but I never got the chance to post it so I thought now would be the perfect time.  (I've been trying to re-organize my place because a new couch will be coming sometime over the next few days so I haven't done any crafting at all).  Do you recognize this DP combo from my blog recently?  I used these exact same papers on a card for the recent TSG release and I think they go so well with "rainy" type images.  The image has been watercolored with my Tombow markers and I then paper pieced the umbrella with one of the DP's from the Cosmo Cricket Togetherness line.  I then sponged around the edge of the Nestabilitie with Crumb Cake ink.  I absolutely love Jeanie Whitmer's That's Krafty Thursday Challenge and I noticed a new one is up so I'll be entering this card into her challenge (It's on a Kraft Colored Base).

Now I'm off to head out into the sunshine while we have it.... but don't worry I'll have my umbrella ready!!

TSG94 Nothing but love...

This week’s challenge is brought to you by this month’s Trendy of the Week, Megan at There She Goes. She wants us to create a card using the following colors: Pink, Kraft, and Ivory. I've been a long time fan of Megan's so when I found out she was going to be one of our "Trendies" I was super excited! Her style is amazing and each time I visit her blog, I'm inspired!!  I hope that with this color comb you'll be inspired too!

As soon as I saw the color combo, I thought vintage or at least vintage looking. I've had this MME DP for quite some time and let's just say I've been hoarding it! (I'm trying to find more of this polkadot pattern and it hasn't been easy).  This is the first time that I've had the opportunity to use a newer release from There She Goes  called "Love" which was illustrated by our amazing leader, Jessica. Let's just say that this card went through a few transformations and this is the final result.  I've loosely used this week's Mojo Monday challenge but rather than using the circle element I decided to use the rhinestone swirls gone wild...  and I've placed the main image of Love a bit lower down as it seemed to fit the card much better this way.  I also made this card for Jeanie Whitmer's That's Krafty Thursday challenge which is to use Kraft on a card. 

Want to play along with the Trendsetters this week?  Here's how...

To be eligible for the giveaway, you are to create a card that utilizes the previously mentioned color combo, and then come back to the TSG Blog to add your name and a link to your project in the InLinkz that is located at the bottom of this challenge post. This challenge is open until the winner has been announced on the following Monday (Feb 21st). The winner will get a $5 gift certificate to use in the TSG Web store!

By participating in this challenge, you may also find yourself in the Trendsetting Spotlight that shines on the TSG Blog every Thursday. We will be on the look out to find challenge cards that stand out and show Trendsetting qualities. TSG stamps are not required to participate in the challenges but are appreciated :)

You do not need to have a blog to be able to participate in the TSG Challenges! You can simply add the URL link from your project after it has been uploaded to your online craft gallery. If you upload your card to an online craft gallery, please use the keyword TSG94 so we can check out your beautiful work!

 

 

BLDC#2 What's up Dude?

What's up Dude???? The BLD Challenge #2 (By Lori Designs)  is what's in the house today. I'm a sucker for challenges - they always get the mojo going and mine seems to have taken a bit of a hike lately so if I have a challenge in hand, things are good.  As soon as I saw the colors for this week's challenge, I automatically thought of Ethan Lollipop.    

The colors just screamed for something "guyish". I had some certain DP in mind and of course when it came time to make my card, I couldn't find the paper pack I was looking for... (I should take that as a sign that I need to clean my craft area... what do you think?).  So I searched through my DP for something that had a "cool guy" look to it and settled on some October Afternoon and Cosmo Cricket DP. Ethan has been colored with a combination of watercolor pencils and Tombow Markers.  I'm thinking my card looks a little bare but when I really look at it, it definitely has a masculine feel to it.  Can't really go with bows for a guy card right? LOL.  I've also made this card for this week's "That's Krafty Thursday" on Jeanie Witmer's blog.  I love that someone else loves Kraft as much as I do.

Thanks for dropping by today!!! We'd love you to play along with us!!!

TSG82 Sitting around...

 Hey there!! It was a quiet weekend on my blog but with good reason.... It's almost Sneak Peek time for November's There She Goes release!! Yeah!!!  This week at There She Goes we have a color challenge for you - Cherry Cobbler (one of my fave SU colors), Crumb Cake aka Kraft and White.  Loving this color combo!! Great for Christmas cards and it looks so nice and crisp. 

Now you're probably thinking that this isn't a TSG image... BUT IT IS!!!  I'm giving you a little sneak peek of an image from one of the sets, Penguin Pals which we will be previewing on Wednesday. I'm a sneaky one aren't I?  Hehehe... Hope you like this bit of eye candy....  This card was relatively quick and easy to make...  Did you notice something??? No DP!!! Yup... I can make a card with no DP (it just doesn't happen very often).  I have a love for all things Kraft... and that also means a love for "That's Krafty Thursday" - loving the fact that Jeanie has a challenge to celebrate Kraft. The layout for my card is this week's sketch from Card Patterns.


Want to play along with us??  To be eligible for the giveaway, you are to create a card that uses the provided color combo then come back to the TSG Blog to add your name and a link to your project in the Mr. Linky that is located at the bottom of this challenge post. This challenge is open until the winner has been announced on the following Monday (Nov. 29). The winner will get a $5 gift certificate to use in the TSG Web store!


By participating in this challenge, you may also find yourself in the Trendsetting Spotlight that shines on the TSG Blog every Thursday. We will be on the look out to find challenge cards that stand out and show Trendsetting qualities. TSG stamps are not required to participate in the challenges but are appreciated :)

You do not need to have a blog to be able to participate in the TSG Challenges! You can simply add the URL link from your project after it has been uploaded to your online craft gallery. If you upload your card to an online craft gallery, please use the keyword TSG82 so we can check out your beautiful work!
 
See you tomorrow for the beginning of our sneak peeks!!!
 
 

MTSC100 Congratulations

WOWZA!!! I can't believe that Mercy is at 100 sketches!!!  Congrats to Mercy!!!! Mercy has sketches like no other and I always try to do it each week as they are all so inspirational and I swear they just keep getting better and better! Thanks Mercy!!

I had so much fun with this sketch... even though I messed up one of the panels and made it too big... OOPS! I was trying to do it from memory (have I mentioned I'm getting older?  - let's just blame it on that). OOPS!!! I ordered this cutie a la Mode from My Favorite Things called "It must be Love" and apparently I love it because I accidentally ordered two of them.  Oh well... it's just money right?  LOL. Actually it will end up being a RAK for someone I know as soon as I get it in the mail....  I've watercolored the image with my watercolor pencils and then sponged the edge of the main panel with Wheat Versamagic Ink.  Each layer of DP has been dry embossed with various embossing folders.  And what's another great thing I love?  Jeanie Whitmer "The Spotted Chick" is back in action and so is her "That's Krafty Thursday" in which you need to use Kraft on your card. I've used Kraft to mat all my layers as well as the matting for the main image. Love it!

It's been a great week with a lot of cards being made for someone I know and I'm so happy to say, WAHOO!!! I'm done... 20 cards done and delivered! Now to start on my Christmas cards. 

FS196 Got Sniffles?

I'm back... twice in one day if you can believe it!!! I rarely do the Featured Stamper challenge at SCS but when I saw that it was the super sweet and awesome Tobi Crawford aka jazzytobi I decided I HAD to play.  I had the honor of meeting Tobi last month when she came to an event that my BFF Kim and I were hosting.  All I can say is that Tobi is an absolute sweetheart and talent exudes from her. Tobi has such an amazing gallery that it was hard to choose but I eventually decided to case this card.  The rules of the Featured Stamper challenge are that you have to change two or more things so here it goes: the things I changed were: DP, image, shape of card.  I have watercolored one of the images from the recent release at Clear Dollar Stamps called Get Well Critters. Yup - you've seen the turtle before but it's just so darn cute that I wanted to use it again.  The image has been watercolored with Watercolor pencils. 

I noticed this week that one of my stamping idols is back creating, yeah!!! I've so missed "The Spotted Chick - Jeanie Whitmer" and her amazing eye candy!!! I've almost missed "That's Krafty Thursday" with my love of Kraft, I had to play with this week's "That's Krafty Thursday" Challenge. 

Hope you like it!! Have a great evening! 

SUPPLIES: 
Stamp set: Get Well Critters by Clear Dollar Stamps
Paper: Gina K Kraft, Old Olive, Upsy Daisy Designs DP, Watercolor paper
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Wheat Versamagic
Accessories: Nesties, Watercolor pencils, waterbrush, Cuttlebug, Cuttlebug EF, Clear Detail Embossing Powder, Pop Dots

DTGD Wonderful You

I'm loving Dare to Get Dirty at SCS with so many challenges by the Dirty Dozen and DD Alumni.  It's making me want to create and leaving me inspired. If you are a regular reader of my blog, you know that I'm trying to "embrace the white space" so of course when I saw rsalamon's challenge I knew I had to create a clean and simple card, I just had to!!! But you know me.. I couldn't stop there so I looked through the other challenges that are listed so far and decided to work "texture" into my card, thus, the Cuttlebug Embossing folder and then added some "Glitz" to create a bit more interest... This card is a triple threat in terms of challenges.. GO me!!! I also made this card for Jeanie Witmer's That's Krafty Thursday.  The stamp is from the There She Goes set, Everyday Greetings. Of all the stamp sets, I own this is definitely my go to set.  I'm loving the look of Kraft and as you can see.... it's another one of my go to supplies lately.

Have a great day!!! Thanks for dropping by!!!

Bellarific Friday meets Sweet Sketch Sunday meets That's Krafty Thursday

Bellarific Friday meets Sweet Sketch Sunday #71 meets "That's Krafty Thursday". I've been a fan of Karen Giron's Sweet Sketch Sunday but haven't had the opportunity to play until this week. So I decided when I saw this week's Bellarific Friday Challenge to make a summer inspired card that I just had to take the plunge and combine the two challenges. I'll definitely be using Karen's sketches on a regular basis and will be trying to make cards for her challenges. Jeanie Witmer also has what she calls "That's Krafty Thursday" so I decided to incorporate this into my card as well. I've had this Bella since last summer and sadly this is the first time it has seen ink! Crazy I know... I have so many stamps that I don't get the opportunity to use as often as I'd like so while I'm on a summer break from CDS, I plan on getting use out of my un-inked stamps before I'll allow myself to buy more. Now if that isn't incentive to make cards I don't know what is! Who doesn't love new stamps right? For some reason this Bella makes me think of "Itsy bitsy teeny yellow polka dot bikini" so I pulled out some of my Cosmo Cricket yellow polka dotted DP and paired it with some DP from October Afternoon to create a more monochromatic look. I've used bits of color but not too much and I'm loving how it turned out. I decided to add the "sun" (which isn't part of Karen's sketch) to create a bit more interest to finish off my card.

Here's to dreaming of a beautiful summer!!! (now if only I looked like that in a bikini.... To tell you the truth, I hate bathing suits altogether and no - I'm not a nudist!! I'd scare everyone away).

SSD027 Mmmm... Starbucks!

WOW! My blog has been busy the last few days with sneak peeks! But a new month is upon us and it's Tuesday so you know what that means!!! It's Skipping Stones Sketch Tuesday. Every month we have a new sketch artist and this month is amazing!!! We have stamping and papercraft royalty!! Teri Anderson of Papercrafts!!! WOW!!! How exciting and what a privilege to be working with someone so wonderful!

I've been using Kraft a lot more lately and I love the look of it. So many colors seem to pop from it. The circles inspired me this week (although I realized I left one off - oops!). For some reason, the color of Kraft made me think of the sleeves on a Starbucks cup so out came the set, Funny Coffee and black and green cardstock. This card was fun to make and I love how it turned out - I might have to make a few of them to keep on hand. Maybe even make a few gift card holders...