CDS Sneak Peek - Yummy Cupcakes May SOM

Who doesn't love cupcakes??? And who wouldn't want cupcakes for free???? This set called Yummy Cupcakes is May's Stamp of the Month that is yours free with a $50 purchase at Clear Dollar Stamps. starting tomorrow May 1st. It comes with a few different "tops" that you can mix and match for your cupcakes as well as a few sentiments! Can I just say I'm now craving a cupcake and I might just have to take a little trip up to a new cupcakery here in Nanaimo. Yummo!!!

CDS Sneak Peek - Designer Mail

Designer Mail is a great new set for any stamper available May 1st from Clear Dollar Stamps. Who doesn't love to pretty up your envelopes when sending your precious creations out? I must admit I don't decorate mine up as often as I should but I know that with this set I'll definitely be doing it more often. There are a variety of images and sentiments in this set that you will use on a regular basis.
Aren't the snails just the cutest things you've ever seen? I heart them!!!! I can't wait to send out a card using this envelope.

Check out what the girls from the team have created using this set and from the other sets being highlighted today.

CDS Sneak Peek - Frisky Kitty

Kim Teasdale has come out with another cute set called "Frisky Kitty" for Clear Dollar Stamps available May 1st. Now if you know me at all, you know I'm not much of a cat person (I can tell you that I will never own one) but when I saw this set I loved its' whimsy and sassiness and just had to have it.

I had no clue as to what I wanted to do but as soon as I saw this DP from DCWV (I picked it up while I was in NC), I knew exactly what I would do. I tried to keep my Watercoloring simple with my Tombow Markers and go for a more subtle subdued look rather than the bright coloring I often do. This card truly makes me think of night time. I think I'll be using this DP often (I bought a pack of it!!!). This set comes with great sentiments but I decided to leave them out so that I could use this card for a multitude of occasions. To see the full set, check out Lori's blog, Clearly iStamp.

Make sure you check out what the girls have for you in terms of eye candy today (please see my side bar). Check back tomorrow for more great sneak peeks!

CDS Sneak Peek - A Birthday Hi

WOW!!!! This month has just flown by literally!!! I can't believe it is that time of the month again - Clear Dollar Stamps Sneak Peeks!!! I'll have lots to show you over the next couple of days. I can't believe I managed to finish everything!!! (Although I was up VERY late Tuesday night trying to get my sneak peeks finished!!) In the last 12 days, I made a trip to North Carolina for my Father in law's funeral and to spend time with my husband, I worked for a couple of days and was out of town again ( I hadn't even been home for 48 hours before I went away again!!!) and came home again only to go back to work so my nights have been late trying to get my samples done).

My first sample today comes from a new set called "A Bird-day Hi) illustrated by Trudy Sjolander and this will be available on May 1st. For this card, I was inspired by the DP from My Mind's Eye - if you can believe it I bought it over a year ago and hadn't used it - gotta love the cute little birds on it!!! I thought it was perfect with this card!!! I have also used some of the new Bee Pollen ribbon and paper from Clear Dollar Stamps "Clearly Co-ordinating Collection". I colored the image with my Tombow Markers and a Waterbrush and then used Stickles for a bit of shine!! You know me - I love my bling!!!

Make sure you check out what the Team has come up with!!! (see my sidebar).

I know there's been very little action

I just wanted to pop on to my blog to apologize for the lack of posts lately. I got a call last week from my husband to let me know that his father had passed away. We knew that he had little time left but we didn't know when it would happen. So in less than 24 hours I booked my flight, did laundry, packed and made my way to North Carolina for the funeral. It was a sad reason to go back down there but I knew I had to be there for my husband. Let's just say this was no small feat. In 6 days I managed to travel over 10,000 KM's or 6000 miles!!! I became acquainted with way too many airports, had to run to get to my connecting flights and almost missed a couple of them!!!

My husband is American and I'm Canadian and we're currently apart while we wait for the final steps of the paperwork so that he can legally live and work in Canada. (This has been a very long process that has really tested us). It was so nice to be with my husband again and I definitely needed that time with him.

As a result of my unscheduled trip, I'll be playing catch up trying to get all my samples done for the upcoming Clear Dollar Stamps release. My blog will be quiet for a few more days but I'll try to get a sample done for Skipping Stones Sketch Tuesday but you'll definitely be seeing some posts next week with sneak peeks coming up.

MTSC69 I'd Rather be....

Doesn't this sound so good right now??? I've just gone back to work after being off for a few months so it's been a long week so far. I ended up having Tuesday night free so I decided to I wanted to do some stamping just for fun - no DT samples, no obligations, just me wanting to have fun and use some stamps I bought in December that haven't seen ink ;-) Mercy Kerin always has great sketches and I haven't had time to play in quite some time so when I saw this week's sketch I knew that I couldn't pass this one up!!! Thanks Mercy for always having such great sketches!!! I promise I'll be back for more soon. If you haven't checked out her blog before called Lord Have Mercy then you have to get over there and check them out.

I inked up this cute Addytude (she loves her martinis...) and colored her with my Tombow Markers. I even added a little bling with using rhinestones for her earrings. You know me and my bling it's always going to be on a card. I just can't get enough of it... I also used a martini charm that I bought months and months ago. Isn't Addy just divine???

Sparkle and Bling List:

Stamps: Addytude Loves her Martinis and sentiment (Stamping Bella)

Paper: Gina K White, Chocolate Chip, Bo Bunny DP, My Mind's Eye DP, Watercolor paper

Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Worn Lipstick Distress Ink

Accessories: Tombow Markers, Waterbrush, Clear Detail Embossing Powder, Nestabilities, Ribbon, Linen Thread, Button, Rhinestones, Sponge, Martini Charm

SSD020 From your "110" pound friend

Welcome to Skipping Stones Design’s Blog DT Blog Hop to celebrate the release of two new stamp sets, Birthday Donuts and Whispering Wings. If you just happened upon my blog today, you’ll want to go back to the beginning at Skipping Stones Design. You should have arrived from Amanda's blog. Just thought I'd let you know that I'm the end of the hop so I hope you've enjoyed!

Combined with the blog hop today, it's also Skipping Stones Sketch Tuesday which means the Design Team is showcasing another great creation from Kimberly Crawford. We'd love for you to play along with the sketch. Just remember to use the keywords SSD020 if you are uploading to any online galleries or link your card at the Skipping Stones Blog. We'll be looking soon for Guest Designers so you never know....

I've used one of today's new releases called Birthday Donuts. Can I just say I love the sentiments from this set- they are cheeky (just like me). I've flipped the sketch so that I could use this sprinkled donut that I've colored with my Tombow Markers and used Stickles on the sprinkles. Who doesn't love sprinkles right????

On another note... Who doesn't love getting free stamps? Buy ANY 4 stamp sets and get one of the un-released Bra sets for Free!!

Sparkle and Bling List:

Stamps: Birthday Donuts by Skipping Stones Design

Paper: Gina K White, Chocolate Chip, My Mind's Eye DP, Watercolor Paper

Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Basic Black

Accessories: Tombow Markers, Waterbrush, Loopy Border MS Punch, Ribbon, Buttons, Linen Thread, Stickles (Fruit Punch, Crystal, Lime Green), Long Rectangle Nestabilities

An apple a day

An apple a day keeps the farmers away???? Hehehehe... I love how this card turned out using the set Fun at the Farm from Clear Dollar Stamps. Wendy Hall came up with some digital images to go with this set but digital scares me so I made my own little scene using punches and my Cuttlebug. I then colored the farmer with my Tombow Markers and I think this is one of my fave coloring jobs I've done. For some reason, it turned out exactly how I wanted it without having to make any changes. I've also popped him up to make him look like he's standing away from the fence.

And remember... an apple a day!

C'est magnifique

C'est magnifique!!! I love how this card turned out (even though the grey cardstock doesn't look right in the pic) with all the beautiful details in this new set called Fashionably French from Clear Dollar Stamps. The new Wrought Iron MS punch was the starting point for this card believe it or not - I saw it and knew that I had to use it with this set. It just feels so French if that makes any sense. Loving it!!! I know I'll be pulling this punch out often (I better start using some of my other ones too - I have a whole drawer full - YIKES). I decided to paper piece the dress rather than coloring it as I love the DP and thought it made the dress look elegant.

Hope you like it and have a great day.

Praying for you

I've been in a Springy mood lately in hopes that Spring will finally arrive. Oh wait... it's here and don't April Showers bring May flowers.... It has rained so much here lately that I think we'll be getting a lot of flowers in May. I made this card for Clear Dollar Stamps' April Release using a new set called Blooming with Blessings. The butterfly and the words surrounding it are actually two different stamps from the set. There are others that you can mix and match with the butterflies. Great idea eh?

Have a great day.

SSD019 Oh la la - a little Tiffany...

Wow... I can't believe that it's the 6th already! With Easter weekend behind us (was I ever busy....) it's back to business and Skipping Stones Sketch Tuesday. With a new month we have a new Guest Sketch Artist, the amazing Kimberly Crawford. She has long been one of my fave blogs to look at so I'm very excited to be working with her sketches this month. We also have two new Guest Designers, Ashley Cannon Newell and Beverly Rousch. Love them!!!! Talk about talent!!!!

Kimberly came up with an amazing sketch this week but you know me... I had an idea in my head so I altered the sketch up a bit. Now I wish I hadn't... I love what all the girls came up with and for some reason when I was making the card I just couldn't get my head around the scallops... so easy now when I see what everyone made... Oh well... I still love my card. I've combined two sets for my creation (neither had seen any ink yet) - Cupcake Cutie and You know you're getting old. My card kind of reminds me of a Tiffany box and who wouldn't love to receive something in one of those famous blue boxes. The paper is from My Mind's Eye Lush line (it comes in a variety of colors). You'll definitely be seeing more of that paper very soon.

Hope you have a great day.