Woodblock Wednesday!

 I was thrilled to be asked to be a guest designer at Amy's Woodblock Wednesday challenge this month!  

I had fun trying to decide which of my wood stamps to play with, and in the end, I chose this one by Hero Arts from 2010, and updated it by making it into a mini slim-line.  Since it's almost officially the end of summer, I thought I'd showcase this lovely stamp that features a summer hollyhock.

supplies: white card base, peach and black cardstock, Doodlebug peach gingham, and a script pattern paper, Hero Arts Garden Silhouette woodblock, VersaMark ink and white embossing powder, peach and green inks, blending brushes, sentiment from Clearly Besotted Sweet Little Sentiments

Starting with a skinny panel of a script pattern paper, I stamped using VersaMark ink, and white embossed the image.  This particular stamp inks the negative of the image, leaving the details alone so that the background paper shows through.  Then I used small blending brushes to add peach ink to the flowers and green to the leaves and bugs.  The panel was then matted in peach cardstock, and affixed to a mini slimline card base 3" X 6" on which I'd added panels of peach gingham and the same script I used to stamp on.  To finish I added a simple script sentiment embossed in white on black.

Since woodblock stamps are how most of us began stamping, I think it's genius that Amy gives us a forum for bringing back these beauties!    I hope you'll play along, too - you can find more information HERE.

Poshta Design Sewing Kit Essentials Introduction!

Here I am again to showcase Poshta Design's introduction to the Sewing Kit Essentials being released tomorrow, Saturday, August 19!

Today's items include:

Sewing Kit Essentials Scissor Keeper Die (retails for $32)

Sewing Kit Essentials Needle Book Die (retails for $50)

Sewing Kit Essentials Thread Bobbin Die (retails for $6)

(not shown) Sewing Kit Essentials Floss Drop Die (retails for $4)

Here are my makes, starting with the Scissor Keeper.

supplies: Sewing Essentials Scissor Keeper dies, Cascade and Dahlia Blossom felt and floss (from Trick or Treat color story), my own pink button

I was SO impressed with the engineering for the closure of this scissor keeper - there are tiny magnets sewn into the body and the closure!  And I really love the combination of these 2 colors; they are scrumptious!  I haven't done this lazy daisy stitch for eons, and you can see how my stitching improved as I went on.  There's a little die included in this set that gives a guide for stitching, as well as 2 flower dies, 1 of which I used here.

Next is the Needle Book and the Thread Bobbin.

supplies: Sewing Essentials Needle Book and Thread Bobbin dies, Dahlia Blossom and Cascade felt and floss (from the Trick or Treat color story), my own ribbon, button, and white cardstock and floss

Here you can see both flowers on the cover of my book.  The die set also includes large and small pockets and an inside page die, plus more, to accessorize the book.  Here you can see the inside page with a small pocket and needle channels.

supplies: Sewing Essentials Needle Book dies, Shortbread felt (from the By the Bushel color story) and Dahlia Blossom felt and floss (from Trick or Treat color story), white cardstock and floss

I love how these turned out!  The scissors case measures about 5 1/2" from tip to top, and the Needle Book is 3" by 3 1/2 " closed.

Lizzie is doing a $50 gift certificate giveaway over on her blog HERE, the winner chosen from comments there.  Winner will be announced on Saturday, Aug 19 at 9 am.

Many thanks to Lizzie for inviting me to play with her wonderful designs!  I thoroughly enjoyed doing so!  

Once again, everything you see, plus the autumn and Halloween items I showed you in the past 2 days, will be available for sale at Poshta Design tomorrow, August 19 at noon Eastern time.  

Poshta Design New Halloween Product Introduction!

Welcome back for Day 2 of Poshta Design's introductions for the new release on Saturday, August 19! Today I'll be showing you the Halloween products.

Here are the new products in the Halloween release:

Gingerbread Friends Skeleton Details Die (retails for $18) (to be used with previously released Gingerbread die)

Poison Apple Details Die (retails for $20) (to be used with yesterday's Autumn Apple die)

Eerie Apothecary Die (retails for $32)

Trick or Treat Color Story (Inkwell, Dahlia Blossom, Clementine, Gecko, and Cascade) (retails for $53)

Here are the Gingerbread Friends Skeleton Details dies.  They start with the older Gingerbread Friends basic die and then you can add these new bones!  How fun!  I made some ornaments for a Halloween tree, or just to hang on a gift.  They'd also make a great banner in different colors, wouldn't they?

supplies: Gingerbread Friends and Skeleton Details dies, Trick or Treat Color Story felts and flosses (Inkwell, Dahlia Blossom, and Clementine), my own white felt and floss

Next up is the Poison Apple die.  You use yesterday's Autumn Apple Die as your base, adding on this new die.  I had fun with the colors and couldn't resist adding some sequin eyes (which are included in the Trick or Treat color story pack).

supplies: Autumn Apple die, Poison Apple Die, Dahlia Blossom pink felt and sequins from Trick or Treat color story, Pea Pod felt and floss and Gingersnap felt and floss from Autumn Apple color story

And finally, here are the Eerie Apothecary dies.  This is a large set of dies that includes 3 sizes of bottles, with either a stopper or a cork closure, and 3 shapes of labels with fun details for them.

supplies: Eerie Apothecary dies, Cascade, Clementine, and Inkwell felts and flosses (from the Trick or Treat color story), Gingersnap and Shortbread felts and flosses (from By the Bushel color story) and my own white felt and floss

And here they all are together, once again, to give you an idea of the various sizes.  The largest bottle measures a bit over 4 1/2" tall by about 2 1/2" at its widest point.  The skeletons are 4 14" tall by 3 14" wide.

Lizzie is doing a $50 gift certificate giveaway over on her blog HERE, the winner chosen from comments there.  Winner will be announced on Saturday, Aug 19 at 9 am.

Thanks for your visit; I'll be back again with the last installment of the new release tomorrow, and then everything will be available at Poshta Design on Saturday, August 19 at noon Eastern time.

Poshta Design New Autumn Product Introduction!

I am so honored to share that I will be Guest Designing with Poshta Design for the new release this week!  I had the best time playing with my new goodies, and was VERY impressed with the quality of  everything in the kits.  Let's get started!

Today is the introduction of the Autumn products!  Fall is a favorite season for me, one that I look forward to each year, and Lizzie has it well-represented in this release!

The new products being released on Saturday, August 19 are:

Autumn Apple Die (retails for $38)

Mighty Acorn die (retails for $32)

Statement Alphabet dies (retails for $14, $17, or  $20, depending on the letter, or the whole set for $375)

By the Bushel Color Story: Red Currant, Pea Pod, Gingersnap, Shortbread, and Weathered Moss (retails for $53)

Here are some photos of what I made with this release:

supplies: Autumn Apple die, Mighty Acorn Die, By the Bushel color story felts and embroidery floss (Red Currant, Pea Pod, Shortbread, Gingerbread, Weathered Moss), Clementine felt and floss from upcoming Trick or Treat color story pack, and my own orange felt, wooden buttons, twine, a cinnamon stick

The oak leaves are part of the Mighty Acorn set.  I used matching floss for one cluster, and a contrasting floss for another, then sewed them together in groups of 2 with a wood button and some twine.  The Autumn Apple die can make a whole apple, a sliced apple, like I made here, plus a candied apple.  For my whole apple, I cut off the stem and substituted a piece of cinnamon stick, just for something different! (and it smells good, too!)

How fun are these Statement Alphabet letters?!

supplies: Statement Alphabet dies, By the Bushel (Weathered Moss, Red Currant, and Gingersnap) and upcoming Trick or Treat Color Story (Clementine) felts and flosses, Mighty Oak leaves, my own wooden heart button and floss

These letters are 4 1/2" tall.  I stitched 2 of each letter together with matching floss and they are quite sturdy, ideal for Christmas ornaments, package attachments, or personalized banners!  And, being a card maker, they will come in handy for cards, too!  1 letter fits nicely on an A2 size card.

This is the first time I've worked with Lizzie's designs, and I am so impressed with everything about them!  The felt is wool, and cuts like a dream with the dies.  She has thought of so many fun details, like the extra stitching on the acorn cap, and the seeds on the apple slice!  Her color story packs include a group of 5 felts, flosses to match, and a darling little container that contains sequins and seed beads to match, all packaged beautifully! It was truly a joy to play with these!  

There are inspiration guides that clearly give directions for constructing everything, including detailed pictures.  Not having stitched on felt in quite awhile, they were very helpful to get me going again.  

Lizzie is doing a $50 gift certificate giveaway over on her blog HERE, the winner chosen from comments there.  Winner will be announced on Saturday, Aug 19 at 9 am before the release goes live.

We're not done yet!  I'll see you tomorrow for a Halloween release, and on Friday for the Sewing Kit Essentials goodies!  As I mentioned, everything will be available on Saturday, August 19 at Poshta Design.

See you again soon!

Your Next Stamp New Release Blog Hop!

Hello again!  I'm here once more as part of Your Next Stamp's New Release Blog Hop!

Be sure to check out the entire Blog Hop - and leave comments at each stop, for a chance at a $25.00 gift certificate to the YNS Store!  You have until November 14 at 12 midnight EST to comment, and the winner will be announced on November 16 at the YNS blog!

Here are my cards using the delightful Merry & Bright stamp set and matching dies.

supplies: white and Surf Blue cardstock, design papers from Echo Park's A Perfect Winter pad, YNS Merry & Bright angel, sentiment, and matching angel die, Stitched Rectangle and Stitched Circle dies

I thought it would be fun to paper-piece her dress - and I used those same patterned papers as banners behind her.  This makes a nice flat card for mailing.

Next up - a really simple design, using the little snowflakes in the set to frame up a tag:

supplies:white cardstock, YNS Merry & Bright Santa and sentiment and matching Santa die, 2 red inks, markers to color, prisma glitter on his cuffs and hat, Stitched Tag, ribbon to match, adhesive foam squares to pop up Santa and tag

There's a new release sale, too in the YNS store!

   

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Your Next Stamp New Release preview!

I'm beyond thrilled to be asked to be a New Release Guest Designer at Your Next Stamp this month!

You can visit the Your Next Stamp blog NOW to see a preview of this newest release and for a list of blogs to visit to see it in action!

Here's one of the cards I made using my brand new goodies!  

supplies:  white, kraft, and Schoolhouse Red card stock, Simple Stories patterned papers, YNS Merry & Bright stamp set, matching die, Merry Everything die, and Merry & Bright Glitter Gumdrops, glittery silver snowflakes, prisma glitter

I simply stamped, colored, and then used the matching die to cut Mr. Reindeer out, then popped him above a white panel.  I pulled some design papers in the same colors to frame him out, and added the gorgeous die-cut Merry and some snowflakes, along with a gumdrop red nose!

Isn't this little reindeer adorable?  Be sure to visit the YNS Blog to see lots more cuteness, and come back again tonight at 10:00 pm for a Blog Hop!  And all the new products will be available at that time, too!

Guest Designing at Wplus9!!

I was so thrilled to be asked to Guest Design over at Wplus9's Stamp Away with Me blog!  Here are the 3 cards I made for today!

supplies: white, Audrey Blue, Cornflower, Green Apple, Surf Blue cardstock, Wplus9 Quilt Prints stamp set, pool, Tide Pool, Soft Pool, Pool, Green Hills, and Soft Granite inks, Hand Lettered Hello stamp and die,  Stitched Rectangle dies, Winnie & Walter Big Bold Friends cutaway, stamped sentiment from Prayers stamp set, cuttlebug Houndstooth embossing folder

supplies: white cardstock base and Bristol paper, Wplus9 Modern Anemones and Modern Petunias, Spectrum Aqua markers and water to color, Stitched Rectangle die and moonshine sequins

For more details and pictures, please visit Dawn's blog!

Happy Birthday, USA!!

Back in June, I was lucky enough to win a Paper Sweeties challenge, and as part of my prize, I get to Guest Design with the team this week!  Debbie couldn't have chosen a more appropriate inspiration photo for me, as, if you look closely, this flag is actually a quilt!

Here's my take on it:

supplies: red and tan cardstock, My Favorite Things Die-Namics Quilt Square Cover-Up, red, blue and tan dps from various paper pads, Darice Quilt embossing folder, Simon's Happy Birthday die, Winnie & Walter The Big, The Bold and the Happy sentiment, Paper Sweeties Apple Pie and Frosting flower sequins, Lil' Inker Stitched Stars die

I chose to use an antique tan color instead of pure white in my design, and I'm really pleased with the way my card turned out!  After I pieced and quilted my star, I wanted to add some more blue, so I die-cut a star for the center, and added some blue flower sequins.   

Thanks for visiting, and be sure to visit the Paper Sweeties blog to see what the Design Team did with this inspiration, and then I hope you'll play along, too!  The challenge is open all month long, and the winner gets a fun shopping spree at the Paper Sweeties store!

I think this card will work for the current Sparkle & Shine challenge, too, so I'm entering it there.

Guest Designing at Craft Stamper!

Because I won a challenge back in April, I get to be a guest designer at The Craft Stamper's monthly Take It Make It challenge today!  This month the challenge is Take a Technique: Texture, and here's the card I made for it.

supplies: Crate Paper Maggie Holmes Open Book embossing folder, Altenew Vintage Roses, lots of different inks, Hero Arts sentiment from Hello Sunshine Daisies, Simon's Stitched Rectangles die

I started by trimming a piece of white cardstock slightly smaller than my card front, then die-cutting a stitched rectangle from it.  The sentiment was stamped on the rectangle and set aside.  Then I embossed the "frame" that was remaining with a rose pattern.  Next I stamped a swath of roses, fussy-cut them out, and attached them to the embossed frame.  The stitched rectangle was glued to the card base, and the embossed frame was lifted above it with dimensional squares.

I'd like to thank Craft Stamper magazine for allowing me to be their Guest Designer today, and I look forward to seeing what you make for this challenge!

City Crafter Challenge Guest Designer!

The City Crafter Challenge is celebrating its fifth birthday all during April, and each week we get to CASE a different designer's card.  This week, it's Stella!  

As a winner of a past challenge, I was invited to be a guest designer this week!  I did 2 cards, using Stella's sketch, and changing up the colors, using a spring pastel theme for both of them.  I love the combination of stripes and florals, and mixed these together on both my cards.

supplies: dps from Echo Park and Webster's Pages, Penny Black Flutters die and Spellbinder's circle die, Hero Arts sentiment from discontinued Anytime Messages, moonbeam sequins

supplies: dps from Lawn Fawn and Pebbles, PTI flower die and Spellbinder's circle die, discontinued The Craft's Meow sentiment from Easter Blessings, large pink sequin

Thanks to the City Crafter ladies for having me as a Guest Designer this week!

In the Spotlight.......

I'm back again today over at the Winnie & Walter blog with another "Spotlight" feature there.  Here are some sneak peeks:

I'd love it if you'd hop on over to Winnie & Walter and leave me some love!

In the Spotlight at Winnie & Walter!

I'm thrilled to share that I'll be a Guest Designer this month over at the Winnie & Walter blog in their new feature called "Spotlight on......."!

Here are some sneak peeks of two cards I made for today's spotlight post:

I'd love it if you'd come over to Winnie & Walter and leave me some love!  

Guesting at Virginia's View!

I am so honored that Virginia asked me to be a Guest Designer this month at her Virginia's View Challenge!  Her theme this month is All Things Embossed, and also, she's celebrating her 1-year anniversary of her challenge blog!  

I love embossing in all its forms, so I've made 3 cards today.  My first one incorporates an inlaid die into my dry embossed background.

supplies: Darice Flower Frenzy embossing folder, one of Simon's Stitched Rectangles dies, Hero Arts 3 Dotted Flowers and Hello Sunshine Daisies (sentiment), stamped in Hero Arts Bubble Gum ink, Penny Black's Painted Blooms paper pad, Doodlebug Cupcake Assortment sprinkles 

I cut a panel slightly smaller than my card base, and from that I centered and die-cut the stitched rectangle.  Then I embossed the "frame" that was left after removing the rectangle, and then, after stamping my sentiment, reinserted the stitched panel back into place before securing it all onto my card front.  The flowers and leaves were white heat embossed, fussy cut, and then attached to the front, adding some enamel dots.  

On my next one, I chose some of my favorite spring colors and brought an embossing strip into the mix.

supplies: Core'dinations sandable cardstock, Darice Simple Patterns: Checks embossing strip, Li'l Inker Spring Flower dies, white, yellow, and aqua cardstock,  Doodlebug enamel dot, Wplus9 leaf die from Folk Art Florals, green cardstock, Simon's Happy Birthday die

After trimming my Core'dinations cardstock panel, I embossed the check strip along the top edge and down the left edge.  I chose this strip because it overlapped nicely.  Then I sanded the cardstock lightly to bring out the embossed design even more.  Finishing the card was just a matter of affixing my die-cuts in a pleasing way.  

And my last card uses gold embossing powder for all of the stamping, and some vellum over the flowers.

supplies: pink shimmer cardstock base, watercolor paper panel, Technique Tuesday Two Steppin' flowers and leaves, and the sentiment is a mix of Hero Arts Luscious Patterned Flowers (sentiment) and Winnie & Walter's Big, Bold You small words, Ranger Super Fine Detail gold embossing powder,  spiced marmalade, picked raspberry, and mowed lawn distress inks, gold sequins

I stamped and heat embossed my flower and leaves in gold, masking as needed.  Then I used distress inks mixed with water to paint in the flowers.  Even though the watercoloring took the colors down a shade, I still thought they were too bright, so I embossed the flowers again on vellum with gold embossing powder, fussy-cut them out, and popped them above the main panel.  They give a kind of stained-glass effect now and I like this much better!  I sprinkled some gold sequins to finish.  

I hope these give you some ideas of your own and that you'll join us at the All Things Embossed challenge at Virginia's View this month!  As always, Virginia has a $25.00 gift certificate to Simon Says Stamp for the winner!

Color Throwdown #314

I'm delighted to be the guest this week at the Color Throwdown challenge!  Here are the fun colors  that we have to work with:

And here's the card I made using them:

supplies: PaperTrey Ink The Sweet Life, inked with Hero Arts Fresh Peach, Pale Tomato, Punch, Green Hills, and Grass inks, Simon's Flower Friend sentiment, pink gingham paper from my stash, cream cardstock, Lawn Fawn sequins

I stamped a spray of roses, then fussy cut them and popped them above the card, sprinkling some sequins to match.   I was happy to find this pale pink gingham to add for a bit of pattern.

Thank you to the ladies of Color Throwdown for having me this week!

Guest at Die Cut Divas!

Recently I was contacted by my fellow Hero Hostess Arlene, from Die Cut Divas, to be their guest designer this month!  She did a little interview with me earlier this week, and today 2 of my cards are being featured, using digital images from their sponsor this month, A Day for Daisies. 

I'd love it if you'd go visit Die Cut Divas and leave me some love!  Thanks so much!

Snip and Stick

If you're here to see my card using the February sketch at The Craft's Meow, please click HERE.

Happy February, all!  Today I'm thrilled to share that I'll be a Guest Designer at A Blog Named Hero this month; thank you, Mary Dawn and Linda, for this honor!

The challenge for this first half of the month is paper-piecing, one of my favorite techniques.  Playing with fun printed papers is just like playing with fabrics like I did when I was a quilter.  Today I used a 6" paper pad from pebbles called "Family Ties", and 2 of my favorite Hero Arts stamps, Pattern Hearts and Flowers and Made with Love.

I used a 3/4" square punch for the squares that I used around the border on my card, which I cut to 4 1/2" X 5 1/4" to make everything fit, and a Nesties Scalloped Rectangle die for the white panel.  The flowers were stamped on 4 of the papers, then pieced back together as shown, and then popped up above the card.  To finish I added some pearls.

Please visit A Blog Named Hero to see the Design Team's projects for this challenge - I know you'll be blown away!   And I hope you'll make something, too!