I requested some new Ketto stamps from Stamping Bella at my LSS so I could teach some classes featuring these funky designs, and this is my first time playing. Hope you like her! I played along with Kristina's Color Inspiration. (Did you see she chose my card in the Top 10 last week??)

If shipping from England is what's been keeping you from ordering some Elzybells, well guess what?? Elizabeth just announced on her blog:

I watched this video by Julie Fie-Fan Balzer and thought, yah, that's nice, but I'll probably never do it... It's funny but I've actually never seen these "Lollipops" in stores so I didn't know how much they ran for, but then last week on my vacation I finally saw a package of 2 for $4 and I was like, OK, I will make this.

I used "Radiant Rain" by the going-out-of-business LuminArte as the wetting agent. It added that special pearlescent shimmer.

Here's the video:






















I used today's sketch from SCS and changed it a little. I also used my new stamps from Pink Cat Studios. His name is Billy. I made this card because the flower shop where I sell my cards needs cards from men to their women so I am determined to make more mushy cards...Thanx for looking!!

Stamps: Billy (pink cat studios), damask designs (Papertrey ink)

Paper: papertrey ink, riding hood red, bazzill (black)

Ink: fresh snow (PTI Palette), momento (black)

Accessories: copic markers, making memories brad, white gel pen, luminarte glimmer mist

Ian (my fiance') took one of my Copic colouring classes because he was sick of looking at all of my markers and not knowing how they work. Yes, he could have just asked me at home, but he probably wouldn't have got 2 hours of ME, and lots of practical experience.. so...

I made him colour this for my brother (note I said MADE), and he did not a bad job. I told him he needs to start with a lighter colour of green so there are highlights because even if you add darker tones they don't show up as well when you don't have light... It's a good lesson. Always start with a light light colour because highlights are what give an image dimension and depth.


So IAN coloured it and I made the card. I told him he has to learn how to do that next so he can make some cards for me!! Hahaha... I think it turned out pretty cute too. Here's the inside:

I am a couple days late posting this challenge because of my mini vacation, but I HAD to play because like many of you this was right up my alley!!
This week's challenge is: USE POLKADOTS!




I used a newly released set with a couple of sets released only a month ago. Polka dots everywhere, the ribbon, the paper (American Crafts) and I added tiny dots around the postage stamp! Play along and add your link to Elizabeth's blog

Paired with today's Inspiration challenge at SCS. I have been "tagging" cards lately that pair black with bright colours and I LOVE the look.




I used a very unloved-by-me set from Stampin' Up called Upsy Daisy. It's a gorgeous stamp and I don't use it nearly enough... It's so easy to create the sunset look by stamping the image with pigment ink, embossing with clear embossing powder, then sponging on varying degrees of pink and red.


** I hope you enjoy your last couple of days of spring break if you've had one! I hope to visit the ocean tomorrow. I'm being optomistic about the sun!!

I put "Spring" in quotes because it sure doesn't feel or look like spring around here. We had one afternoon of sun peeking through the clouds, but that didn't dampen (haha) our spirits.. Here were some of my favourite moments:

oh yummy... I think I will go make one of these right now....

P.S. If you are thinking about visiting BC (if you're American your dollar would go a long way right now..) you have to go to Victoria. It's beautiful, and there's so much to see. Email me if you have any questions about BC or Victoria and I'll give you some tips, my fiance Ian lived in Victoria for 8 years so I had my own personal tour guide..

While in Victoria, BC I visited a few scrapbook stores because EVERY store carries something different, and to my surprise, Scrappers Anonymous carried bunch of Pink Cat Studio stamps! I got to work on Kristina Werner's color inspiration along with this week's CPS sketch and here's what I came up with. I made two slightly different cards, one on kraft, one on white.



Supplies:
Paper: Basic Grey, Papertrey Ink (berry sorbet, white, black, kraft), SU! (riding hood red)
Ink: Momento Black, Papertrey ink (berry sorbet)
Stamps: Pink Cat Studio (Lily and Billy), SU! (scallop border), TCP (sentiment)
Other: Felt shapes (Fancy pants), Making Memories (paper clip), SU! punches, Copic markers

I took these pictures for a thread on SCS, but I thought I would share this info with my readers.. The question was about size. Size matters, right? Or is it how you use it? I can never remember..

The size of A*muse Elzybells, versus the real deal is what I'm talking about. Here's the evidence:



By my math the AMuse Elzybells are 1/2 to 2/3 the size of the real Elzybells. The little ones are super cute ofcourse, but I like the bigger ones because they are easier to colour (you can see how all of the details on the little ones are tiny, and the big Elzy they are more defined) and a LOT of fun to paper piece
.

This has been a very fun release and I've really enjoyed playing with Elizabeth's cute images. Her store is now stocked up with the new releases so you can head over there now and check out all of the new sets. You may want to head over to her blog for





I have to thank Jessica Acs, a fellow instructor at Precious Memories, for inspiring me today during her mini book class because as I sat at my table thinking of what I could do for the last day of reveals for Elzybells and I said "DO A MINI BOOK." So there! (P.S. check out her book on Mini Albums. It's so awesome!)

The Faux Postage set is so versatile because you can use it to frame any image you want, cut it out, and it's suddenly a neat embellishment or tag on your layout or card.

















The *edited* (thankyou!!) SPIDER and sentiment are from the Mini Messages - Critters set. Aren't they cute together?







Here's one more page from my mini album. I will show you more in a few days.. I need to go to bed, it's now 1:37 a.m.!!!!



p.s. this is what Phoenix looks like when I say "Smile!" I no longer ask him such futile requests since he is clearly not able to "Smile." Lol... kids. Gotta love them.

It's day 3, and what a coincidence... I have 3 cards for you:





These cards were made with one image and one sentiment from the "Spring Cubes" clear stamp set. I coloured the daffodils 3 different colours combinations (the three combos I was sure of at least... is there an all-white variety??) and I just happened to be hoarding a Basic Grey "Bittersweet" paper pack that was full of yellowy inspiration, so that went on the cards too. Here they are inidividually:





All different layouts that I dreamt up in my head, they are also a return to my more funky style verses the clean and simple cards I've been doing lately. Head over to Elizabeth's blog to see what she has up her sleeve, and tomorrow; IT'S RELEASE DAY! Have any of the images the past couple days caught your eye? I hope so... Here are the other DT's blogs:

• Angel Rivera
• Charlene Austin
• Deborah Southard
• Eva Costigan
• Frances Byrne
• Jeanne Streiff
• Kim Fee
• Kitty Frampton
• Maria Adams
• Michelle Short
• Paula Williamson
• Rachel Hope Baird
• Stephanie Mayne

 Supplies:
Paper: Prism (white), Bazzill (pink and yellow), Basic Grey Patterened paper
Stamps: Spring Cubes (Elzybells)
Ink: Momento (black), Versamagic (Jumbo Java)
Other: Fiskars and SU! punches, Cuttlebug embossing folder, twine, buttons (Basic Grey, Autumn Leaves), paper flowers (Making Memories and Prima) Copic Markers

It's day two of Elzybells sneak peeks for the stamp release on Monday. Yesterday when I posted this card I said I would talk more about it today. So here I am today telling you how to make cutting out the "faux stamps" a little easier. When I started to cut this out I was like "there is NO WAY I am cutting out each little bump in the stamp. There has to be an easier way," and there is...

1. First thing's first: you will need a Stampin' Up SLOT PUNCH to replicate what I did. If you find a punch that's small enough to do this, GREAT! Start by cutting around the stamp along the outline so you have a square or rectangle. 
2. Hold the punch upside down so you can see the little white half-circle you need to clip off and punch!
3. It's a little messy. White flecks everywhere, but that's it!
   

This is a really cute way to frame small images, and the set that Elizabeth has put together has 3 different sizes of postage stamps, and 2 styles in each size, along with a bunch of sentiments too!

The other design team members have sneak peeks again for you, so be sure to check our their blogs:

• Angel Rivera
• Charlene Austin
• Deborah Southard
• Eva Costigan
• Frances Byrne
• Jeanne Streiff
• Kim Fee
• Kitty Frampton
• Maria Adams
• Michelle Short
• Paula Williamson
• Rachel Hope Baird
• Stephanie Mayne

Here is another card I made using the outline version of the rectangle postage stamp. I used the same method to punch out the half-circles.

Stamps: Elzybells
Paper: SU! (kraft) and Papertrey Ink
Ink: Momento
Other: Chipboard (Basic Grey), Copic Markers, Glossy Accents (Ranger), Glitter (Glitter Ritz)

See you tomorrow with another sneak!