I’ve been having a blast playing along with some Dare to Get Dirty challenges… If you don’t know what they are, they are challenges issued by Dirty Girls from SCS (past and present) for fan club members, and they are AWESOME! So varied, and so much fun. Without further adieu:

1: I played along with my friend, Angela’s sketch challenge (DTGD12jellybean74):

I used a stamp by My Favorite Things called, Thinking of Hoo. Isn’t it sweet? I paired it with some MME papers and some random embellishments (Cosmo Cricket stickers and Pebbles paperclips).

2. Can you guess this challenge? (DTGD12va.sunshine):

I used a new stamp set designed by Teri Anderson for Technique Tuesday called Think Vacation. I paired this sentiment with some summery colours. No patterned papers… it feels weird… lol

3. I played along with lovely Lisa’s challenge..  (DTGD12lisalara)


I was hard-pressed to find berries! I guess it’s not something I buy that often, who knew?? The stamp is by Stamping Bella, papers by MME, SU!, and Melissa Francis and those luscious strawberries are a chipboard element by Crate Paper. It took me a while to colour this girl up, but it was so worth it.. I love how she turned out!



Thanks for stopping by!

Hey there! Core’dinations ColorCore cardstock is having a design team call and I thought, I love core’dinations cardstock.. I use cardstock all the time!! every day, in fact!!! So here are three cards I’ve made with various kinds of Core’dinations cardstock. To add another level of FUN, I made all of these cards for the Dare to Get Dirty challenges.. Here we go:
1. I made this card to comply with two challenges: DTGD12blondi090277 (my friend, Kim’s sketch) and DTGD12suzannejdean.


2. This card was made for two more challenges: DTGD12Twinshappy and DTGD12SweetMissDaisy.



I used some Core’dinations papers by Tim Holtz that have a kraft core! It’s subtle, but it’s nice to have a colour variation when you sand it.. I coloured up this CUTE image (Paper Smooches Cubby Chums) and mounted it on top of a tag from the coordinating BasicGrey collection.. It had a sentiment or picture or something on it (that didn’t go with my puppy at all) but I thought it would make a cute base.. It worked!

3. I played along with two challenges again: DTGD12kittie747 and DTGD12pinkgirl76.



Again, I used the kraft core cardstock for that soft and subtle effect. In addition to sanding the shapes once they were cut, I misted them with a little Snow White Maya Mist. (I used Memory Box dies, BTW) I sewed the cardstock/patterned paper layer together and added a SRM Stickers (We’ve Got Your Sticker – Thanks) and that’s that!!
Thanks for visiting!

Hi there! Thanks for joining me yesterday for the new release blog hop with Stampendous! I am so excited about the new products and today I'm sharing a project over at the Stampendous Blog with a cling stamp called Hay Ride Kiddos.

I am totally smitten by the “kiddos” and I am so excited about all of the new ones released this summer!! They are a joy to colour up with Copics, and that’s just what I did on today’s project.


Isn’t this the perfect Thanksgiving card? As mentioned I coloured the image with Copics, but I also added a little *extra* with a charcoal pencil in areas where shadow would occur.. Here’s a close-up:

You can see where I’ve added some charcoal to the corners of his hat, as well as a little under his head. Once applied I use a blending stump to soften the line (kind of like you’re supposed to do with eyeliner – it behaves in a very similar way) and that’s that! My husband is very impressed with this technique, so much so that he wants a lesson… Ain’t that cute?? lol..
Thanks for stopping by!

All week Stampendous’ fantastic Design Team members are showing off new products from Stampendous! Not only do some of them have their own blog candy, Stampendous will be drawing a winner for a great prize!! But first, here’s my card that I’ve made especially for this hop:
 

I used an image called Punkin Kitty and coloured it with Copics. Can you believe that none of the papers I used are actual “Hallowe’en” papers? It was one of those situations where I was like, okay, I gotta make a Hallowe’en card but I have no energy to go looking for my Autumn stuff.. So the orange is from Basic Grey and the patterned paper is Pink Paislee. The scalloped piece is a strip of canvas that I stamped and sprayed with glimmer mist.. Fun from top to bottom and it screams HALLOWE’EN simply because I combined orange and purple.


Stampendous will be drawing a winner for these three great prize packs of brand new product.

Hi there! Are you having a great week? It’s all of a sudden gotten REALLY HOT here and I’m sorta melting, but luckily I have a couple of comforts to cool me down: homemade Pina Coladas, A/C in our bedroom, and Starbucks Frappuccinos. Oh yah, AND MAKING CHRISTMAS CARDS!!
In addition to this week’s sketch I played along with the current Paper Smooches Sparks challenge found here. I loved the colours (a lot of kraft) and the simplicity.. I also loved being able to pull out my Kim Hughes Christmas stamps (the deer is in one of the Paper Smooches Kismet set (Happy Camper) and the sentiment an holly are from an old CHF set..

Here is 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 ISSC26, and link it here with the inlinkz widget below.
• 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 the following Friday 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 Winners" post every Sunday 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!

 
Let the shipping begin.
July's Greenhouse Society stamp set starts leaving the Technique Tuesday warehouse today.

Not a Greenhouse Society member? You can still get the stamp set. It's available for purchase for a limited-time on our Web site and through some retailers. Check with your favorite store to see if they carry our Greenhouse Society stamp sets or ask them to do so.



I decided to have a little fun with UTEE on this one and make an old-fashioned looking plaque of sorts.. I coloured the image and added stickles here and there and let it dry.. THEN I started the cracked glass technique (Versamark then Utee then heat – repeat 3 or 4 times).
I made a banner from last year’s My Mind’s Eye “Lost and Found Christmas” (I can’t wait to see this years!!!) and mounted all layers on the card with foam dots.
Check out today’s post at Technique Tuesday blog to see the other creations.. They’re gorgeous!!

This week, we have another fantastic sketch for you!!! Last week, we had you seeing spots and this week, you'll be seeing stars. This week's sketch is from Elzbieta B. (crazysexycool @ SCS) and is based on this card.
Here's my card. I got to play with my mists... I love it when I get to use my mists!!!






I punched some circles from Amy Tangerine paper and misted some Studio Calico wood veneer butterflies to match.




I used Dylusions mists by ranger. They are really pigmented dyes with no glimmer- just colour- and they're potent!!! I used an Ali Edwards stamp called "Hearts" whose font is really artistic... It matches the card really well.

Here is 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 ISSC25) and link it here with the inlinkz widget on The iSpy blog.
-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 the following Friday 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 Winners" post every Sunday 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!
Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Can you believe I hauled out my entire Christmas stamp bin already?? All of my DTs are having Christmas in July challenges – or they’re on the internet, and it’s just nuts!! I don’t think I’ve ever been this early with things, but like I said earlier this week, as cardmakers we have a soft-spot for Christmas cards.. I just love ‘em.
Today I am sharing a couple of cards made with some TSG sets that are being featured this week. We are going all-out with the Christmas in July theme this month with a sale (15% off your entire order), our weekly challenge, AND, this week we are featuring 3 awesome TSG Christmas sets:

• I used Bella Blvd. papers. They’re such bright, fun, non-traditional colours and I love ‘em!
• The first card was coloured with copics, the second with distress markers. You can see the difference when they’re side-by-side, so to speak..
• Shadowy accents were added with General’s Chalk pencils in black.

No, we’re not talking about the Birds and the Bees, we’re talking about the Technique Tuesday set: Birds and Bees:

It’s a cute set that offers a bunch of different image combinations and darling sentiments to match..

 

I love the look of stamped images on kraft – especially with brown ink – so that’s what I went with! I stamped first, cut second (I always wait to see what die cut looks best after I’ve stamped everything) then while the die was still on the paper I sponged a little brown distress ink around the perimeter of the image. A couple of my fellow Tech. Tuesday DT members worked with this set too.. If you want more inspiration, head over to the TT blog! See you soon!

Gotta be honest, it was really hard to “get in the Christmas spirit” when it’s sweltering hot outside, but there’s just something about Christmas cards, isn’t there?? The stamp set starts shipping to Greenhouse Society members on July 25th. Not a member of our Greenhouse Society? You'll be able to find it soon on our Web site on sale for a limited time and through some retailers.




I stamped the image with Archival Ink onto watercolour paper and coloured it in with Distress Markers. I also added a little je ne sais quoi in the form of a charcoal pencil and blending stump. I have a special friend (Kim) to thank for this, and I am now addicted to adding charcoal/chalk to everything!!!

Hi there! I have a quick little just because card to share that I made during my card marathon this week! So far I've made 24 cards this month... It's a personal record, for sure!




All images are from There She Goes! (a set called Let's Get Together) and I stamped the coffee bean images onto some Tim Holtz wax paper to make some custom designer paper. I love how you can create a realistic Starbucks cup with this set... Starbucks is kinda my thing, lol..

Thanks for stopping by!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Hey there! I'm home from crafting with some TSG ladies (and some of them iSpy DT)  and we had an absolute blast!! Every few minutes I have a private chuckle remembering our conversations and by now my husband thinks I'm nuts... OH WELL!!


                       This week, we are featuring Shari Carroll and is based on this card.    

Here's my card using this week's sketch.. Pull out your patterned paper, cause this one will put a dent in some of your stash...

Hey there! I'm hanging out with my best crafty friends and I'm here to share a quick card with y'all...






I borrowed this cute little Taylored Expressions stamp and colored her with Copics (of course) and to keep it simple just popped her up on a couple nesties... I love her!!

Thanks for stopping by, I'll share more soon.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Hi there! I hope you had a great Canada Day, or Independence Day, or if you’re from somewhere wonderfully exotic, a great week!!



For the focal point I used a Technique Tuesday Ali stamp called Love Always Wins. I stamped it in Archival Ink because it always comes out so deliciously black and cut out a quasi banner… I chose some really pale patterned papers (MME) and because there was nothing else black besides the sentiment, I added some tiny little stickers (SEI) to complement it.

• 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 ISSC23, and link it here with the inlinkz widget below).
• 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 the following Friday 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 Winners" post every Sunday 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!