Stamp Act

Lizzie Anne Challenge with Lindsey!!

Lindsey and I decided it would be fun to do a challenge using some of the new Lizzie Anne Designs stamps!!  This worked out great for me because my Dreaming of Dots had not yet seen ink!!!  In case you didn't know, Lindsey is going to be moving next month so in lieu of packing, she is having a sale!!! LOL!!!  Her store link is HERE!

The layout of my card is based on SCS's sketch challenge from last week.  The base of my card is Shimmery White cardstock and all decorative papers are Cosmo Cricket's ~ Hey Sugar line.  The diamonds toward the bottom were just cut from the decorative paper and accented with American Crafts copper brads.  I am not sure why I added the brads at the top except that there was an empty space and I hate empty spaces!!!  I think 4 are too many but once I made the holes, it was too late so there they stayed!!!  The focal image was stamped using the Lizzie Anne Dreaming of Dots set.  I used my old SU! Colorbox Chalk ink to stamp.  I stamped all of the flowers on a scrap of Shimmer White cardstock and cut them out.  Some are mounted on dimensionals and others are flat on the paper.  I had stamped the stems with a Olive green color and then realized that Sage Shadow ink would have worked better so I took my Sage marker and went over the dots.  I don't know why I can't just leave it alone for goodness sake!!!  I added Cinnamon Stickles to the centers of all of the flowers.   The thanks was stamped using a brown in the chalk ink set and accented with a brad and a Prima Flower Center dragonfly.  These are so cool!  Lots of different colors and shapes AND they are on SALE!!!!

This would have been a really simple card if I hadn't made it so time consuming!! LOL!!!  Hop on over to Lindsey's Blog  and see what beautiful card she has made!

Stamps ~  Lizzie Anne Designs ~ Dreaming of Dots; Cardstock ~  Shimmery White; Decorative
paper ~  Cosmo Cricket ~ Hey Sugar; Ink ~ SU! Colorbox Chalk ink;  Accessories ~ Dimensionals, Cinnamon Stickles, Sage Shadow marker, Prima Flower Centers, Copper Brads, Paper Piercer and mat pack.

Have a great day!

~Lynda

Cosmo Cricket Challenge....

Good Morning!!!
Lindsey and I have talked about doing a card challenge together using a product from her store for quite some time and finally, we were able to coordinate our schedules and do the challenge!!!  I love Cosmo Cricket paper and the colors in this paper are fantastic!!!  I was in the process of looking for a dress template to make up for the Little Old Man card I made the other day using the 2-Scoops paper.  I didn't want you guys to be completely turned off by that paper because of Grandpa so I thought I would make something cute with it!!!  I haven't finished my "cute" card yet so you will have to wait on that one!  Lindsey does have a couple of the kits left so if you are interested, you can find them HERE!   OK, so while looking for the dress template, I found a cowboy boot template!!!  I HAD to use it because Lindsey LOVES cowboys ~ oh I mean cowboy boots!!! LOL!!! 

Our challenge to each other was to use Cosmo Cricket's Dutch Girl ~ Sophie paper which can be found HERE.   The base of my card is Chocolate Chip cardstock.  I found the boot template HERE.   Be sure to check that site out, it is awesome!!!  This was a REALLY simple card, obviously!!!  I stamped the heel using Basic Black ink and my Weathered background stamp to add some lines like a boot has.  I then sponged with Chocolate Chip ink to feather it a little bit.  I then did my faux stitching using my white gel pen.  I got a little carried away with the stitching because really, I shouldn't have stitched down the front but it's too late now!!!  The pewter decorative brad is from Making Memories and the top loop is the same Cosmo paper, punched using my word window punch, folded in half and then I faux stitched that too!!!

I did another card too!  The Sophie paper is 2-sided so I used both sides on the following card ~

The base of my card is Real Red, a thin mat of Whisper White and then the back of the decorative Sophie paper.  The photo corners were punched from the front decorative blue portion.  I pierced around the entire card and faux stitched using my white gel pen.  I added SU! pewter brads to each corner.  The focal image is the decorative paper on top of Real Red cardstock.  I added the large pewter brads and then wrapped natural hemp through them and then tied a bow using the ribbon Michelle sent me!  The star is chipboard which I covered with just the blue portion of the Sophie paper using a glue stick.  I stamped the image from Wanted using Warm Red from Colorbox, sanded the edges, sponged White craft ink, added the Making Memories decorative brad and mounted it on the card using dimensionals.  The make a wish sentiment is from Elzybells.

Now, hop on over to Lindsey's blog and check out what awesome card she made!!!

Thanks for stopping by!!!

~Lynda

I Have A "BEARY" Good Give~A-Way!!!

OK, so my title is pretty LAME but I REALLY do have a GREAT, FANTASTIC, AWESOME gift package to give away to 1 lucky reader!!!!  I first do want to THANK you all so much for all of the wonderful comments you have left on my blog!  I get so excited to know that something I have made has inspired you!!!!  Please know that I really do appreciate your support!!!  Now, I do want to share a card with you that I made for Lindsey's Valentine challenge last night. 

Really, this isn't EXACTLY a Valentine card but you know, I don't need too many since I ONLY have 1 husband and 2 kids so since I have already made a few, I will most likely use this as a birthday card!!!  LOL!!!  The base of my card is Close to Cocoa with a mat of Bazzill pink cardstock.  The decorative paper is Daisy D's ~ Maybe Baby pack.  The ribbon is last years Close to Cocoa grosgrain and the heart eyelets are even older and are also from SU!  The focal image (Beary Best) is from another OLD thing (see I am not the only old thing around here!) I had in my stash.  I stamped the image using Basic Brown on Whisper White cardstock and then punched it out using my Marvy Giga scallop square punch.  I colored using my watercolor crayons and a blender pen.  I did add some glitter using my new Copic glitter pens.  I stamped the bear on the gingham paper a second time and then cut her dress out and then glued it on top of the image that I had stamped earlier on the Whisper White.  I also cut out the flowers from the decorative paper and glued them on top of the flowers that I had stamped (I know, I need to get a life!).  The scalloped focal piece was then matted with first the flower decorative paper and then Close to Cocoa.  That's about it!  Pretty simple card huh???  So, do you like the decorative papers???  Well...... I hope so because this is what I am going to give away!!!!

So, what do you think???  Pretty AWESOME huh???  Lindsey had 10 of these to sell and you know what ~ she sold out but LUCKY for you ~ I bought a set BEFORE she sold out!!!!  Alright, what I need from you is for you to leave 1 comment on this entry telling me what your favorite new thing(s) were that you received for the Holidays!  That's it!  Please only 1 entry per person!!!  I will pick the lucky winner via random selector Friday night (East Coast time) at 8pm and shortly after I will post the winner!

Thank you again for everything and I wish you all a VERY Happy New Year!! 

~Lynda

Happy New Year!!! ~ Party Animal!!!

Happy New Year to you all!!!  Last night Lindsey had some challenges going on in here SCS forum ~ HERE.   She had a party hat challenge so here is mine!

I only had to offer "Whitey" a dog cookie to model my hat!  It looks like a lamp shade doesn't it???  I wore it last night while partying the night away...... yeah right!!  I WAS up until midnight but I was partying on line at SCS!!!  The paper is from Bo Bunny, the ribbon is just gift wrap ribbon and the dingle balls are from Walmart!  I was REALLY excited to get to use them because I have had them laying around for quite some time!

I am going to work on the Valentine challenge right now AND I will be posting an AWESOME Give-A-Way at the same time so stay tuned........

~Lynda

Lindsey's New Year's Eyelet Challenge....

Hi Again!  I am still working on my party hat although it is kindof looking like a lampshade!!!!  LOL!!!  Here is my card for Lindsey's next challenge which is to make a card that includes eyelets. 

I totally CASE'd this layout from the awesome  Julia Stainton and it can be found HERE.   Julia's card is a gift card holder.  I just used a velcro dot to hold mine closed.  The base of the card is Soft Sky and is 4 1/4" wide and 11" long.  I scored each end at 2  3/4".  The scalloped piece is about 1" in depth.  I used my new A Beautiful Thing solid flower on Whisper White cardstock using Soft Sky ink.  I then added the coordinating white rubon and a red Dew Drop.  I did faux stitching around the flower, mounted on Cosmo Cricket Dutch Girl dp then Red Bazzill and Whisper White again.  The ribbon is Soft Sky double stitched.  The flowers on the top of the card on Soft Sky was stamped using White Craft ink.  Have fun with this challenge!!!

~Lynda

Lindsey's Forum (Jacksonbelle Embellishments) New Year's Challenge

Happy New Year ~ almost!!!!  I made the following card for Lindsey's Black & Blue challenge which is going on RIGHT NOW SO HURRY to her forum ~ HERE!!!   Her first challenge was to make a party hat (she provides the template) ~ check it out HERE!   It is so cute.  I haven't made mine yet but once I do, I will post!  OK, enough babbling....  Here is my card ~

This didn't turn out exactly like I had envisioned in my mind!  Oh well!  OK, the base of my card is 5 1/2" square and is Soft Sky cardstock.  I then made a thin mat of Basic Black and then added my awesome Urban Lily decorative paper on top!  If you REALLY feel the need, you can order the paper HERE.   Anyway, the strip along the bottom is first Soft Sky cardstock and then Soft Sky Designer Series polka dot paper.  I used my Nestablities for the layered scalloped circles of Basic Black and Whisper White cardstock.  The cupcake is a miscellaneous stamp I had!  The butterfly is from PaperTrey and I initially wanted to do this wonderful technique that my friend Tamara has on her blog but I screwed it up and had to just heat emboss it with Irridescent Ice embossing powder.  The link for Tamara's tutorial is HERE and is so cool!  I will try it again another time soon!  I added wire and Crystals for the butterfly's body and then mounted it using a dimensional.  That's about it!!  I hope you are having fun with the challenges!

Cosmo Christmas to you!!!

Hi!!!!
I hope you all are having a great day!  I am so glad to say that I am DONE with my Christmas shoppping!!!!  Now all I have to do is wrap everything, bake cookies, bake 50 cornbread muffins by tomorrow, use some of the new things I just bought from Lindsey......  So I got 1 thing off my list, that's better than nothing!!!  Speaking of Lindsey, she and I did a challenge to use Cosmo Cricket ~ Wonderland papers, which I might add are on sale, and a Inkadinkado stamp.  I had a mini Thomas Kincade idea in mind when I made my first card but halfway through, I didn't like it so I set it aside and started on my second card.  Well, when I went back to my first card, I worked with it and ended up liking the end result.  I distressed all edges of the card which works for Jeanne's distressing challenge!

The base of my card is Basic Black with 2 different patterns of Wonderland decorative papers.  I REALLY like the black and red on this!  Anyway, I did faux stitching around the entire base with my Basic Black marker.  The ribbon is scalloped edge black by May Arts.  The Snowy Cottage was stamped on Naturals Ivory using Basic Gray ink.  The way I did it was to cut an oval mask using my Creative Memories oval cutter.  I then Stamped the image inside the mask.  I then took the oval that I had previously cut out and laid it on top of the Snowy Cottage and sponged Burgundy, Basic Gray, Going Gray and a little Saffron.  This then left the image un~sponged which I then colored using my Watercolor Crayons and a blender pen.  As usual, I added my white Martha Stewart glitter using Elmer's glue, on all of the snowy areas.  I did faux stitching around the image.  I was trying to make this look like the Thomas Kincade vignette (I think that is how it is spelled) stamps. 

I then distressed the edges, matted it on Basic Black cardstock and added 4 black brads.  I mounted it on top of my card using Pop Dots.

Here is my next card ~

The base of this card is Basic Gray cardstock with 2 layers of the Wonderland decorative papers.  The grosgrain ribbon is SU! Burgundy and then I added a strip of twill tape and tied a knot.  The next layer is first Basic Gray with more Wonderland paper.  The focal image was stamped on Shimmer White cardstock using Basic Gray ink.  I then masked the snowman and stamped the trees around him using Artichoke ink.  I colored the snowman using my Watercolor Crayons and a blender pen.  The snowman's hat band and scarf were first stamped on the Wonderland paper and then I cut them out and then used my 2-way glue pen to adhere them to Mr. Snowman.  I did sponge the edges a little with Bordering Blue ink.  I matted him on Artichoke cardstock.  The last step was to add the 3 pewter brads on the bottom right corner.

You know, one day I am going to surprise you all and tie a knot on the RIGHT side of the card (or left depending on how you are looking at it!LOL!!!).  I tend to do the same things and couldn't bring myself to switch sides for either of these cards!  I have issues...... LOL!!!

OK, I have to go make 50 cornbread muffins now so I hope you all have a great day!

~Lynda

My Challenge Streak has ended...but I have something to show you!!!

I know it is hard to believe but my SCS challenge streak ended at 1 in a row!!  I had really good intentions but, it just wasn't to be!  I will try again later......  I have been working on my snowmen ornaments with matching cards and boxes so I do apologize for the lack of posts! 

In case you hadn't heard, I am Lindsey's guest designer this month for her store, Jacksonbelle Embellishments!  LOL!!!  I am excited about it, can you tell????   I have made a number of boxes (tutorial here) for my ornaments (tutorial here) and have made them all different so I don't get bored but I really like how this one turned out and wanted to show you the awesome Basic Grey snowflake ornament AND to pass on how easy this was!!!  Whoever I give this one to will get 2 ornaments!  Anyway, here is the box with the ornament attached on the top using a velcro dot.

Here is the picture with the ornament detached from the top ~

The decorative papers on the box are Basic Grey ~ Figgy Pudding and the cardstock I used was Whisper White, Soft Sky and Sahara Sand (matched perfectly!).  OK, for the ornament.  I know what you are thinking, "Lynda really needs to get a life.  I can't believe what an idiot she is to cut out the paper around the chipboard ornament"!  Well, let me tell you, this took like 5  minutes to make and you know why????  I bought the Basic Grey undressed chipboard HERE and then slapped the Basic Grey ~ Figgy ~ Holiday Sticker right on top of the chipboard!!!  The beauty of this is that someone not familiar with this line would think how I spent SOOOO much time making this beautiful ornament for them when I slapped it together in no time!!! LOL!!!  Actually, it did take ME longer than 5 minutes because I had to add Stardust Stickles along ALL edges and then I cut a snowman out from the Figgy paper and adhered him in the center so maybe it took 10 minutes but it sure didn't take as long as it took for the Stickles to dry!!!  I added a sand colored eyelet and tied some fiber so the recipient can hang it on their tree!

BTW, Lindsey does have more of these sticker sheets, she just hasn't uploaded them to her store yet so if you are interested, send her an email!

Have a great day!

~Lynda

Elzybells ~ I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas

I have to tell you, I am just in love with these stamps!  They are so darn cute!  If you are interested, the link to buy them is HERE!   This card is based on today's sketch challenge AND have I mentioned that Lindsey ~ Jacksonbelle Embellishments ~ is spotlighting Daisy D's this month??? LOL!!!  The base of my card is Cryogen White shimmer cardstock and all of the decorative papers are Daisy D's ~ Snowflakes and Holly and can be found HERE.

OK, what I did was first took a mat of Brocade Blue cardstock and then the striped Daisy D's paper.  I used my new Martha Stewart border punch/embosser on the bottom of the striped paper and then lined up the Brocade Blue so it would only show through where the punched area was and it would also give a mat for the striped paper.  The piece just above the scalloped edge is also from this paper pack and is a strip that I cut out and then added the Olive SU! Ribbon from their Ribbon Originals (I think Theatre).  The red floral looking piece is not matted.  I stamped the Elzybell using Basic Black ink on the same Cryogen White shimmer cardstock.  I added some extra stars and actually may have gotten a little carried away but I have this issue with open spaces ~ I can't HAVE THEM!!!!!  For a change I used my Martha Stewart white glitter and Elmer's glue on the cloud, gold Stickles on the halo and stars and Stardust Stickles on her wing (I didn't want to go overboard on the glitter ).  I colored her with my Watercolor Crayons and a blender pen.  I mounted this piece on the front using dimensionals and the cloud was mounted using Pop Dots because they are thicker. 

Now comes the part where I show you what a talented drawer I am!!!  I drew the cloud!  Oh yes I did!!!  All by myself and NO tracing!!! LOL!!!  I know ~ how lame!  I first stamped the sentiment and then drew the cloud around it.  I then cut it out and added some white glitter (to cover up any mistakes I had made while making such a detailed, intricate, cloud), slapped it on the card and was done!!!  LOL!!!

I am now officially on a roll with the SCS challenges.  So far this week I have done 1 in a row!!!
I'll try to not get too full of myself!!!  Have a great day!!

~Lynda 

Product Spotlight ~ Daisy D's #2 ~ Simple & Inexpensive gift ideas!

I am really excited about the next few gifts ideas I have to show you because they really turned out nice and they are a perfect little addition for family.  Because most of our family members don't live near us, I will send other pictures as well but thought it would be nice to have a little framed one to have out all the time.   Also, these are acrylic so they are very light when sending packages!!!  I must not spend money needlessly when I have new stamps and accessories to buy!!!  Anyway, I used the same package of Daisy D's Christmas rubons that I used on the glass frame yesterday and I still have more left!!!  You can find these rubons in Lindsey's store ~ HERE!   The paper I used to mat the photos in both frames is HERE.   The paper is double sided and the light blue matches the rubons perfectly!  Here are my frames ~

This frame stands by itself and the next one is for a refrigerator as it has a magnet on the back ~

I got these frames at Walmart for under a $1 each.  I have seen them at Target as well.  If you click on the picture, you can see that I added crystals on each frame and on the bottom one, I added silver cord to make the ornaments look like they are hanging. 

As you can tell, this picture is our Christmas picture this year.  I took the picture last week and was so excited about how well they turned out.  Well, after looking at the pictures closer, I noticed that my feminine little princess daughter had a huge hole in her tights!!!  I was quite irritated because she had worn the outfit to school and I begged her to not dribble on herself and to keep her dress clean so we could take pictures when they got home from school.  Well, there were NO dribbles but when she was on the playground she got a piece of mulch stuck in her tights and used scissors to get it out!!!  She now knows that you do not cut tights as they fall apart!  I figured that she could continue to wear the tights while taking pictures but asked her to cover up the hole....  Well, they were fooling around as you can see here ~

So once I got them to sit still and look nice, I wasn't looking to make sure Mary covered up her hole!!!  Oh well....  Once I got past the disappointment of the picture NOT being perfect, I figured I might as well laugh because that picture is actually PERFECT for our family!!!

Thanks for looking!

~Lynda