If you never did you should 31

Hi there! Hope you are having a great week so far! I was sifting through my collection of stamps, pulled out a few sets that have never kissed an ink pad and challenged myself to put them to good use. Embarrassingly, the ones I used to create my project have been tucked away in a drawer for over 3 years. 

I stamped the darling vintage image from the Artistic Outpost Think and Wonder stamp set then sponged on some Distress ink to give it an aged look.

I framed the image with a chipboard frame that I painted, embossed and misted

then embellished with a few flowers, embossed chipboard pieces and some bling.

I'm entering this altered canvas in the Artistic Outpost August Challenge where the theme is anything goes.

Thanks for visiting ~ I hope you enjoyed my project today.

Be Sweet ;)

Read More

Some Exciting News...Home Sweet Home 47

Hi there! I have some very exciting news to share with you today ~ I'm very honored to become a design team member for the Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge Blog! Yahooo! I would be tickled pink if you would like to read all about it HERE :) My term officially starts Monday, July 22nd. In case you are not familiar, Simon Says Stamp and Show challenge blog consists of a group of vintage inspired crafters. From rusty junk to shabby chic, retro inspired to attic treasures, and anything in between we share a love of all things vintage. A new challenge begins every Monday!

I made this tag for this week's Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge where the theme is Anything Goes. 

To create this tag, I first painted the tag using acrylic paints and the gelli plate then ran it through the Vagabond along with an embossing folder to add texture. I randomly applied gesso and white acrylic paint, once dry I randomly stamped the background and added more paint.  

The craft board heart embellishment was made using a Tim Holtz Sizzix die which I then painted and added crackle medium to.

For color inspiration, I joined along with The Play Date Cafe and for theme inspiration, I played along with the Sunday Stamper challenge which has a HOME theme. 

Thanks so much for visiting! 

Be Sweet ;)

Read More

Wonder and think...CR84FN54 53

I would like to wish all who celebrate, a VERY Happy Mother's Day! This day always makes me a little sad because my Mom passed away nearly 10 years ago already. Not a day goes by that I don't miss her. I thankful for my wonderful, loving MIL whom I speak with several times a week, just wished she lived closer or visited more often. 


It's time for a new CR84FN Color Challenge! Thanks to all who joined along last week ~ so many pretty projects in the gallery! For the next two weeks we will be playing with the interesting color combo shown below:

I made a wall hanging for my dear sister Tina thanking her for being a GREAT Mom to my 4 legged fur babies, Gretchen and Griffin and a dear friend to me :) She loves them as much as I do therefore, I am able to travel out of town and not worry about their well being.

The sweet image and sentiment are from the Artistic Outpost Think & Wonder stamp set. Thanks to my dear blogging friends Suzanne Czocek and Lisa Somerville for introducing me to these beautiful images!

I stamped the sweet girl image, cut using a Spellbinders Labels Twelve then added a frame of shimmery silver Stickles.

For sketch inspiration, I played along with the current Tuesday Morning Sketches challenge:

Thanks so much for visiting! Please be sure to visit the CR84FN site for complete information and the entire CR84FN DT for some amazing inspiration: Suzanne Czosek, Lisa Somerville, Heather Jensen, Sue Lelli, Andrea Mathews, Pauline Pollington, and Shannon White 

Supplies Used:
Dies: Spellbinders Grand Labels One, Grand Calibur, Parisian Motifs, Home Sweet Home
Patterned Paper and Rub-On: Melissa Frances
Flowers: Crocheted flower courtesy of sweet Tina and Recollections

Read More

bloom & grow...CR84FN50#3 49

Hi there! Hope you all are having a super weekend! I love to vacation but it is always great to be home, sleeping in my own bed and loving my little four legged furry friends :) It's the final week for  the CR84FN50 Color Challenge and Shannon's last week as our Guest Designer. I would like to thank Shannon for sharing all her beautiful projects with us over the past month. If you haven't played along yet with CR84FN50 or would like to make another project, you still have nearly a week to do so.

I made this card for a dear blogging friend in celebration of her birthday. I combined pretty patterned papers from the Pink Paislee Spring Jubilee collection along with stamps from the Artistic Outpost Bloom & Grow set.

Using the various dies from the Spellbinders Bitty Blossoms set and patterned paper from the Pink Paislee Spring Jubilee collection, I made a few homespun blossoms of my own featured on the seed packet:

Thanks so much for visiting! Thanks so much for visiting! For COMPLETE details, please visit the CR84FN site and for some fab inspiration, please be sure to visit: Suzanne Czosek, Lisa Somerville, Stephanie Kraft, Sue Lelli, Deborah Frings, Heather Jensen, Andrea Mathews and Shannon White (Guest Designer)


Supplies Used:
Patterned Paper: Pink Paislee Spring Jubilee collection
Dies & Machine: Spellbinders Bitty Blossoms, Splendid Circles, Grand Calibur

Read More

Happy Birthday Stephanie!...CR84FN26 51

Happy May 1st! Hope you are all having a great weekend! Before I get to today's CR84FN Color Challenge, I have a few things I would like to share. In my crafty world ~ if you visit here often, you know how much I LOVE gorgeous Melissa Frances products. Well, I am tickled pink to tell you that  I recently had a project featured on the Melissa Frances blog, if you have a moment, I would be thrilled if you took a peek, click HERE :) I am also in the midst of the May Waltzingmouse Stamps Previews, so if you are interested in seeing samples that I have made with stamps that Claire is releasing this month, please feel free to take a peek (click HERE ~ Day1 or click HERE ~ Day2.)

Let's get to the CR84FN26 Color Challenge! This week we are celebrating our very own DT member Stephanie Kraft's Birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY STEPHANIE! Please be sure to stop by Stephanie's blog and leave her some birthday love :)

I would also like to welcome & introduce you to Lin Brandyberry. Lin will be sharing her awesome creations and joining the CR84FN DT as our May Guest Designer! Please be sure to visit Lin's blog to see all of her wonderful artwork.

Thanks to all who played along with last week's challenge! There were so many fabulous entries!

This week we are playing with KRAFT, PALE YELLOW and GOLD. Photos are courtesy of MARTHASTEWART.com 

Here's my interpretation of the soft and subtle colors:

I combined stamped yellow polka dot paper that I created by inking up the polka dot image from Waltzingmouse Gingham & Co. with SU Barely Banana ink with a few pretty My Mind's Eye patterned paper from the Lost & Found collection. I stamped the seed packet image from Artistic Outpost Bloom & Grow then adorned it with several home made flowers and stamped foliage from Waltzingmouse Faux Fun Circles.

Thanks for stopping by today :) Please hop on over to CR84FN for COMPLETE details on how to join in the fun and for some awesome inspiration, please visit all the designers blogs:

Suzanne Czosek

Deborah Frings

Stephanie Kraft
Heather Jensen  (may post later in the week due to lack of electricity but sure would appreciate some love, thoughts and prayers :) 

Sue Lelli

Andrea Mathews

Lisa Somerville

Lin Brandyberry (May Guest Designer)

Hope you stop by later today at 2:00 PM Eastern to see what I have to share for the May Waltzingmouse Stamps Blog Waltz. Be Sweet :)

Supplies Used:
Stamps: Waltzingmouse Faux Fun Circles, Gingham & Co., Frame-It, Artistic Outpost Bloom & Grow

Die Templates: Spellbinders™ Nestabilities® Big Scalloped Circles SM, Big Scalloped Circles LG,  Big Scalloped Borderabilities Petite, Grand Caliber

Read More

Seeds Of Friendship 55

Hi Everyone!

First a FRIENDLY REMEMBER: Just in case you were not aware that The Spellbinders Paper Arts Blog Frenzy Contest is currently in full swing as of July 13th! There are MANY prizes that will be given away so please be sure to visit the Spellbinders Blog (click HERE) for complete details. Good Luck!!!!

I am so happy to have the opportunity to play along with the girls over at The Play Date Cafe :)
This week's color challenge is sponsored by Artistic Outpost Art Rubber Stamps so I inked up my very 1st set Bloom & Grow & joined along in the fun with these beautiful colors chosen by Sarah Anderson.

I inked up the seed packet image with VersaMark ink/embossed then adorned with some Homegrown posies that I made using Spellbinders™ Shapeabilities S4-109 Flower Creations Three die templates.

ALL the girls at The Play Date Cafe has some amazing samples to gaze upon so please be sure to stop by & see what they have to offer for inspiration!Here is something else that you may be interested in:

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT.…

Get ready to bring your craft to a whole new level! If you want to know what the big news is BEFORE anyone else… be sure you’ve signed up at http://www.theshapetocome.com!

If you register your email address here before July 25th, you’ll get a special pre-show announcement one day before the CHA Trade Show opens!! One lucky person that signs up between now and July 25th will be chosen at random to win $50 (msrp) of SCRAPBOOK ADHESIVES BY 3L™
products (winner announced on their blog August 2nd)! Good Luck!!!

I will be back Saturday waltzing along with The Waltzingmouse Blog Waltz! Thanks so much for looking - Hope to see you then! Good Luck with all these contests - Please be sure to let me know if you win :)

Supplies Used:

Spellbinders™ Shapeabilities S4-109 Flower Creations Three, W-001 The Wizard™

Stamps: Artistic Outpost Art rubber stamps: Bloom & Grow

Ink: VersaMark, Ranger, Memento

Paper: K&Company DP, SU, PTI

Other: Filigree embossing powder, brads, ribbon, pin, lace & beads from stash

Read More