Little Girls & Teen Boys

I just finished up my last two Valentines and they are such a fun contrast, I thought I would post them together!!

First, for my sweet little niece - lots of pink and a teddy bear!!


I used the sketch from The Sweet Stop.

Then I still had one more to make - for my 13-year old son.  He couldn't care less about the card - it's just an annoying little thing to open before he gets to the chocolate!!  But I do care - so even though it would have been a waste of time to put a lot of time into it, I still wanted something special.  I think the randomly colored chevron adds the special touch!  And the sentiment is perfect - I'm either saying he's kind of cute or I'm yelling at him - there doesn't seem to be anything in between!

I used the colors from Sunday Stamps.

Hopefully you have Valentines plans.  Sadly, I haven't even thought about it.  I know my husband and I don't have a date because we will be busy get kids back and forth to wrestling, basketball games (the band!), etc.  But I do have big boxes of chocolate for all of my men and that's probably all they really want!

Teddy Bear

• Stamps:  Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Love from Rhubarb, Avery Elle Lots of Love
• Paper: Papertrey Ink Hibiscus Burst, Doodlebug sugar & spice
• Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa, Copics, Papertrey Hibiscus Burst
• Accessories: Trendy Twine Tickled Pink

Chevrons

• Stamps: Avery Elle Lots of Love, To the Point
• Paper: Stampin' Up Early Espresso
• Ink: Stampin' Up Early Espresso, Marina Mist, More Mustard

Love Knots, Hugs and St. Nicholas

It's my day to share over at The Alley Way Stamps and I thought it would be fun to use the new stamp Love Knots for the challenge over at CASual Fridays: Knotty or Nice!  I love this "knotty" heart!

I had envisioned the look of an aspen tree - a white bark - and when I saw the colors at The Paper Players - I knew it would be really sweet to keep it subtle with pops of color.  I also used the sketch from Unscripted Sketches.

This week's challenge at Crazy 4 Challenges inspired me to create another Christmas card.  The challenge was to use our favorite holiday stamp.  I'm not going to say for sure that the stamp on this next card is my very favorite stamp...but I liked it so much that when it was released last month by The Alley Way Stamps - even though I am on the design team, I couldn't bring myself to use it because I was afraid I wouldn't do it justice.  I spent yesterday at a Christmas parade, then at a Christmas concert with a full orchestra and 300 choir members.  I woke up this morning to snow.  If I can't do this stamp justice right now in my joyful Christmas mood, I'll never do it justice...

I used the sketch from The Sweet Stop and I am also going to add this for the current challenge at Christmas Cards All Year Round: Santa.

Love Knots and Huts

• Stamps: The Alley Way Stamps Love Knots, Jibber Jabber ("hugs"), Trees Company (bird)
• Paper: Stampin' Up Sahara Sand, Pool Party
• Ink: Stampin' Up Sahara Sand, Versmark, Memento Espresso Truffle, copics
• Accessories: Stampin' Up Cherry Cobbler twine, EK Success border punch, white embossing powder

Jolly Old St. Nicholas

• Stamps: The Alley Way Stamps Jolly Holiday
• Paper: Stampin' Up Real Red, Papertrey Ink Dark Chocolate, Simple Stories Handmade Holiday Winter Wonderland (the brown with snowflakes), MME Winter Wonderland (the stripes)
• Ink: Memento Espresso Truffle, copics
• Accessories: ribbon from Joann, Echo Park Christmas This & That brads, white felt (on cuffs), Gold Spica (on candles)

Sweet 'n Sassy Season of Blessings

I love the graphic leaves and the fun fonts in the Sweet 'n Sassy Leaf Silhouettes set.  I layered one of the leaves with one of the sentiments for this simple, yet interesting effect...

The layout comes from the current sketch challenge at the Sweet Stop Sketch Challenge blog.  I love all of the flags heading different directions - it's such a festive look!

• Stamps: Sweet 'n Sassy Leaf Silhouettes
• Paper: Stampin' Up Orchard Harvest dsp, Very Vanilla, Early Espresso, Island Indigo CS
• Ink: Stampin' Up Lucky Limeade, Early Espresso
• Accessories: Spellbinders dies, MFT Fishtail Stax, Stampin' Up Rasberry and Vanilla ribbon, Queen & Co. Twinkle Goosebumps

A Cheerful Spring Card for Grandma

My grandmother's birthday is this weekend.  She is into her 90s and until just the last year has been active and spry.  In fact, she would entertain at old-folks homes!!  But this has been a tough year for her so I definitely wanted a very cheerful and full-of-life birthday card.

I started out just planning to play along with The Paper Players challenge: Spring Has Sprung, but I am not a spring color person - I love the brights of summer and the regals of fall - so I needed a little more help.

I checked the Splitcoast Color Challenge which is A Very Wild Bride - which, as crazy as it sounds, is actually the subtles Vanilla, Wasabi and Blushing Bride.  That works!!

And then clearly, not feeling particularly inspired - I had to find a sketch challenge to help me and I used The Sweet Stop Sketch for this week, but I turned it on its side.

It took a lot of help - but I think Grandma is going to smile at her birthday card.

• Stamps: Sweet 'n Sassy Happy Day
• Paper: Stampin' Up Very Vanilla, Wild Wasabi CS and dsp, Blushing Bride CS and dsp
• Ink: Memento black, copics
• Accessories: Stampin' Up Wasabi ribbon, three flower punch, Stickles on the water drops, misc yellow pearls

Sharing a Cup of Tea

I love the idea of slowing down for awhile during this holiday season and sharing a cup of tea with a friend.  However, that friend would definitely not be a mouse!!  Not even the darling Cocoa Mouse!

My plan for this card is to include a tea bag and to invite a friend for a small break from the holiday madness!!

I used this week's color challenge at Splitcoast: Very Vanilla, Wild Wasabi and Real Red.  And I used the The Sweet Stop Sketch Challenge.

Cocoa Mouse is this month's focus at Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps - the whole line is 10% off through December!!  Cocoa has stamps for holidays, seasons, birthdays, summer vacations and more!  I have some Valentine Cocoa stamps that I will be sharing next week!

• Stamps: Sweet 'n Sassy Tea Time Cocoa
• Paper: Stampin' Up Very Vanilla, Wild Wasabi, Real Red, Candy Cane dsp, Red Glimmer CS
• Ink: Memento black, copics
• Accessories: Stampin' Up Very Vanilla Taffeta, Spellbinders circle and oval, EK Success Border Punch, Martha Stewart Crystal Fine Glitter

Hopping with Sweet 'n Sassy!

Welcome to the Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Release Day Blog Hop!

This is a very special hop because we have the Design Divas and the Digi Team together to give you a taste of the stamp sets, digis and dies that are being released tonight!

If you started on my blog, head back to the Sweet 'n Sassy Blog to start at the beginning. 

If you came from Makiko's blog - welcome!  I know you are having a wonderful time and getting lots of great ideas.

I have two fantastic sets to show you.  They are so different, yet each so perfect for the cards that I like to create.

My first card uses God's Purpose.  The main reason that I make cards is for a church cardmaking ministry.  That's part of the reason that Sweet 'n Sassy stamps are such a great fit for me.  This set is a perfect example.  You get this sweet chickadee plus a number of sentiments - all focused on "Thinking of You". 

I used Echo Park Dots & Stripes Christmas dsp which is currently in the Sweet 'n Sassy store.  The chickadee is stamped on kraft paper and then colored with Pastels Pencils.  The berries are done with Copics and a dab of Glossy Accents...and check out the Glossy Accents on his eye!  As a final touch, each branch is covered with some Stickles "snow".

My next card uses the new set Cozy Friends.  I used the same dsp so you could see some of the other patterns.  This guy does "warm my heart"!

His fur is white Flowersoft and it looks much better IRL.  In this photo, it looks like he is shedding!!

And...I'm going to give you a bonus card!  When I am making cards for church, if I make a boy card like the last one, I always make sure I have a similar girl card.  I'm not sure whether I like the bear or the penguin better??!

I love the sentiment on this card and it definitely shows why I love Sweet 'n Sassy.  Even in a cute winter set - they are sure to include a sentiment with "blessings"!

I used Doodlebug dsp and Pink Sorbet baker's twine for this simple card.


Next on our hop is Jessica Fick.

Once you have stopped by each blog, be sure to end up back at the Sweet 'n Sassy blog and leave a comment letting us know your favorite set from what you've seen.  Tonight at the release party, we will hold a random drawing from these comments and the winner will receive the ENTIRE NOVEMBER RELEASE valued at over $130 - 6 stamp sets, 3 die sets and 11 digis!

Then...don't forget to join us tonight at 8:00PM EST in our Sweet 'n Sassy Forum over on Splitcoaststampers - we have a great release party planned!  There will be full reveals of all the stamp sets, digis and dies, plus challenges AND more prizes!!

In case there are any hiccups in our hop - here is the complete list of participants:

SNSS Blog
Kim Schofield
Sandy Domelle
Ceal Pritchett
Mary Faus
Janette Olen
Makiko Jones
Kim Singdahlsen  - YOU ARE HERE!
Jessica Fick
Stephanie Wright
Dina Kowal
Holly McMillen
Carol Longacre
Taylor Usry
Cathy McCauley
Margo Smith
Bridget Finlay
Harriet Skelly
Monika Davis
Korin Sutherland

Happy hopping!!!! See you TONIGHT at the party!


FYI: The polar bear card uses The Sweet Stop Sketch for this week from the Sweet 'n Sassy Challenge blog.

Just Add Sweet Royalty: Time for Sharing

I just got some die cuts from Memory Box - they came yesterday and Just Add Ink's challenge for this week is Just Add Die Cuts - it's meant to be!!

There are two other challenges out there this week that I had to play!  Stampin' Royalty has a great color challenge that adds purple in with fall colors - adding purple (or blue) to oranges/yellows is always fabulous. 

The Sweetest Thing has a sketch challenge that I really needed.  My Cuttlebug will not cut one small part of this die even with multiple shims - so this sketch allowed me to cut that part off!  (FYI: Memory Box dies are really intricate and gorgeous and I do have great luck with them using my Big Shot, but my Big Shot is buried in my scrapbook room under old sheets while I am paying my teenager to take down a wallpaper border.  Sounded like a great idea - just didn't know that it would take months!)

• Stamps: Hero Arts (a REALLY old stamp - it's in the first few pages of my stamp index which makes it more than a decade old!)
• Paper: Stampin' Up More Mustard, Old Olive, Elegant Eggplant, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla CS and So Saffron dsp
• Ink: Stampin' Up More Mustard
• Accessories: Memory Box Wreath die, Nestabilities Circle die, Family Treasures leaf punch, Stampin' Up Scallop border punch, misc ribbon

Sweet Stop and Paper Players: Sympathy

I make so many sympathy cards, but virtually all of them go to our church.  Since I do not know who will send them nor who will receive them, it's quite easy to step back and just enjoy the creation of the card.  This time, I have made this card for a friend who just lost her father to complications from Alzheimers.  I had to rely on some of my favorite challenges because I had no good, original ideas how to make this meaningful for her.

The butterfly is one of the new triple punches from EK Success (they also make the new triple punches for Stampin' Up).  I just found this one this morning at Michaels (50% off!)   It's a great deal but be prepared for some frustration if you run out and buy it.  The base butterfly - a solid butterfly - is VERY difficult to punch.  When you squeeze it as hard as you think you can, none of the inner parts of the butterfly are punched.  I googled and when I saw page after page of forum comments, I realize there is a problem with the EK Success Butterfly Layer Punch.  It turns out that for the solid butterfly, you have to push down evenly and very firmly over the entire punch (not just the squeeze part) - or some say they had luck pushing on the back of the punch - when you do this very firmly, you hear a final click and then the butterfly is fully punched.  It is a pain - - but if everybody is having the problem and since I really want the punch, I guess I will just deal with it.

Thanks to the following challenges for helping me through this card.

The Paper Players

The Sweet Stop

• Stamps: Stampin' Up Thoughts and Prayers
• Paper: Stampin' Up Razzleberry, Basic Gray, Old Olive CS and dsp
• Ink: Versamark
• Accessories: Stampin' Up Embossing Folder, Razzleberry Taffeta, gems, Martha Stewart Doily Tags, EK Success Layering Butterfly Punch

Sweet 'n Sassy: New SCS Member Company

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps is celebrating today as they are the newest member company at Splitcoast Stampers.  I definitely wanted to play with their sketch to be sure to show them some love.  And I really wanted to use one of their Rhubarb digis - a darling little bear!  (FYI: Sweet 'n Sassy has clear stamps and digi stamps, and many of them have a Christian focus.)

• Stamps: Sweet 'n Sassy digi Rhubarb's Punkins, misc sentiment


• Paper: Papertrey Dark Chocolate, Stampin' Up Old Olive, Summer Sun, Pumpkin Pie, American Crafts dsp


• Ink: copics


• Accessories: SU Espresso grosgrain, misc oval punches

For a Super Dad!

This is a seriously bright card - nothing subtle or stylish about this one.  It's way out of my comfort zone, but that is the great thing about being part of a church card ministry - I HAVE to get out of my comfort zone.  As I was making Father's Day cards, I pictured a little boy and wanted him to be thrilled to give a card to his dad.  I am hoping this is the one!

The inside simply says:

I'm so glad

you're my Dad!

I used The Sweet Stop Sketch for this week.

• Stamps: Sweet 'n Sassy Super Dad digi
• Ink: copics
• Paper: SU Basic Black, Daffodil, Poppy, misc patterned paper from Hobby Lobby
• Accessories: Candy Cane Stickles, sparkly black brads, star punch

Peaceful Swans Sympathy

I love these swans by Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps - in my rather large stamp collection, I didn't have a swan until I saw this set.

The other sentiments in the set are just lovely - "Peace be with you", "Be still and know that I am God" and "May the peace of God fill your heart today".

I used a metal impression plate on the white background - I have so many Cuttlebug/Stampin' Up/Sizzix embossing folders that I had really ignored the more subtle texture plates that a number of companies are starting to make.  But I have come to the realization that many times, subtle is good.  This plate comes from Papertrey Ink.
I used this week's Sweet Stop sketch.

This is my second post today using stamps from my recently received Sweet 'n Sassy stamps.  I have one more set to open up - probably later today.  I am going to try so very hard to use new stamps before they get put away as I already have many, many others that have never touched ink!

• Stamps: Sweet 'n Sassy Peaceful Swans
• Ink: Stampin' Up Basic Gray, light blue copics to coordinate with Baja Breeze
• Paper: Stampin' Up Basic Gray, Baja Breeze dsp
• Accessories: Smooch Illuminate Top Coat (on water), Stampin' Up border punch, oval & scalloped oval nesties, gems (colored with copics)

We NEED butterflies!

I love the quote on this card.  I made this for a wonderful lady at church whose life is constantly changing and who manages it at all with her deep faith.  She has multiple sclerosis.  Her 7-yr old daughter has had repeated occurrences of LCH (it's not cancer but is treated like cancer).  Her husband decided he was too weak to handle it all and left ("weak" is my word - I'm sure it isn't his word).  Now she is in the process of moving her family out of their home into an apartment.  And...she manages everything while working full-time and being a dedicated volunteer at church. I know the quote on this card is very simplistic when it comes to her life, but I also know that this is how she views her life - there will be butterflies. She's an amazing inspiration to all of us.

This beautiful butterfly and quote is from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps.  They have a very nice mix of stamps.  They sell digis and clear stamps.  (My butterfly and quote is from the digi set and I have sized down the butterfly a little bit as compared to the clear set). Their stamps range from beautiful and meaningful Christian sentiments to the fun little Cocoa Mouse.  Check him out on this Christmas card.  They have a new digi set called Circus Fun that really needs an excuse to jump into my cart!  (As if any stamp needs an "excuse" to end up in my collection!)

• Stamps: Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Everyday Miracles
• Inks: copics
• Paper: Stampin' Up Concord Crush, Pear Pizzazz, Bashful Blue, Concord Crush dsp
• Accessories: Cuttlebug dot folder, EK Success border punch, unknown leaf punch, misc flower, American Crafts white glitter brads
• Challenges: Splitcoast Stampers Color Challenge and The Sweet Stop Sketch Challenge

Kids Cards for Church

My church cardmaking group doesn't get to do too many cards for children.  They simply don't sell well.  I think that most adults find glitzy, glossy, music-playing, pop-star or cartoon-character cards at the store.  But we do keep a few on our card racks for those that prefer that homemade touch!

Daisy Princess:

• Stamps: Daisy Princess digi from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps
• Inks: copics
• Paper: Stampin' Up Melon Mambo, Peach dsp, Pear dsp, Razzleberry Lemonade dsp
• Accessories: ribbon from Hobby Lobby, spica clear and yellow on the daisies
• Challenges: The Sweet Stop Sketch Challenge and Create, Ink ColorLab Challenge

Popcorn Bear:

• Stamps: Rubbernecker Popcorn Bear
• Inks: copics
• Papers: Stampin' Up Daffodil and Poppy dsp
• Accessories: misc gingham ribbon