Stamping In The Light

One Day At A Time

2012-03-01T19:52:00.001-08:00

Hello again. Second post for me today. For my Pretty Pattern Sketch, please scroll down one post.

Today I'm sharing with you a card I made for the Moxie Fab Cure For The Winter Blues challenge and the Ways To Use It denim challenge on Splitcoast. I started out by stamping the bear from Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company newest set called North American Woods twice onto Corn Husk premium paper and watercolored using prismacolor watercolor pencils and a blender pen.

Once my coloring was finished and some navy blue ink stippled around the edges of the main image panel, I adhered some denim designer paper and sticker snaps before popping up the main image over a sticker "belt". Once that was done, I popped up a second cut out bear and then added a basic gray "faux leather" sticker saying.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day and make sure to stop by the Moxie Fab blog and participate in the challenge. You have until March 11th to participate.

Stamps: MFP North American Woods

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin Up! Night Of Navy

Card Stock: MFP Corn Husk Premium Paper, Stampin Up! Night of Navy, Not Quite Navy Card Stock, Denim Designer Paper,

Accessories: Prismacolor Watercolor Pencils, Stipple Brush, Stickers, Dimensionals, Blender Pen

Inspired By The Oscars - My Time Made Easy Pretty Pattern #50

2012-02-29T21:00:00.000-08:00

Hello and welcome to another My Time Made Easy Pretty Pattern Sketch challenge. I haven't been able to participate the last few weeks due to my migraines, however, this week I was able to get one done despite them.

Since the Oscars were on this last Sunday, I decided to go with a movie theme and used MTME's About To Pop digital stamps along with the matching vintage Countdown digital papers. In order to keep with my Oscars theme, I decided to make sure my card resembled the "envelopes" the stars unseal at the Oscars as they make the announcements of who won what.

After cutting my card out using a Coluzzle file folder template, I printed out the popcorn box and popcorn then got to coloring using my prismacolor markers, then lightly stippled Stampin Up! going gray ink around the sides to "age" it a bit. I also stippled the going gray and then basic gray inks around the edges of the card and over the edges of the "film strip" cut outs before popping up my popcorn, adding some ribbon with a hat pin, and then a couple of black primas with a black pearl center. I'm really happy with the way it turned out.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day and make sure to stop by the My Time Made Easy blog to check out the rest of the Design Teams samples and entries for the week. Also, don't forget today, March 1st, My Time Made Easy has it's new designs release as well!! You'll want to check out all of the newest products here.

Stamps: MTME Pop Some Fun Digital Stamps

Ink: Stampin Up! Basic Gray, Going Gray

Card Stock: MTME Countdown Digital Paper, White

Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Computer, Printer, Ribbon, Pop Dots, Stipple Brush, Hat Pin, Black Pearl Sticker, Primas, Glue Dots, Coluzzle

Hello Friend - Friends of SpeedyTV Challenge #9 & Crazy 4 Challenges

2012-02-26T21:00:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone..how was the weekend?? Mine was a blustery one with another migraine, however I did get some stamping done. I managed to combine two challenges with this one card: the Friends of SpeedyTV by Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company embossing challenge AND this week's two-layer only Crazy 4 Challenges.

After stamping my butterfly in memento tuxedo black ink onto Mark's Finest Papers Snow Storm Smooth premium paper and coloring with prismacolor markers, I set it aside to cut out later to place over my embossed images. Pulling out my Cuttlebug Hello Friend embossing folder & die set, I first dry embossed Great Grandma's Lightest Pink premium paper before stippling Tim Holtz Tattered Rose Distress Ink around the edges and lightly over the top. My saying was then die cut using scrap Aged Cranberry premium paper and adhered using mono adhesive. Once that was done, I cut out the butterfly, adhered it and pinched up the wings for added dimension. A clean and simple design that took only 15 minutes to make.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day and make sure to take some time to participate in both of the challenges this week.

Stamps: MFP Hello Butterflies
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz Tattered Rose
Card Stock: MFP Snow Storm Smooth, Great Grandma Lightest Pink, Aged Cranberry
Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Big Shot, Cuttlebug Embossing Folder & Die Set, Stipple Brush

Let Your Light Shine - MFTWSC60

2012-02-26T18:35:00.000-08:00

It's been a long while since I've been able to participate in a weekly stamp club sketch challenge, but this week I got to play along - migraines and all. I had to do something to keep my mind occupied since my son started getting cyber bullied this weekend. I do not need that added stress for my migraines!

I started out by pulling out some Making Memories vacation designer paper and went from there. After stamping the light from MFT's new Inspired By Lighthouses set on Snow Storm Smooth premium paper by Mark's Finest Papers, I pulled out my prismacolor markers and started coloring. Once the coloring was done, I die cut the image out using MFT's Oval Open Scallop Die-Namic and then stippled Stampin Up! basic gray ink around the image before popping it up over a plain border. For my finishing touches, I die cut three of the Leafy Flourish's and then hand cut out three of flowers from the designer paper. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out since I was on double migraine meds when I put it together.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great evening.

Stamps: MFT Inspired By Lighthouse

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin Up! Basic Gray, Burgundy

Card Stock: MFP Snow Storm Smooth, Stampin Up! Baja Breeze, River Rock, Bravo Burgundy, Making Memories Vacation Designer Paper

Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Stipple Brush, Ice Stickles, MFT Die-Namics, Dimensionals

Spring Bunny - Friends of SpeedyTV 2012 Challenge #8

2012-02-19T22:49:00.000-08:00

Hello and Happy President's Day!!! Today the Friends of SpeedyTV by Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company challenges you to use three (3) or more punches on a project. For my card, I chose to use Martha Stewart's lattice arch border, butterfly, and grass punches combined with the newly released set called Blessings.

Once I stamped my bunny in memento tuxedo black ink onto Mark's Finest Papers Snow Storm Smooth premium paper, I pulled out my prismacolor markers and got to coloring making sure to shade the bunny and lilies in various shades of brown and pinks. Once all of my coloring was done, I pulled out my stipple brushes and some Stampin Up! inks and lightly stippled around the edges of my main image before adding the lattice arch border across the middle and popping up the image panel with dimensionals over it. Then I took some scrap sage shadow card stock and punched out a grass border, stippled some sage shadow ink over the blades, then added it in front of my bunny. My final touch was to punch two butterflies from scrap regal rose card stock, making sure to pull the wings of one butterfly up for added dimension.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day and please join us at SpeedyTV for this week's challenge.

Stamps: MFP Blessings

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin Up! Sage Shadow, Bashful Blue

Card Stock: MFP Snow Storm Smooth Premium Paper, Stampin Up! Sage Shadow, Making Memories English Garden Designer Paper, Card Stock Scraps

Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Dimensionals, Brads, Martha Stewart Punches, Stipple Brushes, Bling, Micro Pop Dots

Dogwood Blossoms - Mark's Finest Papers Blog Hop Day 4

2012-02-16T21:00:00.000-08:00

Hello! Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's February Blog Hop!

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Relax A Bit Featured February 14
North American Woods Featured February 15
Blessings Featured February 16
Dogwood Blossoms Featured February 17

Please hop along with us! You have a chance to win one of the above stamp sets! Just comment on the following blogs (don't forget this one), each day for more chances to win! (You do NOT have to comment on all the blogs each day! The names are drawn randomly!) All four winners will be announced on February 18, 2012 on the Mark's Finest Papers blog. You can go back and comment if you missed a day. (HINT: The more you comment, the more chances you have to win and comments on the MFP blog count twice!) The deadline for commenting is 11PM EST on Friday February 17, 2012.

Bonnie (that's me)

Our new promotion begins this month! With the purchase of the February New Release Package, you will receive this stamp set for FREE!

Our February New Release Mini:

Spring Joy

Today we are featuring Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company newest set called Dogwood Blossoms. This is another versatile set to use for just about any occasion and can be colored easily with very little effort.

For my card today, I wanted to go back to what it was like as a beginning stamper. I remember feeling so intimidated by some of the other cards and projects I saw being posted out on group sites and in blog land, so I decided today to go with a very simple design. Good thing too since my migraines kicked in again. Ugh!

Ok, after stamping my image in memento tuxedo black on Mark's Finest Papers Snow Storm Smooth premium paper (excellent stuff by the way), I pulled out my prismacolor markers and did very little coloring or blending on my blossoms. The image is so simple and pretty on it's own, that I didn't feel a whole lot of color was needed. After stamping my saying underneath and adding some baby brads, I then doodled around the edges before layering. A lightest pink satin ribbon with a leaf hat pin are my only other embellishments.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day and don't forget to stop by the rest of the Senior Design Teams blogs and leave a comment for a chance to win today's set.

Stamps: MFP Dogwood Blossoms

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin Up! Green Galore

Card Stock: MFP Snow Storm Smooth, Lily Pad, Markie's Strawberry Milkshake Premium Papers

Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Ribbon, Hat Pin, Black Marker, Baby Brads

Blessings - Mark's Finest Papers Blog Hop Day 3

2012-02-15T21:00:00.000-08:00

Hello! Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's February Blog Hop!

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Relax A Bit Featured February 14
North American Woods Featured February 15
Blessings Featured February 16
Dogwood Blossoms Featured February 17

Our new promotion begins this month! With the purchase of the February New Release Package, you will receive this stamp set for FREE!

Our February New Release Mini:

Spring Joy

Today we're featuring Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company's newest set called Blessings. This is a fantastic set for not only Easter cards, but Spring, Get Well, Anniversary, Birthday....basically anytime of the year using the images combined with different sayings from any other stamp set.

My card today is one I've had designed in my head for some time, however, I just didn't have the right stamp images to go with it. Now with the release of Mark's Finest Papers set Blessings, I have those images. I was originally inspired by some lattice ribbon I found in Michael's $1 bins over 2years ago, bought, and knew I would eventually use at some point.

After I stamped my lily images in memento tuxedo black in on Mark's Finest Papers Snow Storm Smooth, I wanted my lilies to be a color other than white, so after googling pictures of lilies, I finally decided on the colors my flowers ended up being, and then carefully cut them out. Pulling out my Martha Stewart lattice fence punch, I punched a border to place over the ribbon to give the "lattice" feel more dimension. The same effect can be achieved using the Martha Stewart Arch Lattice Edge punch. After adding some brads to hold my punched border & ribbon in place, I popped it all up on dimensionals before adding my saying. Since I was making an Easter card, I carefully cut apart one entire saying from the Blessings set, and then rearranged it to stamp vertically and also allow the Easter saying to be placed in the center. My final touch is an EK Success sticker I've had in my stash for a couple of years.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day and don't forget to stop by all of the Senior Design Team blogs and leave some a comment for a chance to win today's set.

Stamps: MFP Blessings

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz Tattered Rose

Card Stock: MFP Snow Storm Smooth, Markie's Strawberry Milkshake, Deep Olive, Lily Pad Premium Papers

Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Dimensionals, Sticker, Pearl Heart Brads, Martha Stewart Lattice Border Punch, Lattice Ribbon

North American Woods - Mark's Finest Papers Blog Hop Day 2

2012-02-14T21:00:00.000-08:00

Hello! Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's February Blog Hop!

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Relax A Bit Featured February 14
North American Woods Featured February 15
Blessings Featured February 16
Dogwood Blossoms Featured February 17

Our new promotion begins this month! With the purchase of the February New Release Package, you will receive this stamp set for FREE!

Our February New Release Mini:

Spring Joy

I have to say - I love the woods/mountains. Of course, it does help living fairly close to Yosemite National Park and all of the beauty the park has to offer. Today's featured set by Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company called North American Woods reminds me so much of Yosemite. Of course, the bear stamp would definitely remind my son of Yosemite for sure since he and some church friends ran into a black bear while hiking on Tioga Pass on summer.

My first card I have today was inspired by my son's bear encounter in Yosemite. After stamping the image in memento tuxedo black on Mark's Finest Papers Corn Husk, I pulled out my under used prismacolor watercolor pencils and blender pen to color the image before stippling Stampin Up! close to cocoa ink around the edges. To add to the rustic feel I was looking for, I pulled out my Tim Holtz bark distress embossing folder and then sanded it a bit before stippling the cocoa ink over the top a little for some color.

My next card is stamped in memento tuxedo black on Mark's Finest Papers Corn Husk premium paper and colored using prismacolor watercolor pencils and a blender pen with Stampin Up! basic gray lightly stippled around the edges of the image and the card. I then stamped the same wolf image using Stampin Up! going gray onto scrap card stock before stamping again without re-inking onto Mark's Finest Papers Marbled Smokey Haze. The only embellishments I chose were some Making Memories baby brads and some black tear drops. I was trying to get the tear drop grouping to look like the claws on a wolf's paw.

I'm really happy with how both of these turned out since my migraines kicked back into high gear this last weekend. Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day and make sure to stop by the rest of the design team blogs for a chance to win today's featured set.

Stamps: MFP North American Woods

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin Up! Close To Cocoa, Going Gray, Basic Gray

Card Stock: MFP Corn Husk, Aged Sunflower, Marbled Smokey Haze, French Vanilla Bean, Gray Storm

Accessories: Prismacolor Watercolor Pencils, Blender Pen, Making Memories Brads, Vintage Brads, Tim Holtz Bark Distress Embossing Folder, Big Shot, Stipple Brush, Glue Dots, Black Tear Drops, Buttons

Relax A Bit - Mark's Finest Papers Blog Hop Day 1

2012-02-13T21:00:00.000-08:00

Hello! Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's February Blog Hop!

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Relax A Bit Featured February 14
North American Woods Featured February 15
Blessings Featured February 16
Dogwood Blossoms Featured February 17

Our new promotion begins this month! With the purchase of the February New Release Package, you will receive this stamp set for FREE!

Our February New Release Mini:

Spring Joy

Today we are featuring Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company new set Relax A Bit. This set is "right up my alley" since I am a tea drinker. With all of my migraine problems, sometimes I find a cup of tea helps settle my headaches at times, nerves, and generally really help me relax a lot next to stamping.

I started out by stamping my image in memento tuxedo black on Mark's Finest Papers Snow Storm Smooth premium paper and colored with prismacolor markers before lightly stippling Stampin Up! brocade blue around the edges. I then layered the image on Mark's Finest Papers Cherry Slush, Making Memories English Garden designer paper from my stash, and then Evergreen premium paper before popping it up over some really cool ric rac ribbon with a tea bag charm.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day and don't forget to stop by the rest of the design team blogs for a chance to win today's featured set.

Stamps: MFP Relax A Bit

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin Up! Brocade Blue

Card Stock: MFP Snow Storm Smooth, Cherry Slush, Evergreen, Making Memories English Garden Designer Paper

Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Charm, Pop Dots, Stipple Brush, Brads, Ribbon, Thread

Love Bunny

2012-02-03T00:32:00.000-08:00

Hello and welcome to Friday!! Today I'm sharing a card I made for the Moxie Fab World Die Cut Challenge. Now I usually have problems working with any die cuts that are not your basic "cut and glue" types. However, I wanted to participate in the challenge, so I pulled out my TCP Heart Rosette and Queen of Hearts border dies.

After stamping my Feelin' Cupidy image twice on white card stock in memento tuxedo black ink, I pulled out my prismacolor markers and colored both of them before cutting my card stock with my dies.

Once I had two of the rosettes out, and cutting one section to the center, I began the folding process overlapping both of the end pieces. Well whadda ya know!!! It works!! At least for me it finally does!! Now it was time for the border to be die cut and after punching out the hearts, I pulled some of them aside to use as embellishments later. After adding a sparkling dew drop to the center of my rosette and some primas to the top, I popped up the second rabbit image, added those extra hearts I kept aside and was done. Fairly quick and easy AND painless even with a migraine. Thank you Alma for making a rosette die that I can actually make work right!!!!!!

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great weekend and there's still time to participate in the Moxie Fab World Cool Tools: Die Cutting challenge over on Cath's blog. There is also still plenty of time to making a card for the Cat's Pajamas Valentine Blog Hop.

Stamps: TCP Feelin' Cupidy
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Card Stock: White, Stampin Up! Close To Cocoa, Melon Mambo, Pink Pirouette, K&Company Designer Paper
Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, TCP Heart Rosette Die, TCP Queen Of Hearts Die, Big Shot, Dimensionals, Dew Drop, Pop Up Glue Dots, Primas, Small Glue Dots, Martha Stewart 2-Way Glue Pen

I'm So Proud Of You - My Time Made Easy Pretty Pattern Sketch #46

2012-02-01T21:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Groundhog Day!!!!
Hello and welcome to Thursday and another My Time Made Easy Pretty Pattern Sketch challenge. This week I chose to go with some oldies but goodies for my card instead of using our new February release, so watch for those next week.

I started out by downloading the Lunch Box Love Notes digital set, and then using Photoshop Elements© to combine the images & saying. Once that was done and printed out, I stamped the acrylic Petal Perfection set onto the card and borders before adding strips of our Color Infusion digital paper. After that was done, and my main image layered, I just popped it up over the borders using pop dots, added a ribbon scrap knot and my card was finished.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day and don't forget to check out the newest products released this week at My Time Made Easy.

Stamps: MTME Lunch Box Love Notes Digital, Petal Perfection Acrylic Sets

Ink: Stampin Up! Pixie Pink

Card Stock: White, Stampin Up! Pixie Pink, Orchid Opulance, MTME Color Infusion Digital

Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Ribbon, Glue Dots, Pop Dots, Computer, Printer, Photoshop Elements

Love Stinks

2012-02-01T05:49:00.000-08:00

Short post today since I'm still dealing with a migraine and have had no sleep.

Hello and welcome to Wednesday. Yay!! That means the week is half way over!! I have not been feeling my best lately thanks to my migraines, but I just had to ink up my Cat's Pajamas Love Stinks set. I just love those penguins Alma draws!! They're so cute and addicting!! I decided while stamping to follow the rules for the TCP Tuesday 193 and 194 challenges for the card as well as the Valentine Blog Hop on Alma's Blog.

After stamping my penguins in memento tuxedo black twice, so I could cut one set out and pop up later, I colored them with prismacolor markers before stippling Stampin Up! regal rose ink around the edges of the image panel and card itself. Then taking my Queen of Hearts Border, I die cut one border and saved the little hearts that are punched out of it to use as faux brads. After layering my penguins, and adding my faux brads, I popped up the image panel over the border using Stampin Up! dimensionals and then added the additional cut out penguins with dimensionals as well. As a last minute thought, I stamped the hearts in the top corners before adding more hearts next to the sentiment.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day.

Stamps: TCP Love Stinks
Card Stock: White, Stampin Up! Pink Pirouette, Melon Mango, Chocolate Chip
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin Up! Regal Rose
Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Dimensionals, TCP Queen of Hearts Border Die, Stipple Brush, MS 2-Way Glue Pen

Hearts and Peace - Friends of SpeedyTV 2012 Challenge #5

2012-01-29T21:00:00.000-08:00

Hello and welcome to Monday and another Friends of SpeedyTV challenge by Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company. This week we are challenging you to use sentiments only on your card as the focal point.

For my card, I chose to use the All About Love mini stamp set. I pulled out a strip of scrap Markie's Strawberry Milk premium paper and lightly stippled Tim Holtz Tattered Rose and Dusty Concord inks around the edges and over the top of the card itself. I then took a couple of punched pieces of card stock I received as a RAK and stamped my sentiment in memento tuxedo black ink on the white before stippling the tattered rose around the edges again. I did the same again with the scalloped layer before adhering to the card and then adding some Recollections glitter flowers with bling centers. My card took a total of 10 minutes to make and I'm pretty happy with it.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day and come join us this week at Friends of SpeedyTV.

Stamps: MFP All About Love Mini
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz Dusty Concord, Tattered Rose Distress Inks
Card Stock: MFP Markie's Strawberry Milk Premium Paper, Punched Scraps
Accessories: Stipple Brushes, Flowers, Glue Dots, Bling

Love Roses

2012-01-29T00:07:00.000-08:00

Welcome and happy Sunday. Although my migraines are still giving me fits, I decided to medicate and stamp anyways and see what happens - other than a little crooked alignment. LOL I decided to combine a couple of challenges with this post, both the Inspiration and Crazy 4 Challenges.

For my card, I pulled out Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company newest set called Love Remains and stamped the main rose image several times on Mark's Finest Papers Grandma's Snow Covered Porch premium paper in memento tuxedo black before coloring with prismacolor markers. I then took one rose, stippled turquoise ink around the edges, and layered it before adding some rose brads to the side. For the remaining roses, I cut various sections of them out to pop up with dimensionals and pop dots for varying levels of layers before adding diamond ice stickles to highlight. I then took the finished product and popped it up over several layers of scalloped die cut borders before adding a gold heart clip. My final touch was carefully cutting the LOVE saying apart and stamping the letters seperately underneath my layered rose. Here's a close up of the finished product.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day.

Stamps: MFP Love Remains
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin Up! Tempting Turquoise
Card Stock: MFP Grandma's Snow Covered Porch, Stampin Up! Tempting Turquoise, Black, Rose Red
Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, MFT Scalloped Die-Namic, Stampin Up! Rose Red Brads, Stipple Brush, Diamond Ice Stickles, Gold Heart Clip

Winter Knit Cap - My Time Made Easy Pretty Pattern Sketch #45

2012-01-25T21:00:00.000-08:00

Hello and welcome to another My Time Made Easy Pretty Pattern Sketch challenge. Sorry about missing last week's challenge, however, my migraines have been awful the last couple of weeks and I couldn't even look at the computer let alone stamp. This week I chose to use one of our recently released sets called Winter Knits paired with the matching digital paper Femmie Flakes & Fuzzies.

After downloading and printing out my image twice onto white card stock, I pulled out my prismacolor markers and got to coloring trying to match the digital paper as much as possible. Once both images were colored, I put one aside to cut out and pop up later and began stippling Stampin Up! sage shadow ink around the first before layering. Once my layering was done, I pulled out my Martha Stewart snowflake punch and punched some scrap sage shadow card stock, added some bling to the snowflake centers and then some faux basic grey brads. The final touch to my card was popping up the second image using pop dots from Michael's.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day and join us this week at My Time Made Easy for the challenge.

Stamps: MTME Winter Knits Digital Stamps

Card Stock: MTME Digital Femmie Flakes & Fuzzies, White, Stampin Up! Sage Shadow, Rose Red, Basic Grey

Ink: Stampin Up! Sage Shadow

Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Computer, Printer, Martha Stewart Snowflake Punch, Glue Dots, Bling, Stipple Brush, Mini Hole Punch, Martha Stewart 2-Way Glue Pen

You Are Cherished - Mark's Finest Papers Blog Hop Day 4

2012-01-19T21:00:00.000-08:00

Hello! Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's January Blog Hop!

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Love Remains Featured January 17
Cowgirls Rule Featured January 18
Sending Happy Thoughts Featured January 19
You Are Cherished Featured January 20

Please hop along with us! You have a chance to win one of the above stamp sets! Just comment on the following blogs (don't forget this one), each day for more chances to win! (You do NOT have to comment on all the blogs each day! The names are drawn randomly!)We will announce all four winners on January 21, 2012 on the Mark's Finest Papers blog. You can go back and comment if you missed a day. (HINT: The more you comment, the more chances you have to win!) The winners will be chosen at 11PM EST on Friday January 20, 2012.

Hi there. Thanks for hopping with us all this week. I hope you have found some projects to inspire you with the new stamp sets from Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company. Today is the last day of our hop so make sure you've left comments along the way for a chance to win one of the daily stamp sets.

My project today touches on a subject we all have to address at some point, yet seem to have a hard time stamping - Sympathy cards. I found out this week that a family friend lost both of her parents recently, and I thought the new You Are Cherished set would be perfect.

After stamping my image onto Mark's Finest Papers Snow Storm Smooth premium paper and colored with prismacolor markers, I went looking on the Internet for the lyrics to Celine Dion's song from Titanic "My Heart Goes On" and printed those off in a MS Word document on regular white card stock. Then I decided to stipple Tim Holtz Scattered Straw and Tattered Rose distress inks around the card and layered heart image before adding some satin ribbon, heart clip and angel charm from my stash with a circle clip. My saying was created by taking the PEACE from the stamp set and carefully cutting it apart so I could stamp the letters individually and split the heart.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day and don't forget to stop by the rest of the Design Team's blogs for a chance to win today's stamp set.

Stamps: MFP You Are Cherished, Happy Pansies (for ladybugs)

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz Scattered Straw & Tattered Rose Distress Inks

Card Stock: MFP Snow Storm Smooth Premium Paper, Limeade, Barely Pink, Morning Sun

Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Stipple Brushes, Charm, MFP Satin Ribbons, Heart Clip, Circle Clip, Pop Dots, Brads

Sending Happy Thoughts - Mark's Finest Papers Blog Hop Day 3

2012-01-18T21:18:00.000-08:00

Hello! Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's January Blog Hop!

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Love Remains Featured January 17
Cowgirls Rule Featured January 18
Sending Happy Thoughts Featured January 19
You Are Cherished Featured January 20

Please hop along with us! You have a chance to win one of the above stamp sets! Just comment on the following blogs (don't forget this one), each day for more chances to win! (You do NOT have to comment on all the blogs each day! The names are drawn randomly!)We will announce all four winners on January 21, 2012 on the Mark's Finest Papers blog. You can go back and comment if you missed a day. (HINT: The more you comment, the more chances you have to win!) The winners will be chosen at 11PM EST on Friday January 20, 2012.

Growing up I had always wanted to collect butterflies and flowers. However, living in an apartment back then, having a collection wasn't exactly an easy thing to do. There wasn't all of the fun collectors shadow boxes, preservative stuff, etc that kids have now-a-days. If I wanted to smash a flower between the pages of a heavy book, then that was possible even though afterwards there was no place to "store" or "show" them.

Today's set, Sending Happy Thoughts by Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company allows me, and anyone else, to be a kid again. Once I saw this set, I knew what I how I wanted to present it for today's blog hop. After I stamped my images on Snow Storm Smooth premium paper in memento tuxedo black ink and colored them with prismacolor markers, I cut all of them out to be "pinned" or "glued" into a Martha Stewart shadow box I had bought a Michael's a year ago or so on clearance. Once all of my cutting was done, I pulled out some Prima flowers and leaves, roses, and my Martha Stewart large butterfly punch with some scrap designer paper. After arranging everything in my shadow box, it was time to glue/pin it all down then add some bling for the final embellishment.

Here's a close up of the shadow box without the cover on. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out considering I'm still dealing a migraine and my project was put together while still on meds for it.

Thanks for stopping by today. Don't forget to stop by all of the designers blogs and leave a comment for a chance to win today's set. Have a great day.

Stamps: MFP Sending Happy Thoughts

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Card Stock: MFP Snow Storm Smooth

Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Martha Stewart Butterfly Punch, Martha Stewart Shadow Box, Prima Flowers, Prima Leaves, Bling, Glue Dots, Pop Up Glue Dots, Pins

Cowgirls Rule - Mark's Finest Papers Blog Hop Day 2

2012-01-17T21:00:00.000-08:00

Hello! Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's January Blog Hop!

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Love Remains Featured January 17
Cowgirls Rule Featured January 18
Sending Happy Thoughts Featured January 19
You Are Cherished Featured January 20

Please hop along with us! You have a chance to win one of the above stamp sets! Just comment on the following blogs (don't forget this one), each day for more chances to win! (You do NOT have to comment on all the blogs each day! The names are drawn randomly!)We will announce all four winners on January 21, 2012 on the Mark's Finest Papers blog. You can go back and comment if you missed a day. (HINT: The more you comment, the more chances you have to win!) The winners will be chosen at 11PM EST on Friday January 20, 2012.

Bonnie (that's me)

When I first saw the new Cowgirls Rule stamp set by Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company, I literally squealed with delight. In all of my years of stamping (14+), I have not seen a more adorable cowgirl set. I am in love with this little girl and her horse. She is so easy to color even with a migraine. *wink*

I started out by stamping my images in memento tuxedo black ink onto Mark's Finest Papers Vanilla Bean premium paper before coloring with prismacolor markers and stippling Tim Holtz Tattered Rose distress ink around the layered image and Adirondack caramel ink lightly over it.

My final embellishments were some thread along the card and thread curled into a rope, mini pewter brads for "nails", and popping up my cowgirl's Stetson hat over the saddle.

Thanks for stopping by today. Don't forget to stop by all of the Design Team blogs and leave some love for a chance to win today's set. Have a great day.

Stamps: MFP Cowgirls Rule
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz Tattered Rose, Adirondack Caramel
Card Stock: MFP Vanilla Bean, Pink, Florida Peach, Michael's Designer Paper
Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Pop Dots, Pewter Brads, Thread, Ranger Crystal Accents, Stipple Brushes

Love Remains - Mark's Finest Papers Blog Hop Day 1

2012-01-16T21:00:00.000-08:00

Hello! Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's January Blog Hop!

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Love Remains Featured January 17
Cowgirls Rule Featured January 18
Sending Happy Thoughts Featured January 19
You Are Cherished Featured January 20

Please hop along with us! You have a chance to win one of the above stamp sets! Just comment on the following blogs (don't forget this one), each day for more chances to win! (You do NOT have to comment on all the blogs each day! The names are drawn randomly!)We will announce all four winners on January 21, 2012 on the Mark's Finest Papers blog. You can go back and comment if you missed a day. (HINT: The more you comment, the more chances you have to win!) The winners will be chosen at 11PM EST on Friday January 20, 2012.

Mary

Hello and welcome. I hope you're enjoying the blog hop so far. Today I have two projects to share with you featuring today's set Love Remains. This is a beautiful Valentine's set, anniversary set, birthday, or just because you want to say I Love You to someone. When I first saw this stamp set it reminded me of my great aunt Aggie's prize rose garden she had in front of my grandparents house in San Fernando, California. Every summer while growing up I'd get to spend a week or two at grandma & grandpa's down south and aunt Aggie would let me help tend her roses. That was really a treat since she didn't let many people touch those roses since they were her "babies". After she and grandma died, grandpa tore the rose garden out since he didn't have the health to take care of them. However, every time I look at the roses in this set, I keep seeing Aggie's rose garden and it's aunt Aggie's red and pink roses I let be my inspiration for both of the projects I'm sharing with you today.

My first project is, of course, framed art. I love making framed projects that can be used as gifts or placed around the house. I decided to pair my framed roses with my favorite song, Bette Midler's The Rose, so I hunted down the lyrics online, and pasted them into a MS Word document and copied/pasted the lyrics until I had an entire page covered when printed landscape. I then cut down the page to fit the open part of the frame before removing the glass and then replacing the glass behind the lyrics for added support. Once that was done, I took the large rose, and smaller rosebuds, and stamped them in memento tuxedo black onto Mark's Finest Papers Snow Storm Smooth premium paper before coloring all of them with prismacolor markers and cutting out the rosebuds and leaves. I then took all of the cut out images and started adhering them on top of the lyrics using glue dots, pop dots, and pop up glue dots as needed to achieve varying layers of dimension. Once that was done, I pulled out my sentiment, stamped it onto scrap card stock, added some faux brads, and adhered it to the top right corner before adding ice stickles to the roses for a little sparkle.

My second project uses the rosebud stamped on the card itself with the Happy Valentine's Day saying as the background to the larger rose as the centerpiece. Again two roses are stamped on Mark's Finest Papers Snow Storm Smooth premium paper and colored with prismacolor markers, with one of the roses cut out and popped up for dimension. Stampin Up! poppy ink is lightly stippled around the edges of the layered image before some adding pearl heart brads I picked up at Michael's during the Christmas holiday's.

Once my layered image was added, I pulled out some Ripened Tomato Luxury Satin ribbon and adorned the knot I tied with a white heart hat pin threaded through a pewter heart charm from my stash. My final embellishment is some mini magenta roses adhered with glue dots.

Thanks for stopping by today. Don't forget to stop by all of the designers blogs and leave some love for a chance to win today's stamp set. Have a great day.

Stamps: MFP Love Remains

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin Up! Poppy, Real Red

Card Stock: MFP Snow Storm Smooth, Speedy The Cat Black, Cherry Slush Premium Papers

Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Dollar Store Frame, Hat Pin, Glue Dots, Pop Dots, Pop Up Glue Dots, Heart Charm, Pearl Heart Brads, Magenta Roses, Ribbon, MS Word, Computer, Printer, Ice Stickles

The Rose Lyrics © Bette Midler

Working With Pencils - Friends of SpeedyTV 2012 Challenge #3

2012-01-15T21:58:00.000-08:00

Hello and happy Monday. Welcome to another Friends of SpeedyTV by Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company. This week we are challenging you to work with your colored pencils. Yes, that's right - put down those Copic markers, Prismacolor markers, Stampin Up! markers, or any other marker you're used to working with on a normal basis and dust off those pencils we all HAD to have at one point or another. Since I had a hard time deciding on which images I was going to work with this week, I made two cards for my challenge inspiration.

My first card uses one of Mark's Finest Papers winter sets, however, I chose to turn it into a spring set instead. Let talk you through it. I stamped the winter set What A Fox in memento tuxedo black ink onto Mark's Finest Papers Snow Storm Smooth premium paper and pulled out my koh-i-noor pencils and prismacolor blender marker. I chose various shades of blue for the stream since it wouldn't be frozen and I wanted to show some "depth" to the water and made sure to "pull" the water far into the distance. Once my coloring of the water was done, I pulled out a couple of different browns for the trees; making sure to use the lightest brown for the smallest limbs so they would blend well with the green "leaf canopy" I would be making. I used the lighter shades of green for the meadow grass and then all of the green pencils I had to make the "leaf canopy" making sure to bring the color down close to the meadow. Once my coloring was done, I pulled out my stipple brushes and some Stampin Up and Tim Holtz inks and lightly stippled over the penciled coloring to "soften" and blend finish everything together. I did the same for the stream using bashful blue ink.

Once the coloring of my meadow, stream and canopy was done, I turned my attention to the foxes I wanted to add to the scene. I had also stamped two additional foxes to color, cut out and pop up for some added dimension when I was totally finished with the card. Once all of the layering was done, I pulled out my Tim Holtz bark texture embossing folder and ran the card through my Big Shot as well as a border strip and add some mini pewter brads to hold that in place. My final embellishments besides the popped up foxes was adding some Ranger Crystal Accents to the stream for added dimension there too, and some wonderful Mark's Finest Papers sheer ribbon. Now isn't this a great way to get extra mileage out of a winter set that can be used for any occasion??

My second card is strictly for the boys. I had wanted to use Mark's Finest Papers background set, Background Fun, but wasn't quite sure what I was going to do with it until I was completely done with my fox card. Taking the "weave" image from the background set, I stamped it on my card in artichoke ink (so it would look like the back of a pickup) before embossing it using the Tim Holtz bark texture embossing folder I still had out. Once the card was stamped and embossed, I pulled out the Big Boy Toys stamp set and stamped the truck scene in memento tuxedo black on Snow Storm Smooth premium paper and also colored it with various koh-i-noor pencils and a prismacolor blender marker. Once my coloring and layering were done, I pulled out my distressing tool and distressed the sides of the layers for a "rugged" look and then added some screw shaped designer brads for that "all boy feel". Just before adhering the layered image, I last minute decided for a stamped border, so once again pulled out the background weave stamp, stamped the border in weathered wood ink and adhered it using the same designer brads before adding some silver sticker dots to the bottom right corner.

Using colored pencils can be a lot of fun. So take a break from those markers and come join us in this week's challenge over at SpeedyTV. Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day.

Stamps: MFP Big Boy Toys, Background Fun, What A Fox

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz Pine Needles, Weathered Wood, Stampin Up! Artichoke, Bashful Blue, Garden Green, Wild Wasabi, Caramel

Card Stock: MFP Snow Storm Smooth Premium Paper, Deep Olive, Hurricane Gray,

Accessories: Koh-I-Noor Pencils, Prismacolor Blender Marker, Ribbon, Pop Dots, Tim Holtz Bark Texture Embossing Folder, Big Shot, Mini Pewter Brads, Stipple Brushes, Glue Dots, Metal Sticker Dots, SU Distressing Tool, Ranger Crystal Effects

Warm Hugs

2012-01-15T20:51:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone. Sorry about the short post. I've been having some major migraine issues this last week again. In fact, I have been in the dark since last Wednesday and just typing this post is hurting the head.

Today I'm sharing a card with you I made for the Clearly Inspired Valentine Challenge for Clear Dollar Stamps. I used the Toasty Bears digital set and just paired it up with some valentine background papers, cuttlebug embossing folder, heart brads and ribbon. I printed out the images twice and colored with prismacolor markers before cutting one set out and stippling Stampin Up! bashful blue and sage shadow inks around them to soften up the white areas. Once that was done I popped up the bears and fire on pop dots for a little added dimension and my card was done.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day.

Stamps: CDS Toasty Bears Digital Image

Ink: Stampin Up! Bashful Blue, Sage Shadow, Regal Rose

Card Stock: White, Stampin Up! Regal Rose, Rose Red, Sage Shadow, Designer Paper

Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Cuttlebug Embossing Folder, Big Shot, Stipple Brushes, Ribbon, Heart Brads, Pop Dots, Glue Dots

Underwater Friends - My Time Made Easy Pretty Pattern Sketch #43

2012-01-11T21:00:00.000-08:00

Hello and welcome to another My Time Made Easy Pretty Pattern Sketch Challenge. This week the team has come up with a simple sketch with a twist for you. The "green line" in the upper left corner can be made into several different things. I've seen the design teams doing all kinds of twists with that layer.

For my card, I chose to use My Time Made Easy's Underwater Wonderment digital set paired with the Under The Cabana digital paper again. After I downloaded the images, I then "overlapped them" using Photoshop and added my own sentiment as well before coloring and lightly stippling Stampin Up! bashful blue ink around the images for a slight watery feel.

Once my layering was done using the star flowers from Under The Cabana, alternating with Stampin Up! sahara sand, I adhered the main image panel to a baja breeze card with a layer of wave designer paper that's been in my stash for years. The only embellishments I used were pearl stickers and then ice stickles to highlight portions of my colored image. I'm pretty pleased with my card considering I made it while still dealing with these blasted migraines and was on pain killers at the time.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day and we hope you'll play along with us at My Time Made Easy.

Stamps: MTME Digital Underwater Wonderment

Ink: Stampin Up! Bashful Blue

Card Stock: White, Stampin Up! Baja Breeze, Sahara Sand, MTME Digital Under The Cabana, Scrap Designer Paper

Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Stipple Brush, Ice Stickles, Pearl Stickers

I Want To Hold Your Hand - TCP Tuesday 191 & 192

2012-01-11T18:37:00.000-08:00

Hello and welcome to Wednesday and knowing that your week is half over.

Double challenge here!!! How's that for multi-tasking?? I was able to get both the TCPTUES inspiration and embossing challenges with the same card by using one of my favorite TCP sets Idols. Now who do these little guys remind you of? They are so much like the Beatles (I know I added an extra singer) that I just had to buy the set when first I saw it.

For the inspiration part, I chose to go with the hearts in the photos and pulled out my cuttlebug heart blocks embossing folder to use for the embossing challenge since I refuse to use my heat gun as much as I can.

After I stamped all of my images on Mark's Finest Papers snowstorm smooth white premium paper in memento tuxedo black, I pulled out my prismacolor markers and colored the open images; blending as needed. For the cymbal, I pulled out my metallic crayola pencils to use the gold pencil on that part. After I was done cutting some of the images, and hair, out, I pulled out some pop dots to add a little dimension to the "stage" before adding some musical note brads I had found at Michael's a few months back. Some ribbon tied in a knot at the top is the only other embellishment I added to my card.

Thanks for stopping by today. Hop on over to Alma's blog for all of the deets about this week's challenge and the opportunity to be next month's Swanky Stamper!! Have a great day.

Stamps: TCP Idols
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Card Stock: MFP Snowstorm Smooth, Stampin Up! Real Red
Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Cuttlebug Heart Blocks Embossing Folder, Big Shot, Musical Note Brads, Pop Dots, Ribbon

Dogs Have Owners....

2012-01-10T00:37:00.000-08:00

Cats have staff!!! That is sooooooo true!!! At least in my household with the 5 cats I have and the one dog. That fantastic saying is from the retired Mod Mod World set from The Cat's Pajamas.

I signed up for an ATC swap over on Splitcoaststampers back in December having never made ATC's before. Not exactly the brightest thing for me to do, huh? However, thanks to my trusty friend KJ, aka KelliJo on SCS, she reminded me of the resources section on Splitcoast so I found the tutorial on how to cut ATC's.

So once I stamped all of my images from Mod, Mod World, I colored Miss Sprinkles eyes and the stripe on her spaceship with prismacolor markers before realizing my spaceship was the same size as the main layer of the ATC. That's a slight problem. So I then had to cut out all of the images I had just colored, set those aside, then cut my ATC's, designer paper layer, and then another black layer with a stamped background. After punching holes for my ribbon to go through, I also punched some Martha Stewart rockets and some funky looking star clusters. Since the rockets looked a little plain to me, I found my MFT Banner Alpha and stamped the TCP on the rockets before adding them to the ATC's. After popping up Sprinkle's spaceship, the rocket, adding bling to the funky star clusters and ice stickles, my ATC's were done. Well? What do you think?

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day.

Stamps: TCP Mod Mod World, MFT Banner Alpha

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Lady Bug Red, Paris Dusk, Bahama Blue, Stampin Up! Going Grey, Basic Grey, Pallet Canvas White

Card Stock: MFP Snow Storm White, DCWV Glitter Mat Stack, Stampin Up! Going Grey, PTI Black, HOTP Silver Designer Paper

Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Ice Stickles, Fiskars Star Cluster Punch, Martha Stewart Rocket Punch, Bling, Pop Dots, Glue Dots, Stipple Brushes

With Our Thanks - Friends Of SpeedyTV 2012 Challenge #2

2012-01-09T00:00:00.000-08:00

Hello. Short post today thanks to another migraine. Welcome to another Monday and to another Friends of SpeedyTV challenge by Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company. This week we are challenging you to make a thank you card. With the holidays over, we all have a lot of people we need to send thank yous to.

For my card this week, I chose to ink one of my favorite sets A Trip To Lancaster. This set is so versatile and can be used for birthday's, thanks, just because, well just about anything that strikes your fancy when paired with a sentiment from another set as well.

After stamping my image in memento tuxedo black onto Mark's Finest Papers Snow Storm Smooth premium paper, I pulled out my koh-i-noor pencils and blender marker and got to coloring before stippling Stampin Up! bashful blue ink around the image for the sky. This image looks fantastic colored with just pencils instead of markers because to me pencils give more of a rustic, or even a painted, feel. After adding some vintage brads and my sentiment from A Walk In The Woods, my card was done with a clean and simple look along with a rustic feel to it.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day and I hope you'll join us this week for our challenge over at SpeedyTV.

Stamps: MFP A Trip To Lancaster, A Walk In The Woods
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin Up! Bashful Blue
Card Stock: MFP Snow Storm Smooth, Stampin Up! Tangerine Tango, More Mustard, Wild Wasabi, K&Company Designer Paper
Accessories: Koh-I-Noor Pencils, Prismacolor Blender Marker, Vintage Brads, Stipple Brush

Pines Sympathy

2012-01-08T11:24:00.000-08:00

Short post today thanks to another migraine. I thought I had uploaded this card already, however I found out I hadn't.

Recently I had need for a sympathy card for someone that lost her grandson suddenly and had to make one in a real hurry, so I pulled out my Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company set called A Walk In The Woods. I like using this set for sympathy cards, or any card in general, because for me talking a walk amongst the trees is soothing and reassuring. Hopefully, it will be for the recipient as well.

I decided to keep the card simple and stamped the background using PTI's artichoke ink on Stampin Up! garden green card stock before stamping the main image panel in PTI landscape ink twice on to a Mark's Finest Papers Corn Husk scrap piece of premium card stock. My only embellishments were a pre-made organdy bow and some black baby brads.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day.

Stamps: MFP A Walk In The Woods
Ink: PTI Landscape
Card Stock: MFP Corn Husk, Stampin Up! Garden Green, Black
Accessories: Bow, Brads, Glue Dots

You're A Rare Jewel - My Time Made Easy Pretty PatternReview Sketch #42

2012-01-04T21:26:00.000-08:00

Hello and welcome to another My Time Made Easy Pretty Pattern Sketch Challenge. This week we are doing a review of sketches 27-33, so just pick one and join in the fun!

For my card, I chose to go with sketch #28 and altered it just a tad. I started out by downloading and printing off My Time Made Easy's Under The Cabana digital paper and then downloading the matching digital set Underwater Wonderment and added my own sentiment using Photoshop Elements. After my image was printed off onto white card stock, I pulled out my prismacolor markers and got to coloring before lightly stippling Stampin Up! tempting turquoise around the edges and adding matching brads over the layers.

I then eliminated the smaller oval in favor of dew drops adhered over the digital paper and added some Michael's silk seashell bridal confetti to the side panel. Overall a quick and fairly easy card. The hardest part, was deciding what to do.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day and a wonderful rest of the week.

Stamps: MTME Digital Underwater Wonderment

Ink: Stampin Up! Tempting Turquoise

Card Stock: White, Stampin Up! Tempting Turquoise, Groovy Guava, Summer Sun, MTME Digital Under The Cabana Designer Paper

Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Brads, Stipple Brush, Michael's Silk Seashell Bridal Confetti, Dew Drops, Glue Dots, Ranger Crystal Accents

Time For Tea - Friends of SpeedyTV Challenge #14

2012-01-02T00:00:00.000-08:00

Hello and Happy New Year!!! Welcome to the first Friends of SpeedyTV challenge of 2012 by Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company. Our challenge this week is to make a gate fold card. I've never made one of these so this was definitely a challenge for me until I figured it out.

For my card, I pulled out Mark's Finest Papers Floral Tea stamp set. After stamping my images in memento tuxedo black onto white card stock, I pulled out my prismacolor markers and got to coloring. Once my coloring was done, I pulled out my Spellbinders scalloped circle nesties and die cut three layers to place in the center over the panels opening and then sponged some Stampin Up! sage shadow dye ink around two of the layers and the card for some extra color. Cutting out my teacup and adding some ice stickles were all the final touches I needed to this simple card. Took a total of 30min to make including die cutting with the nesties.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day and join us this week for the Friends of SpeedyTV's first 2012 challenge.

Stamps: MFP Floral Tea

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin Up! Sage Shadow

Card Stock: White, Stampin Up! Sage Shadow, Making Memories English Garden Designer Paper

Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Big Shot, Spellbinders Scallop Circle Nesties, Ice Sticles, Sponge

Hello Time - My Time Made Easy Pretty Pattern Sketch #41

2011-12-28T22:18:00.000-08:00

Hello and Happy Early New Year!!! Has everyone recovered from all of the wonderful food and fellowship with friends and family over Christmas?? I know I missed out on some of the good food thanks to my migraines again, but that's another story for another time. It's Thursday and that means it's time for another My Time Made Easy Pretty Pattern Sketch Challenge. This week we're giving you another easy one since the new year is just around the corner.

Since the New Year is right around the corner, for my card I chose to go with a "time" theme and used My Time Made Easy's On Display's clock image paired with the Candy Shoppe Pretty Impressions digital paper. I kept my card very simple and colored my clock with only Rose Art colored pencils, added a pre-made ribbon bow, and some silk flowers from Michael's with Prima plastic floral centers.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day.

Stamps: MTME On Display Digital Images
Card Stock: White, Stampin Up! Celery, Pink, MTME Candy Shoppe Pretty Impressions Digital Paper
Accessories: Rose Art Colored Pencils, Ribbon Bow, Glue Dots, Silk Flowers, Prima Plastic Flowers, Silver Brad

It's Always Time For Tea...

2011-12-27T15:24:00.000-08:00

Even nap time!!!

Hi there and welcome. Today I'm sharing a card I made with a stamp I received as a RAK (random act of kindness) from Beate. The card has been done for a week now, I just haven't been able to upload thanks to another massive migraine over the Christmas holiday.

The image is from Kraftin Kimmie Stamps newest Moonlight Whispers release and is called Dormouse. Isn't he the cutest?? Now I normally don't like mice, or rats for that matter, unless the mouse is in a stamp and is a cute one.

Once I had him stamped in memento tuxedo black onto MFT white perfect panels, I pulled out some retired Prima Nursery Tales designer paper and matching flowers, then allowed the designer paper to dictate the colors I used. After everything was colored and layered, I lightly stippled some Stampin Up! amethyst ink around the edges of the image and then pulled out a MFT Jumbo Scallop Die-Namic and cut three borders before running them through my dusty paper crimper then popping up my main image over the scallop borders. For my final touches, I pulled out some white & lavender organdy ribbon I picked up at Dollar Tree, lavender brads from my stash, and some Prima bling for the centers of the flowers.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day.

Stamps: Kraftin Kimmie Dormouse

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin Up! Almost Amethyst

Card Stock: MFT White Perfect Panels, Stampin Up! Lavender Lace, Almost Amethyst, Mint Melody, Pretty In Pink, Prima Nursery Tales Designer Paper

Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Pop Dots, Prima Flowers, Bling, Glue Dots, Ribbon, Brads, Stipple Brush, MFT Jumbo Scallop Die-Namic, Paper Crimper

Clearly Inspired Birthdays

2011-12-26T22:27:00.000-08:00

Hello and happy Tuesday. Today I'm sharing with you a couple of cards I made for the Clearly Inspired Birthday challenge.

I was inspired for my first card by some Imanginese cloud designer paper and decided to do a card with a hot air balloon. So I pulled out my Daisy Hot Air Balloon by Clear Dollar Stamps and stamped it twice onto white card stock using memento tuxedo black ink. Once my images were colored with prismacolor markers, I cut one complete balloon out to pop up on pop dots and added a "make a wish" metal sticker to the center of the daisy. Once that was done, I added some Recollections cloud brads I found on clearance at Michael's, a butterfly brad, and then added everything to the card.

My second card is a clean and simple style card using the retired Dairy Delights set from Clear Dollar Stamps. I pulled out some scrap card stock from printing digital images, folded it to make a smaller card, and stamped my image with saying in memento tuxedo black ink then colored it with koh-i-noor pencils and a blender marker.

Both cards only took a few minutes to make, yet are totally different in style and format. Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day.

Stamps: CDS Daisy Hot Air Balloon, Dairy Delights
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin Up! Baja Breeze
Card Stock: White, Stampin Up! Baja Breeze, Barely Banana, Imanginece Designer Paper
Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Koh-I-Noor Pencils, Blender Marker, Pop Dots, Brads, Metal Sticker, Stipple Brush

A Winter Fox - Friends of SpeedyTV Challenge#13

2011-12-26T20:55:00.000-08:00

Hello and welcome to Monday. I hope everyone had an enjoyable Christmas with family and friends yesterday. It's time for another Friends of SpeedyTV challenge by Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company. This week our challenge is to use the color blue or make a winter scene.

For my card, I've used a couple of sets: Winter Wonderland and What A Fox. After stamping my main image on Mark's Finest Papers Snow Storm Smooth Premium paper in memento tuxedo black, I pulled out my koh-i-noor pencils and blender marker to color the images before adding diamond and waterfall ice stickles to highlight the image after layering and adding brads. My background is stamped in Adirondack Sailboat Blue ink onto Mark's Finest Papers Bang Up Blue Linen premium card stock. For the final touch, I added a cut out fox in the bottom left corner popped up on dimensionals. I plan to give this card to my husband for our anniversary later this week.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day.

Stamps: MFP What A Fox, Winter Wonderland
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Adirondack Sailboat Blue
Card Stock: MFP Snow Storm, Bang Up Blue Linen, Black
Accessories: Koh-I-Noor Pencils, Prismacolor Blender Marker, Silver Brads, Dimensionals, Ice Stickles

Elf Anya & Ho Ho Ho - The Greeting Farm Customer Blog Hop

2011-12-19T08:00:00.000-08:00

Second post for me today. If you're looking for my CAS SpeedyTV card, please scroll down one post.

Happy Monday and welcome to The Greeting Farm's Annual Customer Blog Hop. Make sure you are starting at The Greeting Farm's blog Splendid Stamping for links to all of the hoppers and details on how you can win one of three, that's right, THREE huge prizes being given away during the hop. Two participants and one random hopper will win the ENTIRE January release!! Now doesn't that make you want to grab a cuppa, sit down to relax and hop along with us??

For my project, I chose to use the Elf Anya digi, for the holiday project contest, colored with prismacolor markers with Tim Holtz old paper distress ink stippled around it before layering it onto Stampin Up! handsome hunter and burgundy card stocks. Once that was done, I pulled out some Michael's Recollections Christmas paper I had picked up a couple of months ago and layered it onto the card itself, then cut a small Recollections designer paper snowflake border layered on handsome hunter card stock.

For the final touches, I added some sheer hunter ribbon I picked up at the dollar store with a gold clip, gold brads, and a jingle bell brad in Anya's hat before pulling out some retired K&Company die cuts for my saying and inside decorations. Here's a look at the inside of the card.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day and week. Make sure to stop by all of the hop participants for a chance to win the entire January release. You can find the links to all of the hoppers at TGF blog.

Stamps: TGF Elf Anya
Ink: Tim Holtz Old Paper Distress Ink
Card Stock: White, Stampin Up! Handsome Hunter, Bravo Burgundy, Michael's Recollections Christmas Designer Paper
Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Stipple Brush, Gold Brads, Gold Jingle Bell Brad, K&Company Die Cuts, Ribbon, Gold Clip, Glue Dots

What A Fox Clean & Simple - Friends of SpeedyTV Challenge #12

2011-12-19T00:00:00.000-08:00

Hello and welcome to another Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company Friends of SpeedyTV challenge. This week we are challenged to come up with a CAS, or clean and simple, card.

For my card, I chose to use Mark's Finest Papers What A Fox set stamped on to Corn Husk premium paper and colored with koh-i-noor pencils and a blender marker. I then took a cuttlebug embossing border folder for the side of the card. A nice, simple, clean design that took about 10 minutes to make. Which was really cool considering it was made with another migraine. Ugh!!

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day and hope to see you participating in the challenge this week.

Stamps: MFP What A Fox
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Card Stock: MFP Corn Husk
Accessories: Koh-I-Noor Pencils, Blender Marker, Cuttlebug Border Embossing Folder, Big Shot

New Pines

2011-12-14T21:01:00.000-08:00

Second post for me tonight. For my My Time Made Easy sketch, please scroll down one post. Thanks.

Hello! Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's December Blog Hop!

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Pucker Up Featured December 13

Pussy Willows Featured December 14
Ice and Snow Featured December 14

New Pines Featured December 15

Please hop along with us! You have a chance to win one of the above stamp sets! Just comment on the following blogs (don't forget this one), each day for more chances to win! We will announce all four winners on December 16, 2011 on the Mark's Finest Papers blog. You can go back and comment if you missed a day. The winners will be chosen at 11PM EST on Thursday December 15, 2011.

Today Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company is featuring the set New Pines. For my project, I chose to make an altered frame I picked up at the dollar store. I wanted my frame to look as if someone was "looking out a window to the outside" with a Christmas swag over the window. After I stamped my images in memento tuxedo black onto Mark's Finest Papers Grandma's Snow Covered Porch card stock, I pulled out a couple of different shades of green prismacolor markers and colored my pine trees before stamping the saying over two of them. Once I had stippled some clouds above and around the saying, I took the two remaining pines, cut them out and popped them up on dimensionals and pop dots to get varying levels of dimension. Then came adding the swag.

Following Kittie's flower spray and pine cone tutorials, I punched several different colors of Martha Stewart pine branches and added those over a couple of ferns to use as a base. Once that was done, I punched out some poinsettia's using a Martha Stewart punch I had found online, some small hydrangea flowers, and two cardinals to add to the swag and scene. Once all of that was added, I put some Tim Holtz distress stickles in the centers of the poinsettia's and used a black marker for the centers of the smaller flowers. Here's a close-up:

Thanks for stopping by today. Don't forget to continue hopping along to the rest of the designers blogs and leave a comment for a chance to win today's stamp set. Have a great day.

Stamps: MFP New Pines
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin Up! Bashful Blue
Card Stock: MFP Grandma's Snow Covered Porch, Olive, Card Stock Scraps
Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Martha Stewart Punches, Black Marker, Ranger Crystal Accents, Stipple Brush, Dollar Store Frame, Tim Holtz Distress Ice Stickles, Pop Up Glue Dots, Pop Dots, Dimensionals

Dr. Seuss' Brains In Your Head - My Time Made Easy Pretty Pattern Sketch #40

2011-12-14T20:55:00.000-08:00

Welcome to another My Time Made Easy Pretty Pattern Sketch challenge. This week's card I chose to dedicate to my 19 year old son who was just diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. For those who don't know, Type 1 diabetes is also known as juvenile diabetes. His dad was diagnosed at age 2 and has grown up with it, so to dad it's no big deal. However, to a 19going on 20 year old, life is a whole new ball of wax. So many bad habits to suddenly have to change. Someone who was considered healthy up to this point, suddenly has so many things to watch and keep track of on top of college, finals, a wonderful girlfriend who's having a hard time adjusting to the diagnosis too, and trying to find a job in a very rough economy and in an area of 20% unemployment. So I decided to bend the sketch a bit, and go out of my normal creating comfort zone by making a paper bag card with a school theme.

I started out by printing out My Time Made Easy's Back To School digital stamps and Academic Hodgepodge grade book digital paper. Once my images were colored with prismacolor markers and cut out, I layered the grade book paper onto the paper lunch bag, added the three cut out images, ribbon, and the ABC cork stickers from Targets $1 spot from a few years back.

I then layered Dr. Seuss' saying on some teal scrap card stock before placing over my cut out images. I chose this particular sentiment from the Back To School set because I've heard my son, and my daughter, put himself down for not doing good on exams during this last month of school. I've especially heard more of it right after his diagnosis after Thanksgiving. I wanted him to know, he has God given brains and he is a smart young man and not to listen or believe anything otherwise.

Once the front was done, I taped down the inside flap and added some digital binder paper before adding the rest of the grade book paper to the inside of the card and my one remaining image from My Time Made Easy's Lunch Box Love Notes digital stamp set. I also taped down the lunch bag opening to seal it enough, but still allow an opening for a gift card to stick out from the inside.

For my first lunch bag card, I'm pretty please with how it turned out. They're really easy to make too.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day.

Stamps: MTME Lunch Box Love Notes, Back To School Digital Stamps

Card Stock: White, Teal Scrap, MTME Academic Hodgepodge Digital Paper

Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Computer, Printer, Fiber, Lunch Bag, Cork Stickers

Pussy Willow and Ice & Snow

2011-12-13T21:01:00.000-08:00

Hello! Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's December Blog Hop!

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Pucker Up Featured December 13

Pussy Willows Featured December 14
Ice and Snow Featured December 14

New Pines Featured December 15

Bonnie - that's me!

Today's featured sets are Pussy Willows and Ice & Snow. Both of them are going to become favorites of mine easily because they both can be used for scrapbooking, altered items, framed art, all kinds of cards, etc. I have two cards to show you today with the Pussy Willows set.

My first card shows how some of the images can be used to create backgrounds to go with the main bird image as well as the sayings in the set. I love to color birds blue as they remind me of the little glass bluebirds my mom used to have while I was growing up. Once I had stamped my background in Adirondack Sailboat Blue ink onto Bang Up Blue Linen card stock, I then stamped the bird image onto Grandma's Snow Covered Porch in memento tuxedo black before coloring with prismacolor markers and layering. I added some Making Memories pearl heart brads I had found at Michael's (note to self - get more) before popping the entire image up over Mark's Finest Papers Royal Blue Satin Luxury Ribbon.

My second card not only uses the Pussy Willows stamp set but also the newly released Winter Crocus stamp set too. For this card, I chose to go with a spring theme to show how with different colors, you can get a totally different look and feel to the same set. Once again I used the large pussy willow stamp to create my background by stamping it in Stampin Up! green galore onto Mark's Finest Papers Spring Leaf card stock before layering onto Deepest Mahogany card stock. Once that was done, I took a scrap and punched out a vase, then stamped it using the small pussy willow stamp and some Tim Holtz dusty concord distress ink before tying some thread around the neck and adding a charm. After I was done coloring and layering my main image, I took three Lily Premium Paper Flowers since they resembled the crocus, added them to the card using a pop up glue dot, then added the vase with a fairy brass charm.

For my final project, it is featuring Ice and Snow and I chose to frame it using one of my favorite techniques - color crayon resist. After stamping my images in memento tuxedo black onto Snow White Glossy card stock and coloring with crayons where I wanted the ink to "resist", I then stippled three different Stampin Up! inks in gradual layers to create an "early morning" effect across the snow. Then I pulled out my diamond ice stickles and highlighted the snow, trees, and part of the moose's antlers to look "frosty".

After that, I did the same thing with the icicles, colored them with crayons, stippled over them, and after applying them to the top of the frame, I highlighted them using Ranger Crystal Accents. I then added some teal fabric snowflakes I picked up at Hobby Lobby on clearance to go with the teal snowflakes stamped in the background. Here's a close-up:

Thanks for stopping by today. Don't forget to stop by the rest of the designers blogs and leave a comment for a chance to win one of the two sets featured today. Have a great day.

Stamps: Pussy Willows, Ice & Snow

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin Up! Green Galore, Taken With Teal, Bashful Blue, Tempting Turquoise, Adirondack Sailboat Blue

Card Stock: MFP Grandma's Snow Covered Porch, Snow White Glossy, Bang Up Blue Linen, Deep Mahogany, Speedy the Cat Black, Pink

Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Pop Dots, Pop Up Glue Dots, Brads, Charm, Thread, Making Memories Pearl Heart Brads, Ribbon, Fabric Snowflakes, Dollar Store Frame & Mat,

Pucker Up!

2011-12-12T21:01:00.000-08:00

Hello! Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's December Blog Hop!

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Pucker Up Featured December 13

Pussy Willows Featured December 14
Ice and Snow Featured December 14

New Pines Featured December 15

Today we are featuring the set Pucker Up. I am in love with this set because of all of the different things you can do with it - scrapbooking, cards (funny, birthday, sarcastic, etc), altered items, and the list goes on. Both of my projects today feature cards arranging the images as if you're looking out of a window at the branches of a lemon tree. In California right now, the winter citrus crop is on the trees and just about ready to be picked. As you can see from my photos, the lemons on the trees in my backyard are ready for picking.

After all of my images were stamped in memento tuxedo black onto Grandma's Snow Covered Porch card stock, I colored them with prismacolor markers before stippling Stampin Up! bashful blue ink around the edges and center for sky. Once my coloring was done, I then stamped my background in green galore ink onto Mark's Finest Papers Spring Leaf card stock and layered using Morning Sun card stock before adding primas, gold ice stickles and faux brads.

My second card uses the same color combination as the first (only replacing Scrabbled Eggs card stock for Morning Sun) with a little twist. Once everything was stamped, colored, and layered, I added some primas with gold ice stickle centers and some Martha Stewart velvet ribbon I found in Michael's $1 bins a year or so ago. My biggest find in the Michael's clearance section is found on the inside of the card. Featured around the saying are some Jolee die cut dimensional chocolate bars I found at Michael's about 5yrs ago for only.49 cents!! That's right..only .49 cents!! Here's the inside with that famous Jolee buy -

Thanks for stopping by today. Don't forget to continue hopping for your chance to win a stamp set each day from the release by leaving a comment on each of the designers blogs. Have a great day.

Stamps: MFP Pucker Up

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin Up! Green Galore, Bashful Blue, Tim Holtz Scattered Straw

Card Stock: MFP Grandma's Snow Covered Porch, Scrambled Eggs, Morning Sun, Spring Leaf

Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Stipple Brush, Primas, Ribbon, Small Hole Punch, MS 2-Way Glue Pen, Gold Ice Stickles, MS Velvet Ribbon, Jolee's Chocolate Bars Dimensional Die Cuts, Glue Dots

Peaceful Wreath - Friends of SpeedyTV Challenge #11

2011-12-12T00:53:00.000-08:00

Hello and welcome to Monday and another Friends of SpeedyTV by Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company. This week our challenge is to make Christmas cards. Easy peasy, right?? We're all making them right now last minute anyways so why not pull out your favorite Mark's Finest Papers stamp set and make one more for this week's challenge to send out.

For my card, I chose to use the Festive Wreath Mini stamp set. I really like this wreath because it's so different not to mention all of the pine cones that are in it. After I stamped my main image in memento tuxedo black and colored with koh-i-noor pencils and a blender marker, I lightly stippled Stampin Up! wasabi ink around the edges before layering.

Pulling out the newly released New Pines stamp set, I stamped only the pine cone in memento rich cocoa ink on scrap chocolate chip card stock to create a border before stamping the card background in riding hood red and over stamping the saying in memento black. The whole card took about 20-30min to make and is so easy to mass produce.

Thanks for stopping by today. Don't forget the Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company December release blog hop starts tomorrow beginning on the Mark's Finest Papers blog. Hope to see you there. Have a great day.

Stamps: MFP New Pines, Festive Wreath Mini

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Rich Cocoa, Stampin Up! Riding Hood Red, Wild Wasabi

Card Stock: White, Stampin Up! Riding Hood Red, Wild Wasabi, Chocolate Chip Scrap

Accessories: Koh-I-Noor Pencils, Blender Marker, Stipple Brush, Brads

Country Kitchen - My Time Made Easy Pretty Pattern Sketch #39

2011-12-08T01:12:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Thursday and another My Time Made Easy Pretty Pattern Sketch challenge. This week's challenge is all about focusing on the center.

For my card, I chose to showcase My Time Made Easy's digital set What's Cookin' and the Farmhouse Fresh digital paper. With Christmas coming in just a few short weeks, I'm thinking about all of the wonderful Christmas dinners that will be shared across the country with friends and family. Once I had downloaded my images, I colored only a few select dishes, pot holders and eggs to showcase on the front. For the inside, is all of the spoons, spatulas, and whisks along with the newly released digital Warm Sentiments sets.

I kept the rest of the card simple by adding only three pre-made bows to the top with some glue dots. Here's a look at the inside:

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day and don't forget to join us this week at My Time Made Easy.

Stamps: MTME Digital Warm Sentiments, What's Cookin'
Card Stock: White, MTME Farmhouse Fresh, MFP Red Scrap, Stampin Up! Garden Green, Baja Breeze
Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Bows, Glue Dots, Circle Punch

I Believe In You - Friends of SpeedyTV Challenge Week 10

2011-12-05T00:00:00.000-08:00

Welcome and happy Monday. Just a few more weeks until Christmas folks - my how time flies when we're having fun, right? This week the Friends of SpeedyTV by Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company challenges you to use those silhouette stamps. That's right, those solid sometimes blocky stamps we all have a hard time using.

For my card, I chose to pull out Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company Garden Wishes Mini set and stamped the main image and saying in memento tuxedo black onto Mark's Finest Papers Snow White Glossy card stock before stippling Stampin Up! wild wasabi, bashful blue and dusty durango inks over the top it and blending the inks together.

Once that was done, I took two more sayings and created my background by alternately stamping them at a diagonal in dusty durango ink onto the same colored card. A chip board premium paper scalloped border separates the image and saying from the bottom mums which are adhered with Ranger Glossy Accents. I'm really happy with how this turned out since I made it with one of my nasty migraines again.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day. Take a few moments out of your busy day to stop by all of the designers blogs and leave them some love for the eye candy they've made for you and we hope you'll take some time to participate in the challenge as well.

Stamps: MFP Garden Wishes Mini

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin Up! Wild Wasabi, Bashful Blue, Dusty Durango

Card Stock: MFP Snow White Glossy, Chip Board, Stampin Up! Dusty Durango, Wild Wasabi

Accessories: Stipple Brushes, Mums, Ranger Glossy Accents, Mini Brads, MFT Die-namic, Ribbon

O Little Town Of Bethlehem

2011-12-04T23:50:00.001-08:00

Hello and welcome to Tuesday. I discovered a really cool Christian stamp store called Clear Dollar Stamps and their challenge blog called Clearly I Stamp. One of the new stamps I chose to purchase is a Christmas stamp called Little Bethlehem and decided to participate in one of their challenges. I chose the Christmas one and inked up my Little Bethlehem with memento tuxedo black ink and colored it using koh-i-noor pencils and a blender marker. Once all of my coloring was done, I lightly stippled Stampin Up! night of navy ink around the edges before lightly stippling Tim Holtz tea stain and vintage photo inks over everything to "age" the image a bit.

Once the stippling was done, I lightly distressed the edges of the town with my fingernail before layering and adding some vintage brads then adding it to the card. Tim Holtz pine needles is stippled around the edges of the card to darken the edges. I'm really happy with the way this turned out since I made it with one of my nasty migraines again.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day.

Stamps: Clear Dollar Stamps Little Bethlehem
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz Pine Needles, Tea Stain, Vintage Photo, Stampin Up! Night of Navy
Card Stock: MFP Corn Husk, Chip Board, Michael's Recollections Christmas Designer Paper, Stampin Up! Night of Navy, Riding Hood Red
Accessories: Koh-I-Noor Pencils, Blender Marker, Brads, Stipple Brushes, Dimensionals, Fingernail

Some Springy Little Friends - My Time Made Easy Pretty Pattern Sketch #38

2011-11-30T21:00:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone and welcome to December!!! You officially have only 24 shopping days until Christmas, and even less to wrap, ship and hid those presents from inquiring eyes/minds. ;) This week the My Time Made Easy Pretty Pattern Sketch Team is having a week in review. Basically, pick one of the sketches between sketches #19-23 and sketches #25-26, then base your card or project on that sketch. This week I chose to go with sketch #22 not only because of it's simplicity, but after the week I've had with migraines again and then just finding out my 19 year old son is a Type 1 diabetic like his dad, I needed to do something really simple.

I started out by printing out Wonderful Woodland Creatures and coloring the bear and fox to match the colors of the Color Infusion digital paper. Then pulling out some matching Stampin Up! card stock and retired designer paper, I got work layering my card and Color Infusion designer paper. Once the card was done, I dusted off two Marvy scallop circle punches, punched the matching colors, and then cut out my main images to layer over the scalloped ones. For the final touches, I once again followed Kittie747's floral spray tutorial found on her blog here to make the remainder of my embellishments using Ranger Crystal Accents, paper crimper, Martha Stewart punches, and gold ice stickles.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day. Don't forget when uploading this week to put BOTH of the correct keywords for your sketch. For example: I chose MTMEPPS22 as my sample, so when I upload that one to my online gallery, I'll have that keyword plus this week's MTMEPPS38.

Stamps: MTME Wonderful Woodland Creatures

Card Stock: MTME Color Infusion Digital Paper, Stampin Up! Retired Designer Paper, Rich Razzelberry, Kiwi Kiss

Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Marvy Punches, Martha Stewart Foliage, 3-way Hydrangea, and Pine Bough Punches, Ranger Crystal Accents, Gold Ice Stickles, Paper Crimper

A family Trip To Lancaster - Friends Of SpeedyTV Challenge #9

2011-11-27T23:00:00.000-08:00

Hello and welcome to Cyber Monday for all of you (and me) holiday shoppers!! ;) I absolutely refuse to shop in the stores during the holiday season between Thanksgiving and New Years Day; and after seeing what happened here in California at some stores during Black Friday sales, I only stand more firm in that opinion. Between pepper spraying shoppers to get that extra advantage over the "competition" to running over kids and elderly people so someone can have and extra Wii instead of sharing....forget it...I'll pay the shipping for my own safety and the safety of my family. But I digress...

Welcome to another addition of Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company Friends of SpeedyTV Monday challenge. This week we are using our favorite sketch for the challenge and I went with my old standby when my mojo gets up and "takes a walk" on me. So I pulled out my new favorite stamp set, Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company A Trip To Lancaster. I first stamped my images in memento tuxedo black onto Corn Husk premium paper before coloring with koh-i-noor pencils and a prismacolor blender marker. After deciding on what basic grey designer paper (Boxer) I wanted as a background, I matched up my layers to both the colors of my main image and the background paper using Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company Premium Papers. Then digging through my stash of brads, I found some pewter flower brads that matched the basic grey paper perfectly!! Now how many times is that going to happen?? Especially when I haven't pulled those brads out for at least two to three years. My final embellishment is a couple of olive colored primas with a pewter "family" brad layered over them.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day and a great day cyber shopping!!

Stamps: MFP A Trip To Lancaster

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin Up! Bashful Blue, River Rock

Card Stock: MFP Corn Husk, Moss, Stampin Up! Old Olive, Basic Grey Boxer Designer Paper

Accessories: Koh-I-Noor Pencils, Prismacolor Blender Marker, Primas, Glue Dots, Stipple Brush, Brads, Family Brad

My Time Made Easy Pretty Pattern Sketch #37

2011-11-23T21:00:00.000-08:00

Hello and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!! It's Thursday and that means it's also time for another My Time Made Easy Pretty Pattern Sketch challenge. This week with Thanksgiving and Black Friday shopping during the week, we are giving everyone an easy sketch to work with. So pull out those Black Friday deals you just had to get early to avoid the crowds and let's get stamping!!

My card this week focuses on being thankful so I pulled out my My Time Made Easy Thankful acrylic stamp set and stamped my images in memento tuxedo black on white card stock before coloring with koh-i-noor pencils and a prismacolor blender marker. Once everything was colored and cut out using some Spellbinders lacey circle dies, I added a small stamped border at the bottom before cutting out a couple of pumpkins and acorns to pop up using pop dots.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving day. Enjoy your day with friends, family and lots of great food. Please remember to take time to say a thank you to our troops for keeping us safe so we may enjoy this wonderful holiday and be careful shopping the next day.

Stamps: MTME Thankful
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin Up! Pumpkin Pie
Card Stock: White, Stampin Up! Pumpkin Pie, Garden Green
Accessories: Koh-I-Noor Pencils, Prismacolor Blender Marker, Spellbinders Lacey Circles Dies, Pop Dots

What A Fox - Mark's Finest Papers November Release Day 3

2011-11-22T21:00:00.000-08:00

Hello! Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's November Blog Hop!

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Peaceful Nuthatch

A Trip to Lancaster

What a Fox

Please hop along with us! You have a chance to win one of the above stamp sets! Just comment on the following blogs (don't forget this one), each day! We will announce all three winners on Thanksgiving Day. You can go back and comment if you missed a day. The winners will be chosen at 11PM EST on Wednesday November 23, 2011.

Today the Senior Design Team is showcasing Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company set called What A Fox. I love this set for it's simplicity and the beautiful frozen winter creek with a fox's reflection. There are so many different ways to showcase this set, however, I chose just to make a card this time.

I started out by taking a snowflake Cuttlebug embossing folder and running a Stampin Up! pacific pointe card through my big shot. Then taking a scrap of bashful blue card stock, I punched a snowflake border using a Martha Stewart border punch. Finally, I was able to start on my images. Taking my What A Fox set, I stamped the main image and the small fox in memento tuxedo black onto Mark's Finest Papers Grandma's Snow Covered Porch card stock and then colored with koh-i-noor pencils with a blender marker.

Once my coloring was done, I lightly stippled Stampin Up! soft sky ink over the trees tops to fill in a foggy winter sky. Then, I layered the reflection image before adding some faux pacific pointe brads and popping it up over the snowflake border; and then popped up the small fox in the bottom left corner of the image. Then taking some diamond ice stickles, I highlighted the snow in the trees, ground, shoreline, and several places on the frozen creek.

Here's a close up of the finished product.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day. Make sure to stop by all of the designers blogs and leave them some love letting them know how much you are enjoying all of the eye candy being created for you this week.

Stamps: MFP What A Fox

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin Up! Soft Sky

Card Stock: MFP Grandma's Snow Covered Porch, Stampin Up! Pacific Pointe, Bashful Blue

Accessories: Koh-I-Noor Pencils, Prismacolor Blender Marker, Pop Dots, Ice Stickles, Martha Stewart Snowflake Border Punch, Stipple Brush, Small Hole Punch, Martha Stewart 2-Way Glue Pen

A Trip To Lancaster - Mark's Finest Papers November Release Day 2

2011-11-21T21:00:00.000-08:00

Hello! Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's November Blog Hop!

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Peaceful Nuthatch

A Trip to Lancaster

What a Fox

Have you ever wanted to visit the Amish countryside in Pennsylvania? Well now you can without even leaving your stamping room!! This month Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company is releasing the set A Trip To Lancaster. It's all about the Amish including the traditional horse & buggy, barn, the traditional Pennsylvania Dutch barn hex sign (a Dutch barn decoration), pasture, and (6) six sayings.

For my project, I wanted to do a framed picture and try to make it look like I was looking out the window of a house or barn. Since I've made Kittie's floral sprays more than once, I was pretty sure I could achieve this look. Now doesn't that rose pine cone look great in the photo with the frame?? Gotta love a tree that produces those on it's own.

Taking a frame I had picked up at Walmart on clearance last year, I took the glass out and put some My Minds Eye Home designer paper into the open space. Then taking the glass, I placed it behind the designer paper and then re-added the backing to seal up the frame. Taking my A Trip To Lancaster images, I stamped them in memento tuxedo black ink onto Mark's Finest Papers corn husk card stock then colored using koh-i-noor pencils and a blender marker. Once my coloring was done, I took a stipple brush and lightly stippled Stampin Up! bashful blue ink around the top for the sky and then wasabi ink on the bottom to help highlight the grassy area before layering onto Stampin Up! wild wasabi, and Mark's Finest Papers black linen and bang up blue linen card stocks.

Once everything was layered and stippled, I die cut some branch leaves to place on the "bottom" of the frame before adhering my layered images using pop up glue dots. Following Kittie's floral spray tutorial, I finished die cutting and punching out the remaining elements I would need before running the leaves through my paper crimper. Taking some mini orange roses I made two small sprays to place on the wooden frame corners and then twisted a couple of wire "stalks" to add as embellishments to the sprays. Once my rose sprays were finished drying, I added them to the corners of the frame by using pop up glue dots and then began assembling the rest of my floral spray using Ranger Crystal Accents as glue. For my finishing touches, I added some platinum ice stickles to the centers of the smaller flowers, gold ice stickles to the roses, and lightly stippled Ranger Adirondack caramel ink on some of the open spaces of the frame to "distress" it a bit more.

Here's a close up of the finished frame.

I am really pleased with how it turned out especially since I assembled it while on meds for another whopper of a migraine thanks to the weather changes we had this weekend around here.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day. Please make sure to visit all of the Senior Design Team blogs and leave them some love for the eye candy they're producing this week.

Stamps: MFP A Trip To Lancaster

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Adirondack Caramel, Stampin Up! Bashful Blue, Wild Wasabi

Card Stock: MFP Corn Husk, Black Linen, Bang Up Blue, Stampin Up! Wild Wasabi, Scraps, My Minds Eye Home Designer Paper

Accessories: Koh-I-Noor Pencils, Prismacolor Blender Marker, Stipple Brush, Frame, Ranger Crystal Accents, Martha Stewart Pine/3-Hydrangea/Foliage Punches, Big Shot, Sizzix Branch Leaves, Pop Up Glue Dots, Black Marker, Brads, Mouse Pad, Making Memories Tool Kit, Platinum Ice Stickles, Gold Ice Stickles, Paper Crimper, Quilling Tool,

Peaceful Nuthatch - Mark's Finest Papers Blog Hop Day 1

2011-11-20T22:00:00.000-08:00

Hello! Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's November Blog Hop!

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Peaceful Nuthatch

A Trip to Lancaster

What a Fox

Bonnie (that's me!)

For my project, I had so much fun working with this beautiful set, I just had to make TWO projects for you to see - not to mention Christmas presents!! *grin*

My first project involves using an altered candle. Last year my husband took a bunch of white candles we found at the dollar store and then drilled out the center to fit a votive using his drill press. This way, I could put any color votive candle on the inside to match my card, color scheme, etc. For today's project, I am using a pine scented votive I picked up at Michael's last year on clearance - and it still smells strong.

I started out by taking some vellum card stock and stamped Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company Peaceful Nuthatch in memento tuxedo black ink and allowed it to dry before coloring the backside with prismacolor markers. Once my coloring was dry on the vellum, I wrapped it around the candle and adhered it by using some large glue dots before adding a strip of ribbon and bow. The pine cone "rose" is from the fir tree in my front yard and looks beautiful as an embellishment for the picture and for the overall gift including the additional votives. Here's a pic of the final gift package.

For my second project, and gift, I took a notebook I picked up at Target on clearance last year and wrapped it in Stampin Up! pacific pointe. Then taking my Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company Peaceful Nuthatch and stamped the bird twice in memento tuxedo black onto Grandma's Snow Covered Porch card stock before coloring with prismacolor markers. To keep the notebook closed, I cut a small "flap" and then used some velcro dots to hold the flap in place. Taking one image and cutting it out, I popped it up over the layered main image using some Michael's Recollections square pop dots and then added a Sizzix die cut flourish with some gem stickers.

Now ever since Kittie747 started making her own flowers, poinsettia's, pine cones, etc, I have been wanting to try them out and have done so from time to time. Since the Peaceful Nuthatch's main image has pine cones in it, I decided to give Kittie's pine cone tutorial found here a try. Following her directions, I made my pine cones and distressed them, then made my floral spray and ran it through my dusted off paper crimper. ;) Using Ranger's Crystal Accents as my glue, I carefully added each layer of the floral spray and the pine cones before adding some small punched "holly berry" flowers. Here's a close up of the floral spray detail:

For the final touch, I took a RSVP pen from Walmart and added some matching homemade "designer paper" to the inside to complete the gift ensemble before placing everything into a see through gift bag with some shredded paper filler.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day. I'll see you back tommorrow for the second day of Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company November release blog hop. Don't forget to stop by all of the participating designers to see the wonderful eye candy everyone has come up with.

Stamps: MFP Peaceful Nuthatch

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin Up! Bashful Blue

Card Stock: MFP Grandma's Snow Covered Porch, Gold, Chipboard, Stampin Up! Pacific Pointe, Garden Green Scraps, Handsome Hunter Scraps, Real Red Scraps, Vellum, Copy Paper Scrap

Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Stipple Brush, Spellbinders, Martha Stewart Punches, Mouse Pad, RSVP Pen, Velcro, Candle, Votive, Glue Dots, Ribbon, Ranger Crystal Accents

Autumn Greetings - Friends of SpeedyTV Challenge #8

2011-11-20T21:23:00.001-08:00

Hello and welcome to another Monday. Can you believe Christmas is in another month?? So with Thanksgiving this week, the Friends of SpeedyTV by Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company is challenging you this week to make something based on the Thanksgiving theme. For my project, I pulled out two of my favorite Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company fall sets (although one is now retired) along with the re-vamped Autumn Glory set to make my card.

I started out by stamping the scarecrow from the Fall Mini twice onto Corn Husk card stock in memento tuxedo black and the turkey/pumpkin from the now retired Country Thanksgiving set also in memento tuxedo black onto Corn Husk card stock. Once all of my images were colored with prismacolor markers, and one of the scarecrows cut out, I decided to stamp an additional sunflower from the scarecrow's hat and color that one more time.

Taking some Michael's Recollections Autumn designer paper, I layered it onto Stampin Up! pumpkin pie card stock that had been stamped with the maple leaf from the Autumn Glory set also in matching pumpkin pie ink. Once I had added some silk maple leaves to the card, I took the layered turkey & pumpkin images, lightly stippled Stampin Up! pumpkin pie ink around the edges, and then added those over the leaves using pop up glue dots. For the final touches, I took the cut out scarecrow face and popped that up using pop dots, then layered the additional sunflower using pop dots as well before adding some Ranger Crystal Accents to highlight the center of the sunflower.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day. Don't forget to stop by the Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company blog to check out the new November releases being showcased this week by the Senior Design Team. Make sure to stop by and leave some love on all of the Design Team's blogs this week letting them know how much you appreciate the eye candy they've made with these new stamps.

Stamps: MFP Country Thanksgiving (retired), Fall Mini, Autumn Glory
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin Up! Pumpkin Pie
Card Stock: MFP Corn Husk, Stampin Up! Pumpkin Pie, Really Rust, Michael's Recollections Fall Designer Paper
Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Silk Leaves, Making Memories Pumpkin Brads, Stipple Brush, Pop Up Glue Dots, Ranger Crystal Accents, Glue Dots

Veggie Tales Just A Note

2011-11-18T00:00:00.000-08:00

Hello. Today I'm sharing a card I made for a friend that's been going through a very hard time lately using Kim Hughes Paper Smooches Vegtastic.

I started out by stamping the bell peppers as my background on the card itself in Stampin Up! garden green before stamping the images onto white card stock in memento tuxedo black to color with prismacolor markers and cut out later. Once my images were colored, I die cut a ric rac border for the center of the card. Once that was added, I popped up the layered images over the border and then popped up one additional pepper before adding some faux brads to finish everything off. Nice, easy, clean and simple.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day.

Stamps: Paper Smooches Vegtastic
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin Up! Garden Green
Card Stock: White, Stampin Up! Garden Green, Only Orange scrap, Real Red
Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Pop Dots, Small Hole Punch, MFI Jumbo Ric Rac Die-Namic

Your Friendship Is A Blessing

2011-11-16T08:00:00.000-08:00

Hello and Happy Hump Day!!! The week is almost over and so is the month - so you know what that means?? NO - no Christmas!! Puh-lease!! Christmas is coming quick enough on it's own. It's time for another Taylored Expressions Blast From The Past Blog Hop!! This month our hop is all about giving thanks.

With Thanksgiving fast approaching, let's all take a moment to reflect on who, or whom, we are most thankful in our lives. For me, besides my God, Lord and Savior, it would be my family, stamping friends, and then my friends in the local community. Many have seen me through some really tough times lately between my migraines and the resulting health issues I've been dealing with. More than once I have found myself complaining to my Lord about my situation instead of THANKING Him for each and every day He has seen me through and for blessing me with another morning to wake up to.

For my hop project this month, I pulled out two of my favorite TE sets, Branching Out and Branching Out Coordinates. I started out by stamping my images onto corn husk card stock in memento tuxedo black ink, and then stamped the tree using PTI dark chocolate ink before coloring my images with prismacolor markers and a white Recollections marker from Michael's. After the coloring was finished, I lightly stippled some Stampin Up! bashful blue ink around the edges before layering and adding some maple leaf brads. My final touches were adding some Recollections Autumn designer paper, felt sticker ribbon and some hand drawn "birds".

Check out the rest of the designers participating today by checking the links below.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day.

Stamps: TE Branching Out, Branching Out Coordinates
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, PTI Dark Chocolate, Stampin Up! Bashful Blue
Card Stock: MFP Corn Husk, Stampin Up! Really Rust, Old Olive, Recollections Designer Paper
Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Recollections White Marker, Stipple Brush, Maple Leaf Brads, Felt Sticker Ribbon, Black Journal Marker

A Lancaster Birthday

2011-11-14T00:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday and welcome to another week of Friends of SpeedyTV challenges brought to you by Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company. This week our challenge is to make a birthday card using our Mark's Finest Papers stamps. For my card, I chose to use a soon to be released set called A Trip To Lancaster. This set is just perfect for birthday cards for any gender, vintage type get well cards, or anything in general.

I started out by stamping my images in memento tuxedo black onto Mark's Finest Papers Snow Covered Porch White card stock and then colored everything with koh-i-noor pencils and a blender marker. Once my coloring was finished, I started layering using Mark's Finest Papers Limeade card stock and Stampin Up! old olive card stock with Basic Gray Boxer designer paper. For the final touches, I added some ribbon, primas, and brads before adding my layered images to the card.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day.

Stamps: MFP A Trip To Lancaster
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin Up! Bashful Blue
Card Stock: MFP Covered Porch White, Limeade, Stampin Up! Old Olive, Basic Gray Boxer Designer Paper
Accessories: Koh-I-Noor Pencils, Blender Marker, Brads, Glue Dots, Primas, Ribbon, Rain Dot, Stipple Brush

All Aboard!!

2011-11-10T00:26:00.000-08:00

Hello again. Today I'm sharing a card I had submitted to Paper Crafts for their World Cardmaking Day contest. Unfortunately, no prizes on this one. Oh well.

I started out by stamping Mark's Finest Papers All Aboard (now retired) Speedy train 3/three times (and railroad crossing once) onto Mark's Finest Papers Corn Husk card stock; which is one of my favorites in PTI dark chocolate ink so I could cut two of the images out later. Once all of my images were stamped, I started layering by alternating Stampin Up! close to cocoa, basic black and a Costco map designer paper I bought over a year ago.

After I finished the layering, I stippled Stampin Up! creamy caramel ink around the edges of the card, layered images and then also over a couple of buttons I had planned on adding later. After my images were cut out, I then added the train image by popping each layer up using Michael's pop dots and adding vintage brads to the final layer.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day.

Stamps: MFP All Aboard (retired)
Ink: Stampin Up! Creamy Caramel, PTI Dark Chocolate
Card Stock: MFP Corn Husk, Stampin Up! Close To Cocoa, Black, Costco Designer Paper
Accessories: Stipple Brush, Pop Dots, Twine, Brads, Buttons, Glue Dots, Thread

Sparkle Birds - MTME Pretty Pattern Sketch #35

2011-11-09T23:59:00.000-08:00

Hello and happy Thursday. It's time for another My Time Made Easy Pretty Pattern Sketch challenge.

This week's challenge incorporates two half circles with the sketch. For my card this week, I chose to pull out my acrylic Singing Silhouette stamp set along with the Cheerful Chirps digital paper.

I started out by stamping the birdcage twice in memento tuxedo black ink onto white card stock and then stamping two of the birds using PTI enchanted evening and scarlet inks sitting them on the swing in the cage. Once that was done, I cut out one birdcage for popping up on pop dots later and started layering before lightly stippling Stampin Up! not quite navy ink around the edges of the main image panel. Now it was time for my half circles. Since I wanted two different colors, I hand cut them out (as if you couldn't tell) instead of using a die or coluzzel and then added some Joann metal dot sticklers. My final touch was adding platinum ice stickles to the top of the birdcage and along the edges for highlighting.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day.

Stamps: MTME Singing Silhouettes

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, PTI Enchanted Evening, Scarlet, Stampin Up! Not Quite Navy

Card Stock: White, Stampin Up! Rose Red, Not Quite Navy, MTME Cheerful Chirps Digital Paper

Accessories: Pop Dots, Ice Stickles, Stipple Brush, Metal Dot Stickles, Computer, Printer

Swinging Kitty - MMTPT171

2011-11-07T21:00:00.000-08:00

Hello and happy Tuesday. This week's Mothermark Teapot Tuesday challenge is to make a card with cats on it. This week's we are sending our cards to a couple in Pt. Pleasant, West Virginia who are battling some serious health problems.

For my card, I pulled out a Penny Black stamp that is just one of my favorites. This little kitty is just having too much fun playing in the laundry hanging outside especially with all of the sparkle on the "unmentionables". After stamping my image in memento tuxedo black, I pulled out my Koh-I-Noor pencils and blender marker to color everything before stippling Stampin Up! bashful blue ink around the image to fill in the sky and layering. For my finishing touches, I added some Stampin Up! bling brads, Daisy D's ribbon and ice stickles.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day.

Stamps: Penny Black
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin Up! Bashful Blue
Card Stock: White, Stampin Up! Pretty In Pink, So Saffron, Baja Breeze, Prima Sasha Designer Paper
Accessories: Koh-I-Noor Pencils, Blender Marker, Stipple Brush, Pop Dots, MFT Jumbo Ric Rac Die-Namic, Brads, Ribbon

A Happy Scarecrow

2011-11-07T00:14:00.000-08:00

Morning and happy Monday!! It's time for another Friends of SpeedyTV challenge. This week our challenge is to use ribbon on our card. I chose to finally ink up Mark's Finest Papers, A Heinrich Company new Fall Mini set I had received in the fall Speedy the Cat swap.

I started out by stamping my scarecrow image twice in memento tuxedo black in onto Corn Husk card stock and coloring with prismacolor markers before cutting one of the images out for popping up later. Once that was done, I pulled out my jumbo ric rac die and die cut three pieces of card stock to act as an overlapping border underneath my scarecrow panel.

Once that was done, I pulled out some cream toffee and Florida orange satin luxury ribbons to tie across the top along with some paper mums to place across the bottom with confetti flower "leaves" held in place by Ranger's Crystal Accents. Some vintage brads finished off my image panel before popping it up over the border and then popping up the additional scarecrow image.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day. Come join us at SpeedyTV for this week's challenge and join the fun!!!

Stamps: MFP Fall Mini
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Card Stock: MFP Corn Husk, Stampin Up! Really Rust, Summer Sun, More Mustard, Debbie Mumm Fall Designer Paper
Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Pop Dots, Vintage Brads, MFP Paper Mums, Ribbon, Ranger Crystal Accents, Michael's Confetti Flowers, Jumbo Ric Rac Die-Namic, Maple Leaf Brads

Play A Happy Birthday Game!!

2011-11-06T00:29:00.000-07:00

Hi there! Today I'm sharing another card I submitted to Paper Crafts for their World Cardmaking Day contest. Again, no winner here either.

I decided to for this entry to go with a birthday card for a boy since I don't have many of those and used the Game On card template and matching Got Game digital stamp set from My Time Made Easy.

I started out by downloading and printing out my card template onto Stampin Up! pacific pointe card stock, cutting it out, and sponging pacific pointe ink around the edges of the card. Next, I took the remaining pieces of the template and matched them up with scrap card stock to create the arrows and buttons on the game controller. Once that was done, I got to work on the main image itself.

After the image was downloaded and printed out onto white card stock, I pulled out my prismacolor markers and colored it before cutting it out and popping it up with pop dots. For an added touch, I added some Stampin Up! buttons with thread through them to finish off the front of the card.

For the inside, I just kept it simple by coloring the saying and layering before adding some faux brads then lightly stippling Stampin Up! bashful blue ink around the edges.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day.

Stamps: MTME Got Game Digital Stamps
Ink: Stampin Up! Pacific Pointe, Bashful Blue
Card Stock: White, Stampin Up! Pacific Pointe, Scraps
Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Buttons, Glue Dots, Thread, Sponge, Pop Dots, Small Handheld Hole Punch, 2-Way Glue Pen, MTME Game On Template

Regal Ornament - My Time Made Easy Pretty Pattern Sketch #34

2011-11-02T22:01:00.000-07:00

Hello and happy Thursday!! The week is almost over!! It's time for another My Time Made Easy Pretty Pattern Sketch challenge. This week our sketch is another keep it simple one and is great for mass producing those upcoming Christmas cards.

For my card, I chose to work with the Beautiful Baubles digital set and matching Mrs. Candy Claus digital designer paper.

After downloading the paper and images, I printed out one of the ornaments three times to color and cut out for added dimension by popping up on pop dots. Once my images were colored and two were cut out, I punched one image out with a Marvy mega scalloped oval punch before layering onto a Spellbinders die cut oval and popping up over an dry embossed border strip. The remaining two images were then popped up using pop dots over each other before adding a pre-made gold ribbon bow and some jingle bell brads I had found at Hobby Lobby's grand opening here locally several weeks ago. I just knew those would come in handy some day. ;)

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day.

Stamps: MTME Beautiful Baubles Digital Set

Ink: Stampin Up! Regal Rose

Card Stock: White, Stampin Up! Regal Rose, Rose Red, Wild Wasabi, MTME Mrs. Candy Claus Digital Paper

Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Computer, Printer, Pop Dots, Marvy Scallop Oval Punch, Spellbinders Oval Die, Jingle Bell Brads, Ribbon Bow, Glue Dots, Sponge, Big Shot, Cuttlebug Embossing Folder

Thankful Pumpkin - Friends Of SpeedyTV Challenge #5

2011-10-31T00:00:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!! This week the Friends of SpeedyTV are challenging you to come up with Free for All Holiday Card. I chose a Thanksgiving card and started out with a pumpkin shaped card, sponged some Stampin Up! pumpkin pie ink around the edges, and then added some Debbie Mumm designer paper I had in my stash.

I then stamped my images using Mark's Finest Papers A Heinrich Company's Country Thanksgiving set stamped in memento tuxedo black ink onto corn husk card stock and then colored them with prismacolor markers before cutting out the sunflowers and one pumpkin/sunflower combination image to pop up later. After punching out the main pumpkin and sunflower image, and matching artichoke mat layer, I added some white dots along the scalloped edge before adding the entire thing to the center of the card. Once that was done, the sunflowers were layered across the top, popping them up using pop up glue dots and pulling the edges slightly up for added dimension. The final sunflower image was then added to the main centerpiece also with a pop up glue dot before adding Making Memories page pebbles to all of the centers. Here's a close up of the center panels.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day.

Stamps: MFP Country Thanksgiving
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin Up! Pumpkin Pie
Card Stock: MFP Corn Husk, Stampin Up! Pumpkin Pie, Only Orange, Debbie Mumm Designer Paper
Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Marvy Mega & Giga Scallop Punches, Making Memories Page Pebbles, Pop Up Glue Dots, White Gel Pen, Sponge

Post-It Note Holders - Mark's Finest Papers 12 Days of Christmas Blog Hop

2011-10-28T00:00:00.000-07:00

Speedy the Cat at Mark's Finest Papers likes to get a head start on special Christmas gifts and memories for friends and family. He gathered the design team at Mark's Finest Papers to bring you 12 days of exciting paper crafting gift ideas to get that holiday mojo flowing. The hop runs for 12 consecutive days, starting October 17th! Begin your holiday hop at Speedy's home base, the Mark's Finest Papers blog and relax with a cup of eggnog (or sprig of catnip, your choice) as Speedy leads you though a short, daily hop. You'll find your holiday paper crafting ideas and supplies at Mark's Finest Papers.

Welcome to the 12 Days of Christmas Blog Hop! We have four samples each day for our hop! Please visit each of the following blogs for holiday inspiration! Joanne Faith Debbie M Pam Today we are featuring Post-It Note Holders.

For my project, I pulled out a couple of cardboad coasters, like the ones found in resturaunts, and covered them with some Me And My Big Ideas Christmas designer paper. Once that was done, I pulled out my Mark's Finest Papers Christmas In The Country stamp set and stamped my image in memento tuxedo black ink onto MFP Corn Husk card stock before pulling out some prismacolor watercolor pencils and a blender pen and got to coloring; blending the colors as needed. Once my watercoloring was done, I layered the image onto some scrap card stock before layering again onto the MAMBI Christmas paper and adding some white snowflake brads. For the final touches, I added some ice stickles to highlight the sky, snow, and church as well as some ribbon on the key rings I found at Walmart.

Post-it note holders are fun, inexpensive gifts for the office, school or stocking stuffers and can be altered for any occasion including birthdays. There's no reason not to have a few extras lying around for a last minute gift, and if put into a clear cellophane gift bag, or wrapper, with a matching pen and candy; you've just stepped up the gift an extra notch.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day. I hope you've enjoyed the Mark's Finest Papers 12 Days of Christmas Blog Hop. We would love to see any Christmas, birthday, or anyday presents/creations you make. Just upload them to SpeedyTV.

Stamps: MFP Christmas In The Country

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Card Stock: MFP Corn Husk, MAMBI Christmas Designer Paper, SU Scraps

Accessories: Cardboard Coasters, Prismacolor Watercolor Pencils, Blender Pen, Snowflake Brads, Making Memories Mini White Brads, Ice Stickles, Jump Rings (Walmart), Ribbon, Jumbo Eyelets, Crop-A-Dile

Little Pumpkin - My Time Made Easy Pretty Patterns #33

2011-10-26T22:06:00.000-07:00

Hello and happy Thursday. It's time for another My Time Made Easy Pretty Pattern Sketch challenge. This week I chose to be a little different and make a shaped card to go with the sketch.

I started out by downloading a new Perfect Pumpkin card template (that will be added to the store later), printing onto my card stock, and cutting out the necessary pieces and then stamping the swirls from A Spot Of Tea on the outside of the pumpkin before layering.

I then downloaded, printed out twice, colored and cut out one of the Purr-Fect Pumpkin digital stamps before layering and adding some Making Memories pumpkin brads from last year. After all of that was done, I stippled some Stampin Up! tangerine tango ink around the card, added some ribbon, primas, and bling to finish it off.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day. I hope to see you participating in this week's My Time Made Easy Pretty Pattern Sketch challenge.

Stamps: MTME Purr-Fect Pumpkin Digital, A Spot Of Tea Acrylic Stamp

Ink: Stampin Up! Tangerine Tango

Card Stock: White, Stampin Up! Pumpkin Pie, Only Orange, Scraps

Accessories: Rose Art Colored Pencils, Stipple Brush, Ribbon, Rectangle Hole Punch, Pop Dots, Making Memories Brads, Primas, Bling, Glue Dots

Eyes Of The Tiger - MMTPT 169

2011-10-25T00:17:00.000-07:00

Hello and happy Tuesday. Today I have a card to share I made for this week's Mothermark Teapot Tuesday challenge using some tiger fur designer paper I picked up at Hobby Lobby a couple of weeks ago when it opened locally paired with Mark's Finest Papers Big Cats stamp set.

I started out by stamping my tiger image in memento tuxedo black on Mark's Finest Papers Corn Husk card stock and colored with Koh-I-Noor pencils with a blender marker. After cutting out and layering the image, I added some die cut leaves around my tiger image to give the appearance of it looking through the "brush". For the final touches, I added some Ranger crystal effects to the tigers eyes, gold ribbon and die cut flowers using MFT's Perfect Petal Trio Die-Namics with a gold gem sticker center and Stampin Up's tangerine tango dye ink stippled over the petals.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day.

Stamps: MFP Big Cats
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin Up! Tangerine Tango
Card Stock: MFP Corn Husk, Stampin Up! Tangerine Tango, Black, Hobby Lobby Designer Paper, Scrap Card Stock Colors
Accessories: Koh-I-Noor Pencils, Blender Marker, Ranger Crystal Effects, Sizzix Leaves & Branches Sizzlet Dies, MFT Perfect Petal Trio Die-Namics, Gem Stickers, Glue Dots, Stipple Brush

News Flash!!!

2011-10-23T00:00:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone. How are you enjoying your weekend so far?? Today, I am sharing a card I made for one of my sisters-in-law's birthday using Paper Smooches Boob Tubes stamp set. I totally love the retro and goofy feel of this stamp set. Kim sure had a lot of fun making it for sure. It's got to be one of my favorite Kim Hughes sets (including her retired CHF sets) of all time.

I started out by stamping one of the old TV sets as a background in Stampin Up! soft suede on matching card stock before stamping it twice more onto white card stock in memento tuxedo black. Once all of that was done, I pulled out my prismacolor markers and colored the TV's, and highlighted sections of the "News Flash" saying before sponging Stampin Up! soft suede around the edges of the card and image panel and layering.

I then pulled out my MFT die-namics and die cut both the Jumbo Ric Rac (a staple of mine) and the Leafy Flourish in scrap card stocks before adhering my main image panel by popping it up over the die cuts. Once that was done, I then adhered the second cut out TV, popped it up with pop dots, and finally adhered some silk flowers, primas, and gem stickers to highlight the TV knobs, flower centers, and parts of the leafy flourish. A quick and easy card done in 15 minutes.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day.

Stamps: Paper Smooches Boob Tubes
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin Up! Soft Suede
Card Stock: White, Stampin Up! Soft Suede, Summmer Sunrise, Pumpkin Pie
Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Sponges, Pop Dots, Gem Stickers, MFT Die-namics, Silk Flowers, Primas, Glue Dots, Brads

Altered Frames - Mark's Finest Papers 12 Days of Christmas Blog Hop

2011-10-22T00:00:00.000-07:00

For my project, I started out by taking a frame I had found on clearance at Walmart, removed the glass, and dusted off the frame sides. Once that was done, I pulled out Mark's Finest Papers Christmas In The Country and Holly Greetings then stamped my images in memento tuxedo black ink onto Mark's Finest Papers Corn Husk card stock before pulling out my prismacolor watercolor pencils and blender pen. Once my images were colored, I cut them all out for popping up with pop dots or pop up glue dots. My main image is layered onto scrap baja breeze & chocolate chip card stock, then distressed, and layered onto Basic Gray designer paper overlaid onto the die cut frame mat.

There is a lot of dimension in this frame. Here's a side view of the frame. For the final touches, I added various colors of ice stickles to highlight the snow, church, trees, leaves, and sky as well as Ranger Crystal Effects to the owls eyes to give some added dimension.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day. Start off tomorrow on the MFP Blog for more inspiration!

Stamps: MFP Christmas In The Country, Holly Greetings

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Card Stock: MFP Corn Husk, SU Chocolate Chip Scrap, Baja Breeze Scrap, Basic Gray Designer Paper

Accessories: Prismacolor Watercolor Pencils, Blender Pen, Frame, Pop Dots, Glue Dots, Ice Stickles, Ranger Crystal Effects

Weeds and Wildflowers - My Time Made Easy Pretty Pattern Sketch #32

2011-10-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

Hello and happy Thursday. Welcome to another My Time Made Easy Pretty Pattern Sketch Challenge. These week I chose to go with the KISS technique - Keep It Simple Stamper especially since my migraines were "working" overtime.

For my card, I chose to use the Keep Strong digital stamp set. Once I had downloaded the set and broke it apart, I printed out only the "Weeds & Wildflowers" saying onto white card stock and then colored part of the image with prismacolor pencils and a blender pencil. Once that was done, I stippled Stampin Up! bashful blue ink lightly around the edges before layering onto some Stampin Up! scrap card stock and making my own matching brads. For the final touches, I pulled out some primas, ribbon, buttons adhered with glue dots.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day.

Stamps: MTME Keep Strong Digital Set
Ink: Stampin Up! Bashful Blue
Card Stock: White, Stampin Up! Only Orange, Scraps
Accessories: Prismacolor Pencils, Blender Pencil, Primas, Brads, Mini Hole Punch, Martha Stewart 2-Way Glue Pen, Buttons

October's Blast From The Past!!!

2011-10-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

Hello and welcome!! It's time for Taylored Expressions Blast From The Past Blog Hop!! This month we were challenged to come up with either a Halloween project or something sweet. I went with both on my project. Of course, I did this at the last minute again thanks to the migraine issue. Ugh!! Anyone want them? They're free!!

I started out by stamping my images from TE's Cozy Cottages twice in memento tuxedo black ink onto white card stock before coloring with prismacolor markers. Once both of my images were colored, I cut the second ones out and put them aside to pop up later. Then taking some designer paper I received in a swap - just love that Halloween looking paper! - I layered it onto some Stampin Up! only orange card stock then stippled the same colored dye ink around the edges. Once that was done, I pulled out some Stampin Up! chocolate chip scraps and my TE Whimsy Tree die and die cut two trees using my Big Shot. After adding the trees, both of my colored/popped up images, and some bling, I was ready to add some ice stickles to highlight the "home" rooftops. For my final touches, some Halloween ribbon, charm, and brads from last year were the perfect additions.

Thanks for stopping by today. Make sure to check out all of the participating Taylored Expressions hoppers and leave some love for them. You can find the links below.

Stamps: TE Cozy Cottages
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin Up! Only Orange
Card Stock: White, Stampin Up! Only Orange, Green Galore, Summer Sun, Designer Paper
Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Pop Dots, Ribbon, Charm, Thread, Bling, Brads, Ice Stickles

Coasters - Mark's Finest Papers 12 Days Of Christmas Blog Hop

2011-10-18T00:00:00.000-07:00

Speedy the Cat at Mark's Finest Papers likes to get a head start on special Christmas gifts and memories for friends and family. He gathered the design team at Mark's Finest Papers to bring you 12 days of exciting paper crafting gift ideas to get that holiday mojo flowing. The hop runs for 12 consecutive days, starting October 17th! Begin your holiday hop at Speedy's home base, the Mark's Finest Papers blog and relax with a cup of eggnog (or sprig of catnip, your choice) as Speedy leads you though a short, daily hop. You'll find your holiday paper crafting ideas and supplies at Mark's Finest Papers.

Welcome to the 12 Days of Christmas Blog Hop! We have four samples each day for our hop! Please visit each of the following blogs for holiday inspiration! Patty Lois Geri Connie Today we are featuring altered coasters - tile or otherwise.

For my coasters, I bought a set of tile coasters from Lowe's, found the smoothest ones in the box, washed them, and then lightly sanded them using a Tim Holtz sanding block. After the tiles were dry, I then pulled out my Mark's Finest Papers Holly Greetings set and stamped my images in StazOn Jet Black ink. Once my images were stamped, I immediately cleaned the stamps since StazOn ink can stain acrylic stamps if left on them for too long.

After the ink was dry, and my stamps cleaned, I pulled out some Bic permanent markers and got to coloring. Now, coloring with permanent markers will take a couple of coats since too much pressure will start to remove the StazOn ink a bit. After my marker coloring was dry, I then baked, yes I said baked, the tiles in the oven at 275 degrees on a cookie sheet with tin foil under them for about 15 minutes to set the ink/markers and then allowed them to cool. Once the tiles were cooled, I adhered some felt foam circles to the bottom and they're done!! Easy peasy!!

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day. Start off tomorrow on the MFP Blog for more inspiration!

Stamps: MFP Holly Greetings
Ink: StazOn
Accessories: Lowe's Tiles, Permanent Markers, Oven, Tim Holtz Sanding Block

12 Days of Christmas Blog Hop

2011-10-16T13:41:00.000-07:00

Soaring Dreams - My Time Made Easy Pretty Pattern Sketch #31

2011-10-12T21:17:00.000-07:00

Hello and welcome to another My Time Made Easy Pretty Pattern Sketch Challenge. This week we are doing a week in review again by reviewing patterns 13-18. For my card this week, I chose to go with Pretty Pattern #13.

I started out by downloading the On Display digital stamp set and then breaking the set apart. Once that was done, I printed off the airplane twice onto white card stock, making sure to adjust the print setting so it would be a bit lighter, before downloading and printing off the Sweet & Sour Nomad's teal airplane digital designer paper.

After my printing was done, I pulled out some RoseArt colored pencils and colored selected sections of the airplane panel before cutting one up to pop up later. I used some cloud brads from Michael's to finish my card off.

Thanks for stopping by today. I hope to see you participating this week at MTME's Pretty Pattern Sketch Challenge. We're also having a design team call, so if you have ever wanted to be on the team, make sure to participate. Have a great day.

Stamps: MTME On Display Digital Stamps
Card Stock: White, Stampin Up! Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy, MTME Sweet & Sour Nomad Digital Paper
Ink: Stampin Up! Bashful Blue
Accessories: RoseArt Colored Pencils, Stipple Brush, Pop Dots, Making Memories White Baby Brads, Michael's Cloud Brads

Wild Thing!! - Friends Of SpeedyTV Challenge #2

2011-10-10T00:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Monday again! This week's Friends of SpeedyTV challenge is to make an anniversary card. I chose to be a little "wild" with my card for this week by pulling out Mark's Finest Papers stamp set called Big Cats.

I started out by stamping the tiger from the set twice in memento tuxedo black ink onto Corn Husk card stock and coloring with prismacolor markers before cutting one of the images out for popping up later. Once my coloring was done, I pulled out some retired basic gray designer paper, stippled some Stampin Up! tangerine tango ink around the edges of the card and paper before adding my layered tiger image. Taking the "Wild Thing" sentiment from the set, I stamped that in memento tuxedo black also on Corn Husk scrap card stock, stippled tangerine tango around the saying before layering and adding some Making Memories baby brads to it. Now, the rest of my sentiment I computer generated since it wasn't with the set, and after printing it off, also stippled, layered and added the baby brads to make sure it matched.

For the finishing touches, I added some layered silk flowers with a brad center and then popped up the second tiger image I had cut out earlier.

Thanks for stopping by today. I hope to see you this week participating in the challenge. Have a great day.

Stamps: MFP Big Cats
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin Up! Tangerine Tango
Card Stock: MFP Corn Husk, Stampin Up! Tangerine Tango, Black, Only Orange, Basic Gray Designer Paper
Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Computer, Printer, Stipple Brush, Making Memories Black Baby Brads, Silk Flowers, Glue Dots, Pop Dots

The Journey - My Time Made Easy Pretty Pattern Sketch #30

2011-10-05T21:00:00.000-07:00

Hello and happy Thursday. It's time for another My Time Made Easy Pretty Pattern Sketch challenge. For this week's sketch, I decided to do a Breast Cancer theme since October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.

I started out by downloading the Keep Strong digital images and after breaking the set apart, I printed off "The Journey" sentiment and cut it out using my Spellbinders labels fourteen.

After stamping my background using the Take Time acrylic stamp set, I punched out some butterflies using a Martha Stewart butterfly trio punch before sponging Stampin Up! regal rose ink around the edges of the card.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great day.

Stamps: MTME Keep Strong Digital Stamps, Take Time Acrylic Stamps

Ink: Stampin Up! Regal Rose, Pretty In Pink

Card Stock: White, Stampin Up! Regal Rose, Pretty In Pink, Black, Designer Paper

Accessories: Martha Stewart Butterfly Trio Punch, EK Success Ribbon Punch, Spellbinders Labels Fourteen, Pop Dots, Bling, Sponges

Life's Short Sketch and Color Throwdown

2011-10-03T22:20:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone and Happy Tuesday!! It's been a while since I've been able to do a Color Throwdown challenge, so I was glad I could combine this one with the sketch challenge over on Splitcoaststampers.

I started by pulling out my Mark's Finest Papers Poppies, Poppies, Poppies set and stamped my images twice in memento tuxedo black ink onto white card stock before reaching for my prismacolor markers. I took my inspiration from the California poppies that grow wild here in the early Spring and Summer months, making sure to keep my shading as close to the "real thing" as possible. After the coloring for my main image panel was finished, I pulled out several stipple brushes and lightly stippled several different Stampin Up! colors over and around the poppies until I was happy with the shading. Once that was done, I started applying the additional panels for the sketch matching the color throwdown ones as well.

When everything was completely assembled, with ribbons & clips added as well, I started popping up the final poppies making sure to arrange the smaller ones around the greeting circles at the bottom. For the final touch, I pulled out my black ice stickles and highlighted the centers of the poppies for a little sparkle. Every card has to have some sparkle, right? ;)

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great week.

Stamps: MFP Poppies, Poppies, Poppies
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin Up! Tangerine Tango, Bashful Blue, Wild Wasabi, Chocolate Chip, Groovy Guava
Card Stock: White, Stampin Up! Tangerine Tango, Only Orange, Wild Wasabi, Groovy Guava
Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Ribbon, Gold Star Clip, Stipple Brushes, Pop Dots, Black Ice Stickles, Orange Brads

I Think I Can, I Think I Can, I Know I Can

2011-10-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Monday!!! Now before you start groaning and moaning, Monday's are going to be a whole lot more fun to see coming because Mark's Finest Papers now has a new Friends of Speedy TV challenge over on the Mark's Finest Papers blog.

This week's challenge is to create a masculine card; you know, something for the guys. With that in mind, I pulled out my All Aboard set and stamped one of the train engines three times in PTI dark chocolate ink on Mark's Finest Papers Corn Husk Premium paper card stock making sure to set two of the engines aside for cutting out later. Then I took the little Speedy the Cat trademark image from the set and stamped that three times as well making sure to only ink the cat portion of the stamp.

Once all of my stamping was done, I took my main image layer and stippled Stampin Up! tangerine tango and Tim Holtz vintage photo and tea stain distress inks around the image to create a vintage flavor to the card before layering over an embossed layered chocolate chip scrap border on some autumn checkered designer paper I received in a swap recently. Taking my stamped images, I cut each one out and then layered them using different sized pop dots for added dimension before popping the entire engine panel over my embossed border. Here's a close up.

For the finishing touches, I die cut some paper buttons using a Sizzix button sizzlet I picked up at Michael's a couple of years ago on clearance, a Marvy punched train engine (again picked up on clearance), and then some Mark's Finest Papers red jute across the top.

Thanks for stopping by today. I hope to see you participating in the new Friends of Speedy TV challenges. Have a great day.

Stamps: MFP All Aboard
Ink: PTI Dark Chocolate, Stampin Up! Tangerine Tango, Tim Holtz Vintage Photo, Tea Stain
Card Stock: MFP Corn Hust, Stampin Up! Tangerine Tango, Pumpkin Pie, Chocolate Chip Scrap, Designer Paper
Accessories: Stipple Brushes, Sizzix Sizzlet, Big Shot, Vintage Brads, Glue Dots, Pop Dots, Marvy Train Punch, Cuttlebug Embossing Folder, MFP Red Jute, Thread