Friday, July 31, 2009

Tee Time-CTMH; MMSC12


I needed a card today for my husband's birthday so I used this fantastic sketch from this weeks Midnight Madness Sketch #12. This is one time I can actually say I love this card. That's sometimes not the easiest thing for me to do. I'm my worst critic. It looks much better in person. I couldn't lighten it up enough to look natural. I normally take a picture rather then scan it. I like using natural light and it was dark when I finished it.


Anyway, I followed this sketch to the "TEE". A little late night humor there. I must be overly tired.


I used a paper pack from Close to my Heart called "A Guy Thing", and stamp sets called "Tee Time" & "For Every Occasion."

Colors of ink used were Barn Red, Olive and Black.

The grosgrain ribbon and Big Decorative Brad is also from CTMH.


All stitching on the card was done by hand using embroidery floss.

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Baby Blessings_SNSS, The Pink Elephant

Welcome to day two of the Sweet 'n Sassy Blog Hop.


If you just came here from Teresa's blog, you are in the right place.

If not, you may want to go back and start at the beginning with Korin's Blog and work your way from there so you don't miss any of the great eye candy from each of the Design Team members.


The card sketch for this card is from sketch #25 at The Pink Elephant. I just turned it to fit my stamp.

I sometimes find it hard to make masculine cards. With this one, I wanted it to look like it was for a baby boy so I used nontraditional baby colors.
This stamp set is called Baby Blessings from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps.

The other main image in this set is a Giraffe and can be seen a few posts down.
This is a fantastic set with lots of verses to go with it.


The paper is from Close to my Heart.


The stitching is done by hand with two different colors of embroidery floss, olive and dutch blue. It may be hard to see the two different colors in the photo.


From here you want to hop on over to Lori's Blog.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Sweet 'n Sassy sketch14-Wedding Bells Stamp


I just love this weeks sketch over at the Sweet Stop Blog.
Sweet 'n Sassy stamps is still going strong with their Christmas in July sale. But, you only have until Friday to get in on their discounted stamps and FREE Digi's.

For this card, I used their new Digi stamp set called Wedding Day. I wanted to show the versatility of this set. I had something different in mind when I started but changed it to using a punch for the white sprigs around the bell and lower left corner. You probably can't see it on the photo, but they are covered with clear Prisma glitter as is the punch out snowflake on the ribbon. It just adds the right amount of sparkle and glitz.
The Season's Greetings is also from a Digi stamp set called "Do not open till Christmas." This digi set is not for sale. BUT, you can get it FREE with just a $35 purchase. Check it out HERE.

The paper is from The Aspen Paper Pack from Close to My Heart.

The stitching is done by hand with embroidery floss. I've been using this stitch a lot lately for my Christmas cards since it reminds me of snowflakes.

Monday, July 27, 2009

Extreme Happiness-CTMH - MMSC11


I Loved this sketch #11 on Midnight Madness and wanted to play along. This card worked out great in my mind, however, now that I have it on paper, I'm not crazy about it. But, I spent way too much time on it so it will just have to grow on me.

The card size is 5"x7"


I used paper from the
Moon Doggie paper pack from Close to my Heart.

Also used the stamp set
Extreme Happiness, also from CTMH.

I used a Martha Stewart Border Punch.


The stitching around the three sides was done by hand using embroidery floss.
I make up my own stitch designs. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don't. I got lucky with this one.

The yellow part of the flowers has stickles on them for a little added glitz.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Baby Blessings, MMSC10,


This has to be the fastest card I've ever made. Really, I take forever to design one and then to finally say OK, I'm done. I usually just keep adding things.

Well with this one, just a few hours ago, a design team member, Teresa, told us about The Pink Elephant Challenge Blog. This weeks Challenge is to create a card with an animal theme.

I thought the Midnight Madness sketch 10 would be perfect for it. However, the deadline for submitting that sketch was in 1 1/2 hours from then. So, I scrambled to get my thought together and promised myself that I would keep it simple.
So, here is the sketch and the fastest card I've ever made.
All papers are from Close to my Heart.
Image is colored in with Copic Markers.
Stitching was done by hand with embroidery Floss.
So, what do you think. Quick and easy!

Do Not OPen Till Christmas, SNSS Sketch #13


I have to tell you, this is the first time EVER that I have made Christmas cards before September. My customers have been bugging me to start on them and I just can't get myself geared towards Christmas now.

However, once I started playing with these Christmas Digis, from Sweet 'n Sassy, I got inspired.

This is another one of the Digi Images that you can get for free with you purchase of Sweet 'n Sassy stamps until July 31st.

If you scroll down, you will see the other two images, Stanley Penguin and Light Up My Life set with the snowman.

For this card, I used all Close to my Heart Papers.

The image was colored with Copic Markers. The hat and package was colored and cut out and layered to add dimension.

The snow, and white on his hat, is white liquid Applique heated to get puffy. When cool, I added a light coating of a wet glue and then sprinkled on Clear fine glitter.

For the polar bear, I covered him with glue and white fun flock.

Red stickles was used for the ornaments on the tree and gold stickles was used for the ribbon on the package.

Punches used were a border punch from Kiskars, a McGill punch for the sprigs behind the flower, and a small snowflake punch.

All stitching on the front and inside of the card is done by hand with embroidery floss. I tried to do a pattern on the front that sort of resembled snow flakes.

So, I think this is my last Christmas Card until I satisfy my CTMH customers with a Christmas in August workshop. Oh Well, if you can't beat them, you may as well join them!!! *Ü*

Shower of Blessings, Sketch Saturday #60


I've been dieing to find time to create with this image and finally did it. I couldn't sleep last night so I was up until 4:00 AM playing. So here is what I came up with.

This is the newest Digi stamp from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps.

This is just the sweetest image. It's called Shower of Blessings.

I used the Sketch Saturday Sketch #60 for the design of the card.

The paper pack, ribbon, & brads are from Close to my Heart.
Colors used are Juniper, Creme Brulee, & Sorbet. Sounds good enough to eat. Doesn't it!!!

Ink pad is Memento Tuxedo Black.

The image was colored in with Copic Markers.

All stitching, inside and out, was done by hand with embroidery floss. I just LOVE hand stitching. I guess you could tell that from all of my cards.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Sweet Spot Sketch Saturday - SSS12


This is my card using the Sweet Stop Sketch #12.

Here is another example of some great Sweet 'n Sassy Christmas stamps. Get them on sale during the Christmas in July sale. FREE Digi Stamp give-a-way!

This card was made using
Owl Occasions and Christmas Owl Add-Ons.

The card base measures 5" x 7".

Hand stitching around the outside of the card and also on the four corners.

The Owl, Hat & Holly was stamped, colored with Copic Markers and cut out twice. Then layered for a 3D affect.

I know it's hard to tell on a photo, but there is red glitter on the holly berries and the hat has white liquid applique heated and clear glitter added for some sparkle.

Red satin ribbon tied on also.

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Stanley Penguin-CPS Sketch Challenge


Sweet 'n Sassy stamps is sponsoring the CPS Sketch Challenge Blog this week.

Here is my card from the sketch. I had to flip it to make it work with my papers since I wanted the larger part for my snowflake paper. I used one of the newest Digi stamps from SNSS to keep with the Christmas in July Celebration on the Sweet 'n Sassy website. You can get him FREE with just a $20 order.

This set is called "Stanley Penguin."

This will get you thinking about the cold weather just five short months away. It can be nice to think about that right now when the temperature is Hot! Hot! Hot!!! This little guy will surely cool you off!!!


Monday, July 6, 2009

Sketch Saturday - #58


This is sketch 58 from Sketch Saturday.

This is such a great sketch and I decided to use it for the Humble Artists July Card Swap.

The requirements were to make a 5"x5" card, have it mainly pink in color, have flowers, a stamped image cut out, at least 4 to 5 layers, ribbon, buttons, have a quote stamped on it and have stitching. WHEW!!! I think I got everything in.

I changed this one around slightly from the ones for the swap. Mine is 5.5" x 5.5" and has a little more stitching which I love to do by hand with embroidery floss.
All products on this card are Close to my Heart.
The stamp set used is called "Endless Friendship". I just LOVE this set!!!

The papers are the reverse side of the Close to my Heart Bella Papers to give me the Hollyhock pink. The cardstock, leaves and embroidery floss are Garden Green.

The ribbon is Hollyhock twill and a bow with Hollyhock 1/8" stitched ribbon.

All of the flowers were stamped with Hollyhock and blush inks. Leaves with Garden Green and Olive inks. Then they ALL were cut out and layered with foam tape for a 3D affect. The only think not cut out were the tiny flowers.

Dark Pink Dew Drops used in the corners and as flower centers.

Olive buttons with Garden Green embroidery floss tied in the holes.


Saturday, July 4, 2009

Sweet 'n Sassy Sketch 11

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps is celebrating Christmas in July all month long.

To keep with the theme, I created this card using the Sweet 'n Sassy sketch 11 and the new Digi stamp set, "Light Up My Life". This scan doesn't do this card justice. You really can't see all of the glitz and sparkle.

I made this card 5" x 7". I've been getting into the larger cards lately. I think it's because I enjoy hand stitching my cards and the larger size gives me more room to stitch and stamp.

All papers are from Close To My Heart. Colors are Twilight and Creme Brulee.

The two snowflakes are cut out using my Cricut, then covered with adhesive and dipped in clear glitter.

All stitching is done by hand with matching embroidery floss.

The snow underneath the snowman was made using liquid applique covered with clear glitter before heating.

The lights & Holly on the hat are colored in with Spica glitter pens.
The image itself is colored with Copic Markers.
The background sky was chalked light blue.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

My Little Chickadee


This card was made for the Sweet 'n Sassy Card Sketch 10.

It using one of their stamp sets called "My Little Chickadee"

The papers are from Close to my Heart.

The flower was made from punches.

The Chickadee was stamped three times, colored with Copic Markers, cut out and layered for a 3D affect.

The stitching is all done by hand with embroidery floss. This card imparticular has more stitching then normal. That's because it's sewn through three layers of paper instead of only two.

I've been told that I have too much free time on my hands to do hand stitching on all of my cards. Well, the truth is, I take care of my 2 year old granddaughter everyday for 10 hours. By the time she goes home at 5:30, I make dinner and clean up, I'm beat. So, during her naps, I create my cards and prepare the backgrounds. That way when I'm too tired for anything else, I can sit and watch a movie and sew my cards. Besides, I love needle crafts and have no time for them, so I add it to my cards.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Light of the World


Welcome to the Sweet 'n Sassy Blog Hop.

I am one of the new designers. I will be with you for the next six months.
If you had told me a month ago that I would be using anything other then CTMH stamps, I would have told you you were crazy.
This was totally an act of God. I think he looked at me one day and said, "Nancy, I gave you talent, now stop wasting it. Go forth and pay it forward to a special friend."
It started with one phone call to me, then another surprising phone call back to her.
God surely works in mysterious way.
The new stamps in the June release are phenomenal.Be sure to keep on hoppin' for the next two days to see all of the fantastic artwork with these new sets.The Blog Hop schedule is in my side column if you need it.
Be sure to check out my second sample below and then hop on over to cortney's blog.

This card is 5.5" x 5.5" and the Stamp Set used is "Light of the World".

All papers are from the New Horizon's Paper Pack from Close to my Heart.

The stitching on the card is all done by hand with embroidery floss.

The lighthouse image was stamped three times, colored with Copic Markers, parts of it cut out and layered for a 3D affect.

Dream Silhouettes

Are you enjoying your Blog Hop Yet!!!

Well, here's a card using a set called


This card is 5" x 7" .

All papers, ribbon, and inks are from Close to my Heart.

The main color here is Hollyhock.

All stitching is done by hand with embroidery floss.

The technique used for the background is called "depth of Field".

You can find out how to get the instructions for this technique HERE.