Peach Petunias and Hummingbirds

Here is my last post-it note holder for a while. Now I need to spend some time cleaning up my craft room. I don't know about the rest of you, but when I create, I get everything out and don't put it back until I'm done with that project. Bad habit, I know.But, when my mind is going, I can't stop it to clean up! *Ü*

My cardstock used is from Close to my Heart in the colors of Taffy, which I Cuttle Bugged with a dots folder, and Sunset. The images are from Fred She Said and are called Wee Hummingbird and Petunias in Peach.  These pre-colored images come in 7 colors of the Petunias and 11 combinations of colors of the hummingbirds. 

I printed out the sheet of Hummingbirds so I could get the color I needed in reverse, and the Peach Petunias twice. I fussy cut out a set of the petunias and both hummingbirds and layered with foam tape for lots of dimension. 

I added a small amount of yellow Flower Soft to the center of the flowers. 

The Hand stitching was done with matching Embroidery Floss in my own unique design.

Other Challenges for this card:
Anything but a Card - Anything
The Crazy Challenge - Easel Card

Purple Petunias and Hummingbirds

Here is another Easel Post-it note card in purple and light blue.

I used the pre-colored Wee Hummingbird and Petunias in Purple. The Hand Stitching was done with White Embroidery Floss.

Other Challenge Blogs for this card:
2 Sisters - anything but a card
Sweet Stampin' - seeing double

Blue Petunias and Hummingbirds

I've been busy making Easel Post-It Note Holders this month. I had a lot top get done in a short amount of time so I used the same design and the same pre-colored Images from Fred She Said, just each in a different color.

This card was done in Blues. I used the Wee Hummingbird and Petunias in Blue. 
I printed the flowers twice and fussy cut the second set and layered them with foam tape for added dimension. I printed the hummingbird in reverse and fussy cut it out to add a second one at the bottom 

The Hand Stitching was done with matching Blue Embroidery Floss in my own unique design.

Other Challenges for this card:
C.R.A.F.T. - Not a card
Card Crafter's Circle - Anything Goes
Pause, Dream, Enjoy - Anything Goes
Stampin' for the weekend - Anything Goes

FSS - Little Fat Santa

Welcome to my Christmas Stress Blog! I can't remember the last time I was this far behind for Christmas. Oh, yes I can.....it was last year! 

I only today got my first batch of Christmas cards in the mail. I used to make my cards with snowmen so if I didn't get them out before Christmas, I would put Happy New Year inside instead. But this year I used the Fred She Said Little Fat Snowman for most of my cards. 

The Ho Ho Ho is from a CTMH stamp set called Perfect Fit - Holidays. 
I used Martha Stewart glitter glue around the frame. I was going to add some liquid applique and flower soft on Santa's fur, but that would have taken more time than I had available. 

I still have about 10 cards to make for tomorrow's mail. That is, if no new ones come in today's mail that I missed.

FSS Daisies and Ladybugs

My card today is a post-it-note pad easel card. I used the  pre-colored images from Fred She Said called Daisies and Ladybugs. This set not only has the pre-colored images, but digis that you can color yourself.

The stitching on the card was all done by hand with my own unique design.

The design inspiration for this card started with this weeks challenge at Critter Sketch Challenge Blog. 

Other Challenges this card was made for.

Craft Your Passion - Stitching

Daisy Doodles - Anything Goes

House of Gilli - Anything Goes

Bearly Mine - Anything Goes
Digital Tuesday - Summer Lovin'
Southern Girls - Endless Summer

Friends of Sweet 'n Sassy Birthday Blog Hop

Good Morning Sweet 'n Sassy Fans. Welcome to their 5th Birthday Blog Hop. It's so hard for me to believe that it's been 5 years already.

I had been on the Sweet 'n Sassy Design Team for about 2 years before my life got crazy. I was so thrilled to have been asked to participate in this blog hop.

Korin and I have been dear friends for probably 10 years now. I have to tell you a story about our relationship because it makes me smile just thinking about it and is quite funny. I am a Close to my Heart Consultant and about 10 years ago I did a home gathering for Korin's sister Casey. Korin told me right out that she was only there for her sister and she had no intention of getting into another hobby. 2 hours later, I had her hooked!!! A year later she became a CTMH consultant. She loved what she did so much that she decided to leave CTMH & design her own clear stamps. And, here she  is 5 years later with an extremely successful and growing business.

My card today is using one of my favorite SNSS stamp sets, Chritsmas Joy. I actually purchased this set last winter and never got around to using it until now.  I then decided to use this weeks Sweet Stop Challenge Sketch and make an Easel Card with it.  I find it fascinating how sometimes paper, a sketch and a stamp just fall right into place. This sketch reminded me of a window frame. So, I used some old papers with trees and gifts for the background which makes it look like you are looking through the window with the Cardinal outside.  The Cardinal was colored with Copic Markers.
Even though I own 2 sewing machines, I LOVE the look of hand stitching since the embroidery floss seems to give it a bit more dimension. Actually, I LOVE doing the stitching by hand. It's therapeutic for me.

Make sure you leave me a little lovin in the comments for a chance to win a supper prize.

There will be 4 random participants from whom I will choose 1 commenter to receive a $15 store credit. 
 
To be included in the drawings, comments must be left by midnight EST Friday, November 30th.

The winners will be announced on the SNSS Blog on December 1st at 8am EST

Other Challenges for this Card:
Cards for Men - Christmas
Scrap Creations - Christmas
Use It Tuesday - Ink it up-Finally
Tuesday Throwdown - Lots of Layers

Fred She Said 30% off Black Friday Sale

FABULOUS BLACK FRIDAY Weekend SALE

Get your Christmas cards made in record time with Fred She Said GORGEOUS Pre-colored images. So many to choose from, but for 30% off, you can buy them ALL!!!

If you do prefer to color them yourself. the same Digi's are available too. 

Flourishes New Release Challenge

I decided at the last minute to play along with the Flourishes New Release challenge since I love to have the chance to win some free stamps.  My chances have always been slim to non, However, it gave me the incentive to make another Christmas card. 

There are four different challenges with this one card.
1.  a sketch challenge
2. Make it Monochromatic
3. Use designer paper
4. Add Bling.

This was such a gorgeous sketch that I couldn't pass it up. I'm a sketch junkie.
Then I stamped the Poinsettia and Pine Stamp set with Memento Black Ink and used clear detail embossing powder to just give it a little more dimension. I also stamped the Joy! from the same set with black and heat embossed it also with clear EP.
I then colored it in with Copic Markers. 
I love to do hand stitching on my cards but didn't have much time today so I just added some hand stitching in two of the corners. 
I flip flopped my designer papers on the background and the circle.
I then added lots of pearls and pearl swirls along with pink crystals around the red part of the circle for the bling.

Fred She Said Winter Blog Hop

Good morning all you Fred She Said fans and those of you who have never experienced the fabulous FSS artwork. The design team is featuring newly released winter images today.
This card is a little simpler then I usually make because this is one I used for my card workshop this month. 

Welcome to the Fred, She Said Winter 2012 Blog Hop! The flakes will be flying in earnest soon...grab yourself a cuppa something warm and spend a while checking out the new Fred, She Said Winter images!   

If you have arrived from Tracey Lynn's blog,  you are right on track. If you are just happening by, you will want to go back to Tracey Lynn's blog since her's is the beginning and you wouldn't want to miss any of the fabulous artwork nor miss a secret word.

Collect a secret word on each blog along the way, leave us some love on our posts and follow the directions at the end of the hop for your chance to win this FABULOUS PRIZE!

One winner will receive ALL of this:

PRIZE:
£15 gift voucher -Bearly Mine Designs- 

$25 GC to CropStop (provided by Fred She Said)
$25 GC to Fred She Said Store

If you get lost along the way, here is the order of the hop.

Tracey Lynn

                      Nancy - You are here
Zehra
Crystal 
GUEST DT Donna 

Janet Kay 

Patricia

Carolyn

Michelle  

FSS Challenge Blog 

The design inspiration for this card started with a sketch from "Seems a Little Sketchy."

For my card, I used the pre-colored image of Snow Lady - Light Up Your Holidays. Isn't she just the cutest!!! I used a narrow embossing folder with snowflakes in Heavenly Blue cardstock then sanded over the raised images. 

The "Season's Greetings" is from PaperTrey Ink.

With a Ball Point Glue Pen I added dots of glue for the snow in the sky with prisma glitter. I used the glue pen on each of the lights and used coordinating MS glitter.

Your secret word on my blog is "is"

Your next stop on the hop is Zehra's blog.  

Winners will be selected on November 23, 2012 at 12:01 EST.

Other Challenge Blogs for this card:
Fussy & Fancy - Feeling Blue

Sunflowers and Pumpkins

I love the Fred She Said pre-colored images so much that I actually printed them out and used them for my card class last night. This is one card and the other will be shown for the FSS Blog Hop on Friday.

For my card I used the Pumpkins and Sunflowers for the main image and then the Sunflowers and Thankfulness set. I omitted a sentiment so they could use it for any occasion this fall.

The inspiration for the design of this card came from a Sketch and Stash sketch #53. Their challenge this week is to use any sketch from their catalog. They have so many gorgeous sketches there that I had a hard time choosing.

All papers are from Close to my Heart. I used two spellbinder dies and a MS border punch. The background paper was made with a Fall embossing folder then sanded lightly.

Other Challenge Blogs for this card:
Die Cuttin Divas - Brown, yellow, orange + one other (green)

Poinsettia and Pine - Timeless Tuesday Challenge

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Well, this is the second year in a row that Halloween was ruined for my grandkids. We live in Eastern PA, right in the heart of Hurricane Sandy and thousands of people still are without power and there's major flooding. Last year we had a freak snow storm on Halloween. Luckily, they were camping twice this month and got to go Trick or Treating at the camp grounds.

I've been doing some card making with new stamps from Flourishes to help my stress, which has been really bad lately. Why is it that the smell of New Acrylic Stamps can have such a calming affect. 

This card was inspired by the week 5 sketch challenge from Viva La Verve and the Timeless Tuesday Challenge this week, both of which go together perfectly. The Flourishes challenge is to have the focal image fall off the page.

I used my new Flourishes stamp set called Poinsettia and Pine. I stamped it with memento Black ink then used clear detail embossing powder to give it a little more dimension. This also helps when coloring to keep the colors where they belong. I also used the Merry Christmas from the Flourishes Naturally Merry Stamp Set. 
Another thing that calms my stress is coloring. I LOVE my Copic Markers but haven't been using them lately. It's amazing what a calming affect coloring has. 

The Hand Stitching was done in my own unique design with matching Embroidery Floss.
I love how this stitching just frames the whole project. It is time consuming, but also a calming affect and well worth the extra time.

Other Challenges with this card:
Ooh, La La - Christmas
Simon Says - Just add Pearl
Totally Stampalicious - Anything Goes
Stampin' for the weekend - Anything Goes
Fussy & Fancy - Anything Goes
Crafty Ann's - Christmas
The Crafty Pad - Christmas
One Stitch at a Time - Christmas
Anything Goes - Anything Goes
Jacksons Digital Expressions - Anything Goes

Kiss Me Scottie

Here is my card for today. I got the inspiration from a Viva La Verve sketch challenge week 4.

I used the NEW pre-printed image from Fred She Said called "Kiss Me Scottie". Isn't this just the cutest Christmas Card.
I printed the Scottie three times, fancy cut then and layered portions with foam tape. Same with the mistletoe. Only two layers of them. too tiny!!!

The card is done in Black & White with a touch of Red. I love this combination and don't use it often enough

I hand Stitched the running stitch around the card with Red Embroidery Floss. I LOVE hand stitching. It adds more dimension.

Other Challenges for this card:
Anything Goes - Anything Goes
Die Cuttin Divas - Anything Goes
Digital Tuesday - Fibers (Bakers Twine)
Party Time Tuesday - Anything
Scrap Creations - Pop it up
Ooh La La - Christmas
One Stitch at a Time - Christmas
I Did It! - Use and embossing folder
The Crafty Pad - Christmas
Paper Crafting Journey - Ribbon/Twine
Southern Girls - Animal

Hurricane Sandy Aftermath

Well, the worst of Hurricane Sandy is past us now. We still have some rain and wind, but not like last night. I hope everyone else is safe.

We live in Eastern PA just north of Philadelphia. And we got hammered with 70 mph winds. I didn't get much sleep last night with the howling winds and the creaking house. We live out in the country with lots of trees around us. Luckily, the only one that came down was an Old Christmas tree that we bought balled about 20 years ago and planted. It got really big & ugly over those years and we wanted to cut it down. However, it was taller then the power lines and right next to them. The lines weren't there when we planted the tree. If it went the other way, it would wipe out the one corner of our house. Well, mother nature took care of that tree. It uprooted it and took it down perpendicular to the house and lines. There really is a fabulous God!!!

The tree is so big, I couldn't get a picture of the whole thing from my deck and I wasn't about to go out in the cold & pouring down rain to get a better one. I took the picture from my deck.

That's out daughter's house down below. Her basement is so flooded that when she opened her sliding glass door, the water just poured out and is still flowing. It's coming up through the floor. 

The only other problem is that we are without power and it may take a week to get it restored. We do have a generator that we run just long enough to warm the house and then we turn it off again. Last year we were without power 5 times for a total of 24 days. So, we had enough and invested in a generator. Best investment we ever made. 
We are so grateful for what we had. It could have been so much worse. All that rain could have been snow!

Autumn Blossoms - Timeless Tuesday Birthday Challenge

I had such a fun time this week coloring with my Copic Markers, which I haven't used in months, that I had to make another card with this fabulous new stamp set called Autumn Blossoms. It's the only Fall set I ordered. All the other are Christmas and I'm dying to use them.

The inspiration for this card started with October's week two sketch challenge from Verve La Viva.
I really like orange and purple together for the fall.

The Sentiment, papers, pearls, & Burlap Ribbon are from Close to my Heart.

I chose to Hand Stitch around the card because I like the dimension that embroidery floss adds rather then machine stitching.

Other Challenges for this card:
Flourishes Timeless Tuesday- Birthday
Brown Sugar - Anything Goes
Card Makin' Mamas - Anything Goes
Fussy & Fancy - Anything Goes
Patties Creations - Autumn Colors
Stampin' for the Weekend - Anything goes
Wags 'n Whiskers - Autumn Colors
2 sisters - Autumn Colors
CMC Copic Challenge - Orange

Autumn Blossoms Birthday Card

I just received a pile of new stamp sets from Flourishes and couldn't wait to get out my Copic Markers and do some coloring. It seems that it's been ages since I colored with them. I felt like a kid again!!!

The inspiration for this card came from Week one of the Viva La Verve October Sketch Challenge.
I also made this card for the Timeless Tuesday Challenge Blog to make a Birthday Card.

The stamp set I used is called Autumn Blossoms.
I stamped two of each of these images, colored them with Copic Markers and cut them all out. I rounded them slightly on a foam mat and added foam tape for added dimension. It's a really pretty affect but doesn't show up on the picture.

The papers and pearls are from CTMH. The bow was made from left over strands from my Burlap Ribbon I pulled out to fray on another card. Us crafters never throw anything away!

The Hand stitching was done in my own unique design with matching Embroidery Floss. I used this color to blend in and enhance, rather then make the card too busy.

Other Challenges for this card.
All Beautiful Cards - Use something NEW (stamps)
Crafty Cardmakers - Autumn
Forever Friends - Autumn
Kaboodle Doodles - Fall
Hand Stamped Sentiments - Fall colors
Everybody Art - Orange
Inky Impressions - Fall
The Perfect Sentiment - Birthday
Stampavie - Stitches
Gingerloft - Autumn
Great Impressions - Fall
All Sorts - Autumn Colors
CMC Copic Challenge - Orange

Fss - Wee Hummingbird and Petunia's

Good morning and welcome back for another Fred She Said Easel card post-it-note holder. I'm just loving making these. They make perfect little gifts.

The inspiration fro this card started with a Viva La Verve week 3 sketch.

Then I printed out the pre-colored Wee Hummingbird and Petunias twice, then mirrored the printing and printed out another set, slightly smaller three times again. I cut one out with the "out of the box" technique and a spellbinders oval die. Then fussy cut everything else out and mounted with foam tape for lots of dimension.

The Pearls and papers are all from Close to my Heart in Gypsy and Crystal Blue. I love these two colors together.

The Hand Stitching was all done with matching Embroidery Floss in my own unique design.

Other Challenges for this card:
Everybody Art - Purple
Ladybug's Craft Ink - "P" - Pearls, Purple, Petunias
Clear It Out - Gift
Bearly Mine - Easel Card
One Stitch at a Time - Use a Digi
One Stop Craft Challenge - Anything Goes

FSS - Emma in the Strawberry Parch

Here is another creation with the fabulous Fred She Said pre-colored images. This one is called Emma in the Strawberry Parch.
It's hard to see in the picture, but I printed out Emma and a variety of sizes of strawberries several rimes, cut them out and layered with foam tape.

My inspiration for this card came from the Friday Sketch Challenge. 

I have been commissioned to make some post-it-note holder cards so I turned the card into an easel card and added a matching post-it-note pad. The previous post had the first one I made like this.

I will be making many of this style in the coming weeks for my Etsy shop as they make perfect Christmas Gifts. I think I should have started on them months ago. If only we didn't have to eat and sleep!!! *Ü*

The papers are all retired for CTMH. The red crystals are actually clear ones from CTMH that I colored with a Copic Marker.
The Hand Stitching was done with matching Embroidery Floss..

Stop by tomorrow to see another one with Petunia's and Humming birds.

Other Challenges for this card.
Bearly Mine - Easel Card
Clear it out! - Gift
Created with Love - Something sweet

FSS Emma in the Leaves

Well, I'm trying to create again. I've been sick for the past three weeks and I just can't seem to shake it. Let's just say that Musinex isn't the answer. It's very expensive and I'm still violently coughing. But, things need to get done so here is a card that has taken me a week to make. Hope the next one goes a little quicker.

This card is an Easel card turned into a post-it-note holder.

I used the Fred She Said  pre-colored image of Emma in the Leaves. Isn't she just the cutest!!!

I also embellished it with a new Fred She Said release,  Fallen Maple Leaf.

The papers are retired Close to my Heart papers. I used matching buttons and bakers twine. I hand died the seam binding with sunset ink and alcohol to match the paper and the crinkled it as I heat set the inks. Heat setting gives it a mottled look rather then a solid look by letting it dry on it's own.

The hand stitching was done with matching embroidery floss.

Other challenges for this card:
Crafty Catz - Easel card
Fussy & Fancy - Easel Card
Craft Us Crazy - Fall
Sarah Hurley - Autumn
Southern Girls - Tie a Ribbon Around It.
Little Red Wagon - Use a Bow
Dutch Dare - Buttons & Bows

Fred She Said Early Autumn Blog Hop

Welcome to the Fred, She Said Early Autumn Blog Hop! Summer has ended and memories remain! The FSS team wants to share with you the newly released FSS images!

If you have arrived from Janet Kay’s blog, you are right on track. If you are just happening by, you will want to start on the FSS Blog.

Collect a secret word on each blog along the way, leave us some love on our posts and follow the directions at the end of the hop for your chance to win this FABULOUS PRIZE!

One winner will receive ALL of this:

$25 GC to CropStop (provided by Fred She Said)
$25 GC to Fred She Said Store

Hop ends Friday, October 5, midnight EST.

My card today is made using the yellow and orange pre-colored Poppies images.

I used a sketch from this weeks's Anything Goes Sketch Challenge.

The Papers, pearls, stick pins and color ready seam binding are all from Close to my Heart.

The hand stitching was done with matching embroidery floss.

It's hard to tell on the photo, but most of the flowers had been printed a second time and fussy cut then layered with foam tape.

Your secret word on my blog is "to"
Your next stop on the hop is Robin’s blog.

Other Challenges for this card:
Tuesday Throwdown - Fall 
TCP Tuesday - Colore Challenge
Try It On Tuesday - Lotsw of Layers
Everybody Art - Autumn
Die Cuttin Divas - Shabby Chic, Doily, Flowers
Paper Pretties - Fall
Stampin Royalty - Die Cuts
Creative Inspiration - Doily, Blue, Pearls

Fred She Said Surprise Blog Hop

Welcome to the Fred, She Said Surprise Blog Hop! Summer is coming to a close, and maybe we can find a few moments to spend in our crafty spaces!  The FSS team wants to surprise you with the wide variety of great images there are to be found in the store!  We have no idea what anyone has selected to work with....so we’ll be surprised right along with you!

If you have arrived from Michelle's blog, you are right on track. If you are just happening by, you will want to start on the FSS Blog.

Collect a secret word on each blog along the way, leave us some love on our posts and follow the directions at the end of the hop for your chance to win this FABULOUS PRIZE!

One winner will receive ALL of this:

$25 GC to CropStop (provided by Fred She Said)
$25 GC to Fred She Said Store

...and a Surprise Goody Bag (photo and list of contents on the first and last stops on the hop!)

We’re hopping for 2 weeks!  Hop ends Friday, September 14, midnight EST.

Fred She Said is having a SURPRISE 2 week SALE ( August 31st - September 14th)
20% off any purchase $10 or over
25% off any purchase $ 20 or over

My card today is an Easel Card made using the FSS Pumpkins and Sunflower pre-colored image, and the Sunflower and Thankfulness pre-colored set. The images were all fussy cut and layered multiple times with foam tape.

The inspiration for my card started out with the Sketch and Stash sketch challenge.It may be hard to see in the photo, but the background papers were made using the water stamping technique.

The Hand Stitching was done with matching Embroidery Floss.Your secret word on my blog is heart

Your next stop on the hop is Carolyn's blog.