Sharing Bear

Happy Halloween everyone! I don't have a spooky card to share with you all today, as I just am not feeling it this year. Yesterday at work I started feeling really crummy around mid morning, and it just got worse from there. Today it's the whole kit n kaboodle, sore throat, runny nose, chest cold....uggh.... 

BUT, I do have a cheery Christmas card to share. I just had to bring out some of my old Forever Friends bear stamps. I used them to death last year, but love them just as much this year. 

This time I decided to paper piece the little bear's coat and mittens with some of my favorite Cosmo Cricket Christmas papers, 'Be Good'. I really, really wish CC would keep doing some of the elegant vintage papers they used to do, although I like some of the newer collections, I like traditional colors better. I'm almost out of this paper, even though I stocked up on my fave patterns, I use it a lot!

The sentiment circle is one of the new seal stamps Lili of the Valley will be releasing soon. I love them all!

I hope everyone gets tons of candy, lots of tricks and most of all a fun, safe Halloween to all! Thanks for visiting!

Stamps: Forever Friends, LOTV
Ink: Memento, Distress
Paper: Heavenly White, Gina K, SU, PTI
Tools & Accessories: Clever Lever snowflake punch, Martha Stewart edge & snowflake punches, Spellbinders Labels 17, Lacey Circles & Oval Nestabilities, McGill circle punch, Stickles, colored pencils,OMS, Jo Sonja Warm White acrylic paint, old toothbrush, PTI button

LOTV Thursday Challenge Sneek Peek of new stamps!

We had a beautiful sketch to work with for this week's challenge at LOTV, take a look here. I used a brand spankin' new image soon to be released. All of the new stamps are simply amazing, but what I really love are the sentiment seals. There are tons of them, for every occasion and holiday. They add just the right finishing touch.

I used the Porcelain collection from Basic Grey for this card because she's playing tea, and tea = porcelain, ha ha! Not really, but I loved the soft pinks and greens. The little darling is colored with some Copics, the cupcake was glitter-ated and the cherry was cherried...(some red Viva Decor for realistic dimension).

Want to see more sneak peeks of the new stamps? Head on over to the LOTV blog and check out the other DT ladies' creations! Not all of them used the newbies, but if you look carefully you'll be sure to spot some!

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Lili of the Valley
Ink: Memento
Paper: Basic Grey, Memory Box, PTI
Tools & Accessories: PTI scallop die, Spellbinders lacey circles, classic and lacey squares, cream twill tape, Copics, Viva Decor pen, Glamour Dust

Recipe Journal

 I felt like altering a plain spiral journal I've had laying around for a long time. I decided to make a recipe journal with this adorable Elisabeth Bell image from Belles 'n Whistles. Perfect for a recipe book. This little project took me a long, long time. I wanted to make sure it was really durable and would hold up to the occasional drip or splatter from the kitchen. I coated everything with a thin layer of matter sealer to protect it. I had the whole book apart so I could really get in all the cracks and crevices.

The patterned paper has that real antique feel to it, so I did a lot of aging and a bit of distressing to it. I wanted coordinating papers for the inside covers (didn't have any) so I stamped a damask pattern on Ocean Tides cardstock. I'm very happy with it and I think it would make a wonderful gift! And if you're interested, you can buy it from my Etsy shop! A fun, if time consuming project that I really enjoyed.

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Belles 'n Whistles, Papertrey Ink, Waltzingmouse Stamps
Ink: Memento, Distress, Versamark
Paper: PTI, Core'dinations, K & Co.
Tools & Accessories: Bind-it-All, Spellbinders Labels, brown EP, colored pencils, OMS, Copics, PTI ribbon, EK Success edge punch

WMS 'Tag You're It!' Challenge

If you haven't heard about Claire's awesome prize giveaway, you won't want to miss it. Read about it here. Mucho WMS bucks to spend on all those delicious stamps! {swoon} The challenge is to create an elegant and beautiful Christmas tag. Not so very difficult using WM stamps! lol!

Here's what I came up with...

 One of my very favorite templates from Claire's store, the rubber band box. Very easy to put together, someday I hope to get an electronic cutter to make it even easier. I chose SU's retired Wintergreen papers because they are the most beautiful patterns and colors I have ever seen! Seriously one of my favorite Christmas/Winter paper collections, and I'm glad I stocked up!

I chose to use a simple snowflake stamp on the tag because I wanted to use 3D paint to add little 'pearls' for extra dimension. Well, I wish I had used actual little sticky pearls, because no matter how hard I try I cannot get uniformly shaped/sized pearls from Liquid Pearls/Viva Decor/3D paints! BUT, it's still very pretty, and I like it.

Wish me luck because I have a WMS wishlist a mile long and I need it, ha ha!

Thanks for looking...

Stamps: Waltzingmouse Stamps 'Seasons of Love', 'Very Vintage Labels no. 4'
Ink: Versamark, SU
Paper: SU
Tools & Accessories: Spellbinders Labels, circle Nestabilities, 1/4" hole punch, light blue taffeta ribbon, Viva Decor Pearl paint pen, Scribbles 3D paint, Scor Pal, white elastic, eyelets, Crop a dial, SU corner punch

VERY late LOTV challenge card

Life has been so hectic lately, I find very little time for myself anymore. When I do manage to get a card done, it seems like I don't get a chance to photograph it, then post it till much later. I had this card ready for this week's LOTV challenge done last week, but never managed to post it this morning. Well anyway, here it is. The theme was 'Winter Fun'. So easy to create a fun winter card with all their delicious stamps!

 This lovely little lady is 'All Wrapped Up' in her winter finery. I wanted to save this pretty stamp till I really had a great layout idea to do it justice. I was browsing through my digital paper collection and found this beautiful paper from the Christmas Dreams collection from Designer Digitals.

I colored her all in pink, reds and ivory with my colored pencils. If it weren't for the Winter Day sentiment circle it could've been a Valentine's Day card!

Well, that's all for now, thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Lili of the Valley, Catslife Press
Ink: Memento, Perfect Match
Paper: Heavenly White, Hammermill color copy paper, SU, Designer Digitals
Tools & Accessories: Martha Stewart edge punch, Spellbinders Labels, red pearls, colored pencils, OMS, Copics, tiny rhinestones, Stickles, Marvy Uchida clever lever snowflake punches, PTI button, pink grosgrain ribbon

Winter Window

I've got another Christmas card to share with you today. These stamps are from Impression Obsession, the 'Winter View' clear set. I love coloring window scenes, there's just something about the warm amber glow coming through a window that makes me feel all warm and cozy. I almost always color my windows a warm yellow to recreate this. 

I used the new Basic Grey/Sizzix embossing folder to emboss this background paper, I finally found a snowflake embossing pattern that I like.  The DP on the bottom of the card is also stamped using the pine garland from the set. I added little red 'berries' with Stickles.

A little bit of glass glitter for icy snow, a pretty red check bow and voila...

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Impression Obsession
Ink: Memento, Distress
Paper: PTI, Stardream, Gina K
Tools & Accessories: Martha Stewart edge punch, gingham ribbon, Stickles, colored pencils, OMS, glass glitter, Basic Grey/Sizzix embossing folder, SU oval/scalloped oval punches

A Traditional Christmas Card

So I'm searching for some very traditional, classic type Christmas papers the other day, especially digital ones for that instant gratification, when in my Google search results I get a link to Stampin Up's store. I soon find out that they have digital kits available for sale, with papers and stamps from their current catalog! And you don't need their digital software to use them! I've had my eye on this particular set, Deck the Halls because I loved the classic, vintage looking papers but never got around to ordering them. Well, I chose the digital option instead. Faster, cheaper, and I have an unlimited supply! I do love digital stuff almost as much as the real thing...

Anyway, here's what I came up with:

All the patterned papers, the Poinsettia and the sentiment are printed from my computer. So this is what you would call a digital hybrid card, I think. I colored three copies of the Poinsettia with Copics and cut them out to layer the bracts. I added some glass glitter to some of parts of the flower for that vintage sparkly effect.
OH, and an FYI for you Copic lovers- one thing I hated about Copics was the horrible bleeding I would get, especially with certain colors. Like Reds! So I didn't use them much, although I liked the look of them. Well, somewhere in my internet travels I remember watching a video of someone using Copics to color a drawing (not stamping related) and I was stunned that she got absolutely NO bleeding, and the blending seemed much easier and smoother. (I'm sorry I didn't save the video, I can't remember how I found it). Apparently she used some inexpensive Hammermill color copy paper, so I decided to find some and try it. I wasn't prepared to pay the exorbitant price for the new Xpress it blending cardstock that supposedly did the same thing. Well, I'm happy to say that I am extremely pleased with this paper! It's a bit thinner than I would like, even though it's the 'Cover' weight paper, but supposedly this is what makes it easier to blend on. If you click on the picture for a close up, you will see NO bleeding with the reds at all. I'm a happy camper!

A little bit of gold dimensional paint for the flower centers, some highlights with Copic Spica pen on the pine branches,  lots of shimmer and shine on this card!
Pretty neat for an almost all digital card, huh? Amazing what technology allows us to do nowadays.

Thanks for stopping by!


Stamps: Digital brush from SU
Ink: Distress
Paper: SU Deck the Halls digital kit, Hammermill color copy paper, Gina K, Stardream metallic gold card, Heavenly White
Accessories: Spellbinders Labels, glass glitter, Copics, Adirondack dimensional paint, seam binding

Christmas Sleigh

Wow, it's been a while since I posted, I know! I was struggling a bit with my lazy mojo, just haven't felt like creating much. Then I realized the date and had to start cramming for the Dirty Dozen deadline tomorrow night! I hate rushing more than anything, and it makes it worse when the MIA mojo is sipping margaritas in Tahiti, lol! 

I do have some cards to share though, and this was the first one I finished editing. I used the adorable sleigh set from The Petal Press, with some pretty pine cones and greenery. 

A little bit of coloring with my pencils, some 3D paint for some berries, Frosted Lace Stickles and it's a festive holiday image. The paper is from a gorgeous shimmery collection from SEI.

That gorgeous dove border on the bottom is one of the new punches from EK Success, hard to cover that up with anything! I chose to display it prominently on the bottom. 

For those of you still checking my blog, thanks for sticking around! Hopefully Madame Mojo will be back to stay for a while and I can post more often...

Take care!

Stamps: The Petal Press

Ink: Memento, Distress

Paper: PTI, SEI, Gina K, Core'dinations

Accessories: taffeta ribbon, metal snowflake charm, EK Success punch, Nestabilities, colored pencils, Scribbles 3D paint, Stickles, Copic Spica pen

Impression Obsession Color Challenge- Coffee, Pumpkin and Nutmeg

This week's challenge at the IO blog is a color challenge. Coffee, Pumpkin and Nutmeg. Beautiful autumn colors call for a beautiful Autumn sentiment. I chose 'All Seasons'. I also used a background stamp (Tapestry Cover a Card) to create the patterned paper for this card. 

I matted the sentiment with some beautiful Spellbinders Labels. The chipboard leaves and acorns I've had forever from Paperwishes, but I really don't know the manufacturer.

A simple, beautiful autumn card.
For more inspiration head on over to the IO blog then create your own card for a chance to win an IO gift certificate.

Daniela Dobson

Deborah March

Dina Kowal

Jenny Gropp

Julie Koerber

Laura Fulcher

Shirley Ross

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Impression Obsession
Ink: Memento, Perfect Match, Distress
Paper: Core'dinations, Heavenly White
Accessories: EK Success edge punch, chipboard leaves, May Arts ribbon, Spellbinders Labels

LOTV Thursday Challenge 'Autumn' theme

This week at the LOTV blog the challenge is to create an Autumn theme card. I love Autumn, but there's one HUGE thing I don't like about it. Football. I am NOT a football fan, but I am a fan of this adorable little guy! (I'm pretty sure it's not football he's playing anyway, but Rugby, so that makes it ok! hee hee). He is so darn cute isn't he?!

I colored him with my colored pencils and layered it all on some handsome papers from an old My Mind's Eye paper collection.

Instead of a bow for this masculine card, I opted for this simpler ribbon and button combo. Kind of reminds me of the blue ribbons you won in school.

Now hop on over to the LOTV blog to check out the other scrumptious cards the DT ladies have come up with, then make your own card and enter to win LOTV bucks!

Thanks for visiting!

Stamps: Lili of the Valley 'Rugby Mad', Papertrey Ink
Ink: Memento, Perfect Match
Paper: Heavenly White, My Mind's Eye, PTI
Accessories: SU ribbon, PTI button, EK Success bubbles edge punch, colored pencils, OMS, Copics, Spellbinder Labels 1

Basket of Pumpkins

Well it's official, I lovelovelove Papertrey Ink's newest color, Fine Linen. Finally!  A new neutral to use instead of white, cream, kraft. It does get tedious using the same colors over and over... This warm tan color is just perfect though. For today's card I paired it wit Ocean Tides, and Terra Cotta for an autumn color scheme.

I colored the picnic basket and pumpkins with some Copic markers, although I did add some deeper shadows with a colored pencil or two. I stamped the background paper with the Tin Types background set as well as the wheat bundle from First Fruits. I used the pumpkins from the Autumn Tags set too, but they all got covered up when I decided on a layout for my card. I hate when that happens, lol! 

Thanks for visiting!

Most supplies from Papertrey Ink except for Spellbinders labels, Fiskars edge punch, and SU word window punch.

The colors of Autumn...

I've got a no-coloring card to share with you today using one of my favorite floral sets, Floral Fusion. I love the bold flowers from this set. I used it to create the main image panel, as well as the background. I love the soft effect I got from 'stamping off' most of the ink then stamping a random pattern all over the paper. For the flowers in the focal point, I inked up with two colors, a lighter color for most of the flower, then a darker one just along the edges. Instant shading!

I think this card has an almost Asian feel to it. I'm so pleased with the way it came out.

One of the reasons why I love stamping, is because there are stamps for all kinds of techniques. Sometimes I just don't feel like coloring (which isn't very often, lol!) but I can still create a beautiful card with solid stamps.
Hope it inspires, have a great day!

Stamps: Papertrey Ink
Ink: Perfect Match, Adirondack
Paper: Papertrey Ink
Accessories: Spellbinders Labels, SU scallop punch, paper piercing tool, PTI ribbon, Vanilla embossing powder

In honor of WCMD...

Did you all see the beautiful digital stamp Claire from Waltzingmouse Stamps is offering on her blog for World Card Making Day?! I nearly keeled over when I saw the lovely Harriet! I love WM stamps, and I love to color. Put the both together and I'm in heaven...

I used some non traditional colors for this Christmas card, more of a wintry, elegant and Victorian theme. That's what Harriet looks like to me! I snagged some gorgeous digital papers from The Digi Chick called 'Snow Kisses'. 

Here's a closer look at Harriet:

I colored her with a combination of Copics and pencils, applied lots of Polar White Flower Soft to her collar and cuffs. That stuff saves me from having to color white fur! I have yet to figure out how to color white fur properly! If you know of a tutorial LMK.

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Waltzingmouse Stamps

Ink: SU

Paper: Digital paper collection from The Digi Chick, Epson matte photo paper, PTI, Heavenly White

Accessories: SU edge punch, Spellbinders labels & Nestabilities, PTI ribbon, Viva Decor Pearl pen, Flower Soft, Copics, colored pencils