Inspired By Stamping September Sneak Peeks!

This is my second post today.  Please scroll down one post 

to see my Creative Inspirations Paints post featuring shamrocks!

It's September Sneak Peek time at Inspired By Stamping, and just wait until you see the amazing stamps coming out on Friday!  Neat Halloween sets, something for Christmas, and something for everyday occasions, too, along with new flowers and ribbons.

Want 2 chances to win AWESOME blog candy?  Just leave a comment at Joanna's blog on Wednesday and Thursday.  The prize for two lucky winners:  a stamp set of your choice, 1 crochet trim/ribbon and 1 set of flowers.  My friends, that is a FANTASTIC prize!

Everyone is a winner with the BIG SALE going on the entire month of September at the IBS store.  You need to check it out!  Very good savings.

One more announcement:  you can take advantage of free shipping with a $25 minimum purchase this Friday only.  Use the code FREESHIPPING at checkout.

Up first, a card featuring two new sets:  Halloween Faces and Halloween Tags.

Halloween Faces offers mix-and-match pumpkin bodies and expressions.  I paper pieced the pumpkins on light gray patterned papers, reminiscent of gray pumpkins like these:

Image Credit

I found this interesting black fiber trim in one of my kids' craft kits, and I'm pretending that these pumpkins are sitting on a frosty night ground.  The orange ribbon is vintage, from my beloved grandmother.

The circle label and bat image are from Halloween Tags.  I stamped two of the bats both on and off the propped-up 'moon'.

Next up, some pastel shabby-chic goodness:

The sentiment is from Fancy Sentiments, and there are so many gorgeous ones to choose from in this set!

The paper flowers and crochet trim are from the IBS store, too.  (links at the end of this post)

This next project was easy to do and so fun to create!  I was inspired by a photo on Pinterest (serious, never-ending inspiration on that site!) and put my own spin on it.

Each bag was stamped with white craft ink and a doily from Delicate Doilies II.

The labels were created with the new Halloween Labels and some Fancy Tags dies.

I added iridescent glitter to each one, too.

Each bag is topped with a doily, clothespin and a bit of a vintage German book page.

Time to check out the creative craftiness of my fellow teamies:

On Wednesday:

Irit Shalom

Joanna Munster

Kim Score

On Thursday:

Deb Hickman

Joanna Munster

Kendra Sand

Tammy Hobbs

Thanks a bunch for hanging in there with me!  I know this post was extra-long.  :-)




Pumpkins Card
Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Halloween Faces, Halloween Tags - Inspired By Stamping
Paper: Basic Black, Summer Sun, orange/black pattern, light gray patterns - SU
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko
Fibers: orange satin ribbon - vintage; black fuzzy fiber

Love You Card
Dimensions:  4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Fancy Sentiments - Inspired By Stamping
Paper: Very Vanilla, Pink Pirhouette, Bashful Blue, patterns - SU
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko; Frayed Burlap - Ranger
Fibers: twine - Creative Impressions; Victorian Crochet Trim - Inspired By Stamping
Other: Blue Medium Flower, Off White Flower - Inspired By Stamping; oval punch - SU; Bisque Liquid Pearls - Ranger; Scallop Dot punch - Martha Stewart; postage die cut - SU

Gift Bags
Stamps:  Delicate Doilies II, Halloween Labels - Inspired By Stamping
Paper: Basic Black, Crumb Cake, Whisper White - SU; vintage German book page (thank you, Maria!)
Ink: Whisper White - SU; Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko
Fibers: black twine - Creative Impressions
Other: Fancy Tags Two and Three, circle dies - Spellbinders; iridescent glitter; mini paper bags; doilies - Wilton; clothespins

Simple Shamrocks

This is my second post today.  Please scroll up one post 

for the Inspired By Stamping Sneak Peeks!

Hello!  It's my turn to feature a project over at Creative Inspirations Paints this week, and I am particularly fond of the result, being of Irish descent and born on St. Patrick's Day:

My shamrocks began life as a couple of paper flower petals from Prima, which I had bought in my early stamping days.

I thoroughly dislike the ones with words on them, so they got a coat of Emerald shimmer paint.

A pearl center and hand-drawn stem for each shamrock....

....tied with a little twine bow, and a fabulous Verve sentiment:

This is a birthday card for my sister.  She adores anything Irish and the color green.  :o)

On a personal note, I am entering this in the Moxie Fab World Card Design Handbook Asymmetry Challenge.  I hope Cath (from MFW) doesn't tire of seeing my creations in her Handbook challenges.  I am truly relishing them!

Thanks so much for joining me today!  Don't forget -- Creative Inspirations has a weekly challenge, with chances to win some of these AMAZING paints.



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Blessings - Verve
Paper: white - PTI
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko
Fibers: twine - Creative Impressions
Other: Emerald shimmer paint - Creative Inspirations; pearls; paper piercer; black marker - SU

Guest Designing at Do More With Less

Hello!  I have the pleasure of being a Guest Designer this week at Do More With Less, a blog by crafter Yvonne Yam.  Yvonne asked me to showcase a project in my particular style, and break down 'how I do what I do'.

Head over to Yvonne's blog to see my card in its entirety, and lots of close up pics too.  Play along with my challenge at Yvonne's and you could win a prize package I've put together!  My thanks to Yvonne for letting me host a challenge with her and allowing me to be her guest.  :o)

Hope to see you there!



Details for my Card (at Yvonne's blog)
Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Spray Flower - LaBlanche; ruler - Paper Girl - Girls' Paperie
Paper: white - PTI; Very Vanilla - SU; green pattern - Pretty Patterns - Carol Wilson Fine Arts, Inc.; cream pattern - Elegance - K & Co.; lavender pattern - Chateau Lavender - DCWV; beige pattern - Lost & Found Union Square - My Mind's Eye
Ink: Antique Linen, Walnut Stain - Ranger; Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko
Fibers: white seam binding - Zipper Stop; lace - Offray; white twine - SU
Other: pearl; butterfly sticker - K & Co.; Deckled Frame, circle die - Spellbinders; Copic markers; button; Dotted Scallop punch - EK Success

Christmas Star

This is my second post for today.  Please scroll down one post

or click HERE for 'Heart of Flowers.'

I managed to squeeze in a little more crafty time today, and made a Christmas card so that I can play in the Merry Monday Challenge:

Here is the sketch:

These tiny pennant stamps are from a Just Rite set called O Christmas Tree, which I bought from Overstock.com several months ago.  I stamped, colored and trimmed each one out, then glued them to the back of some nested circle dies.  The snowflake is from the same set.

The black punched wide border needed a little somethin' extra, so I added a piece of retired specialty paper from Stampin' Up!.  It's matte black and high gloss black stripes.  And please don't look too closely at the coloring of those tiny pennants:  my vision has changed, and I cannot see close-up so well anymore, even with my contacts.  ;-)  Time for those magnifying glasses!

Thanks for coming by today, and thanks to those of you who left such lovely comments on my Heart of Flowers card (next post down).  It makes my heart happy to read what you have to say!



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: O Christmas Tree - Just Rite; Holiday Sayings - Hero Arts; Punched Tin - Market Street Stamps
Paper: Sahara Sand, Basic Black, black patterned - SU; white - PTI
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko; Sahara Sand - SU
Fibers: white cotton twill (from packaging); red sheer ribbon
Other: pearls; circle dies - Spellbinders; Copic markers; Lattice Edge punch - Martha Stewart

Heart of Flowers

Hello everyone!  I'm popping in with a quick post so I can play in some challenges.  It's my MIL's birthday soon, and it's a 'big' birthday at that.  I made an extra special card for her, using her favorite color.

 Challenges entered:

• City Crafter - Monochromatic
• Moxie Fab World's Card Design Handbook Focal Point challenge (Cath, I hope you're not getting tired of me entering these Handbook challenges! LOL)
• CAS-ual Fridays - CAS Embossing

• A Blog Named Hero - Embossing

Lots and lots of punching happened here, paired with an embossed background.

A happy accident occurred - I had gotten a tiny smudge of black ink down in the bottom right corner of the card.  I added some white punched flowers to cover it, and then scattered some elsewhere too.

I'm really fond of Liquid Pearls these days, and I have my friend Andrea to thank for that.  ;)

Thanks for dropping in!

Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Small Phrases - Verve
Paper: white - PTI; So Saffron - SU
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko
Fibers: white seam binding - Zipper Stop
Other: Liquid Pearls - Ranger; Modern Label, Flower Trio Punches - SU; pearls; Diamonds and Dots embossing folder - Lifestyle Crafts

Inspired By Stamping #25 - Sunflowers

Summer's end brings glorious sunflowers and beautiful chrysanthemums.  My card features a flower that can be used either way:

I'm playing along with Inspired By Stamping's Inspiration Challenge, and check out the inspiration picture:

The challenge is to use sunflowers and this color palette --  Yellow, Blue, Green, Cream.

I used some new-to-me paper from K & Co. called Merryweather as my background and bordered it with a stamp from Delicate Doilies II.  The sunflowers - from the set Daisies - were colored with Copics and dusted with Tiger Eye glitter.

I made a stamping boo-boo near the bottom of the card, so to cover it up, I put a sort of 'skirt' along the bottom made of three lacy layers.  I actually rather like the effect!

Come play along with us!  If you are new to the Inspiration By Stamping Inspiration Challenge, by all means go over and check it out.  It's a weekly challenge, and Joanna (IBS owner) varies the themes from a sketch one week, to an inspiration photo another.

Thanks for dropping by today!



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Mason Jar Add-On II, Daisies, Delicate Doilies II - Inspired By Stamping
Paper: Very Vanilla - SU; Merryweather - K & Co.
Ink: Old Olive - SU; Antique Linen - Ranger; Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko
Fibers: satin ribbon - Michael's; lace
Other: oval punch - SU; Tiger Eye glitter - Martha Stewart; Copic markers

Playing With A Simply Scrappin' Kit

Happy Labor Day to my American friends!  It's nearing the end of the day here, and it's rained the entire day.  Yay for much-needed rain, boo for the timing on a holiday.  My husband is cooking some barbecue smoked ribs for dinner, and we'll have fresh Jersey corn on the cob.  Yum!

I played with a retired Simply Scrappin' Kit from Stampin' Up!, and made a whole bunch of simple cards.

Here's one for the Moxie Fab World Card Design Handbook Asymmetry Challenge:

It's also being submitted to Simon Says Stamp - 'Anything Goes', and The Paper Players - 'Leaves or Trees' (I've got a leaf, 'tho it's not the autumn kind ;)

The Simply Scrappin' kit also helped me make these:

Easy peasy, and a lot of fun, too!

Because they were each so simple, I added touches of Liquid Pearls in Lemon Yellow on every flower center for a little something extra, and a bit of twine on some too:

Have yourself a beautiful day or evening, wherever you are!



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5" each
Stamps: Truly Appreciated, Essential Messages - Hero Arts
Paper: Bashful Blue, So Saffron, Certainly Celery - SU
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko
Fibers: twine - Creative Impressions

Other: stickers from Simply Scrappin' Kit (retired) - SU; Lemon Yellow Liquid Pearls - Ranger

One Day At A Time

Hello all!  I have two quick cards to share today, and they're sort of mail-friendly.  ;-)  Not too many layers, and only a few bumpy things on them.

The card bases are from K & Co., and were a gift from my SIL quite a long while ago.  They are thin, and I love the pattern.  I added little bits of things that I keep in my soap boxes.  I rather like the eclectic feel, and balanced everything off to one side (save one little punched butterfly) for the MFW Asymmetry Challenge.

This card is entered here:

• Moxie Fab World's Card Design Handbook 'Asymmetry Challenge'
• Simon Says Stamp - 'Anything Goes'
• The Shabby Tea Room - 'Summer Cottage' - use inspiration photo, colors in photo, distressing/shabby elements and a title or sentiment

The other card uses many of the same elements, but the focus is dead-center:

Challenges entered:

• Moxie Fab World's Card Design Handbook 'Focal Point Challenge'
• Paper Play Challenges - 'Sentiment as main image/focus'
• The Shabby Tea Room - 'Summer Cottage' - use inspiration photo, colors in photo, distressing/shabby elements and a title or sentiment

Before I go, just a little reminder that I'll be discontinuing Feedblitz as my email-updates delivery company as of 9/1/12.  If you'd like to continue to receive email updates from my blog, be sure to sign up where it says "FOLLOW BY EMAIL"  on the top of the right-hand sidebar.  It's through Feedburner, who I'll be using exclusively after 9/1.  Thanks!

Have a lovely day!



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Here For You - Verve
Paper: K & Co. patterned paper card bases (from a kit); assorted cast-off punched and die cut pieces
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko; Crumb Cake, Whisper White - SU; Antique Linen - Ranger
Fibers: twine - Creative Impressions
Other: pearl; Liquid Pearls - Ranger

Shabby Toile & Chandelier

Hello there!  It's a matter of hours until the new-to-me Unity Opportunity challenge closes, so I'm sneakin' in pretty close.  It's called Pick A Challenge.  There are 4 challenges to choose from if you use Unity/ippity stamps.  I chose the also-new-to-me  Chick Challenges with Ippity.  Here's the sketch provided:

It's gorgeously simple, isn't it?  So many possibilities!  Of course, I had to dress it up a little and put a Dietrich Designs spin on it:

I ADORE the Unity Tea Time Toile background.  Love!  It's so pretty.

I also incorporated an embossed chandelier from Glowing Hours and aged script from Vintage Handwritten.  Dots of Liquid Pearls accent the Fleur-de-Lis frame.

Other challenges I've entered:

• Moxie Fab World Card Design Handbook Week 'Gallon/Quart/Pint' Challenge 

Hope Cath (of MFW) thinks I got this right.  You pick three colors (mine are white, green, and sand).  You use one of those colors liberally (think gallon - mine is white, in the paper, the frame, the embossed image, buttons, and 'pearls'), then the second one less liberally (quart - green, the stamped image and ribbon), and the last color gets just a small dose (sand).

I see some new Followers' pictures on my sidebar and I'm waving to you right now -- see my hand going crazy??  Thank you so much for putting yourself there.  I hope I always make it worth your while to come visit me.

And thank you to those of you who have already signed up for the email updates from Feedburner (top of the right-hand sidebar).  Just as a reminder, I am switching my method of email updates from Feedblitz to Feedburner as of 9/1/12.  If you have been with me a while, please make sure you sign up before then, for uninterrupted updates in your inbox.  Thanks!

Enjoy your weekend, everyone!



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Glowing Hours, Vintage Handwritten, Tea Time Toile - Unity
Paper: white - PTI; Sahara Sand
Ink: Pear Pizzazz, Crumb Cake - SU; Versamark - Tsukineko
Fibers: Certainly Celery ribbon, white floss- SU
Other: Big Shot; Fleur de Lis Rectangle, Rectangle dies - Spellbinders; buttons; White embossing powder - Creative Inspirations; Liquid Pearls - Ranger; heat tool