Coffee Lovers Spring Blog Hop!

hello!!

what a great day!

it's the Coffee Lovers Spring blog hop! woo-hoo!!

to read all about it, and start at the beginning of the hop - please head to the Coffee Loving Papercrafter's blog!

i already shared one card on the Create a Smile Stamps blog! you can head over there and read all about the fun little ditty! i LOVE it! Create a Smile is also one of the SUPER sponsors!! wahoooooo! 

i'm also sharing this fun card that i created with the Create a Smile Mugs To Go chipboard pieces on my blog! that's right, i made two cards! ha!

i covered the to go cups with white gesso, and once it was dry i added some Mowed Lawn distress ink watercoloring to them! i felt that was the closest 'starbucks-y' color. he he!

the sentiment was made with some alpha stickers, isn't it hilarious!! he he he! oh, and the background was made with the Say It Stencil from Create a Smile!

so that's my (2nd) card!

thanks for stopping by - enjoy!! :D

do what you love

hello!
so, i finally did it! i have been wanting to make a card for the current Runway Inspired Challenge since it went live, but for some reason, it was stumping me!!
ok...truth time - to be fair, i was waiting to see if my abandoned coral distress inks would arrive in time, but i did finally give up the waiting. i decided to make my own coral color! 

isn't that photo just awesome! i LOOOOOVE the geometric/diagonal lines! i was totally inspired by that (and the color, as i mentioned!)! so here's my take:

yeah! i have to say, i had 2 failed cards before this...and one that i thought was up to my standards, but at the last minute, i cast it aside and came up with this idea. which i LOVE! so win-win!

i heat embossed the arrows from the Paper Smooches stamp set Love Struck in white. then i lightly used some dried marigold distress inks and then worn lipstick right over top! instant coral! (almost! ha!)
i sprinkled some water on it, too! ...because...distress ink!! ha!

lastly, i just heat embossed the sentiment from Group Hugs onto some vellum and stapled it to the card! the whole base is popped up and a strip of washi on the side to complete it! it reminded me of the bricks on the side of the photo!
plus, i REALLY love the coral/woodgrain combo!

so thanks for stopping by! i appreciate your looking loo! :)
enjoy!

Cupcake Inspirations Challenge - Cute Critters

hello - fun news alert!

Newton's Nook is sponsoring the most recent challenge at Cupcake Inspired Challenges! 

so fun! it's all about cute critters! what a perfect match for the sponsor - Newton's Nook Designs, don't you think?
as part of the NND DT, several of us were able to play along as "Guest Sweeties" with the challenge!! how cute is that title?!

yeah, so bring on the cuteness!
here's my card:

i just love how it looks like the whole gang is hurrying to wish you a happy birthday! it's so fun!
i used lots of different Newton stamp sets for this card (Hanging Around, Newton Dreams of Paris and Newton's Summer Vacation)!
all of the images were colored with copics and popped up. the poor little mouse from Newton's Day Dream is pulling the crew in the adorable red wagon from Wagon of Wishes! ha ha!

i stamped and heat embossed the sentiment in red on some vellum! and the background was created with squeezed lemonade ink and water drops!  LOVE that sun-shiney day! :)

i hope you play along with the challenge, for your chance to win some Newton's Nook swag!! hello!
enjoy!

bubbles bubbles bubbles

**this is my 2nd post today! i'm a busy little bee! ha! to see my Newton's Nook Inky Paws Challenge card, scroll down or click here!**

hello again!

this time, i'm here sharing a layout with some Create a Smile stamps and flair! the whole layout, and instructions on how it came together, can be found on the Create a Smile blog! 

aw, look at those squeaky clean little menn!

i love the background on this - it took lots of distress paint and water! ha!

thanks for stopping by, and be sure to check out the Create a Smile blog to read all about it! 

enjoy!

inky paws challenge - one layer

it happened!
the dreaded...ONE LAYER challenge finally came to the Newton's Nook Inky Paws Challenge! I knew it was only a matter of time...ha ha ha! :)

i have SUCH a hard time with one layer cards! but i see other people's and i'm blown away! it's a battle for me, for sure! lol!

anyway, i did manage to create a card for this one layer challenge - and naturally, i used a tiny bit of watercoloring!

what do you think?
i used the CUTE flamingos from Flirty Flamingos! i love those little guys!

i stamped them onto my card front, then added just a TINY bit of watercoloring with Spun Sugar and Worn Lipstick distress inks! since it was one layer, i decided they could be two different kinds of pinks!
i created lots of leakage with the watercolor, then flicked lots of drops of color over the card base, too.

the sentiment was stamped with 2nd generation memento black ink all over the background of the card!

so what's your Achilles heel when it comes to card making? clearly - it's currently one layer cards for me! :)
but i hope you play along - please inspire me with your awesome one layers!! :D
enjoy!

watercolor wishes and mixed media dreams

hey there!
today i just wanted to pop in and share a layout i made for a couple fun challenges!
the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge this month is all about pink!! you can't go wrong with pink, i say!

and over at the Little Tangles challenge, it's all about watercoloring! i couldn't LOVE that more!

so i combined the two challenges and came up with this super pretty (at least I think so!) layout!
i started with a 12x12 page from the Up In the Clouds collection from PinkFresh Studio! LOOOOOOOVE that collection! 

I covered it in clear gesso, and then used Worn Lipstick and Dried Marigold distress inks to add watercoloring! (my favorite way is to smoosh the ink onto a piece of packaging, then spray with water and then smoosh the packaging onto the layout!! FUN!) 
Once that was dry, i stamped the cloud images from Clouds (fitting!) and the triangles from Tiny Triangles, just to add some more contrast and fun to the background!

but guess what? i didn't stop with the background there! i also added some hearts with a stencil and embossing paste! and that was it! i promise! ha! background - complete! 
next up? heat embossing part of the Dreams stamp directly onto the photo! scandalous! 

I used lots of papers to layer the photo and add some dimension! then i used the same papers to mimic the layers for the subtitle on the top right corner! the sentiment is from Origami Map and was heat embossing in white!

i took some wood veneers and also added watercoloring to them!! LOVE that!

i stitched the sentiment on and then added some random stitching on other parts of the layout! a few enamel dots and other embellishments, and the layout is done! whew!

thanks for stopping by!
enjoy!

thanks stinks!

the newest release from Newton's nook really cracks me up!
i just LOVE that Naughty Newton set! and since i have my own little naughty feline friend, i can definitely relate!

today i have a card using that set on the Newton's Nook blog!

i colored the image with copics (...HAHAHAHAHA...i'm sorry - i colored the image of a cat in the litter box!!! how absurd, and yet, so funny and perfect!) and then popped it up on the card base!

i decided that he was kicking the litter out of the box and onto the floor (something my cat is notorious for!), so i used the falling snow stencil and selectively used some granite embossing paste to make the litter! HOW PERFECT is that color and texture on the embossing paste?! i'll answer - it's a million percent perfect! lol!

i die cut some hearts in various sizes and then stitched them to my card with some vellum and chipboard pieces!

the sentiment as also stitched on, as was the vellum 'ground'. lastly i added some black sequins...extra litter! lol!

i hope this card made you laugh, and relate, possibly!
enjoy!

a surprise birthday blog hop!

hello hello hello!

Today is a very special day! And in honor of this special day - the Newton's Nook Design Team is throwing a surprise birthday blog hop in honor of our fearless leader (also known as the creater, owner, designer and heart of Newton's Nook Designs) Jennifer!

Jennifer is one of the kindest, talented and most considerate person ever, and because of that (and a million other reasons!) we wanted to help make her day as special as she is!

So, without further ado, please follow along on this Birthday Hop and leave some love and birthday wishes for Jennifer! Who knows, there may even be a GIVEAWAY to one lucky person who comments along!*

*Spoiler alert - there is a giveaway! Ha! One lucky person will a stamp set of their choice from Newton's Nook Designs!  :D

My card today is a super fun birthday scene! 

i used Newton from a few different stamp sets, and it seems they're all getting into a little bit of i

trouble! ha ha! I used some thin twine to create the string for the balloon (from Newton's Birthday Bash), and the party hat wearing kitty is from Hanging Around, and i actually cut the paws so the string could go under them! (FUN!) and of course, the last bad little kitty is from the newly released Naughty Newton! 

all of the images were colored with copics! the cloud background was created with the cute little cloud from Hanging Around and some distress inks and water! and i really love how the twine wraps around the back of the card base!

Be sure to head over to the Newton's Nook blog where you will find all of the details! And check out all the awesome Design Team Blogs below to enter:

Newton's Nook Designs
Lydia Evans
Larissa Heskett
Samantha Mann
Crafty Math-Chick
Jess Moyer
Stephanie Muzzulin
Danielle Pandeline
Kimberly Rendino
Yukari Yoshioka

lawnscaping challenge #100 - birthday celebration!!!!

good morning!
today is a brand new Lawnscaping Challenge! and not just that - it's a special day - it is our 100th challenge if you can believe it! We are all so excited and wanted to celebrate in an extra special way!!!
so each of us on the Design Team invited a special party guest to play along with us today! 

the theme BIRTHDAY/CELEBRATION (of course!)!!

 my special party guest is the amazingly talented Jocelyn Olson!!! (pinch me! you know how guys will say, 'she said YES!' when they are talking about a girlfriend accepting his proposal? yeah, that's about what i shouted when i asked Jocelyn to be my special guest! ha ha!) 
Jocelyn's card is AMAZING!! i LOOOOOOOVE the rainbow and all of those monster critters in party hats! ha! adorable!! i would party with those guys all day! :D

be sure to head on over to the Lawnscaping Blog where you can see ALL of the Design Team projects as well as ALL of our special party guest projects.

i tried to channel my inner Jocelyn for my card! she's is literally so AMAZING and inspires me everyday! i LOVE her style - layers, stitching, color! swoon! so that's what i tried to achieve here! 

i used the super cool Admit One stamp set from Lawn Fawn! I watercolored the background with warm pinks and yellows from my Peerless Watercolors! (LOOOOOVE them!) 
then i stamped the ferris wheel right on top! the little cars on the wheel were fussy cut cut out of patterned paper, and i added a little watercoloring to them as well! 

i also fussy cut out the balloons a BUNCH from patterned papers and vellum! then used lots of layers to ground my card base! the only thing i was missing was stitching! which i LOVE on cards...but i just couldn't make it work here. ha! :D oh well!

so yes...that's the happenings today! a card from me and a BONUS, amazing card from the incredibly talented Jocelyn Olson! are you ready to play along?
for even more inspiration (if you can stand it!), check out the lawnscaping facebook page! we're dedicated to keeping your creative juices flowing! :)

this week we're sponsored by lawn fawn! so get your card making on, and you could win a stamp set of your choice! :)

My Love - a Love-y Layout

Happy Valentine's Day! :)

do you all celebrate Valentine's Day? i like to make it special for my little Menn, but other than that, it's not a huge deal at our house! :)

but, on my blog (and really on the Butterfly Reflections Ink blog! ha!) - i'm sharing a very fitting layout for Valentine's Day! here's a sneak peek:

if you want to see the whole thing, please head over to the Butterfly Reflections Ink blog!!

there, you'll see he whole layout in it's pink, gold and lovely goodness! and you'll also see all the products i used! 

it was SUPER fun! :)

thanks for stopping by, and happy Valentine's Day!! :D

enjoy!

Newton's Nook Designs February Release - Naughty Newton

good morning! it's day 2 for the Newton's Nook's February Release! I just KNOW that you guys are going to LOOOOVE this set! ha ha!! 

today, the whole DT is showcasing the new, super FUN, playful and aptly named Naughty Newton Stamp set! you only THOUGHT newton got into trouble before! ha ha!! this set is perfect for scrapbooking your nad cat memories, doing a project life type spread, gift tags and, of course, cards! all of the new sets will be available for purchase on February 13th, right here!

ok, here's my first card :

i did some rough painting on the base of the card in a few colors to get the exact shade i was looking for! 

i wanted the paint strokes to be clear so that it would look a little like Newton was tearing up the walls...he's so naughty!

i colored newton with copics and then heat embossed the sentiment!

i also used the Simply Sentimental stamp set to create part of the sentiment! this card is perfect for the time when you 'do it now, and ask permission later', ha ha!

my next card was so fun, and just a BLAST to make!

i combined this set with winston from Boo Crew (which is currently on sale...just saying...)- how could i NOT?! the two images were MADE for each other!

clearly Newton TP-ed Winston, and Winston is NOT thrilled about this! ha!

i colored all of the images with copics and used some embossing paste and doodly line stencil to add to the wallpaper feel on the base of the card. and the washi i chose is supposed to represent the bathroom tiles! ha! 

Would you like to win “Naughty Newton”?
This set will be given away to TWO lucky winners! 

Here's how to win: 

Comment on the NND blog and Design Team and Guest blogs (see list below)! Two winners will be chosen at random from the collective blogs release posts. Make sure to check out each of their blogs and comment for your chance to win. You will not know which blog has been chosen so the more you comment on the better your chances are of winning! You have until Thursday, February 12th at 9pm CST to comment  -- winners will be announced on the blog post on Friday, February 13th. 

Check out all the awesome Design Team Blogs below to enter:

Newton's Nook Designs

Taheerah Atchia

Lydia Evans

Larissa Heskett

Samantha Mann

Crafty Math-Chick

Jess Moyer

Stephanie Muzzulin

Danielle Pandeline

Kimberly Rendino

Yukari Yoshioka

Simon Hurley (Guest Designer)

Angel Rivera(Guest Designer)

Newton's Nook Designs February Release - Bunny Hop

it's a busy week here in my world! i'm away on a business trip, missing my little menn! boo! 
but on the PLUS side - it's RELEASE week for Newton's Nook Designs! and today we're showing the first set! 

today, the whole DT is showcasing the new, super FUN, playful and sweet, Bunny Hop stamp set!! i really really  really love this set!! that little bunny butt is so cute! ha ha!! i actually made THREE cards, that's how much i love this set! oh, and it's perfect for scrapbooking your Easter or spring memories, doing a project life type spread, gift tags and, of course, cards! all of the new sets will be available for purchase on February 13th, right here!

ok, here's first card :

I really LOVE this card! 
i used the leaves from Falling into Autumn to create the circular wreath. i used three different distress ink shades of green! then it all seemed too bright, so i sprayed over it a bunch with my white mist! LOOOOOOOVE how it turned out!

the bunny and eggs were colored with copics and then popped up for some dimension! love it!

i watercolored the background (by spraying some mist onto recycled packaging, and then smooshing the packaging onto the card base). LOOOOVE that sky blue color! then i heat embossed the sentiment in white and framed out the scene with a frame from my stash!

my next set of cards are soooo cute, and completly inspired by this card i saw Amy make a few weeks ago!

i just LOOOVED the idea of adding a little gift of embellishments on a card for a special friend! what a FABULOUS idea, right?
so i created TWO of those cards! ha ha!

i made two little tags for each card and then used the awesome wood-paper tags i found in my stash behind each tag!
the bunny images were heat embossed in white onto watercolor paper, and then i used my distress markers to water color the images! 

inside each little vellum goodie bag is some sequins and wood veneers! so FUN! i can't wait to give these to someone! :)
i also added some embossing paste through a doily stencil onto the base of the cards! :)

Would you like to win “Bunny Hop”?
This set will be given away to TWO lucky winners! 

Here's how to win: 

Comment on the NND blog and Design Team and Guest blogs (see list below)! Two winners will be chosen at random from the collective blogs release posts. Make sure to check out each of their blogs and comment for your chance to win. You will not know which blog has been chosen so the more you comment on the better your chances are of winning! You have until Thursday, February 12th at 9pm CST to comment  -- winners will be announced on the blog post on Friday, February 13th. 

Check out all the awesome Design Team Blogs below to enter:

Newton's Nook Designs

Taheerah Atchia

Lydia Evans

Larissa Heskett

Samantha Mann

Crafty Math-Chick

Jess Moyer

Stephanie Muzzulin

Danielle Pandeline

Kimberly Rendino

Yukari Yoshioka

Simon Hurley (Guest Designer)

Angel Rivera(Guest Designer)