a Leafy Layout

hello out there!

today i have a layout up on the Create a Smile Stamps blog! and i LOOOOOVE how it came out!

here's a little sneak peek:

i stamped and watercolored LOTS of leaves - head on over to the Create a Smile Stamps blog to read about how this layout came together! 

thanks and enjoy!! :)

foxy coffee

**this is my 2nd post of the day! to see my Newton's Nook Inky Paws Challenge card, scroll down or click here**

hi again!!
today, i'm super happy to also be on the Create a Smile Stamps blog! 
i created a super fun, just because card to send to a coffee-lover near you! :)

to see the whole card, and read about hot to make it yourself, head on over to the Create a Smile Stamps blog! 

thank you!!
enjoy!

Inky Paws Challenge #26 - Color Challenge

hi again!
hope everyone has had a great week!
today is the start of a new Inky Paws Challenge! woo-hoo!!

i created a watercolor look on the vellum! eeek!! it's my new favorite thing to do! i'm going to do it all the time, i think! ha! (note: i did NOT come up with this myself, i saw THIS VIDEO and fell in love!)

ok, so i after i did that warm pinky-watercolor-y background on the vellum, i stamped the CUTE CUTE CUTE flamingos from the newly release Festive Flamingos stamp set onto the base of the card (behind the vellum!

then i stamped the combined sentiment from Festive Flamingos and Years of Cheers! i just LOVE how it's a non-traditional Christmas card! the colors are Christmas with a twist! ha! 

finally, i added some teal and mint washi to the top and black splatters on the vellum! love!!!!

i hope you have time to play along with the Inky Paws Challenge! 
enjoy!

Sweet Stamp Shop October Release!

hello!
good afternoon!

today Sweet Stamp Shop is releasing some AMAZINGLY adorable stamp sets!! it's impossible to pick a favorite set from the release, so my two two are the T-Rex Hugs and Elements! They're SOOOO fun!!

my first card features the cute cute cute little dinos!!

i watercolored the images with Distress Makers and then popped them up! 
i die cut a circle from some cardstock and then used the negative space to create my Distress Ink blended background! I used my go to colors: Chipped Sapphire, Mermaid Lagoon, Peacock Feathers and Cracked Pistachio! :) Once i was done blending, I flicked some water on top! 

the sentiment was heat embossed in black and i added a black stripe to the side with some washi! 

my 2nd card uses those cute little 'science things' on my card!

ha ha ha! i know they're called beakers...or test tubes...and maybe even a Bunsen burner...see? i kind of know things about science! lol! 

first i used some white embossing paste against the white cardstock and smeared it on with a stencil in those cute thin stripes!
then again, i watercolored the images with Distress Makers and lined them up in a little rainbow!!

i about DIED when i saw that the set included words with letters from the Periodic Table! ha! so cute!!

so yeah...this release guys, it's amazing!! be sure to check it out here!

enjoy!

a mixed media Christmas

hello!!
it's wednesday - halfway through another work week for me! :)

today i have a cute cute cute card up on the Newton's Nook Designs blog! i used the newly release Fox Hollow stamp and die set! but, as much i want to use those cute little foxes on EVERYTHING, i decided to make a card with the tree image!

first i die cut the tree out twice from a post it note, then i attached them to my card! i very carefully watercolored with Distress Inks around the post it note trees! once it was dry, i peeled up the masks! then i stamped and heat embossed in white the tree image itself! LOVE how subtle that is!

i stamped the sentiment and snowflakes in white for some contrast ( LOVE!) and then added some black and white polka dot washi tape to the side! i couldn't resist adding some white polka dots to the card with my embossing paste and stencil! 

i really LOOOOOVE how this came out!
i hope it made you smile and maybe look at those smaller scene building elements in a stamp set with a new perspective! 
enjoy!

a sweet goodnight hulk layout

Hello and good morning!
Today I have another post up on the Sweet Stamp Shop blog!

This time, I was totally inspired by cute arrow embellishments I saw here, and I thought, I must have them! Better yet...I must MAKE them! Ha! 

After I made some, I added them to a layout!

I just had to choose the photo of my littlest Mann asleep in his hulk costume! Mind you, he was tucked in that night in PJ's! He just got up, changed and then went to sleep! Ha!

So...yeah! Be sure to head over to the Sweet Stamp Shop blog to see how I made them!
Enjoy!

Lawnscaping Challenge #116 - Too Cute to Spook!

today is a brand new Lawnscaping Challenge! yay!! it's my favorite way to start a monday! it's the only acceptable way to start a monday, if you ask me!

this challenge is going to be SO cute! I really can't wait to see all of the entries!! Too Cute to Spook?! it's the only way i do Halloween!! ha! i'm totally not a creepy/crawly Halloween-fan! Cute is perfect! ha!

for today's challenge, i made a not-so-spooky layout! and i just LOVE it! 

this was from Halloween 2 years ago - we were all avengers characters! so sweet, right? my littlest Mann STILL wears that Hulk costume to this day...but he's literally HULKING out of it! anyway - the layout!

i colored in the images from Spooktacular, Critters in Costume and Starry Backdrops with copics and then fussy cut them out! I LOOOVE that little scene of the moon, clouds and pumpkin at the bottom! 

I die cut out the letters for the word "Assemble" with Cole's ABC's about 4 times each letter! this way, i could glue them all together so they matched the thickness of the yellow sparkly thickers! 

then i added the date and the heart from Milo's ABC's at the top! i really really love this! it's definitely a Halloween layout, but i love the watercolor in oranges that i added to the background and the fun stamping on the layout! 

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 Create a Smile Snow Dance Kit projects

**this is my 2nd post of the day! to see the sneak peek of my layout for Butterfly Reflections Ink, scroll down or click here!**

me again!

i just wanted to pop on today and share the projects i made with the ADORABLE, AMAZING, super perfect Snow Dance Kit (that is now sold out!!) by Create a Smile Stamps! 

my projects were already featured on the Create a Smile Stamps blog last week during the Countdown to the Release! but i wanted to share them on my blog as well!

first up, i made this awesome Christmas layout of my little Menn from last Christmas!

i called it my Christmas miracle, because they both put on these silly hats and reindeer ears and said, "Mommy take our picture together!", and then they BOTH looked and smiled!!! at the same time!! that NEVER happens! ha!

anyway, it was the PERFECT photo to scrapbook with this kit! 
i used the stencil and some texture paste to create the background. and then i used lots of the papers to back my photo! loooove the pops of color, especially the red and white 'candy cane' stripes! so cute!

i mostly embellished with the chipboard pieces from the kit, which were AMAZING! and then i stamped the title inside that little speech bubble chipboard piece! love it! 
i also used chipboard pieces from the Hearts collection, which i colored with Black Soot Distress paint to make it black!

for the card that i made, i used that ADORABLE dancing reindeer, but made him look like he fell into the sleigh!! ha ha!! i watercolored the images with Distress Makers and attached it to a vellum banner! i also heat embossed that sentiment because, clearly he was NOT being nice! ha!

the background was created with some embossing paste that i mixed with gesso (to really make the white pop!) and added to that awesome Navy stripped paper! LOOOOVE that paper! 

so those were my projects! i really LOVED them both! i hope you were able to grab a kit! it's seriously awesome! 
enjoy!

just keep swimming

hello and happy sunday morning! 

today i'm up on the Butterfly Reflections Ink blog with a super layout using watercolors and LOTS of products in the shop!

here's a little ditty to wet your appetite:

yay!
head on over to the Butterfly Reflections Ink blog if you are curious to see the whole thing! :)

thank you, have a great day!! :)
enjoy!

Newton's Nook Designs Holiday Release - Fox Hollow + Die

hi hi hi!
i am so excited for this week!
it's a BIG week!!

today is day 1 of the Newton's Nook Designs Holiday release!! woo!!

today, the whole DT is showcasing the freaking AMAZING Fox Hollow stamp and coordinating die set!! ! i LOVE this set! honestly - this is one of my new favorite sets EVER! it's SO cute and sweet and magical!!

you can totally use this to scrapbook, create a project life type spread, gift tags and, of course, cards! all of the new sets will be available for purchase on October 16th, right here!

for my first card, i really wanted to use that pine tree branch image and make it a wreath!

i stamped out the branch multiple times in Peacock Feathers, Mowed Lawn, Shabby Shutters, Twisted Citron and Cracked Pistachio Distress Inks! those colors together...LOVE! then i die cut them out and attached them to my card base in a circular pattern! 

the fox, oh the fox! so cute! i water colored him up with Distress Markers and then popped him up on top of the wreath! oh, and i forgot to mention that i stitched around the wreath a few times with my sewing machine! love that added texture! 

my second card also features an adorably water colored fox!

first i used Distress Inks and blended the background to create a loose interpretation of a mountain overlooking the sky! i repeat: a super loose interpretation! lol!

and then because i can't help myself, i also added water drops to the blended background! ha! i added some heat embossed snowflakes to the sky, too!

Would you like to win the new “Fox Hollow” stamp set?
This prize will be given away to ONE lucky winner! 

Here's how to win: 

Comment on the NND blog and Design Team and Guest blogs (see list below)! The winner will be chosen at random from the collective blog 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, October 15th at 9pm CST to comment  -- winners will be announced on the blog post on Friday, October 16th. 

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 Gerstner

Stephanie Muzzulin

Danielle Pandeline

Nina-Marie Trapani

Kimberly Rendino

Yukari Yoshioka

Anette Allen - Guest Designer

Newton's Nook Designs Holiday Release - Christmas Cuddles + Die

hi hi hi!
i am so excited for this week!
it's a BIG week!!

today is day 1 of the Newton's Nook Designs Holiday release!! woo!!

today, the whole DT is showcasing the super sweet and fun Christmas Cuddles stamp and coordinating die set!! i LOVE this set! Newton is just SO sweet in this set, and i love all of those cute punny sentiments!! so adorable! 

you can totally use this to scrapbook, create a project life type spread, gift tags and, of course, cards! all of the new sets will be available for purchase on October 16th, right here!

for my first card, i couldn't resist using that sweet image of the two little kitties with the intertwined tails! so adorable! 

i used a circle shape as a guide to create that cute little night sky. i used Distress Inks and watercolored Chipped Sapphire, Peacock Feathers and Cracked Pistachio together! love how it came out!

i watercolored the image with Distress Markers and then used the dies to cut out the image as well as those adorable snowflakes! the snowflakes were heat embossed in white onto vellum and then stitched onto the background!
my second card is a little more graphic and FUN!

i used the present images and stamped them (along with the snowflake image) in black ink to create the bold and graphic background!

i watercolored newton peeking out of the box with Distress Markers and and then popped it up on top of some washi and assorted strips of red patterned papers! LOVE how this came out!

Would you like to win the new “Christmas Cuddles” stamp set?
This prize will be given away to ONE lucky winner! 

Here's how to win: 

Comment on the NND blog and Design Team and Guest blogs (see list below)! The winner will be chosen at random from the collective blog 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, October 15th at 9pm CST to comment  -- winners will be announced on the blog post on Friday, October 16th. 

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 Gerstner

Stephanie Muzzulin

Danielle Pandeline

Nina-Marie Trapani

Kimberly Rendino

Yukari Yoshioka

Anette Allen - Guest Designer

Newton's Nook Designs Holiday Release - Festive Flamingos

hi hi hi!
i am so excited for this week!
it's a BIG week!!

today is day 1 of the Newton's Nook Designs Holiday release!! woo!!

today, the whole DT is showcasing the unique and adorable Festive Flamingos stamp set! i LOVE this set! i live in South Carolina, and as you can imagine, it stays pretty warm here in the winter - so tropical Christmas cards just make my day!

you can totally use this to scrapbook, create a project life type spread, gift tags and, of course, cards! all of the new sets will be available for purchase on October 16th, right here!

for my first card, i just HAD to use the 'pink Christmas' phrase!

i used Distress Inks to create the blended background (Worn Lipstick and Spun Sugar) and i really like how they came out!

the flamingos were colored with copics and i just LOVE the pops of green with the pink!! so so cute!! i also added some black and white striped washi behind the main card panel for a bit of contrast!

my second card is more clean and simple!

i used a star stencil and white embossing paste to create the background. then i added my cute little flamingo with foam tape! and i love the little foot prints you can add for the flamingos!!

I heat embossed the sentiment in platinum and then added some metallic silver washi down the sides, too!

Would you like to win the new “Festive Flamingos” stamp set?
This prize will be given away to ONE lucky winner! 

Here's how to win: 

Comment on the NND blog and Design Team and Guest blogs (see list below)! The winner will be chosen at random from the collective blog 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, October 15th at 9pm CST to comment  -- winners will be announced on the blog post on Friday, October 16th. 

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 Gerstner

Stephanie Muzzulin

Danielle Pandeline

Nina-Marie Trapani

Kimberly Rendino

Yukari Yoshioka

Anette Allen - Guest Designer

Newton's Nook Designs Holiday Release - Holiday Smooches

hi hi hi!
i am so excited for this week!
it's a BIG week!!

today is day 1 of the Newton's Nook Designs Holiday release!! woo!!

today, the whole DT is showcasing this adorable and sweet Holiday Smooches stamp set! oh, i just love how sweet and adorable this is! 

you can totally use this to scrapbook, create a project life type spread, gift tags and, of course, cards! all of the new sets will be available for purchase on October 16th, right here!

for my first card, i decided to do a little aurora borealis in the sky for the cute polar bear couple!!

aww!! love it, right! ha! i used some acrylic paint and a credit card and just squee-geed it onto the background! so fun!!

i colored those ADORABLE bears with copics and popped them up on a few snowy vellum hills! and that mistletoe...it's one of my favorite images from the whole set!

my second card is fun and totally different! 

i colored those CUTE CUTE CUTE seals with copics, and popped them up over a super fun, green water colored background! i used Distress Inks (of course) to get the look, using Cracked Pistachio and Twisted Citron!

then i used some washi tape to create a border about an inch and a half in and stamped the sentiment repeatedly along the side! when i removed the washi tape - bam! it was SO fun!

Would you like to win the new “Holiday Smooches” stamp set?
This prize will be given away to ONE lucky winner! 

Here's how to win: 

Comment on the NND blog and Design Team and Guest blogs (see list below)! The winner will be chosen at random from the collective blog 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, October 15th at 9pm CST to comment  -- winners will be announced on the blog post on Friday, October 16th. 

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 Gerstner

Stephanie Muzzulin

Danielle Pandeline

Nina-Marie Trapani

Kimberly Rendino

Yukari Yoshioka

Anette Allen - Guest Designer