time flies!

hello again!

today i'm up on the Create a Smile Stamps blog! and i'm sharing a cute little New Year's card! yay!

be sure to check it out, and see how to make one too! 
enjoy!

ho ho ho card!

**this is my 2nd post of the day! to see my 1st card (it's a surprise!!) scroll down or click here!**

hello! it's SOOOOOO close to Christmas! and i'm totally feeling it! (even though we live in the south, it's 70 degrees and we're surrounded by palm trees! ha ha)

come on over to the Create a Smile Stamps blog and check out my very festive card! here's a sneak peek:

thanks again and enjoy!

Advent Calendar Extravaganza with Taheerah Atchia

Hi hi hi!!!

When I say I'm beyond excited to participate in the Advent Calendar Extravaganza with Taheerah Atchia this year, it would be an understatement!!! Eeeeeee!!

Advent Calendar Extravaganza is -the- festive event of the season! This ‘hop with a twist’ was dreamed up by Taheerah Atchia and features surprise destinations each day! Joining in the fun with Taheerah are ONE HUNDRED special guests - each serving up some fantastic Christmas inspiration! Just like an Advent Calendar, you’ll never know where you’re going to be visiting next until you ‘open the door’!

And that’s not all! With 25 *amazing* sponsors taking part as guests as well, your crafty wish list is bound to get a boost with a chance to win a prize EVERY SINGLE DAY!!

Join in the fun every day at taheerah-atchia.com to see what special surprises await behind the door!

Today, I've been paired with the AMAZING sponsor (drum roll please...) Butterfly Reflections Ink!!!
I've been on that team as DT Coordinator for a LONG time, and I just LOOOOOVE Vanessa!! (can't wait to see you at CHA again, girl!!!) Ha! Ok, moving on!

Butterfly Reflections Ink has an enormous selection of Newton's Nook Designs products, and I just HAD to make a card with that ADORABLE stag die from Splendid Stags!!

I die cut the stag out of a gold foiled paper and then also 4 times out of regular white cardstock. I glued them all together to give my die cut weight and dimension. 

I stamped the background of the card with the beeeeeeaaaauuutiful leafy wreath from the Happy Little Thoughts stamp set! I used various Distress Inks (Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Cracked Pistachio and Peacock Feathers) to stamp the wreath. Then I spattered on some teeny, tiny splatters, and heat embossed the sentiment from the Fox Hollow stamp set! 

It’s not a party without a prize - and with prizes every day there are several chances to win! Today’s prize is generously supplied by [sponsor’s name] so you’ll definitely want to win! Simply leave a comment on this post - then head back to taheerah-atchia.com and leave a comment there too! You must leave a comment on Taheerah’s blog as well as mine in order to be eligible to win! Don’t forget to grab the other surprise destinations from Taheerah’s blog and head over to them to leave comments there as well to improve your odds even more! You have until 23:59 EST on 31st December 2016 to enter.

Don’t forget Advent Calendar Extravaganza runs from 1st-25th December inclusive so make sure you visit taheerah-atchia.com every day for fabulous inspiration and amazing prizes every single time! Merry Christmas!

BRI #Hashtag Stamps Blog Hop

hello!!!

i'm so excited to be participating in the AWESOME Butterfly Reflections Ink #Hashtag Stamps Blog Hop along with some other AMAZING ladies! we're featuring the new and SO COOL stamp sets created exclusively for Butterfly Reflections Ink, #Hashtag and #Hashtag Bossy! (spoiler alert: the giveaway information is below!)

you should have arrived here from Kim's blog, and if you did, then you saw her FLAWLESS and perfect card! she amazes me!! :)

now, let's get on to my card! 

i started by using my Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers to color in those adorable images from the Paper Smooches Spectrum stamp set! once the images were dry, I fussy cut them out. i added some blue watercolor to the background with some water, an old piece of plastic packaging and Peacock Feathers Distress Ink! :)  

i heat embossed the phrases and popped them up onto some black cardstock! 

now it's time for you to head over to Gladys' blog for some more awesome inspiration! but first!!! you didn't think we'd have a hop without a prize, did you?!

To be eligible to win  win one of two prizes: 4x6 #Hashtag Stamp Set or 3x4 #Hashtag Bossy Stamp Set, leave a comment on all blogs by Monday, December 26th at noon. Winners will be announced on the Butterfly Reflections Ink Blog on Tuesday, December 27th.

Lawnscaping Challenge #144 - Christmas

today is the start of THE.VERY.LAST Lawnscaping Challenge...! i can't believe it. i'm sad. so sad. but also, i understand the need to change and end things. but still! so sad!! :(
but let's focus on the happy: ONE MORE challenge! :)

it's the PERFECT time for this challenge, and we can't wait to see what you make! :)

first, i did some watercoloring with Distress Inks onto a piece of white cardstock! then on another piece of white cardstock, I die cut snowflakes from the Stitched Snowflakes die set! once the watercolor was dry, i backed the snowflakes with the 'snowy/beach' scene! :) 

i watercolored the crab from Life is Good, as well as the santa hat and presents from Holiday Party Animal with Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers! I heat embossed the sentiment with a custom phrase using Harold's ABC's, my old favorite!! 

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

Regarding one of our sponsors, Ellen Hutson, hosts two challenges per month over on the CLASSroom blog! The first and third Thursday of each month! Ellen Hutson carries a variety of crafty projects, including the entire Lawn Fawn line!  We hope that you will join us over there!

12x12 photo scrapbook layout

hello all!
today i am up on the Butterfly Reflections Ink blog, and I'm sharing a layout i made using a 12x12 photo! so fun! 
here's a little sneak:

to see the whole thing, head on over to the Butterfly Reflections Ink blog and then get your shopping on! there's an AWESOME promotion going on, you can read about it here!
enjoy!

Sweet Stamp Shop December 2016 Release!

hello!!
and happy happy happy day to you!

today Sweet Stamp Shop is releasing their December stamps, and they're SOOOO adorable! i had some fun and made a bunch of cards with a couple of the new sets!!

first of all, this new 2x6 stamp set called Barnyard has the CUTEST little farm critters!! 

i colored these little guys with my Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers and then fussy cut them out! I love getting all my images colored FIRST thing when I get new stamps! it's so fun to see them brought to life!

next, i created a happy little birthday card with the cute little chicks and present images!

i LOOOOOVE a good rainbow, and those presents were too cute to resist making a rainbow!! 

i love those two little chick images and they are just too cute cuddling together! ha! i popped them up over the lightly blended blue background! eeek, adorable!

for my next cards, i used the new Birthday Sentiments stamp set, and i am in LOVE with these sizes, sayings and fonts!! eee!!!

i LOVE the long sentiment here, and i thought it would just be TOO fun to create a mini rainbow with by doing some blending with my Distress Inks! :) did somebody say RAINBOW?! ha ha! oh, it was me! :)
this card was so easy to make, and it is a great card to bring a smile to someone on their special day!

for my last card, i used my Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers and colored directly onto the stamp set!! it was SO easy to do, and I just LOVE the pop of color!!

the rest of the background was stamped with a light grey ink, and it really helps to make the "Wish Big" pop!! i am totally LOVING the combination of pinks, purples and yellows right now! who knew?!

so that's what I have to share with the Sweet Stamp Shop December release! be sure to head over and grab your favorites before they're sold out! ha! 
enjoy!

ho ho ho!

that's right!! 
i don't feel dirty sharing Christmas cards anymore! It's official, I can share away!! lol!
with that in mind...i have a card to share! it's up on the Create a Smile Stamps blog!

be sure to check it out here, and let me know what you think! :)
enjoy!

Deck the Halls with Inky Paws 2016 Blog Hop!

hello hello!
i'm so excited for the FOURTH annual Deck the Halls with Inky Paws Blog Hop!

be sure to hop around to all the stops for the BEST chances to win! there are some AMAZING special guests, and it's going to be FUN!

Deck the Halls with Inky Paws Sale! 

Newton's Nook Designs is also having a sale starting today! Spend $25 and get a mini tree tag stamp for free along with FREE shipping on US orders ($3.50 off international) Use code TREETAG to redeem this special! Free/Discounted Shipping is valid through Friday, December16th. Free stamp is also valid through Friday, December 16th or while supplies last. 

now on to my card!

I combined a few different sets to create my colorful card!

i started by coloring the adorable birds from Holiday Tweets with my Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers and then die cut out that scene with the dies for the Beautiful Blizzard stamp set! 

I also heat embossed the snowflakes from Beautiful Blizzard in white, and then did some Distress Ink blending to create the warm, contrasting background! 

Enter to Win! Deck the Halls with Inky Paws Hop Prizes! 

We will be choosing two lucky winners to win a $20 store credit for Newton's Nook Designs online shop! To enter, just leave comments on the Design Team Member and Guest blogs (see list below)! Two winners will be chosen at random from the collective blogs in the blog hop. 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 Sunday, December 11th at 9 pm CST to comment  -- winners will be announced on the NND blog on Monday, December 12th.

Deck the Halls with Inky Paws Blog Hop

Newton's Nook Designs 

Melody Rupple

Lynn Put

Ruby Naz

Jessica Frost-Ballas

Lydia Evans

Jess Gerstner

Larissa Heskett

Samantha Mann

Crafty Math-Chick

Stephanie Muzzulin

Danielle Pandeline

Naki Rager

Kimberly Rendino

Yukari Yoshioka

Gladys Marcelino

Anika Lerche

Lawnscaping Challenge #143 - Let it Snow!

well, It's time for a new Lawnscaping Challenge!! :) 
and i'm sure i'm not alone when I say...i can't believe it's December!! 2016 is almost over!! CRAZY!

awww!!! let it snow!! i love it!! and i LOVED making my card!

I have been wanting to make a holiday card with this Winter in the Park stamp set ALL SEASON!! I LOVE it!! and to be honest, i was psyching myself out, thinking i couldn't get the blending right for the lights! but i just decided to GO FOR IT! and I'm sooooo happy that i did! i love how this came out! 

I used Wilted Violet, Picked Raspberry, Worn Lipstick and Dried Marigold to create the sunset in the sky! can i just say how much i LOOOOOOVE that color combination? a LOT! I heat embossed the sentiment from Merry Messages in white! 

I flicked some water and white acrylic paint onto the background and then added some snowy hills that i die cut using the Stitched Hillside Borders die and that was the card! love it! 

so that's my project! are you ready to play along?

this week we're sponsored by a brand new sponser for the Lawnscaping Challenge - Ellen Hutson! so get your card making on, and you could win a $25 gift certificate! hello!! :)

run run rudolph card!

**this is my 3rd post of the day! to see my Newton's Nook Designs Inky Paws Challenge card, scroll down, or click here! and to see my Lawnscaping Challenge feature card, click here!** 

hello all! 
today i am sharing a card that's up on the Create a Smile Stamps blog!

i love that little reindeer! so cute!
be sure to read all about it, and to get a more in depth look on the Create a Smile Stamps blog! :)
enjoy!

Inky Paws Challenge #38 - Color Challenge

**this is my 2nd post of the day! to see my Lawnscaping Challenge feature card, scroll down or click here!**

hello!!
happy friday!
today is the start of a new Inky Paws Challenge on the Newton's Nook Designs blog!
this time we're getting down and out with a FUN and festive color palette! 

so fun!! i really love the blue with the red and green!!
for my card, i used an older Christmas set: Winston's Home for Christmas! LOOOOOOOVE that cute set!! and the image of Winston in the car is SO cute!

i watercolored the image with Distress Markers, and then fussy cut it out - which was really easy to do! i added some white accents with a gel pen to his cheeks, and to the wreath on the front of the car! i heat embossed the sentiment onto some black cardstock and then popped it all up over that blue/snowy background! i created that blue sky with Tumbled Glass Distress Ink and some water! easy watercolor background! once it was all dry, i splattered some white acrylic paint to add a subtle look of snow!

be sure to play along for your chance to win some Newton's Nook products! 
enjoy!

peace and joy around the world

hello!!


today i have a card featured up on the Lawnscaping Challenge blog! 

it's sweet, and fun and watercolor-y! what's not to love?! ha!
be sure to check out the whole card and to read all about it on the Lawnscaping Challenge blog! 
enjoy!

Create a Smile Stamps 2016 November Release

hi hi hi!!

today i am sharing a few projects I made for the NEW Create a Smiles Stamps Kit release!! yay!!!!! it's SOOOO exciting!! this kit is AMAZING, INCREDIBLE and FANTASTIC!! eeee! the colors are sooooooo wintry and wonderful, and i LOOOOOVE all of the goodies! you can see the exactly what is included in the kit on the Create a Smile Stamps blog! :)

my first card uses the AWESOME ornament die that is included! i didn't use the inside portion for this card, but i will create a card with that inside soon! it's tooooo sweet! anyway! i thought it would be the sweetest little way to enclose my 'beach' scene!!

that's right - beach, not snow!! it doesn't snow here in SC, we're all about the warm weather, so i thought it would just be CUTE to create a sandy-man to send some warm wishes this year! he he he!

i watercolored the images with Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers, and then popped up the scene! I added lots of sequins around, behind and on top of the scene! to finish off the card, i used some of the letter stickers and chevron arrows that i stitched on! OHHHH! and i can't forget to mention that i used the stencil to add some white on white texture to the card base - hello snowflakes!! 

my second card uses the other ADORABLE images in the included stamp set!

i watercolored these with the Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers too, and then popped them up on the background of that card! i used Milled Lavender and Wilted Violet Distress Inks to create the watercolor look on the background! the sentiment was heat embossed and is from an older set called Cool Buddies (LOVE that set!)! 

i used my white gel pen to add some accents to the coloring! and then, i made an executive decition to chop off the 'blades' of those ice skates that he's wearing! i am ALLLLLLL about ice skating and hockey, so believe me, it was a surprise to me too! ha! but doesn't it look like he's running to those presents?! ha ha!! he looks so happy!

so be sure to check out the full reveal of the kit on the Create a Smile Stamps blog and to get your hands on one while you can!! it's amazing! 
enjoy!

Newton's Nook Designs November Release - Serene Silhouettes + Coordinating Die

hello again! it's the last day of the awesome Newton's Nook Designs November release!! 

today the whole team is featuring TWO new stamp sets: Serene Silhouettes + Coordinating Die!! 

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 Friday, November 25th, right here!

i created two cards with this beeeeeeeaaaaaaauuuutiful stamp set!

my first card uses the sweeeeet polar bear images!

i used Distress Markers to color directly onto the stamps, then I stamped them onto some white cardstock! SO easy to do, and so fun!

i due cut come hills in vellum and then die cut the WHOLE scene in a circle shape! love those glittery stars! i think this is so pretty!

my second card was created in a similar way! i used Distress Markers to color onto the stamp images themselves, but this time, those foxes got some love!

eeeee! they're so cute! i used an old grass punch to add to the scene! and the trees were heat embossed in white onto some grey snowflake patterend paper! i thought that really added to the look of the birch trees! 

LOVE the soft grey sentiment curved around the scene! and of course i had to finish it off with some grey splatters! 

Would you like to win the “Serene Silhouettes” Stamp Set?
This set will be given away to ONE lucky winner! 

Here's how to win: 

Comment on the NND blog and Design Team 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 Wednesday, November 23rd at 9pm CST to comment  -- winners will be announced on the blog post on Thursday, November 24th. 

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

Newton's Nook DesignsLydia Evans
Jess Gerstner
Larissa Heskett
Samantha Mann
Crafty Math-Chick
Stephanie Muzzulin
Danielle Pandeline
Naki Rager
Kimberly Rendino
Yukari Yoshioka

Newton's Nook Designs November Release - Fireside Friends AND Sweater Weather + coordinating Die

welcome back!

we're enjoying this week and continuing on with the Newton's Nook Designs November release!! yay!!!!

today the whole team is featuring TWO new stamp sets: Fireside Friends AND Sweater Weather + coordinating Die!! 

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 Friday, November 25th, right here!

my first two cards use the Sweater Weather Stamp set and coordinating die!

i stamped and colored all of images for these cards with Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers and then popped them up over the background!

i LOOOOOOOVE those little mittens!

i used Distress Inks in Squeezed Lemonade and Worn Lipstick to blend the warm background! and then i heat embossed the adorable snowflakes in white! super love the warm and fuzzy feeling this gives the card!

i stamped the kitty image in a light grey ink all over the background of my second card and then splatted some grey ink on it too! 

i heat embossed the sentiment in white onto a black strip of cardstock and i LOVE this easy and FUN card!

isn't he sooooo sweet?

my last card uses the CUUUUUUTE mini Fireside Friends stamp set! i made a magic slider card!!!

eeee!! it was SOOO fun! and i love how it looks all closed up like that too! it reminds me of a coloring page! but lift up that sweet tag and...

magic!!!! right?!?! again, i used my Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers to color this sweet scene! i LOOOOOVE how it pops on that black and white background!! 

have you ever made a magic slider card? i would LOVE some tips! this was my first try, and it was a lot work to wrap my head around the 'magic'! lol!!

Would you like to win the “Fireside Friends or Sweater Weather” Stamp Set?
This set will be given away to ONE lucky winner! 

Here's how to win: 

Comment on the NND blog and Design Team 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 Wednesday, November 23rd at 9pm CST to comment  -- winners will be announced on the blog post on Thursday, November 24th. 

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

Newton's Nook DesignsLydia Evans
Jess Gerstner
Larissa Heskett
Samantha Mann
Crafty Math-Chick
Stephanie Muzzulin
Danielle Pandeline
Naki Rager
Kimberly Rendino
Yukari Yoshioka