a summer-y hello!

hi there!
today I have a card up on the Create a Smile Stamps blog, and it's  sure to send some warm, summery vibes your way!

love it!
I was inspired by some stickers from the Dear Lizzy It's All Good collection, and I just had to make a card!
check it out on the Create a Smile Stamps blog!
enjoy!

take me to your cake!

hello!
today I have this fun, interactive card up on the Lawn Fawnatics Challenge blog! 
and it's out of this world! 

eeeeep! see? 
I was inspired by the current Sketch Challenge, and made a fun galaxy background with Distress Paints and Distress Stains (for the black soot color)! looooove making galaxy backgrounds! 
I started by adding a rainbow of colors with the Distress Paints. then once that was dry, I splattered some Distress Resist Spray on top! 
once *that* was dry, I added the Black Soot color! and finally, once that layer was dried, I splattered some white acrylic paint on top! :)

lots of drying time and waiting! lol! 
I stamped and colored the images 
from Beam Me Up, with Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers and the fussy cut them out!

and this card is even MORE next level, because I attached that ufo with the Let's Toast Pull Tab Add-on die!! which is one of my FAVORITE dies ever! it adds so much fun!

be sure to check out this card on the Lawn Fawnatics Challenge blog, if you want! and definitely play along with the latest sketch challenge! 
enjoy!

Simply Ear-resistable!

hey there!
today, I have this card up on the Newton's Nook Designs Blog!  I was at Target and I saw a shirt in the kids section of a sloth with Easter bunny ears, and I was like - YES! ha!!

right?! isn't that so fun! ha!! I love it!
I used the sloth from In Slow Motion Stamp Set and combined it with JUST the ears from one of the images from Newton's Easter Basket Stamp Set. I colored the images with Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers and then fussy cut everything out! 
oh yeah, and I added leaves from    to the tree to tie in the background!

and that background is soooo fun!
I used the Tropical Leaves Stencil with Distress Inks in Mowed Lawn, Twisted Citron and Cracked Pistachio! and then removed the stencil and ink blended a little on top of it.

I finished the card off by heat embossing the sentiment from Bitty Bunnies Stamp Set onto a banner of black cardstock. and then I added some glitter to the to the ears! so fun!
be sure to check this out on the Newton's Nook Designs Blog, too!

enjoy!

Lawn Fawnatics Challenge #51 - Sketch

happy Monday!
let's start this week off with a NEW challenge over at the Lawn Fawnatics Challenge blog!

yay!

eeeeeep!!
isn't this just the best and most inspiring sketch?! I really, really love it, and I'm SO excited to make more cards with this sketch!

I used the adorable Mermaid for You stamp set for my card!

I colored all of the images with Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers and then fussy cut them out!
for the background, I used Distress Inks in Wilted Violet, Blueprint Sketch and Peacock Feathers for some ink blending. 

to create the 'waves', I die cut various pieces of cardstock using the Stitched Hillside Borders Dies to create the makeshift stencils! then I used them to ink blend the 'waves'! then I sprinkled some water, ink color and white acrylic paint on top of everything! so fun!

I really can't WAIT for you to play along! you could win a $25 gift certificate to Lawn Fawn!!!!
enjoy!

cute critter friends

hey there!
today I have a card up on the Butterfly Reflections Ink blog! and it's suuuuuuper cute!

see? looooove those cute critters!
be sure to check out the whole card and how it came together on the Butterfly Reflections Ink blog! 
enjoy!

Create a Smile Stamps April 2019 Release

hi again!!
I'm soooooo excited to share my cards for the new Create a Smile Stamps release!!

I created 4 cards, so let's get to it!

my first card is a sweet, unique wedding card!

I combined the new Floral Decorations stamp set with the older beaaauuuuuutiful Decorated Wishes stamp set!
I masked off the off-set strip with masking tape, and then ink blended with Distress Inks! once that was done, I stamped the various floral images in the same colors, looooooove that look!! 

once that was done, I sprinkled some white acrylic paint on top!
the sentiment was then heat embossed in black! the banner was heat embossed onto vellum, and then attached under the card!
and I finished off the card with some Pretty Pink Post clear sequins.

my second card is a birthday card, with perhaps, the cutest little candy pieces, ever!

aren't they SO cute!?
I colored all of the images with Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers, and then fussy cut them out! They are from the new Little Treats stamp set! I popped some of them up with foam tape!

the background was ink blended with Distress Inks in Peacock Feathers, Blueprint Sketch and Wilted Violet! then I sprinkled some water on top!
the background was then die cut with the new, SUPER COOL, Focal Die!

my next card is keeping with the birthday theme!

but this time, I used the new Birthday Sampler set, combined with the newly RE-released Soft Serve die!
I die cut the ice cream image with white, and then used Distress Oxide Inks in Fossilized Amber and Vintage Photo (waffle cone) and Picked Raspberry, Worn Lipstick and Dried Marigold (ice-cream) and sprinkled some water on top! I attached the die cut pieces on top of the ink blending and then cut around it! I popped the whole thing up with foam tape! 

the background was created by tinting some white embossing paste with grey ink, and then using it with the Waves Stencil to add some wonky lines!
I heat embossed the sentiment onto vellum, attached it to the card and finished it all off with the Pretty Pink Posh sparkling clear sequins!

my last card uses another newly RE-release product: the Sending Sunshine mini-stamp set!

looooove it! those little lobsters are just darling!! (and I can't help but think of the quote from Friends, check that out here!)
I colored all of the images with Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers, and then fussy cut them out! aren't they so adorable?

for the background, I used Distress Inks to ink blend with Peacock Feathers, Blueprint Sketch and Wilted Violet and combined it with the Curved Lines Stencil!
I finished off the card with some clear droplets!

So, those are my cards! 
Be sure to check out the rest of the cards the Design Team created....you're going to have your socks blown off!! 

thanks for sticking around to the end, and for checking out my cards!! 

enjoy!

Newton's Nook Designs April Release-Newton's Birdhouse + coordinating Die, Mother's Day, Father's Day

wow!!
I can't believe it's already the last day of Newton's Nook Designs April release!

I am super in love with this release, it's FUN and happy and so exciting!
oh how I love all of these new stamps, stencils and dies!! just wait until you see it all! but in the mean time, check out what we're working with today: Newton's Birdhouse + coordinating Die, Mother's Day, Father's Day
you can totally create a project life type spread, gift tags and, of course, cards! all of the new sets will be available for purchase on April 12th, right here! 

my first card uses the new Newton's Birdhouse set along with the new Speech Bubbles Die Set!!

this was so fun to make! 

I used Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers to color the images, along with the coordinating dies to die cut it out! 

and the sentiment!! ha ha ha! still makes me laugh!

I also used the Bokeh Stencil to create the fun background, which I highlighted with sequins!

the Distress Ink colors I used are Cracked Pistachio, Twisted Citron and Mowed Lawn!

it's hard to tell in the photos, but the sentiment was heat embossed in black onto a vellum speech bubble!

my 2nd and 3rd cards use the new Mother's Day and Father's Day mini sets!

love them!!

I used the new Hardwood Stencil for both backgrounds - I used it with white embossing paste for the Mother's Day card, and Vintage Photo Distress Ink with ink blending for the Father's Day card!

both cards have the sentiment heat embossed in black onto a strip of vellum! then I stamped, colored and fussy cut out the little images and glued them to the sentiment!

for the Mother's Day card, I combined it with the Bold Blooms Stencil and Seedless Perserves, Picked Raspberry and Dried Marigold Distress inks! then I used the Frames Squared Die Set to cut it out!

the Father's Day card uses the Plaid Stencil Set! and this time, I used Distress Inks in Peacock Feathers, Twisted Citron and Mowed Lawn!

oh! and the vellum was attached with foam tape under the colored images, for both cards! I used the Frameworks Die Set to cut out the plain panel!

Would you like to win the “Newton’s Birdhouse” Stamp Set? This stamp 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 reveal 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 April 11th at 9pm EST to comment  -- winners will be announced on the blog post on Friday, April 12th. 

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

Newton's Nook Designs

Amanda Bodine

Holly Endress

Larissa Heskett

Samantha Mann

Zsofia Molnar

Naki Rager

Maria Russell

Andrea Shell

Tatiana Trafimovich

2nd Annual Cutest Video Hop Ever - honest!!

Hi hi hi!!

Hello and welcome to the 2nd Annual Cutest Video Hop Ever! My little Menn (Jackson and Nolan!) and I are excited to be joining Emily Leiphart for this fun hop, crafting with our kids (or in Simon’s case, with mom) and inspiring the next generation of crafters! We hope you have as much fun watching us craft with our kids (mom), as much as we enjoyed creating these projects to share with you.

yes, that's right...I made a video with my little Menn!! I'm still a rookie, so be kind!! Be sure to check out the video by clicking here! We hope you have as much fun watching us craft with our kids, as much as we enjoyed creating these projects to share with you. (All of the information can be found on Emily's blog!)

All of the artists' YouTube links are below. Please remember that comments here on the blog, while greatly appreciated, are not eligible for the giveaways below. You must leave your comments on YouTube. The more you comment, the higher your chances of winning.

VIDEO HOP LIST

1. Emily Leiphart   https://youtu.be/UV1qKIROx5I
2. Simon Hurley   https://youtu.be/VWJrdAxVD1w
3. Catherine Pooler   https://youtu.be/oCEuvP63KaM
4. Laurel Beard   https://youtu.be/qVCfpvw1_kQ
5. Ardyth Percy-Robb   https://youtu.be/HYyEA1_Iw6U
6. Jill Dewey Hawkins   https://youtu.be/IibysQA5s4o
7. Laura Bassen   https://youtu.be/XSmKz5guGZ0
8. Marie-Pierre Capistran   https://youtu.be/4TGcsw4-C6I
9. Samantha Mann   https://youtu.be/XmGrCPoxzXw
10. Evelin Tee   https://youtu.be/NMsaPaYaNL8
11. Ujjwal Gupta   https://youtu.be/zmJ7fPbBB64
12. Ashlea Cornell   https://youtu.be/971wPoQS4TI
13. Jenny Colacicco   https://youtu.be/lepgMIBKfF4
14. Natalie Elphinstone   https://youtu.be/xhjWKx73jH4

All of the giveaway and ways to win are below, be sure to check it out!!

My little Menn were super excited to play with my alcohol inks...and they loved it! here are their cards!

be sure to check out the video on YouTube! 
but here are some closeups, too:

Jackson knew right away that he wanted to use the panda from the Be Him stamp set by Waffle Flower!...it's his favorite animal, he knows practically everything about them!

and Nolan used the kitty from Be Her, because...well in his words: he "wanted to make George Washing-cat"...!?! ha ha!

I also joined in the fun and made a card just like theirs! but, of course, I had to add a rainbow!

love it!

SPONSORS + PRIZES

We're incredibly grateful to Ranger Ink and Simon Hurley for sending Simon Hurley create. products to several of our designers, and also to Catherine Pooler Designs for sending her inks to several of our designers.

Thank you so much to all of the wonderful individuals and companies who have donated over 30 prizes for this fun event! The winners will be randomly chosen from all comments left on each of our videos. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning! Comments will close at 11:59 p.m. EST on April 17, 2019 and winners will be announced on my blog on April 24, 2019.

Ranger Ink, 2 Simon Hurley create. Goodie Bags

Jennifer McGuire Ink, 3 Share Handmade Kindness Goodie Bags

Catherine Pooler Designs, 2 ink pads per video
Scrapbook.com, $75 gift certificate + ColorCase 2-pack*

Simon Says Stamp, $50 gift certificate

Avery Elle, $50 gift certificate

Studio Katia, 2 x $25 gift certificates

Winnie & Walter, $50 gift certificate

Pretty Pink Posh, $30 gift certificate

Ellen Hutson, $25 gift certificate

Hero Arts, $25 gift certificate

My Favorite Things, $25 gift certificate

Newton’s Nook Designs, $25 gift certificate

Paper Smooches, $25 gift certificate

The Stamp Market, $25 gift certificate

Waffle Flower, $25 gift certificate

Enjoy!!