a layout sneak!

hey there!
today i have a layout up on the Butterfly Reflections Ink blog! i just LOVE it! 
here's a little sneak of what it looks like, along with some of the goodies i used from the Butterfly Reflections Ink shop!! 

so fun!
thanks so much (in advance!) for checking out the layout!
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!

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!

daddy's little ducklings layout sneak peek

hey you guys!!
(feel free to read that either as Chunk from The Goonies, or just as a regular, chipper greeting! your choice!)

today i have a layout up on the Butterfly Reflections Ink blog! holla!!
here's a little peek at what you'll find if you jump over there! :)

i have been wanting to make this layout since the summer, and i just LOVE it! totally captures this memory! 
so hop over to the Butterfly Reflections Ink blog, read about my super awesome layout, if you please, and then go shopping! it's so easy and so fun! 

...i heard Vanessa just got a bunch of new My Favorite Things stuff in...run! :D
enjoy!

you mean (more than!) the world to me!

**this is my 2nd post of the day! to see my PC&S Farewell Blog Hop post, scroll down, or click here!**

woooo!! two more days and the December release for Create a Smile stamps will be ready for purchase!! it's SO exciting! :)

today i have a card on the Create a Smile blog showing off the new Balance stamp set! it's just awesome - and perfect for valentine's day or ANY day, really! :)

here's my card:

LOVE it!!

i found out, that flair fits PERFECTLY into the scale!! so cool!! 

i colored the scale twice with copics and then popped up SOME of the pieces for dimension (to match the height of the flair!).

then i used some embossing paste and a star stencil for the base of the card! the 'You' from the sentiment is chipboard, ALSO available at Create a Smile!! :)

i darkened the color with distress inks, and then added glossy accents on top!

the sentiment was added to the vellum banner, and then the card was done!

********

side note about the globe flair...i actually didn't have any world flair pieces, so i painted gesso over an old piece of flair. when that was dry, i used distress paints to add the 'world' image!! SO COOL!! 

i totally made it work, as Tim Gunn would say! :)

head over to the Create a Smile stamps blog to see the other GENIUS card idea for the new release, by DT member Anja!! :)

enjoy!

A Very Fawny Holiday Week - Day 4

the fun is NON-STOP at Lawn Fawn!

it's day 4 of their Very Fawny Holiday Week, and I'm excited to have another project featured on thier blog! :)

this card uses the absolutly adorable Pa-Rum-Pa-Pum-Pum stamp set! i LOVE that set!

first i painted gesso onto the base of some cardstock. then once it was dry, i used peacock feathers and tumbled glass distress inks to watercolor! the gesso helps the color run and blend, even though it's not watercolor paper! magic!

then i copic colored the presents and cute as can be bear and gathered them all together on the patterned paper strip! the sentiment was created by masking two of the sentiments on the set together, and heat embossing them! easy peasy!

of course i had to sprinkle some more of the snowflake wood veneers on my card!! 

thanks again for stopping by! tomorrow i have one more card on the Lawn Fawn blog to celebrate this Fawny Holiday week! 
enjoy!

A Very Fawny Holiday Week - Day 3

hello again!

Lawn Fawn is continuing their very Fawny holiday week of inspiration, and i have another project to share! :)

this time i made a layout with the Peace Joy Love collection!

love it!
i used papers from Peace Joy Love and Sweater Weather to layer my photo. then i used lots of Snowflake Wood Veneers, Peace Joy Love flair and other embellishments (enamel dots, arrows, and a bow!) to make the diaganol line on my layout! then i cover it ALL in a light cover of gesso to tone down all of the colors! i totally LOVE that look, and i feel like it adds to the snow-y feel of the layout! (i saw that AMAZING idea in this video. check it out - this lady is SO TALENTED!! i am in awe of her layouts!!)

i also painted over the thickers title with gesso, and stitched them on for some added texture!

i stamped the christmas lights as a border on the top and bottom and added just a glow of color! i took a balled up dry paper towel, tapped it onto some distress ink, and then very ligthtly patted the area on my layout that i wanted the color to 'glow'! :)

so that's my layout! 
i still have to pinch myself that i have more projects being shared on the Lawn Fawn blog! eek!

thanks again for stopping by!
enjoy!

guesting at the Cupcake Inspirations Challenge with Newton's Nook!

hi again!!
fun news alert!

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

oh yeah! not only do i want to DIVE right into that pile of cupcakes, i was super excited to get to play along as a guest sweetie!! :)

i made the sweetest little Christmas card, with some older Newton's Nook stamp sets! you can't forget about these gems, you know! :)

see? super sweet, right? ha!
i colored the cute little fox from Sweetheart Tails with copcis, and popped her up on that white snowy hillside!

i created the background by using white embossing paste on that AWESOME brown on brown chevron paper! 
then i stamped the sentiment from Snow Day onto that folder over tag, and added some wood veneer trees!! 

i really love how this card turned out! 
i hope you play along with the challenge, for your chance to win some Newton's Nook swag!! hello!
enjoy!

bringing you a winter wonderland

hi there!
I'm over on the Create a Smile Stamps blog today! yahoo!!
and i'm sharing a super lovely Christmas card, where i will help bring in the winter wonderland!!

ok ok. i know some of you (most...of you?) are not ready for winter. and i apologize...but as you probably know, if you have been to my blog before, it's ALWAYS hot here! ha ha! so i'm always looking for cool weather! 

moving on to the card! I used a couple of different WOW embossing powders and they really helped bring my card to life!

I heat embossed the adorable snowflakes from the Smiling Snowflakes stamp set over a misted, patterned paper background! hello! could i have more going on in the background!? lol!

then i colored the train image from Whimsical Wheels with copics and popped them up with foam tape so they can easily carry in the winter wonderland wood veneers! :)

head on over to the Create a Smile stamps blog to read more about how this card came together! and then head to the shop and ger your crafty shopping on! there are stamps, stencils and brand NEW chipboard pieces!! so cool!!

have an awesome weekend!
enjoy!

a little mixed media with Butterfly Reflections Ink

hey there!

today i have a card over on the Butterfly Reflections Ink blog! i really like how it turned out! 

i tried my hand at playing with the mixed media arts, and i think i'm in love! i used TONS of products from the Butterfly Reflections Ink store, and this card came together, really quickly (you know...not including the drying time between steps!)! ha ha!

so head on over to the blog to see the whole card, and read all about it! or head over the the shop and get your new products on! :)

enjoy!

oh, that hair - a layout of out of control hair!

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

hello!!
today i have a layout over on the Create a Smile blog! yay for layouts!! :) and of course i used some awesome WOW embossing powder! :) the Create a Smile team is so lucky to be able to work with the WOW embossing powders this month!

here's my layout!

so fun, right? ha ha ha!! it just makes me laugh! my littlest mann had the worst haircut ever a few weeks ago, and now, we're paying the price! lol! his cowlick is OUT OF CONTROL and i laugh all day! it's so funny, and i'll always remember this phase in his preschool years because of it! :)

i used some yellow WOW embossing powder to add color to the wood veneers, and i actually used 4 different stamp sets on this layout!

to see how it all came together, head over to the Create a Smile Stamps blog! and don't forget, you still have time to enter the December Guest Designer search!! :) there are only 3 enteries - WHAT?!?! so your chances are pretty good!

enjoy!

Newton's Nook Designs - Holiday Release Day 1

yay!! i have good news for you, on this monday morning:

it's the start of Newton's Nook Designs Holiday Release!! and let me tell you...these 5 (yes, 5!!!) sets are incredible! i had so much fun with them, i made two cards for each day this week!!

today's set is called Winston's Home for Christmas. and i just LOVE these little moments that are shown! they are perfect for scrapbooking your holiday memories, doing a project life type spread, gift tags and, of course, cards!! all of the new sets will be available for purchase on October 17th, right here!

ok, here's my first card :

so fun! i used a city map stencil in gold (hello! gold and christmas are perfect together, right?) and then added a layer of vellum on top! the image was colored with copics, and then i heat embossed the sentiment in black, so it really POPs!! 

i also added a wood veneer to the front of the car and added some stickles and glossy accents! 

my second card is super fabulous!

i colored winston in with copics and stamped the setniment onto a wood veneer! the base of the card was sprayed with frost and shimmer so it is super sparkly (and not just plain white!). i think shimmer is totally needed with holiday cards!

i tied a red ribbon around the text cardstock and added a few wood veneer dots, and called it a day!

Would you like to win “Winston’s Home for Christmas”?This set 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)! One winner will be chosen at random from the collective blogs listed below. Make sure to check out each  blog and comment for your chance to win. You will not know which blog will be chosen so the more you comment on the better your chances are of winning! You have until Friday, October 17 at 9pm CDT to comment  -- winners will be posted on the NND blog on Saturday, October 18th. 

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

Newton's Nook Designs

Taheerah Atchia

Lydia Brooke

Larissa Heskett

Samantha Mann

Crafty Math-Chick

Shellye McDaniel

Jess Moyer

Stephanie Muzzulin

Danielle Pandeline

Tessa Wise

Heather Hoffman (Guest Designer)

this release could NOT be any more amazing! i LOOOOOOVE all of the sets, and it's going to make my Christmas card 'To Do' list FLY by!!

i lick you!

**this is my 2nd post of the day! to see my card for the brand new Inky Paws Challenge click here, or scroll down**

hey hey!

i'm back! and this time, it's not with a card! *gasp* i know! :)

i am over on the create a smile stamps blog sharing a treat bag! yay!! i know lots of people like to make treat bags, especially around halloween, so i thought i'd give it a whirl too! we're still going stong with the collaboration with Wycinanka, and i have to tell you, i'm JUST as much in love with their products! 

so here it is: 

yay!

i used that cute frog from jungle fever and colored him with distress markers! he he! and then i took that tongue image and covered it with glossy accents, to add shine! and speaking of shine, there's also some splattered mr huey's SHINE mist too! ha!

alright, to learn more about how i made this treat bag, head on over to the create a smile stamps blog! 

see you there! :)

enjoy!

Newton's Nook Designs September Release - Falling Into Autumn

yahoo! day 2 of newton's nook's release for september is here! that's right! did you remember? there are an incredbile FOUR sets being released this on friday! so excited!!

all of the new sets will be available for purchase on September 19th, here!

today we're sharing the Falling Into Autumn! it's SO ADORABLE, and versitle and FALL!!

this set is SO fun!! it's perfect for creating scenes, clean and simple or one layer cards! i see a lot more heat embossing and distress inks, watercolors, ANYTHING! with this set in my future!

my first card is MY FAVORITE!!! 

i stamped (close to) the edges of the panel with all of the leave images in different colors of distress inks! overlapping, changing angles, etc. 

THEN! to make it even more incredible, i went over the edges with vintage photo and old paper distress inks to give it an edged look. I LOVE HOW IT TURNED OUT!
the sentiment was stamped in the 'white' area, to really highlight it! and then a few enamel dots finished off the card! 

i used spray mists for my 2nd card, and lots of white heat embossing!
first i heat embossed the leave images in a fun diagonal pattern! i really LOVE the layout of the leaves!

then i wet the entire panel with water and let drops of the sprays fall onto the card base and spread. i used red, yellow and orange. with just a HINT of green in some places! then when it was dry, i splatters some gold on top! 

i used those super sweet bird wood veneers to finish it off! definitely, fall-like, huh?

Would you like to win “Falling Into Autumn”? 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, Sept 18 at 9pm CDT to comment  -- winners will be announced on the blog post on Friday, September 19th. 

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

Newton's Nook Designs

Taheerah Atchia

Lydia Brooke

Larissa Heskett

Samantha Mann

Crafty Math-Chick

Shellye McDaniel

Jess Moyer

Stephanie Muzzulin

Danielle Pandeline

Tessa Wise

Kimberly Rendino (Guest Designer)

this release is SERIOUSLY amazing!! you're going to want to check back everyday this week!
enjoy!

lawnscaping challenge - critters galore!

well hello!
it's monday! and monday's are wonderful, because they usually mean it's a new lawnscaping challenge! yahoo!
and this one...couldn't be cuter - critters!!!!!!!

lawn fawn has SO many adorable critters to choose from - that's going to be the most challenging part, i think! ha ha! (it was for me!)

finally, i decided on the critters in the arctic set...that narwhal!!!!!! i have been dying to color it up for weeks!

so here it is:

eek! i love it! i also used the new lawn ornaments - snowflake wood veneers! yeah...wood veneers and lawn fawn?! i think so! 1000 times, yes!
i colored that narwhal with copics and added a little glossy accents to the horn! 

i created the background by using two different mists and then a layer of 'wave' embossing paste, using this stencil from my favorite things!  i LOVE it! the sentiment is on the banner from home sweet home. 

so that's my card!
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! :)

create a smile stamps - september release countdown

hello! hello!

today i'm sharing a card here and on the create a smile stamps blog using one of the new september stamp sets!! and i LOVE this new set!! i have to say!

i used whimsical wheels - and the set is JUST that! whimsical!! i LOVE these cars - definitely my favorite car images ever! 

i colored the ambulance with copics and popped it up for a little dimension! then i used the starburst image to enhance the affect of the siren! and of course, i had to break out my road washi! lol!

those arrows are another AMAZING product from Wycinanka. i LOVE these! they're exactly the look of wood veneers, but not as heavy!! and that means, less postage! win!! 
i used some distress paint to add the red color to the arrows! so awesome that you can customize them to fit your project perfectly! :)

ok, just a few more reminders before i go:

* all of the create a smile stamps for the new release will be available on friday, right here! 
* don't forget to try out for the October Guest Designer Call! all of the information is right here, and if you don't have any of the create a smile stamps yet, no worries - there are free digis for you to use!

so that's it! i hope yo're as excited as i am for this release!! it's awesome!
enjoy!