YNS Challenge 26: Grow Your Own

Happy Wednesday everyone! It's time for a brand new Your Next Stamp Challenge! It's Wendy's turn to set the theme for Challenge #26 and she has chosen... GROW YOUR OWN! So we want to see handmade flowers on your creations!

I was looking on You Tube to find a flower tutorial using punches that I already had, and I found a fabulous one by pinkaboo6691 using the SU scallop circle punch, ink, water and a brad:



If the embedding doesn't work for some reason, you can see the video HERE at You Tube.

I decided to have a good rummage through my 12x12 papers and found this fab one by Imaginisce. I love the colours of warm grey, apricot and pale blue together - not a combination I would ever have thought of!  So as the paper is so obviously scales, I just had to use on of my YNS mermaid stamps - this one being from the "Just Swimming By Mermaid" stamp set.  I'm getting really fed up with my digi camera at the moment, as it doesn't seem to want to replicate the colours as they look IRL.  The grey cardstock is actually a perfect tonal match to the grey scales...even though it doesn't look as if it is in the piccie! Plus the blue inking on my flower does match the blue scales of the DP perfectly! *Sigh*  I shouldn't moan really, as I'm sure that everyone's cards look better IRL than in the piccies!

Here's an angled shot so you can see the flower from the side:

Now my next task is to make an envelope deep enough to house this baby, LOL!

Do pop on over to YNS Challenges and check out what the rest of DT have created.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

1. Creative Carc Crew - Bloomin' Marvelous
2. Paper Romance challenge #17 - Handmade flowers
3. Tuesday Throwdown #19 - punches
4. Charisma Cardz #38 - Anything Goes
5. Incy Wincy #61 - Anything Goes
6. Practical Scrappers - Stamps

Thanks for dropping by!

Hugs,

Sparkle Creations Challenge #12: Farewell Mary!

ETA: I have now uploaded a better photograph, with a few additional elements, LOL!

Welcome to Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps Challenge #12!  We hope you will join us for a fun sketch challenge this week (sketch designed by Mary Giles).

This is Mary's final month as a DT member at SCRS (sob, sob!), so in her honour the team is holding a special farewell blog hop for her today.  I'm SO sorry to see you go Mary, and will miss you and your fabulous creations, but will continue to stalk your blog (hee hee!) and hope one day we get to work together again!

This is also our September Guest Designer, Risa West's, last day with us. Thank you Risa for being so fabulous!

In other Sparkle Creations news...... 

• 
  
  We welcome Kim Yu as our newest Design Team member! WOO-HOO!!  Welcome Kim - SO pleased to have you on board!
• 
  
  Sparkle Creations is sponsoring Color Me Copic today. The challenge is colouring animals and the prize is a SCRS $15 store credit. There is also a 10% off coupon code for all who participate.
• 
  
  We begin peeks for our October release on October 4th and Piali Biswas will be our Guest Designer for October! 

So onto the hop! I have used my Farmer Oliver stamp for my card. Here's the complete rotation.  Be sure to visit all of the DT and leave some cyber hugs for Mary as she rounds out our hop!

SCRS BLOG HOP

SCRS blog

YOU ARE HERE ---> Simonne <--- YOU ARE HERE

Lisa

Risa

Laurel

Stephanie

Sparkle

Mary

Thanks for dropping by!

Hugs,

Paper Makeup Stamps: GDT at Card Patterns

Not only was I truly honoured to be chosen as one of Card Patterns Super Six (with this card), but I was also picked to be a guest for challenge #83! Woo-hoo!  Thank you girls! :o)

The sketch for this week is a super one, and I didn't have any problems knowing exactly what I was going to make ... another wedding card, but this time a simple, modern CAS one:

I chose to use one of my all-time favourite Paper Makeup Stamps word art stamps to be the focal point instead of using an image - I love this sentiment for wedding or love-themed cards!

You can buy this stamp in three different formats from Paper Makeup Stamps...

~ 'The most important thing' rubber stamp (bare rubber) $3.00 ~

~ 'The most important thing' rubber stamp (cling mounted) $4.00 ~

~ 'The most important thing' digital stamp $1.50 ~

(If you live in the UK, you can also buy this bare rubber stamp from Quixotic Paperie)

It was a very simple card to make, but I still spent ages faffing around with exactly how many pearls to add and where, which shape of black flower to use, which spacer looked the best, and whether to go for a white, black, silver or gem brad!!  Yes, I am a ditherer, LOL!!!

Here are some more pics.....

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

1. OLLCB challenge #63 - Sentiment (use a sentiment as the main feature of your design)
2. Creative Craft Challenges - Black, White + 1 colour (my 'colour' is silver - the centre of my flower)
3. Allsorts Week 71 - Plain and Simple

Thanks again to the Card Patterns girls for having me as their guest this week, and thank YOU for popping by!

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

Hugs,

Whimsy Wedding

Happy Friday everyone!

Today I have a brand new card to share with you that is a little different from my normal Copic-coloured offerings - a vintage-style wedding easel card:

 

Although I didn't use an actual image stamp on this card, I did use 4 Whimsy stamps from 4 different stamp sets to create the wedding cake.  No template was used - I simply sketched the cake before cutting, stamping and distressing all the 'tiers' and then popped them all together!  I used my awesome Bow Easy (TM) to create the tiny bow for the cake - wouldn't have been able to do it without it, LOL!  I don't mind admitting that I spent a LONG time adding and taking away embellishments for this card, so that it would look 'just right'. I also stamped and distressed the hydrangeas that are behind the brown roses - they started life as plain, stark white until I attacked them with a French script stamp and brown ink, LOL!!

Whimsy Stamps used:

'Cake stand' swirl - Whimsy Stamps Party Pony stamp set

'Swirl' stamped in brown on the pale blue cake tiers - Whimsy Stamps Proud Momma stamp set

'Heart swirl' stamped in brown on the kraft cake tier - Whimsy Stamps Untamed Love stamp set

'Heart' at the top of the cake - Whimsy Stamps Snippets Set 1

A few more piccies....

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

1. Saturday Challenge #101 - Anything Goes
2. Sentimental Sundays challenge #21 - Wedding
3. A Spoon Full of Sugar challenge #122 - Anything Goes
4. ABC Challenge - D is for Distressing
5. PaperPlay Challenge #38 - Coffee & Cream

Thanks for dropping by, and hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Hugs,

Paper Makeup Stamps showcase

Hello everyone! 

Today the PMS DT are joining with the Quixotic Paperie DT to showcase the fabulousness that is.... Paper Makeup Stamps! 

You can purchase your PMS stamps direct from PMS at the Paper Makeup Stamps online store HERE [or if you live in the UK/Europe you can buy them from Elaine at Quixotic Paperie - QP is the ONLY UK online store that carries PMS stamps!].

For today's card I have used the gorgeous 'Sing, Love, Dance, Live' word art stamp - this is the very first PMS stamp that I bought!  You can buy it HERE direct from PMS (or HERE as a digi stamp!), or HERE from Quixotic Paperie.

Please do pop along to both my PMS DT sistahs' blogs and the QP DT blogs to see what they've made for today's showcase:

Paper Makeup Stamps DT

Katie Cotton
Christi Thorsen

Tangii Crain

Lisa Kind

Randee Elsing
Shaela Odd

Tina Hale
Andrea Vernagus

Anita Hovey

Bonnie Sharp

Danni Bindel

Dawn Barrett

Ginger Schwerin

Lisa McKinney

Maria Gurnsey

Michelle Van Patten

YOU ARE HERE ----> Simonne Clay <---- YOU ARE HERE

Stephanie Zito

Quixotic Paperie DT

Elaine Hughes
Carole Middlehurst
Emma Lockley
Judy Laing
Kim Costello
Kim Dellow
Rowena Barnard

Thanks so much for dropping by!

Hugs,

YNS Challenge #25: Give Thanks

Happy Wednesday everyone!  It's time for a brand new Your Next Stamp Challenge!  It's Sylvia's turn to set the theme for Challenge #25 and she has chosen... GIVE THANKS!  So we want to see thank you or thanksgiving creations!

I have used one of the new Fall stamps that were released on September 1st. This little cutie is called Thankful For You Fhiona and comes complete with the Thankful for you sentiment I have used on my card. 

A few more shots to show the dimension:

Do pop on over to YNS Challenges and check out what the rest of Starlets have created.

Thanks for dropping by!

Hugs,

Sparkle Creations Challenge #10: Colour Challenge

Happy Tuesday everyone!  Welcome to a brand new Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps challenge!  I can't quite believe we're at challenge #10 already! WOW!

This week we have a gorgeous colour challenge for you using some of my favourite colours:

I have used my wonderful Fall Charlotte stamp again (from the most recent SCRS release!).  But this time I've cut off the pumpkins Charlotte was sitting on to show how versatile this stamp can be.  Of course, you could also cut off the leaf Charlotte is holding, or substitute it for something else like a flower!  I followed sketch #81 over at Card Patterns, turning it 90 degress to the left and adding a sentiment and bow.  I'd also like to enter this card into the following challenges:

- Card Patterns Sketch #81
- The Shabby Tea Room #27 'Fresh Living'

Sparkle Creations challenge is open to all players. Each week a random winner will be chosen, and they will receive a SCRS rubber stamp. [In order to qualify for a prize, you must use a Sparkle Creations image on your creation.]

Do pop along to my SCRS DT sistahs' blogs to take a peek at their challenge creations:

Sparkle

Stephanie

Laurel

Lisa

Mary

Thanks for dropping by!

Hugs,


Supplies
STAMP: SCRS Fall Charlotte
INK: Memento Tuxedo Black ink pad
COLOURING MEDIA: Copic Ciaos
PAPER: October Afternoon 'Fly A Kite' (Ice Cream & Picnic Table)
CARD: Bazzill; Core'dinations 12x12 Colorcore C010 Vanilla Cream
EMBELLISHMENTS: Flatback pearls, Cherry Blossoms (Wild Orchid Crafts),
TOOLS: Paper Trimmer, SU Scissors, 3D foam pads, PVA glue, Nesties, SU Word Window punch, Bow Easy TM, Branch punch

Sparkle Creations: Introducing ... Farmer Oliver

Hello everyone and welcome to the final day of Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps new release sneak peeks!   Today, the DT (along with our Sept guest designer Risa West) are showcasing the third and final new release SCRS stamp... FARMER OLIVER.  And the best bit is that all 3 of the new stamps are available to buy from today - YAY!

I know I said this last month, but Sparkle's illustrator, Aki Fukuoka, has come up with 3 AMAZING new Fall stamps for the SCRS September Release.  Fall Charlotte was introduced on Thursday, yesterday we sneak peeked Broomstick Lucy, and today we are showcasing Farmer Oliver. Again, I predict these will sell FAST, so get your orders in now if you want to get your inky hands on these beauties!

Would you like to WIN a FARMER OLIVER stamp?  For a chance to win you need to (a) leave a comment on all 7 DT blogs (listed below) then (b) go to the SCRS blog and leave a comment there too.  You have until midnight EST today to leave your comments and the winner will be annouced tomorrow morning.  Please remember that you need to leave a comment on ALL of today's DT blog posts and the SCRS blog to be eligible to win.

Simonne {you are here}
Sparkle

Stephanie

Laurel

Lisa

Mary 

Risa (guest)
SCRS blog

Thanks for dropping by!  I hope you enjoy the new release!

I'd like to enter this card into Simon Says 'Holiday Fun' Challenge.

Hugs,

Sparkle Creations: Introducing ... Broomstick Lucy

Hello everyone and welcome to Day 2 of Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps new release sneak peeks!

Today, the DT (along with our Sept guest designer Risa West), are showcasing the second of 3 brand new SCRS stamps that are due to be released tomorrow!! So without further ado, I am pleased to introduce ... BROOMSTICK LUCY:

Would you like to WIN this darling stamp?  For a chance to win you need to (a) leave a comment on all 7 DT blogs (listed below) then (b) go to the SCRS blog and leave a comment there too.  You have until midnight EST today to leave your comments and the winner will be annouced tomorrow morning.  Please remember that you need to leave a comment on ALL of today's DT blog posts and the SCRS blog to be eligible to win.

Simonne {your are here}
Sparkle

Stephanie

Laurel

Lisa

Mary 

Risa (guest)
SCRS blog

See you tomorrow for a sneak peek of another new stamp!

Thanks for dropping by!

I'd like to enter this card into Simon Says 'Holiday Fun' Challenge.

Hugs,


Recipe
STAMP: SCRS Broomstick Lucy
INK: Memento Tuxedo Black ink pad
PENS: Copics
PAPER: Echo Park Happy Halloween paper kit
CARD: Core'dinations 12x12 cardstock Nightfall
EMBELLIES: Purple polka dot ribbon, 5mm flatback pearls
TOOLS: Martha Stewart Lattice Arch border punch

Sparkle Creations: Introducing ... Fall Charlotte

Hello everyone and welcome to Day 1 of Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps new release sneak peeks!

Today, the DT (along with our Sept guest designer Risa West), are showcasing the first of 3 brand new SCRS stamps that are due to be released this Saturday. So without further ado, I am pleased to introduce ... FALL CHARLOTTE:

Would you like to WIN this darling stamp?  For a chance to win you need to (a) leave a comment on all 7 DT blogs (listed below) then (b) go to the SCRS blog and leave a comment there too.  You have until midnight EST today to leave your comments and the winner will be annouced tomorrow morning.  Please remember that you need to leave a comment on ALL of today's DT blog posts and the SCRS blog to be eligible to win.

Simonne {you are here!}
Sparkle

Stephanie

Laurel

Lisa

Mary 

Risa (guest)
SCRS blog

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

1. PaperPlay #36 - Autumn is a Comin'
2. Simon Says 'Holiday Fun' Challenge

See you tomorrow for a sneak peek of another new stamp!

Thanks for dropping by!

Hugs,


Recipe
STAMP: SCRS Fall Charlotte
INK: Memento Tuxedo Black ink pad; Versamagic Dew Drop 'Wheat' and 'Jumbo Java'
COLOURING: Copics
PAPER: Basic Grey Mello 6x6 paper pad
CARD: SU Kraft
EMBELLISHMENTS: Prima flower, button, SU Linen thread, 4mm pearls
TOOLS: Paper Trimmer, Scissors, 3D foam pads, PVA glue, corner round punch, SU scallop border punch

Custom Design Stamps at Whimsy Stamps!

Ever wanted a customised stamp that you can use on your papercrafts (or on anything, for that matter)?  Well, you can now choose from a huge selection at WHIMSY STAMPS!  Yes, that's right, Whimsy Stamps is now offering CUSTOM DESIGN STAMPS - WOO-HOO!!!!!

Our amazing Ann Vento of Raindrop Echo Designs has been beavering away behind the scenes designing up a storm ... for YOU!  There are 35 separate designs in 5 different categorites, and each one can be customised as you wish! We also have an "Address stamps" category with 3 different choices of address labels! And this is just the start - Ann hopes to add many designs to the future, including some Seasonal designs!

The Whimsy DT were extremely lucky to be the first to be able to order these amazing stamps!  They are so new that I haven't actually received mine yet, but here is a pic of my new customised stamp - I'm so excited and can't wait for it to arrive so I can add it to all my cards!!!!

All the designs are available to purchase right now and cost between US$14.95-$19.95!  So scoot on over to the Whimsy store and have gander. However, be prepared to spend up, as I'm sure you'll want to order more than one when you see all the amazing designs on offer!!!

Hugs,

Quixotic Paperie : New Products Alert

CLICK HERE (or scroll down) for my Paper Makeup New Release BLOG HOP post!

Hey everyone!  Quick post to let you know about some of the fab new products Elaine has just received over at Quxotic Paperie.  CLICK HERE to see all the new products in one handy place, or click on the pictures below to be taken straight to the specific product page at Quixotic Paperie. 

New Paper Makeup Stamps - September Release:



Two new Echo Park 12x12 Collection kits at £14.99 each:

Three new Crate Paper 6x6 pads at £5.99 each (each pad has 32 double-sided 6x6 sheets!):

Happy shopping!
Hugs,

Sparkle Creations Challenge 9 and Sketch Saturday 119

CLICK HERE (or scroll down) for my Paper Makeup New Release BLOG HOP post!

Hello again and welcome to a brand new Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps challenge! This week we are challenging you to use buttons and bling on your creations. 

The basics of this card came together really quickly.  Of course, I spent a little time carefully cutting out my paper piecing, but I actually spent the most time fiddling around with the flowers!  I even stopped to have lunch in the middle of deciding!  I have SO many flowers, but could I find ones that matched perfectly in both colour and style?  NO, ha ha!!  This is the best I could do (and now I have flowers littered all over my craft table and floor waiting to be cleared up, LOL!).  My button is pretty obvious, but you may have to look a bit harder for my bling - I've used 2 gem brads in the centre of the brown flowers, plus there is a row of gems along the punched border.

I have used Charlotte with a Rose stamp and have followed this week's Sketch Saturday sketch #119 (so this is also my SS DT card, albeit very late - sorry........again!), where we have a fabulous sketch  from Jeanette and are being sponsored by Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps.

Sparkle Creations challenge is open to all players. Each week a random winner will be chosen, and they will receive a SCRS rubber stamp. [In order to qualify for a prize, you must use a Sparkle Creations image on your creation.]

Sparkle has started Freebie Fridays over at the Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps blog where all you have to do is comment on her post by the Sunday evening and you'll be entered into the draw to win a free SCRS stamp!  So make sure you hop on back to the SCRS blog this Friday!

Do pop along to my SCRS DT sistahs' blogs to take a peek at their challenge creations:

Sparkle

Stephanie

Laurel

Lisa

Mary

Finally, I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

1. The Shabby Tea Room #26 - Tag You're It (there's a tiny tag as part of my stamped image)
2. My Time to Craft #106 - Jewelled
3. Cute Card Thursday #126 - Material Girl
4. Crafty Calendar #12 - Blue and Flowers
5. Crafty Catz challenge #48 - 3-2-1 (3 flowers, 2 patterned papers, 1 image)
6. Daring Cardmakers - Sapphires for September (if you look closely, you'll see I've used blue jewelled brads in the centres of my brown flowers)
7. Basic Grey Challenge #28 - Paper Piecing  (My DP is from the new Basic Grey 'Pyrus' 6x6 paper pad)
8. Pile it On #35 - Layers

Thanks for dropping by!

Hugs,

PMS September Release BLOG HOP!

Hello everyone and  welcome to the Paper Makeup Stamps new release blog hop!

If you'd like to participate in the hop and you didn't arrive here from the wonderful Christi S, please CLICK HERE to return to the start of the hop at the PMS blog.  If you're new to PMS blog hops, I need to tell you about how to grab your 15% off the entire new release discount code: all the DT have a letter for you in each of their blog hop posts - grab these letters in order (there are 21 in total) and pop them together to form a phrase which will form the discount code you can use when checking out to get a whopping 15% off the entire new release! My letter for you is ...(...be sure to only grab the letter, NOT the number, LOL!):

The new stamps will go live on the site at 8pm EST, and then at 9pm EST we are holding a release party at the PMS forum!  Unfortunately I won't be able to attend, as here in the UK it will be 2am, but please do join in if you're able, as I'm sure it will be a blast!

Make sure you comment on every blog along the hop as one lucky commenter will win the entire new release!!! 

For my Paper Makeup Stamps blog hop card, I have used the brand new "Pinwheel" stamp. You can buy the new releases directly from the Paper Makeup Stamps store (or from Quixotic Paperie if you're in the UK/Europe).  I stamped the pinwheel twice, separated both wheels from their posts and popped them up with 3D foam pads for some dimension.  I didn't use any Core'dinations cardstock for this card (shock horror, LOL!) and only used paper from the Echo Park 'Sweet Summertime' range.  It's a pretty clean and simple card, but it actually took a long time to make as I spent quite a while thinking about it beforehand:

So now it's time to continue the hop and pop on over to see what gorgeousness Stephanie has to show you, but I'd be ever so grateful if you left me a comment first - thanks! *wink*

Finally, I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

1. OLLCB #62 - Stripes
2. Saturday Challenge #99 - Clean and Simple

Have a wonderful day!  Enjoy the hop and the new releases!

Hugs,


Ingredients
STAMP: Paper Makeup Stamps 'Pinwheel'
INK: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamagic Dew Drops
COLOURING MEDIUM: Copics
PAPER: Echo Park 'Sweet Summertime'
EMBELLISHMENTS: Button from stash