SCRSC80: Cocktails & Butterflies

Hi everyone and happy Tuesday!

Have you been enjoying the lovely mini heatwave we've been having here in the UK? I can't believe it went from being cold enough for continual central heating to almost 30C in a matter of days! Phew! I do love the sunshine - I think it makes everything feel better and brighter - but I'm not mad on 30C heat with high humidity. Shame we're not rich enough to live by the sea ! I can just imagine sitting on a veranda with a glass of something cool with the sun beating down and the cool sea breeze gently blowing ...... Well, one can dream, lol!

It's week 2 of Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps Challenge #80 and so time for me to share my challenge card today. Our challenge this fortnight is an inspiration challenge ...

For my challenge card I inked up Cocktail Emily and paired her with some B&W paper from my Echo Park Yours Truly 6x6 pad and some purple and aqua paper & card. My blue buttons are from http://www.sewsweet.co.uk/50g-mixed-buttons-26-c.asp and I also added some tiny punched butterflies to echo the butterfly pattern on the umbrella in the photo! I followed the fabby sketch #167 over at Card Patterns.

Our challenge is open to all players. Each challenge a random winner will be chosen who will receive a SCRS rubber stamp. In order to qualify for a prize, you must use a Sparkle Creations image on your creation. To play along in our challenge, upload a photo of your project and provide a direct link in the linky widget at the bottom of the SCRS challenge #80 post. Deadline for challenge #80 is Sunday 3 June @ 9PM PST (which is 5am on Monday 4 June in the UK - we are 8hrs ahead of PST).

Do visit my teamies to take a peek at their gorgeous challenge creations:

Kerri Michaud
Savannah O'Gwynn
Simonne Clay (that's me!)
Sparkle Smith
Stephanie Kraft

Thanks so much for dropping by! Hope you have a fabby Tuesday and remember to keep well hydrated! :)

Hugs,

Denise's Whimsical Birthday Party Hop

Welcome to Denise's birthday party hop!
If you've come here from Dena's blog, then you're on the right track.
If not, hop back to the beginning at Iris's blog so you don't miss a thing!

Today (May 16) we are celebrating the birthday of one of the best stamp company owners out there: Denise Lynn of Whimsy Stamps! To show our appreciation for Denise's kindness, the Whimsy family and previous guest designers are holding a birthday party blog hop using some of the amazing Whimsy Stamps products that we have grown to love.  Thank you, Denise, for giving us the opportunity to represent a company with great products, wonderful customer service, and most of all, an owner who truly cares about its artists and designers. You are the best!

To show some appreciation to the Whimsy customers for helping us celebrate Denise's birthday, we are giving away a $25 Gift Certificate to Whimsy Stamps store.  Just hop along, leave a comment on all the birthday blog posts isted below by May 21, and a random winner from the comments left on participating blogs will be chosen to win the gift certificate.  The winner will be posted on the Whimsy Stamps blog on May 22.

For Denise's birthday hop card I used the adorable Whimsy Stamps - Cinnamon Sugar stamp and the gorgeous Whimsy Stamps Shapeology Picket Fence die. My 2 sentiment tickets are from Whimsy Stamps Ticket Notes stamp set. The front ticket reads "The friends we meet on the path of life make the trip worth it" and the one at the back reads "You have a special way of being thoughtful...thank you for everything".  I chose both these sentiments for Denise's card because they are perfect for her! :)  I also used my sewing machine on this card ... the very first time I have ever machine sewed - eek!!!!!  I didn't quite get the margin spacing correct on the main paper panel, but I was quite pleased about how the sewing on the image panel turned out, especially as I'd already coloured the image before I decided to sew!! Stupid or brave? You decide, LOL!

I would like to say a personal thank you to Denise. Denise, you are an amazing person and I cannot tell you how blessed I feel to call you my friend and how much I cherish our friendship.  I feel so lucky to have "met" you back in 2009! I absolutely adore you and thank my lucky stars that I get to work for and with you at Whimsy Stamps. I know we (the DT) say this a lot, but I wholeheartedly believe that we have something very special at Whimsy and we have YOU to thank for that.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you my sweet, wonderful friend - you are, quite simply, the BEST!! xxxx

So now it's time for you to hop off to the lovely and super-talented Patricia's blog! Here is the full hop order just in case you need it:

Iris Weichmann

Pops Morfitt

Bev Rochester

Erin Bailey

Heidy Blom

Ann Vento

Tammy Louise Cunliffe

Mariska van der Veer

Lori Pachkowsky

Dena Concienne

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

Patricia Garcia

Alberto Gava

Stephanne Maraver

Thanks so much for joining us today!  Please feel free to head on over to Denise's blog to wish her a happy birthday :)

Hugs,


Supplies
Stamps: Whimsy Stamps - Cinnamon Sugar and Whimsy Stamps Ticket Notes
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz 'Antique Linen' Distress ink pad
Copics: E000 E00 E11 E02 R20 (skin), E47 E44 E43 E42 (hair), R81 R83 R20 R22 (dress), E43 E41 E40 (apron), B000 (sky)
Paper: Cosmo Cricket Mini Deck 'Tea For Two'
Card: Kraft, White, Coredinations DR030 Aged Wine
Tools: Sewing Machine, Whimsy Stamps Shapeology Picket Fence die, Bow Easy tool
Embellishemtns: 4mm Ivory flatback pearls, Cream seam binding, WOC Flowers

SCRSC79: Cherry Blossom Rin

Happy Tuesday everyone!

It's week 2 of the Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps Challenge #79 and we have a lovely May flowers challenge for you ...

For my challenge card I used one of my favourite stamps, Cherry Blossom Rin, and followed yesterday's brand new Mojo Monday sketch #241.

Our challenge is open to all players. Each challenge a random winner will be chosen and the winner will receive a SCRS rubber stamp! In order to qualify for a prize, you must use a Sparkle Creations image on your creation. You have until Sunday 20 May @ 9 PM PST (which is Monday 21 May @ 5 AM UK time) to play along with challenge #79.

Do visit the rest of the SCRS designers to take a peek at their challenge creations:

Kerri Michaud
Savannah O'Gwynn
Simonne Clay (me!)
Sparkle Smith
Stephanie Kraft

Thank you so much for popping by!

Hugs,


Supplies
Stamp: SCRS Cherry Blossom Rin
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Copics: E000 E00 E02 E11 E04 (skin); W9 W7 W5 W3 (hair & sash); YR68 E55 YR23 (accs)
Paper: MME Indie Chic 'Ginger' 6x6 paper pad
Card: Bazzill Raven
Embellishments: 4mm flatback black pearls; Prima flowers; Bead spacer; Black brad
Tools: Scallop border punch; Spellbinders Nestabilities Classic Circles LG & Classic Scalloped Circles LG

Paris Love

Hi everyone! Today I have a card to share that was published in Whimsy Stamps Inspirations Magazine Issue 7 (page 49).  I made this for the "Three Companies Team-Up" feature, where Whimsy Stamps, Make It Crafty and Little Miss Muffet stamps came together to combine image stamps, background stamps, sentiment stamps and chipboard embellishments.

Background stamp: French Cottage Digi Stamp (Make It Crafty)

Image stamp: La Promenade du Jardin (Little Miss Muffet Stamps)

Sentiment stamp: Thanks a Bunch Notables 2 (Whimsy Stamps)

Chipboard embellishment: N2 Fancy Brooch (Make It Crafty)

I altered the chipboard embellishment by slicing off the bottom part with my craft knife.  I then added some Tim Holtz Picket Fence Crackle Paint and once it was dry sponged over some Vintage Photo distress ink.

It's not very often that I'm happy with the cards I make, but I was really pleased with how this turned out.  I think it's because I took my time over it and spent a few days colouring the image. I do love all things French, so maybe that had something to do with it too, lol!

Thank you so much for stopping by and allowing me to share this with you!

Hope you have a lovely day!

Hugs,

Sparkle Creations: May Release and Mama Charlotte

Hi everyone and welcome to Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps MAY RELEASE!

All new stamps are now available to buy from the SCRS store! Yippee!!  We are also previewing the beautiful Mama Charlotte stamp today who comes with a sentiment that reads "precious little one". (NB The "congratulations" sentiment I have used on my card does not come with the SCRS stamp). Two of our amazing design team gals are becoming mamas again this Spring, so I'm sure you'll agree that this stamp is perfect!

Supplies
Stamp: SCRS Mama Charlotte
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Colorbox Creamy Brown chalk ink
Copics: E000 E00 E11 E02 R20 E04 (skin); E55 E50 (hair); 
BG72 BG75 BG78 E15 E11 E41 E43 (clothes); YR31 YR23 YG91 (flower)
Paper: MME Indie Chic Citron 6x6 pad
Card: Kraft, Coredinations TW030 Mediterranean and OG030 Tank
Dies: Spellbinders Lacey Circles, MFT Die-namics Chevron Stripes, 
MFT Die-namics Royal Leaves, MFT Die-namics Prima Donna Petals
Embellishments: 4mm white flatback pearls

I followed Deconstructed Sketch No.51 for my card and  I would also like to enter this card into  Everybody Art Challenge #192 - Baby and Crafting for all Seasons challenge #26 - Handmade Flowers,

Be sure to visit our amazing SCRS designers for more peeks of Mama Charlotte. Sparkle will be giving away a Mama Charlotte rubber stamp to one lucky person! For a chance to WIN, you need to visit and comment on all of the designers' Mama Charlotte blog posts (listed below) and then leave a comment on the SCRS blog post. You have until midnight EST tonight to comment.

Alice Wertz
Amber Hight
Danielle Lounds
Kerri Michaud
Kim Yu
Savannah O'Gwynn
Shaela Odd
YOU ARE HERE ---> Simonne Clay <--- YOU ARE HERE
Sparkle Smith
Stephanie Kraft
SCRS Blog

I hope you enjoy our new release! Thank you so much for stopping by.

Hugs,

Magazine Commission: Whimsy Stamps Valerie's Gift

Hi everyone!  Although we're fast approaching Summer, I have a winter-themed birthday card and matching tag to share with you today.

This is the very first commission I did for the UK cardmaking magazine 'Cardmaking & Papercraft' back in 2011. Whenever I make something for the magazine, they own all rights from the moment they receive the project right up until 6 months following publication, which means I can't share photos here on my blog (or anywhere else, for that matter!) for quite a while.  However, this commission was published in issue 97 which was available to buy on 29 September 2011, and so I can now share it here on my blog! :)

I was asked to make a winter-themed birthday card and matching tag for the Subscriber's Supplement of Issue 97.  I used...

Whimsy Stamps Valerie's Gift rubber stamp

(UK/Europe: available HERE from Quixotic Paperie at 20% off!)

Whimsy Stamps Party Mini Letter Seals rubber stamp set

(UK/Europe: also available HERE from Quixotic Paperie at 20% off!)

Quixotic Paperie currently has all Whimsy Stamps on sale at 20% off!!  I've just checked and this sale INCLUDES the very popular Sylvia Zet Wee Stamps and Elisabeth Bell stamps!  So hop on over to the store and grab yourself a bargain!!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a fab day! I shall be back tomorrow with another Sparkle Creations May Release Preview!

Hugs,

Sparkle Creations May Previews: Expecting Emily

ETA: Huge apologies for the lateness of this post. Mr Blogger has been up to his not-very-nice tricks again and didn't publish my scheduled post! :( I've been out all day and have only just had a chance to check! So sorry!

Hi everyone and welcome to the first day of our May previews!  Today we are excited to show you Expecting Emily!  All new stamps will be available to buy on Saturday 12th May 2012.

Be sure to visit our fabulous SCRS designers for more peeks of Expecting Emily. Sparkle will be giving away an Expecting Emily rubber stamp to one lucky person! For a chance to WIN, you need to visit and comment on all of the designers' Expecting Emily blog posts (listed below) and then leave a comment on the Expecting Emily SCRS blog post. You have until midnight EST tonight to comment.

Alice Wertz
Amber Hight
Danielle Lounds
Kerri Michaud
Kim Yu
Naomi Gong - May Guest Designer
Savannah O'Gwynn
Shaela Odd
YOU ARE HERE ---> Simonne Clay <--- YOU ARE HERE
Sparkle Smith
Stephanie Kraft
SCRS Blog

I hope you have a great Thursday!

Hugs,



Supplies
Stamp: SCRS Expecting Emily
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black ink pad; Colorbox Creamy Brown chalk ink; Versamagic Wheat dew drop chalk ink
Copics: E000 E00 E02 R20 E11 (skin); E55 E51 (hair); R85 R83 R81 (outfit)
Paper: Bazzill Basics Vintage Market 6x6 paper pack
Card: White, Kraft, Pink
Dies: Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels 4 (S4-190)
Embellishments: 5mm pink flatback pearls, Pink Gingham ribbon (from www.sewsweet.co.uk), flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts

Hopping with The Greeting Farm

Hello everyone and WELCOME to The Greeting Farm's MAY RELEASE party!

Today is the day that our FOUR NEW STAMPS are available for sale in the TGF STORE! Woo-hoo!! We are thrilled to introduce Cheeky Geeky, Prince Ian, Princess Anya 4 and CC Riley into our TGF 'cast of characters' and are excited to hear your thoughts about them as we know they'll be going home with a lot of you today!

There's still ONE more chance to WIN the ENTIRE MAY RELEASE today and that's by participating in our BLOG HOP with the PREMIERE FARMERS! If you've happened upon this post by chance and you'd like to hop along with us, you'll want to hop back to the start of the hop at JESSICA's blog.  Here's the complete blog list in hopping order:

JESSICA
RACHEL
WENDY
CORINNA
MARIA THERESE
YOU ARE HERE ---> SIMONNE <--- YOU ARE HERE
TGF BLOG

If you popped by yesterday, you will already know that I am super sick right now. Although I wasn't able to make anything new for today's hop because of this, I certainly didn't want to miss it, so Jess and Marie have very kindly allowed me to post my preview Cheeky Geeky and Prince Ian projects again.

Do visit the TGF BLOG tomorrow to find out who won the hop prize and who our MAY GUEST DESIGNER will be! Have a wonderful "May-Day" and thanks for spending it with The Greeting Farm!

Hugs,