Crazy for bows!

 Hello my friends!!  It's Saturday, and that means it's time for another Crazy 4 Challenges challenge.  The challenge this week is to use bows.  Well I've got that covered.  It just so happens that Flourishes just released a charming new stamp set, called That's a Wrap, that has a large bow stamp along with some embellishment and sentiment images!  Perfect!!

 

I stamped my bow onto Cryogen White cardstock twice, colored each with the W1 Copic, cut them out and layered them.  I wanted the bow to be a warm neutral color.  I then colored the holly and tag and added them.  I should also add that I burnished the backs of each image to give them depth.  I have a tutorial HERE.  

The box is just a standard box.  I made it 3" x 3", and decorated the sides with It's Christmas Time dp (Maja Design) that I purchased from The Funky Junkie.  I think this is my favorite Christmas dp this year.  Going along with the rustic feel of this box, I added a bit of Gesso to the paper and box.

Here's a close up of the top. 

 

Here are the links to the Copics I used.

Well, this is my last week as a guest designer with the Crazy 4 Challenges group.  They're a warm and talented bunch, and it's been an honor to accept their challenges for the month of September.  Thanks gals for letting me play along.

Thanks for visiting my friends!!
Happy Stamping!!

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Stamps:  That's a Wrap (Flourishes)

Paper:  It's Christmas Time (Maja Design), Kraft (Flourishes), Cryogen White

Ink:  Tuxedo Black (Memento)

Accessories:  Copics, Gesso, Scor-Buddy

Flourishes Free for All Friday

 

Friday has rolled around again and the Flourishes Design Team has a treat for you today! We're digging into the Flourishes vault to showcase some of our sets that are retiring! As we make room for new, it means we need to clear out some of these beauties. So - if you like what you see along the way - be sure to add them to your shopping cart, because once they're gone - they're gone for good!

I used the set "Make a Wish" for my project today.  I love the cabbage rose wand and the sweet sentiment.  I just colored the image with Copics and framed it with a variety of diecut shapes and images.  I also added some sparkle with glitter and stickles, but it's hard to see in the photo.

It always feels a little sad to say goodbye to some beautiful sets we've loved so well - so I know the Design Team will show them off wonderfully and you'll be inspired!

Drop by and see:

• Allison Cope
• Christine Okken
• Cindy Lawrence
• Heather Jensen
• Maki Jones
• Silke Ledlow
• Stacy Morgan
• Tosha Leyendekker

Here are the links to the Copics I used:

 

 

 

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Stamps:  Make a Wish (Flourishes)

Paper:  In Bloom (MME), Classic Ivory (Flourishes), Cryogen White

Ink:  Tuxedo Black (Memento), Smokey Gray (Versafine), Tea Rose and Antique Linen (Ranger Distress)

Accessories:  Copics, Labels 23 and 28, Curved Borders 2 and Itty Bitty Blossoms dies (Spellbinders), Ivy Strip die (Cheery Lynn Designs), Primitive Hearts die (Sizzix), Embossing Folder (Sizzix), Silver Stamens (Wild Orchid Crafts), Wrinkled Seam Binding Ribbon (Prairie Bird Boutique), Stardust Stickles, Quickie Glue Pen, Glitter, Rhinestones (Pizzazz Aplenty)

Crazy 4 Challenges, Spellbinders Action Team, and a Hiking Trip...whew

 

I have a lot to share today, so bear with me.  :)

Boy this week flew by.  I've been busy playing catch-up since my son was visiting.  He flew in to go hiking in the Sierra Nevadas with my husband, a dear friend and I.  I'll share a bit about it in a sec.  First, the reason for this post.  I have the honor of joining the Crazy 4 Challenges gals again this week, and today they've shared a sketch!!  One I had a fabulous time working with too.  It fit beautifully with the images I wanted to use.

Waltzingmouse Stamps just released it's new September stamp sets, and they are fabulous.  But, then again, when are they not!  Seriously!!  So I combined two sets:  The Count and Splat That

I stamped The Count with Tuxedo Black Memento Ink onto Vintage Cream cs, and diecut him with a Spellbinders Oval die.  While leaving the image in the die, I sponged some Black Soot (Ranger Distress) around the edges, then added some blood spatter from the Splat That set.  Lastly, I embossed the sentiment along the bottom with Versamark and Black Embossing Powder.

Here's a close up of the beautifully fonted sentiment.  Claire things of everything.  

SPELLBINDERS ACTION TEAM

I also want to take a moment to share something I've been up to lately.

A couple of months ago I joined the Spellbinders Action Team and have been demoing the Grand Calibur and Spellbinders dies at two local Michaels' Stores.  Some locals have asked that I include the dates, I'll be demoing, on my blog so I thought I'd take a moment to include this month's today.  I'll be in the Visalia, CA Michaels store today from 1-3 pm, and the Hanford, CA Michaels next week (the 28th), from 1-3 pm also.  I'm demoing cute little Halloween treat bags, along with some other fun projects, so if you're in the area, I'd love it if you dropped by!

SEQUOIA HIGH SEIRRA CAMP

Now for a few of my camping photos.  We went to a place called Sequoia High Sierra Camp.  It's a hard mile hike in, but so worth it once you get there.  They provide canvas tents, beds with duvets and wool blankets, and gourmet meals, with dinner being 5 courses.  YUM!!  And Burr and Susanne (the owners), are just the sweetest, most down-to-earth people!!  

So, we hiked in, rested, ate dinner, slept, then got up early to hike 3 miles one way to Look Out Peak (In an article in the San Francisco Chronicle, the hike to Lookout Peak was named one of the top 5 "Hikes to Prettiest Views" in the entire state of California! It rated as #4. Click here to read the article.).  It's gorgeous.  It's not easy, but so worth it.  It was my friend and I's second time there, but my husband and son's first, and they truly enjoyed the experience.  You feel like you're out there all alone because you don't run into a single soul during the hike.  It's astounding!!

Bernie, just relaxing before dinner.  The view from these chairs is stunning.  You look out over the Kings Canyon.

My son, Justin, getting breakfast before our hike.  They provide fresh fruit, yogurt, a homemade granola, muffins, fresh squeezed orange juice, and delicious omelets made to your specifications.  They also provide all the fixings for a sack lunch for you to take on your hike.

The moon rising behind the trees.  The sky is so blue!

Just one of the many beautiful sunset photos we got.  It's truly something to behold each night.

This is the pavillion we dined for each meal (it's all open), and just hung around at playing cards and games when not hiking.  I liked the lighting at night.  Inside (in the back of the photo), there is a fireplace to warm up by.  It got to the low 30's in the evenings and 70's during the day.

 My son, husband and I at the top of Look Out Point.  That mound behind us is actually quite a ways away.

My friend Bernie and I took this same photo 2 years ago the last time we hiked up here.  It's over 8,500 ft up.

My son taking in the scenery.

The end

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Stamps:  The Count and Splat That (Waltzingmouse)

Paper:  Masquerade Party (Teresa Collins), Black and Vintage Cream (PTI)

Ink:  Versamark, Tuxedo Black (Memento), Red Brick (VersaMagic), Black Soot (Ranger Distress)

Accessories:  Oval die cut (Spellbinders), Brad (MME), Black Embossing Powder (Judikins), 3/8" Circle Punch (SU!), Sewing Machine  

Flourishes Free For All Friday

 

Today we're excited to bring you one more look at this month's New Release Sets at Flourishes! 

Its our chance to show off some more from our favorite sets, and with five gorgeous stamps this month, there's so much to choose from! Remember that today is the LAST day you can purchase the New Release Bundle at a discount, so we don't want you to miss out on the deal! 

I love the sweet Holiday Topiaries set and hadn't had a chance to color this topiary yet, so I decided to make a card with it and frame it with a new Exquisite Labels 11 Spellbinders die.  I taped off the edges, and inked the frame with Pumice Stone Ranger Distress Ink. 

That's it for me today.  Come and see what beauties the Design Team has to show off for you today!

• Allison Cope
• Christine Okken
• Cindy Lawrence
• Heather Jensen
• Jan Marie Caruso
• Julie Koerber
• Maki Jones
• Silke Ledlow
• Stacy Morgan
• Tosha Leyendekker

Here are the links to the Copics I used:

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Stamps:  Holiday Topiaries (Flourishes)

Paper:  Cryogen White, Silver

Ink:  Tuxedo Black (Memento), Pumice Stone, Fired Brick and Forest Moss (Ranger Distress)

Accessories:  Copics, Exquisite Labels 11, Ornamental Tags One, and Bitty Blossoms dies (Spellbinders), Frosted Lace Stickles, Quickie Glue Pen, Glitter

Waltzingmouse September Release

Hello Waltzingmouse fans!!  The day has finally arrived!  You can now purchase all of the new September sets.  What a super fun release.  If you've arrived here from Teresa's blog, you are on the right track and at your last stop.  If not, head on over to Claire's for the list.

  I didn't have as many projects to share with you this month because I had my son visiting from out of state, and I was out of town for 3 days.  So I promise to share more with you in the coming weeks.  These sets deserve to be shown off as much as possible.  They're full of beautiful and fun images and fabulous sentiments.

Today I combined a new set with one of the newly released sets:  Opera Tags Christmas and Seasonal Remedies.  I thought it would be perfect to add the tag to a gift bag, so I made my Gift Bag Topper (Tutorial found HERE).  This bag is smaller:  3x5x8 1/2, so I adjusted the dimensions to fit it.    I added a tag, that I die cut using Waltzingmouse's Opera Tags die, and the Seasonal Remedies image to the front.  Pink and green aren't traditional Christmas colors, but I wanted to step out of the traditional box with this project.

eta:  There will be a prize of a stamp set of choice from a random drawing from comments left on each blog. You have until September 21 at 11:59 PM (GMT), 5:5 9AM Central (Sept. 22), 3:59 AM Pacific and 6:59 AM Eastern to leave comments.  The winner will be posted on Claire’s blog on Monday, September 23rd.

That's it for today.  I'm the caboose on this hop, so if you started here, you'll want to start at Claire's blog for the complete list of hoppers.  The super talented Becca is starting us off this month.

I hope you've enjoyed the previews and have been inspired to purchase these beautiful and versatile sets.

Thanks for all your kind, encouraging words.  They truly are a blessing.
Happy Stamping my friends!!

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Stamps:   Opera Tags Christmas and Seasonal Remedies (Waltzingmouse)

Paper:  True Friends (Carta Bella), White (PTI)

Ink:  Versamark

Accessories:  Opera Tags die (Waltzingmouse), Border Punch (Martha Stewart), Doily, Scor-Buddy, Cyrstal Button (Melissa Frances), Gift Bag

Waltzingmouse September Release Preview ~ Day 3

Hello Waltzingmouse fans!!  Have you been enjoying the previews, and Claire's unique images?  I'm always excited to see what she comes up with each month, and this month was no exception!!  I used two new sets and one previous set on this card:  Spooky Trees, Vintage Witch and Hocus Pocus

I started by stamping the witch, with Black Stazon, onto Acetate, and colored the back side with Copics.  Her dress is purple and broom brown, although it's a bit hard to see.  I taped the Grand Labels 1 layer onto the acetate, and popped it up with dimensional tape so the tree and moon scene would appear in the background.   I stamped the Halloween Greetings along the border, and the tree, in the background, is the fabulous new Spooky Trees background image!!  It's awesome, and I can imagine a whole bunch of other uses for it too!

The fence along the bottom is from the set Hocus Pocus.

Iwona Palamountain
Jean Martin
Jeanne Jachna
Jennifer Holmes
Julia Aston
Kelly Schirmer
Kim Duran
Laurie Schmidlin
Lynn Mercurio
Renee Lynch
Teresa Kline 
Tosha Leyendekker
Claire Brennan

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Stamps:  Spooky Trees, Vintage Witch, Hocus Pocus (Waltzingmouse)

Paper:  Kraft and Vintage Cream (PTI), Acetate

Ink:  Spiced Marmalade, Dusty Concord, Black Soot (Ranger Distress Ink), Black Stazon, Onyx Black (Versafine)

Accessories:  Copics, Grand Labels 1, Grommet Labels and Circle die (Spellbinders), Brads (MME), Bat Punch, Dimensional Tape (Scotch)

Waltzingmouse September Release Previews ~ Day 2

Welcome to Day 2 of the Waltzingmouse Stamps Preview.  Today, 3 sets will be featured:  Splat That, All Hallows Eve and The Count

I'm only sharing a project with one of the sets today:  All Hallows Eve  And people, this set has such a fun variety of images, it's almost impossible to choose one to work with.  I chose the raven and framed him with Labels 28 and Decorative Labels 28 (Spellbinders).  I inked up the background with Spiced Marmalade, Dusty Concord and Black Soot Ranger Distress ink, then sprinkled a bit of water over it.  I also added a spider and web punched border (EK Success) along the bottom.

 

 

I also made some black roses with ivory cardstock and Bitty Blossoms dies (Spellbinders).  I inked them up with Black Soot (Ranger Distress Ink), Spritzed them with a mister, dried them with a heat tool, rolled them up and added a bit of hot glue to the bottom.  I then added some Frosted Lace Stickles.  They're beautifully creepy in real life.  :)    I had to lighten it up a bit for you to be able to see the detail.

 

That's it from me today.  Here's a list of the other Design Team members who are sharing some inspiration.

Iwona Palamountain
Jean Martin
Jeanne Jachna
Jennifer Holmes
Julia Aston
Kelly Schirmer
Kim Duran
Laurie Schmidlin
Lynn Mercurio
Renee Lynch
Teresa Kline 
Tosha Leyendekker
Claire Brennan

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Stamps:  All Hallows Eve (Waltzingmouse)

Paper:  Happy Haunting (MME), Black Magic (Core'dinations), Vintage Cream (PTI)

Ink:  Black Onyx (Versafine), Spiced Marmalade, Dusty Concord and Black Soot (Ranger Distress)

Accessories:  Labels 28,  Decorative Labels 28 and Bitty Blossoms dies (Spellbinders), Spider Web Border Punch (EK Success), Wrinkled Ribbon (Prairie Bird Boutique), Frosted Lace Stickles, Sanding Block