Thank You

A while back the very talented Wacky Whippet Stamper , Pam, was so sweet to honor me with the Cherry on Top award To play you have to thank the person that sent the award, list 3 things about yourself, and pass it on (that is the hard part! I'm hoping to share the love with new recipients - there is SO much talent out there, everyone deserves an award!!)
1. Linda - Stampin Seasons
2. Linda - Linda's Stamping Loft
3. Melissa - The Stamp Doc

And the uber talented, Martha Stewart of Seasons of Stamping and Debbie of The Paper-azzi Connection, were so kind to leave me this award. Make sure you check out these blogs for some fabulous inpiration!!!
Thanks again Pam, Martha and Deb for such an honor!

Now this one stipulates 8 things about myself and to pass it on to 8 more talented bloggers
Now I'll cheat alittle (shhhh...) instead of listing 3 things about myself for the first award and than 8 things for the 2nd, I'll combine them both, K?
Lets see...
1. As a child, I always wanted to be a vet until high school when we had to put to sleep our collie (we'll that was sad to start off with)
2. I started out this hobby as a scrapbooker and have somewhat forgotten about it (boy do I have a lot to catch up on!)
3. I have never broken a bone (hang on, gotta go knock on wood!)
4. Hubby teases and says I have to choose, another baby or a puppy - my answer and my choice, BOTH :) He never said one or the other, hehe (Our little girls will break him down about the puppy eventually, I have no fear!)
5. I'm not a morning person, I love to sleep in when I can
6. I love the warm weather - I love the beach or sitting poolside (don't love getting in a bathing suit anymore though :(
7. I am freakishly afraid of mice (no joke, my dad said my scream probably gave one a heart attack - it ran out from under a fridge in my parents basement and was dead when my mom came to rescue me off the top of the dryer - no I wasn't little, I was in college - still makes me shiver)
8. I'd LOVE for you to JOIN MY KREW during the Sale-a-bration Starter Kit promotion. Contact me if you'd like to know how!

Now for 8 blogs of inpiration:

1. Emma - Lady and the Stamp

2. Kris - Kween Bee Kreations

3. Lorraine - Paper Vernissage

4. Stasia - Stampin and Scrappin with Stasia

5. Ellen (the punch lady) - Blinkin Thinkin Inkin

6. Michelle - Freedom in Creating

7. Chris - For Love of Paper

8. Krystal - Krystal's Cards and More

Any questions, I am always just a click away!

REMINDER:
**Leave a comment on THIS POST for a chance to win blog candy, you have until midnight(est) tonight!
**SALE A BRATION is in full swing!!!!! NOW thru March 31st

You can purchase all products online with me or email me with your orders.

Happy Kreating

KISSaturday and Blog Candy

As much as I love an intrique card with embellishments galore, I just don't always have the time to kreate them. I am starting to enjoy the KISSable card just as much, because I can still accomplish something cute in less than half hour! Its becoming easier to kreate in a pinch! And if you own punches and/or the Big Shot, it speeds up the process even more and you still get the wow factor (so important, right?!) There is no right or wrong way to KISS - just Keep IT Simple Sweetie, whatever 'simple' means to YOU! So here we go with my KISSaturday

* A crisp and clean piece of Whisper White cardbase
* Add texture! What can be easier for that instant pop of pizazz than a little bit of texture. Zip it through the Big Shot with Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder.
* Blender Pens and line are images are great to easily add a variety of color. Grab a line art image, like Birthday Bakery, hostess lev 1 set, and those Blender Pens and have fun coloring.
* Add some more fun pizazz to your image. A little Dazzling Diamonds goes a long way. Accented each cake with a little sparkle using some Crystal Effects and sprinkled on the diamonds. Scrumptious!
* Get punchy!! Corner Punch on opposing corners for something different! Melon Mambo matte with a punched Scallop Trim Border. And punched Large Tag - always remember to stamp your image first than punch. When someone new attends my classes, I always get that light bulb moment! They are amazed thinking my placement is perfection! No no no sillies - stamp than line up your punch around your image! Ahhhh, the light bulb goes off!!
* A little ribbon (Melon Mambo polka dot- retired, sorry) a faux knot and a tag danglin from Linen Thread finish off my KISSaturday card! Hope you like it

AND NOW for a gift I've promised you all week!!! A little blog candy! WaHooo, thats always fun isn't it! All you need to do is leave me a comment! Lets see, you can always leave a comment about me card (love it when you share your thoughts) OR tell me what you can't wait to earn free in SAB?? I must have that Chalkboard Decor Elements to put up in my craft room!! And than I have to have the goodies for MDS and than.... hehehe
Leave a comment on this post for a chance to win by midnight(EST) January 31st and I will announce the winner next week (open to US only) !!!

Candy Includes:
* Its the Thought Clear Mount Stamp Set (a line art set like above)
* Basic Rhinestones
* 3 yards of Melon Mambo Polka Dot ribbon (used in my card above)
- ya think you could have fun with these and maybe make a card very similar to mine above with these items!!! :) Good Luck on your win!

Any questions, I am always just a click away!

REMINDER:
SALE A BRATION is in full swing!!!!! NOW thru March 31st

You can purchase all products online with me or email me with your orders.

Happy Kreating

Bows and MOJO

The PPA78 challenge this week is all about bows. I decided to jump start my mojo with this weeks MOJO Monday sketch and combine the two challenges. I had to ink up this new set, Easter Blossoms, from the Occasions Mini and play with that gorgeous Springtime Vintage DSP again (scroll down to see my desk calendar). So here we go

* Standard Baja Breeze cardbase
* Grab your Color Spritzer - get flecky with it :) Soft Suede ink is spritzed all over my cardbase
* The soft silhouette image gets inked onto Very Vanilla cardstock with Crumb Cake ink
* Popped her out with the 2-1/2 Circle Punch
* Need circles? You want to have the Circle Scissor Plus as one of your go-to tools. This tool is great for kreating circles up to 6in and is perfect for a small increment to matte behind another. So guess what I did? Cut out a Very Vanilla circle slightly larger than my 2-1/2 Punch for the perfect matte.
* Doll it up with some pretty Basic Pearls
* Whats a card these days without the Big Shot, right? Placed the flecked front of my cardbase into the new Framed Tulips Embossing Folder and zipped it through.
* To add to the vintage feel, I grabbed my always handy Sponge Dauber inked with Soft Suede and lightly swept over the embossed frame
* A piece of floral Springtime Vintage DSP got the same vintage treatment using my Sponge Dauber and Soft Suede ink.
* Added the final challenge elements for the PPA, bows. Kreated 'double bows' and centered them with the new Rosettes and a Basic Pearl. Accented a tad by lightly brushing my Soft Suede Dauber over the 'petals'.

Thanks for stopping in! I hope you liked my take on these challenges and I hope it inspires you to get your fingers inky! I love it when you share, so let me know what ya think,K?
Any questions, I am always just a click away!

REMINDER:
SALE A BRATION is in full swing!!!!! NOW thru March 31st
AND
Stay Tune, I have alittle something for you!

You can purchase all products online with me or email me with your orders.

Happy Kreating

A New Year!

Oh what fun it is to stamp and kreate with others!! Thanks ladies for such a fun night. And a special thank you to Karen for all the amazing goodies and favors - oh I wish I had taken a picture for you all out there - fudgy brownies, heart cookies, chocolate candies, just delish and a handmade Valentine card and marshmellow chocolate candies (seriously my jeans are tight today - not so LOL!!) If you live in the Northern New Jersey area and would like to attend my classes, just let me know, we'd love to have you!!
So we made Valentine cards that you can see here and here and I had to start out the year with this very functional Easel Calendar Box project. You can find the tutorial HERE from Connie Babbert.
* The box was kreated with Baja Breeze paper
* The easel started with Old Olive and this gorgeous designer paper, Springtime Vintage from the new Occasions Mini. A piece of this paper also decorates the front of the 'drawer'
* Inked up my sentiment from Fifth Avenue Floral set, in Baja Breeze onto Very Vanilla cardstock and punched it out with the 2-3/8 Scallop Circle Punch
* Raised that up on Dimensionals onto a 2-1/2 Circle Punched in Old Olive and popped the entire 'ensemble' on Dimensionals
* Pearls and Swirls! Embellished the Scallop Circle with some Basic Pearls and zipped up a few Old Olive swirlies using the Big Shot and Swirls Scribble Sizzlit.
* Baja Breeze Rosette?? Absolutely! Transform your Very Vanilla Rosettes from the new Occasions Mini into any color you'd like, just grab your SU Marker and color - its that easy! Finished off that Rosette with a Basic Pearl center.
* Bound my calendar with Circle Ice Rhinestone Brads and placed it on the top to 'hold' the easel
* Springtime Vintage DSP decorates the front 'drawer' panel and a Filigree Designer Brad kreates the drawer pull

Don't ya love it? I'd love to know what you think. Thanks for stopping by for a little dose of me!
Any questions, I am always just a click away!


DON'T FORGET:
SALE A BRATION begins TODAY!!!!! thru March 31st
AND
Stay Tune, this week... I've been awarded and I have something for you too!

You can purchase all products online with me or email me with your orders.

Happy Kreating

Nature Walk

Quick post as I'll be heading out the door for the weekend with my family to visit my in-laws before the snow birds head to Florida for a few months. We have a few birthdays to celebrate since they won't be here and this card is for my FIL. I tried to keep it masculine, but do you think I over did it with the scrunched seam binding? Hmmmm??? Anywho, here are the deets
* Started with a Very Vanilla cardbase.
* En Francis Background Stamp was inked in Soft Suede ink and stamped onto another piece of Very Vanilla, trimmed slightly smaller than the card base
* Antique it! Get out your Sponge Daubers. Lightly wisped across the layer with Soft Suede and then deepened the aged look with Early Expresso ink around the edges and sporadically within the image.
* Images from Nature Walk in the new Occasions Mini where inked in Soft Suede and randomly stamped onto Soft Suede cardstock to kreate my own nbackground paper.
* Add Texture (even over stamped images!!)! It adds so much to a card! Run the image stamped piece through the Big Shot with the Square Lattice Embossing Folder
* Make it rustic. Don't be afraid to tear paper. Age it more by 'curling' edges to make it rough looking and then get busy with your Dauber again. Early Expresso defines all the edges
* Stamped the cage in Soft Suede onto Very Vanilla
* Snip it! Add more dimension and pop up your image on Dimensionals
* Layered it onto an Early Expresso punched Decorative Label
* Finished it off with a scrunchie birdcage'hanger' using Crumb Cake Seam Binding. TIP: Kreate this look using a piece of Sticky Strip and gather little pieces of ribbon and stick, gather and stick until you have your desired length.

Gotta run! Thanks for dropping in for that little dose of me. Have a wonderful weekend. Hope you have some time to get your fingers inky and be Kreative!!
Any questions, I am always just a click away!

You can purchase all products online with me or email me with your orders.

Happy Kreating

Driving by with a Birthday 'hi'

Another great sketch for the PPA77 Challenge. My stash of birthday cards has diminished greatly and my card style seems to have changed enough that I can't even think to send some of the 'older' ones out. LOL (Although I'm not so sure I'm liking this one either-urgh!)THe juices got flowin' by using the PPA77 sketch and the SCS color challenge (CC306): Bravo Burgundy, Pear Pizazz, and Baja Breeze. Wasn't sure how I'd make it work, but Bravo Burgundy helped me go masculine! I donno, does this work for masculine??
* Standard Baja Breeze cardbase texturized with a zip through the Big Shot and the Texturz I Background Plates
* Amazing what some texture does to a card! Zipped the piece of Bravo Burgundy through w/ the same plate
* Snazzed up the Pear Pizazz with a change of pattern and used the argyle Texturz I Background Plate
* Inked up the truck from Loads of Love in Basic Brown

* Ready to color? Grab your Blender Pens!
TIP: Let your inked blender fade out the color to give it that watercolor feel and to 'highlight' areas.
Add a touch more highlighting with your White Signo Gel Pen


* Sentiment inked in Bravo Burgundy and popped out with a 1"Circle Punch and matted on a 1-1/4 Circle of Bravo Burgundy

Not vintagey, not frilly, not quite sure LOL But it will work for the intended recipient! He'll never admit anything to me anyway ;)
Thanks Margaret for a great sketch and thank you for stopping by for a little dose of me! I hope you liked my take on these challenges and I hope it inspires you to get your fingers inky I'd love to know what ya think, esp, if you think it works for masculine?! I love it when you share!
Any questions, I am always just a click away!

You can purchase all products online with me or email me with your orders.

Happy Kreating

Birthday Bakery and a Sweet Sketch

Challenges just kick start those juices, don't they? Todays card is using the Sweet Sunday Sketch 100 and last weeks Colour Q challenge: Melon Mambo, Tangerine Tango, Kiwi Kiss (I subbed Pear Pizazz) and Taken with Teal (substituted again with Marina Mist). I apologize for my camera, the hues seem a tad skewed and photoshop was not helping me make it better :(
I need a lot of b-day cards over the next few weeks so I turned to the adorable hostess set Birthday Bakery that I can't believe hasn't seen ink.
* Started with a standard Marina Mist cardbase
* Needing the perfect size circle? Grab your Circle Scissor Plus, get any size circle(up to 6in diameter) your heart desires! Popped out a Pear Pizazz circle than zipped it through the Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder.
* Save time with Clear Mount! Inked these cutesy cakes AND sentiment, from Birthday Bakery, inStazon Black ink. How cool that we can attach both stamps to one block!
* Grab your Blender Pens, let's color! Using coordinating inks (Melon Mambo, Tango Tangerine, Pear Pizazz and Marina Mist) I colored them in. Then jazzed them up with some Dazzling Diamonds.
* It just needed something... so I grabbed my Paper Piercer and Matte Pack for a little more visual interest around my cakes and then using the Corner Punch snipped off opposing corners and mounted onto a piece of Tangerine Tango
* Looking for large scallops? Use your Circle Punches! In this case I took the 1" Circle Punch and punched out half circles in Melon Mambo.
* Adhered circles evenly on the back of Melon Mambo polka dotted ribbon (retired)in order to keep them straight for placement - instead of trying position them straight on the card - does that make sense?
* Retired Fresh Favorites buttons were the final cutesy element to this card. Don't be afraid that things aren't 'matchy-matchy' -many colors blend wonderfully (even retired ones, so don't forget about your stash!)

Thanks for taking a peek! I'd love to hear what you think if you'd take a moment to leave me a comment - I love it when you do!!
Any questions, I am always just a click away!

You can purchase all products online with me or email me with your orders.

Happy Kreating

Another Simple Valentine for the PPA

I am honored to be Featured Artist for this weeks PPA76 challenge and since I was still in the Valentine mode, I decided to play again! :) Why not when you have great inspiration, right?? I also used the MOJO173 sketch to play off of too. I was still wanting to keep things simple for this Valentine as well and I think I was able to accomplish it. I'll leave that up to you.
* Cherry Cobbler standard cardbase
* Whisper White zipped through the Big Shot w/ the Perfect Polka Dots Embossing folder for the perfect bit of texture and matted on a piece of Basic Black
* Cherry Cobbler seam binding and embellished bow with an Antique Brad.
* LOVING this new Glitter Paper, from the Occasions Mini, quick pizazz with no glittery mess! Popped out 3 Small Heart punches and placed them on Dimensionals (even more WOW)
* Zipped a piece of Whisper White and Basic Black through the Big Shot w/ my Ovals Die.
* From the Hostess lev 3 set, Occasional Quotes, the sentiment was inked in Cherry Cobbler ink. Snipped the Basic Black oval in half and kreated a matte behind the sentiment.
* Grabbed my Crop a dile and punched out 3 tiny Red Glimmer circles to add some interest to the sentiment.

Thanks for stopping in for that little dose of me. Hope you liked another simple Valentine! Get your fingers inky and then jump over to Mr Linky- hehe
Any questions, I am always just a click away!

You can purchase all products online with me or email me with your orders.

Happy Kreating

A Simple Valentine for the PPA

Inspired by this Lady in Red? Join the Pals Paper Arts with the PPA76 Challenge. Think red, think Valentines, think elegant, think simple... just be inspired to have fun and kreate! As you can see by my interpretation, I was thinking a simple Valentine. There aren't always hours+ available to make a card LOL! So, though not always the easiest to kreate simple, I am trying to get better.
* Started with a standard Crumb Cake cardbase
* Too 'flat'? Add flecks of Soft Suede ink using your Color Spritzer for some visual interest :) I just love a good fleck
* Grab your Sponge Dauber (I always have one handy!!)- soften/distress the edges with Soft Suede ink
* Punch out a Cherry Cobbler strip using the Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border
* As if that isn't pretty enough on its own, I just had to add some hugs and kisses details with some Linen Thread. Love it!!
* Inked up the heart in Basic Brown from the hostess lev 1 set Punch Potpourri and using Blender Pens colored in the flowers. TIP: Kreate a pool of ink in the lid of your SU pad by squeezing pad together before opening OR using your SU marker scribble a tad on any plastic case for a little pool of ink - then dip your Blender Pen and color
* Love coordinating punches - popped out the heart with the Full Heart Punch. Grab that dauber again and distress the edges. Basic Pearls are the perfect accent for each flowers center
* Layered this heart onto a Cherry Cobbler Scalloped Heart to Heart that was run through with the Big Shot
* Got Bling? Now you have it instantly with no mess with the NEW Red Glimmer Paper in the Occasions Mini. How cool is that?! Ran the Scalloped Heart to Heart thru the Big Shot and popped out a blingin' heart
* I played on again off again with the Victoria Crochet Trim, but in the end it won with some delicate Basic Pearls
* Had to highlight my 'XOXO' with the perfect sentiment Hugs&Kisses from the All Holiday set. Inked first in VersaMark and then into Cherry Cobbler, stamped and sprinkled with Clear Embossing Powder and heat set with my Heat Tool.
* Layered each heart on Dimensionals for that little extra 'pop'

Thanks for stopping in for that little dose of me. I hope you liked my take on this challenge and I hope it inspires you to get your fingers inky and than drop by Mr Linky. HeHe!!!! ;) I'd love to know what ya think, if you'd take a moment to share. I love it when you do!
Any questions, I am always just a click away!

You can purchase all products online with me or email me with your orders.

Happy Kreating

Sympathy with Elements of Style

I don't have a stash of sympathy cards on hand, I guess I just don't like to have that forethought. So when hubby asked for one I got to work with the current color challenge at the PPA: Baja Breeze, Perfect Plum and Pear Pizazz.
* Started with a quick zip through the Big Shot with a Baja Breeze cardbase and the Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder.
* Using a Sponge Dauber and Soft Suede ink, I lightly distressed the edges as well as the embossed/raised texture
* Zipped the Scallop Oval Frame through the Big Shot with Whisper White for my image and Perfect Plum for the 'frame'
* Stamped out the flowers from Elements of Style in Basic Brown and softened the edges with my Soft Suede inked Dauber and continued to soften the stark white areas around the flowers.
* Using my Perfect Plum Pastel Chalk I colored in some of my flowers and highlighted some areas using my Blender Pen and Perfect Plum ink. Continued to use my Blender Pen w/ Baja Breeze for some of the smaller flowers and Pear Pizazz for the leaves.
* Flecks of Soft Suede ink, achieved with very fun Color Spritzer, was the final 'softening' step.
* Basic Pearls adorn a few flower centers
* Matted the focal image with a Perfect Plum frame. And a Baja Breeze bird, from Elements of Style, was snipped out to hoover on a dimensional over some blooms
* The sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes was inked in Pear Pizazz and popped out with the Word Window punch. A piece of Pear Pizazz was punched out with the Word Window, then cut in half and matted behind the sentiment.

Thanks again for stopping in for that little dose of me. Hope you liked my take on the PPA Color Challenge. Here's hoping you have time to get inky :) Any questions, I am always just a click away!

You can purchase all products online with me or email me with your orders.

Happy Kreating

Lets start again, shall we?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! I don't know how many of you are still out there, but after our crazy move right before Thanksgiving and diving right into organizing my new home, hosting Christmas, all the hustle and bustle and then battling some nasty ickies, I'm BAAACK!!!! I was all ready to jump back into the swing of things with the new year and would you believe the dreaded stomache bug invaded each of my girls twice and the littlest on new years day. Finally thinking we are in the clear, it hit Sami again a few days later. So after sleepless nights, endless amounts of laundry and cleaning (and feeling like I will forever smell like Lysol and bleach), I am ready to kreate! I SO need it!!! :)

* I started with a sketch,CCMC132, from Connie and Mary and since I had this sweet little girl from Greeting Card Kids already stamped out on a Whisper White square waiting to be used, it became the perfect starting point
* I colored her in using my Blender Pen with Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, and Real Red inks and Blush Blossom Marker
* Using a Sponge Dauber and Pretty in Pink ink, I kreated a soft heart silhoutte around her (if you can see that)
* Bedazzled her dress with a little Dazzling Diamonds at the hem and a few Basic Pearl buttons - isn't she sweet - I just love these Greeting Card Kids images!!
* Layered her onto a Cherry Cobbler square and gave it a decorative frame using the Scallop Edge Punch. Even though as you can see, it can be done, I think I'd be much happier to have the Scallop Square Duo (120903) for the Big Shot in my bag 'o tricks!
* Add a little interest using your White Signo Gel pen to each scallop. Cute!
* Popped it up on dimesionals and layered it onto some Jolly Holiday DSP - see it's not just for Christmas!!
* Kreated an easy scrunchie ribbon treatment (see my technique HERE) with Pretty in Pink Satin ribbon and a double bow. (center brad is retired, but any brad can substitute!)
* Placed that onto a standard Very Vanilla cardbase and yippee it felt good to kreate!

Hopefully some of you are still poppin in for a little dose of me. If you are still out there, I love to read your comments :) Hope you get to ink it up soon! Happy Kreating!

You can purchase all products online with me or email me with your orders.

Happy Kreating