A challenge to create a gift bag. Wow ... I have given a lot of gift bags, but really, I don't usually decorate them. I mean, every now and then, I stamp a few things on a white one just because I don't want it to be so plain, but not much more than that. This week, though, the challenge on Just Us Girls was to create a gift bag - decorate it ... make it purdy!


I started with a plain green - lime juice green - gift bag.

I had a pink and green theme going on with several of my projects. I guess I'm thinking back to my preppy days in high school .... oh, wait! I was never a prep in high school. Hmmmm .... :)

The little card in the middle with the pink on it is a great place to put a little note to the recipient. The cake and balloon on there pop up, too, to give more dimension to the decoration.

My daughter loved the whole thing. Perhaps, I will use it for her birthday in September!


Recipe :
stamps - Celebrate, Birthday Cake Swirls, Birthday Party
paper - Bubble Gum, Lime Juice, white
ink - black
copics - R81, B21, 0, YR61, RV06, Y11, YG06
accessories - Cricut, SCAL, Birthday Party svg file, ribbon (bubble gum, lime juice), crystals, flowers



I know that there will be many beautiful and extravagant bags made for this challenge. I can't wait to see them!!


Have a great Tuesday and a great, big, beautiful tomorrow!!


~*Shell*~

A background challenge, a sketch challenge, and a color challenge ... wrap them all into one, and get .... well, my project. :)

I'm submitting to th
Stampin' Sisters In Christ challenged us to do a black and white card.

365 Cards challenged us to do a background challenge - 1/2 polka dots, 1/2 solid color

Critter Sketch Challenge had the sketch for today's project.



So ... here it is. :)


The polka dot folder was inked before I ran it through the Cuttlebug, making the polka dot background here. I distressed that layer, as well, to give a little more texture to the card. Black and white certainly is striking, isn't it?? I loved working with this sketch, too. Such fun!!

Card Recipe :
stamps - Seasonal Swags
paper - bubble gum, lime juice, white
ink - black
copics - 100, 0, G85, G99, G00, R85
accessories - Cricut, SCAL, Seasonal Swags svg file, glassy glaze, pop dots, crystals
technique - CAS


Tomorrow, another challenge card! Can't wait to share it with you.


Have a great, big, beautiful tomorrow.


~*Shell*~

Blog Hop Winners!!! :)

Do ya wanna hear who won the prizes from Sunday's blog hop???


Well ..... here we go!

Our winners are ....From Lori's blog, Clearly iStamp - Kelly from Scrapbooking, Card Making, Altering Items and Having Fun!

From Jerusha's blog, I Love Paper Crafting - Nikki from Graphix and Designs.



Congratulations to both of you!!!

Summertime - July Blog Hop

Summertime, summertime, sum, sum, summertime .... :) You just have to smile when you think about it, don't you? The blog hop for July features this theme, and it was so fun to work with. I know you'll find amazing inspiration from the design team.

Speaking of the blog hop - you should have come here right from Lori's amazing blog. And, after you've commented here, you should head over to the blog of the greatly talented Jan! :)



When I think of summer, I think of many, many things.... sun, water, swimming, ice cream, late nights, fireflies .... yeah, MANY things. The tie that binds them all, though, is friends. Without friends, none of those things are very important.

My daughter has a friend whose family is from the Philippines. Recently, her friend (6 years old) left the US to move back to the Philippines to live with her daddy for a while. My daughter is devastated. To help her adjust and to help her friend remember us, I made a special scrapping page and framed it. The Numbers 6:24-26 verses/stamp was perfect for this situation. May the Lord bless these children in all they do.

Project Recipe:
stamps- Numbers 6:24-26, Blooming Bouquet
paper-pink, dark pink, brown, white
ink- black, white, versamark, pink
accessories - Cricut, SCAL, flowers, pearls, crystal heart, Sheer Shimmer, ribbon, pop dots, photos
Technique - scrapbook page 8 1/2x11


Remember - the more you comment, the more chances you have to win!!

PRIZES: 2 lucky winners will each receive a $10 gift certificate for the CDS store for purchase of clear or digital stamps ONLY.

WINNERS: Winners will be randomly chosen from comments received on two DT member blogs. Winners will be announced on Wednesday, July 20th.



Ok ... now, go directly to Jan's blog and comment over there for another chance to win a prize!



I am out of town this week (at the beach as one of the adult leaders with our church youth group - pray for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), but I will be back next week with fun challenges and samples for you!


Have a beautiful (and blog hopping) Sunday and a great, big, beautiful tomorrow!!!


~*Shell*~

Clearly Inspired Challenge #32 - A Color Challenge

Woohoo!! Clearly Inspired Challenge #32 is here for you today! Don't you just love being challenged? I find that it helps kick my mojo into gear. What do you like about challenges? What kind of challenges to you like to be a part of? Well, today, we've got a Color Challenge for you. Super fun stuff, I'm telling you.




What can you create with these wonderful colors? I'll tell you, they were a challenge (just what they were suppose to be, right?!) for me. I don't think I would have ever put these together on my own.


So, what did I do with them??


I used Rooster Sunrise from Clear Dollar Stamps. The rooster, actually, has a layer of glassy glaze-type stuff on him. It gives a very interesting effect to this guy. The buttons I used were perfect for the color challenge. LOVE the turquoise in them, and they have that vintage feel to them.

Card Recipe :
stamps- Rooster Sunrise
paper- Lime Juice, Mud Pie, Wild Ginger, Tempting Turquoise
ink- black, brown
accessories - Glassy Glaze, Cuttlebug, folder, ribbon, buttons, pop dots, sewing machine

Now, how can you play in this fabulous challenge?? Well, head over to the Clearly iStamp blog for all the details and to add your project to the linky!
__________________________________________________
Basically, though, here are the details ....

-Challenges are now going to be on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of each month, and you'll have 2 weeks to finish each challenge.

-Challenges can use any stamps or digis from any company

-Only one entry per person per challenge and please no back posting

-Prizes will be given away after both challenges for the month. The number of prizes is determined by the number of participants for the month. For every 20 entries there will be a $10 gift certificate for stamps or digis up for grabs. (For example if over the entire month there were a total of 60 participants in both challenges, there will be 3 $10 gift certificates and 3 of the featured digital images to give away. . .that's a total of 6 winners in that example.)

-We will also be giving away a featured digi image....one for every 20 entries!

________________________________________________________________

So, get moving ... get creating .... use those colors ... and post!! Can't wait to see what you come up with!!!

Don't forget that we will be having our Monthly Blog Hop TOMORROW - July 17th!! You do NOT want to miss that!!!

Have a fantastic Saturday and a great, big, beautiful tomorrow!!

~*Shell*~

Berry Leafy Challenge Card

Two challenge cards in one day.... Woohoo! :) :)

On Stampin' Sisters In Christ, the challenge is to use something that works for you. Oh, so many things work well for me. :) One of my favorite things to use on cards, though, is Copic Markers. Gracious ... I use those things all the time. They are so easy and have such a great effect. One day ... yep, one day, I'm going to go to a certification class and actually learn HOW to use them!!

The other challenge that I took on was the Fantabulous Cricut challenge for this week. It was to do a outdoorsy card. I remember camping as a kid, and it was always a treat to see some type of critter when we were out wandering around. So, I used this delightful stamp of the hedgehog with his treasure trove of berries.

Isn't this little guy cute?? I gave him a load of yummy blueberries and some soft fall leaves for a seat. Copics blend so easily that it's' super fun to use them to color the leaves. The image layer was cut with the Cricut and put on pop dots to give dimension.

Card Recipe :
Stamps - Berry Happy Hedgehog
Paper - mud pie, toasted almond, saffron, white
Ink - black
Copics - C1, C3, G94, G99, R20, R59, 0, B32, B34, B39, BG10, Y26, Y28, E31, E333, E37, E43, E47
Accessories - Elegant Accents dies, Cricut, SCAL, Cuttlebug, brads, acrylic leaves, ribbon, pop dots




Ok ... Clearly Inspired Challenge tomorrow!! You don't want to miss that ... AND the blog hop is coming on Sunday!!! :)


Have a fantastic Friday and a great, big, beautiful tomorrow!!


~*Shell*~

Free For All/Cute Card Thursday Challenges

Simple faith ... is faith really that simple?? Perhaps not always. Anyway, whether faith is or not, this card was. :) I used two challenges for the mojo on this card.

The first challenge was from SCS - the Free For All challenge that they have each Friday. That was a challenge to use twine on our project.

The second challenge I used was from Cute Card Thursday. CCT challenged us to use circles on our cards. I thought about using a circle for the image layer, a circle shaped card, and a bunch of other things. However, I used more subtle circles ... just to be a little different.

I added a circle button brad, circle clip, and, of course, the circle embossed background. It's a simple, but effective card, I think.

Card Recipe:
Stamps: Elegant Accents Tag Frames, Elegant Accents (both sets by Clear Dollar Stamps) Paper: Turquoise Gem, white Ink: black, Copics (R20) Accessories: Cuttlebug, folder, flower, button brad, circle clip, twine, pop dots


Here's a look at it close up...

Don't you love that flower?? I had it in my stash. I have no idea where it came from, but I love the effect it has on here.


This was a fun combination. I enjoyed both challenges!



~*Shell*~

A Havenly Day ....

As many of you know, I call my crafting space "The Haven." Just in case you've wondered why ...

ha·ven/ˈhāvən/Noun

1. A place of safety or refuge.


I thoroughly enjoy my Haven. :) It's a place to go when I'm stressed, when I want to have fun, when I just need some time to myself ... yeah, just the place for me to go. :) Today, I spent quite a bit of time in there and managed to create 2 cards. I know, that's not a lot, but I enjoyed what I did! Does that count!? :)

I think this one might be my daughter's birthday card. Her birthday isn't until September, but I had her in mind the entire time I did the card. She's' changed so much in her 6 years of life ... like a caterpillar to a butterfly. I want to celebrate those changes. She's an amazing little girl.

This may be one of my most favorite cards ever. It was so much fun (and complicated) to create, but I love how it turned out.


The sketch from Create 4 Fun was so fun to play with, and it worked so well with the other challenges I found. I love, love, love to use stamps and lace ... the lace ribbon I used is a particular favorite.

I had a stash of hatpins, and I've never used them. I couldn't figure out a good use and I didn't want to use up the ones I have ... yeah, I'm a hoarder. The challenge on 365 Cards gave me a reason and an idea on how to use them. I used a little '6' to celebrate my daughter's 6th birthday.


This view shows the glitter (Sheer Shimmer) on the image layer and the fabulous heart buttons I found in my stash.

Card Recipe :
Stamps - Elegant Accents, A Time for Tags
Paper - Pretty Porcelain, brown, white, dp
Ink - white, blush, versamark
Copics - None
Accessories - Cuttlebug, Jim Holtz (burlap) folder, lace, lace circle, corner rounder, sewing machine, buttons, hat pin, pop dots, sheer shimmer



I'm submitting this one to the following challenges -

Stampin' Sisters In Christ - use what works for you (I used the lace ribbon, stamps, and a sketch)
Challenge 172 on Cute Card Thursday - Lace
365 Cards - Collage Card ... Lace, Pins, Glitter
Create 4 Fun - Sketch



This next challenge was was on SCS. Each Monday holds a new Technique Lovers' Challenge, and today was reverse masking (TLC333). For whatever reason, this card was quite a challenge for me. The technique isn't very difficult, but I just couldn't get it together.

Here's what I ended up with, though ....


I actually used masking AND reverse masking on this card. The inside part with the leaves is the reverse masking. I used Copics to color the leaves and a sponge with inks to do the color around the leaves.


This is a look at the dimension I added to make the image layer stand out. The extra dimension adds so much to cards. The Jim Holtz swirls folder was a great addition, too. It's not as even as the Cuttlebug folder that is similar.

This is an up-close picture of the masking and reverse masking. It also shows a bit of the glitter on the leaves.

Card Recipe:
Stamps - Leaf Hellos (released July 2011)
Paper - white, moss, saffron, dp
Ink - black, blue, yellow, rust, caramel
Copics - E31, E33, E37, E43, C3, Y26, Y28, G94, G99
Accessories - Scor Pal, Cuttlebug, Jim Holtz (swirls) folder, leaf brads, lace ribbon, pop dots, straight edge, glitter pen

Day 4 of Super Samples from the July Clear Dollar Stamps Product Parade!!!

Our final day of the Product Parade!! Have you enjoyed what you've seen? Have you just LOVED the stamps?? I know you have. The design team worked very hard to give you some great samples to kick-start your mojo with these great new sets. Don't forget that you can find all of these sets, and the set from the past few days, at Clear Dollar Stamps.

Ok ... so onward with some more samples of more great sets!!

The "Proud of You" stamp used earlier is accented on this card using the Designer Label Accent. It works perfectly around the Designer Label!

stamps - Designer Label Accent, Proud of You
paper - purple, dp
ink - black
copics - none
accessories - ribbon, flowers, shiny dots, sewing machine, pop dots



Oh, how I love the precious church and Christian stamps that Clear Dollar has to offer. This set is such a great asset to my collection. It is perfect for cards for the pastor, cards for the church family, stationery gifts for the pastor or church, and so many other projects. If you're involved in your church, you will need this set.

Card Recipe:
Stamps - Assemble Together
Paper - Spruce Needles, Spring Leaf, white
Ink - black
Copics - W3, W5, E71, E31, E33, E37, G21, G24, G28, Y11
Accessories - Cuttlebug, folder, Assemble Together SVG, oval punches, ribbon lace, pearls, pop dots


Free, free, free!!!! What could be better than free?! You can get this wonderful little set for FREE at Clear Dollar Stamps. Just head that way to find out how you can grab this little beauty of a set, too!

Card Recipe:
Stamps - A Time For Tags
Paper - white, Bee Pollen
Ink - black, mustard, rust
Copics - B95, E08
Accessories - Blooming Bouquet dies, ScorPal, pop dots


Numbers 6:24-26 - ²⁴The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: ²⁵The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: ²⁶The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

What a beautiful scripture for a friend or family member. What a great way to send someone along on their journey. The scripture and the script are perfect.


Card Recipe:
stamps - Numbers 6:24-26
paper - chocolate, dp
ink - black
copics -
accessories - Elegant Accents Dies, Cricut, SCAL, ribbon, button, distresser, pearls, pop dots
technique - distressing


This little set is so perfect for fall - yep ... it will be here before you know it!!! It was so much fun to color that leaf and to try to emulate the beautiful way God paints the leaves each autumn. I think He just has a great time doing that each year!!! But.... after doing this one, I don't think I can blame Him one little bit.

Card Recipe:
stamps - Leaf Hellos
paper - mud pie, black, white, brown, dp
ink - brown, black, Copics
accessories - Sheer Shimmer, ribbon lace, crystal brads, buttons, Elegant Accent Dies, Cuttlebug, Cricut-cut stencil, pop dots


Whew!! What a parade!!! I hope you have enjoyed seeing the new sets and the samples we've had for you over the last few days. I know that I have enjoyed sharing them with you!! Don't forget that each and every set is available at Clear Dollar Stamps right now. We'll have more fun stamps for you at our next quarterly release in October. Until then, we'll have challenges, blog hops, and tons of fun with these great sets and many other great Clear Dollar Stamps products!!


Blog hop is next Sunday - July 17th! Don't miss it!!

Have a very special Sunday and a great, big, beautiful tomorrow!!!!


~*Shell*~

Day 3 of Super Samples from the July Clear Dollar Stamps Product Parade!!!

Day 3 of the Product Parade!!! We're going strong, aren't we?

Remember that each one of the new sets are available on the Clear Dollar Stamps site ... right now! Yep, you can look at the inspiration here, and then, run over to CDS and grab your favorites!


Grabbing the colors from the dp that I used, I stamped the beautiful oval flower stamps from Elegant Accents. Using the "Proud of you" stamp on the bottom makes this card perfect for the recognition of any special achievement in a friend's life.

Card Recipe -
stamps - Proud of You, Elegant Accents
paper - dp, white, black, blue, rose
ink - black, rose, saffron, blue, blue/gray
accessories - pop dots, pearls




Ooooooh! These swags are soooooo awesome. There are swags for each season and a couple of sentiments to go along. Kind of gets you in the spirit of the season, right??? Well, it's only 169 days until Christmas!!!!

Card Recipe -
stamps - Seasonal Swags
paper - dp, white red
ink - black
copics - Y000, R46, G94
accessories - Tabs & Tags Dies, button, gold dots, pop dots, cuttlebug


Wow ... when I looked at this set, I thought "This is precious, but .... what does a homeschooler do with a school-based stamp set?!" Well .... make a scrapbook page about our Home School, of course!

Card Recipe -
Stamps - My Little School Bus
Paper - Deep Sea, Bee Pollen, Cottonball White, black, red
Ink - black, glitter marker, glitter pen
Copics - 0, B24, B21, Y17, C1, C3, C5, C7, G94, G99, E43, E37, R46
Accessories - pop dots, Cricut, SCAL
Technique - scrapbook page


Oh, my heavens!! Isn't this hedgehog just plain adorable?! I just love him. I decided to go with a fall theme with him and took some time playing with the colors of the leaves.

Card Recipe -
Stamps - Berry Happy Hedgehog
Paper - Worn Parchment, green, black, Cottonball White
Ink - black
Copics - R46, R59, R81, R83, Y26, G99, BG01, C7, E11, E31, E37, E08, E57, E71
Accessories - recycled leaf plate, Tabs and Tags dies, acrylic leaves., pop dots, tacky tape, sewing machine


Squirrels! We sure have PLENTY of squirrels here in Georgia. But instead of the little brown ground squirrels that many others have in their areas, we have little gray squirrels that love to play test the brakes on motor vehicles.

Isn't this guy super cute?! He's great fun to color, too. Again, I went with a fall theme - maybe in the heat of the summer, I was trying to cool off a little! We've had temps in the 90s since May.

Card Recipe -
stamps - Squirrel Chatter
paper - rust, ripe olive, mud pie, melon spice
ink - black
copics - 0, C1, C3, C7, E33, E37, W1, W3, W5, B00, B000
accessories - Cuttlebug, folder, Squirrel Chatter svg file, Cricut, SCAL, sewing machine, pop dots


Do you know someone that needs a pat on the back?? Let them know they've done a good job with these great stamps. What could be a better encouragement than a card letting them know??
Card Recipe -
stamps - Makin' the Grade, Good Job
paper - black, red
ink - white
accessories - Cricut, SCAL, Tabs & Tags dies, Cuttlebug, smiley brads, pop dots




When I saw the "Memories" stamp, I knew that I had to do some sort of scrapbook page. My daughter was in a play in May, and the picture was taken backstage with 2 others in the cast. This picture was priceless and truly fit with the stamp. I had the film frame in my head since the picture was in a theatrical setting.

Card Recipe -
stamps - Memories
paper - dp, black, white, silver glitter
ink - gold, white
accessories - Cricut, SCAL, pop dots, photo
technique - 6x6 layout


So, whatcha think?? Great stamps so far, huh?? :) Yep, I knew you'd love 'em. Remember, they are all available *right now* over at Clear Dollar Stamps!!! Tomorrow will be our last day of inspiration for a while, but don't forget our Monthly Blog Hop - with prizes!!! - on July 17th. :) I know you don't want to miss a chance to win some of these fabulous sets.



Have a great day and a great, big, beautiful tomorrow!

~*Shell*~

Day 2 of Super Samples from the July Clear Dollar Stamps Product Parade!!!

Day 2! Ready for more fun and excitement?? I'm really excited about the sets and projects that I have for you today. They are so much fun and each set will be a huge asset to your stamp collection.



A birthday party set. :) It's so precious that I just had to do something special with it. It's a shadowbox card, and this picture shows it closed.




Now, the shadowbox is open. Looks like a party waiting to happen, doesn't it?! I used the SVG files for this set to create cut outs of the stamps and add the dimension. Each piece is on pop dots to continue adding that dimension.

Card Recipe -
stamps - Birthday Party
paper - K&Company, white
ink - black, celery, pumpkin
copics - E37, YG03, YR04, YR16, Y06, Y11
accessories - Cricut, SCAL, birthday party svg files, Tabs & Tags dies, crystals, ribbon, pop dots
technique - shadowbox card - open


Celebrate!!! And do it in style with the great "Celebrate" stamp combined with that wonderful cake stamp. How fun?! I guess with this one, you can have your cake and eat it, too. :)

Card Recipe -
stamps - Birthday Cake Swirls, Celebrate
paper - dp, white
ink - black, blue
copics - C1, B29, B39, R46, R85, R81, YR68, Y06, Y08
accessories - Cricut, SCAL, crystals, ribbon/cord, pop dots technique - tag



I know you can't tell if from this picture, but this piece of cake just shines. It's been sprayed with Sheer Shimmer and that just adds so much deliciousness to this slice of cake. :)

Card Recipe -
stamps - Birthday Cake Slice
paper - lime juice, white, black, dp
ink - black copics - YG06, E02, E04, R83, YR07, C1
accessories - Cuttlebug, folder, corner rounder, pop dots, Cricut, SCAL, ribbon, Sheer Shimmer



I scream .. You scream ... we all scream for ice cream! Can't you just see a ton of uses for this super-cute ice cream cone? I sure can. Party invites, birthday cards, summer fun cards and so much more.

Card Recipe -
stamps - Ice Cream Cone, Happy Birthday
paper - saffron, powder puff, black, celery, caramel, mud pie
ink - black
accessories - Tabs & Tags Dies, Cricut, SCAL, pearls, flowers, sewing machine
technique - paper piecing


It's my party, and I'll cry if I want to, cry if I want to .... :) Ok, no crying, here. Just time to par-tay! Invite friends and family to YOUR party with this awesome stamp made just for that purpose!

Card Recipe -
stamps - It's a Party, Elegant Accents Ovals
paper - dp, tickled pink, white
ink - green, black
accessories - corner rounder, dot stickers, ribbon, pop dots, scissors



Purple!!! I just love purple. I think I could use it on every card, but I do have to give the other colors in the rainbow to WOW you, too, don't I??? :) Personally, though, I think that purple just 'takes the cake.' :) The great little stamp down at the bottom is such a good way to tell someone that they did a great job or that they deserve a little pat on the back. Use it to cheer on someone special in your life.

Card Recipe -
stamps - You Take the Cake, Birthday Party
paper - grape jelly, turquoise gem, tickled pink, white
ink - black, turquoise, VersaMark
Copics - BV00, BV04, C3, RV11, RV13, Y15, YR68
accessories - Cuttlebug, Elegant Accents Dies, Nesties, folders, crystals, ribbon, pop dots, sponge dauber


Remember - these products are all available NOW!! Don't wait any longer to grab up some of the great new sets released this week. And, join us again tomorrow for some more uber fun ideas with the super fun sets being released by Clear Dollar Stamps this week! Yep ... 2 more days of this great parade!!


Have a great day and a great, big, beautiful tomorrow!


~*Shell*~

Day 1 of Super Samples from the July Clear Dollar Stamps Product Parade!!!

Welcome to the July Product Parade!! Are you ready for some fantastic samples and creations?? If not, brace yourself! Super stamps and wonderful inspiration from the design team. Just wait until you see what the team has cooked up for you this time.

Just a reminder, all July quarter sets are being released today .... yep ... TODAY!!! The Design Team will have more inspiration, highlighting each set, over the next few days.

Let's start with ...


I love, love, love the new Elegant Accent Dies! I used 2 of the dies on this card, as well as one of the Bold Butterflies.

Card Recipe -
stamps - Birthday Blessings Oval
paper - dp, safrfron, black
ink - black, VersaMark
copics - None
accessories - Elegant Accents Dies, Bold Butterflies Dies, flowers, Cuttlebug, pearls, sewing machine, sponge dauber, pop dots

These beautiful ovals are so versatile. I know you will find some wonderfully creative uses for them. I used them to highlight the butterflies and to create a background on the card.

Card Recipe -
stamps - Elegant Oval Accents
paper - tickled pink, black, white ink - pink, white
accessories - Cuttlebug, folder, Bold Butterflies Dies, Cricut, SCAL, sewing machine, ribbon, tickled pink ribbon, pop dots


I needed a sewing journal to keep track of sewing tips and information about my machines. I thought it was a great time to try out the beautiful Elegant Accents set in combination with the dies. Didn't it turn out pretty?! I love the beautiful intricacies of the dies and that wonderful butterfly oval stamp in the middle.


Card Recipe -
Stamps - Elegant Accents
Paper - peach, green, black, yellow
Ink - black, versamark
Copics - N/A
Accessories - Elegant Accents Dies, Cuttlebug, Tabs and Tags dies, folder, pearls, lace, ribbon, flowers, tacky tape, composition book
Technique - journal


For this little card, I used the die on a folded piece of paper. It makes such a cute, little, shaped gift card with beautiful edges.

, Card Recipe -
stamps - Your Friendship Oval
paper - powder puff
ink - black
accessories - Cuttlebug, Elegant Accents Dies, flower, pearls, pop dots
technique - die cut card


Have you ever had a card that just surprised you in how it finally came out? This is one of those for me. I love the way all of the elements combine on this card. I double stamped the Tag Frame stamp on the little rectangle tag. It gave a worn, distressed look to it. I distressed other parts of the card, as well, to keep with the general feel.

Card Recipe -
stamps - Elegant Tag Frames, Faith
paper - dp, white, mossy woods
ink - black, brown, fog
accessories - Cuttlebug, Cross dies, hemp thread, brads, pop dots, sewing machine technique - distressing





So ... don't you just love all of the sets that we are showcasing today?? Well, we've got a lot more for you tomorrow. Hang on tight, and get ready for the ride!! :)



Have a fantastic day and a great, big, beautiful tomorrow.


~*Shell*~

Clean and Simple, Baby ....

I've learned that CAS has quickly become one of my very favorite types of cards. I love the crisp look and sharpness of a CAS. Interestingly, though, they aren't all that 'simple' to create. Regardless of how much I like that type of card, they still remain challenging for me to create.

The Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge for this week is to create a CAS card. Woohoo! Super fun!



The stamp sets used are Sentimental Flowers and .... get this .... For Our Men. :) Yep. The sentiment is from that set. I masked out the 'a' from "You're a special" sentiment in the set and just made it "You're special."

The ScorPal was used to create the scored line around the edge of the card, and a glassy glaze was used over the flower to give a shine and a bit more dimension.


Card Recipe:
stamps - For Our Men, Sentimental Flowers
paper - white, Deep Sea, black
ink - black
Copics - R20 (Sweet Cheeks), Y21 (Pineapple Twist), R22, Y26
accessories - Cricut, SCAL, Sentimental Flowers SVG, glass finish, pearls, ribbon (Sweet Cheeks), ScorPal, pop dots


This was a fun card to create, and I really like the crisp look of the final product.



I hope you have a beautiful 4th of July. Thank a military service person today ..... because they are why the country is free and why you are free. Oohrah to my precious US Marine son, Jared.



Oh, and have a great, big, beautiful tomorrow. :)



~*Shell*~

Clearly Inspired Challenge #31 - Dying to Punch it Out!

Die cuts, cut outs, and punches!!! Oh yeah!!! What a fantabulous challenge for me. I find it difficult these days to craft without using my Cricut. The Clearly Inspired Challenge for today is to incorporate die cuts, punches, or cut outs into your project.


The project I'm sharing with you today was actually started MONTHS ago ... yep, months. At that time, I was aiming for a pink, black, and white project. I had a lot of it done, but just couldn't find what I wanted for the center of the flower and couldn't finish off the project.

This challenge was perfect for this! :)


This easel card and the layers involved were cut using the Cricut and SCAL, but the center of the flower - with the little spidey on it - was cut using the Blooming Bouquet Dies from Clear Dollar Stamps. It finished this card off perfectly.


Card Recipe :
Stamps - Spider Greetings
Paper - Bubble Gum, white, black
Ink - white, black
Copics - RV04, RV06, C3
Accessories - Cricut, SCAL, Cuttlebug, folder, Blooming Bouquet dies, oval punches, ribbons, pop dots



Here are the details of our challenges....

-Challenges are now going to be on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of each month, and you'll have 2 weeks to finish each challenge.

-Challenges can use any stamps or digis from any company

-Only one entry per person per challenge

-Prizes will be given away after both challenges for the month. The number of prizes is determined by the number of participants for the month. For every 20 entries there will be a $10 gift certificate for stamps or digis up for grabs. (For example if over the entire month there were a total of 60 participants in both challenges, there will be 3 $10 gift certificates and 3 of the featured digital images to give away.)

-We will also be giving away the featured digi image....one for every 20 entries!


Head right on over to Lori's blog and the Clearly Inspired Challenge to join the challenge and to see what the other design team members have created to inspire you! Punch it ... die it .... cut it .... put it all together and show it off! Can't wait to see what you create.


Hope you're having an amazing Friday and that you have a great, big, beautiful tomorrow!


~*Shell*~