Halloween is Almost Here (ssnotime104)

I decided to make a Halloween project out of some wonderful stamped images sent to me by Sweetie Pie Janine! And since she is on Sharon's design team, it was a perfect time to play along with this week's Halloween challenge! Some time ago, Sweetie Pie Janine sent me a goody box plumb full of happiness - it made me squeeel! I love her style, her work is inspiring, and her heart is bigger than a moon pie! Thanks, Janine, for making light work of this Halloween project! These line art images said "color me with copics, Kay". So I indulged - sigh. But I told them they must endure bright colors that make your eyes blink! And yet, they still agreed. Thus, welcome to my rendition of Halloween. I'm not big on spooky, so rather than traditional Halloween sentiments I chose a theme of "anything goes" and it was a blast!

Some images are over stamped with PTI Polka Dot Basics (ah-hem, just get it!) and other images I simply used my trusty technique of sponge daubing while still in die. These beautiful line art images stand alone, especially with these bright colors, so everything is grounded in basic black cardstock, on a Kraft base.

The "other" side of this cool black polka dot paper has bowling balls and pins on it! I don't expect to go bowling anytime soon, but you watch -- next week Mr. Stubborn with the newly replaced knee will want to try it! I'll just have to say "Nope, I already used that paper!" :)

Some cards have rounded corners, some have ticket corners, some are sideways, some are longways. I just went to town with no never mind! I always wanted to live in a purple house with an orange roof, don't you? Just look at the warm glow through the front doors! What a NICE neighborhood! It just needs a Harley parked along side the driveway ...

You will notice that some cards have a smaller piece of the "inside/out bowling paper" (i.e. black polka dot). In those instances, I stamped a black or purple cardstock with CHF Pretty Pattern Backgrounder using Fresh Snow Ink. I LOVE this gal and her pumpkins! Perhaps it's because I'm kinda short (and chunky), and a streak of jealousy might pass through my mind for a fleeting second?! Or maybe it's because I love pumpkin bread so much?!

The best for last! Jeepers Creepers, I'm smiling almost as big as this guy! Thanks, Sharon, for a fun challenge. Thanks, Janine, for contributing to a smashing fun set of cards!

Sing n' Stamp With Becky (ssnotime55)

What time is it? It's time to sing for this week's challenge with Sharon Johnson at No Time To Stamp! Today's featured stamper to inspire us is the one and only Becky Oehlers. According to Dear Paperlicious, Becky is a top notch blogger, stamper, and singer ... and I second that times 10! She's a class act to follow! Love her guts!
Therefore, I hereby challenge the one and only Becky Oehlers to sing Dashing thru' the Snow with me sometime! (I get to sing lead, kiddo - you can take the harmony.) First, we'll sing it your style (above), i.e. clear, crisp, clean lines, dotted with swiss cuttlebug, classy red crystal holly berries, all tied with a big beautiful bow.

Then, we'll sing it my style, i.e. frilly foo-foo, aged sheet music stained with coffee, busy scallop border and buttons, but alas -- all tied with a big beautiful bow! (For the record, I still like big hair too.)

Stamp Simply Quilts (ssnotime54)

This weeks stamp simply challenge is 2bKrafty with Janine. Visit Janine's blog to see her style of rich, vivid colors that pop on large focal images. My new Quilters Sampler set from PaperTrey Ink had just arrived in the mail this past week, so it needed ink!

A friend of ours is getting married this weekend, and this set has a really nice sentiment for that. {Note - there is a companion set of additional Quilters Sampler Sentiments also available at PaperTrey Ink. Yep, it's on my wish list!} The marriage sentiment is actually stamped on the inside of the card, below the layers of Martha Stewart Scallop Edged Punch.

This picture gives you a better viewpoint - to give you an idea of what on earth I am talking about! I placed the individual clear stamp quilt blocks on a glass block with grids to get an evenly placed image. Copics used were BG10, BG13, BG72, G21, Y21. We'll put a gift certificate inside and wa-la -- instant wedding gift!
I love the colors in this card! The DP is from K & Company and the copics used were RV11, RV14, R81, E31, Y28. Won't this be a colorful card to receive in the mail if you are under the weather? {Let me know if you get ickie sickie.}

These dark, rich colors really exemplify Janine's style best, but I found it challenging! By adding a chain scallop punch on one side (Paper Studio), and a strip of DP on the other side (Angel Co), I was finally satisfied. The saying is oh so adorable (much easier to read in real life): Birthday's are like quilts stitched together one year at a time. Copics used were V09, V15, E04, YG03.

Yawn ... Wanna know a secret? I took a 2 hour nap in between making these cards today! Under a quilt!

Cute-n-Classy (ssnotime53)

I could not wait to get home from work on Friday and hit my stamp studio (okay-okay, it's really my dining room)! This week's stamp simply challenge issued by Sharon at No Time To Stamp was to follow a class act ... Jennifer Buck, one of the Stamp Simply team members. This was a jolly good time for me, because I normally like to doo-dad my cards just to the point that they can still fit in the envelope! LOL Well, Jenni, I gotta tell ya, you made a believer outa me .... cute-n-classy really rocks! My first card was a CASE of THIS card made by Jennifer, after reviewing her blog and her SCS Gallery. After I stamped and colored the corner flower/flourish from Hero Arts Clear Birds and Branches, I added diagonal scores at 1/2 inch intervals using my scor-pal. This allowed me to stamp the flower border using a "grid" so they were evenly placed. It really was EPLS (easy peasey lemon squeezy - as Jennifer says)! The card I CASED had a layer of vellum over the top, but I cut a clear acetate cover which almost makes it looked framed under glass! I then added a bow and put the crystals right on top of the clear acetate, along with the sentiment.
Well, call me BUCK-AROO because I went on to make a second card! Hey - this EPLS stuff is addictive - I recommend it! Notice the diagonal scores again? Well, okay dokey schmokey, I'll admit that the scor-pal IS one of my fav tools! Thanks for visiting. Whatcha waitin' for? Go create something Cute-n-Classey with the No Time To Stamp gang!

Copics: RV14, R22, R39, YG03, W1

Oh Baby! (ssnotime52)

Sharon Johnson of No Time To Stamp has been throwing THE biggest party! She has been issuing stamp simply challenges for 1 year now, and as part of her continuing anniversary celebration she issued a challenge to all the creative peoples of the Internet to Cuddle Up With Tammy ... Tammy Hershberger at Stamp Happy. {Tell me, is there any other way to stamp but happy! Giggle Giggle} Tammy's cards make you feel warm and cozy, like a quilt. So I designed two baby cards to cuddle up with!

After cruisin' Tammy's Blog {and I suggest that you do, there is SO much to admire!}, I noticed that she often uses beautiful papers cut on a diagonal and she also makes good use of her sewing machine. Since I struggle to sew on a button, you will notice a faux sew-line that is hand-drawn around my perimeter card edges. Wa-la - now I can sew! And I even added Foofala buttons without using a needle and thread! The base cardstock is SU Confetti Cream and I used designer papers from K & Company's K-ology Collection, Hannah's Scrap Pad To Go.

The detail in Ellen Hutson's Lockhart Stamps always give me a warm, cozy feeling. Sweet Pea is the baby girl and Snips and Snails is the baby boy. As many of you know, I love to color with Copic Markers, and I have provided a color list at the bottom of this post. {Debbie Olson of Thinking Inking shares the most beautiful Copic colored work on her blog, if you ever need a little inspiration and tutorial - she's fabulous!}

I am a big fan of Tim Holz Antique Linen Distress Ink. Talk about warm & cozy! It's my go-to technique to add a hint of warmth ... just use a good stipple brush and dab dab dab around any stamped image. The Cuddle Up With Tammy challenge was especially fun for me because I rarely do 5 1/2 x 5 1/2 cards. So much room to work with! So I couldn't resist adding the embellishment of SU Photo Corners punch to balance things out.
Baby Girl Copics: R81, RV11, RV14, YG03, Y28, E37, W1, 0 Colorless Blender
Baby Boy Copics: BG10, B21, B34, Y28, E37, W1, 0 Colorless Blender

Get thee to No Time To Stamp and party down!

Dancin' With Dee (ssnotime51)

Sharon Johnson of No Time To Stamp has issued a Stamp Simply Challenge as part of her 1-year blog-anniversary. The Dancin' With Dee challenge means we are doing the 2-step (or 3-step or more) with stamps! Now, I have never met this lovely woman but I liked her instantly through her fabulous blog ... and you will too! She recently took the time to leave me a comment on my blog {how cool is that?} and her enthusiasm is contagious. So -- here's to you Sharon, and your 1-year fabulous blog-aversary!
I needed a gift card set, so I figured - hey, why not stamp simply? So I went Dancin' With Dee and in a matter of no time at all, I had this 4-card gift set. The background is embossed with Cuttlebug Textile on SU Very Vanilla Cardstock - instant pretty! I used Martha Stewart's scallop punch to edge a second piece of SU Very Vanilla, and then I scored it diagonally at 1/2 inch intervals on my Scor-Pal before matting it on SU Groovy Guava.

I went looking in my stash for 2-step stamps and since pickins was slim, I chose to use this blast from the past set from The Angel Company, Love and Joy. {I really need to go shopping at Kitchen Sink Stamps for some kick toosh 2 and3 and 4 step stamps!} I digress ... so I stamped the flowers in Burnt Sienna and Yellow Ochre ColorBox Chalk ink, and the stems in SU Old Olive and Certainly Celery ink. The flower centers are dotted with SU real red, in an effort to add yet another step to my dance! When the image was circle punched and matted on the Marvey Large Circle Scallop - it popped like a field full of flowers on a windy day! A butterfly fluttered in, compliments of Martha Stewart Classic Butterfly punch {love that thing}. Sentiment is from CHF Kim Hughes Silhouette Blooms II.

Finally, I bagged and bowed it and what do you get? A Stamp Simply Challenge AND a 4-card birthday gift set. Don't you just love multi-tasking? So head on over to No Time To Stamp and figure out whether you - too - have No Time To Stamp! Congrats Sharon!