...Christmas in July

I've been seeing alot of Christmas in July cards, so I thought I would try to make one, too! I love non-traditional colors on Christmas cards; so instead of reaching for the reds and greens, I like using one of them with other non-Christmas colors {if there is such a thing! LOL!} I've always liked the way kraft, black, red, and white looked together...I think it's so clean and elegant. I have also been using more diecuts and chipboard in my recent projects, but I chose to use the "Little Leaves" Sizzlits Die along with some Jackpot Designer Series Paper. I had to trim on of the branches off for it to look right with the sentiment, but I love the way it turned out! All of the supplies were from Stampin' Up except for the border punch...it is from Martha Stewart {thanks, Pam}.

Well that's it for today! Thanks for stopping by, and I will see you all again soon! Have a wonderful Friday, and until later...

Supplies

Stamps: Many Merry Messages

Papers: Kraft, Basic Black, Whisper White, Jackpot Designer Series Paper

Inks: Jet Black Staz-On

Accessories: mat pack, paper piercer, silver brads, dimensionals, big shot, little leaves sizzlits die, real red grosgrain ribbon, martha stewart border punch, scissors

...My Friend Sketch Card

We had kind of a jam-packed day yesterday. I had to take Christian to the doctor first thing this morning to get his knee checked out from this weekend's wreck. He has to stay in his knee immobilizer for another week, and he also has to walk with crutches. We will be going back to see his doctor next week in order to see if we need to see an orthopedic doctor or not. He woke up in extreme pain this morning after having his knee manipulated yesterday, so I am a little worried about tendon and/or ligament damage. His pediatrician put him on some prescriptions for pain and swelling, but he wants him to stay off of that knee to give it a better chance to heal. Keep your fingers crossed for us...he is an athlete, and not being able to get out there and workout/practice is killing him!

Once we finished with the doctor's visit, filled prescriptions, and purchased crutches we were off to my buddy Pam Varnell's house. The guys chilled out, played video games, swam, and ate all day long while Pam and I got in some stamping time. We actually got quite a bit done considering I didn't get to her house until about 12:30! I think we both finished three cards, and that's with us cooking two meals during that same time...so we were thrilled! LOL!

This is the card I made for yesterday's Sketch Challenge #237 at SCS. I saw this sketch and immediately fell in love with it...so clean and simple. My focal panel is wider than it is long, but it still fits the sketch. The image was from The Greeting Farm's set "Down By The Pond", and it was colored with Copic Sketch Markers. I also used Copics to create the grass under the little turtle and bunny. The sentiment was from TGF's set "Sentiments", and was stamped in Chocolate Chip Craft Ink, then embossed with Clear Embossing Powder. What do you think of the end result?

That's it for today! I have quite a bit to do again today...bills, cleaning, and then I'm taking my fellas to see Harry Potter. Thanks for stopping by, and I will see you all tomorrow with a "Christmas in July" card! Until then...

Supplies

Stamps: Down By The Pond, Sentiments (The Greeting Farm)

Papers: Bashful Blue Textured, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Delicate Dots Designer Series Paper

Inks: Basic Black Craft, Chocolate Chip Craft

Accessories: mat pack, paper piercer, saffron grosgrain ribbon, linen thread, horizontal slot punch, copics, dimensionals, scissors, brads, clear embossing powder, heat gun

...SAS Sketch Challenge #24 (SASSC24)

This is my sample for the Stamps and Smiles Sketch Challenge #24 at The Fresh Batch Blog. I always have a ball designing these sketches each week, and also I love seeing all of the card submissions from the individuals who participate in the challenges. This sketch was no exception! Would you like to see what the other Fresh Batch members came up with?

• Jennifer Meyer
• Cindy Haffner
• Pam Varnell
• Vivienne Holden
• Julie Lacey
• Crystal Birr
• Vickilyn Crawford
  

Thanks for stopping by today! I hope you get a chance to play along today or some time this weekend. Happy Stamping!

Supplies

Stamps: Tall Oaks (Verve Visual)

Papers: Old Olive, Close to Cocoa, Whisper White, Hand Drawn Designer Series Paper

Inks: Chocolate Chip Craft, Old Olive Craft

Accessories: mat pack, paper piercer, dimensionals, classic oval nesties, big shot, chipboard {so tweet-SU}, clear ep, heat gun, copics

...Congratulations

Another day, another card! I am working on a Sketch Challenge card as we speak, so I thought I would share this one with you for now. Once again, I've used chipboard...but the sentiment is a stamp this time! I also did a little faux-stitching, more ribbon pleating, and used another staple treatment. I've also used a Cuttlebug Embossing Folder, a rhinestone, and some nail heads. I figured I could give this to the next pregnant lady that is expecting a girl...it seems everyone is getting pregnant these days! Thank heavens I'm not one of them...two teenage boys are handful enough for me! LOL! Don't get me wrong...I love babies, but I can't see myself with a newborn at this stage in my life. I can, however, see me spoiling everyone else's! :)

Well, that's it for today! Thanks for stopping by, and I will let you get a look at my completed sketch card a little later on. I'll also be sharing a card for the SAS Sketch Challenge #24 that I designed tomorrow...you should play along if you get a chance! Until then...

Supplies

Stamps: Hugs & Wishes

Papers: Melon Mambo, Basic Black, Whisper White, Razzleberry Lemonade DSP

Inks: Basic Black Craft

Accessories: swiss dots cuttlebug embossing folder, mat pack, paper piercer, white signo gel pen, nail heads, stamp-a-ma-jig, image sheet, clear embossing powder, heat gun, dimensionals, ribbons, stapler, staples, On Board So Tweet chipboard, sponge dauber, pink rhinestone, ribbon, tombow glue

...Love To Chat With You

Don't forget about the stamp sale HERE...prices have been slashed!

Happy Tuesday, everyone! It's a gorgeous day here in northwest Georgia, and I plan on spending most of it inside. How sad is that? I have so much cleaning to do, and my new catalog shipment should be here some time today...so I am going to be hanging around the house! I wanted to take a minute and share another "all SU" card that I made Sunday night at Pam's house. I am also using this as my submission for yesterday's Clean & Simple Challenge at SCS. I found THIS piece of artwork with all of the same colors in it at Art.com. Once again I used no stamps on this creation...just some rub-ons, chipboard, designer paper, and ribbon. I pleated the polka dotted designer paper on the bottom of the focal panel, and added some piercing between the sentiment and the patterned papers. I am loving the clean and simple look of this card, and I will probably be making more of these as time goes by.

That's it for today! Thanks for stopping by, and I hope to see you again tomorrow with a card for this week's Sketch Challenge at SCS. Until then...

Supplies

Stamps: NONE

Papers: Regal Rose, Real Red, Whisper White, Pink Flamingo DSP

Inks: Regal Rose Craft

Accessories: Loop to Loop Rub-Ons, On Board Essentials chipboard, mat pack, paper piercer, dimensionals, real read grosgrain ribbon, sponge dauber, Tombow glue

...April Showers

Don't forget to check out the stamp sale HERE...the prices have been marked down!!!

Have you missed me? It seems like an eon since I have posted anything for you all, but I wanted to take the time to show this little goody today. I went over to spend some stamping time with my mentally-challenged friend, Pam, yesterday {wink, wink}. We were interrupted by the startling news that my mother and oldest son were in a head-on collision while going home from church. Pam rushed my to the scene, and from there we took Christian to the emergency room. After a seven hour ER stay, we were finally released. Mom is banged up and bruised, and Christian has some knee damage, but we are just so thankful that they walked away with minor injuries...it could have been so much worse! I finally got back to Pam's around 8:00 last night, and after eating a delicious roast dinner I got started on my cards.

This one was a fluke! LOL! I have no idea where this one started from or how I even finished it, but I sure do like the result! There was no stamping involved in this card either...I used rub-ons instead. I also used chipboard which is very rare for me to do, along with a scalloped border from one of the Simply Scrappin' Kits. And how about that ribbon treatment, ladies and gentlemen? I simply stapled the ribbon to the patterned paper after folding it to create pleats. This would have been an all SU! card, but I used some jumbo brads from Making Memories along the bottom right-hand edge.

That's it for today! Thanks for stopping by, and I will see you again tomorrow with another "no stamping" card that is all SU! Until then...

Supplies:

Stamps: NONE

Papers: Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, Hand Drawn Designer Series Paper Pack, Just 4 You Simply Scrappin' Kit

Inks: Old Olive Craft, Chocolate Chip Craft

Accessories: Loop to Loop rub-ons, So Tweet chipboard, jumbo silver brads, old olive grosgrain ribbon, staples, stapler, spiral punch, dimensionals, sponge daubers

...Prices Have Been Reduced

Alright ladies and gentlemen...I have slashed prices in order to get these stamp sets into loving hands! I am accepting PayPal payments only. Here's all you have to do:

• Leave a comment or email me {mkstampin74@bellsouth.net} letting me know which set(s) you would like, and your email address associated with your PayPal account
• I will send you an invoice through PayPal via email
• Once the payment is made and confirmed, I will ship your stamp(s) to you
  There will be a $5 shipping fee for the continental US, and a $8 shipping fee for everywhere else {this will be included in the invoice total}
• I will update the stamp list daily to keep you up-to-date on pending and sold sets

Newly Retired (2009)

Beautiful Borders - $15 GONE

Big Bold Birthday - $20

Blooming With Love - $15

Cute & Curly (stamp set from Punch Box) - $10 GONE

Elegant Cheer - $10

Forever - $5

Frames With A Flourish - $25

Fun Flowers - $5

Happy Heart Day - $15

Heartfelt Thanks - $20 GONE

Hugs & Wishes - $10

Lovely Labels - $10

Many Happy Returns - $10 GONE

Organic Outlines - $15

Pretty Amazing - $15

Seeing Spots - $10

Snow Burst - $10 GONE

Stitched Exotics - $25 GONE

Sweet Sampler - $10

Wonderful You - $25 GONE

Hostess Sets (2009)

Comfort Foods - $10

God's Beauty - $15 GONE

It's a Loop Thing (stamp set from Level 3 Bundle...includes all rub-ons) - $10 GONE

Sale-a-brations Sets (2009)

Botanical Blooms - $10

Polka Dot Punches - $10

Yummy - $12 GONE

Older Retired Sets

All About Occasions (Hostess 2008...stamp set only) - $6

Alphabits - $8

Alphabuilders - $8

Autumn Apparitions - $15 GONE

Background Basics - $6

Big Pieces - $10

Birthday Whimsy (SAB 2008) - $10

Brighter Tomorrow - $10 GONE

Dilly-Dally - $6

Dotted BG - $10

Elegant Ornaments - $8

Event Full - $10

Fall Flair (Hostess 2008) - $10

Friendship Blooms (SAB 2008) - $10

Good Things Grow - $10

Little Letters - $10

Live Your Dreams - $12

Lots of Thoughts (SAB 2008) - $6

Love & Joy - $10

Occasionally - $8

Office Accoutrement - $10

Paisley BG - $10

Perennial Favorites - $6

Polka Dots & Paisley - $10

So Many Scallops (SAB 2008) - $10

Sparkling Season - $6

Spring Solitude (Hostess 2008...stamp set only) -$10

Star-Studded Season - $15 GONE

Stem Silhouettes – $15

Thanksgiving Blessings - $10

The Art of Life - $10

Three For You - $10

Time For You - $10

With Gratitude - $10

Happy Shopping!

...SAS Sketch Challenge #23

This is my sample for the weekly Stamps and Smiles Sketch Challenge (designed by me) at The Fresh Batch Blog. We are already on sketch #23...how time flies! I started this long card with a Crushed Curry Cardstock base, then matted the additional layers with it or Whisper White Cardstock. The patterned paper was from the Delicate Dots Designer Series Paper pack, and that panel was pierced using a Mat Pack and Paper Piercer. The scallop on the bottom of the patterned paper panel was created by punching a piece of Whisper White Cardstock with the Scallop Edge Punch. A piece of Bashful Blue Striped Ribbon was added to the same panel before it was attached to the card base using Dimensionals. The bee and sentiment were from the SAS set called "Hello Spring". The bee was stamped in Basic Black Craft Ink onto Watercolor Paper, embossed with Clear Embossing Powder and a Heat Gun, then colored with an Aquapainter and the Crushed Curry Classic Ink Pad. I added some Lemon Stickles to the bee's wings and antennae, then sponged some Bashful Blue Classic Ink with a Sponge Dauber to give the illusion of sky. I used my Sizzix Big Shot and Spellbinders' Classic Circle Nesties to create the round focal panels and mats. The circle panels were then attached to the patterned paper panel using Dimensionals. I stamped the sentiment in Basic Black Craft Ink directly onto the striped ribbon.

Before I say goodbye, let's see what the rest of The Fresh Batch members have to share today:

• Jennifer Meyer
• Cindy Haffner
• Pam Varnell
• Vivienne Holden
• Julie Lacey
• Crystal Birr
• Vickilyn Crawford

That's it for me today! Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you will take some time to play with my sketch this week. I create the sketches to true size, so if you print it out you will have the exact measurements for each layer...now you have no excuse for not playing along! LOL! Simply link your creation to Mr. Linky at the bottom of the post when you are finished. Remember to use the keywords SASSC23 and stampsandsmiles if uploading to an SCS gallery. Good luck and have fun!

...Blog Candy Winner

I hope everyone is having a fun and safe July 4th! I wanted to take a second to reveal the winner of the blog candy. The lucky winner is #34 {as chosen by my youngest son, Gabriel}

Sarah-Jane said...
I love your worm card, he is soooo cool!! Thanks for the chance to win some great candy, Hugs Sarah-Jane xx

Congratulations, Sarah-Jane! Please email your shipping address to me, and I will get your goodies out to you the beginning of next week! Thanks to everyone who participated, and I hope you will enter again when I have another milestone to celebrate. Until then...

...SAS Sketch Challenge #22 (SASSC22)

Don't forget to:
~ Check out my Retired Stamp Sale List HERE
~ Enter to win some blog candy HERE

This is my sample for my sketch challenge this week at The Fresh Batch Blog. I started with a Rich Razzleberry Cardstock base, then matted the additional layer with either it or Melon Mambo Cardstock. All of the patterned papers were from the Razzleberry Lemonade Designer Series Paper pack, and the large panel and focal panel were pierced with a Mat Pack and Paper Piercer. The scallops were created using a 1" Circle Punch and Crushed Curry Cardstock. The designer button was made by punching out a piece of the designer paper with a 3/4" Circle Punch, then attaching it to a Clear Button with adhesive. The image and sentiment were both from The Greeting Farm. The image is from the "Miss Anya Collection" set, and was stamped onto Watercolor Paper in Basic Black Craft Ink. It was then embossed with Clear Embossing Powder and a Heat Gun. I colored Anya using Classic Ink Pads and an Aquapainter, cut it out with CutterBee Scissors, then attached it to the focal panel using Dimensionals. The sentiment was from the set "Sentiments", and was stamped in Rich Razzleberry Classic Ink using a Stamp-a-ma-jig and Image Sheet for proper placement. I also pierced the card base, then added a piece of ribbon to complete the card.

Before I say goodbye, let's see what the rest of The Fresh Batch members have to share today:

• Jennifer Meyer
• Cindy Haffner
• Pam Varnell
• Vivienne Holden
• Julie Lacey
• Crystal Birr
• Vickilyn Crawford

That's it for me today! Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you will take some time to play with my sketch this week. I create the sketches to true size, so if you print it out you will have the exact measurements for each layer...now you have no excuse for not playing along! LOL! Simply link your creation to Mr. Linky at the bottom of the post when you are finished. Remember to use the keywords SASSC22 and stampsandsmiles if uploading to an SCS gallery. Good luck and have fun!