God Bless the USA

Hi friends! Happy Wednesday! It's time for the June Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Hop over on Instagram. This month we're sharing our patriotic and summer themed cards. There's a chance to win, so head on over to my Instagram feed for all the details.

I started by stamping the solo bloom from Special Blooms three times, then coloring them red, white, and blue with Copic markers. I cut with the coordinating dies, then added a bit of stickles to the centers and set aside to dry. 

I then made a quick panel, swiping some blue and red ink pads across a white piece of  cardstock.  I matted this with navy cardstock, then picked a fun patterned paper for the background and sentiment.  The sentiment is from the God Bless America and embossed onto the patterned paper. Next I arranged the flowers, dividing the red and blue panel with the white flower, then finished off with some crystal stars.

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I hope you have a wonderful day!

Patriotic Gnome Girl

Hi friends! Well, I couldn't let the boy gnomes have all the fun, so I created another 4th of July card with the Girl Gnome Dies from Jaded Blossom Stamps. Her hat and the flower are from the Gnome Dies: Spring Add Ons and I used some red, white, & blue papers for her hat and dress to go with the theme.

 

For the background, I cut the panel with the Card Mat Dies, masking off the area outside of the stitching, then stenciled with the Cloud Stencil and Grass Stencil. Next I cut a thin strip of black cardstock to act as a flagpole, and glued it behind my dolled up gnomie.  The flag is from the Gnome Dies: Patriotic Add Ons and I love how it looks like it's waving in the wind.

The sentiment from the gorgeous God Bless America set is stamped two-tone and then die cut with the coordinating dies. I embellished with one of the firework images from the Patriotic Add ons to finish things off.

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I hope you have a fantastic day.

Patriotic Gnomie

Hi friends! Today I'm popping in with a sweet little patriotic card with the latest Jaded Blossom release. I'm feeling like a couple of stamp companies targeted me and my pocketbook this month with their releases. Haha! Gnomes + a patirotic theme... I could not resist.  And then Scrappy Boy Stamps just released a coffee set and an HK inspired set. I mean really, they literally jumped into my cart as soon as I saw them. LOL

Anyhow, I used several fabulous new products with this month's release.  Adding to the Gnome Die collection, comes the Gnome Dies: Patriotic Add-ons. I love that there are so many images you can use with or without the gnomes. I had so much fun piecing this guy together and doing some simple ink blending for his skin and beard.

The background is smooshed with red and blue inks, then I used this month's freebie, Happy Fourth of July for the fireworks and stars. I cut a frame from some fireworks paper in my stash, then added it all together. The sentiment is from the Stars & Stripes Candies set, and stamped onto one of the star dies from the Patriotic Gnomes.

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I hope you have a fantastic day!

Mojo Monday 538

Hi friends! It's a brand new month and it also happens to be Mojo Monday!

As always, you're free to play along with any papercrafting products your heart desires and enter as many creations as you like. Use the sketch as inspiration for your creation, then come link it up below so I can come take a look! The linky for this challenge will close on June 14, 2020. I have included dimensions on the graphic later in this post, but feel free to change them up to suit your needs.

Since it's the first day of the month, there's also a new Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps release.  There are SEVEN fantastic new sets in today's release.  I'll link them up below so you can take a peek! Today I chose to play with the new God Bless America set. Love these handlettered patriotic sentiments, and the flag is two pieces, so super easy to get those crisp red, white, and blue colors.

The  papers are from an old Authentique pad. I love Americana and had fun aging this a bit with antique linen and walnut stain inks.  I hand sketched a little frame on my sketch panels to give a little border without adding the bulk of extra layers.  For the flag post, I just free hand cut a post shape, then layered the flag behind it, adding a little wave to it, by rolling the flag up with a stylus first, then adding glue in strategic places to make it "wave". A few star die cuts and this card was finished.

Alrighty, now it's your turn! I hope you enjoy creating with this sketch! If you want a little extra sketch inspiration, be sure to check out the Stay Crafty With Hero Challenge #9. I had the honor of being asked to provide a sketch for it!

Stay Crafty with Hero  Challenge #9 - open through June 11

Can't wait to see what you create! Thanks so much for stopping by!

Please join me for Mojo Monday!

Click here to enter

If you shop through the affiliated links below I get a small percentage of the sale price at no cost to you! It's not a lot, but it does help pay the monthly fees for the linkup widget for Mojo Monday and other web and email services that help me keep Mojo Monday running smoothly! Thanks so much! 💙

Mojo Monday 519

Hi friends! Welcome to July! It's the first day of the month and since July is my birth month and I'm busy, busy, busy with the boys, I'm only going to post one sketch in July. We'll start back up with bi-weekly sketches on August 5, 2019.

As always, you're free to play along with any papercrafting products your heart desires and enter as many creations as you like. Use the sketch as inspiration for your creation, then come link it up below so I can come take a look! The linky for this challenge will close on August 4, 2019. I have included dimensions on the graphic later in this post, but feel free to change them up to suit your needs.

I'm a red, white, and blue fan through and through, so couldn't resist starting off the month with a patriotic card. I pulled out the brand new, just released today ADORABLE Fin-tastic Friends set from Sweet 'n Sassy stamps and colored up this patriotic little mermaid. She's colored with copics and then I used a crystal clear lacquer pen on her hair and some glitter for extra shine.

While there are some fabulous sea themed sentiments, there is NOT a sentiment in the set that says sea to shining sea. But I had a plan, so did a little finagling with a few of the sentiment stamps (seas the day, fishing you well, and to say) and a marker to create the sentiment.

Last season, I got these fabulous papers from the Land that I Love line by Pebbles on summer clearance for 10 cents a sheet. Although I typically don't use 12x12's, I knew these ones would get used. To stress the words I wanted to come through, I created some different layerings to make them stand out.

I started out with the new Jungle Mist liquid watercolor. This color is fantastic! A bit aqua, a bit teal, a bit jungle green depending on how intense you paint it. Love it here as a backdrop on watercolor paper.

To finish the card, I glued patterned paper to a foam sheet, then die cut. I then added some star rhinestones, clear lacquer accents and more glitter. I needed them to shine!

Speaking of shining, the July release from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps is simply stellar. Click on over to check it all out! I've linked the entire release at the bottom of this post.


Alrighty, now it's your turn! I hope you enjoy creating with this sketch! Can't wait to see what you create with the sketch!

Join me for Mojo Monday 519!

Click here to enter

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you have a super creative start to your week and a month filled with creative mojo! The next Mojo sketch will be posted on August 5, 2019.

I so appreciate when you click on my compensated affiliate links to shop. I get a very small percentage, but it's enough to cover the monthly fees for the linkup widget for Mojo Monday and the email subscriber service for my blog, which makes me (and hubby) happy! 💙

July 2019 Sweet 'n Sassy Release

Today's Supply List

America the Beautiful Geared Up for Fun

Hi friends! I'm back today with a couple of projects. I got a little chance to create and decided to finish up some half started projects that have been patiently waiting for me to finish them up.

First up is this America the Beautiful mixed media tag.  The sentiment and cups are from the Land of Liberty DIGITAL Set. The tag is a kraft tag that I coated with two coats of heavy gesso, then played around with some red, white and blue Impasto paints.  I splattered some of the paints on the sentiment and accented with a couple of rhinestone stars.  The cups were colored with Arteza real brush markers and then highlighted with a white nail art pen.  I finished off with some ribbon remnants from days gone by.

The second card is a fun birthday card for one of the boys' friends who has a birthday coming up in July. I watercolored the robot from Geared Up with Prima oil pastels and a waterbrush.  Then I fussy cut him and added a few accents with a silver gel pen.  The sentiment is stamped on a circle die cut and I stamped one of the gears from the set tone on tone behind for a little accent.  The gear dies are from a Tim Holtz Bigz die.  The background is randomly stamped in grey with an assortment of the gear images in the set. I love it for a background!  I finished off by stamping a number 6 to accent one of the gears.

Thanks so much for stopping by today and for your sweet, sweet comments of encouragement on yesterday's post. I puffy heart you all!

Enabler's List
America the Beautiful Tag
Stamps: Land of Liberty DIGITAL Set (Verve)
Paper: white, riding hood red (SU!), kraft tag
Ink: laser printer, real brush markers (Arteza - Amazon affiliate link)
Accessories: Rounded Rectangle Die (A Cut Above by VERVE), white nail art pen (Sally Hansen - Amazon affiliate link), ribbon (Creative Impressions), corner rounder, Impasto paints (Prima)

Geared Up Card
Stamps: Geared Up (Verve)
Paper: smoky slate, island indigo, lucky limeade (SU!), white (Neenah)
Ink: lucky limeade (SU!), grey (Altenew), black (Hero Arts), silver gel pen, water soluble oil pastels (Prima - Amazon affiliate link)
Accessories: Gadget Gears Bigz Die (Tim Holtz Alterations - Amazon Affiliate link), circle dies (spellbinders)

Three Cheers

Hi friends! Three cheers for a new card.  Last Friday, I uploaded a few new and new-ish digital sets to the shop.  A couple that had been on my calendar to reintroduce/redesign, and one that partially came from a set I had designed to release in stamp form, before plans changed.

That set is the  Land of Liberty DIGITAL Set, which I used today. I pulled out some patriotic papers and started layering until I had a layout I liked.  Then I added the cup, which I colored with Arteza real brush markers. I forgot to pint on smooth bristol, so the blending with the markers was terrible.  But I was snuggled up on the couch with a sick boy while coloring, so didn't bother to reprint.  I did eventually pull out some copic markers to help even out the coloring a bit and it turned out okay in the end. The sentiment is also from Land of Liberty and I cut it out with the Rounded Rectangle Die. I finished with a border cut with the Lacey Trim Duo Die Set and a couple rhinestone stars to accent the mug.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. The sickness Kellan caught seems to be taking over the family one person at a time. :(  The boys graduate Kindergarten one week from today, and I'm thinking there might not be much school for them between now and then!

If you haven't already, click on over to Verve and check out our final new digital sets.

Enabler's List
Stamps: Land of Liberty DIGITAL Set (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Yankee Doodles (WRMK), white
Ink: laser printer, real brush markers (Arteza), wink of stella glitter pen (Zig), Copic makers)
Accessories: Rounded Rectangle Die, Lacey Trim Duo Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), rhinestone stars

Sipping and Relaxing

So, I've got some big NEWS over on the Verve Blog today. Yep, the kind of big news you put in all caps. Since it was SO hard to write the first time, I'm not going to go into it over here, other than to let you know I feel so blessed and grateful for this journey and all the friends I've made along the way. With Verve, I created something I never dreamed possible, and I know my stamps will continue to bless those who use them, long after Verve's virtual doors have closed. 😊

I'm not sure what the future will hold, but for now I'm looking forward to a little sipping, relaxing and repeating this summer. Just like this final card for the Spring/Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop.  I'm an Americana girl through and through, so have been super inspired seeing all the red, white and blue creations lately.  I pulled out some Seafarer collection papers for this one and colored the flowers and mug from Living on Coffee with clean color real brush markers and a wink of stella pen.  I fussy cut the cup image, then added the sentiment to the circle die cut.  Some white mats and white gel pen accents finish thing off simply.

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I hope you've enjoyed all my caffeinated creations this week.

I'd love it if you'd hop over to the Verve shop and see if there's anything you'd like to have come and live with you. Everything in the shop (with the exception of the two new limited edition sets) is 55% off.  All sales are final.

Enabler' List
Stamps: Living on Coffee (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Seafarer (Authentique), white
Ink: intense black (Hero Arts), clean color real brush markers (Zig Kuretake), wink of stella glitter pen, white gel pen
Accessories: stitched circles stax (MFT), circle die (spellbinders)

God Bless America

Hi friends! Today I'm sharing a quick little Americana card I made over the weekend. I had some Liberty BoBunny paper scraps still on my desk from making my Thanks a Latte card. I had set these two scraps aside when I was working on that card as they seemed to tell a story. I thought they would make a perfect pairing with the Psalm 147:4 verse from the Shining Star set, so I embossed it on the paper with midnight muse ink and clear embossing powder.

I inked up the sides of the two panels of patterned paper with antique linen and vintage photo, then pulled out a stars embossing folder I picked up for 99 cents at Tuesday Morning last week.  I love all the teeny stars and know I'll be using this one a lot!  I embossed the card base, then added some of the same sponged colors around to continue the vintage look.  For the finishing touch, I added a strip of cardstock across the card with the God Bless America sentiment from American Hero.  I masked the sentiment to stamp it in a single line, then cut a star from some coordinating paper and glued everything together.

I hope you are having a wonderful Monday! We're hosting our annual backyard barbecue with family tomorrow, and the boys are so excited! They're pretty sure the 4th of July means a big starry bowl of red, white and blue skittles and m&m's, so what's not to be excited about? {grin}  And it's supposed to be 102 degrees, so perfect for a dip in the pool with all the cousins after the barbecue!

Verve's Red, White and Blue Sale continues through tomorrow with 25% off all stamps, including the pre-order of our July release!  Woohoo!

Enabler's List
Stamps: Shining Star, American Hero (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Liberty (BoBunny), cream (Neenah)
Ink: midnight muse, real red (SU!), vintage photo, antique linen (Ranger Distress)
Accessories: star embossing folder (Darice)

Thanks a Latte

Hi friends! It's a brand new month and I'm popping in to share a few Verve-y things. {grin}  First off, our Red, White and Blue Sale kicks off today with 25% off all in-stock stamps, dies and sequins through July 4.

Also, starting today you can pre-order the July Release Collection. It includes the three sets and two coordinating die sets in this release. The pre-order price is 25% off and is only available through July 9. So if you love Verve and coffee or tea or Jesus {grin}, reserve yours today! Pre-orders are expected to ship beginning July 10.

One more little bit of news before I move on to my card... we've got THREE amazing guest designers joining us this month.  Hop on over to the Verve Blog today to see who they are! They're rocking some beautiful Verve cards, too, so go take a peek.  I'll wait here. {grin}

Okay, time for the card. I started this card last weekend, fully intending to link it up during the Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop, but I just didn't manage to find a bit of time the entire week to sneak away to my studio and stamp. Isn't that the way some weeks go? So last night after the kiddos FINALLY went to bed, instead of plopping on my bed in exhaustion like I normally do, I decided to head to the studio and spend 30 minutes making a card.

I had this cup from the soon to be releasing Fill My Cup stamped, colored, die cut and glittered already and a bunch of Americana paper scraps on my desk. I remembered the Ways to Use It challenge at Splitcoast this week was to use strips of paper. So I took three strips of patterned paper, taped them together and then cut them with the Stitched Pennants Die Set. I liked the look of it, so continued taping scraps of paper together until I came up with a layout I liked.  I stamped the Thanks a Latte sentiment in early espresso, then sponged all the layers with antique linen and frayed burlap distress ink. I finished off with a twine bow and a teeny tiny rhinestone star.

Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you have a fabulous weekend!

Enabler's List
Stamps: Fill My Cup (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Liberty Collection (BoBunny), cream (Neenah)
Ink: archival black, antique linen and frayed burlap distress (Ranger), early espresso (SU!)
Accessories: Stitched Pennants Die Set, Happiness in a Cup Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), glossy accents (Ranger), linen thread, star rhinestone, glitter

Patriotic Sparkle

Hi friends!  It's the first Monday of a new month and that means it's contest week over at Mojo Monday. Play along for your chance to win a Verve stamp set of your choosing.  We add a winner for every 50 entries, so play along as often as you like. The more the merrier!

The 4th of July is always one of my favorite holidays. I love the red, white and blue and am excited to be hosting our family BBQ for the second year in a row. Should be a fun time for all. The boys are pretty excited for our party... and for the red, white and blue skittles and M&M's they've seen me trying to hide. {grin}

For today's card I used some Liberty designer papers that have been hanging out on my desk and paired them with the Sparkly Dreams stamp set.  I love the butterfly colored in red, white and blue. I cut it with the coordinating Butterfly Dreams Die Set and added a coating of glossy glaze and glitter to make it sparkle.  The sentiment is also from Sparkly Dreams and is cut with the Stitched Pennants Die Set.

I stitched on a layer of vellum to mute my square panel just a bit, and then arranged some pearl star flourishes as if they're bursting from behind the banner.  A bunch of distressed edges and I was finished.

Thanks so much for stopping by today! If you're in the mood for some shopping, today is the last day of Verve's Red, White & Blue Sale. Order over $40 receive 25% off, plus orders over $30 receive free first class US shipping.  This is in addition to our fabulous summer clearance sale prices, so it's an excellent time to grab a few things off your wishlist. Sale ends July 4 at 11:59 PT.

Mojo Monday 455 Sketch

Enabler's List
Stamps: Sparkly Dreams (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Liberty (BoBunny), Cream, vellum
Ink: archival black, distress antique linen and vintage photo (Ranger), Copic markers
Accessories: Butterfly Dreams Die Set, Stitched Pennants Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), star flourishes, glossy glaze, glitter, sewing machine, circle dies

Red White and Blue Coffee

Hi friends! I'm back with another patriotic coffee card for the Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop. Thanks to everyone for the well wishes.  I seemed to fare better than my boys with the virus, so am back up and running and feeling SOOOO much better!

I started by printing the Three Cheers digital sentiment, then cutting with a stitched circle die and matting with a pinking circle die cut. The coffee cup from Coffee Helps is stamped, then colored with Copic markers and cut with the coordinating Cup for All Seasons Die Set. Next I stamped the steam from the Coffee set, embossing it in white on vellum, then hand cutting to tuck in a small slit I cut in the coffee cup.

The background of the card is done with three strips of designer paper, edged with distress ink and layered onto crumb cake cardstock. I wrapped a bit of red striped ribbon around the middle, then accented with my sentiment circle.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I hope you found a little inspiration here.

Enabler's List
Stamps: Coffee Helps, Coffee, Three Cheers Digital Set (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Liberty (BoBunny), crumb cake, vellum (SU!), cream (Neenah)
Ink: black, Copic markers, Versamark, white gel pen, antique linen and vintage photo distress (Ranger)
Accessories: Cup for All Seasons Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), stitched circles stax (MFT), pinking circles nestabilities (Spellbinder), wide striped ribbon (SU!), white embossing powder