I've been long, a long way from here...put on a poncho, played for mosquitos, and drank 'til I was thirsty again...

Happy Wednesday, y'all! I have the pleasure of being in the Designer Spotlight this month for the Simon Says Stamp store, and they have some amazing things going on including a huge new STAMPtember™ release of fabulous stamps and dies! You can see them all HERE.

Simon Says Stamp was founded in 2002 with an interest in exclusively selling rubber stamps. It didn’t take long until we realized we couldn’t stop there. Over the past 10 years we celebrate rubber stamping in its full glory by giving access to people around the world to a one stop shop. Rubber stamps still remain the heart of our business and we are celebrating by hosting a STAMPtember™ event intended to inspire, educate, and celebrate the greatness of rubber stamping. Part of the enticement of rubber stamping is that stamps can be used in creating or complementing ANYTHING! From stamping dates on bank documents and postage parcels in the early 18th century, rubber stamping has dramatically expanded to include card making, scrapbooking, mixed media and many forms of altering and expressing art.

We are kicking off the STAMPtember™ festivities with a Design Team Blog Hop! The hop starts at the Simon Says Stamp Blog, and you also have a chance along the way to win a shopping spree! Check out the details at the end of my post.
For our challenge this week, we are asking you to Put a STAMP On It (you must use a stamp somewhere on your cards/creations NO DIGI'S allowed this week!)
  I am celebrating STAMPtember™ with, of course, a handmade, stamped card!

The focal image was cut with the All Occasion Label Die from Wplus9 and the sentiment is from the Shoot for the Stars clear set. I added some Teal Stripe Washi Tape down the side, and an orange panel embossed with the Seeing Spots embossing folder. The smiley faces are from the same stamp set, stamped in yellow ink on gray cardstock. Here's a closeup:

The finishing touch is a few self-adhesive rhinestones from my stash. THOSE make me happy!

Now...for the fun stuff...some prizes! Each of my teammates has a special handmade work of art to share with you and also more prizes along the way! Also, if you play along with the Put a STAMP On It! Challenge, you could be the lucky winner of our GRAND PRIZE $100 Simon Shopping Spree!

In order to be eligible for any of the prizes you must complete the hop, leaving comments at all the blogs along the way AND enter the challenge. You can do it! We will announce the winners as soon as possible after the hop finishes at 8am EST on Wednesday, September 12th.

Thanks so much for stopping by today...next on the hop is Sarah, and I know she has something gorgeous for you.  Have a fabulous week!

Just shoot for the stars, if it feels right, then aim for my heart...

Happy Monday, y'all! It's my day to post on The Twinery Blog today, and I thought I'd share with you here as well! Today is our first day of school down here in Texas, and I wanted to make a card for Colton (who no longer wants to be known as Cole), my big 4th grader, to find in his binder tomorrow.
I thought some Charcoal Twine would be pretty adorable as shoelaces, so I cut some gray panels trimmed in black and punched holes for the laces. A half circle works as the toe, and I added some stars on the sides and a cute little sentiment from the Shoot for the Stars set from Simon Says Stamp.  
And a look at the inside:

The stars were stamped in Neon Orange ink from Hero Arts, and the sentiment in Versafine Onyx Black over the top. I hope this made his day!!

NOW. I need you to settle an argument around here. The boys thought this looked nothing like a shoe, and said it looks like R2D2 upside down, wearing a vest. I need your thoughts! I told them I would take a poll and see what y'all said. *grin*

 

Thanks for stopping by today, and I hope you have a fabulous Monday!

And any time you feel the pain, hey Jude, refrain...don't carry the world upon your shoulders...

Happy Friday, y'all! How have y'all been? We have been running crazy getting ready to go back to school in a week...not like I'm counting. *wink*

I have a few more cards to share with you from the Dare to Get Dirty Challenges. This one features the new Strawberry Twine, Text Objects background stamp from Verve, and a cute little stamp set and papers from Basic Grey.
A closer look:
Next up is a clean and simple card with more Verve stamps:
I used two of the flowers from Abundant Blessings in bright colors, then stamped the sentiment from Fabulous You in black Versafine ink. Then I added some coarse crystal glitter to the flower centers.
Well, that's it for today...thanks so much for stopping by! I'll have more for you soon, I hope you have a great weekend!

Hey Friend Card:

Stamps: Text Objects (Verve), Basic Grey Birdies & Sentiment

Paper: Barely Banana, Basic Black, Kraft, White, Urban Prairie DP from Basic Grey

Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Versamark, Memento Rich Cocoa

Accessories: Strawberry Twine (The Twinery), Circle Punch, Dimensionals, 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon, Black Gel Pen

Fabulous Flowers Card:

Stamps: Abundant Blessings, Fabulous You (Verve)

Paper: White, Regal Rose

Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Memento Rosebud, Daffodil Delight

Accessories: Quickie Glue Pen, Coarse Crystal Glitter

Some day, I'll be living in a big ole' city, and all you're ever gonna be is mean...

Hi Verve fans!  Sorry about the song...it has been stuck in my head for days! *grin*

It's time once again for our monthly Diva Inspirations Hop.  Today's the day you get to hop about and see what fresh ideas our Inspirations team has cooked up with some of our previously released sets!  I know I just love dusting off a neglected set and using it in a new and different way, so I hope you find a little inspiration along the way today!

Plus there's a prize! Iif you leave a little comment love as you hop about to the blogs below, you just might win a $25 gift certificate to Verve!  Sounds like something to put a spring in your step, don't ya think?  Okay, let's have some fun and HOP to it!

	1. Betty	6. Lynda
	2. Jackie	7. Shannan
	3. Jen d.	8. Sony
	4. Jen T.	9. Susan
	5. Julee

Comment deadline for the prize drawing is 8pm Mountain on March 10

Whew! That's a lot to say. Without further blabbing...here's my card:


My grandparents' 65th wedding anniversary was a few days ago, and we' are going up to Joplin for a little family shindig, so I knew I needed a card! I pulled out Love Story and the Lovely Marquee Die, and I chose the little background from Grateful Elegance to stamp on the blue. Everything was stamped in Versamark and heat embossed.


I added a doily and some text from a vintage dictionary, along with my linen thread and lace. The finishing touch was some glitter around the frame. I really hope they like it!

---

So...Julee let us know that, we've extended our Wishing for Spring Sale through April 4!  Be sure to check out all the spring stamps and dies that are on sale for 15% off!

 

Thanks so much for visiting! Next in the hop is the fabulous SONY! Have a great Monday!

Supplies Used:

Love Story by Verve	Grateful Elegance Stamp Set	Lovely Marquee Die	Versamark Watermark Ink	Distress Ink
Jumbo Sponge Dauber by Tsukineko	Detail Clear Embossing Powder from Stampendous	Detail Embossing Powder by Ranger	Zing Embossing Powder	Stampin' Up Cardstock
White Paper Lace Doily	Linen Thread

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So don't be afraid to let them show...your true colors, true colors are beautiful like a rainbow...

Hi, sistahs! Happy Bellariffic Friday! This week's challenge from Stamping Bella was to use Polka Dots...super fun. Did you play along? If you did, don't forget to link your card in the SCS gallery (BELLARIFFIC0812) for a chance to win a 20.00 voucher from Stamping Bella!

This week I colored up another new image...this one is called Painter Meg. Isn't she a cutie?


I stamped her in Memento Black on Bella's Bestest Paper and colored with Copic Markers. Then I sponged the edges of the image with Soft Sky ink...love how it looks here. The sentiment was stamped in Stazon on a strip of vellum and adhered over the image.


The polka dot paper is from Echo Park, but I changed the brown dots to black with a Copic marker. To finish off the image I added some highlights with a white charcoal pencil...love that thing!

So next week is a SKETCH CHALLENGE! Here's the sketch to work with:

All you have to do to play along is create a project with the sketch using Bella Stamps and send your card to Emily (emily@stampingbella.com) by Thursday night! You'll be entered to win some Bella Bucks $$$, and your card will be published on the Bloggabella!  Also, if you upload to your gallery on Splitcoast as well (it's free!) using our keyword (you can find that in our forum HERE) you have two chances to win some BUCKEROONIS! Can't wait to see what everyone comes up with. Don't forget to check out the other goodies posted on Emily's Blog HERE, and post a comment for another chance to win some Bucks. Have a fabulous day!

Painter Meg Stamp	Bella's Bestest Paper	Memento Tuxedo Black Ink	Copic Markers	Stazon Jet Black
Stampin' Up Ink	Kraft Cardstock from Canvas Corp	Stampin' Up Cardstock	A Walk in the Park Collection by Echo Park	Translucent Vellum
Houndstooth Paper Collection	Open Scallop Edger Punch by EK Success	Scor-Tape	Jumbo Sponge Dauber by Tsukineko

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But you'll look sweet upon the seat of a bicycle made for two...

Hey, y'all! I have a few things to catch up on post-wise, and here are a few of them! During the month of January, I was honored to be one of the guest designers for the Splitcoast Color Challenges. My LSS recently started carrying Wplus9 stamps & dies, so I made a few samples for them to display at the Heirloom Stamp Convention a few weeks ago.

I pulled out A Pocketful: Valentine for CC356: Lucky Limeade, Island Indigo, & Basic Gray. Of which I had...Gray. Improv time!



To be totally honest, this isn't one of my favorite cards by a long shot. I think if I had left off the glitter and the lollipops weren't olive green, I'd feel better about it. But the stamp set and dies did sell out the first day of the convention. So I guess somebody liked it!

This week's challenge (CC360) was White, Island Indigo, & Pool Party. Of which I have...white. *giggle* I inked up Love You More for this one because the dessert option for the challenge was using a sentiment as your main image.



I used VersaMagic inks...I love how they look on Kraft. A very Clean and Simple layout, but I think it works for such a fantastic main image.

The last card I created was what happens when I get to sit down and just PLAY. Ever since I played with Love You More, I wanted to layer this image with one of the hearts from Heartfelt Mix. I am LOVING how it turned out!



I cut a piece of thin kraft colored chipboard with the Label Layers 2 Die, then stamped the houndstooth pattern heart in red Versamagic ink right in the middle. Then I stamped the cute line/strand image and the love banner in Versamark and embossed them with white embossing powder. Then I added the Hugs Kisses sentiment inside the banner and embossed with black detail embossing powder. A teensy pink felt heart cut with the Love Notes Die looked too cute in between the words so I added that as well. I wanted the image to look like it was hanging by the heart, so I tied some Caribbean Twine from The Twinery across the strand image, then tied a bow around with Buttercream Twine.

The background layer was stamped with the houndstooth heart image repeatedly, then sponged on the edges with Daffodil Delight. A strip of Echo Park Yours Truly paper was great along the bottom edge, and to finish it off I added a doily spritzed with Chalkboard Glimmer Mist and three heart cutouts.

Well, that's it for me today...I will be back soon with some Bella fun. Until then...have a fabulous day!

A Pocketful: Valentine Stamp Set by Wplus9	Love You More Stamp Set from Wplus9	Heartfelt Mix Stamp Set from Wplus9	Love Notes Die from Wplus9	Hearts & Clouds Die from Wplus9
Label Layers 2 Die from Wplus9	Buttercream Twine from The Twinery	Caribbean Twine from The Twinery	Memento Tuxedo Black Ink	Copic Markers
Detail Embossing Powder by Ranger	Tutti Frutti Two Scoops Cardstock by Bazzill Basics	Versamark Watermark Ink	Glossy Accents	Stickles
Hug Snug Seam Binding	White Paper Lace Doily	Versamagic Turquoise Gem Inkpad by Tsukineko	Versamagic Sea Breeze Inkpad from Tsukineko	Stampin' Up Ink

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