Mother's Day Roses

When I am having creative block, I will often pull out a stamp I love and push myself out of my creative "box". I find CAS (clean and simple) cards a huge challenge so that is the direction I went with this card. I also stepped out of my comfort zone to create an A2 size card - I don't do them often!

I am usually behind on making cards for Birthdays and other special events so I decided to use this gorgeous rose stamp for a Mother's Day card. I am blessed to have both my Mom and my Mother In Law to make cards for so I hope one of them will enjoy this creation. 

 I cut my alcohol marker friendly paper to size, stamped the roses and sentiment and coloured the flowers using Copic markers. 

Next, I found some matching card stock and cut a thin matt to go behind my image and added a few glitter dots to add a bit of sparkle. 

Stamp: Winter Roses Background - Whimsy Stamps

Sentiment - Mother Love (retired) - Whimsy Stamps

Hammermill Digital Cover Stock, Tuxedo Black Memento ink, glitter dots

Copic Markers

Roses - R81 R83 R85 R39

Leaves - G40 G43 G24 G28 

I will be adding this card to the March and April challenge on the Whimsy Stamps and Inspiration Facebook group

Thanks for stopping by! Have an awesome day!

Merry Christmas Friend

I am in Christmas card making mode and finally getting a chance to post this card. I have a few horsey friends on my card giving list so I try to make a few each year. I love the Whimsy Stamps horse drawn by Crissy Armstrong and for this card I have chosen to use Christmas Pony. I used the rubber stamp which I think may be retired but it is available as a digital stamp. 

This is one of the first stamps I bought and I hope it brings one of my horsey friends a smile and some Christmas cheer. 

After stamping with Memento Tuxedo Black on alcohol marker friendly paper I coloured them Copic markers and hand fussy cut them. I found some paper from MME and Carta Bella and created my scene with some die cut snow banks and trees. I added some white glitter snowflakes cut with a punch from white glitter paper in my stash. Next I cut out a pleated circle background and added matching card stock behind it and matching patterned paper and snow flakes to the top of it. 

To create the sentiment, I used three different sentiments, one of them I had to mask off and hope I got things straight and the placement right.

I glued down the stamp, added some ribbon and finished it off with some enamel dots and Star Dust Stickles on the pony's hat. 

Stamp: Christmas Pony - Whimsy Stamps

Sentiment - Mini Every Day and Holiday Mini Sentiments - Whimsy Stamps

Patterned Paper -Farmhouse Christmas - Carta Bella, Comfort and Joy - MME

Hammermill Digital Cover Stock, Tuxedo Black Memento ink, ribbon, glitter paper, tree die - Memory Box, circle die, pleated circle die - Gina Marie Designs, Star Dust Stickles, enamel dots, snowflake - Marvy punch

Copic Markers

Pony  - E23 E57 E29

Skin - E00 E21 E11 

Mane - E30 E31 E43

Clothes -YG61 YG63 YG67 

Bells - Y11 Y15 Y26 

Collar - N4 N5 N8 N10

Hair - E25 E27 E79   

Thanks for stopping by! Have an awesome day!

Birthday Penguin

 For the first time in a very, very long time I have had time to go in to my craft room and just play. I have had some fun card folds I have wanted to try for quite awhile and I finally had time to do one. 

The Double Angles Card has been at the top of my list since I saw the tutorial posted. I also need some cards for my birthday card stash so this was the perfect time to do that as well. 

After stamping with Memento Tuxedo Black ink I coloured this cute gardener with Copic markers and hand fussy cut him leaving a thin white edge. I had made the card base yesterday and used patterned paper from Stampin' Up. I added some sparkly fishtail and turquoise banners to each of the layers. To help him stand out a little better, I cut a white and turquoise circle to mount him on. 

I also added some sparkle with Diamond Stickles to the string for the flowers and a few of the flowers. Lastly I stamped the sentiment and cut it to size. 

Stamp: Penguin Gardener - Whimsy Stamps

Sentiment - Mini Every Day Sentiments - Whimsy Stamps

Patterned Paper - Stampin' Up

Hammermill Digital Cover Stock, Tuxedo Black Memento ink, fish tail banner die - YNS, circle dies, Diamond Stickles 

Copic Markers

Beak and Feet  - Y11 Y15 Y17

Body - N4 N5 N8 N10

Flowers -  Y38 YR16 YR18 Y21 Y35 Y38

Wrappr - BG01 BG05 BG07 BG09 

Leaves - YG01 YG03 G17 G28

Thanks for stopping by! Have an awesome day!

Penguin Winter Wonderland

  I started colouring this stamp last year and didn't quite get it done apparently. 

I have a lot of people on my Christmas card giving list who love penguins so I am glad I could get this one finished for this year's stash. Meet "Penguins Carry The Tree" from Whimsy Stamps. Hopefully one of my family and friend penguin lovers will like this card. 

I coloured these cuties with Copic markers, added some Stickles to the hat, hand fussy cut them and ran a black marker around the edges to get any white I had missed. I kept my design quite simple using some black and red gingham and winter sky paper. Next I cut a stitched snow drift to put behind them and added some die cut snow flakes. Enamel dots and a mini sentiment finish off my card.

Stamp: Penguins Carry The Tree - Whimsy Stamps
Sentiment: Holiday Mini Sentiments - Whimsy Stamps

Patterned Paper: Kringle and Co - PhotoPlay, Winter Playground - Bo Bunny

Hammermill Digital Cover Stock, Tuxedo Black Memento ink, snowflake die - Memory Box, snow drift - Stitched Border Trio - Whimsy Stamps, enamel dots, Star Dust Stickles

Copic and Spectrum Markers

Penguins - BG5 BG7 BG10 CT4 GB5 OR1R24 R27 R37 R59 C1 C2

Tree - G05 G07 G29 E25 E27 E29

Thanks for stopping by! Have an awesome day!

Blue Rose Smile

I coloured this stamp a few months ago and today the design for this beauty popped in to my head.

Roses are my favourite flower and blue is my favourite colour so why not combine my two faves?! I love colouring flowers as they remind me of my Grandma. She used to come and plant our flower beds every spring. We didn't have rose bushes but the types and colours she put together gave us beautiful colours all season long. 

After stamping and colouring these gorgeous roses, I hand fussy cut them leaving a thin white edge. I added a silver foil (so hard to photograph foil!) half circle behind it. I stamped the sentiment directly on the white cardstock and that finishes off my CAS design. 

Card Recipe

Stamp: Winter Roses Background - Whimsy Stamps
Sentiment: Everyday Mini Sentiments - Whimsy Stamps

Hammermill Digital Cover Stock, Tuxedo Black Memento ink, silver foil paper

Copic and Spectrum Markers

Roses - BG01 BG05 BG07 BG09

Leaves - CG4 DG3 JG6

Thanks for stopping by! Have an awesome day!

Polly's Note

I can't believe my time as a guest designer for Krafty Chicks Challenge has come to an end so quickly. I have had so much fun playing along with the weekly challenges and "virtually" meeting this fun, welcoming group of ladies. Thank you everyone for an amazing month! 
My final post for March is for Krafty Chicks Challenge #500 - All Occasion. I am using the oh so adorable Polly from Whimsy Stamps. I can never have too many cards in my stash that I can send so someone knows I am thinking of them. 

I coloured this cutie and the rainbow with alcohol markers, cut her out using a pleated lace die and added her to some matching card stock. I added some star dust Stickles to the flower centre for a touch of bling.
 Next I cut some matching lined paper and used a note book edge die to make it look like it was torn off a note pad. Some gingham and water color wash papers helped my design come together. I stamped and added the sentiment sideways. Some matching ribbon and enamel dots finish off my card. 

Card Recipe 

Stamp: Polly - Whimsy Stamps

Patterned Paper: Wood and Notebook Basics - Simple Stories, Tiny Check and Watercolor Washes - MFT

Tuxedo Black Memento ink, Hammermill digital cover stock, Star Dust Stickles, notebook edge - My Creative Time Dies, ribbon - stash, Pleated Lace rectangle die - Gina Marie Designs, enamel dots - Gina Marie Designs

Copic Markers : E00 E21 E11 B93 B95 B97 E33 E34 E37 E77 RV11 RV32 RV34 C0 C1 C2 YG17 YG63 G99

                                                              

Thanks for stopping by! Have a super fantastic day!

Just Because Dragon

Dreamy Dragon has been in my stamp stash for awhile now and today I am taking a break from Christmas cards to colour this cutie up. I like to colour something completely different when I have creative block, it often helps kick start the creative train. 
I like to have "just because" type cards in my stash to send to friends or family members who may need a little pick me up. 
Dreamy Dragon is so relaxed and peaceful and just makes me smile. I hope he brings a smile to whom ever I end up sending him to as well. 

After colouring the stamp with alcohol markers and Prisma pencils I cut him out using an oval die. I cut a second die for the background and off set it slightly from the main image. I chose patterned paper from Lawn Fawn and inked all the edges with antique linen distress ink to make the layers pop a little. 
I will probably end up mailing this card so my embellishments of ribbon, shaped sprinkles and flowers helped keep my design mailable. 
Twinkle Stickles (hard to see in the photo) were added to the flower centres and the dreamy dots around the dragon. I cut a cloud die and used baby blue ink to create my clouds for the background.

Card Recipe 

Stamp: Dreamy Dragon (digital) - Whimsy Stamps
Sentiment: Everyday Mini Sentiments - Whimsy Stamps
Patterned Paper: Lawn Fawn

Hammermill digital cover stock, Tuxedo Black Memento ink, shape sprinkles - Doodlebug, Big and Little Pierced Chain die - Gina Marie Designs, fishtail banner die - YNS, antique linen distress ink, Baby Blue Memories ink, Twinkle Stickles, Stampin Up ribbon, Quickutz cloud die. 

Spectrum Noir Markers: CT1 CT4 GB5 CG4 DG3 JG6 CG1 CG2 YG3 MB1 MB2 
Prisacolor Premier Pencils: beige, sienna beige, light umber, indigo blue

I hope you have enjoyed my post! Thanks for stopping by! 

Penguin Birthday Wishes

I have a number of people in my life who love penguins and funny how those same people all have a Birthday once a year . 
I love the Penguin Gardener set because it has three different penguins so I can make up cards for my stash using each different stamps. Unfortunately I too have a birthday once a year and as I get older I have a hard time remembering who got which penguin stamp the year before.........sigh............

After stamping and colouring my stamp with alcohol markers I hand fussy cut it leaving a thin white edge. Next I gathered my patterned papers and cut them to size. I added this adorable stamp to a stitched banner just for fun and inked all the paper edges with antique linen distress ink. Some cotton lace ribbon from my stash and sparkly gumdrops finish off my card. 

Card Recipe 

Stamp: Penguin Gardener Clear - Whimsy Stamps
Sentiment: Everyday Moments (retired) - Whimsy Stamps
Patterned Paper: Print Poetry - Stampin' Up

Hammermill digital cover stock, Tuxedo Black Memento ink, cotton lace ribbon - stash, stitched fishtail banner die - YNS, stitched banner die - YNS, sparkly gumdrops - YNS, antique linen distress ink

Spectrum Noir Markers: BG5 BG7 BG10 CG4 DG3 JG6 CG1 DG2 OR1 OR3 B03 TB4 CT1 CT4 GB5

I hope you have enjoyed my post! Thanks for stopping by! 

Penguin Birthday Wishes

I have a lot of friends and family who love penguins so I always need a lot of different Birthday cards ready in my stash.  Penguin Gardener is the perfect set to help me keep my stash filled with cards. The challenge is remembering who got which stamp from year to year!

After colouring these cuties with alcohol markers, I hand fussy cut the stamp leaving a thin white edge. I set it aside and designed my card base with layers of patterned paper from Bo Bunny. Next I cut a circle and pleated circle and added them to a tag just for fun. Some ribbon and a few sparkly gumdrops finish off my card. 

Card Recipe 

Stamp: Penguin Gardener -Whimsy Stamps

Sentiment: Everyday Mini Sentiments - Whimsy Stamps

Patterned Paper: Petal Lane - Bo Bunny 

Tuxedo Black Memento ink, Hammermill digital cover stock, pleated circle die - Gina Marie Designs, classic circle die - Spellbinders, stitched tag - Tutti Designs, sparkly gumdrops - YNS

Spectrum Noir Markers: GB5 CT4 CT2 BG5 BG7 BG10 CG4 DG3 JG6 TN1 EB1 CG1 DG2 YG3 AP1 AP2 AP3 CCT1 CT2 B02

                                                              

Thanks for stopping by! Have a super fantastic day!

Best Friends

This stamp drawn by the talented Crissy Armstrong has been on my wish list for forever so when it came out as a digital stamp I knew I needed to get it off my wish list once and for all. 
There is something about this stamp.......for me there are no words. I find it so calming - maybe it's because it reminds me and my horse and the relationship we had. This stamp just makes my heart happy and I am glad I finally had time to colour it up. 

I printed the stamp to the size I wanted and then coloured it with alcohol markers and Prismacolor pencils. I wanted to do a simple design to keep the focus on this gorgeous stamp. Paper from Simple Stories and Echo Park were perfect. A simple heart banner, cotton lace, wood horseshoe and gumdrops were the perfect pieces to finish off my card. 
I decided not to include a sentiment on the front and will include it on the inside when I decide what event I will give it for. 

Card Recipe 

Stamp: Best Of Friends Girl - Digital - Whimsy Stamps

Spectrum Noir Markers: FS9 GB1 GY1 GY4 EB1 MB2 AP3 CG4 DG2 JG6

Copics:  E00 E11 RV11 RV32
Prismacolor Pencils: Beige, Beige Sienna, Dark Brown 

I hope you have enjoyed my post! Thanks for stopping by! 

Healing Hugs

Let's face it - Cancer sucks! I have too many friends and family who have battled and continue to battle this nasty disease. 
My friend and artist for Whimsy Stamps Crissy Armstrong drew "Penguin Ray" in honour of her brother who is fighting cancer. All proceeds from the sale of the stamp go to support Make A Wish Canada, a cause near and dear to Ray's heart. 
I will never understand why the good people of the world get touched by this disease but to my friends and family who have fought and won and to those that continue to fight you truly are my hero's. 

After printing my digital stamp and colouring it with alcohol markers I hand fussy cut it leaving a thin white edge. I added a heart to his bandage just for fun. 
 I set the stamp aside and decided on my card size. Next I cut a heart shape and laid it on the white base. Stampin' Up inks were perfect to do some ink blending in my heart to create a background for Penguin Ray. The sentiment is retired but I felt like it was appropriate for my card. Some matching gumdrops finish off my card. 

Card Recipe 

Stamp: Penguin Ray - digital - Whimsy Stamps

Sentiment: Everyday Moments (retired) - Whimsy Stamps

Spectrum Noir Markers: BG5 BG7 BG10 CT1 CT4 GB5 PP1 PP3 LY1 LY3
Copics:  B00 B01 B02 B18 

I hope you have enjoyed my post! Thanks for stopping by! 

Winter Roses Birthday

I am so excited to finally have time to colour some flowers! It has decided to be winter where I live - it supposed to feel like -30 by the morning and it's snowing so it is a perfect day to pull out my Prismacolor pencils and colour some winter roses. Roses are my favourite flower and just make me happy!

I need some Birthday cards so my colouring practice is perfect to make a few cards to add to my stash. You can never have too many on hand! 

I started by colouring my flowers with Prismacolour Premium Pencils and then hand fussy cut them leaving a thin white edge. 

I chose my patterned papers and cardstocks and cut them to the size I needed. Both of these cards are 5.5" x 5.5". Next I roughly placed where the flower would go on my layout and cut a circle and oval shape. My Misti was perfect for placing my sentiments in the perfect spots! 

Some pearls and enamel dots finish off my cards. 

Card Recipes

Stamp: Winter Roses Background - Whimsy Stamps

Sentiments: Everyday Mini Moments, Every Day Moments (retired) - Whimsy Stamps

Patterned Paper: Lullaby - Pebbles, Wood and Notebook - Simple Stories

Enamel dots - Gina Marie Designs, Pearls - Recollections, circle and oval dies - Spellbinders 

Prismacolor Pencils:Yellowed and Spanish Orange, Sunburst and Canary Yellow, White, Olive, Apple and Spring Green, Chartruse, Henna, Clay Rose, Blush Pink Deco Peach, White, Prussian, Kelly and Apple Green

I hope you have enjoyed my post today. Thanks for stopping by! 

Pumpkin Smiles

Fall is my favourite time of year. The cooler temperatures, cozy sweaters and the colours of the leaves changing are some of my favourite things about this season. 
The "A Girl and Her Pumpkin" digital stamp by Crissy Armstrong is perfect for your fall/Thanksgiving cards and this month's new Anything Goes challenge. 

After printing and colouring my stamp with alcohol markers and Prisma pencil, I cut her out with a rectangle die. I added her to some papers from two different digital paper collections (links below) as well as one small piece of matching traditional paper. The sentiment is a word die, but I decided to use the "negative" of the die for something different and fun. Some cotton lace ribbon and enamel dots finish off my card. 

Card Recipe

Stamp: A Girl and Her Pumpkin - Whimsy Stamps

Sentiment: Word Dies Set - Smile Happy and Celebrate- Whimsy Stamps

Patterned Paper: Rainbow Polka Dots, Stripe Digital Papers - Whimsy Stamps

Hand Stitched Nested Rectangles die - Whimsy Stamps

Cotton Lace Ribbon, Enamel Dots

Spectrum Noir Markers:  FS1 FS4 TN2 TN4 TB8 BT9 TB9 EB3 EB6 EB5 GY1 GB1 GY4 DG2 DG3 JG6 DG3 CT1 CT2 GB5 OR1 CR7  

Primsacolor pencil: Pumpkin Orange, Diaxazine Purple Hue 

Don't forget to join this month's challenge on the Whimsy Stamps and Inspiration Facebook page - we can't wait to see your creations! 

Thanks for stopping! Have a fantastic crafty day! 

Christmas Cheer

How cute is this scruffy cat!? I love his hat! and this new release digital stamp sure makes it easy to keep making Christmas cards! Add it to some of the new Christmas Red Gold and Green digital paper and voila! Another Christmas card done! 

I coloured this cutie with alcohol markers and hand fussy cut him leaving a thin white edge. Next I took a white gel pen and added some polka dots to his fun Christmas hat! I decided to use the scribble and circles stars frame chipboard and added some glitter snow to it just for fun (hard to see how sparkly this is in real life in the picture). I added some glitter snow to my chipboard sentiment as well. Some gumdrops and ribbon finish off my card. 

Card Recipe

Stamp: Scruffy Cat - Whimsy Stamps

Sentiment: Christmas Adapt-A-Word Chipboard - Whimsy Stamps

Patterned Paper: Christmas Red Gold and Green digital paper - Whimsy Stamps

White Gel Pen, fish tail banner die, build a banner die, Stardust Stickles, ribbon, gumdrops

Spectrum Noir Markers:  CT1 CT4 YG4 PP1 PP3 PP5 IG1 IG2 CR7 CR11 DR6 CG4 DG3 JG6
Primsacolor pencil: 50% Cool Grey

Thanks for stopping! Have a fantastic crafty day! 

Rocking Horse Christmas

I am a horse lover through and through and I have a lot of horse loving friends. I try to use a different stamp every year for my horsey Christmas cards and this "Rocking Horse" digital stamp from Whimsy is perfect for one of the cards I need for this year. 
I decided to make this one with an acetate front for something different. 

After printing and colouring my stamp with alcohol markers and a prisma pencil, I hand fussy cut it and went around the edge with a black marker to cover any white I had missed. It is hard to see in the photo but I added a clear sparkle pen to the bow. 
Next I cut my card base, cardstock and gorgeous patterned paper from the Winter's Magic Blue digital paper pack. I cut it to fit the inside and then held my breath and stamped my sentiments using my Misti. The "and" sign in between my sentiments is added with a black marker. 
I used a stitched border trio die to cut my snow banks and added a few die cut trees. 
Some sparkly ribbon and gum drops finish off my card.

Card Recipe

Stamp: Rocking Horse - Whimsy Stamps

Sentiment: Holiday Mini Sentiments - Whimsy Stamps

Patterned Paper: Winter's Magic Blue Digital Paper - Whimsy Stamps

Stitched Border Trio die - Whimsy Stamps

Galena ribbon, gumdrops, Spectrum Noir Clear Sparkle Pen

Spectrum Noir Markers:  MB1 MB3 EB3 EB6 EB5 IG2 IG3 IG6 RB1 RB3 RB4 
Copics: B04 B06 B18
Primsacolor pencil: Sandbar Brown

Thanks for stopping! Have a fantastic crafty day! 

Where Your Acorns Are

This new release "So Nuts About Home" digital stamp just cracks me up! There is an amazing line up of gorgeous new stamps and paper this month but when I saw this cutie I had to colour him up first! 

I seriously don't think he could fit one more acorn in his mouth do you?! 

After colouring up this stamp - chuckling the whole time I might add - I cut it out using a dotted rectangle die. I wanted to keep my layout and papers quite simple but tried to keep the "homey" feel and keep the focus on this fun stamp.

The sentiment was designed on my computer - I couldn't help myself - this saying was going through my head the whole time I was working with this stamp!

 Some lace ribbon and enamel dots finish off my card. 

Card Recipe

Stamp: So Nuts About Home - Whimsy Stamps

Patterned Paper- Carta Bella, sentiment - computer, dotted rectangle die, ribbon - stash, enamel dots

Spectrum Noir Markers:  BG5 BG7 BG10 TN3 TN4 TN6 TN7 CG1 DG2 DG4 MB1 MB3 MB4 TN1 EB1 EB2 RB1 RB2 RB3 RB4 CT2 GB5 OR1 OR2 CT4

Thanks for stopping! Have a fantastic crafty day! 

Bubble Your Troubles Away

I don't know about anyone else but sometimes I just "need" a bubble bath. It gives me some time to put my brain in neutral and just relax. 
My favourite bubble bath was called "Chocolate Fudge Sundae". Unfortunately the don't make it any more but it made the whole upper floor of my house smell like chocolate! Heaven right?! 

My card features "Penguin Bubble Bath" digital stamp by the talented Crissy Armstrong. I love Crissy's penguins and this one sure brought back some wonderful memories of chocolate bubble baths and relaxation! 

I coloured up this fun stamp with alcohol markers and cut it out with a label die. I added a fun polka dot pattern to her shower cap just for fun!  I wanted to keep my design quite simple and I tried to keep my colours "calming". The bubbles are coloured with a sparkle maker (hard to see in the photo) so they are all quite sparkly in real life. 

The sentiment was created on my computer and cut out with a classic circle die. A few vines, flower and gumdrops finish off my card.  

Card Recipe

Stamp: Penguin Bubble Bath - Whimsy Stamps

Patterned Paper- Lawn Fawn, Pebbles, gumdrops, vines die - Whimsy stamps (retired), white gel pen, classic circle die - Spellbinders, label one die - Spellbinders, Moonstone Spectrum Sparkle marker, flower - stash

Spectrum Noir Markers:  BG5 BG7 BG10 CT1 CT3 CT4 IG1 IG2 IG6 CR8 CR11 DR7 AP1 AP3 AP2

Thanks for stopping! Have a fantastic crafty day!