A few TSOL cards!

March has been a busy month!  As the beginning of a new month approaches and I am working on cards for the next TSOL release, I suddenly realized that I still have cards that I uploaded to the gallery but never shared on my blog, so today I'm sharing a few.  You can find pictures of the stamp sets and info on club membership on the {stamps} of Life website.

The first two cards I'm sharing feature cake2build and its companion set,  numbers4cake.  I love the versatility of these sets, great for birthdays or anniversaries.  They're fun to mix and match, and they can be either colored or paper-pieced.

It is going to be a gray, stormy day in Florida, so my next card will hopefully bring some sunshine to an otherwise dreary day!  I love this verse from Praise4Him, and sometimes I do need reminding!  I am so blessed to have a Bible study full of godly women who encourage me when I get down or weary!  I love spending time in their company, and that's where I'm off to this morning!

Have a blessed day!

Expecting a Package?

Here's a fun Kraftin' Kimmie card for this week's CPS sketch #211.  This is Caroline!  Isn't she a darlin'?!  Such a fun, punny sentiment, too, especially for us stampers who always seem to be stalkin' the mail man or Mr. Brown!

I paper-pieced her apparel, trimming it so that it looks long-sleeved and layered.  I shaded the robe, and then colored and shaded the gown "underneath" with Copic markers.  Such a fun image to color, really great for practicing skin tones and hair.  She makes me laugh as I remember looking just like this right before I had Matthew, who weighed 10 lb 4 oz at birth!

Notes:
Kraftin' Kimmie's Caroline
Basic Grey Hopscotch designer paper
Memento ink
Copic markers
American Crafts ribbon

I hope you'll play along with this week's sketch so you will have a chance at the prize Kraftin' Kimmie is providing!

Thank You, Spellbinders!

The Gina K design team would like to welcome you to this special "thank you, Spellbinders" blog hop!  Recently Spellbinders gave each member of our team the amazing new Grand Calibur....what an exciting gift!  We each love having this "Cadillac" of the die cutting machines to use for our projects and want to show our appreciation by sharing some projects that showcase the features of this fabulous tool!

You should have arrived here from the amazing Colleen Schaan's!

As I have mentioned before, the Grand Calibur makes die-cutting a breeze because it makes such clean cuts and beautifully embossed details!  I love that it will cut multiple shapes in one pass or, using the larger dies, cut a unique shape for a card that transcends the standard A2!  It's not only great for those special cards...those qualities make it great for batch card-making or special occasions, but it is great for a CAS "everyday" card too!

For today's card, I used one of the beautiful impressabilities to emboss a subtle background on a layer of ivory card stock.  I inked the edges with distress ink and popped it up on dimensional foam on a black onyx card base, adding a favorite sentiment from Nina's Elegant Verses and a beautiful bird from the current StampTV kit, Springtime Silhouettes.  I used a long rectangle to cut and emboss the sentiment, inking it before removing it from the die.  I love the simple yet elegant look of that clean border!  A bow of sheer, gold-edged black ribbon provides the only embellishment.  I kept trying to add pearl or rhinestone swirls, flowers, etc., but in this case, less was truly more and so I left it as is.

Notes:
Pure Luxury card stock in ivory and  black onyx
Elegant Verses
Springtime Silhouettes
Memento Tuxedo Black ink
Tim Holtz tea dye distress ink
Spellbinders' Impressabilities
Spellbinders' Nestabilities long rectangle
gold-edged black ribbon
pop dots

And now you're headed to the talented Emily's!

Copics + Fun Folds

I'm very excited (and just a little nervous) to be teaching some beginner Copic classes at A Small Cleverness in Orange Park. Their previous Copic classes were taught by the amazing Asela Hopkins...I'm grateful for Asela's encouragement and approval as I embark on this new adventure!  It won't be my first time teaching (I was a SU demo for a while, and have taught classes at Priceless Scrapbooks in Ocala) but it is my first class locally in several years!  I'm very humbled to be following in Asela's footsteps!  I know my style of art and instruction will be a bit different than hers, but I am excited to share what I love about this amazing hobby and am really looking forward to getting this first class under my belt!

This class (Tuesday morning at 10:30) is intended for Copic artists of varying skill levels from the novice who wants to learn what the rage is all about, to the experienced Copic artist who wants to add a few quick cards with fun folds to their stash.

I would not normally start with reds, but these Jenni Bowlin papers looked so cute with the Hero Arts' Sew Artsy stamp set Donna ordered for me to use for the class!  Those little pincushion "strawberries" are traditionally red, so I couldn't resist!  We will be adding some genuine quilter's pins and dressmaker's snaps to the designs to "dress them up" a bit!  (sorry, couldn't resist the pun either!)  We may even play with a few other images from the set to work on some blending skills.

If you are a local to the Jacksonville area, I hope you'll consider joining us! Contact Donna to find out more information and to reserve your spot in the class!

A Small Cleverness

868 Blanding Blvd. #113

Orange Park, FL 32065

904-272-0503

Donna's email

CSS Blog Hop!

It's time for another GinaK Designs Centerstage Spotlight blog hop!  Melissa gave us a great sketch to start from, and I just know there is gonna be lots of fabulous eye candy!

You should have arrived from Cheri's...if you missed the start, hop to the StampTV forum to catch the beginning.

My card is kinda simple and frou frou all at once!  I turned the sketch to portrait orientation, adding several layers of punched "waves" and tucking the whale from Asela's Make a Splash between them.  Couldn't catch the spray's sparkle in this photo!  A white satin bow adds a little interest to this sea of Ocean Mist Pure Luxury card stock.

Notes:
Make a Splash
Ocean Mist Pure Luxury card stock
Memento ink
Copic markers
satin ribbon

Enjoy visiting Geri's blog next!  Can't wait to see what she has in store for us!

OCL Sketch Challenge

There's a brand new sketch today on the OCL blog, based on a card by my friend Kisa.  It looked like the perfect opportunity to use a new Spellbinders banner basics 2 die and gorgeous new Graphic 45 designer paper!

Notes:
OCL Showers of Blossoms, Hoppin' into Spring (sentiment)
Graphic 45 Le Cirque designer paper
Memento ink
Copic markers
Tim Holtz tea dye distress ink
gold ribbon
button
Spellbinders large and small rectangles, petite ovals, and banner basics 2
Kaiser Craft pearls

I hope you'll join in the challenge!  Visit the OCL blog for the details!

Lizzie Anne, Play Date Cafe and CPS!

The Lizzie Anne design team is playin' Play Date Cafe today!  Take a look at the beautiful photo that inspired this week's colors!


My first thought when I saw this photo was this Basic Grey designer paper from a class I taught at Priceless Scrapbooks in Ocala last Fall.  Of course, I had to turn my studio upside down looking for a scrap of it!  ;)  The proportions of the colors are a little different in the paper and on my card than the inspiration photo, but they are definitely the right colors!

This is a shameless CASE of a card made by Anya for our recent design team challenge.  I combined her trio of sweet baby shoes from Follow Your Dreams  with today's PDC colors and this week's CPS sketch.  I really wanted to put a big frou frou bow somewhere, but decided to leave it simple after all and put teeny buttons and bows instead.  Even though it is blue, it is pretty girlie, don't you think?!

Notes:

Lizzie Anne Designs Follow Your Dreams
Bazill card stock

Designer paper:  Basic Grey designer paper

Memento ink, Tim Holtz tea dye distress ink

Copic markers

PTI twine

buttons, paper piercer, corner rounder

I hope you'll play along with us!  For even more inspiration, visit Play Date Cafe and the Lizzie Anne blog!  Be sure to visit the Lizzie Anne store, because everything in the overstock section of our website is on sale 40% off through Sunday!

Gina K's Springtime Silhouettes

Today our Gina K design team is sharing cards with the final set of this release, the StampTV kit, Springtime Silhouettes.  The double-sized stamp set in the kit comes with Pure Luxury card stock, ribbon, brads and exclusive patterned paper that coordinate with each other...that makes creating easy!

For today's card, instead of using the kit papers, I used some scraps of designer paper left over from a long-ago project...I could not wait to ink up this dress form, and wanted to create a vintage card with lots of sewing paraphernalia on it.  I really love the way it turned out!  There are scraps of ric rac,  lace, tape-measure ribbon, satin and tulle along with some snaps, pearls, a safety pin and a few pearl hat pins tucked into a store-bought rolled ribbon flower.  The paper is torn and inked and distressed, so it really does look like something out of grandma's trunk in the attic.

If my sewing machine would behave, I certainly would have included some stitching on this card, but something is wrong with the bobbin tension so I didn't dare.  Still haven't made it in to the shop with it, but it needs to go right away!

Notes:
Springtime Silhouettes
Pure Luxury card stock in ivory, chocolate brown, and kraft
Memento ink
Tim Holtz tea dye distress ink
scraps of designer paper, lace, tulle, ribbon, ric rac
purchased rolled ribbon flower
hat pins
strand of pearls
MM safety pins
idea-ology snaps
edge punch

Here are more inspirational projects using this set and/or the StampTV kit.

• Gina K
• AJ Otto
• Carolina Buchting
• Cathy Tidwell
• Deb Felts
• Donna Baker
• Emily Giovanni
• Giovana Smith
• Janice Whiting
• Jennie Harper
• Lee Murphy
• Melanie Muenchinger
• Michelle Woerner
• Nina Brackett
• Sharon Harnist
• Suzanne Dean
• Tami Mayberry
• Theresa Momber
• Tina Gilliland
• Valerie Stangle
• Vicki Dutcher

Three More GKD Sets!

Today we're showing projects with three more recently released Gina K sets: Perfect Pennants, Cute as a Bug, and Lovely Labels 3.

I combined Tami's Perfect Pennants and Rupa's Cute as a Bug to make a simple, sweet gift and accompanying card.  I cannot wait to have the Spellbinders' pennants die to match Tami's set!  Since it is straight edges, it isn't difficult to cut, but I miss the nice embossed edges!

Notes:
Pure Luxury card stock in white and black onyx
Perfect Pennants
Cute as a Bug
Bring the Bling (for those three little dots!)
Kaiser Craft designer paper
jar of honey (from Whole Foods)
Memento ink
Tim Holtz tea dye distress ink
Copic markers
Nestabilities classic circles
organza ribbon

This masculine card made with Nina's Lovely Labels 3 is one that would work for a variety of occasions...birthday, anniversary, promotion, etc!  That gorgeous timepiece in the lower left corner inspired the entire card, made for Colleen's Make Mine Metal challenge using Nina's Lovely Labels 3!  If you were at the release party or if you've visited StampTV lately, you may have seen it already.  I love the vintage look of this stamp set, and was pleased with the way the paper and embellishments carried the clock theme throughout for this masculine card.  Again, I cannot wait for arrival of the dies to accompany this stamp!  Having to hand-cut surely makes you appreciate the ease and beauty of Spellbinders!  Mine should be arriving very soon!

Notes:

Pure Luxury card stock in white

BoBunny designer paper

Memento ink

Tim Holtz tea dye distress ink

Nestabilities Labels 2, petite ovals

grosgrain ribbon

pearls

paper piercer

Tim Holtz metal watch face and game spinner

Visit these artists to see more projects with these sets!

• Gina K  
• Nina Brackett
• Sharon Harnist
• Suzanne Dean
• Tami Mayberry
• Tina Gilliland  
• Theresa Momber
• Vicki Dutcher
• AJ Otto
• Carolina Buchting
• Cathy Tidwell
• Colleen Schaan
• Deb Felts
• Donna Baker
• Emily Giovanni
• Giovana Smith
• Janice Whiting
• Jennie Harper
• Lee Murphy
• Melanie Muenchinger
• Michelle Woerner

OCL Challenge!

There is still time to submit a card for this week's Our Craft Lounge challenge! This week's theme is CAS + embossing.  Your choice of either heat or dry embossing, so either way it is a quick card!

For mine, I used Our Craft Lounge's Showers of Blossoms stamp set.  I stamped, cut and colored the image  from a scrap using Memento ink, and Copic markers, then popped it up on foam dots over an embossed panel.   The twinkle ribbon bow, tied with the bow easy, is intended to mimic a fluffy bunny tail.  If I had had any sugar white sparkly fluff, I would have fuzzed up the tail of that cute little cottontail!

There's no love like a mother's, and since this looks like a momma bunny and her wee bunny babies, I used the love sentiment from OCL's Oriental Garden.  In fact, this would make a sweet, non-traditional Mother's Day card, wouldn't it?!

More Gina K Inspiration!

We're sharing cards with three more newly released sets, and I know you're gonna be inspired by all the great designs our GKD design team has come up with!  These girls always amaze me!

My first card uses Theresa's new set, Warm with Love!  I was so excited to see this lovely iris image...growing up, our neighbor (and my friend's mom!) was named Iris, so these flowers always bring back warm, wonderful memories!

Notes:  
Pure Luxury card stock in green apple, lemon drop, and ivory
Warm with Love
Memento ink
Tim Holtz tea dye distress ink
Copic markers
Nestabilities classic ovals, fancy tags
Cuttlebug embossing folder
Ultrafine black Flower Soft
Corner notch punch
Pearls (colored with a Copic marker)

Here's Melanie's Bring the Bling!  Hopefully this photo shows the "peek through the window" design, which shows only the framed stem and leaves from the layer below when the card is closed.  There's another flower stamped inside visible only when the card is opened.

Notes:
Pure Luxury card stock in lemon drop, lovely lavender and ivory
GKD designer paper
Bring the Bling
sentiment from Springtime Silhouettes
Nestabilities classic ovals
organza ribbon
pearls

My final card is  made with Asela's adorable set, Make a Splash!  I just adore these darling sea creatures, perfect for a fun summer card!  I had so much fun coloring this smiling octopus!

Notes:

Pure Luxury card stock in white and sweet mango

Make a Splash

Memento ink

Copic markers

silk ribbon

rhinestones and pearls

small metal rimmed tag

Here are the girls sharing cards today:

• Gina K
• Lee Murphy
• Melanie Muenchinger
• Michelle Woerner
• Nina Brackett
• Sharon Harnist
• Theresa Momber
• Tina Gilliland
• Valerie Stangle
• Vicki Dutcher
• AJ Otto
• Asela Hopkins
• Carolina Buchting
• Cathy Tidwell
• Deb Felts
• Emily Giovanni
• Giovana Smith
• Janice Whiting
• Jennie Harper

Gina K's March Release!

Welcome to Day 1 of Gina K's March Release! We're doing things a bit differently this month!  Usually we spend a few days previewing stamps before the release, but we partied last night for StampTV's 2nd anniversary, so everything you see over the next few days is already "live" and available in the store!  Our team will be sharing some of the cards we created for the release in a series of blog hops.  The first is today featuring Celebrate in Style and Stenciled Silhouettes, and there'll be more on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday next week.

I am in LOVE with this adorable little duet!  Isn't this dress form absolutely darling?  I have always been a girlie girl, but living with my two fellas (dh Patrick, and ds Matthew Patrick who is now 17) sometimes makes me crave something soft and frilly!  I could not resist making a totally frou frou card, complete with tulle, butterfly lace, roses, ribbon "leaves" and lots of bling!

Celebrate in Style is a very special StampTV anniversary stamp set that is free with any purchase over $35 for the entire month!

Notes:
Pure Luxury card stock Spring assortment
Celebrate in Style
Memento ink
Copic markers
Basic Grey Kioshi designer paper
Nestabilities labels 10, long rectangles
pearls
border punch

My next card features Stenciled Silhouettes, and was made for the challenge that I'm hosting on StampTV.  It is a "Give it Up" challenge, inspired by the Lenten practice of giving something up in order to grow spiritually.  Give up your "go to" supplies in order to stretch your stamping skills!  I gave up my favorite go to combination of Memento ink and Copic markers, as well as patterned paper and Spellbinders to make this card!  To stretch my skills I used a chalkboard technique aka Black Magic.  My friend, Winter CHA roommate, and new Dirty Girl Wendy Weixler wrote the tutorial on SCS, and I thought it would be fun to try with Stenciled Silhouettes, which is our Free with Three for this release.  Wendy is also hosting today's SCS Friday Free4All, "How Does Your Garden Grow?," so I'm uploading my card there too!

Notes:  

Pure Luxury card stock in black onyx and passionate pink

Stenciled Silhouettes

Cuttlebug herringbone embossing folder 

White ink

Colored pencils

ribbon

rhinestones

For even more samples of these new sets, please visit each of the GKD Design Team blogs listed below and leave a comment. The more blogs you comment on, the more chances you have of winning! Tomorrow, Gina will announce on her blog the randomly chosen winners who will each win one of these fabulous new stamp sets!

• Gina K
• Giovana Smith
• Janice Whiting
• Jennie Harper
• Lee Murphy
• Melanie Muenchinger
• Michelle Woerner
• Sharon Harnist
• Theresa Momber
• Tina Gilliland
• Valerie Stangle
• Vicki Dutcher
• AJ Otto
• Carolina Buchting
• Cathy Tidwell
• Colleen Schaan
• Emily Giovanni

Lizzie Anne DT Challenge!

Today our Lizzie Anne Designs girls are sharing baby cards!  Some are even inspired by the gorgeous Pottery Barn Kids catalog!

This sweet sentiment and darling baby Mary Janes are from our newly released mix, Follow Your Dreams.  My card was inspired by this beautiful Pottery Barn nursery.  The layout is Karen Giron's, from her Sweet Sunday Sketch.

Notes:
Follow Your Dreams
Memento ink
Copic markers
Prima Sparkling Spring
Nestabilities classic circles
Nestabilities labels 14
scrap of hand-dyed Tim Holtz trimmings
Tim Holtz tattered rose distress ink
button
jute thread

Be sure to visit the Lizzie Anne blog to find links to the rest of our designers' projects!