Stampotique Guest Designer - Birds and Bees Card

It's my last week as one of the Stampotique guest designers and I had such a great month! Thank you so much to Stampotique for offering me this spot. It's been a while since I've had time to be creative and this was the perfect reason to get inky. I had a wonderful time! And just a little FYI before I post my final project. I know it's been ages since I've posted on my blog. Almost two years ago I accepted a full-time offer for work and that has made it nearly impossible for me to find the time to create. On top of that, our family is moving yet again (it's a good thing!!) and my entire craft room is packed and will remain packed for a few months. Please feel free to follow me on Instagram (kim.schofield.12) where I'll be sharing sneak peeks into what's going on with us along with a lot of cat photos! :-) I'll be back to crafting and posting as soon as I can!!

On to today's project, which is supposed to feature birds and bees...but my card features butterflies and a place where you'd find birds and bees...that works, right?

I started my card by creating a background using Distress Oxide inks and water. I used a blending tool to apply the color and then spritzed on some water to create some fun texture.

I then used the Thinking of You stamp and Hickory Smoke Distress Ink to repeatably stamp the sentiment over the entire background, making sure to alter the location of the image so it wasn't in a straight line.

My pretty floral image was stamped on Neenah Solor White cardstock and colored with Copic markers. I did add some shimmer to the butterfly wings, but it's tough to see in photos. I ended up not using the sentiment I colored, but using the Love one instead, which was heat embossed on black cardstock using white embossing powders.

I fussy cut the floral image and popped it up on white cardstock for a little dimension. My main image was added to the card front with the sentiment and a few gems.

Thanks again for following along this month and thanks to Stampotique for asking me to be a guest designer. I had a blast! Happy crafting!

Products:

-Springtime stamp

-Where There is Love stamp

-Salutations 2 stamp

-Distress Ink

-Blending Tool

Sweet 'n Sassy Release Day - Music to My Ears

Hello friends, and welcome to this week's Sweet 'n Sassy stamp set release! This week we're showcasing the new Music to My Ears stamp set, you can see the entire set below. This new set includes one large background set, four music related sentiments, and 12 other stamps, including lots of music notes. So many possibilities with this set!

Here are the steps that I took to create my 5" x 5" card...

1. Using VersaMark and black embossing powder, stamp the music background stamp on a piece of 5" x 5" cardstock. (I used Neenah solar white) Be sure to keep the image towards the center as you'll only see the image through the circle cut out.
2. Using Distress Inks, smoosh some ink out on a non-stick craft sheet, and a water coloring brush add color to the background. The embossed areas will resist the inks. Since I wasn't using water color cardstock, I just dropped the ink on to the cardstock and let it spread on its own, which preventing the paper from peeling. Set aside to dry.
3. Using Memento Ink, stamp various images from the Scribble Flowers stamp set on to a piece of scrap cardstock, color with Copics, fussy cut.
4. Using a Spellbinders circle die, cut a large circle out of a piece of 4.75" x 4.75" cardstock, use foam tape to attach to the cardbase.
5. Using a Spellbinders scalloped circle die, with a smaller circle die nested inside the scallop circle, cut a frame out of black cardstock, attach around circle opening.
6. Stamp sentiment on piece of white cardstock, cut out with ribbon cut on one end.
7. Attach sentiment, flowers, and bee using foam tape.
8. Use Glossy Accents and Wink of Steller glitter pen to add some sparkle and shine, see up close photo below.

Thanks for stopping by today, I hope you enjoyed the project! Be sure to check out the Sweet 'n Sassy web site for the newly released products (there's a new die that coordinates with the Scribble Flowers set!) along with the new Christmas stamp sets!

Happy Crafting!

Showers of Blessings

Hi friends!  Sorry I've been so quiet on the blog...Life and running the store have kept me super busy and I haven't had a lot of time for crafting.  **insert sad face**  However, I managed to sneak in a little time over the weekend and enjoyed pulling out out my Sweet 'n Sassy stamps and getting inky!

 

This card features this beautiful image from the Let it Rain set.  It's been too long since this set has seen ink!  (You can purchase the digital file for this set!)  I kept the card layout simple, letting the image take center stage.  I used Echo Park paper, from the new For the Record (Documented) paper collection, for the card and colored the image with Copics.  (pppssttt...have you heard...eP's Copic marker prices are only $5.99....Yippee!)

 

Enjoy!!

To Teach is to Learn

Hi everyone!  I have a card posted on the Sweet Stamp Shop blog today for their cross promo blog hop with Core-dinations and Petaloo!  Prizes involved!  Hop on over to check out all of the details!

 

Love the products used on this card?  You can get them at eclectic Paperie, see links below!

Enjoy!

 

Cherry Blossom Stamp Set

Bit of Burlap Background Stamp

Core-dinations Paper Pad (On Sale!)

Specialty Stamping Paper

Copic Markers

Pumice Stone Distress Ink Pad

Memento Ink Pad - Tuxedo Black

No Petaloo (yet) but we have Maya Road!

Sweet Stamp Stop August Release and Celebration

Welcome to the Sweet Stamp Shop second release day sneak peek!!  I'm so excited to share my projects with the Sweet Stamp images...they are so adorable!!  This 'sweet' image is no exception, isn't this mermaid so cute!?  It's from the new set, Under the Sea, which includes the images shown on my card plus a few more...Can't wait for the full review!

For this card I used the Mini Ringlets stencil from The Crafters Workshop to create the background behind the mermaid (I thought it looked like bubbles!)  I used Distress Inks and a blending tool to add the ink color and then just a hint of silver Stickles for a little bling.  The image was colored with Copic markers and I used a colorless blender, also from Copic, to add a bit of texture to the mermaid's tail.  My cardstock was embossed with Sizzix embossing folders.  Fun stuff!!

 

So what else is on tap for today's blog hop...The opportunity to win a prize package worth $300!!  Check out the Sweet Stamp blog, links listed below, for full prize details.

 

Here's how you can be eligible to be entered into the drawing for the prize:

1. Hop along and comment (with unique comments) on the daily release blog hop - started yesterday.

2. Share our new release with your friends on your favorite social media site (and link or tag or 'tweet' us so we know you did)

3. Grab our blog badge and add some *sweet* support to your blog!

4. If you're not already- Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

 

Now how about visiting the rest of the team's blogs to see their beautiful work:

 

SSSBlog

Emily

Jamie

Kim - You're Here!

Misty

Nicole

Enjoy!!

Supply List: All products, with the exception of cardstock and stamps, from eclectic Paperie.

SALT Challenge - Sheep of His Flock

This week it was Gina's turn to set the SALT challenge and her word was sheep or most specifically the Sheep of His flock. You can read Gina's write up on the SALT blog. Throughout Scripture, there are numerous references to Jesus being the Good Shepherd and those who trust in Him as the sheep. I love the picture that conjures up....In Biblical times (and probably even today), shepherding was serious work. A shepherd had to watch over the flock to ensure that none of them were lost or dragged away by predators. It's almost like a parent would watch over a child. In this way, we see that Christ watches over those that follow Him, loving them, caring for them, and protecting them. I choose John 10:27 as my verse this week and it reads, "My sheep hear My voice and I know them and they follow Me." In Matthew Henry's commentary he writes that Christians "hear Christ's voice; they discern it. They delight in it, are in their element when they are sitting at His feet to hear His word." In the second section about Christ knowing His sheep, Henry points out, "He (being Christ) distinguishes them from others. He knows their wants and desires, knows their souls in adversity, where to find them, and what to do for them." It's more than a casual knowing like we might "know" someone at work. The Good Shepard knows His sheep inside and out. The last part of the verse, follow Me, rings of the gentle command that Christ gave all of His disciples. Henry again states, "they (Christians) follow him; they submit to His guidance by a willing obedience to all His commands. The word of command has always been "follow Me." We must eye Him as our leader and captain, and tread in His steps, and walk as He walked." In an anxious world where it's hard to find trustworthy leaders or sometimes even friends, co-workers, family members, etc., it's good to know that Christ will never leave, will never forsake those He loves. Even if everyone you held dear were to turn against you, Christ would not. There is great comfort in that fact!! This week my project is a small trinket box, created using chipboard squares and a cardstock center. The stamps, which I just adore (aren't they fantastic) are from Cornish Heritage Farms. The sky and ground were colored with Copics and I really love the aged look they give when combined with Stampin' Up!'s Sahara Sand cardstock. A perfect combination with my antique sheep! Enjoy and may you find comfort in the great Shepherd today!

My Stint as A Minimalist

Last week I had an overwhelming desire to pull out my Odd Bird Planet stamps and create some very simple cards. Using just white paper, black ink, and some stamps to create scenes. Perhaps it was some deep seeded need to be more clean and simple in my designing. Perhaps I realized that you don't need so much "stuff" to create cards. Most likely, it was directly related to my need to have bring along some outline images to my Copic Certification class coming up on Thursday! ;-) That's right...I'll probably never really be a minimalist...

I'm headed to CT tomorrow to attend a Copic Certification class and I'm far too excited! I've been waiting for months for a class to come close enough for me to attend. Can't wait to learn how to really use my most beloved markers. After my class I'll share these same cards after color has been added. And you know what I love about Odd Bird Planet stamps? How you can create little scenes with the stamps. How fun is that? Check out Emilia's site for cards that are simply amazing...She has a real talent for creating amazing scenes with the OBP images. (Heck, the entire design team is simply amazing!) Be sure to check out the wonderful St. Patrick's Day cards most of them posted yesterday! Links to the designer's blogs are on the right hand side. Well I'm off to play with my little ones...who are starting to get restless! Enjoy your day!