Dahlia in Bloom

 Today's card is a unique take on Try Stampin' on Tuesday's sketch challenge #256.  This was a fun sketch to work with and for once I made CAS card...kind of! :)

As I was looking through my stamps to see what would fit the sketch my dahlia stamp stood out.  After stamping it once and putting the rectangle over it I decided I needed to see the whole dahlia and did the technique "triple time stamping"...except I only did it once.  Not sure what you call that!  I also added a small strip of white under the blackberry bliss.  It was just too dark to only use blackberry bliss with the flower being so dark too.

I was trying to figure out what to put in place of the circle.  I don't do a lot of buttons and didn't want to do a bow, so I started looking at stamps again and decided a butterfly would be nice.  I stamped it and cut it out, then cut out a white piece to go behind it so it would stand out more.  Then just a quick sentiment and it's good to go.

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

I would love to be your demonstrator! If you like what you see and want to order anything just click on any of the products that I've listed at the bottom of my blog or click on the "Shop Now" tab at the top of my blog. Any of them will take you directly to my website! If you have questions feel free to contact me. Just click "Contact Me" at the top of my blog . If you're thinking of becoming a demonstrator click "Join My Team". I'd love to have you join me!

Stamps used on this card:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

More Into the Meadow

The other day I posted a CAS card using the new set In the Meadow and I told you I'd be posting another card I made with that set.  This one is full of color...

At first I thought about brayering the sky and grass, but decided that I wanted to sponge it since I could control the color a lot more.

To get this look I started by stamping the trees with VersaMark and Old Olive.  Then I embossed it with clear embossing powder.  I did the same thing with the grass, then the flowers and finally the mountains (I colored the mountains in with gray, then colored over them with a VersaMarker before I embossed them with clear).  I punched out a circle and placed it where I wanted the sun to be, then sponged away at the sky using Soft Sky and Pool Party.  I used Pear Pizzazz and Old Olive for the grass.

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

I would love to be your demonstrator! If you like what you see and want to order anything just click on any of the products that I've listed at the bottom of my blog or click on the "Shop Now" tab at the top of my blog. Any of them will take you directly to my website! If you have questions feel free to contact me. Just click "Contact Me" at the top of my blog . If you're thinking of becoming a demonstrator click "Join My Team". I'd love to have you join me!

Supplies used on this card:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Into the Meadow

Today I have a quick post for you.  I'm working on a technique (faux silk) to demo next week and since the set I was going to use retired recently I decided to try some other sets out.  

I like how the scene turned out in the first card the best.  The second card is ok, but the way I placed the trees they appear too big for the mountains.  I did make another card using this set and did some embossing and sponging so it has some color on it.  I'll be posting that card soon and in the mean time I'll be working on this technique some more to see what I can come up with.

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

I would love to be your demonstrator! If you like what you see and want to order anything just click on any of the products that I've listed at the bottom of my blog or click on the "Shop Now" tab at the top of my blog. Any of them will take you directly to my website! If you have questions feel free to contact me. Just click "Contact Me" at the top of my blog . If you're thinking of becoming a demonstrator click "Join My Team". I'd love to have you join me!

Supplies used on this card:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Birthday Blooms in Watercolor

I finally had a chance to sit down and use a new set from the Occasions catalog called Birthday Blooms.  It's a beautiful flower that was begging to be colored so that's what I did. :)

I embossed it with silver embossing powder on watercolor paper, then watercolored everything using Mossy Meadow for the leaves and Blackberry Bliss for the flowers.  I can't say I love the bottom part of the card, but I needed to put something there and was in a hurry to get the card ready to be mailed since I was a little late sending it out. 

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

I would love to be your demonstrator! If you like what you see and want to order anything just click on any of the products that I've listed at the bottom of my blog or click on the "Shop Now" tab at the top of my blog. Any of them will take you directly to my website! If you have questions feel free to contact me. Just click "Contact Me" at the top of my blog . If you're thinking of becoming a demonstrator click "Join My Team". I'd love to have you join me!

Supplies used on this card:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Christmas Wishes

Happy Thursday!  Today I have another Christmas card for you.  I have to say it seems more like Christmas here in Michigan right now with the snow we're getting than when it was actually Christmas!  I definitely wish we had this much during the holidays, but that's here and gone for a while.  That won't stop me from working on my stash of cards for this year though. :)  We have a great sketch over at 'Tis the Season for you to check out.

Make sure you head over to 'Tis the Season HERE to check out what each of the designer's have created.  We'd love to have you play along too!

I went with pretty simple for my card.  I stamped the cardinal with StazOn Black on watercolor paper and colored everything using my aqua painter.  Since I need to make more of these I think I'll try putting black under my cardinal and see how that looks.  I couldn't try it this time since all of the banner pieces were already stuck on!  

Thanks for looking and have a great day!
Sara

I would love to be your demonstrator! If you like what you see and want to order anything just click on any of the products that I've listed at the bottom of my blog or click on the "Shop Now" tab at the top of my blog. Any of them will take you directly to my website! If you have questions feel free to contact me. Just click "Contact Me" at the top of my blog . If you're thinking of becoming a demonstrator click "Join My Team". I'd love to have you join me!

Supplies used on this card:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Botanical Birthday

Today's card shows that I finally had a chance to play with some flowers.  As much as I love winter (when there's snow!) I also miss walking in my yard and checking out the different flowers that I have all around.  The sketch challenge this week at Try Stampin' on Tuesday was the perfect sketch to play with some flowers and I did that with the Botanical Builders Framelits Dies.  

Make sure you head over to Try Stampin' on Tuesday HERE and check out what the other designers did with this sketch.  And show us what you create if you get a chance. We'd love to see it! :)

I sponged around the edges of each of the flowers and used my bone folder to curl the paper.  That gives the flower a lot more dimension.  I also made a little boxed envelope with a band to go around it with flowers on it too for my niece's birthday.  I totally forgot to take pictures of that though! I wasn't there when she opened it, but was told she really liked it. :)  I hope so!

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

I would love to be your demonstrator! If you like what you see and want to order anything just click on any of the products that I've listed at the bottom of my blog or click on the "Shop Now" tab at the top of my blog. Any of them will take you directly to my website! If you have questions feel free to contact me. Just click "Contact Me" at the top of my blog . If you're thinking of becoming a demonstrator click "Join My Team". I'd love to have you join me!

Supplies used on this card:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Watercolored Rose Wonder

I'm at it again...yes, more watercoloring.  Believe it or not I never paid attention to anything watercolored until I saw ladies that did it on their cards.  Now I'm fascinated by it!  Can you tell?!  

I've been playing around with the new set Rose Wonder which is in the Stampin' Up! Occasions catalog.  The first time I saw it I couldn't wait to watercolor it.  I've done a few and so far this is my favorite card that I've made  :)

The picture below is the first card I made with this set.  I'm happy with how it turned out for my first card, but I wanted darker colors on the petals.  It's hard to tell in the pic, but after using Tangelo Twist and pulling the color from the stamped image it turned yellow like a light layer of Daffodil Delight.  And the strategically placed "Thinking of You" is there for a reason.  Orange and green mixed together just don't make a pretty color! lol

Like I said earlier I used Tangelo Twist for the rose.  I also used Pear Pizzazz for the leaves and Mint Macaron for the background.  I've learned to paint each petal separately instead of just quickly blending as much color as I can when the paper is still wet and the ink from the stamp.  I've read about and watched different ladies talking about how to fill in the petals.  One at a time and never next to each other.  I have SO much to learn yet, especially about shadowing and shading things in.  For some that comes naturally, but it is very difficult for me.  In the mean time I'll keep reading, watching and practicing...and hopefully you enjoy what I create.

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

I would love to be your demonstrator! If you like what you see and want to order anything just click on any of the products that I've listed at the bottom of my blog or click on the "Shop Now" tab at the top of my blog. Any of them will take you directly to my website! If you have questions feel free to contact me. Just click "Contact Me" at the top of my blog . If you're thinking of becoming a demonstrator click "Join My Team". I'd love to have you join me!

Supplies used on these cards:

Please note that some items listed may be retired from Stampin' Up!

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Happy Winter Scenes

I'm back at it...that is making Christmas cards!  I sure do love the colors this week at 'Tis the Season, not sure that this card looks very Christmasy...is that a word? Well I'm going with it anyway especially after I showed the card to my hubby and he thought it was just fine. :)  

Make sure you head over to 'Tis the Season HERE.  The rest of the design team has some fabulous cards using these colors.  If you get a chance make sure you play along too.  It's not too early to start getting your stash of Christmas cards started. :)

I have to admit it doesn't show as much color in the pictures as it does on the actual card but I think that's pretty typical.  I sponged around the edge of the embossed cardstock and the window and that's hard to see in some of the pics.

Thanks for looking and have a great day!
Sara

I would love to be your demonstrator! If you like what you see and want to order anything just click on any of the products that I've listed at the bottom of my blog or click on the "Shop Now" tab at the top of my blog. Any of them will take you directly to my website! If you have questions feel free to contact me. Just click "Contact Me" at the top of my blog . If you're thinking of becoming a demonstrator click "Join My Team". I'd love to have you join me!

Supplies used on this card:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Thinking of You

Today I have another card practicing a bit of watercoloring to go with this week's sketch over at Try Stampin' or Not on Tuesday.  It's a very CAS sketch and I love that about it.  

A lot of times I'll have a stamp set pop into my mind when I'm thinking about what to do, but this time I looked through my stamps instead and Vivid Vases seemed to pop out at me.

This is the sketch I followed.  Make sure you check out what the other designers created HERE.  Lots of different cards with one idea.  Love that!  If you get a chance show us what you've created using this sketch.  We'd love to check it out!

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

I would love to be your demonstrator! If you like what you see and want to order anything just click on any of the products that I've listed at the bottom of my blog or click on the "Shop Now" tab at the top of my blog. Any of them will take you directly to my website! If you have questions feel free to contact me. Just click "Contact Me" at the top of my blog . If you're thinking of becoming a demonstrator click "Join My Team". I'd love to have you join me!

Supplies used on this card:

Watercolor Paper (not Stampin' Up! - I use too much to pay for what they offer)

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Wonderland Thank You

Today I want to show you a bunch of 3x3 thank yous that I made...52 to be exact!  My hubby is a rural mail carrier, so when he gets a gift from someone on his mail route I want to be sure to send a thank you note.  They are always saying thank you for the great service, but we want them to know we appreciate them thinking of him at Christmas! 

I got the idea for these beautiful cards from a fellow demonstrator and couldn't resist using them (just making them smaller) because I love the colors and the sparkle!  I'm not sure if it's her original idea or not, but I'll give her the credit until I know otherwise. :)

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

I would love to be your demonstrator! If you like what you see and want to order anything just click on any of the products that I've listed at the bottom of my blog or click on the "Shop Now" tab at the top of my blog. Any of them will take you directly to my website! If you have questions feel free to contact me. Just click "Contact Me" at the top of my blog . If you're thinking of becoming a demonstrator click "Join My Team". I'd love to have you join me!

Supplies used on this card:

Retired Stamp "A NOTE OF THANKS"

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Favorites of 2015

So...anyone else ever write up a post and forget to post it?  I had this one ready to post on the 1st and just realized a minute ago that it's the 3rd and I hadn't even posted it!  That's me I guess! lol  Well here it is two days later than planned...

I made quite a few cards last year and thought it would be fun to show you a few of my favorites.  I've seen it this year and in years past when others share their favorite creations so I decided to give it a try myself. :)  Along with my personal favorites I thought I'd also share the most viewed on my blog as well as most viewed on SplitcoastStampers.  Let's see if any of them are on more than one list...

Here are my five favorites in no particular order...

All of them have sponging or water coloring on them and seem to have nature in them in one way or another.  Imagine that!

These are the top five from Splitcoast.  I know that some have been hanging around for most of the year, so they do have the chance to be looked at more, but that's just the way it goes.  I'll show the top five from five down the the number one card.  I have to admit I'm pretty surprised by these!

And now the last set of five favorites from my blog.  I'll list these the same as Splitccoaststampers from five on down to number 1.

Looks like I had one that was in all three!  I can't say it's my favorite, but I can't say it isn't.  That's why mine weren't in any specific order. lol  

Thanks for reminiscing with me today!

Sara

I would love to be your demonstrator! If you like what you see and want to order anything just click on any of the products that I've listed at the bottom of my blog or click on the "Shop Now" tab at the top of my blog. Any of them will take you directly to my website! If you have questions feel free to contact me. Just click "Contact Me" at the top of my blog . If you're thinking of becoming a demonstrator click "Join My Team". I'd love to have you join me!

Baby's First Year Mini Scrapbook & Card – December Bonus Project!

Today is my last day posting all of the wonderful creations I've shown you from Craft Project Central for the month of December.  I had a fun time creating my masculine watercolored cards  and posting collages of what the other ladies created too.  If you would like to buy all the projects for the month of December you can still do that and the price is very reasonable!  Click HERE to check it out.  One last thing before you read about the bonus project...I did offer all of the projects this month for free to one winner and was supposed to post the winner Sunday, but sadly no one took me up on my offer so I thought I would just mention it today.  What's a girl to do?  I tried. :)  And now onto the last project for you and it's a good one.  Make sure you read under the picture to see how you can get this project.

If you've got a new baby in the family, or a friend has had a baby, then you really should make this mini scrapbook for them. This mini scrapbook is a great little keepsake for the baby's first year. There is room for a picture of the baby for each of its first twelve months, along with two pockets to put little keepsakes in. This scrapbook shows a new way to use the Project Life Baby Girl Card Collection and Hello Baby Accessory Pack. It also features the Hello Baby Stamp Set. It can be customized for a baby boy by using the Project Life Baby Boy Card Collection instead. This would also make a great Project Life Class.

Baby's First Year Mini Scrapbook & Card – December Bonus Project!

This wonderful project was created by Christy Fulk and you can learn more about it HERE at Craft Project Central.

Bonus projects can be obtained by subscribing to two or more months in a row, putting the Craft Project Central badge on their blog, or by referring a friend and when they subscribe, letting us know.  Please remember to post the requirements for qualifying for the bonus project when posting this project to your blog.

I would love to be your demonstrator! If you like what you see and want to order anything just click on any of the products that I've listed at the bottom of my blog or click on the "Shop Now" tab at the top of my blog. Any of them will take you directly to my website! If you have questions feel free to contact me. Just click "Contact Me" at the top of my blog . If you're thinking of becoming a demonstrator click "Join My Team". I'd love to have you join me!

Sewn Box & Cards Gift Set!

Do you love to sew and to do paper crafts?  If so, then this is the project for you!  In this project you’ll sew a gift box and some great cards to go in it!  Give the set as a gift (tag instructions included too!), to a crafty friend who will appreciate the time and creativity that you’ve put into this fun gift! 

Sewn Box & Cards Gift Set!

This fun project is made by Michelle Wecksler and you can find out more info about it HERE at Craft Project Central. 

Thanks for looking and have a great day!
Sara

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I would love to be your demonstrator! If you like what you see and want to order anything just click on any of the products that I've listed at the bottom of my blog or click on the "Shop Now" tab at the top of my blog. Any of them will take you directly to my website! If you have questions feel free to contact me. Just click "Contact Me" at the top of my blog . If you're thinking of becoming a demonstrator click "Join My Team". I'd love to have you join me!