Friday, September 30, 2011

Holiday Peekers at SCACD!

We have a special treat for you today at  Susana's Custom Art and Card Design! Susana is releasing four beautiful "Holiday Peekers" by Elisabeth Bell for SCACD!! It may only be the end of September, but the Christmas season will be here before you know it! So now is the perfect time to get a jump start on your holiday crafty projects before the hustle and bustle of the season begins. As always, you will be able to purchase each stamp individually. However, you may instead choose to purchase the Holiday Peekers as a complete set and receive an exclusive "set bonus"...our very own SCACD sister Carolyn Bounds has designed some teeny tiny Christmas accessory stamps that work perfectly with the Holiday Peekers! 

The SCACD design team have been busy in their craft rooms working on some gorgeous projects featuring the new Holiday Peekers to share with you today. You will find a complete list of links to their blogs over at the SCACD Store Blog.

For my card today, I used "Reason For The Season Peeker".  I love the Christmas season...yes, I even love the snow! lol  However, it often becomes a very busy season for many of us and I think sometimes it's easy to loose sight of "the reason for the season". I LOVE everything about Christmas...the caroling (although I'm a terrible singer!), the decorating, the baking (when I have time), the get-togethers with friends and families, wrapping the gifts...but all that pales in comparison to celebrating the birth of our saviour Jesus Christ. I immediately fell in love with "Reason For The Season Peeker"...my family has always put our Nativity Set under the tree, even though our cats are FOREVER knocking over the figures! As the pretty packages start to pile up under the tree, our Nativity set remains front and centre as a visual reminder to us to stay focused on the true meaning of Christmas. This sweet young girl illustrated by Elisabeth reminds me of both myself (in MUCH younger years, lol) and my daughter...both of us loved to arrange and rearrange the figures of the Nativity Set. :) I used some older papers from last year. The wired ribbon was tied with my Bow Easy. The little acrylic snowflake was from the dollar store. It was glittered up with a Hologram Glitter Liner from Viva Decor and centred with a little flat backed rhinestone. A bit of machine stitching was added for a finishing touch.

"Reason For The Season Peeker" was stamped on Neenah cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and coloured with Copic markers. I sponged around the image with Antique Linen and Walnut Stain Distress Ink.


Skin: E000, E00, E11, R20  Hair: E50, E31, E33, E37, E59  Shirt: R22, R27, R46, R59, C5, C7  Pants: B91, B93, B95, B97, C5, C7  Tree: YG00, YG63, YG67, G20, G21, G99, C5, C7 

The Holiday Peekers are available exclusively at SCACD and at Quixotic Paperie for our friends in the UK.

For more inspiration featuring the adorable new Holiday Peekers by Elisabeth Bell for SCACD,  please make sure to visit the SCACD Store Blog. :)

Oh, and make sure to check out all the fabulous Holiday Papers Susana has in stock...after all, you're going to need some new Christmas papers to go with your new Holiday Peekers, right? ;)

Thanks so much for stopping by today...I really appreciate your visit!

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: SCACD's "Reason for the Season Peeker"
Ink: Memento, Copics, Distress Ink
Paper: Neenah, Bazzill, Echo Park
Embellishments: Wired Ribbon, Acrylic snowflake, Rhinestone, Viva Decor Holographic Glitter Liner, machine stitching

Friday, September 23, 2011

Veritas

Good morning! I hope you're all having a fantastic week. I wanted to share a card with you today featuring one of the gorgeous new exclusive stamps that were recently released at Susana's Custom Art and Card Design. This is "Veritas" from the Adventures of Loli and Poppy collection by Sylvia Zet for SCACD. I absolutely love this entire collection of stamps...Sylvia is such a talented artist. :)

Sweet Veritas is perched upon a little snippet of a grapevine...isn't she lovely? I adore her tendrils of hair...so much fun to colour! The green paper is from Prima and the purple paper is from Basic Grey Kioshi. All the pearls were created with my Viva Decor Ice White Pearl Pen. These pearl pens are a fantastic money saver for crafters who love to add pearls to their projects. Just one Viva Decor Pearl Pen makes a multitude of pearls in whatever size you require. Susana sells the Viva Pearl Pens for only $5.45 USD, and they are available in a wide selection of colours. (See the entire selection of Viva Decor products available at SCACD HERE.) I also added some Make It Crafty lasercut chipboard embellishments. Susana has a wonderful selection of this fantastic highly detailed chipboard (and Make It Crafty Stamps) HERE. I painted these ones with white craft paint, sprayed them with some Glimmer Mist and topped them off with a generous sprinkling of Glamour Dust.


Veritas was stamped on Neenah cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and coloured with Copic markers. I decided to work outside my comfort zone by colouring her dress pink as I thought it would compliment the purple and green papers. Pink is kind of my nemesis...we just don't get along, lol. Oh, I love the way it looks but I struggle to acheive the same depth of colour and shading that I can get with other colours. I've tried several combos with various colours for shading, but none have really been a great success. So with some trepidation I reached for my R81 and started blocking in my shadows. After that came a bit of R83 and R85....but here is where the dilemma comes in. What now?? I decided to reach for the same purples I had used in the grapes...I figured using the same purples would tie the colours together. (my high school art teacher had often recommended doing this so that the colours in your painting would "relate" to each other) I used a lot of tip to tip blending to achieve a smooth transition. I also added a bit of grey to the deepest shadows. Hmmm...kind of second guessing myself on putting such a thick coat of Stardust Stickles on the ruffle of her dress as it completely covers the pleats I spent time shading. :(  My thought was that it would tie in the glitter than I used on the chipboard embellishments. I think it would have been ok if I had applied a thin layer...sometimes, I'll use a flat paint brush to spread the Stickles sparingly to give just a hint of shimmer.



Skin: E000, E00, E11, R20  Hair: E50, E31, E33, E35, E37, E59  Dress: R81, R85, V12, V15, V09, C5  Grapes: V01, V12, V15, V09, C5, C7  Leaves: G20, G21, G85, G99, C5, YG91 (I added this over top to tone down the vibrancy...created more of a "mossy" green)  Vine: E25, YG91, YG95, G99

The Adventures of Loli and Poppy collection is available exclusively at SCACD and at Quixotic Paperie for our friends in the UK. You also have a few options for purchasing these stamps: they are available for individual purchase, as two seperate sets of four main image stamps or as a complete set of all eight stamps. When choosing to buy the stamps as a set, you will be receiving them at a discounted price...and as an added bonus, there is an accessory stamp for each set that is ONLY avialable when purchasing the stamps as sets!

***SCACD NEW PRODUCT ALERT***

Susana is always adding new crafty goodies to SCACD...have you seen some of the latest additions?!
Susana's prices really are incredible. Seriously, just LOOK at the prices of her paper pads for example! Not only will you be thrilled with the money you will save, but Susana also offers fast and very friendly customer service. And remember, SCACD isn't only for stampers and scrapbookers...Susana also stocks a variety of "artsy" products for those of you interested in painting, mixed media or other creative outlets. (ie: canvases, various paints, jewelry findings, etc.) So I encourage you to grab a cup of your favourite beverage, get comfy and spend some time perusing the SCACD website.
Hope you all have a wonderful day, and thanks for your visit. :)

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: SCACD's "Veritas"
Paper: Neenah, Bazzill, Prima, Basic Grey
Ink: Memento, Copics
Embellishments: Viva Decor Pearl Pen, Make It Crafty Chipboard, machine stitching, Stickles, crocheted trim

Sunday, September 18, 2011

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas...Kraftin' Kimmie Release Day Blog Hop!!

Welcome to the release day blog hop at Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps!! This month, Kimmie and her Krafty Artists are bringing you a fantastic assortment of Christmas themed stamps to suit all your holiday projects. There is the gorgeous O Holy Night Nativity Set by Cheryl Alger, a Nativity Sentiment Set, a Christmas Inside Sentiment Set, some fun Christmas characters by Emilie Goulet and a collection of gorgeous angels by Annie Rodrigue. We've all had so much fun playing with these new stamps, and I'm sure many (if not all!!) have found their way onto your Krafty wish list!

The hop today begins over at the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog where you will find a complete list of links to the participating designers. As you hop along, make sure to leave comments on each blog for your chance to WIN a package of some of the new release stamps. (Two lucky winners will be drawn!)

If you've been hopping along, you should have arrived here after visiting with the very lovely Angie Baker. If not, just pop on over to the KKS Blog to start at the beginning.

This beautiful angel is "Felicity" by Krafty Artist Annie Rodrigue. The design paper is all from My Mind's Eye Holly Jolly Collection. I used a few Spellbinders sets to cut out the various elements. (Circles, Lacey Circles and Parisian Accents) Black Soot and Antique Linen Distress Inks were used to sponge around the paper edges and some dollar store pearls were added as a finishing touch.


On the inside, I used one of the sentiments that is included in the Nativity Sentiments Set...I love how all the different image and sentiment stamps from this release compliment each other! The sentiment was stamped with Versafine Ink and I used a couple of elements from Spellbinders Parisian Accents to dress it up.


Here's a closer look at Felicity...I think she's just gorgeous! She is so serene and peaceful. Felicity is perfect for Christmas cards, but I think she would also be beautiful on cards or projects for so many other occasions. ("praying for you", sympathy, baptisms, friendship...these angels really are very versatile!) Felicity's wings were given a pretty shimmer with a generous coat of Stardust Stickles. She also comes with a coordinating sentiment, "Angels sent from up above, please protect the ones we love.". (she was stamped on Neenah cardstock with Memento Ink and coloured with Copic markers)


Skin: E000, E00, E11, R20  Hair: E50, E31, E35, E37, E59  Gown: R22, R27, R46, R59, C5, C7  Wings: E50, E42, E43, E47

All the new September stamps are now available for purchase at the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Online Store!! Oh, and if you just NEED to have them all, the Gimmie Kimmies Kits will be available for a limited time!! The stamps are grouped together by artist and are offered at a discount, so order yours quickly before they disappear!!

It is now my pleasure to send you off to visit with the very sweet Diana Pickering who has a lovely project to share with you. :) (remember to leave comments at each blog on the hop for your chance to WIN some of the September stamps!!)

Thank you so much for joining us today...happy hopping!

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: KKS "Felicity", "O Holy Night Nativity Set"
Ink: Memento, Copics, Distress Ink, Versafine
Paper: Neenah, Bazzill, MME
Tools: Spellbinders
Embellishments: Stickles

Saturday, September 17, 2011

"Celestina" (A Kraftin' Kimmie Challenge Plus Another Sneak Peek!)

Happy Saturday to all our Krafty friends!! Have you been enjoying the September sneak peeks??!! Today, we are introducing you to the newest stamps by Krafty Artist Annie Rodrigue...she has created some stunning angels this month. Each angel has been beautifully drawn and comes with both a halo stamp and a coordinating sentiment. Our sneak peeks today are in combination with our weekly challenge set by our lovely hostess Carole Burrage..."Christmas In September"!! Now is a great time to get started on all your Christmas cards as December will be here before you know it!

My card today features "Celestina", one of the six angels created by Annie for this month's release. I pulled out some MME Holly Jolly papers from last year (this was another one of my favourite paper collections, and I am sadly down to a few scraps now). The paper edges were lightly distressed with scissor edges after being sponged with some Bundled Sage Distress Ink. (I really do need to get a good distressing tool.) I also brushed some gold craft paint around the edges of the papers. The little chipboard corner embellishments are from Make It Crafty (available HERE). They were also painted with the gold craft paint.


On the inside, I've used another sentiment from the new Christmas Inside Sentiments Set. I'm loving how this set is encouraging me to finish off the insides of my cards. It really only takes a few extra moments, and it's easy to add a little touch of your design paper since you've already got everything out. 



Celestina was stamped on Neenah cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and coloured with Copic markers. Her wings and the little star were given a coat of Stardust Stickles. Celestina also comes with a coordinating sentiment, "Angel Kisses!".


Skin: E000, E00, E11, R20  Hair: E50, Y23, E13, E17, E18, E35, E59  Gown: YG00, G20, G21, G28, G82, C5, C7  Star: Y11, Y17, E35

If you participate in our Christmas in September challenge this week, you could be the lucky winner of the new angel stamp seen on Carole's gorgeous project (Seriously...have you checked out what Carole has been making with this release??? It's incredible!) To be eligible for the prize, just make sure to use a Kraftin' Kimmie Stamp on your project. For some holiday inspiration  (and to see the rest of today's sneak peeks), please visit the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog!

***BLOG CANDY ALERT***

How would you like to win THREE of the new September stamps by Annie Rodrigue??!! All you need to do is hop around to leave comments for all the Krafty Girls who have sneak peeks to share today. Kimmie will be drawing TWO winners who will each win three of Annie's new angel stamps! The winners' names will be announced on tomorrow morning's post at the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog.

The new stamps you've seen over the last few days will all be available for purchase tomorrow!! We hope you plan to join us for our Release Day Blog Hop...see you then!

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: KKS "Celestina" and "Christmas Inside Sentiments"
Ink: Memento, Copics, Distress Ink
Paper: Neenah, Bazzill, MME
Embellishments: Make It Crafty Chipboard, Stardust Stickles and gold craft paint

Friday, September 16, 2011

Christmas Goodies...Day Two of the September Kraftin' Kimmie Sneak Peeks!

Good morning friends!! Are you ready for another round of sneak peeks at the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog?? The previews for the September release started yesterday and will continue today and tomorrow with our release day blog hop to follow on Sunday. Today, we have the pleasure of introducing you to the newest stamps by another Krafty artist, Emilie Goulet. This month, Emilie has created several new characters all set for some Christmas fun! Each one is absolutely adorable and packed with personality plus! While on your sneak peek travels today, you may also spy yet another new stamp set being released this Sunday...the Christmas Inside Sentiment Set. This is another holiday sentiment set perfect for finishing off the interior of your cards...but really, you can use them anywhere your little krafty heart desires. :)

For my card today, I inked up the sweet "Baking Elf"...isn't she perfect for all those friends who love to bake holiday goodies?? Well, I also think she'd be perfect for those friends who love to EAT those holiday goodies. lol  I used to do a lot of baking, but these last few years have been so busy that it's been hard to find pockets of time to get much done...wouldn't it be nice to have the assistance of a couple of little baking elves in your kitchen?? I know my husband would be thrilled to see a pie like this being brought to the table for dessert...pie is Dean's all-time favourite. :)  I used some Bo Bunny papers from last year (this had to be one of my favourite collections from last year...really kicking myself for not buying more of it). I added some dollar store ribbon, a little clear snowflake covered with Glamour Dust and some Viva Decor Pearls (Ice White) to finish it off.


Here's a peek at the inside of my card where I used the Christmas Inside Sentiments set.



"Baking Elf" was stamped on Neenah cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and coloured with Copic markers.



Skin: E000, E00, E11, R20  Hair: E50, E31, E33, E37, E59  Clothes: RV000, V01, V12, V15, V17, V09, BG72, BG75, BG78, C5, C7, YG00, YG03, YG11, YG25, G28

To see more of the adorable new stamps by Krafty artist Emilie Goulet, please visit the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog for links to all the talented Krafty Girls who have previews to share with you today...they have been busy little elves themselves creating some gorgeous projects for your viewing pleasure. :)

***BLOG CANDY ALERT****

As you pop around to visit the Krafty Girls sharing sneak peeks today, please make sure to leave comments on all their blogs. Kimmie will be drawing THREE winners from the comments...two winners will each receive three of Emilie's new stamps and the third winner will receive the Christmas Interior Sentiment Set!! Their names will be posted tomorrow morning on the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog. Good luck!

We hope you plan to join us tomorrow for another round of sneak peeks in combination with our weekly challenge. We also have a fun blog hop planned for the release day this Sunday when all the new stamps will be available for purchase.

Thanks so much for stopping by for a visit...have a wonderful day! :)

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: KKS "Baking Elf" and "Christmas Interior Sentiments"
Paper: Neenah, Bazzill
Ink: Memento, Copics, Bo Bunny
Embellishments:
Tools:

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Away in A Manger (September Kraftin' Kimmie Sneak Peeks Begin Today!)

Good morning folks!! We're kicking off the September sneak peeks at Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps today!! Each day, the Krafty Girls will be previewing stamps by one of our Krafty Artists...you will find links to these daily sneak peeks over at the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog. There will also be daily BLOG CANDY giveaways, so you'll want to make sure to visit each designer sharing sneak peeks to leave comments for your chance to win!

So, what's the theme of the September stamps?? Christmas!!! December always sneaks up so quickly, so now is a great time to get a jump on making your Christmas cards and Kimmie has a fantastic collection of holiday stamps sure to get your holiday spirit in full swing. :)

Today, we are introducing you to TWO new stamps sets...the gorgeous "O Holy Night Nativity Set" by Krafty artist Cheryl Alger and the  "Nativity Sentiment Set". The O Holy Night Nativity Set includes three main image stamps ("The Wise Men", "Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus", and "The Shepherd Boy"). It also includes a few small coordinating sentiments. This collection will ONLY be sold as a complete set. The images are a perfect size to mask together to create a full scene. They are also fantastic when used individually as the feature image of a card.  The Nativity Sentiment Set includes several beautiful sentiments and Scripture verses in lovely fonts that reflect the "reason for the season".

I inked up Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus for my card today. Cheryl has done a beautiful job with this set ...they are absolutely adorable! The Echo Park papers were all lightly distressed and sponged with Walnut Stain Distress Ink. The "O Holy Night" sentiment is included in the "O Holy Night Nativity Set". The larger Scripture verse (Isaiah 9:6) used to prop up the easel portion of the card is part of the "Nativity Sentiment Set" and was popped up on some foam squares. Both were stamped in Versafine Ink on white cardstock that was sponged with Antique Linen and Walnut Stain Distress Inks.


And when opened up to show the verse from the Nativity Sentiments Set...


Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus were stamped on Neenah Cardstock with Memento Ink and coloured with Copics. I did add some additional shading with brown and black Conte Crayons. Spellbinders Labels 8 were used for cutting out the image and the larger sentiment. The background was sponged with Antique Linen and Walnut Stain Distress Inks. The star was given a coat of Stardust Stickles.


Skin: E000, E00, E11, R20  Hair: E50, E31, E33, E37, E59  Mary's Clothes: B91, B93, B95, B97, C5, C7, V01, V04, V17, V09, E50, E53, E57, Conte Crayons  Joseph's Clothes: G20, G82, G85, G99, R27 R46, R59, C5, C7, E11, E13, E17, E59, Conte Crayons  Baby Jesus' Blanket: B32, B34, B37, B39, C5  Manger: E50, E31, E33, E25, E59, E97, E99  Straw: E50, Y17, Y23, E33, E37  Star: Y11, Y17, Y23, E13


Make sure to pop on over to the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog where you will find a list of links for today's sneak peeks. The Krafty Girls have created some gorgeous projects with these two new sets that will be available for purchase this Sunday!

***BLOG CANDY ALERT***

Would you like to win both the O Holy Night Nativity Set and the Nativity Sentiments Set??!! All you need to do is hop around to visit each Krafty Girl sharing a sneak peek today and leave them a comment. Kimmie will draw a winner from the comments and post their name on the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog tomorrow morning...good luck!

We hope you can join us tomorrow for another round of previews featuring stamps by yet another Krafty Artist. :)

Thanks for stopping by today!

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: Kraftin' Kimmie Stams "Nativity Set" and "Nativity Sentiments"
Ink: Memento, Copics, Distress Inks
Paper: Neenah, Bazzill Kraft, Echo Park

Monday, September 12, 2011

"Precious Present" (Sylvia Zet for SCACD!!)

Last week at Susana's Custom Art and Card Design, we celebrated the release of "The Adventures of Loli and Poppy"the very first exclusive collection of stamps by artist Sylvia Zet for SCACD! We have all fallen head over heels for Sylvia's sweet style. These images are stunning and perfect for so many different occasions.

This beautiful little fairy is "Precious Present". I paired her up with some older Prima papers as I loved the watercolour look of the designs. (Susana does not have this paper in stock any more, but she does have the new Prima papers HERE, and they are gorgeous!!) All paper edges were distressed with scissors and sponged with Walnut Stain Distress Ink. I used my Spellbinders circles to cut the image out. I also used some elements of Spellbinders Parisian Accents. The rhinestone swirls are from the dollar store, but Susana has some similar pearl ones HERE.


"Precious Present" was stamped on Neenah cardstock and coloured with Copic markers. I had tried to colour her dress in a similar style to the papers with pinks and teals, but it was what one might call an "epic failure" lol. It just wasn't turning out the way I had hoped, so I decided to paper piece her dress with a bit of the Prima Paper. Before adhering the paper pieced area, I added shading with my markers to create some depth. (BG70, BG72, BG75, BG78, C5, C7, RV000, RV02 and the blender.) My favourite adhesive to use when paper piecing is the Quickie Glue Pen...you can precisely apply small amounts of glue to the tiniest pieces of paper with it's pen tip applicator. Her wings were given some shimmer with  Stardust Stickles. I had another go at trying to reproduce the look of the Prima paper by creating a background. I started by applying BG10 in blobs and dots (nice technical artsy terms! lol) around the image followed by YG11, B000, BG000, RV000 and copious amounts of colourless blender. Applying the blender in layers of "dabs" with various amounts of pressure helped to create the mottled watercolour look. Just be careful with this method when working close to your coloured image. If applied too heavily, your colours and blender will run into the image you just worked so hard on. So just take care to be light handed near those edges, and don't "push" your ink towards the image. :)


Hair: E50, Y23, Y26, E33, E35, E37  Skin: E000, E00, E11, R20  Paper pieced dress: BG70, BG72, BG75, BG78, C5, C7, RV000, RV02, colourless blender  Present: B32, B34, B37, C5, C7, T2  Ribbon: R20, R22, R59, C5, T2 

If you have not yet signed up as a follower over at the SCACD Store Blog, please make sure to do so!! The talented members of Susana's design team are always sharing inspirational projects featuring stamps and products available at SCACD.

The exclusive Slyvia Zet for SCACD stamp collections are available at both SCACD and at Quixotic Paperie so that they are easily avialable to our crafty friends all over the world. :)

Thank you so much for stopping by today...I appreciate your visit!

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: SCACD's exclusive "Precious Present" by Sylvia Zet
Paper: Neenah, Bazzill, Prima
Ink: Memento, Copics, Distress Ink
Embellishments: rhinestone swirls, machine stitching
Tools: Spellbinders

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Hello Old Friend...It's Been A While!

Good morning blogging friends. I would like to begin today's post remembering the events of ten years ago tomorrow...it was one of those days that we will forever remember what we were doing when the news broke of the World Trade Centre attacks. I remember sitting with my daughter on my knee watching the story unfold on the television, at first thinking it was a terrible accident...until the second plane struck the second tower. What a terrible attack that resulted in so much loss...but there were also amazing stories of people coming to the aide of others. My heart continues to go out to those who lost loved ones that tragic day. I cannot imagine the depth of anguish you went through that day...but my prayers are with you for continued healing and peace. Thank you to the men and women who became heroes that day...to all those who helped with the rescue efforts, the clean up, the rebuilding, the healing, the comforting. May we remember those families today in our thoughts and prayers, and may we also remember those who serve to protect our countries each and every day.

This week at the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog, our lovely hostess Angie Baker has challenged us to use a "Blast From Your Past"...she wants you to pull out one of your very first Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps to use on your projects this week! I often get so caught up in the excitement of the newest stamps, that some of my older ones will sit uninked for ages...what a great challenge to remind us to show some love to the oldies but goodies!

I am using one of the stamps from Kimmie's very first release...back before I was a Krafty Girl! This stamp completely made me fall in love with Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps, and with the style of Krafty Artist Annie Rodrigue. This is also the stamp I used on my "audition card" to win a guest spot on Kimmie's team...which ended up becoming a full time (treasured) spot on this wonderful design team. This stamp remains one of my favourites to this day...the ever quirky and oh so adorable "Charlotte"!! I know this stamp is a favourite among many Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps fans and I suspect she might make an appearance in several submissions to this week's Blast From Your Past Challenge. Charlotte was among my very first Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps along with Francesca and Lilith. :)  I pulled out some pretty Fancy Pants papers and coloured Charlotte accordingly. I used a Martha Stewart punch for the border and added some flat-backed pearls. The sentiment is also from an early Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps release, "Everyday Sentiments".


Charlotte was stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black on Neenah cardstock and coloured with Copic markers. I absolutely adore her well-loved dolls and quirky expression...and of course her amazing hair!! She really is so much fun to colour up. The background was sponged with Antique Linen Distress Ink.


Skin: E000, E00, E11, R20  Hair: E50, E31, E33, E37, E59  Dress: BG11, BG23, BG49, C5, R17, R27, R46, R59  Dolls: E50, E57, B91, B93, B95, B97, G20, G21, G24, G28, C5, C7, E17

If you join in our challenge this week, you could be the lucky winner of  the stamp seen on Angie's awesome card this week...just make sure to include at least one Kraftin' Kimmie Stamp on your submission.  So have fun taking a walk down memory lane, pull out one of your very first Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps and show it some love this week. :) Make sure to pop on over to the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog to see all the "Blast From Your Past" projects by the talented Krafty Girls!!

****KRAFTY NEWS****

Canadian Scrapbooker and Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Giveaway: Click HERE to read all the details for your chance to win some Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps!

Krafty Day 2011: Click HERE to read all the details on this second annual event! Last year was so much fun, and we'd love to have you join us this year...register soon to take advantage of "early bird" prices and secure your spot!

Frugal Fridays: Click HERE to see the weekly specials...you'll have until Sunday evening to scoop up this week's selection of discounted stamps! (all priced at 40-50% off!)

Back To School Special: Can we interest you in a GIFT with purchase??? With every order over $25 (before shipping and taxes), you will receive one FREE Steven Leary stamp!! This special will run from September 9th to September 16th.

September 2011 Release: Can you believe it's right around the corner?? Stay tuned to the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog as sneak peeks start next Thursday!! Each day, you'll find a list of links to the Krafty Girls who have sneak peeks to share on the KKS Blog. The previews will continue through until the official release day on Sunday September 18th when we'll have a fun blog hop to celebrate!! (and if you've joined in the fun of the sneak peeks of previous releases, you'll know that Kimmie often has some blog candy up for grabs!!)

Well, that's it for me today! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and thanks so much for stopping by today. :)

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps "Charlotte" and "Everyday Sentiments"
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic markers, Distress Ink
Paper: Neenah, Bazzill, Fancy Pants
Embellishments: flat backed pearls

Friday, September 9, 2011

Introducing Sylvia Zet for SCACD!!!

Today is the day we've been anticipating at Susana's Custom Art and Card Design...it's the Sylvia Zet for SCACD Stamps Release Day!!!  We have all fallen in love with Sylvia's sweet style, and I know you will too. This release features eight new adorable stamps that are exclusively available starting today at SCACD or at Quixotic Paperie if you reside in the UK. They will, of course be available for individual sale, but if you just have to have them all (and I think you will!!), you can purchase them in discounted sets!!

To celebrate this gorgeous new release, we are having blog hop today!! Not only will you see projects by the SCACD and Quixotic Paperie design team, but we also have several talented guests joining in the fun. The hop begins with the lovely and very talented  Elaine Hughes, so make sure to start there so as not to miss out on any of the blogs along the way. The complete hop list can be found at the SCACD store blog. So go grab yourself a cup of coffee or tea and get comfy as we introduce you to the Adventures of Loli and Shellie, Poppy and the rest of their friends!

(If you've been following along the hop, you should have arrived here after visiting with one of our lovely guests, Iris Wiechmann. If not, just hop on over to Elaine's to start at the beginning.)

My card today features the adorable "Loli and Shellie". I have completely fallen in love with Sylvia's new designs for SCACD Stamps. They are an absolute joy to colour. I paired Loli and Shellie up with some paper from Basic Grey "Olivia". The image was cut with Spellbinders Labels 8 and the little corner embellishments were cut with Spellbinders Parisian Accents. The pearls were made with a Viva Decor Pen (Ice White).


Loli and Shellie were stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and coloured with Copic markers. The grass was done in layers of little feather strokes, applied in a "flicking" motion. I always add my darkest greens where the shadows would fall...I also add a little grey just to make the shadows a little more dynamic. I masked the image and sponged around it with Memento Summer Sky.


Skin: E000, E00, E11, R20  Hair: E50, E31, E33, E37, E59  Dress: BG70, BG72, BG75, BG78, C5, R81, R83, R85, R89  Shellie: E50, E13, E25, E29, E59, YG00, G20, G21, B91, B93, B95, B97  Grass: YG00, G14, G21, YG63, YG67, G99, C5, C7

All the gorgeous new Sylvia Zet stamps for SCACD are now available for purchase!! You will only find them at SCACD or at Quixotic Paperie for our crafty friends in the UK. So when you are finished today's hop, make sure to place your order ASAP as I'm sure these beautiful stamps will be flying off the shelves!

It is now my pleasure to send you off to visit with yet another talented guest joining in today's release day blog hop...Judy Laing!! I know she has something gorgeous to share with you featuring yet another new exclusive Sylvia Zet for SCACD stamp!

Thank you so much for joining us today. Have fun hopping, and don't forget to indulge in a little crafty shopping when you're done!!

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: Exclusive SCACD stamp "Loli and Shellie" by artist Sylvia Zet
Ink: Memento, Copics
Paper: Neenah, Bazzill, Basic Grey Olivia
Tools: Spellbinders
Embellishments: Viva Decor Pearl Pen, machine stitching

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps and Canadian Scrapbooker Giveaway!

Have you seen the latest issue of Canadian Scrapbooker?? Kraftin Kimmie Stamps is featured on a full page advertorial! Here's a peek:


To celebrate, Kimmie is giving away TEN SETS OF THE FOUR STAMPS featured in the magazine!!! Each winner will received Merry, Batty Princess, Agnes and Hattie!! All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on THIS POST telling Kimmie what your favourite Kraftin' Kimmie Stamp is!!  (you can visit the new updated website HERE to see all the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps) There's also a blinkie in my sidebar that will take you directly to the post. You will have until September 10th at midnight (EST) to enter. Winners will be announced on September 11th!

When you visit the post to enter the contest, you can also check out the instructions on how to make each card featured in the magazine.

Good luck!!

Blessings,

Melanie

Saturday, September 3, 2011

How Do You Boo?

Hey Krafty friends! Hope you've had a great week and are all geared up for another fantastic challenge at the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog!! This week, our hostess is the lovely and very talented Kerry Johnson. Kerry has come up with a great challenge for us...she wants to see us use "Office Supplies" on our projects this week.

This week I inked up another amazing new Halloween themed Kraftin' Kimmie Stamp, Mr. Punkinhead. The pumpkin design papers are from Graphic 45...just perfect for this stamp don't you think? The kraft polka dotted paper is from My Minds Eye "Haunted". I sponged around all the paper edges with Black Soot Distress Ink and roughed them up a bit with my scissors. The sentiment comes with The Pumpkin King. For my office supplies, I borrowed a date stamp from work (yes, I asked first!! lol), stamped "Oct 31" and attached it to the image panel with an orange paper clip I found in one of my kitchen drawers. To finish it off, I added a little pumpkin button I picked up at the fabric store last year.

Mr. Punkinhead was stamped on Neenah cardstock with Memento Ink and coloured with Copic markers. I also added some extra shading with my Conte Crayons. I love the soft smoky shading these crayons add. I applied them with a paper blending stump.

Pumpkin: Y00, Y17, Y23, YR02, YR16, E13, E17, E18, E33 Suit: V01, V15, V09, G82, G85, R46, R59, C7

So, are you up to joining our challenge this week? I'm sure you've all got some office supplies in your drawers...your elements could be as simple as paper clips or staples. If you make sure to use a Kraftin' Kimmie Stamp on your project, you could be the lucky winner of the stamp seen on Kerry's incredible card this week!

***Krafty Day 2011*** Registration is open!! You'll find all the information on the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps website HERE. The date is set for October 16, 2011...we'd love for you to join us for an entire day of Krafty fun!

Oh, and make sure to check out the Frugal Friday Specials this week...you can find them HERE! Each Friday, Kimmie chooses a different selection of stamps to put on sale for the weekend at AMAZING discounts...but the Frugal Friday Specials end on Sunday, so make sure to scoop them before time's up!

Have a wonderful weekend and thanks so much for stopping by!

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps "The Pumpkin King" and matching sentiment
Ink: Memento, Distress Ink, Copics
Paper: Neenah, Bazzill, MME, Graphic 45
Embellishments: paper clip, date stamp, button