Help for Japan-Whimsy Stamps Blog Hop

Hello and welcome to a very special blog hop today! The illustrators of Whimsy Stamps have come together to draw a special set of digi images for the purpose of raising money for the relief effort in Japan. All proceeds from the sale of these images will be donated to that cause. Kenny K, Raindrop Echo Designs, Meljens Designs, and Crissy Armstrong all contributed art work.

For the whole month of April, you can purchase the images as a set or individually (your choice) by visiting THIS PAGE on the Whimsy store site. Please consider helping this special cause by purchasing one or all of the digital images we are offering.

If you have landed here after visiting the lovely Mary Lou's blog, you are right on track. If you have come here randomly and would like to start hopping from the beginning, please go to Crissy's blog. She has the blog rotation order posted if you need to refer to it.

The amazing ladies of two design teams have come together to host this blog hop for you! Crissy's Crew from Sundays With Crissy and Denise's DT from Whimsy Stamps have joined forces to design some amazing jaw dropping creations for you. You have seven days to hop through all the blogs and enjoy all the lovely creations from these talented people. The hop runs from now through til Sunday April 10 at noon. There will be several opportunities to win blog candy! Four random commenters will get a chance to receive one of the three individual images or Ann's sentiment set. So be sure to leave comments all along the way for your chance at a free digi! Also, if you post the "Help for Japan" button on your blog's sidebar, you can enter into the draw for the grand prize! The grand prize will consist of the entire digital set made just for this cause as well as a gift certificate donated by Ann of Raindrop Echo Designs worth 10$ to use at the Whimsy Stamps store! To enter, you must help us advertise for this cause by posting the "Help Japan" button on your blog's side bar (just grab it from my side bar) and then get your name on the Inlinkz option on Crissy's post so we can be sure to find the winner.

For my card today, I have used the beautiful image Crissy drew for this cause. This is "Heartfelt Angel". The papers are from the Basic Grey Hopscotch collection. I sponged the white doily and the white paper-punched mat with Antique Linen Distress Ink. The sentiment (from CC Designs) was stamped in Stormy Sky Distress Ink. The distress ink was also used to stamp the swirls (Impression Obsession) on the background paper behind the image. I used some fantastic laser cut chipboard embellishments from Make It Crafty (thanks Zoe!!!)...I used two different sets, "Flower Leaf Embellishments" and "Swirly Corners". After applying a few coats of white acrylic craft paint with a makeup sponge, I used another sponge to apply some Antique Linen Distress Ink. Finally, the laser cut embellishments were covered with a light coat of Smooch Illuminate. The little pears are from the dollar store.

"Heartfelt Angel" was printed on Neenah cardstock and then coloured with Copic markers. I also added some additional shading with my Conte Crayons and a paper blending stump.

Colours: Hair: E50, E30, E31, E33, E37, Y21 Skin: E000, E00, E11, R20 Dress: B91, B93, B95, B97, BG000, C5 Wings and sash: E50, E53, E57 (the colourless blender was also used on the wings) Bubble wand: E30, Y17 Bubbles: RV000, V01, BG11, BG0000 (and Smooch Illuminate)

Next you'll want to visit Sylvia's blog to continue hopping. Thank you so much for stopping by, and for your support of this very worthy cause.

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: , CC Designs " Amy R's Thank you Sentiments" and Impression Obsession's "Flourish 2"Ink: Copic markers,Distress Ink Paper: Neenah, Bazzill, Basic Grey Embellishments: Make It Crafty's "Flower Leaf Embellishments" and "Swirly Corners", doily, machine stitching, pearls, Smooch Illuminate

November Release Blog Hop at Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps!!

I always get so excited for release day at Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps!! This month, Kimmie has another fantastic batch of stamps that I know you are going to love...there are six new "Krafty Girls" by artist Annie Rodrigue (each comes with a co-ordinating sentiment and accessory stamp) and five new Miles the Mouse stamps by artist Steven Leary (two of these stamps also come with sentiments). The stamps are now available for purchase, and Kimmie has put together a fantastic blog hop today to celebrate...complete with prizes!! The Krafty Girls, our FABULOUS Krafty Guests and our LOVELY Junior Krafty Girls have been busy creating some gorgeous projects for today's blog hop...just wait until you see them!

The hop begins over at the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog, where you will find a complete list of all the blogs on today's hop. As you travel around, make sure to leave comments on each and every blog for your chance to win a package of the new stamps!

If you arrived here after visiting the super sweet and very talented Angie, then you are on the right track! If not, just start over at the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog so that you don't miss out on any of the blogs...everybody's projects are fantastic and I know you will want to see each and every one!

My card today features "Lavender the Quilter" by Annie Rodrigue. This stamp brings back so many great memories from when I was little. I have never been much of a quilter, but my mom and both my grandmothers made beautiful quilts. I used to love visiting my grandmother as a little girl...and I was always excited to see her big quilting hoop set up in her living room. She used to let me "hide" under the folds of all the material while she stitched away...it was my little "fort". I very much appreciate all the hours of work that go into handmade quilts...they are such a work of art. Lavender has obviously been a very busy quilter...just look at that beautiful patchwork design! Those pretty papers are from My Mind's Eye (So Sophie). The weight and texture of these papers is wonderful.


"Lavender" was stamped with Memento Ink on Neenah smooth cardstock and coloured with Copics. Walnut Stain Distress Ink was applied to all paper edges with my Inkssentials Blending Tool. Lavender also comes with the sentiment "You're Sew Sweet", and two accessory stamps...a thimble and a pincushion.


Copics...quite a long list today! Skin: E000, E00, E11, R20 Hair: E50, E30, E31, E33, E37, E59 Dress: RV000, V00, V01, V91, V93, BV29 Chair: E50, E40, E41, E42, E43, E47, Quilt: Yellow Blocks: E50, Y21, Y23, Y26, YR31, E33 Teal Blocks: BG000, BG10, BG11, BG72, BG75 Green Blocks: G20, BG93, BG96, B99 Mauve Blocks: RV000, V01, V91, V95, R83

I also have a special guest on my blog today....my daughter and Junior Krafty Girl Ainsleigh!! I always love spending crafty time with my daughter for these blog hops...we have a great time colouring up the images together. :) Ainsleigh's favourite image from this release is "Annie the Artist". Ainsleigh is quite the little artist herself...she spends hours a week creating beautiful illustrations. Ainsleigh stamped "Annie" on Neenah paper and coloured her with my Copic markers. "Annie's" easel actually comes blank, so you can add whatever you like to her canvas. Ainsleigh loves drawing Manga characters, so she decided to add a pretty Manga eye to her canvas...I think it's FANTASTIC! Ainsleigh picked out some fun papers from Echo Park for her card, and added a hand-written sentiment. She also decided to try her hand at colouring on some X-Press It Blending Cardstock. Ainsleigh LOVES this paper for colouring...I'm still undecided on it, lol. She has requested that I keep buying it for her. :)

Beautiful job my dear!! Ainsleigh prepared her own sketch ahead of time...she even had it labelled with colours for her carstock choices. :) I'm thinking I may have her design some sketches for me sometime. I really love her choice of black cardstock for matting...it really makes those bright colours in the paper pop!

After you are done hopping around, make sure to stop by the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Online Store to do some Krafty Shopping!! For those of you who just "gotta have it all", you will once again have the option to buy the new Moonlight Whispers stamps or the new Miles the Mouse stamps as complete sets, and at a discounted price to boot!! Just click on the "Gimmie Kimmies Kit" option...easy one-click shopping!!

Ok, time for me to send you off to visit my dear friend Krista's blog...just wait until you see what gorgeous project she has created with one of the new November images!! Oh, and don't forget to leave those comments!

Thanks for joining in the fun today...enjoy the rest of the hop!

Blessings,

Melanie

Melanie's Card:

Stamps: Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps "Lavender"

Ink: Memento, Copics, Distress Ink in Walnut Stain

Paper: Neenah, Bazzill, My Mind's Eye (So Sophie)

Embellishments: Prima flowers, machine stitching, pearls

Tools: Corner rounder punch

Ainsleigh's Card:

Stamps: Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps "Annie"

Ink: Memento, Copics

Paper: X-Press It, Bazzill, Echo Park

A Festive Blog Hop at Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps!

Woo Hoo...it's RELEASE DAY at Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps!!! This month's brand new stamps feature six characters by artist Annie Rodrigue (each one comes with an accessory stamp and a coordinating sentiment) and five new images from artist Steven Leary featuring Miles the mouse and his furry friends. All the new stamps this month are holiday themed...perfect for getting a jump start on your Christmas crafting this year. You will be able to see all these fantastic festive stamps on our blog hop today!! Just wait until you see all the amazing holiday projects by the Krafty Girls, Krafty Guests and our wonderful Junior Krafty Girls...they are sure to inspire you!

The hop begins over on the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog, where you will find the list of blogs on the hop today. While you are hopping, make sure to leave a comment on each and every stop, and you just may be one of the very lucky winners of some brand new October stamps!

Now, you should have arrived here after visiting our very lovely Krafty Guest Angie. If not, then just start over at the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog, and follow along the hop until you end up back here.

My card today features one of Annie's new Christmas characters...this is "Noelle". I just love her candy cane dress! I used some great Bo Bunny Christmas papers, and pulled the colours for her dress from there. The bows and trim on Noelle's dress were coated with Stardust Stickles. My card base is 6x6, so you can see that Noelle is quite a large stamp. "Sweet Holiday Wishes" is the sentiment that comes with Noelle...you will also receive a candy cane accessory stamp with her. I kept the layout clean and simple on this card as I didn't want to cover up that gorgeous paper. I finished it up with some machine stitching, crocheted trim and pearls from the dollar store.

Noelle was stamped on Neenah smooth cardstock with Memento Ink and coloured with Copic markers.

Copics: Skin: E000, E00, E11, R20 Hair: E50, E31, E33, E37, E59 Clothes: V00, V01, V12, V15, V09, BG000, BG10, BG11, BG72, BG75, B99

My daughter and Junior Krafty Girl Ainsleigh has also created a card for the blog hop today! She decided to work with her favourite stamp from the October release, "Christmas Clara". She picked out some pretty Christmas paper that I've had in my stash for quite some time. Ainsleigh used my Copic markers to colour Clara and her Nutcracker. She also used the sentiment that comes with another new October stamp, Merry.

Great job sweetie...I'm loving the multi-coloured highlights in her hair!

It's time for me to send you off to visit another of our very talented Krafty Guests this month, Pam!! I know you will love what she has to show you today.

When you are done the hop, make sure to pop on over to the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Online Store because all the new holiday images are now available!! Oh, and we know you've all been loving the Gimmie Kimmie's Kits, so they are available again this month! If you want to pick up all the new images as a package at a discounted price, just click on the Gimmie Kimmie's option! How's that for easy shopping?!

Have fun hopping stampers!

Blessings,

Melanie

Melanie's Card:

Stamps: Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps "Noelle" and coordinating sentiment

Paper: Neenah, Bo Bunny, Bazzill

Ink: Memento, Copics

Embellishments: Stitching, Pearls, crocheted trim, Stickles

Ainsleigh's Card:

Stamps: Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps "Christmas Clara" and sentiment from "Merry"

Paper: Neenah, Bazzill (not sure what company the DP is from)

Embellishments: Dollar store wooden shapes, Smooch Illuminate

A Wags 'n Whiskers Fairy Blog Hop!

Good morning friends! It's release day at Wags 'n Whiskers, and we've got a great Blog Hop planned for you today. Not only are we celebrating the release of four brand new Fairy stamps, but it's also Wags 'n Whiskers Birthday!!! What a great first year it has been, and I know Nikki and Lacey are excited to see what their next year has in store! Many of the projects you will see on the hop today are birthday themed in honour of this big day.

The hop begins over at the Wags 'n Whiskers Blog, where you will find a complete list of links to the hop participants. Make sure to leave a comment at each and every stop on the way, and you just may find yourself the lucky winner of some new stamps! The hop closes on Monday October 11, 2010 at 12:01 EST/5:01 GMT.

You should have arrived here after visiting the lovely Debs. If not, just start over at the WnW blog and follow the links along the way.

This lovely new fairy is "Iris". I paired her up with some pretty K&Company papers. The edges were all sponged with Stormy Sky Distress Ink. The layered flowers are all from Prima. The pearls and crocheted trim are dollar store treasures, and I finished off the edges with some machine stitching. The sentiment is from a clear set I picked up in a dollar bin at Michaels.


Iris' wings needed a bit of sparkle, so they were coated with Stardust Stickles...these are my all-time favourite Stickles, and they somehow seem to find their way onto most of my cards, lol.


I have to apologize, as I do not have a list of colours for you today. :( I've been trying so hard to record my markers, but I coloured this image up quite some time ago and I completely forgot to jot down the colours.


The new Wags 'n Whiskers Fairies are being released in rubber only, and they will be available for purchase today at 7:00 am EST/12:00 pm GMT...you can find them HERE!

Next on the hop is the super-sweet and oh-so-talented Sharon , and I know she has an absolutely gorgeous project to show you! Don't forget to be leaving those comments as you hop along...you just may be the lucky winner of some brand new Wags 'n Whiskers stamps!!

Happy hopping stampers, and thanks so much for stopping by!

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: Wags 'n Whiskers "Iris", clear stamp for sentiment
Paper: Neenah, Bazzill, K&Company
Ink: Memento, Distress Ink, Copics
Embellishments: Pearls, crocheted trim, machine stitching, Prima flowers
Tools: Spellbinders

Happy Birthday to Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps!!!

That's right friends...Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps is celebrating their One Year Anniversary!!! Now, you cannot have a birthday without a celebration right? (you know we LOVE a good party!)

We are celebrating in several ways….first of all, our challenge this week is to create a Celebration Card! What do you feel like celebrating?? A birthday? An anniversary? Friendship? New home? New job? Join us this in this week's challenge by making a project to celebrate anything your heart desires, and ONE lucky stamper will win stamps from our OCTOBER release!! Yep!! That’s right….these images haven’t even been released yet and YOU could win some, so be sure to join in!! You have a week to play along! (Trust me, you are going to love them!) As always, you can link up your project on the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog.

Also, the Kraftin’ Kimmie Stamps Shop is having a SALE!! Assorted images from all of our four lines of stamps are on sale from now until Monday, October 4th, so scoop up some for yourself or for gifts!!

Lastly, we're having an ANNIVERSARY BLOG HOP in conjunction with our weekly challenge! Be sure to leave a comment on each and every stop along the hop because some lucky stampers will win some stamps!!

Let's get this party started!! Well, actually the hop officially begins over at the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog, so please make sure to start there...that way, you won't miss any of the blogs along the way. You should have arrived here after visiting with the lovely Diana...didn't she have a gorgeous project to show you??

I decided to make a card that celebrates friendship. Friends are such a blessing...they see us through victories and struggles. They encourage us, support us and help keep us balanced. Friendship truly is a gift that should be treasured. I chose to use "Bird Fairy" on my card. I adore this stamp, and I love how she is cradling this little bird in her hands.

I stamped Bird Fairy on Neenah with Memento Ink and coloured her with Copic markers. Her wings were coated with Stardust Stickles. I attempted to create a background with my Inkssentials Blending Tool and Distress Inks. I used Milled Lavender, Victorian Velvet and Stormy Sky...and a touch of Black Soot to deepen the shadow underneath her. I got a little heavy handed in a few spots...I will need to practise this technique a bit more. The metal corner embellishments are from the dollar store and the sentiment was done on my computer. Oh, and that pretty piece of green paper was from my daughter and Junior Krafty Girl Ainsleigh...she pulled it out of her own stash of papers and offered it to me since it went so nicely with the blue KaiserCraft paper. Thanks hun...great eye for picking out the perfect accent paper!

Copics: Skin: E0000, E000, E00, R20 Wings: V01, RV000, B91, G20, G28 (and the blender) Hair: E31, E33, E37, E50, E59 Dress: B91, B93, B95, B97, B99, C5, R59, R83, R85, V01, V12, V15 Bird: B32, B23, B97, B99

It is now my pleasure to send you off to visit one of our very talented October Krafty Guests...Angie!!! (I've had the opportunity to hang out with Angie a few times, and she is so sweet!) Angie has recently made the jump from Typepad to Blogger...make sure to sign up as a follower so you can be sure to keep up with all her craftiness!

Have fun hopping friends, and don't forget to leave those comments for your chance to win!

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps "Bird Fairy"

Paper: Neenah, Bazzill, KaiserCraft, green paper was donated by Ainsleigh (not sure of the company)

Ink: Copics, Memento, Distress Inks

Embellishments: Dollar store metal photo corners

A Fairy Blog Hop at Wags 'n Whiskers Stamps!

Welcome to release day at Wags 'n Whiskers Stamps!! We have a brand new set of rubber stamps by artist Cris De Lara featuring some gorgeous fairies...did you see the sneak peeks over the last two days?? I know you will fall in love with the beautiful new images, just as the entire DT has. To celebrate the release, we are having a blog hop today!

The hop begins over at the Wags 'n Whiskers Blog, where you will find a list of all the particpants. As you hop from blog to blog, make sure to leave comments as there will be three lucky winners drawn from those names who will each win two stamps from the new release! When you are done, make sure to head back to the Wags 'n Whiskers blog to comment on your favourite design...and then go shopping! The hop will remain open until Monday August 23, 2010 at 5:01 am GMT/12:01 am EST.

If you have arrived here from the lovely Mag's blog, then you are on the right track...aren't her creations just beautiful?! If not, just head on over to the beginning of the hop at the WnW blog and make your way through the list.

One of the things I love about these fairies is their versatility. Depending on what colour scheme you use, they are perfect for any season or occasion. So many blogs are featuring Christmas projects lately, that I've been in the mood to make something festive...although I suppose this could be a gift for other occasions too. I saw a video tutorial (found HERE) a while back by Becca Feeken that shows how to create a pretty ornament out of Spellbinders Fleur De Lis pendant. I followed her directions for folding the pendants and made an ornament to feature one of the Wags 'n Whiskers Fairies...allow me to introduce "Lacey"!



I stamped Lacey on Neenah cardstock and coloured her with Copics. I added sparkle to her wings with Stardust Stickles. I added additional shimmer to her dress with Smooch Illuminate.

Copics: Skin: E0000, E000, E00, E11 Hair: E50, E31, E33, E37, E59 Clothes: BG000, BG10, BG11, BG72, BG75, E50, E41, E43, blender Wings: B93, B21, B000 and RV000

Time for you to visit the sweet and very talented Debbie who I know has a gorgeous project to show you! Remember, if at any time on the hop you get a little lost, just return to the Wags 'n Whiskers Blog for the hop list. Don't forget to leave those comments for your chance to win some new stamps!

When you are done hopping, it's time to get shopping! (lol...didn't know I had poetry skills, huh??) You can find the brand new Wags 'n Whiskers Fairies HERE.

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: Wags 'n Whiskers "Lacey"
Ink: Memento, Copic markers, Distress Ink
Paper: Neenah, My Mind's Eye
Embellishments: Rhinestones, crocheted trim, ribbon
Tools: Spellbinders Fleur De Lis Pendant

It's Release Day at Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps!!

(This is one of two posts today...please check in around 12:00 pm EST for a new Sundays With Crissy challenge!)

The wait is over...the July stamps are now available for purchase at Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps! If you have been following Kimmie and the Krafty Girls over the last few days, you will have seen the sneak peeks for this month's fabulous stamps. Kimmie has packed a lot of fun into July's release...there are three new Miles the Mouse stamps by artist Steven Leary and six Fairy Tale characters by artist Annie Rodrigue! (and of course there are some great accessory stamps and sentiments to go along with the main images!) As always, we're having a BLOG HOP today to celebrate the release, and Kimmie has some amazingly talented guests joining in with the Krafty Girls this month!

First, let's cover the details. The hop begins over at the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Challenge Blog (where you will find a list of all the blogs). You will want to make sure to visit every blog on the list and don't forget to leave comments along the way, as Kimmie will be drawing some winners from the hop participants. These lucky stampers will win packages of some of the new stamps. Here's the blog hop list again:

1. Challenge Blog

2. Donna

3. Diana

4. Krista

5. Melanie and Ainsleigh (you're here!)

6. Andrea and Kaitlyn

7. Michele

8. Steven Leary

9. Jeanne

10. Elaine

11. Annie

12. Vicki

13. Kellie Winnell

14. Kimmie

So, if you did not arrive here after visiting the lovely Krista, then you should head on over to the Challenge Blog to start the hop.

Today, I'll be showing you the adorable "Goldilocks" by artist Annie Rodrigue...take a look at those ringlets!! Oh my goodness, was her hair ever fun to colour! Goldilocks comes with a little teddy bear accessory stamp, the sentiment you see on my card "You're Just Right!" and an extra sentiment "Bear Hugs". I decided to go with a fairly simply layout so that nothing took away from those gorgeous gold locks! They certainly deserve to take centre stage, don't you think? Annie did such a fantastic job bringing this curious little fairy tale girl to life.

My ever-so-talented daughter, and Junior Krafty Girl, Ainsleigh also has a card to share with you today! She chose to work with "Little Red", a stamp based on Annie Rodrigue's orginal artwork. Ainsleigh coloured the image with Copic markers, and used this pretty paper (I think it's from Daisy Buckets) on her card. Ainsleigh adhered some dollar store metal flowers to some Primas, and glitter everything up with Stickles!

Didn't she do a fantastic job??

Your next stop is the Amazing Andrea and her lovely daughter Kaitlyn...let me tell you that they have something FABULOUS to share!

After completing the hop, head on over to the Kraftin' Kimmie Online Store to order these gorgeous new stamps. If you place an order this week, you will have the chance to win a 5x7 print of Annie Rodrigue's "Little Red"!

Happy hopping friends!

Blessings,

Melanie

Supplies:

Melanie's Card

Stamp: Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps "Goldilocks" with matching sentiment

Paper: Neenah, Bazzill, KaiserCraft

Embellishments: Machine stitching, dollar store pearls

Tools: Spellbinders

Ainsleigh's Card

Stamp: Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps "Little Red"

Paper: Neenah, Bazzill, Daisy Buckets

Embellishments: Various flowers and Stickles

It's May Release Day!!!

Your wait is over...today's the day!! I know you've been anxiously awaiting the release of the brand spankin' new May stamps at Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps!! Artist Annie Rodrigue is making us think of sun and sand this month! We have a group of fantastic vintage Bathing Beauties having fun at the beach! Also we’ve got another one of Annie’s incredible paintings made into a stamp with Perfect Poison!! You’ll get to check out all the new stamps throughout our fabulous blog hop today!!

If you have arrived here from the lovely Diana's blog, then you are on the right track. If not, just start over at the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog so you don't miss any of the stops. You will find the Blog Hop List there too, in case you get lost along the way! You will want to make sure to leave a comment at each and every blog on the hop, as Kimmie will randomly draw some names from the comments to win packages of some of the new stamps! Oh, you have one other chance to win a fabulous prize! Each and every order placed on Sunday, May 16th and Monday May 17th is eligible to be entered in the draw to win a 5x7 print featuring Annie’s original painting, Perfect Poison!!

For our hop today, I've used Florence and Jack...boy, do I LOVE their retro beach attire!! Hmmm...wish I looked as smashing as sweet Florence! She certainly has caught the eye of young Jack. I "borrowed" (with permission!!! lol) the idea of changing Jack's line of vision from our incredibly clever Krafty Girl Michele...just wipe off the dots of ink from his eyes, and re-draw the pupils in after stamping. (That Michele...I tell you, she's just a stamping genius!! Click here to check out her card using this fab idea!) The sentiment is part of the new Beachy Sentiments set for this month!

Joining us today on the hop are our fabulous Junior Krafty Girls!! These young ladies are so talented, and we're thrilled to have them participating today. My lovely daughter Ainsleigh has made this gorgeous card featuring Eleanor! After colouring her up with Copic markers, Ainsleigh cut her out and made this cute little beach scene with some stickers! I LOVE the colours she chose to work with!! Ainsleigh picked out this pretty paper from Fancy Pants...very tropical!

Ok....off you go to visit the amazing Annie Rodrigue, who brought us all these fantastic images!! Don't forget to leave comments at everybody's blog for the chance to win some of the new stamps!! When you're done hopping, get yourself over to the Kraftin' Kimmie Online Store to place your order.

Have fun hopping stampers!

Blessings,

Melanie and Ainsleigh

Stamps: Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps "Florence", "Jack" and Beachy Sentiments

Ink: Memento, Copic markers

Paper: Neenah, Bazzill, Fancy Pants

Ainsleigh's Card

Stamps: Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps "Eleanor"

Ink: Memento, Copic markers

Paper: Neenah, Bazzill, Fancy Pants

Embellishments: Various stickers

DING DING DING...We have a Winner!!

For all of you who participated in the Wags 'n Whiskers Blog Hop this past weekend, we now have our winners!! Four DT members were randomly picked to draw a winner from their comments, and your's truly was one of them!! Yay! So, without further ado the lucky winner of two brand new May Release Wags 'n Whiskers stamps from my blog is.....

SAMMIBUG!!!

Congrats!! Please contact Nikki at nichola.fairbairn@googlemail.com to claim your prize!

Remember...there are three other winners from three other DT blogs! So, for a complete list of winners from our Blog Hop, check over at the Wags 'n Whiskers blog. You can purchase Wags 'n Whiskers Stamps here.

Have a fantastic day and happy stamping!

Blessings,

Melanie

A Wags 'n Whiskers Blog Hop!!

(I've got two posts today! If you're looking for The Town Scrapper weekly challenge, just scroll up or click here!)

I love release days...they are always so exciting!! Today is the day you can get your inky paws on all the fantastic stamps for the May release at Wags 'n Whiskers Stamps!! If you have been following along with us over the last two days, you will already have seen some of the gorgeous new images! Today, you will have the opportunity to see them all as you take part in our BLOG HOP! Every member of the design team has been busy creating something fantastic for the hop. As you hop along, make sure to leave a comment on every blog because Nikki and Lacey are offering prizes!! Four random DT blogs will be chosen, and one winner will be drawn from the comments on each of those four blogs! The winner will get their choice of two brand new stamps!!! That's four chances to win if you make sure to leave comments at each blog along the hop!!

If you came here from the talented Chris' blog, then you are on the right track! If not, just start over at the Wags 'n Whiskers Blog. Here is the list again:

Christa
Michele
Nikki
Jeanette
Debbie
Lacey
Renata
Joy
Chris
Melanie
Lisa Jane
Mina
Sharon
Jacqui
Tina
Karen
Back to the Wags 'n Whiskers blog and comment on your favourite design!

I have used "Travelling Buddies" for my project today. These new May images by artist Cris De Lara are so cute!! My daughter absolutely loves them too! Little Zoe and Gemma are all set to go on an exciting adventure with their luggage and maps. I kept my layout pretty simple for this card, and pop dotted the stamped image for dimension. I printed the sentiment on my computer...it's a quote I found online by Tim Cahill (lol...not sure who he is, but I love this quote!!). It reads "A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles". How true!! Friends are precious, and I feel so very blessed by my wonderful friends!

Ok, off you go to visit Lisa Jane! Don't forget to leave comments at every blog to be in the running for prizes! The hop will remain open until Monday May 10, 2010 at 12:00 pm GMT/7:00 am EST.

The brand new May Wags 'n Whiskers Stamps are now available for purchase!! You can buy them HERE.

Have fun hopping stampers!!

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: Wags 'n Whiskers "Travelling Buddies", sentiment by Tim Cahill

Ink: Copic markers, Memento

Paper: KaiserCraft, Neenah, Bazzill

Embellishments: Machine stitching, KaiserCraft brads

A Reminder of The Town Scrapper Blog Hop...with prizes!!

Mondays...time to get back to the grindstone. Yup, you can almost hear the collective sigh as kids get up to get ready for school and the grown-ups head out for work. Sigh. I did have a great weekend though, so I shouldn't really complain! My daughter competed in a Highland Dancing competition this weekend and took two thirds and two fourths!! This was enough for her to advance to the next competitive level, so she was just thrilled! I also had the privilege of being a guest designer yesterday for Crissy Armstrong's new challenge blog "Sundays with Crissy"!! What an honour that was. Crissy is such a sweetheart...and oh so talented!! (please scroll back to my post from yesterday for details on rules, prizes and links to Crissy's blog!) I also have some exciting news that I will be announcing on Friday, so I hope you stay tuned!!

Ok...let's get down to business!! lol I want to remind you of the two-week long Blog Hop we are having at The Town Scrapper to help Phebe celebrate the release of her exclusive line of Victoria Case stamps! Last Monday, I had a card to show you featuring "Birthday Sophie"...you can check out that post here. Half of our design team made cards last week, and the other Scrapettes are participating today!! Their projects are bound to be gorgeous, so you do not want to miss out on our hop! Make sure to leave comments on all the Scrapette's blogs, as there will be some random giveaways. We teased you last week with the promise of a grand prize...today we are revealing what the grand prize winner will be getting. Trust me, it's a HUGE prize package!! You can find the details over at The Town Scrapper blog!

So off you go! Here is a list of the participating Scrapettes:

The TownScrapper
Katie
Kim S
Kylie
Lisa
Phebe
Shelly
Tricia
Zoe

If you'd like to buy some of these amazing new stamps for yourself, Phebe can be reached by phone at 519-882-0623 or via email at info@TownScrapper.com . She ships worldwide!

Have a blessed Monday!

Melanie

A Town Scrapper Blog Hop!! (Complete with Prizes!!)

Happy Monday!! I had a fantastic time at Scrapfest on Saturday with my pal Amy! I had a chance to visit with Phebe owner of The Town Scrapper, Bob and Jennie from Skribbles & Scraps and had a chance to hang out with Kimmie and Andrea! Oh...and who else did I run into, but my friend and fellow Scrapette Krista!! Sadly, I completely forgot to bring a camera...but I know that Amy, Andrea and Kimmie were snapping away so they probably will post some pics! I did a fantastic make and take with the amazing Linda Heavens (You must go check out her blog...oh my goodness!! What talent! Be prepared to drool! lol) at the Stamping Bella booth. It was also my first time working with a Stamping Bella image (I know!! I'm a bit embarrassed to admit that, but I think I'm going to have to get me some of these adorable stamps!!) I had never tried out Prismacolour pencils in regards to stamping, so this was a completely new venture for me! I do have some old Prismas from art class hanging around here, so I'm hoping to pull them out sometime and try something new!

We have a treat for you today! The Scrapettes are helping Phebe, owner of The Town Scrapper in Petrolia, Ontario, to celebrate the recent release of her brand new exclusive line of stamps designed by Victoria Case! These stamps are adorable, and have been flying off the shelves at The Town Scrapper! (They were a HUGE hit at Scrapfest!) The Scrapettes have been having so much fun playing with these images and we are excited to show you some of our projects in our two-week long BLOG HOP!! Half of the Scrapettes will be posting projects today, while the others are posting next Monday. You can find a list of the Scrapettes participating today at the Town Scrapper Blog. I also have them listed below.

The Town Scrapper Blog

Ann

Janet

Kelly

Krista

Leah

Maria

Melanie (you are here!!)

We thought it would be fun to focus on "Girlie" projects for our hop. You will have until midnight on Saturday April 24, 2010 to link up your creations on The Town Scrapper Blog . Winners will be announced on Monday April 26, 2010 (well, except for the grand prize winner!). What can you win? How can you win?? Well, you have three ways to win!

1. You must leave a comment on every blog on the hop, as two lucky winners will be chosen randomly from the comments left! (Some of the Victoria Case stamps are up for grabs here!)

2. Participate in our challenge for creating something "Girlie". As always, a winner will be chosen from the participants who link up their projects. (Yup...another chance to win an exclusive Town Scrapper Victoria Case stamp!!)

3. There will also be a grand prize winner at the end of the two week hop...but we're keeping you in suspense over that one until next week!! Just make sure to participate, and you're in the draw! (Stay tuned to the Town Scrapper blog to find out when the grand prize winner will be announced.)

I chose to work with "Birthday Sophie". I stamped her on Neenah cardstock and coloured her with Copic markers. The pretty DP is from My Mind's Eye, and I tied the bow with my Bow Easy. The little blue border was created with a Martha Stewart punch (love that punch!!). The sentiment comes with Sophie.

I sponged the edges with Antique Linen and Brushed Corduroy Distress Inks. Hmmm...Balloons are tricky!! I wanted to try to make them appear translucent. Wondering if I should have had the rear balloons showing through the front one a bit. It's a learning process, so perhaps I'll work on that for next time I colour balloons!

In case you're interested, the Copics I used for Sophie were:

Skin: E000, E00, E11 and R20

Hair: E31, E33, E35, E37, E50 and E59

Dress: BG10, BG72, BG75, R81, R83 and R85

Shoes: 100, C5 and C3

(sorry...I'm forgetting the colours of the balloons and presents.)

All the fantastic Victoria Case images are in stock now at The Town Scrapper!! If you are not close to Petrolia, Ontario don't despair!! Phebe will ship worldwide, so feel free to contact her at 519-882-0623 or via email at info@townscrapper.com!!

Have fun hopping stampers! (Don't forget to leave those comments to be in the running for some fantastic prizes!!)

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: Exclusive Town Scrapper stamp "Birthday Sophie" and sentiment

Ink: Copic markers, Distress Inks

Paper: Bazzill, MME, Neenah

Embellishments: Walmart ribbon

Tools: Martha Stewart punch, Bow Easy

It's April Release Day at Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps!!

That's right...the wait is over! The brand new Kraftin' Kimmie April images are available for purchase starting today, and to celebrate, we're having a blog hop! If you've been following us for the last few days, you've already seen the sneak peeks of these amazing images. Annie Rodrigue has gone Medieval on us this month...we have a princess, a queen, a knight, a minstrel and a dragon!!! Also we’ve got another one of Annie’s incredible paintings made into a stamp with Marie Antoinette!! There is also a super sweet single image featuring Cindy and Mindy called, You Make Me Happy! You’ll get to check out all the new stamps throughout our fabulous blog hop today!!

If you arrived here after visiting the incredible Michele, then you are on the right track. If not, then you will want to start from the beginning and just head over to the Kraftin’ Kimmie Challenge Blog! Along the way, you will also see a few more projects by our super talented Junior Krafty Girls!! As you hop from blog to blog, be sure to leave a comment at each and every stop because some lucky stampers will win packages of stamps from the new release!! And when you’re done hoppin’, be sure to head over to the Kraftin’ Kimmie store, because ALL the new images are NOW available! OH and did we mention? Each and every order placed on Sunday, April 11th and Monday April 12th are eligible to be entered in the draw to win one of three postcards featuring Annie’s original painting, Le Messager!

For my card today, I used "Queen Guinevere" and "Sir Galahad". (The sentiment I used actually comes with Princess Petunia, another new April image!) I coloured them with my Copic markers (of course), and paired them up with this paper from a DCWV stack.

A closer look at our gorgeous Queen! She comes with two sentiment stamps. I added a generous coat of Stardust Stickles to her veil.

Here's our gallant knight! Gotta love that chain mail!

My daughter Ainsleigh was also hard at work making a card for the blog hop today!! If you missed our announcement yesterday, Kimmie has recruited our daughters for the brand new Junior Krafty Girls! Ainsleigh chose to work with "Princess Petunia"and her bonus sentiment stamp. She used some pretty Doodle Bug paper and Prima Flowers. I think she did a fantastic job, and I'm so proud of her!

Ok, so here's the blog hop list again, just in case you got lost along the way!

1. Challenge blog
2. Vicki
3. Jeanne

4. Michele

5. Melanie and Ainsleigh
6. Diana
7. Donna

8. Tara
9. Andrea and Jaime
10. Elaine

11. Kimmie

Off you go now to visit the talented Diana who is sure to have something fantastic to show you! Make sure to leave those comments on each blog and get your name in the draw for a prize!! Have fun along the hop, and then get on over to Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps to place your order!

Blessings,

Melanie and Ainsleigh

Melanie's Card:

Stamps: Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps "Queen Guinevere", "Sir Galahad" and "Princess Petunia sentiment"

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic markers

Paper: Neenah, Bazzill, DCWV (Once Upon A Tme)

Embellishments: Stickles

Ainsleigh's Card:

Stamps: Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps "Princess Petunia" and sentiment

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic markers

Paper: Neenah, Bazzill, Doodle Bug

Embellishments: Prima Flowers, WRMK brads

Tools: Spellbinders

Shiver Me Timbers...The Wait is Over!!

(This is another two-post day on my blog! After you read about the Kraftin Kimmie Blog Hop, scroll up or click here for my High Hopes post!)

Good morning stampers!! Did you all sleep last night, or were you up waiting for the brand spankin' new Kraftin' Kimmie February release images to become avaliable for purchase??!! Well, your wait is over..they are now up in the store!! I hope you have been following the Krafty Girls for the last couple of days, as we have been busy showing you previews of all the fantastic images!! There are 4 new fantastic Emmylou images from Crissy Armstrong, 5 new swashbuckling pirate images from Annie Rodrigue, 2 adorable Cindy and Mindy images from Jean Grant and a new set of coordinating Pirate Sentiments!! You’ll get to check out all the new stamps throughout our fabulous blog hop!!

Now you should have arrived here after visiting the lovely Crissy Armstrong, but if you did not then head over to Kraftin’ Kimmie Challenge Blog, where all the fun starts!

Along the way, you will see AMAZING projects by Kimmie and the Krafty Girls. Joining us today are the amazing artists Crissy Armstrong and Annie Rodrigue! We’ve also got some fantastic Krafty Guests again!!

As you hop from blog to blog, be sure to leave a comment at each and every stop because THREE lucky stampers will win packages of stamps from the new release!! And when you’re done hoppin’, be sure to head over to the Kraftin’ Kimmie store, because ALL the new images are NOW available!


For my card today, I used two of the fantastic new pirate images by Annie Rodrigue! I LOVE pirates...mostly due to the Pirates of the Caribbean movies (Johnny Depp is one of my favourite actors...Jack Sparrow is AWESOME!) I also tried my hand at a side step card for the first time. I would like to introduce you to "Bìlly Blyth" and "Alicia the Strawberry Pirate"! I stamped this fantastic pair on Neenah Cardstock with Memento Ink and coloured with Copic markers to coordinate with this fantastic paper by KaiserCraft. The sentiments are both part of the brand new "Pirate Sentiments", and the cute bird is "Alicia's Parrot" (the accessory stamp that come with Alicia). Those skull and crossbones are some iron-on trim I found at a fabric store, so I snatched some up knowing that it was perfect for this release!


Here's Billy Blyth...quite the dashing young pirate!








Here's a closer look at Alicia! Now, if you have been checking in with us, you will know that Alicia is based on an original piece of artwork by Annie, and Kimmie is offering up a 5x7 print as a prize!! All customers who place an order at the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Store on February 14 and February 15 will be put in the draw for this amazing prize!





Now, I KNOW you want some of these stamps!! lol Why not try to win yourself some by hopping along with us today. Here's the blog hop order:

1. Kraftin' Kimmie Challenge Blog
2. Donna
3. Michele
4. Diana
5. Andrea
6. Annie Rodrigue
7. Betty Roberts
8. Elaine
9. Vicki
10. Jeanne
11. Tara
12. Crissy Armstrong
13. Melanie
14. Alli Miles
16. Kimmie

So, there you have it!! Get hopping ladies...your next stop is the amazing Alli Miles! When you are done, get on over to the Kraftin` Kimmie Store to get your inky fingers on the fantastic February Release!

Have fun!

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: Kraftin` Kimmie Stamps, Alicia the Strawberry Pirate, Billy Blythe, Alicia`s Parrot, Pirate Sentiments
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic markers
Paper: KaiserCraft, Bazzill, Coordinations
Embellishments: Iron-on Skull and Crossbones trim

"Stash the Booty" at Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps!

Whew! It's been a busy week for the Krafty Girls with all the previews! Have you seen them?? We started the sneak peeks on Thursday for the upcoming February release for Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps!! Yup, only ONE MORE SLEEP stampers...we'll be having a blog hop tomorrow to celebrate the release day!

Saturday, of course, marks a new challenge on Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog. Now, when we were given the images for this next release, the wheels started turning in my head! I know I just hosted the challenge a couple of weeks back, but Annie's new pirate images inspired me with another topic, so Kimmie graciously allowed me host again! This week's challenge is called "Stash The Booty!!"...pretty appropriate with the whole pirate theme, huh?? Yeah, I have my clever moments! lol So, I am asking you to incorporate something "hidden" on your project this week. We all know that pirates are infamous for hiding treasure...or trying to find another pirate's stash!

I used "Cutthroat Lizzie" on my card today. Sometimes, I like to pretend that I look like this. lol I stamped Lizzie on Neenah paper and coloured her with Copic markers.

So, where's the booty on this card?? See that little treasure chest (an accessory stamp for the February release) Lizzie is guarding? Well, it conceals a small recessed window in which you will find some treasure...the chest pivots open on one of the brads to reveal the booty! Um, don't tell my daughter that I raided her jewelry box for this cross neclace, ok? lol. So, you can actually use a card like this to double as your gift packaging.

I cannot wait to see what you come up with for this challenge! I had a lot of fun with it, and hope you will too! So, get busy and "Stash The Booty"...you could be the winner of "Cutthroat Lizzie" from Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps. But remember...you MUST use a Kraftin' Kimmie image to be eligable for the prize! Just link up your project on the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog!



Now, don't get so busy that you forget to come back tomorrow!! It's release day, and all the images you've been seeing over the past few days will be available for purchase!! Join us for the February Release Blog Hop...Kimmie has some special guests lined up for the hop too!

Tomorrow, I will be showing you a card featuring two other pirates from the Moonlight Whispers collection. One of these pirates is Alicia the Strawberry Pirate. If you have been checking out our sneak peeks, you will know that Kimmie has a special 5x7 print of Alicia by artist Annie Rodrigue. Alicia is based on an original piece by Annie, and word has it there are more to come!!

Don't miss out stampers!

Blessings,

Melanie

I Spy With My Little Eye...

(This is my second post for today. Scroll down or click here for my Sweet 'n Sassy post!!)

PREVIEWS!!! Yup, we are starting the previews of Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps February release!! Oh wow...there are some fantastic "gotta have" images in this release. Well, actually I think all of them are on the "gotta have" list! lol So, for the next three day, you can visit the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog to find a list of the Krafty Girls who will be participating in the sneak peeks! Following the previews, we will be having a BLOG HOP on Sunday to celebrate RELEASE DAY!! You are in for a jam-packed fun-filled few days!

Ok, so now that you are "in the know", let's get on with the sneak peeks!! Today, I am showing you a brand new image by Crissy Armstrong! This is "Puddles of Love". I immediately fell in love with this gorgeous image. Remember back when splashing in the puddles was THE greatest fun?? Somewhere along the way, we "mature" and tend to loose sight of the joys of small things...like splashing in a puddle! Hmmm...maybe next time it rains I'll have to put on my galoshes (or Wellies, if you prefer!!), slicker and get out there and splash to my heart's content! lol



I stamped "Splashing Love" on Neenah cardstock and coloured with my Copic markers. I first picked out my paper, and decided to go with a pink raincoat to coordinate with the DP. Now, it has come to my attention that MANY of my Copic markers sit neglected in their cases...oh the shame! Do you all do that...always reach for you favourite combos? Well, I decided to step outside my comfort zone and reach for the RV's. I'll tell you a secret....the RV shades scare me a bit! I rarely have success with them, but I felt it was time to conquer that fear. So I played around until I found a combination of markers that worked. What do you think? The result is a little bright (if you have to put on your sunglasses, I will not be offended! lol)...but what little girl doesn't adore pink??


I hope you have fun hopping around to the Krafty Girl's blogs...these ladies are AMAZING!!! Make sure to check back with us over the next few days, because you don't want to miss out on any of the fun! You see, if you've been keeping an eye on the sneak peeks, then you can be ready to place your order at Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps as soon as these fantastic images are available on Sunday February 14, 2010!! Remember, we will be having a BLOG HOP that day...there will be some special guests participating and perhaps even some PRIZES!!

Now, there is one thing you should be aware of! On your travels, you may see previews of a new Moonlight Whispers image called "Alicia the Strawberry Pirate". Kimmie has a very special prize up for grabs for this release. Here's what she has to say:

Alicia the Strawberry Pirate is the first stamp that we have produced that is designed based on one of Annie's original illustrations! It's really exciting and we have more on the way!! I am giving away a 5x7 print of the illustration, Alicia the Strawberry Pirate that can be seen here: http://www.moonlight-whispers.com/catalog.php?item=33 Every order placed on Sunday, February 14th and Monday, February 15th is eligible to win and one lucky stamper will be the random winner!

How exciting! As a heads up, I will be making a card featuring Alicia for our blog hop on Sunday...but I know for a fact that you will see her today if you visit all the Krafty Girl's blogs!

See you back tomorrow!

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps "Puddles of Love" with coordinating sentiment
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic markers
Paper: Neenah, SU, Fancy Pants
Embellishments: Prima Hydrangeas, Dew Drops, Jewelry spacers, ribbon