Mistletoe Mischief!

Good morning friends! I cannot believe that it's already December 22...this time of year just flies by so quickly. I trust that all your holiday preparations are complete? On Christmas day, we'll be having dinner with my in-laws and we're hosting a boxing day dinner at our house for my side of the family. At my hubby's request, roast beef will be on the menu...and perhaps some spiral ham, which is more to my liking! My cousin always requests pumpkin pie...one of his own, and one for everybody else to share, lol. Following dinner, we'll be breaking out the games!! I LOVE playing games, and this year I was finally able to find Balderdash!! I've been looking for this game for years, and this was the first time I've been able to find it...although I think they've redone it, so I'm curious to see how it differs. We've also picked up Scribblish, which I'm looking forward to trying out.

Today is my turn to post over at Sundays With Crissy. This month, Crissy is giving us the choice of two challenge topics...Christmas is Coming or Winter is Here!! I thought I would sneak in one final Christmas Card this year. I chose to work with one of Crissy's images that she drew for Wags 'n Whiskers Stamps...this is "Steal a Kiss". I adore this cute image, and have been waiting for a chance to use it. It would obviously be perfect for Valentine's Day, but I thought it would also make a cute Christmas card with the addition of a little hand-drawn sprig of Mistletoe! You have to watch out for that stuff you know...people can be pretty sneaky hanging it throughout the house in order to sneak a little kiss! lol The design papers are from Bo Bunny. The "Meet Me Under The Mistletoe" tag is something I found in my stash while I was hunting for an embellishment to fill the upper corner of my layout...how perfect is it for this image?? I love it when that happens! I added some little jingle bells I recently picked up at the dollar store to the bow tied with my Bow-Easy. I thought the little snippets of red ribbon would be just right to tie in the red bow on the mistletoe I drew, as well as the lettering on the tag...now I'm second guessing that colour choice a bit. Red is not a colour I would normally put with purple. Hmmm. Probably won't put them together again. I'm now suffering a bit from that "hindsight is 20/20" syndrome. :) Anybody else ever afflicted with that?? lol



I printed the digital image "Steal a Kiss" on Neenah Smooth Cardstock and coloured it with Copic makers. I also did a little experimenting shading with some old Prismacolour pencils I've had kicking around since my high school years...and no, I'm not going to clarify how long that's been, lol. ;) I used some baby oil and a paper blending stump after I was finished using my markers...it's really important to colour with your markers first, as you will ruin the nibs if you try colouring over pencil crayon. (However, don't fret if you should happen to ruin a nib, as they are replaceable. It's just an extra expense that is nice to avoid if possible.) I sponged around the image with Bundled Sage and Walnut Stain Distress Inks. I also added some additional shading with a brown Prismacolour pencil, and blended it out with the baby oil.



We'd love to have you join in with our challenge this month! All projects can be submitted on Crissy' Post ...just look for the Blue Inlinkz frog at the bottom of her post. Crissy has changed a few things up this month in regards to prizes....here's what she had to say:

I'm going to do something a little different for blog candy with this month's challenge! In the spirit of Christmas and giving, I am going to give away one digital image to the first 12 players! AND I am opening up the contest to include EVERYONE (not just for those using one of my images)!! So if you are one of the first twelve players to link up your Christmas/winter card on here, you will get your choice of one of my digital images from either Whimsy or Squigglefly! How fun is that! Now to keep it fair, you must make a card specifically for this challenge. Any cards that are "back-linked" will not qualify. And, if you don't make it in the race for top twelve, you can still have a chance to win at the end of this month. I'll still draw a name (using Random.org) from the participants, and that lucky person will get to choose 2 images of their choice from my collection. So what are you waiting for!! Ready, set, get crafting!!

Being later in the month, we have of course far exceeded the first twelve entries, so the "earlybird" prize is no longer up for grabs. However, our lovely Crissy's Crew member Zoe, owner of Make It Crafty, has added an additional prize for the winner! She will be contributing her brand new digital image "Stairway to Heaven"...it is a gorgeous background digital stamp that would work beautifully with many of Crissy's images!

You can find Crissy's digital images at Wags 'n Whiskers Stamps, Squigglefly or Whimsy Stamps.

Well friends, this will likely be my last post before Christmas as I plan to spend the next several days with family and friends. (unless I can find a little pocket of crafty time!!) I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas!! May you enjoy this time with loved ones, and create memories to treasure in the years to come as we celebrate this wonderful season...the day that we remember the birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. As we remember His humble arrival in that stable so many years ago, may you experience the peace, hope and love this season brings.

God Bless!

Melanie

Stamps: "Steal a Kiss" digital stamp by Crissy Armstrong for Wags 'n Whiskers

Ink: Copics, Distress Ink

Paper: Neenah, Bo Bunny, Bazzill

Embellishments: Chipboard tag, ribbon, bells, machine stitching

Tools: Bow Easy

Let it Snow!

Confession time...I really love the snow! So, I was thrilled with the challenge topic at Wags 'n Whiskers this week...the lovely, sweet and oh so talented Sharon Caudle is challenging all of us to use Snowflakes on our projects this week!

I used the beautiful fairy "Angelica" for my card today. Now, when you stamp Angelica, she is normally sprinkling pretty little fairy stars from her fingers. However, after inking my stamp I used a damp Q-Tip to remove the ink from that part of the rubber. I stamped her on Neenah smooth cardstock and then drew in some little snowflakes with my Copic multiliner. I coloured her to match the fun snowflake patterned paper from Fancy Pants. The blue polka dotted paper is a scrap I had laying around. I also added in some plastic snowflakes that I picked up at the dollar store. (I glammed them up with some additional glitter!) The sentiment is from Motivet stamps. The snowflake pattern on the tag was created with an accessory stamp from High Hopes. (I used Stormy Sky Distress Ink.)

I used plenty of Stardust Stickles on Angelica and sponged around my image with Stormy Sky Distress Ink.

Copics: Skin: E000, E00, E11, R20 Hair: E50, Y21, Y23, Y26, E31, E33, E37, E59 Dress: B91, B95, B97, B99, G20, G21, G28, G99, BG000 Wings: BG0000, BG000, RV000, G20, G21, blender

We would love to have you play along this week! Remember, the WnW prize challenges are now open to projects featuring any stamp! However, if you use a WnW image on your project, you will also be entered into a bonus draw! Hop on over the Wags 'n Whiskers Blog to see the gorgeous snowy projects by the rest of the Divas this week...they are just beautiful! If you are in need of some retail therapy, you can find Wags 'n Whiskers Stamps HERE.

This post is a little sad for me today...this will be my last weekly post for Wags 'n Whiskers Stamps. Lacey and Nikki asked me to join the team as a guest designer back in May. My term was only supposed to be for May and June, but they very kindly offered to have me stay on a while longer. The ladies on the Wags 'n Whiskers design team have been absolutely fabulous to work with...they are all so sweet, and have made me feel so welcome. I am very grateful for the friendships made while on this team. Thank you all so much for having me on board for these last several months...I truly appreciate it!

Thanks for stopping by today friends!

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: Wags 'n Whiskers "Angelica", Motivet sentiment, High Hopes snowflake

Ink: Memento, Copics, Distress Ink

Paper: Neenah, Bazzill, Fancy Pants

Tools: Bow Easy

Embellishments: Plastic dollar store snowflakes, glitter, Stardust Stickles, rhinestones, pearls, ribbon

Wrap It Up!!

This week at Wags 'n Whiskers Stamps the fabulous Nikki (co-owner of WnW) has come up with a challenge just perfect for this time of year...Make a gift box, bag or tag!

I am one of those people who loves to wrap gifts. I love picking out pretty papers, cutting, folding and taping it all up so nicely. However, more and more I find we are buying gift cards for people, so my gift wrapping is not quite as labour intensive as before. I used to think gift cards were a lazy gift...but I've since changed my mind. I think my opinion on that changed when my son became a teenager, and started getting picky about his clothing. So, I began to suggest gift cards so that he could just choose for himself. Of course, they ship pretty cheap too for those who need to mail their gifts. I always love receiving gift cards towards my favourite stores too...whether it be a crafty or clothing store. Last year at Christmas, my in-laws gave me a very generous gift card for one of my favourite local crafty stores...I went on quite the spree picking out Spellbinders, Copic markers, papers and other items I had been wishing for!

With this in mind, I thought I would try my hand at making a gift card holder for Nikki's challenge. (It's kind of a box, right??!! Ok...so I stretched on this one!! Lol...I asked permission though, and got the "OK" from the bosses!!)

Back in September, I was at a stamping event where my wonderfully talented and absolutely hilarious friend Andrea Murdock did a make and take with this gift card holder template...I love it!! It's quite easy to make and the possibilities are endless. Thanks Andrea...you rock girlfriend!! I'm sure you could easily whip up a whole bunch of these to have on hand for any occasion...as you can see, mine would suit any occasion. Guess I'll have to pull out the Christmas papers and get going on some for the upcoming holiday season!



Copics: Skin: E000, E00, E11, R20 Hair: E50, E30, E31, E33, E37, E59 Dress: RV000, R83, R85, R89, BG96, BG93, G20, G000, YG11 Wings: Booo, BGoooo, BG93, BG96, Gooo, RV000, R83 Flower: RV000, R83, R85, R89

I stamped "Rosalie" on Neenah Smooth cardstock and coloured her with Copic markers. She was cut out with Spellbinders Labels 2 and popped up with foam squares. The foam squares are necessary on this project because the closure flap tucks in underneath your image panel (see picture below). The cardstock base is a 4 1/4" x 10 3/4" strip scored at 4 1/4" and 8 3/4". So you will end up with 3 sections in your cardstock measuring 4 1/4", 4 1/2" and 2". You will also need to punch a slot in the cardstock for the gift card (see picture of interior), and make sure to only apply adhesive around the perimeter of your patterned paper...or else you will not be able to slip your gift card inside the pocket! All paper edges were sponged with Distress Ink...Antique Linen, Bundled Sage and Walnut Stain. I added in a little tag, jewelry spacer, dollar store pearls and a bow tied with my Bow Easy. Oh, and every fairy needs a healthy dose of Stardust Stickles on her wings...well, I think they do!!

From this angle, you can see how the small flap tucks in under your image panel...it takes a little fiddling to get it just right. I actually doubled up on the foam squares to give more height for the flap to tuck under.


Here's the inside....this is the reverse side of the patterned paper on the front of the card holder. You can see the slot at the top in which I've inserted a gift card. You will want to ensure that your slot is far enough down from the top that you still have room to adhere your paper on the outside. Again, make sure that you only apply your adhesive around the perimeter of your patterned paper on the exterior of the gift card holder...this creates the pocket for your gift card. I used plain white cardstock cut with a smaller sized die of the Labels 2 to give an area to write a little message.


I know you all have gifts to give this year...so get creative with your wrapping and join us for Nikki's challenge at Wags 'n Whiskers Stamps!! Need some inspiration? Hop on over the the WnW Blog to see what the other very talented Divas have been whipping up in their craft rooms! Remember that the WnW challenge prizes are now open to projects featuring any stamp line...but if you use a WnW image on your project, then your name will also be put into a bonus draw!! (You can find them HERE)

Thanks for dropping by today!

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps:Wags 'n Whiskers "Rosalie"
Paper: Neenah, Bazzill, Fancy Pants (Little Sprouts "Baby's Breath")
Ink: Memento, Distress Inks, Copics
Embellishments: Ribbon, die cut tag, dollar store pearls, jewelry spacer, Stardust Stickles
Tools: Spellbinders Labels 2, Bow Easy

Lavender and Lace

Oh, I am soooo late with this post! I must thank Lacey (and Nikki too!) for her patience with me...I've had some unexpected things come up that required my attention, and so my post had to take a back seat today. Better late than never though...right??

Welcome to another challenge at Wags 'n Whiskers Stamps!! Our challenge this week is "Lavender and Lace".

I decided to pull out one of my favourite Wags 'n Whiskers Stamps, "Say a Prayer" for this challenge. I have to admit that "lavender" is not a colour I have an abundance of in my paper collection. I searched through my papers several times for anything lavender, or even purple, and found this pretty polka-dotted paper from My Mind's Eye (Wild Asparagus). I also found a little scrap of polka-dotted paper from KaiserCraft that I used to paper peice the dress on this beautiful stamp. I chose to use some crocheted "lace"...this is one of my personal favourite embellishments. For finishing touches I distress the edges of the paper with my scissors and Milled Lavender Distress Ink, pulled out a Martha Stewart paper punch, added a few pearls, Prima Hydrangeas, Stardust Stickles, ribbon and a metal sentiment tag from the dollar store. I really wanted to add some machine stitching...another favourite embellishment of mine, but I've run out of white thread! (It's on my shopping list for this weekend, lol)


"Say a Prayer" was stamped with Memento Ink on Neenah Smooth cardstock and coloured with Copic markers. The paper-pieced dress was shaded with Copic markers. When paper-piecing, always remember to add some shading to your patterned paper. Otherwise, those areas of your image will just look flat.

Copics: Skin E000, E00, E11, R20 Hair: E50, Y21, Y23, Y26, E31, E33, E37, E59 Ribbon: C00, C01, C03, C05 Wings: BG0000, V000, RV000, blender Shading on dress: V000, V01, V12, V15, V09

We'd love to have you join in the "Lavender and Lace" challenge this week! You can link up your submission on the Wags 'n Whiskers Challenge Blog...you can also check out all the beautiful cards that the WnW Divas created this week. They are just stunning!

Remember, that the Wags 'n Whiskers Challenges are now open to submission featuring any stamps line. However, if you do use a WnW stamp on your project, then your name will also be entered into a bonus draw for a WnW digital stamp!

Thank you so much for stopping by today friends. It means so much to me that you all continue to keep looking in on my little blog...and your sweet words are so encouraging. :)

Have a wonderful Friday evening, and I hope to see you back tomorrow!

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: Wags 'n Whiskers "Say a Prayer"

Ink: Memento, Milled Lavender Distress Ink, Copic markers

Paper: Neenah, Bazzill, MME, KaiserCraft

Embellishments: Prima flowers, pearls, Stickles, ribbon, metal sentiment tag

Tools: Martha Stewart border punch

Running a little late...

Good morning folks!

I'm running a bit behind schedule today due to some unexpected things that came up last night, and will be late getting my card posted for the Wags 'n Whiskers Challenge.

I will be back later this afternoon with my card, but in the meantime please hop on over the Wags 'n Whiskers Blog to check out the gorgeous projects by the rest of the DT for our "Lavender and Lace" challenge this week.

Hope to see you back later today!

Blessings,

Melanie

Snow Fairy

This is a tw0-post day on my blog...today is round two of the Kraftin' Kimmie November previews! Please feel free to scroll up to see my sneak peek for today(it will be up at 7:00 am EST)...and for links to the other previews!

Ready for a new challenge at Wags 'n Whiskers Stamps?? Today's challenge is brought to us by the lovely Tracy. She would like to see you using Acetate, Vellum or Tissue on your project. Just wait until you see the gorgeous projects by the rest of the design team over at the Wags 'n Whiskers Blog!

I decided to pull out one of the beautiful WnW fairies...this is "Rhiannon" coloured up as a snow fairy. She is usually perched on a branch, but I eliminated that so that she could be nestled on an arrangement of snowflakes and swirls. This was a fun challenge for me as I rarely use vellum on my cards. I ran strips of vellum and cardstock through my Xyron "sticker maker"...I know that's not the right name, lol. It's a little "X" shaped contraption that you can insert ribbon, paper or other thin embellies through to apply a film of adhesive. I used Spellbinders Doodle Parts to cut out the swirls and then broke out my Ritz Microfine Glitter for the very first time, and applied it to the now sticky vellum and cardstock. I love this glitter! Just burnish it with your finger for a beautiful velvety finish...so pretty! The snowflakes started off as clear plastic. I coated them with glittery "snow" paint, sprinkled them with coarse glitter and topped them off with a rhinestone centre. The pretty DP is from a DCWV Christmas Stack. Finally, I added some random rhinestones for additional sparkle.

Rhiannon was stamped on Neenah cardstock and coloured with my Copics. Those wings were just crying out for some Stardust Stickles...these are the perfect Stickles for fairy wings. They also add to the "frosty" look I was after for this "snow fairy". (The first photo turned out rather bright...it's too "blue". The colours are actually not quite that intense. This second photo is a little more accurate colour-wise...the papers are teal.)

Copics: Skin: E0000, E000, E00, E11, R20 Hair: E50, Y21, Y23, Y26, E33, E37, E59 Clothes: BG0000, BG000, BG01, B14, B37, B99, C00, C1, C3, C5 Wings: BG01, BG000, BG0000, RVooo, blender

We would love to have you play along with our challenge this week. You could be the lucky winner of a WnW stamps! Remember that the Wags 'n Whiskers Challenges are now open to projects featuring ANY stamp line...just link up your project at the Wags 'n Whiskers Blog. Now, if you already own some Wags 'n Whiskers stamps, go ahead and use them in the challenges...those projects featuring a WnW image will be entered into a bonus draw for a WnW digital stamp!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: Wags 'n Whiskers "Rhiannon"

Ink: Memento, Copics

Paper: Neenah, DCWV, Bazzill

Embellishments: Ritz microfine glitter, plastic snowflakes, rhinestones, Stardust Stickles, machine stitching

Tools: Spellbinders Ovals, Doodle Parts, Snowflakes

Sister Act

Happy Friday folks! We have a brand new challenge over at Wags 'n Whiskers today...Barbara would like to see projects celebrating Sisters or Friendship. I am very happy to be back playing alongside the rest of the WnW Divas this month...October ended up being so busy at our house, that I had to take a few weeks off. I'm hoping November is a little less hectic!

Have you heard that there is a big change to the Wags 'n Whiskers challenges?? You are now welcome to play along using any stamp you wish...all entries will be eligible to win the WnW stamp being offered as a prize! However, if you do chose to use a WnW image on your entry then you will also be eligible to win a bonus digital stamp!!

I had yet to ink up "Rosalie" from the second fairy release. I decided to stamp her twice (after masking the first) to create a little pair of dancing sisters. The design paper is from both Cloud 9 Designs and Basic Grey. The little metal "Girlfriends" tag is from the dollar store, the white ribbon is from Walmart and that gorgeous pink silk ribbon is May Arts Silk Ribbon from Lacey's store Stamp and Create...honestly, if you've never tried working with this ribbon you must purchase some. It is absolutely divine for tying beautiful bows!



The "sisters" were stamped on Neenah smooth paper with Memento Ink and coloured with Copic makers. I was quite generous with the Stardust Stickles on their cute fairy outfits.

Copics: Skin: E000, E00, E11, R20 Hair: E50, E30, E31, E33, E37, E59/E50, Y21, Y23, Y26, E31, E33, E37 Clothes: RV000, R83, R85, R89, G20, G82, G85 Wings: RV000, R83, G20, Y00, colourless blender

Need a little inspiration? Well, hop on over to the Wags 'n Whiskers Blog to see what the rest of the very talented Divas have created this week! Remember that the weekly prize draw will now include entries featuring any stamp...but there will be a bonus prize offered for those who use a WnW stamp! (You can find Wags 'n Whiskers Stamps HERE.)

Have a wonderful day friends and thanks for stopping by!

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: Wags 'n Whiskers "Rosalie"

Paper: Neenah, Bazzill, Basic Grey, Cloud 9 Designs

Ink: Memento, Copics

Embellishments: Machine stitching, Stardust Stickles, metal dollar store embellishment, ribbon

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

Another Fairy Sneak Peek!

Good morning friends! We have another round of sneak peeks over at the Wags 'n Whiskers Blog today...and another round of gorgeous projects created by the lovely ladies on the WnW DT! These brand new fairies will be available for purchase tomorrow. We also have a Blog Hop planned for the official release tomorrow, so make sure to stop by!

I'd like to introduce you to "Rhiannon". I decided to use my Spellbinders to make a shaped card. The pretty brown and teal paper is from TPC. I used Scor-Tape to create a ruffled border with crocheted trim and tied the green ribbon with my Bow-Easy. For a little extra"bling", I added some flat-backed rhinestones.

Rhiannon was stamped on Neenah cardstock and coloured with my Copic markers. Her wings were given a generous coat of Stardust Stickles.

Copics: Hair: E50, E33, E37, E59, Y21, Y23, Y17 Skin: E000, E00, E11, R20 Dress: E 25, E29, E59, E41, E42, EE43, E47, BG000, BG11, BG72, BG75, B99 Wings: E50, E41, E42, BG72, BG000 Leaves: G20, G82, G85, G99

For more sneak peeks of these beautiful new fairies, please visit the Wags 'n Whiskers blog for links to the rest of the DT's blogs...the ladies have been very busy creating some stunning previews!

See you back tomorrow for the Release Day Blog Hop!

Thanks so much for stopping by today friends, and I hope you enjoy the rest of your day.

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: Wags 'n Whiskers "Rhiannon", clear stamp sentiment

Paper: Neenah, Bazzill, TPC

Ink: Memento, Copics

Embellishments: Rhinestones, crocheted trim, ribbon

Let the Wags 'n Whiskers Previews Begin!

Wags 'n Whiskers is gearing up for another fantastic release this Friday, and the sneak peeks start today! You can check out all the previews each day by visiting the Wags 'n Whiskers Blog where you will find a list of all the DT members participating that day. Mark your calendars because we will be celebrating the official release of these gorgeous new stamps on Friday October 8, 2010...and of course, there will be prizes!

For my first preview, I have use "Laila". I know you all loved the first set of fairies, so you are bound to love these beautiful new stamps as well! The pink ribbon is May Arts silk ribbon...it makes the most gorgeous bows! (with the help of my Bow-Easy, of course) I absolutely love working with this ribbon. You can find it HERE at Lacey's store Stamp and Create.



I stamped Laila on Neenah with Memento Ink and coloured her with Copic markers. The paper is K&Company. The pink part of her dress was paper-pieced, but I added shading to the patterned paper with some Copic markers. The butterfly, her shoes and wings were all coated with Stardust Stickles. After using Spellbinders to cut her out, I sponged around the the image with Victorian Velvet Distress Ink. Bundled Sage Distress Ink was used around the distressed paper edges. The little "Soar" ticket is from Tim Holtz.



Copics: Skin: E000, E00, E11, R20 Hair: E50, E31, E33, E37, E59, Y21 Dress: G20, G82, G85, G99 Shading on dress: R59, R85, R82

Make sure to check out all the other sneak peeks for today by visiting the Wags 'n Whiskers Blog...the ladies have made some stunning cards with this new release!!

The new Fairies will be available for purchase on Friday October 8, 2010...don't miss our blog hop that day for your chance to win some great prizes!

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: Wags 'n Whiskers "Laila"
Ink: Memento, Copics, Distress Inks
Paper: Neenah, K&Company, Bazzill
Embellishments: Pearls, Tim Holtz ticket, Stickles, May Arts silk ribbon
Tools: Spellbinders, dull scissors for distressing

Fairy Wishes

Good morning, and happy Friday to everybody! It's time for another new challenge over at Wags 'n Whiskers. Our hostess for this week's Vintage/Shabby Chic challenge is the lovely Michele!

I love vintage style cards...I have so many papers in my collection that fit this style. I pulled out some pretty turquoise and brown papers from both KaiserCraft and TPC to go along with "Lacey", one of Wags 'n Whiskers gorgeous fairies. All paper edges were "aged" with Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink (applied with an Inkssentials Blending Tool...a must have!). The crocheted trim and brown pearls are dollar store treasures and the flowers are Prima Hydrangeas. Have you ever finished a card and realized you completely forgot to add something you had planned out? Well, I had intended to add some machine stitching, as I feel it really adds to the vintage style. I also meant to distress the paper edges. However, I was distracted by something on TV (I'm thinking it may have been Dancing With The Stars) and happily went about assembling my card. It wasn't until after everything was adhered that I realized I had not pulled out my machine, nor roughed up the paper edges. This is what you call a major "DUH" moment. Oh well...next time, lol. So unfortunately, this didn't end up looking quite as "vintage" as I had planned.

Lacey was stamped with Memento Ink and coloured with Copic markers. Her wings were adorned with some Stardust Stickles, and she was adhered to the layered ovals cut with Spellbinders. (For the brown matting oval, I cut around the outside edge of the die with a craft knife....this gives a "tighter" mat than just cutting out the next size in the Spellbinders set. If you try this out, make sure to sand your paper edges down when you are done as it is near impossible to achieve the perfectly clean cut you get when putting the die through your machine.)

Copics: Here's where I dropped the ball this week! I have been trying to record my colours to include them in my blog posts, but I forgot to do that..."DUH" moment number two for this week. :) I will give you a list of the colours I remember using, but I know that it is not a complete list. Sorry folks.

Skin: E0000, E000, E00, E11, R20 Dress: E41, E42, E43, E47, E50, BG75, BG72, BG10, BG11, BG000, B99 Wings: E50, BG000 Hair: E50, E33, E31, Y21, Y23, Y17

We'd love to have you join in our challenge this week...if you make sure to use a Wags 'n Whiskers stamp on your project, then you will be eligible to win our weekly prize! You can link up your project at the WnW Blog. If you are in need of some Wags 'n Whiskers stamps, you can find them HERE.

We've also got some new guests joining us for the next term, so please make sure to extend Barbara, Mariska and Carolina a warm welcome!

Thanks for stopping by today friends!

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: Wags 'n Whiskers "Lacey"

Paper: Neenah, Bazzill, KaiserCraft, TPC

Ink: Memento, Distress Inks, Copic markers

Embellishments: Crocheted trim, pearls, Prima Hydrangeas

Diamonds and Pearls

Happy Friday stampers!! We have a brand new challenge at Wags 'n Whiskers today..."Diamonds and Pearls"! Just wait until you see what the design team has created this week...wow!

I used "Angelica" on my card today. I paired her up with some pretty Capella papers from Basic Grey. The image was cut out with my Spellbinders. While it was still in the die, I sponged around it using my Inkssentials Blending Tool and Victorian Velvet Distress Ink. (All the paper edges were also sponged with the same ink.) I used an assortment of flat backed pearls and rhinestones, which are my diamond substitute :). The pretty flowers are Prima Hydrangeas...the edges of the petals were lightly touched with more of the Victorian Velvet Distress Ink.

Angelica's wings were coated with Stardust Stickles, as was her sprinkle of "pixie dust".

Copics: Skin: E0000, E000, E00, E21, R20 Hair: E31, E33, E35, E37, E50, E59 Clothes: RV000, Vo1, R83, R85, R89, G20, G83, G85, G99 (and little touches of C5) Wings: RV000, BG10, G20 and the colourless blender

If you join in with our Diamonds and Pearls challenge this week, you could be the winner of a Wags 'n Whiskers stamp...but only if you make sure to use a WnW stamp on your project! You can find the whole line of both rubber and digital WnW stamps HERE.

You can link your project up at the Wags 'n Whiskers Blog. You can also find links there to the DT's personal blogs to find out more about the gorgeous cards they made this week.

Thanks for visiting friends!

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: Wags 'n Whiskers "Angelica"

Ink: Memento, Copics, Distress Ink

Paper: Neenah, Bazzill, Basic Grey

Embellishments: Pears, rhinestones, Prima Hydrangeas, Tim Holtz ticket, Stardust Stickles

Tools: Spellbinders

A Cupcake for You :)

(This is post #2 of 3 today. Feel free to scroll back for a new Town Scrapper challenge. Oh, and if you are looking for the Kraftin' Kimmie September sneak peeks, then please check back around 7:00 am EST!!)

Good morning...again! lol It's a busy day here on my blog, as I will have three posts in total...I think that's a new record for me! We have another new challenge at Wags 'n Whiskers Stamps today. Your hostess is the lovely Lacey and her challenge to you is to use Earthy Colours on your project this week. Thank you Lacey!! This challenge is right up my alley, as I LOVE earth tones!

I used "Millie With Cupcake" on my card today. I paired her up with some pretty October Afternoon papers. I didn't add much in the way of embellishments to keep the card "low profile", as I have been creating a set of cards with the Emma Metcalf line of Wags 'n Whiskers stamps...my plan is to package these cards up in a handmade box. (I guess I better give them to somebody who doesn't read my blog, or it won't be much of a surprise for them! lol)

Hop on over to Wags 'n Whiskers blog to see the lovely projects by the rest of the talented DT. We'd love for you to play along this week. If you make sure to use a Wags 'n Whiskers stamp on your project, then you could be the lucky winner of this week's prize! If you're in the need of some Wags 'n Whiskers stamps, you can go shopping HERE!

Thanks for stopping by, and if you're interested please feel free to check out my other posts for today.

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: Wags 'n Whiskers "Millie With Cupcake", clear stamp sentiment
Paper: Neenah, Bazzill, October Afternoon
Embellishments: Stardust Stickles
Tools: Martha Stewart Border Punch

Break out the Glitter at Wags 'n Whiskers!

Happy Friday stampers!! What a scorcher of a week we've had here in Southwestern Ontario. I am so done with hot humid weather. Bring on fall!!! lol This is also the last weekend of summer break for the kids...it's back to school next week! Our son Nathan is going into Grade 12 and our daughter Ainsleigh will be starting Grade 5...I cannot believe how fast they are growing up.

Well, we're back to having weekly challenges at Wags 'n Whiskers Stamps after a bit of a summer break. This week, our "Glitter" challenge is brought to us by the lovely Tracey. So break out your pretty glitters, Stickles, sparkle pens and glittery papers and lets get crafty!

The recently released Wags 'n Whiskers Fairies are just perfect for this Glitter challenge...after all, every fairy needs some sparkle you know. I pulled out cute little Hannah and stamped her out on Neenah cardstock with Memento Ink. After colouring her with my Copic markers, I added an abundance of my absolute favourite glittery accessory...Stardust Stickles! (although, it's not quite showing up as much in this picture) Hannah's outfit was paper-pieced, but I added additional shading with my markers to create some dimension. I decided to make a tag this week which is something I seldom do. I'm thinking I will have to start doing this more often, as it's a great way to use up some of your little scraps of paper. The little flowers from K&Company were also "Stickled". The sentiment is from Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps. The pretty pink ribbon is May Arts silk ribbon (LOVE this stuff!) and it is available at Lacey's store Stamp and Create.

Copics: Skin: E0000, E000, E00, E11, R20 Hair: E11, E13, E17, E18, E19, E37, E59, Y23 (so many markers!lol) Wings: RV000, BG000, BG11

I recently received an email from a reader (Hi Patricia!!) asking me what colours I use for colouring red hair. To be honest, I rarely colour my images as redheads. I have attempted it a couple of times, but have never been happy with the result. So, I asked Patricia for a bit of time to play with some combination before answering her question. I am fairly happy with Hannah's hair, although it's still more auburn than red...I need to practice more. I also broke one of my big rules...I put cute little redheaded Hannah in pink...GASP! My family and friends know that I have issues with redheads wearing pink...I still pester my mom about dressing me in pink as a little girl, lol. Don't get me wrong, I love pink! Just not on redheaded me. lol

We'd love to have you join in our challenge this week! Just make sure to use a Wags 'n Whiskers Stamp (you can find them HERE) on your project and you could be the lucky winner of a brand new WnW stamp! Hop on over the the Wags 'n Whiskers Blog to see the gorgeous glittery creations by the rest of the design team!

Oh, if you have not entered my BLOG CANDY yet, you have until 11:59 EST tonight! I will be announcing the winner on my Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps post tomorrow...check out THIS post to enter!

Thanks so much for stopping by today friends, and I hope to see you back tomorrow!

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: Wags 'n Whiskers Stamps "Hannah", Kraftin' Kimmie Sentiment "Let The Fairy In You Fly"

Paper: Bazzill, Neenah, My Mind's Eye

Ink: Memento, Distress Ink in Bundled Sage, Copic markers

Accessories: Stardust Stickles, K&Company flowers, May Arts silk ribbon

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

Wags 'n Whiskers Fairy Sneak Peeks-Day Two!

Have you heard the news? There is a brand new release at Wags 'n Whiskers Stamps this Friday! We started the sneak peeks for these stamps yesterday, and we're back with another round today. The August release features some gorgeous new fairies by artist Cris De Lara.

Today, I have a card featuring "Nichola". I just love how elegant these pretty fairies are and they are so much fun to colour! I decided to colour Nichola in autumn colours and paired her up with some pretty papers from Daisy Buckets. After colouring her wings, I coated them with Stardust Stickles...because every fairy needs just a little bling!

Copics used: Skin E0000, E000, E00, E11, R20 Hair: E50, E31, E33, E37, E59 Clothing: YR00, YR02, YR04, YR07, YR08, YG00, YG91, YG95, G99 Wings: BG93, BG96, YG91, Y17, Y23, YR31, E50 and RV000

Hop on over to the Wags 'n Whiskers Blog where you will find links to the rest of the DT who have some beautiful previews to show you featuring the new WnW fairies! You can also check out THIS post to find out how you could win the entire new release!

Don't forget to join us tomorrow for the release day Blog Hop!

Blessings,

Melanie

ps...Have you entered my current BLOG CANDY?? Check out THIS post for all the details!

Stamps: Wags 'n Whiskers "Nicola"

Paper: Neenah, Bazzill, Daisy Buckets

Ink: Memento, Copic markers, Distress Inks

Embellishments: Prima flowers, buttons, ribbon(coloured with Copic marker G94), dollar store charm and twine

August Sneak Peeks at Wags 'n Whiskers!

Good morning friends! It's time for another new release at Wags 'n Whiskers stamps!! Just wait until you see the beautiful new images that will be available for purchase this Friday...and you can see some sneak peeks starting today! You can check over at the Wags 'n Whiskers Blog to see a list of designers participating in the previews each day. To celebrate the release, we have a fantastic blog hop planned on Friday...I sure hope you plan to join in the fun!

This new release features some beautiful fairies. The images are very versatile, and can be used for so many different occasions and seasons. Today, I'm showing you a card featuring "Angelica". I paired her up with some pretty paper from the Basic Grey Capella collection...I really love the colours and designs of these papers. The sentiment is from JustRite and the little brown pearls are from the dollar store.





"Angelica" was stamped on Neenah cardstock and coloured with Copic markers. I used the colourless blender on her wings to fade the colours into each other and then coated them with Stardust Stickles. The background was done by sponging in Bundled Sage and Antique Linen Distress Inks while the image was still in a Spellbinders Die. (The edges were all sponged with the same inks.)

Copics: As I didn't actually record all the colours, I'm going by memory here! lol Skin: E0000, E000, E00, E11,R20 Hair: E50, E31, E33, E37, E59 Skirt: E50, E41, E42, E43, E47 Bodice: BG000, BG10, BG11, BG75, G00, B99 and YG91 (the G00 and YG91 were used very sparingly to tone down the blue in order to match the paper better)

Would you like to see more? Head on over to the Wags 'n Whiskers Blog for links to the other sneak peeks. The Diva's have been busy preparing some gorgeous projects! I know you will fall in love with these new fairies, just as we all have!

While you are at the WnW blog, check out THIS post to find out how you could win the entire new release!

I hope to see you back for another sneak peek tomorrow!

Blessings,

Melanie

ps...Don't forget about my current blog candy...you can read all about it HERE!

Stamps: Wags 'n Whiskers "Angelica", JustRite stamps (sentiment)
Ink: Memento, Copic markers, Distress Inks
Paper: Neenah, Bazzill, Basic Grey
Embellishments: Dollar store Pearls
Tools: Spellbinders

He Loves Me (and a little CANDY!!)

Good morning friends!! Make sure to read all the way through my post today, as I've got a bit of CANDY to give away to one lucky stamper!!

Are you all ready for another new challenge at Wags 'n Whiskers? Your hostess today is the lovely and amazingly talented Chris Olsen. Her challenge is called "Triple Play"...use any element in groups of three! Chris has left this up to your interpretation, and the possibilities are endless! You could use 3 stamps, 3 papers, 3 flowers, 3 ribbons or even 3 techniques (ie embossing, die cutting, distressing)...the list goes on and on!

We would also like to welcome some brand new members to the Wags 'n Whiskers Design Team. Our new permanent member are Tracy, Debbie, and Angelique!! Joining us as guest designers for August and September are Emma and Louise!! We are so thrilled to have you on the team ladies and look forward to seeing your gorgeous creations!

For my project today, I used "He Loves Me", one of the gorgeous WnW stamps by Crissy Armstrong. I've used "3's" in several ways on this card. There are three different patterned paper layers (Basic Grey Porcelain), a little group of three flowers in the bottom right hand corner of the stamped image, a cluster of three Prima Hydrangeas (LOVE these flowers) in the lower left hand corner of the card (plus, the centre flower is made with three different sizes of these gorgeous flowers), three rhinestones in the flower centres and groups of three pearls in various spots on the card.

Oh, and see that pretty punched edge?? That's one of my brand new MS punches that I got this past weekend! I've been wanting this Arched Lattice punch for so long. Let me tell you...I really lucked out! I took a trip to London for a bit of back-to-school clothes shopping for the kids, and made a couple of crafty stops along the way. I went into Michaels with my 40% off coupon in hand for this exact punch...but when I got to the aisle, it was no where to be seen. So I picked out another punch I liked. Then, I spied a clearance rack...with a few MS punches on for amazing prices!! Here is where I found my long awaited Arched Lattice punch, for $9.99!! I also scooped up two other border punches (one priced at $12.99 and one at $6.99) and one co-ordinating corner punch (priced at $6.99)! Gee...almost felt like Christmas! lol




I coloured the sweet image with Copic markers, but I decided to use some of the Porcelain BG papers to paper-piece the dress and the flowers. I added some shading to the paper-pieced areas to create depth.

We'd love to have you participate in our challenge this week! Remember, you will have two weeks to enter! There is always a great prize up for grabs, but you are only eligible if you use a Wags 'n Whiskers stamp...either rubber or digital! In need (or want! lol) of a new stamp?? Click HERE to go shopping!

Ok, so I promised some BLOG CANDY...are you interested?? I've decided to celebrate this month! I've got so many reasons to celebrate...my birthday is very soon (trying to ignore that the numbers are creeping up), I've had the opportunity to work with some amazing stamp companies, I've made so many lovely friends through blogging over the past year and I've now reached over 200 followers on my blog...although I prefer to say "friends"! I'm so grateful to all of you who stop by my blog to see what I've been up to. I know we're all busy, so it really means a lot to me that you take the time out of your day to stop by for a little visit. So, I'd love to thank you (with the help and generosity of some fantastic companies) by offering up some candy throughout the month!!

Today, I have two beautiful stamps donated by Wags 'n Whiskers that are just waiting to find a new home!! These stamps are high quality deeply etched red rubber that give a clean, crisp image every time.

These lovely stamps are called "Millie With Cupcake"and "Magical Friends". Wondering how to get your inky fingers on these gems?? Just leave me a comment on this post, and make sure that I have some way to contact you (either through your blog or by email). This candy will remain open until Monday August 9, 2010 at 11:59 pm (EST). The winner will be announced on August 10, 2010!! Easy peasy. If you would like to spread the word, please feel free too! (but I won't insist, lol) Good luck stampers!!

Blessings friends, and thanks so much for stopping by!

Melanie

(ps...keep checking back with me, as I'll be posting more blog candy soon!!)

Stamps: Wags 'n Whiskers "He Loves Me"
Ink: Memento, Copics, Bundled Sage Distress Ink
Paper: Neenah, Basic Grey, Bazzill
Embellishments: Prima flowers, pearls, rhinestones
Tools: Martha Stewart border punch

Stitching at Wags 'n Whiskers

Good morning stampers! It's my turn to play hostess for the challenge at Wags 'n Whiskers this week, and I'd like to see you add STITCHING to your project...something I LOVE to use on my cards! I always pull out my trusty sewing machine for this task, but you can feel free to add hand stitching or even faux stitching if you prefer!

For my card this week, I used "Buddy's Balloon". one of the adorable WnW stamps by artist Emma Metcalf. I've been working on a set of 5x5 cards with stamps from this line of stamps from Wags 'n Whiskers. I'm trying to keep the layouts fuss-free and use minimal embellishments to keep them "low profile", as I plan to create a hand-made gift package for them. (thinking ahead to Christmas gifts! lol) I'd also like them to be versatile enough for either boys or girls. I've pulled out some more October Afternoon paper for this card, and added zig-zag stitching to the different layers. The image was of course coloured with my Copic markers.





Copics used: E31, E33, E37, E47, E50, E59, 100, C7, C5, C3, C1, YR00, YR02, YR04, YR07, E08, B000, B00, B02, B05, B24, YG11, G14, G28

We'd love to have you join us for this challenge...remember that throughout the summer, the Wags 'n Whiskers challenges will be posted every two weeks, so you have lots of time to enter! Nikki and Lacey always have a fantastic prize up for grabs, but you must use a Wags 'n Whiskers stamp on your project to be elligable. (you can find both the rubber and digital WnW stamps HERE) Make sure to stop by the WnW blog for inspiration from all the very talented Divas, and then link up your project for the chance to win!

Have a wonderful day and I hope to see you all back tomorrow!

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: Wags 'n Whiskers "Buddy's Balloon"
Ink: Memento, Copic markers, Distress Ink in Bundled Sage
Paper: Neenah, Bazzill, October Afternoon
Embellishments: Machine stitching

A Card With "Punch" (and a DT CALL!!!)

Good morning, and happy Friday to you stampers!! Today marks another Digital Release at Wags 'n Whiskers!! That's right, your favourite images from both the "Sports" and "Fun in the Sun" releases are now available as digital stamps! To add to the excitement, we also have a brand new challenge for you today and your lovely hostess is the amazingly talented Karen...honestly, she works magic with her Tombow markers! Karen's challenge is called "Punch It'...so break out all those punches and get crafty with us this week!

I used the digital version of "Tiny Dancer" for my card this week. As always, I stamped on Neenah cardstock and coloured with my Copic markers. I have to confess...I only own three Martha Stewart border punches. GASP! I know...crazy, huh? Honestly, there are a ton that I would love to have, but punches are on the pricey side, so I try to make sure it's a punch that will be quite versatile before I invest. I have two or three that are on my wish list...and I just so happen to have a birthday coming up fairly soon! :) I also pulled out some rhinestones, Prima flowers and Stickles as finishing touches. The sentiment is from Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps.

We'd love for you to participate in our challenge! Nikki and Lacey have slowed things down a bit at the Wags 'n Whiskers blog over the summer...we'll be posting a new challenge every other week, which means you have TONS of time to complete a project. As always, there will be a fantastic prize up for grabs however, you MUST use a WnW image if you want to be eligible to win. You can purchase either the rubber or digital stamps HERE.

So hop on over to the Wags 'n Whiskers Blog to see what the rest of the Divas have made this week...then link up your project for the chance to win!

Oh, and while you are there make sure to check out THIS post, because Nikki and Lacey are holding a Wags 'n Whiskers DT CALL! They are looking for two permanent DT members, as well as guests designers (these will be two-month terms). You will find all the details and instructions for submission on that post.

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: Wags 'n Whiskers "Tiny Dancer" Digital stamp, sentiment from Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps (comes with "Dance Recital")

Ink: Copic markers
Paper: Neenah, Bazzill, KaiserCraft

Embellishments: Prima flowers, Stickles, rhinestones

Tools: MS punch