"24 Krafty Karats!"

Good morning to all my crafty friends!! It's time for another challenge at the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog. To add to the fun, the Krafty Girls' projects all feature brand new stamps by Krafty Artist Annie Rodrigue...and they will be available for purchase tomorrow! Annie has created an amazing Asian themed release this month...the images are gorgeous!

Our hostess for this week's 24 Krafty Karats challenge is the lovely Angie Baker, and she wants to see gold on your projects!

My card today features the beautiful "Takara"...her name means "Treasure". I'm totally loving the dragon in this image!! I was at the dollar store recently and found some gorgeous fabric drawstring gift bags with patterns that I thought would work beautifully with this release. I carefully dismantled the bag and adhered some of the fabric to a panel of cardstock. I matted it on gold cardstock and created a black cardstock frame. The gold and black cardstock flourishes were created with Spellbinders Doodle parts and adorned with some Viva Decor Pearls (Pearl Pen in "Cream"). What do you think of the organza ribbon flower?? The organza was actually the lining of the fabric bag, so it is a perfect colour match. To create the flower I cut a portion of the organza, gathered it with a basting stitch, twisted and adjusted it until it resembled a rough flower shape and then hand stitched the centre to hold it in place. I adhered it to the card base with Scor-Tape and finished the flower off with a Prima Say It in Studs flower centre...LOVE these. :) You'll get an assortment of intricate, beautiful flower centres in these packs...all you need to do is peel the entire centre off in one piece and stick in place. To create the paper fan behind my image, I cut two 3x6 strips of this beautiful patterned paper from an SEI paper pad ("Moonrise"...this is a gorgeous collection with some sheets having beautiful metallic accents), punched along one edge with a Martha Stewart punch, scored every 1/4", folded it accordion style and adhered it along a cardstock base. Unfortunately, the "seam" where I joined the two pieces is not quite as invisible as I had hoped, but it adds some fun texture and dimension.



"Takara" was stamped on Neenah cardstock with Memento Ink and coloured with Copic markers. Her dragon friend was given a coat of Stardust Stickles...I usually apply just a bit of the product and use my finger or a small brush to spread it around. Although I did not use it on the exterior of my card, "Takara" comes with a co-ordinating sentiment that says "Missing You, My Friend!".


Colours: Skin: E000, E00, E11, R20 Hair: B60, C3, C5, C7, C9, 100 Kimono: YR20, YR23, YR31, Y17, Y21, E08, E33, E37, R81, R22, R35, R59, C5 Dragon: YG00, YG03, YG11, YG67, G99, C7, Y00, Y11, Y17, Y21, E35, E37

For some "Golden" inspiration, please visit the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog to see the gorgeous projects by the rest of the Krafty Girls. While you are there, make sure to check out Angie's card because if you play along this week, you could win the stamps featured on her card!! (to be eligible for the prize, you must use a Kraftin' Kimmie stamp on your submission)

***BLOG CANDY ALERT***: How would you like to win some of Annie's new June stamps?? All you need to do is hop around to each of the Krafty Girls blogs and leave comments on their posts today! Kimmie will be drawing two lucky names who will each win THREE of Annie's new stamps!!! You can find links to their personal blogs over on the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog...and that is where Kimmie will announce the winners tomorrow!

The new June stamps will be available for purchase tomorrow!! We hope to see you then for our release day blog hop. :)

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps "Takara"
Ink:Memento, Copics
Paper: Neenah, Bazzill, SEI
Embellishments: Fabric, organza, Prima embellishment, Viva Decor
Tools: Spellbinders Doodle Parts

Friends are For Hugging...Day Two of the June Sneak Peeks for Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps!!

(This is my second post for the day...please scroll back to check out a little teaser about a fantastic new product at Susana's Custom Art and Card Design!!)

Good morning folks!! Welcome to another round of sneak peeks for the June Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Release this Sunday. Today the Krafty Girls are sharing projects featuring the newest stamps by Krafty Artist Cheryl Alger.

This is "Friends are For Hugging"...what a sweet image! It comes with the co-ordinating sentiment seen on my card, which was stamped in Versafine Ink. How many of you had that special stuffed animal friend who went with you everywhere when you were a kid? I did...her name was Cuddles. :) Unfortunately, I think she accidentally made her way into a goodwill donation bag when I was a teenager...I'm still a little bitter over that, lol. She was well-worn and well-loved...a treasured childhood "friend". :) This adorable image reminds me of her...I always smile when I see children clutching their special "stuffy". The papers are all from MME Stella and Rose(Hattie). The bow was tied with the aide of my handy-dandy Bow Easy. All papers and the ribbon were sponged with Walnut Stain Distress Ink.


"Friends are for Hugging" was stamped on Neenah cardstock with Memento Ink and coloured with Copic markers. The sky was created with Memento Summer Sky, a makeup sponge and a hand-cut cloud template.



Copics: Skin: E000, E00, E11, R20 Hair: E31, E33, E37, E59, Y21, Y26, E50 Dress: B91, B93, B96, B97, B99, C5, C7, Y26 Shoes: E50, E25 Bear: E30, E31, E33, E37, E50, E59, C7 Grass: YG00, YG03, YG11, YG63, YG67, G99, C9

Can we interest you in some BLOG CANDY??? Yup, Miss Kimmie is in the giving mood again today, and is offering up one complete set of Cheryl's brand new June stamps!! All you need to do is hop around and leave a comment at each Krafty Girl's blog who has a sneak peek to share today. You'll find a complete list of links to their blogs over at the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog...and that's where Kimmie will post the lucky winner's name tomorrow morning!

We'll see you back again tomorrow for our weekly challenge and another round of sneak peeks!

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps "Friends are for Hugging" and co-ordinating sentiment
Ink: Memento, Distress Ink, Copics
Paper: Neenah, Bazzill, MME Stella and Rose "Hattie"
Embellishments: Ribbon
Tools: Bow Easy

New Product Alert for Susana's Custom Art and Card Design!!

(Please check back at 7:00 am EST for my second post of the day...another Kraftin' Kimmie Sneak Peek!!)

Ok my crafty friends...I'm here to pique your creative curiosity!!! Susana is bringing in an amazing new product, and some of her very talented team members have been busy creating some fabulous projects with it! I'm not going to tell you much about it...because it's still a bit of a mystery to me too!! lol But after hearing my fellow DT members talking about what they've been creating with it, I can't wait to find out more about it! I do believe it is going to be one of those "must have" products. :)

So hurry...pop on over to the SCACD store blog Follow Your Heart to find out what all the buzz is about, and to see what these talented ladies have been up to in their studios!!!

I hope to see you all back in a little bit for another sneak peek for Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps!!

Blessings,

Melanie

The June Kraftin' Kimmie Sneak Peeks Start Today...introducing "Stanley the Snail"!!

This Sunday will be another release day at Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps!! The fun starts today with the first round of sneak peeks from the fun and fabulous Krafty Girls. You can visit the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog each day leading up to the release to see who has previews to share.

We have some very exciting news to share today...Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps is introducing another fabulous Krafty Artist!!! The Krafty Girls are all showcasing stamps by the very talented Emilie Goulet!!! I am already in love with Emilie's sweet style...you are going to adore her images!

This is "Stanley the Snail"...how cute is this??!! Quite the life our Stanley leads...look at him just chillin' on the beach! This image is so much fun to colour up. The patterned paper was in my scrap bin, but I'm pretty sure it's from Fancy Pants. The "Fun in the Sun" sentiment is part of Kimmie's "Mermaid Sentiments Set", and was stamped in Versafine Ink. The orange ribbon wasn't quite the right shade, so I went over it with my YG04 marker to create a better match.



I started by stamping Stanley on Neenah paper in Memento Ink. I coloured Stanley and his chair with Copic markers, but then had a bit of colouring mishap when I was working on the umbrella. I had used some very juicy BG's which ended up bleeding something terrible. Ugh. I decided to stamp the image again on some X-Press It Blending Card and had another go with different colours. I have tried this paper before, and haven't been overly fond of it. However, I'm thinking that I perhaps need to experiment a bit more with it as I was much happier with the result this time. Rather than re-colouring Stanley, I cut my "Neenah" Stanley out and and then paper-pieced him onto the image stamped on X-Press It with a Quickie Glue Pen.

Colours: Stanley: E31, E31, E25, E29, E59, E50 Shell: Chair: R22, R27, R46, R59, C5, C7 Umbrella: YG04, YG07, YR31, E08, B02, B12, B14, B23, B24, B99, C3, C5, C7 Stereo: C1, C3, C5, C7 Sand: E30, E31, E33, E37, E40, E41, E50, E59 Table: E18, E13, E50

To see more of this amazing new collection of stamps, please hop on over to the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog! Oh, and might you be interested in a bit of BLOG CANDY?? Kimmie is giving away one complete set of Emilie's new collection...all you need to do is hop around and leave comments on all the Krafty Girls' blogs who have sneak peeks today, and Kimmie will announce the winner on the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog tomorrow. :)

Hope to see you back tomorrow for round two of the June sneak peeks!!

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps "Stanley", "Beachy Sentiments"
Ink: Memento, Copics, Versafine
Paper: Neenah, Bazzill, Fancy Pants
Embellishments: Ribbon, twine, button

Make it Crafty is now available at SCACD!!!!

Yes, you read that right!! Make It Crafty is now in stock and available at Susana's Custom Art and Card Design...but I'm thinking that these amazing stamps and incredible chipboard embellishments will be flying off Susana's shelves, so you should place your order ASAP!!! I've used some of the Make It Crafty lasercut chipboard embellishments before, and they really are gorgeous. They are intricately detailed and so versatile...just a perfect finishing touch to your paper crafting projects. Oh, and the stamps???!!! They are awesome, and I cannot wait to get colouring!!!

So don't delay... click HERE to hop on over to Susana's Custom Art and Card Design to check out the Make It Crafty products!!!

Also new in the store:

Bo Bunny 6x6 Paper Pads
Trinkets
Provocraft Embossing Folders

***A little reminder to my fellow Canadians*** By now, we all know that Canada Post has some rotating strikes in effect. Susana will still be shipping all Canadian orders promptly. However, we kindly request your patience for any possible delays in delivery time due to the Canada Post strikes. I know how much fun it is to receive crafty goodies in the mail, as I love finding parcels in my mailbox so we truly appreciate your patience and continued patronage. :)

Have a wonderful weekend friends!

Blessings,

Melanie

Dances With Dragonflies

Good morning my crafty friends!! Hope you all had a wonderful weekend. Today, I have a card to share with you featuring one of the stamps from the recently released "Natural Beauty" collection (by artist Carmen Medlin) exclusive to Susana's Custom Art and Card Design. These images are so gorgeous, and the design team has been busy creating some beautiful projects with them. If you sign up as a follower over at the store blog, Follow Your Heart, you'll be able to keep up to date with all the posts by my fellow design team members...they are such lovely talented women, and their projects are always inspiring.

This pretty fairy is "Dances With Dragonflies". The "Natural Beauty" images are so elegant, and they are an absolute dream to colour. :) The design paper is Bo Bunny "Gabrielle". I used Spellbinders Ovals to cut out the image and sponged around it with a combination of Antique Linen, Victorian Velvet and Walnut Stain Distress Inks. The edges of the paper were all distressed and finished off with some machine stitching. The gorgeous glittery rose is from Prima (Arcadian Collection-Rosy) and it comes in a package of six. It was sponged with a bit of Victorian Velvet and Walnut Stain Distress Ink to create a closer colour match to the papers. I tucked in some cardstock flourishes cut out with Spellbinders Doodle Parts and adorned them with some brown pearls created with a Viva Decor Pearl Pen.


"Dances With Dragonflies" was stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black Ink on Neenah cardstock and coloured with Copic markers. Some of you are aware of the fact that I'm not really fond of colouring with my pink markers...pink and I don't seem to get along very well, lol. Rather than struggle with pinks on this image, I decided to paper piece part of her dress....the pink portion of her gown is actually a piece of paper from the Bo Bunny "Gabrielle" pad that I used on the rest of the card. I stamped part of image onto the pink paper and then chose a few markers to add some shading. (I think I ended up using RV42, R11, R59, E17 and E18) The piece was then adhered with a Quickie Glue Pen...this is such a fantastic glue pen for adding tiny elements, as you can acheive quite a precise line of glue. I added some Stardust Stickles to the wings.


Copics: Skin: E000, E00, E11, R20 Dress: E40, E41, E43, E47, E50, BG (Pinks used for shading listed above) Wings: RVOOO, RV42, R11, BG72, BG10, BG0000, E17, E50

The "Natural Beauty" collection is available exclusively at SCACD (or at Quixotic Paperie if you live over in the UK). Make sure to take a gander at all the crafty goodies Susana has at SCACD. Not only are her prices amazing, but her service is friendly and prompt. Her selection is fantastic and she is always adding great new products. :)

Thank you so much for stopping by, and I hope you enjoy the rest of your day. :)

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: SCACD's Dances With Dragonflies (Natural Beauty Collection)
Ink: Memento, Distress Ink, Copics
Paper: Bazzill, Neenah, Bo Bunny
Embellishments: Prima flower, crocheted trim, Viva Decor Pearl Pen, sewing machine
Tools: Spellbinders

Hand Stitching

Happy Saturday folks!!! Are you all ready for another Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Challenge? The very witty and very talented Carole Burrage has challenged us this week to add some "Hand Stitching" to our projects. I absolutely love the look of stitching on cards and although I tend to pull out my sewing machine for this task, I was excited to venture out of my comfort zone. :)

I had yet to ink up the adorable "Agnes"...I just love her! One of my latest obsessions is the MME Stella and Rose 6x6 pads...I am in love with the colour combinations and fun patterns in these paper collections. Years ago, another obsession of mine was cross stitching and I still have a ton of floss and aida cloth kicking around. I stamped the "Life is how you bake it!" sentiment that comes with Agnes on some aida cloth with Versafine Ink, created a little cross stitched border with teal floss and then frayed the edges. Agnes also comes with another sentiment that says "What's cookin'?". The little measuring spoons charm is actually a button I picked up at my local fabric store. The bow was tied with the aide of my Bow Easy.


Agnes was stamped in Memento Ink on Neenah cardstock and coloured with Copics. I cut her out with my Spellbinders Labels 8. While she was still in the die, I used a paper piercer to make some holes around the border and then sponged the paper with Victorian Velvet Distress Ink. I used the same teal floss to backstitch around the holes. This was actually a really great technique for sewing around irregular shapes. I can sew in a straight line easy enough, but circles and other shapes are a nightmare for me. By using the edge of the die as a guide, you can make sure your holes are all in alignment. I just eyeballed the distance between the holes...I figured a bit of uneven stitching adds to the whole charm of the "hand stitched" challenge. :)


Copics: Skin: E000, E00, E11, R20 Hair: E50, E30, E31, E33, E37, E59 Clothes: BG10, BG11, BG72, BG75, BG78, C5, C9, R81, R85, R89, RV000 Apron, E40, E41, E43, E47 Bowl: C7, C5, C3, B60

If you play along with Carole's "Hand Stitched" challenge this week, you could be the lucky winner of "Roxy", the stamp seen on Carole's awesome card!Just make sure to use a Kraftin' Kimmie Stamp on your project to be eligible...you can go shopping at the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Online Store. For a bit of Krafty inspiration, please hop on over the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog to see the gorgeous samples by my fellow Krafty Girls. :)

Oh, and if you haven't scooped up your Gimmie Kimmie Kits from the May release yet, this will be your last weekend to do so!!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and thanks so much for dropping by today. :)

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps "Agnes" and coordinating sentiment
Ink: Memento, Versafine, Distress Ink, Copics
Papers: Bazzill, Neenah, MME Stella and Rose
Embellishments: Offray ribbon, spoon button, aida cloth, embroidery floss
Tools: Spellbinders Labels 8, Bow easy, paper piercer