Tuesday, May 31, 2011

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

Saturday, May 28, 2011

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

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Text Me!

Hello and happy Saturday to you all! It's time for another challenge over at the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog. Your lovely hostess this week is the very sweet Tara Godfrey and her challenge is called "Text Me!"...so make sure to include text somewhere on your project.

I decided to use one of the verses from the newly released "Scripture Quotes" for Tara's challenge. I was really under the wire with this card, as I remembered at the last moment about my inlaw's anniversary earlier this week! We needed a card to slip a gift card into and I had about an hour to put this together. This was a HUGE challenge for me, as I am probably the world's slowest cardmaker. I often spend hours on a card between colouring an image, picking out paper, figuring out a layout and fussing over which embellishments to use. I used 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 and stamped it on white cardstock with Versafine ink. I cut it out with Spellbinders Labels 2 and matted it on some Melissa Frances paper cut with Spellbinders Labels 8. The bits of scroll work bordering the sentiment are Spellbinders Fancy Tags. The black trim at the bottom is Spellbinders Classic Lace Border Grand. I also trimmed two sections of the Lace Border to place on the sides of the Labels 8 layer. (SCACD has a fantastic selection of Spellbinders at incredible prices!) The base layer of white cardstock was embossed with a CuttleBug folder. I distressed the edges and sponged everything with a bit of Black Soot Distress Ink. The bow was tied with the aide of my Bow Easy. The little key is from a company called Colorbok, and I finished everything off with a few dollar store pearls. Did I accomplish all this within the hour deadline?? Well, no. lol It took me about an hour and a half because I fussed around with a few of the elements, considered using some flowers (an idea I eventually abandoned) and decided at the last minute to add the bow and key. Still, not too bad considering how long things usually take me. :) I've been on a bit of a black and white kick lately, as I really like the visual effect. The font of this Scripture Quote is so elegant...love this set!!


Hop on over the the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog to check out the gorgeous projects made by the lovely Krafty Girls and Krafty Guests. Take note of the stamp Tara used on her card, because if you choose to play along then you could be the lucky winner of the stamp she used! (Just make sure to use a Kraftin' Kimmie Stamp to be eligible. The May Gimmie Kimmie Kits are still available. There are three kits this month, and when you buy the stamps as a kit you are able to take advantage of a 15% discount! Make sure to scoop your's up soon before they are gone.)

That's it for me folks! It's a long weekend here, so I'm looking forward to having Monday off!! Perhaps a little stamping time might be in order. :)

Have a wonderful weekend, and thanks so much for stopping by today. :)

Blessings,

Melanie



Stamps: Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps "Scripture Quotes"
Ink: Versafine, Black Soot Distress Ink
Paper: Bazzill, Melissa Frances
Tools: Spellbinders Classic Lace Border Grand, Labels 8, Labels 2 and Fancy Tags, Cuttlebug embossing folder, Bow Easy
Embellishments: Offray ribbon, pearls, metal key

Friday, May 20, 2011

Natural Beauty Release Blog Hop For SCACD!!

Good morning friends and welcome to the Blog Hop for the Natural Beauty Release at Susana's Custom Art and Card Design!! The Natural Beauty release is a collection of gorgeous stamps from the pen of artist Carmen Medlin (for SCACD). These images are so elegant. I LOVE them, and I know you are going to as well. :)

Susana has put together an amazing blog hop full of very talented designers...you are in for quite a treat as you hop along to visit each blog! You will find the complete list of blogs on the SCACD store blog, Follow Your Heart and then the hop begins with Elaine. If you've been tracking along, you should have arrived her after visiting with the lovely Kim Dellow. :)

I'm just a tad excited today, as this is my very first time sharing a project as part of the lovely SCACD design team!! My card features "The Travelers". Again, these new images from Carmen are so beautiful...I fell in love with this image the moment I saw it. I love all the intricate details...the folds of the fabric, the tilt of her chin, the waves in her hair and of course the wolf! I drew my colour inspiration from this gorgeous Bo Bunny paper, "Timepiece". I love the vintage feel of this paper. One of the sheets in this 6x6 pad has this fantastic image of a doorway. Rather than taking the time to create my own background for "The Travelers", I thought I'd make use of the graphic on the paper. The brown pearls on my card were made with the Viva Decor Pearl Pen in Dark Brown. If you have never tried these pens, you really must get your creative fingers on one!! The medium flows beautifully out of the tube with minimal effort. The best thing about this product is that the "pearls" round out beautifully. I also had a chance to break in my newest toy, the Sew Easy! If you are a fan of adding hand stitching on your cards, this is a very handy tool to have in your arsenal. You just choose what pattern of stitching you want to add, pop on the appropriate head, place your paper on the Sew Easy foam mat and roll the tool along your paper. Voila...perfect evenly spaced holes. Then, just thread up your needle with coloured floss and start stitching! (I used this along the horizontal red panel of paper.) Susana carries this tool, along with all the accessories...the various heads, the Piercing Mat and a variety of Sew Easy Floss...you can find them all HERE. I distressed the papers quite heavily with my scissors and then sponged all the edges with Walnut Stain Distress Ink.


"The Travelers" were stamped on Neenah Cardstock with Memento Ink in Tuxedo Black and then coloured with Copic markers. Before starting to colour the wolf, I studied several pictures for colour reference. I also took a good look at my own dog...he's a Siberian Husky and the texture of his fur is quite similar to a wolf. I played around for quite a while on a scrap piece of Neenah until I felt I had a passable colour palate. The marker ink was all laid down in tiny "flicking" motions. For those of you who just love to colour, these images will be pure bliss! I had so much fun playing with the shading of the fabric folds and the fur on the wolf. :)


Gypsy: Skin: E0000, E000, E00, E11, R20 Eyes: B32, B37, B39 Hair: E50, E30, E31, E33, E37, E59 Clothing: R22, R27, R46, R59, C1, C3, C5, C7, B91, BG0000, B91, B93, B95, B97, C7, E50, E40, E41, E43, E47, Wolf: W00, W1, W3, W5, W7, E30, E31, E40, E41, E43, E47, E50

The exclusive "Natural Beauty" collection is now available for purchase at Susana's Custom Art and Card Design!! For UK/European International orders, you can purchase them at Quixotic Paperie...Elaine is the exclusive SCACD dealer for our friends across the pond. :)

**SCACD BONUS OFFER**: With every Natural Beauty Collection (7 image) set purchased Susana is giving away for FREE 1 tooled rose set from Prima (contains 9 roses - Approx 1" each). Susana will pick the color. This bonus offer is only good for the 1st week of the release, and ends May 29th. (Note that this offer is only available when ordering directly from SCACD)

It is now my pleasure to send you off to visit with the very talented Carolyn, your next stop on the hop.

I'm entering this card into the following challenge:

A Spoon Full of Sugar: Anything Goes


Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: SCACD's "The Travellers" from the Natural Beauty release
Ink: Memento, Copics, Walnut Stain Distress Ink
Paper: Bazzill, Neenah, Bo Bunny "Timepiece"
Embellishments: Viva Decor Pearl Pen in Dark Brown

Tools: Sew Easy (pink piercing head for straight stitching), Sew Easy Floss in brown

Thursday, May 19, 2011

One Final SCACD Sneak Peek Before the Big Release Tomorrow!

Good morning friends!! Tomorrow is the BIG DAY at SCACD!! The "Natural Beauty" release by Carmen Medlin for SCACD will be available for purchase tomorrow, and Susanna has a wonderful blog hop planned for your viewing enjoyment! Just wait until you see what these talented designers have created with these gorgeous new stamps. I am completely smitten with the "Natural Beauty" stamps...they are so elegant, and I know you will love them too.

Today, Carolyn has one final sneak peek to share with us. Here's a little teaser of what she has created...you can visit her personal BLOG to see the full project, and of course to leave her some love!



SCACD BLOG CANDY: Susana is offering some "Natural Beauty" blog candy...interested?? Well of course you are??!! Just head on over to the SCACD store blog Follow Your Heart to read all the details on how to enter. Please make sure to read carefully so you know exactly where your comments must be left in order to be eligible. :)

I hope you join us tomorrow for the "Natural Beauty" release day blog hop...I know there will be a ton of creative inspiration from all the very talented designers participating in the hop.

Blessings,

Melanie

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

"Natural Beauty" sneak peek #4 for SCACD!!

Mornin' folks!! Just a quick post with a teaser for today's sneak peek of the upcoming "Natural Beauty" by Carmen Medlin for SCACD. The stamps will be available this Friday...and they are stunning!! This is an exclusive stamp line for SCACD, and we'll be celebrating the release with a blog hop on Friday...which will also be my first time posting a project for SCACD!! (I'm just a wee bit excited, lol) In the meantime, a different DT member will be hosting a sneak peek each day leading up to the release featuring one of the new "Natural Beauty" stamps. (If you missed any of the previous sneak peeks you can still visit the following DT member's blogs to catch up: Elaine, Lori and Dianne)

Here's your little teaser of Danni's gorgeous preview. You'll have to visit her personal BLOG today to see the full project. :) (If you've been keeping up to date on the SCACD Store Blog, you will know that there is blog candy up for grabs this week...and you will also know that you need to leave a comment on Danni's blog today, along with the blogs of all the other ladies who have shared previews this week. If not, please read on for a link to the Blog Candy rules!)


Don't forget to check out THIS post on the SCACD Store Blog to find out how you can win Susana's amazing BLOG CANDY!! (make sure to read the details in FULL so that you can get your name in the running for this fantastic giveaway!)

Release day is almost here! One more lovely member of the DT has a sneak peek to share with you tomorrow, so make sure to check in with us! Then mark your calenders to join us for the release day blog hop this Friday, when the stamps will be available for purchase. :)

Blessings,

Melanie

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

SCACD Sneak Peeks...Round Three!!

Good morning crafty friends!! Have you been keeping up to date with the sneak peeks for the upcoming "Natural Beauty" release at SCACD?? These gorgeous new stamps by artist Carmen Medlin will be available on Friday...and they are exclusive to SCACD, so you won't find them anywhere else! Each day leading up to the release, one of the lovely talented members of our DT will be sharing a preview. (In case you missed the first two days, please make sure to visit Elaine and Lori to see what they had to show you!) Today, our sneak peek is being brought to you by Dianne...here's a little teaser:


To see Dianne's project, please make sure to visit her blog.

Just a reminder, Susana is offering some BLOG CANDY...want to know how to win?? Then head on over to the SCACD Store Blog to read the rules/details on THIS post. :)


***NEW PRODUCTS AT SCACD!!!***





Glubers (perfect for making flowers!)



Memory Box Valise Kraft 6x6 Paper Pad


Memory Box Dies


Happy shopping, and hope to see you back here for tomorrow's sneak peek!

Blessings,

Melanie

Monday, May 16, 2011

Another Sneak Peek for Susana's Custom Art and Card Design!!

Good morning folks!! Here's a little teaser of today's sneak peek for the upcoming new release at SCACD by artist Carmen Medlin. These new image ares gorgeous, and you are going to fall in love with them! Today's sneak peek is courtesy of Lori Aragon...please make sure to visit her blog to leave some love!!


Did you know that Susana is offering some fabulous Blog Candy?? Please visit the SCACD Store Blog for full details and rules on how to get your name in the running for the candy. :) Each day leading up to the release, one of the lovely ladies on the SCACD DT will share a sneak peek...and you must make sure to leave a comment on their individual blogs!! You will find a list of the sneak peek schedule on the Store Blog.

Hope you all have a wonderful day, and make sure to check back to see who's sharing a sneak peek tomorrow!

Blessings,

Melanie

Sunday, May 15, 2011

A Bit of Exciting News. :)

(This is my second post for the day...for the Kraftin' Kimmie Release Day Blog Hop, please scroll down or just click HERE!!)

Good morning friends! I have a bit of exciting news to share with you all...Susana of Susana's Custom Art and Card Design has invited me to be a member of her design team!! I am so excited to be a part of this group of lovely ladies. They have been so warm and welcoming, and I know that it will be an absolute joy (and an honour!!) to work alongside them. I will be posting my first project this Friday, and I have an amazing selection of SCACD goodies just waiting to be put to creative use!! If you have never visited Susana's online store, you really must spend a while browsing around...she has so many wonderful products at fantastic prices. She carries papers, inks, Copics, Viva Decor products, flowers, charms, Sew Easy products, punches...and so much more! She also carries stamps from several wonderful companies, including a few lines of exclusive SCACD stamps by some very talented artists.

Which leads me to another exciting announcement for SCACD...we are having a brand new release of exclusive SCACD stamps by artist Carmen Medlin stamps this Friday!! We'll be having a blog hop that day to showcase the new stamps! Just wait until you see them...the images are stunning! Although the stamps will not be available for purchase until Friday, you can enjoy a week of sneak peeks in the meantime. Each day, one of the SCACD DT members have a project to share featuring one of the new images. Here's a little teaser of today's sneak peek by Elaine Hughes!



Please make sure to visit the SCACD blog, as Susana is offering CANDY!!!! A winner will be chosen from comments left on the personal blogs of the Design Team member's sneak peeks! Only one sneak peek will be posted each day, so you will need to keep checking back each day to see who is hosting the sneak peek so you can visit her blog and leave those comments!! Full rules for the blog candy can be found on the SCACD Blog. (as well as links to the designer's blogs!)

Oh, I can't wait until Friday!! It is going to be an amazing release and I cannot wait to see what my fellow DT members will create with these new stamps.

I just want to say a heartfelt THANKS again to Susana for the invitation to join her team...and thanks again to the rest of the lovely ladies who have been so patient with all my "newbie" questions. You ladies rock!! :) (I will be updating my blog shortly with a new link in my sidebar to SCACD, the store blog and the blogs of my fellow DT members.)

Blessings,

Melanie

Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps May 2011 Release Blog Hop!!

(This is one of two posts on my blog today...please scroll up, or click HERE for an exciting announcement from Susana's Custom Art and Card Design!)

Good morning friends. It's release day today at Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps, and we're having a blog hop to celebrate! Over the last several days, the Krafty Girls and our Krafty Guests have been sharing some fabulous sneak peeks featuring the newest stamps to Kraftin' Kimmie. We introduced you to a brand new artist Cheryl Alger who has designed some exclusive Kraftin' Kimmie stamps, Scripture Quotes, several new stamps from artist Steven Leary and a collection of gorgeous Sporty Girls from Annie Rodrigue. On our blog hop today, you'll see some beautiful projects featuring many of the new May stamps.

The hop begins over at the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog where you will find a list of all the designers participating today. The rules are pretty simple...as you hop along, make sure to leave a comment at each and every blog as Kimmie will be drawing some random commenters who will win some of the new stamps. :)

You should have arrived here after visiting with the lovely Andrea Murdock. If not, just begin the hop over the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog to ensure that you visit each blog along the way.

This lovely young tennis star is "Krista", designed by Krafty Artist Annie Rodrigue. Now some of you Kraftin' Kimmie fans will note that this stamp shares a name with one of our lovely Krafty Girls, Krista Van Tol. Well, word is that Miss Krista is quite the tennis enthusiast and so "Krista" seemed to be the perfect name for this new sporty stamp. (I'm terrible at tennis, so my apologies Krista...I will not be challenging you to a match any time soon! lol) The paper from MME Stella and Rose ("Hazel"...bought this at Susana's Custom Art and Card Design!! You can find her amazing selection of 6x6 paper pads HERE.). The sentiment comes with "Krista" along with a bonus sentiment that says "Life is a ball!".



Krista was stamped on Neenah cardstock with Memento Ink and coloured with Copic markers. I sponged around her with Spun Sugar and Walnut Stain Distress Ink. I have to admit that I'm not thrilled with my colouring of her skirt...pinks and I don't seem to get along very well at all. :( I really do need to devote some quality time to practicing with them. Her outfit really is adorable though...quite chic! I love the clothing Annie creates for her characters...they always add such personality!



Hair: E50, Y21, Y23, YR30, E31, E33, E35, E37, E59 Skin: E0000, E000, E00, E11, R20 Shirt: G20, G82, G85, G99, C5 Skirt: RV000, R81, R83, R89, C3 Raquet: E50, E31, E35, E25, E59

Your next stop on the hop is the very talented Tracy Cornhill!! Don't forget to leave comments along the way to be eligible for the prize drawings!

When you're finished, head on over to the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Online Store because all the new stamps are available for purchase!! If you wish to purchase the stamps as entire collection (at a great discount!!), just click on the Gimmie Kimmie's Kits option!

Happy hopping. :)

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps "Krista"
Ink: Memento, Copics, Distress Ink
Paper: MME Stella and Rose "Hazel", Bazzill, Neenah
Embellishments: Crocheted Trim, ribbon, pearls
Tools: Spellbinders Ovals, Bow Easy

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Girls Rock (and another Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Sneak Peek!)!)

Howdy folks! It's a double-your-fun kind of day over at the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog. Miss Kraftin' Kimmie herself is your lovely hostess for this week's "Girls Rock" challenge and the entire DT is showcasing some fabulous new characters by Annie Rodrigue...some new girls that are just perfect for this challenge! So what are you to make for the "Girls Rock" challenge?? How about a project featuring one of the many fantastic "girl" stamps that Kimmie carries? Or a card for you BFF...something to celebrate what makes her so FABULOUS!!

My card today features the very stylish "Tori". How cute is she with her little dog?? I wish I looked this fabulous when I'm out walking my dog! (I'm more of a jeans and hoodie kind of gal, lol) This gorgeous paper is from My Mind's Eye Stella and Rose (Mabel). I've been itching to get my hands on the MME Stella and Rose packs for quite some time, and found them for an amazing price at Susana's Custom Art and Card Design...you seriously need to check out her incredible selection of 6x6 paper pads!! All paper edges were sponged with Walnut Stain Distress Ink. The "Just Go With It" sentiment comes with Tori...it was stamped in Versafine Ink.


"Tori" was stamped on Neenah cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and coloured with Copic markers. She and her little pup were cut out and matted on layers cut with Spellbinders Circles and Lacey Circles. The middle yellow layers were hand cut after tracing around the outer edge of the same die used to cut the patterned paper.



Skin: E000, E00, E11, R20 Hair: E30, E31, E33, E37, E50, E59 Shirt: YR20, YR07, Y38, E08, E50, E97 Skirt: 100, C9, C7, C5, C3, C1, BG72, R46, Y38 Dog: E41, E43, E49, E50, C5

You can hop on over to the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog to see the gorgeous "Girls Rock" projects by the Krafty Girls and Krafty Guests. If you play along with our challenge this week you could be the very lucky winner of the stamp Kimmie used on her gorgeous card! To be eligible for the prize, you must use a Kraftin' Kimmie Stamp on your project.

SNEAK PEEK BLOG CANDY!!!: Make sure to leave comments on every Krafty Girl's blog who has a sneak peek to share with you today, because Kimmie will be drawing TWO winners who will each receive THREE of Annie's new stamps!!

The wait is almost over...the new stamps will be available for purchase tomorrow!! We'll be celebrating the new May release with a fantastic blog hop...we hope you will plan to join us! :)

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps: "Tori"
Ink: Memento, Distress Ink, Versafine
Paper: Neenah, Bazzill, MME
Embellishments: Ribbon
Tools: Spellbinders

Friday, May 13, 2011

Engineer Ethan...another Kraftin' Kimmie Sneak Peek!

Good afternoon folks! Today, the Krafty Girls are sharing sneak peeks featuring a new set of cute little tykes by Krafty artist Steven Leary. Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps will be releasing all the new May stamps this Sunday!

This cute young lad is "Engineer Ethan". I paired him up with this fantastic plaid paper from October Afternoon...I've been hoarding this piece of paper for quite a while! The green patterned paper is from Crate Paper (the light blue horizontal strip is the reverse side of the same sheet). I distressed the paper edges and applied Distress Inks with a makeup sponge. (Stormy Sky and Walnut Stain.) The "Play" ticket is from Tim Holtz. I crumpled the ticket up and treated it to some Distress Ink as well.



"Engineer Ethan" was stamped on Neenah cardstock with Memento Ink and coloured with Copic markers.

Copics: Skin: E000, E00, E11, E21, RV42 Hair: E50, E31, E33, E37, E59 Overalls and hat: B91, B93, B95, B97, C9 Shirt: R27, R29, R46, R59 Tunnel: E50, E30, E31, E25, E29 Train: R27, R29, R46, R59, G14, G17, G20, G20, C3, C5, C9

For a complete list of links to the Krafty Girls who have previews to share with you today, please visit the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog.

SNEAK PEEK CANDY!!! Kimmie is giving away two sets of Steven's new stamps!! Just make sure to leave comments on all the Krafty Girls' blogs who have previews to share, and Kimmie will announce the winners on the KKS Blog tomorrow. Good luck! :)

I hope to see you back tomorrow for our weekly challenge when the Krafty Girls will be showcasing more new stamps by another one of our talented Krafty Artists!

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps "Engineer Ethan"
Ink: Memento, Copics, Distress Inks (Stormy Sky and Walnut Stain)
Paper: October Afternoon, Crate Paper, Neenah, Bazzill
Embellishments: Tim Holtz Tag

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Day Two of Kraftin' Kimmie Sneak Peeks...How about some new Krafty Quotes??

Good morning! Yesterday, we kicked off the sneak peeks for the upcoming May release at Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps by introducing you to a new artist. Today, we are continuing the previews by showing you the brand new Krafty Quotes #4 set featuring four Scripture Verses. I absolutely love this set. :)

I chose to work with Proverbs 3:5..."Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding."

I decided to go with a black and white colour scheme for today's card. The white flourished paper is from Karen Foster and the black striped paper is from MME. All papers were heavily distressed with scissor edges and then sponged with Black Soot Distress Ink. The Krafty Quote was stamped in Versafine Ink and cut out with Spellbinders Labels 8. I covered two wooden hearts (from the dollar store) with the Melissa Frances paper, sanded the edges and then sponged them with the Distress Ink as well. The two accordion-fold flowers were made by punching the edge of a strip of the design paper with a Martha Stewart border punch, scoring at evenly spaced intervals and then folding the paper accordion-style. The edges were joined with Scor Tape to form a circle and the flower was adhered to a small cardstock base. (I saw these "Ruffled Flowers" over on Amazing Paper Grace...Becca is such a paper crafting genius! Her blog is a constant source of inspiration, and her work is always stunning.If you click on the above link, you will be taken to her post including a video tutorial for making these flowers.) The flower centres are Prima rhinestones and the flourishes are dollar store finds. I wanted to include the wooden heart, as I felt it would go with the verse. However, now I'm questioning my decision to use two hearts...at first glance, my card looks like it may be a Valentines card. Hmmmm. Yup, probably should have just used one...it's that old "hindsight" thing. :)



Krafty Quotes #4 is a beautiful set, and I know I will be reaching for it often. To see the gorgeous projects that the rest of the Krafty Girls created with this new set that will be available for purchase on Sunday, please visit the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog for links to their blogs.

We'll be back tomorrow with another round of sneak peeks...hope to see you then!

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: Kraftin Kimmie Stamps "Krafty Quotes Set 4-Scripture verses"
Paper: Bazzill, Melissa Frances, MME
Ink: Versafine, Black Soot Distress Ink
Embellishments: Prima rhinestones, dollar store rhinestone swirls
Tools: Martha Stewart Border Punch, Spellbinders Lables 8, Scor-Pal

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Who's ready for some new Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps??!!

This Sunday will be another release day at Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps and as always, Kimmie has put together an amazing selection of stamps! Today we are kicking off the sneak peeks with images by a brand new Krafty Artist!

Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps is thrilled to introduce a new artist to the mix....her name is Cheryl Alger! You may recognize her name from Sassy Cheryl's where she creates digital art. Cheryl is creating a brand NEW line of images, specifically for Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps! These stamps will ONLY be available at Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps and ONLY as unmounted rubber stamps! Now here's a bit about Cheryl!

I grew up outside of Staunton, Virginia, but now live in the Richmond, Virginia. I absolutely LOVE to draw and always carry a small sketchbook with me in case inspiration strikes me while I'm out and about.

I have been creating digital art now for about 12 years now and have licensed my work to companies such as Kohl's, Hobby Lobby and Shopko, among others, for over eight years. I started creating digital images about two years ago. It's been a lifelong dream to become a working artist, and besides deadlines, I LOVE everything about what I do! It really helps that I have a very supportive husband and son (they also can be my biggest critics! I have to admit, I LOVE my job!




This is "Little Summer Girl". How fun is she with her little ducky floatie?! I paired her up with some fun bright patterned paper from Echo Park. The "Make a Splash" sentiment on my card is from Kimmie's "Mermaid Sentiments". The little water droplets are Jolee's Stickers...I still had the sticker pack out from the card I made for our current "Krafty" challenge. Lol, how's that for lazy crafting...just grab whatever is already out on your table! :)



Copics: Hair: Y21, Y23, E31, E33, E37, E50, E59 Skin: E000, E00, E11, RV42 Bathing suit: R27, R29, R46, E59, C9 Flippers: Duck Floatie: Y00, Y11, Y17, Y21, Y28, E35, R27, R46, YR00, YR02, YR04, YR07, E08

Please make sure to stop by the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog today for links to all the Krafty Girls who have sneak peeks to share with you. The sneak peeks will continue right through until the release day this Sunday when we'll have a fun blog hop to celebrate!

CANDY ALERT!!!!: Kimmie has decided to give away a whole set of Cheryl's new stamps today! Make sure to leave comments on all the Krafty Girls blogs because one lucky winner will receive the whole set of Cheryl's new stamps and she'll announce the winner in Thursday's post. (visit the challenge blog for links to their blogs!!)

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps "Little Summer Girl" and "Summer Sentiments"
Ink: Memento, Versafine, Copics
Paper: Neenah, Bazzill, Echo Park
Embellishments: Jolee's Stickers

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Surf's Up!

Hello and happy Saturday to you all! The lovely Miss Tracy Cornhill is our hostess this week at the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog and her challenge is to use Kraft Paper on your project!

I decided to pull out the ever adorable Surfing Miles for my card this week. To create the little beach scene, I sponged in the sky and used a wave sticker (Jolee's Stickers bought at Walmart). The "sand" was created by crumpling up pieces of Kraft cardstock and then pulling apart the outer layers. This exposes the core of the cardstock which has a bit of a "fuzzy" texture. I crumpled it up a bit more, tore the edges and brushed them various inks to highlight the texture. The fun surfboard paper is from Fancy Pants.


Miles was stamped in Memento ink and coloured with Copics.





Miles: W1, W3, W5, W7, C1, C3, C5 C7 Shorts: BG000, BG10, BG11, BG72, BG75, R17, R27, R29, R59, G7 Surfboard: B91, B93, B95, B97, YR00, YR02, YR04, YR07, E08, YG00, YG11, YG23, YG25, G7

The lucky winner of the Kraft Paper challenge this week will get to choose one image stamp as their prize!! Just make sure to use a Kraftin' Kimmie Stamp on your project...you can go shopping at the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Online Store. For some inspiration, hop on over to the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog to see what the Krafty Girls have created this week.



OK...now for some Kraftin' Kimmie News Tidbits!! There are several exciting things you will want to know about, so make sure to read thoroughly. :)



  1. Did you see the newest items available at the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Online Store??? Kimmie is now carrying keychains, magnets and 5x7 prints of some of Krafty Artist Annie Rodrigue's work!!! Make sure to scoop yours up when you place your next order! (I grabbed myself a "Perfect Poison" keychain, and an "Angry Ballerina" keychain for my daughter Ainsleigh. LOVE them!!) You can find them under the "Annie's Artwork" category at the store.


  2. Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps is celebrating National Scrapbooking Day and Mother's Day by having a big ol' SALE!!! There are over 100 stamps from all of our lines on sale 25-75% off! Yes, you read that right! This sale will run from Friday May 6th-Tuesday May 10th! And some of these images will be retiring shortly, so get them before they are GONE!! (Cannot be combined with other coupons/discounts!)


  3. Please join us in welcoming a brand new full-time Krafty Girl to the team...Carole Burrage!!! We are absolutely thrilled to have her joining us. Not only is she an amazingly talented stamper, but a visit to her blog is bound to leave you in stitches with her witty humour. Welcome aboard Carole!! :)


  4. And finally, we'd like to welcome our lovely guest designers for the month of May: Kerry Johnson, Taylor Usry and Inge Groot! Can't wait to see what these ladies have up their Krafty sleeves. :)
I will leave you with one final "head's up"...sneak peeks for the May release will being this Wednesday!! So make sure to stop by the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Blog each day to see who has sneak peeks to share with you...you will love the May stamps!

Thanks so much for stopping by today, and I hope you enjoy your weekend. :)

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps "Surfing Miles"

Ink: Memento, Copics, Distress Inks (Antique Linen, Tea Dye, Walnut Stain)
Paper: Bazzill, Neenah, Fancy Pants
Embellishments: Jolee wave sticker

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

New Items in the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Online Store (for all the Annie Rodrigue fans!!)

Good morning friends! Just a quick post today to let you know about some exciting new items in the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Online Store! For those of you who just can't get enough of Annie Rodrigue's amazing artwork, Kimmie is now carrying an assortment of 5x7 prints, keychains and magnets featuring several of Annie's original works. (I've already scooped up two keychains...Perfect Poison for myself and Angry Ballerina for my daughter Ainsleigh, and they are fabulous!) Just click on the "Annie's Artwork" tab at the store to check them out. There is even a Special Edition keychain of Rebecca Raspberry created especially for Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps!

Oh, and if you've been thinking about ordering the April Gimmie Kimmie Kits, you'd best get your order placed ASAP!! Today is the last day they'll be available...and remember, the stamp collections in the Gimmie Kimmie Kits are always offered at a great discount!

Happy shopping. :)

Blessings,

Melanie