Thursday, July 23, 2015

AI CHALLENGE #164 IN WITH THE NEW!


I'm playing along in another AI Challenge. The #164 Challenge is, "In with the New" 
Although this stamp is not new, its new to me! I love ALL the images in the Windows To the World collection from Art Impressions. This one reminds me of a row of beach houses in the islands.


The Birdhouse Neighborhood is adorable. The card has been created in fun summer colors using  Copics. The background paper was made by stamping tone on tone colored inks onto Bazzill heavy weight paper.


Foam tape has been used to raise all the layers. A second stamping of the birdhouses was also colored, fussy cut and popped up for dimension. 


Thanks for looking!


Wednesday, July 22, 2015

SSCB #45- MONOCHROME

Welome to the second half of the Serendipity Stamps Challenge. The theme is still the same you just have more time to play along! All month the challenge is Monochrome. Think shades of the same color or all one color and use it in your design for a chance to win a Serendipity $20 Gift Certificate!
You can see all the guideline on the SSCB.

Before we get started a few things to mention
Mary is offering a FREE Craft Pick with orders $25 or more while supplies last. If you don't have one, these are a great go to tool when working with dies!

Also, the stamp of the month is a beauty and just in time to get started on those holiday cards!
The Winter Doe is 50% OFF until the end of July
Now, Lets take a look at what the SSDT created

Karen Amidon...that's me!


  I have used this stamp a few times. I love Zinnias and in this image I have found several different ways to have fun with it. A Triple stamping technique was used here. There are many options for coloring your image too. I have chosen to highlight the moth by cutting out the image again, coloring it and then giving the wings dimension by using a silicon to raise them.


Inside the card the Zinnia was partially stamped and colored with Copics keeping the colors all in the same family.


I have been playing with Color Burst watercolors lately and used a few drops for this card. I have added the Ink Splash stamp using a darker teal ink. The Paint Brush was stamped in green and Prismacolor pencils were used to color the tip of the brush. Just a Quick Note was stamped with the Mint to Green Ombre' pad.


One last card to share...it's never too early to start on those holiday cards! 
The Ornament die was cut first out of the gold metallic paper. This die cut was then glued to the natural Neenah paper. I took the Joy die, placed it over the ornament and the Neenah paper then ran it through the Vagabond. Joy was also cut in the gold metallic paper and then placed into the negative space.

Thanks for looking!









Friday, July 17, 2015

IO FALL/WINTER RELEASE-DAY 3

It's day 3, the last day of the hop. You still have two chances to win a $25 Impression Obsession Gift Certificate!

There have been fun peeks of the NEW stamps from IO along with incredible designs to inspire you. We love hearing your comments and each comment that you leave gives you a chance to win! One of the designers blogs has been chosen randomly and a winner from comments on that blog will be selected at 10pm CT. 

One winner from Friday's comments and another will be chosen from ALL the comments left throughout the week. Both winners will be announced on Saturday, July 18th here on the IO blog.

So, if you missed a day or time deadline your comments will still count for a chance to win a $25 Impression Obsession Gift Certificate!

All or the new stamps you'll be seeing on the hop are available NOW!

Today's hop list!



If you just love to color...Gary Robertson has the perfect images for your coloring therapy!!
His art work captures the moment and tells a story. The Boy Fishing tugged at my heart the first time I saw it. I have kept the design of my card simple... simply because!
I added the sentiment Missing you today, although there are so many different thoughts and feeling that could be expressed with this image.


The Dragonfly is also from Gary's collection. Just look at all the details he has in this image, beautiful! 


Good luck and hope you enjoyed the hop!





Thursday, July 16, 2015

IMPRESSION OBSESSION FALL/WINTER RELEASE BLOG HOP!

IO BLOG HOP DAY 2!

Welcome back for another day of wonderful new stamps and designs to inspire you. Today we are sharing holiday cards for the hop and it's also a new IO ChallengeThursday!

To enter the Holiday Card Challenge, link up your design that you have created with IO stamps and/or dies to the IO Blog. A random card will be selected to be showcased on the IO blog AND win a $25 gift certificate to IO. Details can be found here.

Every day (July 15-17), one of the IO designer blogs will be chosen randomly and a winner will be selected from comments on that blog at 10pm CT. The winner will be announced the following day along with the participating blogs for that day.

The more blogs you visit and leave comments on each day...the better chance you will have to win a $25 Impression Obsession Gift Certificate.

Two prizes will be awarded on the last day of the hop!

One winner will be for Friday's comments and another will be chosen from all the comments left throughout the week. Both will be announced on Saturday July 18th.

All of the new stamps you'll be seeing on the hop are available NOW!
www.iostamps.com

In the holiday mood yet? Take a look and you will be!

 Anna Wight 
Daniela Dobson
Dina Kowal
Ellen Taylor
Jeanne Streiff
Jenny Gropp
Karen Amidon...thats me!
Kittie Caracciolo
Laura Fulcher
Vicki Garrett


There are many wonderful new holiday cling sets. I've used the ornament image from Christmas Words here. Christmas Wishes was stamped twice. I moved my paper slightly to shadow the first stamping of the words.


I fell in love with the "chin up" snowmen designed by Lindsay Ostrom. I have used the Merry Kiss-mas image for this card. You can see all of her designs here, so fun, playful and fabulous! 
The tone on toned design red paper was created by using the Lattice background stamp. These Cover a Card stamps are wonderful and so easy for making the perfect paper for your project.


Another face was stamped and fussy cut. I have used foam tape to pop it up. A little Wink and some Viva Glitter Liner to bring in the holiday sparkle.


Enjoy! See you tomorrow

  • Stamps: Impression Obsession-CL620 Christmas Words, Merry Kiss-mas L19021, Latice CC202
  • Papers: Neenah 110, Bazzill, Ranger Watercolor,KaiserCraft,  metallic
  • Ink: Memento-Tuxedo Black, Love Letter 
  • Other: Ken Oliver-Color Burst, Copics, Wink, Viva Glitter Liner, Viva Gloss Pen, Misti


Wednesday, July 15, 2015

IMPRESSION OBSESSION~2015 FALL/WINTER RELEASE

IO BLOG HOP!
Yay! It's that wonderful time of the year...the Fall/Winter Release from Impression Obsession.
We are having three fun filled days of new product, inspiration and winners for $25 IO Gift Certificates! 
To play along in the hop, leave a comment on ALL the blogs for the day. One of the blogs will be chosen randomly and a winner will be selected from comments on that blog. The winner will be posted on the IO Blog the following morning along with the hop designers for the day. 

All of the new stamps you'll be seeing are available NOW!
www.iostamps.com
Here are some peeks from the new release, enjoy!



  Aren't these Owls adorable? I love the whimsy feel of these quirky birds. I have chosen to use them for a Halloween card but really they could be used all year round.
 IO came out with several new Frame dies recently, have you seen them? These All-in-One Frame dies are fantastic and the Rectangles 2 has been used here. 

Enjoy the hop and hope to see you back tomorrow!


Wednesday, July 8, 2015

SSCB #45~MONOCHROME


July starts a new challenge cycle for the DT and Serendipity. Mary has come up with some very simple themes making it easier for all to play! The guidelines remain the same and can be found here
Think shades of the same color color. Pick a color and create a design using a monochromatic theme. Remember you have ALL month to enter for a chance to win a $20 Serendipity Gift Certificate! 

July's 50% OFF Stamp of the Month is the Winter Doe


Take a look and see what color the girls chose
Karen Amidon...that's me!


Have you ever gone to Flowers and Plants in the Garden section of Serendipity? I am always amazed by how many floral images there are.
I've chosen the sweet Petunias to ink up. The beautiful floral image is fun to show in full or partial like seen here.
The summer flowers are perfect to use with the Summertime Flower BG.


Inside
  I've stamped Nature Gives in Memento Rose Bud. 


Friday, July 3, 2015

SERENDIPITY STAMPS JULY BLOG HOP!



Welcome to Serendipity's July release Blog Hop. Play along by leaving comments on the DT blogs. You will be able to comment through Sunday July 5. The winner will be posted on Mary's Blog Monday July 6. The more blogs you comment on the greater your chances for winning! As always, a $20 Serendipity Gift Certificate up for grabs. 

SPECIAL
FREE shipping on all US orders of $15 or more~Continental US only

You should be arriving here from


This little Piggy just wants to say Hello and Hi there to you!  Isn't that face just adorable?


Inside:


I have a little something different to share, a paper purse!
Love, love, love this new die!
 The Bandana Die was used for the overlay on the top flap. The center of the die is a star medallion. I used it for the clasp and embellished it with a rope.

Your next stop will be 

Here is a full list of all the blogs to visit on the hop
Karen Amidon...that's me!

Thanks for Looking and enjoy the hop!

50% OFF July stamp of the month is the Winter Doe

Thursday, July 2, 2015

CHRISTMAS IN JULY CHALLENGE WITH IMPRESSION OBSESSION!

Can you believe that we are already talking Christmas? 
What better way to show some sneak peaks of Impression Obsessions new stamps and get started on those holiday cards. 
Play along using IO stamps and/or dies for a chance to go shopping with an IO $25 Gift Certificate. Need more details? You can go here to the IO Blog.

Get inspired with the girls Christmas designs


There are so many fabulous new stamps that are in the IO 2015 Fall/Winter release. These stamps will be available after July 15, until then...start making your wish list! 
The name and item numbers have been listed below. I will link them up as soon as they are available.


I love the elegant simplicity of the Pine branch in the Jar. A few flicks of Copics for color and you have a sweet image for a card. 
Aren't the JOY Wood Blocks fun? They actually come in a horizontal line. I decided to cut and stack them vertically. 
The awesome All-in-One Frames are must have. Here I have used the Squares 2 on the diagonal, love that there are 6 different designs, All-in-One!


A quick and easy inside using the Holiday Bottom Word Edger, Merry Christmas. Three different season's greeting are included in this set.

Thanks for looking!


Wednesday, July 1, 2015

CASology~"POP"!


Serendipity is sponsoring this weeks challenge at CASology. 
The cue word is POP!



I've added a little "pop" of color to my Row Boat image by Serendipity.
The boat was stamped first onto my card base. I stamped it again and cut it out to use as a mask when stamping the sentiment. I didn't call it fussy cutting because it was such an easy cut! 

Thanks for looking!
  • Stamps: Serendipity-Rowboat, Merrily, Merrily
  • Prismacolors, chalk, Little B-tape