Another Simple Sketch

Love today's sketch over on Splitcoast. Today's the last chance to earn this adorable set, Good Neighbors, and the pack of pretty paper "Welcome Neighbor" (look how good I am, I used the American spelling!). I really love these 2 combined, the paper is 6x6 so the pattern is small and coordinates beautifully with the little houses and trees. Once SAB is over, I usually give away my sets, but this one will be kept, for sure, I love it!

Here's a close up of the main image. I popped the house and roof up on dimensionals for a little interest as there are no embellishments on the card.

Recipe
Stamps : Good Neighbors
Cardstock : WW, Rose Red, Welcome Neighbor DSP
Ink : Mellow Moss, Rose Red
Accessories : None!!!!

Gifts from the MI Mingle

I am exhausted! What a fun, fun, fun weekend! Too much to tell you in one post, let's just say I'm glad I don't have to do a thing today!!!

I wanted to share a few of the gifts I received over the w/end. How gorgeous are they?

Pink Picture Frame from Michelle M (CMUGrad) ~ why, oh why didn't we take a pic of the roomies so I could use it on this gorgeous picture? I'll have to find another good one :)

Butterfly stencilled frame from Debra ~ I love it, Debra, thank you for your friendship and kindness. Love you!

Flower frame from Heide (HeideD) ~ this is so pretty. I'm hanging it straight up as soon as I find my hammer and picture hooks :)

Friends box of chocs from Moe (moebuck) ... chocs are gone now!

Pink Box with 'lace' rim from Robin (MzRobin) ... it was full of choccies and other goodies too which I shared with Sarah, who nearly died laughing when she read on a packet labelled "Pistachio Kernels" ... warning, contents may contain pistachios" ... tee hee.

Dress Card from Lori (Jurick) ~ such a pretty card, love it!

And in this 2nd pic you can see my GORGEOUS teapot book from Michelle (MichelleGoodrich) and my mini milk carton gift from Lorien and the organizers ... they contained mini CADBURY eggs and also a gorgeous keychain which Lorien made.

And last, but certainly not least, look at this fantastic blanket that Michele (Plaid Pony) made for me. It's amazing ... I love it! Thanks girls!

Simple Monogram Frame

I wanted to show you something very simple to make for a personalised gift. It's a monogram frame. I just used some DSP and a monogram from my Serif Essentials Die Alphabet set and my Big Shot. I've made one each for my roomies at the MI Mingle ... love these girls, Debra, Robin, Lorien and Pony.

Here's a photo of one of the monograms.

Rag Quilt Purses

Tomorrow is the BIG DAY ... it's our annual MI Mingle where all our SCS buddies from MI get together and stamp for 2 days! It's bliss!

Well, to mark my appreciation for our 'Terrific Trio' organisers, I've made each one of them a purse using the scallop square die and the Big Shot. I used Angie Juda's instructions, tweaked just a tad, but I love these and am hoping the girls love them too. The top one is for Lorien Clark, vz5dzh on SCS, the 2nd one is for Tracy Maikrzek, TracyM. on SCS, the third one is for Patty Bombyk, Pattyb on SCS and the last one is my door prize. I'm praying someone chooses it or I will feel stupid!!!!

Lorien, Tracy and Patty ~ we love you girls!!!

Wednesday's Sketch

Good Morning! I have a busy day ahead, but when I saw the sketch I knew I HAD to just give it a try. I love the layout today. Quick and easy, although my watercolouring still isn't what I'd like it to be ... practice, practice, practice.

Two days until the MICHIGAN MINGLE, I can't wait to get away for a weekend with my SCS Mingle buddies. So much to do ... so little time! Yikes. Better crack on with it :)

Recipe
Stamps : Spring Song
Cardstock : Very Vanilla, Bella Bleu DSP, Not Quite Navy DSP, Watercolour Paper
Ink : StazOn, Not Quite Navy
Accessories : Circle Scissor Plus, Watercolour Crayons, Aquapainter

March Club

Last night was my March Club meeting. I have to say that I have Susie to thank for my latest obsession .... Lemon Bars. Oh my word, to die for, seriously! Thanks for bringing them to share last night!!!

Our Club Projects, from the left, were a Flower Pot Pocket Card using the mini catalogue set 'With all my Heart' which coordinates with the new XL Flower Punch, then a dry-erase board made with the scallop circle 'On Board' book, also from the mini. Finally, we made a sympathy card using the Lattice Die.

I have some ladies waiting to see if we can boost a day-time Club to 6 members so if you're interested in joining, please let me know!

Mojo Monday and a Colour Challenge

I keep looking at the Mojo Monday sketches, meaning to incorporate them into my cards, but I've never actually DONE it! So today, the colours were so scary to me (Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive and Orchid Opulence) that I thought if I concentrate hard on the sketch, I'll forget about the scary colours!!! It worked!

I gave my mum this stamp set for her birthday last week, so have been using it a lot to show her she doesn't need to be scared of IT! Get it out mum, play with it and you'll LOVE it!

Here's a close up of one of the birds. I used Crystal Effects and micro beads to add some dimension to the birds' wings and I think it looks great. I forget to use the beads and they're so easy to use. Maybe I'll do another video to show you how to incorporate them into your projects :)

Recipe
Stamps : Cheep Talk, Thankful Thinking (sentiment)
Cardstock : WW, Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive, Orchid Opulence, Cottage Wall DSP
Ink : Rich Razzleberry
Accessories : SU Markers (RR, Old Olive, Orchid Opulence), Crystal Effects, Micro Beads, Embossing Folders, Big Shot, RR grosgrain polka dot ribbon

A Modern Sketch

This week's sketch over on Splitcoast is a lovely, clean, modern layout. I love it! I needed a quick and easy 'thank you' for our friend, Jenny, who sent a wonderful parcel over to Sarah this week. Thanks Jenny!

I used the set "Cheep Talk" because it's so cute ... and on this card I popped up the bird and the leaves.

Recipe
Stamps : Cheep Talk
Cardstock : WW, Soft Suede, Flock Together DSP
Ink : Tempting Turquoise, Old Olive, Soft Suede, Ruby Red
Accessories : Paper Snips & Dimensionals, Stamp a Majig

ETA ~ I just put together a different card with the same sketch. This stamp set is currently FREE when you spend $50 with SU. Visit my SU website to order (item # 120244).

Recipe
Stamp : Three Little Words
Cardstock : Sweet Pea DSP, WW, Basic Black
Ink : Basic Black
Accessories : Blender Pen and Reinker

Vintage Technique

Today's Technique Challenge on Splitcoast was 'Vintage' ... which to me means soft, muted colours, sponging and 'antiquing'. So I pulled out the Vintage Vogue stamp set, my Soft Suede Ink and a sponge and came up with this:

And here's a close up of the 'fleurette' crocheted flower. This flower is bright white cotton, so I turned it into a vintage flower by sponging it with Soft Suede ink and added a corduroy button with linen thread.

Recipe
Stamps : Vintage Vogue, Wings of Friendship (sentiment)
Cardstock : Very Vanilla
Ink : Soft Suede
Accessories : Sponge, Fleurette, Corduroy Button, Linen Thread

Featured Stamper & The Lattice Die

Goodness, every day last week I meant to come into my basement and work on some projects and EVERY day something cropped up to stop me! Crazy! But today, I managed some stamping time. The Featured Stamper on Splitcoast today is Vera. I chose to CASE this card, mainly because I just received my lattice die on Thursday and have been itching to run it through the Big Shot. I love how Vera layered 2 together to make a medallion so I had to have a go.

Here's a close-up of the 2 layers, so easy to do and a great visual effect. Love it. Thanks for the inspiration, Vera :)

Recipe
Stamps : Vintage Vogue
Ink : Rose Red
Cardstock : WW, Rose Red, Sweet Pea DSP
Accessories : Big Shot, Lattice Die, Corduroy Button, Sweet Pea Felt Flowers