Blessed are Those Who Mourn!

Hello!  I am back today with a sympathy card I mailed earlier in the week.  For those who knew me when I had my store, Ruth, who worked for me, lost her mom Dollie last weekend.  You might also remember Dollie, as she participated in our card swaps at the store.  If you would like to send Ruth a card, and need an address, just let me know.  For my card, I wanted to use one of the stamps from a set I got a few months back at the scrapbook convention.  The set was kinda expensive and I have kinda regretted buying it, as it is mostly for sympathy cards, and I have a lot of other sympathy stamps.  I found out that the actual stamps are slightly larger than printed on the outer label.  I was worried that it would not fit on my card.  It is big but I think it is o.k.  I will let you be the judge.  Here is my card ... enjoy!

See what I mean about the size?  But, you can also see why I did buy the set, with such a wonderful sentiment in it!  I think it came out very pretty.  Oh, one more thing, I knew I wanted a dark color of cardstock and I was thinking black, but it seemed too strong, so I went with the color that was in the DP, the gray.  Not a color I normally use, but I like it for this one.  What do you think?

Recipe:

Paper - My Minds Eye Indie Chic "Ginger" 6 x 6, Cardstock Natural White, Gray
Stamps - Sparkle & Sprinkle (red rubber on cling)
Ink - Memento Black, Copic for cross
Tools - EK Success Scalloped border punch, Spellbinders Circle, Lacey Circle
Other - Ribbon by Midori, Pearls from Stamping Bella

See you tomorrow for the sketch share.  Also, I spent some time going thru all the sketches we have done on the Saturday shares, and I have come up with my favorite "go-to's"!  I will give you that list in tomorrow's post! 

Happy Stamping!
Tina

Wishing You Much Happiness!

Hello!  Sorry you haven't seen me this week.  I have been working on some bookmarks that my church asked me to create for their 160th anniversary.  Did I say "some", well the amount is much more than that, as they want me to make 150!  I first came up with an idea, which I do love and last weekend, they approved it and agreed that it is so pretty.  Of course, they asked me if I couldn't do something simple?  I think it is simple, just with some steps.  You know typical "Tina" style!   I will show you my bookmark sample later in this post.  But, first I want to show you my card that I have for you today!  I got my Verve stamps and dies that I won last week in the mail yesterday, so I knew I had to ink something up and get a card made.  How exciting ... my first card from the "haul"!!  The haul is so big, I have to admit that I had a very hard time deciding what to ink up first!  Let me show you my card ... enjoy!

Here is a pic of my "haul"!  Wow, can you believe it?  I am so lucky!

What do you think of the card?  I absolutely love the Pennant Trim Die!  It is awesome!  The flower I stamped and colored and then cut out with the one of the Scalloped Flowers die.  I don't think I have ever really worked with one of the solid dies with a matching stamp.  But, it was super simple.  Here is the pic of the die and the plastic alignment tool that comes with it.

What you do is lay the clear alignment tool over your stamped image, lining it up.  Do you see the little holes on the outer edge?  You take a pen and mark on your paper thru these holes.  And then when you lay the die down, you line up the holes on your paper with the holes on the die and it makes it perfectly lined up!  Pretty darn cool, if you ask me! 

Recipe:

Paper - October Afternoon Woodland Park line: "Willow Path" and "Blue Sky", Cardstock Natural White, Green, Pink
Stamps - Verve Brighter Days set
Ink - Memento Black, Copics (did you notice I did a little blending ... how did I do?)
Tools - Verve A Cut Above Dies: Scalloped Flowers (set of 2, the one pictured above is the smaller of the 2), Pennant Trim  
Other - Ribbon by American Crafts, Pink Pearls

Now, before I go, I have to show you the bookmark that I am making for my church ...



That is it for me today.  I will be back tomorrow, so see you then!
Happy Stamping!
Tina

Inky Antics Designer Gig Post Reminder!

Hello! Today is the last post of the month on the Inky Antics blog for my August guest designer gig. So, make sure you go here today to see my last creation. I have enjoyed my "gig" and I thank Jackie from Inky Antics for the opportunity! Here is your sneak peek ...

 

 

It's all about the pennies!  Go check out the link above to know what I am talking about!

 

See you soon!
Happy Stamping!
Tina

Saturday's Sketch Share!

Hello!  Before I get to today's post, I wanted to sneak in and ask if you saw the post I sent through last night after Verve announced the 5 part challenge winner?  And I won the entire release!  I still can't believe it!  I went back and counted how many people did all 5 challenges, like me, to get in on the random draw.  I counted 54.  Me out of 54 ...wow!  I will post the pics of the stamps and dies when they come in the mail, but until then, go here to see the whole release!  Check out the flag banner die ... I was going to buy it last night, until I won it!  Yipee!  Like I said last night, I am one lucky girl!  O.k. now let's get to the share that you came here for ...

Today I have another share for you between Debbie and I, so let's get right to it! I will show you my card, Debbie's card, and the sketch we both used. Enjoy!

  

My Card

Debbie's Card

The Sketch

Oh, how different our cards are this week.  But, oh how great!  I thought it was interesting that we both added an embellishment to the tag panel.  I made one change on my card by moving the ribbon under my circle sentiment.  I didn't notice this part in the sketch until I had already stamped it and thought, oh well, I will just leave it.  What do you think of the cards?  And the sketch? 

I know that tomorrow is the last Sunday of the month and I know there is one more card project that Inky Antics has not yet shown on their blog for my guest designer gig.  I will pop in here to remind you and share the direct link to the post.  

Happy Stamping!
Tina

I Won! I Won!

I know it is late but this is too important not to share!  You know the five creations I posted every day this week?  Well, by doing all 5 challenges I was entered in the chance to win the entire new release from Verve.  And I did!  When they made the winners announcement, I saw this ...

Grand Prize Challenge Winner: Imprintstamp

Prize: The ENTIRE release!!!

Woo Hoo!  I can't believe it!  I am one lucky girl!

Happy Stamping!
Tina

Birthday Gift Bag!

Hello! I am back today with the last challenge for the Verve Anni-verve-sary Release Challenges. This has been a five part challenge to get in on their drawing to win their entire new release that they will be revealing tonight! And now for the enabling and also another chance for me to win ... check out the Verve store for the sale they are having until the end of the month and then later tonight or tomorrow the new release will be on there! Today's challenge was for anything, but a card. One of my favorite Verve sets is the Birthday Bash. So, thinking birthday, off I went to find some kind of gift bag or box or something. Through pinterest (of course!) I found the a tutorial for a gift bag. Oh my, how perfect. Let me show you my bag, the icon for the challenge, and then I will also give you the link to the tutorial I found. Enjoy!

The tutorial I found here is called Top Note Gift Bag Tutorial, which of course, used the top note die from Stampin' Up.  I don't own that die even though I think it is cool.  I've always talked myself out of it because the Labels 8 from Spellbinders is very similar in size and I already own it.  That is, of course, what I used here for my bag.  The little gift bag came together very easily.  And it really is big enough (about 3" x 4 1/2") to actually add some kind of little gift.  I think in the tutorial they suggested a velcro closing.  I took the second pic above to show you that I added a magnet instead.  Those great balloons from Verve got paper pieced with paper in the same line as what the gift box was made with.  Pretty darn cute, huh?

Recipe:

Paper - My Minds Eye Hip-Hooray Girl line: "3 Cheers" (bag), "Confetti" (balloons), Cardstock Pink, White
Stamps - Verve Birthday Bash
Ink - Memento Black
Tools - Spellbinders Circles, Scallop Circles, Labels 8
Other - Rhinestones by Queen & Co.

See you tomorrow for the Saturday sketch share!
Happy Stamping!
Tina

May Your Life Be Like a Wildflower!

Hello! I am back today with challenge number 4 for Verve's Anni-Verve-sary release five part challenge. Before I get to today's card, let me give you the link for Verve, as they are having a sale on everything, and then tomorrow night is their new release. This little "enabling" enters me into another chance to win the new release ... and you know, I "need" more stamps! O.k. let's talk about the challenge. It was to create a clean and simple card! This one really got me out of my box. You know me, I like all the layers and shapes, and papers ... clean and simple, not my thing ...but I did it! Here is what I came up with ... enjoy!

 

 

What do you think?  I love sketches with multiple circles, so I just kinda went with that idea, but kept it real simple.  And I stamped my sentiment on the white base card!  In my mind, this makes this card very clean and simple.  Really, too clean and simple for me, but I know that people love this look, so I am sure that is why they included this in the five part challenge.  It worked, it challenged me!!

Recipe:

Paper - Bo Bunny Double Dot Soft Shades 6 x 6, Cardstock White
Stamps - Verve - Feel the Sun set
Ink - Memento Black
Tools - Spellbinders Circles
Other - Various size Rhinestones

I have one more part to complete this 5 part challenge - stop back in tomorrow to see it!

Happy Stamping!
Tina