Stamp-a-faire Finale!

Hi friends!  Well, here I am after 12 hours of stamping!  Still standing and not covered in ink and paint thanks to my baby wipes and PTI SAF apron :)  I'm holding my favourite card, recreating van Gogh and Laurie's sunflowers using Painted Poinsettia.  I had a whole lot of fun (and frustration) and am happy to say I completed all 9 challenges!  Here are all the cards in my display case...

A big thanks to Nichole and the design team for another fun time of inspiration and comraderie :)  And it wouldn't be my SAF finale post without, once again, sharing some photos of the first SAF in Ohio.  I got to meet my dear friend, Lynn, and the PTI design team.  So I'll leave you with some of those...thanks for visiting!  Group hug!

Lynn, Heather, Betsy, and me!

 Lynn and me :)

eek!  It's Dawn!

 me and Lynn and the queen bee, Nichole :)

 me and Lynn and the team!

me and Luanne!

out for dinner (notice Lizzie, second from the left!)

 me and Suzanne!

Papertrey Ink Stamp-a-faire 2016 ~ the Challenges!

Hi everyone!  I've been in the studio for a good 12 hours today, participating in the PTI Stamp-a-faire challenges.  I was at a wedding this weekend so didn't get a chance to play until today.  So this post is challenge/photo heavy...here we go!

Master Colour Recipe

Starry Night

Gilded in Gold

Floral Impressionism

Masterpiece Inspiration

Drips and Splatters

Pointillism Play

 I must note that the above card uses two CASE ideas...Nancy Penir used this set for this challenge and I just adored it...so thank you, Nancy!  AND Amy Sheffer created this card for last year's SAF and I've recreated it here.  I take NO credit for this card other than adoring Nancy and Amy's creative work :)

Watercolour Like a Master

Colour Blocking

Phew!  That's it!  All nine challenges!  I have one more post coming up showcasing all my cards in one place and a picture of me (still standing! HA!).  Thanks for visiting :)

Sending (Blog) Birthday Hugs & Wishes!!

Hi everyone!  Today's card is for PTI's blog hop and to celebrate 7 years of blogging!  Yes, lucky seven!  I'm still here, still making cards, and still learning :)  But most importantly, creating still feeds my soul {insert heart here!}.  My blogiversary always lands on the PTI July Blog Hop so it was fun making this card with that in mind.  I took my inspiration from the patterns, florals, and colours in the blog hop photo...

Thanks for stopping by!  I can't wait to hop around and see all the wonderful creativity you all share each month :)  Group hug!

PTI Stamp-a-faire Share Your Masterpiece

Hi PTI friends!  Though I'm not joining in ALL the festivities today (we're going to a wedding in a few hours), I am able to at least get the ball rolling with the first SAF challenge, share your favourite project.  The one that popped into my head first was the one I made CASEing the gorgeous one Melissa made for a Make it Monday last November (see my original post here).

I didn't think I could make one, but then it all fell into place...it went to my secretary for Christmas and she loved it too :)

Ok, I'm off to put some make up on and get dressed! See you all tomorrow!  Have fun creating today!

Christmas Cheer (in July)

Hi friends!  I'm back with my take on this week's Make it Monday challenge to spritz your stamps with water for a water colour effect.  I thought it was about time to at least make a start to my Christmas cards...just not into it in the summer :(  However, I thought the Painted Poinsettia set would be great for this technique, one I remember from 2004 SU workshops!  Remember?  I started with Sweet Blush for the first solid image, but it was a little too sweet and a little too blush (see below), so I restamped the base of the flower with Lovely Lady.

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a lovely day!

Wedding Wishes

Greetings everyone!  Today's card was one I started WAY back in March!  Yikes!  I was inspired by Amy Sheffer's GORGEOUS card and had started making my own cake elements. 

 

It wasn't coming together for me so I left all the pieces on the counter in a pile.  After cleaning the studio last week, I finally had the headspace to come back to it.  It's not as fancy as Amy's, but I like the addition of the bows.  I had one bow in my scrap pile and just for something to do, I added it to the cake and loved it so made a couple more.  This reminds me of our 3 tiered wedding cake 9 years ago...it was DELICIOUS! 

I took a couple of photos of my clean desk...I use it for water colouring and mixed media.  My Ikea cart holds most of my mixed media materials (acrylic paint, gesso, texture pastes, gel medium, brushes, palette knives, etc).    I picked up that wooden caddy at Michaels on the weekend.  I'm thinking I'll use it to house my Zig Real Clean Colour pens.  I splurged and bought the 48 pack!

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a wonderful day :)  ox

A Note of Thanks

Hello friends!  I'm sharing my latest card fresh off my studio desk :)  I was drooling over Ashley's card during the latest PTI release.  I created a similar card using Leave it Be for the Create Along with Us challenge.  Hey, did you notice the winners of this month's PTI release!?  I FINALLY won a sneak peek day, $75 GC.  I squealed when I saw my name!  And, yes, I spent it on release night. HA!



 I have been in the middle of a studio destash/reorganization sweep this week and boy, does it feel good!  I only have one after shot so far...my card stamping area.

 I had a bunch of SSS and PTI ink pads lying all over the counter and finally found them a great spot in a shallow drawer by this stamping area.  My SU ink pads are all neatly sitting in this ink pad stand.  It's so much fun to stamp in a clean studio again.  Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great start to your week :)

Birthday Wishes ~ Curtain Call Inspiration & Viva La Verve!

Hi everyone!  I'm back with the newest challenge over on the Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge blog.  This time we’re inspired by this photo…

 Are these not the most delicious colours? Pink, orange, grey and white, oh my!  I went straight to my Amy Tangerine Rise and Shine paper pad and then created some watercolour flowers with my fav Verve Beautiful Things flowers.  I'm using this week's Viva La Verve sketch as well, so after you check out all the beautiful samples over at the Curtain Call blog, head over to the Viva La Verve blog and play with both challenges like I did!  Thanks for stopping by!

 

what's in it?
stamps: Beautiful Things, Moments Remembered (Verve)
paper: white (PTI), Rise & Shine (Amy Tangerine)
ink: lovely lady (PTI), onyx (Versafine)
accessories: Stitched Pennants Die Set, Beautiful Flowers Die Set, Award Banner Trim Die, Pink Sparkle Sequin Mix (Verve), stitched mats (Lil Inkers), Zig Clean Colour Real Brush pens

Verve Diva Inspiration Challenge and Blog Hop

It's time for the Verve Divas to bring you our monthly Diva Inspirations Challenge and Blog Hop!

There are TWO $30 gift vouchers to the Verve store up for grabs this month and two ways to win! First, comment on the design team's blog hop posts (linked below) for an entry in the first giveaway. Then to be entered into our challenge prize drawing, go get inky and link up your take on the challenge. You have until August 5 to link up. Feel free to play along with the challenge as many times as you like. Verve stamps aren't required to play, but we do smile a little brighter when we see them!

We're headed into the lazy days of summer and this outdoor scene is sure to inspire some cozy creations.
Take your inspiration from the graphic or follow the color pattern, just have fun stamping. We can't wait to see what you create!
Click here to link up your challenge entries
Challenge deadline: Friday, August 5.
Prize: $30 gift voucher to the Verve online store!

I started this challenge by going through my patterned paper pads, looking for these colours.  I layered the papers this way and that until I found a layout I liked.  I stamped a double sentiment using the Take Note set, then watercoloured those sweet flowers from  Beautiful Things.  I die cut the leaves from some scrap patterned paper.  I wanted the leaves to face both ways so I die cut 2 facing one way on the paper, and then flipped the paper over (to the blank side) and cut 2 more.  Does that make sense?  Here's a photo of the results...

Need a little inspiration? Check out the blogs linked below to see what the other Divas did with the challenge! It's sure to be a treat, and speaking of treats, we're giving away a $30 gift voucher to Verve to one random commenter along the hop.  Just leave a little love as you hop about for a chance to win!

	1. Julee	7. Maureen
	2. Betty	8. Sankari
	3. Charmaine	9. Stacey
	4. Laurie	10. Susan
	5. Lesley	11. Teresa
	6. Marisa

what's in it?

stamps: Take Note, Beautiful Things (Verve)

ink: onyx (versafine), raspberry fizz (pti)

paper: white (pti), Plus One (amy tangerine)

accessories: Beautiful Flowers Die Set, Stitched Pennants Die Set (Verve), spiral notebook die (pti), sequins (craft supply), Zig real colour markers