Spotlight on BLD Beachboy Cole!

(Please scroll down for my Sparkles Creations Rubber Stamps and TLT DT posts!)

I know, I know, how many cards can a gal make in such a short amount of time?!  Four it seems!  Yes, this is my fourth post today so I hope you are all hanging in with me and not getting bored!

This post is to showcase Beachboy Cole from the new By LoRi Designs new release!  This is what I made with this uber cool guy...

 

I told you he was uber cool!  The bucket and spade also comes with him -the perfect accessories!!  I matched him up with papers from the new Cosmo Cricket Salt Air paper pad (from Quixotic Paperie here) and I used thin cork to create a [sort of] sand effect.  You can't see it well from the photo, but I stamped the cream card with a Hero Arts checked background and the sentiment is from the My Favorite Things Happy Thoughts set (from Dies to Die For here).

You can also see spotlights from the other DT here - you won't want to miss their sweet takes on Cole!


I am entering this card into the following challenges:

• My Mum's Craft Shop - one of the boys
• The Paper Shelter - fun in the sun
• Wags 'n Whiskers - summertime fun
• Kraftin Kimmies - make a splash

Paper/cardstock: Bazzill cardstock, Bazzill Bling cardstock, Cosmo Cricket Salt Air paper pad (from Quixotic Paperie here, currently with 10% off)

Stamps: By LoRi Designs Beach Boy Cole, My Favorite Things Happy Thoughts set (from Dies to Die For here)

Mediums: Copics, Glossy Accents on sunglasses
Accents: Dew Drops, clip from stash
Tools: My Favorite Things notebook edge die (from here) and jumbo scallop die (from here)

New stamp release over at Ladybug Crafts Ink!

(Please scroll down for my Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps and Quixotic Paperie DT cards!)

We love to be a bit different over at Ladybug Crafts Ink Challenge blog so that Kerry has a new release of Christmas stamps and we are having a Blog Hop to celebrate!!  And that means prizes to be won, woo hoo!!

So there are 2 ways to win a prize - you can just play along with the hop or enter the challenge OR do both!

First, the challenge to win a LCI stamp of your choice and this week the amazing AMANDA has chosen the theme of CHRISTMAS IN JUNE!  And I really need to get my skates on to start making my 2011 batch!!    

Okay, so the second way to win is joining in with the hop - all the DT have not only had to use the challenge theme, but they have also each used one of the new images.  What a shame, huh?!! There are 4 newbies in all and they are all really fabby! Here is my make with this fabby image with matching sentiment called Sledding Fun...

 

 

So the rules of the hop ...

a) Visit each of the DT members in order and leave a comment on each of their blog hop posts
b)  leave a comment on the challenge blog stating which is your most favourite of the new images once you have finished the hop
c) Display the blog hop banner which is at the top of this post on your blog, either in a post or on your side bar

The First Prize is the full set of all 4 stamps! AND 5 runners up will receive one stamp of their choice from the new release - that Kerry sure is generous!  Winner and runners up will be chosen at random!

Easy eh? The hop will close 12pm midday GMT on Monday 4th July and the winner will be announced at 9am GMT on Tuesday 5th July.

And if you don't win.. you can still enjoy the stamps at a discount price as the stamps will be on sale from today for £5.50 ( Normal RRP £6.50)  till 5th July

So if you're already on the hop, you should have come here from the ever gorgeous head Ladybug KERRY and after you've left me a comment, you need to go to the uber fun TAMS!  And if you get lost or want to start the hop from the beginning, the full listing is on Ladybug Crafts Ink Challenge blog!

I am entering my card into the Sparkle Creations Christmas Cards challenge to use dies (Nestabilities) and Craft Your Passion to use red.

Paper/cardstock: Bazzill cardstock, Cosmo Cricket Jolly by Golly

Stamps: LCI Sledding Fun, CC Designs sentiment inside card

Mediums: Copics, Stickles glitter glue, Distress Ink in Antique Linen
Accents: twine (from Quixotic Paperie here)
Tools: EK Success border punch, Nestabilities square dies, Corner Chomper, Martha Stewart border punch inside card 

Quixotic Paperie 2nd birthday celebrations - Whimsy spotlight!

(Please scroll down for my Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps DT post!)

The Quixotic Paperie design team and friends hope you have been enjoying the Quixotic Paperie 2nd Anniversary celebrations!  We have been throwing the spotlight onto some of the fantastic stamp companies available from Quixotic Paperie and our last celebratory spotlight for you is:

Whimsy Stamps!

Whimsy Stamps is owned by Denise and Kevin Lynn, with Denise as the papercrafter and Kevin illustrating their Kids Collection based on their two children. As the company has developed they have built up their collection of contributing artists, stamp collections, dies and papers.

The ranges include the Crissy Armstrong Collection; Melissa Jenkins Meljen's Design Collection; KennyK Collection; Whimsy Sentiment and dies by Raindrop Echo Designs; Whimsy Animals Collection and Whimsy Kids Collection. 

Whimsy Stamps are available in the UK/Europe at Quixotic Paperie. 

If you're in the US then you can find the stamps at Whimsy Stamps direct!

As part of the celebrations and the spotlight today, we have a PRIZE GIVEAWAY!  

Pop on over to the Quixotic Inspirations blog to get all the details and enter the draw to win some fantastic Whimsy Stamps and more!

My spotlight for Whimsy is on Jelly Bean, the uber cute elephant!

 

I went for a subtle shabby chic look and I matched Jelly Bean up with DPs from the new Cosmo Cricket UpPcycle paper pad.  It didn't turn out quite like I imagined but I quite like how it came out!  

Okay, so now for more inspiration! Hop on over to each of the blogs below to see some fantastic Whimsy Stamps makes!

- Elaine - Judy - Kim Dellow - Mary J  -

- Ann - Iris - Minna - Patricia - Vicki - Annika - Crystal -

Thanks for joining us and we hope you are enjoying all the Whimsy Stamps fun!

I am entering this card into Sweet Stampin's challenge for something old (the ribbon), something new (the papers).

Get recycling over at Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps!

It's time to get green and do soem recycling this week for the SCRS challenge #49 and we are being sponsored by CPS-Card Sketches!

So this week, I got an old pair of jeans and recycled the little pocket that you put loose change in...

 

 
I thought they would go just perfect with Cafe Lucy's trousers!  She is so cool, don't you think?  And I wish I looked that relaxed when I sit on a high chair rather than trying to keep steady and not fall off! 

I hope you get a chance to recycle something and play along with us! Our challenge is open to all players. Each week a random winner will be chosen to win their very own SCRS rubber stamp!  In order to qualify for a prize, you must use a Sparkle Creations image on your creation. You can see more gorgeous inspiration here.... 

Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps Store

Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps Blog

Alice Wertz

Amber Hight

Elena Joldersma

Kadie Ensley

Kim Yu

Mary Johnson

Piali Biswas

Shaela Odd

Simonne Clay

Sparkle Smith

Stephanie Kraft

Tanya Johnson

See you later on with my DT posts for Quixotic Inspirations, the Ladybug Crafts Ink blog hop and By LoRi Designs - phew!!

I am entering my card into the Craft Your Passion challenge for seeing red.

Paper/cardstock: Bazzill cardstock, BasicGrey Olivia paper pad (from Quixotic Paperie here)

Stamps:  SCRS Cafe Lucy

Mediums: Copics
Accents: web lace
Tools: EK Success border punch

It's a bit soggy over at the Pollycrafts Monday challenge!

It's Pollycrafts Monday and this week I get to set the challenge!  As it is the world famous Henley Regatta week where's there's lots of splashing about, I chose water as this week's theme!  But I didn't go for a sailing theme, instead I used the sweet mermaid fromthe newest Swings and Slides Enchant and Explore set...

 

 

 
I just love her hair, you can almost feel it swaying in the water!  I also used the sentiment from Sonny Says clear stamp set - I just love the whimsical sentiments in this set!  To give the whole card a little shimmer, I added glitter glue to her ball and around her tail as well as on the web ribbon and red border - you can see it better below (but not much better, lol!!)...

I hope you get a chance to play along this week!  You can see the other gorgeous DT makes here!


I am entering my card into the following challenges:

• Crafty Creations - let it shine (lots and lots of Stickle glitter glue on this!)
• Phindy's Friday - use circles
• Wags 'n Whiskers - summertime creations
• Catch The Bug - red, white and blue with ribbon (does the web ribbon count?!)
• Kenny K's - red, white and blue

Paper/cardstock: Bazzill cardstock, K&Company Actopus to Zelephant mat pad, Core'dinations white wash cardstock

Stamps: Pollycrafts Swings and Slides Enchant and Explore set and sentiment from Sonny Says clear stamp set, Ladybug Crafts Ink sentiment inside card

Mediums: Copics, Stickles glitter glue

Accents: web ribbon (from Bunny Zoe's Crafts here)
Tools: Martha Stewart border punch, Nestabilitie dies, Tim Holtz Distressing Tool

Make It Monday sponsored by Platypus Creek Stamping & Craft

It's Make It Monday - yay!!!  And this week we are being sponsored by Platypus Creek Stamping and Crafts and I created a card with their Daisy that I coloured with my Copics on watercolour paper to get a more rustic feel and matched the image up with papers from the BasicGrey Origins paper pack (from Quixotic Paperie here)...

 

 

You can never have enough thank you cards, right?!  I thought the flower would look really pretty framing a sentiment - I'm really pleased how it turned out!

The lucky winner from this week will win a [AUS]$20 gift voucher to either Platypus Creek Stamps or Platypus Digitals - shame I can't enter!!

And for my favourite this week, I have chosen this uber uber sweet card by Larissa.... 

Card created by Larissa

I love her doodling, the layout, the twine, the layering - everything!  Pop on over and say hi to the very talented Larissa!



I am entering my card into the following challenges:

• Everybody Art challenge - anything goes
• Deep Ocean challenge for flowers 
• Sweet Stampin for something old, something new (old DPs, new stamp and die set)
• By the Cute and Girly June challenge - in the garden

Paper/cardstock: Bazzill cardstock, BasicGrey Origins
Stamps: Platypus Creek Stamping and Crafts Daisy, My Favorite Things sentiment

Mediums: Copics, Distress Ink Antique Linen, Colorbox chocolate ink
Accents: none 

Tools: My Favorite Things Die-namics Well Worn Greetings Die and Stamps Set (from Dies to Die For here), Martha Stewart border punch

Quixotic Paperie 2nd birthday celebrations - Make It Crafty spotlight and masking tutorial

Hi all!  Apologies again to you all for not being around much for the past two weeks - mega busy at work plus doing my course - don't you hate it when real life gets in the way of crafting and blogging?!  Anyway, I'm here today for two reasons: to give you a chance to win lots of prizes AND a masking tutorial that a few of you have asked for!

So, firstly, how can you win prizes?!  Today is a joint celebration!  As you may be aware, this is the month that Quixotic Paperie turned TWO! What you may not know is that it is also the month in which Australian company Make it Crafty is turning ONE!

Quixotic Paperie have been stocking the fantastic Make it Crafty range of products (Rubber Stamps - Lasercut Chipboard - Make it Colour Blending Card) since April 2011, and are one of the first places you can find them outside of Australia! We are thrilled to be celebrating with Make it Crafty today.

To celebrate we thought that rather than a blog hop we would set a CHALLENGE using Make it Crafty products!!  To get inspired, hop on over to the Make it Colourful challenge blog where you will see the amazing creations our fabulous DT’s have created for this event! PLUS find out all the details on how you can play along!

OF COURSE THERE ARE PRIZES!!

There are FIVE challenge categories and there will be FIVE GRAND WINNERS! 

PLUS, PLUS, PLUS

There will be random winners throughout the whole month. The numbers have been pre-selected and as soon as an entry is added that matches that number they WIN! Winners will be announced soon after entry on the sidebar of Make it Colourful.

PLUS there’s MORE!! 

Quixotic Paperie have a little something for you too!! Make sure you pop on over to HERE to enter your name for a chance at MORE Make it Crafty Goodies!!

PLUS THERE’S MORE!!!

Zoe, the owner of Make it Crafty has a super duper HUGE Candy give away – choc-a-block FULL of Make it Crafty goodies!! AND I have heard a whisper that she is planning on having random giveaways on her blog throughout the month of July! All you need to do is leave her some love as she’ll randomly be choosing people who have commented on her posts throughout the last year!!

PLUS THERE’S EVEN MORE!!! (I gotta sit down here from the excitement of it all!)

You’ll also receive a set of steak knives when you... hahaa ONLY Joking BUT... for THREE DAYS ONLY you’ll be able to get 40% off Make it Crafty Digi Stamps when you enter the coupon code: CELEBRATE (Ends June 28^th)

So I do hope you will celebrate with us this month and get into the Make it Crafty spirit of FUN!!

Okay, so onto my make and tutorial!  First here is my card...

 

Ohhhh, I just so wish I was in the Caribbean right now!  I wanna dance like this Make It Crafty Hula Girl in front of a bunch of Make It Crafty Palm Trees!  I kept it pretty simple, using Bazzill Basics Kraft cardstock to give it a natural feel and my every trusty Sew-Easy Stitch Piercer Tool and Straight Head with cream floss.  I found that material in my stash - I have no idea where I got it from!!


So onto my masking tutorial!  There are loads of them out there on this but this is how I do it....

You can see from picture 1 the tools I use.  So first, create your mask, picture 2.  Stamp the image you want in the forefront onto your cardstock and then stamp it a second time onto thin paper (if it is too thick, it will create a 'halo' effect around the image).  I've seen others stamp onto a Post It note, using the glue end, but I just use pieces of scrap paper. 
 

Let the ink dry and then cut out as close as possible to the line, picture 3.  You can see in picture 4 that I use serrated scissors which gives me complete control (especially as I am clumsy!).

Spray repositional glue on the back of the mask (picture 5) and then place it over the top of the image on your cardstock, picture 6.  I coloured some red pen on my mask to help show the mask but it didn't work out very well, lol!!

The next step is to stamp your second image that you want behind the first image, picture 7.  Keep the mask in place if you want to stamp more overlapping images.  Picture 8 shows the mask still in place...

 ...and picture 9 shows it with the mask removed - voila!  I keep my masks as you can re-use them repeatedly.

Thanks if you're still with me!  I hope you found that useful - as usual, any questions or have any tips you'd like to share, please leave a comment to this post!  Bye for now!

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

• Wags 'n Whiskers - summertime creations
• Moving Along With The Times - CAS (I think this counts?!!)
• Totally Stampalicious - something old (the material!), something new (the stamps!)

Spotlight on BLD Summer Time Gidget & Todd!

It's another showcase of the new By LoRi Designs June release!  This week we are showcasing Summer Time Gidget and Summer Time Todd!  And Im here today to show you what I made with Summer Time Gidget!

My goodness, this just makes me want to get out to the beach RIGHT NOW!  Unfortunately, the UK summer is more like autumn so no chance!!  Still, I can dream!  I matched her up with the new Cosmo Cricket Salt Air paper pad (from Quixotic Paperie here) and I used a Quickutz die cut for that umbrella, edged with Colorbox brown chalk ink.  You can see the rest of the brilliant DT makes here!

I hope you liked my card!  Thanks for visiting me and all of your sweet comments - I love reading them all!




I am entering my card into the following challenges:

• Copic Creations - doodles
  

Paper/cardstock: Bazzill cardstock, Bazzill kraft cardstock (from Quixotic Paperie here),  Cosmo Cricket Salt Air paper pad (from Quixotic Paperie here)

Stamps: By LoRi Designs Summertime Gidget, My Favorite Things sentiment

Mediums: Copics, Sakura white gel pen, Colorbox brown chalk ink
Accents: wired organza ribbon in sunflower and natural web ribbon (from Bunny Zoe's here and here)
Tools: Fiskars border punch, Martha Stewart border punch, Quickutz beach umbrella, Nestabilities lable die inside card

Seeing red over at Totally Ladybug Tuesday!

(Please scroll down for my Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps and ASOS DT cards!)

Our lovely museum loving Gaelle has got us all seeing red over at Totally Ladybug Tuesday!  But not in an angry way!!  She wants to see the colour red somewhere on our creations!  I thought I'd go down the subtle route (which is very unlike me)...

 

Don't you just love that cutie Jack?!  This one is Hide and Seek Jack and I think it is my most fave now of all LCI stamps - and that's saying something cos I love them all!  And of course it has a dog that looks like a Labrador so how could I NOT love this stamp?! 

The other DT makes are just stunning and you can see them all here.  And before I go, just to let you know that next week we have a BLOG HOP to celebrate a new Ladybug Crafts Ink release!!  There are prizes to be won and to get ahead of the game, you can put the badge below on your side bar!  (Can you guess what theme the new release will be?!!)

• My Mum's Craft Shop - seeing spots
• Wags 'n Whiskers - one for the boys
• Catch the Bug - it's a man's world
• Crazy 4 Challenges - string, twine, etc
• Kraftin Kimmies - for the little peeps

Paper/cardstock: Bazzill cardstock, My Mind's Eye Lime Twist Fly A Kite (from Quixotic Paperie here)

Stamps: LCI Hide and Seek Jack, My Favorite Things sentiment

Mediums: Copics
Accents: BasicGrey button, string from stash
Tools: Martha Stewart border punches, My Favorite Things cloud dies, Nestabilitie rectangle die

Ribbons and bows over at A Spoonful of Sugar!

(Please scroll down for my Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps DT card!)

It's Tuesday which means a new challenge over at A Spoonful of Sugar and this week we want to see your ribbons and bows on your projects!  Here's my DT card...

 

Oh, I just love making sassy, cute cards!  This is Winestool Nikki by Ladybug Crafts Ink - one of my all time faves!  I went to town to girly her up and added tons of Glamour Dust to her dress, velvet ribbon and used HOT red! 

The other DT cards are full of gorgossity - you're sure to get some inspiration from them here!

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

• Crafts and Me - bling it on!
• Moving along With The Times - inspired by a song (Uptown girl by Billy Joel - classic!)

Paper/cardstock: Bazzill cardstock

Stamps: Winestool Nikki by Ladybug Crafts Ink, CC Designs sentiment

Mediums: Copics, Glamour Dust

Accents: velvet ribbon from stash, Stampin Up ribbon (from Nic The Sticky Elf), 4mm flat backed pearls (from Quixotic Paperie here)

Tools: Martha Stewart border punch, Cuttlebug embossing folder

Time for a sketch over at Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps!

It's sketch time this week for the SCRS challenge #48 and we are being sponsored by Tuesday Morning Sketches! 

I must admit, this sketch made me scratch my head a bit!  But once I flipped it on its side and got going, I made this...

 

 

This little lady is one of the new Karber rubber stamps for SCRS called Breakfast Leslie - and she's getting ready for a great day!  Those little pancakes remind of the scotch pancakes that Steve makes me [very occassionally] - they are so delicious with a bit of butter and maple syrup - YUM!!!  I have left the inside blank of the card so I don't limit it to a birthday card.  I was thinking of sending it to my friend for her first day at her new job - what better way to start the day than with pancakes?!!

Our challenge is open to all players. Each week a random winner will be chosen to win their very own SCRS rubber stamp!  In order to qualify for a prize, you must use a Sparkle Creations image on your creation. I hope you get a chance to play with this sketch!  Want to see more gorgeous DT makes?  Here they are here.... 

Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps Store

Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps Blog

Alice Wertz

Amber Hight

Elena Joldersma

Kadie Ensley

Kim Yu

Mary Johnson

Piali Biswas

Shaela Odd

Simonne Clay

Sparkle Smith

Stephanie Kraft

Tanya Johnson

Also to let you know that Ruby is our featured character this month, so all Ruby stamps are on sale!  Sign up for the newsletter to learn more about Ruby and for exclusive sale coupon.

• Crazy 4 Challenges - use twine
• Kraftin Kimmies - for the little peeps

Paper/cardstock: Bazzill cardstock, Echo Park Little Girl collection kit (from Quixotic Paperie here)

Stamps:  Karber rubber stamps for SCRS called Breakfast Leslie

Mediums: Copics
Accents: twine (from Quixotic Paperie here), button from stash
Tools: My Favorite Things flower and leaf trio dies (from Dies to Die For here), Nestabilitie label die and Fiskars border punch inside card

Quixotic Paperie 2nd birthday celebrations - Paper Makeup spotlight!

(Please scroll down for my Pollycrafts Monday and Make It Monday DT posts!)

As part of Quixotic Paperie's 2nd Anniversary celebrations we are throwing the spotlight onto some of the fantastic stamp companies available from Quixotic Paperie and we have another gorgeous stamp company for you this week:

Paper Makeup Stamps - 'Where Beauty and Paper Meet'

Paper Makeup is owned by Katie Cotton and to give you a clue as to where the name of her company came from - Katie is a professional makeup artist. Katie has some fabulous artists contributing to her company including Steve Hammond with the Monsters range, Diem Pascarella's Beautiful Day Fairies, Moody Girls by Cynthia Liu and the Retro Cutie Critters by Diem Pascarella.

But that isn't all, there are also some background and accessory stamps as well as some beautiful word art and sentiments and some fabulous sets all from various artists.

The Paper Makeup Stamps range is available in the UK/Europe at Quixotic Paperie. 

If you're in the US then you can find the stamps at Paper Makeup Stamps direct!

As part of the celebrations and the spotlight today, we have a PRIZE GIVEAWAY!  

Pop on over to the Quixotic Inspirations blog to get all the details and enter the draw to win some fantastic Paper Makeup Stamps and more!

I find the Paper Makeup stamps so versatile and I wanted to try a new technique for me - to colour using my Prismacolors pencils on kraft...

 

For my first try, I don't think I did too badly!  I'm not 100% happy with the glass and jug so will try with a more neutral colour rather than white!  Any advice on this would be MOST welcome!  Still, I was surprised how easy this was!  I used the Freckled Lemonade Set - it has 4 images plus 5 sentiments all for £8.25 - I think that is amazing value!  

I used the masking technique to layer the images and I loved how that came out!  The Bazzill Basics Smoothies Kraft cardstock is brilliant with this technique - soooo smooth that it was so easy to blend the colours on using my Derwent blender pencil.

So now for the inspiration! Hop on over to each of the blogs below to see some fantastic Paper Makeup Stamps fun!

- Elaine - Judy - Kim Dellow - Mary J - Andrea - Tangii - Stephanie - Tina - Katie - Dawn -
- Randee - Lisa K - Jami - Anita - Michelle - Shaela -

Thanks for joining us and we hope you are enjoying all the Paper Makeup Stamps loveliness!!


I am entering my card into Sir Stampalot's June photo challenge where I took inspiration from the colours.