Sketch Challenge Favorites-Christmas Stampin All Year Long

It's time for this weeks challenge at Christmas Stampin All Year Long.

This week we're doing a sketch challenge, but there's a twist.  You get to choose which sketch challenge you want to do.  There are lots to choose from but my favorite is Jen Del Muro's Sketch For You To Try found on her blog I{heart2stamp}.

Not only do we get to choose our own sketch challenge but we are being sponsored the always wonderful Pink Cat Studio and if you participate and you're chosen  the winner, you'll recieve five free Pink Cat Studio images!

Here's  my card usiing Reindeer Ride:

I printed the image on watercolor paper and colored it using watercolor pencils.   

 For more great card samples, pop on by CSAYL and check out all the fun and fabulous design team creations!

Until next time, have a great day and thanks for stopping by!  TTFN

Stamping Hugs,

Becky

It's Purple Time-Christmas Stampin All Year Long

Christmas has gone purple this week!  At least it has at Christmas Stampin All Year Long.  This is not a problem for me since I love the color purple.  And what better images to work with for a purple challenge than a Pink Cat Studio image?!!  They're sponsoring this challenge with five free images to the winner!

Now that you have the deets, how about a some inspiration from myself and the team?!!  Here's my card using the image I created using Pink Cat Studio's new Digi Stamp Designer Program  that launched yesterday!!!  You're gonna love it!!!

I started with the basic Lily body, added the hair, dress, wings, holly on the head band, ornament and bird and got this cute image.  I printed it on white card stock and colored it using a combnation of copic markers and prismacolor pencils.  I paper pieced the dress and added glossy accents on the ornament and fur,  The sentiment is from Inkadinkado.

We hope you'll join us!  

Until next time, have a great day and thanks for stopping by!  TTFN

Stamping Hugs,

Becky

Gimme The Bird-Christmas Stampin All Year Long

I'm a serious bird lover!  My kitchen is filled with anything and everything roosters (love all the colors), I have bird feeders and bird baths on my patio and just love it when I hear the familiar call of a cardinal (my favorite bird), so it should come as no surprise that I love bird images too.  I was so excited to see that this weeks challenge was to use a Christmas bird image on our projects!  Pink Cat Studio, our fabulous sponsor this week, has some really cute bird images with a Christmas theme and we get the awesome privilege of working with them.

I chose this little cutie to work with!

Penguin Candy Cane Swing

I printed the image on white card stock and colored it using watercolor pencils and a watercolor brush. 



Now it's your turn!  Get out those bird Christmas images and get going!  The winner of this weeks challenge will win 5 free images from Pink Cat Studio!

Still not sure what to do, check out all the fantastic cards from the team at Christmas Stampin All Year Long for more inspiration! 

Until next time, have a great day and thanks for stopping by!  TTFN

Hugs, Becky

A little something from me to you-Christmas Stampin All Year Long

Good morning!  Are you ready for this weeks challenge at Christmas Stampin All Year Long.  It's one of my favorites for two reasons.  The first being that it's sponsored by Pink Cat Studio (love her images) and second because we're making gift card holders.  The perfect combination!  Should be some awesome projects this week.

Melissa, the owner of Pink Cat Studio is offering five free digis to the winner of this weeks challenge. 

Here's my gift card holder:

Gingerbread Family

I watercolored the image using reinkers then added glossy accents to the buttons, icing and bow and  placed the image  on layers of chocolate papers.  Finished size is 4 1/4 x 4 1/4.

For more great inspiration check out all the loveliness the team has for you.  Also, please join us in welcoming this weeks guest designer, Lori!  She was our winner chosen from last weeks challenge and she is amazing!!!  

Until next time, have a great day and thanks for stopping by!  TTFN

Hugs, Becky

Funny Sentiment-Christmas Stampin All Year Long

It's Friday, my favorite day of the week!  I'm sure I share my love for Fridays with quite a few people, especially if you work Monday through Friday like me. Time for the weekend and some time off.  Yeah! 

Another reason I love Fridays is that I get to share our current challenge at Christmas Stampin All Year Long with you all.  This week our challenge sponsor is Pink Cat Studio. 

We're supposed to use a funny sentiment on our projects.  Now, I don't know that mine is really all that funny, but it's the only thing I could think of and it went with the image perfectly. 

This cute little guy holding the gift is Polar Bear Present and he's ready to celebrate the season!  The tag says "Have an ice Christmas" and I printed it using Print Shop.  With such a "cool' character to work with I just had to add a nice layered snowflake to finish it off! 

Won't you join us this week at CSAYL?  We have loads of inspiration to get you started and just think, you could be eligible to win five free images from Pink Cat Studio. 

Until next time, have a great day and thanks for stopping by!  TTFN

Hugs, Becky

Inside and Out

Good morning! It's Friday so that means it's time for this week's challenge at Christmas Stampin All Year Long or CSAYL for short. Our wonderful sponsor this week is Pink Cat Studio.  Melissa has some of the funnest and cute images to work,

Today's challenge is to decorate both the outside and inside of the card. Here's my example:

For the outside of  my card I chose the Snowman Ice Skating image to start.  I colored him using copic markers.  I placed him over a scalloped over so he would be the main focus.  The papers I used for this card are kraft, plack and rose.  I stamped snowflakes on the rose cs using white pigment ink.  That's faux blanket stitching around the main panel. To finish it off I added a snowflake in an unusual color, a stamped border with ribbon and some brads.

For the inside of the card, I also used the scalloped border and blanket stitching theme.  I used the negative that was left over from my punched snowflake and stamped the sentement in black pigment ink and embossed it with black EP.

I sure like the way this turned out and love that I now have a completely finished card.  All I have left to do to it is sign it and send it on its way.

If you're looking for more inspiration and want to be ahhhed, check out the teams designs. 

As always, we would love for you to join us in the challenge.  There are five free digis  from Pink Cat Studio for one of our participants! 

Until next time, have a great day and thanks for stopping by!  TTFN

Hugs, Becky

I'm Dreaming Of A White......

No! Wait! Not a white Christmas, a stress free Christmas. How about you? You ready for a stress free Christmas?!! Now I know it's only been a couple of months since we celebrated the season, but it's time for us to kick off the new round of challenges at Christmas Stampin All Year Long or CSAYL for short.  Just think, if you join us from now until November in our weekly challenges, you'll have a boatload of Christmas cards and projects finished. Then you can just sit back and enjoy your favorite holiday beverage and relax.

I'm so excited to tell you that this weeks challenge is being sponsored by the one and only Pink Cat Studio.  We're hoping you'll join us.  The challenge is How Much Bling Can You Bring and we are challenging you to use as much bling as you want.  One lucky winner will recieve five digi images of their choice.

My card uses the oh so cute Birds Make Xmas Cupcake digi image.  Aren't they adorable?!!!  I colored the image using Prismacolor Pencils and Copic markers.  I dotted the cupcake sprinkles with teal stickles and added glossy accents sprinkled with dazzling diamonds glitter to the snowflakes.  The frame around the image was stamped with versamark using the direct to paper method and then dusted with white pearl ex powder.  To add the finishing touch it needed some snowflakes complete with buttons and a crinkled bow.

Here's how the challenges will work: Create a new project and link it to the challenge post on the CSAYL blog. Add a direct link to your creation on the CSAYL blog. Stop by 2-3 other challenge entries and leave them a comment...everyone loves a comment! On Thursday afternoon, the top ten entries will be posted as well as the winner!

I can't wait to see what you do with the challenge!

Until next time, thanks for stopping by and have a great day!  TTFN

Hugs, Becky

Happy Birthdayasaurus

Good Monday morning to you! I'm enjoying the last day of my winter break by hanging out in my stamp room, stamping in my pajamas. What a great way to spend the day! I'm gonna miss having the time to just create when I want too, but I'll be glad to get back in the swing of things.

Today I've decided to play around with my dinosaur images from Pink Cat Studio and make a masculine card. I really have a hard time with masculine and I'm thinking the ribbon might be a little too much, but all in all I like how this turned out. It would be perfect for a little man. I don't think it's mature enough for a grown up.



I printed the image on white card stock and colored it using Copics, then I just cut it out and added him to the layout I had designed. I even went so far as to finish the inside. Something I'm going to try to do to all my cards in the future.

Here is a close up of the layering. You can see I used my cuttlebug to add some texture and of course some brads. What do you think? Pretty cute!!!

I probably won't be posting again til Wednesday when we kick off the new year with Cooking With Cricut. I designed a scrapbook layout for this challenge, if you can believe that. I know, shocker! That's another one of those things I plan on doing this year. More scrapbooking. I sure hope I haven't set my goals too high. LOL

Y'all have a fabulous day and thanks for stopping by! In the words of tigger, "ta ta for now"!

Hugs, Becky

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree.......

How lovely are your branches! Especially when they're adorned in red, white and silver!

This is my new favorite Christmas color combination.

My son is in his schools Chamber Orchestra, and they performed at one of the local malls earlier this week. While waiting for them to get set up, a friend and I browsed the shops in the mall and one of them was all decked out in red, white and silver. It was stunning!!! I knew then and there I wanted to make a card using those colors.

Here is that card:

I printed the Three Christmas Trees (Pink Cat Studio)image out and colored alternating stripes with a red Copic.

I then went back and covered the other stripes with Glossy Accents and sprinkled on Dazzling Diamonds.

I colored the tree topper and Christmas balls with silver stickles.

Punched out the oval shape with my Cuttlebug and Oval Nestie and layered it on top of some white panels that I had cuttlebugged with the snowflakes folder, red designer paper and silver and red card stock. Then I set about adding the extras.

Extras: Silver ric rac, red and silver cording, punched snowflakes, buttons, stamped sentiment.

This card sparkles and shines just like the window display that inspired it.

Here is a close up of the sparkle:

I hope you like it as much as I do!

I'm heading out to watch my son perform his TVC (television commercial) for a speech tournament. It's really funny and I don't want to miss it! I'll be back tomorrow with some more Christmas cards!

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by! TTFN

Hugs, Becky

Pink Cat Studio Holiday Contest

Like I said in yesterdays post. I got some new images from Pink Cat Studio on Black Friday and found out there is a contest going on til Decmeber 10th. Just create a project of some kind (card, gift boxes and bags, tags, scrapbook layouts, etc.) using PCS images and you could win some free images. I love contests, especially when it drives my creativity.



I could have entered my tree card that was in yesterday's post, but there is only one entry allowed and I had an idea for another one in my head already. Here is what I came up with today and will be my entry in the card contest.

I love snowman images and this one is so adorable, I just had to have it.
I colored him with Copics and Prismacolor Pencils. His scarf, buttons, nose and blades are adorned with Glossy Accents.
I made the snowflake by layering various snowflakes cut from my Cricut, MS punch and a fabric snowflake sent to me by a dear friend last year.
I also pulled out one of my favorite Stampin Up Christmas set, Snowflakes (retired). I stamped the snowflakes in white pigment on Night Of Navy cardstock.
To add a little whimsy (Lord knows I love whimsy) I added a row of buttons along the top of the boredering blue card stock.
All it needed after that was the sentiment (Snowflakes) and a little bit of ice for him to skate on.
This card was super easy and quick since I had already colored and cut the image yesterday. I think I'm gonna have to do that more often.
That's all for now. I go back to work tomorrow (BOOOO!) so it's off to bed for me. I really had a great Thanksgiving break and sure hope you did too! Have a great week! TTFN
Hugs, Becky

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Because it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, I thought I better get my hiney in gear and get started on some Christmas cards.

I spent most of the day today printing digi images and coloring them. So much fun, but I decided to take a little break from my coloring to make this sparkly card and just couldn't wait to share it with you all.

I was one of the few people who did not brave the crowds on Black Friday. I tried that once about eight years ago and that was enough for me. Instead, I stayed home and hugn out with the family. I did however check out a few of the Cyber deals at some of my favorite online stamping stores. When I saw some of the cool Christmas images on Pink Cat Studio and decided to gift myself with some of the digi images. These adorable trees (Three christmas trees) are just one of the few images I bought.

I colored them with Copics and added glossy accents to the balls and silver stickles to the topper. Those fabulous snowflakes were a gift from one of my fellow stampers and they were the perfect touch. The white panel was embossed with my Cuttlebug and Florished Farm. To give it some sparkle I added some gems and dazzling diamonds.

Well I guess I better get back to my coloring! It's my goal to have all my images colored today for card making tomorrow!

Y'all have a great day and thanks for stopping by! TTFN

Hugs, Becky

Strawberry Fields Forever

I should be sleeping but instead I felt like coloring! All well, sleep is overrated don't you think? Yep, me too! I'll probably pay for it tomorrow but it's a short work week so I think I'll be okay.

I headed into my stamp cave a little earlier and believe it or not, this post will probably take me longer to write than it took to make this card!

The image was already printed and sitting on my desk. In fact, most of the things I used to make this card were sitting within arms reach. The only thing I had to get up for was the ribbon. I like it when that happens. Of course, it helped that I had cleaned my stamp room the day before and everything was where it was supposed to be.

I colored Strawberry Lily from Pink Cat Studio with my Copics and paired her with some colorful designer paper from Back To Basics. To finish it off I added some cool borders, a back panel and some awesomely fun ribbon. I just love this image. It makes me smile everytime I look at it. Hope it does the same for you.

Have a great week and thanks for stopping by! TTFN

Hugs, Becky

Precious Sweet Pea

I know it's been a while since I posted but there is a good reason for it. We went out of town for vacation! We drove to Phoenix Arizona (my old stomping grounds) and believe it or not, the weather when we first got there was fantastic. Much cooler than the weather we left behind.

My husbands niece got married last weekend and our daughter Bryanna played the violin for the wedding so we packed up the car and headed out.

The music was wonderful and our niece was a very beautiful bride and yes, I did cry. It seems like only yesterday she was a little girl and she was hanging out with me and I was making her pancakes.

Well, she's all married now and we are home (there really is no place like home) and I'm getting back in the swing of things. I spent most of the day yesterday just catching up on my missed sleep (we drove straight through and at night) but today it was back to stamping.

I bought a box of blank embossed card stock before I left and just had to put it to use on this card. I also pulled out some of my Nana's Kids designer paper.

The image is a digi image from Pink Cat Studio and I watercolered it using reinkers and my water color brush. The pot is paper pieced and popped up on dimentionals.

The sentiment was cut using my Cricut and Graphically Speaking cart. To put on the finishing touches, I added ribbon, buttons and a fun bow.

I'm gonna head off to bed now cause I go back to work tomorrow and I'm still a little car lagged.

On a personal note: While I was in Arizona, I lost my dear sweet Aunt Orpha. She had been declining in health for the last month or so, so it was expected but we are all still feeling the loss. I also found out today that my dear sweet Aunt Sybil is not expected to live much longer either. Please, pray for my family as we walk through this valley.

Thanks so much! TTFN

Hugs, Becky

A little bird card set

I love sets, don't you?!! It can be anything and if it's in a set, I'm just automatically drawn to it. You may laugh at me, but a couple of weeks ago I was in Autozone with my husband! As soon as we walked in the door I noticed they had these oil pans filled with oil filters, big containers of oil and funnels all together in a set. I wanted so badly to buy one. My husband laughed and said he thought I was weird but it was just something about the whole package thingy that appealed to me.

What does that have to do with stamping you say? I guess that was my frame of mind today when I sat down to create.

I had made these cute little birdie cards for Jens sketch challenge from last week and this week and thought to myself, I should make a cute little box to hold them. Then I could give them away and afflict someone else with the set obsession.

First, is the card that I made for Jens challenge for last week. I had finished it, taken pictures and edited them, only to find out I had left out an element. Fiddlesticks!!! I couldn't post it like that, so I just set it aside and called it done. Then today it hit me! Just add a strip of ribbon and a word bubble over the word I had already stamped (that would now be under the ribbon) and it fit the challenge.

Second is the box that I made to put the cards in:

I already had a lot of the elements I used for this box, just sitting on my desk from other projects I had started and for some reason, didn't finish. Pretty nice when that happens.

Last and certainly not least, the whole set:

The box holds both cards and their envelopes and I'm thinking the person who ends up with it could use the box to hold cookies or candy or something like that.

The funny thing I found out when I finished this, is that my kids suffer from the same obsession as me. Both of them called dibs on it! I'm thinking I might be able to use this to my favor. Does that make me a bad mom? LOL

All set were made using Whimsical Birds from TPC and Tree Filled With Birds from Pink Cat Studio, Back To Basics DP,Chocolate and Confetti paper.

All images were colored with Copics.

The box finished size is 4 3/4 x 6 inches and has a velcro closure.

Have a great day! TTFN

Hugs, Becky

Simply Cute Baby

As I was drifting off to sleep last night, this card popped into my head, so first thing this morning I got to work on it. I love it when I dream cards and they actually pan out when I put them together.

This cute little baby (Sweet Pea Flower) is another digi image from Pink Cat Studio.

I colored her with reinkers and my watercolor brush. I forgot how much I liked watercoloring.

I used the Welcome Baby Cuttlebug die cut for the sentiment.

I'm gonna link this up with the Moxie Fab World blog for another chance to be featured on their blog.

I can't believe how much stamping I've gotten done this week. I've so enjoyed it!

Have a great day! TTFN

Hugs, Becky

A little birdie hello

While putting things away in my stamp room today, I came across this cute little Whimsical Birds set from TPC Studios, that I forgot I had. They were a Christmas gift from one of my good friends and I had put them on my side desk and forgot about them. I don't know how I could have forgotten them cause they're just so adorable. They're perfect with this Pretty Birds In A Tree digi image from Pink Cat Studio.

I thought they would be perfect for this week's sketch challenge on Iheart2stamp.

All of the images were colored with Copics. I added the bow to the birds head to add a little more whimsy to the card. I haven't added the inside yet, but it will say something like "let's get together and talk" or "I've missed you".

I hope you're not getting tired of the Back To Basics paper cause I just seems to somehow find it's way on most of my cards lately. I love the bright colors!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day! TTFN

Hugs, Becky

Bright Shiny New Lily

I was checking out some of my favorite blogs yesterday and found out there was a new Lily digi image released at Pink Cat Studio. Her name is Strawberry Lily and the minute I saw her I just had to have her.

She reminded me of my daughter Karissa.

When Karissa was three years old, she was in love with this cute little sundress she had with strawberries all over it. She called it her strawberry dress and she loved it so much, she wanted to wear it all the time. She even wanted to sleep in it.

Here is a picture of her wearing it. Wasn't she cute?!!

Eventually she outgrew the dress and we had to sneak it away while she was asleep. She missed if for a while but got over it. Ahh! Memories!!!!

On to the details of the card.

I colored Lily with Prismacolor Pencils and Gamsol and paired her with some Summer Sun for the SCS ways to use it challenge to use yellow. I wouldn't usually use these colors together, but I'm really happy with the results.

That cute checked paper is some more Back To Basics Paper. I'm addicted you know!

Today I've been playing around with paper roses, following one of Tim Holtz tutorials and can't wait to share that with you but I don't want to overload the posts.

I'm really enjoying my time off from work. I have one more week and I have to go back. Drats! If I could only stay home and stamp every day and still get paid. Wouldn't that be nice?!!! I'm sure I'm not the only person who thinks that about the crafts they love.

I'm outta here! Have a great weekend! TTFN

Hugs, Becky

Mojo meets Pink Cat Studio

Oh too funny! I just noticed that today's card matches my new blog layout! I didn't do it on purpose but I guess my mind was stuck on black polka dots when I started making it!

I made this card for this weeks Mojo Monday challenge! I love doing Julee's sketches but don't usually have the time but seeing as how I'm off til the 19th, I found time. Lucky me!!!!

I wanted to go cutesy and fun and what's more fun than an image from Pink Cat Studio and polka dots?

Her name is Lily butterfly and I printed her on white card stock and colored her with my Copics.

I paired her with some more of my Back To Basics mat pack and this birghtly colored flower that I crocheted.

I glittered her wings and glossed them with glossy accents so she would sparkle and shine.

I think we're in for some stormy weather tonight and tomorrow or at least that's what the weather man says! I hope we don't lose power! I have cards to make and time to make them! It's been a while since I've seen my mojo and now that I've found it I don't want to lose it, you know?

Have a great evening! TTFN

Hugs, Becky

Monkeying around with paper piecing

I just love this cute little giraffe and monkey image! It's from Pink Cat Studio (one of my favorite places to shop) and it's a digi. I've had this on my wish list for quite some time and finally decided I just had to have it! It seems I got it just in time too! My great niece has her first birthday next week and I thought this would make the cutest birthday card for it. I hope she likes it! I'm pretty sure her Gigi will!

I thought the giraffe would look really cute done up in these spots, never mind they have spots already, I wanted more! LOL

I colored him with Copics and paper pieced the monkey on his back. I like it!!!!

Now that I have this posted, I'm gonna head back in my stamp cave and try to organize a bit! Everything has piled up and I'm running out of room to stamp! my desk looks like one of those episodes of Hoarders and it's time for an intervention! Wish me luck!

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by! TTFN

Hugs, Becky

Ladybug blue

Isn't she cute?

I wanted a card for a friend who is going through some tough times to let her know I'm thinking about her and this is what I came up with. That adorable image is a digital image from Pink Cat Studio.

I colored her with my Copics and then added a little pizzazz with some dazzling diamonds and glossy accents. I printed the sentiment off my computer using comic sans font.

I pulled out a little more of my Back To Basics DP and sponged around the edges.

I sure hope this cheers her up. The inside isn't finished yet but I thought I would say something like "I'm pulling or praying for you" or something along those lines. My daughter said it was corny, but I don't mind being a little corny sometimes.

Hope you're having a great summer. I'm back at work for the next couple of weeks with summer school and I love it. Sure wish I could keep these hours all year.

Thanks for stopping by to see me and happy stamping! TTFN

Hugs, Becky