A Blizzard of Kisses -- for Dies R Us Inspiration Blog

I'm posting today on the Dies R Us Inspiration Blog, where I always have such fun playing with the wonderful stamps and dies found in the Dies R Us Store. 

I very much enjoy the pre-orders and special events that the Dies R Us Store has to offer.  I have gotten to try out some brands of dies and stamps that I don't find in my local (limited) craft shop. I, for one, look forward to seeing what the weekend will have to offer.  To find out about the pre-orders and special sales, sign up for the Dies R Us newsletter.

One of the last several weekends,  the Dies R Us Store offered stamps and dies from Picket Fence Studio.   I had seen this particular stamp and die set, but jumped at the chance to purchase and work with it.

This card uses 'Have a Wonderful Wintery Day':

Here's a picture of all the supplies used for this card:

I don't often get out my watercolor supplies, but this little snowman seemed to need it.  I used Spectrum Noir Aquablend pencils on him. 

Here he is, all colored up:

I don't always purchase the matching dies for stamp sets, but in this case, I'm really glad I did.  The stamps are small, and I would not want to try to fuzzy cut around those stick arms!!

My camera got switched to manual, so I apologize for this blurry photo. I wanted you to see, though, how the die is positioned over the colored stamp, and held in place with washi tape.

Hopefully, you can see all that!

Here's everything die cut.  I used snowflake dies from Lawn Fawn, and a stitched circle die, also from Lawn Fawn.  The sentiment is included in the 'Have a Wonderful Wintery Day' Stamp Set.

The designer papers on this card are from We Are 3 Digital Shop.  They are 2 of the papers offered in the Snowmen Paper Collection.

I'll leave you with one more photo of the wonderful wintery card!

I hope you check the Dies R Us Inspiration blog every day for wonderful inspiration!  The design team is so creative, you don't want to miss anything.  Then, join in the challenges at the Dies R Us Challenge Blog.  Here's one last link to the Dies R Us Store for you, too! 

click below for:

STORE
CHALLENGE BLOG
FACEBOOK
INSPIRATION BLOG

FRIENDS OF DIES R US PINTEREST PAGE

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:

Cupcake challenge-- show us your snowmen 

Dragonfly Dreams --Christmas/Winter

Festive Fridays --- Christmas

Miss You -- a new challenge at Catch the Bug

It's Saturday, and a new challenge is starting today at Catch the Bug Challenges.  This Week, we are starting a color challenge.  I'll show you my card first, then the photo for this week's challenge.

I used Bugaboo Stamp's Starry Moon to create this:

Starry Moon is colored with Copic markers, using this color 
palette:

I created the card by making a 5x5 card base and folding one side on the diagonal.  I stamped the sentiment, and foam taped it up to make a base for it.  A few stars cut out with a die, and it was complete.

This is the first card I've made since having a slight stroke a few days ago. Everything is harder for now, but I got a card made.   For that, I am happy.  The card was much easier than writing the blog posts.  They are torture!

I hope you can join us this at week at Catch the Bug

!

Sending Woof's of Christmas Wishes -- New Releases from All Dressed Up Stamps

It's the 22nd of the month, and new releases are being showcased for this month's All Dressed Up Stamps in the Facebook Group Today.  there are 4 new releases, and I managed to color up 2 of them to showcase today.  This is a milestone event for me!  I had a mild stroke several weeks ago, and this is the first coloring I've shared since it happened.  The stroke effected the right side of my body more than my left side, and I'm left handed, so coloring doesn't go too badly, but card construction is a struggle, and writing blog posts makes my brain HURT!!  I literally take a nap after I get it done. It is such a struggle for me!

But, on to the 2 new releases I have to share with you. All the new releases can be found in the All Dressed Up Etsy Shop.

The first is Woof Christmas-- perfect for my dog-loving friends!

I colored Woof Christmas with Copic markers.  The paw print border is a die from Frantic Stampers.  The bone die came in a set from Cheery Lynn.  Both sets were purchased from Dies R Us.  The  paw print paper is a digital paper form Echo Park. The sentiment is part of the Woof Christmas digi. 

Card #2 uses new release, Christmas Skater.  I think this will be a favorite of this release.  I love her elegant lines!

I colored Christmas Skater with Copic markers, then found that perfect sentiment in a Christmas stamp set I've had for a long time. The edger dies are from Spellbinders.  The Snowflake dies are from Lawn Fawn.  The Background looking glitter paper is from We Are 3 Digital Shop.  It is one of the papers in the Christmas Magic Set.

Either of these images would work well for this month's All Dressed Up Facebook challenge -- Christmas is Coming.  Why not grab them (you know you want them!), color them up, and join us in the All Dressed Up Facebook Group!

Three Peaceful Pines -- for Lavinia World Challenges

It's Thursday, and it's time for a new challenge on the Lavinia World Challenge Blog.  Challenges are always Anything Goes, as long as you use an acrylic or a rubber stamp -- no digital images.  Of course, we'd like to see your Lavinia Stamps getting some love!

I've gotten so I really like to ink up backgrounds.  I was intimidated by this process for a long time.  Now, I just play, and ink, and add color, and see what I can create.  That's how I came up with today's card base.   Once I got the base done,  I did a bit of stamping, die cut a sentiment, and Voila!  I had a Christmas card to add to the stash:

Are any of you mystery readers?  I love reading books by author, Louise Penny.  The Chief Inspector Gamache series centers around the small town of Three Pines.  This card is my tribute to Three Pines.  May it always be peaceful there!

The pines were stamped using the Small Fairy Fir Tree 2 stamp.  I stamped it once, as is (the tall one), once using a shorter version of the trunk, then once using 2nd generation stamping to make it look like it was behind the other 2 trees. Flying into the cold winter sky is the stamp, Ducks.  I used Memento Ink in Tuxedo Black for all the stamped images. 

The inked background was created with a variety of Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Inks.  I used Seedless Preserves, Milled Lavender, Shaded Lilac, Victorian Velvet, Faded Jeans, and Chipped Sapphire.  I sprinkled a bit of water on the inks to make it look a bit snowy. 

The 'Peace' die is from Elizabeth Craft. 

There is also a new, exciting FaceBook group to check out!  This is the first challenge now that Anything Lavinia Group also gives you an opportunity to post your projects there.  So, if you don't blog, you can still enter our challenges.  Projects posted on the Anything Lavinia Group must include a Lavinia Stamp or paper. Wherever you decode to enter, challenges run for 2 weeks!  Have fun!

I hope you find time to join us this next 2 weeks at Lavinia World Challenges!  You might be the lucky winner of the $15 gift certificate to the Lavinia World Store, or one of the Designer Choice recipients.  I'd love to see your creations! 

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:
Outlawz Festive Fridays -- Christmas
We Love to Create -- ATG
TTCRD -- ATG
Outlawz Monday Greeting -- Winter Wonderland

Hip Hip Hooray! For Scrapy Land Challenges

Today is the 3rd Wednesday of November, and that means there is a new challenge starting today at the Scrapy Land Challenge Blog.  Challenges are always Anything Goes, as long as you use a brand of die that is sold in the Scrapy Land Store.  Scrapy Land sells dozens and dozens of brands of dies, so this is very easy to do!  Shop the Scrapy Land Store here, and see for yourself!

I like to have a stash of birthday cards.  It seems like I often need one, and you never know when hubby will come home from work with a request like, "I need a birthday card for tomorrow."  So, when I saw this Hip Hip Hooray Card Panel from Frantic Stamper, I knew what I wanted to make with it:

The balloon is also from Frantic Stamper.  It is one icon in a set of Birthday Icons. 

I think this Hip Hip Hooray Card Panel could have many uses.  I can see it as a graduation card, a retirement card, baby card -- any occasion worth celebrating!

I hope you can join us the next 2 weeks at the Scrapy Land Challenge Blog.  One winner gets a $15 gift certificate to the Scrapy Land Store!

I'd like to enter this in the following challenges:

Outlawz Twisted Thursday -- ATG

Outlawz Festive Friday -- Birthday

Seize the birthday -- ATG

Thank You For Your Kindness -- for the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog

It's Monday, and it's time for some mid-challenge inspiration on the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog.  Our theme this month is Thankfulness.  Our sponsor is A Day For Daisies.

I thought these Sunflowers is a Mason Jar would make a lovely Thank You card:

I colored them with Copic Markers, then used some Spellbinders Edger dies to create the card.  The papers on the card are from We Are 3 Digital Shop.  These are 2 of the Sunflower papers.  The sentiment was hand stamped from my stash.

Join us for our Thankfulness challenge at the Path of Positivity. 

Happy Holidays -- For Jan's Digi Stamps

Here we go!  Challenge #2 at Jan's Digi Stamps Challenges, or, as those of us that have followed her work affectionately refer to it as, JDS Designs Challenge Blog.  The challenges will be on the 1st and 3rd Monday of every month, so what a great way to start out your week! The will run until noon (Eastern) the Sunday before the new challenge.  You'll find all the rules on a tab at the JDS Designs Challenge Blog.  Her beautiful digis can be found in her shop here.

Starting to feel the need to make Christmas cards? Maybe you need to mass produce a few? Jan's Digi Stamps are perfect for this.  Each set comes with both a black & white version, and a pre-colored version.  Today, I'm showcasing a pre-colored image to show how easily they make up into a card, and how pretty they are!

This card uses 2 different sets from Jan's store:  Tree Scene and Reindeer There are several options of trees in the Tree Scene set, but this is the one I chose to work with that awesome reindeer.  What a rack on that guy!  The sentiment is also from the Tree Scene set.

I used edger dies from Queen & Company to cut out the image and back it.  Papers on this card are from Lemoncraft, out of Poland. The ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon. 

You have 2 weeks to join in the Anything Goes Challenge at JDS Challenge blog.  You can truly link up anything -- cards, mini albums, sewing projects, knitting -- Anything Goes!  You have until noon Eastern of the Sunday before the next challenge begins.  You might win a $9 gift certificate to the store!