First Prize -- for All Dressed Up Stamps

 September 1 -- there are signs of Fall and signs of kids returning to school.  There are also signs that there is a new challenge at All Dressed Up Stamps Facebook Challenge.  It starts today and runs the month of September.  The theme is 'Free for All' (Anything Goes).

I have a young friend that I have been pen pals with for many years.  It all began when I was going through cancer and her grandmother (a friend of mine), thought it would be a good experience for her to send me some encouragement and cute artwork.  Well, 8 years later, we're still writing each other!  She is a very special young woman who should have dumped this old lady long ago!  One of her passions is horses.  She shows themselves, takes riding lessons, spends as much time with them as she can, and probably loves her horses more than most people.  I made this card for her using an old, but very appropriate, All Dressed Up image called, First Prize:

I colored First Prize with Copic markers. I cut the image out and backed it with dies from LDRS Creative. The papers are part of a nautical paper pack from Pink & Main,  The sentiment is from Taylored Expressions.  The star sequins I used to embellish the card are from my stash.

I hope you can join us this month for our Free For All challenge in the All Dressed Up Stamps Facebook Group.  I'd love to see what you make! 

You're Beary Special -- For Di's Digi Challenges

 It's Saturday, and it's time for a new challenge at Di's Digistamps Challenges.  They always run for 2 weeks and hav e an optional theme.  This time, the theme is:" Show some Sparkle". We've all got sparkle in our craft rooms -- glitter, glitter glue, glitter pastes, glitter papers, foils, foil papers, the list goes on & on.  Add that sparkle however you would like! You have 2 weeks.

I used a newer digi called You're Beary Special to create a birthday card.  It's easy to add a little sparkle to a birthday card, right?

You're Beary Special  comes in both a black & white and a pre-colored version.  I used the black & white version, then colored it with Copic markers.  I used some icicle Stickles on the pink frosting layers of the cake to add some sparkle.  I then fussy cut You're Beary Special out. 

There's a piece of bright green glitter paper behind the whole card (it's 5x7).  In real life, the card really sparkles.  The balloons are die cut from gold foil paper.  The word 'happy' is die cut with light blue card stock, then backed with the same gold foil.  The 'hip hip hooray' sub sentiment is white heat embossed and cut with a flag backer die. 

I hope you like sparkle as much as I do, and join in our challenge!  You have 2 weeks to show us your version over at Di's Digistamps challenges. I hope to see your sparkling creations there!

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

Allsorts Challenge -- Birthdays

Passion for Markers -- Special Occasions

Creative Fingers -- ATG

Flamingo Splash -- a New Release at All Dressed Up Stamps

 It's time to feature a little new release inspiration for All Dressed Up Stamps. There are 3 new release each month, and this month, I had the fun of being able to design with the cute, cute Flamingo Splash:

I colored Flamingo Splash with Copic markers, then created some die cut for my card.  I thought she might enjoy a rough wave pool, so a created some stormy seas for her to ride through using a die set from Taylored Expressions and a stitched hill die from Close to My Heart that I used for a wave.  The bikini has been in my stash for many years.  I think it was a freebie in a magazine subscription.  Do they even have those anymore?  The sentiment is from Pink & Main. 

You'll find all the new releases in the All Dressed Up Stamps Etsy Shop.  You'll find more inspiration in the ADU Facebook group and on the blog.  Check it all out! 

Beary Butterfly -- for Di's Digistamps Challenges

 Happy Saturday!  Saturday is a good day because a new challenge starts on the Di's Digistamp Challenge Blog.  The challenges run for 2 weeks.  The theme for the next 2 weeks is 'Use die cuts &/or Punches'. We love to see Di's images being used, but it's not a requirement.

Di has some new bear images in her shop, and I colored up one of those for today's challenge.  Isn't he Beary sweet? 

This is Beary Butterfly, colored with a combination of Copic and Olo markers. There is a pre-colored version of Beary Butterfly available also. 

After I finished coloring Beary Butterfly, I got to work using die cuts on my card.  I don't have many punches anymore.  I used to have a lot of them, but they took up so much room that I got rid of most all of them.  I cut and backed the Beary Butterfly  image with some old Spellbinders scalloped dies.  The 'Sending Cheer' sentiment is from Pink & Main, and so is the flag backer.  The lacy butterfly was one of the first dies I ever bought.  It is by Cheery Lynn and it's still my favorite of all the butterfly dies I own.   To finish the card off, I stamped an all over dot pattern by Taylored Expressions on the base of the card.

That's it for today's 'Use Die cuts or punches' card.  I hope you can join our challenge.  I'd love to see what you create! 

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

Passion for Markers -- for a child

Craft Rocket Challenge -- Animals

Creative Inspirations Challenge -- ATG

Elliebelle's Garden Party -- Anything in or from a garden

Mouse Ahoy! for Di's Digistamps Challenges

 It's Saturday, and it's time for a new challenge at Di's Digistamps Challenges.  The challenge runs for the next 2 weeks.  The theme of the challenge is Summer Fun (include a sun or water or both on your project).  You don't have to use a Di's Digistamps image, but we sure do like to see them when you do. 

I used both a sun and water on my challenge card, and an absolutely darling Di's Digistamps image called Dreamboat Mice.  This is the black & white version.  There is also a pre-colored version. 

I colored Dreamboat Mice with a combination of Copic and Olo markers, then fussy cut the image.  The water was created using 2 dies.  One was part of a rainbow die from Taylored Expressions.  The other was a die from Close To My Heart (retired).  The sun die is from Spellbinders Paper Arts.  The sentiment is from Colorado Stamp Company. 

I hope you can join us these next two weeks for our Summer Fun challenge at Di's Digistamps Challenges. I'd love to see what you create!

Strawberry Season -- for All Dressed Up Stamps

 Hello, fellow crafters, and welcome to August!  A new month means a new challenge in the All Dressed Up Stamps Facebook Group. The challenge starts today and runs all month.  It has the theme of 'Favorite time of the year'.  You must use an All Dressed Up Stamps image to enter. 

I love strawberries and strawberry season!  It's a short season but we make the most of it here in NW WI where I live.  There was numerous places to pick your own berries, various strawberry stands to buy them by the bucket, and a good share of strawberry festivals install towns around here.  We love our berries!  In honoring this special time of year, I colored up and designed with the very cute image, Strawberry Season: 

I colored Strawberry Season with Copic markers, then using nesting oval dies by Hero arts to cut out the image and back her.  The designer strawberry papers are by AMB Illustrations.  Aren't they perfect for this card?  I decided to go 'old school' and add a little ribbon to this.  It's been so long, I forgot where my ribbon was! The 'sweet' sentiment is part of a new set I got from Concord & 9th. 

I hope you can join us this month at All Dressed Up Stamps Facebook Group for our Favorite Time of Year challenge.  I'd love to see your creations! 

Beach Time -- A New Release for All Dressed Up Stamps

 It's the 22nd of the month, and it's my turn to showcase some New Release inspiration for All Dressed Up Stamps.  Every month, Wendy Burns releases 3 new images for our enjoyment.  This month's are all fantastic, of course, but Beach Time is perfect for July and the hot weather we've been having.  It's 90 here today with heat warnings to limit your time outdoors. 

I colored Beach Time with Copic markers.  I found the sentiment in a mermaid set from Newton's Nook.  The seashells and starfish are from a die set by Honey Bee Stamps. The designer background paper is digital and is by AMB Illustrations. 

Check out the All Dressed Up Stamps Facebook group to see the other new release inspiration and the All Dressed Up Stamps blog for even more great makes!