A Week Late...Blog Hop

Here I am FINALLY posting my cards from Melanie's Blast from the Past Hop (from over a week ago, yikes). I just adore Melanie's set Inspiration Mosaic, it was the one she asked me to Guest Design with and honestly the versatility of this set is amazing! I made two cards for the hop... The first one was inspired by one Melanie made and had published in CardMaker magazine (you know she is in EVERY issue, quite the ROCK STAR!). I kept her layout but had my own spin on it and did a little bleaching... Fun and very fall-ish, if that were a word, lol!

This next card combines Inspiration Mosaic with Just So Sporty (another fav, especially since the boys in my house LOVE sports!)

I used the Star CB Embossing folder, as well as an embossing folder from Tim Holtz (which the name escapes me). The colors were inspired by my son's baseball team and hope you will forgive me, but not a Dallas Cowboys fan at all....hee-hee :o) You can find more inspiring creations on Melanie's post HERE which also includes links to more of her designing friends.

Hoping to get back in the swing of things blog wise this week.... Dh is doing better and has a follow up appt. with the cardiologist tomorrow. We know it is in His hands and trust Him completely.

Thanks for stopping by!

Blessings,

2 Sketches 4 You

I have to cards to share today that I made from the 2 Sketches 4 You challenge blog. The first one uses Kazan's sketch and the stamp set Fairy Tales. I can't seem to get enough of this adorable frog! I wanted to keep the card simple and used Kraft and Green Apple cardstock as well as some patterned paper from Garden Variety.

My second card....

...is for the Bonus sketch by Kay Sibley. I used Pure Luxury Ivory, Old Olive (out of Green Apple...boo-hoo), Webster's Pages patterned paper and a variety of stamps (Lovely Labels, Inspiration Mosaic and Elegant Flowers). I think the sentiment is so pretty and it fits perfectly inside of this label from Lovely Labels.

Personal note: Oldest son did GREAT at his scrimmage game last night! After his broken arm we have been concerned about arm strength but he managed to hit an in field homerun!!! Woo-hoo...mama gets so excited at games :o)

Thanks so much for stopping by and hope you have a wonderful day!



Card Deets #1 ~
Stamps: Fairy Tales
Cardstock: Kraft, Green Apple, Ivory and Cosmo Cricket Garden Variety
Ink: Vivid Olive
Accessories: Big Scallop Circle Nesties (small/large) and Ribbon

Card Deets #2 ~
Stamps: Lovely Labels, Inspiration Mosaic and Elegant Flowers
Cardstock: Ivory, Old Olive, Webster's Pages
Ink: Groovy Guava, Certainly Celery, Antique Linen
Accessories: Ribbon, Button, Thread, Sateen Flowers, Pearl Bling, Copic, and Nesties

Happy Spring

Happy Spring is a sweet stamp set perfect for for creating cards/scrapbook pages with a spring theme, especially for those gardeners in your life. It also comes with a free Card Kit which has instructions and materials for making your own cards. I know I bought the February kit and was amazed with the supplies included and loved having the measurements written down so I could recreate a quick card in a jiffy when the need arises and my mojo has taken a vacation :oP

I stamped some patterned paper with the Inspiration Mosaic grid and used that as my background for layering. The images were stamped on another piece of patterned paper and colored with Copics. I am not a gardener (at all), but I figured someone who works in the garden must a little dirty....so sponged some brown ink on the gloves and hat because it would be hard to stay clean, right? ;o)

For even more projects with Happy Spring, please check out these GinaK Designer's blogs:

Jessica Fick

Suzanne Dean

Colleen Schaan

Lee Murphy

Jennie Harper

Sharri Seffens

Tina Gilliland

Karen Knegten

Thanks so much for stopping by and hope you have a wonderful day!

Blessings,



Card Deets ~
Stamps: Happy Spring and Inspiration Mosaic
Cardstock: Chocolate Kiss, Little Boy Blue and GCD Studios Whoop De Doo patterned paper
Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa
Accessories: Blue Pearl Bling and Ribbon

Melanie's Blog Hop

Melanie Muenchinger is celebrating two years of blogging and illustrating for Gina K Designs, and today she has invited 25 designers and YOU to join the party!

I still remember the email from Melanie in July asking me to be her Guest Designer for Inspiration Mosaic (and yes, I still have it saved in my email files...) I am so excited to participate with this creative group and MADE time to get crafty with this fabulous set Inspiration Mosaic! With all of the holiday cardmaking, I hadn't used it in several weeks and went overboard...I made THREE cards (can you tell Linda is rubbing off on me??? LOL!)

This one just uses Inspiration Mosaic to show how all alone it is a GREAT set with so many possibilities! I simply stamped the grid on Fancy Pants Designs patterned paper and using my SAMJ stamped the sentiments, easy-peasy!

With this one I combined it with My Cuppa' Joe and some fun patterned paper.

And for this final one, I used some rub-on stiches to create a stitched background on my Mosaic and combined it with Melanie's Wee Tees stamp set.

So how does this involve you and some prizes????
First hop through the following designers' blogs using every set she has created since January 2008, from the first to the 25th! Then go to Melanie's' blog to leave a comment for a chance to win a number of different prizes! So let's get hopping!

Here we go!
Just So Hippy-Charmaine
Just So Hoppy-Donna
What’s in Your Tin 1 & 2-Donna
Hip Hop Accessories-Bee
Jumping for Joy-Barb
Cuddles and Hugs-Jessie
Little Tees-Cat
Just So Sporty-Pam
A Year of Flowers-Theresa
Say it with Flowers-Selma
Have a Cookie-Carolina
Tee Talk-Gabby
Hand in Hand-Ally
The Best Things in Life-Shannon, Sankari
A Charmed Life-Cathy
Wee Tees-Libby, Laura Jean
Arranged with Love-Selma
Sporty Accessories-Tina
Inspiration Mosaic-Jennie
School Sports Spirit-Melissa
A Year of Leaves-Geri
Hip to Be Square-Karen
Festive Frame-Linda
Tech Talk- Lee

Finally, Nina and Jessica from the GinaK Senior Design Team have joined in, too! You can also get in on the hop yourself and increase your chances of winning a prize by creating your own project with any one of Melanie's sets and linking it in the Mr. Linky in her post, see full details here. Hope you can join the fun! Enjoy your first hop of the year!

Blessings,

Mosaic Frame

Don't you love it when you find a great deal? I found a three pack of frames at Target in the dollar spot for $2.50 and they leaped in my cart with a project in mind....

I have been wanting to scrapbook a little picture of my youngest in a creek in Pisgah National Forest (in the mountains of NC) from this summer.  He loved playing in the cold creek and watching the water flow between his fingers...it was just precious!  We were able to get a perfect photo of him studying the water visually and with his hands.  A page would be too big for this little photo and besides, I wanted to highlight just him playing in the water so thought a 4x6 frame would be perfect!  The background is actually Inspiration Mosaic which was sponged and accented with various stamps in the set. The sentiment is from Timeless Treasures was perfect!  Oh, to see little ones discovering the world at their finger tips.....truly priceless!

Have a beautiful day!

What a Good Sport!

I made this card using the Inspiration Mosaic stamp set designed by Melanie.  I masked all of the sporty images from Just So Sporty and Sporty Accessories into their own little blocks.  Just a fun little sporty card!  Don't forget about the blog candy down below :o)  Have a great day!

My Friend

I have had a busy few days with a smidgen of a stupid accident that left me with 6 stitches. :o)  So NOT good!  I am just fine, but am inconvenienced with a sore left thumb....so bow making will not be accomplished for a bit, hee~hee!

I made this card using Inspiration Mosaic and clear embossed the leaves (from Autumn Leaves) using Versamark.  Afterwards the panel was brayered with an autumn colored spectrum pad.   A nice wow effect with little effort.  I am so looking forward to cooler temperatures and seeing the leaves change colors...fall is my favorite time of the year!

Well, before I go I have a sneak peek of the card I made for the Sketch Girls Challenge.  Leigh Ann came up with another great sketch that had me stretching my creativity.  I made this card twice..the first one didn't quite fit so I tried it again and came up with this one....which you will see in its entirety on the 31st! :o)

Have a wonderful day!!!

Monochromatic Mosaic

This card uses the stamp set Inspiration Mosaic as well as the leaf stamp from the Signs of Autumn Stamp TV kit.  After stamping the grid, the leaves were stamped using Olive Olive on Certainly Celery cardstock.  The sentiment square was masked with a post -it note so the rest of the card could be sponged.  I added just a bit of Certainly Celery ribbon and called it done ;o) Nice and easy~peasy!

Have a great day!

Inspiration Mosaic

Melanie's new stamp set, Inspiration Mosaic, is a card makers dream!  I had a couple of other cards to share today, but wanted to make a card to send to a blogging friend of mine: Cathy Tidwell (aka: catdidit on SCS) who is in the hospital.

The new Pumpkin Spice cardstock was the perfect base for this card and I paired it with Pure Luxury Ivory and Chocolate Kiss.  I used Stampin' Up! Really Rust classic ink on the leaves from the Signs of Autumn Stamp TV Kit and stamped the grid and sentiment using Vivid Coffee Bean.   Some of the boxes were sponged with So Saffron ink just to add a bit of color.  I just love this sentiment....truly the paper crafting world is so blessed with Cat's paper creations!! :o) 

I know that news of blog candy spreads FAST and would love for word to spread on praying for Cat.  If you are interested in sending some well wishes to Cat, please follow this link HERE.   I would love to see her flooded with mail!  :o)))  Have a great day!

Inspiration Mosaic Blog Hop

Welcome to another stop on the Inspiration Mosaic Blog Hop. Melanie has hit another one OUT OF THE PARK with this fantastic new stamp set! This set even sold out last week, but no worries ...it is back in stock :o) Stampers know when something is "hot" and this is burnin' up!

The idea to use the Scor-Pal popped in my head when Melanie first showed me the stamp set and when I saw the new Signs of Autumn Stamp TV kit I knew I wanted to combine it with the leaves. I masked each block and randomly stamped the leaves using Ruby Red, More Mustard, Really Rust and Old Olive ink. I turned it over and evenly scored the cardstock both ways. I sponged over it with Creamy Caramel to make the grid really pop and I layered the panel on Pumpkin Spice (love this color....and am hoarding it already). The beautiful double stitched chocolate ribbon that comes in the kit I wrapped around the front and with a glue dot added the bow. Next I layered that the Pumpkin Spice panel onto Chocolate Kiss card base. The sentiment was added by first stamping the leaf and then adding the sentiment with Vivid Coffee Bean ink which I embossed with Clear Embossing Powder and layered as well.  I am having so much fun with this stamp set...a card came be as simple or elegant as you want it to be. It is all a matter of what you want to do with it.

Melanie also has a fun Potluck Challenge over on Stamp TV and this week it was to use a photo as the focal point on a project.  I took a small photo I had of my youngest son wandering around at the ball field and used Melanie's stamp set to create a Post-It Note holder using a clear acrylic 4x6 frame.  I ended up stamping it twice and paper pieced it together to get it about 6 inches wide.  I colored various block with a yellow Copic.  I am tickled with how this turned out...my husband will put this on his desk at his office for quick little notes to jot down.

For even more inspiration, be sure to check out Melanie's blog.

Melanie also has several guest designers joining in on the hop tonight:
Jennie Harper, Tina Gilliland, Linda Payne, and Jenny Charboneau

These GinaK's Senior DT members have Inspiration Mosaic projects on their blogs as well: Gina K., Donna, Cathy, Emily, Erika, Jessica, Lee, and Theresa

and finally, don't forget to check out our CenterStage DT members:
Shannon Bracken and Brenda Turner

Mark your Calendars!!!!

Tomorrow night is the blog hop for the newest stamp set designed by Melanie! This set sold out last week and is now back in stock... talk about a HIT!!! The blog hop is sure to be packed with tons of ideas using this one of a kind stamp set!!!! Also, Melanie is celebrating half a MILLION hits over at her blog so be looking for blog candy :o) I will be back tomorrow night to share what I made for the blog hop...

I am heading home tomorrow after a great time visiting my family and taking the kids to the beach. I think I picked the perfect week with about the hottest temperatures this whole summer! Lots of pictures to scrap, so excited about that too!!!

Guest Designer for Melanie!!!

I have been sitting on some news that has me about to pop with sheer excitement... Oh, my goodness, would you believe.... Melanie Muenchinger asked me a couple of weeks ago to be her Guest Designer for her new stamp set Inspiration Mosaic.  Oh course, I squealed (hubby thought I was crazy!), did a little dancing jig (not a pretty sight!), and jumped at the opportunity! 

When she showed me this set, I was AMAZED.  There is nothing like it anywhere that I have seen and I was so excited to get the chance to design with this very unique stamp set.  

I have two projects to share today, the first card is using exclusively the stamp set Inspiration Mosaic.

I created this card using the masking technique and wanted to use all of the larger shapes included in this set.  For the sentiments (which how meaningful are they??) I used the Memories Autumn Rainbow ink pad (just a spectrum ink pad I bought years ago).  I wanted to keep with those colors as much as possible so used various Earth Elements classic ink to to mask all of these shapes.   A couple of simple layers and I was done....  

This card I created using the masking technique as well as the large dauber sponges to sponge on the color in the various blocks.  I wanted to keep it more CAS so tried not to make it too busy with images.  I used the smaller dandelion from Many Wishes and added just a bit of Black Gingham ribbon. 

This stamp set is so versatile.  This set is the perfect complement to my stamp collection and is one I know I will use a LOT!  Today I have focused mainly on masking, but the techniques you can use with this stamp set are limitless.   I want to thank Melanie for choosing me to Guest Design for her this month and giving me this most creative opportunity.  I am having a blast!!! Now I have more ideas I want to try, hhhhmmm, hope the little one takes a good nap today! :o)

Have a great day!