The 12 Kits of Occasions - August EditionA Spoonful of Sugar

Hi and thanks for stopping by!  Can you believe it's that time already?  Gosh August has just sped by in a flash - I'm actually posting LATE today because I didn't realize it was the last day of the month.  Why in the world did I think that was tomorrow?  Better late than never and I hope you will forgive me.   Not familiar with the 12 Kits of Occasions?  We're a  group of 12 friends that love to paper craft.  We take turns making a kit for the group.  We all get the same supplies, and get to work.  On the last day of the month we share what we made.  SO fun to see what we did the same and what we did differently.

Our hostess with the mostest this month is Michele Ferguson from I Card Everyone!  Michele put together an amazing kit full of wonderful images from Avery Elle, Verve and My Favorite things.   You can get a complete list of all the products featured as well as a sneak peek from all the designers with projects here on the 12 Kits of Occasions Blog.   Our theme this month is "A Spoonful of Sugar".  So get ready for get well and friendship cards.  No one makes us feel better than our crafty friends.   

There is usually a tricky element included in the kit that I want to keep an eye out for - something that I had a hard time coming up with ideas for.  This time for me it would be the clear Kiss Kiss stickers.  Michele told us there was a "secret ingredient" in the kit - I can't wait to find out what that was!!   Maybe the wood spoon?

I had no trouble with that!! I painted mine pink, wrapped it with some washi and dipped it in some giltter "sugar".  I'll be using this as a tag on a little gift basket filled with tea, honey and some other "necessaries" for a sick friend.

I made another little pocket tag to stuff with goodies.  Michele gave us a little package of green tea - so tempted to make it and drink it myself.. but did behave in the end, tucking it it the tag and adding  a wood spoon from my own stash.  

Ready for more?  You can hop to the 12 Kits Blog or use this handy little list to hop around!  

 Michele Ferguson - I Card Everyone  (August Hostess)
Marybeth - It's Time For Paper

Joyce - Cards By The Sea

Cathy Weber - Empty Nest Crafter

Kim - Cupcakes Cards & Kim

Jessica - The Paper Parade

Sharron - On Papillon Wings

Tracey McNeely - In My Creative Opinion

Kellly Schirmer - Gingham Girl
Lindsey Larsen - Occasional Crafting

Have a great day and thanks again for having a look around! 

Seize the Birthday!The Weather

I can't tell you how excited I was to see I won Seize the Birthday last week!  I've been trying to play more new challenges to keep active and make a few more new friends.  I love making things - it's my peace of mind and a way to express myself.  What I didn't take into account is what a boost it would give me.  Feeling like I'm on Cloud 9 which seems appropriate considering the "Toppings" this week!  It's all about the weather. 

I'm playing with the Rainbow die set from Top Dog Dies.   It comes with the clouds and stars.  The pierced circle is from the Circle Die set.   Here's a little tip for keeping your rainbow straight - after you cut out all your colorful half circles just reinsert them back into the die and attach them with some tape - I used colorful washi so you could see how I did it here. You can also add a piece of tape to the back to lift the entire piece out of the die easily when you're done taping them in place.

I love all the stars cut from gold - it's like candy for your eyes!

Wishing you sunshine and rainbows and time to play!

 

Finished Size 4.25 x  5.5”

Top Dog Dies:  Rainbow, Circles

Stamp:  Lil’ Inkers Rainbows & Clouds

CAS(E) this Sketch!Java Great Day!

I hope you're having a great day!    Lately it looks like it will be raining any minute and somehow the dark clouds just pass right on by!  I'm not sure if that is good or bad because I think that I don't have to water the garden or all the pots.. because it sure looks like rain.. and then nothing.   The weather in the Chicago area can be very tricky. It's no wonder the weather man always gets it wrong!! 

The cloudy skies make me want to come inside and make something bright and cheery.  I thought I'd give my self a new challenge and another new place to play this week.  Here's the sketch at CAS(E) this Sketch this week!  You know I'm always trying to perfect my CAS skills - so much harder than it looks and all that clean white space can make me crazy!   I'll be honest here..  I really do love it all - clean or fussy.. doesn't matter to me as long as it's bright!!  I    I hope this still counts as CAS - it sure is for me - this one is about as flat as it gets here! 

The stamp set is new from Waltzingmouse called "Coffee Set"  - it has lots of super cute accessories and sentiments - you can see lots of them stamped on the background - coffee cups, creamer, coffee beans, spoons, flowers and dies that match too.

 I hope you find some time to play today! 

Finished Size 4.25 x 5.5"
Stamps & Coordinating dies:  Waltzingmouse Coffee Set

PLS Feature Die CutsWinnie The Whale

This little cutie is Winnie the Whale.  It's easy to create with die cut images - already printed and ready to go.  Pretty Little Studio has everything coordinated to work together so you just know it will be a perfect match!

Want to see more? Just click here!

Finished Size 4.25 x 5.5”

PLS Products

Die:  Winnie Whale

Treasure Island Boardwalk Bookmark Tag

Treasure Island Navigator Note Flags

Pattern Paper Treasure Island Collection

Stamp:  Simon Says Stamp “Handwritten Greetings”

The Twinery Denim Twine

Button

Wood Veneer Stars Studio Calico

Dragonfly Journeys ChallengeIf Friends Were Flowers

I'm behind uploading my galleries as usual - I think I'm somewhere in July! LOL!  Do you keep a gallery and are you good at updating it regularly?  I get side tracked so easy with playing a new challenge that the gallery gets stuck on the back burner and  has to wait for a rainy day when I'm feeling uninspired.  I got the sweetest comment on one of my cards from Jeannie at Dragonfly Journeys.  She mentioned a challenge she hosts on her blog so I thought I would play along! 

Her challenge this week is Girlfriends!  I thought this one would work beautifully because it's the sort of card I would send my bestie!  Bright and cheery and filled with love!

 All the dies are from Top Dog Dies, and the sentiment stamp is from Lawn Fawn!

The Pocket Summer Page Die includes the frame, flowers and butterflies and layers over the Pocket Page Banner perfectly.  The Twinery Twine is called "Shore".

If you want to try a new challenge or make a new friend stop by and say hi to Jeannie!

 

Finished Size:  4.25 x 5.5”

Top Dog Dies:  Dotted Borders, Pocket Page Summer, Pocket Page Banner, Leaves

Other Supplies:

Pattern Paper:  Pebbles “Garden Party” 6x6”

Stamp:  Lawn Fawn “Hello Friend”

The Twinery “Shore”

Gems

Sequins:  Pretty Pink Posh

SSCB#46 - Anything Goes Veggie Basket

I hope you're having a great day!  It's starting to feel like fall lately. With DH working nights we're spending time together in the mornings again.   Today we went to the local nursery.  I don't know if you remember me telling you that the town accidentally cut down our 10 year old cherry tree last fall?   

A really sad thing for me because my dad has been coming over for the past 5 years or so to pick them.  He and my mom make pies and jam.  I can picture all of us out front filling up a big bucket.   

In the Spring we planted three new ones - and two of them didn't make it through the summer.   This time of year you can find lots of plants on sale so we thought we'd see what we could find.   I loaded up the car with one cherry tree, three blueberry bushes, and a hydrangea.  Everything was half price!  I hope they decide they like living here and flourish! Fingers crossed - and let it rain!!! LOL

So you probably know that I'm a gardener too!  This is the time of year everything is ready to pick... lots of tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and so much more!!   This veggie basket sort of says it all!  It's also the 50% off stamp of the month for August at Serendipity!

We're at the half way point of the challenge.  We've switched up the dates a bit lately.. maybe you've noticed. The first Friday of the month we show new releases.  The second Wednesday of the month a new challenge starts and the Fourth Wednesday of the month is the half way point.   So yes we are at the half way point!  You have 2 weeks left to join us!! 

The stitched scallop border is from Pretty Pink Posh and available at Serendipity.  The wood sequins are from Serendipity and don't you think that smile word die is too cute smiling back at you?  I thought it would be fun to layer it over the scallop circle so they look like teeth!   Is that just silly or what?

I hope you'll join us at Serendipity Stamps Challenge Blog - Remember it's anything goes - so sky's the limit!  

Finished Size 4.5 x 6.25"
Stamps:  Serendipity Stamps Large Veggie Basket
Dies:  Serendipity Stamps Smile, Pretty Pink Posh Stitched Borders, Spellbinder Petite Ovals, Petite scalloped Ovals, Paper Smooches Flag Tags
Twinery Maraschino Twine
Sequins - Serendipity Stamps
Pattern Paper;  October Afternoon Daily Flash
Ink:  Copic, Memento

Seize the Birthday! Anything That Flies!

Trying to get in a few last minute challenges.  This one is for Seize The Birthday.  They're looking for Anything that Flies on a Birthday Card!  I love this negative balloon die from Serendipity Stamps.

The background is a sheet of water color paper that I created using a smooshing technique.  I've taken a few classes on Craftsy and am trying some of the different techniques I've seen there.   I topped the watercolor paper with a die cut piece of card stock, stamped the sentiment and that's all she wrote!  
 I love all the bright bold color peeking through.  And the hardest part?  Waiting for it to dry!   No patience here!  And seriously a miracle that I didn't set something on it while it was drying.  My craft space looks like a tornado went through lately!

 If you want to play along at Seize the Birthday you better hurry!!   Have  a great day!!

Finished Size:  4.25 x 5.5"
Die:  Serendipity Stamps Hot Air Balloons Reverse Die
Stamp:  Serendipity Stamps "Let Your Dreams Soar"

Simply Create Too! Anything Goes Watercolor Palm and Flamingo

Hi friends!  I hope you are having  a great day!  Summer is coming to a close - kids are back in school and while I thought DH was back on days .. he actually was for about a week.. .now it's back to nights.  He's keeping me on my toes, but gotta say I still love the man cooking me breakfast!  He made omelets this morning, and my glass of tea was waiting for me when I got out of bed!  Can't complain about that now can I?

I'm getting caught up on some ideas I had.  When I was on vacation back in May I didn't bring a whole lot of crafty stuff - just some watercolors, brushes and a spray bottle.  I painted several backgrounds and tried some different techniques so that when I got home I'd be able to add some die cuts and stamps.

I made this one with an acrylic blog - smooshing.  You just ink up your acrylic blog, spray it with water and smoosh it on watercolor paper.  I thought it looked like a beautiful sunset - perfect for my palm tree and seagulls!

For this one I used Peerless Watercolors.  I made some water puddles on the watercolor paper and then added the color.  The Flamingo is from Top Dog Dies, and a little "cheat" aka "tip" lol.  I  colored up those legs with a Sharpie marker front and back.  It was much easier than cutting out a skinny pair of legs and trying to put them back on and really looks seamless doesn't it?

 I love adding google eyes whenever I can.  They're so fun and just make me feel like a kid again!   The Hello cut from gold is really striking against the watercolors and adds a richness to the layout.

If you're interested in playing along at Simply Create Too you better hurry!  There is only a few days left!! 

Palm Tree

Finished Size 4.25 x 5.5”

Top Dog Dies:  Palm Tree Die Set

Peerless Watercolor

Waltzingmouse Stamps:  My Island

Flamingo

Finished Size 4.25 x 5.5”

Top Dog Dies:  Hello Word Die, Flamingo Die Set

Peerless Watercolor

Sequins:  Pretty Pink Posh

Google Eyes