Mahalo, Christy!

A few days ago, Christy Croll, the artist of Tiddly Inks' HuggABuggs, sent me a sweet email.

She said she noticed an influx of stampers from Hawaii who bought her digis and attributed this to my referrals. So she graciously sent a couple of (new!) images that I was getting ready to purchase. Sweet!

The mermaid is carrying a large pearl, and I used Jennifer's technique in this video for making perfect dots with Liquid Pearls using her "flicking" technique.

And here's a shot of the Copics that I used on this card. Nope, not doing it all the time. Only when I remember!

Stamps: Tiddly Inks digital image, Hero Arts sentiment

Cardstock: Papertrey Ink, Stampin Up

Ink: Versafine Onyx Black

Other: Copic markers, Nestabilities, Liquid Pearls, ribbon, pearls, pop dots

Easel Valentine

This week's Monday Mania challenge at Club Anya and Friends is to make an easel card and add a bit of ribbon.

I colored Wild Sprout Ebony a while ago, and worked with her outfit colors to put together this red and black easel card. Although you can't see it, I added Glossy Accents on the little skull on her shirt.

After I made the dotty background, I liked the sponged edge and used it behind Ebony. Can you see it? It's the first time I've used something that I usually throw away.

The sentiment is from a stamp set that my daughter bought for me from Oriental Trading Company. Who knew they had clear stamps?

Stamps: The Greeting Farm, Hero Arts Dots, Oriental Trading Company

Cardstock: Papertrey Ink, Basic Grey, Gina K

Ink: Versamark, Black Soot distress ink

Other: Copic markers, Clear embossing powder, Nestabilities,

Glossy Accents, pop dots, sheer dot ribbon

My first CCC

I've been lurking Deborah's Card Chain Challenge for several months and finally decided to play along. After signing up, you create a card and send it to an assigned participant, and your "link" is doing the same. You have the choice of a card sketch, color palette, or a theme.

Dawn Turley of New Zealand, sent me a parcel full of goodies. Not only did she send a card, but she included a bookmark, tags, and some backgrounds made with alcohol inks. And she used some Pure Innocence images, too! Thanks so much, Dawn.... it felt like Christmas!

I decided to go with colors and sent this card off to Susan McRae in Canada. I used the Pure Innocence garden girl together with the new sentiment set from Hero Arts. Love that font! And you can't go wrong with Cosmo Cricket papers....

Check out Deborah's blog to see all of the "chains" in her January CCC. It's fun to see where a card came from and where it went. Thanks, Deborah! I'm looking forward to the next CCC!

Buttons and babushkas

My friend Jane is one talented lady. Besides being a gifted artist, she makes buttons out of Fimo! She has plans to sell them on Etsy but the demand is greater than her supply.

A few months back, she generously gave her buttons to the first 10 buyers of her Squigglefly digital images. Mine arrived last week--all the way from Croatia! They are so gorgeous and perfectly crafted.

Her latest digital stamps are a pair of babushka dolls--Olga and Sasha.

These are the Russian nesting Matryoshka dolls, but I just colored one Olga and made this quick card.

I know I'm supposed to use Jane's buttons but they are too precious to part with. For now, I'll keep them in a ceramic bowl on my desk and just admire their beauty. Thanks, Jane--I love them!

Stamps: Squigglefly digital stamp, Hero Arts

Cardstock: Papertrey Ink, Stampin Up

Ink: Versamark

Other: Copic markers, Nestabilities square and scallop dies,

white embossing powder, sheer dot ribbon

Seein' spots?

Over the weekend, I made more dotty backgrounds using my favorite Hero Arts stamp. Can you believe it's not a flower or a butterfly, but DOTS? I stamped with Versamark on white cardstock, clear embossed, and then sponged on distress inks. So much fun--I can do it all day and not get bored....or see spots!

I really wanted the Pure Innocence umbrella image and could only find it at My Favorite Things as a clear stamp. Because it's an exclusive design to MFT, it won't be turned into a digi. So I bought her, and didn't realize she was so small. I guess I'm spoiled with being able to resize digis...but I love her anyway.

Thanks for visiting today...can you believe it's February?

Stamps: Pure Innocence, Hero Arts , My Sentiments Exactly

Catdstock: Papertrey Ink

Ink: Memento, Distress inks, Versamark

Other: Copic markers, Nestabilities, Martha Stewart butterfly punch,

clear embossing powder, gems, ribbon, pop dots

Even more Annies

Sweet and talented Virginia is hosting a challenge to create a card that will "beat the winter blahs" and have a "wow" factor. I'm hoping the bunch of flowers that Annie is holding is enough of a "wow".

Visit her blog and join in on the fun! She has great prizes and the deadline is February 5 at midnight, Eastern time. Thanks for a fun challenge, Virginia!

I'm glad that I could play along.

This Sugar Nellie "Blossom" image was on sale at Funky Kits so I ordered her and two others that Alice shared with me. I love coloring Annie!

And my dear friend Jo sent me this "Day Dreamer" Annie and I was thrilled because it's been sold out at Funky Kits for a loooong time. Thank you, Jo! I love her!

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And congrats to Vera, Linda , and Arlene for rounding out the number of Hero Arts' hostesses to six. I know they'll wear their aprons proudly!

Stamps: Hero Arts Dots Cling background, sentiment, Sugar Nellie Blossom, Sugar Nellie Day Dreamer

Ink: Versamark, Spiced Marmalade and Fired Brick distress inks

Other: Nestabilities label dies, clear embossing powder, Copics,

Cuttlebug embossing folder, Fiskars border punch, pop dots, ribbon, twine

Frog Prince Ian

The Greeting Farm ended the CHA relay due to technical glitches, but we all got free Prince Ian digis! You can grab him here compliments of The Greeting Farm.

I'm entering this card in Club Anya & Friends' Wild Card Wednesday Metal Mania challenge, to use metal on your card.

It was challenging to use the Crop-a-dile to attach the eyelets, because of the flat top...but I managed. I can't remember the last time that I used eyelets on a card. It must have been during the "caveman days" when I used a small hammer and setting tool. The Crop-a-dile has made life so much easier....love it!

Stamps: Prince Ian digital image; Hero Arts wood background, frog, sentiment

Cardstock: Papertrey Ink white, Stampin Up

Ink: Versafine, Walnut Stain distress ink

Other: Copic markers, Nestabilities die, Stampin Up leaf Sizzlit,

brass flat top eyelets, Crop-a-dile