Have a HUG!

Here's another card made with a digi from Tiddly Inks. This image is called Tree Hugger, and was inspired by Christy Croll's daughter. While on vacation at Yosemite, she took photos of her daughter hugging trees! How cute is that?

I've never been to Yosemite, but I can imagine the beauty of all the trees and would probably hug a tree or two myself.

The perfect sentiment is by Create with TLC, a site shared by my friend Deirdre. They offer freebies and mark different occasions with their digital stamps. This set was released was in honor of Hug a Friend Day.

I'd like to mention that my sweet friend Kiara has been asked to be a coloring friend for Tiddly Inks, too! Be sure to visit her blog or the Tiddly Inks gallery and be inspired...

Stamps: Tiddly Inks digital, Created with TLC digital,

Hero Arts Cling Dots

Cardstock: Papertrey Ink

Ink: Versamark, Peeled Paint Distress ink, Colorbox

Other: Clear embossiing powder, Nestabilities, pop dots,

Marvy oval punch, pop dots, ribbon

Printing in grayscale

There are so many new digis in the Tiddly Inks store. Christy Croll made sure to offer different genres so there's something for everyone.

Under Gothic Cute I saw this Happy Couple and it was calling my name! It looks sad and sweet at the same time. I love the anime feel and I'm so glad that Christy decided to offer them in her store.

I printed out several in black and white but because I shrank the image, it was a little too overpowering so I decided to print some out in grayscale. Much better.

Because of the softness from the grays, I wanted to do minimal coloring and that meant using the lightest Copic colors and here's the card that I came up with.

I'm hoping you can see the hint of color and consider grayscale printing for a different look.

Here are the pens that I used--only five!--and I even colored the mini white paper rose with R81.

And today is Freebie Tuesday at Tiddly Inks! Join the group on Paper Craft Planet and grab yours now!

Stamps: Tiddly Inks digital image -- Happy Couple

Cardstock: Papertrey Ink, Bazzill

Other: Copics, Nestabilities, Sizzix embossing dots folder,

sheer ribbon, paper roses

A real tomboy

Happy Monday! Just sharing an easel card--yep, another one!--that I made with Wild Sprout Audrey. I was thinking about doing this for the longest time and it finally came together.

I used Amy's altering technique and inked up Skater Ian, then wiped away the outline of his head and stamped him on some cardstock. I printed out digi Audrey, colored her head and cut it out.

Then I mounted her head onto Ian's body and there she is....Skater Audrey! The background was made by clear embossing this stamp and then sponging on some distress inks.

And I love the perfect sentiment from this set by Nina Brackett. Thanks to my friend Alice for enabling me to get them!

Don't you love it when things turn out the way you planned?

Hope you're all off to another great week...

Stamps: The Greeting Farm, Hero Arts, Nina Brackett for GinaK Designs

Cardstock: Papertrey Ink, Martha Stewart kraft

Ink: Memento, Peeled Paint distress ink, Versamark

Other: Nestabilities circle and oval dies, buttons, pop dots,

clear embossing powder

Tiddly Inks' First Challenge

Tiddly Inks is having their first challenge and it's easy peasy. Just make a card using a Tiddly Inks digital image. You can buy a digi from the brand new Tiddly Inks store or join the Tiddly Inks group on Paper Craft Planet and grab one of Christy's free digis.

This is Cherry Bugg with her stack of cupcakes. Isn't she a cutie? The newer digi comes with a few extras and can be downloaded and colored right away.

The deadline to submit your card is April 26 at 10pm CST and the prize is a $10 credit towards the Tiddly Inks store. That's a lot of digis!

Note: I've decided at the very last minute to enter this in Little Paper Shop's birthday challenge since it's not mandatory to use LPS stamps.

Stamps: Tiddly Inks digital stamp; River City Rubber Works

Cardstock: Papertrey Ink, Martha Stewart

Ink: Memento, Versafine

Other: Copics, Nestabilities Labels Eight, pearls, ribbon, pop dots,

Stickles, Liquid Appliqué

Tamiko's Challenge #2

I saw a post on Joy's blog about a challenge at Tamiko's, which is using Nestabilities on your card. I just finished making this card for a neighbor's one-year old and thought I'd enter it since I used the Nestabilities Labels Eight

to make it.

I know I've been using Inkadinkado's Kid's Quotes a lot, but they seem to match The Greeting Farm images perfectly. And little Bryson just learned to make a "one" with his fingers, and his mom was so proud! I think it's a memorable event for any parent or grandparent...

Visit Tamiko's to get all the details and take a look at the yummy prize. She will also ship internationally and the deadline is April 30th, so there's lots of time to enter. You can also find this adorable Oliver and his pup stamp set in her online store and at The Greeting Farm.

Wow, didn't this week just zoom by? Hope you all have a great weekend!

Stamps: The Greeting Farm, Inkadinkado

Ink: Memento, Peeled Paint Distress ink

Cardstock: Papertrey Ink, Martha Stewart

Paper: Cosmo Cricket, Making Memories

Other: Copic markers, Nestabilities Labels Eight, buttons, twine,

pop dots, paper distressing tool

Wild Card Wednesday Color Inspiration

The Wild Card Wednesday challenge for Club Anya and Friends is to create a card using inspiration from this photo:

I found a Me and My Big Ideas mat pad that my daughter gave me several birthdays ago. I used another kid's quote that I stamped on some ledger paper, and tilted DeeDee's head to give her a quizzical look.

I had a lot of fun putting this card together. I'm hoping to find more mat pads--it sure makes for a quick card!

Edited to add: I won the Wild Card Wednesday challenge!

Thanks, Shirley, for letting me know!

Stamps: The Greeting Farm, Inkadinkado

Cardstock: Papertrey Ink, Martha Stewart

Paper: Me and My Big Ideas, Making Memories

Ink: Memento

Other: Copic markers, EK Success binder edge punch,

Martha Stewart 3-in-one butterfly punch,

Papertrey Ink rickrack die

I'm a Tiddly Inks Coloring Friend!

Some exciting news to share....I'm a "coloring friend" for Christy Croll's Tiddly Inks challenge blog! Pretty cool title, huh? Christy recently put together a great design team and I didn't try out for it because I know I'm going to be busy with our daughter's upcoming wedding.

So Christy graciously asked me to be a coloring friend and I accepted! She even designed a badge for me! I think that's a doable position with no pressure from Christy and I get to simply color her wonderful digis.

Christy offers freebies, too, and I'm building up quite a collection. Join the Tiddly Inks group over at Paper Craft Planet. The first challenge will start on April 20th. Hope to see you there!

Alan's in Hawaii!

My blogging friend Katherine "Kit" Perry sent me this adorable crocheted lion named Alan, all the way from the UK! I won him in a random drawing on her blog and I was thrilled when I found out.

I love amigurumi and Leo just happens to be my astrological sign. How perfect is that?

Kit included this adorable card, too. I wish you could see all the glitter she added that gives just the right amount of bling!

Thanks so much, Kit! I'm happy to report that Alan is perched on my Copics holder and he's such great company.

I'll be sending Kit this card using this cute lion digi from MelJen Designs. Can you believe it was a freebie? I heard about this company from Kim , who is on the MJD design team. Check it out here.

Stamps: MelJen Designs digital stamp

Cardstock: Papertrey Ink; unknown colored cardstock from Japan

Copics used: Y21, E31, R02, R81, BG000

Other: Nestabilities labels, circle, & scallop circle dies; sheer ribbon

Hope you're all having a great weekend!

Thanks, always, for stopping by...

Meet Eric!

When The Greeting Farm released their new Sprouts, I grabbed Eric right away. There aren't too many boyish images--or maybe I'm just not lookin' hard enough--and I just love his anime look. He may just be my new favorite Sprout!

I really like making easel cards and use Lysa's great tutorial here to make them. The finished size, folded, is 4x4" and I can make three easel cards from a sheet of 12x12" cardstock.

I paired up the kid's quote together with some star buttons and I stamped the portion of the stamp which shows the author of that quote. Kids are so thought provoking!

Stamps: The Greeting Farm, Inkadinkado

Ink: Memento, Versafine, Ranger Tea Dye distress ink

Cardstock: Papertrey Ink, Martha Stewart

Paper: Fancy Pants

Other: Copic markers, EK Success binder edge punch,

buttons, twine, pop dots

Edited to add: Thanks to Shirley for directing me to Copic Creations challenge #26--coloring black hair. What a happy coincidence that I gave Eric black hair! Thanks, Shirley!

ATS Wednesday Challenge

A quick post to share a card I'm entering in All That Scraps' Wednesday challenge which is shaped cards. Hello! I ♥ making shaped cards! I think 90% of my cards are shaped cards. I do love my Nesties....

I used Amy Young's Fidget Goblinspider digi, which is one of her older fairies from her Sweet November line, but she's always been a fave. I added Glossy Accents to her eyes and although she's a fairy, after I took some photos of the card--I think she resembles Ariel, the Disney mermaid, sans tail!

I hope I made the deadline. Hawaii does not switch to daylight savings and I've missed so many deadlines trying to figure out the time difference.

Thanks for visiting! Must get ready for tonight's season premiere of "Glee"!

Stamps: Sweet November digital image by Amy Young, Stampin Up sentiment

Cardstock: Papertrey Ink, DCWV

Ink: Memento, Ranger Distress inks

Other: Copic markers, Nestabilities, Cuttlebug embossing folder,

Stampin Up leaf Sizzlit, Glossy Accents, gemstones, pop dots

Fun with felt

Here's a card made with one of the new Sprouts from The Greeting Farm. Her name is Dee Dee and she's such a cutie!

I paired her up with a felt flower that I made using Betsy Veldman's tutorial here. Thanks to sweet Lucy for sharing the link on her blog.

I chose to work with felt because it's my favorite fabric, and the new blossom dies from Papertrey Ink. The dies cut fabric and felt beautifully and I'd like to make them in different colors--perfect for Mother's Day!

For the leaves, I stitched a random leaf shape onto green felt to create the "veins". Then I trimmed them out and I like how they look. I have a green thumb!

Special thanks to Kelly for sharing with me her Copic numbers for a fair skinned Dee Dee!

Stamps: The Greeting Farm, Hero Arts

Cardstock: Papertrey Ink, Bazzill Basics

Ink: Memento, Versafine

Other: 100% wool felt, Papertrey Ink exclusive Blossom die, Cuttlebug embossing folder,

Stampin Up border punch (thanks, Heather!), pearls

Inspired by...Jill!

Our Hero Arts Flickr friend, Jill Foster, has an amazing blog. She creates cards with inspiration that she gets from others and has featured over two dozen stampers so far.

This week, she shared cards that were inspired by....me! I was thrilled when she asked me to play along, and the inspiration that she got from my work is truly amazing!

In honor of Jill's work, I made a card based on this card that she created. I found a digital image of a postcard from River City Rubber Works and used the new hydrangea stamp from Hero Arts. I think I was the last person to get my hands on this gorgeous stamp, and I love it!

Please visit and bookmark Jill's blog and her photostream. She is amazingly talented and I've gotten so much inspiration from her work and I know you will, too.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Stamps: River City Rubber Works, Hero Arts, Stampin Up, unknown postmark

Cardstock: Stampin Up, Papertrey Ink

Ink: Memento, Ranger Tea Dye Distress ink

Other: Copics, silk ribbon, paper edge distresser

Hero Arts' April challenge

The theme for this month's challenge at Hero Arts is Home & Mother's Day. Shari is this week's featured artist and she's sharing different card folds. She happened to share my favorite--easel cards--so I had to play along.

I wanted to use some new stamps that I got as my prize for the felt cupcake card and the new Tim Holtz bird cage die that my mail carrier recently delivered.

My hubby suggested that I tilt the bird cage to give it some interest. And I listened. Lots of embossing and ink distressing and I'm pretty pleased with the result. And no Copics were used!

Thanks for visiting! Have a great Wednesday!

Stamps: Hero Arts, Stampin Up

Cardstock: Bazzill

Patterned paper: Basic Grey Eva

Ink: Ranger Distress ink, Versamark

Other: Tim Holtz bird cage die, Martha Stewart 3-in-one butterfly punch,

clear embossing powder, pearls, pop dots

The Creepy Cakes

I finally put a card together with this Creepy Cakes digital image called "Royal Pain" from The Greeting Farm.

I colored her a while back but couldn't put a card together until I saw this Card Patterns sketch.

I loosely followed the sketch by turning it and I like the tilted look of the image and dotted background piece.

At first I thought she was standing behind the cake, and then I realized that the cake was her body! Isn't she cute in a creepy sort of way?

Here are the Copics that I used on this card:

Now I can give this very belated card to a friend who loves pink, green and brown as much as I do!

Thanks for visiting and have a great week!

Stamps: The Greeting Farm digital stamp

Cardstock: Papertrey Ink, Hero Arts layering paper, Stampin Up

Other: Copic markers, Nestabilities, Cuttlebug embossing folder,

Maya Road felt flower, Hero Arts pearls

Hoppy Easter & a Winner!

As promised, I'm here to announce the winner of my giveaway prize--a pack of sticky back canvas and Hero Arts' Dot background cling stamp! Thanks to my sweet friend Alice, who taught me how to share the actual number of the comment chosen by random.org and here it is:

Congratulations to Joy! Please email me your mailing addy and I'll pop your prize into the mail tomorrow.

Thanks to all of you for playing and sharing your "feel good" moments. And stay tuned because I have lots more to share in the next few weeks! You're also helping me clean out my stash to make room for new stash.

And here's a super quick Easter card for you! I saw this card on Lysa's Flickr photostream and had to get the Pink Cat Studio digi of the hoppin' bunnies! It reminds me of our three bunnies that we had for 11 years who are all in Bunny Heaven now, and seeing this image makes me smile!

Hoppy Easter to all.......I'm so excited that we're having Costco's spiral cut, honey glazed ham tonight! Yum!

Stamps: Pink Cat Studio digital image

Cardstock: Papertrey Ink, Bazzill Smooth

Other: Copic markers, Nestabilities dies, Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder, pop dots, sheer dot ribbon

Sentiment is computer generated (American Typewriter)

Ishouldbesleepingbut

My Hero Arts Flickr friends should be familiar with that user name--it belongs to Ivy Wong and I remember smiling the first time I heard it. It made me think that this girl crafts late into the night after her family has gone to bed.

The happy Wong family. L to R: Eddie, Brandon, Bryan & Ivy

Ivy and her family arrived in Hawaii for a week's vacation and we met for lunch yesterday!

Ivy is such a sweetie and remembered my love of brown. She fashioned a layered felt flower and attached it to a cute ready made brown bag and filled it with a ton of goodies!

Her boys are adorable and little Bryan kept giving me hugs and said he wanted me to be his babysitter. I'm pretty sure he liked my fluffiness....

It was a fun filled two hour lunch and I'm only sorry that the weather isn't cooperating. It's been windy, rainy, and I'm hoping they'll all get a tan as a souvenir before they return to California next week.

Thank you, Ivy, for spending a delightful afternoon with me and now I can chalk up another Flickr friend that I got to meet in person!

Aloha to the Wongs! I hope you enjoy the rest of your trip and have a safe journey home...

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Tomorrow, Easter Sunday, I will announce the winner of my giveaway! Stay tuned!

Card Chain Challenge for March

For Deborah's Card Chain Challenge for the month of March, Joy Ott (dustypenny) was my recipient and here's the card that I sent her. I used tomboy Audrey again, along with the kid's quote stamps from Inkadinkado, and the color combo that Deborah suggested.

And here's what I received in the mail from Heather Doran (heathermaria)--all the way from Ireland! I received some bonus goodies from her, too. An ATC with so much detail on it, some stamped images, and some paper punched butterflies in sweet, springy colors!

Thank you Heather! I love Deborah's CCCs. It's always fun to see where your card will be coming from.

Visit her blog on the first of each month to view the chain and sign up by the end of the month for the following CCC.

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And you have one more day to leave a comment here to be eligible in a random drawing of my giveaway prize of some sticky back canvas together with the Hero Arts Dot background cling stamp! Good luck!