A Sweet Gingerbread Girl at the Beach!

For the Color Challenge on Split Coast this week Hostess Kelly (Schirmcat) asked us to use Kraft, So Saffron and Night of Navy.


I just love the gingerbread stamp sets by Waltzingmouse Stamps and I hate to wait to use them just at Christmas time - so I'm always trying to think of ways to use them for other times during the year.


Today we have the little gingerbread girl at the beach working on her tan! The cute outfit Claire designed for the Gingerbread girl looks like a little bathing suit to me and I made a beach blanket out of her bed blanket stamp! I pounced Chai Tea Die ink by Papertrey over the little girl as well as the sun to soften the bright yellow. The sun is made with one of the gingerbread faces in the set.

Everything is popped up on dimensionals. The wavy beach stamp in the background is from CTMH and you can just barely see the cloudy sky made with my hand made cloud template.


Well - now I'm off to eat supper - thanks so much for coming by today - let me know what you think of my Summer Gingerbread Girl !!!???

Stamps: Waltzingmouse Stamps: Oven Fresh & Half Baked, CTMH: On the Beach (retired I think)
Paper: SU: Kraft, So Saffron, Night of Navy
Ink: Adirondack: Denim, SU Soft Sky, PTI: Chai Tea Dye
Accessories: foam dimensionals, scalloped circle punch: SU, circle punch: SU, cloud template hand made, heart punch: McGill, Zutter corner rounder

A Basket Full of Happiness and other Easter Treats

I have a few Easter crafts to share with you today. We have faith that spring is coming right?!? I say this as 2 snow storms are predicted to hit us over the next two days!

I made this sweet little Easter Basket for the Inspiration Challenge over on Split Coast. I was inspired by these Easter treats here in the RoomService Home web site Stef showed us.I found the template for this adorable basket in the forums on Split Coast Stampers. It was designed by Claire (Waltzingmouse) Thank you Claire!! It is small - measuring only about 3" x 1" as you can see in comparison to the small Nestle Crunch eggs in and beside it (of course the ones beside it are no longer in existance - Ooops! or should I say Yum!)

The basket pattern is two pieces - the basket itself and then a liner that fits in it. When you print the template - there are two patterns on the sheets so you can make two baskets each time you print it out which is super! I cut the handle piece a little shorter than the 11 inches called for in Claire's pattern as I didn't want it to be quite so tall. There is a narrow scalloped rectangle Nestability attached to the bottom of the basket to finish it off and echo the scalloped edge on the side of the basket - you can just barely see it in the pics if you look closely for it.

I used a sweet new stamp set by H and M Stamps called Eggstra Special that is being released today! This set is designed by the ever talented Debbie Corbari from the H&M Design Team - this is her first design being brought to life on a stamp set - congratulations Debbie!!!

Stamps: H&M Stamps - Eggstra Special
Paper: vintage cream PTI, Mellow Moss: SU, DP - cratepaper Seaweed collection
Ink: Onyx Black Versafine, Mellow Moss: SU
Accessories: tacky tape, pink basket shred, corner rounder, oval punch, oval nestabilities, waxed floss, narrow rectangle nestabilities, vintage cream satin ribbon: PTI, cool grey copic, pink Prismacolor marker

My next Easter item to show you is a cute little wooden pin that comes on a pretty little card. Two gifts in one!!

I bought the wooden bunny already painted at AC Moore. I made the 'card' for the pin with Bazzill card stock - stamped the egg and sentiment and doodled around the edges. I attached a stick pin and backing to the back of the bunny and attached it to the 'card' though a punched hole. I place the card into a clear envelope when I sell them at our church Easter sale.

Stamps: Egg - Egg cited: CTMH, Happy Easter Bunny: Penny Black

Paper: Bazzill card stock

Ink: Desert Sand: CTMH, Onyx Black Versafine

Accessories: painted wooden bunny, stick pin with back, black micro pen

And my third craft for today uses the fun round top box I also used on this St. Patrick's day box. I totally cased this Easter design from Cheryl Rowley. I used different stamps for my main image but I loved her super idea of the lacey punched edge along the rim of the box - some people are SO CLEVER!! (you know - like when you see something and say "why didn't I think of that??)

This cute Poochie basket stamp is from The Cat's Pajamas and the sentiment is from My Favorite Things. The dots are from Polka Dot Basics by Papertrey Ink. The lacey edge is a Martha Stewart punch. The yellow strip is about 7" long after I punched it, I trimimed the depth to 3/4".

I usually make 6 of every craft I make to sell at our church holiday sales. So here is the herd! I put 12 pastel jelly beans in a plastic bag and nestle it into the paper shred inside each basket.

Stamps: Polka dot basics: PTI, Poochie Basket: The Cats Pajamas, Easter Greetings: My Favorite Things - Hoppy Easter.

Paper: Baja Breeze, Blue Bayou: SU, Lemon Tart: PTI

Ink: Onyx Black, Versafine embossing ink

Accessories: Brach Speckled Jelly Beans, sealable bags - Michaels, sponge, 1" sheer ribbon, ivory basket shred, Martha Stewart Lacey punch, oval nestabilities, Prismacolor markers.

Hope you are all having a lovely weekend! Thank you so much for stopping by!

Remember to stop by H&M Stamps to see Heather's 3 new stamp sets!

A Pine Cone and A Tiled Inspiration

Can you tell what this ice cream cone stamp really is?? It took me forever to figure out what I could do for this limited supplies challenge on Split Coast - Stamps in Disguise - to use a stamp for something other than what it was!I was looking through all my sets (which took quite some time!) in between the trick or treaters arriving at my door - and I picked up this Close to My Heart pine tree and thought it looked sort of like an ice cream cone upside down!

So that is what I went with... The two scoops of ice cream are actually a round ornament stamp by H&M Stamps Create a Bulb set that I cut with scalloped edge scissors and the jimmies are holly berries from the same set!

I used another fun DP by Basic Grey called Wassail and my new Argyle cuttlebug folder. The sentiment if from My Favorite Things - How Sweet it Is set/ I used dew drops in the corners.

Super challenge Dawn! Thanks for making us really think for this one! Do you have some stamps that you could use for this challenge??

Stamps: H&M Stamps: holly berries, ornament circle from Create a bulb, Pine Tree: Close to My Heart The Beauty of Christmas, How Sweet: My Favotite Things: How Sweet it Is
Paper: White, Ripe avocado PTI, Purely Pomegranate: SU, DP: Basic Grey Wassail
Ink: Butterscotch: Adirondack, Basic Brown, Purely Pomegranate: SU
Accessories: dew drops, argyle cuttlebug folder, sponge, scalloped edge scissors, foam dimensionals

My second card is from the Inspiration Challenge at Split Coast this week. What fun prints by Don Li-leger to look at! I chose this one to be inspired by:

And here is the card I created:

I cut 1 inch squares from two Basic Grey designer papers - Ambrosia (the beautiful butterflies!) and Off beat. I just lined them up next to each other on the black panel and wrapped the ribbon and tag around it.

I cut 6 short pieces of ribbon and tied them together for the 'bow' and attached it with a glue dot.
Remember to check out the H&M Blog hop here - you can win some fun prizes by participating - deadline is Friday 11/7/08.

Thank you for coming by today!

Stamps: Papertrey Ink: Birthday Basics
Paper: white: PTI, basic black: SU, DP's - Basic Grey: Ambrosia and Offbeat
Ink: onyx black versifine
Accessories: ribbon: martha stewart, spell binders ribbon tag, glue dot, foam dimensionals

I flunked the challenge.... and I was doing so well!

Can you see where I flunked this Split Coast limited supplies challenge? - boy what pressure - there was a mile long list of what we could and could not use!!! I was so nervous I wouldn't adhere to all the rules!! LOL!!! Keep reading to find my fatal error!!!here is the list we had to follow:
1. White/Vanilla as main color
2. Second color MUST be either black, brown (any shade) or gray
3. Add a third color to accent the first two colors
4. Use ONLY ink that matches the cardstock colors you have chosen – no extra colors here!
5. NO patterned paper or background stamps
6. Stamp only ONE image, ONE time, somewhere on the white piece of cardstock.

Remember that you are LIMITED to only THREE colors – TOTAL!! No cheating by adding extra colors to a line art image that has to be colored in!

7. If you use punches or a Nestabilties-type die, please stamp the image on white or vanilla there as well, keeping your top background layer white/vanilla, too!
8. Stamp a sentiment and add to your card (this step is optional) – only use it once
9. Embellish as you like (ribbons, brads, Cuttlebug embossing folders)
10. NO “distressing” the white cardstock – (that would be sponging!) – we want to keep these layers “clean”

My colors are Vintage Cream by PTI, Basic Black and Baja Breeze by SU. I got my idea from a catalogue I got yesterday from The Paper Source.

I used the Swiss Dots Cuttlebug folder on the main panel after I stamped my Trees Three with Baja Breeze ink. My sentiment is from the Beauty of Christmas set by Close to My Heart and cut with my Spellbinders Double ended Tag.

Ok - did you find it???? - I just realized I flunked the challenge because - I stamped my 3 trees twice - which is in direct violation of rule # 6 above!!! Oh well............... I won't tell if you don't !!!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend - it is super beautiful fall weather here in New England - sunny but cool!

Stamps: Trees Three: SU, Beauty of Christmas: Close to My Heart
Paper: Vintage cream: PTI, Basic Black, Baja Breeze: Su
Ink: Baja Breeze: SU
Accessories: Swiss Dots folder, Cuttlebug, Spellbinders Double Ended tags, narrow black grosgrain riggon, blue glass brads

Summer in the Fall

This is an ATC (Artist Trading Card) for my August challenge with MissHelenStamps over on Split Coast (a little late huh?!) where Helen's challenge was to make an ATC with a beach theme. Somehow August came and went and I never made this!!It is also for the weekly Double Dare Challenge I do with some SCS friends - Michelle's (SF9erfan) challenge was to use an unloved item - something you haven't used for a long time - in this case it is my Close to My Heart stamp set - On the Beach - which I love but have only used once or twice since I got it years ago!

This is 2.5 x 3.5 size - the beach part is a stamp - stamped several times across the card - the sky part I sponged using my home made cloud template and Soft Sky ink. I stamped and cut out the sun and sandcastle - and fashioned the flag out of a red scrap and a toothpick!

I also used my word punch - another thing I've had for a long time and haven't used much. I love how the sentiment fit right inside it!

You can check out the other Double Dare Challenge cards here.

I really appreciate your stopping by my blog today! Leave a comment so I can come by and say hi to you!

Oh! and if you'd like a chance at some great Halloween Blog Candy - check out my friend Danielle's blog here.

Stamps: On the Beach - CTMH, Warmest Wishes: So Many Sayings - SU
Paper: ATC card, Naturals Ivory, Real Red, So Saffron: SU
Ink: Soft Sky, Sahara Sand, River Rock, Apricot Appeal
Accessories: hand made cloud template, sponge, dimensionals, toothpick, word punch

The Old Black and White

Today my offering is an ATC - or Artist Trading Card. I make one of these every month and trade it with Misshelenstamps on SCS. You can see Helen's ATC's here. Every other month I choose the instructions for what to use on the card. May was my turn and I decided we had to use just black and white.

The ATC itself is a 3 1/2" x 2 1/2" white card. I added a slightly smaller black panel that I distressed the edges on and had wrapped with a piece of white polka dotted ribbon. I got this ribbon on an order from Flourishes - part of my order was wrapped in tissue paper and they tied this ribbon around it - how fun! So I'm re-using it on this ATC - how convenient that it was in the perfect colors! The stamp is from Tin Can Mail - Inkadinkado . I stamped that on a white panel and cut around the edges with my dekkle edge scissors from Stampin Up. It makes it look like a torn edge. Then I added layered white flowers from Close to My Heart that I had inked with black ink on my finger. I joined the flowers with a jazzy brad and attached it with a glue dot to be sure it was held securely. The last thing was to stamp small circles randomly on the black panel using white Stazon ink. The circle is from PapertreyInk Polkadot Basics. I really like this vintage image - don't you?

You can see my other ATC's on this post.

I appreciate you checking out my blog today!

Today's quote from Poor Richard's Almanack by Ben Franklin: "A long Life may not be good enough, but a good Life is long enough."

Stamps: Girl image - Tin Can Mail: Inkadinkado, dot - PapertreyInk: Polkadot Basics

Ink: Onyx Black Versafine, White Stazon

Paper: PTI White, Basic Black SU.

Supplies: dekkle scissors: SU, glue dot, distresser, dimensionals, white polka dot ribbon: Flourishes, CTHM paper white daisys.