Bee Mine

Within the past month, I just got this cute little stamp set from YNS and I knew I had to use it for a Valentine's Day card.  It was tough choosing between the cute images, but I finally went with this adorable little bee.

 I wanted to make the wings shimmer, so I stamped a second image and cut out the wings only so I could used the rest of the image as a mask.  Then I spritzed over the mask with glimmer mist.  It's tough to catch it in the picture, but you can see the sparkle a bit.

Oooo . . . and I was even able to use a piece from my bits and pieces stash--that black arrow.  I thought it was a pretty cute addition.

Challenges:
Your Next Stamp #32--sketch

Simon Says Stamp Monday--spritz & spray (the glimmer mist)
Crafty Cardmakers #157--love, love, love
One Stitch At A Time #255--Love is in the air
Open Minded Challenge #2--love/valentine
A Gem of a Challenge #162--Love is in the air
Pattie's Creations #119--Love is in the air
Cutie Pie Challenge--all you need is cutie love

Supplies:
Stamps: YNS "Sweet and Cool"
Dies: Spellbinders arrow

LOVE

It's time for another What If Wednesday? challenge from The House That Stamps Built.  This week is a Designer's Choice Challenge, and I am the designer!!  Since it is the Valentine's Day season, I chose to challenge you to add some hearts to your projects.  Here is my card for your inspiration:

 I started out by stamping the "Love Stencil" stamp for my background.  The heart actually has the word "love" underneath it, but I cut it apart so I could use the heart by itself.  Here's a tip for you, I only stamped the top, bottom and side rows of the card since the center portion would be covered by the next layer.  Then I realized that I needed to stamp the middle heart on the second from bottom row, so I added that in.  On the middle layer, I stamped the "Sheet Music" stamp.  For the sentiment, I used markers to color on the rubber since I wanted the letters to be black and the heart red.  But, it didn't stamp dark enough for me, so I used Sharpie markers in matching colors to make it more solid.  and I love how bold it turned out.  On the inside I stamped the "Valentine's" stamp.

I hope you get a chance to play along, I can't wait to see what you come up with.  And don't forget to had some hearts!

Challenges:
Crafty Cardmakers #159--Love, Love, Love
One Stitch At A Time #255--Love is in the air
Sweet Stampin'--all you need is love
A Gem of a Challenge #162--love is in the air
Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge #116--love
Creative Knockouts #127--love is in the air
Craftin' Desert Divas--hearts
Raisin Boat #40--works of heart

Supplies:
Stamps: Repeat Impressions "1134W Valentine's", "1222W Love Stencil" and "6806W Sheet Music"
Dies: MFT "Blueprints 13" stitched rectangle and "Blueprints 15" banner

Sweet on You

I bought this super cute Candy Jar Die set from MFT for myself for Christmas.  I had some fun playing with it over the weekend.  I started by cutting the jar portion out of a piece of acetate and the top and base out of silver paper.  I also die cut the jar out of white card stock to help it stand out from the background a bit.  Then I had a moment of genius (at least I think it was!): I wanted to "fill" my jar with hershey kisses, so I crumpled up some tin foil and ran it through my die cutter with the "kisses" die and it is perfect!!  They look just like hershey kisses all wrapped up.  Sooooo Fun!!

 I used a bit of chocolate twine to "tie" my label onto the jar.  The scalloped oval was a recent addition to my bits and pieces stash; my paper slipped while I was die cutting it and flattened out one or two of the scallops.  But I covered it up with my bow and no one (except all of you) will ever know.

Challenges:

Craftin' Desert Divas--hearts

Raisin Boat #40--Works of Heart

Craft-Dee BowZ--anything goes with handmade bow

Fantastic Tuesday #122--Sweethearts

Creative Inspirations #344--hugs n' kisses (literal kisses!)

Inspiration Destination #71--anything goes

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday--have a heart

Fresh Brewed Designs--anything goes

Cute Card Thursday #411--In the pink

Brown Sugar Challenge #184--Valentine/Love

Eureka Stamps #179--recycle it (the acetate was from some stamp packaging--I never throw it away!)

Supplies:

Stamps: MFT "Candy Jar Companions"

Dies: MFT "Candy Jar"; Spellbinders "Standard Ovals, large" and "Classic Scalloped Ovals, large"

Love & Life

I just loved the sketch at Mojo Monday this week so much that I had to make a second card using it.  My daughter made this flower for me a year or so ago and it's been sitting in my bits and pieces stash just waiting to be used.  I saw it there and it became the basis for this non-traditional Valentine's Day color scheme.  I created my own background using a grid stamp from Simon Says Stamp and Verve's "Surely Goodness".

The white circle the sentiment is stamped on was also in my bits in pieces stash, so two items used up on this card.  Yeay!!

Challenges:
Mojo Monday #433--sketch

Word Art Wednesday #219--anything goes with uplifting sentiment
Mod Squad--hearts & flowers
Art Impressions #177--Love, love, love
Time Out Challenge #49--Love is the flower you've got to let grow (quote)
Creative Knockouts #12--love is in the air
Aud Sentiments #148--use a love sentiment
Brown Sugar Challenge #184--Valentine/Love

Supplies:
Stamps: Verve "Surely Goodness" and "Text Objects"; Simon Says Stamp "Grid Background"
Dies: Verve "Sprightly Sprigs"; Spellbinders "Classic Circles, large" and "Tear Drop Circle"

I Love You

Here's another Valentine's Day card:

I think I might be about halfway down with them, now.  I guess I'd better get a move on!  The gray circle is from my bits and pieces stash and the rest of the elements were chosen by how they covered it up (it's pretty dark and plain) and yet let it show.  Clear as mud?  And the result was something fun and elegant.

Challenges:
Sweet Stampin'--All you need is love
A Gem of A Challenge #162--love is in the air
Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge #116--love
Cute Card Thursday #411--in the pink
Aud Sentiment #148--use a love sentiment
Southern Girls--anything goes
Paper Shelter #234--Fancy
Creative Inspirations #344--hugs n kisses
Tuesday Morning Sketches #331--sketch

V's Sweet Ideas #43--Loving Pink

Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts "French Script"; PTI "Damask Designs" light pink damask on background and sentiment
Dies: Spellbinders "Victorian Accents" and "Classic Circles, large"; MFT "Blueprints 13"

Very Merry

Every time I use this cute little snowman, he makes me smile.  Specially with his little pieced hat and scarf.  Just so cute!  And I really love the bright colors on this card, if I do say so myself. : )  Since January 4th, I've been working on whittling down my bits and pieces stash (those little bits left over from previous cards, or die cuts that just didn't end up being used, little bits of ribbon to long to throw away, etc.), and I believe this is the 14th card using at least 1 piece from the stash.  This time it is that red oval in the center.  I've started looking at sketches and looking in my stash to find and item that works and then build the card from there.  There are some pieces that are going to be hard to use, and I thought this would be one of them, but it really is the perfect backing for this sweet little guy.

Challenges:
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #267--vintage or anything Christmas related goes
Little Miss Muffet #130--anything goes
Penny's Paper Challenge #263--anything goes
Shopping Our Stash #237--dreaming of something warm (the warm hat and scarf)
Tuesday Throwdown #279--piece it together
Our Daily Bread Designs #270--sketch

Card Mania Challenge #77--add some red
Crafty-Dee BowZ--anything goes with handmade bow
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper--anything goes with patterned paper
Christmas At Sweet Stampin'--bows
Eureka Stamps #178--add some sparkle
Di's Digi Designs--use lots of red

Supplies:
Stamps: YNS "Christmas Snowglobe"
Dies: Spellbinders "Classic Ovals, large" and "Scalloped Ovals, large"

More scrap tags

I've been playing around with trying to use of some bits and scraps of Christmas patterned paper that I have had for several years.  I love most of the patterns, but after having used them for cards, now there are only pieces that aren't really large enough for cards, but too big to throw away.  I mad a bunch of tags that I posted here with different pieced together backgrounds.  After making them, I still had some left and these are the tags I threw together using the last of the bits.  I still have about 6 pieces left, but they are large enough to actually be used on cards.

I just love this little snowman, and he is absolutely perfect for paper piecing with his hat and scarf.  And the piecing is perfect for using up little scraps!  I can't wait to use up those last paper pieces, be looking for cards using them soon.  But for now, I have eliminated a messy pile of scraps from my paper pile.

Challenges:
Crafty Hazelnuts' Christmas Challenge #267--vintage or anything Christmas goes
Creative Fingers #102--anything goes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday--have a heart
Inspiration Destination #71--anything goes
Addicted To Stamps #179-- CAS
ABC Christmas--C is for Cute Critters
Fab N Funky Challenge #90--All Creatures great & small
Crafty Creations #308--hearts
Shopping Our Stash #237--Dreaming of something warm (the nice soft and warm hat and scarves)
Tuesday Throwdown #274--Piece it together
Card Mania Challenges #77--Add some red
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper--anything goes with patterned paper
Pixie's Playground #215--anything goes with snippets

Supplies:
Stamps: YNS "Christmas Snowglobe"; Verve "Merrey & Bright" 'To You' sentiment and "Ornamental Christmas" other sentiment
Dies/punches: MFT "Blueprints 13"; Fiskars "Apron" border punch