Full Time Bombshell in the HOUSE!!!!

My house to be exact!!! Yes...it's true!!!  I'm a Full Time Bombshell Stamps Design Team Member!!!!!!  (can you tell that I'm just a LITTLE bit excited?)  I can't thank Shannon and the entire team at Bombshell for always being supportive and enthusiastic about my creations.  I love working with all of the Bombshell stamps both in rubber and digital form.  They simply ROCK!!

I'm bringing to you my very first "official" creation as a Full Time Bombshell.  I used March's Sketch Challenge as my muse.  And believe me, Kathi is one heck of a sketch artist!!  She boggles my mind each and every month!!!  Here's the sketch:

Awesome, right?  Well...here's my interpretation of it...

I pulled out a piece of DP from a Saffron Matte Stack I have.  Such gorgeous paper that I almost can't cut into it!!  It's fabulous for inspiration.  So from that back panel, I pulled red, chocolate, summer sun and gold tones as my palette.  Using my Cricut, I cut a 4" oval out.  I then stamped my image in SU! Early Espresso ink.

I started by coloring my all time and absolute favorite Bombshell lady - Bombshell Angel.  I colored her with my Copics, Pantone and Prismacolor markers.  I glittered up her gorgeous suit with Chocolate Brown Doodlebug Glitter. 

I then carefully went around the perimeter of the oval making dots with my Gold paint pen. 

 I then layered and stitched pieces of Kraft, Real Red and Summer Sun SU! cardstock to pull the gorgeousness out from the background paper.  I used Red satin ribbon, rather than paper as my stripe in the middle to give the piece more texture. 

I just received (thank you Shannon!!) a new set Banner Sayings that I used as my sentiment.  There are five pre-written sentiments (thinking of you, happy birthday, thank you, congratulations, and get well soon) and two blank banners so that you can add your own!!  It's a MUST have!! 

I'm beyond excited to be a part of this wonderful company.  Please stay tuned as I'm going to be having awesome blog candy to celebrate coming this weekend!!!

Tiddly Tuesday!! Challenge #44 - Celebrate Me!

Happy Birthday To You!!  Happy Birthday To You!!  Happy Birthday Dear Christy!!!!  Happy Birthday To Youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!

Yes...thankfully you can only READ my singing...and not actually hear it for I am a TERRIBLE singer!  LOL!  Today is Christy Croll - Owner, Artist and Designer of Tiddly Inks!!  I'm so honored to be here today - virtually - celebrating her birthday with her!! 

Darling Christy - my wish for you is that you have a fabulous year.  To truly enjoy each moment and to live life to it's fullest!!  That is my birthday wish for you!!! 

And ALSO in honor of today - Christy is having a 25% off sale at Tiddly Inks!!  For 24 hours only so hustle your bustle and grab up those gorgeous images!!!

Our challenge today is in honor of our most fabulous lady - Christy's favorite colors are Red, Black and White.  So the team has put forth our most crafty selves to create for Christy today!!

I've used one of Tiddly Ink's newest images :  Happy Q.  She is JUST so cute!!  I printed Happy Q out twice.  I then colored her with my Copics - twice.  I then trimmed out her shirt and skirt and popped them up on my first image in which to create a 3-D effect.   I also printed and used the following background papers:  Made For You and Quote Me.  All stitched on my sewing machine with black thread.   

I then opened up the TI Birdie Banner in MS Word and individually typed each letter for my Happy Birthday message.  I then trimmed it out, colored the ends of the banner red then adhered it to Happy Q's hands. 

I had the red stars all glittery from Christmastime in my stash.  I used it as a a sparkly and fun accent to pull attention to Happy Q and to really make her shine.  As you can see I also added sparkly, red embossing powder to streak her hair.  A bit of red, Grosgrain ribbon formed into a fluffy bow and voila!  

 I of, OF COURSE, had to decorate the interior of the card as well!!  I started with an interior base of grey cardstock.  After adding a bit of color via MS Word, I printed out Tweet Note (retiring soon!!! - go grab it up on sale!!).  I matted it to SU! Real Red cardstock and stitched it with black thread.  I added a chipboard sticker that says BIRTHDAY GIRL glued down with some serious adhesive to make sure that it doesn't pop off on it's way to the birthday girl!! 

Smeared Ink End of Term Blog Hop

Good Monday Morning!  

I'm so excited that you've hopped here today!  But before I continue, I must say a HUGE thank you to Terra and Tori owners and designers of Smeared Ink.  As well as all of my wonderful Design Teammates.  Today is my last official post as a Smeared Ink Design Team Member.  I have above and beyond enjoyed myself working for/with this amazing team and will most definitely pop in and participate in all of the fabulousness that is Smeared Ink when I can!!  You girls completely rock. 

After all of that hubub - You should be arriving here from the Darling LadyBraton's gorgeous blog. 

Now onto the creating (before I start to tear up!!) - I was assigned to use a brand new image coming out from the Death Cab digital set.  Yes, it's a hearse.  Dark to some...super cool to others.  However you look at it it's beautiful.  So delicate and fragile looking.  So Victorian-"esque".  I was supposed to use other images in my creation but seriously?  I wanted this to stand alone.  It needed it's own space.

As you can see, I printed the image on white cardstock - I didn't color my image as I loved the detail of the black and white but I did choose certain spots to add silver real glass glitter.  I then matted it on dark raspberry cardstock and stitched them together with black thread.  I then matted it using foam dots onto three stitched together layers on top of a black, Grosgrain bow. 

The interior of this card is one of the five 'sentiments' that come with this set.  I again, matted and stitched.  I forgot to stitch around my sentiment so I just doodled a bit and again added silver real glass glitter to the corners of that panel.

Since I didn't entirely follow the rules I will tell you my favorite four Smeared Ink sets :

• Heart Wings
• Love Lil' Grumpies
• Nymphs
• Elementals

Please keep on hopping to Lisa's blog to see her beautiful creation!!

 Thank you girls for supporting me and allowing me the privilege of working for Smeared Ink!!  It's been an amazing year.

Bugaboo Monochromatic and Three Buttons Challenge

How I love a Monochromatic look!!  This week's challenge over at Bugaboo is just that!  Don't get me wrong, I also very much love a mish mash of designs and papers but there is something soooo harmonious about monochromatic themes.

For my creation today I've used Flower Girl Tulip.  Isn't she so springy and sweet?  I've colored her with my Copics, Prismacolor and Pantone markers.  I used a bit of this and a bit of that in terms of paper from my ridiculous stash.

My sentiment is from PTI.  Since it didn't fit how I envisioned it, once I stamped it out, I cut it apart, mounted it on individual pieces and added stitching for extra detail.

I added three yellow buttons tied with white linen twine.  I then used bright yellow seam binding for my bow and a small sticker that looks like a postage stamp that I trimmed after I added it to my creation.

Oh and her pink shoes?  Well they just called out to me!!  I figure one tiny bit of pink in a monochromatic sea of golden yellow is ok? ;)

I hope you have a great day and are inspired to create something fabulous!!

Smeared Ink Monday!

Good Monday Morning All!!  While it continues to be frigid here in the Northeast, my mind is turning towards SPRING!!  YAY!!   I'm noticing that many of my creations are tending towards yellows, flowery, bright and cheery!!  Man, do we need it!!  LOL!

My Smeared Ink creation today starts out with PTI cardstock in Lemon Tart. Using Smeared Ink's - Urban Decay set, I inked the background using the chain link fence stamp with SU! Daffodil Delight ink.

I then used the fence from the Killer Bo Peep set and stamped it using SU! Early Espresso ink.  And I placed the fence vertically - as if it were a ladder.

I used my quickie glue pen to color in the fence and used my yellow Doodlebug glitter to sparkle it all up.  I then grabbed my new Spellbinders Nesties - Label Nine dies and using both Basic Grey (larger) and Bo Bunny (smaller) and inked up one of the amazing stamps from the Inky Dreams set.  I inked the word ART in all of it's splattery goodness up with Momento ink in Tuxedo black.

As lasting touches, I used some new seam binding for my golden bow and white linen twine around my die cut to tie a tiny and thin bow.

I hope you have enjoyed and  been inspired!!  See you tomorrow for our Smeared Ink End of Term hop!!

Bugaboo - Just Because and a Krafty Challenge from The Spotted Chick!

Last week I created this card to put into my darling Daughter's lunchbox.  This week I've created another to put in my sweet Son's lunchbox on Monday.

I'm using Deacon Heart from Bugaboo stamps.  I've colored Deacon in with my Copics.  Using SU! Real Red as my card base followed by yellow and grey houndstooth paper - by Bella Blvd.  The keyboard paper is the flip side of the houndstooth paper.  So cute, huh??

I took a scrap of Kraft paper and using a tiny polkadotted background stamp from SU! and Daffodil Delight ink I added color and texture before stamping my sentiment from the MFT set Emma and Her Backpack. 

I layered and stitched everything using black thread and a straight stitch on my sewing machine.  I used natural colored twill tape and hemp twine as my fiber additions.

I used my Label 1 Nesties to add cuteness to the inside.  I layered white, then Kraft then the number paper (can't for the life of me remember whose brand it is!!) and a strip of yellow stock on the inside of my card and used another sentiment from the same MFT set.

I can't wait to put this in my Son's lunchbox on Monday!!

I'm entering this into this week's Krafty Challenge #49 over at The Spotted Chick!  

I hope you are all having a very happy and crafty weekend!!

Fabulous Inky Friday at Tiddly Inks!

Good Friday Morning Everyone!!

Just a quick Fabulous Friday post to show off one of Christy's gorgeous new girls...Red Rose. 

Isn't she gorgeous?  I love the way she is drawn because you could either have her in a full dress or a separate top and skirt.  Super cool!!

I colored her with my Copics.  I layered and stitched and added a piece of Grosgrain ribbon that I intentionally frayed at the end for a little extra edge.  My sentiment "You're A Rock (star)" is from PTI.

I hope you have enjoyed and been inspired to create today!!

Please check out the rest of the Fabulous Inky Friday creations here and don't forget we have an AMAZING challenge going on this week!! 

Tiddly Tuesday! Challenge #43 - Picture Me

Good Morning Friends!!!  I'm here with you today with a very fun challenge today at Tiddly Inks!!  This weeks awesome challenge is to use the following photo as inspiration 

AND create a shaped card (no squares or rectangles allowed) not using an electronic die cutting machine.  Cuttlebug, Big Shots, etc allowed.  

For my super springy card today (I laugh as I write this as it was snowing quite hard in MA yesterday!) I've used a color palette of white, lilac, mango and kraft.  I chose to use Joy Bugg as my springtime inspired image. 

In order to make my shaped card, I used a flat, plastic template that I traced onto my folded card.  I left the folded edge alone and trimmed out the other three edges.  The template that I have came from my days designing for QKD.  The templates came in three graded sizes so you'll see the white and lilac sunburst patterned paper as my first layer off of my card base that matches my card shape.  

I colored Joy Bugg in with my Copics.  I trimmed her out using my Label One Nesties.  I backed the image with a beautiful lilac cardstock that I trimmed with a sponge and white acrylic paint.  My inspiration came from Sarah Martina in this post here.  Thanks Sarah!!  

I did the same technique on my card base to carry the "distressed-esque" theme throughout my card.  I chose the sentiment "Bloom" from a flowery PTI set that I have.  I ruffled up some purple Swiss dot ribbon from PTI using this technique here.  I added a strip of bling to snazz it all up.As a couple of last touches, I grabbed some Kraft cardstock and my Cupcake punch and created a super cute border and I added a teeny, tiny binder clip on the right hand side to balance out the large sentiment on the left side. 

I do hope you play along with us at the TI challenge blog!  

I hope that you've enjoyed and been inspired to create today!!

Smeared Ink Monday

 Hey All!!  Today I was inspired by Tiffany Johnson's sketch here!  Super simple and super quick!  Sometimes I'm in the mood to whip something up when I have a ton of other things going on.  Today is one of those days!!

I've used my all time favorite Smeared Ink set - Inky Dreams along with the awesome spider from the Killer Bo Peep set.

I've used a selection of purple inks, Momento Ink in Tuxedo Black, colored staples along with a strip of silver metallic pearls to complete this simple yet fun creation.

I hope you have enjoyed and been inspired!

Fabulous Inky Friday at Tiddly Inks!

Happy Friday Everyone!!  Welcome to a very chic Fabulous Inky Friday at Tiddly Inks!!  Today's creation uses one of Christy's brandie new girls - Blow Me Away.  How very "Marilyn Monroe"-esque...don't you think?  ;)

I've colored  this leggy beauty in with my Copics.  I went with a warm and rich yet springy color palette of brown, gold, orange and pink.  I kept my layout simple and relatively clean so my main image would pop off of the page.  My sentiment is from PTI.

This gorgeous gal is part of the new line of Gothic Pin-up girls available in the shop at Tiddly Inks!  Click the beautiful image below to check them all out! 

I hope you have enjoyed and been inspired to create today!!

Joanne B's Blogaversary Challenge!

I've had this DARLING...gasp...in  my stash for at LEAST a month or two and haven't inked her up yet!!  May I introduce, Emma and Her Backpack.  Adorable deliciousness from Heather Ellis for MFT.  

I have wanted and wanted and WANTED to ink her up but the mojo has not struck...until today!  My darling IRL girlfriend, Joanne B, is having a super celebration for her fourth blogaversary!!  (yay!!! Congrats Jo!)

Jo has presented a FANTABULOUS challenge to anyone who would like to play along!  Here are the deets!

Choose any three of the following and create!!

• Kraft Paper - yes, I'm still obsessed with it....  (CHECK!)
• Pink, Ivory and Orange as your color combination - I'm needing a little springy fix.... (CHECK!)
• Twine - I do *love* me some twine! (CHECK!)
• Mixed Stitching - I've got straight, zig zag and "crazy" stitching on mine (CHECK!)
• Ledger, Alpha or number paper - I've got this fun number grid..... (CHECK!)

In true Joanne B. fashion, I added a giant flourish of bling to the front of my card and have finished off the interior as well.  Joanne always amazes me with how uber creative she is.  Talented, inspiring and always always the best friend ever.   Thank you Jo for always inspiring me, always being there for me and always "getting me".  ;)

I'm going to tuck this card into my darling daughter's lunch box for school tomorrow!!  I know she'll LOVE it!!!

Just for the fun of it I'm also entering this card into challenges at the following blogs:

Pixie Dust Studio
The Spotted Chick

I hope you have enjoyed and been as inspired by Joanne as I am!!!

Baby Bud Challenge - Ribbons and Bows

Good Wednesday Morning All!!  It's so fabulously rainy and grey here in the North East.  A PERFECT day for creating.  I've been trying to give myself permission to create "just because".  I LOVE the design work that I'm blessed enough to be able to do.  I love the teams and the companies and the women I work with.  But sometimes it's so fun to just be able to participate...simply because.

I recently stumbled upon Baby Bud Designs and instantly fell in love.  Super cute, super squiggly and super adorable!  Their recent challenge 'Ribbons and Bows' was so inviting that I had to play along!!

I'm using Baby Bouquet - newly released in their Etsy Shoppe.  If you use this image or Oliver, in your creation for this challenge, the generous gals at Baby Bud Designs will give you one free, never before released digital image (YAY!)!  So fun!!

So I set to coloring Baby Bouquet with my Copics.  I then decided to, rather than color, I would paper piece her outfit.  I printed her twice on white cardstock, and again on two different pink designer papers...so four times total.

I trimmed out her dress from my SU! pink polka dot paper, her sleeves from a DCVW mat stack, her bouquet was colored on white stock and then carefully trimmed out (teeny tiny!!).

I carefully adhered everything down.  I matted her on the same polka dot paper, then on the reverse side of the paper that her sleeves are made out of (it has a garden-esque whimsy to it), then stitched all three panels together.

I ran my green card base through my Big Shot using my Swiss dot embossing folder to accompany the rest of the polka dots in my creation. 

I added a beautiful orange satin bow along the bottom, two springs of purple bling and a PTI sentiment 'Smooches' from the Handwritten Notes set.

I hope you've enjoyed my creation and have been inspired to go play!!!