Love, love, lovel, love!

Love is in the air.  That's Chris' swap theme.  Applies a TH Mask to white cardstock.  Sprayed with Glimmer Mist.  Then, before removing the mask, I stamped w/my Ippity music stamp.  LOVE how it turned out.  Now, if Chris ever got them....

Polar Bear

I bought this paper a couple of years ago.  I fell in LOVE with the cute polar bear on the paper.  I looked everywhere for the matching stamp but couldn't find it!  I even searched ONLINE (if you know me, I NEVER order online!!!) Never could find it.  Finally, one day, casually strolling thru Michael's, there he was!!!!  Then, Angie posted a Polar Bear swap.  HOT DOG!!!!  I love it when a plan comes together!!!

Peace!!

For Sherri's wreath swap.  I thought I was so far outside the box on this "wreath".  Turns out, Chris used the same one.  LOL  I'm getting kinda bored w/my ATCs.  They all seem to look the same but I don't know what to do to make them better.  I was VERY rushed on the latest batch & there was no time to think of new techniques.  They need some "tweaking" tho!!!

Give me a kiss!!!

When I joined Sherri's Mistletoe swap, I KNEW I had no Mistletoe stamps.  But, I figured I had some stamps I could working leaves & berries.  Well, I didn't.  As the deadline approached, I got DESPERATE.  I searched for digital stamps.  It's AMAZING how many people don't know the difference between Holly & Mistletoe.  Even stamp designers!!!  I bought a digital stamp.  But, once I got it, I didn't like it.  So, I found this free mistletoe circle.  Then, I found a blog where a woman made mistletoe out of the SU Bird punch.  Eureka!!!  Love how it turned out.  And, for stamping purists (me included) there is "real" stamping on the red scalloped circle, although you can barely see it.  LOL

Litttle Girl

For Joanne's Little Girl swap. I looked EVERYWHERE for an appropriate image and ended up going, gulp, digital!! I think these Pure Innocence "stamps" are adorable!!

Happy October!!!

I LOVE fall!!! It's my favorite season. And not just 'cause it's my B'day, Nick's B'day, my MIL's b'day, my bro's b'day and our Anniversary!!! I love the cooler weather. Love the decorations, love PUMPKINS and love that the holidays are on their way!!!

This is for sherri's pumpkin swap. I used my sizzix pumpkin die, some old MME paper and a PTI stamp. It was really difficult to cut the face out of the pumpkin w/o cutting the pumpkin!!

Digital Stamps: Greatest Invention or Tool of the Devil??

This was my first experience with digital stamps. While I must say they were much easier to paper piece, I did NOT enjoy the process. I just think the whole idea is flawed; what's the point of "stamping" when there is no stamping????? I DO however LOVE this image. It was made by my friend Kirsty who does some amazing things. And, she gives the images away for FREE. She's such a doll!!!

Now, here's the problem. I did this sooo long ago that I don't remember the supplies I used. I'm sure SOME of this paper is MME and I KNOW I used a SU background stamp for, well, the background. I also know I messed up 'cause I INTENDED for the middle tree to be multi-striped.

It's Frakendoggy!!

I have a ton of completed ATCs & even a couple of cards that I haven't posted. Gonna do my best to get back into the swing. And maybe back into the Unity & Ippity hops. No promises tho...

This card is for Sherri's swap. I love this set of animal Halloween images. They are all so darn cute!!!

Supplies: Stamps -- Inkadinkadoo PP -- MM, Cardstock -- SU, Ink -- Palette & SU markers, glimmer mist

H{ippity} Hop!!

Monday, Monday. Hubby's out of town & the kids are in school ALL day today. Spending the ENTIRE day chained to my craft table. I have about 14 swaps to get done and 3-4 to mail out.

This ATC is for one of those swaps; Kirsty's Bead Swap. This one has to go to Australia so I need to GET MOVING on getting it mailed!!!

Supplies: Stamp -- Ippity Because of You, Cardstock -- SU, Ink -- Palette & SU Markers, Beads -- Mill Hill.

Friends with Flair Friday!

This has NOT been a fun week for me. School issues, lawn guy issues, utter lack of time issues (created by the school issues!). I'm glad it's over. Next week HAS to be better!!!

This ATC I did for Angie's Bird on a Wire swap. Finally broke out my bird punch from SU. I HAD to have this (was it during SAB????) and haven't touched it (or any of the other stamps/punches I bought then) since. I've been all about the Unity/Ippity this summer!! LOL

Supplies: Stamps: Ippity Bit of Burlap (background) and Unity Moments in Bloom (sentiment), Cardstock, Ink & Punch -- SU, DSP -- Daisy D, Stickles.

Head to Tracy's blog next or back to the Unity site for the entire list. Have a happy Friday (Becca's first VB game is tonite!!) and a great weekend!!

Fuzzy Ducky

YIKES!! 2 days in a row w/o a unity stamp? Y'all are going to start worrying about me. LOL. I fell in love w/this little Imaginisce stamp & bought it w/o a plan to use it. Then, Angie posted a duck swap. Well, I'm not really sure this IS a duck but I figured if it quacks like a duck & walks like a duck, you'll have to assume, it's a DUCK! LOL

I made fake flower-soft for this little guy. I took a Styrofoam ball and shredded it. Then, I colored part of it w/yellow Alcohol ink. I think it turned out CUTE! Hope everyone else in the swap thinks so.

Supplies: Stamp -- Imaginisce, Cardstock -- SU, PP -- Sweetwater (from the stash!) ink -- stazon & SU Markers, nesties

Flutter Butter (flies)

I am NOT a fan of butterflies. I realize I'm alone in this & it makes me WEIRD. I also hate sunshine, the color yellow and baby harp seals. I'm not wired properly but, it's who I am & I know you all love me (don't understand me but, you love me!!)

Anyway, I got my first Unity set the day that Christie hosted a butterfly swap. Although I hate butterflies, there was an adorable butterfly in my set so I joined. (Not realizing no matter how cute my ATC was, I'd be getting 8 different ones that might skeeze me out!) When I went to stamp my planned ATC, I discovered the adorable butterfly was in fact, a dragonfly!!! (I do like dragonflies & other creepy crawlies in stamp form, just not butterflies!) Ok, now what? I don't have a lot of butterfly stamps 'cause, I don't know if I told you this, I HATE them. LOL But, I had another Unity butterfly stamp (apparently, Unity LOVES butterflies! How incredibly normal of them?!?!) and thus, this ATC was born.

The antennae was an AHA!! moment that was SOOO much easier in my brain than in real life. I fought & argued & cursed those stinking beads so much. It took hours for my brain to wrap around the idea that the WIRE needed to wrap AROUND the bead to keep it in place. I am VERY happy with the results tho. The butterfly swap is "winging" it's way back to me as I type. Can't wait to see what I'm getting back.

Supplies: Stamps -- Unity Growing in Unity, Cardstock -- SU, Ink -- SU & Stazon, PP -- My Minds Eye, TH Die, SU Circle Punch and Provo Craft embossing folders, Wire (MM) & Beads (Mill Hill) from my stash.

I do believe this is the most time "butterfly" has been said in a blog post....

Flutter

For my Unity Swap. Actually made this card first for a paper piecing swap. I decided it was not "piecey" enough & decided, since it was done, to hold a swap for cards made w/Unity stamps. Lovin' it!!

Supplies: Stamps -- Unity Following My Heart, Cardstock -- SU, PP -- Chatterbox, Ink -- Stazon

H{ippity} Hop!!

Happy Monday & Happy H{ippity} Hop!!


These are ATCs I worked on all weekend. After coloring & cutting each individual fish (and extras in case I messed up!), deciding to glimmer mist the fish, messing up the glimmer mist & redoing the layout 3-4 times (which required recutting & then re-recutting the sentiment) it took me all weekend to finish. But, I'm very happy w/the end result! Happy enough to share it here for the Hop!!

Supplies: Stamps -- Ippity Fishy Philosophy, Cardstock -- SU, PP -- Making Memories, Ink -- Stazon & SU, Markers -- SU, nesties & glimmer mist (somebody stop me, I'm a glimmering fool!!)



And a Bonus!


Last night, after finishing the ATCs, this card started brewing in my head. Not as perfect as I would have hoped but I still kinda dug it. The flower is SUPPOSED to looking Ang b's gorgeous shabby-chic flower here but, I think it just kinda looks shabby, NO CHIC! I can't get that paper rolling technique. I'll keep practicing.....

Supplies: Stamps -- Ippity Fall For You, Cardstock -- SU (hot pink cardstock is from Archivers) , PP -- October Afternoon, Ink -- Stazon & Color Box Chalk (for distressing), nesties (circles), punch & glimmer mist (yes, I HAD to glimmer the flower w/mixed results...)


Your next stop, JenMarie or head back to the Ippity Site for the full list. Happy Hopping!!!

Who Are YOU????

For someones Owl ATC swap. I have a couple different Owls but had already used them in previous owl swaps. Found this for a $1 (or maybe 1.50) one day. Paper pieced and pop-dotted his eyes. Kinda diggin him! (I did see a couple of my fellow shackies bought this guy at the stamp show they went to last weekend!)

Supplies: Cardstock -- SU, PP: yellow -- Paper Patch, pink -- Carole's Creations (both from my stash!) Stamp -- Studio G, Ink -- Stazon

Birds of a Feather ATCs

I made this ATC for my Birds of a Feather Swap. I loved this bird the minute I saw it. And, I really, really wanted to stamp it on pattern paper. I think this turned out pretty good.

Supplies: Cardstock -- SU, PP -- PSX (from my stash), Ink -- TH Brushed Corduroy, Stamp -- Growing in Unity

Wild Thing, You Make My Heart Sing.....

I think this is Chris's swap. Wild Things. Love the face on this lion. Pattern Paper is K & Co and from my stash. I using up LOTS & LOTS of horded PP!!! Cardstock is SU, as always.

He Shoots, He Scores!

For Christie's Riley Swap. More stash of SU DSP, SU Cardstock & SU makers to color...

Sheep

I searched high & low to find a cute sheep. They were no where to be found. I found a scary Penny Black sheep & this guy. Being this was just before Easter you'd think there would be a ton of cute Easter sheep but, no go. After I finished this ATC, Archivers got in some new BG stamps and of course, there was a cute sheep. Oh well.

I don't remember who made the stamp and I'm too lazy to go look. All the other supplies are SU.

May Flowers

For Merry's May Flowers swap. Pattern Paper: BG is We R Memory Keepers & flowers are fashioned from Wild Asparagus, both from my stash, cardstock is SU. Stamp (just the stems) is from a Hero Arts set I bought when Archviers first opened in the StL area. I have NEVER used them!!! Flowers are the new TH Sizzix dies. I sooooo love them!!! Brads are from Michael's, maybe recollections brand?