Tea Cups and Flowers

Hello again!  I printed out a page of my favorite digis the other day and I'm working through them when I have free minutes here and there.  Today's card is a combination of a Whimsy and Stars digital image and a Scripture verse from a set by Clear Dollar Stamps.  I followed the colors over at Sunday Stamps. :)

Thanks for dropping by today!

Tricia

PS - Don't forget the 28 Day Challenge going on over on my Handfuls of Purpose blog!  Come play along and work on your home management and time management skills with me!

Mojo Monday on Saturday

Is it Christmas yet?  It seems like I can only wait until about July before I'm planning for Christmas and wishing for snow.  To help calm my winter cravings, I decided to make a Christmas card for this week's Mojo Monday challenge.  My wreath is made with a set called "Genuine Love" by Clear Dollar Stamps, and otherwise I think everything is just bits and pieces from my stash.  Here's a close up of some of the detail on the wreath...

 Thanks for stopping by today!

 Blessings!

Tricia

Using Up My Scraps

I have two cards for you today since I had time to play in my crafty corner yesterday!  How fun!   I grabbed some remnants of matching dp that I had on my desk and decided that they would be my inspiration for each card. First I made this birthday card with the Molly's Cupcake digi from Whimsy and Stars.  I colored Molly with Copics and Promarkers, and sponged around her with some Mustard ink while she was still in the Nestibilities die.  The embossed piece under her was already done and sponged, and the flowered layer was already matted, so I just cut out my kraft and text dp, layered on the backing and stamped "happy birthday" from the Vintage Picnic Basket set from PTI.

I'm entering Molly in these challenges...

Tuesday Morning Sketches - Delightfully Simple with a Kids theme
Everybody Art - Happy Birthday
Cupcake Inspirations - Photo with cupcakes and flowers and yellow and pink (although my pink turned to red!)

My second card follows the fun sketch at Card Positioning Systems, and uses one of the new sets from Clear Dollar Stamps called Ladybug Hugs.  It's colored with copics again, and just has a little bit of paper piercing, cuz my sewing machine was upstairs and I didn't want to take the time to set it up. ;-)  The sentiment is cut out with one of the tags from the Tabs and Tags dies that I just love.  I'm going to enter it in the Stamp With Fun - spring challenge, too.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Blessings!

Tricia

More Clear Dollar Previews!!

Hello again!

My first card today is my very favorite from this month.  I liked it so much that I gave it to my daughter for her birthday!  And it's the Stamp of the Month this month, so you can earn it free with a $50 order!!  Yippee!!  Just a few design notes.  My ruffled ribbon is just some thin twill that I folded up and sewed a line through.  It actually isn't folded up under the bunny...  just where you'll see it. :-)  The cute little layered tag on the bottom was done with the Tabs and Tags dies.  I *love* that set of dies!!  Now if I could just find my Tabs & Tags Additions stamp set...  I think my craft room ate it. :(

Next up is an Easter card.  It's coming soon!  There are three fun, ornate Easter eggs to color in this set!

And Scriptures of Hope...

I used the butterflies from the Bold Butterfly set and stamped them off to make them lighter.  Then I stamped the word HOPE in Black.  The set comes with *gorgeous* Scripture verses that I know I'll use often, but they didn't fit my bookmark very well. :-)  I used the Tabs & Tags die set again on the top of my bookmark, to put my eyelet through.  I like the polished look it gives.

Well, there you have them!  These sets will be available tomorrow in the Clear Dollar Stamps store.  Happy Shopping!!

Blessings!

Tricia

CDS Images Used: Flower Bunny SOM
Ink: Memento Black, Chocolate Chip
Cardstock: Kraft, Strawberry Jam, Cosmo Cricket DP
Markers: Copics - E33, E34, E31, E41, YG95, YG91, R24, BG72, RV43
Tools & Accessories: Mustard Twill, Sewing Machine, Tabs & Tags Dies (CDS), Button, CB Swiss Dots and Dotted Folders, Sponge

CDS Images Used: You're Eggstraordinary
Ink: Memento Black
Cardstock: CDS Ginger, Worn Parchment, K&Co DP, Cottonball White
Markers: Copic YR02, YR000, Y21, BG10, G00, RV42, RV20, White Gel Pen
Tools & Accessories: Tabs & Tags Dies (CDS), Brads, Pearls, Oval & Scalloped Oval Nestabilities

CDS Images Used: Scriptures of Hope, Bold Butterflies
Ink: CDS Red Velvet Cake, Tropical Mist, Memento Tangelo, Black
Cardstock: Kraft, DP scraps
Tools & Accessories: Lace Doily Edge Punch, Sewing Machine, Tabs & Tags Dies (CDS), Grommet, Cropadile, Ribbon

Clear Dollar Previews Here!!

Hello friends!  It's time for another release at Clear Dollar Stamps!  The sets this month are just fantastic!!!  Let's start with Hoppy Frogs...

Mine is pink. :-)

Then comes Sentimental Flowers...

Isn't this such a pretty set?  The line that I used for a sentiment is actually curved like the stem of the flower in the set, but since it was a clear stamp, I could straighten it out.  Too fun!

Finally... Butterfly Dies and a set to match!!!

Butterflies are always a favorite, and this set (which I'll show you more of tomorrow!) and these dies make quick and easy butterfly cards.  In case you're wondering, the area above the butterfly where the sentiment is stamped is colored in with an E41 copic marker and the leaves were drawn in with a YG91 marker.  I did that on another card the other day and liked it so much that I tried it again!  LOL!

Thanks for stopping by today!  I'll have more previews tomorrow!!

Blessings!

Tricia

Stamps/Images:Hoppy Frogs

Cardstock/Papers: K&Co DP, White & Yellow cs

Inks/Markers: Memento Tuxedo Black (from Clear Dollar Stamps), Copics BG10, R20, RV42, RV13, YR02 (from Clear Dollar Stamps)

Accents/Tools:Cuttlebug, Large Circle Nesties, Circle and Scalloped Circle Punches, Sewing Machine, Pearls

CDS Stamps Used: Sentimental Flowers
Papers: CDS Mud Pie, Spring Leaf CS, Cosmo Cricket DP
Ink / Markers: Memento Tuxedo Black Ink, Copics Y21, Y17, E41, BG10
Accents / Tools: CB Swiss Dots Folder, pearls, sewing machine, CDS Mud Pie ribbon, Lace Doily Punch, Scalloped Edge Punch

CDS Sets Used: Bold Butterflies, Bold Butterfly Dies
Ink: Memento Black
Cardstock: Olive, Cosmo Cricket DP, Cottonball White
Markers: Copic - E41, YG91
Accessories & Tools: Square Nestibility, Sticker Sheet, Cuttlebug, Sewing Machine

Help for Katie

Some of you may know that our dear design team leader from Clear Dollar Stamps - Katie Renz - was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 Gastric Cancer.  Today one of her blogging friends - Jak Heath - is offering a huge collection of digi sets donated by digi artists all across the blogosphere to help raise money for Katie and her family as they face the medical expenses that will accompany her treatment.   I do hope you'll drop by Jak's website and see, and perhaps even make a donation yourself, if you are able.  I know it would be such a blessing!!

My cards today are from two of the sets donated by Clear Dollar Stamps.  The first set is called "Sending Love".  Don't you just love this balloon and the clouds?  It's so easy to resize digi stamps, and I was able to put smaller clouds in the background and pop up some larger clouds for dimension.   I figure that this will be good for a non-traditional valentine for my husband or son.

The next set is called Sew Grateful.  It's chock full of sewing notions and sweet sentiments.  I combined a few of the images to make my focal grouping.  And, of course, I had to add some stitching to the card!! :-)

I do hope that you'll drop by Jak's website to see the other sets being offered as a "thank you" for your donation.  I know that my heart has been so heavy for Katie and her family as they face a new year of uncertainty.  Let's do all that we can to help!

Blessings!

Tricia

CIC Challenge

Morning friends! Here's my card for today's Clearly Inspired Challenge using three shades of blue. I pulled out my very favorite set "Genuine Love" and combined it with the newer Scripture set. Doesn't it look elegant?? The dp is from Clear Dollar's Capella Paper Kit. So pretty! I hope you'll take time to play along with the challenge this month. We'd love to see what you come up with!!

Blessings!

Tricia

Clearly Inspired Challenge Today!

Hi ladies! It's time for another Clearly Inspired Challenge and today our theme is all about food. Speaking of food, I have brownies waiting for me that just came out of the oven, so I'm going to make this quick... :-)

I used the single Birthday Cupcake Tag for my card and some K&Co background paper that I recycled from another card. I have *so* many birthdays in November, so I plan on sending this one out shortly.

Be sure to swing by the Clearly IStamp blog for some more inspiration, and maybe even a digi to help you play along!

Blessings!

Tricia

February CDS Sneak Peeks - Final Day!!

Spring Chickie

CDS STAMPS USED: You're My Peep

CS/PAPERS: Kraft, Regal Rose, Apricot, White CS, SU Soft Sky DP

INK: Memento Black

Markers: Copic Y17, Y21, RV13, R20, RV34, B00, YR02, YR000, YG91, YG95, BV00

ACCENTS/TOOLS: Scalloped Oval Nestibilties, button, gold cord, scalloped square punch

So are you ready for spring yet? It seems that as soon as Christmas is done, I'm ready for the birds to come back and the snow to be gone, so these cards were wonderful little bursts of color!! I colored the Spring Chickie from You're a Peep with copics and kept the card super simple to keep the focus on the chickie. You have *got* to see some of the other designer's cards with this image. Incredible!!!! But that's why *my* blog's name is *Simply* Stamping!!! LOL!!!

For my second card I took two of the flowers and a sentiment and used them to make a sweet Spring note card. I stamped them on watercolor paper and watercolored them with markers and a waterbrush. Sweet, simple & easy to mail!

Now, don't forget to check out the other designers' blogs for the rest of the peeks! All the new stamps will be available to purchase after midnight!! Happy Stamping!!

Spring Blessings

CDS STAMPS USED: You're My Peep

CS/PAPERS: Pink, Hibiscus Burst, White, Watercolor Paper, Pink DP

INK: Memento Black

COLORING: Watercolor with Waterbase Markers

ACCENTS/TOOLS: Scalloped Oval Nestibilties, brads, ribbon, MS Doily Punch

MORE SNEAKS TO PEEK AT!!

Trudy Sjolander

Tori Wild

Candy Fosta

Kim Teasdale

Nancy Grant

Katie Renz

Stacy Morgan

Shawne Arnold

Sarah Taylor

Cassie Trask

Angela Thomas

Linda Anderson

Laurie Wilson

Linda Borneman

February CDS Sneak Peeks - Day 3

I have gobs of Sneak Peek cards from Clear Dollar Stamps to show you today! The first showcases a new sentiment set called Dream Big. I combined it with the branches from the Genuine Love set and the butterfly from the Birthday Celebrations set. I used some older SU dp that I found in my box and I just *adore* the color combination!!

The next two cards are from a set called Elegant Gymnasts. Do you remember watching Nadia and Olga get their perfect 10's??? (Am I showing my age here??? Do you even know who Nadia and Olga are????) Anyway - I think all little girls want to be gymnasts at some point in their lives - so this set is for the gymnast in all of us. Actually even if you *aren't* a gymnast, you'll want the set for the beautiful words that are included!

For the kraft card above, I laid out a number of the sentiments and mini gymnasts on a block to make a background, and used the swirlies under the balance beam (or floor mat, I'm not sure) to make a border around the main image.

I had won a set of MVP designer paper in a blog hop not too long ago, and it was *perfect* for this perfect 10 card. Actually that sentiment would be cute for someone's 10th birthday, too!!

Edited to add: I found out later that this gal is actually supposed to be vaulting - not on the uneven bars! Isn't that hysterical?? I totally missed that! SO... I just made the card this way to showcase its versatility... You can use the images in *so* many ways!! LOL! (That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!! )

Next up is the new Plumes and Blooms set...

Can you tell I still had the olive and red papers on my desk?? This set is so elegant that you can use it as the focal image and just add a sentiment... (mine's from With Thanksgiving)...

Or...

You can use it as a background, like I did on this card...

Time to go check out the other designers!! Thanks for stopping by, and we'll see you tomorrow!!

Trudy Sjolander

Tori Wild

Candy Fosta

Kim Teasdale

Nancy Grant

Katie Renz

Stacy Morgan

Shawne Arnold

Sarah Taylor

Cassie Trask

Angela Thomas

Linda Anderson

Laurie Wilson

Linda Borneman

Take a Risk

CDS STAMPS USED: Dream Big, Genuine Love, Birthday Celebrations
CS/PAPERS: SU DP, Olive, Red, Vanilla, White, River Rock CS
INK: Memento Black, Artichoke, Olive, Red
MARKERS: Copics to accent paper piecing
ACCENTS/TOOLS: Oval punches, Brad, Dimensionals, Spiral Punch, Buttons
TECHNIQUE: Paper Piecing

Elegant Dream

CDS STAMPS USED: Dream Big, Elegant Gymnasts

CS/PAPERS: Basic Grey Wisteria DP, Amethyst, Sage, White CS

INK: Memento Black, Sage

MARKERS: Amethyst SU marker to accent corners

ACCENTS/TOOLS: Rectangle Nestibilities, Stitching, Ribbon

Simply Elegant

CDS STAMPS USED: Elegant Gymnasts

CS/PAPERS: Kraft, Lemon Tart, White CS

INK: Soft Suede

ACCENTS/TOOLS: Scalloped Border Punch, Ribbon, Button, Scrappers Floss, Sewing Machine

Go For It!

CDS STAMPS USED: Elegant Gymnasts

CS/PAPERS: Black, Burgundy CS, WeRMemorykeepers MVP DP, White CS

INK: Baroque Burgundy, Memento Black

ACCENTS/TOOLS: Labels 4 Nestibilities, Oval Punch, Brads, Paisley CB Folder, paper piercer

Birthday Blooms

CDS STAMPS USED: Plumes and Blooms, Birthday Celebrations

CS/PAPERS: Grey, White, Purple, Olive, Magenta DP

INK: Elegant Eggplant, Memento Black

ACCENTS/TOOLS: Circle & Scalloped Circle Punches, Ribbon, Paper Piercer, Brads, dimensionals

Blooming Glad

CDS STAMPS USED: Plumes and Blooms, With Thanksgiving

CS/PAPERS: Olive, Cream, Red, kraft CS

INK: Artichoke, Read Red

ACCENTS/TOOLS: Rectangle Nestibilties, pearls, stitching

February CDS Sneak Peeks - Day 2

Going Dotty

CDS STAMPS USED: Chuggin Along

CS/PAPERS: Pink Paislee DP, Olive, Brown, White CS

INK: Memento Black, PTI Fresh Snow

MARKERS: Copic

ACCENTS/TOOLS: Ribbon

Today's set, Chuggin' Along, has so many pieces that I didn't know which to use first! It has both outline images and shadow images, so you can color or not, depending on what you like to do. For my first card I chose the adorable teddy bear image and colored him with copics. Isn't he just precious??? I added the little stripes on his tummy with a .01 Zig Millennium pen to make him look fat. ☺

For my second card I stamped the train engine onto a piece of Cosmo Cricket paper, and then stamped the wheels and such with a grey ink. That's all one stamp, by the way, so it's really easy to use!! I added some gold dew drops for steam and put the sentiment on the side.

Pastel Train

CDS STAMPS USED: Chuggin Along

CS/PAPERS: Cosmo Cricket DP, Cream, Apricot CS

INK: Memento Black, Palette Grey

ACCENTS/TOOLS: Gold Dew Drops, Spiral Punch

SPECIAL TECHNIQUES: Paper Piecing

Here's the list of other designers! Be sure to check out all of today's sneak peeks!! See you here tomorrow!!

Trudy Sjolander

Tori Wild

Candy Fosta

Kim Teasdale

Nancy Grant

Katie Renz

Stacy Morgan

Shawne Arnold

Sarah Taylor

Cassie Trask

Angela Thomas

Linda Anderson

Laurie Wilson

Linda Borneman

February CDS Sneak Peeks - Day 1

Frog Hello

CDS STAMPS USED: Circle Somethings

CS/PAPERS: Spring Moss, White, Kraft CS

INK: Memento Black, River Rock, PTI Fresh Snow, Caramel, Olive

ACCENTS/TOOLS: Oval Nestibilities, Taffeta Ribbon, Button, Sponge, Sewing Machine

Hello Friends!

Can you believe that it is almost February??? Yikes! But that means it's time for Clear Dollar Stamps sneak peeks again!! Yippee! I can finally show you what I've been working on all month, besides bookkeeping for GraceWorks. ☺

So without further ado, let me introduce you to Circle Somethings. It's a set of 23 stamps for only $14.99. Don't you just *love* the value CDS packs into their sets??

For my first card I chose the polka dot half circle that's included in the set to make Mr. Froggy. Since the circles and half circles are separate from the "features" you can stamp them in different colors. They all have their own patterns, too! Fun, huh?? You can make turtles, cups, birds, ladybugs, mice and baby buggies... just to name a few. *And* it comes with 4 sentiments!!

Oh! By the way - the background is made by stamping a tiny solid circle that is included in the set in white and River Rock ink. It makes a really quick and easy background!

Here's another...

Cup of Tea

CDS STAMPS USED: Circle Somethings

CS/PAPERS: Pink, White, Kraft, Chocolate CS

INK: Chocolate, PTI Fresh Snow

ACCENTS/TOOLS: Oval Nestibilities, Ribbon, Brads, Sponge, Scalloped Border Punch, Word Window Punch

This time I used one of the full circles as my background, and a coordinating half circle for my cup. The steam is actually the cup's handle stamped twice. This color combo is so soothing. It's one of my favorites!

Check out the other designers' blogs to see more of this set, and others!! And meet me back here tomorrow. I have SO much to show you!!

Trudy Sjolander

Tori Wild

Candy Fosta

Kim Teasdale

Nancy Grant

Katie Renz

Stacy Morgan

Shawne Arnold

Sarah Taylor

Cassie Trask

Angela Thomas

Linda Anderson

Laurie Wilson

Linda Borneman

Clearly Inspired Sketch Challenge

There's an easy sketch for the Clearly Inspired Challenge today. I managed to make it *much* harder than it actually was!! LOL! I wanted to use the sweet Meowy Christmas set again and make a Himalayan kitten like Cassie did for her cards this month, so I googled the kitties and colored with my copics, then I paper pieced the stocking. Unfortunately after I added the bow there wasn't room for the sentiment in its "proper" place so the "Merry" from this month's Stamp of the Month set got moved a little. Lots of messy stitching and glitter on this one. Hopelessly homespun, I guess!!

Thanks for stopping by! I do hope you'll play along with us this week! You don't have to use Clear Dollar Stamps if you don't have any, but I'm pretty sure that once you try them you'll love them as much as I do!!!

Blessings!

Tricia

Lots of Challenges!

It's been awhile since I did any of the challenges on SCS, so tonight I combined the color challenge (burgundy, vanilla, coral & artichoke) with the sketch challenge and even added a "buttony bow" for Joanne B's blog challenge. :-) How fun!

I used the Elzybell set "From Me to Ewe" and the "Pretty Little Scripture" set from Clear Dollar. The little hills are actually a Memory Box stamp I picked up at my LSS. If you click on the picture you might be able to see that I sponged in some clouds. In real life it looks like my little sheep is staring off into the sunset. Awwwww.....

Thanks for stopping by!

Blessings!

Tricia

Think Snow!

I got this adorable mini set from Clear Dollar Stamps this week called ...ummm, hang on, I lost the package on my desk... FOUND IT! It's called "Tree Delight Tag" and it's a set of 7 for only $2.49. Can't beat that! The little tree is a single image that I stamped three times to make a forest. I drew in the snow hills underneath them and colored everything with copics. I added little light blue pearls to the sky to look like snow, and sponged the card base with turquoise ink and then stamped the little stars in Palette New Canvas. The colors - by the way - are for this week's Clear Dollar Stamp Weekend Color Challenge. I hope you'll have a chance to play along!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Weekend Color Challenge Mojo

Edited to Add... For some reason the colors on this card are showing up much better on my SplitCoast Gallery. You can see it here. Thanks for looking!

This was such a fun card to make! I used the colors from the Clear Dollar Stamp Weekend Color Challenge and combined them with the Mojo Monday sketch for the week... although I did take a *few* liberties. {wink} I see the designers do that all the time, so I hope it's not a problem!

I used the -oh, so cool- '68 Vette that was just released at Clear Dollar Stamps and combined it with some SU designer paper, some "manly" brads that look like screws and some staples, and I topped it off with a sentiment from the CDS set "Cool Ride".

Thanks for looking!! :-)

Wedding Wishes

Here's an entirely different look from yesterday's post.  I used the April Stamp of the Month from Clear Dollar Stamps again, but this time I aimed for a soft, sweet, elegant look - perfect for a wedding or baby card.   

I sponged the yellow over the image while it was still in the Nestabilities die, and the butterfly was inked in Banana, then rolled in Summer Sun to get the darker edges.

Thanks for stopping by!

Tricia

Details...

Silhouette Wedding Wishes

ALL CDSTAMPS STAMP SETS USED: Silhouette Wishes

CARDSTOCK AND PAPERS: Brocade Blue, Barely Banana, Bashful Blue, GKWhite

INK: Brocade Blue, Barely Banana, Summer Sun

MARKERS (if any): None

ACCESSORIES AND EMBELLISHMENTS: Large Rectangle Nestabilities, 1" and 1 1/4" Circle Punches, Stamping Sponges, Mounting Tape, Ribbon, Paper Piercer, Half Pearls, CB Swiss Dots Folder

COLORING MEDIUM (if any): None

SPECIAL TECHNIQUES (if any): Sponging

Asian Greetings

I know this isn't my usual style, but I've been seeing the beautiful sponging that Theresa does on her cards, and I just had to try it with this Silhouette Wishes set that you can get free with a $50 purchase this month from Clear Dollar Stamps.

Oh, by the way, the Clear Dollar Stamps are *wonderful*.  As a guest designer this month I got to pick three sets, and I'm *so* impressed!! They stamp clearly and are packaged nicely.  And the cost is so reasonable!!  Sorry... rabbit trail.  Back to the card!!

I made the card for the CDS weekend color challenge over at PaperCraft Planet to use Olive, Mustard and Chocolate Chip.  I did a lot of sponging like Theresa and then stamped my branch and bird in Chocolate Chip.  I think they look very elegant.  To get the white ring around my sentiment I punched a 1 1/4" circle out of a piece of cardstock to make a mask.  I centered the opening over my sentiment and then sponged it with mustard ink.  I then punched it out with a 1 3/8" circle punch, leaving the pretty ring that makes it look like I used nestibilities. :)

Watch for more CDS samples over the month, and be sure to browse the Clear Dollar Stamps store if you haven't been there before!!

Thanks for stopping by!!

Details:

ALL CDSTAMPS STAMP SETS USED: Silhouette Wishes
CARDSTOCK AND PAPERS: Chocolate Chip, More Mustard, Old Olive, Bazzill Brown
INK: Chocolate Chip, More Mustard, Old Olive
MARKERS (if any): None
ACCESSORIES AND EMBELLISHMENTS: 1 1/4, 1 3/8, Scalloped Circle Punches, Stamping Sponges, Mounting Tape, Fibers, Hardware
COLORING MEDIUM (if any): None
SPECIAL TECHNIQUES (if any): Sponging