Monday, June 29, 2020

Happy 4th of July...

Hey there! 

Today I'm on the Greeting Farm blog with a couple more 4th of July scene cards that I made
using the newly released Porch 2 set as well as the fun and festive 4th of July Decor set... apparently I just can't stop creating with these, LOL! I love to decorate my humble little home for all of the various holidays but now with these digital sets I can create dream scenes of covered porches with porch swings and fancy shuttered windows all decked out to the nines with perfectly coordinating tchotchkies and festive paraphernalia.

For this first card I grabbed the older Happy Anya digi because I knew she would look super cute holding one of the pinwheels that comes in the 4th of July Decor set. The window and shutters are part of the Porch 2 set while the flower box was borrowed from the original Porch digi set. With just a few extra decorations in the window I had a simple and quick little holiday card that is just as sweet as can be.
My second card was a bit more involved as I really wanted to get the classic Oliver and Amelia Let's Grill rubber cuties into a digital 4th of July barbecue picnic scene. So after stamping and masking them on my card stock I went to work building the background digitally using various items from a whole host of digi sets including, trees and sandwich board from the Food Truck set, picnic table and cooler from the S'more Fun Add On set, bowl and stack of plates from the Build-a-Kitchen set, pop cans and tray of cookies from the Bakery Cafe and the rest from the 4th of July Decor set. As I lay everything out I keep in mind where each character will be and how much space they will fill so that nothing gets too covered up once I run them through the printer then remove the masks. The long slimline design gave me plenty of space for them to get their party started. 

So to all my friends celebrating this weekend, be safe and have a happy Independence Day!

Wishing you a fabulous 4th...


 
Good morning! 

Last night The Greeting Farm once again surprised and delighted with another brand new pair of digital stamp sets. With the 4th of July weekend quickly approaching Marie has expanded upon the original Porch set with Porch set 2 as well as a fabulous 4th of July Decor set to really jazz things up. The new Porch set 2 adds lots of great windows, some new doors, columns, railing, landing steps, covered porch overhangs, even a porch swing and cute wicker chair. Then with the addition of the Decor set you have everything you need to create a festive and patriotic entrance to your character's home.

For my first card I paired one of the Baldy Ians with this cutie from the Park Lunch set and gave them a long covered porch to be swinging on together. Their railing is all decked out in red, white and blue bunting while festive pinwheels decorate the siding. Anya has even gotten all crafty and painted canning jars to wear the stars and stripes as well. 




 Next the second Park Lunch cutie is relaxing in the wicker chair on her front porch. She has decorated for the 4th with starry streamers and mini flags tucked into the flower pot as well as the bouquet door decor.  
Finally, I was inspired to create a scene that focused solely on the porch and decor... minus any living, breathing characters. Well... that is until ol' yellow dog ambled in from the Build-a-Bedroom set and made himself at home. As far as photo bombers go, he's pretty cute, LOL!

Now be sure to hop on over to the TGF store and grab these just in time for the holiday.  I can't wait to see all of the patriotic cards you gals create with the new Porch 2 set and 4th of July Decor set.  :) 

Later gators!






Friday, June 26, 2020

Deeper than the ocean...

TGIF!

It's been a bit of a whirlwind around here this past week. Now that I am back to work at the day job I'm trying to find that balance again between work and my crafty time. Luckily on days that are full of other activities I know I have a small stash of images that I've already started during previous coloring challenges so all I have to do is add a background and get them on a card. This lovely Proper Mermaid from Some Odd Girl was one of those handy dandy images just waiting to fulfill her card making destiny. I colored her up back in May during the SOG 12 Day Coloring Challenge and yesterday I finally got around to giving her a home. First I found this great sentiment in a new Waffle Flower set that I just got and it inspired me to color in a deep, dark trench below her. I really love how the rosy peach colors in her tail stand out against that monochromatic background. For a bit of extra set dressing I grabbed a pack of Doodlebug Sprinkles and gave her some friends to hang out with. All in all it was a quick but satisfying card to create and I love when that happens!

Have a great weekend my friends! 
Supply list:
cardstock- Bazzill and Copic X-Press It
digital stamp- Some Odd Girl (Proper Mermaid)
stamp- Waffle Flower (sentiment)
ink- Versamark Watermark
Hero Arts detail white embossing powder
Heffy Doodle sunburst stencil
My Favorite Things A2 stitched rectangle stax set 2
Doodlebug Sprinkles
Sharpie extra fine white pen
Ranger glossy accents
Copic markers:
skin- E000, E00, E11, E04, R00, R20
eyes- BV02, V28, BV29
hair- V01, V12, V15, V17, V09
tail- R000, R01, R02, R32, RV42, YR30, YR31, E04
top- V04, V15, V09, BV08, Y02, Y21, Y26, E39, E81, E84, E40, 0, BV31
background- RV52, RV63, V12, V15, V17, V09

Thursday, June 25, 2020

Sweet November has clear stamps!

Hello friends! 

As promised we are wrapping up these last couple months of mermaids at Sweet November Stamps with something really special. Today we are introducing the first two clear stamp sets in the Sweet November range of offerings! Don't worry digi lovers, this doesn't mean that digital images are going anywhere. On the contrary, as we dip our toes into clear stamps they are only going to be added to the line up sporadically. Because of the pressing process used to create stamps they do better with simpler images and line work, leaving us with plenty of the more detailed characters to enjoy as digital images that we can manipulate, play with sizing and all of that good stuff. Still, sometimes you just want that satisfaction of physically pressing ink to paper and that is where these little cuties come in. 

Say hello to the Mermees. Mermees are the stylish big sisters to the Merwees. They are a little bit older, a little bit wiser in the ways of ocean life but still all about good times and positive beachy vibes.  

Whether they are visiting sandy shores or dwelling in the deep, these beauties know it is important to always put your best fin forward.
The Mermee clear set includes three lovely mermaids, two sentiments, two fish, a seahorse, crab and sea gull that can all be mixed and matched for endless stamping fun!
Next we have the Merwees. Merwees are the fun loving little sisters of the Mermees. They may not have been out of the kelp nursery for very long but that just means that each new day is a grand adventure to be had. So they meet each new friend with a smile on their face and love in their hearts filling their ocean home with rippling waves of joy and laughter.
The Merwee clear stamp set includes five Merwees, two sentiments, a fish, an eel, a seahorse and a jellyfish as well as a sprinkling of bubbles.  Everything you need for the happiest under-the-sea cards out there!


The Sweet November monthly newsletter also went out today which included a code to grab the new Issa and Mel digis for FREE from the store. We had one last customer request to make happen this summer and that was to add an orca whale to our mer friend digis. I paired Mel up with two Issa mermaids because I liked the idea of them shepherding this stray orca baby back to its pod for safety. Missed out on nabbing the freebie because you aren't a subscriber yet? No worries, sign up now and you will be able to take advantage of next months code. :)

Now be sure to go check out the Friends of Sweet November Stamps group on Facebook for even more Merwee and Mermee inspiration from Melissa, Tee and our amazing guest designer back to help us out once again... Marker Geek herself, Elaine Hughes!   
You can also find us on Instagram @sweetnovemberstamps and don't forget to use the #sweetnovemberstamps any time you share a card or project using SN images so we can see all of your beautiful makes!   


Wednesday, June 24, 2020

Heels, head and standards...

Hi friends! 

Now that the Stamping Bella summer release has been available for a bit I figured I shouldn't wait too much longer before sharing the rest of the cards I had made for the previews. These three cards all feature the new Edgar and Molly Vintage sets with more of that bygone era inspired design.

For my first card I paired the lovely lady with the apron from the Edgar and Molly Vintage TV set with the kitchen sink from the Vintage Vacuum set. The sentiment is from the Timeless Classic sentiment set and I was kind of going for a cheeky riff of the whole idea that one had to be perfectly pressed and coiffed in order to simply cook a meal. I don't know about you but in my house a messy bun and flip flops is perfectly acceptable attire while preparing dinner, LOL! 

On my next card I inked up the stove and lady from the Edgar and Molly Vintage Here Kitty set. After coloring up this pretty pastel retro kitchen I was inspired to add a bit of humor to the scene and quickly proceeded to add a bunch of smoke rolling out of that oven as well. I borrowed the sentiment from Curvy Girl Baker which I think makes the overcooked dinner even more hilarious.
And finally these cuties are part of the Edgar and Molly Vintage Snail set along with the rock the one is sitting on. The kittens were borrowed from the Vintage Here Kitty set because what little girl wouldn't love to be surrounded by fluffy kittens?

Alrighty, I've got a busy day ahead of me so I should get moving. Have a good one!




Tuesday, June 23, 2020

Just relax...

Hey there!

I was in a Dreamerland kind of mood when I sat down to craft yesterday and it didn't take me long to find this sweet Having You Around clear stamp and have a scene pop into my head. These two buddies look so relaxed in their little boat that I wanted to give them a lazy river to float down. They've got nowhere to be and all the time in the world to get there. I tried to keep the scene colors soft and diffused to try and mimic that post sunset haze that you get in the summer time and I'm pretty happy with the results. The sentiment comes from a Whimsy Stamps clear set and it really summed up how I saw these cuties to a 'T'.  :)

Hope your own day is just as relaxing! 


Supply list:
cardstock- Lawn Fawn and Copic X-Press It
stamps- Dreamerland Crafts (Having You Around), Whimsy Stamps (sentiment)
ink- Memento tuxedo black
My Favorite Things A2 stitched rectangle stax set 1
Ranger glossy accents

Copic opaque white
Copic markers:

skin- E000, E00, E11, E04, R00, R20
hair- E55, E57, E49
clothes- Y21, YR23, YR24, E35, E50, E81, E84, B91, B93, B95, B97, B99, YG99
puppy- C00, N1, N3, W5, W7
boat- E41, E42, E43, E44
background- E41, E31, YG61, YG63, BG0000, B0000, B000, B00, Y0000, Y00, BV0000, BV000, BV01, G24, G46, G28, E84

Monday, June 22, 2020

Something sweet...

Good morning! 

Last night The Greeting Farm released yet another digital set in its innovative series of fantastic build-a-scenes... Bakery Cafe! This awesome builder set has everything you need to start creating fun eateries and shop scenes from coffee house to bakery to sandwich/sub shop. Of course this pairs wonderfully with the Food Truck set to expand into even more kinds of restaurants and gathering places. With so many creative options to take I once again found myself creating multiple cards using Bakery Cafe.

First up I created a cute coffee house filled to the brim with special blends and fancy teas. The lovely Anya from the Fight Cancer set became a sweet barista when I quickly colored in the wispy bangs of a cute pixie cut beneath her kerchief. The long shelves displaying the coffee and tea merchandise were borrowed from the Build-a-Living Room set.    


Next there was no getting away from creating a sugary sweet bakery scene. Claire Anya became my talented baker and shop owner while I grabbed one of the newer Back 1 digis to be her customer. I don't know about you but I would have a hard time choosing which sweet treat to indulge in. ;)
 
I also created a clean and modern looking sandwich shop where RN Anya has turned in her scrubs for an apron and she is happily serving this Baldy Ian a delicious fresh made meal for him to enjoy.
Finally, I was inspired to leave the world of retail behind and instead use some of the Bakery Cafe items to create this adorable father/son bonding moment as they sit and enjoy a nice lunch together at the cabin. Both father and son are from the Baldy Ian set while the window is part of the Build-a-Bedroom set. The pup running around looking for scraps is from the Take a Hike clear set and I love how he completes this sweet familial scene. 

Now I can't wait to see all the cards you gals create with the new Bakery Cafe set. :)
Toodles!

 

Sunday, June 21, 2020

Stay cool...

Olo!
 
With summer heating up it is important to find ways to stay cool. And these super cute Elephant Friends from Hello Bluebird are doing just that. As I was looking at the set and noticed the little water droplet sprinkles my mind immediately went to them playing in a jungle pool spraying water like a sprinkler on a hot day. I stamped them in a grey ink, though I wiped away the ink from their feet so it would look like they are sunk down into the water a bit. Then I borrowed the vine and some large leaves from the Jungle Littles set to help set the scene. The sentiment is from the Hippos on Holiday set and because it is on the smaller side I didn't want it to get lost amidst all the foliage so one of my go-to tricks is to color it into a sign that becomes a part of the story I'm telling. That was all I had planned for this card initially but when I went to die cut it and get it on a card front I remembered this Winter Woods Overlay die and thought it would be a fun way to frame in the scene. I did have to cut off the tree on the right so you could still read the sentiment but I filled in some of the empty space with another vine that I fussy cut and glued to the trees. It was just the perfect touch that I was looking for to help pull focus to the cute little elephants keeping cool.  :)

Laters!
Supply list:
cardstock- Papertrey Ink and Copic X-Press It
stamps- Hello Bluebird (Elephant Friends, Hippos on Holiday and Jungle Littles)
ink- Memento rich cocoa and london fog
Hello Bluebird Winter Woods Overlay die
Copic opaque white
Copic markers:
water- B0000, B000, B00, B01, B02, B04
sand- E50, E30, E31, E34
elephants- W1, W2, W3, E5, N0, N1, N3, N7, R000, R30, E81
sky- Y00, Y11, Y02, Y15, Y18
greenery- YG01, YG03, YG05, YG25, YG17, YG63, G07, G19, G29

Saturday, June 20, 2020

Beach day...

Hello!

It's time for a new Scenic Saturday card over on the Bellarific Blog. With temps on the rise lately it has definitely begun to feel like summer is upon us. And I don't know about you but when it gets hot like this all I want to do is lounge by some cool waters. So when it came time to get crafty I was really feeling the vibe of Curvy Girl Loves the Beach. She has everything one needs for a chill day spent ocean side... good reads, tasty beverages and plenty of sunscreen. I got a little help setting the beachy scene for Curvy by masking her off and inking up Rosie and Bernie's Palm Tree, which I then stamped on top of her. I also stamped the sentiment over top her a bit because I knew I wanted to color it into a wood sign on the beach. Notice that I lost a couple of letters in the word 'sometimes' but ya know what... that okay! As readers our minds automatically fill in those missing letters and no one is left wondering what the sentiment says. And once I pulled off the mask, pushing the sentiment and tree behind her, it makes perfect sense why we can't read the entire sign. So don't be afraid to get creative with your stamping, building layers and depth into your scenic creations.  :)

Stay crafty my friends!
Supply list:
cardstock- Papertrey Ink and Copic X-Press It
stamps- Stamping Bella (Curvy Girl Loves the Beach and Rosie and Bernie's Palm Tree)
ink- Memento tuxedo black, rich cocoa and london fog
My Favorite Things A2 stitched rectangle stax set 1
Copic markers:
skin- E000, E00, E11, E04, R20
hair- E23, E55, E77, E79, E49
swimsuit and accessories- C0, C2, C3, C6, C7, C8, 100, BG10, BG11, BG13, YG17, G29, E74, Y18, RV95, RV99, T6, T9, YG97, YG99, BG99, YG01, YG17, G29, Y000, RV0000, RV000, RV91, RV42, RV14, RV34, G00, YR21, YR65, YR68
sign- E40, E81, E84, E87
sand- E50, E30, E31, E33, G99
water- BG000, B01, BG02, BG05
tree- E42, E43, E44, E87, YG00, YG01, YG06, G07, G29
sky- Y0000, Y000, Y00, Y11, Y21, YR00, R21

Thursday, June 18, 2020

Bay Window Build-a-set...

Hello friends! 

Today I'm on the Greeting Farm blog with a couple more digital scene cards that I finally had a chance to color up. Both of these are built around the super cute Bay Window digi set that came out a few weeks ago, though I was pretty generous with all the little extras that I added from some of the other sets as well.  

My first card starts with the Bay Window set pretty much as it comes, with the sweet little Anya and her pup and kitty hanging out in the window seat of the big bay window. She's got her bag of yarn at her feet and she is ready to settle in for a relaxing evening of knitting. To flesh out the scene I grabbed the shelves and accessories from the Build-a-Living Room set which also provided a place for the potted plant that comes with the Window set to rest. I decided to make her a city girl with a night time skyline outside that bay window just for a fun change of pace.    


For my second card I wanted to have fun with just the critters and create a scene of them being naughty once their people finally got to leave quarantine and go back to work. So rather than add the window seat I started with the big Bay Window and added the couch, magazines and tall potted plant from the Build-a-Living Room set. The two front facing kittens are from the Hello From Home set as well as the spilt coffee mug and slippers that are being chewed up. The pug, rear facing kitty and upended knitting basket are all from the Bay Window set. And finally the extra throw blanket comes with the Movie Night digi set. Someone is in for a big surprise upon their return home but how can you stay mad at such cute faces? LOL

I hope these inspire you to take another look at the Bay Window set if it got lost in the shuffle of all the new releases. :)  

One Stitch supply list:
cardstock- Papertrey Ink and Copic X-Press It
digital stamps- The Greeting Farm (Bay Window set and Build-a-Living Room set)
stamps- My Favorite Things (sentiment)
ink- Memento tuxedo black
My Favorite Things A2 stitched rectangle stax set 2
Sharpie extra fine white pen
Copic markers:


Messy supply list:
cardstock- Papertrey Ink and Copic X-Press It
digital stamps- The Greeting Farm (Bay Window set, Build-a-Living Room set, Hello From Home set and Movie Night set)
stamps- My Favorite Things (sentiment)
ink- Studio Calico deja blue
My Favorite Things A2 stitched rectangle stax set 1
Ranger glossy accents
Copic markers:

Oh. Em. Gee...

Hello friends! 

This is the final week for making wish list mermaids come to life here at Sweet November Stamps and today is all about the guys. I've had a handful of you asking for a merman to go with all these mermaids so I figured this week before Father's Day was a good time to make that happen. So say hello to Fluke Swiftfin. Fluke Swiftfin is a mighty defender of the seven seas, protecting all creatures great and small who dwell within his waters from those above. Sure he can be a bit serious but there is also a soft heart beating beneath those rock hard pecs. His faithful companion is M.C. the hammerhead shark who follows Fluke wherever he goes.  

And because I thought it would be hilarious to have a human girl stumbling across this hunky merman we also have Scuba Stevie releasing today. Scuba Stevie loves adventuring beneath the ocean waves to experience first hand all the wonders that can be found in the deep. She spots Manny, the Mantis Shrimp keeping busy in his coral reef home. And who knows who else she might bump into during her dive. 

Now be sure to go check out the Friends of Sweet November Stamps group on Facebook for even more Fluke and Stevie inspiration from Melissa, Tee and our amazing guest designer this week... Charlotte Winther Larsen who goes by krealotte on Instagram!   
You can also find us on Instagram @sweetnovemberstamps and don't forget to use the #sweetnovemberstamps any time you share a card or project using SN images so we can see all of your beautiful makes!  

Supply list:
cardstock- My Favorite Things and Copic X-Press It
digital stamps- Sweet November Stamps (Fluke Swiftfin and M.C. Hammerhead and Scuba Stevie and Manny the Mantis Shrimp)
stamp- Ellen Hutson (sentiment)
ink- Memento tuxedo black
My Favorite Things A2 stitched rectangle stax set 1
Sharpie extra fine white pen
Ranger glossy accents
Copic markers:
skin- E000, E00, E11, E04, R00, R20
Stevie hair- E33, E25, E59
Stevie eyes/lips- YG25, YG67, R22
Stevie diving gear- B16, B37, B39, BV29, C0, C2, C3, C5, C6, C8, C10, V04, BV08, G00
Fluke hair- N4, N7, N10, 100
eyes- B14
tail- C2, C3, C5, C6, C8, C9, 100, 0
M.C. hammerhead- W1, W3, W4, W5, N0, N1, N2, 0, E04
background- B00, B01, B12, B14

Wednesday, June 17, 2020

Live like a mermaid...

Hey there!

I finally got my hands on the new MMedel stamp sets from 7 Kids and I couldn't wait to get them inky! All three of the new sets are just fantastic but of course I had to color up one of the mermaids first. The set is called Make Waves and it comes with two lovely mermaids, two sentiments and a bunch of fun extras like the octopus and fish that I used here. Because Maria's characters always seem to have a cute cheeriness about them I wanted to have the scene be nice and bright and upbeat so I added some sunshine through my use of yellow on some of the kelp that I sketched in behind the rocks. That with the bright greens really set off these cuties quite nicely I think. I really had a lot of fun with this one and I know the other sets won't be too far behind on getting onto cards of their own too. ;)

Later gators! 
Supply list:
cardstock- Papertrey Ink and Copic X-Press It
stamps- 7 Kids (Make Waves set), My Favorite Things (little fish)
ink- Memento tuxedo black 
My Favorite Things A2 stitched rectangle stax set 1
Honey Bee stamps stencil
Wink of Stella clear glitter pen
Sharpie extra fine white pen
Copic markers:
skin- E000, E00, E11, E04, R00, R20, Y00, Y21, RV52, RV63
hair- BG72, BG78, BG99, BG53
eyes- BV04, BV29, BG000, C2
tail- BG10, BG11, BG32, BG34, BG72, BG75, BG78
top- RV52, RV63, RV66
octopus- RV10, RV63, V15, E81, E84, BG23
fish- BG10, BG11, BG90, BG93, BG96, BG99, V000, V01, V12, B37
rocks- N1, N3, N5, FYG1, FYG2
sand- E50, E30, E31, E33, Y32
water- BG000, B00, B01
kelp- Y04, Y15, Y18, Y21, YG01, FYG2, YG03, YG09, YG63
starfish- Y02, Y21, Y26, Y15
 
 

Tuesday, June 16, 2020

Covid-19 Relief Special Edition Stamp set...

Hi friends!

Something really awesome is happening at Purple Onion Designs right now. Stacey Yacula has designed a special edition stamp set called, Together. It retails for $13 and for each one sold a donation of $10 will be made to the United Way Worldwide Covid-19 Community Response & Recovery Fund. Donations will be made to both the US & International communities. You can find more information by clicking the link below: 
https://www.unitedway.org/recovery/covid19#

With so many people effected globally by this pandemic over the last few months this is such a cool way for us as crafters to help with a worthy cause plus get a super cute stamp to play with in return! Just look at the joy of all those critters as they come together, embracing each other despite their differences. They know this world is a better place when we all come together with love and compassion in our hearts

And if that wasn't awesome enough, right now you can enjoy free domestic (USA) shipping on
orders $75 and over, no code needed.  International customers will get $7 off shipping using code INTLSHIP for orders $75.00 & over. Making it totally worth while to check out previous releases and see what cute critters and scene builders might be missing from your collection. ;)


Hugs everyone!
Supply list:
cardstock- Papertrey Ink and Copic X-Press It
stamps- Purple Onion Designs (Together)
ink- Memento rich cocoa
Papertrey Ink noted scalloped die
The Twinery twine
sequins
Copic markers:
sky- Y000, Y11, Y13
grass- YG00, YG03, YG25, YG63, G94
mouse- C00, C1, C3, C4, W00, W2, W3, R000, R30
bunny- E50, E41, E43, R000, R30
owl- E50, E81, E53, V20, E55, E25, E57, R000, R30, YR23, YR24
pig- YR0000, YR000, YR00, E21, E23, R000, R30, W6, W7
neck ties/flowers- Y02, Y18, RV42, R43

Monday, June 15, 2020

Everything will be o.k...

Good morning!

We've made it to release day at Stamping Bella and you can find the entire summer release available in the store right now! There are so many great new stamps to choose from and add to your stamp collection it's hard to know where to begin filling your cart. Between the Gnomes, Curvy Girls and Oddballs, the Tiny Townies and the Vintage Edgar and Molly sets, there is definitely something for everyone.
 
My card today features the sweet as can be There There Tiny Townie set paired with the older Tiny Townie Room Decor set. The love between these two girls is almost palpable and it really hits you with all the feels. I like to think it is a quiet moment of comfort between two sisters as it reminds me a lot of being cared for by my own sisters during difficult times. And ya know what? Every time we got through it, just like the sentiment says. :)

Well I hope you have fun treating yourself to some crafty goodness today... I know I sure have!
Supply list:
cardstock- Simon Says Stamp and Copic X-Press It
stamps- Stamping Bella (There There Tiny Townie and Townie Townie Home Decor set)
ink- Memento tuxedo black
Papertrey Ink large scallop noted die
Copic markers:
skin- E000, E00, E11, E04, R00, R20
standing girl hair- E21, E35, E27
dress- YG11, YG03, YG25, YG63, G94, RV00, RV02, RV11, RV32, RV34
sitting girl hair- E35, E57, E79
clothes- B91, B95, B97, B99, W00, E40, E81, V25, V28, BV29, BV11, BV25, C00
floor- W1, W2, W3, W5
wall/lamp/pictures- BG90, BG93, C1, C5, E81, E84, W00, BG10, BG11, YG91, G82