New England Stamper

Oxford Tag Card

I have a double challenge card for you today.  The clean and simple challenge on Splitcoast, which was to use sparkle on your project.  And Gingersnap Creations supply challenge to use a tag on a project.

The main image is from a plate by Oxford Impressions called The Bird's Nest.  I used the Sponge and Shimmer technique to create the background and then stamped the bird collage image over the top.  I was inspired by Sharon's post last week about Ideology Fragments, so cracked open my unused package of tags and added it to this card.

If you head over to Gingersnap Creations, you can see a couple of journals I posted this morning. 

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Red, White and Blue Cupcakes

I promise this will be last red, white and blue creation for a while - honest!  I received some newly released stamps from Pink Persimmon last week and when I saw the Flower Greetings set, I knew instantly that I wanted to make cupcake picks with it. 

I saw later that Pink Persimmon had a cupcake challenge on their blog, so that made up my mind - cupcake picks it was.  We have a red, white and blue challenge on the Gingersnap Creations blog, so my colors were all set too. 

The picks are wooden kebab sticks from the grocery store.  I cut them down to about 6" with my rubber scissors (probably not very good for my scissors) and colored in the top portion with a copic marker.  The section that is stuck in the cake has no marker - I'm guessing that the marker wouldn't taste good, although it is an alcohol marker - hmmmm.

The satin ribbon rosette and all the layers on top of it are stuck to a 1 3/8" circle with a large glue dot, and taped to the back of the kebab stick with a piece of Scotch tape.  Here's a closer look at the medallions:

They are a little time consuming to make, but so much fun.  I can't wait to make them for my daughter's birthday in August.

Happy crafting!

Supplies:

• Stamps: Flower Greetings (Pink Persimmon)
• Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), Copic markers B05 & R29
• Paper: Pacific Point (SU) & Vintage Cream (PTI)
• Accessories: Dazzling Diamonds, ivory satin ribbon (May Arts), Vanilla/Riding Hood Red striped ribbon (SU)
• Tools: glue pen, 1", 1 1/4" & 1 3/8" circle punches, scallop circle punch (SU)

Wednesday Challenge Cards

It's Wednesday and time for another Crafty Creations challenge.  I'm hosting this week and chose the theme Stars and Stripes in honor of July 4.  Head over there to check out the other design team members' creations and this week's prize.

I also made the card for Gingersnap Creations color challenge - red, white and blue. 

 

The only stamping on the card is the Polka Dot background which was stamped with white craft ink and heat embossed with white e/p.

Why not stretch yourself today and take one of the many creative challenges out there.

Thanks for stopping by!

Craft Critique

No crafting for me today - I took a day off and went shopping with a girlfriend to Ikea!  Oh, I love Ikea! 

But I have a little something for you.  Craft Critique is reviewing Shimmerz and Spritz today plus they're doing a giveway:

Vendor Spotlight by Jenny Barnett Rohrs

Vendor Spotlight by Francie Horton

Don't take my word for how fabulous Shimmerz is, read these excellent independent reviews.

Happy creating!

French Poppy

Check out these gorgeous prints by Kim Poloson!  The Flourishes' Timeless Tuesday Challenge was to make a card inspired by one of Kim Poloson's pieces and I had a hard time picking just one.  This time I chose her Belgian Tulip II, but I'll definitely back there for more inspiration.

This is the 3" x 6" card I made using Poppy Patch and various patterned papers, found text and trim.

Here's a close up where you can see the slightly shimmering poppy center:

Thanks for stopping by my blog.  Have a wonderful day!

Supplies:

• Stamps: Poppy Patch (Flourishes), French Script (SU retired)
• Paper: Pure Poppy & True Black c/stock (PTI), watercolor paper (Fabriano), Patterned paper by Crate Paper & October Afternoon, text from French novel
  
• Ink: Antique Linen Distress Ink (Ranger), Tuxedo Black (Memento), Real Red, Riding Hood Red, Always Artichoke & Old Olive inks (SU)
• Accessories: Fire Engine Red Shimmerz, vintage trim, pearls (Kaiser Scrapbook)
• Tools: Aquapainter, sponge

Blog Candy Winner

The winner of my Shimmerz blog hop prize, the large cupcake stamp by Stampin' Up!, is:

Kate Blue

Congratulations Kate!  Please contact me at alimanning@charter.net and I'll get it shipped out to you.

Blog Hop Last Chance & Club Member Cards

The Shimmerz blog hop has exceeded our wildest dreams - thanks to everyone who has taken time to comment on all blogs and good luck with winning the grand prize.  There is still time to participate, but today is the last day!  Go the post at the top of the blog to find out all the details.

I set a challenge for my stamp clubs each month and May's challenge was to use little seed packets that I picked up at Target. Here's what these talented ladies came up with:

Kerry:

Rhonda:

Peggy:

 

Thanks for taking the challenge ladies!

Two Challenges

I have two challenges for you today.  Over at Gingersnap Creations I'm hosting the color challenge this month.  If you haven't already guessed the colors are red, white and blue. 

I wanted to think outside the box and make a non-patriotic card.  It turned out like a Valentines card (hmmm - wrong season!), but I like it anyway and will probably use it for my wedding anniversary in August.  It uses a stamp from our Manufacturer in the Spotlight, Oxford Impressions.

The second card is for the Crafty Creations Challenge, where the theme this week is gardens.  It uses Morning Soft, a retiring stamp set from Stampin' Up! that I'm sorry to see go.

I encourage you to stretch yourself and try these challenges.  They are lots of fun - happy creating!

Supplies

Love card:

• Stamps: Beloved (Oxford Impressions)
• Paper: Not Quite Navy (SU), Vintage Cream (PTI), handmade white paper, Bingo Card by Jenni Bowlin Studios, 'love' from vintage dictionary page
• Ink: Not Quite Navy (SU)
• Accessories: Riding Hood Red taffeta ribbon (SU), pearls (Melissa Frances)
• Tools: brayer

Morning Glory Card (all supplies by Stampin' Up!)

• Stamps: Morning Soft
• Paper: Bashful Blue, Pacific Point, Certainly Celery & watercolor paper
• Ink: Stazon, reinkers: Bashful Blue, Brilliant Blue, Certainly Celery, Old Olive, So Saffron)
• Accessories: Certainly Celery grosgrain ribbon, Bashful Blue taffeta ribbon, flat pearls from Pretties Kit
• Tools: Paper piercing kit, sponge

Happy Birthday Shimmerz!

Welcome to the Shimmerz Blog Hop!  I'm so glad that you can join the design team in celebrating Shimmerz birthday.

If you have arrived here from the Shimmerz blog, then you are on your way. If you haven't, then you will want to go back and start at the Shimmerz blog to go in the correct blog hop order. 

My Shimmerz birthday project is a cupcake box made with a template from The Digichick Boutique.  I apologize that you can't see the Pink Shimmerz on the top of the cake.  It's been raining for days here and I haven't been able to get a decent photo - sigh.

Many of the team will be offering blog candy along the way, in addition to the grand prize on the Shimmerz blog.  All those who leave a comment here will be entered into a drawing to win this current Stampin' Up! stamp set - isn't it adorable?  The deadline to win is Friday, June 19 at midnight.

Okay, so your secret word from me is:

HAPPY

Now I am going to send you over to Amber Kroening's blog to find your next word.

You have until Friday, June 19 to complete the blog hop, but remember to be eligible for the grand prize you need to leave a comment at every blog on the hop.  Good luck!

Wedding & Color Challenge

I made this card late tonight and I'm really not sure I like it.  It's certainly not like the cards I usually make... I'll see how I feel about it in the morning.  I made it for this week's Raspberry Suite Color Challenge (below) and the Pink Elephant wedding card challenge.  Yes, a green and black wedding card is a bit unusual!

BTW, I forgot to mention that I won the Pink Elephant challenge last week - I was flabbergasted because it's the first time I'd entered.  You can see the card here.  Enough horn tooting....

All the supplies for this card came from a Studio Calico kit called Iconic that I purchased last Fall.  I love their kits, but because I'm not a big scrapbooker, I don't get through them quick enough.  The individual supplies are listed below, but I have to mention these gorgeous clear embellishments from Heidi Swapp called Clear Extras.  This set called Runway has some great butterflies and flowers that I'm itching to use.  I attached them with black brads, so that no adhesive would show through.

Come back in the morning when the Shimmerz Design Team will be celebrating Shimmerz birthday in style!

Supplies:

• Paper: Leaf c/stock, Vintage Cream (PTI), KM Building & Norm's News (October Afternoon)
• Ink: Old Olive (SU)
• Accessories: Runway Clear Extras (Heidi Swapp), black brads (American Crafts)
• Tools: Ticket Corner punch (SU)