Expectabella

Hi Stampers!

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a wonderful Easter weekend and had a chance to spend some time with family. We just had a small dinner - well not small - we had tons of food - but just a small gathering of our family and we brought Grandma over to eat dinner since she was feeling up to getting out and about :) I will share a few pictures of Grandma with you on my post tomorrow once I get them uploaded.

Today to start our week off we have the super talented Olivia sharing some inspiration with you today!

Olivia used the Expectabella stamp from Stamping Bella. I have to admit I was super bummed to see many of their designs from this line discounted quite a bit like the images are retiring - not all but quite a few. This is one of the very first lines that I started "collecting" when I discovered other stamping companies outside of Stampin' Up! - LOL. I have almost all the bellas in my personal collection and every time I would buy them when they would arrive I would giggle at the names. I would tell my husband all about the characters and the funny names and giggle and he looked at me like I had gone crazy - LOL! Oh well...only my fellow stamp addicts would understand :D

I really love how Olivia paper pieced part of her outfit and colored the rest with her copic markers! Olivia is the paper piecing master on our Design team! She always does it so perfectly! I love the layout that she chose and the gorgeous purples! Those pretty designer papers are from the Echo Park Springtime Collection. Super adorable!

Well I had better get some crafty things done so I can get working on the challenge post for tonight :) You still have a few hours left to play in our Easter Challenge so be sure and get those projects in!

Also in case you missed it yesterday...we changed the format of our Sensational Sunday Inspirations and are now doing it as a blog hop so you can see the projects in more detail and see how the Design Team members came up with their gorgeous projects! We have hidden a prize along the way so be sure to play along! you can start the Hop right here :)

Have a wonderful day!
Happy Stampin!
Laura

A Cute Little "Peep-Squeak"

Hi Stampers!

Sorry I didn't get to post yesterday. I had a work meeting as soon as I got up and then had to review medical calls until about 12:30 this morning so it was a super long day! I will share Ceal's adorable card on our Sunday Inspirations post on Sunday.

Hopefully you have an amazing weekend planned! Mine will be filled with loads of paperwork as I am still trying to get everything ready for the accountant for taxes. I vow to have it done by Sunday so I can focus on way more fun things than that - LOL! I have to work night shifts all weekend and then my Grandma is having her surgery on the 12th to have a mastectomy. So it will be a long, crazy week I am afraid!

Today is Friday which around here is a Holly-day! What better way to kick off the weekend than to see a sweet and adorable creation from Holly! I think today's card is super super cute!!

Now how CUTE is this little Girl and her Peep?? Holly did such a cute job paper piecing this image and I totally love how she made the cute little Peep match!! This stamp set is called One of My Favorite Peeps from My Favorite Things. That cute little matching Peep and the ribbon die cut were created with the Woven Basket Die-Namics set that has this cute little Peep Die in it!! I totally think it is the cutest! Holly created her layers by using the Fishtail Flag Stax Die-Namics sets 1 and 2, as well as the Circle Stax sets 1 and 2. The awesome thing about these sets is they all nest together so you get a TON of options for sizes and layered mats...and it is quick and easy because your lines will be straight and perfect with a die versus trying to cut them with your cutter. Especially if you cut like me :D Thank goodness for distressed edges - LOL - they are my saving grace - LOL!!

Holly colored this cutie with copic markers after stamping her in Memento Tuxedo Black Ink. We are just starting to stock copics with plans to add more!! Super excited about that!!

Well I better get back to working on tax paperwork...I have been horrible with my internet ADD today!  I need to take a brain break from paperwork so I keep thinking of all this stuff I need to look up and then get stuck on pinterest for awhile and before you know it...an hour is gone - LOL! Time for me to buckle down - LOL!

Have a wonderful evening and thanks for stopping by today!
Laura

Happy New Year's Eve!

Hi Stampers!

Happy New Year's Eve! If you are all venturing out please be safe! We have a fun night planned at home! We will be playing a game called Qwelf with the kids where you have to do silly things. It can be quite entertaining! I am also getting ready to make some homemade nacho dip and little smokies with BBQ sauce for snacks. I am going to make the kids homemade strawberry & pina colada daiquiris (non-alcoholic of course) that you twist together so they have a fun drink to try. I looked online and found a drink that I want to try called Ocean Drive that sounded super yummy with coconut rum, blue curacao, pineapple, orange & cranberry juice. I am not a champagne drinker so that will be what I toast with :)

Here is today's adorable inspiration piece from Olivia...

This is absolutely the cutest! I love the paper piecing that Olivia did on her Greeting Farm Cutie - Cheeky Geeky! What a cute layout and that ribbon is so pretty too!

Have a wonderful & safe evening all!
Laura

Believe... Or Else!

Hi Stampers!

Happy Wednesday! Today I will be sharing with you my Design Team Project for The Cutting Cafe! This week we were using one of Regina's adorable word shaped card files that are PERFECT for the Christmas Holiday Season! She has quite a few that you can choose from too. I chose to use the Believe Word Shaped Card File for my project.

I knew when I saw this card that I wanted to pair it with a Santa and have a little fun with it :)
The Santa image is one of my favorite images from Whipper Snapper that I have had for quite a few years! My little Rudolph Peeker is a paper piecing that I did. The Scroll and the Coal Bucket are from the stamp set Dear Santa from Flourishes. I thought it turned out pretty cute and makes me giggle :)

I am also super excited because Regina is keeping me around for another session with the Design Team!! YAY!!! I really love working with Regina and her awesome files and all of the super talented ladies that Regina has on her Design Team!

Be sure to visit The Cutting Cafe Blog this afternoon and see all of the adorable cards created using different Christmas themed word cards! Regina always has the chance to win an amazing prize package and sometimes some deals that you don't want to miss out on!

Have a wonderful day!
Laura

I will be entering this in the following challenges:

Bearly Mine - Challenge #64 Santa is on His Way
Deep Ocean Challenge Blog - Challenge #40 So This is Christmas
Everybody-Art-Challenge - #216 Christmas
Ribbon Carousel Challenge - RCC75 - Holiday Spirit
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
The Stamping Boutique - #61 Holiday Cards
Shopping Our Stash - #80 Winter Holiday or Snow/Winter Theme
Top Tip Tuesday - #91 - Christmas
Holly Jolly Christmas Challenge - Christmas Bingo Challenge - Reindeer, Free Space, Ribbon
Love To Create - Holiday Cheer
Tammy's Scrapin Corner - #39 Anything Christmas

A Little PERK ME Up!

Good Afternoon Stampers!

Well I only got a few of the new C.C. Designs stamps listed last night...only 17 more new C.C. stamps and cutters dies to go... but who is counting :)  I promise the rest will be listed tonight and then the Preorders will start getting added while we are waiting for more shipments to arrive. We have some more Kraftin Kimmie Stamps and Wild Rose Studio stamps on the way. The other Greeting Farm stamps came yesterday and those are updated in the store too! I will be back to listing as soon as I get some customer orders packed and shipped!

Ready for a cute Perk Me Up on this fabulous Friday....well wait no more

This is my favorite Peep Collection stamp from Stamping Bella called Perk Me Up Peeps! This cutie was created by our design team member Holly Flores - KopyKat Creations. Holly did a BEAUTIFUL job paper piecing the image using Summers End Designer paper by Fancypantsdesign. She added some glossy accents to the hearts and colored the peeps with copics. Holly stuck with this week's challenge inspiration theme to be inspired by this gorgeous photo from the House of Turquoise...

I think she captured those colors and textures PERFECTLY! Be sure to come play along with us in this week's challenge! We would all LOVE To see how you are inspired by this photo...and one lucky winner will win a $25.00 shopping spree to our store! Gotta love that!

Have a wonderful day all!
Laura

Sunflower Cutie

Happy Friday Everyone!

Are you ready for some Friday cuteness? Today is when we showcase an inspirational design from our newest design team member, Holly Flores!

Holly used the super cute Birgitta from C.C. Designs. She is holding a little sunflower which are one of my favorite flowers. I love the rich, warm colors that Holly used in her background paper. Holly kept to this week's challenge theme of paper piecing! I hope you love this card as much as I did and will try this fun technique!

Have a wonderful day!
Laura

Ima Butterfly

Good Morning All!

Hope that your day is going well so far. Mine has been one of those days where if something can go wrong it will. But things can only get better...right? LOL - I hope anyway!

One thing that is definately a better part of this Tuesday is that we have a brand new Loves Rubberstamps Blog Challenge! This week the challenge is Paper Piecing and you are to create a card that features this technique with your stamped image.

Here is my inspirational design for this week's challenge.




I used the adorable Swiss Pixie - Ima Butterfly from C.C. Designs. I colored most of my image using Spectrum Noir Alcohol Ink Markers on the Crafter's Companion Ultra Smooth Premium White cardstock for alcohol markers. I did the skin parts of my image with prismacolor pencils and gamsol. I paper pieced the dress and boots using a couple of patterns from the Melissa Frances Paper Pack called Kitschy Kitchen. My little "Mwah" sentiment is from the Flourishes stamp set called Apple of My Eye.

I added a hand scrunched ribbon in between the two left layers which was this this week's Technique Challenge at Splitcoaststampers. I had seen this done quite a bit but had never really tried it. Very quick and easy and I love how it looks :)

My black butterfly circle is made using the Spellbinders Nestabilities - Butterflies Circles. I used some of the baby butterfly pop outs on my blue colored designer paper. I added dazzling diamonds to the inside of her wings which you can kind of see in this close up...

My card layout is from this week's Mojo Monday Sketch # 251. I ended up flipping the sides that the panels were on so I could place my ribbon between the two on the left side.

Hope you will play along with us this week! Thanks for stopping by!

Challenges that I am entering this card into:

Mojo Monday - Sketch Challenge 251
Love To Create Challenge - Spots N Dots
Colour Me Creative Challenge - Anything Goes With a Girly Twist

Thanks for stopping by!

Laura

My Sunday Shares - Favorite Blog Finds

Good Morning Everyone!

I have a super special treat for you today! As I have mentioned before, I am restructing this blog to be an inspiration blog for the many products we carry in the store. I have been busy coming up with ideas on providing the best inspiration for you and one of them is called My Sunday Shares. Every Sunday I am going to post (with the artist's permission) my favorite blog finds created using products from companies that we carry in our store. I will also post direct links to the artist's blog posts that talk about the project shown. So here is my first Sunday Shares favorite finds...

I would normally have multiple artists showcased but after you see my first "favorite" artist's work you will see why I am sharing just her projects today! I started coming across Mariska van der Veer's AMAZING projects when I added Whimsy Stamps to our product line. She is one of their very talented design team members. I started seeing more of her work and became even more "in awe" of her talent because not only is she on the design team for Whimsy stamps but also C.C. Designs and is a guest designer for Pink Cat Studios, both companies we also carry!

If you have not seen Mariska's work you are in for a treat! I love paper piecing and the way it can really make a stamp image "pop" so it looks 3D and Mariska is THE BEST at this technique! Check out this altered cigar box that she made using a Bildmalarna Stamp called Mimosa Is Coming...

Here is a Close Up:

Check out her blog post that shows all the itsy bitsy pieces that she used to create this awesome 3D image!

See what I mean about her being the best! A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! Every time I see one of her creations all I can saw is WOW! Then I see all the little bits that make up her image and am just in awe at her attention to detail and the hours it must take to create each image. Mariska was kind enough to tell me that I could share any of my favorite projects she has made with you so here are some more.

This was the first project of her's I saw that caught my eye. She used the Silver Fairy from the Wee Stamps Collection by Sylvia Zet for Whimsy Stamps

See Mariska's Blog Post for the Silver Fairy Altered Cigar Box

Here is one of her C.C. Designs Cards that was tucked into my favorites :) She uses the new release Umbrella Lula Swiss Pixie

See Mariska's Blog Post for Umbrella Lula

I will share one more of my favorite's because honestly there are many more... I could post her whole blog on here - LOL! This one is a card she created using the new Chloe Stamp from the Little Cottage Cuties designed by Elisabeth Bell for Whimsy Stamps. We just got these in and they will be in the store later today including the two new ones just released! I was super excited because Elisabeth Bell is one of my FAVORITE designers :)

Read how Mariska created this cutie in her blog post!

I know I said that Chloe would be my last "favorite" but I have to show you one more... AMY! I LOVE the way Mariska colored this little cutie and made her 3D looking with all her layers...

Isn't that incredible? You can see how she created her in this blog post.

I hope you enjoyed my favorite finds for this week's Sunday Shares! I would like to extend a special thanks to Mariska for allowing me to share her incredible talent with all of you! Please visit her blog, Sending You a Little Smile and become a follower - besides her amazing creations she has some awesome tutorials on paper piecing to create your own 3D images! I hope this inspired you to try paper piecing your stamp images! If you do please put a comment with a link to your creation - I would LOVE to see it!

Thanks for stopping by! Laura