April Monthly Smeared Ink Blog Hop | Decorate an Egg

Good Morning Smeared and Smudged Family! Today I'm participating with the Smeared & Smudged members in a fun egg-themed blog hop! We had to STAMP on an egg! SO FUN! You know I love decorating eggs...with tangles or decoupage or paint! I pierced the top and bottom of the egg and blew it out so my art would last--one time people got upset when I boiled the eggs first, decorated them, photographed them and then cracked and peeled them for egg salad! sometimes art is temporary!

I began by using Radiant Rains from ColourArte and misting my egg to get this lovely pink and green background. [it looks more pink than green in the photos!] I set this aside to dry. The radiant rains have a LOT of sparkle! Next I stamped my new little bird on some tissue with Archival ink and then painted my bird with the yummy Twinkling H2Os from ColorArte! When he was dry I trimmed him out and with Beacon Quick Finish Decoupage I glued him onto the egg. Once dry I added small flowers from Cheery Lynns Tiny Flower set and added yellow Prills for the centers. I misted with the pearl Radiant Rain to finish off the egg!

I wish you could see it in real life...it's so sparkly! 

Thank you for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed my project!

Be sure to hop to the rest of the Blog Hop Smeared Ink Family!

April Member Blog Hop

 Leigh | Nan  | Leslie Rahye | Susan R. | Jane | Kristy | | Ike 

Twitter at @leslierahye | Facebook at leslierahye.| YouTube at leslierahye | Pinterest at leslierahye

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Weekly Challenge| New Release and Punchies/Dies

Welcome to another Delightful Challenges weekly challenge...this week we're creating projects with Wendy's new stamp release!!! These stamps are just precious!! I could not stop creating! 

For my Design Team Challenge I created with Luvvy Bear with his Balloons! Such a sweet stamp. I also used the new Sweetheart Paper pack to paperpiece his ears, feet and belly and the balloons. For a final embellishment to meet the demands of the challenge, I punched some sweet little flowers out of the dotty paper in the Sweetheart Paper Pack and stamped with my eraser the centers of the flowers. Love this little bear! These new stamps and papers can be found at Digital Delights by Louby Loo! I hope you enjoy my cards

For this card:
Digital Stamps: Luvvy Bear with his Balloons
Digital Papers: Sweetheart Digital Paper Pack
Markers: BIC Mark-Its

Accessories: Sakura 3d Crystal Lacquer and SU boho flowers punch, foam tape.

For this card I used Cuddle Bunny from the new release and printed it out on the digital papers [using the PNG format of the stamp]. I paper pieced the image together making the various shapes the different patterns of paper. I accented my bunny with a punched flower in her ear.  Thank you for looking!

For this card:

Digital Stamps: Cuddle Bunny
Digital Papers: Sweetheart Digital Paper Pack
Accessories : Foam Tape, Sakura 3D Crystal Lacquer, SU Boho Flower Punch

This weeks challenge we would love to see

Punches and Dies

Are you ready for a terrific new release?!?!!!!

You are not required to use a Digital Delights Image to join in on the fun but if you do you can enter TWICE
To enter twice you when using a Digital Delight image your 1st entry use your card link 2nd entry use your blog address and add 2nd entry after your name
We have a wonderful Sponsor this week

Cutting Cafe is offering 3 sets from there store

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leslierahye's steampunk blog hop | Steampunk Halloween Tag

Welcome to MY Steampunk Blog Hop!! I can't tell you how honored and humbled I am to be a part of this hop with such wonderful talented crafters!! By now you've learned a little about Steampunk, seen some amazing projects by both experienced and novice steampunk crafters. I think all projects were amazing and I'm inspired by each crafter! 

I have two give-aways today. One is these amazing digital images and paper that my friend Vince created! He is a talented digital artist and I just love his work. You can see his amazing cards and beautiful F R E E digital images on his blog, Crafty Moments! Please go by and show him some love! Amazing work and such a generous heart! Thank you Vince for providing this awesome giveaway to EVERYONE who stops by! 

To download the image simply click on the image. It will open in another window. Right click on the image in that window and select save as. This will allow you to save the image in your download folder or other folder of your choosing.  Below enjoy the fun Steampunk Halloween card I made using Vince colored ghost and ghostly background!

For this card I printed a 3×4" rectangle of the striped paper and a colored ghosty. I also printed a steampunk font in small caps to say Happy Hauting. I matted my striped paper with some Bazzill Basics brown card stock. I embellished my card with fun brads and findings that I had in my stash from Stampin Up and Karen Foster. Plaid Gleams and Ranger Perfect pearls was added to the tags edges and cane to tone then items to a more cohesive look. Finally I ran black velvet ribbon and black lace through the hanger. I hope you enjoy my ghostly greeting and Vince's amazing digital images!

I will have one more post later in the day along with an announcement of another give away! Be sure to leave comments at each post listed below to be entered in the drawing later today!

Thank you for stopping by!

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A Holiday Challenge Announcement and an AJ's Digi Shoppe Holiday Card!

As many of my friends know, I start thinking about the holidays in July and August. I have an annual tradition of getting prepared for my families holidays by working through The Holiday Grand Plan over at OrganizedHome.com. Each year I've included more and more handmade items in my gift giving list. Last year I was pleased to say that all gifts from me were handmade. This year I am challenging all of you to do likewise! We're going to have a challenge starting the 25th of July!! On the 25th of each month through November, I am going to post the monthly blog post where you can link up and share the handmade gift items that you are making for family and friends. You may enter as many times as you like for the month as long as each link is a different gift item. Full rules will be listed on the post on the 25th along with a badge to put on your blogs!

Since we're thinking about the holidays....I want to share with you this fun holiday card I made using an AJ's Digi Shoppe design from the My Little Brother collection! Hop on over to AJ's Digi Shoppe Blog to check out my card and how to make it! Thank you for looking! I hope you enjoyed the card!

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Festive Friday #13 | Blingy Snow Friends

It's time for the Festive Friday Blog Hop hosted by Terri Sproul again. This bi-monthly blog hop features Holiday cards from many talented card crafters as we get our Christmas cards ready early this year.

If you reached this stop from Becky's blog BC Designs , then you are in the right spot! If you would like to start from the beginning, you can return to Terri's blog.

For this card I used several of my favorite elements, stamps, markers, ink, and BLING. The background cardstock was stamped with Stampin up snowflakes in White Craft Stampin Up ink. The Snow friend was stamped Ranger Archival Ink and colored with Stampin Up Stamp and Write Markers. The circle was edged with Tumbled Glass Distres ink and the sky was stippled with the same. The Snow friends sentiment was colored with Stamp and Write Markers as well. The Snow Friends Sentiment and image was a Close to my Heart Set. The bling was a pre-made swirl that is super easy to apply. The snowflakes and ground on the circle were highlighted with prismaglitter applied with quickie glue pen!

I hope you enjoyed my card! Thank you for stopping by!

The next stop on the hop is Laura Fisher's blog. If you get lost on the way, the entire list is on the right hand side of the blog under Festive Friday Blog Hop!

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Design Team Announcement | Happy Birthday USA Card

It is my extreme honor to announce my role on the AJs Digi Shoppe Design Team! My friend Amanda Marks has designed a wonderful set of digital stamps and I am so proud to join her team on its maiden voyage! Congrats Manda! I'm excited for you!


Today I'm using one of my favorite sets: Patriotic Ducks! This set includes the 3 duck images you see on my card and the fireworks bursts. The Happy Birthday Sentiment is one of several free images Amanda has available here.

DIGITAL STAMPS USED : Happy Birthday USA Sentiment and Patriotic Ducks Set

CARDSTOCK : Bazzill Basics

MARKERS: Stampin' Up Stampin Write Markers & Blending pens

ACCESSORIES: Crystal Bling and popdots

Thank you for stopping by! I hope you enjoy my card!

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Weekly Challenge | Anything Goes!!!

Thank you all for joining us.

For this week's challenge we want to see Anything Goes!!! anything?!?! yes, ANYTHING!!! This is probably my favorite challenge because it allowed me to explore some of my favorite standbys and play with my new toys from convention as well!! I chose to use the Under the Sea Set at Digital Delights by Louby Loo--I love this set as it has so many elements [see the watermarked example below]

the complete Under the Sea Digital Stamp Set

detail showing the Muddpuddles in Malibu Beach Sand and Sea Glass

ALL DDSTAMPS USED: Under the Sea Set

CS AND PAPERS: Stampin UpINK: Distress Ink (Tumbled Glass)MARKERS (if any): Stampin Up Stampin' WriteACCESS. AND EMBELLISHMENTS: MuddPuddles, Recollections Bling, Homemade Glimmer MistSPECIAL TECHNIQUES (if any): GIMP background

Thank you for stopping by to check out my card!

You do not have to use a Digital Delights image to play but if you do you will receive two entries.

Just add your card twice to inlinkz

to enter twice you need to when you use a Digital Delights image

1st entry use your card link,

2nd entry use your blog address and add 2nd entry after your name

We have a wonderful sponsor this week

Cut N Paste Memories

is offering a $20 gift certificate

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Weekly Challenge | Easter

Barnaby Bunny Topper Card

ALL DDSTAMPS USED: Barnaby Bunny Topper, Happy Easter Sentiment                

CS AND PAPERS: Bazzill Basics, Easter Kids Digi Paper Pack
INK:  SU Classic Pirouette Pink
MARKERS (if any): BIC Mark-It's
ACCESS. AND EMBELLISHMENTS: Ribbon, Bling, pompom, Diamond Glaze, Foam Tape
SPECIAL TECHNIQUES (if any): GIMP software to add sentiment to topper, 3D layering with foam tape

Since Easter is just around the corner, Delightful Challenges just had to make this week's theme all about ....

EASTER

You do not have to use a Digital Delights image to play but if you do you will receive two entries.

Just add your card twice to inlinkz at the Delightful Challenges Blog

to enter twice you need to when you use a Digital Delight image

1st entry use your card link,

2nd entry use your blog address and add 2nd entry after your name

We have a wonderful sponsor this week,

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Invitations for the Crafty Birthday Girl | Sam's 5th Birthday

This weekend is my daughter's 5th birthday party and she decided she needed a Crafty Party. There will be lots of crafts for her friends to do. Her daddy is making her a special crafting table and some of her favorite crafts have been collected for her birthday celebration! She had creative control of how her birthday card came together and she was quite pleased with the final result. I will be adding a scribd document here next week with complete instructions on making the cuts and folds on this card and possibly a video that will show how it can be modified for other shapes.

Front of Birthday invite closed

The card features Bazzill Basics and DieCuts With a View Cardstock and Miss Elizabeth pattern Paper. The paper doll is a Sizzix die as are the accessories [clothes, shoes, hair] The heart punch is Stampin up and the Swiss Dots texture is from a Provocraft emboss folder. The font for the card is called US and is free on DaFont.com. At her request, I wrote in hand "i love crafts" all the way around the cover of the card. The face was hand-drawn using the same Micron Pen and accented with brown marker and pink ink on an eraser for cheeks!


Birthday card opened and lying flat



Card upright to see the special fold out

Thank you for looking! I hope you enjoy! Check back for links to video tutorial and scribd download!

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Weekly Challenge | Pastels/Butterflies & Digi Day at SNR

Today is a wonderful day at Digital Delights by Louby Loo! Not only do we have a FABULOUS new challenge at Delightful Challenges, but it is also DIGI DAY at Scrapbook News and Review!! So, for you I have 2 cards today!! I hope you enjoy what you see!


For this weeks challenge at Delightful Challenges, you are to use Pastels and Butterflies! I chose to use the adorable Fairy and created a mushrooms with Stampin' Up's owl punch! The Butterflies are diecut from the Embossing Sizzlet from Stampin up. The beautiful Plaid Paper is from Digital Delights~~Easter Fun Paper Pack!

Weekly Challenge: Delightful Challenges~~Fairy Flutterby Wishes Card

ALL DDSTAMPS USED: Fairy, Circle Sentiments Set

CS AND PAPERS: Easter Fun Paper Pack, Bazzill Basics Cardstock, Coredinations Whitewash Stack
MARKERS (if any): Sharpie
ACCESS. AND EMBELLISHMENTS: Sizzix Embossed Butterflies and Grass Dies, Provocraft Emboss Folder, Stampin Up owl Punch [mushroom], Glitter Pen, Quickie Glue and Ultrafine Glitter, Foam Tape, ZipDry Glue
COLORING MEDIUM (if any): Chalks

Check out the wonderful designs from the DT.

This weeks challenge over at Delightful Challenges is sponsored by The Cutting Cafe and you could win a wonderful prize

For Digi Day, Wendy has created this CUTE Shamrock Bongo Digi for you to use FREE. You can create a card or scrapbook page with Bongo and post your creation for inspiration in the SNR Group! Head on over and join our group so you can be ready to join in the fun and games.  We would love to see you there

Digi Delights Shamrock Bongo St. Patrick's Day Card

ALL DDSTAMPS USED: Shamrock Bongo Digi Day
CS AND PAPERS: DCWV, Bazzill Basics
MARKERS (if any): Stampin'up [grey]
ACCESS. AND EMBELLISHMENTS: Bazzill Basics Brads, Quickie Pen, Prisma Glitter, Perfect Pearls, Buttons Galore Buttons, Hemp string, silkflower, 3D Glue Dots, SU Tab Punch.
COLORING MEDIUM (if any): Prismacolors & Gamsol

Thank you for looking!! I hope you enjoyed my cards!

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Operation Write Home's Bunny Hop Blog Hop

Welcome to the Operation Write Home's Bunny Hop Blog Hop! I am so honored to be part of this organization's wonderful hop! There are 135 stops in hop--if you came here from Kelly's You and your Big Dreams, you are in the right place. If you would like to start from the beginning, go here.

Operation Write Home is an amazing organization and helps connect soldiers with home in many ways. One of my favorite ways to connect is by using the printables for young people to color and to write letters and notes to the soldiers abroad. Here you can download and print off writing color pages that children [or adults] can write letters of appreciation to their soldier heroes. I use these mainly with the cubscouts in our Pack. The boys love coloring the images and writing letters to their heroes.

Below I have made 2 spring themed cards! I hope you enjoy them as much as I have enjoyed making them!

Bloom & Grow Spring Card

 Bloom & Grow Spring Card:
Paper:  Basic Grey Cardstock and Green at Heart Kit and Paper Pad.
Tools: Big Shot Express and Cuttlebug Texure Folder, Stampin Up Owl Punch
Embellishments: Flower petals, brads, 3D Glue Dots

Think Spring Card

  

Think Spring Card:
Paper:  Basic Grey Cardstock and Green at Heart Kit and Paper Pad.
Tools: EK Success Circle Punches, House Mouse Stamp, Circle Sentiments Digi Stamp by Digital Delights by LoubyLoo.
Embellishments: Basic Grey Bling, 3D Glue Dots
Coloring Technique: Chalk


To continue on your blog-hop-way, hop on over to Sharon's Desert Rose Stamper!

Blog Candy!!

Today I am offering a $10 Gift Certificate to cutnpastememories.com online store! They offer all of the amazing products that I used today and are a great store for all your needs!

How to enter for the drawing:
1. Leave a comment below with your email address.
2. Become a fan if you are not already by following me!

I will draw on Monday using Random.org and post and email the winner! Thank you so much for looking and commenting! It really makes my day!

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You Had Me at M♥♥!



You Had Me at Moo with digitaldelightsbyloubyloo



This Friday Freebie Digital Delights by LoubyLoo digital stamp made me smile when I saw it. I knew I had to use it in a card! I printed off several of the same digital stamp on my HP Inkjet Printer. I trimmed out one to a 3×3" card and colored it in with my BIC Markers. I then colored a few elements that I wanted to add dimension to and cut them out [the ears, hair tuft, hooves and nose]. I made the parts dimensional with 3M foam tape.

I used the Stampin' Up Classic Ink Soft Suede to distress the edge of the cardstock base and the sign that Claudia Cow Topper holds. I wrote the sentiment with BIC markers and added Stampin' Up punched hearts for accent and for the Os in M♥♥. The Claudia base was matted on red Bazzill cardstock. Pen-stitching and dotting was added with a glitter pen, white pen and red BIC marker.

For the inside of the card, I cut a thin strip of white distressed with Soft Suede, matted to red Bazzill. I added another Stampin' Up heart punchie and added the sentiment "Happy Valentine's Day!" This element was added to the bottom part of the inside of the card leaving room for a sweet message for your Valentine!

Thank you for looking!

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KinderStampo's January Tag Swap | Wishing You a Peachy Birthday!

Jess at KinderStampo.com has a monthly Tag Swap Challenge and beginning in December, each themed challenge has a guest swapper from a particular company. This months challenge guest swapper is the Peachy Queen, Kathy.
For my birthday inspired tag, I used Outlines Rubberstamp Co. Package stamp, Basic Grey 6×6 paper stack, Bazzill Basics and Stampin' Up cardstock. After stamping the image onto Basic Grey papers, I used quickie glue and Pearl Ex to add some silver sparkle to the packages. I created real ribbons and beaded wires for the package trim. I built up the packages with foam tape to add dimension to them.
The built up packages were placed on a lime green Bazzill cardstock that had been embossed with a provocraft emboss folder and smeared with Pink Pirouette Ink. The pink cardstock was punched on the side with a Martha Steward Deep Punch to create the scalloped lattice. The tag was layered and topped with a SU tab punch and pink brads. One last element was the Buttons Galore Buttons stacked and connected with wire and beads and glued onto the tag with Beacon's all-purpose craft glue. Thank you for looking! I hope you enjoy!

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House Mouse Happy Birthday

Birthday card

House Mouse is probably one of my favorite stamp companies and I love this stamp with the daisies. This was a Birthday Card that I created for my boss Dedra for her 50th birthday. She loves flowers and this stamp just looked like her.
The card stock is Die Cuts With a View Birthday MatStack and Bazzill Basics and Bazzill Bling. I colored the image with prismacolor pencils and used Gamsol to blend in the colors. I used a Stampin' Up punch to create the border edge and a TimHoltz Texture Fades folder to create the embossed mat. The brads are Queen & Co.
Thank you for looking!

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Warm Wishes!

As we get some chilly weather here in Texas, it reminds me of a cute snowman tag I did back in December for my papercrafty pal Kinder Stampo's Tag Swap the theme was "Wishing you a pink winter wonderland."

This 3½" wide tag is acryllic embossed with Stampin' Up's Northern Flury Textured Impressions Embossing folder on the Sizzix Big Shot Express. The cardstock is Bazzill Bling, and white with some Die Cuts With a View Embedded Glitter Paper. The brads were also Bazzill. The nameplate diecut was a Sizzix Die. The punches were various Marvy and EK Success Punches in my collection. The fibers and ribbon were miscellaneous finds at local discount and craft stores. The beads were from Fire Mountain Gems and Crazy Crow. The Turquoise ink--Bic. Adhesive was Xyron 250 and Zip Dry! Both are great for adhering paper to acryllic. Thank you for looking!

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Decorated Paint Can--Winter Wonderland

Mission: Create a Decorative Paint Can for kids at the carnival to place tickets in. The class that has the most tickets at the end wins a festive lunch!
Provisions: 1 empty paint can
Theme: Winter Wonderland
Supplies:
Bazzill Bling: Puppy Love
Adhesives:  Craft Glue, Zots 3D Glue Dots, Therm O Webb Double-Sided Super Tape in 1" and 1/4"
Ribbon: Offray grosgrain
other: MS Circle Cutter, SU Boho Flowers Punch, Cuttlebug Snow Emboss folder, Ek Success 1" Circle Punch.

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Turkey Napkin Rings

directions to follow...

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