Inkspirational Challenge #86~Grunge...STAMPlorations 2nd Birthday Blog Hop & Linky Party

Hello and HAPPY 4TH OF JULY to all my friends in the US!  May you have a Saturday filled with celebration and fireworks!

Today, my DT and I are inviting you to Inkspirational Challenge #86~Designer's Choice, as selected by our sweet Sandie ...

Grunge is characterized by distressed, worn-out elements and the use of subtle or earthy colours. Think torn edges, textured backgrounds, 'dirty' appearance, splatters, stains, even hand-drawn lines. That said, grunge doesn't always mean "dirty" or subdued colours. A card can have subtle grunge elements in light or soft ink and yet still look clean and simple. Just think of grunge as the opposite of "polished". 

Please welcome our talented Guest Designer, Ashwini, who has created two amazing grunge-themed cards to inspired and delight.  My DT has a marvelous array of creativity happening as well, so please, drop by to see. *Impressed* guaranteed! 

Marina

Sandie

Shauna

Yvonne

Nonni

 Pia

Kim

My card features some new STAMPlorations stencils and stamps that arrived in my mailbox recently:  Bloom Factory and its companion, Bloom Factory - ARTplorations Stencil. I used the dotted stamp from Mixed Media Grunge  and the sentiment from the recently released,  Party Time sentiments set.  Oh, the joys of being a STAMPlorations stamp club member...all kinds of cool things to welcome int my collection!  

So...simple grunge that I know *you* can do with supplies you have on hand! Showcase your grungy style by joining us in the Inkspirational gallery! The winner will be invited as a Guest Designer n a future challenge.

Also sharing at:

STAMPlorations 2nd Birthday Blog Hop & Linky Party and Anything Goes

Seize the Birthday~Anything Goes

Thanks so much for dropping by; your visit and comments add sparkle to my day!
Hugs,

Tag, You're It Challenge #25...Wishes and Celebrate...The Pink Elephant Challenge #305~Anything Goes, Seize the Birthday~Red, White and Blue, The Male Room #13~Up in the Air (no Birds)

Hello, and welcome to my debut post as a new DT member over at

Call me thrilled.and honoured!

Let's get started, shall we...because if we don't I'll become more giddy and nervous and babble up a storm and probably emit a SQUEAL or ten...

Today, Tag, You're It! Challenge #25 invites you to  draw inspiration from this oh-so-pretty tag by amazing, talented, Erin.

Blue, red, white...whispers of gold...a gorgeous red flower...sponging...a border...the behind-the-sentiment thread loop...Possibilities of all kinds, and to see a few, please be sure to visit my new team-mates - Anja, Donna, Jeanne, Kara Lynne - whose Erin-inspired tags are nothing short of stunning! 

Her tag took me in this direction...

It seemed only fitting that I include a nod to my much loved butterflies on this opening tag.  CB butterflies, a bit of gold script from STAMPlorations grunge set and a W&W die cut, all tied together with sponged Paris Dusk ink and SU Real Red.

Feeling all jazzed up after making that tag, I made a second - for a card - that I'm 'sending' to all my wonderful friends in the US: to wish you:  HAPPY 4TH of JULY!  May your Saturday be filled with "stars" and celebration!

Here's my twosome...

Make a tag or two and join us in the gallery!  The winner will be a GD for a future challenge; I'd love if it were YOU!

My card (which I think has a certain 'guy-ness' about it) is heading over to:

The Male Room #13~Up in the Air (but no birds)

Seize the Birthday~Red, White and Blue

The Pink Elephant Challenge #305~Anything Goes

Thanks so much for dropping by; your visit and comments add sparkle to my day!
Hugs,

Exciting News...Tag You're It!! Design Team

Hello,

Did you hear, earlier in the week, some distant rumbling coming from the Canadian Rockies?  If so, that was me:  thunderously happy dancing and wildly cheering some news that has me over the top ecstatic! Over. the. Top.  I'm proud, thrilled and oh-so humbled to announce that the sweet, wonderful talented Tracy McNeely invited me join the Tag, You're It Design Team!  SQUEAL!!!

I'm delighted to be playing alongside a group of terrific designers...and to find out who they are, just head over to Tag, You're It to see Tracey's announcement!

My first tag, inspired by an incredibly talented *someone*, will be appearing *very* soon...Stay tuned, because I'll be back!!

Tracey: thank you so much for this exponentially exciting opportunity!  To the rest of the team: I'm looking forward to playing alongside you!  Justification for adding more tag dies to my collection: YES! *fist pump*  If you have some 'must have' tags to recommend, just let me know in the comments!

Thanks so much for dropping by; your visit and comments add sparkle to my day!
Hugs,

You're My Little Chickadees...ADdicted to STamps and More #151~Anything Goes, The Pink Elephant #305~Anything Goes, Simon Says Wednesday Challenge~Anything Goes

Hello,

Welcome to Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge #151~Anything Goes, which means quite literally ANYTHING goes.  Cards, projects, tags, canvases...you name it, we want it! 

Please be sure to visit my incredibly creative DT's cards, especially since we have some new designers joining us!  Yayyyyy...You'll love their Anything Goes inspiration! Then, design something for the gallery and come to play.  This week's winner will be the lucky recipient of  a $10 gift certificate from marvelous Shery over at

I'm happy dancing about my cards today because the darling images were blog-comment gifts I was ever so fortunate to win from my wonderfully sweet and incredibly talented friend, who is also now my new ATSM team-mate:  Bobby, from Bits & Pieces!  My prize package, from Bobby's Happy 4 Years Blog-iversary, is exponentially awesome:  The Big, the Bold and Comfort Cutaways (W&W...whose products we know I'm just a 'little bit' smitten by), the Congratulations stamp set from PTI (my first PTI stamps EVER!), and the adorable Technique Tuesday Chickadees!  I know...I'm so incredibly lucky...and blessed!

Making their debut today are...the chickadees! Two cards - one each for my niece and nephew - to 'celebrate' their Happy *Months* Old cards that I try to send out...well, monthly.  Ms. T is 64 months old (just over 5); Mr. C is 40 months old (just over 3). I kept the cards similar, because heaven knows that what one has, the other wants so...consider the similarities a peace-keeping mission. Actually, the 'true story'...those chickadees are so darn cute, I just wanted to make more than one card *grin*  My first attempts (for a grand total of about five tries...happy recycle bin), I tried water-colouring them...yeah..no. Mess.  Then - part two of my true story - I noticed the circles logo on the W&W cutaways Bobby sent...PING!  I have a home-made circle stencil, found that baby and away I went...
Simple, but I think they're rather cutie-patootie.

My first card is for Ms. T...the green bird is Uncle A, pink is Ms. T and blue is yours truly...

My second card is for Mr. C...Uncle A has transformed to orange, I'm sporting purple and Mr. C is our little blue bird.

The duo..

Hope our 'little chickadees' will like their cards...they're in envelopes, ready for mailing

I'm also sharing over at: 

The Pink Elephant Challenge #305~Anything Goes

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge~Anything Goes

Thanks so much for dropping by; your visit and comments add sparkle to my day!

Hugs,

Multifaceted Smile and Hugs...FUSION~Bright Butterfly, Winnie and Walter~Join in to Win

Hello,

Tuesday morning...off to work for a few hours, BUT  holidays are coming closer! Excited!  Hopefully our plans for road trips, bike races, more road trips and more bike races will play out (and not play *us* out!).

A super quick post because the gallery over at FUSION~Bright Butterfly will be closing soon.

Here's my first card, playing with the colours of this inspiration photo as my background...

And my second...same thing...

Nothing particularly fancy-dancy about either one, except more affirmation that, yes siree...I'm loving that Multifaceted Cover die *grin*! Heading off to Winnie & Walter Join in to Win.

Thanks so much for dropping by; your visit and comments add sparkle to my day!

Hugs, 

Papa's a Star and Birthday Wishes...Tag You're It! Challenge #24, Winnie and Walter Rerun~Parentville Extras, The Pink Elephant #305~Anything Goes

Hello,

Today, June 30th,  marks six months since my dad passed away.  Six months...and not a day goes by that I don't miss him...that my entire family doesn't miss him.  I haven't yet steeled myself to create an album of all the beautiful cards and messages I received from so many wonderful people in this community, but I will...when I'm ready.  Apparently, though, a whisper of  'readiness' to create "something" happened over the weekend, in that I made a card for him...or rather, it sort of 'made itself.'

Planets, stars, the vast universe: those caught my dad's interest. I remember him showing us, as we were growing up, where various constellations and planets could be found in the night sky. I even have snippets of memory of late night ventures in the car, driving away from city lights into the countryside to see significant star and planet events. I know he shared bits and pieces of 'starry' delights with my niece and nephew...and so, it was only fitting that, when he left us, we told them that "Papa is a star."  They accept this as true...and I love that they do.

My card didn't start with a 'plan', as such. I knew I wanted to play with Winnie and Walter Rerun~Parentville Extras., because I had a brand new set awaiting attention.

When the challenge launched, though, my ideas were slow in sparking. In time, Anja's
 gorgeous tag/card combination at Tag You're It! Challenge #24 appeared.  Her use of kraft, the water-coloured tag edge, the single focal image, the white die cut...ideas began to gel...

Yesterday, I noticed a couple of embossed stars from True remaining from my Spotlight On projects, so I set about colouring them. I paired them with the sweet tag from Essentials: Katharine Cutaways, placed them on a panel of kraft cardstock, embossed with my new Multifaceted Cover die  ...and this is what happened...

Yes, Papa's a Star...sighhhh.  I'll never be able to give this to him, but I'm hoping that, looking down from the heavens, he's wearing a smile. When I make my album, I'll include this, just because...

Anyway *deep breath*, I decided to make another card, this time with my birthday embossing folder (a gift from my sweet and phenomenally talented friend, Kim), a CB butterfly, some dots from STAMPlorations and, of course, a W&W die cut...

Both cards are heading to yet another one of my favourite challenges (that I haven't had a chance to play in recently! That's going to change immediately *grin*) The Pink Elephant Challenge #305~Anything Goes

Thanks so much for dropping by; your visit and comments add sparkle to my day!
Hugs,

Welcome to the ATSM July-December 2015 DT...Winnie &Walter...Gayatri Inspired Card and Join in to Win, Simon Says Wednesday Challenge~Anything Goes, AAA Cards #44~Paste and/or Stencils, Tuesday Throwdown #250~Stenciling

Hello!

Today, a very special post to WELCOME the new DT members over at Addicted to Stamps and More! I'm going to miss those who are leaving: Lee-Anne, Sarah, Sue, Tenia & Karen.  Your gifts of creativity and warm support have touched me deeply; you've given me tremendous encouragement to 'carry on' in this sport of ours! On the plus side: I know where to find you in blog land and I'll definitely be visiting! Wishing you the best of luck on wherever your crafting journeys lead!

To the new members: what an honour to be playing alongside you as a member of this team! I look forward to the inspiration you'll be sharing with all of us!

I have, for you today, a welcome card that was inspired by the beautiful cards over at Winnie & Walter, designed by the marvelously creative Gayatri:

Now, the 'purpose' of her cards was to showcase some fabulous stenciling techniques, as you can see in her diagonal and horizontal stenciled lines. Stunning, yes?

Well, I don't have any W&W stripe stencils or small floral stamp images BUT was that going to stop me from being sparked by her inspiration?  No sirreee! So...I adapted..

Obviously, I didn't play with her stamping in the stencil and adding black lines technique to the full (alright..I didn't at all!) but I did use a stencil (made with my brand-spanking new Multifaceted Cover Die), the yellow/pink combination (yummy) and  black 'outlining'.  Gayatri's cards have a 'light, airy' feel to them, which I also tried to mirror. Even though I strayed somewhat a lot, I'm pleased with the result. I hope you, my new team-mates, will like this  'virtual' welcome card!  THANK YOU to Gayatri for the inspiration and yep...adding some W&W stencils/masks to my shopping list. That technique is too fabulous not to try 'for real'!

My card is heading to the following galleries:

Tuesday Throwdown #250~Stencilling

AAA Cards #42~Paste/Stencil

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge~Anything Goes

Winnie and Walter - lined to Gayatri's post as well as to Join in to Win

Thank you so much for dropping by; your visit and comments add sparkle to my day.\!
Hugs,