Thank You...Inkspirational Challenge #134~Photo Inkspiration (Shop Window)

Hello,

Ready for a new challenge? Excellent...and I'm here to deliver! Welcome to Inkspirational Challenge #134~Photo Inkspiration. Isn't this cool?

The background story for this image comes from our own Marina, whose 'photographic lens' caught this fabulous shop front when she was visiting in France last year. Here's a closer look:

Inspiring, indeed!  Actually, I want to know if she wandered inside and came away with an item or four! I see some pretties in that window!

My eye was drawn to the colours - kraft and peach/coral (lower left of the photo - not sure exactly what that item is, all wispy-like...)- the 'texture' of the sidewalk tiles and the 'airness' of the feathers.  Those, combined, lead to this....

I'm loving, loving, loving this Concord & 9th butterfly die...and yes, you'll be seeing it in action again very soon!

Please be sure to head over to the INK blog to see the awesome designs this photo sparked for my team-mates - Marina, Shauna, Sandie, Yvonne, Nonni, Kylie.  An array of WOW awaits you!

Looking forward to how this photo will inspire you! See you in the gallery!


Also sharing at;:

Creatalicious Challenge #114~Anything Goes

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge~A Hint of Pink

Thank you for dropping in today; your visit brings me joy! 

Hello...Tag You're It Challenge #71

Hello,

Welcome to  Tag You're It Challenge #71, where this *month* (details below), we're drawing inspiration from the lovely Spring tulips Hello tag designed by Lindsey M-P,  our Guest Featured Artist  

  

Also joining us is Guest Designer, Marcia Hill - you can see her gorgeous take on Lindsey's tag over on the main blog.

I decided, for this round, to place my tag on a card (hard to see but it is popped up) and the inspiration I drew from Lindsey's tag is quite obvious. Of course, I had to sneak in a wee butterfly!

So, let's chat about the new format, shall we?  Starting with this challenge, Tag You're It is moving to a monthly format. That means:

• you will have at least four weeks to participate,  
• you will still be getting lots of inspiration from our team; every Friday to be exact. Over the course of the month, the entire Tag You're It Design Team will participate (three to four at a time) in every challenge to inspire you. 

We hope that by having a longer time to complete your projects that you can find more time to create! Our Guest Designers will be sharing inspiration with you on the 1st and 3rd week of the challenge.

The new challenge will start on the first Friday of every month and the link up will close on the last Wednesday of the month. The winners post will always be one hour prior to the new challenge each month.

Doesn't this sound like a great plan? Four weeks to create a tag (or several) and join us in the gallery! Looking very much forward to seeing you - and your takes on Lindsey's tag - there!

Thank you for dropping in today; your visit brings me joy! 

Serendipity May Blog Hop (#1) ~ Rollercoaster and Flowers

Hello,

Happy May and a warm welcome to Serendipity Stamps May Blog Hop #1.  And guess what:  Patti's back!  Woo hooooo!  She's been so so so incredibly missed, but not any more! She's returned to dazzle and delight with her marvelous creativity and heart-warming comments!  Excuse me while I engage in yet another round of ecstatic happy dancing!

Okay...restoring calm for a bit now.  Once again, my fantastic DT and I are showcasing some fabulous products that, hopefully, will inspire and delight. Your part is easy: by simply hopping along and leaving comments,  you're in the running for s a $20 gift certificate.  Here's the hop list....

Serendipity Stamps Blog

Patti Kehl

Carol Mayne (you are here)

Karen Amidon

Miriam Napier

Julie Warner

Vickie Zimmer

Marybeth Lopez

Today, I'm sharing three simple cards, easy to create especially for those of you who have other things calling for your attention as the spring months turn into summer....

The first two feature two flowers from Simple Flowers, which is also this month's 50% off Stamp of the Month. They are soooo cute and deserving of performing solo in their little frames on the stage!  Simple Happy Birthday sentiment and ta dahhh...two for the birthday collection!

Roller coaster ride, anyone? Not me...never been on one and have no desire to do so! Yes, I am a scaredy-cat...and proud to be so *grin* A roller coaster stamp, however, is a different story!  My card showcases one of the newer Serendipity additions: Roller Coaster Cling Stamp set, which includes this daring ride and two sentiment phrases.  A 'sunset' background and that was it; another set where I wanted the details to be the highlight of the show....

That's it from me!  Two tasks for you now:
Please head over to Serendipity Stamps Blog for more how-to-win details as well as for some scoops on sales. 

Hop, hop, hop! Next on the list is wonderfully talented Karen Amidon. Enjoy!

Thank you for dropping in today; your visit brings me joy! 

You are Awesome and A Bit of Paradise....Freshly Made Sketch #285, MUSE Challenge #213

Hello,

Taking a quick break from watching hockey (yes, you read that right; my 'home team' Edmonton Oilers are playing the Anaheim Ducks.  Go Oilers!), to share two cards.  Both were inspired by Freshly Made Sketch #285 (slightly adapted) which may well become my 'go to' layout...love it!

The 'second' phase of inspiration for Card 1, comes from MUSE Challenge #213, where we're drawing inspiration from ultra-talented Kay Miller's gorgeous card here:

Brought out my Your Next Stamp unicorn once again and did my best to mirror the 'subtle' background stamping (Serendipity Stamps, Marble Cells) and bright colours (pinks/purples/coral) from Kay's gem....

After that was done, my eyes landed on my Uniko Paradise set...the first time I've inked up Mr. Toucan.  Didn't do such a great job water-colouring his beak, but...in real life, it looks better...and brighter....

Back to watching the tube....hope you're having a wonderful last day of April!

So glad you dropped by; your visit is both welcomed and deeply appreciated!

Butterfly Thanks and Birthday...Cupcake Inspirations Challenge #405~Spring, Pink, Orchid

Hello,

Hope you're having a lovely Spring weekend on this, the last day of April! Where is the year going! Fingers crossed we've made the turn from 'snow and rain' to 'sunshine and flowers'...fingers crossed!

Speaking of flowers...Welcome to Cupcake Inspirations Challenge #405~Spring, Pink, Orchid. Aren't the tantalizing temptations extra lovely?  So pretty...guaranteed to bring tingles to our sweet tooth and the sugar rush would be epic! Yum!

Source

This week's sponsor is The Frantic Stamper, who are offering the Tropical Leaf Panel Die to our randomly chosen winner.
Please check the Cupcake Inspiration blog for more details.

Oh look....butterflies!  Finally inked up my Concord and 9th Butterfly Beauty set. Swoon!  For this one, I used Distress Inks (huff/putt technique prior to stamping)...

and Memento inks for this one. I need a 'greener' green, me thinks, but it's still pretty in real life...

We're fortunate to have a whole slew of designers sharing Spring, Pink and Orchid creations today: Guest Designers from Frantic Stamper as well as my talented team-mates. After seeing the range, you'll be impressed and filled with ideas to design a card/project of your own to bring to the gallery.  See you there!

Also sharing at:

Seize the Birthday~Anything Goes

So glad you dropped by today; your visit is both welcomed and deeply appreciated!

FUSION Challenge~Musical Butterfly

Hello,

A rainy, dreary day today...guess I'll have to craft *grin* Hopefully, you'll have time to do the same, and if so, I have something inspiring for you: the new FUSION Challenge~Musical Butterfly. Isn't the art print gorgeous?  The sketch, user-friendly?  Possibilities, possibilities...

Those of you who have followed me for a while (for which I am sooooo deeply grateful! Thank you!), know my obsession for butterflies. While I "should" have found the photo easy to replicate, no siree...did not! Why? Because as much as I adore butterflies, water-colouring and I are not on the same wave-length, so that meant finding an alternative way to create the background. Second, I thought I had a musical notes stamp in my collection.  Apparently not!  Still, I decided I'd give replicating the image a go....and here's the hot mess that ensued (I can't believe I'm sharing this...it's totally ewwwww!). No justice done to the image or to the wonderful products I used *hangs head in shame*  The ink splatters (made with stamps) are too big; the butterfly too small (I cut an aperture and then nestled in the die cut) and the script stamps used as I did here are...well, let's say...meh. Big meh!  This one has gone into the re-purpose bin!

Back to the drawing board....with this, below, as a result.  Not super happy with it but at least it's a little less 'dramatic'.  I used a splatter stencil for the background, pairing it with CAS-ual Fridays Big Treble sentiment and die....

A tough challenge for me....but if I can do it YOU sure can!  Please head over to see my team-mates' creations for marvelous inspirations; their cards are gorgeous!

Becca Cruger
Betty J
Carol Mayne (me)
Jeanne Jachna
Karren Johnson
Linda Callahan
Lyndal Higgins 
Michelle Leone

Michelle Lupton
Michelle Williams

Looking forward to seeing your designs in the FUSION gallery!

Thank you for dropping by; your visit is both welcomed and deeply appreciated!

Dragonfly Birthday...STAMPlorations Things with Wings Blog Hop and Linky Party

Hello,

Seems like only yesterday we embarked on STAMPlorations Things with Wings Spring Blog Hop & Linky Party, and here we are, in the blink of an eye, at Week 4!  Hope you've had a chance to play along; still a few more days to go!

If you're expecting yet another butterfly from me...SURPRISE! Nope...this time, I'm bringing you a pretty, shimmery (hard to see) dragonfly (Dragonfly Layering Dies), set atop a stenciled (Dragonfly Waltz) kraft panel (Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies). The sentiment is from Party Time.

Please head over to STAMPlorations to see another round of awesome inspiration from the rest of the team. 

Things with Wings....that's all you need!  

See you in the gallery!

Also sharing at:

STAMPlorations Anything Goes Challenge and April CAS Card Challenge

Thank you for dropping by; your visit is both welcomed and deeply appreciated!