Crazy 4 Copic Challenge Lillith ~

This is going to be a short post - it's late for this old lady and I have to work tomorrow.  LOL 

I love to combine challenges whenever possible - makes me feel like I've accomplished more!  This little easel card combines two challenges - Copic Creations {Red Hair} & Crazy 4 Challenges {Easel card}.  Have you ever made one of these?  I must admit, I was a tid bit intimidated but found that these cards are super duper simple!  There are links on the C4C blog to instructions.  I think these are super cute cards because we all spend so much time coloring a card front or even assembling a card front - what better way to showcase one's work easel-y (ha! sorry, told you it is late for me!).  This fantastic, sassy little image is from the new Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps line Moonlight Whispers; her name is Lillith.  That sass-tastic look on her face just screams red head to me!  Her dress was inspired by the dp.  I chose to stamp her on a coordinating piece of dp, but it still just didn't feel right, so I colored right over the dp.  That gave it just the right amount of depth.  By the way, the layers are actually straight and nice, it's just the angle of the picture...and I'm too lazy to take a new pic!!  K...I'm off to bed!  Hope you check out these two fun challenge blogs if you haven't already!!  Night! ~alyssa

SUPPLIES~
STAMPS: KKS Lillith; MFT Essential Sentiments 
INK: Memento Tuxedo Black
PAPER: SU River Rock; PTI Enchanted Evening, Dark Chocolate & SS White; Memory Box Inspire dp
OTHER: Brown embroidery floss; SU Night of Navy sheer ribbon; PTI Vintage button Enchanted Evening; Sakura black glaze pen {frog eyes}; Copics: B34, 39, 97, E00, 02, 09, 33, 37, 51, G07, 21, 24, 28, R20, W3, W5 and Colorless Blender

Bombshell Ladies are at it again ~

Hey ladies!  The Bombshells are hopping all over the place with a new challenge.  Here's challenge #10: Single Ladies.
Nope, not Beyonce style...I mean layers. You've got it, this week's challenge is to make a card using only the card base; one single layer. Use stencils, airbrush, drawings and the like; add anything else that tickles your fancy, except more paper. Why should layers have all the fun?
I loved this challenge!  I had a super fun idea...but made the husband (art student) try it out first.  Unfortunately, it didn't work out quite how I wanted...time to switch gears.  LOL  I have been wanting to try colored pencils - mainly white - on kraft cardstock.  What a perfect time to try out my new Bombshell stamps!

I embossed a rectangle in the center of my card, stamped, colored and glitterfied with various Stickles and glitter/glue pen.  I then stamped a sentiment and computer generated the inner sentiment...

Hope you like it!  I had a ton of fun and this card only took about 6 minutes to make - ok, well, it would have had I been a bit more organized and not chasing a 2 year old around at the same time!! ;o)    Now here's the scoop, with the Bombshell Hump Day Hop.  Throughout the month, visit each of the participants blogs and comment.  The more you comment, the more chances you have to win a special prize.  Here is the prize for November:

Without further ado, here are the bombshell hotties for you to hop along to:
Angela  ~  Kathi  ~  Ms. November - Mary G.  ~  Gabby  ~  Miss Magoo  ~  Kas
Thanks for bopping by!  Hope you are enjoying the hop :o) Alyssa
SUPPLIES~
STAMPS: Bombshell Stamps Calavera Fiesta; PTI Mother
INK: Memento Tuxedo Black; HP printer ink
PAPER: PTI Kraft & SS White
OTHER: Stickles Xmas Red, Magenta & Orange Peel; Doodlebug lime green glitter; glue pen; spellbinders classic rectangle nestabilities; Lyra color pencils

StampInsanity Winter Release

Three new rubber stamp sets from StampInsanity Stamps are available today exclusively through Stamp Happens. The sets are Morgan's Star, Henry's Snowman and Naughty & Nice.

I have a little something from Henry's Snowman.  As usual, my image is colored with Copic markers - I was surprised at how many I used for this image!!  Beth has an incredible release for us...something a little fun, inspiring and even a bit naughty!!  So fun...you'll have to jump on over to Stamp Happens to know exactly what I'm talking about.  Anywho, on to my card...

Here is Henry with his snowman.  Isn't he adorable??? I know...you're not supposed to say that about a tween!  Whatever! Funny thing is, I grew up at around 7500', so I know what snow accumulation is all about! lol  I don't remember ever building a snowman!  It was more about snow forts and ice ball fights for my brother and I!  Looking back on it now, I think I'd be scared to death as my mom!!  Even without the snowman, these are the memories that come to mind when I play with these images.  Thinking of all the fun times that I had with my brother - even though he'd rather play with his friends - made me really appreciate my childhood.  That's why this card is going to this little guy.  If you have an extra Xmas card in your stash, maybe you could send one his way!  By the way, the sentiment actually says 'Snow Days' but Snow Day is all that fit in my SU Word Window punch...LOL.

Anywho, bop on over to the Stamp Happens store to get yourselves some of these fun new stamps!  If  you get a chance, you should visit my Stamp Sistahs for some more amazing inspiration!!

Tonya  ~  Beth  ~  Julie  ~  Jen  ~  Donna ~  Gayle  ~  Leigh Ann  ~  Sarabeth  ~  Steph

Mmmk (got that from my stepdaughter via text message...lol), I'll be back later with a supplies list.  Hope you have fun hopping around!!  :o) Alyssa

Seasonal Bookmarks

Wow! It's been a bit quiet around here this week...sorry about that!  My craft closet is such a mess, I've been avoiding it like the plague! lol  I'm here today to share a couple of bookmarks with you.  Lately, I've been picking up new books for the Zaniac whenever I go shopping at WalMart.  They are big Disney books that have about 30 stories in them, so I thought it might be nice to have something to mark our place.  These books are seasonally/holiday themed, and a light went off in my head!  How about the new digi stamps from Wildflower Kids.  I used Bramble the Scarecrow for our Halloween/Autumn set of stories and Sage the Elf for the Holiday stories. 

Sage is colored with Copics, of course; however, I deleted the photo of the Copics used.  I think of his little list as a list of books that we should read!  Yes...sometimes I put too much silly thought into these things!  lol  Isn't he just adorable!!  I have heard/read some people having problems with their printer ink running when they color with Copics.  The only colors that I've ever had problems with are the lower numbers - like the E00 {skin white} that I always use for faces.  I'm thinking that maybe this is because these colors have less pigment and more alcohol, but you really shouldn't listen to me!  I truly have no knowledge about them...it just makes sense in my head!  lol  I've also read that many people have great results if they heat set the printer ink before coloring.  I will definitely try this next time and let you all know how it works out!

Bramble is also colored with Copics, the picture is below.  I love this little guy - there are so many color possibilities with him! His face/body are colored more like a burlap sack than a skin tone.  I don't think this little guy would scare much away in your garden though!  lol

As always, please bop on over to the other Stamp Sistahs blogs {links on the right}.  These ladies are uber talented and have fun samples for more inspiration!  Please come back on Monday.  We will all be previewing the new StampInsanity holiday stamps!!  Fun stuff!!  Check out my sidebar for some amazing blog candy from Jacque!  Have a super weekend!  I may post more...that is, if I decide to clean up the closet enough to play.  :o) Alyssa
SUPPLIES~
STAMPS: Wildflower Kids 'Tis the Season Sage and Autumn Splendor Bramble
INK: HP printer ink
PAPER: PTI Dark Chocolate, Kraft, Pure Poppy, SS White and True Black
OTHER: Copics; raffia; PTI True Black saddle stitch ribbon; jumbo eyelets for leather tooling

Wildflower Kids 'Tis the Season Snowman

Hello!  Thought I'd share a couple of cards that I made with the snowman from the Wildflower Kids digi stamp set, 'Tis the Season.  I chose the cute little snowman and printed him straight onto some sparkly white paper.  I chose this little guy because I really wanted to use a couple of fun new things that I just *had* to have - the Martha Stewart icicle border punch and  the Spellbinders Create a Snowflake 1 dies.  I was smart again and chose the background paper first - Yay for me!!The scarves and hats are colored with Copics that match the dp.  Interesting thing I learned is the Copics don't blend on this paper, so I'm glad I wasn't coloring anything that needed a ton of shading.  Not much else to these cards except a big thank you to my dear friend Annie - she sent me that yummy celery twill (on the first card) in a fantastic birthday package a couple months ago.   

If you click on that picture, it should pop up bigger so you can see the shimmer of the snowman and snowflake.  Here's the supplies list:

STAMPS: Wildflower Kids 'Tis the Season digi Snowman; PTI Signature Christmas

INK: Memento Tuxedo Black; HP printer ink

PAPER: PTI Ocean Tides, Pure Poppy & Sweet Blush; SU Basic Grey, Soft Sky & dp Wintergreen (retired); Cosmo Cricket Jolly by Golly 

OTHER: celery twill; PTI Ocean Tides grosgrain ribbon; Martha Stewart icicle punch; Spellbinders Create a Snowflake 1 dies; Copics

These stamps are only available through Tonya's store, Stamp Happens.  If you've got time today, please check out my sidebar and bop on over to some of the other Stamp Sistahs blogs.  You never know what kind of amazing creations they have up their sleeves!  Have a splendid day!!  :o) Alyssa

My Fierce Tiger

No card today...I just had to share my little tiger.  Isn't he scary?!

Checkin' out his loot!

Standing next to the pumpkin his Grandma grew and carved for him. 


And lastly, the pumpkin all aglow.  Hope you all had a safe and happy Halloween!!  :o) Alyssa

SG8 ~ A Christmas Candy Cane

Oy vey!  Talk about life getting in the way this morning!  Sorry I'm so tardy with posting my take on the Sketch Girl challenge #8.  Here we go ~

I was super excited when Annie sent this sketch!  Isn't it cool??  My mind was just whirling with possibilities of how amazing it could be, the dp I could put together and even *wow* myself!  Then reality set in.  Let's just say that I am designer paper...challenged.  So many papers these days are distressed looking.  While we're being honest here, I have a hard time sponging or distressing anything - it kind of looks like a 2nd grader did it.  What are the tricks to combining papers??? Can someone please tell me?  I even tried papers from the same pack and couldn't seem to find ones that I could pair properly.  Oh well!  My main image is so large, it covers most of it up anyway!  I still am in love with this sketch though.  You'll need to bop on over to the Sketch Girl blog to actually take a look at it - I'm a turkey that way!

 

I recently purchased some super cute digi images from The Greeting Farm.  I actually had this image in mind when I first saw the sketch.  In retrospect, I probably should have scaled it down a tad.  The little cuties are colored with Copics {of course} and the candy cane is covered in a Sakura clear glaze pen, so it's almost like it's embossed without all the hassle!  Once I realized the dp I wanted to use was distressed or vintagey, I sponged around the edges. 

The sentiment panel is actually on cream paper, so that I didn't have to sponge {wink}.  While it was still in the die, I traced around the edges with a red metallic pen.  That is about it, I think!  Please bop around and see what the other lovely Sketch Girls have done with this one:

Annie  ~  Bonnie  ~  Chris  ~  Eve  ~  Harriet  ~  Jessica  ~  Jennie  ~  Julie  ~  Katie  ~  Randee  ~  Sara  ~  Tiffany

If you choose to play along with us this week, please leave a link in Mr Linky on the SG blog.  And if you upload to an online gallery, please use the keyword SG8 so we can all have a quick look!  Have a super fantastic day!!  It's Friday!!!  :o) Alyssa

SUPPLIES~

STAMPS: The Greeting Farm Candy Cane Snack

INK: HP printer ink; PTI Pure Poppy; Ranger Antique Linen distress ink

PAPER: PTI Pure Poppy, SS White & True Black; Cosmo Cricket Jolly by Golly; Basic Grey Figgy Pudding

OTHER: Sakura clear glaze pen; Fiskars red metallic gel pen; Copics

BHDH #8 First Bite ~

Hello and welcome to another Wednesday in the Bombshell Stamps blog hop! Here's how it works:  Start at any of the Design Team Member Blogs and take a peek at their Hump Day project. Leave them a comment and tell them what you think about it! Then follow the links to the other DT member blogs and leave them comments. The more comments you make, the more entries you will have to win a great prize from Bombshell Stamps at the end of the month! You could win:

This week's Challenge is to make a coffin.  Sounds a bit daunting, eh?  The crafty queen Martha has made it rather easy!  Hop on over to Martha's site, pick up the templates and join in the fun!

I have to admit that this was a bit of a challenge for me.  I had it all planned out in my head, things stamped out, dp that I *knew* had to be available {it wasn't, at least not at Michael's}, clothes that I cut up...all to only end up in the circular file!  Back to the drawing board...I found some cute paper to line my Bombshell's coffin with - a nice textured pink paper.  Assembled the template and set about coloring my vampire.  She's just been bitten and turned and has now clawed her way out of her fresh grave - hence all the mud all over her blueish, dead body and nightie.  Her nightie is pieced with a bit of satin and frayed at the edges - this girlie has been struggling!!  I think she's also hiding something behind her back...perhaps her first kill.  All that hard work makes a new vampire thirsty and any little thing will do!  lol

Now, bop on over to the other Bombshell Hotties blogs to see some truly amazing creations!  Don't forget, the more you comment, the more chances you have to win!  Have fun!  Cross your fingers that we don't get the 14 inches of snow that's predicted throughout the day!!!  :o) lyss

Angela ~ Terra ~ Kas ~ Miss Magoo ~ Sarah K ~ Glittery Katie ~ Gabby ~ Nicole ~ Kathi ~ and our guest Kellie

SUPPLIES~

STAMPS: Bombshell A Pirate's Life

PAPER: SU Basic Black; DP from Michael's

INK: Memento Tuxedo Black

OTHER: Martha Stewart coffin template; Copics; satin; Sakura Black glaze & Gold Metallic pens

Blog candy winner & Cards for Kiddos ~

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 5 Powered by RANDOM.ORG

#5 is: Scrapping Julie said... holy wow. check out this candy!!
thanks so much for visiting my blog today. i am so glad you did so i got a chance to check your blog out. very kewl. i see that you are from windsor co. my bestest friend in the whole world lives in windsor.
btw i am totally smitten with your blog candy! i so heart PTI. October 17, 2009 8:32 PM
CONGRATULATIONS!!! Scrapping Julie, please email me at critterlyss@hotmail.com with your address. I'll get your goodies off to you by either Thursday or Friday! We're expecting a BIG winter storm here, so I'm leaning toward the latter part of the week.
Switching gears on you here to a card drive. I really didn't want this post to go here, but I'm limited with where I'm posting from and what computer things are saved on. Anyhow, this story really touched my heart - #1 because of my own little guy and #2 because Eric's in a Superman shirt and Superman is my all time favorite superhero! So I just had to make him a SuperEric card! It was harder than I anticipated to write something inside. My heart just broke when I put myself in the mom's shoes. I just told him he is super and I hope he has a super birthday!
I have tears in my eyes as I type this though. Sadly, Eric passed away on Sunday night just shy of his 9th birthday. I just don't know what I would do without my little monster. Do me a favor? Go hug your kiddos, pests, monsters...whatever you think they are! ugh.
Also, here is a card I sent along for Kate. I just couldn't justify sending a card for one and not the other. I dug around in my stash and sent a cute card I had made (and photographed) a long time ago at a workshop. Hope this post wasn't too much of a downer! Sorry Julie that your Congrats came with this post!! Have a terrific day and hug those kiddos...I guess you could hug any of your loved ones! :o) lyss

ERIC CARD SUPPLIES~

STAMPS: Pink Cat Studio Billy Plate 1 & 2; Inque Boutique All Boy (retired)

INK: Memento Tuxedo Black; PTI Pure Poppy; SU Yo Yo Yellow

PAPER: PTI Pure Poppy & SS White; SU Brilliant Blue & Yo Yo Yellow

OTHER: Sakura Gold gel pen; Spellbinders Sm & Lg Classic Rectangles & Star Nestabilities; Copics

KATE CARD SUPPLIES~

STAMPS: SU Pick a Petal & another little hostess set that I don't remember the name of

INK: SU Real Red & Basic Black

PAPER: SU Basic Black, Real Red & Whisper White

OTHER: Black brads; gingham ribbon; corner rounder punch; crop-a-dile; various circle punches

‘Tis the Season of Wildflower Kids

Don't forget to sign up for my blog candy! I just added a couple new things today, which is the last day to sign up! All you have to do is leave a comment! Oh and your chances are pretty good - there are less than 30 comments as of right now!

Today is the day! Jen, owner and artist of Wildflower Kids, has released an adorable new digital stamp collection called 'Tis the Season. The little elves just bowled me over! Sadly, I only have one card to show you today b/c my little monster decided he wanted to be just like mommy and colored all over my sample sheet with a dark red marker!! Grrr...thanks, Zane! The good thing about digi stamps is that all I had to do was select the images I wanted and print them off - while I went and put him to bed! Ha!
I decided to do something I never remember to do - I picked out my paper before I colored! I pulled colors from the striped paper to color my little elf. Once the card was assembled, it needed a bit more pizazz, so I used my trusty Sakura Clear Star pen to add sparkle. Some areas of the bells are accented as well as some of the stripes. It was a little hard to photograph this morning, so you'll just have to trust me! ;o) I also added some white flock to her hat trim, cuffs and skirt.
One of the Merry Christmas sentiments is left open so you can color it...which is just what I did! I set up my page in Microsoft Word with the smallest available margins and inserted my file. Then I just right clicked to resize and put it just where I wanted it. A super simple way to add some life and color to the inside of your card!




SUPPLIES~
STAMPS: Wildflower Kids 'Tis the Season
INK: HP printer ink
PAPER: PTI Aqua Mist, Pure Poppy & SS White; SU Garden Green; Cosmo Cricket Jolly by Golly
OTHER: Sakura Clear Star & Gold pens; PTI Raspberry Fizz saddle stitch ribbon; white flock; Copics: RV14, R29, R59, G21, G28, Y21, Y26, E55, E00, E02, R20, BG10, BG13


These adorable stamps are only available through Tonya's store, Stamp Happens. What are you waiting for?? Go there now and get yourself some great deals and fun stamps! Before you go though, make sure to stop by these other ladies amazing blogs to see the samples they've readied for you today:

Senior Stamp Sistahs:
Tonya ~ Julie ~ Jen ~ Beth
Stamp Sistahs:
Deb ~ Donna ~ Gayle ~ Jacquie ~ Leigh Ann ~ Sarabeth ~ Stephanie

Check out another of Jen's blogs, The Wildflower Patch. There are sneak peeks of new stamps and featured artists and chances to win!! Have a spectacular day!! :o) lyss

Pumpkin Bread Pickle

This is the second post for today...
Strange title? Yes, I know; however, there's a story behind it! The other morning, I was looking through my images to color and came across this beautiful cluster of pumpkins. Hmmm, I thought, what a tasty treat pumpkin bread would be! So I decided to make some at 5:45am. I blend the eggs, oil, sugar, cinnamon, etc by hand because I don't want to wake the household, preheat the oven, measure out the flour and salt and baking powder...Whoops! That was supposed to be baking soda! See my pickle?! Now you see my very dense pumpkin loaf...argh! Oh well! It still tastes pretty good even if it didn't rise as it should. LOL
Where, you ask, can you get this amazing image? Why, at Stamp Happens, of course! It is part of the Autumn Splendor collection of digi images from Wildflower Kids. Please bop around to the other Stamp Sistahs blogs {links in my sidebar} as we've all been showing off these wonderful new stamps from both Wildflower Kids and StampInsanity Stamps.
While this is an autumn image, pumpkin bread is so easy to make {if you have the right ingredients, that is!} that these would make for lovely neighborhood Christmas gifts or teacher gifts! Hope it sparks something for you!! Have an incredible weekend! I've got a sick kiddo, so I don't know how much fun or how productive my weekend will be :o) lyss

SUPPLIES~
STAMPS: Wildflower Kids digi Pumpkins
INK: HP printer ink
PAPER: PTI SS White; SU Really Rust & DP Autumn Vines (maybe???)
OTHER: Spellbinders Labels 4; Fiskars metallic gel pens; Copics: YR04, YR07, YR12, Y21, YG91, YG95, G99, C1, C3, C5, BG10

A Card for Alison ~

The Whiff of Joy design team is having a challenge to create congratulatory cards for one of the illustrator's, Alison Acton. She has recently given birth to a baby boy, Sam. I made this little 5x5 card using a couple of cute techniques that I've seen around blog land. The water is made from the negative sides of a scallop square nestabilitie. I sponged the edges for some depth and glued them down before cutting and embossing the image. The sails are pieced and popped up on a couple of glue dots. I figured, the less frills the better! Hope you like it!!
Also, Katharina is having a blog candy for the new winter kit of Whiff of Joy stamps. Hop on over a pre-order your kit today!! Have a great day! ~lyss
SUPPLIES~
STAMPS: SU By Sea (retired); PTI Bitty Baby Blessings & Polka Dot Basics II
INK: SU Bashful Blue; VersaMark; PTI Enchanted Evening & Pure Poppy
PAPER: SU Bashful Blue; PTI Enchanted Evening, Kraft, Pure Poppy, SS White & DP Men of Life
OTHER: Twine; PTI Vintage button Pure Poppy; Spellbinders Tags Trio, Classic & Scallop Square Nestabilities; 1 3/8" Square punch

BHDH #7 "I Fall to Pieces" ~

Unfortunately for me, a little thing called life got in the way of me finishing my card this week.

Here are the deets on the challenge though: This week's challenge is to do some paper piecing. This challenge is perfect for those leftover scraps of DP that you just can't throw away. Now you can put them to good use! Instead of hoarding these precious pieces, stamp your favorite image directly onto the paper and cut it out. Voila! You have the perfect patterned paper to compliment your favorite Bombshell stamp.

October's Monthly Grab Bag Prize!!!
Here's how it works:
Start at any of the Design Team Member Blogs and take a peek at their Hump Day project. Leave them a comment and tell them what you think about it! Then follow the links to the other DT member blogs and leave them comments. The more comments you make, the more entries you will have to win a great prize from Bombshell Stamps at the end of the month!

I'm so excited to see what everyone comes up with!! -you never what's gonna be around the next blog corner! So stop by, add your comment, and then hop on over to the other Bombshell DT Member blogs, and don't forget to join us again next week!!!

Bombshell Hump Day Hotties to visit this week:
Angela ~ Miss Magoo ~ Terra ~ Jacquie (Ms.October!) ~ Kas ~ Gabby ~ Glittery Katie ~ Sarah K

If you get a chance, scroll down a couple of posts to enter in my blog candy! Have fun hopping! :o) lyss