Simple pleasures are lifes greatest treasures...

Hello out there!!
Hope you Monday is a glorious one.
I've tried to take some photos of my latest creation,
but it is gloomy and overcast
and I can't get a good picture to save my life,
so these puppies are going to have to work!!
Somewhere in the middle of these 2 pictures
lays the true colours of this project.
I may try again tomorrow and swap out the pictures...


I have used the sketch over at Basic Grey Challenges,
they are relaunching the challenge blog,
so thought I would have a go at their lovvely sketch.
On the Stampavie DT Blog, they've asked us
to create a summer (fun) card.
At Stamp Something the challenge is to create
'Something from Summer Vacation,'
At ABC Challenge the challenge this week is:
A is for Anything Goes,
with the option of adding animals,
and The Pink Elephant is
also hosting a Summer themed challenge.
Well, okay, I can do that!!

Now, why does this strike me as summery and how is it that this envokes summer vacation memories? Well, this summer my little family took a trip to Colorado, and really, I am just going to streamline this for you, we traveled up to the top of Pikes Peak, as well as the Rocky Mountain National Monument, as high as they allow you to travel by vehicle anyway, and amounst those wonderful travels, there were critters galore!!! Marmots, chipmunks, squirrels, deer, elk, we even saw a moose and a fox!! Well, my hubby let me have a peaceful moment alone on top of a rock that we'd hiked to, and this is what I must have looked like,at least it's how I felt; happy, serene, surrounded by great beauty and life, oh, what a wonderful feeling it was. Inside my card it says, "Are lifes greatest treasures."It is my first summer not going home to California, it is strange and hard to cope with that, but I am a big girl now and need to move on with my life, so, no California. The state is haunted for me anyway. Besides, Colorado is right next door!!! This summer vacation was a personal accomplishment on many levels. Sitting peacefully amounst the wildlife and flowers was just one small part of the experience.


Cruddy pictures aside, I am happy with the outcome of this card.
I kinda want to keep it for myself!!
I've used Basic Grey Urban Prairie and Wisteria DP,
Basic Grey Sultry fiber,
lots of sanding and ripping,
I've coloured with watercolour pencils
and added Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist
in creme de rouge,
there's Gold Flame Smooch inside the flowers,
Stickles in Waterfall and Diamond,
used my Sakura gel pen for some white dots,
hemp rope, the flowers (daisies) are Prima,
the ladybug is a button from Michaels,
the name of the manufacturer escapes me.
And of course, I've used this gorgeous sketch,
which I gave a little fliparoo to:


Thanks for visiting today,
your thoughts and time are much appreciated!!!
Stephanne

Cutie patootie treat bag

Hello everyone,
Hope you are settling into your Monday.
I finished this bag last night,
but had to wait til daylight
to take some pictures.


I've made it to play along with the
Stampavie Challenge #9
a bag by Lauren.
The template can be found on
Lauren's blog.
I love it, so easy but effective!!
I don't have any fancy artillery,
let alone, essentials,
I used a ruler and a knitting needle to score
the paper and it worked out just fine,
so don't be discouraged from checking this
fortnights challenge out because you
don't have all the designer duds.
I don't even have a hole punch,
so those GIGANTIC handle holes you see,
well, they are a Stephanne original, lol.
I think this template is going to be
a mainstay for me, as it is really
a cute little something, and I LOVE
cute little somethings ;)


Now, I knew I wanted to play along,
but was having a hard time coming to a decision
on image and theme, alas, this week over at
Stamp Something Challenge Blog
the challenge is paper piecing,
and this little Rachelle Anne Miller image
screams out, "Piece Me!!!!"
So thank you, Stamp Something,
for helping me make some decisions.


















Two angles so hopefully you can see the piecing.
Their patches (nose, tummies, feet, etc.)
have been pieced with Basic Grey Blush papers,
the same paper as the bag,
and the image has been layered,
the heads toled and popped with foam mounts,
arms tucked and adhered as the outermost layer.
They are sitting on a flower from the same paper,
used my watercolours,
added some doodling, put some Stickles here and there,
some Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist
and Sakura gel pen doodles too,
and that's pretty much it.
I didn't feel like the paper should be covered,
(that's why I've had it for 2 years
just sitting there,
I admire it every now and then...)
so I added the image into the movement of the design.

Thanks for stopping by,
hope you'll leave me your thoughts.
Enjoy the rest of your week!!
Stephanne

Edited: swapped out duplicate pic. What is wrong with me??

To share with Stampavie...

Hello.
I feel a little nervous doing this,
but I am going to throw my name into the talent pool
for the Stampavie Design Call.
It's a fantastic opportunity for
one lucky lady to join a wonderous Design Team
and get to create with a spectacular lign of stamps,
so I figured, hey, won't hurt to try.
Don't really know what they are looking for,
as far as looks or creative ability,
but I can certainly meet their criteria
as far as productivity goes
and it would be my pleasure to do it.
So, without further ado:


And here is a closer shot of the
flowers and beading.
I've used K & Co. papers and pearls,
Prima flowers, Making Memories ribbon,
and I've coloured with distress inks.
I've also used the wonderful Heather's sketch
so that I could join in over at Truly Scrumptious
I've added some beading around the flowers also.


And here is the sketch:


I have another card I've made to submit
along for the ride:


I've used distress inks to colour and
My Minds Eye papers,
ribbons and charm are from stash
and the sentiment is computer generated.


And here is the sketch that I've used
so that I could play along with the
Simon Says Challenge this week.



And here are a few pics of recent projects,
just to have them handy for looking at:







Yikes, that's long!!
It doesn't hurt to try, right?
I have seen some of the entries that are being submitted
and they are gorgeous,
so good luck to everyone and happy crafting.

Thanks for looking,
Stephanie m

Friday Sketchers #60

Hello all,
Finally a card!!
This week has been something,
my son has been representing the
2 year old reputation to the fullest,
one of my stepdaughters has been sick,
the unnerving heat has returned,
and my, wait, wait, wait...
No, I will not whine on my blog!!
I have completed a card today:


This is a Rachelle Anne Miller image
from Stampavie called My Little Friends
featuring the adorable Lily.
Love these stamps,
they give a lot of room for colouring,
and of course,
they remind me of being a youngster,
I used to draw and doodle
kids and animals, flowers and stars,
butterflies and bees,
so Rachelle Anne Miller is right up my alley.


I have coloured with distress inks,
used sakura gel pen for the white,
stickles inside the swirls,
designer paper is BoBunny,
charm is Jolee's,
and the sketch is courtesy of Heidi
over at Friday Sketchers


I haven't played with Friday Sketchers before,
but that Desigh Team is awe-inspiring
and looks like lots of fun.
I was looking through some of their older sketches
last night and had to click on that lovely
"Follow" button.
Additionally, they are offering up a
wonderful prize this week:
3 stamps of your choice from Motivet
Surely you have caught a glimpse of
Dexter and Doraline,
and have likely fallen in love with them.
I know I have, I feel like a stalker,
I'm on their blog every morning checking out the
delicious creations from their DT.
Go see, you will love it.

Back to my creation,
I gave this sketch a turn on it's side
and went to work.
I am really pleased with the way the card turned out.
I have uploaded one more pic
because it shows the crystals in the charm.
The colour is off, but it shows the fun stuff,
so onto the WWW it shall come.


I am hoping I will get to play
a bit more this coming week.
With a new bundle of challenges out,
I am not without inspiration.
Gonna start colouring a PB now
while the boy is napping.

Thanks for stopping by,
please feel welcome to leave me a comment.
Then I can come visit you too ;)
Stephanie

Stephanne tries Stampavie Challenge #7

Hello out there,
I am pleased to tell you that I have
finally given non-woodmounted stamps a go
and what a discovery that has been.
I very recently purchased a couple Stampavie images,
and to say that I am impressed is an understatement.
I know you avid stampers are wondering
if I live on the moon or something,
just discovering and embracing this company,
but what can I say,
thrilled to be on board.

So I have been toying around with one of the stamps,
Rachel Anne Miller's Teddy's Travels
and this is what I've come up with:


I've played along with the Stampavie Challenge
which was a recipe:
3 flowers,
2 buttons,
1 ribbon,
and embossing.
And I gotta tell ya, I am not loving my embossing.
Not to snivel, but it's just not bringing anything to my card.
I started to tear it up, was gonna replace it,
stick something over the top,
add a zillion pearls to make it pretty,
but I decided that there must be some reason
I went for that pattern at the time,
didn't want to ruin all the other components
of the project and will just have to hope it grows on me.
I wanted to stick to the recipe,
no vanilla extract or cinnamon, just the recipe.


Squabbling aside, I had a lot of fun colouring Lily,
and can see that growing as a crafter with these images
will be a lot of fun.
It is my first go at Lily, so I should stop
beating myself up, total cuteness will come in time.
Just sharing the journey.

Thanks for looking,
Stephanie