My Besties Goes Shopping {Scrapbook Stamp Society}

Please leave a comment to become eligible for my September blog candy here.

Greetings, dear blogging friends! I am Guest Designing from My Besties images today.

And a very special welcome to new google followers Ina Good and Lady Anne.

Today's card share features a great Sketch from Your Next Stamp Challenge, bright sunny goldenrod yellow from Cupcake Inspirations and this darling little My Besties image. She is all decked out for shopping, something I actually detest!

UNLESS

It is shopping for crafting supplies, of course.

"I Love Shopping" Bestie can be found here.

She would be really cute in Christmas colors as well, preparing for the festivities about to come!

"I Love Shopping Bestie" is attired in late Summer/early Autumn hues (by Copic Markers), bringing sunny cheer to each of the shop personnel she greets.

The September sketch from Your Next Stamp Challenge was used.

It's a great design!

The papers are of unknown origin. They are a gift from my very talented blogging friend Marie Berquist. Because some matching embellishments were included with the Basic Grey logo on them, the papers may be by Basic Grey also. (Thank you, Marie! Are you surprised I've already utilized them?)

Love these bright colors from the Cupcake Inspirations Challenges this week! The bright yellow and kraft colored cardstock are perfect complements for this darling card!

The bow is from Stampin' Up Grosgrain ribbon, a Prima Flower, and sewn with a "Tiny Findings" button purchased from Michaels. The other buttons were stitched to the sketch layer, after the panels were stitched to the white panel. Martha Stewart Vintage Floral PAP is beneath the sweet Hero Arts sentiment.

Hanging my head in shame:

Prima Flower - gift from friend (never before used)

Hero Arts Stamap - about 6 years old (and never used)

SU Ribbon - about 5 years old (and never used)

Redeeming myself:

Patterned Papers - gift from Marie (arriving 2 days ago!)

Challenges:

1. Your Next Stamp Challenge: #16 sketch (shown above) 10/1
2. Cupcake Inspirations Challenge: #278 (see inspiration photo above - used 2 colors) 9/21
3. Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenges: #194 Stitching (faux or real) Sewing machine stitched - both straight stitch and zig zag stitching 9/21
4. Fan-Tastic Tuesdays Challenge: #52 Anything Goes With Buttons (7 buttons sewn on) 9/16
5. My Besties Aussie Challenge: #28 Anything Goes with Besties and Flowers 9/30
6. Digi Sketch Challenge: September - "It's a Girl Thing" (I followed the theme only, and not the sketch) 9/30
7. Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge: #46 Anything Goes 9/20
8. 4 Krafty Girlz: #26 Anything Goes 9/18
9. Crafting from the Heart: Anything Goes 9/14

Products Used:

• Sherri Baldy My Besties IMG162 (shopping)
• Hero Arts "sparkle" sentiments set
• Spellbinders Long Classic Rectangles (LG) S4-142
• Spellbinders Curved Rectangles S5-006
• Inks: Salmon, Pummice, Paris Dusk dye-based
• Copic Markers
• MS Vintage Floral PAP
• Paper: White, Basic Grey PP, Kraft, Slate Blue
• Embossing Folder: Couture Creations "Constellations"

Thanks for visiting Today!
Shopping Hugs,

Besties With Edith {Scrapbook Stamp Society}

Hello, Friends! 

And a very special welcome to new google followers: Darnell, Bonnie, GEM23g, and Petra Swart.

Today's My Besties card is dedicated to Edith, and uses my newest Flower Tutorial.

(Who is Edith? Click here to discover how you can brighten someone's day).

Edith is recovering from recent brain surgery, undergoing physical therapy, and awaiting radiation and chemo treatments.

Today is also my final "official" card as part of Sherri Baldy's Scrapbook Stamp Society's design team.

Today's card share uses Sherry Baldy's darling "Wendy Puppy Love" image, available here.

She is colored with Copic Markers, sitting in a garden of glitter and Prima Flowers (new Flower Tutorial). There is also lace attached all the way around the scalloped oval (smile).

inside:

This month, the theme at Path of Positivity Challenge is all about Dreams.

Lots of "things" flavor our dreams.

Certain life events, education, upbringing, health, positive (and/or unsavory) relationships, and DESIRE are some of the things which affect our dreams.

Having dreams can keep us motivated to constantly seek the Good in Life, even if our Dreams are not fully realized. It can be easy to blame others for our unfulfilled Dreams, or to blame certain life experiences.

But I have learned that Dreams are flexible. They are those creative moments in our lives that cause us to see possibilities. We can make goals to help us on our Journey in meeting our Dreams face-to-face. The important thing is to keep moving and to allow our Direction (and Dreams) to change as challenges and opportunities present themselves.

Instead of viewing stumbling blocks as obstacles, those "blocks" may actually be BUILDING blocks to bring us to a different place, fulfilling an "UNKNOWN DREAM" which has always resided in our hearts.

For me, I would not have discovered the wide world of Beauty found in our Internet Community, had I not become critically ill, and home-bound. I've altered my dreams, and pressed forward, knowing that GENUINE BEAUTY is always beckoning me forward, to the most Beautiful of Dreams. Thanks for being part of my Pursuit.

There is nothing so Dreamy as following the Path, and creatively embellishing it with what is in our hearts.

Such sweetness! 

Thanks for stopping by today. 

Don't forget to take a peek at my newest Flower Tutorial.

Products Used:

Sherry Baldy's Wendy Puppy Love digital Image
Sparkle N Sprinkle Glitters: Crystal Ice, Lator Gator Microfine, Mountain Mint Microfine, Chunky Diamond Dust.
Sparkle N Sprinkle Brushable Glue
Copic Markers
Lace, Buttons
Spellbinders: Detailed Scallops 5x7 S6-004, Grand Rectangles Nestabilities, Grand Scallop Ovals Nestabilities
Martha Stewart: Flourished Lace PAP, Butterfly punch
Cheery Lynn B147 Olive Branches
Papers: Neenah Solar White, Georgia Pacific White, Stampin Up Blue, SU Aqua, DPs from stash.
Old, Old Prima Flowers (from Terry)

Fun Challenges Submitted to:

1. The Cutie Pie Challenge - #73 Use a Cute Digi (Darling little girl with puppy!) 7/19
2. Path of Positivity - #16 Dreams - (please see my words toward the bottom of my post) 8/7
3. My Besties Friendship - #3 Use a My Besties (freebie offered) 8/3
4. My Besties German Challenges - #5 Anything Goes 8/15

stamping hugs,

A Swingin' Besties

Clear It Out Challenge - 12-2014

And a special hello to you, my blogging friends and to new followers Darcy, Olga and KristyLee. 

I fall in love all over again -- so glad to "be a girl" - every time I play with
My Besties designs.
This particular Sweetie depicts
me thinking of you.

Isn't she so sweet? Love the little swing with flowers growing on the rope handle.
Did you know hundreds of My Besties images are now available as stamps?

Sherri Baldy's Swingin' Besties IMG103 (digital image)

Her little swing needed something to hang from... so...

I visited Beccy Muir's FREEBIES at Beccy's Place and chose this pretty Blossom Branch.

After placing the two branches with Sherri Baldy's Swingin' Bestie, I cropped some of the blossoms and copy-and-pasted them so that they were falling around the image, and along the grass.

used with Beccy Muir's free Blossom Branch (digital image)

To see my tutorial for step-by-step directions in how to "digitally mask" and "cut-and-paste" images, please click here.

Aren't those delicate little flowers just perfect for this Swingin' Besties image?

Here is a close-up of Beccy's beautiful Blossom Branch. 

The SNS Green Iris Ultrafine Glitter is actually clear (colorless) with a tiny amount of green blended in, but for some reason, the digital camera picked up all the green which apparently reflected off the colorless. In real life, it looks much less "blue" so that the olive cardstock beneath shows through. The leaves are also coated with the same color glitter, but with a lighter color green cardstock beneath it.

Thanks for stopping by! It is such a pleasure crafting and being back at my computer again!

Products Used:

• Sherri Baldy's Swingin' Besties IMG103 (digital image)
• Beccy Muir's free Blossom Branch (digital image)
• Copics: R00, R20, RV21, G43, G20, YG93, YG11, YG0000, E50, E43, E04, YG06, B24, YG03, YG91, YG63, G21
• Ink: Peeled Paint Distress Dye, Pearlescent Orchid Brilliance pigment.
• Embossing Folder: Couture Creations "Walrus and Carpenter"
• CardStock: Neenah Solar White, Pink, Celery, Olive
• Sparkle N Sprinkle Green Iris Ultrafine Glitter
• Sparkle N Sprinkle Brushable Glue
• Spellbinders: Labels 25 (S5-077), Grand Labels 23 (LF-347), Grand Scallop Ovals (LF251)

Submitted to the following fun challenges!

1. My Besties Challenges - #May 12 "Something Old, Something New" (New Besties IMG103, old Beccy Muir image and old ribbons and glitter color from my stash) 5/24
2. Beccy Muir Challenges - #May "Use a Beccy Muir Image" (Blossom Branch duplicated, and flowers from the branch fallling) 5/31
3. Scrapbook Stamp Society Challenges - #41 Anything Goes with Spring Theme - 5/25
4. Glitter n' Sparkle Challenge - #84 "Female" 5/17
5. Besties Germany Challenge - #3 Spring 6/15
6. A little bit crafty ALBC Challenge - #May "Flower Power" - 6/1
7. 
   

Stamping (and swinging) hugs,

Little Miss I-Love-Spring {Scrapbook Stamp Society}

Welcome, dear blogging friends, and new followers Pam, Kim, Gina, Mary Mac.

Today's post is bittersweet - it is my final post as "permanent guest designer" at the Scrapbook Stamp Society where My Besties rule. I've enjoyed the privilege of posting on the SSS blog for over a year, and will miss working with DTC Sher and all the amazing artists on the team, but there are just not enough hours in the day... you know how it goes.

So on to this little cutie - 

She is in Love with Spring! 

Spring has sprung 

and 

Little Miss I-Love-Spring 

has Spring Fever, 

hence all the loving hearts growing just for her! 

Do you have Spring Fever?

A little bling is just below the scalloped edge (Frosted Carmen Glitter and Heart Bling).

Little Miss I-Love-Spring (IMG205) is colored with Copic Markers.

This week's challenge at "As You Like It" is all about stitching (faux or real). 

Sewing on cards is about the only sewing I do (smile). 

It's fun and easy and provides great texture.

I can never decide whether I prefer straight stitching or zig-zag so in this case, both styles were used on three panels. Do you have a favorite style?

MFT "Love" die cut is covered with Sparkle N Sprinkle's Princess Rose sparkly cosmic EP. It covers so completely with one coat you'd never know it was applied to white cardstock.

Little Miss I-Love-Spring is embellished with SNS Bubble Gum glitter, as are the flowers.

I love coloring these little My Besties images - brings out the little girl in me (as if I need help).

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

Products Used:

• Sherri Baldy's My Besties IMG205
• Card Size A7 (5" x 7")
• Cardstock: K and Co, pale aqua, neon lime, cranberry, Neenah Solar White
• Dies: Spellbinders Wonky Rectangles S4-306, MFT "love" die cut, IO Bow die cut
• Copics: E53, E00, E31, E41, E35, RV20, RV02, RV000, RV23, RV11, Colorless, B0000, B000, B01, B02, G43, G20, R81, R20, Y00, Y08, YR07, YG06, YG11, G20, G43, R20, R81
• SNS Bubble Gum Ultrafine Glitter G1088
• SNS Frosted Carmine Velvet Glitter GM2011
• SNS Princess Rose embossing powder EP387
• Lace, Stitching, Recollections bling on a roll (hearts), Recollections roses
• Cuttlebug hearts embossing foldler

This darling card is submitted to the following Challenges:

1. Sister Act Card Challenge - #52 Anything Goes 4/17
2. The Stamping Boutique - #12 Distress It (layer distressed with ink, another with Zutter distrezz-it-all) 4/17?
3. 4 krafty girlz challenges - #15 "Anything Goes" 4/16
4. As You Like It - #25 - Favorite Style of stitching and why (explained up in the body of my post with your blog link) 4/24
5. My Besties Design Team Germany - #1 Anything Goes - 4/13
6. Natalie and Amy's Challenge - #19 Embossing - 4/30 - (dry embossed cranberry panel and wet embossed "Love" sentiment in pink
7. Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge - #24 Anything goes (digital image) 4/18
8. Stampinpearls Challenge - April - Anything Goes 4/30
9. SplitcoastStampers - #SC483 - sketch

Stamping Hugs,

Messy Bessy Falls In Love ~ My Besties ~

My January Blog Candy is located here. 

(You do not have to be a follower to become eligible)

Welcome new follower Natasha, and all my blogging buddies!

SNS Bingo is gobbling up all my time the past month, and I apologize for not visiting your delightful blogs since the game began. 

I did manage to create a Friendship card 

WITH EACH OF YOU IN MIND

with this darling new 

"Messy Bessy" 

from Sherri Blady's line of My Besties.

Here is the little darling in her uncolored format:

Messy Bessy Falls in Love

Sherri drew these wonderful little hearts on strings. I cropped a few and placed them on the bottom in the grass, because this love-struck little charmer sees love everywhere!

The little "stringed heart" was cropped from the main image and placed in my computer-generated sentiment, to carry the theme throughout the card.

Also in use is one of Sherri's newest dies called Romantic Hearts Frame. I cut the frame diagonally to produce a "messy" appearance to work with little Messy Bessy.

This month the theme at Path of Positivity Challenge is GENEROSITY. (In case you've not heard of PoP, it's a wonderful challenge blog comprised of "positive" thoughts - regardless of personal belief.)

In the past 2 years, I've learned a lot about Generosity from my blogging friends, in particular.

My take on Generosity is not sentimental, and not so much "material" as it is something which transforms us from within.

Generosity is something which comes from the Heart, 

      without any hidden agenda or motivation other than 

            to be all we can be, 

                and to share our being-ness with others 

                    in order to bring a Love In Action to the world, 

beginning in our own communities, 

      our own families, 

            our own dear little hearts.

Bursting with that UNsentimental Love, we become Generous of Heart --

   patient, 

       tolerant, 

            kind, 

                 productive, 

                      efficient in what matters most.

Messy Bessy is dripping with heartfelt Generosity.

She hugs her new-found Love close at heart, and allows that love to overflow all around her!

Image is colored with Copics

One more photo of this sweetie:

Thanks for popping by today!

Products Used:

1. Sherri Baldy's Image - Messy Bestie Falls in Love
2. Sherri Baldy My-Besties Die - "Romantic Hearts Frame"
3. Computer Generated Sentiment
4. Copic Markers E25, E60, E53, E35, E43, R29, RV02, RV21, RV04, YG03
5. Willow and Wild Plum Distress Inks
6. Spellbinders: Labels Five, Wonky Rectangles, Grand Rectangles
7. Martha Stewart Lace Heart Edge, Twig Punch, 
8. CB Swiss Dot Embossing Folder
9. Flowers, Satin Lace from Lavish Laces
10. DCWV designer papers

Awesome Challenges I've entered with this darling card:

1. Path of Positivity #10 - Generosity (please see my comment inside my post) 2/4
2. Kitty Bee Designs Aloha Friday Challenge #15 - Something New (new digi, new frame die cut, new Spellbinders Rectangle base, new flowers, new ribbon) 1/30
3. My Besties Norge #10 - Anything Goes 2/1
4. Challenges 4 Everybody - #37 Anything Goes 1/30
5. The Squirrel and the Fox -  #62 Use Embellishments (lace, flowers, punches, sewing) 2/5
6. Sentimental Sundays - #191 Lovey Dovey (this card is all about love) 2/1
7. In The Pink Challenges - #36 - Die Cuts and Punches (listed in my products used) 

always a warm hug for you,

Lovely Wreath Twisted Easel

Note: November 17, 2015

ABC Christmas Challenge DT Call (ends Nov 30, 2015)

Hi, Blogging Friends! A warm welcome to new followers Vicky, Angelique, Shalu, Carrie, Kren, Carol Crafty-Stamper, Catherine. Thank you for following me, and I look forward to seeing your blogs, too!

November's Path of Positivity Challenge is about Thankfulness:

Apologies for not leaving comments as much as I used to, and for not even posting many cards. 

My hands have been very uncooperative, and the dexterity and neurologic issues are becoming extensive. And in all honesty - my brain is not functioning well, either, 

but

  Slow is better than Stop 

- right?

And maybe Contentment and Peace are by products of Gratitude?
Being content in the midst of Life regardless of what it brings?
So that we may grow in ways we might otherwise have never grown?
And be exposed to ideas and thoughts we otherwise would never have known?

I do want you to know how blessed I am to have you in my little life,

 and to share in your artwork and photos of your homes and loved ones.

Hopefully you all know how appreciated and valued you are. Since I am home-bound, it is my highlight to visit your blogs and see what you are up to.

I couldn't resist!


Having fallen deeply in love with this wonderfully detailed Christmas Wreath image by Kim Gwin of Scrapbook Stamp Society, I was delighted when sweet DTC Sher sent it to me.


It was remarkably easy to color because the image reveals the places to lighten and darken.

If you enjoy "Pretty", but prefer something easy to color, then this beautiful wreath would make a lovely addition to your digi Christmas items.  It's perfect for vintage or contemporary paper crafting, and it can be cut apart to use pieces of it, too.

I decided to try a Twisted Easel style card, and though Christina Griffiths' video tutorial was very simple, and contained wonderful tips about placement of images both top and bottom, I had trouble with the placement of the sentiment on the bottom portion of the card, so if you try this fold, you might want to use longer, thinner sentiments, or something extremely small, rather than a squarish size sentiment.

When closed, this is what the top looks like:

Except for the printed paper, all of the green is vellum. I'm ashamed to say that vellum has been in my stash at least 10 years, and this is the first time it  has been used!

While it worked with MS punch around the page, it did not play well with the Deep Edge MS Trim punches which cut both sides.

The pink pearls are from my mom's crafting stash (that means I have had them over 21 years - no telling how long she had them!) {smile}

The bottom looks like this when closed:

A computer-generated sentiment with a variety of fonts was fun to create.

Here is a close up of the bottom when opened:

My girl friend will be surprised when she receives this, especially knowing Fumble Fingers here made it (giggle).

thanks for stopping by!

Fondly submitted to the following wonderful challenges:

1. Created With Love Challenges - #67 Anything Goes (11-25)
2. Path of Positivity - #8 Gratitude (please see my little comment above) (12-2)
3. City Crafter Challenge Blog - #186 Card Using a Wreath (11-26)
4. Incy Wincy Designs - Easel Card (11-25)
5. Addicted to Stamps - #69 Dies and Punches (9 dies, MS punch around page) (11-25)
6. Crafty Calendar Challenge - Anything Christmas (12-3)
7. Tok Bobok Challenge - TBC#6 Christmas (11-29)
8. Fan-Tastic Tuesday - #10 Make it fancy SQUARE (Square top, square bottom) (11-26)
9. Party Time Tuesdays - #147 Color Challenge (bright pink, green, purple with deep teal) (11-26)
10. Sweet Stamps - #144 Anything Goes! (11-25)

Sweet hugs for you always,

Hope and the Blessings of Heart

Hello, Blogging Friends. I hope this finds you well and happy. 

Today I'm sharing a newer image from Sherry Baldy's Besties Collection - "Bless Your Heart". Darling with her stripes and dots, and a pocket full of blessings, she reminds us that we always have something for which to be thankful.

Miss Blessing is sweetly sporting orange, bringing her heart to a Halloween Party sponsored by Glitter N Sprinkle Challenge. I still have not mastered how to make "shine" in hair, but I boldly forged with black and gave it a shot.

The theme this month at the Path of Positivity Challenge is 

"Hope", 

especially fitting for me this year.

This year I've been "diligently experiencing" that Hope does not always reward us with what we think we need or want,
        consciously
             or
                subconsciously;
                      but rather,
                   Hope assures
 that regardless of what happens,
             regardless of the circumstances...
               "Everything will be Alright".

Hope encourages us to face Reality,
     with Strength,
          Contentment,
                 Courage
                       and
                            Peace.

Hope lets us know that Love will be the strongest of Forces always, as long as we are open to it.
I'd love hearing your thoughts about Hope.

Wonderful Challenges this card is submitted to:

1. Path of Positivity - #7 "Hope" - see my paragraph in the post please (Nov 7)
2. Glitter N Sprinkle Challenge - #54 Add Some Orange - (Oct 18)
3. Created With Love Challenge - #62 Sewing - (Oct 18)
4. Challenges4Everybody - #31 Anything Goes - (Oct 25)
5. Scribble and Scrap Crafts - #3 Always Anything Goes - (Oct 23)
6. 2 Sisters Challenge - #165 Anything Goes (Oct 17)
7. Clear It Out Challenge - #Oct 15 Halloween (Stash must be Orange) - I used several orange Copic Markers which have never been used, Sunset Orange Ink which has been in my stash for years and not used, and orange cardstock which had never been opened. (Nov 4)
8. The Pink Elephant - TPE221 Photo Inspiration (above) (Oct 21)

Products Used:

Scrapbook Stamp Society "Bless Your Heart Besties"
SB Labels One
SB Grand Labels One
SB Grand Decorative Labels One
MS Spider Web
CL Fanciful Flourish
MB Riviera Corner
Copic Markers
Memento Black Ink, Sunset Orange ink, Tea Dye ink, Crushed Olive, VersaMark
SNS Moss Star embossing powder
SNS Cappuccino Star embossing powder
Cardstock: Neenah White, White, Orange, Celery, Olive, Black

Thanks for stopping by today!
hugs,