Outside My Window

Friday, February 10, 2012

Bloody Valentine Blog Hop

Welcome to the:

Today my card features Anna Marine's Sugar Skulls from Sweet Pea Stamps and she is on sale for only $2! Plus if you enter the code VALENTINES at checkout it will knock 20% off your order through Valentine's day!

Everything else is digi goodies I found at this awesome blog called Gothic Inspirations, she has kits for sale and lots of freebies! Thanks for stopping by! ttfn

Blog Roll

Wednesday, February 08, 2012

Sweet Valentine Giveaway!

Check out this great giveaway over on facebook! There are some awesome prizes to be won. Including Cake Bites, chocolate and a Crafters Bundle of fantastic goodies!!!!

Simply the Sweet Life

Sunday, February 05, 2012

Frantic Stamper Sketch 2/5/12

Today's sketch card features Hero Arts Peacock, you can find it in Fran's newly remodeled store!

I stamped in with black stazon on watercolor paper and, using a blender pen, painted with various mists. The dp is a digi, chipboard Maya Road and the embellishments came from Tattered Angels (not sure actually if they made them or not I picked up a surprise box from them before Christmas last year.) The ribbon is from DCWV.

Not quite sure how happy I am with this, sort of a like/don't like relationship, lol. Any thoughts? ttfn!

Wednesday, February 01, 2012

Song of the Siren

Today I would like to share with you a card made with ching chou kuik's Depth of Memory. This lovely image is currently on sale for only $3!

The papers are prima and the flourish is Maya Road.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Frantic Stamper Sketch 1/22/12

Today I have a sketch card from Frantic Stamper. The image is called Le Pendu from the Cat Tarot line of rubber stamps. The papers are Core'dinations and BoBunny, the ribbon is velvet, not sure where it came from though. The image was colored with copics, I used the blender pen and touch it to the color I wanted to use then colored with the blender. Gives it a light water color like appearance.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Dark Thoughts and Little Blue Shoes

Have you checked out the overstock sale lately? There are so many gorgeous images available ranging from $1-3, including this one titled Dark Thoughts by Anna Marine - currently this image is on sale for only $2.

The papers are from Authentique, the leaves are Prima and the spray is Wild Orchid. The image was colored with copics.

This is also an Anna Marine creation titled Little Blue Shoes. Priced at only $2 you can't go wrong, it is a gorgeous image!

The papers are Authentique, the key and frame are from Tattered Angels, the frame was spritz with Frost Blue glimmer and then distressed with Memento Cocoa ink. The image was also colored with copics.

Sunday, January 08, 2012

Happy Birthday!

Good morning! I hope today finds you doing well. I have a sketch card to share from the Frantic Stamper. The image is Eggshell Riley, isn't he adorable?

He was colored with copics, the printed papers are Cosmo Cricket and the cardstock is Core-dinations. Thanks for stopping by!

Friday, January 06, 2012

Sweet Pea Stamps new releases!

Have you seen the new releases from Sweet Pea Stamps?

Conie Fong's sheet #2, Plate #198. These adorable stamps are available for pre-ordering as a full sheet or individuals. More details on website:

3 new images by Elisabeth Bell for pre-ordering:

Heart Strings:

Be My Valentine:

A Warm Fuzzy Hug:

Thursday, January 05, 2012

Sprinkle n Sparkle January Sketch

Today I would like to share with you the my take on the SnS sketch for January. The images are called Birds and is a great set of sweet birds.

The images were watercolored, the papers are Prima and Core'dinations.

Sunday, January 01, 2012

Happy New Year!

Happy New Years! Today's card features the Elisabeth Bell's Party Time image. Once it was colored I had the thought that I had featured it before, but then the thought crossed my mind that a fantastic image is one that can be used over and over for so many reasons.

Isn't she adorable celebrating this new, wonderful year?

The printed paper is from Cosmo Cricket, flowers are prima and she was colored with copics. Thanks for stopping by! Wishing you the best year yet! ttfn

Saturday, December 31, 2011

check out the fantastic sale at Sweet Pea Stamps - it ends tomorrow! 25% off with the coupon 'newyear'!

Friday, December 30, 2011

Snap shots

Today I have a card I want to share that uses matted images (Elaine Cox's Mirima and Stormy Moon) that I like to call snap shots. Depending on your age, at one point in time or another you have either seen or even used an instant camera that would eject the picture out of the camera. You waited a short time and presto! Your picture was ready. While digitals have taken over the world, I still think an instant camera were marvelous creations - there is no need to run to a computer or kiosk to have it developed. But I digress...to create your own snap shots is very simple.

Cut a piece of white card stock to 3.5 x 4.5, this will be your mat.
For the stamped image you will need another piece of card stock, I want to say white since we are taking a picture, and cut it to 3 x 3.
Stamp and color the image.
Stamp a sentiment on the lower 1" section of the mat (for authenticity hand write it!).
Adhere the two pieces of paper together leaving a .25 border at the top and along the sides of the stamped image.

To finish up the card I am sharing today, I cut a 6 x 6 piece of Prima paper, inked the edges with some brown ink, flipped the Prima paper and cut it to 5.5" and inked those edges and attached the two pieces together, centering. Adhere the snapshots at angles, overlapping. Embellish with a Maya Road satin flower (something I will try and CASE for you sometime) and some Tattered Angels chipboard corners sprayed with a Walnut Gold Glimmer Mist.

Well, I hope you have enjoyed your stop today and will find yourself addicted to snap shots like I am! Don't forget to check out the great sale on grab bags in the Sweet Pea Stamps store! ttfn

Friday, December 23, 2011

The 12 Days of Christmas

Well I am glad today is here and Christmas is almost over...yes I am a bit of a scrooge. Hopefully your Christmas will be filled with love, family, lots of food and gifts! Merry Christmas to all my internet friends!

Here's the good stuff:

BLOG ROLL!

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

The 12 Days of Christmas

This is another set of fantastic Faerie Song images, the papers are basic grey.

Here's the good stuff:

BLOG ROLL!

Monday, December 19, 2011

The 12 Days of Christmas

This image is Katerina Koukiotis's Little Drummer Boy from Sweet Pea Stamps.

I don't know about you but I am tired of winter already and it really hasn't even started. I did see a bald eagle coming through last week - that is always a sign that it is about to take a turn for the worse in winter terms. I sure hope he returns soon.

Thanks for stopping by!

Here's the good stuff:

BLOG ROLL!

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Merry Christmas, Lynette!

Welcome to the Merry Christmas, Lynette Blog Hop! Today, the Sweet Pea Stamps design team are sharing a selection of creations as a surprise to Lynette, owner of Sweet Pea Stamps.

Now if you stopped by a couple weeks ago for our Out of the Box Christmas hop, you will remember this lovely image I featured. Well, I am at again - I just love this set so much!

Today I have used both the Grapevine Frame (Plate #165) and Wings of Love (Plate #131) together. It was colored with copics, the papers are from 7gypsies and core'dinations, the flower is handmade from Webster's Pages goodies. The grapevine rubon is from BoBunny.

The flower is real simple to create. Take a scrap of chipboard - about an inch in size, a piece of pleated trim - I used less than twelve inches and a hot glue gun. After the glue gun is ready, start on the outside of the chipboard and drop a bit of glue. Attach the trim and continue around the perimeter of the chip board scrap. When you come to the beginning of the trim move inward with the glue and continue to adhere the trim until all that is left is a small opening in the center. Attach a button with hot glue over the center and press down. Now you have a sweet little flower.

Now don't forget to stop over at Sweet Pea Stamps where there is a wonderful deal of the day. Today is also the last day to get free shipping!

Below you will find the list of stops along the way, leave a comment at each stop for an entry into a drawing for a 3 piece grab bag of Sweet Pea Stamps images. The drawing will be held 12/22 and the winner announced on the Sweet Pea Stamps blog. Thanks for stopping by, Merry Christmas and good luck!

Alexandra Lundgren
Angela Sowell
Connie Piotter
Dawn Knight
Holley Barnhart
Jennifer Willis

Lori Ransom
Kate Palmer
Karina Lange

Saturday, December 17, 2011

The 12 Days of Christmas

Another day, another Faerie Song, haha...don't you love it? She is a cutie -

Here's the good stuff:

BLOG ROLL!

Thursday, December 15, 2011

The 12 Days of Christmas

This is another Fairie Song image I have to share. Isn't she fun? Looks like she is dancing for joy!

Here's the good stuff:

BLOG ROLL!

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

The 12 Days of Christmas

This little tag is the last of the Sweet Pea Stamps elves. Now they have to get back to work! Thanks for stopping by...

Here's the good stuff:

BLOG ROLL!

Sunday, December 11, 2011

The 12 Days of Christmas

The third of the elves, how is Santa going to get anything done if they are always out having fun?

Here's the good stuff:

BLOG ROLL!

Friday, December 09, 2011

The 12 Days of Christmas

Today I have two cards to share, the first is a card I made for the Altered Alice challenge, the image is from Sweet Pea Stamps Elaine Cox collection and is titled Alice Croquet Game.

This is the second of four elves from the Sweet Pea Stamps Elaine Cox Alice in Wonderland collection.

Here's the good stuff:

BLOG ROLL!

Thursday, December 08, 2011

Welcome to the Sweet Pea Stamps OOTB Christmas Hop!

What is OOTB you may ask? Well it's Out of the Box and that is what we are doing today, stepping out of the box and featuring non-Christmas themed stamps for Christmas projects! We thought it would be a wonderful idea to show you just how versatile Sweet Pea Stamps images can be.

The project I have to share with you today is an altered cd tree ornament featuring Joanne Schempp's Wings of Love:

It is a gorgeous angel and just perfect for Valentine's Day! The frame is available, also, separately so it is a versatile set of stamps to begin with. But Valentine's Day is still a couple months away and I want to make something with it now....but no worries it also doubles as a Christmas Angel. Now the idea for using the image in this manner came from a collage sheet I recently acquired and I just knew I had to try my hand at CASEing it.

To create your own-

Supplies:
Sweet Pea Stamps Wings of Love from the Joanne Schempp collection
Compact Disc
Maroon Card Stock - Micheal Strong
Printed Paper - Webster's Pages
Gold Krylon Paint Pen
Ornate Frame Punch - Unknown
Queen and Co. Pearls
1 yard Gold 1/4" Organdy Ribbon
Prima Holly Leaves
Adhesive
Gold Ranger Stickles
Copic Markers:

Roses RV69, R59 RV42
Gown B000, B00, B01
Skintone E00, E000
White Areas C0, B000, E0000
Hair E33, E35, E27

Directions:

Stamp and color your image.
Trim it out closely, removing the greenery and bow.
Create a slit in both hands and run aribbon through the slits positioning the image about in the middle of the ribbon and leaving plenty of fullness to drape. Set this aside.
Cover a cd with a base paper.
Punch out a frame on black paper and paint with gold paint pen.
Adhere to the cd and cover with printed paper.
Attach holly leaves to the back of the image with glue dots and adhere the image to the center of the frame.
Position the ribbon to flow around the cd, adding glue dots in places not visible.
Trim out the upper corner print (from the same sheet of Webster's Pages paper) and adhere with double sided foam tape (I stacked two pieces for additional height).
Punch a hole in the top of the cd for the ribbon hanger and string through.
Embellish with pearls and finish off with stickles.
Allow to dry before hanging.

I hope you have enjoyed your visit today. I love to read your comments! Don't forget to comment for your chance to win a $20 Sweet Pea Stamps Gift Certificate! The next stop along the way is Angela - I am sure she will have something truly gorgeous to share!

In case you happen to get lost here is the list of stops for today:
Sweet Pea Stamps blog
Alexandra Lundgren
Jennifer Willis
Angela Sowell
Connie Piotter
Dawn Knight
Holley Barnhart
Karina Lange
Katarina Maserak
Sharon Harding
Lori Ransom

Monday, December 05, 2011

The 12 Days of Christmas

One of the greatest Christmas images Sweet Pea Stamps offers is this one from the Bill Plank collection titled Santa and His Helpers. Talk about fun! It looks like Santa has his hands full with all those crazy little elves all over the place.

He was colored with copics, the papers are Pink Paislee and Core'dinations.

Here's the good stuff:

BLOG ROLL!

Saturday, December 03, 2011

The 12 Days of Christmas

Day two brings another Faerie Song image aren't they so whimsical and cute?

Here's the good stuff:

BLOG ROLL!

Thursday, December 01, 2011

Christmas is a comin'!

Today I thought I would share an ornament with you. It is fairly simple and turns out beautiful! So far I have made about a half of a dozen and have more in the planning stages. This specific ornament is for the Robin's Nest Design Team application. Robin's Nest is a wonderful small business which offers some wonderful embellishments for paper crafting, including the best little creation of all time - Dew Drops! Check out the Robin's Nest blog for great inspiration too!

http://www.robinsnest-scrap.com/

Supplies:

Focal Image:
Sweet Pea Stamps Rubber Stamp: Valarie Wade's Rose
White Card Stock
Colored Card Stock
3" Circle Punch
3.5" Circle Punch
Copic Markers:

Y28- Jewelry
Y17- Flower Centers
R11 - Cheeks and Lips
R22, R24, R27 - Clothing and Flowers
G14, G19, G16 - Ruffles
G24 - Background
B000 - Eyes and White Highlights
E71, E77, E79 - Hair
E51, E00, YR00 - Skintones

Inkssentials Opaque White Pen
Cocoa Ink Pad
Smooch Illuminate
Ultra Thick Embossing Powder (UTEE)
Embossing Ink Pad
Heat Gun

Base:
Echo Park Merry Christmas Sheet Music Digital Paper
Chipboard
Amazing Goop Adhesive
24" Silver Vintage Tinsel
Plaid ModPodge
Cocoa Ink Pad

Finishing:
Round Dew Drops
Chipboard
Adhesive
Glue Dots
Krylon Silver Paint Pen
Prima Red Flowers and Holly Leaves
1' Ribbon

Directions:
Focal Image:

Punch a 3" circle from the white card stock and stamp image, centering.
Color the image.
Using the white ink pen add highlights to the hair.
Smooch is painted over the wings.
Distress the edges of the focal image with cocoa colored ink.
Tap the embossing ink on top of the image and sprinkle with UTEE, tap off excess and heat to set. While still hot, add more UTEE and heat, repeat several more times until there is is a nice heavy, glassy layer of ep on the image.
Cut a piece of colored card stock into a 3.5" circle for a mat and attach the stamped image.

Base:

Print a star at 75% from Coloring Castle and trim out.
Using the star as a pattern cut out a base from chipboard.
For the background paper manipulate the music print to black and white, then sepia (Old sheet music can be substituted.) and print out on white card stock.
Cut out a star using the pattern from the music printed paper and distress the edges with the cocoa ink pad.
Adhere the sheet music to the chipboard with ModPodge.
Fold a piece of tinsel in half, pinch about 1" from the fold and twist. This will be the hanger.
Adhere the tinsel to the edges of the star, with the loop at the top point, with Amazing Goop and allow to dry.

Finishing:

Paint the dew drops with the silver paint and allow to dry.
Adhere a piece of chipboard to the back of the matted image.
Adhere the matted image to the star, centering.
Adhere the dew drops to the mat around the focal image, evenly positioning.
At the bottom of the focal image, adhere the holly leaves, center with the red flower and add a dew drop to the center.
Tie a ribbon at the tip of the top star point.

Here are a few more of the star ornaments I have made using the same techniques, the focal images are collage sheets and vintage ephemera. Add a touch of lace, framing the image and they are just gorgeous!

Enjoy sharing!

I hope you have enjoyed your visit today and will check out all the wonderful offerings Robin's Nest has to offer! ttfn!

It's December!

wow, where has the year gone? This month there are several things happening and it all starts today - if you have come for one of the blog hops please keep scrolling as there are two different posts today.

Otherwise, this is the Mike Strong link and this is the Smeared and Smudged Link. Thanks for stopping by - can't wait to read your comments. ttfn!

The 12 Days of Christmas

On the first day of Christmas I bring to you a card featuring a Faerie Song image...ok so I have a bunch already made up and will be using them for the first half, hopefully I can get the other half done before I run out of posts!

The image was colored with copics, the stitching is white ink pen and the papers are Webster's Pages.

Here's the good stuff:

BLOG ROLL!

Micheal Strong Holiday Tag Blog Hop

Welcome to the hop! I hope you enjoy your visit and take some time to look around at some of the other posts here. I sort of got my days confused with some of the other obligations I have and almost missed today's post. But I got my head on straight and came up with this little ditty. I think it turned out awesome. Now I am just wondering who would guess correctly as to the image I used to create the tree? Well, I'll give you a moment to think about and reveal the image end of this post.

So how do you like it?

Now, if you are participating in the scavenger hunt have A good time! Once you have all the letters make a wish and send it in. Also, while I have you here, take a moment to look around there are lots of posts going live today for several great reasons!

So any ideas as to what image I used to create the tree? Well, would you believe it was this wonderful mini hummingbird from Mike's wonderful collection of images?

I stamped the image out about twelve times, trimmed it up (chopping off it's little head) and piecing it all together, came up with a pretty decent Christmas tree, if I say so myself. To create the tag I used a Bazzil Basics chipboard luggage tag, some of the beautiful paper Mike offered last year, sanded the edges and smudged some gold ink all over it. Then I adhered the tree, painted a black chipboard star from Cosmo Cricket with Gold Krylon paint and attached it also. Then I found this gorgeous green velvet ribbon for the tag hole and tied it off. Next, I used some Ranger White Opal Liquid Pearls for the snow on the tree (just filled in the open area of the birds body) and gold stickles for the ornaments, let it all dry and you have this neat tag! I added a hanger to it and found a spot on my tree.

Thanks for stopping by, I will have some more ornaments posted tomorrow if you would like another idea for trimming your tree. I would love to read your comments. Your next stop is Diana. Oh and in case you have jumped in here - you can visit Hetty's blog for the complete list of stops! ttfn