OWH Memorial Day Weekend BLOG HOP!

Operation Write Home Blog Hop 2013 Woohoo!! The annual Blog Hop for Operation Write Home! Want to check out some major inspiration, click above to go to the OWH page that has all the links to all the players! We were given simple rules for our cards today. The theme was "Thank You" and we were to pull a sketch from the OWH blog. I pulled OWH Sketch #119 to play with. You can find a ton of inspiration sketches for cards on the OWH Blog! Now on to the card!

A fun little thank you card using Impression Obsession Dies and Stamps!  

Here are the Copics I used to color. And... the flowers were cut out with the coordinating die that matches the stamp, which makes it super easy! 

The card is  4x 4 1/4" and opens tent style at the bottom. I added dimension with foam tape and of course a bow!!!!

• Stamps by Impression Obsession: CL465 Spring Medley Clear Set, CL427 Thank You Clear Set
• Dies: DIE073 Flower Trio Die Set by Impression Obsession, Spellbinder's Circle Nestie, DIE018-V Border Duo 2 Die by Impression Obsession, DIE001-Z Circle Shaker Frame Die by Impression Obsession,
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Olympia Green
• Paper: DP is from the Simple Stories 6x6 Summer Collection, Red, Neenah Classic Crest Natural White (ivory)
• Other: Ivory Jute String, Tim Holtz Embossing Folder, Perfect Layer Rulers, Foam Tape, Copics, Bow Easy Tool

Impression Obsession Sale and a Card!

Memorial Day Sale starts tomorrow on the Impression Obsession Website! Summer is on it's way and Impression Obsession has TONS of great new products and stamps in our online store to celebrate it.  The sale details again are: Type "MEM 20" in the coupon code box at checkout and click the button on the right to make it "take". Starting tomorrow at 12:00 p.m. get 20% off your order on our on-line store PLUS get free shipping on orders over $30.00. Can't beat that deal! 

Now on to a quick little card!

 I used the Spring Medley Clear Set, which has four fabulous flower designs in it.... and of course what makes it even better is that there are coordinating dies! You can see the coordinating dies here and here.

 Such an easy and quick color! And cutting it out with a die....  makes it even better!

I die cut the image and then used the same die to cut out a second black layer. I shifted the black layer just a bit and layered it under the flowers. I added foam tape to pop up the flowers, everything else is glued flat to the card front. The finished card is an A2 and opens tent style at the bottom. 

• Stamps by Impression Obsession: CL465 Spring Medley Clear Set, CL427 Thank You Clear Set
• Dies: DIE073 Flower Trio Die Set by Impression Obsession, Spellbinders S5-011 Scalloped Edge Frame
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black
• Paper: DP is from the Authentique 6x6 Collection "Renew", Black, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White
• Other: Adhesive Black Gems, Black Silk Ribbon, Tim Holtz Embossing Folder, Perfect Layer Rulers, Foam Tape, Copics, Bow Easy Tool

Serendipity Challenge #12 - Victory Gardens

Welcome to a new challenge for Serendipity Stamps! 

The Serendipity Challenge this week is Victory Gardens. 

Victory Gardens, also called "war gardens" or "food gardens for defense", were gardens planted both at private residences and on public land during World War I and World War II to reduce the pressure on the public food supply brought on by the war effort.

You can join along with us at the Serendipity Stamps Challenge Blog. With each challenge we always have a gift certificate up for grabs to a random player. 

Want to go shopping?  Serendipity currently has a 50% off sale on select wood mounted stamps.  Get them while they last here.

Check out the cards the team came up with for this challenge:

Jeanne Jachna
Marybeth Lopez
Miriam Napier
Pauline Pollington
Anya Schrier

Jenny Gropp - you are here!

Cathy Weber

 So with the theme being garden related, I thought this pump would fit with the theme. It also reminded me of this picture below.

This is a picture of my father and his older brother. My dad is the one holding the cup. I love everything about this picture! The composition, the expression on the faces, the cute little overalls.... I just love it!  

 I kept my colors all neutral, with the picture as my inspiration.  You can see I airbrushed a bit of N3 around the nestie before removing it from the die. Had to add some piercing too! 

 Some simple shading with Copic Greys. 

Here's the up close. Bling, Ribbon, Embossing Folder... still it stayed pretty simple! The card is 4 3/4" Square and opens at the bottom, tent style. I used foam tape under the image to add a little dimension.

• Stamps by Serendipity Stamps: #075F Pump, #307D Remember When
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black
• Paper: Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, Grey, Black
• Other: Black Silk Ribbon, Bow Easy Tool, Perfect Layer Rulers, Adhesive Crystals, Tim Holtz Embossing Folder, Foam Tape, Spellbinder's Curved Rectangles, Foam Tape, Copics/ABS

MarkerPOP! + Perfect Paper Crafting Blog Hop!

Hello everyone and welcome to the MarkerPOP! + Perfect Paper Crafting Blog Hop!!!

MarkerPOP! is the home of premium markers plus lots more!

Perfect Paper Crafting provides innovative tools, like the "Perfect Layers (tm)" border making tools/rulers, for all types of paper crafting.

Today we are teaming up to share some amazing projects using some of the awesome Perfect Paper Crafting Tools along with some of our favorite coloring tools from MarkerPOP.com.

If you are just joining the hop, you might want to go back to very beginning and check out all the eye candy! The full hop list and links are at the bottom of this post!

I've got two cards to share today. Both are using Mo Manning images manufactured by Stamping Bella. Love Mo!

CARD 1

This little image is called Cinderella, the picture below explains why! This image works for a fun anytime card for a girlfriend! I stamped on Neenah Classic Crest Solar White and of course colored with Copics. I also paper pieced her little apron, using paper from the 6x6 Park Bench paper pad by Fancy Pants.

 I always like to add an inside liner to my cards. With layers on the front, layers on the inside help it look more finished and makes it feel balanced. Of course I reach for my Perfect Layer Rulers to create the nice skinny mats. THe small blue layer was created with the 1/16" edge.

 Here are the Copic Markers I used for the image. I airbrushed a little BG10 before removing it from the oval nestie.  I also adding the piercing before removing it from the die, using the inside of the die's edge to keep my piercing nice and lined up.

Here's an up close picture. Love this frame die from Spellbinders called A2 Filigree Delight!

• Stamps from MarkerPOP!: Stamping Bella - Cinderella by Mo Manning
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black ink, Versafine Onyx Black
• Paper: DP from Fancy Pants Park Bench 6x6 paper pad, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White
• Other: Perfect Layer Rulers, Ribbon by Mary Arts, Bow Easy Tool, Copics, Piercing Tool, Foam Tape, Spellbinder's A2 Filigree Delight Frame Set, Spellbinder's Oval and Scalloped Oval Nesties

CARD 2

 This image is called Cupcake Thief. She was definitely fun to color with my Copics! I stepped out the coloring in pictures below.

 I kept the skin simple, using E21 and E000.

A little soft blue shading around the image with BG0000.

 After coloring the hair with the E Copics, I used the Y26 over all of it,the yellow changed it a bit, giving it a reddish finish.

 Simple combinations for the dress and wings.

 E44 and E42 for the cupcake wrappers.

Bright fun colors for the cupcake tops.

• Stamps from MarkerPOP!: Stamping Bella - Cupcake Thief by Mo Manning
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black ink, Versafine Onyx Black
• Paper: DP from Fancy Pants Park Bench 6x6 paper pad, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, Pink
• Other: Perfect Layer Rulers, Ribbon by Mary Arts, Bow Easy Tool, Copics, Foam Tape, Spellbinder's Reverse Wonky Rectangles, Dimensional SIlicone under the sentiment banner

PRIZES: We have TWO fun Perfect Paper Crafting prizes up for grabs.  One sponsored by MarkerPOP! and one from Perfect Paper Crafting!

Prize #1 - Sponsored by Perfect Paper Crafting:  $50 Gift Certificate to the PerfectPaperCrafting.com store!

Prize #2 - Sponsored by MarkerPOP!:  Set of Perfect Tears Tools

HOW TO WIN: Visit the blogs on the hop list below and leave a comment on their Blog Hop post.  TWO winners will be randomly selected from all comments left.  The more you comment on, the better your chances of winning!

Hop will run through Saturday, May 25th at 11:59pm EST.  Blog Hop winners will be announced Sunday, May 26th!

Happy Hopping!

Flourishes Timeless Tuesday #221 - Butterflies

Welcome to the Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge! This week yours truly is the hostess, and my challenge is BUTTERFLIES - FTTC #221. Easy enough for a challenge, so grab some Flourishes stamps and play along! You can find all the details of the challenge on the Flourishes Blog!

Check out what the team came up with for

FTTC#221 Butterflies Challenge:

• Allison Cope
• Broni Holcombe
• Deborah Anton
• Denise Marzec
• Katie Sims
• Judy Rozema
• May's Guest Designer: Iulia Pasca
• Jenny Gropp -that's me!

 Leaving the daisies white makes this a pretty quick card to color and make!  I used Flourishes Gerber Daisies Stamp set. The set has two butterflies in it... one butterfly faces left , the other faces right. having the two butterflies in different directions allows for more creativity when planning your card!

 I stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black ink. I positioned the Nestie to cut out the portion I wanted. I stamped a second butterfly to cut a wing out and pop up.

I wanted to leave the daisies white. Adding a little background color helps them stand out from the white background. I used BG90 in the background. The G20 is in the center of the flowers for a little highlight. 

Adding a little more color to the center of the flowers. I used the Y000 on s few of the petals just adding a smidgen of yellow. 

Here you can see the butterfly and the second wing too. I used the G85 and G82 for the stems all the other colors were for the butterfly. I used the yellow last on the butterfly, applying it over the entire wing areas, brightening it up a bit. 

I used a sentiment from the From the Garden stamp set on the inside liner of my card. 

Here's the close up. I added a little Crackle Accents to the flower centers, giving it a little shine but too glassy looking. The butterfly wing I curved and popped up with Dimensional Silicone. Finished card is 4 1/4" x 5" and opens at the bottom, tent style. 

• Stamps by Flourishes: Gerber Daisies, From the Garden
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black (sentiment on the inside)
• Paper: Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, Brown, Orange DP from Bo Bunny's Mama-razzi2 6x6 paper pad
• Other: Dimensional Silicone on the the butterfly wing, Bow Easy Tool, Spellbinder's Fleur de Lis Rectangle Nesties, Copics, Misc. Ribbon, Ranger's Crackle Accents, Perfect Layer Rulers, Copics, Foam Tape

Greetings....

 Now these are my colors! I love this color combo. It is from the new Bo Bunny Collection "Mama-Razzi2" 6x6 paper pad. I paired these colors up with another new set of stamps from Prickley Pear Rubber Stamps. The set is called Spring Flourished Ovals Clear Set. You can see the set below, lots of combinations to mix and match with the multiple sentiments. Of course there is a Coordinating Die too!

 I stamped the image on Neenah Classic Crest Solar White paper using Memento ink. I hand cut this out. You can see I darkened the outside frame and added a little blue highlight around the inside of the frame. There is a coordinating die for this, I used it to cut out a small layer for the image. 

 I stamped one of the sentiments from the set in the top portion of the frame. I added some Copic color to the little whimsical flowers.

 This is the inside of the card. You can see I added another sentiment on the inside that is also in the same Spring Flourished Oval Set. 

Here's an up close of the front of the card. I added foam tape in between layers for dimension. Viva Clear Glass Effect Pen on the Flower centers for a little shine. I love the little lace border die that PPRS came out with! All my layers are created with Perfect Layer Rulers. The bow finishes it up for this card. 

• Stamps by Prickley Pear Rubber Stamps: CLR033 Spring Flourished Ovals Clear Set
• Paper: Bo Bunny 6x6 Mama-Razzi2 Collection, White. Kraft
• Dies by Prickley Pear Rubber Stamps: PPRS-D033 - Flourished Oval Die, PPRS-D034 Floral Border Die
• Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Memento Tuxedo Black
• Other: Bow Easy Tool, Ribbon by SU, Adhesive Brads, Tim Holtz Embossing Folder, Perfect Layers Rulers, Copics, Foam Tape, Viva Clear Glass Effect Pen

Impression Obsession - Summertime!

It's an Impression Obsession Thursday! The Design Team was given the theme "In the Air" to inspire our creations this week. So come on and join us for this fun challenge and a chance to win a $25 Gift Certificate to shop for some new rubber from IO. Find all the details on how to play along on the Impression Obsession Blog. 

Check out what everyone came up with today:

Daniela @ For the First Time

Dina @ Mama Dini's Stamperia

Jeanne @ Inky Paws
Jenny @ One Krafty Kat - you are here!
Julie @ Out to Impress
Kittie @ Kittie Kraft 
Laura @ Laura's Stamp Art Journal
Vicki @ Summerthyme Studio

 Sweet and Simple for today! The challenge was In the Air, maybe I stretched it a bit with the pinwheels... At first I planned on birds or butterflies, but then came across this fun image and felt like playing with it! I used paper from Basic Grey's Collection "Mint Julep" which is full of happy prints and coordinating solids. I paper pieced the pinwheels. The top solid layers are popped up with a little dab of silicone under each flap.

I added a white liner on the inside and a little bit of paper. I stamped the Summer Afternoon sentiment and added that inside. This would make a fun anytime card. Final card size is an A2. 

• Stamps by Impression Obsession: Party Pinwheels #H8953, Summer Afternoon #C3784 
• Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
• Paper: Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, Basic Grey 6x6 pad Mint Julep, Kraft
• Other: Corner Rounder, Brads, Jute String, Misc. Button, Foam Tape, Bow Easy Tool, Perfect Layer Rulers, Dimensional Silicone, Spellbinder's Rectangle Nesties

Timeless Tuesday #220 - Blues and Greens

Welcome to my first post with Flourishes for the Timeless Tuesday Challenge! This week Broni is our hostess, and her challenge is all about using Green and Blue! Easy enough for a challenge, so grab some green and blue paper and a Flourishes set and play along! You can find all the details of the challenge on the Flourishes Blog!

Check out what the team came up with for

FTTC#220 Blue and Green Challenge:

• Ally Cope
• Broni Holcombe
• Deborah Anton
• Denise Marzec
• Katie Sims
• Judy Rozema
• May's Guest Designer: Iulia Pasca
• Jenny Gropp -that's me!

I was in the mood to color some flowers, so I found a set that would work with the challenge colors of blue and green....the very pretty Sweet Violets stamp set. I used the out of the box technique with the violets using a circle die. The white layer behind the image and the sentiment die both come in the Perfectly Pierced Classic Window Die Set. I love using piercing on a card and when the die does it for you, well I love it even more!  I hand cut additional small layers around most of the die cut pieces. 

Here are the Copics I used for the image. Flourishes does a fantastic job of grouping Copics together to make it easy to pick out some really great combinations. They have created a swatch book that has all sorts of great color combo suggestions. I used the greens from the Pistachio Collection, these have to be some of my most used greens, I just love the tone.

Here is an upclose. Of course I managed to work a bow in there! 

• Stamps by Flourishes: Sweet Violets Stamp Set
• Dies: Perfectly Pierced Classic Window Die Set #CD005 by Flourishes, Spellbinder's Circle Nesties, Spellbinder's Grand Labels One, Spellbinder's Grand Decorative Labels One
• Paper: Green DP is from Simple Stories 6x6 Summer Collection, Blue, Curious Cryogen White
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, SU Brilliant Blue
• Other: Misc. Ribbon, Bow Easy Tool, Foam Tape for Dimension, Misc. Button

Some FUN news and a CARD!!!!

I have a card to share, but I first I have some really fun news to share!

I am thrilled to be joining the very talented and creative design team for Flourishes! 

If you know me, then you know Flourishes Stamps are some of my most favorite images to color. I'm super excited to be part of the team and share more Flourishes creations on my little blog.

I am part of the Friends of Flourishes Design Team, which means that each and every Tuesday I will be sharing a Flourishes card. And every Tuesday you can play along with the team. Each Tuesday will bring a different challenge and there is always a prize up for grabs too! There are two more talented ladies joining the team along with me.... Katie Sims and Judy Rozema. Please use this link to go the announcement on Flourishes and get to know my other new teammates.

 So here is a quickie card, made with Flourishes Stamps today, of course! I used the Tiny Flowers and Tags Set. It has all sorts of little flowers and sentiments that make perfect small tags. Today I just used the Daisy and one of the little sentiments. The small flowers and words fit perfectly in this little nine square die! I used Spellbinder's Lacey Squares to create the card base.

 I adhered the black frame to white card stock. Then I stamped the daisy and sentiment in the little squares. I colored the background in the little squares with Y32 so that the daisies would pop out white.  A tiny amount of G20 in the centers of the flower petals. Y35 is in the center. I used Perfect Layer Rulers to trim the white layer, I used the 1/16" edge.

Here's an up close. I added a bow, of course! And I added a little drop of Viva Clear Glass Gel Pen on the center of each flower. I used foam tape in between in some of the layers to add dimension. 

• Stamps: Flourishes Tiny Flowers and Tags
• Dies: Spellbinder's Lacey Squares Nesties, Art Gone WIld - Crafty Cutts Dies #CCD-011 Nine Square
• Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Memento Tuxedo Black
• Paper: Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, Black, Yellow
• Other: Copics, Perfect Layer Rulers, 1/8" White Ribbon, Bow Easy Tool, Viva Clear Glass Gel, TIm Holtz Embossing Folder, Foam Tape