Giveaway Winner Take 2!

Well, a week has passed and I didn't hear back from the first name I drew for the SSS Happy Bugs set, so I drew another name... 

And the winner is...

KERYS!

Kerys, please contact me with your mailing address and I'll get the stamps sent right out to you!

Sweet Stamp Shop Scrap Sunday

I'm up at the Sweet Stamp Shop today for Scrap Sunday! Head on over and take a look at how I used some SWEET stamps on my layout.

Have a lovely day!

Giveaway winner and 'Hands On' layout

Many thanks to everyone who entered my Giveaway this week, and a big hello and welcome to my new followers! I'm not sure what's going to happen when Google takes away Google Reader. GFC may soon disappear too, so I did add a Google+ gadget to the side of my blog, in case you'd like to follow your blogs that way.

Now for the winner of this fun stamp set from Sweet Stamp Shop:


THE WINNER IS Amy#8456(TheTigersHaven)!
Congratulations! Please send me your mailing address at duffyma_1999@yahoo.com and I'll get the stamps sent out your way!


Now for a layout to share. The Scrappy Friends' Challenges were calling to me this month, I managed to complete 2 out of the 4 challenges:

Kerys ~ Recipe Challenge (use at least 3 patterned papers, washi tape and twine)

Rochelle ~ Pinspiration photo

To create my layout, I divided it into three horizontal sections(inspired by Rochelle's photo), concentrating the photos and patterned papers in the center section.

I've found that I haven't been using my 6x6 paper pads very much, so just grabbed some American Crafts 'Soho Garden' and started to layer a few papers to coordinate with my photos. I then embellished with washi tape, stickers and some buttons and twine. Pretty simple, really, but all those vibrant colors in the papers give the page a great feel.

You can find me at the Sweet Stamp Shop blog tomorrow! 
Have a good weekend everyone.

Sweet Stamp Shop DT, June Release and a Giveaway!

I've got some AMAZING crafty news to share with you all.... I was selected to be on the Sweet Stamp Shop Design Team! Exciting, right? (Could someone please pinch me? I'm pretty sure I'm dreaming...) I will be sharing tips on how I use Sweet stamps on my scrapbook layouts, and hopefully inspire you all to use stamping more when scrapping! Look for my posts on Sundays, twice a month. 

GIVEAWAY ALERT:  In celebration of my first day on the SSS Design Team, I'd like to give away my favorite Sweet Stamp Shop set of all time, 'Happy Bugs'!! How does that sound?

Here's what you have to do to enter my blog giveaway:

1.) Become a follower of my blog, AND

2.) Comment here on this blog post and tell me what your favorite SSS stamp set is

3.) Come back here on Saturday, June 22nd, that's when I'll announce the winner!

 

Ok, on to the next bit of exciting crafty news... Today is Sweet Stamp Shop June Release Day! 

There are 3 new sets, check them out on the SSS blog. While you are there, read up on how to enter the SSS blog giveaway, and take a look at all of the other Design Team creations.
 Everything about the 'Admit One' set reminds me of bright, happy, fun times, so I made this card:

And then the 'Spin Me' set has tons of possibilities. I'll be using these stamps soon on a layout, I'm sure, but for now here's more of a masculine card:

I also used images from both of these sets to make a few tags. I used a faux watercoloring technique that my stamping friend, Jan, recently shared with me on the Two Peas in a Bucket General Stamping Forum. I just want to give her a quick shout out, you can visit her blog Far North Designs. She's got a post up with some more info on this technique!

To do faux watercoloring you need water based markers (or ink pads), cardstock, stamps, and a water mister. Oh, and some paper towels or Q-tips to soak up extra water.

 

1.) This technique is super easy, you will love it! First, color your stamp image with the markers

2.) Spritz the stamp with water. The Sweet Stamp Shop images I used were on the small side, so I really only needed 1 spritz for each stamp.

3.) Use paper towel or a Q-tip to dab away extra water. 

4.) Stamp the image onto white cardstock. I had no problem using a nice thick cardstock, but you could use watercolor paper too.

5.) Let your image dry and then use on your favorite project!

Here are the images I tried out, you can see where I used too much water on some, maybe not enough on others. You just need to experiment a little bit. 

To make my tags I used a small tag punch, then stamped a sentiment with Memento tuxedo black ink onto each. I then added some twine to hang them. Don't you love the simplicity? If you try out the technique, leave me a link, I'd love to check out your project.

One last note, that "fun" sentiment is from the set 'Today Was', the rest are from the new releases.

Don't forget to visit Sweet Stamp Shop blog today and meet the new Design Team.
If you buy the new sets today or tomorrow, used code NR20 to get 20% off!!

And don't forget to follow my blog and comment below for your chance to win some Happy Bugs.

Thanks so much and I'll see you again soon!

SWAT Drill #10 - Summertime

I'm a day late with this post, it's been super busy around here. I feel like I'm behind on everything - blogging, craft projects, housework, even my day job. Yikes!

The challenge this time at S.W.A.T. is to create a project with a summertime theme.

I used a tag that I had previously made, and wanted to add it to a card. To make the card background, I misted it with some Mr. Huey's Bonny Blue. Then added a sun sticker and some yellow chevron washi tape. The tag is popped up with foam adhesive for a little dimension. And that's it! Here's my post where I made the tags originally for a Sweet Stamp Shop project.

Remember to link your project up at S.W.A.T. by June 28th! Thanks for playing along this month!

Use What You Have Challenge

 

Sweet Stamp Shop is now hosting a weekly challenge to use up your old stash. I love the idea behind the challenge, I made a commitment to myself to specifically work on using up my patterned paper stash this year, and so far I've been really good...

This challenge is making me look WAY back in my stash, though. Like 10 years plus. For my card this week (Challenge #3), I started with these pressed flower stickers and blue cardstock, both are ~12 years old.

I prepared a white card base, then punched a circle in the blue cardstock, and cut out the sticker to help with positioning. I decided I wanted to try to bend and stamp a sentiment around the circle, so I looked through my Sweet Stamp Shop stamps and found that the Sentimental Birds set has a lot of possibilities for what I was looking to do.

I used my punched out circle as a guide to bend the sentiment into a circular shape.

I inked up the sentiment and stamped it onto the blue cardstock. I trimmed the flower sticker a bit more and then stuck it into place so it would show under the punched circle hole.

Lots of foam adhesive to pop the blue cardstock on top of the white.

And here's my finished card!

I also wanted to show you the card I made for the Use What you Have Challenge last week, it was kind of last minute so I didn't have time to blog about it. 

Here is the patterned paper and red cardstock I started with:

 I used the Let's Chat set and Simple Sentiments set to create this fun card:

You've got until Tuesday to link up your creation!

S.W.A.T. Drill #9

For Drill #9 we are doing a Color Challenge! Here's the color palette to work with:

I ended up doing a simple card for this challenge, layering up some stickers, paper and a die cut.

Patterned paper: American Crafts, Amy Tangerine

Stickers: Amy Tangerine

Die cut: Amy Tangerine

Washi tape: My Mind's Eye 

Be sure to link up your project at S.W.A.T. by June 28th for your chance to win a prize, and a chance to be our next featured S.W.A.T. artist!

Also, S.W.A.T. is looking for some new Design Team members. You have until June 10th to apply, but the call may close early once the slots are filled, so apply ASAP!. Please check out all the Design Team Details!