Yakkin' Birdies~~

Different day, same sketch! Can you tell? I used the birdies instead of flowers, but it is the same sketch~~

I used Almost Amethyst and white CS. I colored on the birds from the Cheep Talk SS with Amethyst and Pretty in Pink markers as well as Daffodil Delight and Pumpkin Pie for the beaks and legs. I used Certainly Celery ink for the branches.

The ribbon is SU Certainly Celery Taffeta. The button is just from my stash, nothing special. The DSP is ancient SU Amethyst DSP. I have had it forever~!

I think the birdies look like they are talking to each other don't you? I cut them out and used Dimensionals to give them some flair.

I have another lovely to share with you tomorrow......see you then!

~~Stamping Smiles~~

Shelli

Bashful Birthday Blessings~~

I saw another great sketch on the CAS blog!

HERE is the link to this weeks sketch....easy and a good one! Try it~~

I used: Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery and Ballet Blue CS. Bashful DSP, Bashful ink, an old SU flower punch, Little Leaves Sizzlits die, rhinestones from no where in particular. SU Bashful 1/4 inch ribbon, PTI button and embroidery floss.

I was very pleased with the results! You gotta try those CAS blog sketches! You can also upload your card to their blog so others can see it. You do not have to have a blog, you can also put it on SCS and link it that way!

Stop in tomorrow as I will have another card with this same sketch......it's a keeper!

~~Stamping Smiles~~

Shelli

Fun Faux Silk~~

I adore the simplistic layouts like this one. You can showcase almost any stamp set with minimal effort!

If you haven't tried the Faux Silk technique, you should. It is super easy. If you know me very well, you know that I don't do complicated. So if I say it is easy, it truly is!

HERE is a link to the tutorial on SCS. Try it. If you have white tissue paper and a glue stick, you can do it!

I got my color combo from the Color Coach by SU.Real Red, Marina Mist, and Old Olive. Striking bold colors I think! I thought about adding more bling, but I was afraid it would take away from the technique, so I left it alone. I will be trying this one again soon!

~~Stamping Smiles~~

Shelli

(AKA Stamping Nerd)

The Monday After~~~

My Easter was fabulous....I hope yours was too! We spent the afternoon watching my daughter dance at a local church and then hanging out with friends......my kind of day!

Last week was SO busy, I didn't stamp for 6 days. 6 days! That's like for-ev-er! I also haven't posted, which I'm sure you noticed! Let's see if this week can be better......

Ok, for this one I used Melon Mambo CS, and DSP from the SAB pack.....Daffodil Delight CS and taffeta ribbon. I used the new Four Frames SS with Mambo ink for the focal point. The greeting is an older retired set. And lastly the brads are just from my LCS. Easy one!

It's Mail-A-Card-Monday! Get to it! I want to hear about that at next club or email me. I enjoy hearing how an unexpected card n the mail has touched someone!

~~Stamping Smiles~~

Shelli

RAK Tuesday~~

Monday had me feelin' a little less than great so Mail-A-Card Monday has become RAK Tuesday, at least for this week!

For this little beauty, I started with a white CS base. I layered on Daffodil Delight, after I ran it through the Cuttlebug with a Swiss Dots folder. I used Poppy Parade and Pear Pizazz DSP which I pulled from the level one hostess DSP pack. I stamped right onto it with black ink and trimmed around the flowers. This is called paper piecing......I think. Anyway, I used Dimensionals under the Pear flowers to add dimension and then I used some tiny clear beads from my LCS in the centers of the flowers. I used the happy bday greeting from Perfect Punches and my large oval punch to pop it out! Finally, I tied some Poppy ribbon around it and ta-da!

R.A.K. stands for Random Acts of Kindness. So mail a card, brighten a day, bring a smile, encourage a heart. You'll be glad you did!

~~Stamping Smiles~~

Shelli

Sunshine~~

I'm in love.....with this card! It all started with the Springtime Vintage DSP and became something special!

The CS I used is Baja Breeze, Very Vanilla and Always Artichoke. You can see just a hint of the Artichoke peeking out from behind the DSP. I used the new Four Frames SS (available this month for purchase with a $20 SU purchase or free to qualifying hostesses) with Baja ink and added the sentiment in Artichoke ink. I had some PTI ribbon that was a nice matching shade, so I just tied it around the DSP. What makes this card special and different for me (besides the gorgeous DSP) is the straight pin. I got these pins a couple years ago from my friend (miss you!)
Kathie_Mcguire! I stuck the pin through the ribbon and added some Tacky Glue to the end, the slid a few small beads on to keep the pin on the card, and add some flair!

I hope you enjoyed today's card and that you'll let me know if you want to purchase the Four Frames set!

~~Stamping Smiles~~

Shelli

Cute as a Bug~~

I am having some more fun with this set! I also broke down and got two more of the In Colors from SU. I am so glad they started offering the In Colors for two years, it seems to take me quite a while to warm up to them, and then they're gone, at least before! I loved Pear Pizazz right away, but I just now jumped on the Poppy Parade and Peach Parfait band wagon! My card base is Poppy Parade. Then I used all In Colors; Poppy as well as the Peach Parfait and Pear Pizazz CS. I embossed the bugs with Whisper White ink and white embossing powder. I used my 1 3/8 inch square punch after the powder was dry. I grabbed my Scallop Trim border punch and some Pear Pizazz CS for an accent on the white base. Then I finished it off with some Peach Parfait ribbon (which is fabulous!) Get stampin'!~~

~~Stamping Smiles~~

Shelli

Bugs and Kisses~~

I have become one of "those" people. You know the type.....the kind that needs to stamp every single day. Something is missing if I don't. I always thought "those" people were crazy, now I know it's true. I am crazy, crazy lucky and blessed to have a space to stamp (almost) every single day. A hubby who doesn't quite get it, but who doesn't really care either. I feel like I can "move on" once I have stamped. Some days, I try to get "enough" done so I CAN stamp. Other days, I stamp so that I can get stuff done. But either way, I stamp. Call me crazy, I won't hear ya anyway. I have the cutest grandson! He is so adorable and funny and busy busy busy! Since the day we found out the granbaby was going to be a boy, I knew I wanted this set. I finally got it! So this card is for the granbaby! He is one now and so full of life and joy and cuteness! I pulled out some old Green Galore CS for this, paired it with Only Orange and then Real Red, Brilliant Blue, Yo-Yo-Yellow ink to make the bugs come marching in! (are you hearing the music?)

Bugs and Kisses

~~Stamping Smiles~~

Shelli

Double Thanks~~

At my new job, one of the gals is expecting twins! Twin girls even! Double the fun right?

There was a shower for her this weekend, so in addition to her other gift, I made some thank you cards for her to use.

I used A Slice of Life set for this one and doubled the little jammies like her twins.

The cs is Pink Pirouette and Barely Banana (ret). The ribbon is from my LCS and the greeting is from Warmest Regards (ret.)

Just a simple straightforward card since I was making 10 of them, but I love the soft colors, very cuddly baby don't ya think?

It's Mail-A-Card-Monday! Get er' done!

~~Stamping Smiles~~

Shelli

The fine line~~

I read today this quote; "There is a fine line between Hobby and Mental Illness"! It made me giggle.....and some of you can totally relate! If you can't, don't lose hope....someday you will! I enjoyed the sketch from the CAS blog so much that I have made two more cards with it this week! The one I made yesterday got put in the mail before I remembered to take a pic of it! I used my SU markers to color on the stamps from Tart and Tangy that needed two colors. Like the blog suggests, I kept is simple. The greeting is from the $1 bin once again! You gotta just grab those once in a while. I have quite a collection and I use them often. Can't go wrong with words, especially $1 words! I used Tangerine Tango ink and CS, Real Red and Wild Wasabi ink and Chocolate Chip on the apple stem. Pretty easy! See you next week~~~

~~Stamping Smiles~~

Shelli

Extreme Style~~

Another sketch challenge for me today! This one is from the CAS blog #96 . Most guy cards are tough, the colors are more plain, no frills. All the stuff WE girls like. But Extreme Elements makes it easier! My color combo is Chocolate Chip, Cajun Craze and Marina Mist. The Extreme Skateboarder is on Dimensionals! I use So Happy For You for the greeting with Whisper White Ink. Ta-da! You can see a tiny bit that I lined the inside and added a bit of stamping to dress it up a bit. Otherwise this card may be challenging to sign because of the dark CS. This will actually be my youngest child and only boys birthday card. I can't believe the "baby" is turning 16 in a month. Good grief! I am ready to be an "empty nester" though. I think. At least that's what I've been waiting a few years for. It seems like a good idea today, but in a few years..............somebody hold my hand! Weird! I love my hubby though, and I have no intention of being "bored" or lonely. My daughter said to me once a couple years ago "Mom, when we're all gone aren't you gonna be bored?" I have so many things I want to do! I doubt I will be bored! Besides, I have one adorable GranBaby now, and in a few years, who knows! Time marches on doesn't it? Enough rambling............

~~Stamping Smiles~~

Shelli

Spring Goodness~~

I adore card sketches! They are a launching pad for me. When I use them I am not copying someone else's work, but creating my own, with a little help!

Today's sketch is from SCS and is #129. If you aren't familiar with SCS, you need to be. Splitcoaststampers.com. It is a wealth of information and helpful hints!

I got the color combo from my SU Color Coach. Certainly Celery, Tempting Turquoise and Rich Razzleberry. The Razzleberry I used on just the tulips in the basket. Subtle but there! The image is from A Flower For All Seasons.

I used my Cuttlebug to add texture to the Turquoise piece. I used SU's Scallop Trim Border punch for the So Saffron piece that I added to the right there. The ribbon is PTI, and the sentiment is from last years SAB!

I hope today you are blessed and loved! Make someone else feel the same, mail a hug!

~~Stamping Smiles~~

Shelli

Clean and Simple Blog~~

I often fall to the Clean And Simple Blog for some stamping direction! I am never disappointed either!

Today's layout is from there, and I am going to use this one again I can tell. I think I will try it with flowers next.....

I used Real Red CS for the base here. The buttons are SU as is the punch I used to create the flower behind the buttons, Boho Blossoms punch. The greeting is from the SAB set, So Happy For You!

And shocker, I didn't use ANY ribbon on this card! That almost never happens with me!

I tried to make up for lost time this weekend by stamping a lot on Saturday. All the new job stuff has my old brain tired......but I got quite a few cards made then! So stop back by each day this week for more inspiration!

~~Stamping Smiles~~

Shelli

What inspires you?~~

I get inspired by the most random things sometimes. My friend, Mary Ann, has these shirts. And I seem to see a card in so many of them! Last week her shirt inspired me to make this card!

I have also used her shirts to be inspired to make THIS card.

I started with Crumb Cake CS, and I used the circular image form Artistic Etchings with black ink for the panel. I kept it simple by adding black satin ribbon and attaching to a black CS base.. The bling on the ribbon is from SU, Basic pearls(pg. 188 in the big catty), and they were Mary Ann's idea too! Lastly I used the Tiny Tags SS and the co-ordinating tag punch for the hanging tag, and tied it on with black embroidery floss!

Today is Mail A Card Monday! Go go go!

~~Happy Stamping~~

Shelli

What's new?~~~

What a week! Thanks for checking back with me to see what's new!

With Sale-A-Bration, I chose the Elizabeth stamp set! The words from Teeny Tiny Wishes all fit inside the oval, so any kind of card you want can be made uber quick!

I also used my tiny tag punch for the first time here. I started with Crumb Cake CS, then layered Certainly Celery and white CS. I stamped the Elizabeth with Early Espresso and the greeting with Celery.

I added the Celery brads from the SU brad collection, tied with some ribbon and added the tiny tag. Ta-da!

Cheers to blogging and trying to get back into the swing of things!

~~Stamping Smiles~~

Shelli