2013: A Year in Review

Hi All,

With 2013 coming to a close, I thought I would take a look back at the many cards I made this past year.  Here is a count down of my favorite cards and shops.  

January

 

Clover Dancing with Dragonflies by Pollycraft

Image available at Little Miss Muffet 

February

The Angel Company - Music Washes

 Image available at RRD

April

  Taylored Expressions - Tick Tock

PaperTrey Ink - The Sweet Life

May

Our Daily Bread - Apron & Tools

June

Milk Coffee - Michelle in Hot Air Balloon

 July

Sassy Cheryl's Stamps - Quiet Inspiration

August

Mabelle RO - Garden Joy

September

Little Miss Muffet - Molly and Khloe

October

The Crafts Meow - Birthday Pun

Stamp set no longer available :(

November

Simon Says Stamp! - Give Thanks

December

Sparkle Creations - Cowgirl Chloe

This past year, I discovered some new and fabulous artists, illustrators and shops.  Some are new, opened in 2013, but others have been around for some time. 

  

A Random Fan

 

Big Head Stamps

Bugaboo

Doodle Pantry

Oak Pond Creations

 Sassy Studio

 

 

Stamp Fairy

Stampers Anonymous

Verve

So happy that many of the shops I'm featuring today will be sponsoring Sketch Saturday in 2014. :D

Thanks so much for stopping by and looking at some of my favorites of 2013.

Hope you have a fun and safe New Year holiday!

Blessings,

Deb

Sketch Saturday Challenge #290

Happy Saturday!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!  We had the week off, but are back with one more sketch challenge this year at Sketch Saturday.  

The sponsor this week is Prairie Fairy and the prize is $10 gift certificate.

Here is Sketch #290 (designed by Jen):

My Interpretation:

I used an image from Sparkle Creations - Cowgirl Cloe illustrated by Aki Fukuoka.  I bought this image specifically for our niece Lauren's birthday.  Her birthday was in November and lived most of her life in Texas.  

You may think our niece is a little girl - nope, she turned 29.  Very hard to believe especially since I'm 29 - LOL.  She moved back in Texas with her husband this year, so this seemed like a fitting birthday card.

Supplies --
Image:  Sparkle Creations Cowgirl Cloe
Patterned Papers: Simple Stories "Summer Fresh"
Cardstock: PTI Pure Poppy and Blueberry Sky
Ink: Memento Black
Copic Colors: E00, E11, E13, E21, E30, E31, E33, E35, E37, E49, E59, B41, B45, R02, R24, R29, R46, R89, YR21, YR23, YR24, YR27, T2, T3, T5
Sewing machine with cream thread
Cream twill
Cream button twine
Die: Taylored Expressions Designer Mini Tags

You can see all the DT creations HERE.

With the new year, Sketch Saturday will be rolling out a fresh new blog look and sketch format, plus introducing a few new DT members :D   So looking forward to 2014!

Please note: Because our challenge blog will be under construction January 3rd, this challenge will end a day early January 2nd at 1 pm CT-US (7pm UK) time.

Challenges:
Crafty Creations - Anything Goes
Divas by Design - Anything Goes
The Stamping Chef - Anything Goes
Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Happy New Year a bit in advance!
Blessings,
Deb

Mabelle RO Release - Shine

Happy Monday!

Mabelle has a new release today!  This is MRO Shine.  She turned out so cute....just LOVE her.  We are having a Christmas card challenge over at Whimsy and Stars.  The prize is $12 gift certificate and if you use an MRO digi you get your name entered twice in the drawing.  All participants receive a snowflake freebie just for entering.  Hope you will join us!

I used a sketch today from the Sketch Saturday archive - #256.

 Close Up

 

The papers are from Simple Stories "December Documented".  The stars are a Die-namics die from My Favorite Things.

Supplies --
Image: Mabelle RO Shine
Patterned Papers: Simple Stories "December Documented"
Cardstock: PTI Scarlet Jewel, Vintage Cream and Aqua Mist
Copics: BG10, BG11, BG13, BG72, R02, R56, R59, R89, G40, G43, G46, G28, E00, E11, E13, E21, E30, E31, E33, E35, E37, E47, 0

You can see all the design teams creations and enter the Christmas card challenge HERE.  The challenge ends Monday, Dec 30th at 7 pm ET.

Challenges: 
Make it Monday - Anything Goes 
Brown Sugar - Christmas 
Card Makin Mamas - Christmas 
Crafty Catz - Anything Goes 
Cut it Up - Christmas and dies cuts

Thanks for stopping by...
Blessings to you,
Deb

Sketch Saturday Challenge #289

Happy Saturday!

A new sketch challenge this week at Sketch Saturday - choose any sketch 215 to 288 - our version of anything goes!  Our sponsor this week is Simon Says Stamp! and the prize is $25 gift certificate.   This challenge goes 2 weeks!  We are off next week for Christmas.

I used Sketch #251: 

I made it into a 4 x 8" card.  This a Fall card I created for the homebound ministry.

Supplies --
Image: Clearly Digi Stamps Pre-colored Autumn Blessings 
Stamps: Our Daily Bread Leaf Background and Autumn Blessings
Inks: PTI Kraft, Ripe Avocado and Dark Chocolate 
Cardstock: PTI Canyon Clay, Kraft, Ripe Avocado, Dark Chocolate
Dies: Nestabilities Circles, Labels 3, My Favorite Things Fishtail Flags

Thanks for stopping by...
Blessings,
Deb

Christmas Cards 2013

Hello All,

Today, I have this year's Christmas cards to show, well the prototype cards.  So happy to have them finished, addressed and ready to mail.  They were actually mailed over the weekend.

I made 3 cards this year.  They are all similar layout, but different images and colors so I was able to use cardstock I had on hand.  The images are pre-colored, since I was making so many - 82 total.

The first used an image and verse from Doodle Pantry - Blessed Christmas.  The cardstock is PTI Blueberry Sky and Enchanted Evening.  The embossed panel is the image is impression plate called scallops and circles from Taylored Expressions.  I could not find it in their store anymore.  I actually used a different embossing folder for the cards I sent - Goosebumpz "Chain", which looked like burlap fabric to me.  I made 34 of this version.

Card 2 used an image from Deedee Designs - Christmas Cardinal.  The cardstock is PTI Pure Poppy.  The embossing folder shown is Cuttlebug twigs.  The actual folder I used for the cards I sent was Cuttlebug Distressed Stripes.  The embossed panel looked more like the side of a barn.  I made 24 of this type.

Card 3 used an image from Clear Dollar Stamps called Paper Christmas Trees.  CDS went out of business a couple months ago.  The embossing folder is Cuttlebug Mistletoe. Love this folder.  Cardstock is PTI Ripe Avocado.  I made 24 of this one too.

Thanks for stopping by...

Hope you all have a wonderfully blessed Christmas!

Deb

Sketch Saturday Challenge #288

We have a new sketch challenge today at Sketch Saturday!  It is Marzena's turn to host the challenge and the sponsor is 7 Dots Studio.  The prizes is 2 paper collections Domestic Goddess and Hopefully.

Marzena designed a great sketch for us this week.

I used a stamp set from There She Goes Stamps called "Jungle out There".  Love this lion and my brother loves lions too.  This was his birthday card this year.

It was announced on Monday There She Goes Stamps is closing :(  

Not another stamp store!!!  The Craft's Meow is closing at the end of the year too.  It is just so sad!

Supplies --

Stamp Set: There She Goes Stamps - Jungle Out There (Out of stock) 

Patterned Digi Paper: Amber Ink Goldenrod

Cardstock: PTI Kraft, Canyon Clay, White

Ink: Memento Black

Copic Colors: YR21, YR23, YR24, YR30, YR31, E09, E30, E31

Eyelets

Die: Nestabilities Oval

You can see all the DT inspiration HERE. Hope you will join us this week!

Challenges:
Card Crafters Circle - Celebrations
Sister Act Cards - Anything Goes
4 Crafty Girls - Anything Goes
Crafting for all seasons - Birthday

Thanks for stopping by...

Blessings,

Deb

Sketch Saturday Challenge #287

Happy Saturday!

We have a new sketch challenge today at Sketch Saturday.  Our sponsor for this challenge is Milk Coffee and the prize is 5 digis of your choice.  I used a Milk Coffee Image - Charlotte on Cloud today.

Here is the week's sketch #287 created by Jen:

I used one of my favorite dies from Taylored Expressions "Swirly Clouds" to create the block pattern on the sketch.

Supplies --

Images: Milk Coffee Charlotte on Cloud 

Patterned Paper: DCWV Christmas Stack

Cardstock: Bazzill Stonewash, Metallic silver 

Dies: Taylored Expressions Swirly Clouds

Metallic gold and silver gel pens

Copic Colors: E00, E11, E13, E21, E29, E33, E35, E37, R02, BV20, BV20, B60, 0

You can see all the design teams creations and enter the challenge HERE.  

Challenges:
Wags N Whiskers - Things with wings
4 Crafty Chicks - Christmas
Charisma Cardz - Christmas
Copic Marker Europe - Everything Christmas

Thanks for stopping by...

Blessings,

Deb

Sketch Saturday Challenge #286

 

There is a new sketch challenge at Sketch Saturday.  Our sponsor this week is Bugaboo and the prize is 7 digital images!

Here is Sketch #286 (designed by Jen):

 My interpretation:

 I used Pretty Cow for this card.

Supplies --

Image: Bugaboo Pretty Cow

Sentiment: TAC

Patterned papers: We R Memory Keepers "Chalkboard"

Cardstock: PTI Pure Poppy

Copic Colors: N1, N3, N5, R01, R02, R22, R24, R27, Y35, Y38

Sewing machine with white thread

All images are welcome at Sketch Saturday, just follow the sketch.  See all the DT inspiration and enter the challenge HERE.

Challenges:

Aud Sentiments - Any sentiment
Crafting for all seasons - stitching
Fab 'n Funky - Anything Goes
Penny's Paper - Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by...

Blessings,

Deb

Sketch Saturday Challenge #285

Happy Saturday!  

We have a new sketch challenge at Sketch Saturday! The sponsor this week is Bunny Zoe's Crafts and the prize is a £10.00 gift certificate.

  Here is the sketch #285 (designed by Jen):

Here is my card using the sketch

Supplies --

Stamps: PaperTrey Ink Little Bitty Bird

Sentiment: Raisin Boat Perfect Partners

Ink: Memento Cocoa

Patterned Papers: Heidi Grace Designs Sun showers

Cardstock: PTI Pure Poppy, Bazzill Lemon Bliss

Copic Colors: BG10, BG72, Y11, Y15, Y19, Y35, R22, R24, R29

Dies: PTI medium scallop, Lil' Inkers Design Hearts

Sewing machine and cream thread

You can see all the deign team creations and enter the challenge HERE.

Challenges:
CCEE Stampers: Stitches
Crafty Creations: Dies and punches
Digistamps4Joy: Stitching
The Paper Shelter: For Someone Special

Thanks for stopping by...

Blessings,

Deb