Weighty Matters by Cornish Heritage Farms

How cute is this little pup?!?  Weighty Matters is a new Saturday Evening Post collection release by Cornish Heritage Farms, available today.  It has two very fun images, along with a range of sentiments for a bunch of different possibilities.  For this card, I used Cosmo Cricket papers to come up with a little weight watcher's encouragement card....  so important to have encouragement from friends and family when you're trying to lose weight!

For this next little circle card, I stamped the same image and used  Nestabilities scalloped circle dies to cut out and frame the image and to make the card base (just overlapped the fold a bit at the top, then punched a hole for the ribbon to go through).  The paw print and sentiment are from Mona Lisa Moments' Doggie Expressions set.

This last card uses the second image in the set... which is just too funny!  I figured this image would be perfect as a little note of apology for an oversight or forgetfulness (that's me, LOL).... an "oops!" card.  The paper and letters for this one are K and Company.

For more inspiration and lots more different looks for this set, check out what the design team have posted in the gallery. 

Gingersnap Postcard Art Swap

I recently participated in Gingersnap Creations' first art swap - a 4 for 4 postcard swap. Our theme was "Party" in honor of the Gingersnap Creations blog's 1-year birthday.  My little card featured the "Party Hat" stamp from Stampington.  I colored her with Copics, cut her out, and adhered her to my background.  For the background I layered several other festive stamps (Stampington, Inkadinkado), along with a strip of vintage sheet music and some vintage pleated pink trim. The sentiment is computer-generated.

This was my very first art swap by mail... the only other thing I've ever swapped is ATCs with my local club, so this was a new experience for me.  Let me tell you... I am so thrilled with the fabulous art I've received in this swap!  I will definitely do it again.  Many thanks to Shar, Ali, Debby, and Gerrie, whose postcards I received.  These women are fabulously talented, and I will always treasure their beautiful art.  Thanks so much ladies!  

An Easter Basket for the Shabby Tea Room Challenge

It's Week #2 of challenges at a fabulous new blog, The Shabby Tea Room.  This week's challenge was to create a card or project that is "Spring Inspired - With Stitching." Well, with Easter right around the corner, I couldn't help but use my all-time favorite bunny stamp, "Easter Basket" from Cornish Heritage Farms.  And since the challenge required stitching, I decided it would be a good time to pull out some Claudine Hellmuth Sticky Back Canvas and have a go at coloring it with Copics.   This technique produces a wonderfully soft, faded (could we say "shabby"?) effect.  I zigzag stitched around the image, then used multiple strips of Kioshi patterned paper (just like my last post) to create an Easter-colored background, which I straight-stitched along the edges.  A little Martha ribbon and some hydrangea blossoms were enough to accent this sweet bun-bun.  Have a beautiful Palm Sunday, and happy crafting!

Stamping Around SA05 Inspiration Challenge

I just love, love, love photo inspiration challenges.  I made this card for Stamping Around's SA05 Waltzingmouse Inspiration Challenge.  To the right is the fabulously inspiring photo from Anya.  It makes me want to have a glorious spring brunch with all the fine china.  Actually, it makes me want to hit the flea markets and find lots of shabby chic, mismatched china pieces to add to my collection!  For my focal image, I used the Freesia stamp from Cornish Heritage Farms, a sentiment from Studio G, and Memento inks and coordinating markers.  I colored some Hero Arts Art Flowers with the Memento markers to get a good match.  The background papers are from Basic Grey's Wisteria and Kioshi collections - cut into strips and stitched on, then shabby-ed up and distressed with Distress Ink in milled lavender, antique linen, and dusty concord.  I added a little aqua tulle for some extra springy-ness, and to echo the blue ribbon on the package.  This challenge was loads of fun.  Hope you're having a happy weekend!

A Little Bird Told Me

Happy Bird-day to You!  This little card was made with Oxford Impressions' "The Bird's Nest" plate in honor of the birthday of Oxford Impressions' founding femme, Suzanne Melvin. Suzanne is offering a wonderful gift to her customers..... send her a birthday card by March 31st, and you will get a coupon code for 20% off your order.  But it has to be a real card, as in, go through the mail! I found out about this offer recently from Lynn Stevens' blog.  Since I'm in NC and Suzanne's in TN, I think (hope!) it'll make it.  So for you folks who are in the neighborhood (as in, say... eastern US) you can probably get it there, too.  You can get the details on Suzanne's blog here (most recent post) and here (the detailed how-to's).  So far, this is my only Oxford Impressions stamp set, but I have a "wish list" about a mile long, LOL!!  Hope you can join in!