My Favorite Thing About Winter...

Hey y'all, how's your day going?  We did indeed eat lots of pizza and cake (and also pie) for my birthday last night : )  And instead of playing with my new stamp sets today I've got a couple of cards with retired stamps.  Because that's how my stamping muse works sometimes, she's ornery.

So what's my favorite thing about winter?

Drinking tea.  Like, for reals, I usually drink multiple cups of tea every day when it's cold outside and I think it's time to brew another cuppa right now.  The drinks on this card could be coffee or hot chocolate but for me personally it would 100% be tea.  I have a bad habit of buying too much tea so this winter I've been trying to be virtuous and drink my stash.  Anyway, I'm hoping that warm beverages count as winter fun, because that's the theme for two challenges.  First up is Retro Rubber:

Hug in a Mug is 6 1/2 years old so plenty retro for this challenge.  And I did put snowflakes in the background, so that makes it count as winter-related, right?

The Paper Players has the same theme this week:

And since the Paper Players specifically wants CAS cards, I used the sketch from CAS Colours & Sketches:

And my colors are inspired by Helen Read at All Things Stampy, she makes such beautiful things:

Though I didn't really use Crumb Cake, I shaded the whipped cream and marshmallows with the Ivory Stampin' Blends marker.

My Hug in a Mug card is actually the second one I made, here's the first one:

I wasn't sure if this counted as winter fun or not but I do still love these guys from the Penguin Playmates DSP from a couple of years ago.  It was a Sale-a-Bration item and I got LOTS of packs of it : )  For both cards, I used a piece of scratch paper to mask the diagonal, then used blending brushes to add color on one side of the diagonal.  A few stamped snowflakes and there I have the background of the sketch.  And this card is totally flat too, so easy to mail.

That's it for me today.  We'll see if I can bust out a new stamp set for tomorrow or not ; )  Cheers, y'all!

Supplies, first card:
Stamps:  Hug in a Mug
Ink:  Boho Blue, Pecan Pie, Stampin' Blends in Boho Blue, Pecan Pie, Ivory
Paper:  Boho Blue, Thick Very Vanilla
Accessories:  Dimensionals, In Color Dots

Supplies, second card:
Stamps:  Penguin Place
Ink:  Soft Sea Foam, Just Jade
Paper:  Soft Sea Foam, Penguin Playmates DSP
Accessories:  None

Getting Cozy

Mornin' y'all!  I did get spend quite a bit of time in my craft room yesterday and it was lovely and I'm going to do it again today : )  I made several cards and I've got a scrapbook layout halfway done on my table right now.  So before I get back to it, I'm sharing a cozy card today.

The latest Inspired By... challenge caused me to break out some old retired stamps, namely Flannel Plaid (isn't that a cozy-looking background?!) and Hug in a Mug.  Here's the challenge graphic:

I chose Seaside Spray as my main color from the challenge graphic and just went from there.  Tea is my hot beverage of choice, but I do enjoy a good cuppa hot chocolate on occasion as well.  Because it would be a bit weird to put marshmallows in a mug of tea.

Anyway, I'm off to my craft room to finish up that layout and have some fun.  Cheers!

Supplies, all SU!
Stamps:  Hug in a Mug, Flannel Plaid
Ink:  Seaside Spray, Early Espresso, Misty Moonlight, Stampin' Blends in Bronze, Ivory, & neutrals
Paper:  Seaside Spray, Thick Basic White, Early Espresso DSP scrap
Accessories:  Stitched So Sweetly dies, Dimensionals

Fusion Coffee

Happy Friday, y'all!  Ryan and I are skipping the gym today because Sadie (our girl pup) wasn't feeling good this morning so I want to keep an eye on her.  And then I got on my cross stitch Facebook group and went down the rabbit hole of terrifically adorable patterns and wow, I need to learn how to not ever sleep so I can make all the things I want to make.  Not just stitching, but also stamping...I'm still working on the last bit of China pages and I've got ideas for everything that's left, it just takes me a while to get them all out of my brain and on paper!

But here's an idea I got on paper this week.

I know Hug in a Mug is retired now but I love it and I can't help using it when I see things like the Fusion challenge:

I did the sketch and I did a coffee mug, though I didn't use colors from the inspiration photo.  And it just now occurred to me, I used Pool Party as my blue but I think the patterned paper (also retired from the holiday catalog) actually has Soft Sky in it?  Oops.  But rejoice with me, friends--I painted the coffee mug with Wink of Stella and it actually SHOWS UP in the picture!  It's a papercrafting miracle!!

Peace, love, and happiness, y'all!

Supplies, all SU!
Stamps:  Hug in a Mug, Beautiful Peacock
Ink:  Garden Green, Pear Pizzazz, Crumb Cake
Paper:  Pool Party, Garden Green, Very Vanilla, Painted Autumn DSP
Accessories:  Mini Dimensionals, Wink of Stella

Warm Woolen Mittens

Happy Friday y'all!  Ryan and I are not going to the gym today because it's just plain too cold to go anywhere.  Even Sadie thought it was too cold outside in the snow.

So for today I bring you mittens.

Smitten Mittens technically retired earlier this week, but I got it at the beginning of December and then my unintentional hiatus happened and I never inked up the stamps.  It's a super cute stamp set with matching dies and I wish this card was just a bit...more.  I don't know, it seems a little underwhelming to me?  Ehh, not every card can be your favorite.  This photo isn't doing the card any favors either, but I can't get a better one.

I do love the color combo from Sunday Stamps:

I kinda want to give it another go because I do love that combination.  I read it as Soft Sky, Pistachio Pudding (retired), Sahara Sand, Night of Navy, and Flirty Flamingo.

I'm also entering this over at SUO Challenges, their current challenge is to make a winter-related card.  Pretty sure my mittens fit the bill :)  I think Smitten Mittens will be a great stamp set to use for future baby books.  (I'm not having any more babies, but that doesn't mean I won't make any more baby books!)

Cheers, y'all.  Stay toasty!

Supplies, all SU!
Stamps:  Smitten Mittens, Hug in a Mug
Ink:  Soft Sky, Night of Navy, Flirty Flamingo
Paper:  Thick Whisper White, Soft Sky, Sahara Sand
Accessories:  Many Mittens Framelits, linen thread, Dimensionals

Triple Pump Half-Caf Nonfat Peppermint Latte with Extra Cream

Okay so I don't drink coffee.  Hot tea any day of the week (I'm having a morning cuppa as I type this).  But I do love Hug in a Mug and I've got lots of coffee-drinking friends.

Those gold metallic accents always photograph weird, they look better IRL.  Don't ask me where that card layout came from because I have no idea.  Not something I would usually come up with on my own, but I DID.  Still, I like it!  I think it works.  I also love the color challenge from Fab Friday:

Actually this is my second attempt at these colors.  I made another card (which you'll see tomorrow) and realized at the last minute that I'd used Garden Green rather than Emerald Envy on that card, so I had to make another one.  Because I love Emerald Envy and it's going to retire next summer.  Sadface!  So anyway, I also continue my love affair with the Stitched Shapes Framelits.  If you don't have those already, you should buy them now because they are awesome.

That's it for today, kids.  Check ya later!

Supplies, all SU!
Stamps:  Hug in a Mug
Ink:  Emerald Envy, Real Red, Lemon Lime Twist, Crumb Cake
Paper:  Emerald Envy, Lemon Lime Twist, Thick Whisper White, Quilted Christmas DSP Stack
Accessories:  Stitched Shapes Framelits, Dimensionals

Sunflower Thoughts

Mornin', y'all!  As I type this, I'm about an hour and a half away from my appointment time to get LASIK this morning.  I feel the same way I did when I went in for my induction--scared, excited, not at all ready but we're doing this anyway!

But anyway, I made a card yesterday afternoon to share today.

I started out with this beautiful inspiration picture from Just Add Ink:

I decided to use So Saffron, Crushed Curry, and Soft Suede for the flowers, and a mix of Dapper Denim and Tempting Turquoise for the background.

Once again I used this week's Freshly Made Sketch, this time in its original orientation:

I've been having lots of fun lately with watercolor backgrounds.  They're fun but my fingers are always turning different colors, haha.  The one on this card was the second one I made with these colors; the first one was a lot darker and more vibrant but I kinda wanted a softer feel.  And then I used sponges to ink up the flower stamps to match the softness of the background.  Maybe I'll make another card with that other darker background so you can see the difference.  Oh yeah, I almost forgot--I stamped the background with the dragonfly from Touches of Texture, but it's so light you can hardly see it even IRL.  I think it kinda adds to the dreamy effect of the card though.

Kiddo is up and eating his breakfast, and we're heading out the door in about a half an hour for my appointment to get my eyeballs lasered.  Wish me luck!

Supplies, all SU!
Stamps:  Painted Harvest, Hug in a Mug, Touches of Texture
Ink:  Dapper Denim, Tempting Turquoise, So Saffron, Crushed Curry, Soft Suede
Paper:  Dapper Denim, Thick Whisper White, Watercolor paper
Accessories:  Stitched Shapes Framelits, Dimensionals, Glitter Enamel Shapes

Hot Chocolate Hug

Hmm, on second thought, a hot chocolate hug sounds kinda drippy.

Happily, today's card is drip-free.  I used the latest Freshly Made Sketch:

Fun sketch.  It was fun to see the design team's takes on the sketch, they all had the sentiment in a different place and different ideas for how to use this sketch.  I like it.

I'm also going to enter this at SUO Challenges, because this week's challenge is anything to do with treats.  I think hot chocolate with lots of marshmallows on top would qualify as a treat.  Particularly if there's a cookie or scone to go with.  I like a good cuppa hot chocolate, though honestly I drink hot tea much more often.  And if the weather STILL isn't cool enough to warrant hot beverages, the AC in my house can (and sometimes does) make up for that.  Heh.

Well, today is yoga class, which I'm liking a whole lot more than I thought I would.  I have to try to limit the time I spend doing things like downward dog because it's still so hard on my wrist, but even so I've noticed that I've already started improving flexibility.  One day I might be able to touch my toes without trying too hard :p

Cheers, y'all!

Supplies, all SU!
Stamps:  Hug in a Mug
Ink:  Early Espresso, Soft Suede, Soft Sky, Garden Green
Paper:  Soft Sky, Garden Green, Thick Whisper White, Coffee Break DSP
Accessories:  Iridescent Sequins, Dimensionals

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Howdy, kids!  How's it going this fine Thursday?  I'm actually looking forward to yoga class at 8:30 this morning, if I can figure out something else to do instead of downward dog so I don't strain my wrists.  Other than that, I did actually like the class last week.  Color me surprised!

Speaking of color, we're back to orange today : D

Well, actually it's Peekaboo Peach and I stamped pumpkins on it.  That's some fruit/veggie confusion right there.  Anyway, I saw this color combo at the Color Throwdown:

...and I was tempted to break out Foxy Friends again, but then I thought hey, I haven't used Hug in a Mug in a while.  And so I made a pumpkin spice latte card, even though I've never had one.  Much as I love pumpkin, I like to bake with actual pumpkin puree, not all the "pumpkin spice" stuff that tastes all chemical-y, plus I don't drink coffee.  But anyway, that fox is super cute.

I used Peekaboo Peach, Crumb Cake, and Early Espresso for my card.  I thought I'd do Early Espresso for the card base, then I talked myself into doing Crumb Cake, and once I had everything stuck down on the Crumb Cake card, I didn't like it so I pulled it all up and went with Early Espresso after all.  Sometimes the first instinct is the right one!

That's it for me today, y'all.  Cheers!

Supplies, all SU!
Stamps:  Hug in a Mug, Pick a Pumpkin
Ink:  Peekaboo Peach, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso
Paper:  Peekaboo Peach, Early Espresso, Thick Whisper White, Coffee Break DSP
Accessories:  Dimensionals, metallic enamel shapes

May I Offer You a Hot Beverage?

The holiday mini catalog goes live this Friday!  I did pre-order a couple of things, but I've been having so much fun playing with new goodies from the main catalog that I haven't shared any sneak peeks yet.  Well, here's one!

I made this card with the adorable new stamp set called Hug in a Mug; it comes with all sorts of stamps to decorate the cups (and add toppings to the drinks) plus several sentiments.  SUPER cute.  It's a photopolymer set, so I eyeballed the solid color for the mugs (those are separate stamps!) and the toppings without a Stamp-a-ma-Jig (though I did use the SAMJ for the sentiment).  I don't drink coffee, but I do enjoy hot tea (having my morning cuppa right now) and hot chocolate, so I had to get this stamp set :)  The pattern on the sides of the main image is from the Coffee Break DSP, which again, I got even though I don't drink coffee.  Because I know lots of people who do.

So!  Check out the Global Design Project sketch:

As Anne Shirley would say, lots of "scope for imagination" with this sketch, but I had to bust out Hug in a Mug when I saw the Just Add Ink inspiration challenge:

Though I think one should enjoy one's morning cuppa sans cellphone.  Although I guess I can't judge since I'm writing this blog post on my computer while having my tea :)

That's it for me today, peeps.  Hoping to grab some stampy time this afternoon to make something for tomorrow...there's a plethora of sketch challenges this week.  Cheers!

Supplies, all SU!
Stamps:  Hug in a Mug
Ink:  Early Espresso, Soft Suede, Sweet Sugarplum, Pool Party, Powder Pink
Paper:  Sweet Sugarplum, Thick Whisper White, Coffee Break DSP
Accessories:  Linen thread, Mini Dimensionals, Iridescent Sequins