Merry Monday #35 {Wondrous Wishes}

Welcome to another week at Merry Monday!  The idea behind this challenge is to get a head start on your Christmas cards!  Each week, I choose one Merry Monday Winner who will then be a Guest Designer for a future challenge!  So get out your Christmas supplies and let's get to work! September was an awesome month here at Merry Monday! Thank you to September's Featured Designer Terry Blais for joining us!!! October is here! I am excited to announce October's Merry Monday Featured Designer is the Artistic Avenger herself, Carrie Gaskin! I asked Carrie to share a bit about herself!

Hi everyone! My name is Carrie Gaskin and I'm super excited to be with you as a guest designer this month. I've been crafting now for almost 7 years. I've been married almost half of my life to a wonderful guy and have two great kids. I'm really lucky to live in one of the most beautiful spots in North America (BC, Canada) and am thrilled to be able to share my love of card making with you this month.  

Here is this week's sketch, as always, please make it your own!  I designed the sketch with the idea of using the new Wondrous Wishes stamp set from Stampin' Up...and so I did!! I inked up the image in Cherry Cobbler and used the new Snowflake Die to create a hopefully elegant snowflake out of the Champagne Glimmer Paper.  I created this card for the current Dynamic Duos Challenge to use Cherry Cobbler and one other colour...I used Champagne as my other colour and Crumb Cake as the neutral.

Lesley Croghan

[Supplies Used}

Stamps: Wondrous Wishes, More Merry Messages

Inks: Cherry Cobbler

Paper: Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler, Vanilla, Champagne Glimmer Paper

Extras: Snow Flurry Bigz Die, Big Shot, Embossing folder

The design team has created some awesome samples to get you in the Christmas Spirit, welcome to Judy May, as our Guest Designer this week!

Carrie Gaskin (FD)

LeAnne Pugliese

Bonnie Klass

Nina Forsyth

Wendy Aungst

Narelle Farrugia

Judy May (GD)

Paper Players #93, Play Date Cafe, and I Spy Sketches

So I am having an eye issue...my right eye is blurry and has some bumps on it. Bleck! I have been resting it this weekend! Thank you to my Paper Players team for being so wonderful!

This week at the Paper Players Challenge, I am the hostess and I have a TIC TAC TOE thang going on! Basically choose any three in a row...across, down, diagonally...I left the center choice up to you, like in Bingo! Sheesh I am mixing up my games here, but you get the drift! This is an Anything Goes Challenge but with the parameters in the Tic Tac Toe box!  I hope you will join in the fun!  I chose the Square Card, Your Choice (Rock and Roll technique for my Butterfly) and Spring.

{Supplies}

Stamps: Summer Solstice, SAB Elementary Elegance Set, En Francais

Inks: Perfect Plum, Concord Crush, Confetti White and So Saffron

Papers: Whisper White, Perfect Plum, DSP scrap from my stash

Tools: Swiss Dots embossing folder, Oval Nesties, Big Shot, Perfect Plum Ribbon, Pearls 

***Technique: I Rock and Rolled the Butterfly in So Saffron and Perfect Plum

For my card, I used the Colours from the Playdate Cafe and the Sketch from I Spy Sketches!  

We hope that you will join the Paper Players Challenge this week!  Please be sure to visit the other DT Members to see their wonderful creations! This is also our last week with Shirley our Guest Designer! Thank you Shirley for your wonderful work and for playing with us!!!

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Anne Marie Hile

LeAnne Pugliese

Lesley Croghan

Nance Leedy
Jenn Picard
Heidi Boos

Shirley Pumpkin (April GD)

Inspired by Stamping Release Sneak Peek {Be My Valentine}

The time has come for another Sneak Peek at Inspired by Stamping!  This month we are all showcasing different stamp sets featuring Valentine Day themes and images.  The set I am playing with today is called "Sweet Sentiments". There are 20 stamps in this set and most of them are lovely sentiments!

Instead of choosing traditional colours for my Valentine creation, I chose to play with the wonderful colours over at the Colour Throwdown!  I just love the soft feel of these pretty colours together!!!

I was also inspired by the challenges over at the Shabby Tea Room and the challenging and really fun sketch over at Just Us Girls!!!

Thank you for visiting my blog! To continue along the Blog Hop Sneak Peek, please visit Susie Moore.

The Inspired by Stamping Design Team

Amber Goble

Deb Hickman

Debbie Marcinkiewicz

Gini Williams Cagle

Irit Shalom

Jennie Garcia

Joanna Munster

Kendra Sand

Kassi Hulet

Kim Score

Lesley Croghan (that's me)

Susie Moore

Thanks for stopping by!!!

{Supplies Used}

Stamps: Sweet Sentiments and Ahoy Matey (for the french script) (Inspired by Stamping)

Paper: Soft Suede, Yellow, Vanilla, Bo Bunny "Et Cetra Line" Designer Paper

Inks: Soft Suede, River Rock (Sponging), Pool Party (instead of Soft Sky)

Tools/Extras: Dimensionsals, Big Shot, Oval Nestabilities, Little Leaves Sizzix Die, Paper Roses from my stash, Aqua Toned Pearls

Inspired by Stamping Sneak Peek Day 2 {Happy Birthday Glen}

Welcome to Day 2 for the Inspired by Stamping Sneak Peek Week blog hop!  Once again, I am showcasing the awesome "The Sky's the Limit" stamp set which has 15 stamps in it!  This fun stamp set will be available for purchase tomorrow and there will be FREE shipping!  I paper-pieced the balloon and the clouds, to create a colourful and masculine card!

I wanted to create a Birthday Card for my dear father in-law Glen!  It is his birthday today, (65 years young).  He always encourages me with my card making and often comes to visit me in the craftroom.  So I had to create some extra special for him!!  In keeping with a masculine theme, I kept this card clean and adornment free. I love that this set can be used to create a masculine card!  I just added a wee button, for another punch of colour! 

The inside of the card is also completed, with a lovely sentiment...I sure hope he likes it!  The sketch for this card came from Our Creative Corner, I loved the sketch and the fact that I could "decorate" it as I wanted to!  I hope you have the chance to visit the blogs of my teammates and to share some commenting love!!  To continue on the Hop, please visit Susie Moore.

Please remember that this set "The Sky's the Limit" will be available to purchase tomorrow on Saturday, December 10th and there will be FREE SHIPPING tomorrow too!  To see the other sets Joanna has already released at Inspired by Stamping, please CLICK HERE.

Amber Goble

Deb Hickman

Debbie Marcinkiewicz

Gini Williams Cagle

Irit Shalom

Jennie Garcia

Joanna Munster

Kendra Sand

Kassi Hulet

Kim Score

Lesley Croghan (that's me)

Susie Moore

Thanks for stopping by!!!

{Supplies Used}

Stamps: The Sky's the Limit (Inspired by Stamping)

Paper: Crumb Cake, Black, Riding Hood Red (All SU!)

Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black

Tools/Extras: Snips, Dimensionsals, MFT Dienamics (Medium Scallop Edge), Big Shot, Lacey Circle Nestabilities, Circle Nestabilities, Cuttlebug Folder (Distressed Lines)

Inspired by Stamping Sneak Peek Day 1 BLOG HOP {Flying by to say Hi!} and JUGS Sketch Challenge

Today is my very first Sneak Peek for the Inspired by Stamping Design Team. Yippee! I am so honoured to be on this talented team! Joanna Munster has a brand new stamping line called "Inspired by Stamping" and her stamps are amazing! If you are here, you have arrived from the blog of Kim Score. 

I was so excited to see that the first set we would be using is filled with Hot Air Balloons!  This set is called "The Sky's the Limit". The set has 15 stamps in it and will be released in Joanna's online store two days from now on Saturday, December 10th!  The BEST news is, she will be offering FREE SHIPPING on Saturday!!! Yahoo!

I inked up the balloons in Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and stamped them directly onto my "Away We Go" designer paper from My Mind's Eye.  Then I stamped the balloons on to the cardstock and carefully cut them out, to paper piece each balloon.  The sentiment fit perfectly onto my MTF Label Tab and I used the Medium Scallop Edge dienamics from MFT to create the bottom scallops.

I used the terrific sketch from the JUGS Challenge site.  I loved the clean lines of it and thought it would be perfect for the balloons.  The Inspired by Stamping Design Team has some wonderful samples to share with you from today's Sneak Peek Blog Hop!  Be sure to visit them and leave them some comment love!  Be sure to visit Susie Moore on your next stop in the hop!

Amber Goble

Deb Hickman

Debbie Marcinkiewicz

Gini Williams Cagle

Irit Shalom

Jennie Garcia

Joanna Munster

Kendra Sand

Kassi Hulet

Kim Score

Lesley Croghan

Susie Moore

  

Thanks for stopping by!!!  Please join me again tomorrow for another "Sneak Peek" of this fabulous set!  I am so excited to share what I made!

{Supplies List}

Stamps: The Sky's the Limit (Inspired by Stamping)

Papers: MME-Away we Go, More Mustard (SU!), Really Rust (SU!), Very Vanilla (SU!), Black

Inks: Memento (Tuxedo Black)

Tools/Extras: MFT Dienamics-Medium Scallop Edge, Label Dienamics, Big Shot, Button, Paper Snips

Friday Mashup #30, Scrapbooker's Paradise #39 {Celebrate Special Moments}

This week at the Friday Mashup, Heidi is challenging us to use up thoses scraps and to use her awesome sketch!  I had fun with her sketch and used the "Seaside Lighthouse" stamp set from Essential Stamps again.  I made another card with this set too...please click HERE to see it.

So here is the "Mashup" Challenge :

1. Make a project using the "Sketch".
2. Or Make a project using "Recycled / Repurposed Materials or Supplies".
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create a project "Using The Sketch and Recycled /Repurposed Materials or Supplies".

My recycled items were the scraps from the first card I made, some cut twine that I had in my cut ribbon stash bag and a brad I had deep in my stash that I never use! This card is also for the challenge over at Scrapbooker's Paradise, which is to create a Masculine Card.

My hubby and I love to get away to the Westcoast and hear the waves crashing. We even spent our honeymoon at this location. This will be a card I give him for our next trip out there in January. We also do this big walk around the local lighthouse. It is a gorgeous walk!

We hope that you will join the Friday Mashup Challenge this week!  And be sure to join the ladies at Scrapbooker's Paradise.  Please be sure to visit the other DT Members to see their wonderful creations!

Friday Mashup Design Team

Holly

Kasey

Lisa

Kim

Heidi

Thanks for stopping by!!!

{Supplies Used}

Stamps: Seaside Lighthouse (Essential Stamps)

Papers: Soft Suede and Naturals Ivory (SU!), Bo Bunny Et Cetra Patterned Paper

Inks: Soft Suede (sponging), Copics

Tools: Big Shot, Circle Nestabilities, Marvy Circle Punch

Extras: Twine, Brad

Card Club Projects and new Club starting in April

I just had my card club this week!  I meet once a month with a fabulous group of ladies...we have fun and usually make two projects that they get to keep!  This month I was showing them the "Growing Green" stamp set which I LOVE!!!

We made two simple cards, showing how easy it is to make a Clean and Simple card quickly, if you need one for a special occasion but are short on time!  Birthdays are always a popular card to have on hand!  We also did the technique of stamping colour on colour...so we used Certainly Celery Ink on Certainly Celery Paper.  I love that look!!  It is hard to see in my bright photo but we stamped the smaller flowers from ths set right over the large flower.  The colours we used were: Melon Mambo, Pretty In Pink and Certainly Celery.  We also completed the inside the same way.

For our second card, we used "Mr. Big" aka the Big Shot and embossed the whole front panel of the card front with the Finial Press Embossing Folder.  Then we stamped the main flower in Melon Mambo onto Pink Pirouette Paper! I love that look too!

Thanks ladies for another fun club!  I have a new Card Club starting in April.  We have room for 3 more ladies.  We will meet April, May and June.  Then take the summer off!  Then we will meet up again for September, October and November.  If you are interested in joining our Crafty Croghan Card Club or if you have any questions about the Club, please email me by clicking HERE and then leaving me a message. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Click here to shop 24/7!
All supplies are Stampin' Up:
Stamps: Growing Green, On Your Birthday, Something to Celebrate
Inks: Melon Mambo, Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery
Paper: Melon Mambo, Certainly Celery, Pink Pirouette, Whisper White
Tools: Big Shot, Finial Press Embossing Folder, Scallop Trim Border Punch

SUO Challenge and Mojo

The Stampin' Up Only Challenge is asking us to use sets that are retired. When I thought back on my favourite set, that was retired, I immediately thought of "God's Beauty".

I also tried to use the Mojo Sketch for this challenge!!  I need to stress the word "tried" but I decided to upload my card to the Mojo Challenge...I was so inspired by the sketch, it got my creative juices going!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Click here to shop 24/7!

All supplies are Stampin' Up (unless noted):
Stamps: God's Beauty, Afterthoughts (Hostess Set)
Inks: Cherry Cobbler, Basic Black
Paper: River Rock, Christmas DSP, Basic Black
Tools: Ribbon Border Punch, Gold Shimmer Brad, Circle Scissors PLus, Circles #2 Die, Big Shot, Pearls, Dimensionals

Paper Players Blog Hop, Blog Candy and a new Challenge!

Hello and welcome to the Paper Players Blog Hop!  To get to the beginning of our blog hop please click HERE.  As well as our Blog Hop, our Challenge this week is "Anything Goes"!  At the end of my post is some Blog Candy!!

Today I am highlighting a new Bigz L Die called "Fun Flowers" (121812) from the current Stampin' Up Occasions Mini Catalogue.  This catalogue coincides with the Sale-A-Bration Sale on now at Stampin' Up!!!  As well as earning the regular hostess benefits, all Canadian customers can choose a FREE item out of the Sale-A-Bration Catalogue with every $60 order and Hostesses in Canada can earn an additional Sale-A-Bration FREEBIE with a $395 party!!

I love using my Big Shot (aka Mr. Big) and when I saw this floral die in the new mini catalogue from Stampin' Up, I knew I had to have it!  The best thing about the Big Shot and the Bigz dies is that they can cut through fabric, wood sheets, magnetic sheets, cardstock, aluminum, felt....and so on!

When Designing my card:

• First I chose the colours!  I chose Blushing Bride and Soft Suede!
• To create the flower, I cut a piece of the Presto Patterns Designer Paper and put it through the Big Shot with the new Fun Flowers Bigz L Die.
• I sponged each flower with Blushing Bride and Soft Suede Inks, and accented the card with some Early Espresso Ribbon and a Crumb Cake Embosslit Butterfly
• The circles were created with the Circle Scissors Plus...4" and 3.75" circles. 
• A TIP:  Use Dotto with your Circle Scissors Plus, it is a temporary adhesive that will keep your paper in place!
• I used the Small Oval Punch for my sentiment from the Fabulous Phrases Stamp Set.

To order Stampin' Up please click HERE and then click on SHOP NOW!

Ordering Online is Available 24/7 in my Online Store.

Supplies I used on my card:

Stamps: Fabulous Phrases 120501, Charming 116519
Paper: Presto Patterns Designer Paper 117175, Naturals White Cardstock 102316, Blushing Bride Cardstock119796
Inks: Blusing Bride Classic Ink Pad 119786, Soft Suede Ink Pad 115318
The Tools and Toppers: Sponges 101610, 1 3/8" x 5/8" Oval Large Punch 119863, Dimesionals , Fun Flower Bigz L Die 121812, Pearls 119247, Beautiful Wings Embosslit Die 118138, Early Espresso 1/8" Ribbon 119959, The Big Shot 113439

 My BLOG CANDY!!!!

To win my Blog Candy:

Please leave me comment on my blog, letting me know what YOUR favourite item is out of the new Mini Catalogue!!  If you would like to, please become a follower on my blog and of the Paper Players Blog too!!  You do not need to become a follower to win!  A comment will do!!  However, I would love it if you became a follower of my wonderful Paper Players team!!

My Blog Candy will close on Friday February 4th at Midnight (PST) to coincide with the end of our current Paper Player Anything Goes Challenge!  I will announce the Blog Candy Winner on the Paper Players Blog on Sunday, February 6th with our next Challenge post.

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you get the chance to play our Anything Goes Challenge this week.

To continue on with our Blog Hop, please visit my fellow Canadian, the talented Marlene Peters and her blog called Hands On.

Smiles,

Lesley

Stamping 411 and Colour Dare

Wow!!  I was amazed to see that I reached 100 readers today! What a wonderful thing, to see that 100 today! I did a happy dance!  Thank you to everyone who comes to visit my blog.  I never knew about the reader program until a gal emailed me and asked if I had it hooked up to my blog!!  So thank you for challenging me to learn new stuff like that and for stopping by in your busy day to visit me!

As you know, one of my most favourite challenges is Stamping 411.  I love their sketches and this week they have a great one!  I changed one element of the sketch! Instead of the Modern Label Punch at the bottom left hand corner of the card, I used the Little Leaves die and made that my accent.  I also used the colours from the current Colour Dare.  I'll admit, it was tough but I am happy with how they turned out!!  Tempting Turquoise, Pear Pizzazz and Tangerine Tango.

I used the leaves as the main focal point of my card and added some little flowers with the Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack!  The sentiment is from Fabulous Phrases once again and I made my own tag!!!  Do you know how I did that?  I got this terrific idea from Brenda over at her blog QBee's Quest.  Click HERE to see her post!!  Such a clever idea!!!  She is calling it her 'Decorative Label Punch Mini Label".

I added some pearls to each little flower I punched out and I used some retired paper from the Sweet Pea DSP pack from last year.  I used the "de"-bossed side of the finial press embossed paper...I like how it looks!  I thought this would be a different kind of Valentine's card!!  We do Christmas cards in non-traditional colours, why not a Valentine Card?

Thanks for stopping by!!

Smiles,

Lesley

Vive la Verve and Curtain Call Colour Challenge

Today marks the end of my two weeks off and I am back to work! I am looking forward to seeing those bright, smiley faces of the children I teach!!  Keeping true to my goals for this year, I decided to try a "new to me" challenge on the Splitcoast Stampers website.  It is called Viva la Verve and it is a sketch challenge.  I also used the pretty colours from Stacey's Stamping Stage. 

I kept my card fairly simple and played up the colours.  I am trying to use only papers from my scrapbox and subbed in Real Red for the Cajun Craze and Old Olive for the Always Artichoke, I don't have those colours and I hope Stacey doesn't mind!!  I also switched up Chocolate Chip with Early Espresso.  I think I need to order some more paper, I am running low!!!  I must admit, I found the sketch to be intimidating, but I tried to keep my card clean and simple, focussing on the sentiment and the flower.

I embossed each of the Bashful Blue panels with my SU! Embossing folder called "Finial Press", it is one of my favourite folders. The flower is from the new "Fun Flowers" die and I crimped the flower with my crimper.  I used my little leaves die to create the leaves for the flower.  The Crumb Cake panel has the En Francais stamped on it. 

My hubby doesn't know but this is for his birthday on Wednesday!  He is turning 39th!! Crazy!! I first met him when he was 30!! Time flies when you are having fun!!

Well off to tidy my craft room and to get ready for a big day tomorrow.

Thanks for stopping by!
Smiles,
Lesley

Supplies used:
Stamps: Hostess Level 1-After Thoughts, En Francais
Paper: Whsiper White, Early Espresso, Real Red, Old Olive, Bashful Blue and Crumb Cake
Inks: Real Red and Soft Suede
Tools: Big Shot, Fun Flowers Die (in new mini occasion catalogue), corner rounding punch, dimensionals
Extras: Finial Press Embossing Folder, 1/8" Early Espresso Ribbon, Star Brad