SteamPunk Revival

* The most common historical steampunk settings are the Victorian and Edwardian eras, though some in this "Victorian steampunk" category can go as early as the beginning of the Industrial Revolution  * Wikipedia.) Well the revival is on and no wonder! I got a great set of steampunk digis from The Octopode Factory a few weeks back and have been working on this card ever since. I will be doing a Tips & Tutorial on Button Pizzaz in January. I think sometime they themselves could use a little somethin' somethin' to say "I am button hear me"...hmmm, what would a button say if it could speak?
 OK onto my card using Steampunk Mabel:

Placing that button directly onto her face was a huge leap of faith for me & I love it!!!!

Do you want to know how I created these? Be sure to stop by Saturday Jan.15th for the "know how"!

Tomorrow is my baby Oscar's Birthday he'll be 6!!! So I will be very busy the next 24 hours but I haven't popped by too many blogs lately so I'll try to figure something out! Until then...

Challenge List:

Charisma Cards  One for the Girls 

Cute Card Thursday  Blast From The Past  #110 Make Your Own

Stamp Insanity  Challenge Yourself

Paper Cutz  Anything Goes

Allsorts  Monochromatic

Craft Your Passion  Monochromatic

Simple Doodles  Buttons

Going Grey  Anything Goes

My Time To Craft  Vintage

Party Time Tuesday  Anything Goes

Tip Top Tuesday  Anything Goes

Tuesday Throwdown  Embellish it

Take 2

Welcome to the second Tuesday Take with Sketches In Thyme Cards! This week we are using this fun sketch by Cardabilities.  In our challenges, we have a weekly winner and top 3 (the top 3 ladies will get a blinkie to display on their blogs). With every challenge, the participants receive an entry for the monthly prize. So if you play all four weeks, you get your name entered in four times. This months sponsor is :

 

I was really rushed for time on this card  but I am quite pleased. I chose to use the lovely image 

The Little Nut Tree. I had recently read the Nursery Thyme about this particular tree & my children recognized it right away on the card. 

 

Well thanks for stopping by and have a fantastic day!

Challenges:

Our Creative Corner  Use A Tag

Christmas Stampin  Anything Goes

Paper Romance  Add A Tag

Yippie!!!!

 

Thanks so much you crafty cupcakers!!!!

Saturday....please don't ever leave me!

Happy Saturday!!! Today I want to share a card using an image from an amazingly talented 17 year old! If these images don't make you go zippity-doo-da  then you better check your pulse! I'm talking about The Octopode Factory at Etsy, they are scary/cute and I love the etching quality to them!!!
I created a card using Alice from her renditions of Wonderland using Limelight's  sketch:

  Isn't she awesome!!!!! I wish I could buy them all...but alas Christmas is coming, so I must resist...for now.
 Well I am off for one more stuffomatic session with the family, no more food!!!! Have a great day!

Challenges:
Craft Your Days Away  Texture
Alphabet Challenge  E is for Embossing
Paper Cutz  Anything Goes
Lime Lights  Polka Dots
Charisma Cards  One for the Girls
Cupcake Craft  Fairytale/Fantasy

Wendy's Blog Candy!

 This is in celebration of her 100+ Followers, her Birthday and her Anniversary!!

Click Here to find out more!!!!

Who needs Black when you can have a Pink Friday!

Happy Black Friday!!! If you are up at 4 AM this morning reading this before you hit the stores, I just want to say I'll be sleeping in! For the rest of you who are like me, don't worry you wont miss out on all the hot deal from sleeping in. The Pink Cat Studio will be celebrating BF too, with any purchase of at least five dollars today only, you'll be receiving a gift of some festive digis:

WOW!!! I know right? Now on for this weeks new release:

These were so much fun and I had the best time working with these and you will too!

This image Billie Rides a Train makes a perfect card for a little boy and it come with 3 banner options.

I love love love this Gingerbread Tree, 

 this is actually a little box though I have no idea what I can fit it it!

Gingerbread Cookies are so yummy and this Gingerbread Girl Baked Cookies 

really gets my mouth watering .

My last card uses Lily Baked Cookies as well as Three Christmas Trees 

I used to create a window scene.

Are you ready for a chance to win 10 Pink Cat Studio digis?

Pink Cat Studio is having a Holiday Challenge!  All you need to do is create a project that includes at least one Pink Cat Studio image (sentiments excluded).  For all the rules click here.

Well thanks for stopping by!

Challenges:

Train Card :

Artful Inkables  Die Cuts

Papertake Weekly  Punches or Dies
Fab n' Funky  Anything Goes

Tree Box Challenges:

A Spoon Full Of Sugar  Anything Goes
Our Creative Corner  Holiday 3d Project
Craft Your Days Away  Christmas Trees

Gingerbread Card:
Crafts and Me  Snowflakes
Stampin B's  Holiday Card
Aly's Sunday Sketch  Gingerbread
Whoopsi Daisy  Holidays
2 Sisters  Snowflakes


Lily Card:
Simon Says  Let It Snow
Fresh Brewed  Winter/ Christmas
Stampin 4 the Weekend  Winter
Crafty Sentiments  Christmas 
Digital Tuesday  Let It Snow

Who's on the Case?

Happy Wednesday! So, are you gearing up for the belly bulge? Bring on the sweats, I need turkey!!! Moving on to fewer calories let's talk about this weeks YNS Challenge (YNS30): We want you to case one of the current design teams creations that's it! Actually, this was the hardest challenge ever for me because trying to pinpoint who I was going to case was a very difficult decision...I wound up closing my eyes and pointing . Maureen you were my pick and here is your super fantastic card using Merry Mouse Eve.

 Isn't this card super duper! Maureen is a shading queen, I love the depth she was able to bring to that cute image.
Now I really struggled to stay on task because my hands have a mind of there own I swear!  So, here is my card using Just Swimming By Mermaid and the recently  released Mini Happy Days Mermaid which, by the way, I couldn't wait to use together:

  

 I hope you can see what I took from her creation to come up with my own  I may need to practice a bit more! I Love that background paper!!!It has to be at least 9 years old, back when I first  created 8 1/2 by 11 layouts. I had no idea I could ever hang onto anything that long...WOW!

OK so it's your turn, so check out the dt creations and have a go! By the way I loved stopping by all your amazing creations for the Yellow,Nesties & Stickles challenge thanks for the great inspiration!

Challenges:

PaperTake Weekly  Cut It Out

A Spoon Full Of Sugar  Anything Goes

Artful Inkables  Punches & or Die Cuts

Simon Says Stamp & Show  Distressing Inks ( I used Ranger Old Paper on all my kraft)

Frosted Designs  Distressing

Daring Cardmakers  3 mermaids

I Made Top 3!!!!

Thank you!!!

Tuesday Takes With Sketches In Thyme

 Hello today will be my first posting with Sketches In Thyme how exciting eh!!! We have a fabby sponsor this month, Teri from Delicious Doodles. In our challenges, we have a weekly winner and top 3 (you'll get a blinkie to display on your blogs). With every challenge, you'll  receive an entry for the monthly prize. So if you play all four weeks, you get your name in four times What's the prize, you ask? 3 digis of you choosing!
Here is this weeks sketch:

Here is my take on the sketch using Teri's Digi Baby Rudolph.

  I just love that shines red nose! Well thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out the rest of the teams creations!

Challenges:
Scrappy Frogs   Christmas
One Stitch At A Time   a season or event
Reasonable Ribbon  Christmas theme & ribbon
AiFactory   Bring On The Bling
Cards For Men  Christmas
Pals Paper Arts   ribbon or fabric
Ooh La-La Creations  Rudolph
Lexi's Creations  Traditional Christmas Colors

****second posting today scroll down for YNS New Release Blog Hop!

I love New Release Day don't you? With today's  new release at The Pink Cat Studio, you are sure to get a sugar rush just no cavities!!!

Aren't these simply good enough to eat? My kiddo's (sorry Bill!) love making ginger bread houses because I let them eat off of it this year I plan on doing some before after pictures to share. Speaking of sharing, I have 2 cards I created today :

 I think Gingerbread Man on  Swing is my favorite image of the collection! But then again nothing goes better with sugar than more sugar when I used Gingerbread Man Eating Cupcake. I used the last of my pom pom ribbon....I don't typically create Christmas cards using the traditional Christmas colors, but I decided to give it a go because I have some older papers I really need to use up!!!

Well thanks for stopping by and be sure to stop by Melissa's blog so you can enjoy the rest of the amazing creations they will surely WOW you!!!

 Thanks for stopping by! Beth

Card 1 challenges:
Flourish Timeless Tuesday  Christmas
Caardvarks  Holiday-Die-Cuts I used the negative cut
I Did It!  Christmas Traditional Colors
2 Sisters  Christmas
Digi Stamps4Joy  Christmas

Card 2 challenges:
Paper Play  Let it snow
Speedy the Cats Friends  Snowflakes
Magical Monday  Let it snow
Bee Crafty  Christmas Digi

YNS New Release Blog Hop!!!!

Welcome to the Your Next Stamp November New Release BLOG HOP!  We've got some fabulous new YNS stamps to showcase today! These new stamps are available to buy right now from the Your Next Stamp store along with all your YNS favourites.  We also have 2 wonderful guests joining us for our hop - the amazing Jen del Muro, and our November YNS Guest Designer Kerry Urbatch.  Welcome girls!

If you would like to participate in the hop and you didn't arrive here from Kerri's blog, please CLICK HERE to return to the start of the hop at the Maureen's blog, as you don't want to miss these fab new releases!

The hop starts today (Thursday November 18 at 03:00 EST) and ends on Saturday November 20 at midnight EST.

As always, here at Your Next Stamp, we have a wonderful prize for you to win!  One lucky winner will be drawn at random from the comments at Karen's blog to receive a new release stamp package.  It's not a requiremenbt for you to comment at every stop along the hop to be eligible, but the DT would sure love to hear what you think of their new release creations!

Not only is Karen offering an amazing hop prize, she's also holding a special 20% OFF YOUR ORDER sale which is running for an entire week (from today untli November 25 at midnight EST)!  Be sure to enter the code YNSNOV when checking out at http://www.yournextstamp.com to receive your 20% discount!

So onto my blog hop creations! I have used both Ellie with Snowman & Mini Snowman stamps..... 

l love this new snowman stamp with Ellie putting on the final touches to her ever so happy snowman. For my second creation I decided to steer away from a card and create an ornament from these paper ornaments I have horded for several years now . I must admit trying to stamp on a round shape really took me to task!  I paper pieced the hat and scarf for the snowman for some extra dimension.

• 

So now it's time for you to hop on over to Wendy's blog as she is the next stop on our hop, but I'd love it if you left me a comment before you go!

Before I go, I'd just like to remind you all about our current YNS Challenge chosen by the wonderful Crystal!  It ends on Tuesday November 23, so you still have plenty of time to join in!  The challenge is extra special as we are being co-sponsored by Really Reasonable Ribbon, so why not hop on over to the YNS Challenge blog and join in!

Thanks so much for hopping with us today!  I hope you enjoy our new release!

Challenges for card:
City Crafter  Card with Children
Little Paper Shop  Die Cuts
Crafty Pad  Christmas & Sparkle
Crazy 4 Challenges  Christmas
Ellephantastic  Christmas
No Time To Stamp Christmas non-Trad colors



Challenges for Ornament:
Bunny Zoe  Christmas no card
Sweet Stampin  Snowflakes
Our Daily Bread  No Cards
Die Cuts R Us  Alter It
Tip Top[ Tuesday  Buttons
Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge  Alter It

I'm a Mavin!!!!

 I am officially a Sketches in Thyme  dt member...A Mavin! I am blogging buddy with the founder of this blog, and came to discover several other members by chance about  least a year ago.  These ladies have really inspired me and I  have been popping onto their blogs ever since, this is a great opportunity! Thanks for considering me!!! Here is a listing of the rest of the card team:

Cindy Blair
Angi, Cokie Pop Paper Boutique
Tanya Rudd
Stacy Koo
Beth Moore.

I am very excited to be working along side you wonderfully talented ladies! 

This combo is TEA Riffic!!!

 Good evening I hope you are all doing well!  I want to share a card with you I created last night after perusing all the challenge possibilities. Pink got stuck in my head from Crafty Emma's  and I knew I had a  digi from  TGF  I colored ions ago but have been waiting to use on just-the-right-card. I think the card came along:

(click for better image)

How about a cup of Twisted Tea? I flipped when these digis came out and pretty much bought them on the spot. I got the larger teacups from erasing every thing but the cup and flipping the image using Photoshop.

I have had Photoshop for years but never knew how to do much with it because I am not a learner from reading I have to have a watch and try style to get anything to stick. My awesome friend came over one morning last week and was a real wealth of information. Thank you Lucinda!!!! 

Thank you to all of you who still stop by and leave kind words even though I have been seriously slacking...I hope things will ease up soon! Have a great week! Beth

More Challenges:

Secret Crafter  Sparkle & Shine  I used liquid glass and a silver glitter pen, of course you can't see it! !!

Wee Memories  Neglected Pattern Papers  

Digital Tuesdays  Never Used Stash My DP's

Some Odd Girl  Use Digi's to create background

If the Shoe Fits  Hand Made embellishments I made this black and white swirl buy cutting out a flourish type form and doodling on it.

Digis With Attitude  Sparkle, Ribbon, & 2 DP

Fairy Tale Challenges  Anything Goes

Oh Alice  Time For Tea
Artful INKables  Fancy Corners

I love the weekends!

Happy Happy Joy Joy it's Saturday!!!!! Which means I will so be asleep when all you early risers are out & about..... I do have a card to share though; with all the sickness in the air this is my get well card to all my bloggin' buddies. I used this fantastic image Poppy Gothic Girl from Tiddly Inks. I love Christy's Gothics and Buggs the best you should check them out!

Well, I am off to bed. Have a fantastically crafty day!

Challenges:

Cute Card Thursday  Anything Goes

Moving Along With The Times  Nice & Bright

Delightful Challenge  Glitter (Brads and Glitter Pen)

For Fun  Dry Embossing

Character Cafe  Embossing
Crafty Card Makers  Dry Embossing
Craft Your Passion  Two Of Anything 2 Green Brads, 2 Blue Brads & 2 Poppy Flowers
Daring Cardmakers  Poppies
Stamp Something  Use A Digi
Easy Craft Projects  Red
Flourish Timeless Tuesday  Glitter

Hello All!   It's time for a fun Color Challenge for Ella's Pink Scrapbook - Challenge #28. We want to see Blue,Yellow & Red in your creations. I snuck in a bit of green and a whole lot of Kraft on my layout. I also created a double wide which I had gotten away from. Here is my layout:

I stamped all sorts of crazy arrows because we were pretty much all over the place that morning. The little circular patches of blue skulls are taken from the backpack he was using that day...I say "was" because my puppy ate the straps whilst we slept that night! I couldn't bear to get rid of it in it's entirety so I cut as much of the fabric away as possible for crafting purposes. Well I hope you play along this week and enjoy the rest of your day! Beth

Challenge List:
Let's Ink It Up  Recycle It
Ann's Creative Nook  Recycle Recycle!
Lasting Memories  Punch It Out!

YNS It!

Wow I just want to say last weeks "Book Mark It Creations" were fantastic thanks to all who played along! This weeks YNS Challenge #29 our uber clever Crystal came of turning YNS into another acronym of Yellow, Nesties and Stickles. We'd like to see you use at least two of these on you card. I played with a fun stamp
Teresa the Seal, after the fact I couldn't believe I hadn't used her before she's got my seal of approval!

Well thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out the rest of the awesome creations from the rest of the design team. Beth

Challenges:
2 Sisters  Birthday
Elephantasic  Blue
Gingerloft  Buttons
Cards for Men  Animals
Paper Play  Circles
Stampin B's  Animal in a Die Cut

Happy Soon-To-Be Birthday Angela!!!!

 

November is Angela's  birthday month, (November 23 to be exact) so in celebration of this she isoffering up some Birthday Blog Candy!  Stop by her place and take some time to check out all her fantastic creations!!!

Folder card different style

Hello again, here is another folder card I created I used a ton of the Ranger Enamel Accents for the cake I really like the look but I have decided this is a trickier product that first thought...I have never shaken or dropped the bottle but there are a few pesky air bubbles and they make an undesirable splotch! I also came to realize sometimes the cute ball effect I am going for runs into another not so nice! I had to make 3 cakes before I got this one. The white is way more forgiving as if you mess up you can wipe it off but the black for obvious reasons, it stains!

I checked out Mojo Mondays sketch this is a bit looser but I like how my ricrac replaces the top notch cut out.

Have a Fantastic Sunday! Beth

Challenge List:
One Stop Craft  Embossing
Raise The Bar  Curves & Scallops
Crazy 4 Challenges  Square cards
Paper Romance  Lots of Whatever
Creative Stamp Friends  Favorite Stamp for today anyhow!
Wee Memories  Birthday Bash
Incy Wincy  Anything Goes

Happy Inky Weekends R the Best...

Wouldn't you agree? I just received my new releases from Karen at Your Next Stamp and they are so fun I can't wait to share! The next release will be November 18th so stay tuned!

 I was commissioned to create two Birthday cards for a mom and daughter who have their birthdays on the same, day how cool is that?  The man who commissioned them is a great friend of my husbands so I really wanted these to be special. I came across a Challenge blog Fun With Shapes & More, 

their challenge is to use Folder Techniques here is the Tutorial page with 4 differenct styles. I just want to say WOW!!!! The cards they showed were amazingly jaw dropping. I knew this was my staring point. The card I am showing today is my last ditch effort to hold onto summer, we have but a few tiny butterflies and moths still lingering though I have no idea how they survive the nights!

 

 

 

I even stamped some butterflies to finish off the back of this card, this is pretty much a through & through card. I felt every side needed some sort of addressing. I would like to point out a few technical aspects to save you from too much distress. Those 2 small bottom flaps will not lay very nice if you don't score out 2 mm or so from the original fold forming a boxy type flap. This is especially important if you plan on adding dimension inside the card!!!! This is pretty much a 6 x 6 inch card but it doesn't fit in a regular envelope it's way too thick so I am using the seal able clear beans  from clearbags and inserting a 6 x 6 piece of complimenting cs in front and behind the card. I ok'd it with my Post Master.  

Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulously inky weekend!!! Beth

 

Challenge List:

Stamptacular Sunday  Hide & Seek

The Crazy Challenge  Pearls & Swirls

Stamp with Fun  All Things That Fly

ABC Challenge  G is For Glitter

Flutter by Wednesday  Open

Cooking It Up With Katie  Swirls, Texture and a little Black

Creative Cottage  Embossing

AI Factory  Garden Party

 

Give Away

Give Away

How do you fancy winning a set of 48 Prismacolor art markers, (worth £129), the ink is formulated to give the richest color saturation with silky smooooooth coverage. The duality of the thick and skinny tips let you change it up whenever the mood strikes. They are an alcohol, dye-based ink that’s non toxic and blendable, and they'll work in conjunction with your copics or promarkers, and come in a snazzy little carry case!
Click here for the details!

Pink Cat Studio Release!!!!

 

Can you scream with me? Roaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar!!!! I am so loving these new images Melissa created  for the Pink Cat Studio release because of a patron request and you will too. I created these cards using Bronty And Dino and paper piecing which is a fantastic technique.
 

 On both of these cards I tried out a new  Ranger product called Enamel Accents for a dimensional faux enamel look. I love the look but loathe the drying time so if you are in a time crunch this product needs to be used another time! Well thanks for stopping bye!

Challenges card 1:

 City Crafter  Get You Digi On

 A Spoon Full Of Sugar  Relish to Embellish

Going Grey  Favorite Technique  Paper Piecing

 The Paper Player  Anything Goes
Craft Your Passion  Anything Goes
Totally Paper Crafts  Bling It On!

Challenges card 2:
Digital Tuesday  I've been Framed
PaperTake Weekly  Cards For Boys or Men
Party Time Tuesday  Anything Goes
Paper Sundaes  Cards For Boys
Sentimental Sundays  Birthday
 Freshly Brewed  Anything Goes