Paper Pieced Potted Lucy

Hello Stampers,

It's time for another new Challenge over at All That Scraps.  This time we are asking you to paper piece your favorite CC Design image.  Remember, you must use a CC Design image as outlined in the rules on the Challenge Blog.  I'm always so sad to see someone use an image that does not qualify for a prize.  But I am just that way, I want everyone to win, lol. 

Today I am using Swiss Pixie Potted Lucy.  OMGosh I could just squench her.  She is so cute and so easy to color up and paper piece.  She is part of the February collection release.  I love all those pictures of real babies in potted plants or with flower hats.  Forgot the photographer's name that does that, but all of her pics make me happy.  I paired Lucy with some MME paper Bramble Rose and colored her with my copics.   I love Karen's fabulous sketches and I really love that she posts them every other week, so I can use them on my DT cards. 

I don't know about your neck of the woods, but Spring has Sprung here in Bakersfield and I couldn't be happier.  Mornings are nippy, afternoons just warm enough without being too hot.  It's my favorite weather and I really have to enjoy it before it spikes up to high 90s here again.  We have a Tulip Tree up the street and I just love it.  I think I am going to take a picture of it again. lol.

Thanks for Looking and for your kind Comments.

Holly

Carpenter's Crack

Hello Stampers and Welcome to a New Loves Rubberstamps Weekly Challenge.  This time we are challenging you to make a tag or use a tag on your project.  I would like to thank our Sponsor this week, QKR Stampede, for providing us with any image we wanted to pick out.  That was so awesome!  Thank You!!!  The minute I saw this Carpenter Digi stamp I knew I had to have him, lol.   Now normally I am so not loving seeing a guys crack when he is bent over, lol, but when it's my 10 year olds crack, it's adorable! lol.  And every since he put his big boy panties on, he has been sporting the bend over crack, lol.  No amount of "pull up your pants" is going to work on this boy, it's just where he wears his pants and how mother nature made him, lol.  I'm hoping by the time he is old enough for it to be gross, he will have learned a thing or two, lol. 

I used my MFT Die-namic traditional tags stax,  Die-namic tool charms, Die-namic Circle Stax, and some MME paper Gnome Sweet Gnome.  It was nice to get away from the Valentines paper, lol.  I love it, but I was using it an awful lot, lol.  The nice part about having Valentines paper is you can use it all year around and for a lot of different occasion's.  Check out the paper Laura has in her store, along with all the die-namics she has been collecting.  You are going to flip when you see the New Items section!  She has been a busy bee adding things non-stop.  Really great things!  Squeal!!! 

I used this weeks sketch from MFT's weekly sketch Challenge.  So perfect for a tag on a card.  Laura wants me to give a 101 on where to find a great sketch.  Most of the places I go to look for a great sketch are listed on my blog side bar at the bottom, lol.  I just pick and choose and get really excited when I can actually enter the challenges on time.  lol.   I also look to see where our Challengers go and sometimes I can find a really fabulous sketch on their entrees and I write that down for future reference or add it to my sidebar so when I am looking for a sketch, I can find it easily.   Now I ask you, where do you find your sketches?

So I have to tell you, I searched high and low for those little vintage tags that I bought from S.U. a while back, and I could not find them anywhere!  lol.   I did rediscover some other buried treasure while I was hunting them down, and then it dawned on me, make my own.  I have the dies, so I did. lol.  I added two little hammers that I cut out with the Designer paper and then cut out again with some mirror paper I have in my stash and then just glued it down over the top.  I also had those brads in my stash and I thankfully those were one of the things I came across during my mad search, lol. 

Thanks for Looking and for your kind Comments!!!

Holly

Now Where did I put that lace?

Hello and Welcome to a new Sparkle Creations Rubberstamps Challenge.  This time we are asking that you use lace with your Sparkle image.    My Ruby Suitcase is asking, "Now where did I put that lace tape?"  I just bought it from my Stampin Up Demo just for this challenge and you know, I had to say it again, "Lock the Doors!"  I just could not remember where I put it.  And of course you know it was right there in front of my eyes, lol. 

I have seen so many crafters use this cute Mojo Monday Sketch, I had to give it a try and I love it.  Almost as much as I love Suitcase Ruby.  Her little details are so much fun to color.  I cannot wait to see what you make in this challenge, but remember, you must use a Sparkle Creations image.

I colored up Ruby with my Copic Markers and cut her out with my Circle Die-namics, I used MME 6X6 pad called Bramble Rose.  My little flower die is a PTI flower and the leaves are also MFT Die-namics royal leaves. 

Instead of a New Release, Sparkle is having a month long sale!!!  You still have a few days to catch this great sale!  I know there are many many Sparkle Creations Stamps I still want to get, go check them out at the store!  While you're at it, check out Ruby Suitcase, she is on sale for $5.00!!!  Wow.

Be Sure to check out the other Sparkle Designers and see how they used their lace!

Sheena Brooks ~ February Guest Designer
Kim
Shaela Odd
Holly Flores -That's Me
Sparkle Creations Rubberstamp Blog
Sparkle Creations Rubberstamps Store.

Thanks for Looking and for your kind Comments.

Holly

Girl with a Rose

Happy Holly-Day Friday! 

It's my turn to post over at the Loves Rubberstamps Inspiration Post.  This week we are sponsored by Birdie Brown and our Challenge is lots of layers.  So I decided to keep with the Challenge theme and use another wonderful Birdie Brown Image called - Girl with a Rose.  I love this weeks sketch from Seems a little Sketchy, and so I used some paper I had laying around and got started on my layers. 
I used:
MFT - circle dies, crocheted border, Roses, and Leaves.
How do you like those rolled felt roses?  I glued them down with The Best Glue Ever!  I could not find my hot glue gun to save my life, lol. 
I love this cute little image!!!  She was so fun to color and I think I am starting to like using digi's because I was thinking about the size and then I remembered I could make her any size I wanted, lol.

What are your weekend plans?  I have to work Sunday but I am off tomorrow and I think I will try to pack in the whole weekends worth of stuff into one day, lol.

Thanks for Looking and for your kind Comments.

Holly

Lanterns and Fans

Hello and Welcome to the All That Scraps Challenge - Reminder post that Anything Goes!

Today I am using Mashi Muffins Fan, Line of Lanterns, and Chinese Lanterns die.  Unfortunately I regret using that paper with the lantern dies, lol.  They don't show up that well.  I might have put a shadow behind them if I would have been thinking straight, lol.  Oh well.  I really like Mashi Muffins Fan and the line of lanterns.  I stamped her image, then I stamped it again on scratch paper and cut the scratch paper image out, covered the main image and then stamped the line of lanterns.  Then I colored them all up with my copics.  I love this Sketch Saturday sketch I found.  It worked perfectly with her. 

I hope to see your fabulous creations made with CC design stamps for our Challenge. 

Thanks for Looking and for your kind Comments.

Holly

Furever Love

Hello and Welcome to a brand new Loves Rubberstamps Challenge -  Lots of Layers.  I'm so super excited we are sponsored by Birdie Brown this week!  That's a double score if you win!  I Love Torico's fabulous images and they are so fun to color.  I will be using another one of Friday!  This image is called, "Furever Love".   They are only $2.50!!!  What a deal. 

I found this fabulous deconstructed sketch no 89 and knew it would perfect for this image.  I paired it with MFT's Grass border die-namic, Cloud Stax Die-namic, and Cheveron die-namic.  I cut the Jumbo Cloud - smallest with white felt and then a blue background and used the Best Glue Ever to paste it down.  I'm so excited that Laura added The Best Cleaner Ever.  This works so well on my tools and get gummed up and it does not leave a residue on my tools, so I don't have to worry my next project with get any stains or residue on it.  (In fact she has added a TON of NEW ITEMS, so go check them out!)  I also cut out one of the grass dies and then used the negative side for a second layer.  I like that feature!   So I have Blue, White, Patterned, Black, White, Blue Cloud, White felt cloud, Grass, Grass.  I think it's a 7 Layer card!  Most of my cards are though, lol.  So this was a fun challenge for me and I loved coloring up this image. 

I hope everyone is having a great week and can join us in our Challenge.  Also hop on by the Inspiration Blog and leave a comment on the Sunday post for a chance to win!  I love winning free stamps!!! 

Yesterday my Sweet Husband Joe left for work early and took a picture on his phone and sent it to me with a "good morning" message.  He is so sweet. 

I love daffodils and I had planted about 50 bulbs 12 years ago.  This is the lone survivor, the only one left, lol.   So spring in California is officially arrived!  I love spring! 

Thanks for Looking and for your kind Comments.

Holly

I still get Butterflies

Yippee Skippee it's a Holly-Day Friday!

It's my turn to show you some Inspiration from Loves Rubberstamps.  I have done a quick and easy card today with Clearly Sentimental - You make my Day, and added some Die-namic Butterflies.  I stamped the sentiment in Memento Black Ink and added some Card Candi Ritz that I colored with my BG13 Copic Marker.   I used the best glue ever and candi fix. Have you stopped by the New Items in the store lately?

So how was your Valentines Day?  Since I am working this week and we are running into a hectic schedule, we decided to put off our celebration until tonight.  We are going out to dinner for a romantic Italian meal with our youngest son, lol.  I feel very grateful and fortunate that the men in my life do very loving and romantic gestures on a regular basis, not just Valentines Day.  I cannot even remember how many Valentine Days I spent being single.  It sucked.  lol.   As a single parent it was the one day of the year where I really had to stop and ask myself if I was really happy being alone.  Sometimes the answer was a box of See's Candies and "YES" lol.  I feel very blesses to have found true love and the right guy to share my life with. 

So what are your weekend plans?  I have more plans than I have time this weekend, lol.   I hope whatever you are doing, you are having some fun along the way.

Thanks for Looking and for your kind Comments.

Holly

Cracked up

Happy Wednesday Peeps,

It's time for another All That Scraps Wednesday Challenge!!!  Yeah.  It's anything goes!  So get out your favorite CC Designs and come play along with us.  Today I am using Cracked Lula and I have used a great Sketch from Sketch Saturday.  I dug out a 6X6 Echo Park Pad called Country Drive.  I had not even broken the seal on it, but I loved the papers and so I was happy to have rediscovered it! lol.  I will be using some more of these cute papers are the Spring time comes.  I also used a Trellis and Vine Die-namic. 

When I finish up this card one morning last weekend, I was liking and sharing on Facebook.  I usually multitask when card making on the computer, either facebook or blog hopping or commenting, lol.  All of the sudden, Facebook told me I was blocked from "sharing" for two days.  Can you believe it?  I posted a comment about it and non of my friends had ever heard of such a thing!  I kept trying and after a couple hours, I was liking and sharing all over again, lol.   So if you get blocked, keep trying, lol.  If you are one of my regular viewers and you want to "friend" me, I am under Holly Flores in Bakersfield.  I have to warn you, I am liberal, I have crazy friends and family, and I "share" a lot, lol. 

Don't you just love Cracked Lula?  She is so adorable and I can think of many different Spring Cards I would like to make with her.  She is a lot of fun to color. 

I cannot wait to see your fabulous creations in the Challenge.

Thanks for Looking and for your kind Comments.

Holly

All About Love .... of the Coffee

Happy Tuesday!!!

It's time for another Challenge over at Loves Rubberstamps and this weeks theme is All About Love!  Did you know the owner of Loves Rubberstamps is Laura Love?  How cool is that last name?  Very seldom do I wish I had someone Else's last name, but you know, geez, Love, I would LOVE to have that last name, lol. 

Okay, back to business.  I would like to thank Eureka stamps for Sponsoring our Challenge this week and for the fabulous digi's they sent the design team to play with.  The moment I saw this Heart Frame Digi I knew I had to have it!  And I wasn't the only one, head on over to the Challenge blog to see what the other DT members made!  So I started out with the Heart Frame and colored it up with my Copic markers, cut out the center and fussy cut out the heart.  Then I inked up my TGF Latte Anya with Memento Black Ink and colored her up with my Copic Markers and fussy cut her out.  I used some papers from Fancy Pants Designs 6X6 Love Note and a Crochet die-namic border and glued them all down with my Best Glue Ever!  I added some Card Candi - Ritz that I adhered with Candi Fix. 

I know you have some fabulous creation to show us your - All About Love!  I cannot wait to see it. 

Sadly, when this card was created, it was created around chaos.  My Kuerig Coffee Maker died.  I had it for 15 months and this was the replacement for the last one that died.  I don't think these things were made for SERIOUS coffee drinkers.  On the average it gets used 3 times a day, sometimes up to 6 times a day.  Every single day.  I think these were made for the single person who likes one cup of coffee first thing in the morning and then that's it.  lol.  I also will say I do not descale or clean it out very often and it recommended you do this once a week.  Once a week?  I have cards to make people!  lol.  So now comes the dilemma.  Do I run out and get another Keurig or do I go back to the old tried and true coffee maker that lasts me about 3 years?  I'm crazy about my K-Kups and I love all the variety.  I love that I can leave it on and get my coffee within a minute! lol.  I think I'll run out and buy another one, lol.  Yes, I am insane. lol.  Lucky for me, my son moved back in and I had bought him one for his birthday, lol.  Now we are using that one until I buy a replacement. 

Thanks for Looking and for your kind Comments.

Holly

Also Entering in Yumi and Fumi Challenge - use a punch or a die.
Simon Says Challenge - Have a heart.

Sparkle Color Challenge

Hi Stampers and Friends,

It's time for another Challenge over at Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps!!!

This time it's a color Challenge!  So ink up your favorite Sparkle Creation Rubber Stamp and play with us:

I chose Cowgirl Chloe and used the color combo to color her up with my Copic Markers.  I used some MME paper and added some flowers I had from my stash.  The barbed wire fence is a new die-namic from MFT's.  I had some shiny mirror paper I bought at JoAnne's for the wire.

Now about those flowers.  I stash them behind my monitor and the day I went to reach for them my sleeve got caught up on the tower I make shifted for my Copic Markers and all my Markers came tumbling down!  I hadn't even had my morning coffee yet ACKKKK.   My dear sweet husband went into his work shop and made this for me.

Isn't that great?!  Ignore the mess, lol.  I need the chaos to stay creative (that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it, lol.)   So they are sturdy as can be and so much easier to get to now.  The only draw back is I cannot expand, unless I get twice as many, lol.....hey now there's an idea, lol.

This month Sparkle is not having a new release :(  I know, I know, bummer!  BUT she is giving a discount all month long because there is no new release!  Yeah!!!!

So head on over to the store and get some shopping done!  And then be sure to play in our Challenge!

Thanks for Looking and for your kind Comments.

Holly

Sheena Brooks ~ February Guest Designer
Kim
Shaela Odd
 Holly Flores -That's Me
Sparkle Creations Rubberstamp Blog

Egg Xacally

I made this for this weeks MFT's sketch Challenge over at SCS.  This little cutie is called P.I. bunny ears and I used the new Trellis and Vine Die-namic.  I have another card this week using the Trellis and Vine, I LOVE it!  I colored her up with my copics and used my airbrush for the background.  I recently broke open my Country Drive from Echo Park 6X6 paper that I bought a while back, lol.  But I am still using my stash, Yeah!  The new MFT will be available at Loves Rubberstamps Soon!!!

Thanks for Looking and for your kind Comments!!!

Holly

Sitting Here Thinkin' of You

Happy Inspiration Holly-Day Friday!

I am so glad it's Friday and I have the weekend off!  Whoo Hoo!!!  What are you doing this weekend?  I hope you have a chance to get some stamps inky and create something beautiful. 

Today is my day to showcase something over at the Loves Rubberstamps Inspiration Blog.  In celebration of Laura adding some new La La Land Dies, I decided to use my new Beret Marci image and the bench (soon to be added), Tree and Corner Filigree Die.  I also used my My Favorite Things grass border die and the yummy background paper is Echo Park - Love Story.  I inked up Marci with my Black Memento Ink and glued down my dies with the Best Glue Ever.  And I added some pearls here and there.  Remember, if you do not see the item you are looking for in the store to email Laura and she will let you know when she can get that for you.  It's so pleasantly surprising to email a store owner and ask for a certain product and have her email you right back and let you know when it will be available to you.  I love that about her!

I have been waiting for these dies to hit the store for a while so I am super excited about them being added.  I love this tree die!  There are so many doily opportunities I can think of to use it for.  And I love that the filigree corner matches and that they go together.  I had some frustration last summer when I used these for the first time.  Any die this intricate is going to take some work to cut out.  I added a double shim of card stock to my big shot and ran it through three times and viola, it cut perfectly!  Same with the corner and the bench.  I added three layers of grass border to added to the dimension for the bench.  I LOVE my dies!!!

Have you seen our Challenge this week?  So easy - anything goes!  I  hope you have a chance to upload and join us this week.  Have you seen the NEW ITEMS in the store?  Trust me, you will want to see these!!! 

Thanks for Looking and for your kind Comments!!!

Holly

I am playing along with the Yumi and Fumi Challenge - use a die or punch
Simon Says - Have a Heart - (heart tree)

Matchbox Treat

Hello and welcome to the Wednesday All That Scraps Challenge Reminder post.  This time we are make Valentine Treats.  I used a laying Lona digital image for my treat cover.  I added some Martha Stewart Punch grass and some designer paper from my stash and used some washi tape on the inside box. 

Thank you all for your encouraging words and thoughts and prayers about our loss of our Lab Cocoa.  I am in a bit of a funk right now, but I will snap out of it soon and I will be by to visit all of your blogs soon I promise!  I have been reminded that I have great blogging friends and that yes, there are worse things I could be experiencing right now.  So thank you so much, I have felt everyone of those cyber hugs! 

Thanks again,

Holly

I am also entering in the Simon Says - anything goes!

I knew I liked you....

Happy New Tuesday Loves Rubberstamps Challenge Day!  Whoo Hooo Anything Goes!  My favorite! You rocked the have a heart challenge last week!  I cannot wait to see what you make for this challenge!!!

I knew I loved you before I met you..... This is so true for Joe and I.  We met through a mutual friend on line and we started out as email buddies and then our friend and I flew out to see him on vacation.  Then we emailed some more.  Then we did instant messaging, and then we got camera's for messaging.... then I flew back again, (lol) and we got engaged and then he flew out and then I flew out to move him across the country from Pennsylvania to California.  11 years ago, lol.   I definitely knew I was in love before I met him.  Isn't that bizarre?  If I would have heard this story prior to my experience I would have been perplexed, a non-believer.  You never know who you are going to meet and how it is going to change your life.  So I love this Sentiment from MFT Clearly Sentimental.

I used the new heart border die-namic and the fishtail stax's 1 and 2.  I also used NEW PAPER!  Yes I finally broke down my resolve and bought some of this yummy Echo Park Love Story.  Love it!  I inked up the words with Memento black and used the best glue ever.  check out the New Items, Laura has added this week!!!

Now for some bad news.  Friday night we lost our dear beloved pet Cocoa Puff.

This picture was taken 9 years ago with all three of my children and Cocoa Puff.  He was a chocolate lab, a wedding gift.  So in a way, he was our first child.  He had elbow dysplasia and the vet told us he probably would not be able to stand by the time he was two.  Well, it took a bit for him to get up in the cold and on bad days, but for the most part, he was running around like a puppy until last week.  We are fortunate he did not suffer and went quickly to join our beloved Charlie.  We are certain all good dogs go to Heaven and we will see him again. 

So if I lose my zing in next couple weeks, you all will know why.  It's hard to shake the grief. 

But being a part of this design team and making cards that remind me of better memories definitely helps. 

Thanks for Looking and for your kind Comments.

Holly

Made for you

Tuesday Morning Sketch is being sponsored by Little Inkers Designs.  I jut got this cute Sugar Kissed Cottage and wanted to play along...I'm down to the wire.  I will give more details after Super Bowl today, lol, I just wanted to get this uploaded.

Kitschy Kitchen - 6X6 pad
Memento Ink - Black
Copics - sorry had to put them away, lol
MFT  die-namics - Bon Appetite
MFT  die-namic - Oval
Spellbinders - frames

Thanks
Holly

Far Out Gift Card

Happy Holly-Day Friday Peeps!

Today is my day to bring you a design for the Loves Rubberstamps Inspiration Blog.  Now the key words are "bring you."  You all know I started out a "KopyKat" right?  Where I shamelessly found designs I loved and then got all the supplies to case them.  Well, as time went by, I broadened my horizons with a little experience under my belt and started to make my own designs.  Not true in this case, lol.  I totally scrap lifted this from my friend the other night in our Stampin Up Club.  My Demo - Rhonda came up with this fabulous gift card design and my friend Jeri was putting it together when I showed up late.  As she was adding things, (stuff I disassembled, lol) I had this vision of my new little Doodle Garden - Far Out from MFT's, with a Die-Namics Botanical Beauty sponged with Tim Holtz - Wild Honey Distress Ink on the front.  I could totally see my Die-namic Peace Sign on the inside with the sentiments.  So Jeri graciously gave it to me and I sat and chatted.  I was too darn tired to make my own projects just having come from work and a really super busy day.  So yes, this one will go back to Jeri. 

I inked up the MFT stamp with Memento Ink and used the Best Glue Ever to hold that flower together.  I colored her up with my Copic Markers: E00, E21, E000, E93, E000, E27, E25, E23, BG09, BG07, BG05, BG000, BG10, V17, V15, V12, YR09, YR07, YR04YG91, YG21, 0.  I also used a glaze black pen and some Glossy accents (for the glasses) that kinda got away from me a bit, lol. 

Now whenever I did a total KopyKat, I would always message the person and tell them and they were always so gracious and happy that I found their work inspiring and wanted to make my own.  There are some designers who get really miffed if someone copies them. They feel that they are designers and therefore the work belongs to them.  Perhaps it's a publishing thing, I am not sure, but I often wonder where they learned how to do what they do.  Certainly they had to learn it somewhere.  I find I like the sharing aspect of this craft.  So if I make something that inspires you, feel free to KopyKat the design or the idea.  Plenty of fabulous and famous designers taught me and inspired me and answered back my numerous questions tirelessly.   I can't even count how many U-Tube tutorials I watched, how many times I went to Splitcoaststampers tutorials, and how many questions I asked, lol.  I have read articles, blogs, magazines, descriptions, etc.  My S.U. Demo has kept me in supplies and inspiration for years, so for all these people who share, I say, "Thank You".    And for those who feel Inspired by my Designs I say,  "THANK YOU!!!!" 

Thanks for Looking and for your kind Comments!

Holly

Simon Says - Anything Goes