Anything But Cute Secret Santa

Happy Friday!! I hope you have fun plans for the weekend!! The design team of Anything But Cute held a Secret Santa drawing to create a project for one of our dear sisters. I was so excited to draw as my Secret Santa, the sweet, lovely and amazingly talented Branka of Vintage Handmade!! She is one of the nicest, most talented artists I've met in blogland and I'm so honored to be teamies with her!! I wanted to create something special for Branka since she is such an amazing person!! This is the card that I sent in a package to her in Croatia :)

For this card, I used papers from Maja Designs Winter Frost Basics set. I love this paper stack, and especially this vintage Santa image!! I wanted to showcase it with this card :) What a beautiful representation of Christmas!! The edges of all the papers were distressed with a Zutter DIA.

The back layer is a Precious Marieke Snowflake border die. The gorgeous crinkle ribbon is Steel Blue from the DL.ART Blues Bundle which matched perfectly with the papers. Tucked beneath the Santa photo are Impression Obsession Pine Branch dies, Impression Pine Sprigs dies and Sue Wilson Designs Holly Sprays.

The tree is an Impression Obsession Fir Tree die. It was covered in DecoArt Crackle Paste and once it dried, it was brushed with DecoArt Antiquing Cream in Raw Umber, which was then wiped off, leaving it in the cracks. Believe is a My Creative Time die and it was cut once in Maja paper and once in black for a shadow. It was popped up with foam tape for dimension.

The card was finished up with DecoArt Snow Writer for a frosty effect :) I am entering this in the following challenges:

1) Dies R Us - Christmas

How excited am I that my Secret Santa is the amazing Pamellia of My Little Craft Things!! Oh, I can't tell you how honored I am to own one of her stunning masterpieces!! Wow!! They are even more spectacular in person!! It's sitting on a special shelf in my craft room where I can gaze at it every day and be so inspired!! It is truly a work of art!! And not only did Pamellia send a card, but...

...she created this gorgeous handmade ornament, too!! I have my (sadly artificial) pre-lit tree up and I haven't had a chance to put any ornaments on it at all. I can't tell you how happy I was to receive this stunning one!! It is the most gorgeous ornament I've ever seen!! It's the showplace of my tree!! Please stop by Pamellia's blog, My Little Craft Things, so you can see what she created for me, and then go to the Anything But Cute blog to see what the rest of my sweet sisters created for their Secret Santas!! I guarantee you will be inspired!!

Thank you so much for stopping by!! Have a great weekend!! Big hugs :)

Merry Christmas Skates Die-Versions Post

{This is a scheduled post} Happy Monday!! I hope you had a wonderful weekend!! It's my turn to post on the Die-Versions blog and I have a couple of Christmas cards to share with you today using several Die-Versions dies. If you use the code lisa15 you'll receive 15% off your regular price (does not include sale prices) Die-Versions order.

The papers are from Maja Designs Vintage Winter stack. For the focal point of my cards, I used the Whispers Skate Around die. I cut them several times for the different colors of the skates, and then applied crackle paint to the boots to give them an aged look.

Once the crackle paint dried and cracked, I added DecoArt raw umber antiquing medium to highlight the cracks. The blades were cut with aluminum tape. The skates were popped up with foam tape for dimension on a Whispers Stitched Nesting Squares die.

A Whispers Snowflake Corner (not currently in stock) die was added to the corner and covered with Decoart Snow Writer paint. A Sweet Petite Snowflake die (not currently in stock) was covered in crystal ice glitter.

A Whispers Lacey Dots border die (not currently in stock) was added beneath the middle layers.
Merry Christmas and...

Seasons Greetings are from the Compliments Holiday 1 die set.

Thanks so much for stopping by!! I'll be by to visit when I return :)

My Craft Spot Stamp Release Day 3!!

Welcome to the My Craft Spot Stamp Release party!! I'm so excited to be guest designing again for this release!! Each day this week we will be sharing projects to showcase five new stamp sets and several new SVG files!! Kimberly will have a giveaway every day this week, so be sure to leave a comment at My Craft Spot to be eligible for the daily prize. You'll also be treated to some amazing inspiration from the design team!! The party will end with a blog hop celebration on Saturday, where the full release is revealed and prizes will be given at each stop. Kimberly's new stamps and SVG files will also be available for purchase beginning that day :)

Today we are featuring the new Tiny Tags Christmas stamp set and it is fabulous!! Throughout the week the design team will also be incorporating the new SVG files into their projects as well. (Unfortunately I won't until I get a cutting machine :)

I decorates some ornaments to showcase the Tiny Tags Christmas stamps.

The first ornament was covered with Claudine Hellmuth Multi-Medium and the Ranger Picket Fence Crackle Medium. Once it crackled, Tim Holtz Festive Berries Distress Ink was sponged over the cracks. The ribbon is Cranberry Crinkle Ribbon from My Craft Spot. The tag is a MCS Tiny Tags die.

For the second ornament, I found the instructions HERE. The papers are from My Mind's Eye. The Toadally Green Crinkle Ribbon is from MCS and a MCS Tiny Doily die was used for this sentiment as well.

For the last ornament, the same technique was used as the first one, but I flaked off some of the paint for a shabby chic look. The Snow White Crinkle Ribbon is from MCS and another MCS Tiny Doily Die was used.

I'm entering this in the following challenge:

1. DL.Art - October Linky
2. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Anything Goes

Be sure to head on over to My Craft Spot to see the amazing projects the DT has created - I guarantee you will be inspired!! And don't forget to leave a comment for a chance to win a $10 gift certificate to My Craft Spot.

Please come back tomorrow for Day 4!!

First Scrapy Land Blog Challenge - Anything Goes

** This is my third post of the day **

For Day 3 of the My Craft Spot Sneak Peeks, click HERE

For Decorate to Celebrate Fall or Birthday, click HERE

Happy Wednesday and welcome to the first Scrapy Land Challenge!! This is a bi-monthly challenge posting on the first and third Monday of each month. The theme of the first challenge is Anything Goes using one or more dies that Scrapy Land carries (there are over 40 brands to choose from!!). You could win a $15 gift certificate to Scrapy Land!!

I created this card for a dear friend who was celebrating a very special day with her family :) The papers are from The Paper Studio. The edges were distressed with a Zutter DIA.

The flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts. The bottom layer of the butterfly is a Memory Box Isabella die and the top is a Memory Box Pippi die. They were coated with a layer of Sugar Coating.

The window was cut with a Spellbinders Labels Twenty-Two. The frame was made with a Spellbinders Decorative Labels Twenty-Two and a Labels Twenty-Two. The frame was covered with TH Rock Candy Distress Crackle Paint. Once it dried. TH Victorian Velvet Distress Stain was applied to the cracks. The button on the ribbon is a Die-Versions Sweet Petite Button die.

Congrats is from Craftin Desert Divas Say it Big stamp set.

I am entering this in the following challenges:

1. Craftin Desert Divas - Anything Goes
2. DLArt - September Linky
3. Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes
4. Crafty Girls - Anything Goes
5. Sisters of Craft - Anything Goes
6. Fan-Tastic Tuesday - Anything Goes
7. Card Mania - Butterflies and Bows
8. Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes
9. Sister Act - Anything Goes

Now it's your turn!! Head on over to Scrapy Land to see the amazing projects my talented design team sisters have created for today's challenge!! Then link up your Anything Goes project using a die that Scrapy Land carries!! You have until September 14th. I can't wait to see what you create :)

Have An Owlsome Fall Y'All Blog Hop!!

Welcome to the 

Have An Owlsome Fall Y'All 

Blog Hop!!

If you arrived here from Paula's blog, then you are on track!! 

We are so happy to have you join us today!! The hop starts at Heather Lynn's blog so please start there. You won't want to miss out on any of these wonderful projects!! This is a 2 day hop and the line up will be different each day. Please start HERE today (9/22) and tomorrow (9/23), so we can send you in the right direction!!

Our first "Well Owl Be" Blog Hop went over so well, we decided to do an owl themed hop 4 times a year!! Our next hop will be right before Christmas and we hope you will come back and join us then, too!!

One grand prize winner will win a Cricut cartridge and a stamp set sponsored by Erica's Craft Room!! Thank you, Erica, you are so generous!! Please be a follower and leave a comment at all of the stops in the hop for the chance to win. There will also be other blog candy along the way!!

For my project, I created a canvas Halloween wall hanging. I didn't know where I was going with this, so I didn't take pictures or write down all the ingredients, but I'll try to remember. The background paper is from Me and My Big Ideas Spiders and Bats Mambi Stack. I used a small paper plate for the shape of the full moon and spritzed the canvas with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Peach Delight. Once it dried, Spiced Marmalade and Wild Honey Distress Inks were added. The moon was inked with Mustard Seed and Scattered Straw Distress Inks. Crackle Medium was randomly applied around the canvas and then inked with Spiced Marmalade once it dried and cracked. The edges were covered in stencil paste and painted black once it dried. I wanted it to look like spider webs, so once the paint dried, I used an Adirondack Paint Dabber in Snow Cap. "Halloween", "Boo", "Spooky" and the bats are from K Andrew Designs Fall-O-Ween stamp set. Click HERE to purchase this set.

The owl is a Spellbinder's Nested Owl die. It was cut twice and then the top of his head, wings and feet were cut out. The eyes are a combination of Spellbinders Beaded Circle dies, Circle dies and punches. The edge of the Beaded Circle die was used to give feather definition to the wings with a Distress Marker in Peeled Paint, and then they were attached with foam tape.

I am entering this in the following challenges:

1. DL.Art Thankful Thursday Halloween or fall colors or an owl or all
2. Sunday Funday - Linky Party

I have blog candy!!

All you have to do to win this set of Cloud 9 Designs Halloween Rubber Stamps is:

1. Be a follower
2. Leave a comment here

That's it!! I will be out of town for two weeks, so I will choose a winner when I get back on October 7th.

Now make sure to head over to sweet and talented Heather's blog next. Here's the entire line-up in case you get lost along the way or want to revisit anyone:

Heather Lynn - http://heathernovinger.blogspot.com/

Jessica S - http://jessicascraftshaque.blogspot.com/

Ashley- http://thebloghopprincess.blogspot.com/

Norma G. - http://lilhoneybeestudios.blogspot.com/

Jessica E - http://chick-n-scrap.blogspot.com/

Scrapbook Joe - http://scrapbookjoeblog.blogspot.com/

Paula D. - http://scrapyourworld1.blogspot.com/

Lisa - http://indymermaid.blogspot.com/  < YOU ARE HERE

Heather E. - http://craftymamaof2heve.blogspot.com/ < NEXT

Getting Cricky Design Team Post - It's Valentines

Happy Friday, everyone!! I hope you have fun plans for the weekend!! It has been scorching hot here...in the 100's...we're having a heat wave!! :( No playing outside, so hopefully I'll get some crafting time in :) It's my turn to design at Getting Cricky and today, we are featuring the It's Valentines stamp set.

I threw in a bunch of Tim Holtz techniques for my tag today. The tag was white when I started, and I used a TH swirl stamp inked with an Adirnodack Paint Dabber in Snow Cap. A music notes background stamp from My Paper Studio in Mahogany Distress Ink was stamped next and once the ink dried, it was wiped from the white swirls. Tea Dye and Vintage Photo Distress ink were sponged on next, and then wiped off.

Only You is from It's Valentines. The frame is from TH, filled with Glossy Accents.

The filmstrip is from TH, as are the grungeboard wings, which I covered in TH music note tissue tape.  The grungeboard heart was inked with Barn Door Distress ink and then covered with Rock Candy Crackle Distress Paint and then inked with Mahogany Distress Ink once it cracked. The tag is a Spellbinders Mix'd Media Elements tag, inked with Vintage Photo. Sweetheart is also from It's Valentines:

Click HERE to purchase your own set.

Here's a sneak peek at my other featured card. Head on over to Getting Cricky to see it and the incredible projects my talented design team sister Jessie  has created!! Thanks so much for stopping by and have a wonderful weekend :)