Summer Zazzle!

I love Summer! I love finding a place to sit, like in a hammock or even the crotch of a tree, closing my eyes and just listening.  Ahh, the sound of the birds singing to eachother, busy little dragon flies swirling around . . . I love the way the sun causes dazzles even when my eyes are closed!  That's what inspired my choice for this weeks inspiration card for the PIP Challenge Blog!


You know what that means... another fun chance to win!!  One lucky crafter in PIP #1824 will receive $12 in products from Bugaboo Stamps, this weeks generous sponsor.  This beautiful digi "Spring Block" is so versatile!!  I like having several printed since it's great for any occasion & any sentiment can be easily added. 

I think this one is so pretty you may see it again really huge as framed wall art!

Super Fast Greeting Card with Polkadoodles Digi

In a hurry?  As homemakers, bread winners, mommies, wives etc who of us isn't??  Still, we know the beautiful joy we share in sending homemade items to loved ones and friends. That includes greeting cards. But who has time? ~ Well, here's a card you can make in a FLASH!!

Welcome to PIP Challenge inspiration #1822, sponsored by Polkadoodles!  They are generously awarding the PIP Winner a prize of 3 digis of their choice from the Polkadoodles store!

 




If you're not familiar with the Pammies Inky Pinkies Challenge blog each week they sponsor an ANYTHING GOES CHALLENGE with different sponsors and prizes each week.

This cutie is Polkadoodles "Earlie Hedgehog Dandelion"  and is available in black & white or color!!  Since I'm talking about speed you've probably guessed I opted for the pre-colored version.  I LOVE it!!  It is so sweet and all I had to do is print and die cut it, layer it up with some fun color and texture a sentiment (optional) ... & done!!!!

The recipient only knows that you cared enough to send a home made creation!

Now it's your turn!!  Create up to 3 new  projects and get them posted to the PIP Challenge Blog before the Sunday @ 6pm for your chance to win!!!

Want more inspiration?  Check out what the rest of the PIP Design Team came up with this week!
Pam
Terri
Bridget
Kren

Introduction of characters!!

Hooray, back to sunshine. Thought I would share how happy everyone is to have sunsine!  We've recently had goslings and chicks hatch out (from under their Momma's) so later I will try to post some pictures of that adorableness~!

I just love the colors coming out on our little black ducks!  They are Cayuga. This is the first time we've raised that breed.  They are so fun, they splash and play in their kiddy pool ~ the social hub of our chicken yard!!

Sampson got a hair cut today.  He looks like a different dog <3 When he's shaggy he has large fields of liver and white, but when he's clipped all of his amazing speckles show up!

My kitty Sophie and the smallest bummer lamb I've ever cared for!!  Doesn't Sophie look annoyed!!







You shall be like a Watered Garden

PIP CHALLENGE # 1820

Welcome back to another PIP Challenge posting!  I know in many parts of the world and US Spring is already in full swing. But here in the Pacific NW that is not always the case!

We are loving more sunny days and greener lawns but here & there a little sleet & hail keeps peeking into our Spring!  Today I noticed the lilacs are nearly in full bloom though, along with the apples and I'm lucky enough to still have some colorful tulips lighting up the ground beneath it all!

This image definitely puts me in the mind set of Spring and reminds me that even during the hail storms my spirit will flourish, through the living water that is Christ Jesus.  I know the Israelites  were suffering from drought but I think flourishing in adversity is the message of hope here!! What  a beautiful word image as well as a beautiful digital stamp! Watered Garden Isaiah 58 was provided by our generous sponsor "Sparkle & Sprinkle" who is giving away a prize of $15 to use in their store!!  All you have to do is create a project, anything goes, and post it on the PIP Challenge Blog!!!!

This Digi has been enlarged to cover a full sheet of 8.5 x 11 inch paper!! Even at this size it still has great detail & smooth lines!  I am contemplating using it for the top of a calendar or as the center of a large cork bulletin board.  The beauty of it is I can print it again and again in any size to fit whatever project occurs to me!!  Digis are great that way!!

I have colored my image simply with gel pens & Zig water colors. The lettering was shadowed on one side to give the whole project a little more depth & color and a final application of white gel pen & crystal gem accents complete this easy but pretty  project!

 Just click on any photo for viewing in greater detail :)

News from the Ever Cool Originals (ECO) 4-H Club

Hello again friends :)  Thought I would share with you today a fun tutorial on masking!  I had this idea for my little 4-H Club so that every member would have some knowledge of the basics of rubber stamping and scrapbooking.



We are constructing our own little "Sampler Scrapbook" of techniques!!  Our first page was concerning "Resist", which I did not document.
But here's the final result. Each page includes one technique & defines it!
           


Our second page is all about masking!!  So much fun ~ the kids are visibly delighted with the results, especially since how great it looks can't be seen until removing the mask!

Here are the basic steps in photographs:


It may look confusing, but EACH TIME YOU STAMP cut out the identical image and place it over the one you've just stamped!  Don't remove any of the masks until you're finished. HINT:  I use inexpensive copier paper for masking, & sometimes acetate for hardier, re-usable masks!

ANOTHER NOTE OF IMPORTANCE: It is important when you cut out your images to "split the line" as you cut. With heavier materials such as cardstock or acetate you will want to eliminate the line as you cut. If you cut on the line or outside of it you will wind up with a 'glow' around your image where the ink can not touch!

As I stamped the last images I did not have to cover them with a mask since nothing more was going to go over or around them!  REMOVE the mask & color in any desired areas!  It is that simple (time consuming but simple)                          

Hooray! Next meeting is heat embossing and pressure embossing!! If you have any questions, ideas to share or need more clarity, please don't hesitate to comment below  !!  Have a great sunshiney day !!  😎

Happy Mail!!

Who doesn't love getting something fun in the mail??  As a grown-up it starts to be all about the bills!  That's part of the magic of sharing notes with others via snail mail!!  It doesn't have to be a birthday or Anniversary to send something so simple that makes others feel so special.

Here's Newton doing just that!! Do you know Newton?  Head on over to Newton's Nook Designs (NND) and there you can find out all about him (true story) and the great little shop of delightfulness that includes all his friends and so much more!!

It just so happens that NND is sponsoring our PIP Challenge #1818 this week too!!  The weekly  challenge is ANYTHING GOES and the prize is $15 to spend in their store!!!

One of my favorite things at NND is the stencils!  I thought this "Starfield" stencil looked like the bokah that fills the air in the summertime!  Doesn't it look a little like the out of focus, sundrenched seed pods etc that float around in the hot air??
                I was careful as I stenciled in selectively the dots from the stencil with the blue and then I added in the dots as well as the stars with the yellow after shifting the stencil a little.

Newton is stamped and heat embossed on a white circle die-cut & colored in with a combination of gel pens and watercolor.   The little leaf sprig is from the "Beautiful Leaves" stamp set & washi wrapped all the way around helps dress up the inside too.  

2 sizes of sequins finish it of with a little sparkle factor!(I added those in along with a some extra grass after I thought I was done!!)
Let's see what your friends can anticipate finding in their mail box! (or maybe tucked inside a book, bag, or locker!)  I promise I will check out your entries at PIP Challenges and maybe even leave a comment on your blog!!  Have fun 

Jewel Picker 101 🏶🏶 DYI 🏶

I have been watching with envy all the 'professional' paper crafters picking up delicate pieces and precisely placing them using an amazing tool with a tiny, tacky tip.  Unfortunately, the one I would like to have is over $30!!!! Others I have read reviews on complained the tip didn't last.

If you've read my post on turning wood mounted stamps into cling stamps then you know I have fallen in love with Aleene's TACK-IT Over & Over repositionable adhesive.  As I was making some glue dots with it ~ it suddenly occurred to me that it could be used on the end of any pointed object as a jewel picker!!!  I used a "Sheezley" tool for ceramics but you could use a toothpick (disposable, no storage!) a dried up pen with a cap to protect the sticky, etc!

Here you can see the completely dried blob of glue I put on the tip. It is super tacky and picks up even the tiniest bead with only a gentle touch.  I have even used it to clean some flecks of embossing powder off a project before heating. It can get into tiny tight places where it is hard to use even the tiniest of brushes to flick away culprit granules.

Once the tip doesn't retain the sticky (I used it a LOT!) just pull it off and put another on.  Be prepared, it does take 30 minutes or so to dry, so it may be a good idea to have 2 of them so one is always ready to go.

Good luck, hope this will come in as handy for you as it has for me!!  🏶

Graduation Season!

Oh my!  I am going to be facing days and weeks without one of my favorite people in the not too distant future.  Another HS Graduation is at hand!!

I was so pleased that this weeks PIP Challenge Sponsor is Sasayaki Glitter!  They kindly shared this great graduation image with me & it is my privilege to share my first project with it with you!!

So much happy energy in this one called Mia's Graduation.  Our school colors are red & black so it wasn't difficult to decide how to color her!  After water coloring with Zig Real Brush Markers I framed it with Spellbinders Nestabilities Majestic Elements Dies - Radiant Rectangles & added a wonderful little sentiment stamp from Unity Stamp Company embossed in red.  I made a memory board for her loaded with her favorite pictures and put this strategically on it!!

I am pleased with the little pop of energy and color it offers.  I think it will also be a stamp that makes great tags for our gifts to the other grads.  Because digis are so versatile I will be making it really big for the name tags that dangle from their "Senior Baskets". So much fun & versitality!!

Now it's your turn!!!  Time to make a project (anything goes!) and link it up at the PIP Challenge Blog!  Be sure to share the love and check out all of the DT Blogs & your favorite entries too.

AND DID I MENTION YOU CAN WIN?!!

Sasayaki Glitter is awarding 1 lucky entrant the digi of their choice!!  (Don't you just love the "win/win" of the crafting world!)