Take it to The Next Level...

No matter how difficult life can be the most important thing is to live it with hope.--Anonymous
I am so happy to announce that Hope Stamps Eternal is sponsoring this week's challenge at The Next Level...if you haven't been to this site you MUST, not only do they have weekly challenges that really take your creations to the...wait for it....Next level, they also post tips, techniques, freebies, etc all week long! Participate in this week's challenge for a chance to win a $25 Store credit at Hope Stamps Eternal!This week's Challenge is a sketch, but there is also that Next Level part, right? Well, this week there is a tutorial available on how to make a Gorgeous 3D Rose and they would like you to include some kind of 3D element in your image. If, like me you don't have a great rose image to try out the tutorial any 3D technique will work. I went with Paper Tole.
I stamped the image 3 times, colored the main image and cut it out with my Nesties, then colored portions of the other 2 images, cut them out and popped them up using foam Adhesive Dots. This description makes it sound like it was quick and easy, but WOW, it took me Forever!!! :)

The main image is from Rain Snow Shine by The Greeting farm, both sentiments are by H&M Stamps and the star on the inside is from Best Mates (also The Greeting Farm) I added Snowflake stickers by Jolee's and K & Co. and Jewels to really bling it up...as well as my normal Stardust Stickles overload. :) This card also works for the Farm Fresh Friday Challenge on TGF blog (Bling, 2 TGF stamps and a Punch)

For the inside I just added more of the flocked vellum and stamped a sentiment and star, then stuck on another snowflake sticker.

Here is a close up to see the dimension...


Supplies:
Stamps: Rain Snow Shine, Best Mates (The Greeting Farm,) Sentiments (H&M Stamps)
Paper: Bazzil Purples, Flocked Vellum (Making Memories,) White (PTI)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento,) Copic Markers, Purple Metallic Chalk Ink
Misc: Snowflake Stickers, Stardust Stickles, Jewel Stickers, Stitched Ribbon, Nestibilities, Slot Punch, Adhesive Dots

Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget, you have 2 chances to when great prizes from Hope Stamps Eternal, participate in The Next Level challenge and this week's Cupcake Inspiration Challenge!

Cupcake Inspiration Challenge #15...

I think one's art goes as far and as deep as one's love goes. -Andrew Wyeth

It's cupcake time!!! :) My favorite time...this week we have some Super Yummy Cupcakes, a Super group of Sweeties and some HSE Sweets!!!

Let me explain! First, the Hope Stamps Eternal Design Team has been named...we chose the HSE Sweeties...these ladies truly are all the Sweetest group of ladies and, of course, every Sunday we bring you the sweetest Cupcakes! This week marks our first Official challenge as a team so I wanted to celebrate by giving away some Sweets to someone Sweet...I will be randomly choosing 1 participant from this week's Cupcake Inspiration Challenge (please link your creation before Sat 9 pm MT) below to win this bundle of Yummy Sweets:

Included in this bundle of Sweets is:
1 Whale of a Punch, Retro Flower
1 pack Birthday Sprinkles Glitter Brads
1 Daisy D's Victorian Border
1 Basic Grey Gamma Stamp, Swirls
1 Zva Creative Double Flourish

So without further ado, here is this week's Inspiration! (courtesy of Life's Ambrosia)

I was inspired by the colors and the plaid...but I made sure there was at least 1 cherry on my card (it is on the Glazed Brad in the center of the large top flower!) I used this week's Weekend Sketch Challenge for the layout on my card. I colored her hair brown, even though I find blonde hair easier, for the Copic Creations Brunette Hair Challenge.

All of the patterned paper is the new Lemonade by Basic Grey as are the Glazed Brads I used in the centers of each of the Felt Flowers, the swirls on the 2 tags on the bottom were all cut from one larger swirl by Zva Creative...I love how easy they are to cut up and use for smaller cards. I used my oval Nestie to mask off the oval around the image and sponged the ink a little darker there before softly sponging the rest of the panel, I like the way it spotlights the image.

I love this sentiment by Verve, it suits so many situations...

Suppiles:
Stamps: Catch a Butterfly (Sugar Nellie,) (Verve)
Paper: Lemonade (Basic Grey,) White (PTI,) So Saffron (SU)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento,) Copic Markers, Purely Pomegranate, So Saffron (SU)
Misc: Lemonade Glazed Brads, Zva Felt Flowers Cool and Cozy, Gingham Ribbon, Zva Flourish

Here is a little peek at a few of the Sweetie Creations this week, I just love how different each one is, you just never know where Inspiration will hit you!

Make sure to check out what all The Sweeties came up with for the challenge:

Carolina's Creative Pad
Stop and Stamp the roses
Glitter Ink
The Lucky Clucker
Stamp Happy
dougnat diaries
Shamrocks and Seashells
Yard Sale Kind of Luck

We would love to have you play along, use keyword CIC15 if you upload to a public gallery and come back here to add your link to Mr Linky (if Mr Linky seems to have gone missing please link your post in the comments section)

Cupcake Collage #14...

Were you inspired by the delicious Penguin Cupcakes by Blue Cupcakes?

These ladies were! Click on each thumbnail to be inspired yourself!

A quick Note: Next week we will be spotlighting the Top 5 Participants
from all creations linked to the new challenge...Stayed tuned for
Challenge #15...there may even be a little candy involved ;)

Hot Stuff...

Aspire rather to be a hero than merely appear one. -Baltasar Gracian

Today is a Three-fer...I squeezed 3 challenges into this card...Wait, FOUR, I forgot this is also for the Papertake Weekly Challenge (Use your Favorite Things)...The Greeting Farm stamps are Definitely one of my Favorites right now!!!)

I love this little Rescue Ian and I haven't used him yet, when I saw this week's Inspiration Challenge and the Cuttlebug Spot Make Us Laugh Challenge I decided to bust him out. The Inspiration Challenge was to use something from Chasing Fireflies...They have the CUTEST Fire Cheif Rain Boots so I chose those and I have been thinking of this sentiment to go with the Ian image since I first saw it. The layout is from this week's Friday Sketchers Challenge...with the Papertake Challenge that makes a Four-fer :)

And the humorous (to me at least) sentiment...

Supplies:
Stamps: Rescue Ian (The Greeting Farm,) Computer Generated Sentiment
Paper: Lime Rickey (Basic Grey,) White, Pure Poppy, Summer Sunrise (Papertrey)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento,) Copics
Misc: Pop Up Glue Dots, Polka Dot Ribbon, Rhinestone Brads, Swiss Dots CB Folder, Stardust Stickles

Thanks for stopping by!

$1,000?!?!?!

I have just discovered that The Cuttlebug Spot is having a contest - "The Journey to 1,000"! They are trying to reach 1,000 followers by the end of July and need your help. To enter all you have to do is go to their site, sign up as follower and complete a few easy steps and you could win a $1,000 gift certificate to Custom Crops (www.CustomCrops.com)! GO NOW and check it out at www.TheCuttlebugSpot.com

Blogger's Challenge...sort of

Mistakes are the portals of discovery. -James Joyce

OK, there is a story here...this week's Blogger's Challenge was to CASE a fellow BCer...well, my mojo has taken a longer vacation than I did and I have been super busy this week so last night at about 11:00 I realized I better get busy on this challenge. I pulled up a few BC blogs and scrolled thru looking at all these Gorgeous cards and just didn't have the energy to replicate any of them...I really needed a CAS card. I found this CAS, 1 layer Cupcake card on Ida's blog Faith Artistry and just loved it! I went to work. Her's has a black outline and I messed up the sentiment b/c I drew the frame first and then realized it was supposed to have the sentiment along the bottom of the frame. Well this morning I actually Read her post...apparently the cupcake card was a CASE of the apple card next to it! So, My CASE is a CASE of a CASE! LOL! Oh well, I really was inspired by her cupcakes not the apples! Check out Ida's other work, she is an amazing stamper!

So...my CASE of a CASE...

Supplies:
Stamps: $1 Mike's Cupcakes, Hey Cupcakes (A Muse)
Paper: Kraft (Memory Box)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento,) Copics
Misc: Clear Crystals (colored with Copics to match,) White Gel Pen

Thanks for stopping by!

Surfin' Safari...

Okay. I get it. This is where you tell me that "locals rule", and that Yuppie insects like me shouldn't be surfing the break, right? -Johnny Utah (Point Break)

YIKES! I am late for my own date! I was out of town for a wonderfully long weekend of Family and Fun...hope everyone had a Wonderful and Safe Holiday!! I didn't get a chance before I left to make a Cupcake Inspiration card, so I Finally got to it tonight...if the camera batteries (which I left in the camera, which apparently drains them) ever charge I'll even be able to post a picture! :)

I love the cute little penguins on the cupcakes and thought about using one of the Imaginisce Penguins, but after looking at all the details I decided I really liked the little boy penguin and that he looked like he was about to hop on his board, so I decided to play with Surfer Ian instead.

Ian is colored with Copics...decorated with Stardust Stickles and his board with Diamond Glaze, I used this week's SCS Challenge (flipped sideways to fit) for the layout. The polka dots on the paper (older My Mind's Eye) are highlighted with a little Sakura Stardust Pen. The "Woo Hoo!" sentiment is from the Susie Surprise set. I added a few small swirls around edge for "waves" from the new Limited Edition Gamma Stamps by Basic Grey. This also fits the SCS CAS Challenge (Birthday,) at least I Think it works as a CAS card...less Stuff than I Normally add! ;)

The inside sentiment and flower are from an older Greeting Farm set called Cupcakes...

Supplies:
Stamps: Swirls Gamma Stamp (Basic Grey,) Surfer Ian, Susie Surprise, Cupcakes (The Greeting Farm)
Paper: My Mind's Eye, Papertrey White and Aquamist
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento,) Copics
Misc: Glitter Brads, Stardust Stickles, Diamond Glaze, Stardust Pen

Thanks for stopping by!

Cupcake Inspiration Challenge #14...

As you are reading this I am in the Utah mountains camping and I left everything to the last minute, so I don't have a sample to show you for this week's Cupcake Inspiration Challenge...I'll be back with one Monday or Tuesday.

Today's Cupcakes are ADORABLE!!! They remind me a lot of a retired Imaginisce stamp, but if you don't have one of those I just love the colors and the fun tropical feel!

Penguin Cupcakes by Blue Cupcakes...

I would love to have you play along!!! If you upload to a public Galery use Keyword CIC14 and make sure to link your creation here!!!

Here is a little peek at what Kelli created, check out the full card by clicking the thumbnail below!

Cupcake Collage #13...

WOW...Talk about Butterfly and Cupcake Goodness!!!

Click on the thumbnails to be taken to the full post of each of the Gorgeous creations!!!






Thanks to all those that participated!!! Gorgeously Delicious creations Ladies!!!

Friday Blogger Challenge...

Good communication is as stimulating as black coffee, and just as hard to sleep after. -Anne Morrow Lindbergh

FRIDAY!!!! WOO HOO...for me that means I am off work and in Utah camping! :) It also means Blogger's Challenge...I combined 3 challenges on this card, well...technically 2 challenges are the same, but it works for 3. Blogger's Challenge and Three Clovers Challenges are both Red White and Blue, plus I used the SCS Sketch Challenge for the layout...

As with yesterday's card, I struggled with the R/W/B colors...and I don't think I did the sketch justice either, but I got a card made and someone will get a thank you, so I guess my goal was Mostly met. :)

I used my little Elzybells Clear set Cool Beans for this one and paired it with Marrekech paper. I colored the cup with Copics and then popped it up a little, the lid is pieced on with White paper rather than vanilla.


Thanks for stopping by, I won't be around tomorrow, but stop by Sunday for some super cute cupcake goodness!!