Picnic Pals!!!

 Welcome friends to the fun February 2025 release Picnic Pals  for Kindred Stamps!  While creating this first card, my inner child came out to play, as I weaved together a picnic basket using craft colored card stock.  I kind of remember in grade school, doing something similar with gum wrappers, or decorations around Thanksgiving and Christmas time.  Once I cut my thin little strips, it went pretty fast, so my memory of it definitely was pulled from something in my past!  It even ended up reminding me of a basket that we had growing up in our house.  We may have used it for a sewing basket of some sort.  I can think of so many reasons to send a card like this!  I also used the Tree Scene Craft Die for this card, I think this could be one of my most used dies I own.  It's great for so many wilderness type scenes!

 

My second card is perfect for that Beary Special person in your life!  Whether it be for a Birthday, Valentines Day, or Just Because Day...it was a warm fuzzies kind of card to create, sure to give someone a big bear paper hug!

My 3rd card / project is a little log book ... I designed this with the idea, how perfect it would be to jot down important little notes that we (me) at some point in our lives need to document, health wise.  I have personally struggled with high blood pressure since I was 18  years old...way before I had packed on the baby weight, even when I was jogging 3 miles a day...I am just one big ball of stress I guess.  I never really have been dedicated to jotting down my daily BP, but when I started this card... I thought, this would be something simple to put a little notebook in, and maybe something that would/could motivate me to do so.  The "Don't Feed the Bear"... well...that's because of all that baby weight still there (even though my babies are in their twenties now...yikes) ... I sort of liked the donut sentiment as a reminder to make better eating choices.  I could use this little log book as a weight tracker too!  Once I decide, I'll use my Stitched Alpha Die Set, the one I used for "LOG", and my tag verse, either BP for blood pressure or LBS for weight.  We will see, I started my road map to better health today.  :)

Every new release, I think I've found my favorite...well, this one very well may be my favorite!  :)  I'm excited each month playing with a new Kindred Stamps set, it keeps me coming back for more and more and more!  Make sure you mark your calendar for this Friday, as the February New Release is launched at 8 AM, Pacific Time...this and MORE treasures will be in the mix...you will NOT want to miss out!

 

Boop Boop Be Do!

 Two cards to share today...one a Boop Boop Be Do... using Smooches a fun fandom stamp set from Kindred Stamps .  I chose this fun sets for episode Episode #255 of Craft Roulette.

 

The parameters for this week lead me to this design, I've been wanting to use this set for awhile, and the timing was perfect!  It would have made a great Valentine's Day card, it can be saved for next year.  :)

 

 

My other card, another Craft Roulette card:  Episode #254 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I used a stamp from the Unity Stamp Company, one of the cuteness overload pooches from the new "rescue line".  Unity has launched this line in honor of rescue animals, and with each sale a % is donated to a rescue shelter.  The company has donated to several shelters already, it's such a great cause.  I bought this stamp because it reminded me of our Cubby, our teacup Pomeranian, that we adored many many many years ago!   She was all of 4 pounds, and had such a sassy personality...she literally was our baby who we adored to the moon and back.  She's been on the other side of the rainbow bridge for about 20 years now, but I still remember her little pitter patter feet on our dining room floor...tap tap tappity tap...which are now in our hearts, next to other cherished and loved family pets!

When You Wish Upon a Star!

 My recent Craft Roulette entry couldn't have fallen into place any better than it did...  It was almost as if Mr. Wheel was in my craft studio room peeking into my supplies.  I literally had probably 50 options for ideas, it could have gone in so many other directions...but...I took the first parameter:  Card for a Teenager and knew that for my element:  Fairy(ies) there was only ONE Fairy that was perfect...  TINKERBELL!

  

I couldn't decide if I needed a "ground" or not...then I went a little wild on the bling bling...

I used 2 of my most favorite companies to for the stamps:

I stamped my castle from the Midnight Couple  stamp set from  Kindred Stamps .  It's not the first time I've ever used this castle...and most likely won't be the last.  It's magical and so fun to color, even fussy cutting to the line felt effortless, I could have and probably will do a few more of these!  

Tinkerbell came from my other Craft Roulette "go to" company... Scrappy Boy.  I have been waiting to ink up my Neverland stamps for awhile now, such fun sets...I have both!

The parameters were EASY EASY EASY...  I'm one to take things VERY LITERALLY.... The challenge is part of the fun, I know some of the color categories can cover every color under the sun...and one could probably find a way to use any color scheme for "morning colors"... I chose to go with the sky at sunrise, ink blended on my White Diamond Print Inkjet Glitter Paper from Cardstock Warehouse . I then applied a film of Holographic Sticker Paper over that for extra sparkly!  So magical!  I did stamp my "Believing" sentiment before applying the film on my first card, I would suggest using a Misti or other stamp positioner to stamp the sentiment.  I did not, and wished I had.  

Back to morning colors... my card was already in the making and halfway finished... I had already chosen my colors, my design... I was coloring my castle, enjoying my MORNING coffee, almost half a cup gone already ..  it DAWNED (morning dawn) on me ... my cup!!!!  It was all insticts!!!

This weeks parameters, episode 252, I'm now 66 cards in!

For Friday night FUNN I encourage you to join!!!!  It's a great way to use supplies, and get creative!

Craft Roulette

 Another use of the castle!  Episode 216, Craft Roulette!

 

 Til next time!  

Who's Afraid of the Big Ole Bad Wolf!

 I've been waiting for the perfect Craft Roulette parameter to land my way to quickly gather my Little Red Riding Hood stamp set from Scrappy Boy Stamps .  

The sentiment(s) would be great for someone who is starting a scary new venture!  

Parameters for Episode #251 / My 65th entry!  Craft Roulette Live

1.  Slimline Card

2.  Lumberjack Colors

3.  Hat(s) or Cap(s) Element

4.  Doily Random

Very brief post here.... been a very busy week ... I'll try harder next week!  :)  It starts all over tomorrow night!  (Craft Roulette) ..  Truly, if you get in a creative slump...you ought to give it a whirl!!!

What a Glorious Thing to be Kindred Spirits!

 Just imagine a world of gloriousness, where kindred spirits can dance in a colorful field of flowers and embrace the uniqueness of each and every one..... I imagined all of this when creating with this wonderfully absolutely outstandingly great great great new release  Kindred Spirits from Kindred Stamps

 

I'm sharing 4 cards today with this fun set.  I used a few random dies from my craft studio stash, but I chose to do a little "freehand" pieces as well, I'll elaborate on those per card!

 

My first card, I created my "hills" and layered, starting with the background hills, ink blended in  earth tone colors with a lighter shade of distress oxides (greens), next "layer" using a grass green (shades of) distress oxide with little "grass" patches stamped randomly on, following up with a meadowy hill of yummy floral patterned paper.  I used my Stitched Alpha Dies for the word "HOME"...  (House was a die from my stash, any house will do!)   I chose to freehand create the fence, no need to be even or perfect, it has that rustic vibe you would see on a countryside farm!

 

My second card,  I created my own trees, which I adhered a couple with dimension, (the front tree with major dimension), to appear the depth of a forest.  I took a brown piece of card stock, gave it some texture of a "tree" (can be achieved with an embossing folder, or inking distress on it)...  then cut various widths of the piece, lastly cut a little heart out of the middle of the largest. I adhered the trees to a distress oxide ink blended background.   I found a piece of actual wood card stock to "carve" the sentiment on and position under the heart cutout, I've had it in my supplies for probably 20 years....  This card would be PERFECT to use initials of a Valentine recipient for the wood sentiment.  I wanted to do something generic, but...you honestly could  alpha an initial of each you and your "Valentine".  

My 3rd card, I pictured two bffs, also kindred spirits for life...running in a meadow of flowers.  I die cut a center out of my patterned paper, where I adhered it over an ink blended piece that was stamped with my sentiment.  I added a wreath with little flowers all around to match, along with my 2 best friends for life characters, each popped up with dimensional tape!

My last card, was very quick and simple.  I loved the paper choice and had just enough remaining to make a simple card.  I adhered a fancy mat, my 2 characters and a sentiment... I can see sending a quick little note to someone who might need a little cheering up after feeling a slight setback, we all experience.  Those little notes can brighten a blue mood, we all need those little pick me ups every now and then!!!!  

 

I thoroughly enjoyed designing with this set.  I was honored to work with the "Kindred" aspect of this.  We are all linked one way or another, as we share this passion for paper, inks and really cool stamps!  This set and other fabulous options release this Friday, the 31st!  You will want to visit the site, there are some really fun new offerings, I know I'll be adding a few new dies to my craftroom!!

 And one final note....  If you choose to use my affiliate links found here, it is of zero extra costs to you, but sends a little my way!  Thanks for stopping by!

OH DEAR OH DEAR OH DEAR Winnie the Pooh!

 OH DEAR OH DEAR OH DEAR!!!!!

Craft Roulette, Episode #248, my 63rd entry.... and my first and second idea(s) just weren't working for me...  I usually work around my initial idea(s) until they make sense and work... but this time, seems like I threw a few things in the garbage, and saved a colored image for a later project.  Not sure I will use it, you never know.  I knew, however, I wanted to use Pooh...and I knew, once I found it in my stash that is stored on our pool table, that I needed/wanted to use my honeycomb paper...  

Let me first start by saying...  I LOVE playing with my Winnie the Pooh stamps.  So much, that even though I have several in my stamps stash... I'm kind of thinking I may want to add a few more.

I don't have my rejects to show you, but basically, I was trying to create this card by having the honeypot on the front (after my first fail)....  HUGE visual difference there.  Not even sure what I was thinking there...  I knew I needed a bigger image ... so, this is a multi-stamp set card.

  My original art included an adorable lil Pooh climbing a tree, (that set includes the special bumble bees and the honey hive/branch)...  I colored and cut it up way too impulsively, and it just wasn't fitting the color images that were strongly going around in my head... so I thought...the POT and HIVE will do instead, I hadn't planned to use those in the beginning...but after nixing Pooh in tree...I still needed a branch for parameter #4, so I colored up the hive and pot....

  I did have the pot in the spot of where current Pooh is after I decided not to use the tree Pooh....  It then looked naked and empty and tiny.  SO...I slept on it... and my next stab at it...was to first safely put my previously colored Pooh in Tree in a place for future use (I put it with the actual cleaned up set)...(It's such a cute image, I know I'll use it one day)... then gently remove the pot that I impulsively adhered to the card....and in that spot...put a big Pooh in it's place.  That's where stamp set #2 was used.

Then there were my leaves... I dug through so many dies I possess, to find something that might look like tree leaves...  What color green cardstock will work?  geesh...none, after multiple tries.   BUT...  Something I have never done, but saw one night from a guest on Craft Roulette, was to die cut in white, and color with alcohol markers...  ahhhh...the creative wheels started turning, and the rest is shown here on this post!!!  lol  IF, and probably when, I recreate this card...it is so dang simple, once I figured it out!

It's like sewing...some times, you simply need to sleep on it...

Parameters:

1.  Project:  Tag (my Pooh is on a tag)

2.  Colors:  Disney (Pooh is Disney! So Pooh colors = Disney colors)

3.  Element:  January (January 18th is National Winnie the Pooh Day)

4.  Random:  Branch (Honey hive is on a branch)

Supplies:  One of my favorite and "go to" stamp companies, Unity Stamp Company  and shout out to Cardstock Warehouse where I am loving the good deals Almost Perfect Cardstock Paper and what I used for my base (Stardream Bronze)

Stamps:

Winnie the Pooh: Oh, Dear

Winnie the Pooh: Honey Pooh

Card Stock:  

Stardream Pearlescent Metallic

So, busy is starting again for me, but I hope to sneak in a craft roulette tonight...I never know what company / stamp set I will choose from...it's all up to Mr. Wheel, and which parameter will be spun!

Let the Good Times Roll!

Monday starts the Carnival Season for Mardi Gras 2025.  I don't want to write like I'm an expert, because I certainly am not...just a gal from the Pacific NW, who, she and her husband, a few years ago, went to visit her Brother In Law in Mississippi.  We decided to head to Gulfport during Mardi Gras week...but quickly found out... (after attending an authentic Mardi Gras party at the home of a former "King and Queen") that this isn't limited to a week...  The Carnival Season starts on the Twelfth Night, (January 5th or the 6th, depending on which day you start counting from Christmas)... and will go on all the way up to Fat Tuesday.  Forgive me if I am not correct on my facts or editing my knowledge...I have so much to learn about this celebration that has been going on in the US since the first in Mobile, AL, 1703.  (Care to share facts or memories, I encourage you to post in the comments!!!)  My memory includes parades (one a little on the wild side, Biloxi, MS, the other very family friendly in Gulfport)  (One of us even got  hit in the forehead with some heavy beads at the first, not me)

Now... on to my card(s) ...  There is no secret how much I enjoy crafting with a handful of companies... You have seen many designs using the stamps from:  

Kindred Stamps / Scrappy Boy Stamps / Unity Stamp Company

All three of those companies are my "go to" favorites, although I have started to quickly add a few more to the mix ... you will most likely see designs from those newly found favorites in the future!

I was thrilled to use a set from Scrappy Boy Stamps:  Cute Girls Mardi Gras

I have quite the collection of the Cute Girls, they are easy to fussy cut to the line, and of all the images I've ever colored skin on, for some reason, I find these the easiest.  I'm still working on hair, not sure I'll ever find my groove with hair...although, I'm getting better.  Hair isn't easy for me, especially black, so I avoid.

This weeks Craft Roulette episode #247 parameters were:  

1. Card for a Craft Friend:  I have been corresponding with another Craft Roulette participant, every Friday night, we compare notes, and messenger each other.  I made this for her, as I have learned she is very familiar with Mardi Gras, as it's her heritage and she lives in the South!  
2. Pretty Paper Colors:   If you are familiar, you will 100% understand:  Graphic 45 ...  When I think of pretty paper, there is no company that I look first to other than Graphic 45.  That doesn't mean I don't have stacks and stacks of very pretty paper from other companies, but...my #1 is  Graphic 45 . I was disappointed when the value pack (I think it was 24ish, papers only) pads of 12x12 were discontinued, or at least I haven't found them anymore.  I still can buy the "kits", but, I loved having those extra sheets for dimension fussy cutting...so beautiful.
3. Bell(s) of Belle Element:  Look close....there are bells on the Jester/Joker Hat!
4. Something Gold Random:  I'm still on that sparkly paper kick...I have been buying it up as I go...  You can stamp on it easily, my feathers are stamped on, and I used as a border too...  Gold enamel dots reminded me of Mardi Gras beads...

2022 Mardi Gras Parades ... Night pictures, Biloxi, MS ...  Day pictures, Gulfport, MS

The night parade started out fairly tame, but ended up a little wild and crazy, as it was quite clear, the participants on the floats, many were having a very good time!

 

 

 

 

Mardi Gras Day

 

Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler!