Accolades

Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Bugaboo Love

Hello Everyone!

Today marks another challenge at PINspirational. Before I get to the inspiration pin I want to share my card with you, enjoy!

This adorable shaker card features two digital stamps from our
sponsor, Bugaboo Stamps.
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Challenge #183


Sponsor:
Bugaboo Stamps

Prize-4 digis
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I decided to leave the couple white because I thought it had enough
color around the card.
Any more and it would have been too distracting. 
I really enjoy the sentiment with its large lettering 
and it seems to not distract but adds to the design.

This card looks gigantic. However, the size is a normal 4x6
format. Just a bit larger than the A2 card.

Challenges Entered:
Come and Get It Challenges: 3 or more layers

My husband has it made every Valentines Day! Why? Because I am not a fan of receiving flowers. Chocolate, bring it on, but flowers I'll pass thank you very much. Sure, flowers are pretty the first few days you receive them but then after a couple of days, they start to brown and wilt. Leave them long enough and they start to smell... For me, flowers are meant for the earth to live a long and pretty life. 

Well, that should do it for me. I hope you enjoyed your stay but more importantly, I hope you join our challenge at PINspirational. Until then take care and happy stamping!

All the best,
Shawna

Saturday, January 28, 2017

Delightful Daisies

Hello All!

My time as the guest designer at Just Us Girls has come to an end. I had so much fun with these gals. I felt so welcome and grateful to be a part of such a creative team. The card for today is dedicated to you with my sincere thanks! 

The whimsical daisies are so much fun with the bright red vases. 
_________________________

Just Us Girls
Hostess: Nancy
Challenge #378
Photo Inspiration
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Above: The background DP gives the card a designer feel with its diagonal
nonsymmetrical stripes.
Left/Below: Simple flowers are in direct contrast with the detailed vases. Right/Bottom: The vases were die cut, stamped, and then shaded.


Well, that should do it for me!! I want to thank Just Us Girls once again for being such fantastic hosts. I do hope you join their challenge. For me, it was great fun and I am sure it will be for you too. Take care and until next time, take care and happy stamping!!

All the best,
Shawna

Friday, January 27, 2017

Oh, Hello

Hello All,

For today I am playing along with Sunday Stamps. I am in love with this sketch! So, here is my card for today, enjoy!


This design was inspired by a necklace that
my friend was wearing.

 A monochromatic CAS card that took only minutes to make
but has a wonderful design and feel.

The necklace I saw had an iridescent center with a black casing.
I thought this was the next best thing! Shimmery and pearly the perfect combination. 

Challenges Entered:









Thank you so much for stopping by my blog today. So, until next time take care and we will see you soon!

All the best,
Shawna

Pastel Flower

Hello All,

For today I will be playing along with The Paper Players and The Color Throwdown. Here is my card for today, enjoy!

A very impactful card with very little effort, but no one needs to that!
Just spread Distress Ink on a kraft sheet. spray with water, stamp and transfer it on to the paper. Done!
Definitely Dahlia by SU is such a pretty stamp for this simple technique. 

Color combination is so pretty with this type of technique.
Very soft and calming card. 
Detail showing the how the water spreads the ink around.
You have a lot of control with this technique. It will work very well with beginner stampers.

Challenges Entered:


Well, that should do it for me! Thank you so much for stopping by my blog. Have a great day and see you sooner than later. Until then happy stamping!

All the best,
Shawna

Thursday, January 26, 2017

Birds in Love

Hello All,

For today I am, once again, playing along with Sunday Stamps. I am also playing along with A Day for Daisies. Here is my card for today, enjoy!
Red is the dominant color for this design. It does seem to even out
because of its even distribution throughout the card.
I added just a bit of texture using a
diamond embossing folder.

The love birds are from A Day for Daisies digital stamp featuring only one bird.
I simply copied the bird and flipped it and placed it behind the branch.
This illusion looks like the second bird is facing the other way.
 Challenges Entered:
Sunday Stamps: SSC144- Seeing Stars
A Day for Daisies: Challenge #158




I cannot believe Valentines Day is right around the corner! It seems like yesterday I was creating Halloween cards!! Good grief... I met an old man a few years back who once said something very wise; "Life is like a roll of toilet paper, the closer you get to the end the faster it goes." I am starting to believe that those are some pretty wise words from a pretty wise man. 

Well, that is it for me today. I hope you enjoyed your visit and do hope you drop by again. So, until next time please take care and happy stamping.

All the best,
Shawna

Saturday, January 21, 2017

Pretty Peonies

Hello All,

Welcome to my third guest appearance at Just Us Girls. This type challenge happens to be one of my favorite... Color challenges. Before I get to the color scheme I want to share my card for today, enjoy!
A soft and elegant sympathy card will be ready to go when needed.
Hopefully, not for a long time!


_______________________________

Just Us Girls
with Chris


Challenge #377
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The color combination of grays, pinks, and blues is so
amazingly beautiful together.
The use of vellum is meant to soften the hard lines and give it a bit of texture.
To add to its texture, I used a retired SU embossing folder.
I thought it would add a bit more to the design.


I know a lot of you have seen this set from Altenew. I thought it would be a sinch to do multi-step stamping but wow was I wrong. It took multiple tries, failure after failure, frustration until I finally figured it out. I ended up using my Stamp-a-ma-jig to place the stamp exactly where I needed it. It seemed to have done the trick.

Well, that should do it for me!! I want to thank Just Us Girls once again for being such fantastic hosts. I do hope you join their challenge. For me, it was great fun and I am sure it will be for you too. Take care and until next time, take care and happy stamping!!

All the best,
Shawna

Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Wonderful Washi Tape


Hello All, 

I hope everyone is having a wonderful day. For me, I can't complain. I do however have news of a new challenge at The Male Room. Before I get to the challenge here is my card for today, enjoy!

Washi tape is a miracle. Wait, before you switch from crazy lady let me explain.
Washi tape allows you make a seriously good card in minutes.
The best part, you can pull it off multiple times and the
paper won't rip and the tacky tape is still usable.


I enjoy the negative space of the airplane along a washi taped background.

I think I might be going crazy! Seriously! While working on this card I die cut the airplane which I left as negative space on the card. You would think I would know right where my positive image of the airplane went? No way... I looked absolutely everywhere to no avail. My work space is very small so there are only a few areas where it would be; again, to no avail... I think the only logical explanation is that it disappeared into thin air.

Well, that should do it for me! I do invite you to join our challenge at The Male Room in these coming weeks. I am looking forward to seeing what you create. Also, thank you so much for stopping by my little corner of the internet. I do appreciate every visit and if you aren't already a follower, I invite to join me in my adventures at TheGrandStampede. So until next time, take care and happy crafting.

All the best,
Shawna

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Devoted Dog

Hello Friends,

Great news! {Pin}spirational is back from a long hiatus and a new challenge is upon us... Before I get to the challenge I want to first share my card. Enjoy!!

I really enjoy this sentiment. Why? Because it is so true.
According to your dog, you do no wrong.
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First Challenge of 2017!
Sponsor for this challenge
Prize:
2 digital stamps
__________________________________

A monochromatic design keeps the card simple and elegant.

Below/Left: The main image was cropped into two pieces and then flipped (original digi below). It seems like a good fit with the heart sentiment. Bottom/Right: I colored the images without too much blending because I wanted the images to look sketchy and fun.
 

Source:
 All Dressed Up


Challenges Entered:
Sunday Stamps: SSC144- Seeing Stars
The Crafty Addicts: Challenge #32- Monochromatic/ATG



Well, that should do it for me. I hope you have a great day and thank you so much for stopping by my little byte of the internet. I do hope you will join us at PINspirational. It should be fun! Until then take care and happy crafting.

All the best,
Shawna

Monday, January 16, 2017

Forest Friends

Hello All,

For today I will be playing along with CASology. Their cue this week is 'forest'. Here is my card for today, enjoy.


A buck deer looking at attention and is very keen about his surroundings.
This is why I choose the guidance sentiment.

The sponging is a bit choppy but it was done to create texture in the sky
and morning fog on the ground. 

Generation stamping the background gives this wooded scene
a sense of depth.

Used this stamp for the initial scene then extended the
 grass the length of the card.
Challenges Entered:
CASology: Week 231- Forest



All the best,
Shawna

Sunday, January 15, 2017

Blistery Blues

Hello Friends,

For today I will be playing along with Allsorts Challenge, Fusion, CAS Colours & Sketches, and Seize the Birthday. Here is my card for today, enjoy!

A gentle snowy backdrop displays a bright red cardinal admiring the view.
However, you will notice there is not a single snowflake or any sign of actual snow.
A color palette of blues, grays, and whites hint at a snowy scene.
Red cardinals do seriously stick out like a sore thumb
on a winter's day.
First, I used masking tape to mask off part of the card and then started to watercolor.
I removed the strip of tape and masked off a smaller portion of the same strip.
I then stamped the branches and added a thin black line to define the space.

Challenges Entered:
Fusion: 3rd Anniversary Happy Birthday Fusion!!!





I remember growing up blizzards so bad that our little dirt road wouldn't get plowed for several days. After a few days of being snowed in you would start to notice the house getting incredibly small, your family getting easily annoyed, and we all start to look like hot dogs. Okay, the last part wasn't true. The point is I had to keep myself occupied. So, before the storm, I would run over to Ames Department Store and get some jigsaw puzzles. While the blizzard was raging outside, I was inside enjoying myself with my jigsaw puzzle trying to fit just one more piece in before dinner. After we were all plowed out, I would finally have the opportunity to head outside and was astounded by nature's quietness. You get a sense of peace and stillness that no other season can offer. As I look back it was delightful to witness such beauty.

Well, that should do it for me. I am off to bed and will probably dream of my ole' stomping grounds in Pennsylvania. Thank you for joining me today. We will see you soon. Take care and happy stamping everyone!!

All the best,
Shawna