It's a Banner Day!

 

 Well...actually it's a very gloomy, cold and rainy day, but I chose to bring some bright and happy colors to my blog! Out of all my projects for the ODBD release that happened on Saturday, this was my favorite!  The Ornate Hearts dies have a variety of nesting options as you can see in this banner.  That black border at the top of each pennant is also one of their newly released dies called Beautiful Borders. Hopefully, you got to see all the terrific eye candy from

all the Breadsticks (aka ODBD design team) on Saturday.  If you missed it, click on the logo in my right side bar and you will be linked to all of the designers' blogs.  Let me make it even easier and you can click HERE to get to the DT links!  Hopefully, you can see the details OK on my pennant close up photos.  I attached them to a ribbon using score tape and also added pearls to the center of the buttons.  This is a really fun and easy way to make seasonal decor for your home or office! 

Mojo Monday

Are you ready for a new month of mojo sketches? Julee has a really great layout for Mojo Monday Challenge #331!  I had no intention of flipping the sketch when I first started, but after adhering the striped panel of paper, I realized the diagonal red strip wouldn't work that way and needed to be contrasted in the opposite direction.  I'm still having problems letting this SU Fresh Prints pack alone - lol - so, here it is again.   I needed a "bunch" of flowers to go with my sentiment, so layered up some posies from the Bloom and Grow set by Verve. 

You'll want to check out the other mojomakers' awesome creations!  Check out their blogs below...

Debbie Carriere

 Julee Tilman (Owner)

 Marisa Ritzen 

Mary Fish

Sarah Bigelow

 Teresa Kline

STAMPS: Bloom and Grow (Verve), Joyful Blooms (Verve) - sentiment.

PAPER: Fresh Prints DP by SU, Real Red, Coastal Cabana, White.

INK: Real Red, Baked Brown Sugar, Versafine Onyx Black.

ACCESSORIES: Elegant leaves die (Verve), Floral Circles dies (Verve), Flag It die set (Verve), Fishtail Flags Die-Namics by MFT, Corner chomper, Black pearls, Clear embossing powder.

ODBD February Release Time!

It's release day at Our Daily Bread Designs and I'm excited to share some cards using some of their new stamps and dies! I can never get too many hearts and you will LOVE these stamps and nesting heart dies that can be mixed and matched in so many ways!  I fell in love with this filigree heart from the Bless Your Heart set as soon as I saw it...

Check out the fabulous new Beautiful Borders dies! One of the borders is behind the heart on the card above and here is another Valentine that features a second border (there are three in all)...

I created a mini freestyle collage tag using 3 of the mini heart dies from the wonderful nesting collection - Ornate Hearts Dies.  LOVE the embossed dots on the smallest heart...(sigh)...it's the little things that make me happy - lol!  I stamped the sentiment from the Love You Bunches set in Versafine Onyx black then clear embossed it to give it more definition. 

No...I'm not done yet with samples!  Here is another card using 3 different die cut heart layers over a background panel of cardstock that I covered with washi tape.  Aqua and red make such a great color combo IMO!

Another fave stamp set in this release is the mini set - Be Mine - that has nothing but sentiments!  Wee bitty sentiments!  Perfect to stamp on a tiny tag or in a tiny space on your creation! So fun and so versatile.

For even more inspiration, you'll want to check out what the other designers have posted on their blogs.  

Stacy * Dawn * Grace * Chris * Cathy * Sandee * Julie * Sabrina * Lori * Wanda * Lisa * Silke * Audrey * Angie

Three winners will be randomly chosen from the comments left on the designers' blogs to receive a $25 gift certificate to the ODBD store, to be used toward the purchase of ODBD stamps.  You have until February 2, 2013 at 9:00 p.m. EST to make your comments!  The winners will be posted on the ODBD Blog on February 3rd, so be sure to check back there to see if you won! 

For helpful tips on the new February release...check out Lisa's video which is helpful in explaining which dies coordinate with which stamp sets!

Retrosketches News

I'm so excited to announce that I'm going to be a guest designer for Arielle's Retrosketches Challenge during February!  I'm a big fan of this weekly Saturday sketch and what's even more fun is that there is a sponsor for this #100 milestone challenge - REVERSE CONFETTI!  If you follow my blog, you know this is one of my fave stamp companies! 

I couldn't stop with just one RC stamp set for my card.  I started with the Go Together set which is so versatile to create many different sentiment combos.  Isn't that little heart border just the sweetest?!  I found myself picking up the Arrows and Elements set (I use this one over and over!) for the arrow and tiny polka dotted heart images (glammed up with some Glossy Accents!).  I stamped "Together" in Riding Hood Red then filled in the letters using a silver Wink of Stella shimmer brush pen. 

Here's what I used...
PAPERS: Devoted 6x6 pad by Carta Bella, Textured white CS, Riding Hood Red, Neenah white.
INK: Riding Hood Red, Marina Mist, Basic Gray.
ACCESSORIES: Buttons by SU, Fishtail Flags Die-Namics by MFT, Avery Elle sequins, Cherry Cobbler quilted satin ribbon by SU, Jute twine, Glossy Accents, Wink of Stella silver shimmer brush pen, Tag & arrow dies by Reverse Confetti, Stitched square dies by Lil Inker Designs.

Here's hoping you will join in the celebration at retrosketches!  You just might be the winner of Jen's generous gift card to shop at Reverse Confetti!  

Deconstructed Sketch

This card started with a scrap of Midnight Muse cardstock that had some light modeling paste added

via a tweed pattern stencil when I was experimenting several evenings ago. I saw Jen's new Deconstructed Sketch Challenge and bingo...the light bulb moment hit and I knew this textured paper would be perfect in this sketch! I wanted it to be masculine and guess it could even be given as a non-traditional Valentine.  I thought the chevron heart echoed the stencil pattern and layered it over some looped jute twine.  I had to laugh because it really looks like the heart has wings and could take flight any minute! :-)  Also liked that the flower (aka sun) image has heart-shaped petals.  It's the little details that I like to think about when I'm creating!  

STAMPS: Let It Shine (Verve) - sentiment and sun; Chevron Love (Verve) - heart.
PAPER: Beach Boardwalk by Carta Bella, Midnight Muse by SU, Textured yellow and textured white CS - ? source.
INK: Midnight Muse.
ACCESSORIES: Stitched Rectangle die by Lil Inker Designs, Wavy heart die (Verve), Flag It die set (Verve), Brad (Navy Lush by MME), Avery Elle Lemonade Blend sequins, Liquitex light modeling paste, Tweed pattern stencil (Hero Arts).

Cardabilities Sketch

I wanted to play along with the Cardabilities Sketch Challenge...another really great layout by Karan Gerber! This card didn't end up like I envisioned at all.  I partially inked the French Script BG stamp (retired from SU) with white pigment ink and it simply didn't show up well over the rose tone on tone DP (from Martha Stewart's Holidays mat pad).  :-(  I then used a couple of splatter stamps from SU's Gorgeous Grunge set using Coastal Cabana and Smoky Slate ink.  I initiated some new washi tape that I found at Michael's recently and scattered some sequins (Avery Elle Lemonade Blend) as accents.  The border is a new die from ODBD - 1 of 3 in the Ornate Borders set - that will be released on Feb. 1.  I love that you can weave twine or narrow ribbon along the edge.  In this case, I threaded some light gray/white twine in a large eye needle and "sewed" it onto the lace border - adhering with narrow strips of score tape on the back.  I added Glossy Effects to the little heart in the sentiment after coloring it in first with a clear Wink of Stella shimmer brush pen.  The sentiment is also from ODBD new release tomorrow - a stamp set called Love You Bunches.  So, there you have it...a card with a very CAS look, but one that did take some time for all the little steps.

Thanks for stopping by...I always appreciate your comments!

ODBD Sneak Peek

I'm playing along with SCS Sketch Challenge today and giving you a peek at the new paper pack - Heart and Soul Collection - that will be part of ODBD  Feb. 1 release. The tiny sentiment (from the Be Mine set) and the border die (Beautiful Borders) are also new products coming on the 1st.  If you head over to ODBD and pre-order a bundle, you can get the paper pack FREE! 

I added some modeling paste texture using a tweed pattern stencil by Hero Arts.  This was a quick and easy card...letting the paper do the 'talking'. :-)  Heading out to work soon...still really cold and snowy outside here in VA.