Inspired by...

Cute, Day 4

2012-02-03T03:00:00.000-08:00

And finally, here is the last sample I made for Mementos this week using some of my favorite cutesy Penny Black stamps:

Wishing you all a GREAT weekend!

Cute, Day 3

2012-02-02T03:00:00.000-08:00

These little ballerinas by Penny Black were so fun to color with Copics:

Hugs!

Cute, Day 2

2012-02-01T03:00:00.000-08:00

Time for another card featuring a cutie-pa-tootie Penny Black stamp:

See ya tomorrow!

Cute, Day 1

2012-01-31T03:00:00.000-08:00

My LSS, Mementos, got in a great new shipment of CUTE Penny Black stamps and I've had a ball creating some samples for the store. Since I'm off at CHA, I thought I would share some of those samples here on the blog this week. :)

Have a great day!

PB&J Video Tutorial

2012-01-30T03:00:00.000-08:00

Today's PB&J video tutorial on the Penny Black blog focuses on an all occasion set of cards made using stickers.

Click HERE to check out the video.

Thanks for popping by!

Mimi's Many Loves

2012-01-26T22:39:00.000-08:00

Just sharing a quick set I created with the new clear set from Penny Black, Mimi's Many Loves...

The images were stamped with VersaFine Onyx Black ink and embossed with clear embossing powder. They were then colored with Copic markers. Finally, I pierced patterned paper using my Tim Holtz ruler and then sanded the holes after piercing.

Thanks for popping by! I'll be off tomorrow on my way to CHA- hope to see some of you there. :) But don't worry, I've got a CUTE week planned for you next week with new cards and a PB&J video. HUGS!

A peek....

2012-01-25T03:00:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! I'm so sorry that things have been a little sparse this week on the old blog-o. It's not for a lack of crafting, I just can't quite share everything I've been creating just yet... *wink, wink* BUT here is a peek at some projects I created for the Faber-Castell booth at CHA.

All stamps by Penny Black. Stickers by SRM.

See ya soon! I'm hoping to squeeze in some time to make at least one more card inspired by the fabulous Dina. :)

More inspiration with Dina!

2012-01-23T03:32:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! Sorry there is no PB&J video today, but be sure to pop over to the Penny Black blog to check out a fun annoucement. :)
A couple of weeks ago I featured the talented Dina on my blog and since I just can't get enough of her work, I've decided to share more of her cards as inspiration this week. Check out today's stunner by Dina:

One word... AMAZING!!!

Here's my take:

All stamps by Penny Black. Flowers colored with Copic markers. Backgrounds distressed with Peeled Paint, Old Paper, Gathered Twigs, and Wild Honey Distress Ink.

Thanks for popping by! See ya soon with more lovely inspiration by Dina. :)

More Penny Black...

2012-01-20T03:00:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite cards I've created for Mementos, my LSS, using all Penny Black Stamps:

Details available HERE.

Hope you all have an AWESOME weekend!!

Sharing some more...

2012-01-19T03:00:00.000-08:00

Here's another set of cards I created for Mementos a while back and haven't had a chance to share over here. I loved combining various 6x6 patterned papers with Penny Black stamps:

Details available HERE and HERE.

Thanks again for popping by! :)

Just sharing...

2012-01-18T03:00:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! I am a little snowed under working on CHA projects and deadlines, so I thought this week I would share some cards I've designed for my LSS, in case you missed them on the Mementos site. Here's a look at a pair I created using the Spellbinders Flower Pot and Penny Black Stamps. (I just loved using that flower pot die to create the banner for the card on the left!)

Details available HERE.

Thanks for popping by!! HUGS!

PB&J Video Tutorial

2012-01-16T03:00:00.000-08:00

This week on the Penny Black blog we are sharing cards using brushstroke stamps. You can check out the video tutorial for this set by clicking HERE. Thanks so much for visiting!

Dina Day 3

2012-01-13T03:00:00.000-08:00

Here is our last inspiration card from the amazing Dina. I really can't get enough of her work and look forward to seeing LOTS and LOTS of it in the future! :)

I mean really, does it get any more beautiful than this? I love her color choices, design, sentiment... yep, I love it all! Here's my take:

The butterfly and floral images were colored with Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pens and Stamper's Big Brush Markers. The backgrounds were distressed with Pumice Stone, Brushed Corduroy, Gathered Twigs, Wild Honey, and Walnut Stain Distress Inks. Black ink is VersaFine Onyx Black. All stamps by Penny Black.

Thanks so much for your visits this week. See ya soon, my friends. :)

Dina Day 2

2012-01-12T03:00:00.000-08:00

Thanks for waiting for this next card by Dina. It's definitely another stunner!

I was especially inspired by the design of her card, using the two circles- one large for the image and one small for the sentiment. The beautiful ribbon creates a gorgeous accent! Here's my take:

The green background for this card was created by layering Faber-Castell gelatos onto watercolor paper. To blend I would rub the paper with a baby wipe and also with my fingertip. And if you're wondering how I created the panel with the circle, be sure to tune in to next Monday's PB&J video where I'll be making 3 new card using this technique. :) All stamps by Penny Black.

See ya tomorrow with another great card by Dina.

Thanks for dropping by!

Hhmmm....

2012-01-11T03:00:00.000-08:00

Hi folks! I'm having some trouble getting blogger to upload photos... will have our next post with Dina's beautiful stamping as soon as I can. Thanks for your patience!

Inspired by...Dina

2012-01-10T03:00:00.000-08:00

This week's featured artist has a beautiful style. I could spend all day going through her blog- there is so much eye candy! Introducing... Dina Kowal. Here is her first inspiration card for today:

Is your jaw still on the ground? Mine is! This has to be one of the most beautiful cards I have ever seen! Here is my (very humble) take:

I began by stamping Penny Black Sundial with VersaMark Ink onto white cardstock. I embossed this with white embossing powder. I colored the flower using Stamper's Big Brush markers by Faber-Castell. The blue background was created by coloring with various shades of blue and green gelatos directly onto the paper. I blended the gelato using my fingertip. The orange/yellow background was created by rubbing a Wild Honey Distress Ink pad directly to my white cardstock. Sentiment by Penny Black.

Thanks sooo much for stopping by!

PB&J Video Tutorial

2012-01-09T03:00:00.000-08:00

Hi all! Hope you had a nice weekend. :) It's Monday so that means it's time for a new PB and J video tutorial. This week on the Penny Black blog we are featuring Simple Stamping.

And here's a look at the video. Watch in HD on YouTube by clicking HERE.

Supplies: Penny Black Stamps (4070 Dreams Come True, 30-090 Love Assortment, 40-092 All You Need...), Penny Black Mix and Match Cardstock (Blue Lagoon, Fern Green), Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels 23, Sizzix Oval Die, Tsukineko VersaFine Onyx Black Ink, Neenah Tiara White Cardstock, Faber-Castell Stamper's Big Brush Markers, Provocraft Embossing Folder, Tim Holtz Sanding Tool

See you tomorrow with a new featured artist.
I just know you're going to LUV her work!!

Latrice Day 4

2012-01-06T03:00:00.000-08:00

I just couldn't get enough of Latrice's cards this week so today I have 2 inspiration cards for you.
Here's our first inspiration card by Latrice:

And here's my take:

Stamp by Penny Black, Sentiment by SRM Stickers

And here's our second inspiration card by Latrice:

And here's my take:

Stamps by Penny Black. Sentiment by SRM Stickers.

Big, big, BIG thanks to Latrice for allowing me to share her awesome work this week!

And thanks to all of you for your visits and comments. I can't tell you how much I appreciate your support! Have a wonderful weekend. See ya on Monday with a new PB and J video. :)

Latrice Day 3

2012-01-05T03:00:00.000-08:00

I just love the design of this card by Latrice. The scallops along the side are such a fun design choice. And her incorporation of patterned paper into her design is superb!

Here's my take. I decided to create a jumbo sized tag:

All patterned papers by Lost and Found 6 x 6 pad (Breeze). Penny black Gossamer stamped with VersaFine Black Ink, embossed with clear embossing powder, and colored with Copic Markers. Sentiment by SRM Stickers.

Here's a peek at a couple of new cards I have on the Mementos blog today:

http://www.ilovemementos.blogspot.com/

Thanks again for visiting today- see you tomorrow with a double dose of inspiration from Latrice!

Latrice Day 2

2012-01-04T03:00:00.000-08:00

Here's another great card by Latrice:

And here's my take:

I began by stamping Penny Black ...All You Need onto Sticky Back Canvas using VersaMark Ink. I heat embossed using white embossing powder. Next I applied Distress Stains (Vintage Photo, Wild Honey, and Walnut Stain) to the canvas. I blended the colors using Picket Fence Distress Stain. Once dry, I gently wiped off the stamped image with a baby wipe and filled in some areas using a white gel pen. The canvas was then adhered to a piece of Penny Black mix and Match cardstock and wrapped with twine. The background is patterned paper which was pierced and then inked with Walnut Stain Distress Ink.

Thanks for visiting, my friends!

Inspired by...Latrice!

2012-01-03T03:00:00.000-08:00

This week's featured artist is a multi-talented chic whose work I just adore... it's Latrice! You will definitely want to check out her BLOG, it's loaded with inspiration. Here's her first inspiration card for today:

The colors on this card are so eye-catching! And I just love the texture of the canvas.

Here's my take:

To create the background I began by inking Neenah Tiara White cardstock with Broken China, Peeled Paint, and Evergreen Bough Distress Ink by rubbing the ink pad directly on the paper. Next, I inked Penny Black 40-047 Delicate Background with Picket Fence Distress Stain. I lightly spritzed the stamp with water and stamped the background. The flower, Penny Black Cheerful, was stamped with VersaFine Black Ink and embossed with clear embossing powder. It was then colored with Copic markers, cut out, and layered onto the card. Sentiment by SRM stickers.

Thanks for popping by- see ya tomorrow with another great card by Latrice!

PB&J and Sheila Day 4

2012-01-02T03:00:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!! I honestly cannot believe it is 2012; can you? One of my all-time favorite movies (which you will find playing in my craft room all the time) is Back to the Future. When they travel into the future it is the year 2015... I think we are getting a little too close to that year! Anywho, I'm excited to kick off my first post of 2012 with a new PB&J Video:

Click HERE to visit the Penny Black blog to watch the video.

I also have our last inspiration card by Sheila. I wasn't able to share it on Friday due to the weekend-long Flower Soft/Penny Black blog hop (thanks to all of your visits and comments, BTW!). It was a total honor to share some of Sheila's work last week. She is a talented artist, not to mention a wonderful gal that I'm pleased to say I've been able to meet in person! Here's her card for today:

I just adore this color scheme!

Here's my take:

All stamps by Penny Black. Patterned paper by Crate Paper.

I also wanted to mention that a previous featured artist, Joanne Sharpe, has a new online class that looks like lots of fun. You can check it out HERE. Thanks for visiting today, my friends!

See ya tomorrow with our first featured artist of 2012. :)

Penny Black and Flower Soft Blog Hop

2011-12-30T00:01:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Penny Black and Flower Soft Blog hop! You should be arriving here from the blog of the talented Flower Soft designer Gini Cagle. If this is your first stop and you would like to start hopping from the beginning, visit the Penny Black blog by clicking HERE.

Remember to leave a comment on each designer's post as you hop along for a chance to win brand new 2012 Penny Black Valentine's stamps! There is also a grand prize, which includes a guest designing spot on the Penny Black blog! (More info on prizes on the Penny Black Blog.)

On my first card I stamped Penny Black 4152K Peppermint Polly and colored her using Copic Markers. I then added Flower Soft to her scarf. Don't we all need a warm fuzzy scarf this time of year? :)

Supplies: Peppermint Polly (Penny Black), Flower Soft (UltraFine Ocean), Copic Markers, Spellbinders Nestabilities Deckled Edge Die, Embossing Folder (Sizzix), Distress Ink (Wild Honey, Faded Jeans, Broken China, Gathered Twigs), Sentiment (SRM Stickers), VersaFine Black Ink, Clear Embossing Powder, Cardstock (Neenah Tiara White, Copic X-Press It Blending Cardstock)

And since I was having so much fun, I just had to make one more card...

Ultrafine Sage Flower Soft works great for adding grass to this Victorian House image by Penny Black:

Supplies: 40-091 Victorian Homes (Penny Black), Flower Soft (Ultrafine Sage), Copic Markers, Distress Ink (Old Paper, Gathered Twigs, Forest Moss), Hemp Cord (Darice), Sentiment (SRM Stickers), VersaFine Black Ink, Clear Embossing Powder, Cardstock (Neenah Tiara White, Copic X-Press It Blending Cardstock)

Now, get ready to keep on hopping...

Your next stop is the blog of Linda Beeson- click HERE.

Oh, and I'll be back soon with our final inspiration card by Sheila... :)

Sheila Day 3

2011-12-29T03:00:00.000-08:00

Here's another beautiful inspiration card by Sheila. I just love her coloring and the design of her background, too!

And here's my take:

I began by stamping this adorable new Penny Black Mimi image using VersaFine Ink and embossing with clear embossing powder. She was then colored using Copic markers. The paper was die cut using a Spellbinders die which I trimmed on the left and right hand sides to give it a different look. The background papers were inked with Wild Honey, Faded Jeans, and Gathered Twigs Distress Ink. The banner was colored with Copic markers so it would perfectly match the colors in the image. Sentiment by Penny Black.

Thanks for visiting! Hope to see you tomorrow with a fun event and a chance to win some prizes....

Sheila Day 2

2011-12-28T03:00:00.000-08:00

Here is our next beautiful inspiration card by Sheila:

I love, love, LOVE Sheila's color scheme! And what a fun shape for her card, too.

Here's my take:

I began by stamping Penny Black 3388K Unfold using Memento Tuxedo Black Ink on Copic X-Press It Blending Cardstock (die cut using Spellbinders Labels 8). I then stamped this same image onto thin computer paper and cut out the flowers. I used these flowers as a mask, adhering them to the card using removable adhesive. Once the masks were adhered, I stamped Penny Balck 3633K Clusters using Memento Tuxedo Black Ink. I removed the masks and colored the floral images using Copic Markers. The background of the floral piece was inked with Old Paper and Gathered Twigs Distress Ink. The larger background (also die cut using Spellbinders Labels 8) was inked with Rusty Hinge, Gathered Twigs, and Wild Honey Distress Ink. Sentiment by SRM Stickers.

And here's a peek at a card I'm sharing on the Mementos blog today:

http://www.ilovemementos.blogspot.com/

Thanks for popping by!

See ya tomorrow with another FAB card by Sheila. :)

InLinkz.com

Inspired by...Sheila!

2011-12-27T03:00:00.000-08:00

I am super excited to announce that our featured artist this week is one of the sweetest stampers I know, Sheila! Be sure to check out her blog- not only are her cards fantastic, but she has a fun writing style, too. Here's Sheila's inspiration card for today:

I just love the white highlights Sheila adds to her coloring-they really bring her images to life! And the black and white polka dot background looks great with the red of her flower.

Here's my take:

Stamp by Penny Black, Sentiment by SRM Stickers

And if you hop on over to the Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft BLOG, I have a photo tutorial for this card using Art Grip Colored Pencils.

See you tomorrow with another beauty by Sheila!

Oh, and I nearly forgot, today is the last day to order January's Stamp Club DVD class. Here's a little peek at the cards:

The featured stamp, included with your DVD and class kit is Twinkling by Penny Black:

More info and to order, click HERE.

Thanks! :)

PB and J Video Tutorial, Simple Stamping

2011-12-26T03:00:00.000-08:00

The Penny Black blog is featuring simple stamping this week and here's my simply stamped PB&J project:

Click HERE to watch the video.

See ya tomorrow with a new featured artist- I'm sooooo excited to share her work. She's such a sweetie!

Kisses...

2011-12-23T03:00:00.000-08:00

Here's one more new Valentine stamp by Penny Black (illustrated by Mo Manning), 40-097 Kisses:

I'm going to keep this post short and sweet, so if you have any questions about this card, just leave me a comment and I'll be happy to get back with ya! :)

Wishing you all a VERY merry Christmas!

Thanks for all of the joy you bring to me through your visits, comments, and encouragement. I am especially thankful for you during this holiday season.

HUGS, HUGS, and MORE HUGS!

Rose Heart

2011-12-22T03:00:00.000-08:00

The rose heart was colored with markers, misted and stamped onto white cardstock. The background was inked with Old Paper and Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink and then stamped with Penny Black 1999L Letter Background. I distressed the edges using an edge distressing tool and then folded up the corners and adhered them with small pop dots. This piece was then layered onto Penny Black Mix and Match cardstock, pierced using the Tim Holtz Ruler, and sanded to make white dots.

Here are the two new Penny Black sets used to make this card:

40-095 Rose Heart

30-091 Mimi's Many Loves (sentiment)

See ya tomorrow--

Hope everyone's Christmas preparations are going great!

...In the Air

2011-12-21T03:00:00.000-08:00

This new Penny Black stamp, 40-093 ...In the Air, is so fun to work with. And one thing I really love about it is that most of the balloons are touching eachother so if you want to stamp and cut out the image for some added dimension, you don't have to cut out each one individually.

The ballons were stamped with VersaFine Ink, embossed with clear embossing powder, colored with Copic Markers, and then cut out. The background was inked with Broken China, Evergreen Bough, and Walnut Stain Distress Ink then flicked with water. Once dry, I stamped the balloon image onto the background again. The balloons which were already colored and cut out, were adhered over the background image using pop dots. The background was pierced using the Tim Holtz Ruler.

See ya tomorrow! HUGS!

InLinkz.com

Meet Tom and Lily

2011-12-20T03:00:00.000-08:00

This next new stamp by Penny Black (illustrated by Mo Manning) may very well be one of my favorite stamps from this release, 40-098 Tom and Lily:

I began by stamping the image onto the oval (Spellbinders Nestabilities) with VersaFine Black Ink, embossing with clear embossing powder, and coloring with Copic Markers. The purple background was distressed with Dusty Concord and Walnut Stain Distress Ink. Then I pierced the holes from the back using the Tim Holtz ruler. Once pierced, I turned to the front and lightly sanded the holes. The notecard was distressed with Wild Honey, Spiced Marmalade and Walnut Stain Distress Ink. Sentiment by Penny Black (All You Need...).

See ya tomorrow with more new stamps and cards!

InLinkz.com

PB&J Video Tutorial

2011-12-19T03:00:00.000-08:00

This week's PB&J Video Tutorial features stamping with Distress Stains (and of course Distress Ink backgrounds, too).

Visit the Penny Black Blog HERE to watch the video.

See you tomorrow with more new Valentines cards!

InLinkz.com

New Penny Black Stamps!

2011-12-16T03:00:00.000-08:00

Have you seen the new Penny Black Valentines catalog? Today I have a card using one of the new stamps, 40-092 All You Need...

I began by stamping the heart branches using Antique Linen Distress Ink onto Neenah Tiara White Cardstock. Next, I colored over the stamped image using Faber-Castell Art Grip Colored Pencils. (HINT- keep your pencils very sharp- it makes it much easier.) The background and sentiment banner were inked with Brushed Corduroy, Old Paper, and just a touch of Wild Honey Distress Ink. The frame (Spellbinders Labels 8) was inked with Seedless Preserves and Fired Brick Distress Ink.

Hope you have a WONDERFUL weekend! I'll be back next week with more new Valentines cards... can't wait to share. And now I'm off to do some last minute holiday shopping and card mailing!

Miss You...

2011-12-15T03:00:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you, but I have to admit that the fast-approaching holidays have me really lonesome for my mom. She always makes Christmas special--with her baking, decorating, even the way she wraps our gifts. If only Arizona and South Dakota were a little bit closer...

I was definitely thinking of her when I created this card:

The house (Victorian Homes by Penny Black) was stamped with VersaFine Ink and then embossed using clear embossing powder. The tiny ridge created by the embossing REALLY helps to stay in the lines, especially when coloring in a detailed image such as this. Thanks Elizabeth for this tip- I always learn SO MUCH from you! Sentiment by Penny Black (Salutations).

Thanks for dropping by for a visit, my friends.
This week I've had some "random" posts without a featured artist-- I hope you don't mind! :)

Paper Pieced Set

2011-12-14T03:00:00.000-08:00

Thanks for all who have stopped by for Joy's bday hop. If you've just arrived here, you can see my "hop post" by clicking here (or scrolling down).

I decided to make a couple more cards using paper piecing and Penny Black stamps, just like I did for Joy's card.

And here's a look at the entire set together:

And before I go, I wanted to mention that the Faber-Castell blog has some fun projects on their blog this week featuring Helmar adhesives. I love the vibrant colors in THIS project by Jennifer Matott and HERE are a couple of my past projects that used the ZapDots by Helmar.

See you tomorrow! HUGS!

Happy Birthday Hop for Joy!

2011-12-12T13:00:00.000-08:00

NOTE: This is my second post for today. If you're looking for this week's PB&J card, you can see the card and video by scrolling down or clicking HERE.

Welcome to those of you who have arrived here from the talented Britta's blog. If you are just starting the hop, you can go back to the beginning by clicking HERE. I'm sooo excited to be participating in this blog hop wishing my dear friend, Joy Taylor, a BIG happy birthday! Joy is one of those gals that I feel so blessed to call friend. I wish her the happiest of days today and am sending her GIANT hugs. Here's a card just for you, Joy:

This card was paper pieced by stamping Penny Black Sundial onto papers from the 6x6 pad Indie Bloom by Basic Grey. I colored with Copic markers E35 and YR23 near the center of the flower to add a bit of subtle shading.

Now it's time for your next stop on the hop, the blog of Kathy Racoosin- I'm sure she's cooked up something to make Joy smile (and the rest of us, too)!

PB&J Video Tutorial

2011-12-12T03:00:00.000-08:00

This week on the Penny Black Blog, we're sharing ideas for holiday thank you's.

Watch the the video tutorial for this card by clicking HERE.

See you soon, my friends...

InLinkz.com

Kelley Day 4

2011-12-09T03:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday, my friends! I'm going to keep this post short and sweet as I'm suffering from a bad sinus headache and am ready to head to bed. :( If you have any questions on how my card was created, feel free to send me an email or I will try and come back and update this post with directions when I am feeling better.

BIG thanks to Kelley for allowing me to share your work this week. It's been an honor!
Here's Kelley's last inspiration card:

And here's my take:

All stamps by Penny Black.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

See ya on Monday with a new PB&J Video Tutorial. :)

Kelley Day 3

2011-12-08T03:00:00.000-08:00

It's day 3 of inspiration with Kelley and I'm sure you'll love this card of hers:

What a great masculine card!

Here's my take:

All stamps by Penny Black. The flowers were colored with Copic Markers and once cut out I inked the edges with Walnut Stain Distress Ink. The background was created by inking white cardstock with Iced Spruce Distress Ink. Next, I used The Crafters Workshop stencil and laid it across the background. I applied a light layer of Walnut Stain Distress Ink over the stencil, applying less pressure towards the center of the card. The outer border of the card was created by inking white cardstock with Spiced Marmalade, Rusty Hinge, and Walnut Stain Distress Ink. Sentiment by Penny Black.

InLinkz.com

Kelley Day 2

2011-12-07T03:00:00.000-08:00

Here's Kelley's awesome inspiration card for today:

Kelley's card is so cute and fun! And I love her colors, too. Lately I've been really drawn to the color orange so this card immediately caught my eye.

Here's my take:

All stamps Penny Black. The floral stamp was inked and stamped with Distress Stains in the colors of Wild Honey, Fired Brick, and Walnut Stain. Once dry, I added a little color around the stems using Faber-Castell Art Grip Colored Pencils. Sentiment stamped using Rusty Hinge Distress Ink.

Thanks again for visiting. And also BIG thanks to all of you who left me the sweetest comments on the Lily Pad Cards blog yesterday. You have me smiling from ear to ear!

Here's a peek at a set of cards I'm sharing on the Mementos blog today:

Check out more here: http://www.ilovemementos.blogspot.com/

Inspired by...Kelley

2011-12-06T04:00:00.000-08:00

This week's featured artist is none other than newest Penny Black designer Kelley Eubanks! Be sure to hop on over to Kelley's blog and feast your eyes on some of her awesome clean and simple designs. I think clean and simple stamping is one of the most difficult styles to master and I am always amazed at what Kelley comes up with. Here's today's inspiration card by Kelley:

And here's my take:

All images are from Penny Black 30-073 Touch of Whimsy clear set. They were stamped with VersaFine ink and embossed with clear embossing powder. Then they were colored with Copic markers. Sentiments by Penny Black as well. The background was distressed with Frayed Burlap and Walnut Stain Distress Ink- a perfect combo if you are looking to create the look of kraft paper with Distress Inks.

I also wanted to mention that I am the guest designer over on the Lily Pad Cards blog today. I'm sooooo honored!! Here's a tiny peek at what I'm sharing as their guest:

I hope you can hop over to check it out- click HERE. :)

See ya tomorrow with another FAB card by Kelley!!

InLinkz.com

PB and J Video Tutorial, 2 Techniques

2011-12-05T02:00:00.000-08:00

It's Monday so that means it's time for a new PB&J Video Tutorial video. Just click HERE to head on over to the Penny Black blog to view the video. I'm sharing two techniques for working with brushstroke stamps.

See ya tomorrow with new featured artist. Here's a hint... you will love her Simple Stamping....

Cute to Elegant

2011-12-02T03:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday, my friends! Here's the inspiration tag from yesterday's post:

And here's my take, going from cute to elegant:

I began by stamping a small, narrow, white tag (cut from Neenah Tiara White Cardstock) with Penny Black 3979H Simplicity using Memento Tuxedo Black Ink. The image was then colored with Copics. I added coordinating patterned paper (all edges were inked with Walnut Stain Distress Ink) and a sentiment (Penny Black 30-064 Good Catch).

And while I was at it, I created a couple more tags following this basic sketch. I have to admit these were so fun and simple. Just stamped my images onto a tag, used the paper from my 6x6 paper pads as inspiration in choosing Copic colors and then added the coordating paper to the tags.

Penny Black 3946K Fanfare

Penny Black 30-023 Thinking of You

Penny Black 3638K Sun Caressed

Penny Black 30-014 Salutations

Thanks for your visits this week! See you next week with a new PB&J Video and a new featured artist. Hope you have a GREAT weekend!

Oh, and you just might want to head on over to the Mementos blog today to be entered for a GIVEAWAY of the newest seasonal Distress Inks....

www.ilovemementos.blogspot.com

InLinkz.com

Cute to Elegant

2011-12-01T03:00:00.000-08:00

See ya tomorrow with the card I created using this one as inspiration:

Details on how this was created available HERE.

HUGS!

Cute to Elegant Revisited

2011-11-30T03:00:00.000-08:00

From "cute:"

(created for Mementos, more info HERE)

To elegant:

Using the same basic sketch, I substituted Penny Black Sundial for the elf image used on the first card. The flower was a leftover from this week's PB&J Video. Background papers by Basic Grey. Large butterfly by Spellbinders, small butterflies by Martha Stewart.

Thanks so much for visiting. See ya tomorrow with another "cute" inspiration! :)

InLinkz.com

Revisiting Cute to Elegant

2011-11-29T03:00:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! I decided that this week I would revisit my "cute to elegant" inspiration. (To see more cards like this, click HERE.) Today I'll be sharing a card I created for the Mementos blog but haven't had a chance to share over here. Be sure to join me tomorrow to see a *new* elegant card using this one as inspiration:

Details on how this was created available HERE.

See ya tomorrow! HUGS!

PB and J Video Tutorial

2011-11-28T03:00:00.000-08:00

This week on the Penny Black blog, the designers will be sharing projects that are "anything but a card." Today I've embellished a frame which is backed with chicken wire, perfect for displaying handmade cards, photos, or even inspirational ideas cut from magazines or idea books. I've used some mini clothespins to attach my photo and handmade card to this frame. Be sure to visit the Penny Black blog for the video showing the creation of this project from start to finish. Click HERE to check it out!

And before I go, I just wanted to mention that Mementos is celebrating Cyber Monday all week! Free shipping on all orders, both Canada and US! And enter "be thankful" to receive 10% off your order, too. :) Click HERE to shop.

InLinkz.com

Joan B. Day 4

2011-11-25T03:00:00.000-08:00

I have to admit that I am REALLY bummed to see this week with Joan coming to an end. She is one magnificent stamper and a total sweetie, too. I just might have to invite her back! Be sure to add her blog to your favs so you can keep checking out more of her art. And speaking of her art, here's today's inspiration card:

Did your jaw hit the floor? Mine sure did!

Now here is my take. While it doesn't look just like the inspiration card, I can tell you that I was really inspired by Joan's design. I love the stamping on the top portion of her main panel with the white sentiment strip below. The twine is the perfect embellishment. And the lovely light blue background provides the perfect "frame" for the center panel.

And here's the set, another Christmas gift ready to go. :)

All stamps Penny Black.

Thanks so much for visiting this week and for all of your sweet, sweet comments.

Hope you have a great weekend and I'll see you on Monday with a new PB&J Video.

Joan B. Day 3

2011-11-24T03:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving, my friends! Hope you all have a wonderful day! I'm looking forward to spending time with my family and enjoying my hubby's delicious turkey dinner. (Yep, Mr. Foster does all the cooking around here. I'm one lucky chica!)

But even though it is Thanksgiving, I still have some stamping to share with y'all! Here's Joan's inspiration card for today:

Now, can this girl color, or can this girl color? WOWee!
Here's my oh-so-humble take. I was especially inspired by Joan's stamping on the left hand side of her cardstock and the rectangular sentiment.

And the entire set, ready to be given as a gift this Christmas:

All stamps by Penny Black. I began by stamping the flowers with VersaFine black ink and embossing using clear embossing powder. Next the flowers were colored using Copic markers. The sentiment piece and the paper with the flowers were distressed using Old Paper and Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink with just a touch of Walnut Stain ink around the edges. Finally, the background papers, patterned paper by Basic Grey, were inked using Walnut Stain Distress Ink.

Here's a look at what's happening on the Mementos blog today:

http://www.ilovemementos.blogspot.com/

See ya tomorrow!

Joan Day 2

2011-11-23T03:00:00.000-08:00

It's day 2 of inspiration with Joan B. Her card today is extremely soft and lovely:

The pretty pastels and layered stamping are so elegant!

Here is my take:

Like I said yesterday, I am working on creating gift sets I can give for Christmas so this one belongs in this group of three:

All stamps by Penny Black. The flowers were stamped using Distress Stains (Peeled Paint, Wild Honey, and Fired Brick) onto Tiara White Cardstock. The top and left hand corners were then pierced using the Tim Holtz ruler, piercing from the back. Next I added Antique Linen and Old Paper Distress Ink to the background and stamped the sentiment. The woodgrain background is patterned paper from Crate Paper (Emma's Shoppe Collection).

Don't forget to stop by the Mementos blog today. I'm sharing 2 cards using the new Penny Black elf stamps (soooo cute!). Oh, and I'm also excited to announce that Mementos is now offering paper packs with our favorite patterned papers (for only $3.50!). More info in today's post. Here's a peek at the cards:

http://www.ilovemementos.blogspot.com/

See you tomorrow with another beauty from Joan!

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Inspired by...Joan Bardee!

2011-11-22T03:00:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! This week I am very thrilled to announce that our featured stamper is the UBER talented Joan Bardee. Joan's art has caught my eye for some time now and I feel truly honored to share some of it here. You will DEFINITELY want to head over to Joan's BLOG and check it out. If you're like me, you will spend LOADS of time oogling all of her precious cards. Here's today's inspiration by Joan:

And I'm sure you'll all agree with me that Joan's coloring is simply divine. Plus that strip of vellum for the sentiment is genius!

Here's my take:

All this week, using Joan's work as inspiration, I am also working on creating some sets of cards which can be given as gifts for Christmas. So here's this card with it's entire set:

I began by stamping the flowers (Penny Black) repeatedly to cover each background and then and coloring with Copic markers. The background was inked with Broken China and Evergreen Bough Distress Ink. Next I inked Penny Black Paisley Background with Evergreen Bough Distress Ink. Before stamping I removed some ink with a baby wipe. The sentiment banners were inked with Antique Linen Distress Ink. All sentiments by Penny Black.

Thanks so much for stopping by, my stamping friends. :)

See ya tomorrow with another BEAUTY from Joan!

PB&J Simple Stamping

2011-11-20T20:00:00.000-08:00

Welcome to everyone visiting from the Penny Black blog to watch this week's PB and J video. And if you haven't been over to the Penny Black blog on Monday be sure to stop by. We are announcing a new designer on the team and her work is sooo inspiring! Also, this week on the Penny Black blog marks the beginning of a new regular feature, Simple Stamping. So speaking of simple stamping, here's today's cards:

To watch in HD, click HERE.

Thanks for visiting! See you tomorrow with a new featured artist!

InLinkz.com

Jeanne J. Day 4

2011-11-18T02:00:00.000-08:00

Today is our last day of inspiration with Jeanne. Thanks so much, Jeanne, for allowing me to share your work and for inspiring us all. This card of yours is one of my favs:

I just can't get enough of Jeanne's color scheme on this card.
Here's my take:

I began by stamping Penny Black Paisley Outline with VersaMark Ink onto cream cardstock and embossing with clear embossing powder. Next, I applied Distress Inks, Fired Brick, Crushed Olive, Dusty Concord, and Old Paper to this background. The large die cut by Tim Holtz was inked with my new favorite combo of Distress Inks- Broken China and Evergreen Bough. Penny Black 2943H Brush Butterfly was inked with Broken China, Wild Honey and Fired Brick Distress Stains. Once stamped onto cream cardstock it was cut out and then the edges were inked with Walnut Stain Distress Ink. Sentiment stamped with VersaFine ink onto Spellbinders Ribbon Banner (first inked with Old Paper Distress Ink).

Thanks again for visiting. :)

Wishing you a wonderful weekend, my friends!

Jeanne J. Day 3

2011-11-17T03:00:00.000-08:00

It's day 3 of inspiration with Jeanne and look at this stunner she's created:

And here's my take:

The butterflies were cut using the Spellbinders Grande die and were inked with Seedless Preserves and Dusty Concord Distress Ink. The background was inked with Brushed Corduroy, Old Paper, and Wild Honey Distress Inks and then stamped using Penny Black 1999L Letter Background using Dusty Concord Ink. The green backgrounds were inked with Peeled Paint and Forest Moss Distress Ink. The flourish background was stamped in Forest Moss Distress Ink using Penny Black 40-011 Paisley Swirls. The die cut flourishes are also by Spellbinders as well as the sentiment die cut (Labels 8). Sentiment by Penny Black (30-072 Air Mail).

Thanks again for popping by, my friends!

Here's a look at a card I'm sharing on the Mementos blog today:

http://www.ilovemementos.blogspot.com/

InLinkz.com

Jeane J. Day 2

2011-11-16T02:00:00.000-08:00

Here's our next inspiration card by the talented Jeanne:

Isn't her card a cutie? I love that row of punched circles- such a great design idea!

Here's my take:

This card began completely as white cardstock. The notecard was distressed with Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink. The next layer was distressed with Fired Brick Distress Ink. And the background that was flicked with water was distressed with Walnut Stain Distress Ink. The narrow strip behind the flowers was inked with Broken China Distress Ink. Next I stamped Penny Black Flower Gallery onto white circles and colored each one in using PITT Artist Pens. The sentiment is from the same Penny Black set, Flower Gallery. It's hard to tell in the picture, but each flower has a bit of Stardust Stickles.

Thanks for popping by- be sure to check out the Mementos blog where I'm sharing a new VIDEO! Here's a peek:

http://www.ilovemementos.blogspot.com/

Inspired by... Jeanne J.

2011-11-15T02:00:00.000-08:00

This week's featured artist has a beautiful style and an eye for details, it's Jeanne J! Take a look at our first inspiration card by Jeanne:

The texture of Jeanne's background is perfect. And did you see her awesome stitching, too? Finally, Jeanne's coloring makes her flowers glow!

Here is my take:

I began by stamping Penny Black Star Inspired with VersaFine Onyx Black Ink and embossing with clear embossing powder. The flowers and leaves were colored with Faber-Castell Stamper's Big Brush markers and then cut out and layered. The background was inked with Pumice Stone and Old Paper Distress ink and then stamped with Pumice Stone Distress Ink using Penny Black Circles and Lines. Sentiment by Penny Black, Salutations. Oh, and that flower center was created using Candi dots. Notecard and yellow background distressed with Wild Honey and Walnut Stain Distress Ink.

Thanks so much for visiting today. Be sure to pop by Jeanne's blog for lots more inspiration, I just know you'll love what you see! :)

InLinkz.com

PB&J is back!

2011-11-14T01:00:00.000-08:00

Well, after a low-carb break from PB and J last week, I'm back with a new video on the Penny Black blog today! :) Click HERE to watch the video. Here's a look at the set of cards created, each using this beautiful Penny Black stamp, Poinsettia Script:

available from Mementos HERE

See you tomorrow with a new featured artist!

InLinkz.com

Cute to Elegant Day 3

2011-11-10T02:00:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! And welcome back to my week sharing cute and elegant cards. I created the cutesy inspiration cards by simply coloring some fun Penny Black images with Copics and layering with patterned paper. Next, using a cutesy card as inspiration, I challenged myself to create an elegant card.

From cute:

To elegant:

To create the elegant card, I began by stamping Penny Black Gossamer with Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto Copic X-Press It Blending cardstock. I then colored this image using Copic markers. (I used the same colors that I used on the 1st card shown today.) Next I inked this piece using Forest Moss and Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink. The background was inked with Wild Honey Distress Ink and then stamped with Penny Black Majestic Background using Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink. Finally, the note card was distressed with Faded Jeans Distress Ink and a little bit of Brushed Corduroy around the edges. Punched butterflies by Martha Stewart and sentiment by SRM Stickers.

Oh, and be sure to pop by the Mementos blog for a tutorial today on coloring people. Here's a peek:

http://www.ilovemementos.blogspot.com/

See ya tomorrow!

InLinkz.com

From Cute to Elegant Day 2

2011-11-09T03:00:00.000-08:00

It's day 2 of my week-long series showing a "cute" card which then inspired an "elegant" card. Here we go...

From cute:

To elegant:

All stamps by Penny Black. Banner die by Spellbinders.

Thanks for visiting! See you soon with another Cute to Elegant post!

Cute to Elegant Day 1

2011-11-08T03:00:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! I have something a little different planned for this week. (Hope you don't mind- I'll be back with a new featured artist next Monday, don't worry!) One thing I especially love about Penny Black stamps is the range of styles available, from cutesy to elegant. One night I really wanted to do some stamping, just for fun. Not for any challenges, assignments, etc, so I stamped several cutesy images and colored them with Copics. Next I assembled some very simple cards using these images. These cards will be my inspiration this week. And as an added challenge, I wanted to create an elegant card using the cutesy cards as my inspiration. Let's get started!

From cute:

To elegant:

Both of the main images were stamped with VersaFine ink and then heat embossed with clear embossing powder. Once set, they were colored with Copic Markers. The backgrounds were distressed with Brushed Corduroy and Walnut Stain Distress Ink (along with a mixture of Broken China and Peeled Paint behind the text on the second card). On the second card, the pink/purple background was created by distressing Neenah Tiara White cardstock with Seedless Preserves and Dusty Concord Distress Ink and then flicking with water to create the water spots. All stamps Penny Black (4190K Welcome to Mimi's and 4035K Letters and Flowers)

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PB&J Video

2011-11-07T03:00:00.000-08:00

Hi folks! Just popping into let you know there is no PB&J Video this week. But never fear, there is a fun post over on the Penny Black blog with a guest designer whose work I love and I know you will too! You can check it out HERE.

I will be back here tomorrow with a fun project for this week. Let's just say it is cute AND elegant.....

HUGS!

Clare Day 4

2011-11-04T03:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday! I hope everyone has had a wonderful week. I can say that I'm definitely excited for tonite and this weekend. I have two classes at Mementos with some of my favorite stamping friends! :) Here is our last inspiration by Clare:

Gorgeous; right? I love her beautiful stamped and colored poppies. And this card has such a nice, simple, and crisp design!
Here's my take:

I began by stamping Penny Black Poppies with Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto Copic X-Press It Blending Cardstock. I then colored in the poppies using Copic markers. The background was distressed with Broken China, Old Paper, and Peeled Paint Distress Ink. I then lightly stamped this background using Penny Black 1999L (inked with Old Paper Distress Ink and some ink was removed with a baby wipe before stamping). Background papers by Crate Paper and sentiment by SRM stickers.

Thanks sooooo much to Clare for allowing me to share her work this week. It's been an honor! And thanks to all of you for stoppin' by! Hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Clare Day 3

2011-11-03T03:00:00.000-07:00

I'm popping in today with a quick post...
Here's Clare's beautiful inspiration card:

And here's my take:

(All stamps Penny Black, die cut by Spellbinders, patterned paper by Crate paper)

Thanks for looking, my friends! This was a quick post, so if you have any questions, just let me know. :) HUGS!

Clare Day 2

2011-11-02T03:00:00.000-07:00

Here is our next inspiration card by Clare:

And here's my take. I was especially inspired by Clare's green background and white center panel with a bold flower at the top and the sentiment below.

Patterned paper by Crate Paper, distressed with Brushed Corduroy and Walnut Stain Distress Ink. The roses, Penny Black 4184K Rosa, were stamped with VersaFine ink and heat embossed with clear powder. Next I colored them with Copic markers and cut out. Sentiment banner inked with Old Paper Distress Ink. Sentiment by Penny Black, 3629E ... Special Treasures.

Thanks again for popping by! Be sure to check out the Mementos blog today for a NEW VIDEO. Here's a peek:

http://www.ilovemementos.blogspot.com/

InLinkz.com

Inspired by...Clare

2011-11-01T03:00:00.000-07:00

This week's featured artist has a style all her own, full of beautiful touches, ruffles, ribbon, and everything pretty! It's Clare of Clare's Creations. Here's a look at her first inspiration card:

I love all of the vintage touches and layers on Clare's card! Aren't the lace and pretty bow over-the-top gorgeous?

Here's my take. While at first glance my card doesn't look like Clare's I was inspired by her overall design and layout.

Patterned papers are by Create Paper (Farmhouse collection). Penny Black 4156K Star-Inspired was stamped 2 times with VersaMark ink onto Tiara White cardstock. I sprinkled with clear embossing powder and heat to set. To one flower I added Broken China and Old Paper Distress Ink and to the other I applied Brushed Corduroy and Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink. On the orange flower I used Copic R18 to color in some sections of the flower, coloring right over the inked areas. Sentiment by SRM stickers. Flower center created using Candi dots.

Thanks for popping by! See ya tomorrow with another precious card by Clare!

PB and J Video Tutorial

2011-10-31T03:00:00.000-07:00

It's Monday which means it's time for a new PB and J Video Tutorial. Today I'm sharing a fun coloring technique, combining Copic markers with Faber-Castell Art Grip Aquarelle Watercolor Pencils.
Visit the Penny Black blog HERE to check out the video.

Oh, and I had several questions on the light box in my craft room tour. I've updated that post with the information. (near the end of the post, click HERE or scroll down to find it) Thanks for visiting! See ya tomorrow with our next featured artist.

InLinkz.com

Brenda U. Day 3

2011-10-28T03:00:00.000-07:00

Here is our last inspiration card by Brenda:

I love the bold statement of Brenda's big butterfly layered on the white and yellow paper. The color combination is just so pleasing to the eye! And the coloring on her butterfly is stellar. Finally, those little pearls on the wings- perfection!

Here is my take:

The butterfly, Penny Black 2422J Blue Wings, was stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto Copic X-Press It Blending cardstock and was then colored with Copic markers. After coloring and cutting out the butterfly, I distressed the entire thing with Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink. I also added Walnut Stain Distress Ink around the outer edges of the wings. Background papers by My Minds Eye (newsprint pierced and inked with Broken China Distress Ink). Sentiment by Penny Black, 4070 Dreams Come True.

BIG thanks to Brenda for allowing me to share her beautiful cards. She is such talented and sweet gal, it's been an honor! Here's a peek at another card set I'm sharing on the Mementos blog today:

http://www.ilovemementos.blogspot.com/

Thanks also to everyone for your comments about my lil' old craft room. I have to admit I was a little nervous to share it, just because it isn't very fancy shmancy! (Someday I would love a craft room that looks like it came out of Pottery Barn catalog, but for now I'm happy with a functional space.) I should have known that, as always, you wonderful gals would make me smile with your sweet comments. I am always blown away by your kindess. Have a wonderful weekend. HUGS!

Craft Room Photo Tour

2011-10-27T03:00:00.000-07:00

I always love seeing where other folks get creative, so today I thought I'd take you on a little tour of my craft room (don't worry, I'll be back tomorrow with another awesome card by the talented Brenda U!). Last spring I moved from a spare bedroom into our den and I have to admit I love having the large space. (Thanks hubby for moving my craft room 4 times since we've lived in this house...LOL!) While it's nothing fancy, it is definitely a happy place. :)

I do most of my creating in this portion of the room. All of my most used tools and paper are kept within arms reach.

I store my most used Distress Inks in a 12 x 12 paper tray from the Mementos store. (thanks Lisa!) These trays are also AWESOME for anyone who has to keep track of specific supplies used on projects. As I work on a card, I add the supplies I use to the tray and then when I'm all done I can document my supply list and quickly put the supplies away. Or if I have multiple projects going on at one time, I can keep everything organized by storing supplies and materials in each tray.

Here's a peek at my countertops and cupboards. We purchased these at Lowes--so handy and very affordable.

I store my Penny Black Mix and Match cardstock by color family in this paper organizer (thanks Dad!)and on top I keep track of paperwork (ugghh, paperwork...) in baskets.

And underneath one counter, between cupboards, are some old card catalog units that a school I taught in was giving away. I soooo wish I had taken more, they are super handy. Within these drawers are extra adhesives, glitters, some older stamps, Stickles, paint daubers, and other inks I use less frequently.

Around the corner is my punch storage. This is actually an old bird cage holder. Perfect for my punches and much quieter than the birds. :)

Next, I have two white cabinets where I store some items for class, my finished cards, misc. supplies, and my Copics. Here's a peek inside.

Because my supplies and I travel to Mementos for class often, my most frequently used items are portable. For example, I store my Copics in this handy craft tote, organized by color family. Inside the tote is a little basket, where I keep Copics that are ready to be refilled.

Speaking of being portable, right next to my desk is this rolling craft tote housing basic stuff like scissors, adhesive, etc. It also holds a lot of my Faber-Castell items which I keep organized in pencil pouches.

Now on the other side of the room, you will find most of my "technical" equipment- here's the photo/light tent .

Around the corner you will find the area where I film my videos. The camera stand actually came with the light tent. It is intended to be attached to the table in front of the light tent, but what I've done here is attach it to this shelf next to my desk. Then, when filming with the camcorder, my hands are directly below the camera.

To the right of the area where I film videos is my die cutting machine and my dies. I store my dies (I keep Spellbinders in the original packaging for storage) in an old planter box. Oh, and if your die cutting machine moves around on your table, mesh shelf liners are perfect to keep it still while you crank it.

Finally, here is how I store my stamps. Like most of the furniture in my room, this table has been repurposed from another room in the house. It was purchased at Ikea and used to be our coffee table, but it works great for stamps now.

My stamps are organized into baskets by categories (Christmas, Floral, Cutesy, Clear, etc.) and then labeled with a tag tied to the the basket with ribbon. The blue baskets on top contain stamps I am using in upcoming classes.

EDITED TO ADD : THIS is the light box/system I purchased. LOVE it! I still edit my photos using GIMP (free program you can download) but I really appreciate the freedom the light box system gives me in taking them the photo any time, day or night.

Well, thanks for joining me on this little tour. I hope I haven't bored you to death! :) If you've shared your craft space or organizing tips, I'd love to check it out- just leave me a comment with a link. See you tomorrow with another gorgeous card by Brenda!

Oh, and I've got a few new cards on the Mementos blog today- here's a peek:

http://www.ilovemementos.blogspot.com/

Brenda U. Day 2

2011-10-26T03:00:00.000-07:00

Hi folks! You're going to LOVE this card by Brenda, I just know it!

And here's my take:

I began by stamping Penny Black 4156K Star-Inspired with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink onto Copic X-Press It Blending cardstock. The flower was then colored in with Copic markers. To create the background I embossed Penny Black 40-048 Paisley Outline with white embossing powder and then applied Peeled Paint and Crushed Olive Distress Ink over the top. Sentiment by Penny Black, 3393D Tiniest.

Thanks again for visiting. It means so much to me.

See you tomorrow with a special post- a little photo tour of my craft room... :)

Inspired by... Brenda U.

2011-10-25T03:00:00.000-07:00

Today I'm very excited to announce that this week's featured artist is Brenda U! She has an awesome BLOG and PHOTOSTREAM, both brimming with inspiration so be sure to check them out. :) Here is our first inspiration card by Brenda:

I really love this overall design by Brenda. The diagonal split in the background paper is so eye-catching!

Here's my take. This stamp is not the usual style I pick out but holy moly I had an AWESOME time coloring this guy in. I'm hooked!

I began by stamping Penny Black 40-088 Little Elf Finn with VersaFine ink and then heat embossing with clear embossing powder. I then colored the image with Copics. The outer edges of the cardstock was distressed with Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink. The sentiment, also by Penny Black (30-079 Christmas with Mimi) was stamped with Versafine ink onto Spellbinders Shapeabilities Ribbon Banners. The banner was inked with Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink before stamping the sentiment. Patterned paper by Basic Grey (Indie Bloom).

Thanks so much for popping by today. If you head on over to the Mementos blog you can get a little peek at what we've got planned for this week....

PB&J Tutorial Video

2011-10-24T03:00:00.000-07:00

Time for another PB&J video on the Penny Black blog (click HERE to visit and watch the video.) This week we're playing with this awesome sketch by the talented Jenyfur:

Thanks for visiting. :) See ya tomorrow, my friends!

InLinkz.com

Mel Day 3

2011-10-21T03:00:00.000-07:00

Man, this week has flown by! I can't believe it's already Friday. Thanks sooo much to Mel for allowing me to share her beautiful art. Here's a look at today's inspiration card by Mel:

I just adore Mel's colors on this card and that row of lovely flowers across the center. I decided to recreate that look with some masking and Copic coloring (all stamps Penny Black):

And I'm playing with more Penny Black flowers on the Mementos blog today:

http://www.ilovemementos.blogspot.com/

Big thanks and hugs to Mel for such an awesome week of inspiration! See you on Monday with new PB and J card set...

Harvest Peek Plus a Video

2011-10-20T03:00:00.000-07:00

Just popping in to let you know I have a card on Michelle's blog, Page Master Designs, today. She's doing a fun Halloween/Harvest event this month and I'm honored to play along! Here's a little peek at my card:

Click HERE to see the rest... :)

Here's a look at the card I have up on the Mementos blog today, totally inspired by this card by Kathy Racoosin:

And here's a video, too:

More details available on the Mementos blog HERE.

I'll be back tomorrow with one more AWESOME card from Mel!

InLinkz.com

Mel Day 2

2011-10-19T03:00:00.000-07:00

You gotta love this creation by Mel (I know I sure do!):

Mel is the QUEEN of these beautiful inked sunset backgrounds- be sure to check out her blog for more!

And here's my take:

I began by stamping Penny Black Berry Red Snow White with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink onto Tiara White cardstock. Next I used a fine tipped PITT Artist Pen to color over the fence and darken it to match the branches and berries. Using scratch paper I masked the background and inked with the following colors of Distress Ink: Brushed Corduroy, Crushed Olive, Forest Moss, Spiced Marmalade and Fired Brick. I added Walnut Stain Distress Ink to the outside of this piece as well as the pierced background (inked with Spiced Marmalade and Fired Brick Distress Ink). Finally, the sentiment was cut using Spellbinders Shabeablitlies #55-071 Twisted Metal Tags and Accents and then inked with Forest Moss Distress Ink. The sentiment is from SRM Stickers #51012.

Oh, and if you are looking for a great deal on three of my favorite Penny Black floral stamps, be sure to visit the Mementos blog today.

See you tomorrow, my friends!

InLinkz.com

Inspired by... Mel

2011-10-18T03:00:00.000-07:00

I am excited to announce that this week's featured artist is a gal whose cards always catch my eye in the Penny Circle flickr gallery.... it's Mel G! Just take a look at her inspiration card for today and you'll see exactly what I mean:

Gorgeous; right? That background is absolutely 100% breathtaking! I can't get enough of the rich colors and layers.

Here's my take:

I began by repeatedly stamping Penny Black 40-012 Irises with VersaFine black ink and embossing with clear powder on watercolor paper. Next I pressed Distress Ink (Worn Lipstick, Fired Brick, Spiced Marmalade, and Black Soot) pads directly onto the paper. I spritzed heavily with water to blend the colors. Once dry, I inked all edges with Walnut Stain Distress Ink using the ink blending tool and a foam pad and also stamped Penny Black 1999L Letter Background with Walnut Stain Distress Ink. To create the card base, I inked Tiara White cardstock (pressing the ink pad directly to the paper and swiping it across multiple times) with Spiced Marmalade and Fired Brick Distress Ink. Then I added pierced holes using the Tim Holtz Ruler, a thumb tack, and the Sew Easy Piercing Mat. After piercing I inked the edges with Walnut Stain Distress Ink, highlighting the pierced holes. The teal accents and butterflies were punched from Penny Black Mix and Match cardstock. Finally, I embossed Tiara White cardstock with the Sizzix Gridlock embossing folder and inked with Walnut Stain Distress Ink. Gems and a Candi dot were added to the butterflies.

Thanks so much for popping by!
Be sure to stop by the Mementos blog today for a fun project from Lisa to use up all paper scraps.
Here's a peek:

http://www.ilovemementos.blogspot.com/

See ya tomorrow with another FAB card from Mel!

InLinkz.com

Winner

2011-10-17T23:59:00.000-07:00

Just popping in to let you know that the random winner of the spot in the Holiday Card Boot Camp was Stephanie. I've emailed you. Thanks to all who entered to win and wrote such lovely comments. You all made me smile BIG!

PB&J Video Tutorial, Christmas Tags

2011-10-17T03:00:00.000-07:00

Be sure to head over to the Penny Black blog today for a video tutorial showing the creation of a couple of these tags using Penny Black brushstroke stamps, Distress Stains, and Distress Inks.

And here's a peek at each individual tag:

**EDITED TO ADD: Tag size: 5 1/4 x 2 5/8.**

See ya tomorrow with our next featured artist- she's as talented as she is sweet!

InLinkz.com

Sketch and Stamp Collab Week Day 4

2011-10-14T03:00:00.000-07:00

I have to admit I'm pretty bummed to see this collaboration week with Iwona coming to an end. I truly LOVED working with her sketches and of course seeing what she has come up with each day. I think my favorite part of this collaboration has been seeing how each of us has come up with such different cards even though we started with the exact same stamps and sketch. Thanks, Iwona, for sharing your sketches and creations with me all week! It's been an honor!
Today Iwona and I are both using this cutie-pa-tootie stamp by Penny Black, Flowers for Mimi:

And our sketch for the day:

I began by stamping Penny Black Flowers for Mimi onto Copic X-Press It blending cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and coloring with Copic Markers. I then distressed this with Old Paper Distress Ink. The green background was cut with Sizzix Top Note die by Stampin' Up and then inked with Forest Moss Distress Ink. The purple notecard was cut from Penny Black Mix and Match cardstock.

Don't forget to pop over to Iwona's blog to see what she created with this stamp and sketch!

Thanks again for visiting- see ya next week with a new featured artist.

Hope you have a wonderful and creative weekend. :)

And if you're looking for a little more inspiration, head on over to the Mementos blog where I have new video tutorial posted today...

http://www.ilovemementos.blogspot.com/

InLinkz.com

Sketch and Stamp Collab Week Day 3 & GIVEAWAY

2011-10-13T03:00:00.000-07:00

I just LOVE this sketch that Iwona created for today's collaboration post!

And today both Iwona and I are using this popular stamp by Penny Black, Christmas Pride:

I decided to mix things up a bit and use this stamp for a set of 3 non holiday cards:

I began by stamping Penny Black Christmas Pride onto Tiara White cardstock using VersaMark Ink. I heat embossed this with white embossing powder. I followed this process to create a total of 6 flowers. I colored the flowers using Distress Stains (Wild Honey, Dusty Concord, Broken China, and Vintage Photo). Once dry, each flower was cut out- one full flower and one flower center. I layered the flower centers onto the full flowers using pop dots and then added a Candi Dot to the center of each flower. Sentiment by Penny Black, 4185F Happiness. The sentiment and flowers were layered onto the cards, constructed using Penny Black Mix and Match cardstock.

I'm dying to see what Chupa created with this same stamp and sketch... (each day I'm in suspense waiting to see her marvelous creations!). You can check out her take on her blog HERE.

And how 'bout a giveaway???

I'm sooooo honored to be a guest designer in another awesome online card class with Jennifer McGuire and Kristina Werner. Here's a bit more about the class:

Have you taken a peek at your calendar recently? The holidays are just around the corner! We're here to help you check hand crafted holiday cards off your to-do list! Join Jennifer McGuire, Kristina Werner and 12 of their most talented friends as they walk you through how to create your own 2011 holiday card in Holiday Card Boot Camp. Whether you're hoping to create a card that includes photos, a newsletter, a gift card or more - you're sure to be inspired. This class includes easy to mass-produce cards, 16 videos, card sketches, and stamping and cardmaking techniques.

Holiday Card Boot Camp runs November 7-21, but all content will always be available after signing up! This fabulous class is only $29 and includes many prizes, along with discount codes to favorite online stores.

For more class information or to register, click here.

Now the sweet Jennifer and Kristina have told me I can give away a spot in this awesome class so to qualify to win, just leave a comment on this post before midnight Pacific Time on Sunday, 10/16. I will announce the winner on Monday, 10/17. And if you've already purchased the class, a refund will be provided.

And be sure to check out the Mementos blog today. I have a new video tutorial up today, here's a peek:

http://www.ilovemementos.blogspot.com/

InLinkz.com

Sketch and Stamp Collab Week Day 2

2011-10-12T03:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to day 2 of my Sketch and Stamp Collab week with Iwona Palamountain (Chupa). Today we are both using Penny Black Ornamental Mimi:

And this sketch, designed by Chupa:

I began by stamping Penny Black Ornamental Mimi using Memento Tuxedo Black Ink onto Copic X-Press It Blending cardstock and then coloring her in using Copic Markers. Once colored I cut out this image. I inked Spellbinders Labels 11 with Broken China and Faded Jeans Distress Ink and then stamped this background with the cute little snowflake in the clear set 30-056 Robin's Kingdom by Penny Black (stamping done using using Faded Jeans Distress Ink). The background was pierced using the Tim Holtz Ruler and a thumb tack and then inked with Forest Moss and Walnut Stain Distress Ink. Sentiment by Penny Black, 30-086 Winter Wonders.

Now be sure to hop on over to Iwona's blog to see what she's created using Ornamental Mimi and her awesome sketch!

And before you go, I just wanted to let you know that my next Mementos Stamp Club DVD class is now available for purchase HERE. Here's a little peek and you can see the whole thing by clicking HERE.

Included in the price of your class kit and DVD, you will also receive this new GORGEOUS clear set from Penny Black, Christmas Treasures:

InLinkz.com

Sketch and Stamp Collab Week Day 1

2011-10-11T03:00:00.000-07:00

I am soooo thrilled to announce that for the next 4 days I will be sharing with you a Sketch and Stamp Collaboration Week with the oh-so-talented Iwona Palamountain (Chupa)!!! Each day we will BOTH be working with the same sketch and the same stamps. I haven't seen anything she's created yet, and I can't wait to see what she came up with! Oh, and all of the sketches this week were created by Iwona. If you are at all in a rut or looking for inspiration, I HIGHLY recommend giving these sketches a go.

Here's today's sketch:

And today's stamp:

Sundial by Penny Black

I began by repeatedly stamping Penny Black Sundial onto Tiara White cardstock. I colored in the flowers using Stamper's Big Brush Markers. I added the mint green color to the background using Copic Markers (BG10, BG15, BG18). Next, I distressed the entire piece using Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink. Finally, I inked Penny Black 1999L Letter Background using Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink and stamped the background, removing some ink with a baby wipe before stamping. The punched scallop was inked with Wild Honey, Fired Brick, and Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink. The butterfly was cut 2 times using Spellbinders Butterflies Two and Mix and Match Cardstock. I mounted the two together using pop dots on the wings for extra dimension. Sentiment by Penny Black.

Now, be sure to head on over to Iwona's blog to see what she created using the exact same sketch and stamp. I'm sure it is FAB!!!!

InLinkz.com

PB&J Video Tutorial, Christmas at Dusk

2011-10-10T03:00:00.000-07:00

Before we begin today, I just wanted to mention that Peggy, my awesome friend who I featured last week, just started a blog this weekend! I'm so excited for her- you can check out her first post HERE.

Oh, and another sweet friend of mine that I met in class at Mementos, Connie, just started a blog- you can check hers out HERE. Way to go girls-- I'm soooo excited to be able to see more and more of your creations!

This week's PB&J (Penny Black and Jill) video tutorial shows the creation of this set of Christmas cards using the new Penny Black sticker sheet, Christmas at Dusk:

AVAILABLE AT MEMENTOS HERE

You can watch the video tutorial on the Penny Black blog by clicking HERE.

And here are individual pictures of each card:

I have a VERY fun and special collaboration planned for the rest of this week, so I hope you'll be back tomorrow.... :)

InLinkz.com

Peggy Day 4

2011-10-07T03:00:00.000-07:00

Our last inspiration card by Peggy is the definition of the word "masterpiece!"

Every time I look at this card I see a new detail I love! The inked and stamped background has so many layers and such depth. And Peggy's use of the birdcage stamp here is genius!

Here's my take. I was especially inspired by Peggy's emboss resist text background and warm colors.

All stamps Penny Black/ Sentiment: SRM Sticker
Thanks sooooo much to Peggy for allowing me to share her awesome work! And thanks to all of you for stopping by and making us smile with your visits.

Here's a peek at what's happening on the Mementos Blog today. (I am definitely on a butterfly/tag kick lately...)

http://www.ilovemementos.blogspot.com/

Peggy Day 3

2011-10-06T03:00:00.000-07:00

Today I have two cards of Peggy's to share. Here's the first- I just had to share it because it's so darn cute and creative!

And this second card is also by Peggy. It's my inspiration for my card today.

Hands down these are two of most precious Halloween cards I've seen yet. Love every detail on each one.

Here's my take. I was especially inspired by Peggy's golden background with the purple hat layered on top and with the fresh white on the sides.

Tag background created with Distress Stains (Wild Honey, Vintage Photo, Fired Brick). I colored directly onto the tag with the stains and then spritzed with water. Butterflies (Penny Black) stamped using Seedless Preserves Distress Ink. Butterfly centers are Candi Dots and sentiment is SRM sticker.

Thanks so much for visiting, my friends, and for all of your sweet comments and support. I don't know if I say it enough- but it really means so much to me!

Oh, and I've got another purple and orange card over on the Mementos Blog. Here's a peek:

http://www.ilovemementos.blogspot.com/

Inspired by...

Cute, Day 4

Cute, Day 3

Cute, Day 2

Cute, Day 1

PB&J Video Tutorial

Mimi's Many Loves

A peek....

More inspiration with Dina!

More Penny Black...

Sharing some more...

Just sharing...

PB&J Video Tutorial

Dina *Day 3*

Dina *Day 2*

Hhmmm....

Inspired by...Dina

PB&J Video Tutorial

Latrice *Day 4*

Latrice *Day 3*

Latrice *Day 2*

Inspired by...Latrice!

PB&J and Sheila *Day 4*

Penny Black and Flower Soft Blog Hop

Sheila *Day 3*

Sheila *Day 2*

Inspired by...Sheila!

PB and J Video Tutorial, Simple Stamping

Kisses...

Rose Heart

...In the Air

Meet Tom and Lily

PB&J Video Tutorial

New Penny Black Stamps!

Miss You...

Paper Pieced Set

Happy Birthday Hop for Joy!

PB&J Video Tutorial

Kelley *Day 4*

Kelley *Day 3*

Kelley *Day 2*

Inspired by...Kelley

PB and J Video Tutorial, 2 Techniques

Cute to Elegant

Cute to Elegant

Cute to Elegant Revisited

Revisiting Cute to Elegant

PB and J Video Tutorial

Joan B. *Day 4*

Joan B. *Day 3*

Joan *Day 2*

Inspired by...Joan Bardee!

PB&J Simple Stamping

Jeanne J. *Day 4*

Jeanne J. *Day 3*

Jeane J. *Day 2*

Inspired by... Jeanne J.

PB&J is back!

Cute to Elegant *Day 3*

From Cute to Elegant *Day 2*

Cute to Elegant *Day 1*

PB&J Video

Clare *Day 4*

Clare *Day 3*

Clare *Day 2*

Inspired by...Clare

PB and J Video Tutorial

Brenda U. *Day 3*

Craft Room Photo Tour

Brenda U. *Day 2*

Inspired by... Brenda U.

PB&J Tutorial Video

Mel *Day 3*

Harvest Peek Plus a Video

Mel *Day 2*

Inspired by... Mel

Winner

PB&J Video Tutorial, Christmas Tags

Sketch and Stamp Collab Week *Day 4*

Sketch and Stamp Collab Week *Day 3* & GIVEAWAY

Dina Day 3

Dina Day 2

Latrice Day 4

Latrice Day 3

Latrice Day 2

PB&J and Sheila Day 4

Sheila Day 3

Sheila Day 2

Kelley Day 4

Kelley Day 3

Kelley Day 2

Joan B. Day 4

Joan B. Day 3

Joan Day 2

Jeanne J. Day 4

Jeanne J. Day 3

Jeane J. Day 2

Cute to Elegant Day 3

From Cute to Elegant Day 2

Cute to Elegant Day 1

Clare Day 4

Clare Day 3

Clare Day 2

Brenda U. Day 3

Brenda U. Day 2

Mel Day 3

Mel Day 2

Sketch and Stamp Collab Week Day 4

Sketch and Stamp Collab Week Day 3 & GIVEAWAY

Sketch and Stamp Collab Week Day 2

Sketch and Stamp Collab Week Day 1

Peggy Day 4

Peggy Day 3