{YNS New Release} Blog Hop

Hi there! Welcome to the Your Next Stamp new release blog hop! All of the new images are available at the YNS store right NOW!!
I am the first stop along the hop, but here is the complete list in case you get lost along the way:

Jenny P. http://mylittlestampinspot.blogspot.com/

Wendy http://sugarpea-designs.blogspot.com/

Peggy http://cardcrazy.wordpress.com/

Jen R. http://www.tennisgirl27.blogspot.com/

Kerri http://cardsbykerri.blogspot.com/

Angela-June Guest http://www.sparkleandbling.blogspot.com/

Veronica http://lk2thestarz.blogspot.com/

Diana http://doodledeedesigns.blogspot.com/

Jen D. http://iheart2stamp.com/

Dana http://gotjoycreations.blogspot.com/

Susan http://www.susiestampalot.com/

Karen http://www.yournextstamp.blogspot.com/

We have some special PRIZES hidden along the hop! Three new release stamp prize packs will be given away to some lucky hoppers, so make sure you comment on all the blogs for your chance to win!

Karen has also put together some special Bundle Deals including the popular “I want it all” YNS Bundle so make sure you check those out!

Thanks for stopping by, and remember that the hop is on until Saturday, June 9th at 12 midnight EST!

{YNS Peek} I love you THIS much!

Today is a special day...Yesterday the Your Next Stamp designers began showing off some fun new sets that will be released in a few short days! Today, I am showing off a fun new Ellie stamp. This one's called Butterfly Ellie and comes with a few cute sentiments and an assortment of little accent butterflies!

I used some old MME paper that I drag out whenever the butterfly bug bites....paired up with this image and the Verve butterfly die, it's a pretty straightforward theme I have going on here;) Since Ellie seems to have her arms stretched out in an 'I love you THISSSS much' kind of fashion....well, I thought I should make a big butterfly chain with one of those lil butterfly stamps I mentioned earlier. It almost looks like a paper butterfly chain! They are all popped up on mini foam dots for that added dimension. Her dress and headband were paper-pieced and I added some grass in with my copics. I added some SU rhinestones to the corners and butterfly bodies and a Recollections flourish.
I stamped the XOXOXO sentiment vertically onto a MFT dienamic tab.

Honestly, I'm not thrilled about my colouring on this one, but I was warching a shark movie, it was really late, my eyes were tired and the lamp wasn't providing real good lighting....so the odds were stacked against me! But I'd say she's still pretty cute!

Check out the YNS blog to see a list of more designers previewing some of the next release today!

{KKS} ABC challenge

It's time for another challenge from Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps, and this week Angie is our hostess. She wants us to learn our ABC's! ABC, as in Anything But a Card.....so put on your krafty thinking caps and join us this week!
I am an avid reader, and although I love my eReader, there is something about holding a real book in my hands that I crave (plus they never 'die' on you when you're right in the middle of a good part in the bubble bath! lol). So, I decided to make myself a bookmark! I've used Priscilla:

I didn't intend for this to turn out so halloween-y, but after colouring the image, I realized it was going in that direction, so I just grabbed some Halloween paper and went with it! lol! I used some MFT dies (star and zigzag border), some machine stitching, and added some tiny rhinestones. As I mentioned, Priscilla is coloured with copics, and I added spica clear glitter pen here and there, as well as a lot of glaze pen! She was then popped up on dimensionals.

The button was from my stash and the twine is TCP divine twine in Black Oyster and Plum Purple.

I chopped up the sentiment that comes with the image (it was to long to fit on the bookmark).

To protect all the little details, I'll be slipping the bookmark into a protective sleeve!

Check  out the Krafy Blog to see what the other Krafty girls are up to, as well as all the details in linking your ABC challenge for your chance to win the newly released KKS stamp, Miss Information!

{iSSC18} Krafty Kate

Today the iSSC girls have been inspired by LeAnne Pugliese (LeAnne Pugliese at SCS). We loved this card by LeAnne. Here's Kim's sketch interpretation of that original card:

Okay. I admit it. I cheat. Not on tests or my husband or anything like that....but my hands don't always listen to my brain when it comes to art;) So I did take a few detours through this amazing sketch! My card follows the same basic design, but with some variations. I didn't add a sentiment. I only have three rectangular elements, which I changed to banners btw, instead of four. And my circle is seriously out of scale! LOL!

Today I am using a brand new to me line of digital stamps (which I normally hate, because my printer is an evil tyrant). But I couldn't resist these beauties! This is Krafty Kate by Saturated Canary, and I {heart} her!!
I used MFT dies for the banners, and black jute twine from the Ribbon Carousel. The buttons are OA, and the DP is a mix of BG and Fancypants.

I usually don't post Copic colours, just cuz I put them back and forget! Not because I'm a tip-hoarder! But I found a new brunette combo that I am really liking and I can remember it! It's E21, E27 and E47. It's my best brown combo for hair that I've done, I think;)

Okay, check out the iSSC blog for more inspiration, as well as all the info for linking up your card:)

{TCPTUES212} Pleated Paper

Ahoy there! It's Tuesday, and I am on the ball this week with a TCP challenge from Julie. She wants us to paper-pleat! It's actually kinda fun and I think I might have a new addiction:)
If you would like a tutorial, then you can check out the one that our very own Amy Rohl did HERE on SCS.

I used one of my all time favorite TCP stamp sets A Whale of A Time. I paper-pieced the whale and hat, and added a dark brown baby braddie to his eye. I used grey copics to shade the DP and the hat is popped up on dimensionals. The clouds were made using the Cloud Border Cutup and I love that you can easily snip these clouds appart to make undividuals! They are sponged with distress ink and popped up at various heights with dimensionals.

I cut two 1 1/2 x 6" pieces of dp and scored them at 1", 1.5", 2.5", 3", 4", 4.5", 5.5". Then you fold the strip, mountain-valley style and adhere the two together and trim the edges to fit the card front. I sponged the edges to give the pleats more definition. The brown strip in the centre was cut with the Big Scallop cutup and topped with Orange Divine Twine and a button.

This set comes with some really sweet sentiments, but I chose to leave them off, as I am finding lately that when I am in need of a card, it seems like the sentiments aren't matching the occasion! So I think I need some 'generic' cards in my stash! lol

 Here is a side view, where you can see the whale, hat, and clouds dimension. You can also see the pleats a bit better. With the measurements I gave you above, your pleats will measure 1/2 inch. You can change the measurements to suit your project. Just remember that the smaller number needs to be half of the larger to keep your pleats equal widths.

Link up your paper-pleated project to The Cat's Pajamas Blog for your chance to win weekly Catcash as well as a shot at the title of Swanky Stamper of the Month! Use the keyword TCPTUES212 when uploading to SCS.

Sketch- Mojo 241

{MFTGUESTDT} Baby Evyn

Hi there! Remember a few weeks back when I made a little wall hanging for the niece that I was expecting? Well, she did make her entrance into the world, and her and her mommy are doing great and she is the cutest lil bean!! Her name is Evyn Melissa and talk about a dolly! She has the thickest head of dark hair and smells delicious.... I am in need of a snuggle just writing this! Hopefully I'll see her tomorrow:) I used the MFT guest DT sketch challenge as my opportunity to make her mom a card. When I saw the sweet MFT PI stamp Boy and Baby, I knew that I'd be using on this card, as well as some big plans for scrapbook pages.
I love me some sketches, so this months challenge was just what I needed....people are making some amazing projects the last few months, and not to say that others aren't super busy as well, but I just have no time to devote to huge projects! I thought that this simple sketch challenge was totally do-able;)

Here is the sketch:

I did a masking tecnique to create the scene, using the Pure Innoncence  Boy and Baby and PI Naptime sets. The boy holding 'baby Evyn' represents my nephew Brody and the little girl in her jammies and blankie represents my niece Elli! I paper-pieced all of their clothes and her blankie and coloured the rest. I shaded the paper-pieced bits with my grey copics to add depth. I added mini SU pearls as buttons on her jammies.

The vertical sentiment, stamped on one of the mini tabs foursome dienamics  is from the PI set Baby Lamb In The Manger. I anchored the tab with zigzag stitching and machine straight-stitched around the main panels. I added some copper brads to the stamped panel.

The flower element was made using the Perfect Petal Trio dienamic. The smallest flower was cut from MFT cork sheets. The twine (in brown and pink) and Prima wood button are from The Ribbon Carousel.

The inside sentiment is also from the Boy and Baby set. I added another flower with the Perfect Petal Trio and another copper brad.

Okay- wish me luck! I am really excited about the way this card turned out and I can't wait to give it to my sister-in-law!! She is a crafter, so I know she'll appreciate all the work that went into this one;)

Thanks for stopping by, and I'll leave you with a picture of my gorgeous niece....she is Blog-Famous now;)

My talented SIL made her headband too, if anyone is interested in her business, just let me know and I can hook you up!

{iSSC17} This Life.....

Hi there!! I CANNOT believe we are on week seventeen of the iSpy Sketch Challenges! Wow- time flies!
This week we have been inspired by one of my stampin' buddies, the uber-talented Amy Rohl (rohla @SCS)! We used this amazing card that Amy created....Isn't it gorgeous!?!

I used the new My Favorite Things Vertical Greetings II Stamp and Die set, and kept it pretty simple, adding detail with brads, ink and stitching. I added a paper flower made with the Retro Rolled Flower dienamic and a flourish from the Fancy Flourish dienamic.

The Prima Wood Button and purple jute twine are from the Ribbon Carousel.

Head over to the iSpy blog to see what the other Secret Agents have created! We'd love to see you play along this week!