CDS Sneak Peek Day #4

Good Morning! I hope that you've been enjoying Clear Dollar Stamps' Sneak Peek Week. Today is the last day for Sneak Peeks and I'm sharing 2 different stamp sets that will both release tomorrow, May 1st! This card was created using "Smooth Sailing" stamp set. When I first saw this stamp set, I fell in love! I love anythin ship, sailing, nautical, beach related and just had to have it! I reached for that luscious ship to ink up and started to invision and "Olde World" type card. I had this really cool nautical scrapbook paper saved for a special day and this was it! I tried to create a porthole using silver mini brads, but then when I finished I realized that "Olde World" type ships didn't have portholes! LOL But, I left it, because it just seemed to "work"! LOL The colors for this card from an Inspiration Challenge posed to the CDS Design Team by our design team Coordinator, Laurie Wilson. To see a complete illustration of what's included in the "Smooth Sailing" stamp set, click HERE. To see some fabulous other sneak peek samples of "Smooth Sailing" don't miss my design teammates' work: Candy Fosta, Kim Teasdale, Cassie Trask and Laurie Wilson.

Stamp Sets Used: Clear Dollar Stamps "Smooth Sailing"
Cardstock & Papers: Carol Wilson Fine Arts Scrapbook Paper, K&Co. Remake "Ocean Blues" & "Earth Browns" Mat Pads, Colorbok "My Wild Life" Designer Paper, Paper Trey White Cardstock, Swarthmore Watercolor Paper
Inkpads: Memento Tuxedo Black Ink, Stampin' Up! Baja Breeze & Chocolate Chip Inks
Markers: Copic Sketch Markers YR01 Peach Puff, YR21 Cream, YR 24 Pale Sepia, E25 Cariba Cocoa, E27 Africano, E29 Burnt Umber, E31 Brick Beige, E34 Orientale, B06 Peacock Blue, B14 Light Blue, B24 Sky, C3 & C7 Cool Greys, Signo White Gel Pen
Accessories: Cuttlebug, Cuttlebug "Mosaic" Embossing Folder, Cuttelbug Decorative Corner Die, Nestabilities Regular Oval Dies, Tsukineko Sponge Dauber,Sewing Machine, Thread, Adhesive, Zots, Stampin' Up! Dimensionals, Karen Foster Click-It Hole Punch Kit, Cloud Template, Dew Drops, Silver Brads, Clear Dollar Stamps Velvet Ribbon.
Coloring Medium: Watercoloring
Special Techniques: Basic Stamping, Watercoloring, Sponging, Masking, Paper Tole, Machine Stitching

"Smooth Sailing" Says It All

The second Sneak Peek Card that I've created using Clear Dollar Stamps "Smooth Sailing" was so much fun to make. It was based on another CDS Design Team Challenge: to create a card in blue and white. Well, that was easy enough I thought...especially with a nautical themed card. So, I reached for this luscious ship again (I know that I'm going to be inking this up often! LOL), and decided to use my new Basic Grey Marrakech designer papers, because there were some really pretty blues in the collection. Once I picked out the designer papers and had watercolored the main ship image, I decided to incorporate some "Ship Ropes" into the mix. I grabbed my trusty long-time friend, my Karen Foster Click-It Hole Punch tool and starting punching holes away! In went the pewter-colored eyelets, and in went the white colored "rope" twine and it all came together quickly! Don't you just love it, when that happens! "Smooth Sailing" releases tomorrow on May 1st! To see a complete illustration of what's included in the "Smooth Sailing" stamp set, click HERE. To see some fabulous other sneak peek samples of "Smooth Sailing" don't miss my design teammates' work: Candy Fosta, Kim Teasdale, Cassie Trask and Laurie Wilson.

Stamp Sets Used: Clear Dollar Stamps "Smooth Sailing"
Cardstock & Papers: Basic Grey Marrakech Paper Collection, Swarthmore Watercolor Paper, Paper Trey White Cardstock
Inkpads: Memento Tuxedo Black Ink, Stazon Black, Stampin' Up! Baja Breeze Ink
Accessories: Cuttlebug, Nestabilities Labels One Dies, Karen Foster Click-It Hole Punch, Derwent Watercolor Pencils, Yasutomo Waterbrush, Signo White Gel Pen, Adhesive, Stampin' Up! Dimensionals, Pewter Eyelets, Tsukineko Sponge Dauber, Nylon Twine.
Coloring Medium: Watercoloring
Special Techniques: Basic Stamping, Watercoloring

A Moonlit Park...

I'm excited to share with you, the second stamp set that we're previewing today at Clear Dollar Stamps. It is called "A Walk in the Park" and is the May 2009 SOM (Stamp of the Month) Stamp Set, available FREE with a $50.00 or more purchase of stamps at Clear Dollar Stamps, tomorrow on May 1st! When I received this darling stamp set, illustrated by our own CDS Design Team Coordinator, Laurie Wilson, I was just thrilled at all the possibilities! I couldn't wait to ink up that precious little park bench!! LOL

For this card, there was another CDS Design Team Challenge posed by Laurie, and that was to use a "flower with a ribbon, somehow". The word "flower" tipped off my whole card concept and I immediately grabbed another sheet of double-sided designer paper that had been sitting around, feeling neglected. It's called "Moonlight Kisses" by Heidi Grace. And as soon as I saw the name "Moonlight Kisses", it sort of kicked off the idea to create a "park in the moonlight" scene. I really enjoyed creating this little "Moonlight Scene" and hand-drew the little gate on the stone wall in the background. I created the moon by punching a piece of silver, glittered cardstock twice with a Marvy small circular punch and then added more "glitter" with some "Crystal" Stickles. To satisfy the "use a flower with a ribbon, somehow" challenge, I used a Karen Foster Blue Flower Button/Brad and attached it to the satin ribbon bow. To see a complete illustration of what's included in the May 2009 SOM "Walk in the Park" stamp set, click HERE. To see some fabulous other sneak peek samples of "Walk in the Park" don't miss my design teammates' work: Candy Fosta, Kim Teasdale and Laurie Wilson.

Stamp Sets Used: Clear Dollar Stamps "Walk in the Park" May 2009 SOM
Cardstock & Papers: Heidi Grace "Moonlight Kisses" Designer Paper Collection, Colormates Light Hawaiian Blue Cardstock, Paper Trey White Cardstock, Swarthmore Watercolor Paper
Inkpads: Adirondack Slate Ink, Stazon Black Ink, Stampin' Up! Brocade Blue & Garden Green Inks
Accessories: Cuttlebug, Nestabilities Labels Two Dies, Martha Stewart Lattice Border Punch, Marvy Hole Punch, Sewing Machine, Thread, Yasutomo Waterbrush, Derwent Watercolor Pencils, Micron Fine Tip Markers, Adhesive, Stampin' Up! Dimensionals, "Crystal" Stickles, Sakura Stardust Gel Pen, Offray Satin Ribbon, Karen Foster Button/Brad..
Coloring Medium: Watercoloring
Special Techniques: Basic Stamping, Machine Stitching

Just a "Walk in the Park"!

This is my other sample that I made for the May 2009 SOM (Stamp of the Month), "Walk in the Park" stamp set. I had this great designer paper sitting around for a month or two from the SEI "Bridgeport" Collection, and thought that it might make for a very Spring-y, park-type card. The photo doesn't show the texture of this lovely designer paper colllection, but both the polka-dotted bottom paper and the upper floral paper have raised design. When you rub your fingers over it, there is a definite "upper-relief" feel to it. I just love these papers, although they are a little bright...but then again, aren't I known for using bright colors? (Well, that's what I've heard! ; ) ...I was able to use my new Nestabilities dies for the main focal image on this card, and had fun enjoying the deckled rectangular shapes. To see a complete illustration of what's included in the May 2009 SOM "Walk in the Park" stamp set, click HERE. To see some fabulous other sneak peek samples of "Walk in the Park" don't miss my design teammates' work: Candy Fosta, Kim Teasdale and Laurie Wilson. This May 2009 SOM "Walk in the Park" stamp set is FREE by ordering $50.00 or more worth of stamps from Clear Dollar Stamps, and will be available tomorrow, May 1st!

Stamp Sets Used: Clear Dollar Stamps "Walk in the Park" May 2009 SOM, & Clear Dollar Stamps "What a Hoot" Stamp Sets
Cardstock & Papers: SEI "Bridgeport" Designer Paper Collection, Paper Trey White Cardstock
Inkpads: Adirondack Slate Ink, Vivid Raspberry Ink, Stampin' Up! Baja Breeze & Certainly Celery Inks
Accessories: Cuttlebug, Nestabilities Curved Rectangle Dies, Stampin' Up! Small & Large Oval Punches, Paper Piercing Tool, Tsukineko Sponge Dauber,Cloud Template, Sewing Machine, Thread, Adhesive, Zots, Stampin' Up! Dimensionals, We R Memory Keepers XLarge Eyelet, Sparkle Decorative Brad, American Crafts Ribbon..
Special Techniques: Basic Stamping, Sponging, Paper Piercing, Machine Stitching

Grace Nywening - Featured Stamper

Good Morning! As promised, I'm featuring one of the cards that were submitted this past weekend for our Clear Dollar Stamps' Weekend Color Challenge. As hostess, I chose the following colors for the challenge: Barely Banana, Baja Breeze, Green Galore with White, as an optional neutral. I've chosen this card made by Grace Nywening to feature today, because of it's fresh, clean and sweet look. Just like Grace! She is just the sweetest spirit in the stamping world and always such a great encourager, too. Grace used a fresh and crisp banana and white gingham check designer paper for her background, adding a sweet white reticulated, punched border with that very pretty twill Baja Breeze ribbon. Her focal point of her card, the great scripture, "" When we put our cares in His hands, He puts His peace in our hearts", is beautifully framed by her die cut, sponged mortice and complimented with her beautifully Prismacolored daisies, that she hand cut out so carefully. I just love the whole entire card...it makes me smile! Thank you Grace, for participating in the CDS Weekend Color Challenge, and as always, for being such a great encouragement to me as a stamper!

I hope that you'll return on Thursday, where I will be previewing two new Clear Dollar Stamps' stamp sets with two samples, each! See you then!!

CDS Sneak Peeks -- Day #1

Good morning! Today is Day 1 for Clear Dollar Stamps' May Sneak Peeks! Isn't that exciting? Well the stamp set that I'm sharing with you today is, just that! Exciting and Fun! It's called "Juicy Fun" and is a wonderfully fun and summery stamp set, which includes several fruit stamps: orange slices, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and great coordinating sentiments, as well. I have a lot of fun stamping with this set and for this particular card, I had some really cute strawberry designer paper that I knew I just had to use. When I first saw "Fruity Fun", I knew that I just had to ink up that strawberry as I had some really cute strawberry designer paper that would coordinate so well with it. I pictured a strawberry vine when began to come up with a concept for the design of this card, so I set out to create a "strawberry vine".

In the above close-up photo, you can see the vine more closely as well as the Judikins Diamond Glaze that I used on the strawberries to give them a smooth, sleek finish. All in all, I think that it turned out fairly well. The layout for this card was a "Sketch Challenge" posed for our CDS Design Team by our design team coordinator, Laurie Wilson. Laurie also asks the design team each month to create a card using background stamping, too. In other words, we are asked to create our own "designer paper" using stamps in the set. I created some "designer paper" with the strawberry stamp to coordinate with the Ki Memories "Juicy Summer" designer paper that I used. To see a complete illustration of what's included in the "Juicy Fun" stamp set, click HERE. To see some fabulous other sneak peek samples of "Fruity Fun" don't miss my design teammates' work: Candy Fosta, Katie Renz, Laurie Wilson and Tori Wild. "Juicy Fun" releases May 1st!

Stamp Sets Used: Clear Dollar Stamps "Fruity Fun" Stamp Set
Cardstock & Papers: K&Co. "Berry Pinks" Mat Pad, Ki Memories "Juicy Summer" Designer Paper, Paper Trey White Cardstock
Inkpads: Memento Tuxedo Black Ink, Stampin' Up! Regal Rose & Green Galore Inks
Accessories: Cuttlebug, Nestabilities Large Pinking Circles, Regular Circles, Regular Squares Dies, Cuttlebug "Swiss Dots" Embossing Folder, Martha Stewart Eyelet Border Punch, Sewing Machine, Thread, Stampin' Up! Mat Pack, Paper Piercing Tool, Martha Stewart Rose Leaf Punch, Adhesive, Stampin' Up! Dimensionals, Zots, Lime Green Jewelry Twine, JudiKins Diamond Glaze, Pebbles Gingham Ribbon, Karen Foster Click-It Hole Punch Kit, Karen Foster Button Brad
Special Techniques: Basic Stamping, Machine Stitching, Paper Piercing, Dry Embossing

This bright and fun card was made using the soon-to-be-released Clear Dollar Stamps Set, "Fruity Fun". I had this wonderful Ki Memories "Juicy Summer" designer paper that had this great orange, lemon, lime motif going on and I just had to ink up the citrus slices! The lime, lemon and orange natural colors became intensified and the basis for my color scheme on this card. I wanted to reflect "Cheery", "Fun", "Bright" and "Summer" in this card and with the help of the fab designer paper and my Cuttlebug, I think it works. It's hard to see in the photo but the citrus designer paper has a super shimmer to it, with a touch of sparkle. I know that you'll love playing with "Fruity Fun", as it has so many possibilities for design and use. To see a complete illustration of what's included in the "Juicy Fun" stamp set, click HERE. To see some fabulous other sneak peek samples of "Fruity Fun" don't miss my design teammates' work: Candy Fosta, Katie Renz, Laurie Wilson and Tori Wild. "Juicy Fun" releases May 1st!

I won't have any more CDS Sneak Peeks to share with you until Thursday, but CDS Design Team will have plenty to share with you on Tuesday and Wednesday! You can find all that information here on Lori McCroskey's blog, click HERE.

Stamp Sets Used: Clear Dollar Stamps "Fruity Fun" Stamp Set
Cardstock & Papers: Making Memories "Chloe's Closet", K&Co. "Sunset Oranges" Mat Pad, Ki Memories "Juicy Summer" Designer Paper, Paper Trey White Cardstock
Inkpads: Memento Tuxedo Black Ink, Stampin' Up! Only Orange, Apricot Appeal & Certainly Celery Inks
Accessories: Cuttlebug, Nestabilities Regular Circle & Scalloped Circle Dies, Cuttlebug "Swiss Dots" & "Dots & Circles" Embossing Folders, Sewing Machine, Thread, Adhesive, Stampin' Up! Dimensionals, Zots, Black Fine Tip Marker, American Crafts Ribbon, Offray Organza Ribbon, Doodlebug Buttons, Twine
Special Techniques: Basic Stamping, Machine Stitching, Paper Tole

Clear Dollar Stamps Weekend Color Challenge

Happy Friday Everyone!
I'm so glad that you're here this weekend and hope that you can play along because this is the last weekend that I will be hostessing the PCP Clear Dollar Stamps Weekend Color Challenge. It has been pure joy to be your hostess once a month since the PCP CDS WCC's inception. I have been amazed each time with all the amazing talent and creativity that is shared during this time. Thank you for making this "job" so much fun!

I would be remiss if I forgot to mention that another great opportunity has rolled around to be a Clear Dollar Stamps Guest Stamp Designer! The monthly Guest Designer Contest begins this Sunday, 4/26/09 and if f you're interested in entering the contest, visit Lori McCroskey's blog for more information, here.

Stamp Sets Used: Clear Dollar Stamps "Little Lamb"
Cardstock & Papers: Cloud 9 Design "Sunrise Smoothie" Designer Paper Collection, ColorMates Medium Terrific Teal Cardstock, Paper Trey White Cardstock
Inkpads: Tuxedo Memento Black
Accessories: Cuttlebug, Nestabilities Regular & Pinking Round Dies, Marvy Jumbo Circle Punch, Fiskars Paper Shaper Pinking Scissors, Cuttlebug "Spots and Dots" Embossing Folder, Sewing Machine, Thread, Adhesives, Zots, Stampin' Up! Dimensionals, Computer-Generated Sentiment, Copic Sketch Markers; BG000 Pale Aqua, YG03 Yellow Green, YG67 Moss, E02 Fruit Pink, C1 & C3 Cool Greys Doodlebug Buttons, Stampin' Up! Twine, "Bobbin" Satin Ribbon, K&Co. Adhesive "Gems".
Special Techniques: Basic Stamping, Dry Embossing, Copic Coloring & Blending & Machine Stitching

A Very Special Day!

Good Morning! Today, is a very special day...it's my sister's birthday! So, I'm sharing the card that I made for Dianne's birthday. I had made Laurie Wilson, our CDS Design Team Coordinator a birthday card using another A Muse "Elzybells" stamp, and Dianne just loved the "Elzybells". So, I had to grab another "Elzybells" stamp to create her card. I chose this one called "Hugs", because it reminded me of us. Awww! Dianne is the blonde and I'm the brunette (although it looks like I'm losing my hair, which I'm known to do with this menopause! LOL).

I used the Nestabilities' largest square scalloped die to cut the front and back and cut another piece of matching white cardstock to 3.5" wide x 7" high, gluing that to the outer scalloped front and back panels. Some of Dianne's favorite colors to wear are red and green (not necessarily together) and that's why I chose this cute "Twitterpattered" Designer Paper Collection as the basis for the color scheme. I'm in love with that Martha Stewart dot/eyelet border punch! Can't you tell? I'm reaching for it incessantly! LOL I've posted a photo of the stamped interior of the card above, as well.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DIANNE! I hope that your day is filled with much joy and blessing! I love you!

Stamp Sets Used: A Muse "Elzybells - Hugs" Main Image and Sentiment & Clear Dollar Stamps "Moose Friends" Stamp Set
Cardstock & Papers: Imaginesce "Twitterpattered - Lady Bug Ball" Designer Paper Collection, Paper Trey White Cardstock
Inkpads: Memento Tuxedo Black Ink, Stampin' Up! Bashful Blue Ink
Accessories: Cuttlebug, Nestabilities Regular & Scalloped Square Dies, Martha Stewart Dot/Eyelet Border Punch, Karen Foster Click-It Hole Punch, Paper Piercing Tool, Sewing Machine, Thread, Adhesives, Stampin' Up! Dimensionals, Pebbles Ribbon, Karen Foster Button/Brad. Copic Sketch Markers; RV23 Pure Pink, RV29 Crimson, Y21 Buttercup Yellow, Y26 Mustard, YR24 Pale Sepia, YG63 Pea Green, YG67 Moss, G82 Spring Dim Green, E25 Caribe Cocoa, G31 Brick Beige, Signo White Gel Pen, Cloud Template, Tsukineko Sponge Dauber.
Techniques: Basic Stamping, Masking, Sponging, Paper Piercing, Machine Stitching. Copic Coloring & Blending.

Time for the CDS Weekend Color Challenge!

It's Friday! Do you know what that means? It's time for the Clear Dollar Stamps Weekend Color Challenge over on Paper Craft Planet! Monique Hawrelluk is hosting this weekend and she has some fabulous colors to design with: Pink Pirhouette, Cameo Coral, Kiwi Kiss, and Sahara Sand with White as an optional neutral. Monqiue chose these colors from this inspiration piece: http://d.yimg.com/kq/groups/22438362/sn/1163432289/name/0406_msl_gts_xl.jpg

Well, I didn't have any Sahara Sand paper or ink, so that was out! LOL I didn't have any Cameo Coral, Pink Pirhouette or Kiwi Kiss for that matter! Believe it or not, I think that they are the ONLY Stampin' Up! colors that I don't have! Go figure!! Anyway, I whipped up this little birthday card using colors as close as I could come. The shelf that the plants are sitting on was stamped in Adirondack Slate Ink which is not so inky anymore. But for being so color-challenged physically, all-in-all it worked out alright, I'm thinking. I hope that you'll join Monique and play along this weekend. The challenge begins Friday afternoon and you have all weekend through Sunday evening at 9:00 pm EST to upload your card submission. And, Monique will chose one card submission to feature on her blog next Monday. Now, that's cool! Details for the challenge, click here.

Stamp Sets Used: Clear Dollar Stamps "Designer Garden" & "Kitchen Clutter" (Sentiment)
Cardstock & Papers: Colormates Light Orange Dream & Light Pretty Pink Cardstock, Paper Trey White Cardstock
Inkpads: Memento Tuxedo Black Ink, Stampin' Up! Certainly Celery, Mellow Moss, Pretty in Pink, Apricot Appeal, Adirondack Slate Inks
Accessories: Cuttlebug, Nestabilities Curved Rectangles, Scor-Pal, Martha Stewart Doily Border Punch, Paper Piercing Tool, Adhesive, Stampin' Up! Dimensionals, KaiserCraft Self-Adhesive "Mango" Pearls, Offray Satin Ribbon.
Techniques: Basic Stamping, Paper Piercing & Scoring.

Fun with Bees!

Good morning! I hope that you had a great Easter weekend. We sure did! I had some time to make a few cards besides my Clear Dollar Stamps May Sneak Peeks this weekend, and have several birthday cards to make for April. Which is what I'm sharing today...one of the April birthday cards that will go out this month to a friend.

I hadn't inked up these Stampendous bees for a very long time, so I had an idea for a layout and color scheme when I grabbed the stamp. I used my Scor-Pal to create the lattice-scoring on the bottom half of the card. It really gives it great texture along with the Cuttlebugged "Dots & Spots" Embossing Folder that I used on the upper half of the card. I wanted to create a clean, crisp and cutie pie type card. Here's the deets:

Stamp Sets Used: Stampendous "Bee Happy" Stamp Collection
Cardstock & Papers: K&Co. Remake "Berry Pinks" Mat Pad, Colormates Cardstock, Paper Trey White Cardstock
Inkpads: Memento Black Ink
Accessories: Cuttlebug, Nestabilities Regular & Scalloped Oval Dies, Cuttlebug "Spots & Dots" Embossing Folder, Scor-Pal, Stampin' Up! Slot Punch, Karen Foster Click-It Hole Punch, Adhesives, Stampin' Up! Dimensionals, Making Memories "Button" Brads, Offray Satin Ribbon. Copic Sketch Markers: Y15 Cadmium Yellow, YG03 Yellow Green, RV23 Pure Pink
Coloring Medium: Watercoloring
Special Techniques: Basic Stamping, Dry Embossing, Scoring, Paper Tole

He Lives! He is Risen, Indeed!

Good Easter morning to you! I have some bad news and some good news to share...The bad news is that I don't have a card to share with you today, as promised earlier in the week..instead, will post a new one tomorrow, and that's a real promise! LOL The good news is that we have a Risen Savior, who's in the world today! I'm sharing a few photos of my Easter Sunrise Service experience this morning. Above, is me in my brown tweed, "wool blanket" coat and sherpa hat and gloves as I trek down our boardwalk on the bay toward the Easter Sunrise Service gathering. Tom loves to take unflattering photos of me ALL the time, and this one is no exception. But, if you can look past the overweight, middle-aged lady on the boardwalk and enjoy the view...you'll enjoy the photo! LOL

This is the "Bayou Hotel" in Havre de Grace on the boardwalk. It was once an upscale, busy hotel in the 1930's, 1940's, 1950's and 1960's. It has since been converted to private condo living and the architecture is a beautiful companion to the boardwalk landscape. Tom's Aunt Mildred lives in one of the condos, now. And before I forget I want to give all photo credit to my husband, Tom Borneman.

This view is from the boardwalk looking Eastward toward another bay town nearby. The tide was low and "out" this morning, but just look at the gorgeous sunrise that the Lord God blessed us with this Easter morn!

HE LIVES!

I serve a risen Saviour,
He's in the world today;
I know that He is living,
Whatever men may say;
I see His hand of mercy,
I hear His voice of cheer,
And just the time I need Him
He's always near.

He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and He talks with me
Along life's narrow way.
He lives, He lives, salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know He lives:
He lives within my heart!

"Elzybells" for Laurie

Good Morning! I wanted to share a card that I made for my friend, Laurie Wilson's birthday. Laurie is our Clear Dollar Stamps Design Team Coordinator, and she wears many hats and we are so blessed to have her coordinate us! LOL

I haven't used my A Muse "Elzybells" stamps in forever, so I decided to make Laurie's birthday card with them. I had also picked up these fairly new designer papers called "Chloe's Closet" from Making Memories and wanted to use them, and they just seemed to coordinate well with the "Elzybells Flower Girl" stamp. I had to color the girl's hair blonde to go with the designer papers, but Laurie has brown hair...but being a stamper, she understands! : )

I should have a new card to share with you toward the end of the week or this weekend. Thanks for visiting!

Here's the recipe:
Stamp Sets Used: A Muse "Elzybells Flower Girl" & "Happy Birthday" Sentiment
Cardstock & Papers: Making Memories Chloe's Closet Designer Paper Collection, Paper Trey White Cardstock
Inkpads: Memento Tuxedo Black Ink, Stampin' Up! Bashful Blue
Markers: Copic Sketch Markers: Y15 Cadmium Yellow, Y21 Buttercup Yellow, Y26 Mustard, B32 Pale Blue, RV13 Tender Pink, YG02 Yellow Green, YG63 Pea Green, YG67 Moss
Accessories: Cuttlebug, Nestabilities Regular & Scalloped Oval Dies, Marvy Giga Scalloped Oval Punch, Martha Stewart Eyelet Border Punch, Nestabilities Tags Trio Die, Sewing Machine, Thread, Paper Piercing Tool, Adhesives, Stampin' Up! Dimensionals, Zots, Tsukineko Sponge Dauber, Michael's Grosgrain Ribbon, Ki "Juicy Summer" Softie Rubber Embellishment, Hero Arts Self-Adhesive Rhinestone
Special Techniques: Basic Stamping, Sponging, Masking, Machine Stitching, Paper Piercing

Simple, Clean & Fresh Design

Good Morning! April is a big month for birthdays in my circle of friends and family, so I wanted to get a head start on some birthday cards. I just recently received these two Paper Trey stamp sets, "Birds of a Feather" (an Easter Basket gift from my friend, Traci Major), and "Out on a Limb, Revised" and couldn't wait to ink them up. The stamps sets are beautifully simplistic in design yet so versatile and endless design possibilities abound! I wanted to create a clean, uncluttered, crisp looking card for this birthday, so I opted for a white scored and Cuttelbugged-embossed background. It all came together rather quickly yet, it has enough details to not appear "plain". By the way, I think that these two stamp sets are going to be well-inked and often!


Stamp Sets Used: Paper Trey "Birds of a Feather" & "Out on a Limb, Revised"
Cardstock & Papers: ColorMates Light Merri-Gold & Light Spring Green Cardstock, Paper Trey White Cardstock
Inkpads: Memento Tuxedo Black & Rich Cocoa Inks, Stampin' Up! So Saffron & Mellow Moss Inks
Accessories: Cuttlebug, Cuttlebug "Swiss Dots" Embossing Folder, Nestabilities Regular & Scalloped Oval Dies, Martha Stewart Eyelet Border Punch, Scor-Pal, Paper Piercing Tool, Adhesives, Zots, Scotch Pop-Up Foam Squares, Doodlebug Buttons, Gold Elastic Cord
Special Techniques: Basic Stamping, Dry Embossing, Paper Piercing

A change in my blog features...

I have made a decision that has been a difficult one, and it involves how I "approach" my blogging. With Springtime now here, and the demands of yard work and flower gardening, not to mention designing for Clear Dollar Stamps, I have decided, staring today, April 1st, that I will no longer be offering such long, descriptive directions on each card design.

I know that there are a handful of people who enjoy reading the long, drawn-out descriptions, but quite frankly, I think that they might be a minority. So, with time being a factor, I will only be posting the "recipe" or materials used to make the card. If a blog reader is really interested in how a particular part of he card or even the whole card itself is made, they are welcome to leave a comment with an email address, and I will be in touch. I hope that this does not disappoint too much, but feel that the change was necessary to this season in my life.

CDS Weekend Color Challenge Featured Stamper - Stéphanie Bonniot

You're viewing the adorable piggy card that Stéphanie Bonniot, one of our CDS Weekend Color Challenge participants submitted for our "Monochromatic Card". I hostessed this past weekend and challenged everyone with making a "Monochromatic Card" -- the colors were the cardmaker's choice. There were SO many beautiful cards to chose from to feature on my blog today, but I decided to go with Stéphanie's card because, quite simply, I was in a "cute card mode"...and how cute can you get with this? I love how she used her patterned paper and how it is so cleanly balanced in the layout. Her sweetly scalloped image mats are the perfect compliment to the beautifully colored piggy. And! I love how Stéphanie knows when it time to leave "well enough alone"...by that, I mean, she is not a "clutter stamper"...she embellishes with taste, balance and style. Love the simple pearls and pretty ribbon. The end result? One clean, beautifully-executed sweet card! As far as I know, Stéphanie (did you know that she is from France?), does not have a blog at this time, but you can find her work on Paper Craft Planet, and I know you'll enjoy viewing it. Great artwork, Stéph!

A CDS Design Team Announcement

Good Morning! I got up a little late this morning (Grrrr!), but wanted to post an exciting announcement about our Clear Dollar Stamps Design Team. We have enlisted the help of two brand new designers to the team: Cassie Trask and Angela Thomas. Cassie, has been a regular participant in our Weekend Color Challenges over on Paper Craft Planet, and brings a new, fresh & clean style to the team. Angela, is a close friend of our own Kim Teasdale, and brings a pretty, elegant style in design. I am happy to welcome Cassie and Angela and look forward to working with them.

Equally, I am saddened at the news that my fellow design team member, and friend, Monique Hawrelluk will not be continuing on with the team. Monique has some pokers in another fire, as they say, and I wish her much luck and will miss her on the team, very much. But, please continue to follow Monique, as I will keep her blog link on my lower right sidebar. Stay close, friend!