I Brake for Stamps - FIRST BLOG HOP!!!

Welcome to the first ever I Brake For Stamps Blog Hop!! Today, we are hopping in honor of a BRAND NEW release from Rick St. Dennis. These Rick St. Dennis Exclusive stamps are now available in the I Brake For Stamps store!

If you haven’t started the hop from the I Brake For Stamps blog, you’re going to want to do so. We are offering a $15 IBFS Gift Certificate to a random hopper. In order to qualify, you must leave a comment on each designer’s blog including the IBFS blog. Tell us which bear is your favorite AND anything else that might make our crafty hearts smile.

You’ll also have your chance at winning a bear of your choice when you participate in the current challenge over on the IBFS Challenge Blog. Our current challenge is Fancy Fold cards. Please see the Challenge Blog for all of the details.

Are you ready to see some adorable Winter Bears?? Let's start off with this sweet little Snowman Bear:

You should have heard me squealing when I saw that cute little snowman in the shape of a bear! Eeeeeeeeee! I just fell in love with this stamp! I colored this with Copic markers and used the Curled Corner technique (Technique Junkies). Some snowflakes and sheer silver ribbon were added to balance the card.

My second card is this darling little Skating Girl Bear:

She's so cute and so girly with that ruffled skirt and the bow on her head. I colored her with Copic markers and I used the Out of the Box technique (Technique Junkies).

You can order these brand new stamps from I Brake for Stamps today. Save 10% off your order by using this code - SAVE10HOLLY - when you check out. This code is good for your entire order including stamps, inks, papers, and Creative Inspirations Paints.

The Design Team has been joined by some very talented guest designers for this inaugural IBFS blog hop. You'll probably recognize this next lady as one that I've had the pleasure to be on several design teams with over the years. Please hop on over to Kristine Reynold's blog to see what she is going to share with you today. Enjoy!

IBFCC #17 - Fun or Fancy Fold challenge

It's time for another challenge over on the I Brake for Challenges blog, and today we are having fun with Fun or Fancy Fold projects.

I was inspired by the blue background paper that I used here. It reminded me of the beautiful Delft plates that my mother collects. I used this sweet scene from the Rare Image Garden Sheet (I Brake for Stamps) and stamped it in blue. I sponged the edges with some Antique Linen distress ink to give it an aged appearance.

You're wondering what the "fancy fold" part of my card is, aren't you? I used the Double Gatefold Card technique (Technique Junkies), and you can see how this card opens in this picture below:

The sentiment inside is also from the Rare Image Garden Sheet. I love the way this card opens up - so unexpected. :-)

Check out what the other Design Team members created over on the I Brake for Challenges blog. We'd love to have you play along!

You can order this stamp sheet and the Antique Linen distress ink from I Brake for Stamps. Save 10% off your order by using this code - SAVE10HOLLY. This code is good for your entire order, including stamps, inks, 6x6 paper packs, flowers, and Creative Inspirations Paints. Happy shopping!


Stamps: Rare Image Garden Sheet - I Brake for Stamps
Ink: Marina Mist, Antique Linen distress ink (my FAVORITE)
CS: White, Marina Mist
Other: sponge
TJ Technique: Double Gatefold Card (Fancy Folds & Motion Paper Crafts cd)

Love Scones

Have you seen the new rubber over in the I Brake for Stamps store? This Basket of Heart Scones is one of the newest ones, just in time for Valentine's Day. I had so much fun coloring this one with Copic markers in pastel tones.

I used the Wisped Frames technique (from Technique Junkies) for a soft pinkish hue on the image after I colored it. The sentiment comes from the MS102 Full Plate - a wonderful source of sentiments for Valentine's Day, anniversaries, weddings, and general love cards.

Valentine's Day will be here in less than a month. You can save 10% by using this code - SAVE10HOLLY - when you order this Basket of Heart Scones and the MS102 Full Plate love sentiments sheet. This code is also good for everything else in the store - stamps, 6x6 paper, flowers, and Creative Inspirations Paint. Have fun shopping!

Sneak Peek - Rogue Redhead Designs

Happy Monday, folks! I have some exciting news for you today. I have joined the Design Team for Rogue Redhead Designs!!! They have some wonderful stamps that appeal to a wide variety of tastes, from eclectic and vintage to fun and funky. It's a great mix of styles, and this sneak peek shows off a couple of stamps from one of the new sheets that will be released on January 25th.

I've used the Antique Glimmers technique from Technique Junkies in the background and I colored that sweet little flower to match. Since the sentiment says "Sorry," I wanted to keep the card appropriately low-key. Both the flower and the sentiment are from a new sheet called Just Sayin'. It will be available at Rogue Redhead Designs on January 25th.

Come on back here this weekend for another sneak peek. The next one is a wild departure from this low-key card! :-)

Stampin' Companion blog hop

Welcome to the Stampin' Companion blog hop! If you have arrived here from Hetty's blog, you are on the right track. If not, please start at the Technique Junkies blog so you don't miss any of the wonderful inspiration that we are sharing today.

As you may have heard, Technique Junkie Newsletter has just released a brand new CD: Stampin' Companion: 70 Tutorials exclusively using Stampin' Up! products. Every tutorial uses ONLY Stampin' Up! products, from the trimmers to the stamps and everything in-between. It is only $17.95 (US and Canada) ($19.95 for overseas addresses). If you are a Stampin' Up! demo, this CD is a great resource for workshop and stamp camp ideas. If you are a technique junkie like me, you will love the great techniques and artwork on this CD.

Are you curious to see what the tutorials look like? You can check out the FREE tutorial of the Blended Marker Technique by clicking on this link: http://www.techniquejunkies.com/blended-markers.pdf

For my project, I combined two of the new techniques: Faux Quilted Diamonds and Disassembled Jumbo Wheels. I love that gorgeous quilted background. The sentiment is from the Friendly Words Jumbo Wheel. How did I stamp that without the rest of the wheel surrounding it? It is easy to do when you follow the Disassembled Jumbo Wheels tutorial.

A list of all 70 tutorials is on the Stampin' Companion page. The CD will begin shipping on Friday, January 13. To order this fabulous CD, go to the Stampin' Companion Page, or click on the "Buy Now" button below:

Location

United States $17.95 USD Canada $17.95 USD Overseas $19.95 USD

Are you ready to see more eye candy? Please hop on over to Jane Bosi's blog - you're in for a wonderful treat!


Stamps: Friendly Words Jumbo Wheel (Stampin' Up)
Ink: Baja Breeze
Cardstock: Baja Breeze, Whisper White, Crumb Cake
Accessories: Crumb Cake seam binding ribbon, Basic Pearls

Old Friends and Treasures

This will be a fun card to give to an old friend. The purses are created using various punched shapes and silver pearls, and I stamped this beautiful sentiment from this Victorian Lady plate (MS81 Full Plate from I Brake for Stamps). I used some Faux Stitching (Technique Junkies) around the edges - y'all know I don't sew. LOL!

I'm keeping this short and sweet today. Life has been crazy - it's always hard to get back into a schedule after Christmas and the New Year's Day holidays. If you are in the mood to go shopping, please use my personal code - SAVE10HOLLY - to save 10% off your order at I Brake for Stamps. You can use this for your entire order, including stamps, flowers, 6x6 paper pads, and Creative Inspirations Paints.

Come on back tomorrow to see what I've created for a special Stampin Up ONLY blog hop! We've got some great techniques and awesome SU artwork to share with you.

IBFCC #16 - CAS

Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!! We are back with new challenges on the I Brake for Challenges blog, and today we are easing back into challenge mode with a CAS (clean and simple) project.

I pulled out this Bird Houses set (btw - it's on sale!) and inked up this cute birdhouse with the birds flying around. I went with some bright colors and I used the Embossed Image technique from Technique Junkies. You can see the woodgrain embossing folder that I used if you look closely at the image.

There's no flourishes or flowers or buttons on this card today. Just a simply tied ribbon is all I used for this CAS card. Head on over to the I Brake for Challenges blog to see what my fellow team-mates came up with. Hopefully we've inspired you to create your own CAS project, and we've love to see what you've come up with. Share your creation for a chance to win some free rubber from I Brake for Stamps! :-)

Stamps: Bird Houses Set (I Brake for Stamps - use this code SAVE10HOLLY to save 10% off your order)
Ink: Tuxedo Black Memento
CS: Olive, Limeade, white, Melon Mambo dp, Olive dp
Other: circle dies, woodgrain embossing folder, Melon Mambo ribbon, Copic markers
TJ Technique: Embossed Image