Mother's Little Helper

Hello, My Love, I Heard a Kiss From You...

As I've told you many, many, countless times, often while I'm creating a card, a song plays on repeat in my mind. This time, it was a great pleasure: Strawberry Letter 23 by the Brothers Johnson. Here's a refresher, in case you've forgotten or have the misfortune to have never been exposed to this sublime sound from the seventies ('77, to be exact):

Aaah... Do you not feel particularly funky and fresh after watching/listening to that? I know I do. The impetus for my card was not actually this song, but this month's Design Team Dare from Your Next Stamp, the theme of which is Summer Fun.  What reminds me of summer?

STRAWBERRIES! My family are a bunch of strawberry-eatin' fools at this time of year. Truly. We add 'em to our daily protein shakes, cottage cheese, yogurt, and eat them on their own. Nom nom nom!

I was having dog difficulties (I'll save those for another post) when the actual DT Dare took place last week, but I jerry-rigged the guts of that card to fit the current Mojo Monday sketch, like so:

Mmm, mmm, good!  For the image panel, I stamped and masked, then stamped and masked some more, the strawberry image from YNS's Fruity Fun stamp set onto Strathmore Bristol paper. Then, for the first time, I used my new Zig Clean Color Markers (everybody's been raving about them, so I had to give them a shot, too). They're super bright watercolor markers, and very fun to work with. I added "seeds" to the berries by first making an outline with a white colored pencil, then adding a line of glue and Light Gold Opaque Art Glitter (by Barbara Trombley). Here's a closer look:

The sentiment is from YNS's Woodland Cuties stamp set, and the strawberry patterned paper is from Doodlebug Design's Fruit Stand 6"x6" pad.  Because it's Tall & Skinny week for Mojo Monday, this card measures 3.5" x 5.5", and I have to say, I'm loving this size.  A bit smaller canvas, but still fits into a regular A4 envelope. Yay!

Head on over to the Mojo Monday Blog for all the details re: how to participate in this week's challenge, and then visit these crafty folks for more inspiration.

• Julee Tilman (Owner)
• Justin Krieger
• Lori Tecler
• Marisa Ritzen
• Mary Fish
• Sarah Bigelow
• Teresa Kline
• Wanda Cullen

 Stay as cool as the Bros. Johnson, peeps.

April YNS Design Team Dare

Hello, friends!  It's time for Your Next Stamp's monthly DT Dare, and for April, we're challenged to create a feminine card. Yes, we were let off easy, and I am not complaining. Here's what I came up with, using the new Fun With Squares die set and sentiments from the Word Critters Spring Birds stamp set.

I am not a quilter, but I have several friends and family members who are.  The time and effort put into creating a quilt is a labor of love, thus love is literally in the air when you see one hanging on a clothes line. Am I right?

Ready to see what the rest of DT made for this month's dare? Then head over to the YNS Blog and check 'em out. Leave a comment there, and you'll have the chance to win the YNS stamp set of your choice. 

Okay, peeps.  Gotta get back to binge watching Unbreakable Kimmie Schmidt on Netflix with Carter.  Pretty sure that theme song is my new favorite...

 

YNS March DT Dare: Stripes and/or Polka Dots

Hallo Freunde! It's time for another YNS DT Dare, in which all of the Your Next Stamp designers are challenged to use stamps and dies from the latest release in a particular way; this month's challenge is utilize stripes and/or polka dots. 

Here's what I came up with, using the new EASTER GOODIES dies and EASTER GOODIES SENTIMENTS stamp set:

Polka-dotted carrots are even better for your eyes than regular carrots, you know. That's a fact. And yes, there are exactly 24 of them on this card. Count for yourself in this straightforward view:

There are two carrots in the die set, so I had to run the dies through both the Green Galore card stock and patterned paper (from Doodlebug Design's Kraft in Color - Color 6"x6" pad) in the machine a dozen times.  It's okay - you're worth slaving over a hot Vagabond for. :)

I think I'm going to do something wild & crazy and actually send this out in the mail TOMORROW. Have you ever heard of such a thing? There's an excellent article I recently read in Texas Monthly (which is a fabulous magazine, by the way, and I say that as one who holds no particular love in her heart for the Lone Star State) that I've been wanting to send to a friend (it's called Man on Fire and is about the self-immolation of a Methodist pastor). I could just send her the link (the article is there in full, if you're interested), but I think receiving it in the mail with a card is a lot more fun, don't you?

I've got the envelope ready and waiting.  This little baby will tuck in there nicely, despite the fact that it's 5.5" square.

Head on over to the YNS Blog to see how the rest of the YNS designers met this month's challenge. I'm sure you'll be happy you did.  Thanks for stopping by to see me today!

Top Dogs! (YNS DT Dare)

Did you know my two rescue girlies, Sweet Pea and Daisy, are famous?  It's true.  They were even featured in the national higher education newspaper of record (kinda like the New York Times of colleges and universities), The Chronicle of Higher Education.  The Chronicle of Higher Ed did a feature last month about dogs on college campus, and my sweet puppy gals made the cut. It's kind of funny -- the article (click here if you want to read the whole thing) discusses how they escaped our back yard right before my husband was to speak for the first time before the faculty and staff and had to go search for them.  Here's the photo from article, which I absolutely love: 

It's no surprise, then, when I saw the new LOVE AND SMILES stamp set from Your Next Stamp that I discovered the perfect image for my hubby's Valentine.  And when Thanh challenged the YNS Design Team to create a CAS (Clean and Simple) card using red and white, I had the opportunity to get it done, pronto.  Check it out:

When I was creating my card, for some reason I had it in my head that the challenge was red, black and white, but D'oh!  I was wrong on the black.  Still, it's a neutral color, no?  I'm off the hook, right?  That's how I'm rationalizing my goof, anyway. 

So back to the card.  First, I stamped out Daisy (you can tell which one she is because she has the brown patch around her eye), then masked her.  Next, I stamped out Sweet Pea "behind" but in front of Daisy, because she's a little faster and the leader of the two when it comes to roaming around.  Left up to her own devices, Daisy just comes to the front porch and waits for someone to let her in (good dog!).  The girlies and their balloons were colored with Copic markers, then fussy-cut out. 

Ready to see what how the rest of the YNS DT interpreted this month's challenge?  Then head on over to the YNS Blog for pictures and links to all of the talented participating designers. 

Have a great weekend, and come back and visit me first thing Monday a.m. when I'll have a fresh Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge to share with you.  XOXOXO

Supplies Used:

Stamps: Love and Smiles (YNS); Dies: Spring/Summer Scene Die Set, Whatnot Seasons Die Set (YNS); Paper: Neenah Solar White, Copic X-Press, Red Hot (MFT), True Black (SU!), patterned paper from Doodlebug Designs Frosty Friends 6"x6" pad; Ink: Momento Tuxedo Black; Accessories: Copic Markers, Corner Chomper (1/4"), Chevron Embossing Folder (Lifestyle Crafts), Jody's Foam Boosters, Signo White Pen

YNS DT Dare - December

So, I'm told that each month, the YNS design team members are dared to use something from the new release goodies AFTER the release has been made available to the public.  That sound pretty good to me, as I always have more than one idea swirling per set.  The quickest to get executed is usually the one that makes my sneak peek or blog post, but that doesn't meant there aren't other creative concepts I'm itching to scratch with a particular new set.

Take the new LOVESTRUCK set, for example.  I'm still dying to play with that cute Cupid and that cray-cray excited valentine, but I'm also a sucker for conversation hearts.  Thus, for this particular dare? Conversation hearts it is!  Take a look-see...

And, at a tilt, for you hipsters in the hizzy...

Lots of fussy cutting and popping the hearts up on foam boosters, but I like the sweet simplicity and repeated patterning.  Fun & festive!

Ready to see how the rest of the YNS DT interpreted this dare?  Then head on over to the YNS blog for a look-see and a chance to win a YNS stamp set of your choice.  I know they have some sweet treats to share with you.  Enjoy!