Handmade Happiness!

Front view

Over the years some of my favorite gifts from friends and family have been handmade.  Those are the gifts that have come from their heart and shaped with love by their hands.  When a friend or loved one takes the time to create something special for me, I'm certainly going to appreciate their efforts!  Nowadays it seems that most people are in a rush to get from point A to point B, there's sports practices and games, dance, orchestra, scouts, church, work, and tons of other reasons we don't have time to get crafty and creative.  Today, I hope you will find some projects that inspire you to take that much needed time-out and create some handmade happiness for yourself or someone you love.  I've created a candle holder that is so simple to re-create, I hope it will inspire you to give it a try yourself.

I took a transparency (acetate) and using my VersaMark ink pad, I stamped the Stampendous Jumbo Cling Dahlia, I covered it with Stampendous Detail Gold Embossing Powder and heat embossed the acetate.  Once it cooled I cut the flower out, flipped it over and colored the backside with my Copic markers. I adhered the flower to the glass with Zip Dry. When the candle burns down, the light glows through the flower!  I took the swirl that comes with the stamp and did the same process twice with the VersaMark pad, powder, heating, cutting it out and adhering it to the glass with Zip Dry.  Just no coloring this time!

Other side view

Side view

                                                       

Back view

I love how this came out and I love the way the light shines through the flower.  I wish you could see it in person!  So, how about some handmade happiness in your day!?  Be sure to hop along with my teammates for more inspiration.  Here's the complete list:

Cyndi Bundy

Janelle Stollfus

Krissy Fossmeyer

Kristine Reynolds

Melinda Gleissner

Pam Hornschu

Tenia Nelson

Wendy Jordan

Wendy Price

Jennifer Ingle (Jingle)

Lea Kimmel

AND don't forget our Saturday Challenge continues - We're sharing embossing techniques all month! Here's what we've been working on (most recent inspiration first):

Melinda Gleissner	Kristine Reynolds	Melinda Gleissner	Kristine Reynolds
Rhea Weigand	Jan Garber	Kristine Reynolds	Taylor Usry
Cyndi Bundy	Lea Kimmel	Taylor Usry	Tenia Nelson
Melinda Gleissner	Asia King

InLinkz.com

You can link your creations here until Thursday, October 4th -

Hugs,
Lea

Hey Friend!

How now, cute cow!  So it's September and that means a new month of challenges for Stampendous.  This months challenge is embossing.  There's a few ways to emboss but my favorite is with embossing powders and enamels.  I love doing the Encrusted Jewel technique which involves mixing powders and glitters and micas, oh my!  What's your favorite technique?  Create a project that uses your favorite type of embossing and link it to Stampendous for a chance to win using the link button down below.  You can get all the details here.   Okay, so on to my card!

I used Cowlik Butterfly as my main image with Happy Messages as my sentiment.  I stamped my image with black ink and colored it with Copic markers.  I cut and matted my image on a piece of red Bazzill.  Next I created my card base with red Bazzill and cut a piece of my Reminisce cow print paper to fit as a background.  I cut a thin strip of the same paper for the "moos" on the other side and layered the three pieces together.  I added my May Arts ribbon and went down the middle of the ribbon with a piece of Timeless Twine in black and white.  I then stamped my sentiment with a VersaMark pad and using red embossing powder, I embossed my sentiment, cut and layered it on just a skinny mat of red.  Using pop dots I added my matted image and my matted sentiment.  A cute and fast card to create!  Easy peasy!

Here's another view of the image and the embossed sentiment:

So that's it for today!  I do hope you will play along with our challenge this month and I'm going to post lots of cards using the amazing embossing powders Stampendous has.  Thanks for stopping by!  See you soon!

Hugs,

Lea

Every Day I'm a Wobblin'!

Every day this week the Stampendous Design Team and Action Wobbles Design Team has been wobblin'!  No, we haven't been over-eating and wobblin' out the restaurant door, we've been creating adorable cards for your viewing pleasure with Action Wobbles!  Today I've created a card using the Cling Hula Kiddo stamp from Stampendous and she's hula dancing thanks to the Action Wobbles spring attached to the back side of her head.  Here's the front and a side view of my card:

I created my card with a base of Bazzill and the floral patterned paper from Bo Bunny.  I added a strip of complimentary Bo Bunny paper with a fringe I made using "honey pop" paper.  I added a blue wave cut from Bazzill with a Memory Box die, as well as, a few clouds I cut from Neenah paper, also with a Memory Box die.  As you can see, I stamped my image twice, one I left on the paper I stamped her on, the other I cut out and layered her on with the Action Wobble.  Did I tell you they are sticky on both ends of the spring?  No, well, they are!  She's layered on a Bella Blvd. itty bitty polka dot paper.  I have to say, I absolutely love how this card came out!  Here's a short video clip that shows how cute she is when she "wobbles."

  

We're going to be giving away:



6 Action Wobbles Springs and



CRV265 Cling Hula Kiddo To one lucky Blog Hopper! AND



6 Action Wobbles Springs  and


CRW076 Tree Trim Kiddos to a second lucky Blog Hopper!! (because we want to see that top Kiddo wobbling with that star!) How can you win? Comment on the blogs below! At the end of the weekend (yes, you have until Sunday night) we'll choose two of the blogs below at random. They will then choose a random winner and we'll notify you here! Here's who is playing today:

Stampendous Impressions Blog

Action Wobbles Blog

April Derrick

Cyndi Bundy

Mary

Jan Garber

Janelle Stollfus

Kate

Jennifer Ingle

Krissy Fossmeyer

Julie

Kristine Reynolds

Lea Kimmel

Sherri

Melinda Gleissner

Pam Hornschu

Theresa

Stephanie Lee

Susie Moore

Jenny

Suzanne Czosek

Taylor Usry

Janis

Tenia Nelson

Wendy Jordan

Tricia

Wendy Price

Tobi Crawford

Monica

Heather

Midge

Missed the beginning of our week of wobbles??? Check them out here - MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY

I hope you've enjoyed hopping today!  I've had a wonderful time playing along this week.  Be sure to comment, as you might just win.  You won't win anything if you don't comment!  Also, I just want to take a moment to say how much I appreciate your kind words in my comment section.  It means a great deal to me!

Hugs,
Lea

Just a Wobblin'

Who is Wobbling today?   I am!  Well, I personally am not wobbling but my card is!  How, you might wonder?  Simple.  Create an adorable card and add an Action Wobbles spring to it so you can wobble too!  Here's my card:

Here's another view with the card laying flat:



I used Bazzill for my card base, Neenah for stamping my images and Reminisce for my patterned paper.  I love the vintage feel of this patterned paper as it goes so well with many of the new Stampendous images.  I used two new images for this card, Cling Forest Santa and Cling Christmas Background.  After coloring my Santa image with Copic markers, I added some embossing powders, Red Tinsel, Gold Tinsel, and Detail Gold.  I stamped the Christmas Background stamp with VersaMark and embossed it using Detail Gold Embossing Powder and then distressed it using Tim Holtz inks in Tea Dye and Frayed Burlap.  I used a double-sided May Arts ribbon in red and green to accent the card.  The fun secret to this card is the Action Wobble under the Santa image.  When you touch the Santa, he wiggles and wobbles back and forth.  These are just so much fun to create with and what a great way to add movement to your cards!  Here's a little short video I created just so you could see the movement as Santa "wobbles" back and forth!

Action Wobbles Blog

Stampendous Impressions Blog

Kristine Reynolds

Janis

Tricia

Lea Kimmel (Me!)

Melinda Gleissner

Taylor Usry

Visit each one and comment on each blog. We'll choose one blog at random, and that blogger will choose one commenter at random to win:

6 Action Wobbles Springs and

CRP166 Cling Nevermore

Missed the beginning of our week of wobbles??? Check them out here - MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY .  Don't forget the blog hop on Saturday!  I hope you enjoyed seeing my card as much as I enjoyed making it!  Thanks for stopping by!

Hugs,
Lea

All aboard!

Hi all!  Today I have a Stampendous Sketch Challenge card to share with you.  If you haven't played along with our weekly sketch on Splitcoast Stampers you should give it whirl!  Here's a copy of the SC396 sketch for this week:

    Now, here's my take on it:

I've actually had this paper for a while just waiting for the opportunity to use it with just the right stamp and sketch.  So here are the deets on my card!  I used Railroad Poster from Stampendous as my image that I stamped with Jet Black Staz-On onto Neenah's natural paper and then distressed the edge with the Tim Holtz distressing tool and distress inks, Vintage Photo and Tea Dye.  The base of my card is Bazzill, my patterned papers are K and Company and Graphic 45.  I also added some Tea Stained Mica Fragments and Bronze Crushed Glass Glitter, both from Stampendous, as a little extra bling.  Here's a close-up:



I have to say that masculine cards are always challenging to me.  I love bling and flowers and ribbon and those things don't generally mix with "masculine" cards.  Also on Splitcoast Stampers is another challenge, Dare to Get Dirty 12 (DTGD12) and I'm using this card for the DTGD12Twinshappy challenge.  If you want more details, you should go to the challenge forum and check it out!

Also, I realize I'm a little late announcing this but life has kind of gotten in the way the past few days and things don't always go as planned!  Does that ever happen to you?  There may be some of you wondering who won my blog candy from last week's Stampendous New Release Week.  I'm happy to announce that JenGD is my lucky winner.  Wondering what she won?  It was a secret!  Here's what she won:



So, JenGD, I hope you like your prizes, please leave me your e-mail addy so I may contact you.  That's it for today.  Hope you like my card and will check back again soon.  Thanks for stopping by!

Hugs!
Lea

Monkeying Around!

Today I have a simple but cute card to share with you.  This is the last day of the Stampendous Reveal Week and I must tell you I have had a load of fun creating cards this week for your viewing pleasure!  Here's my card for today:

I used Cling Changito Pilot and Joy of Journey for my sentiment.  My card base is Bazzill and my patterned paper is Reminisce.  I used a little distress ink on my sentiment and on the bottoms of the clouds I cut using a die.  My image is colored with Copics, cut out and pop-dotted like the clouds onto my card front.  I just love the way this card came together!

Don't forget I am drawing my name today for my secret surprise blog candy and will post that on my blog tomorrow.  Be sure to comment today as you might win my candy or candy from Stampendous!  Check back tomorrow to see if you are MY winner.

A few of my teammates are showing off new products from Stampendous as well!  Not only do some of them have their own blog candy, Stampendous will be drawing a winner for these great prize packs.

How do you win it? It's easy! THREE of the bloggers today will be choosing a random commenter from their blog, and those lucky people will be announced on the Stampendous blog Tuesday, July 31 (please leave comments by Monday, July 30 at 11:59 PM PST). The more places you leave a comment, the better your chances are to win!   Below is the list of team members who are sharing inspiration today:

Stampendous Impressions
Kristine Reynolds
Lynn Mercurio
Jennifer Dove 
Taylor Usry (has additional blog candy)
Jan Garber
Lea Kimmel  (me)
Cyndi Bundy
Pam Hornschu
Rhea Weigand
Janelle Stollfus
Wendy Price
Tenia Nelson
Jennifer Ingle
Melinda Gleissner
Stephanie Lee
Susie Moore
Suzanne Czosek
Wendy Jordan
April Derrick
Tobi Crawford

Thanks so much for stopping by today and this past week.  Your comments have meant a lot to me and I appreciate each and every one.  See you later!

Hugs,
Lea

It's Magic...

...no, not Magic Mike, Halloween Magic,  one of the newest images from Stampendous.  I really like this image because it can be used for parties, Mardi Gras and other fun occasions, not just Halloween!  As you know, this is Release Week for Stampendous and we've been sharing new images all week long.  Tomorrow is the last day to celebrate and we are having a huge blog hop, you don't want to miss this!

Getting back to my card, I used Bazzill for the base, We R Memory Keepers for the patterned papers, and Neenah for my image that I colored with Copics.  Once I got all my layers put together I added some  Aged Aqua Embossing Enamel over some cool little gears I found in the bead section of Michael's.  Yep, the bead section!  Who would have thunk it!?  Anyway, that was my cool Steampunk Fran•táge addition to the card!

A few of my teammates are showing off new products from Stampendous as well! Not only do some of them have their own blog candy, Stampendous will be drawing a winner for this great prize pack.

How do you win it? It's easy! One of the featured bloggers today will be choosing a random commenter from her blog, and that lucky person will be announced on the Stampendous blog tomorrow. The more places you leave a comment, the better your chances are to win! Below is the list of team members who are sharing inspiration today:

Stampendous Impressions
Kristine Reynolds
Jennifer Dove 
Taylor Usry (has blog candy)
Jan Garber
Lea Kimmel  (me)
Pam Hornschu
Rhea Weigand
Wendy Price
Tenia Nelson
April Derrick

Please leave some love along the way as we've all worked really hard this week to showcase these images just for you!  Don't forget to check back tomorrow for the final hop for this week.  Don't forget to leave a comment if you want to be entered for my secret surprise blog candy!  See you tomorrow!

Hugs,
Lea