Christmas in July for Dare To Be Sassy Thursday for Sassy Studio Designs

Love me some Christmas, I do!  Doesn't matter to me what time of the year it is.  Being down in Florida, it is so hot that doing a theme of Christmas in July kind of cools me off a little.  That's our theme this week for the Dare To Be Sassy Thursday for Sassy Studio Designs.  I love it because you can do some different takes on the colors.  I decided to go with some lighter colors, pinks and greens!

Victorian Holiday Sassy has always been one of my favorite images because I think she looks so delicate and feminine.  She's colored with copics and has stickles on her coat and dress.  The green and pink papers are from Recollections and I used my Nestabilities to make the snowflakes and covered them with Pearl Tattered
Angels spray.  The gems are from Studio G and the ribbon is from my stash.

Here's a close up of her.  Don't you think she's just so pretty?

Here's a pretty good view of the snowflakes.

I love the snowflakes in the bottom right corner.  This is one of my favorite die sets!  I'm going to enter her into the following challenges:

Crafts and Me - Anything goes
Inky Impressions - Christmas in July
Paper Minutes - Anything goes
Holly Jolly Christmas - Tic-Tac-Toe (Ribbon, Glitter, Gems/Pearls)

Don't forget to blog on over to our Sassy Studio Designs Party Blog and pick up the new freebie that's being offered today and tomorrow before it finds its way into the Sassy Studio Designs Store on Saturday morning!  You know how I'd hate it if you missed the opportunity to pick it up!

Make sure to stop over to our Sassy Studio Designs blog and see the other fun and fabulous creations my fellow designing buddies have come up with for you.  All we need now is a little bit of eggnog!  Happy Christmas in July everyone!

When I was a Little Girl I used to Catch Fire Flies for The Digi Bells!

Remember the feeling of having your wet hair in a braid or pony tail just after taking a bath and it being just about bed time?  Do you recall the cool fresh night air on your skin?  My sister, brother and I used to sit on the small front porch and just wait to see the air light up with that neon yellow glow as the lightening bugs lit up.  When we saw them, we'd race to see who could get to them first.  It always seemed that once you saw that first fire fly, they were everywhere!  We'd catch them and put them in one of Mommy's canning jars and see who could collect the most bugs. What a great way to spend a summer evening!

Today we're adding another sweet, adorable digi to the Elisabeth Bell Digital Collection and it's a beauty!

Please welcome ** Fire Flies ** to our little family of Elisabeth Bell Digi's....

We're celebrating this precious image with a blog hop that starts today and ends on Friday, June 28, 2013 at 9:00 am (Arizona time).  If you've come to my blog from my oh so talented designing sister, Linda's blog, then you're on the right track.  If not, please go back and start at Rose's blog, (everyone on this team is so talented that I pinch myself every blog hop because I feel so darn lucky and honored to present with them!) at the very beginning because I'd hate for you to miss out on one single design or the chance to win this cutie pie!  You can find all the details of how to win at The Digi Bell Design Team at the end of the hop.  So on with the show!

This cutie pie pair is colored with copics and I addedsomestickles to the bugs and her flower in her hair and some Diamond Glaze on the jars and lanterns.  The papers are from BasicGrey, the flowers from Recollections, the branches from my Martha Stewart punch, and the fence is from a Tim Holtz die.  The seam binding and cheese cloth are from my stash and the pearls from Studio G.

Each time I see on of Elisabeth Bell's images, I always say it's one of my favorites!  This one just brings back such fun memories that it really is one of my favorites!

And no, my copic didn't go crazy or  I didn't color out of the lines when I was doing my lightening bugs!  I love that glow that these sweet bugs put off, almost like an aura around them, and I tried to convey the brightness and light they put off.

I painted the sky using a combination of blues from my distressed inks and then used it to dye the seam binding and the cheese cloth.  I plan on entering this adorable thing in the following challenges:

Cute Card Thursday - In the summertime
DRS Designs - The great outdoors
Little Miss Muffet's Challenge- Happy families
MilkCoffee Challenge - Summer fun
My Heart Pieces Digital Stamp Challenge - Use a digi
Crafting by Design - Favorite season
House that Stamps Built - Summer

Now hop-scotch over to my designing sister, Wendy's, fabulous blog and see her wonderful project using this cutie pop!  And even though we're all so busy with the coming and goings of life, please take a minute to stop and remember the simple joy of something like catching lightening bugs.  It might just bring some peace and joy to you if only for a moment.  

New Beginnings for Children with Bubbles for Elisabeth Bell's World

I love this theme for this month's challenge over at Elisabeth Bell's World!  Who doesn't like new beginnings?  I have had a bazillion new beginnings in my life and can only imagine how many some of you have had.  It's renewing and the possibilities are endless.  For me, that's the magic of starting over.  Sometimes it ends up good, sometimes not so much.

Children have new beginnings just about every day.  I'm learning more and more since I've been spending so much time with Allie.  Sometimes children aren't quite sure as to what to do with new starts and new friends.  One thing I've found out is that for kids, a bottle of bubbles is just the thing to break the ice.  Who doesn't love bubbles?  Come on, admit it.  We all blow the first bubbles when we open up a bottle for the kids!  It connects us all together.  I love it when kids take their bubbles to a guy to open.  Even men can't resist releasing the first opaque circles in the air from a new bottle of bubbles!

This is Bubbles from Elisabeth Bell for Susana's Custom Art and Card Design and I think she's everything good and sweet in children!  She's colored with copics and the papers are some of my favorite from BasicGrey and Imaginisce.  The border was made using a scallop edger from Stampin Up, the ribbon is from Hero Arts, the gems are from Studio G and the flowers are a mix of Recollections and home made.  The die cuts I used are from Nestbilities.  Of course, I used some Stickles on the bubbles and her sweet shirt!

Here's a closer look at this sweet thing!  I absolutely love her and can see her slowly letting down her guard and making new friends.

Make sure to stop over at our blog and see the fabulous projects that my designing sisters have for you.  All of their projects just make my jaw drop and I can't believe that I get to design with such great talents!  Come on and show us your new beginnings!  Someone is going o be lucky enough to win a couple of really sweet stamps from on of the ever talented Ms. Elisabeth Bell!  Hope it's you!

May All Your Wishes Come True Release and Blog Hop for Sassy Studio Designs!

Just a couple of things first.  If you've made it this far on the fabulous blog hop, God Bless You!  Also, for everyone in the United States, Happy Memorial Day!  I love this holiday because it pays tribute to those who have or are serving in the military.  I proudly served 12 1/2 years in the Navy and loved every minute of it.  It was a privilege and honor and I wouldn't have traded one single second of my time doing one of the most important things in my life.  Now on to the blog hop!

Don't you just love it when something you've truly wished for comes true?  I know it's happened to me several times in my life and it's just truly magical when it happens.  That's what the new release for Sassy Studio Designs, May All Your Wishes Come True, is all about.  But there's a twist - it's about when your grown up wishes come true!  Thanks so much for stopping by and I think you'll love this release!  I now I sure do!

If you've come to my blog from my ever talented designing sister, Sara's blog, then you're on the right track.  If not, make sure to go to the Sassy Studio Designs blog and start from there.  I promise it will be well worth your time!

I am really excited to present Cinderella Pin Up to you!  I'm really pleased with how she came out!  Just want to warn you that there's a few pictures!

I did something new for me, I used a digi and made a candle!  I've done it with rubber stamps before but never with a digi and I had a blast!  (I'm writing a tutorial for it and you'll be able to find it over at our Paper Craft Planet Group in a few days.)  She's colored with copics and added to the candle with my embossing gun.  I added some stickles all over her gown, headband and shoes.

I added some blue tulle from Joann Fabrics and all of the flowers are from Recollections.  Love her missing shoe!

I added some jewels to the top and the back and they are by Studio G.

Since she's a pin up, I wanted to add a sassy type sentiment to her!

Here's a view of the side with another sentiment.  I like this one because usually when you hear about a ship coming in or something good happening, usually the person is at another pier or the airport and they miss it.  Miss Cinderella Pin Up was in the right place at the right time!

And here is a view of the left side of the front of the candle.  It was hard working with this project because it smelled so good!  The scent is Fresh Linen and I got the candle at Michaels.

Well, I'm the next to the last stop so head on over to The Sassy Studio Designs Blog and tell us what you thought about the blog hop and the release.  I think it's one of our funnest so far!

Little Momma Blog Hop for The Digi Bells!

It is always so much fun to be able to show off a new Elisabeth Bell design!  That's what I get to share with you today!  I'm really glad you stopped by and if you came to me from the outstanding talented Rose's blog, then you're on the right track.  If not, make sure to start at the very beginning, at Mary Lou's blog because I don't want you to miss a thing!  So here we go!

Please welcome ** Little Mama ** to our little family of Elisabeth Bell Digi's....

Blog hop starts on Friday, May 24, 2013, at 9:00am (Arizona time)

ending on Friday, May 31, 2013 at 9:00am (Arizona time)

I fell in instant love with this sugar baby when I saw her!  Isn't she just so stinkin cute you could eat her up?  She reminded me of a picture Tiffany took of Allie when she was playing dress up.  She put on her pokanot (polka dot!) dress and her momma's black suede high heels, grabbed her Baby and started strutting her stuff.  Here's the picture that reminded me so much of Little Mama.  

Can't you see the resemblance?  It's uncanny if you ask me!

This cutie pop is colored with copics and I added some stickles to her skirt, top, and flower in her hair.  The frame is the floral oval Nestabilities die and the papers are from DCWV and My Mind's Eye.  Love all of their stuff!  The Pearls and flowers are from Recollections with a couple of  hand made flowers thrown in, the ribbon is from Simplicity, and the flowers and hearts in the flower bunches are from my stash.  I got the charm at my local scrapbook store and the little pin and sentiment are from BasicGrey.

I thought I'd show the inside for Judy since it's been awhile since I've shown the inside of my cards.

Here are a couple more views of her.

She just makes me smile!

Here she is again.  I forgot to mention that I used some Distressed Ink on the edges of the frame and on the inside.

Now it's time to head on over to my dear friend and oh so talented leader, Lynda's blog and see the fabulous project she has in store for you!  I can't wait for you to see it so hurry on over!  Time's a wasting and Little Mama doesn't have a minute to spare!

Sassy Graduation for Sassy Studio Designs Progressive Challenge

After people decided to share the free images that Lindsay from Sassy Studio Designs was providing over at our Paper Craft Planet Group on Pinterest and everywhere else the social media goes these days,  she made a decision as an artist to discontinue sharing them.  It was really sad because those who used it responsibly had a blast with them and we had some great challenges and saw some fabulous work.  After some serious consideration, we are excited to announce that our Sassy Studio Designs Paper Craft Planet group is going to host a Progressive Challenge!  We're really excited about it and hope you'll pop on over and request the image and play along! You can find all the details at the group here.  Just join our group, request the image and come play along!  

The theme for this first challenge is "You Did It, Happy Graduation!" and our first image is Sassy Graduation.  Love her and here's my take on her:

She's so much fun!  She's colored with copics and a couple of Spectrum Noir Markers.  I added stickles on her gown and hat and some Diamond Glaze on the yoke of her gown.  The pearls are from Hero Arts and the top and bottom flowers are from Recollections and the middle one is handmade.  The papers are from Authentique and the Kraft card stock is from Stampin Up and the yellow is from Co'redination.  I used my Martha Stewart punch for the branches.

Doesn't she have the prettiest face?  All full of hope and dreams!

Here's a couple of side views so you can see the dimensions of the flowers.

I plan on entering her in the following challenges:

Clear It Out - Anything goes, must use stash items 2 or more designers papers

Creative Card Crew - Bling

Deep Ocean Challenge - Let's Sparkle

Love to Scrap - Anything goes

Cards In Envy - Sketch

Through The Craft Room Door - Anything goes

See that middle flower?  I'm going to be doing a tutorial over at our PCP Group on how to make them!  So make sure to stop on over, join the group if you don't already belong, and have some great fun!

Sunshine Set Girl with Garden Flowers from Elphine House Australia

Just want to take a minute and wish everyone a very Happy Mother's Day! I've been so blessed to have a wonderful mother who I've learned so much from.  She truly shows me what unconditional love is every day.  I love you Mom!  And to my beautiful, wonderful daughters who have turned into such amazing mothers themselves, I love you all and am so blessed and honored to have you call me mommy.

 I've been up to so much that my mojo took a turn and deided to go on a vacation!  But it's coming back!  I wanted to share my Elphine House Design Team project of Flower Power with you and remind you that you still have a day or two to come over and play along with our challenge.  

This is my cutie pie that I used.  She's brand new and on her way into the Elphine House Australia store.  She's from the Sunshine Set and right now I'm calling her the girl with Garden Flowers.  She's colored with copics and has stickles added kind of all over the flowers and her scarf and headband.  I used some of my favorite paper from Prima and the silk flowrs are from Offray, the pearls from Recollections, the side edge is from Tim Holtz and the flowers are homemade.

Isn't she just adorable?

I added some distressed inks around the edge to give it a more soft look.

Make sure to come on over to our Design Team Blog and join in our challenge.  Wouldn't you love a chance to win a gorgeous stamp?  I know I'd be all over it!

Cowardly Lion Sassy for C.R.A.F.T. Challenge

Sorry I've been gone, but I've been on the greatest adventure!  My girls went together and bought me a plane ticket to go to the wedding of one of my adopted-surrogate kids!  My boy, Jake, got married and I'm so glad I was able to go and share that day with him!  I was lucky enough to spend time with Nichole and Lainie Loo, and my Jennifer, Nick and sweet Emma which I totally loved!  For me, there's nothing like spending time with my children and grandbabies!  I could just eat them up I love them all so much!  I also got to spend so much time with my other kids.  Jake used to live with us for a couple of years and while he may not be my biological child, he is a child of my heart, just like my Nicole, Kelly, Rachelle, Bryce, Brolin, Ben, Zach, Ryan with a silent "B".  There's something to be said about taking time to spend with children and listening to them.  I shared so much of their lives with them and they had such an impact on me.  They made me feel needed and loved.  I thought it was just on my side, but gosh, how humbling it is when you realize that you had an impact on them and they truly love you as much as you do them.  My heart was very full and overflowing this weekend and I realize how truly blessed and extremely lucky I am.  Boy, did they all ever work me over and made me feel like I need to be back in Maine with them.  Well, who knows what the future may bring.  I may still have a few winters left in my heart that I've been ignoring!

Thanks for letting me ramble on!  Now on to my project for today!  Sassy Studio Designs is sponsoring the challenge over at C.R.A.F.T. and their theme is Birthdays.  How much fun are birthdays?!  I've always loved them and don't mind counting them.l  After all, age is only a number and not a frame of mind.  That's what I think.  I certainly don't feel as old in my heart as I am in numbers.  I decided to use Cowardly Lion Sassy from Sassy Studio Designs' newest release.  I just love all of the images in this release!

Isn't she just sassy?  She's colored with copics and I used some Stickles on her fur and tail.  The papers are from Bo Bunny and from my stash.  The gems are from Recollections and I added some Distressed Inks around the edge of her.

Doesn't she have the prettiest face?

The sentiment is handwritten with Allie.  We're working on her letters and she wanted to help.  After my past weekend.  I don't want to stand in the way of her wanting to practice writing or being creative.

I plan on entering her in the following challenges:

Crafty Creations - Something old, something new (new gems  and old papers)
Divas By Design - Anything goes
The Stamping Chef - Animals
Creative Craft Challenge - All About animals

So stop on over at the C.R.A.F.T. Challenge and join in on the fun.  And use a Sassy Studio Image is you have one!  They're so much stinkin fun!

Little Friends from Elisabeth Bell's Digital Collection!

It's always a great day when I get to present and participate in The Digi Bell's Design Team monthly blog hop because it means I'm showing off another one of Elisabeth Bell's gorgeous images!  Today is no exception and I'm so proud to show off "Little Friends", her newest digital image!  You can find this sweet baby at Elisabeth Bell's Digital Collection.

If you came to me from the super talented Julie's blog, then you're on the right track.  If not, please hop on over to Rose's blog and start at the beginning.  There's a chance to win this sweetie but you've got to make sure you hop all around and make sure to leave a comment and some love to my designing sisters!

Please welcome ** Little Friends ** to our little family of Elisabeth Bell Digi's....

Blog hop starts on Friday, APRIL 19, 2013, at 9:00am (Arizona time)

ending on Friday, APRIL 26, 2013 at 9:00am (Arizona time).

  

Isn't she a baby doll?  Simply love her!  She's colored with copics and the papers are from my favorite paper pack, Euphoria from BasicGrey (it's pretty old and so precious to me!).  She's got some stickles on her top, pants and ribbon in her hair.  The flowers are from Recollections and my retro flower punch (gotta give a shout out to Lynda for her fabulous flowers a couple of days ago that inspired me!  Thanks, my dear!), and the ribbon and earls are from Hero Arts.  

Just love her sweet face!  She's just got that look of innocence and wonder to her. I cut her out using my circular Nestabilities and added a little bit of Distressed inks around the image.

Here's a couple of peeks of this inside.

I'm entering her in the following challenges:

Sketch Saturday - Love this layout!
Art Impressions Stamp Challenge - Layer It On
Copics Marker Europe - Girls Aloud (Only female images)
Delightful Challenge - Color my world (anything colorful)
DRS Designs - bows
Forever Friends - Diecuts and punches
MilkCoffee Challenge - Welcome spring
My Heart Pieces Digital Stamp Challenges - Spring or Easter
Shelly's Images - April showers brings May flowers
C.A.S. Colours and Sketch Challenges - colors (Rich Razzleberry, Primrose Petals, Pool Party)
Creative Belli - Pastel colors
Creative Moments - Spring
Inky Impressions - punches/dies
The Paper Shelter Challenge - At least two flowers

Now hop on over to Sofia's blog and see her fabulous creation!  And remember, everyone needs Little Friends!

Tuesday Throwdown Challenge Sponsored by Little Darling Rubber Stamps

I am so excited for this week's challenge over at Tuesday Throwdown!  I get to not only present one of my stamps that I've had and was so excited to work with and to try a new technique!  Our sponsor this week is Little Darling Rubber Stamps, which I totally love, especially their Cutie Pies line, and we were challenged to use Fancy Folds.  Little Darlings Rubber Stamps has some of the cutest rubber stamp lines that include Little Darlings, Cutie Pies, Saturated Canary, Liseth by MilkCoffee, sentiments, and some gorgeous papers.  I had an absolute blast coloring my image up and can't wait to show her off!

This little cutie pie is called Holiday Happenings: Darling Girl and I made a diamond origami fold card for her.     Isn't is gorgeous?  It was so easy and you can find the instructions here.  This is a picture of the front of the card.

I added some homemade flowers to the front with some Scrapper's Floss and branches from my Martha Stewart punch.  This gorgeous paper is from K&Company and it didn't break when I pressed the folds sharp.

This is a closeup of this baby.  Isn't she just adorable?  She's colored with copics and I added some Stickles on her headband, stockings, and the bands on her sweater.  I added a little bit of Diamond Glaze to her eyes and think they make them look so big and sweet!  Nestabilities were used to cute out her an the frame and I brushed some distressed inks along the edge of the image to soften the lines.  The pearls are from Recollections.

Thought I'd show you the two front diamonds up close.

This paper is so soft and restful and springy and summery that I just had to use it!  Have you ever just felt compelled to make something special with a sheet of paper?  I'm so glad I'm not the only one who has ever thought that!

I plan on entering her in the following challenges:

ABC Challenge - Color (Pink, green, blue)
Artistic Inspirations - Always anything goes
Bunny Zoe's Crafts Challenge - Your favorite color combo (pink and green)
Card Mania - Punches and/or diecuts
Crafty Bloggers Network - Anything goes
Created With Love Challenge Blog - Recipe (1 image, 2 designer papers, 3 embellishments)
Creative Creations Challenge - Easter/Spring
Incy Wincy Design Challenge - "Out of the Box" Technique
Love To Scrap! Challenge - 3 or more layers, 2 patterned papers, 1 stamped image
Make It Monday - Always anything goes
MarkerPOP Blog Challenge - Anything goes
Melonheadz Friends Challenge - Girly
Mema's Craft Monday Challenge - Anything Goes
Mygrafico Challenge - Anything goes
Stamp and Create - Use at least one diecut
Tammy's Scrapin Corner - 1 image, 2 diecuts, 3 embellishments
The Pink Elephant Monday Card Challenge - Spring Colors

Make sure to stop by our Tuesday Throwdown Challenge Blog and see the fabulous projects my designing buddies have come up to share with you.  They're nothig short of gorgeous!  Can't wait to see your folds!