Hope You Can.... Sing To!

It's my turn to host a challenge for our Hope You Can Cling To card drive over at Splitcoaststampers! I love this cause, and it's such a blessing to be able to participate as a hostess, enabling our members to focus their talents on encouraging others. I would love for you to join us!

So I got to toying with the concept of awareness when I was developing my challenge theme, and for some reason a conversation about music and show tunes that same week entered into my thoughts as well... so, my challenge is entitled...

 "Start Spreading the News!" 

...and participants are to create a card inspired by the title or lyrics of a song from a musical or movie. I chose the song "Embraceable You", which is from An American In Paris. (Click the song title for a favorite version of mine by Ella Fitzgerald... it's beautiful!) 

I love this "There For You" digital image by Mo Manning especially because it's one that I requested. I'm drawn to huggy images, but sometimes a happy, cheerful hug image isn't appropriate for someone going through a hard time. I wanted one that expressed support and sympathy. Sooooo grateful to Mo for coming up with this image - it's perfect.

I printed the image in a very pale grey, and colored it using Touch Twin Markers. These are the colors I used:

Encourage one another............ ♥

Just because........

Have to share one more card with the Tiny Wishes set from Penny Black - this was the card I had originally made for yesterday's post with Jill, but I switched it out at the last minute because all the white space was bothering me! Jill encouraged me to share it, so here it is! I will get over my fear of white space one day!!

I did some paper piecing and paper tole on the hedgehog image to add dimension. The coloring is done with Ranger reinkers and a water brush. Jill used this same stamp yesterday, and it's fun to see our different styles together! You can click HERE to see her post, in case you missed it.

Here's a different angle so you can see the dimension on the clothes and arm. I love adding little details!

Hope you have a great weekend!

Skipping Stones Sketch Challenge

It's been a fun month guesting with the team - is it really over already?!! Thanks to Heather and the rest of the designers for having me along! Here's this week's sketch for the Skipping Stones Design challenge:

...and my card:I loved working with this sketch! These papers from Memory Box and Echo Park worked so perfectly with the bird theme. I used the branch stamps from the 2 new sets to create a background, inking and misting the stamps before stamping them to my watercolor paper. To tell you the truth, I think that panel may be upside-down...!

I used a marker to color my seam binding to match... the dies I used are my designs (the eyelet border is from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps and the label is actually the bottom end of a cross die from ODBD).
I sent this card to a sweet lady who cut and highlighted my hair at no cost, just as a ministry she has to missionary ladies! I don't normally curl my hair, but here's a fun self-portrait while the kids were playing at the park... Remember to pop over to the SSD blog to see what the rest of the team has created! Thanks for stopping by to visit me!

Skipping Stones Sketch Challenge

Here's my sketch for this week's challenge over at Skipping Stones - I hope you'll play along! You can find the details at the Skipping Stones Blog.I used the rose stamp from the newly released Heartsong 2 set - I stamped the image in Memento Rich Cocoa ink, stamping off each time so the ink would be lighter. I colored the panel with Touch Twin Markers.The rolled rose was made using the same stamped rose -I cut in a spiral from the outside edge to the center then rolled the paper around a small stylus.Pop on over to the SSD site to see what the rest of the team has created! There are incentives for joining us, too... but you can't win if you don't play along!

Have a great week!

Skipping Stones Sketch Challenge & Hop

Welcome to the Skipping Stones Design new release hop!! If you're a regular reader of my blog and just happened upon my section of the hop, you may want to start back at the Skipping Stones Design blog - The entire hop order is there and you never know where you might find blog candy up for grabs.... You can always refer to the list there, too, if you get lost... and they have some special offers this week, too. If you're already hopping and you've just come from Katie's blog, you're doing just fine!

Here's the sketch the team is working with this week...Here's my card -I used a floral stamp from one of the new releases. The flowers are stamped in Adirondack Willow ink, and colored with Polychromos pencils on Inchie Plus Squares from Inchie Arts.Here's a close-up on the flowers:
Aren't the new releases great? If you like what you've seen using the Heartsong 2 set, then you're in luck - Heather has given me a set of stamps to give away! I'll draw a winner from the comments on this post, so be sure to leave a comment for me if you'd like to win. Comments will close Friday at midnight EST, and the winner will be announced on Saturday, April 14th. Good luck to you!

After you leave a commet here, you'll be hopping on to JoAnn's blog - I hope you enjoy the hop!

Skipping Stones!

I'm so excited to be the Guest Sketch Artist for Skipping Stones Design this month! Heather contacted me a couple of months ago to let me know that she was releasing a follow-up to my favorite Heartsong set and wanted me to work with the new images. So this is the set......more collaged birds and beautiful sentiments......... love!! Thanks, Heather, for thinking of me, and inviting me to play along with your designers this month.Here is the sketch for this week's challenge - you can find all the details over at the SSD blog.
I stretched the sketch into a rectangle, and cut my base panels with Spellbinders dies. The vine die is from Cheery Lynn Designs. My main panel was stamped with the bird and branch, then colored with Gelatos -I rubbed them onto my watercolor paper then spritzed water over the coloring and blended with my fingers. The colors are so vibrant!
I stamped and watercolored a second bird and shaped him a little before layering him onto the circular panel.

If you like this stamp set, stay tuned - I have a set to give away later in the month!

Lifting you up....

This has been a busy but fun week of memory-making and sharing with our church family, co-workers and students before we leave. People seem to always snug up a little closer before we leave, and that is an assurance to our hearts that we have a place here that will be sweet to come home to after our time in the States.

All my stamping supplies are either packed up or stored away... but I wanted to share this card from my time on the Dirty Dozen as a THANK YOU to those of you who have encouraged me and are praying for me during this transition time. You have blessed my heart so much. Stamps are from House Mouse and Skipping Stones Designs.

Just a few more days........!!!

Skipping Stones Design Sketch 82

Not sure what happened to June! It's already my last week as guest designer at Skipping Stones Design - thanks, ladies, for the opportunity to hang out with you... we'll have to do it again soon! Here's the sketch for this week's challenge - I took a couple of liberties... but it was fun!

I used patterned papers to piece my little hot air balloon scene, and added a little more color with my chalk pencils. This is a new set called Uplifting... all the elements of the set make putting a scene together so easy! I love the sentiment I used inside! It says, " Next time a sunrise steals your breath or a meadow of flowers leaves you speechless, remain that way. Say nothing, and listen as heaven whispers, 'Do you like it? I did it just for you.'"~ Max Lucado

Remember to pop over to the SSD blog to see what the rest of the team has created! Thanks for stopping by to visit me!