Have yourself a Meowy Christmas....

Here's a fun image from Ike's art, the cute cat is a freebie from their Challenge website, Ike's World Challenge, go on over there and download it for yourself so you can make something fun for Christmas!

They are having a challenge called it's raining Cats and Dogs....that made me laugh, so I just had to add this cute Bah...humbug dog image to my card!  Too cute, huh?  Check out the great images from Ike's Art (click here) and make a card to join in their challenge.

Project materials:  Cardstock (Michael's Mica, Neenah, Hobby Lobby); Images (Ike's Art); Die Cuts (Lifestyles, Spellbinders, Memory Box); Ink (Colorbox Chalk); Color (Copic markers); Fringe (JoAnns); Brads (Unknown); Sentiment (Computer generated); Adhesives (pop dots, Glue all, glue lines);

Have a Skully Christmas!

 Here's an image I just HAD to get. It's a fun Sweet Pea image from artist Regan Kubecek.  She's our featured artist on the Sweet Pea blog this week.  This stamp is called Have a Skully Christmas.  Be sure and check out her image on the website to see how very different it looks in the colors she has versus my coloring here.

I did the whole card in pink mono tone complete with cute little pink centers in the flowers that have skulls inside them!  The Merry Christmas sign is made of wood that I colored black and I put black lights on the pink Christmas tree.  Believe it or not, my local store actually has PINK Christmas trees!  Here's a close up of this wonderful image:

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving and are not working on some marvelous Christmas cards.  Drop by our Facebook group and share what you make with us:  Sweet Pea Stamps Friends and Fans. 
Have a great weekend!  Cheers, Holley

Gift Idea with Sweet Pea stamps and Paper Temptress

 Here's a great project that you can do to make a stunning and sweet gift for someone for a low cost.  This great box is available at my local dollar store it's approx. 5.5x8.5" and very sturdy. It's a thick cardboard box meant for storage or gift giving and has Christmas sentiment on it, but I wanted to turn it into something special in an everyday kind of way.  While at the dollar store, I found some bath treats in Iris scent and then took some gorgeous Paper Temptress papers and this stunning image from Sweet Pea stamps called Iris Grace.

 

I used several stunning papers from Paper Temptress including 2 shades of Mica called Kunzite and Amethyst. The image was printed out on Neenah Solar White Classic Crest paper and colored with Copic markers. The paper that the image is mounted on is also a shimmery stock called Solar Yellow Pearlescent.  The base papers is a wonderful sheet of Hambly Studio Screenprints called Chic Circles.

 

Here's a close up of the image from Sweet Pea stamps artist Ching chou kuik.

 

Here's the finished project complete with a wonderful bath scrubber, a bottle of Iris scented body wash and some warm hand made slippers.

 

Hope this cute idea inspires you to make a wonderful little gift for that neighbor, teacher, church friend, visitor or person that you just want to give something with a little personal touch.

 

Cheers, Holley

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I wish everyone out there a very Happy Thanksgiving today!  May we all be reminded of everything that we have to be thankful for and may we all remember to reach out to those around us to help those who are less fortunate than we are.

Blessings to all

 

Holley

Sweet Pea DT Call

Here's a gorgeous new stamp from Sweet Pea artist Ching Chou Kuik called Wishing Stars.  Isn't she gorgeous?  I just love the recent stamps the store has with this artist. This card is my DT call card for the next term.  I totally love this company's amazing images and they different artist's that they sell.

I am using silver cardstock, with gorgeous embroidered lace from Istanbul and beaded flowers in clear sequins.

 

Here's a closeup of this stunning image.

The DT call is taking place on the main Sweet Pea Stamp page on Facebook.  Be sure and check out all of Ching chou kiuk's images at the Sweet Pea store.  Her newest images are available as rubber stamps only.  We also have a fun group called Sweet Pea Stamps Friends and Fans with regular contests and card sharing daily.

 

Cheers, Holley

You make my day bright!

Here's the cutest mermaid stamp today from artist Sherri Baldy of SSS.   Over at the SSS Challenge blog they are starting a new Anything Goes challenge that includes adding glitter to your project. As you can see, I have used glittery  sparkle on the blue water and bow in the image as well as some beautiful glitter paper.  This image is Img396.

Drop by the SSS Challenge blog and share your creations with us and you can win some wonderful stamps from Scrapbook Stamp Society.  We can't wait to see what you create!

Cheers, Holley

Project materials:  Cardstock (Mambi, Neenah, DCWV); Image (Sherri Baldy--SSS); Die Cuts (Spellbinders Nestabilities); Punch (Martha Stewart); Buttons (Grandma's Button Bag, misc); Ink (Colorbox Chalk); Adhesives (Pop dots, Glue all, Glue dots, Glitter Glue);

Squigglefly Challenge

Hello everyone!  Here's a fun card for this week's Squigglefly Challenge. The challenge is to have a Dear Christmas.  You can either use the word "Dear" on your card OR you can have a deer in your image.  Either is great.  I am using this adorable elf who has a little message to give Santa....this cute image is from artist Sandra Caldwell and he's called Springhead Christmas Helper. 

Drop by the Squigglefly Challenge blog and check out what the design team made and then share a fun card with us. You could win a prize from Squigglefly if you play along.

Project Materials:  Cardstock (Bazzill, Neenah, DCWV);  Image (Squigglefly); DieCuts (Spellbinders Nestabilities); Bling (Michaels); Buttons (Grandma's Button Bag); Flowers (Unknown); Adhesives (Pop dots, Glue all, Glue dots); Ink (Colorbox Chalk); Color (Copic markers);

Embossed cards

Here's the third card we did in the Embossed cards class, this cardstock is a matte stock, but has a shimmery feel too it, so it's somewhere between glossy and matte.   Definitely slick surface, but not the same slickness that I typically see in glossy cardstock, more like the slickness that I might see on posterboard.  In this card you emboss the cardstock, THEN trim it into multiple pieces first.  Then take each piece and carefully rub ink across it.  The flatter that you keep the ink and the pad, the less ink you have go into the white area.  Color each piece in a different color.  Also the papers to dry and then reassemble them onto the card front.  It does look amazing when done, as it looks like somehow you just did the colors and embossing in a much more complicated manner. 

You can also do a much more complicated design.  First take your embossed image, turn it over, draw out the lines on the back (for example make a round circle with eight pie pieces) then number them 1-8 in order.  Do all this very lightly with a pencil.  Now you can trim with scissors or a cutter....color the odd numbers in orange color the even numbers in yellow...what an awesome sun spiral!! Any embossed image would be great like that....hmmm, we should all try this idea and share.

Any challenge takers?

Two cards, one folder

So, well over a month, more like 2 months ago, I told you I was going to show you some cards from the Scrapbooking convention that I went to.  Here's a couple from the embossing folder class that I did.  It was full of ideas for using those embossed designs to make quick and easy cards like these:

 

They are simple and elegant and SO easy to make:

 

Here's the exact sane folder and layout idea and yet looks completely different by just smearing ink across the embossing, the more or less ink you use, the way different it looks. ALSO, you can use different ink colors that will make it look completely different.

 

Will show another fun card from this class tomorrow.

One Sweet Challenge

Here's a great Dia de los Muertos stamp from Sweet Pea artist Regan Kubecek.  This beautiful image is called La Calvera Catrina.  I love this artist's beautiful images. I added a Dia de los Muertos die cut skull in shimmery silver and some vibrant flowers on a flower background card.  Bright colors are very prominent on Dia de los Muertos décor.

Here's a close up of the stamp

There's a great contest going on over at the One Sweet Challenge site and the theme is Dia de los Muertos.  There's so many gorgeous stamps that you can choose from at the store.  There's a category that they are included in "Halloween Fall Thanksgiving" section.  Join in the fun!

Cheers, Holley

SWAK

Here's a great East Wind image that I bought some time ago. It may now be a discontinued image, but I just love it!  I added a fun saying from Unity Stamps.  So glad to say that finally here in TX it is starting to warm up again. Yesterday was beautiful outside.

Have a great day everyone.  Maybe I should go out and find a bunny costume.  Bet the hubby would like that!

Cheers, Holley

Steampunk Hottie!

Here's a wonderful Steampunk Image from Ike's Art.  They are having a color contest to use the following colors: Cherry, Tangerine, Chocolate, and Teal.  I worked the Tangerine and Teal in on the Steampunk's outfit and the other two colors on my card.

I hope you like this card, check out the Ike's Art images, I love her digi stamps!  I am submitting this fun card to the Ike's World Challenge this week.

Cheers, Holley

Project Materials: Cardstock (Bazzill, Neenah, metallic); Images (Ike's Art); Die Cuts (Spellbinders Nestabilities, Steampunk Gears, Steampunk Heart -- Cheery Lynn); Ribbon (Hobby Lobby); Ink (Colorbox Chalk); Color (Copic markers); Adhesive (Pop dots, Glue all, Ribbon glue); Sentiment (sticker sheet I think NRN designs);

Smile, Diva!

Here's the cutest little girl image from artist Sherri Baldy.  I made this card for the SSS Challenge which is Anything Goes this week.  Join in the fun over there and you could win some wonderful stamps from SSS.  This card is using image 200. I think I like the way her pink hair turned out.

I did the card all in pinks with the yellow word for Smile and a hint of yellow on her outfit to match.  I hope you will share a project with us at the SSS Challenge this week!

Project Materials:  Cardstock (Bazzill, Neenah); Image (Sherri Baldy-Scrapbook Stamp Society-Addicted to Stamps); Die Cuts (Spellbinders Nestabilities, Memory Box); Flowers (Prima, Hobby Lobby); Bling (Basic Grey, Hobby Lobby); Buttons (Grandma's Button Bag); Ribbon (Michaels); Ink (Colorbox Chalk); Color (Copic markers); Adhesives (Pop dots, Glue All, Glue dots, Ribbon Glue);

Squigglefly Challenge

Season's Greetings everyone!  It's Monday so you know what that means, yep, it's time for the Squigglefly Challenge. This week the challenge is to create a Square card.  That's it, just a square card.  Here's my creation using a brand new image from artist Sal Schiebe called Gothic Christmas.  You know this is one I would love!  I colored everything in warm greys and then did the girl in color.

Don't you love her skull clip and the kitty's skull tag?  That's a little Season's Greetings for you.  Drop by the Squigglefly Challenge Blog and check out what the other Holley Hobbyists made.  You can play along by sharing your square card, it doesn't need to be Christmas theme.  If you use a Squigglefly stamp, even a freebie, you are entered in the drawing for this week's prize.  Good luck!

Project materials:  Cardstock (Neenah, Adorn It, Crafter's Companion, Metallic); Image (Squigglefly); Die Cuts (Lifestyles); Ink(Colorbox Chalk); Brads (unknown); Vellum (Making Memories kit); Adhesives (Pop dots, Glue all); Color (Copic Markers);

Holley's View Archway Angel

 Here's my card using a stunning Sweet Pea stamp called Archway Angel from artist Karen Middleton. Isn't this image beautiful? I love this angel, she just pops right off the card and I can imagine her flying away with the butterflies.  I used some embossed cardstock with butterflies as well, which I sanded to show the white core.  Then I added simple butterflies all around her.  I used a vellum sentiment "He is with us" to go on the card.

 

Here's the gorgeous stamp, which is currently available in both rubber stamp and digi stamp format.

Check out all of Karen Middleton's amazing designs over at the Sweet Pea store. She has the most gorgeous lady stamps and the cutest little animals, then drop by our Facebook page at Sweet Pea Friends and Fans and share your latest creations with us!

Cheers, Holley

Happy Fall

Here's the cutest Hooters you will see!  I love when I am walking around my neighborhood in the late evenings and I hear the owls hooting.  What's more amazing is that they sit on the tree branch and seem so very small, but when they open out their wings and you see their wing span, it's truly a site to behold.

This wonderful image is a great freebie on a friend's site, she's an artist who makes some adorable images, check out her blog, Marymouse Smith at All Nite Owls BlogSpot.  Drop by over there and download her free cute little owl images!

We are having a great contest with this wonderful image over at Your Scrapbook Place!  Just make a card with this freebie and share it with us, there's a fun stamp prize too

 

Hope you will play along at the contest!

Sweet Pea Blog Hop with PRIZES!

 Happy Friday everyone!  Today Sweet Pea stamps is having a blog hop!  We are all sharing some wonderful Christmas cards with everyone.  Here's my card, using a beautiful stamp from artist Helena Reis called All I Want for Christmas.  Be sure and check out the link so you can see how very different this stamp looks as opposed to my coloring.

 

Here's a closeup of this image which is currently sold as a digi-stamp.

 

I hope you will continue on through the blog hop!  There's some prizes available, so please leave comments on each of the blogs!  Please visit each of our talented team members' blogs and there will will be a drawing for a $20 gift code to the Sweet Pea Stamps store! As an added bit of fun share the hop on Facebook tagging Sweet Pea Stamps for a chance for a $10 gift code to the Sweet Pea Stamps store! Winners will be chosen around the first of next week.

 

Sweet Pea Stamps blog http://sweetpearubberstamps.blogspot.com/   Start of the hop
Ria http://dragonmagicscrapkaarten.blogspot.nl/

Holley http://holleybarnhartsblog.blogspot.com    <======= You are here

Milo http://milolilja.net
Sande http://sandensupinat.blogspot.fi
Suzi http://www.suzannebakermckenzie.blogspot.com
Aletha http://ajsdesigns.blogspot.com/
Olivia http://ormcraftynights.blogspot.com
Nataliya http://lovecraftsforever.blogspot.com
Tera http://stampqueen.blogspot.com
Jane http://craftyanimal.blogspot.com
Jennifer http://insanedaze.blogspot.com/
We hope you enjoy the hop! Have a wonderful Holiday Season!

Nov is Epilepsy Awareness Month

November is Epilepsy Awareness Month.  The ribbon color for epilepsy is purple.  Epilepsy affects 3 million Americans and 65 million people worldwide. One third of people diagnosed with Epilepsy will be deemed intractable, meaning that they take multiple medications without success and there is no way for their seizures to be helped with medication.  It often forces a patient to take more and more medications for only a fraction of control. (At my worst time, I was on a maximum dosage of 5 medications.) Only a small margin of intractable epileptics will qualify for the current surgeries available, about 30%. I was one of the lucky ones.   Though epilepsy affects more people than  multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy and Parkinson's combined it has least amount of funding for studies in the advancement of finding treatments and a cure.

Should you see someone around you have a seizure: Do not ever put anything in their mouth. Remove anything dangerous from their hand (like a fork or knife). Move tables or chairs to prevent them from hitting their head, if possible place something soft under their head.  Do not be alarmed if they are not responding to you immediately, during a seizure most will not.  Rarely is an ambulance needed, however if the seizure goes beyond 5 minutes; if the person has continual short seizures without coming conscious in between, or if the person bangs their head or physically injures their body.  It may take several minutes after a seizure for the person to become truly aware.  Staying nearby and talking to them to ensure they are conscious is good. 

For all those of you who have epilepsy or know someone with epilepsy, never give up!  I had intractable seizures for the first 39 years of my life. I met the right doctor and less than 5 months later I had my last seizure.  I have currently been seizure free for 4 and a half years.  I am down to low medication levels.  There's always hope!  I am seeing new technology, new treatments and surgeries come.  Don't be afraid.  Drop me a message if you need to talk. htondre@aol.com

This card is using an awesome stamp from the Stamping Chef. This woman is the fighter I want to be! I colored her up in purple for Epilepsy Awareness this month using gorgeous papers from Paper Temptress.

Wild Thing

Here's an awesome image from East Wind. I love her beautiful girls. I had to do her hair up in bright pinks with dark orange/reddish clothes.  She definitely looks like a Wild Thing to me.  If only I was so as a kid.  But back in college I was on scholarship with the military so things like pink hair and outfits like so were never allowed.  Also, I was in the college of Electrical engineering so as a woman, I already stuck out as a sore thumb, I think if I looked like this lady, that would have been too much! lol.

 

Have a great week!  I can't believe we are half-way through it already. Most of the USA is getting blasted with cold air right now and we are no different at about 15-20 degrees less than normal.  Brrrr....

Have a Zombie Christmas

Here's a funny, hmm, maybe some people won't find it funny....but I know how popular the Walking Dead is right now.  Not just that, but probably a dozen other zombie theme movies and shows.  This week over at Squigglefly the theme is Christmas, but choose some none Christmas colors.  Well, you know I can go totally out of the box on a topic like that....Here's a zombie Christmas image from one of Squigglefly's newest artist Sal Schiebe called Christmas Zombie Head.

I am guessing no one else when quite so far out on their version of non traditional Christmas colors, but I suppose we will see.  I'd love to see what you all make, create something fun and share it with us at Squigglefly this week.  If you use a Squigglefly image, you can be eligible to win a prize!

Cheers, Holley

Project materials:  Cardstock (DCWV, Neenah, Bazzill); Image (Squigglefly); Sentiment (Computer generated); Die Cut (Spellbinder Nestabilities); Sticker (Soft Spoken); Bling (Michaels); Ribbon (Adorn It); Color (Copic markers); Adhesives (Ribbon glue, Pop dots, Glue all);

You are Beautiful

Here's the most Beautiful stamp from artist Sherri Baldy. I am just loving this cute girl.  There's an anything goes contest over on the SSS Challenge blog right now, so join in the fun and share a card over there. 

I am using some fun lace that I found at my local JoAnns with some ribbon layered over it and some sheer red flowers from Prima.  This cute image is Img005.  She's one of the prizes you can win over on the challenge blog.

Project materials:  Cardstock (Neenah, Bazzill); Image (Sherri Baldy); Diecut(Lifestyles); Lace (JoAnns); Ribbon (Michaels); Buttons (American Traditional); Brads (Basic Grey); Sentiment (Adorn it!); Flowers (Prima); Ink (Colorbox Chalk); Color (Copic Markers); Adhesives (Pop dots, Glue all, Glue dots, Ribbon glue);

Nature Cards

Here's some more of the stunning pressed leaves and flowers that I made cards from. A lady from my church gave me some from her collection and I created cards from them.  I returned her a set and then made cards which we sold in the church's bazaar this year.  Here's a few more of what was made:

Sending Bear Hugs

Here's the cutest teddy from Whipper Snapper. I just love their bear images.  I added a simple sentiment "Sending bear hugs" and some cute bling to go with it.  Don't you love this die cut card too?  They sell them complete with envelopes and everything.  How perfect is that?

Hope you are all having a great day today.  Big bear hugs to everyone.

Cheers, Holley

Project materials:  Cardstock (Doodlebug, Neenah); Image (Whipper Snapper, TAC); Ink (Colorbox Chalk, Memento); Die Cut (Spellbinders Nestabilities); Bling (Michaels); Lace (JoAnns); Adhesives (Pop dots, Glue all, Glue dots, Ribbon Glue);

Lilura

 Here's an awesome stamp for fall time from Sweet pea artist Helena Reis, called Lilura.  I added a perfect sentiment from Thoreau, "I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself than to be crowded on a velvet cushion."  Isn't this stamp just gorgeous?  I colored her in copic markers using browns and blues with a gorgeous collection of metallic embossed papers and laser die cuts.

 

Here's a close up of this stunning image, currently available in rubber stamp as well as digi stamp format.

 

Drop by the Sweet Pea store and check out all of the Helena Reis stamp, there's still lots of time to create some fun cards for Thanksgiving.  Join in sharing your card at our contest on Facebook in our Sweet Pea Friends and Fans group!

 

Cheers, Holley

Live Laugh Love

Here's a great image from the Stamping Chef. I love this artist's work.  I wish I had a costume like this one for wearing at Halloween, esp those cute hose she has.  I had to add a tiny piece of bling to her wand.  I am using some beautiful lace that I got from Turkiye and some ric rac that matches the color of the card.

I am sharing this card over at the TSC Challenge this week.  Check out their fun site and this artist's smexy images.  Cheers, Holley

Fairy Pumpkin

Here's an awesome image from Ike's Art, I think this image is just perfect for Halloween or for Fall time with the gorgeous pumpkin on there.  I do love pumpkin!  I am using a wonderful stitched card to highlight the gorgeous image.

I will share this card at the Ike's World Challenge Blog, their current contest is Halloween theme, so I added a fun button to this card that says Halloween, but I do think this image would be wonderful as a thanksgiving theme stamp for those thinking about getting it now.

Cheers, Holley

Candy Junkie

Here's the cutest little girl from Sherri Baldy.  I just love the big hat she has on with her "boo" shirt.  She's called Trixie Boo.  Too cute.  There's a contest going on over at the Scrapbook Stamp Society Challenge Blog that's Halloween theme, even though the holiday is passing, you are still welcome to share a card with us and play along.  If you are like me, you still have some fun cards from Halloween to share.  And for me, POST Halloween is definitely the time for the "Candy Junkie" as I can always recall being that kid with a huge bag of candy after Halloween.

Hope your Halloween was great. Even if you want to share a different themed card, we'd love to see it over at the SSS Challenge blog, so please share.  If you got some candy, bring that by too, I am always ready for that, lol!!

Cheers, Holley

Squigglefly Challenge

Happy Monday everyone!  it's time for this week's Squigglefly Challenge.  This week the challenge is to include some patterned paper on your card.  This can be your card's background or die cuts/embellishments  made from patterned paper.  I am using a brand new image from called Bubbles from  Niina Niskanen.

Drop by the Squigglefly Challenge blog and join in the fun this week!  Check out what the Holley Hobbyists made and then share a card with us!  You could win a prize from Squigglefly.

Project materials:  Paper (DCWV, Neenah, Bazzill); Image (Squigglefly), Diecuts (Spellbinders); Bling (Recollections); Flowers (Hobby Lobby); Sentiment (3 Bugs in a Rug); Butterfly (); Color (Copic markers); Adhesives (pop dots, glue all, glue dots); Brad (Basic Grey);

Guest Designer Mary K

Sharing a card from a friend today, Mary Kirchherr. She recently sent me this cute butterfly card

 

Here's another card that I got from her, back in Sept

 

 

 

Here's some cute little pieces that I sent her to use on her card fronts or for other fun little projects that she makes.  I can't wait to see what she does with them!

Happy Sunday Everyone!  Happy All Saints Day.  I am very much ready for a rest as yesterday was the church's bazaar, so I made all kinds of jewelry, cards and some fun chocolates for them to sell; then I worked all day and helped with the set up Friday and clean up Saturday and Sunday.

Dia de los Muertos

Happy Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead.  Having grown up in San Antonio, TX, this day is quite popular and very celebrated even with day off from school, parades, events at church and so forth.  The day is meant to honor those who are passed away.  This is often done by creating a small alter in their home with photos, flowers, gifts of the loved one in their memory;  going out to their grave to clean it and decorate it with flowers;  tell stories about and celebrate the life of those deceased through the night.  The often have these beautiful masks, called Sugar Skulls This Sweet Pea stamp is just stunning. It's from artist Concetta Kilmer and it is called Cupcake Beauty.  I did the entire card in Black & Pink. 

 

Many other faiths have a similar observation on Sunday called "All Saints Day."  At my church on the first Sunday of November, we light a candle for each member who passed away that year and observe a moment of silence.

Sweet Pea stamps have several other amazing images for Dia De los Muertos, in Rubber, check HERE, and look among the fall holiday section; for digital stamps, look HERE.

Happy Dia de los Muertos!

Holley