Season Of Love

Hello Sweet 'n Sassy friends!

It's Ceal here to share with you

In case you've missed it, Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps is celebrating their 8th birthday all month long!  Be sure to keep checking Facebook and the blog for samples, give-aways, and promotions!  Currently SNSS is offering 25% off all dies with the code BDAYDIES25!

Today I am showcasing the set Season of Love. 

Here are a couple of samples I made with it

For my first sample I stamped the silhouette image with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and used some Squeezed Lemonade and Mermaid Lagoon distress inks to sponge around the image. The greeting is from one of our Bible journaling sets, Name Above All Names. 

My Second sample is a watercolored version, I stamped the image this time in Versafine Black Onyx ink and used some Brusho powdered watercolors for both backgrounds. Again the greeting is from the Name Above All Names set.

Here are the sets I used 

A Little About Me:

My husband and I  are empty nesters except for Willis our spoiled Shih Tzu. and we are in the middle of a huge transfer move from Denver, Colorado to Maggie Valley, North Carolina, so from the Rockies to the Smokies. We both are originally from the east coast so it's closer to family.

I have been crafting in some for or fashion since I was a little girl. I have always loved to color, still do and Art class was my fave. I have been a stamper about 15 years and have been blessed to be on several design teams and have a very supportive husband.

How long have you been a fan of Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps? 

I have been a Sweet 'n Sassy  fan since the beginning and have been involved in some capacity almost from the beginning as well. 

What do you enjoy outside of stamping? 

I enjoy being outdoors, hiking or just admiring God's beauty especially in the fall. I also enjoy reading and of course spending time with my family.

What is your "day" job? 

At the present time my "day" job is unpacking the 500 plus boxes the movers dropped off last wednesday. I don't know where all this stuff came from, haha. I am fortunate enough to be a stay at home wife where my "day" job is crafting mostly.

Who inspires you? 

That is a hard question, I have so many crafters that inspire me and don't want to leave anyone out so, I am going to say what inspires me and that would be Pinterest, there is so much inspiration there, I usually spend hours looking around.

Share a fun or interesting fact about yourself that most people might not know. I don't do coffee or milk or orange juice in the morning, give me a glass of sweet tea and I am happy.

What advice would you give to a new stamper? Join stamping groups like Splitcoaststampers or Stamp Nation. Check out pinterest for inspiration and watch plenty of You Tube videos, but most of all have fun and never under estimate yourself.

What is your favorite SNSS set? And then maybe share a sample or two using it.

Favorite set? what about favorite sets! I have many that are my go to sets for different seasons. I looked back on my blog and Parisian Postcard is one I have used quite a bit, here are some samples I pulled from my blog.

Here's one with favorite winter stamp, Welcome Jesus 

and my favorite summer set, Ocean Paradise

I hope you have enjoyed getting to know me a little better and don't forget about our die sale! 

Paradise

Hi everyone and welcome to today's blog post where we're celebrating all things beachy and full of sunshine!  (Well, some of us are having a harder time embracing the beach as we've had days and days of rain...but it's a great thing to look forward to!!)

Today's card features this darling beach scene from the Ocean Paradise Stamp set.  Doesn't it make you want to pack your bags and head to the beach??!!  To create this card, I stamped the beach scene on a piece of watercolor cardstock.  I then used Distress Markers to color the image. 

As an aside, my favorite way to use Distress Markers is to scribble with a certain color on a non-stick craft sheet.  I then use a water brush to pick up the color from the craft sheet and apply it to the image.  I find that give me the most control of the color and I can heat dry a portion of the coloring and add another layer on top for contrast.

Once I had colored the entire image, I used a white gel pen to add highlights and the Picket Fence marker to color the chair.  I then added the sentiment and embellishments!

Be sure to check out all of the beach-inspired stamps at Sweet 'n Sassy!

Shape Up!

Hello friends of Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps...Happy Sunday!  Have you seen the new die sets just released?   If not, you'll want to check them out HERE...they are so much fun, and just in time for creating summer themed cards!

My first sample uses the Shapes Dies.  The possibilities are endless for the shapes in this fabulous die set.

The chevron die was used to create the background panel.  Cut the end off the tear drop shape and attach it to a trapezoid, and wah-lah...a vase!  The flowers from the Celebrate Today set (not currently available) were colored with water-based markers and stamped onto a Rectangle Nestie that was sponged with Tumbled Glass Distress Ink.  The leaves were made with a punch from my stash.  The wonderful sentiment is from the very popular
Be Encouraged set.  Some texture from an embossing folder, a little ribbon, and some pearls finish the card.

My next sample uses the Wave Dies and was made for The Sweet Stop sketch for this week.

The waves were cut from patterned paper and card stock.  Both the positive and the negative waves were used to make the layers for this card.  The image from the Ocean Paradise set was colored with Copic Markers.  The shells from the Beauty by the Sea set were colored, fussy cut, and given a coat of Glossy Accents before attaching them to the card.  The really cool thing about clear stamps is that you can curve the sentiments on your block to match the contours of your card as was done with this sentiment from the Kindness stamp set. Aaaaah...I want to be sitting in that chair right about now!

To see more ways to used the wonderful dies from this release, check out the
Summer Die-Version Blog Hop!

And there is still one more day to take advantage of this Sizzling Summer Sale!

I hope I've encouraged you to find new ways to think of shapes...if so, you too can SHAPE UP!

Have a blessed Sunday!

Hugs,

Cathy

Be Still And Know

For my post today, I decided to take a break from Christmas in July.  Don't get me wrong - I'm loving it!  But I decided to celebrate an anniversary - one year ago, I was a guest designer at Sweet 'n Sassy stamps.  They sent me Beauty by the Sea and Ocean Paradise to play with.  I was most amused - after all, what does a land-locked Colorado gal know about the ocean - but I had a great time playing along.  I decided to pull the Ocean Paradise set out again today and I paired it with this verse from the set Peaceful Swans.

(I stretched a little tulle in the window to give it a misty, peaceful look.)

I hope that in the middle of your busy day, you are able to find moments of peace!  

Kim Singdahlsen

Joyful Creations with Kim

Paradise Vacation

Hello Sweet 'n Sassy friends!  Happy "Hump Day!"

Every once in a while, it's nice to break away from the busyness of life and enjoy a little piece of paradise!  Last week my hubby and I, along with our golden retriever, took off and headed for our definition of paradise...the beach!  I love to wake up early and look out the window to the beach below and listen to the rhythmic sound of waves breaking on the shore.  That's the scene I tried to create in my card sample for today.

The beach scene from the "Ocean Paradise" clear stamp set was stamped on a piece of Neenah Solar White card stock and colored with Copic Markers.  A little bit of white gel pen and Stickles highlight the waves.  The window die was cut from Barely Banana card stock and mounted on top of the beach scene.  Some Baker's twine was used for the tie backs, and a little cheesecloth and shells adorn the window sill.  The wall paper and chair rail were made from some My Mind's Eye "Lost and Found" patterned paper and Smokey Shadow card stock. Everything was mounted on a Smokey Shadow card base.

Look who else has found time to relax at the beach...

It's RHUBARB from the new "Summertime Rhubarb" clear stamp set!  This set just happens to be the prize up for grabs at The Sweet Stop this week.  Check out the fabulous sketch and play along for a chance to win!

Not everyone can slip away to the beach, so I thought I would bring the beach to you!  I hope you can find time to enjoy a little piece of Paradise wherever you happen to be today!

Bless you for stopping by!

Hugs,
Cathymac

Take Time to Relax!

Hi Sweet 'n Sassy friends! It's my turn once again to post some inspiration for you!

I just had to share another sweet little digital Rhubarb - Don't you just love all the variations Korin has created for us? Here he is with a 'just plucked from the garden' sunflower - today I colored the flower like the daisies on the patterned paper behind him.

I used Copics to color Rhubarb. The sentiment is from the Ocean Paradise stamp set.

I hope you have sunshine and flowers in your world today - AND that you find some time to relax!!

hugs,
Julia Aston

A Dreamy Birthday

Hi!  It's Kim - with my last post as June's guest designer for Sweet 'n Sassy.  I have totally enjoyed my month, but I have to admit...I am very excited about the "Sweet Peeks" for the July release and am ready to start playing with new stamps!

My last card represents my dream birthday.  I am landlocked in Colorado (and I do truly love Colorado), but the idea of a lone chair on a quiet beach is a wonderful dream! OK...I would probably allow my husband to be sitting next to me and my children to be playing along the shore.  But if it were my birthday, they would have to comply with the "peaceful" aspects of my imagined scene!

This card uses two Sweet 'n Sassy sets.  The shells are from Beauty by the Sea which also includes two Bible verses perfect for this type of card.  The beach scene is from Ocean Paradise.

• Stamps: Sweet 'n Sassy Beauty by the Sea and Ocean Paradise
• Ink: Versamark and a very light Copic marker to highlight the waves and the sand
• Paper: Stampin' Up Naturals White, Baja Breeze and Crumb Cake
• Accessories: EK Success border punch, snowdust embossing powder

A Misty Paradise

Hi...it's Kim again - I am the guest designer for June.

I live in Colorado, but the last beach vacation that I had was the most wonderfully relaxing and beautiful vacation of all time!  We spent a week on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  Of course, it helped that we had a beautiful home right on the beach.  (We also had a house full of relatives, but that's a different story!)

What I loved about this area is that everything was weathered and seemed misty and soft...except for the big bright beach umbrellas.  I tried to replicate this image in my card.

To keep the sky and sand soft, I used a sponge dauber.



• Stamps: Sweet 'n Sassy Ocean Paradise
• Ink: Stampin' Up Soft Sky, Creamy Caramel, copics on the ocean and umbrella
• Paper: Papertrey Hawaiian Shores, Stampin' Up Creamy Caramel
• Accessories: Spellbinders Grommet Tags, misc eyelet and twine, pop dots

It's Your Birthday!

Well, did the new Sweet 'N Sassy release get you in the mood for summer??  It would be nice if we at least had some Spring weather here in Northern California!  I guess I'll have to settle for these beach scenes for a while longer!  I stamped the main image from Ocean Paradise with Versafine Onyx Black on white cardstock.  I placed a Post-It note at the horizon, masking the chair and beach.  I sponged on Adirondack Aqua and Sailboat Blue inks.  I then water colored the ocean with an aquabrush and the Sailboat Blue ink.  The sand was created by rubbing a Memento Sahara Sand dew drop ink pad directly onto the paper.  The umbrella is paper pieced with Echo Park Summer Days patterned paper.
Have a great day!!

June Sweet Peek #5

Have you been enjoying this week of Sweet Peeks? We sure have enjoyed sharing them with you :).

Today's set makes me long for the ocean....

Introducing Ocean Paradise

~Set measures 4"x4"
~Includes 1 images and 4 sentiments
~Price will be $11

Here are a few snippets from some of our DT.....be sure to check out their blogs for the full cards. They are fabulous and you won't want to miss them :)!!

by Cindy Coutts

by Taylor Usry

by Harriet Skelly

by Neva McMullen

by Julia Aston

by Korin Sutherland

Check back tomorrow our final Sweet Peek, more DT snippets AND a special surprise :)!

Hugs,
Korin