TAWS October Release Blog Hop

It's Blog Hop time at The Alley Way Stamps and the design team has put together some fabulous cards showcasing the brand new stamps sets that will be released on October 1st!  And to make things extra fun, one lucky person will win all three of the brand new stamps sets!  If you've landed here from Christine's blog you're hopping along just fine.  But if you'd like to start at the beginning, just click HERE.

Christmas is definitely in the air! (Can't you just feel it?  And no, the feeling is not panic that Christmas is only 86 days away!) For my project today I've made a gift tag with the cutest elf there is from the brand new Toyland.  I've also added a sentiment from Chill Out.

If you'd like to be the lucky winner of the new stamps sets, here's what you have to do.  And remember the more you do, the better your chances of winning!

1. Comment on The Alley Way Stamps blog;
2. Comment on the DT blogs (you'll find handy links are below);
3. Post about the new release on Facebook or your blog;
4. Like us on Facebook.

Be sure to let us know which you've done by leaving a comment on THIS POST on The Alley Way Stamps blog.  You have until 9:00 TAWS time.

And that's not all.  During the month of October, you'll get the Christmas Express stamp set for FREE if you spend $40 or more in the TAWS store!

Next up on the hop is Kasia, but if you're lost, here are links to all of the DT!  Good luck!

 
 
  

BE Inspired 38

It's time for a new BE Inspired challenge over at The Alley Way Stamps blog!  The colors in the inspiration photo are over-the-top gorgeous and inspired my birthday card.

My card uses Bermuda Bay and Calypso Coral for colorful accents stamped in the beautiful images from Delicate Doilies.  I added a polka dotted layer for a little more visual interest and a birthday sentiment from Wish BIG.  And, of course, I couldn't resist using some of my new washi!   Incidentally, the layout for my card comes from the latest Deconstructed Sketch, which, as soon as I saw it knew it would be perfect for a little washi treatment!

If you play along with the BE Inspired challenge you can win a free stamp set!  All you have to do is play along with the challenge using an image from The Alley Way Stamps.  And if you don't have any stamps you can find FREEBIES here!  One lucky person will be hand picked and one person will be randomly chosen to win a free stamp set!

Good luck and I hope you have a chance to play along!

TAWS October Release Sneak Peek Day One

Today is the first day of the sneak peek at The Alley Way Stamps blog for the new sets that are releasing on October 1st!  The first set is called Chill Out and features some great winter images!  For my card today I've chosen to feature this fun snowman and sentiment.

Since we're celebrating the new release at The Alley Way Stamps you've got a chance to win the stamp set featured here.  All you have to do is comment on the blog post featured HERE.  And if you share that same post on Facebook you'll have another chance to win!  How's that for easy peasy!  Commenting closes at 9:30 PM TAWS time so hurry on over!

Before I go I have to mention that I didn't dream up the fabulous layout for this card by myself.  No sir, I found this layout at Seize the Sketch and fell in love with it.

Good luck!

Freshly Made Sketches 105

I'm so glad it's Wednesday!  I've only been back to work two days after my little vacation and I'm already exhausted!  It's been a busy couple of days, which is good because the day goes by fast, but it's been a busy couple of days which means I'm pooped by the end of the day!

Exhaustion aside, today is the new sketch from Freshly Made Sketches and this week Allisa is our hostess.  She's given us one of my favorite kinds of cards!  A square one!  With lots of other squares on it!  This should be right up your alley if you have a phobia about circles.  Jen Brum, I'm talking to you!  

I thought it was about time I created a fall-themed card so I found an appropriate color challenge at Just Us Girls and joined in.  I did a little rock-n-roll on the leaves from my all-time favorite leafy stamp set, French Foliage then fussy cut them out.  Layered together with a button is a good look for these leaves, especially when paired with this little tag.

I hope you have a chance to check out the challenge and inspiration from the Freshly Made Sketches design team this week.  Then ink up those stamps and join us!

Supplies:

Stamps:  French Foliage, French Script, Tiny Tags (SU)

Paper:  Kraft (Avery Elle); Early Espresso, Riding Hood Red, Very Vanilla

Ink:  Early Espresso, Riding Hood Red

Accessories:  Pierced Square STAX die (My Favorite Things); Early Espresso button (SU); baker's twine

Hey There for DD#71, and Unscripted Sketches 223

I think it's been a dog's age since I played along with the ladies at Unscripted Sketches.  And this week as soon as I saw that row of chevrons the old wheels started turning and I knew exactly what stamp sets to use on my card.  I combined the sketch with the colors at Dynamic Duos because Crumb Cake and Basic Black are a dynamic duo indeed!

I started by stamping one of the polka dotted stamps from Pointers (FREE with a $40 purchase in September) on a Whisper White background, then I stamped some flowers from Awesome Blossom and a sentiment from Calypso.  I added a few sequins because I have discovered there is practically no better way to take up white space!  The chevrons are from Good Point.

Be sure to come back tomorrow because I've got a card for the October release sneak peeks from The Alley Way Stamps that I want to show you!

Supplies:

Stamps:  Awesome Blossom, Pointers, Calypso, Good Point (The Alley Way Stamps)

Paper:  Crumb Cake, Basic Black, Whisper White

Ink:  Crumb Cake; Onyx Black (Versafine)

Accessories:  Kraft Blend sequins, Midnight Blend sequins (Avery Elle)

colourQ 208

I hope you ready for a colourQ challenge that is all about black and white and a splash of color!  The challenge is based on this fab mug and your challenge is to add a bit of color!

For my card I grabbed my Gorgeous Grunge stamp set (seriously I don't think I can make a card nowadays without using this set) especially since I could envision it going so well with the sketch at A Random Thursday Card Challenge.  After randomly stamping some of the images from the set I cut out the layers of the flower from a Sizzix die.  I actually don't like the flower now that I've had a good look at it but since I put it down with a glue dot (and there's no going back after that) it stays.

Ok, I've had a look at the cards from the other colourQ design team this week and you are going to be totally blown away by how awesome they are.  There's a little bit of black, a little bit of white, a little bit of color and a whole lot of creativity, so you HAVE to check them out!  

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:

Stamps:  Gorgeous Grunge (SU); Botanical Silhouettes (Papertrey Ink)

Paper:  Neenah Solar White, Berry Sorbet (Papertrey Ink)

Ink:  Basic Black (SU); Onyx Black (Versafine)

Accessories:  Flower, Daisies #2 die (Sizzix); Notable "Cute" Enamel Dots (My Minds Eye); Antique Brad (SU)

Thank You for CTS46 and Muse35

Friday was the last official day of my vacation (I don't count Saturday or Sunday because I have those days off anyway), so I decided to celebrate by taking a little trip to Michael's, Super Joann, and Marshall's.  It was a good day because I managed to buy something at each store!

At Michael's I got a new stamp set and inked it up for the sketch challenge at CAS(E) This Sketch and latest Muse challenge.

For the Muse challenge I was inspired by the background stamp, which created such lovely texture, and by that big, beautiful flower.  For my card I created some texture with the grungy dotted stamp, then stamped a flower over it in Rose Red (which also echoes the colors of the Muse challenge).  Finally I added a sentiment stamped in black.

I've got a busy day today capped off by an art show reception tonight at Borderland State Park (if you live in the neighborhood you should stop by and say "hi")!  But I hope to be back in the old craft cave on Sunday to get ready for a busy stamping week!

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:

Stamps:  Agapanthus Thank You (Stampendous); Textures 2 (Florileges Design)

Avast. Me Hearties

Well, it's finally here.  Today is Talk Like a Pirate Day so I thought it would be a good idea to put together a little tutorial to give you an idea about some of the things you could say to your co-workers, family and friends.  Be sure to work these phrases into your conversations at appropriate intervals and, if you can swing it, have a toast to Captain Jack Sparrow himself!

The colors are from the latest Color Throwdown challenge, but I started with this pirate treasure map stamped in Versamark to create a watermark image.  Then I just stamped the pirate-worthy sentiments in the challenge colors.  All of this pirate goodness comes from The Alley Way Stamps and the sets Treasure Island, Land Ho and Black Beard's Loot.

I thought of a few helpful ways you could use these phrases.  When you're at work you could say something like "Blimey, the copier is jammed again" or "Arrgggh, lunch break is over already!"  At home, when your kids put their dirty clothes in the hamper rather than on the floor next to the bed say something positive like "Yarr a treasure" and maybe they'll do it all the time!  Really, the possibilities are endless.

I'm also entering this over at the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge blog where they are hosting a challenge that requires items available in their store.  These stamps definitely fit that bill!

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to talk like a pirate!

Freshly Made Sketches 104

It's time for the new sketch reveal at Freshly Made Sketches.  This week Linda Suarez is our hostess and if you love the banner and flag trend  you're going to love it!  Take a peek.

Now, before you think I am totally off my rocker you will notice that I did not, in fact, use a banner on my card.  This is not due to my rebellious nature but rather because I was not paying proper attention when I made this card.  I just got this new subway style stamp and thought it would be perfect for this sketch.  So I'm busy stamping away fully intending to put this sentiment layer onto another layer shaped like the banner in the sketch.  Well, as luck would have it, there was no room to fit it.  I should have rotated the sketch and started over but I had already stuck down the DSP layer and since this is my precious Kiwi Kiss card stock I didn't want to run the risk of ruining everything by prying it apart.  I'm pretty sure that Linda will be okay with this because I have it on good authority that we're pretty flexible at Freshly Made Sketches!

As always our amazing Freshly Made Sketches design team have got some pretty fantastic cards to show you this week.  I sure hope you can join us in the gallery this week!

Supplies:

Stamps:  Subway Series Basics (Fresh Squeezed Stamps)

Paper:  Kiwi Kiss, Basic Black, Whisper White, Urban Oasis DSP (SU)

Ink:  Onyx Black (Versafine); Kiwi Kiss

Accessories:  Stitched Mats Rectangle die (Lil' Inker Designs); Midnight Blend sequins (Avery Elle)

Shiver Me Timbers

I know that parrots can be taught to speak a little, but with this card I think I've officially got the smartest pirate parrot there is.  He can speak in complete sentences!  He is from Black Beard's Loot and he gets his famous sentence from Treasure Island.  Both can be found at The Alley Way Stamps.

I used the soft colors at Dynamic Duos and paired it with the Mojo sketch.  For the circle on the sketch I used a bit of burlap and it wasn't until I went to photograph the card that I thought the burlap called to mind a bird's nest.  Not exactly, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Thanks for stopping by today!

colourQ 207

Day two of my vacation dawns with a brand new color challenge from colourQ!  I combined the colors, inspired by this sweater, with the sketch at CAS(E) This Sketch but I'll admit that I struggled a bit.

I had big plans to do something original and fun with the sketch, but I couldn't seem get my brain to work to come up with anything, plus I had these leafy branches in my head and couldn't get them out.  So I went with the branches.  Once I stamped them and colored in the flowers, the pink and coral were so small the colors were almost indistinguishable from each other so I added the sequins for a pop of pink.

The colourQ design team have got some great cards to show you, so be sure to check them out.  Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:

Stamps:  Off the Grid, Artfully Asian, Bloomin' Marvelous (SU)

Paper:  Neenah Solar White; Night of Navy, Whisper White (SU)

Ink:  Baked Brown Sugar, Night of Navy, Copics

Accessories:  Sugar Blend sequins (Avery Elle)