Isn’t this the notorious break up reason? “No sweetie, you’re great. It’s me.” Yeah, we’ve all heard it. But this time it’s true.

I’ve been meaning to put this up here for at least a couple of months now and I can see you’ve noticed my lack of posts.

“I think you and I need to take a break.” Classic break up reason number two.

Yes, I’m trying to use some humour here as this is a tough situation for me. I’m going to be taking a break from blogging and crafting in general for the next few months. I have not had the enthusiasm or zest for stamping that I have had these past 6 years lately. Honestly, I can probably count the times I’ve been in my craft room on one hand since December. I’m not motivated and with that will not produce anything worth sharing.

I have stepped down from my current design teams but do hope to find the love to continue playing along soon.

I know that in the weeks and months to come I will be forgotten and that is okay. There are amazing stampers out there. My reasons for taking this break are many – but spending more time with my family tops my list. I’m through trying to be the “best” and putting that extra pressure on myself. Not fun. I do what I do and so many of you have been gracious in sharing your thoughts and feeling about my craftiness. Thank you.

I am sure we will all cross paths again soon. Thank you again for all of your support.

Sorry All! Our cables for our phone and internet corroded! We have been without connections until yesterday. I’ll get back to bloggin’ soon!

This week it’s time to play along with a great sketch at Create with Connie and Mary. I am even more excited than normal as today they’ve announced that I’ll be a Guest Designer for the Occasions Edition of Create with Connie and Mary!

My project today showcases the products I’ll be using on my original project that will be showcased in early February.  You can only view this project (and so many wonderful others) if you subscribe to Create with Connie & Mary Occasions 2012 Edition. Join now and take advantage of the early bird pricing of just $29.95 – a $5 savings – for 6 weeks of amazing projects by some very talented artists! (early bird offer ends January 14th)

I wanted to use the Gnome Sweet Gnome set in a bit of a different way so I used the watering can and sentiment only. I stamped the image with Basic Gray and used the Pinking Hearts border punch to get that tiny little heart which I added on with some Tombow.

Along the bottom of the Crumb Cake card stock, I embossed with the Stripes Embossing Folder. From far away, this has the look of ruffled paper! Over the seam is some Riding Hood Red Taffeta ribbon and a little Basic Gray button was tied on with some Linen Thread.

Hope you like what I’ve shown you today and I strongly suggest you head on over to Create with Connie and Mary and subscribe for the Occasions Edition or just head on over there and play along with this week’s challenge!

Products used on today’s project – CLICK HERE to buy them NOW!:

Cardstock: Basic Gray, Confetti White, Basic Black, Crumb Cake, Real Red.

Ink: Basic Gray.

Stamps: Gnome Sweet Gnome.

Accessories: Big Shot, Stripes Embossing Folder, Neutral Buttons, Riding Hood Red Taffeta Ribbon, Pinking Hearts Border punch.

Time for another KKC challenge! Yeah! This time it’s all about the colour and what a challenge it is. A couple of neutrals, a bright and a regal!

I used River Rock for the base (this card is 3″ x 6″) and then I added a long panel of River Rock designer paper which I notched out a the end.

In honour of the upcoming Valentine’s Day, I decided to use the Fashionable Hearts Embosslit from the Occasions Mini and run it through my Big Shot a few times. I used Soft Suede as the “base” and then inserted various challenge colour hearts. I really like this look.

For a bit of added pop I added a Bitty Button.

This would be a great card to showcase at a workshop, don’t you think?

To finish it off, I added a sentiment stamped in Soft Suede from Delightful Dozen and added a little extra heart….just ’cause.

Hope you like today’s design and make sure you check out the KA-POW Kreative Challenge page for more great projects and to play along!

Products used on today’s project – CLICK HERE to buy them NOW!:

Cardstock: River Rock, Soft Suede, Regal Rose, Cajun Craze, Very Vanilla.

Ink: Soft Suede.

Stamps: Delightful Dozen.

Accessories: Neutrals Designer Paper, Bitty Buttons, Big Shot, Fashionable Hearts Embosslit Die, Bitty Buttons.

A while back I entered a submission for a Design Team and was picked! Yeah! I’m sure there was some steep competition and my DT mates are FABULOUS! Which DT? Well, the Splitcoaststampers Creative Crew (for Jan-Apr 2012)!!!

This was a super exciting accomplishment for me so over the next little bit, I’ll share my first round of projects with you.

The project above was made for CCREW112DF – which was to use a colour combo that I hadn’t used before. This was a doozy. We also had to use a sketch that was provided.

I used the combo of Sahara Sand, Chocolate Chip, Pacific Point and Cajun Craze. I used the super cute Owl punch and hand cut the tree, of course it is stamped with the Woodgrain background.

A few little flowers finish off the look and of course, that super cute hanging sign!

Hope you’ll stay tuned for more great projects coming soon. Have a great day!

Time for a new Create with Connie and Mary challenge! This time it’s all about the colour, baby! I love all of these shade individually and was super excited to play with them all together.

The base is Pool Party and I used my Adorning Accents Edgelits to cut a piece of Soft Suede (which I also sponged) which I added along the bottom.

Next, I took a piece of Twitterpated Designer Series Paper and ruffled and the sewed it in my sewing machine. I just love this look. But before I adhered it, I used my Adorning Accents embossing folder (the heart on) to emboss a strip on the card. I wanted it to be de-bossed so I used the back side. Over this I stamped my sentiment from Curly and Cute.

For the focal panel, I stamped an image from Button Buddies using my Stampin’ Write markers and added some Twitterpated designer buttons but instead of tying them on, I added some Rhinestones to the centre of each one. For that fun bottom and top edge, I put the piece of card stock into my Decorative Label punch. And the in behind, I added a Blushing Bride Decorative label for an extra pop of colour.

To finish, it all off, I added a wee loop of ribbon affixed using Vintage Trinkets.

This is a great colour combo that is a blast to play around with. Won’t you join us at Create with Connie and Mary? And another great reason to play along….

Did you know that we have started the Early Bird Special for Create with Connie and Mary Occasions Edition 2012?  Well…WE HAVE!  From now until Saturday, January 14th, you can join this edition for only $29.95…that’s $5 off the regular 6 week subscription price of $34.95!  That’s 36 amazing projects with full tutorials that will not be seen anywhere but on Create with Connie and Mary Occasions Edition 2012!  Why wait…join today…

Products used on today’s project – CLICK HERE to buy them NOW!:

Cardstock:  Pool Party, Whisper White, Soft Suede, Blushing Bride.

Ink: Pool Party, Pear Pizzazz, Soft Suede, Sahara Sand.

Stamps:  Button Buddies, Curly and Cute.

Accessories: Big Shot, Decorative Label Punch, Soft Suede Taffeta Ribbon, Adorning Edgelits Dies and Embossing Folder, Trinkets, Twitterpated Designer Paper and Buttons.

Who loves to be inspired? I do! This week’s KKC challenge was all about inspiration and we loved what we saw. A huge thank you to Cindy Major who was our guest designer this week!

The next KKC challenge will be on January 10th and is sure to not disappoint. Make sure you come on by!

This week we had some great designs, here are our choices for Sidekicks:

Robbyn W

Jenny Engelke

Laura Haffke

Laura’s cards are so crisp, I love her style. On this card, I especially love the perfect bow and adorable tiny tag with the little flower and pearl accent. The triple layer punch flowers make perfect tiles and would be a great make and take card.

My vote also goes to Laura H.  Her card really caught my eye.  It’s so crisp and clean.  I really like the bow and the teeny weeny tag just finishes the design right off.  She totally rocked this challenge!

Now why didn’t I think of this? I love how Laura emulated the tiled effect with the punch and white squares. The bow is perfectly proportioned and the little tag is the perfect added touch.

Jenny, you can click here to pick up your badge for your blog sidebar. Thank you again for playing along with us and we hope you’ll join us again at KA-POW Kreative Challenge next week! Watch the blog for an awesome challenge coming soon…..

It’s time for another great challenge at Create with Connie and Mary. I really do love sketch challenges and had so many ideas when I saw this one. After Christmas, I realized that I had a bunch of unopened new products from the upcoming Occasions Mini so I decided to use them!

The base of this card is Crumb Cake. The large vertical layer is Rose Red and I tied on a large piece of Springtime Vintage fabric using some Linen Thread. I added a few extra loops of Linen Thread on over it, I added a cut out of flowers stamped from the new stamp set, Bordering on Romance. I stamped this image on some Watercolour paper and coloured it in.

I then splattered it a bit and added some Dazzling Details to the centre of the large flowers. In behind this is a Baja Breeze banner that was cut out using the Petal Cone die.

For a little extra detail, I used the new (and exciting) Adorning Accents Textured Impressions Embossing Folders. I ran it through my Big Shot with some Crumb Cake designer series paper and cut it out (watch over the next couple of weeks to see what I did with the other piece!).

All in all, a pretty simple card and I’m super happy with it! Switch out colours and elements but this layout is certainly one that can be used over and over.

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with – play along at Create with Connie and Mary!

Products used on today’s project – CLICK HERE to buy them NOW!:

Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Rose Red, Baja Breeze, Watercolour paper.

Ink: Jet Black StazOn, Rose Red, Pear Pizzazz, Baja Breeze.

Stamps: Fabulous Phrases, Bordering on Romance.

Accessories: Petal Cone Die, Springtime Vintage Fabric, Neutrals Designer Paper, 

WOW – I have been a bad blogger lately! But forgive me, between the holidays, work and a trip to Mexico, I think a break was necessary!

Today I’m super excited to show you some new products just in time for a new KKC Challenge!

The base for this card is Pool Party and I’ve layered it with some Cherry Cobbler and then a layer of Pool party which I made a squared texture on it (to mimic the tiles in the inspiration photo) using my Simply Scored.

I again played with the tiles and made my own four in the centre. I used the SAB stamp set, Freshly Vintage and stamped the image in Pool Party, punched it out and added a little centre stamped with Cherry Cobbler.

Behind this layer I added a little tie of Pool Party Baker’s twine (kinda like having a towel in the bathroom photo, no?).

Underneath, I added a sentiment from Loving Thoughts which I stamped in Basic Gray (a la the bathroom tap in the photo).

This was a fun card to make and I was super happy to get back into the craft room and play with my stamping products again!

I do hope you’ll join in the fun at the KA-POW Kreative Challenge this week, head on over the official page and see who is Guest Designing for us this month!

Products used on today’s project – CLICK HERE to buy them NOW!:

Cardstock: Pool Party, Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler.

Ink: Pool Party, Cherry Cobbler, Basic Gray.

Stamps: Loving Thoughts, Fresh Vintage.

Accessories: Simply Scored, 1 1/4″ Square punch, Bitty Punch Pack, Pool Party Baker’s Twine, Basic Jewels.