GIVEAWAY! {Lupus Awareness Month}

Hmmm - what do you say... 

Should we have a GIVEAWAY???

Includes: 
Market Street Stamps: Believing Butterfly Set (Market Mini);
Unity Stamp Company: Direction of Happy (Itty Bitty);

Ranger: Distress Stickles (Spiced Marmelade);
Ranger: Glitz Stickles (Grape);
Ranger: Distress Stain (Dusty Concord);
The Twinery: Mandarin twine (15 yards); 

The Twinery: Lilac twine (15 yards);  

I wanted to do a special giveaway for the end of May, which is Lupus Awareness Month. 

Lupus Awareness Month is important to me because I was diagnosed with lupus a couple of years ago (after having symptoms for a few years). I personally hadn't heard much about it until I found out I might have it, and I figure there are many others out there who don't know much about it or maybe who have never even heard of it before. 

Lupus is often represented by butterflies (because of the "butterfly rash" that can present itself in some cases of lupus) and the traditional awareness color for lupus is purple (and sometimes orange as a secondary awareness color)...that is why I have chosen the items shown above for the giveaway.

I highly encourage you to learn more about lupus. Chances are, it affects someone you know. 

You can quickly read a few facts about lupus HERE, or get a little more in-depth information HERE. 

The Details:
To enter:

• Leave a comment on this blog post. That's it!

If you would like additional chances to win you can do so in one (or all) of the following ways:

• Follow this blog. {Please let me know you are a follower by leaving an additional comment.} 
• Visit  HERE or  HERE and read a little bit about lupus. {Come back here and tell me what you've learned by leaving me an additional comment.} 
• Share about this giveaway on your own blog, Facebook, Google+, Twitter, or anywhere else. {Please let me know where you've shared by leaving one additional comment.}

Blog comments for the giveaway will close Wednesday, June 6th @ 11:59pm (Pacific) and the winners will be announced Friday, June 8th here on my blog.
Please remember to check back to see if you've won.
{Each winner will have 48 hours to contact me with their information. If they have not contacted me by that time, a new winner will be chosen.}

{Due to shipping costs, giveaways are available to US mailing addresses only.}

Blog Hop {The Twinery & Epiphany Crafts}

The Introduction:

If you are hopping along with us today: You should have come here from Tessa Buys' blog. If you did, you are in the right place! Welcome!

If you aren't already a follower, I'd love to have you follow my blog!

If you are one of my regular readers: Thanks for coming back! I love having you! Please join along in the hop - you can start at the Epiphany Crafts blog.

The Prizes:

The Twinery and Epiphany Crafts are giving away this fabulous prize package (over $65 retail value).

The Details:

Leave a comment on each blog along the hop.

Blog comments close on Sunday, June 3rd at 11:59pm (EDT) and the winners will be announced on The Twinery's blog and the  Epiphany Crafts blog on Monday, June 4th.


Here is the blog lineup for today:
Epiphany Crafts
The Twinery
Nina Ostermann
Tessa Buys
Tifany DeGough <-- You are here!
Jennifer Priest

The Project:

I wanted to create a cute, unique gift container for a small gift and I decided to use these 4oz jelly jars.

I adhered patterned paper to each lid and tied each jar off with The Twinery's twine. 

{Each jar has a combination of two of the following colors: Flax, Honeydew, Blossom, Caribbean, Pink Sorbet, and Buttercream.}

And what is a gift container without a gift?

I used the Epiphany Crafts Shape Studio Tool, Bubble Caps, and Metal Charms {all are Oval 25} to create pendants.
I love the  Metal Charms - such beautiful detail and I love that they are actually metal (instead of a plastic imitation).

Each pendant is strung on a length of Flax, Honeydew, or Blossom twine. I added a little pearl to finish off each necklace.

I love using The Twinery's twine to create jewelry! It is so soft and comfortable to wear and I love to leave the necklace ends so that it can be easily tied in a bow to create a necklace of any length.

Thanks for stopping by today! 

{And please stop back by tomorrow...I'll be having a giveaway!}

The Next Stop:

Jennifer Priest's blog

Supplies:
Twine: The Twinery (Flax, Honeydew, Blossom, Caribbean, Pink Sorbet, Buttercream);
Tools: Epiphany Crafts (Shape Studio Tool - Oval 25);
Accessories: Epiphany Crafts (Bubble Caps - Oval 25, Metal Charms - Oval 25);
Patterned Paper: KaiserCraft (Charlotte's Dream - 6x6 pad);  
Other: Jenni Bowlin (Pearl Embellishments); Kerr (Jelly Jars - 4oz Quilted Crystal);

Exciting news!

I've got some exciting news...

I am now an Artista for Unity Stamp Company!

I am so thrilled to have some of my images produced by Unity as red rubber stamps. My first images with Unity will be debuting in the June Kit of the Month.

Here are a couple little peeks:

{Love sentiment by Lesley Langdon}

I would love to hear what you think about them...please feel free to leave me a comment!

Blog Hop {The Twinery & Skipping Stones}

The Introduction:

If you are hopping along with us today: You should have come here from Skipping Stones Design. If you did, you are in the right place! Welcome!

If you aren't already a follower, I'd love to have you follow my blog!

If you are one of my regular readers: Thanks for coming back! I love having you! Please join along in the hop - you can start at The Twinery's blog.

The Prizes:

The Twinery is giving away a Colorful Bunch Sampler Pack ($20 retail value).

Be sure to check the Skipping Stones Design blog to see what they are giving away. 

The Details:

Leave a comment on each blog along the hop.

Blog comments close on Friday, May 25th at 11:59pm (EDT) and the winners will be announced on The Twinery's blog and the Skipping Stones Design blog.

The Project:

For this project I combined the Everyday Blessings stamp set from Skipping Stones Design with Blossom twine from The Twinery.

 

I love that little houndstooth bird in the Everyday Blessings stamp set. {It's no secret that I love houndstooth!} I stamped the bird in Angel Pink ink and then added the sentiment in Jet Black ink. 

I cut the stamped panel and my card base with dies and then finished it all off with a fun double bow of Blossom twine.

To add a little something to the inside of the card I stamped the falling leaves stamp from the Everyday Blessings stamp set. {I did a little bit of simple masking to get the arrangement you see below. The original, unmodified stamp looks slightly different.}

Thanks for stopping by today!

The Next Stop:

Heidi Van Laar's blog

Supplies: 
Cardstock: Discount Cardstock (Brilliant White 130#);
Patterned Paper: My Mind's Eye (Follow Your Heart: Be Happy Collection);
Stamps: Skipping Stones Design (Everyday Blessings);
Ink: Memento (Angel Pink); Ranger (Archival - Jet Black);
Twine: The Twinery (Blossom); 
Dies: Spellbinders (Standard Circles - Large, Floral Doily Motifs);
Other: (Pearl);
Tools: Fiskars (Scissors); Scor-Pal (Scoring Board);

You Are Loved {Market Street Stamps}

{As seen today on the Market Street Stamps blog}

For this card I went back to this tutorial (a technique I just can't quit using!) - but added another dimension with an additional layer of stamped tissue paper on this one. I stamped the Market Street Stamps Grace and Houndstooth background stamps on tissue paper and layered them onto plain white cardstock using ModPodge.

Once that had dried, I cut out the heart using a template I created and then added the stamped sentiment (from the Simple Salutations set), which I embossed in white.

The finished look is simple, but the texture the tissue paper adds is so fun!

And since I couldn't quit stamping I created this card as well. I used the same sentiment from Simple Salutations and used the Houndstooth stamped tissue paper to create the front panel.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Heart Card Supplies:
Cardstock: Bazzill (Avalanche, Pinkini); Georgia Pacific (White);
Ink: Memento (Angel Pink); Tsukineko (VersaMark - Watermark);
Stamps: Market Street Stamps (Grace, Houndstooth, Simple Salutations);
Embossing Powder: Hero Arts (White);
Template: Tifany DeGough (Heart);
Other: Tissue Paper
Tools: Fiskars (Trimmer, Scissors); Scor-Pal (Scoring Board);

Rose Card Supplies:
Cardstock: Bazzill (White, Pinkini); Georgia Pacific (White);
Ink: Memento (Angel Pink); Tsukineko (VersaMark - Watermark);
Stamps: Market Street Stamps (Houndstooth, Simple Salutations);
Embossing Powder: American Crafts (Zing! - Clear);
Twine: The Twinery (Blossom);
Ribbon: American Crafts (Rose Ribbon - White);
Other: Tissue Paper;
Tools: Fiskars (Trimmer, Scissors, Round N Round Squeeze Punch); EK Success (Abstract Flower Punch); Scor-Pal (Scoring Board);

Paint The Town {Market Street Stamps}

It's time for another Paint the Town challenge at Market Street Stamps!

Here is the color palette:

And here is the card I created using the palette as my inspiration.

{The sentiment is from the Market Street Stamps Simple Salutations set.}

Be sure to head on over to the Market Street Stamps blog today to see inspiration from the Design Team and get in on the challenge!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Paper Company (Kraft);
Patterned Paper: Prima Marketing (Songbird Collection);
Stamps: Market Street Stamps (Simple Salutations); 
Ink: Ranger (Archival - Jet Black);
Tools: Fiskars (Trimmer); Scor-Pal (Scoring Board);

Sending A Cuppa Love {Market Street Stamps}

Happy Monday!

This is a card I created using the Daily Grind set from Market Street Stamps. I stamped the teacups, masking them with each layer to create the stacked look.
The sentiment is also from the Daily Grind set and the heart is from one of the mugs in the same set.
It's hard to tell in the photo, but everything on this card is embossed. It adds a fun extra dimension to a simple one-panel card.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Discount Cardstock (Posh Tangelo Dungaree 105#); Georgia Pacific (White);
Ink: Memento (Lilac Posies, Tangelo, Cantaloupe, Dandelion); Tsukineko (VersaMark - Watermark);
Stamps: Market Street Stamps (Daily Grind);
Embossing Powder: American Crafts (Zing! - Black, Zing! - Clear);
Tools: Fiskars (Trimmer); Scor-Pal (Scoring Board);

Thinking of You

Supplies:
Cardstock: Bazzill (White, Raven); Georgia Pacific (White);
Ink: Memento (Tuxedo Black); Ranger (Jet Black Archival); Tsukineko (VersaMark - Watermark);
Markers: Copic (YG05, RV04, Y08, C3); ShinHan (B67);
Stamps: Market Street Stamps (Simple Salutations); Hero Arts (Large Flower Pattern);
Embossing Powder: American Crafts (Zing! Black);
Other: KaiserCraft (Aquamarine Rhinestone);
Tools: Fiskars (Trimmer); Scor-Pal (Scoring Board);

Enjoy Today. {Market Street Stamps}

Today's card is perfect for mailing - a simple layered card (base + one layer) that won't get caught up in the machines at the post office (or cost extra to mail).

I used the Market Street Stamps Believing Butterfly set (one of the very affordable Market Minis) and the sentiment from Enjoy Today.

I entered this card (and another very similar one - just a different color palette) to the recent Stamping Royalty contest from Paper Crafts Magazine. I didn't win, but I did "make it to the table" (the finalists before the winners were selected), which was exciting for me.

{Image from the Paper Crafts Magazine Facebook Page - I added the circles so you can spot my cards easily.}

Be sure to stop by Market Street Stamps to stock up - they are having a huge sale that ends tomorrow.

Supplies:
Cardstock: Bazzill (African Daisy); Georgia Pacific (White);
Ink: Memento (Lilac Posies, Tangelo, Cantaloupe, Dandelion);
Ink: Ranger (Jet Black Archival);
Ink: Tsukineko (VersaMark - Watermark);
Stamps: Market Street Stamps (Believing Butterfly, Enjoy Today);
Embossing Powder: American Crafts (Zing! Black);
Tools: Fiskars (Trimmer, Scissors); Scor-Pal (Scoring Board);

Stamping with Grace {Market Street Stamps}

{As seen today on the Market Street Stamps blog}

I was inspired by this tutorial to mix it up a little bit and add some subtle texture to my card...and now I can't stop stamping on tissue paper! I love the effect.

The first card was created with the Grace background. I added only a few small accents to finish off the card so that the beautiful stamped panel takes center stage. 

Again, using the Grace background, I stamped on tissue paper and added it as an accent panel on this Thinking of You card (the sentiment is from the Simple Salutations set):

Thanks for stopping by today!

Thank You Supplies: 
Cardstock: Bazzill (Bling - Spoiled Brat); Georgia Pacific (White);
Stamps: Market Street Stamps (Grace); 
Ink: Memento (Tangelo, Cantaloupe); 
Ribbon: Etsy (Vintage Seam Binding - Snow White);
Pins: Jillibean Soup (Sugar Picks - Orange/Turquoise); 
Other: Tissue Paper; Michaels (Charm - Thank You);
Tools: Fiskars (Trimmer, Scissors); Scor-Pal (Scoring Board);
Adhesive: ModPodge (Matte);

Thinking of You Supplies: 
Cardstock: Core’dinations (Lake); Bazzill (White); Georgia Pacific (White); 
Stamps: Market Street Stamps (Grace, Simple Salutations); 
Ink: CTMH (Lagoon, Pacifica ); 
Ribbon: Etsy (Vintage Seam Binding - Sapphire Blue); 
Pins: Maya Raod (Trinket Pins - Star);
Other: Tissue Paper;
Tools: Fiskars (Trimmer, Scissors); Scor-Pal (Scoring Board);
Adhesive: ModPodge (Matte);