A day at the beach...

Hello there crafty peeps, it’s another Twisted Thursday challenge over at the Outlawz!

Let me say first that there were some pretty amazing Christmas cards entered last week. Even with the temps soaring way above the sweltering mark in North America it amazed me that you even managed to get into that Christmas spirit!

Thanks to all of you that joined us for that particular challenge, so without further ado let me tell you about this weeks challenge. We are going from chestnuts roasting on an open fire to those long lazy days of summer.

 Our twist this week is...“A day at the beach”.

 This little cutie is one of my new A Day For Daisies digital images. I love her little face and she actually reminds me of my little niece Ryann, who just so happens to bare an uncanny resemblance to this little cutie pie.

I printed her out on Neenah card-stock and then coloured her with my Copic markers.This was my first time paper piecing anything, and I just so happened to have paper on hand that looked like sand. I thought I would try that instead of colouring it for a change. I think it turned out really good actually.

The extra touches include Viva Décor pearl pen to create little stones in the sand, which I also colour with my Copics. I had some gift wrap that had starfish all over it, so I just cut one out and mounted it on cardstock for some extra support. I also used my Martha Steward border punch and then some bakers twine for embellishment.

The sentiment is from a great website called Ginger’s House also known as wordart. It's a great website for titles for your scrapbook pages and/or cards. When you download them for FREE you can save them to a file and then resize them later to fit any project. There are some pretty amazing quotes, sayings or whatever you want to call them, you should check it out.

That's about it for me today peeps. I hope to see you over at the beach oh, and don't forget your sunscreen. 

Thanks for stopping by :)S

An Angry Ballerina...

Well hello again crafty peeps. I know I don’t usually post back to back, but there is a special reason for this one.

If you are a lover of Kraftin’ Kimmie Stamps like I am, then you probably already know that they have a call out for crafty peeps just like you and I for a guest design team spot coming this September.

A while back I was fortunate enough to be able to attend the 2^nd Annual Kraftin’ Kimmie Krafty Day where I had the opportunity to meet Kraftin’ Kimmie (Reid) herself and some of her design team members. I was also fortunate to meet and chat with the extremely talented Annie Rodrique.  

At that time I was really new at using my Copic markers so I took total advantage of picking the brains of several of these very talented women. 

So for this reason alone I highly recommend attending these types of events. You're afforded one on one time to ask questions and I even managed to steal the “queen of pleats”, my idol, Melanie Holtz away so I could have my very own “pleat” lesson. Yeah, she did that for me and I’ve been practicing ever since, but of course I still have a long way to go and that’s OK. 

I love using my Copics any chance I get. 

So you see where I’m going with this….yes I feel confident enough to put myself out there and actually apply for this spot using this as my entry…

Speaking of pleats, go figure I would choose to use “Angry Ballerina” in all her pleat glory, LOL.

I’ll show you that I am not afraid to step out of my comfort zone… I can do this cuz I’m a big girl now and I'm not afraid of pleats any more!!


A closer look ...

Since that day I have taken online lessons from Suzanne Dean’s Color Me Creative Classroom, five in fact. 

I've learned a great deal from her classes, but make no mistake that it’s very important that you watch other talent out there too. Look at yourself as a sponge and soak up everything and then apply your own style to it. That’s what I am doing and I think I have come a long way from my humble beginnings where I was actually afraid to use them, the markers that is.


Angry Ballerina was coloured with my Copics of course on Neenah card-stock.  

Tutu/Hat: RV 17, 14, 11, C05, 00

Apron/Shirt: YG67, 63, C00

Hair: E49, 47, 44, E53, 51

Skin: E11, 00, 000, R20

I used my Memory Box Macarena corner die and Sizzix 3D die to make the flowers.

The DP are from MME Dolled Up collection.

So I won’t take much more of your time, so please wish me luck. I’ll let you know how I make out either way. 

Thanks for stopping by JS

A Christmas Angel...

Hello there and happy Thursday friends and faithful followers!

I guess you must be wondering about the title of my post eh?

Well it’s simple, I am getting a jump on Christmas because this weeks Twisted Thursday challenge theme is non-other than; Christmas in July.

I must admit it did feel a wee bit weird making a Christmas card when the thermometer outside my window reads 96 degrees Fahrenheit, but I did enjoy hauling out my Christmas supplies and perusing all those pretty glittery papers and embellies I had tucked away.

We DT members always know in advance what the challenges are going to be so, I wanted to update my stash and bought a few new digi images. I have a few favourites of course, but I thought I would try something that I didn’t have in my collection yet.


So this beautiful image of a Christmas Angel is one of my first Lily of the Valley stamps. Isn't she simply gorgeous?

I coloured her with my Copic markers and then fussy cut her out so I could pop dot her onto a base copy. I also coloured a second wreath to create even more depth, which you can see much better in the picture below.

I used my Memory Box Frosty Border die for the very first time on some glitter paper by Recollections. The DP paper is from My Mine's Eye Holiday Glitter Collection from a few years back. I distressed the edges and ripped a few pieces here and there. 

I also used some Glossy Accents on the berries in the wreath and Smooch Glitz sparkle accent on her gown and wings.

The sentiment is computer generated and it only seemed fitting to say "Have a blessed Christmas".

I hope you like this beautiful Christmas angel, and that she inspires you to haul out your Christmas supplies so you can join us this week over at the Outlawz Twisted Thursday challenge group.

I would love to see you join us, thanks for stopping by :)S

Through The Craftroom Door Online Magazine

Good morning crafty peeps!!

I am posting today because in case you’re not familiar with an online craft publication called Through the Craftroom Door, I want to tell you all about it right now.

As you know, I am a design team member over at the Outlawz website. That beautiful lady who owns and operates the Outlawz website, Colleen Holmes, well she has embarked on yet another venture by recently becoming the new owner of that publication as well.

I’ve recently had the privilege of participating in the last edition by designing a card to help promote Mayzy Art Digital Stamp Designs.

TTCRD is a bi-monthly online paper crafting magazine, and let me tell you it is chock full of tutorials, product reviews, cards, and many other types of crafty projects. 

Have you ever thought that you would like to have one of YOUR crafty projects published in a magazine, or do you have a really neat idea to share with the online crafting community? Well here is your chance because TTCRD is looking for submissions from crafters just like you!  

There is a random drawing for ONE winner each issue from all of the folks who have a submission appearing in a particular issue.

Submission guidelines can be found right here.

Again I have had the privilege to have my Smashbooking 101 tutorial published in the most recent addition that came out just yesterday. 

Anyway peeps that's it for me today, I hope you have a great day and thanks for stopping by :)S 

A Day At The Zoo...

Well good day and happy Thursday to all you crafty peeps.

Once again it’s a new Twisted Thursday challenge over at the Outlawz. I must say that our last fishing twist brought out a lot of great cards. Who would have thought that fish could do that? 

This week it’s a big event for me, because being a design team member you have certain responsibilities one of which is to post challenges to the website. So this week will be my first time to do just that, so I hope all goes well with our twist this week which happens to be….a day at the zoo!

I have this really cute collection of zoo animal stamps that I bought a wee while ago from Close to my Heart. So here I am just colouring one after the other with the intention of putting them on one card, but it came to the point that I would have needed a really really big card. So I made two of them into separate cards with a third in the works. My next problem was deciding which one to use. Obviously I couldn’t so that’s why I have two cards to show you this week.

I coloured them with my Copic markers, primarily using W 00 through to W 07, and then added E04 for a pinkish hue around the elephant’s ears and the hippo’s mouth, ears and eyes. I also used my colourless blender marker to add a mottled textured to their skin.

I think these cards are fantastic for children because they can easily relate to them. The sentiments come with the stamp collection as well and are hilarious.

So there you have it, another fun challenge to participate in over at the Outlawz. If you haven't joined yet you really should because there is a ton of inspiration to be found, great challenges, awesome prizes from fantastic sponsors. We also have some really really great people, both members and design team members. There is many friendships waiting there to be formed, it's as easy as clicking here.

Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to leave me those wonderful and very encouraging comments :)S

I won over at ADFD yippie...

Hi there crafty peeps.

I know its Saturday and I don’t usually post more than once or twice a week, but I just wanted to share some cool news with you all.

I just received an email from Tammy Siemers Thompson over at A Day For Daises saying that I won their “texture” challenge that I entered my "Just Swimming By to Say Hi" card into.

Firstly, I was surprised that I actually was able to make it in time to enter my card, and then on top of that to learn that I had actually won the challenge simply amazed me.

So thank you very much Tammy for the awesome news and for your generous gift certificate. You can be rest assured that I will be putting it to very good use soon.

In appreciation I thought I would post a card that I made for my very dear friends that recently lost their beautiful daughter. I chose this ADFD image called "Angelic Angel" to make a sympathy card with because not only did it physically remind me of Lisa, but I also thought that perhaps this is what she may look like as she watches over her beloved family from heaven.

On the inside I placed the beautiful memorial photo that we received at her funeral one one side and this beautiful poem on the other. 

I have had a tough time dealing with this particular loss of life, and one can only imagine what it is like for my friends. 

My one wish for them is that God's love heals their sorrow, and may his peace replace your heartache with warm and loving memories.

I truly believe that death heals all wounds, mends all broken bones, releases us from all chains and ultimately sets us free at last.

Thank you for taking the time to read this very special post.

:)S

Just swimming by to say Hi !

Hello and happy Thursday all you crafty peeps!

I have another card to share with you this week, and this one is for the regular Twisted Thursday challenge over at the Outlawz.

As you know we’ve been celebrating our 2000 member with a party, and in case you haven’t heard it has been extended for another week. So you still have time to participate, but you better get started because everything concludes on July 7^th.  

Now on to our regular challenge…this week we are having our usual “Anything Goes” challenge and this week it’s a fishing twist.

I didn’t have any fishing images among my stash, but what I did have was this absolutely adorable little mermaid from A Day for Daisies. 

A wee while ago I purchased several digital images from ADFD, and as a result I was privileged to receive a bundle of images that included this cutie. 

Don’t you think she’s the most adorable fish you’ve ever seen, I know I do.

I coloured her with my Copic markers. I thought about creating an underwater scene, but I was a little pressed for time. If you notice I also created some texture to her fin and shell by using my colourless blender, a sort of mottled appearance if you will.

What I did do though was emboss white cardstock with my swirly Cuddlebug embossing folder. Next I cut some of the top off as if they’re rolling waves. I chalked the raised section of the embossed portion, added some stickles, clear mini round gems, and various coloured pearls to her hair.  

I am just getting in under the wire so to speak, but I noticed that coincidentally ADFD has a challenge going on categorized “texture”. I think this card qualifies for that so I think I will enter it there.

I hope you drop by the Outlawz and show us your fishing creations or your where in the world creations if you haven’t already done so. Better yet, both. Thanks for stopping by J

Happy Birthday Copic Marker Europe...

Good morning crafty peeps and a very Happy Canada Day!

If you live in Canada I hope you're all enjoying this gorgeous holiday weekend.

I know that there are some parts of our country, and many areas in the United States that are experiencing some absolutely horrible and very destructive weather.

My heart and prayers go out to all, and my wish for you is that you will see brighter days ahead asap.

I have been busy this past week with at least 6 different projects. Today I would like to show you a card that I've made for the "Happy Birthday" celebration going on over at

Copic Marker Europe.

As part of the celebration Sylvia Zet of Wee Stamps, and Krista Smith of Saturated Canary have each drawn special digital images especially for this occasion.

The images were available to anyone up until this past June 27th. If you’re participating in this challenge then you already know that you've automatically committed yourself to entering the contest by making a card.

The contest closes on July 25th, but I just found out that you must be a European resident to be eligible to win any of the prizes.

No big deal really, because I now have two new gorgeous digis in my collection, so I see myself as a winner already ;)

Today I used Krista Smith's adorable image...

I coloured this cutie with my Copics of course, and you can see she is toting around quite a few in her little blanket or satchel.  Looking at the image immediately made me think of the sentiment so I just added a few scribbles here and there.

She looks like she has just been caught playing with her Mommy's Copic markers don't you think?

The papers are from DCWV Citrus collection and the buttons are just from my stash.

I hope you like this little cutie patootie as much as I do. If you're not a follower of Copic Europe you should be, they have some fantastic designers, challenges and most of all awesome tutorials.

Anyway, this is about all the time that I want to spend inside the house today, so I am so out of here. Have a great rest of the day, and thanks for stopping by :)S