Let’s Get Cozy

I live in Michigan, and for the most part, in Michigan during the winter… it is cold!  Also, for the most part, I don’t mind the cold (but the grey does get to me by mid-January).

When my family comes in from the cold—our noses and cheeks are PINK!  Just like this little girl:

I bet she is heading right for the hot cocoa as soon as she gets inside!!!

• Stamps: Juniper and Jupiter; Classic Decor Sentiments;
• Paper: My Mind’s Eye and Making Memories;
• Coloring medium: PrismaColor Pencils;

The layout for this card came from SplitCoast Stampers: SC313

I hope you have a blessed and COZY new year!

Thanks for stopping by my blog to peek!

~Juliana

Simply Noël

Are you ready for Christmas??  Well, if you are, can you come and give me a hand??

I love this image!  I gave her the hair color and freckles to match my oldest daughter (actually, my daughters is more of a red-orange, but I had trouble with getting the pencil colors to look natural).  She wore braids most of her early childhood (kept the tangles out).

This image is by “Juniper and Jupiter” from Starving Artistamps.  You can see all the entire set: HERE.  She is so sweet and she was a joy to color!  I colored her with Prismacolor pencils and she is accented with Stickles and Diamond Glaze.

The other elements from this card come from Anna Griffin and Bo Bunny.

Though I don’t want to stop Christmas from coming (like the Grinch) but if it could just hold off a day so I can catch up…I would be so grateful!  LOL!

Thanks for stopping by!

~Juliana

Naughty or Nice?

It is time to make Christmas cards and projects again!

I love these new stamps by “Juniper and Jupiter” from Starving Artistamps.  You can see all the brand new images: HERE.

So…do you think this guy has been “naughty” or “nice”?  (I think a mix of both—don’t you!?!)

This little guy is colored with colored pencils and popped up on foam tape.  He has a touch of gold gel pen on his jingle bell and the bells on his collar and while gel pen on his cheeks.

His female counterpart will be posted in the morning!

Thanks for stopping by!

~Juliana

Happy Thanksgiving

I am sure, like me, you are somewhere in the throes of preparing for Thanksgiving (if you live in the U.S.).  Though I don’t get to have my family in my home, we are just traveling a short distance to my mom’s house.
This card uses a couple of the newest Rubbernecker images: Floral Circle and Bold Ornament.  I colored the “Floral Circle” with colored pencils.  “Bold Ornament” was stamped as a background stamp on the layered label.
I hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving!!

Give Thanks

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

1Thessalonians 5:16-18

For this card I used the set “Juniper and Jupiter go to the Beach”.  It has three different lighthouses.  The clouds in the background are made the “Build a Cloud” stamp.  It is pretty cool (even my kids said “wooooow” when they saw me stamp with it)!

The lighthouse image is colored with colored pencils.  The light in the light house has Stickles plus some Diamond Glaze for some sparkly shine.

Thank you for coming by my blog today!!

Getting “kraft”y

I am enjoying using kraft card stock of of late.  I love the rustic-ness of the color and texture!

Here I have used “Juniper and Jupiter Go to the Beach” stamp set.  All images are water colored.  You cannot see from the photo, but there is a bit of “Perfect Pearls” on the sea.

 

And here is my Christmas card design for this year:

I really like how the colored pencils "*pop* off of the rustic card stock!  It is one layered so when I add a letter or a photo—I won’t be “overweight”.

The image is from from the DoodleFactory set, “O Holy Night”.

All images from today’s cards are from Starving Artistamps.

Have a GREAT weekend, and thanks for stopping by!

Playing around…

Sometimes it it is fun to move sentiments from where you would expect them to be used… to where they are NOT expected to be used…

She has STYLE!!!



Do you know someone who dresses like this—even when he isn’t about to paint!?!  I do! (giggle)
All of these images are from Rubbernecker Stamp Company.  I colored the images with colored pencils.  I made the background paper on the “Colorful” card with a background stamp, inking tool, and Tim Holtz Distress ink.
I hope these cards gave you a giggle for today!
~Juliana

“Sea”sons Greetings!

Normally I am a “Merry Christmas” kind of girl!  But I am also a sucker for a pun!  I just love the thought hanging out at this seaside shack. 

So with a little acrylic paint and stickles,  I added a festive wreath to the front door!

 

 

 

Details:

• Stamps: “Juniper and Jupiter go to the beach” & “Tropic Sentiments Collection #2” from Starving Artistamps;
• Inks: StazOn Jet Black and Tim Holtz Distress Inks for watercoloring;
• Images are stamped on watercolor paper;

I apologize for being “missing in action” of late.  Between my kids new schedules and job hunting—I have trouble keeping my stamping time in line!  But now I have a job, and my kids are done with sports for the season…so now it is time to get inky!!

Have a GREAT day, and thanks for stopping by!

Mind Your Mummy!

What more needs to be said!?!

The images are “Mummy and Child” and “Petite Halloween Sentiment Set” from the Rubbernecker Halloween Stamps. I colored the images with colored pencils (there is a touch of Stickles on the jack-o-lantern for some festive shine).

The paper is Basic Grey.  To age the strips I used the ink blending tool and a touch of Tim Holtz Distress Ink (pumice stone).

I think this is such a FUN image, because dressing my kids up and spending time with them is my absolute favorite part of Halloween!

Thanks for stopping by!

Goin’ with the flow

This card was inspired by my son.  He is not a surfer, but he is pretty laid back.  I held myself back from using bumpy embellishments, and just let this paper and image take center stage.

 

The image is from the set “Juniper and Jupiter Go to the Beach” from Starving Artistamps.

I hope your day goes with the flow, today!

Thanks for stopping by!

A Couple of Sketches and a Couple of Cards

Starving Artistamps is sponsoring a couple of sketch challenges. 

The first is at Rubber Stamp Chat, the September Sketch Challenge.  Here is my take on the sketch:

Stamps from Starving Artistamps (Lighthouse set and Faith Sentiment).  The image was stamped on watercolor paper and colored with distress ink re-inkers.  The buttons were bought years ago…for just such a time as this!

Also, this week, Starving Artistamps is sponsoring 2 Sketches 4 You!  Kazan has sketched #61!

My take:

The images are from Backlit Blooms from Starving Artistamps.

The papers are from Making Memories and 7 Gypsies.

Also, don’t miss the blog candy give away over at the Starving Artistamps Blog!!!

(lookie here)

I hope you can play along with these challenges! And, as always, thanks for stopping by!

Shoes and Drama!

I am still having fun with the stamps from Rubbernecker.

Here is a clean and simple card (the squares were even punched with a 1-1/4” square punch):

Doesn’t the sentiment say it all!?!

The stamps are from Rubbernecker Stamp Co.

I used Tim Holtz distress inks for the backgrounds and the squares.  The paper is from We R Memory Keepers.

 

And now for a little drama:

I have to say, this card was SERIOUSLY fun to do.  I used the "Inkssentials Ink Blending Tool & Foam" to do the background.  I started with the lighter colors and worked darker toward the edges.  This is one of the reasons I LOVE to use the Tim Holtz Distress Inks!  They blend sooo beautifully! The moon was masked (simply a circle punched from scrap and a removable glue dot on the back.

STAMPS: Garden Phrase Set; Garden Border #1; Butterfly inchies; all from Rubbernecker Stamp Co.

I hope your day was filled with more shoes than drama! *wink*

Thanks for stopping by!

Cat’s Pajamas Customer Blog hop

I am giving the Cat’s Pajamas Customer Blog hop a shot.

Information on the hop can be found here.

I used the Puppy Love set to create a back to school set for my daughter.  She starts 1st grade the day after Labor Day so I wanted to create something a little more grown up for her.

I paired the stamps with Cosmo Cricket “Boyfriend” papers. Images are stamped with Fluid Chalk Ink (Dark Brown), colored with colored pencils, and highlighted with Stickles.

Close-ups:

And of course I had to make a card to go with it:

Thanks for stopping by!  I am sure there are a TON of stops on this hop and MEGA beautiful creations!

In the mood to just stamp!

Do you ever have stamping “moods”?  Sometimes I am the mood for color, sometimes I want to do techniques (and get a little inky), and sometimes I like to just stamp.

That is what I like about this set I picked up from Mr. Rubbernecker at the Rubbernecker Stamp Company booth at the stamp show.  You just stamp.

ro

Now, I confess, on this particular card, I did use a bit of a technique— “Rock n’ Roll”.  I hadn’t done that one in AGES!!!

It was a bit freeing to just stamp and have the color there!

I used Tim Holtz Distress Inks to stamp the wreath.  The touch of sparkle comes from some Stickles.  The die cut leaves are from Spellbinders’ rose die.

Thanks for stopping by my blog, today!

Birthdays and Color!

I thought I would play along with the Color Throwdown (#106)today!!

In lieu of the Stampin’ Up colors I used Tim Holtz Distress Inks: (in order of substitution) Tumbled Glass, Walnut Stain, Frayed Burlap and Shabby Shutters.

Here is my card:

The stamps are from Rubbernecker Stamp Company, and I was introduced to them at the stamp show in Novi, MI a little over a week ago.  Charlene demonstrated these flower stamps with cute little baskets and pots (she made them look so cool that Mr. Rubbernecker nearly ran out of the stamp pads she used!!)  I thought they would work for a wreath, and I am please with the way it turned out!!(is that okay to say?)

Thanks CTD team for picking another batch of GREAT colors!

And thank YOU for stopping by my blog, today!

More Giggle Bears

Last week I carved out some stamping time and stamped a few more cards using the “Giggle Bears, Birds and Bees” set.

This time around all images were watercolored on watercolor paper.  Most of the designer paper is Cosmo Cricket (thanks Debi!!) with a smidge of Making Memories, Basic Grey and My Mind’s Eye.

I am truly enjoying this set!

Thanks for stopping to take peek!!

And the Winner…

…of the “Giggle Bears” set from Starving Artistamps is…
Melissa H. (#251)
Melissa, email me (link at right—the view my complete profile) with your address so Tracey (the owner of Starving Artistamps, Inc.) can get your set out to you!  I am excited to see what you do with this set!
Thanks for the MANY MANY of you who played along.  I have been out of town, and I have only been able get around to a handful of the cards—and they all ROCK!! WOW!

Hebrews 11:1

Here is my card for Color Throwdown #101:

The images are from Rubbernecker Stamp Company (-Vines set, Weeds #497-14, and Faith Text).

The eleventh chapter of Hebrews is one of my favorites!  I hope this simple card will inspire the recipient.

Thanks for stopping by my blog, today!

Clean & Simple Giggle Bear

This week’s Clean & Simple Challenge at SplitcoastStampers is to use dry embossing.  I love the elegant texture that dry embossing provides.

This card uses Nina’s Giggle Bears set.  (If you are not familiar with Nina, hop over to her blog and take a look at her WONDERFUL creations!!  Google Translate is handy if you are not fluent in Swedish)

The base is a notecard from "Die Cuts With a View".
The stamped image and sentiment are from Starving Artistamps.

Thank you for stopping by today.

BTW, the winner of this set for the Color Throwdown #100 celebration will be announced here on Friday!

Color Throwdown #100 Celebration Throwdown!

These are some great colors!!!  Not only are you going to want to participate, but you are going to want to visit EVERY stop to get some FABULOUS inspiration!

• Tammy Hershberger - Stamp Happy
• Broni Holcombe - Splashes of Watercolor
• Barbara Anders - Paper Pursuits
• Danielle Kennedy - Wild Dragonfly Designs
• LeAnne Pugliese - Wee Inklings
• Laura Pryor - Lil' Inker
• Kisa Peters - Kisa's Paper Cuts
• Carol Longacre - Our Little Inspirations
• Deb Horst - Sendable Sentiments
• Debi Southard - Debi's Crazy Life
• Elise Durenberger - MamaCow Creations
• Juliana Swanson - Stampin With Inky Fingers  (You are here)
• Lisa Kind - Kind Creations
• Makiko Jones - Makink Studios
• Maria Gurnsey - Scraps By M
• Pam Speidel - Stamping With Serendipity
• Sylvia Nelson - Sylvia's Stamp Corner
• Teresa Kline - Enjoy the VA Sunshine
• Wanda Cullen - Cullen-ary Creations

Here is my take on the challenge colors:

I have a FABULOUS prize for you—A stamps set that once you get your hands on it—you will find it is PERFECT for SO many occasions!

To win this prize there is a deadline of 7/12 11:59 pm (EST) for uploading challenge cards and leaving comments to be considered as in the running to win.
All the details are on the Color Throwdown Blog!


I am SO glad you stopped by, and I am pretty darn excited for you and the boatload of prizes available!!  I am looking forward to seeing your creations!