Thanks for the Best Catch ~ HSSSC#338

I have lost track of what day of quarantine we are on, but I do know that today is Tuesday because we have an all new Hand Stamped Sentiments Challenge for you!  This week we have a great sketch for you to play along with and I can't wait to see what you all create!

I'm stamping my way through some of my favorite retiring items. Best Catch is one of my all time favorite masculine stamp sets and I am VERY sad that it is retiring!  This is one that I just can't part with!

My son, Hunter, is an avid fisherman and is currently going crazy not being able to fish.  We are hopeful that our stay home orders will be lifted on May 5th and that fishing will reopen.  In the meantime, Hunter has been organizing and reorganizing all of his fishing gear while he waits.  A few weeks ago, one of his teachers called and told him that he had some fishing gear that he was getting rid of and asked him to come take a look.  My kid came home with a HUGE duffle bag FULL of fishing gear.  His day was made, as was his teachers!  I love the fishing/hunting bond that they share and am sad that this will be his last year getting to see this teacher.  But I know that they will stay in touch to share their fishing and hunting stories!

Hunter asked me to make a thank you card for him to take to his teacher, along with his favorite Dairy Queen treat.  Today's sketch was perfect for his request!

Using my Stampin' Blends, I did my best to create a Salmon...my son said I nailed it.  I'll take that as a mom WIN!

Supplies Used:

Paper ~ Soft Sea Foam, Cajun Craze, Whisper White

Ink ~ VersaMark, Memento, Stampin' Blends:  Pool Party, Soft Sea Foam, Petal Pink, Cajun Craze, Smoky Slate

Stamp Sets ~ Best Catch, Free As A Bird, Crackle Paint

Other Supplies ~ Catch of the Day Dies, Silver Metallic Thread, Frosted & Clear Epoxy Droplets, Subtle Embossing Folder

I'm not sure what I'm going to do without my Silver Metallic Thread either...I use this on EVERYTHING!  But I know that there are several new things coming our way that will help me find the "silver" lining!  

Have a terrific Tuesday!

Happy Stamping!

Hello Little Elephants ~ Monday Montage

Welcome to an all new Monday Montage Blog Hop!  You won't want to miss a single creation from this amazing group of stampers!

The retirement list is out and I am once again in my annual mourning period.  Saying goodbye to some of my favorite stamps and supplies never gets easier...

I am inking up some of my favorite sets before I have to say good-bye.  Little Elephant and the coordinating Elephant Builder Punch is one of my favorites that just had to be used a couple more times.

In addition to the stamp set and punch retiring, the Tufted 3D Embossing folder is too...why or why is it so hard to part with some of these items?!?

And my favorite Whisper White Bakers Twine is going away too?!?!  Say it isn't so!

 These cute little elephants are just right for a new little boy or girl!  I created some cute little balloons using the circle from the Lakeside dies...they were the perfect addition!

Supplies Used:
Paper ~ Whisper White, Smoky Slate, Pool Party, Petal Pink
Ink ~ Smoky Slate, Pool Party, Petal Pink
Stamp Set ~ Little Elephant
Other Supplies ~ Elephant Builder Punch, Tufted 3D Embossing Folder, Lakeside Dies, Stitched Shapes Dies, Whisper White Bakers Twine

I'll be sharing a few more of my retiring favorites this week...be sure to check back soon!

Thanks for stopping by today!  Now, on to the next stop on the hop!

Happy Stamping!

We've added a list of everyone's home pages so you can hop along in any order you wish!  Just make sure you don't miss any!

Amy O'Neill - Amy's Paper Crafts

Breelin Renwick - Craft-somnia Momma <-- You are HERE

Cathy Casey - Sugar Shack Designs

Charlet Mallett - Painted Orange

Cheryl Curtis - Pomp and Sustenance

Dani Dziama - Dani's Thoughtful Corner

Elizabeth Price - Seeinginkspots

Julie Warnick - Creating on the Run

Melissa Stout - The Stamp Doc

Wendy Weixler - Wickedly Wonderful Creations

Celebrate Our Graduating Seniors

Graduation is looking a whole lot different for so many seniors this year...my heart hurts for them.  We have yet to hear what will take place in lieu of our typical graduation ceremony here locally, but they have placed signs in the yards of all of our seniors.  It's so cool to drive around town and see all of the signs!

A friend of mine had a great idea to stick a graduation card in the mailboxes of seniors throughout her neighborhood...such a great idea!  I made her a couple cards to get started and will be making more for the seniors in our neighborhood.

I had to pull out and borrow a couple of retired items for these cards, but they were so much fun to make!

I used a couple different stamp sets for this card....Rise & Shine (2020 Sale-A-Bration) and Perennial Birthday to be exact!

I used the same stamp sets here, but pulled out my favorite Large Number Dies and {borrowed} Celebrate You Thinlits.  They may be retired, but they are still some of my favorites that I just can't let go of!

I used the soon-to-be-retired Blueberry Bushel ink and paper, along with my trusty Whisper White.  I added a bit of {retired} bling and some fun graduation caps and tassels to each card.  I've made so many of these over the years I no longer have to look up YouTube tutorials!

I hope you are finding fun ways to celebrate the graduating seniors this year! We have to do our part to make the best of the situation we are in!

Happy Stamping!

Quarantine Crafting

I hold a stamping class every month, which has been cancelled due to our Stay  Home orders.  I am missing all of my stamping friends and I know they are missing out on classes as well.  So, I decided to come up with a fun Facebook group to keep us all stamping!  I've called it Quarantine Crafting and am posting weekly challenges for everyone to play along with.  It has been a fun way to stay connected and to make sure my sure my customers keep stamping!

This weeks challenge was a sketch.  There may be flowers in the sketch, but I encouraged my stampers to use ANY shape!

I like to play along as well!  I used the same sketch for two different cards.  Enjoy!

I LOVE the Mountain Air bundle and I am REALLY hoping it carries over!  This set is great, especially for anyone who loves the outdoors.  I cased this card from the Mini Catalog.  I loved this color combination!

Supplies Used:

Paper ~ Whisper White, Basic Gray, Gray Granite, Grapefruit Grove 

Ink ~ Mint Macaron, Gray Granite, Basic Gray, Grapefruit Grove, VersaMark

Stamp Set ~ Mountain Air, Itty Bitty Greetings

Other Supplies ~ Majestic Mountain Dies, White Embossing Powder

My second card was made using some scraps I had on my desk.  I went a little fussy-cut-crazy with the Timeless Tropical Memories & More Card pack a couple weeks ago and still had a few pieces left over.  This pretty flower was perfect for the sketch!

 

Supplies Used:a

Paper ~ Soft Sea Foam, Tropical Oasis DSP, Timeless Tropical Memories & More Card Pack

Ink ~ Shaded Spruce

Stamp Set ~ Piece of Cake

Other Supplies ~ Coastal Weave 3D Embossing Folder, Rose Metallic Thread, Champagne Rhinestone Jewels

I've said it several times before, but I am so very thankful for my stamping community and all that we can do together, even when we are apart!  Keep on creating friends!

Happy Stamping!

#TGIFC260 Technique Time

We made it through another week of quarantine...all I can say is thank goodness for stamping!  It's keeping me sane through all of the craziness!

TGIF Challenges has a fun challenge to help give you a creative distraction this weekend!  Join in the fun with this weeks technique challenge...Belly Bands!

With some extra time on my hand, I decided to make a tropical treat box using some of my favorite Tropical Oasis Suite products.  I stamped and colored three of the the beautiful hibiscus flowers, which I then fussy cut.  Yep...I know there is a die, but a little fussy cutting helps calm my mind and anxiety some days.  

I created the belly band with some coordinating DSP and added a few strips of Braided Burlap Trim.  I finished off the flower with some Happiness Blooms Enamel Dots, a cute little Tropical Oasis Trinket and a sweet Hello sentiment.  

Supplies Used:

Paper ~ Tropical Oasis DSP, Whisper White

Ink ~ VersaMark, Memento, Stampin' Blends: Old Olive, Melon Mambo, Calypso Coral

Stamp Set ~ Timeless Tropical

Other Supplies ~ Tropical Oasis Trinkets, Braided Burlap Trim, Linen Thread, Happiness Blooms Enamel Dots

I am planning on filling this box with a little treat and leaving it on the porch for a friend who needs a little pick-me-up this weekend.  

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend and find time to play along with us.

Happy Stamping!