Beary Happy!!

Happy Monday everyone! Sorry I've been MIA this weekend, but I've been fighting a nasty head cold that I NEED to go away before I leave on Friday for CHA! So I've been resting and catching up on some reading and drinking my vitamin-filled Acai juice :o) Have you guys been following the Inauguration events---the traffic here in Northern VA has been terrible & I'm soooo happy I don't have to go in to DC for anything---too many people for me! But I'm excited to get Obama in the White House to see what he can do--exciting times for our nation right now indeed.s

****BLOG CANDY WINNER----Congratulations to Julie Temple for winning the Valentine Set from SUINK!!

Thanks everyone for playing along--I loved reading what you do or get for Valentine's Day. I ask for exciting things (for me at least, hee hee) like a Big Shot or new photo printer for my past Valentine's Day presents---flowers are nice but I'd rather have stampin' stuff, LOL!

I will have a huge BLOG CANDY GIVEAWAY when I get back from CHA for hitting over 100,000 blog hits! So stay tuned.....its my biggest giveaway yet!
******************************************************

I know, I know...we haven't even celebrated Valentine's Day & here I am working on St. Patrick's Day projects, LOL---that's how it is in the design world, always working ahead! So whatcha' think of this cutie-patootie bear---do you like him? I can't say yet what his name is or who he's by (hint....maybe by someone you already know & love) but I'll tell ya real soon, 'kay! He's colored with Copics and those fun glittery shamrocks are from Michaels---a huge bag for $3! The sentiment was created by me on my computer---pretty fitting me thinks :o) The papers are all scraps that I've had cuz' I have yet to find any cute St. Patty's day dp---if you know where I can find some, let me know! A few yellow stickles on his buttons and buckles and some on his shamrock and he's finished. My grandma would be proud cuz' she was Irish & always celebrated---so this one's for my grandma!!

I'll be back later with the blog candy winner and I've got lots to finish before I leave on Friday too. Have a great day everyone!

hugz,

Suzanne

Teddy Bear Time!!

Hiya everyone! Is everyone still clinging on to the last days of 2008 or itching for the New Year? I for one am ready for 2009--Bring It On, LOL! I have a bunch of New Year's resolutions but we'll see next year at this time if I manage to do any, hee hee! Anybody have any great resolutions they'd like to share. I for one, need to lose 15 lbs and get fit and start eating better (will NOT give up my Cherry Coke, NO WAY-NO HOW!):o) I have lots to do this year so I'm hopeful for a wonderful and healthy New Year for me, my family and all of you too!

Isn't this just the cutest lil' bear you evah' saw? (YILM, no not really, hee hee) These lil' guys are called "Shy Bears" and you can see the whole collection HERE. I had ordered some Xmas ones and then never got to use 'em--December seems to be a blur to me, LOL! I based my colors on this yummo-licious dp by My Minds Eye--I'm really lovin' using these bright, springy colors right now! I colored w/ Copics and then I used my brown Doodlebug Flock (in bon-bon) on the bear--I attached it w/ diamond glaze (2 coats of flock for extra fuzziness). The sentiment is from PTI's "Heartfelt Basics"--love this new set!

This closeup shows the Shimmerz I used on the flower petals (love this stuff--dries super quick & is super shimmery)--I used it in "pink poinsettia" on top of the Copics. I also used the new Distress Stickles in "scattered straw" in the flower centers. I hadn't used the Distress Stickles before and I really like them--they're more of a subtle sparkle but they leave a nice texture, kinda bumpy which is really cool! I also added diamond glaze to his eyes. So whatcha' think? Do you love him? All the products I used on this image you can find at Susana's Custom Art & Card Design. The Copic colors are all listed at the bottom of the post and you can buy them all at 7 Kids College Fund!

This last card is another sneak peek of 2 new sets being released by Clear Dollar Stamps on Jan.1st called "Spring Critters" and "Critter Messages". I decided to put my chick in part of the egg shell (included in set as 2) along with the cute lil ladybug. I love, love my new Pinking Circle Nesties--just a fun alternative to the plain circles! The dp is from My Minds Eye again and I colored with Copics and added lotsa stickles. The ribbon and cs are from PTI. A fun spring or Easter card for a great friend! Visit all my DT sistah's blogs to see more peeks (list on side bar)!

Also, my SUINK DT sistah's (Amber, Leigh & Laura) all have sneak peeks on their blogs today--so make sure and stop by and leave 'em some love :o)

***********************************************************

SALES---

H&M Stamp Co. will have all stamp sets for $5 on Jan.6th-7th

The Stampin' Place is having a sale Now thru Jan.4th

***********************************************************

New Karen Lockhart stamps will be released on Jan.5th also--check out our PCP site "Fans of Karen Lockhart" for our Countdown of challenges and prizes and sneak peeks! Susana's store will have them all in stock & ready to go on Jan.5th and they are sooo lovely (lots of new Itty Bitty's and other wonderful images)!

Hope you have a wonderful day!

Suzanne

Copics Used on "Shy Bear" card: BG15,BG11,R27,R24,R22,R20,E27,YR21,G99,G85,G20,C2

More Fall Fun!

Good Tuesday morning everyone! Hope your week has started off well. The weather has been beautiful here the past week, but we could really use some rain. Everything is so dry here and the leaves are already starting to fall off the trees due to the lack of rain. Fall will be here very soon, me thinks!

***BLOG CANDY ALERT*** If you haven't entered for my blog candy yet, you have until Thursday 8/21 at 11 pm EST to do so. You can enter for it here.

I'm continuing on my "fall" theme today (maybe the whole week, we'll see)--I'm having so much fun using my new fall stamps and paper. The first project is a notecard gift set that I made for a friend/neighbor who always takes care of our 4 kitties while we're away (and I take care of her 2 kitties when they're away too)--works out well. I wanted to make her a little gift to say thanks, and I thought some notecards would be a great gift. These are pretty straight forward, I make them all the time for different seasons & reasons. The stamps are Lockhart "itty bitty's" from Ellen Hutson's store (1 pumpkin stamp and the square border is a separate stamp). I used my Copics to color them in and punched them out with my scalloped square punch. I paper pierced around the rust squares for an added pop. The cream cs is from PTI, the rust cs is from SU, the dp from Fiskars (I think, I cut off the label, oopsie) . Pretty easy to see how to put together, just layering of the elements. I added a strip of dp to the cream envelopes and then put them in a clear box from Clearbags.com (love their boxes). I made a matching tag and added a sentiment from PTI's stamp set "mixed messages"--a great, versatile sentiment set; then I wrapped this bee-u-tiful sheer ribbon (Michaels $1 spot) around and tied a bow, wrapped some rafia around and attached to the tag. A simple, but elegant gift that anyone would love to recieve.

The second project is a card I made with my new stamps from C.C. Designs that you can purchase from All That Scraps. These stamp sets are just absolutely adorable--so cute you want to reach out and squeeze 'em!! This set is called " Bear Hugs" and I used the sitting bear and side bee from it. Are they not the cutest evah'?? They're colored w/ Copics and highlighted with my Inkssentials pen; I also added some diamond stickles to the bee's wings for lotsa sparkle. The light gold cs and ribbon are from PTI (lemon tart), the dp is K&Co. "johnny yanok--fall harvest" pad. I cut out the bear and bee and popped them up on the ovals (cut w/ my nesties) w/ dimensionals. The leaves are a stamp from Inkadinkado that I stamped in various colors around the border. The grass is another stamp from C.C. Designs called "SugarPlums Scenery"--lots of fun, useful images in that set too. And finally the sentiment is from Inkadinkado's "Autumn Foliage" set. The leaves were punches and I just bunched a few together and popped on dimensionals for the corners. So cute, lovin' it.

Hope ya like 'em all! From reading everyone's comments on my blog candy post, it seems everyone wants some tutorials on using Copics and/or watercoloring. I am planning on doing at least 2 tutorials, step by step on coloring images with Copics for ya--I'll do watercoloring later! Maybe towards the end of the week--we'll see how my week works out. I have lots more school clothes/shoes shopping to do for my kids (ugh...not fun at all...my kids are super-picky).

Until tomorrow...

Suzanne