Coffee Loving Cardmakers and Sweet n Sassy Stamps Collaboration Hop

 Hello and Welcome to a Collaboration Blog Hop with Coffee Loving Cardmakers and Sweet n Sassy Stamps! We are so excited to be teaming up with Coffee Loving Cardmakers Design Team to bring you some caffeinated inspiration...and a PRIZE!  Comment on each blog post on the hop for a chance to win a $25 gift voucher to the Sweet n Sassy Stamps Store! 

If you have been hopping along, you should have come from Lyn Tomlin's blog.  To start from the beginning,  head over the the Sweet n Sassy Stamps blog.  You can find a complete hop list on the Coffee Loving Cardmakers Blog.  

I have had a thing for filling coffee cups with things besides coffee lately.  This fabulous large cup and saucer from the Sweet n Sassy Stamps I Like Big Cups Stamp Set was calling out to be filled with these morning glories from the Sympathy Morning Glories Stamp Set. A bit of masking on some Arches Watercolor Paper and I was set to go.  The images were stamped with Versafine Onyx Black Ink and then the images were painted with my all time paint go-to, Ken Oliver Colorbursts.  Once the panel was dry, a sentiment was stamped from the Birthday Wordfetti Stamp Set. 

Check out this fabulous I Like Big Cups Stamp Set!

To finish the card I used a few of my favorite sequins, SSS Moonshine sequins.  

Head over to Ceal's blog for more fantastic inspiration, java style!

I am linking my card up to Double 'D' Challenges- Flowers in Containers.

Black Balloons

 Hello and Happy Weekend! 

We finally got some sunshine today and it really lifts my mood.  Today's card is a fun birthday card for that 'over the hill' crowd!  

Every now and again I love a snarky card, and this sentiment fits the bill.  I decided to try my hand at coloring some black balloons using the no line coloring technique and Copics.  The balloon image is from Sweet n Sassy Stamps Make A Wish Stamp Set.  I am pretty happy with the way they turned out.   Once the balloons were done, I masked them off and stamped a background using the fabulous line of numbers from the Birthday Word Art Stamp Set.  I finished the card off with a snarky sentiment from the Birthday Wordfetti Stamp Set.  A few black sequins add a bit of shine.  

The latest challenge at There's a Stamp For That is either Birthday/Ribbon/ or a Sketch.  I chose birthday for my inspiration card.  Join us for a bit of fun! 

I am linking up to Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, Make Your Own Background, as well as Seize the Birthday.  

Thanks for stopping by! 

Lee Ann  

Sweet n Sassy Stamps Turns 13 and November Blog Hop!

 Hello Everyone!  

A huuuuge CONGRATULATIONS to Korin and Sweet n Sassy Stamps as the company turns 13 this year!  We have been celebrating all month long.  How fitting is it that the November release have lots of fabulous birthday stamp sets!  Hop along with us for lots of inspiration and leave comments along the way for your chance to win a $25 gift voucher to the Sweet n Sassy Stamps Store.  Winner will be announced November 25th on the snss blog.  

I started out with the fabulous Make a Wish Stamp Set~ 

I love the timeless birthday images in the set and they are perfect for both women and men.  Makes those difficult to make masculine cards a little bit easier.  Here I stamped the icing in Inkon3 Fade Out No Line Coloring Ink, masked it off and then stamped the cupcake/wrapper in Fade Out Ink. The cupcake was then colored with Copics.  the cherry from the Summer Fruits Stamp Set was also stamped in Fade Out Ink and colored with Copics.  Everything was fussy cut out.  I trimmed the bottom of the cherry off and glued it to the top of the cupcake, giving it the appearance if being set into the icing.  I made it nice and shiny with Glossy Accents.  

The Happy BDay sentiment from the Make a Wish Stamp Set was stamped in Versamark ink on kraft cs;  I die cut a tag from the cs with the IO Stitched Tag Die.  

I created a mixed media background using red watercolors, a stencil and clear embossing paste.  I die cut a large circle out of this and used it for a background and to ground my tag.  Lastly, I added a 'tag' to my 'tag', lol.  I used the Celebrate sentiment from the Lots of Love Stamp Set, stamped it in black and cut out a rectangle.  I gave my 'tag' a finished edge by using a Border Stitching Die.  

Next up, I made a card that works  nicely for men!  

I stamped the slice of cake in Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored it with Copics.  Next, I stamped the small candle, masked it off and stamped it again, repeating this until I had a cluster of candles.  I fussy cut the candles out, trimmed the bottom off and adhered them to the slice of cake, giving the appearance of them being stuck in the cake.  I have had this background in my stash for ages- the numbers and colors were absolutely perfect for the image.  I grounded the slice of cake with a black circle, then stamped the sentiment, which is from the fabulous Humorous Birthday Innies Stamp Set.  A few black and white sequins finish off the card.  

My last card uses the oh so fun A Little Snarky Stamp Set.  

Again, I pulled a stenciled background that I have had in my stash to make this card.  She was colored with Copics and fussy cut out.  I popped her up on dimensional tape and added a snarky sentiment.  3 sequins add a bit of shine.  

That's it for me!  Check out all of the other inspiration from the rest of the team.  Enjoy!

Sweet n Sassy Blog

Julee Tilman

Ceal Pritchett

Diane Zechman

Esther Asbury

Jane Bosi

Karen Decknick

Lee Ann Barrett-You are here!

Lynn Tomlin

Michelle Hale

Sheri Gilson

Thanks for stopping by!  Enjoy all of the inspiration!

Lee Ann  

Wednesday and a Freshly Made Sketches Treat for You!

Hello, Hello!

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches and we have a bit of a treat for you!  This week is not a sketch per se, but a size.  Long, tall, skinny, slim- whatever you want to call it- we are making slimline cards this week.

These cards are just plain fun!  Lots of room and new ways to place your stamps.

I started with a practice sheet of plain ol' copy paper in the 8.5 x 3.5 size.  I played around with the daisy placement.  The daisy is from the Delightful Daisies Stamp Set from Sweet n Sassy Stamps.  Once I had the general layout down, I used my MISTI, a large, clear plastic panel and my practice sheet to stamp the images.  This is the order of items in the MISTI.
First, my blank Neenah Solar White 8.5 x 3.5 piece of cs.  Next, the practice piece of paper.  Next the clear plastic panel.  This allowed me to place the stamp in the appropriate position without risking getting a smudge of black ink on my final panel. Once the image was in the right place, I closed the MISTI door to attach the stamp to the lid. Then I opened the MISTI and removed the plastic sheet and the practice piece.
I do need to mention that I made multiple (like 6) masks using post it notes.  I used these for two things- first to stamp my flowers behind one another for dimension, and second, to cover the flowers and sponge the background.
All of the images were stamped this way.  Once all were stamped, I covered them with the masks and sponged two different distress inks on the background.  I used Broken China and Mermaid Lagoon.
After the initial ink was down, I splattered the panel with water.  Once the water was dry, I did more sponging to intensify the color.  Then I did a final splatter of water.
The flowers were colored with Copics.  The sentiment, from the Grace so Amazing Stamp Set, was stamped in Versafine Onyx Black ink using the MISTI.   A few Simon Says Stamp Moonshine sequins finished off the card with a bit of shine.

This card was made with a very special person in mind, a wonderful part of our crafting community who, short of a miracle, has a very short time left on this earth. If you are a praying person, please say a prayer for Ellie.  Pray for healing, comfort and that she be free of pain.  Thank you.

I am linking up to The Cupcake Inspiration Challenge~

As well as Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, Anything Goes. 
Thanks for stopping by!  Pop over to the Freshly Made Sketches Blog to see so much amazing inspiration from the rest of the team.  Then, get inky and join us!

Lee Ann 

In a Field of Flowers

Hello All! 

Hope you are doing well.  This whole stay- at - home thing is starting to feel normal.  I thing it will feel strange when things get back to 'normal'.  Whatever that is.  But regardless, I am getting lots done around the house.  And when it rains?  I am crafting!
Today's card is a union of two unlikely stamp sets~

I cannot take credit for this general idea.  The ever talented, Jill Foster, came up with the idea of combining a more formal floral with a contemporary critter stamp. 
This just takes a bit of time, patience and masking.  I started by getting a general idea of where I wanted things.  The chick, from the Springtime Stamp Set from Sweet n Sassy Stamps, was stamped in Versafine Black ink on Bristol cs. 
The chick was masked and I started stamping the Irises from the Happy Irises Stamp Set by Sweet n Sassy Stamps.  As I went along, I needed to mask some of the irises as well. 
Once everything was stamped, I colored everything with Arteza  Real Brush Pens.  Boy, do these pens give you a vibrant color!  I did not pay much attention to lighting and shadows, etc., I just tried to get a lot of variation in colors. 
I filled in the background with green brush pens; it is not as scribbly looking in real life- the editing seemed to intensify that.  :( 
The sentiment is from the Sweet Little Lamb Stamp Set. 
I am linking up to~

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge- 'Flower Power'
Addicted to Stamps and More- 'Anything Goes'
Addicted to CAS- Animal

Thanks for stopping by! 

Lee Ann 

Another Guy Card

Hello Again!

Gosh, we are seeing the sunshine 3 days in a row here in St Louis, and it is making me wishing for spring.  I am ready!
Today's card is CAS but also mixed media.

Isn't it nice when the idea in your head actually comes out on the paper?  This actually turned out better than I imagined it.  I started with a monoprint that I had made months ago, but was hoarding.
I used my gel plate, brayer, acrylic paints, and a Tim Holtz stencil to make the panel.
I cut a piece from it, divided it in two and used these as my background panel.  They have been outlined with a Sakura Pigma Micron Pen to match the doodled frame of my image.
The main image is actually from two stamp sets- Autumn Splendor (leaf) and Just Be ( doodled frame) Stamp Sets. The leaf was stamped, masked, and then the frame was stamped.  The images were stamped in Versafine Black Onyx Ink and water colored with Ken Oliver Color Burst Powders.   To compliment the areas of white on my monoprint background, I spattered some white acrylic paint onto the framed leaf.  The image was fussy cut out and popped up on dimensional adhesive.
The sentiment, from the Lots-a-Spots Stamp Set was stamped in the Verafine Black as well.
Inspiration for this card came from a few challenges~
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge, Frame It.
Festive Friday Challenge~

Krafty Chicks Challenge, CAS

Thanks for stopping by!
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Lee Ann 

Technique Junkies June Release!

Hello and Happy Unofficial Summer! 

And Happy New Technique Junkies Release as well!  You should be coming from Kia's Blog.  This month's stamps are all about summer!  You can save 15% on all new releases through June 8th, no code needed!

 You can take an additional 10% off with code TJ10LeeAnn.  The discount code will get you a discount on your entire order (clearance items excluded). 

 The stamps for today's cards remind me of vacationing on the coast.  

I used the new Vintage Lighthouse Stamp as well as the new Dolphin stamp.  Everything is colored with Copics.  The water spray is done with white acrylic paint.  The small compass on the banner is taken from the Learning to Sail Stamp.  I have to say, these two stamps play very well together!  

Nest up, a totally different take with the Vintage Lighthouse Stamp.  

I love this card.  I think it will make a great set of masculine note cards.  I was inspired by a crafter, Melinda Stearns, who has done amazing things in black and white.  I was specifically inspired by a tattoo art photo on Pinterest.

The circles were traced using circle dies.  The top right quadrant is the Vintage Lighthouse Stamp, the lower left quadrant is a portion of the Map Collage Stamp.  The rest was done by hand.  I have to say, this was totally fun to work up.

I am linking up to Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Anything Goes Challenge.
I am also linking up to Watercooler Wednesday- Anything Goes. 

My third card is another one using the Dolphin Stamp.  

My background is a simple one, sponged with Distress Oxide inks.  I stamped the dolphin on the background and then again on some Neenah Solar White cs and colored with Copics, then fussy cut out.  Again, the spray is done with acrylic paint.  The sentiment is Saltwater Heals.

That's it for me!  Your next blog to visit is- Lynda! 

Technique Junkies Blog 

Beth Norman-Roberts 

Ceal Pritchett 

Giovana Smith 

Janelle Stollfus 

Janine Tinklenberg ‎

Jeanne Streiff

Jessie Banks 

Judy Jackson  

Kia Gibson 

You Are Here- Lee Ann Barrett 

Lynda Pleckan 

Pat Huntoon 

Ro Donner 

Stephanie Severin 

Thanks for stopping by and thank you for your sweet comments!
Lee Ann  

A New Sketch at FMS

Hello and Happy Wednesday!

Today I am sharing the card that almost wasn't.  You know the kind.  You work at it and work at it.  Pitch it, restart it.  When the MOJO has vanished.  Thankfully, I walked away from my card this weekend, came back to it a couple of days later and was able to start again and at least change some of the things that really bothered me.  So, at least I have a card that I do not hate.

Here is the newest Freshly Made Sketches sketch~

 I was inspired by the photo at Altenew.  It fit this sketch quite well.

I used the Altenew stamp set, Extra Special, as well as the stencil, Deco Wallpaper stencil.

I am also linking up to Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge- Special Lady . In addition, they are using Altenew products this week. 
I am also linking up to Watercooler Wednesday, for their All About Occasions challenge. 

Pop over to the Freshly Made Sketches blog to see all of the amazing inspiration (they have not lost their mojo, lol).  We hope you will join us and share your creation in the gallery!

Have a blessed day!

Lee Ann 

Monochromatic and Neutral

Hello All,

I have been catching up on life lately but made some time to color last night.

I I started by masking off a rectangle on my card front.  Then, using my MISTI, I stamped these birds, one of my favorite Unity images.  I also stamped a mask for the birds.  I applied the mask over my stamped birds and then stamped a textured stamp from Unity over the taped off rectangle.  Lastly, I sponged some Crumb Cake ink around the edges of the masked rectangle.
The mask was removed and the tape that was used to make the rectangle was removed.  I put my card back in the MISTI and stamped the birds again, so they would hang out beyond the sponged rectangle.
Now it was time to color; I used my trusty Copics for this and then stamped a sentiment from a Unity Kit of the Month.  Sequins and some tiny dabs of my white gel pen finish off the card .  I spotted a DT call on FB the other day and thought it looked unique and fun so, I am linking up to the DT call at The Rainbow Challenge.  I love the look of monochromatic cards as well as the challenge of it.  Mynn, my style tends to be clean and elegant,but I will try anything!

I am also linking up to Addicted to CAS which is One Layer Card.
I used the inspiration at CAS-usal Fridays~

I am also linking up to Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge- 'Anything Goes'.

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful weekend!

Lee Ann

Week 3 with Stamplorations and Coloring!

Hello, Hello!

Welcome back to another edition of Coloring with Stamplorations!
I had so much fun with these cards; one with a coloring technique I learned at Junkie Fest, another with my favorite color combo, and a third with a touch of fall. Wait, did I just say fall?  Goodness school is right around the corner and soon enough it will be everything pumpkin spice!

Up first, my marigolds today look nothing like marigolds~

These are the French Marigold, Large, found HERE.  The sentiment is from the The Birds and The Blooms stamp set.  I colored these beauties on Canson 140lb watercolor paper with Colorbursts.

The images where masked and stamped with Versamark and clear embossed.  You can see above, the flowers in different phases of completion.
What I did not realize when I started this panel was that it was not a 4.25 by 5.5 size, but bigger.  Once it was complete, I had to figure out what to do with it so that it would fit on a card front.  I ended up cutting across the middle of the card and fussy cutting around some petals.
 I am linking this card up to the Happy Little Stampers Watercolour Challenge- anything goes with option of flower.
The next card uses this gorgeous butterfly image from the Blossom Like a Butterfly set.  I absolutely love pink, orange and yellow together.

These butterflies were stamped in distress inks- Spiced Marmalade, Picked Raspberry and Scattered Straw.  I used my MISTI and completed one butterfly at a time. 
The process was to stamp in the distress ink- Scattered Straw for example- then with a water brush, pull that color around to color the entire image.  Once I was happy with the coloring, I let the ink dry, or partially dry and then stamped over it with Vintage Photo. 

Once all the images were done, I went back in and added darker shades with colored pencils where the wings attach to the body.  I am linking this card up to the Double D Challenge- 'Don't Bug Me". 

This last one was just plain fun!  Images are from the stamp set The Birds and The Blooms~

I wanted to color up this beautiful Oriole but wanted more than just the bird on the card.  With fall right around the corner, I decided to put him in a field with sunflowers.  The bird was stamped first, then masked.  I stamped the sunflower once and then added a mask to it as well, stamping another sunflower.  I repositioned the sunflower mask and stamped another flower, repeating until I was happy with the composition.  Now my card needed details to complete the background, so I drew in little extras such as stems, leaves and grasses as seen below~

Thankfully it did not need to be perfect as it would all blend in in the end!  Everything was colored with Copic markers.  The final card is pretty simple.  The piece or bright green patterned paper along the right edge is actually a scrap piece of a Gelli print I had lying around.

You can see ALL of the gorgeous coloring inspiration HERE on the Stamplorations blog.  Please check it out!  Participate in the mini hop by leaving comments along the way for a chance to win a GC to the Stamplorations store. 

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope I have inspired you!

Lee Ann 

Week 2 of Coloring with Stamplorations!

Hello All! 
This is my second post of the day.  I am just about ready to head north for Minneapolis to attend Junkie Fest.  But first, I am sharing 3 more cards for Stamplorations using more gorgeous florals.  Be sure to read about the chance to win $15 to the Stamplorations store at the end of the post!
The first is colored with Copics~

The hummingbird and small flower with him is from the Birds and the Blooms stamp set.  The yellow flowers are from the Blossom Sprays #2 stamp set.  They have been stamped twice.  Minimal masking was then done to add the small orange flower and hummingbird into the scene.  All was colored with Copics. 

This is just a process photo, about midway through the project.  The background was colored with Copics and then texturized with rubbing alcohol and burlap. 
The sentiment is from the fabulous, Fond Expressions Stamp Set. 

Close up of Mr. Hummingbird.  He is coated in Wink of Stella to give him a beautiful shimmer. 

This second card also uses the Blossom Sprays #2 Stamp Set; it is watercolored with Arteza Watercolor Brush Pens. 

Adding color in layers.  

Starting on the greenery

And again, I have used the Fond Expressions Stamp Set for the sentiment. 

The third card is more contemporary and uses the Best Mom Ever Stamp Set. 

Contemporary flowers call for nontraditional colors.  

The flowers and background are colored with Copics.  A Copic Blender Pen was used to
add texture to the background. 
The card base panel is sponged with some Soft Sky ink over the Shower of Flutters
stencil. 
To finish off the card I spritzed the image panel with the most shimmery of sprays (top secret at this time) and added some sequins.  I used a white gel pen to highlight flower centers.  The sentiment is from the Birds and the Blooms Stamp Set. 

To see these and more gorgeous coloring inspiration from the rest of the guest designers, check out the Stamplorations Blog!  AND, there just may be a mini blog hop again, with a chance to win $15 to the Stamplorations store! 

That's it for me; I hope I have inspired you to get out your favorite coloring medium! 

Lee Ann 

Having a Dane Good Time

Hi All!

Hope you are having a fabulous summer!  My beginning of summer has been very busy but I did make a bit of time last night to color for Kathy Racoosin's Daily Marker Coloring Challenge.  I got out the super fun All Shapes Stamp from Technique Junkies, along with a sentiment from the set, You Are a Hoot.

Lots of masking again with this stamp, but a new 'theme' using the sun glasses and sentiment from the You Are a Hoot Stamp Set.  What do you think?
That's Crystal Effects on his sunglasses, making them all shiny.

If you are thinking of getting these stamps, you can get 10% off your order 

 with code TJ10LeeAnn !  

I am linking up to a couple of challenges~
The Paper Players- Animals

Thanks for stopping by! 

It's a Dog's Life

Hello Everyone!

Today I have super fun cards to share, using the new Technique Junkies, All Shapes Stamp Set.
 One stamp, three different cards.  These cuties are so much fun to play with and inspiration for the designs came from The Twofer Challenge, where the theme this challenge is 'Pets'.

Here is the stamp in its pristine state (see how to get a 10% discount on your order, including this stamp, below)~

Super cute, right?!  A Great Dane is on my wishlist of dogs.  I would love one of every breed, but, if I had to choose, the Great Dane is right up there. Anywho, on to my Twofer cards.

One is a friendship card- a play on words- and for some reason I hear Josh Groban singing when I read this!  Am I the only one?! 

The other makes me laugh- a big neighborhood of dogs, welcoming the new family to the hood!

 Both cards used masking.  Both were colored with Copics.  The friendship card has a sponged background using a stencil.
I LOVE these dogs!

Should you decide to do some shopping, you can get 10% discount on your entire cart 

by using the code TJ10LeeAnn.   

Shopping with this code earns me a small commission; however, my opinions are my own.
Thanks in advance if you shop!

Have a blessed weekend!

Lee Ann 

Green Again

Hi Everyone!

I managed to make another green card using a Unity Stamp image and a die that I have had for probably two years and have never seemed to know how to use it.  I love the linear and contemporary feel of this card, quite the contrast to what I usually do!

I started by stamping the butterflies and coloring them with Copics.  I then masked them off and sponged in the background.  To add interest and dimension, I sponged over a piece of drywall tape with white ink.  The background die is Winnie and Walter, Multifaceted Cutaway.

I am linking up to Addicted to Stamps and More- 'Anything Goes'.

Also linking to Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge- 'Anything Goes'.

Thanks for stopping in!  You are appreciated!

Lee Ann

Vintage Christmas

Hello and Happy Monday! 

Hope your weekend was a good one! 

Today's card was made with the Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Stamp Set, Old Fashioned Christmas. 

This single stamp is a silhouette image, but with the MISTI stamping tool, it makes adding multiple layered colors to this stamp a snap.  I used various shades of greens and brown for the tree trunks.  Once the image was completed, I cut a mask for it and sponged in the pink winter sky. 
To create the snow fall, I spattered some watered down white acrylic paint. 
I embellished with pine cones from the Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Set, Christmas Pine. 

I am linking up to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, 'Anything Goes'. 

Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulous week!

Lee Ann :)

Scribble Flowers- Another Take

Hi All!

Are you scrambling to get things done as the kiddos are getting ready to go back to school?  School starts next week and this week has been jam packed with appointments and all of the things that have not gotten done yet this summer.  Phew!
I took time out to play around some more with the newest stamp set from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps, Scribble Flowers.

4 sets were used, along with a lot of masking.  I started with the leaves from the Scribble Flowers Stamp Set.  Next, I added the snail from the adorable Buggin' Ya Stamp Set.  I masked Mr. Snail off and added another leaf sprig behind him.  Lastly, I added the whimsical flower.
I have to admit, the bee was added because of a whoops.  :)
I finished off the card with a sentiment from Punny Fruits and Veggies Stamp Set that I stamped on the sun from the Happy Happy Stamp Set.

I am linking this up to Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge- Let's Go Wild
And The Paper Players-

And Just Add Ink- they have a really cool inspiration photo this week!

That's it for me!  Off to complete some more tasks!
Have a blessed week!

Lee Ann  :)