~ Congratulations on Your Birthday ~

Can you believe it is the last day of February???  And are you happy about it???  I certainly am.  With record cold temperatures and snowfall in our part of Kentucky...  February can't depart soon enough!!  If the blustery weather has you sick of winter...  like me...  it's time to do some spring stamping.  And tomorrow, Our Daily Bread Designs has some beautiful new stamps to help you plan all of your Easter cards PLUS a fun set to help you celebrate St. Patrick's Day!  I know you will love them!  In the meantime, I have one look back at the February release.  

I used the Life is a Gift and Miss You / Wildflower Silhouette Single sets.  

I chose a rust colored card stock for my base (5.5 x 4.25 inches).  A white mat frames the final image.  I used a rust colored distress ink to stamp my image on white CS (multiple times) and used a scalloped punch to help create my fluffy clouds.  

***  Seeds of Inspiration ***  Place the scalloped punch or die cut randomly and use a soft blue ink to sponge in the edges.  I used Memento's Summer Sky.  I then added Memento's London Fog ink to give my "sky" a rainy feel.  

I used Memento's Gray Flannel to stamp the sentiment (Miss You) on white card stock and ODBD's Pennants Die to frame it.  A bit of dimensional foam adds some lift.  

Don't forget to stop back by tomorrow to see a few new items from Our Daily Bread Designs.  I can't wait to show them to you!  

Here's some of the items you see today...

or you could use this single for the image...

Thanks again!  We will see you tomorrow!

~ Some Bunny Loves You ~

I just love bunnies!  We have a few wild (err... rogue) bunnies who make their home on our farm.  One particularly clever guy (or gal) has taken up residence in the barn with our horse Allie and our ram, Pinky.  It is so funny to watch him go hopping along always mindful of the fence and how close the Saint Bernards are.  Sometimes, it seems like the little guy is watching the dogs and I swear he is grinning!  Could he possibly be taunting the Saints?  :-)  

Well, this little bunny image from North Coast Creations seems to be quite content with life as well.  He has all of his Easter eggs gathered close.  I love how he is just chillin' all nestled in the die cut grass.    

I stamped the image on ecru card stock and lightly colored his fur with a soft brown Copic marker.  I also added just a hint of pink to his nose, ears and paw pads.  Mr. Bunny has a nice bed of green grass (a sneak peak from Our Daily Bread Designs' March release, Grass Die).  The ecru die cut doily (ODBD's Doily Die) provides a focal point for the sentiment and fussy cut bunny (both from North Coast Creations' Hippity Hoppity stamp set.)  And those darling die cut eggs???  Another sneak peek from Our Daily Bread Designs' March release, Eggs Die...

Here's the items you see...

North Coast Creations...

and from Our Daily Bread Designs...

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Don't forget to stop back by this week for a clean and simple project featuring Our Daily Bread Designs' February release.  And in just a few short days March will be here!  And that means a whole new release!  I can't wait!  

Have a wonderful day!

A Look Back at Our Daily Bread Designs' February Release

Today we are taking a look back at Our Daily Bread Designs' February Release.  This time I decided to use not only a new die, Hello but the new Wildflower Silhouette Background stamp along with the new Wildflower Silhouette  single.

  

Here is the card/project I created with them. 

I started with a navy card stock base (5.5 x 4.25 inches) and added a white CS mat.  I used the background image to stamp my image on the base layer (with Versamark) and added clear embossing powder.  After heating and cleaning the image up, I gently sponged three shades of blue ink over the image.  I started with Memento's Summer Sky, added a bit of Memento's Nautical Blue around the top and finished with Memento's Paris Dusk.  I used the last ink sparingly, just around the top edges.  Then I sponged Olive Grove ink (also from Memento) on the bottom edge.  After achieving the desired look, I gently wiped off the embossed image with a paper towel to remove any excess ink.  I cropped it to be slightly smaller than my white CS mat.  

I chose to use the same matting scheme for my top layer along with the embossing technique.  But this time I chose the single image to emboss.  After inking it to my desired color depth, I trimmed it to fit, added the double mat and placed some dimensional foam under it.  I like to make my images "pop" off the base when possible!  I go through tons of dimensional foam...  :-)

Finally, I pulled out some white and navy card stock (leftovers) and die cut my sentiment.  I layered them slightly off center to add some shadowing.  A bit of wet glue and it was good to go!

So here are the items you see today...

  

For more inspiration using the February Release 

be sure to visit the ODBD Blog .

And don't forget to visit all of my sister "Sticks" to see what they have cooked up for you!  

Thanks for stopping by!

Cathy * Lori * Sandee 

 Dawn * Julie * Wanda

~ May the Lord Keep Watch ~

There are few things in my opinion that are more beautiful than a morning sunrise.  There is something about the first break of dawn and the promise of a new day that stirs my soul.  Maybe it is the fact that I have another opportunity to accomplish a long list of to dos.  Or maybe it is simply the perfect beauty of the Creator displayed in His creation.  

Today, I have a new card to share using a couple of Our Daily Bread Designs' recent releases, Wildflower Silhouette Background  and Miss You.

I started with a lemon yellow card stock base (5.5 x 4.25) and added a black CS mat.  

***Seeds of Inspiration***  I used ODBD's Circle Ornaments Die to create a stencil for my sun.  I placed the circle die cut in the middle of a white card stock panel and lightly sponged a soft yellow ink.  I then added some soft pink and finished the top edge with a soft teal.  I removed the circle die and lightly went back over the white circle with my yellow ink to soften it up a bit.  I also added a bit of soft gray ink at the bottom where I knew my image would be "grounded."  I inked up the background stamp (black) and added the image directly to my sponged panel.  After stamping the image, I went back in and added ink to any areas that might have been missed.  

I stamped my sentiment (also in black) on white card stock and used ODBD's Fancy Flourish Pattern Die to cut it out.  I then inked soft lemon and gray over the sentiment.  I added a bit of black and white baker's twine (with a fun bow) before placing the sentiment panel with dimensional foam.  

Here are the products you see today...

Thanks for stopping by today!  

Blessings 

Paper - Bazzill, Georgia Pacific, Neenah

Ink - Memento Dandelion, Rose Bud, Summer Sky, Bahama Blue, Tuxedo Black, London Fog

Baker's Twine 

Welcome to Release Day at North Coast Creations!

Welcome!  I can't believe we are smack dab in the middle of February!  That means spring flowers are just around the corner!  And with spring comes Easter!  AND North Coast Creations has more beautiful stamps to help you create the perfect Easter cards!  BUT if that's not enough to pique your creative interest, NCC's sister company, Our Daily Bread Designs also created some fabulous dies to help your creative pursuits.  

 Of course, a blog hop wouldn't be nearly as fun without a chance to win AND this month, just for commenting on the Design Team Blog Posts, you have a chance to win a $10 NCC Gift Certificate!  Your NCC Gift Certificate would be good towards the purchase of NCC Stamps. 

You have until February 17, 2015 at 10:00 PM EST to leave a comment on the participating designers' blogs for a chance to win! Two random winners will be selected from the comments left on the designers' blogs AND the winners will be announced on the NCC Blog on February 18, 2015.  SO be sure to check back there to see if you have won!

So let's hop right into today's creations...

My first card features the new Pansies set...

and the darling set that inspired it all...

I started with a simple 5.5 x 4.25 card stock base and added DP from Our Daily Bread Designs' Blooming Garden Paper Collection.  I colored the image with Copics after stamping it on Copic compatible paper.  This image is perfect for fussy cutting (exactly what I did) before placing on a doily die (Our Daily Bread Designs' Doily Die.)  Both layers have dimensional foam underneath for added dimension.  I added a simple white seam binding bow before placing the sentiment. 

And now for card number 2...

featuring the new stamp set Hippity Hoppity from North Coast Creations AND

a couple of new dies from Our Daily Bread Designs' 

Grass Border Die and Eggs Die...

I stamped my image and colored it lightly with a soft gray (basically to define the image.)  I stamped it again on some fun dotted paper from Our Daily Bread Designs' Blushing Rose Paper Collection.  I paper pieced Mr. Rabbit's ears, belly and paw pads.  I used a soft blue and gray ink to lightly sponge the sky background.  I used a coordinating design from the paper collection and ODBD's Vintage Labels Die to cut a window for my design from coordinating paper.  The grass and egg dies were so easy to use and were perfect for using up remaining paper scraps.  I decided to pull out another die from ODBD (Pennant Dies) to create a darling flag and flagpole to display my sentiment.  

Isn't this new image darling???

and here are some of the other items you see today from 

North Coast Creations' sister company Our Daily Bread Designs...

Thank you again for stopping by today.  I hope you found something to inspire you!  Please stop by and visit my fellow team members A.K.A "The Coasters" and leave them some love!  

Don't forget you could win a GC just by hopping along and leaving a comment!  Have a wonderful and blessed Sunday!  

{{hugs}}

NCC Blog **If you get lost along the way...  ;-) 

 Julie * Lisa * Dawn 

* Sandee * Patricia * Lori * Angie

Additional Supplies 

Inks - Memento Olive Grove, Tuxedo Black (Card #1)

Inks - Memento Tuxedo Black, Pistachio, Espresso Truffle 

May God Bless Your Life

Creating cards is very soothing for me.  There seems to be something about the process of putting ink to paper that puts me at ease.  The last few weeks have been a struggle.  There are some days when my physical self seems to be entirely disconnected from my emotional self.  It is frustrating to not be able to do the things you want to do.  Thankfully, the Lord does provide and over the last few days I have made a few tentative forays into the craft room.  

For this project, I decided to try working with watercolor paper and I must say it was a wonderful experience.  Something about all of the colors mixing and blending together reminded me of my walk with God.  Just like the ink, there are places in my life where my walk has been more vibrant and in some areas more muted.  Ultimately, it all comes together to create a beautiful tapestry representative of my walk.  Just like my card, my walk is not perfect, however, it is truly a reflection of me.  Enjoy!

 

*** Seeds of Inspiration *** The background was easy to make.  I started with a watercolor paper and saturated it with water using a mister.  I then stamped the desired distress ink colors (Peacock Feathers, Salty Ocean & Tumbled Glass) on an acrylic block and lightly misted each with water strategically stamping each where desired.  I allowed the water to do all the work...  dripping, running, mixing together... It was so fun!  And messy!  :-)  After it dried, I stamped the image and sentiment with black ink and hand traced the outer black frame.  I finished it up with a few sequins.

And here's the Our Daily Bread Designs' 

stamp set you see today...  

Life is a Gift

Thank you so much for stopping by!  God Bless!

February Release at Our Daily Bread Designs

Welcome!  So glad you could stop by!  The first day of the month always means a wealth of beautiful new items added to the Our Daily Bread Designs fold.  And this month is no exception. Be sure to take a few moments to look at all of the new dies and stamps ODBD have added.  

And to make release day even more fun, three randomly selected winners will each receive a $25 gift certificate to the ODBD Store, to be used toward the purchase of ODBD Stamps found in the "stamps column" of the website just for commenting on the Design Team cards!  You have until February 2, 2015 at 9:00 p.m. EST to leave your comments on the Designers Blogs for a chance to win!  The Winners will be posted on the ODBD Blog on February 3rd, so be sure to check back there to see if you won!

Now for the projects I have today...  The first features layers of rich spring colors and the new stamp, Miss You...

I started with a white card stock base (5.5 x 4.25 inches) and added a daffodil yellow mat.  

Seeds of Inspiration ***  The base layer you see peeking out from the die isn't designer paper.  It is a custom layer I created with white card stock, distress ink and water.  You actually see 6 inks here!  I took each ink pad individually and pressed it on my acrylic block.  I spritzed each with water and pressed it onto plain white card stock.  I did this with all 6 ink, 3 on one side and 3 on the other.  After drying, I trimmed it to fit under the die cut.***

I used coordinating dies from the Vintage Flourish Pattern Die set to create the filigree piece and sentiment panel.  After die cutting, I stamped the floral image (the new release, Missing You) with a soft taupe ink, lightly inking the edges and adding the sentiment with a rich cocoa.  Both are placed on the custom DP layer with thin dimensional foam.  I added a floral spray accented with taupe pearls and Kraft foliage from the Fancy Foliage Die set.  Look closely and  you will even see a tiny taupe and white Baker's Twine bow!  

And if your style is more clean and simple, take a look at this card using the new Wildflower Silhouette and Hello Die.

I chose a simple color palette for this card...  ecru and chocolate.  I started with an ecru base (5.5 x 4.25 inches) and added a slightly smaller chocolate textured mat.  

Seeds of Inspiration (Emboss / Resist Technique) ***I cut a smaller ecru panel for my focal panel and stamped the image with Versamark.  I then used a clear embossing powder to set the image.  I chose a soft pumice distress ink and sponged it over the image.  And for the final layer, I added a frayed burlap ink.  Once it was colored the way I wanted, I used a dry paper towel to blot off the excess ink on the image.***

  I die cut the sentiment with some extra chocolate card stock and added it to the corner.  On the opposite corner, I placed a few brown dew drops for interest.  

So here are the items you see today...

Card #1 

from the February Release

Miss You

and other favorites...

Vintage Flourish Pattern Die

Fancy Foliage Die

Card #2

from the February Release

Wildflower Silhouette

Hello Die

Thank you for stopping by!  Don't forget to visit my "Sister Sticks" to see what beautiful creations they have for you!  As you hop along, be sure to leave some love so you may have a chance to win!  Thanks again and have a wonderful Sabbath!

ODBD Blog (If you get lost along the way)

The Breadsticks

Cathy * Lori (ME) * Sandee * Dawn

 * Julie * Grace * Chris * Lisa *

 Angie * Silke * Wanda * Sabrina * Audrey