BE Inspired...

This is my second post for today, please scroll down for my Trendy Twine Guest DT post :)

Can you tell it's creeping closer to Halloween!  Love this months BE Inspired Challenge at The Alley Way Stamps.  This gorgeous pumpkin image and stitches stamp are from Ghould-Friend, with the sentiment created using Alphabet Soup.  Papers are a mix from My Minds Eye.  This perfect fall Orange Truffle Twine is from Trendy Twine, and the stitched heart was from my stash.  LOVE this weeks Retro Sketch too - perfect for my pumpkin patch!  Dotty enough to join in the City Crafter Polka Dot Palooza too.

 

For your chance to WIN some FAB stamps, why don't you BE Inspired too!  

RULES:

1) You MUST use an image from The Alley Way Stamps (you can find freebies here!).
2) You must mention this challenge and link to it in your blog post.
3) - The challenge linky closes on 27 September 2012 at Noon, TAWS time!!!

This made me smile...

Less is More Awesome...

Pink & Brown

I couldn't resist that title now could I!!!  For this weeks Less is More Pink & Brown Challenge - I had to go with fuschia, 'cause I'm just not a pale pink kinda girl, and what goes better with fuschia than dark, dark chocolate - at least 70%!  And 'cause it's pink it perfectly suits this weeks Catered Crop In the Pink too!

I LOVE the versatility of The Alley Way Stamps Awesome Blossom set - here I've used the small petals to create an almost lotus-like flower, adding a small button and twine stalks.  As I have repeated my flowers - in an odd way as you do - it is perfect for the Card Design Handbook Week Repetition Challenge in the Moxie Fab World. The "What's Up" sentiment was created from the Ghoul-friend set, just adding a question mark from Alphabet Soup.

I love this fibre ribbon I purchased at Create on Ormond when I caught up with a friend recently :)  I wrapped the ribbon around some white cardstock and pop-dotted it so the twine stems would tuck neatly behind, and I could stretch the twine to secure the sentiment chipboard in place.  The chipboard is covered in MME paper - love that it looks like an old wooden sign.

Join in the fun @ Repetition Challenge over at Moxie Fab World, til September 24th

BE Inspired #10 and Awesome Blossom Winner...

Time for this fortnights The Alley Way Stamps BE Inspired Challenge!  I was inspired by the gorgeous colours and patterns on these cushions.  Black and teal are not normally go-to colours for a Father's Day card - but I love how striking this turned out.  I just love the Couture Creations Royalty embossing folder, especially when used with Cor'dinations Cardstock and sanded to reveal the teal layer underneath.  The stacking Couture Creations Victorian Square dies look so different when placed on this angle, creating a perfect space for my Father's Day sentiment, created using The Alley Way Stamps Touchdown, Alphabet Soup and Christmas Magic.

How will you BE Inspired with The Alley Way Stamps?  You have until September 13th

Just in case you thought I forgot ;) the winner of their very own Awesome Blossom set is...

#17 AJ Reddicliffe I love your card, it would brighten anyone's day. :) 

(Please email we with your details AJ!)

and HAPPY FATHER'S DAY to all the Aussie Dad's!

TAWS Blog Hop... and an EXTRA chance to WIN!

The Alley Way September Release Blog Hop

One person will win ALL 3 NEW SETS!!

YEP!! So if you want that person to be you... all you have to do is comment on the hop! 

You have until Aug 30st 9:30 PM TAWS time 
(aka August 31st 2:30PM EST Australia) to leave comments.

Here are the DT Blogs to visit:

Alison

Annette

Arielle

Audrey

Barb

Danielle

Kim

Lyndal

Tracy

The Alley Way Stamps Blog

Loving the new The Alley Way Stamps Awesome Blossom set!  To create the background I used one of the flower images randomly stamped watercolour paper in Versamark Watermark ink then heat embossed in clear, then randomly stamped with Versamark Watermark ink and Stampin' Up Concord Crush, before swiping the entire background with Distress Ink Shaded Lilac.  The Awesome Blossom butterfly was clear embossed onto Concord Crush cardstock, then fussy cut.  I created the sentiment with a combination of The Alley Way Design Christmas Magic, Chatterbox and Alphabet Soup, heat embossed in Zing Pewter, together with some alphas from my stash.  Inspired by the purple hues at Dynamic Duos.

To celebrate The Alley Way Stamps being available directly in Australia either through Scrapbook Boutique or The Stamp Spot you have an EXTRA chance to win, if you leave a comment here you could win your very own Awesome Blossom set.

TAWS BE Inspired, Have a Ball...

Loved the colours in this fortnights TAWS Be Inspired Challenge #8 - after all, teal is my favourite, and red is not far behind, and I ran with circles and the carnival theme using The Alley Ways Admit One and Alphabet Soup, to create this cute birthday card.  Paper pieced parts of the gorgeous clown, and die cut and punched a series of circles using Echo Park and October Afternoon papers.  Coloured the rest of the clown using Copics E13 Light Suntan, Y17 Golden Yellow, R27 Cadmium Red and BG 18 Teal Blue.  Pop dotted the clown and his starry juggling balls too.

Come join in the fun, you have until August 17 to play along!

Also playing along with:
The Pink Elephant Sketch
The Paper Players Tic Tac Toe - Circles / Birthday / Favourite Colour

 

TAWS Blog Hop - WIN 3 sets of stamps!

Had to have a BUNNY card for the TAWS blog HOP!  Don't you just LOVE this cute little guy from the The Alley Way Stamps Cover Ups set, seen here with Alphabet Soup sentiment.  Love the gorgeous green Echo Park paper too.  I hand cut the letters with a craft knife using the chipboard letters from Scenic Route as a template - you can achieve a similar effect by printing a template on the computer using Berkley or a similar block letter font. Broke out my washi tapes for the first time - the checks were a freebie with a magazine, but I think there will be some more washi on my wishi list!!!

Don't forget - One lucky person will win ALL 3 NEW TAWS sets TODAY!! So if you want that person to be you.. all you have to do is comment on the hop!
There are many ways you can win...
1. Comment on The Alley Way Stamps Blog
2. Comment on the DT blogs (links below)
3. Post about it on facebook or your blog
4. Like TAWS on Facebook
(leave a separate comment for each thing you do)
You have until July 31st 9:30pm TAWS time (August 1st at 1:30pm EST in Australia) to leave comments.

TAWS DT Blogs to visit:

Hop on over to Tracy for your next dollop of FABULOUS TAWS inspiration!

Joining in the fun at:
Catered Crop - Washi's Up Recipe Swap
Pile It On - Cute as Can Be Challenge
Stampin' for the Weekend - Gorgeous pink & green {heart} Photo inspiration
Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes

Bee my Honey...

Couldn't resist using The Alley Way Stamps new Cover Ups hexagon stamp for the Hooked on Hexagon Challenge over at Moxie Fab World, Paper Crafts Shaped Card Challenge and Shaping Up Blog Hop & Give Away.  Papers are a combination of Bo Bunny and  Echo Park, stamped with sentiment from Alphabet Soup and Chatterbox, with the little bee from ei-ei-o.  Used the neat trick of laying down a glue line to create my bee trail using The Twinery Stone twine.

Hope you had a FAB weekend!

A CAS-ually Dynamic Moxie Fab I {heart} You...

  

Inspired by this weeks Stamp It! Cards Week The Love Card Challenge, CAS-ual Fridays Back in Black and Dynamic Duos Poppy Parade & Basic Black.  Really tried to focus just on the stamping today!  This card was created using The Alley Way Stamps Alphabet Soup and Jibber Jabber.  Stamped my alphabet (minus I {o} U) in Basic Black, then lined up my I {heart} U and stamped in Stampin' Up Poppy Parade.  The love sentiment was stamped in Versamark Watermark and clear embossed for added texture, and finished off with this gorgeous gingham ribbon :)

Hope you have a FAB week, with plenty of crafting time!

Hippo-bird Day!

A word to the wise, I first tried stamping my hippo on green paper, and he ended up looking like one very sea-sick hippo LOL!

Discovered The Alley Way Stamps Topic Tropic is the perfect set for "Hippo-bird Day" cards, especially when combined with Alphabet Soup to complete the perfect sentiment.  Papers are a mix of Echo Park Country Drive and American Crafts Dear Lizzy Neapolitan, die cut with Spellbinders scalloped circle and EK Success scalloped border punch. Just had to add a cute button and some googly eyes for the finishing touches :)

Inspired by this weeks Sweet Sunday Sketch, Creative Stamp Friends Paper Piecing, and Fashionista Challenge "Things with Wings".

Hope you have a FAB weekend!

Happy 4th of July The Alley Way...

Sending Happy 4th July wishes across the waves :)  I spent a couple of years growing up in Boston, so the USA holds a special place in my heart!

Sentiment is The Alley Ways Stamps gorgeous new Alphabet Soup, which includes numbers too, but I couldn't resist stitching the number 4 through the four holes in my button!  I used sparkly bling on my mini flag and doubled-up on the stars with a die-cut and Starry Night embossing folder.  Just remember it's always much easier stamping first and embossing second LOL!

Inspired by Just Us Girls Stars and Sparkles Challenge, CAS-ual Fridays Round and Round and My Sheri Crafts Oh I Love America Challenge.

Freshly Made Colour Throwdown with Ribbon...

Love this teal and coral colour combo at Colour Throwdown this week, combined with this versatile Freshly Made Sketch and The Ribbon Carousel's Paper Piecing Challenge. Gorgeous flamingo stamp from The Alley Ways Tropic Topic with sentiment combined from Tropic Topic, Alphabet Soup and Chatterbox. Papers are a combination of MME, Authentique, Basic Grey, Kaisercraft and Bella, with grosgrain ribbon and Kaisercraft black pearl eye.

Hope you have a fabulous day :)

Monkey Business... Behind the Alley Sneak Peek - Day 3

Welcome to Day 3 of the Behind the Alley Sneak Peeks.  This guy just reminds me of a used car salesman, and of course selling coconuts is the perfect business for a monkey to be in LOL!  This card was created using the FAB new The Alley Way Stamps Tropic Topic and Alphabet Soup, with this gorgeous over-sized tie from Tie One On, with papers from Authentique, and inspired by this great Deconstructed Sketch.

Don't forget you still have a couple of days to comment and win The Alley Ways Stamps by visiting the Behind the Alley Blog Hop or leaving a comment here :)

Must You (Flamin'go)... Behind The Alley - Sneak Peek Blog Hop!

So excited to be part of my first Behind the Alley Blog Hop!

It's Behind the Alley for the next 4 days, previewing the 3 gorgeous new sets of The Alley Way Stamps that will be available from July 1st. "Must you (flamin'go) we'll miss you" was created using new The Alley Ways Stamps Alphabet Soup and Tropic Topic, with the sentiment inside from Jibber Jabber. Papers are a mix of Prima and My Mind's Eye.  This flamingo was perfect for playing along at Dream Valley Challenges Things with Wings, and CAS-ual Fridays Pretty in Pink too.

Who doesn't love free stamps?? Here are some things you can do for a chance to win one of the new sets. THREE people will win!

1. Comment on The Alley Way Stamps Blog
2. Comment on the DT girls blogs
3. Comment on The Alley Ways Stamps posts for the next 4 weekdays
4. Post about it on Facebook or your blog
5. Like The Alley Ways Stamps on Facebook

Take a sneak peek at the Design Teams blogs and leave a comment - remember the more you comment, the better your chances of winning! You have until June 30th to leave comments.
Alison
Annette
Arielle
Barb
Danielle
Jingle
Laurel
Lyndal (me!) and next up is Marcy

Happy Hopping :)