Come Meet My Very Favorite Stamps and Dies Ever! {seriously!}

Y'all - I know I tell you about my "favorite stamps and dies" all the time. But legit - the cards and products I get to share this week, are actually some of my favorite things I have EVER crafted with. The perfect mix of simple dies, darling fonts, and puns for DAYS. It's basically all of my favorite card making things rolled into one collection from Impression Obsession. Can we please take a look together? Because I can't wait another minute!

This blog post contains affiliate links. When you shop through my links I receive compensation at no cost to you. Thank you from the bottom of my crafty heart! 

I need you to stick with me this week because I have about a million cute cards to share with you (if I do say so myself!) The thing is, when you just CLICK with a collection of products, it is SO easy to craft your face off - and that's what happened with this month's new release from Impression Obsession. 

Bonus points for this collection, because these stamps and dies are perfect for masculine cards, cards for kids, cards for your girlfriends, your parents, teachers - literally ANYONE would love a card with happy veggies on the front of it. 

This first card is so simple - just great colors of cardstock paired with simple dies (that cut beautifully) and an adorable stamped sentiment.  I added a little strip of patterned paper to make a table cloth but I kept the whole card clean and simple to let these sweet products shine. 

The googly eyes are brand new in the IO shop. You'll love the variety of sizes included in the adorable container packed with 500 eyes!

I used a bit more patterned paper on my next card - I feel like everyone needs a polka dotted carrot in their life. It was fun to mix and match with some different patterns on these cute carrots. Simple paper layering, a twine bow, and another adorable sentiment tied this card together. 

So here's the deal - I'm not even CLOSE to being done yet with the fruit and veggie stamps and dies in this release. Promise you'll come back tomorrow? Because there's a lot more cuteness where that came from!

 Today begins a two-day blog hop celebrating the August release at Impression Obsession. There's so much more to share tomorrow, so stick around!

Here are the important details on this week's blog hop:

• We're giving away THREE Impression Obsession $25 gift certificates for our two-day blog hop - the more you comment, the more chances to win, so be sure to visit all the designers!
• All comments for both days will be open until August 9th at midnight CT. All winners will be announced on August 10th on the Impression Obsession Blog.
• Find all the new release stamps HERE

And here's the lineup of today's hop!

Jeanne Streiff

  Kia Gibson Clapper

Laura Fulcher

Laura Williams <<you are here!>>

Lee Ann Barrett

Vicki Garrett

Angela Bode

Anna Wight

Dina Kowal

Giovana Smith

Ilina Crouse

Supplies on Today's Cards:

Beet, Carrot & Radish Die Set

Tomato Die

Soup Bowls Dies

Soup Spoons Dies

Mixed Veggie Sayings (clear stamps)

Soup Sayings (clear stamps)

Googly Eyes

Platinum 6 Die Cutting Machine

Magic Mat that fits Platinum 6

Shop all the Magic Mat sizes here

  I'm so glad you stopped by today! Let's connect again - subscribe so you don't miss a blog post! 

Check Out More Card Ideas for Besties {Impression Obsession New Release - Day 2}

Hey there crafty peeps! Today is Day 2 of the Impression Obsession July Release blog hop. This release is celebrating some of our besties (and all the crazy fun we can get into with our friends.) Let's dive into these fun stamps and cards with our crazy best friends.   

This blog post contains affiliate links. When you shop through my links I receive compensation at no cost to you. Thank you from the bottom of my crafty heart!

"Good Friends Don't Let You Do Stupid Things Alone" is pretty much the most fun (and appropriate) sentiment on a card to give a best friend! This slimline card is clean and simple and let's the adorable stamped image SHINE. I colored these crazy best friends with colored pencils and just added a little washi tape to finish off the card. 

For the second card I used the same sentiment but it looks totally different on a standard sized card, doesn't it? This time I paired it with two more best friends. This stamp is simply called Giggles. (Put me in a room with my friends, and there will DEFINITELY be giggles!) I love it! 

I colored these sweet ladies in with colored pencils to match the colors on that fun rainbow striped patterned paper, and kept this one clean and simple too! The black borders give the card some contrast and weight. 

Stamps on Today's Cards:

Goofy Friends

Giggles

Good Friends

Remember, yesterday was the start of our two-day blog hop celebrating the July release at Impression Obsession. 

Here are the important details on this week's blog hop:

• We're giving away THREE Impression Obsession $25 gift certificates for our two-day blog hop (this is day 2, here's Day 1 if you missed it!!) - the more you comment, the more chances to win!
• All comments for both days will be open until June 12th at midnight CT. All winners will be announced on June 13th on the Impression Obsession Blog.
• Find all the new release stamps HERE

And here's the lineup of today's hop!

Impression Obsession Blog

Kia Clapper

Laura Fulcher

Laura Williams <<you are here!>>

Lee Ann Barrett

Vicki Garrett

Angela Bode

Anna Wight

Dina Kowal

Giovanna Smith

Ilina Crouse

Jeanne Streiff

 I'm so glad you stopped by today! Let's connect again - subscribe so you don't miss a blog post! 

Handmade Card Ideas to Make For Your Best Friends {New from Impression Obsession!}

Today's cards are all about our best friends. Whether it's a boy and his dog, or two middle-aged mamas, let's not forget to celebrate the people we love and the friendships we share. The new stamps I'm sharing today will make it easy to celebrate all the friendships in our lives!

 This blog post contains affiliate links. When you shop through my links I receive compensation at no cost to you. Thank you from the bottom of my crafty heart!

It's suddenly July (slow down summer!) and that means it's time for the new monthly release at Impression Obsession. Today's first card is all about the sweetness of a boy and his dog. I stamped this image on kraft cardstock and then added colored pencil. 

TIP: If you start out with a layer of white pencil first, it really makes the colors POP as you color. (I added some more white for highlights after coloring too.) 

Stamps on Best Friends card:

Pals 

Best Friends

Next up, a card to celebrate another friendship that means so much - GIRLFRIENDS! Put a bunch of women together, and no doubt there will be laughter and hugging, right?! This slimline card fits in a standard business envelope so it's easy to mail. I used colored pencils again for this one but I also did a little bit of paper-piecing to add some subtle pattern to some of the clothes. Super fun and not too tough, if you don't mind a little bit of fussy cutting. 

One more fun detail - I have been using a white gel pen a LOT lately, and I added some details around the sentiment. Kind of fun, right!?

Stamps on Hey Soul Sister card:

Soul Sister

Giggles

So here's the deal, my friends! Today begins the two-day blog hop celebrating the July release at Impression Obsession. There's so much more to share tomorrow, so stick around!

Here are the important details on this week's blog hop:

• We're giving away THREE Impression Obsession $25 gift certificates for our two-day blog hop (this is day 1, so come back tomorrow too!!) - the more you comment, the more chances to win!
• All comments for both days will be open until June 12th at midnight CT. All winners will be announced on June 13th on the Impression Obsession Blog.
• Find all the new release stamps HERE

And here's the lineup of today's hop!

Impression Obsession Blog

Kia Clapper

Laura Fulcher

Laura Williams <<you are here!>>

Lee Ann Barrett

Vicki Garrett

Angela Bode

Anna Wight

Dina Kowal

Giovanna Smith

Ilina Crouse

Jeanne Streiff

 I'm so glad you stopped by today! Let's connect again - subscribe so you don't miss a blog post! 

Make a Fun Whale Card with Spellbinders and FSJ

Hello crafty friends! I have such a fun handmade card to share with you today. I used the clear stamp set called Sunshiny Day from Spellbinders. This stamp set is part of Spellbinder's September Card Kit of the Month which is filled with darling embellishments, dies, and cardstock in addition to this stamp set. But for this card, I used only the stamp set, and I paired it with some FSJ goodies, because they all work so beautifully together!

To begin this card, you'll want to grab some ink (Huckleberry Fusion, Rich Coral, and River Stone.) Stamp the whales, hearts, and anchors across a panel of Whip Cream cardstock. Splatter panel with Beach Ball Silk, and then adhere panel to a Huckleberry Fusion card base. 

Next, stamp the sentiment. The Sunshiny Day clear stamp set has a fun variety of words to mix and match. Create the sentiment you want, and stamp it onto cardstock strips, but detail cutting the word "whale-y". (So cute, right!?) 

To finish off the card, add some die cut circles, and a heart, plus some twine, a paper clip, and a strip of sparkle washi tape. This is a great friendship and all occasion card - but wouldn't this be a darling Valentine card too!? (I think I'll be pulling this stamp set out again, when February comes around!) 

In case you've missed the exciting news, FSJ and Spellbinders are joining forces to bring more crafty goodness to your life! You'll find FSJ and Spellbinders together in the same store now, and there are so many amazing products and fun things coming your way!

I'm so glad you stopped by today! I hope you liked my WHALE-Y fun card!!! ;) Are you new to FSJ and/or Spellbinders? Follow them and keep up with all the crafty goodness! 

Find Spellbinders and FSJ on social media! 

Spellbinders on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube

FSJ on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube

And while you're at it, I'd love it if you follow me too! 

Laura Williams on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest 

Have a great day!!! xoxo

Supplies Used on Today's Card:

Sunshiny Day Stamp Set

Huckleberry Fusion, Rich Coral, River Stone True Color Fusion Ink

Circle Around Die Set

Snapshot Frames Die Set

Candy Apple Twine

Candy Apple Journey Tape

January, where did you go!? {CHA 2016 recap}

Hello friends! How are you!? My January was an absolute whirlwind - anyone else? I had THE most amazing time at the Craft & Hobby Association Megashow. Seriously. So much fun. I was able to HUG friends who I hadn't ever met in PERSON before. People I've worked with for years, and people I consider REAL LIFE FRIENDS but I had never seen their faces in real life, and hugged their necks. So we did just that - we hugged, and laughed, and drank coffee together, and there may have been a few moments of squealing and jumping up and down. It's just the way I roll. The whole thing was kind of epic, and it made my heart SO happy!

Gotta have the obligatory photo op in front of the giant sign! 

I was practically jumping up and down at this point, I was so excited! 

After two days of WORK and SETUP to make the magic happen, we were ready to roll! 

(I'm sparing you from all the hot-mess setup shots!) The booth was STUNNING. Seriously. 

In the Celebrations section of the booth with Patricia Roebuck, Michelle Woerner, and Kim Kesti!

The Hilton lobby was THE place to be. We look SO tired in this photo....because we ARE.

Being together with my Paper Crafts magazine chickies was one of my favorite things.  (I tried not to let them see me getting teary-eyed just having them all in front of me! It made me SO happy!) And we may have inadvertantly started a rumor that the rest of the Go-to Gals are coming to work for Richard, in addition to Kim Kesti and I....but its just a rumor. (For now. I'll keep working on them!)

THIS GIRL. Keri Lee Sereika. . .friends, this girl was one of my biggest blessings! She was on my flights to and from Anaheim to Atlanta - which ended with an overnight in Atlanta because we both missed our connecting flights. I would have fallen apart without her calm and easygoing, travel-experienced self. She is a GEM. (And it was crazy fun to catch up after not seeing her in quite a few years!) 

So there you have it - a VERY brief (sort of brief) recap of my CHA adventures. Really, there is so much more - but I just can't even. :) I am thankful for my first trip to California, and my first CHA in Anaheim! Despite these fun photos, we really did work our tails off - but it was FUN work, and I loved it! It took me out of my comfort zone enough to be a growing experience, 

and it was SO worth it.  (Thank you, Richard!!!) 

Richard Garay's RG retail line releases March 1st. Visit richardgaray.com for the scoop, plus sneak peeks, project inspiration, and more! 

You've Got This {Avery Elle} (and giveaway winner!!!)

Hello friends! First things first, as promised, the winner of a crafty goodie bag! Patti, at Stationery Styles, come on downnnnnn! You won, girly! Please email me at TomatoL at aol dot com and I will get your goodies out to you!

I really appreciate the time that many of you took to share your thoughts with me about blog posts and supply lists and such. The majority of you prefer supply lists at the end of the post (it was pretty down the middle as far as linked photo preferences.) I've discovered that to use Inlinkz with affiliate links, you have to have the paid version . . .so I'm holding off on that for now!

And now, onward to a card!
I created this card in particular for someone special. I needed a masculine card to encourage my pal who is on a major life-changing journey. I used Avery Elle's Brushed stamp set. The font is so nice on this, and brushstroke fonts are soooo very trendy right now! Keeping it simple helps a card maintain it's guy-friendliness, so I just rounded the corners and called it a day. This layout would be perfect to duplicate in a variety of color combos and sentiments. I always love simple, striking cards that are easy to mass-produce. (Because simple and striking does not always mean EASY.)

Thanks so much for stopping by today. I'll be back on June 1st to celebrate a new release from The Stamps of Life! Woohoo! :)  xoxo

Supplies: 

Avery Elle Brushed clear stamp set

Bazzill Simply Smooth cardstock (in ivory)

Close To My Heart Outdoor Denim ink

Avery Elle Lemon Grass and Mint to Be pigment inks

happy birthday to. . . .

Happy Birthday toooo. . . .about twelve people I know.  I'm telling ya, the first two weeks of April (the entire month of April actually) there are SO many birthdays in my family and circle of friends!

I'd like you to meet one very special birthday girly girl, whose birthday happens to be TODAY!  She is my sweetie pie, Karisse.  We met right before she came to Flagler College.  I was a sophomore when she was a freshman, and we were instantly connected - one of those friends that you meet for the first time, but it's like you've known her all your life.  I've probably mentioned her here a time or two, as she is incredibly creative and artsy, and has an incredibly amazing story to tell.  The past ten years of her life since she graduated from college have been filled with more challenges and mountains to climb, than many endure through their entire life.  You can read about her battles with cancer HERE  and check out all her random and interesting thoughts, deep thoughts, and fun photos (she is quite a talented photographer!) at Karisse's blog, Musings.  (She is currently on crazy pain medication from her latest surgery. . .so her blog posts are quite entertaining!)  Karisse has an amazing job too . . .she has dedicated much of her life to raising awareness and finding an end to human trafficking. (In between surgeries and cancer treatments, which seem to come far too often!)  Please go visit her blog, and wish her a happy birthday!  You'll be inspired, perhaps challenged, and entertained! I promise!

(Oh, and the card - all the goodies are CTMH.  You can read more of the details about it, on my mom's blog!)

they'll probably kill me, but i don't care.

(me, Angie, Jenn, AM, and Charity)

Girly Girls.
They totally make me happy.
These pictures just make me SMILE!

And this one makes me giggle. . .and I have no idea what we were laughing about, but apparently it was pretty stinkin' funny.

Two of them are scrapbookers and cardmakers and papercrafters and the other two we have tried to turn into those things. (And they really haven't kicked and screamed at all!) But whether we are at the park or pool with our kiddos, or drinking coffee, or playing with paper, we always have the best time!

I love my friends. And they'll be mad that I posted this, and they'll complain about how they look. But I think they look perfect. I couldn't ask for anything greater than these girls. So take that girls, and shove it. ;)

XOXO

the scrappy mamas

these are my sweet sweet girlfriends. . .and i am so glad that angie was able to capture these pictures, using her tripod!!! we caught that last tiny bit of evening light, after the kiddos were in bed, and we could finally start our last Girls' Night before Annamaria moves (today. sniff sniff.)

I would be lost without these girls! We scrapbook together, drink coffee together (I think the Starbucks girls who work on Tuesday nights are starting to recognize us!) and sit around (wherever we end up. . usually Annamaria's house) talking until all hours of the night. (Although I usually cave first, and head home!!) When we get together with our kiddos each week, we attempt to keep them occupied as long as possible, so we can capture a few more minutes of "mommy-time" before the meltdowns begin, signaling the time to head home for lunch and naps.

But oh. . .how I love these mamas!!!!

And oh . .. .how I already miss my Annamia.

XOXO

sweet baby giraffes

I realized after I uploaded this card, that I promised my CPS card to you . . .and this is NOT it. But I've been wanting to share this quick and simple baby card with you (made with the Apron Strings June kit), and because my SWEET friend Keri FINALLY had her baby last night . . .this is in honor of her! I used Making Memories Animal Crackers paper, and just layered some paper and cardstock together, cut out a few flowers from one of the papers, and popped it all together! There's no sentiment, so I think this would work for just about any baby related occasion (shower, 1st birthday, etc). I hope you like it!

After three days at the beach with my hubby's family, (aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents. . .20something of them all together) we are spending the next two days with MY aunt and cousin who are arriving in town this afternoon. (And my aunt promised she will delight (or horrify) you all with a picture of pregnant me . . .since apparently MY photo didn't satisfy you!!! hee hee hee!) So check back tomorrow for one of my new favorite cards on Unity's Hip Hop Thursday blog hop, and I'll talk to you soon!! Now. . .off to clean bathrooms and run to the grocery!

XOXOXO