Saturday, November 26, 2016

Inspired By All the Little Things featuring Joyce Mehrberg

Hello Tracey here and welcome to Inspired By All The Little Things! This is a weekly inspiration challenge blog and each week we feature a wonderful designer who inspires us as an artist!

This week I have invited Joyce Mehrberg to be my guest. Joyce has been my blogging friend for 5 years now, we both started blogging in the same year! Over time we have become good friends online and off and if all the stars are aligned just right we will be meeting for real in 2018! Joyce is a challenge junkie, she participates in so many and one of my favourite features she does is a big post on Sundays showcasing what she has been up to in her studio! If you haven't already you will love stopping by at her blog but grab a big cuppa first you'll be there a while!
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I asked Joyce to share a bit about herself...

1. What is the name of your blog? When and why did you start it?

 I live in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California, and so I named my blog Cards-by-the-Sea, clever, right?  I started by blog back in 2011 as a way to enter challenges and connect with other paper crafters.  I had just organized a mini group of 4 paper crafters called 'Four of a Kind' and we all needed blogs so we could show our creations on the same day.  That group expanded and morphed into a larger group that I am still a part of called The 12 Kits of Occasions.

2. What is your style of card making?

My style is Clean and Simple most of the time.  I love die cuts and background stamping, so my cards will occasionally stray a bit from a pure CAS style.  I really like just about all flower stamps, and also cannot resist stamps of houses, buildings and city scapes.

3. Who inspires you as a designer?

I am a true PTI addict, and find so much inspiration in their designers, especially Nicole Heady, Maile Belles, and Laurie Willison.
4. What sort of things inspire you as a card maker? Photos? Sketches? Other designers?

I enjoy getting inspiration from card challenges.  My favorite challenges are sketch challenges, with color challenges a close second.
  
5. Share something about yourself that we may not know?

If you have met me within the last couple of years, you will be surprised to know that I never used to like animals.  My daughters begged me for a dog for years and years before I finally caved 3 years ago.  My dog, Sherlock, is now my constant companion, and I am completely devoted to him.  If you have known me forever, you would be surprised and amazed to see how much I love my dog, and how that love has grown into a love for all other dogs.

Here is Joyce's card using this week's inspiration!



The challenge designers have also created a card for this week's inspiration! These ladies just inspire me SO much!!! I hope you will play along with us this week! We would love to have you join us!


Kimberly Lackenbach-http://kimcreate.blogspot.ca/




Leigh Penner - www.leighpenner.blogspot.com  






...and one created by me.

tracey_IB#34

We hope you will play along with us!


The linky will close on Friday, December 2nd at 12:00 pm. (PST)

Some simple rules to keep things organized and enjoyable:
  • Please use the graphic for your post and link back to this post.
  • Any posts that are offensive will be removed.
  • Please comment on the submissions of others...we all love the support!
  • Yes you can combine with other challenges but NOT other inspiration challenges please.
  • Have fun and challenge yourself!

Inspiring Stand Outs for Challenge #33

Thank you all for playing along with our pretty bottle-brush trees this week!  The creations were just lovely.  A big thank-you to Myra Webb for being our wonderful Guest Designer!  Myra & I have each chosen our Inspiring Stand Outs for Challenge #33.


Myra's choice is #4 Smilynsteph!

"It just catches my eye with the beautiful sky. I also noted how the bottom of some trees have been tinted which adds to the overall effect."


Karen's choice is #16 Sherrie M.!

"I really love that Sherrie took the inspiration photo and made a birthday card!  I think she captured the essence of the photo perfectly."

Congratulations to both of our Stand-outs!  Ladies you can grab the badge and display it on your blog:


We hope to see you back with us again soon - another Inspired By All The Little Things challenge will be starting in an hour!

Saturday, November 19, 2016

Inspired By All The Little Things #33 with Myra Webb

Hello and welcome to Inspired By All The Little Things! This is a weekly inspiration challenge blog and each week we feature a wonderful designer who inspires us as an artist!


It's Karen here with you this week, and I have invited Myra Webb as my guest for Week #33!  Myra is a new creative friend of mine, we met this fall when we were both teaching side by side at a trade show.  She had made the most gorgeous sample projects, and I just knew that I wanted to invite her to join us here on the Inspired By blog.




I asked Myra to share a bit about herself...

1. What is the name of your blog? When and why did you start it?
www.craftingplayground.com  I felt that this name would allow me to post various crafting projects. So far I have only included cards and jewelry projects.

2. What is your style of card making?
very tough question to answer. My style adapts to the card genre that I am working on. For example, I am not particularly a flowery girl but when I am working with Heartfelt or Magnolia stamp you are sure to see them there! Call me a chameleon.

3. Who inspires you as a designer?
All the wonderful card makers out there! They are my teachers. It's amazing what you can learn flipping through Pinterest or Splitcoast! I do love Virginia Nebel's work, although her focus is scrapbooking. What I love is her layering and how she uses the product. Totally adaptable on a smaller scale. I also like Jennifer McGuire and Kristina Werner and the way they use stamp on their cards. I love Susanne Dean and Melanie Holtz for their coloring skills with COPIC and other media.

4. What sort of things inspire you as a card maker? Photos? Sketches? Other designers?
Strangely- conversation! I'm talking with someone  and all of a sudden I get a vision. This is where the problem is - is honing in the idea to a point where the outcome is acceptable. Don't you ever get a vision and on paper you go "oh, that's not what I wanted!" Then I have to pause, work it, and sometimes do it again. But this helps my creativity! And patience.
  
5. Share something about yourself that we may not know?
I collect shot glasses! And the number is growing! I currently have 5 display cases and I will be looking for more. This is a great was to remember the places I've been and gifts from the family and friends from places where they have been. And heck, one day I hope to raise each glass in a toast!

Myra created two cards using this week's inspiration!


Now take a peek at what the design team has created to share with us - I hope you will play along with us this week! We would love to have you join us!

Kimberly Lackenbach-http://kimcreate.blogspot.ca/




Leigh Penner - www.leighpenner.blogspot.com  






And a little something from me:


We hope you will play along with us!

The linky will close on Thursday, Nov. 24th at 11:55pm. (PST)

Some simple rules to keep things organized and enjoyable:
  • Please use the graphic for your post and link back to this post.
  • Any posts that are offensive will be removed.
  • Please comment on the submissions of others...we all love the support!
  • Yes you can combine with other challenges but NOT other inspiration challenges please.
  • Have fun and challenge yourself!


Inspiring Stand Outs for Challenge #32

Weekly Stand Outs

Thank you all so much for joining us this week for the Inspired by Challenge #32.  We loved seeing how you were inspired in all of your creative projects. These are the submissions that have earned a special Inspiring Stand Out this week. Please go ahead and display the badge on your blog.


A special thank you to Rosemary for being our Creative Guest this week! 



Both Rosemary and I have chosen our stand outs!

These are the submissions that have earned a special Inspiring Stand Out badge this week. Please go ahead and display the badge on your blog!

Rosemary's Choice:




"I'm a sucker for a clean and simple design and Jen's card caught my eye immediately.  I love how she was able to combine all the elements yet keep everything very clean and simple."


Karren's Choice:



"Bobby's card is so beautifully rustic, yet still has a clean look.  That wreath stamp is so gorgeous and her layout is fabulous."

Congratulations ladies and thank you to everyone who played along with us this week! We will be back in one hour with a brand new challenge!  

The next challenge goes live at 5:00 am PST.

Saturday, November 12, 2016

Inspired by All the Little Things Featuring Rosemary Dennis

Hello and welcome to Inspired By All The Little Things! This is a weekly inspiration challenge blog and each week we feature a wonderful designer who inspires us as an artist!



This week I have invited Rosemary Dennis.  Rosemary is well-known in the blogosphere.  She is very generous with her commenting on other people's work and creates the most beautiful cards herself.




I asked Rosemary to share a bit about herself...

1. What is the name of your blog? When and why did you start it?

The name of my blog is Hey There... rosigrl!  I started it in May of 2010.  Prior to that I had started a Flickr photostream and a gallery on Splitcoaststampers and was happy with that. As I got more interested in paper crafting and thought about maybe trying out for design teams I realized that having a blog would be more of an asset then just my photostream and gallery.  It was a bit scary starting the blog and it took me forever to do my first few posts, but now I can't imagine paper crafting without my blog!

2. What is your style of card making?
My style of card making tends toward clean and simple.  Even when I do lots of layering I still like things to be clean looking.  

3. Who inspires you as a designer?
I really admire Debby Hughes. She has a beautiful clean style, but she always has unexpected elements in her design that take them to the next level. I also really admire my in real life friend, Lisa Lara.  Lisa has mad coloring skills and her CAS designs are always super clever and creative!

4. What sort of things inspire you as a card maker? Photos? Sketches? Other designers?
I'm often inspired by my stamp, dies and other supplies like patterned paper, but I do love a good color or sketch challenge.  I don't have a Pinterest board or anything like that so if I find myself lacking for inspiration I just check out a challenge or two to see what the design team and participants have created. 
  
5. Share something about yourself that we may not know?

One thing most people don't know about me (probably even my good friends!) is that I am totally hooked on shows like Ancient Aliens and Finding Bigfoot!  Anytime a show like that is on I just have to watch!!  I find the theories put forth in both shows really interesting although not always believable!! 

Here is Rosemary's gorgeous card using this week's inspiration!




The challenge designers have also created a card for this week's inspiration! These ladies just inspire me SO much!!! I hope you will play along with us this week! We would love to have you join us!

Kimberly Lackenbach-http://kimcreate.blogspot.ca/






Leigh Penner - www.leighpenner.blogspot.com  






And a card from me




We hope you will play along with us!


The linky will close on Thursday, 17 November at 11:55pm. (PST)

Some simple rules to keep things organized and enjoyable:
  • Please use the graphic for your post and link back to this post.
  • Any posts that are offensive will be removed.
  • Please comment on the submissions of others...we all love the support!
  • Yes you can combine with other challenges but NOT other inspiration challenges please.
  • Have fun and challenge yourself!

Inspiring Stand Outs for Challenge # 31

Thank you all so much for joining us this week for the Inspired by Challenge #31.  We loved seeing how you were inspired in all of your creative projects. These are the submissions that have earned a special Inspiring Stand Out this week. Please go ahead and display the badge on your blog.

A special thank you to LeAnne Pugliese for being our Creative Guest this week! 


These are the submissions that have earned a special Inspiring Stand Out badge this week. Please go ahead and display the badge on your blog!


LeAnne Pugliese's Choice...

7. Designs by Sharon: A Charming Country Christmas

I really love #7, Designs by Sharon: Sharon's sweet creation with a country feel really caught my eye! The little postcard is divine, and the warm country accents she added complement it beautifully! The tag, pinecone and linen thread finish it off so well...it's just like a little work of art!

Lesley's Choice

12. Estelle TBT

Estelle's clean and simple card was so creative in its simplistic elegance! I love the use of the music paper and the freestyle collage of items at the bottom of the card. It makes for such a lovely Christmas creation.
 Congratulations ladies and make sure you grab your badge.


Thank you so much LeAnne for joining me as my guest this challenge. Join Karren here in an hour for Challenge #32.

Saturday, November 5, 2016

Inspired by All the Little Things featuring LeAnne Pugliese

Hello, Lesley here today, and welcome to Inspired By All The Little Things! This is a weekly inspiration challenge blog and each week we feature a wonderful designer who inspires us as an artist!



This week I have invited...the lovely LeAnne Pugliese! LeAnne and I "met" online many years ago and it was her encouragement that led me to start my challenge blogs. LeAnne is also a bird lover and she makes the nicest Christmas cards, so I just knew she would be perfect for this week's inspiration!




I asked LeAnne to share a bit about herself...

1. What is the name of your blog? When and why did you start it?

The name of my blog is WeeInklings;  I started it back in 2008 as a way to
share my love of stamping, as well as to gain inspiration and information
from other stampers.  I had no idea how far and wide the blogging world
was, so I was pleasantly surprised to see readers from across the states
and even in other countries!

2. What is your style of card making?

I like to say it's eclectic....I love a good CAS card, but I also love
shabby, vintage styles as well!  I wish I could be more "artistic" in my
stamping, but my brain thinks more "in the box" than out of it!

3. Who inspires you as a designer?

When I first started stamping, Laurie Schmidlin was one of my favorite
stampers, and I wish I could make my CAS cards stand out like Tracey
McNeeley's!  Hannelie Bester has amazing ideas, as does Michele Ferguson!
Tammy Hershberger continues to amaze me with her sense of style and I
always appreciate her giving me a chance to design for her Color Throwdown
challenge!

4. What sort of things inspire you as a card maker? Photos? Sketches? Other
designers?

Anything and everything inspires me!  I can see an ad in a magazine or a
shirt someone is wearing and want to run right home and stamp something
with those colors or patterns!  Inspiration is everywhere!  I do love
sketches and color challenges the best, though...they give me a kickstart
if I am stumped!

5. Share something about yourself that we may not know?

I love to knit - although I am not very good at it - and I like watching
old black & white movies with Shirley Temple or  Judy Garland while
knitting, although I rarely get to do either!




The challenge designers have also created a card for this week's inspiration! These ladies just inspire me SO much!!! I hope you will play along with us this week! We would love to have you join us!

Kimberly Lackenbach-http://kimcreate.blogspot.ca/





Leigh Penner - www.leighpenner.blogspot.com 






We hope you will play along with us!


The linky will close on Friday, November 11th at 12:00pm. (PST)

Some simple rules to keep things organized and enjoyable:
  • Please use the graphic for your post and link back to this post.
  • Any posts that are offensive will be removed.
  • Please comment on the submissions of others...we all love the support!
  • Yes you can combine with other challenges but NOT other inspiration challenges please.
  • Have fun and challenge yourself!