It's Release Day at Belles n Whistles!

Welcome to the Changeabelles Collection Blog Hop from Belles n Whistles!

We are so excited to be sharing with you this new and fun release! You should have arrived here from the very talented Aud's blog. If not, You will want to go back to the beginning of the hop at the Bells 'n Whistles Blog. We hope that you will be inspired by what our team has created. Pre-orders for this collection start today, and will begin shipping on October 4th.

For my card, I used Picnic Solace along with the Roses. I stamped Belle and cut her out, so she could sit on top of the picnic basket. I imagine she is admiring the roses that she just picked! I love that you can really change this release around to suit your needs! It's going to be so fun!

So what would a BnW Release Hop be without lots of prizes?!! You will want to leave a comment on each stop of the hop, because we will chose a winner from each blog - and you get your choice of a stamp from the new release! As if that wasn't enough, one randomly chosen winner from the BnW blog will receive a new set of Belles 'n Whistles stamps! So what are you waiting for? Be sure and leave a little love here, before you hop to Rosette's lovely blog!

Andrea (http://impressionsaremade.blogspot.com/)
Iris (http://cocoacards.blogspot.com/)
Elise (http://paperloveaffair.blogspot.com/)
Kathrin (http://kruemelsbastelblog.blogspot.com/)
Jodi (http://inkedinspirations.blogspot.com/)
Kathy (http://distressedstamper.blogspot.com/)
Anki (http://bargman.blogspot.com/)
Lilian (http://colortopaper.blogspot.com/)
Aud (http://audhilds-hobbyblogg.blogspot.com/)
Gini (http://ginicagle.blogspot.com/) You are here
Rosette (http://craftingmagic.blogspot.com/)

Just in case you get lost along the way - Blog hop order:

Additional Blogs to visit (Guest DT)

Liza (http://pinkcandystripes.blogspot.com/)

Mary Frances (http://franciecrafter.typepad.com/francie_crafter/)

Stephanne (http://stagnantlycreative.blogspot.com/)

Good luck and have fun!

Challenges:
Sketch Saturday: Sketch

Heartfelt Creations - New Release - Winter Wonderland

My actual DT term with Heartfelt Creations does not start until October, but with these great stamps/dies, I had to just jump right in! Today, I finally get to share with you one of the projects that I made as part of my design team submission. I worked with stamps and dies from the Winter Wonderland Collection - which is being released today.

This collection is an absolute must have. You will easily achieve cards that will create warm and fuzzy feelings for young and old alike. The Winter Wonderland Collection features 9 new PreCut Stamp Sets. These sets coordinate with the exclusive new Heartfelt Creations Holly-Ornament Die made by Spellbinders and 1 existing Snowflake Wonder Spellbinder Shapeabilities. Click Here to view all the new products. To celebrate the new release; we will be giving away the complete release valued at $159.00 to two lucky winners. Leave a comment on the HC blog or the HC Facebook page to be entered to win by October 5. The winner will be announced on October 6, so make sure you check back and contact us if you are the winner! Orders for the Winter Wonderland Collection will start shipping immediately. All orders are processed and shipped in the order they are received. Turn around time during new releases will be delayed due to increased order volume.

I decided to think outside of the box - well, actually, I decided to think of the box... and made a gift set with an ice skate gift box and a matching card. The details are below.

Products used:
HCD 705 Holly-Ornament Die
HCPC 3335 Snowflake Medallions PreCut Set
HCPC 2291 Regal Poinsettia 2 PreCut Set
Beaded Oval Die Elements

Snowflakes: (on both the box and the card): Choose a stamp from Snowflake Medallions (HCPC 3335) and stamp it 6 or 8 times using Versamark ink. Emboss with silver embossing powder and cut out and emboss using the coordinating HCD 705 Die. While the cut is still in the die, spray with Glimmer Mist to color. Bend half of the pieces upwards for the bottom layer, and attach them using a glue dot. Bend the other half downwards, and attach them to the bottom layer, with another glue dot. For the center of the flake, use the smallest flower from Regal Poinsetta 2 - cut and colored in the same manor. Add crystals or bow for the center embellishment.

For the card, make a cutout silhouette of the snowflake, by making a template. Draw an evenly spaced, 8 armed asterisk on a scrap paper. Line the die up with the center of the asterisk and the line, and cut. Keep moving the die around the circle until the star is complete. Lay the template over your DP and cut as normal to create a cut-out shape.

Next adhere cut sheet over a coordinating paper. Add bling of choice, and add the snowflake to the center.

Ice Skate Gift Box:
Cut two ice skate shapes from cardstock (I used Cricut to do this). Make the shoe dimensional by cutting strips of cardboard 3 inches wide. Cut 1/2" deep notches along the lengths of board on both sides. Fold in, and glue to each side of the skate. This will form the basis of the box. Cover the skate in designer papers of choice and add trims over seams. To decorate the heal of the skate, stamp sentiment from Joyous Noel and cut with Spellbinders beaded oval. Color using copics/airbrush. Cut the bottom of the circle off and adhere to the back of the skate. To make the laces - cut a piece of DP the size of the tongue of the boot and punch holes using the Crop-o-dile. Thread ribbon through the holes and tie in a bow. Glue to skate. Add crystals, ribbons and finally groupings of snowflakes.

If you would like to see more inspiration, be sure to check the Heartfelt Creations Gallery - you can find tons of inspirational pictures as well as how-to's from the designers.

Sketch week at the Beary Scrap

Hi! It's time for another sketch week at the Beary Scrap! Don't you just love this sketch that Susan came up with? It was really fun to work with.

Let me tell you, if you have not gotten any of the MME Lost and Found line - you are going to love it! It is so gorgeous, I almost couldn't cut into it (but then I thought, hey...Kimm's got more in the store!) I used papers from the Portobello Road collection - yummy! Did you notice that tinsel trim? Yep, it's from this line too! I used Glimmer Mist on the edge of my paper to help age and distress it. The stamp is a cutie from Magnolia. I colored her with Copics (which Kimm is running an incredible deal on right now!)

Thanks for looking!

Challenges;
Totally Tilda: Glitter and Sparkle

Lucky Number 7!

Good morning! It's Monday, so that must mean that there is a new challenge at Karen's Doodles! Today, we would like to see 7 of something on your card. Since 7 is such a lucky number, perhaps if you play along with us, you will be the lucky winner of some of Karen's images!

I used Pumpkin Mailbox for my card. And, in case you didn't figure it out - I used 7 different papers (pretty sneaky, huh?) Hope you will play along with us!

Recipe:
Image: Pumpkin Mailbox / Karen's Doodles
Papers: Close to my Heart
Punch: Kreaxions 4-in-1 Cross punch
Ribbon: Really Reasonable Ribbon


Challenges:
Friday Sketchers - Sketch

The Stamping Bazaar Guest Designer - Week 2

I'm back with another cutie to share with you from the Stamping Bazaar. I think this is absolutely my favorite image that Marina has ever drawn! He is Marvin with Candy Apple. He is available now in digital, but will soon be available in rubber as well! Thanks for letting me play along with TSB this month!

You can't really tell from the picture, but the "candy" on the apple is coated with Liquid Glass - which made it look good enough to bite into! I used some great Halloween ribbons from Really Reasonable Ribbon - Swiss Dots grosgrain orange with black and the Bats.

Flower Soft's challenge this week is Furry Critters - now I don't know that a bat would be the first little animal to pop in your head - but he is just so cute! I added black Flower Soft to highlight some areas, which really added that extra little touch. Be sure to pop over and play along - and you could win your choice of 3 colors of Flower Soft!

Challenges:
Crafting Life's Pieces: Sketch

Thankful

I have some very exciting news to share with you - I have been asked to join the Heartfelt Creations Design Team!!!! I feel so thankful and blessed to be a part of this team. If you are not familiar with this company, let me just say, you are going to love it! And don't be surprised when this is the Next Big Company! HC designs the most wonderful stamps and exclusive Spellbinder dies to match them! Oh my goodness. I saw them for the first time at CKC - Charlotte, and it was love at first site! My official term will start October 1st, but I just had to start sharing with you.

My project today is a layout - and I have to say it is my most favorite layout - evah! Are you checking out that fabulous 3-D Sunflower? Yep, that was made with Heartfelt Creation's Aztec Gold Sunflowers 2 - and this one uses Spellbinders Blossom 2 (bet you already have that nestie at home - so now, all you need are the stamps!)

I wanted to try my hand at My Mind's Eye sketch for the month - and the theme was "thanks". I really didn't have a picture that expressed how I envisioned this layout, so my sister and I took my 4 year old nephew out to a historic little church, near where we live. We had so much fun taking pictures of him - and we captured this shot, that I think really shows a thankful heart. He had so much fun throwing the leaves up in the air and watching them fall back down.

Thank you for looking!

Challenges:
My Minds Eye: Sketch/Thanks
Practical Scrappers: Ribbon
The Town Scrapper - We're in Stitches
Stampin Sisters in Christ - Fall colors
Alota - DIY flowers
Lexi's Creations - use a photo
Spoon Full of Sugar - anything goes
ABC - "d" Distressing
Crafty Creations - Falling Leaves
Creative Inspirations - 2 or more stamped images (layered, stamped sunflowers)
The Pixie Cottage - Fun and Games
Simon Says Stamp and Show - Grunge

Shape it!

Hi! This week at the Beary Scrap we decided no squares or rectangles! There are lots of other shapes out there - and we would like to see them. Whether it be a card, layout or altered project - show us some shapes!

When I saw that the Whiff of Joy Challenge for their GDT was to make a Wine Tag - I thought that would be the perfect shape to experiment with. I used papers from MME - Laundry Line and found a vintage wine label on line. I used Spellbinders Labels to add some shape to my edges - and finally added an adorable Norma Fickel image - Wee and Drum.

I hope that you enjoy seeing the Beary Scrappy Gals get out of our boxes this week! and we hope we inspire you to do the same.

Challenges:
Whiff of Joy - GDT - Bottle Tag
Whiff of Joy Monday Challenge - layers

Blog Hop with Karen's Doodles

Karen's Doodles is hosting a blog hop today along with our weekly challenge. Visit each team member's blog and leave a comment. We will be awarding random prizes of digi images chosen from the people who comment. If you arrived here from Dorte, you are on the right track. If not, start at the Challenge blog for a list of the DT members in hop order. In addition to our normal 3 winners, the Design Team will also pick a favorite entry who will be invited to join us as a Guest Designer for the month of October.

For my card, I used the new Apple of My Eye - what a great image for Fall! I colored my lace with Glimmer Mist so it would match my Graphic 45 papers.

And now it is time to continue on with the hop by visiting the very talented Joey! But before you go, there is one more twist, if your name is chosen as a random winner and you have entered into this week's Lace challenge, your prize will double! And don't forget, if you get lost along
the way, you can always return to the Challenge blog for a
complete list of blogs to visit. Winners will be announced on Tuesday, September 28th.

Full List:
Lori Ng
Annita Pedersen
Chris Sather
Dee Morris
Emily M - Junior DT
Dorte Nielsen
Gini Cagle (You are here)
Joey McKelvey
Sydney - Junior DT
Kelly Schelske
Kirsten - Junior DT
Mariska van der Linde
Joris - Junior DT
Nancy Cappelen
Pernille - Junior DT
Peri Hill
Tanja Jokela
Tracy Jackson
Sandy Hulsart

And now it is time to continue on with the hop by visiting (name of person below you on the list) But before you go, there is one more twist, if your name is chosen as a random winner and you have entered into this week's
Lace challenge, your prize will double! And don't forget, if you get lost along
the way, you can always return to the Challenge blog for a
complete list of blogs to visit. Winners will be announced on Tuesday, September 28th.

Challenges:
Sketch Saturday: sketch
Wee Memories: scallops and string
Paper Sundaes - fall colors
Stampin Sisters in Christ - Fall colors

The Stamping Bazaar Guest Designer

I have always loved Marina Neira's designs - and now she has started her own line of digital/rubber stamps - The Stamping Bazaar. I was thrilled to be asked to be the guest designer for the month of September. My card today features Horus Roasting Marshmallows. So perhaps my Horus should have been Hortencia - but I wanted to use this little dragon for the Fuzzy Wuzzy Challenge - which was to use the colors pink, green, brown and kraft. They are offering some great prizes, including some stamps/digis from TSB. I will have another adorable card to share with you next week!

Challenges:
Fuzzy Wuzzy Challenge - pink, green, brown, kraft
Friday Sketchers - sketch

Fall Fun Challenge with Flower Soft

Ready for a hop? How about a challenge too?

This week’s challenge – Use your is Fall Fun! Make a card using either Fall colors or a Fall theme.

We’ll be giving away TWO prize packages! One prize package will be given away on the blog hop and another will be chosen among people who make a card using Flower Soft and post it in the Splitcoast Gallery using the keyword FSC03. Both prize winners will be chosen and announced on the Flower Soft blog on September 22nd. The winner of the Splitcoast Gallery challenge will have their card featured on the Flower Soft Blog on September 24^th!!!

If you didn’t start at the beginning of the hop please go to the beginning at the Flower Soft Blog.

As you make your way through the hop make sure you comment on each and every post. There will be a prize winner chosen randomly among the blogs. The prizes (one set for Splitcoast players and one set for the blog hop!) :

Moments in Time Stamp set Little Friend

Polar White

Ultra Fine Strawberry Flower Soft

Flower Soft Glue

Hi! Today I want to share with you a card for the Fall Fun Challenge we are having at Flower Soft. We would love to have you play along with us - just upload your card to Splitcoast Stampers and you could win your choice of 3 Flower Soft colors. Yummy!

I used the Smile stamp from Belles n Whistles. I made my tree limb by starting with a base of burgandy leaf trim, and then punching oak leaves from a Martha Stewart punch. Then the fun began - I pulled out all of my great fall colors of Flower Soft - Autumn, Russet Red and Bright Orange - and added it to some of my leaves.

Want even more inspiration? Do you like video tutorials? Make sure and visit Flower Soft TV!

****Next on the hop is Linda Beeson

If you get lost, here is a complete hop list"

Flower Soft Blog - http://flower-softinc.blogspot.com/

Jeanne Streiff - http://inkypaws.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com/category/flower-soft/

Vicki Garrett - http://summerthymestudio.blogspot.com/

Gini Cagle - http://ginicagle.blogspot.com/

Linda Beeson - http://pkod.blogspot.com/

Dina Kowal - http://mamadinis.blogspot.com/

Cibele Glazer - http://flowerfoot.blogspot.com/

Deb Felts - http://withastampandasong.blogspot.com/

Debbie Seyer - http://www.debbieseyer.com/my_weblog/flower-soft/

Challenges:
Midnight Madness: sketch