We're Doing a Special 2 week Blog Hop with Fred, She Said

Welcome to the Fred, She Said Surprise Blog Hop! Summer is coming to a close, and maybe we can find a few moments to spend in our crafty spaces!  The FSS team wants to surprise you with the wide variety of great images there are to be found in the store!  They don't have any idea what anyone has selected to work with....so they’ll be surprised right along with you!

If you have arrived from NANCY'S blog, you are right on track. If you are just happening by, you will want to start on the FSS Blog. (http://fred-she-said.blogspot.com/)

Collect a secret word on each blog along the way, leave us some love on our posts and follow the directions at the end of the hop for your chance to win this FABULOUS PRIZE!

One winner will receive ALL of this:

$25 GC to CropStop (provided by Fred She Said)
$25 GC to Fred She Said Store

...and a Surprise Goody Bag (photo and list of contents on the first and last stops on the hop!)

We’re hopping for 2 weeks!  Hop ends Friday, September 14, midnight EST.

 

Fred She Said is having a SURPRISE 2 week SALE ( August 31st - September 14th)
20% off any purchase $10 or over
25% off any purchase $ 20 or over

I'm using the great set called Corner Roses at the Fred, She Said store-it comes with 7 colors, in single images, as well as sheets and A2 cardfronts ( rose in left corner with shadow) or you can use them without the shadow as I did.  The depth of the colors is fantastic!  I added stickles on each one of the notecards--they were made by leaving a 1/2" tab on the side of each printout, trimming them down to a 4x4 "card" size and adhered the tab to a color coordinated cardstock for the "writing" surface and fancy cut the rose at an angle so that the color would show.  Decided I needed a box to contain them so used my Crafter's Companion (a prize I got on another Blog Hop) and made one out of kraft paper and embossed yellow cardstock with a scalloped edge.

Thanks for visiting with me and hope somehow I've inspired you!

Your secret word on my blog is  of

Your next stop on the hop is Maureen's blog, where you will be amazed at her talent.

In case you get lost along the way, here is the Blog Order:

Tracey-Lynn - http://fred-she-said.blogspot.com/  

Robin - http://robinscreativenest.blogspot.com/  

Patty - http://www.patriciachalasstudio.blogspot.com/  

Crystal - http://craftingwithcrystal.blogspot.com/  

Michelle – http://inspirationblooms.blogspot.com/ 

Nancy - http://inspiredbystamps.blogspot.com/  

Carolyn - http://luvmycards.blogspot.com/(you're here!)  

Maureen - http://www.maureensmagic.blogspot.com/  

Karen - http://busybusyhoneybee.wordpress.com/  

Zehra - http://rosebestcards.com/  

Janet Kay - http://janetkbailey.wordpress.com/ 
 FSS Challenge Blog - http://fss-challenge.blogspot.com/

I'm also entering these cards in the following:

Sassy Cheryl's Show Me #89--What have you been working on

A Barrow full of Flowers at Fred, She Said!

I know that there hasn't been very much rain in the country this summer-we here in Illinois are in the exceptional drought classification, which is the worst.  That being said, people have to really work hard at keeping the flowers blooming, not only because flowers give your spirit a boost but because the bees need the pollen to keep nature's cycle going!

By the driveway in my front yard, there's an old metal wheelbarrow that dear husband gussied up with some red paint and it's planted with flowers and greenery and puts a smile on my face every time I drive in.  Now the  flowers in Tracey's (aka Fred) pre-colored digital image found at the Fred, She Said Store look SO much better than mine do and I love this great strong blue color but it's great to know that if I wanted a different color on a card (to say match different paper), this image comes in 5 other colors!

I used some great MFT oval dies to achieve the 2 different oval cuts in this window card, added a stamp from Stampology and some heavy cotton lace.

Hope you all will take some time and get some enjoyment out of the summer flowers out there and thanks for stopping by~Carolyn

Back to Nature with Seems A Little Sketchy #20

What a great selection of woodland creatures we were given this week from My Grafico to create our cards!  From the sprigs of grass, offering squirrels-porcupines-raccoons, all the way to acorn accents,
there's quite a selection!
Always at Seems A Little Sketchy we have a featured sketch and I've decided to turn the image vertically-hope you can see it in there!  I used this fab paper from imaginisce called Happy Camper-Tree Hugger that has these gloss embossed trees all over it!  Instead of Ribbon I used the corrugated kraft paper.  All three of the textured accent paper blocks came from a DCWV paper stack.  From My Grafico, I used the whimsical mushroom with snail on top, the FOXy Lady digi, and my favorite grass sprigs.  A stamp and buttons from my stash round out the card.
I have to confess I got so caught up with the coloring on the digis and gathering the paper, that I forgot the main point to this post--THE SKETCH!  Thank goodness, with a sketch, it makes it so easy to cut and place that I was able to get it composed really quickly~~Thanks SALS!  The other card turned out so stinkin' cute that I wanted to share it with you also-hope you don't mind!
Thanks for looking and I hope I've given you some new ideas for your next card~Carolyn

Fred, She Said ~You're a Classic!

I was so anxious to use this gorgeous pre-colored digi from Fred, She Said designs--perfect card for the Dad, Grandfather, Husband!!  And the beauty is that it goes together so quickly!
I used matted wood paper for the background and a flannel like print paper that I grudged up with an emery board on the edges/torn and curled on the edges.  If my sewing machine hadn't mis-behaved there would've been stitching around the plaid darn it!  The brown gingham ribbon and gold ribbon slide keep the rustic theme and then I printed a sentiment in rust lettering, matted, and threaded the circle with a rust/burgundy colored safety pin.  Think I will do several more-I've already got the images cut out in rectangles, ovals, big and small-Perfect for getting ahead on my "manly" cards.  Thanks for looking!  Carolyn

Squiggle Fly Challenge "Bring on Black/White & Gray"

You'd think the Challenge of using Black, White, and Gray as the only "colors" on a card would be so easy!  Well this week at Squiggle Fly, Rhonda's Rowdy Rascals has thrown down the gauntlet and asked us all to create doing just that.
I'm here to tell you for a person that loves color, using the ABSENCE of  color is hard!  Lucky for me I was able to bring out a digi from the store called Miss Victoria Kitten by Marla Shega.  Marla puts so much detail into her images it creates its own shading--so much easier to use.  Matter of fact, I made myself add some deeper tones around the rose and under the hat and then some lighter grays here and there.  LOL I HAD to feel like I did something on the image!  Used some gorgeous deep embossed paper (bought, not done with a folder) from The Paper Factory, made in India for the mat under the image. Some tapestry ribbon and gray dew drops from my stash and a cute scalloped sentiment from one of my Fred, She Said digital sheets.  I just had purchased this neat BWG Karen Foster paper planning on using it for Anniversary & Wedding cards but this worked perfect!  
Again check out Squiggle Fly-when you enter their challenges using one of the store's digis, you could possibly win another image of your choice-great way to build your library!  have fun!  ~Carolyn

Fred, She Said **Doodledallion Flowers on Parade**

This black background really makes my CAS card pop don't you think?  These Sentimental Doodledallion sets from Fred, She Said are so handy and give you so many options!   You get dark shades all the way up to the lighter ones-With digis I'm sure you already know they can be re-sized.  That's what I did in order to "stack them", using the lighter one on top.  I picked up recently the most gorgeous paper-deeply embossed from The paper Company, made in India.  I used that on the BP, mounted on this black & yellow printed paper, wrapped with a sheer embossed ribbon.  I added leaves and one of SO many sentiments that's included in the pre-colored set and I'm done!

I wanted to show you the versatility with these flowers-a totally different look.   Same assembly of the flower but this time I split the DP, matted it and then scattered all the flower petals that I had trimmed off for the center .  I just love this look  and it was a great use for all my scraps.
Thanks for visiting and hope this gave you some ideas!   Carolyn

Seems a Little Sketchy Challenge #19-DRAGONS

What a great opportunity to use these great digis from Stamping Dragons.  This one is called Rubert Surfing and I think he's so adorable!!  Cowabunga Dude!!


Here's the layout that is the Seems a Little Sketchy Challenge for us this week:
It sure makes the decisions as to what to put where so easy!


I used coordinating papers from my stash for this 6 x6 tan cardstock card.  They feature surfboards, sand/starfish, polka dots and buttons, with a couple of rows of turquoise baker's twine.  I used rub-ons for the variety of stitches and gave him a little bling on his wings and horns with green Stickles.  I finished the inside with the sand paper and left this card without a sentiment so that I have it ready for any of my needs.


I'm so glad Stamping Dragons gave us such a great image to use as our sponsor!  At the end of August, she will be celebrating her 3rd Anniversary of creating her digi creations~In honor of that she is giving away a HUGE load of Blog Candy plus some additional vouchers for her store!  Check it all out at the Stamping Dragons Store.  Thanks for visiting and come back soon!  Carolyn

Convenient Pre-colored images with Fred, She Said

When faced with a very hectic week and very little time, it was so nice to go to the Fred, She Said  store and download some simply gorgeous pre-colored digital images.  She has flowers, characters, things from nature-the list goes on and on.  The one that I chose for my last minute card is called ButterflysDoodleDallion and it really saved me a lot of time.  I printed out the almost 6x6 size for my base, and then, in the beauty of digital, I was able to do another smaller set and use that one as the raised accents on the flower and butterflies.  I matted the image (they come in several color sets), added some accent ribbon/bow, mounted it on a neat marbled pinkish/plum colored cardstock and then my fancy cut thing.  Stamped a sentiment on the corner and in the inside and I'm all set with the perfect card for my friend.  Tracey, aka Fred, makes it so easy for those last minute gifts!  Go check her out!  Thanks for looking & come back soon~ Carolyn