Inside out with the Pixie Cottage!

It's time for another Once Upon A Wednesday and we have another fabulous Special Guest Sketch Artist, the super talented Jay Jay! Make sure you visit her blog and see the beautiful card she did for us this week!
We also have a theme this week, inside out. We would like to see you decorate the inside and the outside of your card. Remember, each week you can choose to use the sketch or the theme or both!
Here is the inside of my cardI used the awesome CreaSeans Grillman Digital Stamp for my card. My papers are by Scenic Route and The Paper Temptress. The DAD brads I have had in my stash for years! I colored the image with my Prismacolor pencils and Odorless mineral spirits using a blending stump.

Here is this weeks sketch and as always Michelle has provided wonderful prizes for our winner!

Challenges:
Truly Scrumptious: Sketch 7/6
Cow Girl Sunday: Anything Goes 6/27
Drunken Stampers: Coloring and Bling (bling=Stickles, crystal effects, metal brads, shimmer ribbon) 6/25
One Stop Crafts: One for the boys 6/25
Crafty Cardmaker: Cards for men 6/28
Magical Crafts: Something for a male 6/26
Raise the Bar: What a special Guy 6/25

Total Eclipse at Skipping Stones

This week I get to introduce the new Fangs and Fur set from Skipping Stones Design. This set will be released next week, just in time for the Eclipse premiere! I know all you Twilight lovers will agree that Jacob is just yummy!

This whole set is fabulous and has so many fun sayings to go with it. Watch for it!

Now on to our sketch for this week. We have the honor of another sketch from Teri at A bit of this. A bit of that.

I had so much fun playing with this sketch, Teri is just awesome!

Ok...back to Jacob *tee hee* I stamped him on water color paper and heat embossed with a clear (slightly glittered) embossing powder. I used Tim Holtz distress inks to add some color and then mounted him (blush) on Basis Brown cardstock. I used Cosmo Cricket DP and spellbinders dies for the tag and fun flower shapes. I kinda went crazy with the stitching on this card too. I added three different stitches with Madeira rayon thread in gold. I hope you like it and can join us this week.
WE HAVE PRIZES FOR OUR WINNER!

Challenges:
Caardvarks: Embossing 7/1
Crafty Creations: Stitching 6/23
Crafty Ann's: Embossing 7/1
Wednesday Stamper: I love...
La La Land: Embossing
Paper play: Something Old (spellbinders die) 6/24
Cowgirls Sunday: Anything Goes 6/26

Patriotic with the Pixie Cottage

Welcome to today's Once Upon a Wednesday challenge with the Pixie Cottage. This week our theme is Patriotic. This can be anything that reminds you of your country. Flags, celebrations, colors...be creative! We also have a wonderful sketch for you from our very own Pam. You can choose to do our them or the sketch or both! As always, Michelle has a terrific prize for our winner so I hope to see you this week!
Here is this weeks sketch:

I flipped the sketch for my card this week and made an American flag for my background. My image background was sponged with distress inks and then accented with stickles for the stars. My firework was embossed with a red pearl powder.
My image this week is one of the mini Hannah on the Bench stamps. I thought this would be perfect for watching fireworks. I used a slim ribbon, Jupiter Mica/Metallic paper, Neenah solar white and HQ water color papers from The Paper Temptress.

Card Recipe:

Stamps: Mini Hannah on the Bench
Paper: Jupiter Mica/Metallic paper, Neenah solar white and HQ water color papers from The Paper Temptress.
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, TH Shabby Shutters, TH Peeled Paint, Bliss Blue, Baroque Blue, Not Quite Navy
Accessories: Sewing Machine, Cuttlebug Embossing Folders, Pop Dots, Sponges, Ribbon

Challenges:

Paper Playtime - Flag Day (choose any combo of red, white and blue)
Daring Cardmakers - The World is Your Oyster
Crafty Ann's - Fly the Flag
Wee Memories - In Stitches
Alys - Stitching
Flourishes - Embossing
Charismacardz - Spots and Stripes 6/16

Vampires and chocolate!

Lets start with the chocolate here! This weeks sketch at Skipping stones was a real challenge for me but I had a chance to give you a sneak peek at this brand new set! Don't you just want to lick it! (Ok, maybe that was just me!)

This whole set is fabulous and has so many fun sayings to go with it. Watch for it coming soon!
Speaking of swoon, I mean soon, there is another wonderful set being released just in time for Eclipse! That's right all of you Twilight lovers....this one will have you wiping the drool from your chins...ok, maybe that is just me too :) Hey, us dirty old ladies have to stick together!
Look at the bottom of this post for a fun peek at what is coming!
Now on to our sketch for this week. We have the honor of another sketch from Teri at A bit of this. A bit of that.
Like I said before I lost myself in chocolaty vampire bliss, I had a tough time with this sketch so I decided to make 3 mini notecards. Each is 3"x3". I can't wait to see what you come up with so make sure to join us!

Now for the Eclipse peek I promised!

Challenges:
Meljens Designs - Sparkle Glitter Bling (glitter and pearls) 6/17
The Creative Cottage - Pink 6/18
Whoopsi Daisy - Ribbons and bows 7/1
Hand full of Stamps - How Cute is This 6/18
Flourishes - Embossing 6/28

Garage Sale Time!

It is time for our annual city wide garage sale and I decided it was time to clean out my stamps and make room for new. As I was going through my goodies, I came across a couple of Stampin Up! stamps that haven't seen ink in a year or more. Of course I couldn't get rid of them! I decided to play around and created this and another card that I will post later! I did end up coming up with quite the pile of stamps that I should part with along with a massive pile of paper to sell. (Yes I am a paper hoarder and I own it!)
Sometimes it is good to dust off the oldies and remember why you bought them in the first place!

Challenges
Stempel: Flowers (6/16)
Creative Inspirations: Sewing (6/12)
Aly's Sunday Challenge: Sewing (6/12)
Whoopsi Daisy: Ribbons and Bows (7/1)

Once Upon a Wednesday - Lets celebrate Fathers day!

It's time for another Pixie Cottage Once Upon A Wednesday and another super Special Guest Sketch Designer.
This time we have the fabulously talented Donalda from Enjoying The Journey.

Along with our sketch this week we are celebrating Fathers Day...don't forget dear ol' Dad!

I used this fun new digi image from Sean Busking Big Buck.
Don't forget to check out the wonderful creations from our design team and remember to leave them some love!
As always, Michelle has great prizes for the winner of this weeks challenge. I hope to see you there!

Challenges:
The Shabby Tea Room - Just For Dad
> Cards For Men - Fathers Day
> Double Dutch - Fathers Day
> Simple Doodles - Just for You Dad
> One Stitch at a Time - Boys to Men
> Creative Craft Challenges - For The Man in Your Life
> Cuttlebug Spot - Dads and Grads (and embossing)
Pile it On - Quirky
Frosted Designs - Buttons

Sketch Tuesday and Whispering Wings

Welcome to this weeks Sketch Tuesday with Skipping Stones!

This Month we Have the AMAZING Terri Anderson doing our sketches so I really hope you can come and play along with us. Also, we are going to be announcing another new release blog hop with lots of fun prizes...keep checking back!

Here is todays sketch from Terri. This sketch really challenged me! I can't wait to see what you do with it.

My card features the gorgeous butterfly and sentiment from the Whispering Wings set. I am sure you can tell by now that this is one of my favorites! I added a Basic Gray Rub on and used new papers from The Scenic Route Paper Company. Fun stuff I tell ya!

Challenges:
The Corrosive Challenge - Die Cuts (6/13)
Etsy Inspired (How beadyful) - Awesome spring is here (6/11)
Our Creative Corner - Summer (6/12)
Cupcake crafts - Dazzle us (6/14)
Daring Cardmakers -Pearl (6/11)
Creative Inspirations - stitching (6/12)
Aly's Sunday challenge - stitching (6/13)

These are a few of my favorite things...

I am in love with butterflies these days. I have been putting them on a lot of my cards and I never tire of them. I tried to do a vintage card today. Basically I just inked and used brown :) I used the cracked glass technique on the butterfly after sponging it with "Faded Jeans" and "vintage photo" distress inks. I absolutely love my distress inks and use them on every card I make.
I am getting ready to move and so have been taking inventory of all of my supplies, wondering if there is anything that I don't really need (but we NEED everything right!) While doing this I noticed that I have a list of things that I absolutely love.

1. Spellbinders
2. Pearls
3. DCWV La Creme Papers
4. Tim Holtz Distress inks
5. Madeira Thread

What are your favorite things? Or do you just like to use a little bit of everything?

I have been wondering about the New ZUTTER Distress it all. Has anyone used it? It looks like it could be really fun but I don't need anything else that will just sit and not get used. I want to hear from anyone that has tried it!

Thinking Summer!

I did this card for one of my Etsy customers and wanted the colors to reflect what I have been lacking....Summer! It has been dark, wet and cold for far too long. I dont' think we have seen the sun in over 20 days...sigh...soon right!
Ok...the muted background might not scream summer but I loved the soft shimmery green and the pinks in the flowers. I guess I am just not a bold and bright girl :)

Once Upon a Wednesday...Sketch and Metal

Ready for a little midweek fun? Welcome to the new Once Upon a Wednesday challenge at the Pixie Cottage. This weeks challenge is to use a sketch and or a little "Metalwork". This could be metallic paper, brads, eyelets, charms, clips, anything metal at all!
There are so many possibilities with this challenge so let your creativity flow and join us for great prizes provided by Michelle!
Also we have a wonderful guest team member for June! Please send some love to Cabio! Her wonderful work can be seen at Cabio's Craft Corner.

Here is our fun and inspiring sketch this week.

My Card this week features a brand new stamp, Star Gazer by ArTish. Isn't it amazing! I absolutley love flower stamps and ArTish has created a beauty! I added some Metal Sugared Brads in orange for my metal accessory this week. I just bought this cool pack of Cosmo Cricket black board and decided to use it. I covered it with embossing ink and then sprinkled a sparkly embossing powder onto it. Once heat set it shines and sparkles :)

I would love to see what you create this week so make sure to drop by the Pixie Cottage for your chance to win two Pixie Cottage stamps of your choice!

Card Recipe:
Stamp - Star Gazer by ArTish
Paper - BoBunny, strathmore water color paper, Bazzil cardstock.
Accessories - MM sugared brads, Cosmo Cricket chipboard, Madeira Thread

Challenges:
Clearly iStamp - Flowers (6/3)
Fun 2 Stamp - Metal Accessories (6/3)
Magical Crafts - Metal (6/10)
One Stitch at a Time - Something New (6/5)
Oh, Alice! - Swirls (6/5)