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Friday with Friends - August

I'm back with another Friday with Friends card for August. This time we picked Mama Elephant's Sweet Havana stamp set. This is an older set of their's and I must admit that this is the first time I have inked them up! I decided to make a sympathy card. The sentiment stamps are from Neat & Tangled's No Words stamp set.

I used WPlus9 Fairy Dust & Silver Lining inks for the pitcher. For the flowers and leaves, I used Gina K. Designs inks in Lucky Clover, Key Lime, Bubblegum Pink and Slate. The card base is WPlus9's Dove Gray and the layer is Gina K. Designs Key Lime card stock.

And here is the inside of the card using Neat & Tangled's No Words stamp set.

If anyone is interested in joining our challenge, please leave me a comment in my comments section. A friend/colleague from work and I pick a product that we both have and make a card with it. So far we have used the same stamp sets we own. We are posting on Instagram. My Instagram is kathy_nakata and Victoria is vnelson78

Thank you for stopping by!

Friday with Friends - July

This is my second Friday with Friends card post. My friend and colleague from work, Victoria Nelson, came up with this monthly challenge. We agree to use the same product and make a card. We chose Trinity Stamps Decorate-a-Cake stamp set. I am not really thrilled with my card. I chose to color the cake with green frosting. I did not want to decorate the cake with too much from the stamp set. I am happy with what I did with the cake. It is the card part I do not like!

Trinity Stamps is a new stamp company located in our area of the Pacific NW. I did not have a stamp set with a sheet cake. I think Trinity Stamps is the first stamp company with a sheet cake image. This is a fun set. Please check out Victoria's card on her blog.

If anyone is interested in joining our challenge, please let us know by posting a comment in the Comments section. We are also posting pictures on Instagram.

Thanks for stopping by!

Friday with Friends

A friend/colleague at work recently asked me if I wanted to take part in this Friday with Friends. Either blog, FB or Instagram. We agree to use one product that we both own. Victoria said, how about cats. Then she checked to see if I had a couple of stamp sets with cats and I did. Then she told me to choose one of the sets. So I picked the Avery Elle Furry Friends set.

The kitty and the sentiment are from the Avery Elle Furry Friends set. The cat scratcher is from MFT (My Favorite Things). I ran the die through my Big Shot using wood paper. The bed is from MFT's same die set, Pet Perches. The card base is Gina K. Designs Sea Glass card stock. The gray card stock layer is Gina K's Slate card stock and the patterned paper is from Doodlebug's Kitten Smitten 6x6 paper pad. The sentiment is stamped in Gina K's Slate ink pad. I stamped the kitty in Gina K's Amalgam Jet Black ink and used Copic Markers and Prismacolor pencils.

Please take a look at Victoria's post on her blog with the card that she made. I am having trouble creating a direct link to Victoria's blog. Her blog address is: http://fleurdelysdesigns.blogspot.com/

I hope you enjoyed today's card. I think we will be doing this again. In the meantime, have a good weekend and thanks for stopping by!

Today I am sharing a card using WPlus9 Freehand Florals stamp and die set and Bountiful Blooms die set. I love Dawn's work! I used Dawn's card design here - http://stampawaywithme.blogspot.com/2016/04/video-intro-to-freehand-florals.html.

I used Altenew, Simon Says Stamp and WPlus9 ink pads. I purchased the WPlus9 Freehand Florals stamp and die set from Alleystamp.com. https://www.alleystamp.com/ Janine gives great service! I purchased the Bountiful Blooms die from Ellen Hutson. http://www.ellenhutson.com/#

Thank you for stopping by! And come back to visit this weekend as I will have another card to share.

Mama Elephant Kitty in Box

It has been well over a year since I have posted anything on my blog. I am seriously considering ending this blog. I started to do volunteer work in my community in the summer of 2013. I volunteer on the weekends at my local PAWS. And I work during the week so that does not leave a lot of time for stamping and card making.

This card uses Mama Elephant's Purrfect Pair stamp set, Ella & Friends stamp set and the All Prettied Up die set. I used PTI's Sweet Blush felt for the bow. I used WPlus9's Ballet Slippers, Coal Mine and Dove Grey card stocks.

Stop by again in a few days as I will have another post up! Thank you for stopping by!

WPlus9 Adorable Elephants!

Another blog post! I really fell in love with Dawn's WPlus9 Unforgettable stamp and die set when she had sneak peeks and reveals before the release date earlier this month. Dawn does the most amazing watercolor with Distress Markers and watercolor paints. I copied this card from Dawn's post here.

I used WPlus9's Unforgettable stamp set (there are matching dies that I purchased as well!), the sentiment is part of this same Unforgettable stamp set and I used WPlus9 Silver Lining ink. The card base is WPlus9's Dove Gray card stock. For the die cut layers on the card, I used Mama Elephant's Femme Frames dies. For the watercoloring, I used Ranger's Distress Markers. The watercolor paper is Ranger's Distress Watercolor Cardstock. The dark gray card stock layer is Bazzill and I purchase my Bazzill card stocks from Cindy Lyles. I purchase most of my WPlus9 products directly from WPlus9 and the same goes for Mama Elephant.

Have a good week and thank you for stopping by!

Mama Elephant Kitties

It is amazing that I am blogging! Since my volunteer work at PAWS, I have not been blogging. Or making a lot of cards like I used to. The kitties really have taken hold over stamping! A lot of it is less time. So I do make cards, but less and more of them that I need at a moment and not making a stash of them.

I made this thank you card in December, using Mama Elephant's Purrfect Pair stamp and die set. I LOVE this set! I also used Lawn Fawn's stitched rectangle dies, WPlus9's Hand Lettered Thanks stamp set. I used Copic Markers and Prismacolor Pencils on the kitties. Neenah 110# Solar White card stock.

Due to time, I am not going to link to where I purchased the products. I will say that I purchased the above products directly from Mama Elephant, WPlus9 and Lawn Fawn.

Have a good Sunday and come back tomorrow as I will have a cute elephant that I watercolored!

Watercolor WPlus 9

I am actually posting another card! Amazing! This card is pretty much copied from Dawn's card here. Dawn is the owner/designer of WPlus9 Design Studio. Watercolor is very hot right now in the stamping world and made a huge comeback this year. What I most love about Dawn's technique is that she taught us to use our stamps in a new way. Use your solid clear stamps with Distress Ink Pads and Markers. I used Distress Ink colors Tea Dye, Spun Sugar, Worn Lipstick, Spiced Marmalade, Faded Jeans. For the leaves, I used Distress Marker color, Crushed Olive. Dawn used 2nd generation stamping and then using a watercolor brush over that to lightly swirl the color around. She mentions in her videos how addicting this is. And she is absolutely right! It is very easy to do and a lot of fun.

Hope you had a good week and have a wonderful weekend!

Stamps: WPlus9 Heartfelt Holiday and Fresh Cut Florals stamp sets.
Dies: Mama Elephant Femme Frames Die Set.
Ink: WPlus9 Appletini Pure Color Dye Ink Pad, Ranger Distress Ink Pads.
Paper: WPlus9 Dove Grey card stock, Ranger Distress Watercolor Cardstock.
Markers: Ranger Distress Markers.

Make a Wish

It has definitely been awhile since I have posted a card. I am doing this for fun and with my new found passion of volunteering at PAWS on Saturdays, I have put card making on a back burner. Which is unusual for me. I still love stamping and die cutting and cards.

The latest trend which everyone in the stamping world knows is that watercolor has made a comeback in 2014. I used to watercolor all my images years ago. Until Ellen Hutson introduced the stamping world to Copic Markers!! And I also got into colored pencils thanks to Karen Lockhart. I have had the Distress Ink Pads and Distress Markers and have hardly used them. One of those things I had to have and never used once bought. Well that is no more! I now use them for watercolor. And are they ever addicting! I was insprired to get back into watercolor from Dawn of WPlus9. For this particular card I am posting today, I was inspired by Heather Campbell's card here. Since I do not have the WPlus9 spring wreath die (yet!), I used Dave's Memory Box Bramble Circle Die and Tender Leaves Die. I watercolored the fawn on Distress Watercolor Cardstock with Distress Marker colors: Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap, Gathered Twigs. The little butterfly is colored with Distress Marker colors Spun Sugar and Worn Lipstick.

The other new tool I love is one that I purchased from Cindy Lyles. It is a Detail Glue Gun. I LOVE this glue gun! I used it to glue the leaves onto the bramble circle. For detail, this glue gun is the best!!

I will have another card to post sometime soon. Thanks for stopping by and have a good week!

Stamps: Avery Elle Storybook stamp set.
Dies: Avery Elle Storybook Dies, Memory Box Bramble Circle Die, Memory Box Tender Leaves Die.
Paper: Neenah 110# Natural White for the card base, October Afternoon Woodland Park 8x8 paper pack, , Ranger Distress Watercolor Cardstock, Bazzill Card Shoppe colors: Peanut Fudge, Caramel Apple.
Ink: Hero Arts Black Dye Ink, Tsukineko Memento Espresso Truffle Ink.
Markers: Distress Markers, Wink of Stella Brush Pen - Clear.
Other Products: Mini Detail Glue Gun.

I'm All Ears!

Who loves the Mama Elephant stamps and dies?! Especially the Honey Bunny stamp set and matching dies and the Femme Frames die set?! I will definitely be using the Femme Frames dies a lot.

I used different companies products on this card. I used WPlus9 card stock, Bazzill card stock, October Afternoon Woodland Park. And the little heart on the bunny is Chickaniddy Twirly Girly Enamel Hearts.

Hope you have a wonderful week and thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Mama Elephant Honey Bunny stamp set and matching dies, Femme Frames die set.
Paper: WPlus9 Dove Grey card stock for the card base, Bazzill Card Shoppe Sugar Wafer card stock, October Afternoon Woodland Park 8x8 paper pack, Neenah Solar White for the stamped image.
Ink: Tsukineko Gray Flannel Memento Ink.
Markers: Copic Sketch Markers, Prismacolor Pencils.
Bling: Chickaniddy Twirly Girly Enamel Hearts.

Memory Box Delightful Peony

Aren't Dave's new Memory Box dies awesome?! He just keeps outdoing himself with new designs. Here I used the new Delightful Peony Outline, Delightful Peony Background and Eva Stem.

I used Distress Inks for coloring the peony background and the leaf. I used some old Tsukineko daubers to do this. They are a large dauber that I bought years ago.

I used the Distress Inks on the background using the Memory Box Mesh Stencil. I am not into stencils much. In fact, I don't think I have ever used a stencil! Until now.

My inspiration for this card is Pam Sparks' card here.

Thank you for stopping by and have a good rest of the weekend!

Dies: Memory Box Delightful Peony Outline, Delightful Peony Background, Eva Stem
Paper: Bazzill Card Shoppe Easter Grass for the card base, Caramel Apple, Neenah Solar White & Natural White.
Ink: Ranger Distress Inks: Shabby Shutters, Wild Honey, Spun Sugar, Picked Raspberry.
Other Products: Memory Box Texture Mesh Stencil, Gutermann Extra Strong Thread - Ivory.

Little Selene

Well, I have not posted on my blog for ages! Since I volunteer at my local PAWS on Saturdays, I haven't been making as many cards. In fact, this past Christmas, I made only one holiday card. And only made about 6 of this card I am finally posting today! I was getting tired of the mass production of holiday cards and getting frantic about getting many different ones done each year.

This card features one of my favorite kitties at PAWS. Her name is Selene. She was sitting in the bubble window at PAWS when I snapped this picture. She kept getting upper respiratory problems (the sniffles) and was at the Cattery for over a month. She came back to PAWS on Jan. 2nd of the new year and was adopted with another cat. I am glad she has a home now.

I will have another card to share later this week using a couple of new dies from Dave's new Memory Box release! Have a wonderful week!

Dies: Lawn Fawn Say Cheese die, Poppystamps Small Blooming Poinsettia.
Paper: Memory Box Water for the card base, Lawn Fawn Peace, Love, Joy 6x6 paper pad.
Other Products: Linen thread, Flower Soft Ultra Fine Sage.

Deer & Fox Post-It Notebooks

Amazing, I am posting twice in one week. These are the post-it-notebooks I made last weekend. I used Lawn Fawn's Into the Woods stamps and matching dies. The paper is Lawn Fawn's too, Into the Woods Collection. I learned to make these from Cindy Lyles (post here).

These post-it-notebooks I made are for sale, but in a small little store at the Pleasant Beach Village on Bainbridge Island, WA. The shop is called Castaways, in the Pleasant Beach Market.

The above photo shows the inside of the notebook.

Have a good weekend and thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Lawn Fawn Into the Woods stamp set.
Dies: Lawn Fawn Into the Woods dies, Spellbinders Labels One.
Paper: Lawn Fawn Into the Woods Collection.
Ink: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black.
Markers: Copic Sketch Markers & Prismacolor Pencils.
Other Products: Post-It-Notes, Ellen's Essentials Craft-a-Board.

Kitties & Tree

It's been months since I last blogged! I made this card in the summer and didn't bother to post it. I started volunteering at my local PAWS facility at the end of July on Saturdays. I absolutely love it! But that means less time for creating and no blogging.

This card features Impression Obsession dies and stamps. I was inspired by Kitty's card here.

Next up sometime in the next week or so, I will post pictures of some post-it-note books I put together.

Thanks for visiting and have a great week!

Stamps: Impressions Obsession Solid Tree set.
Dies: Impression Obsession Tree, Cat Set, Leaf Cluster.
Paper: Memory box Meadow for the card base, Neenah Solar White 110# card stock for the stamped background piece, Bazzill for the brown, pinks from my stash, Easter Grass.'
Ink: Ranger Distress Inks - Mown Grass, Tumbled Glass.
Other Products: Punch Bunch punch for the tiny flowers. Rosie's Roadshow Cloud Template.

Fresh Cut Florals

 

The card I have to share today is using WPlus9's Fresh Cut Florals and Milk & Cookies stamp sets & matching dies. I'm usually looking for something different. Not always the same thing in regards to stamps. What I love about this Fresh Cut Florals stamp set is that the owner did a fantastic job with the pieces of the flowers in the stamp set. Everything is lined up together that goes together for each flower on the clear stamp set. Sort of hard to explain, but anyone that has bought this stamp set knows what I mean. I don't own anything like this. The way Dawn had each piece go together and easily was very clever. I bought 2 of the new stamp sets and dies from Dawn and then decided I needed that milk bottle jar in the Milk & Cookies set so I purchased that from Ellen Hutson! Funny how that works.

Have a wonderful week and thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: WPlus9 Fresh Cut Florals and Milk & Cookies sets.
Dies: WPlus9 Fresh Cut Florals and Milk & Cookies matching dies sets.
Paper: Memory Box Water for the card base, Neenah 110# Solar White card stock for the die cut pieces.
Ink: Tsukineko Memento Ink Colors Used (Dew Drop size): Tuxedo Black, Espresso Truffle, Summer Sky, Rose Bud, Love Letter, Angel Pink, Dandelion, Cantelope, Pear Tart, Bamboo Leaves, Pistacio, Olive Grove, Lulu Lavender, Grape Jelly, Bahama Blue, Danube Blue.
Other Products: Doily - this was in a set of doilies that Ellen Hutson was selling. I do not see it in her store so I assume it may be unavailable now. It was in a pack called Small Doilies (Essentials by Ellen).

PAWS

Today, I am posting about cats. Cats that need homes. The photo above is a cat condo at the new PAWS of Bainbridge Island & North Kitsap County at the new Pleasant Beach Village located at Lynwood Center on Bainbridge Island. This is at the south end of Bainbridge Island in Washington state - just mentioning this as this is on my stamping blog and is probably viewed by people in other states. I live down the road from Lynwood Center and I visited the new PAWS location last month. They used to reside at Fletcher Bay in an older building. They definitely have moved up in the world and it is a much better place for the cats. It is thanks to the local Windermere that PAWS was able to have this new location at Pleasant Beach Village. That and donations and the community. There are cat condos at PAWS and I think the cats that prefer to be alone stay in these nicely ventilated condos! Josie resides in this cat condo. The upper small door is where her food is at. The bathroom facilities are in the lower small door, that would be the litter box. The cat enters thru small open holes/windows. You can go into the area and open the doors and play with the cats. The people that work there will tell you the personalities of the cats. Very important to know that, you know!
The above photo is Dan. Dan is a polydactyl. Dan started to cough. They told me that he likes to inhale his food. Doesn't chew it real well. Just inhales. Then a little later, he starts to cough. Hmmm, that sounds very familiar. My dad used to do that.
This is...I forgot her name. She was grumpy. When I opened the door, she meowed, but the meow did not sound friendly. I was going to put my hand back there and pet her and coax her out of her bed. She answered me with a meow when I was talking to her, but the tone of the meow was not too good. So I decided it was best not to put my hand in there and I told her to have a nice day and shut the door.
This is one of the windows in a larger room that houses cats that I believe do not mind being in a room with other cats. There are 3 of these round windows that look into one of the Windermere employee's office!
This is Nalla sitting in one of the windows. I think that is her name. This larger room has chairs, food for the cat and litter boxes. You can sit in there and play with the cats, hold them, etc.
This is one of the chairs in the larger room.
This is Eric. VERY friendly guy. He shares the larger room with Nalla and another cat, at least when I was there last month. Not sure how quickly these cats gets adopted. I had a hard time taking pictures of Eric as everytime I bent down to take pictures, he came running to me. Then when I would go over to pet Nalla or the other cat that was in there, Eric came running and had to butt in! Eric likes attention and I think needs to be the center of attention. One of those.
This is Nalla again in the window that looks out to the street/road from the large room. This is an article about the new PAWS. If you haven't figured it out by now, I am a cat lover! I find it fascinating to watch their behavior. One of the things I like to observe - human behavior and animals. The day I stopped in, there were no kittens there. I think kittens tend to be adopted quicker than cats. Anyway, have a wonderful week!