It's my NEW STAMP RELEASE: Funny Kinda Love + GIVEAWAY

AAAAAhhhhh! I'm beyond excited to share my latest stamp set release for STAMPlorations with you all today!

I wanted to design something with a little bit of snarky attitude (who me?!) and I also was lacking in the love department. Well... let me rephrase that... my stamp collection was lacking in the love department. With all of the weddings I've attended recently and with Valentine's Day on the horizon, I thought this would be the PERFECT set.

Introducing: A Funny Kinda Love!

The great thing about this set is that you can choose to have nice, elegant cards, or you can choose to add a little spunk to your sentiments with the sentiment builder format.

Here are some examples:

Nice, elegant design:

This card is going to the Try it on Tuesday: Handmade by You challenge 

To snarky and sassy design: 

This card was made using the DCWV stackaholic challenge card sketch, the Violet Leaf and Foiled Vellum paper stacks.

I also had fun playing with rainbow splashes of color: 

 

This card is going to Come and Get It's Make Um Laugh challenge

 And this card is going to: Tuesday Throwdown: Add a Border challenge. 

GIVEAWAY ALERT!!!
Want a chance to win this set for your very own OR a $20 gift certificate? Leave a comment below AND a comment on the STAMPlorations blog by November 1 for an entry to win!  

While you're at it - check out the other 3 AWESOME stamp sets being released this week and - hey! - if you purchase this set this week in the STAMPlorations store, you get 10% off your order which means it's only $10.80. Can't get much better than that!

I Bought My First Set of Ken Oliver Colorburst Watercolor Crystals!

I don't know if you all may have deduced this from the title...but I bought my first set of Ken Oliver Colorburst watercolor crystals! I have to tell you that I have struggled against the urge to buy these for sooooo long mainly because I KNEW I'd need them in every color once I bought a single bottle. 

You guys... I think I'm in love. 

And now 

Sighhhhhh* 

Well anyhow, I can tell you what I did to make my pretty card.

I began by embossing the swirly flowers from the Verve Poppy Birthday stamp set. I definitely had to experiment with the Colorbursts in order to get it right. After some playing around, I found out that if you put the crystals on first and spread them around, it's MUCH easier that spritzing the paper with water and THEN sprinkling the color.

See that back panel? That was a direct result of trying to spray THEN sprinkle because I used way too much water and WAY too many crystals. I had to sop it up with another panel altogether. 

I edged the background panel with a shimmery green and then I added stems to the flowers with a Zig Cleancolor watercolor pen.  

Lastly I added a big ol' bow using Verve's Signature Ribbon collection. 

I'm going to enter this into the following challenges: 
Love to Create Challenge - Anything Mixed Media
Creative Artiste Challenge - Anything Mixed Media


So yeah.. now I need to go consult with my budget. 

Wondering why I'm loving purple so much on my blog? Well that's an easy question! The HOP TO STOP is happening through the 30th of October. It's a blog hop that raises awareness for victims of domestic violence. Some AMAZING sponsors (including Verve) have ponied up over $700 in prizes for those who link up! 

Head on over to check out the Hop! 

PURPLE! Mixed Media Card with Tutorial

Anyone else out there excited about all the purple cards beautifying the interwebs as of late? I know I am. Thank you SO much for all who have participated in the Hop to Stop this month. I've sent mental high fives to ALL of you!

This post also is going to serve as a reminder to go get your STAMPlorations on and join in on the latest challenge. We've got both a sketch AND a theme so there are plenty of options for you to choose from. Just do it already!

I was in my craft room last weekend and decided I wanted to get really messy. I had a leftover sheet that I'd sprayed with shades of purple Distress Inks for THIS CARD and I stared at it all googly eyed before I decided to just start playing.

I took out my Picked Raspberry Distress Paint and made some random circles (a la the STAMPlorations sketch) and then I ringed the pink with Picket Fence Distress Paint. I used my finger to swirl around the paint and blend it together. Since the Distress Spray background hadn't reacted yet with water, some of the purple color seeped into my wet paint and created a lovely blend of colors.

Next, I used the Folk Flowers set designed by Shirley B for STAMPlorations. I took what was supposed to be the stem of the flowers and bent them in the shape of my circles to create an outline. And then I embossed with white.

I also took my Picket Fence Distress Ink and added some small white circles to my big pink circles.

The last step of the background was to use my Dots All Over stencil and sponge Wilted Violet distress ink to create another layer of circles.

I stamped some of the Folk Flowers onto a piece of scrap paper and colored and shaded with my Distress Crayons.

Then I cut them out and pieced them together. Aren't they so funky and adorable!?! There's a million random flowers you could create from this set. (Believe me. I did the mathematical calculations) (don't really believe me - I have a degree in English, not math you sillies).

I stamped a big ol' sentiment from the Big Greetings sentiment kit and colored it in with purple Faber Castell Big Brush pen.

I also added some little sequins to the background and to one of my flowers.

Then I put it all together and said Taaaaa Daaaaa really loudly. :)
This card was so much fun to make and so much fun to stare at. Fun all around!

Make sure you head on over to STAMPlorations and check out the rest of the design team's handiwork!

I'm going to link this up to Seize the Birthday's lots of leaves challenge and Little Red Wagon's Let's Party - Happy Birthday challenge.

______________________________________________________________

Now - Just a reminder that the Hop to Stop is in full Hopping mode. Last year we had 238 linkups and I'm SO hoping to beat that. 

If you're wondering what the Hop is - it's a blog hop designed to raise awareness for victim's of domestic violence during National Domestic Violence awareness month. 

One in three women will experience domestic violence over the course of their lives. One in three. 

Please consider making a purple card and to help build awareness for such an important issue. <3 

As a bonus, the hop has over $700 worth of prizes that will be given away by extremely generous sponsors.

Shabby Chic and Pink! New Fusion Card Challenge

Hello Friendly Friends! 
It's a whole new day and a whole new chance to make a pink card! 

There's also a brand new challenge on at Fusion and boy! is it ever a doozy! 

 

Check out that inspiration image! It's a gorgeous bouquet of pinks and creams! At Fusion,  you can either play with the sketch OR play with the inspiration image OR fuse the two and create a card based on both (hence Fusion). 

I just chose the inspiration image because I decided I needed a good shabby chic crafting session. There's something so fun about layering on a bunch of flowers and getting all messy with some mixed media! 

I began by taking a rustic looking piece of paper and adding a layer of gesso to selected areas and some splashes of Distress Spray Stain in shades of pink. 

I was also inspired by Pixels and Papers Frames challenge, so I busted one out. 

I also found a frame that I wanted to use, but it was more of an orangey coral than a pink, so I gessoed that up, too. Gesso will eventually rule the world because it covers EVERYTHING! 

I added some spray stain over the top of my frame to make it blend in more with my card and give it a rustic, antiquey finish. 

Oooooh! I tattered up the edges, added some crinkle ribbon and layered on the flowers. The sentiment is from Winnie & Walter's This Awesome House stamp set. 

Shabby and chic and oh so pink! 

I'm also going to link up to the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp: Think Pink
Fab 'N Funky - Fabulous Flowers

Unicorn Challenge Blog - Pretty Pinks or Halloween

Corrosive Challenge Blog - Pink for Awareness

Dragonfly Dreams - Think Pink

Allsorts - Pink October

Thanks for popping by!  

Make sure you stop by the FUSION challenge to see all of the pretty makes the rest of the design team came up with! 

I'm Dreaming of a PINK Christmas

Today, I'm up at the STAMPlorations blog with a full tutorial of a pink Christmas card made in honor of the Jingle Belles Pink Christmas Challenge. This is a challenge for an AWESOME cause - they are donating $4 to breast cancer research for every card linked up.

I'm also linking up to the CAS Mix It Up challenge because my background uses the ghosting technique.

Thanks for popping by! 

If you'd rather go purple than pink - play along at the Hop to Stop for your chance to win over $700 in prizes AND raise awareness for victims of domestic violence. 

The Hop to Stop 2016 - Raising Awareness for Domestic Violence

You are lazy. 

You are dirty. 

You are a worthless slob. 

These are the words that were breathed to me. Words I've worked hard to recognize are not true. But over a 7-year relationship, I listened to them. 

Over a 7-year period I watched as my belongings were broken because I'd left them out. As my dog was beaten in punishment for his frustration. As my sense of self was slowly ground into nothingness.

Domestic Violence is a personal topic for me. In 2012, thanks to the help of a domestic violence advocacy agency I was able to leave an abusive marriage.  

It took me a long time to realize that even though I felt alone, I wasn't. And the more I shared my story with others, the more they shared back. I started the Hop to Stop as a way to connect DV survivors and give hope to victims. I never imagined I would read through the stories that were shared along the Hop, the crafters who poured out their hearts - some of them for the first time ever. 

Here is my message for you. 

Though you feel bruised and stained... 

Though darkness had covered your life...

There is hope for light to shine again.

Though you feel shattered in pieces...

And though shadows cling to your edges...

Those pieces CAN be put back together. 

Made even more beautiful.

YOU are a work of art. 

If you're wondering why everything (at least that's my hope) in the blogosphere is turning purple... there IS a reason - the Hop to Stop is here! 

You see, purple is the color of National Domestic Violence Awareness month. 

1 in 3 women will experience domestic violence over the course of their lifetimes. 

Let that sink in - 33% of all the women you meet. 

Women between the ages of 15 and 44 are more likely to be injured or die as a result of domestic violence, than through rapes, muggings and car accidents combined.

And women aren't the only people who are affected! Women, men, transgender - gender doesn't matter. Domestic violence is something that exists regardless of gender, socioeconomic status, religion, education level, etc.

And yet, it's something that is rarely talked about in very public ways. It's something that's hidden and hushed. And since papercrafters are some of the most amazing people out there, some of you have agreed to make a card (or cards) to raise awareness for this issue.Together, we CAN make a powerful impact. 

Speaking of amazingly awesome - ^^^ Do you SEE that graphic above?! These are all the incredible companies who've agreed to support this blog hop. 12 companies and over $700 in prizes! I can't thank them enough! Complete prize listings are available in the FACEBOOK EVENT page.  

DCWV is donating to paper stacks for every 75 linkups

DecoArt donated a prize package valued at nearly $200

Happy Little Stampers donated a $20 gift card

Jessica Lynn Original donated a $20 gift card

Newton's Nook donated a $25 gift card
Simon Says Stamp donated 6 of their purple ink pads

STAMPlorations donated a $20 gift code

Tattered Angels donated purple Glimmer Mists
Uniko Studios donated a stamp set of choice
Verve Stamps donated a $30 gift code
Unity Stamp Company donated over $200 of stamps

Now... one last thing before the linkup (I know, I know... it's a long post. Some of you have asked if you could send your cards somewhere special, and so I've reached out to the Community Violence Intervention Center (CVIC) here in Grand Forks, ND. They are SO excited about the plan and said they could definitely use cards. 

CVIC is a nonprofit that provides emergency shelter, legal advocacy, housing assistance, and child and adult therapy for victims of physical and sexual violence.

It's not mandatory, but if you want to send cards to CVIC, email me (bexcruger@gmail.com) and I'll give you my address. 

I can't wait to see what you've created!

THE RULES (oh those pesky things...)

If you'd like to participate in the Hop to Stop, here's how it works:

• 1 - Make a card that FEATURES purple
• 2 - Link it up below before October 30, 12noon CST
• 3 - New creations only please, no backlinking allowed
• 4 - Provide a link back to the Hop! (it would be great if you put the badge in, too!)
• 5 - You MUST comment on at least the 3 entries before you to be eligible to win (be a good neighbor) buuuuuuut visiting the sponsor blogs/shops is HIGHLY encouraged. (hey - they are pretty generous and it would be great if we could thank them! There might even be an extra special top-secret prize in it for someone - wink* wink*)

Link up your cards here!

An InLinkz Link-up

Coming October 15 - The Hop to Stop 2016

Purple is the color of National Domestic Violence Awareness month. 1 in 3 women will experience domestic violence over the course of their lifetimes. 

Let that sink in - 33% of all the women you meet.

On October 15-30, I'll be hosting the 3rd annual Hop to Stop Domestic Violence. The Hop is designed to raise awareness for victims and survivors of domestic violence.

How can you be involved?

1. Link up a card that *features* the color purple during the hop October 15-30. Show your support! 

2.  Hop along! The first year I did this, I wasn't expecting the tumult of what happened. Bloggers from all around the world were sharing their own stories and receiving encouragement from one of the most supportive communities out there (crafters of course!).

3. Send a card. During the Hop, you can send me cards that will be delivered to the Community Violence Intervention Shelter in Grand Forks, ND - a nonprofit that provides emergency shelter, counseling, supportive services, and safe visitation. 

More information can be found on our FACEBOOK PAGE. Please join the event, share with friends, and feel free to grab that image above to put into your sidebar! 

Dramatic Sponging Happy Birthday Stamped Card

It's time to get your sponges out and ink them up! 
STAMPlorations monthly challenge is SPONGING. There's also a sketch to play along with, too! 

Just look at the drama of those colors coming together. I had a ton of fun dreaming up the color scheme for this one.

Here's the challenge info: Head to STAMPlorations. Use ANY stamps you want from ANY company you want. Use the sketch, or the challenge, or BOTH. 

And I'm gonna show you exactly what I did to make this magic happen. 

Firstly, I got out some bright, sunny yellow ink in the form of Squeezed Lemonade Distress Ink and I used a sponge to rub it all over a piece of white cardstock. 

Then I used the STAMPlorations Mixed Media Grunge stamp set to add in bits of grungy ink. I used a few different types of stamps from the set and a few different colors of ink. 

Theeeeeen I used the Leaf Prints 2 ARTploration stencil to add in some vibrant orange. OOoo!

Lastly, I used the CUTplorations Happy Word die and stamped a sentiment from Party Time to complete the look. After I cut out the Happy, I sponged it up to match my card and added a bit o' Wink of Stella to give it a special glisteny sheen. 

Now head on over to STAMPlorations to play along!

Speaking of playing along, my sponged piece o' cardstock is going to head over to the following challenges: 

Seize the Birthday - Any Toppings this go-round!
Aud Sentiments - ATG plus a sentiment


Thanks for popping by!