Introducing My Stamp Line - STAMPlorations Big Grins by Becca Cruger!!!

On yesterday's post, I had some fun with numbers, recapping my year of blogging, and I finally got to share my secret - Shery Russ from STAMPlorations asked me to design my own stamp line for STAMPlorations. 

EEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

After doing about nineteen happy dances, I calmed down enough to breathe and to accept her offer and my line was born. It's called Big Grins by Becca Cruger, because that's what I hope to bring through my stamps. I'll be trying to bring fun, eclectic, and often funny stamps your way!

For my first stamp set, I decided to go with something I know and love - coffee and books! I'm an avid participator in the quarterly Coffee Lover's Blog Hop (which is coming up again September 25 - October 2. We actually have two coffee-themed stamp sets we're releasing: Literary Caffeine-ations designed by yours truly, and Sketchy Coffee Cups by Shery. If you love coffee, you're going to want to play with these sets!

and

 

Aren't they beautiful?! Ok, I'm probably a little biased and over-the-moon, but I'm SOOOO thrilled to release this. 

My card for today uses both sets and is super funky with lots of texture and splattery goodness! 

I started out with a background that I made using some Distress Inks and the double-dipping technique. Then I added some splatters using Black Soot Distress Spray Stains. 

 

Then I used some bits and bobs I've collected, including a fabulous doily from my friend, Lizzy Hill. (thanks, Lizzy!) I used my Faber Castell Pitt Artist pen to do some doodling around the outer edges and on a hexagonal cutout. 

I stamped one of the mugs and colored it with Spectrum Noir Markers GB2, GB4, GB5, GB7). 

This card is going to play along in Through the Craftroom Door - Anything Goes challenge, Virginia's View - Geometric Challenge, Unruly PaperArts Reader Art Quest challenge, and House of Cards - Stitch it up - Use real or faux stitching.  

I'll have even more cards from this set to share later, but for now guess who is helping me with the big release?! THEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Amy Tsurata, who's name is now silmultaneously connected with all things coffee and stamping. 

Amy has made some incredible designs and I hope you'll pop by her place to see them! 

GIVEAWAY ALERT:

We're giving away BOTH sets of these stamps! 

Leave me a comment, go visit the STAMPlorations blog, and go visit Amy for a chance to win!

Also, for those of you who just gotta have these sets, Literary Caffeine-ations and Sketchy Coffee Cups are now available in the shop and for one week only (until September 9), they're 10% off!

Friendship Smiles Card - Mixed Media Card Challenge

September 1st!!!
Now I am an English major, so that means I don't often like to touch, come near to, or otherwise think about numbers, but today I am making an exception. 

I have a few numbers that have come about all because of YOU lovely people:

9-1-14 - The date I posted my very first blog post

4 - The number of design teams I've had the privilege to be a part of

176 - The number of blog posts I've shared with all of you!!

241 - The number of people who've made my day by signing up to follow me

6606 - The number of comments that have made me blush and grin from ear-to-ear THANK YOU!!!

It's been exactly a year since I had my first blog post and I'm getting a little nostalgic thinking about all that has happened... I can't help but to be grateful when I think about all the experiences I've had, and the friendships I've made in this bloggy world. 

I know it seems crazy, but I truly think that I was meant to start this blog when I did... My Grandma was my longtime crafty companion and the person I shared everything with. I began this blog in September, and in November my Gram passed away. I truly mean it when I say that if I didn't have my blog and all of you lovely folks... I really don't think I'd be stamping. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you. 

Coincidentally, the theme over at Mixed Media Card Challenge is Friendship and my card was definitely inspired by all of you and by my Gram.

I used a wood patterned background and sprayed it with some white picket fence Distress Spray, and then I added a piece of watercolor paper that I'd sprayed with various Distress Spray Stains before sponging the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Inks. I added a piece of my Gram's vintage lace and a proliferation of flowers.

Then I painted a white frame with golden Perfect Pearls and brushed some on the flower leaves as well. I embossed a sentiment. 

 

In addition to the Mixed Media Card Challenge Friendship theme, this card was also inspired by this image from Anything But Cute. And I'm going to send it over to Pile It On - Friends/Friendly Hello challenge, Frilly and Funkie - A Touch of Gold, and That Craft Place - Mixed Media Anything Goes challenge. 

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In other news: I have one more BIG number to share. 

1 - The number of companies I design stamps for

WHAT?!?! Yep, you read that right. I am now officially the designer of my own stamp line. 

Shery from STAMPlorations floored me by asking me to be a stamp designer for her company!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You can read all about it on the STAMPlorations blog and TOMORROW my first stamp set gets released under the line Big Grins (because that's what I hope to bring through my stamp line). EEEEE!!!! 

Like I said... grateful. Just grateful. 

Thank you all for being on this crazy awesome journey with me! 

Eclectic Ellapu - Anything Goes Challenge

September?! That's crazy talk! 

Well technically it's still August here in the US but it is September in England and that means it's the start of the new Eclectic Ellapu challenge. 

This month is Anything Goes so you can make whatever the heck you want! woop!

One of my coworkers was having a birthday and so I set out to make a card for her. This one was actually pretty easy to make - some patterned paper, a distressing tool, some embossing, and 3D balloon stickers. 

I'm also sending this over to:
Seize the Birthday - Toppings are under the weather, but I thought this was too cute not to play along. 
Simon Says Stamp Monday - Use a trio of colors (teal, yellow, pinks)


I know this is just a quickie post, but I'll be back in the morning with another card, and I'm also feeling a bit under the weather. 

Thanks for popping by!

Shery's Finally Popped Hop!

We at STAMPlorations LOVE surprises and we also LOVE a good celebration. And boy (or in this case girl) is there something to celebrate around here!!

Today, our fearless leader, Shery, became a brand new mommy!! She delivered a healthy, happy, precious baby girl! 

As anyone who has ever come into contact with Shery knows, her kindness, generosity, and amazing spirit are unparalleled and we wanted to do something extra special to celebrate her big news.

So we're having a surprise hop-a-long that Shery will see when she gets out of the hospital and we are hoping you'll celebrate with us. 

Here is my card:

I used a background that my friend, Cat Craig, mailed to me. I love the textural, wrinkliness of it (thanks, Cat)! I sponges some Distress Inks over the background (Spun Sugar, Picked Raspberry, Vintage Photo) and then added a proliferation of pink goodness - flowers, buttons, metal, and a feminine bow. 

I don't know many baby cards, and I rarely think in pastels so I'm pretty happy with how this came out!

I'm going to link this up to the following challenges:
Cute Card Thursday - Monochromatic
Crafty Gals Corner - Lots of Layers
Simon Says Wednesday - Anything Goes
Shopping or Stash - Splish Splash - use a wet medium (distress spray stains)
Through the Craftroom Door - Anything Goes

Shery - if you see this post, know that I'm SO beyond excited for your little STAMPfamily and we are all thinking of you and wishing you the best!

If anyone else would like to go play along and maybe send Shery a congrats card, you can link up at the STAMPlorations blog! 

A Watercolored Poppy Card

As many of you know, I was recently at a 3-day crafty crop with 19 members of my family. Whilst I was there (peeps - you need to use the term whilst more... it's hilarious) my aunt and I both decided to make a card with some gorgeous poppies from the Penny Black Blooming Garden set.

I've said it before and I'll say it again - I don't know what I'm doing with watercolors but I'm gonna keep trying. My aunt just happened to have divine watercolor set and I nabbed it while her back was turned so I could try my hand at it again (don't worry... I gave them back eventually). :D

Anyhow, I used some deep reds, and some brilliant blues and teals to create my card, and I painted on the stems afterward with Perfect Pearls before surrounding the whole thing with a layer of gold and embossing a sentiment. 

I really like how it turned out and just purchased an online watercolor class to start honing my skills!

Since Penny Black's current challenge is Summer Flowers, I'm going to send this over their way to play along. 

I'm also going to link it up to:

House of Cards - Metallics

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - Anything Goes

Try it On Tuesday - Sending you Flowers 

Shopping our Stash - Use a Wet Medium

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Funny Story: If you're my facebook friend, apologies, because you've probably already heard this. But since I think it's hilarious, I'm going to share anyway. 

So I got a pedicure with friends to do something fun and, as with most things in my life, hilarity ensued. I'd shaved my legs but apparently missed one little patch (proof that flexibility, sharp objects, and Becca don't mix) waaay down near my ankles.

The male pedicurist who was giving me a sugar scrub stopped, rubbed his hand over that spot and said loudly, "you don't shave all spots!?" And then counted out loud the number of hairs "One. two. Three. Four. Five. Six." (Not making this up)

At first I turned beet red in mortification but then I burst out laughing!! Haha! And when it came time for him to ask me what design I want I said, "the six hair design, please!!" Best pedicure ever. This is why I can't be fancy.

It's all about the laughter, isn't it? :) Hope this gave you a smile!

PartyGirl PartyDresses release! +GIVEAWAY+

STAMPlorations has got another fabulous stamp set being released today: PartyDresses. This fun set is designed by Shirley Bampton and coordinates with PartyGirl so if you've already got that set, you can play dress up with her! Totally fun, right?

I LOVE this stamp set because I get to be a mini-fashion designer but not worry about having to sew a stitch! It's over-the-top fun and I get to choose what my PartyGirl wears to that fancy shindig.

For my card, I did a little bit of paper piecing to get an adorable polka-dotted dress. Then I accessorized her with a big ol' bow and gave her a balloon from the Balloons and Banners stamp set and a sentiment from the Party Time stamp set. 

Yeah.... I'm pretty much the next Prada, huh? I would totally wear that outfit. I finished off the card by using the little sash from the PartyDresses set to create a "stitched" border. It looks pretty cute, I think!

I'm going to send my PartyGirl over to party along with the following awesome challenges:
613 Ave Create - ATG w/optional Girl's Night Out (totally fits!)
Corrosive Challenges - Utterly Feminine
Through the Craftroom Door - Anything Goes
 Addicted to Stamps and More - Clean and Simple (ok... so I'm the Damsel of *distressed* and I always struggle with whether my cards are CAS. I think this one qualifies? It's got a lot of white space! If not please delete it!)


For this mini hop, we have the STAMPlorations girls sharing their projects. We'd love for you to visit the designers' blogs and leave comments along the way. The best part? One lucky commenter will win PartyDresses! 

How the mini release hop works:
Comment on this post.
Visit the designers' blogs and comment on their featured project(s).
Commenting closes on Friday, August 28, 11:55 p.m. Pacific (GMT-7).
We'll randomly select a winner of the stamp set from comments left on all the blogs and announce it on Sunday, August 30.


By the way, PartyDresses is now available in the STAMPshop and for one week only, it's 10% off!

Happy Hopping!!

DCWV Sketch and Sunshine Card

Here in North Dakota things are starting to get a bit chilly. The leaves are beginning to turn, the winds are blowing, and I'm ready to bust out my sweaters!! Plus Pumpkin Spiced Lattes are on their way soon, too. 

If you can't tell, I love Fall. BUT - I'm not quiiiite ready to give up summer and this weekend I made a super sunshiney creation to share:

I used paper from the DCWV Birthday Wishes paper stack. This is one of my favorite DCWV stacks because it's all bright and glittery and amazing! 

I stamped a sentiment from the Fond Expressions 2 STAMPlorations set onto some fussy cut paper clouds and then added some 3-D foam sticker banners. 

I used the sketch from the current DCWV Stackaholic challenge:

I'm also going to send it over to: 

Chocolate, Coffee and Cards - Use a Sentiment

Crafty Gals Corner Challenges - Anything Goes

613 Ave Create - Anything Goes w/optional girls night out

Thanks for popping by!