Sisterhood with the CCEE

 

Liz is our CCEE Stampers' hostess for August.  Here is her challenge for this week.

 

 As many of you know, or perhaps you don’t, Lynn and Liz are sisters. When they were asked to join the CCEE team at the same time, theyboth thought it would be fun to be doing this together. So, for your sister card, find an image of a pair or group of ladies or girls who just might be sisters doing things that sisters like to do.

 

I used an image from Penny Black.  Love the way the two girls are embracing.  Tells of friendship or kinship.  I added a sentiment from Hero Arts.  On the vertical panel I used an old SU bkgd. stamps and then added some brads to the main panel.  I finished it off with a bit of piercing.

 

Be sure to visit the CCEE Stampers Blog to see the fab 'sistahs' creations by the multi-talented and oh so special members of the CCEE team.

 

I am sharing an extra card from when my Blogger wasn't cooperating so I never posted it here.  Enjoy......it was done for a Crazy4Challenges challenge.

 

 

 

 

The CCEE at the Beach

 

 

Joanne here with your third CCEE Stampers Challenge for July.....

July, for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere,

is one of our warmest months.

 When I think of hot days, I think of the beach.

  Let’s create cards that honor beaches in some way.

 

Once again (sorry) I forgot to write down the companies for the stamps I used, so just ask if you need to know.  I stamped the beach, then created the water and sky with sponging.  I heat embossed the sentiment,  Piercing was added and that is about it......

If you join in, please add a link to your card in a comment on the CCEE Blog..

 If posting on splitcoaststampers,

 please add CCEE1629 to keywords.

Crazy4Lighthouses

 

Hello....Joanne here with the first challenge for the Crazy4Challenges DT and friends.  Here it is....

I have just returned from my annual trip to Maine. 

 One of my favorite places on Earth is Nubble Light,

 a beautiful lighthouse in York, Maine.

  I could sit there for hours looking at and listening to the ocean. 

 This week, let’s honor lighthouses on our cards. 

 If for some reason you do not have a lighthouse image,

 then create an ocean scene.  

 

We would like to introduce our Guest Designer for the month of July, Alexis Crossland-Smith,

Scrappin' Sister - http://alexiscsmith.blogspot.com.  We look forward to 'playing' with her in this month's challenges.

I used an image of my truly favorite lighthouse, Nubble Light.  I decided to use it just in ourline form rather than coloring it.  The rest you can see for yourself.

Be sure to visit the Crazies Blog to see the fab lighthouse/ocean creations by this fabulous DT.  We'd sure love to see your take on it, so be sure to leave a link in a blog comment.  If you are uploading to an online gallery, please use the keyword C4C343.

 

The Crazies Play with Water......

Well today the Crazy4Challenges DT will celebrate the 2 Zodiac signs of February... Aquarius and Pisces.  They have something in common... both are water signs! 

I went CAS with this wonderful sea image and sentiment from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps.  U ysed MFT dies to cut my pendants, and then I added piercing around the edges of the card.  Pretty EZ-PZ.

Be sure to visit the Crazies Blog to see the other water inspired creations by the DT.

CCEE'ers Protect Their Peepers with Sunglasses

It would take me hours to tell you the story behind this card......seems like I kept taking wrong turns in the creative process........ending up in a new direction each time......and even getting lost and almost giving up along the way.

The challenge was an easy enough one.  Anne asked the CCEE Stampers to create a card using sunglasses as a reminder to protect out eyes as the sun is getting stronger in the Northern Hemisphere.  No problem, I thought.  I have dies of glasses, a large stamp of glasses.......however.....I did not have any vellum or transparency that looked like the lenses of sunglasses......and that was the rub.......!!!!!  So I went to general plan 2.......I had buttons that were sunglesses......so I cut the shanks off and would use them as accents on my card.........but the design I had in mind just wouldn't work......but the beach scene was fine so I kept that element.  I then dug deep and found this image of sunglasses which I repeatedly stamped on the orange c/s.  However, the card looked EMPTY.....so forage I did and found this unmounted bather I don't think I have ever used before.  Colored her up, cut her out.....attached her to the card.......and then realized the orange piece probably should have been cut to look a bit more like a surfboard.....but I was not starting over again!!!   So, as they say.....IT IS WHAT IT IS!!!!!

It is also very appropriate as on the day that this posts, I will be ocean gazing......ah....love the ocean breezes, the salty air, the sun shining on my face, the smell of fresh seafood (esp. ''lobstah'), the sounds of the waves......and the good company of dear friends.

Can't wait to be inspired by the sunglasses creations of the rest of the team.  Let's all journey over to the CCEE Stampers Blog to be inspired.

Crazies Plan for Summer

Barbara wraps up her May hostess duties by challenging the Crazy4Challenges stampers to create cards that represent some of their summer vacation plans.

As you can tell from the name of my blog, I love being near the ocean (or other large body of water for that matter).  Each June, you will find me spending time in Maine near the ocean.  We have been going on this trip for over 45 years......and the view is just as beautiful now as it was years ago.

I find the ocean to be my place of tranquility.  The rhythm of the waves bring peace to my soul.

Anyhoooooooooooooooooo.......be sure to stop in to see what the Crazies are planning for their summer times.  Visit the Crazies Blog to check them out.

Barefoot with the CCEE

Frances gave us a fun challenge this week.  She challenged us to make a card with barefeet.  Well, surprisingly, I have quite a few stamps that fit this category.  There was one I was going to grab, but I had this feeling that Frances might be using that stamp (amd she did!)!!!  So I decided to use this stamp which I always think of as a self-portrait.





Can't wait to see the other barefoot creations by the team.  We can all see them at the CCEE Stampers Blog.  Stop by for a visit!!!

'Sea' Life with the Crazies

Andrea is the hostess for the Crazy4Challenges this month.  This week she asked us to be inspired by 'sea life'.  I haven't used this sweet sea horse image for a long time.  It is from Mark's Finest Papers, as is the sentiment.  I used an embossing folder and a Memory Box swirl die for my water element, Spellbinders for my 'frame', and MFT die for the sentiment panel.  To this I added a bow/ribbon and some bling.

The Crazies Blog will be the place to check out and be inspired by the sealife creations by the rest of this fabulous team.

You can also leave some love at their individual blogs linked below.

• Andrea Murdock
• Anja de Regt 
• Barbara Anders 
• Betty Wright
• Frances Byrne
• Jessie Rone
• Joanne Grzelak  (that's me) 
• Kelli Hull
• Kristine Reynolds
• Peggy McCurry
• Silke Kittmann 
• Silke Ledlow
• Sarah Gough 
• Sarah Kipling (July Guest Designer)

Summertime at the Beach with the CCEE

 

It was a good feeling to return to the stamp cave this week after a needed break.  The last two weeks were a tumultuous time for me.......with both tragic and joyful parts......that kept me away from stamping.  I am back now and ready to play with some challenges.

 

The CCEE Stampers Challenge this week, hosted by Sabrina, was to think of summertime at the beach.  Well, as anyone who know me could tell you, I LOVE the beach and the ocean so this was an easy one for me.  I decided to dig out this 'virgin' beach stamp from Our Daily Bread Designs.  It depicts the tranquility that I find when I am at the beach/ocean.  This is a simple card, leaving the focus on that restful hammock on this palm tree lined beach.  Just close your eyes and imagine yourself there......nice thought, eh????  The sentiment I used is from MFT (I think).

 

Now be sure to grab your pail and shovel and meet us at the beach inspired gallery at the CCEE blog.  We would love for you to 'play in the sand' with us, too!!!

 

and.........for those here in the U.S.

 

Happy 4th of July!!!

Catch Up Sunday

Today I am going to share some cards I have done for Splitcoast Challenges that I have not posted here to the blog.  Enjoy......

Well...I think that is it for now.  Hope you have a fabulous day!!!

Summertime and the Living Is Easy!!!

Hi Everyone! 

Before we get onto today challenges we have a little bit of news to share with you. First of some sad news which is that Cindy Haffner has stepped down from the Design Team for now. Cindy is one of our founders of this challenge blog and we will definitely miss her. Hopefully when things settle down for her she will return.

Now we have two new "Crazies" to introduce to you. Please welcome Anja de Regt and Peggy McCurry who look forward to inspiring you each week. 

Also starting this month we are going to have a Guest Designer join us each month. For June our Guest Designer is Amber Hillman.  Be sure to check out her fab work when you visit the blog.

Kristine is our hostess for the Crazy4Challenges this month.  She has started the month off with a challenge that is near and dear to my heart......SUMMERTIME.  Warm weather, beaches, sandcastles, boats are just some of the possibilities.  I went with the ocean and boats as I had this fabulous Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps that had not yet seen ink.  Both the image and the sentiment are from that set.  I embossed the base with an embossing folder of waves.   This will be a birthday card for a very dear friend who loves the ocean as much as I do.  We have spent many, many, many days and weeks in Maine, enjoying the shore and all its beauty.

The Crazies Blog will be full of summertime creations.  I can't wait to see them.  Why don't you take a look too???

The Crazies Are Inspired

Barbara, our hostess for May gave the Crazies an inspiration photo this week.  Since it had a theme of sea life and the ocean, I was ready for this challenge.

The photo above  inspired the theme of my card and the color of the seashell border.  The stamp I used is by I Brake for Stamps.  The sentiment is from SU.

Now be sure to go to the Crazy4Challenges blog to see the creations this photo inspired.

Below is a second simple card inspired by the same photo and colors.

CCEE1229 -- Getting Punchie

Lois challenged the CCEE Stampers to get their border punches out this week,  She asked us to use two of them on our cards/projects.  

Other than the sentiment, no stamps were harmed in the creation of this card.  A dear friend had given me some beach related products, and I finally found the perfect time to use one of them.  The chair/sand/shells on the card are actually just one fabulous sticker.  I used an EK Success punch for my 'waves/water' and a Martha Stewart punch for my scalloped shell border.  Just a simple card that shows my love for the beach.

I can't wait to see what fabulous punchwork the rest of the team created!!  Join me in traveling to the CCEE Blog  to be awed and inspired!!!

Recreational Stamping.....FINALLY!!!

Lately it seems as if my stamping time is so limited that I do my DT and challenge team stamping and that is about it.  I am happy to say that this week I have done some of the daily challenges at Splitcoast.  (Things really were so much easier when Splitcoast was where almost everyone shared their artwork!!!!)  Anyhooooooo.......

This first card is one I did for both today's Tea Party Challenge (to use giraffes) and yesterday's CAS Challenge (use twine).  The image and sentiment are from Mark's Finest Papers.

This second card was done yesterday.  It was for the TLC Challenge (a beach scene) and the CAS Challenge (to use twine).

Stamping for fun is the best, isn't it??????

CCEE1228 -- Technique Thursday

Lois is our hostess for the CCEE Stampers Challenge.  She asked us to use the technqiue of reverse masking on our creations this week.

I used an ocean border frame I just had to have years ago, but then forgot about.......thanks to Lois asking us to use this technique, I broke into my 'frames' drawer and was so excited to discover this 'ocean water' frame.  This image always brings a smile to my face as I have been a water person my whole life.  Whether it was the ocean, the lake, the pong, or the pool, I was either swimming in it OR floating on top of it.  To this day, my favorite activity AND exercise is swimming.  I am lucky enought to do it year round due to a nearby town's indoor pool.  I swim at least 5.5 hours a week!!!  Having said that, this image makes me smile for another reason.........it is because it represents swimmers like me who aren't so svelte!

ANYHOOOOOO.....be sure to check out the fabulous reverse masked creations of the rest of the team at the CCEE Stampers Blog.

CCEE1227 - Triple Circles

Lois is our challenge host for July.  For this week's CCEE Stamper's Challenge, she asked us to make a card with three circles on it.  I was in a summer/ocean mood, so I used one of my favorite scenic stamps from Innovative Stamp Creations for this card.  I stamped it three times, die cutting at different spots to make a much longer scene in my three circles.  I kept the rest pretty simple, just added a punched border, some paper piercing, and some twine with a brad accent.

Be sure to visit the CCEE Stampers Blog to view the circle creations of the rest of this fabulous team.

Crazy4Challenges -- TAG! You're IT!!!

Silke is our hostess this month, and she challenged the Crazy4Challenges DT to make tags this week.  At this time of the year, I think of beaches and warm, sunny days, and that is where my idea for this tag came from.  I used this whimsical image of toes in the sand, and added dimension to the sand with my Mudd Puddles.  I will probably use this tag on a friend's 'prize' when traveling to the ocean.

Now.....you have been tagged!!!!  So....go to the Crazies Blog to be inspired to go 'tagging' yourself.

CCEE 1224 Going Nautical

This week, our challenge was to make a nautical card.  Well....this time of the year, my mind goes right to one of my favorite places on Earth, Cape Neddick Light, better known as Nubble Light, is in York, Maine.  As a matter of fact, in just a bit of time I will be sitting on a rock, listening to the sounds of the ocean, sitting opposite this wonderful site.  It is a place of tranquility and serenity for me.  If I lived any closer, I would be there daily.  If you are ever in southern Maine you really must make a stop here.  You'll be glad you did!!!  Any of you know Nubble will notice that I erred in coloring.....but it was on purpose.....I just couldn't remember which shed is RED.....so I left them both white.

Anyhooooooo.....this image is from Repeat Impressions, a great source for lighthouse and nautical stamps.

Now check out the fabulous nautical designs by the rest of the sweetest and so very talented CCEE Stampers Challenge Team at our blog.

CCEE1212 -- Going Sentimental

Welcome to the CCEE Stampers' Challenge.  As hostess for the month of March, this week I asked the team to focus on the sentiment.  My mind is often 'at the beach' so that is where I went to choose a sentiment.  I added a small, dried starfish from a Fall trip to Maine as an embellishment.

I am really looking forward to vieving the sentimental creations of the rest of this fabulously talented team.  I know they will inspire me to spread my wings and use sentiments in a variety of ways.

Be sure to journey to the CCEE Stamper's Blog for inspiration.  AND....remember.....even if I may forget to tell you each week......that we would LOVE for you to play along with us.  Details on what to do are at the team blog.

CCEE and Stampin B's Challenges

This card is for my two Thursday challenges.....

Stampin B's -- As hostess, I challenged the team to use clouds in some way on their cards.

CCEE Stampers -- Charlene is our August hostess and she once again shared a fun fact.  ""When glass breaks, the cracks move at speeds of up to 3,000 miles per hour." GLASS is the operative word.

I used this fabulous window set from Flourishes.  If I am looking out a window (my glass) this is the view I would love the see each time.  As you will see, I have a huge area of the sky that is a cloud or two.  AND....this is one of my favorite sentiment stamps ever.  So true.......friends, whether near or far, are my world.

Please be sure to visit each blog to see the creativity of these two talented teams.

CCEE Blog
Stampin B's Blog