I was hesitant to really give them a try… until I saw the lovelies that Neat and Tangled carries. And if you know me, I can’t just use them in a simple manner – I instead have to go all out…

I started with the gorgeous My Favorite Things Steel Grey cardstock and stamped the Neat and Tangled Party Dots border image repeatedly with black ink. I then stuck down a boatload of sequins – each with a mini glue dot. And to add to the shine, I put a tiny gem in the center of each sequin. Bling bling!

Sweet Danielle of Neat and Tangled said I could do a giveaway of a TEN sequin packs and the Party Dots stamp set to a lucky winner! For your chance, leave a comment here by 5/21/13 at 11:59pmEST. Good luck!

Neat and Tangled Party Dots Stamp Set	Neat and Tangled Sequins	FAVORITE THING: My Favorite Things Steel Grey Cardstock	FAVORITE THING: Hero Arts Milwaukee Heat Gun	FAVORITE THING: VersaMark Ink
FAVORITE THING: Hero Arts White Embossing Powder	Hero Arts Black Dye Ink	FAVORITE THING: Neenah Classic White Cardstock 250 Sheets	FAVORITE THING: Neenah Classic White Cardstock 25 Sheets	Clear Gems
FAVORITE THING: Mini Glue Dots

I love how dainty the images are in the new Filigree set. So pretty! I decided to make some layers of bold-colored lace…

I used Copic Markers to color the lace in, and added highlights with a white pen. The greeting is from the Mama Elephant Smitten set. (Which is a must-have!)

Next, be sure to head over to the blog of the fabulously talented Jenn Biederman. (To start the hop again you can head to Kryssi’s site.) There are some amazing girls in this hop – be sure to check it out! ( Here is the hop order: Kryssi Ng / Mama Elephant, Me, Jenn Biederman, Mariana Grigsby, Iwona Palamountain, Alice Wertz, JJ Bolton, Lea Lawson, Samantha Mann, Geralyn Sy, Savannah O’Gwynn and Cheiron Brandon.)

To celebrate the new release, Mama Elephant is giving away 3 gift certificates worth $20.00 each to 3 lucky people! Winners will be chosen at random from the collective blogs in the Stampede. Winners will be announced on the blog on May 19th.

Here’s how to qualify to win (leave a separate comment for each):

1. Leave a comment on this blog post. (You can just do this if you want.)
2. Become a follower of the Mama Elephant blog.
3. Like/share Mama Elephant on Facebook.
4. Follow/tweet Mama Elephant on Twitter.

Good luck!

Mama Elephant Filagree Stamp Set	Mama Elephant Smitten Stamp Set	Hero Arts Black Decor	FAVORITE THING: Memento Tuxedo Black Ink	Copic Markers
Neenah White Cardstock 250 Sheets	FAVORITE THING: Neenah Classic White Cardstock 25 Sheets	Hero Arts Pool Notecards	FAVORITE THING: White Uniball Signo Pen

You don’t need a reason to send a card. I truly believe the unexpected ones are the best. This one is going in the mail Monday to a friend…

Simple. Truly simple.

Stamp. Color. Done.

I used stamps from a new-to-me company – The Craft’s Meow. They have some incredible designs! (And it turns out the owner is really kind, too.) These stitched greetings are marvelous. Simon Says Stamp just started carrying their stamps and here are my favorites:

Sometimes when stamps are designed amazingly well, you don’t need to do much with them. These stamps are perfect examples of this. Sweet and simple.

So… I challenge you to join me. Join me in sending a few cards to a loved one for absolutely no reason. It will make them (and you!) feel good. Who do you plan to surprise?

Take care.

The Craft’s Meow Stitched Sentiments 2 Stamp Set	The Craft’s Meow Stitched Flowers Stamp Set	Copic Markers	FAVORITE THING: Memento Tuxedo Black Ink	FAVORITE THING: Neenah Classic White Cardstock 250 Sheets
FAVORITE THING: Neenah Classic White Cardstock 25 Sheets

And one of my favorites? That would be Kelly Marie – the owner of Lawn Fawn. I was happy when she came to town to be part of a retreat with friends. Her energy is amazing.

She also brought with her some of her newest designs. When I saw her teacher set, I had to create something right away. So I have been holding on to this card for a few weeks… just waiting until she released the set…

Aren’t those images fabulous? And perfect for Colin’s teacher. She just rocks.

I heat embossed everything with white embossing powder and colored it in…

Lawn Fawn has recently released lots of great stamps and dies. Head over to their blog HERE to catch all the release party fun. (You can also get their newest products at Lawn Fawn directly or at Simon Says Stamp HERE.)

Oh… and I thought it would be fun to share this photo. Kelly and I were laughing so hard… and I have no idea why. Ha! It makes me smile.

See you soon!

Lawn Fawn A Good Apple Stamp Set	Lawn Fawn Blue Skies Stamp Set	Lawn Fawn Chevron Backdrops Stamp Set	FAVORITE THING: Hero Arts Milwaukee Heat Gun	FAVORITE THING: Hero Arts White Embossing Powder
FAVORITE THING: VersaMark Ink	Hero Arts Tide Pool Mid Tone Shadow Ink	Hero Arts Orange Soda Mid-Tone Shadow Ink	Copic Markers	FAVAORITE THING: Bazzill Rainbow Card Shoppe Variety Pack
Hero Arts Pool Notecards

I used the same My Favorite Things Cheerful Blessings stamp set I used in my last post. This stamp set truly makes me giddy. You can now get it at My Favorite Things or Simon Says Stamp.

I also used a MFT border stamp to create the pattern on the bottom. Although there are three colors in the pattern, I only used two inks. I stamped the bottom with Butter Bar yellow ink. I then stamped above it with the same ink… and then directly on top of it with Pale Tomato light red ink. (This gives the orange color. It is easy to double stamp with clear stamps!) Then on the top I just used the Pale Tomato. This layering of ink colors is great for getting more colors out of the inks you have.

And the hearts? Just punched them and added a bit of glitter with my Wink of Stella pen. Finally, I covered if with Glossy Accents for shine. I tell ya – these are eye-catching in real life…

I am really enjoying the pink/orange/yellow combo lately. What color combo are you lovin’ these days?

MFT Cheerful Blessings Stamp Set	MFT Mod Borders Stamp Set	Zig Wink of Stella Clear Glitter Brush Marker	FAVORITE THING: Martha Stewart Heartbeat Border Punch	FAVORITE THING: 1/4 and 1/2 Corner Chomper
FAVORITE THING: Hero Arts Milwaukee Heat Gun	FAVORITE THING: Hero Arts White Embossing Powder	FAVORITE THING: VersaMark Ink	Hero Arts Pale Tomato Mid Tone Shadow Ink	Hero Arts Butter Bar Mid Tone Shadow Ink
FAVAORITE THING: Bazzill Rainbow Card Shoppe Variety Pack	Neenah White Cardstock 250 Sheets	Neenah White Cardstock 25 Sheets	FAVORITE THING: Large Ranger Glossy Accents

Today I had a bit of time to make some cards. That felt good.

I was so happy to use a new set I am crazy about – Cheerful Blessings from My Favorite Things. Lots of greetings that I love so much. Oh, and sorry I didn’t warn you to wear sunglasses…

This card was quick to do. I stamped the background with the Hero Arts Radiant Banner stamp and Butter Bar Ink. I then painted over the rays with orange and yellow Wink of Stella glitter brushtip markers. (This gives subtle, delicate shine that rocks. It is excellent to use on simple cards.) I then die cut an orange circle and embossed the new My Favorite Things Cheerful Blessing image in white. (LOVE THIS GREETING. Sorry. That deserves capital – lol.) And finally I put a light coating of clear Wink of Stella glitter brushtip marker over the orange piece and rubbed it away quickly for just a bit of shine…

Bright colors. A bit of shine. The perfect message. I am hoping this card has everything it needs to make a friend smile.

Here is a look at that must-have stamp set from MFT…

This stamp set is a new one and you can get it HERE. (By the way, I would recommend buying a few other goodies while there so you can get THIS amazing set for free.) Or you can get it at Simon Says Stamp HERE.

Have a happy day.

Below are the supplies used for this card. To find them at Simon Says Stamp, click on the SSS below the thumbnails. For My Favorite Things (where you can use the discount code above), click on MFT…

MFT Cheerful Blessings Stamp Set (MFT|SSS)	Hero Arts Radiant Banner	MFT Circle 1 Stax Dies	Zig Wink of Stella Clear Glitter Brush Marker	Zig Wink of Stella Orange Glitter Brush Marker
Zig Wink of Stella Yellow Glitter Brush Marker	FAVORITE THING: Sizzix Vagabond Wafer Thing Die Adapter Plate	FAVORITE THING: Sizzix Vagabond Die Cut Machine	FAVORITE THING: Hero Arts Milwaukee Heat Gun	FAVORITE THING: Hero Arts White Embossing Powder
FAVORITE THING: VersaMark Ink	Hero Arts Butter Bar Mid Tone Shadow Ink	Neenah White Cardstock 250 Sheets	Neenah White Cardstock 25 Sheets	Hero Arts Snow Notecards
Best Creation 3-D Foam Adhesive

So these new Hero Arts stamps have me feeling better…

Nothing fancy here. Just good ol’ stamping with new Hero Arts stamps and Shadow Inks. (Supplies are below.)

Have you ordered any new Hero or have any one your wish list? Would love to hear what caught your eye. See you soon…

Hero Arts Time Stamp Set	Hero Arts Not Perfect Stamp Set	Hero Arts Notebook Essentials Stamp Set	Hero Arts Milwaukee Heat Gun	White Embossing Powder
Versamark	Hero Arts Tide Pool Mid Tone Shadow Ink	Hero Arts Soft Pool Shadow Ink	Hero Arts Green Hills Mid Tone Shadow Ink	Hero Arts Butter Bar Mid Tone Shadow Ink
Hero Arts Pool Notecards	Neenah White Cardstock 250 Sheets	Neenah White Cardstock 25 Sheets	Hero Arts Pool Mixed Accents	Hero Arts Foliage Mixed Accents

I am *so* very excited to be a part of the Hero Arts Stamp Your Story Blog Hop! I just love new stamps.

This new collection is very on trend and is perfect for stamping, cardmaking, and journaling. Faux painting… maps… geometric shapes… lots of good stuff. There are 43 new stamps and 27 new tools and accessories, such as stencils, dies, mint and peach ink colors, a notecard pad, and ink in a NEW Dauber format. Lots of good stuff! (Products are currently being shipped to stores around the world and will be in the Hero Arts Online Store on 5/15. Simon Says Stamps has many of the products already in HERE.)

I picked a few of the new clear sets to play with…

I am giddy about the many faux-painting stamps. It gives you the look of hand painting without the effort. Just stamp!

It is fun to be able to piece together your own greeting. Works great for many projects.

And a bit of shine is always nice, right? Really loving my the Wink of Stella brush/markers. It goes one smoothly and easily and you can get detailed areas or bigger ones. A great must-have! (I used clear but it comes in silver, gold, black and colors.)

I already shot a few more videos with other new stamps. Stay tuned!

By the way, there is a Stamp Your Story contest going on over on the Hero Arts Blog. For more information, head HERE.

I am the last stop on the blog hop! To start over, head to the Hero Arts Blog HERE. And there are giveaways! Just leave a comment here and at all the other blog hop stops for your chance to win some new goodies!

Hero Arts Notebook Essentials Stamp Set	Hero Arts My Words Stamp Set	Hero Arts Not Perfect Stamp Set	Hero Arts Painted Circle Stamp	Zig Wink of Stella Clear Glitter Brush Marker
Hero Arts Tide Pool Mid Tone Shadow Ink	Hero Arts Pool Shadow Ink	Hero Arts Green Hills Mid Tone Shadow Ink	Hero Arts Soft Green Shadow Ink	Hero Arts Black Dye Ink
Lawn Fawn Hearts Dies	Hero Arts Pool Notecards	Bazzill Heavy Weight Black Cardstock	Neenah White Cardstock 250 Sheets	Neenah White Cardstock 25 Sheets
Copic Markers	FAVORITE THING: White Uniball Signo Pen

This nautical stamp set is just delightful.

And I noticed Paper Smooches just released some more great stamp sets. You can see them all HERE on their blog, along with lots of fun samples. They have a great design team. (That Slang Gang set? So fun, especially if you have a tween/teenager!)

See you soon. Oh, and if you haven’t signed up for the His and Hers online class yet, you should. Lots of fun ideas are going on there!

Ack! One more thing – winners! I emailed you all…

• The SSS blog hop winner is Mary Duffek.
• The winner of the My Favorite Things stamp set is Maureen Hayes.
• The winner of the Mama Elephant set is Maryann.

Below are the supplies used for this card. To find them at Simon Says Stamp, click on the SSS below the thumbnails. For Ellen Hutson, click on EH…

Paper Smooches Wicked Nauticool Stamps (SSS|EH)	Simon Says Stamp Mini Hearts Dies	Doodlebug Take Note 6×6 Paper Pad	Vagabond Die Cutting Machine (SSS|EH)	Sizzix Vagabond Solo Thin Die Adapter (SSS|EH)
FAVORITE THING: Memento Tuxedo Black Ink	Copic Markers (SSS|EH)	Bazzill Robin’s Egg Cardstock	Neenah White Cardstock 250 Sheets (SSS|EH)	Neenah White Cardstock 25 Sheets (SSS|EH)
Hero Arts Snow Notecards (SSS|EH)	Glossy Accents (SSS|EH)

So today I have a fun dimensional teacher tag. Heck – you could stick this fun 3D apple on just about anything. I used products from My Favorite Things… and have a discount code for them below!

So this project uses the great 100lb cardstock from My Favorite Things. I am really pleased with this paper and will be using it a lot. For all of you looking for a new source of cardstock to love, I would give it a try. You can get a sampler pack HERE…

I also used the MFT felt. I really like felt, but have only found a couple of good quality felts in good colors. This is my favorite – hands down. I used the Steel Grey in the video. (It is heathered but most of them are not.) This felt is perfect for die cutting…

And if you like the idea of a product line that all matches, MFT has that. The inks match the felt… which matches the cardstock… which matches the buttons and ribbon. Delightful. Oh, and they always seem to be in stock. Woot! (They only sell most of their supplies like this direct.)

As I mentioned yesterday, the sweet folks at My Favorite Things are offering a 15% discount for my readers! Just enter “JMFRIENDS” when you are checking out. Discount is good 4/26 – 4/29. (When checking out, click “Use Coupon Code” under the “What would you like to do next?” prompt in the Shopping Cart.)

Below are the supplies used for this card. To find them at Simon Says Stamp, click on the SSS below the thumbnails. For My Favorite Things (where you can use the discount code above), click on MFT…

MFT Notched Tag Sentiments Stamp Set (MFT|SSS)	MFT Blueprints 1 Dies (MFT|SSS)	MFT Red Delicious Apple Die (SSS|MFT)	MFT You’re It Tag Die (MFT|SSS)	FAVORITE THING: Sizzix Vagabond Die Cut Machine
FAVORITE THING: Sizzix Vagabond Wafer Thing Die Adapter Plate	MFT Heavyweight Cardstock Sampler	MFT Kraft 100 lb Cardstock	MFT Felt	May Arts Natural Twine
FAVORITE THING: Tombow Stamp Runner Adhesive