Summertime Challenge at Getting Cricky -- It's always been you... :)

Happy Sunday, everyone!!  :)  I hope this morning finds you excited with the promise of TODAY...  It's the first Sunday in a while that it's been rainy and gray here in Western Pennsylvania -- Guess it might be a good day for puddle splashing, eh?  :)

Despite the rainy morning, we're CELEBRATING Summertime over at Getting Cricky today!!  Today starts our MONTH-LONG challenges!!  Woot-woot!!  You have until June 30th to create and link YOUR project (card, layout, or 3D project) celebrating SUMMERTIME!!  I can't wait to see what you make!!

I have a SNEAK PEEK of a BRAND NEW Stamp Art Set from K Andrew Designs today!!  I was so excited to have some Happy Mail delivered on Friday, that I couldn't wait to play...  And I had just the Summertime Celebration project that I wanted to make!! :)

You see, there's something about the daisies blooming that REALLY makes me feel like Summer is on it's way...  Even with the 80 degree temperatures we've had, the sunny days, and the cookouts, nothing says Summer like the daisies in bloom!!  And, since daisies are my very most favorite flower, when a patch of daisies popped up in my flower garden...  Well, I knew that I wanted some inside the house too!!  So I set about to make a homemade vase for my daisies from an upcycled Jones soda bottle with a little gift card to go along with it...  :)

Kristal recently created another new stamp set that is sure to be a FAVORITE!!  I am fortunate enough to give you this sneaky-peek at one of the sentiments found on the "Beautiful Thoughts" Stamp Art Set -- "It's always been you"...  Isn't that just beautiful???  Who wouldn't LOVE to receive a beautiful bouquet of daisies with an attached card like that?  I even got to try out some of the NEW TWINE available at K Andrew Designs!!  Let me tell ya, this twine is thick and lush and WONDERFUL!!  I can't wait to try new ways to use it!!  :)

To create the bottle wrap for my Daisy Vase, I embossed a 4"x9" strip of yellow cardstock with a Sizzix embossing folder (I think it's called "Daisy Vine", but don't quote me on that).  After embossing, I used white chalking ink to highlight the daisies and green ink to highlight the vines.  I added yellow Kaiser Craft gems to the centers of the flowers, then added the yellow cardstock to a 4.25"x9" strip of white cardstock before wrapping it around the bottle and adhering it securely to the bottle (I recommend the extra sticky red tape for this if you don't want your label to pop off!!)...  My final touch was adding the twine...  And I LOVE it!!  :)  Even The-Snickers-Cat loved it...

As I waited for a moment when it wasn't pouring down rain to go outside and grab some pictures, The-Snickers-Cat decided she'd take a break from her difficult day of napping to stop and smell the daisies...  I just happened to catch a quick shot of her before she moved back to her perch on the window sill.  Of course, she gave her stamp of approval by not eating the flowers.  ;)

My little 3"x3" gift card enclosure uses the same embossing folder and ink techniques as the bottle...  I added a white scalloped circle punch and yellow circle punch (popped up with foam tape) stamped with the sentiment in SU!'s "Green Galore" ink...  Three little gems and a length of twine gently tied around the front of the card made this a quick and simple addition for my bouquet of flowers...

Are you ready to check out the BRAND NEW "Beautiful Thoughts" Stamp Art Set???  As of TODAY, it is in the K Andrew Designs store available for Pre-Order with a ship date of June 20th (or earlier)!!  Click on the preview to reserve YOURS today!!  :)


So..... Go get creative and link up a Summertime project for the challenge at Getting Cricky -- I'll be waiting to see what ya make!!  :)

Until next time,