First Love

Happy Saturday to you!  Are you ready for another wonderful Sweet Stop sketch?

I just love all the new Rhubarb images available at Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps...don't you?  There are over 25 adorable images of Rhubarb the Bear perfect for any occasion throughout the year.  BUT...today I am returning to my first love.  The very first Sweet 'n Sassy stamp I purchased was Cocoa.  Cocoa the Mouse got my attention and helped me fall in love with Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps.  Since I needed some beach thank you cards, I grabbed this Cookie and Cocoa sandcastle digi and started playing.  I have two cards for you today so scroll down to see the second one as well!

Inspirational Nugget: Don't you just love spending time with the Lord...reading His word and praying?  During the school year, I would feel so guilty because time would get away from me, and I would not spend that quality time with the Lord I love.  When you don't spend time with your loved ones, the lines of communication break down...you feel frustrated, easily upset, lose perspective.  The same things happen when we don't spend time with the Lord.  He loves to hear from us!  He loves when we spend time with Him!  "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ... 'I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot endure evil men, and you put to test those who call themselves apostles, and are not, and you found them to be false;  and you have endured for My name's sake, and you have not grown weary.  But I have this against you, that you have left your first love."  (Revelation 2:1, 3-4)  Don't forget to spend time with the Lord today.  He's never too busy to spend time with us and He's got the whole world in His hands!  Fall in love with Him all over again!

Creative Nugget: For this card I chose background papers that reminded me of beach colors.  The main image with Cocoa and Cookie was colored with copic markers.  The seashells on the sandcastle were given a coat of Glossy Accents.  A new technique for me was used on the panel behind Cocoa.  It's called "Double Your Pleasure" and JanTink over at Splitcoast challenged fan club members with this technique.  You need one embossing folder and one background stamp.  Run your card stock through the Big Shot.  Lay your embossed panel upside down on top of the inked up background stamp and gently rub your finger on the debossed lines.  The result is that only the embossed areas will end up with the background image.  If you click on the card above, it will be enlarged and you can see the results better.  Pretty cool...I'll be trying this again!  Twine and a few shell embellishments were added to finish the card.  Stop on over to The Sweet Stop and see what the other Sugar Babies have done with the sketch...then join us and play along!

The Sugar Babies

Korin Southerland

Monika Davis

Shelby Goolsby

Jennipher Lowery

Wendy Ramlakhan

Janice Melton

Shannon White

Kim O'Connell

Card Recipe

Stamps: Cookie and Cocoa Sandcastle Digi (Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps), Canvas (SU!), Everyday Classics (PTI)
Ink: Chocolate Chip (SU!), Antique Linen  (Ranger)
Paper: Neenah Solar White, Craft (PTI), Baja Breeze (SU!), Parisian Breeze (Retired SU!)
Accessories:   CB Embossing Folder (Provo Craft), Sakura Jelly Roll Pen, Button Twine (PTI), Bow Easy, Glossy Accents (Ranger), Sharpie Poster Paint Pen, Decorative Seashells, Copic Markers E40, E42, E43, E44, R00, R20, R22, R24, R29, BG0000W00, W1, W3, W5, W7

Creative Nugget 2: As long as I was coloring this image, I decided to make another card using a layout by AmberDawn  over at Splitcoast.  

For this card I used design papers from the Springtime paper pad by Echo Park...the background paper reminded me of waves, and the circular panel was embossed with the CB swirls folder which also looks like waves.  The images are colored with my favorite...Copic Markers.  Glossy Accents was added to the shells from the Flourish Seashells set for a bit of shine.  A Sakura jelly roll pen was used to add a bit of sparkle to the sand.

Here's a close-up of the sandcastle so you can see the sparkle better.
I'll leave you with images of the beach so you can dream of being there!  Thanks for stopping by today!  Come back again for more inkspiration!  Have a wonderful day weekend!

Card Recipe
Stamps: Flourish Seashells, Cookie and Cocoa Sandcastle (Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), Antique Linen and Walnut Stain Distress Inks (Ranger)
Paper: Neenah Solar White, Craft (PTI), Chocolate Chip, Baja Breeze (SU!), Springtime (Echo Park)
Accessories:  Paper Piercer, CB Embossing Folder (Provo Craft), Sakura Jelly Roll Pen, Button Twine (PTI), Bow Easy, Glossy Accents (Ranger), Sharpie Poster Paint Pen, Copic Markers E40, E42, E43, E44, R00, R20, R22, R24, R29, BG0000W00, W1, W3, W5, W7