Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Simple Daisy

This week's Clean and Simple challenge (CAS08) on Splitcoast is to create a card using this sketch.

I used my new Daisies die for my Big Shot and whipped up this card in about 4 1/2 minutes! The paper piercing took the longest, and I agonized about adding it, but I really felt like it needed a little something more. I've also been itching to use one of my new Corduroy Buttons. It adds just the right amount of texture. The end result is a happy card!

Stamps: Trendy Trees
Paper: Naturals Ivory, Summer Sun
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Big Shot, Flower Daisies #2 die, Chocolate Chip Corduroy Button, hemp twine, Chocolate Chip double stitched grosgrain ribbon, Mat Pack, piercing tool

Monday, March 30, 2009

Oval All Make-N-Take

I designed this card for a make-n-take for our downline meeting, which is tomorrow night. I wanted to use the new Oval All set from the Occasions mini, along with the Scallop Oval punch. I LOVE how this card turned out! I was trying to design a card that could be used for a spring or summer wedding, and I think this would be perfect!

I used some of my Bella Rose dsp, which I seem to have been stockpiling! I tend to hoard my designer paper, and I'm trying to work on that. :) I think I put it to good use on this card. I also used my Big Shot and the Stampin' Up! Backgrounds I Texturz Plates. I love how this looks with the piercing - so pretty! I think the other demos will like this technique, too.

Here is the same card, but with a different color combo:


We had a great weekend, and a very fun visit with my sister- and brother-in-law and their three kids. All the kids played and played, and even got a chance to build a snow family in the snow that fell Saturday night. The snow didn't stick around long, though, which was really nice! I have a lot of work to do to get ready for the Minneapolis Regional this weekend. I see a lot of late night stamping in my future! Have a fabulous Monday!

Stamps: Oval All
Paper: (card 1) Whisper White, Close to Cocoa, Pink Pirouette, Bella Rose dsp; (card 2) Kiwi Kiss, Riding Hood Red, Whisper White, Bella Rose dsp
Ink: (card 1) Close to Cocoa; (card 2) Riding Hood Red
Accessories: Big Shot, Stampin' Up! Backgrounds I Texturz Plates, Mat Pack, paper piercer, Trio Flower punch, Scallop Oval punch, Large Oval punch, gold brads, Riding Hood Red taffeta ribbon

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Mojo #79

Another fun Mojo Monday sketch - yippee! I've got several stamping friends in the Creative Consortium who are now following the Mojo Monday blog. I hope you ladies are working up some great cards - I want to see them at our get together on Sunday...

This is Julee's sketch:


My version of Mojo #79:

I LOVE this color combination - Sage Shadow, Cameo Coral and Basic Black. Don't these colors just pop? I also used a Texturz Plate with my Big Shot and paper pierced part of the background, just to try something a little different. It gives the background a quilted look.

My sister- and brother-in-law are coming today for a visit, along with their three kids. We will have 5 kids in the house, ages 6, 5, 4, 3, and 2 - WOW! It will be crazy and fun. My kids are so excited, they have been telling random strangers all week that their cousins are coming to our house to play. :) I don't know that I will get much stamping done this weekend, but I do NEED to start working on my trades for the Minneapolis Regional. Have a great weekend!

Stamps: Echoes of Kindness, All Holidays
Paper: Naturals White, Sage Shadow, Cameo Coral, Basic Black
Ink: Basic Black, Sage Shadow, Cameo Coral
Accessories: Aqua Painter, Scallop Edge punch, Big Shot, Backgrounds I Texturz Plates, Vintage Brads, Mat Pack, paper piercer, Sage Shadow grosgrain ribbon

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge #10

I'm playing along with Karen's sketch challenge. Seriously, you need to visit her blog! I love her work - it is simple, clean and beautiful. Anyway, this was the sketch she posted:

And here is my card:

This cupcake is just the cutest! It is from one of the *new* sets in the Occasions Mini Catalog. The set is called Wagon Full of Fun and I have a feeling you'll be seeing a lot of cards using this set. It is SO fun! I think my favorite part of this card is the "swirl" frosting with the Dazzling Diamonds glitter. Don't you just want to gobble it up?

I've been trying to participate in more of the weekly challenges that are on Splitcoast and other blogs that I frequent. What a great way to get the creative juices flowing! The downside, if you can call it that, is that I've been stamping every night until midnight (that's the bad part). Plus, we have guests coming to visit this weekend. Needless to say, I've been running on caffeine to make up for my lack of sleep. :) I do love to participate in the challenges - it's a fun way to be a part of the virtual stamping network. So, I'll be back on Friday with my card for the Mojo Monday sketch. See you then!

Stamps: Wagon Full of Fun, On Your Birthday
Paper: Pretty In Pink Textured cs, Rose Red, Close to Cocoa, Very Vanilla, Candy Lane dsp
Ink: Basic Brown, Pretty In Pink, Rose Red, Barely Banana
Accessories: Scallop Edge punch, 1" circle punch, 1 1/4" circle punch, Match Pack, paper piercer, Dazzling Diamonds, Rose Red grosgrain ribbon

Clean and Simple Thanks

I love the look of "clean and simple" (CAS) cards, plus they are fast to make. This week's CAS challenge (CAS07) on Splitcoast is to make a card using punches. This is the card I came up with:

Very simple, very easy! And I used the colors for this week's color challenge on Splitcoast - Baja Breeze, Kiwi Kiss and Pretty in Pink. Two challenges in one card - wahoo!

Stamps: Thank You Kindly
Paper: Whisper White, Pretty in Pink, Kiwi Kiss, Baja Breeze
Ink: Baja Breeze
Accessories: Trio Flower punch, silver brads, Mat Pack, paper piercer, corner rounder, Baja Breeze striped grosgrain ribbon

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

SFYTT

I created this card for Jen del Muro's Sketch for You to Try (SFYTT). I've wanted to try one of her sketches for some time, and I finally took the time to sit down and work on this week's sketch.


This is my take on Jen's sketch:

I had a lot of fun with this color combination - Real Red, Regal Rose and Kiwi Kiss. I used my Dreams du Jour set, which hasn't seen any ink in quite awhile. I'm trying to pull out some of my current sets that I haven't used lately. I get stuck in a new stamp frenzy and tend to neglect my previously used sets.

I stamped the main image three times, twice in Black Staz-On ink, and once in Kiwi Kiss ink. I colored the Staz-On image using my ink pads and Aqua Painter and I cut out the word "dreams" from the Kiwi Kiss image and adhered it over the "dreams" on the colored image. I colored the large flower on the third image and cut it out and I used Dimensionals to pop it out on the main image. I like throwing the Real Red in the mix - there is just a hint of it in the Raspberry Tart dsp, and pulling in the grosgrain ribbon and buttons really give this card it's flair.

Stamps: Dreams du Jour
Paper: Real Red, Regal Rose, Whisper White, Raspberry Tart dsp, Bella Rose dsp
Ink: Black Staz-On, Kiwi Kiss, Regal Rose, Real Red
Accessories: Real Red wide grosgrain ribbon, Real Red buttons, Mat Pack, paper piercer, Dimensionals

Monday, March 23, 2009

Ghirardelli Treat Holder

We made these sweet little treat holders at a workshop earlier this month. These are REALLY quick and easy to make and hold two Ghirardelli chocolate squares perfectly! The box is made out of two Scallop Envelopes, made using the Big Shot. I trimmed the bottom flap on the envelope slightly, which makes the box fit together. I added Sticky Strip to the bottom and side flaps and put it all together.

To jazz the box up just a bit, I also added a strip of Delicate Dots dsp and a flower made using my Polka Dot Punches set. I also added a Filigree Brad, for a little bit of "wow!" :)

I have a bunch of new stamps and dies that I received last week. I haven't had much of a chance to play with them and they are calling my name. I'm hoping the kids will go to bed early tonight and I'll have a little time to rip into my goodies.

Stamps: Polka Dot Punches
Paper: Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery, Delicate Dots dsp
Ink: Certainly Celery
Accessories: Big Shot, Scallop Envelope die, 5-Petal Flower punch, Filigree Brad, Sticky Strip, Certainly Celery grosgrain ribbon, Ghirardelli Chocolates Squares

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Splitcoast Color Challenge #210

This week's color challenge on Splitcoast intrigued me, so I thought I would give it a try! The challenge is to use Kraft, Summer Sun and Riding Hood Red. I thought about using several different stamp sets before I settled on Just Buzzin' By.

I created a little window on the end of the card and made a frame using my circle punches and Scallop punch. I also used my Curly Label punch to create the notches on the ends of the sentiment panel. I cut the strip of Whisper White and inserted just the end of the strip into the punch to create the decorative end. I feel so clever! :)

This is what the inside looks like:

It's hard to see in the picutre, but I added a little bit of Dazzling Diamonds glitter to the bees' wings. It adds just a little sparkle, which is just what those bees need!

Have a fabulous day!

Stamps: Just Buzzin' By
Paper: Basic Black, Riding Hood Red, Summer Sun, Whisper White, Kraft dsp
Ink: Black Staz-On, Riding Hood Red, Summer Sun
Accessories: Blender pen, 1 1/4" circle punch, 1 3/8" circle punch, Scallop punch, 1/4" circle punch, Real Red brads, Curly Label punch, Black and White gingham ribbon, 2-Way Glue Pen, Dazzling Diamonds

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Sweet Sunday Sketch #9

Another sketch from The Sweetest Thing... I love the simplicity of this sketch. I've been working this card out in my head since I first saw the sketch on Sunday.

I thought I would get a jump start on Father's Day - why not? :) And Loads of Love is my "go to" set for masculine cards. I'm trying to use up some of my Baja Breese designer paper - I seem to have a lot of it. I also whipped out my Chit Chat rub-ons for the sentiment.

Stamps: Loads of Love
Paper: Baja Breeze, Pacific Point, Basic Black, Naturals White, Baja Breeze dsp
Ink: Basic Black, Baja Breeze, Pacific Point, Blush Blossom
Accessories: Aqua Painter, Coluzzle, Big Shot, Scallops #2 die, Chit Chat rub-ons, Basic Black grosgrain ribbon, black and white gingham ribbon, Vintage brads, Mat Pack, paper piercer

Monday, March 16, 2009

He who has the most tools...

Happy Monday! I had a great weekend with lots of fun with my family. The weather has been wonderful - we even had a bonfire and roasted marshmallows. I am SO ready for spring.

I demo'd this card at a workshop on Saturday. I love this set - it is just perfect for masculine cards, or cards for the handy woman in your life (my in-laws are all tool-oriented, unlike me).
My favorite part of this card is how I made the tools look like they are on notebook paper on a clipboard - too fun! :)

Stamps: Totally Tool
Paper: Bordering Blue, Sahara Sand, Basic Black, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black, Basic Gray, Sahara Sand, Bordering Blue, Real Red, Yo-Yo Yellow
Accessories: Clips Assortment, Spiral punch, Big Shot, Texturz Plates Kit #4

Friday, March 13, 2009

Egg-cellent Easter Card

The Lazyboy got the better of me yet again. I didn't get around to stamping last night, but I did get a chance to chat with my honey, which doesn't seem to happen as often as I would like, so it was certainly time well spent.

This is a card that I demonstrated at a workshop last weekend. The workshop attendees were pretty seasoned stampers, and I was trying to come up with a "WOW!" project for them. They all loved it! :) You can find a tutorial on Splitcoast on how make these Free Standing Pop-Up Cards. The coolest part is, they fold up nice and flat for easy mailing!


Stamps: A Good Egg, Polka Dot
Paper: Pretty In Pink, Whisper White, So Saffron
Ink: Black Staz-On, Regal Rose, Certainly Celery, So Saffron, Pumpkin Pie marker
Accessories: paper cutter with scoring and cutting blades, Jumbo Eyelet, Crop-A-Dile, Scallop punch, corner rounder, Pretty In Pink striped grosgrain ribbon, Word Window punch, crochet thread, 1/16" hole punch

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Raspberry Thanks a Bunch

I intended to do a little stamping last night, but alas, I fell asleep sitting in the Lazyboy before I could even get a *tiny* bit of motivation. So, today I will share another card from Saturday's 10 Cards for $10. I got the idea for this card from Nancy Riley and her wonderful blog, iSTAMP.

I love how quick and simple this card is - perfect for just about any occasion. Plus, the colors are fun and bright - anyone else ready for warm, spring weather?

Hopefully I will have something fun and new to share with you tomorrow. I would like to try this week's sketch challenge over at Splitcoast and possibly combine it with Kristina Werner's color challenge. I may be attempting to overexert myself, but I'll give it a shot! :)

Stamps: A Little Somethin'
Paper: Regal Rose, Kiwi Kiss, Whisper White, Raspberry Tart dsp
Ink: Rose Red
Accessories: Flower Fusion, Rhinestone Brad, 1 3/4" circle punch, Big Shot, Scallop Circles #2 die, Regal Rose wide grosgrain ribbon, Eyelet Border punch

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Mojo Monday Sketch #77

Another week, another Mojo sketch. I love these things - they are addicting! :) I didn't get to play last week, so I'm glad I had a chance to stamp last night. The TV was on the fritz (we don't have cable and the wind was blowing something fierce, which messes with the digital signal) so I decided to do a little stamping.

This is the sketch for the week from the Mojo Monday blog.


And here's my card:

I made this card for my dad - his birthday is tomorrow. I always giggle a little when I make him a card because he is color blind! I know that he appreciates the cards I make, but he has a very hard time interpreting all the colors correctly. Happy birthday, Dad! :)

Stamps: Starring You
Paper: Very Vanilla, Pacific Point, Kiwi Kiss, Muirfield dsp (retired), Pacific Point dsp
Ink: Pacific Point, Kiwi Kiss
Accessories: 1 1/2" circle punch, 1 3/4" circle punch, Big Shot, Scallops #2 die, Circle Designer Brads, Mat Pack, piercing tool

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Cheers and Congrats

This is another one of our cards from Saturday's 10 for $10. I thought this was a really fun one! I'm choosing to post this card today because I could use something bright and cheery after all this rain and cloudy weather we've had for the past several days!

I used a Real Red brad to make the little cherry 3-D and I added some Crystal Effects to the drink to give it a little shine. The Congrats set was a nice one to use on this card, as you have a wide variety of phrases to choose from to put on the inside.

Stamps: Tart n' Tangy, Cheers to You, Congrats
Paper: Pumpkin Pie, So Saffron, Bashful Blue, Whisper White, Washington Apple dsp
Ink: Black Staz-On, Pumpkin Pie, So Saffron, Bashful Blue
Accessories: Real Red brad, So Saffron striped grosgrain ribbon, Crystal Effects, Scallop Square punch

Monday, March 9, 2009

Tool Time Birthday

A quick and fun masculine card - perfect for a birthday or even Father's Day. We made this card at Saturday's 10 Cards for $10. I case'd this from a card I saw on Splitcoast, which you can view here.

This is such a fun set, called Totally Tool. I actually double-mounted the stamps and phrases, so that I could have a little more flexibility with stamping the images.

Stamps: Totally Tool, Think Happy Thoughts
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Real Red, Very Vanilla, Close to Cocoa, Bella Rose dsp
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Accessories: 1 1/4" circle punch, 1 3/8" circle punch, Jumbo Eyelets (Pewter), Crop-A-Dile, Real Red wide grosgrain ribbon

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Sweet Sunday Sketch #7

My friend and fellow stamper Emily told me about Karen Giron's awesome blog, The Sweetest Thing, and her weekly sketch challenge. I decided to give it a try, since I needed to make another baby card.
Here is the original sketch, posted on Karen's blog:

This is my take:

I messed around with the layout just a tad - I flipped the sketch around and I placed my scallops on the edge of the card instead of one of the layers on the card front. I'm looking forward to seeing what the other challenge participants came up with!

I quickly finished this card this morning - we've had a lot going on at our house. My daughter is in the process of going through binky withdrawal (aka pacifier) and my son woke up with an upset stomach at 6am. I think it may be a long day!

Stamps: Nursery Necessities
Paper: Gable Green, Green Galore, Whisper White, Rainbow Sherbet dsp
Ink: Tempting Turquoise, Green Galore
Accessories: Fresh Favorites I buttons, 2" circle punch, Word Window punch, Big Shot, Scallops #2 die, Coluzzle

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Hello Little Baby

A sweet little card for a sweet little baby. :) My friend (and fellow demo) Jessi just had her first baby, a little boy named Noah. I'm excited to meet him, and of course I had to make a card! This was a quick and simple card to make and I had some fun with those cute little duckies.


Stamps: Goody Goody Gumdrops, Sweet Little Sentiments
Paper: Bashful Blue, Whisper White, So Saffron, Delicate Dots dsp
Ink: Basic Gray, Bashful Blue, So Saffron marker, Pumpkin Pie Marker, Bashful Blue marker
Accessories: 3/4" square punch, So Saffron striped grosgrain ribbon, Curly Label punch, Mat Pack, piercing tool

Monday, March 2, 2009

Field of Clover

Happy Monday! I wanted to make a St. Patrick's Day card and was shocked to discover I don't actually own any St. Patrick's Day sets! Surprised? So was I! I did manage to find this clover from the Holiday Blitz set and the "lucky" definition from the Define Your life set. It's a relatively simple card, but a little putzy with the details. :)

I do like the look of all those different greens together - Mellow Moss, Always Artichoke and Old Olive. I used Sahara Sand for the card base and LOTS of gold brads for accents on the clovers.

Stamps: Holiday Blitz, Define Your Life
Paper: Sahara Sand, Whisper White, Mellow Moss, Always Artichoke, Old Olive
Ink: Mellow Moss, Always Artichoke, Old Olive
Accessories: Mat Pack, paper piercer, gold brads, Always Artichoke grosgrain ribbon, 3/4" circle punch, 1" circle punch