TUIC Challenge!

 

In my SCS blogging group TUIC (Tangled Up in Creativity) challenges are issued every month.  I, of course, waited until the last week to get my act together!  The challenge was to use a gift we received at Christmas as inspiration for a card.  I received a lovely Vera Bradley watch in this lovely matching box.  Those of you who know me well, can guess that I was just as excited about the container as I was about the gift inside!

For my card I wanted to use similar colors and lots of funky flowers, So I pulled the SU set Time Well Spent off the shelf and got out my Copic markers.  It wasn't until I stamped the sentiment that the irony hit me...the gift was a watch, the stamp set I used was Time Well Spent, get it!?!  Too fun!

 I cut some vellum to fit the front panel of the card and then cut/layered the sentiment with Labels 4 Nestabilities.  This piece was then embellished with flower brads.  I am thrilled with how this turned out!
Off to stamp some more!

It's a Color Challenge!

 Aren't these colors pretty?  A touch of Spring in the middle of winter!  This is Challenge #29 from Friday Mashup!

I made three of these cards, only to use up the last bit of this Ginger Blossom DSP pattern.  Well, I also had fun coloring this image with SU markers and "huffing"  too!  (Some days it doesn't take a whole lot to entertain me!)  LOL!

And as is my usual routine, I put the entire card together and then decided to use some Smooch Spritz on the image.  So using lots of post-its to protect the rest of the card, I sprayed a light mist of shimmer on the Hero Arts Real Paintbrush image.  Of course you can't see it in this photo, but trust me it's there and it's beautiful!
Off to stamp some more!

Two Christmas Card Challenges!

 I have two new Christmas cards to share with you today.  Quite appropriate as we are under a winter weather advisory! That means more snow and possibly blowing snow!  (That also means I'm hoping for a...oh, better not jinx it!)

My first card is based on this sketch for the sketch challenge over at jingle belles!

This is a 5.25 square card using Crumb Cake as a base, with a layer of Whisper White and DSP: Christmas Cocoa.

Dasher was stamped on Whisper White with Encore Champagne ink and Chocolate Chip.  The antlers were embellished with rhinestones and rhinestone stars.  dasher was then layered onto Crumb cake and Cherry Cobbler.

Dark red ribbon was added to the top portion of the card and the double looped bow was made with a Bow Easy.  A trio of rhinestone "flakes" were scattered on the DSP.

 My second Christmas card is for the challenge over at Crafty Hazelnut's Challenge Blog!  For Challenge #5, you are to use a Santa on your card.  Now here is a funny: I have 4 drawers of individual Christmas stamps and a whole bookshelf with sets of Christmas stamps, and among all of those stamps I only have three, yes 3, Santa stamps!!!  Choosing one was a little like Goldilocks: one was too big, one was too outdated (even for me to use!) and then there was this one - just right!

I knew I wanted this stamp panel to be black/white/ and red, but with the package of Christmas Cocoa DSP still on my workspace, I found this festive green pattern to add to the mix!

The Santa postage stamp is from the SU set Christmas Punch and the sentiment is from the set called Holiday Collection.

Off to stamp some more!

Bonus Sketch!

 The proportions of my image are way off for Bonus Sketch TG004 at iheartart, but I really wanted to play along, even though my mojo is somewhat lacking today.  I searched high and low for a stamp(s) to use and finally settled on this beautiful, although, over-sized, image from Magenta.

I went through mucho Whisper White paper before getting one good, clear image!  Like I said, my mojo is not hanging out with me today.  I was excited about using my Fancy Tag Shapeabilities with vellum to stamp my Paper Inspirations sentiment on!  And then finding two elaborate pewter brads in my stash was a stroke of luck!

Behind the upper left corner of the image is just a sliver of metallic pewter paper to give a subtle hint of sparkle. I couldn't use a larger piece because, well you know, the size of the image, and I obviously seem to be incapable of thinking to make my card larger than A2!

Cherry Cobbler card stock and ink give a splash of color to the impressive black and white image!


Off to stamp some more!

4 You

Once again I have a card to share that was "inspired" by one in an issue of cards.  Page 39 in the Feb. '08 issue to be exact.  I save several year's worth of back issues and love going through them, because cards pop out at me, that might not have caught my eye at another time.

4 You:

Stamps:  Tiny Tags
Paper:  Pink Pirouette, Real Red, Whisper White, vellum
Ink:  black, Real Red
Misc:   heart punch, tiny tag punch, brads, velvet rick rack, Scrapper's Floss

Off to stamp some more!

Bloom With Happiness

 We've had a January "thaw" the last couple of days and I had thoughts of spring on my mind when I put this card together.  By thaw, I'm talking temps in the lower 30's!  LOL!  Sounds like next week we will be back to MN winter temps - pooh!

But at least I have this card to comfort me!

Bloom With Happiness:
Stamps: SU: Doodle That,  Blooming With Happiness
Paper:  PTI white, SU: old olive, DSP: Holiday Treasures
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, SU markers, Copics
Misc:  Martha Stewart labels, Pewter Hodgepodge Hardware ribbon slide, velvet ribbon
Off to stamp some more!

F is for Friends

 Vintage Vogue (SU) is one of my favorite sets and I just don't use it often enough!  So last weekend I pulled it out and paired it with some paper from the SU DSP Sending Love pack.  Other colors used are PTI ivory and SU Cherry Cobbler.

Other supplies used:
Ink:  Cherry Cobbler
Misc:  Cuttlebug EF: Swiss Dots, scallop border punch, Nestabilities scallop rectangles, brads, ribbon, dimensionals
Off to stamp some more!

hi

 This fun, simple little card was inspired by a card on page 71 in the Feb. 2010 issue of cards!  There isn't any stamping on this sweet thing, just rub ons for the image with rhinestones and rhinestone brads for the sparkle!

The letters are from a package of Thickers, with the "i" dotted with a rhinestone brad.

hi:
Paper:  PTI white, Chocolate Chip, SU DSP: Sweet Always
Misc:  rhinestone brads, rhinestones, rick rack, border punch
Off to stamp some more!

Fresh Cuts

 Time for a CASE.  You knew it was going to happen sooner or later!  This card was inspired by one in the February 2010 issue of cards, page 51.  I changed very little, but then why mess with perfection!

Fresh Cuts:
Stamps:   Fresh Cuts, Tiny Tags
Paper:  Gina K Pure Luxury ivory, SU: Cherry Cobbler, Chocolate Chip
Ink:  Cherry Cobbler, Chocolate Chip
Misc:  buttons, Fleurettes, ribbon, rub ons, safety pin, tiny tag punch

Off to stamp some more!

I fancy you

The new challenge over at the Stamps R Us Challenge blog is to use an animal on your card.  Head on over (click on the link above) to read all about the exciting details!

For my card I created a little 3D scene on this metal edged cork tag!  These have been in my stash for years and decided it was time to put one to use!  

I love how everything fell into place for this card, from the images, sentiment, and embellishments to the layout!  It puts a smile in my heart every time I look at it!  Hmmm, I'm thinking I better take it to work with me and put it on my desk!


I fancy you:
Stamps:  Love Bandit
Paper:  PTI white, Rose Red, Garden Green
Ink:  Garden Green, Chocolate Chip, Certainly Celery (SU marker) 
Misc:  metal edge cork tag, stickers, wiggle eyes, dimensionals  

Off to stamp some more!

A Two Hour Late Start...

...and look what I made!

We have a two hour late start for school today due to blowing winds yesterday and last night.  Woohoo!  Of course I got up at my usual time and got right to this sketch by iheartart.   I only recently discovered her blog and her Sketchy Sunday Challenges, but I so look forward to them!   This is the third one I have done and it's her third sketch, so we're in sync here!

I have Valentine cards on my mind, so that is the theme I went with.  Now I knew last night the stamp I wanted to use, but that was all. I literally planned this card in my head as I was going down the stairs to my stamp room!  Seriously!  How often does that happen?  Not often!   But I was able to head right to my supplies and gather what I needed to begin, stamp, and put it all together!  (Okay, there was a small detail that I put in place after the card was completed!  The "Love" charm was carefully attached with a brad  just before calling it a done deal!)

TG003:
Stamps:  Paper Inspiration, Impress
Paper:  PTI white, black, Riding Hood Red, SU DSP: Night and Day, vellum
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Riding Hood Red
Misc:  brads, charm, dimensionals, scallop circle punch

Off to stamp some more!

Another Challenge, Another Christmas Card!

This one is over at Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge blog!    It's Challenge #4: Let's see some bling!

Before beginning my challenge card, I went through my many opened (and long ago, retired) packages of holiday themed DSP, and chose this from SU called Holiday Lounge.  I was drawn to the "string of baubles" which I knew I could enhance with bling!

Then I looked through my binder of holiday images and chose this SU set called Delightful Decorations, as I knew they could be blinged up (blung?) as well!  Bermuda Bay and Ruby Red are the colors of ink used.  The card base is Sahara Sand.

Velvet ribbon helps to connect the top part of the card to the lower part, and silver cord adds some whimsy to the punched out ornaments.

Gee, I thought making my Christmas cards in the summer was an early start, but this is even better!
Off to stamp some more!

A Jingle Belles Challenge

JB04 from  jingle belles is a color challenge and what a challenge!  Lime Green and two shades of pink are on the menu of colors for this week's Christmas cards.

I was really challenged by this color combo, but I think I may have mastered it in the end!  It was the lime green that threw me for a loop!  Any other green and it wouldn't have been such a challenge for me!

So this is what I did:  I stamped the ornament image from SU's Crazy For Christmas and colored the images in shades of pink with SU markers. (pink: check!)  I then coated them with Crystal Effects and sprinkled on some glitter before the CE dried.
after the CE was dry I used lime green embroidery floss with a needle and "sewed" on the ornament hangers. (lime green: check!)  I took some extra floss and tied several tiny bows to add to the tops of some of the ornaments.  These were glued in place with small dots of CE.

I layered the completed image onto Gable Green card stock and then mounted this panel onto a white panel that was embossed with the Divine Swirls embossing folder.  Before attaching this to a white card base, I added a layer of Rose Red card stock.

Off to stamp some more!

#28 is For The Birds

 The challenge this week for Friday Mashup is to feature birds on your card.   Hmmm, should I go with a back to nature look , punched birds, or what?

 I went with a whimsical look on my card this time.  It gave me the perfect opportunity to use these adorable bird brads! 

 My CAS card started out with a PTI white card base followed by a Pacific Point layer and then another white layer.  The image is SU from the set It's a Stretch.  The image was colored with Copics and layered onto Pacific Point and tied with Baker's Twine.  A length of ribbon was layered onto white and then three bird brads were added.  Clean, crisp, quick, and cute!


Off to stamp some more!

Embossing Folder Tricks!

 

Okay, so that's not the real name of this technique, but I don't know what it's called!  However the result is totally fun and amazing!   I took a card stock layer and glued on some heart shaped punchies.  Then I ran the piece through the Big Shot with the SU embossing folder: Square Lattice and...ta-da!  The hearts now look like they were always part of the white paper!  they have totlly blended into the white card stock!  Fun and amazing!

Off to stamp some more!

Steamy!

Look very closely at this card.   Can you see it?  Right above the mugs and coffee cups.  Do you see the steam?  LOL!  It's been stamped on vellum to look like soft swirls of steam!  I'm positively giddy about this fun little detail!  I saw on a card where someone cut or punched a small flourish from vellum for their steam, but I didn't have anything like that in my arsenal, so I did the next best thing and stamped the coffee steam image right onto the vellum.

Another detail that has me doing the happy dance are the three tiny tags on the bitty library clip!  Too cute!

Steamy!:
Stamps:   Espress Yourself, Itty Bitty Bits
Paper:  Baja Breeze, SU DSP: Sweet Slumber, vellum
Ink:   Chocolate Chip( why didn't I think to use Early Espresso? Doh!), Crumb Cake
Misc:   ribbon, Baker's Twine, library clip, tiny tag punch
Off to stamp some more!

Just Believe

My card for today uses some of the same colors and papers as yesterday's card.  I just love how feminine looking this one turned out.  I also loved using this classic sketch, as it lends itself to using several patterns of DSP.

Just Believe:
Stamps:   Just Believe
Paper:  PTI ivory, SU Perfect Plum,  SU DSP: Enchante
Ink:  Perfect Plum
Misc:   ribbon, pearls, dimensionals
Off to stamp some more!

Another Sketchy Sunday Sketch!

 

Tiffany offered up another great sketch on her blog iheartart!  And  I am so glad she did!  This was a fun card sketch to work with. I had been thinking about and planning this card since Sunday night and I loved how it turned out!










I paired the sketch with a color theme that I will need for a swap coming due soon.  I hope the recipient likes it!

The image was stamped with white craft ink onto Perfect Plum card stock.  Then the image was inked up with Perfect Plum dye ink and stamped a second time just slightly off from the original placement.  This oval was then layered onto a Close to Cocoa scalloped oval.  Pearls were added to the scallops to pretty it up and to the Close to Cocoa flourishes in the lower corners.


TG002:
Stamps:   Garden Silhouettes
Paper:   PTI ivory, Perfect Plum, Close to Cocoa, SU DSP: Enchante
Ink:   Perfect Plum, White Craft
Misc:   pearls, Cuttlebug EF: Script, Shapeabilities: Fanciful Holiday,  Nestabilities: Ovals and Scallop Ovals, dimensionals

Off to stamp some more!

Happy Hellos

This card was so much fun to make, that I made two of them!  It's just an all-around happy card!

Happy Hellos:
Stamps:  Lots of Thoughts
Paper:  PTI white, Chocolate Chip, SU DSP's: Good Morning Sunshine and Sweet Pea
Ink:  Chocolate Chip
Misc:   ribbon, brads, scallop punches, dimensionals

Off to stamp some more!

Two-fer friends

How about some color to brighten things up around here!?!

These two cards came about in my continuing quest to use what I already have on hand.  So I paired some felt embellishments from K&Company with some SU DSP from an old Flower Power card kit.  (Do you remember this oldie, but goodie Leslie?  Maybe you even have some in your stash?)

Both cards were made in a similar fashion.  The DSP was layered onto card stock (Old Olive on one and Rose Red on the other), then an oval punch was used  in the lower corners.  This piece was then mounted onto a PTI white card base using dimensionals.  A scrap piece of colored card stock stamped with the word "friends" from the SU set Just Believe was slipped in behind the oval cut out before mounting, as was some ribbon.

Score board:  Card stash: +2  cards
                         Supplies:  -card stock, -DSP, -embellishments

And we have a winner!  2 cards!  Woohoo!
Off to stamp some more!