You Are Wonderful!

 The SU Idea Book and Catalog is wonderful too!  It's full of inspiring cards and project samples.   This card is based on a card found on page 46 of the the 09-10 catalog.  The color combo for my version came from the polka dotted DSP from the Ski Slope package. 

What a fun time I am having this summer CASEing cards from my shelves of catalogs and stamping magazines!  Each time I go through the publications I find different cards that catch my eye and get my creative juices flowing.  I jot down notes to myself on post-its and then stick them near the edges of the pages so I can find them again when I am ready to stamp.  So many ideas, so little time!

You Are Wonderful!:
Stamps:  Around the Block, Three Little Words
Paper:  Baja Breeze, Real Red, Old Olive, Whisper White, SU DSP: Ski Slope
Ink:  Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip
Misc:  Corduroy button, dimensionals, piercing tool/template, ribbon
Off to stamp some more!

Party Time Tuesday Challenge #5!

Well it's Tuesday, so that can only mean one thing...it's time to party!   The theme this week is...Anything Goes!  You can make any type of birthday card, just remember to put a birthday greeting on the front of your card!   Then post a link to your card on the Party Time Tuesdays Challenge Blog!  Looking forward to seeing what you create this week!

Be sure and check out what the design team came up with for Challenge #5!  You won't be disappointed!

PTTC#5:

Stamps:  Circle of Friendship
Paper:  So Saffron, Whisper White, Cool Caribbean, SU Simply Scrappin' Kit
Ink:  Chocolate Chip
Misc:  rhinestones, metal photo corners, circle punches, dimensionals
Off to stamp some more!

Double Pocket Bag

Today I had planned on posting another card that I CASEd from an SU catalog,... BUT THEN... I saw this awesome double pocket bag idea and just had to make my own!

 Flowerbug's step by step tutorial made it so easy to make!  I'm sure I'll be making more soon!

This is the front of my bag.  I used the SU Horizontal Slot punch to make two holes to thread my ribbon through both layers in the top portion of the bag.

I added the scallop border to the edges, and a scalloped medallion to front center.

This photo shows the backside of the bag with a card in the pocket.  At the top I placed a snippet of ribbon and tied it on to the backside of the front ribbon with linen thread, then threaded the ends through the holes of a corduroy button and tied a bow.  This just gives the backside a finishing touch as well.  You could also add another bow to the backside.

Here is one of the cards I made to go into the pockets of the bag.  Although both of my cards are alike, you could go all out and make two different cards!  I believe this bag could hold more than two cards/envelopes as well.

Double Pocket  Bag and Cards:

Stamps:  Vintage Labels
Paper:  SU DSP: Sweet Pea, PTI white, So Saffron, Pretty in Pink
Ink:  Chocolate Chip
Misc:  ribbon, rub ons, pearls, linen thread, corduroy button, dimensionals, scallop edge punch, scallop circle punch, 1" circle punch, horizontal slot punch
Off to stamp some more!

Friends Never Fade

 In the Yahoo group, Card Connection, I am in a sketch swap this month.  This is the pocket card I am sending to my partner.  Inside the pocket is a tag/bookmark and the portion you cannot see is a large flourish image stamped in black.

The row of posies is from a border punch, which I used on three different colors of card stock.  Then I snipped the individual posies off and glued them on one intact border forming a pattern of colors.  The strip was easily manipulated and formed into place.  Rhinestones were added to the centers.

The flower on the tag was stamped twice and some of the petals were then added on with foam tape.  Rhinestones were added to the flower center to add some some sparkle and highlight the depth.




Friends Never Fade:
Stamps:  Friends Never Fade, flourish (unknown)
Paper:  PTI ivory, Rose Red, Perfect Plum
Ink:  White Craft, black
Misc:  bookmark, border punch, rhinestones, ribbon, linen thread, dimensionals, Cuttlebug: Divine Swirls
Off to stamp some more!

Because I Care

You will find the inspiration for this card on page 215 of the 10-11 SU catalog!  I already had these butterflies left over from previous cards, so it was just a matter of finding the perfect layout for the extra pieces!

On the original design there are several rows of stitching, but I wasn't up for that at the time, so I substituted a wavy stamped image. 

Because I Care:
Stamps:  Best Yet, Just Like You
Paper:  So Saffron, Soft Suede, Cherry cobbler, Wild Wasabi, Baja Breeze, Regal Rose, Whisper White
Ink:  Soft Suede, White Craft
Misc:  Embosslit: Beautiful wings, rhinestones
Off to stamp some more!

Bloom

 If this card looks familiar to you, it's because you can see that I CASEd it from page 101 of the 09-10 SU catalog.  Very few changes were made to the original card, because I liked it the way it was!  LOL!

Bloom:
Stamps:  Bella's Bloom, Matchbox Messages
Paper:  PTI ivory, Apricot appeal, Soft Suede, Very Vanilla
Ink:  Cameo Coral, Soft Suede
Misc:  SU TIF: Perfect Polka Dots, button, linen thread, dimensionals
Off to stamp some more!

Great Friend

 This CAS  card is one I recently CASEd from the 09-10 SU catalog, specifically page 107.  I made a few changes: color combo, adding ribbon, etc.  See details for specifics.

Great Friend:
Stamps:  Great Friend
Paper:  Wild Wasabi, So Saffron, Whisper White
Ink:  Marina Mist, Wild Wasabi
Misc:  ribbon, brads, rhinestones, scrapper's floss, dimensionals

Off to stamp some more!

Butterfly Circus

This sketch is almost a mirror image of yesterdays, but this one comes from a Yahoo group that is one of my favorites: Crafty Card Creators.   Hope my swap partner will like it!

Butterfly Circus:
Stamps:  Circle Circus
Paper:  So Safffron, Whisper White, SU DSP: Sweet Pea
Ink:  Bermuda Bay, Taken, With Teal, Tempting Turquoise
Misc:  SU Embosslit: Beautiful Wings, punches, ribbon, rhinestones, dimensionals
Off to stamp some more!

Of The Earth

 The inspiration for today's card came from Sketch and Stash, a challenge blog, which I just recently discovered.  I searched my image notebook to find a stamp set that had a small square image and came upon Of The Earth.  After choosing the stamp set, I knew I wanted the birds to be stamped in blue ink, on blue cardstock.  The other colors were chosen with the help of the new SU Color Coach.

Once, the stamps, colors, and papers were chosen, the card came together very quickly!

Of The Earth:
Stamps:  Of The Earth Paper:  PTI white, Not Quite Navy, Baja Breeze, Cajun Craze, Tangerine tango, Whisper White
Ink:  Not Quite Navy, Cajun Craze
Misc:  ribbon, linen thread, dimensionals, Nesties:ovals
Off to stamp some more!

Tangled Up In Creativty Challenge

 Today is the day to reveal the new challenge for Tangled Up In Creativity!  Are you ready?  With the 4th of July just around the corner, I thought a color combo challenge would be appropriate.  Therefore, your challenge is to create a card using Red/White/and Blue!  It does not necessarily have to be a patriotic themed card, but you do need to use red/white/and blue as your main colors.

When your card is completed link it up to Mr. Linky at the bottom of this post.  I am extending this challenge to anyone who would like to play along with us!  Have fun with this challenge ladies!

This challenge will run from June 22- June 28.  A poll will be posted on June 29th and you will have until July 1st to vote for your favorite card.  The winner will be announced on July 2nd!

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with!

My card is based on the weekly sketch from Card Patterns #69.
Stamps:  Send a Celebration
Paper:  Brilliant Blue, Whisper White, Riding Hood Red, Vellum
Ink:  Black StazOn
Misc:  bling, corduroy brads, fabric brads, jumbo brads, SU TIF: Perfect Polka Dots, Sizzix star die (green)

Off to stamp some more!

Party Time Tuesday #4

 Challenge #4 for Party Time Tuesdays is to make a Red/White/and Blue birthday card!  Have fun with this color combo and as required make sure your card has a birthday greeting on the front of your card.  Please party with us, won't you!?!

PTT#4:
Stamps:  Alphabet Soup
Paper:  PTI white, Whisper White, Rose Red, Brilliant Blue
Ink:  Brilliant Blue
Misc:  Cuttlebug EF: Seeing Spots, Winter Wonderland, Nesties: Classic Circles Large,stitched ribbon, fabric brads
Off to stamp some more!

Bloom With Happiness

I've spent quite a bit of time lately looking through the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 SU catalogs.  I was looking for some inspiration aka find some cards and/or projects to CASE.   After many blissful hours in my stamp room over the last several days, I now have a good sized stash of cards to show off on my blog in between card sketches and color challenges! 

My first CASEd card to show you is from the 2009-2010 catalog, inspired from a card on page138.

Bloom With Happiness:
Stamps:  Looks Like Spring, Fifth Avenue Floral, Blooming With Happiness
Paper:  Pink Pirouette, Old olive, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White
Ink:  Pretty in Pink, Old Olive
Misc:   Sweet Pea Felt Flowers/Leaves, piercing tool/template
Off to stamp some more!

Fabulous Friend

Card Pattern #68 was used to design this card.  I chose some DSP that had a large printed image on it and then used that portion for my two background pieces.  Unfortunately most of the image was covered up!

The colors are slightly off in this photo.  The large scallop piece is Perfect Plum, but it looks too bright in this photo.  Sheesh!

Anyway, this was a fun card to make.  I'll be using this layout again as it works so well for those pieces of DSP with a large image printed off to the side or in one corner.  I usually trim around those printed images, but now I have a beautiful way to put them to use!


Fabulous Friend:
Stamps:  Oval All, vintage Labels
Paper:  Perfect Plum, Crumb Cake, Pale Plum, Very Vanilla, DSP: Enchante
Ink:  Crumb Cake, marker: Perfect Plum
Misc:  satin ribbon, fabric flowers, rhinestone brads, rhinestones, oval punches, scallop oval punch, Bordabilities, dimensionals
Off to stamp some more!

You Make Me Happy

 This card was inspired by one made by Artistic Avenger.  I follow her blog through Google Reader, like I do so many other stamping blogs.  When I saw her card I immediately drew out a quick sketch with some notes and went downstairs to make my version. 
(And I actually remembered to write down the blog where I saw the idea!  I'm really trying to get better about remembering to do that!)

My card follows her sketch pretty closely except for...!  Well you can see the changes I made from the inspiration piece.

And Hooray!, I made a dent in my stamp room!  I used  some older DSP, soon to be retiring SU cardstock, ribbon that I've had for ages, clear buttons that I've been hoarding, and also a metal frame that I've had for a very long time!  Now looking at my stamp room, you wouldn't notice the dent I made in my stash of supplies, but I know the dent is there, however small it is!

You Make Me Happy:
Stamps:  Boho Backgrounds
Paper:  Blush Blossom, Whisper White, Close To Cocoa, SU DSP: Petal Patch
Ink:  Close To Cocoa marker
Misc:  brads, clear button, dimensionals, metal frame, ribbon, 
circle punch, Scallop Edge punch, Top Note Die


Off to stamp some more!

MTSC77

 I made this card awhile ago when I was on a kick to use up my stash of pressed flower epoxy stickers.  Which, BTW, are still not depleted!  I purchased too many packages a long while ago from the clearance section of Wal-Mart and then tucked them away, until this summer.

So anyway, I didn't post this card at the same time as the others because I was getting sick of them and was sure you would be too!  But now I'm using this one as my post for the end of the week.  The sketch is an older one from
Lord Have Mercy, and I am too late to get my card linked to her post. 

 There are so many fun sketches and challenges out there and while I do many of them I don't always get them posted right away.  I try to post once a day and not more often than that, so I can spread my creations out, but then often find I have missed an opportunity to link up to the challenge sites.  I'm just happy that I find so much inspiration to keep me excited about stamping!


MTSC77:
Paper:  patterned and textured paper from Club Scrap
Misc:  pressed flower sticker, crushed velvet rick rack, Nesties scalloped circle

Off to stamp some more!

Another Smile for You

 My last few posts have been giggles, happiness, parties, beauty and smiles.  Can you tell I am enjoying my summer break so far!?!  LOL!

I can't remember who I CASEd this card from, but I saw something similar in blogland recently and drew a quick sketch of it.

I chose this DSP because the pattern matched the shape of the felt flowers I had stashed away.  Then because the almost completed card was just what I was going for, I used "smile" as my sentiment for this one too!

 Another Smile For You :
Stamps:  Simple Sayings II
Paper:  PTI white, Old olive, Real Red, SU DSP: Ski Slope
Ink:  black
Misc:  felt flowers, rhinestone brads, ribbon, Modern Label Punch

Off to stamp some more!

Giggle

I chose to use the word "giggle"  sentiment for this card because of the bright primary colors.  It reminds me of the delight my children had catching and collecting "bugs" when they were young.


Except for Real Red, every other color used on this bright and cheerful card is retiring from SU's color line up.  (That does not make me giggle, but I am loving the colors we will be working with, so all is not sad!)

Some details to note on this card are:
The Glorious Green layer was embossed with the SU TIF: Perfect Polka Dots, the white layer was embossed with Cuttlebug's: Seeing Spots EF, and "giggle" was stamped twice; once in Glorious Green and a second time in Summer Sun.  The rest is pretty straight forward.

giggle:
Stamps:  Warm Words, Garden Whimsy
Paper:  PTI white, Brilliant Blue, summer Sun, Real Red, Glorious Green, Whisper White
Ink:  Real Red, Glorious Green, Summer Sun
Misc:  oval punches, oval scallop punch, SU TIF: Perfect Polka Dots, Cuttlebug EF: Seeing Spots, dimensionals
Off to stamp some more!

Happy Everything!

 Isn't this a fun sketch!?!  DSP from SU makes it so easy to find coordinating colors and patterns all in one paper pack!  I chose the sentiment Happy Everything because  this colorful card can celebrate just about any happy occasion!

The sketch comes to us from Handstamped From The Heart; a Sunny Sunday Sketch!  Looking back, I guess my card looks almost exactly like Christyne's!  Oops!  Totally unintentional, sorry about that!

happy everything:
Stamps:  Happy Everything
Paper:   Rose Red , Whisper White, Taken With Teal, Pumpkin Pie, SU DSP: Bali Breeze
Ink:  Pumpkin Pie, Taken With Teal
Misc: rhinestones, dimensionals
Off to stamp some more!

Let's Party!

It's time for another Birthday Card Challenge over at Party Time Tuesdays! The theme for this week is...Anything Goes!  That means you pick whatever theme, color combo, and anything else you want to do!   Just be sure to have a birthday greeting stamped on the front of your card!  Easy peasy!  Come and join us, won't you!?!

 I started out my card by choosing the embellishment first!   I so wanted to use this lovely flower on a card!  Then I decided on  some ribbon to nestle the flower into. Next I chose the greeting and frame images, and then finally searched for some DSP to tie it all together.  Well that was easy because this paper was still in a pile on the floor by my table!  Finally I began to put all the components together (or as my cyber friend Leslie would say "parts is parts", she cracks me up that Leslie!)

The final result is what you see here; a multi-layered, embellished, 5 inch square card! 

Let's Party!:
Stamps:  Vintage Labels
Paper:  PTI white, So Saffron, SU DSP: Delicate Dots, Whisper White
Ink:  Black
Misc:  Oval punch, Layer Ease, ribbon, Shimmer flower, rhinestones
Off to stamp some more!

Vintage Bella

This is another card I was able to put together quickly because the DSP was already stacked in a pile on the floor next to my table.  Sometimes it pays not clean up after yourself, especially when you're stamping!  LOL!

The layout for this card is one that I will be putting in my "go to" folder.  It is so versatile and makes for a quick card!

Vintage Bella:

Stamps:  Vintage Vogue
Paper:  PTI white, Kiwi Kiss, Pink Pirouette, SU DSP: Bella Rose
Ink:  Riding Hood Red, Pink Pirouette
Misc:  rhinestones, SU TIF: Perfect Polka Dots

Off to stamp some more!

Smile

I'm in a swap where we are to only use supplies from our favorite stamp company.   As you know there are a ton of wonderful stamp companies out there, but my favorite is SU and has been for a long time.  I love the quality of their stamps, papers and embellishments.  But one of my favorite things is that everything works so well together.

Since I discovered SU many years ago and love their stamps, I rarely get rid of retired stamp sets (or other supplies).  And when I do, I kick myself very hard later on - ouch!

Hope this cards makes you...

Smile:
Stamps:  Stipple Celebrations, Wonderful Words II
Paper:  Real Red, Green Galore, Lovely Lilac, Whisper White
Ink:  Pale Plum,  Lovely Lilac, Green Galore, Real Red, Basic Black
Misc:  gingham ribbon
Off to stamp some more!

Beautiful Butterfly

This is my second post today!  Very unusual for me, but I was so excited to share this card!   I followed the sketch provided by Stamping 411.

I started with a Pretty in Pink card base and then adhered all of the other layers to the front.  Then I sent the entire front side through the Big Shot with the SU TIF: Elegant Bouquet.  That way all of my layers were embossed together and when added my butterfly could hang out in the non-embossed portion of the card!

The butterfly was cut twice from a Bigz die and the two were glued in the center.  Stitched ribbon was tied around the middle.  Then I added foam tape to the underside of the top butterfly's wings to give them some lift!

The colors for today's card came from the SU DSP: Raspberry Tart.  Doesn't that sound yummy?  Makes me want to go and bake something to eat!  But I won't, because I'd rather be stamping!

Beautiful Butterflies:
Stamps:  Small Script
Paper:  Pretty in Pink, cameo coral, Kiwi Kiss, Rose Red, SU DSP: Raspberry Tart
Ink:  Rose Red
Misc:  Stitched ribbon, Punches: Eyelet Border, Word Window, Modern Label, SU TIF: Elegant Bouquet, Bigz Die: Beautiful Butterflies, rhinestone brads
Off to stamp some more!

Tango Again!

Usually when I am stamping I don't get my supplies put away for awhile.  So when I made this card here, the supplies were at hand to make the card posted today.  Very similar in layout and yet a different sketch was used!

On this card I sent the smaller pieces of DSP through the Big Shot with the SU TIF Perfect Polka Dots.  Very simple change, but it gave the papers some subtle texture.

No ribbon on this card, but the sentiment is also a rub on.

Tango Again!:

Paper:  PTI ivory, SU DSP: Tangerine Tango
MISC:  pressed flower epoxy sticker, rub on, SU TIF: Perfect Polka Dots, Nesties: Oval and Scalloped Oval dies

Off to stamp some more!

Summer Reading

Now that I'm on summer break from school, I can enjoy another one of my favorite pastimes (besides stamping, which is #1!) - reading.
This bookmark is one I made for a swap, but I'm sure I'll get a ton of use out of the one someone will be sending me!

So what's on your reading list?  My anytime favs are cozy mysteries, well mysteries in general, as a matter of fact!  I may re-read the Twilight series, and I just finished book 10 in the Sookie Stackhouse series.  I've been watching the DVD's for Season 1 and 2 of True Blood - loving them!  Wishing I had HBO!

Recently I became a follower of a blog of cozy mystery writers called Killer Hobbies, so I hope to connect with some of those books at the public library.  These are authors who incorporate other hobbies, such as scrapbooking, painting, or knitting, etc. into their mystery stories.  They sound like fun reading!

Let me know if you have any recommendations for my summer reading list and TIA!

Summer Reading:
Stamps:  Sidekick Sayings
                                                  Paper:  PTI white, Simply Sent Kit: Flower power
                                                  Ink:  black, SU markers: Rich Razzleberry, Melon Mambo
                                                  Misc:  large grommet, charm, ribbon, linen thread
Off to stamp some more!