A classic ...

I'm nearing the end of my VSN creations! Good thing I've had these to share here, since I've been busy this weekend decorating for the holidays and working on 48 Christmas cards. I'm assembly-lining them to get them done, it goes fast but it is not my favorite way to stamp. If I need more cards after that I will have to mix it up a bit and try some different designs and images!
Anyway, back to the card at hand. My friend Jacqueline challenged us to make a masculine card with at least two feminine touches, a la La Cage Aux Follies. I added ribbons and a touch of glitter to this birthday card. I love this set, Classic Convertibles. It is my old reliable as far as masculine cards are concerned!
Supplies:
Stamps: Classic Convertibles, Birthday whimsy
Ink: ballet blue, real red
Paper: ballet blue, real red, misc. dp from the scrap pile, neenah classic crest white
Accessories: stickles, ribbon, word window punch, eyelet

Red Kettle Campaign

The giving season is upon us, so I've set up an online Red Kettle to help collect donations for The Salvation Army. For a variety of reasons, the Red Kettles we all used to see at the malls and shopping centers are few and far between these days. But the Salvation Army still needs our help. If you'd like to help fill my kettle, I'd appreciate it! All you have to do is click on the kettle to donate. Donations go directly to the Salvation Army and you can direct your donation to the branch in your area! I'll keep this post near the top of my blog til after the holidays. Thanks for giving!

Thanks to Joyclynn!

My sweet friend Joyclynn nominated me for a Kreativ Blogger award! Thank you Joyclynn, that was so kind of you! Joyclynn is a very talented stamper and another recipient of this award. You can check her work out on her blog: Paper ... Scissors ... ROCK!
I know I am supposed to pass this award on, but I think this one has reached most of my blogging friends. Anyone who hasn't received it, please consider yourself awarded! There is so much inspiration on the Internet and I love blog browsing through everyone's work!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you're all having a wonderful holiday with your family and friends! I am thankful this year for so many things: my family and friends, my health, having a job in this tough economy, even stamping and blogging and the friends I've made through both. Thank you for visiting me and sharing my crafting with me!
Today's card is another variation of yesterday's using the Nestabilities Label One dies, my favorite Rosie's Roadshow sentiment, and Fantastic Foliage. This card was for Andrea's VSN challenge to use lacing on a card. I layered More Mustard patterns designer paper on a piece of white cardstock, then tore both pieces before adding eyelets and twine. This was a fun challenge.
Supplies:
Stamps: Fantastic foliage (SU retired), Rosie's Roadshow sentiment
Ink: More mustard, chocolate chip
Paper: chocolate chip, more mustard patterns, neenah classic crest white
Accessories: Nestabilities Labels One, hemp twine, eyelets

Autumn is in the air

It's raining today, and it finally feels like autumn! I love autumn, but don't get to experience much of it living here in Southern California. I grew up in the Pacific Northwest and miss the changing of the leaves and the crisp air! This sentiment from Rosie's Roadshow perfectly captures my feelings about fall, and I couldn't resist adding it to my collection when I found it at my local stamp store. I made this card for my VSN secret sister, Kathy, and liked it so much I made a couple more to send for Thanksgiving cards. It was a simple card, but it came together fast with my Nestabilities. It was also a great way to use up more of that Au Chocolate paper!
Supplies:
Stamps: Fantastic Foliage, Rosie's Roadshow sentiment
Ink: Chocolate chip, pumpkin pie
Paper: pumpkin pie, very vanilla, chocolate chip, au chocolat
Accessories: Nestabilities, ribbon

My first Unity

My mom's been in town the last few days for a visit, which has meant no blogging and no stamping! Fortunately, I still have some cards saved up to share! This one features my first order of Unity Stamps. They were having a really good deal a couple of weeks ago, so I had to take advantage. They were giving away the tree to customers who placed their first orders! I love that tree! I haven't had a chance to use it yet, but I will soon! I did have a chance to use some of the stamps for a VSN card. This was for Diane's challenge to make a cameo-like image for your card, with light ink or embossing powder on dark cardstock and an oval shape. I love the simplicity of this card, and I love my Unity stamps. This could be trouble!
Supplies:
Stamps: Gratitude=Joy - Unity Stamp Co.
Ink: Versamark
Paper: mellow moss, always artichoke, neenah classic crest white, artichoke patterns dp
Accessories: CM oval cutter, ribbon, embossing powder

Layered flowers

It's getting harder to find commonality among my VSN cards so I can keep showing them in pairs! Today's pairing features layere flowers! The first card was for Jimmi's challenge to be inspired by images of Moulin Rouge. I chose a Toulouse Latrec (sp?) image and was inspired mostly by the colors. I also thought these CTMH stamps were fitting of Moulin Rouge. The stamps were a gift from my VSN secret sister, Maren. Thanks Maren! After stamping the flower petals, I layered a Heidi Swapp ghost flower and a Prima over the top.
Supplies:
Stamps: CTMH Playful Petals
Ink: Stazon black, real red
Paper: So saffron, real red, basic black
Accessories: suede ribbon, Prima, Heidi Swapp ghost flower, black SU brad
This card was for Kathy's VSN challenge, to use a geometric shape or image as the focal point of your card. I had to pull out my favorite stamp from Smorgasborders to make this image. I stamped the image repeatedly, turning it a couple of times to break up the pattern. I then colored it with my Copic markers, added some layered felt flowers and a little Cuttlebugging.
Supplies:
Stamps: Smorgasborders, sentiment from Upsy Daisy
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, Copic markers
Paper: Kiwi kiss, real red, neenah classic crest solar white, basic black
Accessories: Cuttlebug, Creative Cafe felt flowers, Karen Foster giant brad

au chocolat!

I've been trying really hard to use up scraps and retired designer papers - I love them, but I need to reduce the amount of "stuff" I have, and this is one good way to do it! I've been using quite a bit of Stampin Up's retired Au chocolate designer paper, retired a while back. I love it, but I have quite a few odds and ends of it, so it's time to use it up. To that end, I used it for a couple of VSN challenges over the weekend. The first card is a dahlia fold, which was Caville's challenge. I had never done one of these before, but it really is a pretty effect. Next time, though I will do a better job of fitting all the petals together. I have a gap in this one.
The second card was for Katherine's "Striptease" challenge, to make a card where a piece is removable. I was inspired by a card I had seen on the Hero Arts blog which had a removable bookmark. I changed the layout and used a Nestability die cut card as my bookmark. You can untie the ribbon and remove the whole piece. This was a fun one!
Supplies:
Stamps: Card #1 - CTMH sentiment; #2, Embrace Life (SU)
Ink: Memento rich cocoa, Copic markers
Paper: chocolate chip, vanilla, au chocolat, taken with teal
Accessories: #1 CM circle cutter, Creative cafe brad, ribbon, CB tag die, eyelet
#2 Nestabilities Label One, ribbon, Prima, Karen Foster large brad

Snow swirled VSN

I made several holiday cards during VSN; today's cards both used Snow-swirled, which is quickly becoming a favorite of mine! I am going to assembly-line most of my holiday cards (using this set!) but it never hurts to start making a dent in the list early! The first card was for Paula's challenge to make a shaker card. I used my new Labels One nestabilities to make the shaker window. Inside is a mix of glitter and beads, so it's super sparkly. The only problem with putting the fine glitter in the shaker is static - the acetate is staticky and the glitter sticks to it.
Supplies:
Stamps: Snow swirled
Ink: bashful blue, true thyme
Paper: true thyme, bashful blue, holiday thyme dp (retired), neenah classic crest white
Accessories: nestabilities, beads, glitter, ribbon, making memories snowflake, gem brad
This card is for my friend Denise's challenge, to use an album cover for as inspiration for your card. I flipped through my I-tunes and settled on a OneRepublic album cover. I embossed the tree in versamark, then brayered over it with a spectrum pad. I also added a little Cuttlebugging down one side and finished it with some yummy velvet ribbon.
Supplies:
Stamps: Snow swirled
Ink: brilliant blue, versamark, Tsukineko Serenade blues
Paper: bashful blue, neenah classic crest white
Accessories: ribbon, Cuttlebug, brayer, EP, pearls

All in a row

I have more VSN cards today, and the thing these two have in common is the basic layout and the rows of animals! The first card is for Angie's challenge to use animals and animal embellishments on your card. I had to pull out my favorite Rosie's Roadshow stamp, Willow, and a matching sentiment. I added some paw print ribbon and some brads with paw prints on them.
Supplies:
Stamps: Rosie's Roadshow
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, Copic markers
Paper: tangerine tango, basic black, neenah classic crest white
Accessories: scallop edge punch, brads, ribbon
The second card was for Pat's Chorus Line challenge, to make a card using a row of at least three of the same image. I pulled out this cute piggy from Very Punny and got to work making my row. This card also was the first of three designs I made using this piggy for a set of cards I was commissioned to make. I'll share that set later!
Supplies:
Stamps: Very Punny
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, Copic markers
Paper: pink pirhouette, pretty in pink, neenah classic crest white
Accessories: ticket punch, eyelets (We R Memory Keepers), ribbon

Winter wonderland times two

Here are a couple more cards I made for VSN. These are some of my favorites. The first card is for Robyn's challenge inspired by "White Christmas," which just happens to be one of my favorite holiday movies! She asked us to make cards featuring falling snow in honor of our troops serving overseas. I used my Cuttlebug swiss dots folder for the falling snow effect. The stamp is from a line called Art-Kure; I received it from a friend but hadn't had a chance to use it until now.

The second version of that card was for Maren's "Encore" challenge, to take a VSN card and improve or revise it. My first card was missing a sentiment and some glitter, since you can't send glitter to the troops. I added some Stickles to some of the trees, some liquid applique, and a tag with the sentiment. Both cards measure 3.5 by 6.25 inches.
Supplies:
Stamps: Art-Kure image; sentiment from SU's All Holidays
Ink: Night of Navy
Paper: night of navy, bordering blue, neenah classic crest white
Accessories: cuttlebug, ribbon, snowflake brads, tag punch, liquid applique, Stickles

So many challenges!

VSN is winding down over on Splitcoast, and I have a fabulou. s stack of cards to show for my weekend of stamping! That's one thing I love about VSN - my card stash gets replenished quickly! Another thing I find is that I tend to use a few stamp sets, colors or card types throughout the weekend as I reach for the closest things! I used Sweet Always DP and its regal rose, pumpkin pie and pink pirhouette color combination on a couple of different cards. The first is for Erin's spinner card challenge. I used the word window punch to make a quick and easy channel for my spinner; it works really well! I used another scrap of the DP for some paper piecing on the cupcake wrapper.
Supplies:
Stamps: Whipper Snapper cupcake, SU So Many Scallops
Ink: pumpkin pie, regal rose, memento tuxedo black, Copic markers
Paper: regal rose, pink pirhouette, pumpkin pie, neenah classic crest white, Sweet Always
Accessories: word window, dimensionals, stickles and crystal effects, ribbon, scallop punch

This was my card for Riley's challenge to use the thumping technique. I inked my image in pink pirhouette, then thumped chocolate chip and only orange markers (don't have a pumpkin pie marker, but it worked) all over the image before stamping. This one was fast and easy, but the effect is great!
Supplies:
Stamps: Upsy daisy
Ink: pink pirhouette, only orange, chocolate chip
Paper: pumpkin pie, pink pirhouette, neenah classic crest white, chocolate chip, Sweet Always DP
Accessories: scallop edge punch, ribbon, brads

In the spotlight

It's time for my favorite stamping event - Virtual Stamp Night in Splitcoast. I just love the concentrated weekend of chatting, stamping and challenges! I've been a hostess several times and even coordinated one round of VSN a few months ago. So much fun! For this round, I'm hostessing again. The theme was Cabaret, so my challenge is to use the spotlight technique. It's really an easy technique - this card, my sample for the challenge, was the first spotlight card I'd ever made and I love how it turned out! You can find out all the details of the challenge by clicking HERE! I'd love to have you play along - you can upload your cards to Splitcoast or link them here in the comments. I might even have a treat for someone who tries the challenge by 10 p.m. Pacific on Monday. :)
Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, Copic markers
Paper: tangerine tango, basic black, neenah classic crest white
Accessories: Cuttlebug, ribbon, We R Memory Keepers eyelets, CM circle cutters

Labels One Embrace

I'm a little annoyed at the moment because I just realized I accidentally deleted several pictures of cards that have already been sent off in the mail! Bummer! Makes it a bit harder to share them here with all of you! The card above is actually one of a trio I made recently for RAKS, with each card in different colors. But the picture of all three is one that got deleted, so I guess you'll have to use your imaginations! I cut this card out using my new Nestabilities Label One set. I cut and folded cardstock into a 4.25-inch square, then placed the crease just under one edge of nestie die before cutting. It's a fun, quick and easy way to make a cool card. I also used the nestie as a mask while I stamped my image, so I could preserve a clean embossed edge. I colored the images with Copics, added some Stickles to the flower stamens, and the cards were done. The others were in shades of aqua and purple.
Supplies:
Stamps: Embrace Life (SU), Amuse sentiment
Ink: Memento black, Copics
Paper: Neenah classic crest white
Accessories: Nestabilites, ribbon, stickles

Blue shoes

It's almost VSN time! I am so excited to have a weekend just for stamping and chatting. The challenges start Friday night and I am hosting one that night - woohoo! Hope you can join us. For today, I have the last mini VSN challenge card (I managed to stretch those out, didn't I?) This challenge was an inspiration challenge using costumes from Moulin Rouge. I chose an image that was black and blue lace with corseting and worked from there. I used lots of black Kaiser craft rhinestones on this card, along with SU markers and some velvet Primas I received in a RAK.
Supplies:
Stamps: Retro boutique - Gina K
Ink: Stazon black, SU markers
Paper: brilliant blue, basic black, neenah classic crest white
Accessories: scallop edge punch, Primas, ribbon, Kaiser rhinestones

Emerging butterfly

Sorry for my absence once again. Work was insanely busy this week, and I have a very busy weekend ahead, which doesn't leave much time for stamping! I did, however, discover a couple more cards from the recent mini VSN that I hadn't shared yet. This card was for Karolyn's emerging color technique challenge. This is basically emboss resist with a stamped image under the clear embossing. My colors were inspired by the lovely Haiku designer paper from SU that I received in a recent secret sister gift. Under my clear embossed Fabulous Flower image are floral and butterfly images from Tim Holtz. I then brayered night of navy ink over everything, wiped the ink off the embossed flower, and voila! The next full VSN weekend is coming up next weekend, Nov. 14-15, and I am looking forward to having some dedicated stamping time then. I am also hosting a challenge on Friday. I'd love to have you play along.
Supplies:
Stamps: Fabulous Flowers, Nature's Discovery by Tim Holtz, Amuse sentiment
Ink: basic gray, night of navy, kiwi kiss
Paper: basic gray, night of navy, kiwi kiss, neenah classic crest white, Haiku DSP
Accessories: brads, ep

Please ...

I'll be heading to the polls later today. If you're a U.S. citizen and haven't voted yet, please do so! The democratic process works best if we all participate, not just in the Presidential election, but also in the state and local elections. Every vote counts!

Blue Christmas

I love when I can marry a VSN card with something I need to make anyway. And there's no question I have a long list of holiday cards to make. I have all of TWO finished, and I need about 60 or so. Guess I best get busy! Luckily, Lee helped me out! Her VSN challenge was to make a card with layers, so I pulled out Elvis, stamped him on shimmery white paper and layered him on some shimmery soft blue paper. I added a tag and some ribbon, and voila! I even stamped a second image so I can make another card just like this one very quickly - then I'll only have 57 more cards to go!
Supplies:
Stamps: CHF Elvis, sentiment from Paper Salon
Ink: night of navy
Paper: night of navy, shimmery white, shimmery blue
Accessories: cuttlebug tag die and embossing folder, ribbon