Light up my life!

Robyn had a super fun VSN challenge this round; she asked us to make a luminary! I had never made one of these before (at least I hadn't made any that were more sophisticated than brown paper bags with sand and candles!) Anyway, I followed this easy tutorial from Beate and it came out pretty cute! I did the top decor,the fence and the grass using Martha Stewart border punches. The window is cut with nesties and the flowers are from the SU boho blossom and scallop circle (for the leaves) punches. The vellum was scraps from my stash. The candle inside is actually a battery powered votive - no live flame to avoid fire danger!
Supplies:
Paper: bazzill, choice white, vellum
Accessories: punches, nesties, bling, candle

WSC98 and Lily

I got an adorable card in the mail this week from my stamping buddy Jacqueline. Inside she'd tucked some stamped images including this one from Pink Cat Studios' Lily at the beach line. Isn't Lily adorable? I had to put her right to use on a card, so I used Beate's weekend sketch for this card. Lily was colored with Copics and I added some clear Spica glitter to her flower and polka dots. I have a few more Lily images, and I can't wait to play with them! Thanks Jacqueline!
Supplies:
Stamps: Lily - Pink Cat Studios, sentiment from SU Short and Sweet
Ink: unknown black, Copic markers
Paper: tempting turquoise, pink passion, green galore, only orange, yoyo yellow
Accessories: felt flower ribbon from Michael's, Prima and Imaginisce flowers, big green rhinestone brad, Cuttlebug

Beate's back

After a hiatus, Beate brought her weekend sketch challenge back this weekend. I had some time to stamp and this was the perfect inspiration to get me going. You can find the challenge on her blog HERE! I am also using this as double-duty for the Spellbinders contest on SCS.
I've been inspired by the thought of spring lately, and the Washington Apple DSP has been in easy reach, so those two things inspired this card! I don't know about the rest of you, but I tend to get in crafting grooves where I use the same things or ideas for several projects. I used my Nestabilities to cut the scallop circles and the layers for the image. The image is also colored in Copics. The kiwi flowers were die cut and gifted to me from my friend Patty. I added some lovely filigree brads I've been hoarding to the top of them. This was a fun sketch!
Supplies:
Stamps: Flower for all seasons
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, Copics
Paper: barely banana, saffron, kiwi, neenah classic crest white, Washington Apple
Accessories: Nestabilities, filigree brads, ribbon

Weekend sketch

September and October are busy months for me, with lots of birthdays to keep track of. I needed a quick birthday card yesterday for a four-year-old girl. Beate's weekend sketch fit the bill; I put this card together in about 15 minutes. I don't have a lot of child-friendly stamps, but I thought the flowers and colors here would work for a little girl. The Sweet Always designer paper was a RAK from my friend Lisa! Thanks Lisa!
Supplies:
Stamps: So Many Scallops
Ink: regal rose
Paper: pink pirhouette, pumpkin pie, regal rose, white, Sweet Always DP
Accessories: CB swiss dots, scallop punch, ribbon

Beate's sketch #52

Here's another card from my card-making session to restart my mojo! This is for Beate's weekend sketch challenge. It's a pretty simple card; the colors were inspired by this scrap of DP from the My Mind's Eye paper pack from Costco. That stuff is going to last forever! I stamped the flowers from One of a Kind in turquoise and gable green, then rolled the edges lightly in Stazon black. For the main image, I colored the center with my turquoise marker, then attached some faint blue Dew Drops using diamond Stickles for a little bling.
Supplies:
Stamps: One of a Kind
Ink: tempting turquoise, gable green, stazon black
Paper: tempting turquoise, gable green, vanilla, black, MME dp
Accessories: Dew drops, Stickles

Weekend sketches

I spent some time stamping this weekend; I'm trying to get back into my stamping routine and build up my stash again! I have a list of cards to make for thank yous and for upcoming birthdays and other events. And then there are those things you need a card for at the last minute! Anyway, I tried a couple of sketch challenges this weekend, just to get me going. The first card is for Taylored Expressions' weekly sketch challenge. I inked the image in pretty in pink, then rolled it heavily in pomegranate, and rolled it again, just on the edges, in chocolate chip.
Supplies:
Stamps: One of a Kind
Paper: pomegranate, pretty in pink, whisper white, Berry bliss DP
Ink: pomegranate, pink, chocolate chip
Accessories: HP hardware, dew drops, chocolate satin ribbon
The second card is for Beate's weekend sketch challenge. This was a fun sketch - I love the oval piece! I decided to try using up scraps of DP for this one, and pulled out this Crate Paper from the birdie collection. I love the colors in that one.
Supplies:
Stamps: All holidays
Ink: cool carribean
Paper: cool carribean, certainly celery, whisper white, non SU coral, Crate DP
Accessories: CM Oval cutter, primas, brad, ribbon

Bunny for Beate

It's been awhile since I had a chance to play Beate's weekend sketch, but today I thought I would give it a try. It was perfect for a fun Easter card. I found these ancient SU patterned papers in my stash; I think they might be close to 10 years old! It was time to put them to use. I got the stamp set, Bunny Hugs, last year from SU's spring mini catalog, but it arrived too late to use it for Easter cards, so I saved it for this year. I love that adorable little bunny!
Supplies:
Stamps: Bunny hugs
Paper: bordering blue, pretty in pink, whisper white, SU patterned
Ink: bordering blue, pretty in pink, black stazon, yoyo yellow, sage shadow
Accessories: markers, eyelets and cropadile, stardust stickles

Weekend Sketching, part 2

I made the top card for Beate's weekend sketch challenge. This is the kind of sketch that really challenges me! I have trouble selecting the right images and getting the right perspective with tall cards. So instead of doing a traditional tall card for a business envelope, I made a smaller version, 3.25 by 6.5 inches, to fit a check-sized envelope. I happened to pick up a box of 100 of these envies at the $1 store - talk about a deal! I'm not sure what my deal was, but I was in a pomegranate/fabulous flowers mood this weekend. The center flower is stamped off once then spritzed with water - it just lightens up the color a bit. Thanks for the fun sketch, Beate!
After I made the first card, I decided to make a second one to send as a RAK. After I got started, I realized I had run out of natural hemp twine. So I thought I would substitute black, and add some other black accents, as well. So it has a layer of black under the print paper, and the brads and eyelets are black instead of antique gold. I also used the other tags that were cut out when I die-cut the first ones, which gives it a slightly different look. I'm not sure which one I like better!
Supplies:
Stamps: Fabulous Flowers, Happy Everything, AYC
Ink: Pomegranate, black stazon
Paper: Pomegranate, Kraft, shimmery white, black, Rose Red prints DP
Accessories: Cuttlebug dies, eyelets and brads, hemp, dimensionals

Inspired sketch

Beate is back! She took a break from her weekend sketches for the holidays, but she's back this week with another fun sketch. I really look forward to her sketch and the SCS inspiration challenge on Friday nights when I come home from a long week and just want to get reacquainted with my stamps! This week I combined both challenges into this card.
The inspiration piece was an entryway picture from the new Pottery Barn catalog. I used the colors, the flowers, and the hardware as inspiration. I wanted the olive base to look rustic, so I sanded it, then dabbed on some antique linen distress ink along with a bit of pearlescent beige brilliance ink. It's hard to see in the photo, but it adds some dimension to the card in real life. The image was colored with apricot and pumpkin pie ink using blender pens and then spritzed with water before stamping.
I think I'm going to try to stick to a traditional supply list from here on out when I post. Unless I have nothing to say about a card, then I'll just talk about the supplies in the main post!
Supplies:
Stamps: SU's Happy Harmony
Paper: old olive, pumpkin pie, vanilla, non SU yellow
Ink: old olive, pumpkin pie, antique linen distress ink, brilliance pearlescent beige, apricot appeal Accessories: Primas, hodgepodge hardware, ribbon, diamond stickles, Heidi Swapp distresser

First Peace

I've been a busy little bee this weekend, getting ready for the holidays. The tree is up, partially decorated, and all the rest of the holiday decor is up. I've completed another Christmas project, too. Sorry, though, I can't share it until after the holidays! To help me get into the spirit of the season, I've been playing my favorite Christmas music. Some of my favorites include Garth Brooks' Beyond the Season; Trisha Yearwood's The Sweetest Gift, Kenny Loggins' December; James Taylor, and of course, the Billboard Greatest Hits, and of course, the best Christmas CD ever - John Denver and the Muppets! If you haven't heard it, you must at least listen to a clip sometime. It's hilarious! I'll be sharing other holiday favorites in the coming days, and I hope my readers (I know there are at least a few of you ;) ) will share some of your holiday favorites, too!
Now on to the card. I made this one several weeks ago. It was my first attempt with Peace to the World. In my head, before I ordered the set, I envisioned a card with kraft, hunter and either burgundy or ruby red, something sort of country or barn feeling. But as I colored, it just didn't seem to be working. I made two of this one and wasn't really happy with either one - they just don't feel Christmassy enough. The fold is a Z-fold, learned from Beate. The image is stamped in Stazon timber brown on shimmery vanilla and watercolored with pumpkin pie, summer sun, bordering blue, hunter and gray, if I remember right. The layers are hunter and ruby red. I finished the card with some vanilla stitched May Arts ribbon and a snippet of chocolate satin My Mind's Eye ribbon.

Girly girls!

I did a little impulse shopping a few days ago at Eclectic Paperie, and my order arrived Saturday! I had to play with the new stuff right away, of course, so I stamped a few images of this new Girly Girl stamp from Inky Antics and got to work last night. I love champagne, and thought this stamp and sentiment were just fabulous! The first card was made using Beate's weekend sketch challenge. The base is chocolate chip, with layers of blush blossom and very vanilla, each ticket corner-punched. I lightly spritzed the blush and vanilla layers with my new bottle of iridescent gold Glimmer Mist (another EP purchase) but you can't really see it in the photo. This was my first time using Glimmer Mist and I think I will need some practice! I think my biggest pet peeve about it right now is that it curls the paper. But I love the overall effect, and it shows up even better on darker paper. Anyway, back to the card - I stamped the sentiment on the base layer, then added the vertical strip and the image, which was cut out using my Creative Memories circle cutting system. I colored a little bit of the image with my blush blossom marker, and added diamond stickles to the champagne and its bubbles. I finished the card with a bit of chocolate organdy ribbon.
The second card is actually the idea that first popped in my head when the stamps arrived. The image is stamped on shimmery vanilla cardstock from PaperZone. I paper-pieced the skirt using my retired SU Au Chocolat paper (love that stuff!) and again added diamond Stickles to the champagne. The card base is chocolate chip with a layer of vanilla and more Au Chocolat (the reverse of the pattern from the skirt). I used the same chocolate organdy ribbon to finish the card off.

Weekend sketch #27

I had a fun and busy weekend that included lots of stamping! I spent Saturday doing chores, visiting a local holiday bazaar (found a couple of goodies for the holidays and even won a cute snowman doorprize!) and then had the November mini-VSN last night. I hosted one of the challenges, but had plenty of time to do the other three, too. There's plenty of time to play if you'd like to join us!
On to the card - I actually made this Friday night for Beate's weekend sketch challenge; I hadn't stamped in more than a week so I felt like it was a bit of a warm-up card. The card base is soft sky, and I stamped it with a circle sentiment and flourishes from the CTMH set Free Spirit. The main image is fabulous flowers which I stamped in soft sky and rolled the edges in blue bayou. I stamped a couple of other flowers to layer and attached them together with a sparkly bread. I also added some diamond stickles. The image is layered on blue bayou and all the corners rounded. I added some wide grosgrain ribbon and popped the top layer on dimensionals.
I made the card to give to a friend from work who is leaving for a new job. I'm going to miss her. So when I sat down to write in the card (after photographing it), I decided I wanted to add the word "friend" from Noteworthy on the main image. I stamped it, but messed it up! So I ended up re-doing the main image of the flower. It actually turned out better the second time, but I didn't take a new picture.

Fabulous Z-fold

Because of my trip to the Northwest, I've been out of the challenge loop for a couple of weeks. I couldn't wait to get back to Beate's challenge this weekend! I used her Z-fold layout in my first attempt with Fabulous Flowers. Can you believe I JUST got my first order from the new SU catalog? I am in love with pomegranate and with this set. I'm showing two versions of the card, one opened and one closed -though it's hard to tell much difference, since the card doesn't like to stay closed. This was a duel challenge for me; I also made it to meet the requirements of one of the mini-VSN challenges on SCS. The next Virtual Stamp Night is not until January, so to tide us over, the VSN coordinators this round have put together three mini-VSNs. Each night will offer four challenges, all at once, with no time limits and two weeks to create and upload, all relaxations of the traditional VSN rules. Stay tuned because I'm hosting one of the challenges in November and I can't wait!
For my card, I started with the Z-fold card base in shimmery white, then stamped the large flower three times in pomegranate, pixie pink and pink passion, then cut out each one, layering the smaller, lighter colors. The center is a pink rhinestone brad from Target. I stamped the sentiment and the small flowers from the set in pretty in pink, positively pink (retired), pixie pink, pink passion and pomegranate. I added some diamond stickles and silver brads for even more sparkle, and finished the card with white organdy ribbon, silver cord and snipped of sparkly pink May Arts ribbon from a Jody Morrow share. It is super pink and super sparkly, but fun!

Trick or treat tri-fold

I'm heading out in the morning for my vacation; I prepared a few posts for my blog in advance, in case I have a little computer time to post them while I'm gone, but it may be a bit sporadic around here for a few days. I promise, though, that I will be back!
In the meantime, here is what I think this is the end of my Halloween cards for this year. I realized I need a couple more kids' cards so a couple of pairs of siblings would get similar but different cards. So I pulled out the SU Trick or Treat set that I borrowed from a friend and made these triangle tri-fold cards I learned from Beate (link to her blog at right.) The base is only orange; the images are stamped in black Stazon and colored with bold brights markers, then layered on orchid and green galore. The patterned paper is from K and Co. and the ribbon is from Michael's. I'm sure the kids will enjoy them, especially if I stick a treat in with them.

Twice as inspired

This week's inspiration piece for the SCS inspiration challenge was some darling white and flowered bedding from Pottery Barn. I made the first card for the inspiration challenge, then used the inspiration piece to make the second card, for Beate's weekend sketch challenge. The first card is a white card base with a layer of bashful blue then a layer of embossed cardstock from DCWV that I got at Joanns. I didn't do much stamping on this one - the flowers are Primas with flower brad centers. The white flower brad is coverd in diamond Stickles for a little sparkle. The sentiment is from SU's retired small script set; I love that set! The ribbon is from Michaels.
The second card is using Beate's weekend sketch, found here. I used another piece of the bashful blue as the card base, then cut the partial circle from the same DCWV embossed cardstock, then added another circle layer out of pixie pink. The main image uses stamps from Delight in Life in real red, only orange, pixie pink and old olive. It is also layered on bashful blue and pixie pink. I finished the card with a sprig of striped ribbon from my stash and some Primas and a white flower (source unknown) and a Queen and Co. orange and white brad.
Check back later for more stuff; I plan to stamp a lot today in honor of World Cardmaking Day.

Stamping when I can

Credit to Alison for the title of today's post and my apologies for the lack of updates this week. It was a very busy week at work, I had the first meeting of my new book club, and just didn't have much time to stamp or blog this week. I started one card Thursday night, but it was challenging me and I had to pick it up again last night before I finally got it done. Can't share that one yet, but I also made this one last night, and that one I can share! This is my take on Beate's weekend sketch challenge this week. My friend Joni (jstarbright on SCS) sent me some Cuttlebug backgrounds and die cuts since I am still CB-free. Maybe Santa will bring me one - especially now that I know how fun they are to create with! The aqua CB background was made with CTMH paper, which has a white core. I then sanded a bit to expose some of it. On the celery layer, I added some detailing with my white gel pen. The sentiment, from Riveting, was cut out with my CM circle cutter and mounted with a dimensional on the die-cut piece. Other details: tempting turquoise card base, shimmery white and basic black cardstock, dp from My Mind's Eye, ribbon, brads from Queen and Co. Thanks for stopping by. I hope to have something else new for you tomorrow!

Weekend sketch block

I've tried twice now to stamp a card for Beate's weekend sketch challenge - both times ended up looking very little like the sketch, so I think I must have a block for this particular sketch. The part that I keep forgetting is the wider panel under the main image. And both cards have the sketch flipped so the panel is on the left instead of the right. The first card I made was for a friend's birthday. I started with a rose red base and layered with a piece of patterned paper from My Mind's Eye. The main image is a flower from Heartfelt Thanks inked in rose red and artichoke and stamped three times without reinking on shimmery white cardstock. The sentiment from Happy Harmony is inked in bordering blue. The image is layered on buckaroo blue and artichoke. I also used the ticket corner punch and antique brass brads from Hodgepodge Hardware. I finished the card with ribbon (Jody Morrow ribbon share via blog candy from Jimmi Mayo!) and a buckle from HH. The card is 5.5 inches square.
,When I went back to the sketch, I realized I really hadn't followed it all that closely, so I decided to try it again this afternoon. But even though I had the sketch on the computer screen five feet away, I still forgot the wide panel, and this one I flipped on accident! I meant to make it with the panel on the right, but as I got into the cardmaking and forgot! This card base is chocolate chip, the main image is an ancient piece of patterned paper from Anna Griffin layered on cranberry crisp. The band across the card is crimped chocolate chip cardstock layered on old olive. The stamped circle is from Riveting with cranberry ink layered on a chocolate chip circle. I attached a sprig of olive ribbon underneath. Thanks for the challenge, Beate! I'll try to do better next time!

Fall leaves and flowers

Here's another group of VSN cards for you! The first card was for Angie's (Renski on SCS) challenge to make a waterfall card. I'd never done this technique before, and it was easier than I thought! I used cranberry crisp, chocolate chip, celery, caribbean, pumpkin pie and whisper white cardstock and cranberry, chocolate chip, pumpkin pie and celery ink. The leaves are from Fantastic Foliage and the paper is from My Mind's Eye. I finished the card off with a few eyelets and a sprig of cranberry stitched ribbon.
The second challenge was to "Fall into the Dirt Pile." The hostess, Jimmi (jpmayo on SCS, her blog Stampin and Shopping is linked in my blogroll) asked us to crumple distress and DTP our cards to make them "dirty." I chose chocolate chip, creamy caramel and vanilla cardstock for their dirty tones, and added a piece of Au Chocolat designer paper. I used my Heidi Swapp edge distresser, did some direct-t0-paper inking, and also crumpled up the caramel. I finished the card with some primas and rhinestone brads - because you never know when you might find something sparkly in the dirt!
I made the final card for the RAK bonus challenge. I received a request via private message to RAK someone, so this card is for that. I used Beate's weekend sketch for the layout. The card features some more of the My Mind's Eye paper, along with celery, black, white and turquoise. The flower is stamped in caribbean, with a little turquoise on the edges and celery on the stem, and outlined in Stazon black. The ribbon is May Arts. The sentiment was punched with the word window punch; I slid one end in at a time to make it longer. I finished it with a Prima and rhinestone brad. That's all for tonight - more tomorrow!

Weekend sketch

I love three-day weekends! I've gotten a lot done around the house - even mopping, which I hate! - and still had time to do some fun stamping. I made this card for Beate's weekend sketch challenge on her blog, Fresh and Fun. The colors were inspired by the Tres Jolie striped paper from My Mind's Eye. I love this collection! I put a layer of crimped pale plum cardstock behind the stripes, cut out the layered circles with my Creative Memories circle cutters, inked the iris stamp in pale plum and sage shadow, and added a touch of perfect plum on the edges, then generation stamped it. I attached the buttons, added the velvet ricrac, stamped the sentiment, then finally added a layer of diamond Stickles over the flowers. This card is headed to a blogging friend!
Additional Info:
Stamps: Iris - penny black; sentiment - A muse
Paper: pale plum, perfect plum, sage shadow, very vanilla, close to cocoa, Tres Jolie from MME
Ink: pale plum, perfect plum, sage shadow, basic brown
Accessories: buttons -Tres Jolie French Kisses; ricrac -Making Memories; diamond Stickles, crimper , CM circle cutters
Techniques: generation stamping

Dirty, dirty, dirty

I'm having so much fun with the dirty dares. Even though I have a ton of stuff I should be doing today, I think I'll spend a good portion of the day stamping! I managed to make four cards Thursday night and four cards last night. I already have my first one started today, but it needs some drying time, which gives me a few minutes to post these! The first card was for Cambria's challenge to use pink! I love this little piggy; she's stamped in black stazon and colored with pretty in pink ink, then covered in diamond Stickles. I punched her out with my Marvy giga scallop square, then layered her on pretty in pink cardstock and centered that in the middle of a large Prima daisy. The card base is pretty in pink stamped with print pattern inked in white craft. I also wrapped some pink and white striped satin ribbon from Target around the center of the card and finished it off with white eyelets between the diamonds along the bottom.
The second card is for Beate's sketch challenge. I used my Basic Grey Phoebe papers. The card base is bashful blue distressed with basic brown ink. The striped Phoebe paper is backed by a layer of pretty in pink and the blue Phoebe paper is backed by close to cocoa. Stamps are from Michael's $1 spot. I finished it with some brads and a prima. Card measures 4.25" square.
The final card of this set was for Jen Del Muro's sketch challenge. The card base is so saffron. I used scraps of Basic Grey paper, one backed in celery and one in rose red. The ellie from Wild About You is inked in rose red and stamped on whisper white. I also added the flower in lavender lace and certainly celery. The image is mounted on lavender lace. I used the ticket corner punch, some making memories eyelets and a twinkle gem to finish the image off. The sentiment is from Tagger's Dozen, mounted on circles cut using my CM circle cutters. I added two little loops of celery grosgrain ribbon and mounted it on dimensionals. I actually flopped the squares from the sketch so my ellie wouldn't be looking off the card! Okay, back to my dirty dares. I should have more cards later today!