Stamps, Paper, and Ink

Hint of Spring

 Happy Monday! I am continuing on the DT for the Clean and Simple Cards Challenge at SCS and this week's challenge really had me stumped! It's a color challenge using Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip, and Wild Wasabi.  In the end, I came up with two cards that I'll be sharing with you this week. You can tell me which one you like best (Please do!)

Here's the one my family liked the most. Hint of spring is the perfect title for today's card due to the subtle colors. No hint of spring in NC, we are delighted to find ourselves with a wintry blanket of the white stuff covering everything!

 Here you go...

I had a hard time with these colors. Trees came to mind but I opted for the floral spray image from the Easter Blossoms set which was just sitting on my desk waiting to be inked.It will be availalbe soon in the new Occasiosn Mini!  Too bad I couldn't sneak in a hint of my favorite red or pink. Subtle colors and clean lines - hope you like it!

 

Nature Walk

 Happy Monday!

It's time for my Clean and Simple Challenge card. This week its an Inspiration Challenge based on this apron.

 

I took my cues from the monochromatic color scheme and soft patterns with ruffles. Even the name, Serenity Prairie Apron, inspired me to use my Nature Walk set, which will be available in the Occasions Mini very soon.

Here's today's card!

 The image is more detailed than the photo shows. I used markers to ink the flower image stamped on Very Vanilla card stock. The Baja Breeze card stock and In Color Designer Series paper were die cut with the Tasteful Trim die to add a ruffled border. Embellished with a Baja Breeze button tied up with linen thread. A clean and simple card is the best kind to make during these busy days! Hope you like it!

 

 

My Mojo is back!

My Mojo is back and I have a sneak peek for you!

The busy-ness of the last few days seems to have made my mojo vanish, but I am happy to feel like it kicked in for today's card.  I was just sitting there sipping my morning cup of cinnamon tea, when the idea hit me and and I ran up to the craft studio to crank it out.

Voila!

 
I must add that this card is much prettier in person (it will take quite awhile to get a handle on photo editing with my new computer, but we're working on it.)

When I saw the Mojo Monday sketch for this week, I knew I'd want to feature one of the beautiful new flowers I've been making with the Fun Flowers Bigz die which is a sneak peek from the Occasions Mini. I was playing with these yesterday, and although I look forward to making fun flowers with fresh springy colors, I wanted to show how versatile they are and beautiful for any season.

This die will be my go-to in the future for flower embellishments. It can be layered, cut with fabric, embellished, or is pretty enough to use alone. The blooms are die cut with Very Vanilla card stock, with a center cut from the Deck the Halls fabric. I also cut the larger flower in the olive fabric. It had 5 blossoms, but I cut two off to make it look like leaves when placed behind the petals. I added an Antique brad center topped with a pearl.

Check back tomottow to see another card made with the same flower.

This fabulous sketch is perfect when you want to highlight a sentiment or greeting, or in my case the designer paper itself.

I used the Tasteful Trim die in Very Vanilla card stock. The soft curves of this trim are topped with pearls as well. Hope and love through Christ really are what Christmas is about, so I can't think of a card with a more special message.

I really, really like this one even though there is no stamping. Maybe I should have added just a bit of ink, do you think? Hope you like it too!

Blessings~
Cindy

 

 

Sketched in Gold

It's Monday and I'm jumping in early with my creation for the Clean and Simple Cards challenge. This week's challenge was based on a sketch and I was happy to crank out another Christmas card. The ornaments in the Trimming the Tree set had the perfect proportions for a circle panel. I used Very Vanilla and Brushed Gold card stock with just a hint of Night of Navy for contrast.

 

The ornaments were inked with Gold Encore craft ink, but not embossed, since I was going for a soft subtle look. Of course, once I added each pearl one by one under the sentiment, I couldn't resist adding three more larger pearls to the bow.

Things are beginning to look like Christmas at my house, the tree and most of the other decorations are up. Shopping is not quite done, but I'm getting there! Hope you have a great Monday!

 

Stamps: Tree Trimmings

Paper: Brushed Gold, Very Vanilla, Night of Navy

Ink: Night of Navy, Encore Gold

Accessories: Vanilla Seam Binding, Basic Jewels: Pearls, PetalsAPlenty Embossing folder

 

 

Ring in the New...

I was looking for a catchy title. I'm not referring to ringing in a new year or even a new card. I'm stoked about my NEW computer!  Trouble is, I have to learn how to do everything over on it. One thing I need to work on is my photo editing software, I don't have Photoshop running yet. May take a bit of time to get used to - which I'm short of  - isn't everybody crazy busy in mid-December?! Please accept my apologies for my blog absence this week. My posts will be sporadic from now until Christmas since my time and energy are limited.

I did get to make a card today, and I'm here to share it with you! It does have to do with bells, have a look!

I began with the Deck the Halls DSP and added the Music Notes with the wheel (of the same name) in Soft Suede Ink. I've not used the wheel before and I thought it would be great with the sentiment from the Come to Bethlehem stamp set.

I stamped the bells form the Bells and Boughs set onto Shimmery White card stock, and cut them out. The white panel is die cut with the Scallop Rectangle Clearlit. The bells are popped up, as well as the holly I cut out from the DSP under the sentiment.

I added a bit of bling with Dazzling Diamonds on the bell, and a Shimmer brad.

The terrific layout is from the contest at Mojo Monday. Here's the sketch by Julee.

  

Thanks for stopping by today!

 

Wishes Come True!

Sometimes wishes do come true!

You may recall seeing a parade of crisp, clean cards come by in my recent blog posts. I had to complete three rounds for the Design Team call at Splitcoaststampers for the Clean and Simple Cards Challenge. The winners were announced Friday night. One of my wishes came true. <G>

ANNOUNCING: (with happy dance!) I am one of the three designers for the Winter team.

This week's challenge: bows.

Bows?  Who, me?????  (In case you're new to my blog, I LOVE using all sorts of bows on my cards.)

Here's the card I made.

A row of gifts, a row of bows, and a fun challenge! I do LOVE bows but let me tell you, it was a trick tying these teeny tiny ones. Here's a tip for any size bow: instead of using just one mini glue dot, try using several to anchor all the parts of your bow just the way you want it.

See those tiny scraps of Candy Cane Lane Designer SPecialty Paper? That's about all I have left after preparing for tonight's Cute and Quick for Christmas Class tonight at my house. We are going to have so much fun making five fast but oh-so-sweet projects together.

Hope you like the card and thanks for stopping by to say Hi today. Thanks for all of you who were rooting for me. I am grateful and wishing you some wishes come true today!

 

 

Supplies~  all supplies by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Heard from the Heart
Paper: Whisper White, Real Red, Candy Cane Christmas Designer Specialty Paper
and Ink: Real Red

Accessories: 1/8" taffeta ribbon , 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, silver cord, and cotton thread

Need supplies? Order from me at my online store  HERE

Got questions? I am happy to answer them, just send me an e-mail, you'll find it HERE

Friday Flashback: A technique with a twist

Welcome to Friday Flashback! where I share a stamp set or accessory that deserves to be in the spotlight even though it often gets overlooked or has retired. I began this feature to encourage myself and all of us to dust off those horded supplies and give them a new look!

I LOVE the Winter Post set, and needed to pull it out and ink it up for one of my Christams cards. It may NOT surprise you that I don't usually send any two Christmas cards that are the same. :->  Just seems to me that mass producing would take all the fun out of it!

I must add that instead of focusing on a certain set I decided to re-visit a technique that I have not tried in a long time. For today's post, I am introducing a technique that's been around for quite awhile, but with a new twist. Here's today's card:

I used the Cracked Glass technique, but the twist is that I embossed the oval panel first with the Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder. Just out of curiousity to see what it would look like if I adhered the cut out skaters on top. Then I got adventurous and sponged on some color in the background and proceeded with the Cracked Glass technique. Here's the result, what do you think??

I can't decide if I like it.

I also embossed the bottom panel of the card with Vintage Wallpaper. I am really into vintage right now, and Christmas seems the perfect holiday for highlighting it.

I am off to a very busy day today. Please know that I appreciate every one of you who visits and hope you leave inpsired to make beautiful things with your Stamps, Paper, and Ink today. I love hearing from you in my comments box for any reason.

I am skipping the supply list today, but if you have a question about the supplies, the technique or any other detail about the card, just send me an e-mail, and I'll get back to you. Or if you prefer, just ask in the comments section, and I'll respond with the answer there for everyone.

Have a great weekend!

 

Supplies~  all supplies by Stampin' Up!

Need supplies? Order from me at my online store  HERE and click SHOP NOW

Got questions? I am happy to answer them, just send me an e-mail, you'll find it HERE

Greeting Card Girl

The little girl from the Greeting Card Kids set is all decked out for cold weather in today's card. And since the weather here is just a bit nippy - in North Carolina, if you have to wear a light jacket - that qualifies for cold weather!  I wore my jacket zipped up when out for a walk in the park with our puppy Josie today, and it felt so good! The frost this morning and cool weather really does help me get in a Christmas-y mood.

Isn't she cute all decked out in her houndstooth jacket and hat?

A cute card begins with a cute sketch, and Taylor over at Taylored Expressions had this adorable sketch this week. I just had to give it a try and I was ready for a few layers!

I did a bit of paper piecing which means that I stamped the image first on watercolor paper - and then stamped it again on designer paper. I cut the coat and hat out of the designer paper, and glued them on top of the first image.

I used an Aqua Painter and inks from the the pads to color in the details. The panel behind the main image was stamped with the Christmas Collage set from the Holiday Mini, and sponged at the edges. It's still not too late to order from the Holiday mini. I love the Christmas Collage stamp for making my own detailed backgrounds and it is so versatile.

I hope to have new photos of Josie soon!  She is growing into a sweet girl herself. Can you imagine she'll be 7 months old next week? 

I've loved sharing with you today and I hope you are glad you stopped by. Thanks for taking time to visit and say hello!

 

Supplies~  all supplies by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Greeting Crad kids, Christams Collage
Paper: watercolor paper, River Rock, Very Vanilla, retired designer series paper
and Ink: Black StazOn, Real Red, Old Olive, River Rock

Accessories: Basic Jewls - Pearls, Riding Hood Red taffeta ribbon, corner rounder punch

Need supplies? Order from me at my online store  HERE

Got questions? I am happy to answer them, just send me an e-mail, you'll find it HERE