Stamps, Paper, and Ink

Sweet and Sour with a cherry on top!

I've been waiting to use the Sweet & Sour Specialty Paper I ordered and today is the day! No stories of card-eating puppies this time, although this DP is yummy! I loved using the bright colors to pattern a party banner on my card.

I wasn't kidding about the bright! I love the colors here of Pumpkin Pie, Rose Red, and Vanilla. The only stamping is the sentiment strip, the bows and the cupcake liner. I love how the bow image from the Create A Cupcake set works with the banner. The banner was so easy to make snipping small triangles with the Large Star Punch and forming them into a curve with brads in between.

I was inspired today by Chupa's Sketchbook Saturday Challenge and the Party Time challenge at The Shabby Tea Room.

Your sweet comments are like the cherry on top! Thanks so much for visiting my blog.

   

 all supplies by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: A Word for You, Create A Cupcake
Paper:  Sweet & Sour Specialty Paper, Rose Red, Very Vanilla
and Ink: Rose Red

Accessories:   Star, Curly Label and Cupcake punches, brads

Visit my online store  HERE if you need supplies or to see our specials

Do you have any questions about our products, my projects/classes, or being a demonstrator? I am happy to answer them, just send me an e-mail, you'll find it HERE

 

 

Challenge crazy!

I'm going a little challenge crazy this morning, so I hope you'll humor me a bit!

I've wanted to join the Pals Paper Arts challenge that ends today, so I raced this morning to create a card using scallops. Have a look and tell me if I didn't get just a wee bit carried away, hee hee!

 

I began with the Bring on the Cake stamp set! Those images are so much fun, you know I love to water-color. I treated myself to a new set of Blender Pens recently so I broke into them for the water-coloring. I did like the way they were easy to control especially with small letters.

I chose the Ice Cream Parlor DP because it features scallops, and the accent strips, like the Daffodil Delight one that I used. A few layers of scallops are at the base of the card, and it goes on from there, even down to the tiny scalloped button. The Peach Parfait panel is not quite as zingy...more subtle than the photo shows.

The lovely layout is another gorgeous one from Karen's SSC106.

I had fun with this one, but I really need to know what you think, is it too busy? Did I go overboard?  Feeling in a bit of giddy mood today, I guess you could tell!

   

  all supplies by Stampin' Up!

Visit my online store  HERE if you need supplies or to see our specials

Do you have any questions about our products, my projects/classes, or being a demonstrator? I am happy to answer them, just send me an e-mail, you'll find it HERE

Breath of Spring

I love Monday's. It has long been my favorite day of the week. I don't know why exactly. Maybe it just feels like a fresh start.

One of the best things about Mondays lately is I have my blog post all set and ready to go with my Clean and Simple Cards Challenge sample for the week. This week it was a sketch challenge.

 

I decided to use the Growing Green set for the first time to make this airy design. What colors to chose? Well, GREEN to start with as in Wild Wasabi. I used the Color Coach and found that So Saffron and Perfect Plum were suggested go-withs. Now, I would NEVER use purple on my own, I'm more of a red and pinks girl. But I decided to give this combo a try and to my surprise - I like it!

I did some reverse masking and sponged inside the square to make a background. Using the Aqua Painter and inks to watercolor enabled me to get just the light shade I wanted for the flower.

Enjoy your Monday! and a lovely Valentine's day too.

   

Supplies~  all supplies by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Growing Green, You're A Gem
Paper:  Whisper White, So Saffron
and Ink: So Saffron, Perfect Plum, Wild Wasabi

Accessories:   Designer Original Buttons, Basic Pearls, sponges

Visit my online store  HERE if you need supplies or to see our specials

Do you have any questions about our products, my projects/classes, or being a demonstrator? I am happy to answer them, just send me an e-mail, you'll find it HERE

 

Bliss!

Oh, I got some time to stamp and {{bliss}} describes the feeling of getting to do TWO challenges! Challenges are one of the main ways I jump-start the mojo when I don't know what to make and end up staring at the stamps and paper. I had a start on this idea last night so it came together super fast this morning, I  love when that happens!

Just as I promised, I played with the Awash with Flowers set which I just love because it is fresh and fun. Here's my first design with it:

The amazing sketch is from the Sweetest Sunday Sketch Challenge (give it a try!). I also used yesterday's Clean and Simple Challenge at SCS which was to use orange on a birthday card. Clean and simple is a great way to get back into stamping because this card only took about 20 minutes to make.

Now I'm heading off to my 'real' work for the day. I can't thank you enough for taking a moment to stop by and say hello.

Hugs~

 

Supplies~  all supplies by Stampin' Up!
Stamps: Awash with Flowers, Birthday Bliss
Paper: Kraft, Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin Pie, Sweet Pea DSP
and Ink: Chocolate Chip

Accessories: Stampin' Write Markers, Corduroy buttons, Scallop Circle Die

Order from me online anytime HERE or e-mail me HERE with any questions you have!

Watercolor Trio

I combined two challenges yesterday to make my first card with the Watercolor Trio set (coming next month in the Summer Mini!) I love the softness of the flower spray images and the color combo of certainly celery, soft suede, and tempting turquoise was a perfect fit. The layout is from the Mojo Monday Sketch.

I had a hard time at first with this sketch but I am really pleased with how it turned out! 

 

I began by stamping the images and sponging a bit around the oval on one side.  For the white panels I began with a Sending Love Note-Kiss. Using the  new Textured Impressions Square Lattice folder to emboss, I added a twist this time by brayering celery ink on the debossed side. This allows just a hint of color along with the texture. I like the touch of color this technique gives. 

The flowers from my Pretties Kit were dyed by being smooshed around in my inkpad lid.  How's that for a technical description! It also explains how my index fingertip is still a vibrant shade of blue, LOL!

Hope you are enjoying these sneak peeks as much as I enjoyed making them. Have a great day!

Supplies~  all supplies by Stampin' Up!
Stamps: Watercolor Trio
Paper: Certainly Celery, Soft Suede,Thoroughly Modern DSP
and Ink: Certainly Celery, Soft Suede

Accessories:Sending Love Notes-Kiss, Circle Rhinestone Brads (Ice), Satin ribbon, Pretties' Kit, Nesties,Textured Impressions Square Lattice folder, Big Shot

Order from me online anytime HERE or e-mail me HERE with any questions you have!

Birthday Wishes

It was time for another of Karen's Sweet Sunday Sketches today and I couldn't resist pulling out my Close as a Memory set and inking it up. Here's the card I made...

I needed to add another birthday card to my stash and this 4-1/4" square card will fit the bill nicely. I used the Chat Room Rub Ons - I am determined to get these cute words on some cards! Did you know that you can put rub ons directly onto ribbon or buttons?

I got a little carried away with stitching on this one. Wish that I had checked the size of the stitch before I went around the circle, LOL! 

Thanks for all the comments so far on last week's cards. Any comments made on this one before noon tomorrow are eligible for the blog candy drawing. I'll be back then to announce the winner!

Supplies~  all supplies by Stampin' Up!
Stamps: Close as a Memory
Paper: Very Vanilla, Only Orange, Sweet Pea DSP
and Ink: none

Accessories: Stampin' Write markers, Chat Room RUb Ons, Circle Scissors Plus, Flower Fusions felts, silver brads, Playground Designer Buttons

Order from me online anytime HERE or e-mail me HERE with any questions you have!

Easy Elegance

I decided it was time for one of my retired sets to come out of hiding. Easy Elegance is it's name and it fits the style of the card too. I used one of the Lots of Tags Sizzlet Dies for the label and added a button and ribbon to the simple layout from the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge. The colors are from the Color Combination Challenge at SCS. Since my stamping time is a bit limited this week, I combined the challenges. Hope you like it!

Supplies~  all supplies by Stampin' Up!
Stamps: Easy Elegance, Great Friend
Paper: Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue, Melon Mambo, Melon Mambo DSPrints,Whisper White
and Ink: Melon Mambo

Accessories: markers, Lots of Tags Dies, Scallop Border Trim Punch, Bashful Blue Taffeta Ribbon, Designer Buttons Sherbet

Order from me online anytime HERE or e-mail me HERE with any questions you have!

Wish Big

Here's another cute fella for you! The lion from the Fox & Friends set adorns this clean and simple child's birthday card. I couldn't wait to get this set, and now that I have it, I'm not sure what to do with it!

I really like the white on white look, except that I'm having issues with my camera again, and the colors are all looking muddy. Hope I can get that fixed or figured out soon!  Btw, the Pumpkin Pie card stock was just used as a backdrop for the card.The white border along the DP was made with the Scallop Square die. I cut two strips to use for the border. I really like the way the larger scallops look. Hope you like it!

Supplies~  all supplies by Stampin' Up!
Stamps: Fox & Friends, Short & Sweet
Paper: Whisper White, Crushed Curry, Basic Gray Designer Prints
and Ink: Crushed Curry, Basic Gray

Accessories: Lots of Tags Die, Scallop Square Die, Big Shot, 1-3/4" cricle punch, Rich Regals Buttons, Basic Gray taffeta ribbon

Order from me online anytime HERE or e-mail me HERE with any questions you have!

Quilting has never been so easy!

I received this beautiful card from my dear friend, Susan ( I {{{heart}}} you too, friend!)  Isn't it beautiful? She used the Top Note die and Shades of Spring Designer Paper to make this gorgeous quilted card. I had seen these online, but once I received this beauty, I couldn't wait to make one! 

For our club meeting last week we made this card using the same technique.

 
You may want to click on the photo to enlarge and see the details of the gorgeous Sending Love Specialty Paper. I chose this paper to show that it need not be used only for Valentine's day. If you've seen the glittery luster in person, you can imagine how beautiful it is IRL when also quilted and embossed! After assembling the punched squares (using the 1-1/4" square punch) and cutting it with the Top Note die, I then embossed it with the Petals A Plenty folder. The texture really looks and feels like an old quilt!

With a few more punches, the stacked labels and bitty butterfly were added. Don't you agree, quilting has never been so easy? If you've never tried one of these, you'll love it! I tried my hand at quilting just a tiny bit, many years ago. Just enough for me to appreciate the look of quilted paper, LOL!

Happy Moments

I love morning. Each day is a new gift, and I love waking up to discover the adventure! Breakfast (my favorite meal of the day) is pretty quiet these days. My husband and I had some happy moments watching and laughing at the antics of the birds and squirrels outside the kitchen window this morning while we ate.

The bird cage and the Happy Moments stamp set are my featured players in today's card! Isn't the image so sweet?

Happy Moments is one of the FREE stamp sets and accessories that you can choose for every $50 you order during Stampin' Up's most anticipated promotion going on right now. Contact me today to learn how this set can be yours!

The Pale Plum card stock was given a patterned background using the Very Vintage wheel and Perfect Plum ink. This wheel is absolutely a must have, it's one of my favorites from the Occasion Mini. I inked the bird cage with a Sot Suede marker, and used a Pale Plum marker for the bird. The sentiment was stamped in Soft Suede ink. The circle rhinestone brads were used on the bird cage, and I removed the brads to use just the gems on the sentiment.

Taupe 1/4" grosgrain ribbon ties up the card and Linen Thread loops around the brad to hold up the cage.

I like this card even though I rarely use any shade of plum, but I already have a few changes in mind that I think might improve the design. If it works, I"ll share it here too.

Have a great day!