A Season of ....

Hey there!  Got a card today for several challenges:  One Layer Wednesday, Stampin Sisters in Christ and Dolce Stamps & Cards. 

This week Susan (LateBlossom) is hosting One Layer Wednesday and she challenged us to check out the blog of Janelle and find something on her blog to use as inspiration for our card.  We could CASify one of her cards or find something on her blog to spark our creativity.  I decided to CASify one of Janelle's cards found here.   Now when I saw Susan's challenge I immediately thought how well it would work with this week's Stampin Sisters in Christ challenge to have the word "blessing" on your project.  To be honest if you want to be lifted up you really need to either check out Grace's devotional over at SSIC and/or just spend a bit of time reading Janelle's blog.  Both will inspire you! 

The card I chose from Janelle's blog was one she made recently and is a Thanksgiving card.   Obviously I went in the same direction by using leaves on my card, but in a one layer version.   How does my card fit the Dolce Stamps & Cards challenge?  Well, their challenge is to use the colors of a fall.  So I got out the following Stampin Up! colors Old Olive, So Saffron, Really Rust, More Mustard & Close to Cocoa and got to work.  I used the rock & roll technique to layer the colors.  The maple leaf stamp is from Hero Arts and the sentiment is from PTI.

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI white; Stamps:  Hero Arts & PTI; Inks:  Stampin Up!

Times of Refreshing...

Hey there!! Wow... I think the last time I posted was Sunday!!  I have been busy, though, just most of it is posted over on Splitcoaststampers.

Anyway... have a card today for three challenges:  One Layer Wednesday, Stampin Sisters in Christ and ODBD Shining the Light.   The OLW challenge was use a sentiment as your focus or a sentiment/image as the focus... I went with the sentiment/image portion.  The SSIC challenge is to have something with wings on your card and to use a scripture.  Finally the ODBDSLC challenge is to use fall colors or theme... I went with fall colors. 

This simple one layer card took me a long time to make simply because I could not get the sentiment stamped correctly (ie... STRAIGHT!!).  I stamped the butterfly image from the ODBD set Faith on white cardstock using Tuxedo Black ink and then colored with the following Copics:  Y21, Y23, Y35, Y38, YR02, YR07, YR09, YG93, YG95, R89, RV99, E15 and E25.  The sentiment was also stamped using Tuxedo Black.  A few Hero Arts gems in a pretty orange were added and I was done.  Took awhile to get a decent picture as it is a dreary day today.

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI white; Ink;  Tuxedo Black; Stamps:  ODBD; Copic Markers

Getting a Bit Shabby....

Hey there!  Happy Wednesday!!  Got a card today for three challenges:  the Paper Players (sketch), Flourishes (Bingo) and Stampin' Sisters in Christ (recipe).   I hadn't planned on putting this into three challenges, but when I saw that that SSIC challenge was a recipe and I already had two of the requirements I decided to add the third so it would work for that challenge, as well. 

The Flourishes challenge is a "bingo" challenge, ie pick three items in a row.  I went with the middle row of embossing, pink and pearls.  I recently got some new SU! designer papers and paper embellishments from the Beau Cheateau line.   Love the soft pink, blue, brown and cream colors in this line of dp.  Absolutely perfect for a shabby chic look.  I embossed the patterned paper which created a bit of a problem for me because when I was trying to apply the adhesive the first piece ripped horribly... as in unable to save it!!  So, embossed another piece and tried to be a bit more careful when I applied the adhesive.   The butterfly image is from the SU! set Strength & Hope.  A percentage of the proceeds from the sale of the set will be donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation... a very worthy cause.  The SSIC challenge asked us to use three of the following:  ribbon, button, brad, swirl, hat pin, charm or popped up image.   I went with a brad, the ribbon and popped up the image. 

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI cream; SU! Crumb Cake; PP:  SU! Beau Chateau dp; Beau Chateau Side Note;  Ink:  SU! Pink Pirouette; Impress Fawn; Pearls, SU! brad; May Arts silk ribbon; SU! scalloped circle punch

Mini Journal...

Hey there!  Here today with a little project that works for five different challenges!  That is a first for me working in five challenges on one project.  The most I have done prior to this is four and I thought that was alot of challenges!  But I know there are crafters out there who routinely enter their projects in way more then five challenges!    Anywhoo... my little project works for the following challenges:

JUGs  - embellish a notebook or journal

City Crafters - use up your scraps

Shabby Tea Room - polka dots

Stampin Sisters in Christ - use music in some form

Card Patterns - sketch

When I saw that the JUGs challenge was to embellish a notebook or journal I knew right away that I wanted to do a mini one.  My little journal is 4 1/2 x 3 1/4.    The perfect size for the Card Patterns sketch.  My last project had some scraps left over and so I used them along with some other scraps to put together my journal and lucky for me those scraps included the polka dotted paper and the music paper!  Now I have to say that had it not been for fellow crafter, Michelle, posting her projects for City Crafts and the Shabby Tea Room I wouldn't have known my little journal would fit right into those challenges... so, thanks, Michelle! 

I love how my little journal turned out so I think I'm going to be keeping it for myself.   Thanks for taking a peek...

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI Vintage Cream; PP:  October Afternoon Thirft Shop; BasicGrey Green at Heart; LilyBeeDesign Picket Fence; Glue stick; mini journal; Sizzix leafy branch die; KaiserCraft rhinestones; Prima Trellis Rose

Black and White...

Hi Ya!  Didn't think I would be posting anything for a few days, but then I saw that the challenge over at the Stampin' Sisters In Christ is a challenge to make a black and white or black and cream project.  I went with black and white.  Grace's devotional this week is absolutely fantastic and a definite must read.  I love how she contrasted the negative thoughts that we all have from time to time with the positive, affirming word of God! 

For my card I used another newly acquired Layers of Color stamp:  Silk Moth.   I stamped the image on white cardstock using VersaMark watermark ink, applied black Filigree embossing powder and then heat set it.   The image was then trimmed out and popped up on a piece of white cardstock that I ran through my Big Shot in a Sizzix embossing folder.  To provide a bit more finish I added some black rhinestones to the image, as well as the embossed piece.   I didn't put a sentiment on the card as I just wanted to let the image shine.

Thanks for taking a peek....

Supplies:  Cardstock:  Gina K. black; PTI white; Stamps:  Layers of Color Silk Moth; Ink: VersaMark; Embossing Powder:  Filigree Black; Gems:  Black rhinestones

A Memory Box Thank You

A card for two challenges today:  Paper Players and Stampin Sisters In Christ.  The Stampin' Sister in Christ challenge is to use something new on your project whether it is new products, technique, etc.   The Paper Players challenge is to make a thank you card.   So... for my card I used some brand new Memory Box products that I bought on Saturday.  Memory Box has some beautiful paper packs and recently came out with a new pack called "Valise".    When I saw that Memory Box had printed the patterns on kraft paper I knew I had to get a pack.  So on Saturday morning I made a trip to Impress Rubber Stamps and picked up the Valise papers and a set of new Memory Box dies called "Bakery Labels".  I used both for my card. 

Now over at SSIC, Linda (Lovely Linda) provided the most wonderful devotional based on John 13:34-35 and the new commandment.  I loved her explanation that by keeping the new commandment that we love one another the way Jesus loved us that we are not putting away the ten commandments, but gaining a new tool to help us keep the ten commandments!   Thus, the challenge to use new products, techniques, etc on your card.  Making my card a "thank you" card just seemed a good fit. 

One of the neat things I discovered about the Valise collection are the sheets of various tags that come in the pack.  I cut one out and stamped the Memory Box Butterfly Collage stamp on it using SU! Baja Breeze.  A second butterfly was stamped, trimmed out and then covered with Diamond Stickles.  Once it was dry it was attached to the first butterfly.  I used the bakery labels die to cut out a label and then stamped "thank you" on it using Baja Breeze.  I feel like the card is missing something, but overall I'm happy with it.

Thanks for taking a peek...

CQC85....

An interesting color combo today from ColourQ.  I almost passed it up, but I just have to give it a try and see what I could come up with for a card.  To help me along I combined ColourQ with the current Stampin Sisters in Christ challenge to make a project using a teapot or teacup.    So... I reached for my Taylored Expressions Creativi-TEA set and two different Waltzingmouse sets:  Victorian Frippery & Large Doily.   The other day I made a card where I used the border stamp from Victorian Frippery to create a layered border.   This time I stamped the border along one side of the card base using SU!'s Chocolate Chip ink.  I stamped the border again on a 1 1/2 strip of white cardstock and then trimmed it out as shown.  I really quite like the look of the trimmed out border image.  The teapot was stamped using SU!'s Groovy Guava, a peachy color similar to Peach Parfait.  One of the doily images was stamped using grey in and then diecut.  A scalloped circle was diecut from Sahara Sand cardstock as a mat.  The ribbon is PTI's Melon Berry double stitched.  The whole thing was finished with a rolled rose made from white felt.

Thanks for taking a peek...

Make Mine Round...

My card that is...  The challenge this week at Stampin' Sisters in Christ is to make a round card and when I saw Silke's sketch challenge over at Flourishes I knew I would be combining the two.   I always love how the gals at Stampin Sisters in Christ connect their devotionals to cardmaking.  This week was no exception with Rebekkah providing a wonderful devotional about the sacrifices Jesus made for us, the promises that Easter brings and our need to remain strong in our faith.  For my card  I used the pansy image from the Flourishes set A Year of Flowers 1 and a sentiment from the Lenten Rose set for the card.  My color inspiration came from a lovely 6x6 pad of papers from SEI called Couture.  I colored the image with the following Copics:  V01, V12, V15, V17, YG93, YG95, YG97, Y02 & Y06.  The round card was made using the largest die from the Spellbinders Lacey Circles dies.  The sentiment was diecut using the 2nd smallest die from that set.

Thanks for taking a peek... hope to be back later with my card for Less is More!

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI white & Plum Pudding; Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black & Plum Pudding; Dies:  Spellbinders Lacey Circles; Copic Markers; Papers:  SEI

Just Squeekin' In With This One..

So... the new Flourishes stamps are out (and boy are they beautiful!!) and so crazy me... I decided to give their speed challenge a go!  And I decided to color my image.... the large gerber daisy image from Flourishes!!  Yikes!!!  But I got my card done and just in a nick of time!!  Whew!!!  I colored the image with Copic makers  V000, V04, V06, YG93, YG95, Y11 & Y13. All cardstock and papers are from PaperTrey Ink. I'm also going to put this card into the Stampin' Sisters In Christ challenge to use purple, the Really Reasonable Ribbon challenge and Flourishes Timeless Tuesday challenge to use flowers, as well.   So... here is my card:

Thanks for taking a peek... I'm going to take a bit of a rest now!!

Treasured Things...

A card for three challenges:  ODBD's Shining the Light - Pearls or Leather; Stampin' Sisters In Christ - Treasured Things and Flourishes Cut Above the Rest.  So that means I needed to use pearls (or leather) on my card, something I treasure and use dies and/or punches to create a cut edge.  

Now I don't know about you, but as a papercrafter there are just way too many things that I treasure!  I love ribbon, buttons, pearls, paper, cardstock, dies, etc.  Do I need to go on??  But when I read the devotional over at Stampin Sisters' that was tied to the treasured things idea it really got me thinking about how much I struggle with trying to maintain a healthy balance with this craft I love.  How to NOT spend too much money on papercrafting stuff, how to make sure that I do use what I have and how do I keep this hobby from becoming more important in my life then my relationship with God and my family.  Trust me it is hard, but I'm getting there and it is so worth it. 

So on to my card... obviously I decided to use pearls on the card.  The die I used is a really neat one I got from Heartfelt Creations when I joined the design team.   I'm definitely going to be using it more in the future.  My treasured items include the pearl flourish I used, as well as some of my hoarded patterned paper.  The stamps are from the ODBD set As You Graduate.   I don't know anyone who is graduating in the near future so I will be sending this card off to Operation Write Home. 

Thanks for taking a peek

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI white & kraft; SU! patterned paper; Ink:  SU! Baja Breeze; Stamps:  ODBD As You Graduate; Die:  Heartfelt Creations; Zva Creative Pearl Flourish; Spellbinders Long Rectangle dies

A Song....

My card today is for the current Stampin' Sisters In Christ challenge to "button it down" and use at least three buttons on your card. The devotional this week is about how we can trust God to keep us secure in all situations, thus the use of buttons!  I'm also putting this into the Moxie Fab Get Daring with Decorative Tape challenge.  I recently bought some T!m Holtz Tissue Tape because... well... I thought it was really neat!  And then it arrived and I was like... well... now what do I do??  Then came the Moxie Fab challenge and I gave it a try. 

Can't tell you how much cardstock and tape I used up trying to make something for the challenge, but it was ALOT!  Finally I made this card.  I applied the tissue tape to white cardstock and then die cut it using a couple of PTI dies (the little flower and the border).  Not very inventive, I know, but at least I'm trying, right?  A button was added to the center of the diecut flower, as well as to the stamped flower and the center of the bow.  To soften the card a bit (it is a little severe with the black, cream & kraft) I added some SU! seam binding called Crumb Cake.   The stamps are from Hero Arts & Verve

Thanks for taking a peek....

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI Kraft, white & Vintage Cream; T!m Holtz Tissue Tape; Stamps:  Hero Arts Musical Background, Bird Collage, & Verve; Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black; Dies:  PTI; Buttons:  PTI; Seam Binding Stampin Up! Crumb Cake; Twine May Arts

Never Be....

My card today for Stampin Sisters in Christ and ODBD's Shining the Light challenges.  The challenge over at Stampin Sisters is to use the color green and the challenge at ODBD is to stamp a sentiment over an image, one of my favorite stamping techniques.

The card started out as a completely different idea then what it ended up being.  I had wanted to use the main focal image from the ODBD set As You Graduate for the card and use the emboss/resist techinque.  But when I got done embossing and then inking the image I just didn't like how it turned out.   So... I switched gears and decided to just go with one of the cross images from the ODBD Cross of Christ set and a sentiment from As You Graduate.  The sentiment works well for the Stampin Sister's challenge as Peggysue's devotional is about how we often choose to put off doing something that we know is good for us because we maybe fear the consequences, we just don't want to change our ways or we are afraid of the unknown.   But if we trust God we don't need to be afraid.   I used my Spellbinders Labels Eleven dies and one of my favorite embossing folders from Stampin Up!.   I decided to ink up the embossing with some Bundled Sage ink to make it stand out more.

Thanks for taking a peek...

Supplies:  Cardstock:  Stampin Up! Mellow Moss; PTI white; Ink:  Ranger Bundled Sage & Forest Moss distress inks; Stampin Up! Elegant Lines EF; Spellbinders Labels 11 dies; Kaiser Craft pearls.

It's Time to Celebrate...

Happy Valentine's Day!   My card isn't a valentine, but I did use valentine colors of red, pink & white for the card.  After making a few one layer cards that were, quite frankly, less than stellar tonight I have made one that I'm very, very happy with. 

Recently I found a new clean & simple challenge blog called "Less is More" and the challenge there this week is to make a one layer card.   That dovetailed nicely with the Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge this week to make.... yep a one layer card!   And the color story came from this week's Sentimental Sundays challenge.  

After messing about all afternoon making a fairly complicated project that I be posting once I get a good photo of it I wanted to make something fairly easy.  I also wanted to make a card using a new Stampin Up! set that I acquired recently called Fast & Fabulous.  I stamped the outline image using SU!'s Cherry Cobbler ink and then the "filler" image in SU!'s Riding Hood Red.  Some SU! Pink Pirouette ribbon was tied at the top and the sentiment from Hero Arts was stamped in Cherry Cobbler.  A few pink rhinestones finished off the card.

Thanks for taking a peek.... yes, I changed the look of my blog, again!  But I think I will keep it this way for awhile...
Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI White; Stamps:  SU! Fast & Fabulous; Inks:  SU! Riding Hood Red & Cherry Cobbler; SU! Pink Pirouette ribbon; Pink Rhinestones

One Card... Several Challenges!

One card today that covers four different challenges.   The challenges are as follows:

Stampin' Sisters in Christ:  Use blues and greens

ODBD Shining the Light:  Use blues

Waltzingmouse:  Sketch

Sentimental Sundays:  Celebrate Asia

My WMS set Asian Garden was obviously the perfect set for the Sentimental Sundays challenge and using the tree image worked really well for the WMS sketch, as well.   I kept everything very CAS, as well.  The tree was stamped using SU!'s Certain Celery and River Rock.  The Soft Sky card base was stamped with the large border image from Asian Garden using Soft Sky ink.  I deliberately stamped the border image so that parts would not necessarily transfer completely to the cardstock.   I really like how it turned out. 

Thanks for taking a peek...

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI white; SU! Soft Sky; Stamps:  WMS Asian Garden; Ink:  SU! Soft Sky, River Rock & Certain Celery; Ranger Old Paper distress ink;  Copic Marker; KaiserCraft rhinestones

Vintage {?} CR84FN...

My card today uses the current color combo from CR84FN12 combined with the current Stampin Sisters in Christ challenge to make it vintage and the current Card Patterns sketch.   My card, to a certain extent, is about as "vintage" as I can get.  I'm a CAS kinda girl and doing shabby chic/vintage is a real struggle for me.  To make my card fit the vintage idea I ink distressed the edges of the main panel with Ranger's Old Page distress ink.  I also inked the edges of the little flower that I made.  The stamped image (from Hero Arts - Classic Fabric Design) does have a very vintage sort of feel too it.  The addition of some crocheted lace and the pins add a bit more to the vintage look. 

I flipped the Card Patterns sketch so that the circle element is on the other side of the card because I have a habit of tying my bows so they end up on the righthand side of the card!  For some reason a bow on the righthand side is just more pleasing to me.    Finally, I'm going to put this in the current Moxie Fab Tuesday Trigger challenge as it fits that challenge, as well (sorry I don't have the Trigger graphic... I kinda ran out of room!).   And, eeekk!!  Cath picked my card from last week's Tuesday Trigger challenge as a trigger target!!  How cool is that????

Thanks for taking a peek...  have a Moxie Fab day!!

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI Kraft & white; Stamps:  Hero Arts Classic Fabric Design; Stampin Up! (best wishes sentinment); Ribbon:  May Arts crochet & PTI Sweet Blush grosgrain; PTI flower dies; Stick pins:  Close to My Heart; Ink:  PTI Lavender Moon; Memento Angel Pink; Memento Black

Winged Things...

The challenges at both Stampin' Sisters in Christ and Sentimental Sundays involve using things with wings:  butterflies, birds, etc.  Well I recently got the new Graphic 45 8x8 pad called Once Upon a Springtime and it is full of winged things like butterflies, birds and fairies!!  I decided to use the fairies for my card.  This card also fits the current ODBDSLC challenge to use something old and something new.  My old is the lace and the ODBD stamp set and my new is the Graphic 45 paper and the seam binding.

Thanks for taking a peek today!!

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI Fine Linen & Vintage Cream, PP:  Graphic45; Stamps:  ODBD Grow in Grace; Lace:  Hero Arts; Seam Binding:  Stampin Up!; Spellbinders plain & scalloped small ovals dies

Happy New Year!!

My first card, well... actually cards, of the year.  I have been wanting to make a card for the current Stamping Sisters In Christ challenge to make a card using inches.  When I was checking out my blogging friend Brenda's blog I saw that she had used a sketch provided by Lucy for a really sweet card she made.  I took a look at Lucy's sketch and my inchie card was finally born.   I ended up making two, though, because I was interested in seeing how the card would work two different ways.  There isn't alot different about them, but that slight difference gives each their own unique look.  The stamps are from The {Stamps} of Life Hearts2Love set. The color combo comes from the Play Date Cafe'.  Both cards will be dropped off with my local OWH shipper, Sandy, later this week.   Here is card #1:

And here is card #2:

Thanks for taking a peek... hope you will let me know what you think!  My personal favorite is card #1.

Supplies:  PTI Fine Linen & white cardstock; PTI Berry Sorbet Bitty Dots Basic pp; Ink:  Stampin Up! Melon Mambo & Cameo Coral; Stamps:  {Stamps} of Life Hearts2Love; Marvy 1" square punch

Its Friday!!

And while I'm still battling this head cold, I'm glad its the weekend and the start of Christmas break for my kids...!  Yipeee!! 

My little card today is for One Layer Wednesday (to be inspired by home decor) and Stampin' Sisters in Christ (to encourage or cheer up someone).  I have had this lamp stamp (say that three times fast!) from Hero Arts and had never inked it up.   So I got it out and used it for my card.  I stamped the image on PTI' Fine Linen (a new favorite neutral cs) with True Black ink.  I then stamped the lamp image on some Websters Pages Hollywood Vogue pp and trimmed out the shade and the lamp base and adhered them to the lamp.  The sentiment is from PTI's On My Couch.

Thanks for taking a peek... have a great weekend!

Supplies:  CS:  PTI Fine Linen; PP:  Websters Pages; Stamps:  Hero Arts lamp; PTI On My Couch; Ink:  PTI True Black

Tryin' Some Shabby Craftin...

and well.... I think I need more practice!  Anyway, I gave it a go and the more I try the better I should get (I hope!), right???   And this one little card is for four (yes four!!) different challenges.  I have always kinda balked at the idea of making a card for more than one challenge and marveled at all those gals who would make one card for like 10 challenges!  But now I'm starting to see the wisdom of their ways....  So my card is for the following challenges:  Etsy Inspired, Stampin' Sisters in Christ, Sentimental Sundays & Waltzingmouse. 

The inspiration came from Etsy Inspired and the layout from Waltzingmouse.   The Etsy store this week is Heartsong and I chose this fun little item from her store for my inspiration:  

My Hero Arts cling set Two Birds was perfect for the card.  I did some paper piecing using Websters Pages Petite Pages collection Hollywood Vogue/WonderFALL. 

The challenge this week at Sentimental Sundays is to use 3 designer papers, 3 buttons and some ribbon.  I managed to accomplish all that, but it was tricky.  For Stampin' Sisters I need to use a sentiment that conveyed encouragment or congratulations... Best Wishes fits the congratulations bill (but barely!).    

Thanks for taking a peek...

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI Rustic White; PP:  Websters Pages; Ink:  Ranger Forest Moss Distress ink; Memento Rich Cocoa; Stamps:  Hero Arts & Stampin Up!; Pearl:  Zva Creative; Buttons unknown; Silk Ribbon Creative Impressions

Give Thanks....

A card today for two challenges:  Sentimental Sundays & Stampin Sisters in Christ.  Both challenges asked us to make cards that express giving thanks.  I used the current SCS color challenge colors (kraft, cherry cobler & chocolate chip) for the card.  The stamps are from Stampin Up! (Medallion) and Verve (a Plain Jane - 1 Chronicle 16:34). 

I stamped the Medallion with VersaMark Dazzle Champagne on the Cherry Cobler cardstock.  The sentiment was stamped with Cherry Cobler ink.  Some Zva Creative bling and a big fat bow.

Thanks for taking a peek... have a great day.   Its cold, cold, cold here so I'm staying inside!

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI Vintage Cream & Kraft; Stampin Up! Cherry Cobler & Choc. Chip; Stamps:  Stampin Up! Medallion; Verve Plain Jane; Ink:  VersaMark Dazzle; Stampin Up! Cherry Cobler; Ribbon:  Stampin Up! Choc. Chip striped ribbon; Zva Creative rhinestone flourish