Wednesday, August 31, 2011

CREATE with the Stampin' Queens

Happy Wednesday to you!  The Stampin' Queens have another very user-friendly sketch!  So, head on over to the Stampin' Queens Sketch Challenge blog, to see what that super creative design team have created!  Just remember to use your Stampin' Up! paper crafting supplies!

Here is the sketch:


Here is my card:

Have I said how much I'm loving this Beau Chateau DSP?  Well, I'm a super big fan!  This paper has beautiful floral images, and fun different french farm patterns, that work super well together.  I believe this pattern paper has that vintage feel that I am soo loving right now.  

I used the Established Elegance stamp set and Beau Chateau DSP during last weeks Stampin' Queens Sketch Challenge.  I have decided to use the same package of DSP and stamp set, for this week's challenge., too  I added a few different items tho, like Marina Mist cardstock, vintage hardware, and the Creative Elements stamp set.  I used the other crochet trim, and a different crumb cake ribbon.  
To help my card have that vintage feel, I scrunched a small section of the paper and gave my card some sponging on the edges.  I also added a few squirts of Lob Cabin and Vanilla Shimmer Smooch.
I did wad up the seam binding before I adhered it to the card.  I thought that if the seam binding was smooth, it would look 'new' and not 'worn'.   It's pretty simple, spray the seam binding with some water and roll between your palms.  I also tied on a double bow.  I thought it gave the card some pizzazz.  The two faux half-pearls were 'colored' with smooch.
I hope that you get a chance to play along with us Stampin' Queens!

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Birthday Blue

I wanted to share a card I had made for a girl friend.  She is a very special lady, and I wanted to make something for her that is as beautiful as she is.


I layered a mix of different blue pattern papers and wrapped some ruffle ribbon around them.  I found this beautiful 'cupcake' paper at the big box M store.  I layered the cupcake paper onto some chocolate chip card stock, to help mimic the chocolate cake.  I stamped Happy Birthday in Chocolate Chip classic ink on a scrap piece of white card stock and used my square punch to make the flag tail.  I added a short row of rhinestones and viola!

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Play Date #96 Baby

I came across this fabulous color challenge @ The Play Date Cafe.  The colors for this weeks challenge (#96) are: mint, coral, and ivory.  When I saw these colors together, I instantly thought of Bo Bunny.  They have some new pattern paper that works this color challenge perfectly!

Here is the inspiration board:

Here is the card I made:

My card base is made from Cameo Coral card stock.  I used a scrap piece of Sage Shadow to mat the pattern paper.  I cut a banner from the Petal Cone die, and stamped the HB in Cameo Coral classic ink.  I added the little tag stamped with a brown Staz-On pigment ink.  I attached the tiny tag with a vintage trinket.   I added a scallop trim cut from First Edition DSP and used the tasteful trim die.  I added a chip board frame I had.  I sponged the edges of the frame and added some diamond glitter to it.  I also cut one blossom and attached it to the card front with some foam tape.  I added odd numbers of faux half-pearls and rhinestones to give the card some bling and elegance.  My final addition, I heat embossed the number '3' using Versa Mark and white embossing powder.  I sponged some Sahara Sand classic ink to help the '3' pop!
Thank you for looking!

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Paper and Fabric

Howdy!  It's Saturday!  Oh, doesn't feel wonderful to be IN the weekend!  It does.  Let me kick off my shoes, grab a latte, and take a deep breath!
It's time to break out your paper crafting items, and join these fabulous girls over @ Our Creative Corner for another challenge!  Well, Vicki has given us another challenge.  This challenge is a color challenge.  The colors are Basic Gray and Basic Black with a pop of Real Red.  Sounds pretty easy.  What I did was pull everything out that was black, gray, or red.  I mixed papers and different embellishments.  You know, the usual.  
Here is Vicki's color block:
Here is my card:
Let me just say that no, your eyes are not playing tricks on you.  There is NO rubber stamping on this card.  Once I pulled all my color appropriate stuff out, I got to mixing and matching, and forgot to leave room for a stamp!  But, I really like the card.  And if nothing else, it shows the versatility of the products.
The card base is made with Basic Black card stock.  I layered a piece of black and cream pattern paper from Love Letters DSP.  I had a scrap piece of that fabulous rose pattern paper.   I put it on crooked on purpose.  I wanted some visual interest, so I kept opposite corners on the pattern paper, and chopped off the over hanging corners.  I had a scrap piece of of that black hounds tooth pattern paper from the Love Letters DSP and a scrap piece of the text pattern paper from the News Print DSP, that really looked tailored and handsome together.  So, I added those scrap strips across the lower middle of my crooked card stock.  I found this fabric tab in my drawer of embellishments and thought it looked fun, so I added that too.  I tied a piece of Real Red Satin ribbon around these layered pieces.  The oval tag was already made. I added some foam tape behind the card stock oval tag.  I adhered 5 rhinestone jewels to the bottom line on the oval tag.  I found these two black corner flourishes, and add to add those.  
This card has a few different products on it, but I don't think it looks 'heavy' or over-loaded.  Let me know what you think.  Now, go create something wonderful using Basic Black, Basic Gray, and a pop of Real Red, and enter our challenge over @ Our Creative Corner challenge blog.

Friday, August 26, 2011

Sketch Frenzy

It's Friday! Yahoo! the weekend is quickly approaching.  It's also time for another sketch challenge brought to you by Sketch Frenzy Friday challenge blog.  This week's sketch is brought to us by Deb Currier.   Now, don't forget to continue on over to Tammy Fite's blog, to see what she has created.

Here is Deb's sketch:

What a beautiful sketch, huh?  It's actually very 'user-friendly'.  And I love that!  I really do like it when the artist has a 'work-able' sketch.  And Deb has done a fabulous job.

Here is my card:

Before I tell you which Stampin' Up! products I used, I first need to thank a special man in my life.  That person, is my wonderfully supportive husband.  He knows how important crafting is in my life.  This simple act of mixing papers and embellishments really does keep me grounded and happy.  Thank you, honey. 
Ok, now on to my card.  This card is actually very simple and quick to put together.  I used Soft Suede cardstock as my card base.  I added a strip of Spice Cake DSP and matted it onto a scrap piece of Peach Parfait cardstock.  I created my flower with the Spice Cake fabric and the blossom die.  I added two large scallop circles cut from First Edition DSP.  I staggered the flower shapes and added a scallop circle after each different flower design.  I used my crop-a-dile to punch a small hole through the whole fabric flower and used a new in-color brad to the center.  I took a 2 3/4" square piece of Very Vanilla card stock, and then added a Pool Party cardstock mat.  I took a small piece of crochet trim and attached it to the back of the Very Vanilla square.  I added a vintage tricket button brad to add some visual interest.  And last, I stamped 'Friend' in Soft Suede classic ink at the lower right hand corner.
Thank you for looking, and please join us @ Sketch Frenzy Friday challenge blog.  Up load your new, creative entry, and share your talents with us!  We'd love to see what you make!

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Early Halloween

Happy Thursday!  It's time for another challenge from Creative Sketches.  Creative Sketches, have a sketch and a theme for us today.  The theme is Halloween or Fall, and a user-friendly sketch.  


Here is the sketch:


Here is my card:

This card was actually fun to make!  I used a Stampin' Up! Halloween stamp set I purchased last year.  I didn't sell or trade this stamp set, because I just love the graphics.  So, I used the raven and the spider from the stamp set: Dark & Dreary.  How fitting, huh?  
I also broke open a new package of DSP - Pick Your Poison.  I love the black swirls and elegant lines of this paper.  To stay true to the sketch, I added the tomb stone shape sticker from the Pick Your Poison accents.  I also stamped 'BOO!' in Pumpkin Pie classic ink.  I added the circle accent to the upper right corner of the card.  I stamped and fussy cut the spider, then layered it onto the circle accent.  
I added a trim piece of basic black card stock that I cut with the eyelet border punch.  I also added a strip of First Edition DSP cut with the scallop trim border punch.  I layered the two border punches and tied them with some retired Raven Lace trim.  How pretty, huh?  I thought that the lace trim needed something, so I added a few black sparkle-y faux half-pearls at the top and bottom borders of the card.
Now, it's your turn!  Make a Halloween or Fall themed card using our sketch, and enter our challenge over @ Creative Sketches challenge blog.  You could be our next weekly winner!

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Stampin' Queens 1st Sketch Challenge!

It's Wednesday, and that means that its time for the sketch challenge over @ Stampin' Queens Sketch Challenge  blog.  To make this sketch extra special, its the FIRST sketch for this challenge site!  This fantastic group of ladies love working with Stampin' Up! supplies and products.  So, we provide you with a sketch, and we welcome your submission of paper crafting projects using Stampin' Up! products and supplies!

Here is the sketch:

Here is my card:

The sketch shows a square card.  My guess is that its a 5" x 5" card.  I kept my card a typical A2 card.  
I used the wonderful Beau Chateau DSP.  I just love it!  I also used  two stamp sets: Established Elegance and Tiny Tags.  I used the images from Established Elegance on the square very vanilla panel.  I used the Tiny Tags set on the small circle piece.  I used River Rock cardstock as my card base.  I used Pink Pirouette and Soft Suede cardstocks as my various mats.  There is a scrap piece of First Edition DSP die cut with the larger scallop trim.  I wrapped the thinner crochet trim around the card and tied a simple knot.  I also tied a scrap piece of Crumb Cake seam binding around the knot.  I then frayed the ends of the various trims to give them a 'worn-look'.  I sponged all the paper edges with Sahara Sand classic ink.  I also did some distressing on various pieces with the thread cutter in the distressing kit.  I used foam tape on both the square stamped piece and the round stamped piece.   I also added some faux stitching along the right side of the card.  (If you look closely to the sketch, it is there.)
Like I said, this is the FIRST sketch for the Stampin' Queens!  So, please join us!  We'd love to see what you create!  Use your Stampin' Up! supplies and products and play with us!

Monday, August 22, 2011

Design Team Galore

So, I said that I had some exciting news to post today, and let me apologize for posting so late in the day; ok evening.  I am finally home, and just getting settled.
Well, as you can tell by the badges on my side bar, I am on a few different design teams.  As of this week, I am a design team member on 4 (yes, four) challenge sites!  How exciting, huh?  I am very honored, and very excited to share some different challenges with you.  I did make sure that none of the challenges posted on the same day of the week.  
So here is my challenge schedule:
posting on Wednesdays: Stampin Queens Sketch Challenge - The sketch is supplied each week, and use your Stampin' Up! products and supplies to enter our challenge.
posting on Thursdays: Creative Sketches -  At this challenge site, we provide different challenges for different weeks of the month.  You are welcome to use any manufacturer of paper crafting products and supplies to complete this challenge.
posting on Fridays: Sketch Frenzy Fridays - The sketch is supplied each week, and you are encouraged to use your Stampin' Up! products and supplies to enter our challenge.
posting on Saturdays: Our Creative Corner - At this challenge site, you are given a particular challenge each week.  We have had color challenges, sketch challenges, and theme challenge.  The types of challenges are unique and random.  You are welcome to use any paper crafting supplies you have on hand.
This posting schedule starts this week!  So, please stop by as early as Wednesday, to see what I've been working on!  And the Stampin' Queens Sketch Challenge is a new challenge site.  Please stop by again!

Sunday, August 21, 2011

MoJo 204 - thanks

Well, the weekend is coming to a close, and I found some time to complete another card!  Actually, if you placed a Stampin' Up! order with me this week, you will receive this card in the mail.  *I send a blank, un-signed card with every order.  That way, you always have a card on hand, in case you need one at the last minute, or if nothing else, you have an idea or inspiration.
Here is the sketch for MoJo Monday #204:

Here is my card:

I used some of the new stuff from Stampin' Up!  I used Domestic Goddess DSP and Now You're Cooking stamp set.  I used a small font 'thanks', that came from another SU! stamp set.  I colored the stamp image with markers: spatula, utensils, cups, and oven mitt.  I added some white satin ribbon, and a few silver brads at the upper left corner to secure the photo corner.
Thank you for looking, and this up coming week, is going to be jammed packed with some various inspiration.  I will be announcing some very good news on Monday, so stay tuned!

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Vicki's Sketch

It's Saturday! and boy am I tired!  My daughter and her wonderful husband went out of town and the grand kids get to spend the weekend at my house! oh, and did I mention that they are both sick. :(  
Vicki, has a super 'work-able' sketch for you all to try @ Our Creative Corner, this week!  I strongly encourage everyone to stop by the challenge site and submit an entry!  You'll be amazed at what this design team have created!
So, this post is super late.  My apologies to Vicki and all the wonderfully talented and patient ladies on the design team.
Here is the sketch:



Here is my card:

This card uses alot of different products.  So bear with me.  I used two different stamp sets.  I stamped the flourish in grey, and the sentiment in Basic Black classic ink.  The pretty paper is actually two-sided.  So, I used one side for the card base and the other side for the square piece.  I matted the floral side in Rose Red cardstock.   I used Stampin' Up!'s Designer Frames embossing folder for the sentiment tag.  I don't know if you will be able to see it, but I sprayed the whole card with some home-made shimmer paint.  I wanted it to have some sparkle, but couldn't get a rhinestone swirl to look like it belong.
Thank you for stopping by, now go create something fabulous and enter our challenge over @ Our Creative Corner!

Friday, August 19, 2011

thanks

Hi! and thank you for stopping by this Friday!  So, the weekend is right around the corner, and Sketch Frenzy Friday has another challenge for us today.  The sketch was brought to us by Angela, and the sketch is pretty 'user-friendly', and your only requirement is to us Stampin' Up! products.  I decided to use all current products, so if you find some inspiration, you can purchase all these products today!  Don't forget to stop by Tammy B. 's blog to see what she has created.
Here is the sketch

Here is my card

For some reason, I have this urge to use this same color combo.  Sorry!  But, isn't it just beautiful!  Crumb Cake, Calypso Coral, Pink Pirouette, Peach Parfait, and Very Vanilla!  Before you say it, yes, that is Stampin' Up! seam binding.  I just dyed it!  First, I measured how much seam binding I needed  and cut that measurement.  I sprayed the seam binding with water, and then added several drops of Pink Pirouette classic re-inker.  Then used my heat gun to speed up the drying time.  I wadded up the seam binding to help create the crinkled look.  
The flower was made with circle punches.  I used peach parfait card stock, pink pirouette card stock and First Edition DSP.  I used a metal button brad to hold the card stock flower together.  I punched the leaves from a scrap piece of Beau Chateau DSP and First Edition DSP.  
I used three stamp sets: Clearly For You, Creative Elements, and Notably Ornate.  I used the Lots of Tags die to create the fancy tag design from Calypso Coral card stock.  I also stamped the 'take note' in Calypso Coral classic ink.  The 'for you' and 'thanks' were stamped in Soft Suede classic ink.  The scallop piece is made from the Tasteful Trim die.  I added a small faux half-pearl jewel to the tag to help give it a girly look.
Thank you for looking, and now go play with your paper crafting supplies, and join us in this sketch challenge!

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Birthday Wishes @ Creative Sketches

Hello,  fellow paper crafters!  And welcome to my blog.  I am on the design team for a challenge site called Creative Sketches.  They host a different challenge each week.  And this week's challenge is a sketch challenge.
Here is the sketch:
We would love for you to play along with us!  You don't have to use any particular paper crafting supplies or specific paper company.  We urge you to use what you have.  These economic times are already difficult.  So, use what you have on hand.  Mix and match.  Be creative.  Let your inner artist take charge.  Use this time to escape and create something beautiful and uniquely YOU!

Here is my card:
I used Stampin' Up! products for this card.  The card base is chocolate chip.  (I know, it looks like Bravo Burgundy, but it's not.)  The pink layer is Pink Pirouette card stock.  I stamped onto Very Vanilla card stock and did a thin matt of Crumb Cake card stock.  I stamped the flower in Basic Brown. classic ink I used both blender pen and chalks to color this pretty image.  I added some white dots and colored the flower center white with a white gel pen.  I stamped the sentiment in Soft Suede classic ink.  I stamped the scratched background in Sahara Sand classic ink.  I had a scrap piece of off white felted wool, so I used the beautiful butterfly embosslit and cut out a small butterfly.  I added a faux half-pearl as its body and adhered the butterfly to the card front with a glue dot.  
I'm pretty sure this card would not need more than a general postage stamp.  The card itself is pretty flat, with just a tiny bump created by the butterfly.
Thank you for looking, and I hope you carve out an hour or so, and join us in this weeks challenge!

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Fruit stand in Our Creative Corner

It's Saturday! Yahoo! so, you know what that means! It's time for another creative and inspirational challenge from Our Creative Corner.  Our hostess this week is Kristin from Lily Beth Boutique.  She has this fabulous inspirational board full of photos from fruit stands.
Here:
I found this wonderful free download of these two cute children eating cherries.  But look at this little girl.  She is hanging a cherry from her ear.  Did you ever do that as a child?  I did!  We use to pretend they were our fancy earrings.  How funny, huh?  So, naturally when I saw this old photo I just had to use it!
Here is my card:
Believe it or not, this card only uses four different pattern papers.  The larger pattern paper was used in my granddaughters birthday party invites from when she celebrated her 3rd birthday!  Yeah, that was 2 years ago, and I only had this scrap left, so I'm not sure who made it.  The muted pattern paper is a scrap from some Valentine's Day cards I made earlier this year.  The text paper is First Edition DSP.  I used a die cut to create the spiral notebook sheet.   I stamped a few letters onto the writing paper in Pure Poppy classic ink.  I adhered the free download to the card with some foam tape.  I added a few buttons tied with linen thread.  I also added a layered circle embellishment to help continue the circle shape and glitter.  I had a scrap piece of crochet trim that really had to go onto this card.  I had a single paper flower that really matched the shades of red that has some glitter on its petal edges.
Leave me a comment, and let me know what you think, and share a shopping secret: where do you purchase your fruits & vegetables?  Me, I prefer to make those purchases at the Farmer's Market on Eubank & Snow Heights in Albuquerque, NM.
Stop by the challenge blog to see what the rest of the design team have created.  They have made some absolutely wonderful cards!  Different styles, and some very talented artist!  Play along with us and upload your card to be eligible for our Top Talent Award!

Friday, August 12, 2011

thinking Sketch Frenzy

Happy Friday!  It's time for another sketch from Sketch Frenzy Friday!  This sketch is pretty user-friendly.  I flipped it and then mirrored the image, so the sentiment is no longer at the lower left corner, it is now at the upper right corner.  
I used all Stampin' Up! supplies for this challenge.  And I have to say, I really like this card :)
This sketch is brought to us by Tina Taves.  I love a great sketch and Tina has really made this challenge a pleasure to be a part of.   For your next stop on our blog tour, please stop by Tammy B. blog.
I used three different stamp sets, but that was only because I wanted a pretty, feminine font for the sentiment.  I used Creative Elements for the flower and the sentiment tag.  I used Best Friends Forever for the leaves.  The card base is Crumb Cake.  The largest matt is Calypso Coral.  I stamped on the First Edition DSP to help create a background that tied the floral arrangement to the card.  I just love the crochet trim, but it seemed a bit 'light' and that it didn't look grounded to the card, so I layered a scrap piece Crumb Cake taffeta ribbon under the crochet trim.  I tied a random SU! button onto the ribbon with some linen thread.  I made a bow with the long length of thread I originally cut.  I did the 'rock n roll' technique on my flower.  I stamped the whole flower in Calypso Coral classic ink and then rolled the edges in Crumb Cake classic ink.  I actually stamped the flower three times, and layered the different cut-outs with foam tape.  I added some faux half-pearl jewels to keep that pretty, feminine look.  And I finished the card with a few spritz of my home-made shimmer mist!

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Simply Beautiful SK

I'm super late at posting this, and I apologize for that.  Work has been a bear, and I haven't been home all week.  My husband and I finally got to see each other last night, so we went out to dinner.  Dinner was very nice and we got to actually talk to each other.  How wonderful.  
The wonderfully talented ladies over at Sketch Frenzy Friday, have a very user friendly sketch challenge. Jennifer brought us this sketch, and the beautiful part is that you can basically use anything you have on hand, and it will be wonderful!  You can easily stamp on the middle piece if you are needing to ink up a special stamp set, or just use pattern paper!

Here is the sketch:

Here is my card:


See what I mean?  I used two scrap pieces of DSP and a few scrap pieces of solid cardstock, and Viola!  I stamped a simple and pretty fond sentiment, added a few half faux pearls and look how pretty!  The only trick here is to use a light pattern paper as your larger piece, so when you stamp right on the DSP, you can actually read it.  If your larger pattern paper is either dark or too busy, the words get lost.  And when you put the busier/vibrant pattern paper as your smaller piece, it helps showcase the colors/design.
I hope that you can play along with us, and who knows, you may be our next winner!

Silent Butterfly #126

First, let me apologize for posting soo late.  For those of you who know me, know this is not like me.  I haven't been home every night this week, and work keeps piling up.  So, I'm super sorry for this delay. 

Now, it's Saturday, and so that means that it's time for our challenge @ Our Creative Corner!  This weeks challenge is brought to us by Kristin, and she always has the funnest challenges! and this week, it  was just that for me.  From our inspiration photo you see a sea of flowers.  The challenge, don't use flowers!  WOW!  I needed alittle help with this one, so I headed over to Card Patterns and found this wonderful layout to help me with my card.  So, I used a fancy chipboard frame, some pretty ribbon, a few rhinestones, and a butterfly!  
Here is our inspiration board:
 Here is my layout challenge:


 Here is what I came up with:

I played with the greens and whites from the inspiration board.  Every time I focused on the pinks and yellows, I kept gravitating to floral.  And I just couldn't not use some kind of flower or floral print.  Sorry.  I don't know if its artist block, working too much, or anxiety for a dead line.  Either way, I couldn't get it to work.  I found some pretty pattern paper. The chipboard frame was in my stash. That beautiful ribbon is from Stampin' Up!, and so is the solid cardstock, butterfly die, rhinestones, glitter, and inks.
Thank you for looking.  Please visit the rest of the cards from the design team, and play along with us, on this creative, and fun challenge!

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Surprise Birthday

Howdy!  Glad that you could stop by today and see what I've been crafting!  A girlfriend had asked me to make her some Birthday invites for another friend, but it's a surprise party!  How fun!  I think those parties are generally the best!  You get to make it all fancy and special, and the recipient  gets to bask in the special efforts, surrounded by her friends!
here is the invite:

I used four different pattern papers from three different companies.  Once I figured out what I wanted to do, finding the perfect pattern paper wasn't soo hard.  Just a few minutes to hunt and peck!  I have to admit, I just love the scallop trim piece from the Tasteful Trim die by Stampin' Up!  I think it helps give any project a little feminine touch, without being over whelming.  I sprayed the whole card with some 'home-made' shimmer mist.  I used the champagne shimmer paint by Stampin' Up!, a drop or two of Sahara Sand re-inker and rubbing alcohol.  The champagne paint has gold mica flakes, so it gives a soft golden shimmer.   The 'shh' was stamped each letter at a time.   I 'painted' the 'flame' from the candle with white craft ink and then added some dazzling diamond glitter by Stampin' Up!