NAC #14

Wow, I can't believe that it is already Tuesday.  I know that sounds crazy.  But, I spent this past weekend at a stamp retreat.  It started Friday @ 3p and we finished everything up at 1p on Sunday.  To say that I had a fabulous time, is a total understatement.  I truly enjoyed myself.  It gave me a chance to craft uninterrupted for the whole weekend.  No, 'when's dinner?', or 'can you take the dog out?', and even, 'did you wash my hockey stuff?'.  It was truly delightful!!!

But, now it is time to share another creation for Nacho Average Challenge.  These talented ladies will inspire you with Stampin' Up! current products.  Please join us with this weeks challenge.  It's a color challenge.  Here is the color board.

Here is what I created:

I am a super big fan of pink and brown.  Don't know if its the contrast or the creamy dreamy colors together.  Either way, it's a favorite.  I wanted to use two of my all time favorite stamp sets:  Artistic Etchings & You Are Loved.  I also love the technique of masking.  I think it really helps give your craft some depth and a lot of visual interest.  That is exactly what I did, to keep the flowers from being on top of the Eiffel Tower.  I used my markers to color the floral images.  I also used little bits of So Saffron to help accent my card; the tag matt, and the tiny postage stamp.  I thought the postage stamp really added balance to the 'AMOUR' tag.  I used Pretty in Pink re-inker to 'color' my very vanilla seam binding.  I also crinkled it.  I just LOVE the look of worn, tattered look of the seam binding.  I think it gives my paper crafts a 'vintage' look.  

Please play along with us @ Nacho Average Challenge.  We hope we have inspired you!

sketch because

It's Wednesday!   We are half-way to the weekend!  Just think extra time to paper craft!  Yahoo!  Oh, and it's time for another sketch brought to you by the Stampin' Queens Sketch Challenge!  So, without further ado, this is the sketch:

This sketch has alot of potential!  You can use a variety of cardstock to make this sketch work.  Don't forget, you can turn the sketch on it's side, or flip it!  Here is what I came up with:

See what I mean?  I used a pattern paper to occupy some of the blank space.  I used some scrap pieces of different pattern papers to create the top piece.  I tore the first edition dsp to re-create the rough edge, as in the sketch.  I used a scrap piece of the cherry cobbler quilted ribbon.  I just love this ribbon.  It has a wonderfully elegant pattern in the solid color ribbon, and the weight is soft enough to tie without adding a bunch of bulk!  

Come on, join us in this sketch challenge!  Use your Stampin' Up! materials, to create something fabulous!

Sketch Frenz

Its Friday!  Yahoo! and that means that it's time for another sketch challenge over @ Sketch Frenzy Friday Challenge.  This weeks sketch challenge is brought to us by Tammy F., and is very easy to work with, and fun to play with.  When you are done, please visit the next stop on our Blog Tour with Tammy B.'s blog.        

here is the sketch:

here is my card:

At first, I was going to rotate the sketch, but take just a minute to look at the sketch.  It's very user friendly in its original orientation and look at the embellishment used.  Very each to adapt.  

So, if you aren't familiar with my style, I have an infinity towards shabby-chic.  And I 'see' shabby-chic as vintage with some sparkle.  You know, something old, weathered, or worn, and something modern new added to it.  My favorite addition is sparkle.  

The only company I used for this creation is Stampin' Up!  If you haven't ever used their products, I can't stress enough to give them a try.  They are one of the leaders in paper crafting for a reason.  They make wonderfully heavy cardstock.  They color match their inks, ribbon, and paper.  So, there is no more guessing that everything will coordinate.  If you spend less time searching for stuff, you spend more time creating!

For the card base, I used chocolate chip cardstock.  I used a scrap piece of Beau Chateau DSP to help ground my card.  I love the curves of the top note die, so I die cut two pieces.  One in chocolate chip and other in very vanilla.  I trimmed the very vanilla along the perferated edge and used the chocolate chip piece as a mat.  I stamped the floral image from 'elements of style' in crumb cake classic ink, and used my soft subtles water coloring crayons to color the image.  (I used my aqua painter to blend the color.)  I just the Eiffel tower image from 'artistic etchings' and so I stamped over the the floral image.  I love to added ribbon and a button or two, but I didn't want just a line of ribbon, so I put some sticky strip across the lower third of the stamped panel, and did a free hand pleat with some crochet trim.  I didn't want to wrap the ribbon, so I cut the ends, and used one blade of the scissors to fray the ends and left those just hanging.  I thought it help soften the card.  I wanted some 'thing' on the ribbon, so I put a button.  But, i couldn't just put on a button.  So, I tied some linen thread through the button holes and made a bow, and added a faux half-pearl to secure the bow and add a girly touch.  The three tags are strung through the linen thread.  They are stamped with 'Mr & Mrs' '{love}', and 'hand crafted'.  'AMOUR' was stamped last.  To make sure the placement was right.  I needed to add some sparkle, so I sprayed it first with the vanilla smooch, and then the left side with log cabin smooch.

Thank you for taking the time to have a look.  I appreciate the visit.  But, leave me a comment.  Let me know what you think!  

Vintage, Shabby, & Birds

this is not the only post today.  please scroll down for this morning's post.

 (If you click on an image, it will enlarge, so you can see the detail!)

 For those who know me, know that I have an infinity for vintage/shabby-chic,  birds & butterflies.  Stampin' Up! has a new section in this year's Big Idea & Catalog named, 'elements'.  This section has dollies, borders, backgrounds, frames, labels, memorabilia, textures, flourishes, and tags.  Within these pages are four different product suites:  Flirtatious, Beau Chateau, Pocketful of Posies, and Well Worn.  All of these different product lines are fabulous and individually beautiful!  However, my new favorite: Beau Chateau!  And those who know me, are not surprised by this.  Here is what the super clever, creative design team of Stampin' Up! has done with this paper.

This section has wonderful graphics, pretty colors, delicate touches, and a sense of 'home'; comforting, and familiar.  If you own the new Stampin' Up! Big Idea & Catalog this year, please take a second look at this section.  If not, contact me and with any $30 order, I will send you a Big Idea & Catalog for free!

I am now off to meet with Lynn Pratt's group for the 3-D tutorial swap.  Have a wonderful day!  And I will post again later today!  Enjoy!

Stampede Card Club

Here are the cards that we will be making in my Sunday Card Club: Stampede. The first card, we are stamping on fabric, and making crinkle ribbon. The second card we are making our own brads.

The 1st card: Halloween Wishes. We are using the new Sweet & Sour DSP (#117390). Isn't it just beautiful! We are making 'crinkle' ribbon out of the new Very Vanilla seam binding (#120999) and dying it with Pumpkin Pie classic re-inker (#105229). We are using the Stars #2 die (#113461) to create those shapes and spraying them with a mixture of Frost White Shimmer paint (#116854) and rubbing alcohol. We will be using Basic Black classic ink (#101179) to stamp our image on the fabric. I liked it better than Staz-On.

The 2nd card: Just Because. This card we are using some of my all-time favorite stamps! To create the texture on the Perfect Plum cardstock (#101889) we used the new Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder (#120175) and then sponged some Elegant Eggplant classic ink (#105210) over the raised areas to give the piece some depth. I wrapped a scrap piece of Old Olive Satin ribbon (#117292) around the lower half of that piece to get rid of the open space. To create the flower, we will be using three different colors of cardstock; Elegant Eggplant (#105126), Perfect Plum (#101889), and Old Olive (#100702). We will be making our own brad with some of the new Brights Collection DSP (#117155).

Thank you for looking. Posting a comment always makes my day!

Convention Inspiration

I got in late last night from Utah. The Stampin' Up! convention was a blast! I found it very motivating, inspiring, and knowledgeable. I went with some of the ladies from the Nacho Average Stampers and we had a wonderful time!

For the top card, I did use a download I found on the Internet. I printed it on card stock. I liked the yellow in the bird and the green foliage. So, I Incorporated those colors in my card. I added some Daffodil Delight ribbon, yellow rhinestone brad, and some Certainly Celery stamped piece. I have a new 'love' for the music wheel!

For the second card, I tried a technique everyone has seen on the Internet, but with a twist. I made my flower from a polyester material and organza. However, I didn't use a flame to 'melt' the edges, I used my heat gun. It's a bit safer, and has better control over the 'melting' of the fabric.

Thanks for looking and please post a comment, they always make me smile!