Bye-Bye Flower

I hope this Wednesday finds you well.  Me, I had a very productive day off.  So, I feel this new energy and I have found my creative spirit.  I need a day off from work, here and there to re-charge my batteries and get a chance to play 'catch-up' with chores.  So, I started my day-off, by creating this card.  I made some Candied Mix-Nut clusters, and several Pumpkin Cranberry Bread, for a Bake Sale at work, today.  I got some laundry done.  The kitchen is cleaned, as well as other house work.  I made a delicious home-cooked dinner.  And relaxed  during the evening, and watched some TV.  See, a day, to re-charge and take care of some chores!

Now, for a little creativity!  The Design Team, over @ Stampin' Queens Sketch Challenge, have been busy creating some very inspirational cards for you!  So, why don't you join us in another wonderful week of creativity!

Here is this weeks sketch:

Here is my card:

It's May, and so there are quite a few products that are retiring from Stampin' Up!.  I just love this DSP!  We all had an opportunity to purchase the Everyday Enchantment DSP.  The stamp set that I used for this card, Notably Ornate, is on the retiring list, too.   I used the Top Note die to create the fancy rectangle piece.  I used the scallop circle die to create the 'flower'.  I used Pure Poppy card stock for the largest scallop circle.  I made an accordion flower using the First Edition DSP.  The smaller scallop circle was created with the Everyday Enchantment DSP.  I stamped the bird in Pool Party classic ink and fussy cut.  I punched two tiny flowers and added them to the bird, using a brown brad.  The sentiment was stamped in Soft Suede classic ink onto a piece of very vanilla card stock cut into a banner shape.

Thank you for looking.  I hope you have found some inspiration, and join us this week, in our sketch challenge @ Stampin' Queens Sketch Challenge.

Love is in the Air

Happy Saturday!  Thank you for stopping by.  I'm the hostess this week over @ Our Creative Corner.  And since St. Valentine's Day is right around the corner, I created this weeks challenge around romance.  The rules are pretty simple: create a paper craft item (card, scrapbook page layout, 3-D item, an altered item) and use the colors: Pink, Grey, and Kraft.  Now, I'm a girly-girl, so I'd also like you to add some sparkle (rhinestones, glitter, metal) anything that shines!  And since its for St. Valentine's Day, don't forget to include a heart-shape!  Sounds pretty and romantic, doesn't it?

Here is what I created:

My card base is crumb cake card stock.  I layered various pattern papers from Authentique and Paper Studio.  The seam binding is hand-dyed pretty in pink.  The tiny tag was created with the jewelry tag and teeny tiny wishes.  I stamped '{love}' in going gray classic ink.  I sponged the edges of the tiny tag with crumb cake classic ink.  I tied a grey button on with white bakers twine.

The scallop circle was created with a perfect pennant die.  I added a 1 3/4" circle of pattern paper to the center.  I cut the heart-shape with the hearts die.  I added a lock from Melissa Frances.

I created the banner with the cone die.  The sentiment is stamped in grey classic ink and matted it on crumb cake card stock.  The circles were added to give the card some balance.  I applied the rhinestone flourish as my final touch.  Easy-peasy, stick and clip.  (Stick the rhinestone swirls down, and clip with scissors where the rhinestones fall off the card.)

Now, lets see what you create!  Stop on over to the Our Creative Corner to see what the super talented ladies have created, and hopefully we inspire you to play along!

So Grateful

I've received my box of new Stampin' Up! products earlier this week, and I'm just loving the new stuff!  There is this pattern paper that reminds me of a French flea market:  Attic Boutique.  It has a wonderful mix of pattern, text, and pretty colors.  

It's Friday, and its another blog hop over @ Sketch Frenzy Friday.  Tammy F., over at Sketch Frenzy Friday has created a wonderful sketch for us to work with this week.  

Check out the sketch:

Here is what I did!

One of the great things about this sketch, is that the empty space can be pattern paper, or an image, or dry embossed cardstock, etc.  Very versatile and easy to work with.  Also, the rectangle piece at the upper right doesn't have to be rectangle.  I used one of the Label Framelits, to die cut the First Edition DSP to make the first layer of my 'rectangle'.  Then I stamped one of the frames from the Frame It stamp set, and used the hand-held punch to create the shape.  Then I used a wood sheet to die cut a butterfly from the Butterfly Die.  I then made a multi-loop bow with some cherry cobbler seam binding, and then added a pretty in pink button on top.  I added a half faux pearl to the button.  I made a quick tiny tag with the Tiny Tags stamp set and jewelry hand-held punch.  The banner-sentiment piece was made with the petal cone die and the Apothecary Art stamp set.  To give my 'rectangle' piece a little shabby feel, I stapled a scrap piece of crochet trim to the left edge.

Now, head over to Tammy B.'s blog, to see what she has created.  And, don't forget to leave some love, and let me know what you think!

Christmas in July

It's Saturday, and that means that the wonderfully creative ladies over @ Our Creative Corner have anther challenge for you!  It's pretty easy; make a patriotic card, or Christmas in July card.  No other requirements.  

This wonderful challenge brought to you by Our Creative Corner, isn't difficult so to speak.  But, I really have had a struggle finding my mojo this week.  My mind is traveling in a hundred different directions, and so it has been a little difficult concentrating on the project at hand.  Tomorrow, I will be working on one of my organized swaps for the Late Night Stampers.  This swap is card fronts only, 75 + 1, and you need have 2 layers and one embellishment on the card.  

My card base is Baja Breeze cardstock.  The first matt is Soft Suede cardstock.  The pattern paper is several years old and I only have a few different size scraps.  I believe, (but don't quote me) it's by Scenic Route.  The brown polka-dot paper is actually the other side of the snowflake paper.  The white scallop circle is a new die from Stampin' Up!.  The text paper is actually from the First Edition DSP.  I stamped the snowflake in Baja Breeze classic ink and punched out with a hand-held circle punch.  I added some bling with a rhinestone jewel.  I wrapped some Baja Breeze seam binding around the polka-dot paper.  I made a multi-loop bow and tied a Neutral button on with some Baker's Twine.  The 'Merry Christmas' I stamped onto Very Vanilla cardstock with Soft Suede classic ink.  I cut the banner out with another exclusive Stampin' Up!.  I used the scallop trim border punch to create the soft suede cardstock trim around the banner.  I thought the card needed some sparkle, so I sprayed the whole card with my home-made frost white shimmer mist.  The card is blank inside.

Thank you for looking.  Enjoy your weekend, and be safe!

Thank You #2

Ok, as promised, the second card.  (Please stroll down to the previous post to 'catch-up')
I needed a some inspiration, to make a different card, so I headed over to Card Patterns for a little inspiration.                                         

Here is their sketch:

And here is my card:

Card #2

For this card, I used more neutral colors.  The card base is Linen from Paper Trey Ink.  The mat is Stampin' Up!:  Early Espresso cardstock.  The main pattern paper is from Stampin' Up!, and has been retired for 3/+ years ago: Brocade Background.  I stamped En Francais in Crumb Cake classic ink.  The stamp is not 'solid', because I did that 'finger tapping' technique.  The scalloped pattern paper is a scrap.  Don't know the maker, or name, sorry.  The top pattern paper is from the Brocade Background stack.  The pretty ribbon isn't stitched to the card, its stitched, tho.  Beach Front Ribbon Originals.  The button is from Stampin' Up! : Neutrals.  I used the Stampin' Up! Tiny Tags stamp set to make the 'thanks {so much}' tiny tag.  I used Linen Thread to tie the tag to the button.  I used the banner from the Stampin' Up! : Petal Cone Die.  The three pearls is from my faux half-pearl stash.  The 'Note of Thanks' stamp is from Stampin' Up! : Kind Thanks stamp set.

Let me know what you think.  If my co-worker doesn't purchase this card, it will go up for sale on my Etsy Shop : Designs by Sharon 

I would like to make at least one more card, for my co-worker to select from.  I'll need to post that one tomorrow.  Come back to see what I have made. :)

HB: SSC206 & CQC #87

It's Monday! and that means another week has begun!  And what better way to start, than with a fun Birthday card? 

I need a Birthday card, for a wonderful young lady, but I also needed some inspiration.  Here is where I went:   I went to Stamping 411, for the layout.  I went to Colour Q for the colors.

So, this young lady is pretty wonderful, and hip, so I need something 'fun' and creative.  So, I used a 'teen' stamp set from Stampin' Up!, Grunge Rock.  I used some retired DSP paper: Razzleberry Lemonaide.  

Here is her Birthday card:

I used Pumpkin Pie as the card base.  Layered a piece of DSP on the base.  I added a strip of Crushed Curry with the fancy scallop trim border, with another piece of the DSP on that.  For the main image, I stamped the harlequin pattern in Crushed Curry classic ink along the left edge.  I did a 2nd generation stamp of the 'no.1' in Soft Suede classic ink.  I stamped the guitar with a home-made Melon Mambo craft ink and heat embossed with clear EP.  The whisper white looked too white, so I gave it a sprtiz of my home-made Pumpkin Pie shimmer mist.  Instead of adding a button, I made a paper flower with Crushed Curry cardstock.  I stamped the crown in Melon Mambo classic ink, and used a 1 1/4" circle punch.  The 'Happy Birthday' is done in Soft Suede classic ink onto a banner from the petal cone die.  I added some random rhinestone jewels to give the card some visual interest.  Viola!

*I made this card on Saturday, however, I didn't want to post it too soon, as the recipient might see it.  Well, the submission day/time has passed for Colour Q, so my card is not visible at their site.