PP64 CAS Challenge

This week's challenge at the Paper Players was Clean and Simple (CAS) flora or fauna.  YAY!!!!  I love CAS cards!  The brown-eyed susan's have been blooming here for a couple of weeks now and I really wanted to use this stamp for a card.  This challenge gave me a reason (and a deadline) to create one!  Here it is:



Inspired by Nature

 I was truly "Inspired by Nature" with this card.  I love brown-eyed susans and wish Stampin' Up! had the shade of purple that another similar flower are.  I went about this card a little bit backwards.  I cut out a Top Note in Soft Suede using my Big Shot and then used the "frame" around the image.  I think next time I would either "pop up" the frame using dimensionals or reverse it and cut the top note out of the Very Vanilla.  To create a little more texture I sponged the edges of the Soft Suede frame.   The bottom layers are done in More Mustard and Pear Pizazz.  The "thank you" sentiment comes from the "Day of Gratitude" set.

On the inside of the card I created a couple of silhouettes of the flowers using Pear Pizazz again.

Inside flowers

I'm pleased with how this card turned out.  Again, CAS is the way to go for me : )  Happy Stamping!

For a Friend Monkey Challenge

I have been mulling over the Monkey Challenge sketch all week and finally sat down tonight to make it come to fruition.  I really liked the sketch for this week, here it is:

Here's my version:


My Friend Monkey Challenge

  I had a lot of ideas for this challenge and this was one of them going into tonight.  I really liked how Shirley used the sparkle paper on her card and the clean lines of Terry's.  I thought I'd head in that direction.  However, my hands had different ideas and I started distressing the circles as soon as they were punched!  Not sure about the result....it looks a bit of a mess here.  I think it looks better in "real" life.

I used the "My Friend" stamp set for this card and although you can't really see it here I used the circle stamp from that set on the Baja Breeze circles.  I also sponged the base card stock to give it that "faux suede" look.

Here's a look at the interior of the card:

My Friend inside

I used the "Friendly Phrases" set here.  I like the versatility of this phrase because now the card could be a birthday card or simply a "you're a great friend and I'd like to tell you that" card.  You decide : )

Happy stamping!

SSC 221

Thanks to a rainy day and a son who decided to have a 2 hour nap I was able to put something together for this week's Saturday Sketch Challenge over at Stamping 411 .

Here is the sketch for the Saturday Sketch Challenge:



Saturday Sketch Challenge 221



And here's my version:



Day of Gratitude Embossing for SSC 221



 As you can see, I took a little creative license with the layout of the sketch but I think it adheres to the overall idea.  I have mentioned previously that I am really enjoying working with the colour scheme from the Spice Cake suite from the Holiday Mini.  This card is no exception; Pear Pizazz, Soft Suede, More Mustard, Pool Party and Very Vanilla.

This card is a case from a card I did with my upline about a year ago before I became I demonstrator.  It uses a really neat embossing technique that involves "inking" the stamp on the VersaMark and then inking it with Classic Ink before stamping the image on the page.  After the image is stamped then it is heat embossed using clear embossing powder.  This allows for a shiny embossed image but with your desired colour (since I learned this technique a year ago Stampin' Up has started producing coloured embossing powder but this technique allows you to use any colour).  Here is a close-up of the medallion:



Embossed Medallion

I inked the medallion from the "Day of Gratitude" set with VersaMark and the More Mustard classic ink.  Then I sponged Pear Pizazz and Pool Party around the medallion and added a little brad to the centre.  

Acorns and leaf close-up

To finish the card off I use Pool Party ruffled ribbon and embellished with a couple of acorns and a leaf.  First I threaded the images onto Linen Thread using a sewing needle and then tied them around the ribbon.

Happy Stamping!

Rainy Day

Hi All!  Well after a gorgeous day yesterday it's pouring again today.  Just as well I guess because I've actually been down to my stamping corner today!!  I was reminded last night at a workshop hosted by one of my friends that I've been neglecting my blog.  So fear not, AP, I resolve to do better : )

Here are some ideas I came up with last week.  Thanks to Stampin' Up! and LeAnne over at Wee Inklings (you must check out her blog!) for the inspiration.


Fun with Spice Cake fabric

  I am absolutely loving the Spice Cake series from the new Holiday Mini catalogue.  The colour combination is so fresh and the fact that the fabric matches the DSP is just fabulous!  I wanted a way to showcase the use of fabric on cards without sewing so I headed over to LeAnne's blog (Wee Inklings) for some inspiration and wasn't disappointed.  I loved the look that is created by taking a strip of fabric and "ruffling" it on the card.  Sticky strip is a girl's best friend here...put a strip on the DSP and adhere the fabric, "ruffling" it on the way.  I frayed the edges to give it a little more of worn look.



Ruffled fabric thank you

 I could have done more to distress this card but decided to stick just to the "Thanks" part of it.  This is a little 3 x 3 card by the way.  Perfect for quick thank yous or notes in gifts.

In last month's "Stampin' Success" magazine (our demonstrator mag.), Stampin' Up! gave instructions for how to make these cute little gift "boxes".  They are super simple but impressive looking for favours at birthday parties or at table settings.

Treat container

Treat container

Start with a 5 1/4" x 4 1/4" piece of card stock.  Decorate/emboss your card stock as desired.  Roll into a cylinder (I made mine 4 1/4" tall) and adhere with sticky strip (see, I told you, a girl's best friend).  Seal one end with sticky.  Fill with your favourite treats (about 2/3 full) and then fold the open end down to close, perpendicular to the bottom.  Embellish as desired.  So simple!

I used the fabric on mine to create a little "bow" but ribbon would be just as cute.  You could attach name cards or little thank yous....really whatever you want to fit with the occasion.   And simply change the dimensions of your card stock to create bigger treat containers.

Happy Stamping!

Fun with Monkey Challenge 73

Well, Shirley and Terry promised this week's challenge would be a fun one and it didn't disappoint.  I had a lot of fun creating this card for Monkey Challenge 73 over at A la Card Monkey.  So, without any further ado, here is the sketch for the week:

Monkey Fun 73

Here's my take on it:

Monkey Fun with Circle Circus

I've been wanting to use the Circle Circus stamp set for a while.  I realize that it is an older set but it's new to me and that's always fun!  I headed to my trusty catalogue to find some colour inspiration and found it in the DSP collection (I love that SU! tells us what colours are used with each set of DSP!).  Berry Blossom DSP was my colour inspiration for the day...Lucky Limeade, Calypso Coral, Wisteria Wonder, Early Espresso and Whisper White.  Mmmm, makes me think of a morning on a beach in some tropical....but I digress.

Really the rest is pretty self-explanatory.   Randomly stamp circles in different colours on the background white.  I maybe would fill in the negative space a little more next time.  Run the Calypso Coral strip through the Big Shot in the Lattice Die.  Pretty standard....until I decided to use my new bottle of Dazzling Details (see new Holiday Mini for details).  Oh my, what fun!  Glitter without the mess....perfect!  I started with just a few dabs here and then I just couldn't stop ; )   Too bad it's so hard to see in the photo...so here's a close-up of the sentiment.

Happy Day sparkles!

I have to tell you, as soon as I saw this stamp set I knew I would have to get it because "Happy Day to You" is what my 2 year old son says to people on their birthdays.  It's so cute!  I think the sparkle will help make the recipients "happy day" even brighter : )

Thanks Shirley and Terry for a fun evening of stamping : )

Monkey Challenge 72

It's been quite a while since I've entered a Monkey Challenge over at A la Card Monkey and have decided to get back in the game tonight.  This week's challenge was a Christmas card challenge.  I have always resented the fact that Christmas is so commercial and we can barely get through Halloween or Remembrance Day before we get pounded with Christmas propaganda...but here I am, entering a Christmas challenge and encouraging my customers to book their Christmas workshops early....sigh.  Oh well, I do LOVE Christmas and the holiday season so here I go, getting into the festive spirit in September ; )

Here's the Monkey Sketch for this week:

Monkey Sketch 72

And here's my rendition:



Merry Christmas Pennant

 I'm not sure if I like it, to be honest : )  I took some liberties with the sketch, due in large part to the fact that I do not have any up-to-date Designer Series Christmas Paper or any up-to-date Christmas stamp sets.  Hmm, guess I'd better get on that.

I did turn to the Holiday Mini for some colour inspiration and decided to go with Cherry Cobbler, Garden Green, Marina Mist, Early Espresso and Whisper White, a combination in this year's "Frostwood Lodge" suite. For the Christmas tree I used a pennant from the Pennant Parade stamp set along with the tree stand and star....you will need a Stamp-a-ma-jig to do this.  The sentiment comes from "Four the Holidays" (the only Christmas stamp set I have that carried over!).  I finished it off with the Early Espresso baker's twine.

I'm looking forward to creating more Christmas cards with more bling and "excitement" than this one, but what can I say....it is only September ; )

I can do this....

My apologies to those who follow this blog regularly for neglecting it over the past couple of months.  This summer was crazy and, as usual, packed with activities and trips.  While my husband was out of the country for 2 weeks at the beginning of August, my son and I were pampered and well-fed at my parents' cottage.  I have to admit, coming home and having to take care of things myself has taken some will-power : )  I have not felt like doing any stamping at all since then and, save preparing for a workshop at TheMuseum, haven't really.

With the start of a new school year, which has always been the start of my year (forget January 1), I have resolved to get my act in gear.  With my husband back to work I'm fending for myself during the day...without the help of swimming lessons, fitness class or Bible study yet.  Yesterday was a good day, today, not so much....my son, the budding artist that he is, decided to take his work off paper and onto the walls....lovely.  I love 2 year olds....really I do : )

Alright, so here's a card I came up with a couple of days ago.  I'm considering using it for next week's Make and Take.  I had fun with my new "Simply Scored" (love it!!) and some great new DSP (Spice Cake).

Gratitude card using the new "Simply Scored" tool

One of the blogging colour challenges last week (or the week before) was to use Soft Suede, Pool Party and More Mustard.  I love this colour combination.  So I decided to try....too late to enter it into the challenge of course : ).  I like the result.  I used the "Day of Gratitude" stamp set for this one.  I love the medallion.  I started by stamping the medallion onto the Pool Party cardstock (with Pool Party ink) and then used the Simply Scored tool to create a 1/2 inch grid...it's hard to see here, but it is a really cool effect.  I LOVE the Simply Scored tool, no more swapping scoring blades out on my paper cutter!  And it's so smooth. 

I used the new Spice Cake DSP from the Holiday Mini for the vertical feature with a strip of More Mustard punched using the Scallop Edge punch.  I took a couple of scraps of Pool Party and ran them through the Big Shot in the lattice embossing folder.  To create the hearts, punch out 6 and then fold 3 of them in half.  I used a glue stick to adhere them to the "flat" hearts and then onto the card.

Whew...I did it.  More to come in the following days.

Holiday Mini Catalogue

Hi All!  I promise I will be back on soon with new ideas....it's been a crazy summer and I've lost my stamping bug for a little while.  That's going to change soon though with the arrival of some fun new product from the BRAND NEW Holiday Mini catalogue...check it out:

Holiday Mini Catalogue

I'm especially excited about the new Stampin' Score tool....so much easier than a scoring blade and it can be used to create some really neat projects.  Stay tuned for more!