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!

I'm ba-ack...

...for a short time at least.  I've just enjoyed 10 days away with my family, camping in Quebec.  What a fabulous province!  This is the second summer that we've spent vacationing there and we've loved both experiences.  The province itself is absolutely GORGEOUS and there is so much diversity in the landscape.  The people are friendly and the food amazing!  It was so nice to get out canoeing again this year.  It was my son's first time in a canoe and I have to admit, he did pretty well.  Our first outing was only about 1/2 hour but the second was 3 hours!  Not bad for a 2 year old....the key is to bring lots of snacks and a bag of rocks : )

We ended our trip at my sister-in-law's place for my father-in-law's 60th birthday.  We spent a lovely day canoeing the Saugeen River near Walkerton and then had a nice family dinner at a local restaurant.  All-in-all a great day for a great dad!

We began our trip at my cousin's wedding and I'd like to share the card that I made for her and her new husband.  I had a lot of fun with my new "Occasions Alphabet" stamp set for this one!



Summer Wedding

 
I chose to stick with a relatively simple colour palette that was similar to the bride's colours for the day; Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry and Very Vanilla.  I wanted to incorporate butterflies somehow and I really like how they look against the flowers from the "Just Believe" set.  The largest butterfly has had it's wings brushed with Rich Razzleberry to give them a little more depth (thanks to S.M. from TheMuseum for the idea!).

Monogram using Occasions Alphabet

For the monogram I simply coloured just the letter from the "Occasions Alphabet" stamp and framed it using one of the frames from "Four Frames".  The "bling" on the monogram and butterfly are rhinestones.

For the Newlyweds

 Finally, for the inside of the card, I wanted to say something about being "Newlywed".  I framed the sentiment again with a frame from "Four Frames"...the one with the bird, but coloured to omit the bird.

Where has the time gone...

This summer is going by so quickly and I feel as though I've hardly had time to enjoy it yet!  It's been so busy....hence, my lack of posting...and it just keeps going!  I'm starting to understand that expression, "I need a vacation from my vacation" : )

I had a couple of events this week that went really well and thanks to the ladies over at Try Stamping on Tuesday I was able to pull out a project last minute for my Idea Book and Catalogue Launch Party on Tuesday.  Thank you!

Here's their sketch:

Try Stamping on Tuesday Challenge 23

Here's my version:

Occasions Alphabet card

Everthing about this card was last minute.  I had ordered the Occasions Alphabet stamp set as part of my Sale-a-bration reward and it didn't arrive until Tuesday, the same day as my party!  I absolutely LOVE that set wanted to use it right away.  I was also stuck for an idea for a layout....so again, thanks to CherylAnn and the other ladies for this template. 

The colour combination for this card is Baja Breeze, Rich Razzleberry, and Island Indigo.  So pretty!  I sponged Baja Breeze ink onto the card stock base to add a little texture to the background and then layered Pocketful of Posies DSP, Island Indigo (using the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder) and Rich Razzleberry again. 

The sentiment is framed in Baja Breeze using one of the Four Frames stamps and punched using the Decorative Label punch.

I'm looking forward to some time off over the next couple of weeks but I'll be back in August.

Summertime....

....and the living is easy!  How quickly that sets in.  I find that once school is out slipping into lazy days is so easy.  I'm so happy that my husband is home for the next two months and I'm looking forward to all the travelling and visiting we'll be doing.  Which, of course, means that I won't be posting nearly as often and I'm finding it hard already to get myself into my little corner downstairs when it is so gorgeous and sunny outside.  I was, however, asked to be a guest designer again this week over at A La Card Monkey so here's a fun, summery card for you.

Summer Fun Monkey Challenge 63

 Here's my version:

Happy Summer Birthday

Firstly, thanks to my friend, Leena, at A La Cards for the great idea to use a scallop punch to make a sun.  Punch out your image using the scallop punch and then punch again, this time a little offset.  I found using a little non-permanent adhesive to attach the shape to a scrap piece of paper made it easier to punch again.  I used the BRAND NEW "Just Add Cake" DSP and Baja Breeze card stock for my background.  A combination of alternating Pumpkin Pie and So Saffron punched images for the sun in the middle.  Finally, the sentiment comes from "Best Dad Ever". 

Happy summer everyone!