CCMC258 - Color Challenge

As you can see this is a color challenge. Well, I am sure that I might have cheated but I saw this wonderful card 'pinned' on the SU! front page that Fran Sanbad had done and I cased it. I love the simplicity of it and yet I found it challenging. Of course, I smudged it when I was almost finished...

Lucky for us that all of SU!'s card stock is double-sided! I just flipped it over and started again.

Summer Week 1 - Sketch Challenge

Today I am playing with the 'bonus" sketches on the Create with Connie and Mary subscription for the summer. You can play too, all you have to do is subscribe and you will get 30 full color tutorials for some really cool projects. Click here to learn more. 

Now for my challenge card. It is a sketch so those are the most simple for me. However, I have been up since 3 AM (unable to sleep) so my mind may not be functioning too well. I used Sahara Sand, Primrose Petals, Gumball Green and Whisper White for my colors. The stamp is is Oh, Hello.

Last One...At Least for this Challenge!!!

This is my last one for this challenge. Now, I had all month to do these but I waited until the last week and now created 6. Maybe I can get a head start for next month.

Monday Lunchtime Sketch Challenge 269

Well, it is not Monday but I am playing with a new challenge today anyway. This one is a sketch challenge and you have to visit this site to see all the wonderful examples from the design team and other players. Of course, you are always welcome to play along as well.

My card features Betsy's Blossoms with the hummingbird from the new background stamp Wildflower Meadow.

One More Challenge Card- Creating Pretty Cards

This is a baby card. Again, I am repeating this same layout trying to win some new tutorials. That is why I am stacking the deck with 6 cards. I used lots of retired products for this card but the sentiment is new.

PPA161 - A Sketch Challenge

This is the challenge sketch for the Paper Pals Arts this week. I was stumped for quite a while but I got up really early today...5 AM and got my juices flowing to play catch-up. I decided to use up some of my now retired stash of goodies for this card. I had fun with it. Again, it is a 4 1/2" square card.

Creating Pretty Cards – Monthly Card Challenge!

Here is another card...I hope you are not tired of them because I believe I have a couple of more at least.

Nacho Average Challenge #52

As you can see it is a color challenge this week. I love these colors but I did not have any of the new colors in the DSP so I fudged a bit with some retired papers. I cased the card from Mary Brown (she is so creative) but of course I changed the colors and the sentiment. Pretty cute if I do say so!

Creating Pretty Cards - Again

I said I had more and more I have. Here is my 3rd submission for this challenge.

Last Minute Lucy vs. CCMC257 - Sketch Challenge

Well, the deadline is in about 4 hours and I have been looking at this sketch for a week and finally came up with something. I used some of the new products for this card. I am really loving the Mosaic Madness. My card is 4.5 x 4.5 so it will still fit in a regular envelope. 

Challenge #151 - A Sketch from Nance

I am playing with sketches today...being that it is the last day for a couple of challenges and I am way behind. This one is from the Paper Players. See the full sketch and all the talented entries here. My entry uses Basic Black, Whisper White with a touch of Real Red. Fool-proof, right? I used Everything Elanor for the stamp set.

Creating Pretty Cards - Card Challenge #24

I am playing with this fun challenge today. In case you feel inspired...this challenge offers prizes! If 10 cards are submitted 1 will win a month's worth of tutorials (your choice). So, why not jump right in there. This challenge ends on the 29th so hurry! I might even submit another card! As you can see, it is a collage type card. Fun!

Another Challenge Card

Hey, I really want to win a month of FREE tutorials...don't you? And, you get to choose which month you want. But, and this is the catch, 10 cards have to be submitted to this challenge site. I am upping the ante this week by submitting more...5 more to be exact. Wish me luck! I am also using up some of my "extra" DSP. How about a challenge card for different seasons? Hmmm, let me think about that. Oops, Looks like I got carried away and made one too many!

Technique Tuesday - Masking

MASKING Directions: 1) Stamp your image twice: once on card stock and once on a scrap piece of paper or sticky note. 2) Cut out the image on the scrap paper using either a hobby blade or your Paper Snips. 3) Place the cutout image over the image you stamped on your card stock. 4) Sponge or bray ink, or stamp another image over your mask. 5) Repeat masking as desired. 6) Remove mask and finish your project.

Bring Sunshine

This is such a wonderful quote that I wanted to use it right away. I did the background with the watercolor brush and 4 colors of ink. I just picked up ink and sort of 'washed' my brush across the card stock. It came out so well. I love it! This card was inspired by my latest Papercrafts mag!

A Quick Wrap

It seems that everyone wants gift-cards or money these days and there are only so many ways to wrap them up. I love this quick idea from the catalog. Use one the great  Kraft boxes seen on page 160, (4 for 2.95) and wrap it with the new Chevron ribbon. Add a tag and Voila! Wrap dilemma solved.

With Sympathy

This bundle from the catalog is sure to be a "go to" set for me this year. There is a stamp and this wonderful embossing folder to match. How can you go wrong? We just had a friend to lose her husband and this card is for her. It seems you never have a stack of sympathy cards laying around. 

A Catalog Case

I cased the catalog for this card. I changed the stamp sets since I didn't have the exact ones they used. I just got a graduation invite from my niece and so I made this quickie for her. Now to fill it with $$$ and send it to her!

The Paper Players PP150

Today I am playing with The Paper Players. The challenge is called "Bring on the Bling." I am just beginning to plan my Christmas in July event and went back to a goody. I used retired Bashful Blue with the Silver glimmer paper and some shiny brads/jewels. Idea came from Mary Brown.

CCMC256 - Color Challenge

Today is the last day, so last my entry will be. I just got up today and remembered that I had not done anything with this challenge today. It is a color challenge... See the other entries and the challenge here.

                                                
It has rained here for the last 3 days since I came home from my sunny vacations and I am feeling the need for a little sun...after all, I am 'solar charged!' Thanks for looking!

Nacho Average Challenge #51

Well, it is official. I am back from my early summer travels. I had a great time in Grand Cayman with my husband. We went to dive and dive we did. We made 20 dives and spent a total of 26 hours underwater! I was not too waterlogged to go on a cruise with my mom the next week. Now I am back and playing along with the challenges again. They give me such inspiration. I just played with this retired paper on another card and since I did not clear my desk between...I used the same DSP for this challenge. Keeping it simple!

Layered Brayering for Mojo Monday Challenge 298

Well, I am not 100% sold on it yet but I am working on my Christmas in July event and thought that this sketch might work for this set and this technique. I need to sharpen my brayering up a bit. So, like or not, this is my handiwork for this challenge. You can see the sketch and all the other wonderful works of the designers and more by clicking here.

Technique Tuesday - Layered Brayer

LAYERED BRAYER

Directions:
1) Heat emboss your chosen images on Glossy White card stock using VersaMark ink and Clear Stampin' Emboss powder. Bold images work best for this technique.

2) Ink your brayer with a light color of ink, and bray your card stock.

3) Use a sticky note or scrap paper cut to desired shapes and sizes to cover portions of your card stock.

4) Ink your brayer with a darker color of ink, and bray your card stock again.

5) Repeat process if extra layers desired.

6) Remove paper scraps and wipe embossed images to remove excess ink.

Mosaic Madness Meets Ruffles

Another beautiful card done by the creative minds at Stampin' Up! I love the new colors and the simple layout. How about that ruffled ribbon? Love it!

Quatrefancy meets Mosaic Madness

This was a sneak peek card that was shown to demo's on the website to tempt us to buy in the pre-order season. Well, it worked for me. I bought this set and the DSP as a bundle and you can too. You can see the bundle on page 123. It is fun and pretty!

Well by now I should be back in town. I hope you have enjoyed the blog with my cards mixed with the fabulous ones from Stampin' Up! I will now be home for the summer until the 1st week of July (basically 2 weeks). 

Give It Some Gingham

Oh, Hello Card (5-1/2" x 4-1/4")

Stamps Oh, Hello Stamp Set Gingham Stampin' Around WheelPaper Brushed Gold Cardstock Whisper White Cardstock Gingham Garden Designer Series Paper Tea Lace Paper Doilies Ink Daffodil Delight Classic Stampin' Pad VersaMark Pad Melon Mambo Classic Stampin' Ink Refill Accessories & ToolsGold Stampin' Emboss Powder Whisper White Baker's Twine Vintage Faceted Designer Buttons Gingham Garden Designer Washi Tape

Instructions

1. Fold the Whisper White Cardstock in half to create the card. Splash drops of Melon Mambo ink on the Whisper White card.
2. Cut a 5-1/4" x 2-1/4" piece of Gingham Garden Designer Series Paper and adhere it to a 5-1/2" x 2-1/2" piece of Brushed Gold Cardstock. Adhere the Brushed Gold piece to the middle of the Whisper White card.
3. Stamp "Oh, hello" on a Tea Lace Paper Doily with VersaMark ink. Cover the greeting with Gold Stampin' Emboss Powder and heat set. Adhere the doily to the card.
4. Tear off a piece of Gingham Garden Designer Washi Tape and put it on the doily.
5. Thread the Whisper White Baker's Twine through the Vintage Faceted Designer Button and adhere the button to the doily.
6. Stamp the gingham image in Daffodil Delight ink on Whisper White Cardstock. Cut it into three pieces and adhere them to the card. 

Birthday Card Washi Tape

This is a 4.5 x 4.5 card that I made using the new washi tape from the Gingham Garden collection. I covered a little piece of white cardstock and then adhered that to the card. The butterfly is a mixture of 2 punches and the sizzlet.

Simply Pressed Clay

Winner Card (4" x 4")

Stamps Blue Ribbon Stamp SetPaper Coastal Cabana Cardstock Whisper White Cardstock Gingham Garden Designer Series Paper Ink Bermuda Bay Classic Stampin' Pad Coastal Cabana Classic Stampin' Pad Daffodil Delight Classic Stampin' Pad Strawberry Slush Classic Stampin' Pad Accessories & Tools Dazzling Details White Simply Pressed Clay Stampin' Dimensionals 1-3/8" Circle Punch Big Shot Finishing Touches Edgelits Dies

Instructions

1. Roll out White Simply Pressed Clay thin. Stamp the "1" image in Bermuda Bay ink on the clay. Set the clay aside to dry for 24-48 hours. Once the clay is dry, trim it to the desired size and shape.
2. Adhere a piece of Gingham Garden Designer Series Paper to the Whisper White card.
3. Cut a notched edge on a strip of Whisper White Cardstock using the Big Shot and the Finishing Touches Edgelits Die. Adhere the Whisper White piece to the card.
4. Stamp the "The winner" image repeatedly in Coastal Cabana ink on Coastal Cabana Cardstock. Adhere the stamped Coastal Cabana piece to the card so the notched Whisper White edge shows below it.
5. Stamp the "Congratulations" ribbon tails in Daffodil Delight ink on Whisper White Cardstock and cut them out. Adhere them to the card using Stampin' Dimensionals.
6. Stamp the full ribbon image in Strawberry Slush ink on Whisper White Cardstock. Cut out the scallop circle portion. Punch out the center using the 1-3/8" Circle Punch. Apply Dazzling Details around the center circle.
7. Adhere the clay piece to the card. Then adhere the scallop circle to the card over the clay piece using Stampin' Dimensionals. 

Thank You

How about this fun little Thank You card! I love the simplicity and the layers. It is clean and simple with a little fussy cutting. Easy to case as I did from the catty on page 116.

Technique Tuesday - Kissing

KISSING Directions: 1) Ink a patterned stamp, such as one of our background stamps. 2) Press a solid, uninked stamp against the patterned stamp, transferring the pattern to the solid stamp. 3) Stamp the solid image on card stock. Tips: After completing Step 2, the patterned stamp can also be used for a "reverse kissing" look. Before completing Step 2, you could ink your solid stamp image with a lighter color.