Sketch Challenge Card

Happy Friday! Are you staying warm?? It's BEAUTIFUL here - brightly shining sun, fluffed cardinals in the trees and feeders - and a balmy temperature of 21! :) (Wind chill says it's feeling more like 10 degrees out there...)

Well. :D What to do to celebrate a Friday, toward the end of January? Make a card that fills a challenge, AND might inspire your Valentine's cards this year. :D

That's red glitter paper again - it's SO perfect for Valentine's Day, don't you think?? - with the silver and gold "foil". I think that name is a bad one for these; it's really shiny cardstock. It's not foil weight!

Anyway. :D That's Real Red, on Whisper White. The only stamp is the "I like you", which is from a FREE Sale-a-bration stamp set! :) I really like this card; it's clean and simple, and gets my idea across. :D

OK, I'm outta here! Have a WONDERFUL day - and be sure to make the time to stamp SOMEthing. STAY WARM!

Another CASE challenge card!

Goodness, how can it be Wednesday already?! :D This year has flown by. It will be over before we know it!

So. Let me see if I can find the card in the IB&C this was CASED from...

(Wow. As I leaf through the book, I realize they focused on BANNERS - a LOT.)

Oh, wait. It was from the Stamper's Success, the demonstrator-only magazine we get. Sorry. If you come over, I can show it to you... :D

ANYWAY. I didn't have the stamp set they used, or the framelits, OR the designer series paper (let alone the twine and brads!) - but I used what I had, made what I needed, and I really like MY version better. :D It's a lot busier than I usually do, but it's a clean busy, which makes me like it. ROFL!

OK, I'm outta here. :D have a WONDERFUL day! Be sure to make the time to STAMP something- don't leave your Christmas cards until the last minute! :D

Vintage Technique

Welcome to Wednesday! How's your week going? Have you had a chance to stamp anything yet? You know, it's time to start working on Christmas cards... :D

This was another SUDSOL challenge - remember that SUDSOL stands for Stampin' Up! Demonstrators Sharing OnLine? :D It was to try this technique - so, I did. :D I actually like the way this came out - and I added a bit of the Torn Frames technique around the edges. Not TOO much, but enough that I think it helped the vintage feel.

The leaf and the "Give Thanks" are from the Best of Autumn stamp set; I really love it. This leaf is particularly pretty, IMHO. :D

So, what do YOU think of my card? :D Wish you could come see it in real life - it's got a tiny bit of sparkle to it, and the inside is pretty, too. :D

OK, I'm outta here. Have a wonderful day - and be SURE to MAKE the time to STAMP SOMETHING!!!!

MDS Monday - Uncle Kenn Meets Isaiah

Happy Monday! Sorry about last week. The show is now OVER! :D And we're on the downhill slide to Christmas - can you believe it's already the end of the first full week of October???

This challenge was a color challenge: use Cherry Cobbler, Island Indigo, Gumball Green, Baked Brown Sugar, and Whisper White. I used MY DIGITAL STUDIO, of course. :) I will eventually get all these challenge pages printed into a book. I can't wait! :)

Anyway. This is the first time Kenn met our newest nephew. :) Pretty sweet!

Have a wonderful day! Be SURE to stamp (or scrap!) SOMETHING!

Another sweet CASE!

Happy Monday!

What a BUSY weekend! And with trying to start packing, stamping is starting to have to be fit into little holes in the day. :D What better way than to do another SUDSOL challenge with a 2.5"-square card???

Since I've got my Simply Scored, I know I can make envelopes whenever I need to. So making odd-sized cards doesn't intimidate me!

Although the original card with this was made with the new pinwheel die, I don't have it. I decided to do it the old-fashioned way - and I think it turned out OK. :D The DSP is SUMMER SMOOCHES; the "hello" stamp is from PRETTY PETITES, and is free and available only through SALE-A-BRATION!!! Super simple, and super cute, IMHO! :D

I also want to urge you to take a look at PAPER PUMPKIN. If you don't have the time or the space to stamp, this is the monthly kit you want! Don't forget to choose me as your demonstrator! :) You can try it out, you can decide you don't want it for a certain month - check out the link, and if you have questions, please let me know! :)

OK, I'm outta here. Have a wonderful day - and be SURE to MAKE the time to stamp something!!!!

Sketches are great!

Happy FEBRUARY!!! Can you believe it?!? Wow, time is flying SO quickly! AND it's Friday. Hooray! :D

Today's card share is a sketch challenge from the SUDSOL group. And it's one that I've used for a LONG time - it's great for quick, easy cards - just change the colors, or the paper, or the stamp, or... :D You can step it up, too, by adding embellishments....

 

See? Super cute, super easy!

Whisper White card stock for the card body, one of the mats, and the central image piece. That's Summer Smooches DSP for the strip; there's also Real Red and Wild Wasabi card stock for mats. the stamp is from EASY EVENTS - such a cute, versatile stamp set! I embossed the tree and grass with black embossing powder (and using Versamark, the Heat Tool and Embossing Buddy!); I colored the heart and the words with my Real Red Stampin' Write marker. The tree and grass I did with my Aqua Painter and Wild Wasabi ink pad; I wanted the uneven coloring in the tree, so it would look like more leaves were in one place than another. :D To finish the card, I mounted the image "medallion" with Dimensionals, and used Dazzling Details on the heart, just to give it a little more punch.

I think it's a cute card! :D

OK, I'm outta here! We're shooting a wedding tomorrow, so I'm not planning on doing much today. :D Except visiting with a friend....

Enjoy your weekend! And be sure to make the time to STAMP something!!

CASE challenge!

Good Wednesday Morning! :D

Have you had a good week so far? Learning your "something new" every day? :D Yeah, it takes a bit of work some days.... :D

This is another one of those challenges from SUDSOL where I can't show you the card I'm supposed to be CASEing. Trust me when I tell you that the colors and stamps are nothing like the original. :D But the layout, and the ribbon, and placement of the sentiment, etc., are the same.

When I got it all together, I couldn't help but think of Neapolitan ice cream. :D My dad, who doesn't like chocolate, thought it was too out of balance with chocolate color if I thought it was gonna be Neapolitan. :D

ANYWAY. I used the Simply Scored with the Borders Scoring Plate for the bottom bit of scallop scoring - and that's Soft Suede card stock. The next layer up is Whisper White, using the scallop edge border punch on the bottom. Then there's a thin bit of Early Espresso; the top piece of card stock is Pink Pirouette, stamped with the cake from MAKE A CAKE in Soft Suede. The sentiment is from TEENY TINY WISHES, stamped in Early Espresso. And that's Early Espresso stitched ribbon. Simple and easy, except for figuring out what stamp to use! :D


So, what do you think? And do you LIKE having the links for the products in these posts?

OK, I'm outta here. Have a wonderful day, and be sure to STAMP something! :)

Kind of CASEd...really.

 

HAPPY FRIDAY! Got big plans for this weekend? It's supposed to be cold but SUNNY here this weekend. It's been overcast for a long time, so seeing glimpses of sunlight on Thursday was very soothing. :)

Anyway. Remember I've mentioned SUDSOL several times before? This is another challenge - another CASE of a card you don't get to see. :D So you can go ahead and think I'm incredibly gifted.... :D I *did* change it up, but I think it's pretty good.

The colors are Wistful Wisteria, Melon Mambo, Whisper White, and Pink Pirouette. The stamp set is Fabulous Florets. Simple! :) Now, the Whisper White back piece? It's not a Framelit; the card I was supposed to CASE used it, but I don't have it. So I made something that looks like it: it's a piece of card stock with a 1" circle punched out and cut in half, and adhered to the back of the original piece. :D Good fakeout, right?

OK, I'm outta here. I'm having my Stampin' Up! party tomorrow morning at 9:30, if anyone wants to come - or if  you want to place an order! Just LMK, so I have enough supplies for you!!!!! And I'm MAKING breakfast; it's going to be a very special one, and I can't wait to share. :D Next week will be shares of what we did for projects.

Have a WONDERFUL weekend! Be sure and make the time to stamp something!!!

Challenge Card

Good Wednesday afternoon! Hope you're enjoying your first full week of January. :D I'm waiting on UPS to deliver my Sale-a-Bration preorder, along with my Occasions order! It can't come too soon! :D

In the meantime, I decided to do a challenge from SUDSOL - remember that demonstrators-only group? Well, the challenge for this one this week was to take a card that was in our demonstrators-only magazine, STAMPIN' SUCCESS, and tweak it to make it our own. So this is mine. :D

Card stock: Very Vanilla, Elegant Eggplant, Brushed Gold

Ink: Elegant Eggplant

Stamp sets: Word Play, Occasions Alphabet (inside)

Accessories: Tasteful Trim die, Big Shot (Yup, I STILL LOVE IT! :D), Basic Pearls and Rhinestones, clear embossing powder, Heat Tool, embossing buddy, Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder

OK, I'm outta here to stalk UPS some more. :D Have a WONDERFUL day - and be SURE to make the time to STAMP something!!!!!

Another CASE Challenge!

Good Wednesday afternoon! I've got to tell you, the weather outside my window is completely distracting me. What a glorious day!

So, this post will be short and sweet. :D

Today's another SUDSOL CASE (copy and steal everything!) challenge; it's also from our Stampin' Up!® demonstrators' magazine, so I can't show you the original. But mine's not too far away this time. :D

 The detail on the star is further down the page here, so you can see what I did. :D But here's the "recipe"; if you have any questions, ask! :D

Stamp sets: Evergreen, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Card Stock: Whisper White, Night of Navy, Wild Wasabi

Ink: Whisper White, Versamark

 Accessories: Heat tool, white embossing powder, Wild Wasabi embossing powder, basic Rhinestones, Merry Moments Simply Scrappin' Kit (DSP), Big Shot, Top Note Die, platinum embossing powder, small oval punch, 1/16" circle punch, Cherry Cobbler baker's twine, corner rounder, SNAIL, dimensionals

It's so much fun to do something unexpected; I've gotten several comments on how great the Wild Wasabi EP looks on the Night of Navy card stock. :D That's what I love about colored embossing powder; it holds its color on any color card stock!

OK, I'm outta here. You know, I still love stampin' after all these years - look how wordy this post is. :D

Have a WONDERFUL day! Be sure and take the time to STAMP something! :D

CASE Challenge from SUDSOL

Good afternoon, my friends! Did you have a good weekend? I must say, I am certainly keeping busy!!! :) PHEW.

Ginny asked about SUDSOL, and what it stood for. It's Stampin' Up! Demonstrators Sharing OnLine. :) SUDSOL. It's a group for demonstrators only, who share business tips and challenge each other and help each other. :)

Last week's challenge was of a card found in our demonstrators' magazine, Stampin' Success. So, I can't show you the card. But trust me, it was rather boring. I didn't like the original, and I'm not overly-thrilled with my version. :D But it's sparkly, and I like that. :D

 

So, I used Midnight Muse as the background - I really like that color. :) I put the brushed silver and gold through embossing folders, to get the feeling of different paper - here's a close-up of them. I think one of the things I REALLY didn't like about the original was its simplicity. I mean, I like simplicity, but not THAT much. :D And y'all know me by now - I need to have SOME texture on it. This gave that, plus a little bit of depth. No flatness here! :D

 The background is spritzed with Gold Glow and some Frost White I mixed up. Then there's the rhinestone "star" at the top of the "tree". :D And that "Greetings of the Season"? I really love the beautiful word images in this set. I hope it makes it into the new Idea Book for next year, too!!! :)

OK,I'm outta here. I hope you have a WONDERFUL day! And that you are making the time to STAMP something!!! :)

Did you miss me? :)

Hi, y'all! Sorry I didn't show up on Monday; between being sick and incredibly BUSY, I just didn't get a chance to blog. I do apologize, but every now and then, one needs to breathe. :)

Are you on my email list? If not, leave me a comment with your email address, and I'll add you in; this Friday, I'll be sending out the third in the TWELVE WEEKS OF CHRISTMAS emails. I'm HOPING to do video, if I can stop coughing long enough to tape it. :D If not, it'll be another picture tutorial - but I can't wait to share it. :)

Today's card is another SUDSOL challenge card; this challenge was to take a designated card from the Idea Book and change it up a bit if you wanted - or straight CASE it. Mine? Except for the layout, TOTALLY different. :D

Card stock: Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake, Brushed Gold

Ink: Cherry Cobbler

Stamp set: Greetings of the Season

Accessories: Big Shot, Labels Collection Framelits, white gel pen, corner rounder, Be of Good Cheer DSP, 1-3/8" square punch (to dovetail the ribbon), Dimensionals

It's definitely different from what I normally would do, but I like it. :D

OK, I'm outta here. Trying to pace myself; so much to do, only so much air my lungs will take in at this moment. :D Have a WONDERFUL day, and be sure to make the time to STAMP something!

Faux Mother-of-Pearl

It's FRIDAY!!! And it's only two day's until Kenn's birthday! (If you want to leave a comment to wish him a Happy Birthday, I'll pass them on!:D) Happy Birthday, Love!

Anyway. :D This isn't HIS card. It's another challenge card from SUDSOL, on a technique - they pick it, you do it and design your card around it. And I really like how this came out!

Card stock: Whisper White, Elegant Eggplant, Wistful Wisteria

Stamp set: Easy Events

Ink: Black Stazon, Wistful Wisteria

Accessories: Scallop Edge Punch, dimensionals, Frost White Shimmer Paint (Yes, it's that time of year when you should ALL invest in another bottle of that stuff! It's wonderful!), brayer, Wistful Wisteria and Elegant Eggplant Stampin' Write Markers

And I designed our Christmas card this week. :D It's gonna take some time to crank them out - but when doesn't it!?!??! :D

OK, I'm outta here. have a WONDERFUL day, and be sure to TAKE the time to stamp something! ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND!

Another Sketch Challenge Card!

Good Monday Morning!

Gravy, has my weekend been SLAMMED with stuff. And I'm coughing, STILL, and UGH. :D

Anyway. Today's share is a card that I did for a SUDSOL challenge; it was a sketch, and this is what I came up with.

Card stock: Pacific Point, Whisper White

Ink: Pacific Point, VersaMark

Stamp sets: Teeny Tiny Wishes, Chock Full-O Cheer

Accessories: Silver glimmer paper, 1-3/8" square punch, 1-3/4" circle punch, 2;1/2" scallop circle punch, white embossing powder, clear embossing powder, heat tool, Smoosh Spritz, basic rhinestones, Dimensionals

If you have ANY questions on how or what I did, please don't hesitate to ask! And YES, Ginny, that lovely Silver Glimmer Paper *is* a Stampin' Up! product. :D It's VERY sparkly!!

Have a WONDERFUL day! Be sure and make the time to STAMP something!!

SUDSOL Sketch Challenge Entry

Good FRIDAY Morning! Have you had a good week? I got notified today that the things I ordered for my prize are on their way here. I'm so excited! LOL!

Today, I'm showing off the card I made to meet the sketch challenge with SUDSOL this week. I really, really like it!

Now, I will tell you this: the red glitter paper scallop isn't securely stuck down. I'm out of Tombow Multi, so until I get it, there's not a lot that will make it stay down. But I really like this card!

Here's the "recipe" - if you have ANY questions about what I used, or what I did, please let me know!

Card stock: Whisper White, Real Red, Early Espresso, Silver Glitter Paper, Red Glitter Paper

Stamp sets: Lovely as a Tree, Come to Bethlehem

Ink: Whisper White craft, Always Artichoke

Accessories: Early Espresso Stampin' Write Marker, 3/4" circle punch, white embossing powder, Embossing Buddy, heat tool, Cherry Cobbler Dazzling Details, Silver Sparkle Dazzling Details, Snail, Dimensionals

The card's on an easel, and it's at my eye level, so the top of the card is slanting away - that's why it seems a bit fuzzy in focus. :)

OK, I'm OUTTA here! It's going to be a busy, wonderful weekend here - hope it is for you, too!!! And don't forget to make the time to stamp SOMEthing!

Well, you'll never believe it!

As my dear friend and professor, Dr. Marsha Ellis-Smith, would say, "Well, slap me naked and hide my clothes!" :D Why? Let me tell you the story. :D

Saturday was the Chattanooga Regional Stampin' Up! Demonstrators Convention; it was a one-day seminar for demos and their guests; we get to stamp, learn some fun things, get fun prizes, and meet with other demos from the region.

As most of you know, I was gone most of this week; because of that, I wanted to get my swaps done for the group I'm online with (I know I've mentioned SUDSOL before; it stands for STAMPIN' UP! DEMONSTRATORS SHARING ONLINE.) before we left for our trip. I did one design, and got 20 cards almost done before I realized: I'd designed it with a stamp set that was retired, and I'd not pulled it out of my collection! AUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, back to the drawing board. And the above is what I came up with. (It's pretty ME, right? Christmas and both heat and Big Shot embossing? :D)

So, back to Regional. There's a basket where you can put your swap cards; they post them for everyone to see, and I'm not sure what else they do with them.

Except pick a winner for design.

The person who was choosing couldn't choose just one. She chose two.

AND I WAS ONE OF THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm so danged excited! Ladies (and gentlemen!), you can now tell everyone that YOUR Stampin' Up! demonstrator is an award-winning designer. Yup, got a prize and everything.

I still am in shock, but can't wipe the smile off my face. :) It was a total fluke that I put a card front in the basket. I did another design for general swapping, and swapped them all out before I could put one into the basket. There are so many people at Regionals, and this was my second-choice design - I expected NOTHING. :D

So. I'm gonna go work on what I want for my Christmas cards, because that's what I'm going to use my prize for. How incredibly blessed am I?!?!??!?!

Have a WONDERFUL day! And be SURE to make the time to STAMP SOMETHING!!!!

SUDSOL Challenge Card

Good Monday morning! How was your weekend? I'm on my way to a doctor's appointment; UGH. I hope you enjoy today's post - someone ought to enjoy SOMEthing. :D

 The challenge was a layout; the pieces that are curved were, in the sketch, straight rectangles. You know me; I can't make anything without tweaking it a *little* bit. :D

The stamp set is a new one for me, EASY EVENTS. I like this stamp, and it wasn't the original one I was going to use, but when I got out my DSP, it just had to be the Christmas card. :D

So, here we go with the ingredients! :)

Card stock: Very Vanilla, Gumball Green, Cherry Cobbler

Ink: Early Espresso

Stamp sets: Easy Events, Sounding Joy (retired)

Accessories: Gumball Green Stampin' Write Marker, White Gel Pen, Labels Collection Framelits, Be of Good Cheer DSP, Big Shot, Dimensionals, Snail


Isn't it simple and pretty? When I get the More Merry Messages set, I can use one of those inside. I'm afraid the retirement of last year's sets wiped me out! :D

OK, I'm outta here! Have a WONDERFUL day, let me know what you think - and Mary, THANK YOU for being SO encouraging! It's so nice to know you're out there! :) Be sure and make the time to STAMP something!!!