Wishing Big

I made a few cards last night, and this one was for the Stamping 411 challenge.  I am on the kick of CAS cards right now: Clean and Simple.  And the ladies over on Stamping 411 gave me quite a great sketch to use for this CAS card.

I went digging around in my many, many folders of DSP, mostly now all retired or about to be retired in about 8 days.  Do you remember this paper?  I really love it, and it works so well for this card.

Not many details to share here.  Basically, I started off with a Whisper White base.  Then there's a layer of Tempting Turquoise.  Next a layer of the retired DSP.  I added some turquoise ribbon, and then I punched the sentiment (stamped in turquoise on white) using my 1 3/4" circle punch.  I punched out a 2" circle of turquoise.  I did use a yellow star brad to dot my "i" in "wish," and I finished the whole thing off with a button with a baker's twine knot.

I think they came out cute!  For this second card, I did basically the same thing, but I did add a different button.  Can you tell?

Thanks for looking!

Dynamic Duo Mashup

 I am so excited!!!  I had a very awesome, creative weekend but more on that later!  Introductions must be made...  This card actually fits two different blog challenges.  I started with my commitment to my goal of doing the Dynamic Duo's weekly color challenge.  (Week three... check...)  This week is a black tie week so the challenge was to use Daffodil Delight and Basic Black.  There is a dessert option of adding in dry embossing.  Of course, I'll always go for dessert!

I cased this card from my up, up-line.  (Does this look familiar, Carolyn?)

This looks very similar to Carolyn's card.  I changed the embossing folder and the black strip down the center, but basically, it's the same card, but, oh...  it's such a good card.  I like to play around with the cards a bit, so on this one, I put bright yellow brads in the center of the flower.  Then I popped the flower up on top of a black flower underneath.  I love how the black just pokes out around the edges when seen from an angle.

On the next one, I love the textures of the dots with the over sized scallop.  I popped that one on a daffodil flower, turned at an angle so it sticks from between the petals of the top flower.  Again, I loaded the center with brads; this time I used black brads in a 3/4" circle of daffodil.  That is popped up, too.

The sentiments are the same on both.  The sympathy pair from Petite Pairs.  My BFF's dad just passed, and I want her to know I'm thinking of her.  If you are a pray-er, please pray for Terri.

I mean, sometimes I plan multiple challenges together, but this week when I saw that card at Carolyn's, I knew that had to be my Dynamic Duo card.  AND it works for the ladies at The Friday Mashup.   I was so pleasantly surprised!  A "two-for" in creativity!  I don't have a fabric ribbon or bow, but I am saying that my paper ribbon still puts me in the "I mashed-it-up" category.  Yes!  I love the mashups, ladies!

Thanks for looking!

Dynamic Duo... Week Duo

 This is the second week of the blog Dynamic Duos, a place where they'll offer you a two-color challenge.  I've kind of made it a personal goal of mine to complete the challenge with them each week... you know... I want to say, "I've done the Dynamic Duo's challenge every week since it started!"  Kind of a lofty goal considering my mojo goes missing from time to time, but I believe in setting goals, and this is a good one.  It also forced me into the studio tonight to create my card for this week's challenge!

Here is my creation that goes with the challenge!  I have been wanting to use this set and the colors really lent themselves to a baby card (at least in my head).  So I combined Pool Party and So Saffron to create this baby boy card.  I also used the sets Baby Prints and Petite Pairs.  Inside the card is the sentiment, "so glad you're here," stamped in Pool Party.  This is pretty much the card I first pictured in my mind when I initially pictured what I wanted to create.  I did add the ribbon, which I just feel like makes the card.  I also added the little button brads in matching blue and pink.  Can you say adorable?

While I made the above card for a boy baby, I used the other half of my 8.5 x 11" sheet of paper to make a girl card, too.  I have a co-worker who is due in less than a month, and I don't know what she's having.  Now I'm safe either way!

Thanks for looking!  And stop by to see how I'm doing on my Dynamic Duo goal!  I'll take all the support I can get!

A Mother's Heart

I have to admit, ladies... this was a tough one for me... at first.  I had no idea which way to turn.  So... I turned away from The Friday Mashup weekly challenge.... for a few hours.  I did some other blog challenges (check them out!) and as I was cleaning up, the card came together so easily!  Yeah!  Thank you, ladies, for challenging me.  I didn't have time for a few days to put it together, but I made some time tonight and it went together quickly, too.  I love it when that happens!




I two parts of the challenge (which I think means that I technically mashed it up), but I did not do the popping part.  Too complicated for me.  I made a mom card and I used the picture for inspiration.  And, the white heart is popped up using stampin' dimenstionals


Colors Used: Rose Red, Whisper White, Pink Pirouette, Riding Hood Red
Stamp Sets: Well Scripted
Other: Large heart punch, tulip frame embossing folder, hearts embossing folder strip

Thanks for looking!

A Little Birdie Told Me...

... that this card would be just perfect for this week's challenge over on Stamping 411!  The ladies over there always give a great sketch challenge, and this week is no different.

So I went through my folders of DSP and came up with this oldie but goodie (I am really trying to finish up some of my older, retired DSP).  I don't know the name of this DSP, but the green it matches with is the retired Kiwi Kiss.

So I've been wanting the Aviary stamp set for awhile now.  I have seen some beautiful cards that were created with it.  Today is the first time I've inked the set up.  I really like how the cages seemed to go with this week's sketch.

Colors Used:  Kiwi Kiss, Basic Gray, Not Quite Navy, Whisper White
Sets Used: Aviary, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Other items Used: Large Oval, Word Window, Modern label punch

Thanks for looking!

My First Encounter with the Dynamic Duos

Guess what I found???  A new challenge blog!  I love my challenges, and this one seems especially fun to me.  It's called the dynamic duos and each week they'll present us with two colors to use together to create an item of our choice!  I love this idea!  So go check them out!

I always try to challenge myself to create more, to not let all the other stuff I have to do keep me from spending some time in my studio, letting my creative juices flow.  I'd really like to try to complete at least one challenge a week (but really I'd like to do more).  Call me on this one people!  If you are not seeing my posts then check in on me, will ya?

I have had this little bird sitting on my counter for I can't tell you how long.  I just really wanted to create something with him.  I also had this background stamp sitting on my table (then moved to the counter) since I bought it.  I finally inked him up today, too.  This card came together quickly and is very CAS (clean and simple).  I like that.  For many reasons.

Colors used: Whisper White, Pool Party, Lucky Limeade
Stamp sets: Fun and Fast Notes
Other product:  ribbon, blender pen

Thanks for looking!

Hello Connie and Mary!

 It has been forever since I've participated in one of Create with Connie and Mary's weekly challenges.  This week's caught my attention because it asks us to use DSP and in honor of their 100th challenge, make a celebration card.  Now, all the stuff I used is Stampin' Up (one of their requirements), but I didn't exactly use a DSP that is retiring.  I used some stuff that has already been retired!  I used some Sale-A-Bration free paper (can you believe I still have some of this stuff?) and some Wild Wasabi from a Prints Pack.  I am maintaining that I still met this challenge!

The school colors at the school I teach at are green and gold.  For some reason, this card struck me as a graduation card so I focused on those colors.  My base is So Saffron.  The ribbon is, too.  Then I have Wild Wasabi and the DSP.
In addition to the saffron and wasabi stars, I used the sentiment from the Occasional Quotes set.

Thanks for looking!