Happy Fall, Y'all...

I really wanted to use this set to make some fall cards, and when I saw this week's challenge over on Stamping 411, I knew I found a great way to play with these cards!

This set is Give Thanks. It's sooooo cute! I started off with a base of Chocolate Chip. I have a strip of Old Olive, a small strip of Pumpkin Pie, a strip of More Mustard. The mustard strip has the 3 leaves from this set randomly stamped using VersaMark ink so it's subtle. I stamped the sentiment from the set in Chocolate Chip ink on the Old Olive paper. I also used a chocolate grosgrain ribbon. I couldn't decide what to use for the main image so I did one with the pumpkin and one with the basket of leaves. I like both!

I punched out the pumpkin with a 1 3/4" circle punch. I then punched 2 tab punches which, if you fit them together, make a perfect circle for behind the 1 3/4" punch! Then I used a new Sizzix die cut I got today (with a 50% off coupon.... YES!) in olive behind the pumpkin and there are two brads in that in the mustard color.

I used a 2 inch circle punch for the basket. Behind that, I used a large scallop circle out of More Mustard. I meant to sponge some chocolate ink around the edges before I put it on, but I forgot before I popped it up so, needless to say, no chocolate ink on this one.

I colored in both images using my Stampin' Markers and a blender pen. I need to find a tutorial about how to make my coloring look more natural by blending. I so don't have that technique down!

Thanks for looking...

Halloween Haunters

I got the idea for this cute punch art card from Frenchie over at Stamp & Scrap with Frenchie. She is a talented lady with tons of good ideas!

I decided to make it today because Pals Paper Arts is having a challenge inspired by Halloween, a favorite holiday in my world!

This is a black base. I used the medium oval punch and punched out 5 ovals of Pumpkin Pie and then I sponged Pumpkin Pie ink around the edges of the oval. I punched 3 more ovals in white to use for the ghosts. I used my black marker to create eyes for the ghosties. I used the branch from the bird punch to get the stem of the pumpkin (one leaf from the stem). I used a Happy Halloween stamp that I got from a dollar bin at my local craft store. I embossed that one using white embossing powder (I have a problem with the white craft ink. It NEVER dries for me. I always end up smearing it. One time, I left my cards to dry, over night, under a running ceiling fan. I still smudged them... oh, white craft ink, why do you hate me?)

Thanks for looking...

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

This card reminds me of a slot machine! Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

Seriously, though... I figured this one out when I decided to try the challenge listed on Sweet Sunday Sketch. I looked at my stamp sets, saw the Tart and Tangy, remembered my matching designer paper and a card was born!

I started off with a base of Real Red. I added a layer of the designer paper and used my scallop edge punch along the bottom. I added a strip of Bashful Blue that I ran through my cuttlebug with the polka dot embossing folder. I then added a layer of Old Olive and punched out my cherries (that I colored with my red and olive markers). Then I punched out a large oval of olive and stamped "Good luck" from Sincere Salutations on Whisper White using Real Red ink and punched it out with the scallop oval. Finally, I sponged the edges with Bashful Blue. I've been into sponging the edges lately. I do like the final product.

Thanks for looking...

Don't Bug Me!

This card is another challenge card. It's also a birthday card for my nephew, who is turning 6. Last year I made him a pirate card that he LOVED. I was trying to figure out which stamp set that I have would be good for a 6 year old.

I tried to put myself in the mind of a 6 year old boy... what do they like (besides pirates because I have to do a new card)? They like bugs, right?

I used the sketch over at the Sweet Sunday Sketch challenge (on the sweetest thing blog) to come up with this card. The stamps are from the Love Bug set, and I colored the bugs in using my stampin' up markers in yellows, greens, and blues. I started with a base of Pacific Point, I layered a designer paper on top (that I don't know the name of) a layer of Garden Green that was embossed with leaves, and then another layer of Pacific Point with the bugs on top of that. I used my 1 3/8" square punch, and I popped up the middle bug. Then I used the sentiment from Happy Moments, punched it out with the word window and then used the modern label punch to punch a layer of Pacific Point.

I hope he likes it! Thanks for looking...

Fun Flowers

When I saw the Just Add Ink Challenge, I knew I wanted to play. I've been so busy at work that I haven't had time to do many challenges, but I had today off and spent it (mostly) in the studio.



I've seen this flower before and thought I would try it today with this challenge.



I couldn't decide which color to use for the background and which color to use for the flower so I tried one of each.



I started with a base of Crumb Cake. On one card I used a Pretty in Pink background layer with one embossing folder. On the other card I used a So Saffron background layer with another embossing folder. Then on each I used the opposite color flower. I used the large scallop circle and cut to the center on each scallop. Then I used the scallop circle and did the same. I popped the smaller flower on top of the larger one, and I topped each off with a 3/4" circle in the center. The grass, stem, and leaf (which I popped up )in Certainly Celery.


I used the Well Scripted set to stamp Happy Birthday in Crumb Cake on Whisper White and added a little pink gem to dot the "i" on birthday.


Thanks for looking....

Sympathy and Sorrow

Some of my time in the studio today was spent making sympathy cards. Ouch, I know. You never want to have to use these, but reality being what it is, you do need them.


In this case, I used two challenges to help me make these cards. I used the color challenge over at Create with Connie and Mary. Then I used the sketch challenge at Stamping 411. (Ladies over at Stamping 411... I miss you! I haven't been able to do a challenge in several weeks. This is a shout out to your awesomeness. You inspire me constantly... thank you!)

I started with a Crumb Cake base. I stamped the floral swirl from Elements of Style set. On one card, I used Crumb Cake ink and on the other one I used Crumb Cake that I stamped off once. I stamped the flowers from the Close as a Memory stamp set on to Very Vanilla. I used my markers to color the flowers in Tangerine Tango and the stems in Old Olive (is that cheating?) I layered that on a piece of Early Espresso. Then I stamped the sentiment on Very Vanilla and used that punch (I forget the name and am too lazy to go look it up), and I layered that on a Tangerine Tango and popped that up. I used a strip of espresso behind the flower and used the edge punch again there. I added the half pearls on the edge punch and more of those on the flower centers. It gives it a touch of class that I just LOVE. Inside the card, I stamped the message from the Close as a Memory set, which says, "Your loved one will always be as close as a memory, and the God of all comfort as close as a prayer."

The real sad truth is my only living grandfather died this past week. He'd been really sick for a while and has spent the last several weeks in a hospice home, so it isn't like it was a surprise, but it is never easy. I made these beautiful cards to give my personal condolences to my grandmother, who'd been married to him for over 59 years and their only living child, my aunt. I know they'll like them and most importantly, I hope the cards convey my sympathy and understanding of their loss.

Thanks for looking...

Terrific Technique Today...

Today I finally got a chance to play around a bit in the studio. I gotta tell you... I MISS IT! I miss doing the challenges, I miss the creative outlet that my card making gives me, and I miss creating fun, pretty cards.

I made this card using the color challenge over at Create with Connie and Mary. I really like the colors! Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, and Tangerine Tango- mostly neutrals with a pop of orange- one of my favorite colors.

I wanted to use the technique that Splitcoaststampers sent out this week, the reverse masking technique. As usual, I made two cards, each slightly different from the other.

I started with a base of Crumb Cake. On one card I used my Polka Dot stamp with Crumb Cake ink, and on the other I used Early Espresso ink. On each I used the same basic sketch, a bottom layer of Early Espresso (on one I used my ticket punch to mimic the frame in the center). On top of that I have a layer of Tangerine Tango, and on top of that, I have my frame from Frames with a Flourish in Early Espresso ink on Very Vanilla. The reverse masking technique was used. I stamped a background design using my Sprinkles set in Crumb Cake ink. Then I stamped flowers in tangerine. One flower is from the For All You Do set and the other is from Delight in Life. On top of each flower, I popped up a flower center in Early Espresso. Then, again in espresso, I stamped "thank you"' from the Happy Moments set.

You can't really tell, but the vanilla is on the tangerine, and that layer is popped up on the espresso. On this card to the right, I pierced a row of holes along the bottom to tie in with all the other dots. I finished both cards off by sponging some espresso around the edges of the card.

Thanks for looking...