The 3 "R"s

So ... my third card using the new Occasions set called "And Many Mower"! I don't usually use words as the main focus on a card, but this just seems to work well. It'll be a perfect card for my Dad although my mother would *never* let him buy a recliner. She abhors recliners ... too unrefined for her taste, I think.

I used both the sketch from Jen del Muro and the colour combination from the Color Throwdown blog!

<-- check out the picky cutting I did ... I first stamped the word on DSP and then clear embossed the whole piece three times to give it a bit of structure and then cut out all the letters. The embossing makes it so much easier to cut it out otherwise the DSP can be a little flimsy when cutting small images.

Hope you like it!! Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: And Many Mower
Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, Hawaiian Papaya DSP, Pink Flamingo DSP
Ink: Stazon™, various for colouring
Accessories: Kiwi Kiss Stitched Grosgrain, Dimensionals®, Vintage Brads

Wild About You

So, I finally succumbed with this oh-so-cute set from Stampin' Up! It' absolutely adorable and there is so much one can do with this set. It's perfect for scrapping, for kids cards, well, for anything! So, since it's new, I just had to use it before putting it away. I have this "rule" that any new stamp set must receive love right away!!!

I put two challenges together for this one: Kristina Werner's colour challenge and the sketch from Taylor. The colours were really awesome although I was just itching to turn the DSP over to add the green. It needs a bit of a pop, don't you think? I mean, I do like the way this one turned out although it bugs me that the CE kind of made the marker blur a tad on the lion's face :(.

But, a fun card with lots of little cutting. I seem to like doing that lately. Hope you like it!!

Stamps: Wild About You
Paper: Hawaiian Papaya DSP, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Chocolate Chip Patterns DSP
Ink: So Saffron, More Mustard, Tangerine Tango, Chocolate Chip, Stazon™
Accessories: Crystal Effects, Dimensionals®, So Saffron Wide Grosgrain (SAB '09), Soft Subtles Brads

and ...

Guess What?!

Did you see the 2 Sketches 4 You blog? I was chosen as card of the week for THIS card!! I'm so beyond excited and happy!!!!

Weekend Sketch Challenge

This time, while still playing with the new stamp set "And Many Mower", I combined two different challenges: the Weekend Sketch Challenge (brought this week by Charmaine) and a colour challenge from a new-to-me blog called Diva Coffee Break Designs. The DCBD is an SUO challenge (and yes, SUO literally means use Stampin' Up only -- if they don't sell it now, and you use it, it's not SUO). Anyways, fun fun fun! I've been in an SUO mode for the last while and I don't mind one bit although my other stamps are feeling a tad neglected ... I'll have to remedy that this week if I have time (it's spring break this week).

Pretty simple card. I've really been into the white card base for the past little while and a simple but striking use of colour ... Hope you like it!

Stamps: And Many Mower
Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, Bashful Blue, Pink Flamingo DSP, Watercolour Paper
Ink: Stazon™, various for colouring
Accessories: Vintage Brads, Dimensionals, Lg Oval Punch, Scallop Oval Punch, Aquapainter™

"Par-Fect" Day :)

I inked up another set that's in the upcoming Occasions Mini '09 called "And Many Mower". Really really fun set, perfect for any guy, or at least the guys in my family! It's finally a set that has nothing to do with fishing or wildlife: something my guys are not in any way interested in ... now, golf is something they all do! I thought this one is perfect for almost any occasion, whether it be a birthday, Father's Day, or whatever.

This is a sketch from Amy Rysavy (#55, Prairie Paper & Ink) combined with a past colour combination from the Color Throwdown blog. Somehow, I missed a week of the CTD challenge ... I don't know why because I LOVE these colours together! I changed the sketch just a teensy bit. Instead of an oval, I did a square and the panels behind the main image are above the horizontal piece. It just seemed to work for this card. The sentiment is curved, kinda like golf flags, eh? I kinda missed the three embellies on the right and put my sentiment in a different spot ... gosh, I missed a bunch of it :( oh well. I think it still looks like the main parts of the sketch!

Hope you like it and thanks for poppin' by!

Stamps: And Many Mower
Paper: Whisper White, Urban Garden DSP, Basic Black, Watercolour Paper
Ink: Stazon™, various for colouring
Accessories: Dimensionals®, Silver Brads, Black Grosgrain, Aquapainter™, Corner Rounder

Amazed by You

Another sketch challenge card! This time I pulled out my Eastern Blooms stamp set and kinda blew the dust off of it *kidding* :) It's been a little while since I've used it and it needed a little more love. It's such a great stamp set and so very easy to use.

This sketch was a challenge for me simply because it has that angled piece. I don't do things on those kinds of angles very often but I do love the way this one turned out. The DSP is new-to-me, fresh off the truck: Pink Flamingo. Wow, is that paper ever bright ... awesome, but bright.

Anyways, there's no real stamping deets other than the microbeads on the flower centres! I adhered them using Crystal Effects! The centre flower is popped up for some fun. I used markers to ink up the sentiment to kind of highlight the different words and made it wavy across the ribbon.

Hope you like it!

Stamps: Eastern Blooms, Sweet Little Sentiments (Hostess '09)
Paper: Whisper White, Kiwi Kiss, Pink Flamingo DSP
Ink: Kiwi Kiss, Regal Rose, Pretty in Pink, Cameo Coral, Rose Red, Basic Black marker
Accessories: Corner Rounder, Dimensionals®, Microbeads, Kiwi/Vanilla Satin Ribbon, Silver Brads

CC211 - Take Care

I played in the Colour Combination Challenge over at SCS on Tuesday. The colours were: Pretty in Pink, Kiwi Kiss, and Baja Breeze. I combined this challenge with a sketch challenge from Jen del Muro.

I like how this one turned out. It's a bit of an odd sketch, at least for me. That band on the upper right threw me off a bit. I'm not too sure about all the Baja Breeze on this card either. BUT, it still looks pretty good, don't you think?

This pic on the left shows the dimension I tried to give the flower pot. I stamped three images and cut out different parts, layered them with dimensionals and then coated it with crystal effects. Kinda cool, eh?

Thanks for looking and stopping by today!

Stamps: Wagon Full of Fun, Sweet Little Sentiments (Hostess '09)
Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, Kiwi Kiss, Baja Breeze Patterns DSP, Watercolour Paper
Ink: Stazon™, various for colouring
Accessories: Regal Rose Grosgrain, Dimensionals®, Aquapainter™, Corner Rounder, Crystal Effects

Mojo Monday

I'm getting around to the challenges I bookmark regularly. I haven't had as much time as I'd like to stamp because life keeps piling up! BUT, the laundry is done, the house is relatively clean, so I'm free to stamp for the week. Sooooooooo, I looked at the sketch for this week's Mojo Monday (79) and pulled out some paper. I felt like using an orange of some sort and I love it paired with Kiwi for a nice fresh colour combo. What do you think?

Stamps: Great Friend (Occasions mini '09)
Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, Kiwi Kiss Patterns DSP, Holiday Treasures DSP (retired)
Ink: Kiwi Kiss, Rose Red, Versa Mark®, Stazon™
Accessories: Black Grosgrain, Vintage Brads, Eyelet Border Punch, Iridescent Ice EP

A friend...

So, I'm playing around with my new stamp set, Great Friends, from the Occasions Mini '09 (starting in April!). I dabbled with the sketch from 2 Sketches 4 You, Laura's Sketch 22. Love how it turned out! Well, it helps that I used my fav colours. Gotta break outta that box ...

Hope you like it!

Stamps: Great Friend
Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, Kiwi Kiss, Urban Oasis DSP, Baja Breeze
Ink: Not Quite Navy, Kiwi Kiss, Basic Grey, Baja Breeze, Versa Mark®
Accessories: Eyelet Border Punch, Iridescent Ice EP, Matchbox Die, Kiwi Kiss/Vanilla Satin Ribbon, Dimensionals®

Featured Stamper Challenge

Finally found time to play in my craft room! This week's Featured Stamper on SplitCoast was none other than Beate Johns. She has talent ... wow. I always knew that! I've followed her blog ever since she started it! Anyways, I chose to case THIS card of hers. I love this new set, called Wagon Full of Fun, from the upcoming Occasions Mini '09. All the images are fantastic but I just itched to use this duck! My sister had just had her first baby, so I'm in baby mode. I'd created a lot of boy cards, but Nic had a girl so I made a baby girl card!

So, the colours were chosen with my sister in mind, not that I'm necessarily giving this one to her ... I already made one! It helps, sometimes, to have a person in mind because it makes you pick different colours. I found that these colours, while incredibly pleasing, are not tones that I may have picked originally. My sister is a little more modern and contemporary and doesn't suit the typical pastel tones that are common for baby colours. This card still has a soft feeling, a baby feeling, while still keeping in touch with a more contemporary feel. Or, at least that's what I think. Am I off my rocker?

Anwho, I've blathered long enough! Simple stamping deets: the duck was stamped on watercolour paper, watercoloured, and cut out (with an extra wing dimensionalized on). I stamped the duck again on whisper white paper and sponged on some ink for sky and ground and then glued the watercoloured duck on.

Hope you like it!

Stamps: Wagon Full of Fun, Sweet Little Sentiments (Hostess set '09)
Paper: Pink Pirouette, Basic Black, Walk in the Park DSP, Rose Red, Watercolour Paper
Ink: Stazon™, various for colouring, Basic Black Craft
Accessories: Eyelet Border Punch, Regal Rose Grosgrain, Dimensionals®, Latte Designer Buttons, Black EP, Aquapainter™, Clear Rhinestone Brads, Piercer

Scrapbook Class!

I had my very first scrapbook class this past week. Boy, is it ever intimidating! I don't know why I have such a brain-block when it comes to scrap pages ...

So, here are the two pages we made! The second is simply a twist on the first. I really like doing that for a couple of reasons. I've already figured out the design from the first so why waste that energy! and I think it makes a layout look continuous. I know that there are many out there that successfully create a two page layout that looks continuous without the layouts being so similar but I like these pages!

I hope you do too!!

Stamps: All in The Family, Big Deal Alphabet, Whimsy Jumbo Wheel
Paper: Old Olive, SAB DSP, Bashful Blue, Whisper White, Pacific Point
Ink: Pacific Point, Stazon™, various for colouring, Old Olive jumbo cartridge
Accessories: Wheel Guide, Eyelet Border Punch, Big Shot, Serif Essentials Dies, Grommets (Occasions Mini '09), Dimensionals®, Piercer

thanks so much

Okay, last card from my Express Card Class last week! You know, any of you are welcome to attend my classes ... just email me to sign up or check out my website to see my class schedule! I have a link up top that will take you right to my event page. You could even do the class by mail!

Anyways, I'm in love with this card ... my fav colour combination and my new fav paper: Rockabilly DSP. Wowzers, is the black glossy stripe ever GORGEOUS! The Manhattan Flower embossing folder is just beyond awesome too AND, you can use it in pretty much any die machine of course I strongly suggest the Big Shot hehehe!!!!!. Between the embossing and the glossy stripes, this card has loads of texture!

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Trendy Trees
Paper: Whisper White, Baja Breeze, Rockabilly DSP, Kiwi Kiss
Ink: Kiwi Kiss, Baja Breeze, Stazon™
Accessories: Manhattan Flower embossing folder, Dimensionals®, Eyelet Border Punch, Silver Brads, Kiwi Kiss Striped Grosgrain

P.S. I was asked why I never use Basic Black ink ... well, while it's a fine ink, I don't like it. Invariably, it smears and it's not a true black ... Stazon dries quickly and is really really nice true black! Plus, it's completely waterproof, whereas Basic Black is not (although it says it is, I've never found that to be true for me).

Trendy Trees ... my favourite clean and simple stamp set!

Congratulations

Here's the third card in my four card Express class! I LOVE this card. I love how it turned out. So bright and cheerful! There's not much in the way of stamping details. Did you notice the paper, though? The Rockabilly DSP is beyond awesome! It's not visible in the catalogue, but if you've read the description, you'll know that this paper has sheen! Each paper in the package has one side that has a gloss part to it. On the paper I used in this card, the cherries have a glossy outline. It adds so much to this card! You can see it, sort of, in the pic on the right!

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Trendy Trees, Congrats (SAB '09)
Paper: Kraft, Real Red, Rockabilly DSP, Whisper White
Ink: Real Red, Kiwi Kiss, Stazon™
Accessories: 1-3/8" & 1-1/4" Circle Punches, Scallop Edge Punch, Piercer, Dimensionals®, Old Olive Wide Grosgrain

Life happens ...

This is the second card we'd made for the Express card class. Seriously, it takes 5 minutes to put it all together once the pieces are all cut! This one only took me about 1/2 hour to design and cut all the pieces (I'm really really comfortable with my paper cutter!). I've seen Dawn use markers with her sentiments, and I always love that look and I remembered in time to use it for this card! Of course, the In Colours don't have markers so I used a blender pen and the ink refill to create my own marker so I could ink this sentiment up.

Hope you like it and thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Trendy Trees, Full of Life
Paper: Whisper White, Tangerine Tango, Good Morning Sunshine DSP, Kiwi Kiss
Ink: Kiwi Kiss, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip marker
Accessories: Blender Pen, Tangerine Tango Striped Grosgrain, Dimensionals®, Aquapainter™

Express Card Class 1

I had an Express card class the other night and this is the first of four cards we made that night. I ended up using the same stamp set for each of the four cards, but they look so very different from one another.

Simple cards are not as easy to create as they look! Once the design is figured out, it's a cinch to put it together. But the careful balance of "white space" is an interesting one. For me, anyway ... I really like how this one turned out. Perfect for a more masculine card!

As you can see, I ended up getting the Eyelet border punch. At first, I'd thought it looked too frilly, but it's actually not. I've seen some great ideas using it and so I got it too! It's the perfect addition to this card.

Hope you like it!

Stamps: Trendy Trees
Paper: Kraft, Chocolate Chip, Green Tea DSP, Whisper White
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Kiwi Kiss, Old Olive
Accessories: So Saffron Wide Grosgrain (SAB '09), Eyelet Border Punch, Wide Oval Punch, Dimensionals®

Stamp Club: Technique

Our technique this month was a relatively simple one, but one that is still pretty neat! I love the effect stamping off gives. This little bird totally looks like he's flying in to say hello!

Overall, a simple card, and I love it! I was looking at my wall of cards and noticed that I've pretty much only used these colours with this set ... need to break out of that box.

Have a great day!

Stamps: Cheep Talk
Paper: Pacific Point, Kiwi Kiss, Good Morning Sunshine DSP, Whisper White
Ink: Old Olive marker, Chocolate Chip marker, Pumpkin Pie marker, Pacific Point, Stazon™
Accessories: Tangerine Tango Striped Grosgrain, Dimensionals®, Piercer

Stamp Club: 3D Project

Instead of an actual 3D project this month, I decided to do a "fun-fold" type card. They have an element of 3-Dimension, don't they? I'm a little tired of boxes and baskets etc as are my stamp club members. You can only have so many and give so many away ... They really loved this idea!

So, our first one this time is a hinge type card. Pretty simple to make! The idea came from the magazine that demonstrator's receive each month, called "Stampin' Success". So, if you're a demo and want to make this card, the instructions are in the March '09 issue!

Of course, all the stampin details are uniquely my own with my most recent favourite colour combinations: Basic Grey, Kiwi Kiss, and Baja Breeze. I just LOVE these colours together and the Urban Oasis DSP makes it simple!

Another fun detail that I added to this card was the scalloped edge that surrounds the wide oval image. I saw it on Janine Tinklenberg's blog the other day and made sure I bookmarked the info to try it soon. Fabulous idea!

I hope you are all having a fabulous day! Thanks for visiting!!

Stamps: Botanical Blooms, Curvy Verses
Paper: Baja Breeze, Basic Black, Whisper White, Urban Oasis DSP, Kiwi Kiss
Ink: Baja Breeze, Basic Grey, Kiwi Kiss, Stazon™
Accessories: 5/8" Neutrals Brads, Scalloped Edge Punch, Crimper, Wide Oval Punch, Dimensionals®, Baja Breeze Striped Grosgrain Ribbon

Stamp Club: JBIW

This was our "just because I wanna" project this month. I felt like doing something a little bit of a different size, so this card is a 4-1/4" square! I was looking through my "idea file" and came across a card I'd seen by Heather Nichols (aka pinefeather). It was a really darling little card and I decided to kind of case it. I did change the colours and the stamp set but it's still pretty identifiable as a case of her card which you can see right HERE (I was amazed I could still find that link! Google is awesome ...).

Anyways, it's a pretty simple card. We did use the Texturz plate on the background. Not sure if you can see that in the detail shot to the left or in the bigger photo. You may have to click to see!

Hope you like it!

Stamps: Cute & Cuddly, Mixed Messages (Occasions Mini '09)
Paper: Kraft, Chocolate Chip, Pink Pirouette, Whisper White, Raspberry Tart DSP
Ink: Stazon™, Rose Red, various for colouring
Accessories: Dimensionals®, Matchbox Bigz Die (Occasions Mini '09), 5/8" Neutrals Brads, Aquapainter™

My Swap card

*second post for the day! scroll down to see the rest!*
Stamps: Thoughts & Prayers
Paper: Whisper White, Kiwi Kiss, Urban Oasis DSP
Ink: Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy, Kiwi Kiss, Old Olive, Stazon™
Accessories: Eyelet Border Punch, Kiwi Kiss/Vanilla Satin Ribbon, Manhattan Flower embossing folder, Dimensionals®, Silver Brads, Brayer

I forgot to add my swap card into the mix of swaps! Sorry about that ... BUT, here is my card. I was feeling incredibly uninspired until I saw an amazing You-Tube video on the Brayered Sky technique. There are two video's to watch. I never quite got the brayered thing before until I watched these video's. Man, was that ever AWESOME!! Thank you so so much for showing it! You can see them on "Mrs. Lumpy's Scrap-n-Stamp" blog: video 1 and video 2. I'm pretty sure my stamp club will be revisiting this technique now that I've figured it out thanks to Sharon!

Anyways, on to the card. As I said, it's my swap card so I had to base it on either the technique or the sketch of the JBIW card. I chose to do the sketch instead of the technique (duh, obviously!) but kind of ignored some of the sketch elements just because they didn't work for what I was doing.

So, the card is pretty simple: it's all the brayered sky technique! I did use the now-available Manhattan Flower embossing folder (which is to-die-for beautiful!). Love love love it and the simple elegance it gives to this card.

I hope you like it as much as I do! Have a fabulous day and thanks for stopping by!!

March Swaps!

Trisha, Amanda

Angela, Michelle


Gillian, Jessie

It was stamp club night, this past Friday and all the girls came up with absolutely fabulous cards!! I loved each and every one of them for their uniqueness and their personal styles shining through. I do have to single one card out as "beyond unique"!! I almost hate to do it because all the cards were wonderful. But, Michelle added such a wonderful amount of touches to her card that I just had to show you all the tiny amazing details that she included in her card:

First of all, she made her very own spring for one of the embellishments and she also created a flower by cutting out a bunched of the stamped diaper pins! Isn't that totally awesome?

Please, let my club ladies know what you think!!