Inkspirations Sketch Challenge!

Stamps: Build-A-Roo, Cornelli Lace Jumbo Wheel
Paper: Chocolate Chip Textured, Pale Plum, Kraft, Watercolour Paper, Rich Razzleberry Patterns DSP
Ink: Stazon™, various for colouring, Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Top Note Die, 1-3/4" Circle Punch, Jumbo Eyelet, Crop-a-dile, Dimensionals®, Chocolate Chip Taffeta, Crystal Effects®, AquaPainter™, Vintage Brads

Soooo, it's Friday which means it's Inkspirations challenge day, one of my favorite days of the week! This week, it's a sketch challenge which I always adore (I'm a sketch fiend if you haven't noticed, LOL!). I changed it slightly. As you can see, my card isn't square and instead of a half-circle, I chose to use the Top Note die. I had a lot of fun making this card. I used the newest set in my house (thanks Keesh!). The kangaroo is coated with crystal effects after having been watercoloured with an AquaPainter. Other than that, it's pretty straightforward, eh?

Hope you like my card!! Make sure you check out my challenge teammates blogs to see their sample of the challenge and then head on over to Keesh's blog to see link your card up too!

Thanks for visiting!

A Gift!

Look what Keesh sent me! She sent me this wonderful stamp set (which is now in our catalogue too!) along with this gorgeous card and some yummy chocolate that I neglected to take a picture of before they were eaten! They were called "Tim Tams" and were absolutely scrumptious. We all enjoyed them!

Thanks Keesh!

Blessed with Faith

Stamps: Sea Grass L128, Confirmation Greeting G403 (DRS Designs)
Paper: Fabriano Notecard
Ink: Stazon™, various for colouring
Accessories: Aquapainter™

The moment I got these stamps, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I wanted to make a one-layer card that just stood out. I had these Fabriano notecards that I'd picked up the last time I was in Edmonton (and I got a really really good deal) and so that's what my card base is. I linked them in my supply list, but this is not where I bought them --> just thought I'd show you what they look like (and I've heard of that particular online store before in a good way!). Then I stamped the Sea Grass image and watercoloured it, let it dry, and then stamped the sentiment. I think this card would be perfect for my hubby to give (or us) to someone doing their profession of faith at church.

Anywho, hope you like this one!

Glitter-fy Me, baby

Stamps: Greetings, Earthling, Extreme Elements, Crazy Cool
Paper: Kraft, Brilliant Blue, Pumpkin Pie, Watercolour Paper
Ink: Stazon™, various for colouring, Versa Mark, Pumpkin Pie
Accessories: Green Bead Duo, old olive Grosgrain, Eyelet Border Punch, Dimensionals, Crystal Effects®, Aquapainter™

I have an "All Things Bright" class coming up in a couple weeks so I've been playing around with glitter and microbeads! I really really really like these little aliens, I think they're just perfect for little boys --> and seeing as how I have three boys, I'll have plenty of opportunity to use it! I used three different stamp sets for this card: Greetings, Earthling, Extreme Elements, and Crazy Cool. Now, Crazy Cool is not a set that initially grabbed me until I thought about the thought bubble: they're perfect for sentiments!! I bought it originally to use in a scrapbook (which I have yet to touch, shame on me), but I think it will work perfect for cards too. Anyways, a fun and bright colour combination, don't you think?

Thanks for stopping by today! Have a wonderful day!

DRS Designs Challenge!

Stamps: 3 Flowers with Butterfly (DRS Designs)
Paper: Kraft, Java (Bazill), Sweet Always DSP (retired)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), Close to Cocoa Marker
Accessories: Copic markers, Dimensionals®, Ric Rac, Dew Drops, Mat Pack & Piercer

Over at the DRS Designs blog, there is challenge every other Monday. Today's challenge is faux stitching! So, I pulled out this beautiful floral image and set to work. I used a sketch from Amy Rysavy, I think it's from a couple of weeks ago?

Anyways, hope you like it! Check out the DRS blog to see what the rest of the design team has made! As with any challenge, you are invited to play, just link up your card on the DRS blog!

Fall-to-Layout

Stamps: Happy Together
Paper: Rich Razzleberry, Pale Plum, Cottage Wall DSP, Whisper White
Ink: Stazon™, Rich Razzleberry marker, Pale Plum marker, Dusty Durango marker, Old Olive marker, So Saffron marker
Accessories: Basic Jumbo Grommet, Rich Razzleberry Dotted Grosgrain, Little Leaves Sizzlits die, Top Note Bigz die

I've always followed the Clean and Simple blog but hadn't really made time for the challenges/layouts they post so I thought it high time to do that! There was an interesting layout using a shaped centre panel and so I chose to use it this week! I have a class on Wednesday that is all about the new catalogue and this is all new for me! This stamp set is sooooo cute! Love these birds!! It's my first time using these big grommets too. Haven't really figured out how to use them (yes, I know how to set them, I'm more talking about where to use it!), but I'm sure I'll play a bit more later.

Hope you like this card!

Card Patterns Sketch 25

It's Card Patterns sketch day! This was an interesting sketch ... love the curved line on the left. Again, we are being sponsored by OddBird Planet using the Fairytale kit. I used the "pillow" image and coloured it in with Copic markers and then popped them on circles of patterned paper. The beads were strung on and attached using TomBow glue. All in all, an interesting and different card. Not my usual style, but I still like it!

Go stop by the Card Patterns blog to see what the other DT members have come up with (they are FABULOUS with this kit!) and check out the sketch so you can play too!

Inkspirations: Inspiration Challenge #10

It's time for another Inkspiration's inspiration challenge from Keesh! This fabulous image (on the right) totally spurred the creation you see above. I decided to make a "boy" card using some more new stuff that I'd just gotten. I'd bought three of the Extreme images along with the Extreme Elements background and the Certified stamp sets thinking that they'd be perfect for my boys as they grow up. Caleb is beginning to get into that age group where trucks and cars, aliens and robots are neat, but just not as "cool" anymore. And so, what's a good mum to do? BUY MORE STAMPS, hee hee!!

Soooooooo, I started out by stamping the skateboard dude, then embossing him with glassy glaze enamel, and cutting the image out. The rest just kind of came together! Hope you like it! Make sure you let me know what you think and then you should totally go check out my challenge team mates (and our special guest DT!) creations and go create your card to link up on Keesh's blog!

Stamps: Extreme Skateboard, Extreme Elements, Certified
Paper: Bermuda Bay, Whisper White, Kiwi Kiss, Basic Black, Basic Grey
Ink: Basic Grey, Whisper White, Bermuda Bay, Kiwi Kiss, Stazon™, Versa Mark®
Accessories: Curves Ahead Sizzlits die, Wide Oval Punch, Dimensionals®, Spiral Punch, Glassy Glaze Enamel, Black Grosgrain

CAS28 - Wonderful Day

Stamps: Silhouette Background Trees (F1030), Toadally Wonderful Day (E455) (DRS Designs)
Paper: Pure Luxury (Gina K); Basic Black, Taken with Teal (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Taken with Teal, Tangerine Tango, Crushed Curry, Stazon™
Accessories: Scalloped Edge Punch, Bermuda Bay Dotted Grosgrain, Dimensionals®

I saw the most recent "Clean and Simple" challenge on SplitCoast and thought I'd participate this week. I've been wanting to for a while, and although I'm not always a "Clean and Simple" stamper (I use too many layers by their definition, I think), it's a great challenge! I pulled out this new stamp that I'd just gotten from DRS Designs and set to work. Love this image, it's so easy to use! The challenge this week was a colour challenge: turquoise, orange, and yellow --> no specific colour hue, just anything within those colour values! So, I used Teal, Tangerine, and Curry. I used the layout from 2 Sketches 4 You as well. The graphic layout is quite fun and I love how it turned out!

Hope you like it! Thanks for stopping by today!

Bloomin' Huge Flower

I have to say that I LOVE what everyone has posted using this particular image, Bloomin' Huge Flower (#M1023). I love love love love this flower (did I say that I LOVE it enough?)! It's a gorgeous image that has no end of possibilities. It's a new release from DRS Designs!

I decided to create a relatively simple card, meaning no paper layers! I randomly stamped the flower over the card stock and then coloured it in using my Copic markers. I don't usually use purple, but I guess that's what kind of mood I was in 'cause this card is purple all the way! But, I couldn't quite stop there. The card looked a little blah and needed a teensy bit more oomph so I added an overlay of acetate that I stamped the Easy Dot Background (#H628) all over using white Stazon ink. You can see the overlay a little better on this pic on the left. I added buttons over the flower centres on the acetate as well as the sentiment (You are My Sunshine - #D1089).

I hope you like it! Check out the DRS blog and website to see more ideas using this and other stamp sets from DRS Designs!

Featured Stamper Challenge!

Hey everyone! Well, you probably had no clue that I was gone and now I'm back again! We had a fabulous vacation visiting family and friends in Vancouver. My cousin got married so it was an excellent opportunity to see all of our family! We took our kids to the Telus Science Centre in Vancouver and they LOVED it. I was constantly counting (kids, that is: 1,2,3,4 - the fifth was easy, he's stuck in the buggy!). I should have dressed them all in neon to make them easy to spot ... :) But, that's all 5 of them in the first pic and the other picture is of me (in the centre with my "bug-eye" sunglasses, LOL!) and two of my sisters (I have three sisters, one wasn't able to come for this weekend).

But you didn't come here to see and read all this chit chat! Here's a card I made after we got back with some new stamps that were delivered while I was gone!

Stamps: Paradise, Framed with Love, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper: Crushed Curry, Whisper White, Old Olive
Ink: Old Olive, Bravo Burgundy, Stazon™
Accessories: Lots of Tags Sizzlets die, Little Leaves Sizzlits Die, Eyelet Border Punch, Silver Brads, Crystal Effects®, Dimensionals®, Burgundy Wide Grosgrain, Backgrounds 1 Texturz Plate

I took a peek at the featured stamper challenge late on Saturday night and was immediately inspired to create this card after I'd seen this one by minnidr. I'd never seen her gallery, so it was quite a treat! As per the challenge rules (to change at least 2 things), I changed pretty much everything but the layout and even that I changed a bit. I moved the panel to the right and added a shaped edge with the Eyelet border punch. I don't think you can see it, but the centre of the sentiment is covered with crystal effects and the Olive piece is dry embossed using the Backgrounds 1 texturz plate.

Sooooooooooo, hope you like this card! Have a fabulous day and thanks for stopping by!

Hello There!

Stamps: Cheep Talk
Paper: Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, Bashful Blue, Razzleberry Lemondae DSP
Ink: VersaMark, Old Olive Craft, Chocolate Chip Craft, Stazon™
Accessories: Corner Rounder, Top Note Die, Backgrounds 1 Texturz, Fine Supernova Glitter, Dimensionals®, Old Olive Grosgrain, Tempting Turquoise Grosgrain, Heat & Stick Powder

I'm working waaaaaaaay ahead for once. I'm thinking about doing a "Glitter-fy me" type class in August and so I thought I'd use the SplitCoast Sketch Challenge as a starting point! I'm not too sure about these colours so I may rework it ... we'll see. The white base and the top note pieces are dry embossed.

If you're interested in attending any of my classes (whether you're close or far away), please contact me!

Have a great day!!

Card Patterns Sketch 24!

It's Card Patterns sketch day!! Michelle has come up with an amazing sketch as usual and here's the card I'd made. We are being sponsored by OddBird Planet, using the Fairytale Kit, a kit I find very challenging for me as it has so many different things in it that I don't generally stray to. I do like it, though! This time I used the stamps that were included in the kit. I masked the bird so I could lay him on the bed and then I coloured the image using my copic markers. Hope you like it?

Check out the Card Patterns blog to see what the rest of the DT made! Please join us in participating this week by making your card and linking it up on the Card Patterns blog. I'd love o see what you make!

Inkspirations Colour Challenge #10

Welcome back for another Inkspirations Challenge! This week, Keesh has a great colour combination for you to try. It's such a wonderful combination that I think I'll definitely try out again. Artichoke and Moss are perfect together as one is just darker than the other, or so it seems!

I started with the centre image, believe it or not. Usually I start out with a layout, but this time I built the card from the top down, so to speak. I stamped the vine image from Thoughts and Prayers twice using markers to ink it up and then cut it out using a combination of a hobby knife and scissors. A bit of a pain but sooooooooooo worth it! Then I matted it and glued on the little silver beads onto the flower centres using TomBow. While that was drying, the rest of the card came together. The Mellow Moss cardstock was stamped with the vine image again (with Mellow Moss ink), and then the Sanded Background (with Always Artichoke ink). The edges were sponged and inked and then that piece was matted with Always Artichoke. The Vanilla piece was matted with Artichoke and then I ran that whole piece through the Big Shot using the Backgrounds 1 Texturz die.

Hope you like my card!! Make sure you check out my challenge teammates blogs to see their sample of the challenge and then head on over to Keesh's blog to see link your card up too!

Thanks for visiting!

Stamps: Thoughts & Prayers, Sanded Background
Paper: Rose Red, Always Artichoke, Very Vanilla, Mellow Moss
Ink: Rose Red, Always Artichoke, Very Vanilla, Mellow Moss, Stazon™
Accessories: Backgrounds 1 Texturz plates, Silver Bead Duo, Dimensionals®, Scallop Oval Punch, Lg Oval Punch, Artichoke Grosgrain

In Colour Club Class Card 2

This was the second card we'd made for my In Colour Club class. I really really loved the layout of this one. The Top Note die fits so perfectly across the card, with just a little cut off the edge. So, for this card, I combined Melon Mambo, Bermuda Bay, and the patterned paper that includes Crushed Curry and Dusty Durango. I put a few half-back pearls from the Pretties kit on the centre of the butterfly for some added detail!

Hope you like it!

Renee

Stamps: Great Friend
Paper: Whisper White, Melon Mambo, Bermuda Bay, Razzleberry Lemonade DSP
Ink: Bermuda Bay, Melon Mambo, Old Olive, Stazon
Accessories: Old Olive Grosgrain, Top Note Die, Wide Oval Punch, Pretties Kit, Dimensionals, Scallop Edge Punch

Best Wishes

I was playing with these DRS images and came up with this card. Love that background vine image! It's stamped on the Confetti white card stock as well as the Baja Breeze card stock. I coloured in the butterfly using my Prisma Colour Pencils as well.

Hope you like it! Check out the DRS blog to see more ideas using these stamps!

Stamps: Silhouette Branch Background (H363), Butterfly Ribbon Slide (D681), Best Wishes ... Special Day (F573) (DRS Designs)
Paper: Baja Breeze, Confetti White, Basic Black, ? retired DSP
Ink: Stazon™, Always Artichoke, Baja Breeze, Palette Noir
Accessories: Picot Satin ribbon (Walmart), Nestabilities, Dimensionals®, Prisma Colour Pencils

In Colour Club Class Card 1

We had our first In Colour Club class! What's an "In Colour Club"? Well, several people have agreed to be a part of a club for six months, paying $46 toward a selection each month of In Colour products. This month, the club members will receive the markers and one roll of ribbon. And with each month, there's a class using the In Colours showing different colour combinations. This was our first card!

I hope you like it!

Stamps: Trendy Trees, Teeny Tiny Phrases
Paper: Bashful Blue, Melon Mambo, Razzleberry Lemonade DSP, Whisper White, Old Olive
Ink: Old Olive, Soft Suede, Bashful Blue, Stazon, Melon Mambo
Accessories: Crystal Effects, Backgrounds 1 Texturz, Dimensionals, Soft Suede Dotted Grosgrain, Eyelet Border Punch, Scallop Circle, 1-3/8" Circle Punch, Modern Label Punch, Vintage Brads

Card Patterns: Sketch #23

Stamps: Amish Boy & Girl (C964), Sea Grass (L128), Flower/Vine Card Edger (P227), Best Wishes...Special Day (F573) (DRS Designs)
Paper: Frosted Card Blank (ShortCuts), Soft Suede, Kraft, Candy Lane DSP (retired), Whisper White
Ink: Jet Black Stazon™, Cloud White Stazon™, Soft Suede, Versa Pen, various SU markers for colouring
Accessories: Color Me Flower (All That Scraps), Brad ($ store), Rectangle Nestabilities, Swiss Dots Embossing Folder (Cuttlebug), Clear Dew Drops, Eyelet Border Punch, Dimensionals®, Pink Pirouette Striped Grosgrain

This week's sketch from Card Patterns is sponsored again by ShortCuts. I'm using the Frosted Card blank and I really really like this product! I love that it's opaque, so what's written inside still cannot be read easily, allowing the design to shine. I chose to use this really cute (and small) image from DRS. It's called "Amish Boy and Girl" and I love the prettiness of the image. I stamped it three times across the strip of Whisper White and then again on a scrap piece so I could cut that one out. Love how it turned out!

So, go on and check out what the rest of the team made on the Card Patterns blog and while you're there, link up the card you make using the sketch!!

Thanks for taking time to visit my blog today!

Inkspirations Sketch #10

It's Inkspirations challenge Friday and Keesh has got a great sketch for you! It's interesting and I love my card. I can say that, right? I pulled out this Level Two Hostess Stamp set and a the Razzleberry Lemonade Designer Series Paper (seriously bright paper). I find this colour combination to be bright and different. It needed the Olive to help, at least that's my opinion!

Make sure you check out my challenge teammates blogs to see their sample of the challenge and then head on over to Keesh's blog to see link your card up too!

Thanks for visiting!

Stamps: Kind & Caring Thoughts, Flight of the Butterfly
Paper: Dusty Durango, Basic Black, Whisper White, Rich Razzleberry, Razzleberry Lemonade DSP
Ink: Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry, Dusty Durango, Crushed Curry, Stazon™
Accessories: Eyelet Border Punch, Old Olive Grosgrain, Dimensionals®, Circle Punches

Best Wishes

Stamps: Kind & Caring Thoughts
Paper: Kraft, Soft Suede, Melon Mambo, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White
Ink: Pretty in Pink, Melon Mambo, Soft Suede, Stazon™
Accessories: Dimensionals®, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, Soft Suede Dotted Grosgrain, 3/8" Neutrals Brads, Backgrounds 1 Texturz Plates, Scribbles Sizzlits die

Can you believe it? There is NO Designer Series Paper on this card!! I made my own with stamps and the Big Shot, though :). This card uses two of the new In Colours: Soft Suede and Melon Mambo. The Mambo is an incredibly bright pink, but not on the neon side. It needs a bit of help to tone down, or at least for this card it did! It's a pretty simple layout, and it' measures 3.5" x 7". I added enough details to make in interesting, right? The flowers are coated with Dazzling Diamonds glitter (using a two-way glue pen), there are swirls that were die cut and dry embossed behind the main image, and the the whole main panel was dry-embossed as well with the Backgrounds 1 Texturz plates.

I hope you like my card and are inspired to create! Thanks for visiting!

BTW, I just placed my first new catalogue order! I ordered a bunch of new stamp sets like:

• Whoo's Your Valentine (this will be great for many occasions, not just Valentines!)
• Teddy & Train
• Extreme Dirt Bike, Skateboard, Snowboard, Elements
• Greetings Earthling
• Paradise
• Certified
• Crazy Cool
• and more ... !
  

Have you placed you first new catalogue order? If you have no demonstrator or live in my area, you can place your orders online through my demonstrator website! Or you can email me to place your order or host a workshop to earn FREEBIES!

Hoppy Birthday!

Stamps: Brush Cattails (M1085), Singing Frog (H138), Hoppy Birthday (E440) (DRS Designs)
Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, East Coast Prep DSP (retired), Real Red
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), Copic Markers
Accessories: Corner Rounder, Cystal Effects®, Dimensionals®, Mat Pack & Piercer

Did you see?! I'm a guest designer for DRS Designs for July and August! They have really fabulous images and I made this card using three of them. I stamped the sentiment, but cut it apart to use it separately on the top and bottom. Some of the images are also covered with Crystal Effects, just to give some added dimension. I love how this card came together and hope you do to!

Featured Stamper Challenge

Stamps: Kind & Caring Thoughts

Paper: Kraft, Soft Suede, Bella Blue DSP, Very Vanilla
Ink: Brocade Blue, Always Artichoke, Soft Suede
Accessories: Soft Suede Dotted Grosgrain, Modern Label Punch, Crystal Effects®, Dimensionals®, Mat Pack & Piercer, Vintage Brads

It's another Featured Stamper challenge! I chose to case the layout of the card found HERE. It's a lovely layout and I really wanted to pop up that stem from this new hostess set called "Kind and Caring Thoughts". It was a bit of a pain to cut out and I don't think I'll quickly do that again ... still, love how it looks here. The flowers on the three panels are coated with crystal effects which looks a bit murky ... not sure why. Sometimes classic ink bleeds, and I may not have been careful enough when putting the CE on. Either way, I still love the overall effect of this card. Soft and peaceful!

Thanks for stopping in! Have a great day!!

Check out my Stampin' Up website to see the deal of the week for this week and don't forget my special throughout the month of July!! Click on the graphic to email me your order!