Priceless Thanks

This is a triple challenge card for Splitcoast Stampers. For the Limited Supplies challenge, we were to use an "unloved embellishment" we had tucked away in our stash. I used this ribbon, which has been sitting in a drawer since my wedding in 1999. I think my SIL Kathy purchased it to use with some floral arrangements because it matched the color of my bridesmaids dresses (poor bridesmaids, LOL!!) and it hasn't seen the light of day since. For the "Ways to Spray It" challenge, I used my color spritzer to spray the diamond in celery, rose & lilac. And the sketch is the Weekend Sketch Challenge from Beate's "fresh & fun" blog. Note how I used rub-ons on my ribbon -- works like a charm! It's hard to see but I used my scalloped circle punch to create a purple medallion behind my flower.

RECIPE
Stamps: Priceless
Paper: Flowers for You DP; Certainly Celery Prints DP; Whisper White, Regal Rose, Lovely Lilac and Certainly Celery card stock
Ink: Regal Rose, Lovely Lilac and Certainly Celery (markers with my Color Spritzer)
Tools: Boho Blossoms punch, 5-Petal Flower punch, Scalloped Circle punch
Embellishments: Silver Hodgepodge Hardware ribbon slide (Occasions catalog), rhinestone (Pretties kit), SU! "Love & Happiness" rub-ons, old ribbon

Easy & Elegant Sympathy Card

I made this for a work colleague who's mother passed away. It's one layer, no DP or punches, just a beautiful peaceful image and a supportive sentiment. The card measures 4x4" square and I rounded all the corners. The base is Certainly Celery cardstock and the images are stamped in Night of Navy. Thanks for looking!

Warm Thoughts for a Friend

This card is for a friend who has the flu and has quarantined herself in her own guest room in order to spare her DH and two little kiddies from getting it. On top of that, she's pregnant, adding misery to misery. Hopefully this card will put a smile on her face. The colors meet the SCS Color Challenge for this week (basic gray, soft sky and whisper white) and the card is based on Julee Tilman's Mojo Monday sketch.

RECIPE
Stamps: All Holidays, Priceless, Like It a Latte
Paper: Soft Sky DP, Basic Gray, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Gray
Tools: Ticket Corner punch, paper piercer
Embellishments: silver brads, Soft Sky ribbon

Blossom Dreams

The SCS Featured Stamper Challenge this week selected a stamper who goes by the moniker of "Pickletree". She has a wonderful gallery to CASE from (CASE = Copy and Share with Everyone, in case you wondered). I chose her Out on a Limb card and used Julie's Color Concoction #7 as the basis for the combination of Ballet Blue, Barely Banana, and white (I used Shimmery White paper). I colored my blossoming branch from Artfully Asian with Watercolor Wonder crayons & my trusty blender pen. I love this Thoreau quote, available in the new Occasions Catalog as part of the Live Your Dream stamp set. I used my Cutter Kit to distress all three layers of the sentiment and looped a bit of silver cording behind them to tie at the base of my branch.

Seaside Dream

I combined two challenges to make this card, basing it on Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenge and the elements in the bracelet used for this week's Inspiration Challenge on Splitcoast Stampers. I stamped swirls in Versamark for the background. The little girl from "Summer by the Sea" (retired) fit perfectly in my sea theme and was stamped in Staz-On Black on Shimmery White paper before colored with Watercolor Wonder crayons (Soft Subtles) and a blender pen. The sentiment is a rub-on from the Eastern Elegance set. Other papers used are Brushed Silver, Wintergreen DP, Porcelain Prints DP, Soft Sky, and Sage Shadow. I used my scallop circle punch to create the background medallion. The ribbon was in my stash as was the mother-of-pearl button. The large creamy half-pearl is from the Pretties Kit.

My super Easter Card makers!

These are two of the mentally-challenged ladies at the ARC of Central Virginia who made Easter cards with me this week. We used "A Good Egg" for our images and then I just let them color away. They were very imaginative and so sweet and appreciative. I know they will be so proud to share these cards with their family and friends on Easter Sunday. Next month we'll be making flowery spring cards. :-)

My Upline is the BEST!

Isn't this a cute card? My Stampin' Up! mentor and upline Joyce Perry sent it to me along with the "All in the Family" stamp set. What a great surprise to find in the mailbox! I've been wanting this set but holding back, and now I can create cute little notes and cards to my hearts desire. Yay Joyce! :-)

Love is a fruit...

Isn't this a pretty baby nursery? It inspired the color combination of Groovy Guava, Blush Blossom, So Saffron, and Wild Wasabi that became Kristina's Color Inspiration #2 Challenge at kwernerdesign.com. I combined it with the sketch challenge at Splitcoast Stampers this week. The sentiment (a free download from one fo the paper craft magazines but I can't for the life of me remember which one...) says "Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within the reach of every hand. -- Mother Theresa"

Is it Spring yet...??

Okay, so I've been swamped with work (at the college, at workshops for kids, the elderly, and the mentally-challenged adults) and unable to stamp for myself lately, but I did manage to snap this pic of the boys as they prepared to go for a walk with Daddy. I am *so* ready for warm weather to stay around...

Hope to have some more cards for you this weekend so stay tuned. :-)

we all need this one sometimes!

I made this card for a colleague who has been really helping me out with some last minute details on a huge project at work. She was a little flustered today so I thought a card might make her smile. What do you think?

RECIPE
Stamps: Event Full (retired hostess set)
Paper: Old Olive DP, So Saffron DP, Ruby Red, Groovy Guava, Barely Banana, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black, Ruby Red, White Signo Pen
Tools: Scalloped Circle punch & additional circle punches
Embellishments: silver ribbon slide from Hodgepodge Hardware, new 1/4" Old Olive twill ribbon (Occasions catalog), Love & Happiness rubons

celebrate fresh & fun sketch

While the boys are rebuilding their Geotrax town, I had time to tackle another challenge, Beate's weekend sketch challenge. I love the color combo of SU!s Flowers for You DP, accenting it with Regal Rose and Certainly Celery cardstock. I stamped the flourish from "Friendship blooms" in white craft ink and then went over it again with my Signo white pen, filling in some of the flowers. The sentiment and the larger flower are rub-ons from Love & Happiness (*free* in the Sale-a-Bration catalog). I tucked some leftover pieces of Regal Rose ribbon behind the panel with glue dots. I just realized that I was looking at the sketch upside down when I made it, so my flower is in the lower left hand corner instead of the upper right hand corner. oops... (that's what I get for printing two sketches on one page of paper off my printer) :-)

Here's the sketch if you want to try your hand at it:

Sometimes enough is enough...

I tackled Jen Del Muro's sketch over at i{heart}2stamp to create this girly bridal shower card. But y'know, I should've stopped myself before the last step -- I used an American Crafts glitter marker to fill in the hearts at the bottom and it was too fuzzy to make clean lines. Sigh. Stampin' Up!, when are *you* going to come out with glitter markers???

RECIPE Stamps: Sprinkle, Tag Time Ink: Regal Rose, White Signo Pen Paper: Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, Flowers for You DP Tools: Creative Memories cutting system (for ovals), SU! dimensionals, glue dots, Snail adhesive Embellishments: Silver Hodgepodge Hardware (ribbon slide and brads, from new "Occasions" catalog), Pretty in Pink ribbon, Love & Happiness rub-ons

Here's the sketch if you want to try:

Bring on the Blarney!

I'm having fun figuring out what else I can have my little Happy Heart Day elephant hold other than a heart. Today he's holding a four leaf clover in honor of St. Patrick's Day. This card was for the Ways to Use It Challenge on SCS, which was simply to use your computer in some way. I created the sentiment and printed it out in green on Very Vanilla cardstock. I stamped the elephant on Wild Wasabi Designer Prints paper (part of the hostess paper pack) and cut out his shirt, then stamped him on Wild Wasabi textured cs and cut out his shorts (he's hoping for warmer weather, obviously!) I stamped a background stamp from "Sprinkles" on top -- love this random pattern -- and sponged the edges with Wild Wasabi. My clover ribbon was a cheapie from Michael's.

Mojo Monday (a few days late...)

Julee over on her "Poetic Artistry" blog has a sketch she calls Mojo Monday and I got to play along for the first time this week. This card has a St. Patrick's Day feel to it but it's actually for a friend who is undergoing surgery. Hopefully it will perk her up!

RECIPE
Stamps: Priceless, Tag Time
Paper: Wild Wasabi (CS & textured), Blue Bayou, Porcelein Prints DP
Ink: Wild Wasabi, Basic Black, Versamark
Tools: Photo Corner Punch
Embellishments: Build-a-Brad, Wild Wasabi double-stitched ribbon

Sketch Challenge Mother's Day Card

Fun sketch over on Splitcoast Stampers -- and the perfect time to start thinking about Mother's Day cards. I know, I know, but I'm selling cards at a fundraiser this weekend and thought this one might appeal. The new Ginger Blossom paper has so many fresh colors and beautiful blooms on it, it's inspiring. I stamped the vase from Blooming with Love on Ginger Blossom DP and cut it out to place over the stem of the blossom. And I put dots all around the edges -- really does up the "wow" factor. The edges of the vanilla panel are distressed with my Cutter Tool and sponged in Cameo Coral.

Stamps: All Holidays, Artfully Asian, Blooming with Love

Paper: Cameo Coral, Ruby Red, Groovy Guava, Very Vanilla, Ginger Blossom DP

Ink: Basic Black, Ruby Red, Cameo Coral, Old Olive

Accessories: Paper distresser, vanilla ribbon, ruby red brads, ticket corner punch, black marker, mat pack & paper piercer

Here's the sketch if you want to play:

Celebrate Love Wedding Card

I admit it -- I'm a rub-ons convert. I didn't think they'd be as versatile as they are, but my "celebrate love" on this card is just two words combined from the "Love & Happiness" rub-ons. I like the cleanness of the font and the juxtaposition of the different sizes of words. I made this double challenge card based on Featured Stamper Mary's card design and the SCS color challenge for this week. I used my Watercolor Wonder Crayons in So Saffron to color my cake -- nice and springy, perfect for an April wedding.

RECIPE
Stamps: Year After Year
Paper: Purely Pomegranate, Wild Wasabi (Prints & CS), Holiday Harmony DP, Porcelein Prints DP, So Saffron (Prints & CS), Very Vanilla
Ink: Basic Black, Watercolor Wonder Crayons & Blender Pen
Tools: Scallop & smaller circle punches, Boho Flower Punch, Mat Pack & paper piercer
Embellishments: Love & Happiness Rub-Ons (from Sale-a-Bration Catalog), So Saffron Brad

Blooming Love

I got the Blooming with Love stamp set last week for Mother's Day cards specifically, but of course Stampin' Up! gave us a very versatile sentiment with it that can be used with so many cards. I created this one as an "anytime" occasion card based on a tricky sketch by Jen at i{heart}2stamp.com with the color concoction set forth by Julie: Sahara Sand, Not Quite Navy, and Tempting Turquoise. I wasn't sure when I started whether I could come up with something I really liked, but then that's what makes it a "challenge", right?
As with most cards, it took on a life of its own and now is quite pretty. Speaking of pretty, I'm loving the Pretties set with its cheery white flowers (easily colored if you wish) and rhinestone brads.

Recipe
Stamps: Blooming with Love, Friendship Blooms (Sale-a-Bration)
Paper: Sahara Sand, Not Quite Navy, Tempting Turquoise, Flowers for You DP
Ink: Not Quite Navy, Tempting Turquoise
Tools: Photo Corner Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, Mat Pack & Paper Piercer, White Signo pen
Embellishments: flowers & brads from Pretties Kit

Triple Challenge Card

This card started out for Beate's "fresh & fun" weekend sketch challenge, but I'd been wanting to participate in the Limited Supplies challenge (simply to use handwriting on the front of your card) and the Ways To Use It challenge (a window card -- check out my froggy hopping through a window) so I combined all three. Hey, what else are ya gonna do on a Saturday morning, laundry??!! The original sentiment from "Fun Filled" actually says "I'd rather be shopping" but I used my marker to color it and just left off the "s". Clever girl... :-)

Recipe
Stamps: Fun Filled, Very Punny, Tag Time
Paper: Old Olive Prints & cardstock, Dashing DP, Brocade Backgrounds DP, Very Vanilla
Ink: Old Olive
Embellishments: Silver ribbon slide from Hodgepodge Hardware, 1/4" Old Olive ribbon, wide twill, "Love & Happiness" rub-ons, 3/16" corner rounder, Mat Pack & paper piercer

You Spin Me Round, Part Deux

The more I looked at my challenge card from yesterday, the more I wanted to play with it. I added some Soft Subtles brads and Certainly Celery ribbon and did some paper piercing and doodling with my white pen. It seems a little perkier now, don't you think??