ATS&M Sketch #5

It's time for another challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More! and our amazing sponsor this week is Bugaboo Stamps!!!! They are generously offering you a pack of 7 digi's from their store!!!

 

 

This week we have a sketch for our challenge!

 

 

I combined the sketch with the challenges at Black Tie Fridays (which I have missed out on for the past couple weeks due to being busy and I have SOOOO missed!) and The Play Date Cafe.

I didn't have any ink or cardstock that came even remotely close to that beautiful emerald green, so I had to use Gumball Green.  Now I am hoping that Stampin' Up! comes out with a shade of green like that!  I still like the Gumball Green on my card though.

 I decided to use the Framed Tulips Embossing Folder since it's been sitting around for a while just gathering dust. :) It seemed to fit this sketch perfectly.  I really love the way bows look with the organza ribbon. So classy! 

Stamp Sets: Flowering Flourishes, Language of Friendship, Trust God
Cardstock: Basic Black, Gumball Green, Whisper White
Ink: Black StazOn
Tools: Framed Tulips Embossing Folder, Wide Oval Punch, Boho Blossoms Punch
Accessories: Organza Ribbon, Pearls

Addicted to CAS Hearts

Love is in the air as you can see by the theme at Addicted to CAS this week!

This week we are so lucky to be sponsored by Andrea over at Annabelle Stamps!!

Andrea has offered a $10 discount voucher at her store!!

I had a little help with this card from my hubby. :)  I used the sketch from Clean and Simple Stamping.

I thought this was a great sketch. I had originally planned on putting three hearts along the side where the banners are, but Brett thought they looked better under the sentiment and I agreed. :) It's nice to have an extra set of eyes to help with design!

It needed a little extra something so I decided to add the bow. I love how it turned out. I kept saying to Brett "I love my card and it is even more special because you helped me to design it!" :) I know, I'm a cheeseball. lol

Stamp Sets: Hearts a Flutter, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Cardstock: Primrose Petals, Whisper White

Ink: Primrose Petals, Raspberry Ripple
Tools: Adorning Accents Embossing Folder, Hearts a Flutter Framelits
Accessories: Primrose Petals Stitched Satin Ribbon



I am such a dork!

I went to do my post for the Addicted to Stamps and More design to that I am on and I discovered I had done the wrong challenge!  What a dork!  So I had to really hurry up and make this card. Oops!   The sponsor this week is Bugaboo Stamps. They are generously offering you a pack of 7 digi's from their store!!!

The challenge this week is to do a clean and simple card, so I really lucked out with this one.

This embossing folder is one of my favorites for doing a background I cut my brushed silver cardstock to 3 3/4" x 5 1/4," embossed it and then cut it into 3 strips that are 1 1/4" x 5 1/4."  It really makes for an easy but elegant background!  I had just a tiny bit of silver embossing powder left for my sentiment, but a little goes a long ways so I still have more left over. It's one of those things I always end up taking off of my order because there are so many new and fun items that I want instead!

Stamp Set: Seasonal Sayings
Cardstock: Brushed Silver, Pretty in Pink

Ink: VersaMark

Tools: Heart Framelits, Decorative Label Punch, Elegant Lines Embossing Folder

Accessories: Dimensionals

Sweet and Simple

Today I was in the mood for an easy peasy card!  I used the colors from Color Throwdown and the sketch from retro sketches.

That was a lot of colors to fit into such a simple sketch but I pulled out my scraps of DSP to see what I had to work with and they ended up looking really nice together!

I wasn't sure where to fit the Crumb Cake in so I stamped Melon Mambo hearts onto it and die cut them using the coordinating Hearts a Flutter Framelits. I then covered them with Dazzling Diamonds because what Valentine's Day card doesn't have some bling?  :)  This is a simple card, but I think it will be great for my kids to duplicate to hand out to teachers!

Stamp Sets: Hearts a Flutter, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Whisper White

Ink: Melon Mambo

Tools: Hearts a Flutter Framelits

Accessories: Dazzling Details, Dimensionals

May Your Memories Bring You Peace

I really wanted to participate in the challenge at Black Tie Friday's this week, a condolence card for the families in Newtown, CT.  I wanted something with some color, so I used the colors from The Play Date Cafe challenge, as well as the layout from CAS(E) this Sketch.

The colors I used are Regal Rose, Perfect Plum and More Mustard.  

I am in love with the flowers from Secret Garden and love the fact that they have coordinating Framelits!  For the mustard flower, I cut out the smallest layer and popped it up on a Dimensional.  I thought the rhinestones added a little bit of hope and happiness to the card, along with this color scheme and whimsical embossing folder.

Stamp Sets: Blessings from Heaven, Secret Garden
Cardstock: More Mustard, Perfect Plum, Regal Rose, Very Vanilla
Ink: More Mustard, Perfect Plum, Regal Rose
Tools: Secret Garden Framelits, Decorative Label Punch, Elegant Lines Embossing Folder
Accessories: Rhinestone Basic Jewels, Dimensionals

Addicted to Black and White

I was really excited to see the challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More this week is Black and White.  I really like black and white cards. I think they are so classy.

Our amazing sponsor this week is Bugaboo Stamps!!!! They are generously offering you a pack of 7 digi's from their store!!!

I think it's really cool that there are sponsors each week at Addicted to Stamps and More!  I hope you'll join us so you can have a chance to win!  Here is my black and white card. I had a lot of fun with this one.

I can't remember what this technique is called, something like split negative maybe?  Anyway, I've always loved it but have never tried it!  I started by cutting two equal-sized pieces of cardstock, one black and one white.  I put them side by side and stamped the swirly stamp from Everything Eleanor with VersaMark ink. I then embossed the black cardstock with white embossing powder and the white cardstock with black embossing powder. The black and white really look striking together!  I also embossed the flowers and the sentiment.  The flowers have two different sizes of rhinestones in the center for a little bit of that bling that I love!

Stamp Sets: Curly Cute, Everything Eleanor, Secret Garden
Cardstock: Basic Black, Whisper White
Ink: VersaMark
Tools: Secret Garden Framelits, Heat Tool
Accessories: Black and White Embossing Powder, Rhinestone Basic Jewels, Dimensionals

Addicted To CAS Embossing

We're back to creating at Addicted to CAS and the theme this week is embossing! Boy did I have fun with this one!

We have an awesome sponsor again for this challenge. Please let me introduce you to

Beverley from Uniko Studio

Uniko Studio is a small company based in the North East of the UK. Uniko Studio specialises in surface pattern design & clear stamps for the hobby market. Uniko Studio will feature high quality photopolymer stamps designed & manufactured here in the UK, and if things go well we will branch out into other crafting supplies.

Since starting & graduating from Cleveland College of Art & Design, with a first class honours (BA) degree in Textiles & Surface Pattern Design I knew that my new path in life would be a creative one. Since a young girl I have been creative & I have enjoyed the hobby of making cards for as long as I can remember! During the final stages of my degree I focused my projects on designing clear stamps for the hobby market with a clear focus of starting the company once I graduated.

So here I am.. Uniko Studio! I hope you will join me on this adventure & enjoy the NEW stamp designs from Uniko Studio.

Beverley has been kind enough to offer a fabulous prize - digis from her store!

You can find her awesome selection HERE

To be in the running to win this wonderful prize, please do not forget to check our challenge rules.

On to my card!  lol

Would you look at that!  Another lovey dovey card!  That's at least 4 in a row that I've made. Guess we all know what's been on MY mind! lol  I used dry embossing and heat embossing on this. It was so simple but so much fun.  The hearts and the sentiment are embossed with Black Embossing Powder and the background is embossed with the new Honeycomb Embossing Folder from the new Spring Catalog. By all of the samples I have seen popping up on the internet with this one, it sure seems to be popular!  Now the next thing we need is a little hexagon punch to coordinate with it. ;) Hint, hint Stampin' Up! 

Stamp Sets: Hearts a Flutter, Seasonal Sayings

Cardstock: Melon Mambo, Whisper White

Ink: VersaMark

Tools: Honeycomb Embossing Folder, Hearts a Flutter Framelits, Heat Tool, Embossing Buddy

Accessories: Black Embossing Powder, Dimensionals

I Dig You!

I stuck with the Valentine theme again today but I decided to do a more masculine card with the colors from ColourQ and the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches.

I thought those colors were perfect for my new go-to favorite boy set, I Dig You.

Nothing too complicated about this card. The dirt piles are made from crinkled up little flowers from the Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack.  I stamped the sentiment and decided it was lonely so I stamped it two more times without inking it back up. I guess I could call this card "I REALLY Dig You."  :)

Stamp Set: I Dig You

Cardstock: Basic Gray, Crumb Cake, Night of Navy, Whisper White

Ink: Basic Gray, Crumb Cake, Daffodil Delight, Night of Navy

Tools: Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack, Chevron Embossing Folder

Accessories: Mini Brads 

A different kind of winter

I wanted to play along with the theme at CASology and decided to use the color combination from Create with Connie and Mary, along with the sketch at retrosketches. 

Those aren't typical winter colors, I would say, but I thought they would look great anyway!

The back Window Frame Framelit is cut out of Midnight Muse cardstock and then I covered it with a sticky sheet and poured Dazzling Details over it.  I love the sparkly look and it almost has a pink glimmer to it!  The snowflake is stamped and then punched out with the 1 1/4" Scallop Circle punch. I love that little booger!  It is layered with a snowflake from the Snow Flurry Bigz Die and a Vintage Faceted Designer Button.  The banners are from the Subtles DSP Stack. I love being able to use up scraps!

Stamp Sets: Lacy & Lovely, Snowflake Soiree
Cardstock: Pink Pirouette, Whisper White
Ink: Midnight Muse
Tools: Window Frames Framelits, Snow Flurry Bigz Die, 1 1/4" Scallop Circle Punch
Accessories: Dazzling Details, Vintage Faceted Designer Button, Subtles DSP Stack, Sticky Sheet, Dimensionals

Love is in the Air

Even though I generally do not like this time of the year, there is one thing that I do like about it...Valentine's Day!  I love making Valentine's Day cards, which is kind of funny because I rarely give them out. I just like making them. lol I guess the same thing could be said of my hundreds of other style of cards I have sitting around here. :)  Occasionally I will send them out or a customer will buy some, but I really do need to get better at giving them away!  The card I made today is for the theme at The Paper Players and uses the color combination from Dynamic Duos.

I never would have put these colors together, especially for a Valentine's Day card, but I think they work great as a pair!

The sketch I used is from Splitcoaststampers, sketch SC418.  I haven't used a sketch from there and thought it worked well with the hearts. I am loving this stamp set, Hearts a Flutter. My dear friend Aimee got the bundle for me for Christmas and I have been using it a ton.  The set also has adorable banners in it, which are very popular right now in the crafting world!  You can find it in the new Spring Catalog if you are interested in it.

Stamp Sets: Hearts a Flutter, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Cardstock: Island Indigo, Melon Mambo, Whisper White

Ink: Island Indigo, Melon Mambo

Tools: Hearts a Flutter Framelits, Word Window Punch, Modern Label Punch, Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder

Accessories: Island Indigo Ruffled Ribbon, Dimensionals

Addicted to Stamps and More Nature

I'm so excited to be starting back up again with Addicted to Stamps and More!  Our amazing sponsor this week is Bugaboo Stamps!!!! They are generously offering you a pack of 7 digi's from their store!!!

The first challenge for the new year is nature.  This time of year, when I think of nature, I think of snow-covered trees. 

I think I use Lovely as a Tree more during the winter months than any other season!  I love adding Dazzling Details to make them look sparkly and snow-covered, like I did here:

This time I used the silver.  I love it with the blues.  I don't use this blue jean ribbon very often but it looks great with Night of Navy cardstock.  Some other things I don't use enough are the Decorative Label Punch and the the Finishing Touches Edgelits. I love getting out things I don't use very often and challenging myself to use them. Try it!  You'll feel so much better about all of your purchases. :)

Stamp Sets: Lovely as a Tree, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Cardstock: Marina Mist, Night of Navy, Whisper White

Ink: Night of Navy

Tools: Finishing Touches Edgelits, Decorative Label Punch

Accessories: Silver Dazzling Details, Subtles DSP Stack, Blue Denim Ribbon

Starting Christmas a Little Early with a 10-Minute Tuesday

Cards, that is. There is a great challenge blog, Merry Monday, that does Christmas cards all year.  That way you are all set when Christmas comes around!  I do so many cards for challenges that I didn't have a problem getting mine done this past year, but you never know what this year has in store for me!  This is their first challenge of the year, so I am going to try and participate in as many as possible.  The first challenge this year is a color challenge, my favorite type of challenge because I am color-challenged! lol

Well aren't these colors just perfect for snowflakes?!  They started me out with an easy one at least. :)

I love Snowflake Soiree and was glad to get the chance to use it again. Although I will probably still use it for some winter cards in my January or February card camps!  This is one of those cards that I just love!  A 10-minute Tuesday!  Very few supplies equals very little mess to clean up. :)  Gotta love that!

Stamp Sets: Seasonal Sayings, Snowflake Soiree

Cardstock: Whisper White

Ink: Island Indigo, Pool Party, Real Red

Accessories: Red Glimmer Paper

Busy, so Basic!

I have a really busy week coming up, so I'm trying to do some really basic cards. I found the perfect challenge for this at Less is More: black and white with a touch of color.  I chose to use Melon Mambo as my touch of color.

This card was SUPER easy. I embossed it with the Elegant Bouquet Embossing Folder, punched my flowers with the Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack, added centers that I punched with the Cupcake Builder Punch, and embossed my sentiment. Easy peasy!

Stamp Set: Perfectly Penned
Cardstock: Basic Black, Melon Mambo, Whisper White
Ink: VersaMark
Tools: Elegant Bouquet Embossing Folder, Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack, Cupcake Builder Punch, Heat Tool, Embossing Buddy
Accessories: Melon Mambo Embossing Powder

Smarty Pants

Sale-A-Bration starts at the end of this month and as a demonstrator I was able to already earn a set for spending $50.  I could have earned more but my stamping budget was drastically hit by the holidays! lol  I used the elephant from Smarty Pants on my baby card the other day and today I wanted to use the blue jeans.  I found the perfect color combo at Stampin' Royalty and paired it with the sketch at Mojo Monday.

I just realized I used Island Indigo instead of Night Quite Navy but they are very similar colors so I think it will be okay. :)  I had out the Night Quite Navy ink pad and the Island Indigo marker!  Dur!

 I saw a card somewhere where the designer did layers like this and I just loved it!  I think she may have punched the scallop out of the window and then popped that section up over the sentiment. I will have to try that too!  I have a lot of this cotton ribbon leftover from the Holiday Catalog. Good thing it carried over to the Spring Catalog so I have some more time to play with it.  It is a nice neutral ribbon to have. I tied the Island Indigo ribbon around it and then used the Sticky Sheets to adhere it to my card. It worked really well!  Ribbon is always tricky for me to adhere to a card, so the Sticky Sheets might be staying on my work space to be used in the future!

Stamp Set: Smarty Pants
Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Island Indigo, Soft Suede, Very Vanilla
Ink: Island Indigo, Soft Suede
Tools: 1 3/4" Circle Punch, 2 3/8" Scallop Circle Punch, Window Frames Framelits, Festive Paper-Piercing Pack, Paper-Piercing Tool and Mat, Color Spritzer
Accessories: Neutrals DSP Stack, Island Indigo Ruffled Ribbon, Natural Cotton Ribbon, Dimensionals, Sticky Sheets

Hello Baby

The challenge at CASology is "New," so I thought a baby card would be perfect!  I also used the sketch at Fab Friday, which is fun and simple.

I earned Teeny Tiny Wishes for free for recruiting someone at Regionals and this is my first time using it, so it is new too! OH, and I also used a brand new Sale-A-Bration set!  

Isn't that little ellie the cutest?!  I thought the banner was the perfect spot for the little scallop circle and sentiment too.  I love that little scallop circle punch. So cute and perfect for baby cards.  It's hard to tell but I used the Paper-Piercing Tool and Essentials Pack to poke scallops on the sides of the card, as well as on the scallop circle, just for a little added touch.

Stamp Sets: Patterned Occasions, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Cardstock: So Saffron, Very Vanilla
Ink: Bashful Blue, So Saffron, Wild Wasabi
Tools: 1 1/4" Scallop Circle Punch, 1" Circle Punch, Paper-Piercing Tool and Mat, Essentials Paper-Piercing Pack
Accessories: Subtles DSP stack, Dimensionals

Mixing the old with the new

How dare I?!  Use old retired merchandise with brand new Spring Catalog merchandise?  That is totally unheard of for me!  I rarely use retired merchandise at all, but the retired ribbon and brad pack from LAST year's Sale-A-Bration works perfectly with the new Pop-Up Posies kit that I was able to earn for FREE this year!  Plus, the kit worked perfectly for the color challenge at The Play Date Cafe and the sketch at Paper Craft Crew Challenges!

The directions in the Pop-Up Posies kit say to use 10! of the flowers in a bunch, but that seemed excessive to me, so I just used 5 of them with one of the retired brads.  I figure this way I will get twice as many flowers!

Isn't that flower so cute?!  I am in love with that kit!  AND it includes the sentiment stamp too, for just $12.95!  If you are not picky about your flowers, you can get lots more than the 9 that they say the kit contains.  I used one of the solid stamps from the new set Secret Garden on my piece of Very Vanilla and it coordinates perfectly with my 3D flower.  The swirl is stamped off and then I took my Calypso Coral marker (the fine end) and drew in the little centers of the flowers.  I had so much fun with this card. I can't wait to make more of these lovely flowers!

Stamp Set: Everything Eleanor, Just for You, Secret Garden
Cardstock: Calypso Coral, Pool Party, Very Vanilla
Ink: Calypso Coral, Pool Party
Tools: Oval Punch, Paper-Piercing Tool and Mat, Perfect Polka Dot Embossing Folder
Accessories: Pop-Up Posies Kit, Everyday Enchantment ribbon and brad (retired), Dimensional



Spring is in the Air!

Okay,  not really, but I'd like to pretend it is so I decided to break out my favorite springy stamp set, Papillon Potpourri!  I paired it with the challenges at Create with Connie and Mary and Pals, Paper, Arts. 

 

 

 

I thought this color combination would look great with the Baby Wipe Reinker Technique.  I couldn't believe I don't have Basic Gray reinker so I had to do without!

My butterflies were a little too stark on the white so I spritzed them with some of my homemade shimmer spritz.  This particular one is gray/silver, so it toned down the butterflies a bit. I finished them off with some Rhinestone Basic Jewels.  You really can't go wrong with a card using this stamp set and coordinating punch.  They are gorgeous!

 

Stamp Sets: Papillon Potpourri, Perfectly Penned

Cardstock: Melon Mambo, Whisper White

Ink: Basic Black, Black StazOn, Melon Mambo

Tools: Elegant Butterfly Punch, Fancy Fan Embossing Folder

Accessories: Neutrals DSP Stack, Rhinestone Basic Jewels, Homemade Shimmer Spritz (reinker, rubbing alcohol, Frost White Shimmer Paint)