Challenge 1-29-08 & 1-30-08

Tuesday's challenge was to pair up Barely Banana, Going Gray and Basic Gray. Well, I don't have anything basic gray, so I just used Barely Banana and Going Gray, with a little bit of Tempting Turquoise for a splash! Literally!!!!! See below!

Now the only thing I would change, which I did change a little bit later, but I would have toned down the cotton balls! For heaven's sake, those suckers were huge! They totally overtook the rest of the card. But, oh well! Live and learn, right?!

Recipe:

Stamps: And Everything Nice

Ink: Barely Banana, Going Gray, StayzOn black, Tempting Turquoise

Paper: white, Barely Banana

Accessories: Ginormous cotton balls dragged in Going Gray ink pad, stickles, Glossy Glaze on all the wet stuff!, aqua painter

The next challenge for yesterday was a sketch challenge, woo hoo!!!!! I love those sketch challenges! So, I decided to make my mother-in-law some thank you cards. We lost my father-in-law Monday evening. So, I saw the sketch challenge posted, and decided to incorporate the challenge with the challenge of how to make thank you cards for a funeral. Here's what I came up with....

Recipe:

Stamps: Delight In Life, Simple Salutations

Ink: black, Rose Red

Paper: white, black

Accessories: Cuttlebug, aquapainter, brayer over inverted cuttlebug embossing

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Stamping!!!

Monday Challenge - Dahlia fold

Wow, this Dahlia fold was pretty cool! When I saw what could be done with it, I HAD to do this challenge! Like I wasn't going to anyway! LOL! I have to do EVERY challenge! As they say on Splitcoast, you could call me a "Challenge Chaser"! Anyway, today's challenge was to make a card using this Dahlia fold, directions found here. The first card I thought was great, until I saw the others that were posted after mine. I was blown away by some of these cards! They were absolutely beautiful! One card had 7 pages of comments, it was that pretty. Actually, here's the link to that card. This girl had 118 comments on this ONE card! It is gorgeous! You have to look at it!

So, here are my cards. So, the first one I did was ok ~ it looks like a snowflake everyone keeps telling me! And it does!!!! How funny! And then I did the second one, and I like it even more than the first one! I like how it's dreamy looking. Like, looking at a garden after it has rained and it's a little foggy. Anyway, I would love to hear what you think about them. But, only if you haven't commented on Splitcoast! No need to comment twice!!!

This is number 1.


Recipe:
Stamps: words from Stem Silhouettes
Paper: K & Co., white c.s.
Ink: Elegant Eggplant
Accessories: rhinestone brad, ribbon, scallop punch


This is number 2:



Recipe:
Stamps: Priceless
Paper: Thomas Kincaid from FOREVER AGO!, vellum, Mellow Moss
Ink: Always Artichoke (shading)
Accessories: wire "S" for antennae, rhinestone brad, pearls

Happy Stamping!!!

Friday Challenge

Today's challenge is Limited Supply. So, we had to use our scraps and make a card out of it. Well, I guess I cleaned a little too early, because my desk was spotless when I came in to work! See....

But, what you can't see, and what I WON'T take a picture of is the rest of my room! Hahaha! I have so much stuff in here, PartyLite stuff, the kids games, the pack & play with stuff in it, and a bunch of stamp sets strewn all over the floor!

So, when I read the challenge, I thought, Hmmmmm, what the heck am I going to do? I have all of my scraps filed away by color. That was my re-organizing when my dad closed his office. I got one of his filing cabinets and I color coded and separated all of my Stampin' Up paper. All other paper I threw away and the 12x12 went into my paper taker and two paper holder bags (for lack of better words! You can seen them above. Clear with black straps, there's cotton balls on the one!) It's rather funny, because I'm SO into organization with my stamping stuff, but for the rest of the house, I'm not so worried about it!

All right, already, back to the challenge! Anyway, here's the card I ended up making. I've been looking at Happy Harmony for about a week now, and I finally decided to ink it up. This isn't the first time I've used it, I just haven't used it in a while. When you have as many stamp sets as I do, it's hard to ink them all up all the time!

Recipe:

Stamps: Happy Harmony

Paper: Brocade Blue, vanilla (cardstock from Michael's)

Ink: So Saffron, More Mustard, Garden Green, silver gel pen (LOVE THESE!)

Accessories: cuttlebug flower folder, wild wasabi ribbon, clear e.p., brayer, sponge

Ok, it's 3:10, so I'm assuming my sister, Thera, has already left DC to come home for the weekend, so I can post this! Ever since I made my cousin coasters for Christmas (if you're browsing through my blog, they are the ones with H on them), my sister has wanted them. So, since she's coming home, and we won't see her until Easter, I thought I would make some for her! I'm also making her a block, I have that somewhere on here too, with pictures. She's been wanting one of those too!

Recipe:

Ink: Black craft ink (which I learned while heat setting this, that this is really good ink, because when it sets, it becomes matte, so you can see where it's dry!), silver ink from martha stewart

Accessories: T stencil from Michael's, sponge, tile from Lowes - it's called Rialto Beige, and they measure 3 3/4 x 3 3/4 square; cork for the backing.

I thought these turned out SO good! I can't wait to give them to her! My valentine is the card that's also somewhere on here with the girl holding the overly large heart, and it has cuttlebug swirls on the bottom. I just love that card! That's one of the bad things about making cards. You make something that you absolutely love, and find a reason to give it, but you don't WANT to give it because you love it so much! Talk about a catch 22!

Anyway, Happy Stamping!!!

Chipboard Valentine

Today's challenge was called "Paint the Town". We had to paint on a card. Well, I tried 3 different cards, and trashed them all! So, I decided to use chipboard and see what I could come up with. This is how it turned out....

Recipe:

Stamps: Priceless, All Year Cheer

Paper: chipboard, Lovely Lilac

Ink: Dusty Mauve, Lilac, Pixie Pink Craft Ink, White Craft Ink

Accessories: heart stickers from JoAnne's, white e.p., ric rack, ribbon, white glitter from martha stewart, hole punch, decorative scissors, heart stencil, cotton ball (for hearts)

Happy Stamping!!!

Some new challenges!

Wow, today is Wednesday and I haven't uploaded any of my challenge submissions yet this week to my blog! Well, I've been a little busy. I had my first PartyLite training last night. It's just so cool, I really think I'll be able to do this, and do it well. Wish me lots of luck!!!!!


On to the challenges! The first challenge, on Monday, was a Technique challenge. We had to make a Pixie Pouch card. I have never made one, so I was super interested in making one! Once I figured out the measurements, it was a piece of cake! Then, I had to think about what I wanted to decorate with! Oh, the stamp sets that paraded through my head! I chose to stick with Valentine's Day, and that got me started in the direction I ended up in.


Recipe:
Stamps: Time for Fun, Sweet Talk, large cupcake from Hampton Arts
Paper: Ruby Red, Blush Blossom
Ink: versamark, ruby red, silver gel metallic pen, basic brown (for sponging edges)
Accessories: silver e.p.; clear, pink, red and green stickles

Technique: versamark on white paper, then do silver embossing powder, then repeat about 3 times. Then, once the e.p. is hot and kind of liquidy, take away from heat and sprinkle on the e.p. Do this 2 more times. Then, while it's still hot, take your stamp (make sure it's ink free), and press into the e.p. This will etch the image into the e.p. Cut around image and decorate as needed. This is a really cool technique to try if you're still pretty new to stamping!


The second challenge was a color challenge. We had to use Soft Sky, Blue Bayou (both in-colors), and Real Red. I was getting tired of just doing card after card, so I decided to change things up a bit and do a bag instead!


Recipe:
Stamps: Carte Postale, Garden Silhouette
Paper: Soft Sky, Blue Bayou
Ink: Blue Bayou, Real Red
Accessories: scallop punch, 2 sizes circle punches, ribbon, sponges
Technique: 2-5-7-10 box (tutorial found here)


The third challenge, today, was a sketch challenge. Or, layout challenge. All day, I thought about what I was going to do, and I finally came up with this. I started out with 3 different color families, and ended up with 2 colors! Funny how that happens! And I ran out of room! The card that I used was smaller than the white cards that I normally use. I get the 25 packs from Michael's, and use those as the bases for my cards, or use them as paper to stamp on and add to colored paper. It's just so much easier and cheaper than buying ream after ream of white cardstock from Stampin' Up!. I thought about making this into a baby boy card, but I ran out of room! And my stars were too big, so I ended up only able to use 1! Darn! They were so cute when I got them out of the cuttlebug!

Recipe:
Stamps: Stars & Swirls
Paper: Brocade Blue, vanilla, So Saffron
Ink: So Saffron, More Mustard
Accessories: cuttlebug swirl folder, sponging, paper piercer, brayer (to go over the swirls)


Happy Stamping!!!

Girls Night Out 2

Ok, here are the other two cards that I made. They aren't that great. The first one is a criss cross card. It's ok. It's the first one that I ever made, so of course I don't think it's that great!






The second one was the last card I made of the evening. Can you tell? It's not that great! I had to do masking. So, I masked the popcorn and the box of popcorn.


Happy Stamping!!!

Girls Night Out 1

Tonight was the first night of Girls Night Out Virtual Stamp Night on Splitcoast! What a cool idea! Every 45 minutes, there's a new challenge to complete in 45 minutes. Then you upload and share like a regular challenge. Here are a couple.... Not sure how many pics I can post in 1 post!

I'm too tired to post all the recipes. If you really want to know how everything is made, look up Stampin'NPA on Splitcoast and look in my Gallery.

One more post for the other two projects I made.

Valentine card background challenge

Today's challenge on Splitcoaststampers was to use 2 different background stamps, 2 different pieces of cardstock, plus a neutral piece of cardstock, and limited embellishments. So, I'm sticking with the Valentine cards to get them done before the night before Valentine's Day!

Here's my submission:

Recipe:

Stamps: Soft Swirls background stamp, Priceless, So Very

Paper: white, Rose Red, pink glitter paper

Ink: Cotton Candy Kaleidescope, white craft

Accessories: ric rack, 3-d pop ups, white e.p., heart brads

Happy Stamping!!!

Valentine's Mailbox

Yesterday I went to Target, and I am always scouring the dollar bins to see if there's ever anything "crafty". Well, last night I hit paydirt! I got 2 mini mailboxes, 2 Valentine buckets, and 4 containers of Valentine ribbon that had 3 or 4 different spools of ribbon inside! So, we came home, got the kids in bed, and I went downstairs and created this mailbox. It's the best I could do at 11pm!!!!





Recipe:
Stamps: All Year Cheer III
Paper: Red Cardstock, Figgy Pudding
Ink: White craft, silver gel pen, versamark
Accessories: white e.p., clear e.p., assorted ribbon, 3-d pop up dots, UTEE e.p., heart stencils


I did versamark and UTEE e.p. over and over again about 5 times for the heart on the flag. Then I cut the heart out and stuck it in the freezer for about a half an hour. I took it out and cracked it, which gives the appearance of cracked glass.

Happy Stamping!!!

Another Valentine's Card!

So, today's challenge was a sketch challenge. So, you can use any paper, any color, any stamp, you just have to design your card layout like the sketch that is given for the challenge. So, today I actually got inspiration from my Hearts and Swirls background stamp. I was looking through my stamp set directory to figure out what stamps I wanted to use, and I came across that background stamp. Then, I decided to try the cuttlebug (I just love this tool!!!!) and do a swirls background, and then brayer my color on top. That turned out really well! Then, I remembered my Living Large, and decided to do hearts. I chose my paper and the rest is history!

Recipe:

Stamps: Living Large

Paper: Blush Blossom, Ruby Red, white

Ink: Black StazOn, black classic ink, Ruby Red, Sage Shadow (for her dress), Close to Cocoa (for her hair)

Accessories: rhinestones, heart stencil, heart brads, Martha Stewart velvet ribbon, cuttlebug, brayer.

Happy Stamping!!!

Apricot Rose Wedding

That's what I called my card that I made for yesterday's color challenge. We had to use Sage Shadow, Apricot Appeal, and Rose Red. The apricot appeal threw me for a loop. I don't ever use that color. So, I decided to make that my main focal point. I thought this turned out ok.....

Recipe:
Stamps: Fiskars and non SU! stamps
Ink: Sage Shadow and Rose Red, and Choc. Chip for shading
Paper: Sage Shadow, Apricot Appeal
Accessories: ribbon, stencil, mat pack, sponging, 3-d pop ups

Happy Stamping!!!

Gina K's new stamps 2!!!!

Ok, here's my second Christmas late thank you card. I'm not sure about this one. It's not naturey (I know that's not a word!) like the hippo one down below. But, the hearts on the giraffe just make it NON-naturey! So, this is how my first attempt came out with the giraffe. It's ok. Not my best work, by any means, but it will do for a thank you card.... The balloon, which you really can't tell from this picture, is filled with small bubble wrap! Cool idea, huh?!

Recipe:

Stamps: Just So Hippy, Loads of Love, So Very

Paper: white, So Saffron, Lovely Lilac

Ink: So Saffron, Lovely Lilac, Elegant Eggplant (for the hoofs), black

Accessories: bubble wrap, black thread, 3-d pop ups

Happy Stamping!!!

Try a New Technique Monday

Today's Splitcoast challenge was to try a new technique. There was a template to download, and attach to your card. It was a heart with a pocket! So cute! I looked through my designer paper to find something that was doublesided because when you fold the heart to make the "pocket", you see the other side. So, I looked through my Figgy Pudding and found red paper! Perfect for Valentine's Day! Then, the next thing I had to figure out....what will I put IN the pocket!!!! Why, hearts of course!

Recipe: NO STAMPS were used on this card! How about that?!

Paper: White, Figgy Pudding, Baroque Burgundy, Chocolate Chip

Accessories: ribbon, silver gel pen, sponge, heart stencil, white Marvy opaque marker, burgundy gel pen, 3-d pop ups

Happy Stamping!!!

Gina K's new stamps!!!

I just received my shipment from Gina K.'s Designs last week, and tonight was the first time I actually could sit down and create a card! So, this is what I created! This hippo is from Just So Hippy, a new release. Now, for those of you who know me, I really don't like animals. But, when I saw this set, I thought, you know, maybe I should try and see if I can like them! And, I do! This hippo is just So cute! And the sets are really versatile! On the stamp designer's website, she has a bunch of tips for using this stamp set. So, for the first time ever, in my history of stamping, you get directions on how to use the stamps with the stamp set! Nice! The stamp designer is Melanie Muenchinger and she is SUPER talented!

Anyway, here's my first card! This is for a Christmas thank you. Since it's the middle of freakin' January already, I figured, why try Christmas? And since I'm SOOO late, thought the sentiment fit perfectly!

Recipe:

Stamps: Gina K's Design - Just So Hippy, watercolor minis, So Very

Paper: White cardstock

Ink: Bashful Blue, Always Artichoke, Mellow Moss, Certainly Celery, Black, Going Gray, Choc. Chip, Close to Cocoa, Regal Rose

Accessories: Blue and Green stickles, 3-d pop ups, aquapainter

Happy Stamping!!!

Limited Supplies Challenge - 1-11-08

Today's challenge is to use colors from 1 Stampin' Up color family, and use only 2 embellishments. So, since I don't use Soft Subtles as often as I use all the other color families, I decided to use those. So, I used Sage Shadow and Pretty in Pink. I did paper piercing, which is my new favorite embellishment, and ribbon. I finally got the ribbon the way I wanted it after like 10 tries! Oh ribbon and I do NOT get along when making bows!!!!

Recipe:

Paper: Sage Shadow, white

Ink: Sage Shadow, Pretty in Pink

Stamps: Happy Harmony - for the dream big sentiment, I took "Dream" from one stamp and "Big" from the other stamp and put them together. Another way to make your stamp sets versatile!

Accessories: Paper piercing, ribbon, 3-d adhesive, sponging

Happy Stamping!!!

New MFT challenge

So, I wasn't really part of the My Favorite Things cocktail party. My eyes are still going crazy from Gina K's cocktail party on Wednesday! All these stamp companies are coming out with all these releases and all these stamp sets that I want!!!! Too bad I can't buy everything I want!!!!

Anyway, so, My Favorite Things is having another challenge to be a guest designer for February. So, of course, since I'm trying to get my foot in any design team door, I submitted my card. It was a challenge to make something NON square, NON rectangle. It could be anything. There are some really awesome submissions so far! Here's my submission:

Recipe:

Stamps: My Favorite Things ~ Icing on the Cake

Paper: Lavender from SU, white

Accessories: Purple, red, and clear stickles; black pen, white tulip puffy paint, silver rope, brad (for the back of the card), Purely Pomegranate ink for sentiment, raspberry glitter from Martha Stewart

Happy Stamping!!

Gina K's sketch challenge

I was at Gina K's release party on Splitcoast on Sat. night. What fun!!!! There are two sketch challenges on there, and here's the first one. I haven't even started the second one!!! I'm lagging! Last night I was SOOO tired, I didn't stamp at all! I went right to bed after cleaning up the kitchen. Tried a new recipe yesterday for my family. Italian crusted Talapia! And I even ate it! Shock and awe!!!!




Anyway, back to the point! Here's my sketch challenge entry. I made another one as well, but my parents pretty much tore it apart! So, I'm only entering this one! I have to agree, the other one was NOT up to my new standards!





Recipe:
Stamps: A Tree for all Seasons
Paper: DCWV stack, white, Very Vanilla
Ink: black, Handsome Hunter, Choc. Chip, Really Rust craft
Accessories: scallop punch, quote from the internet, decorative scissors

Happy Stamping!!

Gift card holders for Christmas

I didn't want to post these before Christmas, because pretty much everyone that I made these for are the only ones who read my blog regularly!!!

So, I finally found the pictures on a different memory card, and here they are!

The first picture is a shoe that I found on Ellen Hutson's website. Apparently, she's big into templates and altered art and she sells stuff too on her website. So, I found the shoe template and had to tweak it a little bit because it wouldn't print out the way I wanted it to!








The third picture is a gift card holder for my grandmother. This is also a template, although I can't remember who's blog I found this template on..... It turned out ok.











The fourth picture is a stocking I made for my sister. This is my favorite! I used Figgy Pudding paper, liquid applique and white puffy paint. The word JOY is a stencil, and I stamped a Priceless (SU) stamp underneath the JOY. I hand-stitched the stocking together. I think it turned out SUPER CUTE!




The fifth picture is a basketball gift card for my cousin. Since he loves sports, I figured this would be perfect. This is just basketball paper and markers!







Happy Stamping!!

Scrapbook Pages for Michael's

Ok, today I was totally out of my element when I picked this stuff up at Michael's this morning. But, I've been dying to try this, so I thought, what better way than to do it for free via Michael's! So, all day I've had the song "Party like a Rockstar" in my head, as I've been trying to visualize these pages. As some of you know, I'm totally burned out from scrapbooking for my own family. But, as an instructor, this is just part of the job. So, I hope that these pages aren't too boring!!!! I need to go to a scrapbook layout class, because mine are ridiculously simple looking!!!! But, I'm LOVING the rhinestones, so what can I say? And I LOVE the animal print! Wish I had more of THAT paper!!!!!!!!!

Anyway, here they are, in all their glory.... Hope at least 1 person signs up for this class!!!!!

Happy Stamping!!!

Valentine's Day cards for Michael's

Here are 4 Valentine's Day cards that I will be teaching at Michael's on Friday, Feb. 1st. These are pretty much from a kit, plus a couple of other embellishments! If you would like to take this class, please call and sign up! I'd love to show you how these were made!

Happy Stamping!

Stamping on tile

This is my first attempt at stamping on tiles! I really like it! I actually didn't "stamp" on tiles, I used a stencil and sponged the ink on that way. But, still! I'm still decorating boring old tile!!!!

This was also in the gift bag for one of my cousins. She had said one time when we were shopping that she needed new coasters, and I told her that I would make her some with tile. So, I finally got around to it, and just decided to add that to her gift!

I thought they turned out SO nice! Can't wait to try more! Since everyone is sleeping, guess what I'll be doing???!!!!

Happy Stamping!

Today's sketch challenge

Today's sketch challenge on Splitcoast called for several layers, and I could use whatever color, whatever sentiment, whatever embellishments. So, even though I had a lot of freedom, the sketch itself was interesting. I don't think I've ever placed paper in this way on a card before. I'm VERY traditional and stick with what I'm used to. That's another reason why I love these challenges! They get my mind going in new directions!!!! Ok, ok, I'll stop commenting on how wonderful the Splitcoast challenges are!!! One more thing, and I'll get off my soapbox. Even if you aren't a member of Splitcoast, you can still do the challenges. You just can't uplaod them. But. if you're doing all the work, why not become a member?!! It's free!

Ok, today's card was really cool, and I got some really nice comments on it. Kevin, of course, said it was very nice on his way out the door to go to work! It wasn't that early! We had a 2 hour delay.... And I really wish my butt was still in bed, since Lady Godiva, aka Olivia, was up all night.

But, as I thought about the sketch, I was going through my catalog of stamp sets that I have, and I thought I could do something really nice with Bold Butterfly. I am trying to use stamp sets that either haven't seen ink at all, or haven't seen ink in quite a while. So, once I chose my stamp set, it was easy to pick everything else!

Recipe:

Stamps: Bold Butterfly

Paper: Spring Flowers D.P. (retired), So Saffron cardstock I think

Ink: Cameo Coral, Mellow Moss

Accessories: wire, paper piercing, hardware, ribbon, 3-d dimensionals

Happy Stamping!