FTL90 Blooms

I just love the clean & simple style especially when I am on a time crunch and the mojo may be lacking a little!  I always love a good sketch too, so for my card today I went to the Fall-to-Layout blog and grabbed my TE stamps Garden Party Blooms and made this card using the FTL90. 

Supplies: Garden Party Blooms; Cardstock: Parakeet & Lagoon (Bazzill Basics); Inks: Palette; Accessories: Caribbean Swirl organdy; Moonlight, Siren, Gold Lame, Green Apple,  and Taffy Smooch

Friends Furever

I was so excited yesterday to get my first There She Goes stamps order; they have been on my wish list forever but I knew I just didn’t have any time to play with them until we moved so I finally took the plunge!  One of the sets I fell head over heals for is Puppy Love illustrated by Torico.  So as soon as I came home and put leftovers on the table and cleaned up, I stamped this card using this week’s recipe challenge at the TSG blog which was not a stretch for me at all but still so fun:
-Kraft card base
-Black, White and a splash of color
-Dry Embossing (Spots & Dots Cuttlebug folder)

so I used Turquoise Sea pure luxury as my splash of color – isn’t it great?  I love stamping on kraft cardstock and coloring with colored pencils (used Koh-i-noor and prismacolor) and used an inkssentials white pen to make their eyes stand out.   I had to give the pups some bling on their collars (it was cute, showed the card to John after I made it and he said, “oh I like the bling” – he does pay attention!  ha!  I went to the 2 Sketches 4 You blog for my sketch {2S4Y63} because I definitely needed a starting point for my card! I miss playing in the challenges in blog land and am so happy I can make the time now since I don’t need to pack for the move!  Instead, I need to get out in the storage shed and find things to bring IN the house but whatever – there’s plenty of time for that!  Besides, I’m enjoying the house being ‘simple’ and I am enjoying my stamping therapy!

Thanks for stopping by today! 

MTSC94: '”I didn’t forget your birthday…

 

…I just wanted my card to stand out” is what it says on the inside.  Isn’t this such a cute image and sentiment for a belated birthday wish?  This a la carte image, called Stand Out, is one of 7 Belated Birthday a la carte images, a concept by Jami Sibley illustrated by our Apple Doodle Ink artist for Taylored Expressions.  If you’re like me, you may be of the opinion you are a ‘card maker’ and not a ‘card sender’ sometimes!!  I need to get better at mailing them, I always have the best intentions to!!

I used Mercy’s Tuesday sketch {MTSC94} from last week for this card – in fact I made it on Friday night but I am just getting the opportunity to share it because we’ve been pretty busy!  On Friday night we went to see the movie, “Let Me In” which we both liked, it was pretty suspenseful and had a good vampire story line.  We went with part of the movie bunch (aka John’s co-workers) and had a good time!  I’m pretty sure the next movie we will go see will be the new Harry Potter (we’ve gone to see the last few with them).  They already deemed our house as the new ‘scary movie house’ and want us to host them, Tina (John’s co-worker who picked us up for the movie), was the first outside of family to see our new house and she concurred it would be perfect and it’s scary enough at night making the drive from the road to the house.  HA!  and she’s right, being out in the country, it is DARK out here!!

I used the Make a Wish project pantry for my card, in addition to some distress ink sponging and glossy accents for the red balloon, keeping my design ready to mail with just one stamp! I made this card for our cousin who likes birds. 

Hope your week is off to a good start!  Mine is, perhaps we will finally close on our house this week (it’s been delayed for weeks because the lender was bought out by another company-long story- so glad that did not stop us from moving in!!)  We are thoroughly enjoying our new home and I promise to share some pictures soon of my sanctuary (aka craft room) and some of the decorations.

TE Sponsorship Challenges - win some TE stamps!!

This weekend Taylored Expressions is sponsoring 2 challenges and you have a chance to win free stamps!  Here are the cards I made to share with you using the parameters and links to the challenges. 

First up is the Cinema Saturday Challenge 54, which is inspired by the movie Finding Nemo with a color challenge of white, coral, light blue & dark blue.  I used the Viva La Verve Week 3 challenge as my sketch with a twist of stamping on fabric!  A few weeks ago I bought more fabric since I am making hair scrunchies right now so I just took a swatch of white cotton fabric to stamp my sailboat image from The Places You'll Go.  I added a sentiment that was fitting for this image from Faith & Hope.  I was reminded of how scared and uncertain it was at times when Nemo's father had set out to find his son.  But in the midst of it all, having the friendship of Dory by his side made it bearable and he gained confidence that he was going to make to find his son.  It was such a cute movie! 
The winner of this challenge will win their choice of newly released sets by Taylored Expressions!!!  You have until Thursday, October 22nd at 9pm PST to upload your creation here. 

My next card is for the Stamping Sisters in Christ blog challenge #9  This week's challenge is based on Luke 2:11 "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord." (NIV) so I chose to use my new TE set, Christmas Blessings and showcase the nativity scene.  I embossed the image on Choice Buttercream cardstock with clear embossing powder and sponged blue ink for the night sky and red around the border (emboss resist technique).  The pattern paper I used for this card is Christmas Mint.  The chocolate velvet ribbon and Kaiser pearls can be found in the TE store as well.  The winner of this challenge will win this set by Taylored Expressions!  Hope you have a chance to play by 11:59 p.m. PST (GMT -8) on Saturday, October 24th. Be sure to link your creation here

From Courtney's Closet - A Birthday cupcake

Did you see Libby's Little Cupcake turned 1 year old last week??!  Well, to celebrate, Libby posted her usual From Courtney's Closet challenge (which are real fun, she takes an adorable picture of her in a cute outfit & we take inspiration from it to create a card).  I just had to play this week because I love her little Cute as a Cupcake shirt!  Also Libby is giving away a sweet cupcake-themed prize package to one lucky winner and well, I am motivated by free stuff so here you go!  Plus any excuse to use a cupcake stamp I'm all over!!

I wasn't going to stamp tonight so I could rest & get caught up on my DVR shows and well, I ended up making this card in about 10 minutes anyway!  These CAS (clean & simple) cards are not always easy to make but I knew I had the perfect cupcake stamp for it that was begging to be inked up!  It's in the **Doodlefactory Sweets 'n Hearts set and the sentiment is from Simple Sweet Sayings which was so fun to ink up in different color markers just like Courtney's shirt!  I colored it with peerless watercolors and topped it with rhinestone sprinkles (sorry about the bad photo, it was a long 9 hour day) and liquid pearls for icing.  There's also a little glaze on the cherry.  YUM!  wish I had a cupcake in my hands RIGHT NOW! 

**if you're interested in getting any Doodlefactory stamps at Starving Artistamps you can get 10% off your order any time!  Just use savetendb in the coupon code box in your shopping cart & hit re-calculate!** Free shipping with a $65 order!!

MFT Ambassador Challenge shares

Since last Wednesday was the MFT release and they always have 3 challenges I thought I would participte in 2 of them & share my projects!!  This is for the Ambassador challenge #2, to mask. I didn't get too elaborate with my card because I wanted to use my mouse from Tea for Two and my mind didn't lend itself to too much masking here!  I used the shadow under the cup from Icing on the cake and added the coffee set (tea time words and mugs on the pink passion vertical panel & tea bag on the edge of the cup) I used Jen's SFYTT from Sat for this one!  fun!  I also played in the OCC Challenge - by Laurie to use an embellishment as your inspiration.  It was this fun double-sided wire-edged pink passion ribbon I got at Hobby Lobby last week!  Isn't it fun? 

This little heart candy tin is my project for Ambassador Challenge 1 to make a treat package with a heart theme.  Once again, using my Tea for Two set - I used the bunnies this time but ommitted the polka dots on the tea cup, then made my own hearts which I colored in with my red atyou spica pen for sparkle!  I made this real simple to show you that you don't have to make packaging super elaborate to make an impact.  By using the I {Heart} you sentiment from Who's that E-girl I made it a Valentine package instead of a tea package.  The polka dot ribbon is from Gina K - Holiday ribbon.  

Stamp Something Challenge Sponsored by Starving Artistamps!

There's a fun challenge going on at Stamp Something blog! The challenge is to stamp something Birthday! how fun/easy is that?! Next, the prize is sponsored by Starving Artistamps/Doodlefactory and a prize is up for grabs!! You have until Thursday, January 22 7:00 p.m. CST to upload & link your creation on the Stamp Something blog to be eligible to win!

For my card, I used Banjo from the new DF Valentine's Remix set & paired him up with a truck from Country (sentiment from Animal & Farm) and to complete my scene, the trees from Halloween (Spring Flower Soft for the blooms) and all the birthday presents are from Santa's Sweet Shoppe. Banjo is driving to his buddies waiting for him at the party! So head on over to STAMP SOMETHING birthday & the Starving Artistamps gallery to check out the other's party creations!!

SA/DF CCCC (Clearly Cool Card Challenge)

This is my first time making a clear card (wasn't sure I had enough acetate to do it but I did!) and it was fun!  You can tell it was my first time because I put a snowflake right smack dab on top of Coco's right eye!  I didn't lay my image down before stamping my snowflakes, oh well!   This is a challenge posted on the SA blog as well as Papercraft Planet and if you play you could win this fun set Santa's Sweet Shoppe (and free sentiments)!  But never fear if you already have this set you can choose another if you win!!  Just be sure to use keyword SADF1208 when uploading to SCS or PCP and you have until December 30th to play so no excuses - take a break from all the hard work preparing for Christmas & make a clear card & increase your chances at getting free rubber!!  

FCC Inspiration for a great cause

Here is a card I made with inspiration from baby Courtney's sweet sundress on her mommy Libby's blog. Each week she has a fun challenge using clothes From Courtney's Closet {#17}

I used Carolyn King's set Framed Flowers by Gina K Designs to create a frame of flowers courtesy of my rectangle nestabilities. I used liquid pearls for the centers of the flowers.

Carolyn is honoring the memory of her grandmother who died from complications of Alzheimer's Disease in June; 100% of Carolyn's profits from the sale of her newest set 'Whimsical Autumn' by Gina K Designs will be donated to the Alzheimer's Association, isn't that great? I made this card to participate in the wonderful blog giveaway she is having, which ends this Friday, September 26 8:00 pm CST. She had an idea in which to enter the giveaway you make a card to send to a caregiver of Alzheimer's patients, since last Sunday was World Alzheimer's Day. The giveaway is HUGE-over $1,000 worth of stamps & product {donated by Gina K Designs, My Favorite Things, Starving Artistamps, JustRite Stampers to name a few} to the blog candy in addition to handmade cards by some fabulous stampers!

How you can enter the BIG giveaway - send a card to a caregiver (details on Carolyn's blog post above), mention the giveaway on your blog, post a link in her comments with a link to your card,and list 3 companies & 2 individuals that donated to the blog candy. Also include your email to contact you if you win!

Warning (frighteningly cute) - Boo Swedish Collage Challenge

Here is my card for the Starving Artistamps Swedish Collage Challenge I used my new Halloween II GraveYard Shift set & sentiments with Fredo.  He reminds me of the dia de los muertos figurines but oh so cute!!  Since I was to use a BOLD mix of patterned papers, I thumbed through all my DCWV stacks & pulled colors that surprisingly looked nice together but were funky enough that I wouldn't 'normally' put together.  I stamped Fredo in my retired Parfait spectrum pads (pinks/purples) and also smooshed my boo chipboard letters in it too. Then I decided to glitter them up with the glue pad & dazzling diamonds since I was using my glitter paper.  I finished it off with a chipboard & orange button layer and an orange bling by the sentiment.  I thought at first this would definitely be a 'challenge' and it was but suprisingly had a LOT of fun making it!!

Details of the Contest:
The challenge will run until October 1st. Everyone who participates will be put into the raffle and one person will be chosen by random number generator to win YOUR CHOICE of one FULL SHEET of Starving Artistamps or DoodleFactory unmounted rubber stamps!

There are several key points which regularly appear in Swedish collage style stamping...

• the shape of the card is SQUARE
  
• a bold mix of PATTERN PAPERS is used
• CHIPBOARD titles (in any language!), BUTTONS and/or STAPLES are often incorporated into the design
• COLOR COLOR COLOR the more color the better! (this is not your regular vintage style collage frequently done in the states! Ban the brown!)

Think you are up to the challenge?

Here is how you can participate. From now until October 1st email us a link to your blog showing your version of the swedish collage style challenge card. Please include your name in your email. We will post links to your blogs and in the gallery.  Also you do not have to use SA/DF stamps for the entry, but if you have them, why not use them? 

Email your entry by October 1 to: strvingartistmp@aol.com

Cherry Inspired Somethings

What's so ironic about this card is that nothing is stamped! I was inspired by the Stamp Something challenge blog inspiration piece {that had cherries on it} to make my card red, white & black with red flowers instead of the cherries. That's what is so neat about inspiration pieces - everyone tends to pick up different aspects of it for their interpretation. I love the bag Melissa did - and she is giving it away filled with Hershey's Cherry Cordial kisses to the random winner! The white polka dots on the bottom are actually punched out of the black stripes with my 1/8" hole punch.

And while I had my red, black & white cardstock out I figured I would draw some inspiration using Melanie's Just So Sporty set by Gina K Designs since those are the colors of one of the local high schools in our area. I went to their webpage & picked out some pics of their cheerleader uniforms to re-create it. How fun is that? It's hard to tell in my photo with the red on red cardstock but the red background piece has CHEER leader all over it. I stamped 2 jersjeys, cropping off the sleeves & bottom for the top and cropping off the top of the jersey for the skirt. Possibilities...endless...

Cupcakes Baked With Love-Yummy Stuff

I finally participated in Libby's Little Addiction's From Courtney's Closet Inspiration Challenge (16) Libby dresses her daughter in a cute outfit each week & participants draw inspiration from it. Well, I've wanted to participate for WEEKS now and finally did! Her outfit was cupcake related with pink & brown - how COULD I pass that up??! She had the most adorable cupcake shoes too! my goodness. So I used Kim Hughes' Baked With Love (by Cornish Heritage Farms) - and made this cupcake card using Lauren's sketch from Saturday - it's a tad bit busy for me but I think it still works with all the coordinating images & colors from Bella Rose dp. So, what do YOU think, Libby??

Fall Hoodie

Here is a Fall Hoodie card I made using Melanie's new set Just So Sporty by Gina K Designs for the Stamp Something Challenge to stamp something Fall.  I used my Basic Grey mellow 6x6 pad & paper-pieced the hoodie.  Then I looked for a 'fall' quote and hand wrote it on my Cornish Heritage Farms lined paper backgrounder which I brayered Pumpkin Patch spectrum pad on first {this reminds me of being back in school}! Lastly I used my new flower trio punch by SU! to place some punches from the dp on the side with brads from Hobby Lobby.  

Fall Sock Monkey

Here's my Fall Sock Monkey - using Jen's SFYTT 083008 and OCCC color challenge 082308: Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, Ruby Red & Really Rust. I had to scale my card to standard (Jen's was a square. I loved coloring him different colors to match! See the little pumpkin he's holding up? It's from Family Accessories! Cute, huh?? The leaf is from the Level 3 set Holiday Happenings Bunde.

I just realized I didn't 'ground' Sock Monkey so it seems he's floating on air. Oh well; it was supposed to be my night to take off from stamping since I marathon stamped 3 1/2 days but I couldn't resist not using Sock Monkey another day (I hadn't used him since last week). Oh and I stamped the sentiment crooked - my card looks homemade now {that's what I tell my customers when they mess up, see I mess up too - I'm human!}

Combined Beate Challenges: WSC55 & BIC20 - For You

Here is my card combining Beate's Be Inspired Challenge 20 (BIC20) and her Weekend Sketch Challenge (WSC55); t just made sense to combine the 2 since I am limited on time due to some really important projects I'm working on which I will begin to share the end of next week *wink*

I took the inspiration piece literally (that was fun) by swiping my sponge dauber in Riding Hood Red ink in stripes on the cardstock and to re-create the notches on the more mustard mat behind the floral piece {used Heartfelt Thanks} I used my 1/8" hole punch. Since I didn't want to make a really long card (still having problems with those) I decided to start with a standard card & sliced off the bottom to measure 3 1/2 x 5 1/2. Now this card still fits in a standard envelope. It's really a fun looking card being that size and I like how it turned out.

I hope y'all have a great 3-day weekend, we're off to do some long overdue grocery shopping - I've managed to elude making a real dinner all week (nice break) but it's because we were piece-mealing stuff with the slim pickins.

Want to hear something cute that my niece said earlier this week? Her mommy caught her talking to herself the day after I told her I was coming for a visit and she said. "Auntie's coming to visit me, yeah" - isn't that cute? Just makes me grin from ear to ear!!!

SU! Makeover Monday

Andrea Walford has a fun challenge on her blog every Monday called Makeover Monday. If you take any card that inspires you that uses non-SU! stamps and make it over with all SU! and post a link on her blog, you can be eligible to win a stamp set from her valued at $14.95! Neat, huh? Why not give it a try! You can enter more than once and she has a drawing once a month.

I chose the 4th card in Lauren's post to makeover with SU! stamps with my new Sock Monkey set. Isn't this fun?! I used new In Colors Kiwi Kiss, Baja Breeze & Chocolate Chip. I LOVE the fact that ALL of the colors go well with Chocolate Chip!

GINAKSC123 - I am here for you

Gina K issued a sketch challenge on her blog a few Fridays ago so I figured I would play-I didn't win but I was sure pleased with the outcome of my card!

As I was reading my frequented blogs, Andrea Walford reminded me of the black magic technique. You stamp a solid image (not usually my favorite) in craft ink on black cardstock and pencil over with metallic pencils. Well, I am not crazy about the colors in that set so I decided to try it with my Koh-i-Noor pencils (more variety) and sure enough I loved the results because you can layer your colors. So I went about stamping a 1/2 sheet of cardstock to make my own dp and went ahead with my card.

Stamps: Comfort & Peace by Gina K Designs
Cardstock: Green Galore, Regal Rose, Basic Black
Ink: Craft White, Palette Noir Black
Accessories: Regal wide grosgrain ribbon, coluzzle, scallop scissors, gold brads, paper piercing tool.

Polly (Squirt) Wants Chocolate-Another Challenge Blog!

Guess what? I found another great challenge blog: Mother's & Daughters Creations. They are on Week 2 of challenges and this time it's a Tool Challenge. To use Nestabilities somewhere on your card. Look at my Doodlefactory animal Squirt is so cute! I thought the saying from Tropics Sentiment Collection 1 went great with it, because squirt is a bird and he's talking thanks to Kim Hughes' Say What set. I also threw in a fun color combo from a swap I got YEARS ago. How many of you collect swaps & never use them? I know I have tons & give away a lot to my customers but there are quite a few that I love this element or that, so every once in a while I will gather them for inspiration. I don't think I ever would have thought to put these 2 colors together but look at them work!!

Stamps: Starving Artistamps Doodlefactory Collection, Tropics Sentiment by Starving Artistamps, Say What from CHF, A*Muse truffle, My Favorite Things How Sweet it is
Cardstock/Inks: Apricot Appeal, Tempting Turquoise, Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Turquoise grosgrain ribbon, Rectangle Nestabilities, 1/2 in circle punch, chocolate brads by Queen & Co, sakura stardust pen

OCCC-Sweet Ride!

Here is my card for OCCC blog - Dry Embossing Challenge. The other day I realized my 1" small Doodlefactory Creatures could fit inside my Loads of Love truck so I had to make a card to show you! Again, I was smiling & laughing as I was putting this card together. Yapples is so proud of his 'Sweet Ride', huh? That sentiment is from the blog candy I won from Juliana, I got it in the mail yesterday-it's Tropics Sentiments. She was even so sweet to stamp a few images from the Tropics set for me to play with and let me just tell you, I NEED that set, but no extra $ in my budget right now so it's going to have to wait *boo-hoo*

Stamps: Doodlefactory Creatures & Tropics Sentiments, Loads of Love, Lovely as a Tree
Cardstock: Real Red, Green Galore, Basic Black, White
ink: Palette Noir, Green Galore, Real Red, PTI Summer Sunrise & Lemon Tart
Accessories: Traffic Jam CB Embossing folder, bold brights brads, copic, prismacolor pencils, baby oil, sponges, cloud stencil

OCCC - Apricot Appeal Inspiration & sweet photos

Have you ever wondered how SU! comes up with the names of their inks? It's funny, one of the first things I noticed when I was first introduced to them 5 1/2 years ago. I just got my 5 year pin {with diamond} as a demo the other day with a nice letter of acknowledgement. However I won't be going to convention in a few weeks to march across the stage in celebration. I'm o.k. with that though. I went to 2 or 3 of them and they were fun but my family comes first and my oldest sister Val has managed to have her babies a few months before convention 2 years apart and vacation/money is spent there instead and I'd have it no other way. **See bottom of post for updates on them**

Anyhow - here is my card for Our Creative Corner Challenge (Inspiration) from Sat. I used Toile Blossoms a retired oldie but goodie I had to stamp with for one last time before I mailed it off because I sold it. It had not been used in about 2 1/2 years and I need to make room for more stamps I intend to use.

Card Details:
Stamps: Toile Blossoms, Fresh Cuts, Canvas BGCardstock: PTI White, Apricot Appeal, Palette Prints DP, Watercolor
Ink: Palette Burnt Umber, Apricot Appeal, Pumpkin Pie, Certainly Celery, Old Olive
Accessories: Nestabilities Circles, Chocolate, Ivory Taffeta Ribbon, faux dew drops, horizontal punch, sponges


**Personal Stuff: I miss my niece & nephew!

They went on their first trip to Disneyland this past weekend, I saw the photos they took there and Gabby is getting so tall! She is to the middle of my sister's belly and her hair is getting long! My nephew is getting big too - filling out for sure. He has the chubby legs & arms (Deana says she calls him the Michelin man) HA. Check out his crochet Dallas Cowboys boots - they came from my DMIL (Gramma Donna) doesn't he have the cutest smile?