RazzleBerry Butterfly

I so would like to be more consistent in my postings but life always gets in the way. Those of you who are mothers understand that, unfortunately, stamping tends to be the first thing put on the back burner. Today I did not have the time, but just could not miss one more Sketch Challenge. So I did a quick one. I actually had this card sketched out, just had to change a few things, while I sat waiting for my kids to get their teeth cleaned at the dentist last week. I will be using quite a bit of Chocolate Chip in the future. I put an order in and had the wrong quantity in the box so I have plenty to go through. ;)

There is a full butterfly stamped in Rich Razzleberry under the vellum that is curled up. I also put the butterfly off the side of the box and cut around it. I just had to have the jumbo brads but now I tend to hoard them, so I actually decided to put one on a card! I do not yet have the Rich Razzleberry so I just sliced a thin piece of card stock to draw the colors together.

Stamps: Flight of the Butterflies, En Francais

Paper: Rich Razzleberry, Chocolate Chip, Confetti White, Vellum

Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Chocolate Chip

Accessories: Ticket Corner Punch, Big Shot, Finial Press Embossing Folder,Butterfly Punch, Chocolate Chip Jumbo Brad

Another MDS

Well, I had to run all day today so when I sat down (after sitting for 2 hours in cold rain watching my son play football) I wanted to create so I turned on my MDS. I hope to get my hands a little inky yet tomorrow. As you can already see I have re-done my blog and Web-site. They are done with all elements from the MDS. I was doing some reading and just wanted to see if I could still do somethings in this program that I could do in my other one and sure enough I could.

This is of my 3 youngest at the Appalachians last month.

I put the eyelets where I wanted them and then after putting the ribbon on I shortened it to fit just in the circle of the eyelet. Then I put the paperclip on, copy and pasted the ribbon and shortened it to match the end of the one I had first placed but yet be over top of one side of the paperclip. The tricky part was the hardware. I did not want to have the second hole in the bottom, so I brought in the same picture twice and cropped a piece of the sky to fit over the side I wanted gone.

I love the stamp in monochromatic and the shading makes it just "pop". I wanted both sides of the image shaded so it looks like it is popped up. So I first matted and shaded one side, I then took a punch and made it the Dusty Duranago color and when I shaded it I just moved the shade to the other side and sized it to fit right under the picture.

If I missed anything or if you have any questions about MDS please post them. I love this program and I know you will too!

Purses

Well, after the Monday that I had I just had to dive into my stamps and create something pretty today. I had this layout stuck in my head all night but not at all sure what I wanted to do with it. This morning, after I made sure that breakfast had been consumed and school was started I straightened up my desk and went to find the color challenge of the day. Ohhh...Sage Shadow, Pretty in Pink and Going Grey. It was not until I was uploading my card that I noticed that I used Basic Grey instead...oh, well. The designer paper I used is in the Holiday Mini. I turned the paper pattern different directions on purpose. The purse die I used is from the Build a Bear dies. I wanted some texture so I grabbed a Embossing folder. I tend to use the popped up side of the folder image but since the paper pattern was busy I decided to use the popped inside. I liked the way it looks a lot more than I thought I would and will use it more often.

Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes

Paper: Basic Gray, Pretty in Pink, Sage Shadow, Whisper White, SU Night & Day Specialty Designer Paper

Ink: Pretty in Pink

Accessories: SU Beary Girl Sizzlits Die- Purse, 1-1/4" Square Punch, SU Finial Press Embossing Folder, Big Shot, Punches-Wide Oval, Scalloped Oval, Large Oval, Small Oval, Pretty in Pink Taffeta Ribbon

Addicted to MDS...

Since school started my days are pretty busy...teaching my kids during the day, running them to band & piano lessons and sports practices and that is besides trying to keep my house up. Unfortunately that does not give me much time to stamp. Once all of the kids and hubby are asleep I do get some laptop time and it is a perfect time for me to play with My Digital Studio. I have been a digital scrap-booker for years but I have completed more pages in the past week than I have in the past year. One of the options in the program is to use the kits and have it insert the pictures you choose. So I went with the Summer Home Kit and chose the pictures I wanted to use in the book, I do 8.5 x 11 books. You are still able to move, add and subtract but it takes a lot of the work out of it. Since I wanted to have this book finished by this weekend to send to the printer this was a great option for me. As I said this program is loaded with soooo much stuff but I do hope they come out with more kits to add in, a zoo one would be great since we visited 5 zoos this last summer. To this one I added a 2nd picture and moved them both down a bit so the tops were not covered by the embellishments. I also added the tag and text and shadowing to the embellishments and pictures....another addiction of mine, I guess it is the sponging of digital paper crafting.

Monkey Thanksgiving

So I took the time today to do the Sketch challenge on SCS. I had fun stepping into my fall themes, which is my favorite. I have been wanting to do this little monkey holding a gourd so today was my chance. I sponged around the edge of the card base, top note die, and around the square behind the monkey. The images are colored with re-inkers and an aqua-painter....off to run my son to band!

Stamps: Sock Monkey, Autumn Harvest, Sanded Background, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Paper: Crushed Curry, Dusty Durango, Chocolate Chip, Kraft

Ink: Crushed Curry, Dusty Durango, Chocolate Chip

Accessories: Double Stitched Chocolate Chip Grosgrain, Big Shot, Top Note Die, Corner Rounder Punch, Photo Corner Punch, Piercing Tool

My First MDS Card-Card

This program is so fun to use and it comes with sooo many things to use. I was sitting last night and just had to try making a card. It was so easy and fun. I printed it out on photo paper and put in on a Chocolate Chip card base.

Card Details:
Created in Stampin' Up's! My Digital Studio

My first MDS card

Well, with my new schedule it actually took me a few days to put something this simple together and then to find a day to post it. I have loved digital scrap booking for about 5 years now. I was so happy when SU decided to come out with a digital scrap book program and downloads (that can be used in other programs). So one day when I was waiting for my son between and and football practice I loaded it on my laptop (which goes everywhere with me) and decided to make my son's thank you cards for graduation. He was gone all summer working at a Bible camp so these are just now getting done. I decided to go with a mixture of digital and card stock, but to keep it simple. I designed the front with the MDS (My Digital Studio). I included a picture from graduation, preaching the message at the program and one from his open house. I used the color combination of Kraft and Bravo Burgundy on the page so decided to use it as my backing for the card. I ran the Kraft card stock through my printer using the colors the co-ordinate to put the sentiment on the back. Now I have to mail them off to him at college so he can finish writing, signing and mailing...Anyway, I love all the aspects and easy use of the MDS and now that I can Digi-scrap with SU you will be seeing more of my scrap book pages on here :)

Red Birthday

Well, after 15 states in 11 days (I had projects pre-posted for that) being home for 3 days and then leaving again for Labor day weekend, I am finally home! Things may be slower than usual here on the stamping front since we started home school on Tuesday. Since we took our #2 son to college I have no extra drivers in the house so I get to run to band and sports practices for my 13 yr old with my 7,8,& 9 in tow..so please bare with me!

For today's card I went to one of the challenges on SCS. It was to use red. Since I hardly touch the Bold Brights (and I find red the easiest of those to use) I decided to jump right in. I recieved my Holiday Mini order yesterday and had to play with some of my new toys. I got the Movers and Shapers Die for $10 after placing a $250 hostess order. I wanted it since it first came out but struggled with paying the $45 for it. I am so glad we have this special running right now. I just had to play with it! I love the Night and Day Speciality paper in the mini and it goes great with red, so I go t2 new things in.

I used the die to cut both the card base and the designer paper. I then used my paper scissors to cut away the perforated parts on the designer paper.

When using the die you also get the part that was cut out of the card so I used it as the background behind my sentiment. To give dimension I stamped the sentiment in Real Red and then ran the wide part of my marker around the outside edge. I put the Medallion Background on the inside as well as on the outside to bring it all together. I will also put it on the envelope so all will match.

Stamps: Medallion Background, Four Square

Paper: Real Red, Whisper White, Night & Day Specialty Paper

Ink: Real Red, Basic Black Marker

Accessories: Big Shot, Movers & Shapers Curly Label Die, Curly Label Punch, Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon

Gobble Gobble

No it is not Thanksgiving already. I make the cards every year to go with the baskets we give our Senior Saints and Shut ins in our church. I just wanted to get a head start and I have been so wanting to try this little Turkey from Gobble Gobble (in the new Mini) with the Medallion Background Stamp. These colors are great for fall so I want to use use use them while I still can. I kept them pretty simple as I do have to make quite a few and some years others, who are not always stampers, offer to help and I do not want them to be too complicated.

Stamps: Gobble Gobble, Medallion Background

Paper: Soft Suede, Dusty Durango, Naturals Ivory

Ink: Soft Suede, Dusty Durango

Accessories: Big Shot, Top Note Die, 1-3/4" Circle Punch, Curly Label Punch, Modern Label Punch, Very Vanilla Taffeta Ribbon

Red Medallion

So here is another card made with the Medallion. I saw one similar to this in the SCS gallery and thought what a great simple card. So I decided to case this card with my own little challenge. If you are a regular to my blog you can tell I seem to live in the earth elements family. So my challenge to myself was to use a color in the Bold Bright family. When I figured out the card I was going to make and my personal challenge I went through my Rhinestone brads to see what color I had to fit the challenge and red won. Since I was also in the need of a birthday card for a friend I decided to use black as an accent color. I have not yet used my curly Label punch so that was one thing that drew me to this card.

Stamps: Medallion Background, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Paper: Real Red, Basic Black, Whisper White

Ink: Real Red, Basic Black

Accessories: Red Gingham Ribbon, Red Circle Fire Rhinestone Brad, Filagree Designer Brad, Small Oval Punch, Large Oval Punch, Curly Label Punch

Bermuda Medallion

My second card with the Medallion Background. Ok, I am convinced that I will definitely get my moneys worth from this stamp! I was very pleased when I lined it up and saw that it fit with my large Scallop circle die. I did stamp it twice and cut the circle out of the center to put on top of the Soft Suede. I stamped the Soft Suede again to put the center in the Build-a-Brad. I also tried the misting of the cardstock before running the Texturz Plate through the Big Shot so the impression would be a little more defined. Of course I could not go without sponging at least one thing so I went around the card front, oval behind the sentiment and the sentiment .

Stamps: A Little Birthday Cheer, Medallion Background

Paper: Soft Suede, Bermuda Bay, Whisper White

Ink: Soft Suede, Bermuda Bay

Accessories: Big Shot, Large Scallop Circle, 1/2" Circle Punch, Build-a-Brad, Jumbo Grommet, Large Oval Punch, Modern Label Punch, Perfect Details Texturz Plate

Rusty Medallion

So I had a day to play and I decided I was going to see what I could come up with in the time I had to create with my new Medallion background. So for the next few days you will get to see those :) To do the sentiment I used my Stamp-a-ma-jig to just off set the words just slightly. The ovals in Really Rust were punched twice to go behind the sentiment oval. I just did not want the layering to be that much bigger. Since I did so much sponging I thought it fit to sponge the edge of the very vanilla ribbon too. The re-enforcement on the tag was done with the 1/2" circle punch and my hand held circle punch. The sentiment is popped up with pop up glue dots.

Stamps: Sanded Background, Medallion Background, Teeny Tiny Wishes, En Francias Background,

Paper: Really Rust, Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip

Ink: Really Rust, Chocolate Chip

Accessories: Natural Hemp Twine, 1/2" Circle Punch, Hand held circle punch, Large Oval Punch, Modern Label Punch

Clipboard

Well, here is the clipboard that I told you about awhile back. I told you I had a young lady over to work on 4H projects for the fair and this is what the finished project looked like. Her mother just sent me the picture. I think it turned out great. majority of it is covered in Modge Podge to make it last longer. She stamped each month alternating colors to coordinate with the colors here. The ribbon is layered and then ruffled with glue dots. I do believe she sponged around the edges of the butterflies and the flower. The build-a-brad on the ribbon is a flower punched from the designer paper. The calendar was printed on Whisper White Cardstock from a calendar created in Microsoft Publisher.

Stamps: Inspired by Nature, En Francias Background

Paper: Whisper White, Regal Rose, Rose Red, Baja Breeze, Old Olive, Designer Paper

Ink: Rose Red, Baja Breeze

Accessories: Clipboard, Beautiful Butterflies Dies, Pearl Halves for Pretties Kit, Regal Rose 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon, Basic Black 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon, Build-a-Brad, Corner Rounder, Modge Podge, Top Note Die, Little Leaves Die, Daisey Flower Die, Post it pad

Katie's Album

When my son & daughter-in-law announced that we were going to be grandparents I found these cute little frames. They were $28 on sale for $9 and 50% off so I bought a pink one and a blue one. They had a little box in the back that holds a photo album. The whole front is under the glass. When they called to announced little (ok, not so little - 9lbs 20" long) Katie's arrival I got to work on this. She spent the first few weeks of her life in the NICU so this was the first picture I got of her via text message where she had her oxygen mask off and looking like things are improving.

Stamps: None

Paper: Green Galore, Basic Black, Regal Rose

Ink: None

Accessories: Naturally Serifs Alphabet Die, Daisey Flower Die

Katie's Name

This was made for my first grand-daughters room. She was born on the 31st of July.

Stamps: none

Paper: I do not recall the name of the retired Designer Paper, Chocolate Chip, Perfect Plum, Certainly Celery, Always Artichoke, Pale Plum

Ink: None

Accessories: Big Shot, Serifs Essentials Alphabet Die, Little Leaves Die, Daisey Flower Die, Chocolate Chip Corduroy Button, Pearls & Hat Pin from Pretties Kit, Double Stitched Chocolate Chip Ribbon, Elegant Eggplant Grosgrain Ribbon, Naturally Serif Sizzlit Die

Girl Build a Bear

Well, there is a story behind why I had to make this card. I usually give cards to the kids in our Home-school group for their birthdays. There is one young lady who always tells me that she cannot wait until her birthday so she can get one of my handmade cards. She is very close to us, my boys think of her as a sister. So this year for her birthday, last week, I went to the dollar store and bought her the ugliest card I could find. All she said was "Thank you for the card Mrs. Rip, I appreciate you thinking of me." So I had planned that when these dies came in I would make her a new card. So this one will go to her. The stems are just cut strips of cardstock. I chose the colors by the variety of flower brads I had.

Stamps: Beary Nice Wishes, Medallion Background

Paper: Pumpkin Pie, So Saffron, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip, Basic Black, Always Artichoke, Pretty in Pink, Pumpkin Pie Patterns Designer Paper,

Ink: So Saffron, Pumpkin Pie

Accessories: SU Bear Die, SU Beary Essentials Die, SU Beary Girl Die, Flower Brads, Pretty in Pink Taffeta Ribbon

Holiday Sketch

Yes, I know that it is August and yes, I know that it is 90°+ outside...I laid out my colors for my Christmas card this morning and when I saw the Sketch Challenge I just could not get them out of my head. The angel is embossed on gold on a window sheet which is held on by the Rhinestone brad in one corner and a glue dot under the ribbon in the other corner. I am still playing with some of my new stuff. I just got the Petals-A-Plenty Impressions Folder and that was another reason to make this card...I got to use that :) It was a hard one to photograph! It is much prettier in real life!

Stamps: Holy Triptych

Paper: Ruby Red, Always Artichoke, Certainly Celery

Ink: VersaMark

Accessories: Always Artichoke Grosgrain, Window Sheet, Gold Embossing Powder, Square Fire Rhinestone Brads, Big Shot, Naturally Serif Alphabet Die, Petals-A-Plenty Impressions Folder

Boy Build a Bear

These Build a Bear dies from Stampin' Up! came in my Demo pre-order yesterday. I had to wait a whole day to play with them! I have had the Medallion Background stamp on my wish list since I first saw in and just had to add it to this order. A challenge today on SCS was to use bleach. Since I only had time to make one card today and I wanted to use the medallion and the dies I decided to do them together.

I did quite a bit of sponging around the bears clothes and the card base. The string I used to hang the sign and the shoe strings are both actually made of very thin cut cardstock. The sign is stuck on with a pop up glue dot. The sign is punched twice to give it a shaded look on the bottom.

Stamps: Sanded Background, Medallion Background, Beary Nice Wishes

Paper: Bordering Blue, Ballet Blue, Close to Cocoa, Basic Black, Very Vanilla, Night of Navy, Bashful Blue Patterns Designer Paper, Chocolate Chip

Ink: Bleach, Ballet Blue, Night of Navy

Accessories: Top Note Die, Piercing tool, mat pack, Modern Label Punch, SU Bear Die, SU Beary Essentials Die, SU Beary Boy Die

Rich Razzleberry

This is probably my favorite In Color this year. have I said yet how much I LOVE the fact that we have In Color Markers?!?! I stamped both images in the Melon Mambo and used the Rich Razzleberry to accent them. I used the new Perfect Details Texturz plate (only $3.95 for 2 designs) to do the embossing on the lower panel

I just realized I never got around to completing my card details with the proper materials. Sorry to those who thought I had lost my mind in my copy and paste world. ;)

Stamps: Birthday Bliss

Paper: Rich Razzleberry, Basic Black, Very Vanilla, Melon Mambo

Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Melon Mambo

Accessories: Big Shot, Perfect Details Texturz Plate, Piercing tool and mat pack, Vanilla Hodge Podge Hardware

Man's Birthday

I needed a man's birthday card for my next stamp night. I love this set for making masculine cards. I wanted to use the grommets and thought they would go great with the build-a-brads. I sponged around the edges of the Soft Suede card base and the Crushed Curry card front. I love the mini clips and how cute the are with the tag punches. I stamped the wheat in Crushed Curry and went over the parts I wanted with the Soft Suede marker. I did the same with the Happy Birthday...have I said how much I love having the markers in the In Colors!

Stamps: Sanded Background, Autumn Days, Four Squares

Paper: Soft Suede, Crushed Curry, Whisper White

Ink: Soft Suede, Crushed Curry

Accessories: Build a Brad, Jumbo Grommets, Mini Library Clip, Large Tag Punch, Small Tag Punch

Student Driver

One of my very dearest friend's Oldest son got his driver's permit recently. This was the card that I made him as a congratulations. he got a great kick out of it. He was the first person that was allowed to go with us after my #2 son got his permit. It was a learning experience for all of us :). I wanted to do the tree embossed but it was one of those lovely days when our electricity was out for a few hours and I was limited in my creating time. Ijust had to use some of the new colors, since I just received them at the time I had made this card. I sooo appreciate that we can get the markers in the In Colors now!!!!

Stamps: Sanded Background, Lovely As a Tree, Loads of Love, Four Square, Retired Making Tracks Wheel

Paper: Soft Suede, Crushed Curry, Dusty Durango, Very Vanilla

Ink: Soft Suede, Crushed Curry, Dusty Durango, Old Olive, Bashful Blue, Basic Grey, Going Grey

Accessories: Large Tag Punch, Small Tag Punch, Crop-a-dile, Brass Eyelet, Natural Hemp Twine, Ticket Corner Punch, Cutter Kit for distessing

Egg Plant Butterflies

I have a workshop next week and thought this might be a good card for a make and take. One of my close friends loves purple and butterflies so I think she will like this card. I so wanted to try the butterfly punch to go with this Flight of the butterfly stamp set. I am loving this Modern Label Punch...but I love all the punches, don't I? I so am getting my money's worth out of my Teeny Tiny Wishes. It has soooo many sayings and they fit perfect in the smaller punches I like to use. As you can tell I am really getting into layering my punches for the salutations.

Stamps: Inspired by Nature, Teeny Tiny Wishes, Flight of the Butterfly

Paper: Eggplant Envy, Lavender Lace, Old Olive, Very Vanilla

Ink: Old Olive, Lavender Lace, Eggplant Envy

Accessories: Wide Oval Punch, Scalloped Edge Punch, Modern Label Punch, Word Window Punch, Butterfly Punch, Eggplant Envy Ric Rac from the Ribbon Originals-Orchard