Manly Deer

I was asked a month ago if I would be willing to donate 30 cards for 3 door prizes for a ladies retreat our church ladies are going on.  Well, things got busy and my deadline closed in on me.  So I turned to the  Splitcoast gallery to find some ideas.  After I made it I went looking for the source so that I could give credit for the original and I found I had made a card from something that someone else had already credited as a CASE.  So I had to step back further to find the original and here it is.  I wanted a simple, quick, masculine card and this fit exactly what I was looking for.  Of course every edge was sponged on this one ;)

Stamps: Natures Silhouettes, Sanded Background

Paper: Soft Suede, Basic Black, Whisper White

Ink: Soft Suede

Accessories: Big Shot, Wood Grain Texturz Plate

Sketch Avenue

Sorry that I was a bad blogger, lat week's schedule was crazy and even thought I had time to stamp (had to fill some orders) I did not have time to post. So I was determined to get this week's Sketch Challenge done today.  Even though I am a little behind, I still got it complete!  I used this color combo last week on one of my orders (which you will see later) and loved it so when I saw this challenge I thought I would try to use it again.  I am not much of a painter but once this card starting to come together I knew I was just going to have to bite the bullet and do it.  I find it so much easier to paint when the outline in raised so I started out by embossing it (another thing I have not done in a very long time.  To do my design on the top layer background I randomly stamped the flower in Elegant Eggplant, Pale Plum and Whisper White Craft Ink.  I used the Ric Rac Eggplant ribbon from the Orchard Ribbon Originals pack.  I used my circle cutter to cut my circles, another thing I forget to grab and use.  Off to pick the kid up from wrestling practice....oh and on a personal note my 14 yr old son made it to State this year in wrestling.  He is a first place regional champ for his weight bracket!

Stamps: Fifth Avenue Floral

Paper: Sahara Sand, Basic Black, Elegant Eggplant

Ink: Elegant Eggplant, So Saffron, Versa Mark, Whisper White Craft

Accessories: Black Embossing Powder, Ric Rac Eggplant ribbon from the Orchard Ribbon Originals pack, Circle Cutter, Big Shot, Fifth Avenue Floral Impression Folder

Purse Card

I saw this layout somewhere while I was blog hopping and just had to do it.  Do you think I can remember where I found it....nope.  This went to one of my friends for her birthday.  I know she loves purses and I thought this layout looked like it could be a purse. I printed the paper from MDS and sponged around the edges.  The sentiment was colored with the markers before I stamped it.

Have a Great Weekend!

Card Details:

Stamps: Birthday Bliss

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Bashful Blue, Designer Papers printed from MDS

Ink: Bashful Blue, Chocolate Chip

Accessories: Circle Cutter, Chocolate Chip Corduroy Button, Chocolate Chip Wide Grosgrain Ribbon, Ribbon Slide from the Hodge Podge hardware kit

Sketch Bloom

 

This card is so pretty in real life. I need to really work on my photography.  I just cannot get a good picture. I woke up this morning wondering what the sketch challenge looked like.  I made myself get totally ready and chores done for the day before I even looked.  I knew right away what I wanted to do. I love how the ribbon matches the card stock sooo well.  It is one of the things that drew me to SU and has kept me with them.  So I chose my colors by what ribbons I had that went together.

Card Details:

Stamps: Bella's Bloom

Paper: Pretty in Pink, Basic Black, Whisper White, Elegant Eggplant, Night of Navy

Ink: Always Artichoke, Pretty in Pink, Elegant Eggplant, Night of Navy

Accessories: Grosgrain Ribbons: Always Artichoke, Pretty in Pink, Elegant Eggplant, Night of Navy, Piericing tool and Mat pack, Big Shot, Finial Press Embossing Folder

Winter Window

This card was lost in the shuffle of the holidays.  I was going through my card picture file and found this card I had made for my Dad for his birthday.  The tree and the bird were stamped on a Whisper White card stock,  I stamped the snowflakes on a window sheet.  Boy did I have fun cutting the trim for my window.  I wanted to make sure everything lined up perfect.  If I remember right it only took me two times to get it right.

Card Details:

Stamps: Season of Friendship

Paper: Chocolate Chip,Whisper White Craft ink

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Ruby Red, Bashful Blue-Sponged

Accessories:Small Oval Punch, Large Oval Punch, Circle Punch (for moon), ribbon

Sketch Roses

 

Boy did I have fun with this sketch it has sooo many ways you can use it.  I was playing with how to make a mock ribbon with the Pinking Hearts Boarder Punch the other day so when I saw this sketch today I was very pleased that I could apply it. It was fun seeing how far I could take the angle cuts back and forth without going to far.

Card Details:

Stamps: Well Scripted

Paper: Real Red, Whisper White, Basic Black, Garden Green

Ink: Real Red

Accessories: Big Shot, Build-a-Bear Bearly Lovely Die, Finial Press Embossing Folder, Corner Rounder, Pinking Hearts Border Punch

Happy Puppy Birthday

We had a birthday party to attend for a little boy last weekend and I wanted to make him a very fun card.  So after about 20 remakes this is what I finally settled with (and yes, this is the card that the Build-a-bear from Wednesday's post was originally cut for).  I got the puppy idea from Jackie's Blog.  I did change up the eyes to fit how I wanted them to.  If you ever want great punch art inspiration that is the place to go! The background is a wheel.  Do you even know how long it has been since I used a wheel?  They got put in the background and when I can't see them they do not get used.  So now they have a new home and we will see if that helps.  The gifts are just square punches with thin card stock crossed on them.  To do the bows I punched with the small oval and then the large, cut them in half and offset them behind the gift.

Card Details

Stamps: Tiny Tags, Teeny Tiny Wishes, Spot On Jumbo Wheel

Paper: Certainly Celery, Old Olive, Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Basic Black, Real Red, Old Olive Print Patterns

Ink: Old Olive

Accessories: Big Shot, Movers and Shapers Die, Large Oval Punch, Small Oval Punch, Gold Elastic Cord, Word Window Punch, Wide Oval Punch, 5 Petal Punch, Crop-a-Dile (punches), Library Clip, Modern Label Punch

Sketch Challenge Bear

So today was another Sketch challenge day and I am trying to do more of them.  I love to be see all of the different ideas that can come from one sketch.  If you have completed this sketch I would love to see what you have done with it.  I kind of took it out of the box and did with it what I saw.  I had cut out this little bear to go an a birthday card you will see later and it just did not fit in as the card progressed.  So he sat on my shelf just begging to be put on a card for the last week, today was his day to shine. To do the sentiment I stamped in the Real Red and then rolled the edges in the Basic Black.

Card Details

Stamps: Four Square

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Basic Black, Real Red, Whisper White, Close to Cocoa

Ink: Real Red, Basic Black

Accessories: Big Shot, Build-a-Bear Dies, Black Gingham Ribbon, 1-1/4" Square Punch, 1-3/8" Square Punch, Texture Plate

MDS Happy Birthday

 

Here is another fun card that I made in MDS and printed with the SU printer.  For the gifts I just added a square punch and designed with designer paper.  I edited and could move the paper around until I had the design I wanted showing int he punch.  I then added some drop shadow to give them some pop.  Cards are simple to do in MDS.  I have not tried printing them at home yet, these turned out so nice and come with envelopes I do not know how mine would line up.

Sr. Saints Invite

I was asked to come up with a nice but simple invitation.  Our home school kids serve a special dinner once a year for the Senior Saints of our church.  They prepare the meal and this year will be putting on a program.  The teen girls will get together and make these invitations and then pass them out.  So this is the design I came up with this year. The butterflies are held on by mini glue dots and sprayed with Shimmer spray.

Card Details:

Stamps: Baroque Motifs

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Perfect Plum

Ink: Chocolate Chip

Accessories: Big Shot, Scallop Edge Border Punch,Champagne Shimmer Spray, Beautiful Wings Embosslit Die

Bloom Sketch

I wanted to do the sketch challenge so bad today, but it was a hard one for me. I do love the fact that I can print my designer paper out of MDS. We are on a budget fast for awhile in our household, as are many households, so this is a great way for me to try out new papers.  I colored the stamps wit the markers to get it how I wanted it.  I wanted more of a design then just the circle punches so I decided I would add the oval in the back.  I never tie the ribbon all the way around.  I always cut it long enough to go just around the edges and hold it on with glue dots.  I then tie a piece to the front.  That way it not only saves ribbon but I can side the tie to where ever I want it. This is the first use of this set.  I got t as one of my free SAB sets.  I do not know if you can see it or not but I did use the small flower randomly on the card base. Gasp, I just realized that I did no sponging....

Stamps: Bella's Bloom

Paper: Choclate Chip, Certainly Celery, So Saffron, MDS- Sweet Peas Designer Paper

Ink: So Saffron, Certainly Celery, Choclate Chip

Accessories: Wide Chocolate Chip Grosgrain, Pinking Hearts Border Punch, Finial Press Impresions Folder, 1" Circle Punch, 1-1/4" Circle Punch, Large Oval Punch

MDS Card

This is one of the cards I made in MDS and had printed at the SU printer to meet my requirements to get my MDS certification.  I placed the Medallion twice and then offset it to make it looked embossed.  I love how this card turned out so much I do not know if I will ever be able to send it out.  I do have a very close friend turning 50 very soon so this might be a good one for her.

You can even decorate the inside.

This was fun to do. At first I did it just to see what color I liked best but decided just to leave them all there.  To keep them lined up perfectly I just copy and pasted directly on top and then used the arrows to move it down and then changed the colors.

If you have any questions about any of ways I did any of the elements please ask!  I would love to know what you would like to see for the next tutorial!

Punch Love

I love, love,love punches!  I made this card on Wednesday and toyed with whether or not I was going to post it.  As much as I love this bird punch it is on back order until March.  I guess it was a bigger hit than what the supplier thought and they just did not get Stampin' Up! what they ordered (from what I heard).  I have had the Hi Embosslit since the catalog came out and just have not found the card I wanted to use it on but I thought it fit this layout great.

The bird is double punched and offset.  I also sponged around the edges to give it a bit more dimension.  I cut the HI twice and then punched out the center with the 1" circle punch and layered the wide oval punch behind it.  Used torn paper edge to do the clouds in the bashful blue along the top.

Card Details:

Stamps: Season of Friendship

Paper: Chocolate Chip,Old Olive, Bashful Blue, Whisper White

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Bashful Blue-Sponged

Accessories:Punches: Scallop Trim Border, 1" Circle, Wide Oval, Medium Jewelry Tag, Extra Large Two Step Bird, Perfect Polka Dots Impression Folder, Big Shot, Old Olive Grosgrain Ribbon, Hi Embosslit Die

Season of Friendship

 

This is one of the other cards I made for the dinner with my friends.  I have had this set for a bit now and have wanted to use it but the card always changed and the stamp no longer fit.  So today I was determined to use this set and make it work.  I actually used a sketch challenge when I made the card.  I made the card and was out the door so I never had a chance to post it.So now that I have found the picture I snapped quick I thought I would share it.

Card Details:

Stamps: Season of Friendship

Paper: Chocolate Chip,Old Olive, Real Red, Designer Paper: Red-Christmas Cocoa Specialty, Old Olive Patterns

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Real Red, Old Olive

Accessories:Punches: Scallop Trim Border, Modern Label, Curly Label, Dies: Modern Label, Curly Label, Perfect Polka Dots Impression Folder , Chocolate Chip Epoxy Brads, Whisper White Organza Ribbon, Big Shot

MDS Vintage Friends

So are you wondering how this card made it into MDS Monday? Well this week I found another reason why I love MDS. I was making some cards for my friends. We were going out for a late Christmas celebration and I did not want to include Christmas cards with their gifts so I decided to make Friend cards. As I am going along putting this card together in my head I found that I am very low in Designer paper in any of the colors I had in mind. So off I head to my MDS to find what I want to use. This is one of the papers out of the Sweet Peas set. I just printed a page out on Whisper White Cardstock and was ready to use it. I am sure that the flowers may be smaller here than in real life. They come in 12" x 12" and I printed just a section on an 8.5" 11".  I did get the Vintage Vogue set in the Clear mount and was surprised on how great they are to use.  I stamped the F in the Pale Plum and then used the Chocolate Chip marker to outline and color the word. I also had to use the new epoxy brads they are so great to use ans since Chocolate Chip is probably the color I use the most they go great!  Wow, I just noticed I just made a card without the Big Shot, so it can be done. ;)

Card Details:

Stamps: Vintage Vogue

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Pale Plum, MDS Designer Sweet Peas, Whisper White

Ink: Pale Plum, Chocolate Chip

Accessories: Pinking Hearts Border Punch, Corner Rounder Punch, Chocolate Chip Epoxy Brads, Whisper White Organza Ribbon

Butterfly Bookmark

I have been wanting to make one of these super sized bookmarks for a long time. I thought they would be a cute gift to hand out with thank you cards to teacher and so forth.  First I stamped a flourish and then ran the cardstock through the impression folder.  I adhered it to the chipboard with the Tombo Mono Multi glue.  After it had dried I ran them together through the Big Shot with the Beautiful Butterflies die. I punched a hole with my Crop-a-dile to put the rhinestone brad through.  Glued the back and front together with the jumbo paperclip in between.  I used E6000 glue to hold it all together.  They are great to add a heavy magnet on the back and use to hold notes on the refrigerator.  I sprayed them with Champagne Shimmer Spray to give them a sparkly shine. :)

Card Details:

Stamps: Baroque Motifs

Paper: Chip Board, Almost Amethyst

Ink: Lovely Lilac

Accessories: Finial Press Impression Folder, Big Shot, E6000, Jumbo Paperclip

Embossed Tree

This was a card that I designed a while back. The teen girls from our church put them all together. They handed them out with a handmade ornament to the elderly when we went caroling right before Christmas.  The trick to get the center flat is to make a template with the center cut out to go on the outside of the Impressions folder when you run it through the Big Shot.  I have heard of a few that have broke their Big shot by making the template too thick.  I made mine with thin Chipboard.  If it seems too tight do not put it through the machine.  I just kept trying mine until it went through tight but not hard.  We colored the Hollies in with markers.  The tree was stamped in Garden green and then we took the Chocolate Chip marker to do the trunk and a few branches. I am using the extras that I had cut for Thank You cards.  Have a great weekend!

Card Details:

Stamps: Lovely as a Tree

Paper: Very Vanilla, Ruby Red

Ink: Ruby Red, Chocolate Chip, Garden Green

Accessories:Chocolate Chip Taffeta Ribbon, Petals-a-Plenty Impression Folder, Big Shot

I Love...

Sorry that I did not get a MDS  post posted on Monday.  My schedule this week is just crazy.  I hope to be back to regular programing next week.  I made this card last week.  I got this set with my first SAB order and I just had to use it.  I colored the images with the markers and sponged across the top of the embossed card front.  I had fun playing with the corner punch and border punch!  I am also loving the new epoxy brads!

Card Details:

Stamps: Things I Love

Paper: Rich Razzleberry, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White

Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Chocolate Chip

Accessories: Chocolate Chip Grosgrain, Big Shot, Finial Press Impression Folder, Scallop Trim Corner Punch, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Ticket Corner Punch, 1-1/4" Square Punch, 1-3/8" Square Punch, Chocolate Chip 1/4" Sending Love Epoxy Brads

Robot Birthday

My son has to leave for a birthday party tonight so I had make a boys birthday card.  I love this set but just am not very good at coloring line stamps in.  So I took another avenue and did the Stamp emboss technique.  If you do not know how to do this technique let me know and I will try to put together a tutorial.  I have seen the other effect that I did on so many cards lately that I just had to give it a try and I love the way it turned out!  You just use your slit punch along the edge and fold it over.  I just put a lighter piece of cardstock behind it after I folder it over. I do not know if you can tell but I did use the Big Shot with the Harlequin plate for texture on the Big Bashful Blue background. Well, I better get this boy ready for his sleepover.  Wishing you all a great weekend!!

Card Details:

Stamps: Lots of Bots

Paper: Not Quite Navy, Bashful Blue

Ink: Not Quite Navy, Versa Mark

Accessories: Slit Punch, Silver Embossing powder, Circle Punches-3/4", 1", 1-1/4"

Felt Thank you

I actually had the time today to do one of the color challenges.  The colors were Chocolate Chip, Pretty in Pink and Rich Razzleberry.  I had those three colors sitting on my desk for hours this morning just walking past them while doing my chores trying to figure out how I wanted to use them.  I caught the Felt Sweet Pea kit sitting on my shelf out of the corner of my eye and it all just fell together.  I ran the sponge over the high points of the embossed spots to give more dimension.  I also sponged around the edges.  I did add the old Olive leaves so I hope I was not breaking and challenge rule, but they just needed that extra to be complete.  I tore one of the min glue dots in thirds to mount the mini butterflies.

Card Details

Stamps: En Francais, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Pretty in Pink, Rich Razzleberry

Ink: Rich Razzleberry

Accessories: Stitched Felt Sweet Pea, Embosslits Beautiful Wings, Medium Jewelry Tag, Mini Glue Dots, Final Press Embossing Folder