Dear Friend

Boy, how things work out! When I went to bed last night I thought about making a pink card. I had no stamp sets or ideas in mind, I was just in a pink mood. So when I saw the color challenge this morning I about fainted. It was to use Pink Pirouette, Basic Black and White. I wanted something soft and pretty. My daughter has a birthday party for one of her best friends this weekend so I wanted a card for her. This little girl reminds me so much of Shelby and Hannah, when they actually do stand still that is....

I wanted a deep black image on the Pink Pirouette ribbon and the black ink just was not black enough. So I wheeled the image on the ribbon with versamark ink and embossed with Black Embossing powder. Since we do not have Craft ink in the In Colors I stamped with the Pink Pirouette and then used the Stamp-a-ma-jig to stamp over it with the Versamark so I could emboss with clear embossing powder. I then sponged around the edge of the image. This set is not in the catalog but is on the dormant list so it is still able to be ordered.

This was an idea I had that is funny now but was not at all fun...I wanted to use my Rub-ons since I tend to hoard them, but know I have to use them. I put the image on the cardstock and found the punch I wanted to use. I punched the section out and the punched section slid right into the head of the punch. Can you believe that???? This really steamed me since there is only one of those in that color on the sheet! So I shook and tapped and prayed and nothing. My son came in to ask me to check his Bible test and I told him what happened. I shook it to let him hear it was in there and squeezed the trigger and it flew out. So I was able to finish the card. I sponged a bit of black around the edge of the oval pink. Ipopped up the sentiment with a pop up glue dot.

Stamps: Bella's Border Wheel, Summer by the Sea

Paper: Pink Pirouette, Basic Black, Whisper White

Ink: VersaMark, Pink Pirouette

Accessories: Pink Pirouette 1 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon, Black Embossing Powder. Crystal Clear Embossing Powder, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Large Oval, Small Oval, Chateau Bella Rub-Ons

Harvest

This was for the Try a New Technique Challenge. I had never tried an accordion card before. I thought this would be fun. This card took me forever to finish. Of course this is not even the idea I had when I started. I was going to do something with my die cut bird. So it just kept building and building. It was hard to get a good angle. The camera just cannot see what the eye can...

Now I need to figure out where this card is going. I have been trying to only make things that have a destination. I have soooo many cards yet to send and am so far behind. I suppose it would be good to send to someone in the family we will not get to spend Thanksgiving with or as a Thank you to a family who shares quite a bit of their garden harvest with us.

Stamps: Lovely as a Tree, Loads of Love, Loads of Love Accessories

Paper: Kraft, DSP Hostess Pack, Pumpkin Pie, Very Vanilla

Ink: So Saffron, Pumpkin Pie, Brocade Blue, Always Artichoke, Basic Brown, Basic Gray, Tangerine Tango

Accessories: Sponges, Aquapainters, Double Stitched Chocolate Chip Grosgrain, Always Artichoke Grosgrain, Silver Hodge Podge Hardware, Big Shot, Top Note

Wonderful Friend

I was not happy with yesterday's card. It just did not match my friend's personality. So before I left for our Ladies Night Out Supper I threw this one together. I even made a matching gift bag, which I forgot to photograph. I found the card at In Stamping Mode and just had to make it. I loved the way the ribbons looked! I double stamped the words using the Stamp-a-ma-jig.

Stamps: Wonderful Favorites

Paper: Kiwi Kiss, Tangerine Tango, Haiku,Very Vanilla

Ink: More Mustard, Tangerine Tango, Kiwi Kiss

Accessories: Kiwi Kiss/Very Vanilla 3/8" Satin Ribbon

Have a Wonderful Weekend!!

Happy Birthday Lisa

Today was the Ways to use it Challenge and the challenge was to use Monograms. I have never found someone to give a monogrammed card to so I thought I would do a birthday card. Tonight a few of us girls are taking a friend out for her birthday. So I tried to use this challenge to make her card. I started out by adhering the Designer paper to the chipboard before I ran it through the Big Shot. I did some sponging around the edging of the letters. I tried to add some dimension by crimping the back ground. I saw the tab somewhere but cannot remember which blog it was. She had taken the square punch and just trimmed the edges. The last time I used a stamp that just said HB no one could figure out it stood for Happy Birthday so I decided to stamp the actual words on the letters. I added the faux stitching on the left side to accent the stitching on the ribbon.

Stamps: So Swirly Jumbo Wheel, Everyday Flexible Phrases

Paper: Bravo Burgundy, Parisian Summer, Pink Pirouette, Chipboard

Ink: Bravo Burgundy

Accessories: White Gel Pen, Piercing template, Big Shot, Serif Essentials, Ticket Corner Punch, Scallop Square Punch, Pearl Halves from the Pretties Kit, 1-1/4" Pink Pirouette Grosgrain Ribbon, 1" Chocolate Chip Double Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon, 5/8" Bravo Burgundy Grosgrain Ribbon

Wisemen Sketch

Well, it is getting cold but not enough to think about Christmas...I saw the Sketch challenge this morning and thought this set was just perfect to fit it. I did lots and lots of sponging around almost every side. I have seen the ribbon done this way before and have never gotten around to trying it. It was soo easy. You just find a center thread and keep pulling until you get the gathering you want. Wednesdays are my busiest day of the week, but I just had to take time to do the challenge and share it with you!

Stamps: So Swirly Jumbo Wheel, Season of Simple Grace, Holiday & Wishes

Paper: Tangerine Tango, Chocolate Chip, More Mustard, Very Vanilla, Haiku

Ink: Very Vanilla Craft, More Mustard, Chocolate Chip

Accessories: Chocolate Chip Taffeta Ribbon

Thanksgiving

Every year our church puts together Thanksgiving baskets for the elderly (our Senior Saints) and the shut ins that we minister to. I volunteer to make cards from the church for the baskets. I've learned not to rely on my health and I hate procrastination so I wanted to get to them right away. I decided this year not to make the cards the same but to make a variety of them. I kept them simple this year, as last year I did not and made over 70 of them. SO here are my 3" x 3"cards for this year.

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Stamps: Pocket Silhouettes, Sanded Background, Bella's Border Wheel

Paper: Tangerine Tango, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White

Ink: Tangerine Tango, Chocolate Chip

Accessories: Scallop Square Punch,3/4" Square Punch

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Stamps: Pocket Silhouettes

Paper: Not Quite Navy, Whisper White

Ink: Not Quite Navy

Accessories: Bashful Blue Grosgrain Ribbon

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Stamps: Pockets Silhouettes

Paper: Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White

Ink: Old Olive, Chocolate Chip

Accessories: Wide Oval Punch, Double Circle Punch

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Stamps: Pocket Silhouettes, Holidays & Wishes

Paper: More Mustard, Chocolate Chip, Baja Breeze, Whisper White

Ink: More Mustard, Chocolate Chip, Baja Breeze

Accessories: Wide Oval Punch, Key Tag Punch

Owl Treat Bag

Well, here is the last project for my stamp night. This is not my original idea. I have seen it so many places I do not know who the original creator may be. If you know please inform me so I can give credit where it is due! What a fabulous idea it is and soooo simple! I just filled it with what I happened to have around. I'm sure I will find some candy (other than sugar free) to fill it with.

Stamps: None

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Tango Tangerine, Whisper White, Basic Black

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Always Artichoke

Accessories: Big Shot, Top Note Die, Scallop Circle Punch, 1" Circle Punch, 1/2" Circle Punch, White Watercolor Wonder Crayons, Paper Scissors

Triple Winded

So the day is not over yet. I vowed that I would not stamp until I got all of my chores done today. That was a hard one!!!! So I went ahead and combined three of this weeks challenges. The color combo I got from sitting in a doctor's office. It seems like between my DH (torn rotator cuff) and myself we are at the doctor at least twice a week. They are really getting some great colors and I have been writing them down!
Sketch Challenge

Ways to Use it Challenge The challenge was to use a quote. I very rarely use the words from the set so this was a good challenge for me.

Limited Supplies Challenge This challenge was to use no embellishments but paper. When I showed my sons and explained the challenges my 17 yr old said "But Mom, you used buttons..." and my 13 yr old said, "Those are paper buttons, but what about the strings?" I cut the card stock very very thin and made my own string. They were both surprised on how real they looked.

This was hard to get a good picture of. The So Saffron is the part that opens and the More Mustard is a single sheet layered behind it. So it just would not stand (or sit) straight...

This was a lot of fun to do. I love the challenges but do not always have the time to participate. Have a great weekend!!

Stamps: Winds of Grace, Twill Background

Paper: More Mustard, So Saffron, Pacific Point, Baja Breeze, Always Artichoke, Mellow Moss

Ink: Pacific Point, More Mustard, Always Artichoke

Accessories: Big Shot, Mat Pack and Piercing tool, Buttons Die

Long Sihouettes

Well, here is the second card for my October stamp night. I ordered these envelopes by accident so I planned on purposely designing a card that could go with the long Kraft envelopes. So I get an idea and get to work. I finish the card and go to put it in my project box (I set aside one for each project planned), only then do I remember that the envelope is not the same size as the regular invitation envelopes...So I begin again and measured the envelope first! This is the same concept, I just had to put the elements on top of the ribbon instead of above it. I sponged Always Artichoke around the edge of the card front. The image rectangles are 1" x 2" before matting.

Stamps: Stitched Background, Pocket Silhouettes

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Always Artichoke, Very Vanilla, Kraft

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Always Artichoke

Accessories: Small Oval Punch, Word Window Punch, Chocolate Chip Double Stitched Ribbon, Kraft Small Open Ended Envelopes

Kiwi Train

Boy, am I running late today. I had a short doctor visit this morning that lasted over 2- 1/2 hours. So everything else got pushed back. Today I really wanted to get my cards designed for my October Stamp night. Well, I had the ideas in my head and written down on paper but I just had to take the time to do them. This will be one of the easy cards we do that night. I found by sponging around the edge of the Top Not Die you got color and dimension without having to cut and layer. I love this Double Sided Satin Ribbon! I stamped the image in the Kiwi Kiss and rolled the edges (could be done with a marker too) in the ink pad. If you have any questions feel free to ask in a comment or e-mail!

Stamps: Think Happy Thoughts, Happiness is a Journey, Sanded Background

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Kiwi Kiss, Very Vanilla, Haiku Designer Paper

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Kiwi Kiss

Accessories: Big Shot, Top Note Die, Build--Brad, Kiwi Kiss/Very Vanilla Double Sided Satin Ribbon, Horizontal Slot Punch, 1-1/4" Circle Punch, 1-3/8" Circle Punch, 1/2"Circle Punch

Mixed Up Silhouettes

So I actually got to do a Color Challenge today. I love these colors. I think one of my boys would live in brown and blues if he had his way. I used the cutter tool to rough up the edges. I used the mat pack and piercing tool to do the piercing along the bottom. I wanted more to the ribbon so I added the Chateau Bella Rub-ons (the same one I put on my glasses) to the center of the ribbon. I figured since I had randomly stamped the flowers that I should carry that over to the sentiment. Have a great day, off to take the kids to the dentist!

Stamps: Pocket Silhouette, Hugs & Wishes

Paper: Really Rust, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Really Rust, Baja Breeze

Accessories: Cutter Kit, Wide Oval Punch, Key Tag Punch, Baja Breeze Double Stitched Ribbon

Fall Sky

Well, busy-ness worked to my advantage today! I had planned on getting up and making this card for someone for their birthday this week. This is one of their favorite sets and the trees outside are looking wonderful so I had this all planned. So something came up this morning that pushed my stamp time back until after lunch which was perfect because in that time UPS came with my Top Note Die for my Big Shot. I think it made this card so much easier. I used my brayer for the sky and grass. I did a lot of sponging to get more colors where I wanted. I also used the aqua pens (on sale starting Wednesday) to accent the grass line under the trees. Off to unpack my new toys and start planning my Christmas Cards....

Stamps: Lovely As a Tree, Short & Sweet, So Swirly Jumbo Wheel

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Tangerine Tango, Whisper White, Kiwi Kiss

Ink: So Saffron, Chocolate Chip, Tangerine Tango, Kiwi Kiss, Riding Hood Red

Accessories: Big Shot, Top Note Die, Small Oval, Large Oval, Brayer

Bella Border

I bought the Bella Wheel a while back and have not yet found a card to use it on. Well, today that was my own personal challenge. I rolled the wheel and then scalloped the edge. I then did the cracked glass technique. The bow is actually 4 pieces. The long piece goes around the white Cardstock top. I then made the bow loop and wrapped another piece around it. The tail is just folded in half and glued to the back. Well, I hope you have a nice weekend. Off to do those pesky household chores!

Stamps: Short & Sweet, Bella's Border Wheel, Fresh Cuts

Paper: Not Quite Navy, Whisper White, Real Red, Not Quite Navy Print Pack DSP

Ink: Real Red, Not Quite Navy, VersaMark

Accessories: Scallop Circle Punch, 1" Circle Punch, 1 1/4" Circle Punch, Scallop Edge Punch, Glassy Glaze Embossing Powder, Real Read Wide Grosgrain, White Gel Pen, Spiral Punch

Techniques: Cracked Glass

Happy Journey

So toady I went and grabbed another Sketch Challenge. Thankfully I just had to go back to yesterday. :) I was blog surfing this morning before I got my lazy bones out of bed...I ran across this color combo and just had to apply it today.

I have numerous times changed the whole color of an element but I saw on a site somewhere that you can just change certain areas of the element. So I dabbed the brad in the So Saffron Craft ink and wiped off the raised areas. It stayed, no problems, in the indented sections. Usually the easy way to do the words in two colors would be to use the markers. Since the In Colors do not come in markers I just eyed it up on the pad and only inked the sections I wanted that color.

To do the multi-color image I stamped it in So Saffron first (I put the lightest color in the center for this reason) and then did each edge in the other color pads. I could not help myself....I sponged around the edges of everything with Chocolate Chip.

Stamps: Happiness is a Journey, Sanded Background, Think Happy Thoughts

Paper: So Saffron, Chocolate Chip, Pacific Point, Tangerine Tango, Very Vanilla

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Pacific Point, Tangerine Tango, So Saffron

Accessories: Designer Circle Brads, Chocolate Chip Taffeta Ribbon, Designer Label Punch, 1 1/4" & 1 3/8" Circle Punches

Get Well Monkey

So today I needed to make a Get Well card for a young lady who had surgery on her ankle. She is not a "girly girl" so I thought the Sock Monkey would be a good choice of sets. I decided to make a cast for the little monkey's leg. I just cut out the leg like usual and traced it just a smidge bigger. I drew lines on it and sponged around the edge of the cast. I of course had to use the Big shot and the Naturally Serif Alphabet Die to make the Get Well.

Stamps: Sock Monkey, Twill Background

Paper: Riding Hood Red, Chocolate Chip, Kiwi Kiss, Very Vanilla, Sahara Sand

Ink: Choloate Chip, Riding Hood Red, Basic Gray

Accessories:Big Shot, Naturally Serif Alphabet Die, Photo Corner Punch, 1" Chocolate Chip Double Stitch Grosgrain, Kiwi Kiss Satin Ribbon

My Glasses

Well, since today we have numerous doctor appointments I thought I would share with you what I have done to my glasses. I have had these for over year now and loved them when I first got them but I started getting bored with them a few month ago. I started by putting some small rub-ons from the last catalog. Of course I have to keep current :) (plus I am rough on them and after a few months they started wearing off) so I decided to go a little bolder. I got so many complements on them. So many people asked me if I got new glasses and how much they liked them. So I thought I would share with you another way to use the rub-ons!

Project Details:
Chateau Bella Rub-Ons

T-Rex Thank You

So for today's card I went and randomly grabbed a Sketch challenge number. Since I had 2 sons have birthday's last week I have lots of Thank you cards to make. This is the first card in a very long time that I am happy with. When I went to layer the pterodactyl the circle punch I grabbed was too big. So I decided to trim it down by running it through the Big Shot, nope I could not go a day without using it.... I am loving the new In Colors, especially the Kiwi Kiss and the Tangerine Tango. No, I did not step out and use a non-Stampin' Up product to do the Scallop Rectangles. I've seen people attaching a few of the squares together and making the size they wanted so I decided to do this. Each of the dino rectangles are 2" x 3" so I ened up using 6 Scallop squares for each. Boy did my Stamp-a-ma-jig come in handy for this card!

Stamps: Prehistoric Pals, Think Happy Thoughts

Paper: Kiwi Kiss, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla

Ink: Kiwi Kiss, Tangerine Tango, Chocolate Chip, More Mustard

Accessories: Big Shot, 1 1/4" & 1 3/8" Circle Pinches, Scallop Square Punch