Rockin' Color Challenge

Hi Stampers and Happy Memorial Day!  I've been needing to get this card posted for a few days now!  I figured I better do it now before I have to go to work later....on a holiday...so sad:-)  Anyway this is a card for the Create With Connie & Mary Color Challenge 152.  As soon as I saw this I thought it was a funky combo and of course that means it would look great with grunge rock!  I've been in a stamping slump the past few days so I needed some inspiration!  I've also been busy helping my mom organize stuff for our big joint rummage sale...I have to say stamping is more fun, lol!  Anyway here is my card:

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps: Grunge Rock
Paper: Whisper white, baja breeze, riding hood red, peach parfait
Ink:  Same and markers
Accessories:  sizzix alphabet, scallop squares duo die, color spritzer


Sorry the picture is kind of crooked!  But since I'm in a hurry to run before I go to work it'll have to do!  Vaca is only a few weeks away so I have GOT to run today:-)  Lots and lots of distressing on this card!  Lots of spritzing with the color spritzer too!  Which, my hubby just came in my office and asked me what that odd looking tool was.  I showed him what it did and he thought it was really cool! It IS a cool tool and one that gets overlooked a lot!  I need to use it more!  It makes a great effect!  My background was stamped randomly, spritzed and crumpled up.  After I unfolded it I also tapped my ink pad right on it for more depth!.  Finally, I used my sizzix alphabet dies to make my sentiment.  I also stamped and spritzed them although it's hard to see in the photo.

Hopefully I can get some stamping done after work today as well since I get a sneak peek of the new 2011-2012 catalog tomorrow night...I've got a LOT of stamps I need to ink up before I get new ones, haha.  Hope you have a great holiday!  Happy stamping!

Red, white, & Blue

Hi stampers!  I had some time to stamp before work the other day so I went to work on a couple more challenges...yes, I'm obsessed with challenges as of late.  BUT they make it so easy to create.  You see, I don't feel like I'm that creative when left to my own devices....but put a color or sketch challenge in front of me and my brain kicks on!  So, I'm trying to case less and create more, on my own that is!  Anyway, I was checking out the Hand Stamped Sentiements theme challenge for the week and was shocked that when I looked there was only ONE entry so far!  (You can find the challenge HERE.)  Well, that just will not do!  So I got to work and came up with this card:

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  July Fourth (retired)
Paper:  Sahara sand, not quite navy, cherry cobbler, whisper white
Ink:  Versamark, not quite navy, cherry cobbler
Accessories:  Rhinestones, modern label and dotted ribbon punches, smooch sprays, gold and silver embossing powders, 3 inch circle die, scalloped circle die

The theme was Memorial Day of course so I busted out an old set from last year's Summer Mini catalog (that did NOT get inked up enough last year I might add).  I also tacked on the sketch challenge from The Paper Players this week too.  (And you can find that challenge HERE).  I decided to use this sketch because I thought the scalloped circle mimicked the fireworks theme I had going.  I also wanted it to be just a bit special so I added the gold and silver embossing and I sprayed the card base with gold and silver smooch spray to tie it together!  Hope you like it and hope everyone has a fun and safe long weekend (although SOME of us ie: me, have to work so it's really a normal 2 day weekend, hehe)!  And I hope you get some stamping time too!  Happy stamping!

Better late than never

Hi stampers!  So I had every intention of playing along with the color challenge #70 over on the Inkspirations Blog.  Well, time has a way of getting away from me PLUS add in the fact that I forgot that the blog goes by Australian time (oops) and by the time I got around to finishing my card today I knew it would be too late to enter.  BUT I wanted to play anyway as I really loved the color combo and I've been a little stuck for ideas this week.  So....here's what I came up with....

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Happy Greetings
Paper:  Very vanilla, sahara sand, perfect plum, blushing bride
Ink:  Sahara sand, perfect plum, blushing bride
Accessories:  Triple layer punches, dotted ribbon border punch, very vanilla taffeta ribbon, naturals brads, in color glimmer brads, rhinestones

Now, first off this is way outside the box for me in terms of the shape of the card!  I've never made a 6 x 3 card but I think I like it!  I'll need to get some envelopes though!  Anyway, this ended up looking a lot like the card that Carrie Gaskin's, who is on the design team, card.  I didn't really intend it to BUT I'd been thinking about using the triple layer punches on this challenge for a few days and trying a new type of card since these punches lend themselves well to it!  I did a lot of sponging for depth and I just had to add a glimmer brad and a rhinestone!  Anyway, I might have been a little late to the party this week but better late than never!  Happy stamping!

Where Oh Where is my Mojo?

Have you seen it?  Cuz I sure haven't!!!!  I didn't seem to get any stamping done on Sunday....and I've had a busy week so far...hope to be back tomorrow with something fun as I want to get a challenge done...if you see my Mojo, send it home will ya????

Grunge Rock!

Hi stampers!  I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning working on another challenge card.  As soon as I saw the Colour Q 85 challenge, I knew I wanted to play!  I NEVER would have come up with this combo but it's FABULOUS!

Anyway, I had been thinking for a few days about what I wanted to do with it though but I wasn't coming up with much...well then I sat down and looked at ALL my sets and I realized I had lots of options! Then I saw a new set sitting on my shelf!  Grunge Rock...I had just gotten it because it's another one of the sets that's on SALE in May for National Scrapbooking Month.  It was sitting there just asking to get inky!  I think this color combo is funky (just LOOK at that box!) and this set is funky too!  Now, I have to say that growing up in the early 90's the word grunge kind of makes me cringe....I was never into the "grunge" scene BUT I remember it well....and I remember it every time certain songs come on the 90's channel on my XM radio, haha.  So, I went to town with the grunge factor anyway!  LOTS of sponging and distressing.  And of course, my favorite embelly, glimmer brads!

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Grunge Rock
Paper, Sahara sand, peach parfait, whisper white, basic gray
Ink:  River rock (should have been sahara sand...oops), basic gray, peach parfait, chocolate chip
Accessories:  Circle punches, in color glimmer brads, gold smooch spray

Now, I have to confess, I kind of messed up last night...must be because it was so late...but I ended up stamping and sponging a bit with river rock instead of sahara sand, oops!  You can't tell too much but it made me mad when I realized this morning:-)  Maybe I'll re-do it if I get time!  And one more quick note...I hit the whole thing with the gold glow smooch spray when I was done!  It's really cool looking....

Thanks for looking!  Happy stamping and have a great weekend!

Tea-riffic!

Hi stampers!  So June is well on it's way...I can't believe that we are almost through with May!  So if April showers bring May flowers, what does May bring???  Well, besides the NEW 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog which I will have on June 2...how about Father's day?  It's quickly approaching so I had it in mind as soon as I saw the latest sketch challenge over at Create with Connie & Mary.  I knew I wanted to use Morning Cup for this card and since my dad and I love hot tea I thought this would be the perfect Father's Day card for him! 

I tried to keep the colors manly which is always a challenge for me and we all know I love ribbon but it doesn't exactly say masculine does it? :-)  Well we have the perfect solution now....the new baker's twine!  Very manly!  I'm also really liking river rock....I never got into it when it was an in-color but I have to say river rock...well...it rocks!!!  I was also going to use baja breeze but then I realized that I think marina mist was a bit more manly as well:-)

This sketch was fun and a little out of the box for me....and I kept pretty true to the sketch!  I hope you like it....I'm sure my dad will!  Maybe I should call him soon to set up a date for tea some morning at Panera!

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Morning Cup, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper:  River rock, crumb cake, marina mist, early espresso, watercolor
Ink:  Stazon, marina mist, river rock, early espresso, crumb cake
Accessories:  Modern label punch, circle punches, linen embossing folder, neutrals brads, baker's twine

Hoping to have ample time to create this weekend (fingers crossed) so I hope to have lots of goodies to show you in the near future!  Happy stamping!

One card, two challenges...again

Hi stampers!  So I'm on a roll with making cards for multiple challenges....I like to think of it as effective time management since there are SO many great challenges and I seem to have so little TIME to stamp!  :-)  Anyway, I have been itching to work on some cards for the Mojo Monday sketch and the Paper Players color challenge!  And I'm super happy that the Paper Players extended the challenge this week....I just did not have the time and or motivation over the weekend!  So, as soon as I saw BOTH of these challenges, I knew that the new nautical suite would be perfect for it!  And of course I had to incorporate Word Play which I just FINALLY got!  Don't forget it's on sale for the rest of the month!  It's such a cool set!  Anyway, on to the card!

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  The Open Sea, Word Play
Paper:  Very vanilla, early espresso, not quite navy, cherry cobbler, Nautical Expedition DSP
Ink:  Early espresso, not quite navy, cherry cobbler, markers
Accessories:  Linen embossing folder, scallop circle and circle punches, smooch sprays, EE striped grosgrain ribbon

Now, there is a LOT going on here!  First, I used the linen embossing folder on my NQN card base and then I not only sponged around the edges but took the pad directly to the paper to give it more dimension.  I also sprayed the base with the silver smooch spray.  The main panel is very vanilla that I stamped with the globe and compass images in early espresso that I stamped off one or two times randomly.  The sentiment was colored with my markers.  I then sponged and distressed the edges as well as lightly spraying it with the log cabin smooch spray and I really like how that turned out....I had to be careful to keep a light touch though!  The rest is pretty straight forward....and a lot more sponging!  I hope you like it and thanks to the challenge blogs for some great inspiration!  Happy stamping!

Video set up

Hey stampers!  I've had a few questions on how I shoot my videos so I finally remembered to take a picture.  I got a bendy tripod like this one here:

My plan was to put a floor lamp behind me and shoot over my shoulder, wrapping the tripod around the lamp but I realized that I could hook it onto the hutch over my desk and shoot that way.  When I edit the video I just flip it 180 degrees so it's "right side up". Now, please note that my camera is not in the photo...because I had to TAKE the photo with it, haha.  And by the way, I just use a plain old Cannon camera set to the video mode.  Maybe one day I'll get a cool flip camera or something!

Anyway, that's what I do.  It's a bendy type tripod I got at Target.  Won't work for you if you don't have a hutch but it's what I came up with!  See you soon!

Double dipping

Hi stampers...yet another challenge card here today...actually one card for TWO challenges.  I finally had some time to stamp last night but was having a hard time getting motivated and I knew there were a LOT of challenges I wanted to participate in this week so I decided to incorporate two into this one card, killing two birds with one stone....before I fell asleep because I knew I was tired and wasn't going to last long enough to make more than one card, lol!  So I used this week's sketch challenge over on the Inkspirations site and the color combo challenge over at Creat with Connie & Mary. 

I decided to use one of the sentiments from Word Play as I JUST got this set (it's on SALE right now until the end of May...the PERFECT time to get a rather pricey set for much less...see the May Scrapbooking special in my sidebar to the right for more info).  This card is actually for my best friend who just graduated with her Master's in reading! She's been working at it while working full time as a teach for a few year now and I'm so happy for her!

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  The Open Sea, Word Play
Paper:  Sahara sand, poppy parade, not quite navy, whisper white
Ink:  Sahara sand, not quite navy, poppy parade (ink and markers)
Accessories:  Linen embossing folder, circle punches, brads, poppy ribbon

I also combined the Open Sea set with Word Play for the card because I thought the sea theme and the compass went together well.  I love how well SU sets go together with each other!  I used the log (stamped off once in not quite navy) stamp and the globe stamp and compass stamp (also stamped off) to make the background.  The poppy parade panel was embossed with the linen embossing folder and I also sprayed it with the log cabin smooch spray for a bit of "weathering".  I also sprayed the background with silver smooch but it turned out kind of subtle.  I thought it might look like it got "wet" but it just adds a bit of shimmer.  It was a pretty simple card other than that.  I hope my friend likes it and I hope you do too!  Happy stamping!

Royal pain....

Hi stampers!  I have another challenge card today!  I loved the Colour Q challenge this week when I saw it but man, I had the hardest time coming up with this card and that's why I'm calling it a royal pain!  When I make a card I usually work on it until it's finished but I finally gave up the other night and went to bed and then finished it last night.  Not sure why I struggled but the layout gave me fits!  And I'm still not sure I love it...but it's what I got!  Take a look at these colors:

And I want that pillow by the way:-)  So, this combo just screams "manly" doesn't it???  I wasn't sure exactly where I was going with the card BUT I do know that I wanted to include some color spritzing, the linen embossing folder and one of my all time favorite but sadly retired stamp sets Pedaling Past (I'm trying to pull out old sets more often)!  Those are all manly thing right? :-)  As I've said before, I love this set so much because my dad had a bicycle built for two and we used to ride it a lot when I was little.  Good memories!  So obviously this card quickly became a Father's day card for him!  I have been on a CAS kick lately too so I kept the layout fairly simple....and that's manly right?  My hubby would say so...he's a minimalist (so of course my jam packed stamp studio freaks him out, lol).

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Pedaling Past (retired), teeny tiny wishes
Paper:  Crumb cake, not quite navy, old olive, daffodil delight, whisper white
Ink:  Not quite navy (ink and marker), old olive
Accessories:  Linen embossing folder, decorative label punch, modern label punch, wide oval punch, vintage trinkets, silver smooch spray, color spritzer

One quick little note about the main panel...after I embossed it I used my color spritzer with my not quite navy marker and gave it a little spritz and then sprayed a bit with the silver smooch spray....I thought for a while it was too girly but I think it just looks like pearlized paint on a bicycle...just adds a little more interest to the card.  I also layered the punches....again....I know.  And the sentiment has some of the button brads from out Vintage Trinkets.  I hope my dad likes it and it brings him fond memories of all the fun we used to have!  Thanks to the CQ challenge for the great color combo as well...now go play along yourself!  Happy stamping!

Blushing saffron celery?

Hi stampers!  I'm here with a card for this week's color challenge over on Splitcoast.  It's VERY springy...which by the way I guess we just totally decided to skip here in the Midwest seeing as it went from being about 50 or 60 to over NINETY DEGREES yesterday!  I'm pretty sure it was up there today too!  I do hope we get some days in the 70's!  A good friend of mine is getting married on Saturday and of course it's supposed to be back in the 60's...so I'll be cold in my sleeveless dress of course, haha. 

So onto the card....like the title of this post says the colors for the challenge were blushing bride, certainly celery, and so saffron.  I have a bit of trouble with pastel colors so this was a push for me!  BUT something I did know was that I wanted to use the flower frame image from Four Frames.  And then I dug out my presto patterns DSP which I totally forget about and NEED to use more often.  It's so cool!  It's like emboss resist without all the work, all you need to do is either sponge or brayer ink onto it and wipe it down.  Then you have a pretty resisted image.  The toile pattern worked well with my stamp here!  Something else that I've been toying around with lately is layering punches as well....I get on a kick and can't seem to stop so you're warned there are going to be a lot of clean and simple cards with layered punches coming your way, lol!  So, wanna see it?

 Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Four frames, fabulous phrases
Paper:  Whisper white, so saffron, certainly celery CS and DSP, presto patterns DSP
Ink:  Blushing bride, certainly celery, so saffron, staz on
Accessories:  Decorative label punch, lots of tags sizzlits, wide oval punch, gold & vanilla smooch spray, beautiful wings embosslit

And sadly, the best part you probably can't see:-(  After I applied the color to the presto paper I sprayed it down with both the gold and vanilla smooch shimmer spray.  The gold looks super pretty with the saffron! If you click the picture you may be able to see it better, if not, trust me, it's fab!!!!  I also layered a label die cut from lots of tags with the wide oval punch and some celery DSP.  The finishing touch is my butterflies from the Beautiful Wings embosslit in both celery DSP and saffron card stock.  I do wish I had added some ribbon or something but it's too late now:-)  Thanks to SCS for a fun color challenge and thanks to you for stopping by!  I'll be back soon with yet another challenge card:-)  Happy stamping!

Fun flower!

Hey stampers!  Quick post tonight as I need to head to bed!  But I wanted to share a card I made the other day!  I haven't had much time to create lately and I'm STUCK on a challenge card at the moment.  So, I'm taking a break...I watched some TV with the hubby and now I'm going to bed so I'll come back to it tomorrow evening and see if any magic happens:-)  Don't you hate it when you get stuck????  And I LOVE the color combo too.....so frustrating!  I didn't LOVE the other challenge card I completed tonight so maybe I'm just having an off week:-).  Anyway, I had no problem putting THIS card together:

 Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Ornate blossom, Four frames, You're a gem
Paper:  Peach parfait, whisper white, Greenhouse gala DSP
Ink:  Pear pizazz, basic black, peach parfait
Accessories:  Peach ribbon, decorative label punch

Isn't it just FAB?????  It's modern and clean yet retro at the same time.  I got that stamp a long time ago when the new catalog came out to use with Friends never fade and I can count on one hand the number of times I've used it!  And then I had this color combo sitting on my desk for WEEKS because I thought it would look great with the big ornate blossom stamp!  And then add in my fave Four Frames and one of my other favorite sets, You're A Gem (so sad it's retired now...maybe it will come back) and there you have it!  It is a super simple card but I really liked how it turned out!  Peach parfait is a great orange, so funky and bright!  I'm still trying to use up my DSP too!  So, I hope you liked it...I'll try to be back soon with some challenge cards when I get un-stuck!!!  Happy stamping!

I'm a color queen

...well maybe not but I am playing in the Colour Q Challenge tonight!  It's my first go with this site and I was excited to play along with color challenge #83!  I LOVE the bright bright colors for this challenge! 

Isn't it just bright and retro and fun!  I thought the On the Grow set and scooter would be perfect for this challenge and who doesn't want a turquoise scooter...especially with these gas prices, haha!??!!  So, here's my entry (please excuse the not so great pic, I don't like doing my photos at night but I have a class bright and early tomorrow morning, yuck....and then we will be going out of town so tonight it is)!

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps: On the grow
Paper: watercolor, tangerine tango, peach parfait & hostess DSP, daffodil delight, tempting turquoise, very vanilla
Ink:  staz on, various for watercoloring
Accessories:  Peach parfait ribbon, daffodil taffeta ribbon, in color glimmer brads, border punch

It's a pretty simple card but I think I like it!  I need to start layering ribbon more often I think.  And have I mentioned that I reeeeeaaaallllly hope the glimmer brads come back????  :-)  And now for just a tad of non-stamping chit chat:

Speaking of queens...my wonderful mother retired today after 39 (yeah, you read that right,  THIRTY NINE!!!!) years with the City of Decatur!  I'm so excited for her and so proud after seeing ALL of the people at her party today who are so sad to see their friend leave!  My mom is an amazing woman and that was just confirmed for me today!  I didn't get to spend much time with her before I had to go back to work but I watched for an HOUR as co-workers came to offer their congratulations!  I had the BEST time watching people light up when they talked to her!  I have to say I am a bit sad that she'll be moving away from me but I'm so happy for her to be moving back to her hometown and getting her dream house!  I may also be a tad bit jealous that she gets to sleep in every day now!  Too bad I don't think I'll ever get her to stamp in all of her "free time".  :-)  Thanks for stopping by today...I wish everyone a happy Mother's day and have a great weekend....love you momma!  (Here's a quick pic of me and her at her party today...we don't look a THING alike, I tell ya!)

Happy stamping!

Sunny Fun!

Hi stampers!  I'm not sure how the weather has been in your neck of the woods but it has been COLD here in mid-America!  Usually by this time of year, it's fairly nice here.  I feel like it's never going to warm up and spring is never going to get here!  And I'm FREEZING my tail off outside at work in the evenings!  Spring temperatures, where are you!!!????  Please come visit me SOON, preferably before the next game I have to work!!!  (Now, come the end of May, when I'm working baseball and softball regionals I'll probably be singing a different tune and dying of heatstroke like I was last year, lol).)  Anyway, maybe the bright and cheery card I have to show you will bring on the warm temperatures!

I've had this card done for some time but just realized I didn't take a pic of it or share it yet!  DUH!  Anyway, the stamp set I used is a new set from the Summer Mini catalog.  Some lucky demos earned it early and as soon as I saw a few of the sneak peeks, I knew I had to have it!  I mean, who doesn't love flip flops, the pool, and Popsicles and ice cream?  Speaking of Popsicles  anyone remember puddin' pops and jello pops?  Man do I miss those things, they were GOOD and not bad for you at all.  My granny always had them for me and I can't think of them without picturing summers at her farm! :-)  Ok, enough chit chat....here's the card:

Stampin Supplies:
Stamps: Sunny Fun
Paper:  Daffodil delight, rich razzleberry, tempting turquoise, watercolor, in color hostess patterns pack
Ink: Various for water coloring, staz on
Accessories: pear pizzazz ribbon, dotted scallop border punch, crystal effects, dazzling diamonds


Doesn't it just make you warmer already?  I just LOVE it!  The sentiment is just too cute!  And can you see what makes it extra special?  I used crystal effects to make the ice cream look frozen and dazzling diamonds on the snow cones (I HAD to make them grape, mmmmm) to make them sparkly and icy looking!  Here's a close up view:

Hope you liked it.  There is an image of flip flops in the set too, I can't wait to use that one as well...in honor of this card, Jon and I had a McDonald's ice cream cone tonight, hehe!  See ya soon and happy stamping!

Triple the fun!

Hey stampers!  I have a super cute card (I always say that, don't I?) AND a video!  I recently got the new triple layer punches from the Summer Mini (you can view the catalog over on the right in my sidebar) and they are so fun!  BUT they can be a bit intimidating/tricky....I was able to watch a video on our demo site so I thought I'd make my own to pass on the tips and tricks to you!  I was a bit chatty the day I made it (when am I not?) so bear with me as I was kind of all over the place...I must have had some caffeine that day:-)  And I didn't have a card (that I liked anyway) done when I made the video but I made one last night....so watch the video and then scroll down for the card!

Once you follow the tips here they are so easy and fun to use!  But my desk is covered in paper poo:-)  So here's the card I came up with!

 Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Tiny tags
Paper:  Whisper white, so saffron, concord crush, perfect plum and PP DSP, bashful blue
Ink:  concord crush
Accessories:  Triple layer punches - blossom and doily, bashful blue taffeta ribbon (retired), jewelry tag punch, basic pearls & rhinestones, crochet thread, circle punches

I think my favorite part is the glimmer brad!  I do hope those come back in the new catalog! I love those things!  And speaking of!  I get to see the sneak peeks and new catalog in less than a month now!  Ah the small joys of being a demo:-)  We will find out the retirement list on June 1 as well....I'm sure I'll cry for a few sets that retire....and speaking of retiring my MOM is retiring after over 35 years from the city TOMORROW!  I still don't have a card for her or her gift made....I better get to work on that!  Happy stamping!