Fresh grief

Hi stampers!  This card has made me sad all over again about the retiring stamp list!  I never in a million years would have bought the set best friends forever but I got it free at convention...which I just signed up for this summer....don't get me started on that...I'm so excited....anyway.....back to the topic at hand:-)

I got it free and found out that ohmygosh I really liked it (the same goes for raining flowers too...I wonder what we'll get in our bags this year?  We know the names of the sets but NO idea what they look like yet)!  I love the scrolly stamp and the leaf stamp so much for backgrounds and accents.  Sometimes you just need a little something on a card....not a whole background but just something with a little kick.  Take the card I made for the Freshly Made Sketches challenge (which I loved by the way) for example.

 I should have taken a before and after picture of the card without and with the leaves.  It was so blah blank and looks just right with them.  It also didn't look good with a background over the whole card base...there may or may not be a background on the back of one of these cards, hehe;-)

I really am going to miss that one stamp in particular:(  And in an attempt to use some of the TONS of DSP I have laying around, I tried to use some of the twitterpatted which has been severely underused in my stamp room!  I have what, half a month to use up all the DSP I got from the mini and then not much time with the remaining couple of tons from the annual catalog:-)

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Raining flowers, best friends forever, it's your day
Paper:  Whisper white, pool party, blushing bride, twitterpatted DSP
Ink:  Pool party, island indigo
Accessories:  In color polka dot brads, riding hood red satin pleated ribbon, basic pearls, labels collection framelits

I did take a bit of creative liberty here with the sketch which I normally don't do.  I'm usually pretty black and white and stick to it like glue...maybe the artisan award winner in me is coming out?  Right?  A girl can dream, lol! 

Too bad the challenge wasn't to use as many convention sets as possible because I used THREE on this one card, lol!  I will really miss this little sentiment too....I mean who doesn't love to make and get cards "just because"???? :-)

Time to get back to work...and to work I mean working on my AA entries!  Or at least sitting at my desk thinking about them;-)

Happy stamping!

Edited to add:  So somehow I did the old sketch from last week at FMS....I think I need a vacation!  LOL!  Oh well!

Popping in

Hi stampers!  I've hoped to have more to share with you but it's just not happened:-)  While some of my time has gone missing (hehe, funny how that happens,no), my mojo has taken a hike as well.  I sit down at my desk but just can't get much to come about...even with sketches and challenges and what not!  So frustrating.  I HATE when what is supposed be my fun hobby and a stress RELIEF becomes a source of stress and frustration, ha!  Good thing I was able to channel my frustration with stamping and some other things into a hard 4 mile run Wednesday night and a tough turbokick class yesterday (oh my poor students, lol)!  I've been slacking in my workouts for the past few months too so it felt good to hit it hard two days in a row...now can I keep it up?:-) 

I did find a new challenge website the other day called Try Stampin On Tuesday and I really liked the sketch but I couldn't really get anything going with it.  But, even though the challenge was well over, I came back to it the other night and inspiration struck!  It totally sneaks up on me now and then:-)  I've also been having a lot of guilt over not using the majority of my DSP so I was determined to pull out my twitterpatted DSP!  We have less than a month left with all the fabulous papers from the occasions mini....I need to get my stamps in gear!!!!!  In fact, I've started a LIST of DSP that I must use, haha!  So, here's the card I came up with:

Stamps:  Raining flowers, loving thoughts
Paper:  Whisper white, crumb cake, blushing bride, pool party, island indigo, 2011-2013 in color DSP stack
Ink:  Crumb cake, blushing bride, pool party, island indigo
Accessories:  Blossom punch, itty bitty punch pack, triple blossom punch, edgelits and embossing folders, basic pearls, large pearls, in color printed brads
I'm really happy about how it turned out...which was surprising because I really didn't think I liked it all that much in the process!  I think it's a fun sketch and a happy little card!

Now, lets talk about the future a little.  Remember that the new catalog is coming out a month early this year!  So, for customers that's June 1.  For demos it's May 1 which means I'll have my hot little hands on new goodies on May 2:-D  I'm sad that one of my very favorite colors which I've used on this card is retiring.  Blushing bride will be no more after May:-(  However, I'm excited to see the five new colors!  I'm also hoping for more printed brads like the one used above!  I hope that blossom punch shows up too!  I bought it late in the season because I thought it would look cute with the summer smooches stuff!  Don't forget you can get that suite EARLY in the month of April!  The promo button is up and to the right!

I hope the large pearls come back as well.  Lots of things to be excited about!  What do YOU want to see or are scared of loosing?  Let me know in the comments!  It's fun to see people's thoughts and predictions!  I'm getting excited!!!!!

Happy stamping!

Back at 'em

Hi stampers!  I'm back....sort of...I hope...lol!  I've got my stamp studio up and running even if it does still need some work.  Still lots of organizing and cleaning to do as well as buying some more storage solutions but I can effectively stamp/create in here now!  I need to decorate as well but that's fun stuff!!!!

I should have a little more time this week to stamp too!  And my mojo seems to slowly be finding it's way back to me, hooray!   Let's hope it stays put and I end up having more time!!!!

When I first glanced at this color challenge from the Colour Q I wasn't sure I liked it.  But, when I came back later I found that I really DID like it and it was just what I needed to kick start the creativity!  I kinda want that quilt!!!!

So I dusted off my dusty durango (since it's named dusty that means I don't have to dust it right, lol) and went to work!  I was able to make this card yesterday afternoon after lunch with a dear friend from college and before work...which is saying something for my mojo....I haven't been able to get much done lately, especially in a time crunch!

 Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Raining flowers, It's your day
Paper:  Whisper white, basic gray, baja breeze, lucky limeade
Ink:  Basic gray, baja breeze, lucky limeade, dusty durango (retired)
Accessories:  Everyday enchantment ribbon & brad pack (SAB), lucky limeade ruffled ribbon, dusty durango polka dot ribbon (retired), triple blossom punch, labels collection framelits

I really like the soft blue and gray with the pop and brightness of the orange and green!  I wasn't sure I was going to love this card in the making but it turned out great in the end!  And I used raining flowers again...maybe I was trying to make up for last week when I missed the deadline, lol!

Happy stamping!

In limbo....

Hi stampers!  I'm really glad I made this card yesterday for the Colour Q Challenge!  Why?  Well because I finally got motivated today to start moving my stamp studio to the bigger room next door!  But, I haven't got it all done and stamping between two rooms is proving difficult, annoying, and not very efficient:-)  I guess it is burning a few calories though with all the back-and-forth:-)  It's like circuit stamping, lol! I wonder if I could market that???

The rest of the move will probably take a while.  I got a late start this morning and then needed to stop to work out and stamp some for the HSS challenge blog. But the main reason I quit is because my computer/stamping desk is a real pain to move!  After unloading it of ALL it's stuff I have to break it down into FIVE pieces!  UGH!  And I need help....and I already asked my wonderful hubby to help me move my IKEA stuff today and I know he wants to have Sunday-Funday:-)  And he painted the room too so he deserves a break, haha!  We'll see how long it takes me to get all moved as I have a really busy week and weekend ahead!

Anyway, on to the challenge and the card.  I LOVED the color challenge this week!

I was going to make a Valentine but the card just kind of took on a life of it's own while I stamped and chatted with my friend Rita via our iPhones.  We need an app for that....iStamp!!!!  I'm just full of ideas today huh?  But I really do like the combo and hope to use it again!  I don't use regal rose very often and kind of forgot how pretty it was when I pulled it out!

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Raining flowers, pursuit of happiness, dot dot dot
Paper:  Whisper white, regal rose, poppy parade, peach parfait textured
Ink:  Poppy parade, regal rose, peach parfait
Accessories:  Itty bitty punch pack, circle punch, labels collection framelits, basic rhinestones, poppy parade ribbon

It's a simple card but I like it since the colors are so bold!  I distressed the regal rose circle after I stamped it with the dots.  I also sponged all the elements on the flower.  And I just love the font on that sentiment!  I'll probably use this as a thank you card.  And Rita and I were both commenting how textured cardstock can be just the right touch!  I need to remember to use it more often!

That's it for today!  I wonder if I'll get much more cardio circuit stamping done?  LOL!

ETA:  I missed the deadline for the challenge!  Darn, I hate when that happens:-)

Happy stamping!

Subbing

Hi stampers!  Here's challenge number three for this week!  I also loved the color challenge over at the Colour Q.   Isn't it pretty?????

Now, I did have to do some subbing as I didn't have any orchid opulence which of course is an old color and I've moved on completely.  Yes, I still mourn for a few old colors occasionally but I've embraced the present, hehe.  And really, truth be told I'm not sure I EVER had any orchid.  I was NOT a fan but I have to say I like it here.  So, in place of the orchid I used wisteria wonder which I do like and is one of my favorite colors now!  I think it was a perfect substitute here!  I took a cue from my friend and DT member Renee who loves flowers and I came up with this:

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Raining flowers, friendly phrases
Paper:  whisper white, pool party, lucky limeade, rich razzleberry, wisteria wonder
Ink:  wisteria wonder, rich razzleberry
Accessories:  blossom triple layer punch, boho blossom punch, in color polka dot brad, lucky limeade ruffled ribbon, houndstooth embossing folder

I guess I'm digging clean and simple lately!  I wanted to add more to all that white space up top but some things are best left alone!  Most of the time I only use white as a base for what I'm stamping or my main focal image.  I should start using it as more of a stand alone more often, it makes quite a statement!

The flower was made with the intention of the brad in the center and the ribbon looking like the stem/leaves and center of the flower, I like how they tied together so well.  I also love the new houndstooth embossing folder and keep forgetting to use it so here it is! Finally, I just LOVE those little sentiments from friendly phrases and the cute fonts so I just had to pull it out here!  Hope you liked it and hope the DT does too!

One more challenge for the week to go....happy stamping!

Raining Doilies

Hi stampers!  Well since it can't seem to rain...well....rain around here, it might as well rain doilies right?  :-)  I really don't remember the last day it rained here.  Now, it's cooled down a bit and the humidity has gone way down in the past week and thank goodness!  I would have never made it through foot ball two a day practices in that heat and humidity let alone the kids!  Although today was pretty warm in the 90's!  But the dryness has it's own problems, the poor practice field which isn't in the best shape to begin with is like a dust bowl!  There is no grass, just brown "straw" and dirt!  Boy do I ever need a shower when I get home since the dust really sticks to my legs with sticky sunblock on!  I'm hopeful to end the drought on Sunday since we are going to the fair and have tickets to the Lady A concert, lol!  Stuff like that always seems to happen to us...but we'll see. 

In the meantime I have a pretty card for you!  I cased this card directly out of our demo magazine that we get each month.  Hey, there's another reason to sign up, the great magazine which has tons of pretty pictures, ideas, and articles on products and the business aspect of SU!  I really like the magazine and it's just yet another perk (as if I really needed any...I'm so addicted, hehe) to being a demo!  Feel free to contact me if you think it may be something you're interested in!  If you're local we can head to Panera for a little chat and snack;-)  Ok, ok, on to the card right?

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Raining flowers, hello, doily,  pursuit of happiness
Paper:  Very vanilla, pink pirouette, lucky limeade, crumb cake, daffodil delight
Ink:  Pink pirouette, lucky limeade
Accessories:  Circle punch, decorative label punch, triple layer doily punch, dotted scallop border punch

So simple but so pretty!  The only thing I changed was the sentiment as I didn't have the one they featured in the catalog (um, of course that has since changed in the past week, hehe).  They used friendly phrases.  You know, I didn't give that set a second look and then I saw it on this card and then I started seeing it pop up everywhere....well I HAD to have it, right?:-)

That big flower from raining flowers is super easy to cut out too so if you're not a fussy cutter you can still do this!  This card has so many things I love: the doily background, the doily punch, lucky limeade!  Now, the center of the flower is actually one of the doilies punched out and then then center punched out from that with a circle punch!  Genius! 

Ok, I'll wrap it up now as I should probably be heading to bed!  I'll try to be back tomorrow but my Friday nights under the lights start up tomorrow (no more Buffalo Wild Wing Friday date nights with my hubby....sad) so I'll be getting busy and then I have a full schedule of FUN stuff for the weekend!  BUT make sure you check back on Tuesday next week for some very exciting stuff!!!!  Ok?  Remember, Tuesday!!!!