Celebrating StampNation's 4th Birthday!

My favorite place for inspiration, StampNation, is celebrating it's 4th birthday with a birthday celebration that includes some challenges.  If you are ever looking for an amazing community of craft people, coupled with an awesome design team that keeps up with the trends and products, I highly encourage you to check it out!  Yes, there is a monthly membership fee . . . worth every penny. 

I matched up some of the challenges with some online challenges so that I would have some time to play today.  I'm in a creative drought due to demands at work, and today was earmarked as a day to create!  That is just what I did. 

First, for Freshly Made Sketches and StampNation's 3rd challenge of the celebration week, I created this card for kids.  The sketch is noted further below along with my supply list. 

I went with some bright fun paper from The Stamps of Life card kit.  I love the touch of black and white on the sides of the card.  

For my second card, I used the color palette provided by the color throwdown challenge.  The color palette is noted below with my supply list.  I matched it up with StampNation's challenge to create a non-traditional birthday card (no cakes, balloons, presents, etc.). 

Hot air balloons hardly say birthday.  This is a stamp set from Unity which also included the little banner sentiments.  It could be used for any celebration, but in this case it will be birthday.  The circular sentiment is from another unity set. 

While making this card, I was reminded of how much I enjoy making cards with a kraft background.  And . . . more importantly . . . I was reminded how much I missed creating this past week while work duties called.

Happy 4th Birthday to StampNation!  

Supplies Used  - Happy Birthday Bicycles

Cardstock, Pattern Paper, Stamped Sentiment, and Bicycle Clips all from The Stamps of Life November Card Kit

Dies:  Sizzix Framelits - Circle, I Love You

Ink:  Colorbox from The Stamps of Life

Other:  Washi Tape from Little B

Supplies Used - Celebrate You

Cardstock: Neenah

Stamps:  Unity Everything Wonderful and Absolutely Priceless

Ink:  Stampin' Up

Ribbon:  Stampin' Up

Other:  Stampin' Up Circle Punch

Oh, My Stars for ShowCASe Your Style

I had a lot of fun creating this card for ShowCASe Your Style.  The challenge was to use at least one die cut on my project.  I actually used the negative images of my die, and then one big die . . . the big die being the stitched rectangle. 

 But I do love the way the background of diagonal striped bag shows through in the card. 

And I didn't stop die cutting there.  The bag has a pocket for a pull out where a gift card can be attached.  

And there was still room inside for my sentiment, which is blank for now as I await the occasion. 

I hope you find some time to create.  Cheers! 

Supplies Used - Oh My Stars

Cardstock:  Bazzill and Neenah

Stamps:  Shiny Happy Sentiments from Lil' Inkers, Jolly and Joyful Sentiments from Lil' Inkers (that tiny little star) and Gifting Fun from My Favorite Things

Dies:  Stitched Stars and Stitched Mats from Lil' Inkers

Ink:  Ranger Archival and Stampin' Up

Ribbon:  Close To My Heart Colorless Seam Binding and Stampin Up Stitched

Other:  Diagonal Striped Bag from The Stamps of Life October Card Kit, Pretty Pink Posh Sequins and Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher Staples

Happily Caffeinated for Colour Me Challenge

Happy 2015!  A new year of creations.  The sentiment on this card may be my New Year's resolution.  Are you happily caffeinated?  

This week's Colour Me Challenge was to use a past challenge from the year.  I decided to go with a challenge from early in the year - Colour Me Challenge #19 - as it was from before I had found this challenge.  Cherry Cobbler is also one of my favorite inks.  Here is my card using Cherry Cobbler ink and ribbon, along with some neutrals.

That cup image makes me want some coffee . . . right now!  I stamped the cup in Versamark and used Cherry Cobbler embossing powder.  The steam ended up a bit darker than I anticipated, as I used Iridescent Ice embossing powder which looks dark on the cardstock.  If I were to make this card again, I would probably use white pigment ink in place of Versamark (Note to self!). 

First card of 2015 . . . I think I will take the advice of the card!  

Supplies Used - Happily Caffeinated

Cardstock:  Neenah

Stamps:  Versamark, Stampin' Up Ink and Embossing Powder

Ink:  Impression Obsession Coffee Word and Happily Caffeinated and Simon Says Stamp What's Brewing

Ribbon:  Stampin' Up

A Few Last Cards for 2014

I have two final card creations for the end of 2014.

This first one was inspired by Scor-pal's More Than One Score challenge, which was an anything goes challenge.  I've been wanting to try my hand at a cascade card, and this seemed like the opportunity.  So here is my card all closed up . . .

And here it is opened up and standing at a few different angles . . .

The hardest part was figuring out the scoring and measuring, realizing that I wanted this card to fit into an A2 envelope.  I used strips of paper that were 5 1/2" x 12" and scored down at the 4 inch mark, and then used additional score lines at 2, 6, and 10 to make my cuts on the panels so that these pieces all fit together (slotted).  This was like figuring out a puzzle. 

I definitely see another one of these in my future, as it was a lot of fun to create.  The key is to only adhere embellishments to one side or the other so that once it is open, the pieces move freely. 

For my second card I was inspired by the photo inspiration at Inspirational Challenge (photo included with my supply list below).

 This card would work to bring in the new year, but I'll be using it as a masculine birthday card!  One of the techniques I used on this card was to emboss the edges of the panels with the silver embossing powder. 

Happy New Year!  Here's hoping that 2015 will be loaded with health, happiness and creativity.

Supplies Used - Cascade Card

Cardstock:  Bazzill and Neenah

Pattern Paper:  DCWV

Stamps:  birthday4cookie from The Stamps of Life

Dies:  Cookie Dies from The Stamps of Life and Triple Card Frame Flip-it from Sizzix

Ink:  Memento, Copic Markers,

Ribbon:  DCWV Ribbon, Floss from Studio Calico and Little B Washi Tape

Other:  Clear Frosties from The Stamps of Life (September Card Kit)  

Supplies Used

Cardstock:  Studio Calico*

Pattern Paper:  Studio Calico*

Stamps:  City Stamp Set (Life.Love.Paper for Studio Calico)

Ink:  Versamark and Ranger Silver Embossing Powders

Other:  Enamel Dots from Twine + Ink*

*from Studio Calico Park Avenue Card Kit

Cheers (the best is yet to come) for Seize the Birthday

A little something for Seize the Birthday sketch.  The challenge was to create a birthday card using the "topping options" of using Silver and Gold.  Challenge accepted. 

I had a lot of fun creating this card using supplies from the December Studio Calico card kit. 

I created this card on one of the pattern papers in the kit which has a confetti design.  I used brown, gray and black inks for the buildings, and once they were dry I stamped with Versamark to stamp the windows and designs on the buildings alternating silver and gold embossing powders. 

Love the shimmer of those embossing powders.



 

Supplies Used - Cheers - The Best is Yet to Be

Cardstock:  Studio Calico

Pattern Paper:  One Little Bird*

Stamps:  City Stamp Set (Life.Love.Paper for Studio Calico)*

Ink:  Simon Says Stamp, My Favorite Things, Versamark and Ranger Gold and Silver Embossing Powders

Other:  Pretty Pink Posh Sequins and Tape Works Washi Tape

*from Studio Calico Park Avenue Card Kit

Welcome Baby

Today's order of business was a card to welcome a new baby girl.  I used some Paper Smooches stamps and few techniques to for this card.

I created my three background panels using the Kissables 2 stamp set from Paper Smooches along with some distress inks, water, watercolor paper and the Stitched Dies from Paper Smooches. 

I love how these panels turned out with those two shades of pink.  The "welcome" die was cut using white cardstock that I colored with distress ink.  It's a great way to match your colors.  I also did some embossing using some Wow Pink Sorbet embossing powder.  It matched the Picked Raspberry distress ink perfectly. 

 

Supplies Used - Welcome Baby

Cardstock:  The Stamps of Life , Neenah and Ranger Watercolor

Stamps:  Kissables 2 and Welcome Wagon from Paper Smooches

Dies:  Welcome and Stitched Dies

Ink:  Ranger Distress Inks, Versamark and Versafine

Ribbon:  May Arts

Other:  Essentials by Ellen Craft-a-board

It's Become Habit - Last Kit Kraft Wednesday

So it's the last Kit Kraft Wednesday.  I started doing Kit Kraft Wednesday at the beginning of the year as a way to challenge myself to use my kits.  I can honestly say that using my kits has become habit.  If I'm not using them solely to create, I am using the leftover pieces regularly.  Perhaps 2015 will bring a new regular feature that will keep me using my stash of items. 

My final card is using items from my November Simon Says Stamp Card Kit along with inspiration from Curtain Call.  Here is there inspiration photo . . .

 And here is my card . . .

My inspiration was, of course, the candy canes.  I also pulled from that blue color that is in the upper left corner of the photo.  My shaker includes stars and sequins, and behind the window is also a banner of candy canes. 

I'm about holiday carded out (is that possible . . . probably not). 

Happy Christmas Eve! 

Supplies Used

Cardstock:  Bazzill* and Neenah

Pattern Paper:  Lawn Fawn*

Stamps:  Be Joyful from Simon Says Stamps*

Dies:  Sizzix Scallop Circle Die

Ink:  Simon Says Stamp, Versamark and Ranger White Embossing Powder

Ribbon:  Candy Cane Ribbon from May Arts

Other:  Sequins from Pretty Pink Posh

*from Simon Says Stamp November Card Kit

Winter Inspired

Sharing a card created tonight which was inspired by the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Blog which was to create a card with winter inspiration.  For this card, I let my pattern paper do the work, and I just enhanced the adorable Lawn Fawn scene. 

I put borders of a black/white dot paper above and below the pattern paper and used some of the other patterns to create my sentiment banners.  I also enhanced the falling snow with Stickles (one dab at a time).  It's hard to see on the card, but it's twinkly, sparkly! 

I'm still using kits that I had with holiday themes, but my mood will be changing soon.  I'm looking forward to creating some non-holiday cards very soon. 

Cheers! 

Supplies Used - Be Joyful

Cardstock:  Simon Says Stamp*

Pattern Paper:  Lawn Fawn Snow Day Collection*

Stamps:  Be Joyful from Simon Says Stamp*

Ink:  Versamark and Ranger Embossing Powder

Ribbon:  Stampin' Up

Other:  My Mind;s Eye Wild Jubilee Enamel Shapes*, Stickles

*from Simon Says Stamp November Card Kit

A Jolly Hello for Wednesday Stamp Club

I created a card using one of my new stamps from My Favorite Things using the sketch (shown below in the supply list) from Wednesday Stamp Club.  They have some really cute sets in their last couple of releases.  Here is my card . . .

My image was colored using Copic Markers.  A closer look is shown below. 

Supplies Used - A Jolly Hello

Cardstock, Ribbon and Pattern Paper from The Stamps of Life October Card Kit

Stamps:  Christmas Cuteness from My Favorite Things

Dies:  Die-namics Blue Prints 11 and Die-namics Tag Builder 2 from My Favorite Things

Ink:  Versafine, Versamark, Copic Markers, Clear and White Embossing Powders from Ranger

Other:  Twine from The Twinery and Snowflake Sequin from my stash

A Merry Little Wish

I played along with this week's Colour Q Challenge.  The colors for this week are Poppy Parade, Coastal Cabana, Always Artichoke, Baked Brown Sugar and White.  Here is my card . . .

White and Always Artichoke definitely have the starring roles on this card, with the other three colors playing bit parts . . . just a splash of color.  I do love the cardinal!  The photo below shows the sparkle of the gold garland and the snow. 

Hope you find some time to create! 

Supplies Used - A Merry Little Wish

Cardstock:  Neenah

Stamps:  Festival of Trees from Stampin' Up

Ink:  Stampin' Up, Versamark and Ranger Gold Embossing Powder

Other:  Tree Punch from Stampin' Up and Ice Stickles

Do You Wanna Build a Snowman?

Another holiday card, and just days before the holiday.  This one was designed with three challenges in mind, Merry Monday, whose challenge was a winter themed Christmas card, CAS-ology, whose challenge was "Snow", and then my StampNation group had a "Let it Snow" challenge. 

For this card, I stamped my design in the bottom right corner first using Memento ink so I could come back in later with my Copics.  Once the image was down, I used a stencil and embossing paste, masking off the areas over my stamped image.  I added glitter before the embossing paste dried.

Once the embossing paste was dry, I went in with my Copics . . . shades of green, red, brown and gray.  I just love this stamped image.  I toyed with leaving it all image, and putting the sentiment inside.  In the end, I decided to add the banner.  And here is a close-up of that glitter . . .

A fun card to make!

Well, it's always fun to create.

Supplies Used - Wanna Build a Snowman

Cardstock:  Neenah

Stamps:  Impression Obsession Sweet Snow Kisses and Wanna Build

Ink:  Memento and Copic Markers

Other:  Dreamweaver Snowflakes Stencil, Embossing Paste, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter from Stampin' Up, Pretty Pink Posh Sequins

Spec-tacular

My lack or posting is related to a lack of creativity in my life right now.  I've just been so busy, and I fear it might be like that for a while.

But today I took a shot at the Paper Smooches Sparks challenge, which was a photo inspiration (I've posted the photo down with my supply list).  Here is my creation . . .

I used two new sets from Paper Smooches . . . the stamp set is called Incognito and then I used one of the dies from the new Glasses set.  I stamped the glasses in varying colors and types of ink, and some were embossed.  The large pair were cut from craft board and embossed with Ranger Platinum Embossing Powder. 

This was a fun card to make, and believe me . . . I was in need of some creative fun.  I hope you find time for creativity or fun today!

Supplies Used - You're Spec-tacular

Cardstock:  Bazzill and Close To My Heart

Pattern Paper:  DCWV

Stamps:  Incognito from Paper Smooches

Dies:  Glasses from Paper Smooches

Ink:  Simon Says Stamp, Avery Elle, Versamark and Ranger Embossing Powder

Ribbon:  Stampin' Up

Other:  Essentials by Ellen Craft-a-board

I Had Time to Create Today (sigh of relief)

I have not had the opportunity to be very creative over the last week.  In fact, it's been 11 days since my last post (oh, that's sounding like a confession). I was happy to get back to it today, and I created a little card using the color scheme from Color Throwdown with the sketch from Just Add Ink (sketch and colors shown with my supply list below).

For supplies, I dipped into my November Simon Says Stamp Card Kit which had the perfect colors of paper.  I just had to add some ink and embossing powder.

I used four different pattern papers for this card.  The blue, snowy looking background, which I embossed with what looks like some windy stars.  The other three are in the banners.  I chose to emboss my sentiment on one of those pattern papers. 

I'm hoping to find more time to create this week.  It's good for the soul!

     

Supplies Used

Cardstock:  Bazzill* and Neenah

Pattern Paper:  Lawn Fawn's Snow Day Collection*

Stamps:  Be Joyful from Simon Says Stamp*

Dies:  Sizzix Circle

Ink:  Stampin' Up, Versamark and Ranger White Embossing Powder

Other:  My Mind's Eye Wild Jubilee Enamel Shapes*

*from Simon Says Stamp November Card Kit

Kit Kraft Wednesday - Farmhouse Holiday

I'm still using product from my Button Farm holiday kit from two years ago.  I finished the kit a few weeks ago, and one thing I love about the Button Farm kits is that my leftover paper can be used for cards or additional layouts.  After my book was put together, I cut down my pieces into "card friendly sizes" and found some ways to use my leftover stickers. 

There were two challenges that inspired me to use some of those supplies today.  The first was The Paper Players challenge this week, which was a Tic-Tac-Toe challenge. 

I went with that middle across row . . . 

I used pattern paper for the background and the banner, the snowflake stickers layered perfectly on this card (not to mention that snowflake brad), and the embossed gold greeting is from one of my favorite new stamp sets from Essentials by Ellen (from Ellen Hutson).  Love that greeting!

My second card was inspired by the cue card at CASology . . .

So I was using old paper from an old kit, but even more inspiring is that the Farmhouse paper from the kit has that old feeling, and the ornament stickers remind me of ornaments from when I was a kid. 

I love the way those popped ornament stickers blend in so well with that top background piece. 

Great fun, and my scraps are nearly gone!  Hope you find some time to use items from your stash. 

Supplies Used - Snowflake Warmest Holiday Wishes

Cardstock:  Neenah

Pattern Paper:  Farmhouse*

Stamps:  Essentials by Ellen Merry & Bright

Ink:  Versamark and Ranger Gold Embossing Powder

Other:  Stickers and brad from Farmhouse*

*from Button Farm December 2012 Kit

Supplies Used - Ornament - Warmest Holiday Wishes

Cardstock:  Neenah

Pattern Paper:  Farmhouse*

Stamps:  Essentials by Ellen Merry & Bright

Ink:  Versamark and Ranger Gold Embossing Powder

Other:  Stickers from Farmhouse* and We R Memory Keepers Sew Easy Floss

*from Button Farm December 2012 Kit