Clean and Simple 223

I wanted to play along with the cute sketch that Clean and Simple had up on their site and there were a few new supplies calling to me as well. 

The sketch . . .

And my design . . .
 

Love these colors! 

All supplies Stampin' Up. 

CAS-ual Fridays - Thank you

A little something clean and simple for the Cas-ual Friday Challenge.  The challenge was to make a thank you card.

Clean and simple, but a little dimension.   I love embossing folders! 

All supplies used Stampin' Up.

Getting Ruffly w/The Play Date Cafe Challenge

So I was at my LSS, New England Scrapbook Co. the other day and saw the American Crafts Dear Lizzy Ruffled Crepe paper.  How I could work there and not have known it was there is beyond my capacity to understand, because it has been there for quite a while and is quite unique.  But when I saw the colors, I knew they were perfect for The Play Date Cafe Challenge and I was compelled to find a use for this interesting product that had escaped me for so long.

So the inspiration from The Play Date Cafe was . . .

 And the Dear Lizzy Ruffled Crepe Paper looks like this . . .

When I first saw this . . . I laughed.  I toyed with buying a few and using my Tim Holtz Tiny attacher to fashion me a skirt.  It was actually the bottom rung that was just calling to me for this challenge.  So, here is my design . . .

Love the "champagne" colors for this challenge.  It all came together quite nicely, and I can't wait to make more ruffles (I ended up buying the yellow and white version of the ruffles as well).

And the inside of my card . . . 

 The sentiment is under the vellum.

And I liked this card yesterday . . . but I love it today!  I don't always LOVE my stuff.

Thanks American Crafts!  That was fun.

Supplies Used:   Bazzill Cardstock, American Crafts Dear Lizzy Pattern Paper, Ruffled Crepe Paper and Vellum, Stamps from Cas-ual Friday, Ink from Close To My Heart, Ribbon from my stash. 

Mojo Monday #274

I rarely go square or round . . . envelopes are a challenge!  But in the hopes that there is this super cool envelope gadget coming out soon, I decided to go square this week with the Mojo Monday Challenge.  

The sketch . . .

And my card . . .

Supplies Used:  Bazzill Cardstock, American Crafts Dear Lizzy Neapolitan Pattern Paper and Stickers, Ribbon from Stash, Stamps from Cas-ual Fridays, Ink from Close To My Heart, Rhinestones from Queen & Company, We R Memories Corner Chomper

Game Strategy - 2013

I made the card below for the My Favorite Things weekly sketch.  I'm still using up scraps from some layouts that I did. 

So I was thinking . . . isn't the year kind of a like a game.  It is all about strategy and chance.  You roll the dice, spin the wheel and make your moves.  One move can impact the next.  

Let's hope 2013 is "Lucky 2013."  Hope your game is a winning game! 

Supplies Used:  Bazzill Cardstock, DCWV Pattern Paper, My Favorite Things Die-namics Game Night Stamp/Die, Close To My Heart Ink, Paper Smooches Stamp

Happy 2013

A little something for Freshly Made Sketches . . .

And my design . . .

Supplies Used: Bazzill Cardstock, DCWV Pattern Paper, Close To My Heart Ink, American Crafts Thicker Alphabet Stickers, Stampin' Up Circle and Square Punch

Paper Smooches Picture Perfect Challenge

Being challenged by a photo can be a tough one, and this one was definitely a stretch for me.  The challenge photo from Paper Smooches was difficult because I usually layer papers.  I just did not see this photo as one where I could layer pattern paper.  The inspiration photo . . .

And my creation . . .

I used raised dimensional letter stickers and the Winter Groves set from Paper Smooches.  The snowflakes are embossed, and the bird and nest are paper pieced.

One layer cards are so foreign to me!

Supplies Used:  Bazzill Cardstock, Little Yellow Bicycle pattern paper (paper piecing), Paper Smooches Stamps, Close To My Heart Ink, Versamark, Stampin' Up Embossing Powder, American Crafts Thickers

Mojo Monday (Seriously Needed My Mojo Back)

I seriously had lost my mojo for a bit . . . it happens.  But it was time to jump back into the land of craftiness for me, and what better to get me going then gearing up for some layout classes at my LSS, and then using up my scraps to make a card for Mojo Monday. 

The sketch . . .

My design . . .

I have Copic markers, but don't use them often enough.  Today I put them to work on shadowing, and while I was not impressed at first, when I came back to photograph the card I was like . . . "Hey, wow!"   I definitely need to use those markers because the result on the shadowing is pretty cool.  

Supplies Used:  Bazzill Cardstock, DCWV Pattern Paper, My Creative Time Stamps and Banner Die, Cricut (snowflakes), Stampin' Up Scallop Oval Punch (5 punches create the scallop circle behind the snowman circle), Stazon Black Ink Pad, Copic Markers, Stickles

Skipping Stones Design #155

I had some fun playing with Skipping Stones Designs snowman stamp set, which I've been itching to use.  My leftover My Mind's Eye papers were just perfect.

I actually used a white card base for this card, and the stamped images are on that white base.  I paper pieced the snowman's hat, scarf, and nose from pattern paper (the diagonal print in the strip at the top of the card).  I used a scallop die to cut an open image in the pattern paper.  Post-it notes held the seam together so I could make the cut in each of the two papers, and then I adhered them down around that stamped image.  Would it have been easier to just stamp on a white scallop circle?  Absolutely.  But I was going for a different look. the black dots around the scallop Inkessentials Enamel Accents from my LSS.  

I just love this stamp set!
 
Supplies Used
Cardstock - Bazzill
Pattern Paper - My Mind's Eye
Die Cut - Sizzix Scallop Circle
Stamp - Skipping Stones Design
Ink - Close To My Heart
Linen Thread - Stampin Up
Other - buttons from my stash, Ranger Inkessentials Enamel Accents, Stickles

Freshly Made Sketches - Bzzzz . . .

So the fourth card in my series from a few sheets of My Mind's Eye paper and embellishments is a birthday card.  I was inspired by Freshly Made Sketches #52 . . .

Here is my design.  I again embossed my greeting in white, which adds a really nice touch.  The inside has an embossed white birthday greeting.

I had a transparent photo mat with a border that I used for the wings of the bee.  I love how those darn wings came out.  I stamped the wings on the corner of the photo mat, so the stripes are vertical on each wing.  There was also a pattern paper in this group that had hexagons, and I cut the musical note hexagon and popped it over the ribbon, and then popped the bee on to the hexagon to give some additional dimension.  The "bee trail" is also embossed in white. 

This was a fun card to make, and I just love that little bee.

Supplies
Cardstock - Bazzill
Pattern Paper and Transparency - My Mind's Eye 

Ribbon - just scraps from my stash
Stamps - Stamps of Life
Inks - Close To My Heart, Stazon and Versamark 
Embossing Powder - Stampin' Up
Other - Stickles

Mojo Monday Meets My Mind's Eye

In my attempts to get back in the groove, I have made what appears to be a set of cards from one set of pattern papers.  I like doing this, as it gives me the option to give the cards as a little gift with some stamps and perhaps a pen. I created two cards yesterday, and the third card in my series is designed using the Mojo Monday challenge.  Here is the sketch . . .

Here is my design . . .

I love the layering of the flowers and the ticket.  And the use of white embossing powder for the greeting is a fun touch.  

Supplies
Cardstock - Bazzill
Pattern Paper - My Mind's Eye 
Ticket Embellishment and Buttons - My Mind's Eye
Ribbon - just scraps from my stash
Stamps - Stamps of Life
Inks - Close To My Heart and Versamark 
Embossing Powder - Stampin' Up
Other - Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher

Sketchbook Saturday

It was time! Today was the day I needed to get back to creating. It seems I had taken a bit of a break since returning from vacation.  

So I went to the latest Sketchbook Saturday Challenge and my stash of leftover pieces from prior layouts, and here is what I came up with. 

The sketch . . .

My design . . .

Supplies Used
Cardstock - Bazzill
Pattern Paper, chipboard embellishment and ticket die - My Mind's Eye
Edgelit Die (cutting bottom border of top layer) - Stampin' Up
"Just a Note" stamp - My Creative Time
Versamark
Stampin' Up White Embossing Powder
Ribbon and Button from my stash

Friends Old and Friends New

In my attempts to get back in the groove, I have made what appears to be a set of cards from one set of pattern papers.  I like doing this, as it gives me the option to give the cards as a little gift with some stamps and perhaps a pen. I created two cards yesterday, and the third card in my series is designed using the Mojo Monday challenge.  Here is the sketch . . .

Here is my design . . .

I love the layering of the flowers and the ticket.  And the use of white embossing powder for the greeting is a fun touch.  

Supplies
Cardstock - Bazzill
Pattern Paper - My Mind's Eye 
Ticket Embellishment and Buttons - My Mind's Eye
Ribbon - just scraps from my stash
Stamps - Stamps of Life
Inks - Close To My Heart and Versamark 
Embossing Powder - Stampin' Up
Other - Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher

The Play Date Cafe #153

Playing along tonight with The Play Date Cafe.  Stress relief for me . . . cut, paste, stamp, embellish!

The inspiration . . . 

And my design, using some Flirty items from Close To My Heart . . .

Stamping those flowers to make the background just made me happy!  So fun. 

 

Freshly Made Sketch #56

I used this week's Freshly Made Sketch when creating a card for my StampNation group's World Card Making Day challenge for the U.K. 

So the sketch . . .

And then the photo inspiration for the U.K. . . .

And here is what I came up with . . .

I used a stamp to create the cup.  I heat embossed the image onto the pattern paper and then cut it out. 

All product used is Stampin' Up.  I vowed to use my stamps and paper and ink . . . and that's exactly what I've been doing! 

Mystery Quilt - Meeting #1

The word "scrap" for me means . . . scraps of paper, scraps of fabric, scraps of ribbon, scraps of anything and everything.  For in reality, the definition of "scrap" is: 

Let's go with the noun, and specifically the first definition of the noun.  Not that the second one doesn't also fit into my form of paper or fabric crafts.  I've definitely quarreled with myself over whether the picture should go at the top or the bottom, or even just an inch to the right.  And should it be slanted or straight.  But I digress!

So "scrap" for me is all things crafty.  It's taking small pieces of stuff and moshing it together to make something bigger. And that includes quilting, which is something I've gotten away from.  Over the weekend I signed up for a quilting class through a local shop.  Let me rephrase . . . several months ago I signed up for the class, and over the weekend I attended the class.  It is a Mystery Quilt . . . in that we don't know the pattern of the quilt.  We don't know what it will look like.  We've not seen the completed project.  We purchased a bunch of pre-selected fabric (which if you didn't like, you wouldn't sign up . . . or you could pick out your own) and we arrived on Saturday to our stack of fabric . . . nine different gorgeous fabrics, and the first set of "clues."

So our first clue included the cutting of three of the nine fabrics . . .

 . . . and placing them in bags marked with letters.  So I have a bag of 8 1/2" squares of the first fabric and another bag with little rectangles.  Then I have a third bag with small squares of the fabric on the far right.  A fourth bag has squares of the middle fabric.  A fifth bag needs to be filled with half square triangles of the first two fabrics . . . my homework . . . which requires sewing . . . which I've not started.  

And yet I feel there is time to blog about this when the homework is not done?  

That middle fabric is all used up . . . except for some scraps . . . the other two went back into the big bag and will be used perhaps at the next meet up?  I don't know . . . it's a mystery. 

Stay tuned for next month . . .

World Card Making Day meets Freshly Made Sketches

I am a member of this wonderful community of creative stampers.  It is called StampNation and it is a place where stampers communicate and share.  It is international, in that we have several international members, and one of their design team members is international as well.  I have done two card swaps with the group, and I was lucky enough to meet two of the New Hampshire members in person.

On Saturday, they celebrated World Card Making Day by posting inspirational photos from various countries throughout the day.  Unfortunately, I could not participate because I was attending a quilting class (more on that later).  But after the class I checked in and saw the photos, the design team inspiration, and the StampNation member's submissions.  So creative!  So fun!  I am continuing to peruse them today, as members are still loading up their creations. 

For Mexico, I decided to use the Freshly Made Sketch . . .

Along with the inspirational photo from StampNation for Mexico . . .

 And I came up with this . . .

The paper and stickers for this came from a "prize patrol" giveaway that I received from Stampin' Up.  The colors seemed perfect.

Sending Warm Wishes - Mojo Monday Challenge

Playing along with the Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge #260 . . .

Using paper left from some previous challenges, I played around with these soft hues again and tried a little something different with my stamped images, splitting them above and below the sentiment.

I used a white pen for the flower petals.

Supplies used: Bazzill Cardstock, Prima Pattern Paper, Stampin' Up Ink, Close To My Heart Stamps, We R Memories Washi Tape, Punches from Stampin' Up, Flower and brad from my leftover stash.