Shades of Green for Merry Monday

Today's card was inspired by the Merry Monday challenge.  I have been wanting to use this stamp, all the while knowing that it covers a good portion of the card.  That is always something I struggle with . . . full images!  It prevents me from lots of layering.  But this images was just too cute not to use. 

I actually used three shades of green . . . Mossy Meadow for my card base (which is super dark), Lucky Limeade for my background panel and the coloring of my image, and the ribbon is technically Old Olive. 

I used a a metallic pen to outline all of the snowy areas . . . the flakes, the drifts and the snowman.  I made the decision with coloring only items that would be anything other than neutral, and then I colored them green, of course. 

Now that I've christened my stamp with a "flat" use, I have an idea to use it differently in the coming weeks . . . wait for it.  Maybe next week's challenge will be the opportunity (and then again, maybe not). 

Cheers! 

Supplies Used - Let It Snow

Cardstock:  Stampin' Up and Neenah

Stamps:  Unity Stamp

Ink:  Memento and Stampin' Up

Ribbon:  Stampin' Up

Other:  Sequins from Pretty Pink Posh and Sakura Gel Pen

Masculine Thanks for Kit Kraft Wednesday

Using supplies up from an older kit, and this one was Simon Says Stamp May Card Kit.  I created a little masculine "thanks" card.

I love all the patterns and colors on this card and I did my best to match the colors for my stamped starts and sentiment.  

Supplies Used - Thank

Cardstock:  Bazzill and Neenah

Pattern Paper:  Fancy Pants Be Different*

Stamps: All Boy*

Dies:  Lil' Inkers Stitched Stars

Ink:  Stampin' Up

*from Simon Says Stamp May Card Kit

Sunshine is Coming for Simon Says Stamp

Shaker boxes are my thing this week; this is my third.  This one was created for the Simon Says Stamp Challenge using one of my newest stamps and some paper from one of my card kits. 

This seemed to be the perfect card to send to someone having a rough time.  "Sunshine is coming" with a little box of sunshine behind a window!  Lots of white space with some layering. 

I am loving that "sunshine" sentiment.  So skinny and cute! 

Supplies Used - Sunshine

Cardstock:  Simon Says Stamp and Neenah

Pattern Paper:  Lawn Fawn

Stamps:  Simon Says Stamp Bring on the Sunshines

Dies:  Simon Says Stamp Pure Sunshine

Ink:  Ranger Archival

Other:  Pretty Pink Posh Sequins

Welcome Baby for The Card Concept

The Card Concept's challenge was to create a baby card.  I decided to go with a unisex card and started by creating a water color background using a wide striped stamp from Simon Says Stamp.

I had the baby carriage die, and my mind went back to the baby carriage that my mother had in the garage as a kid growing up.  It looked similar to the one below . . . it was either black or navy, and I think it might have been white paisley print.  Hard to remember that far back (dating myself).

I'm definitely a clean and layered girl.  I've had friends who have made fun of my linear style . . . "you're so linear!"  Is that a bad thing? 

The carriage was put together using pattern papers, cardstock and POW paper from American Crafts.  Black, silver and white! 

Supplies Used

Cardstock:  Bazzill, Strathmore Watercolor and American Crafts POW

Pattern Paper:  Close To My Heart

Stamps:  Wide Stripes and Handwritten Borders from Simon Says Stamp

Dies:  Cottage Cutz Baby Buggy

Ink:  Close To My Heart and Versafine

Other:  Ki Rhinestones

Shakin' Fun for Merry Monday and Colour Q

Oh . . . fun! 

I have not made a shaker box card in a really long time, so I had some fun with these last night.  This first one is for Merry Monday . . . an all white card.

White cardstock, white ribbon, Iridescent Ice embossing powder and clear sequins.  The hardest decision was whether to use clear or marshmallow sequins.  Marshmallow seemed a little too off-white against my stark white cardstock, so I went with the clear (which look a little silver in the light). 

My second shaker card was for Colour Q . . .

 I used a new die that I had gotten from Pretty Pink Posh.  I love the tag with it's window effect.  My stamps are from Lil' Inkers . . . they fit those little windows perfectly. 

 Love the shakers.  FUN!
 

Supplies Used - Jolly Shaker

Cardstock:  Neenah

Dies:  Lil' Inkers Stitched Mats, Jolly Word and Jingle Bell Dies

Ink:  Versamark

Ribbon:  Stampin' Up

Other:  Pretty Pink Post Sequins, Graffix Plastic Sheet

 

Supplies Used - Love is in the Air

Cardstock:  Stampin' Up and Neenah

Stamps:  Lil' Inkers Balloon Builders and It's Today Right?

Dies:  Pretty Pink Posh Stitched Duo 1 Dies

Ink:  Stampin' Up

Ribbon:  Pretty Pink Posh Twine

Other:  Pretty Pink Posh Sequins, Graffix Plastic Sheet

Inspired by Family, Food and Fun

Some days you sit down and can't create a thing.

Other days you sit down and you can squeak out a little craftiness.

Last night I was on a bit of a roll.  It must have been the connection with family, food and fun earlier in the day.  A 4th of July get together with family had me creating in the kitchen first . . . an interesting new recipe that I wanted to try.  I don't cook often . . . used to when my kids were younger . . . but that cooking energy is gone.  A new blog that I happened upon recently has me intrigued to cook a little more often.  Check out Damn Delicious (I made the Fusilli Caesar Salad). 

And then last night there were these creations.

First was a little something for AEI{heart}U's challenge which was "Gold" inspired. 

I needed a touch of red for my heart.  I have two confessions . . . 1) I am in love with the Avery Elle Simply Labels stamp/die that created that label and 2) I am in search of a new gold embossing powder that has a better sheen to it . . . this one did not thrill me.  But I know that I will go to my StampNation message board and someone will have the answer for the perfect gold! 

My second card was for Paper Smooches which was an "anything goes" challenge.  I used the color combination that was suggested at Color Throwdown. 

 I created my background using the Paper Smooches Bold Blooms set.  I also used one of my very favorite sets . . . Kissables 1 . . . my sentiment is stamped on a strip of it.  (LOVE for regular stamping and for "kissing" on other stamps. 

And then finally, a little something for Seize the Sketch.  For this one I used my Studio Calico Card Kit from last month . . .

I stamped on my card base and laid the pattern paper with the oval scallop window over the card.  That bottom brown paper is a wood grain pattern paper . . . easier to see in the photo below.  The buttons are strung together using twine.  My only wish (hindsight) is that I had flipped the pattern paper so that the yellow, lighter hues were at the top of the card. 

Can I tell you there is an odd optical illusion that makes these two photos look different.  I spent way too much time studying that large yellow button because in the photo above, it does not look like I stitched diagonally to make an "X", as it appears there is a horizontal stitch across the bottom two holes.  But in the photo below you can clearly see it's diagonal.

I hope you find some time to create this weekend.  I have a few more creations that I hope to share tomorrow.

Cheers!

Supplies Used - Rain or Shine

Cardstock:  Neenah

Stamps:  Avery Elle Link it Up, Bright Days and Simply Labels Hello

Dies:  Avery Elle Simply Labels

Ink:  Versamark and Stampin' Up

Ribbon:  Stampin' Up

Other:  Stampin' Up Gold Embossing Powder

Supplies Used - Celebrate

Cardstock:  Stampin' Up

Stamps:  Paper Smooches

Ink:  Stampin' Up

Ribbon:  Close To My Heart

Other:  Scrap of Vellum Dot Paper from Doodlebug, Ki Rhinestones

Supplies Used - Thank You

Studio Calico Card Kit - June

Spellbinders Die

Versafine, Versamark and Close To My Heart Inks

White Embossing Powder

Kit Kraft Wednesday - Magazine Inspired

There was a time (back in the day) when I received magazines in the mail.  I would weed them out of the office by pulling pages and throwing "the good ones" into a file folder.

One of those good ones inspired today's Kit Kraft Wednesday card.

This card was like a jigsaw puzzle.  Strips of paper from my June Simon Says Stamp Card Kit created my background.  So glad I pulled that magazine page out, as this one was fun. 

Supplies Used - Hey

Cardstock:  Bazzill* and Neenah

Pattern Paper:  My Mind's Eye* Now and Then Mildred*

Stamps:  Favorite Flowers from Simon Says Stamp*

Dies:  Sizzix Circle Dies

Ink:  Stampin' Up and Memento

Ribbon:  Close To My Heart Seam Binding

Other:  My Mind's Eye Enamel Dots*, Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher Staples,  Pinked Cork Circle from Little Yellow Bicycle

*from Simon Says Stamp June Card Kit

Wood Embellies for CAS-ology

This week's CAS-ology Cue Card was Wood, and I had some wood veneers in my June Simon Says Stamp Kit, so it seemed fitting. 

This card could not have been simpler!  Cardstock, pattern paper, ribbon and wood veneers with a little sentiment.  Simple! 

Love those wood veneer flowers. 

Supplies Used - So Happy for You

Cardstock:  Bazzill*

Pattern Paper:  My Mind's Eye Now and Then Mildred* and Doodlebug Dot Vellum*

Stamps:  Favorite Flowers*

Ink:  Memento

Ribbon:  American Crafts

Other:  Prima Wood Veneers*

*from Simon Says Stamp June Card Kit

Love is Everything . . . for Freshly Made Sketches

I'm sharing Card #2 made at yesterday's crop using my Simon Says Stamp June Kit, this one for Freshly Made Sketches.  I added the stamping after I got home and could find the stamp set that came with the kit.  Here is the card . . .

And here is the Freshly Made Sketch that inspired the card . . .

A fairly easy stamp, with the hardest part being matching up ink colors (and that wasn't so bad).

I'll have a few more cards posted tomorrow.

Supplies Used - Love is Everything

Cardstock:  Bazzill*

Pattern Paper:  My Mind's Eye Now and Then Mildred*

Stamps:  Favorite Flowers*

Ink:  Stampin' Up

Other:  Enamel Dots from My Mind's Eye*, We R Memories Corner Chomper

*from Simon Says Stamp June Card Kit

Sending Prayers & Love . . . for Mojo Monday

Pulled together some supplies to work on the Mojo Monday sketch, and here is my card . . .

Most of the supplies for this card came from the June Simon Says Stamp Card Kit, although I used the stamps that had just arrived from the July kit.  I was guilty of showing up to a crop with the June Kit minus the stamp set that came with it . . . and so we make do! 

One thing I did a little different (hard to see in the photo) is that the diagonal stripe paper on the left side has a folded edge which gives the card some dimension (see that shadow). 

 Loving these soft colors!  I have more cards to share using these same supplies, they are still being "tweaked", so stay tuned. 

Supplies Used - Sending Prayers & Love

Cardstock:  Bazzill*

Pattern Paper:  My Mind's Eye Now and Then Mildred* and Doodlebug Dot Vellum*

Stamps:  Sending Happy Thoughts**

Ink:  Memento and Simon Says Stamp Lipstick Red**

Ribbon:  American Crafts

Other:  We R Memories Scallop Corner Chomper

*from Simon Says Stamp June Card Kit

**from Simon Says Stamp July Card Kit

Just Sayin' . . . Make a Wish

Two challenges . . . two cards . . .

First, the Reverse Confetti Challenge, which was a color challenge.  Here is my card . . .
 

I covered my front panel with pattern paper and then  created panel using stamped images from the Reverse Confetti Arrows 'n Elements set and the colors from the challenge. 

 I used some clear embossing powder for my sentiment.  

My second challenge today was the Stampin' Celebration challenge.   I've not played along with this challenge before.  This one is a sketch challenge, and I loved the sketch . . .

And here is my card . . .

I used new dies and stamps from my Studio Calico kit that arrived a few weeks back.   I love the black and white images here. 

 Hmmm . . . before I added the rhinestones, this could have passed for a masculine card.  What do you think?  Masculine or not? 

Supplies Used - Just Sayin'

Cardstock:  Neenah and Bazzill

Pattern Paper:  Basic Grey

Stamps:  Reverse Confetti Arrows 'n Elements

Ink:  Avery Elle and Versafine

Ribbon:  Stampin' Up

Other:  Clear Embossing Powder

 

Supplies Used - Make a Wish

Cardstock:  Neenah

Pattern Paper:  Little Yellow Bicycle

Stamps:  JJ Bolton for Studio Calico

Dies:  Studio Calico

Ink:  Ranger Archival

Ribbon:  Denami Designs

Other:  Rhinestones from Little Yellow Bicycle