Amazing, Pure, Simple, Wonderful You

Heart 2 Heart's second challenge for the month of May was "A Banner Day" . . . to create a project with a banner.  I pulled out my Ivy Lane Workshop kit which has gorgeous paper and a banner stamp, and here is the result .  . .

I always love the look of double sided pattern paper that is folded on corners.  It gives dimension, and it shows contrast.  These colors are fabulous. 

All product used is Close to My Heart.

Hey . . . Keep Smiling (for Kit Kraft Wednesday)

My "use it or lose it scheme" continues.  I can continue to receive my monthly kits from Simon Says Stamp and The Stamps of Life if I can show that I am using them. 


So I cracked open the seal on my June Simon Says Stamp Card Kit to create a little something, and I've again chosen a sketch from CASE this Sketch.  Here is my card . . .

The stamp set was a great fit for the sketch . . .

The varying circles in different sizes . . . perfect!  I used one of the pattern papers from the set as my background.   Looking forward to creating some fabulous cards this month. 

The supply list is short . . . the result is not too shabby. 

Supplies Used

Cardstock:  Simon Says Slate Gray*

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

Stamps: Simon Says Stamp Favorite Flowers*

Ink:  Memento and Stampin' Up

*from Simon Says Stamp June Card Kit

You Left an Imprint on My Heart

Heart 2 Heart's first challenge for the month of May was Take 5!  The fifth month of the year, and the challenge was to use five of something on your creation.  I went with five hearts . . .

Loving that striped twist tie.  

All product shown is Close To My Heart. 

A Few Cards Later

I got busy with a few challenges today.  This post will touch on three different ones.

Up first, The Card Concept, whose challenge was to use a coffee theme.  This one is Clean and Layered, but bordering on Freestyle Collage (just bordering).  I'm a Starbucks girl, so that is where my color choices came from on this card . . .

I used my Ranger paint dauber as a background for the smaller cups on the left.

Hmmm . . . those look like little coffee stains (I promise that was not intentional).  This card is meant to be a gift card holder for someone.  I left the sentiment on the inside blank, as I'm not sure who the recipient or what the occasion will be.  

Next up are two cards I created for CAS-ology.   This is my first time doing one of their challenges, and this week's Cue Card was "Flower."  I decided to play around with some water coloring using my Tim Holtz Distress markers.  I ended up creating two cards, exactly the same image, except one is first generation water color stamp, and the second is second generation water color stamp (and I changed the sentiment).

First generation on the right; second generation on the left.

Below is the first generation stamp of the water color image.  I used four different markers to get this look . . . two shades of green and two of red.  You can tell below that there was a lot more water on that first generation image, and definitely more water on the left side (the images are less defined). 

 The image below is the second generation.  It's lighter in color and much more defined.  Which one do you prefer? 

And finally, a little something for Wednesday Stamp Club at MFT.  Here is the sketch . . .

And here is my card . . .

I shifted a few of my images to fit my choice of sentiments.  

Supplies Used - Coffee Shared

Cardstock:  Neenah Desert Storm, American Crafts

Pattern Paper:  just a scrap from my scrap bin

Stamps:  Precious Remembrance Shop - Coffee Love

Die:  My Creative Time Stitched Gift Card Pocket

Ink:  Ranger and Stampin' Up

Ribbon:  Stampin' Up

Other:  Tim Holtz Paint Dabber

Supplies Used

Cardstock:  Neenah and Strathmore Watercolor

Stamps:  Magenta and Simon Says Stamp Thinking of You and Apothecary Tables

Ink:  Tim Holtz Distress Markers and Versamark

Ribbon:  Stampin' Up

Other:  Doily from my stash, Stickles and Stampin' Up White Embossing Powder

 

Supplies Used - Snappy Birthday

Cardstock:  Bazzill and Neenah

Pattern Paper:  DCWV

Stamps:  MFT Picture This and Banner Greetings; Obsession Impression Cover a Card

Dies:  MFT Die-namics Banner Greetings and Accent it Cute Cameras

Ink:  Stampin' Up and Ranger Archival

Ribbon:  Stampin' Up

Other:  Pretty Pink Posh Sequins

Merry Monday - Flowers

It's been weeks since I've created a Christmas card, so I challenged myself with this week's Merry Monday challenge.  I found this one to be a struggle . . . Christmas and flowers are just hard for me.  I couldn't find any stamps with poinsettias, and I have loads of stamps (there was a sign).   But I forged ahead. I dug out a Cottage Cutz die that I had in my stash.  I cut the dies using white cardstock, and then I colored using distress stain and distress markers before piecing them together.  Here is the result . . .

Lots of tiny pieces.  I started by coloring with the distress stain, and then shifted to the markers to add some contrast.  The stain soaked in a bit and gave some of the pieces a bit of a velvet texture. 

Yes indeed . . . flowers and Christmas were a challenge for me (and that's why they call these challenges). 

Supplies Used

Cardstock:  Neenah

Pattern Paper:  Authentique

Stamps:  Newton's Nook Designs

Dies:  Cottage Cutz

Ink:  Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Stains and Markers, Ranger Archival

Ribbon:  Close To My Heart

Other:  Little Yellow Bicycle Pearls

A Pocketful of Thanks

I combined two challenges to come up with today's card . . .  using my Paper Smooches stamps for their Anything Goes challenge, and the sketch challenge from Mojo Monday.  Here is my card . . .

I used two sets to create the card.  The first was the new Denim & Daisies set and the second was the Kissables 2 set.  The full, solid pocket stamp was inked up, and then I "kissed" the stamp with the Kissables set to pull color away and give it that awesome texture. Here is the sketch from Mojo Monday . . .

Loving that little pocket! 

I want to try this "kissing" technique with some blue . . . it has that acid wash look to it.  And I even decorated the inside just a bit . . .

Supplies Used

Cardstock:  Neenah

Pattern Paper:  Basic Grey

Stamps:  Paper Smooches Denim & Daisies and Kissables 2

Dies:  Paper Smooches Pocket Dies

Ink:  Stampin' Up and Ranger Archival

Other: Ki Rhinestones

Reverse Confetti - Color Inspiration

It's a color challenge at Reverse Confetti!  Here is the color inspiration . . .

And here is my card . . .

 For my background, I ran my ink pad across a white cardstock panel.  I then stamped in Memento black, using the Be a Barista stamp. 

Supplies Used -  My Cup of Tea

Cardstock:  Bazzill

Stamps:  Reverse Confetti Be A Barista

Ink:  Close To My Heart and Memento

Ribbon:  Stampin' Up

Other:  Ki Rhinestones and Queen & Co..Ice Accents

Play Hard for Kit Kraft Wednesday

It's that day when I show that I'm using my monthly kit.  It is Kit Kraft Wednesday.  I combined my Simon Says Stamp May Card Kit with the sketch from Clean and Simple Stamping, and here is my design . . .

I thought this would be a great masculine card to give encouragement or let someone one know you think they're awesome! 

I'm loving that banner border, which was cut from pattern paper.

Once again I'm safe to receive that next monthly shipment of my Simon Says Kit . . . because I'm using it!

Supplies Used - Play Hard

Cardstock:  Bazzill*

Pattern Paper:  Fancy Pants*

Stamps:  All Boy from Simon Says Stamp*

Ink:  Close To My Heart

Ribbon:  Twine from Little Yellow Bicycle

*from Simon Says Stamp May Card Kit

Starry Stenciled Background

One stencil . . . two different embossing pastes.

My May Simon Says Stamp Card Kit came with a star stencil.  With my black cardstock I created two different card bases and tried two different embossing pastes.  The first was a regular white one, and the second was a translucent . . . two very different looks.

So here is the traditional white matte embossing paste.  Again, this one is on black cardstock, and once dried I inked it up a bit with some yellow ink so it wouldn't be stark white since my pattern paper included cream and not white.  

I love the raised effect of the stars.  I used my pattern paper with the monsters at the bottom, and also found paper that said "things that go bump in the night."

For my second card, I used the translucent embossing paste, and while still wet I sprinkled on some Hero Arts glitter.  This is a completely different look . . . one I would definitely try again with another stencil down the road (my brain is percolating on it).

 These cards started out so similar, but they both took a different route.  Here's an angled view of that sparkle . . .
 

Looking forward to trying that glitter technique again with another stencil soon.  Wait for it.

Supplies Used - Things That Go Bump

Cardstock:  Bazzill

Pattern Paper:  Fancy Pants*

Stamps:  All Boy from Simon Says Stamp*

Ink:  Close To My Heart

Ribbon:  Twine from Little Yellow Bicycle

Other:  Dreamweaver Embossing Paste, Stars and Dots Stencil from Simon Says Stamp

Supplies Used - Far Out & Groovy

Cardstock:  Bazzill

Stamps:  Lil' Inker Shiny Happy Sentiments

Ink:  Close To My Heart and Memento

Ribbon:  Twine from Little Yellow Bicycle

Other:  Dreamweaver Translucent Embossing Paste, Stars and Dots Stencil from Simon Says Stamp, Ki Rhinestones